#Not that I could afford an animatronic this year but I was so excited when his re-release was teased

[inga-don-studio]

SPIRIT, WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BABYGIRL?!?!?!

YOU STOLE HIS FUCKING FEMURS

(And his voice - that AIN’T The John Kassir. And they dare charge that much for a glorified wiper motor animatronic with a meh voice impression?!?! Spirit, you are dead to me.)

[cjlouwho]

Make It Ours

aka the one where Tommy asks Buck to move in

It started a little ridiculously. Buck didn't usually decorate his place for Halloween, but in his excitement over Bobby being back he'd gotten way too much for the firehouse and had a lot left over. So he took some paper bats home and hung them from his ceiling.

That should have been the end of it.

“We've got enough candy for a small army, I'm sure,” Buck said, resting his head on Tommy's chest, a hand softly rubbing over his pec.

“We don't really have any kids that come out to Harbor. A few of the kids whose parents are on shift will stop by, but that's about it.”

“Were you a Halloween fan growing up?” Buck asked, chills running up his spine as Tommy's fingers massaged his scalp.

“Oh yeah. We didn't really have the money to afford costumes, but I'd make stuff from old sheets or clothes that didn't fit me anymore. There was one year where-” Tommy stopped suddenly, and Buck looked up at him to see him staring out over the loft. “Are your bats animatronic?” he asked.

Buck's eyebrows furrowed. “What?”

Tommy nodded his head in their direction. “They're moving.”

“Oh,” Buck glanced back briefly. “Probably the air coming on. Makes them swing sometimes.”

Tommy halfway settled back into the bed, but it didn't last very long, because soon enough one of those “decorations” started flying directly into the bedroom. Then there was another, and another.

“Evan, you have bats!” Tommy exclaimed.

“I- oh my God, I have bats!”

Ironically, Tommy did not love all things that flew. Buck had known this since they went to the zoo two months into their relationship and ventured into the butterfly exhibit. That's when he saw Tommy dripping with sweat, barely taking a breath and clutching Buck's hand until he asked what was wrong.

And now, watching a 6'2 man made mostly out of muscle race to put on a shirt and shorts, foregoing underwear completely, so he could duck out of the loft with a yelp was truly fascinating.

The fact that he only stopped briefly to give Buck a kiss and tell him to grab his things and meet him at his place was the icing on the cake.

That man was inside me twenty minutes ago, Buck thought, a baby bat swooping above him. He felt nothing but pride.

Within an hour, he was bringing a suitcase and work duffel into Tommy's place. Tommy, on his part, had emptied him two extra drawers to go along with the one he already had there. He'd made space for him in the bathroom as well, and cleared a section of the kitchen counter because, “I figured you'd bring some of your cooking stuff with you.”

He wasn't wrong.

It took a few weeks for the bat issue to be resolved, due to the fact that Buck's landlord was out of town and no one else seemed to know what to do.

Once the place had been cleared of the bats, it took extra time for Buck to be able to air out his place and clean the droppings that had been so graciously left behind.

It didn't help that he had a pretty busy schedule, taking extra shifts before he knew he'd have a bat problem.

Eventually, Buck ran out of reasons to keep himself at Tommy's place.

One morning, as he got ready for his 24 and Tommy got ready for his 48, he decided it was time. “I think my place is now free and clear of everything the bats left behind,” he said, pouring coffee into Tommy's travel mug, then swapping it out for his own. “I'll be able to pick up all my stuff after my shift and get out of your hair.”

“Hm," Tommy hummed. "You should just move in here." It was so nonchalant it sounded the same as when he ordered his usual from the taco bar down the street.

Buck froze mid pour. “I- I should what?”

“Move in with me,” he repeated with a shrug, “if you want.” He walked over to Buck and pressed a kiss to his temple. “Think about it, Babe. I gotta go. Love you.”

“Yeah, I- I... I love you too.”

Tommy grabbed his mug off the counter and headed out the door, leaving Buck feeling like a deer in headlights.

Part of him wanted to chase Tommy out the door and ask, “How dare you ask so casually?!” The other part was eternally grateful Tommy exited briskly and gave him time to think it over.

Because, wasn't it too soon? He'd only ever done this moving in together thing one other time, and that wasn't exactly for a good reason.

They'd only said I love you for the last couple months. The words still sounded new, still made his heart swell every time they came out of Tommy's mouth. Still blushed when he said it back.

And did Tommy actually mean it? He did have a dry sense of humor that was sometimes easy to miss. Maybe this was one of those times. It was just a joke and he was meant to brush it off with a laugh.

He wasn't sure how long he actually stood there with a half filled mug of coffee in front of him, but eventually his phone dinged and pulled him out of his thoughts.

Stop panicking. Yes, I meant it. Seriously, just think about it.

Buck rolled his eyes, but couldn't help the smile that rose on his face.

Hate you. Be safe.

He only had to wait a few seconds for a reply.

Love you too. You be safer.

*****

“I'm kind of freaking out,” Buck said as Maddie grabbed her lunch from the fridge.

“Why are you freaking out?”

“Tommy asked me to move in with him.”

She paused briefly, eyebrows going up as she stood at the counter. “Really?”

“Yeah, yeah. Wh- Why really? You think it's too soon, don't you? It's too soon. That's what I thought when he asked, well suggested is more like it. He suggested I move in, and then told me to think about it, and then he left for work and then I left for work. And he told me not to panic and that he actually meant it, but-”

“Buck, I didn't mean anything by my really,” she interrupted, reaching out and squeezing his hand. “Honestly, I figured that was gonna happen once you stayed with him during the whole bat thing.”

“Really?” he asked, surprised. “I- I mean, you did?”

“You already spend more time at his place than your own. The bats were taken care of, what, almost a week ago?”

“Yeah.”

“And how many nights have you stayed at your place since then?”

“Well... Well, I had to work a couple of those days,” he tried to reason, “and then it made more sense to go to his place because we wanted to see each other but we were both tired from work.”

“You don't have to explain yourself, Buck,” she assured him. “I'm only saying it's not actually all that surprising.”

When Buck didn't look any more relieved than when he'd come into the call center, Maddie continued, “Have you made a pro/con list?”

He pulled a piece of paper from his back pocket and laid it on the countertop for Maddie to take. “Of course I did.”

She picked it up and read it over. “Great butt is number three? Did not need to know that.”

“It- It's a very detailed list,” he replied seriously.

“I can see that,” she agreed. “Although I can't help but notice there are no actual cons on this list.” She slid the paper back to him.

“That's why I'm freaking out.”

“Is this a bi crisis?” Josh asked, walking into the break room. “Because, if so, I feel like I should be involved. Also, I've been listening and I have something to say. May I?”

Buck nodded his head, resting his hands on the countertop. “Please. I- I could use all the help I can get.”

“Great. First of all, why are you trying to talk yourself out of it?”

“Because... Because, seven months ago I didn't even know I was bi, and then there was Tommy. And it's been great. He's funny, and kind, and he listens, and he's so hot-"

"Okay," Maddie waved for him to move on.

"Even when we argued, you know, we stuck around and worked it out. It's the healthiest relationship I've ever been in. It's the happiest relationship I've ever been in.”

“God, this sounds awful,” Josh deadpanned.

“Yeah, listen, Buck, if you don't want him I'll take him,” Maddie added with a smile. “I don't think Howie would mind.”

Buck grinned. “I'm just saying, it all seems so fast. I keep trying to think of reasons to say no, or wait a few more months, but I- I can't.”

“Okay, maybe you can't think of a reason to say no, because there's no good reason to say no,” Josh replied. “How's it been staying with him while the bats took over your place?”

“It's... It's been great. I thought there would be a big adjustment, but there really wasn't. He hasn't seemed bothered by my stuff being there, and it's been nice having someone to, ya know, come home to,” he added, a blush rising on his cheeks.

“Have you had any of the big conversations yet?” Maddie asked. “You know, kids, marriage, stuff like that?”

“Mhm. We agree on everything.”

Josh glanced at Maddie before replying. “I really don't see the problem here, Buck.”

“You don't think it's too soon?”

“I think,” Josh sighed. “I think life is really short, which you probably know better than anybody. And if Tommy makes you as happy as it sounds like he does, then you're the only one stopping you from that happiness.”

Buck rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a deep breath. “Sometimes, I still feel like a fraud,” he admitted. “Like it all came too easy. You know, I- I've heard how rough it was for Tommy to come out and all the crap he went through for years. I figure out I like guys and get a boyfriend in the same day, six months later he's asking me to move in and I can picture my entire life with him.”

“I think that's your brain messing with you,” Josh said. “Because to me, it sounds like you've had thirty-three years of searching for something that feels real, and good, and settled. And you've found it with Tommy.”

Maddie nodded. “I agree. He's good to you, Evan. Everyone can see you two love each other. I can honestly say I've never seen you happier or more sure of yourself. You don't need to doubt that. You need to let yourself have a win.”

A smile started to grow on Buck's face. He was pretty sure he'd already made up his mind, but there was still one thing that worried him. “What if it doesn't work out?”

“Then you do the opposite of what you're about to do,” Josh answered simply, “and you move back out.”

*****

Tommy already knew Buck was at his place before he got inside. The giant Jeep in his driveway was always a dead giveaway.

Half of him expected Buck's things to be neatly packed up by the door, ready to move back into his loft until his lease was officially up.

The other half expected him to be sitting on the couch with a downcast look on his face that said I'm not ready to move in with you without having to actually say it.

What he didn't expect was the door to swing back on him due to it slamming into boxes.

Once he managed to hold the door open and scoot inside, he looked around at well over twenty boxes that were littered around the entryway of his place, leading into the living room.

“Evan?” he called out, a smile already on his face.

“Here!” he exclaimed, exiting Tommy's bedroom and hurrying down the hall. “Here, I'm here! So-” Buck paused briefly to give Tommy a peck on the lips, then continued through the maze of boxes as he headed for the kitchen, Tommy following behind. “This isn't everything, obviously, but I don't actually think I'll be bringing all that much from my place. The bats pooped on a lot. Like, a whole lot. Plus, I like your furniture. The kitchen will have to have some new appliances, but I already ordered what the bats, you know, pooped on. You need to let me know what appliances have a family history for you- if that's a thing- before I throw them out. Some of this stuff is, well, it's terrible. Why don't you sharpen your knives, Tommy? Mind blowing. I know the boxes are kinda a mess, but I didn't want to unpack without you because that feels like me just taking over, ya know, and I don't wanna-”

Buck was stopped by Tommy grabbing hold of his hand and pulling him in close. He wrapped his arms around Buck's waist, and Buck's arms rested over Tommy's shoulders.

“I'm guessing this is a yes to moving in?” Tommy asked, nose scrunching up in a smile.

Buck let out a deep breath, grinning back. “Yes. It- It's a yes.”

“You didn't freak out too much?”

“I didn't freak out at all,” Buck protested weakly.

“Evan.”

“Okay, I freaked out a little,” he replied, ducking his head, “but not for the reasons you think.”

Tommy tilted Buck's chin so their eyes met. “What reasons?”

“I... The fact there wasn't a reason to say no. I- I freaked because it felt like it should feel too soon, but it didn't. It doesn't. It feels right.”

That's when Tommy leaned in for a kiss far less chaste than the one Buck had given him when he opened the door.

“Do we have to start unpacking tonight?” Tommy asked when they parted, resting their foreheads against one another.

Buck shook his head. He brought his hands to the nape of Tommy's neck and drew him in again, his tongue parting Tommy's lips. Clumsily, they began making their way toward their bedroom without letting one another go.

“Maybe we could work on christening the place then?” Tommy suggested, his nose brushing up against Buck's cheek. “For good luck or whatever.”

“Mmm,” Buck moaned, grabbing at the hem of Tommy's shirt and pulling it over his head quickly, tossing it on top of a box. “You have the best ideas, roomie.”

Tommy snorted at that, his head tossing back in laughter. “God, I love you.”

Somehow, they managed to make it to the bedroom, and Buck gently pushed Tommy down before crawling over him, leaning down to whisper against his lips, “I love you too.”

[soukokumychildren]

Halloween Shopping

Might as well dunk this here, it's pretty funny (and probably makes no sense), but I'll paste it here regardless. A little funny write I wrote roughly a few weeks ago, enjoy XD (PS. Keep in mind this was more of a rough idea than really any story, and it was meant to be a joke I sent to my friend)

Dazai walks up to Chuuya, who's sipping on some hot coco (either takes wine, apple cider, or hot coco, nothing else), and taps him on the shoulder giddily. "Hmmm?" "Fukuzawa approved." Chuuya looked up at him now. "Approved what?" "Approved for Halloween decorations. If we buy them." A beat of silence. Chuuya yanks his phone from his pocket, dials up the nearest Halloween store, and snatches Dazai by the scruff, and immediately drags him. "We're going on a shopping spree. And we're decorating this place right."

Chuuya takes Dazai, borrows the Agency’s van, and drives off with a giddy expression. They arrive at the Halloween store and Chuuya is awed. At everything. It takes everything in him to hold back his feathers as he steps on buttons that activated horrifying animatronics, sorted through assortments of Halloween costumes, and pranced through the shelves of decorations, all the while music suited for Halloween played in the background. By the time they were done they stocked a cart full. “Dazai,” Chuuya whined. “Can’t we buy the whole store?” Dazai chuckled. “We could easily do that and more. But why?” “Cause, it’s so fucking awesome here. I’d want everyone at the Agency decked out for Halloween.” Dazai snorted. “It’s cute how much you love the Holiday.” “Well, of course, stupid. It’s the only time of the year I get to have my wings out and nobody calling me a monster or reporting me to the government,” Chuuya hissed to the brunette, much to his pleasure. “I know, I know, my little deity.” He pulled the cheek of the redhead as they made it to check out. The lady at the front boggled at all the expensive items, but cashed them in none the less, and reported it was about 560$, 79 cents. Before she could even finish her statement, she was handed Chuuya’s credit card. When Dazai mentioned they could afford the store and more, he wasn’t kidding. They cleaned the Mafia money and began investing it, soon becoming undercover billionaires, just to piss off people. And that meant they enjoyed themselves much more than necessary.

The woman looked like she had half a heart attack when the both of them weren’t even remotely phased on how much they spent on decorations, and wheeled the cart out of the store, bringing it to the van and unloading it. This time, Chuuya’s feathers sprung up, and he winced from the loud noises, but beamed at Dazai. “This is going to be fucking great. I can’t wait to see their faces.”

After all, that’s one of the reasons why Dazai decided to run through with this plan. To give the Agency a heart attack. But Fukuzawa didn’t put his foot down on any particular rules, except for the two having to pay for it, which was nothing on their end. So they drove back to the agency, and Chuuya used his ability to lift it up, Dazai carefully walking in front (because the redhead eyes him with suspicion) up the stairs, and infront of the Agnecy doorway.

Chuuya throws open the door grandly and steps inside like he owned the place, dropping the mound of Halloween decorations next to his desk and more boxes waiting behind, Dazai flicking his eyes over to Kunikida, who looked like the most bug-eyed chicken in history from pure shock. Atsushi looked at the stuff up and down. “Um.” Chuuya whirled to him. “Get crushed, or decorate with me?” Chuuya cracked his knuckles and offered a toothy smile. Atsushi didn’t even hesitate. “D-decorating!”

Eventually, the commotion stirred the others. Kenji bounced off the walls out of pure excitement for seeing these new decorations, ones he’s never seen before. Kyoka was surprisingly invested into it, and Chuuya took the two to show them how to decorate. Tanizaki flashed some of his ability as spooky holograms and laughed as Naomi dramatically squealed and hid behind him for protection. As the bundle unloaded, Kunikida grew more and more pale, and casually fainted in his chair with foam coming out of his mouth as now Yosano joined the party, Ranpo hovering around all of them with interest, since the Agency was usually quite bland every year for Halloween, poking and prodding at all the well made creatures, scary things, animatronics, flashing lights, and things that made noise. Eventually the entire place was decked out, and the entire Agency just gawked. It looked so freaking cool.

[slateir]

, THATS CORPORATE SPEAK FOR, ‘THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE’. Still, hopefully this fix actually works longterm so the daycare can resume its normal routine - a necessity for the kids and the animatronics.

“So the next year or two if I'm lucky? Suppose its not the worst thing to look forward to.” It's not like she'll be leaving for college anytime soon so she's pretty much stuck in Ohio for the foreseeable future, a life of her own all but a pipedream. (Maybe moving up in the pizzplex could help boost her prospects elsewhere.)

“ ‘ppreciate the offer but I'm not sure I have that many hours to give.” Or are legally allowed to work. “Maybe when I'm done with school?” If she's ever even allowed in. Reese is pretty sure Vanessa's got a tight grip on security, even if she's just the night guard. (She kinda reminds Reese of the girl Tommy used to test gamed with actually, based off what little description he gave before up and disappearing.)

“Physically? Maybe if you distract them with a mess. But emotionally? I don't think you could handle the stress.”  she shakes her head, laughing at the mental picture. It'd end with all of them in tears, no doubt.

“Oh yeah. It's not a pretty sight when Sunny gets worked up too high. Been happening a lot more with the lights on the fritz.” With Moon alternating between appearing too much or too little, it's kept Sun on their toes trying to deal with all the kids, fielding comments on Moon's absence, cleaning up messes and teary faces. (She wonders if the animatronics can get headaches.) “I've told him I can handle the little ones for a bit, give him a minute to cool off but they're pretty determined, you know?”

The neon lights bleeding into soft colours signals their approach to the daycare, lights flicking to some nonsensical rhythm no one can hear.

“Don't mind if I do, Mr Bell.” And with a mock bow, she crosses the threshold into the daycare, lights intermittently flickering, bouncing off the bronze visage of the Daycare Attendants statue, dodging around tables to look through the net surrounding the daycare proper.

“Is their room in the same system or is it just the actual daycare?” Reese has never had the luxury of seeing their room for herself, affording the animatronics what little privacy she could amongst the excitement of the kids and exhausted workings of the staff.

(And if she sneaks a peek down the slide, who could blame her.)

"Uh..." He has no idea, but he can guess. Unless the lawsuits start rolling in, this is almost certainly going to be a "temporary" measure that never gets updated or swapped out.

"I think we'll have to wait and see." There's no guarantee that this solution will work at all, so it's always possible they're doing all this set-up for nothing. ...Steven really hopes that won't turn out to be the case.

"I don't know, I think I was seventeen when I got my first bump up? ...eighteen, maybe? That was at a much smaller location, though, obviously." And had mostly occurred because they had been losing senior employees left and right after an ill-advised gamble on a high-liability attraction had cost one of the managers two of her fingers.

"Anyway, the point is that there's no way you'll be stuck running around the food court for long. ...heck, you can always come join security if you want, I'd be happy to have you." The last part is genuine, but the offer is mostly a joke; security is one aspect of the Pizzaplex that definitely has that "age requirement" she mentioned.

Bell can't help but smile, shaking his head in protest to continue the bit:

"What, you think I can't handle them on my own? ...well, you're probably right." In addition to the humor in his voice, there's a hint of genuine fondness; he's glad she's staying. He wants her to do what's best for her, of course, but beyond that, he wants her to stick around. Maybe it's selfish of him, but his entire life revolves around the Pizzaplex at this point; it's nice when there are people here who make that life a little more bearable.

"...I didn't even think about how Sun will take this." Steven had been far, far more preoccupied with worries about Moon. "He can be kind of high-strung, have you noticed that? I guess it's not like the characters get a br--vacation."

Bell isn't afraid of Sun, but he doesn't really want to deal with the poor robot's stress responses, either. Now he's doubly glad that Reese is here.

There's a stark difference in the lighting as they approach the Daycare, the bright overheads flickering and sparking and dimming for minutes at a time. This must be playing havoc with the Daycare Attendant's light receptors. With any luck, the animatronic will be holed up in its room and the two humans can work uninterrupted, but just in case...

"After you, Ms. Slater?"

[avengerscompound]

Until the End of the World - 1

Until the End of the World: A Captain America Fanfic

Masterlist PREVIOUS //

Buy me a ☕ Character Pairing:  Bucky Barnes x Steve Rogers x F!Reader

Word Count:  2429

Rating:  E

Warnings: None for chapter.  Smut, action, canon typical violence, pregnancy, and HYDRA trying to interfere with said pregnancy for the series.

Synopsis: Four years after Steve and Bucky got to the bottom of the HYDRA conspiracy that had led to you and your son being hunted for the first three years of his life, you, Bucky, and Steve have carved out a nice life together.  Things are calm and you feel like a family unit.  When Geo starts calling Bucky and Steve ‘dad’, a decision is made to try and add to your family.

Things aren’t as calm as they seem.  When your pregnancy hits the papers, HYDRA rears its head once again, and Steve and Bucky need to track you down to protect the family they had created.

Chapter 1

“Okay, Geo, I think you’re either going to love this or hate it,” you said as you strolled through the gates of Cinderella’s Castle.

This holiday had taken a long time to get to.  It had been almost four years since Geo had first asked to go to Disney World.  You, Bucky, and Steve had been saying you would do it, and making plans and then something would come up and someone would get called out and the plans would have to be reduced to taking him to Coney Island or if he was really lucky a trip out to Westchester to the Legoland Discovery Center which was his favorite.

It was Geo’s seventh birthday and for once neither Steve nor Bucky had been called away on some mission that they absolutely needed for.  Tony and Sam had been told under threat of death that they were to only call Steve if it was the end of the world and he was the only possible person who could stop it, and the three of you had taken Geo to Disney World.

Four years was a long time in a world that was as chaotic as Bucky found it, and yet thanks to cleaning up HYDRA and removing all records of either yours or Geo’s existence things had been calm.

Yes, there had been the usual Avengers shit.  It was hard and it took a toll on him to keep going out there fighting.  It was something he hated, but he did it because it needed to be done.  Besides, he had a lot to make up for, so he’d fight until he couldn’t anymore.

The difference was, now at the end of the day, he went home to you, Steve, and Geo.  He had been noticing himself relaxing more as each year passed, and more than that, he was enjoying life again and not just existing in a weird limbo where the best he could say was ‘at least they weren’t torturing him anymore’.  He loved being a boyfriend and while he would never say the word out loud, he had been thinking of himself as Geo’s dad, and he loved that too.

There had been no further attacks from anyone.  No one had ever been spotted watching you or Geo.  You weren’t being followed anymore.  It seemed to be over.  So you had relaxed too.  Geo had started school, and he was thriving in it.  He was a smart little kid who had been starved for a group of peers, and now he finally had some he was the happiest little kid.  He still had some attachment issues, not that Bucky could blame him for that.  You don’t grow up with that and not freak-out when your family is gone too long.  Still, he was a sweet, excitable little boy, who was now getting a chance to be a normal little boy.

You had gone back to school to get a master’s and Pepper had found you some administrative work that mostly just involved data entry and filing.  You were enjoying your studies and the difference in your tension levels compared to the day Bucky had met you was palpable.

Geo held your hand as the four of you made your way around the large carousel in the middle of Fantasy Land.  Bucky had never been to a Disney Park.  They didn’t exist when he was a kid and even if they had, there was no way his family could have afforded to go.  It wasn’t until he was a teenager that Silly Symphonies really came onto his radar and then Snow White was released.  Certainly, it didn’t have the pull for a whole amusement park.

It was cute even if it was a little crowded.  Tony had suggested getting special VIP treatment so that the four of you would be led through the park in underground tunnels and avoid the crowds.  You had worried if that meant that he didn’t get the full experience with the stores, and the parade and shops and people selling balloons in giant bunches.  Steve had said they’d try the old fashioned way and try to blend into the crowds. So they were decked out in Disney wear.  Steve had bought a t-shirt with Mickey Mouse on it that he’d once again bought a size too small.  Not that Bucky was complaining.  It hugged the muscles in his shoulders and pulled tight on his arms.   On Steve’s head, he had a gray ball cap with Disney World written on it in fat cursive letters.  Bucky had a black hoodie with a D on the chest and a ballcap with Star Wars written in all caps.  You looked particularly radiant in a red A-line dress with white spots that looked like something women were wearing back when Bucky was in his twenties.  You had a black hat on with a big round brim hiding you from the sun and the prying eyes of any strangers.

It was a little overwhelming.  There were a lot of people here, and Mainstreet had been bustling.  No one had noticed them to the degree that they’d come over to talk, but Bucky had noticed a few glances of confused recognition.  The kind people gave him when they knew they recognized him but couldn’t figure out where from.

They’d already stopped quite a few times.  Mostly to browse stores, but Geo had stopped to meet Pluto, bought a balloon that had a large clear balloon on the outside, with a smaller green Mickey head shaped balloon inside, and gotten  Mickey Mouse shaped pretzel which he still held the remnants of in his free hand.

The aim was to get him to rides with animatronics.  He obviously had much more sophisticated technology at home, but he’d been talking about wanting to see the animatronics at Disney since he was three.

You, Bucky, Steve, and Geo each wore a different colored wristband that let you into your hotel room and the park as well as let you fast pass on different rides and charge things to the room.  Geo kept lifting his green band to his ear and listening to it, and on a few occasions, he’d put his hand on each of the others like he was talking to them.  Last night he’d held them all in his hands and sat quietly running his fingers over them until Steve had said it was time to go to dinner.

Right now they didn’t need the bands.  You had been leading the group in the direction of ‘It’s a small world’ and you had insisted that you didn’t need a fast pass for that.  Bucky approached the colorful castle facade that acted as the entrance for the ride.  You went to lead everyone into the normal line but Geo tugged on your hand.  “This one,” he said pointing to the fast pass line.

“We didn’t get fast pass on this one, bud,” Steve attempted to reason but as the words came out of his mouth he seemed to realize what was going on and he sighed.  “Geo, did you add fast pass?”

“No,” Geo said.  “It just gave it to us.  It wants us to have fun.”

Bucky could see Steve trying not to laugh.  “It’s not exactly fair that we get skipped ahead on every line.”

“Dad…” Geo whined and stopped, covering his mouth.  He’d never called either Bucky or Steve that before and whining in the line at ‘it’s a small world’ appeared not to be where he’d intended to first try it out.

“Geo it’s…”  Steve started, but Geo quickly hid behind you.

“We’ll fast pass,” you said quickly trying to defuse the situation.  “Then we’ll talk about the fair way to use your powers later.”

Bucky shook himself out of the shock he felt and quickly followed on as you and Geo swiped your wrists over the fast past check-in and went down to the dock.  The line was non-existent so you and Geo were guided to the front of the boat and Bucky and Steve to the seat behind.

The song was already getting to him as the ride started and Steve turned to him looking slightly panicked.  “He’s never called me that before,” he whispered.

“I know,” Bucky said, taking Steve’s hand.  Truthfully, Bucky was a little jealous of Steve getting to hear that first.

“Should I say something, let him know that’s okay?”  Steve asked.

“You’re asking me?”  Bucky said.  “I don’t know.  He’s obviously embarrassed he did it.  Maybe you should just pretend it didn’t happen.”

Steve frowned and his hand tightened in Bucky’s hand.  Bucky wished he had the right thing to say.  That he could tell him they should all have a talk and Geo would be open to it and admit he wanted to call them both dad but he wasn’t sure that’s how it would play out.

In front of them, you were rubbing Geo’s back in soothing circles and whispering to him.  Bucky tried to hear what you were saying but the sound of the incessantly cheery song drowned out just about everything else.

Bucky really did not like this ride.

It felt like he’d been on it for half his life when Geo started looking agitated.  The boy suddenly banged his hand on the front of the boat.  “I hate it!”  He yelled and all at once the song stopped playing and the animatronic dolls all turned their attention to their boat.

“Geo,” you scolded.  “Cut it out.” 

“No!”  Geo shouted and the boat sped up, almost speeding along the tracks.  “I hate it in here!”

“Well, this ride just went from low level creepy to nightmare fuel,” Bucky muttered, making Steve smirk.

When the boat docked Geo scrambled out and you took after him as quickly as you could.  “Geo!”  You called.  “Don’t run off!”

Steve and Bucky followed and Bucky quickly caught up to the boy, picking him up even as he struggled and carrying him away from the ride and off to the side of the path away from people.  He put Geo on the ground in front of him and gestured to you and Steve to back off.

“G, what was that?  You know running off on your mom is not okay,” Bucky scolded.

Geo shook his head and rubbed his eyes with the backs of his hand like he was trying not to cry.

“Buddy, it’s me.  Come on,” Bucky said.

“The park wanted me to skip the line,” Geo huffed.  “And then I got in trouble.  It’s not my fault!”

“You’re not in trouble,” Bucky assured him.  “Talk to me, pal.”

“I hated it in there!”  Geo said, and broke down into tears.  He flopped into Bucky’s arms and Bucky hugged him close.

“Okay, it’s okay,” Bucky soothed.  “I didn’t like it either.  Maybe we need to figure out ways you can make it through something you don’t like doing.”

“The robots were empty.  Tony said it would be cool, but they were empty,” Geo sobbed.  “And they freaked me out and the music was horrible.”

“I know,” Bucky agreed.  “There will be more fun ones.  You like Coney Island right?”

“Yeah…” Geo sniffed.

“Well, there are coasters here too.  We can find ones you like,” he said.  “I promise.”

Geo pulled back and looked up into Bucky’s eyes.  The boy looked so much like you, but he could see things in him that he assumed came from his dad too.  “I didn’t mean to call Steve dad,” he whispered.  “It just slipped out.  Do you think he’ll be mad at me?”

“Oh no, Geo,” Bucky said.  “He won’t be mad.  You can call either of us dad if you want to.  But you don’t have to either.  It’s up to you.”

“I know I have a dad, but he died and I never knew him, but you and Steve are like my dads,” Geo reasoned.

“Yeah, we are,” Bucky agreed.  “We do all the normal dad things.”

“Like read me stories,” Geo said.

“And make you turn the TV off,” Bucky added.

“You don’t mind?”  Geo whispered.

Bucky smiled and shook his head.  “No,” he said.  “I promise.  It’d make me happy.  When I talk about you, I say ‘my kid’.”

“Do you?”  Geo asked, with a slightly disbelieving look in his eye.

“Yeah.  I do,” he said.  “And so does Steve.”

Geo seemed to mull this over for a little while and then looked over to where you were standing with Steve.  “How will you know who I’m talking to if I call you both dad?”

Bucky chuckled.  “Context probably,” Bucky said.  “But you could say Dad Steve or Dad Bucky if it’s unclear.  Or you could make up your own names for us.  Dad and Pop.  Papa.  Jeez … I dunno.  Whatever makes you feel good.”

Geo worried at his bottom lip and then nodded.  “Okay,” he said softly.  “... dad.”

“Do you want to talk to your mom and Steve about this too?”  Bucky said.  “Or do you want me to tell them I said no more messing with the rides or you're grounded and then you can just start calling Steve dad and not talk about it.”

“The second one,” Geo said.

“Okay,” Bucky said standing up and holding out his hand.  Geo linked his fingers with Bucky’s and they approached you and Steve together.

“I told Geo that if he messes with any more rides he’s grounded,” Bucky explained before either of you had a chance to say anything.  “He agreed that that was fair.”

“Okay,” you said, looking a little uncertain.  “G, there’s a ride around the corner that’s a haunted house.  It has more animatronics, but I think it’s supposed to be really cool.  Or we can go ride the teacups.  I bet Steve could make them spin super fast.”

“Teacups,” Geo said.  “And could I go on the carousel?”

“Yeah, bud, that will be fine,” you said.  “Then we’ll see about the time.  We have lunch booked.”

Geo held out his free hand to Steve.  “Come on, dad.”

Steve smiled and took Geo’s hand and you moved to Bucky’s other side and wrapped your arm around his waist.  Bucky slung his arm around your shoulder and the four of you set off in the direction of the carousel.  Steve looked at Bucky and grinned.  Bucky couldn’t help but smile either.  They were a family now, and even though they might not get the wedding, this somehow made it feel that little bit more official.

// NEXT

[lady-divine-writes]

Kurtbastian one-shot - “Inflated Egos” (Rated G)

Summary: When Kurt takes one of his students to compete in their first competition after landing their Axel, Kurt is confronted with the conundrum of choosing good sportsmanship or doing anything you can to win...

And Sebastian and Blaine are of no help whatsoever. (2080 words)

Part 69 of Outside Edge

Read on AO3. 

“I wanna add the Axel!”

"I know you do, Kevin. It's exciting to land your Axel. But we can't add it to your routine last minute."

"Why not!? I know the perfect place for it!"

Kurt sighs, steering his precocious pupil down the corridor that leads to the ice, rehashing this conversation they've had close to a hundred times over the past three hours.

“You can't add the Axel because you're competing at a level that doesn't include Axel."

"But this isn't a technical competition!" Kevin argues, the words tumbling around his mouth as if they don't belong. "I'm skating spotlight artistic! I can have an Axel in my program. They just won't score it!"

"Wow. You have such a firm grasp of the rules and qualifiers for a ten-year-old. Almost as if someone fed them to you... " Kurt shoots his boyfriend a dirty look. Sebastian shrugs, but he doesn't look the least bit guilty.

"It might be considered bad sportsmanship, and that could lower your score,” Blaine adds, inching in on Kurt's side of the argument. He has nothing against Kevin adding the jump. It would add pizzazz to his program. But judging at the ISI level can be ambiguous, to put it nicely. Not like in higher levels where it's required to put real-time scores on a readily available screen throughout the performance for transparency. If a judge doesn't like your music or your costume or your coach or you in general for whatever reason, a skater can lose fractions of a point. 

And those add up.

Most ISI judges coach competitors, and they tend to favor skaters in their own skating clubs. Scratches magically disappear if a coach happens to know the performer, knows that they've done better in the past, and cuts them some slack. 

It happens more often than the casual onlooker may think.

Kevin is a talented up-and-comer who hasn't ruffled anyone's feathers (that Blaine knows of), so he doesn't see how one little Axel could sully his reputation. And Kevin is correct - it's not technically against the rules for his event class. 

It's just frowned upon.

But if Blaine joins the Kevin-Sebastian tag team, that would be three against one, and that wouldn't be fair to Kurt. Kurt is looking out for his skater like any good coach would. Bad scoring won't tank a judge, but bad sportsmanship can kill a skater's career before it starts.

“I know the kids at the rink love this event, but I've never competed in spotlight artistic," Kurt admits. "Only technical. So I don’t really know what to expect.”

"I didn't either," Blaine chimes in. "My coach was adamant that it was a waste of time for serious skaters."

“I did a few," Sebastian says, "when I was part of Elite."

Kurt peeks over at his boyfriend, lips twisted behind his mask in an amused grin. "Why? That doesn't seem like Elite's cup of tea."

"Because coach wanted our names on the board for every event possible - technical, spotlight, shoot-the-duck, spirals... "

"What sort of routines did you do?"

"Nothing too impressive. Not like my technical programs. I was a big Avengers fan, so I stuck with that. I was Thor one year. Had a Mjölnir with lightning coming out of it and everything."

"Oh, please tell me there's a video of this somewhere!" Blaine begs, clasping his hands together in front of his chest. "I would pay good money to see it!" 

"You can't afford it," Sebastian says, blowing him off without a glance. "You had to have a prop for spotlight, but coach always said it was about the skating, like every other event. Or it was." He raises an eyebrow at a tractor prop covered in LED lights, quietly questioning, "What the hell song is that for?" as it drives by. "Something tells me that may have changed a tad.”

“Ya think?” Blaine chuckles, pointing to three skaters dressed in inflatable T-Rex costumes pulling an animatronic Indominus Rex the size of a VW bus behind them.

Kevin gasping diverts their attention to a podium covered in holographic wrap, a giant "diamond" mounted on top spinning slowly, throwing colored beams across the floor, pushed by a young lady dressed as a one-eyed spy. "These props are awesome!" he says, his own small prop clutched in his right fist.

"Maybe next time, we can wrap you up in Christmas lights and glue drones to your shoulders to make you fly," Sebastian suggests. "Eh, Kevin?"

"Can we?" Kevin asks, bouncing on his blockers, excited at the prospect of taking his hand-made Elvis costume to the next level.

"No! Kevin doesn't need any bells or whistles," Kurt declares, unsure what Christmas lights and drones have to do with Elvis. "His routine is about his skating. Props are just gravy. We don't need more. One is enough."

"Yeah. Right. Okay," Sebastian and Kevin grump. Even Blaine looks disappointed. 

So when Kurt hears a chuckle, his ears prick up, and his head turns.

Everyone he sees around them seems focused on their warmups. No one is paying attention to them. But off to his right, he spots a brown-haired woman, her smiling green eyes darting their way, then back to the ice. When she looks back and notices Kurt watching her, she knows she's been caught and waves their way.

"I'm sorry," she says, trundling over. "I didn't mean to overhear, but I was wonderin'... are you fellas new?"

It's not often that Kurt walks into a rink in Ohio and isn't immediately recognized. But unlike Sebastian, he enjoys the anonymity.

"Let's just say I am," Kurt says. "What am I missing?"

"A lot." She laughs again so hard, she snorts. "I'm sorry. Saying it's about the skating is admirable. That's what it should be about. But it's not. Not in this category. It's about the props. The bigger the prop, the better. You have to use every advantage you have if you want your skater to come close to winning a medal."

"Not everybody thinks that way," Kurt argues.

"Oh no? Do you see that boy over there in the gold crown?" She motions with her head past the crowd to where a boy slightly older than Kevin, dressed in pale blue and gold brocade, warms up. "That's Michael. He's skating as Tommen from Game of Thrones. His dragon prop is programmed to roll around the ice on its own. It even breathes fire! And at the end, he's going to jump out a tower window."

"Wow," Sebastian says when he catches sight of said tower. It has to be made of styrofoam. The skaters are responsible for getting their props on and off the ice by themselves. There is no way this kid would be able to push his tower around unless it was constructed out of foam. But it looks like stone. It stands at least six feet tall with a platform roughly three feet up and outfitted with a cushion for Michael to land on, painted to look like a cloud that will blend in with the ice. "Kurt, you're super dramatic and stuff. This sounds right up your alley! How about we sign you up for the next go-'round? You can do an excerpt from Wicked. Or Phantom of the Opera! We just need to find you a cape, a mask, and about seven dozen candles! Whaddya say?"

"I say it depends on which testicle you want to lose," Kurt mutters, hoping the bubbly stage-mom dressed in head-to-toe flair doesn't hear.

"Look, it may not be my place to say," she starts. "You are his coach and all, but... uh... " Her eyelids narrow. "What event is your skater in?"

"Thirty-seven," Kurt says.

She sighs, looks strangely relieved. "Okay. My Maggie's in twenty-three."

Kurt's brow furrows. Then he rolls his eyes, realizing she asked to make sure Kurt's skater wouldn't be competing against her daughter after she imparts this valuable nugget of information.

"If you want some advice, let him add the Axel. His prop is a little... well, it's a little... " She glances down at the object Kevin is strangling in his grip, searching for a polite word to describe it "... puny. He'll need a little oomph. Ooo!" She yelps so suddenly, all four boys jump. "I almost forgot! I have a boom box in my trailer from Maggie's last spotlight! It's got a detachable disco ball and flashing strobe lights! It would go great with his costume!"

"Is it big?" Sebastian asks, infuriating Kurt by getting caught up in this woman's prop propaganda. 

"It's the size of an Irish Wolfhound!" 

"And they're big," Blaine concurs, sharing a nod with Kevin, then Sebastian.

"Oh, I couldn't put you out..." Kurt tries, but she shakes her head, refusing to let him turn down her offer.

"Nonsense! I'm parked right outside the loading doors! It'll take five minutes to get!"

"It couldn't hurt," Blaine says, having the good sense to move away after.

Kurt can't reach him, but he fixes him with a glare that could melt glass.

"You can't honestly believe the skating doesn't matter?" he says, not directed at any one person.

"Of course, I believe the skating matters," Maggie's mom says. "But in this event, you have to have some sort of edge. Especially when you're up against stuff like that." She points past them, her eyes traveling up, way up, and Kurt's heart sinks into his stomach before he even turns around.

”Jesus Christmas,” Sebastian moans, staring at the monstrosity traveling their way - the biggest, gaudiest, parade-style float he has ever seen indoors, decorated to look like a six-year-old girl's dream: the base wrapped in tons of fluffy pink tuille intertwined with hundreds of white twinkle lights, crystal baubles and gold balls hanging from fishing line so they look like they're suspended in air, no less than three machines spewing bubbles straight up, a hidden fog machine obscuring the view slightly with pink mist, and in the center, a whole family of inflatable rainbow unicorns on an elevated platform, each one rotating independently, all surrounding a cocoon of pink satin pillows where a skater sits, carried onto the ice by this cotton candy throne. “I’m not even skating, and I’m suffering from some serious prop envy.”

Kurt stares at the thing as it passes by, its smug passenger waving at them like they're peasants waiting for crumbs of stale bread, until the image is burned into his retinas. He looks at Kevin and his pathetic prop - a lime-green inflatable guitar his mother bought for five dollars at the last county fair. There's something wrong with it. It keeps deflating at the neck. Kurt brought a hand pump with him, one he uses to put air in his yoga ball. One of Kurt's jobs as Kevin's coach is to fortify the thing before Kevin takes to the ice. He tosses it about three seconds in to his routine anyway. 

Because it's not the star of the show. 

Kevin is.

Kevin could probably skate circles around half these kids, but if what Maggie's mom says is true, he doesn't have a chance simply because they didn't think to look for anything larger for him to hold than this defective pool toy. Kurt finds it horrible that Kevin has lost before he even begins because his prop is less in-your-face than everyone else’s.

Excuse him for thinking that a skating competition would be judged on skating!

Kurt isn't necessarily proud of his next few decisions since they play into the "anything to win" mentality. But later, Sebastian will convince him he wasn't elevating Kevin so he could win. It was leveling the playing field so he had a chance.

And Kurt can live with that.

"Sebastian? Blaine?"

"Yeah, babe?"

Blaine debates calling Kurt babe, too, if for no other reason than to rankle Sebastian, but now might not be the best time. "Yeah?"

"Could you please escort this kind woman to her trailer and retrieve the enormous boom box she has graciously offered to lend us?"

"On it," Blaine replies.

"Yessir." Sebastian gives Kurt a playful salute, then hurries away, led by the now effervescent woman who couldn't be more thrilled than if they were outfitting her daughter. 

“And Kevin?”

“Yeah, coach?”

Kurt puts his hands on Kevin's shoulders and gives him a reassuring squeeze as they watch that grotesque, bubble-spitting giant take the ice. “Add the Axel.”

[living-dead-parker]

Spooky - P.P

Summary: Peter and Y/N are everyone’s worst nightmare around Halloween

Warnings: cussing. shocking image (idk man, just a pic of some mentioned prop that is meant to look scary), ooc Steve Rogers, probably some mistakes as usual

Word Count: 1.5k

"Y/N why have you been looking up projectors by using Friday?" Tony asks as he walks into the common room. His tone is curious and firm, questioning the younger woman's intentions.

"Spooky season cometh, I need to prepare." she responds, concentrating on nothing. Her words come out hopeless, which concern Tony. He knows this girl plays around too much, so realistically he shouldn't really question it, but nowadays he worries to much. So, questioning her is now in his nature, unfortunately.

"Prepare for what?" Tony asks. His brows furrow as he focuses on the girl. Wide eyed, she turns to Tony, looking at him.

"For the skeleton war." Peter responds as he steps in the room. Tony looks up at Peter quizzically, but as it hits him, he rolls his eyes and stands up. Walking away, he quietly rants about 'these damn children' and their 'stupid antics'.

It's September, Halloween is now around the corner. Peter and Y/N enjoy the holiday the most out of everyone. Halloween had always been such a fun holiday for them; watching scary movies that left them awake for days, binging  on candy, visiting haunted houses, and occasionally dressing up to go trick-or-treating. What made Halloween even more interesting was the Avengers. How terribly they'd react to animatronic props or getting tangled in fake cotton spider webs.

The two teens had a policy when it comes to costumes. They'll never dress up as their superhero persona, for fear that they'll accidentally out themselves. However, that hasn't stopped them from dressing up as each other. Y/N had once worn Peter's Iron Spider suit, feeling excited when she could swing around using his webs. She accidentally turned on Instant Kill which made Peter decide that they should probably never do that again. Peter had worn Y/N's iron suit, disguised as Pink Electra for that day. Everyone walked up to them, surprised at the 'almost authentic' look of the suits.

This year, Y/N and Peter have took it upon themselves that they were too grown to go trick or treating this year. They're 18 now, adults. Basically grandparents at this point. So, they have invited Ned, Shuri, Harley, and MJ to come to the Avenger's compound for a night of spooks and scares. And pranks. Mostly pranks. They begun to pick out the things that scared the Avengers the most. That's why Y/N is on the Party City website, searching for all things clowns, killers, zombies, and babies.

"Hey, Mr. Stark, you think you can let me have 500 dollars?" Y/N asks, walking into his lab. Peter trails behind the girl, not questioning her request.

"Why?" Tony asks, not looking up from the suit he's currently working on. He messes with a screw, pulling it out and moving some wires.

"I need it to pay for my child support. My ex wife hired the price." Y/N responds, urgency in her voice. Tony deadpans at the younger girl. Peter looks like he's about to lose his shit, but he's holding on to his laughter.

"Child, what the actual fuck is wrong with you kids? Why can't you be normal?" Tony asks.

"Mr. Stark, please. We can't afford the demands, I'm gonna have to start showing leg in the streets. The cold dark streets. You know what they do to twinks like me in the streets?" Peter cries out. Tony's eyes go wide at his sudden outburst, Y/N taking her turn at holding in her laughter.

"Alright, Parker. Tone it down a bit, sweets." Y/N says. Peter nods, giggling a little.

"Are you guys okay? Did the nurses drop you two when you guys were born?" Tony asks.

"I'm pretty sure, I was there when it happened." Y/N responds.

"Yeah, I was there. I was the baby." Peter adds. Tony sighs, pulling his phone out from his pocket. He scrolls a bit, typing some and then locking his phone again. Their phones ding as Tony speaks up again.

"I transferred you 500 each, please get out and don't talk to me for the rest of the day unless you talk like normal people." Tony whines. The two teens nod, walking away and giggling as they exit the lab.

Y/N leads the way down the hall and into the common room. Taking a seat on the couch, Y/N tosses the control to Peter so he could put on a movie on Netlfix. Peter scrolls aimlessly as Y/N opens up her computer, scrolling through the Party City website. Peter settles for one of the new Halloween movies. He takes a seat next to you, resting his head on your shoulder. Y/N points at one of the decorative props.

"She's cute, I want it." Y/N says. She points at a baby zombie doll with big eyes that light up, fake blood dripping down the eyes, dressed in a black dress and black veil.

"Our little baby, Tamanthamum. Bring her home." Peter says. His voice laced with excitement.

"Peter, are we really ready for this? A baby is a huge responsibility. We have to love her, even if she plots against us and tries to kill us." Y/N says, looking back at the picture of the baby. Peter smiles at Y/N, eagerly nodding his head.

"We've always wanted death. I think we're ready." Peter says. Y/N clicks the link on the doll, clicking the 'add to cart' option and going back to shopping. They scroll for a while longer until something catches both of their eyes.

With wide eyes, Y/N clicks the link that takes them to the appropriate page. Looking at each other, they nod. Peter clicks the 'add to cart' button and with that and a few other items, they check out. The total coming out to 450 dollars. Y/N uses her card to pay and they both squeal in a giddy excitement.

A month passes and Halloween is now in 5 days. Their final prop, the one they were most excited for arrives. Peter and Y/N managed to keep it a secret by sending it to Ned's house instead of the Avenger's compound. Peter and Y/N went to go pick it up that same day, carrying the giant heavy box into the compound and into the elevator. As you reach the top floor where all the rooms are, you and Peter are quick to get to Peter's room.

"Alright, let's get him behind Steve's door and see if he notices." you say. Opening the door, you look around before leading the way to Steve's room, five doors down the left. You grab the other end of the box and sneak into Steve's room. Quickly closing the door, Peter sets the box down.

Y/N pulls out a knife and opens the flaps of the box, revealing the tall prop. Peter plugs it in and steps back, admiring the prop.

"Karen, inform Friday to record Cap's room." Peter says as the two teens walk out.

It takes all day to get Steve into his room. But after Y/N successfully spilled some juice on him 'by accident' they finally get him to go to his room. Friday starts recording as the two teens get everybody to the common room in time. They watch as Friday displays the live feed on the main TV in the common room. Tony eyes the two teens as they begin to snicker as Steve reaches the door to his bedroom. As he walks in, the camera switches to the one in his room. As soon as the door closes, Steve lets out a terrified shrill of fear as his eyes lay upon the moving slasher prop.

"Something tells me you two had something to do with this." Tony says as he eyes the two laughing teens. Steve storms out into the common room. He glares at the two teens, crying of laughter on the floor.

"A six foot Michael Myers prop? I shoul-"

"You shouldn't do anything. Walk away and cool it Cap." Tony steps in defending the two teens from the angry Steve. He knows that he won't do anything to them, but he still has this need inside of him to care for and protect the two. No matter how annoying they can be, he would kill and he would die for them. His love ran deep.

"Those two are nothing but trouble!" Steve says, feeling angry. Bucky chuckles, resting a hand on Steve's arm.

"Calm down, Steven. They're just being kids, playing pranks. I'm sure they'd laugh it off you did the same. Go get changed, they'll take out the stupid thing." Bucky assures Steve. He nods, glaring at the two smirking teens.

"You two, need to stop. I will make sure you two don't make it out next time!" Tony jokingly commands. Their eyes widen as they shake their heads.

"You can't do that! You wouldn't do that to baby Tamathamum!" Peter whines. Everyone eyes the two teens curiously.

"Baby what?" Clint asks. Y/N rolls her eyes and walks off to the book shelf where the doll sits. Everyone's brows furrow as Y/N stands next to Peter, baby doll in her hands. Peter wraps an arm around the girl's shoulders, holding her close as they proudly smile.

"This is our baby, Tamanthamum. Peter gave birth to her last month." Y/N explains.

"So, I gave you guys 500 dollars so you can piss of Steve with a six foot Michael Myers prop and...now I have a grand daughter?" Tony asks, pissing Steve off more by joining on the joke.

"She has your eyes, Mr. Stark." Y/N says. Tony smiles, joining the two teens in a 'family' hug.

"Oh for Christ's sake. You three are the worst."

[intothestarkerverse]

Time of Our Lives (Part Three)

Based on a prompt from @geekymarvel  

Peter is tasked with an important mission that requires him to go back in time.   Finding himself at a gala for Stark industries in the 1990’s, he comes face to face with a young and incorrigible Tony Stark who considers Peter’s attempts to deny his advances a challenge.  Now, dogged by a horny young CEO who won’t take no for an answer, Peter’s task has become much more difficult….

(STORY CONTAINS ENDGAME SPOILERS)

Read on AO3

“Get on your radio. I want S.H.I.E.L.D. I want the F.B.I. I want the N.S.A. I want everyone with a god damn badge and an acronym for a name here in ten minutes.” When there was no immediate response from Happy, Tony turned to take in the other man’s embarrassed expression, barely losing a step of his meaningful stride. “Tell me you have your radio.”

“I left it in the security office.”

“Of course you did.” Tony skidded to a stop in front of the elevator, reaching for his security badge for executive override and realizing with an angry growl that he didn’t have it. The kid did. “Fine, go back to the security office and call in the cavalry then.”

“I can’t let you go down there alone, Sir, it could be dangerous.”

“See, I thought I was the boss here. My name and not yours on the building, the paychecks…Happy Industries sounds like a brothel or a pizza parlor with an animatronic rat, you know? Is this a whore house or a pizza arcade, Happy? No. Then just do what I say or hit the unemployment line in the morning, I honestly don’t care which you choose.” He turned his back to thesecurity guard and began mashing the down arrow on the elevator again and again and again as if that would make it arrive faster. When it still hadn’t arrived after several seconds, he begrudgingly pushed his way through the door to the emergency stairwell somewhat placated that Happy was not behind him and had done as instructed and gone back to get the authorities. Tony honestly wasn’t worried about the kid hurting him. If Peter Parker wanted him dead, he would have killed him when they were alone in the Men’s Room. Nah, this kid was out for something other than blood...it was just a real damn shame it wasn’t sex.

By the time he reached the incinerator in the basement Tony was a little breathless. The door providing access to the inside of the incinerator for removal of ash and debris was open and there was the sound of movement echoing from within the large metal room. “All right, Kid, you’ve got at best fifteen minutes before this building is swarming with federal agents. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll run…” Tony’s words died on his lips as he stepped into the open doorway and several things became apparent at once.

That was not the kid in the incinerator.

It was, in fact, three individuals dressed in black who were collecting a myriad of items from the incinerator that Tony hadn’t recalled ordering destroyed. Two of them did not even look up from their work, but the third individual swung his considerably impressive firearm in Tony’s direction and let off several rounds of gunfire before Tony’s words had even stopped echoing in the room.

—

There were very few times in Peter Parker’s life when his proclivity for mathematics and the physical sciences was a hindrance. This was one of those few times. As he slowly climbed down the never-ending shaft of the incinerator on finger tips and toes, his brain was busy calculating the height of the shaft, how much time it would take him to fall down it, how much damage he would sustain from the fall, and any number of worse doomsday scenarios.

Truth was, he knew he had nothing to worry about. He had pretty good stamina and his muscles weren’t even beginning to sting yet. In the grand scheme of things, this should be a piece of cake…but Peter had a little bit of trouble with very confined spaces ever since Vulture dropped a building on him. It wasn’t a full-fledged phobia. He certainly tried to avoid very tight places if he could help it, though, and this incinerator shaft was about as tight as they came. If he was any larger, he probably wouldn’t have been able to fit inside it. As it was, there was little more than a couple of inches to either side of his shoulders and his knees and ass were scraping the other sides as he crawled down. It was also exceptionally dark and quiet. All he could hear was the steady rhythm of his own heartbeat and the sound of his somewhat frenzied breathing against the mask of his ironspider suit. He really missed Karen. Being without the AI didn’t make the suit useless, it was still every bit as intuitive as it had ever been…but Karen was a point of comfort that he could have used as he convinced himself that the tiny incinerator shaft was no big deal at all.

Spidey sense came first, as it was always want to do. The familiar tingling at the base of his skull that flared quickly enough to a full fledged stabbing pain. Peter had learned over the years to take his Spidey sense with a grain of salt. Sometimes it had a habit of alerting him to dangers that were rather mundane and not at all life threatening. His reaction to the warning was more dependent upon the circumstances. In a fight, he was much more likely to duck, expecting an oncoming projectile, than he was in the middle of Calculus. Sometimes, for the sake of secret identities, it was important to let the spitball Flash had lobbed at his head hit him between the eyes. Didn’t mean he had to like it, though.

This time, Peter paid attention to his biological warning system, slowing down and taking the last few yards of decent much more carefully than the first hundred or so. He didn’t jump out of the shaft as he might have done without the warning, instead angling himself to cling to the roof of the incinerator as he poured his body out of the hole and was finally able to take stock of the situation.

Three men.

All in black. They were loading a reinforced metal crate with objects from the incinerator. One of which, he saw with dismay, was the one he had been sent to recover. This complicated matters much more than he cared to admit. Were these people supposed to steal this stuff? Could he afford to stop them completely and take the machine, or should he just try to get the machine away from them and try to avoid affecting the time stream even more than he already had? Why hadn’t Tony or the stones known about this in the first place? What was he going to do?

It was Tony’s voice that pulled him out of the worried maelstrom of his own thoughts.

Oh no.

Oh God.

Peter saw the one with the gun turn towards the doorway and his head exploded with a thousand warnings.

He absolutely could not let Tony Stark die.

The world seemed to slow down, seconds taking minutes as they passed. Spider-Man aimed for the barrel of the gun, firing a quick burst of webbing and using all of his strength to pull the gun up so that as it fired, the rounds skittered above Tony’s head and out into the basement where he hoped they would do no harm.

He left the ceiling in a graceful leap, hands colliding with the shooter’s shoulders as he pushed him to the ground and delivered a forceful right hook to the man’s masked face. Peter was used to pulling his punches. He was far too strong to hit an average person with the full brunt of his power. Not if he didn’t want to knock someone’s head off, anyway. This time, perhaps, he didn’t hold back quite enough. The guy wasn’t dead. He’d never forgive himself if he killed an actual person, but he was adequately stunned…maybe even concussed.

One down.

Two to go.

—

Tony Stark’s life did not flash before his eyes. He was more than a little grateful for that, because truthfully he had done very little worth reliving at that juncture. His only thought, in fact, as he watched the sparks fly from the end of the gun as the bullets fired, was that he was going to die without ever taking that sweet piece of thieving ass to bed. And that was a shame.

Then the bullets were whizzing overhead and he was enraptured, watching that sweet piece of thieving ass saving his damn life. If he had thought the kid was attractive before, he was gone for the boy now. Watching him fight was the best possible kind of foreplay and Tony could even forgive his little stunt in the bathroom in favor of what he was seeing now.

Peter Parker was an artist. There was a grace and a fluidity to his movements that reminded Tony of a dancer or a gymnast as he sprang and flipped and flew around the incinerator. He was flexible. Oh, was he flexible. Watching the way his body could twist and bend had Tony lost in all kinds of lascivious thoughts, imagining all of the new, exciting sexual adventures he could have with a beautiful boy who could move like that.

He was also a smart ass. Every punch and kick, every time he fired that fluid from his wrists and jerked one of the men across the room, it was always accompanied by some sarcastic remark or witty banter that had Tony smiling despite himself. Dammit. He had been determined to be angry at the kid, angry enough to deny him sex and see him carted off to a S.H.I.E.L.D. prison, but he could already feel that resolve crumbling. Beautiful boys with bodies as skilled at movement as his and a tongue as sharp were so hard to come by. No, so very, very hard to find and so very, very easy to cum by.

As Peter sent one of the men flying into the other and both crumpled into piles of shredded and discarded paperwork, he came to light directly in front of Tony. “Mr. Stark, could you…I don’t know, maybe not stand there in the open like a sitting duck? I really can’t be responsible for you dying again and I can’t stop these guys and protect you too…”

Again? “Protect me?” Tony was offended to the depths of his soul. “I do not need to be protected, Peter.”

The eyes of the suit widened somewhat, obviously surprised to hear Tony use his real name. Then, with a sigh, the mask over his head melted away and he addressed Tony face to face. “You do actually. You really do. And you can’t die, so…I’m really, really sorry about this…”

Before Tony knew what was happening, the kid had fired two quick shots of webbing, binding first his ankles and then his arms to his sides. With a somewhat gentle kick, he tipped the man over and sent him rolling away from the entrance.

—

Peter really shouldn’t have been surprised that Tony had known who he was. Tony always knew who he was, it seemed. In the future, in the past. He was just never going to be able to maintain a secret identity with Tony Stark. The man was destined to always know Peter’s deepest and darkest secrets…except for the one he’d kept closely guarded for far too long. That secret he had never intended to allow to see the light of day, but one devilishly sexy younger version of his mentor was teasing him with so many possibilities that he feared his secret desires were not secret anymore. If he only had more time…He thought he saw something, a dark look in Tony’s eyes a moment before the man fell and rolled out of the doorway. Clearly, Peter was now not the only one who’d be having fantasies about tying Tony up with webbing and doing dirty, dirty things. He felt his cheeks blush a moment before his Spidey Sense flared again and he dived before a spray of gunfire erupted behind him.

“Okay, guys, seriously…enough is enough.” Peter bounced up again, annoyed to see that the third man was not as incapacitated as he had previously thought. “I’m not letting you leave with that stuff, and in case you missed what the man said before you so rudely tried to kill him…the cops are on the way.”

“Yes, they are.”

The voice had come from behind Peter, not in front of him, and slowly the boy turned to face a new arrival. This man was not dressed in black but in an expensive tuxedo. He’d been one of the guests, then. Probably the one who’d let these guys into the incinerator in the first place. It was not the man that had Peter frozen in fear, though, but what the man was holding.

Tony was still bound, and probably would be for another hour without Peter’s solvent to dissolve the webbing. Unfortunately, this meant he was not putting up much of a fight to the man who now had a gun pressed against his head. “You’re going to let us out of here, all of us, with the contraband…or Tony Stark is going to leave here in a body bag.”

Peter held up his hands, palms splayed, trying to keep his voice from shaking. “Hey, man, you don’t want to hurt him, do you? I mean, you’ve gone to this much trouble to steal his stuff…if he’s dead, how’s he goin’ to invent something new for you to steal?”

“How indeed.” The man’s gaze moved to the disguised men who were once again scrambling to fill the crate as quickly as they could. “Oh, just leave the rest. We don’t have time. We’ll have to be content with what we’ve got. Pack up the crate, we’re leaving.”

Peter watched as the men lifted the heavy crate and began carrying it out. He dropped his hands to his side as the man’s attention was on the crate for a split second, barely the blink of an eye, firing off a quick tracker that embedded in the seaming of the crate.

When the crate and the men were out of the incinerator, Peter was preparing to launch an offensive and keep that guy from putting a bullet in Tony’s brain. He needn’t have worried, though. Just as Peter was rushing forward for the attack, he felt a heavy object collide with him and send him to the ground with an indelicate grunt. Then, he heard the sound of the door slamming shut and felt his stomach sink.

Oh no.

He pushed himself up, locking gazes with Tony who had been summarily thrown into the room at him. “Oh shit.” Peter’s gaze moved from the man to the room around them as he heard machinery whirring to life. “Shit. Shit. Shit.”

The incinerator was coming on.

They were going to burn the two of them alive.

Peter reached for Tony, the solvent that dissolved the webbing loosening the bonds on the other man's arms and legs.

“This whole keeping me safe thing…you’re really terrible at it, kid.”

“We don’t have time for your sarcasm.” Peter was searching the room, desperate for some way out. The chute was too small for the both of them…probably too small for Tony. His shoulders were much broader than Peter’s, an attribute that Peter had always found attractive. The chimney was likely too tall, too thin, and with too few purchases for webbing. Not to mention the fact that fire and hot air from the incinerator were going to go up that chimney faster than he could climb with a passenger. He couldn’t stop the flame, not without literally ripping the incinerator apart. That left him with only one option…

His mental calculations were interrupted by the feeling of an arm around his waist pulling him in close and then kissing him again. God, even the fire of the incinerator wasn’t going to be able compete with this heat. Peter whimpered but tried to push himself away. “If I’m going to die, I’m going to go out on my terms.” Tony’s voice rasped against his lips and Peter couldn’t help but laugh.

“Rain check. On the kissing, not the dying.” He succeeded in pushing himself away and flipped upward, watching dubiously as the fire began to spew from several pipes along the bottom of the room. Tony was backing towards the middle of the room, as far from the fire as he could get, as Peter anchored webbing a little into the shaft from which he’d entered and backed up to a far corner of the room, turning around to brace his arms, back, and legs against the ceiling.

Tony followed his gaze to the door. “You realize that’s sealed shut. It would take a hell of a lot of pressure to open it from the inside.”

“2 tons, give or take, depending on where I hit it. Already did the math. Should be easy.” Something in Tony’s eyes made Peter smirk. Had he just licked his lips like he was looking at a piece of chocolate cake…while he was looking at Peter? Oh this was bad, this was very, very bad…but all the more reason to live.

He used every ounce of strength he could muster, pushing off of the ceiling and hurtling towards the door. A moment before his feet struck it, he watched in abject horror as it swung open of it’s own accord and he had to try to slow himself down before he barreled right into young Happy Hogan. Blindly shooting a stream of webbing, it struck something overhead and he pulled himself sharply to the right, swinging in an arc and hitting the nearby broiler hard enough to leave what Peter would later swear was a vaguely human imprint. Groaning, he collapsed onto his back on the floor and watched from his new vantage point as Tony emerged from the incinerator looking none the worse for wear.

“Good job, Happy. You deserve a promotion. Personal security sound good to you? You can keep me safe, get a pay raise, show the kid how you save someone’s life the right way.” Tony crossed the basement, standing over Peter with his arms crossed over his chest. “The cops here yet, Happy?”

“Coming down any minute, Sir.”

Peter was up in a moment, ignoring the aches from his collision with the building’s heating system. “I’m begging you, Mr. Stark, please don’t tell S.H.I.E.L.D or the police what happened. They can’t know I’m here, no one else can know I’m here…or what they took or anything else. Please…Please, Mr. Stark…”

“I do love to see you beg, Beautiful, but why should I? You stole from me. You almost got me barbecued…and you’ve already done irreparable harm to the time stream, anyway.”

Peter stopped in mid sentence, his whole body completely rigid at Tony’s reprimand. Only his eyes moved as they widened considerably at the implications of the statement. “Wuh…How…What…I’m not…”

Tony stared back, his mouth twisted into a frown, brows raised. “Yeah, you did and you are. So, if you want me to keep you out of prison…you have a very small window of time in which to tell me why a future version of myself chose to send you back in time, what you needed in that incinerator, and why. Spill it, and don’t waste time on that adorable stutter.”

[donaldduckau]

Lost and became cub Au

When he first saw this job in the newspaper he thought I can do this and Called them straight away while later he's screaming " I can't Do this " But I can ".

When he got hold of the manager Mr Fazbear he informed the man about why he wanted the job telling him every reason on why pick him for the job without listening to the manager having already had said yes to him for the job. When he was finished off the reasons why he should have the job the manager replies quickly thinking that he start again says "yes come by 9 pm today" with a tone of annoyance.

later at 9 pm outside the Freddy pizzeria. The manager meets the new employee that was about 20 years old with Brown eyes and hair like many people will thinking " poor lad you shouldn't come here " but not able to afford to as he informs the lad that the animatronics are machines that are aware and basically alive and eat so just be in the office for 12 pm to 6 am okay the lad replied with "yes boss "

Starting in his new job uniform he puts headphones on his head listening to songs that would pass the time and reading a book of fantasy world Whilst the song was playing, a tape that was the instruction guide and advice playing telling him about what the manager left out but the lad couldn't hear or aware of it.

In the main stage Freddy, Bonnie, Chica and foxy were talking about how they were going to stuff the night guard into a suit. Freddy starts with black filled eyes " were doing the classic way and having Bonnie start first at his right side then chica at left for tonight" Chica and Bonnie happily shouting " yes " with grins that reflected the murderous intention in their eyes but foxy replying " ye know i had th' crew plan wit' me bein' able t' move on night 3 why nah wit' me goin' tonight as he wouldn't see it comin' Freddy " Freddy replying in a flirty way says "I Got something else in mind my Handsome fox " leaving a red faced foxy being taken to Freddy room leaving both Chica and Bonnie alone. Bonnie says "let's start as the two are going to be busy and it unlikely that the guard is caught tonight" chica say " okay ". while Bonnie was moving toward the doors he slowly crept towards the door and awaits the door closing But nothing only the guard is wearing headphone and reading a book intensly ignoring him , Thinking "This is too perfect " and grips the guards waist and drags the guard into the suits room while hearing the screams of a man that confused and scared screaming " Let me Go Please " thinking this is just a malfunction but manages to get loose screaming " I can't do this " but fails as the rabbit easily catches him as he replies " I can " .

Chica Getting ready for going to the door sees Bonnie with the guard that just screaming "let me go" and attempting to kick or punch himself free from Bonnie .thinking that "He has the guard meaning that we now have the place all for themselves which make Freddy happy as he to spend more time with his Foxy.

so she starts following Bonnie towards the backstage where the suits are left. When in the backstage Bonnie orders Chica to grab a Freddy suit while holding onto the guard that moving in his arms. when chica got the suit ready for the guard he knows this was going to hurt. having his feet pushed at first he felt the pain that was nothing to his legs then the waist each time being more painful than the last until the placed the head of Freddy over him then that's it.

He woke up feeling Sleepy, scared and confused about what happened at Freddy pizzeria. Raising his paw towards his face WAIT "PAW" his thinks looking at his once human hand to be a Bear paw while also to be a young child no Cub that can't really walk yet. Feeling moody at this knowing that this is the rabbit's fault decides to punish the rabbit walking/crawling towards the backstage door that leads to the stage. Barely Pushing the door open he crawls onto the back of the stage and sees the Rabbit whom he doesn't know the name of playing the guitar. listening to the music, the cub starts feeling like listening to the music but remembers about punishing the rabbit for making him hurt. deciding to bite the rabbit in the leg as he can't do anything else.

When Bonnie was waking up this morning after stuffing the guard he thought he was going have good day with no child calling him a girl so when people start entering the restaurant they start singing with him as he plays his guitar then he saw some adults look towards him silently with most of the children too unknown to him they noticed the baby Cub bear that looked like Freddy just as the cub was about yo bite and then he feels it, the bite of the cub on his leg that somehow attached it self after. Screaming in pain Bonnie Screams " OW OW OW Stop biting me OW OW OW "wanting to shake his leg with the Bear cub animatronic on that leg but doesn't a he hurt the cub. Freddy, Chica hearing and staring at Bonnie as they were going to ask Why he's Screaming See the reason why as they see the bear cub biting bonnie leg a at it was attached all thinking " where did that Bear cub come from" so when they were staring Bonnie Screams " stop gazing OW g and help get him or her off me " acting in response pull on the cub until the Cub lets go.

Bonnie now free of the Biting Cub goes to get a Bandage for the bite mark left by the cub with chica along him to help clean the mark. Freddy holding the Cub who looks like him as a cub Asks " why did you bite Bonnie " with the Cub sleepy and grumpy saying " He was mean to me so I bite " before napping thinking of What the cub meant noticing that cub fell sleep in his arms. Noticing people staring Freddy Says " sorry but we are back soon so, please wait until then" Knowing that Foxy will be free at this time as his act has passed, Walks towards foxy's room that filled with pirate theme items and other things.

Knocking on the Foxy door. Freddy waits for it to open when it does foxy asks" Wha' do ye need " Freddy kindly orders Foxy " take care of Cub until end of opening hours okay"leaving the confused fox with a cub in his hand and hook.

Later at the end of the opening hour with all the children and Adults have gone. Freddy notices foxy enter the main area with the once sleep cub with a playful cub that was dressed as a pirate bear and playing pirate with foxy. As Freddy was about to Ask the Cub of Who he was ,

Bonnie interrupts with " Why did you bite me for I never saw you before" the Cub Turning to see the Rabbit Goes and replies " You made me hurt so you get hurt " with his stomach rumbling as a sign that hes hungry, Chica takes the cub saying " I feed you something good " the cub thinking of food Says " pizza " with chica replies " no instead something healthier " leaving the room with the hungry cub.

Freddy thinking of what the Cub meant hurting him thinks that impossible but still asks " bonnie Did you stuff the guard in a suit last night" with Bonnie replying with a " yes so what that got to do with the Cub" then realising what Freddy was thinking runs into the backstage quickly followed with a Scream of " It Impossible " this confirming what Freddy was thinking.

Foxy does not understand what Bonnie and Freddy were thinking Ask " what happening " Freddy not fully understanding how it possible gives simple Explanation " last night guard caught by chica and Bonnie, Guard stuffed in the animatronic suit of me which later transforms into a Cub animatronic but I believe only remembers about Bonnie Stuffing him and minor stuff " . Foxy understand asks " doesn't that make 'im yer son 'n wha' will ye call 'im we can nah call 'im cub forever" Freddy Excitedly says " Freddie " as Freddy has wanted a Son bear of his own.

Bonnie reenters the room thinking " how " but gives up thinking how its possible instead asks "what we going to do with the Cub " Freddy replies in an Excited tone says " simple we're going to raise him as a Fazbear" leaving no chance for both of them to oppose leaves to see his new Son.

Entering the kitchen, Freedy sees the Cub being feed food by Chica. Freddy tapping chica shoulder tells her about what they know having her going " I excepted this was what happen, so what he called " Freddy having a surprised look replies " how did you know I gave him a name " chica give a look "seriously " Freddy replying with "Freddie " Chica approving of the name feeds the Cub now known as Freddie "Your names Freddie okay " getting the response of " Okay "

While Freddy and chica were talking Bonnie and Foxy Were having their own conversation "what do you think about this " "Freddy happy wit' chica gettin' t' be a mother t' th' cub 'n th' lad loves me tales so I reckon it be okay" Bonnie thinking it be Funny says " doesn't that make you the cub's Dad too as your Freddy's Fox and the cub Freddy logical son" Foxy getting red in the face starts to make some food as foxy love's the idea the cub seeing him a father with freddy. leaving a purple Rabbit laughing from his own question. "WAIT DOES this mean that a baby animatronic could happen again if night guard stuffed on first night " Bonnie shouting with look of fear". Freddy already thinking about this says " Freddy Jr does need friends his age " smirking while feeding Freddy Jr" leaving the others uncertain of what to think.

[markdecastroweb]

This $30 million lottery winner reveals his surprising lifestyle

Sandeep Singh (left) was also a $30 Million Mega Millions winner, but this article isn't about him. The identity of this article's winner still remains a mystery.

It's not often that we get to peek inside a major lottery winner's life.

But in a revealing Reddit post which is about what to do if you win the lottery, a real-life multi-millionaire Mega Millions jackpot winner talked about life after his win.

Here's a selection of the more interesting questions he got from readers - and his answers, chosen from over 900 posts.

This is the post that started it all: "I won a $30 million lottery jackpot and have spent the last 5 years traveling the world. AMA (ask me anything)."

How much did you actually get?

A little under $20 million.

What did you do when you found out you won?

Made photocopies of the ticket and contacted a lawyer.

Just wondering... what did it feel like when you saw the numbers?

I went to the lottery's website after finding the ticket and realized that I had won. I freaked out ran up to my apartment's door and locked all the locks. It was completely irrational.

How did you manage to stay anonymous, if you did, doesn't the lottery always publish the winner's name? Did you get a legal name change and then collect your money?

Set up a blind trust, have a tax lawyer collect your winnings for the trust, and the lottery simply publishes that a trust collected the totals. People found out when I told a few friends out of excitement.

What was the first thing you bought?

My first ‘lottery’ purchase was a safe.

What was the most ridiculous thing you bought?

T-rex animatronic head used in Jurassic Park. It cost me $90K and sits right behind my sofa.

How much did you give to others (charity, family etc)?

I gave my parents and sister $1M each, donated another million to a scholarship fund. Paid off the debt of lifelong friends (total cost was about $200K).

What was the first thing you did?

Accidentally threw (the ticket) away. I was cleaning out pockets to do my laundry, came across the ticket, and tossed it. It wasn't until a few hours later that curiosity got the better of me and I googled the winning numbers. After I saw that I had won I called my boss and quit without giving a reason.

What did you do the day you found out or the day after?

Googled stories about people who had won and squandered the money. Looked for patterns and promised myself not to do that myself. I then made photocopies of the ticket and called a lawyer.

Do you have a plan?

Not until I've seen every country at least once. Right now I'm leaning towards moving to Thailand for a few years.

What do you plan on investing in?

Most of it was put into a trust which is managed by a company that has provided me with advice and invests it for me.

How badly do people pester you for handouts (for business, charity etc)?

When it first happened I was deluged by people I hadn't seen in years asking me for help, telling me their SOB stories, and wanting to start a business. I bought into a lot of it at first but you quickly become hardened and learn to say no. I haven't been asked for money in a few years now, largely because I've been traveling. First place I went was Hawaii. It was a place I had always wanted to visit when I was in college but could never afford. After that I started going to beaches that looked cool in airplane magazines. I highly recommend it.

How do you plan on living the rest of your life?

My first decision was to do nothing. But nothing gets boring fast.

Assuming you didn’t win the lottery, do you think you would be happier or sadder then you are now?

I was happy, just stressed. I'm less stressed now.

How to win the lottery in 8 games out of 10

What’s it feel like knowing that you don’t have to work for the rest of your life?

Pretty good, but it subsides each time I have to sit through a meeting with my accountant because listening to money talk is boring.

What are you going to do with all the money after you die?

Donate it, mostly.

Has the massive amount of people begging for money made it harder to make new friends? (Are you more jaded now)

Yes.

What do you think is an income to meet your upgraded means? As in, when should a regular joe feel like they're living the lifestyle of a lottery winner, in terms of annual income?

Once you remove a lot of the fixed costs that drain a paycheck, you'd need to make little under $100K to enjoy my current life. I don't have a mortgage, car note, college bills, etc to worry about.

What are the class division like among the very rich? I'm talking about millionaires vs billionaires, or new money/old money.

Unless you are in the upper echelons of old money then rich people basically act like everyone else. Talking about money is considered to be a sign of new money and a faux pas. Most clubs are exclusive in the sense that the buy in price is pretty steep, but the rest of the dues are fairly affordable. I haven't really had a chance to mingle with too many of them outside of dating, I still spend most of my time with family and close friends.

How much of the $20M do you have today?

Very little since most of it is invested. I've spent a little over $4M so far, most of that was giving money to family/charity though. I've spent less than $200K over the last 3 years.

Exactly how did it change your life? Details, please!

Cons first: It immediately thrust me into the limelight when people found out. Gossip spreads faster than you can imagine. I had strangers ringing my apartment doorbell 2 weeks into it asking for money. I've become a lot less trusting of people as a result.

Pros: It has also alleviated a lot of the smaller stresses in my life, has given me the opportunity to put my money where my mouth is many times, and has allowed me to travel whenever I want. I don't have a lot of the worries other people have either, most of my time is consumed trying to figure out what to do with my free time.

How to win the lottery in 8 games out of 10 This $30 million lottery winner reveals his surprising lifestyle published first on https://188lotosite.tumblr.com/

[remu-loony-lupin]

I’m pretty sure I care too much about my birthday

I’ve never really made a big deal about my birthday. Maybe it’s the fact that the attention makes me embarrassed, or possibly it’s because no one’s ever really made me. I actually used to hate my birthday.

As a child there was always the excitement of receiving gifts. Of course, like any child, I loved getting gifts. I, however, did not like the concept of inviting all of my family over so that I could receive said gifts. I knew this was selfish so of course I never said anything, yet it made the actually celebration of my birthday somewhat unenjoyable. 

Then, as I got older, my birthday became a sort of way that my mom and my grandma could “show off” celebrating me by making my birthday as big as they could afford. This once included a Chuck E Cheese party and a diy spa night for me and my “friends” (all of the girls in my class because it was rude to leave someone out) which, funnily enough, often ended with me being the one left out. I did not get along with many of the girls in my class and i was deathly afraid of the animatronics. This didn’t matter of course because a Chuck E Cheese party was a dream for any kid my age. It’s not that I’m ungrateful, it just hurts that they wouldn’t respect my wishes on what they considered my “special day”.

When I was old enough to decide what I wanted to do, the “parties” got smaller and smaller until it just became hanging out with my friends or just dinner with my family. And I was truly happy with that at the time, but I guess it made people feel that my birthday wasn’t really a big deal for me. So I guess I just went with it.

Now, the older I get, I’m starting to regret this. I tend to make a big deal about other people’s birthdays. I want to make sure they feel celebrated the way they want, not just the way we want them to be. And I don’t want to expect anything in return, but I guess I’m only human after all. Is it really such a bad thing to want someone to celebrate you like you celebrate them? I, just for once, want one of my friends to be like hey we should do something for her birthday. I’ve been on the planning end of so many celebrations and I’ve bought so many gifts, would it really be too much to just want a tiny bit of that energy returned? Only 2 of my current friends have ever given me a gift in the 4 years that we’ve all ben friends.

My best friend was over an hour late to my birthday dinner and when i asked him why he was taking so long he told me he went home to eat and then he was gonna leave. A year later I don’t even think we spent my birthday together and this year I’m pretty sure he planned a trip to go visit some of our old friends the week of my birthday. Even though he could have gone literally any other week. 

I know I’m not blameless and that I’m definitely at fault too, but still it does hurt. Let me have my pity party. It’s almost my birthday after all.

[houseofvans]

ART SCHOOL | Q&A w/ FRENCH (UK)

Influenced by heavy metal, fantasy artwork, and 80′s skate graphics. artist Richard Sayer, aka FRENCH, summons through his art the images of decrepit skulls, mummified skeletons, and creatures from the deep abyss, all with a “good dose of dayglo colours.” Not only one thing, FRENCH has been taking his dark arts to various mediums from animation, claymation, printmaking to textiles. His works have been shown all over the world, his graphics have appeared for various skate companies and brands –from Creature, Independent, to Santa Cruz–, and he once had his art show in Sweden visited by band 'Entombed.‘ We’re stoked to chat with FRENCH about his art, his process, and his influences as he gears up for his upcoming art show at New Image Art Gallery Dec. 16th in LA. 

Photographs courtesy of the artist.

Introduce yourself.   My name is French, well actually my real name is actually Richard Sayer, but since I was about 12 I’ve had the nick name of French and its just stuck ever since. I got the name ‘cos I bought a t-shirt on holiday in France and then when I came back I got given grief from all the other skaters for buying it. There’s a long standing resentment between the English and a the French a little like the States and Canada, so I guess it was meant as an insult to call me 'French’. I’m an artist / illustrator based in the UK, but I just spent the past 3 and half years living in Melbourne, Australia.  I make artwork for many different brands and industries, including the skate industry, fashion, print, music and advertising. 

I run a small skateboard brand with my friend Alex Irvine called Witchcraft hardware. I currently make all the artwork for an Australian brand called 'Death Rites’ run by my friend Shawn Yates.  

I exhibit my artwork widely, I have exhibited in the states, Europe, Asia, Australia, Israel and the UK. More recently my work is generally a bit darker, looks a bit like a cross between old metal album art, fantasy artwork and skate graphics from the 80’s but with a sense of humour and a good dose of dayglo colours. I’ve just started to work more with ceramics and also with animation as well. I like to work in many different fields and medias and I think that helps improve my work in all areas.

Your drawings are always filled with rad imagery like skulls, skeletons, dragons to crazy creatures.  What were your early influences art wise? I grew up surrounded by heavy metal records and music, my brother was a huge metal fan, which caused me to be. He was also super into 'Fighting Fantasy’ books, 'Warhammer’ , 'Dungeons and Dragons’ & all kinds of fantasy stuff, I think that just filtered its way into my brain and seeps out through my artwork. Obviously skateboarding and the artwork involved in that was a massive influence on me, when I was a kid I was obsessed with old Santa Cruz graphics and as I got older I was always more drawn to the skulls and puss versions of graphics, rather than the clean edge stuff. I grew up in a military town in the south of England so I think being surrounded by war monuments, soldiers and those sort of images it brought me more visually to it. My brother used to make me watch movies after school, before my mum got home from work, there would be a lot of John Carpenter movies, Arnie, horror movies of the 90’s had so many rad monster and animatronics that I think thats stuck with me as well, the covers for those old VHS tapes we seriously imaginative.  

What are your all time favorite materials you like to use? Any new mediums you’re interested in trying? I like working in pencil first and then ink over the top. Recently I’ve started to paint in colours to the artwork, I wouldn’t say it was painting as I just add areas of solid colours, nearly always dayglo or fluorescent paints. Saying its not painting, I think everything I do is drawing, for example I just started to make some ceramic pieces and I definitely come at 3D in the same way as I would drawing, but I think that makes it my own. I’m interested to see what the ceramic works come out like in the end as its still early days and I haven’t fully glazed a piece yet. 

You’ve created art for tons of things from skateboards to albums to clothing. How did you get started creating graphics or art for some of your favorite brands?  And tell us about your current or upcoming collaborations with Vans? I got started making artwork for people way back in the days when you had to show people a physical portfolio. I actually used to make post cards and small zines and then go and look up peoples details in Borders, like look in the magazines I liked for the art directors details and then send them a zine and post card and ask if I could take them my portfolio. I also used to just send people my zines and then call the office and see if they’d got it and if I could come and see them. I used to send so much stuff it was mad, it was a bit like 'if you through enough mud at the wall it starts to stick’ and I got work from a few people and from then on it kinder worked for me. 

I think the best way of getting work, is by having work. You do one job for one brand, people see it and want something from you and so on. I worked in a few different skate shops and at a skate distro as well so I got to know people at brands I liked and respected and sent them my work and then I gradually got more work in the skate industry. That’s pretty much how I got to do work for Creature, Independent, Santa Cruz, Real etc. I met Nick Street & Jasper Jones who worked for Vans europe and they started to hook me up with small jobs for Vans and gradually I got more and more through Vans, not just in Europe but also in the states and world wide. It’s funny, cos I actually worked in the Vans store when it first opened in London. 

I’m currently making work for a solo exhibition at New Image Art in Los Angeles which opens in December and Vans have very kindly offered to support the project and help me make a bunch of artwork for the show. I making drawings, animations, ceramics, enamel wall hangings, trophies, flocked screen prints and bunch of weird and wonderful merch. I’m really excited for it all, as well as stressed about making all this stuff. Recently you’ve been making some giant prints which we’ve seen on your IG.How did this come about? What’s your background with print making? How’d you get into it? The big dayglo paper ones? Yeah that was purely that I was having a few exhibitions in skate shops and smaller shop venues when I lived in Aus and I found that trying to sell original artwork to skate kids or metal heads is dumb. They can’t afford to buy originals and I can’t afford to sell it that cheap, but if I can make a print or zine and sell it for the price of a beer or a board then that audience is stoked. I’d rather be able to give something to those guys that love what I do and want to support it, but might not have a the cash to buy an original. I was working on and off at my friends printers in Melbourne and he just said that he would make me some huge digital prints on the fluro paper, the same as they used for band bill board posters and so I made a few and people seemed to dig them, so I made more. Its fun, cos its digital, theres no real set up cost and you can make as few or as many as you like. So if no one seems to like one image you can just ditch and make another. Also I really liked the bright coloured papers and the black ink, its a bit like a 1 colour black light print.  

What’s your process like for making art?  Do you keep a sketchbook or just get at it in the studio? I usually just work in my studio, in my house. I often work from reference images and pull together images and photos in photoshop and then draw from that in pencil, then re-work it again in pencil, adding the detail and finally ink it. If need extra computer stuff I scan it and do that after.

Who are some of your favorite artists you think folks should check out? Some my current fav’s are : Parker Jackson, Daniel Cantrell, Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran, Grady Gordon, Will Sweeney, Ragnar Persson, Paul Parker, Aaron Storck.

What are your favorite kind of Vans? I always skate in black and white original old schools or sk8 hi’s, I don’t do colours. But since the new pro’s came out I’ve been really into them, the inner sole has saved my knees.  

Can you tell us your best or weirdest art story? I dunno if I have any weird ones really, its all pretty boring really, I just make artwork. I have a ton of weird skate trip stories, drunken stories, but art ones not really. Once one of the dudes from the band 'Entombed’ came to my art show in Sweden? 

What’s on the horizon for 2018? What you super stoked on coming up? I dunno yet, I’m just trying to get to the end of 2017 and make the exhibition at New Image Art the best I can. I’ll keep you posted!  

Follow FRENCH Website | www.funeralfrench.com Instagram | @funeralfrench

[magicaldistractions]

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” Walt Disney  Walt’s dream of “opening new doors” is coming true at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. As Magical DIStractions continues to report, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is undergoing a major expansion. With the new Toy Story Land and Star Wars Land on the horizon, it is inevitable that some of the “oldies but goodies” have to go. Today’s edition of the Things I Miss Series covers just a few of the things that I miss at  Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Some of the attractions closed prior to the announced expansion but others are making way for the new lands and new memories for the Guests.

Things I Miss: Disney’s Hollywood Studios Edition

Osborne Family Lights: Photo Credit: Murtagh Photography

7. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure closed its gate at the end of the day on April 2, 2016 and I was a bit sad to see it go. At 11,000 square feet, the play area gave kids the room to play to their delight!  The attention to detail was amazing! Anty the ant and Quark the dog made appearances alongside the giant paperclip and super soaker. Kids and adults alike loved to pose on the back of the oversized ant for one of the most unique picture taking opportunities in the park.  Back in the day when my kids were younger, they could have played for hours if I hadn’t encourage them to see other parts of the park.

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6. Streets of America and Forced Perspective Backdrops

The buildings along Streets of America were all fascades but unless you looked really closely, you may not have been able to tell. Disney’s use of forced perspective made Guests feel as if they were actually on the streets of New York  and San Francisco. In true Disney form, the attention to detail amazed all who walked the area. If you listened closely, you could even hear the sounds of a busy street. The backdrops also afforded cool photo ops such as a mini-version of The Beatles crossing Abbey Road created by three in our group.

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5. Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun Parade

This fun parade featured cute floats and lots of characters from Pixar films. Included in the cavalcade of characters were Mr. Fredricksen, Russell, and Doug from Up. Marching along the streets and on the floats were The Incredibles. Flik, Princess Atta and more of A Bug’s Life characters delighted the Guests as well. And, one can’t forget Mike, Sulley and the sock wearing monster from Monsters, Inc.  Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun Parade was fairly short lived having only run from January, 2011 to April, 2013. But, it is one of the things I miss because the parade included so many lovable characters.

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Things I Miss-Disney’s Hollywood Studios Edition-Photo Credit: Lisa McBride

4. The Backlot Tour

There have been several versions of The Backlot Tour over the years.  The tour was in several parts that included both walking and a tram ride through what was then Disney MGM Studios. Some of us veteran Walt Disney World Resort Guests still catch ourselves calling it MGM Studios.

When the attraction first opened, the tour could take quite some time to complete as you were taken behind the scenes and given the opportunity to see actual television production sets, and were later taken on a tram ride through areas of the park. I still remember seeing the sets of Home Improvement and 102 Dalmatians during the walking portion of the tour.  To make the queue for the tram a bit more fun, Guests walked through a portion of the props department. There you would see props from the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion Witch and the Wardrobe, Mulan and more! It was also quite something when the tram rolled down Residential Street past the houses used in The Golden Girls and Ernest Saves Christmas and Empty Nest. I’m dating myself, I know!

Over the years, Disney revamped the attraction to make way for the park’s “new” attraction: Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show which, by the way, has since closed, and makes this list too. Gone was the tram ride down Residential Street but Guests were able to see something a bit more exciting: Catastrophe Canyon! And, any true Disney fan loved getting an up close look at Walt’s personal plane.

Sadly, The Backlot Tour closed and the last tram tour rolled out on September 27, 2014.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

3. Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show

I’m not a stunt show type gal but Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show added an extra vroom-vroom of excitement to my Disney’s Hollywood Studios day. The stunt show spun the tires for the last time on April 2, 2016.  That’s the same day that Streets of America closed.  The stunt show packed a lot into the approximately 35 minute show. There were specialty designed cars, motorcycles, jet skis, and even explosives! The show was set in a Mediterranean village and included a classic story line of good versus evil. Few adjustments were made during the almost 11 year run.

Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show was massive at 177,000 square feet with a 5,000 seat stadium. By doing away with the show, Disney’s Hollywood Studios gained a lot of ground for their new expansion.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

2. The Great Movie Ride

The lastest attraction to close its doors at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is The Great Movie Ride. Housed in a recreated Chinese Theater, The Great Movie Ride was, at 95,000 square feet, a massive indoor attraction. Guests would board a large tram and greeted by their very own host who gave details on the attraction and even played a roll themselves. Guests were taken past life size animatronic stars, including Gene Kelly, John Wayne, James Cagney, Julie Andrews, and even Cheeta from Tarzan. Fans of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien and The Wizard of Oz were delighted as they traveled through sets of the classic movies.

A video montage of short clips from movies such as Good Morning Vietman, Chicago, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Lady and the Tramp, Tangled and Frozen, rounded out the tour.

While I am sad that this classic Disney attraction shut its doors on August 13, 2017, I have to admit that I’m exciting about its replacement: Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

1. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Sadly, Disney pulled the plug on this very popular yuletide spectacular on January 6, 2016. Arkansas businessman, Jennings Osborne, started the lighting tradition for his six year old daughter. Year after year, it grew bigger and more popular. Neighbors sued Osborne and he was forced to stop by the Supreme Court. Mr. Osborne’s story caught national attention and Walt Disney World contacted Mr. Osborne who accepted Disney’s offer to move the display to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

In 1995, The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights made it’s debut and it was an immediate success.

The Backlot area of Disney’s Hollywood Studios was covered in millions of glittering lights. There were displays that danced to special songs of the season, twirling carousels of angels, toy soldiers, a spinning Earth, and even Santa and his reindeer flew high above the street. Guests were amazed as the truly spectacular event.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

  That’s a Wrap!

So, there you have it folks. That’s my list of the seven Things I Miss at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Do you miss any of these attractions? Are there others that you hated to see go? Let us know in the comment section below!

Things I Miss: Disney’s Hollywood Studios Edition

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

Things I Miss: Disney’s Hollywood Studios Edition "We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.

[auberginenasu-blog]

Shin Megami Tensei IV

A bit of a primer first for those not familiar with yours truly. I was born and raised in the house of Nintendo. The very first game I ever played on my own was Super Mario RPG. I say this because my first and most personal home console gaming experience was with a JRPG. You can look forward to a post about the joys of that game some other day, but today I would like to talk at you about the game that rekindled my love for the genre after so many others failed: Shin Megami Tensei IV. If you are not familiar, then you must have some demons in that belfry of a head of yours. So let’s exercise our brains and dive into what makes this game so special.

To give you a better idea of where I am coming from, let me express the climate, the...landscape if you will, surrounding my encounter with SMTIV. Imagine your favorite amusement park, one you go to often and know very well, Six Flags or Disney for instance. Upon your first visit, this park had a foundation of rides and attractions that are fresh, shiny, and new that you become familiar with and come to love. Over time, this park adds in new things, building upon that familiar foundation. You as a patron who craves both the old and the new continue to offer your continued support. However, at some point or another one section of the amusement park begins to lose its charm for many patrons, so at times sections are torn down and something completely different is built in its place. The park continues to operate as normal, and indeed perhaps this new section of the park is something so fresh and new that you start to not notice the absence of that section that once meant something to you as it functioned bringing the amusement park together as a whole. However sometimes a new attraction holds nothing for you at all. This is the analogy I came up with to try and understand my own sometimes hectic likes and dislikes when it comes to games in certain genres. You see, each section of the park represents a genre, and for me some sections of the park don’t need to be updated as often to feel fresh. Platformers are like wooden roller-coasters. An old standby that may not be as fast or exciting as some of the newer rides, but nonetheless their construction is sound. I think we all have a genre like this, maybe for you its the FPS genre or MMOs perhaps. What people like is as different as people are themselves. Of course, you can’t make an amusement park of just wooden coasters, which brings me to the “stage-shows” portion of my Univershawn Studios™ metaphor. Depending on the show, those can be lots of fun, but most of the the time they feel like a waste of one’s time at an amusement park. When I look at 30 minutes at an animatronics show compared to riding 2 or 3 rides, for me its clear that the rides are going to give me a more enjoyable time unless that show is called Hall of Presidents: Royal Rumble. What I wouldn’t give to see a robo-Lincoln and mecha-Garfield duking it out when a Stone-Cold stunner comes in as James K. Polk-a-tron rushes to the ring. When a JRPG fails to do much new or exciting, I find myself unable to justify the time requirements inherent in the way that genre handles progression. For me, this means that in the Univershawn Studios Amusement Park of Genres, JRPG land must do a lot more to get my attention...otherwise I’ll stick to the parts I know will give me a good time for the price of admission.

That being said, let me tell you exactly why SMTIV represents one of the best renditions of JRPG Land my mental Amusement Park of Genres has ever seen. Right out from the gate, the opening to Shin Megami Tensei IV belies a brooding, moody atmosphere. Don’t just take my word for it, take a look at this trailer.

I’ll tell you one thing, Ryota Kozuka is an absolute musical genius. As a person who grew up going to church, I can tell you first hand just how oppressive the choral and organ sounds can be. It’s no coincidence that the mythos of the SMT games is so inspired by gods and demons. What holds more power over the minds of the masses in history than that of religion? So going in, this game immediately sends a message that its all about darkness, not so much in the literal sense but rather in how it obfuscates the unknown. The heavy synth throughout the game creates a complimentary sound while furthering the mood. The point I want to make here isn’t about that though, its about how quickly this game tells the player it means business. At first glance, the prologue seems to usurp this idea, starting in a hazy dream that de-mists into a rather unassuming tale of tradition and old-style culture talking about kingdoms and Samurai. However that sense of security fades just as soon as it arrives as the game thrusts you into the literal underbelly of society. On that path is the biggest roadblock in the game...the first boss.

The Minotaur is infamous among those who tried their hand at this iteration in the Shimmy Gimmy Tensei franchise. If you don’t believe me, just search “shin megami tensei 4 minotaur” and you’ll find that many believe it to be an impossible fight. Hey, I’ll even admit that I had tremendous difficulty with this boss. This was my first SMT game so I found myself completely unprepared for a massacre so swift it made the Battle of Wolf 359 look like the Hundred Years War. Just why would the developers of a game series so critically acclaimed as SMT construct such a high barrier of entry to the remainder of the game so early, especially when the rest of the game is such an amazing experience? The answer is quite simple...to make sure you understand how to play the game. I cannot tell you how many JRPG games I have played that spend so much time telling the player about every minute detail of game mechanics, yet spend so little time actually assessing that their star pupil actually understood what they learned. As an example, I played Xenoblade around the same time in my life as I played SMTIV. I loved both games’ style, music, characters, and story. Both played well and felt excellent to control. They are both excellent games that are not only loved by me but by many others. However, only one of the two actually succeeded in teaching the player how to actually use every mechanic at their disposal to the best effect. I had no idea that changing my party configuration was necessarily beneficial to my prowess in battle in Xenoblade and was punished for that in a very late game boss. This ultimately led to my realizing that I had been playing the game wrong since the very beginning. Essentially, the game handed me easy battles from the beginning that could be won without using everything at my disposal. The Minotaur does not afford this. You have to take all the mechanics as they have been introduced to you and combine them in order to overcome this obstacle. Getting back to Xenoblade, as the game wore on I actually forgot I could switch to other characters, and I grew rather attached to only team dynamic I knew. When faced with a boss that countered that team, I was not equipped at all to handle it, and it was too late to fix the mistake having passed a certain point of no return. I had passed the quizzes and tests, but failed the final exam and would have been forced to retake the class. On the other hand, SMTIV takes a less spare the rod, spoil the child approach and gives you a test up front that immediately lets you know what all future tests will require of you.

In all my years trying to find something fresh and new from the JRPG genre, I have never come across a game that actually teaches and assess the player so well. The journey to the first boss in most JRPGs can be a cakewalk, and as a result forgettable. However, Atlus wanted to make sure the first boss was memorable, but not out of some sense of vanity. Oh no, they did this all for the sake of the player. Often JRPGs can hand hold the player too much, giving them a small challenge with an equally small feeling of accomplishment. SMTIV on the other hand demands so much more of the player, and in turn this gives the player all that much more satisfaction in knowing that their victory over that boss (and perhaps subsequent ones) wasn’t just a result of luck, but rather a result of putting ones skills to the test. Knowing that I had the proper skills to use the in game tools to take on any challenge made my journey through Tokyo a confident one that inspired me more than any other JRPG game that I have played to date.

[magicaldistractions]

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” Walt Disney  Walt’s dream of “opening new doors” is coming true at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. As Magical DIStractions continues to report, Disney’s Hollywood Studios is undergoing a major expansion. With the new Toy Story Land and Star Wars Land on the horizon, it is inevitable that some of the “oldies but goodies” have to go. Today’s edition of the Things I Miss Series covers just a few of the things that I miss at  Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Some of the attractions closed prior to the announced expansion but others are making way for the new lands and new memories for the Guests.

Things I Miss: Disney’s Hollywood Studios Edition

Osborne Family Lights: Photo Credit: Murtagh Photography

7. Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids Movie Set Adventure closed its gate at the end of the day on April 2, 2016 and I was a bit sad to see it go. At 11,000 square feet, the play area gave kids the room to play to their delight!  The attention to detail was amazing! Anty the ant and Quark the dog made appearances alongside the giant paperclip and super soaker. Kids and adults alike loved to pose on the back of the oversized ant for one of the most unique picture taking opportunities in the park.  Back in the day when my kids were younger, they could have played for hours if I hadn’t encourage them to see other parts of the park.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

6. Streets of America and Forced Perspective Backdrops

The buildings along Streets of America were all fascades but unless you looked really closely, you may not have been able to tell. Disney’s use of forced perspective made Guests feel as if they were actually on the streets of New York  and San Francisco. In true Disney form, the attention to detail amazed all who walked the area. If you listened closely, you could even hear the sounds of a busy street. The backdrops also afforded cool photo ops such as a mini-version of The Beatles crossing Abbey Road created by three in our group.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

5. Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun Parade

This fun parade featured cute floats and lots of characters from Pixar films. Included in the cavalcade of characters were Mr. Fredricksen, Russell, and Doug from Up. Marching along the streets and on the floats were The Incredibles. Flik, Princess Atta and more of A Bug’s Life characters delighted the Guests as well. And, one can’t forget Mike, Sulley and the sock wearing monster from Monsters, Inc.  Pixar Pals Countdown to Fun Parade was fairly short lived having only run from January, 2011 to April, 2013. But, it is one of the things I miss because the parade included so many lovable characters.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Things I Miss-Disney’s Hollywood Studios Edition-Photo Credit: Lisa McBride

4. The Backlot Tour

There have been several versions of The Backlot Tour over the years.  The tour was in several parts that included both walking and a tram ride through what was then Disney MGM Studios. Some of us veteran Walt Disney World Resort Guests still catch ourselves calling it MGM Studios.

When the attraction first opened, the tour could take quite some time to complete as you were taken behind the scenes and given the opportunity to see actual television production sets, and were later taken on a tram ride through areas of the park. I still remember seeing the sets of Home Improvement and 102 Dalmatians during the walking portion of the tour.  To make the queue for the tram a bit more fun, Guests walked through a portion of the props department. There you would see props from the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion Witch and the Wardrobe, Mulan and more! It was also quite something when the tram rolled down Residential Street past the houses used in The Golden Girls and Ernest Saves Christmas and Empty Nest. I’m dating myself, I know!

Over the years, Disney revamped the attraction to make way for the park’s “new” attraction: Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show which, by the way, has since closed, and makes this list too. Gone was the tram ride down Residential Street but Guests were able to see something a bit more exciting: Catastrophe Canyon! And, any true Disney fan loved getting an up close look at Walt’s personal plane.

Sadly, The Backlot Tour closed and the last tram tour rolled out on September 27, 2014.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

3. Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show

I’m not a stunt show type gal but Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show added an extra vroom-vroom of excitement to my Disney’s Hollywood Studios day. The stunt show spun the tires for the last time on April 2, 2016.  That’s the same day that Streets of America closed.  The stunt show packed a lot into the approximately 35 minute show. There were specialty designed cars, motorcycles, jet skis, and even explosives! The show was set in a Mediterranean village and included a classic story line of good versus evil. Few adjustments were made during the almost 11 year run.

Lights, Motors, Action! Extreme Stunt Show was massive at 177,000 square feet with a 5,000 seat stadium. By doing away with the show, Disney’s Hollywood Studios gained a lot of ground for their new expansion.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

2. The Great Movie Ride

The lastest attraction to close its doors at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is The Great Movie Ride. Housed in a recreated Chinese Theater, The Great Movie Ride was, at 95,000 square feet, a massive indoor attraction. Guests would board a large tram and greeted by their very own host who gave details on the attraction and even played a roll themselves. Guests were taken past life size animatronic stars, including Gene Kelly, John Wayne, James Cagney, Julie Andrews, and even Cheeta from Tarzan. Fans of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien and The Wizard of Oz were delighted as they traveled through sets of the classic movies.

A video montage of short clips from movies such as Good Morning Vietman, Chicago, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Lady and the Tramp, Tangled and Frozen, rounded out the tour.

While I am sad that this classic Disney attraction shut its doors on August 13, 2017, I have to admit that I’m exciting about its replacement: Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

1. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights

Sadly, Disney pulled the plug on this very popular yuletide spectacular on January 6, 2016. Arkansas businessman, Jennings Osborne, started the lighting tradition for his six year old daughter. Year after year, it grew bigger and more popular. Neighbors sued Osborne and he was forced to stop by the Supreme Court. Mr. Osborne’s story caught national attention and Walt Disney World contacted Mr. Osborne who accepted Disney’s offer to move the display to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

In 1995, The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights made it’s debut and it was an immediate success.

The Backlot area of Disney’s Hollywood Studios was covered in millions of glittering lights. There were displays that danced to special songs of the season, twirling carousels of angels, toy soldiers, a spinning Earth, and even Santa and his reindeer flew high above the street. Guests were amazed as the truly spectacular event.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

  That’s a Wrap!

So, there you have it folks. That’s my list of the seven Things I Miss at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Do you miss any of these attractions? Are there others that you hated to see go? Let us know in the comment section below!

Things I Miss: Disney’s Hollywood Studios Edition "We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.