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not-close-to-straight · 6 years

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Stetsons&Schoolteachers (Seven)

SAS MASTERLIST HERE

**********************

Everyone loved a good barn-raising, and the entire town of Wildrock as well as most of the people who lived on the outskirts came to help Farmer Jensen put together his massive new barn.

The Alpha and Beta men, as well as several of the stronger male Omega’s showed up with their horses and wagons loaded down with tools to help with the actual building, the women spent the day cleaning up after them, making sure nails got picked up so none ended up in someone’s foot, boards were painted as needed, and once noon came around, they started setting out food to feed the hungry workers.

With the entire community helping, the barn went from blueprints to standing before sundown, and then the real party started-- hammers being traded for instruments, the newly laid floor filling with dancers, table after table of food and desserts set up around the walls, juice and tea for the children set up front, the whiskey for the grownups closer to the back.

Tony was late to the dance, strolling in as the sun was starting to set and managed to slip through the door fairly unnoticed, snagging a drink and posting up in a back corner to watch the festivities.

The children were playing jacks and marbles in the corners of the room, cheeks stuffed with as many sweets as they could possibly fit, enjoying the opportunity to be greedy with the desserts.

The adolescents, most just barely presented as their secondary gender, were gathered in small groups, the Omegas shyly watching the Alpha’s, the young Alpha’s posturing and preening under the attention. It was awkward and adorable, and Tony couldn’t help but smile over it.

All the women from Natasha’s establishment had come out-- a tad more buttoned up than usual since there were children about-- and the men of the town were whirling the girls around the dance floor, shouting and laughing to the music.

Natasha herself was standing next to a very flustered looking Bucky, who kept looking down to smile at her, then turning bright red when she smiled back, and Tony thought the big Alpha might actually melt when she slid her tiny hand into the crook of his elbow. Apparently the odd courtship between the Sheriff’s deputy and the Omega Madame was one that had gone on for years, and Tony thought it was about the sweetest thing he had ever seen.

Happy had cleaned up spectacularly, and despite his usual avoidance of snooping, Tony found himself scanning the room and wondering who on earth could have dragged the blacksmith from behind his forge and out of his heavy, dirty aprons to get him into a clean, pressed shirt and obviously new trousers.

He made a striking figure tonight, one of the biggest, well dressed Alpha’s in the room, but he looked nervous enough to choke on his lemonade and it was both hilarious and a little sad all at the same time.

“Mr. Carbonell.” Steve appeared next to him, and Tony tried not to jump in surprise, having been too focused on Happy and the others to even notice the Sheriff heading his way.

“Sheriff Rogers.” he said cooly, but not impolitely. “How does the evening find you?”

“Well, thank you.” Steve looked Tony over, a light of interest in his blue eyes and Tony told himself not to react to it. “But tell me, what on earth are you doing hiding away in the corner during a dance? You must have a dozen different Alpha’s trying to catch your attention and you’re content to sip at iced tea by yourself?”

“A dozen different Alphas?” Tony raised his eyebrow. “I’m sure you’re exaggerating, Sheriff.”

“Exaggerating.” Steve repeated. “Alright then. What say we take a spin around the dance floor and see just how many of these Alpha’s are suddenly red eyed and drooling with jealousy, hm? You might think you are invisible here in this back corner but I know for a fact that any eye that isn’t on Natasha’s girls is firmly concentrated on you.”

“What a shame.” Tony remarked, lips twitching in a smile at the Alpha’s not-subtle-flattery. “And here I thought I was perfectly camouflaged against the barn wall. I even wore brown to try and blend in better.”

“You sure did.” Steve’s gaze moved over Tony’s outfit again. “It makes your eyes look like whiskey when the sun filters through it just right. Sure is pretty.”

“My eyes--” Tony wheezed a little on the next inhale. “Oh my. Um, Sheriff Rogers--”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Carbonell.” Steve winked down at him. “I say things like that to everybody right before I ask them to dance.” He held out his arm in an obvious invitation. “What do you say to a square dance or two?”

“Oh.” Tony was not disappointed that the compliment hadn’t been more heartfelt. He wasn’t.

“Thank you, Sheriff Rogers, but no thank you all the same.” He said stiffly. “I don’t dance.”

“Another time, then.” Steve raised his bottle in a salute and ambled away just that easy, and Tony watched as he approached a pretty Beta female, murmured something that made the girl smile, and then walked her out onto the floor, falling right into step with the beat of the music, mixing with the other dancers easily.

They moved together well, and looked perfect together- two blonde heads and tall frames spinning trough the crowd. There was an almost nonchalant ease to their steps that spoke of several dances together and Tony-- Tony wasn’t jealous.

He wasn’t.

He didn’t dance anyway.

He kept watching the floor, not watching Steve and the Beta, but seeing all the other couples as they went past, grinning when he saw Sam and Clint tearing it up together, Clint already tipsy, and Sam as patient and steady as ever, doing everything he could to keep his mate smiling and laughing.

They were beautiful together, beautiful and happy and secure and all the things Tony had always hoped to find in a mate bond.

“Mr. Carbonell.” Mayor Thompson interrupted his musing and Tony sighed out loud before turning with what he hoped was a benign smile.

“Mayor Thompson. I haven’t seen you in weeks. How does the time find you?”

“Well, thank you.” The Alpha Mayor wasn’t even looking at him, and Tony narrowed is eyes in annoyance, waiting for the Mayor to at least ask how he was doing, but the obnoxious Alpha had no such inclinations.

“My son has been out of school long enough.” The Mayor stated after another moment. “He will be returning to school and taking his studies back up as of Monday.”

“Oh, do you think so?” Tony took a sip of his tea and waited for the Mayor to stop choking on his beer over is impertinence. “Because I was being very honest when I told you before that Flash is not welcome back in my school until he learns to treat all the students, but especially the Omegas, with respect.”

“Mr. Carbonell--” The Mayor cleared his throat loudly. “I have raised my son to--”

“To be an asshole, yes.” Tony interrupted and the Mayor sputtered a few times. “This bullshit mentality of Alpha’s will be Alpha’s does not fly in my classroom and if you haven’t learned yet--” he raised an eyebrow. “--It doesn't fly in interactions with me, either.”

“Mr. Carbonell--!”

“Mayor Thompson.” he said blandly. “You will instruct your son to be no less than a model student in my classroom, otherwise you will have to entrust the running of your cattle ranch and various businesses to a son who never made it past level six maths, do I make myself clear?”

“You would refuse to teach him?!”

“If it meant shielding my other students from his menace?” Another sip of his tea. “Without question.”

Frustrated silence from the Mayor, both of them watching the dancing, listening to the music for a few moments until, “I can personally assure you that my son will be on his best behavior for the duration of his attendance in your schoolhouse.”

“Then I look forward to seeing him on Monday.”

“Cheers, Mr. Carbonell.” Mayor Thompson lifted his beer. “Enjoy the dance.”

“Always a pleasure, Mayor Thompson.”

The Mayor had just barely walked away when Steve came back to Tony’s side, eyeing the Mayor as he moved across the room.

“Mr. Carbonell. Everything alright?”

“Sheriff Rogers.” Tony tried not to be so pleased that the Sheriff had come to check on him. Swoon worthy protective Alpha indeed. “I think you are well aware that I can handle an irritating Alpha, Mayor or not.”

“I am well aware.” Steve grinned. “But I’d have to ask anyway. I’m the Sheriff, after all, and I can’t have the Mayor harassing everyone’s favorite school teacher at the barn raising, can I?”

“Everyone’s favorite school teacher.” Tony finally smiled and the Sheriff’s eyes flickered red when he saw it. “Sheriff Rogers, you flatter me.”

“I’d rather dance with you.” Steve said bluntly. “I know you said you don’t like to dance, but I can tell from across the room how badly you want to, so why are you saying no?”

“I don’t--”

“I promise I won’t even step on your toes.” Steve held up his hand like he was taking an oath. “Scouts honor. I’m lighter on my feet than I look.”

“I’m actually more worried about having my eyes poked out by your giant hat.” Tony raised his eyebrows toward the beige Stetson. “I like my eyes.”

“I like your eyes too.” Steve’s voice had an edge of a rumble to it, and Tony forced away a shiver. “What if I dance with my hat off? Then you’d be perfectly safe from any eye gouging and toe stepping and have no reason to worry.”

“Tempting.” Tony smiled again, smiling bigger when he caught the sharp intake of breath from the Alpha.

“Tempting.” he said again, slower, looking up from beneath his lashes in time to catch the blue eyes flickering again. Good Christ is it tempting. “Thank you, Sheriff, but--”

“Perhaps Sam or Clint, then.” Steve said, disappointment in the words. “Since you have no interest in dancing with me.”

“It has nothing to do with dancing with you.” Tony blurted before he could stop himself, flushing over the spark of hope in the Alpha’s eyes. “It has nothing to do with dancing with you and everything to do with dancing in general. I don’t--- I don’t dance. Ever. I don’t even like to dance, as a matter of fact.”

“You’re not as good a liar as you think you are.” Steve murmured. “But I won’t push it. Do you mind if I stay here and share a drink with you, at least?”

“I’m sure there are far too many people waiting for a chance to dance with the Sheriff for you to be standing here drinking next to me.” Tony worked to keep his voice even, touched by Steve’s willingness to not force things. “I heard you dance with every unbonded person in the room at all of these things, I’d hate to disappoint them by keeping you off the floor one second longer than necessary.”

“If it's’ all the same to you,” Steve leaned back against the wall and folded his arms. “I’d rather stay here and listen to the song.”

“It’s all the same to me, Sheriff.” Tony tried not to smile so big, his Omega wanting to preen over the unexpected attention from the Alpha. “I like this song anyway.”

They stood in companionable quiet for the most part, tapping their foot to the beat, smiling and waving when someone called out to them, Steve pointing out people that Tony might not know, Tony adding in a comment or two about the children if he knew them, and neither one of them said anything when standing together for one song slid into standing together for two songs and then three.

“Did I thank you for fixing the stairs to the school house?” Tony asked sometime through the second song, and when Steve replied with a quiet, “You sure did, Mr. Carbonell. Bout the most politely worded thank you note I’ve ever received.” Tony turned a little red over the reminder of how stilted and impersonal his note had been.

He had rewritten the note at least six times, trying not to gush over how much it had meant to him that the Alpha would fix the school house, trying not to come across as if he had expected the work to be done, trying to strike the proper balance between appreciative and yet not so nice that the Alpha would get any ideas about courting or anything else along those lines.

The end result had been a stiffly worded note of thanks, signed Mr. Carbonell, Schoolteacher, and left on Steve’s desk for the Sheriff to find.

Not Tony’s best moment, and he was still embarrassed over it.

Later, scrambling for something to say to fill the silence, “I noticed you fixed Mrs. Keener’s railing on her porch.” and Steve’s reply, “Yes. She finally decided to tell Mr. Moll to never come back, so I stepped in to fix it for her. Just because she doesn’t have a man around doesn’t mean that her house should be falling apart.”

“You’re a good Sheriff.”

“It’s my job, Mr. Carbonell.”

“Well.” Tony ventured a glance up at the Alpha. “You’re very good at it.”

The Alpha wet his lips before answering, “Well anytime you need something done, you just let me know.”

It was too innocent a phrase to mean anything at all, and yet it sounded like it meant everything, and Tony found himself wishing for another drink just so he had something to do besides try not to stare at Steve’s profile.

They didn’t speak again until the third song began, and this time it was Steve, “Could I get you another drink? Or are you going to keep staring down at an empty cup as if it’s going to magically refill itself?”

“I only drink iced tea.” Tony held up his cup ruefully. “And it’s all gone, so--”

“You don’t drink whiskey?” Steve whistled softly. “Tequila? Scotch? Is our mild mannered school teacher really that mild mannered? I expected more from a man who can stare down the Mayor.”

“I drink whiskey when there’s no one around to see me.” Tony admitted. “I uh-- I’m a lightweight, I suppose. No one likes a sloppy drunk, right?”

“I’m sure you’re never sloppy a day in your life, Mr. Carbonell. I’d imagine you even wake up lookin’ perfect.”

“Are you...are you flirting with me, Sheriff Rogers?” Tony ventured, a little thrown by the Alpha’s change from practically ignoring him, to talking about what he would look like waking up. “Is that what you’re doing?”

“Of course not.” Steve denied instantly. “Why would I flirt with an Omega who has no interest in being courted? Seems like wasted effort on my part, don’t you think?”

“Um--well, uh--” Tony cast about for an eloquent answer, but before he had a chance to reply, a little girl no more than five came up and stood shyly in front of the Sheriff.

“Sherrif Wogers?” she asked quietly, and Steve handed Tony his drink before crouching down so he was eye level with her. “Will you dance wi’me?”

“Well, shucks little lady.” Steve grinned down at her. “I think I’d be right honored to dance with a pretty girl like you! Thank you so much for asking me!”

He winked at Tony and took her hand out on to the dance floor, directing her to stand on the toes of his boots before enthusiastically-- and carefully-- two stepping away with the music, twirling her around the other dancers.

It was about the sweetest thing Tony had ever seen, a big strong Alpha dancing so gently with a child and he coughed to clear his throat, thinking he should stop staring, but not wanting to look away.

The only thing better than watching an Alpha work and provide for someone, was to see an Alpha be sweet with a child and Alpha Sheriff Steve Rogers had proven several times over the last few weeks that he was happy to do both of those things without even being asked and Tony-- Tony was noticing.

In fact that only issue Tony could find with the Alpha’s actions lately was that he had been nothing but unfailingly polite, almost dismissive of Tony, apparently taking the not interested in being courted thing to mean that Tony wasn’t interested at all and if he were admitting things, Tony would admit that he was interested in the Sheriff.

More than interested, maybe, especially with the Alpha’s words from the school house still ringing in his ears:: Next time we take a walk together, I fully intend to have you speechless, shaking in my arms and too weak kneed to stand on your own.

Oh my. Tony didn’t manage to hide his shiver, tightening his hand around the cup until his knuckles turned white.

He was definitely interested.

When Steve finished his dance with the little girl, he posted right up next to Tony again, handing the Omega a glass of half lemonade/half iced tea-- “There wasn’t enough for a full glass, but I thought this would be refreshing.”

“Thank you, Sheriff Rogers.” Tony took an experimental sip of the drink and made an agreeable noise. “But don’t you think coming back to stand by me will cause people to talk? I hear these dances are a veritable breeding ground for gossip.”

“Breeding ground--” Steve inhaled some of his own lemonade up his nose at Tony’s choice of words. “Yes well, we have to give the busy bodies of the town something to talk about. It’s been weeks since we’ve done more than pass each other on the street, I’m sure they’ve all but given up on us as a source of entertainment.”

“Damn shame that.” Tony remarked teasingly.

“Damn shame.” Steve echoed. “Whatever shall we do about it?”

“Well.” the Omega cleared his throat once, then one more time to find his voice. “It is an awful long walk back to the schoolhouse, my living quarters being clear on the other side of town and all. Seeing as how it is your duty as Sheriff to serve and protect and all that, you wouldn’t let the school teacher walk home by his lonesome, would you?”

“I think…” Steve took a long drink, hmmming thoughtfully. “I think that would be terribly reckless of me. The schoolteacher is a necessity in our community, as well as someone that several people in town care for, and if any harm were to befall him it would be terrible. I would be lax in my duty not to accompany you, for safety reasons.

“My thoughts exactly.” Tony agreed. “For safety reasons, we should take a walk.”

“For safety reasons.” the Sheriff tossed back the rest of his drink. “I have a few more dances to claim before the night is over, and then I am happy to walk you home, Mr. Carbonell.”

“My thanks, Sheriff Rogers.” Tony returned, and smiled to himself when he heard the growl the Alpha didn’t quite manage to smother.

*********************

“So tell me.” Steve pushed aside a low branch so Tony could pass in front of it. “Who do you think Happy was trying to impress by dressing up tonight?”

“My god, I was hoping you could tell me.” Tony laughed a little and shoved at Nomad’s nose when the big gelding snuffed at his hair. “I’ve never seen him that clean before, and I mean it lovingly, of course, but sometimes it's difficult to tell the man from his forge he’s covered in so much black.”

“He hasn’t mentioned anyone that he is courting.” Steve chuckled when Nomad tried to breathe in Tony’s hair again. “And he isn’t the type of Alpha to want another Alpha, or even a Beta, you know? Happy has always loved petite little Omegas that are small enough to--” he coughed. “Ah, you know what? Never mind.”

“Small enough to treat like they’re breakable?” Tony finished. “Yeah he seems like the type to want a tiny mate, just so he can always protect them. Not a power thing, just a protective Alpha thing.”

“Uh-- yep.” Steve looked a little closer at Tony, peering at him in the moonlight. “I thought the idea of an overly protective Alpha would bother you more. You seem to have an issue with that sort of--”

“I have an issue with Alpha’s who use their size and their biology to assert themselves over others.” Tony interrupted. “I have zero issue with an Alpha who uses their size to pamper and coddle their mate, to protect them or others.”

“I see.”

“Like Sam.” Tony continued, finally giving in and scratching Nomad’s ears when the horse came back to him yet again. “He’s big enough to almost scare me, but he’s so sweet and frankly ridiculous with Clint that his size is more comforting than anything.”

“Sam’s a good Alpha.” Steve agreed. “And Clint is a perfect mate for him, all sass and sweetness wrapped up in about the scrappiest Omega I’ve ever met. They are a beautiful pair, perfect mates.”

“Sheriff Rogers, that was a surprisingly nice thing to say.” Tony tried to see around Nomad’s big head to the Alpha. “You don’t strike me as the type to notice that sort of thing.”

“What sort of thing is that?”

“To notice how well a mated pair matches.” Tony clarified, finally just ducking under Nomad’s neck so he was walking next to the Sheriff instead of trying to talk through the horse. “Most unbonded Alpha’s only want a mate to satisfy the urge to claim, they could care less if they match well or not.”

“Mr. Carbonell, I don’t think you know as much about unbonded Alpha’s as you think you do.” Steve put a hand at Tony’s back to guide him around a patch of rocks. “All your information about us seems to come from a book, and if I didn’t know any better, I might be offended by it.”

Tony wrinkled his nose. “be offended all you want. I think these so called books give me all the information I need about Alpha’s, thank you.”

“I’d like to disagree.” Another light touch to avoid a rough patch. “Certainly a progressive teacher like yourself believes in hands on lessons, right? Field trips. Control groups for experiments, charts for data-tracking?”

“Charts for data-tracking.” Tony said blankly. “Are you being serious with this?”

“I don’t know if it has to be charts, exactly.” Steve shrugged. “I’m sure you keep a diary, don’t you Mr. Carbonell? We can use that data to see exactly how hands on your learning about Alpha’s should be.”

Damn it. Tony couldn’t stop his laughter over that comment-- the Sheriff was much better at this battle of wits than Tony had thought he would be.

“I do like your laugh, Mr. Carbonell.” Steve commented, his eyes shading the barest hint of red in the moonlight. “I don’t get to hear it very often. It’s pretty.”

“I laugh all the time.” Tony argued before he could help himself. “You just aren’t around to hear it.” and then after a minute, “It’s not a pretty laugh though. Clint says I laugh like a donkey.”

“That’s only because Clint has such an obnoxious snorting laugh when he gets going that he can’t hear anything else over it. Of course he thinks you sound like a donkey. He sounds like a donkey.”

Tony laughed harder than he should have, because the Alpha Sheriff was absolutely right, and even though he loved Clint to pieces, the other Omega’s laugh was atrocious. “Yes, well Clint is a character, isn’t he?”

“Tell me, Mr. Carbonell.” Steve changed the subject abruptly as they stepped out of the more wooded path and started crossing the field that would lead to the back end of the school house. “Did you notice your student Peter talking to Liz?”

“Of course I did.” Taking the shift in conversation in stride, Tony broke off a piece of wheat grass, nibbling at it absentmindedly. “Peter has been in love with her for as long as I’ve been teaching here, and probably even before then. I think Liz is sweet on him as well, but she is too focused on her studies to think about anything like that.”

“That’s probably for the better, right now.” Steve reached out to catch him when Tony stumbled over a hidden hole, wrapping a thick arm around the Omega’s waist to steady him. “The world is changing, but same-gendered relationships are still looked down on. An Alpha-Alpha couple is considered powerful but odd, and Omega-Omega couple is looked at as if they are incomplete, as if they are still missing an Alpha and that’s too bad. Liz and Peter will have a rough journey ahead if they pursue this.”

“Um--” Tony glanced down at the hand resting at his waist, the Alpha holding him securely, but loose enough that he could pull away if he wanted.

“That is an astute observation, Sheriff Rogers.” he finally said, and his next step brought him a little tighter into the Alpha’s side. “Hopefully by the time they are ready to make their feelings official, that sort of mentality will have fallen by the wayside. Right now they are just two people navigating young love, and they shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not the world disapproves.”

“Mmmm.” Steve rumbled quietly in approval, his nose brushing Tony’s hair, tightening his arm around Tony’s waist. “What did the Mayor want to talk to you about?”

“He was informing me that Flash would be returning to school on Monday.”

“Informing you!?”

“Yes, that was about my reaction.” Tony grinned and shifted even closer, fully enjoying the long line of the Alpha against his side, the heat pouring off of Steve, the way he could feel the deep voice vibrating through his chest.

Being this close to the Alpha after so many weeks of watching Steve do all sorts of sweet things for other people, watching him chop wood and repair buildings around the town, watching him dance with the little girl this evening before being perfectly happy to stand and listen to the music since Tony didn’t want to dance--

God, he wanted to tilt his head back and purr over it all, but that would be a little ridiculous, so he settled for bumping his nose against Steve’s shoulder and inhaling the Alpha’s heavy scent with a quiet sigh.

“Tony.” Apparently his sigh hadn’t been all that quiet, because Steve’s hand slipped from his waist to his hip, squeezing possessively. “Tell me--” he cleared his throat and Tony felt like purring again knowing how he affected the Alpha. “Tell me what you said to Mayor Harrison.”

“I told him that as long as Flash was on his best behavior and learned not to act like an asshole, he was welcome back to my classroom. I also told him that if Flash didn’t correct his behavior, the Mayor would be leaving his business holdings to a son who never passed level six maths because he wasn’t allowed back in the school.”

“You feel very strongly about this, don’t you?”

“Of course I do.” Tony took a chance and put his arm around Steve’s waist as well, the two of them nearly hugging as they walked. “It’s not only about the physical safety of my Omega students, it's about the classroom being a safe place mentally as well. The Beta’s shouldn't have to be distracted by an asshole Alpha posturing and talking out of turn any more than the Omega’s should be distracted by an Alpha making crude comments. My class needs to be safe for all the students, and if Flash is a detriment, then Flash isn’t welcome.”

“I love how much you love the children.” Another rumble, making Tony shiver. “You’re so good with them, but I think there’s another reason why you are so protective, hm? I don’t really know anything about your past, but I would wager that part of your issue with Flash and his dad is--”

“I would wager this is too short a walk to talk about that sort of thing.” Tony cut in, motioning towards the school house that was much closer than either of them had realized a moment before. “And I’d hate to end this walk on such a boring note.”

“Mr. Carbonell--”

“Tony.” He turned so he was walking backwards, linking his and Steve’s hands when the Alpha’s arm slid from his waist. “I think we’ve been polite enough for the evening, don’t you? Call me Tony.”

“Tony.” Steve amended, smiling when the Omega bit at his lip shyly. “I can promise I don’t find anything about you boring, but you’re right about ending this walk on this note. I’ve gotten you safely back home, I’ll say good bye for the night, and maybe we can pick this up another time. It’s been a real pleasure talking with you.”

“I’m sorry, what?” Tony hesitated, mouth pulling down into a frown. “You aren’t-- you’re leaving? I thought you would stay. Why aren’t you staying?”

“You asked me to walk you home.” Steve pointed out. “Because it was a long way back, and you were alone. So I did, and here we are.”

“You thought-- you thought--” Tony shook his head. “You thought I meant an actual walk?”

The Alpha looked confused, and it would have been adorable if Tony wasn’t getting so irritated. “Well, yes. That’s what you said, isn’t it?”

“Well yes, that’s what I said!” Tony cried. “But I didn’t mean it! I figured you would know that I meant that kind of walk we had last time! I assumed you would read between the lines!”

“I’m just a simple Sheriff in a small town, Tony.” The Alpha’s smile was entirely too smug and Tony realized that the Sheriff knew exactly what he was doing. “Perhaps next time you should just use your words and say what you want from me.”

“Irritating Alpha.” Tony huffed, offended that Steve would even tease him like this. “Considering how flirtatious this entire walk has been I would think you would know how I wanted it to end!”

“Oh but I thought we established earlier that I wasn’t flirting with you.” The Alpha protested earnestly. “This was nothing more than friendly conversation between two adults who happen to inhabit the same town!”

“You were practically holding me!” Tony’s voice rose a little. “You had your arm around my waist!”

“I was afraid you would fall.” Steve bared his teeth in a mocking smile. “And when you kept leaning on me, I figured you were afraid you would fall too. Purely a safety precaution.”

“A safety precaution?!” Tony threw up his hands in disbelief. “So, you would walk that way with any other Omega?”

“Of course not.” A quick shake of his head. “If I was courting the Omega, the night would be ending very different, but since I am not courting you in any way, shape or form, I assumed all walks from here on out would be actual walks.” the Sheriff said cheekily. “Perhaps you should make what’s between the lines a little more obvious if you want things to change between us.”

“Read between these lines.” Tony snapped, his index, middle and ring finger on both hands held up prominently. “Hows that for a little more obvious!”

“My my, Mr. Carbonell.” Steve tsked in disapproval. “Do you teach the children sign language like that?”

Tony was left speechless on the steps of the school house, staring at the back of the Alpha Sheriff as he walked away, whistling into the night air, Nomad plodding alongside him obediently.

“Who the hell-- what on earth-- why would he just-- did he really--UGH!”

*********************

Clint opened the front door, almost twenty minutes later, rubbing at his eyes and peering out into the night. “Tony? What are you doing here? It’s after midnight.”

“You are not going to believe what that stupid Alpha just did!” Tony was seething, pacing on the front porch, muttering to himself angrily. “He just--! I can’t even--! Why the fuck--!”

“Oh god.” Clint yawned. “Alright, come in and we’ll talk about it. Sam, be a dear and start some coffee?”

“I'm on it.” Sam sighed and started digging for some snacks.

It was going to be a long night.

********************

#ncts fics #stony #western #alpha steve #omega tony

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reactingtosomething · 7 years

Text

Reacting to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (cont’d)

Part II: What If His Mom Was the Murder Planet?

The Setup: Find Part I of our Guardians Reaction here. As usual, annotations added after the fact are in italics.

The concept art above is by Andy Park.

SPOILERS BELOW.

MIRI: Ok, I think we’ve avoided this for too long: Kris, tell me your thoughts on Baby Groot. Or perhaps your thoughts about everyone else’s thoughts about Baby Groot.

KRIS: I think Baby Groot is fine

I just feel nowhere near the amount of love The Internet feels for him

MIRI: This surprises me not at all

KRIS: And as we briefly discussed this is completely unsurprising

MIRI: Exactly

Did you find Baby Groot to be a disappointment in comparison to adult Groot?

KRIS: I do think the extended gag of him trying and failing to fetch the control fin was the best comedy writing in the movie

MIRI: Ahhhhh yes

KRIS: Yeah, I guess so, though I’m having trouble putting my finger on it

Because both versions of Groot get their heart and their humor from a contradiction

Adult Groot is outwardly imposing and then we realize he’s so innocent

MIRI: I think it’s because you know you’re supposed to find him cuter than you do

Ohhhh

KRIS: Baby Groot is outwardly cute but then we learn that he still has his viciousness

MIRI: Whereas Baby Groot is adorable but a murder baby

KRIS: Yeah

MIRI: I mean, they really have reversed the heart of the character that way.

Huh

How do I feel about that

hmmmmm

KRIS: Adult Groot gets one of the best emotional beats of Vol 1, when “I am Groot” becomes “We are Groot”

MIRI: I guess it depends on if Baby Groot is genuinely Groot, reverted to childlike form

Or if it’s like a form of propagation--basically Groot’s baby

KRIS: Whereas Baby Groot is sort of a one-trick pony, albeit in a good way where you don’t really want more than that one trick

MIRI: I really enjoyed Baby Groot as a discrete concept

KRIS: Teenage Groot was surprisingly great

MIRI: But thinking about him compared to Groot is bumming me out a little

Yes, teenage Groot was delightful

But I think that’s a one trick that would get old super fast if they do that for the whole next one

KRIS: Way to tap into your inner teenager, Vin Diesel

MIRI: I mean I feel like he doesn’t have to reach too hard

KRIS: I really want Thor to meet Groot

Fair

MIRI: Adult Groot?

KRIS: I guess whichever Groot

MIRI: I now really want to know if the Second Coming Adult Groot will be the same as Adult Groot prime

KRIS: Seems like the Innocent Warrior vibe is right on Thor’s wavelength

Or at least early Thor and Ragnarok Thor

They lost the balance in between

KRIS: On reflection, I’m not actually convinced that Wiser, More Mature Thor is a bad thing for the MCU at large, but that’s neither here nor there.

MIRI: Is young Groot growing up to be the same version of himself, or is he a new person (Grootson) being shaped by these violent but ultimately loving misfits???

KRIS: I thiiiiink the comic treats him as one continuous Groot when he regenerates

MIRI: Then is the innocence supposed to be something he grows into somehow?

I mean, he was violent in the original movie

But not as deeply so

KRIS: I think his innocence is probably supposed to be his core, especially as a metaphor for Nature

MIRI: Maybe he would have been violent to anything that was a Groot sized rat thing, he just never came across that while big

I guess the whole not understanding the water fountain thing could be read in the same vein as the failure to retrieve the crest

Also, because it needs saying at some point: I did really love Baby Groot’s dance in the opening

And the whole hat bit

KRIS: That was a great opening I want to mention our snarky Arclight usher briefly

MIRI: I loved him

KRIS: Who seemed pretty miffed that Vol 2 repeats a lot of beats from Vol 1

MIRI: I hope his failed career as a standup comedian leads him to much happiness in his life

I mean that 100% and I didn’t mean for it to sound as mean as it did

KRIS: But at least on a second viewing, I thought the callbacks and parallels were mostly effective, and that credits sequence absolutely is in the THAT WORKED column

I did not love, on a structural level, that both movies have a middle that’s defined by the Guardians getting a long World-Buildy Explanation

Complete with Visual Aids

That repetition is one of the few things that worked worse for me on a second viewing

MIRI: But Kris, they needed to use that special effects budget up, or they won’t get as much next time!

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the glory of Yondu’s rampage after he gets out of the cell

KRIS: One reason the repeated structure works (and I’m only realizing this now) is that each movie lets Quill come to terms with his feelings for a different parent

MIRI: Because that 100% worked for me

Ahhhhhhhh that’s such a good point!

See, I’m over here like “the murder arrow sequence was so funny!” and you’re hitting the underlying emotional structures

I think that sums us both up pretty well

Unfortunately (for me)

KRIS: Oh, see, I’m still ambivalent about that, because I just think Yondu is the epitome of an action problem these movies have: our heroes are Absolute Badasses..... except when the story needs them to lose

MIRI: 1) you’re entirely right

KRIS: Like how is Yondu not just completely unstoppable

MIRI: but 2) the sequence was really cool

KRIS: It looked amazing

And the music was particularly well used, I thought (as someone who did not grow up with any of this music)

MIRI: I think part of our difference on a lot of these points is what we wanted from this movie.

I didn’t super love the first one

I really really liked it

KRIS: Oh interesting

MIRI: But I didn’t LOVE it

So I was expecting this to be fun and funny

And it was

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KRIS: I was totally on the BEST THING MARVEL’S DONE train the first time I saw the first one

And then I liked it a little less on Bluray viewings

MIRI: Right! So when parts of the second one are not the best, it hits you harder

I’m just kind of fatigued with Serious Action Movie superhero movies, so I’m a little more inclined to be forgiving of the flaws in something that’s a refreshing change from that type in other ways

I have a pretty high level of suspension of disbelief when I want to

KRIS: This is very true, and here is a Vox article anyone who feels this way should read

(Basically it’s about how even on a visual level Guardians is Bringing Fun Back to Superhero Movies)

MIRI: I miss the fun! I just want some movies/shows to enjoy what they are!!!!!

(Obligatory plug for everyone to watch the hell out of Wynonna Earp and Sweet Vicious)

((RIP Sweet Vicious))

I do want to jump back to your point about the unfailing hero..until the plot demands otherwise

Because it’s a really good one

KRIS: I have to say that I want coherent action physics/fighting hierarchies in any action-heavy genre entertainment

Even if it’s leaning on the Fun Train side of things

Again, Gamora’s fluctuating strength level bothered me a lot

MIRI: Yeah, I think that is a really basic expectation that I’ve let myself be conditioned out of I think people give in to a Rule of Cool type thing too easily

KRIS: Rocket is the Rule of Cool personified

MIRI: But he was designed in a lab, so anything can work!

*rolls eyes*

(but still loves most of it in the moment)

KRIS: (There’s actually a really fun running gag in the recent-ish Guardians comics where Tony joins the team, and Rocket is constantly giving him shit for how primitive Tony’s tech is)

MIRI: that sounds amazing

KRIS: Like Tony is amazed by how convenient their communications technology is and Rocket is like how do you people get anything done?

MIRI: But seriously: yes, it looks awesome for Gamora to pick up the gun that is literally bigger than her, but if she’s that strong she needs to always be that strong

KRIS: Gamora also ends up being strangled a lot for some reason throughout these movies

I don’t THINK it’s a creepy gendered thing because Ronan also almost kills Drax by strangling

But it’s like this lazy “oh what’s a position of weakness to put our action hero in” thing

I guess/hope

MIRI: You know what is a creepy gender thing? The supposedly super practical assassin always wearing crop tops and boots with heels

KRIS: WHAT is with those heels?

MIRI: THANK YOU It might be partially because she’s a very petite woman

KRIS: They’re a carryover from Vol 1 when they make even less sense

MIRI: if I recall correctly

KRIS: Yes but

MIRI: I know

KRIS: ScarJo has elevated heels in the Avengers movies

But they’re blocky so you can’t tell unless you’re looking

Because it’s mostly to make her taller

But Gamora’s have those goofy holes in them!

MIRI: Anytime you can get Kris talking very specifically about things he doesn’t know the names of is a good time. (Not that I know exactly what to call the “goofy holes” either)

MIRI: I also have some concerns about Mantis. She is really subservient

And I don’t think any sort of gender/ethnicity thing was intended, but it’s still pretty unfortunate

KRIS: Hmm yeah

MIRI: Also, I don’t think it should be ignored that the actors who are POC end up in full body paint more than the white dudes

KRIS: I think it mostly slipped by for me because with Nebula as a bigger presence and Ayesha (Elizabeth Debicki) as a secondary villain, Mantis didn’t feel too “token girl” and there was a decent range of character types for the women

But low bars and all that

Yes the POC thing is sticky

MIRI: Again, no one’s intention, I’m sure. But it’s always the white guy (named Chris) who is the starting point, and then they fill in the universe from there, which makes everyone else automatically some flavor of Other

Oh, real quick on Ayesha: When she had her hair down she made me think of Ivanka Trump

I genuinely believe that is how Ivanka Trump sees herself

KRIS: Oh man yeah

MIRI: I cannot back it up in any way, but I know it to be true

KRIS: While we’re on the Sovereign, the whole arcade setup for their ships was a pretty good gag

And even almost came into the general vicinity of commenting on the gamification of war

MIRI: Yes! Really liked them going from dignity to anger at losing the game

KRIS: That is probably the most (unduly?) generous thing I will say about the writing

MIRI: Ok, I’m thinking about low bars and things we’re tired of having to complain about and I have a thought

What if Quill didn’t have the obligatory dead mom?

What if he had a dead dad?

And his mom was the murder planet

KRIS: I’m listening

MIRI: I think there would be so much more there in terms of our expectations of a mother figure

And the question of creation vs destruction

I suppose it fits less with our general narrative of Judeo Christian creation and males as spending their genes as widely as possible

MIRI: Or, you know, spreading

KRIS: Right right

MIRI: But I also think it’s less played out and therefore more interesting if you reverse it some I don’t have anything more coherent to say, but I like the idea

KRIS: Yeah, here we can definitely say that as thematically perfect as Papa Planet’s self-obsession was for a Quill arc, it’s also a really good example of why we want and need other types of people writing and directing these stories

One of Caroline’s AV Club pieces I like a lot was about how Daredevil explores different masculinities

And Guardians 2 definitely strikes me as exploring, in a simpler way, sort of foundational ideas we have about Being a Man

KRIS: Where I sort of forgot I was going here was that even though I think the Ego/Quill stuff makes a lot of thematic sense, "Being a Man” is not exactly untrodden territory, and a woman writing and/or directing a story like this could probably have found a theme that hasn’t been done to death in this genre space.

MIRI: I’m wondering about the fact that barely touched on stories often work better than secondary ones--in this case Nebula (esp in Volume 1) vs Gamora. I think it might be because when writing Gamora, they’re very aware of writing The Woman’s story, and keeping her accessible as a love interest. Whereas Nebula is a factor in that story, rather than her own story. So she gets less well-intentioned-but-poorly-executed thought and is instead just written as a character

Does that make any sense?

KRIS: Yyyyes

MIRI: I saw Guardians 2 as more of an exploration of how to be a family than how to be a man, but I definitely think Being a Man is a big factor, if only because men are most of the characters

KRIS: I do think family was sort of the all-encompassing theme, but in the A-story I thought there was a definite thread of interrogating Quill’s macho-ness through his dad

Or interrogating is too fancy of a word but you know what I mean

MIRI: right

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KRIS: Re: family, all I really had for “Fast and Furious parallels” was “affectless bald man saying ‘Family’”

MIRI: But would you say Yondu’s is more Man or family? hahahahahahhaa

KRIS: Hmmm

MIRI: And also Vin Diesel is there

KRIS: I guess I’d split the difference and say Father?

or “Daddy,” I guess

MIRI: Yeah I did not enjoy the Daddy line

KRIS: Can we go back to the romance question for a minute?

MIRI: Always!

KRIS: Do you think Pratt and Saldana have chemistry?

I don’t really feel it

MIRI: Huh. I don’t think they do

And I think at least part of that has to come from the weird inconsistencies in her character

She’s supposed to be all conservative and removed and immune to his pelvic sorcery

But she’s also wearing these ridiculous outfits with half her tits showing

MIRI: Please note that I am a fan of people showing as much or as little of their tits as they choose, but when it’s a character and it makes NO SENSE for that character in any other way I call bullshit

KRIS: Yeah that makes sense. I will probably not hate the eventual official Becoming a Couple because they’ve been low key and patient about it, but since they don’t have Tony-Pepper level chemistry it’s definitely easier to get pulled out of it and just see “oh, designated endgame”

MIRI: Yeah, the strings are very much visible there And I don’t hate it but I definitely don’t love it

KRIS: I mean I would have LOVED if the way they took the family theme had been specifically “orphan siblings” so Gamora became everyone’s sister

Which would have added an interesting level of resentment to Nebula’s story here

MIRI: I mean I’m always low-key annoyed that the 1/5 gender ratio means the woman is always eventually going to be in a relationship dynamic while the men only are if it fits, because of that same disparity

KRIS: Yep

MIRI: YES YES YES

That would have been so interesting!!!

This little crew of orphans, which 3 of them very much are already

Finding family and support in the middle of being violent bounty hunters jetting through space

That is all I ever want ever

KRIS: I also just finished rewatching Selfie, if anyone is looking for something else where Karen Gillan is alternately hilarious, hangry, and heartbreaking, that doesn’t demand the time or emotional commitment of Doctor Who.

KRIS: I guess we should tie this off pretty soon. Any last major thoughts?

MIRI: I really enjoyed it, and I’m here for more things being enjoyable

That said, the fact that they did some things SO well does make the more sizable inconsistencies grate a bit more in retrospect

KRIS: I will always wish everyone could write dialogue better, and I’m pretty sure like the first one better, but I’ve largely come around to enthusiastic approval

And ACT 2 IS SO SLOW

except when it cuts to Rocket and Yondu

MIRI: I am in awe of their balance of humor and action. Really blew a lot of other films out of the water on that score

Oh, and props to Sean Gunn for pulling his fairly absurd character off with grace!

“I didn’t mean to do a mutiny. They killed all my friends”

KRIS: Yeah, the best way to watch this is as a family dramedy with action bookends

KRIS: Should clarify here that I meant “family” in the sense of theme, as opposed to “fun for the whole family!”, but I have heard of friends-of-friends bringing 8-year-olds or so to see it with no problems.

MIRI: in that accent/voice and I still bought it 100%

KRIS: Yeah he worked really well

And I forget where but you can probably find a really sweet interview with James Gunn about how he loves working with his brother

MIRI: awww

You know how I love the sibling relationships

KRIS: Karen Gillan for Secretary of Swagger and/or Sullenness

MIRI: Oh, and I never need to see a nervous system becoming a man from the inside out ever again. That needs to stop being a thing

KRIS: Swagger more so in Vol 1, I guess

MIRI: Very much agreed

I need her to be in more things

Ok, done?

KRIS: Yes

In closing

I’M MARY POPPINS, Y’ALL

MIRI: Yes, he is cool!

#guardians of the galaxy #Miri #Kris #mcu #guardians spoilers #Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 #movies #superheroes #reaction

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