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animtrash · 1 year

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Holy shit being into f1 means seeing some very stupid opinions on the teams and drivers. A lot of this is a response to a post that im not gonna put here cus its just fucking stupid. But tldr i watch f1 as a hater. I want most of the drivers and teams to do well. Except russell, lance and ocon. Russell is a spoiled brat. Lance is even worse. And ocon is a cheap fuck who isn't that good but acts like he is. Otherwise anyone else can win or get a podium or points, but i also want those three to get passed, crash, or have problems.

Aston poached their way into a winning position. Lance should realize that his best bet for the team is to be a bad and dangerous driver up at the front to knock out anything that isnt alonso. Like i know he's the reason that team is what it is but if daddy looks at the prize money as a goal, he'll tell his shit kid to jump out of the way for alonso. He wont tho, he dropped several fucking hundred mil on his stupid child.

Alfa Romeo and alpha tauri really have no excuse to be as trash as they are. They're getting beat by haas who have only finally gotten enough money to hit the budget cap. Alfa has the same engine and they're unable to make a car that can go to the end. Every single time. Bottas lost his fastest lap gamble because they cant make an f1 car run the distance of an f1 race. Alpha tauri aka minardi, they took one of the brightest rookies. A proven champion is other sports and shoved him in a shitbox. Nyck deserves better. Yuki deserves better too. Both teams have access and options to be better and dont have an excuse to me any more. Alfa especially, they have audi, i know their involvement is staged to increase into 26 but they should be looking over saubers (alfa) work cuz its not like sauber know how to make a winning car.

Then its the same issue but different for McLaren. They made a huge shitstorm happen with contracts over oscar and what do they have to show for it? Him being able to get into q3, get tapped to the back and then overtake sargent at the end so hes not last. The actual fuck. McLaren seems to forget that their car, while not able to catch a redbull in pace, needs to be able to hold together to the end of a fucking race.

Sargent is picking up ok, hes keeping the car on the track. Hes not exceptional, not that ive seen yet, and his car isnt helping him. I feel like theres a handfull of better drivers but he got hired as an ass backwards ploy for US marketing. Heres the thing, Americans™ want to see every other country losing to it. Putting an American in a williams is asking for the brain dead, nationalistic, psychos you want to watch f1 to watch it once and then hate f1. Its not gonna work in America cuz he isnt being given a 3 lap lead start so he never gets passed. Nyck showed some real strength last year but in a tauri isnt doing him favors. Seems like hes doing ok in there. But unless he can show a ton of talent he'll end up like hulk, same with oscar. Oscar getting to q3 and then getting knocked out in the 1st lap really screwed his chances, again, and the McLaren wasnt strong enough to let him shine.

Zhou and bottas are being screwed. Zhou really can keep the car on the track but dosent have the extra pace to get ahead. Id bet he gets dropped when alfa becomes audi or sooner. If he can help funding the team i could see him staying in there. But not if they want to start pushing for wins. I like zhou, he seems nice but i dont see him being a winning driver. If bottas doesn't retire i can see him leading audi and then being the second man to whatever young gun shows up to replace zhou as world champion.

Seeing hamilton so pissed by the merc is kinda sad. I hope the car gets better but also he should kinda calm down, max is similar he bitches like no other if the car is slightly off. I cant imagine either of them settling for a lesser team. Idk, just talking shit. Kimi complained a lot too but stuck with that shit box alfa.

Seeing ferrari just be so mid is kinda sad too. Seeing them start so strong last year and the just be left in the dust off the line this year is pretty sad. Sainz is a great driver but leclerc really deserves better, especially after last season. Having his car fail out on the first race isnt promising either.

Also at the end, in the winners circle, seeing jost not even able to look as checo was hilarious. Like man you were a mid tier f1 driver. Fucking chill. You really weren't all that to be acting so fucking rude. Whatever is happening over at redbull they need to ban his disrespectful ass from the infield, i dont care if that somehow makes max a worse driver or what. Get that hateful man out of the paddock please. Like any time you look at him, he looks like he wants to hit whoever is next to him. Just unnerving. Your son wasn't able to catch his teammate this race, so what? He literally broke a win record last year and is still leading the championship this year. Its fine, but no papa verstappen looked like he was gonna gouge checos eyes out.

Also saw something about alonso "starting to smell blood in the water"... Um ok, if by waking up from his super competitive deep sleep is letting max bast past him without a single defensive move on the straigh ist "smelling blood" ok sure dude. The guy is happy, hes doing well. he could drag aston to 3rd in the team championship and take the drivers title but right now hes happy hes in a car that isnt falling apart every 12 laps. I dont see a super competitive aspect of alonso waking up. The man is fuckin chillin.

The upgrades teams make through a season make a difference but in recent years i cant think of a time where a teams upgrades propelled them above and beyond 3 team places in terms of pace. Im not saying redbull is gonna hold a 1,2 show every weekend and alonso will be 3rd. Merc and ferrari can still make ground. If merc can fine tune an aston style copy thell start hitting the podium. Ferrari seems to be at their limit. And we really havent been able to see a McLaren take a fight for a full distance. They could easily be at the front, as their best of the rest spot. If alfa can make bottas' car reliable then i can see him in the top 10 a lot too. I dont see williams or alpha tauri improving much though, thatd be great but id be really surprised to see them doing well. I just hope that in this whole season lance doesn't get one single podium. Fuck him. Everyone else, good luck.

Also the people talking about the imsa and wec hypercars are mostly saying a bunch of stupid dumbshit but with all the new Brands™ joining its not surprising. Like the vanwall simps are fawning over a team that actually did a hostile takeover for the name and spent most of their time in lower classes not being very successful there either, vanwall isnt gonna be impressive you idiots. The fact that a team cant even register for a race properly should tell you they dont have their shit together.

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unfriendlyamazon · 2 years

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it’s @joukaiweek officially and i plunked away at my keyboard so i didn’t miss it. this is incredibly rough and i need to take a hammer to it, but i still wanted to post for day one so here it is!

The Final Countdown

rating T

characters joey wheeler/seto kaiba, appearances by yugi muto, mai valentine, and (unfortunately) maximillion pegasus

tags Secret Relationship (sort of), Commitment Issues, Love Confessions, Emotional Rollercoasters, Actual Rollercoasters (It’s Kaibaland Babyyyy), The Characters Actually Duel

1/19 - origin || conclusion

Joey and Seto’s relationship goes full circle when they attend “Return to Duelist Kingdom”. They’re forced to face their own emotional issues so they can move forward, or let it all fall apart.

Joey shielded his eyes as he stepped through the entrance of the large dome. The glass enclosure poured in the bright California light, and tall trees spread wide branches. The space was completely transformed with long brick paths tucked along flat ferns and bushes overflowing with flowers. A waterfall made a winding river underneath the pathways. It was easy, for a moment, to be transported to another realm entirely, except for the Slifer coaster peeking over the dome top, and the shouts of excited park goers as they tried to peer in at the duelists.

“Kaiba really knows how to go all out,” Yugi said from where he stood at Joey’s side.

Joey only nodded mutely and started down the path.

It’d been something of a surprise to receive the invitational to the Return to Duelist Kingdom a few months back, and even more of a shock to see it was being hosted at Kaibaland America. Considering the original tournament had been little more than a farce to steal souls and further corporate takeovers, it’d been regarded as a sort of dark time in the dueling world, before Battle City standardized the rule sets. Both Joey and Yugi had listened to Seto rant about how all Pegasus was capable of was making cards, while he made the game. In a long list of all the things they’d been through, Duelist Kingdom ranked fairly low on the trauma scale, depending on who you asked, but all in all their group decided it was best to leave it in the past.

Not that anything really got left in the past around here.

At least this time they weren’t on an abandoned island in international waters more likely to die from dehydration than from the psycho eliminators roaming the place. No, Kaibaland put them up in swanky five star resort rooms, complete with comped meals. If there was anything Seto Kaiba was good at, it was showing up the competition. Only those that had made it through the gauntlet were actually competing, with free Kaibaland tickets awarded to the past participants who’d been soundly kicked off. It was a rematch of sorts. There were a few people Joey wouldn’t mind getting his hands on again, now more experienced and with a top notch ranking. Bandit Keith, from whatever hole in the ground he decided to crawl out of, and Pegasus himself, still sitting on his throne, and then there was–

“Kaiba!” Yugi shouted and bounded towards the all too familiar shape of Seto Kaiba. Joey’s footsteps slowed as his best friend tossed his arms around his long time rival. The coordinator he’d been speaking too had a shocked look on her face and quickly tamped it down. Joey almost laughed. Normally touching Kaiba was a death warrant, but Yugi got a free pass.

“Oh, good,” Seto sighed. “You’re here.”

“Had to see what all the hype was about,” Joey said, tugging on the strap of his backpack. The tournament wasn’t until tomorrow, which gave them free reign over the amusement park the rest of the day. “This place is fan-cy.”

“It looks cool!” Yugi released his prey, eyes going up to the ceiling. “This wasn’t here last time.”

“Pegasus’ inane idea coincided with the opening of the new Enchanted Forest.” Seto adjusted his coat, despite the warmth from the sunlight. He looked the same as he always did, tall and lean and anemic, probably. Telltale bags sunk in his eyes. Joey wondered how much sleep he’d been getting. “Normally I wouldn’t entertain the old man’s fancies, but the marketing seemed worth the effort.”

“Is that all this is?” Joey asked, raising a single eyebrow. “Marketing?”

Seto’s eyes met his for the first time. Older, and more tired, he still had the steady steel gaze he’d always had since he was a child. Joey held it.

“That,” Seto admitted, “and I thought it might be fun.”

A grin stretched across Joey’s face. Seto looked away.

“You’ve already seen your accommodations,” he said. “If you’d like to see the tournament floor, it’s through there. The rest of the park is yours.”

“I guess you don’t have any time to ride rides with us,” Yugi said dejectedly.

“Not at the moment, no.” He took the clipboard his coordinator offered him, eyes narrowing as he went back to work. “Somehow you always manage to entertain yourself.”

“We’ll do that.” Joey scooped Yugi into a hold and noogied him. “We got more than enough yucks between the two of us to bother your skinny ass, eh, Yug?”

Yugi laughed, pushing away from him. “It’s true. Thanks for hosting us, Kaiba.”

Seto only hummed in response. Joey took his friend by the arm and pulled him along the path. It’d been a while since he’d been in a tournament with Kaiba, but he’d never forgotten the surly attitude he wore like spiked armor. Joey wasn’t going to spend all day in an amusement park not having fun. What was the point of that?

“Wheeler,” he heard Seto call behind them, and Joey turned. The same gaze hit him hard enough to make his breath catch. Seto eyed him for a moment, and then shook his head. “Don’t make a mess of my park.”

“No promises,” Joey called back and bounced away.

◈ ◈ ◈ ◈

It was a year ago when it started like this:

Hands and teeth and desperation. Joey didn’t know who made the first move, but it ended in messy sheets and heated air and quickened breath and hearts pounding. Seto told him he was worse than any rollercoaster, that Joey sent him reeling in ways that overwhelmed him. Joey’d worn the compliment with a sense of pride. Kaiba the legend, Kaiba the monument, but it was Seto that clutched his fingers into his skin and begged for more. It was explosive, it was heated, it was–

It was nice. Long nights became morning. Joey no longer felt a need to jump out of bed as soon as they were finished, which was all well in good because it turned out Seto was a cuddler. Mornings became breakfast. Breakfast became dinner dates. There were ups and downs. Joey was overwhelmed too, because Seto cared so much in ways he never could say. Affectionate and thoughtful, of all things. It wasn’t just sex anymore, but they both struggled to make it something else. What could it ever be, really? Seto was a public figure, who traveled for work, especially with the growth in Kaibaland America. The last thing Joey wanted was to be left behind again. They’d come to a forked road with no way back, not really, and neither were the type to let something stagnate. Go forward, brave an untrodden path, commit to something new, or let it all fall apart.

Joey, on his end, hadn’t made up his mind.

Dinner the night before the tournament took place in the Magician’s Mansion, at a long table nestled in a room overflowing with comically large books and holographic creatures flying overhead. Somewhere, an animatronic dragon screech sounded at regular intervals. The usual motley crew sat in a row down the length of the table. Joey sat between Mai and Yugi while Bandit Keith made the usual ass of himself. Pegasus stood and gave a speech that Joey made faces throughout. He glanced at the other end of the table, where Seto was hiding a smile. They were ushered to a viewing spot for the evenings firework display. Underneath the crooked top of the Magician’s Mansion, crowds of parkgoers peered past railings, or sat on their parents’ shoulders, or jumped up and down as the holograms raced across a manmade pond, reflecting bright points of color in all directions. A Dark Magician Girl stood in the center of the pond, waving her staff this way and that like the conductor of an orchestra. In the darkness of the alcove usually reserved for performers, it did feel like a whole different world. While the others laughed and cheered, Joey glanced up at Seto’s face. Reds and blues reflected off his pale skin. His face was the same sullen line it always was, but his fingers curled on the railing as his eyes lit up.

“Hey,” Joey said as the boom of another firework brought an array of bright pinks into the sky. Seto’s eyes turned down. His fingers curled tighter on the railing. “About–”

The crowd gasped together as a dragon joined the fireworks display, weaving between the lights and then flying down at the audience. The performer’s booming voice shouted across the park. The ever faithful Blue Eyes let out a screech and swooped down again. There was even a touch of wind as it flew past. Joey sucked in a breath as he watched the display. It was all so real. That was what Seto had always been good at. He made things into existence that others could only dream about, and he had all the means to do it. He was, in too many literal ways, the man who had everything. What did he need Joey for?

“About tomorrow,” his mouth finished, faster than his brain could function. He smiled up at Seto with uneasy, pained politeness. “Good luck.”

Seto opened his mouth, and then his eyes centered on their small group. The dragon climbed into the sky and roared.

“I won’t need it,” he said, and turned away.

◈ ◈ ◈ ◈

It was a beautiful bright day in California. Joey and Yugi shared a lazy breakfast at the hotel, waving at familiar faces and chatting with people who recognized them. Yugi hadn’t dueled in years, but he still carried the undefeated record. Joey’d started picking up sponsorship deals. Mai’d given him a run down of the business, and, well, it made sense. Still felt weird seeing his own face on cereal boxes.

The morning was dedicated to matches billed as old-timers versus newcomers. The familiar faces of old champs like Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood went toe-to-toe against new champions pulled from the Kaiba dueling academy and Industrial Illusions own ranked picks. They used the upgraded battle stages, which felt like dinosaur technology compared to the duel disks Joey was used to battling with. Yugi was called off to do some interview as the original champion of Duelist Kingdom, and Joey sat on stadium seating high above and out of the way, chewing on popcorn as he watched the strategies of the kids below. That was the real trick of this game. It was always changing, and someone always had a strategy you’d never faced before. Joey’d had to learn to change with it.

“Why,” came a dry voice from behind him, and Joey jumped straight up to see Seto waltzing down the steps, “did I think I’d find you here?”

“‘Cause you’ve got cameras all over this park,” Joey said, mouth full of popcorn. He swallowed it down and wiped his hands on his shirt. “‘Cause you’re a stalker.”

He tilted his head to the side, the only admission he would offer. He stopped at the end of steps, and it was a narrow pathway down the seats to where Joey lounged. Neither made a move closer.

“I still can’t believe you’re doing this,” Joey said. “I thought you were gonna hit Pegasus with a brick last night.”

“There’s still time,” he mused. He leaned forward on the railing, watching the matches below. “You’ve been oddly quiet this whole time.”

Joey set his popcorn aside, forced to admit his own guilt with a sigh. “I guess… I guess I don’t know what to say to you.”

His brow furrowed. “The answer isn’t yes.”

“It isn’t no either.” Joey closed his eyes, remembering the conversation the night before Seto had left to set up the tournament. Seto held Joey’s face in his hands and asked him point blank: Is there something here worth kindling? Did they have a reason to follow through?

Seto scoffed, his head dipping down so that his dark bangs covered his face. As he stood straight, it was Kaiba that came into view.

“I don’t know why I’m wasting my time on this,” he said in a hard edged tone. “I should’ve known you couldn’t commit.”

“I can’t commit? Me?” Joey jumped to his feet. “You’ve been gone for nearly two months! You spend half your time living on the other side of the world and then get mad when I don’t want to wait around! You can’t keep a dinner date, or a reservation–”

“I have obligations,” he snapped.

“So do I!” Joey shouted. “So does everyone! I take the bus to your place, but you can’t have your driver take you around?”

“Maybe,” Seto snarled, “it would be easier, if you didn’t decide to walk out every time you don’t get your way.”

Joey laughed. “You’re calling me selfish? You’re the one with a theme park with your name on it!”

“You feel a need to break up over every little thing,” Seto said. “If I’m late picking you up, when we can’t decide on a movie, when I pick up the wrong thing for dinner–”

“It wasn’t about dinner!” Joey shouted as he marched forward.

“Then you have to tell me what it is about!” Seto snapped back. “I can’t read your mind, and I never know what’s going to set you off, and I need you to tell me!”

“I need to know you think about me!” Joey said. His hand slid along the railing, the metal growing heated as he charged at his foe. Seto stood straight and tall like a brick wall, ready to bring him to a brutal stop. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you! I want to, god knows I tried, but I missed you! Every second you were gone! And I can’t stay up by my phone hoping I entered your mind long enough for you to call! I can’t let you hurt me like that!”

“Of course I missed you!” Seto shouted. “I’ve been in agony waiting to see you again! But you said you needed space. You said you wanted to figure things out. You can’t tell me one thing and mean something different entirely. It’s utterly infuriating!”

“Well I’m sorry!” Joey sucked in a breath, shoulders squeezing together, and then he let it go all at once. This wasn’t how he planned things to go when he got Seto alone. He hadn’t planned anything. Maybe that was part of his problem. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know what I wanted. I thought distance would make things clear, but instead…”

He trailed off, scraping his bottom lip. Seto released his own breath he was holding. His features softened in a way Joey was getting used to seeing.

“I want you,” Joey said, with an earnestness that made him wince. “I know that. But I can’t–I can’t take it anymore. Wondering. Knowing I’m not good enough for you. Waiting for you to cut me off. I’d rather have nothing than have that.”

“Joey,” Seto said, and his hand cupped his cheek, guiding his face up. This was how the whole thing started, Joey remembered. An argument. A touch in the right place. It’d taken this long to grow this tender. “I’m not–”

Horns sounded from the arena, and the two pulled apart. Seto’s eyes drew up, and Joey saw the white security camera clearly placed. Right. Even alone, they were in public. He’d almost let himself forget. Seto’s back straightened as the PA announced the Duelist Kingdom champions tournament. They both had places to be.

“Don’t sweat it,” Joey said, brushing off the pain like he had so many times before. “I know how important this place is to you. I just never liked being second best.”

“You’re not,” Seto said. “Not to me.”

Joey let out a dry laugh. “You better check the tapes on that one.”

“I mean it,” he said. “I’m–”

His jacket pocket started buzzing, and he groaned low as he dug in to find his phone. Joey shook his head.

“I’ll see you on the battlefield,” he said and waved off any protests as he trotted up the stairs. No, Joey Wheeler didn’t stick around, not when he wasn’t wanted. Seto could say all the words he wanted, but Joey knew how he acted when trying to get something out of his reach. If he wanted Joey, he’d have him, and the whole world would know.

◈ ◈ ◈ ◈

When Yugi lost, the crowd went wild.

Things had played out pretty much as Joey remembered it. No one had expected much out of Bandit Keith, and he was soundly dealt with. Joey’s battle with Mai had been close, and she’d nearly tipped his life points over the edge when she wiped his field of monsters, but a well placed ritual summon brought him back on top. Seto replaced Pegasus as the final match, and so he waited on the sidelines as Pegasus commented on the Battle of Brothers. Yugi versus Joey. Yugi’s usual duck and weave routine kept things interesting, but they hit the turning point when Joey used Enemy Controller to bring his Summoned Skull to his side of the field, and a fusion card turned him into Black Skull Dragon. It’d kept him on the ropes long enough for Joey to play Time Wizard. It’d destroyed his last monster and given Joey a clear field to destroy his life points.

As the crowd screamed, Joey glanced at where Seto sat with a wide-eyed stare. Everyone had expected the final bout to be between Yugi and Seto, a return to rivals old school fans dreamed about. As the platforms descended back down to the stage floor, Yugi and Joey had gone in for the traditional handshake. Joey had scooped him up instead in a big hug. That was best buddy after all.

Then it was Seto’s turn.

There was no catchy slogan for this match up, no big rematch to sell. As far as the world was concerned, Joey had been some newcomer nobody grabbing onto Kaiba’s coattails. There were more serious matches to care about. Even their so-called “Battle for the Bronze” in Battle City had technically been outside the tournament proper. There’d never been a reason for the two to face off. It was unclear, then, if the audience caught the tension as the two climbed up to their roosts. The life points clicked into place. The duel began.

It was clear from the jump Seto had set up his strategy to counter Yugi’s usual play style. It was a head on barrage expected from his beatdown deck. Even in the quiet of Joey’s apartment, when they lazily laid down cards sitting on the floor across from each other, Seto battled with his usual intensity. Joey’d struck blows but usually fell short of actually beating him. Winning hadn’t mattered in those moments. Now it felt like the only thing that did.

“You’re so predictable,” Joey said as he summoned two of his Blue Eyes in one move. The duelists wore mics, making his offhand comment rebound across the glass walls. Trash talk was a staple of duels. No reason to leave the crowd wanting.

“And you don’t know when to stop,” Seto fired back. “You’ve never backed down from a fight before. You should learn to lose with dignity.”

“Alright,” Joey said, activating his trap card as the Blue Eyes fired at his Flame Swordsman. Evenly Matched wiped the field. As the Blue Eyes shattered into digital dust, he grinned at Seto from across the playing field. “Show me how.”

Backed into a corner was when Kaiba was at his most dangerous, and this duel was no different. They went round for round, monster for monster. Battling him had always felt like hitting a wall, a feeling Joey’d never gotten past, but this time it was different. Fight for fight, they bashed head on, their tactics weaving around each other. Seto tried to keep his most powerful cards on the field, but Joey kept every trick up his sleeve. And the banter never stopped. Back and forth like a volleying shuttle, and little by little it unwound. The frustrated edge in Seto’s voice faded away. Joey answered his calls with laughter and an ace of his own. Their life points chipped away. Joey felt it as he drew the card he’d been hoping for. He could’ve placed it blind. He nearly kissed it.

When he played Roulette Spider, Seto groaned, dropping his head in his hands as the animated creature appeared on the playing field. Only Saggi the Dark Clown stood between Joey and victory.

“If I lose because of Roulette Spider,” Seto said, “I’m going to kill you.”

Joey grinned wide and shouted, “Roulette Spider, go!”

The spider spun, same as it always had. Its arrow whirled around the arena, flashing past faces, past life points, whirling faster and faster.

And then it landed on Seto’s life points. The whole arena sucked in a breath as the life point counter ticked down, hitting zero.

“Holy shit,” Joey said.

The roar was deafening. Cheers from the front row where Yugi and Mai sat. Pegasus’ idiot voice still rambling. The podium couldn’t drop quick enough. Joey nearly fell off trying to get down. He couldn’t wait to see Seto’s face up close, couldn’t wait to rub it in his idiot face. No way he was living this one down. No way he was getting rid of him either. He wanted Joey to commit, then fine. He was committed to reminding him of this defeat every day of the rest of his life.

Lightbulbs flashed as Seto approached. His defeats were rarely public, but there was no denying this one. Seto’s whole face was furrowed as he strode purposefully towards the center to meet him. Oh god, he was gonna deck him. Joey almost wanted him to. Nothing excited him more than breaking that ice cold exterior. He wanted to take an ice pick to it with all his might, and for the first time he might’ve really done. Joey laughed, extending out a hand, and then shouted when Seto grabbed his arm and dragged him forward. Well, he said he’d kill him. This was honestly how he’d expected to go.

“I told you,” Seto growled as he pulled Joey close. “You aren’t second best.”

And then, to thundering cheers and with every flash going off at once, Seto kissed him. Right on the mouth. With the whole world watching.

Everything was white noise, the entire park their audience. Joey was laughing, tears dotting the corner of his eyes. Seto was smiling. There’d be interviews to follow, and an exhaustive round of questions where they were suddenly forced to define their relationship when Joey couldn’t say the word boyfriend without stuttering a week ago. Now they were on the record. Still, somehow, with Seto’s arms still around him, their faces still close, and everything else faded from view, this felt like the most intimate moment they’d shared together.

“You’re so stupid,” Joey said, and he kissed him again.

◈ ◈ ◈ ◈

Everything followed as expected. Hearty congratulations from their friends, siblings blowing up their phones, calls from agents and PR managers and marketing. Interviews, photos, partying.

Finally, it was just them.

The hotel room was dim, and the distant lights of the park cast blue shadows across the darkened floor. Exhaustion made them lazy. They kissed and touched and sighed, and then they held each other as the clock ticked closer towards midnight. Seto with his face buried in Joey’s hair, breathing slow, deep breaths. Joey closed his eyes as he listened to his heartbeat. Calm and steady. Everything felt alright.

Joey was drifting off to sleep when he felt Seto take in a sharp breath. The hamster in his head must’ve been whirring, he knew, but he let Seto take his time to say what he was thinking.

“Do you remember,” he murmured, “when you challenged me for the first time?”

Joey huffed out a laugh. “Don’t remind me. I didn’t have anything in my deck that could touch you.”

“You did,” he said. “Touch me.”

Joey lifted his head to look up at him. Light cut the edges of his cheekbones, the highlights of his eyes. It’d been years and years and years since Joey had tossed himself into the jaw of the lion. At the time, he hadn’t understood the full weight of what Seto was fighting for. Seto hadn’t understood how deeply those words managed to cut. It was an incident, a drop in their history, and the foundation of the mountain they’d had to climb.

“You’re stupid and brash and wreckless,” Seto said. “None of that’s changed. You never let your fear get to you.”

Joey laughed. “Is this your love confession?”

“Yes,” Seto said, too sincerely. He pressed his forehead to his. “I don’t know how long I’ve loved you. It feels like always.”

Joey looked at him. No quarter was given. Wrapped around each other, there was nowhere to go, no place to run, only the truth, as roughly hewn as it was. The words sat uneven and too sweet in Joey’s mouth. He’d always been a coward, that was true, but Seto was right. He’d never let it stop him before.

“I love you too,” he said, and kissed him.

And outside, the fireworks started.

#joukai week 2022 #kaijou #my fanfic #i've had the image of seto and joey kissing after a duel in my head since i first got into this fandom 3 years ago #there's a lot of ideas here that need to be refined but listen #it's still pretty good #ignore the title i couldn't think of anything clever

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anika-ann · 3 years

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What I’d Never Say or Do (Had I Been in My Right Mind) - Pt.1

We Both Break Free (…if We Make It on Top)

Type: series, soulmate AU series (part 1, part 2, part 3)

Pairing: Steve Rogers x reader Word count (Ch1): 2050

Series summary: A story in which you officially come back from the dead, Tony with Natasha decide to take the blame for the whole mess and organize a party with unexpected party crashers and Bucky should consider thinking before speaking.

Fic title applicable to Tony, Natasha, Steve and his soulmate (aka the Reader), Bucky and his sort-of-buddy Matt Murdock and possibly few more.

Ch.1 summary.: In which Natasha and Tony go mad.

A/N: This series will be just a smaller thing, snippets set around The Age of Ultron (and later, Endgame). Later will be referred to as WINSoD because the title is a monster.

Warnings (ch1): mention of death and resurrection, mention of superntural creatures (see Errare Humanum Est), language, fluff

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Tony Stark was a ridiculously theatrical person.

While that was no news to anyone who knew as much as his name at least, but he still managed to outlive the legend, the reputation that preceded him.

He left you standing by the door, walked in to gain the undivided attention of the person inside the office and wanted you to reveal yourself in the exact right moment – a moment he trusted you to recognize.

Well. You assumed with a revelation like yours, it was rather hard to keep the drama away. But leave it to Tony Stark that he would blow it to proportion just to have fun.

“Tamara, darling!” the billionaire howled, the door opened only for a crack, so you could hear the reaction. You rolled your eyes, sighed and nervously looked around. The department was empty safe for the woman in the office, but it still made you feel uneasy; probably the effect of having to hide for the past weeks to avoid detection that could lead to a major scandal.

“Oh god, what happened?” Tamara asked, sounding as horrified as annoyed.

“Why do you assume— okay, that’s fair. How’s you hubby doing?”

“Alright,” the poor woman answered, clearly suspicious. “I more or less cleaned up the latest mess, so I’ve been coming home early…”

“Yeeeeah, about that. I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?” Tony offered cheerily.

“Bad news. Always. Let me just sit down-- no, no, don’t let me sit down, I have a feeling I’ll wanna pace irritably.”

That caused the corners of your lips to turn up. You were starting to like this woman already.

“I’m gonna need you to deal with a major scandal worthy of your skills.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere and I assumed as much.” Now you officially loved her – and you saw why Tony did too. Sass and snark; Tony’s language. “So, care to elaborate?”

“Nah, I’ll give you the good news. You’re gonna get some help. I brought reinforcements. She doesn’t have much experience with PR-” Try none. “-but I’m pretty sure she’ll be the one all the questions will be aimed at.”

“Oh my god, Anthony, did you get a woman pregnant?!” the woman hissed, not bothering lowering her voice. She sounded… kinda pissed. Which was reasonable, given the fact Tony Stark was happily-not-single with one amazing Pepper Potts.

“What? No! I have Pepper!” he opposed her, having the nerve to be offended. You smirked, hoping Jarvis caught that one line too. “This is all on Capsicle-“

“Captain Rogers got a woman pregnant?! What the-“

You felt like this was the moment.

“No, Mrs…. Tamara,” you said it the end, realizing Tony never told you the poor woman’s last name, and entered the room. “But his soulmate sort of came back from the death.”

Tamara was a middle-aged woman, with blonde medium-length hair and huge majestic glasses, business suit in a bloody-red colour and lips perfectly shaped in an “O” as you demonstrated the problem at hand.

“Holy. Shit.”

Leave it to Tony Stark he would flee the moment an actual explanation was needed, letting the others deal with the aftermath of his dramatic tendencies. To be fair, this was more of your drama, so…

“Good. Looks like introductions are not needed. I’ll send you the necessary data. Have fun.”

He strode through the door, winking over his shoulder at you and sending an air kiss to Tamara and you nervously smiled at the woman, your awkward side showing when you raised your hand to a reluctant wave before you could realize a handshake would be more appropriate.

“Uhm. Hi…”

The blonde blinked several times, shook her head with an incredulous chuckle and stuck out her hand.

“Hi. I’m Tamara, Antony Stark’s cleaning service. What can I do for you?”

Oh yeah. You’d get along just fine.

…

The story was simple and yet enough to make at least two Avengers very much hated.

Tony and Natasha, perhaps from some residual guilt of which you weren’t sure where was coming from, were determined to be thrown to the wolves of public.

Apparently, it had been all their idea – to have Steve and you kidnapped in the first place by the bomb enthusiast psycho. They had caught something fishy, been aware of it for a long time and opted for drawing the something rotten within SHIELD and company out by leaking early info on where you and Steve would be going to dates for several nights in a row without your or Steve’s knowledge. Perfect bait with nearly perfect surveillance background and safety measures.

Predictably, it had gone to shit and while you had never been blown up to death, which was something Steve had had zero clue about, you had been recovering from your life-threatening injuries for weeks in a hidden facility of top-secret location with way too much security. Still without Captain America’s knowledge.

Admittedly, this tale was a PR nightmare in making, not to mention a complete bullshit. Yet, the Avengers (sans Steve so far) unanimously approved of it. Tony and Natasha would be the first to blame, while the rest would reluctantly admit they knew as well and they had all kept it from Steve.

“You can’t be serious,” was all you managed to come up with, Steve sitting on the couch next to you while the rest of the team, the part that was momentarily on Earth, gathered around you to break you the news. This was what they came up with? “People will hate you.”

“And their hearts would still bleed for their golden boy, who would forgive us in time, especially since we offered his girl a job and an apartment she can’t quite refuse.”

“Wait, what kind of a job?!” Steve snapped, waking up from the deep thoughts he had fallen into with this stupid talk.

“The non-dangerous kind, Steve, calm down, please,” Natasha cooled him off flatly, but you could see her sincere gaze when it met with Steve’s. We wouldn’t endanger her, not again, it whispered. Steve’s shoulders slumped.

“What kind of a job?” you echoed, still worried. You assumed the apartment Tony mentioned was a place in the Tower, not bothering to ask about that part.

“PR. Unless you want to deal with your old job of which I have no doubt your best buddy would give back. I’d just like to remind you how the public reacted to you dying.”

Right. You wouldn’t mind a little privacy and safe space. You liked your old job, but it didn’t seem like an option now. Except… this was crazy.

“But they will still hate you. It makes you guys terrible friends and teammates. Frankly, it makes you kind of… terrible people,” you said slowly, taking time to examine everyone’s face.

“She’s got a point,” Steve agreed, wheels in his head clearly turning in a lightning speed.

“Meh. You should know what Fury’s up to during his ‘the end justifies the means’ periods – which is non-stop. I wouldn’t worry about that,” Natasha shrugged it off, pursing her lips a bit.

“Wasn’t it you who said you weren’t sure how to get her back to the world without having to explain she was literally led by an angel from Heaven?” Clint reacted to Steve, who sighed.

“Yes, of course, but this-“

“-is perfectly believable,” Natasha interrupted him, raising an eyebrow before beckoning to Tony and herself. “Me and Tony came up with the operation – a spy and a billionaire with questionable conscience. We pulled the rest of the team into the charade. This can work.”

“I can’t say I’ll enjoy this,” Bruce entered the conversation for the first time, surprising everyone. “However, it will allow you to walk the streets freely – with uncomfortable questions, yes, but it is a reasonable deal for us.”

“Steve? Thoughts?” the spy turned to him again.

Your soulmate observed his team for a long time, just like you, watching each of them individually, trying to read them as he himself was conflicted and undecisive. Finally, his eyes settled on you, a hint of an encouraging smile on his lips.

“Doll? How do you feel about that?”

The softness of his voice, the actual freedom he gave you when it came to this decision warmed your heart and made you shudder at the same time. You had no doubt he had come to a decision; but the final step was on you and you only. He would be affected too, of course, but this was your life that could turn upside down for like… what, the third time since you had met him?

You worried your teeth over your lower lip. “I mean… I’d really appreciate not having to hide in here all the time, but… I don’t want people to hate you, guys. I feel like I caused enough problems-“

“No, doll,” Steve whispered, his hand covering yours and squeezing firmly as he locked his gaze with yours and didn’t let go. “I’m not asking about them. I’m asking about you. They are clearly willing to do this.”

“Are you?” you questioned despite being confident about his answer.

“Do I love you?”

That caught you off guard. “Huh? That’s not what I-…?”

What did that even mean? Did he love— come again? How was this about his feelings towards you all of sudden? Was it time to question them? God, you hoped NOT.

“That the newest version of asking whether the sky is blue, doll,” he explained with a lop-sided smile and you released a breath you didn’t realize you had been holding.

Idiot. Sap. Sweet-talker.

“You’re such a sap.”

“You love it,” he hummed confidently. You smiled despite your better judgement. You loved him. And yeah, you loved this silliness too.

“I do.”

“So… are we doing this? Together?” His smiled grew a little wider, the twinkle you adored appearing in his eyes and you couldn’t but squeeze his hand back.

“Yeah. Together.”

“Jarvis, send Dum-E with some insulin shots,” Tony cleared his throat and you felt your cheek dust with a blush, roughly pulled out of the haze Steve managed to put you in once again. “We’re all having unhealthy sugar rush.”

The captain rolled his eyes. “Har, har, Stark. Are you guys really okay with this?”

Clint huffed. “It’s not like people will start planning our assassination more than they do already.”

“Tamara might,” Natasha opposed, amused.

“Ah, poor Tamara, I better bring a wine with me when asking…” Tony mused, scratching his goatee.

You turned to the red-head spy, not happy about being out of the loop.

“Who’s Tamara?”

Tamara, the head of the PR department for Tony (and sometimes for the Avengers too, because those two clients, so to speak, often came as a package deal), was currently starring at you speechless when you told her the tale of what actually happened and what lie they had decided to feed the public.

The silence lasted long enough for you to start worrying.

“Are you alri-“

“Angels are real?!” she burst out, nearly making you jump out of your skin with the sudden exclaim. You placed your palm over your chest to keep your racing heart inside your ribcage.

“…yes. But so are demons, shapeshifters, witches and so on, so…”

“Not a good thing to go public with. Got it. I understand the cover-up now. Though people being able to be resurrected would be enough on its own even without the… creatures. My my… we have a lot of work to do.”

“I’d imagine,” you agreed, not having a clue how to do this and where to start.

The woman looked at you over the rim of her glasses, her smile kind, in the Stark contrast to her loud cry only few second ago.

“…you don’t have any experience with PR at all, do you?”

“Nope,” you admitted, accenting the P and looking away, ashamed that Tony threw you into this without giving you anything helpful.

Now Tamara had to deal with the scandal and with you trying to help. That woman was worthy of some serious pay raise (though you had no doubt Tony paid her enough for her to own a villa or something, exactly as much as she deserved for dealing with his shit).

“I’m gonna kill Anthony, I swear…. Okay, let’s get this shit on the road. Also, Jarvis? Tell Antony to get the freakin’ wine ASAP.”

Oh yeah. You would actually adore Tamara, you were sure of it.

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Part 2

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Here we go! The final part of the series. Admittedly, I’m not sure about quality of this thing, but I’m trying.

Chapter titles are taken from the chorus of Les Friction’s What You Need

Thank you for reading ♥

(I’ll be tagging my Errare Humanum Est taggies, if you don’t want ot be taggged anymore, let me know)

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honeypirate · 3 years

Text

Don’t forget part three

Part one part two

Aizawa x fem reader

Cannot stop listening to sour candy by black pink and lady Gaga and I think hizashi Would be all over that but for some reason it won’t let me link that song so here it is on YouTube and I linked the other

Todays the day!

You were up early, your nerves kept you from a good night's sleep but you didn't mind it very much. You dressed in a black tailored suit pants with tapered legs, a white v neck bodysuit(so you didn’t have to worry about tucking, and a black blazer. You put on some heels and some makeup, leaving your hair down but pulling a few strands back and pinning them, before putting on a little perfume. You check the time and gasp, you only have a few minutes before you have to go and you’re only semi sure about where the meeting room was. You grab your keys and phone before locking your door and heading out to the meeting, a travel coffee cup in your hand as you sip the hot liquid, the sting on your tongue keeping your mind off the nerves.

You walk into the main office and then head up the stairs, you see a flash of familiar messy hair rounding the top of the stairs as you look up from the bottom, a surge of excitement flooding through you as you take the steps up.

You turn left instead of right, heading down to Nezu’s office before the meeting. “Y/n! Im glad you are here safe and sound. As you know, classes don't start for the next few days so this is just a preparatory meeting to introduce you. I heard you ran into Present Mic!” you smile and nod “I did, it was good to see him again. I’m excited to be here, thank you again for the opportunity” you bow your head and he smiles.

You hear the talking from the room as you follow Nezu down the hall, your hands clasped behind your back. “Welcome everyone to our first meeting of this school year. As you all know Vlad King is injured and a new teacher will be taking over class 1 B. That teacher is Y/N Y/L/N” he gestures to you and you bow to them for a moment before standing up straight and smiling. “Im looking forward to working with you all” you say, making eye contact with Hizashi who looks like he is going to explode from excitement. You smile and shake your head before your eyes land on the man who was staring into your soul from next to Hizashi.

Aizawa can’t believe what he is seeing. The new teacher is you. Not a man. The beautiful woman he used to love. Back in his life and now teaching with him. He kicked Hizashi under the table for telling him the new teacher was a man. When you meet his eyes you can see the blush dust his cheeks and the shock in his eyes. You wink at him and he feels like his heart is going to pop.

“y/n you can take the empty seat next to Present Mic” Nezu says and you nod at him before making your way around the table, Hizashi immediately moves chairs so you would end up sitting between him and Aizawa and you chuckle softly.

“Surprise Sho” you whisper and he chuckles “you’re my new neighbor” he whispers back and you nod, excitement in your eyes from being able to see him again. This was an unreal experience. “Come over for dinner tonight, you and Hizashi, i’ll cook and we can catch up” he nods and you lean over whispering the same thing to Hizashi before you turn your attention back to Nezu and the meeting.

After the meeting you stood up and Aizawa pulled you into his arms “how come you didn't come see me sooner?” he asks and you laugh, pulling back you cup his cheek, he looked the exact same except much more exhausted now. “Yama made me promise not to. To keep it a secret” Hizashi had left you two to catch up and tell the other teachers to leave you be for a moment but you didn't notice, it was like your world was Aizawa.

“What an ass” he says and you chuckle “you’re still the same boy, just grown up now. And handsome god when did you get so good looking?. God I missed you” you say and wrap your arms around him again. He laughs and hgs you back “you're one to talk y/n” he says “#3 pro hero in America, rated the best looking female hero of the year” you blush and laugh as you finally let go of each other “titles that don't mean much, you knew that was never my goal. Plus it’s not my fault i was blessed with good genes” you joke and he chuckles, it was much more than that, you were beautiful but you also glowed with happiness and goodness. You were always pure and lovely and it just grew as you did. You were even more beautiful than the pictures he has seen online. “You kept tabs on me?” you ask and he nods “of course! You’re my best friend i wanted to make sure you're safe even if we didn't talk as much” you place your hand on his arm “didn’t talk as much Sho we haven't talked for over 10 years” he blushes “I’m so happy to see you again y/n. Truly. I’m happy to have my best friend back”

Nezu comes to get you. Telling you that you had loads of paperwork to fill out. “Dinner tonight. My place. 6pm. Tell Hizashi the time because he left before I could.” he nods “see you then” the moment you are gone Hizashi is right next to Aizawa, elbowing him and wiggling his eyebrows “what dya think? She's grown into a very beautiful woman huh SHO?” he says and Aizawa rolls his eyes with a sigh, he felt like he was in highschool again. “You heard her about dinner?” he asks as he pinches the bridge of his nose, “sure did!” Hizashi answers and Aizawa just leaves to go do his own school planning.

You finish all your paperwork and get shown around by Midnight, you shadow her for the rest of the day to see how she prepares and to be able to ask her any questions you may have. At the end of the day you sit down with Vlad King to go over how he teaches and what he expects of you. You felt like you were glowing all day, you had no doubts you would be amazing at this.

When you got home you tidied up and changed into a pair of distressed black jeans and a loose white shirt, something you could feel comfortable in. You pour yourself a glass of wine and sip it as you start some music, playing a mix of easy songs you could sing along to as you start dinner. Youre in the middle of sauteing vegetables and singing and dancing along to Sour Candy, you almost missed the knock on the door, you turn the stove off and head to open it but before you reached it Hizashi walked in holding a melon and hitting the chorus perfectly, causing you to laugh and continue belting it out as you take the melon and dance into the kitchen with it singing “I’m sour candy, so sweet and i get a little angry yeah sour candy” Hizashi harmonizes the yeahs with you and takes your hands dancing around the kitchen as you sing together “im super psycho make it crazy when I turn the lights low” he lowers his voice and spins you in circles while singing the “Take a bite take a bite” the song ends and you burst into laughter with him as you part.

As the song turns to Ice Cream (melted version) you finally get to look him over, hes wearing dark jeans and a hoodie with his hair down, he looked good. You liked his relaxed a lot better than crazy bird hair. “Yama I missed you so much” you say and he smiles “I missed you too Y/N but believe me Aizawa missed you the most” you feel your cheeks flush and you turn, going back to the stove to finish dinner. “Really?” you ask, trying to sound nonchalant but he saw right through you, sliding up beside you his back against the countertop as he looks down at you, a smirk on his face and his arms crossed, you pick up your wine glass and finish the rest of it as he starts to speak “oh yeah. One time, don't tell him i told you this, but one time he..”he leans in to your ear “You left your door open” Aizawa says as he appears in your doorway, glaring a Hizashi, hating the way he felt jealous of his proximity to you.

You beam at him as you turn around, looking him up and down and appreciating what he was wearing, black jeans and black shirt with his hair in a low bun, he looked classic and hot. You throw your arms around his neck “Sho im so happy you’re here” you say quietly into his neck as you hug him. The nervous knots in your belly turning into butterflies and leaving you feeling confident and comfortable. “I brought some wine, I heard it was good for housewarmings. I see Hizashi brought a melon” he says and you bust up laughing “well he smashed mine yesterday so it was repayment” you take the bottle from his hands and smile warmly at him “this is perfect, do you want some?” he nods and you look at Hizashi holding it up and he gives you a thumbs up.

After dinner the bottle is empty and you’re sitting around your table laughing at their stories, sharing your own and catching up, you keep catching Aizawa’s eyes on you and your cheeks flush every time you make eye contact, he is the same boy you used to love underneath all the experience and life he has went through. You can see the growth these two have been through and they certainly see yours. “I’m sorry i never kept in good contact. I uh” you finish your glass and set it aside “I heard about Obero and after that I was too afraid to check up on you guys. I thought ignorance was bliss but I missed out on a lot. I thought you would have forgotten about me honestly” you chuckle and Hizashi shouts “we would never forget you!” causing you to jump in your seat “I’m not used to that anymore” you say as you hold your heart “Yamada maybe you could get us some water” Aizawa says and Hizashi nods knowingly, standing up and bounding off into your kitchen.

“I promised I wouldn't forget you little Bug” he says and you blush as you meet his eye, the wine making your skin tingle, you reach out and take his hand and he brushes his fingers softly against yours before holding it tight. “We heard the news about your father and I tried to get a hold of you but couldn't. I’m sorry I couldn't be there for you.” he whispers and there it was, all the situations addressed, you nod as your mind goes back to the incident.

your father was killed in a villian attack in the university he worked at a few years after you moved, your mom was a hero as well but you guys moved farther east once the villain was captured. She retired soon after that and you were accepted into a hero college in the states so you stayed there.

Hizashi comes back with three waters and when he notices your hands together he smiles and takes away the plates, retreating back to the kitchen.

“I should have tried more to stay in contact Sho, I’m sorry” he shakes his head and gives you a smile “Don’t worry, okay? I didn’t try hard enough either. So how about we just do our best with our time now?” your cheeks flush and you nod “I’d like that”

Tags: @spicy-therapist-mom @emilhyfries

#mha #mha fanfiction #bnha fanfiction #bnha shouta aizawa #aizawa x reader #aizawa fanfiction #my hero academia aizawa #shouta aizawa x you #aizawa x you #mha x you #mha x reader

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medea10 · 3 years

Text

My Review of Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni GOU

(a.k.a. When They Cry Gou)

I know what you’re thinking. Why the heck am I reviewing this anime again? I’ve already written a review in 2009 and re-polished it in 2016. (Here it is BTW) I’ve made my point on who I like, hate, what ships are worthy, and poked fun at all the deaths that happened throughout the series. I think some time has passed that I should say some thoughts on this…um, story. After all, Higurashi is one of my favorite animes.

STORY: Ah shit, here we go again!

Higurashi or When They Cry is about a boy named Keiichi Maebara who recently moved to a place called Hinamizawa. And ever since moving to this town, he’s found his days are filled with fun mischief with fellow friends Rena Ryuuguu, Satoko Hojo, Mion Sonozaki, and Rika Furude. But little does Keiichi know that there’s a little murder mystery that surrounds the town. During a town festival known as Watanagashi (or Cotton Drifting), there’s usually one or two people that go missing or turn up dead. And this year, Keiichi is next. So let’s relive the horrors that plague the town of Hinamizawa and…

One episode later.

Wait, what the…?! It’s episode 2, why are we seeing Hanyuu? I don’t remember that in the manga. The visual! THE VISUAL! WHAT THE FUCK?! ISN’T THIS SUPPOSED TO BE A REBOOT? WHAT THE FUCK?! WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY IS THERE AN ADULT RIKA?! WAIT, IS THAT ADULT RIKA OR BERN? IS THIS GOING TO BE THE PARALLEL UNIVERSE TO THE WITCHES OF UMINEKO?! THE SHADOWS IN THE OPENING ARE TOO FAMILIAR FROM OTHER WORKS! Ryukishi07, you magnificent, fucking troll master for keeping this hidden until the second episode’s air date!

Many of us did not see this coming. When they announced a new Higurashi series that was going to be done by a different studio, many of us speculated whether this was going to be a reboot or a sequel. But then we got the PV trailers and it looked like we were going to get a reboot to correct the mistakes Studio Deen made years ago. Rika’s head doesn’t look like its gonna snap off because her body is so small in comparison. Improvements! I mean, they showed everything we were already used to like the yandere girls, the original soundtrack, the original freakin’ cast, and death by baseball bat. Hell, the first episode ended with an Eiko Shimamiya song! It was on track to being a reboot! A better looking reboot!

Here in lies the sequel aspect! After episode one, we get a scene that isn’t usually seen until the Kai part of Higurashi (a good 4-5 arcs away). And they give away the secret that Rika Furude is repeating the timeline of June 1983 over and over because she keeps dying. And as the series progresses, you notice little things different from the original series. Many of the well-known storylines end much differently than what you remember. Instead of Keiichi killing Rena and Mion with a baseball bat, you’ve got Rena going psycho on Keiichi. And Rika’s fate is somehow worse than the stories of the original series. So let’s head back to Hinamizawa to hear the cicadas cry and watch a murder mystery unfold.

THE SUB: All the original voice actors have returned to voice their respected roles. Perfection in a nutshell!

LICENSING: You’ve gotta be shitting me!

As I’ve mentioned years ago in my review, the original Higurashi anime went through a turbulent time being licensed in the states. It was originally licensed and dubbed by Geneon. But once Geneon collapsed, FUNimation licensed it and did absolutely fuck all with it. Geneon could only manage to squeak out one season. At this point, FUNimation was picking up titles that Geneon used to have before it fell under including Familiar of Zero, Kyou Kara Maou, and yes, Higurashi. All of these titles mentioned here were done absolutely nothing with despite having cult followings, second seasons, and OVA’s.

A year or two after licensing it, the license expired for Higurashi. For nearly six years, the only copies you could get were out of print and estimating at $500 at the very least for a full collection. Single DVD’s could be found in rare shops, but it would take like 13 years to complete the fucking collection if you did it that way. And that was only for the first season. Second season, the best all of us could do was bootleg DVD’s from Japan Town or fansubs with glaring errors for the best season to Higurashi. We had to deal with this shit until Sentai Filmworks licensed and released the first 2 seasons and the Rei OVA’s.

AND NOW YOU’RE TELLING ME FUNIMATION IS CLAIMING HIGURASHI ALL FOR THEMSELVES?!

Where the shit was this love 10 years ago when we were asking politely to release Kai? People ignorantly blew Higurashi off for years because season two was never released in the states until 2016 because they thought the damn anime ended after Rena held up the school. I’m already irritated with FUNimation after the Interspecies Reviewers debacle and I’m still quite butt-hurt over them re-releasing Nichijou with a dub to make a quick buck. Licensing Higurashi just brings back old anger. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy Higurashi is legally licensed and can be seen on at the very least Hulu. It’s just that I hold grudges and this was a big one.

THE DUB: Holy…um, okay! This is a rather big gulp to take in. As I’ve repeatedly mentioned in past reviews, the Higurashi dub was a mixed bag of okay, bad, and oh gasperts kill it with fire. So, not great! The good folks at Geneon (before bankrupting in America) dubbed the first season with a good chunk of folks that put their fake names to the credits. Again, not great! To me, there were some aspects of Megan Hollingshed, Mela Lee, and Grant George’s performances of Mion, Rena, and Keiichi that were okay. SOME! John Snyder and Karen Strassmen as Ooishi and Takano were the best out of that dub. Everything else was just irredeemable! It needed a redub, an overhaul, and a spit-shine. For years, I’ve wondered who would be the dream cast. Sentai Filmworks unfortunately never dubbed the remaining seasons when they released them. Would Luci Christian be the heavenly voice to do Rika Furude? Could we get Hilary Haag to do Satoko? Okay, that never came to pass.

This dub is a breath of fresh air. Rika doesn’t sound like Mihoshi. Satoko doesn’t sound fake, Keiichi doesn’t sound like a weird Sonic the Hedgehog. It’s perfect. ESPECIALLY BRITTANY LAUDA AS SATOKO! I knew the second she was cast as Satoko that she was going to excel the fuck out of this role. And I was not disappointed! The only voice I’m still not quite used to is Michelle Rojas as the Sonozaki twins. Probably because I was somewhat okay with Megan Hollingshed’s voice in the 2006 version that it’ll take some time! And we FINALLY got a voice for Hanyuu. I am super excited that Xanthe Huynh is the voice and I know she’ll do great with this role! With all of that said, here’s what you might recognize these folks from.

*Keiichi is now played by Khoi Dao (known for Kiriyama on March Comes in Like a Lion, Murata on Demon Slayer, Chaka on Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Pt. 3, and Iskhan on SAO: Alicization)

*Rena is now played by Emi Lo

*Mion/Shion is now played by Michelle Rojas (known for Shizu Delta on Overlord, Touka on Assassination Classroom, Minase on Psycho Pass, Kanan on Love Live Sunshine, and Kusakai on Keijo!!!!!!!!)

*Rika is now played by Apphia Yu (known for Rio on Assassination Classroom, Marie on Black Clover, You on Love Live Sunshine, Victorique on Gosick, Natsumi on Danganronpa 3, and Laki on Fairy Tail)

*Satoko is now played by Brittany Lauda (known for Riko on Made in Abyss, Meidri on Interspecies Reviewers, Lessar on Index III, and Ichigo on Darling in the FranXX)

*Hanyuu is played by Xanthe Huynh (known for Menma on Anohana, Haru on Persona 5, Hanayo on Love Live, Hidomi on FLCL: Progressive, PallaPalla on Sailor Moon Super S [redub], and Sachi on SAO)

ANY CHANGES IN YOUR HATE-O-RADE:

Okay Medea, let-a-rip!

*inhales and exhales*

Teppei Hojo is trash. He is ultimate trash. This fucker needs to be murdered in every timeline. He is a turd in a Glenn Quagmire shirt. Him and his wife are trash. And when this pile of trash is cheating on that pile of trash, he sleeps with peak trash named Ritsuko. Teppei Hojo needs to die in every timeline. Whenever Keiichi bashes this cum-burger’s head in with a blunt instrument, I scream at the top of my lungs, “DIE SCUM, DIE”! And nothing, I repeat, NOTHING will change my opinion of Teppei Hojo.

Episode 23.

Oh, fuck you Higurashi Gou!

MUSIC: Okay, thank you for proving me wrong. I did not despise the opening theme. Having Higurashi with no Eiko Shimamiya is like having Pokemon with no Rika Matsumoto. Or Rozen Maiden with no ALI PROJECT. But this new opening is fine by my standards.

That’s right, get the niceness of the review before I get angry down below.

THESE TIMELOOPS: Rika tries to find solutions to end her time-loop in June 1983. Much like the original series, we follow stories from the Onikakushi-hen, Watanagashi-hen, and Tatarigoroshi-hen arcs (the first three stories to Higurashi, although now these have different names). However, all of these arcs have different endings. And after a positive turnaround with Satoko escaping from her abusive uncle, shit goes south when Detective Ooishi, who up to this point has never suffered under the Hinamizawa Syndrome or died a painful death goes on a murderous rampage. Higurashi style! That means, he’s after Rika Furude, will slaughter anyone in his way, and scratching his neck because he sees maggots (part of the hallucination effect).

What the shit? Ooishi for the most part has been a great guy. With the exception of the Tatarigoroshi-hen storyline, he was a nice guy! In the limbo with Hanyuu, Rika now remembers who has killed her. Every time Rika dies up to this point, she never remembers who was the cause of her demise. Hanyuu implanted that power to remember the deaths and a clue for Rika to use and then she disappears.

Now seriously, imagine Rika’s plight here. She has been repeating the month of June 1983 for over a hundred years. And each of these times she repeats, she’s horribly murdered. Rika got the shit-end of the deal in the murder department in the original series, including being dissected on while alive. Then, leaving her bloody, naked corpse out in the open of the Oyashiro altar! She’s tired of this shit! She wants to live a happy life away from Hinamizawa. She wants to grow older, become a teenager, and have fun. And this series made it worse by having her die four times in one episode. Not just that, but murdered by the most unexpected people including Akasaka, Chief Kimiyoshi, Mion’s mother Akane, and Keiichi. Keiichi has never killed Rika in any of the timelines up to this point. He has killed Mion and Rena, but never Rika. Keiichi loves Rika! Welcome back to A Million Ways to Die in Hinamizawa.

I’ll just add decapitation, drowning in a lake, set on fire, drowning in a sewage pipe, and death by…um…

Alexa, play Chandelier by Sia.

ENDING: We all know by now that in the original series, Miyo Takano is the betrayer and the reason behind all the murders during the Cotton Drifting Festival. This time, it’s someone closer to Rika that’s causing Rika so much pain. After we watched the worst kinds of murders happen to Rika, the episode after gave us our answer. Satoko, Rika’s friend and confidant is not happy that Rika is turning her back on Oyashiro and Hinamizawa. All the while pulling out her intestines!

Oh Higurashi, don’t stop being gory!

Yes, Satoko is aware of past timelines much like Rika and is almost on a god-like state. So what the hell happened to her? I know Satoko’s past has been a cluster-fuck of horror with her brother disappearing, her parents dying, and every form of abuse from her uncle. But she was able to prevail after all that. After surviving 1983, a lot has changed in Hinamizawa. The three big families of Hinamizawa put an end to the Cotton Drifting Festival and claiming there is no curse of Oyashiro. Mion and Shion moved on and are going to high school. And Rika decides she wants to move away from this village. By attending St. Lucia! And she wants to do this with Satoko.

Oh, if you don’t recall St. Lucia, Shion attended this academy until she escaped during the Meakashi-hen arc. It was also the same school that Ange from Umineko attended. But of course Ange attended it in the 90’s and we are clearly in the 80’s. Moving on!

Rika and Satoko studied their butts off for years and their hard work paid off as both were admitted into St. Lucia. Now Rika was able to prevail and fit in with everyone. Satoko on the other hand couldn’t do the same as her grades took a dip, her manners are atrocious, and she doesn’t seem to fit in with anyone. And this caused a drift between Rika and Satoko! And so during a trip to Hinamizawa, Satoko went to the old shrine where she ended up getting sent to that limbo place Rika and Hanyuu were at many times before. There, she meets Eua (God, I hope that really isn’t her name). She’s much like Hanyuu except a lot more condescending. Oh, and she’s that mysterious shadow during the opening theme. She bestows the power to Satoko of reviving on death and returning to a certain point in time. In the hopes that Satoko is able to stop Rika from going to St. Lucia! But Rika is not going to budge. She wants out of Hinamizawa no matter what. And Satoko just wants to be with her friend no matter what. Satoko is even shown Rika’s past and still no dent in…Okay, this is bugging the fuck outta me. Pause the Ending portion!

MY GRIPES WITH SATOKO: Satoko, girl, the fuck is wrong with you?! I know Rika is like your main chick and everything, but for fuck’s sake loosen the grip you have with Rika. This season has changed you and not for the better. You made a connection with ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS from Hinamizawa. Big connections! At least in the original series you did. Look at your moments with Keiichi and Shion. Are you just going to shove them off? And what really sets me off is that Satoko literally had the opportunity to learn about Rika’s hundred year’s loop of death. And feels nothing about it! Only that it’s a challenge to break her herself! God damn, at the end of season one, Keiichi learned the truth and he was remorseful. This bitch doesn’t care that her friends were murdered in such a way. And Rika’s been shot in the head, had a live dissection performed on her, and other forms of torture…AND IT DOESN’T FAZE SATOKO!

I know in my original Higurashi review, I felt sorry for Satoko as she did seem to get the short-end of the stick living in Hinamizawa. I mean, her parents died right in front of her, she suffered abuse from her uncle, abuse from her aunt, ostrisized by the town for years, and a myriad of all types of shit to befall her. But Higurashi Gou has ruined this character. Rika didn’t really do anything wrong to Satoko. She didn’t snitch on her when Satoko got in trouble. She offered help to Satoko when she thought her grades were slipping. Satoko just held onto this petty vendetta. Satoko acted like Rika sexually assaulted her and have two other people gang rape her while drugging her. Okay, that’s a call for revenge, not your petty shit.

YOU SEE WHERE I’M AT WITH YOU SATOKO?! Your actions are so bad that you have me siding with the protagonist from Redo of Healer.

REDO.

OF.

HEALER!!!

I’m done with you! Girl, bye! We now return you to my talk about the ending already in progress.

BACK TO THE ENDING: Sorry, had to get that off my chest. Yeah, Satoko is leaving a bad impression on many of us who have been following the Higurashi story for years. And it just gets worse as she uses her new power for petty shit and abusing it at that. I mean, we saw Rika use her power in order to find a way to live past June 1983. Satoko is just using that shit to win some games and have things go her way. What else could this series bless us with? How about an epiphany from Teppei Hojo?

What?!

Teppei changes for the better.

What?!

Look, I admit that these moments with Teppei and Satoko were tame compared to the shit she’s pulled in the last several episodes. But this is Teppei Hojo! The same guy that used Satoko as his personal punching bag! The same guy who fleeced Rena’s father! The same guy many of us who cheer every time we see him on a moped because we know someone’s going to bash his head in with a baseball bat. Even my best friend knows how I am with this guy. When she gave me Higurashi free swag, I took everything except for Teppei. I don’t take trash. So seeing him so remorseful makes me…conflicted.

So now Satoko’s got things turned around for her. Her uncle has…changed?! Add to that, her God-like power. Satoko decides to change the past for her own advantage. This includes changing one of the biggest stories in Higurashi Kai with the kids vs. Miyo Takano. If Rika doesn’t experience the pain in those timelines, she won’t think about leaving Hinamizawa. And if she doesn’t leave Hinamizawa, she’ll stay with Satoko forever.

Oh what a tangled web of crazy Higurashi Gou was! I gotta tell you, Higurashi got me excited all the way up until we learn it was Satoko. And then it went straight to Hell. They turned Satoko into a straight-up selfish monster. Totally unlike the Satoko we’ve all grown to love in the original series. Yes, Satoko had those moments where, yeah, you would want to throw a chair at her and beat her ass with it. But that was only temporary! You would always see the good in Satoko despite that mischievous laugh and those episodes in Higurashi Rei. And God help me, I was a shipper of Rika x Satoko 10 years ago. Not a big one, but a supporter of it. Now, I would rather support Amourshipping from Pokemon than root for this. And I despise the living fuck out of Amourshipping. That should tell you something!

If original Satoko were bestowed the powers from Eua, I think things would be different. Satoko would probably use her powers to prevent all the bad stuff from happening to her friends and to her brother Satoshi. I mean, my goodness, not once did I see her think, hey maybe I should find a way to help my ailing brother. Change a few timelines, make him all better! And of course, feel sympathy for Rika’s plight. Do it for Rika’s sake, not your own selfish desires! Rika has died horrificly for hundreds of years. And I seriously just can’t get over Satoko’s reaction to that when she learned the truth. Instead, she wants to treat Rika like a caged bird. Best friend my ass!

Now can Higurashi SOTSU fix the hot mess of Satoko? Time will only tell! And good on them for having Higurashi air in the summertime. Summertime is for Higurashi! Autum is for Umineko. Speaking of, it’s been since 2009. Any chance you want to give Umineko the old reboot or sequel it sorely needs? Oh forget it! My likeness for this season is conflicted. I was annoyed by it, but I didn’t fully hate it. It’s just that last arc with Satoko really burned my beans. And I’m sure a lot of you all feel the same way.

Guys, if you want to watch Higurashi Gou, do yourselves a favor and watch the original series first. Let that swirl around your heads for a while. I know the creator tricked us at the beginning of this series thinking it was going to be an honest-to-God retelling. It is not! It is a sequel. And a sequel that isn’t based off a game or manga of all things. So fans are jumping into this with eyes closed! And if you’re a fan of Satoko Hojo, I’m sorry. I’m just sorry.

If you want to check out Higurashi Gou, it is available to watch on FUNimation and Hulu. But please, if you haven’t watched the original series, go to HI-DIVE now and watch “When They Cry” and “When They Cry Kai”. I think you can manage without watching any of the OVA’s.

I’d rather watch that Kira OVA where the fanservice is thin, you can practically lick off the whipped cream from the Sonozaki’s tit.

That should tell you something if I’m starting to say something nice about Higurashi Kira.

See you in a few months when Higurashi SOTSU comes out.

#anime review #Higurashi no Naku Koro ni #higurashi no naku koro ni gou #When they cry #when they cry gou #Rika Furude #satoko hojo #mion sonozaki #keiichi maebara #hanyuu #rena ryuugu #miyo takano #eua #teppei hojo

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i-see-you-have-good-taste · 3 years

Text

V.I.P (2017)

Am I the only person who first watched Lee Jong-suk as Kim Kwang-il before any other roles?

Was this is a smart move? For me yes, yes it was. I don’t think I would have been as impressed if i had watched one of his K-dramas first. You know what they say, judge an actor by how well he portrays a psychopath.

Synopsis: The son of a high ranking North Korean official is suspected of committing serial murders around the world and is chased by South Korea, North Korea and Interpol.

Ok let’s dive in.

Why I decided to watch it ->

I stumbled across this movie while going through stuff related to the 2019 kdrama ‘Strangers from hell’. I was intrigued by the political aspect of the movie since North Korea rarely comes up in dramas. I wanted to see if they would glorify South Korea and squeeze in their own agenda in the movie or whether they would keep it unbiased and give us a compelling story. Also I was up for some action and gore in my target language ;)

What I liked and noticed during the movie ->

Nope, they did not try to show South Korea in a better light. They stuck to their plot and kept the corruption evenly spread.

The movie was broken up into parts much like a story, with a prologue and epilogue. That gave it a more fictional feel and I liked the touch.

The challenge of a movie like this is driving the plot forward and to avoid veering off into predictable scenarios. The reason being, it is plainly revealed that Kim kwang-il is in fact responsible for the killings. No longer can the audience be kept guessng as to whether he truly is the suspect. One plot device has now been thrown far out the window.

What was compelling was to see the struggle of the police officers in trying to catch this seemingly untouchable lunatic. They have evidence, they debunked his alibis, everything points to his being guilty, all that’s left is to put him behind bars.

Now here is where the unique storyline comes into play. Korean Intelligence is working to protect him. They will stop at nothing to make sure he is not taken into custody by the police. This is where the politics of it all becomes a bit fuzzy to me. I feel I couldn’t keep up at the start with whatever poltical and financial pull his father had in North Korea.

Nevertheless, the case is closed, they pin it all on one of Kwang-il’s lackeys and tell a most disgruntled Chae Edo to give it a rest.

Fortunately for Chae Edo (and the audience), a North Korean officer shows up, who was a victim of Kwang-il, ready to take him back to Korea where his father no longer holds power and they are free to behead him. How nice.

Getting Kwang-il itself is a task, they have to find new, more incriminating evidence, which they do but now Interpol butts in and decides to take psycho boy to America. Again, I wasn’t sure how that added up, something about him knowing his father’s account information and they want in on the sweet dough.

Now with a heavy heart and a completely pissed demeanor Chae Edo hands him over, only to be shot by him. This scene was actually quite unexpected and in hindsight probably worked well as part of Kwang-il’s character.

Interpol rushes off with him, shit goes down when angry North Korean officer rams into their car and leaves with ‘the boy of murderous tendancies’.

We are now happy. We know psycho boy is gonna get what he deserves and Chae Edo is gonna recover. Imagine my surprise when they say that his father is back and even more powerful than before. Turns out North korean officer man had too big a vendetta to keep himself updated. But the reveal was done super well. Came out of nowhere because they got the timing right. You are fooled into thinking they are wrapping it up and then bam psycho boy kills off North Korean officer with the same innocent smile that irked Chae Edo.

Come back to the present, which was shown to us at the start of the movie. Roll through a very nice, trigger-happy scene starring a fully recovered Edo. He now has Kwang-il cornered. And another big surprise, he kills him! Quite brutally and basically tells Interpol to go fuck themselves because Kwang-il never really had any account info anyway.

A further analysis:

Ok so obviously Lee Jong-suk was very good. He had the poise of an entitled boy full of intent to kill. To him murder with a bit of torture is a lovely way to pass the time. What I did not expect was how graphic the scenes would be. Most of the Korean dramas are too worried about aesthetic to portray any gore. However the exception was ‘Strangers from hell’ and now among movies it’s ‘V.I.P’

I think what would have driven home the unfairness of it all was if Kwang-il got away with it. To emphasize the fact that so many people with power get away with all kinds of shit. However I’m glad they didn’t end with a classic, catching him red handed or putting him behind bars. This was a more scarier ending. He himself was one of his own victims, dying in the similar kind of pain he would inflict on his victims.

It was a goodwatch, especially for those who like action and gore. An excellent korean movie in terms of production and acting.

#v.i.p #vip #VIP #lee jong suk #kim Kwang-il #korean movie #psycho boy #serial killer #understated #movies of culture

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lunavadash-creates · 3 years

Note

Oh Dear, you’ve opened Pandora box of my curiosity! I would love to read about your other OCs! Does all your OC’s have something in common with you? I know you mentioned that the only trait you share with Amara are green eyes. But there are many traits you share with Olivia! What about others? But please, enjoy your vacation first!

Btw. Olivia is one of very few female names I like

🔪

Ha! Actually you opened the Pandora Box!

Honestly I have an OC for every fandom?men/women I like. Some of them doesn't even have name but I can imagine traits of them all. Also some OCs add a pinch of supernatural fantasy into the stories.

For AC 1 I have Amara and Shifa.

Shifa was an idea for a witch that was able to give Malik his hand back. Tbh I wrote some about it and then dropped it ;; (opsie)

For Ezio I have Flora. The only supernatural part of her is that she can see ghosts. Basically she sees ghosts of Federico and Giovanni and then tried to tell Ezio about it because she needs his help to help them cross the border. Actually I mostly use Flora in Sims but that story is complicated and lasts for all Ezio trilogy.

For Connor I thought about Slavic girl (idk I just like Slavic looks and folk outfits/stories etc. She run away from Europe after her country was destroyed and became a doctor/herbalist in America. She helps people both British and Native if she can. She doesn't want to hurt anyone. She used to be an assassin but she didn't want to kill and take part in wars.

Olivia - I already said a bit about her. She is a seamstress, Thomas Hickey's younger sister, bunny lover.

For Edward... Well I don't have oc for him to be with but I have an OC they actually starts her story in black flag! Ceri (Ceridwen) is a mermaid that became friends with Edward. She was for him when he lost everyone but when he settled in London she had to leave. She went back to th sea but she visited sometimes to check on them and meet baby Haytham. She promised Edward she would protect Haytham. But then she disappeared again and when she came back Edward was dead and Haytham was gone. She found him eventually during ac rogue, decided to stick by his side but eventually fell for Shay. Isn't it too weird? But I really like mermaids and sirens so I just had to make at least one!

I have 2 oc for Haytham. Olivia is my main one but when I'm down I like to make something about the other one. Lori (Loralei) is a siren who is with Haytham. I created her for my friend who has also sea creature for Shay! Sometimes we have fun with developing their relationship.

Shay - as I said, for him I only have this mermaid lady.

Arno - Vivienne. It's a soulmate au which I already wrote and it's somewhere on Tumblr and my ao3. I think I may write more about them sooner or later. Back then I had big mood for soulmate au's because I find them interesting!

For Arno I also have male OC Gilbert (alternative for french Frye I guess ). Gilbert is a writer and a friend of De Sade. He meets Arno by accident and then... He writes a book about him, but actually changed his name and such. But when Arno sees this book, he knows it's about him. He and Gilbert have funny relationship. Gilbert is at the same time very mature and very childish! He helps Arno to move on in life.

Jacob - let's start with Megan, another Slavic oc who tries to help people who run away from central/East Europe to London. She is an assassin and was sent to London to free it. She is supposed to make fully functional assassin's bureau in London and liberate the city. Council doesn't know Evie and Jacob are there so she kind of .. blackmails them to do what she wants or she will tell on them and they will be kick of the brotherhood. But eventually they work things out.

I have informant Ian who is also for Jacob. He is kind of a psycho and morally grey but welp.

I know it's so many and I'm like creating more whenever something inspires me. It's a total mess but it makes me happy 🥰

I almost forgot! Octavia the doctor for Otso Berg, finding out that his daughter isn't sick but poisoned by abstergo.

I have no oc for Bayek (except one lil oc who is a child Bayek and Aya kind of adopts) because I have so much respect and Aya and I'm in such an awe for Bayeks love I feel like I would be disrespectful if I made OC to be with him.

#knifey my beloved #knifey #ask

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damn-stark · 4 years

Text

Crossed Stars Ch.6

A/N- I’m very proud of this chapter, so leave your thoughts?!

Warning- violence, swearing, ANGST, soft Poe and a clueless Steve, Slow burn, LONG CHAPTER.

Pairing- Poe Dameron x reader, Steve Rogers x Reader

(Let me know if you want to be tagged)

———

Poe was leaving.

To a space station called Brooksidon Space Station, with his squadron. You didn’t know how long or if you were going to see each other again, he swore on every damn star in space that you would though. That yourself weren’t so sure of.

Poe had also asked you multiple times to join his squadron, told you to leave your own to join his, that way he said that there would be no need for you stay behind. But you were a new commander for your own squadron, something you had worked for, something that you couldn’t just leave behind to be someone’s second. He understood, but that still didn’t stop him from asking again and again.

You didn’t really know why he had been so persistent on wanting you to leave with him, yeah you two grew to be best friends after meeting one another, but beside that you were utterly clueless...

Well that was until he kissed you.

After that happened you were more than clueless. What even surpassed being clueless? Whatever it was you responded by leaving, with nothing said to him about anything, just leaving him to wonder what the hell had happened. Something you weren’t sure of.

Well it wasn’t that you didn’t want to kiss him back, or that you didn’t like him, because you did want to kiss him and you did like him, but you just didn’t know how to express it or how to respond. And that wasn’t completely your fault, of course you’ve liked people before, kissed someONE, but it’s not like you had experience on anything related to that. You were from Tatooine! A moisture farmer! That didn’t leave you to do much experiencing.

All you did know was that you liked him, hell that man meant everything to you, he was your best friend and the closest thing to family you ever had in your life. And of course you didn’t want to lose him or let him leave, but you also couldn’t lose something you’ve dreamed of, something you’ve been working hard for...but you did need to tell him that you felt the same way, that you were sort of certain that you would see each other again, not only because you wanted to, but because—well you just knew.

Without more overthinking you quickly made your way to go find him before he left, speeding down the halls and accidentally bumping into people as you did so— “sorry!” You waved. Turning a couple more halls and feeling more anxious than before when you finally walked in the last hall and turned the final corner. But thankfully without needing to search more, Poe came to view, he was talking to some girl, but you didn’t care at all and smiled, beginning to walk towards him until you stopped, your smile instantly falling and turning into a deep frown.

Your lips parted and your eyes went wide, you wanted to say something, to let your presence be known. But one, you were utterly speechless and two, well why would you need to say something. Poe was busy letting some low life girl let her tongue go down his throat, for him to even notice you standing there, he didn’t need you to say goodbye or want you to express anything. It was all lie.

How could you be so stupid? Why would he even like you? You were nothing but some poor moisture farmer. So just how you had appeared, you disappeared, with no need for an explanation.

Like you needed one! It was clear, he didn’t like you, he only kissed you because—well because he mostly likely thought you were going to be easy to get into bed with.

Like hell you were! And like hell were you his friend, he didn’t need you and you didn’t—you didn’t need him. He could leave for all you cared, just leave and never come back. You didn’t....

You didn’t need him.

—

Your eyes fluttered open, their was a sharp pain on your shoulder, feeling as if you were being shot again. “What the hell happened?” You groaned, trying to move your hand to touch your forehead to try and soothe your now aching headache, but when you tried something held your wrists down. You blinked down and saw the restraints, causing you to curse under your breath and not even attempt to let your hands go loose, it would be impossible with your shot wound.

How the hell did you even get here?

Oh right...those protesters with the weird masks.

You turned your head from side to side, trying to find something to let you free, and without thinking, like second nature you called out for help, “artoo, I...oh right.” Noticing that you were on a wooden chair, you began to throw your body back, putting all of your strength into your attempt.

When the chair finally began to lift a couple inches off the floor, a smile grew on your lips and right before the chair could fully hit the ground, the doors knob began to twist. And in that moment, for a single second you thought of Dameron, hoping, wishing it was him, but when it was just a tall figure with the same green mask as before, your hope fell along with your smile.

More of them followed behind him, all of them pointing their weapons at you, while the one with the green mask began to untie you, pulling you off the chair harshly.

“I’m going, I’m going!” You hissed, whilst trying to pull your arms away, making said captor grip on tighter. “Ow!” Upon exiting the room, you were taken to a hallway with two doors, one that specially had a glowing exit sign pointing at it. Weird. Earth people are weird. Who has an exit sign pointing to the exact thing you need? Especially in this lair thing? Weird.

However that was, in tries to be swift you swing your elbow to the side, an action that was quickly stopped and retaliated by a slap in the face, by the one with the Captain America mask. You growled softly as you felt the once familiar burning sting on your cheek, it was a feeling and an action that should’ve stopped you from trying to escape, but it didn’t. So you kept trying to shift your body, fidgeting under their grasp. Unfortunately they were stronger and before you knew it they had thrown you on a medical bed, securing your hands and feet with metal restraints.

“You don’t scare me!” You seethed, “trust me I’ve been kidnapped by a psycho with a much scarier mask.”

“Shut up!” One of them exclaimed before directing their comment to another masked figure, “hack into every damn thing you can, it’s time for her boyfriend to see her.”

—

(Back in the Compound)

“Even if whatever has happened with us in the past, I—well Pepper says it would be great if you all came. It’s going to be a small reception, nothing big.” Tony explained to Natasha, Nebula and Steve.

Words that Steve had tuned out. Not on purpose, but of the new problem he was facing. He really wanted to focus on what Tony had to say, he really did, but it’s as General Dameron said, “y/n had been gone for too long.” What was she even doing out in the city alone? It was far to big for someone who’s been out once. And yet she went, without saying anything to anyone. Which that the General said was just her being her, all except the not coming back part.

“What’s a small reception to you Tony?” Natasha remarked amusingly.

Tony went along with Natasha’s amusement, a small smug smile on his face, “oh well you know a couple—” before he could continue Tony noticed Steve’s lost gaze, causing Tony to immediately change the subject and turn to Steve, “hey, you doing okay there?” Steve didn’t respond at first, his eyes fixated on the cup in front of him. “Steve. Are you doing okay there?”

Finally Steve tunes into the conversation, quickly standing up and simply nodding with a blunt, “yeah.” Before leaving the room with no explanation, leaving the people he was with utterly confused. But he didn’t really care, he had a new mission in mind. Find y/n.

With that on his mind, he knew that her friend would want to go. So on his way to find him, Steve was lucky enough to actually run into Poe and the two robots. And just like y/n had done, Poe was getting ready to leave into a city he didn’t know, just like her. Now Steve knew why they got along so well.

“Where are you going?” At Steve’s question Poe turned to face him, hesitating for a moment until he answered.

“Y/N has been gone for too long, I’m going to find her.”

“Alone?” Steve pointed out.

Poe shook his head and looked down to the two droids before meeting Steve’s gaze and answering bluntly, “no.”

“Right. Well I don’t think you’d make it far on foot, I was just going too, so if you guys want you can join me.” Steve kindly suggested, which Poe didn’t hesitate to accept, even given the fact that he didn’t like Steve all that much. Not because he saw him kiss y/n, but because......well it was exactly that.

Color him jealous.

—

They had been to all the locations—well almost all the locations Steve had taken y/n when he gave her a tour, but she wasn’t at any of them. Coney Island was a big place, and even if their weren’t a lot of people around, there was still some out trying to forget or get their lives back to normal. Which meant that finding her here was going to take hours.

“Let’s head in.” Steve urged as he began to walk forward, seconds later coming to a stop as he noticed Poe staying in place, shaking his head in disapproval.

“No.” Poe began, “she wouldn’t go in. Not alone. Pass by yes, but go in? No. She says that going into places like these are only fun if people are with her.”

Steve expressed a soft ‘oh’ before nodding and continuing down the board walk. Trying to ignore the awkward silence that covered the two men, while also not trying to think of the worst possible scenarios about what had happened to y/n. Steve hoped that she was close and just sitting alone with her thoughts, or maybe already back in the compound. But Natasha would have called if that were the case.

All he could do to ease the tension was cover it with a conversation that involved the girl they both knew. “How long have you known y/n? It seems that you two have known each other for a while.”

Poe nodded, whilst his eyes scanned the area for y/n, and also having no choice but answer. “For a couple years now, we both joined our Navy at the same time.”

“Hmm, you really seem to care for her and she seems to really admire you, she talks about the stories you two have shared a lot.”

Poe briefly blinked to Steve, as if almost shocked by his revelation. He didn’t know that she even talked about him, let alone anything good or any stories from the past. It gladdened him, hearing such a thing, but hearing that now, when he was scared shitless about her whereabouts made him upset. But nonetheless he continued to share his thoughts with Steve. Surprisingly.

“Y/N....well she—I.” Poe was going to reveal his true feelings about her, but when he looked at Steve and thought of y/n, especially the moment he had caught the two sharing, Poe decided to keep his mouth shut instead, and went to say something else.

“She’s my best friend. After years of sharing such a hard life with someone it’s hard for them not to become special to you,” Poe paused to try and collect his thoughts, tried to keep the tears forming from falling down his cheeks, “a lot of my friends from before the war or those I met during the war have died, that or you know vanished. My dad among them, and y/n,” he licked his lips, the tears pooling his eyes and blurring his eyesight; “she’s all I have left. Without her I...well I have nothing.”

Poe cleared his throat and wiped the single tear that rolled down one cheek, his attention getting stolen luckily by BB8. “Yes you’re right I would have you, I didn’t forget.” Steve then stopped, making Poe stop and turn to face him, hoping that he wouldn’t try and pity him or try and hug him or something.

“We’re going to find y/n, I’m positive she’s around.”

Poe nodded hesitantly, shoving his hands in his jacket and turning to face the way they were heading, only they didn’t walk further, instead Steve took out his “phone?” At the same time everyone else did, shocked gasps seconds later shared amongst the crowd.

Yes, Poe was curious on what was going on and why everyone seemed to be disturbed by what was on their small devices, but he also wasn’t going to ask Steve or butt in, not unless Steve asked to join him. All he did though, was just listen in, hearing deep muffled voices.

“WE ARE THE SOCIETY. HERE TO HELP THOSE THAT THE PROTECTORS PROMISED TO SAVE, TO KEEP SAFE AT ALL COST. WE ARE HERE TO DEMAND THE SOLUTION FOR WHAT HAPPENED! BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT NOW THEY ARE DOING NOTHING BUT LAUGHING AT OUR LOSS, SITTING ON OUR SOLUTION TO BRING BACK THOSE AFFECTED BY THE VANISHING! WE ARE HERE, WE LISTEN, WE HELP! TO MOTIVATE THEM TO WORK QUICKER AND RELEASE THAT SOLUTION, WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE THAT CAPTAIN AMERICA CARES FOR.”

The voices paused, the commotion in the crowd getting louder and louder, until it all suddenly got eerily silent again, the voice returning and Steve looking to Poe with a worried expression. “Come watch this.” Poe was quick to listen to Steve and stand by his side, his eyes widening in horror at who he saw on the screen.

“WHILE WE SUFFERED, AMERICAS GREATEST CREATION WAS OUT HAVING THE TIME OF HIS LIFE WITH HER.” The camera zoomed into y/n strapped to a medical bed, her head forcefully turned to face the camera. A gesture that made Poe furious, made it hard for him to watch, but continued to do so only because of her. “HE AND THE REST OF THE AVENGERS HAVE FIVE HOURS! FIVE HOURS TO BRING EVERYONE BACK, OR WE CUT THE GIRL OPEN LIVE FOR EVERYONE TO SEE.”

The feed was abruptly shut off, leaving Poe speechless and furious. Before he could say anything to Steve or said man could say anything to Poe, Steve turned away to answer a call, leaving Poe to sit on a nearby bench, a hand running through his curls and a heavy sigh let out through his nose. All he could think about was what he had seen a few seconds ago, his mind coming up with every worse scenario. Feeling more terrified than he thought he could ever feel, feeling anxious to already find her even if he didn’t know where she could possibly be.

Steve hung up his call, turning to Poe with a narrowed gaze, “let’s go. Natasha was able to find something.”

—

Natasha mentioned that the masked group was smart, but not that smart. They had stayed live long enough for their friend Tony to hack and find coordinates of their location. A whole bunch of talk that Poe didn’t understand or even seem to be concentrated on, not when y/n was still in danger.

“You two are going to have to rope down, landing this ship will alert anyone inside that building. It’s cloaked, hidden from any sensors as long as it’s up in the sky. I’ll stay for when you need to escape. Good luck you two.” Natasha gave both men a quick nod, BB8 expressing a low and sad chirp for Poe and Artoo leaving him behind.

“We’ll back buddy don’t worry,” Poe tried to assure his droid, “and y/n will be back with us, okay?” BB8 rolled back inside the ship, letting Poe get down to the ground carefully, blaster up and ready. Sneaking with Steve inside the abandoned looking building in awkward silence and letting Artoo make a small explosion outside the building as a diversion while they tried to rescue y/n without, like Steve said “having less causalities as possible.”

As careful as they could possibly be, both Steve and Poe peeked through doors, trying to find the one y/n would be in, hiding in the shadows as the masked people ran past them to figure out what was happening—but when the searched continued and the more they came out unsuccessful, the more Poe’s anxiety rose for the situation. All he wanted was to get y/n back alive and take her back home, even if she kicked and screamed, even if she hated him more than she already did. Being here was a mistake.

“We know you’re here Captain. And since you intruded, their will be consequences to your actions. Now you have five minutes, find us with the solution or your girl pays your mistakes.” The Intercom shut off immediately, setting within both Poe and Steve a new adrenaline. Their was no solution, they both knew that, but like hell were either of them going to let y/n get hurt.

So in a new fast pace, they began to run down the halls, immediately running into some trouble. “Six. You take three, I take three?” Poe suggested.

Steve nodded without question, lunging forward and kicking down one, before spinning around to elbow one in the jaw, following by punching his face and knocking him out. Using his body to throw it to the straggler to the side. When he looked over his shoulder, the pilot had already taken down the three he was assigned to. A bit more violent then Steve would’ve liked but he did so either way.

Poe then crouched down, pointing his blaster at a half conscious man on the ground, “where’s the girl?” He demanded. The man didn’t respond, his head falling back to the ground, causing Steve to help by grabbing him by the collar and demanding the same answer.

“Where is she?!”

“E-east hall.” The man groaned before his eyes shut and his head hung.

“Let’s go.” Poe muttered, already heading down the hall without an answer, running the fastest he has ever run in his life. The sound of distant screams making him stop and turn to Steve with a troubled and pained look. “It said we had—”

More masked people came around, blocking the hall they needed to get to. More people that Poe didn’t think was possible to fight.

“Go get her, I’ll keep them distracted.” Steve instructed. Poe stammered before Steve urged him again, “I’ll stay with your robot, he’s proved to be useful.”

Poe nodded, not saying anything before Artoo sprayed thick smoke into the corridor, letting that be Poe’s distraction to get out of the crowded place. Letting him finally reach the hall, only it was quiet, no screaming of any kind or commotion from any of those creepy people. However it was though, he slowly opened the only door in the hall, first showing his blaster through the crack before peeking his head. Once the ghost was clear he fully snuck into find it ominously empty, drapes covering something in the middle.

Poe hesitated, creeping further inside slowly, letting his blasters head open the drape, and seeing no masked figure from the feed, just a bed with y/n laying on it unconscious, part of her tank top cut open and a fresh wound on her stomach. Quickly Poe holstered his blaster, his breaths heavy and his hands shaking as he unlocked the restraints holding her down, feeling as terrified as the moment he found out she was here. After what seemed to be an eternity, Poe went to the beds side silently muttering to an unconscious y/n as he picked her up from the bed.

“I got you baby, I got you. We’re getting out, I’m getting you out.”

—

(Y/N’s P.O.V)

A series of groans escaped your lips, pain once again registering all over your body, more intense than the last. The light shinning above you burning your eyes, bringing back memories of where you were, what happened before you passed out. That giving you enough energy to sit up quickly, the fact that you had been restrained slipping your mind completely.

The fact that you weren’t back in the abandoned room from before took a while to register in your mind, heavy and scared breaths leaving your nose until you saw two familiar droids roll over to you. Expressing a loud and excited series of beeps and chirps that you had finally woken up, the sleeping curly headed pilot jolting awake at the sound. Letting you realize this wasn’t a dream (or so you hoped) but in fact real and no longer that ugly place.

Poe’s eyes landed on the droids first, wondering exactly why they were so loud until he noticed you sitting up.

“You came for me?” You muttered, words that you didn’t really think of, but rather just coming unwillingly in a soft whisper.

Poe’s smile faltered only because that by now, him going to rescue you was not a question, but a given answer. Yes, always. Yet you still doubted that for some reason. “Yes, obviously. I always will.”

You responded with a small nod and sad smile, Poe’s own smile dropping as he caught sight of Steve walking your way.

“Y/N, you’re awake. How are you doing?”

You slipped your legs off Poe’s lap and sat up straight, that sudden move hurting you more than you thought but also letting you finally notice the new bandage wrapped around your stomach.

“It’s all stitched up and wrapped, just try not to move a lot or your wound will open again.” Poe instructed.

“Okay,” You responded, turning your attention to Steve now sitting next to you, “I’m okay.” You forced a smile, reaching your hands to grab his own before you continued, “thank you for coming to help me. I really appreciate it.” You reached up to cup one cheek before pressing a light kiss on the other, something that made him smile and Poe turn the other way with a hard gaze and a deep frown.

Steve was going to question you about the masked individuals called “the society” but it was all too soon, and you weren’t even back at the compound yet, so instead he left that for later and tried to talk about something else, until Natasha interrupted him before he could. He was hesitant but Natasha was urgent, almost seeming to have a hidden motive, one Steve was too clueless to actually notice.

Once Steve was out of view you turned to Poe, who was now looking down at his hands, waiting for nothing in particular, but rather letting the silence around the both of you sit for a while. Well until he grew impatient and asked what he’s been meaning to ask.

“So are you and Steve a thing now, or what?”

You sighed, clasping your hands together and ignoring his question. Mainly because you had no idea how to answer it.

“Can I say something first.”

Poe hummed as a response, his eyes shifting to look at you before you continued.

“This...thing we’ve had. The hate thing—”

Poe cut you off to share his thought, “That’s all you, I never—” but once he saw your side glare he kept quiet and motioned you to continue.

“I know I wasn’t gone for long, but it still got me thinking, or more come to realize, that I want us to be friends again.” You swallowed thickly and showed a nervous look with Poe. “Just please don’t ask why it all started, I’ll say it when I can, okay?” You gnawed on your bottom lip, fidgeting with your hands before asking one last thing, “so what do you say, Friends?”

Poe smiled even though being friends was far from what he wanted, but he also knew he had to comfort himself with just being friends. Knowing that if that was all you were going to be, then so be it, just as long he didn’t lose you completely; “friends.” He beamed, seconds later being surprised by the hug you pulled him into, one he didn’t hesitate to return.

In fact he eased into the hug, resting one hand on the back of your head, while with his other one he gently rubbed comforting circles on your back. A gesture that made your eyes watery, something that made you think about your failure to save the family you had made, the failure to bring them back. You wanted to move on, you really did. But you couldn’t. You never could.

Failing was just hard to accept. After years of trying to do everything right because of your past, and the hard work you did to get where you were, failing now was something you couldn’t accept. It made you question a lot of things. All accept for two. And even if for one you had been stubborn to admit, you could say it now.

“I’m happy you’re here...with me.”

Poe chuckled lightly, tightening the embrace before he expressed the same thing. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” When you parted away, your smile was more genuine then the one before and stayed that way as he continued speaking, “so can I ask now. What was with Finn and you? Were you two dating? Or just friends?”

You rolled your eyes in a half-hearted way, but before you could answer, the ship shook violently, the loud beeping at the front of the ship followed, making both Poe and you jump up to rush to where Steve and Natasha were. Immediately noticing said women take out her guns, while Steve tried to avoid the three indicators that beeped on the ships radar.

Neither of you questioned who it could be. It was obvious. It was the same people that had taken you. Knowing that triggered something within you, made you panic and scared— “I told them that their was nothing we could do, I kept telling them. Why are they still after us?”

“They’re desperate.” Natasha answered while she walked to the ships ramp with you not failing to walk behind. When she noticed, she turned back with a apologetic look, “you’re too injured to come fight. Stay behind with Dameron and fly this ship. Steve and I are getting onto one of theirs and attacking them from the inside.”

You shook your head, stubborn to what she suggested—to her instructions. Why have two pilots when this ship was just a one seater? You were useful with them!

“But—”

“No, Natasha’s right. Stay.” Steve urged as he walked up behind you.

With hesitation and more of an attitude than you had intended you accepted, knowing that if you continued to argue, Poe would get involved and you would all die because you would get nowhere.

“Fine.” You deadpanned before you stomped back beside Poe. Having nothing to do but watch the ramp open and watch Natasha and Steve free fall on top of the enemy ship. Watching as Poe avoided getting struck by the second ship on your side. “Are you sure you can fly this ship, Poe? Or do you need me to do it?” You sassed.

Poe scoffed, looking back at you with a cocky grin, “I can fly anything sweetheart.”

The ship shook again, making you smirk and whisper a remark to yourself, “whatever you say, Ace pilot.”

The smirk decorating your features quickly died down as the ship shook again, more violent then the last, several loud beeps coming from the control panel that made Poe curse repeatedly under his breath; “I got this. I got this.” The ship got hit again before Poe was able to avoid the sudden blast, causing the ramp to blow open. “Shit.”

In a quick pace you ran to grab your blaster off the table, pushing the droids back to avoid them from flying off. You knew that a blaster wasn’t going to do anything to a ship, but you were just trying anything to help. Noticing the first ship where Steve and Natasha had jumped into wasn’t anywhere in sight, and neither was the third one.

“Quick Poe do something!” You exclaimed over your shoulder.

“I’m trying!”

Another blast was shot, this one directed to you. And as it was going to hit, Poe managed to swerve to the side, dodging the blast completely. But that action made you lose your balance and slide to the side of the ship, crashing hard into the wall.

“You okay over there?!” Poe shouted over his shoulder.

You nodded, even if your whole body felt like it was basked in hot flames because of the pain—“yes!” While you tried to stand back up another blast hit the ship, this one causing you to slip down towards the broken ramp. Before you could fly off you managed to grab onto the broken edge, your feet dangling over the sky, and the wound on your stomach burning, feeling like it was really in flames or like someone was cutting you again.

You tried to pull yourself up but you could feel the stitch’s slowly tear, making the pain intolerable and not letting you do much effort. All you could do was call out for help, “Poe?!”

Said man looked behind, his eyes widening as he saw you hang over the edge. He wanted to help, hell he was about to leave the seat to help, but if he didn’t get rid of the ship still following behind then you both would go down— “just hang on! I’ll be right there.”

The droids tried to help, but the wind was too strong so high in the sky, it made their efforts fail. You really appreciated that you really did, it also kept you distracted from looking down, from wandering what the explosions in the distance were, hoping that it wasn’t Steve and Natasha.

Again you tried to pull yourself up, straining in the effort, but as you did the ship shook again (how was it even flying?) you looked back at the exact time to see the ship begin to be engulfed in flames, letting Poe leave the droids to help and manage the ship the best the best they could to let him run and grab you.

“I got you.” Poe assured, his hand wrapping around your wrist to begin to pull you up. In doing so and almost managing to have you safely on a semi stable ground, the burning ship managed to shoot one last blast, causing Poe to lose balance and slide down, his hand barely managing grip on the edge, while with his other hand having you dangle in mid-air.

“I got you.” Poe strained, trying his best not to let you go while he tried to pull himself up with one hand.

Trying the impossible that much you now knew. Their was no way he was going to lift you both up with one hand—“Poe, you have to let go!” You cried, “let go of me!”

He looked back at you hurt, like if the comment had offended him in every way, “No, I got you! I just have to, shit—” his hand began slipper, his fingertips turning white as he used every muscle he could.

Feeling like their was no other option you looked down, seeing no end in sight, and letting tears slip down your cheeks. “Poe their is no need for us to both fall. Let. Go.”

“N-No.”

The hold you had on his wrist lost contact as you tried to let go even against his wishes. But before you could fall he gripped your wrists, his own hold slipping. “Don’t you dare do that shit again!” He exclaimed, looking down at you with furrowed brows and tears pooling his eyes.

You sighed, managing to show him a assuring smile, “go home Poe. Live your life. Let go.”

“No, no. You are my home Y/n.” He stammered, a crack in his voice heard even through the loud wind in your ears. “I-I can’t let go.”

Tears slipped down your cheeks, “you were my best friend Poe. You were my family when I had none. You mean everything to me, that’s why I want you to live. Let go.”

His hand began to slip, his fingertips holding your own with every damn effort he could, his pleads heard soft and broken. “Please, please I cant let go. I can’t lose you too.”

You smiled again before whispering, “it’s okay Poe, let go.”

The hold you had on his hand completely slipped, the hand he held you with reaching out for your own as he watched you fall down expressing a pained cry.

“NO!”

A/N- Sorry?

Tagged- @itsbuckyb1tch, @kaitlynw011 , @blushingwueen , @80sthottie, @thescarletknight2014 , @bbuckysbeardd , @ellvswriting , @sakurashortstack , @whatthefrickfrackwereyouthinking, @danicalifxrnia , @lanatheawesome , @perryoncw , @panic-onthegroundsofbrooklyn , @abysshaven , @valeecruz16 , @gummy-bears16 , @winchescumberholland , @a-somehow-functioning-dumbass , @randomhanabananas , @just-a-sad-chicken-nugget-xxx

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magpiemorality · 4 years

Text

Seeking: Family, Foster Twins 8

You Only Have To Ask

Warnings: implied/referenced child abuse throughout this story. Lashing out, conflict, cursing for this chapter.

It's November in America, which can mean only one thing. Unfortunately the whole traditionally family holiday thing could end up being a tricky subject for two teenagers in foster care...

First | Previous | AO3

***

It felt like no time at all before it was Thanksgiving and the boys were off for break. Not the best timing to have such a family orientated holiday, but Patton was determined to make the best of it.

Making the best of it here meant; handling the whole thing as delicately and sensitively as possible, and mentally and emotionally preparing for the inevitable slip ups to come. They'd had a similar issue with Thomas all those years ago (who had called to say he was going to work over Thanksgiving at his college and come back for Christmas instead), and Patton winced when he thought back on it. At least this time he had Emile on standby if things took a real turn for the worse, a whole heap more experience, and a better understanding of what the actual underlying issues were for both twins.

But the best weapon he had at his disposal was the two boys themselves. It would be harder to misstep if they'd chosen the route, after all.

"Hey, so Thanksgiving is in a few days, and I wanted to know your guys' thoughts on things. Can we have a house meeting?" He asked them, finding them both hanging out in front of Netflix that rainy afternoon.

"Sure," Remus agreed easily, hopping up from the cushion. "Here or somewhere else?"

"Here is fine," the adult smiled, ruffling Remus's hair. "Sit yourself back down kiddo, no harm in being comfortable."

Roman seemed less convinced, as always, but now that Remus was asserting himself more and more he seemed to have lost a lot of his momentum in his instinctive fight against Patton. He didn't move, but did tap the remote to pause the show they had on and turned his head vaguely towards the other couch that Patton fell onto. Little victories…

Options. "Right! So I did things a certain way before you guys got here, but I'm not stuck on tradition or anything, if there's a better way you want to celebrate. If you even feel like celebrating at all?"

In the quiet Remus shifted, thinking hard if the frown on his face was anything to go by. Roman inspected his fingernails and turned his phone round a few times, glancing at his brother first. It was interesting, if a little worrying, to see the reversal of roles from how they'd been when he'd first met them both. Something to mention to Emile perhaps, when they broached the family therapy session subject.

Eventually Remus cleared his throat. "Um, can we take some time to think about it? I have a lot of thoughts and I want to make sure they're all sorted out first."

"Why don't you just say you want a nice happy family Thanksgiving?" Roman mumbled. "We all know you do."

"Maybe I don't, you don't know that!"

"I think I do."

"Well you're wrong! I want- I don't know what I want yet. And that's okay too, isn't it Patton?"

Hurdle number one. Okay, take on this obstacle without overthinking it, Patton, c'mon. "That's right. It's better to take some time than to react instinctively and regret saying something later. Sometimes you need to but-"

"Oh stop with the fucking psycho-babble!" Roman hissed, jumping up and running off. His feet thundered up the stairs and his door banged loudly when he got to his room, and Patton took a moment to re-examine the hurdle. Maybe it was a little more like an iceberg in a water obstacle, mostly hidden below the surface…

"He's always so mad!" Remus whispered, looking at the door his brother had vanished from with big eyes and a scrunched nose. "I don't know why but I think- do you think he hates me now?" He asked, and Patton just had to slide down to the cushion on the floor and offer his arms so the teenager could hide his sniffles in a hug.

"No, kiddo," Patton soothed him gently. "I think there's a lot going on and he's finding the easiest way to let it out. Mostly we do that when we're scared, and I don't know for sure, but there's a lot Roman could be scared of right now, don't you think?"

Remus shrugged.

"Whatever it is it's not something you've done, alright? You keep thinking about your ideas for now and I should go talk to Roman. I think maybe he might need a hug too and I'd like to offer."

"But shouldn't I be the one to do that?"

Patton cupped the back of his curly head, full to the brim with tender fondness. "Oh kiddo, that's real good of you. You're all kindness inside aren't you? But let me look after Roman for a bit now, and maybe you can offer him a hug too, in a little bit? I bet he'd appreciate you thinking of him."

"Okay," Remus agrees, letting go and sitting in Roman's spot on the couch.

"Okay."

The knocking went unanswered for a while. Patton tried a couple of times before he resorted to talking through the door, much as he disliked having to. Boundaries were one thing, but just allowing Roman to feel like he had all of the control in the situation could be as damaging as the opposite. And really it wasn't so much that he needed to be controlled as parented. Structure and guidance at Roman's age was invaluable, and now he'd decided to stop his sports as well there would be a loss of sorely needed routine that Patton was just hoping would transfer over to his performance club instead.

"Roman?" He called at last, softly. "I'm going to come inside so we can talk, alright?"

After giving Roman a moment to gather himself Patton pushed the door open and walked in, closing it again behind himself. "Hey Roman," he greeted the boy sat on the bed. He had his knees hugged up tight to his chest and he was glaring at the bedspread. "So. That was kind of a lot you put out downstairs. You wanna-"

"Oh cut the crap, Patton, I was being a brat. Why can't you just come out and say it?" Roman snapped.

"Because that's not helpful wording. And you're a teenager with trauma, Roman, I'm not gonna lie and say everything is okay, you could certainly hold the cursing a bit, but some outbursts are kinda inevitable."

"I said mean things."

"Yes. And why did you do that?" Patton wondered, sitting at the desk chair in the room. "Was it because you wanted something to happen?"

"No I-" the teenager faltered, before renewing his scowl. "It's none of your business."

"Well, that's sort of not true. I'm your foster parent now, Roman. You are my business, and when you're hurting it's my job to try and help you out."

"Well, I'm so sorry you got stuck with that."

Patton sighed. "Can I come sit with you for a sec, kiddo?" He asked, rubbing his hands over his knees. Roman rolled his eyes and shrugged in the same movement, shifting over very slightly and curling up even tighter somehow, looking as small as Patton had ever seen him.

"Dunno why you're even asking. It's your house," he muttered, and the adult took a moment to regroup.

"So, I think we've got a little mixed up somewhere," Patton began after a moment, perching on the edge of the bed beside Roman. "Because I'm not 'stuck' with you. I chose to take you and your brother because I wanted to help, and I wanted to help you boys. And that goes for both of you. I know we don't necessarily have the same friendship that Remus and I do, but that's okay. I'm not judging you differently for it, alright? I'm really not, but-"

"Kinda feels like you are."

"... Do you really feel that way?" Patton asked softly, a little horrified that the thought had even crossed Roman's mind.

"Well, yeah! I mean, you never try and hug me, or ask me to help in the kitchen, or touch my hair, or like, call me kiddo or have stupid midnight chats with me. You're just all over Remus and his stupid need to please! You're probably fucking him up even more, you know?! He won't even talk to me anymore, he just worships you, and that's not fair! You can't steal him! It's not fair!"

"Oh Roman, gosh. We'll," he cleared his throat quickly. "We'll go through some of that in a moment but right now I do want to hug you, real bad. Can I?"

Roman just nodded, and folded like a house of cards when Patton wrapped his arms around him, toppling over into his lap. He was clearly crying but Patton tried to allow him the dignity of not fussing too much. Except maybe, that's where he'd been going wrong so far?

"There, it's okay, you cry it out baby, alright?" He murmured, stroking Roman's hair slowly. It only made him sob all the heavier, and Patton closed his eyes and prayed it was cathartic and not traumatic. He waited until the boy in his lap had mellowed to sniffles and lying limp, before helping him sit up again, and reached for the box of tissues on the nightstand to start helping him clean his face up. "Oh sweetheart. Everything that I do with Remus, that's on the cards for you too, okay? Anything we have, it's not that he's earned it or I like him more, he just asks. All you gotta do is ask, and I'm so sorry you didn't know that before. I'm really sorry I didn't make it clear and you felt like you were being treated different.

I know you've got boundaries and I wanna respect them, because that's important too, so you gotta communicate with me if you want something to change, alright baby? I won't judge, I won't be upset or annoyed or disappointed if you want to change that, and I won't take a yes to a hug today to mean you'll want one tomorrow, you understand? These are your boundaries. I won't cross them, but you can step over and back whenever you like. That's what they're there for."

Roman gazed at him with his cheeks all blotchy and Patton fought not to well up in empathy. "I think it's best if we all start seeing Dr P. for some group stuff sooner rather than later, don't you? Help give you guys some of the words or tools you can use for times like these?" Patton suggested, brushing away a stray eyelash dislodged onto Roman's cheek by the tears. "Cause there's a few things you just said that I really want to make sure I don't do. Like taking Remus from you, that's not my goal, y'hear? But I also won't deny him what he needs when he asks for it, and you guys will have to figure that part out between yourselves. Can you try and do that?"

The head in his hands nodded slowly, and when he moved to pull away Roman stopped him, shyly giving him a blink and holding onto his wrists. Patton waited, silently willing Roman to find the words, cheering him on with a little encouraging smile until the teenager managed to croak out a quiet request for him not to go just yet.

"Of course, Roman. You want a hug again, or something else?"

"Can you just, sit here and keep doing this?" Roman asked, and oh boy could Patton oblige. The swelling of his heart in his chest powered every muscle in his body with pride and joy, and it was all he could do to just nod and keep gently brushing his thumbs over Roman's cheeks as the boy breathed and closed his eyes, giving in to the need for comfort.

They would come back to the Thanksgiving question later on, and decide that maybe choosing a movie or video game and having a fun night in could work for all three of them, picking their favourite snacks. They ended up playing hours of a hard-fought Smash Bros tournament that Patton spectacularly lost but thoroughly enjoyed, especially when Roman outlandishly cheated by leaning across him to sabotage Remus's controller, turning a slightly shy grin his way when the adult just laughed at the audacity. The twins camped out in the living room together that night too, and when Patton finished in the bathroom later on and made the walk back to his bedroom, he could hear soft whispers and giggles from down the stairs, and smiled in relief.

A better Thanksgiving he couldn't have asked for, as the first of many to come.

#writepie #foster family au #ts roman #ts remus #ts patton #ts writing #ts sanders sides #ts sanders sides aus #ts sanders sides fic #sanders sides

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marvelhero-fics · 5 years

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Silent Britain

Series - Chapter Two

Pairing: Tom Holland x Reader

Summary: You and Tom are working as love interests in a new Scorsese film, essentially leading to be love interests in real life

A/N: I’m sorry this chapter took a little longer to come out! I’ve just been so busy recently and I really wanted to go through and edit it before it was published. Thank you for all waiting patiently and being so supportive of the last two chapters. I hope you’re all enjoying it so far!!

The italics in this story are the readers thoughts!

Word Count: 4,000

Silent Britain Masterlist || Full Masterlist

Maybe this wasn’t going to be so bad.

The illusion of time had once again slipped through your fingers. Without any vivid consciousness, you’d made it back to your hotel and stood in front of the giant wall mirror. Your hair fell in loose curls down your shoulder that you’d only done moments ago, framing your face that held a ‘natural’ make-up look, that contained far too much make-up to be considered natural. The only clothes currently covering your figure were your underwear and bra, as you thought over what to wear. The letter addressed to everyone had said the event was semi-formal. Whatever that meant.

After trying on almost everything you’d brought with you, you landed on a small black number. It was a strapless dress that hugged your figure divinely. It was a satin black with a length that went just below your knee, however there was a slit up the right side that showed off most of your thigh. I didn’t fake tan for nothing. You dressed it up slightly with layered silver necklaces, along with a few rings. Finally, topping it off with your black strappy heels. I bet Tom will like this. The thought crashed into your mind out of nowhere. You shook your head and sprayed on some perfume before collecting your purse and invitation.

You were escorted once again by the same driver that took you to set earlier. You gave him the address on the invitation, but he dismissed it, clearly already sure of where he was headed. This time, the drive was actually quite short, and you’d managed to stay focused the entire time. You’d watched as the tall city building began fading and the larger, modern houses began appearing, many of them mainly hidden behind great hedges, or large stone fences. You watched as the neighbourhoods became richer and richer, slightly wondering what it would be like to live a life as glamorous as this. The only really nice house you’d been to was Reese Witherspoon’s. She owned a gorgeous mansion in Los Angeles, and she’d invited the cast of Big Little Lies around for dinner one night. You tried not to freak out too much. However, that was probably the moment you’d really felt your fame beginning to kick in.

The front of the house was guarded by an incredibly large gate, surrounded by a regal stone fence. There was two men waiting by the gate each in a black suit, obviously waiting for the guests to arrive. Your black tinted window was lowered for you. One of the men, the larger, balder one, asked for your invitation. You obliged, and the other man nearer to the gate opened it. The drive-way wasn’t very long, but it was large, there was room for probably 5 to 6 cars to park, along with a garage to the side that seemed to fit 2 or 3 cars. The house was noticeably large from the outside, with an older architectural design. The outer walls were mainly painted white with a dark coloured roofing. Your driver pulled up as close as possible to the door, to which you kindly thanked him and hopped out. The nerves set back in, you weren’t sure how many people had arrived, you weren’t even entirely sure who was coming, other than Tom, of course. You were once again greeted at the door by a larger man in a black suit, you’d concluded this was probably the security for the evening. He opened the door for you, without saying a word. You mumbled a thank you as you entered.

Everything was almost how you’d expected it. A chic, clean design throughout the house. An elegant stairway to the right, with a huge open plan. One of the living rooms was to the left, with the kitchen further down. You were greeted by a familiar face, it was the younger gentleman who’d given you the invitation in the first place. He welcomed you to the event before introducing himself as Donald, stating that he was Martin's personal assistant. He directed you down the large hallway into another of the living spaces. It was passed the stairs to the right. You entered the large room, not knowing what to expect. It was a huge room with incredible leather furniture and a large plasma TV that hung above a magnificent fireplace. The space was opened further as large sliding doors on the back wall opened out to a deck. The flooring inside was dark wooden floors that echoed the sound of your heels as you walked. After noticing the interior design of the place, you finally took notice of the figures scattered through the room. It looked as though most people had arrived.

It didn’t take long to notice the waiter walking around the room with a metal tray that held a few full champagne flutes. You were quick to grab one from him, politely thanking him as you still stood in the doorway of the room. You turned your body slightly, shielding people from seeing the glass in your hand as you bought it up to your lips. You decided it would be a good idea to try and down the whole thing in one go. They do it in movies all the time, right? You quickly got through about ¾ of the drink before the burning sensation really hit your throat. You pulled it away from your mouth, almost spilling the rest of it down your chin. Fuck, how do people do that. You sputtered. The champagne was actually really nice, but the alcoholic after taste is what stopped you. What a stupid idea. Go socialise.

You made your way deeper into the room, scanning where you might be able to stop for a pleasant conversation. Part of you just wanted the floor to swallow you whole. Your eyes quickly found Rachel Weisz and Daniel Craig. You initiated small talk with the pair for the second time today, which began attracting a bigger crowd. Finn Wolfhard, Idris Elba, and Sean Bean all joined the chatter, each introducing themselves to you. On top of all that, you were now starting to feel the small side-effects of that champagne as your eyes began to find it hard to focus. You noticed a few more people joining the circle, some producers and editors had made it to the party too. God, I’m never going to remember all these names.

A hand lightly slid across your lower back, someone’s confident. You sternly turned to see who it was as you were ripped away from the moment in front of you. Just like this morning, you were greeted with a large grin and curly brown hair.

“Hi (Y/N).” He greeted, warmly.

“Hi Tom.” You responded, his contagious grin rubbing off on you. You pulled him into an embracing hug, to further greet him.

“I’m glad you’re here.” He finally said as you two broke apart.

“You knew I was going to be here.” You replied, with a questioning look.

“Yea, but I almost thought you weren’t going to show up.”

“What would give you that idea?” You pressed.

“Well, you seemed pretty nervous at the meeting today.”

“Oh, I’m glad I gave off that impression.” You joked, all your tense muscles beginning to relax. Tom laughed at your response.

“It’s okay. I was super nervous the first time I did one of those meet up things, too.” He assured you.

“When was the first time you had to do it?” You queried.

“Like, late 2014. I had to do it for Captain America; Civil War. It was a pretty huge cast and they’d all been in Marvel movies before, except for me. And plus, I was like 18 at the time. It was super overwhelming.” Tom explained. You found yourself almost getting lost as he spoke, like some sort of trance. You wanted to sit and listen to him speak forever. It’s probably just the alcohol.

“How’d you get through it?”

“Robert Downey Jr was a huge help. He kinda took me under his wing, and mentored me through all of it. When someone that famous starts paying attention to you, it makes the whole thing surprisingly less daunting.”

“So, what you’re saying is, I need to make Tom Hardy my mentor.” You stated, confidently. Earning another chuckle from Tom. His smile expanded hugely when he laughed, forcing the corners of his eyes to crinkle up and his head to push back slightly.

“Good job picking the most threatening guy in the room.” He replied, laughter still escaping his lips.

“You think so?”

“Look at the guy! He huge! He’s built like a brick shit house!” Both of you now giggling away at each other. The alcohol in both of your systems seemed to be working.

“I thought I was the most threatening guy in the room!” You interjected.

“Yea, all 5’6 ft of you.” He wittily replied.

“No, seriously. Wanna know who I think the most threatening person is?” You grabbed Tom’s suit covered arm and turned his body to the right. “Christian Bale.” You continued, without even giving Tom time to guess. “I mean have you seen American Psycho?” Both of you now facing where Christian stood on the other side of the room. Without consciously realising, you arm slipped around his, now interlinked together as you tried to not obviously stare at Christian.

“Of course I’ve seen American Psycho, it’s a fucking great film.” Tom exclaimed back, tensing his bicep as the two of you squeezed your linked arms together. I guess we both get a little too friendly when we’re drunk.

Your eyes widened and grin expanded as you looked up at him with a questioning glare.

“No. I mean-” Tom stuttered slightly. “The cinematography is great and the acting is fucking incredible, but obviously the story is pretty fucked up.” He added, peering down at you. Considering your bodies were held side-by-side, your faces ended up very close to each other. God, that cologne. You had to bite down on your lip to not audibly moan, he smelt so fucking amazing. There was a clink of metal against glass, silencing the chatter amongst the room.

“If everyone could please head into the dinning area, dinner is being served!” Martin announced.

The group of you slipped into the dining area, Tom sticking close to your side. You actually felt a lot of comfort having him close to you, making you feel as though you weren’t as lonely as when you’d arrived.

There was no particular seating arrangement around the extended dining table, everyone simply found a space and sat down. You’d managed to secure a seat with Timothée to your right, and Tom sat to your left.

“Hey, I don’t think we’ve had the chance to meet yet. I’m (Y/N).” You spoke to Timothée. The mixture of alcohol and Tom’s contagious confidence swirled in your mind.

“Oh yea. Nice to meet you. I’m Timothée.” He replied, his voice was soft and welcoming.

“I’m actually a big fan. I’ve seen heaps of your work.” You began, “I absolutely loved Beautiful Boy. I’ve always wanted to work with Steve Carell.” Timothée’s eyes lit up, and you began your in depth conversation about how much you both adored Steve, most of your love stemming from the fact that The Office was your favourite TV show.

It didn’t take long before your entree was served. The waiter informed you it was ‘peppercorn-crusted short ribs with lemon, olives, and radishes’. You thanked him as you stared in awe at the plate in front of you. The smell of the deliciously cooked meat hit you first, then the incredible colours of the plate, from the green of the garnish, to the yellow of the lemon, and the pink of the radish. You weren’t really used to fine dining.

You took no time to dig into your meal. “This is so nice.” You conveyed to Tom.

“I know.” He responded, eyes wide and mouth full. “There’s this amazing restaurant in central London that does food like this. I’ll take you there sometime.” He added, almost absentmindedly. Take me to dinner? Is that an offer for a date?

“Sounds good.” You simply replied. Moving to take another bite of your food.

You continued to chat to Timothée, sparking conversation about working with Robert Pattinson, Tom decided to join too. The three of you continued chatting and laughing as your main courses were brought out. It was once again introduced to you, ‘braised chicken with hazelnut and chilli paste with a turnip and wild mushroom bake’. It was difficult being polite and waiting for everyone to get their food before you could begin eating. Everything looked and smelled amazing. This really was the life of the rich and famous. Having all these beautiful meals catered and served to you in your own home. God, I could get used to this.

Conversation flowed easily throughout the table. People joking about ‘who would win in a fight between Batman and James Bond’, or people discussing ‘Venom and Spider-Man being in a movie together’, in which Tom Holland was very eager to talk about. You even had the chance to talk to a few more actors, including Anthony Hopkins. You essentially just told him how much you loved his work, and how grateful you were to be working with him on this film. He replied stating that him and his wife were huge fans of Big Little Lies, and you just about fainted on the spot.

Next was dessert. It was simply ‘authentic Italian tiramisu’. It looked nice and clean on the plate, with the lightest dusting of cocoa powder. I wish I saved more room for dessert. Just as everyone was about to begin eating, Martin stood up and began a speech.

“First of all, thank you all for being here tonight.” With that line, you peered around the room. It finally began to sink in how surreal this all was. You were sitting in Martin Scorsese’s dining room with actors that you’d only dreamed of meeting. I guess I’ve finally made it.

Martin went on to state that the tiramisu was due to his Italian culture, and that he’d never really done a British film before, but he was so excited to do Silent Britain with this cast. And with that, he told everyone to dig in.

The chatting and laughter continued in the room, however your conversation just focused on Tom.

“Well, I was born and raised in Reading, but I’ve moved into a little house in Wimbledon now with a friend because it’s so much nicer living close to central London.” You explained.

“I live in Kingston!” Tom exclaimed back,

“Holy shit. We’re practically neighbors.” You laughed in response. You exchanged the streets you both lived on, and found out you actually lived about 10 minutes away from each other. What a coincidence. The two of you talked about the best places to get food around where you lived, and the best pubs.

“Are you going to finish that?” Tom asked, pointing over at your half-eaten tiramisu.

“No. I feel bad, but I’ve eaten so much already-” before you could even finish, Tom swapped his empty plate with yours, and began eating away at your dessert.

“Thanks love.” He stated, cheekily.

“How can you eat so much?’ You laughed back,

“I had to get really skinny for the last role I did, and I was deprived of good food for so long, so now I’m trying to fatten up again and just eating whatever I want.”

“‘Fatten up’” you mocked, “I’ve seen the Spider-Man movies, you’ve never been fat.” You chuckled.

“Well, then I’m trying to bulk up. Whenever I go to the gym nowadays I can’t do half the shit I used to be able to do when I was training for Spider-Man.”

“I love going to the gym. We should work out together.” You smirked. This delicious champagne is giving me far too much power. Tom turned towards you, looking you up and down only slightly.

“We definitely can’t go to the gym together.” He responded, washing down his last mouthful of tiramisu with some beer.

“Why not?” You asserted back.

“Because you’d be way too much of a distraction.” Tom stated, his voice darker than before. Every fibre of your being told you to take him to the bathroom and slam him up against a wall right now. But, obviously, that’s a little rude.

“Your loss, Holland.” You replied, just above a whisper, with a flirtatious smirk.

You could tell by the movements around you that the night was coming to an end. The table was being entirely cleared, people were picking up their bags and putting their coats on. You lifted your handbag off the ground below your seat and swung it over your shoulder. As you stood from your chair, you tried your best to hold your stomach in. I shouldn’t have worn such a tight dress.

“Where are you headed?” Tom asked, throwing his suit jacket on.

“I’m staying at the Four Seasons.” You replied,

“Me too.” He looked at you, almost as if you’d just blown his mind. “We should get a lift back there together.” He added.

“Sounds like a good idea.” You smiled, your body closed the gap between the two of you and you grabbed the collar of his jacket to fix it for him, so it wasn’t sticking out. He beamed down at you.

“Thanks love.”

The two of you went over and graciously thanked Martin for hosting tonight. “Make sure you two get to know each other before filming! I want the chemistry to look real!” Martin expressed, to which you and Tom chuckled. That definitely won't be a difficult task. You both said good-bye to a few others that you’d talked to throughout the night and strolled out the door.

Tom quickly went over to one of the many black SUVs lined up outside, opening the back door for you. “Thank you.” You smiled at him as you hopped in. You told the driver where to go and the ride began.

“Was Robert Downey Jr’s parties anything like that?” You questioned, turning your body on the seat to face Tom.

“Honestly, Robert’s parties are way more extravagant than that. He likes to go really over the top with them. I’ll take you to one one day.” Perfect. Another date.

“Have you got more Marvel movies to make?”

“Yea, I’m definitely making another Spider-Man movie, and then I guess we’ll see where my contract goes after that. I’m not entirely sure what the plan is, and Marvel is always pretty hush-hush about everything. Have you ever thought about doing a superhero movie?”

“Yea. I’ve definitely thought about it.” Tom gazed as you with a faint, comforting smile as you spoke. “I’ve just never really found a role to audition for. And I’ve heard they’re a lot of work.”

“They definitely are. The filming goes on forever. But all of the cast and crew are always super awesome people, and they’re always so good at what they do. I feel like being in those films has really elevated my acting skills, you know?”

“Yea, definitely. Being around other incredible actors on set seriously helps.”

“Well, let me know if you ever want me to put in a good word for you at Marvel. They love me over there.”

“Maybe I’ll try play Gwen Stacy, if they ever reprise her in the universe.” You joked.

“I definitely wouldn’t be opposed to that.” The discussion continued all the way back to the hotel. You weren’t sure if it was the alcohol, or if Tom was naturally like this, but he would not stop flirting with you. You weren’t helping by doing it back. You even pulled out all the old tricks, like touching his arm, and twirling your hair on your finger. At one point you got extremely close to him to ‘fix his hair’ for him, to which he purposely messed it up so you could fix it for him again.

The driver in the front was probably thankful that the drive had come to an end, considering how much you and Tom were talking.

You were reminded of how late it was when you stepped out of the car. The night sky was entirely black, however the Los Angeles streets were still lit brightly by street lamps and the multiple buildings. You walked up to the small amount of stairs leading to the entrance of the building. Tom quickly grabbed your arm as you were about to try to walk up them. Your thin heels and and the alcohol in your system definitely weren’t going to be a fair match for these stairs.

“Thank you.” You laughed. You leaned some of your body weight on Tom as the two of you strolled up the stairs and into the building. Once again, your arm stayed linked within his, even though it didn’t have to. It just felt comfortable for the both of you.

“What floor are you on?” He asked.

“6.”

“I’m on 9.” He replied, as the two of you made it to the elevators. He reached out to press the up button, still not letting go of you.

“Can you walk me to my room?” You asked, with a joking pout.

“Of course I can.” The elevator chimed and you both rode up to level 6 together. As you walked down the carpeted hallway, you laughed together about something silly you’d read in the script. The two of you were obviously walking slower than usual, dragging out the time you had to spend together.

Finally, you arm slipped out of his embrace to rummage around your small handbag for the key card.

Once finding it, you slipped it into the door, and pulled it back out with a beep. The alcohol in your system meant you had to apply a little more force to open the heavy hotel door. You held it open with your body as your turned to face Tom.

“Well, this is me.” You smiled lightly, staring into Toms dark brown eyes. “Thank you for walking me up.”

“No problem.” He returned the grin. His gaze fell to your mouth for just a moment, ogling the light reflecting off your glossy lips. He stood close enough to you that you could smell that cologne he was wearing again, you still couldn’t put your finger on exactly what the smell was, other than wealthy. Each of your breaths were deep, a thick tension radiating between your bodies. You twirled with one of the silver rings on your fingers, gulping slightly as his eyesight returned to yours. The flutters in your chest turned to heavy beats, so loud you were sure Tom could hear them too. Your gut was telling you to grab him and stick your tongue down his throat until the two of you would end up messily entangled in each other on your hotel bed, but your head was telling you that really wouldn’t be a good idea.

“I-” you stammered, “I should really go. I have a big day tomorrow,” that’s a lie, “and I should really get a good night's sleep.”

“Yea, of course. I probably should too.” Tom almost sounded defeated.

“Cool. I’ll see you like some time next week.” You pursed your lips together, not wanting to make eye contact with him.

“Yea. I’ll see you next week.” And with that, you fell into your hotel room and shut the door behind you. Your back immediately hit the wall and you slumped down into a pile on the floor. A giant sigh fell from you lips, feeling like all the air in your lungs was drained from you. Shit.

Taglist!

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wonderfulworldofmichaelford · 4 years

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Psycho Analysis: The League of Evil Exes

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is one of the greatest cult classics of the 2010s for a wide variety of reasons: it had great performances, it got a video game adaptation that didn’t suck, it had an awesome soundtrack, and best of all, it apparently ruined an entire generation of women! What couldn’t this movie do (besides make a profit at the box office)? Of course, more than anything, this movie delivered on the promise of its premise by having Scott Pilgrim fight against the seven evil exes of his manic pixie dream girl Ramona Flowers.

That’s right: There’s not one, not two, not three, but seven villains to talk about in this movie!

Thankfully, this massive amount of villains makes it a lot easier to talk about them, because each of them basically gets only a single scene with which to establish their characterization and deliver a fun, exciting battle. Still, it’s pretty interesting to look at them, especially since not all exes are created equal. As a note, I’m obviously not doing a “Best Scene” for these guys because... they basically have one scene each. It would be redundant.

Motivation/Goals: The League of Evil Exes has a very simple goal: to control the future of Ramona’s love life. As Lucas says during his battle with Scott: “The Seven Evil Exes? Coming to kill you? Controlling the future of Ramona's love life?” This is especially funny because Lucas is probably the least evil of the lot. While this is an incredibly simple motivation, it fits with the tone of the movie; this is a sort of a Bowser-esque motivation, one that perfectly fits a movie that is so steeped in video game culture.

Performance: Lets go one by one here:

Satya Bhabha is the first of the evil exes, Matthew Patel, and he really eases you into what to expect for the rest of the evil exes, though here “eases you into” means “grabs you by the balls and swings you over the head like a chimpanzee.” Despite his meager screentime, he makes the most of it, delivering a Bollywood-esque musical number complete with fireballs and demon hipster chicks and generally just hamming it up. This right here is just a warmup, though, because things get crazier from here – just like in a video game, really.

Lucas Lee, the second evil ex, is a big-shot movie star regarded as a pretty good actor by all who see him. Unfortunately, they got some unknown weirdo named Chris Evans to play him, but casting this obscure indie actor certainly paid off, because Lucas Lee’s smug, over-confident portrayal combined with his affable nature make him one of the most enjoyable characters in the movie. He really comes off as a cool, cocky guy who just happens to be going up against our hero as opposed to being an actual antagonizing force.

Todd Ingram is the other best evil ex, and much like Lee it’s mostly because he’s a pretty nice guy. However, the key difference is while Lee was cocky and affable, Ingram is just kind of a ditz. Played by one-time Superman Brandon Routh, he opts to go for the more subuded route, a cold ham as opposed to a large ham, and he definitely makes it work; I did call him the OTHER best evil ex, after all.

Then we come to Roxy Richter, played by Katara herself, Mae Whitman. She’s a very angry, tomboyish lesbian who gets in a lot of great lines and shows off a very jaded, irritated personality in her limited screentime. She’s definitely a lot of fun, though apparently she has a lot of elements of Envy Adams due to being combined with an early idea to make her Ramona’s evil ex in the movie.

The Katayanagi Twins. Ken and Kyle, are… nothing. Because Keita and Shota Saitou (Kyle and Ken, respectively) did not speak English, the twins have no lines and don’t really get to establish much of a presence before dying. It’s a bit unfortunate, because it becomes really easy to forget these two are here as a result.

Gideon Gordon Graves is a smarmy, smug, condescending jackass. You have met a man like him before, and you have wanted to punch his face in. Jason Schwartzman really amps up the sleaze when playing this creepy, controlling bastard, making him a fitting final boss.

Final Fate: Each and every one of them is defeated by the end of their scenes, bursting into progressively larger amounts of coins, with Patel being pretty meager in terms of value and Gideon literally making it rain when he’s defeated. It does kind of feel weird that the twins are worth more than a beloved actor like Lucas Lee, or that Roxy is worth more than both Lee and a musician like Ingram, but frankly this isn’t really a movie where you should be overthinking stuff to begin with.

Best Quote: I don’t think I can really say Patel or Gideon have amazing, quotable lines to the extent as some of the others, but I’d be pretty remiss to not mention Todd’s legendary “...Chicken isn’t vegan…?” and Roxy’s equally legendary “Well honey… I’m a little bi-FURIOUS!” here. Lucas Lee has a lot of good lines but he’s quite frankly too consistent for me to pick one; Chris Evans really just went all-out for this one.

Final Thoughts & Score: Once again, let’s go one by one:

Matthew Patel

Matthew is the definition of a warmup boss, at least by the standards of this film. He brings a lot of insanity to the table all at once, what with his demons and Bollywood musical number and sick dance moves, but the fact he’s probably not the most insane and baffling character in the film really tells you something. He definitely makes the most of his screentime, and while his fight is relatively short, it’s a lot of fun. This man deserves an S-L-ICK 8/10.

Lucas Lee

Lucas Lee is probably the second best evil ex in the movie. He’s just so cocky, arrogant, and hilarious, and he still manages to come off as a bit polite. Its like if Captain America and Ransom Drysdale had a baby, Lucas Lee would be it. The fact he’s played by a pre-superstardom Chris Evans really is the icing on the cake here though, because his battle is fun and ends with Scott defeating him by playing into his arrogance. Ah! But he didn’t get his autograph… Oh well. Lucas Lee is an easy 10/10.

Todd Ingram

As much as I love Lee, I have to say that Todd easily has the most impressive fight in the entire film, in large part due to his awesome psychic powers he gains from being a vegan. I gave one of his legendary quotes up there, but frankly, the entire battle is awesome and quotable, the fact that at least half the battle is a rock-off is great, and the fact Scott tricks him in the most stupidly amazing to defeat him and put him at the mercy of the Vegan Police is just amazing. There’s also just the sheer novelty of how, with the power in hindsight, we got to see Superman (Routh) dating Captain Marvel (Brie Larson portrayed Envy, Scott’s ex and Todd’s girlfriend and bandmate). Todd is just a perfect, lovable idiot villain, and deserves nothing less than a 10/10.

Roxy Richter

Roxy actually gets to show up twice in the film, getting a brief scene with Scott a while before her identity is revealed. While her screentime doesn’t really amount to much, it really is incredible how much characterization they managed to pack into her limited screentime, her dialogue really selling how she is easily the most bitter and angry off all the exes. She seems genuinely hurt at some points that Ramona left her and considers her just a phase, though this of course doesn’t stop her from trying to ruin her life. In a weird way, I’d almost call her the most complex of the exes, and Mae Whitman does a great job at selling her. I will say though, despite her fight scene being filled with some of the best dialogue in the film (which is saying a lot, mind you), the overall fight is a little lackluster, and Ramona getting in makes it reek of “designated girl fight.” Still, there’s nothing so egregious about her that I’d give her anything less than a 9/10.

The Katayanagi Twins

These two, quite simply, suck. They get absolutely no characterization, they get no dialogue due to the actors not speaking English, they get no personality. They are, quite simply, just there, and they are just there because Scott needs to fight a fifth and sixth ex. There’s really not much to say here except that their fight scene is admittedly pretty cool and it’s fun to imagine how the hell their relationship with Ramona worked. Did they date her one after the other? Were they in a weird poly relationship? Did they both just spitroast her on the weekends? For those two things I’ll save them from the very bottom of the barrel and give them a 2/10.

Gideon Gordon Graves

Gideon is a smug, evil, controlling creep for sure, and he is the final evil ex Scott must face. But the thing is, he kind of doesn’t feel any more wieighty than any of the others? Gideon is for all intents and purposes the final boss, and while he does get a little buildup, it all comes in the final acts of the film. It certainly doesn’t make him a bad villain – he actually manages to temporarily kill Scott, and puts up more of a fight than any of the others – but considering how awesome Todd, Lucas, Roxy, and Matthew were in style and personality, Gideon kind of comes off as underwhelming. Yes, he is definitely the most evil of the exes, but he just doesn’t really have the “WOW” factor the others do. He’s an 8/10 for sure.

Well, I guess that’s it, that’s every villain in the mo-

Wait?

What’s this?!

Psycho Analysis: Nega Scott

…

youtube

#Psycho Analysis #Scott Pilgrim #Scott Pilgrim vs. the World #The League of Evil Exes #Matthew Patel #Lucas Lee #Todd Ingram #Roxy Richter #Katayanagi Twins #Gideon Gordon Graves #Chris Evans #Mae Whitman #Brandon Routh #jason schwartzman

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streets-in-paradise · 4 years

Text

Roadside Bet

American Gods and Percy Jackson crossover - Part 1

Word Count: 1767

Characters: Wednesday, Shadow, Eira ( Vanir demigoddess OC)

Relationships: Platonic.

Summary: Setted in season 1 of American Gods. Mr Wednesday takes his crew on a trip to New York hoping to recruit a powerful ally. Shadow starts asking questions about him and his curiosity unleashes a silly argument.

Warnings: Some ageists jokes, the camp half blood concept from Percy Jackson is interpreted in American Gods’s style.

Disclaimers: This serves as an introduction for my self indulgent attempt of writing fanfic including Sean Bean as Zeus in the American Gods universe. I couldn’t find fiction for Sean Bean’s Zeus and he’s so fine that I can't deal with it so I decided to include him in an idea I had previously in process for an American Gods fanfic. I apologise for any possible mistakes,english is not my native language and this is a translation.

Tags: @yerevasunclair. Our conversations about Sean’s Zeus inspired this. I’m tagging you in both parts. Thank you so much for the inspiration.

I hope you ‘ll enjoy this. Thanks for reading

With the exception of Wednesday's bad mood, the trip was not having any major setbacks. The old man was quite unbearable because he hated New York and its exorbitant modernity, but he knew that this was a trip he was obliged to take. If he closed the deal he set out to make, he would gain a powerful ally, perhaps the most powerful one available.

With only a few miles to go, he switched places with Shadow because he wanted to drive to relieve stress. Meanwhile, to alleviate the boredom during the break, he started to chat with Eira. The girl was sprawled out in the back seat listening to music on an old MP3 player dating from 2002. Shadow signaled her to take off a headset and pay attention to him. Listening to them, Mr. Wednesday rebuked her

“I told her to get rid of every modern toy before following us but she never listens. Eira!! Turn that rubbish off before I destroy it myself.”

“ Chill out, old man. This is ancient history technologically speaking. It doesn’t have wifi connection, or bluetooth, or anything. Nobody can try to track us through this, even the boy must have forgotten these things existed. It’s as safe as your car’s radio.” she replied in a tone that showed annoyance.

Shadow laughed, always amused to see the boss and his new co-worker arguing as a family. Wanting to pry into what she was hearing, he reached out to grab the earpiece she had taken out of her ear and placed it over his.

“ What’s that language? Greek, I think? “ he commented about the music

“Yeah, it 's greek. I’m getting ready for our next stop.” she explained.

“ Greeks? After what I experienced with the russians some time ago i thought we were going to New York to have a meeting with the japanese mafia or something like that. All your business partners seem to have a thing with extremely violent threats. “ he complained

“Don’t be so harsh with Bogo. Most people think he is scary and disgusting but i think he is great. He may be a bit of a psycho weirdo, he makes meat uncomfortable for everyone and sometimes he throws his cigarette smoke in your face but he is a very fun dude “

“ Bogo? Did you nicknamed him? He is a serial murderer who wants my head. “

“ We both live in Chicago, my mom tends to know everyone there and everyone knows her. I know him since i was a child, he is like a grumpy grandpa to me.”

That statement left him a bit shocked. Mainly because he did not imagine Czernobog being friendly to anyone or even being seen as friendly.

“ Do you know the greeks? “ he asked, taking the opportunity to prepare for what was to come

“ No, I never had the pleasure, that’s why I'm so excited. They do their own stuff by themselves, they don’t tend to be very cooperative with the rest. Need is what pushed everyone else to start cooperating and created the unstable bonds of solidarity you had seen so far. They have their own functional system, they don’t need help from anyone. Even if they were struggling i doubt they would ask for it or accept it.”

“ Very secretive people. How will we convince them to join Mr Wednesday? “

“ Let that to me, dear boy.” the boss interrupted . ”They never pick a side, not with us and not with the News. They are always pretending they are better than everyone else in that fake copy of their Olympus they made to themselves when all they actually have is a bunch of brats. If the big conflict starts they will have to choose one side and that’s where we enter.”

“I’m very curious about them "she added .” Their strategy is fascinating. They have a family business that keeps them standing for a very long time in conditions others would only dream to have. They adapted by being themselves without selling to the News.”

” So, greek mafia then? ” Shadow asked,curious and worried in equal amounts.

” Never call them like that ever again. That’s very insulting and they are famous for being very arrogant and easy to irritate. Theo will carbonize you if he hears you calling him a mob boss. ”

” Theo is their boss? He is the one we are visiting? ”

” That’s how we call him, nobody dares to use his full name in casual conversation so we picked a middle ground epithet between his tradition and ours. Names are powerful, Shadow. You don’t have to use them in vain. ” Eira explained. ” Honestly, I'm very excited to meet someone so powerful. Most of the still strong names out there had given up and sold their brands to the News but Theo and his people are still successful. They are living the lifestyle of the Old Country, or at least the closest copy they can get in America. Wednesday is salty because he was never able to agrupate our kind in a similar project. My work for him is the closest thing he got, I’m one of the very few children of his associates who got invested and that’s only because my mother kept me with her. I’m not precisely the rule, that’s why practically i grew up to be here now. ”

Shadow started to get severly worried .The repeated comment about the power of the people who were going to see kept him on his toes. He didn't want to get into any more trouble.

” Do you want to give me a list of stuff to avoid when facing this Theo? I’m starting to freak out a bit and I don't understand a shit of what you are saying except for “ he is powerful”. ” he asked her

” Don’t worry i will be there with you the whole time and i have more experience dealing with this sort of thing than you. Wednesday should have brought you to my mother’s home first instead of going straight to the russians when you visited our city. Don’t be scared, if you screw it up i will help you out”.

Wednesday did not missed the chance to give his own advice as well

” The best for both of you is to keep your mouths shut as much as you can. “ he warned. ”Smile, nod in agreement, answer only what it’s being asked of you in the moment. This goes especially for you, young lady. ” he concluded in an imperative tone.

” Why the sudden care? You didn’t when we were visiting others. Are you afraid of him? ” she teased.

” Never, how could you suggest that? I’m restraining you because I don't want you to shift the focus of our negotiation. Theo has a weakness for youthful maidens like you.” he replied, scolding her again.

” Then I should be the one negotiating with him.Wouldn’t be easier to convince him? ”

” They don’t make him particularly weak, they are his favourite distraction. He enjoys himself when they get affected by his charm. Our business is the war and nothing more. Less you talk, less chances of distracting him too much.”

Shadow was getting some entertainment with the discussion and intervened to give his opinion

” He doesn’t want this guy doing to you what he does to other women. ”he stated, mocking Wednesday. ” He wouldn’t admit it but he cares for you. He doesn’t want to see some horny old dude around you, thirsting over you and making you feel uncomfortable.”

” My concern is not her safety, it’s her loyalty what troubles me. She works for me, she represents me. I don’t want her to forget it in front of him.”

” Wednesday, he is older than you. ” Eira complained, trying to make him understand how ridiculous he sounded. ” Why would i care about him flirting with me? I’ll smile at him, pretend i’m pleased with his commentaries to keep him happy enough for you to close the deal and that’s all. It’s not the first time it happened, i’m used to casual flirting. Mad Sweeney had done it the few times we had seen each other, some others associates of yours do it sometimes. The people we see tend to get flirty, Shadow has experienced it as well. It’s part of the job. ”

” Mad Sweeney is a drunk loser, we are talking of real power here. Watch your steps and don’t embarrass me.” Wednesday insisted.

Shadow couldn’t stop laughing

” Is he truly afraid you would be seduced by a man older than him? He has to be kidding, he is one of the oldest men i ever meet so how old is the greek ? 95?”

” I may not be into the Technical Boy despite being closer in age terms to him than to most of the dudes we had dealt with but that doesn’t mean i’m into senior citizens. A middle ground is good, thanks. ” she joked, joining the mockery.

” You two are too young to understand some very important aspects of how things work here. I’m warning you before it’s too late.” Wednesday replicated.

” Whatever, thanks for the advice. I will have it in mind the next time an irresistable senior citizen shows up.You don’t know anything about my tastes in men and you are projecting your own crap on me. You may have a thing for girls of my age but not all of us get horny for grandpas. Some do and i don’t judge them but i’m not one of them.”

” Wait and see. ” the old man replied in the same mocking tone. ” I would like to bet. I did it when Shadow fought the leprechaun, now it’s your turn. ”

” We don’t have anything of value you may want.He just got out of jail and it’s not like mom would give me her Brisingamen just because i lost a bet to you. ”

” Shadow, are you in? ” the boss asked

” What would i win? ”

” If Eira feels condescendingly repulsed by the greek i double your weekly pay. If he charms her i discount a percentage .”

” If she doesn’t feel attracted to an old greek you duplicate my pay? Sure, i’m in. it is a safe bet, right?” he asked her

” He talks bullshit, i’m not interested. Go ahead.” she assured him

” I had never been happier standing in the middle of your silly fights. ”

The youngsters spent the rest of the trip making fun of Wednesday's ridiculous bet, sure they were going to win. The old man laughed in their faces, he was playing with them again.

Note: Theo is a name with two possible etymological origins, one greek and one germanic. A long time ago i read a theory that said the greek form Deos was associated with Zeus. I recently read that wasn’t the case but i still found it fitting for Zeus.

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sestra-inestro · 4 years

Text

Just A Really Big Mistake (3/?)

Jane the Virgin!AU. Idea credit to @whatcouldgowrong-ohthat

Pairings: Detective!Steve Rogers x fem!reader, Hotel Owner!Bucky Barnes x Natasha Romanoff, Sam Wilson x Natasha Romanoff, TV Star!Tony Stark x Pepper Potts.

Summary: Just when things start to calm down, you lean something new which sends you spiralling again. Pepper confronts the man who has been out of your lives since you were a baby.

Warnings: Swearing, cheating, accidental insemination, mentions of smut and abortion. Angst, talks of abandonment, anxiety, mentions of past crime, unloving marriage.

“Okay. Thank you for coming.” You crossed your legs with a bright smile on your face. “Steve, welcome to your first family meeting.”

Steve lifted his mug as he sat between May and Pepper. “Happy to be here. Proud to be representing a male point of view.” You tense at his words and May and Pepper turn to look at him.

“Yeah, I would lead with that. I tried that and it doesn’t mean a thing.” Peter said from the couch.

“Yeah, that’s not gonna do well in our meetings.” You agreed.

Steve nodded. “I’m mostly here to listen and observe.” He took a sip from his coffee and May and Pepper nodded and smiled.

“Okay. So we are just here to go over the plan. Yes, there have been a few minor step backs but we are back on track. I have a very stable job, I’m in college, engaged to a great guy.” You wink at Steve who smiles back at you. “There are going to be a few things I will have to do to make sure it stays in good health which will be outside of the plan but we can work around it. For example, I set up a sonogram. But other than that, nothing has changed.” You finished with a confident smile.

You had been feeling so much better since your talk with Bucky, honestly, you can say that he gave you hope. Plus, you didn’t think you’d feel so good knowing who the father is, but it feels like an entire weight has been taken off you.

“Can I just say one thing?” Pepper raised her hand.

You turned to face her fully. “Yes. Go ahead.”

“You should keep the baby.”

“Pep!” You groaned.

“Pepper, really?!” May spoke.

Steve choked on his coffee, making Peter laugh.

“Nope, nope.” Steve said through his coughs.

“What? It’s a free country, I thought I could say-“

“She’s not keeping the baby.”

“But I think-“

You clapped. “No, stop. I’m not keeping the baby, Pepper. In fact, we are not going to refer to it as a baby. We will call it...” you look around the room for something to call it when you see Peter drinking a milkshake. “A milkshake.”

Everyone tilts their heads at the word. “And I can’t wait to give that milkshake to its rightful owners.”

“I want a divorce.” Bucky said.

“Well, I don’t.” Natasha stood on the other side of the room with her arms crossed. “And there’s no way that June is going to give you that baby on your own.”

Bucky stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Yeah, I know. Just like how I know that you’re waiting out our prenup to make money off me.”

Nat’s face hardened at his words.

“So tell me, sweetheart, how are we gonna work through that?” Bucky raised his brow at her, smirking as she stayed quiet.

A knock at the door pulled them from their argument and Bucky went to answer the door.

Sam Wilson walked in and he and Bucky hugged, Sam eyeing Natasha over Bucky’s shoulder.

“You don’t even know anything about the wife!” Pepper tried to argue with you. “She could be a Catherine Creel!”

“Catherine Creel? Seriously, Pepper.” You questioned her and shook your head.

“Who’s Catherine Creel?” Steve asked.

“She’s a super villain in the television shows who wore an eyepatch even though she wasn’t really blind.” May explained to him and you and Pepper bickered.

“Some of the most boring TV I’ve ever watched.” Peter murmured to no one in particular but gained glares from all three of you while Steve still looked confused.

“Natasha’s not a super psycho.” Steve said to himself.

“How do you know? You’ve never even met her.” Pepper questioned him.

May’s phone rang, distracting her from the discussion. The familiar number gave her anxiety. She didn’t know if she was ready to talk to him yet.

“Okay fine, I’m am going to meet with Natasha.” You sent her a quick text and almost just as fast, you got a reply.

“Great, she’s excited to set something up.” You gave Pepper a smile, who still looked unhappy with your decision.

“I am going to meet with her and then I’m going to try and think about this pregnancy as little as possible.” You tried to say.

“No, I don’t think so.” May raised her finger at you. “After that, you are going to sue the freaking doctor.”

You sighed. “I just don’t want to spend the next year in a legal battle. I just wanna keep moving forward with my life. Finished college, obsess about wedding dresses.” May’s phone rang once again. “And who keeps calling you?” You asked her.

May looked at the number and then at Pepper, then back at you again. Something happened the other night that she was hoping to keep safe from you.

You had finally gone to bed after such a stressful day. The engagement party had taken it out of you and Pepper and May could tell. A knock at the door this late at night confused them both, exchanging weird looks.

They both walk to the door slowly as someone knocked again.

Quickly opening the door, May and Pepper look at the person in shock.

There stood Tony Stark in all his glory, red suit, finely done hair and well put together.

“Stark?” Both women said.

“Hey, is my daughter here?”

Ever since, he has been nonstop calling both Pepper and May.

“Um...” May trailed off as she tried to think of a lie.

“Is it Happy?” You asked.

May stopped for a second, glancing at Pepper really quickly. “Yeah, it’s Happy.”

“May.” You said with a disapproving voice.

May quickly answered the phone. “Stop calling!” She sneered into the speaker and hanging up before Tony could speak.

You sighed before looking at everyone.

“Okay, well I’ve said what I needed to say.” You smiled and picked up your bag and your jacket. “I’m off to work.”

“I’ll drive you.” Steve spoke and stood from the couch.

You smiled before kissing May and Pepper on the cheek and saying goodbye to Peter.

Steve dropped you off out front of the hotel and wished you a good day.

You were walking into the change rooms when Bucky stopped you.

“Oh, hi.” You said in surprise.

“Hey, June.” He said with a smile. “You look nice today.”

You smoothed down your dress and blushed. “Thank you.”

“Look I’m sorry to ambush you like this but I wanted to talk to you real quick about the baby.” He said ‘baby’ in a hushed voice and began to walk with you.

“Oh yeah. I actually texted your wife.” You said.

“Yes, I heard.”

“I just wanted to put a name to a face and properly meet her, make sure she didn’t have an eyepatch.” Bucky looked at you strangely at your words.

“What?”

“Nothing. That was a bad joke.” You said quickly.

“I’m just really excited to see you two, with the whole two-parent-picture thing.” You smiled up at him.

Bucky slowed his walking and you turned to look at him. “So that’s really important to you huh?”

“Well, yeah. That’s why I feel so good about my decision.” Bucky nodded at your words and fell quiet.

“So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?” You asked him, continuing to walk to your locker.

Bucky was going to tell you that he planned to divorce Natasha. He truly believed his marriage was over and far from repair, but now he had to change plans.

“Um, just some lawsuit stuff.”

“You’re suing?” You question him.

“No.” Bucky chuckles. “I’m not suing. Becca- Dr Alver, is my sister-“

“What?” You stopped at his words.

Bucky watches your reaction and hesitated to continue. “The doctor, who inseminated you-“

“She’s your sister. Dr Alver is your sister?” You question him in shock.

“Yeah.” Bucky bit his lip.

“It’s-it’s just. Wow.” You stumble over your words at the news.

“But not to make things more awkward. But, June, I really think that you should talk to a lawyer.” He suggested. “Come up with an amount and present it to us, that I can pay you directly and you’ll make the most money.”

His words offend you slightly and you look at him. “What makes you think I want money?”

Bucky is taken aback. “I just assumed-“

“Because I’m a waitress?” You narrow your eyes.

“No, of course not. I know you’re not just a waitress. You’re in college and-“

“So if I wasn’t in college I would be just a waitress?” You interrupt him.

Bucky pauses for a second to read the situation. “June, I think you’re taking this the wrong way.”

“Yeah, maybe I am.” You nod at him. “Except this huge thing just happened, now you’re telling me your sister did and you’re offering me money.

Bucky closes his mouth, seeing how he has come off to you.

You shake your head, pull your waitress dress out of your locker and slam it shut. “I’ve got to change.” You push passed him and walk into the bathroom.

“What did you expect? He’s a rich playboy?” Wanda says after you explain the whole situation to her.

“A rich playboy with an entitled attitude missing a basic sensitivity chip.” You grumble as you slam glasses onto your serving tray. Wanda and Vision watch you carefully at you take you some of your anger on the glass wear. “He was so much nicer in my head.”

“That’s because he kissed you.” Dot said simply as she polished the glasses.

“What? You kissed?” Vision said in shock.

“It was five years ago.” You glare at Dot. “And clearly he still doesn’t remember that.” You roll your eyes.

“What did Mr America Stevie say when you told him about it?” Wanda asked you.

“He didn’t say anything. Mainly because I haven’t actually told him yet.” You laugh nervously.

Wanda and Vision gasp dramatically.

“I only just told him about the pregnancy and he didn’t even take that well? How am I supposed to tell him I kissed the father when even he doesn’t remember it?” You asked.

“Well can you blame him? I mean, his fiancé is pregnant with another man’s baby.” Vision said.

“I know.” You pouted.

“Well, it’s not like she meant for it to happen. She’s still a virgin.” Wanda said to Vision.

“Yeah, I get that. I’m not saying it’s not hard for her.” Vision argues with her.

“Guys I’m right here.” You said, but their conversation didn’t waver.

“Well, it sure sounds like it. How would you like it if someone accidentally inseminated you?” Wanda put her hand on her hip, glaring at him.

“You’re taking this way out of hand.” Vision put his hands up.

“Oh yeah?” Wanda challenged him.

You rolled your eyes and moved to the other side of the bar as they continued to bicker.

Dot leaned in close to you. “Google him before you make your decision. Maybe it will make you feel better.”

“Why?” You ask her.

“I’ve just heard some things about him over the years.” Dot shrugs before taking her tray away.

You’re curiosity got the best of you and you walked away to google him.

To say you were shocked at the results was an understatement. You found numerous articles about him getting into bar fights, mugshots, parties, getting arrested for public indecency and a very revealing photo of him.

“Oh my god.” You breathed in shock before dialing Steve’s number.

“Hello?” He answered.

“We are gonna have to keep it. I don’t want to and you don’t want to by you are gonna half to.” You ramble on and you power walk your way out of the hallways of the hotel.

“Wait, slow down. What’s going on?” Steve asked you.

“I can’t give Bucky the milkshake.”

Steve made his way to the docking bays near the hotel to meet you. After your little ramble moment and stress fest, you sent him all the links you had found after looking up Bucky and asked him to come meet you.

You spotted him and ran over in your wedges.

“Oh my god.” You said, pulling him into your arms.

He could feel the stress and panic rolling off you again. Just when you had calmed down, you found something new to stress about.

“Okay, I’ve been thinking about it all. We don’t have to keep it, there’s gotta be some legal loophole we can find. We could declare him unfit and we can find it good parents.” You spoke quickly.

“Okay, babe calm down.” Steve grasped your arms and rubbed your skin. You were spiraling again.

“But did you see what I sent you? Did you click in the links?” You asked him.

“Yes, I did. And I wish you would’ve warned me before the Bora Bora series.” He nodded with disgust.

“But, Steve. Don’t you think I have a moral obligation to make sure that the milkshake goes to a decent person? And that is not a decent person. What he did in Bora Bora is not decent, that’s literally why they arrested him!”

“Okay, babe. You’re spiraling again.” He made you look at him.

“I know.” You sighed.

“That was a while ago. You said the guy had cancer right? He obviously went through some major life-changing moments during that time. He’s happily married and he wants a baby.” Steve tried to get you to see the light of the situation.

“Yeah.” You started to agree with him.

“And trust me, Bora Bora guy doesn’t want a baby. But this guy does.” He continued to talk Bucky up.

“Yeah,” you nodded. “I mean that’s definitely true.”

“Look, I know you’re anxious but you’re gonna meet the wife right?” You nodded. “I bet you’ll feel a whole lot better when you do.”

You were starting to settle down again. Steve just had a way of being the thing you needed.

“Give this guy a real chance.” He finished his point and brushed and caressed your cheek.

Even though you were still anxious about it all. Maybe you should give him a proper chance before you run scared.

“I have to lie about my family.” Bucky said with a sigh.

Sam stood next to him, looking out over at the staff you fussed with the table cloth for tonight’s party.

“At least Natasha’s trying.” Sam said as he watched her direct the women where to put the cloth. “She’s driving my staff crazy, making sure everything’s perfect.”

“She’s trying to get my father on her side that way it will make it much harder for me to leave her.” Bucky glared down at the woman as she moved around the party space.

“Wow, So you’re pretty much done then?” Sam asked him.

“Yeah, I am.” Bucky said, looking at him and nodding.

Sams brow creased as he looked down at the woman he loved.

Bucky frowned as he saw what Natasha ordered. “Why did she order and ice sculpture of a wizard?”

They watched as Natasha looked up at the sculpture in horror, talking to the sculptor. “I said Marlon, not Merlin. My father-in-law loves to fish!” They heard her screech.

Bucky rolled his eyes as Sam laughs at them.

While you were at work, Pepper was determined to fix the situation with Tony fucking Stark.

She stormed into the set, people trying to get her attention as she wasn’t allowed on set, and marched right up to the very man in question as he sat in a makeup chair.

Tony’s life flashed before his eyes as he saw a finger come at him.

“We need to talk. Now!” Pepper growled at him.

He held up his hands in surrender and nodded.

He took her to his trailer where they could talk in private.

Pepper was fuming and he could just feel she was going to blow when they were in the privacy of his trailer. As soon as he closed the door, she began.

“You need to stop calling us! I told you I would tell her when the time is right and you have no right to keep pushing!” She yelled at him, beginning to go red in the face.

“But when will you tell her? I want to be apart of my daughter’s life now.” Tony said calmly, trying to get her to calm down as well.

“Now you want to be? Where was this attitude twenty-three years ago?!” Pepper all but threw her bag at him.

“Look, I know you’re angry, Pep. But can you please calm down so we can talk? You want some Voss Water?” He gestured to the multiple glass bottles of water sitting on his bench.

“No I don’t want some Voss Water.” Pepper took a deep breath and rubbed at her forehead, starting to pace.

“Look, Pep. I was just a kid. I don’t even know who her mother is. And I thought leaving her in better care would’ve been the best option for her. She would be messed up if she was with me.” He tried to explain.

Pepper stopped pacing suddenly to look at him, making him flinch and ready himself for another dose of her yelling.

“Did you know that she now has abandonment issues?” Pepper said softly. “She spent her whole life questioning why her mother and father left her. She ran away twice. No matter what you thought would be better for her, it still messed with her.”

Tony lowered his eyes in shame. He ruined his daughter while trying to do what he thought was best.

Pepper took a deep breath before sitting down on his couch. “Why now?” She asked him.

“Because now I can.” He shrugged. “I worked hard enough to earn enough and now I can actually support her.”

“Yeah, now that she can support herself.” Pepper dug at him some more.

“She never left my mind once. I kept pushing through all of this so I finally come back to her with enough to look after her.” Tony said, sitting down next to her.

They both sat in silence for some time. Pepper hadn’t had him this close to her since you came into their lives.

“What is she like?” He asked her.

“Perfect. June’s so perfect. She’s smart, careful, determined.” Pepper smiled but wavered. “Pregnant.”

Tony looked at her in shock and happiness. “I’m going to be a grand-father?”

Pepper slightly nodded. “Sorta. It was more of a medical mistake.”

Tony looked at her in confusion.

“Long story.” She held up her hand before he could ask about it.

Tony nodded as he took Pepper in. Her eyes were tired and her hair was starting to grey, but still that beautiful strawberry blonde he remembers from all those years ago.

“I missed you, Pep.” He said quietly.

Pepper looked at him, seeing how much he had changed since he was the terrified boy who had been kicked out with his newborn daughter. She stood from the couch and opened the door to his trailer, stopping to look at him before she left.

“I missed you too, Tony.” She said with a stoic face before leaving.

Follow @sestras-reblogs to stay updated, let me know if you liked it!

#bucky barnes x reader #steve rogers x reader #bucky barnes au #steve rogers au #bucky barnes angst #steve rogers angst #bucky barnes x natasha romanoff #jane the virgin au #sam wilson x natasha romanoff #jane the virgin #natasha romanoff x reader

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