#so like another one on one outing more similar her first banner might be ok for me but ehhhh

[chisatowo]

This does give me hope tho that we might get smth more substantial soon Kanade wise. I just don't want her next on unit banner to just be her being dragged somewhere again, all she does it get dragged places plsssssss I want smth newwwwww

#rat rambles #sekai posting #this isnt super serious since obviously slow developments are more than ok I just am hungry for more info on kanade #so like another one on one outing more similar her first banner might be ok for me but ehhhh #just. not abt mafuyu pls. weve had enough mafuyu stuff as of late that I think they wont make them the other 4 star thi #which weirdly kind of makes it look like it might be ena or mizuki again? as the other main 4 star I mean #my ideal would be to learn more abt kanade mom but I doubt it since idk if kanade would bring it up #my second kanade ideal is kanade getting actual in person friends but for an on unit banner thats not happening #idk maybe this can be kanade getting a new hobby gjfkfmfjr #the only acceptable kanade getting dragged somewhere event /j #now there technically is potential in a mafuyu and kanade event currently but I feel like they both need a bit more time to inch forward #theyre still lacking that push to be slightly less passive for a second so itll probably have to wait til at least the next mafuyu banner #I say knowing full well that sekai probably wont take the direction on those two that I want them too fndjdnshd

[breezybangtanbebe]

Eye On You: Wonho❤️‍🔥

A/n: anyone ever sit back and think about how rich Wonho would be if he had an OnlyFan's account? Just me? 🌚 aw ok well....here you go🥴. I wrote this in like an hour so...

3.75k words

You never imagined you'd be the type to subscribe to one of these websites.

Hell, you barely liked forking over that $9.99 a month for Netflix and a small part of your soul died at the sight of that reoccurring charge on your bank statements.

But this felt different.

It was midday and you were alone in your room, writhing in bed as your body's reluctance to go to sleep frustrates you.

It wasn't as if you needed a nap but sleep was the only thing that could distract you from the insatiable ache between your legs.

So after scrolling on social media for a little bit, seeing enough of a particularly fine man's face and body on your timeline led you to fish out your debit card and open your laptop.

The cursor idles over the pixelated rectangle for what felt like minutes.

You've already created the account and input your payment information.

All you had to do was hit subscribe and an uncensored world of Wonho would be unveiled for your and 120,863 people's eyes only.

When you'd first seen him, you were amazed by the exaggerated definition of his muscles and undeniably handsome face.

Every Instagram post was either him fully clothed and candid, smiling or looking away as if he weren't aware of a picture being taken.

Or he was naked.

Ok, maybe not full-on ass-naked but he might as well have been.

Plump and pert glutes.

Thick muscled thighs.

Massive pecs that could easily fit in a d cupped bra.

Buttered Hawaiian roll-looking abs.

And then there was his....lower half.

No matter what he wore, there was never a reason NOT to look down at the sizable print that bulged in the most provocative way in even jeans or dress pants.

Him wearing a size smaller than his normal fit, no underwear, and sitting wide-legged in every picture didn't help either.

Don't even bother asking anyone what color his hair or his shoes are.

You damn sure didn't know.

All you knew was that when you realized this specimen had a Stream4You account, similar to OnlyFans, it only took a shameful 8 minutes for you to decide to subscribe.

The membership fee wasn't bad.

About as much as your Netflix subscription and you were sure to be much more entertained by this than the thousands of shows and movies you'd scrolled through.

Plus you could cancel any time so...

You click to enter the website and your eyes widen at the array of pornographic thumbnails from past streams.

"My gawd.." you gawk as you scrolled.

Well-lit 4K snaps of Wonho on his black leather couch.

Some of him alone, gripping his thick print in different colored boxer briefs.

Some of him with a woman in various sexual positions.

Doggy style with nothing but their naked torsos and legs in the frame.

Missionary with Wonho's massive upper body looming over a woman much smaller than him, their pelvis' pressed together.

Another with a view of the bare back of a woman kneeling in front of the couch and between Wonho's spread legs, his hand resting on the back of her head with his tipped back in ecstasy.

All of them different races and body types.

All of the gorgeous.

A pang of jealousy struck in your chest as well as deep within your clenching walls.

What an experience it would be to get fucked by such a magnificent man. You didn't even have to watch him in action to know he could fuck.

It was all in his aura.

You sigh, leaning back with your laptop resting on your tummy, scrolling down his profile with a pout.

Suddenly a notification bell pings in the corner of the screen, followed by a drop-down banner letting you know that Wonho was about to start a live stream in 5 minutes.

It's a shame how fast you clicked the link that led you to the waiting room which consisted of a black screen with a countdown, a sidebar with his past live streams in the queue, and a frenzy of comments popping off in a chat on the other side.

You immediately found the 'Turn off chat' option in settings because you didn't want anything distracting you from the main event.

After an agonizingly slow five minutes passed, the black screen shifts to an unexpected view of who you knew to be Wonho's glistening chest and sculpted abs.

He's leaning over the tripod, adjusting the angle from what it sounded like.

A second later, his beautiful face fills the screen.

"Hi guys...." he croons, smiling innocently in that way that reduced his eyes to slits and lit up his entire face.

His voice is deep and soothing, something you'd probably want to hear up close or in your ear first thing in the morning.

Wonho furrows his brow and tucks the soft pink tip of his tongue at the corner of his mouth as he goes back to fiddling with the camera.

"Bare with me a second everyone...I got a new tripod and I'm still figuring it out. This angle is not...ah..there we go." He huffs in triumph as he rights the camera in the way he intended.

He then kneels in front of his infamous leather seat. Not to be confused with his equally infamous black leather couch.

Wearing nothing but some black Adidas shorts and a smile, Wonho seats himself comfortably on the floor in front of the camera. He leans forward, squinting at it for a second before smiling and waving again.

"Can you see me ok? It's in focus?" He asks and you snort at the irony of him speaking so casually considering what he was setting the audience up for.

"Looks like I am. Anyway... Hi again. It's Wonho, your favorite. I hope everyone here is enjoying their day so far. I um....really have no plan for today's stream. I just got back from the gym and showered so I'm at home for the rest of the day. What are you all up to?"

Again, he was speaking to his audience as if they were coworkers or neighbors he say occasionally on his way in or out of his home.

It was...cute. Unexpected but cute.

Your brow crinkles in amusement.

Wonho smirks softly as he stared at what you assumed to be the comments, which were no doubt coming in by the thousands per second. His eyes squinted again as he read them, his smirk persistent at what his paying audience had to say. 

For a second you toyed with the thought of him asking you about your day with s genuine interest. He'd be looking at you the way he was looking at the camera now with expectant eyes and parted lips, hanging on to your every word.

" 'Just got off work.' Cool. 'Just had dinner..' Already? It's dinner time where you're at? I haven't even had lunch yet..'Hi, baby' Hi...' You're handsome' No you're handsome, whoever you are.." he chuckles cutely as he went through more similar comments before leaning back on his knees.

He lifts his arms and runs his hands through his hair, flexing his biceps and triceps unintentionally with the movement.

He then stands to extend his body in a stretch that gave you a godly eyeful of his body. Abs contract and quads flex as he stretched and your gaze falls to the plushy-looking hill that gathered at his crotch area.

He's not even trying.

After satisfying his muscles, Wonho exhales heavily and plops into the waiting seat behind him.

It groans under his weight and you could only imagine the things that chair had to endure being owned by this man.

On and off camera.

"Glad to hear all is well with you all. Thanks for tapping in." He says, resting his head in the nest of his interlocked fingers.

"As I said...I didn't really have a plan. I took a shower and had this urge to jack off but I didn't want to do it alone...."

Your ears perked up at the favorable turn of events and you reflexively push the laptop up to your chest.

"Oh..do tell," you mutter as if he could hear you.

"...So I figured I'd just get comfortable and do that while I chat with you guys until I cum. Or perhaps until you cum. Whichever comes first..." he jokes with a little chuckle.

His corny pun and little laugh alone should be considered a sin. How could a man so burley and huge be so cute at a time like this?

Wonho remains leaned back comfortably in his shorts that hung loosely from his tree trunk thighs, his hooded gaze fixed on the camera.

He lifts one of his hands from the back of his head to rub through his silky black hair again, mimicking the way you wish you could do the very same thing.

Beside him, an iPhone lays face down on the leather armrest and he picks it up, swiping his thumb over the screen a few times before focusing on reading the stream's comments from his own device.

Then he flashes that damned panty-dropping grin.

" ''Good plan' I know right? 'Deal.'  'Sign me up Coach. 'Cum first Daddy. I need frosting for my toaster strudel'...Wow. Nasty. And beautiful. You might have just inspired some future content with that one..." he says in response.

" 'Nice Tits.' Thanks. I work pretty hard on them so glad to hear it. 'Show us your dick please' Well since you're so polite.." he grunts.

Without wasting another second, Wonho lifts his hips to push down his shorts and underwear. They shimmy over his legs and drop out of view, leaving him shamelessly nude for the camera.

"There. That better?" He teases with a light-hearted chuckle.

As he continued to respond to comments, some funny and others nasty, your eyes fixated on the culprit of all of those damned likes on his Instagram posts.

Wonho's dick.

It sits lazily between his attractive man spread, not even erect yet but still impressive.

The fact that he's clean-shaven only allows you to appreciate his full size as you tapped the fullscreen icon in the corner.

Now filling your monitor, Wonho's muscular body and thick manhood captivate you entirely.

You'd never see a man so beautiful in your entire life and maybe it was your hormones leading you to exaggerate but...

"Shit..." you exhale, marveling at his size.

For a moment you wondered why he had so many subscribers. Beyond his good looks and entertaining content, you didn't think 120K for one guy doing normal amateur porn made much sense.

Until he took off his underwear.

Wonho's dick is gorgeous. Similar to his skin tone if he were blushing with a fat mushroom tip that looked like it had been kissed by lips stained pink.

Thick and surprisingly long to be flaccid. He reaches down to cup himself, ringing his shaft between his thumb and two fingers while his ring and pinky fingers rested over his balls.

Which looked heavy and smooth to the touch.

The thought has you nearly drooling on sight

Wonho slowly begins to stroke himself, the velvety smooth skin moving over his veiny shaft.

He readjusts his seating and spreads those massive thighs more for the camera, scooting forward so that the audience has a perfect view of all he was selling.

With his other hand, he holds his phone to read the comments. He smiles at whatever madness you imagined to be occurring in the live chat.

If you weren't already touching yourself, you might have been able to post a comment or two.

At some point the laptop materialized beside you on the bed, giving you the freedom to shuck off your underwear and caress your sensitive folds.

The pads of your fingers pass over your clit and you gasp, repeating the action in a rhythm mimicking Wonho's.

Slow and steady.

Teasing yourself just enough to arouse you more.

It's not long before Wonho's once drooping member is ramrod straight and standing up at its full length.

He's a grower and a shower.

My gawd.

Wonho pauses to reach for something on the floor and sits back up with a glistening glob of liquid from a dispenser off-camera. He drops the phone to clap the substance between his palms, warming the lube before reaching back between his legs.

His large hand encircles the shaft, twirling his wrist slightly on the upstroke that's now much smoother with the help of the lubrication.

Now his dick shined as if it were encased in glass, showing everything in greater detail. He jerks himself with the original hand, using the other to cup and tug his balls gently.

"Ah..shit.." he exhales.

His tongue runs over his top lip as he continued stroking, his chest moving with each breath.

Yours shuddered beneath your shirt as you rubbed over your clit in slow and teasing circles, but the wetter you become, the more stimulating your touch is.

A soft moan parts your lips and you spread your legs wider as if you were on full display for this beautiful man and not the other way around.

Wonho gets lost in his touch for a moment, not shying away from rubbing his perineum as he worked over his dick.

His head tips back and his eyes fell shut for a moment and you wondered what he saw when he did.

What did he think about when he touched himself? It's not like he didn't have a massive collection of savory images to recall from his past experiences.

You wondered what memories turned him on the most...

After a while of the same pace and some of the sexiest soft moans you'd ever heard come from a man, Wonho lifts his head and opens his eyes to gaze straight into the camera.

There was something different in his eyes now.

Long gone was the cute and funny guy with punny jokes.

There was now what you could only describe as a demon. The brown of his irises seemed black now and they hid halfway beneath his eyelids in a sultry stare that makes you clench around nothing with a pathetic whimper to follow.

"What the..." you pause, feeling as taken aback by his expression as you were by your body's reaction to it. 

A little smirk lifts at the corner of the demon's lips before he releases his ballsack. He does a quick wipe over his thigh to rid his palm of excess lube before picking up his phone again.

Wonho goes back to reading the comments, leaning over to rest his elbow on the armrest as he stroked his dick slowly.

His brows go up at something he read but he doesn't respond out loud, only sparing the camera a knowing look briefly with a sly smirk.

He then goes on to read more, his thumb strumming over the screen.

He laughs at something someone said and pauses to switch up his tactic for a moment, focusing just on the tip of his dick and stroking over it with a shuddered sigh.

This makes his eyes roll back and he curses under his breath.

By now, your clit was so hard and swollen that your legs twitched every time your fingers passed over it. Occasionally you'd slide them inside to stroke the ache away that grew from deep.

But you could only manage that for so long before feeling like you were about to cum.

And you know once you did that, it would all be over.

Wonho looks back at his phone and smirks.

" 'Stroke faster' Yeah? That's what you wanna see?" He asks breathily, his eyes never leaving his phone.

He then adheres to the request, most likely accompanied by a cash donation.

The tacky sounds of the lube slicking the motion of his hand kicked up as he jerked himself faster.

It must have felt really good because his smirk melts into him scraping his teeth over his plump bottom lip.

"Ah fuck...mhmm.." he moans, exhaling sharply through his nose.

You match his energy, strumming two fingers over your needy clit, hips rolling and back arching.

You moan louder now,  panting as the heat collecting at your apex mounts.

You were close and so was Wonho.

You could tell from the way he'd abandoned the phone to go back to sitting upright, the other hand groping his balls and rubbing under them. His dominant hand was doing what it did best, pushing him closer and closer with every upward stroke.

He cursed and moaned just as freely as you did and you only bit down on them so that you'd be able to hear him over yourself.

Not that it was an easy task.

Hearing him moan.

Watching his hips canting and his abs contracting.

Spotting the shine of pre cum dribbling from the hole at the center of his rock-hard tip...

You wanted him. You wanted him so fucking bad that it sparked tears in your eyes knowing it wasn't him fucking into right now.

Wonho's eyes lift and lock onto the camera as it had done a few times before and for a moment it felt as if he were actually looking at you.

Through you.

Straight to your soul.

"You're about to cum aren't you?" He asks and you hiccup amidst your moan in reaction.

You lift your head from your pillow and blink away the blurriness to inspect your screen.

"Yeah...Im talking to you. I've got my eye on you...I've had it on you this whole time.." he rasps, now stroking his dick as if her priming a weapon ready to fire at any moment. 

His mouth goes slack for a second and his eyes roll back a little, but he resists the urge to look away from the camera.

From you...

"Oh fuck..I wish I was there. I bet you feel so good..fuck I bet you look so sexy right now. Are you touching yourself for me? Hmm?" He continues, this octave lifting to a gentle coaxing tone that has no will to resist responding to.

"Yes." You whimper, rubbing and swirling over your bud with the sole intention of getting yourself off.

"Good....keep going. And don't you fucking stop until you cum, you understand me?" He commands with a lifted brow.

"Yes..yes. Oh god..." you cry out, tearing your eyes away from the screen to shut them.

"Yes, baby! Like that...just like that...Im about to..." Wonho grunts and you open your eyes just in time to watch the thick spout of pearl shoot from his tip. Some of it hits his chest, drizzling over his sternum as he kept milking his dick for more. It was like it would never stop.

Your mouth hung open in a silent cry as you give in to the impending explosion as it sizzled down your spine.

Your breath hitches and your fingers pause over your clit at the memory of his intense gaze and throaty moan of release, and it's enough to send you hurdling over the edge and into a heart-stuttering orgasm.

Your climax hits you like shockwaves, making your muscles tense and relax as it passed over your body.

Hooded and lust-drunk, Wonho exhales finally and slows his strokes to rid himself of any remaining drops of cum he had left before sagging against the coach.

"Fuck...that was good...shit..." he pants, talking more to the ceiling than to his audience.

You lay limp in your bed, staring dazedly at your laptop with your now exhausted hand resting over your pussy.

That was good. Better than you'd expected for sure. You felt that same liberating tingly sensation all over that you always felt after an intense orgasm.

But this felt different.

Even though this was what he did for a living and thousands of people watched him exactly as you had...

And even though you knew there was no way in hell that this man could see you when he looked into his camera...

In your own little bubble of horny delusion, he was looking at you.

And that is perhaps what makes him so popular. The way he connects with his audience. The way he just doesn't set up a camera and act as if no one is watching him. He engages and puts on a show well worth the $10.99 a month.

Knowing and feeling that made this monthly subscription feel less like an expense and more like an investment.

Wonho's hand still rested around his dick, which was still stiff in his grasp but not as erect as it was seconds ago.

He sighs and leans up from the back of the couch, the sound of his sweaty back pealing from the leather surface making him cringe.

"Alright guys...that was fun but looks like Im gonna have to take another shower.." he huffs humorously.

You watched him in silence as he reached off-camera for a small washcloth he must have prepared beforehand.

Wonho cleans himself casually, wiping his cum from his chest and abs as if he spilled food on his shirt or something, and it makes you smile weakly.

He then wipes his hands thoroughly before tossing the washcloth aside. The cushions squeak beneath his bare ass cheeks as he scooted forward, lifting briefly to detach the device mounted by the tripod.

Now carried in the hand he just used to jerk himself off, Wonho held his audience and lifted them so that he was looking up at the camera in selfie mode.

"I hope you enjoyed our time together. I know it was quick but I didn't want to interrupt your day for too long. I have a lot of cool content planned for the month so stay tuned. Subscribe to get notifications and become a platinum member for exclusive videos. Until next time. Come back and see me. Bye..."  he winks and gives the camera a quick wave before the screen goes black again.

And just like that, the stream was over.

I miss him. I miss his random IG posts of his bawdy. I miss his smile. I miss his laugh. I miss his dorky shimmy when he’s shy or embarrassed or happy over his food. I miss his daily vlives (dammit Vlive why’d you have to go!!? *waves fist)

*sigh* anywho..🌚 I think im gonna do more onlyfans wonho stuff

#monsta x smut #wonho smut #wonho #changkyun #jooheon #kihyun #hyungwon #shownu #minhyuk #hyunwoo #changkyun smut

[carnivoraformes]

//So this is one part theory and speculation, one part headcanon but seeing as most of this will be based off my (probably incorrect) observations and assumptions written as casual ramblings that I choose to label as headcanons. Also so I don't have to go through the effort of making a theory specific banner thing and because I intend to treat this post as more about exploring his possible mindset. PERSONALS DNI!

So firstly, before I start rambling like the idiot I optimistically label myself as because I actively choose to laugh at my own shortcomings let me establish one thing: I absolutely refuse to believe that Robin is dead (and no I will not differentiate between spiritual death and physical death because death is death as far as I'm concerned).

From a narrative perspective I would have loved Robin dying for real (don't @ me because she is one of my muses, I'm a masochist and have other reasons that are irrelevant to this post).

ANYWAY with that established I have two different trains of thought that are both likely on a collision course with one another in the form of canon proving both are wrong somehow.

1st. He knows Robin isn't dead and it is a ploy, possibly to lure out whoever her attempted attacker was or something similar to basically get to the bottom of this or because they know she was being targeted. I won't bother thinking to hard on the fine details of what they might be hoping to gain because this theory might be wrong anyway.

2nd. He doesn't know and she faked it on her own, so he believes she is dead despite the fact she is alive and doing something else or was taken for blackmail purposes. Why? Your guess is as good as mine and speculating 'whys' to that question isn't what this post is about. So moving on...

I will start by saying if I were to put money on which one I think is more likely to be correct I would say the first. Sunday was to casual about Sparkle imitating his 'dead' sister for me to buy it. What I like more though, is the 2nd, because again, I am masochist and that could be a fun idea to explore. Don't @ me, or do, I don't care.

So, that brings me to what the post is about: where is Sunday's mind set during all of this?

If the first guess is correct, then in theory, his mindset is fixated solely on keeping up an act in an act. The top layers being him trying to pretend everything is going perfectly, while still be very much under alot of pressure not only to get to the bottom of EVERYTHING with probably very few clues in Penacony's version of fucking Clue where ANYONE could be the snake in the grass with the only people presumably innocent being the Astral Express and Misha but also make sure everything literally goes perfectly. And beneath that putting up an act of a grieving brother to the few that might be aware his sister is dead along with Firefly.

That is a hell of alot of pressure to put on someone, but would also explain his calm reaction to Sparkle's act, that even for someone in his position seems cold considering he at the very least seems to holds some love for his sister. Especially with all the context. UNLESS, he knew she wasn't dead in the first place and at the time was too tired, mentally exhausted and angry to care and he was only playing her game for a little while before abruptly making it clear he was done with her shit.

The second option, being that he isn't aware (which I think is more fun, especially if she faked her death of her own free will, which while unlikely, sounds fun ok) but unless she was kidnapped and someone else faked her death as a bargaining chip or something for some other reason seems less likely (to me) especially since it seems like this is an IPC plot.

But instead of a brother that knows his sister is safe is having to push his grief for his dead sister and an another innocent woman off to the sidelines because he had a role to play. He couldn't be upset, he wasn't allowed to grieve because he was just a tool for the Family and he exists solely to pursue the best interest of the Family and grieving her would tip astute or nefarious parties off that something wasn't right.

In this light he has even more pressure on his shoulders because of the death of a woman he loves and a woman he didn't weighs heavily on him, but also knows there is a legitimate threat, while scrambling to figure out just how they are going to cover up his baby sister's death during the Charmony Festival when she is the star act and literally everything else he likely has going on behind the seems.

It does make Sparkle's interaction with him more interesting, though, because in this light it really is a slap in the face. She not only reveals she knows his sister died but believes he either is incapable of differentiating his sister from a fake (which may or may not be more insulting depending on how you want to look at it) or is just rubbing it in that she is not only dead but he is utterly desperate because of the position he is now in.

At that point it stops being like pouring salt in a wound, but digging up someone's grave just to spit in their face then set that body on fire and putting the footage on only fans.

And he is expected to act calm and collected despite a normal person would absolutely lose it, when at the end of the day HE IS STILL HUMAN-ISH. He is being pushed hard by the Family and possibly his own perfectionism and every waking and nonwaking moment just throws one more massive 'fuck you' in his face and he is just expected to be polite and fucking calm when he has every right to absolutely fucking lose it.

Either way you look at it, Sunday proved just how dangerous he is by the end of his cutscene with Sparkle because either way how he seemingly goes from being genuinely very polite and friendly like we saw earlier to saying he has every intention of fighting for the Watchmaker speaks volumes.

Whatever the watchmaker is pursuing is up in the air for my little pea-brain but that change in Sunday's tone gives the feel of 'the calm that hides a storm' or a keg of explosives in a firework factory situated a little to close to a furnace. He isn't a man that has nothing to lose, he is a man with EVERYTHING ON THE LINE. That is dangerous, that is someone easily pushed to being calculating and full of rage and likely to be easily pushed towards violence at the right time.

#*conure screaming intensifies* (ooc) // #responsibility is the price of freedom (headcanons) // #hsr spoilers #//FAIR WARNING THIS IS LONGER THAN IT HAS ANY RIGHT TO BE #//if you even manage to have the patience to skim this whole insane rant i am impressed

[cielospeaks]

thoughts on f-h 9/2021 update

the good: sumo rinka and mordecai! oh my gosh words cannot describe how glad i am that theyre the free ones! sumordy is the cutest and most wholesome, the fact his voice lines are that he likes sumo bc its a nonlethal way of fighting are the most wholesome thing ever. best boy. i also love that he seems to do a sumo pose as his untransformed battle pose. best boy. and rinka as the oni chief class(?) is amazing! its cool that they show more flame tribe specific outfits since rinka is the only flame tribe character in 14 (ppl were complaining abt the twins and their dad being the only ice tribe and the others being generic models, but the same is true for rinka? idk. the fans act weird abt the japan inspired classes :/ ) but anyways i love her outfit and design! i love that she has the sumo referee fan thing as her weapon also! and thanks for being 4 star pls come home. also the tana and peo convo was actually really wholesome and as i was hoping, compared both of them having protective older siblings (and again soft confirmed peo and tri are sisters, which im still salty that the book 4 story ditched for the sake of the abusive gaslighting “parents” of the fairies’ story and the stupid askr royals storyline)

the not so good: at worst the storyline of tt is really not appealing to me but its b3 and you knew it was coming, what with the story only having the ubw ripoffs of the main story characters besides eir and hel. its cool that the new character is being brought up to be a competent ruler and i kinda get her beef with eir (but cmon the girl only was ever show not-torture by the people who took her as a war prisoner and manipulated her and now treat her like a pet do you really expect her to do anything else) but i feel like theyll just be killed off/vilified for no reason in order to boost up “askr is so perfect and wonderful and flawless uwu and anyone who opposes them bad”

the as of now??????: puts on conspiracy theory hat. so ok i saw a theory that this lif isnt ubw ripoff bad character but actually the real historical lif. the fact he doesnt sound like a guilt tripping sack of shit in his jp voicelines seems to support that (the eng voice is just regular angry/edgy in both), as well as that askr (the character) mentioned him in the main story recently, and that he doesnt give eir a fucking guilt trip when he meets her in the story. however, a lot of ppl are turned on by bad ubw ripoff character and his ingame code is “lif 2″ so more than likely its the fucking asshole i know and dont like. but hey. wait until his epiteth to judge him. if hes historical lif and hes not a fucking tool i might actually even roll for him in his banner.

what about conspiracy theory and ocs?: so ofc this begs the question: what abt alcinous if the conspiracy theory is true? alcinous, the mysterious man in the “castle beyond memory”, is actually the true founder of askr, High King Lif, but due to being betrayed, usurped, and banished, he goes by his middle name now. well, i actually worked this out when askr started exposition dumping abt historical lif. so Alcinous (who ill call that for easiness’ sake) is betrayed, and a few generations later the “ancient Askr” becomes the Askr of the main series due to the descendant of the usurpers making a contract with the dragon (bull?) and becoming the first king. tbh that makes more sense bc the only relationship i could see alcinous having with askr is him being a total doormat and letting himself be walked on, and having it assumed that theyre best buds (which would parallel ichihara as the summoner, and add to the alcinous + ichihara similarities)

another note abt this is that the fact that these characters get ascendants makes me happy since it means theres a chance tri and plumie can get ascendants in next yrs story. plumie i love and i love the not fully formed idea i have abt plumie betrayal arc (and ursula betrayal/going solo arc that i really hope she gets an ascendant, but thats also partly bc memes), but tri really deserved it as she got super screwed over in literally everything, from being released as a pawn of her abusive manipulative “mother” to being treated like an unstable killer (she killed her and peo’s abusive parents in self defense since they wouldve killed peo if she didnt for fucks sake this is worse than the otr nonsense tbh) and she deserves the good content, even if the game doesnt give it to her. im glad at least tri came home during the leg banner

#gameblogging #negative #sorta #tbh half is gushing in all honesty #this game is such emotional whiplash #bc you have big faves who inspire me to write my own stories abt them #and genuinely wholesome characters (like peo and the tms squad and wakes adults/ect) #but then you have bad characters. bad writing. retcons. general fandom nonsense too #and the fact that the series after 14 (15 was a remake and they screwed over the whole cast personality wise) just stopped being abt #the entire point of the franchise which is an ensemble cast. you had lords and knights. quirky random people. dirt farmers and merchants #and whatnot. like compare the cast of like 6 or 1/3 or literally any other game to 16 or even h eroes and it fucking shows #i miss the old casting choices when everyone wasnt just an elitist nasty 'im so much smarter than you all' ass or a manipulative celebrity #oh well at least i really enjoy the casts of other things

[another-stark-sub]

“Are you in love with him?” - Tony Stark Imagine

Notes: I wrote and editted this in two hours instead of going over my notes. Was gonna be spicy fluffy but it just turned into fluffy, and one of the lines/paragraphs (smth like that i dont remember how long that segment was) is based on/inspired by a fanfic on ao3 I bookmarked. I think it’s debt-free, but I could be wrong.  Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and I’m so sorry im not on here more oftennnnn

- - -

“Of course I am. He’s Tony Stark.” You sighed, a weight finally lifted off your chest. “Who isn’t in love with him?”

Bruce blinked a few times, the confusion evident on his face. “Then, why don’t you tell him?”

You scoffed. These geniuses think they know everything, but they couldn’t see what was glaringly obvious to you. “He’s Tony Stark.”

The perplexed expression didn’t disappear from your friend’s expression. So, you explained further, “It’s already a privilege, beyond that really, to be talking to you, to any Avenger. To work with any of you is an honor, and to be friends with you” -you laughed- “it shouldn’t even be possible for someone like me.”

“Don’t say that. You’re amazing, too.” 

You tried to find any tick, any clue that he was lying. But Bruce seemed to really believe this. “I know I’m amazing.” You shrugged. “I’m great. I love and I care deeply, and I have a stable job. I have a place for myself, and I take care of myself.” You clicked your tongue. “However, you all, all  you Avengers… Forget out of my league, more like off planet.

“And Tony? He said it himself. Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. Add superhero, figurehead, public figure, ex-CEO, and savior of the universe. Bruce, I have confidence in myself, but Tony is something else entirely. No one is worthy of him or his affections unless they’re a god or another Avenger.”

It was hard to keep up with the statistical analysis you were trying to run. The literal one on your hologram and the one keeping your view of Tony in check. So, defeated, you sighed and leaned back in your chair. 

Bruce closed his own work and stood across the lab bench. “Weirdly enough, I’m sure none of us Avengers think that way.” After a few taps of his pen against his palm, he added, “Aren’t there fans making posts about you, too? Tony showed me the, uh, Instagram videos.”

You laughed. “Fan edits don’t make an Avenger. Saving the world does.”

He shrugged. “You help us save the world.”

“From inside Avengers Tower on a computer.” You took a deep breath. “Look, Bruce, I appreciate what you’re trying to do. But, I’m not telling him.” You shrugged and brought your statistical analysis back up.

You knew your own worth. You were worthy of an amazing partner and person. Tony Stark, though, was easy beyond that. You had accepted it soon after you realized your own feelings, and while they haven’t dwindled, you knew it was for the best. 

~ - ~

Tony had never resorted to this before. It was never a question of his ability to code. In the past, it was because he didn’t need a program or an AI to do it for him. He could always tell if someone was into him. He knew when Pepper was into him. The moment Rhodey gazed at him back in their MIT days. Every single reporter and heiress and model he slept with, he knew when their thoughts turned sexual or romantic. 

You, though. With you, he couldn’t fucking tell, and he knew it was because of his own feelings. Tony felt intensely for people before. Pepper, Rhodey, that one reporter all those years ago. However, with you, it wasn’t just that fluttery feeling in his gut or the immediate smile he can’t seem to stop when he sees you. It was the comfort he felt when he heard your voice or the softness he could feel in his heart when he saw a picture of you. 

It was like his entire life was full of panic, never resting, never stopping. But when you entered his life with a gentle smile and a quick wit, it felt like he could finally breathe. 

It was addicting. 

“Sir, I have the calculations.”

“Hit me.”

“Speech diagnostics of you and of Ms. (Y/l/n) are similar. Whenever you speak of her, 79.4% is positive and 18.8% is neutral. Ms. (Y/l/n) has  78.9% positive and 17.2% neutral dialogue regarding you. When she speaks of you, her heartrate increases by 4.6%, and similarly, yours increases by 4.1%. When speaking to each other, heartrate initially increases by 7%.”

Tony nodded. “How does this compare to other Avengers? I gush about Banner like a teenager.”

“Well, sir, while you and Ms. (Y/l/n) have high positive dialogue about other Avengers, all of them have at least a 10% decrease compared to each other. And heartrate varies depending on the topic of conversation.”

Tony snapped his fingers. “Am I excluding all non-super friends? Include any agents, co-workers. Pep isn’t an Avenger after all.”

Friday took two seconds and responded. “You and Ms. (Y/l/n) have a significant difference in speech diagnostics when talking about or to each other compared to any other Avenger, co-worker, and friend.”

When Tony remained quiet, Friday added, “Do you want me to repeat the results?”

“You don’t need to, Friday.”

“But you’re not doing anything with the new information. Would you like me to save these findings?”

“Friday,” Tony warned. 

There was silence as the love-wrecked scientist pressed his fist between his brows. Data and cold hard facts said yes, but was it right?

“Sir?”

“Yes, Fri?”

“Would you like me to play examples for you?”

He blinked. “Examples?”

“Yes. Of you and her talking about each other positively.”

It was an invasion of privacy. Tony shouldn’t. 

“Play examples.”

Before his rational mind could tell Friday no. 

“Are you in love with him?”

Tony’s eyes widened. This was too private. It might not even be about him.”Friday-”

“Of course I am.”

“-stop playback.”

“He’s Tony Sta-”

“Playback stopped.”

Tony scrambled. “What? No, wait, go back. Play it.” Screw rational. You knew he was a narcissist. You wouldn’t expect him to hear that and stop. 

“He’s Tony Stark. Who isn’t in love with him?”

“Then, why don’t you tell him?”

“... He’s Tony Stark.”

Tony started to fiddle with something on his desk. “What does that mean?”

Friday answered, “Dr. Banner asked her if she loved you, and she said yes. This means that she’s in love with you.”

Why did he program Friday like this? “I know that. I mean, those two lines. Why does me being Tony Stark stop her from saying something?” Was it the attention? Did you want some sort of normal life away from cameras and international gossip? Maybe it was the Avenging. Having a partner who was always out risking death wasn’t ideal. 

Sure, you could be in love with him. But you couldn’t be with him. 

“Maybe you should ask her.”

There were celebrities who were able to live normal lives. Some paid to have prosthetics for going outside of moved to a remote country to get out of the spotlight. He thrived off attention, but he could give that up. Avenging, he couldn’t give that up, but maybe he could cut back. Take a mission a month instead of one a week. Or maybe take more digital missions. He wasn’t just Iron Man after all. He was a genius, could hack into the Pentagon if he really wanted to. 

“Yeah,” he said. “Maybe I could talk to her.”

~ - ~

The moment you put your bag down on your lab table, Tony said, “You’re gonna be mad.”

You narrowed your brows. “What did you do?” You pressed your palm to your chest. “Oh my god, Peter overwrote my data, didn’t he? Ugh, I know he said he’s great at managing holograms, but really, Tone, you should’ve given him a tutorial before giving him access.” You brought up your holograms to check your data and analysis. 

“That’s not it.” Tony stood next to you as you looked through your files. “I did something that invaded your privacy.”

You tilted your head. Closing the holograms, you took a deep breath and slowly asked, “How?”

Tony flashed an embarrassed grin before sighing. “You’re gonna be shocked, too, so prepare yourself.”

You did not know where this was going at all. What horrible thing could Tony have done? Steeling yourself, you took a deep breath and nodded at him to continue. 

Tony cleared his throat. “Usually, I can tell when someone has feelings for me. People are obvious about it, but you? You aren’t. So, I had Friday do some analysis on our speech patterns. Me, being in love with you, was one of my controls. You and your dialogue regarding me was the main variable. 

“Long story short, I accessed some audio of you and Bruce talking, and you said that you loved me but could never tell me.” He glanced at you. “So that’s why I need to apologize.” 

Your expression didn’t change. No, that wasn’t it. You, at first, looked confused. Now, there was just nothing. No expression. No wrinkled brow in anger of flushed cheeks in embarrassment. Nothing. 

Tony blinked. “You can shout at me now. If you were confused about when to shout at me.”

You licked your lips before taking a deep breath. “Ok, that was a lot.” You pursed your lips then opened it. But, you couldn’t really think of anything to say. You didn’t even know how to feel. “So you know that I” -you pointed at yourself and then at him- “and that I didn’t wanna tell you.” You shook your head. “Wait, do you know why I didn’t want to tell you?”

A broken scoff left Tony’s lips. “Yeah. I’m a mess.”

It was your turn to scoff. “Wait, you’re a mess? That’s why you think I don’t want to tell you?”

“Among other reasons?”

Other reasons? 

You crossed your arms. “Ok, what other reasons?”

Tony looked offended. Still, he listed, “I’m surrounded by cameras, and everyone wants some privacy. Can’t get it if you’re with me. Then, there’s the Iron Man of it all. I went into a wormhole with a nuke. That was also all over the news. Then, there’s the whole daddy issues thing. I’m working on it, but it takes a while-”

He rambled on and on, listing reason after reason, and with each one, you felt tears well up in your eyes. It was a weird mix of heartbreaking, confusing, and enraging. The emotions built up slowly with each word that left his mouth, overwhelming you to the point that you couldn’t even say how it happened. 

But, as Tony paced and talked so horribly about himself, you somehow ended up in front of him with your hands on his cheeks. 

You only realized it when Tony stopped talking and when his breath touched your lips. “What?” he asked. 

You didn’t answer. You kissed him instead. 

It was a hard press of  your lips against his. It was short, and it wasn’t much. 

But by the way Tony gripped the back of your neck and pulled you back for another kiss, you’d think it was his first kiss. You knew it wasn’t. Not just because you knew he had kissed all sorts of people before you, but because he somehow knew how to make you gasp and melt into him. 

While one hand kept you steady, the other trailed down your back and pulled you closer to him. His lips moved fluidly against yours, pushing and pulling, and everytime he moved back, you chased his lips to continue the kiss, because the softness, the passion, the fact it was finally happening, was all too good. You didn’t want it to stop.

Your hands started to move. For someone so rich, his t-shirt was rough when you twisted it between your fingers and pulled it to you. Slowly, you trailed your fingers along the side of his neck. You rubbed your thumb along his pulse point, a reminder that this was indeed real. You were kissing Tony Stark, and- He was pulling away again.

Desperate, you leaned forward, reached around to hold onto his shoulder, and kissed the side of his neck. 

He let out a breathy laugh, and before you could suck on his skin, his stubble scratched your cheek. 

You looked up at him and giggled when his nose bumped into yours. When your giggles turned into a smile, he kissed you again, a soft and short kiss, before leaning his forehead against yours. 

His thumbs rubbed circles into your waist as you lightly scratched the back of his neck. He didn’t say anything. In fact, he seemed busy gazing at you.

“Speechless, Stark?” you teased. 

He laughed. For a few seconds, he just gazed at you, seeming to prove your point. Tony’s hand began to wander, from stroking your cheek to pushing back your hair. “More confused.”

Remembering why you interrupted him, you brought your hands to his cheeks again and held him there so he couldn’t look away from you. “You are amazing, Tony. That’s the reason I didn’t want to tell you.” You shrugged. “You’re too good for me.”

His fidgeting stopped. “Well, that’s not true.”

“Tony, you’re an Avenger.”

“Technically, you are also an Avenger.”

“You’re a genius.”

“Who can’t cook scrambled eggs.”

“You literally saved the universe.”

“After producing weapons of mass destruction for decades.”

You glared at him. 

He glared back. Then, he fought back. “I don’t plan on retiring.”

“Wouldn’t want you to.”

“I have severe PTSD, anxiety, maybe ADHD, all mixed with trauma galore.”

“And I will learn to help you.”

“I couldn’t give you a normal life.”

“I’d rather have you anyway.”

He opened his mouth, but you instead told him, “I’d rather have you than anything. As long as, well, for as long as  you’ll have me.”

He raised his eyebrow. “You sure about that?”

“Positive.”

Tony shook his head with a smile. “Cause, I’d rather have you for, well, how does til you get tired of me sound?”

You laughed. “Won’t happen. But, sure.” You kissed him again.You would’ve kept going, but there was something to settle first.  “By the way, Tony?”

“Yeah?”

“Is Friday recording right now?”

“Friday records everything. It’s in the contract.”

Friday added, “I record everything that happens in the tower.”

“Ok.” You could work with that. “I’ll forgive you for the invasion of privacy.”

Tony beamed, and you couldn’t help your own smile when he did. Still, you continued, “On one condition.” Your own smile turned devious. “I want evidence that Star Spangled Banner took my ice cream.”

Tony burst out laughing. He kissed you again, a deep kiss, and when he was done, he mumbled, “God, I love you,” against your lips.

#tony stark x reader #tony stark imagine #tony stark oneshot #tony stark #mcu x reader #mcu imagine #mcu oneshot #tony stark fluff #im so sorry im not on here oftennnnnnnnnnnn #dentla schools too busy and i dont wike it #thats not true i do like it its just busy and stressful and doesnt give me time to write #and smut takes me longer to write than fluff #so i can only write fluff rnnnnnn #anyway i miss you all #love you all #hope the universe treats you welllll

[high-functioning-lokipath]

Hurting Each Other - Part 2 - Loki x Reader

A/N: Here's part 2! If you're looking for part 1, here the link 😄

2 days later, Loki had still managed to completely avoid you.

"Have you tried just going to his room?" Frances asked as you finished up your shift together.

"Of course I did! But he didn't answer his door or anything." You checked your phone for the millionth time. "No calls, no texts. I'm really worried."

"Maybe you should talk with Thor?" She offered. You shook your head.

"I already did. He said he didn't know what was wrong and that Loki hasn't spoken to him." Frances patted your shoulder and gave you a hug.

"Keep me posted and let me know if you need anything, alright?" You nodded, giving her a tight hug back. "You're supposed to have training now, right?"

"Oh crap! You're right!" You exclaimed, looking at your watch. "He's probably down at the training room waiting right now! Thanks!"

"No problem!" Frances called out after you as you took off down the hallway.

When you got to the training room, it was completely empty. "That's odd, usually Loki's early," You mumbled to yourself. Smiling slightly, you thought maybe he was just tricking you with an illusion of his so you started looking for him.

"Y/N?" A voice said, walking in the room.

"Oh hey, Thor!" You said. "Where's Loki?"

"Well, that's what I came to tell you."

"What? Is something wrong? What happened? Is he ok?" You asked quickly.

"He is not injured," Thor said with a frown. "Not physically at least. He asked me to deliver a message. He said your training sessions are discontinued until further notice. He suggested reaching out to the other Avengers for training if you wanted."

"What? Why? That makes no sense!"

"I do not know, Y/N," Thor replied sadly. "I tried to ask him but he wouldn't talk."

"Ok, well thanks anyway, Thor. I think it's time I do a little investigation of my own."

"Let me know if you need any assistance." You nodded and headed off to find someone who might have some clues.

"Buck, I need your help," You said, walking up to the man who'd become one of your closest friends over the past few months. Your similar life experiences had connected the two of you and often Bucky had tips for you on how to deal with different residual effects of your past. You'd found him in the kitchen making an afternoon snack so you took a seat on a stool across the island from him.

"Sure, what's wrong?" He asked, holding out a plate of cookies. You grabbed one and took a bite, trying to think of how to even describe what was wrong.

"Got any milk to go with this?"

"Of course," He chuckled. After pouring each of you a glass he sat down next to you. "So what do you need help with?"

"Loki."

"Okay," He replied slowly. "Isn't this something you should be asking Thor about then?"

"No," You reply, thoughtfully taking another bite of your cookie. "I think this involves something more. I'm not sure though." After explaining what happened over the past couple days, Bucky sighed.

"Well, doll, I'm not sure what to tell you. Someone must have said something to him that got him upset. I mean, you did say Loki said 'He was right'?"

"Yeah, but he always tells me when something is bothering him. He complains about Tony all the time. He tells me what Thor did to annoy him. And he'll explain in great details the lengths he went to avoid Banner." Bucky chuckled lightly, having heard of the infamous Hulk Smash incident. "The only time he seemed upset about something and never said anything was-" you stopped suddenly, putting two and two together.

"What is it?"

"I think I figured it out. Where's Clint?"

"Upstairs in the rec room. Do you have some butt to kick?"

"Quite possibly."

"Need backup?"

"Maybe, can you and Thor meet me up there in 5?"

"Absolutely," Bucky replied, he got up quickly and headed off to get Thor.

"Frances?" You said, calling her immediately. "I need your help."

~ 10 Minutes Later ~

"You told him what?!" Frances exclaimed.

"That Y/N was delicate, he could hurt her, and he shouldn't have started anything," Clint repeated. Frances lunged at him, growling threats of the protective older sisterly kind. Bucky grabbed her and pulled her back quickly before she could do any real harm though.

"Down girl," he chuckled.

"Look," You said, rubbing your forehead trying to keep your own anger in check. "Frances, I appreciate your trying to protect me. And Clint,” You took a deep breath and sighed. “Clint I think, I think, you were also trying to protect me. I guess I appreciate that but, man! You really went about that the wrong way.”

“Sorry,” He said. You nodded and gave him a tight smile.

“I do expect you to give him a full apology,” You warned. “But I need to straighten this out with him first.” Hawkeye nodded. “Alright. Thor, is he still in his room?”

“Yes, but I do not think he will open to you.”

“Who said I wanted him to open the door? I respect people’s privacy but desperate times call for desperate measures.” You closed your eyes and teleported yourself to his room. Opening your eyes, you looked around quickly trying to locate him. You saw him sleeping in his bed, tissues and half eaten meals strewn about on his nightstand and floor. “Oh Loki,” You whispered, walking up to him quietly. He tossed restlessly in his sleep, sheets tangled around him. You sat on the edge of the bed carefully and tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ear. His eyes fluttered open and you smiled at him, your hand still resting on his cheek.

“Y/N?” He whispered.

“Hi there, sleeping beauty,” You teased. Suddenly his eyes flew wide open and he seemed to realize you were actually there. Quickly he sat up and pulled away from you, sitting on the opposite side of the bed.

“Why are you here?” He demanded.

“We need to talk, Loki,” You replied. He shook his head vigorously.

“No. It’s not safe for you to be here. Please go,” He said, closing his eyes tightly. You got up and he tensed visibly, thinking you were leaving. Instead, you walked around to him and sat beside him, still leaving room between you.

“I talked to Clint.” His eyes flew open again and he stared at you. "He's wrong you know."

"No, no! He's right!" Loki cried. "Don't you see? You shouldn't have to be with someone like me! You don't deserve to be with someone who's so messed up. I-" He took a shaky breath and looked away. "I nearly killed you the other day."

"No you didn't, Loki." You reached out and touched his hand. "Yes you cut my arm but-”

“I hurt you, Y/N!”

“Loki, you've never hurt me. Ever. Do you understand that?” He looked into your eyes, surprised at the fierce sincerity in them. “I could have cut my arm on anything. Why do you think I know so much about antidotes, hm? I’ve injured myself accidentally more times than I could count!” You laughed humorlessly. “You really couldn’t do anything worse than what I’ve already been through but you know what?” He looked at you nervously. “I trust you. I know you wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. And, well-” You paused, blushing brightly.

“Well what?” He asked, a small smile teasing on the corners of his lips.

“I love you.” He grinned from ear to ear and pulled you close to him for a tight hug.

“I love you too, Y/N,” He said, burying his head in your shoulder.

“Promise to never leave me like that again?” You asked. He pulled away and gently wiped the tears off your face.

“I promise,” He said. You smiled and kissed him happily.

“So, is everything good now?” Someone asked.

“Bucky!” You yelled, whipping around to the doorway, finding it wide open. Thor, Frances and Bucky all standing there with wide smiles on their faces.

“Hey! Just wanted to make sure I didn’t have to kick some butt. Congratulations you two,” Bucky said. Thor and Frances echoed the sentiments before finally leaving you be.

“Well that was awkward,” You said.

“All the more for us to prank, my dear,” Loki smirked. You laughed loudly and hugged him again.

“See? This is why I love you. Now let’s make a plan.”

#loki oneshot #loki imagine #loki fanfic #loki #loki x reader #marvel #avengers

[imagines-r-s]

Ocean’s Rise, Empires Fall

summary: you didn’t want your father’s death to be your downfall, but for the longest time it seemed like it was going to be to you and everyone else around you

taglist: @mdlyncline(send me an ask to be added to any of my taglists)

wc: 2.7k

a/n: kinda threw canon out the window, but nonetheless, i proceed. basically, clint and nat both survive- it doesn’t really check out but uh yolo

warnings: pretty angsty. very angst actually. there’s a description of depressive episodes so if that’s triggering please be cautious loves, mention of death

mentions of peter parker x stark!reader, but mostly avengers x reader (platonically)

When your dad snapped his fingers, he might have saved the world, but he destroyed yours. He obviously had no intention of doing so, he was just saving the world. You always knew your dad thought that he hadn’t done anything right in life, so you easily assumed that he thought this was his last shot. 

Tony wasn’t even aware of your existence until you were about four years old, but once he did find out he knew that he had to change his ways. When he did find out him and your mom came to an agreement for custody where he would see you every other week and every other holiday. 

What you didn’t know was that your mom had told Tony about you because she knew she only had a few years left with you, having been diagnosed with cancer a year before she had you meet Tony. She didn’t want you to be dropped off at some random man’s house and be expected to call him dad. 

She never had anything against Tony, he hadn’t done anything bad to her, she just figured with everything else going on in his life, he didn’t need a child to add onto that-boy was she wrong. When Tony met you the first time, his whole perspective on life changed. He wanted to be a good person for you, obviously, he wanted to for Pepper too, but he realized either way you would look up to him and you needed someone good in your life. 

He quickly noticed that you were just as intelligent as he was and the two of you bonded a lot through working in his lab. He made you do homeschool, considering how advanced you were and that if anyone knew that you were his daughter, you could easily be in danger. 

Tony didn’t hide anything from you, you were aware of the Avengers and that he was Iron Man, much to Pepper’s dismay. Considering that you grew up with all the Avengers, all of them thought of you as their own. You would always help your dad with upgrades to suits and the two of you even started on your own suit at one point. 

After the events that took place with Aldrich Killian, your parents were more adamant about your safety; making you train with Steve and Nat, finishing up your suit, and keeping more tabs on you. You understood, but it was still too much, which led to you starting to sneak out more. 

Although your dad had many regulations on your suit, you were still smart enough to be able to override them, that’s why you were able to leave the tower in your suit so easily. As you were flying over New York, you caught glimpse of a blue and red form also moving through the air. “FRIDAY, scan the area for any heat signatures.”

“Sure thing, Miss Stark,” the A.I responded before doing what you had asked. Whoever was flying was found easily, and you followed them until they stopped on top of a building. Expecting some sort of suit, you were surprised to see someone who looked to be about your age, wearing a homemade jumpsuit and mask, “what are you supposed to be? The outfit is kinda wack, not gonna lie,” he hadn’t expected anyone else on top of the building, so when he looked over and saw you in your suit flying beside the building, he was shocked. 

“You’re asking me that when you’re the one flying at the edge of a building?” you could tell he was your age by the way his voice cracked. Opening the suit to be able to step out, you stood by yourself on the roof of the building, “there. Is that better?”

“Oh, uh-uh, yeah. Is that Stark tech? Oh my god, you’re- you’re his daughter?”

“Aw, so smart.” 

“What are you doing here?” he asked. You simply shrugged, “Just disappointing my father, what about you, I never caught your name?” 

“It’s Pete... Peter. My name is Peter,” he said, purposefully lowering his voice. “My name’s y/n,” you mocked his fake lower voice, “So how do you do that exactly?”

“What? Swing?” you simply nodded your head, “oh, well, I was like bitten by this radioactive spider, and then all these cool things started happening. Like I’m stronger than I was before, I have quicker reflexes, etc.”

“So, you got the qualities of a spider, is what you’re saying basically?”

“Uh, yeah. Well, when you put it like that, the explanation is shorter,” you simply nodded once again. “So, Petey, what’s your superhero name? You obviously attempted a superhero look, but failed miserably.” 

“Uh, spiderman? I haven’t really thought of it.”

“You’ve put a lot of thought into it, haven’t you?” he shyly nodded, “haha, well, you have the name, you have the missions or ‘civilians’ to rescue yet?”

“I just stay around my neighborhood, for the most part, you know friendly neighborhood type beat.”

“That’s honestly really cool, looking out for the underdog that not many think to save immediately, I get it. It’s cool. Do you have a phone?”

“Uh, yeah, you want it, Stark?”

“Well, I know you want mine, Parker,” his eyes widened at the sound of his last name, “yes, I knew your name before I asked you.” He slowly nodded in response, handing you his phone to add your number, “so, what do you look like under that mask?”

“Oh, hold on,” as you watched him remove his mask, you smirked as his floppy brown hair fell over his face before he had the chance to move it up, “Oh, you’re cute, Parker. Well, you have my number, so text me. Gotta go.”

You quickly left before he had an opportunity to respond to you. Leaving him with your number and the hope that he would see you again. 

Peter had texted you shortly after, leading to the start of an amazing friendship. The two of you started teaming up more and more, which caused your dad to find out about your sneaking out, but it helped him with his discovery of the Spiderling. You two were a duo that no one wanted to mess with and it was that way for the next few years, up until Thanos attacked. 

You like to think that Thanos caused everything in your life to be messed up, but there were so many things contributing to your downfall: the Accords breaking your family apart, not seeing said family for years, Infinity War, losing the person you were in love with but too scared to tell, losing your family after they had reconnected for the first time in such a long time, your dad being lost in space, the five years, getting everyone back, and then losing your father.

Although a lot of good things came from all of that, you refused to think about the positives. Everyone tried to help you out of whatever was going on in your head, but no one could help, not even Peter. 

For the first time in your life, you were fearful. Fearful that another bad thing would happen. Fearful that you would lose more people. Fearful that you might self destruct, too. 

Pepper had tried her best to help, but she was also grieving. Peter was, too. Morgan didn’t understand. The whole team was sinking, but they worked so hard to keep you afloat. 

Bucky and Sam were trying to get you back into training, but anytime you went, you were hurting yourself more than anything else. Nat and Clint tried to get you back into your suit, but it had stayed in its case since the day Tony died. Wanda had tried to get in your head and help, it was a last resort, but she was hopeful. Banner tried to get you back into the lab. Steve and Rhodey were both well aware of how similar you were to your dad, so he simply kept a distance while keeping you away from things that would hurt you more in the end. Even Coulson tried to help by showing you his Captain America trading cards. 

But nothing they did worked. 

None of them gave up, but they were all losing hope that they would be able to get any aspect of you back to your old self. They knew that you were simply winding up to self destruct with all these bottled up emotions, and they didn’t want it to go terribly wrong. 

You hadn’t cried since the day he died. You felt terrible for not going to most of the funeral, but people understood. You felt like a disappointment knowing that you weren’t there for the people that needed you most. The completely abandoned them from such close proximity, any other time you would have found that statement funny, but know it just made you feel worse. 

When it hit a year since the funeral, you knew you either had to get up now or you’d slip deeper down the rabbit hole. For the first time in a long time, you got up from bed and you were able to take a shower. You combed out your hair, detangling out the knots. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make you feel good at that moment. 

You felt a little bit more like yourself again, it wasn’t much but you’d take it. You had started walking towards the kitchen of the compound when you heard one of the doors in the hallway open. Looking down towards the hallway, you saw Morgan leaving her room. “Morgan, you ok?” 

“Yeah, I just wanted a juice pop,” she said smiling up at you. “That’s an idea I can get behind, c’mon let’s go.”

As the two of you were eating the juice pop, you hadn’t noticed that your family had crowded around the kitchen watching the two of you. Peter had woken up a little bit later than everyone else, but he saw that they were all crowded in the hallway, “guys, what’s going on?”

“y/n’s up and is laughing with Morgan,” Pepper said. Peter quickly turned the corner to see for himself, when he saw the two of you he smiled. He was so happy to see you up for the first time on your own since everything went down.

“You know that I can see all of you guys right there, right?” you said, after seeing the crowd of people in the corner. They all slowly emerged from the corner. “Yeah, we aren’t that small of a bunch are we?” Bruce stated to which you simply shook your head in response.

“It’s nice to see you up, doll,” Bucky said, kissing you on the top of your head. “Yeahhh, uh, I knew I needed to get up eventually, I guess. I don’t know.” 

“Hey, take all the time you need. Don’t stress about us, y/n,” Sam said. 

-----------------------

For the next few weeks, you eased back into everything. You started eating more, you got back to a kinda regular sleep schedule, you started training in small amounts, but still wouldn’t go down to your and your dad’s shared lab. 

It didn’t take you long to realize that even when some superheroes take time off, the bad guys never stop. Which was the reason why the team had been trying to talk you back into getting into your old suit. “C’mon, y/n, please, we need you. Your dad’s tech is what we need. Please,” Steve said. 

“Well see here’s the thing, it’s a dead man’s tech that hasn’t been used in a year, I don’t think it’ll help much,” you said pacing the livingroom. You didn’t want to bring the team down, but you weren’t getting back into your old suit. 

“y/n. Listen, HYDRA is planning an attack and we don’t know exactly when it will happen, but it’s happening tomorrow, please. Think about what your dad would have wanted,” you drew the line at him mentioning Tony. 

“My dad wouldn’t want some arrogant asshole to be trying to make me do something with his tech that I don’t feel comfortable doing yet. If you cared, you’d respect that. Now, talk to Peter or Banner, I’m sure they can figure something out.” with that last statement you walked away towards your room. 

You had a few moments to yourself before you heard a knock on your door, “y/n/n, it’s me.” You recognized Peter’s voice anywhere, “you can come in.”

“Are you ok?”

You simply nodded when you realized you were tearing up. No one had asked how you felt, simply because they assumed that you didn’t want to hear the question. “Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay,” he said before wrapping his arms around you. “Love, it’s okay. Let it out.”

You weren’t sure how long you had been wrapped up in Peter’s arms, but he held you tight as you cried through this moment. Everything you had bottled up was finally coming out. All the walls you had built in the past year were breaking. 

“Pete, I can’t help. You have to understand that I want to, but I just can’t go down to the lab and help. I can’t. And Steve expects me too and he said that dad would have wanted me to help and I just- I just don’t know what to do.”

“I think you have to trust your gut with this one. If you can’t go through with it, then don’t force yourself. Tony wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.”

You simply nodded at the boy in front of you, “I’ve missed you, Sunshine.” He grinned after hearing the nickname he hadn’t heard in so long from you. “I missed you, too, Starlight.”

----------

Somehow a newscast had gotten to the fight, it wasn’t in a private place, so you weren’t surprised to see the cameras angled at your boyfriend and your family. Everyone was being taken out, one by one. 

Sam, Bucky, Nat, Peter, and Steve were the last few still standing, but you could see how worn out they were. You thought about how you could help and there was only one valid option, you just didn’t know if you wanted to go through with it. Correction, you didn’t know if you could go through with it. 

You made your way downstairs, stopping right in front of the lab that still looked exactly the same. “Miss Stark, it’s good to see you again,” you head the familiar A.I say. “It’s good to see you too, J.” 

Slowly taking in the room in front of you, you slowly walked in. The familiar smell of your dad’s cologne still lingered in the air somehow. It wasn’t sad, it was just a bittersweet moment. “JARVIS, can you bring out Mark 85?” 

“Of course, Miss Stark.” You smiled to yourself when you realized that Bruce had likely updated your suit. 

The bracelets that went with the suit quickly clung to your body, giving you the opportunity to suit up with the click of the two bracelets. “Alright, JARVIS, play dad’s kick ass playlist.” The sound of AC/DC filled your ears as you made your way to help protect your family. 

By the time you had gotten there, the HYDRA soldiers had the upper hand, but you knew if you came around unexpectedly they wouldn’t be able to do anything. You took the time to get the other models to get to where you were, that way you could surround them. You watched as the Avengers all smiled to themselves after realizing you were the one doing this. 

The other models were able to disarm HYDRA, giving all the worn out Avengers to strike at them and get them to the right correctional facilities. 

“y/n, you came,” Peter said, he was the only one that wasn’t completely out of breath at that. “Yes, yes. No need to thank me, I completely saved your asses back there,” you have a slight bow causing everyone to grumble. 

“Man, you really are your father’s daughter,” Rhodey said. “And you love me for that, Rhodes, don’t even,” you said raising a brow. 

#peter parker x reader #peter parker x stark!reader #peter parker imagines #avengers #the avengers #bucky #natasha #clint #rhodey #tony stark x daughter!reader #peter parker angst #marvel angst #peter parker x y/n

[im-not-shouting-im-projecting]

Some Seamster!Quinn Cooper HCs

I didnt intend for this to be this long, but my seamstress heart was inspired. I got kind of carried away, and had to refocus, so I'm going to do another post soon with some advice and anecdotes for wrighting costumers.

For the last couple of months I have been absolutely Obsessed with @poindextears 's Crickets, her SMH post-Waffle Frog OCs, and I have had a lot of headcannons about Quinn Cooper: a theatre kid extrordanare and Hoh icon who talks like he's from 50s and is the boyfreind of Nando (Cricket dman) as we have quite a bit in common. All of Mel's fics are amazing, and I would highly recommend! Give them a read on tumblr or AO3

--

I know Mel has said that Quinn's favorite place is Joanne's, which is completely understandable for someone who doesn't live near actual textile markets... but Joanne's (and similar chain craft/fiberarts supply stores) suck.

Like first of all, on a monetary level... I'm going to start with the assumption that high school Quinn didn't have a large project budget (reasoning: 1. his family is already tight with money, 2. I can't imagine his not-particularly-supportive guardians gave him lots of spending money (esp with theatre fees and materials) 3. I can't imagine he brought in tons of money on the side with a theatre schedule + grades good enough to go to med school + time with his old lady freind + time for sewing)

With that being said: Fabric is expensive. Way more expensive than people expect. Especially if you don't have expensive machinery (like overlock machines) that make cheap synthetic fabrics usable. Also I like to imagine Quinn is in the "fabrics made of plastic are itchy and bad for the enviornment" club like me.

All that is to say: Joanne's is absolutely the worst place that isn't actively upscale to buy fabric (or materials) on a budget.

- The shop's target demographic is stay-at-home white suburban moms who have the time to clip coupons, buy materials on a "when it's on sale" basis as opposed to a "my sister didn't notice the four seperate places I marked my shears 'fabric only' so now I physically cannot continue this project without buying new extra-sharp fabric scissors'" basis, and importantly: can stop by the store every day for a month because discounted items change on a day to day basis, all of which is not particularly conducive to someone a high school kids on a budget.

- Even with all the discounts in existance, the fabrics there are still super expensive and especially for the often lackluster quality (like... they are fine but if I'm paying literally $40/y for enough faux fur to make a big enough "mane" to cover the gap between the cowardly lion's padding and the actor's neck, we shouldnt have to sweep the fur bits off the stage at intermission)

- Additionally if you need a lot of fabric, say enough 7ft squares of heavy mustard yellow fabric for 30 lioness cape/pants? You might just need to run 4 seperate Joanne's out of two different fabrics that were close enough to each other to work

If you are putting in the time and effort to make something complicated,

- Also, and this is probably the most obvious: there just aren't that many options. If you want anything other than a cotton or fleece, than you better hope the single shade they have in the right color works

So I have established: Joanne's = Bad

So how does Quinn factor into all this?

Well first of all I would like to imagine that at some point Quinn helped out in SMH costuming, where they teach him the magic of using something that already exists. Samwell being as liberal as it is, I would like to think that the costuming people are aware of how awful the current state of fabric waste is, and, how his sewing skills are so much better used altering things at thrift shops beginning his journey twords my completeley basess headcannon that he one day adopts some vintage looks

While I think he would be down to adopt some of these practices in his costuming (a la my personal anectode below), I have a feeling that Quinn is one of those people who just likes to make things from scratch. (reasoning: 1 his general personality, but far more importantly, 2 THIS BOY WANTED TO MAKE EVAN HANSEN'S POLO BY HAND, WHY??? WHAT IS THE PURPOSE??? DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH TIME THAT TAKES???????? YOU ARE WILLING TO SPEND UPWORDS OF TEN HOURS OF YOUR LIFE ON A MODERN STYLE SHIRT THATS GOING TO BE SEEN 4 TIMES???)

I get it, especially for historical reconstructions, there are people who genuinely love sewing by hand, I love Bernadette Banner as much as the next seamstress, but I honestly don't know how they do it.

I like to think that Quinn would be wandering around some thrift store and out of the corner of his eye notice some curtains and have a vision of frolicking through a meadow like Julie Andrews in cloths made out of a curtain... metaphorically. But he def gets "Do a Dear" stuck in his head every time he wears it

Of course the SMH Costuming crew introduce him to some better places to at least get draping and mock up fabrics, but I think they would also introduce him to an actual fabric store.

Samwell is close enough to Boston that I'm sure there's an actual fabric warehouse within driving distance, so when Quinn can't find a suitable material at his beloved Joanne's, and is understandably skeptical about ordering fabric online, Ford is just like dude, go to the fabric warehouse, so he gives it a try.

Ok his fist thought when he gets there is omg everything is so big. Ok, that's his second thought, his first thought is ugh this smells like the SMH locker room, bc a giant block of concrete with no internal climate control in the New England humidity stuffed to the brim with moisture-holding fabric is def gonna make some kind of funk.

But after that like...

Ok, on the left is your average Joanne's while on the right is your average fabric warehouse

I can totally imagine him physically getting lost. He is tiny, and those places are total mazes, absolutely ginormus, they are all stacked literally 8 feet tall, and all the rows look the same.

Fabric in warehouses is stored for maximum capacity as opposed to places like Joanne's where it is purposely stored in ways that display the whole selection at once. Additionally, while hobbyist bolts face out as much as possible so you can see it at a glance, professional grade bolts face in for protection

...If it's on the shelves at all, the hallmark of a textile warehouse is just dozens of bolts leaning haphazardly in precarious places

This tiny boy is just absolutely surrounded by rows upon rows of fabric, stored in ways that are absolutely not conducive to being looked at easily, and is incredibly frusturated bc Aggghhh I can't look at any of this without moving all of it around, and I can't reach any of it!!!

BUT!

Guess what he has?

Nando to the rescue!

Quinn's big strong dman boyfriend is more than willing to move around and carry the bolts for him and when need be he'll just straight up plop Quinn on his shoulders so he can see the stuff at the top :)

Ok, that's the gist of what I had to say, some other little seamster!Quinn hcs:

his old lady friend taught him the absolute basics, and his wedding gift from her is her 70 year old sewing machine that he first learned to sew on and he treasures that thing FOREVER

bc of his apparent love of hand sewing he is one of those people that swears by genuine leather thimbles, idk why it just feels like him

whenever people compliment his outfit he is just casually like "Oh thanks, I made it" (bc non sewers are always astounded by that and we get to gloat) because I said so

he makes Nando cute crop tops

#quinn cooper #the crickets #Poindexters #alannah talks about sewing #oh look i said something #sewing #costuming #quindo

[dc41896]

Mission Complete

Pairing: Steve RogersxBlack Reader

⚠️: Mentions of death, slight angst, fluff

“Who knew such power could come from that small human?!,” Thor excitedly announced as you all walked in the Stark compound. “Wait you are only human right?”

“I mean that I know of. Still don’t know a lot about my dad since I never met him.”

Noticing your distressed mood once you entered, everybody silently concluded amongst themselves that you weren’t in the mood to talk. Everyone besides Thor that is.

Not that he was purposely trying to continuously bring it up, you knew he was just excited about your new amazing feat he, and pretty much everyone else on the team, had yet to see.

“I’m calling it now, you’re part alien to do something like that. And I say that in the best way,” he nervously laughs hoping he didn’t offend. “What if you’re a queen or something of your alien home?!”

“Ok, Thor I think Y/N’s heard enough about potentially being part alien,” Natasha responds hoping he would take the hint to leave the topic alone.

“Why am I the only one amazed by what just happened?”

“You mean how I just basically crushed a man to death by using a level of power I’m not supposed to?!,” you frustratedly retort, tears pooling in your eyes. “Trust me, I’m sure everyone else is amazed too.”

Rushing upstairs to your room before any tears could be seen escaping your eyes, all that can be heard by your teammates is the slamming of your door before silence overtakes the area.

“Dude you really gotta learn to read the room,” Rhodey says, shaking his head as he walks towards the lab to discuss new improvements with Tony.

———

Now in an old, oversized Duke sweatshirt and cotton shorts, you lie on your bed bundled under the grey comforter only able to think about the events prior. How you were left face to face with Luften after he managed to evade the others.

How his body instantly discolored and morphed into what looked like a sheet of paper smoothed out after being balled up repeatedly after your hit.

You would try to close your eyes and go to sleep but that would only make it worse and the images stay longer. Tears falling from your eyes onto the grey sheet beneath you, you hear two sets of footsteps approaching your door.

“Steve you’ve talked to plenty of people before, yet now you’re nervous about talking to Y/N? You’re gonna be fine, just use your Cap-ness, it works all the time,” Natasha explained.

“My what? And I’m not nervous I just don’t want to say the wrong thing is all. Plus she may not want to talk to me which is why I wanted you to come with me.”

“I’m sure she just wants someone to comfort her and listen to-,”

“You know, for a soldier and a spy you guys suck at whispering in front of doors,” you interrupt as you widely open your door, surprising them from being caught.

“Sorry Y/N,” Steve nervously scratches the back of his neck as he enters your room.

“Also sorry about Thor, sometimes he can’t catch a hint,” Natasha asks joining Steve to sit at the foot of your bed with you in between both of them.

“It’s ok, I know he didn’t mean anything by going on..and on.”

“Speaking of, do you want to talk about what happened?,” Steve asks, forearms resting on his knees as he turns to meet your tear stained cheek. “It’s ok if you don’t though, take all the time you need.”

With a sigh, you bring your knees to your chest resting your chin on them as you wrap your arms around your legs. “It’s just...when I went full force I know I was helping the team but at the same time I broke a promise I made a long time ago.”

Feeling fresh tears make their way to the surface you quickly duck your head down to hide your face. While these were your teammates whom you had grown to love, you’d be darned to let any of them see you cry. Or anyone for that matter.

“You promised to not use your powers fully?,” Nat asked with a comforting hand on your shoulder.

“That’s part of it, but I promised never to kill. One day when I was small, I was playing outside in the grass while my mom was inside doing something at the table. She heard me scream and came running outside to find me crying pointing down towards literal pieces of a snake. With my scream at that time I mutilated it and scared both of us. She knew if I could do that kind of damage at that age when I got older it’d only be stronger, so one day she sat me down and asked me to promise her I wouldn’t fully use my gift and I wouldn’t kill,” you explain wiping your face with the sleeve of your hoodie.

“I know it sounds stupid and she was just trying to look after kid me so I shouldn’t even care about that promise now, but still it’s just there making me feel guilty.”

Opening his mouth to speak, a dull buzz diverts his and your attention towards Nat as she looks down at her phone.

“I’m sorry it’s Clint, I gotta help him out with something. I promise to come back and check on you though ok?,” she apologetically smiles before exiting the room.

“Y/N there’s nothing strange about feeling guilty when breaking a promise. I would say most people do if there’s an ounce of good in them.”

“Yea but crying about it doesn’t make for a good hero does it?,” you counter, arms crossed in front of you as you look down at your feet now touching the floor.

“I wouldn’t say that. It shows how big of a heart you have and that you care about causing more good than harm,” he explains. “All great qualities for someone who’s trying to save the world.”

“Thanks,” you softly smile finally looking up to meet his eyes.

“From someone who’s experienced something similar, I can tell you those dilemmas won’t get easier to deal with when they come up, but trust yourself that you know what’s best. Even take tonight for example, you knew your promise, but also knew you had to do what you had to. I’m sure she would understand that.”

You knew he had a knack for taking charge and rallying everyone together before missions, but for whatever reason seeing this side of him was a little surprising. Not that you couldn’t tell he was compassionate, but you guessed you only looked at him as your leader in a way; the one in charge of giving you your orders.

Hearing his words just now made you feel as if he was a close friend, and had been for years.

“Yea you’re right, I’m sure she would. Especially with that coming with what I do now,” you softly laugh to yourself. “Thanks again Cap, and sorry about all the emotions and dramatics.”

“No don’t apologize. You might have powers, but you’re still a human with working emotions even if Thor is questioning it,” he lightly chuckles making you laugh. “And it’s okay to call me Steve.”

“Okay, Steve,” you smile. A comfortable silence falling over you, you both realize you might be gazing at each other for longer than usual before nervously looking down at your hands.

“I uh, guess I better get back downstairs. Who knows what Tony has going in the lab,” he responds after nervously clearing his throat. “Come get me if you need anything though okay?”

“Thanks will do,” you reply, watching as he walks towards the door with hands in his pockets. “Actually, um Steve?”

“Yea?”

“I was wondering if...-you know what? Never mind it’s nothing.”

“No I doubt it’s nothing, tell me.”

“Well I was wondering if you could just sit and talk with me for a while? You know to get everything off my mind for a bit, but if you have something you need to do then it’s okay-,”

“I can stay as long as you need me to, it’s no problem,” he smiles walking back to join you. “So Duke huh?”

“Yea it was my dad’s. He gave it to my mom on a date since she was cold and years later I found and kept it.”

“That’s similar to what happened on my first date, but I’m sure it didn’t go nearly as well as your parents’.”

“What happened?”

“Well let’s just say her needing my coat wasn’t because of the cold, but because me and the Tilt-a-Whirl didn’t mix,” he laughs as you giggle with a hand over your mouth imagining the sight.

———

Being startled by knocking on your door, you open your eyes to discover the comforter pulled over you and a note on the bedside table beside you.

Y/N, hope you woke up feeling better about yesterday. Sorry I couldn’t stay, I had to go on a quick mission with Banner and Thor, but I’ll see you when we get back to tell you what happened. P.S, Thor says he’s sorry about calling you an alien and promises he meant it in a good way ~Steve

You must’ve been more tired than you thought from not at all remembering going to sleep. The last image you could recall was both you and Steve sitting with your backs against the headboard as he told you more about his childhood and life in the army. Hearing another knock, you put away your letter before shouting “come in” to whoever was on the other side.

“Hey, how you feeling?,” Natasha asks closing the door behind her as she walks closer to you.

“Better, thanks,” you softly smile. “Steve really helped last night with everything he said.”

“Yep that’s Rogers for you, he’s always gonna be there to help however he can. And speaking of, he also wanted me to report back how you were doing and if you were coming to train. He understands if you’re not up for it though.”

You didn’t want it to happen, but hearing that he was wondering about you, on top of the letter, made your face slightly heat up as your heart swelled in your chest.

“Yea I’ll come down, just let me get dressed first. Plus I feel like messing with Thor’s head a bit from all the alien talk yesterday,” you reply as you walk to the bathroom making Nat laugh.

Taglist: @crushed-pink-petals @fumbling-fanfics @honeychicana @lady-olive-oil @melinda-january @themyscxiras @lovelymari4 @fullofmelaninsarcasmandepression @nunubug99 @felicity-x0 @ellixthea @jnk-812 @jojolu @brwn-sgr @captainsamwlsn @itshinothey @wildfirecracker @nina-sj @iammyownlover @chaneajoyyy

If anybody wants to be tagged, has asked to be tagged but don’t see your name, only wants to be tagged for certain people I write for, or no longer wish to be tagged just let me know🤓!

#steve rogers #stevexreader #stevexwoc #stevexblackreader #captain america #avengers #chris evans #chrisxblackreader #chrisxwoc #chrisxreader

[michaels-blackhat]

the sea beneath, the journey home

day 3/31 of my massive holiday project

for @isakvaltersnake, you didn’t get a RNM fic. This was supposed to be post-canon Gendrya... and it’s there... it’s just not the fluff I set out to write <3

Eventually the coast blurs until it is one with the sky and Arya turns from her family, her home, and focuses on the ship around her. The men are all experienced sailors, all with more experience than her for all that she is technically better traveled, and they know their business. She does not have to worry about directing, about actually captaining her ship.

She breathes in the salt air, a deep breath that feels more like purification than anything else. Out here she cannot smell the fire, the smoke, the burning and rotting flesh of King’s Landing and of the North. Here, surrounded by nothing but the great salt water sea, she can forget about the death and destruction. Here she can forget No One. She can forget the legacy of the Starks. She can forget about it all without forgetting herself. Here, at sea, she can learn how to be.

-

At night the gentle rock of the ship lures her to sleep. She sleeps in a hammock, same as the rest of her men. It swings her as the sea rocks a lullaby. On the wind she hears the great songs, the tales of love and battle the men sing as the dark calls them all to sleep. At night she lays and images a life where the stories were not real, where the frost only nipped and didn’t bring worse than death. She imagines a life like the one her father once promised her- a good husband, a household to run. She imagines a life where she could be content.

The ship gives a lurch and she remembers that life was never one she wanted.

She turns over and turns off her mind. Thinking has never helped her anyway.

-

Two weeks at sea and they do not expect to see anything beyond that. Arya stands at her desk with a map open in front of her. Her navigator stands at her side as they debate the best course. Neither know for sure, any travel to the west has been avoided and Arya did not consult with the remaining Ironborn before she left.

Arya did not consult with anyone beyond the shipwrights and the sailors on the docks. She had not consulted her family, just told them she was leaving.

She never told Gendry she was leaving at all.

“My lady,” her navigator addresses her, “we should reach land within two weeks, if the weather holds.”

She nods her agreement before she turns her attention to her quartermaster.

“And our supplies?”

“They will hold for months, as long as we find fresh water on land, my lady.”

She nods again.

“Then we stay the course,” she says as she rolls up the map. 

-

There is plenty on a ship to keep her mind occupied, but the night wrecks the careful control she has over herself. At night her mind wanders to the far corners of Westeros, to her brothers on opposite ends of the continent, to her sister ruling in the North, to the bastard blacksmith lord in the Stormlands.

Every night the men sing on the deck. They gather to tell stories and to sing songs. She leaves them to it, afraid to hear her own song, afraid they will ask about the Long Night and the Night King.

Sometimes they sing the new songs, but often they keep to the older ones, the ones they heard as they grew, the songs that gives comfort.

Arya lays in her hammock as their voices sing about a lady of the forest and the little lord who loved her.

She does not think of a similar story, a lady of the forest who was actually a Lady and the boy who loved her when she was covered in filth, when she was covered in silk.

-

“Land!”

The cheers of her crew quickly drowns out the cry from the crows-nest. Four weeks at sea is not that long, not for seasoned sailors or even for a woman who traveled the discovered world, but four weeks where it is uncertain that there is even land is a strain.

It is still far in the distance, but the breaks in the horizon can be seen even so far out to sea.

Arya smiles at the exuberance of her crew until she sees a speck in the distance, which grows closer the longer she looks. Her smile starts to fall as the distinct shape of a raven forms.

Her first mate gives her a look, but she gives him a reassuring smile. Only one type of creature could find them, no raven could be trained to fly to the unknown. This raven had her brother riding its back.

She lifts her hand and the raven flies to her. It lands with ease and stays still as she releases its paper burden. It flies away the moment the note is free.

-

At night she lights a single candle and sits on the deck of her ship. The light does not cast shadows, it is too small to do that, too weak. She imagines the flickers of fire against the carved direwolves, against the folds of the banners and the sails.

She imagines the heat of a forge as it warms her to her core.

She reads the words on the paper her brother sent, over and over as if it would give her more answers.

The lesser Lords of the Stormlands have asked me to intervene on their behalf, as their liege Lord refuses to marry. He said he will not find a wife to make into his lady, that he already has one.

I thought you might like to know.

The ship does not rock her to sleep that night. The faint glow of her flame does nothing to burn away memory.

-

The land is rocky in a way that reminds Arya too much of the jagged coast along King’s Landing. She takes one look at the shore and returns below deck.

She does not join the men when they weighed anchor and rowed to shore.

-

The hammock stays still beneath her as the sunlight creeps in from an open hatch. They are anchored down as close to shore as they dare. She keeps below dock, away from the sight of the coastline, away from the ghosts of memory.

A dark figure flies through the open hatch and lands on the ropes that tie your hammock to the wooden poles. The raven waits patiently as Arya unties the note, once again flying away the moment it is free of its burden.

Some memories you cannot hide from.

Arya takes the note note to the deck and throws it into the ocean.

She looks out into the horizon, ocean and air mixing until it’s nothing but uniform blue.

-

Her men find water and berries that the local wildlife can eat, berries that look close enough to ones she ate in Bravos that she is willing to risk it for something fresh.

She and her navigator decide to continue west, to follow the coastline and see where that may lead them.

They stay for a few days, long enough to replenish their water and to ensure the berries have no unsavory effects. They hunt for fresh meat and open another barrel of ale in celebration. It is a warm affair, the men jovial. Even Arya stays in good spirits, laughing with her men and joining in on their songs.

The evening winds down and the songs turn somber. They sing of lost loves and of family gone. They sing of war, but not the glory just the cold aftermath. Arya looks out from her place on the quarterdeck, the moon and the stars glow on the sea, the dark of the island shimmers as the moonlight hits the jagged rocks. Arya sees the ghosts dance on the shore. 

-

Arya never had the same dreams as her sister. She did not want to be a lady. She did not want to be a wife. She wanted to rule a castle, yes, but she did not want to do it in the name of someone else. She did not dream of dresses, of a maiden cloak around her shoulders.

She did dream of love, of family, of villagers to help and people to care for.

You would be my lady, he had said years before, before she even knew what she had asked him.

He had a castle now, villagers to help and a whole section of the country to care for.

None of it will be worth anything if you’re not with me. He said that too, before he asked her to be his lady, different than that first time he said it.

“His lady wife,” she snorted as she crawled up the rigging, small enough and strong enough to do it quickly, to do it right.

The coastline changes as they sail past, from rocky to rolling hills and gently sloping beaches, and Arya stares blindly at it, caught up in memories and letter.

With an arm firmly around the ropes she pulls out the most recent letter from her meddling brother-king.

We dance with our ghosts in different ways, sometimes you need to confront your fears.

“Cryptic as always Bran,” she says into the wind, aware that he hears her a world away.

-

The hammock sways with the storm, a quick summer squall that they can see the end of already, blue skies in the distance waiting to carry them onto the next part of their journey. She listens to the sound of the men on deck, those who replaced the first shift. She is still soaked to her bones, exhausted more from a dreary mood than from trying to the ship storm-ready so quickly.

Ghosts still dance behind her eyes, the frozen dead, the burning dead, green eyes and blues eyes and brown eyes. She has shut those eyes forever. No one never minded. Arya does.

She looks up at the wooden planks, water-sealed and sturdy. This is her penance, in a way. She spent years getting back to her family and when she did she couldn’t stay. She couldn’t look them in the eyes and pretend she was ok, pretend that she did not see the dead everywhere. She could not look at any of them and say that she deserved peace.

-

The next raven had no note, just a small leaf made of gold tied from a string around its neck. She places it around her neck and ignores the tears in her eyes.

-

There is no coast to follow anymore, just more open sea. They continue west, after a stop for fresh water and more fresh meat to supplement their slowly dwindling dried rations before the land disappeared to their backs.

“What do you hope to find?”

Her first mate stands next to her, map open in front of them as their navigator adds more details. They will need a new sheet soon.

“Honestly?” Arya asks, eyes fixed on Westeros. “At first I would have said adventure.” She looks up at him, unable to look at the symbols on the map that meant home. “Now? I think I’m just looking for peace.”

“You won’t find that on the sea, my lady,” her first mate responds with a sad smile. “That’s not why any of us are here. I suspect that’s not the reason for you either, not really.”

She snorts out her answer. “I think maybe we spend a little too much time together, if you can say something like that.”

“We’re on a ship my lady,” he laughs, “we can do nothing but spend time together.” His smile goes sad again, after the brief laughter. “We all saw things, my lady, in King’s Landing. Things that will haunt us for the rest of our lives. For most of us, we spent our whole life at sea. This is our home, this is familiar. That’s not the case for you. You’re running my lady, none of us judge you for that.”

Arya closes her eyes against the truth.

“Has my brother been sending you ravens as well?”

“No my lady, as you said, we just spend that much time together.”

-

The golden leaf is warm against her skin when she goes to sleep. She never takes it off, just lets it lay against her chest day in, day out. She does not let herself think, or so she tries.

The ship sways beneath her, but it does nothing to lure her to sleep.

“Some things you cannot out run,” she says into the darkness, feeling foolish as the words leave her mouth. “I am running.”

The darkness says nothing in reply.

-

They reach land two days later. They see ships first, ships of  Yi Ti make fishing or loaded down with cargo. Her quartermaster smiles, happy to restore their depleted supplies. Her navigator smiles as well, smug that his prediction was true.

“What is west of Westeros?” He asks into the crowd.

“It’s just the east,” one of the crew members calls back.

Arya lets her eyes linger on the ships, on the port in the distance.

“What were you hoping to find?”

She startles, surprised that her first mate could sneak up on her. Surprised that she has reached a point where she can let her guard down at all.

“A reason to go home,” she replies, “to go home and know I deserve it.”

-

She cannot sleep, not with a feather mattress beneath her. Her crew would not let her sleep on the ship, not when there was comfortable accommodations worthy of their lady captain. Through the open window she hears the splash of the waves against the distant shore, the cries of the gulls. 

She sees the sun rise through her window, rising to greet her in the east and moving from her home in the west. The world is a sphere and her life is a cycle of death and destruction. The sun rises after the long night. Fields are razed and burned. They grow again.

Maybe, by the time she reaches west again, she will be like the crops after winter, budding and ready to grow.

-

Sometimes you need to relearn how to be.

Arya reads the note before they leave port and head west again. This time they have a plan, they have rations for weeks before they port again and restock, aware of their path now that they are back in the known.

Your family misses you.

The note is accompanied by another leaf, gold again but held together by a rope made from some type of grass. She never forgot the song, never really forgave Tom Sevenstrings for how often he sang the song to her and Gendry on their travels. It makes her smile now, to remember the good times mixed in with the rotten.

“Subtle,” she breathes out as she drapes the leaf around her neck. “Real subtle Bran.”

-

“Where are we headed my lady?”

Her first mate gave her a look over the map in her office. 

“Home, I think. Eventually.”

“And did you find what you hoped to find?”

She smiles, small but not sad. 

“Not yet,” she replies as she moves to roll up their incomplete map. “But by the time we make it back I think I will.”

#arya stark #gendrya #gendry baratheon #game of thrones #got fic #my fic #isakvaltersnake #holiday fic gifts

[thepetulantpen]

(Another late Valentine’s Day gift for @fancy-kryptonite !)

“I don’t know how I could make it any more obvious.”

Chiaki tilts her head in Hajime’s direction, her usual sign that she’s listening, even if her eyes don’t leave the game in her hands. “Have you tried just telling him?”

“Yeah, I mean, last week I told him I didn’t need a flashlight because he’s the light of my life.” Hajime leans back on the bench and rubs a hand over his face. “Then, yesterday, I said his shirt was soft enough to be made of boyfriend material.”

“But did you actually say it?”

“I think it was pretty clear—“ Hajime cuts himself off at Chiaki’s pout, and sighs, “No, I haven’t actually said it.”

Chiaki hmphs and clicks a button on the console, starting up a new round as if to say “my work here is done”. Hajime knows she’s right, that he should follow her advice, but his thoughts curl back, nervous and apprehensive at the idea, regardless of how simple it seems.

He resolves to wait out the nagging thoughts, to leave the problem at that. Tomorrow, he’ll tell Kazuichi. Tomorrow. Definitely.

The minutes drag on. He shifts on the bench next to Chiaki, fidgets with his tie. A few times, he opens his mouth to say something, but decides against it. Chiaki doesn’t notice, entirely focused on her game, as she will be for the hours it takes her to die or take a break.

Doesn’t notice, or is intentionally ignoring him. Hajime isn’t sure.

“Maybe I could just- Hey, don’t be like that!”

The second he speaks, as if she was anticipating it, Chiaki groans and mimes banging her head against the console.

Hajime presses on, though he refuses to meet her eyes. “I want to try one more time, you know? A grand gesture, for Valentine’s Day. Maybe then he’ll get it.”

“Would be easier if you just told him.”

Hajime gives her a sheepish half-smile and Chiaki recognizes that this is a losing battle.

“But you’ll help?”

Chiaki shakes her head, as if she could even pretend to deny those puppy-dog eyes of Hajime’s that would melt anyone’s heart- and probably will. She predicts that they’ll have a whole crew to carry out whatever convoluted plan he thinks up by the end of the night. The rest of the island will fall to the same fate she has, helpless to Hajime’s unwitting charm.

“Of course I’ll help.”

…

“I just don’t know how to tell him.”

Gundam doesn’t look up. He’s busy, measuring out precise portions of hamster food. There’s a delicate balance that goes into the diet he’s planned, a careful process of maintaining their nutrition and providing variety.

His obvious need for concentration doesn’t stop Kazuichi from droning on behind him, venting under the guise of asking advice. For the third time this week.

Someday, Gundam will see how he likes it when he invades his lab to ask for date ideas. Which reminds him.

“Perhaps you could start by stopping your incessant flirting with a certain princess?”

“I don’t want him to get suspicious!”

Gundam levels him with a look that Kazuichi thinks is a little unfair, too scathing. It’s not his fault that he’s inexperienced with sort of thing.

“You can blame yourself for the mixed signals, then.”

“Gundam!” Kazuichi’s voice comes out as a whine, but it still doesn’t catch Gundam’s attention as he moves onto the next batch of food. “Wait, seriously!”

“If you don’t want to take my advice—“

“I do! Or I want to, anyway. Honestly,” Kazuichi tugs at his beanie, pulling it lower on his ears, “it’s just that I feel like we only ever hang out when I’m talking about Sonia. I want him to be more than a wingman… but I don’t want to lose just that, if I can’t have more.”

Gundam makes the mistake of looking up, meeting Kazuichi’s wide, sparkly eyes. Hope-filled, pleading. He looks down to escape the eye contact but finds his hamsters staring up at him with the same expectant, hopeful eyes.

Traitors.

Gundam sighs and puts down what he was doing. He has a feeling he’s going to regret this, but-

“How can I help?”

…

Hajime starts getting nervous when they reach about midday without any causalities.

Akane and Nekomaru managed to hang up the banner without killing anyone. Ibuki and Hiyoko are still arguing about what sort of performance is appropriate for Valentine’s Day. Komaeda is, at least outwardly, calm as he helps Chiaki set up a few party games.

It should, by all accounts, be fine, but Hajime has been here long enough to feel a storm building in the air, only barely obscured by the calm. Nothing ever goes smoothly with these people and it only takes the smallest mistake, the smallest inconsistency, for the fragile balance to fall to pieces.

He knows this, and it’s why the conspicuous absence of Kazuichi is stressing him out to a degree that an outsider might call obsessive.

It’s not, for the record, obsessive. He just knows that it’s unreasonable that Fuyuhiko, who was sent to distract Kazuichi while they set up, couldn’t find him.

Sure, maybe he’s just hanging out somewhere Fuyuhiko didn’t bother to look but… Kazuichi isn’t exactly sneaky, and Fuyuhiko was gone for an hour. There are only so many places Kazuichi frequents on the island, and even less of those places could contain any sort of hiding spot.

It makes Hajime nervous- more nervous even than the sounds of an escalating argument and Komaeda dropping something that lands with a loud clatter.

Not, however, more nervous than the ominous creak of metal. The scraping sound of metal against metal is distinct and never good- especially when Hajime can’t immediately identify its source.

“Guys-“ Hajime tries to interrupt but even after all this time he’s still just a voice in a crowd, “There’s-“

A whir of machinery, a screech of static and a tiny, robotic voice blares, piercing through the walls.

“Happy Valentine’s Day!”

The call is nearly unintelligible over the impact with doorway as a hulking mass of metal tries to shove its way through the closed doors. It does manage to open them, by breaking the doorframe, but even broken there is not enough room for the… robot? For the robot to fit through.

Every time it impacts the frame- and it continues to impact the frame, repeatedly pulling back and starting forward again- the screech of “Happy Valentine’s Day!” sounds, like a poorly constructed singing toy in a department store.

There’s general pandemonium rushing around him, but the sound dims at the heavy weight of a realization.

Nobody in this whole damn school would make a robot with a shoddy pink paint job to wish them Happy Valentine’s Day except Kazuichi. Nobody else could, and nobody else would fail to think of things like the dimensions of the door.

Something must break from the repeated grinding against the door because the robot makes an unfortunate sound, like it’s powering down, and Ibuki chooses that moment to hit it with a chair, landing somewhere in the exposed wiring. Hajime doesn’t know anything about robots, but he thinks that sparks are usually never good and has just enough time to think what awful luck before it bursts into flames.

Escaping is something of a blur, pushing past people and away from random screams until he’s stumbling into the sunlight. There’s just enough sense left in him to clear out in the opposite direction to avoid getting trampled by crowds, then someone is grabbing his shirt and he’s being hauled away over the grass and onto the sands of the island.

“Hajime!” Kazuichi lets go of him long enough for them both to breathe, “Are you ok?”

Hajime gives a thumbs up, for lack of anything to say, and Kazuichi is looking over their shoulder at the small fire and the large, angry crowd. They’re running again before Kazuichi has a chance to ask anything else.

…

He feels a little bad, escaping from the chaos he’s partially responsible for, but, mostly, he’s happy to be away from the noise.

Away from the noise, with just Kazuichi to keep him company.

They’re settled on the beach, next to a rock they’ve used as a hiding place before, when Sonia or Gundam was after Kazuichi. The remote for the robot is abandoned nearby. Hajime still has unused streamers shoved in his pocket.

Maybe it’s the come-down from the rush of panic at a minor explosion, but Hajime can’t feel anything except calm. The sunlight is warm, not too hot, and the ocean is as beautiful as ever. They’re too far away to hear the aftermath so he can almost pretend it’s a normal day, hanging out with Kazuichi.

It’d be perfect if it wasn’t for the tension stiff in the air, the lingering unsaid things of the most recent disaster. Kazuichi snaps first.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t have time to test the systems and I think they over-heated—“

“You didn’t need to do all of that, Kazuichi.”

Hajime looks at Kazuichi and expects him to turn away like he always does, adjusting at his beanie to avoid looking at him directly, but this time Kazuichi looks back, as serious as he gets.

“I did. I wanted,” Kazuichi’s hand twitches, aching to fidget, but he stays still, “to do something nice. For, you know, the holiday. It’s not like you’re one to talk- you were going to throw a party!”

“I didn’t know how else to—“

Hajime doesn’t finish because he doesn’t have to, he sees a matching expression on Kazuichi’s face, stupid realization of an obvious answer. Every obliviously, casually affectionate response from Kazuichi in the last few months comes to mind and he thinks it couldn’t have been more clear.

Kazuichi looks embarrassed, probably having a similar moment of hindsight. “Me neither. I was never really sure if it was—“

“You really didn’t get the idea after the gifts or the compliments or the candlelit dinner?”

“I thought,” Kazuichi goes a brighter pink than his hair, “I thought that was just friendly.”

“How many of your friends do things like that?”

“I don’t know! I don’t have much experience with friends, you know.”

Hajime leans back, lowering himself all the way into the sand, and rubs a hand over his face, masking the goofy smile that’s appeared there.

“Kazuichi?”

Kazuichi shifts beside him in the sand, leaning over him so his face is just above Hajime’s when he opens his eyes. “Yeah, buddy?”

“I love you.”

A moment of hesitation, a voice crack, and, “I love you, too.”

Hajime pulls Kazuichi down by the front of his jacket and they lay beside each other in the sand, laughing at their own foolishness.

Somewhere across the island, Chiaki and Gundam pause in their cleanup to smile to themselves and brace for the sappiness to come.

#danganronpa #kazuichi souda #hajime hinata #Valentine’s Day #chiaki nanami #gundam tanaka #somewhat rarepair #ive never written any of these characters bfore #so i hope youll excuse the ooc-ness #tried my best

[histrionic-dragon]

Weekend Reading Recs: Captain America (MCU) Fanfic Disambiguation List

A much longer list than my usual Weekend Reading Recs, but hey, it’s a holiday weekend (in the US, at least).

It may or may not happen to anyone else, but I know that there are fanfics with similar names and/or premises that I get mixed up frequently. I have these stories bookmarked, but I will still have to open them to tell which one it is. 

So, partly for my own clarification and partly for your edification--and partly because, hey, if you know and like one, you might like the others!--I’m making a fic rec list pair by pair, sometimes group by group. 

All MCU Captain America, mostly set at least partially in the 21st century, many but not all Steve/Bucky.

Set 1: Reference Works

Encyclopedias/dictionaries/glossaries, or, stories about Steve adapting to the 21st century and the bumps inherent in doing so.

A Partial Dictionary Of The 21st Century By Captain Steve Rogers, US Army by  copperbadge

Summary: Steve is adapting well to the new millennium, and he has the dictionary to prove it.

Halbereth’s notes: The one that’s actually in alphabetical order and has Professor X in it. Also, the Steve/Tony one.

A Glossary of the 21st Century by  kinky_kneazle

Summary:  Steve's sick of not understanding what's going on, and the team are not all that helpful, so he starts keeping an illustrated notebook for further research. With the help of wiki, google and Logan he starts to settle in and find his place in the twenty-first century.

Halbereth’s notes: The one where Steve has a notebook full of things to look up (even though I’m pretty sure this was written pre-Winter Soldier release), he’s frustrated but eventually the others realize what’s going on and help, there’s really well-done tension between Steve and Tony that gets resolved well, and Wolverine’s in it. This is the one that has (had? It’s all the Livejournal logo now) art, the one with Steve and Bucky as lookouts at a speakeasy as kids; the one that’s meant to be early Steve/Natasha, only I didn’t realize that until my third time reading it.

I feel like there was a Steve/Bucky one, too, but I’m not sure what it was. Possibly The Steven G. Rogers Guide to What You Missed the Last Few Years by  what_alchemy. 

Summary:  Steve's got the hang of this 21st century thing.

Halbereth’s notes: post-Winter Soldier. Bucky’s himself again and living with Steve. Steve helps him adjust to some of the different things about this time, but it’s also obviously really good for Steve to have someone else who kind of boggles at things too. 

Set 2: Courtship through food

The Quickest Way to a Heart by VictoryCandescence

Summary:  Steve and Bucky: an edible history.

Halbereth’s notes: Bucky is living with Steve, post Winter Soldier, and fresh-made food keeps appearing in the kitchen, food that reminds Steve of when he and Bucky were younger. A slow burn romance with most of the slow burn via flashback. Cute and touching and makes me hungry every time. Also, it’s nice to see Bucky helping Steve remember for once. The one with the cookies and whipped cream and booze.

the food of love by biblionerd07

Summary:  Bucky and Steve communicate through food. Sam is a good person, so he doesn't complain about his kitchen being taken over. Not too much, anyway.

Halbereth’s notes: Featuring a semi-feral post-Winter Soldier Bucky who Steve leaves food out for on the fire escape. Of Sam’s apartment. The one with this line: “He did not expect to glance out the window as he got a drink of water at 5:40 am to find Bucky Barnes waiting patiently on the fire escape, eerily still and peering in the window. Sam screamed out loud and dropped the glass of water.”

Set 3: involving apple cake

 Bucky Barnes Versus Sarah Rogers' Apple Cake by  fedzgurl, rayskeptic

Summary:  Bucky Barnes learned two crucial, lifelong lessons during the summer of 1941. The first was that he absolutely hated apple cake. The second was that he loved Steve Rogers enough to make up for it.

Halbereth’s notes: The one where Bucky makes it for Steve, with many, many tries to get the recipe right, starting in the forties. Absolutely would also go in Set 2. 

 Apple Cake (and other remedies for an ailing soul) by Mici (noharlembeat)

Summary:  It is something that’s mentioned in the Smithsonian exhibit, for reasons that Steve cannot actually parse. He is an American Hero (so they say) who saved New York (more than once), and under all that information on one of the see-through plastic descriptions of his heroic deeds is, for some unintelligible reason, the sentence, “he currently resides in the D.C. Metro area, and his favorite food is apple cake.”

Halbereth’s notes:  The one where Bucky doesn’t make it for Steve.

Find My Way by Brenda

Summary:  Well, someone had to write the post-Winter Soldier fic where Bucky gets a decent meal and some homemade apple pie, right?

Halbereth’s notes: The one where it’s not even apple cake but it has an apple dessert in the summary and I found it while looking for the others, so here, have the rec. Now, what is this one again? *skims* Ah, yes. Bucky in a diner in the middle of nowhere. Hmm, I think “Bucky recovery-fic set in diners” ought to be another category.

Set 4: In which Bucky moves into Steve’s apartment while Steve is looking for Bucky

To Stop My Mind From Wandering by Lynchy8

Summary: "Leaving the man – the mission – the mission who was a man who was also important, so important, more important than this mission… which was terrifying because nothing had ever been more important than a mission before… leaving That Man on the banks of the river, had been almost impossible."After the fall of Hydra, Steve goes in search of Bucky in the hope of bringing him home. Meanwhile someone has broken into Steve's D.C. apartment, but what kind of burglar or assassin buys paint and drywall mud?

Halbereth’s notes: Bucky remodels Steve’s apartment, starting with fixing the bullet holes he put in the wall when he shot Fury. Featuring Jeff at the hardware store. Just a great story about Bucky healing and making himself comfortable--and taking care of Steve, kind of, too, by making his SHIELD-issued DC apartment actually a home.

. . .  OK, as of now I don’t seem to have a specific second one bookmarked, but this is a whole freakin’ subgenre of Captain America fanfic, so. I’m sure you can fill in your own. 

Set 5: Steve/Tony with past Steve/Bucky, then Bucky comes back

What We Asked For From Each Other by Speranza

Summary:  "I don't like pain," he told Banner. "Or assassins. Or boyfriends, actually."

Excerpt from the author’s note, which is a better summary: Anyway, I'm totally not putting this in the summary line, but this below is the actualfax summary, as I explained it to Merry:Ces: I mean Ces: in my head this is a story where Ces: Bucky shows up and just kicks Tony out of any universe where there was a Steve/Tony pairing Ces: and its mostly a story about Tony going OOF Ces: and HEY Ces: and I WASN'T SURE I WAS—okay, yes, I'm done with that. Ces: All yours.

Halbereth’s notes: ^That. It’s the one with Stucky endgame. It’s sweet. It’s short, well-written, well-characterized, and plays with the dynamics and relationships involved in 11K words. (By comparison, my Heroes are Easy, People are Hard also focuses on Steve, Tony, and Bucky, albeit in a different way, and is 152K words long.) Encapsulated, for me, in this exchange: "Okay," Tony said finally. "The thing is: I kind of wanted to be the kind of guy who would want you." "Yeah," Steve said levelly. "You should meet him. He's in there.”   

gonna be trouble by fictionalcandie

Summary:  In which Bucky comes back, Tony is doomed, and the Avengers want their breakfast.

Halbereth’s notes: The flip of What We Asked For From Each Other. Encapsulated by  “seriously, your buddy’s a genius, I’m going to make him the best goddamn prosthetic arm in the universe, I love you, we’re idiots.”

Set 6: Bucky recovery fic in diners

As noted above.

Find My Way by Brenda

Summary:  Well, someone had to write the post-Winter Soldier fic where Bucky gets a decent meal and some homemade apple pie, right?

Halbereth’s notes: see above.

Third and Sixteenth by Le_Rouret for sheraiah 

Summary:The thing about Manhattan diners is, you can never tell who's gonna walk in the door.Bucky struggles to remember who and what he is, taking refuge in a small New York diner. But the outside world simply won't leave him alone.

Halbereth’s notes: A really good Bucky recovery fic. Starts in a diner; ends up with Clint Barton and family, because Clint gets the post-brainwashing deal--and also, Clint adopts strays regardless. 

Set 7: Becca Barnes

My Ghosts are Six Feet Under by  what_alchemy

Summary:  Steve showed up on Becca’s doorstep a month after the invasion in New York, larger than life and trying to hide it.

Halbereth’s notes: set entirely in the 21st century.

My Brother, The Hero by Odsbodkins

Summary: Becca Barnes is eight years old, and her big brother can do no wrong. The events of the two Captain America movies, from the perspective of one of the sisters Bucky leaves behind.

Halbereth’s notes: the one that follows Becca from age 8 to after Bucky falls, and then picks up again around when Steve comes out of the ice and follows through past the events of Winter Soldier. The one with Mystery Cake.

This will possibly be added to--I think there was something I mentally associated with Source Code by Closer, for starters--but that’s enough for now!

#Weekend Reading Recs #fanfic recs #rec list #Captain America #Captain America fanfic rec list #Steve Rogers #Bucky Barnes #Becca Barnes #Sarah Rogers' apple cake #Tony Stark #Natasha Romanoff #diners #Clint Barton #Sam Wilson

[leverage-commentary]

Leverage Season 1, Episode 11, The 12-Step Job, Audio Commentary Transcript

Dean: Hi, I'm Dean Devlin, Executive Producer.

Chris: I’m Chris Downey, Executive Producer and Co-Writer of this episode, The 12-Step Job.

John: I’m John Rogers, Executive Producer.

Amy: I’m Amy Berg, Writer and Producer.

Rod: And I’m Rod Hardy, I’m the Director of the episode.

John: Welcome to The 12 Step Job! This is an unusual episode in that this is our bad guy and we meet him first and we don’t usually meet him first.

Amy: This is true.

John: This is true. Also the music video sound that you’re hearing is not anybody. There is actually a big debate on the message boards about who this was, and this was actually our composer, right?

Dean: Joe LoDuca wrote this song for us. We told him the kind of song we wanted, and he knocked this one out of the park.

Chris: It’s fantastic. The only thing he had was Celtic punk.

[All laugh]

Chris: And if I could tell you that this song was exactly the song I had in my head, it’s really the truth.

John: Cool!

Amy: We actually made Drew, this is Drew Powell, our great guest star for this episode, we actually gave him homework to go out and listen to some Irish punk. So, when he does the lip syncing here of what it is, and then Joe matched the song to whatever he was mumbling.

John: That’s pretty great!

Amy: Yeah.

Rod: Drew’s played a drunken Irishman many times in his life I think.

[All laugh]

Rod: One of the treats about casting him in this particular role.

Chris: Now you worked with him before, you knew him before, right?

Rod: You know I met him because he and another acting partner had written a screenplay they wanted to do in Australia, and they discussed it with me, and by chance some six months later, I’m in the casting session. I sit there, and in walks Drew so it was a real treat to catch up. So, he is a very talented young actor, and I think what he’s delivered from this role is something that I think will push his career ahead forward. I have no question about that.

John: I- you really- he was one of those guys and we cast him off a tiny one inch square on a computer.

Chris: That Amy found.

Amy: Yeah, yeah, I saw his- it was like an 8 by 10 piece of paper with about 20 faces on it. I was like you know what, I like this guy. I literally circled him, and we brought him into the audition, and we’re like ok, he’s it.

Rod: But you know he also played Hoss in the remake of Ponderosa, which was also made in Australia, and in fact he’s married to an Australian. So, there’s that Australian connection once again. I’m the guy with the funny accent, by the way. I’m from East Texas if you can tell.

[All laugh]

John: This con is actually scarily prescient, because this is about a charity that got ripped off by a money manager. And of course we wrote this months and months before the Madoff scandal hit.

Amy: Yes, hello Bernie Madoff.

John: Yeah.

Amy: We are psychic.

John: Not psychic, just that I think the- unfortunately scumbags exist, but the news wasn’t covering them until it hit the critical mass that it eventually hit.

Chris: I don’t know if we would have decided to make our Madoff character the sympathetic one in the episode had we written it post Madoff.

[All laugh]

John: Probably not.

Amy and John: That’s probably true.

Amy: This actress, by the way, her name is Denice Sealy and she’s fantastic. She really grounds it for us.

Dean: By the way, I love this shot, how it goes all the way around the room, it covers everything in the scene, and it’s seamless.

Rod: Well, you know Dean, it was one of the things about doing this show for me, is you set up a high standard with that pilot, I might say, speaking of good shots. And I’m not here to just pat you on the shoulder, but you set up a really interesting style and look that I found really worthwhile following through, and this set in particular gives you a chance to do 360 degrees, as you know, we do quite often in this show.

John: Also, that’s- this is one of the ones where we really tried to address Nate’s drinking, and as you see she sort of smells the booze in the pop can, and not as the resident alcoholic ,but certainly as the person most familiar with the alcoholic lifestyle, it’s laid in through the entire season.

Chris: How’s that beer by the way?

John: It’s just great, thank you.

Chris: Ok, good.

John: The reason we all have beer, by the way, is that I insisted that I would be drinking every session and now everyone’s into it so.. Why does that make me the bad guy?

Rod: My way of getting to know Tim was before I actually started on the show, when we went out on a Saturday night with the DP and the operator and a bunch of other people, and we drank. Just to see what it would be like.

[All laugh]

Amy: Pure research.

Rod: Thanks for the gig!

John: No problem. But, yeah, it’s actually laid in fairly thoroughly throughout the season. You will never see an episode where he doesn’t have a drink in his hand, and it’s kind of interesting that this air orde,r there were two episodes about his drinking in a row, but this episode was meant to be the one where you realize with Sophie- and you’re kind of in the Sophie POV- that she realizes at the same time that the audience does, he’s not well, that this is not- That funny little habit we’ve given him is actually catching up with him. It’s starting to roll up on him.

Amy: By the way, our graphics guy literally handed me a map and I had to circle spots on the map, and then they drew lines. Like, ‘OK what’s a pattern?’ was basically my, uh-

Chris: Well nice job! It was a really nice- a very nice Family Circus  job.

Dean: I still don’t get the Family Circus joke.

Amy: Honestly, I didn’t get it either.

Chris: Billy, from the Family Circus, would walk from here and they would say, “Billy, go bring this laundry to the basket!” and they would show the route that he took all around.

John: It was a part of the Family Circus cartoons- was always some big convoluted route with Billy at the end of it, kind of-

Rod: God, I’m going to ask who Family Circus is.

All: Oh!

Rod: Sorry about that!

John: Billy would like have taken something. He would say, “Billy, go take something to the laundry.” and Billy would like take something from the fridge, he would stop by and go outside and bury a dead hooker. He’d steal a car. He’d- what?

[All laugh]

John: That was my version of Family Circus.

Rod: The great thing about this scene and this character throughout this episode, to me, was the flawed hero. There’s nothing more appealing on-screen than when one of your heroes has a slight dysfunction.

Dean: This moment here between Eliot and Hardison, you so nailed the fun of these guys together. In fact, I think of all the episodes this season, this one was my absolute favorite, as far as these two guys together having fun, and Rod, I just think that you absolutely nailed that relationship.

Rod: Thank you, do you know what it was? I think I read the screenplay and, I hate to be cliched here, but I really got a sense of a Lethal Weapon-style relationship between them- between these two characters and, on television, that’s very rare, and I think you guys wrote a really nice piece for both of them. They both, sort of, stood out very strong.

John: And it helps that the actors themselves are friends. It really helps that they like playing this stuff, they’re really into it.

Amy: And they were actually calling themselves Riggs and Murtaugh throughout the episode. So, it was really funny. So, they embraced it too.

Chris: The interesting thing in this scene too, speaking of the dynamic between the actors, was also watching Christian Kane helping teach Aldis Hodge how to fight. So, you kinda saw that their dynamic as actors-

Chris and John: -is somewhat similar to the characters.

Chris: Because he was kind of showing him how to do the moves in the fake fight coming up.

John: By the way as far as verisimilitude goes, I really appreciate that your crummy bar/strip joint has a We Support the Troops banner on the. That is like- man when I was a stand up and I was going to these small towns, there was like-

Rod: I have to be perfectly honest with you, you know, this is a used car yard.

John: I know. It’s really magnificent.

Rod: It was really something. The sign helped a lot. Yeah, yeah.

John: It was a great piece of production. It really was.

Dean: It’s also one of my favorite fight scenes of the year too. I thought this was really great, and it’s nice to see. We had one episode where Aldis did a little bit of fighting, where he fought the injured.

Amy: More a shove than anything.

Dean: And we saw that he’s graduated from that to actually being in a fight scene.

John: But even if you look at it, he’s not good. He tangles guys up, he gets hit. You know, what he’s really doing is kind of pull the guys off Eliot. But most of it, he’s using his reach and his arms and really more tangling them up. Charlie Brewer did a good job of separating out their fight styles.

Rod: And let me tell you, these scenes work because the actors can do it themselves.

Dean: That shot, Rod, gave me a heart attack, when I saw it I said, “Wait a minute, who said the actors can dive away from a moving car!”

John: You know what, Dean, it’s really for the best that we don’t tell you everything that’s going on on the set.

Dean: See what happens when I don’t show up on set.

Amy: Dean, Dean, the insurance company is on the phone.

Dean: And this was a great bit. This whole shooting the engine block, “I was aiming for his leg.”

Chris: That was his ad-lib.

Amy: I think it was in- on the script it was, “I was aiming for the tire.”

Chris: It was “aiming for the tire,” and he said “I was aiming for his leg.”

John: I also like how all the actors have developed a different way of talking into the headpiece. Each one has a different way of letting the audience know that they’re talking into the- are moving the conversation on.

Amy: Christian is great at that, by the way. Whenever it’s out of context, he knows to reach to his ear.

John: He establishes the space.

Chris: Rod, I also like how you used the crane in this show. You never did it in a big kind of elaborate shot it was always very- like that was a very subtle way to bring you into the car. You have another thing before where you establish just before, the showdown. I love how you use the crane in this episode.

Rod: You know when you’re doing these seven day episodes, it’s about trying to find the angles that are different. It’s not about getting something flashy that takes away from the storytelling, it’s about finding an odd angle- and I thought that went nicely, thank you.

John: I do love that a recurring thing in these commentaries is, “When you’re doing these seven day episodes.”

[All laugh}

John: The absolutely mad schedule.

Amy: Wait till we do a Bank Shot Job and we talk about how we did that in six.

Chris: This is a great transition here, between him sleeping on the airbag-

Chris and John: -and waking up.

John: That’s a great transition.

Amy: By the way, that’s- all the snoring sounds are ADR. He did that after the fact; I think, he snores.

Dean: And I love that reveal of Tim, there, because you don’t know where we are because the story hasn’t told us exactly what we’re going to do, and it’s such a lovely way to go out on the act.

Rod: I was reminding Drew of his last hangover during this scene, and he really nailed it.

Amy: Because it was the night before.

John: No, yeah, the twist reveal. This is where we started to land this sort of template as it evolved over the course of the season, and now the place where we’re going to live for the rest of the show, is kind of dumped on the end of the first act. It’s really- it’s interesting to see how hyper-aggressive our first acts got near the end of the season, as we crunched how much we could shoot. I mean really time- shooting time began to dictate that.

Chris and Amy: Right.

Chris: And it was always our intention to not show a lot of the prep, like you do in a lot of other con and heist shows. That we’re gonna kind of like drop you in.

John: We’re just going to assume that they’re good enough to pull this off.

Rod: Now this was an actual rehab center which you guys know about.

Amy: Yeah, it’s the Veteran’s facility.

Rod: The Veteran’s facility so- and they were just fantastic with us. They really allowed us freedom right across the place. And a lot of really nice guys there.

John: And a beautiful location.

Amy: This actor playing Dr. Frank, by the way, is Garrett Brown, and he’s that guy that you know from that show that you never remember his name.

[All laugh]

Chris: That’s exactly what my wife said watching this.

Amy: ‘It’s that guy!’, but Garrett Brown’s his name, kids. He’s fantastic.

John: Now this is interesting, the light fixtures are what sell it. That’s a transition from the rehab center. This is on a soundstage.

Chris: That’s a soundstage. They did a fantastic job matching it.

Dean: I love this scene.

John: Now here’s a quick question, the exterior roundy rounds, I know how they’re done. How did you do this interior? Because you’ve got some where you’re kind of drifting, and you’ve got some where you’re doing the sort of roundy round shots.

Rod: You know what we do is, we put a remote head camera in the middle of the group. So, we’re able to just remotely make the camera focus on whoever we wanted, and it just gives you another perspective. You can’t use it all the time, but it gives you another perspective.

John: Right.

Rod: I mean. I love her sense of comedy, is-

Amy: Beth is amazing.

John: Beth is incredibly funny.

Rod: She’s just fabulous.

Amy: And it’s weird, because she doesn’t ad-lib dialogue very much, but all her sort of facial features and physicalities are all ad-libs, and they’re just amazing.

John: And breaking in and out of this circle here is really visually interesting.

Amy: Yeah.

John: Now did you get this done in one day?

Amy: Yeah, in one day, everything in this room.

Rod: But it’s a seven day shoot.

[All laugh]

Chris: Did you mention that?

Dean: And this girl was phenomenal.

Amy: This is- Marisa is fantastic and John Kerry - not the senator - is playing our Gary Busey look-alike, and they were both brilliant.

Dean: From heaven, from heaven.

Rod: And I think she’s playing a Michael Jackson look-alike.

Rod and Amy: And he's playing a Busey look alike.

Rod: But she was really terrific. She’s a smart young actress.

Amy: She’s wonderful.

John: We have to give a shout out to April Webster and Scott David for this one because-

Dean: -because our casting-

John: -this casting-

Amy: One of our better- well we’ve had great casting. But this one- the day players were fantastic

Chris: Sulentine[?], you expect them to give you some good Sulentin[?], but when you need somebody that’s mumbling incoherently...

Amy: Yeah. It's not like there’s a template for that for casting agents.

John: I also just realized this whole scene is basically just Tim being annoyed and it really is and this whole thing is just focused around his frustration.

Amy: And apparently Parker, too.

[All laugh]

Rod: I love Tims ad-lib about the Gary Busey look alike/

Amy: Yeah, yeah that was an adlib that was fantastic. By the way John Kerry, our Gary Busey, literally spoke the words written on the page for dialogue which were just basically words that Chris and I made up.

Chris: He did we wrote them, yeah. Hers might have had a little more relationship to what the words were supposed to be than in mine but it was- it was- he read them.

Amy: Yeah yeah.

John: Now here's something since this is sort of how one scene sort of plays out, I can ask the writers, two writers who don't usually write together, how’d you split it up?

Chris: We split it into acts; it was kind of interesting. I wrote acts one and two.

Amy: I wrote acts four and five.

Amy and Chris: - and we picked scenes in act three that we wrote separately.

Chris: We said, ‘can you start working on that first scene in act three?’

Amy: Yeah I got that, can you do this?

Chris: ‘Alright alright, how did that one end?’

Amy: And oddly there wasn’t a lot of having to polish after the fact, either because, I think because we wrote this towards the end of the season, our writing styles meshed and we got the voices down.

Chris: And I’ll say something else when I was watching with my wife, I asked my wife if she could tell who wrote what half, and it took her a minute, it took her awhile, but she said I think you wrote the first half.

Amy: Ahh, nice.

Chris: But it was pretty close. For that to happen, I think, it's a pretty good seamless style.

Amy: By the way, my brother calls me after every episode to tell me what bits I wrote in every episode. He knows me so well that he can target my jokes, even in episodes I didn’t write.

John: Vocal rhythms. You know, you transfer your vocal rhythms to your characters’ dialogue.

Rod: That last shot we saw was shot at about 9:30 at night and when was pitch black outside and David Connell, our DP, does an amazing job at being able to create that illusion, I might say.

Amy: And I’m pretty sure Beth, at this point, can actually pick a lock. She's done so much research on con and stuff.

John: We mentioned on another commentary, Apollo says she has the best hands of the cast and she could actually do this if she wanted to.

Amy: She does.

Rod: She’s got good legs, too, by the way.

[All laugh]

Amy: We love you Beth, in a platonic way.

John: Yeah, but we have all sorts of parameters that we’re not allowed to talk about.

Dean: Wait until you see her in the dress in the season finale.

John: Yeah, that was a little stunning.

Amy: That was nice.

Rod: I thought her dress at the wrap party was pretty damn good, too.

John: Well the thing is, you tomboy her up, and the writers, you have to think about the characters in a certain way, you know. We got her in the pony tail and the break-in clothes the whole time, then we finally glam her up in the season finale and it’s like ‘Oh!’

Dean: I love her reactions to the whole medication thing here. Again, as you were saying, it’s not dialogue that she’s improvising, but the way she takes the pill and eats it says more about her character than any dialogue.

Chris: That’s not in the script.

Amy: Yeah, it’s the best I’ve ever seen, and as scripted she wasn’t actually supposed to eat it, which she does. She actually chews it. But she- it was scripted to where she just looks at it, and then it was a reveal in the next group therapy scene that she was affected and she had taken it. But how do you not show that? How do you not, like-

[All laugh]

Chris: It’s the defiance. This is a fantastic shot here.

Rod: And here is one of the best car park locations in Los Angeles.

John: This is production value.

Amy: That’s my RAV4, by the way. Made its debut, right there.

Dean: I think this is my favorite scene of the series.

John: Really?

Dean: yeah. These two guys, the bomb.

Amy: Riggs and Murtaugh.

Dean: I tell you, I could watch this all day long.

John: You realize that right now, Tim Hutton is sitting at home listening to this commentary with a single tear rolling down his cheek. I hope you’re happy. He’s like cradling his Oscar, he’s like ‘Dean!’

Chris: He acts a hole into this episode, he really does.

Dean: I’ll bet it’s his favorite, too.

John: It is pretty great. It is amazing, you know this car park really is no more special than other car parks, but just being out and seeing LA behind you just adds so much more to the production value.

Amy: Yeah, the backdrop in this is just gorgeous.

Rod: Of course you guys had written some of these scenes being night scenes, which-

John: That’s adorable. [Laughs]

Amy: There was about 5 or 6 night scenes that became day scenes.

Chris: For those of you that don’t know, night scenes are very expensive.

John: Yes. They’re very expensive. You’re shifting the entire shooting schedule of the crew, you’re changing, you know.

Chris: Let me tell you, I was talking about this earlier today with Amy, I actually think that, aside from the economic reasons of being in the day, I actually think that it lightens up the fun, being in the day time. And I think it elevated the fun of this episode, having it be bright.

Amy: It kinda gives it more energy, visually and physically.

Dean: It would’ve been more heavy, if it was at night.

Amy: I remember when- I don’t know where Chris was, Chris I think you were on set, supervising Juror when John and I were doing the polish on this scene, and we were trying to make it shorter, but in fact we ended up making it a page longer because we kept adding stuff to it. And you were playing Hardison and I was playing Eliot, and that’s how we got to the ‘reboot, kick it’ line.

Rod: Which is a good line.

John: It was literally just us talking through the scene.

Amy: Yeah, it was us talking through the scene because you know John is the big tech nerd on the show, and apparently I’m the tough ass-kicker, I don’t know how that translates but-

John: But apparently- I love the fact that so many things are computerized in a car now, including, you know the- I just literally put a heavy bag of groceries on the passenger side and it triggered the seatbelt alarm.

Chris: Sure, that’s in the prius. I have that too.

John: Yeah, and so the idea that the bomb would be wired to the pressure in the- rather than the ignition just kind of amused me and allowed us to trap him in the car. Which really worked because computer guy can’t touch the computer.

Dean: Well what i love is the switch in dynamics, in the beginning of the scene, Hardison is nervous and Eliot knows what he’s doing. And then suddenly it all turns around.

Chris: Once it becomes a computer, it becomes- Hardison takes over.

Dean: The ‘run the bag of bricks by me again’ is the best line.

Rod: That’s a good line.

Amy: It’s fabulous.

John: And also I gotta say, I mean we talk a lot about how much we love him ,and how great he is, Chris Kane does little- these little choices, little bits, particularly in comedy lines, he’s a really great comedic actor.

Amy: Yeah.

Chris: It’s right there.

Amy: And there it is, folks.

Dean: And again the more frustrated he gets, the funnier he is.

John: Just right there, look at it.

Chris: A lot of hesitations, he's great.

Amy: Right there! That’s exactly what we’re- yeah, just the blinking and the- ‘run… run the bag of bricks by me again?’

John: It’s not- there’s not a lot of action guys that have that chops. I mean, seriously.

Amy: And the shaking of the hand there, like, you never really see

Chris: There’s some great shots here coming up here.

Dean: You can tell they really like each other here, both as characters and as actors.

Amy: Oh, for sure.

Chris: Oh, I love that shot.

Rod: And this here is fantastic, very funny.

John: I love that shot. Also popping out wide here was inspiring, I have to say.

Chris: Yeah, well comedy plays in the master.

Amy: Yeah, comedy plays in the master.

Chris: And we talk about that a lot, you want- want space for-

Dean: Was the line ‘cry a little’ in the script?

Amy: That, yeah, I wrote that, yeah, ‘I wanna cry a little.’

John: Whenever you give him, particularly- it’s tricky with Aldis because, he’s incredibly tall and in great shape, and it’s interesting we were talking about the promo from one of the other episodes, from Two Horse, where the promo shot, the iconic promo shot from the show, is him in the suit with Tim at the track.

Dean: Right.

John: He has an incredible presence, and so writing him down to be geeky and afraid is actually fairly challenging, you have to kinda go a little far with it.

Dean: That’s the crane shot I was talking about.

Chris: Yeah this shot, I love this shot.

John: yeah arriving down there, that’s really nice.

Amy: The other thing about the ad-libs between those two, is that by the end of the season, we’ve gotten to know the characters and the actors who play them so well that we were writing the ad-libs for them.

John: Yeah

Amy: Like, to where moments that felt like they were ad-libbed, were just little lines that we wrote because we knew they would say them.

Chris: On the spot, yeah.

John: This is also one of my favorite bits, the idea of the axis- the axis of scumbags.

Amy: The axis of scumbags, yes.

John: I had just finished the book McMafia and the idea that- that essentially the universality of organized crime, and the kind of black market, the black economy that’s out there, there would be nexuses and our guys would naturally stumble into them.

Dean: Another compliment i want to give you, Rod, is that when I was first looking at this script, I got nervous about these gangs-

Rod: Right.

Dean: -because the initial image in my head was so cliche, I thought ‘oh they could be so goofy’,  buti the fact that you put them all in these dark suits and made them look so elegant, really made these gangs intimidating.

Amy: Yeah, that they weren’t wearing bandanas.

Dean: It made these scenes work. They didn’t feel like the typical-

Rod: Right.

Amy: And I think it helps that we got Chase Kim, and we’ve got Cisco Reyes right there playing the Mexican gang leader and they brought some gravitas to it which is nice.

Rod: They certainly did.

John: You got good actors- I mean this is cast great all the way down. All the way down through the day players. I’d use either one of them in a leading role, you know?

Dean: Sure. Now is that the crane just moving slowly?

Rod: Yeah it was, and once it had come to the ground we just had it move slowly on the ground.

John: So you wrote- you ran the whole scene with the crane moving.

Amy: There was a crane going the whole time, yeah.

Rod: Because there were so many members of the cast here, I wanted to be able to get that sense on a big wide shot, so you could see the gangs and their positions within this story and it worked really nicely.

John: That’s another thing you did really well here, Rod, if i can say, action all depends on geography.

Dean: Yeah and you never lose the geography.

Chris: You always know where everything is.

John: A lot of action directors just think it’s in the choppiness or the movement, it’s all about knowing where everybody is at all times.

Dean: We started going down, we leave going back up; it’s so great.

Amy: Yeah i love it, love it!

Dean: And i love this scene too. This is my favorite scene of these two together.

John: Yeah it’s interesting, it’s really- it’s really the moment where she starts to realize he’s more broken than she thought he was. You know?

Dean: Yeah.

John: All joking aside, all banter aside, you know, this is not- this is not funny anymore.

Rod: Which is interesting when you think about, the person you look up to, the man that leads the group, has these flaws and could let you down. It sets up a great thing for these characters for the future too.

Chris: And you kinda get a window into how unself-aware he is. I mean that- here’s a person who devised this con, that’s putting himself in rehab, because he has no concept that he has a problem. Or you could kinda look at it as, on some level did he- was he trying to test himself to see if he really did have a problem. It’s really interesting

Amy: Can we take a minute to say how awesome Timothy Hutton is in this episode?

John: Yes.

Amy: He’s so good.

Dean: He’s amazing in this episode. Because he’s able to play the depth of the problem and still be funny.

Amy: Absolutely.

Dean: That’s hard to do. You know, it would have been so easy to slip into melodrama.

Amy: Right.

Rod: And also keep the continuity performance, when you realize how in and out of scenes we shoot. He kept it going and worked it really nicely.

Chris: This is a fan favorite right here.

Amy: By the way, I wrote this scene in approximately thirty seconds, but-

Dean: But what makes the scene, is Christians face right… there!

[All laugh]

Rod: ‘Is that where the scam’s going?’

Dean: That’s what makes the scene! That reaction, right there.

Amy: I actually played a joke on Aldis, after I wrote this scene, I went down to the set - they were shooting Stork Job at the time - and I told him that I had this three page scene where in order to get into the rehab facility, that they were going to have to play gay lovers. And I wanted to make sure that he was comfortable with the kiss.

[All laugh]

Chris: Oh, that’s great.

Amy: It literally went on for ten minutes, he got really paranoid, and Christian who can read me like John can read me, knew I was joking the whole time, but Aldis just-

John: You’re a horrible poker player.

Amy: I’m a horrible poker player, it’s true. But I got Aldis, probably because he’s 22.

John: No the- yeah that was a great little improv. I mean it was interesting to see how you- trying to move people in and out of this rehab structure actually became part of the challenge of the show. When you split the team, a lot of the fun is trying to get them back together.

Chris: Well originally we kind of thought that they were all gonna be in there, and that Eliot was going to be a rage-aholic, and then it was just once we figured let’s split them up, it that’s when it just-

Amy: And you need some time to just breathe, too. Which is nice to sort of leave it and come back to it.

Dean: I love Eliot's moment here where he just says ‘Are you ok?’. Where it’s like, you get the feeling that this is starting to spread, that- their fear that the leader may be coming apart.

Amy: Yeah, and I love Gina here too, because-

Dean: She covers for him.

Amy: -she’s taking charge, she’s-

John: She’s enabling. Which by the way, now that the season has wrapped, we can make a point- we can actually, since you’re watching on DVD we can tell you, this is part of the fact that we knew this relationship wasn’t gonna work.

Dean: Right.

John: I mean going forward, it’s interesting, because you kinda expect it to be the big romance of the season, but about a third of the way through, we realize no, they’re too broken, this isn’t going to work. And so we had to start writing to the fact that she’s not mature enough, she’s still a criminal, he’s still a drunk, he’s not over his wife, and so it was a really fine line the actors had to walk the whole season.

Chris: I love the way this is composed, too. I love him in the middle of- Rod, you did some great stuff of Tim smoldering in the background, that I love.

[All laugh]

Rod: He’s always present-

Chris: There’s one coming up that I thought was fantastic, but this, too.

Amy: Yeah, he never left, Tim. He was always there.

Rod: The thing about working with this cast is that there’s an embarrassment of riches, they have- they each have their own place and they develop the scene accordingly, but when you have the chance to get in and cut it whichever way you want- look at this scene.

[All laugh]

John: I mean really, it’s all- it’s all anger.

Amy: There’s really nothing better than Parker on happy pills, by the way. I love it.

John: And the gimmick that everyone can understand him, but Tim it’s really just- I really do adore. That, there you go, over to you.

Dean: And I can’t say enough about our DP.

Amy: Dave Connell, baby.

Dean: Episode after episode, what he’s doing every week, was a quality level so beyond what I’d even hoped for. I mean, I just think every shot is gorgeous.

Amy: Yeah.

John: Especially since we’re doing it, what we do it in nine, ten days? How do we do it?

Dean: Seven days!

Amy: Wow, seven days. Wow how do you make a shoot in seven days Dean?

Dean: Quickly!

[All laugh]

John: Oh, dear. There’s actually- I do wanna say one lifestyle thing, in the previous scene where-

Chris and Dean: I love that!

John: Where Tim has the shakes, as we were pitching the- pitching the thing in the room? I told the story about when I’d been doing stand up in Australia, and we were drinking so heavily that when I stopped drinking for a day, I actually got the shakes that night.

Dean: Right.

John: And it was a great moment with the younger writers who were like, ‘the shakes? What are the shakes?’ and I went ‘oh that’s not good, I’ve had a symptom nobody here has had? That’s not- that’s not healthy’

[All laugh]

Amy: That was actually really funny.

John: The con actually- what I like, too, is the con goes along the 12 step progress- program. He has to make amends, that’s a logical part of the-

Chris: Yeah, that’s part of the- we tried to work it into the episode.

Dean: There’s actually a really nice button on the scene that we had to lose for time. It wasn’t because we didn’t like it, it was just trying to get it in within the time, and hopefully on this DVD you’ll be able to see that button.

Amy: Yeah.

Rod: God, they’re beautiful cars. They really are great cars.

Amy: Yeah! [laughs]

Dean: God bless Hyundai Genesis.

Amy: Hyundai Genesis, we love you!

Chris: Thank you, thank you very much.

Dean: And might I say, this year, when every car company did poorly and had huge losses, the only one that increased was the Hyundai Genesis. And I think it was entirely us.

[Laughter]

Amy: Oh wow, yeah.

John: So you’re- so you’re thinking that Leverage single-handedly tried to revive the auto industry in America?

Dean: Single-handedly saved this- and if more car companies-

Chris: Note- note to GM, come to us! We’ll put you on our back

Dean: I’m just saying.

Chris: We’ll put you on our back.

[All laugh]

John: We’ll do what we can for you.

Amy: Oh by the way, one of the scenes we had to lose for time is the bridge between this scene and the next scene at Leverage HQ, which we’ve filled with lovely product placement, was a montage scene of all the good deeds and people that Hurley had helped.

Dean: Which hopefully also be on the DVD.

Amy: Yes. Which we will put-

John: Did- did we shoot those?

Amy: Yes, we did! Yeah we shot them.

Chris: Yeah we shot them. Yeah yeah yeah we got them.

Dean: I think we even did the effects shots.

John: So you- you meet all the people Hurley has helped on the way which helps sell this scene where, you know what he actually didn’t just help that waitress, he’s left a trail of good deeds behind him.

Dean: Yeah

Amy: Yeah, and the strippers are very thankful for that.

John: nd that was hard casting.

[All laugh]

Rod: That was a big job to cast.

Amy: That was tough casting.

Chris: Yeah that was hard, that was tough.

John: That’s always- as soon as directors and writers see ‘stripper’ in the script, that’s always- yeah.

Amy: That’s my fault.

Chris: I think there’s a great ‘a architect’ joke in that.

John: Yeah there is

Amy: Oh there is! Yes- we- yeah.

John: That’s a big shout out to Derek Evans, the- Derek Edwards pardon me, the Canadian comic the ‘a architect’ joke is in the original script.

Amy: ‘I want to be a architect’

John: Yup. That is the greatest- the greatest stripper joke ever written.

Chris: Another great-

John: Oh, that’s great.

Chris: Tim- Tim smoldering in the background, enraged by this guy.

Dean: Beautifully composed.

John: It is. And then a nice button reveal. And also- I like the fact that we made it the San Francisco office to explain why they were all Korean and nobody noticed ‘why are they all Asian?’.

Amy: By the way, I

Chris: Nobody- nobody blinked.

John: That’s one of those things that as a writer, when you’re inside the show so much for things that you think people will catch, and people never catch.

Amy: I- I think that’s true, that’s- people never catch. Chase Kim, I love you.

[Laugher]

John: You know you’re- you have to be careful there, you’re a powerful person you can’t let the actors think you’re harassing them in some way.

Amy: Oh. Well you realize I know all of their names, that’s why I am likeable.

Dean: This is the ‘just give me something to do’ scene right?

John: Yeah.

Dean: Which- which for some reason, both the writing of it, and the performance of that line, was insanely truthful. I mean it- and it was a great out of the melancholy of this scene.

Amy: Yeah

Dean: Because it’s what he needed to get through, and in fact it’s what he’s done the whole season.

John: And I mean, it’s weird that this whole show is kind of, you know two writers wrote it, it really was kinda on the fly-

Amy and Chris: We wrote it in a week.

John: -but it unifies most of the themes of the season. It really does.

Dean: Yeah.

Amy: Yeah. Intentionally, right Chris?

Chris: Oh, absolutely, that’s what we had going.

[Laughter]

Amy: We totally planned that.

Rod: Of course it is.

Chris: We certainly didn’t wanna just, have something to film next week.

John: I like to- I like to think it was really my polish that brought that-

Amy: Oh, what?

Chris: That’s it, you brought in all the themes.

Amy: You did not touch anything we were not apart of, my friend.

[Laughter]

Dean: Rod, you going to handheld in this scene, which we normally do in a physical jeopardy scene-

Amy: Yeah.

Dean: -gave us the feeling of emotional jeopardy.

Rod: Yes, yes it does.

John: When do you make that- I mean, Rod, when you- you’re sorta looking at a scene, what is- when do you make that choice? I mean, is it-?

Rod: Do you know- I mean in one sense I like to leave the freedom of that choice right up to the point just before you’re ready to shoot it. But other times when you’re reading a script, you do tend to- and I might say there were some brilliant notes given out about the style of the production. So often you get onto a series and you come in and do an episode, everybody’s saying just ‘do what you feel comfortable with’ but at least there was a guide that- that Dean had left behind which gave, very clearly, the choices. And of course, this is normally in an action sequence, or whatever, I felt that unease, from the camera movement. And of course then we introduce Sterling and-

Amy: Oh, Mark Sheppard.

Chris: So here’s the- here’s the story of this. We were contracted to have Mark Sheppard in this particular episode. And we- the writers-

John: It wound up being different, yeah.

Chris: Dean came in and said ‘we really need to use Mark Sheppard’ and we said well we’re in rehab, I mean we just don’t have a place to put him. And Dean kinda walked out of the room, and then he walked back in, and he said ‘he’s a hallucination’ and he walked out again.

[Laughter]

Amy: That’s what Dean does all the time, by the way. Solve a problem and then leave.

Chris: And- and we sat down and we came to this scene, and this is one of the best scenes of the episode.

Amy: By the way, this is the only scene Chris and I actually wrote together.

Chris and Amy: We actually wrote this together, yeah.

Dean: I love how he’s in a different wardrobe here each time you cut to him.

Amy: Yeah, yeah. That was a- that was a nice choice

Rod: He’s a comfortable spirit.

John: And again, it’s an interesting bit of geography, because it starts at the door, to Tim at the window, and then rotate around.

Rod: Just watch Tim’s eyes now, though, I love those eyes.

Amy: Yeah, Tim, ugh, gosh...

Dean: Tim so just knocked this episode right out of the park.

Chris: And I think Mark Sheppard had some- the ideas about the glass and-

Amy: Yeah, he wanted to bring back the glass.

John: Well what’s interesting is that the glass becomes a thing in the season finale.

Chris and Amy: Yeah.

John: The glass- the idea that they trade this glass back and forth, and again it’s one of those reinforcing things where, when we started Sheppard in the show, we didn’t know if they’d been friends or not. And by the end of the season, I’m fairly sure they were best friends. And there was- there was just too much continuity between the two of them

Amy: By the way, Rod, I totally love this choice of sort of filtering this scene through Nate’s sort of psychosis in a way. Tt was fantastic.

Rod: Sort of distorted, yeah.

Dean: Yeah look at that, sort of bouncing around. And it really gave that impact on this cut, because you felt it was building building building.

Amy: I mean as great as the dialogue was, I thought it was fine that you did it that way.

[All laugh]

John: That was- that was very giving of you, very nice.

Amy: yeah. I thought that was very open

Dean: [Laughs] And he wants to hug him.

Rod: He wanted to hug him.

John: He’s not a big-

Amy: Yeah, by the way ,he’s that guy. Drew is that guy. He’s like ‘where are you? Give me a hug.’

John: Tim Hutton, not a big fan of the- the social hugging.

[Laughter]

Amy: Nate isn’t.

John: Nate- Nate isn’t, Tim is.

Amy: Tim is, Nate- Nate, not so much.

John: Yeah I mean, Tim- look at that, that is a guy just composed with rage and way off his game, yeah. He’s really- it’s weird it’s to the point with the commentary where it’s just like yeah let’s pop the sound up because Tim’s just rocking this out. Yeah, this is also one of the tricky things, where when you’re in a closed location, one of the writer room challenges is always ‘Alright, what’s the danger? At some point some dudes with suits and guns are gonna show up. What makes sense in this context?’

Amy: It was- it was fortunate-

Dean: I love- I love Parker’s reaction, when she steals the gun, accidentally.

Amy: And John- yeah, yeah.

Dean: It’s just- she can’t help herself from stealing something.

Amy: It’s just instinct, yeah. It’s just instinct.

John: And Beth really added a level of pathos to that, where it was just beautiful.

Amy: Oh, fantastic.

John: I mean, it was interesting to- it was interesting, some fans got really angry at the fact that we took Beth- Parker out of rehab.

Chris: Right.

John: Because the idea is she’s getting better!

Chris: They’re all ‘how dare they?’

[Laughter]

John: But there’s- she can’t get better! There’s no show!

[Laugher]

Amy: But see that’s not who Parker is. She’s becoming someone she isn’t, which is why you can’t have her stay that way.

Dean: And this line- that line right there is the whole season.

John: Yeah.

Dean: Where he says back to him ‘is doing all this for the right reason, wrong?’

Amy: Yeah.

Chris: Well that’s- well that’s how we envisioned this character, was kind of a cracked mirror version of Nate.

Dean: A mirror of Nate, yeah.

John: Yeah, exactly

Rod: Well he wasn’t really that smart because he’s putting all the money into the stock markets.

[All laugh]

Dean: Right.

John: Which really ended very poorly all around.

Amy: Right, it did not go well. Did not go well.

John: Yeah, look- look at that take, that was a lovely take. But yeah, the entire- again, the theme, he asked this question of like- basically sets up ‘I’m a pathetic drunken wretch and I’m doing exactly what you do aren’t I morally justified?’

Chris: Right, right.

John: There’s no way you can, you can avoid the- that situation. And that's kinda the interesting thing is, it’s a very light, funny show, underneath, running through the entire season is ‘this dude’s broken’.

Amy and Chris: Yeah.

John: Matter of fact, everyone else is getting better around him. You know he’s the one who interestingly isn’t leading them in any way shape or form. They begin to lead him, you know?

Amy: Well they’re sort of evolving, he’s sort of devolving as the season goes on.

John: Yeah.

Amy: And also I think that Jack Hurley is sort of the Bizzarro nate.

John and Chris: Yeah

Amy: Like the difference between them is control. Like Nate, typically, has much more control than-

Chris: Nate typically is not the character of id. He’s all about the ego and superego. Literally, Hurley is the id.

Dean: I love that, he just shoves him into the hall.

[Laughter]

Dean: You get a near death situation.

John: ‘You know what, I’m just tired and cranky.’

Amy: ‘You know what? If he gets shot, that’s fine. I’m getting out of here.’

Dean: Oh this is- and this, this is to die for.

Amy: Yeah.

John: This bit is great.

Dean: ‘You’re touching me.’ [Laughter]

Amy: By the way, the reason- the reason Beth is slightly smiling there is that before we shot this scene, the three of them, the actors, had a food fight with cold cuts. And when- when Tim put his arms on Beth, she got this- this whiff of turkey that was so overwhelming.

[Laugher]

John: I will, actually, also say that where that- where that bit of dialogue comes from, it’s from a Justice League that Mark Waid wrote, where- I’m totally gonna say this, one of my favorite bits of comics. Batman puts his hand on Flash’s shoulder and says ‘I need you to do this’ and there’s a long pause where Flash goes ‘Batman is touching me. I’m going to die, aren’t I?’ And the idea that someone’s physical contact was so rare, that what- even in a totally different context stuck with me, and that’s- really, you know.

Amy: Is it weird that I didn’t read that and yet I wrote that? [Laughs]

John: No, because we talked about it in the room, the bit where-

Amy: Yes we did talk about that, that’s true.

Chris: Right that’s how it all-

Amy: That’s true.

John: Yeah, I mean, at this point it was the three of us in a room.

Dean: And I love Hardison’s line here.

Amy: This is so good.

John: Oh yeah this bit. He’s so angry.

Dean: I nearly died, and all I had to do was get him tacos?

[Laughter]

Amy: ‘I sat on a bomb!’

Chris: Read this kinda late. Cause sometimes you look at a- you look at a moment in a script and you go ‘is the audience gonna buy this?’ Let’s write to it, let’s have a character say what we’re saying .

Amy: I love that. I love that.

John: Yeah, ‘Are you out of your mind?’

Chris: It’s the ‘let me get this straight’ line.

Amy: Yeah yeah.

John: Yeah. A crucial part of the writer's toolbox is being able to sell the ‘let me get this straight’ line properly. Cause poorly done...

Dean: Here we go, cause again, resetting this whole thing again.

Amy: Gorgeous!

Dean: This is beautiful.

Amy: Hey ,remember where we were? Exactly. With the crane.

John: Yup. There’s the geography again, yeah.

Amy: Yeah.

Dean: And just the amount of movement that you got out of the camera, Rod, was just fantastic.

Rod: Yeah. Thank you. I feel that movement is always important on television stuff, because it just keeps the audience feeling just a little bit uneasy.

John: Yeah, even just a little creeping here right now is just fantastic.

Dean: And we’ve never stopped, this whole sequence, it’s just great.

John: No. Also you shoot through the foreground a lot I’ve noticed, which is nice.

Amy: Oh yeah, I love that. It’s brilliant

John: It’s definitely something worth stealing. I mean when we bring you back, we’ll definitely have you use-

Amy: Oh yeah, for the eight episodes in season 2.

Rod: Can you- can I get the guarantee now?

[All laugh]

John: Oh, this showdown is a great- and that’s a great background. And again, it’s interesting - I think it works better in the day not just because it brightens it up, but because you can see more.

Rod: Well you know one thing I was thinking as we were standing on top of that car park, ‘Would these guys be doing this with thousands of people watching it?’ But that’s half the fun of the scene, because these kind of guys do do that.

Chris: Yeah

Amy: Yeah, they’re not afraid of anything.

Dean: Now this effect sequence, is one I’m most proud of on the show.

Amy: Yes.

Dean: This was something that we wanted to do for real, and the practical realities of what it was going to cost us between all the stunt cars that had to be destroyed, the amount of fire marshalls-

John: Exploding a car in downtown LA.

[Laughter]

Dean: And so we said, ‘I think we can do this with a model.’

Amy: Yeah.

Dean: Elsewhere on the DVD there will be a little behind the scenes of how we did this.

Chris: Oh that’s cool; that’s terrific.

Dean: That’s a tiny, little model on a green screen.

Rod: That is pretty amazing stuff, let me tell you.

John: And this is my favorite bit.

Amy: Oh, the tire!

Dean: That tire was digitally animated, with digital fire on it.

Amy: Wait, the tire makes a return appearance shortly, which is fantastic, in the foreground of Tim.

Dean: But then it’s real.

Amy: And there it is.

Chris: But also you shot- also you shot through fire which was the other thing. You had a little fire in front of the camera to get this.

Rod: Yes, yes.

Dean: And sold the whole thing.

John: How do you do that? Do you just set up a fire bar?

Rod: Yeah a gas bar- flame bar underneath the camera lens. But I have to tell you, as the director of the piece and having been there, I was absolutely amazed when I saw the fire.

[Laughter]

Rod: i just couldn’t believe it. I thought it was just terrific.

Amy: It’s always a good sign when the director doesn’t think that you’re gonna be able to pull it off.

[Laughter]

Rod: I was in doubt, I have to tell you, but not anymore.

Amy: We do some things well here.

Rod: Yes

Amy: Thank you, Dean Devlin.

[All laugh]

Dean: I love that reaction.

John: I love that- I love the idea that the bomb coming back is- hesitance there. ‘No no no, don’t don’t tell him.’

Amy: ‘I don’t like where this is going.’

Rod: Now this part is really- to the writers. This is so silly, but, my god, it works.

John: Yeah.

Rod: It’s such fun. It’s such fun.

Amy: It’s great.

Chris: It’s- thank goodness it worked.

John: Well this is- this is definitely one of those situations where it was- it was ‘alright, here’s the physical location, here’s the situation he’s in, how in the name of-’

Amy: By the way, only so many things you can do there-

John: Yeah.

Chris: And really we- really we didn’t have a lot.

Amy: -and using this creeper was like the only thing I could think of right there. Using the creeper there.

Dean: This works so well. It’s such a laugh.

Chris: This worked really well. And it worked.

Amy: And originally we wanted to-

Chris: And this- this sells it to me - him pulling on the ropes, that’s what made it really work.

Amy: I think originally we were gonna have Drew hop on Gina, but then that would’ve been just ridiculous.

Chris: Yeah, that didn’t seem...

Dean: That could’ve just killed her. [Laughs]

Rod: But let me tell you, we had to build those cars up on 25 bricks to get Drew underneath them.

[All laugh]

John: Yeah, kinda a slight miscalculation there, yeah. Yeah it’s not like I would’ve slid under there like a greased pig either.

Dean: I love when he says ‘you two hate each other’.

John: Well they kinda do.

Dean: Love and hate - it’s a fine line.

Amy: In the context, yeah yeah.

Chris: Strong emotions.

John: Love and hate. I mean it’s the- it’s the people that you care about that can call you on your- your bullshit. That’s the situation she’s in and he’s not at the emotional place where he’s ready to listen yet.

Amy: And she wouldn’t be on his case if she didn’t care about him, so.

Rod: You know, you say that this relationship doesn’t- wouldn’t go any farther. I gotta tell you I watch it kinda like I did with Moonlighting. They would bicker and fight and carry on, I still feel like there’s some sexual tension there that stays alive.

John: Yeah, well there is.

Amy: There will always be tension, yeah.

John: But when I say this isn’t going to go further, is that they have to realize this isn’t the version that’s going to work before they can go forward.

Amy: This isn’t the version of them that will be successful, yeah

Chris: And we wanna keep them- we wanna keep them apart.

John: But really them, the end of the season is them really just realizing that, this? As much as they care for each other doesn’t work. And hopefully second season, now that we know we have a second season-

Amy: And they’re waiting for that.

Chris: And I love this, another- another great- another great transition.

John: Good transition. And they’re waiting for that that’ll work.

Dean: And I love him trying to get the hug. And there’s just, like, no chance it’s going to happen.

[All laugh]

John: And that’s- you know, there’s a line he has earlier in the show where he says, ‘this is my big score’. And he’s constantly looking to fix everything with one score and that’s what Nate’s doing.

Amy: Bizzaro Nate, comes into play.

Chris: Exactly. But with- with id instead of ego.

John: ‘Take the win. Take the win.’ The- I will freely admit, money in the car tire? Lupin the Third. That’s what gave me that idea.

Chris: What’s that from?

John: The Japanese anime Lupin the Third did a car crash heist.

Chris: Wow, that’s- go look- go look for that kids.

[Laughter]

John: Freely- freely admit that inspiration.

Amy: Steel belted radials.

John: Yup. Now this is great, where they try to give him a fresh life, and they try to- We’ll be seeing him again.

Chris: We will.

John: Hurley is a character that will definitely come back. We like both the actor and the character.

Dean: And he’s a terrific thief.

Chis: Yeah.

[All laugh]

John: Yeah ,well that’s boiled down- now there was a version of one of the scenes where the team actually talks about adopting him like a puppy.

Amy: Yeah, it’s true.

John: That we wound up not doing, but it was lovely. Because it is, he’s a money guy and the one part of the team they don’t have is a money guy.

Chris: Right.

John: Yeah, we’ll definitely be bringing him back.

Rod: Yeah and a great you know, it starts off as the anti-hero and then at the end of the time here- wants the hug again-

[All laugh]

Amy: He just wants a little love!

John: Yeah ‘no please, please.’

Chris: ‘Keep it in.’

John: ‘No, no, no.’

Amy: But- but I have good intentions? No? Alright fine.’ Love it.

John: Yeah, he’s put them through a very long couple of days.

Dean: And I absolutely love the coda scene on this episode, because at this point you’re like ‘Jeez what happened to Parker?’ and then you get to find out.

Amy: This was so fun to write, I have to tell you.

Dean: My- my best friend, this is his favorite line of the entire season so far.

Amy: Really?

Dean: Is him saying ‘I don’t think she knows how to play this game.’

[Laughter]

Amy: Yeah, well you wanna give him one moment of clarity. Rehab works for some people! Maybe not Parker, but-

Chris: Well when I was- that was exactly- we were literally writing this thing in the room together, and at one point I said ‘Alright this is who I have in the rehab center, a sullen teen girl and a guy that mumbles’ and then I threw it to you and you said ‘I’d just put them in a charades scene’ and I go ‘great!’

[Laughter]

Dean: I love how Parker always smells things. Whether it’s someone's hair, or the clothes...

Amy: You gotta test it first. What, you don’t do that?

John: Actually, one of my favorite little throwaway bits is that moment where Sophie’s the only one who recognizes the diagram. That it’s the antiquities thing at the Cairo Museum.

Amy: Yeah yeah yeah.

John: It’s just one of those little things that reinforces the thing why she has to be with people she’s like. And you’re right this isn’t Parker, this is having a weird reaction drugged up Parker.

Amy: Yeah, Parker doesn’t naturally jump hug.

John: The jump hug that launched a thousand fan fictions.

Amy: Oh my God, yeah.

Chris: Oh boy, people are writing about this like crazy.

Amy: But now they’re confused because they’re like, ‘wait I thought she like Hardison, but she totally went for Eliot first, what’s the deal’?

John: Yeah, they’re all- they’re all in uproar. You know what, ah, look at em, they’re so happy.

Rod: Let me tell you during these troubled times we’re going through, to see a family on television like this, that each week you see that family getting to know things about each other, it’s fabulous. And let me tell you, a family, thank you for welcoming me into this one.

John, Amy, Chris: Aww, please.

Rod: I seriously had one of the best times in a long time working with you bunch, seriously.

Amy: Aww, you’re so sweet!

Rod: And the show ends up and shows it, too, I might say.

John: Oh, that’s a great episode.

Amy: I think so. It’s a really good episode.

John: This is the wrap up, during the credits you get to say anything you wanna say. Do you wanna say something nice to Rod? He said something nice about you.

Rod: No you don’t have to.

Dean: Nah, no way.

Amy: I love Rod.

Chris: We should try to get him into writing.

Rod: Let’s talk about David Connell’s clothing.

Amy: Really? What’s the deal?

Dean: In many- in many ways this is one of my favorite episodes of the season. And in fact, because we shot this before I had a chance to shoot the season finale, I, actually, was really inspired by the way you directed this. And I incorporated a lot of your stuff into the season finale.

Rod: Thanks. Thank you.

#Leverage #Leverage TNT #Leverage Audio Commentary Transcripts #Audio Commentary #Transcripts #Parker #Alec Hardison #Elliot Spencer #Nate Ford #Sophie Deveraux #Season 1 #Episode 11 #Season 1 Episode 11 #The 12-Step Job

[nleeowens]

Marvel's Endgame Made Me Feel Miserable; And So Has Other Movies

Since Marvel is rereleasing Endgame with new scenes, I decided to post my personal essay on how I felt about the fatphobia and abelism directed to Thor because I have no where else to post it lol

April 26, 2019 was a historical day. And it wasn’t because it was the eve of my birthday, though in my humble opinion it would’ve been a pretty special day on that alone. No, it was historical because it marked the theatrical release of Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame. The finale to the culmination of nearly ten years of twenty-two superhero blockbusters. At the time of writing this,  it is less than 75 million dollars away from toppling Avatar as the highest grossing movie of all time. (Avatar you know the movie with the blue people that everyone watched but no one remembers.)

    I basically grew up with these movies. Celebrated the end of my middle school years with the first Iron Man, the end of high school with Marvel’s Avengers, and the true start of adulthood after my college graduation with Black Panther. So you can imagine that I was pretty excited for this movie, right? Wrong. By the time it's preceding movie, Avengers: Infinity War, came out last year I was already experiencing franchise fatigue.

For those who do not know, franchise fatigue is the phenomenon where there are too many movies being released that ties itself to an already established franchise so the audience stops caring. Think of how the Transformers movie series began to decline following the conclusion of the main trilogy. I wouldn’t be surprised if Marvel starts to face similar issues now that Endgame has come and gone.

By the summer of 2018, I’ve already made peace with the fact that Black Panther would be the last Marvel series I’d feel any sort of attachment to. I didn’t even bother to watch Infinity War, and I never will. I wasn’t planning on watching Endgame either. Then my mom called me saying that she is coming down with my step dad and baby brother to visit my sister and I to celebrate me and my sibling’s birthday. (Yes, we are all born in April, my mom is apparently really good at planning.)

Building up to that weekend, I read up on the events of Infinity War so I won’t be entirely lose and tried my best (and ultimately failed) to not be too bitter about Marvel therefore ruining the experience for everyone else. That Saturday I walked into the movie theater expecting little. But when I walked out to the usual mid-afternoon Florida rain, I felt more than the disappointment and annoyance that I was expecting. I felt miserable.

This is not an essay about how, despite being three hours long Endgame felt like a lazy, rushed cash grab. Or about how they fridged Natasha for the pain of her male teammates, and then tried to pull a “Yay! Girl Power!” in a throwaway two minute scene. I will not go on about how it’s first LGBT+ representation in MCU was a nameless random character played by one of the directors, yet still managed to push how the only path to happiness is by living a traditional heteronmorative lifestyle. Or even how Endgame made it blatantly obvious how white, straight, and male the MCU was in the past and still mostly is. No, I am writing this essay to talk about the Asgardian god of thunder, Thor.

There is a five year timeskip, we see how the remaining Avengers are coping with the aftermath of the snap. Then Ant-Man reappears with a plan so they go about reforming the Avengers. Professor Hulk, now an uncanny combination of Hulk and Bruce Banner, and Rocket Racoon go to New Asgard, a small fishing town where the surviving Asgardians live, to recruit Thor who has … changed drastically.

In the span of his movie trilogy and Infinity War, has lost just about everything. His mom in Thor: The Dark World. His father, home, friends, an eye, Mijolnr, and a large majority of his people in Thor: Ragnarok. Then in Infinity War, another lifelong friend, Heimdall, and his last family member, Loki. (Though it looks like 2012 Loki managed to worm his way out of trouble.) I would argue that Thor is one of the characters that has lost the most, so him decapitating Thanos isn’t that surprising in retrospect. Even though it would've been more satisfying for Nebula to deliver the final blow.

It also shouldn’t be surprising that these events hit Thor hard. Thor has secluded himself in a bachelor pad with his alien friends, and grown out his hair and beard. In the past five years, he has seemingly done nothing but drink beer, eat junk food, and play Fortnite. Bluntly put, Thor’s fat. At the mention of Thanos, Thor becomes irritable and upset, and was reluctant to get back to avenging. Decreased energy, weight gain, loss of interest, irritability, and feelings of guilt are all clear signs of depression and anxiety.

But instead of showing any sort of empathy for what Thor has been through the movie treats his weight and mental health like a joke. When Thor first shows up after the time skip, the camera seems to focus on Thor’s stomach, abs now long gone. All of the other characters are shocked, even seeming a bit turned off, by Thor’s weight gain. Snarky characters like Tony Stark and Rocket Racoon were quick to make jokes at Thor’s expense. Even the emotional scene, where Thor has one final moment with his mother and realizes that even after everything he is still worthy, was ruined at the last moment by his mom telling him to eat more salads.

It wasn’t just the writers that are laughing at Thor’s weight, it was also the audience. There was a loud collective “eww...” from the audience whenever the camera focused on Thor’s gut. When Thor donned his classic armor before the big three faced 2012 Thanos, my mom shouted to the screen, “Is he going to lose some weight?”

Throughout all of those scenes I wanted to slide down the tattered theater seats to the perpetually sticky floor, because it might as well have been my shirtless body on the screen. My stomach rolls the audience was laughing at. My own weight my mom was criticizing. My mental health that was treated like a joke.

My weight has been something I’ve been self-conscious of for as long as I can remember. When I was in K-12, I hated shopping for school clothes with my mom because I knew nothing would fit me. I hate going to see friends and family I haven’t seen in a while because I’m worried they would make some sly comment about my weight. Going out in public is even miserable because I’m so paranoid people are judging me.

Simply making the efforts to lose weight will not get rid of these feelings, because mental health is a factor. And my history of depression and anxiety goes as far back as my issues with my weight. The first time I felt so incredibly hopeless to the point where I was having regular suicidal thoughts I was only about ten years old. There have been weeks where I’ve barely had enough energy to get out of my bed. I easily lose my appetite and go days without and go days barely eating anything, and when I do manage to eat I usually puke it out immediately. During those times I lose way too much weight way too quickly and when I finally get my appetite back I can do nothing but eat, gaining all that weight back plus some.

So seeing Marvel’s Avengers: Endgame where a character who is now fat and struggling with their mental health being ridiculed made me feel singled out and miserable. It would be unfair to pick on just Endgame when many movies have done the same thing. Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse is one of my favorite movies from 2018 (and rightfully won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature). The animation was innovative and spectacular. The message of overcoming fear and that anyone can be a hero was inspiring. But it also took some comedic shoots at an older Peter Parker’s weight that he gained after a failing marriage and losing his aunt.

Why is it, in nearly all movies, that just because a character is not the “ideal” weight it grants the writers and the audience the OK to mock them? Why is it that it’s fine to portray the trauma that a character has gone through as a joke? Because it’s not funny. These are serious issues that I deal with it, as do many other movie goers. And I don’t want to sit through a movie where I feel as if my experience is being laughed at. Yes, these characters are fat, yes, they are depressed and there should be no shame in that. But don’t these characters still deserve respect and compassion over cheap jokes? Don’t we all deserve that?

#marvel #avengers endgame #personal essays #my writing #fatphobia #depression #mental health #thor #my personal essay

[commenter2]

Avengers: Endgame alternate plot

MAJOR SPOILERS for Avengers: Endgame.

So I finally saw Avengers: Endgame a while ago and it was awesome, a great movie to wrap up 10 years worth of movies. But it could have been a bit better in my opinion.

Besides some minor things like a not so great Professor Hulk and the 5 years later timeskip the whole time heist thing didn’t feel like the right way to end phase 3 of the MCU in my opinion, one reason was cause it was the MCU’s first attempt at time travel in the series and though it slightly works it still seemed dumb to use something never used or focused on in the series as the main focus during the epic finale against Thanos.

Another was the rules of time travel, not only were there shortly reviewed but also a bit confusing, I mean its hard to think that some actions done by the heroes in the past won’t change the present in some way, yet it does and though admittedly they do try and prevent things changing too much you can’t excuse some big examples especially near the end of the film like past Thanos and his army dying in the present (and I think past Gamora gets stuck in the future). Hopefully they will try and explain/fix this in phase 4 but only time will tell, in fact it looks like the upcoming Spider-Man movie might be the first to start explaining this.

Because of this, and for fun, I made an alternate plot for the movie that I think would have been just as good as Endgame.

The movie opens with Thanos enjoying his simple farmer life but before he can eat his breakfast he falls over in pain as the infinity gauntlet glows and when he comes to he looks at it and is shocked and angry, though we don’t see what happened.

After the opening credits, the movie cuts to Ant Man still calling for help in the quantum zone, where as predicted in Ant Man and Wasp he gets pulled into a time vortex that has the same color and symbols as the time stone where he and the audience see scenes from Infinity Wars till he finally stops and then gets sucked into a more detailed sling ring (with odd symbols and runes). He ends up in Wakanda where Thor and Thanos are fighting, and after watching Thanos do the snap and open a portal, Ant Man snaps out of it and takes action, punching Thanos before he can enter the portal unlike in Infinity War.

After a brief introduction, Thor and Ant-Man work together to fight Thanos who is desperate to get off Earth, and during the fight Ant-Man takes off 3 stones from the infinity gauntlet, maybe the, space, time, and reality stones. Thanos still escapes to places unknown thanks to one of his men’s ship where we then get a small aftermath of the heroes regrouping, Captain Marvel, Iron Man, and Nebula returning to Earth and the others including Ant Man realizing people are fading out of existence.

The movie then cuts to a few weeks or months later (as the 5 years later thing was a bit annoying to me, maybe if it was 1 year I would have been ok with it) where after helping the world after the snap maybe using the infinity stones on some occasions, and after a smaller version of the recap featuring things like Iron Man exploring/explaining how Ant Man got to Wakanda through a means of time travel, Captain Marvel protect Earth from invaders, Thor becoming a bit depress on his failures, and Clint going a bit crazy after the loss of his family but doesn’t become a crazed killer, the Avengers reunite to talk about what to do next.

During the meeting not only do they agree that Ant-Man getting the 3 stones was part of Dr. Strange’s plan but that they need to use them to chase down Thanos in order to acquire the gauntlet and his stones to reverse the damage to the universe. This results in the gang including Hawkeye going on a space adventure to do so. Maybe Captain Marvel decides not to go in order to keep the peace on other planets, cause its hard to write her into the movie more.

After possibly a small confrontation with space pirates or something resulting in the heroes working together with old and new friends in space, they find Thanos who just had that episode I mentioned at the beginning of this post and a big fight occurs where we see sever heroes use there infinity stone to counter Thanos’s own infinity stones.

Something like this would have been awesome to see in Endgame as not only did nothing like this ever happen in any of the other movies but it be a cool reference to an comic event I discovered with a similar plot that came out a few years ago.

However during the fight someone, maybe Thor as a way to make amends for his failures, tries to use several stones at once without the proper gear to harness there powers to stop Thanos but fails, resulting in not only Thanos escaping again with his 3 stones but also sends several Avengers through space, time, and reality where we get several interesting plot lines/moments similar to that of the movie.

· Iron Man has some time with his father before his death by Bucky.

· Capt. America gets closure with Peggy and gives her that promised dance.

· Thor goes back to the place and time in Ragnarok where he lost his hammer and past Dr. Strange uses the time stone to not only fix it (bringing it back to the present with him) but Thor also get some advice on how to deal with his failure of stopping Thanos from his father (who maybe returns in ghost form like in Ragnarok). Maybe Strange also gets a heads up of what to do when Thanos arrives resulting in his Ant-Man plan. This also would be a cool callback to that scene for HISHE: Thor Ragnarok.

· Bruce ends up on a deadly planet where before it seems like he is about to die from the wildlife, he makes peace with the Hulk resulting in them becoming one being, where its hulks body at full strength (cause the one in endgame seemed weaker to me) with Banner’s brain though maybe regular hulk takes over from time or reverts back to Banner human body from to time as again the one in the movie didn’t show any of the Hulk we grew to know for 10 years.

· Hawkeye and Black Widow maybe end up in alternated reality also filled with deadly wildlife and similar to Endgame, Widow sacrifices herself so Hawkeye can see his family, but maybe does so while in a big battle against that reality’s life forms.

Either way they all come back to where the other Avengers are and after some time mourning Widow’s death, continue there search.

They eventually find Thanos again, who has built a makeshift fortress (maybe on Titan ?) using his gauntlet and remaining forces that weren’t on earth, maybe he used the soul stone to bring back his dead generals or putting there souls in similar bodies (thereby giving them more screen time but also showing more of the Soul stones power which wasn’t used much in Infinity War and Endgame) and we get the same battle from Endgame with some changes like at some point Hulk get the gauntlet from Thanos in a fight and after combining the last 3 stones, uses the complete gauntlet to finally bring back everyone that was lost in the snap, including Gamora (who maybe has amnesia ?) and like the movie, the lost heroes charge into battle to aid the other heroes fight against Thanos and his forces.

Then like in Endgame the heroes need to get rid of the gauntlet and in order to do that, they come up with the plan on Ant Man going through the quantum realm to hid the stones in the future however the gauntlet is nowhere near the van, and agreeing with Nando v Movies (a youtuber I recommend seeing if you like Marvel or DC movies) Nebula this time runs it to him while getting support from the other female heroes from the MCU. Of course Thanos getting the gauntlet back but like the film, a mortally wounded Iron Man sneakily gets the stones and uses them to snap Thanos and his forces away, maybe fix some things caused by the stones during there adventure like returning moons back to there proper orbit or turning people back to there normal ages. Everyone cheers but this is short as Iron Man dies from his wounds and using the gauntlet.

We then get a similar ending where everyone appears at Tony’s funeral maybe we see a pregnant Pepper there to, and get iconic scenes like Thor not only give Valkyrie Stormbreaker, making her king/queen in the process but also joins the Guardians in order to help them find not only new hiding places for some of the infinity stones but also find Gamora who fled the battle after the fight and Steve gives Sam his shield saying he’s going into retirement, though hinting that he will return to duty if needed.

Would you have liked Avengers Endgame more if the plot was like this ? What other changers would you have made to the movie’s plot ?

#avengers #avengers: endgame #marvel #marvel comics #marvel studios #marvel stud10s

[dragontag420]

Valentine’s Day (Rah)

Rah has a GREAT idea for a Valentine’s day present! Maybe....

Rah/Coypu, Gen.

Read it on Ao3! [Link]

This was originally shorter bUT! Jack sent me his Valentine’s Day Message first so I... may have edited it to incorporate that aheheh @jacketyjackjack-fr

Rah knew he'd be coming. He couldn't believe they'd been together over a year now.. Their second festival of love together, maybe there was a chance he'd found love for the long term.

Since the large, scaly man had come into his life things had gotten horribly hectic, a change which he had initially been wary of, but might now be pressed to admit that he enjoyed. It brought variety to what had once been completely controlled and monotonous. Rah enjoyed the monotony and the sense of control that accompanied it, but integrating Coypu into his life had become a challenge. And no challenge could defeat the Scribe of the clan SedAhrkMen.

Still, the festival was coming again, and although he'd heard nothing from Coypu, there was a 99.9% chance he'd be showing up for it. The thought alone caused Rah to blush and clear his throat, adjusting the papers on his desk. The way his mate doted on him was most certainly excessive and unnecessary. But... He had to admit it was pleasing to be so loved and admired. Over time he'd started to feel more deserving of the attention and affection, but he wasn't entirely sure how to match it.

Coypu was thoughtful, and his gifts reflected that, although often they were a bit crude and suggestive as well. Rah wasn't exactly comfortable in his ability to match such a thing, but was determined to get him something in return as well. Something... meaningful. Something important.

He'd been tapping his pencil for days on the subject when inspiration struck. He'd been processing acquisition forms for fabrics and threads from the marketplace, scratching his head in frustration at the notes CONEX had left, likely vague and hard to read on purpose. He'd nearly dropped his pen and gotten ink everywhere in surprise. Of course! His lok'vin!

He hadn't added anything on to the strand of flying fabrics above his lair in a very long time. Traditionally lok'vinne would have any sort of nice or interesting fabrics on them, but Rah preferred to keep his clean, with only the most meaningful flags and fragments on it. His own personal banner, his title as scribe, relevant pieces from major events, Loquat's old banner, things like that.

Throwing the forms to the side he had rushed to CONEX's workshop, slithering impatiently through the piles of fabrics and the minefield of half-finished projects. He'd proposed his idea to her and they'd had the mock-up done in a matter of hours. She’d kicked him out immediately afterwards to work.

When the day finally came he tried his best to hide his enthusiasm, the box tucked away on the small shelf of his work desk. He kept glancing at it, the ribbon perfect and prim. He smothered another smug grin, prideful and very sure he’d outdone his boyfriend this time. 

When Coypu arrived he had a letter and a box of his own, the usual flirtatious smirk fixed firmly in place. Rah accepted the gift and the kisses, rolling his eyes playfully at the winks thrown his way. He opened the letter, which simply read “Happy Valentine’s Day”.

“Did you write this yourself?”

Coypu’s chest puffed out, “Sure did!”

“Your penmanship is much better,” he smiled at it softly before placing it gently on his desk. “If I didn’t know any better I’d think you were trying to write well.” 

That got him a laugh. He took the heart-shaped box and roses next, untangling it carefully and placing the flowers to one side. He’d have to get them water, soon. Perhaps even preserve a few. The box itself was filled with... ribbons? Awards. He shifted through them a little, noting one which seemed to read “best butt award”. Clearly he’d have to read them all later.

He frowned slightly as he got to the real present, a necklace and.. a ring? He looked up at Coypu, head tilted a bit in confusion. He didn’t have a chance to ask, Coypu already telling him.

"I ain't gonna do anything too wacky today, but, I was just thinkin' it'd be nice to one day settle down or somethin'. And who else am I gonna wanna settle down with 'sides you? I'm not askin' you to marry me or nothin',” he scratched his head a little bit bashfully, “not yet anyway... But I'd sure like it if you thought about doing so."

Rah stared at the box in his hand, trying not to notice that it was trembling slightly. He swallowed thickly and bit his lip. Coypu noticed the tension building in his shoulders and reached out a hand, placing it on the small scribe softly. Had he been... out of line? He hoped not.

“You ok?”

Rah tried to nod, but it came out as more of a jittery twitch. He squeezed the box in his hand and turned his head, looking around. “I’d.. Um. Perhaps I should... sit down.”

Coypu nodded slowly and gently steered him towards his stool. The worry was evident on his face. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’a assumed, um-”

Rah shook his head in quick tiny turns, “No! No. I- I’m just.. Oh wow, I...” He let the box rest in his lap and ground the heel of his hand into his eye, only mildly surprised that it was somewhat wet. “Marriage is.. gosh, um.. It’s.. different here.” He let out a shaky breath, “I just... I’m not saying! No! Or.. yes.. or.. well I don’t really know what I’m saying, um.”

Coypu put a hand on his back and rubbed slightly, “Take your time. I’m not goin’ anywhere.”

With a grateful nod, Rah cleared his throat, tucking his hands firmly under his legs on the stool and trying to regain some semblance of composure. “I.. If I’m completely honest I’m simply awestruck by the very idea that-” his voice broke slightly, falling to a hoarse whisper, “That you’d so much want to stay with me. For the very fact.”

The laugh startled him, and he looked up at Coypu. “That’s it? ‘Course I wanna stay with you, darlin’! Who wouldn’t!” He kept rubbing circles on Rah’s back, and brought his free hand up to wipe at a single stray tear on his face. “I’m not proposin’ or anythin’. Just... maybe think about it, yea?”

Rah nodded and sniffed, still overwhelmed by the gift he’d been given. The real gift seeming to be the strong bubble of warmth that had planted itself in his chest. 

He wiped his eyes again with the back of his hand, leaving a small smear of ink on his cheek. He gestured to his desk, “I got you a present, as well.” He gave a small laugh, “Somehow in the same vein of thinking, I suppose...”

Coypu got up to retrieve it, bringing over the small package and turning it different directions as he walked back over. “This paper is so fancy. Damn.”

“It’s just shiny, is all.” He smiled as Coypu sat back down next to him. “That’s not the present, though.”

“Well I know that!” Coypu huffed and started trying to peel the paper off carefully, but still managing to mangle it pretty good despite his best efforts.

It was a box, small and flat. Inside it, wrapped in tissue and folded carefully was some sort of cloth, heavy and dark. Coypu pulled it out carefully to look at it, turning it this way and that. It was various shades of green and somewhat iridescent, the primary color being similar to Coypu’s own shade of green. It was elaborately embroidered with thin golden thread, soft patterns and whirls forming a thick border on the lengthy piece of fabric.

He tilted his head, clearly a bit confused. “Is it.. clothes? Don’t think it’ll cover much, babe.” He winked, “Unless that’s the idea.”

Rah gave a long and frustrated sigh, shoulders deflating a little bit. He wasn’t upset with Coypu, but rather with himself for not even thinking about the fact that his boyfriend likely wouldn’t even know what it was. Suddenly he was nervous. If he didn’t know what it was, then... it probably didn’t have much meaning to him, which meant it really wasn’t as much of a gift as Rah had thought it would be.

He placed his own box to the side on the table and reached a hand out to flatten the large piece of cloth some. “I-It’s a flag. For the lok’vin. For my lok’vin.” He cleared his throat and stretched it fully, the long shape a rectangle with a triangle cut out of one end. “You know.. The um, the large ropes in the sky? They’re on all the houses and the buildings and we each have one, and of course I-I guess it might not actually mean much to you now that I think about it, but the fabrics on them all usually mean things o-or have a um, purpose.” He shrugged and smoothed it between his hands nervously. “I wanted... to put this on mine. It’s.. It’s for you. It means you.” 

He pointed to a thick line of text embroidered onto the bottom edge. “This is.. our language. It’s your name. And.. a small title. I....” Rah let go and ran his fingers through his hair nervously, “It’s silly, isn’t it.”

Coypu held the cloth up higher, squinting at it. He lowered it into his lap and turned to Rah with a large grin, shoving his face into his boyfriend’s and planting a solid kiss. He pulled back and continued to grin, running his fingers over the section that Rah had said was his name. “I love it!”

“I get it! It’s like puttin’ my name on the mailbox!” He laughed loudly and draped the flag over Rah’s head. “So you’re sayin’ I’m important to you. And askin’ me to move in with ya’?” He wiggled his eyebrows and winked.

Rah blushed and pulled the flag off of his head. “You already basically do, I’m simply commemorating your importance in my life and-”

Coypu cut him off with another kiss, pulling back a few inches, his smile much softer and eyes gentle. “I get it. It’s perfect.” He kissed Rah again, pleased when the scribe leaning forward into it, a small hand coming to rest on Coypu’s leg. 

“Okay.” He nodded, “If you say so then I believe you.” 

Emboldened by the newfound knowledge that Coypu was considering marrying him of all things, and pleased that his gift had supposedly gone over well, he slipped the hand on Coypu’s leg in further.

“Of course... I never said I only got you one present,” he said with a grin. 

#writing tag #CHECK IT OUT ITS LONG SO IM POSTING IT HOLY SHIT #happy valentines day #this was originally shorter bUT