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marvels-agents100 · 5 years ago

Text

waltz (part 3)

pairing: bucky x fem ! reader

word count: 5709

trigger warnings: none

author’s note: so, it’s obvious the plot isn’t my own, and this part is very movie heavy (aka not much insert of the reader), but i promise it’ll get better as i’m able to add extra scenes! thank you for reading anyways!

It wasn't a shock to you when a full police escort guided the armored vehicles to Berlin. The Joint Counter Terrorist Centre didn't take any chances with security, not only securing everyone within protected vehicles, but having a long trail of police cars on each end of the transport. You knew it was completely overdramatic, but you knew who Bucky was now. Of course, most only saw him for what he was for the past seventy years, not who he had become since the fall of HYDRA.

You sat next to Sam, Steve on his other side and the man who you now knew as T'Challa in front of you. You kept your gaze out the window, trying to ignore the pain in your side while actively avoiding any confrontation with Steve. At that point, you weren't sure how he would ever forgive you for hiding Bucky, and you were even more unsure of wether you deserved his forgiveness. If the worry you felt in that moment for Bucky was only a fraction of what he felt all those years searching, then you couldn't even imagine the pain he had been going through. You knew that if you were in his position, you wouldn't forgive yourself.

"So you like cats?" Sam broke the silence.

"Sam." Steve scolded.

"What? Dude shows up dressed like a cat, you don't wanna know more?" There was a slight bitterness to his words- he was clearly holding a grudge.

There was a pause before Steve spoke.

"Your suit, it's vibranium?

"The Black Panther has been the protector of Wakanda for generations," T'Challa spoke, "A mantle, passed from warrior to warrior. And now, because your friend murdered my father," your eyes snapped to him at his words, "I also wear the mantle of king. So I ask you, as both warrior and king, how long do you think you can keep your friend safe from me?"

His voice held a venom that made your blood boil. You were half tempted to scream at him, shouting that Bucky was with you, in Bucharest, the entire time. You wanted to take T'Challa by the shoulders and prove to him how wrong he was, a complete disregard of his feelings in your actions.

But, you didn't. And you wouldn't. Because at the end of the day, T'Challa acted in a way you could imagine yourself reacting to the situation as he saw it. This man had lost his father, watched him die when it was not yet his time. Not only did he have the weight of a new loss on his shoulders, but he also had to walk into a role where he protected a whole group of people, how large you weren't sure, but you assumed that responsibility didn't come without stress.

Your heart broke for T'Challa, not being able to imagine the pain he had suffered in such a short period of time. In fact, all of the people that surrounded you- Avenger or not- suffered from pain in their own way, and while it is so much easier to act upon pain, you have to be able to step back and provide understanding for rash decisions and impulsive action.

Trauma is one hell of a drug.

Maybe that's why you hid Bucky away without second thought. You had to give him room to feel his pain, so he didn't act out as a result of unprocessed trauma. You only hoped that Steve could see that as well, eventually.

The Joint Counter Terrorist Centre was a modern yet industrial building. In closest comparison, you would say it looked like a Stark-made building, but everyone had been following in Tony's design standards for years, so that wasn't anything new. You exited the van you were transported in behind Steve, your eyes immediately catching the glass cage Bucky was being moved in. It looked like a tank, like he was a caged animal, a spectacle to see. It made you cringe visibly, your lips pulling into a grimace. Steve followed your line of sight, his eyes softening for the first time since he hopped into the passenger side of the car you stole on that Romanian highway, his Captain exterior crumbling instantly when he saw his oldest friend.

Bucky seemed calm. Pissed, hurt, and overall unhappy, but calm. He kept his eyes on the ground in front of him, trying to avoid any eye contact with either you or Steve. He had learned how to keep his emotions in check through training as a soldier, but he wasn't sure if he would be able to keep it together if he saw either of you. The game completely changed when it came to the people he cared for.

You- in some way that even he couldn't explain- had been able to break down Bucky's walls and see the person he hid underneath. He had allowed himself to be fully expressed around you, wether it was a full, beaming smile while he laughed, or the way he let himself feel refreshed as the voice of Billy Eckstine filled your apartment, or when he would try to apologize to you a thousand times in a single glance while also fighting off GSG 9 units. It was the small things, the micro expressions and whispered confessions that his former self, his darker self, would've forbidden. Somehow, someway, he had no problem exposing those hidden parts of himself to you. So, he kept his eyes forward, refusing to give his captors any inkling of what was going on inside his head. He was so tired of people picking his brain; he'd had enough of that for a lifetime.

You ripped your gaze away from Bucky, following Steve as he approached the five people waiting for the five of you to arrive. You recognized the three men standing in the background as soldiers, there for protection. To the left was a small-framed blonde woman you knew as Sharron Carter- someone you had grown to know when SHEILD initially collapsed. Apparently, she had been reassigned here with her job in the CIA while you were hunting for a former assassin. The man standing next to her, although short in stature, held a confidence and slightly threatening nature to him, and you immediately knew that he was in charge in this facility.

"What's going to happen to him?" Steve asked flatly as you reached them.

"Same thing that ought to happen to you. Psychological evaluation and extradition." The man spoke, no fear or wavering in his voice.

"This is Everett Ross, Deputy Task Force Commander." Sharron introduced. Your eyebrow raised at him, a sneaking feeling in your gut making you believe that you shouldn't trust him. It wasn't something you could explain, but the way your stomach dropped when he began talking was a clear indication from your intuition that he wasn't on your side.

"What about a lawyer?" Steve asked, to which you had to hold back your scoff. It was a bold question, seeing as to how many laws were broken within the past day. Lawyers were completely out of the question at that point.

"Lawyer. That's funny." Everett spoke with a sarcastic grin. "See to it their weapons are placed in lockup." He spoke to Sharron without looking at her. "We'll write you a receipt."

"I better not look out the window and see anybody flying around in that." Sam threatened.

"Yeah, handle carefully, mine's borrowed property." You chimed in, "Also, you might not know me, (Y/N) (Y/L/N), former SHEILD agent," Everett looked straight at you as you introduced yourself, a sarcastic and slightly venomous air to your words, "if it wouldn't, you know, be too much of a bother, I am in a significant amount of pain, having fought alongside what was mostly super soldiers only hours ago, and would like to see any kind of medical professional before I bleed out internally, thanks." You smile sweetly, almost enjoying the way Everett's eyes narrowed at you. Sharron fought a smirk, finding herself missing the way you always fought for the best treatment of you and everybody else, no matter what the consequence was. It was a trait you shared with Steve, and it definitely made the bond between the Captain and yourself stronger.

"Can we get someone upstairs, to look her over while they meet." Everett spoke to one of the soldiers, who relayed the message into their walkie-talkies. He looked back to you with a slightly annoyed look, then turned and began walking towards the elevator, you, Steve, Sam, and T'Challa in tow. Steve glanced over his shoulder at Bucky, and you followed his line of sight to see Bucky was looking back, his eyes flickering to you. It was only a second, but his once emotionless face looked so helpless, his eyes turning sad and his lips curving downwards. It made you take in a deep breath, giving him a small nod and the best reassuring smile you could manage. He returned the gesture before leaning his head back, a large, steel door closing in front of him.

It was always those small, unspoken looks that made you see Bucky as he truly was. He wasn't incredibly flashy in his personality, not in the way Steve said he was back in Brooklyn. He was reserved and quiet, but opened up as you grew to know him. Most of his communication was done through small smiles, emotion filled glances, or the occasional soft touch. It took someone with perception to see into the mind of Bucky Barnes, and you were the perfect person to do the job. There was so much pressure on him to be better, to be a normal person, that it was almost suffocating. He felt only a fraction of normalcy in Romania, something he didn't know if he'd ever get back. But you, your way of knowing what he felt before he even knew what he was feeling- it was something that shocked him every day. When he was with you, there was no pressure to be the person someone had assumed he would be. People always thought they knew who he was before meeting him- wether they expect someone cold and murderous, or even if they expect their long-lost best friend, full of wit and charm.

It was a fact that ate at his heart, especially now that he sat within the mess that he had created. His existence had driven Steve Rogers, someone who held high regard in the world he was thrown into, to break numerous laws and risk his life to save Bucky Barnes. And at the end of it all, the person he sought out to save didn't exist anymore. Bucky Barnes now was not the same Bucky Barnes that existed in 1943. He wasn't charming and funny anymore, he could barely remember any inside jokes he shared with his life long friend, and he didn't hold the same confidence. Steve risked everything to save a ghost, and he was terrified of what would happen when the Captain finally realized that.

***

"You 'll be provided with an office instead of a cell." Everett explained while leading your small group down a stark white hallway, "Now, do me a favor, stay in it?"

"I don't intend on going anywhere." T'Challa spoke.

Natasha walked up the opposite end of the hall to meet Steve, a serious look in her eyes.

"For the record, this is what making things worse looks like." She spoke. What exactly had you missed during your time in Bucharest?

"He's alive." Steve ignored her taunting. "That's all I've been searching for." His eyes flickered to you, his voice hard. It sent a wave of guilt over your body, your muscles visibly tensing at his subtle jab. Natahsa looked you up and down with observant eyes, picking up on the tension between you and Steve.

You entered a conference room, screens with security and news footage lining the walls. You had to hold in your happiness when you saw Tony there, resisting the urge to run up and hug one of your closest friends.

"No, Romania was not Accords-sanctioned." He spoke on the phone. Accords? What Accords? "Colonel Rhodes is supervising cleanup." That made you cringe internally, thinking of the crumbled overpass that Bucky had exploded. You were shuffled to the side of the room by Nat, her seating you in a chair as what looked to be a doctor walked towards you.

"Try not to break anything while we fix this." She told Sam and Steve, not even looking over her shoulder to address them.

Tony turned and glared at Steve, his phone still at his ear. "Consequences, of course there will be consequences. Obviously you can quote me on that, because I just said it. Anything else? Thank you sir." And he hung up, stepping towards Sam and Steve. The doctor pressed antiseptic to your shoulder while you looked up at the three men, seated just to Sam's right.

"Consequences?" Steve asked.

"Secretary Ross wants you both prosecuted." Tony explained, "Had to give him something."

"Prosecuted? Secretary Ross? I'm sorry, what in the actual hell is going on?" You asked, unable to hold your words any longer. You tried to keep yourself out of the arguments the best you could, but if there was any hope on getting Bucky released, you had to understand why Captain America was now an accomplice to crime as well.

"Well, kid," Tony began, hands finding his pockets as he took another step towards you, "while you were having your vacation in Romania with Private Ryan on Ice, the rest of us had some messes to own up to." His gaze flickered to Steve before he continued, "The Sokovia Accords. After our run-in with Ultron, which I'm sure you know all about, the government realized how we need to be put in check."

"They tried to make us sign a paper so they could dictate wether or not we had a chance to fight." Steve interjected, his arms crossing over his chest. "They get to decide where we go, when we go. Anything out of their permission makes us criminals." His eyes met yours. "What was the word they used? Oh, yeah. Vigilantes." His gaze moved to Tony, an obvious annoyance in his features.

"The amount of innocent lives lost due to our 'Avenging' is what they're trying to control. We were trying to keep our list to New York, Sokovia, DC, and Lagos. I guess now we can add Bucharest, huh?" Tony argued, breaking the staring contest with Steve to look at you. "We were given free reign, and we failed. Now's the time for us to recognize that." Tony didn't give you or Steve any time to comment, turning around and falling in stride with Natahsa.

You looked at the floor, a furrow in your brows. It was a lot to take in, from the Accords to the obvious tear it was creating amongst the Earth's Mightiest Heroes. It made sense, the Accords, but only in a perfect world. Trusting the government with full control over people as powerful as the Avengers was a scenario you couldn't see ending well. Politicians weren't people you put full trust into, no matter who they were. Also, you had a hard time siding with the same government and intelligence agencies who decided that sending a nuclear missile to Manhattan in 2012 was the way to end the fight with the Chitauri. Plus, the infiltration of HYDRA within SHIELD made it hard to trust anyone in positions of power. You understood why Tony signed, and you didn't think it was the wrong decision, but you didn't think it was the right decision either. If it were you with the pen in your hand, you wouldn't sign. And you knew exactly why Steve didn't sign.

Telling that man to walk away from a fight was about as useful as telling a pig to fly.

You thanked the doctor as he finished bandaging your shoulder, taking the painkillers he handed to you for your- thankfully- only bruised ribs. You stood as he walked away, finding your place next to Sam.

"I'm not getting that shield back, am I?" Steve asked.

"Technically, it's the government's property." Nat answered.

"As before mentioned, gun was borrowed and I assume it was treasured, so I'm gonna need you to tell the government to shove it." You told Nat, causing a smirk to inch its way onto her face.

"Sorry, pistol's locked away." Her eyes moved to Sam, "Wings, too."

"That's cold." Sam muttered.

"Warmer than jail." Tony piped in over his shoulder.

***

You sat at a large table in the middle of the room, glass panes surrounding it to form a small conference room. Your hands flipped a pen you had found between them, your knee bouncing as you thoughts mulled over everything you had learned in the past hour. Steve stood looking out the window, his hands in his pockets and eyes fixed to the screen that displayed where Bucky was being kept. You were actively trying to avoid looking at that particular monitor.

"I'm sorry I hurt you, Steve." You broke the silence. He kept his back toward you, but his head fell, indicating that he heard you.

"Are you?"

His words felt like a dagger to your heart. He felt beyond betrayed, first with Tony and Nat siding with the government over him, then to find out one of the only people he saw as a true friend, (besides Sam), had been lying to him for months. Not just a small lie, but a lie about the one thing, the one person, that has occupied his mind for years.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way." You said truthfully, "I did what I thought was best for him, and I hope you can see that. If not now, then eventually." He let out a sigh, shoulders slumping. In a way, he knew why you did what you did. But, he couldn't fight his anger and disappointment either. It was truly a problem, it seemed, that only time would heal.

He opened his mouth to say something more, when Tony entered the room, gaining Steve's attention.

"Hey, you wanna see something cool?" Tony asked. "I pulled something from Dad's archives." A thin, rectangular box was held in his hand, black velvet surrounding the outside of it. Steve sat in one on the chairs as Tony strolled closer, "Felt timely." He added.

Tony paused a moment, giving Steve a look with a small sadness in his eyes. "FDR signed the Lend-Lease bill with these in 1941." He placed the box, now open, in front of Steve, two black fountain pens with shiny, gold tips placed delicately inside. "Provided support to the Allies when they needed it most," Tony continued.

"Some would say it brought our country closer to war." Steve replied, his voice taking a certain melancholy tone at the mention of the Second World War. It felt like moments ago, he was battling Nazis in France, but in all reality, his life as a World War 2 soldier ended decades ago.

"See? If not for these, you wouldn't be here." Tony said matter-of-factly, the light insult making you cringe slightly from the other end of the table. "I'm trying to... what do you call it?" Tony sat beside Steve, "That's an olive branch. Is that what you call it?" His hand came up to rest on his chin, his elbow leaning against the table.

"Is Pepper here? I didn't see her." Steve asked, turning away while changing the subject.

"We're kinda.." Tony hesitated, "Well, not kinda-"

"Pregnant?" There was an unmistakable hopefulness to Steve.

"No, definitely not." Tony scoffed, "We're taking a break. It's nobody's fault."

Steve's gaze fell, focusing on the ground. "I'm so sorry, Tony. I didn't know."

"A few years ago, I almost lost her, so I trashed all my suits." Tony began, "Then, we had to mop up HYDRA, and then Ultron. My fault." He pointed to his chest, "And then, and then, and then, I never stopped. Because, the truth is, I don't wanna stop. I don't wanna lose her. I thought maybe the Accords could split the difference."

Tony leaned back in his chair, a moment's silence falling over the room.

"In her defense, I'm a handful." He added as he stood, hands settling in his pockets. "Yet, Dad was a pain in the ass, but he and mom always made it work."

"You know, I'm glad Howard got married." Steve piped up. "I only knew him when he was young and single."

"Oh really? You two knew each other?" Tony drawled out sarcastically, "He never mentioned that. Maybe only a thousand times. God, I hated you."

You closed your eyes, feeling like you shouldn't be hearing this conversation. The tension was so thick in the air, it felt almost hard to breathe.

Steve looked up at Tony, voice a bit softer, "I don't mean to make things difficult."

"I know, cause you're a very polite person." Tony mused, slipping his suit jacket on.

"If I see a situation pointed South," Steve reasoned, "I can't ignore it. Sometimes I wish I could."

"No, you don't."

Steve let out a sad chuckle, looking down again, "No, I don't," and his eyes were back to Tony, the faintest grin on his face. "Sometimes-"

"Sometimes I wanna punch you in your perfect teeth."

Your gaze popped up at Tony's remark, muscles ceasing all movement as you watched them carefully. You were now in defense mode, ready to jump up and break up a fight if needed.

"But I don't wanna see you gone." Tony sighed, "We need you, Cap."

Another silence.

"So far, nothing's happened that can't be undone, if you sign." He gestured to the pens in the velvet box, and edge of desperation in his words. "We can make the last twenty four hours legit. Barnes gets transferred to an American psych-center instead of a Wakandan prison."

Your fist clenched around the pen in your hand, nearly snapping it in half. If Tony trying to persuade Steve to sign the Accords didn't get on your nerves already, he spoke about Bucky like was an object to be passed around, not someone who had lived peacefully among other human beings for months in Romania. No one seemed to want to acknowledge that.

Steve picked up one of the pens from the box, standing and walking towards the glass pane opposite Tony, turning the pen over in his hands. He turned to look at Tony, then dropping his gaze.

"I'm not saying it's impossible," Steve began, "but there would have to be safeguards."

"Sure." Tony replied immediately, "Once we put out the PR fire, those documents can be amended. I'd file a motion to have you and Wanda reinstated-"

"Wanda? What about Wanda?" Steve interrupted.

"She's fine. She's confined to the compound, currently. Vision's keeping her company."

Steve's disgust was evident. "Oh, God. Tony." He walked a few paces away, "Everyt- Every time I think you see things the right way-"

"It's 100 acres with a lap pool, it's got a screening room, there's worse ways to protect people."

"Protection?" Steve challenged, one hand finding his hip and the other resting on the back of a chair. "Is that how you see this? This is protection? Its internment, Tony."

"She's not a US citizen." His voice raised.

"Oh, come on, Tony."

"And they don't grant visas to weapons of mass destruction."

"She's a kid!"

"Give me a break!" Tony yelled. "I'm doing what has to be done. To stave off something worse."

Steve nodded, just a small motion that you could've missed if you weren't paying attention.

"You keep telling yourself that."

Steve dropped the fountain pen on the table, "Hate to break up the set." And he left the room.

Tony put on his aviators, his eyes downcast.

"Neither of you are wrong." You said softly, understanding eyes looking to Tony across the table.

"I know, I know." He said dismissively, "That's the worst part."

"When all of this is done, no matter what happens," you stood and walked towards him, "you have to remember why you were all put together in the first place."

Tony stayed silent, his gaze following you. You reached for the pens, delicately putting the one Steve held back in it's place within the velvet box.

"It is so hard to find people to trust in this world," you began, "don't let them go so easily."

He gave you a small nod of acknowledgement, to which you gave a soft smile.

"How'd you get tangled in all of this, kid?" He asked, more to himself than you, "This all isn't going to end without a fight."

Your eyes found the monitor with Bucky on it, your heart swelling at the memory of your times in Bucharest. "You know all of the deep, dark thoughts I told you about?"

"Every one."

"Well," you sighed, tearing your gaze away from Bucky, "I didn't think it was possible, but I found happiness."

Tony's eyes moved to Bucky, a disappointed frown pulling at his lips.

"I hope it isn't temporary." He says sincerely.

Lowering your eyes, you gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze before leaving the room, following Steve.

Your sole purpose in this fight wasn't within the Accords, or even in the wellbeing of the Avengers. It was in a single man- James Buchanan Barnes. If agreeing with Steve on the issue of the Accords would help bring Bucky to safety once more, then to hell with the government.

***

You sat by Sam in the conference room once again, Steve taking his place by the glass wall to watch Bucky, Sharron placing a paper in Sam's hand.

"The receipt for your gear." She explained.

"'Bird costume'? Come on," Sam complained.

"I didn't write it." She defended. She looked around, earning a suspicious look from you, before reaching towards a button pad in the middle of the table, clicking the center. The surveillance footage on Bucky came upon the screen within the conference room, the voice of the therapist hired by the centre seeping through the speakers.

"I'm not here to judge you." He spoke with a strong Russian accent.

Steve looked back at Sharron, a small nod being sent his direction. You immediately sat straighter, your blood running cold when you saw Bucky, still confined in the glass tank. You wanted nothing more than to hold his hand and tell him that you would figure everything out, that the normal and happy life he had created wasn't out of reach. You wished you could hold him close while he hummed a song that danced on the edges of his memory, his hand planted firmly on your back and his cheek pressed against yours. All he deserved was warm, soft moments for the rest of his life, and yet he was sitting in a cold, hard cell.

"I just want to ask you a few questions." The therapist continued. "Do you know where you are, James? I can't help you if you don't talk to me, James."

"My name is Bucky."

His voice was so soft, so hurt. You felt everything inside you shatter, a sad sigh leaving your lips. A day ago, he had everything. He was adjusting to life in Bucharest, living day to day with the added bonus of a beautiful girl to share it with. In all honesty, he didn't know what his life in Romania could've looked like with you, but the daydreams he imagined always were heavenly. He would dream about the domestic moments, the moments that are so overlooked in the name of routine, the moments no one ever cherishes because they were never ripped from their grasp. Moments like seeing you smile as he approached the table at the bakery. Watching you rummage through the refrigerator for a quick snack. Watching you work on your laptop, your bottom lip curling between your teeth if you concentrated enough. It was the little moments he would dream about, and they always included you.

Apparently, even that was too much to ask for.

Steve looked to the pictures taken of his friend in Vienna again before setting them back down on the table.

"Why would the Task Force release this photo to begin with?" He asked.

"Get the word out, involve as many eyes as we can?" Sharron answered.

"Right. It's a good way to flush a guy out of hiding." You didn't miss the way his gaze flickered to you momentarily. "Set off a bomb, get your picture taken. Get seven billion people looking for the Winter Soldier."

"You're saying someone framed him to find him?" Sharron questioned.

"He never left Bucharest." You chimed in. All eyes turned to you, Sharron looking the most surprised.

"What?" She asked.

"I've been with Bucky for a little over two months, in Romania. He hasn't left since he arrived there." You leaned back in your seat, letting out a breath, "I know any court of law won't just take my word for it, but I can promise you that Steve is right. Someone wanted to get him out of hiding, and made sure they did something big enough to get the whole world looking."

"Okay," She began, processing your words, "But, that doesn't guarantee that whoever framed him would get him. It guarantees that we would."

There was a moment, just a moment, where her words hung in the air. Then the realization began to sink in, your stomach dropping as soon as it clicked together in your brain.

"Yeah." Steve agreed, his stare on the therapist in the same room as Bucky.

"Tell me Bucky, you've seen great deal, haven't you?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"You fear that if you open your mouth, the horrors might never stop. Don't worry. We only have to talk about one."

Suddenly, all of the lights in the building turned dark, the small emergency lights barely illuminating the room. You stood quickly, panic filling your veins. Steve turned towards Sharron.

"Sub-level five, East Wing." She said, her voice lightly shaking. You, Sam, and Steve began running, hoping to reach Bucky before it was too late.

***

You turned the corner behind the two boys, noticing the security guard laying unconscious on the floor. The three of you carefully tread forward, the next room reveling several more bodies.

"Help me." A raspy voice called. Steve stood and ran towards it while you knelt by one of the guards, checking for a pulse.

Steve walked towards the 'therapist'. "Get up." He ordered. He yanked the imposter off the ground, slamming him against one of the concrete walls. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"To see an empire fall."

Sam entered the room, you only a couple steps behind him. He immediately dodged down, a metal fist swinging for his head. You jumped back, stumbling over one on the unconscious guards' legs. In an instant, Sam was being thrown across the room, hitting the glass cage and the ground with two loud thuds. You pulled yourself behind a desk, knowing you wouldn’t beat Bucky in a fight on your best day, and watched with horror as Bucky fought Steve, each punch moving him backwards further and further. They reached the elevator, Bucky punching Steve with so much force that it ripped the metal doors away and sent him tumbling down the elevator shaft.

Although you had no chance against the super soldier and highly skilled assassin Bucky was, you ran from your hiding spot, following Bucky as he walked away from the elevator.

"Hey!" You shouted, stopping him in his tracks. He turned slowly, his eyes void of emotion as they looked at you. "Where do you think you're going?" You taunted.

He ran at a full sprint towards you, a yell leaving his throat. You stood your ground, nostrils flaring as you prepared yourself to fight.

He swung with a left hook, making you dodge the metallic fist. Your right foot kicked at the middle of his chest, making him stumble backwards. You took the opportunity to swing your right fist at him, but he was too quick, catching your swing mid air. Eyes widening in fear, you met his gaze. His left hand shot out and wrapped around your throat, backing you against a wall as you clawed at the metal fingers with your own.

"Buc-Bucky." You choked out, his face staying monotone. "Please."

You could feel your lungs begin to burn, your head grow heavy with pressure.

"My.. destiny." Your voice was strained, but you sang the words the best you could. "Is to be... in love... with you."

He blinked, a softness in the blues of his eyes for a fraction of a second before disappearing again.

"Makes.. no difference... what you say, or do."

His hand loosened the slightest bit, your voice coming out stronger as you sang softly to him.

"I must stay... in love... with you."

He began seeing flashes- an apartment with a laptop propped in the corner, playing a song that made him feel warm, content.

"That's my.. destiny."

His head shook, images of the soft sunlight peaking through the curtains flashing in his mind. He could feel your eyelashes on his cheek, he could hear your heart racing.

"It's a thing.. you can't control..."

He let out a pained grunt, dropping you to the floor in a crumpled heap. You coughed, sucking in lungfuls of air. His head twitched side to side, trying to ignore the memories fighting to get through to the forefront of his mind. You looked up at him, standing hesitantly with your hands in front of you.

"I belong to you, both heart and soul," your voice was raspy, but it kept the sweetness that Bucky adored. His eyes trained on you, his breathing heavy. You stepped towards him cautiously.

"With a love beyond control," You kept taking small steps towards him, his eyes never leaving you.

"They say nothing is sure," your hand slowly met his cheek, him flinching slightly at your touch, "even the sea runs dry." Your other hand met his other cheek, encasing his face in your hands.

"They're wrong, one thing is sure," you looked up at him, now less than a foot away from his body, "love like mine can never die."

He blinked, his breathing slowing to a normal pace. His eyes were glued to the wall to the right of your head, nostrils flaring slightly with every inhale.

"Bucky?" You asked softly. His eyes snapped to yours, the icy blue becoming soft, but freezing over just as quick.

His fists clenched at his side, and in a moment he had flung you off of him, your body hitting the wall as he continued on his rampage. The impact sent you to the floor, your side with already bruised ribs throbbing. You tried to breathe through the pain, but between the shock of it all and your hyperventilating, you eventually passed out, the world going black.

TO BE CONTINUED

TAGLIST:

@thewolfgirluniverse

#bucky #bucky x reader #bucky barnes #marvel #civil war #captain america

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thecomicsnexus · 6 years ago

Photo

THE WILDSTORM #3-6 JUNE - SEPTEMBER 2017 BY WARREN ELLIS, JON DAVIS-HUNT, JOHN KALISZ, STEVE BUCCELLATO

SYNOPSIS (FROM DC DATABASE)

In New York, Ivana Baiul is on the phone with someone, explaining that her work is in lockdown while they deal with the fallout from the Angela Spica situation, but that she anticipates a promotion out of it, which could lead to the removal of Miles Craven. The room of analysts she is technically overseeing includes two men watching footage of Angela Spica activating her armor in the middle of a crowd.

On the screen, a woman in the crowd turns around, and then she's gone. The same woman is suddenly inside a digital comic on a nearby tablet. She walks from that to the background of a currently-broadcast episode of the forensics show Crime Doctor on the Galaxy television network, and from that to a soda commercial. She appears in a commercial for the same soda in Times Square, and is then walking through Times Square itself. Critical of the soda, she pulls out her phone to watch a Kord video of Martian Manhunter. Appearing in the background of that, she is suddenly in her flat. Pausing to light a cigarette using a lighter that commemorates the "1955 Mars Expedition", she looks up at a wall of pins and pieces of paper, and wonders where she will add the information she has newly gained about Angela Spica.

Angie Spica thinks about her life. Working for a front organization for a year before being brought into I.O. proper. Getting suddenly transferred to the Senior Reporting Group in Manhattan. Then getting pressganged into brainstorming new armor designs for the Razor covert action teams, despite her background being in medical engineering. Trying to square the circle, which led her here, on the run, doing diagnostics on the launch system she built into herself.

Energy bleeding out of the air suddenly earths itself like lightning in the middle of the room, and three newcomers are standing there. They introduce themselves as Adrianna, Cole, and Kenesha, and say they were sent by Jacob Marlowe, to offer her "aid and shelter". Angie begins losing her composure, claiming that I.O. runs the planet and that she will be safe nowhere, but before the newcomers can calm her down, Miles Craven's Razor team dynamites their way through the door and throws flashbangs.

Reacting first, Cole jumps backwards, pulling out his pistols, shooting at the flashbangs, causing them to ricochet backwards into the Razors. The resulting explosion knocks everyone in the room down, and the Razors stride in, wearing fearsome body armor. They demand that everyone lay down their weapons. Cole has a mask on at this stage, and before the Razors have time to process what is happening, Angie activates her armor and launches a set of micro-drones equipped with searchlights, which cripple the optics on the Razors' armor. Blinded, the Razors' pointman is easily knocked backwards by a dum-dum bullet from Kenesha.

In the command room at I.O., the woman from Analysis uses the little their cameras are currently able to catch to discern the make of the micro-drone Angie is using: a design proposed for rescue missions, but then shelved because Strike insisted that they had a military application as smartbombs.

In the bunker, the pointman suddenly realizes that Kenesha's dum-dum bullet is also an explosive device, seconds before he is blown to bloody chunks. The other members of his team are knocked down, and Cole keeps them down with suppressive fire, but Adrianna has her own problems: a piece of shrapnel in her head has caused her to bleed silver and speak in a nonhuman tongue.

Craven orders the Razors to fall back and use explosives, but Cole knocks the grenade back towards them again. Cole looks back to see Kenesha fretting over Adrianna, and Angie, fully armored, clutching the remains of her laptop and cutting a hole in the roof to escape through.

Facing defeat, Miles Craven orders a scorched-earth tactic: to demolish the building and leave no survivors.

Acting fast, Cole achieves twin close-range headshots on both surviving members of the I.O. Razor covert action team, seemingly killing both. Cole pauses to congratulate the team, missing the fact that one of the Razors has survived, and pulled the pins on two grenades. Acting fast, Kenesha pulls the shrapnel out of Adrianna's head, causing her to come back to her senses and teleport the three of them out of there with no time to spare.

Over Montauk sound, Angie Spica's armor transforms in order to adapt to underwater travel and she dives into water.

In the I.O. command room, Miles Craven is looking at a bank of dead monitors. He says he needs Ben Santini to handle this, and that he needs to talk to Michael Cray.

At the safehouse in Brooklyn, Cole is angry at the outcome of the mission, and shocked that Adrianna managed to survive traumatic head injury, but doesn't know how. Adrianna says that the issue needs to be resolved, and that she will recover Angie.

Miles Craven walks into his New York apartment to get a change of clothes. His husband, Julian, is up, and the two pull out a bottle of wine while Miles lays out the situation: the flying power-armored woman who saved Jacob Marlowe on the news is actually the rogue researcher who recently stalked them, and who built her suit with technology she stole from I.O. - technology that I.O. itself stole from a crashed spacecraft called a "Breslau" which belonged to Henry Bendix, a creepy old man who is a peer of Miles'. Trying to cover this up, they discovered an unaffiliated covert action team - a wild CAT, something they've never encountered before.

In an unspecified location, Henry Bendix walks out of a teleport machine, and then chews out the operator for taking so long. Meeting his underling, Lauren Pennington, he walks out with her, insisting that she brief him in his private quarters. However, as soon as they are alone, his shoulders slump in relief and she takes a seat. Bendix starts drinking alcohol and complaining about the air quality on Earth. As he opines that he sometimes wishes he could have the excuse to blow up the world, the view pans out to reveal their location - a massive space station, orbiting Earth.

In the I.O. cafeteria, Michael Cray is having a coffee, but suddenly part of the cup deflagrates in his hand. He recovers from this shock just in time to talk to Miles Craven, to who he lays out the news: he has an inoperable brain tumor, but feels fine. Miles Craven asks him if he still wants to do his job.

On the road into Tiverton, RI, Angie Spica slouches purposefully.

In an I.O. facility, the assassin Michael Cray is taking his last assignment. He wants to leave and begin treatment for his brain tumor, but his boss, Miles Craven, is persuasive - his previous target, Jacob Marlowe, was saved from him by a woman identified as Angela Spica, who built a suit of armor from tech stolen from I.O. - tech I.O. was not supposed to have. Craven needs Spica dealt with, and Michael is the best for the job, but time is a factor and Craven needs him to also make the dossier. In private, Michael admits to himself that he loves the world for its strangeness and, because of that, he's afraid to die.

At night, Lucy Blaze is arriving at Camp Hero, responding to seismic activity and a sighting of Angela Spica. Via her earpiece, she confirms evidence of a struggle and the mangled corpse of an I.O. covert action operative. She finds an egress, not created by seismic activity, but before she can add more, the radio becomes useless from sudden static. At this point, a nonhuman creature steps out of the shadows and greets her verbally. Blaze refers to the creature as a "daemon" and pulls a smallarm. The creature says it is simply observing these events, as she is, and that it and its allies have reached the conclusion that if the situation surrounding Angela Spica is allowed to come to a head without either of their factions interfering, it will be for the best. The creature then vanishes, leaving Blaze to ponder.

A woman against a background of planets and pink energy. An arm, shapeshifting to reveal blue skin and talons. A chair surrounded by a wall of televisions, all showing one woman making a myriad of choices. "Incision", the new single from Voodoo. Coming soon on Lady Backlash Records.

In Michael Cray's headquarters, he is going over the raw data, trying to distract himself from his life-threatening condition. However, when he reviews the footage from the bodycams the covert action team was wearing, he makes a startling discovery...

On a street in America, Angela Spica is on the run. Without money or even a jacket equal to the wind, she uses her suit implants to hack into an ATM, wryly ashamed of herself for doing so. Suddenly, bursts of pink energy outline a human shape at multiple locations on this block, with the effect eventually grounding itself on the pavement in front of her. The woman in the spacesuit now standing there introduces herself as a friend, and asks for a chance to tell her story.

At a nearby diner, the astronaut introduces herself as Adrianna Tereshkova, a former member of a secret space program called Skywatch. Skywatch built the stealth system she reverse-engineered for her suit. She left due to the incident which left her with the mirrorglass eyes and teleporting abilities she now has.

Tereshkova explains that most of Skywatch's spacecrafts use electromagnetism, to great effect, but that they are keen to master interstellar engines. By interfacing with Angela's tech, she is able to show Angela a VR representation of her memories: Skywatch had assigned her to the astronaut team testing the Incision system. The Incision system was based on the theory that if one could cut through reality, one would find an "under-verse", through which it would theoretically be faster than light in travel. The designers had nicknamed this under-verse "the Bleed". But when the Incision system activated, the ship was crushed and the crew died. However, in the Bleed, she was found by... something, who put her back together and caused her to wake up in a crater in Russia. Adrift, she was found by Jacob Marlowe, who she acknowledges as a flawed employer, but also one who respects the needs of outsiders like her and Angela.

In New York, Michael Cray confronts Miles Craven, and turns down the mission to assassinate Angela Spica. Craven insists that Spica is a "good target", but Michael disagrees, pointing out that she was deemed trustworthy by every test I.O. put her through. That she needs a sympathetic ear, not a hitman. That she responds with fear in the footage from the CAT bodycam. And then Michael lays out his bigger problem: Craven assured him she deserved death, but he only found out she didn't because he was given raw data instead of manifactured profiles for the first time. So now, at the end of his career, he is left to wonder how many of his targets were good people who fell afoul of Miles Craven.

Craven jokes that Michael is not thinking straight due to his brain tumor, but Michael is unmoved. Craven shrugs, and says that if Michael will not kill, then he's useless to him. He orders Michael to hand over his badge and implies that he will withhold Michael's tumor treatment unless he complies.

In his quarters, Michael is left to think about the course of his life. The pride of his father. The wondrous strangeness of the world, at its best and its worst. The failings of his fellow men, and his efforts to correct it. Then, the Navy. National service with handgun and shotgun and hacksaw. And then, being recruited by Miles Craven. The wondrous strangeness of the world reduced down to a distant head in a rifle scope.

There is a knock on Michael Cray's door. When he answers it, a woman named Christine Trelane introduces herself as working for a private outfit, Executive Protection Services, who can offer him better medical treatment than his current employer, to do the same job but with more freedom.

There is a second knock at the door, and the knocker says that his personal effects have been taken to him.

In his apartment, Michael Cray is reacting suspiciously to a knock on the door. Informing the knocker that he is just changing clothes, he pulls out a handgun and waits the thirty seconds necessary for the knockers to try to sneak into his flat, at which point he shoots one in the leg. In the ensuing fight, Michael uses handguns, furniture, and in one case, the subject's own neck, to gain situational dominance and kill both attackers. His visitor, Christine Trelane, repeats her job offer: better pay, medical insurance, and more freedom. Michael asks if the job includes a flat with better security, and when Christine responds in the affirmative, he accepts her offer.

At the safehouse in Brooklyn, Adrianna arrives with Angie. Cole and Jacob arrive to meet her. Cole promises coffee, while Jacob promises answers. Angie accepts both.

Adrianna takes this time to retire to her room, where she takes off her clothes, revealing that she has no human face, just a mask and a silvery humanoid body, complete with toes and ears but void of facial features. Sitting down to meditate, she generates a miniaturized rainstorm.

In the kitchen, Jacob sits down with a bottle of alcohol to tell Angie a story: he created the Halo Corporation to design and sell consumer electronic devices. Jacob Marlowe believes in the future, and he wants the optimal version thereof. To that end, he assembled a group of incredible people and gave them a support structure, creating what I.O. refers to as a "CAT" (Covert Action Team).

Jacob then moves on to explain I.O. Created at some point in the 1950s as a classified joint intelligence committee, I.O. metastatized beyond all attempts to curtail it, and has been secretly running world events for years. The notable holdout is Skywatch, a secret space program which predates I.O. Skywatch was briefly part of I.O., but broke loose. As a result of the break, a series of treaties were signed between the two agencies, amounting to a non-aggression pact - I.O. can do what it wants on Earth, and Skywatch can do what it wants in space.

Angie interjects here, asking why I.O. would voluntarily give up control of Skywatch. Jacob, pausing to take another drink, explains that while I.O. envies Skywatch's hardware, the technology is in service to an ideology and a mission which is at odds with I.O.'s goals of control and medium-term benefit. Earth is rich and warm. Space is cold and dead. Mars is theoretically habitable, but still a challenge to get to and borderline unsurvivable, for... a host of reasons. So I.O. lets Skywatch alone.

Jacob moves on to the final key point: both I.O. and Skywatch are masters of their own domain. Each demeans the ideology of the other, but each secretly desires the resources the other commands. And while the treaties hold them in check, enough shock might make them fight, which would be disastrous.

At this point, Jacob pauses, and asks her why she rabbited at the bunker in Montauk. Angie tries to bluff, but eventually reveals the truth: when she created her drysuit, she gave it medical-grade scanning equipment, for use in disaster zones. Cole registered as a human. Adrianna registered as... something. But Kenesha has a completely inhuman internal structure, and that frightened Angie. In the quiet, Jacob asks if she would briefly scan him. Angie complies... and gets a shocking look at his skeleton. He states his case - he is not a medical miracle, but simply a lifeform alien to Earth, like Kenesha. He built the safehouse and populated it with people who have no home in the outside world. He and they are fighting two rival world-ruling powers, and a host of smaller powers, to fix a world that doesn't understand them. And he is offering her a place in this endeavour.

In Skywatch's space station, Ms. Pennington rouses Henry Bendix with new intel. Grumbling, Bendix watches footage of Angie Spica's transdermal drysuit changing configuration over Montauk sound. After a few seconds, he recognises the technology as being copied from the old Breslau II spaceships that Skywatch used when he was younger. As a brace of Skywatch craft make launch for the planet, Henry Bendix announces that he will "rain fire from heaven" to discover who is stealing from him.

REVIEW

By the pacing of these first six issues, I feel sometimes that this story was meant for HBO. But depending on the budget, it could also end up on Netflix (well, it would most likely end in the DC Universe service).

It’s all about world building in these issues, and putting all the players on the board. Some of them we barely seen. But Angela, Grifter and Michael Cray are clearly the stars of this part of the story.

I should have continued reviewing individual chapters, but to be honest, every chapter would have the same score (it has a very consistent quality). The fact that it is a 24 issue maxi-series is also a bit ridiculous, most comic-books these days do not get to issue 13.

This is a great story thus far, but I feel a lot more could have been done in the meantime (there is a Michael Cray series as well). What I am trying to say is... it’s been a while since DC/Wildstorm published WildCATs. The whole point of Flashpoint was to integrate the two universes. Now this is some kind of reboot? Or is it a stand-alone story? Just wondering, doesn’t really affect the quality of this story, but brings many questions to my mind.

The art is very consistent as well, and apart from very well placed cliffhangers, it feels like these are not episodes. Perhaps six issues make one episode. In an HBO show, these six chapters would make one episode (maybe I am overestimating HBO... it could be half a season).

I give these chapters a score of 7

#jon davis-hunt #dc comics #wildstorm #the wildstorm #grifter #wildcats #wildc.a.t.s #comics #review #2017 #post modern age #michael cray

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bloojayoolie · 6 years ago

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Animals, Beautiful, and Candy: 3 Pick meme Cho m 6059 sweet as her name, a beautiful little girl, 9 yrs young, just 10 lbs, suffering from anxiety so she would do best in a new home where her special person is there most of the time. Maybe your house? This lovely little cutie pie is waitine for your lap to snuggle in at the Manhattan, NY ACC, Inquire about her now before it is too late! **FOSTER or ADOPTER NEEDED ASAP** Candy 60591... sweet as her name, a beautiful little girl, 9 yrs young, just 10 lbs, suffering from anxiety so she would do best in a new home where her special person is there most of the time. Maybe your house? This lovely little cutie pie is waiting for your lap to snuggle in at the Manhattan, NY ACC. Inquire about her now before it is too late! ✔Pledge✔Tag✔Share✔FOSTER✔ADOPT✔Save a life! Candy 60591 Small Mixed Breed Sex female Age 9 yrs (approx.) - 10 lbs My health has been checked. My vaccinations are up to date. My worming is up to date. I have been micro-chipped. I am waiting for you at the Manhattan, NY ACC. Please, Please, Please, save me! **************************************** To FOSTER or ADOPT this little nugget, SPEAK UP NOW Direct adopt from NYC ACC OR APPLY with rescues OR message Must Love Dogs - Saving NYC Dogs for assistance immediately! ************************************** The general rule is to foster you have to be within 4 hours of the NYC ACC approved New Hope partner rescues you are applying with and to adopt you will have to be in the general NE US area; NY, NJ, CT, PA, DC, MD, DE, NH, RI, MA, VT & ME (some rescues will transport to VA). ************************************** You must apply to rescues already approved to pull from NYC ACC shelters. Rescues can't do anything without APPLICATIONS! If your application is approved, rescue will arrange transport. ************************************** Date of intake: 20-Apr-2019 Notes: Suffers from anxiety. Candy is reported to chase and bite at her tail until is bleeds Date of assessment: 22-Apr-2019 Summary: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: None Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: None Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Moderately social Call over: Approaches With coaxing Sociability comments: Body soft, sniffing room Handling Soft handling: Accepts contact Exuberant handling: Accepts contact Comments: Body soft, stands still Arousal Jog: Follows (loose) Arousal comments: None Knock: No response Knock Comments: None Toy: No response Toy comments: None Date of initial: 20-Apr-2019 Summary: Shy, allowed handling ENERGY LEVEL: We have no history on Candy so we cannot be certain of her behavior in a home environment. At the care center, she displays a medium level of activity. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: Level 3 Behavior Asilomar TM - Treatable-Manageable Potential challenges: Anxiety Potential challenges comments: Anxiety: Candy is reportedly to chase her tail and bite it until it bleeds. This behavior shows a very high level of anxiety that has progressed to the point where she is self mutilating and will likely need the help of a veterinary behaviorist. Please see handout on Anxiety. ... NOTE: *** WE HAVE NO OTHER INFORMATION THAN WHAT IS LISTED WITH THIS FLYER *** - For more information, or to direct adopt, please EMAIL [email protected] - SUBJECT Line: ** Dog's Name & ID # ** - Don't forget to add your email address and phone numbers where they can reach you to your email as well. ... RE: ACC site Just because a dog is not on the ACC site does NOT necessarily mean safe. There are many reasons for this like a hold or an eval has not been conducted yet or the dog is rescue-only... the list goes on... Please, do share & apply to foster/adopt these pups as well until their thread is updated with their most current status. TY! ======== Shelter addresses ====== - Manhattan Shelter: 326 East 110 St., New York, NY 10029 - Brooklyn Shelter: 2336 Linden Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY 11208 - Staten Island: 3139 Veterans Rd W, Staten Island, NY 10309 - Phone number: 212-788-4000 (is automated only) Operating hours: Monday through Friday 12.00pm to 8.00pm, Saturday & Sunday: 10.00am to 6.00pm. Closed on all Holidays. ****************************************** ****************************************** About Must Love Dogs - Saving NYC Dogs: We are a group of advocates (NOT a shelter NOR a rescue group) dedicated to finding loving homes for NYC dogs in desperate need. ALL the dogs on our site need Rescue, Fosters, or Adopters & that ASAP as they are in NYC high-kill shelters. If you cannot foster or adopt, please share them far & wide. Thank you for caring!! <3 ****************************************** RESCUES: * Indicates New Hope Rescue partner is accepting applications for fosters and/or adopters. http://www.nycacc.org/get-involved/new-hope/nhpartners ****************************************** https://www.nycacc.org/adopt/candy-60591 ++++ http://nycaccpets.shelterbuddy.com/animal/animalDetails.asp?s=adoption&searchTypeId=4&animalType=3%2C16&datelostfoundmonth=4&datelostfoundday=21&datelostfoundyear=2019&tpage=6&find-submitbtn=Find+Animals&pagesize=16&task=view&searchType=4&animalid=96037 ++++ ++++ Beamer Maximillian Carolin Hocker Caro Hocker Stephanie Stadler Vivian Chi-Saver Michele St Laurent

#funny #lol #humor #memes #meme #memehumor #dank memes #funny pics #rolf #lmao #Animals #Beautiful #a

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edourado · 7 years ago

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Not Pete

Nobody asked for this. But here it is anyway.

It’s my birthday in two weeks and I’m not excited at all, so here it is me trying to forget it.

There’s fluff and there’s smut, which, I guess, makes this a flut. It’s more bullshit. Which you guys seem to like, so there you go.

Much love.

All the words she had prepared to throw at him, thought out in the height of her worry, anger and righteousness, slipped right off her brain when she saw him again, barely two weeks after the whole mess at the hotel.

She was sitting at the window seat of a nice coffee shop in Brooklyn, typing down notes on her phone from the interview she had just walked out of, waiting for her latte to be ready so she could go home, when there he was.

Karen lifted her head from her phone, trying to decide if she should add that little sexist comment from the Congressman or not, when she saw him. Frank. Standing there on the other side of the street, leaning against the wall between a drug store and a dry cleaning place, hands in his pockets, hoodie over his head, dressed in all black, the picture of danger itself.

Not a man you would approach out of nowhere.

She doesn’t know how long they stared at each other, but the crease between his brows was not so pronounced when she jumped at the “Karen!” the barista shouted over the counter. She blinked, put her phone in her pocket, moved to get her coffee and walked out, a little bit relieved to see he hadn’t left. The possibility that he was just checking on her did cross her mind when she turned away from him to get her order. Maybe he just wanted to see if she’s ok, let her know he’s still alive, and then he’d go?

But he was still there.

She checked for cars and crossed the street when it was clear, feeling her heart beat faster when she got to him, that little smile on his lips, almost not there at all, and she didn’t know if she wanted to punch him or hug him.

Maybe a bit of both. Maybe a lot more of both.

“Is this your thing? Lack of proper 21st century communication?”

He shrugged, blinking, but not dropping his gaze from hers.

“Gotta be original somehow.”

She chuckled and shook her head.

“Where have you been?”

Frank took a breath and leaned off the wall.

“Wanna take a walk?”

Karen was glad she decided to wear her comfortable boots that day, because they walked and walked and walked while he told her what had happened to him after he climbed out of that elevator.

She listened to him, heart threatening to leap out of her throat as he told her that the man he had once considered his brother had betrayed him, sold him out, sought him out to finish what was started at the park.

“I knew it”, she said, shaking her head as cold wind blasted her in the face while they walked side by side, his arm brushing hers here and there. “When I read about the park, I knew it had something to do with you.”

“I thought for sure you were gonna write the story”, he teased, looking at her.

“Ellison pulled me from it.”

“Why?”

“Beats the hell out of me. But we went with the bullshit the police fed us. ‘Drug deal gone wrong’.”

They walked some more and he told her about how it had gotten to that, about David’s family, the deal with Madani, Russo and Rawlings and how they had tortured him, but confessed to all their crimes in the process.

She blinked and the tears fell when she reached her hand and touched the bruises on his face.

“Are you ok now?”

He shrugged, looking away and then at her again.

“Got some cracked ribs, a punctured lung and a concussion. More stitches than I can count, honestly. Pretty sure I have a cold.” And then he lifted his hand to wipe the tears from one of her cheeks. “Don’t cry”, he asked softly. “I’m all better. Can even walk again!”

“You couldn’t walk?!” she asked, alarmed, grabbing his arm and he shook his head, his hand over hers.

“No- It was a joke. Sorry. I could walk, don’t- Don’t worry.”

“I do worry!” she argued. “I do worry, Frank, that’s not something you get to ask me anymore.”

She bowed her head to clean the tears, and suddenly she was in his arms, smelling the subtle smell of his after shave.

“I’m sorry. It’s ok, I’m fine, now, I promise.”

With a kiss to her forehead, he leaned back and looked at her face, and Karen took a deep breath, sniffing and looking back at his.

Deciding to believe him, she wiped the rest of the tears, blinking at him when he tugged under her chin to make her lift her head.

“And it’s… I mean, is it done? With Rawlings and Russo?”

They resumed their walk side by side, going nowhere in particular, just strolling around Brooklyn, not really bothered by the wind coming from the river, and he told her how he had killed Rawlings, but had worked with the NSA and CIA to expose his crimes first.

“You’ve been busy.”

“How does it go?” he mused, throwing her empty coffee cup on a trash can when they turned a corner. “No rest for the wicked.”

“Yeah”, she said, suddenly happy for him, happy that maybe, finally, at least that one war was over. She doesn’t know what the path is, now, doesn’t really dare hope for peace, but maybe, just for a while… “Now there’s the matter of settling just how wicked you are.”

The little laugh that left him warmed her heart, in spite of the cold weather.

“And Micro?”

He bought them more coffee and they ended up by the water again, like that time they had met and it was all still so complicated, he was still so tortured. Now, they leaned against the railings and he told her all about David Lieberman, making her laugh at the stories, smile at the image of his kids, feel good about the family he had found and became important to him.

“They invited me for Thanksgiving”, he told her, facing the water, looking towards Manhattan, while she faced him.

“Did you go?”

He breathed deep and shook his head.

“Thought about it, but… I don’t know, didn’t really feel… Right. You know?”

He looked at her and she shrugged, offering a smile.

“There was shit I needed to figure out, you know, I was all banged up, didn’t to scare the kids or anything.”

“And during that… ‘Figuring out’ process, there wasn’t a moment where you thought ‘Hmm. Maybe I should call that lady. She seems to care about me, maybe she’d like to have news weather I’m alive or dead’. Or something?”

It was a reprimand, but she was so happy for him, that he was here, that he came to see her, that it came out as teasing.

Sure enough, there was that side, charming smile.

“I did think about it.”

“Did you?”

“Yes, I did”, he turned to her, and now they faced each other, very close. “But I didn’t want you to see me like that again. And then I didn’t want to impose on your holiday. And then I thought ‘shit, it’s been too long’.”

She laughed at that, for some unknown reason. It wasn’t even funny, but she laughed and he laughed along.

“But then I knew you were gonna be mad at me.”

“I was mad at you. I was worried sick, but I was mad.”

There is this something that keeps happening, now. She feels a shift in the world whenever they stand like this, close and looking at each other. Last time, it had been inside a service elevator and they were surrounded by police, he was bleeding, barely able to walk, they had just escaped an explosion, but still, there was that shift, as if time was stretching, maybe slowing down. She had to snap herself out of it before, he had to go if he didn’t want to be caught by the NYPD, but now no one’s chasing him. There’s no danger, nowhere they needed to be.

No place they’d rather be.

Frank looked at her and she felt her toes wiggling inside her boots.

“Mostly worried, though?” he asked and she smiled again.

“Mostly worried.”

He didn’t say anything else. Just stood there looking at her, going from her eyes to her face to her lips and back at her eyes.

“I put those stupid flowers on the window”, she informed, completely incapable and unwilling to stop that smile, and on he stared. And nodded. “I’m pretty sure they’re frozen, now.”

“They are.”

There was a distant beat of music, the heavy beat of an electronic bassline, and it both lulled her into that thing that was happening there between them and out of it, making her turn her face slightly away when he leaned in, slowly, and they both smiled when his nose touched her cheek, his forehead on her temple. Her hand moved up to close on his coat, pulling him to her and away from the railing, resuming their walk.

“Come on”, she called when he made to pull her back, and his hand moved to take hers away from his coat, holding on to it while they started their slow paced stroll. “Tell me what happened to Madani.”

With his hand holding hers, he told her how she had taken him into her home after he killed Rawlings, how her father had saved his life, how he was pretty sure she had planted a tracker on him, because she showed up at the park without any sort of back up, and then she was shot, he had to wait for the cops with her, otherwise she was gonna die for sure. And then how he had actually gotten a decent treatment at the hospital and his record was wiped clean.

Karen tried to not think about the shape he was in when he was treated by Mr. Madani, focusing instead on the warmth of his palm against hers, even if his fingers were cold.

“Not a dull moment, huh, Frank?”

“Pete”, he said.

“Uh? Oh. Right.”

She looked at him again, walking there by her side, and his face shone with moving lights when he looked back at her. There was some sort of party going on ahead of them, she could feel the beat of the music inside her chest, hard and vibrating.

Taking a step ahead, Karen turned towards him and walked backwards towards those flashing lights and the deep boom boom boom of the music, pulling him by the hand, not changing their slow pace.

“You don’t look like a Pete. Castiglione”, she tested the last name, rolling it out of her tongue.

“No?”

If he keeps looking at her like that, she’s not gonna need her coat in a minute.

“No.”

“What do I look like?”

“You look like Frank Castle.”

“Shh”, he chastised, pulling on her hand, pulling her to him, landing his mouth there on her ear and she gripped the fabric of his coat on his back, left hand still in his. “The whole point is not being Frank anymore. “

She let her head fall to the side a bit, closing her eyes and welcoming the feeling of his mouth on her skin, but then moved to look at him again.

“I don’t know if I’m ok with that.”

Frank lifted his free hand and moved a lock of her hair away from her face.

“You might be the one person left that actually likes Frank Castle”, he said, low, very low, just for her.

“Well. The guy keeps saving my life”. His hand settled on the back of her head, fingers spreading inside her hair, and she let him hold her like that for a second. “What’s a girl to do?”

“For starters, she could stop looking for trouble.”

He looked very good. He always did, but tonight there was something… More. Or maybe she had just missed him too much.

“Hmm. Where’s the fun in that?”

He shook his head, those dark eyes scanning her face, and brought his hand around again. A shiver ran through her, making her tighten the hold she still had in one of his hands, and his thumb pulled on her lower lip a bit, releasing it after a second, his nail scratching a line from her chin to her neck.

She blinked and tumbled her head back, watching as the breath she let out condensed in front of her, and then turned away from him again, pulling him towards the party a few paces ahead.

He made to step to the left, to go around the block. Karen looked at him and tugged.

“Let’s go through.”

It was a warehouse party, the huge doors opened, light, music and party goers spilling out into the street, the view of the Manhattan skyline by night too alluring to pass up. She watched as he looked around, that mean face slipping back on, assessing, checking, so she turned back towards him, tugging on his hand, making him look at her again, that song thumping too loud in her ears, she doesn’t even likes this kind of music, people were laughing and dancing and jumping around them, lights of every color blinked around, and she let go of him, walking backwards, just to watch him chase, and he did.

As if he was hunting, or something, he kept walking towards her, and she walked backwards, bumping into some people, and nobody seemed to mind.

People walked in between them, but he kept his eyes on her. He even behaved when a guy, barely 21, slowed down in front of her in his way.

“Hi, gorgeous”, he tried, but kept walking, Frank’s eyes following him while the guy’s lingered on her.

“Hi”, she said back, stopping, letting Frank reach her, dropping her eyes from him when he was close enough, her own lips on his face, now, hands finding his, fingers intertwining, closing her eyes and breathing him in.

God, she had missed him so much. Had stopped herself from thinking about him at night, wondering where he was, reliving that moment in the elevator, the one by the bridge, when he placed that unexpected kiss on her cheek.

Not now, though. Not anymore. Enough of that.

She placed a kiss of her own on his face, and he lifted his arms from their sides to hug her to him.

“Let’s go”, she said after a moment, suddenly in a hurry.

“Where’re we going?” he asked when they reached the other side of the block, leaving the party and it’s music and lights behind.

She only picked his hand in hers again and walked, a little faster, towards the subway entrance on the other side of the street.

The train stopped at the station fast enough, and they got in an surprisingly full car for this hour. There were no places to sit, but she didn’t mind one bit, standing there in front of him while he held on to the handle by the doors and she held on to him.

It was hard not to kiss him then. But she had decided she wanted to wait until they got to her place, and he seemed to have understood that, maybe they needed to be by themselves to be themselves. Just Frank and Karen, finally.

When the car started again after letting most of the passengers out, she looked at him while he assessed the two ladies and one guy that still rode with them.

“What?” he asked gently, looking back at her, knuckles on her jaw, eyes so intense and carefree at the same time, she loved that look on him.

“Definitely not a Pete”, she whispered, and he leaned in and touched his forehead to her again, making her heart jump, his nose bumping against hers sweetly this time.

“What name would you like, then?”

“I don’t know”, she breathed, resting her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes, letting him hold her against him as the train jostled. “Just not Pete.”

It was snowing when they stepped into the street again, cold, but at least the wind wasn’t so strong.

He tugged on her hand when she climbed the first step of her building’s stoop, making her turn around to him. She tightened her grip on his hand when he looked towards the door, but stopped there on the sidewalk.

Clenching his jaw, he looked back at her and she blinked, suddenly scared he was not coming up with her.

“You sure?” he asked, looking up at her and she looked down at him, that one step making her a tad taller.

Taking that last step, she lifted her hand and caressed his face, relieved when he leaned into her touch.

“I am”, she said, so close, so close now. “You?”

He let out a deep breath that she felt on her face and nodded.

“Come on, then”.

He climbed that step, lifting his hand to her neck, and her eyes were closed already, when-

“Hello, dear!”

Karen sucked in a breath and Frank looked away from the old lady coming from the other direction while she smiled at them.

“Oh! Beth, hi!” Karen greeted her neighbor, hand against Frank’s arm. “How are you?”

“Oh, I’m just fabulous, darling. Leaving for the Bahamas tomorrow.”

She eyed Frank standing there, and Karen tugged on his sleeve to make him turn around.

“Beth, this is- Pete”. And, to him. “This is Beth Brown, she lives downstairs from me.”

Frank smiled politely and nodded towards her.

“So, Bahamas, huh?” Karen asked, turning towards the door, pulling Frank along with her. He walked behind her and Beth, who took her side.

“Oh, yes. I just left Kitty at my brother’s, she can’t go with me.”

She talked about her cat and her travel plans while they climbed the stairs of the building, Frank silent behind them, his hand on Karen’s, trying not to laugh.

“Anyway. I’ll show you the pictures when I’m back.”

“I’ll want to see them”, Karen said, continuing to climb the stairs while Beth walked towards her apartment. “Happy Holidays!”

“For you, too, dear. And nice to meet you. Pete, right?”

“Yes, ma’am. Have a nice trip.”

She thanked them, waving, and turned around to walk down the corridor, and Karen rushed to climb the last flight of stairs, pulling him along.

The key was inside the lock when he pressed her to the door, moving her hair aside so his mouth could touch her neck, pulling her coat from her shoulders, and she breathed out against the wood, turning the key once, twice, unlocking.

The door swung open and he pushed them inside, closing it behind them as soon as they were in.

Karen dropped her purse to the floor right there, shrugging out of her coat while Frank pressed her against the wall behind the closed door.

His lips were cold from the weather outside when they touched hers. So was his nose, the rest of his face, but she felt a bolt of warmth inside when he kissed her, at the hand inside her hair, angling her face to his, the other pulling her shirt from inside her skirt. He tugged on it and she could hear the creak of the next apartment’s door.

“Frank, Frank”, she called while he had his mouth open on her neck, making it’s way down, his tongue making her hands shake. He hummed his question, hands on her legs, behind her, groping and pressing. Not that she minded, but. “Not here”, she whispered when he rose to kiss her again, long, deep and intense. “My neighbor.”

She didn’t work too hard on an explanation. Just put her arm around his neck, pushing his own coat off him with the other hand while kissing him, taking a step to the left to take them away from the door and the nosy neighbor.

His coat was dropped at the end of the small corridor, her shirt was left on the back of her couch and blindly, too busy with each other to look where they were going, they walked further, until her side hit the small island in the center of her kitchen.

Frank found the zipper of her skirt while she was working on his hoodie, but she didn’t get to finish taking it off him before he bent his knees and lifted her, sitting her on the flat surface and pushing her down on it, big hand on her chest.

He looked like something out of the dream she would never admit having, big and tall, standing between her legs while she lied down on the kitchen island, his hoodie zipped halfway down.

She let her eyes run over him while he picked her right leg, found the zipper of her boot near her knee and lowered it to her ankle, removing it and dropping it to the floor by his side, her sock along with it. She pulled him to her with that same leg while he repeated it on the other, looking serious as ever, making her skin erupt in violent shivers when he bent and kissed her belly, first sweetly, then again, a little longer, and then with his tongue touching her skin, his breath, warm while he made his way down, pulling her skirt to reveal more, biting down a little bit above her hip bone when she lifted to let him pull the thing off, letting out some kind of sound that makes her think she’s about to be eaten alive by a wolf, or something, his hands tight and light at the same time, wandering all over, gripping hers for a second before he disappears from sight, but she can feel him, she looks at the ceiling and breathes, realizing she’s shaking, willing herself to stop, this is what she wants, had wanted, had missed even though she never had it, him, here, like this, his hands, his teeth, his mouth, and she’s letting out a shout, arching her back because his tongue, yes, please please please, oh my god-

She had been lying on top of the chopping board, but pushes it over once Frank reaches one hand up, sliding it from her belly button until he reaches her chest, sneaking under her bra. Her right hand catches it, the left pushing the thing off the counter, making a loud noise neither of them care about, not when they’re here, in the dark, like this finally.

She is definitely shaking again when he stands back up and pulls her by her wrist, and she sits up, boneless, reaching for him, putting her arms around him, biting a little harder than she intended on his lower lip, wrestling that damn hoodie off him while he puts an arm around her and spins them around, walking on the general direction of her bedroom, and she really shouldn’t be surprised that he knew where to go. The one other time he came over must have been enough for him to memorize where everything was.

“Take your clothes off, Frank”, she breathed against his mouth, untangling her legs from him when they reached her bed.

The window was closed, but the curtains were not drawn, and the light from the street was enough for her to watch, lying sideways over the heavy duvet she had bought just last week, as he stepped off his boots and finally took his shirt off.

She loved the view of his bare chest, but feeling it against hers must feel a hell of a lot better, so she reached her hand and pulled him on top of her when he took it.

Frank took a moment to kiss her again, supporting most of his weight on her elbows, hands on her hair, bending a leg to force hers up and around his hip, and she was all too happy to comply.

When her hands slid from his back to his stomach, though, tracing the waist of his pants until she found the buckle of his belt, he sneaked one of his under her, trying to unhook her bra.

“Front”, she breathed against his face, screwing her eyes shut when he thrust his hip forward. He was still wearing his jeans, but just the friction and the feel of his muscles under her palms and against her when he did it were almost enough. “It’s a front clasp.”

Without any sort of finesse, he opened it and lowered his face, kissing and nibbling on the skin revealed while she tried to maintain a little bit of focus, just enough to undo his belt and his pants.

Karen lost track of time after that, not even fully aware of the sounds she was letting out, too focused on feeling everything, every part of him, every breath against her face, her mouth, her neck, her skin, the measured movements of his hips against hers, big hands guiding and teasing and caressing and holding, she loves it when he holds her tight like this, loves to feel her muscles shift under and around his fingers, loves it when he presses his teeth and sucks on skin, when he uses her hips for leverage so he can go a little harder, and she’s gone, with an almost scream leaving her throat, holding onto him with hands and arms and legs, palms sliding around the sweat slick skin of his back while he moves still, slower, his name on her lips and hers on his.

Her skin feels cold when he gets up and off her, and she must look like a rag doll, or something. She’s still vibrating when he pulls and rearranges her.

He’s sitting on his heels, now, knees on the mattress, her legs around him while her back and head rest against her pillows.

When he starts moving again, she arches, sensitive, but still so greedy, she wants more, she wants this forever, him, here, more, more, more, it’s too slow, she wants it harder, know he does, too, there’s a drop of sweat running from his brow down the side of his face, past his jaw and down his neck, his right hand might be gentle as it explores her skin, but the left one is too tight on her hip for him to be ok with this slow of a pace.

With a grunt, because he’s strong, Karen rolls her hips up and towards him, watching as he closes his eyes, wincing as those fingers tighten further on her.

“Frank”, she calls when, still, he keeps it simmering slow, she’s about to go crazy. “Please, please, please...”

He gives her three sharp thrusts, leaning towards her and she closes her eyes, flying high, almost-

“Please what?” he asks suddenly, his face right there on hers, chest to chest, God, he’s so big- “Please what? Like this?”

It’s difficult to move when he has such a tight grip on her, but she does, arching her back and putting one arm back around him, the other reaching behind her to find some grip on the wall, and he kisses her face.

“Yes, please, don’t stop, Frank”, she goes on, aware of the cry that leaves her when he decides to comply.

His face is tucked on the curve of her neck when she feels it again, uncoiling impossibly tight and then releasing, making her shiver, his forehead against hers, and then his body, heavy, but so pleasant, a kiss while he breathes out, bringing her with him when he rolls to lie by her side, keeping that leg bent and over his hip, hand splayed on her lower back.

Feeling lighter than she had in a long, long time, Karen looked at him, her breathing slowly coming back under control. Frank looked back at her, eyes roaming, and his face was… Different. It was the same, but there was something making it… Something. Something good.

“So”, she started, fingertips reaching to run on his jaw. “That’s new.”

He chuckled and leaned forward, collecting another kiss.

“Yeah.”

They stayed there for a while, talking and not talking, enjoying each other’s company in the silence, watching as the snow fell harder outside the window.

“Maybe Tom?” she suggested while they ate the potato chips she had been stashing for the next time she felt she needed a chips, wine and Netflix kinda weekend. She had been watching his face, sitting facing the headboard while he lied against the pillows, facing her. “Or Jason.”

“Jason?” he asked, thumb drawing a circle on her thigh.

“Yeah. As in Jason Bourne.”

Karen let her eyes wander down his neck, his chest and his arms while he smiled and picked up another chip, the rest of him, sadly, covered by her brand new expensive duvet.

The two luxuries she really shouldn’t indulge on, but was incapable of stopping herself: Frank and high thread count sheets.

“I don’t know. Something like that. Just not Pete.”

.:.

Next morning, she was showered and dressed for work, ready to leave, when she silently closed the curtains on the window and bent to kiss him awake.

“Please don’t leave”, she whispered against his face when he stirred.

“Where you goin’?” he asked, lifting a hand to caress her hair.

“I have to go to work.” She sat by his hip and kissed his face softly, not really wanting him to wake up. “Promise me you’ll be here when I come back?”

He kissed her and lied back, blinking slowly, and nodded.

“Ok.”

“Ok”, she smiled, getting up again. “I’ll bring dinner. You stay put.”

“Alright.”

“Don’t go anywhere, Frank.”

“I won’t.”

Feeling ridiculously giddy, she closed the door to her bedroom and turned to leave, stopping on her tracks when she saw the state of the place.

Their clothes were scattered everywhere. The end of the rug was flipped, the lamp on the side table by the couch was precariously balanced, one touch away from tipping over, her shirt sitting there by it. Her skirt, boots, socks and underwear laid on the floor, along with Frank’s hoodie. When she walked to the kitchen to get the usual apple she had for breakfast on her way to the paper, she saw the cutting board she had knocked over. Looking at the front door, their coats remained where they had dropped them, and her purse had spilled a notebook and her make up bag out onto the floor.

She quickly picked everything up and placed them on the couch in a ball, already late to fold them properly.

Putting her boots and her coat on, she picked up her purse and clicked her tongue when she realized she hadn’t charged her phone. Hopefully the 3% battery would be enough until she got to the office and plugged it in there.

“Morning Mr. Carson”, she said to that same nosy neighbor from last night, rolling her eyes when he nodded his head and tried to look behind her inside her apartment.

Even when the cold wind blasted her in the face when she stepped out of the building, she was feeling good. Good enough to not care when the cab she hailed almost splashed her with muddy curb water.

.:.

She’s damn proud of this one.

It’s after lunch, Ellison had just finished reading her next article, telling her that Anna is gonna be pissed about losing the front page again, when Jake from the mail room walks in.

“Miss Page? These are for you”, he says, grinning from behind the bouquet of flowers in his hands.

White roses.

A simple, but elegant arrangement, much more elaborate than the last one, that found it’s way to her after being shoved in a backpack.

“Hmm”, Ellison interjects sarcastically, peeking while Karen fishes for the card. “Someone’s got an admirer. Although”, he turns to Jake. “Did we check it for explosives?”

Karen rolls her eyes while Jake says that “yes, twice”, and Ellison shrugs.

“What? You have a track record of being sent things that blow up. Last time you went to it, but you never know.”

She sits back on her chair and swirls around towards the wall, biting her lip to keep the smile in, opening the card and reading the neat handwriting.

“Got a call from David, had to go and meet him.

But I’ll come back.

See you tonight. Dinner is on me.

Love, Not Pete”

#kastle #kasttle ff #kastleff #kastle fic #kastlelibrary #kastle library #Frank and Karen #oneshot #The Punisher #writing #Hell's Kitchen Chronicals #fluff #smut

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localbizlift · 5 years ago

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How Dubsmash revived itself as #2 to TikTok

Lip-syncing app Dubsmash was on the brink of death. After a brief moment of virality in 2015 alongside Vine (R.I.P), Dubsmash was bleeding users faster than it could recruit them. The app let you choose an audio track like a rap song or movie quote and shoot a video of you pretending to say the words. But there was nowhere in the app to post the videos. It was a creation tool like Hipstamatic, not a network like Instagram. There’s a reason we’re only using one of those today.

So in 2017 Dubsmash‘s three executives burned down the 30-person company and rebuilt something social from the ashes with the rest of the $15.4 million it’d raised from Lowercase Capital and Index Ventures. They ditched its Berlin headquarters and resettled in Brooklyn, closer to the one demographic still pushing Dubsmashes to the Instagram Explore page: African-American teenagers posting dances and lip-syncs to indie hip-hop songs on the rise.

Dubsmash stretched its funding to rehire a whole new team of 15. They spent a year coding a new version of Dubsmash centered around Following and Trending feeds, desperately trying to match the core features of Musically, which by then had been bought by China’s ByteDance. It’s got chat but still lacks the augmented reality filters, cut transitions, and photo slideshows of TikTok. But Dubsmash has the critical remix option for soundtracking your clip with the audio of any other video that sets it apart from Instagram and Snapchat.

“We realized to build a great product, we needed a depth of expertise that we just didn’t have access to in Berlin” Dubsmash co-founder and CEO Jonas Druppel tells me. “It was a risky move and we felt the weight of it acutely. But we also knew there was no other way forward, given the scale and pace of the other players in the market.”

Few social apps have ever pulled off a real comeback. Even Snapchat had only lost 5 million of its 191 million users before it started growing again. But in the case of Dubsmash, its biggest competitor was also its savior.

The pre-relaunch version of Dubsmash

In August 2018, ByteDance merged Musically into TikTok to form a micro-entertainment phenomenon. Instead of haphazardly sharing auto-biographical Stories shot with little forethought, people began storyboarding skits and practicing dances. The resulting videos were denser and more compelling than content on Snapchat and Instagram. The new Dubsmash, launched two months later, rode along with the surge of interest in short-form video like a Lilliputian in a giant’s shirt pocket. The momentum helped Dubsmash raise a secret round of funding last year to keep up the chase.

Now Dubsmash has 1 billion video views per month.

Dubsmash rebuilt its app and revived its usage

“The turnaround that we executed hasn’t been done in recent memory by a consumer app in such a competitive marketplace. Most of them fade to oblivion or shut down” Dubsmash co-founder and President Suchit Dash tells me. “By moving the company to the United States, hiring a brand new all-star team & relaunching the product, we gave this company & product a second life. Through that journey, we obsessed only on one metric: retention.”

Now the app has pulled 27% of the US short-form video market share by installs, second only to TikTok’s 59%, according to AppAnnie. Sensor Tower tells TechCrunch that TikTok has about 3X as many US lifetime installs as Dubsmash, and 11X more between when Musically became TikTok in August 2018 and now.

In terms of active users outside of TikTok, Dubsmash has 73% of the US market, compared to just 23% on Triller, 3.6% on Firework, and an embarrassing 0% on Facebook’s Lasso. And while Triller began surpassing Dubsmash in downloads per month in October, Dubsmash has 3X as many active users and saw 38% more first-time downloads in 2018 than 2019. Dubsmash now sees 30% retention after a month, and 30% of its daily users are creating content.

It’s that stellar rate of participation that’s brought Dubsmash back to life. It also attracted a previously unannounced round of $6.75 million in the Spring of 2019, largely from existing investors. While TikTok’s superstars and huge visibility could be scaring some users away from shooting videos while a long-tail of recent downloaders watch passively, Dubsmash has managed to make people feel comfortable on camera.

“Dubsmash is ground zero for culture creation in America—it’s where the newest, most popular hip-hop and dance challenges on the Internet originate” Dash declares. “Members of the community are developing content that will make them the superstars of tomorrow.”

Being #2 might not be so bad, given how mobile video viewing is growing massively thanks to better cameras, bigger screens, faster networks, and cheaper data. Right now, Dubsmash doesn’t make any money. It hopes to one day generate revenue while helping its creators earn a living too, perhaps through ad revenue shares, tipping, subscriptions, merchandise, or offline meetups.

One advantage of not being TikTok is that the app feels less crowded by semi-pro creators and influencers. That gives users the vibe that they’re more likely to hit the Trending or Explore page on Dubsmash. The Trending page is dominated by hot new songs and flashy dances, even if they’re shot with a lower production quality that feels accessible.

Dubsmash tries to stoke that sense of opportunity by making Explore about discovering accounts and all the content they’ve made rather than specific videos. While popular clips might have tens of thousands of views rather than the hundred-thousand or multi-million counts on TikTok’s top content, there’s enough visibility to make shooting Dubsmashes worth it.

TikTok has already taken notice. Shown in a leak of its moderation guidelines from Netzpolitik, the company’s policy is to downrank the visibility of any video referencing or including a watermark from direct competitors including Dubsmash, Triller, Lasso, Snapchat, and WhatsApp. That keeps Dubsmash videos, which you can save to your camera roll, from going viral on TikTok and luring users away.

TikTok’s content moderation guidelines show it downranks content featuring the watermarks of competitors like Dubsmash

TikTok also continues to aggressively buy users via ads on competing apps like Facebook thanks to the billions in funding raked in by its parent ByteDance. In contast, Dash says Dubsmash has never spent a dollar on user acquisition, influencer marketing, or any other source of growth. That makes it achieving even half to a third of as many installs as TikTok in the US an impressive fete.

Why would creators choose Dubsmash over TikTok? Dash clinically explains that its a “decoupled audio and video platform that enables producers and tastemakers to upload fresh, original tracks that are utilized by creators and influencers alike” but that it’s also about “Its role as a welcoming home for a community that’s underrepresented on social platforms.”

If Dubsmash keeps growing, though, it will encounter the inevitable content moderation problems that come with scale. It’s already doing a solid job of requiring users to sign up with their birthdate to watch or post videos, and it blocks those under 13. Only users who follow each other can chat.

Any piece of content that’s flagged by users is hidden from the network until it passes a review by its human moderation team that works around the clock, and it does proactive takedowns too. However, brigading and malicious takedown reports could be used by trolls to silence their enemies. Dubsmash is working off of a common sense model of what’s allowed rather than firm guidelines, which will be tough to keep consistent at scale.

“Being a social media app in 2020 means you need to take greater responsibility for the well being of the community” says Dash. “We decided upon relaunch to take a strict perspective. Our goal is to be intentional and proactive early, and invest in safety and healthy growth rather than growth at all costs. This may not be the most popular approach amongst the market, but we believe this is the most effective way to build a social platform.”

Dubsmash proves that short-form video is so compelling to teens that the market can sustain multiple apps. That will have to be the case given Instagram is preparing to release its TikTok clone Reels, and Vine’s co-founder Dom Hofmann just launched his successor Byte. The breakdown could look like:

TikTok: A slightly longer-form combo of comedy, dance, and absurdity

Dubsmash: Mid-length dance and music videos with a diverse community

Byte: Super short-form comedy featuring slightly older ex-Vine stars

Triller: Mid-length life blogging clips from Hollywood celebrities

Instagram Reels: International influencers making videos for a mainstream audience

Perhaps we’ll eventually see consolidation in the market, with giants like TikTok and Instagram acquiring smaller players to grow their content network effect with more fodder for remixes. But fragmentation could breed creativity. Different tools and audiences beg for different types of videos. Make something special, and there’s an app out there to enter your into pop culture cannon.

For more on the short-form video wars and the future of micro-entertainment, read:

Zuckerberg misunderstands the huge threat of TikTok

Instagram Stories launches TikTok clone Reels in Brazil

#marketing

0 notes

pmsocialmedia · 5 years ago

Text

How Dubsmash revived itself as #2 to TikTok

The pre-relaunch version of Dubsmash

Now Dubsmash has 1 billion video views per month.

Dubsmash rebuilt its app and revived its usage

TikTok’s content moderation guidelines show it downranks content featuring the watermarks of competitors like Dubsmash

TikTok: A slightly longer-form combo of comedy, dance, and absurdity

Dubsmash: Mid-length dance and music videos with a diverse community

Byte: Super short-form comedy featuring slightly older ex-Vine stars

Triller: Mid-length life blogging clips from Hollywood celebrities

Instagram Reels: International influencers making videos for a mainstream audience

For more on the short-form video wars and the future of micro-entertainment, read:

Zuckerberg misunderstands the huge threat of TikTok

Instagram Stories launches TikTok clone Reels in Brazil

via Social – TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2RL0j44

#IFTTT #Social – TechCrunch

0 notes

un-enfant-immature · 5 years ago

Text

How Dubsmash revived itself as #2 to TikTok

The pre-relaunch version of Dubsmash

Now Dubsmash has 1 billion video views per month.

Dubsmash rebuilt its app and revived its usage

TikTok’s content moderation guidelines show it downranks content featuring the watermarks of competitors like Dubsmash

TikTok: A slightly longer-form combo of comedy, dance, and absurdity

Dubsmash: Mid-length dance and music videos with a diverse community

Byte: Super short-form comedy featuring slightly older ex-Vine stars

Triller: Mid-length life blogging clips from Hollywood celebrities

Instagram Reels: International influencers making videos for a mainstream audience

For more on the short-form video wars and the future of micro-entertainment, read:

Zuckerberg misunderstands the huge threat of TikTok

Instagram Stories launches TikTok clone Reels in Brazil

#TechCrunch

0 notes

magzoso-tech · 5 years ago

Photo

New Post has been published on https://magzoso.com/tech/how-dubsmash-revived-itself-as-2-to-tiktok/

How Dubsmash revived itself as #2 to TikTok

The pre-relaunch version of Dubsmash

Now Dubsmash has 1 billion video views per month.

Dubsmash rebuilt its app and revived its usage

TikTok’s content moderation guidelines show it downranks content featuring the watermarks of competitors like Dubsmash

TikTok: A slightly longer-form combo of comedy, dance, and absurdity

Dubsmash: Mid-length dance and music videos with a diverse community

Byte: Super short-form comedy featuring slightly older ex-Vine stars

Triller: Mid-length life blogging clips from Hollywood celebrities

Instagram Reels: International influencers making videos for a mainstream audience

For more on the short-form video wars and the future of micro-entertainment, read:

#Miscellaneous

0 notes

milomzsi626 · 5 years ago

Text

What To Try To Find In An Accident Lawyer

When employing a Brooklyn injury attorney, you will need to interview your candidate and ask him concerns. You should be prepared with concerns regarding his background, his method and what you can expect your case. The following are a few of the things that you can bring up during the interview.

Selecting An Accident Lawyer - 5 Important Tips

Johnny Ray's long-suffering momma says he has more lives than a feline. When he and his brother chose to make a gasoline fire under the home, at 5 years old he suffered 3rd degree burns over many of his body. The medical men stated him dead 4 times but you just can't kill Johnny Ray. Not only did he make it through, but he invested a year in the medical facility, raising hell.

Injury Insurance Coverage Claims

Collect proofs at the scene of the construction accident lawyers. In roadway traffic mishaps, it is necessary that you gather as much information about the other party. This ought to include their name, address, contact number, automobile's design, make and plate number and likewise his/her insurance information. You are also required by law to pass your own details to them too. , if you have a camera cam a camera electronic camera take pictures video camera the accident cam.. This is likewise crucial evidence.

The Projected Expense Of Working With An Injury Lawyer

Accident Lawyer: Talking To Your Doctor

Auto Accident Lawyers: Selecting And Hiring A Lawyer.

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How To Choose A Good Injury Attorney

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Postponed injury signs can include persistent muscle discomfort, interfering with your sleep and often making work impossible. It's a major issue, however what can you do about it? How can you make a claim when the accident which triggered it was so long ago? This is where a construction accident attorney can help.

My memory started to return. I kept in mind that as I waited in the escape pod, my thrusters totally burned out, that something, perhaps a micro meteor, had actually pierced the hull. I had actually tried to repair it however there were a lot of of them. After a couple of minutes, I noticed I was bleeding in at least five spots I might see. The micro meteors had not only fractured the hull but my skin. It was then, because pure panic, that I 'd seen the alien ship through the porthole.

Obtaining The Finest Cars And Truck Insurance

A Mishap Settlement Claim Can Be Settled In 2 Months

Discovering An Individual Injury Attorney - What You Should Be Looking For

How To Become A Reliable Accident Lawyer

Next you would have to personally look into just how much they charge or bill their customers for services rendered. Frequently, lawyers charge or expense by the hour. However in acknowledgment of those who are not truly financially rich, payment plans are set forth. Obviously, select the one that would suit your budget plan due to the fact that you'll just be more in a bind if you pick one that charges too expensive and you can't manage it. Go to these law office yourself and make the inquiries so you will have a taste of what it would be like to deal with them face to deal with.

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danoionfifth-blog · 6 years ago

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Now that the kids are back to school and fall is upon us, let’s work on getting our new fall hair color. It’s that time of the year to make changes with our face and body creams, make-up, wardrobe and hair color.

#Balayage in Brooklyn #Bridal Hair and Makeup #Micro-bleeding in Brooklyn #Micro-needling in Brooklyn #Microdermabrasion Facial in Brooklyn #Massage in Brooklyn #Facial in Brooklyn #Facial Fillers in Brooklyn #Body Scrub in Brooklyn #Skin Tightening in Brooklyn #Laser Hair Removal in Brooklyn #Hydrafacial in Brooklyn

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madsoulpoetry · 6 years ago

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UNITY is spelled with U & I. - Mad __________________________________ My soul got an extra dose of hope in the human race last night. I was blessed with the presence of these creatives. They came from Harlem, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens and Boston. You would believe it might be a strange encounter with faces you see in a square in the palm of your hands through the micro storms we paddle through with our thumbs but ... the artist is not afraid to break down the social barriers the internet has created. These beautiful humans are the soul of the city of New York, bleeding in the boroughs, taking shots, capturing dreams not just chasing them. This has been the best Meet I have put together. Not because of the number of people, not because of the venue (which was dope) but because the vibe was electric. I'm putting each one of them in my pocket and I don't mean my phone. Their smiles, their heart and spirit will be with me until I descend into infinity. I salute each one of you for giving me your time, energy, your gorgeous soul for me to feel. Eres mi color los quiero con todo mi alma gracias por el regalo de tu corázon. Long live the Poets, long live the Artist. Long live the living legends with a soul that bleeds unity. New York Meet Up Episode 2. Superb Success. __________________________________ Go follow these amazing artists for a flavor your heart will savor. @elmz91 @cyn.is.cyn @read.sl_feemster @tomisdust @sheislaconcha @shaniceariel @finding.faloola @poetniamora @justwordsbymerlin @magesoulpublishing @magesoul @rappaccinis.daughter @alrtistry @dominic.c.jr @kristin_l_provenzano __________________________________ #MADSOULPOETRY #POETS #WORDARTIST #ARTISTS #NEWYORK (at McGettigan's) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx8F6qsF9Tz/?igshid=kdskmeipj4z2

#madsoulpoetry #poets #wordartist #artists #newyork

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sheminecrafts · 5 years ago

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How Dubsmash revived itself as #2 to TikTok

The pre-relaunch version of Dubsmash

Now Dubsmash has 1 billion video views per month.

Dubsmash rebuilt its app and revived its usage

TikTok’s content moderation guidelines show it downranks content featuring the watermarks of competitors like Dubsmash

TikTok: A slightly longer-form combo of comedy, dance, and absurdity

Dubsmash: Mid-length dance and music videos with a diverse community

Byte: Super short-form comedy featuring slightly older ex-Vine stars

Triller: Mid-length life blogging clips from Hollywood celebrities

Instagram Reels: International influencers making videos for a mainstream audience

For more on the short-form video wars and the future of micro-entertainment, read:

Zuckerberg misunderstands the huge threat of TikTok

Instagram Stories launches TikTok clone Reels in Brazil

from iraidajzsmmwtv https://ift.tt/2RL0j44 via IFTTT

#IFTTT #iraidajzsmmwtv

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bloojayoolie · 6 years ago

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Andrew Bogut, Animals, and Children: Tals pup NEEDS US RIGHT NOW Little Nina is a sweet little pup, found as a stray who has a large mass on her left shoulder/side. After testing at ACC, it is believed it has most likely metastasized & she may only have a few months left before she begins to deteriorate This little adorable lady NEEDS OUT & quiet, loving hospice care IMMEDIATELY PLEASE, PLEASE, open your heart, make her last few month on earth feeling loved & being cared for. This little sweetheart of a girl NEEDS YOU NOW, so apply with rescues as soon as possible PLEASE, PLEASE DO! HELP ME T pp NEEDS us RIGHT NOW*s NYC **THIS pup NEEDS us RIGHT NOW** A $500 stipend will be offered to the New Hope partner that pulls Nina 53665. Little Nina is a sweet little pup, found as a stray who has a large mass on her left shoulder/side. After testing at ACC, it is believed it has most likely metastasized & she may only have a few months left before she begins to deteriorate. This little adorable lady NEEDS OUT & quiet, loving hospice care IMMEDIATELY. PLEASE, PLEASE, open your heart, make her last few month on earth feeling loved & being cared for. This little sweetheart of a girl NEEDS YOU NOW, so apply with rescues as soon as possible. PLEASE, PLEASE DO! A $500 stipend will be offered to the New Hope partner that pulls Nina 53665. Please note that in order to qualify for the stipend, the animal cannot go to a boarding facility. ✔Pledge✔Tag✔Share✔FOSTER✔ADOPT✔Save a life! Nina 53665 Small Mixed Breed Sex female Age 8 yrs (approx.) - 13 lbs My health has been checked. My vaccinations are up to date. My worming is up to date. I have been micro-chipped. I am waiting for you at the Brooklyn, NY ACC. Please, Please, Please, save me! ************************************** To FOSTER or ADOPT this little nugget, SPEAK UP NOW & Save a Life, APPLY with rescues OR message Must Love Dogs - Saving NYC Dogs immediately! ************************************** The general rule is to foster you have to be within 4 hours of the NYC ACC approved New Hope partner rescues you are applying with and to adopt you will have to be in the general NE US area; NY, NJ, CT, PA, DC, MD, DE, NH, RI, MA, VT & ME (some rescues will transport to VA). ************************************** You must apply to rescues already approved to pull from NYC ACC shelters. Rescues can't do anything without APPLICATIONS! If your application is approved, rescue will arrange transport. ************************************** The ACC writes: Nina is a sweet little pup who was found as a stray and brought to the Brooklyn Care Center with a large mass on her left shoulder/side. After further testing in-house we believe the mass has most likely metastasized and she may have a few months left before she begins to deteriorate. Our vet recommends further testing be done to confirm, as well as histopathology of the mass. She looking for a nice and quiet foster home who can provide the hospice care she needs.This animal came from: Basic Information: Nina is an approx brown and white 8 year old dog that was brought into BACC as a stray. Nina has a lump on her left shoulder. How is this dog around strangers? Nina is shy for a few minutes but will seek attention and allow to be pet. How is this dog around children? Nina was briefly around a 10 year old child, and was described as respectful and tolerant of him. Medical Notes Has a lump on left shoulder Behavior Notes: Behavior during intake: Nina had her tail tucked in for most of the intake, she walked loosely on the leash and allowed to be picked up. Nina allowed to be scanned for a microchip and to be collared but did move away when approached. Nina did approach counselor and allowed to be briefly pet. Nina did not take interest in wet food or treats. Nina scanned negative for a microchip. Animal Behavior Saved At: 30-Jan-2019 14:32:17.000 Means of surrender (length of time in previous home): Stray, no known history Date of assessment: 30-Jan-2019 Summary: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Mild Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Moderately social, a bit wary though stays near handler seeking attention Call over: Approaches readily Sociability comments: Handling Soft handling: Seeks contact, soft Exuberant handling: Seeks contact, soft Handling comments: Arousal Jog: Follows, a bit fearful Arousal comments: Knock Knock Comments: No response Toy Toy comments: No response Playgroup: Nina was surrender as a stray so her past behavior with other dogs is unknown. When off leash at the Care Centers, Nina greets a group of small male and female dogs with a nervous posture. She mostly avoids greets and will correct the other dogs that sniff her. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION: Level 1 Behavior Asilomar H - Healthy Recommendations: No young children (under 5) Recommendations comments: No young children (under 5): Due to Nina's overall timidity initially, we believe she may be best set up to succeed in a home without young children at this time. Potential challenges: Fearful DVM Intake Exam Estimated age:7-8y Microchip noted on Intake?n History :stray Subjective:large mass left shoulder area, soft 2x4-5".aspirated grainy sanginous fluid-not fat as expected Observed Behavior -allows full exam Evidence of Cruelty seen -n Evidence of Trauma seen -n EENT: Eyes clear, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam:heavy tartar PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupnic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G:no spay scar seen MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Rectal: Assessment:mass: lipoma other, (eg abscess) Prognosis:good Plan:clavamox 62.5mg bid x 14. recc surgical removal or biopsy Progress exam FEB 4 History: stray intake 1/29-large mass on left shoulder-aspirated grainy sanguineous fluid Subjective: BARH. No csvd. Reported to have stranguria and dark brown urine. Occurred at least twice, yesterday and this morning. Urinating a normal amount. Mass is stable. EENT: Eyes have nuclear sclerosis ou, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: moderate dental disease PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, NMA, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupneic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated, bladder small and soft but when palpated she lifted her tail as if to urinate but no production U/G: FI, no MGTs, no vulvar d/c MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, no masses noted, healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Assessment: Large mass on left shoulder r/o mass (benign vs malignant) vs abscess vs cyst vs other Dark urine Dental disease Prognosis: Good Plan: CTM while at BACC Continue clavamox until 2/7 Rec histopathology of mass for removal and dental with placement Scheduled CXR, AXR, BW, and UA tomorrowBlood Work Interpretation Radiograph Review Vet Notes: 1:46 PM 2 view CXR-structured nodular pattern in lungs, suspect diffuse metastasis in lungs, cardiac silhouette appears normal, large soft tissue mass visible on lateral CXR 2 view AXR-nsf, no stones noted, no signs of mass effect CBC-severe regenerative anemia 18.5 (37.3 -61.7) reticulocytes 166.3 (10-110) likely due to chronic inflammation and bleeding into the mass, severe thrombocytopenia r/o clumping vs consumption vs destruction vs other, mild neutrophilia 13.86 (2.95-11.64), mild eosinopenia 0.04 (0.06-1.23) Chem-nsf UA -1+ RBC, 4+ urobilinogen, 3+ bilirubin, 3+ protein, 1+ nitrite, ketone negative, ascordic acid 2+, glucose negative, pH 6 Aspirated ~2ml sanguineous fluids from mass, attempted to aspirate again with no production. Suspect there are pockets of blood/vascularization of neoplasia. Neoplasia has likely metastasized. Guarded prognosis. Will need oncology follow up +/- chemo, radiation, FOSPICE care. Dog likely has months before deterioration. Urinalysis consistent with hemolytic crisis over hepatobiliary abnormality considering normal LEs on BW and no icterus but also cannot rule out liver involvement of neoplasia. Rec AUS, repeat BW, histopathology of mass, and oncology consult to improve QOL ... NOTE: *** WE HAVE NO OTHER INFORMATION THAN WHAT IS LISTED WITH THIS FLYER *** - For more information or to adopt, please EMAIL [email protected] - SUBJECT Line: ** Dogs Name & ID# ** - Don't forget to add your email address and phone numbers where they can reach you to your email as well. .... ****************************************** RE: ACC site Just because a dog is not on the ACC site does NOT necessarily mean safe. There are many reasons for this like a hold or an eval has not been conducted yet or the dog is rescue-only... the list goes on... Please, do share & apply to foster/adopt these pups as well until their thread is updated with their most current status. TY! ======== Shelter addresses ====== - Manhattan Shelter: 326 East 110 St., New York, NY 10029 - Brooklyn Shelter: 2336 Linden Boulevard, Brooklyn, NY 11208 - Staten Island: 3139 Veterans Rd W, Staten Island, NY 10309 - Phone number: 212-788-4000 (is automated only) Operating hours: Monday through Friday 12.00pm to 8.00pm, Saturday & Sunday: 10.00am to 6.00pm. Closed on all Holidays. ****************************************** About Must Love Dogs - Saving NYC Dogs: We are a group of advocates (NOT a shelter NOR a rescue group) dedicated to finding loving homes for NYC dogs in desperate need. ALL the dogs on our site need Rescue, Fosters, or Adopters & that ASAP as they are in NYC high-kill shelters. If you cannot foster or adopt, please share them far & wide. Thank you for caring!! <3 ****************************************** RESCUES: * Indicates New Hope Rescue partner is accepting applications for fosters and/or adopters. http://www.nycacc.org/get-involved/new-hope/nhpartners ****************************************** https://www.nycacc.org/adopt/nina-53665 ++++ http://nycaccpets.shelterbuddy.com/animal/animalDetails.asp?s=adoption&searchTypeId=4&animalType=3%2C16&datelostfoundmonth=1&datelostfoundday=29&datelostfoundyear=2019&tpage=5&find-submitbtn=Find+Animals&pagesize=16&task=view&searchType=4&animalid=91624 ++++ https://nycaccpets.shelterbuddy.com/animal/animalDetails.asp?task=search&advanced=1&rspca_id=53665&animalType=1%2C2%2C15%2C3%2C16%2C15%2C16%2C86%2C79&datelostfoundmonth=1&datelostfoundday=12&datelostfoundyear=2019&find-submitbtn=Find+Animals&tpage=1&searchType=2&animalid=91624 ++++ Beamer Maximillian Caro Hocker Carolin Hocker Jody Harris-Stern Judy Iannone Vicenzo Jennifer Brooks Jackie O'Sullivan Wendy Frohlich Caldwell Michele St Laurent Michele DeSanti Deborah DiIorio Anarchy Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation Susie's Senior Dogs The Mr. Mo Project Redemption Rescues, Inc. Dori Scofield Lori Carpino Linda Vetrano

#funny #lol #humor #memes #meme #memehumor #dank memes #funny pics #rolf #lmao #Andrew Bogut #Animals

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technicalsolutions88 · 5 years ago

Link

The pre-relaunch version of Dubsmash

Now Dubsmash has 1 billion video views per month.

Dubsmash rebuilt its app and revived its usage

TikTok’s content moderation guidelines show it downranks content featuring the watermarks of competitors like Dubsmash

TikTok: A slightly longer-form combo of comedy, dance, and absurdity

Dubsmash: Mid-length dance and music videos with a diverse community

Byte: Super short-form comedy featuring slightly older ex-Vine stars

Triller: Mid-length life blogging clips from Hollywood celebrities

Instagram Reels: International influencers making videos for a mainstream audience

For more on the short-form video wars and the future of micro-entertainment, read:

Zuckerberg misunderstands the huge threat of TikTok

Instagram Stories launches TikTok clone Reels in Brazil

from Social – TechCrunch https://ift.tt/2RL0j44 Original Content From: https://techcrunch.com

#Technical Solutions #SEO #Online Earning #Youtube Marketing #Android Developer

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