#imagine being 13-16 and having to practically be your little brother’s guardian

[yootaesowlwrites]

Give Me Strength Chapter 10;

"If I may ask, where are your parents?" Elijah asks, they were now seated on the couch in her living room after he had cleaned her neck and her hand.

"Dead," Alex says. "But if you do want to talk to them, they're at the cemetery just outside of Mystic Falls." It's been years since her parents died and she had mourned them and moved on with her life, as they say, time heals all wounds... well, not all wounds, not always.

"I am so sorry to hear that," Elijah says sympathetically.

"You have nothing to be sorry about, it happened a long time ago, years," Alex says. "It was a couple of days before my thirteenth birthday." She says with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"And you are sixteen now?" Elijah asks, Alex shakes her head.

"Seventeen, my birthday was a couple of months ago," Alex says, Elijah nods his head.

"Who took care of you afterwards?" Elijah asks curiously.

"I took care of myself," Alex says. "When we uh moved here, my family disowned my parents and me, so they didn't want anything to do with me or my parents." That enraged Elijah.

"Family are not supposed to behave in such manner," Elijah states, although his family was dysfunctional they still cared for each other.

"Well, they can if they want to," Alex says. "Not all families give a shit about everyone, they didn't bother to come to the funeral, so... screw them," Alex says. "Besides, I'm still breathing aren't I?" Elijah watches her for a moment. "But the uh Gilbert family, across the street, they took me in... and I came back after a year, they just— they uh didn't care," Alex confesses.

"Do you ever miss your parents?" Elijah asks, Alex takes in a deep breath.

"I uh do wonder how my life would have turned if they were, you know, still alive," Alex says. "I try to kind of imagine it in some way... but uh, somehow, I just can't come up with a scenario."

"How did they die? If you do not mind me asking." Elijah says, Alex smiles at him.

"If this is twenty-one questions, I have a few questions of my own for you too, Elijah," Alex says, Elijah smiles nodding his head.

"Perhaps we should make a deal, if you tell me your story, I will tell you everything you must know or want to know about the supernatural," Elijah says, Alex nods her head and gives him a pleased smile.

"You have got yourself a deal," Alex says. "But, You are a guest in my house, do you want something to drink?" Alex asks.

"Not right now, thank you," Elijah says, Alex begins playing with her nails in nervousness.

"Lets uh see, My parents were killed right outside when I was about to turn thirteen, it was late in the evening and I was waiting for them in the living room watching cartoons, I didn't even hear them arrive until I heard my mother scream," Alex says, she licks her lips thinking back to that she licks her lips thinking back to that night. "I uh, rushed outside but whoever had murdered them had already gone and they were dead next to the car."

"How where they...?" Elijah asks, curious if a vampire or werewolf perhaps killed them.

"They were uh stabbed," Alex says, motioning with her hands she pretends to stab herself in the heart. "In the heart, or at least I think so, there was uh a lot of blood." Elijah nods his head. "The family across the streets, The Gilbert family, apparently called the police, the driveway was filled with all the neighbours."

"That must have been horrifying to see," Elijah states, Alex nods her head.

"I couldn't sleep for days, I looked like a freakin' zombie," Alex says. "Which makes me wonder if that was a normal-looking face for the Gilbert family."

"How come you say that?" Elijah asks.

"Because uh, they took me in after the uh murder, they were supposed to look after me but uh never did," Alex says. "They failed to notice my downward spiral, the sadness and the depression." Elijah nods his head waiting for her to continue. "And then one night I just wanted to get out of that forsaken house." Alex takes in a deep breath. "I managed to uh get out of the house that night, I walked around the neighbourhood, not really paying attention and that's how I ended up meeting Jayden, one of my uh friends, I think you met him uh yesterday?"

"Ah, yes, Jayden," Elijah says, now he had a name to the face and he disliked him more than he already did.

"He's uh... not the best, but we bonded after his mother died in a car accident, he ended up giving me drugs to numb the pain," Alex says. "It helped, a lot."

"He took advantage of you," Elijah states, Alex nods her head.

"He did... but I honestly just... I was practically screaming out for somebody to help me, to listen to me but nobody heard my pleas." Alex says. "I feel like I deserved a guardian that at least gave a shit about me, but Mr and Mrs Gilbert only cared about Elena and Jeremy's well being, I know I wasn't their child but why offer to care for somebody if you're not actually going to care for them?" Alex lets out a sight after a small rant. "But uh anyway, so after about a year and only having Jayden as my friends, I met Tyler, he's the uh youngest in our uh small group, and we were basically just a bad influence on him." Alex could see Elijah about to ask something. "His parents are strict." She quickly says, Elijah nods his head.

"How strict if I may ask?" Elijah asks.

"They uh sent him to a boarding school somewhere, about a week ago," Alex says, Elijah nods his head. "We then met Santino a few months afterwards, and he brought the booze with him."

"Perhaps you should consider better friends," Elijah says, Alex chuckles and shakes her head.

"Nobody want's to be friends with me, They gave literally labelled me as the towns addict and whore," Alex says.

"Whore? Why on earth would they call you that?" Elijah asks.

"Apparently I sleep around a lot, but let me tell you, I've only had sex with four different people, some more than others," Alex says, Elijah nods his head.

"Why do you do it?" Elijah asks, curious.

"Honestly... to numb the pain, the drugs and the alcohol numbs the pain," Alex says. "The uh sex, just for fun." Elijah nods his head not sure what he's supposed to say.

"Do you perhaps regret your decisions?" Elijah asks, Alex gives him a sad smile.

"Look at me... I'm a fucking addict, Elijah, of course, I regret most of my decisions." Alex says. "The drugs, the liquor... I sometimes wish I never met Jayden or Santino, and don't start preaching to me, I know I had a choice, everyone always has a damn choice." Alex places her hands over her face letting out a sigh. "I just made the wrong one."

"I was not planning on preaching," Elijah says. "But narcotics and alcohol are not there for anyone to abuse, it is dangerous." Alex uncovers her face letting out a long sigh.

"Do you know what is really sad... people don't give a shit about you unless you're perfect in their eyes, if you're an addict they toss you aside and treat you like shit." Alex states. "But when they need help, they are quick to run to you and ask for it, and you just have to drop everything you're doing to help them."

"You deserved a better life." Elijah states.

"At least somebody thinks so," Alex whispers. "I have nobody, that's why I keep Jayden and Santino in my circle because they are the only ones that seem to give a shit about me." Alex stood up from the couch. "Now you're probably thinking that is the entire reason why I hate Elena so much, that is not it." Alex walks around the couch, Elijah's eyes follow her every move. "When their parents died, her brother, Jeremy, came to me and asked me for drugs, and I gave it to him and that is why we hate each other."

"She blames you?" Elijah asks, but he already knew the answer to that question.

"Yes," Alex says. "She blames me." Elijah knew he shouldn't get involved with a human, but he had taken such a fascination with Alexandra Zastrod, he wanted to get to know her a little more and see what she was capable of, she was different, so he made a decision.

"If you allow me, I could help you," Elijah suggests, She wanted to laugh at his suggestion.

"I'm far too gone... I'm damaged and I can't be helped." Alex says. "Do you know how much of a burden it is when parents blame you for their children's overdoses," Alex says, a lump formed in her throat. "I didn't even know most of them and they were probably killed by something else, but it's just easier to blame the druggie rather than search for the actual cause." Alex could feel tears forming in her eyes, Elijah was about to get up from the couch. "I'm just— I need something to drink." Alex walks into the kitchen and gets a glass and fills it with water. "Get a fucking grip..." Alex mumbles to herself, she leaves the kitchen with the glass of water. "Uh, enough about me... your turn," Alex says walking towards the couch, she sits down and takes a sip from her water.

"Where shall I begin..." Elijah trails off.

[1] - [2] - [3] - [4] - [5] - [6] - [7] - [8] - [9] - [10 you’re here] - [11] - [12] - [13] - [14] - [15] - [16] - [17] - [18] - [19] - [20] - [21] - [22] - [23] - [24] - [25]

#The Vampire Diaries Fan fiction #The Originals Fan Fiction #Elijah Mikaelson Fan Fiction #elijah mikaelson imagines

[sassycassie-s-series]

All My Fault 18

By: SassyShoulderAngel319

Fandom/Character(s): DC, BatFam - Damian Wayne/Batman

Rating: PG

Notes: (Masterlist) And here we see just a tiny bit of what time displacement would feel like when it wasn’t significant enough that everyone you know and love is gone. Imagine just getting thrown eight years into your own future. Yikes. I’m so excited for next chapter y’all. Like, you have no idea.

Tag List (Open): @batboys-and-other-messes  @probsjosh​ @simply-x-nanna  @spooder-moon @welovegroot

Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5, Ch 6, Ch 7, Ch 8, Ch 9, Ch 10, Ch 11, Ch 12, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 15, Ch 16, Ch 17

^^^^^

I slouched in the desk chair in the Batcave, completely alone for the first time in a while. Tim and Bruce had gone with Alfred into the Wayne Enterprises building for something—they seemed to be doing that a lot—and Dick had gone into the precinct for work. Jason was somewhere. Damian was somewhere. Cass was still on her mission, though she was scheduled to come home soon.

I peered over all the windows displayed in front of me on the Bat-computer. “Wow,” I mumbled with a heavy sigh.

“Something wrong?” Damian asked, descending the stairs.

I twirled around in the chair to face him. “No. It’s just weird,” I said, indicating to the open programs on the massive monitor behind me. “I looked up all my old high school friends. Every single one of them except one is married. The one that’s not married has a doctorate in environmental engineering. Five of the ones that are married have at least one kid. They’re all twenty-nine with well-established adult lives. And I’m… here. Still twenty-one.” I scratched my nose. “It’s just weird that one split-second decision to say goodbye to the boys I consider my brothers caused me to miss so much.”

Damian sighed and leaned against the desk with his hips, arms folded over his chest and facing away from the screen. “Tt. It’s my fault,” he said. “I offered. I thought it would take five minutes. A simple trip here. A simple trip back to your past.”

“I'm grateful, though,” I said thoughtfully.

Damian looked at me, almost alarmed. “Grateful? You’ve missed nearly a decade! Your friends have moved on without you. Your family company went through a scandal when you were supposed to be leading it. How can you be grateful to me for this?” he demanded, sounding disgusted at himself.

I contemplated his face calmly, resting my elbows on the computer desk—that was really more of a console—and propping my chin up on my knuckles. “Certain points in time are fixed,” I said. “It’s a multiversal constant that in any universe and any timeline that Jason Todd meets a certain Bruce Wayne who’s Batman, Jason Todd will die.”

I glanced over at the computer screen full of records of my old friends and then back to his eyes.

“Maybe me going missing was a constant too—a fixed point in the multiverse and every timeline in it. Maybe if you’d returned me as was planned, I’d go missing some other way before I could even see thirteen-year-old you again. Maybe I’d actually get lost in the time stream. At least this way, I went missing for eight years, shaped the lives of those I left behind in some way, and came out the other end alive and well,” I continued.

Damian stared at me, and then looked over his shoulder. “Would you care to see any of your friends?” he asked. “I assume they are aware of your return.”

I sighed again and looked down at my hands. My knuckles were scabbed from patrol. My knuckles were always scabbed from patrol. “I think they know. I got a couple DMs from them on social media welcoming me back, but I'm sure they’re all busy. Maybe some other day.”

Damian turned his eyes back to me. “Are you certain?”

“Yeah. I'm not up to it today,” I decided. “They’ll understand.”

Damian just stared for a moment. “Alright,” he relented. “However, should you change your mind, I would be happy to accompany you.”

“Thanks Dami,” I said, closing all the windows on the computer because if I looked any more I’d definitely start crying. My friends had kids. I was supposed to be there for that. As an only child, my friends were my siblings. I was supposed to be a fairy godmother to those kids from the moments they were born. Maybe even an actual godmother. I’d missed it.

Better late than never, I reminded myself. Once you get your life back together in this future, you can be there for those kids.

I got up from the computer, standing very close to him. I could have put the desk chair between us and gotten up on the other side, but I hadn’t. Instead, I stood within inches of him and held my arms out to my sides, palms facing him just in front of my body, silently asking for a hug.

He accepted without protest, wrapping his arms around me and putting his nose in my hair. I guessed if anyone else were around he wouldn’t have. But we were alone, and he knew me well. When I wanted comfort, I wanted a hug. I was grateful he was willing to give one to me when no one else was around (meaning Dick—who didn’t need to be asked). Sure, he’d hugged me when he turned up my age in the past where I was from, but I’d brushed that off as relief at seeing me alive again after eight years. This was just a hug because I wanted one.

He smelled good. Something I had a hard time placing. Spices I thought—with a slight scent of paint clinging to his shirt. He was warm and strong and his hug felt comforting.

When I pulled away, I smiled at him. “Thanks,” I said.

He blinked. “For… what?”

“Giving me a hug. Remember, thirteen-year-old you would barely let me touch him. No hand-on-shoulder, no hair-ruffling, no nudges with an elbow—nothing,” I said.

He glanced down at his shoes. “Tt. I'm over that now,” he said, tutting more at himself than me. “I was so concerned with being the one true Robin and better than Batman in every way that I pushed others away. Took me up until very recently to dismantle that.”

I tilted up onto my tiptoes. “You’re still a better Batman,” I whispered. “Don’t tell Bruce.” Pursing my lips into a tight but cheeky grin, I winked, twisted on the ball of my foot, and trotted towards the stairs. I could feel Damian’s eyes boring into the back of my head—whether from surprise that I’d say that or still trying to process what I’d said I wasn’t sure—as I went up the stairs and back into the manor.

^^^^^

I paused outside Bruce’s study, book clutched so tightly in my hands that my knuckles were white and the pages creaked.

“—two years, Master Wayne,” Alfred was saying. “Don’t let her get dragged into all of this. Once she’s eighteen she’ll be able to make her own life, safe from this one. Unlike your other children, she wasn’t selected by you. Her parents chose you to be her guardian in the event of their death. She was placed in your life, not brought in.”

“Alfred, she’s just like Dick when I took him in, just older. She’s grieving and needs somewhere to put it.”

“I disagree,” Alfred said.

“Besides,” Bruce continued, “there’s no way any of the kids could keep their comings and goings secret from her for two years. And she has extensive martial arts training from Lyle’s insistence on his little girl being able to defend herself.”

“Master Wayne, she’s innocent of this life. You made Master Dick your partner so he could become well-adjusted to his loss. Master Jason took it up so he could channel his emotions. Master Tim made himself your partner more than anything. And Master Damian was a special case. As was Miss Cassandra.”

“Alfred, you know her. You saw how she was when her parents were alive. She may have a bright and happy personality but she’s sharp as a tack and stubborn as a bull—about as strong as one too. She needs some sort of structure.”

“Allow her to have that with her education,” Alfred said.

“Hrn. The education system is a mess. It’ll stamp out her passion like a team of horses,” Bruce said. “Two years, Alfred. And then she’s free to make her life her own if she wants.”

I gathered my courage and knocked on the door, wondering what on Earth they were talking about and also not wanting to know. They were talking about me, but what other life were they meaning? What was going on? I didn’t know if I wanted to know.

Bruce opened the door. “Hello Nora,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

I held the book in my hands out. “Tim said I could probably find Alfred here. I was wondering if he could give me a hand with this homework assignment. I wrote the essay, I just wanted to have another set of eyes read it and Dick said Alfred was good at that…” I trailed off, turning red and looking down.

“Of course, child,” Alfred said, exiting the office. “I would love to go over your essay with you. It would be a much-needed relief of the rest of the drama in this house.” He put his hand on my shoulder and steered me back down the corridor of the huge house towards the room I’d been given. “Miss McCloud, I'm not going to pretend that you didn’t hear anything that just transpired, however, I will encourage you to forget you heard it. You’re safer that way,” Alfred commented.

“Uh… right,” I said.

^^^^^

That was one of my first nights in the manor, before I knew that Bruce Wayne and Batman were the same person. I remembered being so confused and almost scared about what they were talking about before Bruce got his way and introduced me to the vigilante life. I appreciated Alfred sticking up for me and trying to keep me safe, but I liked being Cloudburst. It didn’t help me with my grief too much, but it did distract me when I didn’t feel like working through it.

Now, five years later (to me), I still missed my parents but I no longer mourned them.

I flopped onto my bed and looked up at the ceiling for a moment, thinking about my friends. Married with kids most of them, higher education degrees finished… and I was still practically a child to them. I couldn’t guarantee that they’d be more mature than I was, but they had eight more years of life experience.

I wondered if they’d still like me. Or if they’d see me as immature since my bright, playful personality was still intact. People didn’t change that much, did they?

Next

#All My Fault #Chapter 18 #All My Fault Chapter 18 #Damian Wayne #Damian Wayne Imagine #Damian Wayne FanFiction #Robin #Robin Imagine #Robin FanFiction #Batman #Batman Imagine #Batman FanFiction #BatFam #BatFam Imagine #BatFam FanFiction #DC #DC Imagine #DC FanFiction

[imjustthemechanic]

The French Mistake

Part 1/? - A Visitor Part 2/? - The Kulturhistorisk Museum Heist Part 3/? - Cutscene Part 4/? - The Marvel Cinematic Universe Part 5/? - Breathless Part 6/? - Escape at Last Part 7/? - Fox in Socks Part 8/? - Things Go Wrong Part 9/? - Downey and Out Part 10/? - Road Trip Part 11/? - Temptation Part 12/? - An Awful Reunion Part 13/? - Unreality Intrudes Part 14/? - A Call for Help Part 15/? - Loki’s Guests Part 16/? - Stan Lee Cameo Part 17/? - Reassessment Part 18/? - Midnight Invasion Part 19/? - Elevator Fight Part 20/? - Courage Part 21/? - Unwelcome Back Part 22/? - Darkest Hour Part 23/? - They Are Here Part 24/? - The Jet Propulsion Laboratory Part 25/? - Word of God Part 26/? - Avengers Assembled Part 27/? - The Houston Underground Part 28/? - Houston has a Problem Part 29/? - Onward and Upward Part 30/? - The Chi’Tauri Queen Part 31/? - Through the Wormhole Part 32/? - Prisoners Part 33/? - Arm’s Length Part 34/? - A Moment’s Respite Part 35/? - Ravagers to the Rescue Part 36/? - What Happened to Hiddleston Part 37/? - Haven Part 38/? - Steve Has a Terrible Idea

I should clearly never let my stories reach space because they always wander off on side adventures.  Also I’m gonna have to namedrop @copperbadge as a credit for the joke about RDJ’s life advice, though I’m sure they will have NO IDEA what’s going on in this fic.

When they returned to the dormitory they found that Thor had started telling the actors about what they’d been doing during their visit to the other universe.  He’d gotten as far as meeting up with Steve and Nat at the airport in Canada.

“They were not alone,” he said.  “They had Robert Downey Junior with them.”

“Oh, no,” groaned Evans.  “Bob’s going to give us hell about this for the rest of our lives.”

“You should not disrespect him,” said Thor.  “He is a brave man in his own way, who has done much good in the world.”

“I know,” said Evans, “but he’s also a tease. You should hear him when he decides to ‘advise’ me on my ‘life choices’.”

“We can probably imagine it,” said Nat, sitting down again.  She grabbed one of the fruits.  The others had been eating them by squeezing them until the sides split and the applesauce-like interior oozed out, and then sucking that up.  Steve tried it himself, prepared for something horrible, but it turned out to be both tart and sweet, something like rhubarb with a lot of sugar, but a texture more like a soft pear.  Unfamiliar, but in no way inedible.

“What did you learn?” Thor asked them.

“Aarflot was talking to the Captain again,” Natasha said.  “The Captain was telling him how we stole a Leviathan, which Aarflot seemed to find impressive, but then he added that we have some kind of wormhole drive on board. They agreed it couldn’t be a normal Chi’Tauri hyperdrive because that’s too big to fit in a Leviathan, which is a short-range ship anyway, so it must be something new and unusual.”

Steve groaned – he could tell where this was going. “They’re going to sell our ship out from under us?”

“That’s what it sounds like,” said Nat.  “So we can’t sit here, no matter how tempting that may be after everything we’ve already done the past couple of days.  We need a plan to get it back.”

She looked at Steve.  Steve was about to protest that Nat thought his plans were terrible, but then he realized everybody else was looking at him, too, with that same expression people always used when they were assuming he was in charge.  Even Evans, who should have known better if anybody did, was waiting for Steve to say something.  Why did everybody always assume Steve was the ideas guy?

“Well,” he said, “the last time we were stuck in a hotel with aliens who wanted to kill us, we went out the window, but we can’t do that here because we’re in space,” he said.  At least there wasn’t going to be another elevator here, since they’d seen no sign the building had one.  “Aarflot’s probably been told to keep us in here while the Captain finds a buyer for the Leviathan, so we’re going to have to distract him and slip out.”

“Then what?” asked Nat.  “We can’t go anywhere, he said Leviathans are short-range ships. I don’t know what that means in space travel but I doubt it’ll get us to Earth.  We would need the wormhole to go anywhere, and for that we need the tesseract, which might be light-years away with the Chi’Tauri.”

“We could go to Asgard!” said Hemsworth.  He turned to Thor.  “Heimdall sees everything, right?  One of you two must know how to call for him.”  He pointed at Thor, then at Loki, then Thor again.  “We’ll explain to him what’s going on, and then the Asgardians can help us get the tesseract back!”

Thor shook his head.  “And while we’re gone, the pirates here may dismantle or destroy our Leviathan,” he said.  “That is a risk we cannot take.  Besides, Asgard does not tangle with Thanos, nor he with us.  To do so would start a war neither side could support.”

Nobody had thought of that, and all were disappointed. “So… no help from Asgard,” said Evans.

“We’re gonna need somebody to keep the Chi’Tauri busy while we go for the tesseract,” said Steve.  “The Ravagers won’t help us without being paid for it and I’m not sure even Asgard has the money to pay all of them.  We’re going to have to get help from somewhere else, but…” he stopped, as his train of thought wandered off down a side track.  The Ravagers wouldn’t help willingly, but they would defend themselves.  “Okay,” he said.  “Okay, wait, I think I have an idea.”

“Uh-oh,” said Natasha.

“Don’t uh-oh,” Steve said.  “A moment ago you were waiting for me to come up with something! Just give me moment to think.”

The idea crystallized slowly, piece by piece. It was probably a terrible plan – Peggy might have called it suicidal and Hayley Atwell definitely would.  He’d be risking all their lives, but then, any attempt to get the tesseract back from the Chi’Tauri would be a terrible risk.  There wouldn’t be a second chance if they got it wrong, but second chances were a luxury the Avengers never had.  Besides, they were back in a universe they knew the rules of now.  That in itself might help.

“Well?” Nat said.  “What’s the idea?”

Steve told them.  He expected Nat to tell him it was his worst idea ever, but instead, the first person to offer an opinion was Loki.

“I’m not doing it,” he said.

“It worked for the Guardians of the Galaxy,” Hemsworth offered.

“No, it didn’t!” said Johansson.  “Did you even watch that movie?”

“Who are the Guardians of the Galaxy?” asked Steve.

“You haven’t met them yet,” said Evans.  “You probably won’t like them.”

“Well, does anybody have a better idea?” Steve wanted to know.

Thor poked his brother.  “Loki, if you refuse to be present in person perhaps you could cast an illusion of…”

“I’m saving my strength to switch our bodies back, remember?” Loki asked.  “If you wish to put that off then by all means, ask me to do card tricks in the mean time!  I will have no part of it.”

Nat thought for a moment.  “I might… I’m not sure it’s actually a better idea, but it may be an improved variation.”

“Will it still use me as bait?” asked Loki.

“No,” said Nat, “but we’ll need the cooperation of one of the Ravagers.  Don’t worry, whoever it is doesn’t have to be willing.”

Loki nodded.  “Then we’ll go with her idea.”

“Either way, the first step is to get out of here,” said Natasha.  She stood up and wiped mushy fruit innards off her fingers on her shirt.  “Which I am happy to do, because this is the shiftiest hotel I have ever been in, and I’ve been to Times Square in the 80’s.”

Johansson looked intrigued.  “Is that like the thing from the comics, where you’re way older than you look?” she asked eagerly.

“No,” said Natasha, “it was time travel.  I’ll tell you about it later.”

“Even better and yet oddly disappointing,” sighed Johansson, “since it probably means the writers will never let me kiss Sebastian Stan.”

“You should probably talk to Sebastian about that,” said Steve.

They started down the stairs in a group, having decided that the most powerful members of the party should go first.  That way if they were challenged, they could keep Aarflot distracted while everybody else snuck out, and then hopefully make their own getaway even if he called for reinforcements.  Hemsworth and Evans therefore led the way, with Steve, Thor, Natasha, and Johansson clustered close to Loki and Hiddleston, who were still the ones in greatest need of protection.

Aarflot was still in the lobby.  He was now behind the little counter, and since Steve couldn’t see a door that led into the area, he couldn’t imagine how he’d got there – Aarflot was surely much too big to climb through the little window.  He was chatting with Miss Alpha-Eleven-Three, who had a new arm now, though it didn’t match any of her other parts.

“Begging your pardon, Sweet-Beeps,” said Aarflot. “Our guests are here.  Did you fine people need anything?” he asked. His face was all smiles and his voice all helpfulness, but there was still the impression that he wanted them to know they’d been seen.

“Ah, Sir Aarflot,” said Hemsworth, stepping forward. “I did have one question.”

“What can I do for my honoured guest?” Aarflot asked.

“I know little as yet of the practices in Haven,” Hemsworth said, “but in Asgard and indeed on my friends’ world of Earth, it is considered unseemly that a prince should share his lodgings with so many others. My brother’s company I do not mind, and I can stretch to accept our guests, but must there be strangers?”

“I know I don’t sound like that,” Thor muttered.

“You mean Fishlips?” asked Aarflot.  “She’s harmless – she’s hibernating, actually. Won’t be up for weeks yet.”

“I do not begrudge the Lady Fishlips a place to sleep,” Hemsworth assured him, “but I would rather not be in the same room with her.  Have you nothing more private?”

“You’ve clearly never been on a space station before, if you think we have much privacy,” Aarflot told him.  “Maybe I can hang some curtains around her bed or something…”

With Hemsworth’s broad shoulders to fill the space around the little counter where Aarflot was, and with Evans standing next to him so Miss Alpha couldn’t see either, the others started to creep by one by one.  What they hadn’t bargained on, but really should have, was Aarflot having accomplices.  Natasha made it to the door and eased it open, and immediately heard an excited cry from outside.

“It’s them!” a high-pitched voice exclaimed.

There must have been a crowd waiting outside, because Nat had to step back from the door very quickly as at least a dozen people tried to surge through at once.  There were aliens of every description, from those who looked almost entirely human to things on which Steve couldn’t even identify an obvious head, all climbing over and pushing past each other to get inside.  Any hope Steve might have had that this crowd wasn’t there for them was quickly quashed. Actors and Avengers formed a tight group at the bottom of the spiral stairs as their fans gathered around them.

“Did you really steal a Leviathan?” a short, furry creature asked.

“Just… what, ten of you?” a more human-looking individual said.

“Eight,” said Steve, holding his hands up in honest fear that the crowd would crush him.

“Eight!  Just eight of you against a whole hive!”  A banana-yellow woman, complete with the sorts of black spots a ripe banana would have, and with yarn-like white hair, crushed herself up against Evans and put her arms around his neck.  “How did you manage it?”

“Uh.”  Evans looked at Steve.  “Teamwork. And, um… sit-ups.  Lots of sit-ups.”

This guy was an actor?  Steve rolled his eyes and turned his head, and found himself looking right at Aarflot, who had a satisfied smile on his face.  So did Miss Alpha at his side, and Steve was absolutely sure that they’d done this on purpose.  They knew that the party couldn’t leave the hotel if they were going to be mobbed the moment they stepped outside.

“My name is Musa,” said the banana woman.  “What’s yours?”

“Chris,” said Evans.  “I mean Steve!  Can you… can you excuse us?”

Aarflot clapped his hands.  “Now, now, everybody!” he said, stepping through the crowd.  “Our guests are very tired – defeating an entire Chi’Tauri hive is doubtless very hard work.  They need rest and, importantly, privacy!  Is that not what Prince Thor came to ask me about?”  He smiled at Hemsworth – a smile with a bit of triumph behind it.

“Verily,” said Hemsworth.

“Then we’d better make some more appropriate arrangements for you,” said Aarflot.  “All of you, come with me.  Miss Alpha-Eleven-Three, if you would hold back the baying mob, please?”

Miss Alpha held up the arm she hadn’t recently replaced, and the hand bent back at an unnatural angle, exposing what was definitely the muzzle of some sort of weapon.  People moved back.

“That’s better,” said Aarflot, shooing them up the stairs.  “Come now, let’s find you that privacy you wanted so badly.”

#fanfic #steve rogers #natasha romanov

[unicornsandcharlie2]

1. What is one thing that brings a smile to your face, no matter the time of day?

David playing around, my baby cousins.

2. What’s is one thing that you’re proud of?

Being a good sister, a communicative daughter and keeping a diary for 11 years.

3. What makes you laugh?

My best friend Marina, she’s hilarious. The Receipts podcast, stan twitter, Real Housewives fight compilations, Dance Moms 

4. When you’re feeling super lazy, what’s your guilty-pleasure Netflix show?

I’ve only begun watching it recently, The Thick Of It, but I haven’t watched it enough for it to be my go to.

5. What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done?

Telling my parents I was sexually abused as a child and who had done it.

6. What is one memory you have from childhood?

Going to the toilet in my kindergarten in Kenya and wearing the blue uniform.

7. What’s the best thing about your life right now?

Not sure. My health maybe.

8. What is one thing that you’re thankful for?

A loving and supportive family.

9. What’s one thing that you fear?

Losing my friends.

10. If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging

11. Can you tell me one thing, big or small, that you’ve never told anyone else?

I get blisters on my feet

12. If you were forced to leave your home and move to a county you’ve never been before, what are three things that you’d take with you?

My diary, laptop and my bank card. 

13. What’s a favorite memory with a pet/animal?

Walking ralph and stroking him to sleep.

14. Who are you closest to in your family?

My brothers. But my mum knows the  most about me.

15. What’s your family like?

Loving, invasive, safe, ever growing, loud and Eritrean

16. What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?

Salted Caramel but I love a cheeky chocolate cornetto 

17. What’s your favorite joke?

The Gregg joke

18. What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done?

Stapled my finger 

19. If you could rewrite your past, what’s one thing you’d change?

I would kiss him back.

20. What do you think your best physical feature is?

My smile

21. What’s one thing about yourself, personality-wise, that you like?

I am an Optimist

22. When you’re feeling down, who or what is your biggest go-to person or activity?

Listening to my favourite podcasts, and talking to my best mates.

23. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Old me would have said chocolate digestives, but I am trying to be healthy so no idea mate.

24. What’s one thing you’re super passionate about?

Reading.

25. If you had to lose one of your five senses, which would you give up and why?

Sense of smell, everything else is essential.

26. What’s the hardest thing, physically, you’ve ever done?

Surviving Masawa heat in a car with 6 other people, sitting on leather seats 

27. What’s the hardest thing, mentally, you’ve ever done or been through?

Coming to terms with my childhood trauma, and the latent issues it caused and manifested itself in destructive behavioural patterns.

28. What’s the best part about your job?

I do not work currently.

29. What’s one thing that defines who you are?

Reading and being a big sister.

30. If tomorrow was your last day on earth, what would you do in your last 24 hours?

Spending time with all my family, kissing my cousins incessantly, calling back to Eritrea, eating my favourite foods, swimming, go for a run, see my best friends .

31. What do you believe in, generally or faith-wise?

I believe in myself, I believe in being kind to people, I believe in being critical when necessary. I haven’t quite figured the rest out yet.

32. If you had to describe yourself in three words, what would they be?

I’m a Sagittarius. 

33. Where’s the coolest place you’ve ever been/traveled to?

Eritrea

34. What’s one thing people would never know about you just by looking at you?

I love X men and used to read the comics a lot.

35. What’s one thing about the opposite sex that you’re attracted to?

Their backs.

36. What are three qualities you look for in a potential date?

Communicative

Compatible

Beautiful

37. What’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever done for a girl?

I got the bus all the way to the practical outskirts of London when I was like 12 to give her a lock in the shape of a heart to let her know she was still my best friends even though we went to different schools.

38. How would others describe you?

Smart, funny a little bit crazy.

39. What’s your all-time favorite memory?

Floating in a river in Turkey looking up at the sky, waking up in the morning to have breakfast with my family in Eritrea, when David says my name, my brothers giving me a hug and a kiss everytime we say goodnight.

40. What are your parents/step-parents/guardians/people who raised you like?

Eritrean, one is a Libra, the other a Scorpio. Nuff said.

41. What’s your go-to alcoholic drink?

Disarrano and coke

42. What would be your ideal first date?

Bonfire night, huddled up together to get warm, in our cute but warm winter clothes. I am drinking dairyfree hot chocolate, November has just begun, the air is crisp and cool. We look at each other, our faces illuminated by the fireworks above us, amongst all these people I know I will be safe with them. We kiss.

43. If you could have three wishes, what would they be?

1) Return back to 2016 and start life again

2)Redistribute wealth and resources to the global south and reparations to the colonised countries

3) Protect all my cousins and brothers from ever being abused.

44. If you could a full 24 hours without any work or obligations, a day to just do whatever you wanted, what would you do?

I did try this and fell into a depressive episode so..

45. What is the best compliment you’ve ever received?

When Ali told me he liked my smile.

46. What is something you’re talented at?

Finding books when I have forgotten the name of the book, name of the author and really only know the obscure details of it.

47. What’s your favourite college memory?

Did not enjoy it enough to have a favourite experience.

48. What is your best friend like?

Funny, a Pisces, irreverent, kind, intelligent, athletic, adaptable, mysterious.

49. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

North London.

50. What’s one thing you want to do before you die?

Go to Antarctica.

51. If someone gave you a million dollars right now, what would you spend it on?

Put it all in savings and buy plane tickets for my WHOLE family to visit Eritrea one year so we can all see each other before my grandparents die.

52. Have you ever made a decision that changed your entire life? If so, what was it?

Telling my teachers I was having suicidal thoughts.

53. What’s your favourite thing to do on the weekends?

Read and drink tea

54. What’s your zodiac sign? And do you think it describes you?

Sag sun, Cap moon and Venus, Gemini rising. To a T.

55. What’s your biggest regret?

Too many to count.

56. What can always put you in a good mood?

A good cup of tea and Beyonce.

57. What’s your guilty pleasure snack, drink, or junk food?

Being a Barb and Chocolate digestives.

58. If you were forced to eat fast food for your every meal, what would be your top two places?

Five Guys.

59. What’s one thing you wish you could change about yourself?

I wish I was better being focused and also a billionaire. And to stop dwelling on the past.

60. If you had the option to hit restart and begin life all over again, would you?

YES

61. Have you ever lost someone close to you? What were they like?

In regards to death, yes my Grandfather. He loved me a lot but I couldn’t tell you anything about his personality, stoic I guess. In a broader sense of course I went to 4 different schools, so I have lost friends that way.

62. What’s your favorite social media profile?

My secret twitter, I am very wholesome on there.

63. What’s one thing that totally relaxes you when you’re stressed?

That one day everybody is going to be dead and none of this will matter eventually because our bodies are temporary things which will decay.

64. What’s a random hobby you’ve always wanted to try but never have?

Ballet.

65. When was the last time you cried, and why did you?

Cannot remember, probably a few days ago because of my academic obligations.

66. What scares you the most about the future?

Climate change and my career and my family’s health.

67. Do you want to have children someday?

Yes.

68. What do you imagine your future family will be like?

Healthy and Eritrean.

69. Have you ever done or accomplished something you never thought you could? What was it?

Yes.Telling people about my abuse.

70. What’s one thing you could never live without?

Pen and paper

71. Who is one person you could never live without?

Myself, literally.

72. What’s your favourite vacation place?

Eritrea.

73. Would you rather go out or stay in on a Saturday night?

Go out ( but I don’t very often )

74. What’s your favourite quote, line of poetry, or sentence?

“You don’t have to change, you just have to learn how to live with yourself”

75. What’s your favorite family memory?

I don’t know.

76. What’s one thing that helps you decide you can trust someone?

If they are measured, if I can relax around them.

77. Have you been in love before?

No.

78. How would you explain what ‘love’ is?

Still loving them and wanting the best for them when you are extremely angry.

79. Have you ever gotten your heart broken?

Yes.

80. What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself from a past relationship?

I am not as slick as I think I am and physical affection makes me feel nervous.

81. What’s your biggest pet peeve?

People moving my shit and not telling me where it is,

82. What’s one thing that’s a total turn off?

Ignorance.

83. What’s one thing that’s a total turn on?

A nice voice.

84. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done for a girl?

I don’t fucking know?!

85. What’s your go-to drink/food/activity when you’re sick and in bed?

Tea and biscuits and spicy noodles.

86. What’s the scariest thing that ever happened to you as a kid?

Watching Taken and having very vivid nightmares about it afterward.

87. Who in your family, immediate or extended, are you the most similar to?

Henok.

88. Where do you see yourself in five years?

Happy, and thriving.

89. What’s your favorite song or artist?

Fast Car- Tracy Chapman.

90. What would be your dream job?

Getting paid to read the books I want.

91. If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?

I don’t know what’s going on either

92. What’s your favorite word?

Sefanit. It used to be unrealistic.

93. What keeps you up at night?

My academic obligations, trauma, the idea of never being happy and the internet.

94. What’s your go-to phrase?

Good for her.

95. What’s one silly, little-kid item that you still have somewhere hidden in your room?

My unicorn pet pillow, Hayley.

96. Who is someone that’s impacted your life or helped you become who you are?

Myrto- my therapist.

97. What’s one thing you want to achieve before you die?

Go to Antarctica.

98. What’s your favorite book?

This book will save your life by AM Homes.

99. What’s one thing, silly or serious, that you’re guilty of?

Swearing a lot.

100. What makes you blissfully, completely, smile-from-ear-to-ear happy?

Reading, a good cup of tea with chocolate digestives, my best friends jokes, when David says my name, having fun with my mum, my dad calling me sweetie, hearing the right playlist at the right time and clean sheets