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phantom-le6 · 1 year

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Ramble of the month May 2023: 90’s MCU Phase 2 (1996-1999)

It’s now been a year since I did the last of my monthly rambles outlining how to do a 90’s MCU fan-cast properly, in response to the inaccurate memes on the subject. To mark the anniversary and in lieu of a better subject, we’re now going to look at the next round of films I would have in such an alternative MCU. Before we look at this, however, let’s recap what the right way to do a 90’s MCU is and what’s come before.

First of all, Marvel film rights in the 90’s were different to today; it was in the mid-90’s (1995, if memory serves) that Marvel had to sell the film rights on its characters to various mainstream film studios in order to avoid bankruptcy. It’s for this reason that the X-Men and Fantastic Four films to date have all been made by 20th Century Fox, Sony has handled Spider-Man solo films and so on. The MCU is comprised of films (and now TV shows) made with film rights that lapsed back to Marvel due to sometime passing without those film rights being used. As such, a proper 90’s MCU will capitalise on all Marvel properties, provided you don’t leave things too late in the decade to start (if you do, a 90’s MCU would be impossible).

Second, the source material was different back in the 1990’s. The Ultimates continuity of comics that made Nick Fury a look alike for Samuel L Jackson hadn’t been done yet (that was all turn-of-the century/millennium stuff), no Winter Soldier arc bringing back Bucky, the Peter Quill iteration of Guardians of the Galaxy wouldn’t be done in comics until 2007, Civil War didn’t hit comics until 2006, and so on. Because of this, the storylines for any films would be different and you’d have a different standard of comics-accurate casting, etc. to the MCU we know at the moment.

Finally, as goes without saying, it’s a different group of actors to go at, which is part and parcel of asking what a 90’s-centric MCU would be like. So, let’s do a very quick recap of my 90’s MCU phase 1;

1992: Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man

1993: Thor, Spider-Man, Ant-Man & The Wasp

1994: Captain America: Fantastic Four 2, Iron Man 2

1995: X-Men, Avengers, Daredevil

The 1992 films give us introductions to the title characters via their origin arcs, as do each of the films thereafter which aren’t sequels or about putting the Avengers together. More of the films are New York-centric in places (most notably Thor’s opening film), and of course there’s some quite different characters, actors, etc. worked in, which you’ll get some reminders of from the role reprisals seen in the phase 2 films, which we’ll now dive into. First, here’s the quick overview of the 90’s MCU phase 2 line-up;

1996: Spider-Man 2, Thor: Land of Enchantment, Silver Surfer

1997: Hulk vs Wolverine, Fantastic Four: Doomsday, Iron Man 3

1998: Captain America: Society of Serpents, Daredevil 2, X-Men 2

1999: Avenger 2, Spider-Man 3, Doctor Strange

As you can see, this phase is very much weighted towards sequels as much as the MCU phase 2 we know from real life, but like that phase, we also get a couple of original films. So, without further ado, let’s look at what these various films involve.

Spider-Man 2 (1996) Directed by John Hughes

Peter Parker/Spider-Man = Wil Weaton

May Parker = Marg Helgenberger

Flash Thompson = Ben Affleck

J. Jonah Jameson = J.K. Simmons

Joseph "Robbie" Robertson = Denzel Washington

Betty Brant = Parker Posey

Jacob Conover = Steve Buscemi

Randy Robertson = Taye Diggs

Norman Osborn = John Travolta

Harry Osborn = Ryan Phillipe

Gwen Stacy = Reese Witherspoon

Captain George Stacy = James Cromwell

Mary-Jane Watson = Alison Hannigan

Sergei Kravenoff/Kraven the Hunter = Gerard Butler

Dmitri Smerdyakov/Chameleon = Brent Spiner

Spider-Man gets to headline this phase of my 90’s MCU, and with the first film having occurred during his time at high school, this one goes into his college years. This enables us to add Harry, MJ and Gwen to his supporting cast, all of whom he only met when he went to college in the original comics. As such, this is an element of source material accuracy no adaptation of Spider-Man has ever got right. That being said, some accuracy to the source material has to go when making films of superheroes, and here the trade-off is Gwen’s dad being killed by a different villain to the comics iteration. However, when you’ve got Gerard Butler and Brent Spiner as your villains, I think we can understand this.

The film very much plays up the sibling link between Kraven and Chameleon and keeps them relatively away from Peter’s personal life. This is to help avoid the over-unmasking of Peter prevalent in Spider-Man films as they’ve been made by Sony, and given the on-going presence of the Osborns in these films, even going back to our phase 1 film where Peter and Harry haven’t met, I imagine most of you can guess why I want the Spider-Man dual identity better secured. For those who can’t guess, fret not, I’ll explain when we get to Spider-Man 3 later in this phase.

Thor: Land of Enchantment (1996) Directed by Kenneth Branagh

Thor = Dolph Lundgren

Loki = Gary Oldman

Odin = Anthony Hopkins

Frega = Glenn Close

Fandrall = Cary Elwes

Hogun = Tony Leung

Volstagg = Thomas Haden Church

Sif = Demi Moore

Heimdall = Keith David

Balder = Sean Bean

Jane Foster = Courtney Cox

Amora the Enchantress = Charlize Theron

Skurge the Executioner = Jean Claude Van Dame

Dr Donald Blake = Matt Damon

Hercules = Arnold Schwarzenegger

Ares = Russell Crowe

Zeus = Brian Blessed

Pluto = Michael Shannon

Hera = Michelle Pfieffer

Aphrodite = Jaime King

Apollo = Heath Ledger

Hephestus = Jonathan Frakes

Hermes = Josh Hartnett

Our return to Asgard in our 90’s MCU is meant to capitalise on yet more notable 90’s actors, while at the same time working in Marvel’s take on Olympian deities and more notable Thor villains than Thor: The Dark World did. In this film, it’s Amora the Enchantress and her bodyguard Skurge the Executioner who come to the fore, Amora enthralling the Olympian Hercules and setting off an incident that puts Asgard and Olympus on the verge of war with each other. Only by travelling to New Mexico on Earth in search of the “real culprits”, who in turn out to be conspiring with a supposedly banished Loki, can Thor hope to save the day.

The film also works in Dr Donald Blake, Thor’s human alter ego in the comics, as a separate character and romantic rival to Thor where Jane Foster is concerned. Action stars like Dolph Lundgren, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean Claude Van Dame provide the action leads while the likes of Anthony Hopkins and Brian Blessed deliver a nice helping of gravitas, and there’s no shortage of acting skill and ability in the various other roles. As you might guess from the cast list and plot description, the title is a deliberate nod to both Enchantress and the parts of the film that would occur in New Mexico. The film also results in Hercules being banished to Earth, setting him up for further use elsewhere in this 90’s MCU.

Silver Surfer (1996) Directed by Leonard Nemoy

Silver Surfer = David Wenham

Mephistopheles = Jeffery Combs

Shalla Bal = Liv Tyler

Al B. Harper = Levar Burton

Our Silver Surfer spin-off from phase 1’s Fantastic Four sequel is quite small on main cast because it’s very much a shorter film compared to what I imagine most of our 90’s MCU films would be. In large part that’s because like the comics, we’re dealing with a Silver Surfer trapped on Earth after defying Galactus, and struggling to see in the wider race the virtues he found in the Thing’s girlfriend Alicia Masters. His lone friend outside of the F4 and Alicia is a scientist named Al Harper, and into this situation enters the demon Mephistopheles, who spends the film trying to tempt the Surfer into abandoning his nobility. Part of this involves reminders of Shalla Bal, the woman the Surfer loved before he became the Surfer, and perhaps the one thing he might prize above his wish to defend humanity.

As a result, the film would be less cosmic adventure and more psychological thriller, which is why you might not get a longer film with a major action spectacular at the climax. In part, that’s why I’d want Leonard Nemoy taking up the directorial reigns on this film; someone from the alumni of Star Trek would be necessary to direct this kind of character exploration and issue discussion. Having other Trek alumni in the cast by way of Levar Burton (TNG’s Geordi La Forge) and Jeffrey Combs (multiple DS9 secondary recurring characters by this time) also help with this.

Hulk vs Wolverine (1997) Directed by Tim Burton

Bruce Banner/Hulk = John Cusack

Betty Ross = Jennifer Connelly

General Ross = Sam Elliott

Major Talbot = Steve Guttenberg

Wolverine/Logan = Tom Cruise

Sabretooth/Victor Creed = Tyler Mane

Maverick/David Nord = Tom Jane

Silver Fox = Salma Hayek

Sasquatch/Walter Langkowski = George Clooney

The Professor = Robert Picardo

Dr Cornelius = Colm Meaney

James McDonald Hudson/Vindicator = Val Kilmer

Heather Hudson = Samantha Mathis

I’m sure by now anyone who didn’t know I was a Trek fan could tell by some of the casting going on here. Aside from Wil Weaton and Brent Spiner in our Spider-Man Franchise, Frakes (Riker) appearing in Thor 2 and the various alumni cited in our Silver Surfer spin-off, our Hulk vs Wolverine film has Voyager’s EMH (Robert Picardo) and Chief O’Brien (Colm Meaney) showing up in certain roles. Of course, more will be showing up as we go on, and I’ll highlight them where appropriate. For now, though, let’s look at how I’m looking at pitting Hulk and Wolverine against each other.

In this film, Hulk strays north of the US-Canadian border, and does so right when US army intelligence picks up chatter about a rogue group trying to restart the Weapon X project that produced Wolverine. To that end, Ross and Talbot manage to convince Wolverine to go Hulk-hunting before the green goliath can be grabbed. After the obligatory Hulk/Wolverine clash unearths a resurrected Weapon X program, it’s Wolverine and Hulk trying to free several captured super-beings, backed up by Canadian superhero and future Alpha Flight leader Vindicator. This film would create a spin-off Alpha Flight TV series to follow-up on Vindicator, Sasquatch and their team-mates.

Everyone down as far as Wolverine on the cast list is a reprised role, while the remaining roles are all fresh cast. Tyler Mane is my one carry-over from Fox’s run of X-Men films, though this version would play up his antagonism with Wolverine far better than the original X-Men films did. Tom Jane being cast as Maverick is down to the German accent he put on for Frank Castle’s undercover identity in the Punisher film of the mid-2000’s. As for Clooney and Kilmer, I think each as a bit mis-cast as Batman, but I think they could each do better in other roles, such as Sasquatch and Vindicator.

Fantastic Four: Doomsday (1997) Directed by Steven Spielberg

Reed Richards/Mr Fantastic = Tom Hanks

Susan Storm (Richards)/Invisible Woman = Meg Ryan

Johnny Storm/Human Torch = David Spade

Ben Grimm/Thing = Bryan Cranston

Wyatt Wingfoot = Robert Beltran

Alicia Masters = Heather Graham

Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom = Goran Višnjić

Hauptmann = Ronald Guttman

Matt Murdock/Daredevil = Christian Slater

After waiting through a few F4 films, we finally get the pay-off of Doctor Doom showing up. Fox always went to this guy too quickly, and I hope Marvel gets this and holds off on Doom for a while with their films. However, in this 90’s MCU, we bring Doom in on the third film, which is meant to combine elements of Doom’s comics intro and backstory with a later story where the F4 are depowered, attacked by Doom and have to rely on some assistance from Daredevil to re-enter their headquarters and regain their powers. As with most third-instalment MCU films as we’ve come to know them, this film has to involve some loss. As such, the F4 lose their original headquarters, and Ben loses a chance for his perceived happily ever after with Alicia Masters.

The only new roles here are Doom and his aid Hauptmann, and for these roles, we’re diving into European actors to get the accents right. Goran Višnjić is my usual front-runner for characters like Doom or Magneto, but since a 90’s MCU would more likely use Ian McKellan on the latter, I think it’s better to use him as Doom and see how he’d do playing against a Tom Hanks version of Reed Richards.

Iron Man 3 (1997) Directed by Sam Raimi

Tony Stark/Iron Man = Tom Selleck

James Rhodes/Iron Man II = Samuel L. Jackson

Pepper Potts = Uma Thurman

Happy Hogan = Sylvester Stallone

Jasper Sitwell = Bill Paxton

Nick Fury = Tommy Lee Jones

Justin Hammer = Christopher Lee

Bethany Cabe = Julia Roberts

Mark Scarlotti/Whiplash = Jason Lee

Donald Gill/Blizzard = Robert Duncan McNeil

Clayton Wilson/Force = Will Patton

Unlike the Iron Man 3 of 2013, this one isn’t playing fake-outs with the Mandarin or dealing with a PTSD-suffering Stark. Instead, the film combines elements from the ‘Demon in a Bottle’ arc and his later relapse into alcoholism under the influence of Obadiah Stane. As a result, you get a film where industrial sabotage by a true-to-comics Justin Hammer and mounting pressure from SHIELD sends Tony to rock bottom, and as a result, Rhodey has to step in to salvage the Iron Man name, setting up for his eventual progression to War Machine. In fact, it’s trying to get Rhodey’s pre-War Machine past as a substitute Iron Man into film that is the whole reason for this plot arc in our 90’s MCU.

Cast-wise, we’re largely dealing with reprised roles from Fury on up. It’s Justin Hammer on down where the new roles come in, and of course there’s a Trek alumni in the mix by wat of Robert Duncan McNeil. As for why Hammer is played by Christopher Lee, anyone who has read proper, pre-Ultimates Iron Man lore, would know what Hammer is an older man and a British ex-patriate living in the United States. As such, it makes far more sense having Christopher Lee play the role than Sam Rockwell or someone like him. I leave the irreverent humour in this one to Jason Lee as Whiplash, plus some appropriate protagonists in the cast.

Captain America: Society of Serpents (1998) Directed by Peter MacDonald

Steve Rogers/Captain America = Brad Pitt

Nick Fury = Tommy Lee Jones

Sam Wilson/Falcon = Will Smith

Barbara "Bobbi" Morse/Mockingbird = Rebecca Romijn-Stamos

Sharon Carter = Nicole Kidman

Viper/Ophelia Sarkissian = Rose McGowan

Cobra/Klaus Voorhees = René Auberjonois

Diamondback/Rachel Leighton = Neve Campbell

Rattler/Gustav Krueger = Christoph Waltz

Death Adder/Roland Buroughs = Ed Begley Jr

Constrictor/Frank Schlicting = Stephen Dorff

Baron Von Strucker = Udo Kier

Clint Barton/Hawkeye = Kevin Costner

Apparently the second MCU film for Captain America was originally titled Society of Serpents, and sometime before it went into production, Kevin Feige announced it would be Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Since our 90’s MCU lacks the Winter Soldier source material, we’re going down the route not taken by the real MCU. It’s still about Cap struggling to adjust to the modern world, but this time he’s surrounded by a slightly different crop of characters and we’re not tackling Hydra infiltrating SHIELD. Instead, Cap is leading a small group of specialised SHIELD agents in trying to take down a terrorist group called the Serpent Society, not realising that their leader Viper is a total nihilist and fighting for no other cause than to wipe out all life.

As we’re dealing with a Cap in the late 90’s, the role of Falcon ends up with Will Smith, and for those seeking a Trek link in the casting, the main one is René Auberjonois (DS9’s Odo) in the role of Cobra. However, Ed Begley Jr also guest-starred in a Voyager episode, and features as the character of Death Adder. The film also uses Blade alumni Stephen Dorff and Udo Kier in a couple of villain roles, and for the lead villainess, I’ve been tapping into the Charmed casting pool and setting up Rose McGowan as Viper. Hawkeye also comes in on this film, but later in the sequence of events, hence his being separated out on the casting lists. Since original comics Hawkeye married Mockingbird, I concluded any film including one character had to include the other and get that set up.

In terms of romance for Cap, we actually have a kind of Bond girl situation here; both Sharon Carter and Diamondback have been among Cap’s romances in the comics, so the dynamic here would be almost akin to such notable Bond double-acts as Xenia Onatopp and Natalia Symonova, or Miranda Frost and Jinx, or Electra King and Christmas Jones. The only difference is Cap’s more old-fashioned in a positive way, so he’s not going to be philandering his way through his love interests like Bond does.

Daredevil 2 (1998) Directed by Paul Verhoeven

Matt Murdock/Daredevil = Christian Slater

Foggy Nelson = Jon Favreau

Karen Page = Denise Richards

Wilson Fisk/Kingpin = Bruce Willis

Joseph “Robbie” Robertson = Denzel Washington

Ben Urich = John Spencer

Elektra Natchios = Leonor Varela

Frank Castle/Punisher = Liev Schrieber

Silvermane = Roy Schieder

Lonnie Lincoln/Tombstone = Wesley Snipes

Leland Owlsey/The Owl = Bob Gunton

Mary Walker/Typhoid Mary = Drew Barrymore

Matsu'o Tsurayaba = Hiroyuki Sanada

Kwannon = Kelly Hu

Daredevil 2 puts everyone’s favourite man without fear in the middle of a gang war that’s been sparked by the downfall of the Kingpin in the first Daredevil film. As a result, the film includes several major Marvel characters that fall into its stories regarding organised crime, and also expands the supporting characters on the side of the heroes, including the additions of Elektra and the Punisher. Again, I’ve tried to be racially and nationally accurate to characters that come from abroad, and I think it’s lead to some good selections.

Now some less observant readers may wonder why I’ve cast Wesley Snipes as Tombstone considering the character’s extremely white skin. Well, the simple reason is the character is African-American, but also an albino. As such, it’s best to get a good actor of the right ethnic background to play the part, then use make-up/prosthetics to create the albino appearance. Tombstone’s inclusion also gives us a chance to bring in Joseph “Robbie” Robertson from the Spider-Man films, especially since Ben Urich works for the same newspaper as Robbie. That means you’ve got Denzel Washington in the mix as well, and adding in all the other great actors on this list, I think this would be a very cool sequel indeed.

X-Men 2 (1998) Directed by Jonathan Frakes

Professor Charles Xavier = Patrick Stewart

Cyclops/Scott Summers = Patrick Swayze

Jean Grey = Milla Jovovich

Warren Worthington III/Angel = Neil Patrick Harris

Storm/Ororo Monroe = Halle Berry

Beast/Hank McCoy = Alec Baldwin

Banshee/Sean Cassidy = Liam Neeson

Polaris/Lorna Dane = Jeri Ryan

Havok/Alex Summers = Kevin Bacon

Kitty Pryde = Selma Blair

Sam Guthrie = Paul Walker

Roberto Da Costa = Mario Lopez

Tabita Smith = Anna Faris

Wolverine/Logan = Tom Cruise

Sunfire/Shiro Yashida = François Chau

Yukio = Vivian Wu

Mariko Yashida = Shu Qi

Viper/Ophelia Sarkissian = Rose McGowan

Silver Samurai/Kenuichio Harada = Hiro Kanagawa

Ogun = Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa

Senator Robert Kelly = Robert Hays

Henry Peter Gyrich = David Caruso

Calisto = Carrie-Anne Moss

Sunder = Kevin Nash

Ape = Gotz Otto

Annalee = Rosemary Harris

Plague = Gates McFadden

Caliban = Joe Pantoliano

Healer = Brian Cox

Sally Blevins/Skids = Amy Smart

For our second instalment of X-Lore in the 90’s MCU, we get two plots for the price of one film. As former X-Man Angel is abducted along with several others by the underground mutants known as the Morlocks, heightening human-mutant tensions due to Angel’s public persona as a wealthy heir to a business fortune, an old foe of Wolverine’s kidnaps certain X-students. The two plots loosely adapt the introduction of the Morlocks and the Wolverine/Wolverine and Kitty Pryde mini-series. In terms of new characters, Angel and everyone from Calisto down is new and centric to the Morlock story arc, while Sunfire down to Ogun are the new characters for the Wolverine-in-Japan arc (not counting Rose McGowan’s Viper, who is reprised from our phase 2 Captain America sequel).

In terms of Trek alumni, the film has Frakes in the director’s chair, Patrick Stewart as Xavier, and even Dr Crusher actress Gates McFadden is worked in, giving us three TNG alumni. The film also allows Wolverine to begin a story arc involving his romance with Mariko Yashida, and it retains Senator Kelly and Henry Peter Gyrich from film 1 to maintain the face of the human fear of mutants. Some Marvel films fans may also be able to spot a couple of people cast in other Marvel films given new roles in this hypothetical MCU. More specifically, Rosemary Harris has gone from being Aunt May in the Maguire/Raimi Spider-Man trilogy to being one of the Morlocks, while another Morlock is playing by Brian Cox, the man cast to play William Stryker in Brian Singer’s X2.

Avengers 2 (1999) Directed by Andrew Davis

James Rhodes/Iron Man II = Samuel L Jackson

Steve Rogers/Captain America = Brad Pitt

Thor = Dolph Lundgren

Hank Pym/Ant-Man = Michael Douglas

Janet Van Dyne/Wasp = Catherine Zeta Jones

Clint Barton/Hawkeye = Kevin Costner

Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow = Famke Jansen

Nick Fury = Tommy Lee Jones

Jasper Sitwell = Bill Paxton

Maria Hill = Marina Sirtis

Ultron = Marc Alaimo

Vision = Casper Van Dien

Edwin Jarvis = Mark Rylance

Col. John Jameson = Daniel Gillies

Michael O'Brien = Tony Curran

Bill Foster = Laurence Fishburne

Fabian Stankowicz = Tom Sizemore

David Canon/Whirlwind = Colin Cunningham

Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff = Kate Beckinsale

Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff = Robert Sean Leonard

This film has loose ties to Avengers: Age of Ultron, but it’s not an exact match. First of all, no Infinity Stones in play, as I’d want that story arc much later in this MCU. Second, I’ve brought the original Ant-Man and the Wasp into this group of Avengers already, enabling Ultron to be Hank Pym’s creation and not Stark’s, better matching the comics. Third, in these films, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver are trying to become heroes and get misunderstood, so there’s less of them fighting the Avengers. Lastly, Stark’s at the bottom of a bottle in this continuity, meaning this film has Rhodey as Iron Man. However, plot elements like the creation of Vision are retained, and we also get the Wasp’s recurring stalker/antagonist Whirlwind to hand. In fact, in this film, Ultron is created by Hank in part to protect Janet, who Hank has become noticeably controlling over, and the events of this film see this behaviour escalate to a relationship-ending point.

Also worked into the film are some of the Avengers support staff, which helps to show the team’s evolution and gives them stakes beyond the immediate membership. For those trying to spot the Trek alumni, we’ve got Marina Sirtis (Counsellor Troi) back as Maria Hill, plus Marc Alaimo (DS9’s Gul Dukat) playing the role of Ultron. As for other new roles, my use of Laurence Fishburne in this film and Carrie-Anne Moss in X-Men 2 nod to this being the era of the first Matrix film, Casper Van Dien is a bit of a shout-out to the Starship Troopers fans, and those who read my ramble on phase 1 will know that Robert Sean Leonard and Kate Beckinsale are reprised roles from X-Men 1. That said, they’re in part selected as a nod to Ken Branagh’s 1993 adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing, thus maintaining what I know to be strong 1990’s casting links.

Spider-Man 3 (1999) Directed by Frank Darabont

Peter Parker/Spider-Man = Wil Weaton

May Parker = Marg Helgenberger

Flash Thompson = Ben Affleck

J. Jonah Jameson = J.K. Simmons

Joseph "Robbie" Robertson = Denzel Washington

Betty Brant = Parker Posey

Jacob Conover = Steve Buscemi

Randy Robertson = Taye Diggs

Norman Osborn/Green Goblin = John Travolta

Harry Osborn = Ryan Phillipe

Gwen Stacy = Reese Witherspoon

Mary-Jane Watson = Alison Hannigan

Herman Schultz/Shocker = Patrick Muldoon

Ned Leeds = John Barrowman

Aleksei Sytsevich/Rhino = Jake Busey

Now we come to Spider-Man 3, and since my cast list is now crediting Norman Osborn as also being the Green Goblin, I’m sure you can understand why I wanted Peter’s secret identity better secured in these films. Yes, this film is all about going down the death of Gwen Stacy story arc, but unlike Raimi or Webb, we’ve not rushed to this or anything like it. We’ve had two films before this to lay groundwork, to get the audience invested, and so when this film gets to the third act where Gwen, and subsequently Norman, go down for the count, there is some actual impact even before you work in performance, scoring, etc. That impact is also added to by Peter’s dual identity being more closely guarded, and thus it’s a real shock when Norman goes after Gwen instead of it being “oh, Peter let the truth slip again.”

Casting-wise, it’s only two supporting villains and the introduction of Betty Brant’s love interest Ned Leeds that are new roles, and I’ve not got much to say on them. This time, my focus is more on who is directing, which this time is Shawshank Redemption director Frank Darabont. I’m sure anyone who knows that film would agree the bloke could probably work wonders with this tragic moment in the history of Spider-Man.

Doctor Strange (1999) Directed by Tim Burton

Dr Stephen Strange = Johnny Depp

Wong = Will Yun Lee

The Ancient One = George Takai

Clea = Keira Knightley

Baron Karl Mordo = Michael Dorn

Dormammu = Bernard Hill

Dr Nicodemus West = Alan Rickman

Dr Christine Palmer = Helena Bonham Carter

To close out our 90’s MCU phase 2, we bring in sorcerer supreme Dr Stephen Strange, which loosely bases some elements on the MCU film we know from 2016 while also working in more comic-accurate elements. The film shows Strange’s origins in backstory, featuring Christine Palmer there but not in the present day, and Wong is more like Strange’s apprentice rather than the man-servant or drill sergeant roles we’ve seen previously. Another retention from the 2016 film is Mordo’s racial shift, which allows me to work in TNG actor Michael Dorn. George Takai (the original Sulu) is also worked in as the Ancient One because I didn’t want to retain too much MCU revisionism from the 2016 Dr Strange film. The film also includes Clea, Dr Strange’s first major romance of note from the comics.

Beyond the Trek alumni, this film is notable for reforming that notable cinematic trinity of Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, while also working in Depp’s Pirates of the Caribbean colleague Keira Knightley. Other notable cast members include Bernard Hill from Lord of the Rings (played Theoden, King of Rohan) and Alan Rickman (do I really need to rattle off his resume?) In terms of the present-day plot, that’s mainly about Clea being found by Strange, a refugee from Dormammu’s dimension, and her and Strange teaming up together with Wong to beat Mordo and Dormammu.

And that’s basically it for our 90’s MCU for now. Future instalments, if I do rambles on them, will of course be dealing with phases set after the 1990’s, but it’ll still be a 90’s MCU. So, until the next ramble, ta-ta for now.

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wefoundloveunderthelight · 3 years

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Mystery Of Pixie Hollow by GleefullyCaptainSwan - Sneak Peek

Chapter 3/11

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Chapter 3: Story Time

“I asked who you are, and you have yet to give me a name.” He growled again in her ear.

“My name’s Emma Swan. I just want to talk to you about your daughter.”

“What do you know about my daughter?”

“I know she went missing just like my son, Henry.” She felt his entire body flinch. “Please, right jacket pocket, there’s a picture of him. I just want to talk.”

She felt him dig into her jacket, pulling the photo free and stepping away from her. He stared at the picture, a frown slipping on his stubbled face. “How old is he?”

“He’s six. He went missing on his birthday a few days ago.”

He was waving the knife around, tucking it under his chin as he talked to himself. “It’s the appropriate age range…makes sense…hmm...few days ago…where were they…went North…” He stopped moving and stared at her. “Storybrooke, not again...”

“I’m sorry?”

“They were in Storybrooke last weekend, correct? The carnival.”

“That’s right, how did you know that?”

“I track their movements, keep an eye on where they go, look up any missing person reports after they leave.” He stepped into the boat, gesturing for her to join him. Emma stood nervously on the pier as he disappeared into the belly of the boat. She looked around at the empty pier. If she went missing now, no one would have any idea where she was.

Shit.

He poked his head up through the stairwell. “Are you coming or not, lass?”

She sighed, stepping onto the boat, and following him cautiously down the stairs. When she got to the bottom she gasped. In every direction she could see there were photos on the wall with string connecting them. It was like an art project had exploded in the small area, except it wasn’t art, it was some low-tech stalking shit if she ever saw it.

She knew she should turn around and get the hell of this man’s boat, but curiosity was eating at her. What did he know? Why was he so obsessed with the people on the walls?

“This is where I started doing my research, Alice, she went missing five years ago. We found Pixie Hollow just walking through the neighborhood and Alice loves fairytales, so she just had to go.” His voice trailed off sadly, as if he didn’t even remember she was in the room and then suddenly he spun around on his heels. “This one went missing shortly after, it’s harder for me to get information on anyone that disappeared before Alice, I tried, but my research skills aren’t that great. I hate computers, Alice always did everything…” He trailed off as he turned around again.

“You can see that they all fit the age range, around 5 to 8 years old usually.”

“You’ve been collecting all of this information for 5 years?” She finally spoke.

“I’ve had to be resourceful; the cops are useless.”

“Tell me about it.” She said with a snort.

He turned around and stared at her. “Where did he go missing at?”

“I told you, Storybrooke.”

“No, what attraction?”

“It was a mirror maze, you know, filled with mirrors, can’t find your way out.”

“Mirrors…that’s a new one. Alice, she went missing from the Jolly Roger Adventure ride, she got in the cart, she was only in for a few minutes, but when it came out the other side, she was no longer there. Vanished.”

“I don’t remember that ride being there.”

“I’m sure they change them out to avoid suspicion, just like the name. When we went, it was called Neverland Adventure Park. I believe they go by Pixie Hollow now.”

“How do you know it’s the same park?”

“You have to follow the money, love.” He said with a smirk. “And this one.” He turned toward the board on his wall. “She’s always with them.”

“Who’s that?” She stepped closer to the photo of a woman with short hair, wild eyes.

“That’s Tink. If the park opens near you, she’s sure to be found nearby.”

“Wait, like Tinkerbell?” She laughed.

“The one and only.”

“This is ridiculous. Next you’re going to tell me Peter Pan owns the place, and all his lost boys operate the rides.”

“Well done. You’re quite perceptive love, there doesn’t seem to be any reason to need to tell you.”

Her mouth dropped. “You’re insane.”

“Ouch, you wound a man, I can assure you I have my wits about me.”

She turned to leave. “I just want to find my kid, I’m not here to play pretend with a man who believes in fairytales.” He reached out and grabbed her by the wrist.

“I can assure you love; this is no fairytale; this is the stuff nightmares are made of. Pan is dangerous, and if he has your boy, you best start believing in him.”

She shook her head and pulled her hand away from him, turning to leave before something caught her eye near the stairs. She stepped closer to the photo. “I know this idiot.”

She felt him hover behind her, his breath at her neck. “That’s Felix. Real jackass that one.”

“He’s the assistant manager at Pixie Hollow.” The idiot who told her that Henry must have run away. He was there. No. Emma closed her eyes. This was insane. “I have to leave.”

“This isn’t some fantasy I’ve made up, Swan. It’s all real.” He called after her, letting her run up the stairs and away from the boat. “It’s all real.” She heard him shout as her feet hit the pier and she hurried back to her car, slamming the door shut behind her.

She tried to slow her breathing, the thought that perhaps what she had witnessed was just an elaborate nightmare and soon she would wake up in her bed and Henry would come bounding into her room and everything would be alright but as she drove home that night, thoughts of what she witnessed in that boat, she knew that no matter how crazy he seemed, the man was just desperate to find his kid.

Henry had only been missing for a few days, Killian’s daughter had been gone for 5 years. She wasn’t sure how crazy she would look if she hadn’t found Henry after that long of a time.

She stopped at a station when she was halfway to home, she filled up the bug and bought some snacks to eat on her way. She was starving and realized that she had skipped eating since she left her home that morning. As she stepped into the light, leaving the gas station behind her, she recognized a black car that she swore she saw parked outside Ashley’s house.

The sunlight gleamed across the front window for a moment and Emma walked casually to her car, she opened her door and sat in the front seat. Glancing over at the black car she saw movement in the front seat. She pulled out of the gas station, turning onto the road as she watched the black car behind her do the same.

Whoever this asshole was, they were definitely following her.

Emma drove a few miles until she spotted a convenience store on her left, turning quickly she dashed into the parking lot and parked her car. The black car squealed to turn into the lot, parking a distance away from her. Emma watched it in her rearview mirror and then swung her car open, grabbing the tire iron next to her on the seat.

She marched toward the car, gripping the tire iron in her hand. As soon as she got close to the vehicle, the door opened, and Officer Nolan stepped out of the car with his hands in front of him. “Hello Emma.”

“Are you fucking following me?” She yelled as she lowered the tire iron.

The passenger door opened, and Officer Locksley stepped out, his hand firmly on his hip where she knew his gun sat.

“We weren’t following you…” He said and Emma rolled her eyes.

“Are you kidding me? I spotted you miles ago, are you really going to try and convince me that we all just really had a hankering for some snacks miles away from town?”

“Well, we weren’t following you earlier, we just…” Officer Locksley started before his partner interrupted.

“We were following Killian, so imagine our surprise when you showed up.”

“Jones? Why are you following him? He’s just some nut on a boat.”

“You need to let us do our job, stay away from Killian Jones.”

“Why, what aren’t you telling me?”

“Look, I can’t get into specifics with you. I get it, you’re desperate.” Officer Nolan began and Emma found herself wanting to toss the tire iron at him. He flinched and held up his hand. “I’m sorry your kid hasn’t come home, but this isn’t the way to find him. Jones isn’t all there.” He said pointing to his head. “His daughter’s been gone for a long time now; we’ve been keeping tabs on him.”

“Why? I’m pretty sure you’re outside your jurisdiction.” She said with a laugh. “Why are you so obsessed with the guy.”

“Alice went missing in Storybrooke five years ago. He moved out here after a while, but we’ve always kept tabs on him. He was in and out of shelters with that little girl. Working as a fisherman with men he never should have trusted around his daughter. He’s dangerous, stay away from him.”

“Wow, judgmental much? So, if you’ve ever had the unfortunate experience of not being able to provide for yourself, of needing to ask for help somehow that makes you a bad person? Is that why you don’t believe someone took my son either? You looked me up and don’t like my backstory either?”

“Look Ma’am, we don’t want to see you get murdered too.” Officer Locksley added.

“Murdered?” She exclaimed

“Why do you always do that?” Officer Nolan yelled at his partner before turning back to her. “Look, just stay away from the man, let us do our job.”

Emma laughed and turned away from them. “Try doing your job first, maybe then you can give me advice.”

Emma took the backstreets home, satisfied when she didn’t see the black car following her anymore. How dare they judge someone because they had to live in a shelter. Emma had spent a few years in one herself before she was able to provide for her and Henry. Things weren’t always easy for them after Neal left them high and dry with no income and no clothes on their backs. Emma did what she had to do to survive. She hated to think that because of that, she was viewed as a bad mother.

She would do anything for Henry.

Emma tossed her keys on the table, shutting the door behind her and locking the latch. She went to the fridge and grabbed a beer, popping the top and dropping down on her couch. She reached over and pulled the laptop toward her, clicking the button as it blinked to life.

Pulling up Google, she typed, “Killian Jones Storybrooke.”

The search was quick and efficient, the first story came with an older photo of the man she met today. He was younger, probably in his early 20’s. The photo was of him being taken into custody, and another of his mug shot, steely blue eyes staring into the lens with a look of anger. The article was from 15 years ago.

“Killian Jones arrested for manslaughter.” The title caused her eyes to grow, she clicked the link, digging into the details. It appeared the man worked for a criminal mastermind, Mr. Gold, who operated outside the lines of Storybrooke. Killian appeared to be the muscle, hustling people for money that was owed to his boss. The story told of a love affair with the bosses’ wife, Milah. Apparently love was enough to set him straight and he turned on Gold.

From what she could gather from the court case notes, Killian had interrupted a fight between Mr. Gold and his wife, a fight so brutal that it left the woman paralyzed and unable to walk. The ensuing fight ended with Mr. Gold’s death and Killian’s incarceration for manslaughter, with time served and good behavior, Killian served five years.

Emma searched again, “Killian and Milah Jones.” A grainy photo of a wedding was all she could find, the man smiling as he stood behind the woman in the wheelchair. She bit her lip, clicking onto the next article. “Woman dies in car crash leaving behind husband and infant daughter.”

Emma made an audible noise as she clicked the article, reading the story about how a drunk driver had crashed into the couple who were returning home from a quiet dinner. Milah Jones died at the scene leaving Killian alone with his infant daughter, Alice.

Emma wiped the tears from her eyes, clicking on the search bar. “Killian Jones missing daughter”

The photo of the carnival caused her heart to stop. She recognized the lettering on the sign in the background. It said “Neverland”, but she remembered the way the letters of “Pixie Hollow” lit up the night she had arrived at the carnival. Reading the article, she found that the story matched the one that Killian had told her earlier that evening. His daughter had gone into the ride and never came out.

Whatever Killian had become in his life, a liar wasn’t one of them.

Emma didn’t know what it was about the man on the screen in front of her, blue eyes staring back at her as if he had a sad story to tell, but more than anything, she saw understanding behind his eyes. He understood what she was going through more than anyone else.

She reached for her phone sending off a text to Will.

Emma: You were right, it was a wild goose chase going after these parents, no one wanted to talk to me. I just need a few days to get right in my head. I’ll text you soon. Love you.

Before she could stop herself, she was in her car, driving down the highway on her way back to Boston. She glanced in the rearview mirror making sure there wasn’t a black car behind her, the officers who had found nothing about her son in the time they had been looking.

When she pulled up to the dock, she looked at herself in the mirror. “This is crazy.” She said with a laugh.

Crazy was all she had, she thought.

Getting out of her car, she made her way toward the boat parked at the end of the slip. She creeped onboard, unsure of the etiquette for alerting the resident of a houseboat to her presence. “Hello?” She called out nervously, hoping he wasn’t brandishing his knife at this hour. “Killian? It’s me, Emma Swan. We met earlier today.”

There was a creak below her, and she froze. “Hello?”

“It’s bad form to sneak into a man’s home in the middle of the night.” She heard the voice below her; his boots tapped against the boards as he ascended the stairs, moonlight dancing against his dark hair as he reached the deck.

“I’m sorry. I uh…I needed to talk to you. To warn you.”

“Warn me? What do you have to warn me about, love?”

“When I left here, I was followed by the cops.”

“Of course, you were. I’m honestly surprised it took Mills this long to send those two out for a visit. Pity they involved you, my apologizes, Swan.”

“Wait, you knew you were being followed?”

“David and Robin have been keeping an eye on me ever since I left Storybrooke. They are determined that one day they will catch me slicing young children to pieces and put me away forever.” He narrowed his eyes. “Is that what you believe, love?”

“I think you just miss your daughter.” She said softly.

“You mean the boys didn’t tell you all about my sordid past?”

“No. Well, I mean yes, but I don’t care. I read all about it, Mr. Gold, Milah, Alice, if you wanted to hurt me you would have done it earlier when you held a knife to my throat. The way I see it, everyone has a past, that doesn’t mean we don’t miss our kids.”

He stepped toward her. “You’re not afraid of me, Lass?”

She shivered as his lips practically danced off her neck. “N..no.” He stepped back and stared at her as if he were examining every inch of her.

“Then you believe my little, how did you put it earlier…fairytale?”

“I don’t know what I believe, but I know my son didn’t run away.”

“Very well, then it’s story time.”

~*~

“Daddy I want to ride the Jolly Roger!”

“Ok starfish, but first daddy needs to get you that churro you wanted.”

“But I want to ride the ride, there’s isn’t any line.”

“But you can’t take food with you on the ride, Alice.”

“I can go on it by myself while you hold my churro, daddy. I’m a big girl.”

“Are you now, love?”

The little girl smiled brightly, and Killian knew he could never tell her no. He paid for the churro and the man handed it toward him as they walked toward the Jolly Roger Adventure ride. They approached the attendant and he handed over the tickets.

“Is she alright to ride alone?”

The man laughed, “Ah yeah, it’s not scary, in one door and out the other.”

He nodded to the man, looking around at the quiet ride, there wasn’t a single child in line. “Alright, starfish, get in your ship and enjoy the ride.” The little girl wrapped her arms around his waist and smiled up at him.

“Love you daddy.”

“I love you too, my darling.”

She ran toward the ride, looking back one last time. “Don’t eat my churro.”

Killian’s eyes darted around the room, watching as the woman examined the photos he had amassed in the belly of his boat. He didn’t know if the woman believed everything he had told her about his dealings with Peter Pan and his traveling carnival, but he knew that she was desperate to find her son and if he knew anything it was that desperate people would believe almost anything.

If Pan had this woman’s son, he would need her to believe him. It was the only way he was ever going to get Alice back. He’d been doing this alone for five years, maybe it was time to try something else.

~*~

“What are you going to do when you get out of here?” Alice asked Henry as they sat in the dark.

“I’m going to eat the biggest piece of birthday cake I’ve ever eaten. I might even eat an entire cake.” The girl laughed. In the few days she had known Henry, he had always been at her side. He was scared and missed his mother, but more than anything else, he seemed to feel comfortable in her presence.

Alice had been here longer than most of the other children, she had remembered that terrifying feeling of being alone, knowing that you were trapped and couldn’t get home. She missed her father more than anything in this world but growing up she had learned a lot from her father about accepting your circumstances, learning to adapt to your environment.

She had done just that, adapted. She didn’t cause trouble, she made friends with all the children, and she knew when to speak and when not to. She felt it was her job to take the children under her wing, to keep them out of harms way.

“What are you going to do when you get out of here?” The boy asked.

“I’m going to sit down with my dad and eat a churro.” She laughed, smiling fondly at the last memory she had of her father standing at the entrance of that stupid ride, holding a teddy bear in one arm and a churro in the other. The smile on his face as he watched her disappear into the black void was the last thing she remembered every night when she went to sleep.

One day, I’ll find you daddy, she thought.

One day, I promise.

#mystery of pixie hollow #stacy's fics #emma swan #killian jones #captain swan fics #captain swan au #captain swan modern au #captain swan

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thetimelordbatgirl · 2 years

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I feel like MCU Stans/Fans are getting more toxic by the day. Seriously MCU Spider-Man fans won't let people have there own opinions. All MCU Movies have become same-ey and generic. I mean Spider-Man Far From Home was lazy, uninspired, and ruined my favorite Villain (Mysterio) and turned him into Drone Man basically.

Then Ant Man and the Wasp has to be the worst Movie I've ever watched due to hoe unremarkable it was, felt like generic MCU movie and the literal plot is get the Lab????

Then we have the recent No Way Home and so far it looks like Nostalgia Bait and cringe jokes. Seriously who thought these jokes were funny. We got the same writers from Antman and the Wasp and Spider-Man Far From Home. This will probably be generic and Nostalgia bait.

I watched Spider-Man 2 when I was kid and watched Spider-Man and both those were such grchemistry.

I didn't watch Spider-Man 3 until recently in 2018 because I was scared of venom as a kid. Amazing Spider-Man for all its problems was enjoyable and Amazing Spider-Man 2 I unironically enjoyed even though it has a dumb plot. Honestly Gwen from Amazing Spider-Man is probably the best Live-Action Spider-Man love interest and that's probably because of Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone's chemestry.

I already know Disney will ruin Spider-Man just like they did to Star Wars (Though I wasn't that invested in Star Wars so this will sting even more)

Sorry for the long rant.

Its okay sdddde I understanding needing to rant about the MCU, cause ironically, answer under read more:

Honestly, I avoid going in the main MCU tags unless I feel like going in them, since I fear MCU stans fully, given how while some of them can be pretty chill and some even are critical of the MCU, they pretty much drowned out by the toxic MCU stans....though I feel like toxic MCU stans gather more off Tumblr like most fandom's toxic stans, aka on Twitter and stuff.

And yeah, MCU Spidey isn't really my favorite take on Spiderman. If I was to rank the takes on Spiderman while under Disney, I would honestly rank him pretty low, as out of the three takes on him so far on Spiderman, MCU and 2017 Spiderman fall low while ironically, Ultimate Spiderman show's Spidey is pretty accurate in areas to what he's meant to be, to the point there was an episode dedicated to why he using Iron Man armor is basically bad.

Which is ironic, given MCU spiderman in comparison is basically Iron Man JR, to the point his MCU only solo villains have been connected to Iron Man (Tony fucked over one's job while then stealing the ideas of another) and both times, Peter had to clean up Tony's mess and both times....he never stopped admiring Tony, not even when Mysterio revealed Tony stole his idea. Like ironically, Mysterio is the one villain who actually affected Peter's life beyond one film, aka the identity reveal plot which....is honestly stupid to go into for Spiderman's third solo film, but it's still a bad take on Mysterio, given its again, changing him so he's caused by TONY's wtf move and....still connecting him to Peter somehow. And like you said, No Way Home is basically Nostalgia Bait, as all the villains aren't even connected to MCU Peter, they from actually good spiderman films and two of them have already been changed to have some form of Tony tech (Doc Ock absorbing Peter's iron man suit so his arms get red bits while Electro appears to now have an arc reactor) and the only appeal to this movie is a, the villains and b, the uh, ending scene off Venom Let There Be Carnage and c, the possibility of the two good Spiderman's appearing....and honestly, Disney's ruined any impact the whole Michelle falls scene with it being in ALL trailers and TV promos now, and like, if they trying to appear like Gwen Stacy....they should probably know even Marvel nowadays avoids the Gwen Stacy thing, given it uh, falls into fridging woman for men's angst or in Michelle's case, endangering a girl for men's angst.

I can't really comment on Ant Man And The Wasp, as can't say I keep up with them in comics, but like, I don't think I minded the film much....but that's just cause I honestly enjoyed Ghost's take here and honestly only disliked the ending, aka the stupid need to tie it into Infinity War/Endgame, as I dislike both of those films and therefore, seeing that ending just made me wanna die.

And honestly, I do think the love interests over the Spiderman films have been fine, and kinda find it funny not many picked up MJ in the OG films fell like Michelle did and went straight for Gwen Stacy falls comparisons, but when it comes to MCU, while Michelle and Peter have chemistry so far in the trailers, we already know its going to be just, mostly Peter having a plot thing while Michelle kinda just doesn't, like closest we know of Michelle's home life is stuff she alluded to in Far From Home, aka her and her mom not having seen her dad for years and such, but Homecoming according to a interview, did have a deleted scene:

Like....Michelle only has tell in terms of alluding to her home life, unless No Way Home finally fixes it, meaning she stands out as the love interest with not much going on outside of Peter, which is bad compared to MJ from OG trilogy, whose shown to have a shitty dad and has goals and such and pursues them throughout the films, while Gwen's family was apart of Amazing's plots, aka her dad, and again, she's shown doing things outside of Spiderman, which like....if MCU is meant to be better, how does this look for Michelle?

And going back to IW/Endgame, Far From Home is just another victim of bringing up the Snap and crap CONSTANTLY, to the point....the whole class was a victim of the snap, cause by snapping Peter, Endgame would have implied that Peter by Far From Home time, would be in a different class if his class moved on....so of course, they snapped the whole class in response bar one but apparently that's cause the actress didn't come back, so...

Ironically like Star Wars under Disney, MCU spiderman could have been good, as Tom as Spiderman could have been good, let alone having the talent of Zendaya and such, but instead....we got Iron Man Jr straight from Civil War to present, and given hes getting THREE MORE FILMS, its only going to get more bad.

#anti mcu #mcu critical #like three more of these films is just draining #like cant wait to see how much more spidey villains they change to tony somehow #hell they'll bring harry in probably just to make him straight into green goblin #cause already stole miles best friend for mcu peter so

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royallyprincesslilly · 4 years

Text

Title: The Light Of Morning

Chris Evans x Reader

Warning: Cursing, Drug Use, NSFW, SMUTT, LOTS OF WORDS

Words: 8.6k

Summary: What is done in the dark, comes to light.

Note: I come bearing gifts! Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoy this! ❤️❤️❤️

***Loosely Edited/Proofread***

***Interactive***

“Ms. Y-L-N, this is the final print. It’s just waiting for your approval,” Tandy said, placing it in front of you on your desk.

“Thank you. I’ll have a look. Tell Capri that I need to see the proofs from that shoot this morning.”

“Got it.” You began flipping through the magazine you were the editor in chief of and tried to figure out if all the edits made your cut. You were picky always had been, but your pickiness always paid off. It paid off so much that you were one of the biggest names in fashion and a serious force to be reckoned with. As you flipped you listened in on the phone conference, you were part of all the while taking notes of any idea that came to mind.

Today was a hectic day. The final edits had to go out for printing tonight, on top of the new theme for next month’s magazine. Once the theme was picked, you had to come up with backup articles for all of your staff so that when the staff meeting happened, things would go smoothly. Then you had to iron out all the details for your meetings the following Monday. Fridays for everyone else symbolized the beginning of the weekend and whatever party, but for you, it was always the busiest and most hectic day of the week.

An hour later, your conference was finished, and you’d signed off on the edits. You now had to get down to put together to oversee the inhouse fashion. As you walked out of your office, Tandy shot to her feet.

“Get these off to printing; we’re all set. I’m going down to put together now.”

“Got it. oh, Chris just called.”

“Chris who?”

“Chris Evans, your bestie,” Tandy informed.

“Really, when?”

“Maybe ten minutes ago.”

“What did he want?”

“He said he’s been calling your cell, and you’ve been ignoring him, and he doesn’t appreciate having to find you through your assistant, especially if he’s your best friend,” Tandy explained. You rolled your eyes. You didn’t have time for his melodramatics.

“Thank you, Tandy.”

“Do you want me to call him back?”

“No, he can wait. He needs to learn that I’m not at his beck and call,” you teased with a wink before you got on the elevator.

You and Chris had been friends for a long time. You grew up together in Boston but never really became friends until you were both in middle school, which was right in time to see him turn into the object of every teenage girl’s affection. You’d seen Chris through plenty of awkward phases. The phase where he idolized vanilla Ice and thought he should dress like him. The phase where he thought maybe baseball was going to be his calling—it wasn’t. The phase where he got into soccer only to realize that he was skinny as hell and didn’t really like the uniforms that made him look even skinner.

You were there through other phases too, like the phase where he liked only cheerleaders and had a thing with Beverly Espino while also having a thing with her friend Stacy Carrington. That ended badly when they both realized it. You were there during the phase of him crushing on every burnett in your sixth grade only to change his mind and like all the blondes. Needless to say, you’d seen everything Chris related, girlfriends, side pieces, flings, everything. You knew everything about him, his strengths, weaknesses, fears, and shortcomings. You also knew that all his weaknesses and shortcomings would clash with yours.

After high school, you went to college in New York to pursue a degree in journalism and communications. Chris went off to make his mark in Hollywood. Your friendship took a backseat to both of your goals, but that wasn’t the case for long. You made sure to put in the needed effort to remain in each other’s lives. You accompanied him to countless Hollywood events, and he accompanied you to plenty of work events. Now with both of you in your thirties and at the peak of your careers, your friendship was stronger than ever.

When you made it down to put together, you looked over all the pieces of clothing that had been sent to you for you to style as you wished for this month’s issue. The ones that hadn’t been chosen were set to be sent back or reused for next month. You spent the next hour or so making a plan for what you wanted to send back and what you planned on styling for the next issue. You got so enthralled you lost track of time. When Tandy came in to whisper to you that you were late for your interview, you panicked. You hated being late.

It took you five minutes to get back to your office, where some interviewers were waiting for you.

“I’m so sorry. I lost track of time making plans for next month’s issue.”

“We understand, when you make it to the top, you’re supposed to make people wait,” a well-dressed woman with auburn hair said with a smile.

“Ha, the top. Nonsense.”

“Plenty would beg to differ. I’m Madeline, and this is Jeff.”

You shook their hands and asked Tandy to bring in a bottle of your preferred flavored sparkling water; then, you sat in the seat before them. You noticed Jeff give you the once over before he licked his lips as his eyes rested on your thighs.

“Welcome, I’m Y/N, I’ve never liked the whole Mr. Y-L-N.”

They smiled and visibly relaxed. You didn’t know where this idea that you were a mean ass came from. You were so far from that. You did like respect and liked a good job done. Those traits made you meticulous and determined. You didn’t like your time wasted. The interview began with them asking how you got your start and whether or not you knew this was where you wanted to me. You answered the questions honestly, never giving too much information. It was a trick Chris taught you. He always said answer the question asked do not give an ounce more. If you do, you’re making it easy for them to pry for more and or twist your words. It was great advice, advice you followed.

When the conversation went into details on how you put an issue together and how you kept it all organized, you rambled on and on. Your passion was what you did, and you luckily loved what you did. You loved sharing insight, lessons learned, and tips and tricks. You were a black woman, and for you to have made it this far was unheard of. You wanted to show other black little girls that there is no glass ceiling; they too could be right where you were or higher.

When the interview had reached the forty-five-minute mark, you looked to the door expecting Tandy to be there to encourage them to wrap it up. She was nowhere in sight.

“So, Y/N, there is a lot of curiosity about your personal life. You are so successful, so much of a force to be reckoned with inquiring minds need to know. Is there a Mr. Y-L-N waiting at home for you at nights with your bathwater drawn and dinner waiting?”

You nearly laughed way too loudly. The question was ridiculous. You hadn’t had a date in months because of how busy you were, and for the fact again, you hated your time wasted. Men were either intimidated by you and didn’t approach or approached with the intent on wasting your time.

“My success comes with late nights, early mornings, and lots of sacrifices. No Mr. anything is waiting for me at home.”

Jess smiled and quirked his brow before he licked his lips again.

“So the old wives' tales are true. The ones that say successful women have to sacrifice the happy home life of husbands and babies to reach where they want to be.”

You were speechless. How did you answer that? Of course, you didn’t believe that, but that was precisely what you’d been doing. Clearing your throat, you adjusted in your seat.

“On the contrary, I believe women are in control of their lives and futures. It is absolutely possible to have every single thing you want. I fully intend to,” you finished as Tandy stepped in. Finally, you thought.

“All finished in here?”

You stood and adjusted your skirt while nodding with a fake smile.

“Yes. Thank you for coming by, Madeline, Jeff. It’s wonderful to meet you. Tandy will show you out and also give you a parting gift of my appreciation.”

You shook their outstretched hands, Madeline’s first and then Jeff’s. When your hands touched, you felt a smooth card in your palm. Jeff smiled slyly while looking right in your eyes.

“Hopefully, we see more of each other,” he said. You caught his meaning, and politely smiled.

“Time will tell. Have a good weekend.”

You watched them walk out then looked in your hand to see Jeff’s business card. On the back was a simple message. “Call me. I’d love to have dinner sometime.” You chuckled to yourself as you dropped the card in your desk, not giving him or it another thought.

“Y/N, Chris is on the phone.”

“Put him through, thank you.”

You dropped in your seat and stretched your legs on top of your desk then picked up the phone. Before you spoke, he did.

“I am not your assistant or some journalist who wants a piece of you, so they chase you down. I don’t appreciate having to--,” he spoke before you interrupted him.

“Man, stop all that noise. My god, you actors sure are sensitive and love to talk.”

Chris laughed on the line, which had you giggling along with him.

“How can I help thee, Chris Evans?”

“Shut up. You’re not funny.”

“I’m not trying to be. You’ve been calling all day. What’s up?”

“I’m in town.”

You froze and smiled. “In town, like New York?”

“Duh New York, where else would in town be?”

“Shut up, don’t come for me.”

“I was planning on doing just that. I had a few interviews today, and I don’t have to fly out until tomorrow afternoon,” he informed before you gasped and sat up.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“If it involved beers and music, then yeah,” Chris answered.

You screeched. It had been months since you’d been able to hang out together. You always had a great time together.

“So? You down to take me out?”

“Take you out? You’re such a dork.”

“You like this dork. Can I take that as a yes?”

“Yes. Come by my place at eight.”

“You know that is two hours from now, right? Will you actually be ready? I don’t want to wait for you for an hour, Y/N.”

“You won’t be waiting. I’ll be ready,” you promised.

“Okay, eight. See you then,” Chris finalized before you hung up.

When eight o’clock rolled around, you were not ready, and you knew he was gonna flip out. You ran around your townhouse, trying to finish getting ready. After putting the finishing touches on your makeup look and spritzing yourself with your perfume of the month, you grabbed your clutch in time to hear the doorbell ring. He was ten minutes late, and you knew it was purposely done. Skipping down the steps, you made it to the front door to let him in before he rang again. He gave you a quick once over and stopped at your bare feet.

“I gave you ten extra minutes, and you’re still not ready,” Chris whined. Rolling your eyes, you walked away, leaving the door open.

“Chris, I’m ready. Just give me two minutes. Plus, why are you ringing the doorbell? You have a key.”

You heard the door shut and then heard his footsteps before he turned the corner. “I don’t have any keys on me tonight.”

You tipped your foot onto one of the steps and rubbed the handful of perfumed lotion you carried down with you and paid attention to what you were doing. You didn’t register that everything was quiet. When you looked and turned to him, you rubbed the excess between your thighs.

“What?”

“Uh---nothing, you look incredible. It’s been months.”

You smiled warmly and approached him with your arms stretched out for the hug. He wrapped his arms around you, and the two of you rocked from side to side. His arms engulfed you as they always had, but he felt like he’d bulked up some more.

“Bulked up?”

“Gotta keep the physique looking good.” You rolled your eyes and stepped into your shoes in the corner and adjusted the hemline of your dress.

“See, ready,” you said with a twirl and a pose.

The ride in the cab was not a quiet one. Chris filled you in on everything he’d been doing over the last few months and told you about any new experiences he’d had. There was never one moment of quiet. You’d always found it comforting that no matter how much time passed where the two of you didn’t see each other, it never mattered when you got back together. You talked like no time had passed at all. When he began to tease you about the recent accomplishments you’d made with work, you sat there and ate up the praise. He knew you hated it, but he still did it. Truth be told, you didn’t mind the praise from him; it was from others you hated.

When you walked into the hottest new restaurant in the diamond district, Chris had your clutch and his hand at the small of your back like the perfect gentleman he was. The Friday night crowd was out, and the restaurant was bumbling with overlapping conversations and the clatter of dishes and glasses. As you passed the tables on the way to your own, you felt the eyes of passing men but ignored them. You ordered the first round of drinks and asked for time to decide. That was when you noticed Chris’s eyes on you.

“What?”

“Don’t what me? I must have clocked seven guys just checking you out,” he informed. You rolled your eyes again.

“You’re exaggerating.”

“Am not. I saw it with my own eyes,” Chris insisted.

“Ignore them. Why are you looking at other men watching me?”

“Because I need to know and be ready to drop one of them if they step out of line,” Chris boasted. You smirked and shook your head. He’d been dropping guys in your name since you were kids. You knew it was a protective gesture, so you didn’t care.

“What about you? I see plenty of eyes slanting over her to check out your baby blues and cabin in the woods beard.”

Chris laughed heartily again. You liked to tease him about his beard.

“You know you like the beard. Don’t lie, puddin’.”

You couldn’t stifle your laugh at the mention of his nickname for you that stemmed from an incident in your childhood. “Are you going to drop one of them for me?”

“Hell no, I don’t fight for no man, honey,” you quickly responded.

“I’m not just anybody,” Chris defended. You took him in for a few moments, but the moment was interrupted by the waiter bringing by your drinks.

The two of you ordered your meals and got right back into talking and teasing one another. You’d missed him, and it was evident he’d missed you too. Dinner was delicious, and the service was spectacular. Chris left a generous tip after he paid the bill much to your annoyance. He knew you hated being kept. You worked hard to make your own money and liked to spend it. When you protested, he overrode your voice and went ahead and did it anyway. He didn’t do it to be sexist; he did it because that was how Ms. Lisa raised him.

After another fifteen-minute ride in a cab, you arrived at a club that Tandy had told you about weeks ago but hadn’t gotten around to going. From the modern exterior, it looked really exclusive. The neon lights were dark but blinding. The colors were all aesthetically pleasing and complimented the fresh slate of the outside. When you walked to the guards in front of the establishment, they looked at you from head to toe and smiled their approval. They then glanced at Chris, who had his head dipped low so no one recognized him. When the guards opened the doors for you, those who were in line groaned and whined their displeasure.

“Oh shut up, or you won’t be getting in at all!” Those in line instantly shut their mouths. You walked in front of Chris down the dark corridor.

“Guess you wore the right dress,” he whispered.

“Guess I did.”

The corridor ended and opened up to loud music and even darker neon lights that gave everyone enough privacy to have a good time however they saw fit.

“Wow,” Chris uttered.

“Right. How long has it been since you danced your ass off white boy?”

You walked down the steps toward the dance floor and turned to him as you began to dance as well. His smile was bright as he shook his head. You beckoned him to you as you continued to dance. When he got in front of you, he began showing you that rhythm he had. He had more rhythm than any white boy you’d ever met, and he took pride in his dance moves. When he busted out some old two-step, you threw your head back and laughed loudly. Chris then wrapped his arm around your waist and pulled you to him. The two of you danced and got lost in the music.

It felt good to finally cut loose after such a long time being work-focused. You’d tried to ignore how badly you needed a night out, but right now, you couldn’t ignore it any longer. Chris kept his hands respectful as you danced close together. Every so often, he turned you and danced behind you, keeping up with the latest dance moves. You leaned to his ear.

“Someone’s been watching Tik Tok,” you teased. He laughed again and brought his lips to your ears.

“And paying attention to my niece and nephew,” he joked.

After an hour of dancing, the two of you found an empty area and ordered two rounds of drinks. As you drank and swayed in your seats to the music, you shouted at each other, still catching up. The music was so loud that you missed a few words here or there, but because you knew him so well, you knew what he was saying. There were so many instances where you each finished each other’s sentences before laughing together about it.

“More dancing?”

You nodded and took his hand and allowed him to lead you back to the dancefloor. It was even more crowded than before, and you were shocked; he still hadn’t been recognized. He was also surprised, but you could tell he was enjoying his new anonymity. Your moves got sillier and sillier the more you drank, and his got more frat boy as he knocked drink after drink back.

At one point, you ended up in the air being moved through the crowd with you shouting. When you returned to your feet, there Chris was in the center of the circle doing some old school moves that had you laughing. He found you in the crowd and posed. You knew what it meant and panicked as you rapidly shook your head. Chris stamped his foot adamantly and gave you a stern look. You shook your head again, but he was not letting up. Rolling your eyes, you just gave in. He smiled once he saw he’d worn you down. With two nods of your head you ran toward him, he bent and did his best Patrick Swayze impersonation from Dirty Dancing by hoisting you into the air and holding you there. The crowd erupted with loud cheers and hooting. You looked down at Chris and found his eyes already on you. Shaking your head, you giggled before he allowed you to drop into his arms so he could slide you down his body.

“You’re such a dork!”

The night passed in a blur. You drank an excessive amount of alcohol, and after a while, the vibe in the club turned utterly hedonistic. When someone approached you with an assortment of party enhancements, you were shocked when Chris’s hand was the first to fly out for the trey. His only response was “live a little.” He made you look like such a prude sometimes. Since peer pressure always worked, you chose two items off the trey and took one of the rolled joints.

You danced, drank, puffed and passed to each other and allowed whatever you’d taken to take you higher than either of you had been in a long time. When you left the club and climbed into the back of a cab, you could see the sky beginning streak with the impending sunrise. Neither of you could stop laughing about any and every stupid thing. When you got back to your place, you stumbled inside and laughed a lot more before you made it to the living room floor where you sprawled out on.

“Oh my god, do you remember the last time we were high together?”

You snorted and laughed for a little while. “Nope, it’s been months though.”

“What did we take?”

“I don’t know, but all these colors are so vivid,” you responded.

“They are,” Chris answered. Both of you let out a united, “wow.”

Several minutes passed with the two of you lying on the floor in front of the big French window looking up at the sky. You had such a delicious high that nothing felt real or like it mattered. All of your senses were heightened. You could smell Chris’ cologne like you wore it and taste the last drink you had before leaving the club almost forty minutes ago. The material of your dress gently rubbed against your skin, and though it hadn’t felt bothersome before, it sure did now. Even the coolness of the floor felt incredible against your skin.

“Why’d we never get together, Y/N?”

Your snort was loud, louder than it should have been.

“Shut up. You’re so stupid.”

He laughed right along with you before he stopped. “I wanna know. We’ve been friends since we were eleven. I knew you before you got boobs,” Chris reminisced.

Again, you couldn’t help but snicker.

“And I knew you before your balls dropped,” you countered. Neither of you could keep a straight face with that one.

“See. So why?”

You sighed and lifted your leg into the air, not expecting that your heel would fly right off and across the room to knock something onto the floor with a loud clatter. That set you both off laughing uncontrollably.

“Because I know everything about you, and you know everything about me,” you informed.

“Some would say that’s a good thing.”

Looking to your left at him, you scoffed and shook your head. “Not for us. I know too much. We’d never work. Our uglies won’t play well together,” you finished before looking back to the sky.

“Well, I think everything would play well together,” Chris countered this time.

You shook your head and sat up to reach the bar that you knew was close by. Raising onto your knees, you grabbed the first bottle you could reach then dropped down onto your elbows to look at it.

“What’d ya get?”

You looked at him with a wide smile. “Hennessey. How adventurous are you feeling?”

“Crack it open,” Chris answered with a strong Bostonian accent. You opened the bottle and brought it to the head for a few gulps before handing it off to Chris. Then you leaned back on the ottoman that was there. You watched him take his gulp. He wrinkled his nose and blew out.

“How would you handle my tendency to push people away?”

Chris looked at you, took another gulp from the bottle, and blew out a breath again.

“Hmm—not let you push me away.”

You rolled your eyes at his genius plan. “Great plan, dork. How would I handle your tendency to be a flirtatious dick?”

He smiled his signature Chris Evans smile and lifted both his eyebrows. “By knowing I only have eyes for you.”

You snorted and shook your head before you grabbed the bottle. “Bullshit,” you said before bringing it to your head.

“I’m being serious right now,” Chris protested louder than necessary.

“You’re drunk. That is the only reason why you’re bringing this up.”

“Okay, yes. I’m drunk and high as fuck, but that does not make the question any less valid.”

He was being his annoyingly persistent self. Usually, this trait would be a good thing, endearing even, but when he was drunk, it was anything but endearing.

“What do you want from me, Chris?”

“You’ve never thought about us?”

“There is no us,” you pointed out.

“I know that, but you’ve never thought about it?”

You didn’t hesitate with your answer. “No. I mean, not really.”

“I’ve thought about it,” Chris admitted.

You had to laugh then. He was really venturing into unchartered territory. You’d never talked about anything like this before.

“Shut up. You have not!”

“I have. It was brief, but I thought about it,” Chris confessed.

The two of you were silent for a while. Your mind was running as fast as it could, which wasn’t that fast because of whatever party enhancements you’d taken. You couldn’t wrap your head around this conversation.

“And?” Your curiosity was not impaired, though.

“And what?”

“Did we work in your brief thought?”

Chris took a deep breath and grabbed the bottle and took another healthy gulp.

“I don’t know. It was like a flash of a few instances. We seemed—happy.”

“Liar. We probably argued like cats and dogs.”

Your laugher intermingled before you both fell silent again, just watching the sky change its hue.

“Nah—we were good together like always,” Chris finished.

You took the bottle and took three big gulps and almost gagged from the burn in your throat that rushed to burst into flames in your belly. You were quiet for a few minutes, but it was you who looked at him first. Sensing your eyes on him, he looked to you, and the two of you just gazed at each other. It was the two of you who moved in simultaneously before hesitating just when your lips were going to touch. Some part of you said stop, but it was a small, quiet part, every other part of you was telling you to do it.

When your lips touched neither of you moved, you stayed there, letting it sink in. When you did move, it was a slow and cautious kiss. Your lips pressed and brushed together in an intimate way that was foreign for the context of your relationship. Though it was foreign, it felt good. After what must have been minutes, Chris deepened the kiss, plunging his tongue into your mouth to curl around yours. A moan escaped you, and as if that moan was the hammer that destroyed whatever wall and gate that kept the two of you from going down this path. Chris moaned after you, and it was a new sound for you. You rose onto your knees at the same time Chris did the same thing. He cupped your skull and kissed you more earnestly. Your hand gripped his waist and loved the heat radiating off him.

You kissed him back with as much passion and yearning he kissed you. For several long minutes, that is all you did. It was a feeling to relish, a feeling you wanted more of. You were the first to begin to undo his shirt. When Chris felt your finger graze his chest, he pulled his lips from yours to peer into your eyes. You were focused on his shirt and the goal you had—to get his clothes off. Once the buttons were undone, you pushed his shirt off and looked over his exposed skin. He had buffed up, you thought. When your eyes met, neither of you moved for quite a while. It was as if both of you were taking in the moment and fully acknowledging the line you were about to cross.

Your lips crashed together, and from there, no one could tell where he began, and you ended. Your moans echoed in the quiet room. Chris’s hands touched you everywhere, the back of your head, your neck, the small of your back and your ass. His large hands cupped your bottom and pulled you flush against him. When he pulled your head back by your hair, he latched his lips onto your neck, which had you biting onto his shoulder as you enjoyed the sensations of his lips on your skin. When he nibbled your ear lobe, you threw your head back but grabbed at his pants and began unbuckling his belt. Your movements were quick.

You felt Chris lower the zipper down your spine then trail his finger along your skin until he reached the back of your neck. Once there, he gripped you and angled your head, so you looked at him. You could see nothing but desire in his eyes, and that was all you cared about. You kissed him again and took control. You teased his tongue then nibbled his bottom lip as you finally got his pants open. Chris then peeled your dress off your body, revealing your naked body to him for the first time since you were twelve.

He looked enflamed as if the sight of you set him on fire. You grabbed the bottle from the floor and gulped a mouthful before holding it out to him. You laid back onto the floor just as Chris accepted the bottle and took two gulps from it before he put it to the side and lowered his head to your breast. He sucked it into his mouth and teased it along with the mouthful of Hennessey. As he explored your skin for the first time, you hugged his head to you and arched your back, feeding him even more of your flesh.

Chris brought his lips to your other breast and did the same before he ended on a forceful nibble. He trailed kisses down the center of your body. When he got to your belly button, you watched as he dribbled the remainder of the liquor in it. The wayward glance he offered you only set you on fire even more. He languidly slurped the liquid from the indentation and used his tongue to swirl around it to ensure he got it all then peeled the rest of the dress off of your body with help from your lifted legs.

Slowly Chris spread your thighs and looked between them at your black lace thong. After looping his thumbs at the waist of the garment, he pulled them off of you. When he got the first glimpse of your sex, he sucked in a breath then groaned.

“Fuck, you’re gorgeous!” That was the only thing he said before he buried his face between your thighs and began demonstrating all the ways he was good with his mouth. He expertly flicked his tongue across your clit before he sucked it into his mouth only to repeat the action from before. He did it in a dizzying pattern, one that had you on edge and needing more.

You buried your fingers in his hair and held his head in place and began bucking your hips across his lips. His moan was one of approval. He liked that you were using his face to get yourself off that turned you on even more. Chris pressed your thighs back to the cool floor and held them there then took control of the way he ate your pussy. In seconds you saw stars and found yourself panting and muttering incoherently. You didn’t care that you were getting loud; all you cared about was him keeping his pace. Chris dipped his tongue into your heat, and you lost your shit. Screeching out, you came on his mouth as you bucked even more wildly truing to milk and prolonging the pleasure you felt.

“Mmmm, you taste so fucking good. I could eat this pussy all night,” Chris huskily purred. The dim light that poured in behind him bathed him, making him look like some sort of heavenly creature. He was gorgeous, and you began to wonder if he’d always been gorgeous or were you seeing him in a new light. Chris lowered his head to kiss your inner thigh. Then he dropped a suctioned kiss to your clit that renewed the fire you felt. Lifting your legs, you pushed at his pants, hinting for him to take them off.

Answering your silent plea Chris arched over you, allowing you to use your feet to free him of the confining material. The loud clatters of him kicked off his shoes echoed in the room, but then he remained hovered over your body, showcasing his incredible upper body strength and giving you the first look of grown-up Chris. His cock was long, thick, and mesmerizing. Long gone were the days of him having a skinny pale-looking worm, he’d grown nicely.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Chris breeched. You raised an eyebrow and waited for him to continue.

“You’re thinking about the first time you saw it when we were eleven. It looks a lot different now.”

You smiled and wrapped your legs around his waist. “I promise I know what to do with it now,” Chris finished with a smirk.

“Prove it,” you whispered. He shook his head and, but you could see the fire in his eyes. He liked a challenge; he liked feeling like he had something to prove. He crashed his lips to yours again and stole your breath in seconds. You moaned on him and wrapped your arms around his back. The way the muscles there danced and spasmed had you moaning even more.

When you felt him press forward to sink the tip of his intrusion in, you gasped on his mouth and angled your head back, giving him unrestricted access to your neck. Chris groaned as he buried his face in the crook of your neck and continued sinking into you. With each agonizingly slow glide, you came that much closer to falling apart. He stretched you so deliciously, so perfectly that your body began to shake. In no way were you prepared for the size of him, and he was blowing your mind with just what the good Lord blessed him with. It sure didn’t look like much when you were kids. After him feeding you half of his length, you gripped him tightly, which had him grunting before fully thrusting into you.

“Fuck!” Both of you shouted out together, him feeling the full heat of your body and you claiming your second release of the night.

Chris took several deep breathes then slowly pulled back, leaving only the tip of him before he looked down to watch as he filled you to the hilt once again. A whimper escaped him before he did it again, and again and again. Each time he snapped his hip forward more forcefully, and each time your eyes rolled to the back of your head. Chris began to move within you like a wave ebbed at the shore. His eyes met yours, and the moment became even more intense.

After a few minutes, Chris was rocking in and out of you to his own rhythm. It was clear he had one goal, and it was to bring you as much pleasure as possible. his lips tasted every part of your upper body, neck, shoulder, earlobe, collar, nipple and each time he tasted of you he acted as if your skin was the sustenance he needed. After your third orgasm, you flipped him onto his back and rocked your hips against him. Chris arched his back and spread his arms out beside him as he released a deep groan.

He watched your body move and allowed you to take your pleasure from him. Every time you rocked forward, you felt him lurch within you, and after the fourth time, you were addicted to the feeling. Using his abdomen as leverage, you bounced on him as you rocked, changing the angle of which he pumped into you and the intensity of the sensations. Chris gripped your hips and held you where you were before he pumped up into your core.

“Ah, shit, yes! Mmm, fuck me!”

With the demand, you were on your back once again with your ankles on his shoulders, and him hovered over you as he fucked you better then you could remember ever having it done before. He was reaching places you’d forgotten were there. Your skin was peppered with goosebumps, and every time he stoked that sweet spot in you, your whimpers picked up. When you heard Chris’ moans, you used his shoulders as a brace to begin rolling your body like a wave giving as good as you got.

“Fuck!” The way Chris looked at you said he hadn’t expected you to do that, and he was quickly losing his shit. You dropped your legs and pushed him away. You had the strongest urge to have him in your mouth. Quickly you rose to a sitting position before you bent down to lick at his cock.

Chris sucked in a long breath and groaned out with every inch you sank into your mouth. When your lips wrapped around his entire shaft, Chris gripped your head and groaned loudly.

“Oh my god.” You pulled back and repeated the action before you sped your movements. You knew he was close; you could feel it with everything in you. Bringing your hand to join your lips, you worked him with a pattern you knew would be his finisher. As you swirled your tongue around him, he let out a shriek that was music to your ears. Chris sank back onto his heels, then panted and groaned.

“Fuck, you’re gonna make me cum.” Locking eyes with him, you moaned on him but sped your lips. He knew what you intended, and he was powerless to stop you. After the fourth lodge in your throat, you moaned, and just like that, he came. You moaned and took everything he had. Several long moments later, you pulled your mouth free and moaned with a cocky smile. Chris’ jaw was dropped with a look of sheer disbelief on his face.

You grabbed the bottle and took a mouthful of the brown liquor and moaned as the flavorful liquid washed down the mouthful he’d just given you.

“Fuck outta here,” Chris chided, letting his accent shine through. He then grabbed the bottle, took a gulp of his own, and grabbed you before he pushed you over the ottoman. In seconds he’d sank into you again like he hadn’t just come. He was more than ready.

This round, he was in full control, and he used his control to show you just how much he’d grown and how much he knew now. Long gone were the days of him experimenting and practicing. He was a big boy now, and he was fucking you the way big boys did—roughly, deeply and thoroughly. You screamed his name and panted with every snap of his hips into you. When he grabbed your hair to pull you back against him to then gently grab your throat, you lost it. Never in your life had you been into this kind of play, but with him right now, the forceful and dominating way he held you and commanded your body was making you weak and ready to let him take it any way he wanted.

From the ottoman, you moved to one of your couches where he used it at a perch for his foot to give you a deeper, more intense angle that sent you over the edge. From there, he pressed you against the cold window tempting anyone who dared look in to watch as he fucked the life out of you. When you finally came again, you were back on the floor with him over you, giving you slow, deep strokes that were next to impossible to take, but you took it. You took every fucking thing he gave.

-The Next Day-

The sound of the passing garbage truck and then street sweeping machine stirred you wake. Groaning, you sat up only to get shriek when the harsh light beamed down into your face. Shielding your eyes, you waited for them to adjust before you peeped through them and to your right. Your head was pounding, and everything you looked at was blurry.

“Oh my god,” you groaned. Waiting a few minutes, you sat there feeling worse than you’d felt in a long, long time. When you looked to your right again, you saw the nearly empty bottle of Hennessey and groaned.

“Uuugh, fuck you, Henny,” you groaned out before you opened your eyes wider.

You felt a body beside you shift, and then you felt the unmistakable nudge of a dick against you. Your head snapped to the right to see Chris lying there shirtless with your throw blanket draped haphazardly across his man parts. Your jaw dropped as panic began to set in. You looked at yourself and saw you were topless and that the same throw was across your lap as well.

Slapping your hand across your mouth in an attempt to keep any sound from escaping, you began to hyperventilate. Again, the nudge of a dick pressed more forcefully against you. You were horrified but filled with a strange curiosity that you fought with every fiber of your being. You were afraid to move. It was as if you thought if you didn’t move, then none of this would be real. It wouldn’t be real that you’d just had sex with your best friend. So, without moving, you sat there and stared out the window before you.

You don’t know how long you just stared out the window in a daze, but you felt when Chris woke. His groan said he too felt the pounding in his head. You decided not to look his way; this would only get worse that way. You remembered everything.

“Oh—fuck,” Chris whispered. You nodded, knowing the weight of everything had set in. He sat up beside you, but neither of you spoke, you just stared out the window in front of you.

After a few moments, you couldn’t handle being this close, and you got up to realize you were completely naked. Chris instinctively looked over you before he shook his head and looked away.

“Oh fuck,” he repeated. You hurried away toward the second couch and took the other throw blanket and wrapped yourself in it before walking out toward the kitchen. You needed coffee.

As you worked the almost five-thousand-dollar espresso machine in your kitchen, you went over everything that happened the night before. The more you remembered, the more panicked you became. When Chris came into the kitchen, he was dressed with his shirt unbuttoned enough, showing his chest tattoos. He approached the espresso machine as you turned to walk away from it. Your bodies bounced, and with it came another memory of the night before. You abruptly turned and went the opposite way to sit at the nook. You sat in silence while staring into the cup of coffee.

Chris sat with you, but he also remained quiet for several more minutes.

After a few sips of coffee, he spoke, “Soooo, that happened.”

“Did it? Do you actually remember it happening?”

Chris nodded slowly as his facial expressions became more and more animated. “Uh—yeah. I remember a lot of things,” Chris answered.

“Oh, god.” You rubbed your forehead and took a big gulp of the black sludge in your white ceramic cup.

“Where did you learn to do that thing with your mouth?”

“Chris!” Your shock was evident.

“Sorry. Right not important.”

The silence returned and stretched as both of you still struggled to wrap your heads around the last eighteen hours.

“Have you always been able to make it jump like that?”

Chris paused his coffee cup filled hand in midair as he glanced at you. “Did you like it?”

“Shut up, shut up, shut up. Not important,” you drilled.

Again, you were silent, just sipping away at your coffee, refusing to address the enormous elephant in the room.

“What about the way you squeezed me? How’d you learn that?”

You slapped your hand to your face. “Oh my god, Chris. We have to forget what happened. It shouldn’t have happened,” you began.

“Yeah, but how do we forget it all? It was a lot. You did things to me—whooo, no good catholic woman knows how to do what you did,” Chris admitted as your jaw dropped.

“Shut up. You’re the one to talk. You’re no good catholic boy. Does your mother know what you do with that mouth?”

When the two of you began laughing together, the tension between you fell away, and you were left with the normal way you always talked. It was comfortable.

“Oh my god,” you groaned out again.

“I don’t want anything to be weird,” Chris quietly began as he looked at you. You nodded your agreement. That was the last thing you wanted too.

“It won’t be. It was a one-time thing. We were really, really, really fucked up.”

“One-time thing,” Chris repeated as you both nodded in agreement.

You finished your coffee and made him a quick bowl of oatmeal that you shared. Though both of you tried to ignore the elephant and forget it was there, it wasn’t so easy. You caught his eyes on the parts of your body the throw exposed as you moved, and you recognized the look on his face. You were sure he caught the way your eyes stayed glued to his exposed chest or his hands as he used them. All you could think about was the way he’d touched you, and the feel of his weight hover you.

You were now in this weird limbo place, and you didn’t know what to make of it. You knew, though, that you didn’t want to lose what you had.

“Ah damnit,” Chris hissed as he looked at his watch.

“You gotta go,” you informed. He nodded and confirmed.

“I have an appearance to film before my flight out.”

“Yeah. Go, go. It’s cool. We’ll talk,” you rushed out.

“You’re sure?”

“Yes, Chris, get to work.” You smiled, then stood and led the way to the front door. Chris made sure he had everything he needed and stopped in front of it facing you.

“Uh—thank you for last night,” he awkwardly began. You quirked your eyebrow and scrunched your face.

“Uh---.”

“Weird?”

“I mean, it’s like you’re thanking me for sex,” you informed.

“Fair enough. At least I’m not shoving an envelope of a few thousands in your hand,” Chris teased before he got a slap to the gut.

“No thank yous, no I’m sorries, just—go.”

He nodded and came in to kiss your cheek awkwardly. Your eyes met, and they lingered before he pulled back to kiss your forehead. After he did, he turned to walk out the door.

“Jesus,” you whispered.

All you wanted to do was bury your head under your blankets, but you knew you’d obsess over the entire night and think about it way too much. You also knew the chances of you overthinking it and making things worse were almost guaranteed. You decided to keep yourself busy. For the remainder of the day, you ran errands, cleaned your house, and did everything not to give yourself any time to sit and think.

By the time evening came, you got a text from Chris letting you know he was lifting off and that he’d call when he landed. Your reply was typical Y/N.

MSG: Eh, don’t worry about calling. It’s not necessary. Have a safe flight.

When you asked him how he’d handle when you pushed him away, you were being honest. He knew you had this tendency. Even though you told him it wasn’t necessary, he still called. You watched it ring and ring until it ended. That was how things went for the majority of the weeks that passed. Every time he called, you either ignored it entirely and pretended it never happened or sent a meager text a few hours later, apologizing for missing his call. You’d then text back and forth in intervals thanks to his busy schedule until one of you—usually, you let the conversation fade.

A week passed, then two, then four until seven had passed where you’d barely spoken or texted. You knew you were being super weird about things even when you were the one to promise things wouldn’t be weird. You also knew that you were pushing him away, and it was the absolute opposite of what you wanted to do. It was apparent in how you kept up with him in the tabloids and news articles. Every time he had an accomplishment, you cheered for him while sending a dry text showing your support. It was usually a text he responded to with the same dryness.

In that time, you used your work as a crutch and excuse to pile more on to keep busy. You stayed so busy that you ignored the signs of exhaustion your body was sending you. When you passed out at work from severe dizziness, you finally listened and took the rest of the day off to work at home. While in the cab and tapping away in an email, you felt the first bout of nausea. That one feeling had you opening your calendar to go over your dates. When you realized you were over six weeks late, you nearly passed out again.

After stopping by a pharmacy for not one or two but eight pregnancy tests, you beelined it home. It took you a whole hour to get the nerve to take them. You kept putting it off and doing everything else but. Once you took them, you sat on your bathroom floor, surrounded by pregnancy tests. You tried your best to keep your head clear and not think any thoughts. Your phone went off for the fourth time, signifying that the five minutes needed had passed long ago. You’d sat on the floor for twenty minutes, unable to look at not even one test.

“Come on Y/N. You fought for everything in your life. You’re successful, financially comfortable, just look at the damn test.” You took several deep breathes and looked down at the first test to see two double lines.

“Oh.”

You moved on to the next one and bugged your eyes, seeing another pair of double lines. Quickly you moved to the next and read the word “pregnant” in the clear blue window. As you looked around you, each and every text showed double lines, a plus sign, or the word “pregnant.” You couldn’t believe what you were seeing.

You were pregnant with your best friend’s baby.

You were pregnant with Chris’ baby.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#light of morning fic #Chris Evans #chris evans fanfiction #chris evans x reader #chris evans x you #chris evans x black reader #black fanfiction #chris evans smut

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incorrectbatfam · 4 years

Note

If the Marvel and DC universes came together, who would be friends with who and what would it be like?

Bruce Wayne and Tony Stark would have the most complicated dynamic. Iron Man and Batman have a longstanding frenemy-like feud over who’s the better tech hero, but the public lowkey ships the billionaires. In reality it’s more like Bruce bringing his kids and a plate of Alfred’s deviled eggs to the Stark family’s Sunday brunches and they complain about “kids these days” over mimosas. Pepper and Selina laugh at the men in their lives while Alfred and Rhodey just give each other knowing looks

Dick would hit it off right away with the spider people—Peter Parker, Gwen Stacy, Miles Morales. They show off parkour moves while Ganke Lee filmed from the ground. Sometimes the four of them would lurk in high places when patrol is slow and play pranks on the other heroes, like having Miles turn invisible and venom strike Superman or stealthily replacing the Jason’s bullets with paintballs. They also spend a LOT of time talking crap about their guardian figures. One mission even led them to meet alternate universe versions of themselves (plus a strange spider pig)

Speaking of Jason, he would get along great with Frank Castle and Wade Wilson. They all share the same MO, antihero status, and moral compass. Most heroes disapprove of their methods, so it’s easy to see why they would seek camaraderie with each other. They’d go for drinks after patrol, where they’d laugh at Weasel’s jokes or catch up with Luke, Jessica, and Danny. Deadpool would insist on being Red Hood’s dance partner instead of Arsenal when the DJ plays Celine Dion. Sometimes they’ll get so drunk they can’t walk and, to much annoyance, crash at Daredevil’s

Going with the theme of birds of a feather, Tim would revel in awe as the Hulk gives him a private tour of everything, including the lab Ant Man and Wasp operate out of. Scott Lang would be thoroughly impressed by Tim’s prodigal intellect, but also jokingly warns the boy to stay away from Cassie. Hope Van Dyne and Bruce Banner would gladly take Tim under their wing were it not for the Batman being like “nope, that’s my genius kid, not yours”. Plot twist: Tim fanboys over Captain America and Winter Soldier the most

Damian would bring together the forces of DC’s Teen Titans and Marvel’s Young Avengers to cover as much territory as possible. America Chavez’s star portals helps get them to off-world places for missions that Noh-Varr and Jon-El take on. The two Billys—Shazam and Wiccan—often train together because they’re “same name buddies”, while Hulkling and Beast Boy form their own “animal people club”. Damian has high regard for Kate Bishop as an archer, but makes fun of Clint Barton and Oliver Queen all the time

Cassandra and Stephanie are empowered badass ladies, so it’s no surprise when they becomes best buddies with Black Widow, Captain Marvel, Valkyrie, and Gamora. Plus, she gets to go to space whenever she wants with these ladies. When they’re not fighting Kree forces, they’re filming Star-Lord’s bad dancing to ‘80s music or trying to see who can come closest to petting Rocket (Cass did it quite a few times). They’ll have girls nights on spaceships with Mantis and Nebula where Steph introduces the non-Earthlings to stuff like manicures and bad 2000s high school movies.

Duke Thomas and Kamala Khan are one in the same. Duke first recognizes Kamala not as Ms. Marvel, but as SlothBaby, author of the Wolverine and Storm In Space fanfiction. Sam Alexander likes to joke that Signal is the new Champions member because Spider-Man is “too busy playing with his Dick”. When they’re not patrolling Gotham or Jersey City, they’re at cat cafés writing collaborative fanfics or discussing social issues on forums with ROFLCopter as mediator. They both ship Carol Danvers and Peter Parker, but teased the idea of a Captain Marvel/Black Lightning ship. One thing’s for certain: they agree BadMachine1999 got Ms. Marvel’s character all wrong

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spaceorphan18 · 3 years

Text

Marvel Movie Nights: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

You know, based on its reputation, and the fact that I really disliked the original film because it was a bad CW version of the origina Raimi film, I was ready to just hate this film. And... I didn’t? Don’t get me wrong, it’s not great, it’s totally got a Spider-Man 3 thing going with just too much going on. But, if I’m being honest, I kind of had fun with it? More so than the so incredibly tedious first film.

The plot is so convoluted and twisted into itself that it’s hard to talk about it as a whole. It’s trying to balance about six different things while attempting to set up an entire universe on its own. And, because of that, it kind of collapses in on itself like dying star. So, I’m gonna take this one chunk at a time...

First we have... Peter’s dead parents. Honestly, this is one of the elements that feels a little too much. A lot of it is contrived, especially in how his parents are tied to the spider experiments that made Peter Spider-Man in the first place. It feels like dumb movie logic, and this is the part, for me, that felt the most emotionally hollow (which is saying a lot because there’s a lot of cheap emotional beats in this film). I didn’t care, and this movie would have worked fine without any of it in it.

I’m gonna mention Aunt May next, because she has so little to do. Sally Field is great -- but there’s this weird subplot of her trying to be a nurse? She spends most of her time yelling or crying or yelling and crying, but it all amounts to about five minutes of screen time. I get what they were doing with it -- having read enough Spider-Man comics to realize that Aunt May has been somewhat of a one-note character for most of her existence -- but she feels so obligatory here that why even bother?

Alright, so let’s talk about Andrew Garfield again. Believe it or not -- I liked him so much better in this film! His Peter is still very lacking, and he makes some bizarre acting choices (as well as the fact that Peter’s basically a weirdo stalker in this film) but his Spider-Man is way less of a dick, and a lot more fun. That is... when he has someone to actually interact with, which brings me to...

Emma Stone’s Gwen Stacy. I didn’t get the chemistry thing from the first film, because the way the relationship plays out makes no sense. Well, it mostly makes no sense here, too, but there’s some really clear chemistry here -- and it’s so nice for Peter to actually have a grounded friend here, that this whole thing is actually the most enjoyable part of the film --- even if Peter is stalking her through half of it.

So, maybe I need a whole other post to talk about her death, but I’m kind of fascinated by this -- because it is one of comics most shocking moments. Seriously. It’s what ended the Silver Age of Comics and what pushed it to the Bronze Age, where comics were taken more seriously, and began to handle more realistic story lines. I think her death works here! It’s not set up very well -- I like a little more thematic in my superhero films -- but the actual scene is pretty good. I do have to laugh, a little, at the fact that Spider-Man clearly murders his own girlfriend, but because they have to end the movie, they kind of gloss over that with movie time montage. Anyway...

Villains! This story definitely has them. So -- there’s a ton of set up for the Sinister Six -- Black Cat is prowling around. BJ Novak was supposed to be someone. And of course Doc Ock’s hands are floating in some kind of liquid. And... Paul Giamatti in a giant Rhino suit, that’s kind of hilarious. Again, it’s too much. They’re trying so hard to set up, like, ten sequels that it kind of kills this one. It’s like Iron Man 2 but on steroids. There are also some evil lawyer types, too, which, whatever...

So, first big bad is Electro played by Jamie Foxx. He’s such a flat and ill-defined character. What are his powers? He’s like an electric Magneto. And so socially awkward that he has no personality and the basic emotional intelligence of a two year old. But that’s fine -- because the rest of the plot is only using him for his powers. It just feels... obligatory?

Meanwhile, there’s Harry Osborn coming in as the Green Goblin, and let me tell you, this shit is wild. The actor plays Harry like some kind of drugged up Leo DiCaprio. They awkwardly force a relationship with Peter after having zero set-up. Seriously - Peter just shows up one day. And then there’s the whole plot -- Harry is dying of some rare genetic disease that is literally making him the Green Goblin, and only Spider-Man’s blood can save him. After being thrown out of Oscorp because evil lawyer, he breaks out Electro so they can stop Spider-Man. And then at the end -- Harry is magically fine. It’s wild. And insane. Hilariously entertaining, but insane.

On the production side of things -- despite the fact that nothing about this film feels like it’s grounded in any kind of reality -- it’s not that bad. The CGI holds up pretty well. The action sequences are decent -- especially the third act, where I usually tap out, actually kept me pretty captivated. The score is fine, but not my favorite. And the film looks pretty clean and less dark than the original film.

Final Thoughts: While I did enjoy it despite the major flaws, it does make me miss Tom Holland -- I know all the fanboys want Spider-Man to work alone, but I think he does best when he actually has friends. :P

Next-Up: X-Men Days of Future Past. I have nothing snarky to add - this is actually a good film.

#marvel movie nights #the amazing-spiderman 2

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thwip--thwip · 4 years

Note

Hey, I was looking for some new reading material and wondered if you could give me some recs? Please and thank you sm!

ho BOY anon, COULD I! I’ve got over 2,000 bookmarks on AO3 - what are we looking for? I’m going to assume IronDad, or at the very least Peter Parker-centric; short or long? MJ or Gwen Stacy? Angst, fluff, whump? Sorry this took a minute; I went into the vault for you and pulled out some rare gems:

LONG FICS

In the Home by @captainkirkk | 68k

The Avengers have been infected, turned violent and aggressive against their will. And Peter, the only one unaffected, is trapped inside the Tower with six feral teammates.

“Natasha,” Peter says cautiously, “what happened here? Steve attacked me, and if there was ever a sign that something was wrong, it’s having the embodiment of Truth, Justice, and the American Way throw you across the room—”

Natasha comes closer, her stride controlled. Nothing necessarily out of the ordinary, but there’s something in her face, in her eyes—

Natasha lunges across the space, and slams into Peter, hard.

This just…hoo. A classic if I’ve ever seen one. There’s going to be plenty of aloneintherain on this list because she’s the bomb dot com and its no secret I’m in love. we Stan in this house; this might be my favorite Spidey fic ever written.

POW Avengers by Punny_Puck |122k

Tony Stark is thrown into a new Nazi POW camp. It’s his fifth–or sixth–and he’d really like to make it to his fiftieth escape attempt this time. But Stalag III isn’t like any of the other POW camps he’s been in. He suddenly finds himself facing an impossible task: Getting two-hundred and fifty men out of the camp in one massive escape attempt. And dammit if he’s not going to make it work.

Very impressive, very lengthy and detailed historical AU set in WWII. This one is more Tony than Peter, and quite a fair bit of Loki (this author does a great job with all the different POV’s, that’s why it’s so long!). Nice and juicy!

5 Times Peter Fell & Tony Caught Him, and The 1 Time He Didn’t by eva7673 | 35k

Peter has a nasty habit of falling. And Tony, bless him, will catch him every. single. time. Until the day he can’t.

I love this series with all of my heart, but especially this first fic! It’s the perfect amount of whump and IronDad, and oh man, that last time? GETS me. Eva definitely put in so much work on this series, and it SHOWS!

Twelve Days of Peter Parker by @upcamethesun | 27k

In each of the twelve days leading up to Christmas, Tony runs into one Peter Parker — for better or for worse.

In other words, an excuse for this author to write gratuitous Peter fluff/angst/nonsense with a Christmas theme, because ‘tis the season.

This fic is so cute I Die. Perfect bit of holiday nonsense! I read it every year lol. It’s got everything you’re looking for and more, to scratch the itch you didn’t know you had.

ever in your favor by @iron–spider | 153k

Peter startles awake when someone shakes him.

“Sorry, honey,” May says. Peter blinks a couple times and she comes into focus, her hair pulled back from her face. She’s trying not to look a certain way, but he can see it in her eyes anyway. She clears her throat, keeps talking. “But it’s…” She glances away, wets her lips. “You gotta get ready.”

He remembers what day it is, and his heart beats like a drum at someone’s execution. But he tries to put on a mask, make it all seem normal. It’s everything but, despite the fact that he’s been dealing with reaping day since he was born, between himself, Ben and May. That fear that one of them could be taken away. Sent to surefire slaughter. But now Ben is gone, taken despite never having his name drawn from a bowl, and May’s finally safe. Now Peter’s name is in there alone. The last Parker sitting on the chopping block. He doesn’t know how to be. He doesn’t know what normal is, when the Hunger Games are looming on the horizon.

I mean…how could I possibly do a fic rec list without this on it? Iron–spider’s latest masterwork, and it truly is a masterwork. The Hunger Games AU your soul has been crying out for, and quite possibly the greatest AU to ever live. Do yourself a favor and get settled in - you’re in for a ride.

Magazineverse by @copperbadge | 56k

Heroes In Manhattan: From Captain America’s Hidden Talents To The Truth About The Hulk, We Debunk The Myths And Expose The Daily Lives Of The Avengers.

Avengers-centric, takes place post-2012. The Avengers team we deserve! The whole series is amazing, and I definitely didn’t see the twist coming (SO original, and you totally got me. Well played.)

MEDIUM FICS

devil in a sunday hat by @captainkirkk | 14k

Peter wishes he hadn’t gotten out of bed that morning. Then, maybe, he wouldn’t be reduced to this—limp-crawling through the rabbit burrows that is Oscorp Tower, a monster of a man on his heels, bloody and bruised and choking on a panic attack.

This series really speaks to Peter, and his experience as a street-level hero. I don’t think I’ve ever not cried reading this series - it’s really beautiful. Aloneintherain always manages to capture how much weight and anxiety sits on Peter’s shoulders - and how dire his consequences can really be.

5 things that change for Peter after the end of the world by @iron–spider | 14k

…and one thing that always remains the same.

(SPOILERS FOR INFINITY WAR)

Peter knows he’s different now.

The first three months were like a bubble. He didn’t think about the newness of his old life, he didn’t think about the state of the world now that it had been saved—he just worried. Worried about Tony and Steve recovering. Worried about May worrying about him. Worried about everything in general—he didn’t allow himself specifics because specifics didn’t make sense, not yet. He just focused on his routine, kept it normal, the same schedule every day so he didn’t throw himself off.

It felt like the bubble popped when the party ended, and everything became clearer. The differences in who he is now were highlighted, like there was a spotlight on his every move, like everybody could see the invisible scars the world-ending experience left on him.

The first thing he notices is the sleeping. Or lack thereof.

(a follow up to my story “the rattle of their hearts” from Peter’s POV. You can read this one without having read the original, but it would make more sense if you have read it!)

Everyone knows Rattle, and if you don’t, definitely read the first fic in this series! But this second one is really special to me (and MJ never fails to make me laugh out loud, every time). Peter’s PTSD is dealt with intimately in this fic, and I love it to bits.

the conspiracy kids by @tempestaurora | 13k

WHO IS SPIDER-MAN?

The screen showed Peter Parker, sixteen years old and determined to prove the identity of Spider-Man over the course of the three-part documentary he was making, unknowing that it would become viral within days of the first part being released. Behind the camera, way off screen, was Harley Keener, Tony Stark’s other prodigy child, grinning like crazy as Peter started the documentary. Only a few people knew what was to come, and those few people were about to have a great few weeks.

“My name is Peter Parker, and with the help of my friends, Ned Leeds, Harley Keener, and my Aunt, May Parker, who provided me with a lot of red yarn for this project, we’re going to uncover the identity of Spider-Man.”

“what if peter just decided to fuck with everyone who didn’t know he was spider man and make a documentary about him trying to uncover the Truth.”

Looking for a fun, Peter-and-Harley-being-ridiculous-teenagers fic? This is the One For You. I can see it all in my head, and it never fails to make me laugh. Delightful piece of fluff and probably the best social-media-esque fic I’ve read.

Primary Reason Tony Stark Would Throw Down With An Anti-Vaxxer In The Street by @caraminha | 12k

Prompt from my Tumblr: Have you heard of tetanus? I’m studying it for school and it’s got lots of angst potential - it causes severe, seizure like muscle spasms which can break the patient’s bones, but they’re conscious and fully aware of what’s happening. It also causes fever and lockjaw, and difficulty breathing. I’d love to see an angst fic where Peter has bad tetanus and Tony and co are looking after him whilst his symptoms get worse and worse.

Looking for some Peter!whump? This fic is so sweet. Tony is Dad. What more do you need?

SHORT FICS

Come Together by @captainkirkk | 1.8k

From the ground, Tony squints at Thanos and the young heroes the villain is chasing through the city. “Are they…” Tony begins.

Steve, being lifted onto a gurney by starstruck paramedics, laughs a little. “Leading the man who almost destroyed the Earth in a wild goose chase?” In the sky, Johnny Storm sticks his tongue out at Thanos, ducking and weaving out of the villain’s grasp. “Yeah. I think they are.”

Didn’t I promise she’d be on here a billion and one times? All of her stuff is so good, for every fandom. Go READ this queen who’s been killing the game for years. This fic is such a sweet one, an Endgame fic before Peter was even in the MCU. It’s perfect.

Only Road by @garamonder | 2.8k

A rare breather between fighting should have been a relief for the Avengers. Instead, one small comment triggers a confrontation Peter had been avoiding for months.

Oh wow this one…this dialogue between Peter and Tony is incredible. One of my favorite things in a fic is a good argument, especially one where Peter has a distinct and mature point.

Every Penny and More by Princessfbi | 1.2k

She forced herself to inhale air and hold it before releasing it from her lips. She grounded herself in the cheap vinyl in a crappy diner that she wasn’t sure she was ever going to be able to look at the same way again. She thought of the life Peter would have if she said yes because she knew that’s what all of this was about: Tony asking her permission to let him do this.

May and Tony co-parenting Peter is…oh, be still my heart. This is such a sweet little fic of something that definitely happened off-screen :’)

5 Times Spider-Man Saved An Avengers’ Ass (and the 1 Time They Saved Him) by TunaFishChris | 7.2k

What it says on the tin.

Going through an angsty Spider-Man phase. I regret nothing.

YES give me Peter x Avengers team! Peter gets a great moment with each of the Avengers, proving himself a capable hero (and getting assistance when he needs it the most :’) baby makes some friends!). Really cute, a fun little romp.

unbearable loss by @iron–spider | 1.6k

“Peter…he was so afraid, Pep,” Tony says, his voice breaking. “He…he just lunged for me, he was so afraid, he wanted—he needed someone to be there for him. And I tried, I tried—I held him, I told him he was alright, which was a—goddamn lie, and the only fucking thing that came out of my mouth. The last thing I said to him.” He shakes his head, swallowing hard. “The last thing I said to him was a lie.”

“You can’t blame yourself,” Pepper says, quietly.

“I do,” Tony says. “He trusted me. That kid trusted me, and I failed him every possible way I could have. I couldn’t save him, I couldn’t—he died in my arms and I couldn’t do one single solitary thing about it. And I couldn’t—me, the human fucking chatterbox—I just stared at him. He was dying, turning to fucking dust and apologizing to me and I just stared at him, like a moron.”

This fic Fucks. Me. Up. Iron–spider’s Tony angst is unparalleled. It hurts me every time, and the dialogue between him and Pepper is just…it’ll get you.

yesterday, I saw a change by @captainkirkk | 6.8k

Inspired by prompt: ‘Peter is unmasked on live television, and everyone goes berserk—you’ve already heard this one but here’s the twist—he’s wide-eyed, staring into the camera, frightened, but not because of his own safety. The first thing that comes out of his mouth is, “Someone please, please protect my Aunt May.” And the entirety of New York cries out simultaneously. Heroes and neighbours and fellow students rain down on the Parker house, ready to defend her.’

This is - surprise! - a May Parker fic. This fic will move you. You will probably cry. I love it with all my heart. If I ever need a refresher on who May is and how she feels - how New York feels, about Spiderman - this is my go-to.

Hope that gave you some new stuff to check out! I have more, do I ever have more. Enjoy & remember to leave comments for all of these wonderful writers!!!

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inkribbon796 · 4 years

Text

Rules of the Game Ch. 2

Chapter 2: Two of a Kind

Summary: The trio track Paddy down and do not like what they find.

Chapters: 1, 2

The three Septics followed Paddy’s trail down to the river and the docks. After almost an hour Chase spotted him first, the young teen slipping between warehouses with a small duffle bag over his shoulder. The same type of t-shirt and ripped up jeans that Chase remembered him wearing.

“The hell is he doing out here?” Jackie demanded quickly as Marvin helped conceal them with an illusion. They watched Paddy walking down the docks and looking at the piers. He finally stopped and walked out a bit until he got towards the edges.

And a slow high pitched echo could be heard as Dark stepped out of the Void, his feet right where concrete met wood.

Chase could have sworn his heart stopped at the sight of Dark so close to his eldest baby.

“Do you have it?” Dark asked in a calm and collected voice.

“Not that hard ta find this stuff,” Paddy didn’t even sound the least bit intimidated by Dark, which Chase didn’t know whether to find more terrifying or feel proud of.

He only knew his feet were moving before his brain could stop himself.

“Get the fook away from my kid,” Chase demanded as Jackie and Marvin rushed out of hiding to join him.

“I thought I saw something,” Dark smiled. “If you boys could wait your turn, I have business to attend to.”

“Damien, how dare yah tell him about them!” Chase roared. “Paddy, the hell are yah doing here?”

“Didn’t know I needed yer permission again fer stuff,” Paddy huffed and Chase felt something in the middle of white hot rage and concerned fear boiling inside of him.

“Yah do if it’s the League!” Chase shouted.

“What did yah do ta him?” Marvin demanded.

Dark stepped aside so that they had a clear line of sight to Paddy, Dark taking the bag and briefly looking through it before passing it back to Paddy, “I’ve never understood how you have any friends, why is hypnotism always the first thing you think to accuse me of? It’s not a good long-term working relationship.”

Then he smiled, and flicked his wrist and a portal opened up behind Paddy. “Besides there are much easier ways to get people to do what you want.”

Jackie moved first but slammed into Dark’s aura, already braced to stop him, suddenly thickening into existence.

“Paddy, stop!” Chase called out, running forward.

Pádraig casually stepped through the portal and Dark immediately closed it.

“Oh don’t be so dramatic,” Dark smiled vindictively. “He’s safe, even if he’s doing something you don’t approve of.”

“Dark, yah bastard!” Marvin shouted at the demon, summoning up some green fireballs.

“I resent that wholeheartedly,” Dark glared at him sharply. “After all, you all did the same thing to me, and now you’re complaining when the tables are turned.”

“Yer children were criminals that have killed an’ stolen,” Chase reminded.

“Well whose fault do you think it is that three out of three of your children are demon pups?” Dark responded. “Their mother is a bit shrill, and catty—”

“Hey, ex-fookin-cuse yeh? Shut yer fookin’ mouth!” Chase defended angrily.

Dark however kept going, “—And I can’t possibly imagine the series of events that would cause the two of you to not only start a relationship but decide to have three children? However she really is trying with those three. Wil had a white sheep in the mix, but I can see why Anti set his sights on you if your blood makes such little monsters.”

“Like yah can talk!” Jackie shouted.

“You’re all so loud,” Dark complained dismissively.

“Where’d yah send him?” Marvin demanded. “What gives yah the right ta target Average’s kids?”

“You messed with mine,” Dark reminded sharply, a growl to his tone. “So I’m returning the favor.”

“They’re criminals,” Marvin defended. “Yer bloodthirsty brat is a murderer, Yan kills men who slight or snub her. An’ that prized adventurer of yers is a thief an’ an international criminal. None of ‘em, not even Host or Kay are innocent angels.”

“I own more of this town than its governments do,” Dark warned. “Maybe you all need a good reminder. Maybe this whole city needs a good reminder why I took over Egoton with an iron fist? Why my section of town controls the city?”

“I thought it was ‘cause yah were a rich psychopath,” Chase spat. “Yah control freak.”

“That is quite hurtful, Chase,” Dark huffed, opening up another portal so that Paddy could step back through to them, this time without his bag, Dark barely giving him a glance. “I thought you knew me better than that.”

“I thought I knew Damien,” Chase reminded. “But he clearly isn’t the person I thought he was if he takes orders from you.”

Dark signed, and turned back into Damien, leaning his weight on his cane, “Now Chase, I’m hurt.”

“Don’t yah dare,” Chase yelled at Damien.

Jackie gave Marvin a quick glance, Marvin shaking his fist down once.

Damien smiled, opening his mouth but Jackie threw down one of Marvin’s smoke bombs and smoke flooded the area. Dark’s aura instinctively pulled in to protect him in time for something to stab into where his chest would be if his aura hadn’t been pulled in at that moment.

Before Dark could push the attacker away, or throw them into the river, Marvin grabbed the modified stake and began muttering a spell, trying to pull Dark off of the body the Entity was inhabiting. The result was Dark’s aura painfully rattling around his stolen body as magic was jolting the body.

Dark screamed as Damien’s form dissipated and turned back his normal appearance before his aura pushed everyone away from him, almost knocking Paddy into the river.

The Entity, once he recovered and pulled the spike out of his aura, one of the buttons on his shirt missing from where the spike had nicked it. Dark angrily throwing the spike to the ground, crushing it under his aura and foot.

“Well you are annoying,” Dark hissed at Marvin.

“How they hell are yah doing that?” Marvin spat. “That should have worked.”

“Now why would I tell you?” Dark hissed. Then he looked back at Paddy who was dusting himself off, before smiling at Marvin. Dark muttered to himself, “Well that’s not a half bad idea.”

Dark opened up another portal, one large enough that the three Septics could see the inside of Paddy’s bedroom. “I think it’s time for you to head on home, young man.”

“I thought you said,” Paddy started.

“Well, I changed my mind,” Dark snapped with a saccharine sweet tone. “I’ll still keep my promise, just try to get some sleep.”

“What deal did you make?” Chase demanded.

The portal snapped closed, Dark’s ringing shrill, “I’m not a crossroads demon, ask your own son.”

Then Dark was stepping through his own portal with the type of smile that no one but Wilford could trust. “Good evening gentlemen, I hope all of you rot alive, and your resident magician dies in a fire.”

“We’re not done with yeh,” Marvin growled.

“Well I am done with you delinquents,” Dark decided, a shadow of a smile on his face. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, boys, I have an empire to run.”

Dark sank into the portal, his aura keeping the three Septics back. Once he was gone, Chase began violently cursing at Damien and Dark, stomping on the ground the Entity had been standing in.

“He’s not gonna get away with this,” Marvin vowed.

“He already is,” Chase felt a rising sense of panic.

“He hasn’t won yet,” Marvin tried to reassure him. “These demon fooks can’t just divide up yer kids like they fookin’ own them.”

“Damien was always interested in my power,” Chase reminded. “Now he’s targetin’ Paddy an’ the other kids.”

“An’ I won’t rest until we stop him,” Marvin promised.

Jackie swore, looking down at his communicator. “We were a distraction.”

“What?” Marvin snapped.

“Did somethin’ happen to Stacy an’ the kids?” Chase demanded.

“No,” Jackie was already moving, leading them towards the Gainesville side of the city. “UFO an’ Bing are already headed over to check on them. I sent out a signal for help but the rest of the Coalition are dealing with an apartment fire.”

“Why are we all going there?” Marvin demanded.

“Because it’s the Dark Side’s apartment, an’ Remus’s magic got loose in the city,” Jackie explained. “They only just got it under control, they just didn’t want Dark ta come over an’ make it worse.”

They headed over, rushing to see the building still on fire, the flames a bright green as Remus was taking to Abe. Wade, Roman, and several of the fire fighters were working to keep it from jumping to other buildings and trying to suppress it.

Remus was on the ground looking annoyed at Abe, “What part of Imagination didn’t you understand?”

“It’s really not that hard!” Roman called from where he was.

“What happened?” Jackie asked Silver. “Is there anyone still inside?”

Silver shook his head, “No the Host called to warn Deceit that an arsonist was going to burn their apartment down, everyone’s already been evacuated. It wasn’t even a serious problem until it reached the Duke’s room.”

All three Septics let out differing sighs of relief as Marvin went to go and help. When the fire was finally sniffed out the building was little more than a husk.

Remus stood next to Janus, “We had such a lovely view, Dee.”

“Yes, it was a nice place,” Janus agreed.

“Last I heard yer apartment was a piece at shite,” Jackie reminded.

Janus took a big, calming breath, “Well unlike you media darlings, better places were hard for us to find. Our landlord was one of the few who would accept Remus as a tenant. Of course I liked her.”

“So, arson, we know who did this?” Marvin asked uncomfortably, looking at Virgil and Roman.

“Dark sent one of his thugs to send a message,” Janus answered for them.

“Why?” Marvin asked. “Aren’t you two part of the League?”

“Dark and I are no longer on speaking terms,” Janus corrected.

“Harsh,” Jackie commented. “Didn’t know he had veto power, so what now?”

“Lo and the Captain already made the final call,” Virgil didn’t sound happy.

Remus grabbed Roman around the neck, “We get to be roommates!”

“Unhand me!” Roman spat, starting to kick and punch at Remus.

“And I hate it already,” Virgil agreed.

“Yikes,” Jackie said, “is that safe?”

“Well be out soon enough,” Janus promised. “I have no desire to be in the same living space as the Captain again.”

Chase was nearby with Abe, looking at some rubble.

“—and then it ricocheted right into the air duct, it was where the fire was started,” Abe explained.

“Paddy did it,” Chase answered, unprompted. “It was him.”

“Come on Average, no one could hit a target like that,” Marvin sounded nervous, catching the accusation.

“I could,” Chase reminded. “Paddy’s got almost the exact same ability as me.”

“Hey, hey,” Marvin tried to calm himself down. “We go ask the kid what’s wrong and figure out what kind of trouble he’s in and then we get Dark off his back.

Abe and Chase didn’t look convinced, Abe continuing to ask questions about their encounter with Dark, and Chase getting more and more pessimistic and stressed about the situation.

On the other side of town, Anti was carefully pulling wires out of a generator. It wouldn’t make it fail yet, but in about an hour it would explode and Anti would be ready to film it.

His good mood died when Dark appeared next to him.

“Don’t think I didn’t catch yeh muscling in on the Brody’s, I thought I told yeh, they’re mine,” Anti hissed.

“I can help get you unlimited access to that little spitfire if you give me the older brother,” Dark bargained. “I’ll even keep my claws out of the other twin if you find a use for him.”

“What makes yeh think I need yer help?” Anti seamed heatedly.

“Because that magical side act has her so thoroughly warded you can’t influence her,” Dark reminded. “But I have an in, and I know you want it too. You’ve had that brat singled out as a future host from the moment you saw her.”

“Even if I made a deal wit’ yeh it wouldn’t do me any good fer another ten years,” Anti reminded with a sharp grin on his face.

“In ten years she could decide she wants to be more like her daddy,” Dark reasoned. “Ten years to get powerful until Marvin’s watch. We work together and then can’t stop us.”

Anti frowned in thought, “I get to call yeh names and make fun ‘a yeh.”

“Not even one,” Dark told him.

“Then yeh give me Bim an’ we call it even,” Anti goaded, already knowing what Dark’s answer would be.”

“Get creative with the names at least,” Dark growled, offering his hand. “Keep your claws away from him.”

The two demons shook on that. “Not my fault yer boring an’ spiteful, shitebag.”

“I already hate this,” Dark glared at Anti, pulling his hand away.

“Ahh, come on, it’s the start of a beautiful frenemy-ship,” Anti smiled. “Or yer spine too old fer some fun?”

Dark glared at him before portaling back to the Manor to get some work done, leaving Anti to his generator sabotage.

#Superhero AU #Masks and Maladies #Jacksepticeye #Markiplier #Thomas Sanders #Chase Brody #Darkiplier #Marvin the Magnificent #Jackieboy Man #Paddy Fitzpatrick #Janus Sanders #Remus Sanders #Roman Sanders #Virgil Sanders #manipulation #Dark being an asshole #Chase is overprotective #reasonably so #revenge

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pluviophile-bookworm · 4 years

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Thoughts/ reaction to AWAE 3x8

I’m honestly afraid of what I might see in this episode. I have been crying almost all week at the mere thought of what last episode did to Anne and Diana and Jerry, and I’m 100% ready to get that all resolved - but I’m afraid it might not happen. Also, with the Shirbert on-off-on-off pattern that has been going on this season, my hopes aren’t very high for those two. Here’s hoping my worries are in vain.

Ka’kwet is back. Unfortunately, she’s not back, if you know what I mean. I hope she gets out of that place - the “White Man’s Burden School”, as I call it - sooner.

That nun is not acting like a good Christian. Tragically, that is what people really were like - and in some places still are - to people of colour. This cold open is truly nightmarish. I’m starting to fear my worries were not in vain and that I, and the whole fandom as a community, have been set up for much more suffering than any one of us might have expected.

Looks like Ka’kwet will be back after all. That girl’s really smart, but she’s been through a lot. I hope things might be better for her back at home.

I see things are still awfully tense between Anne and Diana - and “tense” doesn’t even begin to describe it. I hope this hot mess is resolved by next week - at most.

I should have been ready for the sight of the schoolhouse burnt to ashes. But I don’t think anything could have prepared me for Anne’s reaction to it. Now I’m crying. I know this is supposed to be a symbol for the end of their childhood or something, but it’s still as devastating as we feared it would be, and then some.

Once again Miss Stacy proves that the world needs more teachers, nay, more people, like her. Managing to find a silver lining and turn the situation around when she was clearly just as devastated as anyone - that was a true heroic act if you ask me.

Wait, where is Anne going?

But of course, she’s immediately holding accountable for the situation whoever she thinks should be held accountable - in this case, Rachel Lynde. Interestingly, she didn’t even know what happened. I mean, she was the only woman in a council of men who tried to speak for her fellow women, wasn’t she? Rachel did some good last episode and she is not at fault for that vile act of cowardice and whatever else Miss Stacy called it.

How is Ka’kwet supposed to find her way back to Avonlea? Is she even going to get back home? I’m worried for my girl.

Everybody being just crammed at Miss Stacy’s is the type of atmosphere and environment that just calls for something bonding and intimate to happen... and Shirbert are there, sitting together, talking... this is like a direct continuation of the porch scene from last episode. I might be clowning, but I think the loop has been broken. Or we might be in for a bigger step backwards next time. I’m clowning.

Bash’s mum seeing Delly warms my heart. We need more wholesome scenes and less suffering. But we’re probably not getting any of that.

Ok, Ruby really is over Gilbert, so much that it’s like she was never “under” him. The fact that she can now talk to Anne about him and Winnifred - right in his face, at that, is a huge step away from the years and years of crushing. Also, she’s totally right that a person can be studious and romantic at the same time. But I’m not sure our Gil here is the best example of it.

I sense some parallels between the scene with the class at the Green Gables barn and this scene at Miss Stacy’s - teasing Gilbert about his “fiance” while Anne is listening reminds me painfully of the “does he have a farm girl” comment about Jerry. And the Anne/ Diana parallel this creates is just pouring salt in the wound their fight gave me last week.

The framing in the next scene is beautiful and reminds me of Shirbert, but I think that’s the only beautiful and romantic thing about it.

Jerry just won’t stop saying “I’m not good enough for you”, and, frankly, he shouldn’t. I just hoped he’d say more. What I really wanted from this episode was for him to give Diana a piece of his mind on the way she made him feel last episode.

“Rude and aggressive”? Jerry? I don’t think so. I didn’t really blame Diana for the way she acted last time, but I do blame her for even thinking that. Is he not allowed to have his own feelings and express them? And what is wrong with telling Anne? If anything, it was wrong of both of them not to tell her sooner. She’s supposed to be Diana’s bosom friend and Jerry’s sister, for goodness’s sake! It shouldn’t have taken hurt feelings to finally let her in on the way things are; or rather were, as they’re certainly not anymore. I can’t believe I’m saying it. but maybe it’s for the better. Even if multiple hearts, including mine, got broken in the process. For something to be fixed, it first must be broken, some say. Then so be it.

Aunt Jo is in Avonlea? Things just got better. And she wants Diana to take the Queens exam. I think she should, too. But it breaks my heart again that she’s apparently not brave enough to try and fulfil her potential. So she was bold enough to kiss Jerry at the fair, thus leading both him and herself on, but not to fight for her own future? I love her and I just can’t sit and watch her do that to herself. But why am I doing this to myself, then?

Mrs. LaCroix acting like a servant and calling Gilbert “Mr. Blythe, sir” was very awkward to watch - for me and Gilbert alike, it seems. But I sort of understand why she did that. Except it’s not making me feel better. It makes me feel worse, if anything. Because I knew she was acting that way because Gilbert is white and she’s not. And that’s not alright. That she’s lived in a society that thought that was alright, was wrong. I hope things get better.

“Uncle Gilby”... Bash has me rolling on the floor laughing once again. And Delphine is still the cutest - she can’t do much more than be cute yet, can she? But I hope she gets to hear a certain love confession about Anne soon. That is the wholesome content we need in these trying times.

Oh my, Ka’kwet, get off that rail! I feel like a worried young mother with this kid. One thing I sure am, and it’s worried. I hope she’ll be safe.

The contrast between the awkwardly stiff atmosphere at the Barry house and the high-level pressure of the class is starker than that between day and night. That’s poetic cinema alright.

Wait, Diana’s doing it! Is my girl back? My girl’s back. I think. I don’t want to get my hopes up too high.

So Gilbert never returned Anne’s pen? I can see why. But it put her in a really uncomfortable position. I’ve been there, and I don’t need to tell you what going into an important exam without the proper tools can do to a student’s psyche. But I know Anne knows better than to let that get to her in this very important moment.

Last episode’s climax left a very big impression on both Rachel and Marilla, didn’t it now?

Are they trying to push Bash and Miss Stacy? I think it would be highly inappropriate. First of all because I don’t think Bash is ready to remarry at all - he might as well never be - and second of all because I don’t think Muriel Stacy of all women needs a man. And I ship her with Prissy now, but that’s another story.

Now that’s another feeling I know all too well - finishing your exams and celebrating your freedom. And I’m glad Diana got to be part of that. I just hope she and Anne can make up soon. That’s pretty much all I can think of.

If Winnie loves Paris so much, let her go to Paris. She shouldn’t need a man for that. Certainly not one whose mind has been occupied by one girl since the day he first saw her. I ship Shirbert as much as the next person and then some, but I also don’t want Winnie’s heart to be broken at the end of all this. She’s a nice girl. She deserves better. Let her go to Paris. No need to drag Gilbert into this for too long.

Let me tell you, Anne’s hair flying loose, lit by the fire, is pure poetry. If I were Gilbert in that scene, I would propose on the spot. But we know that’s not happening.

Anne’s not making any sense and if this were any other couple in a similar setting, this is where he would shut her up with a kiss... but I’m clowning, ain’t I?

“Will you marry me?” Shirbert, and the ring and the dictionary, and the parallels... I’m nearly speechless. Why can’t they just spit it out? Does Gilbert have to go through with the proposal for the final realisation to come?

And... here we are. Except - we’re really not. “My Aunt is visiting me”. That felt like a firm step back on Diana’s part. Will they ever make up? Or will I have to cry for another week straight at just the thought of everything that played out?

Leave it to Aunt Jo to dish out wisdom... hope she can help Anne in this situation, or else the entirety of Shirbert might be at stake.

“Asked Anne”? You didn’t ask anything. You just made her more confused than ever and now she feels this great responsibility about her whole life and yours, too. You shouldn’t have made her feel that way. But I can’t blame you. You two are the two most confused individuals I’ve seen in a long time. But I love you both the way you are. And I know you’ll get there someday.

“She said no”. Seriously, Blythe, were you and I listening to the same girl talk last night? Because I never heard her say no. Or yes. Or give any kind of cohesive answer to the big question you DIDN’T ASK!

Rachel and Marilla are really doing that, aren’t they? And Rachel all cool pouring water while serving one of the most delightfully ironic of ironic echoes I’ve ever seen... “No need to be hysterical”! Ha! #started from the bottom #now we’re here

My, my! Ka’kwet has been through quite the journey... but she’s finally home. Wonder what will happen when the “whites” find out, though.

Goodness! Minnie May’s really had it, hasn’t she? Honestly, it was about time someone in that family said something about the lives they lead - it was time someone told it like it is, and... why did I actually expect it to be Minnie May? Why does this little girl have to do the grown-ups’ job? I guess it’s just the way of the world. I just hope this doesn’t end in disaster.

Okay, I’ve been waiting for this all week, and it’s even more beautiful than I could have imagined. Far more beautiful.

Wow, that was some realisation! “I’m in love with Gilbert Blythe”. Took you long enough, Anne! Now go do something about it before it’s way too late. Gosh, we will be clowning so hard next week.

To sum up what we saw in this episode: Ka’kwet finally escapes the “White Man’s Burden” school of nightmares and takes the long road home; lots of tension between Anne and Diana; the school is ashes and those responsible for it aren’t getting away; Gilbert thinks he’s sure about Winnifred; Derry is dead; lots of parallels, all heavy on Shirbert; Bash’s mum “knows her place” - or does she really?; Diana takes the exams with zero preparation (respect!); Rachel and Marilla tear down the patriarchy; Minnie May does the grown-ups’ job; DiAnne is back; Anne sets us all up for a lot of clowning.

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frasier-crane-style · 5 years

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“It’s the most perfect Spider-Man movie ever!” (FFH spoilers)

I’m just going to count down a few deal-breakers here, stop me whenever.

-Spider-Man’s classic red and blue suit is a high-tech armor gift from Tony Stark, complete with an AI. Peter had no hand in making it.

-Spider-Man ‘upgrades’ from it to a red and black suit reminiscent of Miles Morales.

-Flash Thompson is a snobby rich nerd who dislikes Peter because they’re in an intellectual rivalry.

-Peter does not work at the Daily Bugle and is extremely unlikely to ever do so.

-Likewise, Peter is extremely unlikely to ever wear a symbiote and he certainly won’t have the bitterly antagonistic relationship with Eddie Brock/Venom that he had in 616. If they were to meet, they’d really have no more personal connection than Spider-Man and Hawkeye.

-J. Jonah Jameson is the host of an ‘Info Wars’ type show (that, uh, airs on the Times Square Titantron) rather than the editor of a major newspaper.

-Hydroman, Sandman, and Molten Man do not exist, but are just illusions created by Mysterio.

-Mary Jane Watson does not exist. Instead, Peter seems to be endgame with Michelle, an OC (shut up, you know it’s true), meaning it’s extremely unlikely we’ll see a romance with Mary Jane, Gwen, Betty Brant, Felicia Hardy, or any of his canon love interests.

-Aunt May has a ‘big sister’ dynamic with Peter rather than being a wise matron or a doting aunt. She’s also much younger and more attractive than any traditional depiction. (Yes, the actress is the proper age to be Peter’s aunt, but did they have to cast both an actress who’s aged extremely well and make such a big deal of men wanting to fuck her? It’s like casting someone to play the Kingpin and giving him a chiseled six-pack because they ‘couldn’t find anyone heavyset.’ Then writing Elektra and Karen Page to drool all over him.)

-Tony Stark is Peter’s father figure and wanting to be like him is what motivates Peter to be Spider-Man. His relationship with Uncle Ben is so nebulous that the director will not even confirm that Ben Parker is dead. (There’s even talk of him having died in the Battle of New York, rather than being killed by the Burglar.)

-’With great power comes great responsibility’ does not exist--Peter leaves his costume behind to go on vacation. In fact, Peter largely seems motivated by wanting to join the Avengers and be famous.

-Peter has a best friend who knows his secret identity and helps him over the radio a la Oracle and Black Canary.

-Liz Allan, Betty Brant, Ned Leeds, Ganke Lee, Gwen Stacy, and Mary Jane are all mixed together to form a hodge-podge of seemingly random character traits in Peter’s friend group. (i.e. Betty looks like Gwen, Ned is Peter’s bestie, et al).

-Aunt May knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man. (This happened in the comics, but after Peter was married and had even conceived a child, not in his high school years.)

-The Vulture knows Peter Parker is Spider-Man, but apparently is motivated to keep it secret based on a code of honor, despite being the kind of villain who executes his underlings for defying him. (You could say villains in prior movies have had this problem too, but at least they’re usually characterized as sympathetic antagonists who wouldn’t bear a grudge. Even Harry Osborn in ASM2 is actively plotting revenge.) (Also, if Nick Fury and Tony Stark know Peter’s Spider-Man, and they know Toomes knows, why the hell is he in gen-pop where people are literally walking up to him and asking him who Spider-Man is, instead of locked away in a CIA blacksite somewhere? Hypnotized to forget his secret? Something?)

-Nick Fury, the Avengers, Dr. Strange, the Guardians of the Galaxy--basically every superhero and their assorted ensembles know that Peter Parker is Spider-Man, because Peter will literally take off his mask and introduce himself by name. And remember, this Peter is introduced in Civil War, a movie where he thinks Captain America and half the Avengers go rogue and have to be stopped. Why should he trust any of these people with the safety of his loved ones on the line? Sorry, just had an outburst of logic there, had to get it all out.

-As of FFH, Peter has a public ID. (Happened in the comics, but only as a plot device to justify OMD--even Quesada never intended for it to be the status quo. I guess we’re going to get six or seven more movies where everyone knows Peter’s Spider-Man, based on only a year or two of comics? Is relatable working-class Peter Parker going to live in a safehouse with his loved ones between Spider-Man missions? On dates with ‘MJ,’ is he going to be interrupted by autographer seekers and selfie-takers, as we’ve seen happen with the Hulk? I’m sorry, does that sound like Spider-Man to anyone?)

-Peter has access to Tony Stark’s fortune and thus no real money troubles unless he wants to make things difficult for himself.

-The Vulture and Mysterio both are motivated by hatred of Tony Stark rather than a feud with Spider-Man or even just the usual desire for loot and public validation, making them more Iron Man villains than anything else.

-Peter has deliberately murdered at least one sentient being. (Should we consider the Chitauri creatures to be basically alien Rottweilers or sapient in their own right? If they’re basically trained animals, does Peter know that? Or for all he knows, when he activates Instakill Mode in Endgame, is he orphaning dozens of alien babies? Sorry, logic again...)

-In general, it’s like they’re dropping all the familiar Spider-Man tropes in the name of realism or modernity or something, but then the new tropes they replace them with don’t bear the scrutiny of being anymore realistic than the old ones which were at least fun and interesting. I’m not a huge fan of Ultimate Spider-Man, but it at least kept the modern, realistic Spider-Man thing relatively consistent instead of mixing it up willy-nilly.

In 616, I buy Peter never asks for a couple million dollars from Tony because it’s like Batman never asking the Flash to destroy all the drugs in Gotham on a slow Thursday. In the MCU, they have Peter getting Iron Man armor and such, so it makes it stick out like a sore thumb when they go “oh, yeah, this is a Spider-Man story” and have him just send the Vulture to jail like he doesn’t have the resources or allies to do anything else.

Did I miss anything?

#spider-man #oh and i haven't even seen ffh #this is just based on homecoming and news articles i've read

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hellzyeahwebwieldingreviews · 4 years

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Untold Tales of Spider-Man 08: The Liar – by Ann Nocenti

I enjoyed this story a lot but objectively it’s very mixed.

Peter Parker watches off and on as a spider spends the day making a web. Later he watches as she waits patiently for a moth to be trapped, feeding on it. "How could I have anything in common with her?" Peter thinks. He both admires and shudders at the spider's "round-the-clock surveillance." And the web itself: "Her beautifully constructed home is also a death trap...The spider's elegantly poised web is a lie." Peter jumps up and destroys the web, then feels guilt about it, knowing the spider will just create another. "She can't help it. Lie or die."As Peter starts to leave, he receives a visit from Aunt May. She tells him that Empire State University contacted her because he missed several days of classes. She also asks if he washed something red at her house. Peter was gone for three days, confronting the Red Skull in Algiers and he washed his mask at May's place but he lies to her, telling her the school made a mistake and that the red came from a nosebleed.

At ESU, Ms. O'Grady, Peter's advisor, tells him that she talked to Aunt May about his absences and that May didn't seem to know about that. Peter tells her that May's memory isn't what it used to be. Ms. O'Grady tells him she's sorry to hear that. Peter thinks, "A big one. The two this morning to Aunt May were little enough, but this lie is a big one." Ann elaborates, "The little fibs are like annoying black moths, fluttering at the edges of his consciousness; shadows that flit about and dog his heels, they haunt him when he least expects it. The big ones are like rocks tied to his feet, that he has to drag with him wherever he goes."

Through the course of the day, Peter promises May he'll join her at 4PM to help with groceries and makes a date with Mary Jane over a fudge sundae at 6PM. Now he tells Gwen he'll join her for a 5PM revival showing of her favorite film, "Casablanca." "How," asks Ann, "will he pull this off?"

Not long after lying to his history prof to explain being late for the class, Peter is at the market with May. It is a warm day but he sees a man in the parking lot in a wool cap. Lying to Aunt May about needing to make a phone call, he leaves her in the market and changes to Spider-Man. He re-enters the market just as the thief pulls a gun and tries to rob the place. Spidey easily takes care of him. The store manager gratefully offers him "a cart of food, on the house." Spidey takes a look at May and says, "Hey, I just ate. But it looks like this poor woman got the worst fright. Maybe you could take care of her?" Which makes him look like an altruist when he's actually just helping out his relative. Back home, Aunt May tells the story to Peter for the third time. Peter notes that the story never changes. She tells it straight, never embellishing. She is grateful to Spider-Man but notes that his manners are terrible. "I just wanted to thank him properly. But he just turned his back on me!" When Peter tells her he has to meet Gwen at the movies, she comments that she thought he was meeting Mary Jane. "Oh yeah. Did I say Gwen? I meant Mary Jane," says Pete as the lies mount up.

At Casablanca, Pete enjoys sitting next to Gwen. "She's like a warm bed you don't want to get out of in the morning," he thinks. But he still needs to meet Mary Jane. So, telling Gwen he has to go to the bathroom, he slips away. He joins MJ for ice cream during which she almost lets her "party mask" slip when she refers to her repressive father. Peter notices a large bird in the sky and realizes it is the Vulture. Coming up with yet another ridiculous lie ("I promised this guy, I'd help him move his birds...he's got a pet shop, and he's got a big delivery of birds.") Peter promises MJ he'll be back in 20 minutes. MJ doesn't seem to mind. In fact, Peter thinks that she is acting as if she expected this. But he doesn't think about it long. He has to change into his Spidey duds and tackle the Vulture.

Unfortunately, the Vulture has recruited four partners and provided them with wings. The five Vultures beat him up, carry him into the air and drop him over the river, too far away from any buildings on which Spidey can web-swing. As he falls, he realizes his identity will be revealed after his death. "They'll all know what a liar I was. A lowlife fibster with a devil's tongue. A mendacious arachnid. A lousy deceitful cock-and-bull jerk. A two-faced stinker." Then he passes out.

While unconscious, he dreams about his Mom and Dad, telling him conflicting stories about their impending trip; the trip that leads to their deaths. "I was three years old when I noticed the first little lies," he thinks, "By the time I was six, nothing quite added up...All those lies. I guess they thought they were protecting me. Benevolent lying. I know all about it."He awakens seventeen feet above the water. There is a tug boat right below him and he webs the smokestack, saving himself, ending up in the river, then climbing up onto the tug. The tug's captain, Gallager, tells him he saw him falling and swung around to help. As they sail back to port, Spidey notices how capable Gallager is and he envies his straightforward life. "What do you think of liars?" Spidey asks him. Gallager replies that it depends on what kind of lying, adding that he lies all day. "Every time I give an order," he says, "it's to save the ship but risk the man. ..They trust me and I send them to risk death with every command...Well then, a few lies along the way aren't really lies, are they? Not if you bring all your men home alive." Spidey thinks about this as Gallager docks his tug.

He gets back to MJ who asks him if he had a nice swim. "What swim?" he asks, then he notices that his bookbag, containing his costume, has created a puddle on the ground. MJ, playing along, kicks at the puddle and says, "Rained while you were gone."From there, Pete returns to the movies, tells Gwen he couldn't find their seats in the dark and watched the rest of the movie from the back. "What a perfect ending," Gwen says. "Yeah," Peter replies, "I love happy endings." "Gwen looks at him queerly, then smiles. They walk on silently for a while. Soon, it begins to rain."

Let me say up top, this is the best Spider-Man story of Ann Nocenti’s career.

This is owed to the prose, dialogue and over all narrative being fairly straightforward and not told as through you’d skipped a beat. Everyone sounds like a normal person ( for a super hero story) and there are no weird lines making you ask ‘who talks like this?’

I should also point out the subject matter of this story is something Nocenti has explored in her other Spider work as well as her famous Daredevil run, chiefly through her most enduring creation, Typhoid Mary.

The theme of the story, as the title implies, is lying. Lying is practically systemic in super hero stories as characters maintain their secret identities.

It’s an interesting idea to expand upon that idea and examine the psychological ramifications of lying upon the individual and the impact it might have on their interpersonal relationships. For example could lying about your identity cause you to become a habitual liar about other things? Could this seep into that age old human story of the unfaithful lover?

That’s what Nocenti explored in her Daredevil run when she had Matt Murdock (ironically, or appropriately depending upon your POV, a lawyer and Catholic) cheat on Karen page with Typhoid’s alter ego; she was in fact lying to him at the same time and having an affair with the Kingpin at the same time.

In her ‘Return to Mad Dog Ward’ storyline in the 1990s Peter lied to MJ and Aunt May in such a way that MJ mistakenly believed he was cheating on him and considered running off with someone else.

In an even earlier story she did, a back-up from Web of Spider-Man Annual #2, she had Peter endure a nightmare where he was haunted by the fact he lied all the time.

Personally I think her focus upon the subject, especially in regards to cheating, raises some uncomfortable questions about her personal life, but I’m not interested in that right now.

The problem with all those stories and this one as far as Spidey is concerned is that she…goes way too far.

The fact is lying can and does take a toll on Spidey but it doesn’t open him up to lying as second nature about anything. He lies to protect his identity and anything else he lies about is just what any of us might lie about in the course of our lives. He hasn’t got ‘a problem’. And the idea it’s rooted in his parents being spies is pretty ridiculous and a massive reach.

I think what’s most problematic about this story in regards to the theme is that Peter would absolutely NEVER knowingly cheat on a woman. He’s just not that kind of person and yet here he is on 2 dates with MJ and Gwen at once like it’s a sitcom or Superman IV: the Quest for Peace.

In terms of Spider-Man’s personality and characterization this is just more evidence that Nocenti simply never grasped the character. Which is a shame given how she has written more Spider-Man stories than any female author ever; though Houser might’ve overtaken her by this point.

Her idea that Peter’s ‘problem with lying’ stems from his parents is also kind of contradicted by various stories that establish Peter was just too young to even remember his parents. This in particular includes ASM Annual #5 which she references in this story. I’m not going to hold that against this story too much because honestly no one keeps Peter’s parents consistent.*

Other continuity hiccups include when the annual happens in relation to Peter meeting Captain Stacy and MJ’s job as a go-go dancer.

However, this book has by now long established that these stories are not meant to fit into 616 canon but more a generalized idea of Spidey’s canon. If you try putting this story into strict continuity Peter was firmly interested in Gwen over MJ and the Betty/Veronica choice he had had been resolved for a good while.

This story though is meant more to touch upon the Betty/Veronica aspect of the Romita era and admittedly 2 dates at once seems like a typical Archie story. If you accept this as just a general AU version of Peter and don’t try to compare him to his canon characterization this is a perfectly legitimate idea. By extension the psychological complexity of this story works if you treat take this story in isolation or in isolation of the anthology as a whole.

Nocenti DOES to her credit explore the theme very well, the scenes with his parents and their lies resonates very well and speaks honestly to childhood hurts.

The hints that MJ knows Peter’s identity and her own family history are done very well. They are subtle, romantic and in fact so good I WISH there was a story that played with the idea. Although it does contradict later stories because Peter clearly suspects MJ is aware of his secret but ignores it.

It’s ironic actually that those scenes ultimately make this more an MJ story than a Gwen/MJ story in spite of that being the point of the narrative. Nocenti just charcaterizees her very well and even does Gwen a service. She is very much the early days Romita Gwen and there is a wonderful passage comparing the two and likening MJ to the sun and Gwen to the moon. I never thought of that kind of dichotomy but (before she became a water works) it’s a brilliant observation of the two women. She also does a great job of capturing the flirtatious nature of Silver Age MJ.

However, where this story falters (evene when taken unto itself) is in Noenti likening spider webs to ‘lies’ and the scenes on the boat.

For the former she is just over reaching. ‘What a tangled web we weave when we first choose to lie and deceive’. It’s a famous phrase but it isn’t actually saying a spiders web is akin to a lie. It’s saying the ACT of lying is like the ACT of spinning a tangled web. An insect isn’t metaphorically ‘caught in a lie’ when it’s ensnared in a spider’s web. Yet that’s what Nocenti goes for at the start of the story.

And the stuff on the boat is just…I don’t know what it means. The lies Peter engages in in are simply not comparable to the lies the boat captain engages in. Even if you lean hard on the idea of Peter lying about his identity for the greater good, what has that got to do with lying to MJ and Gwen?

Regardless, I think this story is mostly well told for what it is and I very much enjoyed it in spite of the mischaracterization.

*Personally though I defer to Stan’s stories that state he was too young to remember them.

#Ann Nocenti #Gwen Stacy #mjwatsonedit #mary jane watson #Mary Jane Watson Parker #MJ Watson #Spider-Man #Peter Parker #Untold Tales Of Spider-Man #vulture #the vulture #adrian toomes #Richard Parker #Mary parker

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spideydaddyboy · 4 years

Text

SUGAR

CHAPTER 2

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Series Masterlist

wc: 2011

(This chapter has to do with Gwen Stacy’s band, click here for a playlist of the set I put together even though only two songs are mentioned below)

The Fringe Cafe was in the middle of the city. A cool hipster coffee shop by day and a seedy alternative Bar by night. It was a regular gig for the Mary Janes. The band was front-lined by an old friend from high school, Michelle Jones-who wrote the small amount of original songs among their cover sets, and Gwen was on the drums. The rest of the band accrued through flyer’s they posted all over the city and was what they could get from the less than enthusiastic response to join their band. Over all they were pretty decent, the Fringe was a regular gig and even presented them as headliners.

They practiced during the in between hours when the cafe staff cleaned and left for the day and the bar crew came to set up. The stage was small, so there was only room for Gwen’s beast of a secondhand drum set and the rest of the band set up on the floor. It was kind of their thing to get up in the crowds faces when they jammed, it was great discounting the occasional grope a middle aged man tried to sneak in every other song. Michelle handled that pretty well, managing to break a finger in between chord variations.

Gwen breezed through the back door, yanking the orange cap off her head, shedding her jacket and bag on the retro black and white tiled floor, “sorry I’m late guys, I got held up.”

Michelle tapped the mic, providing ear shrilling feedback, Gwen grimaced, Michelle smirked, “what the hell are you wearing Stacy.”

The blonde looked down at her pressed creamy white blouse and navy flared corduroy pants, her black slip on docs the only thing adding back the substance the blouse and tartan headband took away, “I told you, I got held up, I didn’t even have time to change.”

Vinny on the bass snickered, “pop a few buttons at least,” earning a smack on the back of his head by their lead guitarist Margo.

Rolling her eyes, Gwen loosened the top three buttons on her blouse and tied the front, her (not quite natural purple shampooed) light blonde hair fell to her shoulders out of the tight ponytail she kept it in all morning, and reapplied a coat of cherry lip gloss to her lips. The set list laid out on one of the round empty tables by the stage and she took a long look at it before settling behind her drum set. Sound check had already been gone through during her absence and Gwen didn’t need a mic tonight, she gave the ready to Michelle who counted off for the first song, which was a cover of Harvard by Diet Cig.

When Gwen played the drums, it was a stress reliever, better than any drug. Pounding out all the doubt of her achievements, the uncertainty of success, her loneliness, all of it. By the end of a set Gwen would be on a surge of dopamine.

They finished the practice and took a break as patrons began to filtering through and getting drinks. Michelle was yet to turn 21 and Gwen didn’t particularly enjoy drinking, so they sat on the stage nursing glasses of cola. Vinny stood at the bar chatting up a pink haired twink and Margo was off in the back alley way taking a smoke.

“I finally nailed that gig at the Cherry Pit,” Michelle took a proud swig of her soda. “It’s an opening act for some emo pop group called ANGELCAKE or whatever but it’s an act nonetheless.”

Gwen grinned and tipped her glass, “kudos to you, we’ve been trying to get an in on that place for months. You’ve got a set of iron balls Michelle, I would’ve given up by now.”

The girl next to her smirked smugly and stood, “I’m gonna go to the ladies before we start, watch the tools?” Gwen agreed and finished off her drink, mounting the stage to fiddle with a loose screw they missed setting up.

“The Mary Janes huh?” A familiar voice rose above the drunken chatter, “didn’t peg you for a girl band.”

She spun, meeting a pair of deep blue eyes and a wide set of perfect teeth, “Harry!” Suddenly she lost the ability to breath, all too aware of the tastefully dressed billionaire's son in front of her, and the midriff accompanied with her cleavage on display in the same blouse she introduced herself in earlier that day, “oh my god, what is Harry Osborne doing here of all places?” She itched to button her shirt, but knew it would only draw his attention.

An amused smile played on his lips, “you, surprisingly. I asked around and was told by your roommate Sam I’d find you here.”

“Oh,” she squeaked, noting to give Samantha an earful when she got home. “Uh yeah, started playing drums in band class and upgraded to this after I graduated. My friend MJ and I always wanted to and here we are I guess.”

“MJ? Mary Jane?” Harry thought he had made a connection and Gwen was bemused.

“No, Michelle Jones, but it’s quite a coincidence,” she gestured at the instruments. “Are you staying for the show? The set starts in a few minutes and it’ll maybe only last 25 minutes long, I mean if you can stand a little punk music.”

He slid off his designer jacket and threw it on the floor next to what he recognized to be Gwen’s puffer, “I think I’ll manage.”

Michelle appeared from behind Harry and googled at him, Gwen grinned, “great, looks like we’re about to start.”

“I wouldn’t stand at the front if I were you,” Michelle piped, swinging her electric over her shoulder.

Vinny left his boyfriend for the night at the bar and Margo slouched in place, the smell of cigarette smoke coming off her in waves. Michelle introduced them as the ‘Fabulous and Marvelous Mary Janes’ and Gwen started the count off with a few hard hits of her sticks. Through the rowdy crowd, she made eye contact with Harry, who stood toward the middle in his own little pocket, eyes lit up as he watched her play. She gave him a daring smile and he winked, luckily her face was already red from how hard she played. The drums were like an extension of herself, her body seemed to respond to them naturally, like she knew all the right places to hit and create the perfect clash of acoustic. To Gwen, it was her art.

Half way through the set, Gwen noticed Peter in the back corner when she looked up to wipe the sweat from her eyes. He gave her his signature boyish grin and she beamed. It was only by occasion since the start of the school year that Peter would pop by her gigs, at least that was what she thought. He would take breaks to listen outside for a couple minutes during his rounds for every gig she had, tonight he decided to make a personal appearance after listening to how she felt apart from him lately, in fact he was pretty excited to see her play. It had been a while since the last time.

They finished off the set with a modern punk version of Don’t You(Forget About Me) by the Police, out of breath and drenched in sweat. Gwen untied the tartan fabric headband and used it to wipe the perspiration off her forehead and dabbed it along her chest, army shaky and weak. Two boys came to greet her; the Prince and the Pauper.

Peter went straight for Gwen once she rounded the drums to the edge of the stage, giving her a tight squeeze and disregarding how damp she was, Harry looked on from a distance, “that was so great! I forget how amazing you are with those beats!”

Harry stepped forward when Peter let go, eyes darting between the two, “you guys sounded great Gwen, I wish I’d seen it sooner.” The two men scrutinized each other and Gwen made the first move.

“Uh, Harry Osborne, this is Peter,” she gestured to her long time friend.

Peter caught on and held his hand out to shake and Harry put forth, squeezing his hand back a little two hard, “boyfriend?”

“NO!” Gwen and Peter mirrored each other, bright red and flustered at Harry’s assumption. “No,” Gwen continued, “just good friends, we’ve known each other since high school, Michelle too who you met kind of already.”

“Oh I apologize,” he laughed it off and Peter hinted at the relief in his composure. “Well it’s late, and my driver should be around here soon…”he trailed off.

Nervously Gwen held her hand out, “let me give you my number, in-in case you wanna come to any more gigs, I can get you the details without you having to search for me.”

Harry looked delighted as he gave the disheveled blonde his phone, unaware of the harsh glare Peter directed toward him, “great! Great, it was nice to see you, I’m glad I came. I’ll be in touch,” he mused and nodded in Peter’s direction before weaving his way out to the door.

Peter felt uneasy, “didn’t think you had the guts to invite him to your gig Gwennie.”

“I didn’t,” she let out all the breath trapped in her lungs. “He just showed up, said he asked around for me-I’m gonna beat Samantha to a pulp when I get home.”

He chuckled, swinging his keys around on his finger, “need a lift? Subway’s kind of dangerous this time of night.”

“Yeah, let me grab my bag,” she muttered and struggled to untie the knot in her shirt.

Peter huffed and swatted her sweaty fingers away, tugging at the fabric himself and Gwen along with it in a few stumbly steps. She held her breath again with Peter being in such close proximity, heat rolled off his fingers onto the skin of her stomach and up close she could see every individual eyelash as he looked down. The blouse jerked free from its tangle and he did up the last couple buttons where he untied, leaving the top ones for Gwen to handle, his blush hidden by the red stage lighting in the room.

“I’ll be by the door,” he gestured with his keys and maneuvered his way to the entrance.

Things scooped in hand and ears fully covered, Peter and Gwen hopped in the beat up pumpkin colored Chevy low rider Peter saved up for their Senior year, it was as orange as her knit cap. The radio played low, a classic rock tape Peter made drifted through the silence. It was surprisingly quiet for the city tonight.

Gwen leaned her head against the glass, eyes closed, the back of her head tilted back against the headrest. At an intersection Peter looked over and observed her, the smoothness of her fair skin, how the stoplight reflected off of it and gave her a blushed glow. Her lips, pink and parted with the remnant of lip gloss sweated off earlier in the evening smudged across the corners. He reached over and it came off easily with his thumb. Before he could replace his hand on the wheel, Gwen reached up and grasped it firmly in her hands, then placed them in her lap. He chuckled, aware she was fully passed out, but he wouldn’t miss a golden opportunity to be held in her hands. So he kept it there as the light turned green, steering with his left until he got to her apartment and ruefully had to tug his hand away. He watched her for a few quiet moments, listened to her take in a breath and went around to the other side of the truck to carry her up the stairs without waking her. Tucked in her blankets, Peter took one more second to look at her face, so calm and beautiful. He placed a kiss on her forehead and decided to call it a night.

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(A/N): THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! Again I am super excited to duke this series and lay out all the crazy plot twists and love triangles that comes with a good fanfic, I hope you enjoyed! (If you wanna check out more of my writing, click here!)

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