#but this is a load of crap and i guess i was right to check out after season 5

[mikhailwrites]

Waiting for Connection 6 / Ghost x Soap NerdAU

Ghost is retired and plays milsim videogame. Soap is still in the force and sometimes plays that same videogame...

Previous chapter | AO3

The London Underground during the rush hour is a particular kind of hell. Strangers squeeze together, trying their best not to step on each other’s feet or even look someone in the eye. Usually, they would stare at their cell phones, even if they had nothing to check or read, really. Ghost closes his eyes and tries to breathe through the discomfort and anxiety. It’s just a few stops, but it takes forever. Especially as more people pour in, a message repeated the thousandth time is broadcasted about minding the gap, followed by a “See something, say something” announcement. If he hears it one more time, Ghost swears, he will smash the speakers.

Should’ve taken the cab. If only it weren’t so bloody expensive. Just because Ghost has the money doesn’t mean he’s willing to pay stupid sums. He hates London. Absolutely and categorically. Too much noise, too much traffic, too costly, too many people.

The Blackfriars finally comes up, and Ghost squeezes through the people. The crowd carries him all the way to the surface, where he takes a lungful of fresh air. Or, well, air. Damp and smelling of exhaust fumes.

Thankfully, the pub’s not far, and Ghost is in no hurry. He strolls at a leisurely pace, avoiding main streets flooded by tourists and natives alike like the plague, using back alleys and narrow, dirty passages reeking of piss and stale lager, reminding him of home.

The pub he goes to is in one such back alley. It looks dirty and cheap, but once Ghost steps inside, it’s actually clean and nice. The furniture and design are dated in the right way to call it cosy. There are a lot of people, but it’s curiously quiet and as far as Ghost can tell, no tourists.

Ghost comes up to the bar. “I’ve got a reservation. Name’s Garrick,” he tells the woman, who checks something he cannot see before she nods and points to a small table in the corner. There’s already someone sitting there. The baseball cap is a dead giveaway.

“Fancy meeting you here, Lieutenant Garrick,” Ghost claps Gaz’s shoulder when he walks up to him as if they met by chance. Gaz jerks and turns around quickly. Gaz always had impeccable impulse control. Better than Ghost, for sure. If their places were switched, Simon would probably try to flip Gaz over the shoulder and onto the table. As it is, Ghost smiles as he removes the medical mask he wears in public and sits down. “So, how are you?”

 Kyle rolls his eyes but smirks. “Oh, cut the crap, Ghost, we both know you wouldn’t come to London to catch up with me.” Ghost takes a breath to object, but Kyle continues before he can speak up. “Or… not just to catch up with me. So, what is it? Need help getting rid of a body?”

Ghost snorts, and Gaz grins, catching a waiter’s eye and gesturing for two pints.

“No. But you’re right, I have a favour to ask,” Ghost admits. He was never one for beating around the bush. “Got a callsign, let’s see what can you tell me about it?”

“Bloody hell, Ghost, I don’t know every soldie…,”

Ghost doesn’t even let him finish. “Soap.”

Gaz promptly shuts up and stays silent for half a minute, precisely when their beers arrive. Ghost hands the waiter a ten-pound note. Gaz waits until the waiter retreats before he speaks up. “Right, I guess I do know about this one. How do you know him?”

“Coincidence, met him online,” Ghost answers truthfully.

“Online? Like a dating app or assassins for hire?” Gaz feigns shock but can barely keep it up.

“A video game, Gaz, Christ,” Ghost shakes his head as he takes the glass and downs half of it in one go.

“Alright, alright. Just taking the piss, mate. Seriously, though, there’s not much I can tell you.”

That’s a peculiar choice of words on Gaz’s side. He didn’t say he doesn’t know the lad; he said he can’t tell Ghost much. Meaning he knows a shit load but can’t speak about it. “I understand. I have some tips, so… just nod if I’m right?”

“Alright.”

“Sergeant?”

Gaz nods.

“Fits. I know he’s good, but is he more than good?”

Another nod.

“Marines?”

That gets a first shake.

“Not the Marines? Then that means he’s pretty daring, isn’t he?” he looks at Gaz expectantly. Gaz nods.

“Really? Interesting. One of yours?”

“Ghost,” Gaz warns.

“I know, had to try,” Ghost smiles.

Gaz sighs and shakes his head before his lips also curl in a smile. “What I can tell you is that he’s not only good at his job but a good man, too. I can see why you’d like him.”

“It’s not… we’re not…,” Ghost says hastily, panic clear in his voice.

“Relax, Simon,” Gaz says, taking a swing from his glass, “you’ve changed, you know...” When he sees the disagreement written all over Ghost’s face, he continues. “I think it’s good. You’re… you seem fine. Content.”

Ghost jerks a little at the sound of his name coming from Gaz. It took him months to get used to being called Simon, but for Gaz, he’s always been Ghost. Not anymore, apparently. It doesn’t hurt as much as he thought it would. Maybe Gaz is right. Simon has changed, and it’s not a bad thing.

“Guess I am,” Simon muses, looking around at all those civilians. Technically, he’s one, too, but in reality, there will always be the matter of his past etched into his very existence. He’s been a soldier for so long, but that’s not all he’s been.

Maybe it’s time he remembered.

#I love Gaz #He's a voice of reason #And a good friend #call of duty #john soap mactavish #simon ghost riley #ghostsoap #soapghost #ghost x soap #ghoap

[angelsanarchy]

Alone Together - Eddie/OC One-Shot Series PRT 26

taglist: @thetenthdoctorscompanion @siriuslymooned @samwilsonnsnns @kathaaaaaaa

Eddie had to keep himself busy all day. Dani was supposed to come home today and he had missed the hell out of her. After talking to Wayne, he talked with the boys about his plan to ask Dani on a real date. They were all supportive and gave him a bunch of shit for taking so long but the whole gang was happy for him. No matter how much they tried to talk him down and explain that Dani felt the same way, he was still terrified to ask her out.

Eddie was running late for band practice, trying to get everything loaded up in his van as fast as humanly possible didn't mean shit if the van wouldn't start.

He had called and let Gareth know what he was doing and he said if he didn't hear from him in the next 20 minutes, they would practice tomorrow instead. Eddie couldn't help but be frustrated. He had way too much on his mind to focus on fixing the van right now.

He thought he heard a familiar car puttering down the street towards the driveway but when the door slammed, he lifted his head from under the hood.

There she was. Her hair almost looked a little darker, her cheeks were rosy and she smiled widely as soon as their eyes met. Eddie dropped the wrench in his hand as Dani started sprinting towards him. She jumped into his chest and he lifted her off the ground into a tight hug.

"Fuck I missed you." Eddie took in her scent as she squeezed him tightly.

"I missed you too!" Dani's legs were wrapped so tightly around Eddie, she had no plans of letting him go. When she finally sat back and looked at him, she smiled. Without much thought, she leaned forward and kissed him hard on the lips. Eddie's chest tensed feeling how hard his heart was beating and he kept his grip tight on her. Eddie stumbled back into the van and she pulled away from him so she could put her legs back on the ground.

"I need to talk to you about something...it's important." She sounded out of breath. Eddie felt like he had been gut checked.

"Y-yeah I gathered that." Eddie swallowed. She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the trailer, noticing his uncles truck wasn't in the driveway she was excited to finally see him, feel him, talk to him.

"Look I want to talk to you too-" Eddie heard her close the door behind herself but as he turned around she practically tackled him into the wall with another kiss. This time he was equally not prepared but responded with his lips against hers instead of standing there like an idiot. He cupped her face in his hands and pulled away.

"Wait wait wait...I have to tell you something Dani. It's important." Eddie needed to tell her. He needed her to know how he felt.

"I love you...I mean I'm in love with you and I want-" she cut him off.

"to have sex?" She questioned making his eyes go wide and jaw slack.

"Um...okay..I feel like we fast forwarded through something." Eddie clasped his hands together and Dani laughed. She walked over to the couch and patted the spot next to her. He sat down confused and she just stared for a minute.

"There wasn't a minute where I wasn't thinking about you while I was gone. That phone call that we had, that's the only thing that got me through my mom's stupid crap. I just kept thinking about this moment. Finally seeing you and just putting it all on the table." Dani explained.

"Y-yeah?" Eddie croaked.

"Yeah." She reached out and took his hands into her own.

"I guess that's a good thing because I was miserable the entire time you were gone. Everyone kept saying how much of a mopey dick I've been and kept telling me I needed to man up and finally tell you...that I'm stupid in love with you. It's more than being best friends or friends that dry hump in my van. I can't stop thinking about you Dani. I want to be with you all the time, I want to do cute shit like go on dates and have you wear my clothes and hold your hand at school." Eddie blushed looking at their hands together.

"I know you don't like labels-" He started nervously.

"Oh shut up and ask me to be your girlfriend already." Dani blurted. Eddie looked up surprised and smirked.

"You wanna be my girlfriend, Murillo?" Eddie teased.

"Yes I do." She pulled on his hands as they were locked into her own and kissed him. This time when he let go of her hands, he put them on her cheeks and pushed her to lay on her back, hovering over her so he didn't crush her. She pulled away suddenly and he leaned up to look down at her.

"What's wrong?" He asked concerned.

"I want to have sex with you...like right now." She pressed.

"I mean I'm totally down for all that but don't you want to like make it special...go on a date or something first?" He asked. Dani wasn't like the other girls he had slept with. She was special to him. She was his girlfriend now and he wanted her to know how much she meant to him.

"It is special because it's with you." She pushed his hair away from his face and he smiled sweetly.

"We can wait if you-" Eddie cut her off.

"Fuck no!" He lifted her off her feet and practically ran back to his bedroom while she laughed, holding on for dear life. He place her down on the bed gently and resumed kissing her with fervor this time. He pulled away and looked down at her for a moment to smile.

"Do you have any idea how long I've wanted this?" Eddie asked stroking the side of her face. Dani smiled at him.

"Why didn't you say anything? We could have been doing this for months." She teased. Eddie let out a laugh and shook his head.

"I was scared. You're my best friend...you're the best thing that's ever happened to me in this shitty town. I didn't want to ruin it." Eddie explained shyly. Dani touched his cheek and sat up on his bed.

She pulled her shirt over her head and Eddie's eyes went wide. Without giving him a second to process, she pulled her bra off too tossing it and leaving her topless in his gaze.

"You couldn't ruin this if you tried Munson." Dani reached out and pulled Eddie back on top of her and he let his hands roam her breasts, squeezing them and rolling her nipple between his thumb and finger. She ran her hands up his back and he let her pull his shirt over his head.

Dani ran her hands over his chest and let her fingers linger over his tattoos. She had seen them before but she had never been able to touch them.

"You're so fucking beautiful." Eddie ran his tongue down her neck, leaving behind little nibbles that made her groan. He felt her hands on his belt buckle and paused. She smiled reassuringly at him and he blushed.

"Eddie Munson, are you blushing?" Dani teased.

"Well I never really thought we would get here, you know." Eddie touched her hands and she sat up in front of him.

"Do you want to stop..." He rolled his eyes at her and she chuckled.

"Okay that was a dumb question. Are you just shy?" She asked kissing the skin of his chest, letting her tongue run across the ink of his tattoos as she brushed her fingertips over his happy trail. Eddie's eyes closed and he let his jaw run slack at the feeling. This felt so much different than any other time he's had sex. This felt intense.

"Do you think I could steer for a bit?" He asked letting his hands rest on her hips. She kissed him quickly before laying on her back and letting him take control. He laid his body atop Dani's, resuming his kisses, trailing them down her breasts, over the scars of her stomach from surgeries, to the hem of her jeans. He pulled the jeans and the panties down in one fell swoop and Dani moaned loudly the moment his lips attached to her clit. His eyes shot up to look at her as she writhed beneath him and she gripped her breasts tightly in her hands trying to contain the feelings Eddie was pulling from her.

"Oh God! Eddie." Dani looked down and watched him lap at her pussy so well she wanted to cry. Her hips jerked when his fingers entered her and she swiveled her hips down onto them.

"You're so fucking wet for me, beautiful. Tell me how good it feels, how good I make you feel." Eddie wanted so badly to make her cum like this. He wanted to hear her moan his name and taste her orgasm on his tongue. He kept his fingers at a steady pace and she continued to whine curses, biting her lip to keep from being loud.

"You make me feel so fucking good. I'm gonna cum, fuck Eds, I'm gonna cum." It came out like a cry but when she did cum, Eddie made sure to lick her clean until she practically trapped his head between her knees from being overstimulated.

Eddie sat back on his knees letting Dani catch her breath. She looked at him as he surveyed her laying exposed completely on his bed and smiled.

"I'm taking those fucking pants off now." She scrambled to get her hands back on his belt and he laughed letting her undo the buckle. He took a handful of her ass cheeks in his hands and squeezed as she tried to yank his jeans down but was unsuccessful.

"I might need to take these off myself." Eddie slid off the bed and stood as he pushed his jeans and boxers to the floor and stepped out of them. His cock was hard as it slapped against the middle of his stomach and Dani grinned.

"Shy my ass." She crawled towards him and he shook his head at her, tensing as he watched her lick her palm and slide it down his cock.

"Listen, I would love for you to...return the favor but I'm not going to last long and I want the first time I cum with you to be inside of you." Eddie explained and Dani put her arms around his neck.

"Inside of me? That kind of sounds romantic." She teased but he leaned his head against hers.

"You know I love you right? Like over the moon, sell baby if it made you happy kind of love..." Eddie pressed and Dani put her hands on his face.

"I love you too Eddie...and I would never ask you to sell baby." She kissed him sweetly, tasting herself on his tongue. She let him lay her on her back again, feeling the weight of him resting against her belly as he settled on top of her.

"Are you ready? I don't want to hurt you-" Eddie started looking between their bodies feeling Dani's hand grip him and guide his cock towards her entrance.

"Oh..-Fuck." Eddie felt her pussy pulling him in tightly and he tried to remain as still as possible. Dani didn't move, seeing him trying to keep his composure. She stroked the muscles in his arms until he lifted his head to look into her eyes.

"You're going to be the fucking death of me, Murillo." He was practically shaking.

"What a way to go out then." She smiled kissing his forearm tattoo. Once he was able to move, he pushed his hips forwards and Dani let her head fall back. She felt full and the burn of the stretch made her dig her nails into his arms. He went slowly trying not to let this moment be over too quickly. He couldn't look down at her face without wanting to cum so he tried to keep his eyes shut as he moved, listening to her moans, preaching his name like she was in church asking for forgiveness. Sex had never been like this for him.

He finally dare to look at her and she staring at him as his thrusts started to pick up speed. She pulled the front of his guitar pick necklace until he was close enough to kiss her as he moved.

"Eddie." She licked his bottom lip groaned grabbing a hold of his ass and wrapping her legs around him to pull him deeper. He let out a surprised groan and started thrusting at a sloppy pace trying to reach his orgasm.

"Oh fuck Dani! FUCK!" He released inside of her and felt his vision white out for a moment as he whined out moans. His arms gave out and he tried not to crush her but he couldn't move. His legs felt like jelly and just feeling his dick go soft inside of her made him shiver.

He hadn't remembered falling asleep but when he awoke, Dani was staring at him, now wearing one of his old band tanks and panties. He grinned at her and she could see the blush on his cheeks.

"You passed out almost immediately." Dani teased and Eddie turned to bury his face into the pillow.

"I was overwhelmed with emotions and comatose by your feminine wiles, at least I made you cum once." Eddie mumbled into the pillow embarrssed.

"Twice actually." Dani laughed stroking his back and resting her head next to his so he would look at her.

"No regrets?" He asked letting his hand rest on her naked thigh. She leaned forward and kissed him.

"Not a single one." Dani pushed the hair off his face and he smiled.

"This feels like a dream. I don't want to leave this bed. I don't want the world to fuck this up." Eddie pulled her closer to him and she rested her head against his chest.

"Nothing is going to fuck this up. You've got me and I've got you." Dani reassured Eddie as he held onto her.

"Beauty and the Freak..." He teased making her laugh.

"Hey, you're my freak." She joked and Eddie licked his lips seeing how sincere she was being. That's how Eddie knew he was falling in love with Dani. The way she looked at him was unlike anyone else. She saw something in him that made him want to be better, do better and make a future possible.

"And you're my girl." He responded kissing her once more and getting lost in the feeling of their limbs being tangled up in one another, laying in the middle of his bed. He was going to fight with his life to protect what he and Dani had.

#Stranger Things #Stranger Things Fic #Alone Together #Alone Together Series #One Shot Series #Eddie Munson #Eddie Munson x OC #Eddie Munson x Dani Murillo

[dollarbin]

Dollar Bin #10:

Bob Dylan at Budokan

My famous brother went out on one of his classic limbs this past week and told his approximately 64 million followers that it was time to get excited about Dylan's latest Archive reclamation project. 

The Archives series has already saved Self Portrait and saved the Saved era; now Dylan and my brother want to convince us that Dylan at Budokan, Bob's cheese favored concert album from 78 is a misunderstood classic. 

Without having listened to the entirety of this Dollar Bin mainstay in a few decades I'm going out on a much narrower limb than my brother right now and saying he's wrong.  Wrong! I first picked this record up at my local library in about 90, back when you could still check vinyl records out of libraries. It sucked then, and I say it still sucks now.

Problem is, my famous brother is famous in part because he's never wrong about stuff like this. I told him Saved was unsaveable a few years back and he patted me on the head, chuckling. Then Dylan put out Trouble No More and proved my brother right. I also told him in about 1983 that I would always be taller and more handsome than him. And look what the hell happened.

Point is, my brother knows what he's talking about. He's famous for a reason. And yet! Lately he's been telling me I should listen to Manassas records, claiming that Stephen Stills' other 70's "supergroup" doesn't suck. Well, that sounds like a load of horse crap. Stephen Stills sucks, bro, and so does Dylan at Budokan. 

So let's drop the needle and take a listen. I'll write this entry in real time, beer in hand. May the best brother win.

Side 1

Mr. Tambourine Man opens the album. Every time I try to listen to this record I start here, obviously. I can already see why I don't get much further. The song's arrangement is incredibly complex, and everyone is clearly talented. The opening guitar riff is lovely and returns toward the end to ramble and shine. But why does the flute never, ever stop? If I wanted someone on stage with a magic flute, I'd ask for it, Bob. I'm not asking for a magic flute, Bob. Ever.

Next we've got Shelter from the Storm performed by a strident Greek dramatic chorus. Sounds pretty good, I guess. The song makes sense for ancient masked tragedy. It describes a world of steel eyed death and men fighting to stay warm; they sell the guy's clothes; doom alone counts.  But in-between verses tragedy falls away and Steve Douglas, the man formerly fingering his endless flute, is staggering around like the guy in a fat suit in a Satyr play, his sax beating everyone on the head like it's a giant pigskin phallus.  His name, of course, is Steve; he and Stills outta go and compare their mammoth ding dongs in private: we don't want to see them.

Love Minus Zero follows.  Dylan is suddenly fronting Van the Man's Caledonia Soul Orchestra, one of the best live bands of all time, but Bob has them juggling pineapples and riding unicycles. Rob Stoner, who possesses the best name for a bass player in the history of white people, ignores them all, rocking out underneath. The track is better than I remember, but everyone is still playing hopscotch gleefully during one of my favorite songs of all time, so the album still sucks - so far.

At this point, my famous brother is beginning to tremble with fright because he knows what comes next. Ballad of a Thin Man gives Steve "Must Be Related To Stills" Douglas another chance to slather his sax sized wienerschnitzel with all kinds of mustard and wave it in everyone's face. That thing was meant for procreation, Steve, not for playing with in front of the poor Japanese audience. Jesus Christ, the album is even worse than I remember.

And now it gets even more terrible! It Ain't Me Babe has a rumbling your way to the crapper vibe; something Bob ate is not sitting right inside him and the stage swirls while his drummer's bass drum drops a smoking load all over the floor. 

Okay, bro, sure, the guitar solo mid-song is kinda awesome; but by that point everyone in my house, hell, everyone on my block, has their heads in their hands and is begging for it to stop. Bob's satin jumpsuit needs to be thrown away; no detergent will ever get these stains out. But even so he wants us to know it's alright, it's alright, it's alright!

Time to flip the record, and get another beer. We've got a long way to go.

Side two opens with Maggie's Farm. Never my favorite song, frankly.  The wild thing about this album is how intricate the arrangements continue to be.  Do I like this James-Belushi-running-up-a-series-of-down-escalators-at-full-speed take on the song?  No.  But everyone in the band charges on earnestly, working through reams of intricate lead sheets; even the drumming is perfectly notated so as to induce maximum seasickness.

Now One More Cup of Coffee is a song I always enjoy. It's creepy and seductive, a prequel to Senior, which Dylan must have been working on at this point. But this take replaces the sinister, elusive vibe of every other version with misplaced, chest-pounding bravado.  What's Dylan need another cup of coffee for if the valley below is a place where everyone will gather and cheer while he does clap-as-you-rise push-ups? It sounds like Dylan is surrounded by Bukokan's finest break dancers. My brother stands to one side, cowering in shame.

However, Like A Rolling Stone is actually good here.  This take lays the sonic foundation for much of Street Legal, the well-above-average album of new songs Dylan recorded with this band in the middle of this tour. Here, Douglas channels All Things Must Pass rather than Elvis's laced up leather pants. Sure, he flashes his midsection monster yet again at the end to interrupt a pretty solid guitar solo, but we're thinking about Dylan's great phrasing of the timeless lyrics, not Steve's Johnson.

The verse work on I Shall Be Released gives my brother's cause for further hope, but the chorus turns the song into This Little Light of Mine complete with hand gestures. The song is about dreaming of freedom, Bob. It should not sound like an upbeat prison torture soundtrack.

Speaking of Street Legal, Is Your Love in Vain is as great on this album as you'd expect, maybe better than the studio version at moments, especially when the mandolin elbows in.  The song comes from a particular genre in the Bobosphere: the "Bob Shares Insights into Why He Never Stays Married" genre. The songs are often pretty good in this genre; but the lyrics are by turns offensive, hilarious and (hopefully) ironic. What Was It You Wanted? is a fun member of the club; Something's Burning Baby, is a particularly terrible entry, not because it features tender husband bon mots like, "Something is the matter baby, there's smoke in your hair," but because it's unlistenable. Bob, buy a clue: if your ladyfriend is on fire, don't write a song about it. Rather, go get a hose.

Just in case Bob's not sure, let's tell it to him straight, right here and now: no one wants to be asked if they can cook and sew and make flowers grow for you, Bob. Therefore, no one wants to understand your pain. But we still like your song! 

Okay, we are almost 1/2 way through this record and the score is me 4000, my brother 2. But Going, Going, Gone sounds alright!  We've got a pretty full rewrite going on, and the guitar noodles along nicely.  I'd love to hear Bob Uecker sing this version of the chorus as a ball leaves the yard. 

But then mid-track something wicked and gross this way comes. In what I guess we'll call the bridge, the band veers off Gordon Lightfoot's Carefree Highway and is suddenly going, going, gone into the River Acheron (you know, the one that welcomes all souls to hell).  Moments later, the band regains form, and we are no longer trembling alongside Dante. But then the whole reckless thing restarts and I'd rather get in Charon's boat and compliment his flaming wheel eyes than listen a moment longer.

It's time for side three!

Finally we hear Alan Pasqua front and center on Blowing in the Wind; here he tinkles mysteriously along, going somewhere exciting.  His intricate, conversational and utterly original playing on Murder on Most Foul led me down a lovely internet rabbit hole a few years back.  Somewhere on the net (look yourself, you lazy reader, and bring me another beer while you are at it. I'm busy surviving this experience.) there's a huge and exciting interview with Pasqua all about this tour and his occasional work with Dylan during the past 45 years.  Someone, somewhere in all that reading compared Murder Most Foul to A Love Supreme. The comparison is ridiculous, yes, but it's also interesting. All kidding aside, Dylan has made some of the last century's weirdest and best art. Just not here.

Anyway, this arrangement of Blowing gets increasingly intolerable as the rest of the band comes in; I'd be far more excited to have Dylan work the whole song through alone with Pasqua.

Just Like a Woman sounds nice here; it's another entry in the "I recommend you divorce me" Bobfiles, but if he wanted to play this at my $1000 Wedding I'd be fine with it.  Dylan busts out his harpoon for some classic warbling at the end, setting the stage for the best harmonica playing of his whole career three or four years later on Every Grain of Sand.  Blow Bob, blow! Your catching my brother up!

But uh oh, broheim, Oh Sister is moody and unrecognizable.  Where is this going?  This song has always been one of Bob's most terror inducing.  Is he singing about lying in the arms of his actual sister?  Is Oedipus joining them afterwards for light drinks and conversation?  By the time Steve Douglas fingers his giant, one eyed, Achaean blood sausage yet again everything sounds like the fourth, thankfully edited out, hour of Boogie Nights.  During the final instrumental section things are actually pretty exciting, but I'm glad Bob didn't introduce this one the way he introduces the next ("Here's a simple love story, happened to me...") because if this song and this version are non-fiction there are three headed people in Minnesota descended from Dylan's coupling with some poor sibling.  Yikes. Next track, please.

Simple Twist of Fate is good!  I'd prefer it if Dylan's hotel wasn't "renovated" and I'd be fine without the bridge, but David Mansfield's violin soars nicely towards the end, swimming in a lovely current with Billy Cross's lead guitar and Pasqua's surging organ. Score another one for the famous brother.

What can I say about All Along the Watchtower?  Stoner's bass is bigger here than his bong. Mansfield's violin is awesome; the background vocals are great.  Does this compete with Jimi Hendricks, or the Dylan and the Band version from 74, or the original?  Hell no.  But this is probably my favorite track so far: Dylan gives one of Dylan's most cinematic songs a great reboot.

Wow.  I Want You!  Maybe my brother is famous for a good reason after all.  This take is soulful, unrecognizable and tender.  It nearly wins my brother the whole bet. One of his big claims is that Bob really sings on this record, rather than the shouting he'd done on the previous tours. I concede that point, at least for the moment.

I'm at the bridge now (Remember? All this is being written while I sit here suffering! But this song is amazing so far.) and I'm praying Bob sent his sax player and his unsheathed whispermaphone straight to Tokyo jail.  Ooooh - it's even better than that: Bob's making the guy play recorder instead.  Forget you ever saw the long term tenant in the sax guy's trousers because we're swooning here.  Wow!  If Bob's reissue sounds like this my famous brother is going to be right yet again and I'll be left with Bob's own backyard brood of chickens' eggs all over my face.  Curses!

Side 4

Are there really only four sides so far? How many beers have I had? Do I really have to listen to All I Really Want To Do? It doesn't even crack my top 400 Dylan songs; Handy Dandy holds down number 400 and cannot be budged.  Handy Dandy: he's got an all girl orchestra and when he says strike up the band, they hit it. Love that song....

It doesn't matter if it's Dylan giggling through All I Really Want to Do himself or if World Party are playing hommage to it, I've just never wanted to be friends with anyone while listening to this song.  And this version isn't making me social; a few more minutes of this and I'm gonna go out and punch a neighbor.  Any neighbor. All I really want to do is get to the end of this damn song.

Knocking on Heaven's Door explores whole new realms of terrible. Here's Bob, hawking bananas and other ripe fruits.  He'll show you a yo-yo trick; he'll squeeze your baby's cheeks with affection and scare the hell out of them in the process.  This might be the worst thing on the whole album.  I'm winning, people! My famous brother: infamous. A plethora!

The next track lands like a jiggling jello dropped from a great height.  It's Alright Ma combines with Gates of Eden to form the least tolerable moments of Bob's first golden era of solo folk; sandwiched between two stone cold classics on the acoustic side of his fifth record, they make clear that Bob going electric is a good idea.  But then in 74 Bob sailed It's Alright Ma into his rushing flood of hollered greatness. Even the president of the United States has to love that version.  But here at Budokan, Bob karate chops his way through each verse, surrounded by a flash mob of belly dancers.  I don't want a sensie, Bob. I want this record to end.

Thankfully, we're winding down. My family is no longer begging me to turn this crap off. Forever Young and The Times They Are a-Changing end the album and both sound reasonable here, like leftovers from The Last Waltz's studio sessions, where the fabulously nuts Richard Danko and Richard Manuel were chained down to their desks and ordered to not freak out. Stoner takes one very intentional bass step at a time throughout each track, like he's completing a connect the dots page with fierce concentration. Slowly an image is revealed: a giant, white guy afro in profile: Dylan in 78.

Okay, it's over. Did I win? Of course not! No doubt my brother is right and the reissue will feature more outtakes like this one, leaving him the victor, yet again.

#Youtube #bob dylan #stephen stills still sucks #nippon budokan #dante #hell #gloom and doom from the tomb

[loife1m]

100% first two chapters

1st chap: the final report - 1

"...and we shall go to the assembly after lunch break. I hope you are proud of your report, and to those who aren't, I'm sure you will do better next time. Class dismissed" Ms. Sherly finished and left the class. Aiden looked disgustedly at his report paper, lying ugly on his desk, shamefully hated on.

"What did you get?" Aiden turned to the voice, even though he didn't have to turn to know who it was.

"Miss Shah! To what do I do the honor?" Aiden exclaimed, sarcastically.

"Shut up, no good loser. What did you get?" Aru Shah crossed her arms.

Crap. He thought by teasing her, she would retort and would forget. This time he really messed up, because he got 98% and was 99% sure that she got higher.

"Go away"

"Lemme guess. You're too embarrassed about it?" She smirked. 

"They're at it again" Mini sighed to their friend, Brynne.

"Shh. I wanna see this shit go down" Brynne replied.

"98%" he muttered. A big grin appeared on her face and his heart dropped. She slapped down her report on his desk. 

"99%. Better luck next time, sucker" She smirked, snatched her paper away and walked away with Mini who was rolling her eyes. 

It was lunch break in their junior college, the only time where people from different departments could meet one another.

The English Story Championship 2023 was approaching quickly, where only one person from their department would get selected to represent the school and fight against many. For the past years, both of them had been preparing. Last year, he got selected, as Aru was not in Junior College at that time. But this year, he wasn't so sure.

It wasn't like a group to group thing. Only one person would get selected. That was his main worry.

"Cheer up dude. It shouldn't be about who's gonna be getting the medal! Our school should win. Period" Brynne snapped him out of his thoughts. Their group consisted of Brynne, her girlfriend Hira, Mini and his cousin Rudy. As well as Aru.

The entire school was super interested in the beef, so both of them were popular. And yeah, it used to be super awkward for the rest of the group at first, but eventually they all got used to it.

"I guess you're right."

"But you still wanna win."

"I still wanna win."

Brynne sighed. "Whatever. Let's join the others"

As they approached the table, Aru was laughing melodically at something Rudy said. Mini was pointing out something he got wrong, from what he could tell.

Yeah okay. Not laughing melodically, he meant snickering.

"Where are you from, Pluto? A microwave isn't a small wave, you small brained-" 

"Wait, wait. What did he say? What did I miss out on?" Brynne rushed to sit next to Aru. 

"He was talking about how he saw a microwave when he went to the beach last summer, and how excited he was to see megawaves this summer" She cackled. Brynne joined the cackling while pointing at Rudy.

'How on Earth do they get along? How can anyone get along with Shah?' He thought.

Mini frowned. "Guys, that's not that nice. He's one of the best musicians in our department"

"Okay, and? He needs a brain as well" Brynne said.

Rudy turned beet red. "I'm good at loads of things! If you could just see them"

Aru's face suddenly turned understanding and then she looked guilty. "Yeah. I'm sure. Just study hard okay? It's bound to be embarrassing if you tell this to a 10 year old and they laugh at you"

Aiden knew why her face turned understanding. A throwback to their 5th and 6th grade.

"Yeah, I guess so. I need someone to explain a lot to me" Rudy looked down. Aru smirked and nudged Mini suggestively.

"Y'know, I'm in a different department so it might be hard to arrange that. Mini, on the other hand, certainly can and will help you"

"I-um-yeah. I could do that" Mini stammered. Aru checked the time.

"Let's get to the assembly" She said, and rushed to the assembly hall.

Everyone filed in their respective home classes. Aru was in his home class, and the list being in alphabetical order, she was right in front of him.

"It's gonna start~" Aru sang. Everyone knew what 'it' was, and Aiden was dreading it. And sure enough it started.

"Good afternoon, everyone attending Augustus Day Junior College. This is your principal,          Mrs. Sharia. I'm sure everyone has gotten their final report by now, and as per tradition, I shall call out the ones who have scored the highest this year to receive the High Achiever reward"

"Ms. Arielle Reddy" She called out. Arielle walked up proudly from the front of Aru, sticking out her tongue at her. "Has scored 3rd place, with a score of 95%"

Everyone clapped, rather half-heartedly.

"Mr. Aiden Acharya" She called. Aiden walked up, all forced smiles and waved to the crowd. He spotted Aru smirking and almost slumped. "Has scored 2nd place, a score of 98%"

As everyone clapped, Mrs. Sharia gave him the certificate and the medal and let him stand to the side of Arielle who shifted closer to him and smiled.

"And now, our highest achiever, the pride of the school this year, please welcome Ms. Aru Shah!" Mrs. Sharia even clapped this time, Aiden grit his teeth and Arielle's jaw dropped. "Scoring 1st place, with a result of 99%!!"

Aru walked up proudly, took her certificate and medal and stood to the right of Arielle. She subtly stuck out her tongue.

"Ah, Ms. Shah, please stand in the middle"

Aru grimaced of having to be in close proximity of him and stood next to him. As the pictures were taken, they all went back to the class line.

"And now, at last. I will reveal who shall compete in the English Story Championship 2023" Mrs. Sharia smiled. "This is a huge surprise for all of us, but I am proud to announce that"

Mrs. Sharia took out an entry form from behind her. But it was not one it was...two?

"Ms. Aru Shah and Mr. Aiden Acharya both shall compete in The English Story Championship this year!"

2nd chap: 8:30 sharp! You snooze you lose, - 2

"Ms. Aru Shah and Mr. Aiden Acharya shall both compete in the English Story Championship this year!"

The entirety of their school, both departments, were shocked to silence. You could hear the whirring of the air conditioning and a single bee inside the assembly hall. You could hear somebody drop something plastic and everyone gasping.

Up there, on the stage, Aiden, Aru and Arielle's jaws dropped.

"This is serious injustice. I worked hard for this!" Aru whispered ferociously. In a way, hate her or not, Aiden could understand what she was feeling. Battling with your rival to get to the top only to have both of you get selected would be really bad. It would mean everything you did was for nothing.

You see, after Aiden found out Aru got higher, he called his mom to tell her that he'd come home that weekend. His mom was so excited, she'd be devastated now.

And then he felt the reality wash over him a bit too late. He was selected for the English Story Championship for the second time in a row! He was gonna represent the school.

With Aru Shah.

She's super crazy smart. Not to mention, she's a nice person too. Maybe she could fill in his place as well as her's.

'Yeah, right. She'd be happy to, but she won't do it because you're asking her' His brain sneered at him. 'She would've done it happily 4 years ago, especially because she-'

Shut up, brain.

'You did too'

Shut up brain!

"Everyone, an Augustus Clap please!" Mrs. Sharia boomed over the loud speakers to gain everyone's attention. People stopped whispering with each other and started the Augustus Clap.

They stomped their right foot and clapped twice. They continued the pattern, and Aiden felt Aru shiver pleasantly next to him. He knew that feeling. The entire school looking at you and clapping for your hard work.

Everyone filed back to their classes and Aiden walked up to Aru's desk, as she was chatting with her friend. Her name was Bethany or something, but he wasn't here for her, so he didn't care.

"Shah."

Aru turned to him with a smile that soon dropped after seeing who it was.

"Oh. It's you. Don't be smug about getting selected, this is completely unfair and you should know that"

"Aiden, darling. Remember me?" Bethany interrupted her. Aru got visibly annoyed.

One thing you should know about Shah is that she doesn't like getting interrupted.

"Uh yeah, Bethany, right?" Aiden replied awkwardly.

He could hear Aru snicker silently and see Bethany's smile dropping.

"Um no. It's Brutta" 

Now it was Aiden's turn to snicker, inside his head. Brutta meant ugly in Italian. He coughed and then turned to Shah.

"I don't wanna participate" he continued.

"Whatever" Aru turned back to Bethany. Then her eyes bulged and she turned back to him. "Wait. You what?!" 

"Yeah, yeah, tease me all you wa-"

"Are you crazy? How could you miss an opportunity like this? I thought you really wanted this" Aru scolded him (ish) with genuine concern in her eyes. Something passed through them that reminded him a lot about when they were still friends. When they were able to understand each other. 

When they were able to hold conversation without fighting.

"I need to go see my mom. You can do this"

And then realization and understanding in her eyes. "Oh. How is she, by the way?"

Aiden chuckled. "Well. She's good. She never really liked you, you know"

She snorted "As if you did. It's okay if someone doesn't like me. I could care less"

Aiden coughed for a second, considering the first part of her sentence was untrue. "How's yours?"

"She's good. Actually, she's recently started-"

"Is this happening? Are you two actually having a conversation without fighting?" Ugly screeched.

Aru winced, looked annoyed and slowly enunciated the words. "Bethany. Don't interrupt me"

"I'm not Bethany for goodness sake! I'm Brutta!" She screamed.

Aiden could tell that Bethany was only talking to Aru for the popularity and Aru to Brutta because her friends were probably busy at the moment.

"Yeah. Okay. Anyway, what do you want me to do about this?" Aru asked, ignoring Brutta annoyingly flirting with him. 

"Fill in my place!" He yelled. The class got quiet. All eyes were on them.

"What? No!" Aru replied, alarmed.

"Please. I'm begging you!"

"You'd let Mrs. Sharia down! You know how she feels about this"

"Aru. Please" he replied, using her first name for the first time in a long time.

"No!" 

The class started whispering:

"Who are they?"

"That's Aiden Acharya and Aru Shah. They're ultimate rivals and the faces of the school"

"They seem close"

"Yeah they used to be close, but grew apart. Rumor has it that they used to have a thing for each other"

"Really? I could definitely see it"

He felt his ears boiling up and then continued trying to get his point across.

"Just shut up and agree!"

"Why should I? You're the one who's being childish right now"

"Me? Seriously? Who's the one who spilt their leaking pen ink all over my locker!"

"I said I'm sorry! I even cleaned it up for you, so I think it's stupid of what you're asking me to do"

"Do you want me to tell everyone your entire 5th grade?"

The other opened her mouth and then sighed in exasperation. "I can't stand you"

"Then sit down" he replied, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he walked away. "I'll see you at 8:30"

"Fuck you!"

"8:30 sharp!" He replied, moving out the class. He could hear her audibly groan as he turned around the corner.

#aiden acharya #aru shah #aruden #hirynne #snake of death

[david-talks-sw]

Random train of thought on mentors, protagonists, “Weapons Factory” and “Old Friends Not Forgotten”

I wrote this ‘bout half a year ago, and even then, the “Weapons Factory” episode has plenty of amazing meta written about it on Tumblr. Finally decided to update and post it when I noticed something while rewatching Season 7. For other takes on this subject, check out these: Lumi’s meta on “Weapon’s Factory”. JediMasterBailey’s meta on “Weapons Factory”.

Wrong protagonists & the mentor archetype

Stories gotta have conflict. “Character wants something and something is in their way so they need to overcome that obstacle in order to get what they want.”

Good way to have conflict in your story is giving your protagonist a flaw they need to overcome.

Sometimes, that flaw is glaring, and the protagonist is outright wrong. When they realize they were wrong, we see that realization as a pay-off usually in a later scene. Examples of this in Star Wars:

From the moment he puts on the mask, Vader acts as if Anakin Skywalker is dead and there’s no way back for him from the darkness. When his son lays his life out on the line to save him, he realizes he must do the same to protect him and overcomes his inner darkness.

In TLJ, Luke firmly believes the Jedi should die out for the good of the galaxy. He realizes that’s a load of crap, and gets back in the fight.

Most of the time we see a Jedi Master... they’re not the protagonist. Usually, the protagonist is someone who isn’t a Jedi quite yet, someone young, who hasn’t arced yet, a learner.

So the archetype the Jedi fill more frequently is that of the wise mentor, someone who has already become the best version of themselves, and is now helping the protagonist with their arc.

The Jedi are Gandalf, Dumbledore, Jiminy Cricket... the voice of reason.

So, most of the time, when we’re seeing the Jedi (who strive to overcome their flaws), we’re seeing them from the eyes of flawed characters.

Like Anakin.

Anakin, Luminara & the lesson of “letting go”

Seeing as Anakin is our protagonist, he’s our lead POV character in most of the scenes we see the Jedi. We’re seeing events through his eyes.

And it’s easy to do because he’s flawed, and guess what, he’s emotional too… but we - the viewers - are also flawed and emotional. So any scene with him and the Jedi in it, we’re instantly gonna relate more to him than to the Jedi because we make an emotional connection with him.

He’s angry at the Jedi? If the writers do their job right, we’ll empathize and be angry too.

He feels they’re dispassionate and dogmatic? We will feel that too.

But if you look at things objectively... most of the time he’s in the wrong. Or at least he’s not following the rules correctly. And if he does learn, it’s temporary. After all, this is the guy who ends up becoming Vader. As Dave Filoni puts it:

“The challenge for us, creatively, is that unfortunately we can never solve any of [Anakin’s] problems fully. We can present them, we can start him to a path of understanding and hope that the audience understands that which the character of Anakin Skywalker cannot. That he can never take the final full step to being this more enlightened person, because he keeps getting pulled back down.” - Dave Filoni, 
The Clone Wars: 
“The Slaves of Zyggeria” video commentary, 2012

In this case, let’s take the Jedi rule of “letting go” of attachments.

In Anakin’s mind, “letting go” (accepting that there are things beyond your control ) is synonymous with “giving up”. Which isn’t the case, for a Jedi. To them, it’s a sign of maturity, not weakness or carelessness.

This is perfectly illustrated in the TCW episode “Weapons Factory”.

In the episode, Ahsoka and Barris are trapped beneath rubble, and are slowly dying from the lack of oxygen.

Above the ground, Anakin and Luminara search for them, but it’s pointless because the area to cover is large and they have no idea where the two Padawans are.

Like, here’s the facts:

They can sense that their Padawans are slowly dying beneath the debris.

Locating them is impossible.

None of the ships, troops and equipments will be able to dig around enough to find them in time.

The two Padawans are as good as dead, and whether they do make it out alive is beyond Anakin and Luminara’s control, and entirely up to the Padawans’ own resourcefulness.

And Anakin is basically getting angry at Luminara for prematurely mourning her apprentice, saying that she’s already given up on her Padawan, but he won’t give up on Ahsoka, no sir!

The interesting thing is that we feel what Anakin is saying, and most of the audience watching agrees with Anakin. Like, anybody I talk to about this episode remembers it as “oh yeah, Luminara didn’t give a fuck and was willing to let her Padawan die”:

But if you look at the scene objectively?

You can see that Luminara is very saddened by this.

But as opposed to Anakin, who is just pacing around going “what-do-I-do what-do-I-do what-do-I-do what-do-I-do”... she is getting ready to accept Barris’ sacrifice.

And Anakin hears this as “oh I’m just giving up and you should too”. When that’s not really the case. Anakin is completely right to care and to not give up on Ahsoka. But she’s talking about a completely different thing, they’re not on the same wavelength.

He’s talking about saving them... whereas she’s emotionally readying herself for the eventuality that they can’t. She’s not saying “stop looking for them”, she’s saying “it might not be enough”.

Again, those Padawans are as good as dead. Fact.

And then Ahsoka changes that fact by letting out that signal and letting them know that “yo, we’re here!”

Anakin and Luminara immediately and simultaneously go “oh shit they’re there!” and free them.

We even see Luminara react to the emerging Padawans before Anakin.

And that’s what a Jedi does.

She doesn’t shut out her emotions, so much as she looks at the facts and accepts them. The second the facts changed, she reacted at the same time as Anakin. The only difference was that she wasn’t losing her shit.

She isn’t talking about “giving up” or “not caring”, it’s about duty and pragmatism over hotheadedness. It’s about being ready to let go when there’s nothing else to do.

And one thing that I’d like to point out is that, while the episode is about having faith in your students, its narrative allows Luminara to make a fair point and get the last word.

Anakin may not understand it or agree with it, in this episode, but he soon will in the next season.

So, right there... the over-arching narrative is that Anakin has trouble letting go and accepting his own limits... and eventually he makes a meaningful first step towards being able to do that.

At the end of this post, there’s a quote where Lucas basically goes into the fact that, as a mentor, at some point the only thing you can do is hope you’ve trained your student the best you can, hope they’ll use your knowledge well, and let them go on their own path.

Anakin’s teachings got Ahsoka out of the rubble, on Geonosis.

Anakin’s teachings helped Ahsoka survive the Trandoshan hunters.

So not only were the mentor figures correct... slowly the protagonist is arcing and becoming one of them.

As mentioned before, though... it’s temporary. Overcoming your flaw doesn’t mean doing so forever.

The difference between this and Season 7

Skip to season 7, and we have another situation where the mentor figure is questioned:

But this time... the narrative doesn’t allow Obi-Wan to really make a meaningful point beyond “that’s not fair”.

In the dialogue, they acknowledge that Ahsoka isn’t trying to be, but we don’t see her come around to thinking “yeah, maybe I was childishly oversimplifying an incredibly complex situation”.

Just like Anakin in “Weapons Factory”, she’s emotionally framed as being morally right... but in this case, it’s left at that. There is no payoff, there is no realization, there is no moment of self-reflection.

She’s right, and that’s it.

And, lucky for her, the galaxy’s geo-political situation becomes much more black and white, following Order 66, so she’s not about to be put in as difficult a scenario as Obi-Wan and Anakin were, the day Coruscant was being attacked.

So... what changed?

Obi-Wan’s argument isn’t any less rational than Luminara’s or Plo Koon’s... yet for some reason we’re supposed to emotionally side with the irrational one? It feels a bit forced.

Am I missing something here? Why is the mentor framed as right before, but in Season 7, for seemingly no reason... they’re not?

#long post #meta #as the title says this is literally just me going down a rabbit hole #feel free to skip

[heartthrobohara]

o’knutzy hurt/comfort?? maybe like logan’s depression getting bad and feeling like he’s not good enough for his boys

my touchstarved ass writing this:

characters belong to @lumosinlove

Tw for a depressive episode

Good days were nice. They would leave you feeling like you were on top of the world, on cloud nine. The war raging in your head will finally quiet down. It would make you feel like you could climb Mount Everest in one go. Like the rainbow after rain.

But then, when those days are over, the brunt of the bad days will weigh you down. Feeling like the pain will never end, like constant nagging. When everything that you do has the briefest, most fleeting moment of happiness before it’s replaced with the empty, cold void of sadness, or maybe even anxiety.

Logan was no poet (Finn was the English major), but that was how he would describe how he’s feeling right now.

Of course, Logan wasn’t going to spend all day internally waxing poetics about his depression all day. As he lay on his back, on the bed, staring at a certain spot on the ceiling, he wondered if whatever metaphysical was up there was a masochist.

He had barely moved from this spot in… minutes? Hours? Days? Time felt like molasses, slowly drip, drip, dripping.

Logan saw the worried looks they would give him. At practice (when he had the energy to go), in public, even at home. He couldn’t stand sympathy.

In his opinion, he thought that ‘it gets better’ crap was a load of bullshit. Night and day, he would pray to whoever was listening, to make it stop. Make this whole thing stop. He couldn’t take it anymore, he just couldn’t.

He turned to his side. His face felt hot and warm from crying, and his eyelids felt droopy. Keep in mind, he had only gotten a few hours of sleep. His mouth was dryer than the Sahara Desert, probably from crying and lack of fluids. Hell, he couldn’t tell if his headache was from dehydration or, you guessed it, crying.

He thought of the little boy he used to be, with big hopes and dreams, and bright eyes, and big, genuine smiles. He thought of how he was throwing his life away, drowning in these self-deprecating thoughts all day.

He started to cry. Again. And all he could think of was “save me.”

~

Finn and Leo were worried.

Logan wouldn’t answer his phone, he always seemed to have his notifications silenced. He would never leave the room. And he seemed to flinch away from them.

Leo mentally ran through a list of things in his head that could have possibly angered Logan and made him ignore them, but he came back blank.

He decided to go check on him. Finn was out grocery shopping, but hopefully he’d be back soon.

The door was shut. But that’s when he heard the faint noise of sniffles. His heart broke into two pieces. ~ “Lo, can I come in?”

His heart stopped. He put a hand over his mouth, trying to muffle his cries.

“Tremz, let me in, please. We want to help you.”

And that’s when Logan realized how badly he’d treated his boys this week. He was practically ignoring them! He felt even more tears slip out.

“C-come in.”

The door gently swung open. He covered his face in his hands and let out a sob. “Fuck, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, I’m…” he trailed off, breaking off into another fit of sobs.

“Oh, oh baby it’s okay, it’s okay, you have nothing to be sorry for mon amour,” he said, crossing the distance. Logan felt the bed dip from the weight of Leo sitting down on it, quickly being pulled into his arms.

He buried his face into Leo’s chest, fisting at his shirt. “I’m… I’m a terrible boyfriend and… and I ignored you and I probably hurt you guys. I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

“Lo. Look at me.”

Logan looked up into Leo’s sad eyes, as blue as the sky. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” He used his thumb to wipe at the stray tears still lingering there. “You are the absolute best boyfriend we could ever ask for, and we love you so, so much. You should always let us know when you’re struggling, we’re your boyfriends and we’re here for you, I pinky swear.”

Logan sniffled, and he couldn’t believe he had gotten so lucky.

“Well, well, well, are we cuddling without me?”

Logan looked up to see Finn standing in the doorway, cheeks flushed from the cold. At the sight of Logan’s puffy eyes and red cheeks, worry took over his handsome features immediately. “Woah, what’s going on?” He walked over, sitting beside Leo.

Leo leaned over to whisper a couple of things to Finn, who he nodded and seemed to listen in concentration. He looked over at Logan and just nodded, moving over to rub his back gently.

Leo laid back down, sandwiching Logan in the middle. Leo pressed two gentle kisses on both of his flushed cheeks, making Logan smile. Finn leaned over to press a kiss on his earlobe, then whispered; "You know we love you so much, right?”

Logan just nodded slowly, and Finn pressed his forehead to his temple.

As he slowly drifted off to the first peaceful sleep he’d had in the last few days, he slowly felt the rainbows coming back. And he smiled, a real one this time.

#oknutzy #finn o'hara #leo knut #logan tremblay #lumosinlove #sweater weather #alice writes <3

[loveislandthegamefan79]

Day 2 "Guilty Secrets" Part 11

Suresh and Finn square off...Eddie and Alfie quickly get in between them before things can escalate any further...

Eddie: Easy now boys, there's no need for this to get too out of hand, let's take a few breaths and just get on with it...Yeah?!

Alfie: We are all a little tense, emotions are running high, Let's bring it down a few notches and like Eddie said and get on with it...

Suresh: Finn's the on trying to get under my skin!

Dana: If you two alphas stick your chest out any further you're gonna bust out your clothes...

Kat: Not that I'd complain seeing you both topless...

Ariella thinking to herself ( Kat if you don't sit yo ass down and shut up 🙄)....But what Kat said makes everyone laugh except Suresh, the tension being broken slightly...

Finn: Why don't you sit back down, Big fella?

Suresh: Why don't you sit your ass down?

Finn: Cos I'm the one making a decision tonight, aren't I?

Suresh sulkily sits back down...Kat cracks up laughing clearly loving the drama...

Finn: Ok, what was I saying?

Suresh: Nothing but a load of crap...Thinking you know Ariella better than I do...

Finn: Ah yeah... Well Ariella, who do say knows how to treat you better?

Ariella: Finn, I can't answer that right now, Cos for one I've only known you for a whole 24hrs....Yeah we get on and we have a connection, there's no denying it...I just have to get to know you a little better to see how you do treat me....And when it comes to Suresh...Yeah he did cheat on me and we had our issues...What couple doesn't from time to time...But Suresh wasn't all that bad...You guys only know the story and some of the tidbits of what happened...You don't know the Man...

Finn: I guess that's only fair...

Suresh finally sits down lean back in his seat a little bit relieved about what you said...It's an awkward silence for a little while until Finn starts talking again so he can finally make his decision...

Finn: Okay, here we go...I wan to couple up with this girl because I feel like we have a real strong genuine connection that I would love to explore...She's sweet and funny, has a big heart that she wears on her sleeve...She is completely breath taking and I can't wait to get to know her more...So the girl I want to couple up with is.....Ariella

Ariella walks up to Finn they give each other a little peck on the lips and embrace...Kat is pissed 😡🤬😤 she thought she had him locked down...Suresh is a little angry but doesn't make big deal about it...he already put his foot in it earlier...Dana leans in to Kat's and whisper's to her...

Dana: I really thought he was going to pick you...

Kat: It's still early days, anything can happen...

Ariella checks on Eddie to make sure there's no hard feelings and walks back over to Finn...Eddie's phone pings and everyone looks at him...

Eddie: Got a text!

"Eddie, you are now single. In a few days there will be a recoupling. The person left single afterwards will be dumped from the island". #SingleReadyToMingle #GetGrafting

Finn: I'm sorry man...I hope there is no hard feelings...

Suresh: Your not sorry one bit...

Finn: of course I am...Eddie is a cool dude...

Eddie: It's all good bro...You had to do what you had to...Ariella and I were only friends so it's not bigge...Just have to put on my grafting boots and who knows we might be getting some new girls soon...

Kat: Or Guy's...

Everyone eventually leaves the firepit...Suresh comes up to and ask can he have a quick word with you...You tell him sure...You go to Finn and let him know you going to talk to Suresh real quick..

Suresh: Hey, Can I have a quick word with you please?

(Goes over to Finn)

Ariella: Suresh wants a quick chat...I'm going to see what he as to say, Ok?!....

Finn: Ok, Just don't let get into your head....

Ariella: Don't worry I won't....

Finn: Alright, just come find me when you're done...

Ariella give Finn a kiss on the lips letting him know she will...She goes back over to Suresh...

Ariella: What did you want to talk about?

Suresh: I know it's been a lot already, And I'm partly to blame for that...I'm sorry, you know how I get sometimes...I want to also tell congrats on your new partner...Finn's a very lucky guy...

Ariella: WOW, Ok.....Thanks! Is it going to be weird for you? Seeing me with someone else?

Suresh: It's always going to be weird Ari...It's weird that we're not properly together as bf/gf like we used to be...And seeing each other again after all this time has been quite intense...I know I've been acting all defensive, and I deserve everything you've said to me...I want you to know I've been listening and I'm truly trying to change...You know me I love the chase...I just want to know I'm not chasing a lost cause?

Suresh looks deep into your eyes...Before you can respond Dana comes over interrupting your conversation....

Dana: Ariella, need to talk to you right now!

Suresh: Can't it wait? We're in the middle of a conversation...

Dana: Absolutely not, lad! Get over here, Ariella...

Suresh: To be continued I guess then?!....

You follow Dana over to the swing seat....

Dana: Sorry girl, but it looked like you needed a little bit of rescuing...Did want you to be sucked back into the dicksand...

Ariella: Sorry, the what sand! Dicksand? What are you talking about?

Dana: It's when you get sucked in by a boy and can't do anything about it...Like quicksand, but with dicks...(Dana's infectious laugh rings out)...Suresh is the ultimate dicksand! That's why I rescued you, girl. What was he saying anyway?

Ariella: Basically telling me sorry for acting like a jerk...And he wanted to make sure he wasn't chasing a lost cause...

Dana: He doesn't need to know after what he did! He needs to kept on his toes...

Ariella: Maybe talk of the next recoupling got him making moves?

Dana: Classic dicksand strategy! Try to get you to commit now... Knowing you are with Finn now and you two might have a proper chance together...

Ariella: Do you think Suresh is playing games?

Dana: I've got no idea what game he's playing! But you do not wanna put all your eggs in his basket or anyone's basket...It's still early days and anything can still happen, anyone can still come in...

Ariella: I guess you're right...I really do like Finn though...I want to give at least a chance...

Dana: Well, you deserve to see if you're connection is strong like he says it is...But remember your still a little vulnerable, don't completely fall for everything he says or does...I don't want to see you get hurt again...

Ariella: Do you think Finn's not trustworthy?

Dana: Sweetie, I don't know him all that well to say if he is our isn't...All I'm say is don't let your gaurd down completely...And if Suresh really wants another shot he needs to graft really hard...

Ariella: Ok, I hear you...Yeah he does...

Dana: Defo feels like there's a love triangle developing between you, Suresh and Finn...And some of the others mentioned it earlier too..

Ariella: Well it will turn into a square if Kat still likes Finn and still tries to graft on him...I know this is Love Island stuff like this is bound to happen...But I didn't expect I'd be involved in triangle's or squares...

Dana: Oh I know girl, none of do...

Before she can finish her sentence someone phone pings...

Suresh: Hey, Everyone! I got a text...

"Islanders, please gather by the pool as it's time to find out each other's naughty secrets! #NaughtyPast #RevealTime

Dana: Omg I can't wait to find out everyone's naughty secrets... Come on let's go...

#litg #litg fanfic

[yourdearblackberry]

ALRIGHT HAZBIN HOTEL FANS..!

I re-wrote 'You didn't know' in a way you can sing it out loud!

But she was right, Sera She showed us a soul can improve! He saw the light, Sera Checked all the boxes that you said would Prove a person deserves a second chance Now we turn our backs, no second glance? It's not as simple as you think Not everything is spelled in ink It's not fair, Sera Careful, Charlie, keep a cool head No! Don't you care, Sera? That just because someone is dead, it doesn't Mean they can't resolve to change their ways Turn the page, escape infernal blaze I'm sure you wish it could be so But there's a lot that you don't know What are we even talkin' about? Some crap-head who messed up already? He blew his shot, like he always does This discussion is senseless and petty! There's no question to be posed He's unholy, case closed Did you forget that Hell is forever? A man only lives once, we'll see you in one month Gotta say, I can't wait to Adam Come down and exterminate you Wait! Crap What are you saying? Let me get this straight You go down there and kill those poor souls? You didn't know? Whoops Guess the cat's out of the bag What's the big deal? Sera, tell me that you didn't know I thought, since I'm older It's my load to shoulder No! You have to listen, it was such a hard decision I wanted to save you, the anguish it takes to Do what was required To think that I admired you, well I don't need your condescension I'm not a child to protect Was talk of virtue just pretension? Was I too naive to expect you To heed the morals you're purveying? That's what the HECK I've been saying! If Hell is forever, then Heaven must be a lie (Emily!) If angels can do whatever, and remain in the sky The rules are shades of gray when you don't do as you say When you make the wretched suffer just to kill them again I was told not to trust in angels By her? Ha! She should know We should go No! Don't you see? We've come so close Look at them fighting, they're at each other's throats Don't you act all high and mighty Did you ever think your little girlfriend might be a liar? Don't, Adam please What's the fuss? Why hide the fact that you're an angel just like us?

Not many skills required actually

I wish there was a way to do this with Loser Baby. It's a song stuck in my mind that I rlly wanna sing out loud :(

[the-firebird69]

There's a couple of things going on today it's Tuesday and we are beginning our approach on purchasing the oil companies and they're pretty hefty these things are big and he thinks we're not ready and we are ready and he's going to go to the meetings with a stupid s***** and grin and we're going to take him out and take his stuff it was tired of this low life jackass and we also taking territory last night we continue the second five in the Midwest assault and we are ripping out the first five fully and it's a large area it's probably the area of two states scattered around and as we're ripping and pulling out we are noticing that people here I talking about it some of them as it's happening but they're getting it through illegal means or second hand and finding people watching it on video first hand and it looks well defined ever seen Giants they are seeing Giants pull these things out and they're sending teams out there today and they will be at devil's Tower and they will be at monument valley and they will be in Montana and Kansas and also Tunisia and the Alps and other areas where they suspect they are and they're going to be investigating what they are and trying to take them over and infighting because they can see what they can do.

There's more things happening here and they're going on now and we will mention it

-well unless we have to take care of business all the time and it's tedious I'm going to start going to the source and we're going to the backup of theirs all the time because it takes too much time to continuously do this and his people are strapped in their the best at it and he needs them and it's deplorable we're moving out and we're getting things done we are also taking tons of territory tons of it probably we would take another three or four Spain and Portugal's today but overall it's going to be a huge game because of the warlock.

-her son is large several requests to people in general and they are having a serious effect on what's happening people are noticing that people don't want him to have money but the quasi empire and the empire are not really stopping it that much because they're so fed up with these idiots who don't want them to have anything either and it's a huge war between people and it's between warlock and mostly the trumpsters are stopping it and they're getting killed very large numbers because of the money order idea there's a huge number of money orders being cut and those money orders are going out and they're going to try and find us and what bank and where by tracing down who cashes a check and it's going to be a nightmare for them because they'll say this is not him right here but he has a lawyer and Hera has signatory power and has signed our agreement that if we cannot get him the money to put it into a charity in the local area where it came from. And we're going to go ahead with that now because we have a stack and it's a new one. Is a massive and we have to process it at the bank processing facility you can't bring it to the branches and it's gigantic this is a huge load of money it's far too much for us to mention how much and he doesn't get a dime not one penny which is an outrage this president and the cabinet and Camilla have been taking so much weight and pressure and it's ridiculous and he can't believe they're just sitting there listening to these idiots say the stupid crap and we saw that meeting with that idiot said that and we heard booze from the crowd and Brian said it's all right he's speaking his mind I guess and he went up to him and he said you know you're fired right and nobody says that kind of crap to me you're an imbecile and I want you out of here right now or your trespassing it just says it'll just come back and said I'll just keep arresting you and your record is huge already it says so what I don't care if I ever record and people use it and you get weaker and take your people down and you're moron for not knowing that so he's sitting there grinning he says what are you agreeing about we know the status of your robots too and your devices he says nobody knows all that and said you do and people interview all the time cuz you get caught he stopped smiling and he said I'm going to get out of here and try to come back five times and it was arrested each time so you call Mac and you said are you going to try and hold this guy and move him I don't know to the Moon I was an idiots trying to go there clean up whatever's left so they're trying to get him to some sort of prison and to get rid of his assholes he knows what about the eight holes or Marshall Islands a huge a******and we can get all the ships and he's trying to do it to him so he's thinking of us this makes a lot of sense this guy's bait and doesn't mind doing it.

-for the war we are seeking out anyone trying to take his money and you're going to go to prison regardless of who you are and we do see a few people and we do intend on arresting you and it gets bigger but you're going down and this letter incidents where people are intercepting we grab all of them every time and there's fighting all the time there's probably 200 million City area or smaller cities and a big cities like two billion a day who die from it and it's going to go up and that's a lot by the way it adds up pretty quick and it's people who are not clones mostly in this tons of stuff and money and things were gathering and taking from them. And her son says it too he said 1 billionaire going to Western is plenty about 5 a day and each major city going to us is sacrilege and it's caused by John remillard who doesn't get anything and we're carving him out of the investment community and businesses and today we're going to carve them out of oil and it's big oil to be full this is Big oil huge systems and giant facilities the facilities are 100 by 20 miles some of them Giant and the systems are massive this huge rigs out there 10 by 10 miles there's massive miles of pipe I mean you have no idea what this guy is giving up is power and we are going to have all sorts of uranium mines by the end of the week and we're pulling them from this moron and he will be out of the parks by the end of next week completely and Nevada will be clear and part of California of his presence and we will begin to building New Vegas we have huge plans and where salvaging tons of stuff and putting it in our position that we can from Vegas signs and all sorts of memorabilia we're purchasing it he wants us to substitute for the original thing and purchase from people The originals and give them the replicas that we make which are fairly decent people can't tell unless they use magnification equipment that's not digital and it's impossible I think it's a good idea and they'll see the stuff again and want to take it over and take the place over to get the stuff back and we're going to go ahead and try and make that deal and it's Elvis's suit that he's pointing at and it is his and there's other things too Paris Hilton had a wedding down there has a wedding down there and it's at the Bellagio and Tommy f dreams of marrying her and the accident went very badly and he felt bad about it and her son says you can't cry over spilled bill spilled the milk and you can make another one. He started laughing and said she's in there I can make one of those he says make one for me so I can make Giants. Start laughing said this kid is insane and probably do anything I wanted no but he's kind of mean he left with a tear design because of what happened and figured out that she needs rescuing he wants to bring it back to figure out what he can get and he'll be surprised what she says. Anderson says it's Doctor Doom everything is over the damn and it's true.

We're going to Publix before this gets too huge

Thor Freya

Olympus

Zues Hera

So it says to me why don't I show up at comic Con and I was hiding behind the mask as Dr Doom so I thought it was he sure he says I don't have any money to get there or a way to get there and believe it or not and I'm still a baby and he's making baby gestures it's true too everybody here is a shitted and that's the way it is we kind of getting used to they're being dumb I'm trying to get them out of here but that would be a lot of fun it'd be kind of fruitless he says because he plans to show up like bane send me those big huge bain and dark to do them talking I guess LOL

Tommy f AKA Doctor Doom

[thessaliaxiv]

that truck-driving life

I've had some wonderful cognitive dissonance playing American Truck Simulator, and I thought I would share some of the funny thoughts I've had in my first two days of gameplay, in the form of "live tweets", a stream-of-consciousness thread of short blurps that have nothing to do with each other, other than context.

Hehehe, window wipers go brrr.

Nonono, slow dow--AHH, I sideswiped the stop sign. Someone'll have to fix that later.

Huh, I've driven through this particular town twice now, and the same cop cars and news crew are stopped at the same gas station. I think I'll get gas elsewhere.

Oh look, a scenic viewpoint, that'll look great in this nighttime gnarly rain and fog combo we have going on at the moment.

Is… is that some goober driving a convertible with the top down in the rain? No one drives that way in the Pacific Northwest.

I used to live in this particular small town, and I'm pretty sure the harbor doesn't actually have those shipping cranes that major shipping ports have.

Ooh, my old hometown is 5 miles away according to that sign. Aaand suddenly I'm vaguely an hour's drive south of it. Neat trick.

I'm suddenly imagining other games using this exact game engine, like Regular Guy Driving Simulator, or Vanlife Simulator. I already have a whole game mapped out in my head. I wonder if there's a series of mods for that… looks

OH GOD WHERE ARE THE HEADLIGHTS, it's dark out. hits button repeatedly Oh, same button, just hit it muliple times. Well that's intuitive.

That'll buff out. And that. And--oopsie.

I swear, this Diablo Lake is cursed, I've been on this job for four hours, I was due two hours ago, and the GPS is literally sending me in very large, convoluted circles. I can't be sure because it's dark out but exactly how many times am I going to see this same stretch of highway? I guess the GPS is glitching because cell signal is spotty in this mountain pass.

I love how at higher elevations when the tree cover becomes more sparce, the highway becomes less maintained, older, sunbleached, and full of those filled-in cracks that the departments in charge of road maintenance do in order to not have to resurface the entire stretch of road.

"Rocks," the sign says. Yes, yes there are. And road. And trees. And holy crap look at that sky!

Listen, Subaru owner, you're the one who pulled out in front of a loaded semi. Now we both get to sit for a moment and consider our life's choices.

HAHAHA, I passed you, you brake-checking sumbitch--dang it, another weigh station. CURSE YOU DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION!

This game is completely unrealistic--there's always gridlock on this stretch of road in real life, they've rendered no potholes, and there should definitely be more roadkill here.

You know, if I wasn't working, I could go joyriding and pull off the side of the road to really enjoy the rendered scenery. Ah well, the life of a truck driver.

I wish my computer chair bounced so that I could more realistically capture the feeling of the incredible shocks a big rig has.

I do wish steering with keyboard wasn't /quite/ so janky. Having to tap my way left/right is pretty jarring on curvy roads, and lord help everyone else on the road if I have to scratch my nose or whatever.

I just noticed at the trees only look good at freeway speeds, they turn to observe you as you're driving past. I know that's just to minimize polygons and rendered surfaces and all that, but still, it's creepy.

The speed is 60mph, why are you only going 35, braking repeatedly, and have a dozen cars behind you? PULL OVER, some of us have to make a living.

#american truck simulator #gaming #live tweeting

[aewrie]

distractions aren't working so

(yelling into the void to get this out of my system but seriously tread carefully if you're sensitive to topics of abuse/ c/sa /mental health crap)

i'd be looking for a therapist but am not exactly in the headspace to do so. my old one was overall great and i'd be contacting her but she was basically useless when it came to this topic. think she was more confused and conflicted at the idea of a child being the abuser than me. which. that's not gonna help. and by the time i'd trust myself to see through that ordeal idk. i could probably use it anyway but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

could use it right now. i've been crying on and off for like 3-4 hours, while teetering on the edge of another breakdown

took me what, 10?? years before i felt ok using the word trauma in reference to being bullied for years. even after i kinda knew how fucked it all was. only after a health professional was like 'yeah, that's trauma you've got going on' after hearing the tl;dr of my life i felt i was allowed to. (she then proceeded to recommend therapy lmao). bc it wasn't so bad. boy i'm good at rationalizing all that away. other people always have it worse! and it's not like there was obvious violence, so obviously it doesn't count.

same fucking thing when i got diagnosed with depression and anxiety. i was passively suicidal & heading into worse direction and i was only willing to admit that i was sad & anxious. probably. surely not anything that would warrant treatment.

and now this thing i've filed away under 'miscellaneous shit that was not ideal probably, but surely it wasn't' That Bad, other people have it Worse':

yesterday i checked out this vr interview stream dealing with abuse right before i had to go sleep (the best idea ever. clearly) and at the point i started watching the discussion made basically no sense so i figure i go to the start and watch from there. and the interviewee describes the abuse, and i'm fine until a particular detail comes up and then it kinda unraveled from there. i had to pause just to get a breather. i watched maybe a few minutes more idk.

i've looked into child psychology and sexual development before bc ever since i bumped into the term child-on-child sa i've been stuck with the whole 'but does it count if x y z' (mostly: can someone so young even be an abuser, bc obviously if he didnt' intentionally & maliciously do it, i am not allowed to feel upset), even earlier that same damn day! but nothing unequivocally said yes or no. so of course i'm going with the safe answer of no, i'm not allowed to call it abuse.

but after that Moment i looked at some more stuff and found a couple of videos, one from a therapist knowledgeable on the topic, and one first-hand account, read some comments to boot, and then i'm having the sort of crying episode that leaves me feeling physically sick for a full day at least

at work today I was distracted the second i was not properly busy, then i managed to keep it together for a bit when i got home and now here we are. fuck i'm glad i'll have multiple days off now. on the long run this is good to process. but def not feeling it right now lol. at least i'm not stuck in a corner of fandom where loaded buzzwords get thrown around like they mean nothing, i knew that fucked with my head even back during the vl/d heyday and i was just getting around to the 'ok that Happened and maybe it was messed up, but Not abuse' stage of denial

good news i might be done crying rn so i guess that helped

i guess this was gonna be happening sooner or later bc i've been somewhat actively thinking about all that for months but rip it came out of nowhere

(and gonna throw it in here just in case; i'd rather not have 'i'm sorry' messages or similar, 9 times out of 10 i just feel awkward as shit. more neutral (not sure what's the best word?) is fine)

#yourebabblingjulle

[genebelcher]

observations: national dance day promo for the bobs movie

the bob’s burgers twitter account posted a little promo (technically a bunch of identical promos but with different music; i picked one at random to link) for the movie for national dance day and some of the footage was stuff i hadn’t seen before so i took a few screencaps to talk about! i’ve also done this for the first, second, and snapchat trailers if you want to see those analyses; i’m drawing connections back to them so they might be helpful to look at first (or at least familiarity with the trailers themselves will make this post make more sense)

don’t look under the read more if you don’t want to see any pics from the trailer (ik some people like to avoid spoilers entirely), or if you don’t want to load a bunch of images right now (there’s 8 of them under the cut).

(also pls dont rb this bc there’s a lot of people on this hellsite that i do not want interacting with me, there’s a reason i didn’t put this post in the main tags, just wanted to get my thoughts out somewhere)

these images are all square bc the video is square

a clip from the musical number at the mobile home/rv park; we see the guy in the cream polo from the movie poster who is the only character on the poster that hasn’t already appeared in the show. he’s got some sort of forearm tattoo that i can’t quite decipher but it’s an interesting detail that’s obviously gonna mean SOMETHING.

another bit from the same scene. i noticed the kids have their backpacks on so i’m thinking they either came directly to the mobile home park from school or they’re skipping school (gasp!) i guess they could also be using their backpacks to carry the huge amount of rubber ducks we see in this setting in other trailers. 

bob happily dancing in the kitchen 😊 this might be from the scene where he and linda are singing to each other across the order window!

this sequence of louise dancing (on top of an rv, holy crap don’t fall louise) is REALLY gorgeously animated so go check it out but also the fact that so much of this dance-themed trailer is set in that rv park makes me think this musical number is a HUGE deal and might contain major plot details, and this scene is where the kids meet the guy in the cream polo. more evidence is that they’re selling a rubber duck pin and a bunch of wondercon attendees got duck pins at the movie’s panel. or maybe it just has the best choreography in the movie (i’d buy it, seriously go watch for that clip of louise dancing it looks great)

#trailer overanalysis #speculation #sassy sounds

[teklarn]

𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓬𝓻𝔂 𝓽𝓸𝓸, 𝓲𝓯 𝓲𝓽 𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝔂𝓸𝓾

character(s): izuku midoriya x gn!reader (x katsuki bakugou) 

a/n: gosh i love angst (quick note!! i edit to the best of my ability, however it’s easy to miss things, and i type 100 words per minute, so im sorry if i miss some things!) this ain’t a poly relationship btw, i don’t feel like i could write that well (no shame to people who do!! personally i feel like i would butcher it) 

reblogs are greatly appreciated! 

based off the song: it’s my party by lesley gore

summary: y/n realizes going to katsuki bakugou’s wedding was a mistake

genre: angst all the way shawties 

warnings: light cursing, heartbreak, alcohol, one-sided pining (reader), aged up/pro-hero au, sad reminiscing bc ahaha bakugou made us sad :’) and a crap load of references to the song, friend zoning (eesh) 

word count: 2,566

ik yall are waiting for a part 2 of brutal and part 3 of you’re not my boyfriend but this idea just struck i had to get it down pls 

- - - 

“let’s raise a toast to our finest lovebirds, my best friend and his wife, katsuki bakugou and ochaco uraraka!” kirishima took a sip of champagne. 

you lifted your beverage in unison with the others seated at your table but did not drink. you blinked down at the fizzing beverage. 

“we wish you all the best,” kirishima said. “you and your best buds have no doubt you two’ll be known as some of the most indestructible symbols of peace.” 

another wave of applause passed among the crowd. the last toast was finished and the music resumed. your entire table left you sitting. it wasn’t like you knew anyone here, anyways. nobody except for the few classmates bakugou was still in touch with. 

those people consisted of izuku midoriya, who was sitting at the table across from you, as well as across the dance floor. 

the lights twinkled up again, red, blue, and green flashing along the floor. 

you couldn’t deny it. bakugou in a red suit, uraraka in a wedding dress fell just above her knees, a red bow tied around her waist. you did not doubt that if you were to be sold as a healthy person on the black market, that dress would still be worth more than you. 

the only comfort you had was midoriya, who had greeted you when you came in, but the two of you had exchanged no further words. but he looked equally as miserable as you. 

uraraka and bakugou were perfect together. they looked happy. and you were happy to see bakugou happy. happy to see uraraka happy with him. 

bakugou dipped his newlywed wife to the beat of the music. her back arched perfectly into his large hands. 

what hurts the most was that, while you wished it was you instead of her on that dance floor, you knew it wouldn’t work out. 

not that you and bakugou wouldn’t have worked out. the two of you were a perfect couple! 

what hurts the most was that it was a wish, and in every near universe, you still didn’t have that ring. 

uravity and dynamight simply looked...happier. 

- 

you stormed out, shaking. why was your katsuki kissing her? holding her when it should have been you? 

deep down, you knew you had no right. you and bakugou were barely a couple. throughout his years at yuuei, he’d calmed down immensely. so much that he could strike up a conversation with nearly everyone. as it turns out, introverted katsuki bakugou was a shameless flirt. 

the two of you exchanged flitting glances from time to time, but it was never anything serious. at least to him, it wasn’t. 

you knew he’d never taken the flirting seriously, and you also knew about his aching feelings for uraraka. how he covered his mouth whenever she walked by. how his voice raised just a bit, and how soft his eyes got. 

you shouldn’t have been surprised. he never even hinted that he might have had romantic feelings for you. 

the entire room erupted with applause as he kissed her. the katsuki bakugou, kissing someone? pfft, only in dreams. 

for some, the dream would be good. like uraraka, who had shamelessly kissed him back. 

for you, it was a complete nightmare. 

the blaring music, the lights, the balloons, the ‘happy graduation class of 1-A!’ 

you drowned it all out. you curled your knees to your chest. you had no right to be hurt. not at all. they were his emotions. you had no control over them. 

loneliness clouded over you. your chest screamed with longing. a longing to be held. be wanted by him. 

you were alone. nobody was coming to comfort you. nobody was- 

the door opened, clicking shut just as quickly. someone sniffled. 

your eyes flicked up from your knees. 

“y/n? i...i’m sorry, i had no idea anyone was out here...i can leave...”

“it’s alright, izuku.” 

- 

izuku took a swig from a bottle containing something much heavier than champagne. 

that same tug in your chest came about. you were tired of seeing the billboards, the magazines. tired of seeing the unquestionably perfect relationship, perfect love bloom right before you. 

dynamight and uravity this! dynamight and uravity that! 

the music was loud enough, the lights were busy enough, and the people were ignorant enough to neglect your crying figure. 

this was supposed to be my party. he loved me first. 

- 

“you okay?” you asked, swiping your nose. 

izuku looked back at the graduation party. “no, y/n. i’m not.” 

“then we’re both absolute shit.” you let him help you up. “why’re you crying?” 

“just...just uraraka.” 

“for me it’s just bakugou.” 

just as bakugou had calmed down during his years at yuuei, izuku had earned a sense of sarcasm. “are they just oblivious or stupid?” 

“goodness, izuku,” you joked, pressing a hand to your shuddering chest. “calling uraraka stupid?” 

he gave you a sad side-smile. you listened in silence as the upbeat music played on. 

“i guess we’re the stupid ones.” he sighed, chest heaving a little. 

“i guess,” you agreed. he pulled you into a hug, and you let the tears flow. your sobs corrupted your chest as you curled into his arms. “why? why did it have to be her?” 

“not all heroes end up happy, y/n.” 

you looked up at him, eyes puffy, sniffling. “why can’t we be part of that small portion of heroes who are?” 

izuku looked up, trying to neglect the water pooling in his own eyes. “i guess...well, not to be a narcissist—” he let out a breathy chuckle, “―but if you noticed, all the greatest heroes die with some kind of regret.” 

“maybe i don’t want to be a good hero.” you ignored his efforts to lighten the mood. 

“heroes don’t always get to choose whether they’ll be good or not. some things just happen.”

“i’m sorry, izuku.” you swiped at your eyes. “you’re hurt just as badly as me. i don’t want to make it—” 

“hey.” izuku gently pried your hands away from your face, fingers ghosting over your wrists. his emerald eyes gleamed as they stared into yours. “don’t invalidate your feelings just because of me. we’re both hurting, but that doesn’t mean i won’t listen to you.” 

your sobs came back again, and you fell into his chest. 

- 

bakugou spun uraraka, laughing gently as she twirled in his arms. his eyes lit up whenever he saw her. they twinkled. he sparkled. his smile was dazzling. and he was everything you never had. 

you were a heartbroken mess, even after all these years. there was a list of all the reasons you were mad at him, and yourself. 

your sobs were almost uncontrollable, and at this point, you were shocked nobody came to check on you. not that you cared very much. even if you were making a small effort to hide your face, it still would have been nice to feel a touch on your shoulder, someone perhaps shaking you gently to make sure you were awake. 

not that you’d tell them what was wrong. you just wanted to know somebody cared, and to have the option to talk to somebody if you needed to do so. 

but here you were. cheesy, upbeat fifties music echoed along the walls of the room. bakugou had secretly adored artists from back then, and you’d often catch him dancing and singing along to long-forgotten oldies. 

if you weren’t his best friend, you would have blown off coming here and binge-watched ‘my best friend’s wedding’ and sobbed. 

your head was down, forehead leaning on the backs of your forearms stacked upon each other. tears were streaming down, your shoulders shuddering with each weak breath sucked in and released. 

until bakugou chose you, you had no reason to smile. at least not now. by no means were you desperate. love sometimes did that to people. made them look needy, look unwanted. 

you’ve had plenty of options in the past, but the one person who you wanted didn’t want you back. didn’t even care. 

since the graduation party, uraraka and you had been a bit tense. a part of her felt like she knew how you felt, and how bakugou mattered to you more than anyone in the world. 

after the first year, she began abandoning izuku and ignoring his emotions towards her. after she and bakugou found each other, they had already known they would settle with one another. 

you and izuku had never been close, but you were both good friends and were there when you needed one another. 

he had walked you through your pain of senior year, and you’d helped him reach a lot of his goals, too. but bakugou just didn’t seem to care anymore. not even about becoming the number one hero. he looked at uraraka like she was his goal, his new dream, the reason he was happy. he looked at her and saw that he had the world in his hands and wanted to keep it that way. 

you? you were pluto. exiled from the rest of the planets. exiled from the rest of his options, when you used to be his first. 

- 

“y/n?”

you and izuku backed away from each other. you’d both been crying for quite a bit. how long it had been, you were both unsure. 

uraraka now stood at the door. you peeked into the window, leaning back a bit and catching glances of the blonde, who was currently being clapped on the back by his friends, congratulated for ‘getting the girl’. 

“are you guys okay?’ uraraka asked. 

“would you cry, uraraka?” 

she tilted her head. “what?” 

you pushed yourself off of izuku. “do you think you’d cry if you saw me kissing him, too?” 

“what’re you―” 

“you would cry, too! you would be sobbing!” you stabbed an accusatory finger at her. “you were my friend! you knew how i felt, and you’re kissing him?” 

uraraka’s eyes widened. “i...i’m sorry. it all just happened, and i—”

“shut the hell up, uraraka. you ruined this party. for me and izuku.” 

perhaps you went a bit far, but in your heart and your mind, you knew she deserved it. she knew. uraraka had known. 

izuku gave uraraka a sympathetic look before pressing a hand to your back and leading you away. 

- 

it still came as a bit of a shock that uraraka had let bakugou invite you to their wedding. gosh. little, domestic bakugou, sealing invitations and batting his eyes at his oh-so-sweet wife so he could invite his best friend. 

little domestic uraraka sweetly kissing her fiance on the cheek and pouting as she said, “how can i say no?” 

it was disgusting, and everything you wanted to have with him. 

you allowed yourself to be selfish this one time. after all, you deserved it. you’d endured hours of bakugou blabbering on about how sweet uraraka was. everything you weren’t. 

you took the bottle to champagne. your ankles were aching as you stumbled out of the room. your vision blurred, becoming foggy with tears. not one person stopped you. you guessed because nobody noticed. 

like graduation night, you slumped down right outside the doors to the party, the music, lights, and laughter muffled. the only difference was that you had a bottle of champagne and the man of your dreams was gone. for good, this time. 

-

“i wish she noticed me. it was like, after first year, the uraraka i knew just vanished.” 

you nodded. you and midoriya were wandering the streets, cool air brushing down your neck and on your face as cars passed. 

“uraraka was so sweet, but she lost feelings so fast and...ugh.” midoriya ran a hand through his hair, ruffling his curls. “i’m still a bit...baffled. i know people change, but she and kacchan both switched up so fast.” 

“i don’t want to say they’re jackasses, but they’re kind of jackasses.” 

izuku rubbed your shoulder as you leaned on him while the two of you walked. “don’t say that.” 

“sorry,” you breathed. 

“no more being sorry. being sorry all the time leads to shit like this.” 

you chuckled. “yeah, it does.” you sniffed. “did i take you away from the party? you can go back if you want.” 

he shrugged. “’s all right. i don’t mind.” 

“do you want to be here or would you rather be in there?”

“out here with you. i can’t be there right now.” 

“me too.” 

- 

“let me guess.” 

you looked up and scoffed softly. 

“this was supposed to be your party?” 

you nodded. “my party, my groom. i’m not supposed to be crying at my party, am i?” 

your friend shook his head. “not at all. cheer up, y/n.” 

izuku slid down the wall, sitting beside you. he rested his arms on his knees, twisting open his own bottle of champagne. “you look like a mess.”

“and you look like you need anger management.” you smiled. 

he grinned back. “do i now?” 

“yeah, you do. you should have seen yourself sitting there. all alone, the one person drinking something that wasn’t the fifty-thousand yen drinks.” 

“54,795.75 yen, to be exact.” 

you raised an eyebrow. “you’re insane. you kidding me? why do you know that?” 

“i was the weird kid who took notes on everyone in the class. of course i would know this. i’m offended you think i wouldn’t.” 

you tilted your head back in laughter. “gosh, izuku.” 

“mhm.” 

there was a pause. comfortable silence filled the space, broken by you sigh after gulping down your drink. “so they’re gone?” 

“i’d rather not dwell on it.” 

“how old are we now?” 

izuku gave a breathy chuckle. “twenty-five.” 

you smiled. “really, now? and i thought i would be married by now.” 

“me too. ‘s a shame.” 

“how about, if we’re both still not married by the time we’re forty, we get married to each other, adopt three children and we become hot parents.” 

“three?” 

“yeah, we can have a mini hero agency.” 

“that’s horrifying. but i agree. having a mini hero agency would be pretty amazing.” 

“i’m glad you agree with me, izuku.” you brushed a curl from his eyes. 

“can’t wait until i’m forty,” he smirked. 

“me neither.” 

“maybe by then we would have forgotten all of this?” 

“we’ll be fighting a villain, and we get our memories erased, and then we fall in love because we wake up beside each other in the hospital. we’re both equally confused.” you peppered him with jokes. “it’s a journey we will go on together.” 

“can’t wait until my memory gets erased.” 

“do you wanna get out of here?”

izuku shook his head. “it’s their wedding. we can’t. we shouldn’t.” 

you gave him a silly look. 

“you’re always such trouble, y/n.” 

“if you hate it, then wipe that stupid grin off your face.” 

izuku’s features softened. “maybe i like it. but only sometimes.” he took your head and lead you out, leaving his drink behind while you took yours. 

a single tear rolled down your cheek. he didn’t erase all your pain, nor your feelings for bakugou. it wasn’t what you needed, no. 

you just needed a friend. a real one. one that wouldn’t steal your dream from you. and that’s what you knew you had right now. 

besides, things could happen in the future, right? 

you smiled, and let the cold air touch your skin. 

#bakugou #bakugou fluff #bakugou katuski x reader #my hero x reader #my hero academia #anime #bakugou katsuki #fanfiction #fanfic #mha #bnha #boku no hero bakugou #boku no hero academia #bakugou angst #angst #xreader #yn #izuku midoriya #izuku #midoriya x reader #deku x y/n #deku angst #deku

[wizkiddx]

hiii could you do one of tom asking your dad to marry you?? thankuuuuu

okay so I don't believe in boys having to ask the dads, because we are strong independent QUEENS and no man owns me ever, but I hope this is still okay <33

not proof read and written super quick so sorry!

summary: Tom's terrified to ask your dad a very particular question question

///////////////////////////////////////////////

“Mr Y/l/n” Tom called your dads attention from the dishwasher he was loading up. The holidays spent at your parents meant a lot of good things- but mainly food. So much so the dishwasher was almost continually on, just so you didn’t run out of crockery.

“Its Y/d/n Tom, we’ve been through this.” He was joking but with your Dad - Tom could never really tell. At heart your dad was an absolute softie, except no one really saw that except your mum and you. Always a daddies girl, Tom knew how much your dad had meant to you. He had guessed before he’d met you parents , that he would be protective.

And that he was, never frontally rude or cruel. It was more subtle - though to Tom it was very damn clear, he had his doubts. As a people pleaser, Tom didn’t like the fact he didn’t like him. Time and time again, he’d tried to prove just how much you meant to him and yet it seemed to fall on deaf ears. So three years down the line, it was safe to say he was bloody terrified. Heart-in-mouth sort of event. Tom did a lot of ‘terrifying things’: talking to massive studio heads; going on stage with thousands of people screaming; jumping out a plane even.

But no, a single conversation with your dad had his adrenaline going like nobodies business. Asking to marry you.

“You going to just stand their gawking? I hope the moviestar doesn’t make my Y/n do all the housework?”

“No sir I-of course I don’t” Stammering his way through with wide eyes, Tom practically leapt across the kitchen to the opposite side of the dishwasher to your dad. Secretly your Dad was chuckling away to himself, taking absolute delight in how terrified the ‘movie star’ was of him, but managed to keep a steely outershell. In silence, the two uunloaded the dishwasher, Tom desperately racking his brains for conversation starters.

This is what he did for a living, learnt the speech he’d spent hours preparing, then retell it. Why then, was Tom having such an issue with the script he’d arguable practiced the most? Deciding he needed a buffer, Tom went to the safe space of small talk.

“So how was the pub? Y/n said you were meeting some old friends?”

“Watched the match, bloody awful game and Wilks was crap, I don’t know why he even started.” Now this football talk was something Tom felt safe in. He had learnt as much as he could about your dads team - just so there was some mutual conversation.

“Yeh tell me about it, I caught the last half. Though the ref made so bad decisions too, that penalty never really was VAR or not.”

“Thats the most respectable thing I’ve ever heard you say.”

The next couple of minutes were spent with both men raving fanatically, letting all their anger out on the pretty subpar game this afternoon. In fact, Tom swore your dad actually laughed along with him at one point. Admittedly he’d caught himself almost immediately- but for two seconds, he had cracked it.

With the last mug placed in the cabinet, Tom was quite frankly shocked at what your dad said next. He had presumed that since it was late and everyone else was in bed, Y/d/n wouldn’t want quality time with his daughters boyfriend.

“You fancy a nightcap son?”

He’d never called Tom that either. Frankly, you dad preferred the nickname ‘moviestar’ because he knew it infuriated Tom. Made the tips of his ears flush bright red, that was Toms tell - one that your dad had noticed too early on.

Jerkily Tom nodded, swallowing down the lump in his throat as he followed the elder man to the sitting room - where he kept the scotch glasses and bottle. No sooner had the drinks been poured, that Tom practically exploded with his thoughts.

“Mr Y/l/n-sorry I mean Y/d/n I-I um I needed to ask you something.” All he got was a long sigh and a nod, encouraging him to continue. “I-uhm….”Tom scoffed, clearing his throat because all of a sudden it felt like he hadnt had a drink in 10 hours, mouth completely dry.

“Well first off-and all respect. I know I don’t have to ask you. Y/n is the most independent and strong woman and we aren’t living in the 1950s. But, well but she loves you alot.” Tom stressed that last point especially, looking up to your dads poker face. It put him off for moment.

It was just how grumpy he looked, it was bloody terrifying. Taking a big gulp of the malty liquid, Tom steeled himself once again. “ And she respects you, your opinion always matters and I’d never come between that. And Y/n, she likes her traditions right? Like the stupid hat game you all play at Christmas dinner which makes no sense to me? Or the puzzle that you don’t start till everyone’s pretty drunk and tired at 3 o’clock in the morning on christmas? So that is… uhm thats why I’m asking you.”

Again all Tom was met with was a stern gaze, once again taking another generous sip of the scotch.

“Look I know you have your doubts about me- “ That got a response, a snort of agreement from your dad as if saying ‘you think’.

“But-but I really love your daughter. She’s my whole world and I can’t imagine being without her. And I know my lifestyle probably doesn’t fit with how you imagined your daughter to have. I mean-I’m not always at home and I’m away for months but- but…. look.” Tom sighed, shifting awkwardly on the sofa to directly face your dads armchair. “When I’m homesick and tired and grouchy from filming and I get back to the hotel I facetime Y/n. Everyday. And just seeing her smile, you-you know, the really soft small one that makes her dimples pop out? One look at that smile and everythings fine. Because all I’m thinking about is seeing that smile for the rest of my life. When she finds out she’s pregnant with our kid, when we’re taking them to college. I mean even when we’re 80 and probably sick of each other- she’ll still have that little smile that puts me into this sort of stupor. I just- I love her. And I’d do anything for her, I always will, I promise you that. So-so” With a shaky breath, Tom delivered his hitline.

“This is me just letting you know that I’m going to ask her to marry me and- I really hope she says yes.”

Tom was almost out of breath, and the breath he did have was shaky, looking up desperately at the older man across from him. He watched with wide eyes as your Dad placed his glass back on the drinks table with a clink, before leaning forward and standing up from the chair. He groaned slitghtly at the movement (his knees werent what they used to be) and took the two steps forward to be stood right infront of Tom’s seat. In that moment, Tom honestly thought he was getting a punch to the jaw at the very least. Afterall, he had just pretty much demanded that he were to propose to you.

As he braced for impact, tensing all his muscles, instead what he felt was a light pat to his right shoulder. Tom trailed his eyes up your dads figure to see what he thought was a gentle smile on his face too. Though he hadn’t ever seen your Dad smile at him before, so couldn’t say for certainty.

“You’re a good kid Tom, and you make Y/n very happy. Just pull yourself together when you ask her alright son? Didn’t think moviestars got stage fright.” And with that, your dad turned his back, heading toward the doorway that lead to the stairs to the bedrooms. Stunned, it took a moment or two before Tom processed - long enough that he had to leap up and call your dads name to get him to halt in the hallway.

“So is that a yes? You’re giving me permssion?”

“Oh Tom….” Your dad sighed in the lowlight of the hallway, in a more muted voice - now they were closer to the bedrooms where both you and your mum were sleeping peacefully. “ You already said, Y/n is strong and fiercely independent. I don’t control her, heck I don’t think she’s ever listened to me and never will. But…. for the record, I hope she says yes too and… I know she will.”

Scoffing in excitement, Tom combed a hand through his scalp, feeling such a wave of relief it was almost indescribable as your dad turned and trudged up the stairs. Once he heard the door of your parents bedroom close, he couldn’t help himself. He ran back into the kitchen, where he preceded to do an excited jumpy dance thing.

Because it meant a lot. To have your dads approval, to have your dads support. That meant the world. Not only for the sake of proposing but also, everything Tom said was true. He wanted to build a family with you - which meant that man was going to be the grandparents to your kids one day. That man had helped to craft you into the person you were today - his ‘person’. His perfect angelic, sweet woman.

Whenever he felt this excited, this happy, this elated - theres only one person he wants to be with. So, after turning all the lights off and checking the doors were locked (with a very obvious spring in his step) he then hopped up the stairs. Tiptoeing around, he got ready for bed in no time, before getting to the highlight of each evening.

Delicately he crawled into bed, sliding under the covers, so as to not disturb you. Naturally though, feeling the bed dip made you turnover- hooking your legs round his and resting your head on his chest. Tom chuckled quietly at your cuteness, stroking your cheek lightly with his thumb. It was enough to rouse you awake, enough to make you acutely aware of the thundering sound from his chest. With tired eyes, you propped your chin on his breastbone looking up at him with concern.

“You alright T? Hearts really racing.” He only replied with this loopy lovesick grin, his right hand coming to cup your cheek.

“Go back to sleep darling, I’m okay.” He did look okay, but he was almost too smiley and even with a foggy sleepy brain, you were still suspicious.

“Whats going on, you’re being weird?”

“Nothing…. your dad and me just had a chat… He called me son.” That shocked you too - clearly the conversation you’d had with him about being nicer to Tom had rubbed off.

“He did?”

“He did…. you are beautiful you know?” Now he was definitely being weird. You furrowed your eyebrows, as if trying to read his mind because something odd was going on in there.

“Now you’re just being creepy. What’s up?”

Tom just leant forward to kiss your forehead, then pulled you down onto his chest.

“I just love your family and I love you, you know that?”

“Are you trying to get into my pants? Because my parents are literally in the next room.”

“Oh shut up and kiss me.”

#tom holland #tom holland fluff #tom holland x reader #tom holland x you #tom holland angst

[yourmcu]

Emotional Support Mode

Pairings: Tony Stark x daughter!reader

Summary:

in which the reader is the loner, antisocial daughter of Tony Stark and the other Avengers including her father never acknowledge her presence (they thought some sort of interaction made you uncomfortable) so she becomes friends with Friday instead - Tony probs finds out and it’s gonna be all cute n fluffie once he realizes -

Word count: 2,243

a/n: hi just wanted to write fluffy tony :)) also I used they/them for friday’s pronouns

Warnings: angst n fluff, friday’s a bit more advanced (not like they aren’t already but) bc they could almost act like a literal human here.

read it on ao3!

You arrive back at the Avengers facility, shoulders slumped and just tired in general since you have a lot of homework and projects to do from school, most of them due by the end of the week. You also have exams later in the week.

“Hey, Fri,” you huff as you make your way to the elevator.

“Welcome home, Y/N. Where do you want to go?”

Yes, you're very close with the A.I that they started calling you by your first name. “To my room - and uh, will you remind me to read two chapters in my history book after I’m done with all my homework? I also have this project, I just need some measurements later, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure thing.”

“Thank you.”

It’s going to be a long night, you sigh heavily just thinking about it. Now you’re probably wondering, ‘you live with the Avengers! Why don’t you ask Tony and Bruce for help? Maybe Steve and Bucky for your History test?’

Yeah, well... you barely talk to any real person you live with. Maybe it’s you, you always thought you're making the team uncomfortable. You don’t even talk to your own father often which is kind of depressing on your part.

You love them, they’re like your extended family, but it just isn’t working out. Maybe they just don’t like you. Up to this day you still wonder why Tony took you in when you were just a baby (you were a mistake from one of his one night stands) - he had the choice not to.

“I’m assuming you zoned out again. You have arrived to your room five minutes ago.” Friday announces.

“Y-yeah sorry,” you shuffle out of the elevator and swiftly head to your bedroom, closing the door behind you.

“I also asked if I should inform Mr. Stark that you have arrived home.”

“No, no thanks. He’s busy and... probably wouldn’t care anyway,” You mutter the last part as you pile the books you need on your desk. “Can you put my study playlist on, please?”

----

“What time is it, Friday?”

“7PM. I was about to remind you to take a break.”

You get up from your chair and stretch, halfway through the last of your homework which is a two page essay. “You’re too kind, thanks pal,” when you walk out your room to head to the kitchen and grab a snack, the lounge is empty, kitchen empty,

“The team’s on a mission? I thought they had the whole week off,” you say before gulping down a water bottle.

“I checked the security footage: they left about an hour ago. Captain Rogers was talking about getting dinner.”

You put the bottle down. “Oh,” you try to mask your disappointment. This isn’t your first time being alone, they always left you here when they had a mission of course but... well, it’s not like they want you around them. “I’ll - I’ll just make myself something later, then. Not a big deal. I have to study anyway.”

Another hour later, the Avengers are back. They're all conversing happily as they pile in the lounge. Peter's rambling about upgrades for the Spiderman suit while Tony's typing away in his phone, nodding at everything he says. Everyone else is arguing about the TV channels and talking about the new restaurant they ate at.

Rhodey shifts, looking around. “Why do I feel like we forgot something?”

Natasha looks at him, waiting for him to go on.

“I assure you, I brought Mjolnir with me this time.” Thor butts in.

“No not that, what time does Y/N get home from school?” No one answers. It’s not like any of them know. It's natural that Rhodey would be worried about his goddaughter (even if they rarely talk). He turns his head to his best friend who’s now walking away with Peter, an arm around his shoulder. “Tony, where’s Y/N?”

He doesn’t hear since he has his full attention on his protégé.

“I’ll start making this tomorrow, I guess. I still have to buy materials.” You mumble to yourself, but you hope Friday's listening to everything you say just to make you feel less lonely. You swipe the hologram of the blueprint away and place the thick books in front of you.

“I would like to recommend a suitable study plan.” they state.

You rub your eyes, sighing, “I’m already halfway, I would’ve considered it earlier though.”

“This is only a recommendation, feel free to ignore it.”

You push yourself away from the desk and mutter a “go on,”, fiddling with your pen.

“Asking Mr. Rogers and Mr. Barnes would give you more details for your History examination, since the pair were originally from that time period. The same goes for Mr. Banner for your Science examination, I believe he has seven Ph.D’s, you may also approach Vision for the same topic. Mr. Stark has all the necessary materials for your project in his lab. Would you like me to-”

If only it were that easy. It should be easy, the thought alone makes you really nervous. “No, I - I appreciate the recommendation, Friday, but - I think I can do this on my own.”

“But you’re tired and it is almost midnight. I would help you myself but you specifically told me not to.”

They’re not wrong. Your eyes are starting to droop and you barely understand anything you're reading. You're also fighting back tears - why is talking to your family so hard?

“I can sense sadness. Would you like me to activate emotional support mode?”

“Yeah, okay. That sounds great right about now.”

----

“Crap. Guess we lost track of time again, kid,” Tony wipes his hands with a rag while he looks at the time on his computer. “You better get home. I’ll send May a text for keeping you this late.”

“Okay, thank you Mr. Stark. I’m just gonna use my suit-”

“No. Happy will drive you.”

Peter knew better than to argue and insist so he just nods and smiles sheepishly. A minute later Happy came ‘round to take him home.

Tony turns back around. “Friday, make a new project for me please, I’m adding minor upgrades to the Spiderman suit.”

“Not now, boss.”

Oh. He did not expect that. “Excuse me?”

“Y/N is currently opening up. I would like to give her my full, undivided attention. Please come back after fifteen minutes or so.”

Tony doesn’t exactly know how to feel about that. He never sees her outside her room anymore that he kinda forgot she existed tonight - oh fuck, they didn’t bring her to dinner with them.

“Well,” he exhales. “What is she saying?”

“That would be an invasion of privacy.”

“I’m her father-”

“Are you, sir?” Friday’s clever remark makes him stop abruptly.

It’s pretty clear that he’s been a shit father. Not only does he ignore you all the time but he treats Peter way better than his own flesh and blood. The Avengers on the other hand, they were nice people, but just didn’t understand so they try their best to get out of your way.

You were afraid of rejection, afraid to interact, because you had no idea what everyone thought of you. Did they like you? Did you make them uncomfortable? Did they want you around? What about Tony, did he really want a daughter in his life? Because you noticed he’d be better off with a son, yeah, like Peter goddamn Parker.

Tony sighs, walking out of his lab and heads to the mini bar to grab a drink. He needs to think: there's absolutely nothing wrong about you, he just didn’t do his job right, you thought he didn’t care, you thought nobody did. Even Friday is turning against him, doing a better job of comforting and being there for you.

“God, I’m such an asshole,” he mutters to himself, rubbing his forehead. He drinks his last shot and heads to the kitchen. “She still awake?” He calls out.

“She is.” Friday has a bitter tone.

He's hesitant to ask again, feeling really bad for not knowing this simple question - “what’s her favorite beverage?”

----

“How do you feel?”

You sniffle. “Well y’know, better than before. I should probably go to sleep. Thanks, Fri.”

“You’re welcome. Also, Mr. Stark is outside your door.”

“W-what?” You put away your books and straighten up, rubbing your damp eyes. “You’re serious? Okay, uh, let him in?” It's more of a question.

“Alright.”

You turn to face your desk as Tony enters the room, holding two steaming mugs. He sits at the end of your bed, just right next to the chair you're sitting on. “Hi,” he gives you a small smile and hands you a mug.

What’s the occasion?

“What’s this?” You ask quietly before taking the mug from his hands. Tony's being gentle and soft, it's odd but you’re not complaining.

“Green tea with honey. I... I thought I saw you make that stuff once.” He says, not mentioning the fact that Friday told him that.

“Oh, well, yeah,” you take a small sip. He added a bit too much honey but other than that it was good. “I thought you preferred coffee, though,”

Tony shrugs, his eyes glistening when he looks at you. “Wouldn’t hurt to try something new.”

“Did - did you want something, Dad?” You always found yourself awkward, couldn’t even make conversation with someone for long, always wanted to get straight to the point so it could be over with.

He looks like he wants to say something but he just averts his gaze to you, his hands, the floor, then suddenly he leans in and hugs you. Your feel your heart swell and body warm up, it’s a new sensation for you after all, you rarely get hugs from people. “I’m sorry,” he whispers. “For everything. I’m such a bad dad, I don’t deserve you. I even forgot you when we went out to dinner.”

“You don’t have to be sorry for anything. I had loads of stuff to do earlier anyway, so, but yeah I was just - I just overreact, I’m sensitive. I don’t blame you and the others for not liking me, I know there’s nothing like-able about me, I’m not like Peter-” You ramble, tears now leaving your eyes again.

“Sweetheart, don’t say that,” Tony says as he pulls you closer to him, head resting against his chest while he rubs your back comfortably. “Y/N Stark, you are smart, brilliant - I was just an ass for not acknowledging that.”

“I know you’re just saying that to-”

“Oh, but I’m not,” he now places his hands on your shoulders, getting you to look at him. “Tell me who built their first engine when they were eight?”

You blush, “Dad-”

“No, come on, I wanna hear it.”

“I did.”

“Yes you did. And who made a completely functioning robot at their middle school science fair that blew all the teacher’s minds?”

You’re trying to hide a smile, recalling the memory,  “I did.”

“And who,” Tony gets up and walks to the bulky looking thing that you covered with a sheet, pulling it off, “is currently building a computer from scratch?”

“Dad! That’s still a work in progress,” he messily places the sheet back and chuckles.

“My point is, you’re a clever and talented girl, Y/N. Don’t bring yourself down. And you don’t have to be shy around your family, those idiots have been dying to get to know you but since you don’t talk much... they don’t want to force it. We love you,” he says. “I hope you forgive me ‘cause I really wanna make it up to you. I’m not calling Peter in for a few weeks.” Tony sits down beside you again.

You couldn’t believe he’d do that for you. “You don’t have to, if you need him for something then-”

“-then you could help me instead, if you’re up for it.”

“I’m really sorry for being such a lonely freak,” you yawn, getting back into Tony’s open arms. “I love you.”

Tony tucks you in and lies down beside you, “I love you tons, kiddo.”

You snuggle into his chest, feeling his steady breathing while he rests his chin above your head.

----

It's morning. The Avengers are gathered at your open bedroom door.

“Are you getting all of this, Friday?”

“Yes, Ms. Romanoff.”

“Steve turn that shuttering sound down!” Natasha hisses at the super soldier who's doing his task, taking pictures.

Steve almost drops the phone and has Bruce fix the volume for him.

They’re all watching you and Tony cuddle together, still fast asleep.

“Do we have to stay here until they wake up?”

“Unless you have a great way of waking them up, yes. Now shut up.”

“If you think about it we definitely look creepy right now.” Sam comments.

“It’s their fault for having the door wide open all night!” Clint says.

Tony's actually awake the whole time, listening to them bickering. “You have three seconds to get the hell out of here before I make all of you polish my suits.” With that, the team races down the hall, pushing each other to get away first like literal children.

#tony stark #tony stark imagines #tony stark x reader #tony stark x daughter!reader #tony stark x stark!reader #iron man #iron man imagines #tony stark fluff #iron man fluff #marvel #marvel imagines #avengers #avengers x reader #avengers x you #fluff #marvel cinematic universe #mcu imagines #mcu #natasha romanoff #peter parker #rhodey #james rhodes #bucky barnes #steve rogers #clint barton #vision #thor #thor odinson #bruce banner #sam wilson

[limeinaltime]

R and X Switcheroo Thingie 5: X's Morality Takes a Significant Dive

So here we are again, for the last time but not really because I still have tons of ideas for this au. You said that my last post was the semi-finale of the "R Flips Her Shit Saga." You probably think that R is still going to be the main threat in this au. That X will still be on Uzi and N's side, right? That X will fight R and join Uzi and N's little band? You do, don't you?

...

Did I mention hat X is more dangerous in this au?

Time to answer what I meant by that, eh?

Buckle up, cuz this is gonna be the longest one yet.

It's been a month since X, R and S arrived on the planet, and already a routine appeared.

R would activate first, early in the night, most likely to avoid the other two. They didn't have to guess what she was doing.

X just had to follow the screaming and the path of recently broken buildings.

S and X would activate at roughly the same time. S, ever so kind, would let X exit first. When they exited, S would often decide to go hunting, obviously. And X...

...She's trying. She's really trying.

When they first landed, and after R let out some steam, particularly on her, X asked why she didn't just...kill her.

"...Because they'd bring you back like me."

She remembered R sayin that to her in the quietist voice she ever heard from her. She understood what she meant, though she wished she didn't.

If R killed her, the company might bring her back. And they might do...other things to her.

She can still hear R screaming for the voices to stop.

After R left, she decided that she needed to protect her. To not let her come to any harm ever again.

There was one problem though.

There wasn't anything to protect her from.

No great beast to slay. No scientists to hide from. No rivals to defeat. There was nothing X needed to protect R from.

So she just...couldn't.

She can't make it up to her now.

She just checked up on her through the day, at a distance of course. Constantly

Then she hunted.

She didn't like it. She really didn't like it. She feels like throwing up every time she ends a life. Though she never really does, the feeling is still...there.

The children are the hardest on her.

They're always the hardest. With their innocent expressions, and their trusting gazes, and their bright smiles and the fact that one of them said that it's okay and they forgive her-

All she can say is "I'm sorry."

I'm sorry I'm so so sorry I don't want to do this but I have to and I'm just so sorry I'm

And so it went. R would wake up first to avoid them, X and S woke up at the same time, and they both went hunting, with X hating it a lot more, always apologizing to whatever worker drone crossed her path, but sometimes letting a few slip away.

The company didn't need to know about that last part, right?

That was their routine.

That was their routine.

One day. That's all it took.

One day.

It was when X was checking up on R. Always from a distance, something X knew R wanted needed.

R had cornered a worker drone. The drone was begging for it's life, while R just stared coldly. So it was one of those days.

R had become less angry and more...sad wasn't the right word...cold? Cold. R had become less angry and more cold recently. Instead of killing drones right away, she let them speak first. They begged, obviously. And when they were done, R killed them. X didn't know why, she just...noticed it one day.

She also stopped abusing X physically, instead just opting for the cold shoulder

In a way, R was...calmer, than she was before.

X didn't know why.

She hated that.

X chose to focus on the drone instead.

The worker drone was a girl. She had orange eyes, was wearing a long coat, and behind her back was a...gun?

The worker drone knew guns didn't work on them, right? Surely, she wasn't that stupid, was she?

Was she...was she loading it? She is that stupid! Holy crap! Did this drone really think that she could...kill...a...wait.

That...that isn't a cartridge...That's a core.

A drone core.

X realizes too late what the worker drone has right before the drone aims it right at R.

R rushes forward.

X rushes forward.

And before either of them can reach her...

The worker drone fires.

A bright beam of light is made from the gun device. It shakes the ground and temporarily blinds X, if only for a moment. It radiates power, and is most definitely not a bullet.

As quickly as the beam came, it went away.

X was still in the shadows a bit.

She tried to look for R, which, thankfully didn't take long. R was in the place she stopped charging.

R must have thought she died too.

The worker drone's device didn't work! Did that drone really think that that would stop an internecion drone of all things? For that reason alone, X was happier than before.

But something was different about R's expression.

She looked...shocked. Why did she look shocked? The device didn't work, she was safe!

Then X noticed R was looking at her arm. Why was she looking at her arm? Shouldn't she be looking at the drone in...case...she...

...Where was it?

Where was her arm?

Right where R's left arm used to be, a smoldering stump was left in it's place.

R's arm would regenerate. Of course it would.

But X didn't care at that moment.

She was now staring at the drone.

There, in the shadows, looking at the drone who (temporarily) took her friend's arm, something in X breaks.

All this time, she felt bad for these worker drones. She cried for them. Mourned for them. Apologized to them over, and over, and over again. She let those who were hiding in cracks and crevices go, as if she didn't see them at all. She wanted those drones to live. She needed those drones to live.

She didn't think she could handle it otherwise.

But seeing the worker drone, the gun in her hand, R's shocked expression, and the fact that R is missing an arm...

X was wrong. She was so, very wrong. There are things to protect R from on this world.

And X chooses to spare them no longer.

Before R can say a single word, X rushes towards the worker drone, forcing it into a corner with both X's hands on either side of her it's head.

X could hear R yelling something about what she's doing. About taking her kill. She didn't care anymore.

She could hear the worker drone begging for mercy. To let it go. To at least give it a quick death.

X would give it none of these things.

So, staring at the drone with oval eyes (The bags were gone. The brows were gone. Any expression was gone. The eyes remained), she adjusted her hands on it's head.

And she squeezed.

Slowly, surely, the drone started to scream in agony. The pain of having it's head being slowly crushed was getting to it.

Good.

The drone's head was slowly crumbling. A cracked screen.  A voice box slowly breaking. Oil spilling out of the mouth. Until finally...

The drone's head was crushed completely.

It's body collapsed to the ground.

Silence.

...

X realizes that R's been silent.

She looks in R's direction, and sees R completely still. staring at her.

The look of shock was still there.

There was just fear in it now, too.

R was afraid of her. In that moment, R was afraid of her.

...

X decided she didn't care.

She just stood up, staring to the distance beyond the deceased drone with the same expression she gave it and, in the most calm, soothing, disturbing caring voice she could muster, asked one question.

"Are you alright?"

R simply asked in a fearful cautious voice, "W-what-"

But before R could finish the question, X rushed to her, grabbed her by the arm, stared at her with the expression she gave to the worker drone, though unintentionally, and asked again.

"Are you alright?"

The question sounded more insistent. More protective.

X was squeezing R's arm now, though slightly.

R said she was alright.

She didn't know what else to say.

And just like that, the expression dropped. The hand squeezing R's arm softened. X let out a long sigh.

There was silence.

And then X pulled R into a tight hug.

X tells R how wrong she was. That she will kill every single drone on this planet before letting harm come to her ever again.

She tells R that she will protect no matter what. That no matter what R does to her, no matter where she is, or how she is, she will always be there for her.

X can feel R's arm hug her back.

She can't see that R is disturbed by this new X.

                                                 ---

The routine is different now.

X is now the first to wake. The first to hunt. The first to kill.

She no longer spares any drones. Not when they could harm R. She doesn't let them get away. she no longer feels queasy when ending their lives.

The children are no longer hard on her. Not when they could grow up to harm R.

She doesn't say sorry anymore. She doesn't feel sorry anymore.

When R wakes up, X keeps to the shadows. And close to her. When she sees R approaching a worker drone, or a worker drone colony, she goes ahead of her, wipes it out, and leaves before she notices her. She doesn't want to risk R getting hurt by them. So she keeps her safe.

R can't help but feel like someone's watching her.

S wakes up last. He hasn't really changed much, but X can tell he feels uncomfortable around her and R, so he usually hunts alone.

Months pass. The routine stays the same.

Until X kills one more worker drone. And then a message appears on her screen.

>AREA CLEAR OF ALL ROGUE AI<

Area? Clear? X slowly realizes what this means.

There are no more worker drones in their zone.

For a moment, X is ecstatic. All the worker drones are dead!

R was safe!

But then X realizes something else.

It's an area.

They're on a planet.

A planet full of worker drones.

Within a nanosecond, X's joy is dashed, replaced with fear. Every worker drone on this planet is dangerous, they've proved that. To R, at least.

But there are other squads, her mind reasons. They can take care of it!

...Can they?

She'll have to see their work before she's convinced, So X decides to venture out in the day and see the other squads work. The nearest one, she thinks, is one belonging to E, I, and Q.

So under the daylight, she sees the others' work.

...

There are still worker drones alive.

Out in the open, plain to see in daylight, are worker drones scavenging for parts. Alive. Living.

Not dead.

Did the other squads not understand what their mission was? What they were meant to do? These things could be dangerous! They are dangerous! They could hurt people. They CAN hurt people!

THEY HAVE HURT PEOPLE!!

                                  THEY HURT R!!!

...

...

X decides to take it into her own hands.

That night, before the squad goes on their run, X shows up at their entrance.

The squad is confused, obviously. She doesn't care.

X prepares to fight them. After realizing what she's there to do, they prepare to fight her in turn.

They charge at each other.

They fight.

...

She wins.

Their area is now hers her squad's area.

And she'll keep fighting.

And she'll keep winning.

And she'll keep on expanding Her and her squad's territory, wiping out every single worker drone in it.

Because the company no longer matters.

Because S no longer matters.

Because the disassembly drones no longer matter.

Because she no longer mattered.

But R mattered. She always mattered.

And X will do anything to protect her.

Even if it means wiping out every single drone on this Fucking planet.

And with that, the saga is concluded.

This ain't the end of my rambles, I'm just taking a break. A week, tops. Also, you have NO idea how long this took me, like seriously. Might make something on the weekend right before Christmas Break to make up for all this Angst. Y'know, just a small little fluffy au with just the sliiiiightest hint of angst, but really not that much. I've also got more ideas for this au, so...do with that what you will.

Until then, my chaotic friend!

- - - -

*ascends off my chair* UNHINGED X UNHINGED X UNHINGED X-!

This has been one hell of a ride and I am really happy to have received all your awesome drabbles and ideas! You did X and R justice, and imagining X as some obsessed guardian protector to R is such a good idea and I am loving it! Thank you so much!

And yeah. If you take away her morality, X is possibly the most dangerous drone JC Jensen’s ever churned out. She’s old, but she’s strong, and she’s smart and probably housing some horrific thing born of hatred and pain and corporate suffering, and without her AI being scrambled, she’s a damn good protector. She has no problem wiping out threats. Even if those threats are just two teenage robots who just happened to be in the wrong place at the worst possible time.

If Uzi and N were in trouble with R against them, then they are absolutely fucked if they run into X.

Let’s hope Uzi’s MC plot armor is enough to get them out of this mess.

#for me #murder drones #oc #doodles #neutral antagonist X my beloved #the R/X swap saga #Hell. Pain Even. (Murder Drones Edition)