#Painting Fort Wayne IN

[usapaintinggallery]

Commercial Painting Services is an Industrial / Commercial Painting Contractor in Fort Wayne, Indiana. We offer a host of Professional Industrial / Commercial Painting Services including, but not limited to Concrete Floor Polishing, Interior / Exterior Commercial Painting, Epoxy Flooring, Elastomeric Liquid Roof Coating, Metal Roof Leaks, and much, much more.

[p1nkshield]

Damian: Grayson has decided that he is once more my sole benefactor for socialization.

Jon: Yeah?

Damian: He is currently trying to get me to join the art club.

Jon: That sounds fun!

Damian: No, I do not think finger painting and making macaroni art is fun.

Jon: Oh.

Damian: …I need you to act as a friend to give Grayson the peace of mind to get off my back. Please attend this “sleepover” that he keeps describing.

Jon: !!!

Damian: …

Jon: Are you inviting me over!?

Damian: … unfortunately yes.

Jon: I’LL ASK MY PARENTS!

Damian: Please calm down this is all a farce.

Jon: DAD SAID YES IM SO GONNA WIN OUR PILLOW FIGHT

Damian: Hold on if any one is winning a battle of pillows it is going to be me.

[paintmastersfw]

Professional Painters Services - Paint Masters FW

Transform your Fort Wayne home with stunning results! Paint Masters FW provides expert Interior & Exterior House Painting Services that will leave you amazed.

[clawsmiic]

"I had to talk to you."

Repost from other account

2.4k words

CW: Heavy flirtation, canon divergence (S4 end events didn't happen), College Student!Steve, Steve has shit eyesight

October 13th, 1989

Steve sighs, leaning back on the drivers side of his 1983 BMW. Burgundy paint starting to chip on the hood, the car becoming less appealing day by day. Girls passing by not even looking in his direction anymore. He was old news in Hawkins after people found out he had finally started at a college half an hour away in Fort Wayne. Just starting his life like everyone else did 4 years ago just wasn't appealing to most girls.

At least not Hawkins girls.

But at this point he didn't care. He was proud of himself for pulling his life together after all the bullshit he had been put through. With saving an entire town too many god damn times. Cutting his dad off when his parents divorced. Moving out to get a rented house with his best friend Robin. Just what he learned he needed over time.

Getting into a good school by himself with no help was just a cherry on top of the fuck you sundae he graciously served his past problems.

He was satisfied with what he had right now.

Dustin walks out of the new game shop in the newest strip mall to grace Hawkins. Steve looks up, pushing his Ray-Ban sunglasses onto his head.

"You made it out before, Robin. I'm surprised." Dustin glanced at the instrument shop a few doors down, then back to Steve. "You get what Eddie needed?"

"Mostly yeah. She's still getting her trumpet fixed?" Steve shrugs at Dustin's question and slides his sunglasses down in place again.

"She probably got distracted looking at something shiny and new. You know Robins crow brain sometimes." Dustin laughs, looking into his bag, shuffling a few things around inside.

Steve looked over at the liquor store at the end of the strip mall. Looking back at Dustin, he taps the top of the car. His head snapped up, eyes a bit surprised at the sudden noise.

"You want anything?" Steve asks, tilting his head back towards the store.

"Coke? If they got it." Dustin simply replied before getting in the back seat. Steve nods and walks to the liquor store.

The bell chimes over his head as he walks through the door. He takes in the warmth of the store and the radio playing over the speakers on the ceiling. Such a nice contrast to the crisp Autumn air outside.

He turns heading down an isle of assorted liquor bottles and bar accessories before finally stopping at the fridge. Humming along to the song over the radio, mumbling the lyrics to 'I wanna know what love is' absentmindedly.

Sliding his glasses down his nose, he squints at the selection. All the labels are blurry the farther he is, he steps forward rubbing his eyes and sure doesn't help with the florescent lighting blinding him from above.

God I need to get my eyes checked.

Opening the fridge, he grabs the 3 soft drinks and a 6-pack for later when he hears a metal scrapping and whoosh next to him. Followed by a muffled but panicked "Shit!"

Looking over, he sees the back of a squatting woman struggling with a metal shelf slipping out of one of the fridges.

Walking over, he quickly puts his things down and pushes the shelf back in. The metal shelf, cold against his warm skin as he reaches into the fridge, fixing the fasteners back into place.

An issue he's all too familiar with working at Family Video. The fridge racks always got loose and every time it happened he was always made to clean them up. He could only imagine the mess a bunch of glasses and beer would have made.

"Thank you so much!" The woman speaks as Steve stands up, slowly closing the door. Looking back, he finally sees your face. His lips slightly part as you continue talking, he can't hear a word you're saying right now.

All he can hear is the very oddly convenient Foreigner song playing over the store radio as he takes in every detail of your gorgeous face. From your shiny hair to your bright smile. The vibrant colored nail polish on your fingers you're waving as you talk. You're unfamiliar, he's never seen you before, but you're an absolute stunner of a woman.

Steve never thought of himself as a love at first sight kind of guy. But right now he was undoubtedly being proven wrong by the spark he was feeling, not to mention the nervous knot in his stomach.

"But really you're a life saver... Thank you." You stop talking, looking at him. Your face falls as he perks up, realizing he's just been staring like a complete idiot this entire time.

"You're welcome!" He spoke, choking almost over how inappropriately loud he was for a second. Feeling the effect of not talking to women for a while really hit him. You look down at his soon-to-be purchases.

"Full Sail Amber. Good beer." You comment, making him look at the floor and nod.

Crouching down, he grabs his things and stands cracking his head on one of the fridge door handles. His sunglasses fell off his face and onto the floor. He stands up wedging his soft drink between his side and arm. Rubbing his head with a hiss.

"You okay?" You ask with a slight chuckle. Bending down, you grab the sunglasses, Steve moves his hand, grabbing the bottom of the door handle to shield your head from injury.

"Yeah, thanks." Before he gets to put his hand out to take his Ray-Bans back, you slide them on his head with a soft smile.

God she's so fucking pretty.

"You're welcome. And thanks again for... Saving me from paying for a full shelf of beer." She turned down the isle to another part of the store.

Part of Steve wants to follow you and try chatting you up, but the slight embarrassment of hurting his head just keeps him from doing so.

He turns, goes to the front of the store and makes his purchases. Heading outside, he walks to his car, finally seeing Robin in her usual spot, the passenger seat. Opening the driver's door, he slips in.

"There you are!" Robin looked at him, her trumpet case in-between her legs on the floor of the car.

"What's with the face?" Dustin asks, Steve looking at him in the rearview, glaring.

"Shut up Henderson." He hands them their sodas, moving to close his car door when he hears the bell from the liquor store chime.

Out you walk, starting across the parking lot to a top-down red 86' Volkswagen Cabriolet. Steve freezes, staring again. He really can't help but stare.

"Oooh." Robin and Dustin both taunt him, making him sigh. He needs more friends, fewer annoying friends.

"She's pretty." Robin says looking at Dustin.

"Too pretty to talk to, apparently." Dustin adds, laughing as he looks back at Steve.

"I talked to her in the store." Dustin raised his eyebrows, pushing his baseball cap up a bit.

"You asked her out?"

"No." Steve watches you load your bag into the back seat and start pulling the top up on your car.

"Not too late!" Robin smiled, taking a sip of her drink. Dustin looked at her.

"He's not gonna do it."

"No, he's gonna do it."

Steve feels like he has a devil and an angel bickering on his shoulders right now. His foot meets the new asphalt of the parking lot as you open your driver's door.

He's quickly out of the driver's seat.

"Holy shit he's doing it." Dustin comments as he shuts the door on them.

He stops at the bumper of his car, hearing your car engine click over. Music pours out of your open windows before you turn it down quickly.

The universe is screaming at him to talk to you when he starts hearing that familiar Tears for Fears song, 'Head Over Heels'.

Please don't pull away, please don't pull away.

He nearly sprints across the parking lot out of fear of missing his chance. Upon reaching the car, he knocks on the back window, pulling you from looking for something in the console.

"Hi..." He says awkwardly, approaching the window. Leaning on the door, he smiles as you smile back.

"Hi. You need something?" He gets so agitated that you smirk up at him.

'Why'd you have to be so God damn pretty?'

"Sorry if this is weird, but I had to talk to you." He started, finally being able to say something. Your eyes go half shut with a soft nod.

"Talk to me?" He nods, clenching the door frame for a second. "Go ahead then. Talk."

His eyes go wide in surprise at your sudden confidence. Steve stammered for a second.

"Uh... At the risk of sounding crazy or desperate... You're probably the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life." You can feel your body warm up as he gives the most genuine smile you've seen on a man in a while.

"Mmhm, go on."

"Are you by chance single? Or like... Are you even attracted to men at all?" He asks, sheepishly smiling.

"Yes, and yes." Your smirk slowly turns into a grin as he squats to eye level now, feeling a bit more confident after your answer.

"I'm Steve, by the way. Steve Harrington." He smiles again hearing you reply with your name. "Are you new to Hawkins?"

"I am actually. I just moved here from the city and needed to stay nearby for school."

"Where are you going?"

"Trine University." His eyes go wide, the same school he goes to. What are the odds?

"Really? I actually go there too. Education major." You look him up and down. You never pegged him for the teacher type.

"Software Engineering major."

"So you're smart and gorgeous. Good to know." He smirks, finally feeling like himself when talking as your flush finally becomes noticeable. "You like movies?"

"What kind of psychopath doesn't like movies?" He laughs at your response, leaning in closer to the window.

"Lemme be more specific. The new Halloween 5 movie came out today. You interested in seeing it? Maybe with me tonight at the drive-in theater in Lafayette. We can have dinner after. All my treat, of course." He can see the sparkle in your eyes, that spark he felt looking at you before is still lingering around him.

"What's in it for me?" You playfully ask. He cocks his head to the side, leaning it on his arm for a second.

"A fun night out with a gentleman, I promise I'm fun." You chuckle, rolling your eyes, he knows you want to say yes. "Please?"

He'd never said please before when asking a girl out. It didn't feel embarrassing like he thought it would. You turn your attention back to the console looking for something.

Pulling out a napkin and pen, you quickly write down your number and address. Turning back, you hold it out to him as he takes it.

"I'm free at 8. And dress nicely. You're taking me somewhere decent after the movie."

"I'll take you to the most expensive restaurant I can find if that's what you want. I don't care. As long as I get to see you again." You laugh at his bluntness, it's like music to his ears.

"That won't be necessary. I don't need to be spoiled."

"What if I want to spoil you?" That caught you off guard as you didn't respond right away. He let a soft breath escape his mouth. "You like roses?"

"White roses." You reply, he nods, standing up again and folding the napkin, storing it in his back jean pocket for safe keeping.

"I'll be sure to remember that." You two just stare at each other in silence for a minute. No man's ever looked at you like Steve has right now, it makes your heart race from nervousness.

"I'll see you at 8 o'clock then." You look past him for a moment and back to him. "Tell your friends I said hello since they like to stare so much."

Raising an eyebrow, Steve turned his head. He sees Robin poking her head over the roof of the car and Dustin sitting on the rolled down window frame. They quickly hurry back into the car, noticing they've been caught. He should be embarrassed, but he fully expects their behavior from being friends for so long.

"Ignore them." Steve says, sighing as he looks back at you. "I'll see you at 8."

He turned away towards his car, trying to stay as confident as he was before turning his back. Reaching his car, he pops the door open, clutching it for dear life as he silently collects himself. Robin poked her head across the driver's seat to look up at him.

"You good dude?" She asks, concerned but also excited as he just nods.

You pull out of your parking spot, stopping behind his car and honk once to get his attention. Dustin pops his head out the back window as Robin looks out her open door. Steves head snaps up at you as you lean on your window frame, chin on fist with the most shit eating grin on your face.

"See you at 8 sexy~" You called to him. And then you have the balls to blow him a kiss before peeling out of the parking lot.

Steve silently gets in the car. Robin shuts her door as Steve does his. Dustin sits forward looking at Steve, who's just gripping his steering wheel, the adrenaline starting to wear off.

"Dude, she's so into you, into you!" Dustin breaks the silence as Robin nods.

"And I'd say it's the same for Harrington here." Robin grins as a massive smile spreads across Steve's face.

He starts excitedly thrashing frontwards and backwards. Enough to shake the car and look like he's about to rip the steering wheel from it's column. He lets out an excited yell, causing his two friends to laugh at him.

He let out a long breath, looking at them.

"She says hi by the way."

[hometoursandotherstuff]

The 1889 Hull Castle, a stone Romanesque home in Fort Wayne, IN, is a "project house," b/c it's not finished. But, it's mostly finished, and move-in ready. It has some water damage on the 2nd level from a fire in August 2020 and there's an unfinished part of the 3rd level. 4bds, 3ba, 4,419 sq ft, $949,900.

The large entrance hall is completely refurbished and has a beautiful staircase with a bulit-in bench.

The current owners installed this gold ceiling. Not sure if I like it.

It looks like they may have framed this panel that was removed from somewhere in the house.

Look at the beautiful details under the stairs.

Original stained glass window and look at the gorgeous turned spindles.

The current owners like blue and re-faced the fireplace in blue tile.

The new owner can decorate. The rooms are good to go.

Beautiful original lighting.

They re-did the sitting room in a basic way.

The dining room is too modern. It has pocket doors, that they left natural wood, but they painted all the other wood white. The inlaid flooring looks new.

It has a nice fireplace, but I'm not sure that I like the big mirror. I'm thinking that maybe they shouldn't have done any remodeling.

This is so cute. A sun room with floor to ceiling windows and they left the wood original. Look at how nice the natural wood door looks.

Unfortunately, the new owner will probably come in and finish the kitchen with modern cabinetry, etc., but I think it's perfect, so far.

They really modernized the back stairs. It needs some lovely wallpaper and paint. Again, they painted over the wood.

This is one of the bedrooms. The floor is fine and the wood is intact. I don't think it needs anything but some brighter decor.

The back porch is so pretty.

This is a beautiful terrace on the 3rd level. The 3rd level isn't finished, but the tower room is, so that's a big plus. I wish there was photo of it.

It looks like there's an apt. behind the garage. All the listing says is that there's a 2nd level.

The 3 car garage is in perfect condition.

The yard and gardens are very pretty and look at the nice fencing. This home doesn't need much more work and will be worth well over $1m. 9,147 sq ft lot

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/721-W-Wayne-St-Fort-Wayne-IN-46802/73113142_zpid/

[cherrrydragon]

➤ find something worth saving (it's all for the taking)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE (LET ME GET WHAT I WANT)

← back to chapter list

SUMMARY ↳ ;) Damian and Jon are easy to spot, standing together near a large decorative display. Jon's bright smile is a beacon, and Damian's more reserved demeanor contrasts starkly with his friend. They’re standing in front of a window. It paints the image of being surrounded by snowfall as they chat away. pairing: jon kent x gn!reader x damian wayne warnings: threats of bodily harm wc: 4.3k

Nothing quite says party like a Tony Stark party. You distinctly remember your first one. You weren’t even planning to come, but when Tony saw you in bed with pajamas he bullied you into getting dressed. He said that you ‘needed to get out more’, which was bull, but whatever. As payback you drank as much alcohol as you could sneak. The scolding from Steve you got was worth it seeing Tony’s appalled stare.

This time, you intend to stay in bed.

Bruce Wayne has decided to throw a New Year’s Gala, for whatever reason. You think it doubles as a charity, but you don’t know why else he would throw it, nor do you care enough to find out. He did invite you, but you’re not too keen on being perceived by society.

“You look nice,” you muse, seeing Damian in his little formal wear. He’s made a quick stop in your room, for whatever reason. He’s a cute sight, so you’re not complaining.

Damian adjusts the cufflinks on his formal wear. "Thank you," he mutters, glancing away for a moment before meeting your eyes again. "You should come.”

You laugh softly, shaking your head. "Nice try, hun. But I’m really not in the mood to be around a bunch of snooty elites."

He sighs, looking slightly disappointed. "It would be more bearable with you there."

"Flattery will get you nowhere," you tease, reaching out to straighten his tie. "Besides, someone has to stay and hold down the fort. Unless, of course, you’re asking me to be your date?”

He rolls his eyes but doesn’t dignify your comment with a response. Finishing fiddling with his tie, you step back from him. You see his hands twitch just a tad.

“Hi, [Name].” You turn to see Jon poking his head through your doorway, smiling cutely. He steps in, letting you see that he too is dressed up for the party.

“Well shit, look at you,” you grin, eyes roaming his figure.

He spreads his arms out, bashful. “Look at me,” he says, hands coming up to fidget with his tie. “I wasn’t sure about the tie, though. Damian said it was too flashy.”

You chuckle softly. “He’s just jealous he can’t pull it off like you.”

Jon laughs, shaking his head. “Maybe.”

There’s a comfortable silence as you glance between Jon and Damian, both looking unexpectedly nervous in their formal wear. It’s a stark contrast to their usual confident selves when they're out on patrol or facing down villains.

“So,” Jon starts, his tone casual, “are you coming with us?”

“Absolutely not,” you grin. “I do not have the energy to deal with people right now.

Damian huffs softly, exchanging a knowing glance with Jon before turning back to you. "You're missing out on Father's attempt at social philanthropy," he remarks dryly, clearly not a fan of the gala idea either.

Jon nods in agreement, his smile widening. "True, but I guess we'll have to suffer through it together."

You chuckle at their banter, appreciating their effort despite your reluctance. "Well, make sure to bring me back a good story or two. Preferably involving Bruce embarrassing himself on the dance floor."

Jon grins mischievously. "Deal. We'll keep you posted."

As they leave your room, Damian pauses at the door, looking back with a faint smile. "If you change your mind," he offers quietly, "you know where to find us."

You nod, blowing them kisses as they leave. You settle back into your cozy spot, grateful for the quiet evening ahead. From here, you can hear the chatter and glasses clinking from partygoers downstairs. You sigh and sink into your bed with no further plans for the night. Just as you start to drift into a more relaxed state, your thoughts briefly return to Damian and Jon.

Damian. Damian is so complex. So rich in character. He carries an air of absoluteness around him. Every now and again you have that realization that everybody around you is living their own complex lives. You guess that realization hits harder, since you had never entertained the thought of him being real. Foolish on your pat, with what you know.

Jon, Jon exudes a warmth that contrasts with Damian's reserved nature. His easy going manner and quick smile charm you so. Only he, who gets his powers from the sun, could shine so bright. He's the kind of person who can brighten any room he enters.

The sounds of the party drift up faintly, a reminder of the world outside your cozy sanctuary. For now, you're content to enjoy this peaceful moment to yourself, letting your eyes drift close.

.

.

.

“Hello?” a voice echoes out. It’s yours. An amalgamation of bright lights closes in on itself behind you. Footsteps echo as you walk down the alley. You don’t hear any civilians walking and talking or any cars going down the roads. New York is quiet tonight.

Swinging up onto a building, you began making your way across the city. The eerie silence is unnerving you. The usual hustle and bustle is conspicuously absent, replaced by an unsettling calm. In fact, New York is… completely dark. Not one apartment light is on.

Avengers tower looms over the city. It’s the only building with—some—light. The building… isn’t really a building. Half of it is gone, jagged and broken edges pointing skyward. Cracks litter the walls, glass broken.

Your footsteps echo softly as you approach the tower. The air feels heavy with a sense of desolation. There’s pieces of broken armor and weapons. Flickering lights casting eerie shadows.

As you move through the ruins, a faint voice calls out—a whisper carried on the wind. You turn, but there's no one there. The silence intensifies, punctuated only by the distant sound of your own breathing.

Suddenly, a figure appears before you—a spectral image of Tony Stark, his armor battered and glowing faintly. His eyes meet yours with a mixture of sorrow and determination.

"You were supposed to be here," he murmurs, his voice echoing in the empty chamber. "Where were you?”

You reach out, but your hand passes through his ethereal form. He fades slowly, leaving you alone. You see a broken red, white and blue shield in the distance. 

“No, no, nononono. This wasn’t supposed to happen–”

There’s a woman behind you. She seems familiar. “You left us.”

You left them. All to die.

There’s a piercing scream as you're sucked into an explosion of colors below you. You try to reach out, to grab onto something, but there’s no one there.

You sit up with a gasp, suddenly at a loss for breath. Your body is tense and sweaty and you’re breathing heavily. Your heartbeat is booming in your ears. It feels like it’s going to burst from your chest. The sensation of falling fades as you orient yourself to the familiar surroundings of your room.

You glance around, reassuring yourself with the reality of your peaceful sanctuary. The sounds of the party downstairs continue to drift up faintly, a distant reminder of the world outside your door. You rub your temples, trying to dispel the last traces of the unsettling dream.

Taking a deep breath, you reach for a glass of water on your bedside table, sipping slowly to calm your nerves. “Karen, how long was I asleep?”

“Only an hour.”

You bury your face in your hands, breathing. Sometimes you think your mind is your biggest enemy. You should’ve figured, really. You haven’t had a proper nightmare since you’ve gotten here. It was only a matter of time.

“Might I suggest heading to the Den to take your mind off things?” Karen's voice is soft, achingly so. It’s comforting.

You don’t respond verbally, only nodding your head. You throw off the covers sluggishly, still trying to ground yourself. You put on the first clothes you find. They’re definitely not gala material, but that’s fine. You’ll only pop in to tell someone where you’re going.

Titus is loitering the halls, but he comes to you when he sees you out and about. He sniffs you, gruffing like he’s disturbed by something. Maybe he can sense that you’re a little unnerved right now. You give him good pets before moving on past him.

The grandeur of the gala spills out into the hallway, the lights casting a warm, inviting glow. Chatter floods your ears as you arrive just outside the entrance to the grand room. The place is perfectly lit up and shiny. The sounds of laughter and conversation form a stark contrast to the silence of your dream, grounding you.

Damian and Jon are easy to spot, standing together near a large decorative display. Jon's bright smile is a beacon, and Damian's more reserved demeanor contrasts starkly with his friend. They’re standing in front of a window. It paints the image of being surrounded by snowfall as they chat away.

You hesitate at the entrance, your eyes drawn to Jon and Damian standing together. The way Jon's eyes light up when he looks at Damian, and the small, almost imperceptible smile that tugs at Damian's lips in response, speaks volumes. They stand close, their bodies angled toward each other.

Damian reaches out to brush away a curl from Jon's face. Jon smiles, mouthing something. He talks animatedly, eyes bright. Damian watches. Fondly, you realize, he’s watching. There’s even a little small smile on his face. It puts a matching one on your face. It reminds you of Pepper and Tony, the way they look at each other.

Like they’re in love.

…

Oh.

Oh.

Holy shit, they’re in love, aren’t they? Holy shit. How did you not notice? Well… you’re not often hanging out with both of them at the same time, are you? You know they hang out on their own without you. They were friends before they knew you of course. Since they were children. Oh God, you hope they aren’t, like, secretly dating or anything. You’ve been flirting with them, but it was playful! You swear!

.

.

.

God, what have you been doing?

You need to get home. You’re not supposed to be here. You should be at the tower, playing darts with Clint, or looking for colleges you want to go to. Not here, not pretending like everything is fine, everything is normal, everything is how it’s supposed to be. You’ve forgotten yourself, gotten too comfortable. You feel a sudden detachment, like a thread just snapped. This is a borrowed fantasy.

Like clockwork, you put on a grin, baring your teeth. You take a step back, the sounds of the party fading into the background. It's as if everything is moving in slow motion, every sound is distant and every breath is drawn out. The party fades away as you turn, making your way towards the exit. Each step feels heavy, like you're carrying a weight you can't quite name.

All you hear is a constant ringing in your ear as you swing from building to building. There are people in the streets, no doubt celebrating the incoming new year. The city seems especially alive, lights twinkling. You’re grateful you can’t feel the biting cold air thanks to your suit. You fear you’re already feeling too much right now.

By the time you reach the familiar tunnel, your stomach is in knots. You’re on autopilot as you move the rubble, climbing in. The cute fairy lights feel too bright now. Your mask retracts, letting you breathe in.

You grab a screwdriver, not yet knowing what you’re going to do. “You might be able to finish before midnight,” chimes Karen.

Really? Had you been that far along in your progress? Oh. Maybe you knew and just forgot. You don’t really know right now. Your legs feel stiff as you approach the particle accelerator, screwing in a part tight. You work methodically, hands steady despite the turmoil in your mind. Each screw, each connection, each calibration is a step closer to completion, closer to... what? A return to your old life?

Karen's voice interrupts your thoughts gently, "You're almost done. Just a few more adjustments."

You nod absently, tightening another screw. The particle accelerator is nearly ready. Your mind drifts to the dream again—Tony, the absence of life, your home that you don’t recognize. "You left us," echoes in your mind.

Finally, the last screw is in place. You step back, wiping a hand down your face, and take a deep breath. The machine hums with a soft, steady power. It's ready. You're ready. Or at least, the machine is.

You stand back, staring at the particle accelerator with a mix of anticipation and apprehension. The steady hum of the machine fills the air, a stark contrast to the chaos in your mind. It's a portal, a bridge to another reality (the start of one, at least) another chance to set things right—or at least, to find some semblance of peace.

You insert a prism into it, making sure it’s secure. “Initializing…” hums Karen. The particle accelerator hums, lights flickering on and running down it. Sound whirls as you grab the little wheel you attached to it. “Approaching maximum power.”

The machine shakes as you turn the wheel. The prism turns, guiding a light. The light cuts through the space, producing fire and sparks where it hits. It cuts an old pipe in half. Whoops.

In front of you, lies an object akin to that of Tony Stark's arc reactor. Of course, it’s not actually an arc reactor, it’s just there to hold the new element. The light pierces and cuts until finally, it reaches its target. You think you hear the prism chime as the light hits the little triangle in the holder. You know that that’s the case when the chime gets louder as the light gets brighter. Brighter, brighter, brighter—oh.

You turn the machine off, looking at the glowing creation. The light fades, showing you the bright glowing triangle that is the new element. You sigh in content.

You duck under the particle accelerator, approaching the mimic arc reactor. Your fingers flex in anticipation, reaching out. The claws of your suit clink against the tiny triangle as you pick it up.

“Congratulations, [Name]. You’ve successfully recreated Tony Stark’s new element.”

You hum. “Well, couldn’t have done it without you and your awesome know-it-all abilities, my dear.”

A symphony of crackles, pops, and booms that fill your ears. Each pop rattles off as it fades. Oh, the fireworks. Is it…

“What time is it, K?”

“It is currently twelve AM, on the dot. I think this was an appropriate way to start the new year, don’t you?”

You chuckle, bowing your head. “Happy New Year.” You wonder if Damian and Jon… no. Probably shouldn’t think about that.

“Happy New Year, [Name].”

“...Happy New Year…”

You whirl around, fist tightly curling around the badassium. There’s no one there. Um. Were you imagining things? Oh, you see now, a figure there in the corner. A figure, somebody. Somebody that looks like…

Looks like…

“I know I’m probably the last person you want to see right now…”

How did your senses not pick up on them?

“I… don’t know what I’m doing here myself.”

They’re stepping closer to you.

“I guess… well. I don’t know.”

It’s… it’s…

“But I do know… that I’m sorry. I was… I shouldn’t have done what I did.”

It’s the spider… the one from the warehouse. The reason why you’re here.

“You…” Suddenly, you can’t breathe.

They clasp their hands behind their back, looking around the room. Then they look at you. Stare at you. The eyes of their suit squint as they take in your face. “Pretty cozy place. More cozy than mine, that’s for sure.”

You put down the badassium, afraid you’ll break it in your fist. They turn to look at it, then at the particle accelerator. “You work fast. Faster than me. It took me way too long to make that big stupid thing. I didn’t have any blueprints or even confirmation that it would work, but–”

A scratchy yell erupts from your mouth as you pounce at them. They dodge, fucking spidey senses.

They hold out their hands. “Woah woah woah, wait–”

You don’t wait. You lunge at them again, claws swiping out to them. It lands, leaving behind red. They don’t have an armored suit like yours. You have the advantage.

They scramble out of your way, knocking over things as they go. “Please–”

You grab their suit at their collarbone, pulling them to you. “You!”

“Me?” they squeak.

“You’re the reason I’m fucking stuck here!”

“I know I know, and I’m sorry. I’m sorry! I wasn’t thinking! I was being stupid! I just–”

“I don’t care,” you growl, showing your fangs. Your shoulders flex, releasing the nano spider legs. They emerge hauntingly, their sharpened points glinting, poised and ready to strike.

“You know, I’m not really like the other spiders. Most of ‘em anyways,” you drawl. “Apart from being the only [Name] I know, my moral compass is a roulette wheel. I’m a hero of course, I save who need saving, and punish who needs punishing.”

“Truth is,” you lean in, eyes wide and flickering with hot pink, “I am much more keen to violence than the others. I’ve killed people. A couple of people, actually,” you admit, voice low and intense. “Doesn’t make me a true good person, of course, but it does make the world a bit safer for those that are.”

They try to struggle free, but you hold them firm. "I'm going to figure out what you need. So tell me, what the fuck are you doing?”

They sniff, taking in a deep breath. “I never wanted to hurt you. I don’t hurt people.” Their hands quiver as they latch onto yours. “I just wanted to go home, and I thought you were gonna stop me–”

You growl and they yelp. “It’s not an excuse! I know it’s not an excuse, but it’s my explanation. I just.. I felt bad. I was…” they pause.

“I was working on this machine. A particle accelerator,” they sigh, oblivious to the way your ears start ringing. “I was messing around, and I got stuck in your universe. I tried to go back home. I tried for so long, acting like everything was normal, like I belonged but I… I had to go back home.” Their voice gets wobbly. “I spent so long there, I got desperate.”

They start sniffling, and you know they’re crying. “I thought, if I could find where you went… I could help you get back to your universe. So what happened to me won’t happen to you.” They take a step back. Oh, did you let them go? “I can’t take you with me. Other things can't pass through my portal without turning to dust, but…”

They reach into a pocket, pulling out a small, intricate device. It glows softly in their hand, emitting a faint, steady pulse.

“...What is it?” you croak.

"It's a catalyst," they explain, their voice still shaky. "It’s what I used to stabilize the rift. You know, so my atoms wouldn’t get scattered across space.”

Your gaze narrows, skeptical of the device in their hand. "Why should I trust you?" you demand, voice edged with exhaustion and anger.

They take a deep breath, looking into your eyes with a mix of desperation and sincerity. "You shouldn’t,” they admit. "But I know what it's like. I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone."

You stare at the catalyst, the faint pulse mesmerizing. "And if this doesn't work? If you're lying?"

You feel their eyes on you through their mask, voice filled with regret and determination. "Then you can do whatever you think is necessary. But I promise you, I'm not lying."

Your silence hangs heavy between you. The sounds of the fireworks outside are distant echoes, reminding you of the world outside this tense moment. Finally, you reach out and take the catalyst from their hand, feeling its weight and the subtle hum of energy within.

“You really want to help?” you whisper, fist curling around the catalyst. “Find Miguel O'Hara from Earth-928.” Your grip tightens around the catalyst as you step back, letting the weight of the moment settle in. The stranger stands still, their eyes fixed on you through their mask. You can see the weariness in their posture, the heaviness of their own burdens reflected in their stance.

“Find him, and tell him where I am.”

They nod slowly. “I’ll find him. I promise.” Their voice holds a note of determination.

You step back and wave an arm. “Just go.” You’re well and truly done with everything at the moment.

They stand for a moment, looking at you. Looking through you. Then they turn away, and all you see is an eruption of bright and colorful light, before it’s gone just as fast as it came. The Den feels unfamiliar to you now.

You sink to the floor, mentally, physically, and spiritually exhausted. Sound is distant, the only thing you hear is a loud ringing. Your breath comes in ragged gasps, chest heaving. Your face feels wet. Ah, it’s tears. You’re crying. Why are you crying?

“–me]! [Name]! Come on, come back. I’m here, it’s okay–”

“Jon?” Is that your voice?

An arm curls around your shoulder and crowds you into his embrace. His warmth contrasts starkly with the cold dread that had settled in your chest. He holds you tightly, his presence grounding you. You cling to Jon like a lifeline, his warmth grounding you in the present.

“It’s okay,” he whispers, hand smoothing down your back.

Sniffling, you sink into his embrace. “What are you doing here?” you mutter.

“Where else should I be?” With Damian. “I stuck my ear out, heard your heart beating fast. And the sound of you… well.”

You sigh heavily, cheek against his chest, listening to his own heartbeat. It's strong and steady, everything you want to be. “My heartbeat?”

He nods against your head. “Your heartbeat.”

You sigh again, a mixture of exhaustion and relief. “Oh, Jon...”

"Shh," he soothes, his hand still moving gently along your back. "You don't have to say anything right now."

"I don't deserve you," you murmur into his chest, your voice barely audible.

Jon tightens his hold on you, his voice firm yet gentle. "Don't say that. Please don’t say that."

You take a shaky breath, feeling the weight of the night’s events settling over you. Jon’s presence is a comforting anchor amidst the storm of emotions swirling inside you. “I just… I don’t know what to do, Jon.”

He tilts your chin up gently, his blue eyes filled with concern and determination. “You don’t have to figure it all out right now. We’ll take it one step at a time, together.”

You don’t say anything, simply resting your head against him. His lips press against your forehead, gently and warm.

“In other news,” you sniffle, moving to get out of his embrace. He holds on to your for a moment, uncertain. But a persistent tug from you makes his arms drop. You reach up, grabbing the small glowing triangle. “Look what I made.”

He eyes the small thing in your claws. “What is it?”

“The badassium. The new element that I’ve created.” You rock it around gently. “I did it.”

Jon's eyes widen with surprise and admiration as he gazes at the glowing triangle in your hand. "That's incredible," he says, reaching out to gently touch the shimmering surface.

You nod, a small smile tugging at your lips despite the lingering heaviness in your chest.

He looks up at you, his expression softening with concern. "Are you... okay?"

You hesitate, unsure how to answer. Instead of words, you hand him the glowing badassium, letting him examine it closely. The warmth of his touch is grounding. He studies it, turning it this way and that, before looking at you again. He puts it down where it was, coming back to you to hold your hand.

“You’re incredible,” he breathes. You don’t have any words, so you keep your mouth shut. 

“...Wanna go home?” he asks tentatively. You nod. He slowly steps forward, kneeling down and hooking his arms under your legs and back when you show no sign of hesitance. Jon lifts you effortlessly, cradling you close as he stands. You rest your head against his shoulder, eyes feeling heavy.

“I'm not invalid, Jon.”

“Just let me take care of you.” He shouldn't say things like that.

He makes sure that the Den is properly blocked and hidden by the rubble. After that, all you feel in the cold air biting at your cheeks as he flies you across the city. The lights below blur into streaks of color as you soar through the night sky. You cling to him, feeling the steady rhythm of his flight beneath you.

People are still at Wayne Manor as you approach, lights shining bright. Jon serves around the side, pulling up to your room's window. You sigh in relief as he gently sets you down in your room.

You see Damian rush over to you both, suit jacket forgotten. Was he waiting here for you?”

“Where were you?” he demands, hands coming up to rest on your arms. His concern is evident, his eyes searching yours for answers.

Jon steps forward, his hand resting on Damian's shoulder. "It doesn’t matter now. They’re okay," he reassures Damian, who nods slightly, though the crease in his brow doesn’t go away.

"Sorry," you say sincerely, looking at both of them, "for worrying you." You gently push Damian’s hands off you and go to your bed. Your clothes are comfortable enough, you decide. The soft pillow feels heavenly as you sink into the mattress. Hands come up the pull your blanket over you, lightly caressing your forehead before leaving.

Hushed voices bickering are the last thing you hear before darkness pulls you in.

notes: so... how we feeling? LOL

ngl i feel like the reasoning is cheap but how y'all liking the parallel? it'll make more sense later on, i promise ;)

also am i evil for using the "oh. oh." in that context? yes. yes i am

[steddiebang2024]

Sex, Drugs, and a Haunted House | E | 27k

Author: @fuctacles

Artist: @penny00dreadful

Beta Reader: @dragoon-ze-great

[Link to fic]  |  [Link to art]

Pairings: Steddie, Steve&Robin, Steve&Dustin

Characters: Robin Buckley, Dustin Henderson, El Hopper

Tags: Haunted House, Ghost Eddie, Famous Eddie, Canon Divergent, Supernatural and Horror elements, Murder (and) Mystery 

Trigger Warnings: Canon Character Death, Canon Levels of Blood and Violence

↳ Keep reading below for a summary!

On paper, the place is perfect. It's old and charming and, because everyone thinks it's haunted, just inside Steve's budget. It's closer to Robin than his current place in Fort Wayne and big enough to host his little, mismatched family.

But the fridge keeps giving him ominous messages, the paintings move, and the perpetual loneliness he's been feeling suddenly doesn't bother him anymore. 

Alas, Steve really likes the house, and no ghost will ruin it for him.

[corrodedcoughin]

just thinking out loud but the Steve going to college because believe it or not he’s finally found a very specific course that catches his interest and it happens to be in Fort Wayne so he can still check in on the kids. It gets even better when Robin and Nancy decide they want to stay local too so they all pack together and get excited (and nervous) about moving.

The time comes and they leave Hawkins and suddenly it’s the first proper day of classes. The three of them are spread over the campus so Steve treks alone to his first class, the reason he chose the college in the first place: Introduction to Folklore.

He’s so ready to learn about something he’s finally interested in. Doesn’t pay attention to the usual seating conventions and social status, just wants to know where they’ll be starting, cliques and popularity contests a long gone part of his life.

The professor is in her stride, painting a picture with her stories of creatures from folklore and the origins, Steve can’t believe it but he’s genuinely excited to learn for once. The pinpoint accuracy focus on the professor is shattered when a voice erupts next to him

‘That’s great and everything but shouldn’t there have been a moth man lover sighting by now? Where is the justice for this noble creature I ask you? I know there’s monster fuckers out there professor.’

The professor slowly engages the guy in conversation but Steve is seething. Who does this guy think he is? Does he think this is a private class just for him? That Steve isn’t paying good money to be here? So pen clenched in a white knuckled hand Steve lets his bitchy temperament get the better of him ‘I thought this was a folklore class? Not a self insert romance lit course’ he clearly says it too loud because the boy next to him. The one who started all this turns to Steve and raises an eyebrow, a smug smile on his face and lets out a ‘huh interesting’ and what’s Steve supposed to do with that? And more importantly what’s Steve supposed to do with the fact that the guy is stupid hot with this long hair, tattoo combo and that the smug look on his face definitely made Steve’s heartbeat thunder in his ears? Out of rage on behalf of his fellow students, of course.

Turns out it doesn’t matter, the class is over and Steve is running out the door, determined not to get caught by those eyes again.

It starts off a Thing between them. Every week the guy, Eddie, will challenge the lecturer with some inane point that Steve refuses to accept he actually believes to the point of Steve firing back an argument at him. Eventually they are full on debates in the middle of the class that the professor has to mediate after eddie decided that standing on the table would be appropriate (of course, not to be outdone, steve followed).

They absolutely do not have a thing for each other and the rest of the class absolutely do have a sweepstakes on when they’ll get together

[doraambrose]

Late mother's day post! Tomorrow morning is my last final and then I'm done with school!

I've been sick this week, as well as making these for my grandma and great grandma (my mom's painting isn't finished in time, but I got her flowers, etc.). The butterflies for my grandma is from when we went to the butterfly exhibit at the botanical gardens and those were butterflies I photographed. The flowers are also from the Botanical gardens. My great grandma played the piano and organ at the Fort Wayne embassy for years, so I painted her the piano surrounded by Daisys and another flower I can't remember the name of, but they're her birth month flowers.

Anyway, I got a lot of cool art asks and regular asks for Jason and I'm going to start answering them, however, Tumblr is weird when I try to post twice in one day, so that's why I've been answering only one a day. Stay tuned! Got some great jason related content coming!

[millylotus]

Written Together In The Stars, Before We Were Even Born

Betrothal AU

A long long time ago Time and Light met on the third hour of existence as they know it, and made a deal. They each wanted something from the other, the few sparks greed that Reality had. They could have traded these wants but they both know that the other would try and take the traded things back. So they decided to meet in the middle, Time for saw a few decades when two beings of their own would be the same age and most compatible and they both decided the two would be wed. That way neither would do anything to each other without the risk of endangering their kin. So Time now has infinite knowledge of the past and Light now has infinite knowledge of all future possibilities. Supereons into the future the time had come.

Duke and Danny wake up one morning, just turned 17, to find out they apparently have a fiance who they've never met or heard of before.

Gnomon shows up at Wayne manor during breakfast with the written contract to tell Duke about the betrothal. Duke, who hasn’t seen his bio-dad for almost a year now, is understandably suspicious. But after Gnomon thoroughly explains what’s going on and shows the very old contract, Duke can’t really deny it anymore.

Danny on the other hand was woken up by the contract falling on his head via Clockwork bullshit. His first reaction was to burst into Jazz’s room and scream about it, then Jazz called Sam and Tucker. They all went over the contract multiple times before they decided that Danny at least needed to find his betrothed.

The contract came with only a first name, with a home city written as well, just to make it a little easier for everyone

Danny’s the one who goes out to find Duke

The Batfam end up searching for Danny like the stalkers they are

It gets kinda ridiculous with all the things they find, [does anyone else know about the purple back gorillas Danny saved from extinction?] what with him being Vlad Masters’ godson and apparently almost died when he was fourteen

None of Danny’s pictures look right because of the whole ghostly thing, the ones with him younger are kinda visible if a bit blurry [Jazz & Danny being mildly liminal since birth is a little headcanon of mine]

BUt because they were before puberty and before he started taking testosterone [all i can hear is past pronunciation], those old pics look wildly different from what Danny looks like now

Duke decides to take a break and just go to his favorite bookstore/cafe, he mainly goes there for peace and quiet and to write his stories and poems

The Eclipse is a bookstore/library/lounge combo, with a warm tone dark academia jazz/painter aesthetic

The Eclipse is probs gonna become recurring now that I think about it [Add On: Just finished building it in the Sims this place is staying]

The three floors above ground are the library got little reading nooks, and study areas

The basement is the lounge area with a corner where the owners keep their own things/activities and drink bar on a wall

The owners are twins, Sarah and Edward Sulaiman, Sarah plays string instruments, jazz mainly, Edward paints people, still, and landscapes

It was midday but you wouldn’t be able to tell from the water heavy clouds and smog covering the Gotham sky like a blanket on top of a pillow fort.

A teenage boy walks the streets of Gotham, there’s nothing awfully unusual about that. He’s Filipino, average height a bit on the taller side, muscle hidden under his clothes loose with a visible silhouette. His fluffy black hair bounces with each step and his eyes, they’re a… wrong shade of blue, let's say that. His eyes scan the streets looking for someone he’d never seen before, never even heard of before this morning. He’d been doing so for hours now.

A heavy drop of rain hit the boy square on the top of his head, the boy recoiled into himself like a cat, clutching his wooden staff in surprise. He looks up to the sky, eyes wide as the sky seems to dump an ocean onto the earth.

The boy runs, looking up and down the street for cover, until he sees a store front with a covered porch. Ducking underneath the roof he stares out into the street where the pouring rain curtains everything.

Sighing, the boy turned to the door of the store, looking at the sign all it said was The Eclipse. The water drops from his body like he was never drenched.

Pushing the double door open a soft jingle sounded through the building, he looked around a checkout desk was to his right another kid behind the counter. The two stared at each other before the kid behind the counter set down their book.

“Welcome to The Eclipse bookstore and lounge, the lounge is in the basement, this floor is the bookstore, the two upper floors are a library. Need anything else?”

The boy shook his head, “Nah, I’m good.”

The kid nodded and went back to their book.

The boy decided to just go to the third floor, see what they had. The soft murmurs he could hear coming from the basement gave him enough reason to avoid all the people.

There weren’t many people on the upper floors, just more books and a couple lounge chairs. On the top floor he saw a curtain over an open entrance in the back.

Danny sighed in relief, a small cubby to relax in would be nice. Gliding over feet barely touching the ground as he mimed walking.

He moved aside the yellow curtain with his staff, and came face to face with another boy who had taken over the desk on the opposite wall.

The boy looked up from his papers and turned to Danny. The ghost was taken aback by how pretty the other boy was.

“Oh hey, you can sit here if you want,” The boy said, motioning to the small couch on the far wall.

Danny nodded, and went over to the couch, plopping down, his eyes glanced over to the other boy.

“So um, my names Danny by the way,”

Duke looked over to the cute boy on the couch. He’d come to The Eclipse to escape all the talk about his betrothed, it didn't hurt to talk to someone new, who might share a name with his fiance.

“I’m Duke, are you new to The Eclipse? I’ve never seen you around before.”

Danny nodded, “Just recently got to the city, I’m looking for a- a friend.”

Duke raised an eyebrow, “You don’t sound so sure about that.”

“Well I haven’t met them yet – Danny rubbed the back of his neck – All I got is a name.”

Danny blinked then looked at Duke with eyes wide, “You two actually have the same name.”

The two starred, and Duke got a sinking feeling that they were looking for each other.

Duke groaned, leaning back in his chair, “Daniel right?”

Danny nodded, still staring wide eyed, “Daniel Fenton-Phantom.”

He stood up walking over to Danny and sitting down next to him, the other pulled in his legs staring at Duke.

“Duke Thomas-Wayne,” He offered up his hand, Danny shook it.

“So we’re betrothed,” Danny said kinda breathless.

“Yeah, it seems so,” Duke said, looking to the ceiling.

They sat there, almost shoulder to shoulder.

“Twenty questions?” Danny asked.

Duke looked at him again, “Yeah sure why not.”

They chat for a bit, just talking getting to know each other

They get along swimmingly, and Duke says Danny could come with him to Wayne Manor latter to meet his family

Danny invites Duke to come over to Amity and met his sister and friends

The small room on top of The Eclipse, Bookstore and Lounge, has a few tall bookshelves, a couch on the far wall and a desk opposite to the entrance.

Today its giant bay window, by the couch, is being hit by heavy drops or rain, the room lit by a soft yellow light from a simple chandelier on the ceiling. A couple paintings made by one of the owners.

Blankets kept under the couch that had been pulled out and draped over the sleeping boy. Books pulled off the shelves and opened on the desk presented to the boy writing in his many notebooks and papers.

It was quiet with only white noise, it was nice, familiar even.

Two being too big to be perceived by the mortal mind, watched with fond emotions as their plans fell into perfect place.

Gnomon and Bruce end up going out to look for Duke at The Eclipse

I don’t know these two relationship but I’m getting reluctant co-parents with benefits, so ya know

Anyway they end up finding Duke, who’s fallen asleep

Danny had woken up at some point and moved Duke to the couch and gave him a blanket, Danny himself is on the floor asleep leaning on the couch

The dads coo over their boy a bit cause this is adorable

When Gnomon gets closer Danny’s ghost sense goes off and is immediately on his feet and guarding Duke, who’s starting to wake up

Bruce and Gnomon blinked at the teenage boy brandishing his staff at them, standing protectively in front of their son.

Bruce takes a tentative step forward, the boy immediately turns his staff to the man.

“Stay back,” He growled.

Gnomon raised an eyebrow, and Bruce frowned at the kid. But neither moved

Duke groaned, waking up slowly taking in the scene around him, before quickly sitting up, “B, Uba? What are you doing here?”

The boy looked between the fathers and their son.

“You know them?” He asked.

Duke stood up, “Yeah they’re my dads.”

Both men would deny that they preened from the title their child had given them.

“Oh – The boy’s face fell and he immediately pulled into himself, awkwardly shuffled to Duke’s side – Sorry about that Sirs.”

“No need to worry, your worry for Duke is understandable,” Bruce said, smiling softly.

Gnomon nodded, “But we must ask, who are you child?”

Duke and the boy shared a glance.

The boy stepped forward, reaching out a hand, “Daniel Fenton-Phantom, Duke’s betrothed.”

DEADLIGHTS MASTERPOST, GENERAL NOTES, MEMES, AO3

[bunchofrandomfandomsandbands]

My experience with KISS:

The first concert took place on August 12, 2016, in Fort Wayne, Indiana, during the Freedom to Rock Tour. I was 11. The second occurred on July 11, 2019, in London, England, during the End of the Road Tour. The third was on October 9, 2021, in Tampa, Florida, also part of the End of the Road Tour. The final concert was on November 25, 2023, in Indianapolis, Indiana.

I saw Gene once on June 9, 2017, when I was onstage with him, and I’ll be seeing him again on May 20, 2025, in Brown County, Indiana.

I saw Ace Frehley perform once at a free concert on August 2, 2019, in Indiana. I was supposed to see him again last year in Anderson, Indiana, but the show was cancelled. I also had the chance to meet him at the KISS Indy Expo in 2018.

I’ve met Eric Singer twice: once at the KISS Indy Expo and again in New Jersey at Lori’s wedding.

I’ve met Tommy on the first KISS Kruise I was one in 2019, because my dad put me in the activity for trying to guess the song based off riffs.

I met Paul once when I bought his painting of “Beth” during the first KISS Kruise I attended. He was really sweet. When he saw the painting, he joked, “Oh look, it’s Peter. Thank God, with his mouth closed—for once.”

I’ve been on two KISS Kruises— the first in 2019, and the second in 2021. It was during the 2021 cruise that Eric called me out for knowing all the KISS songs.

I met Bruce once on the KISS Kruise, right after Eric called me out for the first time. Bruce was standing just behind me with Lisa. I also had a special MeetHook call with him a few years ago for my birthday, and we chatted for an hour. It was such a cool experience!

[usapaintinggallery]

Commercial Painting Services is an Industrial / Commercial Painting Contractor in Fort Wayne, Indiana. We offer a host of Professional Industrial / Commercial Painting Services including, but not limited to Concrete Floor Polishing, Interior / Exterior Commercial Painting, Epoxy Flooring, Elastomeric Liquid Roof Coating, Metal Roof Leaks, and much, much more.

[hullomoon]

hullomoon's 2024 works round-up: part four

it’s the end of the year, which means it’s time for a work round-up! once again i didn't post too much this year, but i definitely know that i was doing longer works (looking at you 17 hour pod!). if you haven’t yet, check out my 2019 roundup, 2020 roundup, 2021 roundup, 2022 roundup, and 2023 roundup! all works are ordered in chronological posting order.

part one | part two | part three | part four | part five

[podfic] 50 Shades | Schitt's Creek | David/Patrick | 01:12

David’s tested every shade from Greige to Pewter, whereas Patrick, prefers plain Blue, and thought, they’d reached a compromise with Slate Blue. Or, the first time Patrick and David paint and decorate their cottage.

Surprise! | Stranger Things | Steve & Dustin; Steve & The Party | multivoice | 13:49

“Yes, Dustin, for the last time, I got the cake.” Dustin had a clipboard, where he was checking things off. “Chocolate with chocolate icing?” Steve rolled his eyes again for good measure and made sure his voice dripped in annoyance. “Yes, Henderson. I do listen when you talk, and all I’ve been hearing for the past week is chocolate-chocolate cake with chocolate icing - which I also got, before you ask.” “Well I just wanted to make sure, Steve. This is El’s first real birthday party and it needs to be perfect!”

[podfic] i'm making today a perfect day for you! | Fraggle Rock | Boober & Sidebottom | 05:19

After having to work on his birthday, Boober is a bit downtrodden. Luckily, a certain Fraggle from the dream realm is here to cheer him up with a pile of presents.

[podfic] Fast and Furry-ous | Fast & Furious and The Muppets | Gen | 11:01

“You can’t be serious about bringing him back on the team. After last time?” Vince hissed. “He’s a loose cannon, Dom.” Letty shook her head, which made Brian even more nervous. If Letty was against something, it might definitely be a bad move. “Nah." Dom smirked, looking off into the distance. "His buddy is the one who climbs into the cannons.”

[podfic] come and rest your bones with me | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 18:21

“We’re making a fort.” Steve is barely even halfway through the door when he is accosted with the declaration. His slick raincoat is still zipped up, his wet umbrella still wide open and dripping onto the porch behind him. “What?” He asks, fumbling to close the umbrella and shake it out before a stack of blankets are being shoved into his arms. “We are making a fort,” Eddie repeats, grinning at Steve. He’s got his own heap of blankets bundled against his chest, and when Steve glances past his shoulder he can see that the bones of said fort are already mostly established — Wayne’s armchair has already been moved from its cozy corner of the room to now sit directly across from the couch, and the coffee table has been pushed to the side so as to not be a nuisance to the building process. And, well, it sounds like a lot of fun, actually. “Yeah, sure, alright,” Steve replies with a huff of a laugh.

[filk] none compares with you (in my whump fanfics) | Fandom | Author & Their Favorite Character | multivoice | 03:43

You are my favorite character You’re the one I always want to see In stories I’ll write for hours You belong in my whump fanfics

[Filk] Life on Voice Team | The Little Mermaid (Disney Animated Movies) | multivoice | 03:12

A filk of what it's like to be on Voice Team, to the Little mermaid song 'Under the Sea'

[podfic] folktale | Stranger Things | Eddie & Wayne | 01:01:57

It’s outlandish. It’s implausible. It’s beyond the scope of man, beyond the imagination of children. He wants to shake his head, wants to dismiss it the same way they would laugh at the end of each campfire story, the same way folks would turn their noses up at the talk from the old miners who see things in the coal dust and dark and heat, because everyone sees something in the mine. That’s just the nature of the shadow. Deciding to find his own answers, Wayne picks the wrong (or perhaps very right) moment to return to his trailer.

[podfic] Insect | Good Omens | Aziraphale/Crowley | 00:01:04

Poor Aziraphale and the outdoors

[podfic] Lovenerds | Stranger Things | Steve/Eddie | 00:10:03

Steve Harrington is many things: a jock, a good time, a dethroned king, a pretty damn good babysitter. One thing he is not is a nerd. Eddie Munson disagrees

[mariacallous]

The Civil War represented a momentous change in the character of war. It combined the projection of military might across a continent on a scale never before seen with an unprecedented mass mobilization of peoples. Yet despite the revolutionizing aspects of the Civil War, its leaders faced the same uncertainties and vagaries of chance that have vexed combatants since the days of Thucydides and the Peloponnesian War. A Savage War sheds critical new light on this defining chapter in military history.

In a masterful narrative that propels readers from the first shots fired at Fort Sumter to the surrender of Robert E. Lee’s army at Appomattox, Williamson Murray and Wayne Wei-siang Hsieh bring every aspect of the battlefield vividly to life. They show how this new way of waging war was made possible by the powerful historical forces unleashed by the Industrial Revolution and the French Revolution, yet how the war was far from being simply a story of the triumph of superior machines. Despite the Union’s material superiority, a Union victory remained in doubt for most of the war. Murray and Hsieh paint indelible portraits of Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, and other major figures whose leadership, judgment, and personal character played such decisive roles in the fate of a nation. They also examine how the Army of the Potomac, the Army of Northern Virginia, and the other major armies developed entirely different cultures that influenced the war’s outcome.

A military history of breathtaking sweep and scope, A Savage War reveals how the Civil War ushered in the age of modern warfare.

@larkandkatydid @redactedmatopoeia

[hauntedradiotower]

You squint against the dim light.

They’re all masked, except the man in front. An unmistakable grimace stretches too wide across his face. Like someone cut his smile into him. It’s paint, you remind your raw nerves. It’s just paint. Facepaint, to obscure his identity. “I’m waiting, darling.” He presses one foot against the seat of your chair, tipping it ever so slightly back. “Tell me about Jimmy Olsen.”

You clear your throat. “Why would I know anything about him?”

The man sighs, turning away, letting your chair fall forward with a clunk. It echoes in the dim warehouse. “I like it when they’re difficult. More of a game.” He spins back around very suddenly, right in your face. “I love a good game.” 

You swallow hard. 

The man begins pacing around the warehouse in an odd, dancing gait. “Everyone has their weakness, even the strongest. Do you know what that is, darling? Answer quick, or you lose a thumb.”

You stammer out an answer, because the man’s voice is too light, and the knife in his hand is sharp. “It depends on the person.”

“Wrong!” The man lets out an ear-splitting cackle, echoing off the warehouse walls and from the masked mouths of his cronies. “Wrong, my dear, but since you tried, I’ll let you keep a thumb. Try again.”

You close your eyes, willing your pounding heart to still so you can hear your thoughts. Weakness. Universal. Answer. Answer. The man’s pacing has taken him behind you now, and you cannot hear his footfalls. Inspiration strikes like lightning. “A loved one.”

“Bingo,” he whispers in your ear, sending a chill down your spine. “Love! Love, in any form. Some would call it a strength.” He draws out the word absurdly, like a face in a funhouse mirror. “Your friends, your confidants, even your lover, they’re not your strength. They’re a weakness. So I got to thinking. If I were to take down a man of steel, or the personification of justice himself, where would I go? Answer quick please, darling!”

“His confidants,” you whisper, eyes never leaving the glinting blade.

“Correct again!” The man smiles, and dangles a photo inches from your face. “Do you recognize him?”

Of course you recognize Jimmy Olsen. And you’ve lied once, and you’ve gotta stick to it. But you’re pretty sure you know where this guy’s going with his confidant spiel, and if he’s chosen to capture you, then he knows you and Jimmy have coffee twice a week, with Clark Kent, and occasionally Diana, and, shit, shit, shit—

“Yes,” you answer.

“Do you know how dear old Jimmy is doing?”

“I…” Dread rises in your chest, keeping you quiet. You shake your head.

The knife pierces through the photo, perforating the photographed chest, its blade stopping one inch from your own face. You flinch.

The man wheels back, laughing hysterically. “That’s what happens to useless confidants. Anyways, enough of him. We’ve been watching you. Everyone trusts you. Plain, ordinary, you. Reporter by profession. You are very, very good at asking questions, but not so good at watching your tail.” He clicks his tongue. “You really ought to be careful who you take calls around!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Stick to reporting, sweetheart, acting’s not your forte. We know about your little extracurricular research project. Clark Kent, Superman, Bruce Wayne, Batman. Justice League, Justice League, Justice League. What do you know?” The man begins flipping his knife carelessly around his fingers like a bored student would flip a pen.

“So it’s information you want,” you say, trying not to let your voice shake. 

“Yes.”

“And Olsen wouldn’t give it.”

The man glowers at you, and stabs the picture again.

“Are you going to kill me anyway?”

“Hmm, I might,” the man shrugs. “But there are quicker ways of making you comply. Weakness, remember? Human weakness. I know even you have a loved one.” He pulls a second photo from his pocket, a photo of your sweet, gray cat, Mittens. It looks like it’s been taken through a window.

He’s threatening your cat.

Rage floods your body, rage at this guy for threatening your cat, rage at him for taking a picture through your window, what sort of creep—when did he even have the time? You swallow hard, fighting back tears. This is not the time to cry. This is the time to plan. An idea strikes you. A wild, nonsensical idea. It will take time, and hard work, and great care, but you’re smart. You’re smart, and just the slightest bit mad. “I’ll help you,” you say.

“Good girl,” the man says, his smile stretching too wide.

You sit back, and study the numberless man. “You won’t kill me,” you say. “Not me, or my cat.”

“Oh?” He smirks. “And why’s that?”

You watch the number over his head flicker wildly between 5 and 10. “Because I am no ordinary confidant,” you say. “And my usefulness will not run out.” 

“Hmm.” He smiles. The number above his head settles into a 4. “How fortunate.”

Four. Okay. Four. You can work with this.

This man, however unpredictable, however cruel, is human. Just like you. Just like Bruce Wayne, and so many other members of the Justice League. He is not immune to the human need for a confidant. And that is exactly what you will become.

You’re a regular office worker born with the ability to “see” how dangerous a person is with a number scale of 1-10 above their heads. A toddler would be a 1, while a skilled soldier with a firearm may score a 7. Today, you notice the reserved new guy at the office measures a 10.

[joyfulcreationsstudiosblog]

Developing Artistic Skills Early: Art Classes for Children in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Encouraging creativity in children is essential for their overall development, and art classes play a crucial role in nurturing artistic skills from a young age. In Fort Wayne, Indiana, a variety of art programs are designed specifically for children, providing them with the tools and guidance needed to explore their creative potential. These classes not only enhance artistic abilities but also contribute to important life skills that will benefit children in numerous ways.

The Importance of Early Artistic Development

Fostering artistic skills early in life can lead to a range of benefits for children, including:

Enhanced Creativity: Engaging in art encourages children to think creatively and approach problems from different angles. This skill can translate to various aspects of their lives, including academics and future careers.

Improved Fine Motor Skills: Many art activities, such as painting, drawing, and sculpting, require precision and control. These activities help develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, essential for tasks like writing and typing.

Increased Confidence: Completing art projects and receiving positive feedback can significantly boost a child’s self-esteem. The process of creating art allows them to express themselves freely, which fosters a sense of accomplishment.

Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving: Art encourages children to make decisions about colors, shapes, and materials, enhancing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They learn to evaluate their work and make adjustments, cultivating a growth mindset.

Art Classes for Children in Fort Wayne

There are art classes Fort Wayne Indiana tailored for children, ensuring that young artists can develop their skills in a supportive and engaging environment. Here are some noteworthy options:

1. Joyful Creations Studio

Joyful Creations Studio is a prominent destination for children’s art classes in Fort Wayne. Their programs cater to various age groups, focusing on different artistic mediums, including painting, drawing, and mixed media. Instructors at Joyful Creations emphasize creativity and exploration, allowing children to experiment with their artistic ideas while developing essential skills. The studio also hosts themed classes and workshops throughout the year, keeping the experience fresh and exciting.

2. The Fort Wayne Museum of Art

The Fort Wayne Museum of Art offers a range of art classes for children, focusing on traditional and contemporary art forms. Students can explore painting, sculpture, and drawing while learning about art history and cultural context. The museum's programs are designed to inspire creativity and help young artists connect with the broader art community. Classes often culminate in exhibitions, giving students the chance to showcase their work to family and friends.

3. Artlink

Artlink provides engaging art classes for children that focus on self-expression and creativity. Their programs cover various topics, including painting, ceramics, and mixed media. Artlink fosters a supportive environment where kids can explore different techniques and materials while learning from experienced instructors. The organization also encourages community involvement through exhibitions and collaborative projects.

4. The Art Farm

The Art Farm combines art education with environmental awareness, offering unique programs for children. Their classes often take place outdoors, allowing kids to create art inspired by nature. By incorporating natural materials and themes, The Art Farm fosters a love for creativity and the environment, encouraging children to think about their impact on the world around them.

5. Fort Wayne Community Schools

Fort Wayne Community Schools offer various art programs for elementary students, providing a structured environment for developing artistic skills. These classes cover traditional art forms, such as drawing and painting, as well as innovative practices like digital art. The programs emphasize the importance of creativity while allowing students to explore their artistic interests in a supportive setting.

Tips for Supporting Your Child’s Artistic Development

As a parent, there are several ways to support your child’s artistic journey:

Encourage Exploration: Allow your child to experiment with different art forms and mediums at home. Provide them with various materials, such as paints, markers, and clay, to inspire their creativity.

Celebrate Their Work: Display your child's artwork at home or share it with family and friends. Celebrating their creations fosters confidence and encourages them to continue exploring their artistic talents.

Participate Together: Engage in art activities with your child. Whether it's a simple painting session or a craft project, participating together can strengthen your bond and create lasting memories.

Visit Local Art Exhibits: Take your child to art galleries, museums, and local exhibitions to expose them to different artistic styles and inspire their creativity.

Conclusion

Art classes for children in Fort Wayne, Indiana, provide invaluable opportunities for developing artistic skills early on. By enrolling your child in these programs, you are fostering creativity, enhancing fine motor skills, and boosting their confidence. The supportive environment offered by local studios and organizations encourages young artists to explore their creative potential while learning essential life skills.

In a world where creativity is increasingly important, nurturing artistic talent from a young age can set the foundation for a fulfilling and successful future. With a wealth of options available in Fort Wayne, children have the chance to develop their artistic abilities and discover the joy of self-expression through art.