#Basically a what if idea where Riley's Emotions are brought into the real world and become heroes alongside Riley

[skysensei07]

Recently, I've been reading a fanfic called Empathy (written by Finmonster), it's a crossover fic that features Inside Out, Big Hero 6 & Home. honestly, I really liked the story for this fic, so much so that as of writing this, I'm currently 22 chapters in. though recently, one aspect that I've became interested in was Riley's Emotions. for those who don't know, in Chapter 8, Riley meets her emotions after a technological accident cause her to fall unconscious. from this point forward, Riley's emotions are only present through their voices heard in her head. now it's a pretty good way to intergrate the Emotions into the story. though it made me wonder, if the emotions somehow came into the real world and became heroes alongside Big Hero 9. what would they use and what would their hero suits look like

JOY

Her suit would have a similar similar to GoGo's, but would have a different shape hue of yellow so to better tell them apart, other differences include purely black skin-tight underclothing, Solar panel wings that resemble the ones from Wall-e's design in Mirrorverse and Gauntlets that end at the elbow

As for her abilities, the Gauntlets I mentioned can shoot beams of light that can stun and blind oncoming assailants, her suit also grants her the ability of flight, Much like Baymax

Joy's hero name would be Solar, since her suit can actually draw power from the sun

FEAR

He would wear purple armor that resembles suits worn by SWAT & riot control agents, with a matching helmet with a visor that covers his face. the weapons he'd wield would be a shield and a shock stick

his shield can transform into a massive energy barrier that covers more ground (similarly to Reinhardt's barrier). the shock stick not only stuns enemies, leaving them in a bit of a daze, but can also transfer from one person to another

Fear's hero name would be Safeguard, since he's one of the more defensive members

SADNESS

Her suit would be Black with blue and blue haze accents, along with a matching helmet and gauntlets that shoot water from their palms. she's also equipped with Boots that not only increase her height slightly but also give her more mobility considering she's the second shortest of the five. on her back would be a water tank that stores her tears, from where grey tubes connect it to her gauntlets

Her suit draws from how much tears she cries out, the sadder she feels, the more water she create. as mentioned before, her gauntlets can shoot out water, which can be used to douse attackers, propel her into the air, or slip them up. her tank can also spawn a rain cloud that she can ride on and depending on how much water she has, she can make it rain, on her foes or on massive fires

Sadness' hero name would be TearCloud, since she can spawn the aforementioned rain clouds

DISGUST

Her suit combines aspects from the Glitch techs uniform as well as her Surfer outfit from @Sequs-art-box's Hang ten au, most notably the Black and green accents, a matching belt that holds her whips and a pink transparent skirt. she also dons a green holographic visor that allows her to detect oncoming threats, even the disgusting ones

Speaking of her whips, she can use them in a variety of ways, fighting waves of enemies, grabbing and throwing objects around to latching on to ledges or moving vehicles

Disgust's hero name would be Whiplash, for obvious reasons

ANGER

in his case he would be given a full-blown red mech that helps with the fact that's shortest of the group. it combines aspects of other mechs like the Hulkbuster, as well as various vehicles such as truck exhaust pipes that are attached to its back. he also has a helmet that he wears from which the top can open up to allow the flames to come out of his head. and when he's not using it to fight, it can neatly transform into a briefcase that he can carry

his mech is equipped with everything needed to annihilate entire armies, such as flamethrowers that covers a great distance as well as immense strength allowing him to lift things that not even Baymax can lift. similar to sadness, his mech draws on how much anger he feels, meaning the angrier he gets the more powerful he becomes. and at maximum rage capacity, his mech can set ablaze in a raging heap of fire capable of burning down anything he comes across

Anger's hero name would be Freight-Flame, since his mech, as mentioned before has aspects of a truck, not to mention that he's the strongest member of the team, first to Baymax

[sfb123]

Sapere Aude - Part 8

Book: The Royal Heir

Pairing: King Liam Rys x Queen Riley Brooks

All characters belong to Pixelberry.

Catch Up Here

Series Description: I developed a theory of what I think will happen in TRH Book 4, and I was encouraged by some very lovely people to turn my theory into a fic, so here it is. Basically, Riley is recruited to join the Via Imperii, this series will follow her as she joins them to try and bring them down from the inside, and all of the drama and bombshells she learns along the way. Sapere Aude is Latin for “dare to know” it seemed like an appropriate title.

Rating: PG-13 Adult language, allusions to smut (but nothing graphic), discussions of death, conspiracy, blackmail, and other adult themes.

Warning: The Royal Heir Book 3 Spoilers all over the place.

Word Count: 2,314

Notes: Sorry. This was such a draining chapter to write. I tried to throw some fluff into the beginning, but overall it's a heavy ass chapter. Just remember, this is what you all asked for!

Shout out to my pre-reading possy, @texaskitten30 and @txemrn, and @twinkleallnight​ for my moodboard!

Tags: Meh, they're down there and in the comments. Maybe you'll get them, maybe you won't. Who the fuck knows anymore. If you want to be added or removed, let me know.

The royal family had a wonderful couple of hours together, after Riley and Eleanor returned from Valtoria. Eleanor gifted Liam a picture that she drew for him while she was away. Liam loved it, he loved all of the pictures his daughter made for him. This one would join the others, proudly displayed in his office so that he could brag about Eleanor’s talent to every person that wanted to meet with the King. Some royals made you ‘kiss the ring’ if you wanted something from them, Liam made you look at a gallery of his daughter’s artwork. He was such a proud father. 

They sat on the couch together as Eleanor told stories about her adventures with Uncle Drake over the weekend. Liam sat, listening intently with one arm draped over Riley’s shoulders, occasionally pressing a kiss to her temple. Not only did he know that she was suffering in silence with all of the information she had gathered over the weekend, but he had missed his wife. He missed looking at her, touching her, just being close to her. She missed it too, and made sure to stay snuggled as close to his side as she possibly could, they always found comfort in each other, and comfort was something that she desperately needed in that moment. 

Before they knew it, Drake had returned and picked up Eleanor to spend the night in Ramsford. Riley and Liam said their goodbyes to the pair and returned to their living room to talk. Riley took a deep breath to center herself.

“So I take it, you told Drake?” Liam turned to face her. 

“I’m so sorry Liam, I know you wanted to wait until we had more information before we brought anyone else into it. I just left that party, and everything was so horrible, and I couldn’t call you, and I was all alone and I…” 

Liam pulled Riley close, placing one hand on her cheek, brushing it with his thumb. “Hey, calm down, deep breaths. It’s ok, I’m not upset with you.” He kissed her lips gently. “If there was anyone we could trust with this, it’s Drake.”

She silently nodded and pulled out of Liam’s embrace, taking a seat on the couch and motioning for him to join her. “You’re going to want to sit down Liam. Please sit down.” Liam sat next to her, and she immediately took his hands in hers. Just rip off the band-aid. Get the big stuff out of the way first. “Liam, your mother, she’s alive.” 

She felt Liam’s hands clench in hers, and saw his body stiffen. Silence filled the room, and Riley let it happen. He needed to process this his way, in his time, she was just there for support. “That woman,” Liam refused to refer to her as his mother, and he certainly wouldn’t use her name. As far as he was concerned, there was only one Eleanor worth anything in his life, and she had just left with Drake. “died a long time ago. She was poisoned. You were given misinformation.”

“Liam, she’s alive. I met with her.” She watched his face go through every emotion possible before finally settling on hurt and sadness. 

“You met my moth...her?” A single tear fell down Liam’s face, he looked like a heartbroken child, and it tied Riley’s insides in knots. 

She looked down and nodded her head. “She’s in charge of the Via Imperii in Cordonia. She’s their president.” 

Liam shot up from his seat and began pacing the room. “She brought me into this world, deceived me, and used that deceit to plot my downfall? This will not stand. She has committed treason, she needs to be taken into custody immediately.”

“Liam, you can’t…”

“I don’t give a damn if they release the tape!” He bellowed, interrupting her. 

Riley had never seen Liam this angry, this hurt. She knew telling him was going to be bad, but there was no way she could prepare herself for the sight before her. She approached him tentatively and took his face in both of her hands, stopping him in his tracks and forcing him to look her in the eyes. “Liam, we can’t arrest her because then everyone will know she’s alive. We can hold Barthelemy because of everything else that was on that hard drive, but Godfrey would be released. We can’t let that happen, he’s clearly an enemy of the crown, a cell is the best place for him.”

There was another long silence, and then, Liam’s emotional dam broke. He collapsed to the floor, sobbing. Riley followed him, getting on her knees and collecting him in her arms, holding him close, and letting him cry. They stayed that way for several moments, Liam sobbing while Riley rubbed soothing circles on his back and pressed kisses to the top of his head, hoping the embrace would help relax him. 

He finally broke the silence, speaking through sobs. “I spent...my life...grieving her.” He pulled away from Riley, looking in her eyes. She felt her heart tighten at the sight of his red eyes and tear stained cheeks. “I spent my life thinking she loved me, but I clearly meant nothing to her.” 

“Liam, she loved you...she loves you. I could see it in the way she spoke about you.” She gently wiped the tears from his face. “Those letters, those journal entries we found, they were all real. She genuinely felt all of those things for you.” She watched the confusion in Liam’s eyes, he was clearly torn on how he should receive this information. She knew there was more she had to tell him, but she wasn’t sure if he would be able to handle it. “Liam, there’s more. I can wait if you would rather…”

“No, that’s alright. Please, continue.” He switched on his stoic royal facade and stood from the floor, extending his hand to help Riley up. 

Riley took his hand and stood, linking their fingers together before he could pull away. “You have a younger brother.”

Liam’s grip on Riley’s hand tightened as the tears again began to fall. Riley guided him slowly back to the couch, helping him sit down. She sat down next to him and stroked his hair as he sat in silence, staring off into the distance. “Is he…?”

“He was raised in the Via Imperii by your mother. He’s currently working in the Palace.” She took a deep breath to prepare herself to make the next statement. “Thomas is your brother.”

Liam’s head dropped forward, his breath hitching with every attempt to calm himself. There was a long silence in the room. Riley continued to rub Liam’s back in an attempt to comfort him, silently wishing he would say something. Anything. Yell, scream, break a vase. Then she could at least get an idea of what he was feeling, and do something to try to help. Suddenly, he stood from his seat and started walking toward the door. 

“Liam, where are you going?”

“I need to take a walk. Gather my thoughts.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, I need to be alone right now. You stay here, I’ll be back shortly.”

He never turns down my company, he always wants me with him. Is he mad at me? Should I not have told him? 

She heard the door slam shut and she looked up. He was gone. 

No goodbye, no kiss, no I love you. He’s never just walked out like that. What am I supposed to do?

She picked up her phone off the table and dialed Bastien, asking him if he was with Liam. He informed her that he was told to stand down. Riley ordered Bastien to follow him and keep an eye on her husband. She never gave Bastien a direct order, usually she would just ask politely, so he understood that this was a serious situation, and complied. 

Riley fought every urge she had to follow him out that door and stay by his side, regardless of him telling her not to. If this was how Liam needed to process, she wasn’t going to get in the way of that. She tried not to take his actions or words personally, given the atomic bomb she just dropped on him, but part of her felt like he was upset with her, and she didn’t want to be in his face to make him more upset, that was the last thing either of them needed. She had sent Bastien, and he would keep her looped in if something were to happen. 

It had been well over an hour since Liam had left their quarters. Riley had tried calling a couple of times, but his phone was going straight to voicemail. She had passed the point of letting him process, and crossed into worry and mild panic. She sat in bed trying to read a book, but what she was actually doing was reading one sentence over and over again. There was no way she would be able to concentrate on anything until Liam got back. 

Riley finally let out a long breath when she heard the front door open and close. She put down her book and prepared herself. Liam entered the room with his head down, even though she couldn’t see his face, she could tell how tired he was. He walked straight to his closet without looking up, or saying a word to her. She wasn’t sure what to do or say, so she figured it would be best to let him come to her first. 

A few minutes later, Liam walked out of his closet and headed for the bed, not making eye contact with Riley. He silently pulled the covers back and got into the bed. Riley was sitting up, watching his every movement. She couldn’t take it anymore, she had to break the silence. “Liam…” She said barely above a whisper, he turned his head and looked at her for the first time since arriving home. “I’m sorry.” She placed her hand gently over his. 

“Riley, you have nothing to apologize for. I am the one that wanted you to do this. You did nothing wrong. None of this is on you.” He smiled a sad, soft smile at her. 

“Fine, but you’re not allowed to blame yourself either.” He looked at her with a confused expression. “What you just said, telling me you were the one that wanted me to do this. I know you Liam Rys, better than anyone. You’re thinking about how you brought all of this on yourself.” Liam started to look down, but Riley wouldn’t let him. She held his chin between her thumb and forefinger, forcing him to look her in the eyes. “This is all on them, it’s the Via Imperii’s fault. That’s why we’re going to take them down. Together. Just like Anton, just like Auvernal, just like Barthelemy, just like any other enemy that has ever, or will ever come our way. We are the King and Queen of Cordonia, Liam and Riley Rys. We are a force to be reckoned with.” She never broke eye contact with him once, ensuring she got her point across.

Liam took a deep breath, removing his wife’s hand from his chin and bringing it to his lips. “You always know just what to say, love.”

“Years of diplomatic training. I need to be prepared for every possible scenario.” She winked at him, and he chuckled. She was relieved to see his mood lift ever so slightly. It was a start. “C’mon, let’s try to get some sleep. We can circle back to this nightmare in the morning, start working on a plan.” They both laid back onto the bed, and into each others arms. 

In the middle of the night, Riley’s eyes fluttered open. She was laying face to face with Liam, who was looking at her with worry in his eyes, gently running his hand up and down her arm. 

“Hey, are you ok?” She lifted her hand and ran her fingers through his hair. 

“Please don’t leave me, Riley.” Liam’s voice trembled as he looked at his wife with pleading eyes. 

Riley sat up straight in bed, confused by Liam’s statement. “Liam, never. I love you, you’re stuck with me for life.”

He gave her a sad smile that didn’t meet his eyes. “I just...there have been so many people that said they cared about me, and then left. Losing them was so hard. But if I lost you Riley, I don’t know how I would be able to continue on. You are the most important part of me, my everything. I don’t exist without you.”

Riley’s heart broke at Liam’s confession. After the way they left things before she fell asleep, she never would have thought that this would be a conversation they would be having. And it definitely wasn’t a conversation she was expecting to have at 3AM. She cupped his face in her hands and stroked his cheeks with her thumbs. “Liam, I promise you with all my heart, and everything I am, that there is nothing on this earth that could take me away from you. My husband and my daughter are the greatest joys of my life. A world without the two of you is not a world I would ever even want to think about.”

Without another word, Liam leaned forward and kissed her. He used that kiss as an outlet for all of the emotions battling inside of him. He gently guided Riley to lay in her back as he rolled on top of her. 

“Show me.” He whispered. 

“Yes, my king.”

Riley and Liam spent the rest of the night getting lost in each other, finding the comfort they so desperately needed.

Continue Reading

Tags: @txemrn @texaskitten30 @kingliam2019 @anjanettexcordonia @twinkleallnight @mile9213 @kittypryde-bipride @motorcitymademadame @kat-tia801 @bebepac @gkittylove99 @khoicesbyk @jessiembruno @queenrileyrose @athena-penrose @pixie88 @eadanga @choicesficwriterscreations @iaminlovewithtrr @hopelessromanticmonie @annarenee355 @burnsoslow @shewillreadyou @imturaxamara @gabesmommie1130 @cordoniaqueensworld​ @hopefulmoonobject​

[justfandomwritings]

Heroes Get Remembered (Part One - Bucky Barnes)

Pairing: Bucky X Reader (This story is also being published on ff.net with minor edits to be a Bucky X OC fic if you prefer that).

Word Count: 2.7k

Summary:  "Heroes get remembered, but legends never die." Bucky read the words, but he couldn't process them. Hero? Legend? Bucky wasn't either of those things. Those words were reserved for generals, warriors, doctors... a little punk from Brooklyn in stripey tights who didn't know when to give up... and a young nurse who threw herself in a warzone to save the ones she loved.

Notes: So a few years ago, I wrote a rough draft of an introduction to a story that I was calling Heroes Get Remembered. I posted that introduction on fanfiction.net.

Only, I decided rather quickly that I didn’t like the writing style I had used on the story, and I rapidly lost interest after that when I couldn’t think of what to do.

Last week, I revisited the idea (last week for obvious reasons), and I decided to give it another go. I’ve updated the original story I posted on fanfiction.net, but since that doesn’t alert people when a chapter’s been replaced or edited, I thought I would post part one here because I want some honest feedback on whether this was an idea worth revisiting and whether it works this time.

November 2014

Steve Rogers had only cried four times in his life. The first time had been when his mother died. For as long as Steve could remember, she had worked in a nursing ward treating tuberculosis patients. Helping those who couldn't help themselves, she used to say. Even after she contracted the disease, she tried to help those who stood a better chance than herself. It was Bucky who'd been the one to give him the news when she died, and he cried. How long, he couldn't remember; but he remembered picking himself up and putting on a brave face. He remembered walking to the funeral and smiling pleasantly as he shook hands with those who wished him well. He remembered pretending to be fine until eventually he was.

The second time was worse. When Bucky died, or when he thought he'd died. Unlike his mother, Steve had watched Bucky go. He'd been so close. A second more and he could have saved him. An inch longer reach and Bucky would have been fine. His mother died of disease, but Bucky died under His command, in His unit, on His mission, before His very eyes. Steve blamed himself for a very long time. Part of him still did. His crying over Bucky hadn't truly stopped until he plunged into the ice. There was no pretending to be fine when you watched your best friend die, when you were constantly thinking of all the things you could have done to save him.

The third time he'd cried was when they pulled him out of the ice. When they'd thawed him out and introduced him to this new world, this new future, and he realized just how much more he had to lose. He thought he'd lost everything the day he'd lost Bucky, but clearly he'd been wrong. Nick Fury had given him a brief rundown of the last seventy years that lasted all of thirty minutes before dropping him off in an apartment across town. The moment the door closed and he found himself alone, Steve collapsed into sobs. Everyone he'd ever known was dead; everything he'd ever known was gone. He was truly, truly alone. He had nothing and no one.

At least, that's what he'd thought. The fourth time Steve cried was when he realized that was wrong. The night after he'd ripped off the Winter Soldier's mask and seen his old friend. The night after the Winter Soldier had asked him, "Who's Bucky?". It was like losing him all over again. It was like losing everything all over again.

No, it was worse. Before that moment, Steve had no one, nothing. He had no hope, and he was forced to move on. Now, there was something. He was clinging to it like it was his lifeline, and though it may never float he would sink or swim with this one idea. Some part of his past, some part of Bucky, was alive, and he was going to find it or die trying.

"Cap," Sam interrupted the soldier's train of thought, joining the soldier in the living room. His tone was hesitant, probing. "You okay?"

Steve chuckled, still a little dazed. "Do I look okay?"

"No," Sam dropped down into a plush armchair across from Steve and leaned forward on his knees. "You look like hell, which is still probably twice as good as you're feeling."

Steve's gaze fell to the floor. Sam was right; he felt awful. He didn't sleep; he didn't eat. Most days, Steve felt like he didn't really breath either. It wasn't just the physical exhaustion. It was the sheer emotional desperation. Steve was feeling utterly useless, yet he wouldn't stop. He couldn't stop. Even if all hope was lost, Steve had to keep searching. They could have laid Bucky's dead body at his feet, and Steve would have stepped over it with a simple "I thought he was dead once" and kept looking. Bucky never gave up on Steve, and Steve would never give up on Bucky. If he gave up on Bucky, he might as well give up on everything.

"Hey," Sam leaned forward and clapped the Captain firmly on the shoulder. "We knew this wasn't going to be easy. We just have to keep trying."

Sam definitely understood, more than most. He knew the lengths he himself would go to if he found out Riley was still alive. They hadn't even reached that point yet. Let alone what Sam imagined if he added in childhood best friends and his only tie to his real home. A guy like Steve, Sam wouldn't blame him for moving the world to bring his friend home.

"I just…" Steve looked up, eyes so bleary from lack of sleep that he couldn't quite see straight. "I just want to understand. He remembered. I saw it in his eyes. He remembered me. So why is he running from me? Why is he going to…" Steve waved his hand at the map. The map sat on the table in the corner, a permanent fixture of the room since SHIELD had fallen. "To these places. It doesn't make any sense."

They'd both been wondering that. Sam eyed the offending paper suspiciously. It was massive, covering the entire length of the dining table in the Avengers' apartment. Even from the other side of the room, Sam could see every detail, not that he needed the reminder. Steve and Sam had spent hours upon hours pouring over the damn thing trying to find some rhyme or reason to it but getting absolutely nowhere. The map was peppered in tiny little x's: a few each in America, Russia, Europe, one each in Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Egypt. They knew exactly where he'd been, but they had no idea why and no idea where he was going.

"I don't know Steve," Sam sighed and slumped back. "Maybe he's… going back to what he remembers, or maybe looking for something." Neither was a new idea; Sam was really only trying to fill the air. They'd discussed both possibilities before. They discussed every possibility before, and none seemed to fit.

The Hydra files Natasha had leaked gave a detailed timeline of the Winter Soldier's activities, even though they weren't always documented by name. The Soldier had been making and changing history since Steve had gone under the ice. Assassinations, saves, fires, rebellions. He seemed to have a hand in everything that had led up to this moment, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. He had shaped the decades Steve had missed and made the world he saw today.

The x's on the map weren't his missions. There were seemingly too many of those to count. Stark had made a list and tried to show it to Steve, tried to make him see the soldier he was hunting rather than the old friend he wanted to find. Steve was having none of it. Every time someone brought up what the Winter Soldier had done, Steve had walked away. His friend wouldn't do those things, and when he first laid eyes on the Winter Soldier he hadn't seen his friend. He did eventually though. As the Helicarrier fell, he finally saw Bucky, and he was determined to see him again. He only wanted to find him, his last piece of home. He had no interest in the Winter Soldier, no interest in Hydra's ultimate weapon. He had no interest in what the Winter Soldier had done, and he wasn't going to subject himself to thinking about it.

The x's were sightings. All around the world people claimed to see the Winter Soldier, and Steve exhausted himself investigating every last one. A week after the collapse of SHIELD there had been nearly fifty, and eventually he'd managed to confirm four.

He hadn't been sure at first, but when he saw the fifth one he knew what was happening. Four empty Hydra bases, abandoned sometime before SHIELD but Steve couldn't be sure when, and each of them had been trashed. The first was a storage facility, hard copies of documents that were too sensitive to be committed to digital memory. Every drawer had been opened, every file torn apart, every desk ransacked. The second was a recruiting office in a similar state followed by two armories, but the fifth was the worst.

The fifth sighting was what led Steve to confirm the previous four. It had taken him deep into the mountains in Russia. A fully active Hydra lab. Its location was buried deep in the lists Nat had published, but no government had gotten around to checking it out until Steve heard whispers the Soldier had been there. Steve and Sam hopped on one of Tony's jets that night, but by the time they got there he was gone. Everything was gone.

For some reason, the place was entirely destroyed. The site was still smoldering when they arrived; anything that hadn't been personally destroyed had been engulfed in flames. There weren't even remnants of a clue as to what was going on in that building. The charred desks stood ajar. File cabinets were all empty. Every liquid, compound, and vile in the facility had been smashed on the floor and evaporated in the heat. What few computers remained had all had their memory stolen. All the lab's complex machinery was broken down to its most basic parts; nuts and bolts and bits of metal that even Tony Stark couldn't piece together as anything worth destroying.

All that was left to remember it were four bodies scattered outside. They were presumed to be the scientists manning the facility, but there was nothing to identify them by. Their prints were all scared or removed. Their teeth knocked in. Their bodies left to the elements, the snow and wind and animals, so long that their faces were unrecognizable. DNA had been the only hope, and nothing had come close to a match. Whoever they were, they were ghosts, and someone wanted to make sure they stayed that way.

It was then that Steve had realized it was Bucky, or at least the Winter Soldier with whatever was left of his friend. While Steve was on a mission to find him, he was on a mission of his own. To do what? For who? Why? Steve didn't know, but Bucky wasn't just hitting random Hydra facilities. He was up to something, and he didn't want anyone, Shield or Hydra or the Avengers, to know what it was.

Six more sightings followed mirroring the first four, and Steve and Sam were forced to resign themselves to collecting whatever was salvageable to bring back to New York for analysis. Stark had helped, but even then they'd found nothing. Whatever his mission was, Bucky had done a good job of hiding it. Sam and Steve had no idea what to do or where to go.

"Well, well, well, my fine feathered friend," Steve and Sam jolted up as Tony Stark came sauntering into the Avengers' apartments. He was flanked by Natasha and Bruce, who both looked just as unamused as Steve felt. "Close but no cigar."

"You have something?" Sam said it in a tone he only hoped would convey how much he really was not in the mood for the billionaire's usual attitude. He'd just spent the last 36 hours helping Steve loot through an abandoned science lab in the Czech Republic, and all they'd turned up were paper copies of drug inventories and a broken computer. Sam wanted a nap… a twelve-hour nap… and some food.

"Not something," Tony pointed out, whipping out the folder behind his back and waving it like he'd won some kind of prize, "Someone."

"Pardon?" Steve half-heartedly prompted.

The three newcomers wandered over to join them, and Tony dropped the folder in Sam's lap as he passed. "He's not looking for something. He's looking for someone."

"How do you know this?" That finally got the Captain sitting up a little straighter in his seat.

"Never," Tony poked at him, "tell me I can't fix something."

Sam flipped open the folder in his lap and started scanning the title page. "You got this off that old piece of junk we brought in today?"

"Yep," Tony responded smugly. "Just took a little digging. It wasn't actually in that bad of shape. Your best buddy took great care to wipe it of all the important things, but it just made it pretty obvious what I needed to be looking for when I opened it up."

"So he's after someone then," Steve mused and concentrated thinking. "An old Hydra agent? One of their scientists?"

Sam blanched as he turned the page in the file. "Oh, he's not after just anyone…" He set the file down and slid it across to Steve. "And she's definitely not a Hydra agent."

Steve bent down to pick up the file, but before his fingers could even scoop it up his eyes caught the picture in the corner.

Why did the room suddenly get so hot? Was it just him? His hand hung limp an inch above the paper, and it was shaking uncontrollably fast. There was a burning feeling in his chest, and he could practically feel his body rushing with sudden adrenaline.

In the distance, barely registering at the back of Steve's consciousness, he heard Tony asking Sam. "You know her?"

No, he wanted to say, but he couldn't form the word. Sam didn't know her. Steve had thought he never would. She was a world away, a lifetime away.

With trembling fingers, Steve reached into the pocket of his jacket for the picture he carried with him at all times. It was black and white and 70 years old, but Steve remembered every colorful detail like it was yesterday. It was the happiest day of Steve's life.

In the left of the frame was Bucky, the old Bucky. Before the Winter Soldier, before the metal arm, before Hydra, before the war. He was the Bucky girls would throw themselves on their knees in front of begging for a dance. He was the Bucky guys looked on with envy as he raised his fist and bounced around the boxing ring in triumph. Everyone loved Bucky; everyone wanted to be Bucky. Even in the photo, he was cracking everyone up with another joke. The smile on his face back then could light up any room he walked into. He looked happy, healthy. He was the Bucky Steve remembered.

To the right was Steve, pre-serum Steve. He looked like a different person; he'd felt like a different person. He was short and very thin. He looked sickly and pale, but he was laughing, Bucky's doing. Girls didn't fawn over him back then the way they had with Bucky, or Steve after. Guys didn't give him a second glance except to try to beat him into submission. That Steve only had one friend, and yet it was as content as Steve ever remembered being. He had everything he'd ever wanted and needed. He was happy.

There, in the middle, between Bucky and Steve was a girl. She was about the same height as Steve. Her hair fell loose around her face in long curls that he remembered to be blonde. Her arms were thrown haphazardly around both boys, and the photo was taken with her mouth smiling wide at Bucky's joke. Her eyes squinted with humor, but Steve could still see the bright twinkle behind her lashes. She was beautiful, more beautiful than the girls who fell at Bucky's feet or threw a cold shoulder Steve's direction. She was a true diamond in the rough. People flocked to her like moths to a flame. It was as much her heart and her spirit as her looks. She was the purest, kindest soul Steve had met in any generation. When she walked into a room, people turned. Her presence demanded attention, respect. People often questioned if even Bucky, with all his looks and charm and talents, was worthy of a girl like her.

"Who is she then?" Tony asked Sam.

Steve dropped the picture from his hand down next to the one in the file and slid it back to Stark. "He's looking for my sister."

That night was the fifth time Steve Rogers cried.

[sidehowriting]

Movie Night

Masterlist in bio!

A/N: I posted a bit ago about how I was writing some Supernatural stuff with Jack. I decided to post one of them! This was purely for my friend and mine’s self indulgence. Also, I 100% wrote this while I was on my period. 

If this is your introduction to me and you’re thinking “hmm, does she have more Supernatural fics?” I don’t! They’re all Marvel! This is my first Supernatural one. But I have more written of Riley and Jack so if you want an emotional roller coaster (fluff, smut, heart break) lemme know! I have 4.5 other parts in various stages of development. 

Pairings: Jack Kline x OFC (Riley)

Summary: Riley and Jack have a movie night.

Word Count: 2.2k

Warnings:  Fluff, period talk, Jack being too pure for this world

I walked into the bunker, plastic bags in my hands. I was happy to be back with my supplies and ready to hunker down for the evening. Sam and Dean were at the table, looking over some fliers. I was hoping it wasn’t a case.

“Hey, Riley!” Dean signaled me over. “Look at this.” He held the flier out to me.

I read it over. “The new diner just opened? That’s cool.”

“Not just cool.” Dean rolled the flier up. “They have this burger. Double The Triple. Six layers of pure beef and cheese.”

“It’s a heart attack on a bun,” Sam interjected, glancing from me to his brother.

“Sounds like it,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Anyways,” Dean said, louder than normal, glaring at Sam. “They’re having a contest. If you can eat it all in one sitting, you get it for free. If you can eat it in under a half hour you get a free piece of pie.”

“Could you even eat a piece of pie after that?” I asked.

“You can take that home,” Dean countered, sounding offended. “I love me some pie.”

I sighed and rolled my eyes. Of course, Dean would want the pie.

“So, Dean’s making us go right now,” Sam said, sounding annoyed.

“Dude, the flier says while pies last.”

“I don’t think they’re gonna run out of pies anytime soon, Dean. No human can eat that much in that short of time.” Watching Sam and Dean bicker was always fun. “Wanna come?” Sam directed the question at me.

As my reply, I simply dumped my bags out in front of them. Bars of chocolate, boxes of tampons and pads, and pain killers skirted across the table. “No, thanks. I’m gonna stay in tonight. Just bring me back Dean’s leftovers.”

“I’m wounded you don’t think I can do it.”

“Oh, I know you can’t.” I started putting all my stuff back into the bags. “Is Jack going with you guys?”

Sam shook his head. “No, he said he wanted to stay here.”

“So, you’re babysitting tonight,” Dean said, getting up. “We’ll be home later. Call if you need anything.”

“Yeah yeah,” I waved them off. “Try not to die.”

“I’m not gonna die. I’m gonna truly be livin’,” Dean said, pulling on the opening of his flannel. Sam rolled his eyes and followed Dean out, still trying to convince his brother this was a terrible idea.

With the two of them out, I went up to my room and got comfortable. Big, baggy sweats, all my chocolate around me. I was snuggled under my covers, laptop prepared with sappy romantic comedies. I was ready to fully indulge.

Just before I pressed play, I heard a knock on my door. “It’s open!” I called, knowing it had to be Jack.

Sure enough, he peaked in. “You didn’t go with either?”

“And watch Dean vomit up two pounds of cheeseburger for a free slice of pie? No thanks. Plus, I’m on my period. Don’t really feel like goin’ out right now. Why didn’t you go?”

“Dean still doesn’t seem to care for me. I didn’t want to burden him.” He sounded so defeated. It broke my heart.

“Do you wanna hang out with me instead? I’m not doing anything real exciting, but I could use the company.”

Jack’s face instantly lit up. “I’d really like that.”

I scooted over, inviting him in under the covers. He climbed in, his warmth filling the bed. I adjusted my laptop so we could both watch it. “I hope you don’t mind rom coms.”

“I don’t even know what that is.”

I smiled. “Well, I think this will be a good lesson for you.” I pressed play and the let movie start, passing some chocolate to Jack. He took the piece, popping it in his mouth and eating it happily. “This is nougat!”

“It is!” I smiled at him, knowing it was his favorite. “I have chocolate nougat, chocolate crunch, chocolate peanut, and dark chocolate. You can have whatever you want.”

“Thank you, Riley.” His smile was so cheery and sweet, warming me from the inside out.

We went back to watching the movie and Jack seemed very engrossed in it, much to my surprise. He munched on the chocolate nougat, eyes glued to the screen. “So, they end up falling in love?” Jack asked, breaking the silence.

“Yep. That’s the basis of rom coms. Man and woman meet. They kiss. They fall in love. They live happily ever after.”

Jack studied the screen again, brows furrowed and eyes tense. “This isn’t how it works in the real world, is it?”

“No, Jack. This is fiction,” I said softly, watching him. “Not everyone falls in love. Not everyone gets a happily ever after.”

He leaned back against my pillows, his shoulder brushed against mine. “Have you?”

“Fallen in love?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t think so. I thought I was back in high school, but he was a douche and just wanted to sleep with me. That’s probably as close as I got. Then after my mom died and I moved in here with Sam and Dean… Dating and boys really hasn’t been a top priority since.”

“I’m really sorry you lost your mom. I understand what that pain is like.”

“Thank you,” I said softly. “I really appreciate that, Jack.” I leaned back next to him, laying my head against his shoulder. There was a moment where he was tense, but that quickly dissipated.

As the movie went on, I felt his hand moving towards me. Small, light touches. Like he was testing the water. I didn’t push him away and, eventually, his fingers twisted themselves with mine. Coincidently, it was the same time the two characters in the movie were holding hands.  

Lying next to him was relaxing. He had a warmth and gentleness to him that made my heart flutter. It was something I could do all day. I snuggled closer, rolling and wrapping my other arm around him. I quickly glanced up at him, happy when I noticed he was smiling. I mimicked his reaction and turned my attention back towards the movie.

The credits had just started to roll when I heard Sam’s voice again. “Riley!” He called and tapped lightly on my door. “We’re back. I have food for you.”

I closed my computer and moved off Jack. I winced, feeling a sting of cramps. “I’ll be right back,” I said to him. He nodded, his usual sweet smile on his face.

I found Sam in the kitchen, unloading some white Styrofoam containers. “Hey,” he greeted me. “I got you and Jack a cheeseburger. Do you know where he is?”

I nodded. “Yeah, he’s in my room. We were watching a movie while you guys were gone.”

“Anything good?”

“Just a rom com.”

“Did he like it?”

“I think so. He was smiling a lot.”

Sam gave a soft laugh. “I’m sure that’s why he was smiling.”

I changed the subject. “Where’s Dean?”

“Probably dying in the bathroom.”

“Did he win the free pie?”

“Ha, no. But he did eat the whole thing by some miracle. He had to have me drive us back.”

Sam handed me two of the containers and I took them. “He’s so dumb.”

“Tell me about it. We coulda just bought a piece of pie.”

“Well, I’m gonna go back and lay down. I’ll give Jack his food. Thank you, Sam.”

Sam gave me a wave as I carried the food back to my room. Jack was exactly where I left him, perched on my bed next to my laptop. I climbed back in, curling my legs to me to help with the pain. “Sam brought us food.”

I passed Jack his container. He opened it and pulled out the burger. “That was nice of him.” He took a bite of it. “Can we watch another rom com?” He asked through bits of food.

I smiled. “Of course. I’m glad you liked the other one.”

“I did,” he said as I started to scroll through the options. “I like seeing couples in love.”

Hunched over my computer, I glanced at him. His eyes shone so brightly, his lips slightly shiny from grease. Sam had pointed out before that Jack had a crush on me (much to Dean’s dismay). I wasn’t sure I believed it at first. Sure, Jack was very nice to me and always smiling. He’s like that to everyone. But now…

“That’s real sweet,” I said softly, setting up a new movie. He smiled proudly and I couldn’t deny that I had some feelings for him as well.

With my own food in my hands, I adjusted on the bed and hit play. Jack ate eagerly, focused intensely on the movie. My hunger and focus were fading in and out, interrupted by cramps. I set my half-eaten burger to the side, reaching to my bedside table. I started searching around for the pain pills I had just bought.

“Are you okay?” Jack asked, his eyes now trained on me.

“Yeah,” I said, finding the little bottle. “This is just a rough period. Lot’s of cramps.”

“I know you mentioned it before, but I don’t exactly know what that is.”  The look of confusion on his face was utterly adorable and I started to giggle.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t explain. You know what makes boys and girls different right?”

Jack nodded and said bluntly, “I have a penis and you have a vagina. Dean told me.” He had no shame.

“Yes, that is accurate,” I said, brushing my hair behind my ear. “Well, I also have a uterus in my body and every month it thinks I’m going to have a baby and every month I don’t so it basically…” I started sweeping down my lower half like I was brushing crumbs off. “Sheds. The lining of it sheds.”

He just stared at me in utter fascination, not a spark of shame or embarrassment on his face. He seemed more concerned than anything. “Does it hurt?”

“Very much so.”

“I can help.” He sounded excited and eager. “I can take the pain away.”

I had nothing to lose. “Okay. How?”

“Show me where it hurts.” He put his food to the side and scooted closer to me.

I placed my hand on my lower stomach where the cramps were currently showing no mercy. “Right here.”

“Lay down,” he instructed, and I did as he said. I stretched on my bed, laying perfectly flat. He took a deep breath and hovered his hand over mine. “Will you move your hand?” I did and a moment later his hand was pressing against me. It was uncomfortable, lying flat was not an ideal pose for dealing with cramps. But as Jack’s eyes and hand began to glow, the pain ebbed away.

“How did you do that?” I asked once the pain was completely gone. He removed his hand as I sat up, staring at him in shock. “That was incredible.”

“I’m not really sure. I’m still learning to work my powers. But I just thought about how I didn’t want you to be in pain.”

“Thank you,” I said softly, sitting back up. “Thank you so much.”

He gave his signature smile and I leaned across the bed and kissed his cheek. His eyes widened and the blush spread across his face at lightening speed. Startled a bit by my own brazen gesture, I turned my attention to the movie still playing on my computer. I adjusted it to the point we dropped off.

Jack and I re-positioned ourselves, still sitting close to each other, shoulders touching. We finished our food as the movie played, scooting closer and intertwining when we were done. By the time the second movie came to an end, I was laying across Jack with his arms wrapped securely around me.

I didn’t bother to stop the credits. I was too comfortable laying with Jack. “Can I ask you something?” I tilted my head up at him, trying to meet his eyes.

“Of course.”

“Do you like me? Like, how it is in the movies?”

“I do,” he said shyly. “I think you’re really pretty and nice and you always make me smile.”

“Jack,” I pushed myself up, leaning across him. “You’re so sweet.”

“Thank you,” he said. “Does that mean you like me too?”

“Yeah, it does.” I sat back on my legs, facing him. “Do you wanna kiss me like the movies?”

Jack nodded eagerly, making me laugh. I took the initiative and cupped his face, bringing him to me. He seemed frozen when our lips touched. Very unsure of how to act. “It’s okay,” I said softly against his lips, brushing my nose against his. “Just relax.” I opened my eyes and saw him staring back at me. “Put your hands on me. Be natural.” He complied, setting them on my waist as I kissed him again.

It took a few more kisses but he got the hang of it. Head tilting, lips parting, tugging me closer to him. I pulled away again, stroking his cheeks with my thumbs. His breath tickled my skin, our lips still close. “Was that good?” He asked so innocently. “I’ve never kissed anyone before.”

“It was perfect, Jack.”

Tags: @lancsnerd @81mysteriouslyme (hope you don’t mind the tag, and tagging this account since this is a Supernatural fic lol)

[drowngrief]

   written    on     RELIGIOUS  PERCEPTIONS     in    relation    to    my    portrayal    of    brooke .

A . )       parental    influence    played    a    considerable    role    in    brooke’s    views       &       alignments in    regards    to    the    aforementioned .    

  –  quinn      subscribed    somewhat    silently    to    christianity ,         only    occasionally     attending      masses    for    christmas           (      &     easter ,       sometimes     )         in    order    to    maintain    a    stronger   public    image       &       appeal to a broader audience when the time came to run for mayor    ;         while    he    ran    as    a    republican    candidate ,          he    was    aware    that    there    were    always    a    handful    of    more    radical    people    who    were    likely    to hold what he did    in    public    against    him    if    he    didn’t    make   a    point    to    show    any    form    of    religious    faith .  

  –  monica ,    however ,       with    her    long  -  repressed    wanderlust       &       recurrent    need    for    something    new ,       found    her    form(s)    of    solace    through    gradually    increasing    absences       &       vagrancy ,        the    latter    both    in    a    literal       &       religious    sense .      she was brought up by catholic  parents  ––        her    mother    on    the    more    devout    end    with    her    father    more    untraceable    due    to    his    absences ,        which    overshadowed    his    wife’s    desire    to    make    spirituality    more    of    a    method    of    family    bonding  ––     but    fell    into    the    common    currents    of    her    father’s    absences come the later end    of    her    sophomore    year    in    high school .         she    didn’t    ‘fall’    into    partying ,      necessarily ,         but    slowly    realized    that    she    could    manipulate    herself    into    a    sense    of    belonging    somewhere    with    the    help    of    more    open  -  minded    friends       &       a    less    restrictive    environment .             she    then    fully    adopted the    more    open  -  minded    outlook    that    she    had    never    been    allowed    to    embrace    due    to    a    sense    of    obligation .       this    newfound    freedom    led    to    her    looking    into    different    belief    systems with    unparalleled    alacrity .        she    was    both    in    search    of    with    which    she    felt     most    connected    to      & ,       perhaps    more    importantly ,         which    could    be    used    to    help    her    to    achieve    the   furthest    distance    from    her    mother’s    looking  -  over  -  her  -  shoulder    nature    of    imposing .                                  +     this    also    serves    as    an    example    of    a    subconscious    imitation    of    her     father  ––         not    being    around    the    house ,         not    being    direct    in     whether     or    not    she      parallels    with    her    mother’s       (     rather    filmsy     )        set    of    rules    or    not .  

 in    regards    to     the    afterlife    specifically ,         quinn    feigns    whole  -  hearted    belief    in    heaven       &       hell ,       when ,       in    reality ,      he    is     too    reluctant     to    accept    anything    so    abstract    as    a    stone    cold    truth .         monica    appears    with    the    family    in    church    when    they    go      (    until  her    substance    abuse    worsens     )       to    help    promote    the    maddox    image ,       but    is    more    into    the    idea    of    reincarnation    than    anything    else   ––     at    least,        that    has    been    the    most    sticking    of    the    many .  

                            SO  WHERE  DOES  THIS  LEAVE  BROOKE ?

B . )       confused ,       perhaps ,      if    she    cared    a    bit    more    about    it    as    a    child .     when     once    asked    by    a    classmate    in    primary    school ,       brooke    told    them that    the    family    was catholic    without    giving   the    matter    much    thought  ––         it    was    hardly    discussed    in    the   house ,       &       they    went    to    a    catholic    church    to    celebrate    christmas    mass .        that    must    be it ,      then .         but    monica ,       who    had    jumped    at    the    first    opportunity    to    break    away    from that    mold ,           made    a    point    to    tell    her    that    they    weren’t    a    part    of    that    particular    denomination ,          leaving    her    with    no    solid    answers .

                                             so  brooke  didn’t  ask.

she simply assumed her family to reside somewhere on the spectrum of christianity ,         not opposing to mass until she reached the fifth grade      (     &       only because she dreaded the great  lull of the service     ) .          she assumed the same beliefs that her father projected for a while ––   life   after death ––   but rapidly began to question them with the influence of   online information      &       conversations  heard       &       had  among      /      with    peers.        (     not much was really questioned or challenged ,         as   the image of the family’s spirituality was fabricated      &     rarely touched upon as a family ––    monica stuck to her own on her wavering beliefs for a while.)  this went on through until brooke’s junior year of high school  ––      an idly lying    belief   canceled out by latent skepticism was forced to its crux   with   the string of murders    beginning with nina patterson .

   this ––    nina’s murder standing alone ––     was not what brought the question to its pinnacle.     brooke thought nina’s murder to be a totally freak,   one-time thing .     so ,     what was it  ?

                                                                     RILEY’S.

C . )    riley’s death  is what confirmed brooke’s original theory ––    that an attack on the second generation after the brandon james attacks would just be too lifetime movie esque to come true ––   to be fallacious .

   brooke finding out that ghostface’s texts put her    &    riley as the choose-between would  absolutely have the fault    /    responsibility-inducing effect on brooke, but from a smaller, more basic       &       emotion-desiccated viewpoint, the event & choice could be seen as something of a miracle .      don’t misinterpret––   brooke is nowhere near grateful that the victim was riley,     &      she would have rathered it be herself, but having fate twist in her favor in that way       (     beyond what money or her family is able to provide     )        would feel surreal for anyone.      she often finds herself consumed in the butterfly effect regarding this tragedy more than any other in her life,    leading to dreams in which she was the one murdered, in which she was the one who actually killed riley,        &       in which she feels the link on the handcuffs attaching her to the bedpost gradually growing white-hot until the pain is too much to bear. (the beginnings of survivor’s guilt.)

    brooke has never been one to look for the paranormal elements in her day to day life,     nor is it something that she’s into at all, but after riley’s death, there occasionally seemed to be a sort of unspoken presence in brooke’s house  in her bedroom      &     living room (a cooler draft, the creaking of floorboards under prodding feet). there also seemed to be more starless nights ––    even though louisiana offers no stunning view to begin with ––    after riley’s death,       &       things as simple as light refracted off of a glass     &     thrown into crystalline patterns on the walls brought back broken memories of better days .

basis  :       riley’s murder simultaneously heightened brooke’s belief in a god        (     without her even being that aware of it    )       &       made her internal denial of god’s existence even stronger .

D . )       the second influential event  on brooke’s faith was jake being stabbed in the chest in 1.07.     she tells noah in the beginning of 1.08 how the doctors described the knife missing jake’s organs as a MIRACLE,     &      to a logistical extent, is inclined to label his survival the same way.

   this was even after she did the inadvisable out of panic ––   pulling the knife out.     once again,    some bizarre,    too-good-to-be-true outward thing has righted one of her committed wrongs,      &     she does not at all feel deserving.

                                                  so one miracle kills while another saves .

   with her mother’s well being dangling in midair at this point in canon, she almost feels the twisted luck to point more towards the wanchancy of further familial corruption gone unseen  ––    it gives her a reason to be more suspicious that quinn might have done off with monica.

    in her childhood, she was fairly used to getting what she wanted ––    perhaps, she thinks, her mother’s fate being the opposite of what she hopes it to be would serve as another example of the universe putting her in the balance’s sternum, if only to see the next move she’ll make. it may also serve as some twisted form of karma –––   a way for the world to reinforce the mantra of “you can’t always get what you want”.

basis  :      jake surviving the bowling alley attack throws her for a serious loop in the attempt to determine exactly where she stands on the existence of a god.     here ,     she begins to lean more towards belief.

E . )     closely following the description of jake’s survival, however, arrived the news of will’s death.    this marked the loss of four of brooke’s closest acquaintances at the start of the series.      while it didn’t have as distinctive or lasting of an impact as some of the other losses suffered in brooke’s life,    the timing of it offered a wall for the gaining momentum of her blossoming belief to crash full-force into.      it seriously challenged any form of optimism that came with the ‘miraculous’ survival.      here is where she is forced to come to terms with agnosticism,      &      it only continues to sprout from this event      &      the conflicting viewpoints that came with the real-life contrast .

F . )     the deciding event in terms of her view on the afterlife occurred in 1.10, when she was locked into the freezer & stabbed at.    this event is later referenced in her carnival speech in 2.08 :    

         “  i almost died.    & you know what i saw ?    nothing. no white light.    just big,    black,    empty nothing.  ”

    in a world where near death experiences are so often exalted      &      then used as fuel for intense cultural involvement          (     books ,      movies ,       constant news interviews     ––––––      think of colton burpo’s experience      &     how it was made into something for everyone to know every detail about    –––––     brooke not only felt for some time as though she had gotten the short end of the stick,     but also thought this even more of a reason to keep her own experience to herself.       she didn’t open up to anyone about how the freezer incident felt         (     in the heat of it or the aftermath     )       until intoxication blended with fury on the stage at lakewood’s carnival .    

    in the future,       brooke will not find spirituality as a stronghold in difficult times or when memories trigger pain.    the concept makes her feel too vulnerable,         &        the slope has proven itself to be far too slippery to place any trust in.   

[gilbertandanne]

I decided to snip this and post this anon as a picture because I don’t want to litter the LM tag with a post that isn’t very supportive of the “romantic” relationship between the two of them.

Also, I’m sorry anon, but this may be a long post (and I know I’m going to go on a tangent).

Honestly, I feel like this “unpopular opinion” is actually a pretty popular opinion in terms of the fandom (at least with the RL side of things).  

Having said that, I’ve felt a little bit like an outcast in the fandom because I really loved the triangle storyline.  Could it have been done with an independent third party (like utilizing Charlie or some other person)? Yes...but it wouldn’t have been nearly as emotional or effective in terms of storytelling (because the audience would know that it would end up with RL if only a minor character came in between them.  The use of a major character really threw in this x factor).  I don’t like the idea of best friends “going after” the same guy, because it’s something I’ve never had to experience (or even really heard of) in real life, but MJ and co wanted to teach us something.  Did it go on a little too long?  Yes, but MJ knew the resolution he wanted to make and that involved Uriah/Josh Matthews coming back into the fold.

Honestly, if I had one major criticism about the triangle resolution, it was the fact that MJ felt that he needed to have Josh there for Maya to figure it out.

But...ANYWAY, back to what you said...

I don’t think RL got muddled when the triangle happened.  I think it actually showed the audience the depth of the connection these two characters had & it showed the audience (well, at least this audience member) just how right Lucas and Riley were for one another and how sacrificial both of them were throughout this whole thing.  Yes, they were in middle school, but so many people chalked this connection up to a simple crush or a fleeting attraction.  Throwing in the idea that Riley’s best friend also liked him created a conflict between R & L (and introduced an awkwardness between R & M that we hadn’t really seen before).

I think the triangle showed the audience who these characters really were.  Whenever I think about the triangle, or read posts on here, or am asked my thoughts about it, I always, always, always go back to Zay and Farkle in Texas 3.  As an audience, we’re seeing this new dynamic form between Maya & Lucas (and later on, the dynamic between Charlie and Riley, Riley and Lucas, Maya and Lucas (again), and EVEN Riley and Maya), but instead of us coming up with our own assumptions about it all, Farkle and Zay basically tell us what happened, how we got there, and maybe where it would all lead.

Before we knew the resolution, I ALWAYS went back to the scene at Topanga’s in Texas 3 whenever I would get into conversations with my friends about the show.  Up until that point (and sadly, this trend continued), we had only heard pieces about Lucas and who he was in Texas.  Zay reveals to Farkle (and to us) that Riley is “just like” Lucas.

Farkle: How?

Zay:  Well, the thing we all knew about Lucas is Lucas would do anything for his friends...and I never thought there could be anybody else like that, but Riley is.

Now, up until that point, we all suspected that Riley was lying about how she felt about Lucas, and I think *most* people took Zay’s line as confirmation that Riley was stepping back, which is true, but I think that line is also a pivotal look inside the curious mind of Lucas Friar.

Lucas is a lot like Riley.  She stepped back for Maya. So, wouldn’t you think that Lucas would do the same thing?

I’m not saying that he led Maya on or anything like that.  What I’m saying is put yourself into his shoes for a moment.  The girl he liked for about two years now, the girl he thought they had an “unofficial” thing with, told him that she only saw him as a brother.  When he tried to figure out where it came from, she insisted that was how she felt, that she wanted to keep him in her world and didn’t want to risk losing him if they went out.  What Riley told him made a lot of sense.  I’m sure he didn’t want to lose her either, but he was still prepared to fight her on it at the campfire.  When Riley threw Maya in between them at the campfire (let’s face it, that was exactly what she did when she told Lucas about Maya’s feelings), I think Lucas’s brain short circuited.  He was trying to talk to Riley, to figure out what happened between them, and even after Riley revealed Maya’s “feelings”, Lucas still wanted to know what he and Riley were.  He was still chasing Riley.

Lucas: What if that’s not what I think we are?

Side note: that line murdered me and while Texas as a whole is my playground for when I need to feel angsty, that line is my go to when I wanna channel some deep rooted pining.  Like WTF...this guy is so damn pure.

Once Riley leaves and Maya & Lucas are left alone, he’s OBVIOUSLY reeling from it all because I think it hits him that maybe Riley’s telling him the truth about how she feels?  Maybe she really doesn’t care about him in the way he thought they cared about one another.

While his mind is all jumbled, so is Maya’s.

Up until this point, Maya never actually said how she felt about Lucas.  It wasn’t until GM Legacy (I think) that she actually said that she liked him.  I think when her subconscious tried to become more like Riley, she really lost a sense of who she was (I’m glossing over this because getting into the whole “she’s like Riley” thing would force me to write a novel) and she saw him through Riley’s eyes...not to mention the FACT that Riley was the one who told Maya “you like him” in Texas 1.  So, at this point Maya’s still trying to figure her stuff out and she’s lost because this is all new for her...and her best friend is telling her that she likes a guy she thought she didn’t like.

So here we are, two confused, hurt kids underneath a starry sky in front of a roaring campfire.  Pretty romantic setting, right?

But...Lucas Friar did not kiss Maya Hart underneath that starry sky.  He thought about it.  Maybe he thought he would be able to figure out everything if it happened or maybe he was simply having a “teenage” moment...either way, he didn’t kiss her.

The first time I saw Texas 2 and I saw this moment, my mouth fell open.  I’m pretty sure I was screaming expletives and cursing the writers for DESTROYING the character of my sweet, precious Texan, BUT then some of the first words out of his mouth were “PLEASE don’t tell my sister”.  For me, I immediately assumed (and still assume) that the thought of Riley was what stopped him from kissing Maya.

AHHHHH, this is super long, so let me just sum up...

Basically, the reason I brought all that up was to say that I think that Lucas was confused by everything and I think that confusion stemmed from the fact that Maya lost sight of who she really was.  I also think that he wasn’t about to come in between the girls (this was established in GM Mr. Squirrels) and never wanted to be the reason there was a rift between them.

I also fully believe that he figured out what was going on with Maya while they were doing the jellybean thing in GM Triangle, which is why he didn’t seem surprised at all by her admission in Upstate.  He was willing to wait for her to figure it out for herself, but then Evan popped up and Lucas’s relative calmness about the whole thing began to slip because he knew that if something didn’t give, he could lose Riley.

Idk if any of that makes sense.  I’m getting sick and my mind is everywhere right now.  I really should take some time at some point and compile all of my thoughts about the triangle (because I have so many).  

Oh, and thank you for your sweet words about the fic stuff! <333

[afoolsingenuity]

Looking Forward // April 2017

I’m mixing things up a bit this month. Normally I only include books which I haven’t read yet and I am excited to read but this month I decided to include all the books I’ve both read and haven’t which are being released this month. I want to get folks excited for books and I want to make sure everyone wants to read too. Basically, I am attempting to spread the love whilst failing epically at talking myself out of spending money.

 Geekerella - Ashley Poston Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Retelling, Young Adult Release Date: 4th April 2017 Red Sister – Mark Lawrence Genre: Fantasy Release Date: 6th April 2017

Geek girl Elle Wittimer lives and breathes Starfield, the classic sci-fi series she grew up watching with her late father. So when she sees a cosplay contest for a new Starfield movie, she has to enter. The prize? An invitation to the ExcelsiCon Cosplay Ball, and a meet-and-greet with the actor slated to play Federation Prince Carmindor in the reboot. With savings from her gig at the Magic Pumpkin food truck (and her dad’s old costume), Elle’s determined to win…unless her stepsisters get there first.

Teen actor Darien Freeman used to live for cons—before he was famous. Now they’re nothing but autographs and awkward meet-and-greets. Playing Carmindor is all he’s ever wanted, but Starfield fandom has written him off as just another dumb heartthrob. As ExcelsiCon draws near, Darien feels more and more like a fake—until he meets a girl who shows him otherwise. But when she disappears at midnight, will he ever be able to find her again?

Part romance, part love letter to nerd culture, and all totally adorbs, Geekerella is a fairy tale for anyone who believes in the magic of fandom.

It's not until you're broken that you find your sharpest edge.

A brilliant new series from the bestselling author of PRINCE OF THORNS.

"I was born for killing – the gods made me to ruin"

At the Convent of Sweet Mercy young girls are raised to be killers. In a few the old bloods show, gifting talents rarely seen since the tribes beached their ships on Abeth. Sweet Mercy hones its novices’ skills to deadly effect: it takes ten years to educate a Red Sister in the ways of blade and fist.

But even the mistresses of sword and shadow don’t truly understand what they have purchased when Nona Grey is brought to their halls as a bloodstained child of eight, falsely accused of murder: guilty of worse.

Stolen from the shadow of the noose, Nona is sought by powerful enemies, and for good reason. Despite the security and isolation of the convent her secret and violent past will find her out. Beneath a dying sun that shines upon a crumbling empire, Nona Grey must come to terms with her demons and learn to become a deadly assassin if she is to survive…

A brilliant new series from the bestselling author of PRINCE OF THORNS.

Why Am I Excited?

Well, I’ve read it so it’s easy to give reasons why I’m excited for everyone else to get reading but it is one I want to get my own copy of. I mean, it’s a brilliant book and it’s one for all those who have been a part of any fandom ever. Also, I am very much in love with Darien and I’m not normally a fan of celebrities in books.

Why Am I Excited?

I got an ARC of this book in my Illumicrate box and I’ve not started yet but it sounds amazing. I’ve not read anything from Mark Lawrence before so I am a little nervous about it. It looks utterly awesome, though.

Letters to the Lost – Brigid Kemmerer Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Release Date: 6th April 2017 Alex, Approximately – Jenn Bennett Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Release Date: 6th April 2017

Juliet Young has always written letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother’s death, she leaves letters at her grave. It’s the only way Juliet can cope.

Declan Murphy isn’t the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he’s trying to escape the demons of his past.

When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he’s opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither of them knows that they're not actually strangers. When real life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart. This emotional, compulsively-readable romance will sweep everyone off their feet.

Bailey “Mink” Rydell has met the boy of her dreams. They share a love of films and talk all day – Alex is perfect. Well, apart from the fact that they’ve never actually met . . . and neither of them knows the other’s real name.

When Bailey moves to sunny California to live with her dad, who happens to live in the same town as Alex, she decides to track him down. But finding someone based on online conversations alone proves harder than Bailey thought, and with her irritating but charismatic (and potentially attractive?) colleague Porter Roth distracting her at every turn, will she ever get to meet the mysterious Alex?

From the author of Night Owls comes a story of summer, first love and hidden identities . . .

Why Am I Excited?

Another book I have read already but had to make sure got a feature because it is an utterly amazing read. I know some people haven’t enjoyed it but I seriously loved this book. I loved the connection between Juliet and Declan and they were utterly adorable and then the book dealt with grief and a complicated relationship between parents and children. I just loved it.

Why Am I Excited?

I have been excited about this book for ages and all I see is rave reviews of this book. I want to read it so bad so I need to get a hold of a copy. I mean Jenn Bennett writes good books anyway but this is a sex positive books which everyone seems to have loved I want to read like last week.

Duels and Deceptions – Cindy Anstey Genre: Historical, Romance, Young Adult Release Date: 11th April 2017 The Upside of Unrequited – Becky Albertalli Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Release Date: 11th April 2017

Miss Lydia Whitfield, heiress to the family fortune, has her future entirely planned out. She will run the family estate until she marries the man of her late father's choosing, and then she will spend the rest of her days as a devoted wife. Confident in those arrangements, Lydia has tasked her young law clerk, Mr. Robert Newton, to begin drawing up the marriage contracts. Everything is going according to plan.

Until Lydia—and Robert along with her—is kidnapped. Someone is after her fortune and won't hesitate to destroy her reputation to get it. With Robert's help, Lydia strives to keep her family's good name intact and expose whoever is behind the devious plot. But as their investigation delves deeper and their affections for each other grow, Lydia starts to wonder whether her carefully planned future is in fact what she truly wants…

Seventeen-year-old Molly Peskin-Suso knows all about unrequited love. No matter how many times her twin sister, Cassie, tells her to woman up, Molly can’t stomach the idea of rejection. So she’s careful. Fat girls always have to be careful.

Then a cute new girl enters Cassie’s orbit, and for the first time ever, Molly’s cynical twin is a lovesick mess. Meanwhile, Molly's totally not dying of loneliness—except for the part where she is. Luckily, Cassie's new girlfriend comes with a cute hipster-boy sidekick. If Molly can win him over, she'll get her first kiss and she'll get her twin back.

There's only one problem: Molly's coworker, Reid. He's a chubby Tolkien superfan with a season pass to the Ren Faire, and there's absolutely no way Molly could fall for him.

Right?

Why Am I Excited?

I mean, it’s a historical and a romance and it sounds awesome. I heard about this book last year and I’ve just been counting down to the release ever since. I have enjoyed all the Swoon Reads books I’ve gotten so I don’t doubt I will feel the same about this one. I just need it in my life already.

Why Am I Excited?

Another one I actually have an ARC of but I’ve not read it yet. I am so excited/nervous about this one as I’ve not actually read an Albertalli book before but I heard about this one at the beginning of the year and I wanted to get reading it.

Fireworks – Katie Cotugno Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult Release Date: 11th April 2017 It Happened on Love Street – Lia Riley Genre: Contemporary, Romance Release Date: 25th April 2017

From Katie Cotugno, bestselling author of 99 Days, comes Fireworks—about a girl who is competing with her best friend to become the new pop star of the moment—and all the drama and romance that comes with it—set in Orlando during the late-'90s boy-and-girl-band craze.

It was always meant to be Olivia. She was the talented one, the one who had been training to be a star her whole life. Her best friend, Dana, was the level-headed one, always on the sidelines, cheering her best friend along.

But everything changes when Dana tags along with Olivia to Orlando for the weekend, where superproducer Guy Monroe is holding auditions for a new singing group, and Dana is discovered too. Dana, who’s never sung more than Olivia’s backup. Dana, who wasn’t even looking for fame. Next thing she knows, she and Olivia are training to be pop stars, and Dana is falling for Alex, the earnest, endlessly talented boy who’s destined to be the next big thing.

It should be a dream come true, but as the days of grueling practice and constant competition take their toll, things between Olivia and Dana start to shift . . . and there’s only room at the top for one girl. For Olivia, it’s her chance at her dream. For Dana, it’s a chance to escape a future that seems to be closing in on her. And for these lifelong best friends, it’s the adventure of a lifetime—if they can make it through.

Set in evocative 1990s Orlando, New York Times bestselling author Katie Cotugno’s Fireworks brings to life the complexity of friendship, the excitement of first love, and the feeling of being on the verge of greatness.

The most romantic place she never wanted to be . . .

Pepper Knight moved to Everland, Georgia, as step one in her plan for a successful legal career. But after this big-city gal's plans go awry, going home with her tail between her legs isn't an option. So when the town vet-and her sexy new neighbor-offers Pepper a temporary dog-walking job, she jumps at the chance. No one needs to know that man's best friend is her worst nightmare . . . or that Everland's hot animal whisperer leaves her panting.

The last thing Rhett Valentine wants is to be the center of small-town gossip. After his first love left him at the altar, he's been there, done that. These days, life is simple, just the way he likes it. But sultry southern nights get complicated once sparks fly between him and the knockout next door. When she proposes a sexy, secret fling-all the deliciousness and none of the prying neighbors-it seems too good to be true. And it is. Because Pepper's determined to leave Love Street, and when she goes, she just might take his heart with her . . .

Why Am I Excited?

A book set in the 90s? I am totally down for that. I have enjoyed Cotugno’s past two books, I had issues with them but I enjoyed them and this is the last chance I’m giving her to totally impress me but I am excited. I think it’s the 90s setting, I am a 90s child after all.

Why Am I Excited?

I blame this one on Nick. All of it. She told me about this book on Twitter and then I got myself a review copy! What?!?! I am insanely excited to get reading but I’ve been waiting to read until it’s closer to the release because that’s how I roll. I adore romance and I trust Nick’s opinion absolutely.

And those are my books for April (maybe, if I can get them all anyway). Have you read any of these? Is there one I should read first? And have any missed any books because you know what I need is more books on my TBR?

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