#doesn't explain why wanda ain't there

[thebibliomancer]

Essential Avengers: West Coast Avengers #42: ONE OF OUR ANDROIDS IS MISSING!

March, 1989

It begins here... VISIONQUEST ONE OF OUR ANDROIDS IS MISSING!

Oh, comics. You and your movie references.

Scarlet Witch: "Where is my husband? Where is the VISION?!" Wonder Man: "He -- he's gone, Wanda -- vanished as if he never existed!"

God damn it, Byrne. You know I love dialogue on comic covers.

But we're kinda jumping into things here. I don't even really feel like we need to do a last times recap because the start of Byrne's run feels like its taken a time skip forward.

Tigra has rejoined the West Coast Avengers. Hank Pym has rejoined the West Coast Avengers. WASP HAS JOINED, as more than a guest star!

Despite the cover declaring OH NO VISION IS MISSING, the beginning is a slow burn, establishing the normal functioning of the West Coast Avengers.

Implying that this new status quo has lasted long enough to be comfortable.

The Byrne run is contentious, in part due to the very story arc starting here.

BUT I WILL BE FAIR!

So lets get into it.

Scarlet Wanda wakes up from an uneasy sleep to find that despite the early hour, her robo-husband Vision is not in bed with her.

He doesn't need to sleep but still spends his nights at her side (awww) but this morning one of her husbands is missing.

Wanda checks around the guest house that she and Vision have made their home in the West Coast Avengers Compound but no trace.

Also, while she's getting dressed the narration notes that she must practice ABSOLUTE CARE not to accidentally gesture indiscriminately and cause WACKY MAGIC SHIT to happen.

I didn't think she was still experiencing that kind of magical incontinence after her training with Agatha Harkness.

But that's one of the things I've heard about Byrne's run. He prefers a certain, classic portrayal of characters like Wanda and Vision and apparently not burning down houses by pointing the wrong way is a bridge too far.

As Wanda wanders across the compound grounds, she spots Hawkeye up early and training with some absolutely ridiculous equipment.

It's some industrial looking robot arm that flails him around so he can practice his aim even while being flailed around.

I don't know how often that comes up but an ounce of preparation.

Wanda accidentally steps on the one twig on the otherwise immaculately groomed grounds and startles Hawkeye into shooting an arrow right at her.

Wanda just probabilities the arrow to lose all its forward momentum and fall to the ground.

Hawkeye shuts down the flailing and asks why Wanda is up so early. She asks the same thing of him.

Hawkeye: "Er... yeah... Well, since me an' Bobbi have been on the outs there ain't been too many reasons for lying around all day."

Oof.

You can just imagine Clint laying in bed, unable to sleep. Just staring at the ceiling and feeling the emptiness next to him. And then going 'fuck it, I'm going to go shoot things with arrows until I can't feel feelings anymore.'

Having had to admit how empty his own life is, Hawkeye repeats the question to Wanda. She explains the thing where he took off? Maybe? Without letting her know or leaving a sign. Its all kinds of weird and foreboding.

Hawkeye goes well this is why we have "eleventy skillion dollars" worth of the best communications technology.

You seriously didn't try calling him first, Wanda? C'mon.

Hawkeye calls for Vision over the intercom but only gets Hank Pym, who is also working early, running a systems check on the computer system.

See, because, he had a "biostatic analysis running overnight" and the results were off.

Also, what the hell are you doing here, Hank Pym?

You quit to fix your first wife's enormous head.

Well, that's not a happy story. Because when is it ever for Hank Pym?

Big brain lady who claimed to be Maria Trovaya was actually MODAM, the lady version of MODOK. Because MODOK is clearly a gendered name. Her not giant brain name was apparently Olinka Barankova.

She took Hank captive and replaced him with an android imposter that Hawkeye unmasked. Hawkeye and Black Widow (and Mockingbird independently) help Hank Pym thwart AIM's schemes until AIM hit the self-destruct and ran away.

MODAM went on to other things but eventually got killed by Red Skull and put on display like a big-headed trophy. While, apparently, Hank went on to just sheepishly rejoin the team.

Anyway, this went down in the Solo Avengers issue that has the same cover date as this West Coast Avengers issue so I'm surprised there's not a "wondering what Hank Pym is doing here? Check out this month's Solo Avengers for the full story!"

Anyway. Back to the point. The communications system blows out with a squawk. As if the transponder on Hawkeye's side was blasted! Or maybe there's a duck in the wiring! So Hank runs outside to confirm that there is indeed shit going down.

Shit of the most Ultron-y type possible. The Ultron kind.

Really thought he'd be gone longer after Wonder Man ripped him in half.

I know Ultron always comes back but geez.

Meanwhile, inside Tigra's bunglow, she's asleep. Not everybody is awake at ungodly hours! Take a page from her book, the Avengers!

But only the sleeping in part. Not the weird fucking dream she has.

Tigra dreams of being a tiger with a perm, hunting blue alien space deer.

But when she pounces and tears out its throat, she wakes up only to a mouthful of feathers. Having lived the punchline "and when I woke up, my pillow was gone!"

Except, I can't figure out what Tigra is sitting on. Doesn't seem like a normal bed. Maybe its a large, feather pillow and she uses it like a cat bed? Maybe its a small feather mattress and she uses it like a cat bed? Maybe don't sleep on a cat bed and you won't have cat dreams, ya dork.

I canNOT believe that I had live through the drawn-out "oh no, Tigra's cat instincts are getting the better of her!!" plotline and now we're just doing it again.

We're doing Ultron again, we're doing Tigra having cat problems again. Some fresh start.

I do hope her cat problems don't manifest as uncontrollable hypersexuality again.

Tigra is considering that maybe she should tell her teammates that she's having vivid dreams about murdering animals but a loud BOOM draws her attention and she rushes outside.

Also rushing outside is the Wasp! Hi, Jan! You definitely left so I'm wondering if we'll get an explanation for why you decided to come back and join the team.

Also also, Tigra notices that Wasp is flying out of Hank Pym's bungalow, instead of the main house where Jan's room is.

She notices it and thinks hmmmm.

A lot of writers try to put Jan and Hank back together. And a lot of writers try to more definitively break them up.

Englehart was one of the latter. He had Jan yell "divorce means divorce" at Hank when he tried to hug her. He brought back Hank's first wife and basically annulled Hank's marriage to Jan.

But, remember, Maria turned out to be a big, evil science brain so the divorced marriage is unanulled and it seems like Byrne mgiht be one of the former type of writers who want to undo undoing the marriage.

Busiek was one too. One of the creative decisions I wasn't really onboard with for his run but he tried his damndest to sell the idea, including having Hank reconcile (again) all the disparate parts of himself.

Then the following writer Geoff Johns had Wasp shoot down the idea that she'd ever marry Hank again.

It comes and goes in waves.

Less so now that Hank is turbo-dead.

Anyway.

Tigra and Wasp rush toward the training area, where they heard a big boom. And Wonder Man is rushing to check it out too.

Wasp: "Simon! You can fly faster than me! Get up ahead and reconnoiter!" Wonder Man: "Just what I was going to do, Wasp!"

You don't need to get snippy, Simon.

He grouses to himself that Wasp got too used to being in charge and that she's still barking orders like she's Captain America.

I guess there's always gotta be some kind of tension in the team. And Wonder Man always gotta be fighting someone. And he's stopped being the Hawkeye to Hawkeye.

Wonder Man flies up and sees Ultron. And like me, is surprised because he didn't think he'd see him again so soon.

Ultron blasts Wonder Man with "some kind of magnetic field blast." Not usually a weapon Ultron has so maybe he upgraded.

Wonder Man just gets off the tree that he broke with his butt and launches back at Ultron.

Simon William's nearly indestructible fists strike the robot's sterling hide like the clappers of a great bell... The sound that reverberates across the California hills has the ominous tones of a death knell!

Hawkeye cheers on Wonder Man but Dr Pym warns him that Ultron could turn the tables.

COMPLETELY UNPROMPTED, Scarlet Witch has an intense expository flashback about Vision's ENTIRE BACKSTORY.

Important for setting up future stuff but fucks sake, Wanda, get your head in the game.

You should know the drill.

Dr Phineas Horton created the Human Torch, no not Johnny. A lifelike robot that accidentally burst into flames whenever exposed to oxygen.

Jim Hammond Human Torch became a hero, the first Marvel hero. The company wasn't called Marvel but he was in Marvel Comics #1 so there.

Since Stan Lee rebooted Human Torch as a teenage human for Fantastic Four, there needed to be some explanation for why the robot guy wasn't around anymore.

And the answer is that his flame burned out of control and he exploded and collapsed in the desert.

Where he was found and rebuilt by the Mad Thinker who used him to fight the human Human Torch. Until robot Human Torch learned that the Mad Thinker was Evil, Actually, and turned against him.

And the Mad Thinker's failsafe made robot Human Torch explode again.

The Fantastic Four just left him in the Mad Thinker's abandoned base because Reed is an asshole and doesn't believe robots deserve due to the dead.

Where Ultron found him.

Anyway. Back in the here and now, Wanda remembers that she's actually in a life or death fight and that everyone else has been participating while she's been gazing off into the middle distance.

Again: fucks sake, Wanda. You're one of the win buttons against Ultron! Get your head in the game!

But Hank notices that Wonder Man's punches have been denting Ultron. Which should be impossible if Ultron is made of adamantium, as he usually is.

Figuring never asking forgiveness is easier than asking permission, Hank shrinks Wonder Man tiny size and insists he flies down Ultron's throat.

Wonder Man says, uh, no, I don't want to unshrink inside an indestructible chassis, that sounds like a horrible way to spend my time.

But Hank insists so Wonder Man does it but complains the whole time.

The Journey To The Center of Ultron is weird. The usual atomic flame that burns in Ultron's mouth (yes, that's apparently what his mouth glow is) is just an illusion.

Also, when the shrink wears off Wonder Man OH YEAHS right through Ultron instead of that not happening.

Hank explains that when he noticed that Wonder Man was actually denting Ultron, he realized it couldn't be the real deal.

But the (West Coast) Avengers were kept so busy fighting Ultron that they didn't notice the discrepancies.

Until Hank did. And instead of explaining it, he decided to demonstrate it in the most dramatic and visually interesting fashion possible.

Hank, you weirdo.

Scarlet Witch wonders why someone would send a fake Ultron and Hank realizes it was probably a distraction.

Taking charge, he yells "AVENGERS DISASSEMBLE!" which is a big oof with cursed future knowledge. But what he means is everyone split up and search for clues.

If someone was distracting the (West Coast) Avengers from something, its likely to be something around the compound.

Instead of actually helping search, Scarlet Wanda wanders off to the cliffs to moodily stare off at the ocean and CONTINUE TO FLASHBACK.

FUCKS SAKE, WANDA!

Anyway.

Blah blah blah, Ultron found robot Human Torch's body.

He wanted to rebuild it into a cool minion but Ultron apparently sucks at robots. Ironic, since Hank Pym shoulda sucked at robots and somehow built the worst one and Ultron has Hank's brain.

Anyway, Ultron kidnapped the robot Human Torch's creator Dr. Horton and forced him to rebuild the Human Torch into Vision. Making his skin red as a private joke about the flame powers he once had.

Didn't think Ultron's sense of humor ran that subtle, honestly.

After the rebuilding was done, Ultron had to erase the Human Torch's personality because he kept trying to fight Ultron. So Ultron used some Simon Williams brain tapes that he swiped from Hank Pym's lab. And with that as a base, Vision lived!

Ultron sent him to attack the Avengers where he pretty promptly defected and switched sides. And the Avengers accepted him because the Avengers are cool like that sometimes.

And it was on the Avengers that Scarlet Witch met Vision and they fell in love and got married and then Vision dry humped two babies into her, magically.

THAT SURE WAS VISION'S ENTIRE BACKSTORY, WANDA. VERY HELPFUL.

Meanwhile, the other Avengers were actually searching.

Hank Pym contacts her on some kind of video phone that stalks her to the cliffs and tells her that they found something but they really need to discuss it face to face.

And when Wanda joins everyone who was actually doing work, Hank Pym explains that Vision is "gone."

Because A) he's nowhere in the compound. They still don't know where he physically is except 'not around.'

But things have gotten a bit weirder and more sinister.

B) Hank finished that computer scan he was doing and found a sophisticated computer virus. One that found and erased every trace of Vision from the Avengers' files. All the information they had on him, every report he's ever entered, everything.

And the virus infected the East Coast Avengers' computers as well. And SHIELD (not actually around currently, so slight continuity hiccup) and the Pentagon and the Fantastic Four.

Every system the virus infected has lost all trace of Vision.

Its like he never existed. Except for all the memories everybody has of him. And also any physical record like print-outs or photographs. But digitally its like he never existed!

Hank Pym: "For this to have happened means somebody got in through our defensive network. Somebody got past all our alarms, all our codes... Everything!" Wasp: "And to do that... They'd have to be one of us!!" Hawkeye: "One of the Avengers has turned traitor! But... WHO??" Mockingbird: "Is that really so hard to guess, Hawk?"

MOCKINGBIRD

WHAT

DID

YOU

DO?

Follow @essential-avengers and be very angry with me about things that are about to happen. Like, reblog, and comment maybe. I don't know about mockingbirds but my cat definitely tried to stop me from finishing this post.

#west coast avengers #avengers #essential avengers #fake Ultron #Hawkeye #Scarlet Witch #the Vision #Hank Pym #Dr Pym #Tigra #Wonder Man #the Wasp #Mockingbird #a conspiracy against best robot boy #a cover that doesn't quite lie

[worstloki]

Instead of Dr Strange putting Loki on the Dangerous list, what if he put Loki on the 'People that need therapy' list. Thor 3, portals Loki to the Sanctum and gives him tea while they wait for Thor.

Thor shows up on guard and finds Loki and Strange drinking tea and talking. Strange agrees to find Odin for Thor on the condition that Loki stays in the Sanctum and gets therapy.

Stephen’s “I’m Not That Type Of Doctor But I Can Find You One” List

#doesn't explain why wanda ain't there #but I'm stuck thinking of it as his fanboy list #like ''oh. loki. loki? loki?! this is THE loki!! what do i do?? whAt do i do--'' #wong: portal him #stephen: yes yes you're right i should bring him here for tea-- #wong: no reopen portal #stephen: wha-- bUT-- it's *LOKI* #wong: exactly why. i don't trust you around him. leave him be. invite his brother over. #stephen: but Thor is so........... #wong: do it. i'm going out for groceries. if i find loki here when i return i'll tell him aobut your posters #stephen: dammit i shouldn't've let you in my room #anyway #it's on my mind #and also Tony as Loki's adopted dad? *chef's kiss* #this relationship is going to annoy Tony SO much #he'll get used to it and become fonder of Stephen eventually i guess #but even if it's friendship Tony is going to be suspicious that he's doing weird magic cult stuff with Loki and he worried under the snark

[valkyrieandstrangeridingaragorn]

I'm annoyed when women criticise certain characters it's always labelled as misogyny. For example criticising peggy for literally working with n*zis and knowing what they did in her agency. But we don't even have to go to TWS and later films to criticise her. She wasn't that good in TFA. She literally shot Steve (she barely knew him) out of jealousy. I don't care even if they were dating and he cheated on her she had no right to shoot him (also it wouldn't be cheating cause he was literally SA'd but even if he willingly kissed the girl he would be doing nothing wrong). Or the fact she got upset he chose bucky aka his best friend over her because she put on a red dress boohoo or when she romantically ignored him until he got buff or when she (also hayley atwell is responsible for that cause "she couldn't help herself and had to touch chris Evans's chest) touched his chest without constent. Or kissing him without consent. One character who was hated because of misogyny was Sharon now I really don't care if people like her or not but only thing people criticise her for is her getting kissed by Steve(also idc about how he "turned out to be her uncle" because this bullshit started way before endgame). But most won't call that misogyny. Same goes for Wanda. She is mostly hated for misogynistic reasons but yet most people don't call it out. Carol I think gets called out more but still most is based on misogyny. God forbid Sylvie and Peggy get criticised though...

Ain't that the truth.

I vividly remember the only hater I've had to deal with on here last year claiming I was a misogynist for not liking Sylvie, they sent me a few messages defending all women but shit-talking Valkyrie. At that point I checked and they had been defending white women but not Val... kind of makes you think, doesn't it? 🤷

I never liked Peggy because she felt like a man's dream. She's perfect. She's not allowed a damn flaw, everything she does is supposedly right... I hate characters like that (which is why I love Wanda and Carol and Val and Nat and Yelena, they're all flawed and have done some shit but they don't hide it).

Also, the fact that people think that scene of her shooting at Steve is a feminist™ move drives me up the wall, especially when you compare that to how Steve handles it when he thinks Peggy and Howard are "foundeing": he only asks, looks a little hurt but he leaves it there. She acts like she owns him and she's the only one for him. Reverse the roles and people would be calling Steve all kinds of names (and they weren't even dating when that woman kissed him!).

I could write a million words about how much I don't like her so I'll just leave this post here that explains it all really well.

As for Sharon, I always liked her. She was great in TWS and CW: spying on Steve without him realizing it (that's not easy!), she stood up against Hydra and defended her coworkers, she passed info about Bucky and grabbed their suits for them... and yeah she got a kiss. So freaking what? I never understood why so many people got mad at that but the part that pisses me off is that from that point on anything and everything Sharon does doesn't matter because the only thing that defines her is that kiss. Then they turned her into a villain in TFATWS... sigh.

Now, about Wanda I gotta say I've read so much crap since the MoM trailer was released... I think people are justified in expressing the double standards in Marvel but I hate how the context of Westview is ignored, based on a lot of posts on here you'd think she kidnapped that town because she felt like hurting innocent people (never mind her state of mind at the time). I'm not sure those criticizing her do it out of misogyny, it could be that they just don't like her character, but it does surprise me the level of vitriol against her.

And I'm afraid most if not all of the hate Carol gets is from fanboys who hate Brie for being a wonderful out-spoken woman who's not afraid to speak her mind. That and being the first woman to get a movie for herself.

So yeah this got long enough, sorry about that 😅 I'll just add that misogyny is definitely a thing in fandom, and we need to call out those who talk shit about women, but we also have to differentiate between the fans who don't like a female character (and give reasons as to why they don't) and fans who don't like a female character because she's a woman.

And just one more thing: you don't need to defend all women to be a feminist. Feminism isn't about putting women above men and acting like we're all perfect, that shit is exactly what the patriarchy has been saying all this time. We're flawed, we want to be allowed to be flawed, and some of us are seriously fucked up. Calling that out is not anti-women and it will never be.

#anti peggy carter #fandom wank

[mama-ghostie-61542]

A Thousand Lifetimes

Rated M++ for language and themes

If you recognize it--IT AIN'T MINE

Sorry for the OOC bits.

Chapter 2

Supper was finished and cleaned up with little in the way of words spoken after that. The evening saw me curling up in my bed with a coffee and the second chapter.

Jooheon PoV--

As soon as we were given our holiday leave, we were talking where we were all going to go. I had saved my days off for three months to have an entire week away. Just the same as I had saved as much as I could to be able to afford that first class ticket. Bryn had sent me half of the money, so that helped. As I packed, I called Bryn, just to verify the time I should get there.

The flight itself was really uneventful...unless you count the attendant openly flirting with me. That guy openly offered things that, umm, weren't on the menu, let's say. Now, don't get me wrong, I love flying first class, and I am used to having underwear thrown at me by western audiences, but getting an invitation to join 'The Mile High Club' by a dude, was a little much for me.

'Would be too much for me too'.

By the time the plane landed in L.A., I was thoroughly embarrassed, and a little pissed off. Then there was a two hour layover until my flight to Chicago. That flight was a lot better than the one from Seoul to L.A. No one bothered me. I was just the Asian guy in first class.

After grabbing my bag from baggage claim, I started to walk down to the pick up and drop off, where she said she would meet me. Bryn told me she has an awful time getting through security checkpoints. The machines pick up the studs on her implants. That was an interesting conversation, I learned my big sister had lost all her teeth due to a strange combination of factors. But, she had gotten it all squared away and everything had healed up a while ago.

'She has implants? Hmm.'

As I turned the corner, I heard a soft whistle followed by Bryn shouting.

"Jooheon! Over here, Lil Man."

'Little? He is at least half a foot taller than you!'

I turned towards the yell, and saw her. The buzz cut threw me for a second. "You cut it all off again," I remarked as I noticed her shoulder length hair was much shorter than our last video chat.

"Yep. Long hair is for men and babies, not ladies. Neither man nor bitch should be able to grab a handful and use it against me," she quipped as she ran her hand over the short, spunky, spikes on her pate. "Got your bag," she asked.

Long hair is for men and babies, huh.

I nodded.

"Cool. My truck is this way," she said as she tilted her head to the side. "Let's blow this pop stand."

"What," I asked, laughing as I followed.

"Let's blow this popsicle stand.'

Turning around and walking backwards, she said, "Let's blow this popsicle stand."

'See. I do know some idioms.'

Imagine my surprise when what she simply called 'my truck' was a tiny little Chevy Equinox.

As we stowed my bags in the back seat, I said, "Bryn, this isn't a truck."

"Is to me," she replied as we got into the front and buckled our safety belts. When she started up the engine, the cabin was filled with a haunted music. Then she said, as we backed out of the parking spot, "We gotta stop for gas before we hit the interstate, so, I suggest you visit the men's room before we leave. We still have a four hour drive ahead of us."

As she put it in drive, I replied with, "Are you insinuating I can't control myself?"

"No," she said, matter-of-factly. "I am straight telling you that you have a bladder the size of a walnut and you are riding with a fucking camel."

I laughed, 'I agree. That woman can make an eight hour drive with a bottle of pop and never once need to pee. There will still be soda in her bottle, too. She's a fuckin camel.'

As we pulled away from the gas station, and onto the interstate, She commented on my shirt. "That is a nice color on you, by the way."

"Thanks. I like red."

"I know. Just never had you pegged as a guy who actually looked good in maroon."

I looked down at my shirt. "It's red," I replied.

"No, Dear, it's maroon."

"Agree to disagree. How many times have I told you to just call me 'Honey'?"

"It weirds me out to call my little brother "Honey'. That's a word meant for a significant other. The closest you will EVER get is Dear. Ah! I know! Wanda," she laughed.

"Absolutely not," I laughed, "but I can see your point," I said, as I looked out the window for a minute, "How is Clark taking it?"

'Who is this Clark, guy?'

"Your visit? We got in a screaming match. It all boils down to the fact you are a guy."

"Wow," I replied then shook my head. Clark was one of those super insecure guys who saw everyone as a threat. "So it didn't and doesn't matter that the mere idea of being anything other than an adopted brother makes me want to poke my eyeballs out with a blunt object."

"Nope," she replied. "You're a dude, and dude's only think about getting 'stuff' from girls."

'Ok, so she is safe with Honey. Good to know.'

I gagged and covered my mouth, "Icky. Just the thought of that makes me want to vomit," I said then shuddered.

"Hey," she chuckled. "No pukin' in my truck," she quipped as she smacked my arm.

"Are you allowed to have gay friends?"

"He doesn't like them either. He would be completely happy if I had no friends at all."

"That is what I call possessive."

"That is what I call fucked up," she replied. "Getting a little sick of the double standards. He can have all the friends he wants, but I have lost most of mine, thanks to him."

"Well, you can't lose me. You are stuck with me now."

"Good to know."

"You know I love you, Sissie," I squealed as I laid over onto the console.

"Yeah, I know. Sadly," she replied and then smiled at me before focusing on the road.

After a few miles, I asked, "So he cost you your friends?"

Sighing, she replied, "Yeah. The only ones left are Lynn and Shayne. He tried to get rid of them, but Shayne threw a fit."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Shayne told him to shut up before he knocked him out. I mean, we have been friends for 33 years and nothing has ever happened. EVER. And I like Lynn."

"Lynn?"

"Shayne's wife. She is awesome!"

"So, do I get to meet the family this week?"

"Nope," she replied. "Ian, Allen, and Jason all have wives that don't like Ma...or me, much. And Los lives in Texas with his wife and their boys, so I don't get to see him much anyways. Costs a ton to board the boys for a visit"

"Los," I asked. I had heard her refer to him, but didn't really know much, other than he was the only biological brother. "I thought he couldn't have kids?"

"Carlos. Most of the family calls him Junior. Juan Carlos Jr. And he can, she can't. The boys are their pitties."

"Wow. What was his mom smoking," I asked.

Bryn smiled, "Don't know, but I wish she would have shared."

"Why?"

"My full name."

"What is it," I asked, mentally preparing myself for the answer.

"Bryn Markham is just the name I write under. Bryanna Ellyen Velvet Colline Brusher nee Loveland, legally. I go by either Annie or Bry, depending on who it is. My parents STILL call me by my full name," She replied, her embarrassment pinking her cheeks slightly.

I grabbed the pad and pen from beside my bed and wrote down the name quickly.

"Oh my god," I laughed.

"Could have been worse, though. If I had been a boy, my dad wanted to name me either Benjamin Abraham or Joshua Earl."

I couldn't help the snort that came out, right before I broke and laughed. I was laughing so hard I was starting to tear up a bit.

"Yeah. Haha. Laugh it up," She said as she rolled the window down a few centimeters and grabbed an ash cup from the rear cup holder. Then, Bryn grabbed the tin of smokes out of the console and lit one up.

"Hold up. You smoke?"

That explains the smell, sometimes.

"Not anymore. Used to, but I found this mix when I quit. I smoked because of my temper, and this mix helps. It's better than looking at the world through two panes of glass and chicken mesh cause I lost it and gave some dumbass what they really deserved."

I looked at her confused.

"A high five...in the face," she said as she glanced at me, "with a chair," Bryn deadpanned as she watched the road.

I snickered a little before I said, "Really?"

"Yeah. More than just a pretty face, little brother," She laughed as she playfully slapped her cheek.

As we settled in to the drive, I realized how much she looked like the girl in Kihyun's dreams. Granted, I could just be seeing what I wanted to see.

They both need someone awesome.

Bryn PoV--

We made it to the house in a little over 3 hours. As usual, Clarkie was pissed. This time cause I actually went and picked up my brother. I guess, he thought if he raised enough of a stink, I would do what he wanted. But, I had a bad habit of never staying in his happy little shell. Mostly because it felt like a cage and I hate to be hemmed in.

He has always said that I need safety and security, but his idea of it is a cage, fences to box me in. My idea was more like a safe place to bed down after a run with the moon, and the freedom to run and stretch out; to sprawl all out and wait for nightfall.

But, Hawkie, has always known its a nice place to land. But that's the way our connection worked, neither one of us had to say much, we just did and it all fit.

I couldn't help but think how wrong this Clark guy was. A spirited filly like that needed plenty of room to run, to roam, or she got stifled. She was right, my idea of security was always just having a good place to land.

As we walked inside, I said, "Look guys, Uncle Jooheon is here."

All three of my kids suddenly insisted on 'Uncle Joey' being his new name; even though I had been coaching them for weeks as to how to pronounce it the right way.

Grimacing, I said, "Sorry, Bud. It appears you have been graced with a new name. In the old ways, a new name is given at the time of adoption. So it looks like it's official. Welcome to the family."

"Hey. I don't mind. There are worse things to be called. Joey works," He chuckled as he shook his head, "At least it's close. I am honored to officially be part of the family."

"Don't get too comfy. Ma picks out middle names at random. So if you ever hear 'Joe' followed by some random Western name, just go with it. And if she whips out the right pronunciation and a random middle name, you are entirely on your own."

"If it's Ma, I would probably answer to it, just to keep her happy," He quipped back.

"It's better that way. She used to call Jamen, the ex, Lynn."

He let loose a belly laugh that had me laughing.

"Seriously," he asked as he wiped his eyes.

"Oh, Yeah. He used to get soo mad."

I laughed at Bryn and Honey and how they acted. Then, I thought about trying that name out in the morning.

As I laid there, curled up and ready to sleep, I felt her. She brushed my hair out of my eyes and whispered softly against my forehead, "You sleep, my love. I'll keep watch."

I fell asleep to her whispering something to me, soft and slow, in a language I couldn't understand. I knew it was no lullaby. It felt more like a blessing, like a prayer. I felt more at peace in that moment than I had for weeks. That night, the nightmares did not haunt me.

The next morning, as we all got around for the day, I took the chance.

"Hey, Joey."

All of the guys stopped.

Honey turned to me, "What did you call me."

"Story said she coached her kids for weeks. They all had it right, but, the minute you walked in the door it was 'Joey'."

"Really," He said as he looked kind of confused. "Joey?" He just snickered and smiled. "Babies. What can ya do," he laughed.

"If what she wrote is true, in her culture, when a person is adopted, they are given a new name. 'Joey' happens to be yours. Not to mention that 'Honey' weirds her out."

The expression on his face dropped. Confusion colored his face for a moment, then the look of understanding followed, "Ahh. Smaller and close to the original so the kids can learn it. Also, so the adults understand that with the small nickname, everything is ok, but the full version, pronounced right, means 'Shut up and listen'. Got it."

"Did you miss the adopted part? She knows!"

At almost two in the afternoon here, I heard her whisper, 'I'm off to bed.' as I felt her presence close to me. Next, came the burn on my cheek, followed by her soft, 'Goodnight, Love.'

Since I was finishing up my lunch, I decided to reach for her. 'Rest well, my queen. You have more than earned it today,' I said as I brushed her hair away from her face. She always looks so peaceful when she sleeps. I almost couldn't wait for the day when I could physically hold her again.

A/N--Still in hell.

#original writing #original fiction #twin souls #soul mates #soul connection #monsta x fic #kihyun fic #past life