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everwitch-magiks · 4 years

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dance with somebody (ch. 15)

start from ch. 1 | back to ch. 14

Whiskey can't quite keep his hands from shaking as he types out the message. He reads through it once, changes a couple of words and then briefly considers adding some sort of emoji. He doesn’t. Instead, he makes himself hit send before he has the time to lose his nerve.

I'll be driving to Boston on Sunday to take care of a couple things, wanna come with? Figured I might as well make a day out of it.

Within a minute, he gets the notification for a reply.

sounds like fun. do I get to choose the music?

Sure. Pick you up around eight?

Whiskey doesn't let himself reread that message until after he's sent it. God, it almost sounds like he’s making plans for a date. No, actually – it sounds exactly like plans for a date. So much for the whole charade of pretending that some mundane errand is his main reason for their outing.

ugh, so early? I'll be requiring a cappuccino, Annie's or bust.

When Miguel lets himself into the passenger seat of the truck Sunday morning, greeting Whiskey with nothing but a yawn and tired smile, Whiskey merely nods towards him as he silently hands him an Annie's take away cup.

"Oh, thank God." Miguel takes a sip, closing his eyes briefly. "Don’t you sleep in, like, ever?"

"Not really," Whiskey admits. He starts the truck and puts it in reverse. "I was at the gym this morning."

"Of course you were," Miguel mutters. "Man, if I was half as serious as you about anything, I'd… Oh."

Whiskey glances towards him. Miguel has opened his eyes again, and for some reason he seems to have zeroed in on Whiskey's hands.

"What?"

"Nothing." Miguel looks away abruptly. "Never mind me. Eyes on the road.”

Whiskey does look back ahead, but raises both eyebrows curiously. Miguel clears his throat lightly. He digs his phone out of his pocket.

“I’m loving the retro chick vibe of this truck, but I’m guessing bluetooth’s out of the question? Is there an aux cord?”

“Retro chic,” Whiskey parrots back, amused enough to let whatever just happened slide. “Yeah, you can plug in right there.”

“It’s all about the aesthetic, man.” Miguel grins, tapping merrily on his phone. “Okay. I’ve got no idea what you usually listen to, but this playlist’s got lots of different genres.”

After the first three songs have all been Panic! At The Disco, Whiskey feels the need to make a couple of chirps on the definition of the word different, but then the next three tracks are Billy Joel and Robyn and Blackpink, respectively. It turns out they’re both big fans of The Script and have actually both seen them live on the No Sound Without Silence tour, albeit not at the exact same concert. Miguel waves his hands in excitement as goes off on various tangents about which songs he loves the most and exactly why, almost spilling coffee all over himself at one point, and there’s more than one moment where Whiskey laments the fact that he really must keep his eyes on the road.

By the time Whiskey hits the turn signal for their exit, he’s almost starting to relax a little. So far, so good.

“Hey, I almost forgot,” Miguel says. “You never said where we’re actually going?”

“Boston,” Whiskey supplies ambiguously.

“Ha, ha. Where in Boston?”

“A presently undisclosed location.” Whiskey glances briefly at Miguel. “It’s a surprise.”

He catches Miguel’s soft smile before he has to look back ahead.

“A surprise, huh?”

“Yeah.” Whiskey tries to keep his tone somewhat neutral. “I wanted to… Yeah.”

“I thought you had stuff to do?”

“I mean, surprising you isn’t not doing stuff,” Whiskey argues, even though he knows that’s only a backwards way of admitting that Miguel’s got it right. “It’s just… Other stuff.”

For the first time all morning, he’s glad he doesn’t need to meet Miguel’s eyes.

“Depends on the surprise, doesn’t it?” Miguel teases. He sounds pleased. “Fine, don’t tell me. I’ll just have to figure it all out, anyway.”

“Get ready to figure out the first part.” Whiskey pulls into a parking lot. “Here we are.”

“There’s a second part? You know, I’m almost starting to think… Oh my God. Pancakes!”

Whiskey grins. Miguel actually sounds pretty excited.

“How did you know that I haven’t had breakfast?” Miguel questions eagerly.

“You rolled out of bed with less than a minute to spare and put on the first thing you saw in your closet,” Whiskey says matter of factly. He turns off the ignition. “You’ve literally told me that’s your normal routine.”

“I mean, kind of.” Miguel smiles playfully. “But hey, at least you still get to enjoy these effortlessly good looks. Not everyone can look this cute without even really trying, you know.”

“Well,” Whiskey says quietly. Finally, he gets to look over and meet Miguel’s eyes properly. “Fair point.”

Miguel bites his lower lip. Suddenly, his gaze is intent on Whiskey.

“Is this… Too public? Or can we, um. Y’know.”

Whiskey throws a quick glance outside the truck. The parking lot is empty, thank God – quickly, he leans over. It’s a brief kiss, over almost before it’s begun, but Whiskey still feels Miguel’s soft lips smile against his own.

“Come on,” Whiskey mumbles. There’s two more steps to his carefully crafted plan, and he intends to see them both through. “Pancakes. On me.”

The menu at iHOP is ridiculous, but not more ridiculous than the smile on Miguel’s face when the waiter presents him with his mountain of blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and bacon. Unsurprisingly, it’s completely adorable.

The drive over to their second destination is brief. They’re still several blocks away when, suddenly, Miguel goes very quiet.

“Almost there,” Whiskey says, in an attempt to fill out the silence. And just like that, he’s nervous all over again. “You, uh. You good?”

“Are you kidding?” Miguel says incredulously – a good kind of incredulous, if his tone is any indication. “I don’t believe you. Is this really where we’re going?”

“I thought you might like it,” Whiskey says carefully. “They’ve got this new exhibit that’s just opened, it’s the Indo-pacific-”

“Coral reef,” Miguel interrupts eagerly. “Yes, I know, I’ve literally got their tweets on alerts. It sounds amazing. And they’ve got this big ocean tank that’s four storys high, you can walk all around it and see every part from a different angle, plus they do absolutely incredible work with their sea turtle rescue program.” He grins widely. “I love the New England Aquarium.”

“Oh. Well, good.” There’s plenty of available parking space, still, since the aquarium has only just opened. Whiskey gets them a spot close to the entrance. “I’ve actually never been.”

“Then you’re in for a treat.” Miguel is already undoing his seatbelt. “Come on! I can’t wait to show you everything.”

When Miguel said everything, he wasn’t kidding. They spend over half an hour at the first exhibit, since Miguel apparently needs to explain in exact detail why the Amazon rainforest is actually one of the most diverse habitats in the world, and then a whole hour goes by as they watch a pair of sea lions swimming and playing with absolutely stunning control and flexibility. By the time they get to the big ocean tank, Whiskey feels like he’s learned more about marine creatures in a couple of hours than he thought he might in his entire life.

It’s surprisingly interesting. And listening to Miguel ramble about it, his eyes shining with unfiltered excitement, is unsurprisingly captivating.

They sit down on a bench on the third floor, where they have a good view of the tank just below the surface. There’s not a lot of other guests around, probably because of the feeding that’s happening over at the tank with the baby sharks. Whiskey glances to his side just as a surprisingly huge sea turtle swims by them at a leisurely pace, watches Miguel’s lips soften into a perfectly gentle, content smile.

If Whiskey could have orchestrated every detail of his ideal moment to proceed with the third and final step of his plan, it would’ve looked a lot like this.

He clears his throat lightly.

Miguel looks over towards him, a little expectantly.

Whiskey hesitates.

God, he must do this. He must. Even if this is where he fucks it all up, his future self deserves to remember this as a moment in his life when he faced all of his fears head on in pursuit of real happiness. He needs to let himself try, to allow himself this one moment of mortifying vulnerability.

“Do you-”

“Can I-”

Whiskey falls silent abruptly. Miguel blinks, looking equally startled.

They both smile.

“You, first,” Miguel says gently.

“Okay.” Whiskey takes a steadying breath. “I was hoping we could talk about, um. About this. About us?”

He makes an awkward gesture between them that’s probably not at all necessary for Miguel to understand his meaning.

“Sure,” Miguel agrees. He’s still smiling, albeit not quite as softly as before, and there’s an undertone of apprehension as he continues. “Based on the past few hours, I’m guessing I’m not actually about to have my heart broken, here?”

“No. I hope not.” God, Whiskey wishes that he could dare to get his hopes up at those words. Of course, he can’t. He already knows perfectly well that Miguel isn’t indifferent to him, per say. That’s not what he’s been so afraid of finding out. “Miguel, I like you so much. I like being with you, just like this, so much. You’re kind of always on my mind, lately, and it’s all really just so… So great. You’re really, really great.”

“Okay,” Miguel says slowly. His tone is all apprehension, now. “I’m sensing a but, here. You’re not looking to date right now, is that it? Or are you just not looking for a boyfriend at all? Or-”

“No,” Whiskey interrupts hurriedly. “Fuck, no, not at all. Miguel, if you wanted to be my boyfriend, I’d be so happy.”

“Oh.” Miguel blinks. “You… Really?”

“Yes.” Whiskey swallows. “I… Yes. Really.”

“Huh.” Slowly, Miguel’s lips curl into another smile. “Wow. That’s... Okay.”

Whiskey allows himself a moment to smile back. God, what he wouldn’t give for things to actually be that simple.

“Okay,” he says, trying to get back on track. “So, the thing is-”

“Ah, I knew it,” Miguel cuts in, almost playfully. “There is a but, isn’t there?”

Whiskey grimaces.

“I mean. Sort of?”

“Right.” Miguel’s smile dims again. “Sorry, sorry. I’m listening.”

“It’s not too bad,” Whiskey says, even though it honestly absolutely is. “I, um. You see.”

Miguel watches him expectantly.

“I guess I don’t want to come on too strong, here, and start talking about our lives several years from now,” Whiskey begins, testing the waters a bit.

Miguel raises his eyebrows slightly, but looks otherwise unruffled. So, like, that’s not a terrible reaction.

Whiskey takes the plunge.

“I just need you to know that I’m not sure if I’ll ever actually come out, publicly. Right now, I honestly don’t think so.”

“Ah,” Miguel says. “You mean… Ah. Okay.”

Whiskey waits. Miguel’s expression is infuriatingly unreadable.

“Good to know,” Miguel finally settles on. “That’s not a deal breaker for me, exactly. I’m just not sure if I’d want to keep something like this from absolutely everyone. I honestly don’t think I could.”

“I couldn’t do that, either,” Whiskey says, surprising himself a little bit. Still, it’s the truth. “I’d want to tell my two best friends.”

“You would?” Miguel asks, almost smiling. “Have I met them?”

“Yes, actually. Tango and Ford.”

“So you’re out, to them?”

“Not yet,” Whiskey admits. “But I’ve been thinking about it, and I… I’d want them to know about us.”

“Okay,” Miguel says. He sounds hopeful. “I’d want my best friend to know, too. I’ve known him all my life, so I trust him completely. And I want to tell my closest family.”

“Okay,” Whiskey agrees. It surprises him a little, that the mere thought doesn’t make him panic. “I don’t mind that.”

“I’ll be very clear that they can’t tell anyone else,” Miguel adds gently. “I’m sure they can handle that.”

“If you trust them, I trust you,” Whiskey reassures him. “Actually, it’s sweet. That you’d want them to know.”

“Of course I would.” Miguel smiles briefly. “Are you, uh. Are you close with your family?”

“Not… Not exactly.” It’s not a question Whiskey was expecting. “They’re very, um. Very traditional. I guess I usually go home for holidays and so on, but we don’t really talk a lot in between. I certainly don’t have plans to come out to them. One of my cousins knows, though. Beth. And actually, she’d kind of murder me if I didn’t tell her about you.”

“Well, we can’t have that.” Miguel tilts his head a little. “Are you out to anyone else?”

“A couple of people,” Whiskey admits. “Dex, our team captain, probably knows the most. He even knows about you. It’s actually his truck that I borrowed, today.”

“Yeah?” Miguel says. He sounds oddly pleased. “That’s cool. Anyone else?”

“This guy that I, um. That I hooked up with a few times last semester.” Whiskey clears his throat awkwardly. “And Bitty, our captain last year, although he found out accidentally. Oh, and you. Although I guess that’s completely obvious.”

“I’d say I’m aware, yeah,” Miguel agrees cheerfully. “You know, I actually ended up googling that former captain guy, Bitty, after the hockey party. His fiance is kind of a really big deal in hockey, isn’t he?”

“Yeah,” Whiskey agrees. “He’s the first openly gay male NHL hockey player, and a Stanley Cup champion.”

Miguel hums. “There’s really no one else, in the NHL?”

“Not yet, no.” Whiskey takes a breath. “And I’m honestly not too inclined to be the second.”

“Right,” Miguel says. He sounds less startled than Whiskey expected him to. “You know, that thought actually crossed my mind when you first told me about wanting to go pro. Even though you weren’t actually out to me then. I’ve heard some really questionable things about locker rooms in hockey.”

“I’ve heard my fair share of questionable things in those locker rooms.” Whiskey sighs. “It’s part of why I have so much respect for Bitty and Zimmermann. They’re really important to a lot of queer hockey people out there, and they’ve done so much to make things better. If Zimmermann wasn’t the only out player in the league, that would really change things for both of them. But I’m, I just… I want to play hockey. There’s nothing else I care about as much. But that doesn’t mean that I could do what they do, or that I’m prepared to go through everything they’ve overcome. Maybe that makes me selfish, but it’s just how I feel.”

Miguel hums.

“I get that,” he says. There’s a weight to his words that feels significant, somehow. “If I’m honest, I don’t know if I could do that, either. It’s actually a relief, in a way, that you’re not asking me if I’d be prepared to face that alongside you.”

Whiskey turns to look at Miguel properly. He wasn’t expecting that.

“I’ve never thought of it that way,” he admits. “I was too busy worrying that you’d be against the idea of not being completely open about… About us.”

Miguel meets his eyes steadily.

“It’s really okay, Whiskey. I don’t need to kiss you for all the world to see, so long as I know where we stand.”

“Yeah?” Whiskey asks. And for the first time since they’ve sat down, he finds himself smiling. “That’s, uh. That’s really great. Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me,” Miguel says gently. “So. I guess this means it’s my turn, now?”

Whiskey blinks. Right. Miguel had been trying to say something, too.

“Sure, yeah,” he agrees. “Go ahead.”

“Don’t worry, okay? It’s genuinely nothing bad.”

“Alright.”

Miguel takes a breath. Apparently, whatever the not-bad thing is, he’s still nervous to say it. Which isn’t at all alarming.

“So, you know how I’ve been hoping to get a room at the water polo frat?” Miguel begins tentatively. “I’ve kind of changed my mind about that, a little bit. I love my team, but I already see them all the time, and the reason I want to move out of the dorms is so that I can have a space that’s more my own. Somehow, I don't think I'd feel that way with all my idiot teammates around.”

“Good instincts,” Whiskey interjects. “I could tell you stories.”

Miguel smiles.

“I’ve actually found a small apartment just off campus that’s surprisingly affordable. I think it might be because the layout of the kitchen area is, like, so impractical that it’s got to be on purpose, but I could definitely make it work.”

“Well. Sounds like a good option.”

“Yeah, I think I’m gonna take it,” Miguel says carefully. “It’s, um. It’s actually no more than a ten minute walk from your hockey house. And it’d be, you know. Something a little more private.”

“Oh,” Whiskey says. He frowns slightly. “You really don’t have to do that, for me.”

“I’m not only doing it for you,” Miguel reminds him firmly. “Like I said, I want something that’s more my own place. This seems like my best option.”

“Well,” Whiskey says, considering. “If you’re sure. It, uh. It does actually sound really nice. I think I might visit you quite a lot.”

“You’d be more than welcome to,” Miguel says. He grins. “Hey. Can I say something?”

Whiskey blinks.

“You just did, I think?”

“Yeah, well.” Miguel grins a little wider. “See, I don’t want to come on too strong, here, and start talking about our lives several years from now. Sounds familiar?”

“... Oh.” Whiskey feels startled in the best way possible. “I guess?”

“It’s just… If I had a wishlist, eventual cohabitation would probably be somewhere near the top.” Miguel tilts his head a little. “Just thought I’d put that out there.”

“Yeah?” Whiskey manages, a bit unsteadily. “I, uh. I’d definitely be open to having that conversation. At some point.”

“Okay. Cool.” Miguel averts his gaze for a second, looking back at the ocean tank before them. His smile, Whiskey thinks, is perfectly lovely. “So. Do you... Should we head back?”

Whiskey frowns. He’s more than aware of the fact that there’s several exhibits they haven’t even gone anywhere near, yet. Miguel must know that, too.

“Isn’t there stuff left to see?” he wonders, a little unsurely.

“We can come back,” Miguel says quickly. He turns back towards Whiskey, and there’s a look in his eyes that immediately earns him Whiskey’s full attention. “Right now, I’d rather just be somewhere a bit more... Somewhere we can be alone. And my roommate’s actually gone for the weekend, so. I was thinking…”

Oh.

Whiskey gets to his feet.

They don’t waste any time making their way back to the truck. Whiskey starts the ignition, his mind occupied with calculating how long the drive might take. As he puts the truck in reverse and starts backing up, Miguel makes some sort of noise next to him.

Whiskey glances over, surprised to find that Miguel’s expression is… Tense. Or something.

“Never mind me,” Miguel mutters through his teeth. “Just, um. Just drive.”

It reminds Whiskey of what Miguel had said to him that same morning, after he’d gone oddly quiet and… Stared at Whiskey’s hand on the gearshift. Huh.

Whiskey pauses after backing up. He raises both eyebrows in question.

“Oh, fuck you,” Miguel says, his weak tone a definite contrast to his choice of words. “Look, it’s really stupid. You’re gonna think I’m an idiot.”

“I mean, maybe,” Whiskey allows. He still doesn’t keep driving. “Does it help if I promise not to take the piss?”

“Persistent, aren’t we?” Miguel mutters. He sighs. “Ugh. Fine. It’s just… You drive stick.”

Whiskey blinks.

“Is that, like… A whole thing for you?”

“Oh, shut it,” Miguel grumbles. “This is hardly my fault, okay, I really can’t be blamed for being stupidly attracted to you.”

Whiskey probably shouldn’t smile as widely as he does – he literally just promised Miguel that he wouldn’t make fun of him. “Stupidly, huh.”

“Well, yes!” Miguel exclaims. And suddenly, it’s like a pair of proverbial floodgates have opened. "Did you know that every time you open your ridiculously hot mouth in class and something highly intelligent spills out, I die a little bit?”

Whiskey blinks. Fuck. If there’s one thing in this world that he didn’t know, it’s definitely that.

Miguel continues before he has the chance to respond.

“And God, you couldn’t warn a guy before making me watch you dominate that hockey game like you single-handedly invented skating? Believe me, I am sincerely, stupidly into you – you with your ridiculous face, and that brain, and those muscles, Jesus. You are quite literally the whole package and it's honestly so completely infuriating.”

Whiskey swallows. He can’t seem to look away from Miguel, who is actually glaring at him, now, and that shouldn’t be the best thing that’s happened to Whiskey all day. And it kind of isn’t better than their pivotal conversation earlier, if Whiskey thinks about it logically and rationally, which he would absolutely do if Miguel wasn’t looking at him like that.

“Right,” Whiskey finally manages in response. “Gotcha.”

Miguel narrows his eyes.

“Listen,” he says. His voice is low, and raw, and determined. Whiskey’s breath hitches. “You’re going to drive us back to campus, and I’m going to take you up to my room, and, if you'll let me, I’m going to spread you out on my bed and make you feel every deliciously bittersweet moment of frustration that I've suffered on your account. God knows you've deserved it."

“Um.” Whiskey swallows, twice, and then attempts a deep breath. His brain might have short-circuited a little bit. “Is this a good time to mention that you talking like that is kind of really doing it for me?”

“No,” Miguel says evenly, despite the fact that Whiskey can see the clearly pleased smile tugging at his lips. “Just, for God’s sake, Whiskey. Drive. Now.”

Whiskey forces himself to look back ahead. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Miguel follow the movements of his hand as he carefully changes gears.

Boston, Whiskey thinks dizzily, is entirely too far away from Samwell.

(ch. 16)

#check please #omgcheckplease #connor whisk #whiskey #whiskey x oc #OC: miguel #my babies #you guys #look at them #dance with somebody #evie writes #fanfiction

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buckybarnesbingo · 3 years

Photo

BBB Week 37 Roundup!

HOLY PRODUCTIVITY, BATMAN! I can tell the end of the round is nigh, because the fills are FLOODING in!

Our LAST DISCORD PARTY OF ROUND TWO is starting in 5 hours. It’ll be a shorter one, 24 hours,

but plenty of time for lots of fun! The announcement for that, and some additional end-of-bingo info, can be found here.

Title: I’ll Be Home For Christmas Collaborator: BookDragon13 Link: Tumblr Square Filled: B3 - Missing You Ship: Bucky/Reader Rating: Gen Major Tags: lonely Bucky, drabble Summary: Bucky misses you while on a Christmas mission Word Count: 100

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Title: Ask For Much - Chapter 14: Blindsided Collaborator: buckybarnesdeservestobehappy Link: Tumblr Square Filled: C2 - Blind Date Ship: Stucky, Bucky & Riley Rating: Teen Major Tags: hurt/comfort, angst, friendship, blind date, attraction Summary: Bucky follows through on Nat and Sam’s plan. To his surprise, he enjoys him, but he still misses Steve. Or Steve. Is. Pissed. Word Count: 992

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Title: Journey of the Winter Soldier Collaborator: Starjargon Link: AO3 Square Filled: U1 - Love at First Sight Ship: Bucky & his son Rating: Teen Major Tags: Implied murder and ambiguous morals Summary: The Winter Soldier just wants to get his son to safety, but being human again comes at a cost. Fortunately, there are still kind strangers in the world who understand the need a father has to care for his son. Word Count: 1050

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Title: compliance Collaborator: abitnotgoodiebag Link: Tumblr Square Filled: Y4 - Knives Ship: Bucky/Brock Rating: Teen Major Tags: brainwashed!non-con, blood, hydra trash party, art Summary: Rumlow likes knives, The Asset likes what it’s told to like.

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Title: Fathers and Sons Collaborator: starjargon Link: DeviantArt Square Filled: K3 - Delinquent Ship: Bucky & Son Rating: Gen Major Tags: Violence, moodboard Summary: The Winter Soldier runs away and re-learns to be Bucky with his son. He only hopes Eliot grows up to be nothing like him. Eventually he is re-captured and turned back into the Winter Soldier, and Eliot has become a mercenary before teaming up with a band of thieves.

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Title: Ask For Much - Chapter 15: Was It Worth It? Collaborator: buckybarnesdeservestobehappy Link: Tumblr Square Filled: B2 - Misunderstandings Ship: Stucky, Bucky & Riley Rating: Teen Major Tags: hurt/comfort, angst, misunderstandings, declarations of love, low self-esteem Summary: Steve finally lets it go, and Bucky finds the lightbulbs over his head. Or Everything changes. Word Count: 1062

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Title: I Guess We Never Stood a Chance Collaborator: Starjargon Link: AO3 Square Filled: C4 - Arranged Marriage Ship: Bucky/OFC Rating: Teen Major Tags: Major Character Death, dark thematic elements Summary: The Winter Soldier is assigned to take part in a New Agenda to breed more Enhanced Soldiers. Things don't go as planned. Word Count: 399

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Title: Ask For Much - Chapter 16: Downright Idiotic Collaborator: buckybarnesdeservestobehappy Link: Tumblr Square Filled: B1 - “It wasn’t worth it.” Ship: Stucky Rating: Mature Major Tags: hurt/comfort, angst, idiots in love, declarations of love, communication Summary: Bucky on a mission. Steve doesn’t stand a chance. Or Bucky and Steve finally communicate. Word Count: 1220

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Title: The Groomsman Collaborator: feignedsobriquet Link: Tumblr Square Filled: C5 - Historical Ship: WinterIron Rating: Gen Major Tags: art Summary: fanart for 27dragons and tisfan’s The Groomsman

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Title: My Dreams Aren’t As Empty (As My Conscience Seems to Be) Collaborator: Link: AO3 Square Filled: U2 - Keeping Secrets. (Replacing Soulmates thanks to October party token) Ship: WinterIron Rating: Mature Major Tags: Canon divergence, young!Tony, Winter Soldier!Bucky, lying, tech geekery Summary: By revealing the technology of his prosthetic arm, Jacob continues his mission to interest Tony Stark in the potential of partnering with his superiors. However, it seems that’s not all Tony (or Jacob are interested in. Word Count:1431

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Title: The Weather Outside is Frightful Collaborator: somesortofitalianroast Link: AO3 Square Filled: Y4 - Intimacy without Sex Ship: Stucky Rating: Gen Major Tags: au - coffee shop, au - soulmates, fluff, snow, fluff Summary: It’s snowing in New York, but the fire is delightful. Or, Steve and Bucky hang a Moravian Star and snuggle. Word Count: 1404

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Title: You Me and Steve Collaborator: jamesbuckystark Link: Tumblr Square Filled: U1 - Red String of Fate Ship: WinterIron Rating: Gen Major Tags: au - soulmates Summary: Tony wants to have more private time with Bucky, but Steve just never leaves! Word Count: 924

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Title: A Christmas Kiss Collaborator: BookDragon13 Link: Tumblr Square Filled: Y1 - cop/detective/FBI au Ship: BuckyNat Rating: Gen Major Tags: none Summary: Bucky tries to summon the courage to talk to Natasha at an NYPD holiday party Word Count: 328

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Title: Targets Acquired - Mission Failed Collaborator: alwaysabrighterdarkness Link: Tumblr Square Filled: B3 - Stark Tower Ship: Bucky & Tony Rating: Teen Major Tags: WinterSoldier targeting Tony&Pepper, explosives set at the Tower Summary: The Asset has been given 24 hours. The target is the newly minted Iron Man and Stark Industries. They cannot be allowed to continue as they are and Insight is not yet ready. But Stark knows he’s there, has hidden Potts and Hogan. The Soldier flees. Stark follows ready for a fight that never comes.

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Title: That’s Just Me, Thinking of You Collaborator: Starjargon Link: AO3 Square Filled: C3 - Free Space Ship: Bucky & Eliot Spencer Rating: Gen Major Tags: Psych and Leverage crossover, amnesia, mind control, kid fic Summary: James has a baby to look after, but he barely remembers himself, and he has no idea what to do. Fortunately, he has new friends willing to help him with that. Word Count: 882

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Title: Art: Recharging Getaway Collaborator: LiquidLightz Link: AO3 Square Filled: C3 - Free Ship: Stucky Rating: Teen Major Tags: art Summary: My NASBB artwork for the fic “Coming up Easy”. A modern au where Bucky is a writer and Steve a DIYer with a penchant for art... “Bucky Barnes suffers from writer’s block. When he stumbles upon gorgeous DIYer Steve Rogers on YouTube and Steve turns out to be a fan of Bucky’s books, a friendship blossoms. Bucky even spends the summer with Steve in New England, where he can finally pine- er, write in peace.“ Steve paints Bucky relaxing with Alpine in his cottage, without his knowledge, and surprises him with the painting just before he has to leave. This is my rendition of Steve’s painting 🙃 🎨

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Title: Ask For Much - Chapter 17: Got Your Nose Collaborator: buckybarnesdeservestobehappy Link: AO3 Square Filled: Y3 - Nose Kisses Ship: Stucky Rating: Mature Major Tags: hurt/comfort, angst, morning after sex, idiots in love, relationship Summary: Bucky and Steve wake up together. Nose kisses are their favorite. Or Two boys in love. Word Count: 1236

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Title: Fri on the Wall Collaborator: LBibliophile Link: AO3 Square Filled: C5 - Dialogue-only Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: Mutual pining, Supportive Friday, 5+1 Things, Drabble sequence, Dialogue-only Summary: Friday watches her idiot, pining boys. Or, five times Friday tried to support their relationship, and one time she decided to take more drastic measures. Word Count: 600

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Title: idiotic brothers Collaborator: jurassicworjd Link: AO3 Square Filled: Y5 - “Get Off My Lawn!” Ship: WinterHawk Rating: Teen Major Tags: swearing Summary: Bucky is trying to have an intimate moment with Clint when they’re suddenly interrupted. Bucky is not impressed with what they find. Word Count: 2332

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Title: BBB December 2020 Round Robin Collaborators: Poliz, Faustess, Turtles, Winnie, Menatiera, Ginger, Phoenix Link: AO3 Squares Filled: Poliz - B5: bodysharing Faustess - U2: Bed sharing Turtles - B5: Reluctant Teamwork Winnie - B2: comics Menatiera - Y5: Wrong number Ginger - U1: Mission Gone Wrong Phoenix - B5: galaxy Ship: Bucky & Sam Rating: Gen Major Tags: body-sharing, terrible magic, team bonding Summary: When they find themselves stranded on an alien planet, Strange’s solution is to use Bucky and Sam’s connection to Steve to send an SOS back to Earth. What could possibly go wrong? Word Count: 2831

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Title: Mr. Miyagi Would Say... Collaborator: starjargon Link: AO3 Square Filled: C2 - Cartoons Ship: Bucky & Eliot Spencer Rating: Gen Major Tags: Psych and Leverage crossover, fluff, kid fic Summary: The boys are playing spies, superheroes, and guns. They're doing it wrong- Bucky would know. Word Count: 808

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Title: The Future I See With You Is My Reward Collaborator: Politzania Link: AO3 Square Filled: B4 - Bucky/Tony Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: A/B/O ‘verse, vague reference to mpreg Summary: After a close call during a battle, Tony and Bucky cuddle on their couch and talk about the possibility of retiring and starting a family. Word Count: 636

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Title: Strip Shooting Collaborator: hddnone Link: AO3 Square Filled: K2 - Role Reversal Ship: WinterIronHawk Rating: Explicit Major Tags: oral sex, humor, crack Summary: Bucky and Clint are up to their usual crazy tricks on the shooting range, switching weapons and competing against each other. Tony wouldn’t be paying it any attention except JARVIS is upset about their lack of proper footwear. But the conditions of the sharpshooters’ bets means they start losing all the rest of their clothes as well - until it comes down to Tony to raise the stakes and declare a winner. Word Count: 3207

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Title: Ask For Much - Chapter 18: Quickly Collaborator: buckybarnesdeservestobehappy Link: Tumblr Square Filled: C5 - Kink: Rushed Sex Ship: Stucky Rating: Explicit Major Tags: hurt/comfort, angst, morning sex, quickies, friendship Summary: Natasha has an annoying way of showing up without much warning. That means Steve and Bucky only have time for a quickie. Or Bucky has a boyfriend! Word Count: 1008

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Title: Go On and Find What You’ve Been Missing Collaborator: Starjargon Link: AO3 Square Filled: K5 - Accidental Feelings Ship: Bucky & Eliot Spencer Rating: Gen Major Tags: Psych and Leverage crossover, kid fic, Red Room, dysfunctional family Summary: Bucky will always protect his son. No matter who he needs to protect him from. Word Count: 1062

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Title: Reengaged - Part One: Bucky Collaborator: ABrighterDarkness Link: AO3 Square Filled: K1 - Never the Fall that Kills You Ship: past Stucky, WinterIron, pre-Stuckony Rating: Teen Major Tags: Reference to Torture, Angst Summary: Bucky Barnes knew a thing or two about pain. It was something that he was intimately familiar with. He knew hundreds of different ways to inflict it. Just as he undoubtedly knew what all manner of pain felt like. But he had forgotten, or possibly never known, this particular brand of pain. Word Count:987

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Title: Reengaged - Part Two: Tony Collaborator: ABrighterDarkness Link: AO3 Square Filled: Y4 - Role Reversal Ship: past Stucky, WinterIron, pre-Stuckony Rating: Teen Major Tags: Reference to Torture, Angst Summary: He wondered how Steve would take it, if Tony were to tell him that he didn’t mind. That he wouldn’t be jealous or hurt or angry. That, if anything, Tony would welcome it. Would Steve believe him? Or would he proceed to offer more of the same promises? Promises that Tony was nearly positive he didn’t want to see kept. Word Count: 1635

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Title: Sticking Around... Chapter One: Bucky Collaborator: pherryt Link: AO3 Square Filled: U1 - Kidfic Ship: Pre-Winterhawk Rating: Gen Major Tags: kidfic, high school AU, foster care Summary: It’s been a few weeks now, and Bucky’s not sure how much closer Clint is to settling in then when he first arrived at Phil’s. Word Count: 7704

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Title: Sticking Around... Chapter Three: Bucky Collaborator: pherryt Link: AO3 Square Filled: U5 - Boardgames Ship: Pre-Winterhawk Rating: Gen Major Tags: kidfic, high school AU, foster care Summary: It’s been a few weeks now, and Bucky’s not sure how much closer Clint is to settling in then when he first arrived at Phil’s. Word Count: 7704

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Title: we remember them all with equal affection Collaborator: seibelsays Link: AO3 Square Filled: B2 - It Wasn’t Worth It Ship: Bucky/Darcy Rating: Gen Major Tags: Referenced character death Summary: Becca Barnes always tended the family graves. With the weather so cold this year, the responsibility falls to Bucky. He has complicated feelings about it. Word Count: 2038

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Title: The Basements Collaborator: riotfalling Link: AO3 Square Filled: U1 - Board Games Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: witch!Tony, vampire!Bucky, an adorable cottage Summary: Tony is willing to do just about anything to get out of his father’s house, and babysitting a magical cottage seems almost too easy. Even if he’s not sure exactly what’s in the basement. Word Count: 1229

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Title: Father to Father Collaborator: Starjargon Link: AO3 Square Filled: K4 - Entry Ship: Bucky & Eliot Spencer Rating: Gen Major Tags: Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Nathan Ford, Families of Choice, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Promises, Friendship, Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Nathan Ford has feels, Nathan Ford hearts His Team Summary: Nate Ford has a stranger in his apartment. Only, there's something eerily familiar about him. Word Count: 406

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Title: The Strength That Now You Show Collaborator: Starjargon Link: AO3 Square Filled: Y5 - Expendable Ship: Stucky Rating: Gen Major Tags: Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Compliant, Fix-It of Sorts, Conversations, Best Friends, Friends are Friends Forever, Bittersweet Ending, Hopeful Ending, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Steve Needs Bucky to Tell Him It'll Be Okay, Before he Can Tell Bucky It'll Be Okay, end of the line Summary: Bucky and Steve have a conversation before Steve takes the stones back. Word Count: 663

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Title: Take A Deep Breath (Baby, let me in) Collaborator: MagicaDraconia16 Link: AO3 Square Filled: Y1 - Winter Ship: WinterIron Rating: Mature Major Tags: Angst, humor, fluff, canon divergence, time travel, dimension travel, WWII (and related non-graphic violence), Extremis Tony Stark, first meetings, falling in love, kissing, period typical attitudes, pre-WS Bucky Barnes Summary: Take two villains playing ping-pong with the Cosmic Cube that apparently has some kind of hiccups, add in a dash of mis-directed repulsor fire, shake well, and what do you get? A Tony Stark stuck in both a time and a dimension not his own, that's what. He has to admit, though - he much prefers this version of Bucky Barnes, compared to Captain America's pipsqueak sidekick. Word Count: 7529

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Title: Ask For Much - Chapter 19: It’s a Beautiful Life Collaborator: buckybarnesdeservestobehappy Link: Tumblr Square Filled: U4 - Precision Ship: Stucky Rating: Mature Major Tags: hurt/comfort, angst, cooking, friendship, happiness Summary: Sam and Nat are happy for them. Or Bucky has a perfect day. Word Count: 913

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Title: The Midnight Fox - Chapter One Collaborator: Minka Link: AO3 Square Filled: Y4 – Bodyguard Ship: Stucky Rating: Mature Major Tags: royalty, bodyguard AU, PTSD Summary: Time for you all to meet the man of the hour. Or well, both men of the hour, because, in a crazy twist of fate and un-Minka-ness, our two fav guys meet in chapter fucking one! This is a first! Word Count: 10,782

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Title: Proof of Guilt Collaborator: Purple_ducky00 Link: AO3 Square Filled: Y2 – Innocent Until Proven Guilty Ship: WinterIron Rating: Mature Major Tags: Public foreplay Summary: Tony aims to figure out if Bucky should be punished for drinking his coffee Word Count: 413

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Title: Good Old-Fashioned Dancing Collaborator: Purple_ducky00 Link: AO3 Square Filled: C2 – Dancing Ship: WinterIron Rating: Teen Major Tags: dancing Summary: Tony and Bucky are downgraded to paperwork after a bad fight. How else should they spend the day but dancing? Word Count: 648

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Title: Sing me a song about you Collaborator: riotwritesthings Link: Tumblr Square Filled: C5 - kink: non-penetrative Ship: WinterIron Rating: Mature Major Tags: musician Bucky, grad student Tony, a meet-cute and a back alley handjob Summary: Bucky doesn’t usually notice much about the crowd while he’s on stage, instead just losing himself in the music. Tonight is different though. Word Count: 915

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Title: Good Changes Collaborator: Purple_ducky00 Link: AO3 Square Filled: Y5 – Height Difference Ship: WinterIron Rating: Gen Major Tags: no powers AU, Howling Commandos Summary: Steve loves his found family, but Bucky has a boyfriend who's changing the status quo. Can Steve work through that? Word Count: 764

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Title: Winter Solstice Collaborator: BookDragon13 Link: Tumblr Square Filled: Y4 - kink: alpha/beta/omega Ship: Bucky/reader Rating: Teen Major Tags: implied smut, A/B/O dynamics Summary: Bucky gets his rut over the Winter Solstice Word Count: 281

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Title: Ask For Much - Chapter 20: Rock On Collaborator: buckybarnesdeservestobehappy Link: Tumblr Square Filled: K4 - Pet Rock Ship: Stucky Rating: Teen Major Tags: hurt/comfort, angst, friends to lovers, happily ever after, happy ending Summary: Bucky Barnes doesn’t ask for much, but maybe he should. Or Bucky Barnes finds his happy ending. Word Count: 496

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Title: Soulmates? - Chapter 2 Collaborator: writing-what-writing Link: Tumblr Square Filled: U5 - Dream Sharing Ship: Bucky/Darcy Rating: Gen Major Tags: Light angst, mentions of Howard Stark being a bad dad Summary: Bucky and Darcy get to know each other and unknowingly share a dream. Bucky figures something out Word Count: 1675

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Title: The Valley of Lights Collaborator: writing-what-writing Link: Tumblr Square Filled: B2 - mutual appreciation society Ship: Bucky/reader Rating: Gen Major Tags: none Summary: You and Bucky go see Christmas lights Word Count: 322

#buckybarnesbingo2020 #bbb2020 #bbb weekly roundup #bbb week 37 roundup

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thecomicsnexus · 5 years

Text

True Stories

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #11. June, 1987. By Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird.

The issue opens with April having nightmares about being attacked by ninja monsters who look similar to the turtles and the Shredder. April wakes up screaming and then heads off to write in her diary. The diary becomes the framework for this issue.

Jan. 15, 1987 Yes, it's almost three A.M. again... My Night Mare alarm went off Big time tonight. It's been over two weeks now, with no relief... I was hoping to shake them before this... I think—The last time I closed my eyes and actually slept (and I believe exhaustion had a hand in that) was on the trip here... Even then my awakening was a shock... April recalls Casey startling her awake during the trip from New York City, wanting her to see downtown Northampton, Massachusetts. She is underwhelmed by the sight.

Considering my state of mind, my reaction was a few notches below "I couldn't care less." I guess I should've looked around a little; I hear that Northampton's nice... at least it might have afforded some kind of comfort for my next sight... From the road, Casey's late grandmother's house looked like a classic old New England farm house—big old barn, family-sized house, sheds, trees and rolling hills; you know, postcard material. That was from the road... Casey is full of nostalgia seeing the Jones Farm, but April is introduced to a dilapidated old building with broken windows and a front door falling off its hinges. April wants to start a warm fire and to get the still-injured Leo into the house. But she is fatigued, and falls asleep on a chair inside.

Jan. 25, 1987 Winter remains with us... snowed two days straight... Clear today. Leonardo's still pretty out of it. The battle tore him up terribly in both body and mind. Physically he has healed incredibly well, but mentally... I'm afraid has a lot of catching up. He's always put himself in front of the rest of the guys; taking charge, bearing the extra weight playing the Big Brother... When someone like that feels they've failed they fall hard! He's recently developed an intense obsession with the surrounding forests and spends all of his time there... I hope he finds what he's looking for and comes out of this depression soon... We all need him back. Leonardo, dressed in an improvised winter hunter's garb and armed with a yumi, stalks a stag through the forest without much success. The stag ambushes him, knocking him down. Leo pulls out of a knife and charges the stag head-on, but the powerful creature instead grabs the turtle with his antlers and throws him over and behind. Leo sits feeling defeated as the stag runs off.

I guess I could never know for sure how he feels inside. But I do know what losing your home—and everything that you own—feels like... Those things that you felt gave you a sense of being and strength in this world... Belongings that touched memory chords of loved ones. Father... I know he's hurting. Feb. 10, 1987 Everything is so strange... I feel like I've never looked at myself or the guys before; we're all so different now I try to identify the people I used to know with those that surround me now... and it's hard. Don isn't doing too badly, although he does work obsessively at the huge amount of repairs that need to be done here. The place has been vacant since Casey's Grandmother Left four years ago, it was pretty run down then. Besides a million little things, Don's rebuilt the windmill to pump water, devised a water wheel that creates enough current for lights and the fridge, and also installed a wood stove for better heating, all around. His most recent undertaking will—if it works—satisfy a craving we've all had lately... ...Hot running water! Feb. 15, 1987 Success! Showertime! Everybody's going nuts! Feb. 17, 1987 Feeling strangely depressed lately... I guess I expected Don to rest a bit after the last hard-won victory... No such luck. I heard him rummaging around in the attic early this morning... who knows what he's working on now. Feb. 17, 1987 Don's Writing Too! He must have found an old typewriter in the attic yesterday. I awoke to the tapping of busy keys around seven A.M. and he's been at it ever since! I wonder what he's writing about... is it a journal, like mine? I'd love to know... Donatello is shown in the attic room with the typewriter...and a trash can filled to overflowing with crumpled up pieces of paper.

Feb. 26, 1987 Michaelangelo worries me the most Mike, who could find a joke in just about any situation, doesn't laugh much anymore. Except for some half hearted goofing around with Casey and Raph, he's been almost painfully solitary lately it's so unlike him. But then all of us seem to have a need to be alone these days. Has what's happened made us unable to be close? I don't know... Mike's chosen a back section of the barn for his sanction... cleared a lot of junk out and created a little work-out space. The other day I happened in on one of his sessions. He was already on edge. Michelangelo is shown repeatedly kicking a punching bag until it breaks completely off its chain. He bashes and destroys a workbench with his arms. Unsatisfied, his takes his rage to the barn wall, ripping a hole out of the wood. He rests his arms on the new hole and groans.

We all feel so much pain and confusion— Each of us keeping his personal torment bottled up inside... Each seeking relief in his own way. The cure hangs plainly, clearly in front of our faces, but who will be the first to reach out? We Need Each Other! March 2, 1987 Raphael scares me. The rest of the guys I can feel for, worry for... but not Raph. Raph runs Hot and Cold... very unbalanced, unpredictable. I keep my distance. Lately I've noticed he doesn't sleep much. He's always always the first up and the last to bed. I think I've heard him Leaving the house late at night, too. I wonder what he's doing... standing guard? Late at night out in the cold on top of the barn, standing guard is exactly what Raphael is doing. He judges the front of the farm clear, then flips several times across the barn rooftop to the back, and judges the back of the farm also clear.

March 10, 1987 I've known some odd characters in my time, living in Brooklyn most of my life, But the likes of Casey Bernid Jones is beyond compare. I believe that in Casey's mind there's a petulant, mischievious ten year old waging constant war with a somewhat mature, Bright young man... unfortunately the ten year old wins far too often. Casey spends all of his time with Raphael, fighting, or "doin' projects, doin' projects!" as they say— usually more damage. What next? In the barn, Casey is trying to repair the engine of an old pickup truck while Raphael sits behind the steering wheel. As they work, they carry on a debate.

One day later in the month, April is out walking on the ice of a frozen lake. But the ice cracks under her weight, plunging her into the freezing water. Leo is hunting nearby and hears her shouts. At the edge of the lake, he takes off his hunting garb which unrolls into a long strip of cloth. He stakes one end of the cloth into the lakeside with his katana, and crawls out onto the ice holding the other end of the cloth, successfully pulls April to safety, and carries her back to the farmhouse.

Back inside, April is resting and recovering from hypothermia. Splinter, the turtles and Casey are gathered around her.

May 1, 1987 I can't believe it's been over a month since I fell through the ice... and even longer since I've picked up this journal. I almost didn't this time, either. it all seems to mean so little now. I started this book to rebuild all I had lost in the fire. I guess after my mid-winter swim (HA, HA) I realized how little my life long accumulation of possessions had. I thought I was all I had in this world. Not true. I've got me, and I've got memories. I also have friends, real friends that I care for and that care for me. I'll always be there for them and they for me; we have each other, we are a family... one. This will probably be my last entry. I guess I just wanted some kind of final word ...sort of wrap up all I had written so far. Life is Good... and Life Goes on. After a day of training, Splinter and his sons are gathered around a campfire.

April wakes up in her bedroom to the sound of creaking. Is this another nightmare? She is pleasantly surprised by the four turtles: One serves her breakfast in bed as another prepares to give her flowers and another opens the window blinds to let in the morning light.

From Turtlepedia

This title needed one of these stories to “catch up” with time. It is early in TMNT history and at this point, time kind of passes by just like in real life. In reality, they really didn’t need such a thing, but this interlude is the source of many stories, presenting a status quo for guest artists.

It seems to me like it is finally Splinter who can put them all together and working for the same goal, in a way this make sense, as he is the father. But he can also influence Casey and April.

I give the issue a score of 8.

#tmnt #teenage mutant ninja turtles #comics #review #1987 #modern age

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diveronarpg · 6 years

Photo

Congratulations, LOUISE! You’ve been accepted for the role of BEATRICE. Admin Em: Louise, your application was such a joy to read, and I knew by the time I finished with your interview and sample that this IS Brielle. You captured the balance between dreamer and cynic perfectly, brought life into our spark and made it impossible to tear our eyes away! You showed us why she’s not to be underestimated, why she’s a force in her own right - “That’s what caused her to win; not God, not luck and not whatever else people decided to give credit to.” Just Brielle. Brielle and her horse. Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

Out of Character

Alias | Louise

Age | 23

Preferred Pronouns | She/her

Activity Level | I’m moving to England in October and that might be a week where I won’t be as active because I need to settle in but I will still try to come on and, at the very least, do a few replies and plot! Overall, I’m pretty active and try to do replies on the daily and I’d say I’m a 6 out of 10, my activity depending on how much writing muse I have that day!

Timezone | Gmt

In Character

Character | Beatrice a.k.a Brielle King

What drew you to this character? | The first line of her biography hooked me in right away. It really intrigued me about her character and it got me curious about what was the story behind the words you guys used. I was pleasantly surprised. And as I kept reading, I just got this incessant feeling of wanting to explore her character more — I almost couldn’t even sit still (then again I never can’t) until the end of the biography because I was excited to do things for her, to write as her and to develop her.

When I got to the end of her biography, I found myself wanting to read it again and again; I adore the fact that Brielle, quite literally, built herself from nothing — she’s a dreamer and a cynic at the same time, with street smarts that would put most to shame. I like her independence. I like her strength and that includes her weaknesses, as well. And, most of all, I love how she’s everything people don’t expect her to be.

Brielle is strong in her own way and while she might not look intimidating, she is, in my opinion, the embodiment of the words “Throw me to the wolves and I will return leading the pack”. People look at her and see an outsider that will be eaten alive by the city of Verona but her past will prove them wrong; she might not end up ruling over the city of Verona but I believe she’s strong enough to sway some power in her favor, in her own way.

She’s clever, she’s intelligent, she doesn’t give up and doesn’t back down. And I love how she handled the cards that she was dealt, in a table where it’s so clear some people are being favored over others. She didn’t just sit back and waited for life to give her what she wanted; she didn’t wait for karma to finally give her the life she wanted and deserved. Instead, she took matters into her own hands and did what she had to do to get to where she is today.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? |

i. GREATNESS FROM SMALL BEGINNINGS. At the risk of sounding a bit too greedy, I would love to see Brielle become “more important” within the Montagues; of course, I don’t want her to become a Captain overnight but I do believe she has the potential to be quite the asset to the mob and climb that ladder, step after step and prove herself to be more than they expect her to be. She’s hardworking, an overachieving, always striving to do better and do it to the best of her abilities, proving that the doubts about her, whatever they may be, are plain wrong. This is a plot for the long-run and I think would be very interesting!

ii. BE STILL, DON’T MISS IT. Catherine Daly holds a very interesting place in Brielle’s mind. For someone that has always depended on her own mind, her own edcisions and her own beliefs, it would be refreshing to have someone that makes Brielle’s mind take another stance when it comes to proving to everyone who she is; perhaps, she could take a break, for a few hours, and just enjoy someone’s company and that someone would be Catherine. Like it’s said in her biography, Catherine reminds Brielle of her sister. Although she couldn’t compare to the unspoken bond between Brielle and her blood, Catherine fills a void that appeared in Brielle’s heart when she finally went out into the world and took what she wanted.

iii. THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS. I’m quite interested in her mentor and mentoree relationship with Faron Vasiliev and how it’s implied that they are kindred spirits. I adore those types of connections and for someone that’s always depended on herself her entire life, it would be good to see Brielle keep her independence and her street smarts but still be able to lean on someone for some guidance; of course, she would say it’s only just so she can become better herself but I believe that, either way, it would be a good relationship to explore and let it influence Brielle.

iv. HAVE VIOLENT ENDS. When I read about her relationship with Brigette, I was so enticed by it. For someone that’s so fearless but keeps her own weaknessess in check, it’s really interesting to see Brielle lose control of her emotions, the reins a bit looser, when it comes to dealing with Brigette. I love that the word “fear” was mentioned and that Brielle believes she has never felt it, but come this porcelain looking girl and, in a moment, she feels as if the world is about to fall on her. I think the interactions between these two can show a different side of Brielle; instead of roleplaying the fearless, overachieving Montague soldier, I’ll be able to also write a more… vulnerable side of her, in terms of being close to afraid of someone.

v. WHAT’S A GOD TO A NON-BELIEVER. I know this is a really vague plot, but I’d like to have the possibility, as well, to explore a waver in her loyalty. The way I see it, Brielle is loyal to the potential that comes from being o Montague’s side and she’s loyal to her mentor; however, I’d like to see how far she could be pushed until she began realising that perhaps her loyalty wasn’t as certain as most would assume. I feel like throughout her biography I didn’t get the sense she was fully committed to the Montagues, so that’d be something I’d like to explore if it fit her and the plot!

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | Right now, I’m going to have to say no. However, that might change in the future!

In Depth

In-Character Interview:

Come to the west, come to Verona and you’ll experience a life you’ve never experienced before. Brielle remembered her benefactor’s words like he had just said it to her, days ago. Although she had just arrived in Verona mere months before that very moment, it took the newspaper all but a few weeks after she arrived to schedule that small interview; lucky for her — or was it? — it was right in the middle of the Phoenix and the Turtle coffee shop and although she had just made an appearance, her alignment might just prove dangerous in that particular moment.

Sitting across from the interviewer, Brielle allowed her dark eyes to study the man for a few moments; middle-aged, carefully groomed hair and a suit that put most to shame, not to mention he had ignored technology and held a notepad and a ballpoint pen in his hand. The young woman didn’t want to do this interview but she knew better than to bite the hand that fed her.

Foregoing the famous coffee for which the Phoenix and the Turtle was known for, all the brunette wanted was to get out of that interview. The faster, the better.

What is your favorite place in Verona?

“Verona.” Brielle simply said, a lopsided smile appearing on her lips as if she had thought of such an answer just to appear clever; the young soldier didn’t have to appear to be anything. As far as people were concerned, she didn’t appear much but Brielle knew she was on her way to becoming everything. “I’m still getting to know the city of love, you know? So, I can’t name a place.” She figured if she talked enough, then he wouldn’t pester more than the necessary.

Why Verona? It’s the embodiment of the ultimate challenge; Brielle knows she can survive such a merciless town, plagued by both beauty and a crimson, scary river of blood from both sides of the city, inhabited by people with knives for tongues and smiles as deadly as a gun.There’s beauty in danger, she muses inside her own mind, but Brielle is too smart to be swayed by beauty. The city that saw her as nothing but an outsider, the city that threatened to swallow her whole without knowing that she was made of poison.

She’s both proudful and humble and she hasn’t gotten this far, climbed through vines made of poison and thorns, to be made a fool of by Verona.

“But if you want to know a specific place, then whenever I’m racing or at the stables.” Whether it was Rio’s mere presence or the fact that whenever she was on a horse, she wasn’t just the outsider that had come to race in the West and try and make it there. Whenever she entered a race, she knew that inside that place, Brielle was another equestrian and a good one at that. Her roots didn’t matter because, at the end of the race, the only thing people remembered was whether or not she finished last or first.

“Life of an equestrian, right?”

What does your typical day look like?

There was something about sharing that had Brielle feel conflicted; she had no problem sharing a room or a piece of clothing or even her own bed. Coming from nothing, Brielle knows how it feels to be deprived of what you need and not what you want.

However, when it came to sharing her life, she was always with a foot in the room and another out the door.

“I’m an equestrian.” It was the perfect cover, wasn’t it? Brielle had grown up being invisible; being the daughter of a man that brought dinner to the table instead of sitting down and eating it, much like her family, Brielle was used to being in the background, never having the spotlight shine on her. And most didn’t care about horse races, at all.

Before, the fire that grew inside of her for being treated like nothing because she came from nothing had been just that — fire that never seemed to guide her anywhere (until it finally did). Now? It’s her ammo.

“If I’m not at the stables, taking care of my horse, Rio” river, stream — that’s what her horse’s name meant; it was a symbol for who she wants to become. If someone builds a new path for the river, it doesn’t do anything but shape itself to it and carry on until its final goal: the ocean. That’s who Brielle was, was it not? “ — I’m either training or just exploring the city. I’ve only been here for a couple of months, I know there’s still a lot to explore.”

And everything left unexplored had a darkness to it that called to the curious minds like a siren song.

What has been your biggest mistake thus far?

None. That was the first response that came to her mind because everything she did was because she wanted to do it. “Not coming to Verona sooner.” If she allowed herself to be truthful about something in her life, it was that.

Of course, it was the answer that she knew they wanted to hear, at least partly. If Brielle hadn’t come sooner, she wouldn’t have realized that she was so much more than everyone told her she was; she wouldn’t have raced against every doubt throw in her face and let it eat the dust she left behind; she wouldn’t have shown someone that took his position for granted that, if given the choice, she’d take it for herself and be better than they could ever be.

“The horse race tracks are much better here.”

What has been the most difficult task asked of you?

Oh, Brielle remembers it clearly. It was as if she would be able to look into the river that bathed Verona and see the scenario play in front of her, like some independent motion picture. It wasn’t a one time kind of tasks, that much she remembered. It was something spoken to her every day of her life, for hours on end. Mind your station. Watch who you’re talking to. Focus on your work and nothing else. Don’t expect too much of yourself. Those were the tasks that were hardest for her, but the absolute hardest was easy to remember.Don’t dream too much. “So far?” She wasn’t about to be truthful, not in this sort of… interview. “Riding a horse that wasn’t mine. It’s just… strange, I guess.”

What are your thoughts on the war between the Capulets and the Montagues?

It was the epitome of greed and malicious thoughts and actions, the home to people that believe themselves to be better than the rest just because they are native to fair Verona. Still, Brielle knew where she ought to be and where she wanted to be. “Just like in every war, there’s going to be a winner and a loser.” The brunette began, shrugging her shoulders. And I’m on the winning side. Brielle planned to make the most of the situation, just like she had done thus far — and, where success was concerned, she had managed to grip the reins of it even when life wanted to see her fall and stay down. “It’s not my place to comment any further.”

In-Character Para Sample:

The reds and the oranges of the sunset cascaded down the sky, lighting up the stables in a color that was fitting for what was happening at that moment; it was neither night nor day, dark nor light — it was an ambiguous hour and if one didn’t try hard enough they could mistake the colors of the sunset for those of a sunrise. It wasn’t defined and hard to pinpoint, just like Brielle was, many complained. For someone that didn’t have much growing up, her confidence and pride sure rivaled the ones of people that had been brought up with everything on their silver platter, from the latest piece of clothing to their precious silver spoon — or marble one, should they decide to eat caviar.

Up and down, up and down. Her hand followed the brush as she tamed Rio’s mane, a lovingly stare becoming an empty gaze as her mind got hypnotized by the repetitive motion and her thoughts began flowing away, thinking back to memories she hadn’t thought of since she got to Verona.

————

The sounds around her began to fade and it was as if she was watching a show with a slow transition into another scene. Flashes of her childhood, of the word she had done before she even knew what working was. Brielle remembers walking by the oblivious people that surfed through the waves of an easy life while the young girl had to fight and swim among the same crashing waves; she remembers how she felt whenever they passed her by, ignored her and became the embodiment of the words ignorance is bliss.

Oh, they were as blissful as they could be, with rose-colored glasses matching their perfect outfits. Brielle’s glasses didn’t even have lenses, she saw the world exactly as it was and she still wanted to conquer it.

The faces of her parents and her sister looked right at her and though they moved their lips, there was no sound coming out of their mouths; Brielle’s memory was good but not that good. Her father, with a surname worthy of someone at the top of the food chain, was someone that lived to pick up the breadcrumbs from those around him. Her mother, either praying to a God that didn’t seem to know of their existence of knitting Brielle and her sister new sweaters for the winter was near and they didn’t have enough money for warm enough jackets. Brielle remembers looking around her house — if one could even call it that — and knowing that that life wasn’t meant for her, it wasn’t meant for anyone.

Then, every time she looked at the blissful people surrounding her, it was as if someone poured gasoline in the fire that kept her going. It was as if she had to thank those ignorant, rich kids for where she was right now.

————

Brielle King? Brielle King?

The words echoed inside the stables and although she didn’t recognize the voice, she knew it was time for her and Rio to join the others and race. There was going to be no God with her in that track; only her hard work, dedication, and practice; the countless hours spent in the stables and the tracks, every day spent there and every drop of sweat that escaped her. There was a lot of preparation before every race, at least the way Brielle did it. That’s what caused her to win; not God, not luck and not whatever else people decided to give credit to.

It was Brielle and her horse, the hours they spend together training, getting maneuvers down to precise movements and a form that would put most to shame. Although Rio was a beautiful, white and light brown purebred, given to her by her benefactor, every time they stepped on the tracks, alongside more known jockeys, they were underestimated. They were the dark horse. With her helmet tugged under her arm, three fingers holding the reins of her horse, she walked out of the stable and looked at the person that called out to her. With a last name so memorable, it was a surprise that most would never remember her face in a crowd; though it was something she was used to.

Upon seeing her, the young woman questioned, “It’s time for the race”

Without hesitation, Brielle looked at Rio and ran her hand through his soft mane. “And we’re ready to win, aren’t we, Rio?”

Extras: Everything’s in the mock blog I submitted from!

#accepted: beatrice #accepted

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plaantgang · 6 years

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dear lizzy

welp. I’m going to send this in and then delete myself forever from the earth. But hey! don’t think I would ever forget your birthday you smelly pikachu.

I’m gonna be downright honest with you here because I guess it’s a lot easier to do it over the internet rather than face to face and I’m a pussy. I’m terrified you’ve forgotten me. It’s Noah. Alex’s friend, the idiot who really wanted a turtle growing up. The guy who would come over all the time pretending he wasn’t there to see you but was very obviously there to see you. It’s probably completely inappropriate that I’m messaging you for the first time in like 4 years and I wouldn’t be surprised if you delete this before reading it. I’ve been a dick. A dick who was terrified to pursue something he cared about because he knew he was making it harder for you. Despite being the biggest asshole who hasn’t kept in touch and is messaging you now when you really don’t need me, I just wanted to let you know that I miss you more than anything and I care about you so fucking much. I just.. I wanted you to be happy. And you are. I hope. Speaking of Lizzy, that’s your username on here… does everyone call you that now? Ima have to throw hands. How many words can I fit in this thing? I knew I should have made a scrapbook.. too late now. Is this weird? I think it might be weird for you. I dyed my hair black the other day. I don’t know why. It’s cool though because black isn’t really a colour so it’s “jet black” which is a really dark blue and I look so edgy in the right lighting. Shut up Noah. Talk normally. I was never really good at that with people except you. You were so understanding and you just listened to me and I don’t think it’s ever going to be the same with anyone else. I remember staying up until 3am just texting you because you’d always reply, and you were always there and you made me feel so wanted and loved. It came back, you know. The eating disorder, after I went back to England. That makes it sound like i’m blaming it on you not being there which isn’t true but it was a lot harder to get through this time. I wanted to call but I felt pathetic. It felt like I was calling you because I only wanted you to sit down and tell me “everything would be okay” which wasn’t what I wanted to talk to you about. I wanted to talk like normal. Not lose contact for a year and then pop up when I was in trouble. You deserve so much more than that and I’m so happy you have that now. I guess today was the day I just decided to put on my big boy pants, sit down and just spill it all out. I just recovered from a brain tumour. Wow Noah. So much for not forcing information and the need for pity onto people.. anyway. It was a little bit of a wake up call. A “hey dude life is short so stop fucking whining and talk to her”. I hate being terrified of you and how you think of me. I’m so sorry Eliza. You’re so beautiful and mature now and Jesus Christ I just hope you’re happy. I hope everything in the world goes right for you because you’ve gone through hell and back and I adore you for that. I hope I see you again, that would make me so happy. Because I still miss you and I still think about you and I know it’s unfair to just pop up like this but I want you to know that everything was real. Everything with you was raw and real and perfect and thank you for that. Thank you for late nights cuddling with Ben and Jerry’s and pizza and for tolerating my weirdness and for being so bright and wonderful. I’m sorry for the fact we never went on a proper date. I’m sorry for the fact I didn’t try hard enough to reach out to you. I’m sorry for never being completely honest with you the day I left. I remember the day the plane landed, and I got off alone, and went through the airport. My mum didn’t even pick me up. I just felt so alone… and you weren’t there. And I think that’s when it hit me that I love you. I still do. I think I always will.

Stay wonderful Lizzy, happy birthday <3

- from turtle boy :) 🐳🐢

PS: Here are some dumb photos of me drinking things - in case you forgot what I looked like c:

https://imgur.com/hGpSAKP

noah oh my god holy shit what the FUCK

#submissions #submission

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kuh-boose · 6 years

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Birthday present for @arishynya because she’s an amazing dork with beautiful characters. It’s uber-cheesy but that’s the best kind of story.

Portals.

Uly. Hated. Portals.

The damn things were a sure fire way to throw everything out of whack and plop you exactly where you don’t want to be. Portals had led her to more than a few of her top ten worst moments and very quickly became a source of annoyance, if not anger.

Kiba seemed quite happy though. Nearly on the verge of cheering, her tail flicking from side to side, bouncing on her feet like she was trying to imitate a very large bunny. She was clutching her plastron, turning to face her friend with the biggest grin. Pearly white fangs caught Uly’s attention, in the same way a rabbit most certainly notices a dogs canines. Instead of fear though, the fragile little daggers reminded Uly of the irony that something so small and childish could be so dangerous.

“Uly, do you hear that!?” Kiba squeaked, pulling Uly out of her thoughts.

She did hear it, the thrumming and thumping and singing, the chatter of people… not people. Not humans, at least. Uly took a moment to really observe their surroundings. Thick bushes and plants and trees, all bent up in odd shapes with shifting colors and some with clear skin, so that the throbbing and colorful insides could be seen. Uly cursed her luck, and added another reason to the very long list of why she hated portals.

An alien planet.

An alien planet with alien life.

Worse yet. An alien planet with alien music, which was what she assumed that noise was.

“We should go check it out!” Uly jolted when Kiba popped into view, blinking at her and grinning even wider now, a gleam in her eye that made the salamandarian nervous.

“What? No. No no no. We are not--” Uly gripped her tiny companions arm and started to tug her deeper into the brush “--going towards that awful noise.”

“Noise? Uly, it’s music. Music!”

“And we’re on an alien planet! Are you stu--” she bit her tongue, remembering to tone back the insults. Kiba didn’t deserve them--usually. Instead, she opted for narrowing her eyes at the girl. “It’s dumb. We’re not going.” she said, making sure to put a bit of edge and authority in her tone.

Of course, she knew it was a losing battle the moment she said it.

They compromised, something Kiba was unaware Uly only did with her. They would observe for a full hour before they actually made their way into the crowds of aliens. Kiba didn’t know there were so many species, and certainly didn’t know they could all mingle like this without serious conflict. Every color of the rainbow, every shape, every size, milling about, shrieking and laughing and crying… or at least what she assumed were the equivalents of such emotions. Her family would love this.

Her family. The thought of them distracted her, pricked her heart with sadness for just a moment before she caught sight of flashing lights and a stage. She quickly decided she would just have to remember as much as possible so she could tell them.

“Uly, look!” she took hold of the salamandarians arm, pointing towards the stage.

“It hasn’t been--”

“It’s starting! Come on!” Kiba didn’t waste a moment, knowing full well she needed Uly surprised if she even hoped to move her. She knew from experience that she just had to get the big newt going, and then she would give in and follow. She also knew that Uly would grumble the entire way. Which was fine, Kiba thought, so long as she was moving forward. And so, with a lot of effort on Kiba’s part, they made their way into the crowd. Kiba prattled on excitedly as Uly helped her barrel her way towards the front, bumping into most of the patrons that Kiba managed to dodge and getting more frustrated by the second, it seemed.

It was worth it though, when they finally made their way up to the front. Kiba watched as Uly’s face fell, eyes widening as she stared up at the stage. A salamandarian, with skin like a patchwork of cream and ginger clad in flowery blue robes, glided to the center of the stage, smiling widely at the audience. Quietly the band began, followed by the tender voice of the salamadarian, quickly joined by the audience as they chirped and howled and croaked and sang along. Slowly but surely the song picked up, it’s energy flowing out into the crowd, enticing movement like a wind shakes tree branches. Kiba could feel her heart jump in her chest, just as excited as the surrounding masses, warmth flooding her limbs and electrifying her. She jumped and bounced and moved as much as she could in the tight space, tugging on Uly’s arm.

As always, there was protest, protest rather quickly followed by a begrudging compliance as Uly somewhat awkwardly mimicked Kiba’s movements. These were the moments when Uly felt it, the unfamiliar relaxing of her nerves as her deep seated anxiety took a step back, refusing to fully leave but allowing her the space needed to properly breathe. For a short while, her ever chittering mind fell quiet, distracted by the calm assurance in Kiba’s smiling eyes, an essence so pure and so rare that Uly was sure she had never, and never again will, see it in anyone else’s eyes. Deep inside, she knew that sparkle was the product of love, of being loved. It was the confidence of self that came from having parents fully in love with their child. A small part of Uly envied it, hated that she didn’t have it.

A much larger part of her was completely infatuated with it.

So much so that she hardly noticed when the song switched until Kiba settled for pressing in close to her side and gazing up at the performer. Uly blinked, took a deep breath, and--

What the hell?

Just a bit ahead of them and to the left was a small, anthropomorphic turtle wrapped up in thick and bright colored clothing, clutching an Utrom who looked rather emotional. It clutched the turtles arms and neck as it quietly sobbed, wiping away tears every so often. The turtle, however, looked unfazed; merely patting a tentacle and looking on with a look that was neither amused, nor annoyed.

“Pffftt. I didn’t know Utrom’s liked music so much.” Kiba whispered, startling Uly, and after a moment, sighed. “We can go now. I’m sure you’re eager to leave.”

Uly shifted her weight, lifting a hand to rub the back of her neck.

“...We...could stay. I mean, if you like it that much.” she muttered, looking away as Kiba began to smirk at her. “It’d be more of pain to try and make it back out of the crowd anyways, since you had to be dumb and get so close.” As she spoke, she was painfully aware of the smugness rolling off of her small friend, though she found it hard to be fully annoyed by it.

“Yeah, dumb.”

An extra tidbit I added from the original ending.

“So some strange dude hands you some random thing and you just take it?” Uly stood over Kiba, who was tentatively plucking at the strings of the oddly shaped instrument.

“Well he didn’t just give it to me. I traded him my headband, since I have more anyways.”

“Why do you even want that thing? You can’t play it.”

“Well, it’s close to a ukulele, and Uncle Mikey taught me how to play that a long time ago.” she stroked the instrument lovingly. “I think I can remember that one song… hold on.”

After a few minutes of awkward strumming and plucking, a song began to take shape. Kiba began by humming, before finally singing. It was light and calm, somewhere between happy and contemplative. When Kiba finally finished, she blushed, realizing that Uly was still standing there with her face one of perplexion.

“That language, my translator didn’t pick it up. It’s not… uh, England?”

Kiba giggled, if a little nervously, “English, no it wasn't. It was Japanese.” She turned her eyes back down to the strings and idly strummed a few, “Mom made sure I knew it.”

Uly huffed and sat down, resting her head on her hand, “So uh… what was that song about?”

Kiba shifted a little uncomfortably,

“Hmm? Oh well…heh, um...cheese… it was about cheese. And some other stuff. It's not really important.”

#its a scribble

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ambrosias-cottage · 7 years

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Wizards and Gnomes With Heart April 26, 1998|SUSAN KING | TIMES STAFF WRITER

After conjuring up huge ratings with the lavish adventures "Gulliver's Travels" and "The Odyssey," NBC is hoping its latest mythical extravaganza, "Merlin," will cast a similar spell over audiences. Executive produced by Robert Halmi Sr., the force behind those previous two NBC projects and USA's recent "Moby Dick," the four-hour "Merlin" features a star-studded cast, as well as more than 500 eye-popping special-effects created by London's FrameStore and the Jim Henson Creature Shop. Sam Neill ("Jurassic Park," "The Piano") stars as the magical wizard who allies himself with the young man who is to become the legendary King Arthur of Camelot. Miranda Richardson plays Mab, the queen of Darkness, who created the half-human Merlin in order to keep the "old ways" of magic alive. Helena Bonham Carter is the evil seductress Morgan Le Fey. "Saturday Night Live" and "SCTV" veteran Martin Short plays Frik, Mab's conniving gnome and master of disguise, and Isabella Rossellini is the love of Merlin's life, the beautiful Nimue. Shot on location in Wales, Scotland and England, "Merlin" is also populated with a fanciful talking mountain, magical horses, fairies and various assorted dragons and demons. Director Steve Barron ("Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles") hopes audiences will say "Wow!" while watching the fantasy. "I hope they are going to feel engaged and really swept away by the scale of it," he says. "I think people will be surprised again, as they were with 'Gulliver's' and 'Odyssey,' at the scale of it. It looks so big. There is a real romance to this. I think you do care about these characters and do root for them." Barron says he tried to live up to the precedent of "Gulliver's Travels" and "Odyssey." "They were both great," he explains. "That was good because straightaway you have standards you have to reach. I mean, I constantly waved [both movies] as my piece of ammunition at everybody. I said, 'Look, it has to be up to this standard, so I need this.' In depicting the character Merlin, Barron says he sought to avoid what he describes as a comedic "Nutty Professor"-type wizard, replete with a funny hat and voice and a long, white beard. This sorcerer, he says, is someone "you want to follow. We decided to flip [the myth] on its head a little and have him be the sanity among the insanity. That made a far more interesting story. Legend didn't have him jumping around in a silly hat and screaming at everyone. He was a very wise man among a lot of kind of tyrants and crazy mortals." Neill also strove to make Merlin believable to contemporary audiences. "He is half immortal, but I wanted him to be as accessible as possible," the actor explains. "It's his humanity that interests me more than his magical and mystical powers. So that's the thrust of what I was doing. What I didn't want him to be was one of those cliche wizardly type of people. I have seen it too many times before." Barron cast Neill--definitely a thinking woman's heartthrob--because he wanted Merlin to be "a rock. I mean a vulnerable rock, but one that you felt was relentless in his ambition. I always felt Sam was that sort of actor. He was so watchable, and you needed to be drawn into a story and drawn along with him. You are happy to join forces with him going through this adventure. The central theme of the piece is his love for this woman whom he meets when he is a young kid."

While making "Merlin," Neill discovered there are legions of fans of all things Arthurian. "There is an enormous following," he says. "It's on a Trekkie kind of proportion. I couldn't count myself as one of them, but on the other hand, I grew up [with these myths]. It's part of our culture."

If Neill is the rock of "Merlin," Short is its comedic heart. The versatile actor is in his element as the pointy-eared Frik. "When you first see him, he's kind of a butler to Queen Mab," says Short, who created such memorable characters as Jackie Rogers Jr., Ed Grimley, Irving Cohen and Nathan Thurm on "SCTV" and "SNL." "It's pretty amazing--the makeup. The biggest transformation is when Mab sends him off to woo Helena Bonham Carter. She changes him into sort of a dashing soul. Lucky me." Short jumped at the chance to play Frik because, he says, the role gave him the opportunity to create seven diverse incarnations of the character. Besides, he quips, "the list is not that long for people who can play Frik the bony gnome--me and John Goodman. That's it." He also liked the fact that Frik and Mab are not painted as purely evil. "Mab knows if people stop believing in magic and believe in [Christianity], that her world, in fact, will disappear. She'll lose her power. She believes that people need to believe in fantasy." Frik, Short explains, starts out a "little muddied and finds his way. You can't give the story away, of course, but he does fall in love. I think that loves makes him alter his course and makes him become a different gnome." Merlin, too, is endearingly flawed. "He has great powers and is a man of action and a mystical man," Neill says. "But he's also very human, too. He makes terrible mistakes. But that's why you relate to him. If he was a super mensch you would be bored." "Merlin" airs at 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday on NBC.

#Merlin #Merlin 1998 #Sam Neill #Martin Short

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