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neptunes-blue · 4 months

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CORPSMAN’S PRAYER - VINCENT KRAWCZYK - THE PACIFIC

short summary: Vincent Krawczyk graduates from Illinois’s Naval Hospital Corps School after first enlisting on the 8th of December, 1941

warnings: implied child neglect (sort of?), sailors get drunk and slip off chairs

(Main) characters: Vincent Krawczyk (oc), Terence Flynn (oc)

word count: 1.8k words

notes: this is like. The only time ever I will post my writing… if it disappears tomorrow I have succumbed to my shame and deleted this 😔. I had to format this on my iPad with no idea how any of this works…. Also if you see spelling/grammar mistakes no you didn’t I was too scared to share this to a friend to proofread ☹️ (looks at the ‘art blog’ in my bio hmmmm)

🚢

Grant me, oh Lord, for the coming events;

Enough knowledge to cope and some plain common sense. Be at our side on those nightly patrols; And be merciful judging our vulnerable souls. Make my hands steady and as sure as a rock; when the others go down with a wound or in shock. Let me be close, when they bleed in the mud; With a tourniquet handy to save precious blood. Here in the jungle, the enemy near; Even the corpsman can't offer much lightness and cheer. Just help me, oh Lord, to save lives when I can; Because even out there is merit in man.

If it's Your will, make casualties light; And don't let any die in the murderous night. These are my friends I'm trying to save; They are frightened at times, but You know they are brave. Let me not fail when they need so much; But to help me serve with a compassionate touch. Lord, I'm no hero—my job is to heal; And I want You to know Just how helpless I feel. Bring us back safely to camp with dawn; For too many of us are already gone.

Lord bless my friends If that's part of your plan; And go with us tonight, when we go out again.

— Navy Hospital Corpsman’s prayer

When Vincent was 5, he woke up in his home to nothing.

When he tried to focus on where he imagined the hallway, there was nothing but black. And from the kitchen he heard a faint drip and nothing more.

It’s hard to recall a memory in the muffling black dark. It’s more of a feeling really, cold icy dread that travels down your spine and keeps you at a standstill.

Vincent still remembers how his body— much smaller in his youth, chattering with fear on the dusty couch. Too scared to call out for his parents.

10 years later, he’d brought up the memory at the dining table and was flattened by his father’s admittance to a fuzzy memory where he forgets to take him off the couch and into bed.

Currently, Vinny is 19 and fumbling with the neckerchief of his dress blues. His brow knotted while Terence Flynn shined his shoes.

“Vinny, how in hell are you gon’ take care of your wife? 20 and you can’t tie your own kerchief?”

Krawczyk swivels to face Flynn like you would in drill. His face in a crooked smile.

“20 in a week actually. I thought I told you yesterday that I was 20 next week.” He says in a voice dripping with a very matter-of-fact tone, a crooked grin plastered on his face.

“I’m gonna start praying for your future wife.” Flynn half-snorts, rolling his eyes.

Vincent listens to Terence’s back click as he stretches, taking a ‘well deserved’ break from his shoe-shining; it was a lousy attempt to seem presentable and handsome for graduation. Terence Flynn, mousey-faced and dark-haired tucking away at least some of his antics for today.

Vincent had complimented how nicely Flynn’s chevrons were stitched once. Terence had flushed red and muttered ashamed that his mother had sewn them on for him.

Within each stitch a gentle kiss of a mothers love tucked under the dark fabric of the Navy’s pride— that’s what Vincent imagined anyways. He had responded with a quiet ‘oh’ and looked at his own chevrons that still had stitches leaking from the edges of blue fabric.

Krawczyk tried to stare back into the mirror and ignore the eruptions of jealousy that burst across his face.

Men dressed neatly in their Navy dress blues begin to leave barracks, putting away shaving kits and slicking their hair back with their caps in hand.

“Bu-ddy?”

Terence whistles and clicks his tongue, already standing at the door out of barracks.

“Christ!”

Vincent glanced at Terence and then back at himself in the mirror before quickly scampering after his friend. Finally figuring out the intricacies of his neckerchief while his shoes hit the plywood floor.

Vincent's rowing team had been best in Missouri, he was the best batter in baseball, captain of the swimming team, and one of the top boxers in school.

It didn't count for much, all his trophies and awards were in a box underneath his bed.

Krawczyk wouldn't know until after his enlistment had ended that his parents had pawned his gold medals off when he'd left for the Navy. Vincent would understand when he came back. Forgiving, sweet, war-torn Vincent who would believe his family was going through tough times.

His photos remained in the box however– the same crooked grin even as his face matured. Collecting an inch of dust.

The winter wind had calmed to a soft breeze (thank the lord) and Chief took to the stand saying speeches Krawczyk seemed to block out with his anticipation.

Rows of navy men with their chests puffed out with the boyish pride that never left them even as men. Preparing to leave for war with the promise to serve and a prayer for survival.

Thomas Murray, a tall, gawky man with blue eyes and blonde hair had been a surgeon before all of this; Chance Henderson always wanted to be a doctor who and thought this was the quickest a cheapest way to get there; shy Samuel Davis who blushed easily and hated using the communal showers was plain kind-hearted and liked the idea of helping wounded; Dayton Bishop was smart and steady-handed, he was suited to the role of a corpsman with square eyes and a handsome jaw.

Terence had smirked at Vincent when he told him he joined up because he thought it’d make him popular with the ladies.

Vinny had roared with laughter, telling him that he’d, ‘never even get a nice girl to look his way’.

Flynn had tried to counter him, reminding Vinny that he had a girl— ‘A girl that left him’, he had responded with. Flynn wanted to argue but Vincent turned the topic too quick.

‘Colours, present arms!’

Vincent was beaming.

The whole thing felt like his High School graduation but fancier. And if it wasn’t an important ceremony he wouldn’t have stopped himself from laughing but, he’d be lying through bared, grinning teeth that he wasn’t pouring over with pride.

He (rather excitedly) stepped onto the stage, shaking hands with the CPO and then to the SCPO who passed him his graduation paper. Vincent was only able to glance at his name ‘Vincent Phillip Krawczyk’ scrawled in the middle of the paper before he had to ‘calmly and mild-manneredly’ walk across the stage.

"I solemnly pledge myself.”

"I solemnly pledge myself…” The bright faced men echoed.

“Before God and these witnesses.”

“To practice faithfully all of my duties.”

“As a member of the Hospital Corps.”

“As a member of the Hospital Corps…”

The band marched out soon after the Corpsman Pledge, Anchors Aweigh cutting through the dewy morning air and sending out that good ol’ Navy pride. Vincent could’ve sworn he saw Terence’s eyes water as he muttered the lyrics under his breath.

“STAND NAVY TO SEA, FIGHT OUR BATTLE CRRYY!”

Flynn roared, hopping from bar stool to bar stool— hand on heart while the other swung a bottle of beer.

Davis was bright red, with 7 drinks too many he had joined Terence in his performance. Vincent clapped, repeating Terence and Davis’ “So vicious foe steer shy-y-y-y!”, despite not having even one drop of alcohol that evening. The rowdy sailors had scared off most of the other bar patrons. Dayton sat smartly as ever, Murray was playing craps with the increasingly drunker Chance and the other boys— Mark, Jones, Sutton, Kidd, Freeman, West, Patrick… were either pink-faced and whooping or challenging the other to another game, drink, or bet.

“Y’know, back in my home-place, Missouri I used to drink like there wasn’t a God!”

“Anchors aweigh my boys! ANCHORS AWEIGHH!”

Dayton didn’t seem to be really paying attention to Krawczyk’s yammering.

“My pal, Nate, he drank beer like it wasn’t a Wednesday afternoon. Never trust a usual mild-mannered Missouri man, we might all seem pleasant but as soon as he gets a drink too many he’ll sock you right in the face if you even mention his favourite sport team’s rival team— I nearly got socked in the face for it once, can you believe it?”

Vinny bursts into laughter, not really taking note that Dayton didn’t join in.

"Farewell to foreign shores, we sail at break of day-ay-AY-AY!”

“You’re not drinking.”

Vincent perks up when Dayton speaks.

“Yeah— yeah, no, I'm not a drinker," Vinny shrugs. "Christian, I keep it to special occasions." He finishes, grinning.

“Uhuh. Isn’t this a special occasion?”

“Someone has to be sober enough to hold caps when you all retch whiskey in the bathroom.”

Dayton shrugs, swirling his brandy on the rocks.

“Drink to the foam, until we meet once more! Here's wishing you a happy voyage HOME!”

And with the end of the second verse, Flynn missed the barstool he was jumping to by a foot and cracked his head on the side of the counter.

The sand was soft at Nunn beach.

Vinny liked beaches, he liked the waves, how the seawater dried on his arms and left white salt stains on his skin. He even liked nursing his good friend after slamming his own face into a bench, who now had a rapidly growing lump above his right brow.

The sun had sunk halfway under the ocean, sending out stretching wands of orange light that sparked crashing waves yellow. It turned his and Flynn’s faces amber and made his bruise just slightly more obvious.

“Finally put those corpsman skills to good use.”

Vincent was grinning— Terence was not.

He reached into his wrinkled blues, pulling a silver rosary over his head, careful to not bump his tender lump. Terence cleared his throat, trying to clear the shame in his voice.

“My gal got it for me but you know uh. We broke up”

“She left you.”

“We broke up!” He insisted, with a huff. Flynn turned from Vincent and admired the carving of Christ. Hanging by his hands on the silver cross, intricate swirls that seemed to grow from his hollow body and border the cross he was strung across. It seemed to glimmer white in the setting sun.

“Take it. A parting gift. Or an apology— I don't care. Or really believe in that crap anymore anyways”

“Don't call it crap.”

“Sorry.”

Vincent tenderly accepted the gift from his friend, thumbing the cross.

“Tell me a story, Vince.” Terence’s voice was flat, eyes glued onto the horizon instead of his friend.

“Well. Once me and my pal Nate thought it'd be funny to throw rocks at the school greenhouse.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

#oc: Vincent Krawczyk #hbo war #the pacific #Hbo war oc #The pacific oc #Ww2 oc #Original character #i had to hype myself up to post this #AGHHH #might drop the occasional vinny lore like how he isn’t actually religious #but this is probably all the proper writing I will release from the depths that are my google docs #I don’t really like sharing my writing but i hope you enjoy nonetheless 🫡

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pink-green-guts · 19 hours

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Please read this

I have unblocked everyone who was involved with this so they can see this. I also need this to be seen by anyone who read my previous posts.

First, this was handled terribly

Now I posted that post at 12am thinking that it was common knowledge, I did not want drama to happen. I honest didn't expect any drama. However that did happen, and I want this to be over. This has been the most stressful and terrifying part of my life ever being on the internet. I have been sexually harassed and just bullied, but never had I had my life threatened or my safety in my own home jeopardized. I am a minor, I need that to be clear. I tried to handle this as best as I could, I swear. To everyone and anyone who harassed me, threatened me, or even hinted at my suicide please get off the internet. Which will be a point I bring up later. Who ever started the riot of sending hate to me, needs to stop. I am uncomfortably aware that I am a small artist so I will be picked on more. However this did not need to help for something so simple. Which I have been told that yaujtalover wasn't the one who sent the hate, and while I don't really believe that, I understand that could most likely be true. There was probably multiple people doing it. I don't know.

Added this after writing all of this. I am out of my medication, so I could not think or act as clear as I do. I know mental health shouldn't excuse my actions, but I need to say that because I am having a terrible ass time with the withdrawal that I'm feeling to the point of suicide. This scenario just didn't help AT ALL and I was(and am) so unstable right now. So take your fucking medicine, withdrawal fucking sucks. But please just keep that in mind.

Second, the young blood term

I do need to admit a fault. I had forgot about a key detail about how young bloods are that. I do apologize for no reference, it is 3 in the morning and I'm beyond exhausted. Young bloods can be adults, that doesn't be they are. Young bloods become young bloods when they get their first kill. Think of it as a writer writing their first draft for their novel, or an artist learning how to draw to become the next Leonardo da Vinci or whatever. That context I completely forgot. However that needs to be kept in mind. Most young bloods are going to be young yautjas, hence the name. Yes there are those unfortunate few who get their first kill as an adult, but that doesn't mean all young bloods are adults. I need this to be clear: Young bloods CAN be adults Young bloods CAN be teenagers It depends on the yautja and probably the clan. Not all young bloods are adults, Not all young bloods are kids. Which is where I think some people got confused. I did say child/kid. That was a mistype, what I meant was minor. As in not an adult lol.

Third, the fandom it self

I have been in this fandom since I was 12, maybe even 11. Yes I know you have probably been here longer, but from what I've experienced and seen this fandom is terrible. It's not accept of queer people, most people seem to fetishize them actually. It is all about smut, pin on it! And everyone has biased and/or misinformed takes.

First one, I am non-binary, I am aroace. I have never been welcomed here. From day one I got told I could change or be could changed, I have been misgendered, harassed, and threatened because of my gender identity and sexuality. Now this was mainly when I was on DeviantArt maybe Instagram and had an old account, I was around 12? Most of the people who sent those messages to me were apart of the yautja community. Yes I know it's not everyone here, but on my first account here on tumbler and I put my pronouns(they/them) in my bio I immediately had inbox messages about my gender being wrong and I'm broken. Now I was still learning tumbler so I didn't know how to turn off anon. Then recently I have had people take this opportunity to opening harass me and make disgusting comments about me.

Second one, remember when I said pin it. It is completely fine if you like smut, Hell go crazy with your kinks and sexual desires. That's not the problem. The problem is that it feels like an expectation to like and make smut. Going back to me being aroace, the rape message mentioned how he was going to fix me out of being aroace by raping me. LIKE THAT'S HOW IT WORKS!! The first even smut pic or fic I saw wasn't on tumbler, wasn't on DeviantArt, it was by my groomer when I was 14. NO! that's wrong, it was when I was 13 and it was by a pushing nsfw artist who wanted me to get a "proper welcome" to the fandom. This was on discord btw in a AvP server that is gladly dead. Also mentioned the sexual harassment I have constantly received.

Third one, the lore is a complete mess. Absolutely no don't, but from the things that have and can be taken as canon are usually ignored or twisted into a different headcanon. An obvious one, yautjas see humans as inferior or to the equivalent of an animal. Please pause, I understand why that would be ignored. I get it, you want to bang the badass alien hunter. That's is fine! The problem is how people will try and say that yautja would rather choose a human female over a yautja female. I feel like it should be understandable why that is wrong. Like Yautjas are constantly putting themselves in danger just for their ego, and will die. That is why they are very serious about repopulation, so it wouldn't make sense for that. Head canon all you want btw, I can not stop you. I just am tried on people some this is true or this is true or that is false, when we can't tell. For my take for the young bloods, I am just using logic and my understanding of the yautja lore. or what's left of it.

Vent? I am actually leaving the yautja fandom, community whatever. Now I am going to vent A LOT here because this is a interest that was with me during middle school and has been the only one that stayed til now.

I tried so SO hard to fit in this fandom because I love yautjas. Like I am not joking any free time I had I would be watching videos about the yautja lore or anything related to them. I LOVE yautjas, so finding out that there are a bunch of weirdos like me who love these guys, felt so fucking good. I was, and kind still am, SO fucking lonely and had no one to be with for an interest like this. I went through sites, through sites, through sites! Just to fit in. I understand a 14 year old isn't gonna be welcomed cuz, that's a baby watching a rated R film with a shit ton of blood and violence. Trauma messes with you ok So after 4 to 5 years of working my ass off to be seen and to be welcomed, never fucking worked. I know I know, algorithm and people liking it. Even when I was noticed I was just treated like shit. I know not everyone is nice, but I feel like I just got kicked out of a band when I didn't even get a chance to play. I know I probably sound like I'm trying to throw a pity party, which as much as I want to, I have to accept that I never even had a chance to fit in. I don't like smut, I love body horror and terrifying topics, and I'm just too mentally ill. Plus having to heal from trauma that left me mentally stunted for a while probably just made it harder for me to communicate with anyone.

Now the final part. I am going to be deleting this tumbler. I don't want to use it after all the shit that just happened and I just don't want to be associated with the fandom anymore. I'll be moving to a different account after my mental health break and deleting this one, or just leaving it I dunno. I am still using this account to 1. Show off the pride art that took me way too long to make that looks like shit. and 2. because I commissioned an artist here and I don't want to give him the struggle of my different accounts, so moving after I get the art from him.

I am so fucking tired but I can't sleep, tips? ok joking about that

But this whole thing was just eye opening and now I've realized how fucked this fandom made me.

Not gonna use tags because I don't want this to be on the yautja tag

I want to @ the people involved jsut so this is over, but it will do it's thing

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ronecam · 18 days

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So I thought I could do a post about Emilia (My Suicide Squad OC) just in case lol. Like a character bio. Will add some stuff about her relationship with Abner at the end lolol.

GENERAL INFORMATION AND BACKSTORY

Her full name is Emilia Diaz. Her villain name is Cyberwick. She's a demolitions expert that can make bombs out of common objects. She's the daughter of a weapons engineer (her mom) and a marine (her dad). When she was 6, her dad left her mom, which caused her to start using Emilia to replace him, trying to make her like him and also putting her on the receiving end of her endless yelling fits every time she was stressed, like she would do with her dad. She decided to made Emilia a cyborg to make her a supersoldier, sending her on dangerous missions from a young age and making her train until she would pass out from exhaustion. Emilia killed her mom when she was 19 and ran away to become a villain. After some time she was arrested, and eventually joined Task Force.

PERSONALITY

Her personality is reckless and mostly apathetic. Though she can be melodramatic about things that matter way less than things that don't get a reaction out of her. Outside of her knowledge on explosives, she's pretty dim-witted, being someone who doesn't put much thought into things. She has a very passive view of life, letting things happen as she believes things will turn out how they have to turn out. She doesn't really take action unless she absolutely has to, or has something to gain from it.

Her way of thinking is very simplistic, and she's a very direct person. She almost always speaks her mind and she would never manipulate anyone. She doesn't overthink much either. She also prioritizes her happiness and/or having fun over any responsibilities.

Her morals are not the best, as she will do anything she wants as long as she can get away with it. The only thing that will deter her from doing something bad is if she knows there will be consequences that outweight the rewards. She also has no objections against resorting to violence, as it is her preferred way of dealing with most things.

She's not a very social person as she is very self-isolating, but she is very codependent. Which means she won't approach people willingly but once she likes someone she won't leave them alone. She's also very protective of those she cares about.

She avoids talking about her past and her mom as much as possible. She believes that it doesn't affect her as long as she doesn't think about it. She also can't remember most of what happened in her childhood, at least not clearly. But she will crack jokes about the few things she does remember.

She tends to feel hate and disgust towards anyone she considers similar to her mom. Which is why she has a deep hatred for Amanda Waller, after being sent on countless suicide missions by her. She's not stupid though, so she tries to stay on her good side.

She also likes to mess with people when possible. If she has the opportunity to make someone annoyed or scared she will. She's just a lil shit.

GOALS AND FEARS

If you asked me what Emilia wants the most, it's to get her original body back. But since she knows that's impossible, her biggest wish is to make the most out of the life she already has. If she's going to be a villain, she's going to be a successful one and have fun doing it. She dreams of having a "big underground villain lair with robot minions and a bunch of screens" (her words, not mine).

Her biggest fear is becoming like her mom. Not in the sense that she hurts people, but in the sense that she doesn't want to become psychologically abusive to anyone she cares about. She doesn't want to cause them anxiety by having them walk on eggshells around her or having to guess what she's thinking. This is why she makes a big deal out of having good communication and being direct. Being compared to her mom causes her a lot of distress and anxiety.

And at times when her mental state is at its lowest she will experience fear of the dark. Which is why she will sometimes sleep with a night light (Ex. Her glowy boyfriend).

SKILLS AND CYBERNETICS

Now for the fun stuff. Her abilities in combat. All 4 of her limbs are robotic, which means she's physically stronger than she would be without them. The limbs are not of good quality though. So while they can throw a good punch or carry heavy things, it's very easy for them to break during a fight. She will often be missing a hand or a leg after a mission.

Despite her enhanced strength, her lack of defense stops her from being a skilled fighter. So her specialty is making explosives, often used to help the team get through obstacles or take out a lot of enemies quickly. She seems to have a love for explosions, looking happy or excited every time she gets to cause one. This is because (even if she's not aware of it) it makes her feel in control for once. After being a soldier her entire childhood, getting to cause chaos and destruction because she wants to feels liberating and cathartic for her.

If she were to have to defend herself in a fight however, that usually wouldn't end well, as she's more apt for getting out of situations than to actually solve them. She's not one to win fights often, so she avoids physical confrontations. She has described herself as a "slippery weasel" that's only survived this long because the grim reaper hasn't been able to get a hold of her yet.

Other than her 4 mechanical limbs, she has more cybernetic parts. Her left eye and most of her internal organs were replaced as well. She can't blink with her left eye because of nerve damage caused by the surgery.

THE FUNNY DOT MAN

And last but not least, her relationship with Abner. Depending on what I'm writing, they meet in different circumstances. But for the sake of this post let's go with the one where they meet in Task Force X.

Abner and Emilia met during a mission and despite both of them being pretty much adamantly antisocial, they started to get along and realized how much they had in common. Being able to relate to eachother's struggles was cathartic in a way, as they finally felt understood by someone. After they started dating, Emilia would always be trying to protect Abner from danger, afraid that he'd get hurt. And he doesn't mind. It makes him feel loved.

Both of them have pretty good communication, which they really value. They also help eachother through their issues, and take care of the other when they need it. Their biggest problem as a couple however would be that they constantly enable eachother's unhealthy habits, especially those that are harmful to other people. Such as using violence as a way to cope with anger, or doing bad things to feel like they have control over their lives. They are also very possessive of the other. But other than that, they have a pretty wholesome relationship where they make sure they don't hurt the other. And if they do, they're quick to talk it out and try to fix their mistake so it doesn't happen again.

And yeah that's basically it! If you made it this far, you get a kiss. Thanks for reading ^^

#the suicide squad #dc comics #suicide squad #polka dot man #abner krill #Suicide squad oc #Oc #Original character

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headcanonsandhijinx · 9 months

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The Cyclone Rollercoaster Disaster

I got an bit obsessed with ‘Ride The Cyclone’ about a year ago and wanted to write something for it. Then I read @yourdeepestfathoms whumptober series last year and got inspired so I came up with this. I’ve been working on it, on and off, for about a year and finally decided to post it since it’s the anniversary of the cyclone rollercoaster disaster today. (This is also up on my AO3, which is linked in my bio)

Trigger Warnings!

This fic will include: major character death, graphic descriptions of injuries, graphic descriptions of gore, graphic descriptions of corpses, mentions of blood. Please take care if any of these things trigger you, and if I’ve missed anything out then please let me know and I’ll add it to the warning list as soon as I can.

Father Louis P. Marcus had seen a lot in his 48 years of life, but this was undoubtedly the worst.

Today, September 14th, was the day of the long awaited choir competition… and the day the choir ended.

All six students were dead.

He couldn’t even begin to process it. He’d taken them to the fair after the competition as a reward. They may not have won but he knew how hard some of his students had worked and thought they’d deserved something to lift their spirits, and maybe it would bring the more disinterested students out of their shells.

They seemed to have a good time. Excitedly, running around and laughing… until the Cyclone. It would have been the last ride of the day before they returned to the school, if the children had survived it, that is.

It had all happened so quickly and now he was looking at those poor six children, who lay side by side as they were covered by sheets found by the carnival staff until they could be taken away.

He thought of those children now. Their smiling faces as they climbed into the rollercoaster car, although Mischa almost never smiled and Ocean’s had seemed slightly strained as he looked back on it.

They just…

They weren’t smiling anymore.

Paramedics swarmed the area, trying to find any signs of life at all. The body bags being brought over quickly.

Father Marcus didn’t know what he’d say to the group’s parents. He didn’t know how he’d tell them that their children were dead under his care. His chest ached at the very thought of it and his arms were starting to feel numb as he prayed for the teenagers’ souls over and over again.

Father Marcus wasn’t even sure in which order the students died. Had they died at the same time or died seconds apart? Did they realise what was about to happen, did they have time to be terrified? Or was it over before they knew what was happening? The only student whose place in the order of deaths that he knew for certain had been the first one to die.

A girl who was thrown from the back of the cart. Father Marcus didn’t even know her name, she had only joined the choir the day before. But he’d remember her screams as she was thrown for the rest of his life. He wasn’t even sure how it happened, maybe when she’d hit the tracks, but the police were searching for her head.

“Jane Doe’s missing head had been the most obvious cause of death. How could it not have been? What wasn’t as easy to determine was her identity. The girl’s missing head had eliminated the most common methods of identification.”

Constance Blackwood had been in the front of the cart. The method of her death wasn’t clear to him, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted it to be. There was very little blood, just some leaking from her lips, and with the fact that he had very little medical knowledge as to what could cause such a thing, it was left entirely a mystery to him.

“As she had been in the front of the cart when it derailed, Constance and her fellow front seat passenger, Ocean, had taken the brunt of the impact. As the cart derailed, Constance was thrown forward in her seat so harshly her ribs snapped on impact with the lap bar, causing them to pierce her heart and kill her almost instantaneously. A small mercy in the grand scheme of the days events.”

Sat next to her on the right side of the cart had been Ocean O’Connel Rosenberg. In a ghastly comparison to Constance, it was hard to know what had killed her because of all the blood covering her uniform. The dark red liquid was everywhere, saturating her dress and leaking from her lips and nose in thick streams.

“Ocean O’Connel Rosenberg had been sat in the front right seat of the cart and had been so brutally wrenched about in her seat that half of her chest was caved in. It was hard to see what had happened to her body, under her uniform as it became drenched in her blood. The other half of her chest? It had shattered during the crash, acting as an internal shrapnel grenade, puncturing her lungs until Ocean drowned in her own blood.”

Sat in the right side of the second row was Mischa Bachinski. It was unclear what part of the accident had killed Mischa. Apart from a nasty cut and bump on the side of his head as well as some bruising beginning to appear around his neck, he looked alright compared to the other children. He could even have been passed off as sleeping. Sleeping after getting into a fight, which wouldn’t have been unusual for the boy, but sleeping none the less.

“It was unclear what part of the accident had killed Mischa Bachinski until the autopsy. (An autopsy that Father Marcus would never know the results of.) The answer had been horrific. After sustaining severe whiplash as the Cyclone derailed, Mischa had been internally decapitated when broken vertebrae in his neck severed his spinal cord. However, a previously unseen object had been found on Mischa during his autopsy. A cellphone with a shattered screen showing an image of a young woman had been cradled protectively in one of his broken hands.”

On his left had been Noel Gruber. His cause of death was obvious as part of the cart had somehow impaled him through the back. The paramedics had had to separate Noel and Mischa’s hands as they were removed from the wreckage of the cart as they were found to be holding each others hands, perhaps they had been able to grant each other a brief comfort before the end. (That had answered some of his earlier questions. Some of the children had enough time to realise that was about to happen).

“It’s true that Noel Gruber had been impaled, but the real cause of his death was the head trauma he suffered. The theory that came about during his autopsy was that Noel’s head, and the head of one Mischa Bachinski, had collided during the crash. This caused immense damage to Noel’s brain and lead to a fatal brain bleed.”

In the final row of the cart, on the right side of the cart had been Ricky Potts. After everything Ricky Potts had been through in his life, this is what killed him. His body was probably the most damage along with Ocean.

“Ricky Potts had been aware of what was happening the entire time, had even morbidly enjoyed it a little. The sensation of utter weightlessness had been something Ricky had dreamed of for most of his life and he was finally experiencing it at the end of it. Ricky somewhat ironically was the last to die in the accident as he was partially crushed as the cart collided with the floor of the fair. Death had been instantaneous. A quick end to a short life.”

Father Marcus had sat himself down on a bench overlooking the chaos some hours ago when the first body (Constance) had been removed from the cart and his legs had given out, muttering prayer after prayer for the children’s souls over and over.

He only stood up when the first body was being moved into the ambulance to be taken to the hospital morgue and moved to go into the ambulance. He was quickly stopped by an EMT.

“Sir, only family members are allowed into the ambulance. I can’t let you in unless you’re a relative. Are you?”

“The children were under my care and their parents and guardians aren’t here yet. I will accompany them to the hospital to help explain it to their relatives. I couldn’t protect them then, please let me protect them now. The children deserve that much at least.” He pleaded.

The EMT, a young man with brown hair and pity in his eyes, just sighed.

“Alright, just this once.”

That had been hours ago. So long that it was now past midnight. The children’s relatives had long since arrived, the ones they could find, at least. His chest ached thinking of a family that didn’t know that they had lost their daughter and were waiting for her to come home.

The ache in his chest and numbness of his arm was getting worse and worse as he sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair of the hospital corridor. He suddenly found himself gripping his hand over his heart as the pain grew and grew.

“Sir? Sir, are you alright?” A passing nurse questioned, but he couldn’t answer. The pain in his chest growing even worse by the second.

He became unaware of what was happening around him, belatedly realising he was now laying on the floor on his back as someone shone a light in his eyes.

A light that completely covered his vision until everything faded away.

***

Today was Tuesday, September 15th in Uranium City, Saskatchewan.

Yesterday was Monday, September 14th in Uranium City, Saskatchewan.

The day that would forever be known as the day of the ‘Cyclone Rollercoaster Disaster’.

At 6:17PM, The Saint Cassian Chamber Choir boarded the doomed rollercoaster.

At 6:19PM, The rollercoaster derailed at the apex of the loop-de-loop, hurtling all six members of the choir to their unfortunate demise.

At 6:19PM, Jane Doe died after being tossed from the cart as it derailed, and decapitated as she landed on the tracks.

At 6:19PM, Constance Blackwood was killed when she suffered from blunt force trauma to her ribs, breaking them and causing them to pierce her heart.

At 6:20PM, Ocean O’Connel Rosenberg died after sustaining severe blunt force trauma to her abdomen, shattering her rib cage and causing massive internal damage and severe haemorrhaging.

At 6:20PM, Mischa Bachinski died after being internally decapitated after experiencing severe spinal damage.

At 6:20PM, Noel Gruber died after being impaled by a faulty safety bar and enduring a fatal cerebral haemorrhage.

At 6:20PM, Ricky Potts died after being crushed as the roller coaster cart collided with the ground.

Today was Tuesday, September 15th in Uranium City, Saskatchewan.

The day after the ‘Cyclone Rollercoaster Disaster’.

At 1:21AM, Father Louis P. Marcus died after suffering a stress induced heart attack in the aftermath of the ‘Cyclone Rollercoaster Disaster’.

***

Thank you guys so much for reading! I’m still not sure whether I’m satisfied by how this turned out but I hope you enjoyed it at least.

I also don’t know if it’s clear enough but all the writing in the italics is supposed to be Karnak narrating the things that Father Marcus can’t.

I’d also like to go into some of my thought process so here are some details and my reasons for each of the choirs methods of death.

Penny/Jane: she was thrown from the coaster as it derailed, but her obituary is crossed out to reference her resurrection.

Ocean: In ‘Waiting For The Drop’ Ocean does this dance move that looks like she’d being jerked around like crazy. Her and Constance do the same move but Ocean’s are much more exaggerated so while I think they had similar injuries, Oceans were worse as she was on the right side, which is the side that derailed first. Ocean’s smile is also described as being strained by Father Marcus because of her line in ‘Fall Fair Suite’ where she mentioned that she didn’t feel safe getting in line/on the cyclone.

Constance: Similar to Ocean, but quicker as in her monologue she says “all the screaming just stopped.” Which I took to mean that she died fairly quickly. Hence the whole being second to actually die after Jane.

Mischa: I realised that he and Noel headbang together during ‘Sugar Cloud’ and then had the thought of ‘let’s make that cute moment angsty!’. They also dance together during ‘Uranium Suite’/‘Fall Fair Suite’ and I heard someone question if that was supposed to imply them clinging to each other during the crash and I have not had a moments peace since.

Noel: this is gonna sound so dark, but I really wanted Noel to be impaled/stabbed by something in the back due to the line in ‘Noel’s Lament’ “the pretty knife that I stuck ten times in his back”. I thought really long and hard about it and came up with an idea for what actually impaled him. The safety bar that came loose and impaled him was actually part of Jane’s bar that broke off during the derailment and allowed her to be thrown out seconds before the coaster derailed. I know it doesn’t make a ton of sense but it seemed to be the most logical way for the implement/stabbing to come about. He also has similar head injuries to Mischa as stated above.

Ricky: I struggled with trying to think of Ricky’s cause of death the most out of everyone. Then I had a thought that I’ve tried to take a piece of everyone’s songs to relate to their deaths, however, for Ricky I’ll be using a piece of information from his introduction monologue by Karnak. What’s Ricky’s favourite ride? The Gravitron. And in Constance’s ‘Jaw Breaker’ monologue she mentions this feeling of weightlessness. I thought it would be really sad to have Ricky experience this feeling of utter weightlessness, something that’s he’s probably desired to feel for a long time given how enamoured he is with sci-fi, have it be better than the effects of the Gravitron, only mere moments before he dies.

Father Marcus: his is as stated by the show. Dying 7 hours after the incident.

Thanks again for reading. Please take care of yourselves. Eat something, drink some water and remember to take any meds if you have them. Love you all,

Jinx

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oh-munda-kukkad-kamaal-da · 2 years

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Here for a little rant. Dont mind me. So i used to be the topper of my class (Math section) but then this guy started preparing for JEE and he studies more than me ofc (i hate studying more than i hate my life) and yeah now he is the topper here. But idk wtf is he doing. One day we were doing some p-n junction experiments and this guy, the way he was connecting circuits like how tf can someone be so dumb? Literally shows he doesn't have any practical knowledge. And when i asked him if he even remembers the p-n junction reverse biasing graph, he literally drew a current-voltage graph for photoelectric effect and both graphs are nowhere similar. Is this how people prepare for the JEE? And once i saw him, he couldn't even name basic organic compounds like tf are you seriously preparing for JEE? And also there's this girl, topper of the Bio section, it's said that she studies for hours. Like she studies all day, but when our classes are merged, i see she's so dumb. Same, zero practical knowledge and couldn't name simple organic compounds. And i definitely feel like her common sense and IQ is probably dead. Everyone knows she just mugs up everything all day and just fills pages in exams. But the thing is, how are such dumb people getting more marks than me? Is it just because i dont run around teachers all day? Because i dont do bootlicking? And how do these people are so relaxed and confident about getting into IIT when i dont think i can crack JEE at all? Where tf do they get this confidence. I wish i had that confidence in me

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deadwardianpoltergeist · 1 year

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basic premise of the upbringing of my AU turtles

splinter(who is the late yoshi’s lost pet rat) is mutated with only mikey, raph, and leo initially

leatherhead, who is sleeping nearby, is splashed by mutagen as well

mikey, being notoriously easily distracted(somebody should put that infant on a leash) wanders over to leatherhead, who wakes up, panicked

in the panic splinter is left having to chase the startled raph and leo, and when he comes back for mikey both her and leatherhead are gone

splinter tries it’s best to juggle raising his new kids well and looking for mikey(to little avail)

leo is worried, but is a little kid who cares more about attention from splints than a sibling he barely remembers

raph is very stressed out by the anxiety splinter shows constantly worrying about mikey. of course, she’s like three, so his thoughts go along the lines of “if I get a new sibling then he’ll stop being so distressed and stay home” (she hates seeing his dad like this, the guilt, the misery, and splinter doesn’t fully realize how much his misery is affecting the two kids it still has)

raph has basic knowledge of how he exists, with the mutagen. splinter often comes back from its searches with canisters he stashes away so they can’t wreak more havoc.

so, raph steals a canister while splinter is away

she finds a (common snapping turtle) nest in one of the farther areas of the sewers

he grabs one of the eggs and opens the canister(this shit is an irresponsible biohazard nobody babyproofed it) and mutates his new unborn sibling(and also said siblings bio mom but that’s not important right now)

the young raphael’s plan kind of works actually??

well, splinter definitely spends more time on the kids he lives with now, though he’s still awfully stressed, the amount of grey hair would make one of those beauty gurus obsessed with youth drop dead on the spot(and not just because he’s a mutant rat)

donnie and raph are very close, but donnie’s mutation inflicts a similar guilt to what splinter feels about losing mikey on raph

donnie would probably have some turtle fibromyalgia without the mutagen, and it would probably be a lot worse to live with as a wild baby trying to make it alone in the sewers on new york, but raph doesn’t know that

he thinks she did this, caused this pain for donnie, and she feels terrible about it

but she’s smart, he notices as the years pass that splinter and leo coddling don just makes them miserable, so she tries his best to push a lot of her worries about it to the side

eventually they’re best friends

leon is very much Splinter Jr, as he always is, and also is OBSSESED with astronomy(not to be confused with star signs)

he’s a pretty stressed little guy but out of everyone he’s the most chill at this young stage(wish I could say he’s as carefree later in life but it’s leonardo let’s be fr)

meanwhile, leatherhead has been raising mikey in a different part of the sewers. and yes, leatherhead is a very compassionate parent and they try very hard, but he’s not especially mentally stable. he gets better, and mikey helps them a lot, but no amount of guilt and anguish he feels about having mikey witness him having these horrible episodes will stop them. LH never asked to be a parent, but he didn’t see splinter when they got mutated, and mikey barely recalls. there’s nothing else he can do, they feel trapped

anyways basic overview there’s so much more and I 100% should have it written down more in depth(maybe on ao3? though I do have a couple more things to figure out) but here’s the early childhood of the turtles(under 10 years old)

#somebody’s probably going to come after me for the quote on quote forced representation #but like what’s the point of writing if there’s no learning or teaching happening #maybe it’s the autism but that’s my philosophy #learning and then sharing that knowledge #also representation is super important #even if it is just going to be some silly ao3 story #tmnt #tmnt au #turtle tots #leatherhead #master splinter #hamato leonardo #hamato raphael #hamato michelangelo #hamato donatello

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dni-translation · 1 year

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Informational Pinned Post

What is this blog?

This is a blog dedicated to translating the various hyper-specific fandom/community jargon and terms that are often seen in DNI lists. I wish to explain the meaning of the terms used as well as provide context for why the term might be present in a DNI in a neutral way.

What's a DNI?

DNI stands for Do Not Interact. Other variations include DNF (Do Not Follow) and DNFI (Do Not Follow If). These are lists that you might find in a profile bio or within social media posts, typically by someone who is active in certain groups on Twitter, Tumblr, or TikTok. They are very common on Carrd, a mini-website builder used to present extended biographical information on one's social media.

These lists are intended to tell the reader to not interact with the author of the DNI if they have the traits indicated in the DNI. These traits can be one's bigoted beliefs, political alignment, religion, racial identity, fandom activity, mental illness, sexuality, stances on various community drama/discourse, and more.

Are these written by minors?

DNIs are most commonly written by teenagers and adults in their 20s, based on my knowledge. These lists can seem extremely stupid, trivial, or harmful, but it's important to keep in mind that a lot of the people who write these are teenagers. Please try to remember what kind of stuff you said and believed when you were a teenager, and then imagine if you had to deal with the modern internet at that age.

I bring this up not to be dismissive of this behavior, but to encourage readers not to equate these beliefs with the communities that these people identify with. Still, I have seen some pretty uncritical, childish and harmful behavior from people who post like this that are in their mid 20s, so it's not entirely teenagers.

#dni #pinned #faq

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ogsimer2380411 · 9 months

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The Role of Modern Technology in My Life

I could only imagine myself getting by my day-to-day life with technology. In fact, most of my talent and identity are poured into whatever I make on a computer. It may sound like an exaggeration, but part of me believes this is true. Since I was little, I remember having this curiosity about what I could do with the screen in front of me. As a result of years of discovery, these amateur questions of mine turned into a craft not a lot of people can replicate. To give you an example, I want to introduce you to the world of Blender art.

Blender is a software that specializes in making 3D art. Specifically, it is responsible for modeling 3D meshes, sculpting hard surface models, UV editing different types of topologies, and many more under the 3D workflow apart from making dynamic content like video games. Compared to other forms of art, digital 3D art is a medium that strives to apply complex mathematical equations and understand computer diction that may sound like random noise to common folk. Talent in this craft relies less on skill and more on an individual’s knowledge and patience in absorbing information. It is boring sitting through so many tutorials and reading populated pages in the blender manual, but as a result, we get pictures like the one I made below for my YouTube channel, TheVanillaLog. A collection of artwork made by me in this medium can also be found in this so-called channel, and it has given me an anonymous persona on the internet that people would follow to watch Blender tutorials that involve a toon shader style. Not a lot of people showcase this “2.5D” aesthetic on the internet, so my content covers this niche demand that is only growing much larger as films like “Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse” get more mainstream attention.

In addition to this being a hobby of mine, 3D art has actually been helpful in making some of my presentations in school. If ever I want to insert a cool graphic in a slide, I would make a quick render in Blender using the Cycles engine. Compared to traditional forms of art, it still takes a lot of time and effort. However, it is all worth it just to impress my professor for that class. I even get requests to make something in 3D up to this day from my old teachers no matter how impossible it may be to sculpt it in a 3D medium.

3D art has also been the gateway for me to understand a special field in dentistry known as CAD-CAM. In contrast to traditional practices in medicine, Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) involves the use of 3D software, printers, and technology in making common dental products like casts, dentures, and bridges. I studied this under the supervision of my dad who is a dentist himself, and his help was the reason why I feel that I am ahead of some of my classmates in terms of expertise. This is not being taught by my teachers at university, so it always comes as no surprise when a professor suddenly comes up to me and asks about how common dental software like Blue Sky Bio works. The picture below is a cast I printed in Blender with my name on it. It was a very simple print, but people were impressed with the result, let alone that it came from someone who is my age and has not yet graduated from college.

To summarize, I do not think that I would have the connections and the skill that I have today if it was not for the advent of modern technology. The older generation would be quick to dismiss computers and say that it is rotting the youth, but a part of me thinks that this is going to be the new normal. Just like how normal it is to drive cars to work instead of using horses, computers have become a staple item in people’s households. Its presence does not echo a future to come as much as its absence shouts a sign of someone who is behind the times. We have evolved into something that strays away from past norms, and whether we like it or not, this change is here to stay for a very long time.

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precisiontitta · 2 years

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Steam playonmac content servers unreachable

#Steam playonmac content servers unreachable install#

#Steam playonmac content servers unreachable drivers#

#Steam playonmac content servers unreachable upgrade#

I don't get why most people are like "Omg you still use XP wtf? Upgrade LOL!" and not answering and helping on the real problem.Īnyway I need XP because first of all with that specs this PC couldn't not handle well Windows 10 with only 2GB of RAM and a Dual Core processor from 2006. That's an answer i want to hear :) No offence of course, but one thing I always noticed when searching for example on Google for problem on old software, is that people always complain about the age of thing or giving their opinion, not focusing on real problem. Though this happening for multiple games is rather unlikely. Though one potential problem and it could be that the game you're trying to instrally doesn't have a windows XP distro or. Honestly.īut as said before XP, still works just finde with the installing of games. Otherwise I don't know what else it could be. You can try disabling the windows firewall or creating an exception for steam in your firewall to test. Ican say this as a fellow XP user who has had zero problems installing, updateing or playing games. Originally posted by Start_Running:Okay firstly XP is not the problem. Plus, is not a connection error as on the same router with my main and modern PC under Win10, I don't have any kind of this issues. Remember I tried almost the most simple and common solution, without any kind of luck. Then again, thanks for any help or answer. Windows XP Professional 32bit version 5.1 build 2600 with Service Pack 3

#Steam playonmac content servers unreachable drivers#

Gainward Nvdia GeForce 9600GT 1GB DDR2 with 2008 Drivers HP Microtower DX2550 (yes is an OEM pc, but I unlocked the BIOS and it works great) There are any solution? I know XP is kinda dead and not supported anymore since 2014, but not for me or real oldschool gamers :PĪnyway any help would be apprecciated, I just need have the possibility to download my games in WinXP in 2018, please :( I deactivated the firewall, changed the server region under options (I live in Italy but it don't care which region I choose, error will always show), deleted clientregistry thing, reinstalled Steam, reset router (it don't have any websurf protection thing, remember in my main pc with Windows 10 it works flawlessy) I really need my Steam work under this pc as many of games I have here I would like to play them in this pc.

#Steam playonmac content servers unreachable install#

When I try to install any game it says "An error occured while installing (gamename) content servers unreachable"īy far I tried almost EVERY simple oobs solution I could try. Now, the problem is when I installed Steam (fresh install), I simply cannot download and install ANY of my games I own. I picked back one of my old PC's for some retro and semi-modern gaming, of course I installed Windows XP Professional x86 with latest Service Pack installed (SP3). First of all sorry for my awful english language knowledge, I don't know if this is the right section for asking help, but im in really troubles and I really need an help.

#Steam playonmac content servers unreachable

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fictional-worlds-are-exquisite · 3 years

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yeah, i don't lie a lot either, not only because i'm just really bad at it but also i'm a pretty honest person, i rarely see a reason to lie about something to people i'm close with. i do lie to teachers too though. because i am not just gonna tell them that i'm planning on procrasting an assignment for 3 weeks and then doing it on the last night. no, thank you. about that i can lie very convincingly.

there was also this one memorable occasion where i was lying horribly and then somehow managed to save the situation? it was weird. basically this guy i was friends with asked me out and I panicked coz i didnt want to hurt his feelings but i really didnt like him that way, so i said i'm sorry i have a crush on someone so i'm not emotionally available. and he was like oh cool who is it? because he obviously didn't believe me (see: my terrible lying skillz) and i was like oh it's my classmate [insert random name that does not belong to any of my classmates] and he asked for his facebook because again: didn't believe me. and so i panicked even more because i didn't know any people with that name so i told him yeah you caught me, i was lying, i actually have a crush on my best friend (we're both girls) so hopefully ur not homophobic dude. he was not homophobic! so that was great, even if i did lie so horribly at first that i had to come out to save my lie 🤷‍♀️

i'm pan ace by the way! and i'm only out as pan to 5 (i think) people irl and literally no one outside of tumblr knows that i'm ace (because i'm apparently really horrible at telling who in my life is aphobic and after one attempt at coming out as ace and backtracking asap i did not try again!)

also, i figured that you would like to know, that i found some hair dye i bought before (the second) quarantine in my country started and forgot about. so i dyed my hair red again! at 1am (well it's 12.30 but thats close enough right?) i also accidentally dyed my favorite (white) sleep shirt red because in my excitement i forgot to change. so now it looks like someone's head was cut off while wearing it! the chaos! i'm loving it

Oh yeah, I had this one lecturer last trimester that would give you assignments and expect you to have started them like, a solid month before it was due. If it was like a MASSIVE assignment I would understand of course. But half the time it was just like a 1000 or 2000 word essay. Two weeks from the due date I’m pretty sure she expected a draft. That is of course not what I did. I’m over here chatting with my tutor the day it’s due like yeah I started last night gonna try to get it done by the due time tonight :)) shoutout to that tutor, I gave her second-hand anxiety and stress and she did not deserve it. But when talking to the lecturer? nooo I’ve made a start for sure :). On the other hand that was my worst class last trimester and my results just. weren’t vibing. so maybe I should’ve started weeks prior sdkfsdfsk. Lying to teachers about having started an assessment is my specialty. stressing tutors out about having not started so close to the date is also my speciality (i’m so sorry sdfkshdf).

oh my god what a legendary way of saving that lie in the end. that’s incredible. I think I would’ve panicked so much in that situation it just would’ve been stuttered half words and a sprint in literally any direction to get away. What a save. 10/10 quick thinking skills there honestly. to be fair there also weren’t enough people in my high school to get away with naming a fake person. when a guy asked ME out I just stood there staring at him with great fear until he reminded me I could say no so I said uh, yeah, I mean no sorry, and speed-walked away. he was good about it though. until I found out he wanted to ask me to the ball in year 12 I believe and I suddenly disappeared whenever he entered a room. Weird how that worked. so strange. odd. top 10 unexplainable things in the world.

so when I was younger I was ‘dating’ this guy on minecraft. there! i said the first sentence! cue laughter! meanwhile a guy at school had started to show interest in me (the dude above) and i mean. what was i gonna say. sorry dude i’m actually dating someone on minecraft so :)) can’t date you! but some friends got really curious about why I was so against dating him because we did actually get along pretty well as friends. and I wasn’t about to tell THEM the truth either. so i. so i- so. i um. i uhhhhhh. hhhhhh. i confess. the worst lie i’ve ever told. went something like

so the thing is I’m actually in a long distance relationship with someone, which is why I can’t date this guy and am not interested. we met in new zealand though! he’s in america now. it’s SUCH a weird story. we met in [insert place two towns over] and started dating and it was all going really well when his parents found out. they weren’t happy with us dating so they decided to move away so he couldn’t date me anymore. they moved ALL the way to the US just because they disapproved! we still keep in touch through messaging apps and that though. so. then my friends took me to maccas after school asking more questions and what he looked like. so I showed them his insta profile and explained a bit about him. that part wasn’t a lie but geez, THEY MOVED ALL THE WAY TO AMERICA FROM NZ BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T APPROVE? WHAT KIND OF BULLSHIT ASS LIE IS THAT. THAT IS THE WORST THING I’VE EVER COME UP WITH. I THINK I GAINED MY ABILITY TO LIE SOMEWHAT WELL AFTER THAT BECAUSE IT TRULY COULD NOT GET WORSE. anyway. that’s something i never want to reflect on EVER again. thank god i’m only exposing myself to all of tumblr. i was like 14 or 15 there is no excuse for a lie that god awful at that age. and yet. ANYWAY.

that’s awesome though! 10/10 identity in my opinion, thanks for sharing!!! I came out to my entire english class in year 13 as part of a speech assessment just cause it seemed to fit the speech topic at the time and i was like fuck it. last year here. let’s do it. and my parents still didn’t find out. despite reading the speech. it was a coming out comment that clearly just went over their heads. they still don’t know. everyone else does. it’s wild. I feel you though. I’m so comfortable saying I’m bi or I’m gay or I’m queer or anything of the sort with people I know are chill but the ace side of things? it’s just trickier for me, at least. the first time I mentioned asexuality was to my Dad when he asked me to explain what the acronym LGBTQIA+ meant after seeing it on the news or something. So I went through each and explained them carefully so he understood. And I got to asexuality and I started explaining and he was like oh but that one’s a choice though with a very final sounding voice. And I didn’t really know my sexuality exactly at the time but I was questioning if I was ace and I was like ! neat ! i’m never telling anyone now ! i’m sure he didn’t really mean harm or anything and if i genuinely sat down now he’d listen but it was enough to keep that part of my identity more private. still i met a bunch of ace people at uni by accident in one class. it was rad. english attracts queer people i swear.

and omg, awesome! I hope it turned out well! well except for the shirt. but honestly, that seems like an awesome edition. i’m feeling a serial killer who collects the shirts of people whose heads they just cut off. who then wears them to bed to sleep in cause like obviously you can’t just wear that in public. what a vibe. also at 1am? sdkfjskdfsdf mood. i’m glad you’re vibing with it though!!

#my neck hurts and i haven't even gone to sleep yet smh save your hurting for when i sleep weirdly #i was trying to remember what my tutor looked like and then her shocked face popped into my head #yup #the shock disappointment face #an appropriate face to give me at all times tbh #i was gonna be like nice! i'm bi/ace !#then i remembered that's in my bio and this is common knowledge #probably anyway #'common knowledge'#guess what question is gonna be on your next. what do americans call it. pop quiz? pop test #idk #that thing #i feel like the later at night it gets the more i talk sdfjsdfk #i should probably go to sleep now #Anonymous

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arcane-temp-fandomblog · 2 years

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Arcane & Lore Discrepancies / Caitlyn & Vi lore comparison

[This post is partially invalid or more valid - I think I started answering my own question by looking at the council archives - the event that accompanies the release of Arcane in LoL client. You roleplay the activist of Piltover:

"But alas, our ongoing efforts to protect Piltover must be kept secret. There are those that wish to destroy the very foundations that make our city of progress, well... progress!

I can only offer you my sincerest gratitude and, with it, the hope that our leaders learn from the stories you've discovered. Only then, with that knowledge, can they ensure a brighter tomorrow."

So basically your role is to cut out anything that doesn't align from Piltover version of ethos and history. My idea so all of things in Archives.]

If arcane follows lore with the amount of discrepancies while still keeping key events somewhat similar then most of characters featured in Arcane must have "edited" bios. Kind of like Warhammer40K lore - where truth is mixed in with propaganda, what is known, can be written down under censorship and who writes it. Arcane would be the truth, while bios would be skewed to obscure information. Ie. Camille lore and her short story is in 'first person' and doesn't have much discrepancies.

In that light I can only say that Cait's and Vi's bios would be basically as intricate of a lie as their Matilda scene.

Because as far as I can see this already happened in season 1:

Cait:

Born to a wealthy and influential family of hextech artificers, Caitlyn swiftly learned the social graces of life in Piltover, but preferred to spend her time in the wilder lands outside it. Equally adept at mingling with the moneyed citizens of the City of Progress or stalking a deer through the mud of the forest, she could confidently track a bird on the wing over the merchant districts, or put a shot through the eye of a hare at a hundred paces with her father’s repeater musket.

Caitlyn’s greatest assets, however, were her intelligence and willingness to learn from her parents, who reinforced her understanding of right and wrong. Though the family’s engineering skills had made them wealthy, her mother always warned of Piltover’s seductions, and its gilded promises that could harden the kindest heart. At first, Caitlyn paid little heed—to her, Piltover was a place of beauty and order that she cherished after each trip into the wild.

All that was to change one Progress Day, some years later.

This is where story drops off into next paragraph for Caitlyn - it may be next scene same day - it may not be...

Vi:

Vi remembers little of her childhood in Zaun, and what she does remember, she wishes she didn’t. Running with the sump-snipe gangs, she quickly learned to use her wits, as well as her fists, to survive. Everyone who encountered Vi knew she could talk—or punch—her way out of trouble. More often than not, she chose the latter.

This is true

None of the old-timers from her youth could tell her anything of her parents. Most assumed they had died in one of the industrial accidents that were, sadly, all too common in the undercity. Though she had ended up in the crumbling Hope House orphanage, a notoriously mad sump-scrapper claimed to have found her adrift in a bassinet large enough for two in the ruins of a collapsed chem-lab. In the end, Vi figured some things were best left unknown.

This is made up to cover up episode 1 and her origins

With her wild pink hair, she became a distinctive sight on the streets of Zaun—hightailing from angry shopkeepers in the boundary markets, swaggering through the colorful bazaars of the Black Lanes, or hitching rides up into Piltover aboard the hexdraulic conveyors. Wherever there was a scrape to be gotten into or a scam to be run, Vi was in the thick of it, though she never stole from those that couldn’t cover the loss… and never hurt those that didn’t deserve it.

As she got older, the capers of childhood became more audacious and daring, and Vi formed a gang of her own. Brash and quick to anger, she still relied on her fists a little too much, and was rarely without a black eye or split lip.

This is true

She found a mentor in the owner of a bar on the edge of the Lanes, who tempered some of her more self-destructive tendencies. He tried to reinforce her moral code, and showed her how to fight with discipline, as well as teaching her ways to better direct her simmering anger.

This is somewhat true since it's about Vander. This is something we've seen. Kiind of.

Listening to the chatter of the Zaunite miners who frequented the bar, she came to learn when big deals were being made, and how payments were to be delivered. To a chem-baron, this was chump change—but to her and her friends, it would be a fortune. She planned a heist, but knew it would require extra bodies to pull off, so Vi reluctantly brought a rival gang, the Factorywood Fiends, in on her score.

Everything was going fine, until the leader of the Fiends killed the mine owner with a pair of oversized pulverizer gauntlets, and trapped the rest of the workers in the tunnels. Even as both gangs fled with the loot, Vi knew she could not leave these innocent people to die. She snatched up the gauntlets, the wrist mechanisms clamping down painfully on her arms, but she endured the agony long enough to smash open a path to free the miners.

The following day, Vi paid a visit to the Factorywood Fiends. Still wearing the powered gauntlets, she took on the entire gang, administering a beating so legendary that it is still spoken of in the Lanes to this day.

Season 1 up to this point: which would be absolute them making up stuff to explain what she did in whatever amount of years she was locked up, till the mines fight & after for Piltover's version of events.

So that would make following events of their lore season 2?

That would mean that this is the 'abridged' version of Council bombing fallout for Caitlyn? Or is it her trip to the undercity mixed in? So on, so forth in her bio. Like there is mention of Singed there and probably Warwick.

Caitlyn returned to find her home ransacked and empty. The family retainers were all dead, and there was no trace of her parents. Caitlyn secured the house, and immediately set out to find them.

Tracking within the confines of a city was very different from hunting in the wild but, one by one, Caitlyn located the thugs who had invaded her family home. None knew the identity of the individual who hired them—only a proxy with the initial C. Even so, the trail eventually led Caitlyn to a secret hextech laboratory where her mother and father were being forced to work for a rival merchant clan, and she rescued them. The Piltover Wardens, acting upon her information, later arrested the clan leader behind the kidnapping, though no trace could be found of the mysterious “C”.

Caitlyn and her parents began to rebuild their lives… but something fundamental had changed in her. She now recognized ambition and greed were as deadly as a cornered beast, lurking just beneath Piltover’s gleaming veneer. She had seen people in need of help, and knew she could help them. And, though she loved her parents dearly, Caitlyn had no desire to learn the family trade.

And this is the connecting part Vi? I mean I guess she has to disappear now from Zaun that she was seen with enforcers in chembaronness mines.

Vi eventually disappeared from Zaun during a time of great upheaval, when tensions with Piltover were running high. Rumors circulated between the gangs that she had been killed in a huge explosion in the heart of the undercity, or that she had turned her back on her friends and struck out for distant lands. The truth, however, finally came to light when Old Hungry’s Scars—a vicious gang whose murder sprees had spread topside—were brought down by a respected sheriff of Piltover and her new ally… Vi.

The former gang leader was now in the employ of the Wardens, and she had replaced the chem-powered pulverizer gauntlets with a pair of brand new hextech Atlas prototypes.

No one yet knows the exact reason why or how Vi came to be working alongside Caitlyn—but given the anarchic nature of the crime wave now sweeping Piltover, speculation runs rife that it might involve a certain blue-haired hellion from Zaun…

She magically does appear with Atlas Gauntlets out of Zaun. Like idk. I mean I do know.

I see some discrepancies and since I 99% read crime fiction - I try to fill in if it's true or false. Then I also see maybe discrepancies in Council archives

Description of Mechanical Firefly

You’ve heard stories of the day when hundreds of these mechanical monsters took to the sky above the Bridge of Progress. Now, fluttering harmlessly in front of you, this firelight hardly seems capable of causing a massive explosion. But Kiramman was there. She’s attested again and again that she saw no remorse in Jinx as her devices swarmed the street, even with her own sister among the teeming masses.

And I'm like did this even happen? Will this happen? Is this the teaser for Season 2? Is this made up?

This is very inconsistent with what I watched. Vi wasn't even there. How much attesting did Cait do.

#arcane #arcane caitlyn #arcane vi #piltover's finest #arcane meta

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pitubea1910 · 3 years

Text

Happy to oblige

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Reader

Featuring: Avengers + Harry Styles (random, I know)

Word count: 7k

Warnings: some swearing

Tags: -

Request: -

Notes: it’s been ages but I’m finally posting something again! Hope you like it :)

Masterlist

You were in love with your best friend and he had no idea. Cliché, right? Yes, you couldn’t deny it, but it was still frustrating and heartbreaking at the same time.

You and Bucky were inseparable since you two met. It turned out that you were the only person -besides Steve- who could keep him calm and, as a matter of a fact, he helped you get over the loss of your family during a terrorist attack that you couldn’t prevent.

After that day, he showed up at your room every day to check on you. He never forced you to do anything you didn’t want to. If you wanted to spend the day in bed, he could crawl in with you. If you wanted to cry, he could be your shoulder; if you wanted to scream, he would listen; if you needed to punch someone, he would be your adversary. It didn’t matter what you needed: he would give it to you.

It was kind of impossible not to fall for him, even if it was only one-sided. You had never told him how you felt, so you didn’t really know how he felt about you. However, Steve and Nat kept on insisting that he loved you back. You never believed them. It was easier that way. And, eventually, you got used to those feelings, they became a part of you and you learned to live with them while having him as a friend.

“You seriously aren’t going to tell him”, Natasha said when she watched you hug Bucky goodbye. He was leaving with Steve and Sam for a meeting with Tony and wouldn’t be back until later that night.

“How many times do we have to talk about it?” You said, stealing a few popcorns from her bowl.

“As many times as it takes you to tell him you love him”, she replied.

“Well, get comfortable then. I’m not telling him”, you shrugged.

“You are the most stubborn person I have ever met”, she sighed. “He loves you too! You could be living your perfect love story, having mind blowing sex every day and yet, you chose-”

“Friendship, Nat”, you interrupted her. “I chose friendship. Also, you don’t know if he loves me”, you added.

“Of course I do”, she said. “He told Steve.”

You were about to throw a popcorn in your mouth but stopped mid-way. You looked at her, not sure you had truly heard what she had just said.

“Excuse me?” You asked.

“Yeah”, she shrugged with a small smile. You narrowed your eyes at her.

Natasha was a great friend, but she was also really good at deceiving and you knew she would do anything in order to get you two together. Even lying about this.

“Don’t give me that look!” She said. “I promise I’m not lying. He told Steve at Clint’s birthday party. You were flirting with that guy from the bio team-”

“He was the one flirting with me!”

“Whatever. Bucky was drunk and got jealous, so he spilled the beans to Steve and I happened to be close enough to listen to him”, she shrugged.

“Clint’s party was weeks ago! Why didn’t you tell me?” You frowned.

“I thought he would tell you, to be honest. I never thought he would be so slow”, she said with a roll of her eyes. “Too much for a super soldier, huh? Take down terrorists, put himself in the middle of a battlefield, but sharing his feelings it’s too much.”

“Natasha, this is not funny”, you warned her. “If you’re lying…”

“I’m not!” She exclaimed. “Anyway, it’s not like you can say anything. If you did, you would have to admit that I told you and they would know I had been eavesdropping and I would look like a major gossip.”

“And your reputation is way more important than your friend’s happiness?” You asked.

“Five minutes ago you were refusing to come clean, so don’t try and make me feel bad”, she said.

You looked at her for a few seconds before grabbing another handful of popcorn and getting out of the living room. Was she saying the truth or was everything a trap to make you confess your feelings to Bucky? Her story seemed too real to be a lie, and you remembered Bucky’s strange behaviour during Clint’s party. Back then, you thought he was just drunk, but maybe he was really jealous.

You had to find out the truth without exposing Nat. Although you had no idea how to do it.

That night, you came back downstairs after spending the afternoon in your room trying to come up with a way of discovering if Bucky truly had feelings for you. You didn’t have a proper plan, but you had a few ideas. What you didn’t expect was that it would be Tony the one to give you the perfect plan without even knowing it.

“Is everyone back?” You asked Natasha, who was still on the couch, now reading a magazine.

“Yeah, they came back a while ago. Steve is making dinner”, she said.

“Oh God”, you mumbled. “Are you ordering pizza, then?”

“Yeah, I have the order ready on my phone. Check it out in case you want to add anything”, she said.

You took a seat next to Nat and took her phone, doing as she had said. To be honest, Steve was one of the best people you had ever met, but he was a complete disaster in the kitchen. He knew it, but he kept on trying. And failing. So it was always good to have a backup plan whenever he decided to make dinner.

“And Bucky is talking to Tony, by the way”, Natasha commented. You glanced at her but made no comment.

“Bullshit, Stark. I’m not doing it!” You heard an angry Bucky saying.

When you looked up from Nat’s phone, you saw him coming up from Tony’s lab, with a smirking Tony closely following. You sighed and looked at Nat, who just shook her head. It was common knowledge that Tony enjoyed messing with Bucky, so you barely paid attention to their little quarrels anymore.

“C’mon, it’s not a bit of a deal. We will all do it”, Tony said. This time, you were curious.

“Do what?” You asked from your spot on the couch.

“We have been invited to a premiere”, Tony shrugged.

“That’s cool!” You smiled.

“What?” Bucky frowned.

“What’s wrong about a premiere?” Natasha asked.

“Interviews”, you finally said with a chuckle. “It’s impossible for us to make an appearance in such a public event and not get interviewed. And someone here”, you looked at Bucky, “hates cameras, mics and interviews.”

“Plus, it’s not even for a good movie”, Bucky mumbled.

“Dunkirk premiere in London”, Tony shrugged. “Nolan called and invited us.”

“You’re friends with Christopher Nolan?” You asked shocked.

“Oh please. I’m his daughter’s godfather”, Tony said.

“Well, I’m in”, you immediately said.

“Of course you are”, Steve said coming out of the kitchen. “Harry Styles is on that movie so he’ll be at the premiere”, he winked.

“I never mentioned him”, you smiled widely.

“Who’s that?” Bucky frowned.

“Oh boy…” Natasha said in a whisper.

“(Y/N)’s celebrity crush”, Steve quickly said. “Nat, can you please order pizza? I burned the chicken.”

“On its way”, Natasha said taking her phone and placing the order.

“So, you’re in?” Tony asked.

“Of course!” You said with a huge smile. “I mean… the trailer looks amazing and I love London.”

“Yeah…, London”, Natasha mumbled.

You smiled to yourself but decided not to say anything else, especially since you felt Bucky staring at you which made you feel nervous and, for the first time, you allowed yourself to think that Natasha had told you the truth.

During the following days, there were still several fights about the premiere. Most of them between Bucky and someone else. For some reason, he still refused to go, which was stupid. Eventually, it just became exhausting to keep on listening to same excuses over and over again

“Bucky, no one is forcing you to come, for god’s sake!” You finally said the night before you all were travelling to London.

You were having dinner all together, as usual, and Bucky was complaining to Steve about how he didn’t like being in public, cameras, dressing up and all that ‘Hollywood shit’. You had had enough of him by now and you just wanted to have a nice dinner. Yet, everyone was surprised to hear you snap at him.

“Excuse me?” He asked frowned.

“You’ve been complaining for the whole fucking week, like a child who’s been forced to go to his great aunt’s birthday”, you said, everyone looking at you. “We are all excited about this trip, about having a distraction, about not being superheroes for just one. Fucking. Day. So if you don’t want to come just because someone might want to interview you, if you think it is so annoying, so shallow, just stay here!”

No one said a word after you finished talking, not even Bucky who usually had a reply for everything. You huffed and looked at your plate, just to find out that you had lost your appetite. Throwing one last glare at Bucky, you excused yourself and got up from the table, claiming you still had so clothes to pack.

You didn’t understand what had got into Bucky. Yeah, you knew he wasn’t comfortable around cameras, that he didn’t like being in the spotlight, but he never complained so much about it, so you didn’t get what was so annoying about this particular situation. Whatever it was, it was getting on your nerves. But no one was going to spoil this experience. Not even your stupid, whinny, alleged best friend.

“Hey…”

A while later, when you had finally finished packing, there was a knock on your door and Nat’s head popped in.

“Can I come in?” She asked and you nodded, sitting up on your bed and putting your phone down. “You okay? That was quite unexpected down there.”

“Yeah, I’m okay, don’t worry”, you shrugged. “I just got tired of his whinning.”

“Still, you had never snapped like that before”, she said, taking a seat on your bed.

“Yes, I have”, you laughed.

“Not at him”, she pointed out.

You opened your mouth to reply, but maybe she was right, so you just shrugged and looked down.

“I don’t know, it just annoyed me”, you finally said. “I’m so excited about this trip, going to London, the premiere, everything, and it felt like he was kind of ruining it with all his complaining. I don’t even know why he’s acting like that.”

“I think I may know”, Nat said with a small smile.

“Enlighten me, please”, you sighed.

“He’s jealous”, she simply said. You raised an eyebrow, not knowing what she was talking about. “The day after Tony told us about the premiere, I found Bucky doing some research on Harry Styles.”

“What?” You asked even more confused.

“Steve mentioned him, remember? That he will be at the premiere and that you have a crush on him”, she explained.

“So what? I have a crush on half of Hollywood”, you laughed. That was true. You were such a fangirl.

“Yeah, but you haven’t met half of Hollywood”, she shrugged.

“Nat, that doesn’t make any sense”, you said. “Why would he be jealous of someone I haven’t even met and someone I don’t even know if I will meet.”

“Oh, you will meet him”, Nat nodded. “I’ll make sure of that, don’t worry.” You laughed but said nothing, since you knew she could really make that happen. “And he’s jealous because he is in love with you. I already told you.

“Okay, I’m not having that conversation again”, you said. “I’m going to sleep, we have an early morning and a long flight tomorrow. So goodnight.”

“Are you kicking me out?” She asked, acting offended.

“Yes, Black Widow. Get out of my room and close the door on your way out”, you said, kicking her back gently.

“You know I’m the only one standing between you and a marriage with Harry Styles, right?” She said getting up from your bed.

“Yeah, you and a billion of other girls. Go!”

Next day you and Steve were the first ones to be ready and were already waiting by the mini van that would take you to the airport, where Tony’s private jet was waiting for you. As usual, everyone else was running late, which was extremely annoying to Steve. It was annoying for you too, but you had got used to it.

“They are waiting for us. We were supposed to be at the plane 10 minutes ago”, he said.

“We could just go and leave them here”, you shrugged. “That would teach them something.”

“As tempting as that sounds…” Steve said, making you laugh.

Finally, you heard people coming down the stairs, so you took your things from the floor, glad that you would be on your way. Wanda and Natasha were the first ones to show up, apologising over and over again and coming up with lame excuses that you had heard a million times before. To your surprise, Bucky was just behind them.

You hadn’t talked to him since last night, when you snapped at him, but you had seriously thought that he would stay behind, sulking. And yet, there he was, carrying a travel bag over his shoulder and looking as he had to go to war again.

“Where’s the rest?” Steve asked.

“Tony was just talking on the phone with the pilot, telling him we would be there in 30 minutes.” Steve huffed, obviously annoyed. “I know”, Natasha chuckled.

“Clint and Bruce called last night”, Wanda said. “They can’t make it. Clint’s wife has the flu and Bruce can’t leave the lab right now. They’re working on some healing serum.”

“Oh and Thor will meet us there”, Natasha added. “He sent a message and said he will be using the Bifrost. Parker has homework and we couldn’t contact anyone else.”

“Good”, Steve nodded.

“I’m going to the groceries store down the street to get some snacks. See you in a moment”, Wanda said.

“I’m coming with you”, Steve said. “I’m sick of waiting.”

“Me too! I want to get some magazines”, Natasha said.

You asked Steve to get you some of your favourite candy and soda. Although you knew you would have plenty on the plane, it was a long flight. The three of them left, leaving you and Bucky alone and in silence.

“So you decided to come?” You finally asked.

“I’ve never been to a premiere before, so”, he shrugged. “A new experience I guess”, he added.

“You could’ve started with that instead of whining about it for the whole week”, you said.

“Sorry about that”, he sighed. “I didn’t want to ruin it for anyone. I was being a jerk.”

“You think?” You said with irony and looked at him. He actually looked sorry, so you sighed and smiled a little. “I’m glad you’re coming.”

Bucky’s face lit up with a smile, obviously glad that you weren’t mad at him anymore. It was one of the few things he couldn’t stand: the thought of not having you in his life. For the first time in a few days, he came close to you and pulled you in for a hug, kissing your head in the process.

Everyone knew that Bucky wasn’t the hugging type, but you had always been the exception. He loved having you in his arms, cuddling with you, hugging you. It made him feel safe, home, and he had been through hell the last few days without your contact.

“Okay, I’m ready!” Tony said rushing downstairs. “The pilot said we have a really small window of time if we want to leave before noon. Where’s everyone?”

“They went to get some snacks. They said they would be waiting in the van”, you explained.

“Perfect, let’s go then. You can go back to your cuddling on the plane. You can even have a private room”, he said rushing into the elevator.

You rolled your eyes, but followed him anyway. You were used to his comments, even if they still made blush every single time.

***

Lights, cameras, excitement, screams, noise. Those were the words to describe the moment you got out of the car at Leicester Square. The place was completely packed, surrounded by screaming fans, reporters, photographers or just curious people who happen to go by the Square on that fine summer afternoon.

The red carpet followed all the way from where the cars were arriving, to the doors of the Odeon theatre, creating a path where you could see the actors, producers and anyone who had been invited coming up and down, saying their hellos to those they knew or stopping for photos and interviews. It was exciting.

Since you had been the first one to get into the car, you were the last one to get out of it and stand next to Wanda and Natasha. Steve, Bucky, Tony and Thor came in the following car. However, at the sight of you, there was a raise in the volume of the screams. It looked like your presence was a complete surprise for everyone.

“Should we go on?” You asked.

“Let’s wait for the rest”, Natasha said, smiling at some girls screaming her name.

You were aware of people knowing who you were, you knew you were on the news many times and you had seen some fan accounts about yourself. But you had never been exposed like this and you had to say that the energy was exhilarating.

“Get ready for the screams”, Wanda said when the guys’ car pull over behind you

You three took a step aside, so they could come out comfortably and waited. The reaction when Steve first came out of the car was out of this world. You could literally feel the ground beneath your feet shaking a little bit. And it only escalated when Thor, Bucky and, finally, Tony followed the Captain.

“Wow”, Steve said coming closer to you with a small smile.

“I know”, you chuckled looking around before focusing on Bucky, who was a bit stiff but looked at handsome as ever.

Since you had been running late, you hadn’t had the time to see him before leaving but he was… hot. He was wearing a pair of black trousers, a black open blazer revealing a white shirt that fit him perfectly. He had let Tony’s stylist to get his hair ready, giving it a ‘just woke up’ look that really suited him.

“Hey there”, you said coming closer to him. He looked down at you and gave you a forced smile. “You okay?”

“I’ve been better”, he admitted. “But I’ll be okay.”

“Call my name if you need me”, you said, squeezing his hand gently before turning around.

“(Y/N)!” You heard him calling. You turned around, confused. “I need you”, he said with a small childish smile.

“Idiot”, you said with a small smile. “I think you can make it through the carpet without me”, you winked.

Bucky looked at you walking away, holding onto Wanda’s arm as you stopped for your first interview. He couldn’t help smiling as he took in how good you looked. You were wearing a long white jumpsuit that hugged your body perfectly and brought out the tan that you had got over the days of summer you had spent at the beach just last week. Its back was open, which –for Bucky- made you look even better.

Above all, you were happy and it was obvious. You couldn’t stop smiling, laughing, charming everyone, especially Bucky.

“You’re drooling, soldier”, Thor said, taking Bucky out of his trance.

“What?” He asked.

“She looks stunning indeed”, Thor nodded. “I would make a move before anyone else does.”

The God of Thunder patted his back and was on his way. Maybe he was right. But he wouldn’t even know what to say if he gathered the courage to talk to you. For the time being, all he could do was move along the carpet and hope this all was over soon.

It wasn’t like you were the biggest fan of interviews, but you were good at them. You knew how to avoid personal questions and how not to give much information about anything. You were charming, polite and kind with everyone, laughing at their jokes and making your own. Summing up: you knew how to make people love you.

“Thank you for your time, enjoy the movie!” The reporter from The Guardian said.

“Thank you, have a nice evening”, you said back and turned around to talk to Wanda, but she was busy talking to some guy you had never seen.

“You’re a natural”, Natasha said, walking up to you when she finished taking some photos.

“Tony gave me some tips”, you shrugged. “I just did the opposite of what he told me.”

Natasha laughed out loud, but before she had the time to say anything, the screaming grew even louder. You both looked at the beginning of the carpet, where a black Mercedes had just stopped and a black haired boy had come out. He was talking to a really big guy so he wasn’t facing your way, but you knew who he was immediately.

“Pinch me”, you mumbled to Natasha.

“What?” She asked confused and looked at you. “Oh…”

Harry Styles had just turned around and was walking towards the carpet, followed by who probably was his bodyguard. You had been a One Direction fan for years and had had a crush on this person since the beginning. You had even been to some of their concerts –both in the band and as a solo artist-, but you had never had him so close before.

“Are you blushing?” Natasha laughed when she looked at you.

“What? No, I’m not!” You said, placing your hands on your cheeks. “Am I?”

“Either that or you used too much blush”, she said with a smile.

“Shut up”, you said. “Let’s just keep going before we look like idiots.”

“We?”

“Can you just be a bit more supportive?” You said. Just then, Wanda was back with you.

“Now I know why you have a crush on him”, she said with a smile. “He’s hot.”

“Shut up! Both of you”, you said and walked away from them before they continued teasing you.

For the next half hour of the premiere you were completely unfocused. So much that you decided to talk with as less reporters as possible, convinced that you would look like a fool if you did. Every few minutes, the volume of the screaming would go up, meaning that some other actor of the movie had made an appearance. You truly thought you would faint when you saw Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy together.

“Enjoying yourself?” Steve asked when he caught you alone after you were taking some photos.

“Pretty much, yeah”, you nodded. “You?”

“Yeah”, he said looking around. “We don’t get to do this often, so it’s a nice change.”

“(Y/N), Captain! Can we please get some photos?” A reporter said.

“Duty calls” you said with a smile as Steve placed a hand around your waist, to pose for the cameras.

“Finally, I find you!”

You turned around and suddenly felt your hands all sweaty when you saw Natasha coming up to you, followed by Wanda and –of course- Harry. You glared at her, having no idea what she was doing.

“There’s someone here who wants to meet you”, your alleged friend said with a huge smile.

“Hello there”, Harry said with a charming smile.

You had heard his voice and his accents on videos before but you swore it was even deeper than ever before. You took a deep breath and looked briefly at your friends, who slowly stepped away with small smirks on their faces.

“Hi”, you said, a smile appearing on your lips. “Really nice to meet you.”

“Likewise”, he said. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

“Turns out that Nolan is friends with Tony Stark so…”, you shrugged.

“Well, I’ve been wanting to meet you for ages, so I’m glad he invited you all”, the singer said.

“You wanted to meet me? Why?” You laughed.

“You’re kidding me?” He smiled. “You’re an Avenger!”

You laughed a little and nodded to yourself. You guessed he had a point. You had been crushing on him for ages, but you had never thought of the possibility of him actually knowing who you were. And now that he was right there, in front of you, admitting to be your fan, you had no idea what to do.

Just like Bucky.

He had been watching the whole interaction from afar and he could feel his blood on fire. The only reason Bucky had decided to join the trip, was that he needed to see this guy. Your celebrity crush who you were laughing with. He clenched his fists and looked at all the cameras pointing at you two. Of course. You looked great together. You were both young, good looking, obviously charming. He had been around long enough to know that the public would pair you up immediately.

“You shouldn’t stare”, Steve said, coming to his side.

“I’m not”, Bucky mumbled.

“If it was possible, there would be a hole on that guy’s face”, Steve laughed. “They’re just talking. Calm down.”

“I’m calmed”, Bucky said. Steve sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. “What?”

“Do you realise that you have no right to be like this, don’t you?”

“Why not? Am I supposed to be okay with a British good looking guy just… charming her away from me?”

“No”, Steve replied. “But you have never told her how you feel, so she’s free to do whatever she wants.”

“You’re the one who never shuts up about her feelings for me”, Bucky said.

“So? You’ve never made a move, do you really expect her to wait forever?” Steve asked. “They’re just talking though”, he added with a shrug before walking away.

“Yeah… just talking”, Bucky sighed.

As much as he hated to admit it, Steve was right. Bucky couldn’t claim you anything. You didn’t even know how he felt about you, how he wanted more than just a friendship, how your smile would make his heart skip a beat and how not being able to kiss you was physically painful. And he hated himself for taking him so long to realise it. What if you were ready to move on?

“C’mon, this is your debut movie and you’ve worked with Cillian Murphy and Tom Hardy! Those are goals”, you said with a smile.

“You literally save lives for a living”, Harry replied and, to be honest, there was nothing you could say about that.

“I guess we’re both pretty awesome”, you said, making him laugh.

Just then, a man with a clipboard approached Harry from behind and said something in his ear. Harry nodded and looked at you.

“I have to go. They’re going to introduce the cast and everything”, he explained.

“Of course! Go”, you said with a nod.

“Talk to you later? We’ll have an after party, you should all come”, he said. You smiled and nodded. “Perfect. Here…” he gave you his phone. “Put your number in and I’ll text you.”

Without actually believing what was happening, you did as he told you and gave his phone back. He winked and left quickly towards the end of the carpet, where a stage had been set.

“Enjoying yourself?” You turned around to find Bucky behind you.

“Absolutely”, you smiled widely. “Although I’m freaking out.”

“Yeah, I saw you talking to that guy you like”, he said, looking at Harry who had just got to the stage.

There was something about his tone that you didn’t like. It was like he was accusing you of something, which you didn’t appreciate. He had no right to do so.

“If you have something to say, just say it”, you said crossing your arms over your chest.

“It just looks like you’re getting plenty of attention, that’s all”, he shrugged casually. Although you knew him well enough to know there was nothing casual about how he was behaving.

“Not from the only one that would matter”, you said and turned around without giving him a chance to think about what you had said.

Bucky kept his eyes on you while you walked away, trying to understand what you had just said and what it meant. Were you talking about him? Was he the one who mattered or was his mind playing games? He had no idea. All he knew was that you were upset with him and he knew he had been acting like a jerk for quite some time now.

Maybe Steve was right. Maybe you were tired of waiting. Maybe you were moving on.

***

Bucky’s attitude really pushed your buttons so much that you decided to keep your distance during the rest of the evening. He had been a total jerk since the moment Tony told you all about the premiere. You thought that the change of scenario would change his mind and he would relax. Obviously, you had been wrong.

The movie was everything you expected and more. It kept you on edge the whole time. The whole crew had done an outstanding job. It was definitely one of the best movies you had watched lately. And the whole situation of being one of the first people to watch it, only made it more special.

Before you could suggest going to the after party that Harry had mentioned –and already texted you about it-, Nolan himself invited you. So the moment the movie finished, you went on your way. It wasn’t far from Leicester Square, but it was still safer to go in the cars so no one would know where you were going and could have some privacy.

“So? Did you like it?”

Just when you walked into the party, Harry approached you, taking you by surprise.

“I loved it!” You said smiling widely. “And you were amazing”, you added.

“Thank you”, he nodded. “I’m proud of it, to be honest.”

“You really should be”, you said, biting your lip a little.

“Can I buy you a drink?” He asked, pointing at the bar at the end of the place.

“Please!”

Bucky observed the two of you walking towards the bar. He sighed and walked down the few steps that were next to the door. He was feeling more and more like an idiot since you walked away from him at the premiere, and he was still thinking about what you had said.

“You okay?” Natasha asked, showing up with a drink in her hand and another one for him.

“Thanks”, he said, taking the glass from her. “I’m okay, just…”, he sighed and pointed at you and Harry, who were talking and laughing at the bar.

“Oh…” Natasha smirked and looked at Bucky. “She’s having fun, don’t you think?”

“Why did you introduce them?” Bucky asked, turning away from the bar, so he could get that image out of his mind.

“She wanted to meet him but would have never introduced herself”, she said. “I just helped a little.”

“Thanks for nothing, then”, Bucky said.

“If you like her, go and tell her”, she said. “But don’t expect her to wait around forever when you have never made a move to let her know how you feel.”

“And how does she feel? Am I supposed to just jump into the swimming pool without knowing if there’s water?” Bucky asked.

“If you still don’t know that the pool is overflowing, then you’re even blinder than I thought you were”, Natasha said.

Bucky sighed and ran a hand over his head. Why did it have to be so complicated?

“What would you do?” He finally asked. As much as he hated asking for advice, he was completely lost.

“Me? I would go across the room and kiss her”, she simply said. “But given she’s busy talking to someone and also mad at you, I wouldn’t advice it.”

“Then?”

“I would talk to her and tell her how I feel”, she said. “Not as dramatic as a surprise kiss, but still honest and useful.”

Bucky sighed and turned slightly to look at you two again. When he didn’t see you, he started looking around like crazy. Where were you?

***

“I really was starving”, you said as you and Harry walked down the street with a burger each.

“Why didn’t you eat anything before the premiere?” He asked before taking a bite from his burger.

“It was the cinema. I thought we would get popcorns, to be honest”, you admitted, making him laugh so hard he almost choked. “Don’t laugh!” You said, although you were laughing as well.

“You’re adorable”, he said, making you blush a little.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go indoors?” You asked once again. You didn’t want him to be on every page tomorrow, especially because of you.

“Don’t worry about it”, he said. “I’m having a good time.”

“Me too”, you admitted. Then, you felt your phone vibrating into your purse. “Give me a second.”

Harry took your burger so you could get your phone out. It surprised you to see Bucky’s name on the screen. Your first impulse was to pick it up, but then you remembered that you were still mad at him and decided to decline the call. You turned your phone off, shoved it back into your purse and took your burger back from Harry.

“Everything okay?” He asked concerned.

“It was Bucky just being annoying”, you said.

“I kind of saw how he kept on looking at you”, he said. You looked at him surprised.

“What do you mean?” You asked.

“Let’s say he has a really deathly glare”, he said with a chuckle. “If looks could kill, I would be ten feet under by now.”

“What? No”, you laughed.

“Trust me, I know what I saw”, Harry said. “He likes you.”

You frowned but said nothing about it. It was one thing having Natasha telling you about Bucky’s feelings. But if even Harry, a person who had zero contact with any of you, who knew nothing of you or Bucky, had seen that… then maybe Natasha never lied and Bucky did have feelings for you.

That thought would have filled you with joy at any other moment. But thinking about it now, it only made you angry and frustrated. Why did he have to be such an idiot if he had feelings for you? Why couldn’t he just make a move? Or where you supposed to just take a leap of faith?

“Sorry. I said too much”, Harry said after a moments of silence.

“No, no”, you quickly said. “Everything’s okay. It’s just…” you sighed.

“Do you have feelings for him?” He asked. You laughed bitterly. “What?”

“I can’t believe I’m having this conversation with you. My celebrity crush since I was 17”, you said. This time, Harry laughed quietly.

“Don’t worry”, he said. “I knew you were out of my league since I saw you and now I understand why.”

“Me? Out of your league?” You asked shocked and he nodded.

“There’s no competition if you already love someone else, don’t you think?” He asked with a smile.

“Am I that obvious?” You said defeated.

“I’m observant”, he shrugged. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I just don’t get him”, you said. “We’ve been best friends for ages and I’ve loved him all along without saying anything. I got used to idea of just being his friend and the second I mention someone else, someone who I hadn’t even met yet, and he starts acting like a total jerk. If he have feelings for me, why doesn’t he just say so?”

“Sadly, sometimes we have to see those we love walk away in order to know how much we care”, Harry said. “I think you should talk to him.”

“And say what? That I know he has feelings for me because my crush suspects it?” You asked sarcastically.

“Well… that’s an option”, he said, making you laugh. “But I would just be honest and tell him how I feel.”

You sighed but didn’t reply. You couldn’t believe you were having this conversation with Harry Styles, the guy you had admired most in your entire life, the guy you had fantasied about meeting a thousand times. And there he was, giving you romantic advice on how to talk to your best friend. Life was nuts.

***

Bucky was going nuts. The moment he had walked around the party twice, not finding you anywhere, he had stepped outside to call you. And he got sent to voicemail. Over and over again. You didn’t just hang up on him, you had also turned your phone off. He was fuming.

Without saying a word to anyone, he took a taxi and went back to the hotel where you were staying. At some point, you had to come back, and he would be waiting for you just at your door. While he waited, he tried to call you at least five times without any success, he was filling your voicemail with nonsense but he didn’t care.

“I swear it, (Y/N), if you don’t pick up the damn phone”, he said on the phone, “I will-“

“You will what?” Your voice said behind him.

He turned around to find you standing there, as beautiful as ever, with the card of your room in your hand, and looking at him with a deadly look in your eyes.

“Where have you been? Where did you go?” He asked, putting his phone down and ignoring your question.

“Last time I checked, you’re not my father, so I don’t have to explain myself to you”, you said, walking to your door.

“You were with him, right? That British singer”, he said while you opened the door.

“So what if I was?” You asked walking in. You considered slamming the door shut, but you knew him well enough to know that he had no problem breaking in, so you just left the door open for him.

“You just met him”, he said, walking in behind you and closing the door.

“What does that even mean?” You asked, throwing the purse on your bed and turning to face him. “Yes, I left with him to have dinner, so what?”

“Something could have happened”, he said with a shrug.

“Something like what? He could have kissed me?” You asked. You could see him flinching at the word. “What’s the problem, James?”

Bucky narrowed his eyes. You would only call him James when you were really mad at him.

“Did he? Kiss you?” He asked.

“What if he had?” You asked.

“Did he?”

You looked at him in the eye, feeling yourself getting angrier by the second. All you wanted was to scream in his face how much you loved him, that he was the only one you wanted to kiss, that you had spent the whole fucking night thinking about him and talking about him to someone else. Instead, you shook your head and sat down on your bed to take off your heels. Your feet were killing you.

“You haven’t replied”, he said.

“Neither have you”, you said.

“I asked first”, he shrugged. Without even thinking about it, you threw one of your shoes at him. “Hey! What’s your problem?”

“What’s my problem?” You asked getting up, now barefoot. “What’s your problem? Why can’t you just be clear? Just say what the fuck you’re thinking instead of being a jerk!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about”, he said, looking away from you. Narrowing your eyes, you took a step closer.

“Do you love me?” You finally asked.

“You know I do”, he said, his heart beating faster.

“Don’t bullshit me, James. You know what I mean”, you said. “Are you in love with me?”

Bucky took a deep breath and closed his eyes, not answering your question. The words were burning in his throat, and yet he couldn’t say them out loud.

“Fucking hell, Bucky!” You almost yelled, pushing him away. “Can’t you even talk? Just say no, for fuck’s sake! I can take it, you know? It’s not that hard to be honest for once in your fucking life. If you’re not in love in with me, if you don’t love me, just leave me be! Stop being an asshole and let me kiss and like whoever I want!”

“I can’t”, he said.

“You can’t what? Stop being an asshole? I noticed, thank you”, you said.

“I can’t just leave you be!” He exclaimed, looking at you. “Because it kills me, okay? I’d rather go through a thousand battles and getting a billion injuries, traumas and brainwashes before seeing you with someone else, okay?”

You looked at each other in the loudest silence you had ever experienced.

“You…” he sighed. “You are everything to me, don’t you see? I’ve been miserable for the whole week and the only way I know how to handle it is being an asshole. And maybe I’m late, maybe I should’ve spoken sooner, maybe I should’ve gone across the room and kiss you in front of everyone, but I am here now and I’m saying it now.” He placed his hands on your cheeks. “I love you, (Y/N). I am in love with you. Hopelessly. I love you so much it drives me crazy. You drive me crazy.”

“And you have to be a jerk to show it? Couldn’t you just kiss me and get it over with?” You mumbled, looking into his blue eyes with tears in your eyes.

“You were kind of busy all night”, he said. “I’m a jerk, but I’m a polite jerk.”

You laughed a little and moved your hands to his chest, wondering if what he was saying was real and if it was just another one of your dreams.

“You could kiss me now”, you shrugged.

Bucky smiled a little and you bit your lip when he leaned over slightly, taking in your whole face before closing his eyes. Immediately, you felt his lips on yours and your mouth opened to receive him as he pulled you closer. The whole world around you disappeared and all you could feel and smell was Bucky. Nothing else mattered.

“I’m sorry it took me so long”, he whispered when you pulled away.

“You’re forgiven”, you smiled a little and rubbed his cheek. “By the way… he didn’t kiss me”, you said.

“Really?” He asked, sounding really surprised.

“Yeah”, you laughed. “We were just talking about you, to be honest”, you admitted.

“Wow…you really missed the chance of making out with your crush for me…” he teased. “You must really love me, huh?”

“Shut up”, you smiled, pulling him in for another kiss. And, for once, Bucky was happy to oblige.

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anjuschiffer · 4 years

Text

Amira Wayne - Chapter 2

Day 2 of Bio!Dad Bruce Wayne Month 2020! Woo! And, follow @biodad-bruce-month for more content!

Note: The AO3 Link to this fic will be on the first chapter only.

Chapter 2: Father-Daughter Bonding

P.Tag: @theatreandcomicfreak @damianette-is-life @toodaloo-kangaroo @elijahcrevan

Tag: @vixen-uchiha @we-want-mini-mini @ramos123

MASTERLIST | Prev

Bruce looked at Amira, stumped by her wailing.

At first he thought it was because she already missed Talia, but it’s been a solid three hours since then and she never cried between that time until now. It wasn’t until he had placed her on his bed that she started to become fussy, her small hands waving all over the place.

Perhaps she adored being held?

“Master Bruce - good heavens! What is that- is that a child you have there Master Bruce?” Alfred asked as he stepped into Bruce’s bedroom with a tray of tea, appalled by the odor in the room.

“Meet Amira...my daughter.” Bruce introduced, watching as Alfred set down the tray, slowly approaching the wailing girl.

“Pardon me Master Bruce, but when was the last time you changed the young miss?”

“Changed?” Bruce asked, glancing at Alfred and then at Amira. “As in, clothes?”

“I meant her diaper.” Alfred clarified, picking up Amira and bouncing her in his arms, Bruce not liking how easily Amira stopped crying. “I will bathe the young miss while you start heading to the nearest baby store. Here’s a list of things I need you to buy.”

Alfred quickly took out his notepad and scribbled away, tearing off two sheets worth of writing and handing it to Bruce. “Hurry now. We don’t have all evening.”

And so Bruce was pushed out of his room, sent on a mission to buy... baby things…

“Do you need help si- Mister Wayne! Oh! I-um...how can I help you?” The store worker asked him, averting her gaze.

What was the richest person in Gotham doing in a department store like the one she worked in?!

Bruce looked at her name tag. Elizabeth. He’ll make sure to pay her for his troubles.

“Hi, I’m looking for all of these items, but I’ve searched throughout this store and can’t seem to find them.” Bruce said, handing Elizabeth the list Alfred had given him. He watched as the young girl’s eyes widened before looking at Bruce and back at the list.

“You can find all of these on our third floor, in the baby department.” Elizabeth provided, stifling a laugh when Bruce looked at her confused.

There was a third floor? “Would you like it for someone to-”

“Please.” Bruce practically begged, Elizabeth nodding. Bruce watched as she ran to a fellow coworker, gestured at him before running back to him. Bruce noticed the way the other coworker paled when she saw him.

“Well Mister Wayne, my name is Elizabeth and I’ll be glad to be of service.”

“Thank you so much.”

Bruce spent the next three hours being led by Elizabeth around the baby section, only then noticing that he really wasn’t up to the task.

When Elizabeth talked about Amira’s age, Bruce didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know how old she was, what she was able to do or even eat. Vaccines? Apparently, babies needed that too.

“I also suggest talking to your daughter frequently.” Elizabeth states, picking up another adorable outfit for Amira. You can never go wrong with dresses. “Talking to her would help enhance her speech, especially if she’s not babbling. Babbling should be common for her if she’s around six months old.”

“How do you know so much?” Bruce decided to ask, looking at the cart that was almost filled to the brim with supplies and clothes. There were bottles, sippy cups, plastic bowls, bibs, a few interactive toys, a white crib and a stroller. Oh...and diapers...lots of them.

“Well, I want to become a pediatrician, so I often find myself reading about child development and such during my time off.” Elizabeth told him with a soft smile. “And then there’s the fact that I practically raised my two younger siblings since they were newborns. I often helped my mother take care of them, absorbing all the new knowledge like a sponge.

While it sounds like she dumped a bit of the responsibility on me, I know my mother meant well. A slice of what it meant to be a mother, to be responsible for another life.”

Bruce hummed at her answer, picking up a white pajama on the rack, wondering if Amira would even like it. Does she even know what a bee was? Did she even know what was going on? Did he even know what was going on? What his life was for him now?

“I wonder if I’m up to the task.” Bruce muttered to himself, but Elizabeth heard it loud and clear.

“No one is born knowing what they’re expected to do and be ready for.” Elizabeth said, picking up another outfit. “Sometimes, we just have to go with the flow and see where we land.”

Bruce repeated those words mentally, picking up another pajama, a yellow this time, it had a sheep on it.

Go with the flow, huh?

After spending hours in the baby area, Bruce was ready to go home, mentally relaying the notes Elizabeth had given him.

He started laying out the plans he had in mind for Amira’s nursery, deciding on using the room next to his. While the only way to enter it was through the main door, he could always make another door that connected the nursery and his room for easier access.

After unloading everything from the car to inside the manor, Bruce decided to bring some fresh clothing to the last place he saw Alfred and Amira, panic setting into him when he heard wailing coming from the room.

Bruce pushed the door open, seeing Alfred with Amira in his arms, the girl reaching for something that wasn’t there.”

“Welcome back Master Bruce.” Alfred wearily said, the two noticing that Amira quickly looked over to Bruce, her small hands no longer searching for him. Her wails became hiccups as she continued to stare at Bruce. “Look, Amira. It’s your father. I told you he would be back.”

As soon as Alfred said those words, Amira began to cry again, Bruce quickly taking her from Alfred and began to walk her around the room. He then remembered that Elizabeth had told him.

He should talk to her.

“Amira. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere.” Bruce listened as her wails grew softer. “I went to buy some things, but now I’m back.”

Bruce listened as Amira softly stopped crying, now tiny hiccups escaping her. “There, there.”

“I’ve seen you’re starting to step up to the task, Master Bruce.”

“Someone has to look after her. Who better than us, her family?” Bruce asked, then realizing that Amira had yet to be clothed.

Bruce wandered to the bags, quickly taking out the mountain of clothing.

He quickly sets Amira down on the bed so that he can organize the clothing. In doing so, he missed how Amira sat up. He only noticed it when she had crawled to sit in front of him.

She can sit. And crawl.

“If she can sit by herself and is starting to crawl, she may already be six months old.”

Bruce watched as Amira took a liking to the two clothing articles in front of her. Or rather, the two pajamas. More specially the white and yellow pajamas that Bruce had picked out - the sheep and the bee respectfully.

He watched in wonder as Amira stared at them, looking between the two for a while before patting the yellow onesie with the sheep on it.

“Sheep it is then.” Bruce said, unbuttoning the pajama. How did he forget the onesie that goes underneath?

He quickly clothed Amira, clasping the last button to find Amira looking at him with her wide green eyes.

“You are a natural.” Alfred decided to speak up, watching as Bruce picked up Amira with confidence.

“Or perhaps I’m willing to learn.” Bruce stated, watching as Amira yawned, watching her start to doze off. “One day at a time.”

The two men luckily found out that Amira was seven months old, thanks to the birth certificate and other documents Talia had left in the baby carrier. It made certain legal procedures go more smoothly, while for others, it took some time.

As days went by, Bruce and Alfred started to notice that Amira was smarter than what she let on.

She knew to not place anything in her mouth that wasn’t food, something that both Bruce and Alfred appreciated. Bruce quickly found out that she liked to observe items, Amira often gazing at a toy for minutes, listening to a rattle make the faintest sound as she passed it from one chubby hand to the other.

She would recognize the places she was in, lay down when she was in the crib and remain seated while she was on the couch or in a chair. Alfred found out that she adored watching him cook, her eyes following every movement he made as he prepared dinner as she sat in her highchair.

Alfred also found out that she was very fond of strawberries and apples, Alfred melting when Amira would grace him with the largest smile possible when she would realize that Alfred had made her favorite purees.

She would smile and frown but would never make a sound that wasn’t a cry. Even when Bruce noticed that she wanted to let out a cry, she never whimpered or sniffled. It was as if she was suppressing those emotions. Luckily, after paying Dr.Leslie Thompkins a visit, Bruce learned that it was just a habit she must have learned while she was with Talia. Thompkins assured Bruce that by talking with Amira more, it would help her unlearn that habit. Surely enough, the doc was right.

Amira soon grunted, babbled and rambled more frequently and at random points in the day. Babbling not only helped her get Bruce’s attention, but also made him smile more. Amira soon learned that ‘Dada’ made him smile even more, especially when he would not be home for longer periods of time. As much as she adored Alfred, no one beats Dada.

Now having a system of communication, Bruce would often coax Amira to come towards him, Amira standing just three steps away from him.

He would watch as she would proudly stand by herself before taking a single wobbly step towards him. Another two steps followed slowly after, Amira bursting into a giggling fit when she reached Bruce.

Those tiny steps soon turned into hops, strides and jumps, Bruce not believing how quickly time had passed.

He watched her grow before his eyes, feeling a smile grow on his face as he kept listening to Amira read to him.

“-ate through one nice green leaf, and after that he felt much better.” Amira said, turning the page. “Now he wasn’t hungry anymore and- is there something wrong Dad?” Amira asked, Bruce wondering what she meant. “You’re crying.”

“Am I know?” Bruce asked, raising his hand to his eyes, wiping away what was a tear. Seems like he was. “It’s nothing. Probably some dust got into my eye.”

“Are you sure you shouldn’t be patrolling tonight?” Amira asked, showing Bruce himself in the form of a Batman plushie.

It’s been two years since Bruce became Batman, all thanks to a single incident that almost cost him his life. He almost left Amira in the same situation as him when he was ten...

He needed to make Gotham a safer place for his daughter, what better way than striking fear into criminals?

Some people of the general public are glad to have him, despite it being a mere eight percent. Everyone else fears him, except Gotham’s villains...and his own daughter. It didn’t take long for her to find out he was Batman. Then again, it’s not like Bruce was trying to keep it a secret from her.

As for the Batman plushie, it was a gift from Alfred to Amira, something about having Bruce always with her.

Bruce smiled at the plushie, getting up from the bed and tucking Amira in.

“As much as Gotham needs Batman, you also need me to tuck you into bed.”

“Dad, I’m seven. I can do it myself.”

“Does that mean you don’t want me to tuck you in anymore?” He watched as Amira pursed her lips before sinking into the comforter some more.

“I still like being tucked into bed.” Amira muttered, gaining a chuckle from Bruce. “Are we still going to the circus tomorrow?” Amira asked, springing up, watching her father’s face for some type of confirmation.

“Amira,” Bruce said with a frown, tucking one of her hair strands behind her ear. “Remember what we talked about?”

Amira hung her head, looking at Batman in her hands. It was times like this that Amira wished they never lived in Gotham, that her father wasn’t a billionaire...

“If it’s a place where the public knows you or a place that I can easily be spotted, I can’t go.” Amira recited, letting a frown replace her smile. She threw herself back onto her bed, throwing her comforter over her head.

Bruce let out a heavy huff.

“Goodnight.” He whispered, deciding to let her be. As soon as he stepped out of her room, Bruce faced Alfred.

“Is Miss Amira asleep already?” Alfred asked, motioning to the tray with a cup of milk. “She usually drinks a glass before going to sleep.”

“She’s awake, but I wonder if she would even talk.” When he saw Alfred lift a brow, Bruce decided to continue. “I told her she couldn’t join me to go watch the Haly’s Circus tomorrow. The press already knows I’m going, I can’t let them know about Amira just yet.”

“With all due respect Master Bruce,” Alfred began, opening the door to walk in. “The longer you keep hiding her from the public, the harder it will be to keep it that way. You can’t keep sheltering her away from a world she deserves to see. To be in.”

Bruce was left with those words in his mind, wondering what he should do.

Ever since he was assaulted, he vowed to protect Amira, even if it meant that she could not step foot outside the manor.

When she turned three, Bruce made sure to homeschool her, teaching her the basics of English, which included reading and writing. One she was five, he taught her the basics in math and science. As a side subject, Bruce was starting to teach her French, hoping to teach her mandarin when she grows older.

But now that Alfred was stating that Bruce should allow Amira to go out, Bruce wondered if he had been approaching this situation wrong this entire time.

But what if villains found out about her being his daughter? Of being a Way-

Bruce stood there in his thoughts for a while before an idea wouldn’t leave his head. Why didn’t he think about this sooner?

Amira let out a gasp as she entered the circus tent, gaping at how large it was, taken aback at how many people there were inside the tent.

There was even a second level inside the tent!

“Is it usually this crowded?” Amira asked the man next to her. Or rather, Tom Dupain - her ‘father.’

“I heard it’s like this because of Mr.Wayne visiting the circus today, but it usually is this crowded during Sunday shows.” Tom provided, watching as Amira continued to look around, a smile escaping him.

He always wondered what it felt like to have a child, wondering if he was even up to the task.

When Bruce Wayne had reached out to him to look after his daughter, Tom Dupain accepted the honor. After all, it was thanks to Bruce that his tiny bakery in Gotham was taking off, Tom’s dream of being a well known bakery taking form. All it took was one gala and Tom’s pastries for his dream to take off, Tom knowing he owed Bruce a huge favor.

He had met the young Wayne at that very gala, the girl having snuck into the kitchen to get a taste of one of his pastries. Amira Wayne - Tom only knew her as Amira and the granddaughter of Mr.Alfred Pennyworth. Tom didn’t think Amira was Bruce’s daughter as there was no news about the young Wayne.

While Tom had only known her for a few moments before Alfred shooed her away, Tom had grown a soft spot for the child.

“Mr.Dupain-”

“Tom is fine.”

“Mr.Tom,” Amira corrected herself. “Thank you for letting me be here today.” Amira said, holding Tom’s hand with both of hers.

Just as Tom was about to respond, the ringmaster chose that moment to begin the show.

Amira watched as the ringmaster welcomed the people and shouted out her father, seeing him across the tent, smiling when they saw each other.

The ringmaster then introduced the Flying Graysons, Amira’s eyes widening at how high up the family was. She wondered if her own father would allow her to be that high up.

With the cheering of the crowd, Amira watched with wonder as the Grayson’s started their performance, starting with a somersault. She watched as the man caught his wife with ease, the woman sending a salut before going onto the platform. Amira watched with absolutely glee as she watched the son do two somersaults in the air before returning back to the platform.

Amira listened as the ringmaster announced the Graysons' famous trick. Amira stood at the edge of her seat, feeling her heart thump loudly against her chest. She watched as the woman spun once, twice...thrice! But as soon as she was caught by her husband, the string of the bar snapped, Amira feeling her heart come to a stop.

She watched as the two fell and just as they were two were mere feet away from touching the ground, her eyes were covered.

Amira would never forget the screams she heard as she was ushered out of the tent. She heard Tom whisper to her that everything was going to be okay in rushed French.

That everything was fine.

That was the first and last time she was allowed to step out of the manor for a very long time.

#maribat #bio!dad bruce wayne month 2020 #b!dbwm2020 #bio!dadbrucewaynemonth2020 #amira wayne #anju writes

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sporadically-studies · 3 years

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How to Find a Language Exchange Partner

I just celebrated my one year Language Exchange anniversary with my LE partner, so I thought I’d give a few tips on how to go about finding an LE partner. I know there are lots of other good sources out there on this topic, but I wanted to add my own two cents just because. So without any further ado, here are my tips!

(Tips under the cut for length because I’m wordy.) :)

1. Look for a Partner, Not a Teacher

First things first: make sure that you are looking for a language exchange partner and not a teacher.

A language exchange partner can:

Handle basic grammar questions

Provide natural, native expressions for conversations

Provide corrections as they are able to

A language teacher/tutor can:

Systematically teach you grammar, pronunciation, vocab, and more

Provide homework and resources for you to practice with on your own

Provide more detailed feedback and explanations for their corrections

This isn’t to say that every LE partner will only be able to handle basic questions; most LE partners are language enthusiasts and might be able to handle more grammar than your average native speaker. However, keep in mind that most are not there to teach you but rather to help you practice. So as long as you know what you’re looking for and have reasonable expectations for your LE partner, you’re good to go!

2. Be Descriptive and Upfront in Your Profile

Finding an LE partner is ultimately like trying to find a friend. In order to make sure you have the highest chance of meeting someone you click with, be as descriptive as possible in your profile/bio/introduction! Here are a few things to consider including in your bio:

Your name/name you prefer to be called online (just so potential LE partners know what to call you instead of just saying “Hey!”)

Your age/age range of LE partners that you would be comfortable talking with (internet safety is important, so don’t feel pressured to give your exact age! Age ranges are a great way to make sure you’re talking with folks you feel comfortable with.)

Your country + your time zone (both to let folks know if you have a regional dialect -- such as American English vs. Australian English -- and to make sure your schedules overlap in some way so that you can actually talk synchronously)

Your language level + how long you’ve been studying (this is the most important information to include in my opinion!! Be honest, and don’t lie. Some folks want to help teach beginners while others are looking for more fluent LE partners. As long as you’re upfront about your level, your LE partner will know exactly what they’re signing up for!)

Your hobbies + interests (remember: you’re essentially trying to make a new friend! The more topics you have in common, the better chance you have at making a long-term LE partner. Also, if you happen to have a degree in an area you’re passionate about, feel free to toss that in, too!)

Anything you bring to the table/any previous LE experience (did you volunteer tutoring folks in your native language in the past? Got a certificate to teach your native language but never used it? Done LE’s before, even if they were super informal? If you happen to have any extra knowledge/experience, mention it here!)

The best way to contact you (if you happen to have a preference that differs from the platform you’re using)

Bonus points if you try to put this info in your target language! (You don’t have to do this, but putting any amount of your profile in your target language is a great way to let LE partners start to see your level and see that you’re not afraid to try things in your target language. Feel free to scale this to your level, but even putting a simple greeting in your target language can help your profile stand out!)

This list is by no means comprehensive, but hopefully this gives you a good base template to start with that you can adjust as you see fit!

3. Don’t Settle

Lots of times, finding a good LE partner is trial and error. Maybe you start messaging someone you really click with, but suddenly they stop responding. Or maybe you finally get ready to do a voice or video call, but once you start talking, you realize you don’t click/they make you uncomfortable/etc. Don’t feel that you have to commit to an LE partner just because you’ve messaged once or twice! You can politely let them know that things aren’t working and continue your search to find a more suitable LE partner. Remember that there might be a few hiccups at the start as you navigate any cultural barriers, so don’t let that throw you too much! Otherwise, trust your gut, and don’t settle until you find an LE partner you can really work with!

Places to Start Your Search

Now here comes the hard part: actually finding an LE partner. I’ve included a very short list of places where you can start testing the waters, but please know that this list is not even close to comprehensive!! Also, some of these might be Korean specific, but most of them should work for most languages!

Tandem App

HelloTalk App

iTalki (good for both partners and teachers/tutors)

mylanguageexchange.com

Slowly App (it’s technically a penpal app, but it’s a good place for slow paced, writing focused language exchange; it’s not designed for LE, but it can be a good place to meet someone before you move to another LE-friendly platform!)

Discord (Personally, I found my LE partner through the HanE server (Korean specific); I’m really not all that active on it, so I can’t speak to its overall quality, but it at least gave me a place to start looking!)

Local MeetUps

Again, this is only the tip of the iceberg, so feel free to use these as jumping off points as you dive deeper into your LE journey.

Hopefully some of these points helped you feel more prepared to embark on your LE journey, but if you have any questions or comments, please let me know! Thanks for reading this very long post, and happy searching!!

(gif source)

#korean #korean langblr #langblr #language exchange #language exchange tips #how to find a language exchange partner

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awesomerextyphoon · 3 years

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A Warrior’s Heart | Phase 1: Welcome – 3

A Hero’s Welcome?

Summary: When someone with a connection to Steve’s past dies, he’s reminded of the promise he made to Dr. Erskine and whether or not he’s failed. Can Ife help him see that he hasn’t?

Characters: Steve Rogers, Ifekerenma ‘Ife’, Abraham Erskine (mentioned), Marlene Erskine (mentioned), Nick Fury, Eliza Maza, Azeneth Ramirez

Main Pairing: Stucky x Black!OFC (Ifekerenma ‘Ife’)

Rating: 18+/Explicit

Word Count: 5,801

Warnings: Depression, Talk of Death, Slightly Cynical Steve, Politics, Smutty Thoughts

A/N: I’m sorry that this so long. I really wanted to try something different with Erskine and the time around CA:TFA. Also, I wanted to explore how Steve would be feeling right after AoU (little bit of a downer, but it will get better). Furthermore, this story will diverge a bit from MCU in terms of Steve’s and Bucky’s abilities. Feedback is welcomed and greatly appreciated. Dividers were by the lovely @firefly-graphics. Thanks to @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog for the beta!

Series Masterlist

Main Masterlist

<<Previous

Early June 2015

“What do you have to report, Ifekerenma?”

Ife pursed her lips together,”Wanda is doing well with her training. Djamila and Nazaret had some sung her praises during their first session.”

It took a few days to convince the team and Fury to let her friends train Wanda. Luckily Nat had her back and Wanda was able to show the compound how much she improved from what Ife was able to teach her. Unfortunately, Azeneth was unable to make it due to being tied up with a BNA mission and relocating to the NYC division.

“That’s good to hear. Have you made made any progress with the others?”

Ife’s eyes casted down in thought. Vision was a no-go for now. Pietro was warming up to her, but he thought she was still suspicious (wasn’t wrong). She didn’t want to try Rhodey yet (too close to Tony). Nat was..difficult; she’ll try again later.

“I’m going to try Steve next. He seems like a safe bet, even with the serum. Hopefully, he won’t catch before it’s time. I will need Erskine’s folder though.”

Eliza’s lips turned upward in a small smile, “Agreed. I’ll have it sent to you within the hour. Best of luck, Ife.”

And with that, Ife got dressed and headed towards the common room.

Steve leaned back and clasped his hands together behind his head in thought and vexation.

The 21st century must be fucking with him.

Right after Operation ‘Captain Briar Rose’, Steve went to Brooklyn. He could barely find any trace of his old neighborhood. The apartment complex where he and his mother lived was now a ritzy condominium with a Starbucks on the ground level.

All of the places he’d go with Bucky were now soulless veneers filled with empty promises of ‘happiness’ or ‘self-esteem’.

He remembered the time Bucky bailed him out of yet another beating by Arnie and his gang back in 1928. His mother berated him for getting in yet another fight while Bucky’s mom laughed and treated them to ice cream from the local sweets parlor. Bucky’s sisters – Rebecca, Rose, and Annabelle – were making a fuss and bursted out in giggles when Annabelle got ice cream in Bucky’s hair. It was one of the best days that year.

A T-Mobile now stands in its place.

All of his friends and comrades save Bucky and Peggy are dead; he nearly bawled in the middle of briefing when found out that Timothy ‘Dum Dum’ Dugan died and had a cry alone in his quarters afterwards.

Felt shitty about the current state of the country. It seemed as though everything has gotten worse. He found out about the Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq Wars. How income and wealth inequality has somehow gotten as bad as, if not worse, than the Gilded Age. Corruption has turned DC and NYC into dog and pony show.

He was furious at all of the politicians and corporations that wanted him to endorse them or their actions. They wanted Captain America’s helmet and shield to mask their heinous acts. They were the same if not worse than Senator Brandt.

Some days Steve wished SHIELD let him stay in the ice. Even worse, there were days he felt that Captain America was for an America that never was.

Nowadays, he felt even more like an anomaly.

It started when he got out of the ice. He felt a lot stronger and faster; only Thor knew the extent of it and he has to hold back a lot when fighting for fear of government asking for more of his blood. Though he suspected Ife and Natasha might be onto him.

He was a lot hungrier than before he went on ice as well. Often time, he would have late night ‘dinners’ (now it's every night), To be honest, he was a bit embarrassed at how much he ate, though the thought of pinning the blame on Ife did cross his mind. It wouldn’t work due to Ife almost never eating with the team and Sam said that he would know if Ife was the culprit. Steve suspected that Ife has been using her connections to restock the food between when he retired to his quarters and before the rest of the team came for breakfast. Also, she kept leaving him fun pop culture facts and media recommendations for the night.

Steve didn’t feel he could go to Dr. Cho since he doubted she had anything to go on in his case.

He did wonder if Ife could help him. She seemed to like helping the team and she was knowledgable about Non-Humans. Wanda’s rapid improvement in her powers and control bolstered his decision.

Sighing, Steve sat up straight in his chair and picked up the letter he received that morning. Marlene Philomena Erskine had passed away and he was invited to her funeral.

It was sad to have yet another link to his past slip from his grasp.

Steve was finishing up another book to fight off his jitters. It was the night before the operation and he needed to have a few moments of respite from the war.

He was so engrossed in what he was reading that he failed to notice Dr. Erskine entering.

Erskine, for his part, was eyeing several books in Rogers’ makeshift bookshelf: They Odyssey, Of Mice and Men, Murder on the Orient Express, Tender is the Night, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Homage to Catalonia, and To Have and have Not.

“What do you think of the book?” Erskine asked as he sat across the startled recruit.

“Just finished. Y’think it wise to get buzzed before a major operation, sir?” Steve noted when he saw the bottle and two shot glasses on the bed.

Erskine chucked, “Calms my nerves a bit. What did you think of the book?”

Steve pressed his lips together for a moment, “It was a good read. The book had a lot of good points for something written eleven years ago.”

“What truths?”

“Well, for one thing, how technology is used to make the populace happy, but not better. The World Government found a way to get people to willingly trade self-expression, self-awareness, and their happiness for cheap happiness and comfort. Makes you wonder if the US was next, you know?”

Erskine was taken aback by his answer. It was much deeper than most of commanding officers gave if they even read the book.

Though that last sentence was interesting.

“What do you mean next?”

“Isn’t that what happened in Germany?”

Erskine sighed, “Yes and no. Most people here think Hitler came out of nowhere, but he didn’t. Not everyone in Germany was for WWI. There was a 100,000 person march in Berlin, but it didn’t matter since the Social Democratic Party failed to rise to the occasion and went along with war effort. Many were scapegoated for Germany failure, Matthias Erzberger for instance.”

“What about the Weimar Republic?”

Once again, Erskine was taken aback by Steve’s knowledge, “Weimar Germany was a great place to be creative, curious, and make new discoveries. I met my wife, Greta, in Berlin during that time. I made a lot of friends, friends I had to leave behind.”

Erskine frowned as his face darkened,”The terrible thing, my friend, was not that Hitler was dangerous, it was that either people didn’t take him as the threat he was or they wanted to use him for their own ends. The cops and judges sympathized with the Nazi Party to get one over the Socialists and Communists. Industrialists wanted to make money off of the Nazis getting into power. Even the German and International newspapers didn’t cover him with the urgency required.”

“That’s terrible.”

“Ja, and it almost happened here, didn’t it?”

Steve nodded in reference to the America First movement and the German American Bund. He still remembers getting the crap beaten out of him by the Silver Shirts when he spoke out against them a few years ago.

“So why did you choose me?”

“I suppose that is the best question.” Erskine admitted while glancing at Steve’s bookshelf, “What do you think of the Odyssey?”

Steve shrugged, “The adventures were fun, but they were just fantasy.”

“They may not be, Mein Freund. How old do you think I am?”

“Uh, mid sixties?”

Erskine laughed, “You’re too kind. I will be 94 this September,” he smiled noting Steve’s shock, “Things are not always as they seem. I come from a long line of ‘healers’ dating back to before Rome. One of them was able to ‘make a man more’. They inspired me to go into this profession.”

“Making super soldiers?”

“Medicine and bio-chemical engineering.”

“Oh”

“Did you know that you will not be first to undergo this?”

“Who was?”

“His name was Konrad Jager. He was a lot like you: small, frail, but had a great deal of courage and compassion. He was willing to fight Nazis in the streets knowing he’d lose. One day in 1930, his parents begged me to save him as the doctors had given up all hope.

I was woking on a serum that would make the body impervious to all diseases rather than wait for the next outbreak to occur. I thought it would propel the medical field.

The trial worked and he was healed. He became much taller and broader in size as a result.”

Erskine pulled out a picture of himself next to a tall, well-built young man.

“That’s Konrad isn’t it?”

“Yes. I was able to help eight more people through the earlier version of the serum. All but one turned out well.”

“What happened to the one?”

“Ah yes, Eren Kant. He was a shy young man before the serum, but then became more like Hodge: a philander, arrogant, and bit of a bully with a temper. He ‘grew too big for his britches’ as one would say and was arrested by the Munich police. He let his arrogance blind him and he escaped in a way that intrigued Der Fuhrer and was taken to Berlin soon after. By this time, rumors had spread of my work and the Nazis were anxious to be the ‘best of the Aryans’. They were able to get my whereabouts from Eren and sent Schmitt to fetch me, but I was already on my way to Switzerland when he reached my home.”

“How did he get you?”

Erskine slightly jerked his head to the side and back, “A year prior to my attempted escape, I met a man in Geneva who warned of the dangers that lied in Berlin. He gave me his card if I needed to escape. In retrospect, I shouldn’t have waited so long before I made the phone call. I was tipped off by an old colleague of Eren entering Nazi custody.

Everything was set. My family and I were to enter Switzerland by crossing Lake Constance. We made it to Meerburg and the lake was in sight when Schmitt and his agents cut us off.

Schmitt believed that there was a power left behind by the gods. He believed himself to be a leader of a new race of men. He wanted me to ‘perfect the serum’, make him stronger than Eren. He had my children, Klaus and Marlene, taken to the outskirts of town as insurance implying that they would be sent to Dachau if I should fail.

I stalled for as long as I could hoping Schmitt would forget about me, but it was not meant to be. A few years after I was taken hostage, Schmitt stormed into my lab and pointed a gun to Greta demanding I give him the serum.”

“Did it make him stronger than Eren?”

“It did, but it had...side effects. The serum was not ready. Schmitt’s skin turned red and his face became so disfigured that Hitler called him the Red Skull. He killed Greta with his bare hands,” Erskine wiped away a few tears, “and ordered Marlene and Klaus to be sent to Dachau while I was banished to the dungeons.

Fortunately, Agent Carter and the SOE were able to save Marlene and myself. Though Klaus sacrificed himself when the agents could only save one of them.”

“Your son is a hero.”

“I only wish I could’ve told him that myself. But, back to your original question. I chose you because, like Konrad, you are a weak man. You see, the serum amplifies everything; good becomes great and awe-inspiring, bad becomes worse and a nightmare. Men who are strong their entire lives often do not value strength and abuses it. However, a weak man who is compassionate and brave will use it to help others. You were chosen because you had the aforementioned virtues and because you use your mind.

The world does not need perfect soldiers, look where that has gotten us. No, what we need right now are good men.”

Erskine poured out two shots and gave a glass to Steve.

Steve raised his glass, “To the little guys.”

The liquor was just about to touch his lips when Erskine snatched the glass from him, “What are you doing? You have an operation tomorrow. No fluids.”

Steve chuckled as Erskine bid him farewell and good luck tomorrow.

Ife found Steve in the Common Room hunched over a chair with a letter in his hands. Emotional echoes of gloom came off in waves as she approached him.

“Whatcha looking at, Steve?”

When Steve didn’t respond, she gently placed a hand on his shoulder, “What’s wrong?”

Steve finally turned to Ife, “I received an invite to a funeral. It’s for Marlene Philomena Erskine, Dr. Abraham Erskine’s daughter.”

Ife nodded in understanding; he feels that he failed Marlene by not protecting Dr. Abraham Erskine.

But in fact, he didn’t fail her.

She lived quite the life for a human.

Not long after her father’s assassination, Marlene became a badass mechanical engineer and physicist. Her designs and schematics for transportation vehicles and energy storage/distribution gave the colonizer nations a fighting chance during the Wars Against Colonialism.

Though part of it was because the UA was a little cocky at that point. Marlene sure lit a fire under their ass! Ife can still hear her Aunt Eziamaka pouting at the news of one of UA bases nearly falling into their control.

Marlene’s assistance with the war effort didn’t last long as her gratitude towards the people who saved both her and her father wasn’t enough to overlook the Military’s treatment of some her colleagues.

Her life from there was pretty standard. She became a professor at MIT, got married and had a few kids.

BNA took her off the ‘humans of special interest’ list in 1971.

Thinking back on it, Marlene may have had a better life by her father not making it past WWII.

Though Ife thought it would be wise not to mention this to Steve.

“When is the funeral?”

Steve didn’t raise his head, “It’s in a week.”

“In that case, might I accompany you?”

“Yes...and thank you.”

“No Problem! See you later.” Ife wrapped her arms around him in a quick hug and went on her way leaving Steve slightly bewildered.

Steve didn’t know what to make of Ifekerenma.

She was always asked the team how they were feeling at what seemed to be the right moment. Shoot, she even talked to custodial staff that few of ever acknowledge. Compassionate to nearly everyone, especially the child hostages during the last mission.

She’s nerdy to the point of Sam jokingly calling her a weeb (anime lover?) when she walked around in an oversized Cowboy Bebop t-shirt once. Wanda mentioned a ‘digital friend’ in her room and caught her mentioning how slow Stark’s tech was much to the amusement of team at Tony’s expense.

Steve’s certain Nat sent Clint a video of the whole thing.

Also, she was what Sam called a ‘Supreme Chef’. He contently patted his midsection remembering the feast she prepared for the team last night. Her cooking would’ve put some of Stark’s gourmet chefs to shame. She asked the team what they liked and she ended up having to create a dinner rotation. Steve was especially touched when she went to an antique bookstore for a recipe that was close to what his mother would’ve made for him.

Furthermore, she would leave out little homemade treats/ snacks at night. Pietro and Sam would sneak some when they thought no one was looking. She even giggled when he accidentally let out a huge belch after an amazing dinner a couple nights ago saying it’s a sign of thanks on her home planet, Avlenia.

Ife always called him Steve; not ‘Captain’ or ‘Cap’ or even ‘Good ol’Century Virgin’ (damn it, Tony!). She never made light of him ‘taking an ice nap’ or asking him about the 1940s in a demeaning way like some reporters and ‘little upstarts on social media’. Somehow, Ife found out about his love of drawing and got him art supplies with a list of recommended artists

She made him feel more like a person and not a symbol or a far off figure who’s emotionless.

Steve felt warm whenever he was around her in a way not unlike Bucky or Peggy though much more like Bucky. She seemed to sense that he was desperate to truly be seen in way that only Sam and sometimes Nat has.

It also didn’t hurt that she was a total knockout. He had the, ahem, pleasure of seeing her out of her uniform and training outfits a few times. She usually wore clothes that were more on the modest side...except for that one time when she wore a Sailor Moon crop top and high-waisted shorts as a dare from Nat. Half of the compound was staring and Steve spent most of the day in his quarters nursing a hard on he was so aroused.

And yet, Ife was one of the toughest women he knew; even Nat was a little scared of her (at least, he thinks). She might be the strongest person physically and she doesn’t take shit from people who badmouth her or the team; Agent Roussel learned that the hard way.

All in all, Ife was...something else, someone he wanted to get close to.

The day of Marlene’s funeral started out well enough.

Ife spent the early morning making Sam’s request of cinnamon rolls, sausage, omelettes, waffles, and hash browns since he won the raffle of Vision’s turn as he doesn’t eat.

She was handing out everyone’s first servings (didn’t care what happened afterwards) when she felt Steve’s emotional echoes of depression, melancholy, and despair noting how his eyebrows furrowed and how tense his body language was.

She just hoped she could get to him.

Steve was walking to garage hoping his outfit wasn’t too much.

Nat somehow convinced him into wearing a Highbridge Black Custom Suit with an Eastley Dobbey Blue Shirt, a Black Solid Tie, a Navy Blue Pocket Square, and Ink Black Dress Shoes.

He ‘upped the swoon dial’ as Nat put it. Could’ve sworn he heard Sam snickering.

Steve reached the entrance hoping not to keep Ife waiting when he heard clicking of heels behind him.

He turned around to find Ife looking almost unearthly.

She was wearing a black Ankara (?) dress with a cape that was black on the outside and golden on the inside with various blue, silver, and khaki rectangle clusters. Her hair was mostly contained in a wrap with a few strands framing her lovely face. Her full, plump lips were coated in a Light Plum (?) Matte Lipstick and she wore minimal gold eye shadow.

Her outfit did a splendid job of hinting at her voluptuous curves without needlessly flaunting them like the women who throw themselves at him at press tours.

Ife smiled at him and asked which car were they taking.

Steve motioned to one of the Black SUVs and the two of them strapped in for the three hour car ride.

Ife sighed and gazed out the window at the scenery. Neither one of them had said anything in the past twenty minutes. Steve wasn’t a fan of most of the music that’s on the radio despite Sam’s best efforts. Ife had to break out her puppy dog eyes to get him to let them listen to some instrumental music from her favorite movies.

It seemed that they weren’t going to say anything until Steve cleared his throat.

Ife, not wanting to suffer in silence, decided break it, “How did you know Marlene?”

Steve raided his eyebrows for a split second, “I didn’t. I just feel like I should pay my respects, you know? I mean, I should attend the daughter of the man I failed’s funeral.”

The last sentence struck a chord with Ife. Emotional echoes of despair hit her like a tsunami.

Tentatively, Ife continued, “How did you fail Erskine?”

“I-I don’t think I’ve fulfilled my promise to him. The country has changed so much since I was on ice. It’s funny; I thought that Brave New World would only have a one of two aspects come to life, but I didn’t see nearly the whole book being right.”

Ife didn’t argue with the last two points. The US was nothing but a never-ending commercial sometimes. People were too busy being ‘happy’ or trying to get the newest thrill to realize that they were living in a sham of a republic.

Though she was concerned about the first sentence.

“What was the promise you made to Erskine? If you don’t mind me asking.”

Steve turned slightly, “To be true to who I am; a good man, not a perfect soldier. To be more like Konrad.”

Ife nodded musing on his answer. Erskine would want everyone he helped to be a good person considering the dangers of such power.

Though she wondered if she knew Dr Abraham’s full history.

Abraham Erskine came from a long line of Homo Magis who specialized in Alchemy . He turned to science when it was clear that his magical powers would never manifest (being only 1/16 Homo Magi). Erskine started working on what would become the Super Soldier Serum in 1920 after the witnessing the horrors of WWI firsthand as a medic.

He made a breakthrough in 1927 when he found what looked to be an old power cell in the attic of his childhood home. Turns out it was a modified Atlantean battery dating back to the 1600s, but whatever.

Konrad Jager was the first of nine volunteers; most of whom went on to fight in the Spanish Civil War with the International Brigades and be part of the German Resistance’s Special Forces during WWII.

Needless to say, they were recruited into BNA’s European Division.

Only Eren Kant was deemed a failure in the end.

Ife shook her head at the info in Erskine’s folder.

Eren was pompous dumbass who broke himself out jail by bending/breaking the bars of his cell after getting arrested for being a player and bully by the Munich Police in August of 1935. His show of superhuman strength got Erskine’s work onto the Hitler’s radar. BNA had to send a cleaner to ‘handle’ Eren before he could get everyone in even more trouble.

She wondered if Konrad and the others would make an appearance.

“What do mean by not staying true to yourself?”

Steve sighed, “It seemed a lot easier to do so in my time.”

Ife wanted to go further, but she couldn’t. Steve was punishing himself up for something he couldn't control and it was tragic.

She hoped that she could actually help him, not for the mission, but for himself.

They arrived at the venue twenty minutes early. Steve was trying (failing) to fix his tie while Ife was looking as glamorous and poised as can be.

Sensing Steve’s unease, she gave his hand a comforting squeeze, “You’ll do fine,” she whispered as she fixed his tie while not trying inhale his delicious natural scent like a creep (again).

“Let’s go inside.”

Everyone seemed to stop what they were doing when they entered the venue. Though Ife had to hand it to the guests; no one asked Steve for an autograph or a selfie. She noted several BNA officials and a couple of Earth-based Non-Human big wigs in attendance.

Guess Marlene was popular.

“Ife!” Azeneth shouted as she strode over to from a corner and enveloped her in a hug.

“Azeneth, how are you? I didn’t think you would be back from Mexico City so soon.”

“Well, the mission was short and they wanted me in New York to accompany Eliza here. Now, who is this fine gentleman, Ife?” Azeneth queried while Steve started shifting uncomfortably.

“This is Steve Rogers, one of my new teammates and Ca-”

“Captain America. I know, Ife. I was jesting.”

Ife sighed dramatically while rolling her eyes, “Steve, this is Azeneth. She’s one of my best Earth-based friends.”

“Kickass friend.” Azeneth corrected, “How are you liking Ife? She’s not too much trouble.”

“Stop it, ‘Aze!” Ife playfully hit Azeneth’s shoulder, “Feel free to ignore her, Steve.”

“Hmm, no. I don’t think I will, especially after the stunt you pulled on the first day at the compound.”

Azeneth burst out laughing at Ife’s shocked expression and Steve’s sly grin. She probably would’ve kept goin if not for Eliza cutting into their conversation.

“Excuse us, Mr. Rogers. I’ll have to speak with Ife for a moment. My name’s Eliza Maza, by the way.”

Once they were out of Steve’s line of sight (Azeneth was keeping him busy), Eliza activated a noise canceller.

“So did anyone die in the attack on the Magic Council?” Ife asked as she made sure Steve wasn’t looking at them.

“No one was harmed, but several books are missing from the library.”

“Shit! Okay. Well, would Dr. Strange be available to assist Wanda with her training? Wong and Nazaret are at the Sanctum and he said that he knew of some spells that could help.”

“I’ll look into it. I should have an answer in a week”

“Okay.”

“Ife, please give me a call when you get back to the compound.”

Ife eyed Konrad Jager, Gregor Eisenberg, Sonje Decker, and Lukas Denhart making their way to Steve. She hoped they weren’t going to drop an info bomb on him today.

“I will.”

The service was short and sweet as Marlene didn’t want everyone to be bored to tears on her behalf. The crowd got a laugh out that joke.

Afterwards, Marlene granddaughter, Zahara, requested if Steve could stay for a bit. She gave him a beautifully wrapped package.

“My grandmother wanted you to have this. She saw you fighting in the Battle of New York and knew you would know what to do with it.”

“It would be an honor, Miss.”

Ife thought about her earlier conversation with Steve on the say back. She realized what’s happened to Steve was heartbreaking.

Here was a man who gave up everything for a country that only wants him as a cudgel for their heinous deeds. Someone who, if he hadn’t fallen into the ice, would’ve probably been ruined by the same country he swore to protect. They would’ve labeled him as a communist and destroyed his good name for not immediately getting on board with the next war.

To be honest, Ife didn’t think much of Steve before joining the team. She thought he was just the banner boy for colonizers to feel good; he was the reminder of that brief moment when the US was totally the bad guys (totally being the operative word).

But now?

She saw the toll the helmet and shield had on him. Ife doubted he knew that he was going to be alive for awhile judging how neither Konrad or the others aged a day since they received Serum 1.0 and Steve supposedly got one that was at least 3x as powerful.

She wanted to comfort him somehow, but she was lost on what to do.

When she got back to the compound, she gave Steve a hug and went straight to her quarters to call Eliza.

“Eliza. I can’t do this by myself, and if we’re going to pull this off, I’m going to need some serious backup because the Avengers need some serious help.”

Fury was going through some mission reports when he heard a knock on his door.

“Come in.”

Oddly enough, Ife was the one to enter the room and not Maria Hill.

“Good Evening, Fury. I have someone who would like speak with you.”

“Well, give me a name and contact info and I’ll see what I can do.”

“Actually,” Ife reached in her pocket for a disc, “I can do you one better.”

Ife tossed the disc into the air and a moon-door portal formed from it. Out came Eliza, Azeneth, and Angela in her gargoyle form.

Eliza gave Ife a quick nod and turned to Fury, “Good Evening, Nicolas Fury. My name is Eliza Maza and we’re from the Bureau of Non-Human Affairs or BNA. I would advice that you lower your weapon. It won’t do you a lick of good,” Fury lowered his gun,” Good. Put Maria Rambeau on speaker, we need to talk.”

-Somewhere in France-

Maeve was enjoying her brunch while watching the footage of Eliza officially making contact with new SHIELD and SWORD.

“Well, it looks like it’s time to ‘get the band back together’ as the kids would say.” She chirped to the woman across the table.

“That expression pretty much died in the 90s. No ‘kid’ uses that phrase anymore.” Koronis deadpanned.

Maeve scoffed, “Anyone born after 1800 is a ‘child’ to me. This is what I get for trying not to sound like ‘an old hag’ as you put it.”

“Well, is everything on track?”

Koronis, or Carol, closed her eyes for few seconds, “I see nothing standing in our organization’s way. However, we should have the meeting sooner rather than later.”

“Duly noted. Anything else?”

“The new variable, Ifekerenma, will be more useful to our plans than I originally anticipated.”

“Oh, I do love surprises! I mean, I know how it will end, but I still like to be at least a little surprised. I knew it was a good idea to let Klaue be discovered by Ultron in Istanbul!”

Another woman walked up to the pair,”You wanted to see me, Mistress?”

“Yes. Svetlana, call the others. It’s time to put our plan into high gear. Hell’s Moon is upon us.”

Steve was having a shitty birthday.

The press was pestering him about the presidential election. Several outlets have called him a sellout and a coward for not endorsing anyone.

He was figuring out the best way to take a shower and hit the hay in less than 30 minutes when he found a beautifully written note taped to his door.

It said to come to Ife room wearing his best dancing clothes.

Ten minutes later, Steve knocked on her door and it instantly opened to reveal a modest dancing hall not unlike the ones he went to with Bucky before the war.

He was so lost in thoughts admiring the place that he failed to notice Ife hovering a few feet from him.

“Happy Birthday, Steve! How do you like it?”

Steve turned to see Ife in a knee-length golden yellow African Wax Print Ankara dress with cold shoulders, ruffled sleeves, and a v-neckline. He didn’t miss the modest view of her cleavage or how her legs looked oh, so smooth in the dress.

Ife, for her part, was super nervous about this. Nat said that people went to dance halls all the time in the late 1930s and 1940s and it took her five days to get the architecture, the music, and the lighting just right.

She hoped that Steve wouldn’t be angry with her.

Steve looked incredibly handsome in his simple dress shirt and slacks. His powerful shoulders, thick biceps, trim waist, and beefy thighs were accentuated by the lighting which made him look like he was glowing.

Ife would’ve drooled if she knew that he didn’t like it when most women would throw themselves at him.

“It’s amazing. Thank you.”

“I’m sorry about the dress. I couldn-”

Steve raised a hand to stop her from going off on a tangent,”You look beautiful.”

Ife felt a flurry of warmth in her core at the compliment.

“So, what would like to do?”

Before Steve could answer, Duke Ellington’s Don’t Mean a Thing starting playing.

Steve stretched out his hand, “Would you like to dance?”

Ife took his had and they glided onto the dance floor.

“Where did you learn to dance?”

“Bucky’s mom made us learn when Bucky started getting attention from the girls at school. She thought it best that we knew how to treat them to a good time.”

“I see,” Ife giggled, “Then she was wise to make take the lessons. Though I’m more familiar with the jitterbug.”

Steve chuckled as they resumed swinging. He hummed a bit as they danced to Ella Fitzgerald, Caro Emerald, Jo Stafford, Billie Holiday, and Gene Krupa.

Ife was impressed with Steve’s dancing skills. What were those women thinking passing him up like that?!

After a couple more rounds of dancing, the music shifted to something more modern but not (it was Howl’s Moving Castle’s Main Theme) , the colors on the walls and ceiling brightened, and several chandeliers formed on the ceiling.

Steve gave Ife a slightly confused look and asked her if she would like to try a waltz this time.

The song lasted a little more than five minutes. Steve was somehow able to lead their movements in sync with the song.

Ife felt her body was aflame with gentle yet commanding touches Steve was giving her. He even lifted her a few times making her feel as though she was flying with how gently he held her.

They were absorbed in their own world they either failed to notice or ignored Nat and Wanda entering Ife room to see if they could have another spa day. Nat even got a few pictures of the two dancing.

Steve gave Ife one last life during the climax and pulled her in when the music came to a close. They were about to come in for a kiss when Ife pressed her lips together and back away.

“We should probably retire for evening. Goodnight, Steve.”

Steve’s shoulders slumped in defeat, but left Ife’s room with a simple goodnight with Nat and Wanda in tow.

Ife frowned. She knew Steve wasn’t in the best place for a relationship and her conscience wouldn’t let her take advantage of that.

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