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#Dr Abraham Erskine
buckys-metal-arm · 4 months
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The fact that Stanley Tucci and Toby Jones played Erskine and Zola respectively in TFA in 2011 and then played Caesar Flickerman and Claudius Templesmith in The Hunger Games the following year is endlessly funny to me and I can't explain why
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nerds-yearbook · 1 year
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Captain America 1# (cover date March, 1941) not only introduced Steve Rogers/Captain America, but many other characters including Bucky Barnes, Red Skull, General Philips, Betty Ross, General Ellsworth, Major Fields, Agent X-13, and Professor Reinstein. They were created by Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, and Ed Herron. ("Meet Captain America", "Case No. 2", "Captain America and the Soldier's Soup", "The Chess Board of Death", "The Riddle of the Red Skull", "Muder, LTD", "Stories From the Dark Age", Captain America 1#, Comic, Event)
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hjbirthdaywishes · 6 months
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November 11, 2023
Happy 63 Birthday to Stanley Tucci.
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stuckyfingers · 3 months
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Characters who lowkey canonically ship Stucky
Natasha ( "I know how much he means to you")
Sam ("when do we start")
Sharon ("Mr. America")
T'Challa (literally everything he's done for them)
Shuri (definitely gave Bucky the makeover to impress Steve in IW)
Erskine (chose Steve after seeing him argue with his bf)
Rumlow ("your pal, your buddy, your bucky")
Zemo (the whole premise of his evil plan)
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hedgehogoftime · 1 year
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“Uggh, these farmboy heroes are so boring! Why is it always some young kid from nowhere who has to be the Hero?!”
The spirit of Dr. Erskine, manifesting from the Shadow Realm: Because a strong man, who has known power all his life, may lose respect for that power. But a weak man understands the value of strength, and knows compassion.
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trapezequeen · 2 years
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“Not a perfect soldier, but a good man”
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earthccc · 7 months
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Incorrect 1 - Earth CCC - Marvel
Heinrich Zemo: I prevented a murder today.
Abraham Erskine: Really? That’s amazing! How did you do that?
Heinrich Zemo: Self-control.
*****
Sin: *nudges Helmut Zemo at 3am* Pretty fucked up that we depict the moon as a girl and the sun as a boy. They're just floating rocks in space. Helmut? Wake up, Helmut! Listen! They're sexless!
Helmut Zemo: The sun isn't a rock, go back to sleep.
*****
Ant Man: WHY DID YOU KILL HIM?! HE COULD HAVE HAD HOPES AND DREAMS, HE COULD HAVE HAD A FAMILY!!!
Wasp: Hank –
Wasp: It- it was just an ant-
*****
Dr.Doom: Richards, I am nothing if not a man of principle.
Dr.Doom: Now let’s break into this apartment.
*****
Iron Man: You treat an outside wound with rubbing alcohol. You treat an inside wound with drinking alcohol.
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nitpickrider · 1 year
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This is an element that isn’t brought up often, the idea that Dr. Erskine was a scientist whose discoveries were much more important than just military applications. Imagine what the super soldier serum, even in small specialized doses could mean for medicine? Being able to energize a human heart into peak condition with a single shot and some radiation treatment? Muscle atrophy, chronic disease or pain, the applications of it are functionally limitless.
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filministic · 2 years
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Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) dir. Joe Johnston
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michaeldavis3489 · 7 months
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Robert Downey Jr.'s Shocking Confession - The Dark Days He Hid from Fans
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Robert Downey Jr. is an enigmatic personality. To say he has established himself as one of Hollywood’s finest talents would be an understatement. While most celebrated for his depiction of Tony Stark/Iron Man within the Marvel Cinematic Universe spectrum, he’s also famed for other endeavors such as Sherlock, Due Date, Dolittle, The Judge, etc. Therefore, he’s nothing short of a Hollywood sensation.
Read Full Article
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cable-knit-sweater · 11 months
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Masterlist | cable-knit-sweater | R4005 | for @stuckybingo round 4
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A Blackout 🥳!! I wrote almost 70k, with 12 one-shots & 4 multi-chapter fics and created 2 moodboards for this bingo. I absolutely loved my card & how inspiring it was and I had so much fun with it! You can find my fills below 💙
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Square Filled: B1 - Experiment | Love Language | stucky, T, 2330 words
Square Filled: B2 - Adopting a Pet | Cat Calls | stucky, T, 4819 words
Square Filled: B3 - Stark Expo | “Have you heard?” | stucky, T, 1064 words
Square Filled: B4 - Carol Danvers | Till It Bleeds Daylight (Chapter 6) | stucky, E, 3836 words
Square Filled: B5 - AU: Detectives | Till It Bleeds Daylight (Chapter 1) | stucky, E, 4072 words
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Square Filled: I1 - AU: Wings | Heaven's in your eyes | stucky, T, moodboard
Square Filled: I2 - Writing Format: Episodic Narrative | Accidents Don't Just Happen Accidentally | stucky, T, 3812 words
Square Filled: I3 - Clint’s Farm | Till It Bleeds Daylight (Chapter 11) | stucky, E, 2218 words
Square Filled: I4 - Team Dad | Steady as the stars in the woods | stucky, T, 1929 words
Square Filled: Adoptable for I5 - Kink: Sexting | Tell Me I’m Your National Anthem (chapter 2) | stucky, T, 959 words
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Square Filled: N1 - Minor Injuries | Till It Bleeds Daylight (Chapter 5 ) | stucky, E, 3950 words
Square Filled: N2 - Scott Lang | "I hate you" - "I love you" | stucky, M, 1670 words
Square Filled: N3 - Free Space | How About Love? (Chapter 2) | stucky, T, 21815
Square Filled: N4 - Looking After Each Other | Till It Bleeds Daylight (Chapter 4 ) | stucky, E, 4058 words
Square Filled: N5 - AU: Model/Photographer | When you’re close up, give me the shivers | stucky, T, 1453 words
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Square Filled: G1 - Dorito | Taste It | stucky, T, 981 words
Square Filled: G2 - “I read about you in a museum” | I do. | stucky, T, moodboard + 981 words
Square Filled: Adoptable for G3 - Kink: Friends With Benefits | I’ve got a lot to pine about | stucky, M, 6113 words
Square Filled: G4 - AU: Mythical Creatures | Not a Ghost (Chapter 1) | stucky, T, 2743 words
Square Filled: G5 - Dr. Abraham Erskine | Till It Bleeds Daylight (Chapter 9) | stucky, E, 3918 words
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Square Filled: O1 - First Date | How About Love? (Chapter 3) | stucky, T, 2446 words
Square Filled: O2 - AU: Shrinkyclinks | J.B.B, S.O.S (stuck on stupid) | stucky, T, 2962 words
Square Filled: O3 - Patriot | Red, White & Blue | stucky, M, 3557 words
Square Filled: O4 - Amnesia/Memory Loss | Not a Ghost (Chapter 2) | stucky, T, 3063 words
Square Filled: O5 - Stargazing | stars shining bright above you | stucky, T, 3329 words
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nekoannie-chan · 15 days
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Opportunity
Opportunity
Title: Opportunity.
Fandom: Marvel, Captain America.
Ship: Pre-serum!Steve Rogers X Reader.
Word count: 322 words.
Square: B2 “Pre-serum Steve.”
Rating: Teen.
Summary: You were looking for Steve to join the army.
Major Tags: Fluff.
Additional tags: This is my entry to @steverogersbingo Steve Rogers Bingo round 3. SB3090.
Links: Wattpad, Ao3, Spanish version.
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@saiyanprincessswanie
My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.
I don’t give any kind of permission for my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.
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If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.
Tags: @sinceimetyou @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad @navybrat817 @angrythingstarlight @shield-agent78 @charmed-asylum @pandaxnienke @real-fbi @Smokeandnailz @white-wolf1940 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @xoxonotme @bluemusickid @leyannrae @Harrysthiccthighss @Marvelatthisone @caplanbuckybarnes @sapphire-rogers @lizzieolseniskinda @notyourtypicalrose @hallecarey1 @nana1000night @talia-rumlow @writingshae @alexxavicry @azulatodoryuga @daemonslittlebitch @chaoticcollectivenightmare @endlesstwanted @chemtrails-club  @marigoldreamer @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @Here4thefanfics @theestorm @patzammit @kmc1989 @somegirlfromasgard @rogersbarber
You read the forms Steve had filled out in different places, then you saw the photographs, and finally Erskine.
“Are you sure about this, doctor? “you questioned, your voice sounding skeptical.
“He's the one we need to test the serum," Abraham confirmed.
“There are other candidates; I'm not sure he'll stand up to the experiment." You had too many doubts, the main one being the reason why the doctor wanted to send you to find Steve.
**
You closed your bag after taking out the paper where Steve's address was written down. You turned to see the street sign; it seemed that you were close. You didn't know the place; maybe you should ask. You approached a lady who was arranging fruit.
“Excuse me, do you know how to get to this address?"
The woman gave you directions; you only had to walk two more streets. You looked for the number of Steve's flat and knocked on the door.
Steve was startled when he heard the knock on his door. He hoped it wasn't some debt collector; sometimes they wanted to trick him by telling him he had to pay his mother's outstanding bills, but he had taken care of that several years before, and now he was living debt-free.
When he opened the door, he was speechless. He wasn't expecting anyone, but he didn't think he was going to meet you either.
“Are you Steve Rogers? “you asked, although you knew that if it was him, you simply wanted to confirm it.
“It's me."
“You are to attend the army post on Monday, as indicated on the paper," you informed him.
“Did they accept me?“ Steve asked.
“Of course, and if all goes well, we can go for ice cream together afterwards," you proposed.
"But I can't eat ice cream."
“If you join the army, you can," you assured him.
Maybe it wasn't so bad working with Dr. Erskine after all.
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kippykasey · 4 months
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Grace - Chapter 11: Crash and Burn
Pairing: Howard Stark x F!Reader , Bucky x Reader [Eventually]
Word Count: 1383
Series Summary: A young nurse is recruited by Dr. Abraham Erskine to join the SSR to assist on Project Rebirth. Following her work with the SSR she is drafted into the US Army Nurse Corps in the war against the Nazis…and HYDRA.
Author’s Note: Hey hey hey! Welcome back. 2024 is the year to start writing again... I hope haha. Anyway I have finished CATFA. I have a few ideas to do before starting CATWS but we shall see what my brain comes up with when the time comes!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the gifs they are either found on google or under the gif tag provided by tumblr. Any language other than English was translated using Google Translator, and translations will be posted in bolden italics after. I am not a nurse or in the medical field although I may do some research medical treatment written may not be correct.
Grace Masterlist | Snowdrop Masterlist | Masterlist
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The plan wasn't exactly what she had expected. Letting Steve walk willingly into their grasp definitely wasn't something she thought highly of. It was an irrational plan but she was putting more trust in him than she probably should but they needed to finish this. The Commandos had talked her out of trying to physically go with Rogers in the first place. She had shown up ready to get on the back of his motorcycle and ride headfirst in the line of fire but it took all of the Commandos, Dugan specifically, to talk her out of it. Instead the nurse made sure she would be ready to join the guys to save that punk from Brooklyn from Hydra's grasp.
She readied her handlebar for the zipline, she wouldn't be missing her mark this time. No, as soon as she got the nod that her anchor was set she had jumped and was making her way down the line Jaques followed not far behind on one side. Grace kicked her legs out as she neared the window reading to break through. Her boots hit and the momentum shattered the glass, her hands released going straight for the shot gun wrapped around her torso, aiming and firing at the first person that she seen that wasn't on her side. Her eyes hardened and despite the ring in her ears from the multiple gunshots around her she kept locked on. She moved to the shield which had been taken when Rogers was captured.
"'Ey, kid! You might need this," The nurse called before she threw the shield to the super soldier who turned to face her, sparks from a stray bullet spraying behind him.
He shouted a thanks before following after Schmidt. The nurse followed the fellow commandos through the halls, humming the hymnal she got her moniker from. After all the hymn brought her a munch needed distraction from the bodies that vanish when hit by the energy from the Hydra guns.
“Ya know hearing ya humming right now is quite unnerving right now Gracie.” Jaques comments as he covers for Dugan who switches his gun out for one of the Hydra ones.
“Yeah well seeing people evaporate before my eyes is unnerving too but we all are witnessing it.” Gracie sighed.
【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】
The battle continued and for Gracie a gun fight turned into a physical fight that she wasn’t prepared for with one of the Hydra soldiers in all black tactical suits. Gracie swung the butt of the gun at the guy in the same way that Bucky taught her. The Hydra soldier blocked the hit and a deep chuckle startled her out of her focus.
“Ah, du kennst den Soldaten. Schade, was passiert ist. Aber er wird sich erholen.” Ah you know the soldier. A shame what happened. But he will recover.
Her head snapped to attention. Recover? Her chest tightened under the tags that belonged to someone else. Distance. She needed distance. Pulling a leg up between them she kicked him away and into the path of Phillips driving Schmidt’s car.
After hitting the agent Phillips looks to the nurse, “Get in.”
The nurse jumps into the car and Phillips picks up Peggy and follows Rogers who is sprinting after a plane. The car screeched to a halt and Peggy got into the back of the car as the nurse climbed out.
“What are you waiting for punk? Get in!” Grace snaps.
Before Steve was even sitting Phillips sped off to catch up with the plane. The nurse watched the car race after the plane. Her eyes slowly lowered to the pavement. The agent’s words replaying in her head. Did she mess up the translation? Was he talking about a different soldier? Bucky fell. Someone couldn’t live a fall like that. But maybe…
“Lieutenant, look alive!” Phillips’ command snapped her out of her thoughts drawing her attention up to the returning car and a stunned looking Peggy.
【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】
Phillips, Peggy, and the nurse joined Morita in the communication tower of the hanger. They were waiting for some kind of sign from Rogers, or worse, news of what Schmidt gets away with. There are still a few fights going on below them but there was already a clear winner there. The nurse pulled out her med kit and moved out to the hall to patch up injured and keep herself busy but that didn’t keep her from hearing the transmission come in. Rogers had defeated Schmidt. Steve needed to force the plane down before New York, without enough time to contact Howard for help.
“Grace, you might want to get in here. Some thing tells me Agent Carter is going to need you.” Jim hints, his melancholy tone showing that he knew what was about to happen just as much as everyone else that can here the radio.
“Peggy, this is my choice.”
The nurse enters the communication room. Her eyes land the dark waves of her best friend’s hair. She crosses the room her boot steps seemed louder than they should be, or was that her heartbeat in her ears? Grace reached a supportive hand out, resting it on Peggy’s shoulder. Peg, turned her head just slightly.
“Peggy?” Steve sounded dejected.
Peggy turned her attention back to the open line. “I’m here.”
“I’m going to need a rain check on that dance.” Grace closed her eyes as the slightest tug of a smile pulled at the corner of her lips as she listened to Rogers.
Peggy reached a hand up to rest over her friend’s her body tensing for a moment as she resisted the tears that wanted to fall, a few escaping her dark eyes. “Alright. A week, next Saturday, at the Stork Club.”
“You got it.”
Peggy wiped at the fallen tear. “Eight o’clock on the dot. Don’t you dare be late. Understood?” Peggy’s hand closed over Grace’s.
“You know, I still don’t know how to dance.”
The fond smile on Peggy’s face was short lived, her voice nearly cracking, “I’ll show you how. Just be there.”
“We’ll have the band play something slow. I’d hate to step on your—” Steve’s voice cut out and all that could be heard in the tower was the radio static.
Peg pulled away from her friend, “Steve?” She struggled with her emotions her voice cracking as she called once again for Steve but she received no reply. Hopeless sobs joined the static and the tower was empty besides the two women. Peggy leaned over the control panel infront of her, shoulders shaking as she silently cried over the man she wouldn’t get the chance of being with. Grace rubbed her back softly, her mouth opened and she did the one thing she could think of to soothe her friend and she began to sing.
“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.”
【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】★【☆】
Returning to New York was something bittersweet. The world was celebrating the end of the war. Yet the Commandos toasted to their fallen captain. Howard lead the search for the plane crash, his fiance alone in their apartment. Before her a diary with her scrawled writing. A soldier wouldn’t have survived the fall from the train. Maybe.. maybe a super soldier would. Could James had survived the fall?
Howard returned, nothing but the tesseract was found. He entered the apartment, the stack of unclaimed mail in his hand. His eyes widened as he caught sight of the woman staring at a large board of calculations and a single photo of Sergeant James Barnes. Her fingers clasped and tapping on the thin metal army issued ID tag that belonged to the same pictures soldier on the board.
The second thing that Howard noticed was the lack of ring on her hand or hanging from the chain around her neck. He would find it in a few minutes on the counter in the kitchen back in the box it came in a scribbles apology not under the box.
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hjbirthdaywishes · 1 year
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November 11, 2022
Happy 62 Birthday to Stanley Tucci. 
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bulkyphrase · 7 months
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Halloween Fic Recs 2023 Week 1: Gen Fic
Happy October! Here are some more scary and/or supernatural stories for your Halloween reading pleasure. This year the lists will be divided up by ship, starting with fics that don't focus on shipping!
the darkness calls us to our doom and we follow to the end by agentx13 (@agentxthirteen) (Gen, No Archive Warnings Apply, General Audiences, 10,274 words)
Summary: A young woman goes missing in the woods; her two friends report ghostly figures in their cabin and voices trying to lure them into the woods. With the park's history of rescue volunteers going missing, Steve and the team are called in to find the woman before a blizzard strikes. What they find is more powerful than they could have imagined. Separated, lost, and hunted, they might not make it out alive. Sequel to we walk the knife edge with the voices of the dead.
One More Tune Before I Die by Arukou (@arukou-arukou) (Gen, Major Character Death, Teen And Up Audiences, 7,646 words)
Summary: On the rocky shore, Tony hears and sees, but he still can't quite believe that his new beach house is haunted.
Wonderful, Wonderful by awesomesockes (@awesomesockes) (Gen, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Teen And Up Audiences, 1,370 words)
Summary: Steve is excited to be moving into his new apartment. That is, until he meets his eccentric new neighbour: Dr. Anthony Stark, the landlord’s son.
The rest are below the cut!
The Miskatonic Project by copperbadge (@copperbadge) (Gen, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Mature, 26,451 words)
Summary: Abraham Erskine may have invented something new with the Serum -- or maybe he re-created something very old. Something...Elder. And now the elect of some very peculiar new heroes are gathering for a fight against horrors they can't even imagine yet...
Something Strange by enigma731 (@enigma731) (Gen, No Archive Warnings Apply, Teen And Up Audiences, 7,770 words)
Summary: “Heimdall detected a disturbance,” says Thor, “in the mystic energy that lies beneath this city. I’ve been tasked with investigating the threat. It seems the best way to do that is through--infiltration of some Midgardian organization. In light of the recent tensions.” That last sounds vaguely reproachful. Clint blinks, letting this news sink in. “Wait. So what you’re saying is that you need to go undercover. And you want Nat to help you?” Ghosts in New York City would be a perfectly good reason to assemble the Avengers. Too bad that team doesn't exist anymore.
Autumn Ghosts by gloria_scott (Gen, No Archive Warnings Apply, Teen And Up Audiences, 1,367 words)
Summary: After a mission, the Howling Commandos take refuge in a seemingly abandoned farmhouse - but they may not be alone.
Dollhouse by JinxQuickfoot (@jinxquickfoot) (Gen, No Archive Warnings Apply, Mature, 12,236 words)
Summary: The torture bingo card. It was an old joke that had been passed around the SHIELD agents with a darker sense of humor. Phil had disapproved. Fury had pretended not to know. Clint had joined in right away, only to find he had been able to fill out half the squares before the game had even begun, courtesy of a life of bad cards, poor decisions, and worse luck. No one was ever supposed to win. -------------------------------------- The Barton family gets an uninvited guest, and it has no intention of leaving.
A Cesspool of Pure Dread by Lauralot (@lauralot89) (Gen, No Archive Warnings Apply, Teen And Up Audiences, 4,783 words)
Summary: Rumlow doesn't have time for his teammates' idiocy on STRIKE missions. Or ghosts. He doesn't have time for ghosts either.
I Can't Believe It's Vampire Cap! by Linedragon (Sameshima_Shuzumi) (Gen, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Teen And Up Audiences, 2,627 words)
Summary: Steve seemed less traumatized-mad-vampire than... truant schoolboy. "There wasn't much difference in body temperature. Perceptually." "Fascinating," said Bruce, trying to keep his science-boner down. "I got bored. And then I learned how to astral-project." The implications dawned, so to speak. "OH MY GOD," Tony screamed.
If I Was Gonna Haunt Somebody, It Would Be You by Linedragon (Sameshima_Shuzumi) (Gen, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, General Audiences, 20,507 words)
Summary: A creepy house they can't leave. A blond giant who can't stay. A promise that they'll be fine if they stick together. One little problem: his name's not Bucky.
Labyrinth by Mikkeneko (@mikkeneko) (Gen, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Mature, 68,212 words)
Summary: A strange metaphysical disturbance has taken over an isolated rural town, and it's up to the Avengers to find out what's happening and stop it before it engulfs the rest of the country. And get out alive -- if they can.
Headshots by punahukka (Gen, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Mature, 1,597 words)
Summary: “Steve, you’ve seen these before?” “Yeah. A Hydra experiment to reuse dead troops. Tested it on civilians as well.”
Shadowplay by SummerKnight717 (Gen, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Mature, 14,025 words)
Summary: Stephen Strange is used to bad surprises. But the worst, he has to admit, is this. When Tony Stark stumbles into the Sanctum Sanctorum with terrible news, the Sorcerer Supreme finds himself faced with a disaster that even he cannot set right...but he must.
All-American Afterlife by Zekkass (Gen, No Archive Warnings Apply, General Audiences, 4,983 words)
Summary: Bucky's been haunting Steve since he fell off the train.
The Haunting of Captain America by celeste9 (@serceleste) (Gen, No Archive Warnings Apply, General Audiences, 2,309 words)
Summary: Steve's being haunted by the ghost of his best friend. The other Avengers find out.
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cherrys-writings · 1 year
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Captive
A lot of improbable things here for the time, but let’s pretend they’re not.
TW: physical abuse
                               ABDUCTED FROM HOME
   Iowa language and science prodigy,(14) was taken from her home in the early morning hours. Her father and older brother were found by neighbors badly beaten, claiming that “uniformed men” took her. Their neighbor arrived at the normal time to take the girl to the medical college where he is a maintenance worker and she attends on scholarship. 
   Her family was the only witness to this tragic event that occurred on the eighth anniversary of her mother’s mysterious death. The brother (17) says, “It’s like they watched us for a long time before doing this. We didn’t know they were in the house until the screaming started; she put up a fight.” The girl genius was published in a medical journal for her ideas of using the same kind of electric wiring in our own homes to create prostheses that, “function exactly like a normal limb.” 
   Her physical description is given below along with her photograph. Distinct features include: glasses for bilateral astigmatism, left-handedness, and a habit of “finger fluttering”. Investigators are offering a reward to anyone with information that leads to her safe return.
                                               ***
   “We’re going to be late again,” Steve scolded, “what held you up?”
   Bucky reached into his bag and unfolded the newspaper, “A genius went missing. They published some of her writing, it’s interesting.”
   Steve skimmed the article, “next thing you know there’ll be flying cars.”
                                              ****
   When the guard showed her the article, Felicity knew she would never make it home. If these people could get a New York newspaper to wherever they were keeping her, they could find her anywhere. She didn’t ask questions when they gave her papers with equations to solve or chemical formulas to correct. Felicity hadn’t spoken since the night she was taken. Then one day they decided to let her out of her cell. A guard on either side of her, briskly walking through the wet tunnels.
   “Where are you taking me?”
   “Shut up,” says the guard on the left.
   “Are you letting me out?” Felicity let the littlest spark of hope into her voice.
   “I said shut up,” the guard hit the side of her head with his baton. 
   She let out a shriek, tears clouding her view, as they walked further into the labyrinth. Seeming to go in circles before finally arriving in a room Felicity vaguely recognized, an operating theatre. She sniffled, gently rubbing the knot forming where she had been hit. 
   “WHAT did I say about keeping her undamaged?” A tall brown-haired man yelled from one of the chairs. 
   The guard that hit her answered quickly, “she was giving us some trouble. Wouldn’t follow directions to be silent.”
   “Oh?” The man blinks, “she has problems following directions.” He stalks towards them, then kicks the knees out from the guard. He punches the guard repeatedly holding him by the collar with one hand, “SHE has problems following directions.” 
   Blood gushes from the guard’s nose, Felicity can’t look away. The situation was too horrifying to believe. Finally, the brown-haired man drops the guard’s limp form and kicks him, “perhaps you should worry about following your own orders. The soul-touched is not to be harmed in any way.”
   Soul-touched? What kind of crazy is this man?
   The brown-haired man stands over her now, blood speckling his face, “I’m sorry for all that, child.” He takes Felicity’s hand and leads her further into the room. “I am Commander Johann Schmidtt. The man sitting in the chair is Dr. Abraham Erskine and you are going to tell me what killed the man laying on the operating table.”
   “What?” she stopped walking and stared up at the Commander. 
   He glared at her, nostrils flaring as he attempted to control his temper. She couldn’t stop the whimper as she shrank away from him, having already glimpsed what he’s capable of. Felicity flinched, whirling around to see she had backed into Dr. Erskine.
   When did he get up?
   He offered a small smile, holding his hands as if in surrender, “I hear you are a bright one. You were in medical school in the states, yes?” She nodded. “So you are familiar with a post-mortem. Will you work with me to find out why this man died?” 
   A choice? Do I even have a choice?  
   Felicity walked towards the operating table. The Commander smiled when she said in perfect German, “I will assist with the post-mortem.”
                                             ***
   “Dr. Erskine, is there a way we can figure out why these men all have enlarged adrenal glands?” 
   “I’ve told you a thousand times, child, all me Abe or Abraham,” Erskine sighed, “To answer your question, no. I would prefer to spare you from seeing the whole picture.”
   Felicity dropped the organs into a bowl and washed her hands, hoping Erskine would leave rather than continue adding frustration. Sitting at the desk, she began recording her findings to later report to Schmidtt. 
   At least here no one ties my hand down or hits it every time I try to write.
   When a door slams, Felicity doesn’t react, having lost count of the endless days walking from her cell to the operating theatre, examining the latest unfortunate man, prepare her report, and walk back to the cell. There had been few changes since she’s been here, the pipes have stopped freezing and the walls aren’t as wet. Then her chair is ripped from under her. Landing hard on her knees, Felicity blinks up at the Commander. 
   “You have been here seven months and I have no results,” he spits, “Is Erskine deliberately sabotaging your work?”
   She keeps her eyes on the ground as she stands, “my work has been examining the deceased volunteers. Dr. Erskine does not keep me from doing that.”
   Schmidtt grabs her jaw, forcing her to stand taller and meet his eyes, “Has he told you what they volunteer for?”
   Felicity tries to shake her head, but Schmidtt holds firm, wanting explanation. “He said they are soldiers in training who want to do better.” The Commander accepts the lie quickly seeming satisfied, he lets go.
   “Follow.” 
   He briskly walked towards the door, no indication of where they were going. The tunnels, although wet, are well lit as they traverse the route Felicity walks daily. Until they turned left, walked up a stairway, and onto a metal catwalk. Felicity looked down, nothing but hard concrete and a few men below them. Several turns later, they are standing in an office lit by afternoon sun. Having forgotten who she was with, she ran to the window. Pressing her hands on the cold, smooth panes. 
   Seven months. 
   Has the sky always had so many shades of blue? 
   She wipes at the tears streaming down her face and turns around. 
   “You have done decently given your lack of knowledge of the overall goal. Your findings and analysis reports have aided in marginal improvement on Erskine’s end,” Schmidtt said,  “As of now, you are my most valuable asset. Enjoy your birthday gift.”
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