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set-phasers-to-whump · 3 years

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all this time been burnin’ with a fever

prompt: labor (leftover from day 6, used as an alt)

whumpee: eddie diaz

fandom: 911

heyo! i am gonna be honest i cannot figure out whether this fic sucks or is okay. i straight up have no idea. but oh well. hopefully it’s ok! this fic is pre-buddie but i suppose it doesn’t have to be? idk its a lil different from the usual pre-buddie stuff i write. also i don’t mention it in the fic but i don’t want people to worry about him so chris is like, at a sleepover :) hope you enjoy this! (title from deleter by grouplove)

When Eddie had laid down in the bunk room, he’d felt just a little bit off. He had attributed this to the current heat wave sweeping through Los Angeles, but now, he’s not so sure.

The alarm is going off and around him, his fellow firefighters are climbing out of their bunks to respond to a worker trapped under heavy equipment at a factory. Eddie gets out of bed with the rest of them, trying to pretend like his head isn’t spinning from the movement. He takes the stairs down to the truck, not liking his chances of going down the pole with his weirdly-sweaty hands.

He feels very slightly better when he sits down in the truck across from Buck. Slightly. His head has stopped spinning. Other than that, he still feels like absolute shit. He’s hot, and horribly sweaty (he can feel his hair sticking unpleasantly to his forehead), and his whole body aches like...like something. His head hurts too much to think of an appropriate metaphor.

“You okay?” Buck asks. It takes Eddie a moment to register the fact that anyone has spoken at all, and another moment to figure out a reply. By the time he says, “I’m fine,” he’s pretty sure there’s no way in hell that Buck believes him.

“Are you sure?” Buck asks, immediately after Eddie says he’s fine. Eddie sighs. He really doesn’t have the strength to insist right now.

“Yes,” he says, and hopes that it’s enough.

“Really? Cause, I don’t mean to insult you or anything, but you look kind of terrible.”

I know, Eddie thinks. I feel it, too. He says, “thanks, Buck. You’re so nice,” instead, and Buck just shakes his head.

A few minutes later, they arrive at the factory. Wanting to prove to Buck that he’s okay, Eddie shoots up from his seat as soon as the truck parks and determinedly makes his way outside, fighting through a rush of lightheadedness and forcing himself to keep moving normally.

The team heads into the building, the 911 dispatcher relaying information about their victim’s location.

“First floor, back right corner.”

Bobby leads the way, and Eddie sticks close behind him. The air-conditioning in the building has been turned off, and the atmosphere inside is choking and dry. He feels himself start to sweat even more, and wonders how that’s possible.

“Wow,” is the first thing anyone - Buck - says, when the victim comes into view. Both of his legs are pinned under a very large machine, which appears to have fallen on its side. He’s conscious, but clearly going into shock. Hen and Chim get to work on him right away, as the rest of the team analyzes the machine and waits for the paramedics to give the go-ahead to lift it away.

“You’re good to go, Cap,” Chim says, after a moment. “He’s stable for now.”

“We’re gonna need all available hands on deck for this one,” Bobby says. Hen stands up from next to the patient to join in the effort, while Chim remains with him, monitoring his vitals.

Bobby instructs everyone to different positions around the machine. Eddie is at a corner, and he braces a hand against it as they prepare to lift. He can’t remember a time when he felt this weak, but he knows he has to fight through this, has to give everything he’s got and more, to make sure that they get this man free.

“On the count of three,” Bobby says, and Eddie puts his hands on either side of the corner, pressing his feet firmly into the ground. He can do this. He has to do this. He feels so, so bad.

“Three, two, one!”

They all lift simultaneously. The machine creaks and squeaks and comes up off of the ground, and there’s a dragging sound, and Eddie’s legs are starting to shake, and his vision is going dark around the corners and his head is hurting more and more and -

“He’s out!”

They settle the machine to the floor. The second Eddie’s hands leave the metal, everything goes dark.

Eddie wakes up to the overpowering smell of ammonia. He reaches out a clumsy hand to bat the source of the smell away and hears Buck’s voice.

“He’s awake!” This is not directed at Eddie, but the next thing he says is. “I can’t believe you.”

Eddie opens his eyes and finds himself staring up at Buck’s face, half-illuminated by what he assumes is a flashlight. “What happened?” he asks, trying to sit up.

Buck’s hand presses him back to the ground, which is where he was heading anyway - even moving slightly upwards had made his head start to feel funny, and he really doesn’t want to pass out. Wait -

“You passed out,” Buck says, his voice not quite snapping at Eddie, but getting there. “We set down that machine, and you hit the floor. You wanna explain that?”

Not really, Eddie thinks. “Don’t feel good,” he says, and this time it’s Bobby who speaks to him, stepping into his field of view for the first time and bending to crouch next to him.

“I bet you don’t. You’re dehydrated and running a fever.” Eddie senses that there’s something else Bobby is going to say, but he’s interrupted by Buck.

“Even though you told me you were fine,” Buck says. “You passed out, Eddie. You’re just lucky that the patient was stable enough for Hen and Chim to check you over and make sure you weren’t, you know, dying or anything.” He sounds angry, and Eddie doesn’t blame him. He can’t believe he passed out on the job. He’s stronger than that, better than that.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers.

“Save it,” Buck says. “You think you can get up without passing out again? We need to get you back to the station.”

Eddie shrugs against the ground. This must be a good enough answer, though, because the next thing he knows, Buck’s hands are grabbing onto his own, and then Buck’s standing and pulling Eddie to his feet.

Everything starts to spin, but Eddie resolutely does not pass out. He does lean forward until Buck is practically supporting all of his weight. They walk back to the truck, awkwardly, Buck all but carrying Eddie, Bobby walking next to them.

The ride to the station is quiet. Eddie leans his head against the window and wishes that the glass was cool. But it’s warm, just like everything else, and he doesn’t think he’s ever been so hot in his life. I want to go home, he thinks, and it’s not until Buck replies that he realizes he’s spoken out loud.

“You’ll go home,” he says. “We’re just going back to the station to get your stuff, and then I’m driving you there.”

Some kind of hopeful feeling rises in Eddie at the thought of Buck bringing him home, caring for him, even, but he squashes it down and protests because he has to. “You don’t have to -”

“I’m doing it. End of story,” Buck says. Eddie flinches a little at the hardness in his voice, but he knows he deserves it.

They arrive back at the station, and Buck tells Eddie to wait in the truck while he gets their stuff. Eddie slumps down in his seat and closes his eyes and tries to tell himself that he’s going to be fine, that it’s just a fever, but he’s aching and sweaty and exhausted and frankly miserable, and having a hard time believing that anything is ever going to be fine again.

“Hey,” Bobby’s voice distracts him from his rapidly darkening thoughts. Eddie opens his eyes and sits up a little on the seat. Bobby sits down across from him and touches a hand to his shoulder.

“Are you okay?”

That is...not what Eddie had been expecting him to say. He’d expected a stern talking-to, at the very least. Maybe some yelling. Not concern.

He finds he doesn’t have it in him to lie. “Not really.”

“How long have you been feeling sick?”

Eddie shrugs. “I only felt a little off before going to sleep. I thought it was just the heat. It wasn’t bad until I woke up.”

Bobby nods sympathetically, and Eddie wonders why he’s not mad. Before he can think the better of it, he’s asking.

“I am upset with you,” Bobby says, but his voice is gentle. “Coming to work sick doesn’t just put you in danger. It puts the team and the people we save in danger too. You should have told me how you were feeling before we went out on that call.”

Eddie nods. “I know,” he says, “it was stupid.”

“I won't argue with that,” Bobby replies. “I want you to get home and get some rest and plenty of fluids, and don’t even think about coming back here until you’re feeling a hundred percent.”

“Okay.”

Bobby stands to leave the truck at the same moment that Buck returns, his and Eddie’s duffle bags thrown over his shoulder, keys to his Jeep in hand. “You ready to go?” he asks, voice still distant but slightly less cold.

“Yeah,” Eddie says, carefully making his way out of the truck, bracing his hands against it to keep his balance. Buck steps closer and takes on some of Eddie’s weight without either of them saying a thing, and they walk out into the parking lot.

For the first few minutes of the drive, neither of them says anything. Then, they stop at a red light, and Buck turns to look at Eddie.

“You passed out,” he says, stressing the words.

“I know,” Eddie replies. “Don’t have to remind me.”

“We were on a call, and you just passed out,” Buck continues. “Do you know what that was like? Hearing something fall to the ground and realizing it was you?”

Eddie doesn’t answer. He’s too tired to formulate any kind of response, and anyway, he’s pretty sure that these are rhetorical questions.

The light turns green, and Buck starts driving again. “It was terrifying, Eds,” and a bit of softness creeps back into his voice with the use of the nickname. “We didn’t know why you collapsed. Honestly, you’re lucky that the ambulance already had a passenger, or you’d probably be at the hospital right now.”

“It wasn’t...wasn’t that bad,” Eddie says, suddenly realizing how much worse things could be - he could be in the hospital, for what is nothing more than a fever.

“Yeah, we figured that out pretty quick when Chim started checking you over. Your fever wasn’t dangerously high or anything. You’re just sick. Normal sick, nothing scary. Chim said all you needed was some rest and some water and someone watching over you to make sure you actually got those things.”

Eddie nods, although Buck is looking at the road and can’t see him. “Glad it’s you,” he says.

“What?”

“Glad it’s you,” he repeats. “Watching over me. I didn’t think...I mean...you’re mad at me. But you’re doing it anyway.”

Buck pulls into the driveway. “Of course I am,” he says. “Watching over you. And, I mean, I’m mad at you, too. Do you have any idea how stupid it was to go on a call like this?”

“Yeah,” Eddie says. “I just…”

“I know.”

Buck parks the car and gets out, and he’s opening Eddie’s door for him before Eddie’s hands have even found his seatbelt. Buck reaches across him and undoes it, wincing when his hand touches Eddie’s skin.

“You really are burning up,” he says. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”

A few minutes later, Eddie is in bed, dressed in lightweight pajamas and lying on top of the covers because it’s way too hot beneath them. There’s a large glass of water and a bottle of tylenol sitting on the bedside table, and Buck is in his bathroom getting a damp washcloth that Eddie had tried to insist wasn’t necessary.

As soon as the cloth touches his forehead, though, he changes his mind. It feels wonderful against his overheated skin, and he sighs contentedly.

“Told you that would make you feel better,” Buck says, sinking down onto the edge of the bed. “You need anything else?”

You, Eddie thinks, but Buck is already here, taking care of him and worrying over him and making sure he’s comfortable even though he’s also still a little mad at him. It should be enough, Eddie thinks, but all he really wants is for Buck to lie down next to him. He can’t quite bring himself to ask, though. Even in his feverish state his inhibitions haven’t been lowered that much.

So he doesn’t ask Buck to lie down next to him. The extra body heat would probably be unbearable anyway. But that doesn’t mean that Buck doesn’t stay. He does, and doesn’t give Eddie much of a choice in the matter.

“I’m gonna go crash on the couch,” he says. “If you need anything, if you wake up and feel worse, anything, I’m right here, okay?”

“Okay,” Eddie says, and closes his eyes. “Thank you.”

He can hear the soft smile in Buck’s voice when he replies, “always, Eds.”

thanks for reading!!!!! i hope you liked this fic :) i feel like i usually write something that is like a little more hopefully pre-ship but i have become such a slut for pining!eddie so. here.

#summerofwhump #summerofwhump6 #i guess since thats the prompt lol #think i tagged the other one i did like this wrong my b #911 #eddie diaz #labor #aka ignoring illness and working anyway #fever #my writing #i say things #oughghh complaining for a sec but work was so much 2day....too many people. idk why we were so much busier today than yesterday like.#its tuesday who tf is checking into a hotel on a monday afternoon?#apparently a Lot of ppl #anyway in other news i am currently listening to a buddie playlist. its so nice but idk how people can make such good and long playlists!#none of mine top like. 15 songs lmao and they all Suck!#ok shuttin up. goodnight!

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shes-an-oddbird · 3 years

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A Very long list of Season 5 Predictions/Wish List

I tried to hit as many of the characters as possible so this is really really long

The trickiest thing about this show seems to be the ever growing cast creating several stories at once and the fact that it’s a show about first responders so even characters that don’t seem like they would follow that career choice end up there and those that don’t sometimes feel out of place.

This is not to say that I don’t LOVE AND ADORE FIREFIGHTER ALBERT HAN! (but really kind of thought it came out of nowhere and yet I’m not surprised because what else were they going to do with him?)

It seems unlikely they’d assign Albert to the 118 unless Bobby requests him like he did with Eddie, but I think Bobby might have some hesitations about that. They’re already as close as family and sometimes make dangerous decisions because of it. He might feel its better for Albert to be with a different fire house or maybe Chimney would.

But he’s a regular so putting him with the 118 would be the best way to give him screen time

I personally think he’ll be assigned to the 133 since we’ve seen a bit of them this season. I’d love if there was a fun rivalry between the two firehouses (whichever one Albert ends up at.) I’ve said it before that the 118 is probably notorious at this point for the weird situations they get into. The teasing and the taunting would just be so much fun to watch. Albert talking to Chim or Buck and just being like, so the guys told me about this time…

Actually can we take a moment to appreciate that the 118 got ANOTHER firetruck destroyed and this one wasn’t even theirs. The 133 spends FIVE MINUTES with Buck and Eddie and their truck is in shambles.

On a more serious note, we might meet Chimney and Albert’s dad. I’m thinking he’s not going to be thrilled about his youngest joining the fire department and show up to talk some sense into him and scold Chimney for letting him do it.

I’m so confused about how much time has passed? How long does it take to become a firefighter? They must have some sort of plan for him because cutting out him going through training seems like a lost opportunity. It’s a story we haven’t really seen through anything but montages. Is it difficult? Would he try to quit? I’d have liked to see him making the decision in the first place.

putting the rest under here because its really a lot

We’ll also miss Eddie recovering (and Bobby too actually), which I’m a little bummed about but not devastated. It sounds like we won’t see much in the way of the effects of either shooting but can’t do anything about that now unless they flash back and have them work towards that moment on the roof.

My biggest concern with the time jump is missing literally any of Maddie’s story. I don’t know much about PPD or if its called recovery or overcoming it but I do want to see Maddie work through that and Chimney and the others supporting her.

I think her leaving the dispatch center will be temporary but it may take half or all of next season for her to return.

Maybe she’ll take over for May, if she does go off to school

Or May might continue working at Dispatch and going to school.

If she doesn’t go to school Athena is not going to be very happy with her. But maybe we could get Maddie and Josh being big siblings to May which is an underappreciated dynamic. Maybe it will help Maddie cope with how useless she’s feeling with Jee.

I’ll need to rewatch to see if they say what May wants to do but maybe she’ll study journalism or something that will keep her in the loop of the main characters the way it does Taylor.

And speaking of Taylor, she is actually a very interesting character, whether you like her (morally) or not. I think we’ll see more of her in season 5 and I genuinely think she’ll fall hard for Buck. And I think everyone needs to chill about how it’ll destroy her character. We’ve already established that Taylor is like the female version of Buck (with a bit more sense maybe but a mirror if him non the less). If Buck is allowed to grow and want an actual relationship, is anyone really surprised they’d have Taylor go through that too.

She’s just a few steps behind, like he’s in relationship phase and she’s just coming to terms with her own feelings for him

My big concern, since they like to break Buck’s poor little heart, is that she’ll leave. She’ll get a job opportunity and pick it over Buck. I think it would be a hard decision for her but in character. Or maybe they’ll surprise us and make Buck and Taylor endgame (I know a lot of people don’t want to hear that but I could see it happening that way)

On the flip side I don’t know what’s going to happen with Eddie and Ana. I know she’s pretty much hated but its super unclear what the plan is other than that they’ll eventually break up per what Carla implied. I suspect they’ll be together for a bit of season five until Eddie figures out what’s up with what his heart wants. I don’t think Ana is some awful witch so the break up will probably be mutual or at the very least Ana won’t be surprised.

But hopefully we get more than just that as far as Eddie goes. The episodes we do get that are focused on him are really some of my favorites. They are wrapping up his moving on from Shannon arc which is cool. The trying to be a good father to Christopher will always be there, that’s something that will never change and always be a growing/learning experience.

I’d love to meet one or both of Eddie’s sisters. They don’t have to stick around long term like Albert did but to have them pop up with some crisis would be interesting and we could learn more about Eddie and the dynamic with his family which seems loving but strained.

Maybe we will see Eddie working more with Hen too. I was wondering if they’d make Eddie a full paramedic to take over for her eventually, which I decided they probably won’t do. But one episode of Buck distressed over the fact that he and Eddie wouldn’t be partners anymore would be fun drama.

The two really are just at a loss without each other and I love that. They get so pouty when they’re apart.

I don’t know what other plans they might have for Buck next season. I suspect we’ll see him worrying over Maddie and I’d kill to see him watching Jee-Yun.

I don’t know how old she’ll be because of the time jump but can you imagine Buck watching the baby and it just being an absolute disaster. So he starts calling everyone in a panic and we get firefam taking care of Baby Jee, maybe while Chim and Maddie are at a therapy session or just a weekend away for themselves.

I’m convinced the Baby would love Eddie. I think its just me projecting my desire for Eddie and Maddie to interact more. But like Hen teasing him because of course the baby loves him, all the girls love Eddie, he’s got the pretty face. Buck being super jealous that Jee likes him more. Eddie being genuinely surprised because he felt like such a failure when Chris was a baby.

Denny, Harry and Christopher are all getting older too so there has got to be a story there with at least one, if not all of them. Harry was sidelined this season but I love that kid, he is the spawn of Athena and Michael and we already know he’s a little trouble maker. Match that with Christopher who is sassy and too smart for his own good and Denny who is clearly the good kid of the bunch. I don’t know, it’s another lost opportunity if they don’t do something with that.

They could assign Karen and Hen an older foster kid who’s maybe not such a good influence at first. Unless they opt for just younger ones, I’m not really sure how that works. But they could get one that’s not as easy as nia and they have to work for that bond.

Might be they adopt them at the end

I hope we see more of Hen’s mom and med school friends but not like a crazy amount. The cast is already too big but I love them so an occasional appearance would be welcome.

I love David and Michael too but they always seem like the hardest to work in because, as stated, they are not first responders. David is a doctor though so maybe we’ll see some interaction with him and Hen. And all the Bobby and Michael content is welcome.

I NEED A WEDDING NEXT SEASON! Just pick a pair and marry them please!!! Maddie and Chimney!!! Michael and David!!! Someone, please! Even just a proposal?! Maybe? Please?

And there will be another crossover event which is exciting because I really enjoyed the first one. I wonder if they’ll come to LA this time and what would bring them there. With the scheduling of the shows next season they won’t have to tie them together so much time frame wise. They literally could just be popping in for a visit. I’m not gonna lie when I thought about another crossover I really wanted Bobby the self-taught chef to meet Charles the actual chef but now I can’t have that and it makes me so sad.

Putting all this out there is a really good way to insure it never happens, but still, they seem like logical places to go as of the finale.

#911 #911 spoilers #albert han #chimney han #eddie diaz #evan buckley #taylor kelly #hen wilson #maddie buckley #christopher diaz #may grant #harry grant #denny wilson

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westallenfun · 3 years

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A Most Unexpected Love, Chapter 3

WestAllen secret santa gift

From: @jade4813

For: @sophisticatedloserchick

Author Notes: For the lovely @sophisticatedloserchick from @jade4813! Merry Christmas, and I hope you like my first fic after a long hiatus!

Title: A Most Unexpected Love

Rating: PG

Synopsis: Iris has loved Eddie Thawne Allen her entire life. When she returns home just before Christmas, it looks like she might finally have a chance to catch his eye…unless an accident puts his older brother, Barry, directly in her path. Story inspired by Sabrina (with some quotes lifted more or less directly from the source material).

Chapters: 3/7

Chapter Three

“You can’t do this.” Barry’s voice over his shoulder caused Eddie to freeze and prompted a groan of frustration.

“Don’t start—”

“You’re engaged! Did you forget that? What is Patty going to think if she finds out that you’re spending your evening trying to seduce another woman in mom’s solarium?”

“It’s a dance!” he huffed irritably. “Don’t you think you’re overreacting just a little? It’s just a dance!”

Barry wasn’t ready to let it go. “It’s never just a dance with you. Or did you forget I’ve seen you do this a hundred times.”

“Not a hundred—“ he began.

“Eddie,” Barry growled.

“Have you forgotten you’re my brother? You’re not mom, and you’re certainly not dad. I don’t know what makes you think you have any say in my love life—”

“Okay, I’m not mom or dad, but she’s also not like all the other girls you’ve flirted with. She’s Iris. Joe’s daughter. Remember? You can’t just flirt with her and then send her away with a pair of diamond earrings when you get bored with her and want to move on.”

Eddie’s expression darkened. “How dare you talk about Iris like that!”

“I’m not talking about her. I’m talking about you. Iris is amazing. She always has been. You are fickle.”

His eyes growing wide, Eddie tried to turn the tables on him. “Wait, I know what’s going on here! You have a crush on her, don’t you?”

Barry sighed in exasperation. Rolling his eyes, he said firmly, “No. I don’t have a crush on her. This isn’t about that.”

“I was going to say. She deserves someone…”

“What, better?” he prompted when his brother’s voice trailed off.

Eddie shook his head. “No. You’re a great guy – that isn’t your problem. But she deserves someone more exciting.”

“Maybe,” he conceded. “But she also deserves someone who isn’t engaged, don’t you think?”

Sliding two champagne flutes into the back pockets of his pants, Eddie grabbed a bottle of Dom Perignon from a passing waiter and pointed out, “That wasn’t my choice, you know. You were the one who pushed me into it. Was it really worth selling your own brother out for the sake of a merger?”

“Selling you out?” he spluttered in indignation. “You’re acting like I twisted your arm! Do I need to remind you that all I did was introduce the two of you and encourage you to ask her out on a date. One date.” Eddie seemed eager to wave away this statement of fact, so he pressed, “You were the one who continued to see her. You were the one who decided to propose.”

“Actually, she asked me,” Eddie interjected.

“And you said yes,” Barry shot back. “So don’t blame me for seeing good business sense in a decision you made.”

He grunted, pushing past Barry to head towards the solarium. “Either way, having Iris back has made me realize that I may have made a terrible mistake. I mean, Patty’s great, but Iris…” His voice trailed off with a wistful smile. “She’s amazing. She’s exciting and funny and beautiful…”

“And you didn’t even realize that we basically grew up with her,” Barry pointed out in a dry tone.

“Look, I know you’re skeptical, but you don’t understand!” Eddie protested, striding purposefully toward the solarium. “There’s just…there’s something about her. She’s amazing.”

“So you’ve said,” he pointed out, rolling his eyes all the while, only to be ignored.

“I’m think…no, I know I’m falling in love with her!”

“Oh my god,” Barry muttered, running a hand down his face as he followed in Eddie’s wake. Grabbing his brother by the arm, he all but forcefully dragged him into the first open door they came across, bringing them both into the library. “Can you just…can we be reasonable about this? You can’t be falling in love with her. You don’t even know her!”

“You’re the one who pointed out we basically grew up together,” Eddie pointed out as he paced back and forth across the library carpet.

Barry fixed him with a sardonic look. “A fact which clearly made an impression, since you needed me to tell you about it. I mean, can you even tell me what you find so amazing about her?” When a shadow passed over his brother’s face and the younger man opened his mouth to argue, he clarified, “Again, this is about you. Not her. I mean, I know why I think she’s amazing, but you didn’t even remember her until five minutes ago!”

Eddie threw him an obstinate look, his jaw set in a mulish line. “I can’t explain it. She’s just different,” he grumbled angrily.

Realizing he was approaching this entirely the wrong way, Barry took a deep breath held up his hands in a placating gesture until the two of them had calmed down a little. When he tried again, he even tried to keep the sarcasm out of his voice. “Okay, so Iris is different. She makes you feel things you’ve never felt before. You can’t picture a future without her. But.”

Eddie crossed his arms across his chest, but he didn’t interject, allowing Barry to continue. “Remember who we’re talking about. This is Iris. She grew up watching you. She’s seen every trick in your playbook. She knows it’ll start with dancing in the solarium. Then you’ll sweep her off her feet to a romantic weekend in a cottage on Martha’s Vineyard. You’ll get tickets to some sold-out show on Broadway and romance her with a carriage ride in the park. Dinner and drinks and a kiss under the stars on some rooftop overlooking the city. And then – and then – you’ll get bored with her as you always do, and it’ll be diamond earrings hand-delivered to her doorstep. Maybe an accompanying bracelet if you’re feeling particularly sentimental. And that’ll be it. That’s goodbye. You may think she deserves better than me, and you’re probably right. But don’t you think she also deserves better than that?”

“That isn’t fair! Okay, maybe that’s what I’ve done before, but this is different! She’s different! I lo-aaargh!” Eddie’s protestations broke off with a shriek of pain as he threw himself dramatically onto the sofa nearby, forgetting about the champagne flutes in his back pockets. They shattered with an audible crunch, the broken glass tearing through the fine fabric of his slacks and embedding itself into his skin.

“Oh my god, are you okay?” Barry asked in concern, rushing to his brother’s side.

“The glasses! I forgot the glasses!” his brother yelped, trying to rise to his feet but stopping when his movement only caused the glass to ground deeper into his flesh.

He held up a hand in a halting gesture, backing toward the door. “It’s going to be okay. Just…stay there. Dr. Harrison is at the party. I’ll find him and send him in.”

Eddie’s voice was desperate when he cried, “Wait! Iris…she’s waiting for me. I can’t just leave her like this! It’ll break her heart!”

Barry sighed. “I’ll take care of it. Just…don’t move.”

It took a few minutes to locate the doctor and discretely direct him to the library, following behind in case anything else was needed. Unsurprisingly, Eddie’s injuries would require several stitches, so he was dispatched to the emergency room with quiet efficiency, leaving Barry to break the news to Iris.

He was going to head to the solarium straight away when, on second thought, he decided to swing by the caterer to get a bottle of champagne and two glasses. She would be heartbroken enough to see him and not his brother. No reason not to try to soften the blow.

As he approached the solarium, he saw Iris through the thick glass windows. Her head was thrown back as she gazed up at the twinkling lights, a smile bright enough to rival the heavens themselves upon her face. She looked so happy, he almost hated to walk through the door and ruin it. But the alternative was for her to be stood up, returning home confused and brokenhearted Eddie failed to ever show.

So, mustering a smile, he let himself into the solarium and felt his heart twist in his chest when her beaming smile fell at the sight of him. “Sorry. Just me,” he murmured apologetically as he walked toward her. “Eddie…he isn’t going to be able to make it.”

“Oh. I see,” she murmured, looking crestfallen.

Unable to bear her disappointment, he rushed to explain, “He wanted to be here. It’s just…on the way here, he had a little accident. He – ah – he sat on a champagne flute.”

Her eyes went wide with alarm. “On a champagne flute?” she repeated, as though she wasn’t entirely certain whether to believe him. “How does that even happen?”

“Ah…it’s apparently an occupational hazard?” he offered, not really sure himself why his brother had thought carrying glass flutes in his back pocket was a good idea.

Clearly still trying to process the nature of the injury, she offered tentatively, “Okay, well…where is he? Should I go see him?”

“He’s in the ER, but the doctor assured me he’ll be fine. He’s just getting a few stitches,” Barry reassured her, focusing on uncorking the champagne and pouring two glasses. “But he did want me to send his apologies. You can see him tomorrow, if you want.”

Iris’s mouth twisted and her gaze fell as she accepted the flute he held out to her. “Well…thank you for telling me. I suppose it’s getting late, anyway. I should probably turn in…”

“I’m a poor replacement, I know,” he acknowledged with a wry smile, causing her to gasp.

“Oh, it isn’t that! It’s…” She broke off, scraping her lower lip with her teeth. “Okay, it isn’t that precisely,” she acknowledged, her voice slightly apologetic. “He’s just so…so…perfect. You know?”

“Yup,” he agreed flatly. “That’s my brother. Mister Perfect.” He threw back the champagne in one gulp and then set his glass aside, holding his arms out to her. “Anyway, it sems a shame for you to cut your evening short. How about a dance?” She hesitated, so he said encouragingly, “Come on; we’re here anyway. We might as well.”

Iris’s smile grew sheepish. “Oh, all right,” she capitulated, not entirely with good grace.

It reminded him so much of the time a younger, injured Iris grudgingly agreed to let him carry her home, he almost laughed and pointed out the similarity in response. In the end, he held his tongue, afraid that doing so would cause her to end the evening early. Or, worse, hurt her feelings. Instead, he waited as she took his hand. She stepped into the frame created by his arms as they began to dance to the music filtering through the glass windows.

He didn’t want to remind her of the last time she’d compared him to his brother and found him wanting, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t tease her just a little. Just enough to hopefully make her smile. “Careful, Miss West. You’re in danger of sweeping me straight off my feet,” he joked lightly, noting her answering blush.

“I don’t mean to be rude.”

“I know,” he reassured her in a soft voice. And suddenly, he didn’t want to talk about Eddie anymore. He didn’t want to think about the inevitable future she would face if she continued down this path. He didn’t want to imagine how brokenhearted she would be, after loving his brother for so long. So instead, he spun with her in his arms, tightening his hold on her hand and spinning her away from him, giving her an extra twirl. The music faded outside the windows as the song came to an end, but he pretended not to notice, twirling her again.

Her laughter filled the room and warmed his soul, bouncing off the windows that surrounded them. In her joy, she threw back her head to look at the lights twinkling overhead. Following her gaze, he noted that they shone like stars. He twirled her over and over until she collapsed against him, struggling to breathe through her ragged gasps of laughter.

Sliding one arm around her waist, he pulled her close, smiling when he felt her head fall against his chest. Drawing her hand in, he trapped their hands between their bodies, slowing the dance until they were swaying gently back and forth. As Iris’s mirth subsided, music from the party drifted through the windows once more.

“Maybe it’s much too early in the game. Ah, but I thought I’d ask you just the same. What are you doing New Year’s, New Year’s Eve?” Iris lifted her head off his chest, her eyes meeting his. Their faces were inches apart, and her laughter died in her throat. “Wonder whose arms will hold you good and tight, when it’s exactly twelve o'clock that night. Welcoming in the New Year, New Year’s Eve.”

“Bartholomew,” she breathed.

“Barry. Please,” he corrected her.

Nodding slightly, she whispered, “Barry,” and he realized in that moment that they had stopped dancing entirely. Flushing, she cleared her throat and tried more forcefully, “We – maybe we shouldn’t be doing this. I should – I should turn in.”

“But we haven’t finished our dance,” he murmured, beginning to sway once more.

“Maybe I’m crazy to suppose I’d ever be the one you chose. Out of the thousand invitations you received.”

He liked having her in his arms, he realized. More than he’d anticipated. He should be thinking solely of nipping this problem with his brother in the bud. He should be thinking of sparing Iris her future heartache. But he realized now that he hadn’t asked her to dance because he wanted to distract her from thoughts of Eddie or to delay the inevitable. He’d asked her to dance because, simply speaking, he wanted to. He wanted to hold her in his arms, to twirl her around and dance with her under lights that shone like twinkling stars.

“Ah, but in case I stand one little chance, here comes the jackpot question in advance. What are you doing New Year’s, New Year’s Eve? Oh, what are you doing New Year’s, New Year’s Eve?”

“The song’s over,” she pointed out in an undertone.

“I know,” he agreed, though he didn’t let her go, and she didn’t move away.

Their bodies were so close that he could feel the rise and fall of her chest when she sucked in a deep breath. “Eddie’s…I’ve loved him for as long as I can remember. I thought I was over it. Over him. But…”

“But you’re not,” he finished for her, his words a statement and not a question.

“Are you,” she hesitated and swallowed heavily before continuing, “are you here to deal with me?” At his confused look, she disentangled herself from his arms, walking away and keeping her back to him as she explained, “I know how it works. I’ve seen it before. I grew up in this world, remember?” Throwing a look at him over her shoulder, she continued, “On the outskirts of it, at least. Eddie attaches himself to a deeply unsuitable girl – like the daughter of an employee – and she gets offered a generous cash settlement if she only agrees to bow out quietly.”

“You think I’m fooling myself that you could be bought? How much were you thinking I planned to offer? A million? Two?”

Lifting her chin, she said firmly, “I’d never accept it, you know.”

He lifted his shoulders in a shrug, looking around for the bottle to refill the champagne. “I’d never offer it.”

“Even though I’m deeply unsuitable?” she prodded dubiously.

He laughed, offering her a flute once more. “You? Unsuitable? Look at you. You’re incredible.”

Sipping champagne, she swallowed heavily and admitted, “I wanted it to be me, you know? Just once.” Though he didn’t need her to explain, she did anyway. “I know he brings all the girls here, to drink champagne and dance in his arms. I just – I wanted it to be me.”

“I know,” he said in a voice almost too soft to be heard.

With forced lightness, she held out her flute for him to refill once more, saying, “You know, in all the years I’ve lived here, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dance. I’ve certainly never seen you come out here with champagne to ask a girl to dance with you.”

He smiled slightly, acknowledging the point. “That’s because I’ve never done it,” he explained.

“You’ve never had to, you mean,” alluding once again to her suspicion his actions were a ploy.

“Is it so hard to believe I’d want to share a drink and a dance with the most beautiful woman at the party?”

She laughed derisively, the sound echoing off the solarium windows and breaking his heart. “I’m sorry, but yes. That is hard to believe.”

Barry put his champagne flute aside. “Then I guess you don’t really know me at all. Anyway, I shouldn’t take up any more of your time. You can see Eddie tomorrow.”

Whatever she saw in his face or heard in his voice seemed to make her second-guess herself, because her forced broke off as he started to leave, and she reached out to grab his arm. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

Pulling his mouth into a tight smile, he reassured her, “You didn’t. Good night, Iris.”

“Good night, Barry,” she whispered as he strode through the solarium door and into the cold night air.

#westallen #westallen secret santa #submission

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marvel-medigeek-fics · 4 years

Text

— you want to marry me?—

“So, Maddie, will you marry me?” Chimney asked, looking at her like she was all he ever wanted to see.

Buck was watching, unbeknownst to Maddie, in a bush about 20 feet away, wearing an incredibly itchy Sasquatch costume from the Halloween store. Chim had let it slip accidentally that he was going to propose, and Buck knew the Sasquatch costume’s time had come.

He knew Maddie, and Chim, though he’d never admit it, wanted it filmed. Buck was really happy for Maddie and Chim, they both truly deserved to be happy. But Buck was a little bit jealous, but he was hopeful that the right person would come along at the right time.

“Yes.” Maddie said, while Buck was contemplating his tragic singleness.

“What are you doing?” Hen had appeared next to him and made Buck jump a solid 6 feet in the air.

“Umm, a heads up would be nice before you sneak up next to me in the dark.”

“Heads up, Buck, I’m here. What are you doing?”

“Filming Chim’s proposal. And how did you even see me?”

“Buck, you do realize that it is 3:30 in the afternoon, right? I’m not blind.”

“Right. Sorry.”

“Let’s go congratulate the happy couple.” Hen patted Buck’s shoulder affectionately, and the two headed over to the couple.

“Hey guys. Buck, do you have the film?” Chim said, his arm around a beaming Maddie.

“Right here,” Buck replied, holding up his phone. “Congratulations, by the way!”

“Thanks, Buck.” Maddie said. The two hug tightly. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Mads.”

“Now that that’s done, please go change into normal clothing. No leaves!” Maddie says, picking a leaf off of her sweater.

—-

News of the engagement spread quickly at the firehouse and around dispatch. Maddie had asked Buck the same night it happened to be her man of honor. His only request was that she find a girl to help her pee, but other than that he accepted. She also asked Athena, who accepted faster than Buck did. Chim asked Albert and Hen to stand up with him and they both agreed happily. Both Chim and Maddie wanted a small wedding, attended by only the people they couldn’t imagine it without.

—

Four weeks later, the many late night planning sessions all over, it was finally time for the bachelor party. To the bar they went. The girls were off having a relaxed night at home: sleepover style. The guys preferred their bonding over pool and beers, rather than chick-flicks and wine.

Teams were split fairly evenly, Chim, Eddie and Albert on one, and Bobby and Buck on the other. Buck in pool, much like poker, was painful to watch. That being said, he did manage to sink a ball that was not the 8-ball. No one won the game, because Bobby ended up being the only sober one, and he’s a good sport. So by default, Team ACE one and Team BB only lost by one.

“To Chim and Maddie!” Eddie began cheers and they all repeated. “May you both have happiness, health and great se—”

“Thank you, Eddie.” Chim interrupted, saving himself the embarrassment of drunk Eddie. He probably didn’t want the last bit on film anyway, but who knows, Maddie might find it hilarious.

“To Chim and Maddie, may God grant you happiness, health and strength to overcome your trials.” Bobby’s was, of course, more pure.

“To my brother, Chimney, and the lovely Maddie. She will finally be my sister.”

“To my lovely sister Maddie and Chim. I hope your marriage is less traumatic then it was when you were dating.” Buck said, as the last toast.

“I’ll drink to that!” Chim said, drinking the last of his beer.

—

A little while later, and with the whole bachelor party dispersed, Eddie and Buck were left alone waiting for Carla to pick them up.

“How’s Chris doing?” Buck asked, breaking the heavy silence.

“He’s good. He misses you a lot. Always asking when we can go skateboarding again.” Eddie replies, staring Buck dead on.

“We’ll have to do that soon. I miss him too.”

“How do you feel about your sister getting married?” The subject quickly changes, to whole nother realm.

“Happy.” Buck said, clipping it short.

“Is that all?”

“Does it matter?”

“It matters to me.” Eddie says, still staring at Buck dead on.

“I am happy. And jealous.”

“How so?”

“According to my sister, I’m tragically single. And she’s right.”

“If it makes you feel better, my sister says the same thing about me.”

“Your wife died, like last year. Aren’t you still grieving?”

“I can’t just stop my life to grieve my wife, who didn’t want to be my wife anymore.”

“I guess.”

“How about this? We, can be tragically single, together.”

“That sounds like a proposal.”

“Do you want it to be a proposal?”

“I’m not ready for marriage. I don’t want that kind of proposal.”

“Two years isn’t long enough knowing each other to warrant a marriage proposal. Business proposal maybe.”

“Tell that to people in the 1200s. Or blind marriages. Or arranged ones. Or investing in startups.”

“You’ve made your point, Buckley. So what do you say? Tragically single together? Huh? Huh?”

“A few more years and maybe marriage won’t be off the table?”

“You wanna marry me?”

“Not off the table for me. But that all depends on whether we can be tragically single together first. So let’s do it.”

“Tragically single. Together. Let’s do it.”

#fanfiction #ew2020 #evanweek2020 #buddie #9-1-1 #interpret how you wish #9-1-1 fox #maddie x chimney #buck x eddie #plot twist

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justsmilestuffhappens · 4 years

Text

Day 5 (14th of February) - Valentine’s day gone wrong @buddietinesweek

Coincidence for your thoughts

Eddie couldn't believe he was doing this. Yeah he'd tried to dated one nice woman a few months ago but was this okay. He didn't know how he felt entirely about this.

Tía Pepa: Eddito try it. You don't have to sleep with them just mingle and take it from there.

Eddie rolled his eyes as he stood in front of the restaurant. He couldn't believe she signed him up for this.

Tía Pepa: Don't roll your eyes at me like you do sometimes chico.

He huffed as he walked in. He got seated at his station for the speed dating. He felt like this made him look desperate but Eddie didn't want to judge the others here everyone had their own reasons. Maybe some of them were looking for meaningful connections and not just a lay on valentine's.

The first round began. As he started talking to a sweet red head he heard a distinct laugh. Huh?

Eddie turned from where he was seated on the outside corner of a square seating arrangement with the guests facing outwards towards their moving dates.

"No one's ever said that about my birthmark before. An angel kiss huh. That's a new one." Buck said with a smile to a tall brunette.

"Well that's what we call them in babies where I work. Some fade but not always. My sister has one by her lip. So what kinda name is Buck?" She smiled and squinted.

"Well Meg it's my nickname from my last name Buckley." He laughed.

"Umm. Eddie was it? Look if you'd rather wait for her to come around then fine. It was nice meeting you." Layla said as she checked out of the conversation and pulled out her phone.

"Sorry." Yikes. Way to go Eddie.

He didn't correct her that his attention was actually drawn to Buck and not the woman. It wouldn't have made much of a difference he felt. Buck was here too?

The bell dinged. Eddie had one more person before the brunette was at his table.

"Hi. I'm Reina. What's your sign?" His new date asked with dirty blond hair and a streak of blue.

"Umm. I don't really know that. I think it's scorpio or taurus." Eddie answered with a shrug.

"Uh. No. I'm sorry. I'm not DTF or whatever. I've got a strict no sex on the first date policy now." Buck chuckled then nervously looked down from his date.

"You're wasting my time? If the sex is bad then why would I bother." Another blond said throwing her hand up in annoyance. "Ring the bell already!"

Wow. Eddie didn't know whether to be happy or sad buck was having a bad time with this one. He decided he could be both if she wasn't willing to wait it was her loss. Buck was worth waiting for.

"Oh God. Help!" Meg the first girl paired with buck who was between them now shouted.

Both Eddie and Buck got up and moved together to help her date now.

The guy between them was clutching at his throat.

Eddie lowered him down on the ground with Bucks help who didn't even question Eddie's presence. They fell into their usual routine.

"Anaphylaxis?" Buck asked as he kept people a safe distance from them for breathing room.

"Yeah buck. Sir I'm gonna check your pocket. Do you have any kinda EpiPen?" Eddie was already checking both. Nothing.

"I've got one!" Reina pulled it out of her purse.

Eddie injected his thigh as Buck was already on the phone for an ambulance to be dispatched.

"Peanuts." He rasped.

"Okay sir. An ambulance is coming. They're gonna make sure you're okay. We don't know if you'll need another dose before you get to the hospital." Eddie looked at the table.

There were no peanuts out to trigger his allergy though.

"Meg?" Buck asked as if he'd read his mind.

"I ate some earlier. Fuck! I didn't know." She was crying. "I'm sorry"

"He's gonna be alright. It's not your fault. We've got him." Eddie tried soothing her worry.

It was an easy but dangerous mistake. She was still a stranger to him after all and he didn't know to tell her.

The paramedics from another station took the guy and nodded at the handoff as they strapped him to a gurney .

Blake, as they'd learned was the man's name, had insisted on giving Meghan his business card with his cell written on the back.

The speed dating session had sorta broken up in all the chaos. Only a few were still willing to stay and went back to their seats.

Buck, Meg, and and Eddie among the ones to leave.

"Dude that was crazy. I feel bad for the guy. Reminds me of my bad valentine's day experience. Choked on a breadstick. Abby managed to give me a tracheotomy, it didn't scar too bad." Buck was standing with Eddie outside.

"Wait. That was on valentine's? I just remember it being bad. Holy shit Buck!" Eddie's glad she saved him. It sounded horrifying and must have been worse to experience or remember.

"Yeah. I think it was just us both being nervous. Took it as a sign from like god trying to help me not have sex after our date. I was still Buck 1.0 back then." Buck turned to his name being called.

"Are you two paramedic?" Meghan asked as she walked over.

"Uh, well my partner Eddie here is more so than me. We're firefighters for the 118. It could have happened to anyone. He'll probably be fine. Don't beat yourself up." Buck said.

"Oh wow. Maybe it's fate you two saved him. Thanks again. I woulda been scarred for life and Blake would be dead." With that she left to her SUV.

"Hey. Wanna grab a bite? Chris is with Pepa tonight since she wanted to make sure I had no excuse for not coming."

"Dude I'm starving. When Maddie told me about this I thought it included dinner. I couldn't even enjoy happy hour because of my blood thinners. It's bogus." Buck laughed making Eddie laugh too.

"Well if you'd read the letter at the door. So follow me back to mine or wanna go to yours?"

"Definitely yours. If you drink too much you won't have to drive." Buck patted Eddie's arm before going to his jeep.

Eddie's truck read out a voice command text he got from Buck. He'd order wings and rice that'd get there a little after them.

Once they were at Eddie’s they went inside.

"So. I didn't know you were gonna be there, it's good you felt to trying. Maddie had to threaten posting my karaoke routine if I didn't agree to try it. My own sister blackmailing me, can you believe that?" Buck joked as he got the door paying.

"I know how you feel. It could've been worse. That could have happened to us or we might not have been there." Eddie helped sort their order after Buck brought it to the table.

Buck could have one of his egg rolls since he always gave Eddie a few of his wings.

"Maybe Meg was right? Fate brought us together to help save that guy. And got us out of Amelia's love is a battlefield warpath. She’d have gotten to you in a few rings of that dumb bell." Buck poured some of the hot sauce Eddie liked and had gotten him into.

"Dtf?" Eddie joked.

"Oh man. You heard that? We're be being that loud?" Buck cringed.

"No. Umm. I'm just good at picking you out of a crowd. Gotta be able to find my partner to have his back Buck." Eddie said

He was avoiding saying how he'd been drifting to listening to Buck and his date thought he was interested in the woman with buck but she was wrong.

Buck drank from his glass before talking again.

"You ever seen Love Actually? Me and Mads watched it for the first time the other night. I think it's running again tonight or we could look it up." Buck waited for a replay.

"Only pieces of the beginning. We can look after we're done."

Watching a romcom sounded good. After they could see something else.

They both ended up passed out on the couch a little after the movie was over and they'd switched to an action movie with spies fighting over a girl dating both of them.

Neither had said much after the first movie was done and the revelation that the guy was coming home from overseas to return to his boyfriend or husband. They’d been starting to doze off.

They'd wake up after an hour to lay down properly as Eddie reminded Buck of his back.

It was a great pseudo date even if neither of them wanted to risk calling it what they felt.

Eddie couldn't tell if it was the beer, him being rusty, or him feeling comfortable when Buck but he woke to him in the morning without being startled.

"So. I'm gonna start on breakfast if you want first shower." Buck said from Eddie's doorway as he turned to him knocking on it.

"You're the best. Be our live in chef Buck." Eddie half joked before yawning.

"Careful or I might take advantage of sleepy and hungry Eddie's offer." Buck teased with a wink.

"You say that like it's a bad thing" Eddie grinned.

Was that too flirty? Uh.

"I'm sure we could work something out. Living here. Getting to see you guys more. Commuting to work. Sounds like it'd have its perks." Buck shrugged and laughed. "Alright sleepy head. Get up. I've got pancakes and eggs to make."

With that buck left to the kitchen.

Eddie thought about it. Buck's place was nice but they had room here. He wouldn't mind if Buck actually did take up his offer. Eddie would tell him again later, sans sleep in his voice.

For now he needed to get ready. Buck could go with him to pick up Christopher and drop him off at school. Chris would love that.

Eddie knew Christopher would love Buck moving and being around more too. It felt right.

He let the water wake him fully as he heard Buck whistling and singing while he cooked. Eddie wouldn't mind waking up like this more often, that's for sure. He hoped Buck would think about it.

#buddie #buck Buckley #Eddie Diaz #911 #evan buck Buckley #evan buckely #my writing #solo mio #long #fic #ficlet #Valentine's day #Valentine #Valentine's

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marcusssanderson · 5 years

Text

Courage Quotes About Life, Strength and Facing Fear

Looking for motivating courage quotes that will help you be brave in the face of challenges?

Many people think it is in the grand gestures and the major acts.

However, courage can be in the small choices that we make each day, in doing something despite being afraid of it.

It’s facing a fear, or jumping into something, even if we are unsure of the outcome.

What does it mean to have courage? How can we be more courageous in our daily life?

If we take stock in ourselves and our thoughts and actions, we may find that we have more courage than we give ourselves credit for.

More importantly, we need to refine our definition of what courage truly is.

Here are some inspiring, wise, and powerful courage quotes, courage sayings, and courage proverbs on what it is, and how different it can look to each and every one of us.

Courage quotes for pushing past fear

1.) “One isn’t necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.”- Maya Angelou

2.) “Without courage, wisdom bears no fruit.”- Baltasar Gracian

3.) “Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”- Anais Nin

4.) “When things go wrong as they sometimes will,

When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit

Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Success is failure turned inside out,

The silver tint on the clouds of doubt,

And you can never tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar.

So, stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit

“It’s when things go wrong that you mustn’t quit.”- Unknown

5.) “Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness.”- Bertrand Russell

6.) “The best way out is always through.”- Robert Frost

7.) “Only be you strong, and very courageous, then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” – Joshua 1:7-8

8.) “The greatest test of courage on the earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.”- R. G. Ingersoll

9.) “It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows achievement and who at the worst if he fails at least fails while daring greatly so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”- Theodore Roosevelt

10.) “Don’t get discouraged; it is often the last key in the bunch that opens the lock.”- Unknown

Courage Quotes about life

11.) “To dare is to lose one’s footing momentarily. To not dare is to lose oneself.”- Soren Kierkegaard

12.) “Remember that failure is an event, not a person.”- Unknown

13.) “Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson

14.) “Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities . . . because it is the quality which guarantees all others.” – Winston Churchill

15.) “The encouraging thing is that every time you meet a situation, though you may think at the impossibility and you go through the tortures of the damned, once you have met it and lived through it you find that forever after you are freer than you ever were before. If you can live through that you can live through anything.

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, `I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ The danger lies in refusing to face the fear, in not daring to come to grips with it.

If you fail anywhere along the line, it will take away your confidence. You must make yourself succeed every time. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn By Living (1960)

16.) “The desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise.” – Tacitus, Roman historian

Quotes about courage and success

17.) “I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflections.” – Thomas Paine

18.) “There is nothing in the world so much admired as a man who knows how to bear unhappiness with courage.” – Seneca

19.) “Bravery is a complicated thing to describe. You can’t say it’s three feet long and two feet wide and that it weighs four hundred pounds or that it’s colored bright blue or that it sounds like a piano or that it smells like roses. It’s a quality, not a thing.” – Mickey Mantle, The Quality of Courage

20.) “Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared.” – Eddie Rickenbacker, World War I hero

21.) “Fight hard when you are down; die hard—determine at least to do—and you won’t die at all.” – James H. West

Inspiring Courage Quotes about fighting for your dreams

22.) “Whatever your sex or position, life is a battle in which you are to show your pluck, and woe be to the coward. Whether passed on a bed of sickness or a tented field, it is ever the same fair play and admits no foolish distinction. Despair and postponement are cowardice and defeat. Men were born to succeed, not to fail.” – Henry David Thoreau

23.) “What separates the winners from the losers is how a person reacts to each new twist of fate.” – Donald Trump

24.) “Courage is not limited to the battlefield or the Indianapolis 500 or bravely catching a thief in your house. The real tests of courage are much quieter. They are the inner tests, like remaining faithful when nobody’s looking, like enduring pain when the room is empty, like standing alone when you’re misunderstood.” – Charles Swindoll

25.) “Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.” – Babe Ruth

26.) “No captain can do very wrong if he places his ship alongside that of the enemy.” – Admiral Horatio Nelson

27.) “[Admiral Nelson’s counsel] guided me time and again. On the eve of the critical battle of Santa Cruz, in which the Japanese ships outnumbered ours more than two to one, I sent my task force commanders this dispatch: ATTACK REPEAT ATTACK. They did attack, heroically, and when the battle was done, the enemy turned away.

All problems, personal, national, or combat, become smaller if you don’t dodge them, but confront them. Touch a thistle timidly, and it pricks you; grasp it boldly, and its spines crumble. Carry the battle to the enemy! Lay your ship alongside his!” – Admiral William “Bull” Halsey

28.) “Trust the still, small voice that says, “this might work and I’ll try it.” – Diane Mariechild

29.) “Come to the edge, He said.

They said: We are afraid.

Come to the edge, He said.

They came. He pushed them,

And they flew . . .” – Guillaume Apollinaire, French poet

Courage quotes about strength and love

30.) “Never forget that no military leader has ever become great without audacity.” – Karl von Clausewitz

31.) “Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill, British Prime Minister

32.) “To look at something as though we had never seen it before requires great courage.” – Henri Matisse

33.) “Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not the absence of fear. Except a creature be part coward it is not a compliment to say it is brave.” – Mark Twain, The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson

34.) “Courage is being scared to death—but saddling up anyway.” – John Wayne

35.) “Begin it now. The moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. ”

36.) “We need to wake up from a thought that lasts too long.” – Paul Valéry

37.) “In the age-old contest between popularity and principle, only those willing to lose for their convictions are deserving of posterity’s approval.” – Gerald R. Ford

38.) “To uncover your true potential you must first find your own limits and then you have to have the courage to blow past them.” – Picabo Street

39.) “Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier. We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.”- Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn By Living (1960)

40.) “I have endured a great deal of ridicule without much malice; and have received a great deal of kindness, not quite free from ridicule. I am used to it.” – Abraham Lincoln, November 2, 1863 in letter to James H. Hackett

41.) “Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.” – Marie Curie

Courage quotes on following your dreams

42.) “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.” ― Stephen Hawking

43.) “I know what I want, I have a goal, an opinion, I have a religion and love. Let me be myself and then I am satisfied. I know that I’m a woman, a woman with inward strength and plenty of courage.” ― Anne Frank

44.) “We need a backbone, not a wishbone.” ― Joyce Meyer

45.) “Stories make us more alive, more human, more courageous, more loving.” ― Madeleine L’Engle

46.) “When I step out on stage in front of thousands of people, I don’t feel that I’m being brave. It can take much more courage to express true feelings to one person. […] In spite of the risks, the courage to be honest and intimate opens the way to self-discovery. It offers what we all want, the promise of love. ” ― Michael Jackson

47.) “I told myself, Malala, you have already faced death. This is your second life. Don’t be afraid — if you are afraid, you can’t move forward.” ― Malala Yousafzai

48.) “The only tyrant I accept in this world is the ‘still small voice’ within me. And even though I have to face the prospect of being a minority of one, I humbly believe I have the courage to be in such a hopeless minority.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

49.) “What we know matters but who we are matters more.” ― Brené Brown

50.) “Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees the others.” ― Aristotle

Courage quotes to help you find your inner bravery

51.) “I beg you take courage; the brave soul can mend even disaster.” – Catherine the Great

52.) “Faced with what is right, to leave it undone shows a lack of courage.” – Confucius

53.) “Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.” – Maya Angelou

54.) It takes courage to examine your life and to decide that there are things you would like to change, and it takes even more courage to do something about it. – Sue Hadfield

55.) “Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.” – Mary Anne Radmacher

Motivational courage quotes

56.) “Courage is looking fear right in the eye and saying, “Get the hell out of my way, I’ve got things to do.” – Unknown

57.) “It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.”― E.E. Cummings

58.) “You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.”― William Faulkner

59.) “Everyone has talent. What’s rare is the courage to follow it to the dark places where it leads.” ― Erica Jong

60.) “Courage is found in unlikely places.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien

Powerful courage quotes

61.) “Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye.” – Helen Keller

62.) “With enough courage, you can do without a reputation.” ― Margaret Mitchell

63.) “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” – Muhammad Ali

64.) “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill

65.) “Bravery is being the only one who knows you’re afraid.” ―Franklin P. Jones

66.) “You can choose courage, or you can choose comfort, but you cannot choose both.” ―Brené Brown

67.) “Courage isn’t having the strength to go on – it is going on when you don’t have strength.” ― Napoleon Bonaparte

68.) “Courage is grace under pressure.” ― Ernest hemingway

69.) “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.” ―Steve Jobs

70.) “Fortune always favors the brave, and never helps a man who does not help himself.” ―P. T. Barnum

Other uplifting courage quotes

71.) “Be Brave and Take Risks: You need to have faith in yourself. Be brave and take risks. You don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward.” ― Roy T. Bennett

72.) “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”― Lao Tzu

73.) “The courage to imagine the otherwise is our greatest resource, adding color and suspense to all our life.” – Daniel J Boorstin

74.) “It is courage, courage, courage, that raises the blood of life to crimson splendor. Live bravely and present a brave front to adversity.” – Horace

75.) “Courage conquers all things: it even gives strength to the body.” – Ovid

76.) “Without fear there cannot be courage.” ― Christopher Paolini

77.) “Real courage is knowing what faces you and knowing how to face it. – Timothy Dalton

78.) “Keep your fears to yourself, but share your courage with others.” ― Robert Louis Stevenson

79.) “If you have a dream, don’t just sit there. Gather courage to believe that you can succeed and leave no stone unturned to make it a reality.” ― Dr Roopleen

80.) “The courage it took to get out of bed each morning to face the same things over and over was enormous.” ― Charles Bukowski

Did you enjoy these courage quotes?

It’s not easy to forget your fear.

But by understanding that courage was never the absence of it, you will find that it’s possible to be really brave every day.

We hope that these courage quotes have redefined what it means to be brave in the face of challenges or adversity today.

What other quotes about courage would you add to the list? Tell us in the comment section below. We would love to hear all about them. Also, feel free to share with your family and friends.

The post Courage Quotes About Life, Strength and Facing Fear appeared first on Everyday Power.

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aion-rsa · 7 years

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Where to Watch the Watchmen: A Rebirth Guide

WARNING: This post contains spoilers for various DC Comics Rebirth titles.

The final issue of “Watchmen” may have debuted nearly 30 years ago, but as Doctor Manhattan observed so famously, “nothing ever ends.” Indeed, Doctor M himself looks to be making a comeback as part of DC Comics’ Rebirth initiative.

RELATED: “Batman”/”Flash” Crossover Set to Explore DC’s “Watchmen”/Rebirth Mystery

It started with May’s “DC Universe: Rebirth” special and continues to roll out in bits and pieces as part of the publisher’s superhero line. Because Co-Publisher Dan DiDio and President and Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns have each teased more “Watchmen” involvement in 2017, we’re taking stock of where the landmark miniseries’ characters might already have appeared, and what it all could mean going forward.

Down Time

Doctor Manhattan’s departure, from “Watchmen” #12 by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons

Of course, mixing “Watchmen” characters with the main-line DC super-folk is a bit like Garth Brooks adding tortellini to all his recipes: It sounds preposterous, it shouldn’t really work, and you don’t want to try it because either you’ll get sick or you’ll hate yourself for liking it. Indeed, both “Watchmen’s” in-story and real-world timing suggested very strongly that it wasn’t to be considered part of the DC superhero cosmos.

Nevertheless, here we are; so let’s see where the end of “Watchmen” left its players. On the most basic level, “Watchmen” — written by Alan Moore, drawn by Dave Gibbons and colored by John Higgins — is the story of Adrian “Ozymandias” Veidt’s plot to save the world from nuclear holocaust in 1985 by teleporting a giant telepathic squid-bomb into the middle of New York City. Because that involves killing an awful lot of people, it produces a giant conspiracy, an attendant cover-up, and a lot of death along the way.

RELATED: Geoff Johns Hints He’ll Write “Watchmen”-Focused Comic

Among the dead is The Comedian, aka Eddie Blake, who’s been a masked vigilante (and, later, government-sponsored assassin) since the late 1930s. Blake knew too much, so Veidt killed him. The vigilante who investigated Blake’s murder, Walter “Rorschach” Kovacs, also ended up knowing too much and wanting to die because of it. At the end of “Watchmen” he asked Doctor Manhattan to kill him, and the latter obliged.

Veidt’s plan succeeded despite the efforts of two other vigilantes, Nite Owl (Dan Dreiberg) and Silk Spectre (Laurie Juspeczyk). Both are still around at the end of “Watchmen,” having assumed the new identities of Sam and Sandra Hollis. Although they’re apparently on the run from the law (thanks to breaking Rorschach out of jail in Issue 7), both are also apparently interested in continuing their costumed careers, with Silk Spectre hinting at a more Comedian-like approach.

Finally, there’s Doctor Manhattan, once a scientist named Jon Osterman, whose omnipotence was held in check only by his indifference, and ultimately his logic. He leaves Earth at the end of “Watchmen,” thereby depriving the planet of the single greatest influence on its late 20th-century development. (Speaking of planets, he also leaves behind a smashed crystalline castle on Mars.) We’ve speculated previously that while Doctor M talks about creating some new lifeforms, perhaps the “Watchmen” universe itself is Earth-Q, created artificially by the Superman of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely’s “All Star Superman.”

As for the Earth itself, the final pages of “Watchmen” indicate that Veidt’s plan worked. The Cold War is over, the Soviet Union and the United States are working together in the wake of the apparent extraterrestrial attack, and Robert Redford may even run for president in 1988. The one thing that might upset the optimistic mood is Rorschach’s journal, delivered to a right-wing newspaper just before his death.

Watchmaker, Wizard and Watcher

Abra Kadabra’s “Watchmen” allusions from “Titans” #3, by Dan Abnett and Brett Booth

Accordingly, if the Rebirthed comics pick up after the events of “Watchmen,” four of its main cast are still “at large”: Doctor Manhattan, Ozymandias, Nite Owl and Silk Spectre. The “DCU: Rebirth” special, written by Geoff Johns and drawn by various artists, also connected to “Watchmen” through a couple of artifacts, Wally West’s watch (repaired telekinetically on Mars) and the Comedian’s blood-stained button.

In 2011, in the main DC Universe, the “Flashpoint” event ended with the Barry Allen Flash — guided by the mysterious immortal Pandora — reordering the timeline to facilitate the New 52 reboot/relaunch. The New 52 eliminated Barry’s successor Wally West, but the “DC Universe: Rebirth” special brought him back, with the awareness that a new and powerful force had taken away 10 years’ worth of history. The Rebirth process also switched out the late New 52 Superman for his pre-“Flashpoint” predecessor.

A number of “Rebirth” events seem to indicate Doctor Manhattan’s work within the DC Universe. Perhaps the most obvious is Pandora’s murder, portrayed in the “Rebirth” one-shot as a fairly close parallel to Rorschach’s death. Johns and penciler Gary Frank’s combined efforts made that explicit, with Pandora’s anger and atomization matching Rorschach’s. In hindsight, we can also suppose that whoever killed Pandora had previously dispatched Owlman and Metron (who were fighting over the Mobius Chair at the end of “Justice League” vol. 2 #50), because they died in much the same way.

Pandora’s “DC Universe: Rebirth” death mirrors Rorschach’s in “Watchmen” #12

Doctor Manhattan also appears to be behind Wally’s allegations about the timestream, although “Watchmen” itself never depicted him changing the past. Indeed, Doctor Manhattan regarded time as immutable, asking in Issue 4, “Who makes the world? Perhaps the world is not made. Perhaps nothing is made. Perhaps it simply is, has been, will always be there … a clock without a craftsman.” At the end of Issue 9, Manhattan tells Laurie he values life — “rarer than a quark and unpredictable beyond the dreams of Heisenberg” — but that’s not necessarily an opening to mess around with time itself. Just before his departure in Issue 12 he tells Ozymandias “[h]uman affairs cannot be my concern,” which suggests he would need at least a compelling reason to do anything so drastic.

For that matter, “Watchmen” doesn’t say whether Doctor Manhattan can even affect the timestream. He may have a unique perspective on time, but he travels through it at the same rate everyone else does. Granted, it’s not something we would have seen, because his philosophy probably wouldn’t have allowed him to try and change the past. After all, someone who experiences past and present as he does would probably go insane if any of it were altered.

RELATED: DiDio & Lee Say DC Will Take the Time to Do “Watchmen”/Rebirth Story “Right”

Additionally, Doctor Manhattan does have trouble seeing the future when faster-than-light tachyon particles are involved. As part of his plan, Ozymandias generated tachyons artificially to confuse Manhattan so he wouldn’t be able to stop the squid-creature. Literally in the midst of the destruction, Doctor M finds this appealing: “I’d almost forgotten the excitement of not knowing, the delights of uncertainty …”

Therefore, when Doctor M leaves Earth he doesn’t know where he’ll end up, maybe because there are a lot of exotic tachyon-style particles. Naturally this reminds us of the Speed Force, where everything goes faster than light, and where he could have encountered the lost Wally West. However, Doctor M’s “uncertainty” about his future could also be merely an act, and he knows what he’ll be doing but wants to pretend it’s all a surprise.

Abra Kadabra erases Kid Flash and himself from history, from “Titans” #6 by Dan Abnett and Brett Booth

Speaking of the future, though, the first arc of the Rebirthed “Titans” involved the classic Flash foe Abra Kadabra. A magician from the 64th century, the applause-craving Abra used advanced technology to perform “magical” feats. At the end of 1999-2000’s “Dark Flash” storyline by Mark Waid, Brian Augustyn and Paul Pelletier (“Flash” vol. 2 issues 156-58, January-March 2000), Abra kidnapped Wally’s wife Linda Park with the aim of erasing her from history; and in the recInt “Titans” arc he hatched a similar scheme. This time, however, Abra claimed to have removed Wally from history (and, as revealed in Issue 5, himself too).

In “Titans” #3, Kadabra also talked about wanting to avoid a “soulless, clockwork future.” That could either be a reference to Doctor Manhattan conquering Earth for all time, or a more “Watchmen”-esque way of talking about the 64th century’s various monotonies and repressions. Wally had visited Abra’s future in August-September 1992’s “Flash” #67-68, and found it to be oppressive for everyone, not just for Abra. Omen confirmed this when she tapped into Abra’s mind in “Titans” #6, describing his future not just as “clockwork,” but as “cold and joyless. Like a laboratory experiment.”

Abra also expressed a more personal vision of the future in “Titans” #4: “I know that one day, Wally West will stop me for good. He will finally beat me so comprehensively, I will be destroyed. That’s unacceptable. But the lovely thing about the future is it’s so bendy. I’ve come back to change it … and stop Wally West before he stops me.” Thus, a blood-splattered pocket watch in “Titans” #3 may keep readers in a “Watchmen”-minded mood, but Abra sees himself acting alone. To be sure, Abra is aware of someone else with the power to alter time. In Issue 3, he notes that “time has been knocked askew. History is muddled. This is not West’s doing. It’s … his handiwork. It can only be.” Put together with Lilith’s finding the word “Manhattan” in Abra’s memories, and it points directly to “Watchmen.”

Mr. Oz visits the pre-“Flashpoint” Superman, from the “DC Universe: Rebirth” special

Still, it may not point to Doctor Manhattan himself. So far, readers have yet to see “Watchmen’s” only superhuman in the blue flesh. Instead, they’ve been getting a lot of Mr. Oz, a character who first appeared in Issue 32 (August 2014) of the New 52 “Superman” series. Created by Geoff Johns and John Romita Jr., Mr. Oz spent a lot of time observing both the New 52 and pre-“Flashpoint” Supermen, and indicated that he helped train the New 52 version when the latter was younger. Following the New 52 Superman’s death, Mr. Oz then tells the pre-“Flashpoint” Man of Steel that “you and your family are not what you believe you are[,] and neither was the fallen Superman.” Mr. Oz also talks to unseen guests, who may be the prisoners he’s collected for some as-yet-unknown purpose. We know these prisoners include a pre-“Flashpoint” version of Doomsday and Red Robin (Tim Drake), teleported away from (respectively) the Phantom Zone in October 2016’s “Action Comics” #962 and from certain death in November 2016’s “Detective Comics” #940.

Mr. Oz and assistant Janet send the New 52 Superman a present, from “Superman” #39 by Geoff Johns and John Romita Jr.

Mr. Oz wears a green hooded robe, carries a crescent-topped staff, and employs an assistant named Janet whose tattoo looks a bit like the logo for the Veidt company’s perfume Nostalgia. (She delivers to the New 52 Clark Kent a blank S-shield notebook — shades of Rorschach’s journal? — and Mr. Oz observes “The future is unwritten, Clark. But you and your friends will see it soon enough.”) His bank of monitors is further reminiscent of the dozens of TV screens in Ozymandias’ Antarctic home. While these details tend to suggest “Watchmen’s” Ozymandias collectively, they’re not conclusive and could simply be coincidental.

In fact, “Oz” arguably makes just as much sense as a nickname for “Osterman.” Doctor Manhattan was susceptible to emotional outbursts but (for lack of a better term) prided himself on his restraint; and as discussed above doesn’t seem like the kind of being to interfere in the timeline on a whim. By contrast, Adrian Veidt didn’t get overly emotional and dealt heavily in large-scale manipulation, using whatever methods were available to him. We would not be surprised if Veidt found a way to duplicate the accident which led to Doctor Manhattan — he did take Doctor M apart in “Watchmen” #12, albeit temporarily — and gave himself time- and space-spanning powers. Alternatively, if somehow that made Doctor Manhattan human again, the identity of “Mr. Oz” wouldn’t be much of a stretch. (Of course, “Dr. Oz” would be too confusing.) We’re still at a loss about the robe and staff, though.

Worth a Second Glance

Quoting William Blake and mentioning “watchmen” in “The Hellblazer” #2

Janet’s “Nostalgia” tattoo is just one of several elements in DC’s superhero line that remind us, intentionally or otherwise, of “Watchmen.” In “The Hellblazer” #2, John Constantine finishes a quote: “The morning comes, the night decays, the watchmen leave their stations.” It’s from William Blake’s “America: A Prophecy,” spoken by a libertine character during the Apocalypse. Blake also wrote “Tyger, Tyger,” quoted in “Watchmen” #5. The “Hellblazer” quote (courtesy of writer Simon Oliver and artist Moritat) is probably just a gentle jab at “Rebirth”; but we feel compelled to note it regardless.

The same goes for Tweedledum and Tweedledee quoting their signature nursery rhyme in “Batman” vol. 3 #9: “Just then flew down a monstrous crow, as black as a tar barrel; which frightened both the heroes so they quite forgot their quarrel.” Naturally, in the context of “Watchmen,” the quote recalls Ozymandias’ hope that an external threat would force the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. to be “so frightened” that they’d “forget their quarrel.”

Also in recent issues of “Batman” is the Psycho-Pirate, famously one of the few characters to remember the infinite Multiverse which existed prior to “Crisis on Infinite Earths.” It doesn’t connect him directly to “Watchmen” — which, remember, is decidedly post-“Crisis” — but if anyone knows anything about the Multiverse, he would.

Of course, Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) and Captain Atom are themselves the inspirations, however distant, for Nite Owl and Doctor Manhattan. (Others included Nightshade/Silk Spectre, Peter Cannon/Ozymandias, and Peacemaker/Comedian.) That connects them to “Watchmen” on a metatextual level, and each has returned to DC’s superhero lineup after an extended absence, although so far neither has been involved in the current cosmic mystery. As it happens, during “Forever Evil” a few years ago DC seemed to have big things in store for The Question, who of course was Rorschach’s inspiration. The Question was also part of the Trinity of Sin alongside the Phantom Stranger and the late Pandora, which may make Pandora’s Rorschach-mirroring death just a little more noteworthy.

“Watchmen’s” electric-car recharger and Wally West’s Flash symbol

Perhaps one of the biggest coincidences is the similarity between two unrelated symbols. Both the electric-car recharge stations in “Watchmen” and the Wally West Flash share a stylized lightning-bolt symbol that is more streamlined than the other Flash emblems. Wally’s symbol came to the comics from a slight redesign done for the “Superman” animated series (and seen later in “Justice League”); and the electric-car recharge is such a minor detail that it has to be a coincidence. Nevertheless, an enterprising writer could probably make it into a bit more.

The name “Wally West” is also superficially similar to “Wally Weaver,” the Jimmy Olsen-like character who was Doctor Manhattan’s buddy in the early days. Weaver was diagnosed years later with cancer, allegedly (and falsely) attributed to his association with Doctor Manhattan. It’s a stretch as well, but if Doctor M became lost in the Speed Force and heard the name “Wally,” it probably would have caught his attention.

As for the Comedian’s button, Nite Owl had it cleaned up by the end of Issue 1. (He’s got it on the last page during his and Laurie’s after-dinner chat.) Therefore, it must come from some other place along the “Watchmen” timeline — which doesn’t have to be the beginning of the miniseries, because it also got blood-splattered when Blake received his scar in Vietnam. The point is that it seems mostly symbolic of the new connection between the two universes, and not a major plot element. It will, however, be the subject of an April crossover, as described below.

Finally, we expect Wally West to get his uncle’s watch back (and in good working order) sometime before “Rebirth’s” resolution plays out. That does seem like it could be a plot point.

Minute Details

Superman and son fight a tentacled creature, from “Superman” #2 by Peter Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

Certain other elements of current series may have further resonance with the “Watchmen” portions of “Rebirth.” For example, the villain of “Justice League Vs. Suicide Squad” is Maxwell Lord, who completed his turn to the dark side by killing Blue Beetle. Like Ozymandias, Max started out as a wealthy do-gooder who eventually orchestrated a vast conspiracy and (in 2005’s “Countdown to Infinite Crisis” special, co-written by Geoff Johns) murdered one of his old associates who had discovered it. That plot didn’t originate with “Watchmen,” but these days the similarities are hard to ignore.

Superman’s Rebirth experiences also include some “Watchmen”-esque elements. He fights giant tentacled monsters in both the “Justice League: Rebirth” special and in “Superman” #2; and in “Superman” #1 and “Superman Annual” #1, he leaves glowing-blue handprints in the ground. Admittedly, not every tentacled monster comes from Adrian Veidt. However, the “Annual” seemed to explain that these handprints — one of which turned Swamp Thing temporarily into a glowing-blue, Kryptonese-speaking creature — were a byproduct of Superman not being attuned correctly to this Earth’s natural frequencies. Swamp Thing seems to have helped “re-tune” Superman, so the handprints might not reappear. Still, until further notice it seems that anything blue which glows needs a bit more scrutiny.

Finally, Ray “Atom” Palmer’s visit to the Microverse (discussed both in the “DC Universe: Rebirth” and “Justice League of America: Atom Rebirth” specials) could be connected to Mr. Oz’s prison, but all we know so far is that he’s there and its gatekeeper can’t be trusted.

The Clock is Ticking

The New 52’s Clark gets a blank notebook from Mr. Oz, in “Superman” #39 by Geoff Johns and John Romita Jr.

The expanding intersection between the world of “Watchmen” and the DC Universe has given readers a lot to examine. While there are a number of direct connections, there are probably even more red herrings and blind alleys. (No doubt some of those blind alleys will have “Who Watches…” graffiti.) We haven’t even brought up the “Three Jokers” subplot, mentioned in May’s “Justice League” #50 and the “DC Universe: Rebirth” special and then pushed onto a back burner, because it doesn’t seem to have much “Watchmen” relevance. Granted, Doctor Manhattan could duplicate himself without any apparent limit, but that doesn’t make him the Joker.

As the “Watchmen” characters don’t have home-field advantage, this will probably play out according to standard superhero-serial tropes; and that most likely means a Big Event miniseries in the not-too-distant future. Until then, expect more teases, surprises, and perhaps even a cameo or two. Mr. Oz will be in the spotlight fairly soon, specifically when one of his prisoners escapes as part of March’s “Superman Reborn” event; and in April Batman and the Flash will tackle the mystery behind “the button.” If it’s not resolved until May 2018, that’s a lot of anticipation and buildup. With everything the two universes have to reconcile, here’s hoping all of “Watchmen” and “Rebirth’s” gears end up meshing together smoothly. We’ll be watching for more hints, and we’ll keep you posted as they come in.

Which “Watchmen” elements have you seen in DC’s superhero comics? Let us know in the comments!

The post Where to Watch the Watchmen: A Rebirth Guide appeared first on CBR.com.

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matan4il · 2 years

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Buddie 511 meta

I was always sure we were going to see Buck still being a part of the Diaz boys’ life in 5b, but honestly, the whole dinner scene was more fantastic than I could have imagined. Taylor was right there, but the whole time, everything plays out more like Buck is Eddie’s bf than hers. When she’s not touching her food, Eddie asks her about it and quickly guesses correctly that Buck told her to eat beforehand. It shows how well Eddie knows him. Meanwhile, Buck is completely unconcerned about her not eating, he’s just happily stuffing his face with Eddie’s food (let’s not get into how emotional it makes me that Eddie has been trying to get better at cooking, and of all the ways we find out about it, it’s when he goes all out and cooks for a dinner with Buck). Then we get the mirror image reminder that Buck also knows Eddie really well, correctly guessing that he’s not okay ever since he quit, and then telling him he doesn’t need to pretend with Buck.

Eddie shows concern over whether Taylor's eating not because she matters to him personally, but because she’s Buck’s gf, while Buck? He’s showing concern for Eddie. Their care is mutual. They’re so married! It’s honestly unreal. I also had to do a gifset to stress the romantic language Buck and Eddie both use when talking to and about each other in this ep, in this scene (“Buck, you need to move on. I have” is the kind of thing we usually see on TV being said to a romantic ex, not to a best friend), as well as during Buck and Hen’s talk to Bobby (“I had dinner with Eddie last night” when by all means it should have been “Taylor and I had dinner at Eddie’s” or “We had dinner with Eddie and Chris…”). As if that wasn’t enough, that convo with Bobby is when we also find out that the reason why Buck’s been okay during the time jump between 5a and 5b is because he has not, in fact, moved on, he’s been under the illusion that Eddie is going to come back to the team any second now. From the way Buck spoke, it could have been that he accepted Eddie leaving until he saw his best friend suffering, but Eddie correctly guessed Buck never moved on. It again demonstrates how well they know each other. ~~~

That montage of Eddie after he’s started his new job at the dispatch center is a clear callback to a similar one back in ep 204 (down to a shirtless shot of him), showing how he gets through the morning getting ready for the day after he just joined the 118. But look at the many contrasts! To start, the one back then showed him being cheerful and smiling a lot whereas the new one lets us know just how tired he is (we even see the change from Eddie waking up and rubbing his face from his sleep to the shots of him rubbing his face while trying to sleep and going crazy 'coz he's failing at it).

Ep 204 showed him connected to Chris, doing things together, while now he’s shown still doing his best, but being more separate from his son (for example, in the first montage, we had them “training” together, while in the new one, we see Eddie exercising on the treadmill alone. You can tell how things have shifted even more in the breakfast scenes: back then, they were both sitting at the table eating together, while in the new montage Chris is at the table eating, while Eddie either has to get up while his son is still eating or is already up at the counter, putting things away, implying he’s more rushed than he was as a firefighter in the field, that without having shifts which give him 48 hours off, this is taking a toll on the quality of his time with Chris).

And lastly, the music back in 204 was upbeat, though still having a leisurely tinge to it, while the soundtrack to this new scene is more strung out in comparison, the lyrics even mentioning “dark nights,” plus the song back then was in Spanish, a reference to Eddie’s heritage, telling us that he was in his element! No such indications now. Even the span of the montage shows a marked change: back then, we got slices of many scenes all taking place during one morning, while the new one condenses a lot of different days (and sleepless nights) into one sequence. That in itself gives us a sense of being rushed and weary. The contrast tells us that before, each day was unique, while now, the days and nights all blur into one... This is Eddie at his most unhappiest he could possibly be, and more than that, if in 510 he believed he was quitting the 118 for Christopher’s sake, in reality this is hinting that this move has probably been having a detrimental effect on their quality time together... Eddie is sacrificing so much, he’s suffering so bad, he’s trying so hard, and he’s still not really achieving the one goal for which he quit. He’s breaking my heart! ~~~

OMG! OK, I’ve mentioned before the parallels between Eddie’s current arc and Buck’s at the start of s3, but this ep really exceeded my expectations. Both story arcs start with Buck and Eddie quitting the firefighting profession following bad injuries on the job by a firefighters-hating psycho. Then in both cases, the team is still looking in on them (the kitchen talk in 301, Bobby asking May about Eddie in this ep), while we find out they’re both absolutely miserable without that job and their teams (Buck even freaking explicitly makes this reference himself). In both story arcs, their misery is also shown as being expressed in their disturbed sleep patterns. Eddie is not sleeping at night in 511, while in 301, we saw Buck sleeping late (possibly a hint that he needed to because he wasn’t getting his rest at night).

Despite this, they are still personally connected even after their professional paths have split up (Eddie coming in to check on Buck and drop Chris over in s3, in 5b we learn Buck is still coming over for dinners at the Diaz home). They also each end up being there for the other man in a crisis. Buck was there to save Chris in the tsunami eps, while Eddie steps in to help with the emergency Buck’s on now. But oh, it doesn’t end with this! Just like Buck was there in 304 to see his team seemingly moving on without him with a new female firefighter taking his place as Eddie’s field partner, making Buck feel left behind, now Eddie is there at the pub to see his team seemingly moving on without him with a new female firefighter that takes his place at Buck’s side, making him feel like an outsider looking in, I am just watching these parallels and they’re even more on the nose than I thought they would be? INSANITY.

And like that’s not enough, when they’re both ready to fight to get their jobs back, it’s Bobby who stops it from happening, insisting that they first have to fully heal before they can come back to the field, causing both men to lash out in response. In both arcs, Bobby’s past is also mentioned (think of 305) as a way of pointing out that they felt betrayed by him, like they were supportive during his time of need, believing he isn’t doing that in return. And then both men spiral when they feel truly without their partner (Eddie when he can’t talk to Buck in 305, while Buck in this ep realizes Eddie is really not coming back… and just remember, Buck's the guy who we repeatedly saw is terrified of being abandoned, of people leaving and never returning to him. The fact that he held on to this belief that Eddie IS coming back for as long as he did is remarkable and speaks volumes of how much trust Buddie have managed to develop, and in a sense he's not wrong 'coz we know that if Eddie could, he would have returned to his partner in this very ep, but Buck's belief in Eddie coming back for so long only makes his eventual spiraling worse). That's when they do some stupid, self-destructive and uncharacteristic things, that happen in connection with the new female firefighter who has joined the team. Lena introduces Eddie to street fighting while Lucy stirs Buck down the path of cheating and lying to his gf (...I might make a separate post later about Buck and his consent). Beyond the fact that the arcs so perfectly align, they also show just how much Buck and Eddie have in common. It’s one of the reasons why they know and get each other so well, why they fit so perfectly. ~~~

During Lucy’s introduction, Buck compliments her, while she only rates his work during that emergency call as a 7. It made me think about how almost every long term partner Buck has had in the past has belittled, dismissed or not been there for him in some way. Abby called him “boy toy” and seemed to look down on some of his beliefs, Ali wasn’t there for most of their r/s, Taylor told him off far too harshly IMO when he didn’t wanna be on his own at a dinner where his ex date was hooking up with his roomie/brother-in-law, and now Lucy condescended him. The only one who didn’t do that, the only one who lifted Buck up right away, who complimented him and valued being partnered with him from the very get go was Eddie. Even when they had a fight and Eddie said some harsh words in 305, they were literally his way of saying how much he needs Buck and can’t handle not having him around. I’ve been saying this since my meta about s2, but the show keeps highlighting that they are the perfect match for each other.

(to save people’s dash, the rest goes under a cut. HUGE thank you to @judsonryder and @whosoldherout who are legends for stepping up and helping with the gifs!) ~~~

The couple in the Speed call! Okay, first I have to make a small confession, I wrote my fic Nothing So Gentle (with its side dish of SEAL!Buck) because I wanted to try and convey the emotional charge of my fave scene in that movie. The plots are nothing alike, but Speed was my inspiration, so imagine how surprised I was to learn 911 was paying tribute to this film! And that the writers made the couple on this call meaningful to Buddie, too. The wife insists she can’t have the husband die, that she would rather die in his place, which parallels what Buck said to Eddie in ep 414. If that’s not enough, she also mentions child custody in that context, and what do you know, Buck’s words about having preferred to be the one who had been shot led to a conversation about child custody, where Eddie told him he’s entrusting him with Chris. This stuff can’t be unintentional. ~~~

I have to say that Josh was quite harsh with Eddie, but his words make it clear to us in a way the scene itself couldn’t have (because we’ve seen more than one call takeover at the dispatch center) that Eddie stepped way out of the line of his job description when he did what he did. It shows just how much he needed to be there for his old team (his actual chosen family, not people who see him as a guest in their home... what a wild reminder of 311, when Eddie talked about choosing the 118, while Buck said he wasn’t really a guest at Eddie’s). Because at the end of the day, Eddie is not the guy who comfortably steps out of line. So if he did this time, instead of going to Josh/Sue, it’s 'coz he needed to help his family, NEEDED to keep his promise to Buck (who he was watching on screen risking his life) and have his back that badly. ~~~

Even while down and out (hating his job, tired due to sleep deprivation, just having been told off despite saving the day), Eddie still misses his team and loves them so much, he right away goes over to meet with them at the pub after the Speed call. That makes him being the stranger who’s on the outside looking in, for the first time not identifying as being with the firefighters, hurt even more.

But in case we were in doubt about how much Buck is central to this feeling, the scene is shot in a way that makes him stand out within the team (just like Buddie were always battlefield boyfriends, a team of their own within the 118). Buck is the only one whose face is clearly and fully visible, lit and turned in the perfect direction for Eddie’s gaze to fall on it. This focus of course parallels the one on Eddie responding to a call with Lena during Buck’s visit to the fire station in 304, but I really want to emphasize on its own the depths of Eddie’s love, which moved him to go to that pub immediately on the heels of that call, and the magnitude of his pain when, in spite of his love, he felt he didn’t belong anymore, they seemed to him quite content, not looking for him like he was for them, so he ended up leaving right after he got there without even saying a word to his chosen family...

~~~

OK, I believe Bobby’s talk about finding the right person to join the team being such a challenge because if it’s not the right dynamics, everything falls apart, is in subtext a comment on shows’ own struggle over seasons to balance the cast viewers love with outsider characters who will keep the show from turning stale, but mustn’t harm what the audience already loves about the show. This was particularly painfully clear a struggle for 911 in s5 as some of the regulars had to take a step back during it. We’ll see what lasting effects the showrunners’ decisions will have on it, and probably this will be especially tested with Lucy, who joins as the instrument that will undo Buck’s r/s with Taylor and force him to examine himself... But since this is a nod at the showrunners’ own work, what does it say, that Bobby refers to himself as a matchmaker, when we know he’s the one who put Buck and Eddie together as a team?

~~~ I mentioned in a reply to an ask I got before the ep aired that I think if Buck will cheat on his gf, it would be very much like Eddie, Chim or Bobby, who all became physically aggressive when they were at their lowest point. They did something awful, but also very uncharacteristic of them, showing just how out of balance they were. Buck cheating is an indication that he’s at his lowest point precisely because the kind of person that he is would never normally cheat on a partner. He’s been shown repeatedly to be sensitive, loyal and empathetic to the pain of others. But the lying that follows is also something showing us how badly he’s handling things. Especially given Hen’s past experience, he should have known better. But I also find it telling how, during his attempts at honesty (consulting with Hen, talking to Taylor), he says he loves his gf and things have been great. Except we’ve caught more than one glimpse during 5a of the fact that no, things haven’t been that good, something has always been off with B/T and the fact that he ended up cheating on her is also an indication of that. On some level, Buck isn’t just lying to Taylor, he’s also lying to himself. Even the most honest description he gives of the B/T relationship, giving it the unromantic title of being his most functional one, is still off the mark, because really, his most functional, healthiest, most supportive, happiest and most loving r/s has been the one he’s developed with Eddie, their bond on and off the field and co-parenting Chris together. So yeah, Buck won’t be able to come clean with his gf until he admits his own unhappiness. And doesn’t that just parallel where Eddie’s at in this very ep, having to finally own up to his own misery? ~~~

Eddie’s been struggling with his new job, his unhappiness and his fatigue for quite a while, and in all that time, during all those sleepless nights, he suffered alone, in his bed. The first time that he fails to keep it to himself is right after he sees his team at the pub, with that special focus on Buck. He can’t contain how he feels, so for once, he doesn’t confine himself to his bed, he’s up in the kitchen at night, where Chris finds him, and they finally have the talk we all knew they needed to have back in 510. I just have to say, Christopher is a beautiful KING! I didn’t know I could love him even more, but here I am, doing just that. “I can be brave, too.” That is clearly the son of two brave firefighters! But once again, I’m going to point out the depth of Eddie’s emotions brought up by seeing his team and his best friend without him. Especially given how closed off he thinks he always needs to be, has been for months, it speaks volumes of how much love that man has for his found family. How could Buck possibly not fall in love with him immediately? One way or another, I have to believe that 911 will let all of this buildup and love pay off eventually...

~~~ Thank you so much for reading! You can find more of my content (meta, gifs, fics) on my blog, don’t hesitate to reach out if you need anything. And thank you for any support, especially for reblogs that allow others to discover and enjoy these meta posts as well. xoxox

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