#they're BOTH full of themselves they BOTH have an inflated ego

[pinkpuffballdude]

thinking very hard about how Berdly's dark world armor looks like Papyrus's outfit. and how the og Papyrus was gonna be a washed up gamer bro who thought he was better than you, showing in how he says he's Great and Cool and Epic but clearly doesn't belive it, while Berdly has a similar sense of inflated ego but without any of the charm. and how Deltarune acts as a narrative foil to Undertale, with all the characters that show up in both being just left of or perpendicular to themselves, and how Papyrus was a minor antagonist in the very beginning that ended up befriending the player and how Berdly also acted a minor antagonist/Henchman who befriends ("befriends") the player in chapter two, and how Berdly kinda feels like Papyrus but if he had zero charisma. many thoughts.

#undertale #deltarune #papyrus undertale #berdly deltarune #true story #the narrative parallels..... #also the fact that Berdly is universally hated while Papyrus is universally loved #(obvs exceptions exist but that's the trend) #and. when I break it down. I can't figure out Why. #they're BOTH full of themselves they BOTH have an inflated ego #Papyrus just seems... more self aware? #I don't think he lords it over you as much #ohhhhh and when he does misinterpret your words it's not to make you look stupid #every time Berdly misinterpreted someone it made him the center of the universe and the smartest best boy Ever #while Papyrus is just. a guy. #who can publically admit that he's taking lessons from someone better than him #also Papyrus self aggrandises in the same way I quote unquote change topic #'on a completely unrelated note [thing that is definitely related]' #it feels more like he's being sarcastic or trying to cover for himself than actually condescend #hm hm hm. like I said. many thoughts.

[nicosraf]

I loved your book! Where and how do you get the idea of writing a queer retelling of the fall of Satan? And is there any particular reason that out of all angels it is Michael that Lucifer fell for?

Hello! Thank you so much for reading! I'm happy you enjoyed :] <333

I wrote a long post about why I wrote the book and where it came from but TLDR: I have a lot of trauma regarding my gender/sexuality and Catholicism from growing up in a very Catholic Mexican community and from the couple months in a Christian conversion therapy situation. Queerness was forcibly associated with the devil in my brain, which I still have trouble shaking off, and I basically said, "Ok, let's say Satan is queer then–"

(I should also mention I was really amused by how queer a lot of angel-related texts were – Paradise Lost Book 8, for example, implying all angels are male-ish but have weird sex with each other.)

I'm not sure if you're asking why Lucifer fell for Michael in the story or why I decided to make Michael the love interest. If you're interested in why I choose Michael, I briefly talk about that here!

As for why Lucifer fell for Michael? Well, Lucifer obsesses and loves a lot of things in ABM - God, Earth, Michael (and all those things are a lot more similar than you might think). Michael was a lot to Lucifer – not just the person who told him to love himself but also a representation of a thousand things – power, leadership, strength, confidence and even god-ness.

Lucifer lied to himself a lot – ("He was happy, happy, happy. What else could an angel be but happy?") – and so you have to ask yourself how much of Lucifer's nature in Part 1 was genuine, how much of his want to submit ever was. (This isn't to say Lucifer was wickedly tricking the reader, just that he was insecure, he didn't know what he wanted. He was young.) Lucifer was ashamed of himself. It's said over and over, and surely it's true because he cries so much about it. But didn't he secretly want to be seen too, particularly as he aged? He dressed up for the feast at the gallery and painted his lips with pomegranate. He said he was happy serving God, but then he climbed trees and stared upward, waiting for Michael to return with a universe on his back.

Then Michael did return, and he pampered Lucifer and inflated the ego that maybe always wanted to be just a little bigger, wanted to be guided there. Plus, Michael is really hot. I'm serious. And it goes both ways. Michael fell in love with Lucifer instantly when he saw him from afar because of his beauty. They're both a bit self-absorbed for this: Lucifer wanted the strongest angel to love him, and Michael wanted the most beautiful.

But Lucifer loved Michael's pride, that he did more than just desire him, shyly, from afar: "But [Michael] looked at [Lucifer] differently, calling for him always differently, uttering his name fearlessly, taking and grabbing Lucifer in a way no other angel had the pride to do... 'You do not desire me.' ... 'Because you know I'm already yours." They're both full of themselves, really, but they like it in each other.

And, lastly, "Michael" derives from the Hebrew for "who is like God?". On one hand, Lucifer falling so fast and hard for Michael is just a continuation of his adoration of God (and a much better fit, because Lucifer can speak to Michael like an equal, he can relate to him, he can love him sincerely). And there's something really poetic, too, about Lucifer kissing and embracing and wanting to intermingle with this question of who is God. It's like he's answering it, like he's trying to say, "Me. It's Me."

#sorry for the LONG answer omg but im in a boring lecture rn skskksks #michael....... #michael and lucifer are so funny #theyre just so.... ppffhdsjhf #they have some growing up to do fr #angels before man #ask #mine

[animesllut666]

Most to Least likely to be sentimental (Headcannon) (Part two) (least)

Characters: Nanami, Sukuna, Geto.

Part 1

Anime: Jujutsu Kaisen

Warnings: Cursing, degrading, violence.

Summary: Most to least likely to be sentimental.

AN: Y'all going to be mad at me, for who I think would be the least sentimental.

+++++++++++++++++

GETO: Eh.. not to sentimental

Not SUPER sentimental

He isn't Gojo nor Choso

He did have two twin girls he took care of though

But he didn't ever really keep anything, unless they asked him to keep it

Even then though, he would kind of rotate it out or just toss it to the side after a few days

They never noticed 🤷

So when you came in

He just kind of did the same as he did with the girls

"I made you this," you would say, and he'd nod and accept it

Then remember that you were not a Jujutsu sorcerer and fucking go YEET

JK 👀 unless

If you did hang it up, he would leave it there, honestly wouldnt even notice it unless you or the girls pointed it out

He would wear the clothing you made, even earrings, scarfs, headbands etc.

Though he wouldnt care if he did misplace or lose them

He would though unless you started to cry.. maybe.

"Why are you crying?" " You lost those earrings I made you" "That just gives you more of an excuse to make more"

And he regrets saying that truthfully told

If he did keep anything from dates, it would be photocards from photo booths, maybe little stuffed animals, anything that you can get at those gift shops

Maybe.. it's iffy.

Just go behind his back, and start hanging your paintings, drawings, decorations. Man won't notice

He would though keep something if it's of him, you drew him? Front and center in the walk way, starts making a damn shrine for the drawings

You then start to see why him and Gojo got along, they both 100%

Would fuck themselves, their so into themselves it's.. it's insane

SUKUNA: Ha.. HA nope

...

This is Sukuna

Just.. no

Motherfucker would scuff if you gave him something that WASNT diamonds or jewels

"I made you this pain-" straight up glances at it and uses his cutting technique on it

"Disgusting" .

Don't even try to make him anything, unless... It fits his aesthetic.

Truthfully speaking, unless it had to do with inflating his ego and/or praising him

Yet again like Geto and all the other full of themselves guys in jujutsu kaisen

He won't keep anything

Like... Nothing

Very possessive

Though, if you made something for someone else.. THEN

Will keep everything, an throw a fit if you didn't give him it

Just over all, not sentimental, doesn't care at all unless it feeds his ego

Even then though, it's just for show

Don't get ya hopes up at that point cuz they'll come crashing down when he tosses it in the trash and looks at you with a dead expression

NANAMI: GOD.. I LEAST SENTIMENTAL IM SORRY

I DONT SEE THIS MAN BEING VERY SENTIMENTAL WITH THINGS

At all, would not keep the movie tickets, nor the stuffed animal you won for him, no jewelry, no paintings

"Why would I keep.them? They're garbage anyways."

Even if ya did hang something on the wall, I see him being so anal about it causing damage to the wall he would take it down and scold ya

"You'll damage the wall, I would to have my security deposit back,"

"I'll use something else the-"

"Honey... The adhesive may tear the paint" 😭😭🥲

He doesn't have a huge ego, so even if you drew him, painted something for him that was after himself, I don't think he'd keep it then.

"You keep it, you made it"

"It's for you though"

🤔😐 honestly tries to think of a way to tell you he doesn't want it, without being mean

I think the only way...he would keep something, is if it like idk, struck a cord in his heart

Or if he saw Gojo with it, and Gojo was going around bragging

"Your lover made me this!" "What?" Takes it back in a heartbeat and stashes it somewhere

In truths I just don't see him being sentimental with anything that you may make him, dating sites, shows, etc.

He doesn't come across like someone like that, doesn't mean he wouldnt love you any less. Be just... Doesn't hold value over little things such as that, in a relationship.

Doesn't mean he wouldn't be a great boyfriend/husband. Most certainly caring but he is pretty .. uptight at times.

BUT I STILL LOVE HIM 😍

#jujutsu kaisen imagines #drabble jjk #jjk imagines #jjk x reader #jujutsu kaisen #jjk x you #geto jujutsu kaisen #geto jjk #geto suguru #sukuna jjk #sukuna #nanami x y/n #jujutsu kaisen nanami #jjk nanami #reader x nanami #nanami kento #jujutsu nanami

[shit-talk-turner]

hey guys I have a question that has been puzzling me for a couple of days, I recently discovered that Alex's song "Miracle Aligner" has a secret verse that goes "I'm the boss man, in case you've forgotten, Doctor Top Gun, I can make it happen, I'm the first one in, I'm the last one out "I wanted to ask you, what do you think he meant by "Doctor Top Gun" I don't think it's a reference to Tom Cruise's film, right? 😅

// I'm SO GLAD someone brought this up. I love thinking about this, I'm not even going to go on anon in case anyone wants to talk to me directly about this because I'm for sure about to be super extra! Sorry in advance mods: I'm writing a thesis here full of good ol' speculation! 😅

I think this "secret verse" must've been written when the rest of the song was written - so when he was still writing with Savior for her album. I know that the "accepted" interpretation of the song is that its about a drug dealer, but outside of that, Miracle Aligner strikes me as a tongue-in-cheek song written from the perspective of someone who can tell they're being strung along by someone who views themselves as important and who is overpromising and either underdelivering, or expecting to be lauded too much in return. To me, it kinda falls into the same "Turner Family of Songs" as Brianstorm, Catapult, and to some extent, She Looks Like Fun - songs about characters who you have some level of disdain for but whose orbit you can't seem to escape.

The difference is that you can feel Savior's influence, her slightly sardonic lyrics, and her propensity for writing about the deliciously exciting feeling of giving in to something you know is bad for you throughout this song.

The chorus, I think, sets the tone well. Picture it in Savior's murderous lounge singer drawl and it starts to sound like the narrator is humoring the titular character, mockingly building up the lore/persona built around him. Overly clichéd turns of phrase and big, open-ended promises contribute to this feeling for me.

The first verse, imo, makes a lot of allusions to the narrator's journey to realizing that the Miracle Aligner may not be everything he's cracked up to be. "Fifty feet tall and revved up too high" could be in reference to someone feeling indestructible on cocaine, but it could also generally describe someone who is walking around with an ego or reputation that is over inflated and that they can't support. "All of our exchanges are by candle light, I just realized" - the narrator is realizing that their exchanges have been obscured or partially shrouded in darkness and presented back to them as "mysterious" or "romantic". Finally, "Make sense of the maze that you were stuck outside / Cover your eyes" to me is saying that the only way this character solves your problems is by making you not see them/forget they were there, rather than actually fixing anything. A charming swindler, maybe. A performer of miracles, he ain't. (As an aside, I also think Alex's extravagant-to-the-point-of-being-cheesy styling in the music video, coupled with the fact that he's leading Miles through choreography that isn't as impressive as it seems to think it is, supports the reading of the character in this way).

The bridge paints a better picture of the character himself as being arrogant, full of false humility, and yet somewhat seductive, which makes the narrator's draw to his orbit more understandable. The moments that the lyrics with sexual subtext come up also create what I think is an interesting tension. The most overt double entendres both happen at times where the line could also be interpreted as simply a reference to his power and grandiosity: "Born to blow your mind, or something along those lines" could equally refer to him generally amazing the narrator as it could to his sexual prowess; "get down on your knees" could refer to the narrator's need to beg him, praise him, or blow him, either in amazement of his abilities, or because he needs this constant ego boost to get anything done (hence the somewhat canned, cheesy encouragement in the line "go and get 'em tiger").

The second verse I think really just reinforces what was said above. It seems like the narrator is again making bombastic promises contributing to the lore around the title character but it lacks sincerity.

What I find interesting is that the "secret" verse comes in after all of this, and to me, is clearly written from the perspective of the Miracle Aligner. It's the only part of the song written in first person, and it's coming from someone who is super self-aggrandizing (to finally answer the anon's only actual question (lol sorry!): the "Doctor Top Gun" bit is a good example of that. I don't think it references the Tom Cruise film directly - Top Gun is often just used as a shorthand for "the most important person," and similarly "Doctor" is sometimes a colloquialism for "smartest person in the room." I think the Miracle Aligner is just saying he's the best of the best). Narratively, this verse reads to me like the Miracle Aligner has caught wind of the sardonic undertones in the picture the narrator has been painting of him and he is pissed. Suddenly, this cartoonishly overinflated figure that the narrator seemed to be gaining an upperhand on by seeing him for who he is and being the one in control of his narrative, has a scary, dangerous edge. The change in POV is obtrusive too - it feels like we were being told a story and suddenly the hero (antihero?) jumped out of the page at us with a threat. All of this makes him feel more grounded and powerful, which lets us believe that maybe he really is in control, and really can deliver/live up to his name.

Naturally this is all just my interpretation, and obviously this could all be about fictional characters and scenarios that have no root in reality, but it does make me wonder who this figure is to them. It obviously could still be a drug dealer, but I think it could also be a general "type" of person that they've come across. I could see Alex running into various Hollywood "fixer" types that fit this description, but I wonder who the reference for this figure could have been in Alexandra's life at the time? A label exec? Maybe Alex himself? Whether it's about him directly or not (I think probably not), the fact that he felt attached enough to this song to not just let it drop when it was cut from her album makes me think that there was a more personal connection to it. Maybe something in their relationship/dynamic bled into it, and Alex was able to see himself in both characters?

We know this song was originally written for Belladonna of Sadness and didn't make it on to the album... I wonder if it originally was meant to feature Alex's voice as well, specifically on the secret verse. They establish the Miracle Aligner as a man in the first few lines of the song, so it would make sense to bring in a male voice for the one verse that's in 1st person, and the fact that there would be a lack of contrast in voices when it became a TLSP song would make sense as a reason for the verse to be cut (Alex and Miles' voices are in similar enough registers that I don't think it would have worked as well for Miles to take that verse). The kind of haunted & twisted male/female dynamic that lending his voice to specifically that vaguely threatening verse also fits the general tone of BoS quite well, I think, so I really wouldn't be surprised if that's what they intended the song to be when they first wrote it... and it makes me really wish that the version of the song that I'm theorizing about existed. lol

OK, I'm done now! Sorry, I know this was long and no one asked for the essay, but I've been holding this one in for SO LONG. lol. Let me know what you think/if you see any validity in my read of any of this!

We’re gonna have to start paying you for your contributions 😂 this is amazing. Also, the idea that maybe alex would have been featured as the anti-hero in it if it were on belladonna of sadness is KILLING ME would have drooled all over that

[schweiggiemydear]

Regarding the Super League - A Rant

Ok, since the League was more or less officially announced today, I want to talk about it. If you haven't heard about it, you can read the Sky Sports article explaining it here.

I want to add a disclaimer that since I am an Arsenal and Real Madrid fan, my views are biased since both teams have been selected for the league.

However, there are a few things I want to address as a general football fan that are not affected by my club loyalty. I'll include a section at the bottom of this post on my opinion on the new league just because. Editing to add another disclaimer that I do NOT support the Super League. I am just discussing the issues I have seen brought up about it.

Fan Response

A lot of football fans have taken to social media to voice their opposition to the league. Maybe I haven't looked hard enough, but I haven't actually seen any reason for this hatred towards the new league other than "It will ruin football" and "It's just another way for the clubs to make more money." Again, maybe I just haven't seen it, but these two "reasons" aren't really explained at all:

"It will ruin football": It's another competition that only the "elite" and "best" clubs of Europe will be a part of. This is basically the Champions and Europa leagues already. These two competitions will not be eliminated and you can still see underdogs play European football.

Is the concern here that this elevates top clubs at the expense of smaller clubs? (like Champions League already does?) Is the concern here that mechanisms for fair competition will be dropped for the sake of greed? (like Champions league already does?) (Like FIFA does every time they make a decision?) Is the concern here that it undermines the concept of competition and the idea that any team can win a trophy in Europe? This is the only valid criticism I can understand and support, but when was the last time a big club didn't win the Champions league? When was the last time a small club Leicester or Roma held the trophy? If you can count Olympique de Marseille as a "small club", then the answer is 1993.

"It's just another way for the clubs to make more money.": I hate to break it to you folks, but football is a business. (I have a lot of opinions on this - mainly regarding women's v. men's football and equal pay - but that is not the point of this post.) Clubs are always looking for ways to make more money and this pandemic has killed revenue for every club, even top league clubs, and they are looking for new and more steady sources of revenue.

Is the concern that without a ruling body like FIFA, the money for the competition will not be handled fairly? Is the concern that fans will have limited access to matches? If you take even a cursory glance at what FIFA/UEFA done regarding finance, transparency, match fixing, and fan access, you would know this isn't a valid criticism. Well, it is valid. But only if you also regularly call out FIFA, UEFA, Premier League/FA, Bundesliga, La Liga, League 1, Serie A, etc., for these same infractions. Which people don't.

Now if the criticisms were closer to "I think this brings unnecessary competition to top clubs already vying for European trophies", "This competition will make these clubs think they're better than everyone else", or "This puts a strain on players in these clubs who already play for club and country", I'd understand the concerns and would absolutely agree. But right now, the actual fan backlash seems more guided by a general misunderstanding on how football really works. Which leads to the next issue I want need to address.

FIFA/UEFA Response

Now here's where things get interesting because the backlash from FIFA and UEFA has been swift and aggressive to say the least. They are refusing to allow players who play in the Super League to be eligible for the 2022 World Cup and will likely impose fines or even ban clubs from the leagues that do participate. The Premier League/FA and the other major European leagues have issued a joint statement condemning the league. The statement mentions solidarity, a united front, fair competition, and sporting merit and claims that this new league is greedy and self-serving.

Ironic words come from institutions that are all well-known for their own corruption. Absolutely banger response from institutions that milk fans, players, and leagues every year. In fact, people on twitter made really great points and I'm going to provide the tweets here because they said it better than I could:

(including the last one because of Slavia Prague specifically)

We all know the main reason FIFA and UEFA are against the Super League is because they wouldn't get a cut of the revenue. I don't have any money to bet, but know that if I did, I would bet it all that if the Super League offered FIFA and UEFA each a significant cut of the continued revenue, they would get the green light immediately and that trophy would be physically bigger than the Champions League cup.

I just cannot get over the irony, hypocrisy, lack of awareness, and just BALLS of these organisations to make claims of greed and lack of fair play when they are guilty of these exact things. I think Toni Kroos said it best:

"European Super League? We are just puppets of FIFA and UEFA. If there was a players' union, we would not be playing the Nations League or Supercopa de Espana in Saudi Arabia." (Kroos in a podcast on 11/11/2020)

My Humble Opinion

Now here's what I think. And again, my teams would be involved in this Super League so I do have a stake in the game here.

Firstly, I absolutely agree the Super League is elitist in nature and affects the fair play nature of European football competitions and domestic leagues. No doubt that smaller clubs would be financially hurt by this new league and it puts these "top teams" on a pedestal, especially when the last thing they need is an even more inflated ego (Arsenal included). Every club has been hurt by this pandemic and needs funds. Every club has been hurt by FIFA's practices and there's a good chance this will really mess with smaller teams' chances of earning revenue themselves.

Second, FIFA and UEFA can go fuck themselves.

Third, FIFA plans to ban players and clubs who participate in this Super League and to that I say good fucking luck with that because those clubs are your biggest earners. Absolutely no hate or shade to the Bundesliga or League 1, but they just don't bring in the same revenue as Barca, Real Madrid, or Premier League teams. Bayern Munich did recently overtake Man United as the 3rd richest club in Europe, but they are still vastly out-earned by RM and Barca. PSG is #7 (after 3 english teams) and Juventus is #10 (after 5 english teams) (source). The revenue FIFA and UEFA would lose from banning Super League teams would be astronomical. Not just in the domestic leagues themselves, but the Champions League, Europa League, and the World Cup. I mean, what's a World Cup without Messi? (personally, I'm okay with that but you get my point)

Fourth, and hear me out, I genuinely believe that the Super League is a good TEMPORARY idea. The Super League should be used as an experiment to see how competitions would function outside the influence of FIFA and other regulatory agencies. This would be a League run by clubs and players and is a better representation on how football SHOULD be organised. If these clubs take a stand against FIFA, maybe, just maybe, we can get rid of some of the corruption inherent in football. Don't get me wrong, the Super League is definitely meant to be revenue generating for sure. But it's also a middle finger to FIFA and, if its done well, the rest of Europe might take a harder look at how much they don't actually need FIFA. Do I think this is the right way of doing it? No. But has it clearly stirred things up and now people are talking about the issues? Yes.

Lastly, I want to talk about Kroos' comment above. A players union is a brilliant idea and I think the European Super League is actually a great way for players to argue for it. They can use the leverage of the new league to bargain for better rights and a union that actually tells FIFA to go fuck itself when it decides things like revenue gouging Brazil in 2014 or a Qatar World Cup. Or the many hundred other shitty things FIFA has done. For a full list, please see John Oliver's amazing coverage of FIFA in his series "Last Week Tonight" (found on YouTube or HBOMax).

If you made it to the bottom of this post/rant, thank you! Let me know what you think about this Super League and what would you do if you were one of the teams involved?

#european super league #super league #fifa #world cup #uefa #premier league #bundesliga #serie a #la liga #sky sports #football #soccer #champions league #europa league #arsenal fc #real madrid #barcelona fc #liverpool #liverpool fc #manchester city fc #manchester united #tottenham #chelsea #bayern munich #psg #juventus #atletico madrid #inter milan #ac milan

[sxveme-2]

blueberry pancakes // bucky barnes

MASTERLIST

Description: A single mother. Juggling being a mom, a full time pediatrician, and a difficult ex who believed now would be the best time to finally be a father. A soldier ripped out of time. Ex-assassin turned superhero. Learning how to balance a new domestic life with handling demons of his past, while facing the trials of the future. a love story began over something as simple as chocolate chip pancakes with hidden blueberries.

Disclaimer: I do not own any original Marvel characters! All canon plots and canon characters belong to Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios. This is an original work. You may not publish it anywhere else

Status: Unedited

Note: Takes place after endgame. I have elected to ignore Tony's death and Steve's leaving. Did not happen. Quick Reminder! My works are only published here, AO3 and on Wattpad, thank you.

Chapter Twenty Three: The One When They're Alone

Warnings: N/A

Word Count: 4040

     Lily knew was never a huge fan of Christmas. The only reason she put the amount of effort she did into it was for Hunter. He loved the holiday. As a child, it was usually one of the only days that his father would be home the whole day. But it was one of Lily's least favourites, because her parents weren't typically home for Christmas. Usually, Lily and her siblings would find themselves up at their grandparents. She wasn't complaining, she loved her grandparents, and she knew her parents wanted to be home, but their work was essentially them constantly travelling. And then further in her future, Scott may have been there for Hunter, but he was not there for Lily. He was seemingly at his worst during the holidays...and she just happened to be the one on the receiving end of his anger.

Lily hadn't seen Bucky get angry yet. It sat in the back of her mind like a looming threat, and she wondered if the past few months had simply been a facade. That in reality, he was no different. Did she think it was true? No, no she didn't think he would ever hurt her. But she had suffered such trauma from Scott that she just...she was never too sure.

"Your turn, doll," Bucky smiled, picking up two boxes that were very clearly wrapped by Rose, seeing as the girl was sending a knowing nod at her older sister, "Yeah yeah Rose wrapped them, my attempt was sad."

Lily laughed and kissed the man's cheek before turning to his presents that sat in her lap. She picked up the first one, it was long and rectangular, not too large either. Raising her eyebrow, she carefully unwrapped the box, revealing a lovely leather case with her name scripted on the top of it. Looking over at him, she pursed her lips before lifting the black lid, feeling the tears prick at her forest green eyes. She stared down at the silver necklace, running her hands over the scripted letter that hung from the chain. It was a small pendant, simple and discreet. But it was something that made Lily's heart grow three times its size. A simple B hung from the chain.

"Buck..." she whispered, looking up at him with glazed and teary eyes, "It's lovely." she cooed, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to his lips before lifting it from the white pillow it rested on.

"Let me." Bucky chuckled, taking the piece of jewelry and moving her blonde hair across her shoulder. She turned her back to him and shivered at his metal hand brushing against the back of her neck as he clasped the necklace together.

"Alright open the other one." Gen said excitedly, earning a head tilt from the blonde. Bucky chuckled lowly from behind her and Lily readjusted herself in her seat, carefully unwrapping the next box.

As she opened the lid of the next box, her confusion only grew. Inside the box laid a single white envelope with her name written. Reaching in and pulling out the box, Lily furrowed her eyebrows. Opening the envelope, her heart only continued to grow. Inside sat a picture of a cabin, covered in snow and decorated with lovely garland. The cabin was built of logs, and had a fire burning on the inside. The snow was so perfectly landscaped it almost seemed fake, but she knew it was just a picturesque image taken to lure people in for what she figured would be a vacation. In the bottom, a handwritten note was written out in Bucky's hand writing, with a simple few words summing up exactly what it was.

"Just the two of us." He repeated aloud, hand resting on the small of her back, tracing gentle patterns, "It's Steve's cabin. Y'know with him retired now, he doesn't exactly have a lot to do. But he said it's ours for as long as we want it." he continued, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"It's perfect, Buck," she whispered, a gentle chuckle lacing her voice as she turned and placed a kiss to his forehead, "Absolutely perfect."

-----

And it was. Bucky and Lily had decided to take Steve up on his offer the weekend of Valentine's Day. The couple had reached three months together officially, and she figured it would be nice for them to experience the romantic weekend alone together. No kids, no sisters, no work, no distractions. Bucky had promised her that there would be no interruptions, and that it was just going to be the two of them. He made an emphasis on the whole 'no work' part, and Lily would be sure to hold him to it.

Turning off the car, Bucky turned to look at Lily with a kind and loving smile on his face, "Alright doll, we've arrived."

Lily glanced out the window and smiled at the snowy landscape. It was February so the cold wasn't unbearable, but it wasn't exactly a comfortable temperature either. Lily was a Long Island native, so Northern New York weather wasn't exactly her favourite thing. It dipped down quite low and she would have to estimate it sat at about minus ten celsius currently. Either way, she was just grateful for the time alone with Bucky. It had felt like ages since the two didn't have something going on around them. Whether it be Bucky's work, or Lily's. Not to mention, Rose was nearing her due date and constantly stressed about the arrival of her baby, while also finding somewhere to live that wasn't Lily's.

"That drive felt like hours," Lily teased, leaning over and nudging Bucky's arm, "I'm just glad you didn't fall asleep on me old man." she quipped, popping open her door and stepping out from the car.

"You have been hanging out with Sam way too much," Bucky chuckled, following the blondes suit, "You're starting to sound like him."

"Well the man is a comedic genius, I should be taking pointers." She hummed, picking up her bag from the back seat and hauling it over her shoulder, rounding the car to meet Bucky.

"Don't tell him that, it'll inflate his ego even bigger than it is." Bucky chuckled, walking over and quickly grabbing her by the waist.

The blonde let out a bright laugh, curling over in his arms and stumbling along the snow. Bucky's chuckle filled her ears like a sweet song as the two stumbled back towards the log cabin belonging to their friend. His lips found her cheek and peppered loving pecks along it, causing her giggles to evolve into small squeaks as she fumbled to pull out the keys. When she found them, it didn't take long for the blonde to unlock the door and peel herself from the supersoldiers arms. Dropping her bag and tugging the grey knit hat off of her hair, Lily turned to look back at the man who stood in front of the door. Placing her hands on her hips, she admired him for a moment. Nothing was on her mind. Just him.

The way his eyes sunk a bit deeper into his face due to the years of struggle and trauma. The way he had let his beard grow out a bit, not fully a beard but a thicker stubble. Were his shoulders always so broad? Lily admired the way his arm flexed when he removed his own hat, swallowing deeply. But the biggest thing that stood out to her was the way he looked at her. That deep thought sort of gaze, as if he were doing the same thing she was. Admiring everything about the other. No exterior factors playing any games, just the two of them. Alone. He looked at her so lovingly, watching her every move intently and studying the way she acted. He was so in tune with everything about Lily that she began to blush, and he was merely looking at her, neither had spoken.

"What're you staring at, Barnes?" she quipped, raising an eyebrow.

"Nothin', Osborne." he retorted, closing the door and sliding his jacket off before turning back towards her, a smirk evident on his lips.

Pursing her lips into a smile, Lily ran forward and jumped up onto the man, wrapping her legs around his torso. Her arms snuck around his neck, while his found underneath her thighs. Their lips hovered mere centimetres from the others, breathing in the others' existence before finally connecting. It was cheesy and cliche but she felt fireworks deep within her stomach. The two moved together like ocean waves joining together, creating a large body of water. Lily's hands tangled themselves into the short strands on the top of his head and Bucky stumbled his way to the couch. He bent over and laid her gently on the leather couch. She hummed softly at the feeling of a yarn blanket tickling at her neck as he hovered above her. Both of their faces were flushed from the cold outside and the passionate moment they had just shared. Bucky's steel blue eyes stared down at her and he reached over the couch. Furrowing her eyebrows, Lily watched as he pulled out a black old fashioned camera.

"Surprised you know how to work one of those things, old man." she teased, covering her face with her chilled hands.

"Oh don't get smart with me now, doll," he purred, moving her hands with his metal one, "you'll regret it later." the man winked, quickly snapping a photo of the woman before tossing the camera onto the table.

"Is that a threat or a promise." Lily returned, a smirk evident on her lips.

"Well...I did tell Steve he'll probably want to hire a deep cleaning service after we're done." He chuckled, resting his weight on his heels.

"James Barnes!"

-----

Lily hummed gently to herself to the song that played through the small kitchen in the cabin. Saving All My Love For You by Whitney Houston was her background noise of choice as she put together a romantic dinner for her and Bucky to commemorate their first night there. The lyrics left her mouth in a soft tone as she chopped up cucumbers for the salad, her hips swaying gently to the music. Bucky had stepped out to the grocery store in town to pick up a few things they had left back at the house, and Lily wanted to surprise him. She had packed a dress that her and Gen had found at a vintage shop in Manhattan, it was 40's inspired, with a deep forest green colour, a bow at the collar with a keyhole that exposed a bit of her collarbone, and hit just below her knee. It had short sleeves, and made her feel like she should be on the dance floor of The Cotton Club in Harlem during the 1940's. She had attempted the classic pin curls of the time but...they were subpar.

Glancing behind her, Lily stirred the marinara sauce as the chicken baked in the oven. But the lights of the car made her stomach drop. She was hoping the snow would slow him down enough for her to finish dinner and have it ready for him when he got home. Pouting to herself, Lily returned to her chopping. Well, as much as she wanted her plan to fully execute itself, she tried her best. Not to mention, he had shown himself to be a fast driver. Her voice continued to sing out the lyrics to Whitney, as she checked on the chicken. She popped her head up briefly when she heard the crunching of snow grow closer to the door. She stood, and brushed off the soft dress she wore as she waited.

"The snow is crazy, doll, I swear," Bucky's voice called, "but I got the snacks you wanted. I also rented a few movi- woah."

A blush flooded the blonde's face as she locked eyes with the man across from her. He was covered in snow and carrying four different grocery bags. But they fell from his fists as he stared at her longer. Insecurities washed over Lily at his silence and she crossed her arms over her stomach, that familiar queasy feeling returning. Her eyes shifted to stare down at her feet as she shuffled on the hardwood floor, waiting for him to say something, or anything at that.

She didn't even hear him take off his jacket, his boots, or anything. She didn't even hear him walk over to her. But she did feel the way his arms slipped around her waist, hands playing along her stomach as the music changed into the 40's love songs she had put in the queue. The gentle sounds of guitar played as Aubrey Hepburn's melodic tone filled the kitchen. Moon River began to play, and Bucky nuzzled his face into the crook of Lily's neck. Her eyes fluttered shut as he swayed behind her, his grip moving her with him. The food long forgotten about, Lily turned to face him, arms wrapping around his neck. Their foreheads met one anothers, eyes shut as they continued to sway back and forth in the kitchen. With the snow falling outside, and the delectable smells filling the cabin, Lily felt like she was in a dream. Any worry she had ever felt leaving her as the moment consumed her.

His lips ghosted hers as the song came to an end, but his grip didn't waver. The two continued with their dance, seconds turning to minutes as time seemed to cease to exist. The only thing both felt was the bodies of each other. His hands gripping her waist, rubbing circles through the silky material of her dress. The smoky musk of him filling her senses acting as though it were a drug, sending her into a state of euphoria. She knew they weren't a conventional couple, but it were these moments that reminded her that they could be. The couple that went on walks on the beach, or walked the dog through central park. Or danced in the kitchen at 3 in the morning. Went on ice cream dates, with or without Hunter. Spent time talking and telling the other just what went on in their heads. Growing together as separate people with a shared love.

But the fire alarm pulled her back from her daydreams, and reality smacked Lily in the face.

"Oh my god the chicken!" She exclaimed, pulling away from Bucky's strong grip as she grabbed her oven mitts and pulled open the oven, a puff of smoke wafting into her face.

Bucky laughed gently as Lily scrambled around, trying to salvage the rest of the meal she had planned. When she saw the sauce and chicken however, her heart sunk down to the floor. Groaning, the blonde placed her elbows on the counter and her face in her hands. She shook her head and felt the heartbreak spread through her at her failed evening attempt.

"If it makes you feel better," Bucky cooed, lifting his girlfriends chin to look at him, "I bought your favourite pizza, and rented your favourite movie...and just so happened to pick up your favourite ice cream," he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows, "and as hot as you look in this dress...why don't we just get into pyjamas and watch a few movies and veg out."

Lily smiled sadly at him and nodded, "I like that plan. I should have known that trying to cook alone would be a disaster."

"I give it an A for effort."

"Oh whatever, metal man."

-----

Lily groaned as she stretched her arms above her head, before rubbing the heel of her hand into her eyes. Peeling the lids apart, the bright sun sent a shock through her system. Collecting her barings, Lily realized her and Bucky had fallen asleep on the couch. She had to admit, it was a pretty comfy couch. It was made of leather and had deep sides with the tufted coverings, and small cashmere blankets that were not at all big enough to cover anyone. But the two had grabbed a few spare from the closet before they settled in for their movie night. Glancing down, Bucky's head rested on her stomach, the man still sound asleep. She admired the calmness in his face, the stress lines faded and smoothed out as he rested. Reaching behind her, she grabbed ahold of the camera he had brought and quickly snapped a photo, admiring his gentle snores. She ran her fingers through his hair and tilted her head to the side. Lily had known Bucky was handsome, hell, the first time she saw him she knew it.

He had chiseled cheekbones, a sharp jawline that was covered with stubble. His cheeks hollowed slightly, and his eyes creased at the edges. His nose was straight with a slight bump to it, and it fit his face shape perfectly. His eyes were hooded and even closed, held stories that she couldn't imagine. While asleep, they were less noticeable, but there were creases in the centre of his forehead, and Lily's stomach did a flip. His breathing was still that of a deep sleep, and she couldn't help but trace the contours of his face. The aged lines that each told a tale of his life. The rough patches of hair that prickled at the blonde's still hands as she continued to admire him.

Moments later, he began to stir from between her legs, causing Lily to giggle slightly as his nose scrunched. His eyes seemed to force themselves open at the noise, and the same feeling she got from the bright light seemed to hit Bucky as well. Her soft coos caused a groan to emit from the man's throat as he burrowed his face deeper into her stomach, pulling the blankets further over them both. Shaking her head, Lily pulled herself up from underneath the large man, or at least tried to. His weight was on a certain part of her body that just held her in one place. Throwing her head back, Lily shook her head before looking back down at him.

"Buck, c'mon, let's get up." She sighed, ruffling the messy curls on his head.

"Five more minutes." He whined, pulling her closer by her hips.

"No. I'm a mother, I know what five more minutes means," she laughed, "and we are not spending all day on the couch. Lets go skate on the lake today, love."

Bucky shot up, eyes wide at her request, "No. No, I refuse."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Lily crossed her slightly cramped legs, "...and why do you refuse, Mr. Barnes?"

Bucky scratched the back of his neck as he avoided the intense gaze that Lily was sending his way. Lowering her eyes, the blonde crawled forward and took his face into her hands. They locked eyes and for a moment, she thought about kissing him. But she figured it would be better to figure out why he was so against going skating. Then it clicked, and she realized just why he was so against it. Pursing her lips to keep from smiling, Lily leaned back onto her heels.

"Bucky...do you not know how to skate?" She wondered, cocking an eyebrow at him.

"...Do not tell Steve or Sam they will be on my ass about it." Bucky quickly said, taking his girlfriends hands into his own.

"I won't, I won't, but I'm invoking the 'It's Valentine's Day' card. Because it's Valentines Day, and it will be romantic," she grinned, tucking a stray hair behind her ear, "plus, I'll teach you how to skate. It's not that hard I promise. I saw they have skates down at the lake so c'mon, gotta get a good pair."

"You're gonna be the death of me, doll."

"That's what I'm here for."

-----

He wasn't lying when he said he didn't know how to skate. Lily skated gracefully out onto the ice, waiting for Bucky to lace up his skates. It had been a while since she had skated, seeing as it wasn't something she did commonly. She used to go all the time with Gen back in Long Island when they were younger, but eventually they stopped. But her muscle memory kicked in as she twirled and skated around the ice. She dodged children and couples as she warmed up her body. Only to spot Bucky hesitantly staring at the ice in front of him. Lily made her way back towards him, stretching her mitt covered hand out towards him.

"It's not going to bite, Buck," Lily smiled softly, moving a bit closer, "C'mon. I'll be here the whole time." she reassured, gripping his hand as he curled it into hers.

The moment he stepped onto the ice, both ended up falling. Him from a lack of balance, and her from the fact he fell. Bucky groaned while Lily laughed, pushing herself off the ground and placing her hands on her hips. He had flopped his arms out and let his head fall against the ice, a clearly forced pained look on his features. Rolling her eyes, Lily gripped his hand and yanked, attempting to pull him back up onto his feet. The thing is, he was a supersoldier, she was a doctor. She had strength, hell, she pushed out a child. But you see, Bucky was, once again, a supersoldier. Dropping his arm, and crossing her own over her chest, Lily glared down at him.

"I won't cook dinner for a week if you don't help me get you up." Lily threatened, arching her brow.

Opening his eyes, Bucky mirrored her expression, "Is that a threat or a promise?" He teased, resulting in a handful of snow to be thrown at him. A low laugh escaped from his chest as Bucky heaved himself up, gripping onto Lily for support.

"Wow you're such a comedian." She quipped, rolling her eyes and gripping onto his forearms.

The two skated for a few hours. Two to be exact. Bucky had essentially latched onto Lily's waist the entire time. She skated around, dragging him behind her as he bent over and hugged himself to her back, arms tightly wound around her waist. At one point, he did let go and try to stand on his own. He lasted about...five minutes. After that, Lily had to offer her back as support for the poor man so he didn't go tumbling face first into the ice. The entire time was spent laughing and stumbling, as well as Lily trying her hardest to just get him to stand. Sadly, she didn't have much luck. He continued to grip onto her even when they were heading back towards the edge to leave and take off their skates. It was endearing, but Lily had hoped to get somewhere with it. Still, she had a good time. And seeing The Winter Soldier be genuinely afraid to fall made Lily's heart swell. Seeing that more vulnerable side of him made Lily sure they were moving in a good direction in their relationship.

As the two neared the cabin, Lily saw a familiar car parked on the road across from where they were staring. She didn't think too much of it as they walked into the cabin, ridding of their coats and winter gear they had layered on, to face the bone chilling cold that had taken over the outdoors. Both then dropped onto the couch with cups of tea and coffee, Lily had the tea, and Bucky the coffee. His arm draped around her, drawing patterns into her knit sweater covered arm.

But the peace didn't last long.

A knock on the door surprised Lily and Bucky. They both stopped talking about their ideal vacations, and turned to look at the door. Lily placed her tea down and stood to her feet, making her way over towards the wooden piece. Her eyebrows were furrowed and she glanced over at Bucky before she pulled the door open. Her jaw went slack and mind went blank when she saw the person. Because she knew the reason he would be here.

"Hey Lily...is Bucky here?"

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