#Stephen Strange x Hope Collins | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

sobeautifullyobsessed · 24 days ago

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🎄Wrapped Up In Christmas Memories🎄

a Stephen Strange x Hope Collins fic

genre: fluff & Christmas to begin with; angst, catharsis, with healing later...and as always, love❤️💚

characters: Stephen Strange, Hope Collins (OFC), established relationship

word count: 2.6k

Reposting from last December as edits have been made, prior to finally completing this fic ☃️🩵🎄

moodboard by the very generous @strangedreamings 💙🩵💜

Chapter One

Stephen should have known that he had fallen in love with a Christmas person. Should have been prepared for what was in store for him come late November. Hope's enthusiasm for all things Yuletide was exactly in keeping with her nature--and of course, she had no way of knowing that when it came to Christmastime, his past had shaped him into a bit of a Grinch.

A week or so before Thanksgiving, she'd brought a mysterious shopping bag to the Sanctum and set it discretely in a corner of the living room portion of his suite. When he'd asked what was inside, she'd flashed him a pert smile and smiling eyes as she answered, "Darling, that's for me to know, and you to find out. Eventually." Then sashayed away, humming 'Good King Wenceslas'. Yup, he should've known then that Hope was...was very much a Who.

They had shared a quiet, homey Thanksgiving; Hope had eagerly prepared a little feast for them, along with far too many desserts prepped in a flurry of baking in the 48 hours ahead of time. "There's supposed to be an abundance of leftovers," she had insisted when Stephen groused that they could never finish it all, "And in my family tradition, the freezer was always stuffed with packages of turkey, potatoes, and what have you--enough for a meal a week 'til nearly Christmas." And she'd relished the sight of him digging into those leftovers--along with a healthy serving of her apple-ginger pie--as a midnight snack, looking every bit the adorable 'told ya so' when she grabbed a fork to help him polish off the pie.

When they'd finally settled into bed and snuggled close, Stephen was happy to tell Hope it had been his best Thanksgiving in decades--and that perhaps it could be the start of traditions of their own. "Good," she replied, kissing his neck and then resting her head on his shoulder, "There's more I'd love to share with you. If you don't mind...starting tomorrow."

Stephen's own family traditions always felt like dusty, ancient history now; memories he seldom allowed himself to dwell upon for the heartbreak of the losses of his sister Donna, and later his mother Beverly, who had never fully recovered emotionally from Donna's death. He sighed hard, not wishing to spoil the moment, but feeling he should give his love fair warning. "If it's Christmas related, Hope--I'm really not that guy..."

"Oh, Stephen," she started to protest.

"I don't wanna disappoint you, honey, but I...I gave up Christmas a loooong time ago..."

"Gave up Christmas?" Hope tutted. "You don't strike me as a Scrooge..."

"I'm not. Of course I'm not," he countered gently, "There's just a lot of...baggage...that I gave up carrying. Decades ago." For my own peace of mind, he thought but didn't add. "I mean, I'll be happy to see how you embrace the season, Hope, but um..."

"Alright, " she told him, laying her palm above his heart, which he always found soothing. "I promise to be mindful of your...baggage...if you help me with just one tradition tomorrow. "

Stephen's turn to quietly sigh with his intent to cooperate, "Just the one? Seems a fair bargain to make...if you can stick to it."

"Just the one--I promise," Hope laughed softly, "And after that, well...I'll go about my Christmasing without the sort of fuss that might bother you."

Though he could practically feel the wheels in her head turning to come up with a way to change his view of the season, he chuckled, "It's a deal then. So what will we be doing tomorrow?"

"Getting a tree, of course. That was my mom's thing. Tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving...and comes down on New Years Day. Although, since I've been on my own, I keep it up however long I want. It's an excellent remedy for the mid-winter doldrums."

"A tree it'll be, then," he promised, reaching to turn off his bedside lamp, "And then I'm out."

"Like a light", Hope assured him. "Now, do you wanna be the big spoon or little spoon tonight?"

"Big," he replied, flipping onto his side, then sliding his arm around her waist when she turned to fit herself against him. Stephen brushed his lips on her ear, "For what it's worth, honey, I hope you have some sugar plum dreams tonight."

"Thanks, Stephen," she murmured, clearly on her way to sleep, "Love you too."

By the time Hope awoke the next morning, Stephen had already worked out a plan to keep his promise. One which would involve him in as little Christmas fuss as possible. A quick online search had yielded a few spots in the Village itself where they could find fresh cut trees. After breakfast, he discreetly portaled the two of them to a side street off of Hudson Street, where they found a popular Christmas market adjacent to a city park.

Hope had been so delighted by his initiative that he had felt it necessary to remind her that this would be his sole contribution to the Christmas decorating. She had batted her eyes prettily with her reply, "As you wish," but to Stephen, it had felt more like she was saying, "We'll see about that."

They settled on a seven foot Balsam fir, which Stephen had insisted on paying for out of his Sanctum Master's monthly stipend. The warmth of the lingering kiss she pressed to his cheek in thanks was absolutely worth that investment, and Hope's happiness was a gift that thoroughly warmed his heart. Being quite pleased by how swiftly they'd accomplished their chore--and surprised that the task felt far more pleasant than he'd anticipated--Stephen arranged to have the tree delivered to Bleecker Street by mid-afternoon.

Hope had wandered over to a group of stalls featuring hand-crafted Christmas decorations, and by the time he joined her, she had a small brown shopping bag in hand. He offered her his arm, "Shall we?"

"Shall we what," she countered impishly.

"Head back home."

"Oh...well...", she bit her lip, mulling over her answer for a few moments, "You go on ahead, darling. There's just a few more things I'd like to pick up..."

Stephen hummed, studying her face for any sign that this was a coy play to get him to stay after all. Seeing only sincerity, he found himself offering to stick around anyway. "Thanks, but no, Stephen," she assured him, "I shouldn't be too long--and I did promise not to bother you beyond the tree. You won't even have time to miss me; I'm sure I'll get there before the tree even does."

Stephen hadn't expected her to be so easily accommodated. "Are you sure, honey? I can spare a while longer if...if you'd like me to."

Hope moved in close, placed her hands on his shoulders, and kissed his other cheek. "I appreciate the offer, darling," she husked, "But how about you get a nice fire going in the hearth in your quarters, so they'll be all toasty for when I decorate the tree this afternoon?" She backed away and beamed him a smile, then turned to explore the market further without a further word.

Stephen stood on the sidewalk, the relief at being let off the expected Christmas hook colored with the surprising disappointment that Hope hadn't even tried to ask for more beyond her promise. She's probably got other plans in mind, he decided; bet she's just softening me up for that. Hands tucked deep into his coat pockets against the growing chill in the air--they'd begun to ache in the way that told him snow was on the way--he headed back to the side street, and portaled back home.

The snow arrived before Hope did, with the tree being delivered about a half-hour later. By then, Stephen had a crackling fire going in the hearth and had even used magic to set up a tree stand before one of the front windows of the living room.

Rosy-cheeked from the cold and bearing two Balsam wreaths decked with red ribbons, sprigs of holly & berries, and mini white lights, Hope appeared to be the embodiment of Christmas cheer. "I figured now that it's no secret that a magical building is part of the neighborhood," she explained in answer to the question in his eyes, "You'd at least want the Sanctum to look a little festive..."

Stephen gave a heavy sigh as he conceded that point to her. And though she didn't ask, he cast a spell to keep the wreaths in place on the Sanctum's double doors, with reinforcement to keep them fresh and green for however long they hung there. He would go on to use the same spell for the Christmas tree awaiting decorating in his quarters.

After lunch, Hope practically shooed Stephen from the room when she began to string lights on the fragrant evergreen. With a vintage selection of Christmas carols playing in the background, she was determined to keep her promise to him. "Besides, I'd like to surprise you with the ornaments I've picked. So go keep busy with whatever wizarding stuff is on your agenda, and I'll come get you for the big reveal."

Lazy snowflakes continued to fall well past dusk, looking pretty and perfectly seasonal outside the Sanctum windows, though little stuck to the streets and pavements. Hope had finally popped her head past the door to his study several hours after she'd sent him away and invited Stephen to come check out the product of her efforts. Her excitement felt contagious--and once he spied the tree, Stephen knew she had good reason for her enthusiasm.

Featured among them were larger, glassblown ornaments shaped as suns, moons, and stars, as well as other traditional celestial symbols. The total effect was breathtaking--and a telling reminder that Hope was an Artist, deep down to her soul.

Watching him take in the full picture, her eyes sparkled with joyful anticipation of his response. Stephen's jaw had dropped, and he remained speechless as he circled the tree before he came to stand at Hope's side, pulling her to him with one arm around her back. "This is...marvelous, honey. Fantastic. Beautiful...and...and..."

"And nearly perfect for a Master of the Mystic Arts," she replied, a slight tremor in her voice, "Don't you think so, anyway?

Stephen nodded and laid a kiss on top of her head. "I can't imagine anything more perfect, Hope," he agreed, his voice grown thick with emotion. "You were planning this for a while, weren't you?"

"Only since mid-September," she laughed, then pointed to a stained-glass disk depicting the zodiac circling a stylized sun. "I saw that one at a craft fair, and it just sort of...inspired...the whole thing."

"I should've expected something this..." Stephen searched for the perfect word to describe not only the tree, but the sentiment her gift had him feeling, "...grand...from you, honey. Grand. Grand and perfect."

"It's actually a little short of perfect, Stephen," she confessed difidently.

"No, Hope...honey...it's perfect for me," he insisted, "Both as a wizard and as a man."

"I don't mean in that way, darling. It's...it's unfinished," she sighed, motioning to the crowning branch. "It's in want of a star."

"Aaaaaaah." Stephen let the moment linger before smirking, "And is that by design, or just something you overlooked?"

"I just can't reach it," came her plaintive, honest reply.

"I see." Stephen could feel how hard she was trying not to ask for his help, in light of her promise to him. How dear that was to him! A simple yet beautiful truth about this woman he loved. How could he not offer to help? "You know, I wouldn't mind adding the finishing touch, honey. If you'd allow me to, of course."

"I suppose that'll be alright, darling. If you wouldn't mind too much."

"Not at all," he told her, truthfully. "Do you have one, or shall I conjure something to match your theme?"

"Hold on," she replied, making a beeline to a dark pink box perched on the side table by the sofa. Hope removed an object swathed in tissue paper, unwrapping it very gingerly when she returned to his side. "This star is over a hundred years old. It came to America with my great-grandmother when she arrived from Ireland back in 1921. It passes to the eldest daughter in each generation..."

"And you're the lucky winner," Stephen observed in a hushed tone, immediately adopting the same reverence with which Hope handled the fragile antique.

"Yes," she sniffled softly. "Mom was the middle child, but her older sister didn't have any girls, so when she passed away, it came to me. That was during The Snap years. Once my mother came back, she never really recovered from finding out her sister had died alone, without the comfort of her closest friend and family member."

Stephen's first thought was of his own mother, Beverly, and of the colorless Christmases between Donna's death and her own. In the face of Hope's bittersweet revelation, he couldn't bring himself to express his observation; that grief had been his mother's cause of death as well.

Hope took note of the pain that briefly flickered across his features. "Stephen, are you alright? You looked so sad, all of a sudden."

"Oh, honey, I'm just...just so, so sorry for your loss. I know that grief doesn't take holidays, and there are times it hits so hard, it feels like the one we've lost...that it only happened yesterday." Mindful of the crystal star in his hands, he drew Hope into his arms, then rested his chin atop her head. "But the best comfort, I'm told, is remembering the best of times you shared with them."

Hope took note of the pain that briefly flickered across his features. "Stephen, are you alright? You looked so sad, all of a sudden."

The smallest voice in his head gave an ironic retort. Doctor, why don't you take your own advice and heal yourself for a change? Share your story with Hope, and by doing so, maybe you can put your own ghosts to rest.

Maybe so, he told himself. But not now; not tonight. I'm not ready to face that kind of pain just yet. And the small voice answered: of course you aren't. It seems you never are.

Stephen shook off that moment of weakness--as he always did. And with the gentlest charm he could manage, he floated Hope's star to the top of the tree and fixed it safely in place. That drew from Hope her prettiest smile, so that he dared a change of subject. "Well, in light of the heavy lifting I've just done, I think it's time we fix ourselves some turkey and gravy sandwiches and maybe watch 'The Grinch'. It's one of the few Christmas movies I actually enjoy."

"Jim Carey or the DreamWorks one," Hope asked as they headed, arm in arm, toward the closer of the two Sanctum kitchens.

"Jim Carey," he asserted with a grin, "The other is far too sentimental for my liking."

If you enjoyed this little fic so far, you can read more about how Stephen & Hope met and fell in love in my stories 'Friday in the Park with Stephen' (meet-cute, flirtation & fluff), and 14,000,604 (hurt/comfort, angst, passion/smut, lovers reunited against impossible odds).

In addition, I've written a couple of one-shots/promt fills as part of their ongoing series The Wizard and the Artist.

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promenadewithme · 4 years ago

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First of all, I want to thank all of you so much for the follows, likes, comments, reblogs and support in general! I can't believe I hit 50 followers so soon! I know it’s not much, but I actually didn’t expect any at all so I’m so happy!! Thank you ❤️

Now, this is how the celebration is going to work: first you chose a song and a character. Then send it to my requests with your pronoun of choice, along with any other specifications and I'll write you a fic based on the song! You can either send the song or specific quotes as prompts

To find the fics I will write, use the #Anastasia's 50 followers celebration

This event starts today (May 20th) and ends June 10th

Support Me on Ko-Fi - if you’re feeling generous 💕

Songs:

Fluff (Romantic)

Paper Rings - Taylor Swift

London Boy - Taylor Swift

Love Story - Taylor Swift

Lover - Taylor Swift

King of My Heart - Taylor Swift

Willow - Taylor Swift

Crazier - Taylor Swift

New Year’s Day - Taylor Swift

Daylight - Taylor Swift

Jump Then Fall - Taylor Swift

How You Get The Girl - Taylor Swift

You Are In Love - Taylor Swift

It’s Nice To Have A Friend - Taylor Swift

Today Was A Fairytale - Taylor Swift

State Of Grace - Taylor Swift

Mine - Taylor Swift

Delicate - Taylor Swift

Say You Won't Let Go - James Arthur

Naked - James Arthur

Rewrite The Stars - James Arthur + Anne-Marie

I Won't Give Up - Jason Mraz

I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

Thinking Out Loud - Ed Sheeran

Tenerife Sea - Ed Sheeran

How Would You Feel (Paean) - Ed Sheeran

Kiss Me - Ed Sheeran

Afterglow - Ed Sheeran

Lego House - Ed Sheeran

Dive - Ed Sheeran

Galway Girl - Ed Sheeran

Everything Has Changed - Ed Sheeran + Taylor Swift

I Was Made For Loving You - Tori Kelly + Ed Sheeran

Make You Feel My Love -Adele

One Call Away - Charlie Puth

Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

Just The Way You Are - Bruno Mars

Count On Me - Bruno Mars

Little Things - One Direction

Night Changes - One Direction

Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley

Andante, Andante - ABBA

Waterloo - ABBA

All Of Me - John Legend

Ocean Eyes - Billie Eilish

Snowman - Sia

A Thousand Years - Christina Perri

Arms - Christina Perri

Teenage Dream - Katy Perry

Halo - Beyoncé

The Only Exception - Paramore

Dandelions - Ruth B

Someone To You - BANNERS

Would You Be So Kind - Dodie

Someone You Like - The Girl and The Dreamcatcher

If I Could Tell Her - Ben Platt

Absolutely Smitten - Dodie

How Long Will I Love - Ellie Goulding

Angst (Romantic)

Good 4 u - Olivia Rodrigo

Drivers License - Olivia Rodrigo

Deja Vu - Olivia Rodrigo

Brutal - Olivia Rodrigo

Traitor - Olivia Rodrigo

Enough For You - Olivia Rodrigo

1 step forward, 3 steps back - Olivia Rodrigo

Happier - Olivia Rodrigo

Jealousy, Jealousy- Olivia Rodrigo

Favourite Crime - Olivia Rodrigo

Hope Ur Ok - Olivia Rodrigo

Betty - Taylor Swift

Exile - Taylor Swift

Teardrops On My Guitar - Taylor Swift

Wildest Dreams - Taylor Swift

Tolerate It - Taylor Swift

You’re Not Sorry - Taylor Swift

Should’ve Said No - Taylor Swift

White Horse - Taylor Swift

You Belong With Me - Taylor Swift

My Tears Ricochet - Taylor Swift

Back to December - Taylor Swift

Breathe - Taylor Swift

The 1 - Taylor Swift

All Too Well - Taylor Swift

Invisible String - Taylor Swift

Evermore - Taylor Swift

Lose You To Love Me - Selena Gomez

The Heart Wants What It Wants - Selena Gomez

When I Was Your Man -Bruno Mars

Someone Like You - Adele

Hello - Adele

All I Ask - Adele

Let Her Go - Passenger

Say Something - A Great Big World

Stay With Me - Sam Smith

California King Bed - Rihanna

Take a Bow - Rihanna

Broken Hearted Girl - Beyoncé

Tonight I Wanna Cry - Keith Urban

The Winner Takes It All - ABBA

SOS - ABBA

One Of Us - ABBA

Half a Heart - One Direction

Yesterday - The Beatles

If The World Was Ending - Julia Michaels

Colors - Halsey

Happier - Ed Sheeran

One Last Time - Ariana Grande

Why’d You Only Call Me When You High - Artic Monkeys

Play Date - Melanie Martinez

Just a Friend to You - Meghan Trainor

All I Want - Kodaline

Love You From A Distance - Ashley Kutcher

Potential Breakup Song - Aly & AJ

I Don’t Wanna See You With Her - Maria Mena

Let Her Go - Passenger

All My Tears - Ane Brun

Always On My Mind - Elvis Presley

Someone to you - Lewis Capaldi

Before You Go - Lewis Capaldi

Others

Sit Still, Look Pretty - Daya

How To Be A Heartbreaker - MARINA

No Body, No Crime - Taylor Swift

Look What You Made Me Do - Taylor Swift

Blank Space - Taylor Swift

You Need To Calm Down - Taylor Swift

Getaway Car -Taylor Swift

Gorgeous - Taylor Swift

Bad Blood - Taylor Swift

The Man - Taylor Swift

22 - Taylor Swift

Dorothea - Taylor Swift

Marjorie - Taylor Swift

The Best Day - Taylor Swift

Mirrorball - Taylor Swift

I Forgot That You Existed - Taylor Swift

This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things - Taylor Swift

The Lakes - Taylor Swift

The Last Great American Dynasty - Taylor Swift

Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson

When I Kissed The Teacher - ABBA

I Have A Dream - ABBA

I've Been Waiting For You - ABBA

You'll Be In My Heart - Phil Collins

Titanium - David Guetta (feat. Sia)

F**ckin' Perfect - P!nk

New Rules - Dua Lipa

IDGAF - Dua Lipa

Bad Guy - Billie Eilish

You Should See Me in A Crown - Billie Eilish

COPYCAT - Billie Eilish

Count On Me - Bruno Mars

Stand By You - Rachel Platten

Firework - Katy Perry

Because You Loved Me - Céline Dion

See You Again - Wiz Khalifa + Charlie Puth

NO - Meghan Trainor

Skyfall - Adele

Gasoline - Halsey

Castle On The Hill - Ed Sheeran

Save Myself - Ed Sheeran

Supermarket Flowers - Ed Sheeran

Small Bump - Ed Sheeran

Growing Up - Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, Ed Sheeran

7 Rings - Ariana Grande

Bad Liar - Selena Gomez

Rare - Selena Gomez

Who Says - Selena Gomez

I Turn To You - Christina Aguilera

Till There Was You - The Beatles

Sweetest Devotion - Adele

ps: sorry, I'm a Swiftie and a Sheerio <3

Characters

Character x fem! or GN! reader (ROMANTIC)

ACOTAR: Rhysand, Cassian, Azriel, Lucien, Helion, Tarquin, kallias and Tamlin.

BRIDGERTON: Anthony Bridgerton, Benedict Bridgerton, Colin Bridgerton and Simon Basset.

GRISHAVERSE: Nikolai, Mal, The Darkling, Kaz, Matthias, Jesper, Wylan and David.

THRONE OF GLASS: Dorian Havilliard and Chaol Westfall.

HARRY POTTER: Harry, Ron, Neville, Draco, George, Fred, Oliver, Cedric, Young Sirius, Young James and Young Remus.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley.

MARVEL: Steve, Bucky, Sam, Pietro, Loki, Thor, Peter Parker, Ned, Tony, Bruce, Vision, Clint, T'Challa, Scott Lang, James Rhodes, Peter Quill and Stephen Strange.

THE HUNGER GAMES: Peeta, Gale and Finnick.

GREY'S ANATOMY: Derek Shepherd, Andrew DeLuca, Alex Karev, Jackson Avery, Mark Sloan, George O'Malley, Link, Koracick and Ben Warren.

TEEN WOLF: Scott, Stiles, Derek, Isaac, Liam and Jackson.

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: Damon, Stefan, Matt, Klaus, Elijah and Kai.

NARNIA: Peter, Edmund and Caspian.

STAR WARS: Anakin, Obi Wan, Kylo, Han, Luke, Poe, Finn and Din Djarin.

Character x platonic!/sis!/bro!/enemy!/daughter!/son!/mentor!/or anything else platonic Reader

ACOTAR: Rhysand, Cassian, Azriel, Feure, Nesta, Elain, Mor, Amren, Nyx, Lucien, Tarquin, Helion, Kallias, Tamlin, Ianthe, Suriel and Bone Carver.

GRISHAVERSE: Nikolai, Mal, Darkling, David, Alina, Bahgra, Zoya, Tamar, Tolya, Apparat, Kaz, Matthias, Jesper, Wylan, Nina, Inej, Tantee Heleen and Pekka Rollins.

THRONE OF GLASS: Dorian, Chaol and Aelin.

BRIDGERTON: Anthony, Benedict, Colin; Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, Hyacinth, Lady Violet, Simon, Lady Danbury, Penelope, Lady Portia Featherington, Marina, Sienna, Genevieve, Cressida and Queen Charlotte.

HARRY POTTER: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Luna, Draco, George, Fred, Oliver, Cedric, Cho, Seamus, Fleur, Pansy, Myrtle, Sirius (old or young), James (old or young), Remus (old or young), Lily (old or young), Molly, Arthur, Bill, Percy, Charlie, Xenophilus Lovegood, Snape, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hagrid, Moody, Flitwick, Umbridge, Bellatrix, Voldemort, Lucius, Narcissa, Peter Pettigrew, Helga Hufflepuff, Salazar Slytherin, Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, Dobby and Nearly Headless Nick.

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: Mr Darcy, Georgiana Darcy, Mr Bingley, Caroline Bingley, Elizabeth Bennet, Jane Bennet, Mary Bennet, Lydia Bennet, Catherine Bennet, Charlotte Lucas, Wickam, Mr Collins, Mr Bennet, Mrs Bennet.

MARVEL: Steve, Peggy, Sharon, Natasha, Bucky, Sam, Carol, Monica Rambeau, Pietro, Wanda, Agatha Harkness, Loki, Frigga, Odin, Hela, Thor, Heimdall, Jane Foster, Darcy Lewis, Valkyrie, Peter Parker, Ned, MJ, Tony, Pepper, Morgan, Happy, Howard, Bruce, Vision, Clint, T'Challa, Shuri, Scott, Hope, Hank, Cassie, James Rhodes, Peter Quill, Gamora, Mantis, Nebula, Groot, Rocket, Drax, Stephen Strange, Wong, Nick Fury, Phil Coulson, Maria Hill, Thanos, Ancient One, Red Skull, Ultron, John Walker and Zemo.

THE HUNGER GAMES: Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Finnick, Haymitch, Rue, President Snow, Primrose, Effie, Cinna and Johanna.

GREY'S ANATOMY: Meredith, Derek, Andrew, Alex, Jackson, Mark, Lexie, Cristina, April, Izzie, George, Callie, Owen, Addison, Arizona, Miranda, Amelia, Link, Burke, Teddy, Maggie, Richard, Carina, Ben Warren, Megan Hunt, Ellis Grey, Catherine Avery and Tom Koracick.

TEEN WOLF: Scott, Stiles, Malia, Lydia, Allison, Derek, Isaac, Liam, Jackson, Peter Hale, Chris Argent, Sheriff Stilinski, Kira, Melissa McCall and Noshiko Yukimura.

THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: Damon, Elena, Katherine, Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie, Jenna, Klaus, Elijah, Rebeka, Sheriff Forbes, Kai and Lexi.

NARNIA: Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy, Caspian and Aslan.

STAR WARS: Anakin, Padme, Yoda, Jarjar, Obi Wan, Kylo, Rey, Han, Leia, Luke, Poe, Finn and Din Djarin and Grogu.

No pressure tags: @venuswritesfanfic @for-bebbanburg @maggiescarborough @multifandomfix @sweetnspicysimp @lazypeachsoul @magravenwrites

#Anastasia's 50 followers celebration #bridgerton x reader #my writing #greys anatomy x reader #marvel x reader #acotar x reader #throne of glass x reader #teen wolf x reader #tvd x reader #thg x reader #pride and prejudice x reader #hp fanfic #harry potter x reader #grishaverse x reader #six of crows x reader #shadow and bone x reader #star wars x reader #star wars x you

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thexdesk · 3 years ago

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TO: SAGE (re: the X-Force) FROM: Emma Frost

SUBJECT: Guest List & Security

Hello, darling.

I appreciate the help that both you and the X-Force Team will provide tonight during the Gala to keep the event secure and safe. I’ll be quite busy tonight and need to trust in you wholeheartedly to help keep the festivities afloat. That is easier said than done, however, when you have the likes of Logan & Quire on your roster. Keeping that in mind, please reach out telepathically if there is an EMERGENCY of any sort. Both myself and the Cuckoo’s will be keeping our minds tuned in.

In the meanwhile, I have attached the guest list below. Please do not let ANYONE in who is not on the list. There is one exception: foreign diplomats and politicians were sent over separately for security purposes.

With Love,

Emma Grace Frost, the White Queen

NON-MUTANT GUESTS:

ASGARDIAN -- for unity and future prosperity: korg. loki. valkyrie.

AVENGERS -- for their work saving the universe time and time again: bruce banner. carol danvers. clinton barton. hope van dyne. samuel wilson. scott lang. shang-chi. spider-man. doctor stephen strange. thor odinson.

CELEBRITIES -- for their accomplishments in the social and cultural world: Audra McDonald. Conan O’Brien. Dua Lipa. Eminem. George R.R. Martin. Jimmy Kimmel. Justin Bieber. Kanye West. Lin Manuel Miranda. Mary Jane Watson. Meryl Streep. Patton Oswalt. Rihanna. Saweetie. Saya Ishii. Seol Hee. Snoop Dogg. Taylor Swift. Virginia Potts [ click for more names ].

CHAMPIONS -- for their resilience in the face of C.R.A.D.L.E. and the promotion of change: amadeus cho. amka aliyak. joaquin torres. lana baumgartner. ms. marvel. nadia van dyne. nova. red locust. riri williams. spider-man. starling. viv vision.

ETERNALS -- for fostering new relations: druig. makkari. kingo. phastos. sersi. sprite. thena.

FANTASTIC FOUR -- for their heroic acts across the multiverse: ben grimm. johnny storm. susan storm. reed richards.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: heather douglas. hercules. nebula. noh-varr. peter quill. phyla-vell. richard rider. rocket raccoon.

HONORED ACHIEVEMENTS -- for accomplishments in their field: hank pym. janet van dyne. natasha romanoff. steven rogers. tony stark.

INHUMANS -- for unity and future prosperity: blackagar boltagon. crystalia amaquelin. daisy johnson. gorgon. karnak. medusalith amaquelin.

PLUS ONES -- for the association to someone who is more special: cindy moon (saya ishii). dane whitman (sersi). katherine bishop (clinton barton). katy chen (shang-chi). morgan stark (virginia potts).

SANCTUM SANCTORUM -- for their work on magical defenses: clea strange. wong.

SHI’AR EMPIRE -- for unity and future prosperity: cal’ysee neramano. gladiator. isabel kane. xandra neramani.

WAKANDA -- for unity and future prosperity: nakia. okoye. shuri. t’challa.

STANDY BY -- the following have received an invite during the second round and barely made the cut: barbara morse. james buchanan barnes. jessica drew. melinda may. monica rambeau. yelena belova.

ERROR: When attempting to invite Spider-man, four invites were sent out and accepted.

MUTANT GUESTS:

abigail brand

alison blaire

angelica jones

akihiro

alexander summers

anna-marie lebeau

brian braddock ( honorary )

clarice fong

danielle moonstar

elizabeth braddock

emma frost

erik lehnsherr

everett thomas

gabrielle kinney

hope summers

illyana rasputina

jaime madrox

jean grey

jeanne-marie beaubier

jubilation lee

katherine pryde

kwannon

laura kinney

laurie collins

layla miller

lorna dane

madelyne pryor

manon

martinique wyngarde

megan gwynne

meggan puceanu-braddock

monet st croix

nathan summers

neena thurman

ororo munroe

pete wisdom

pietro maximoff

raven darkholme

regan wyngarde

selene gallio

stepford cuckoos

tabitha smith

theresa cassidy

thomas shepherd

wanda maximoff

william kaplan

xi’an coy manh

#event: hellfire gala #hellfire gala: invites

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samdeancass · 4 years ago

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Fandom List

These are the fandoms and characters that I write for. Fandoms and characters with a line through means I am currently watching the show or movie and I will be writing for them shortly.

I will be adding to this list overtime so it will get bigger as I watch more shows and movies.

If you want to make a request, please write the full name as some fandoms have characters with similar names.

Prompt List

Supernatural

Dean Winchester

Sam Winchester

John Winchester

Castiel

Jack Kline

Crowley

Gabriel

Benny LaFitte

Lucifer

Adam Milligan

Kevin Tran

Arthur Ketch

Actors

Jensen Ackles

Jared Padalecki

Misha Collins

Alexander Calvert

The Vampire Diaries

Damon Salvatore

Stefan Salvatore

Lorenzo St.John

Kai Parker

Elena Gilbert

Bonnie Bennett

Caroline Forbes

Jeremy Gilbert

Tyler Lockwood

Matt Donovan

Actors

Paul Wesley

Iam Sommerhalder

Michael Malarkey

The Originals

Klaus Mikaelson

Elijah Mikaelson

Rebekah Mikaelson

Kol Mikaelson

Hayley Marshall-Kenner

Actors

Joseph Morgan

Daniel Gillies

Legacies

Alaric Saltzman

Hope Mikaelson

Landon Kirby

Lizzie Saltzman

Josie Saltzman

Rafael

Sebastian

Teen Wolf

Scott McCall

Stiles Stilinski

Derek Hale

Isaac Lahey

Liam Dunbar

Theo Raeken

Jackson Whittemore

Jordan Parrish

Lydia Martin

Peter Hale

Allison Argent

Malia Tate

Actors

Tyler Posey

Dylan O’Brian

Tyler Hoechlin

Holland Roden

Crystal Reed

Daniel Sharman

The Walking Dead

Rick Grimes

Daryl Dixon

Glenn Rhee

Abraham

Negan

Carl Grimes

Marvel /MCU

Tony Stark/ Iron Man

Steve Rogers/ Captain America

Clint Barton/ Hawkeye

Thor Odinson

Bruce Banner/ The Hulk

Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow

Bucky Barnes/ The Winter Soldier

Loki Laufeyson

Stephen Strange/ Doctor Strange

T’Challa/ Black Panther

Peter Parker/ Spider-Man

Peter Quill/ Star Lord

Pietro Maximoff/ Quicksilver

Wanda Maximoff/ Scarlet Witch

Vision

Sam Wilson/ Falcon

Carol Danvers/ Captain Marvel

Scott Lang/ Ant-Man

Actors

Robert Downey. Jr

Chris Evans

Chris Hemsworth

Jeremy Renner

Scarlett Johansson

Tom Hiddleston

Tom Holland

Sebastian Stan

X-Men Universe

Charles Xavier (Younger)/ Professor X

Erik Lensherr (Younger)/ Magneto

Jean Grey/ Phoenix

Scott Summers/ Cyclops

Storm

Logan/ Wolverine

DC Cinematic

Clark Kent

Bruce Wayne

Arthur Curry

Harley Quinn

Arrow

Oliver Queen

Tommy Merlyn

John Diggle

Roy Harper

Felicity Smoake

Harry Potter

Ron Weasley

Draco Malfoy

Sirius Black

Hermione Granger

Stranger Things

Steve Harrington

Jonathan Byers

Nancy Wheeler

Billy Hargrove

Eddie Munson

Actors

Joe Keery

Riverdale

Archie Andrews

Jughead Jones

Elizabeth Cooper

Veronica Lodge

Once Upon A Time

Hook

Prince Charming

Rumplestiltskin

Emma Swan

Regina Mills

Lucifer

Lucifer Morningstar

Brooklyn 99

Jake Peralta

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D

Phil Coulson

Leo Fitz

Grant Ward

Deke Shaw

Melinda May

Daisy Johnson

Jemma Simmons

Walker

Cordell Walker

Liam Walker

Pretty Little Liars

Caleb Rivers

Toby Cavanaugh

Ezra Fitz

Mike Montgomery

F. R. I. E. N. D. S

Joey Tribbiani

Chandler Bing

Ross Geller

Friday Night Dinner

Adam Goodman

Johnathan Goodman

Ben 10

Ben Tennyson

Kevin Levin

Gwen Tennyson

The Maze Runner

Thomas

Minho

Newt

Fantastic Four

Johnny Storm

Reed Richards

Percy Jackson

Luke Castellan

Twilight

Edward Cullen

Jacob Black

Emmett Cullen

Jasper Hale

Kingsman

Eggsy Unwin

One Direction

Harry Styles

Liam Payne

Louis Tomlinson

Niall Horan

Zayn Malik

WandaVision

Wanda Maximoff

Vision

Falcon and The Winter Soldier

Sam Wilson

Bucky Barnes

Baron Zemo

Loki

Loki Laufeyson

Sylvie

Black Widow

Natasha Romanoff

Yelena Belova

Cobra Kai

Daniel LaRusso

Johnny Lawrence

Miguel Diaz

Robby Keene

Love And Monsters

Joel Dawson

Fast and Furious

Dominic Toretto

Brian O’Connor

Deckard Shaw

Luke Hobbs

Han Lue

Roman Pearce

Tej Parker

That 70′s Show

Eric Forman

Jackie Burkhart

Michael Kelso

Steven Hyde

Donna Pinciotti

Fez

Sherlock Holmes (Movies)

Sherlock Holmes

John Watson

Scream (TV Series)

Emma Duval

Brooke Maddox

Audrey Jensen

Kieran Wilcox

Noah Foster

Free Guy

Walter ‘Keys’ McKeys

Pirates of the Caribbean

Jack Sparrow

William Turner

The Flash

Barry Allen

Iris West-Allen

Caitlyn Snow

Frost

Cisco Ramone

HR Wells

Wally West

Harry Wells

Ralph Dibney

Harrison ‘Nash’ Wells

Chester P. Runk

The Boys

Homelander

Billy Butcher

Hughie Campbell

A-Train

55 notes · View notes

ao3feed-natashabruce · 7 years ago

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Holding Out For a Hero.

by moon_goddess_118

Fifteen-year old Sophia May Parker wish she could say that she was normal but she figured that normal take a twirl down the drain when she and her twin brother got bite by radioactive spiders, became the web-swinging duo, Spider-Man and Spider-Girl, and a super genius in her own right. But Sophia is rockin' both the teen heroine and teen super genius, she enjoys saving her fellow Queens residents' lives and using her high IQ in making the Earth a healthier place to live. Sophia is friendly, laidback, free-spirit, wild and outgoing, easily making friends with people of all walks of life. She is a tough, sassy, brutally blunt and sarcastic teen with a furious independence streak in her, she hates having guys come to her rescue when a strong right hook or a swift kick can easily put down anyone who messes with her. But when HYDRA is out to get her and killed her mutant protector, who hates everyone and anyone, in order to leave her defenseless, Sophia is force to go on the run while trying to get use to the mutant powers that her protector had transfer into her. But she has to learn that she has to hold out for a hero in order to protect her.

Words: 2029, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Series: Part 2 of The Bellucci Mutants.

Fandoms: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), Deadpool (Movieverse), The Punisher (TV 2017), Daredevil (TV), Luke Cage (TV), Iron Fist (TV), Jessica Jones (TV)

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage

Categories: F/M

Characters: Tony Stark, Jarvis (Iron Man movies), Dummy (Iron Man movies), Butterfingers (Iron Man movies), James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Obadiah Stane, Yinsen, Pepper Potts, Christine Everhart, Phil Coulson, Happy Hogan, Nick Fury, Natasha Romanov (Marvel), Justin Hammer, Ivan Vanko, Senator Stern (Marvel), Chess Roberts, Thor (Marvel), Jane Foster (Marvel), Loki (Marvel), Erik Selvig, Laufey (Marvel), Volstagg (Marvel), Heimdall (Marvel), Darcy Lewis, Frigga | Freyja (Marvel), Odin (Marvel), Hogun (Marvel), Fandral (Marvel), Sif (Marvel), Clint Barton, Steve Rogers, Johann Schmidt, James "Bucky" Barnes, Bruce Banner, Maria Hill, Jasper Sitwell, Aldrich Killian, Maya Hansen, Sam Wilson (Marvel), Brock Rumlow, Sharon Carter (Marvel), Peggy Carter, Alexander Pierce, Arnim Zola, Georges Batroc, Wolfgang von Strucker, Peter Quill, Gamora, Drax the Destroyer, Groot (Marvel), Rocket Raccoon, Ronan the Accuser, Yondu Udonta, Nebula (Marvel), Taneleer Tivan, Thanos (Marvel), Pietro Maximoff, Wanda Maximoff, Vision (Marvel), Ultron (Marvel), Laura Barton, Helen Cho, Ulysses Klaue, Friday (Marvel), Scott Lang, Hope Van Dyne, Darren Cross, Jim Paxton (Marvel), Luis (Ant-Man movies), Dave (Ant-Man movies), Hank Pym, Cassie Lang, Janet Van Dyne, T'Challa (Marvel), T'Chaka (Marvel), Peter Parker, Thaddeus Ross, Helmut Zemo, Everett Ross, May Parker (Spider-Man), Ayo (Marvel), Stephen Strange, Karl Mordo, Christine Palmer, Wong (Marvel), Nicodemus West, Kaecilius (Marvel), Ancient One (Marvel), Dormammu (Marvel), Mantis (Marvel), Ayesha (Marvel), Kraglin, Stakar Ogord, Ego the Living Planet, Adrian Toomes, Michelle Jones, Aaron Davis (Marvel), Ned, Liz Toomes, Flash Thompson, Doris Toomes, Karen (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Herman Schultz, Phineas Mason, Hela (Marvel), En Dwi Gast | Grandmaster, Brunnhilde | Valkyrie (Marvel), Skurge | The Executioner, Topaz (Marvel), Korg, Surtur (Marvel), Erik Killmonger, Nakia (Black Panther), Okoye (Marvel), W'Kabi (Marvel), Shuri (Marvel), M'Baku (Marvel), Ramonda (Marvel), Zuri (Marvel), Eitri (Marvel), Cull Obsidian, Ebony Maw, Proxima Midnight, Corvus Glaive, Ben Parker, Carol Danvers, Ghost, Jimmy Woo, Bill Foster, Matt Murdock, Karen Page, Franklin "Foggy" Nelson, James Wesley, Ben Urich, Leland Owlsley, Vanessa Marianna Fisk, Claire Temple, Wilson Fisk, Coach Wilson (Spider-Man: Homecoming), Elektra Natchios, Blake Tower, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Frank Castle, Danny Rand, Charles Xavier, Erik Lehnsherr, Raven | Mystique, Hank McCoy, Azazel (X-Men), William Stryker (Movieverse), Logan (X-Men), Ororo Munroe, Rogue (X-Men), Kitty Pryde, Bobby Drake, Bishop, Peter Maximoff, Peter Rasputin, Jean Grey, Scott Summers, En Sabah Nur, Wade Wilson, Vanessa, Francis "Ajax" Freeman, Weasel, Christina | Angel Dust, Blind Al, Dopinder (Marvel), Cable, Russell Collins, Domino, Victor Creed, Kurt Wagner, Caliban (Marvel), Jubilation Lee, Reed Richards, Johnny Storm, Susan Storm (Fantastic Four), Ben Grimm, Victor von Doom, Sophia Parker (OFC), Genesis Lehnsherr (OFC), Trinity Lehnsherr (OFC), Lilith Lehnsherr (OFC), Jezebel Lehnsherr (OFC)

Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Original Female Character(s), Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov, Jane Foster/Thor, Clint Barton/Laura Barton, Wanda Maximoff/Vision, Nakia (Black Panther)/T'Challa

Additional Tags: Peter Parker has a Twin, Female Peter Parker, Pansexual Wade Wilson, Older Man/Younger Woman, Underage Kissing, Pre-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Geeks, Smart Is The New Sexy, Bullying, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Inappropriate Humor, Explicit Language, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Parent Tony Stark, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Steve Rogers, Protective Avengers, Protective Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Shuri Friendship, Geniuses, Deadpool being Deadpool, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Stalking, Attempted Kidnapping, Kidnapping, Inappropriate Behavior, Sexy Nerds

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2LtkEWa

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #brutasha #bruce x natasha #natasha x bruce #hulkwidow

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herwitchinesss · 7 years ago

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annual list of books i have read this year

(i’m already doing my favorite reads of the year in instagram posts, so look out for those instead of my usual bold = favorite that i do; if you want to know about a specific book or if i have it available to lend out on eBook or give to you via Audible, send me a message! xo)

1) Mrs. Zant and the Ghost by Wilkie Collins 2) Dreamer’s Pool by Juliet Marillier 3) DC Bombshells Vol 3 by Marguerite Bennett 4) The Bucolic Plague: How Two Manhattanites Became Gentlemen Farmers: An Unconventional Memoir by Josh Kilmer-Purcell 5) The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena 6) Ascension by Jacqueline Koyanagi 7) The Devourers by Indra Das 8) A Good Idea by Cristina Moracho 9) The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski 10) The Baker’s Secret by Stephen P. Kiernan 11) Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson 12) A Word For Love by Emily Robbins 13) The Strange Case of the Alchemists Daughter by Theodora Gross 14) Ahsoka by EK Johnston 15) Gwenpool Vol 2 by Christopher Hastings 16) Spell On Wheels by Kate Leth 17) Hi-Fi Fight Club by Carly Usdin 18) Beauty Vol 1 by Jeremy Haun 19) American Housewife, stories by Helen Ellis 20) 10 Things I Can See From Here by Carrie Mac 21) Imprudence by Gail Carriger 22) The Authentics by Abdi Nazemian 23) Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman 24) Delicate Monsters by Stephanie Kuehn 25) The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney 26) Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds 27) The Virgin Cure by Ami McKay 28) My Best Friend’s Exorcism by Grady Hendrix 29) Crash Override by Zoe Quinn 30) Forest of Memory by Mary Robinette Kowal 31) Belle: The Slave Daughter & the Lord Chief Justice by Paula Byrne 32) Invincible Summer by Alice Adams 33) Leia, Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray 34) The Trap by Melanie Raabe 35) The End of Everything by Megan Abbott 36) A Study in Scarlet Women by Sherry Thomas 37) Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban by JK Rowling (re-read) 38) The Girls by Emma Cline 39) I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest 40) The Likeness by Tana French 41) Broken Homes by Ben Aaronovitch 42) A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler 43) The Women in the Castle by Jessica Shattuck 44) Whispers Under Ground by Ben Aaronovitch 45) Inferior: How Science Got Women Wrong---- and the New Research that’s Rewriting the Story by Angela Saini 46) In the Woods by Tana French 47) The Mothers by Brit Bennett 48) Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch 49) Ghost Talkers by Mary Robinette Kowal 50) The World Is Bigger Now by Euna Lee 51) Hope In the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities by Rebecca Solnit 52) Midnight Riot by Ben Aaronovitch 53) The Psychopath Inside by James Fallon 54) Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney 55) iZombie vol 1 by Chris Roberson 56) The End of the Affair by Graham Greene 57) The Book of Joan by Lidia Yuknavitch 58) Mercury by Margot Livesey 59) The Witches of New York by Ami McKay 60) The Girl At Midnight by Melissa Grey 61) Swimming Lessons by Claire Fuller 62) Caraval by Stephanie Garber 63) Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace 64) Night of Cake & Puppets by Laini Taylor 65) The World According to Star Wars by Cass R Sunstein 66) Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero 67) The Sleeper & the Spindle by Neil Gaiman 68) Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley 69) The Runaways by Brian K Vaughan 70) Monstress Vol 1 by Marjorie M Liu 71) Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage 72) November 9 by Colleen Hoover 73) The People We Hate At the Wedding by Grant Ginder 74) How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain by Lisa Feldman Barrett 75) Mosquitoland by David Arnold 76) Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll 77) The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice & Virtue by Mackenzi Lee 78) Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian 79) Fire with Fire by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian 80) Burn for Burn by Jenny Han & Siobhan Vivian 81) Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell 82) Hag-Seed by Margaret Atwood 83) The Most Dangerous Place on Earth by Lindsey Lee Johnson 84) How To Hang a Witch by Adriana Mather 85) The Lovely Reckless by Kami Garcia 86) You’re Never Weird On the Internet (Almost) by Felicia Day 87) One of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus 88) Anne of Green Gables by LM Montgomery (re-read) 89) Let’s Explore Diabetes With Owls by David Sedaris 90) Lost Stars by Claudia Gray 91) The Mistletoe Murder & Other Stories by PD James 92) Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 93) I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being a Woman by Nora Ephron 94) Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo & the Battle That Defined a Generation by Blake J Harris 95) We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson 96) Dear Mr You by Mary-Louise Parker 97) Carry On by Rainbow Rowell 98) The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant 99) Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt 100) Teaching My Mother How To Give Birth by Warsan Shire 101) Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales by Nelson Mandela 102) We Could Be Beautiful by Swan Huntley 103) Girl Walks Into a Bar... by Rachel Dratch 104) Bloodline by Claudia Gray 105) Romeo & Juliet by David Hewson 106) Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng 107) You Don’t Look Your age... And Other Fairy Tales by Sheila Nevins 108) The Regional Office Is Under Attack! by Manuel Gonzales 109) Some Kind of Fairy Tale by Graham Joyce 110) The Color Master: Stories by Aimee Bender 111) The Inseperables by Stuart Nadler 112) Rani Patel in Full Effect by Sonia Patel 113) Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple 114) Moshi Moshi by Banana Yoshimoto 115) We Were Feminists Once: From Riot Grrrl to Covergirl, the Buying & Selling of a Political Movement by Andi Zeisler 116) Beast by Brie Spangler 117) Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham 118) Ways to Disappear by Idra Novey 119) The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald 120) Dare Me by Megan Abbott 121) Eleven Hours by Pamela Erens 122) Pond by Claire-Louise Bennett 123) Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor 124) Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde 125) The Briefcase by Hiromi Kawakami 126) The Fever by Megan Abbott 127) Illusionarium by Heather Dixon 128) Life After Life by Kate Atkinson 129) Christmas Days by Jeanette Winterson 130) The Dinner by Herman Koch 131) The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters 132) In the Country by Mia Alvar 133) Putin’s Russia by Anna Politkovskaya 134) You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott 135) The Thief by Fuminori Nakamura 136) Jackaby by William Ritter 137) Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson 138) Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia 139) Rain by Amanda Sun 140) Norwegian by Night by Derek B Miller 141) The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco 142) Iron Cast by Destiny Soria 143) Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty 144) Naomi & Ely’s No Kiss List by Rachel Cohn & David Leviathan 145) The Long Way To a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers 146) What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami 147) People of the Book, Jewish Sci-Fi/Fantasy anthology by various authors 148) Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami, re-read 149) Exit, Pursued by a Bear by EK Johnston 150) The Bear & the Nightingale by Katherine Arden 151) The Nature of a Pirate by AM Dellamonica 152) Ink by Amanda Sun 153) More Than This by Patrick Ness 154) The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson 155) A Daughter of No Nation by AM Dellamonica 156) Lucky Us by Amy Bloom 157) This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper 158) Child of a Hidden Sea by AM Dellamonica 159) Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín 160) Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick 161) The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy 162) Beautiful Chaos by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl 163) Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly 164) Candide by Voltaire 165) After You by JoJo Moyes 166) Pocket Full of Posies by Angela Roquet 167) Snow Flower & the Secret Fan by Lisa See 168) English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs 169) The Hopefuls by Jennifer Close 170) DC Bombshells vol 4 by Marguerite Bennett 171) DC Bomsbells Vol 5 by Marguerite Bennett 172) DC Bombshells Vol 6 by Marguerite Bennett 173) The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe by CS Lewis re-read 174) Breakfast At Tiffany’s by Truman Capote, re-read 175) The Love Artist by Jane Alison 176) Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling, re-read

#booklr #books #reading #2017 reads #reading challenge

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jessicakehoe · 6 years ago

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How Camp Was Last Night’s Met Gala?

Last night’s Met Gala kicked off with Lady Gaga arriving in shocking Schiaparelli-pink cape by Brandon Maxwell, which she removed to reveal a black gown, then another pink one, before finally stripping down to her underwear and crumpling onto the pink carpet like a defeated Judy Garland. But besides this flamboyant display, how camp was the Met Gala, exactly?

On a scale of American Gothic (not camp) to Pink Flamingos (extremely camp) we’d wager it ranked about a Dusty Springfield, that is, it achieved a medium-high level of camp. (While it may seem a tad out of character for the fashion world to embrace a sensibility that is defined by bad taste, embrace it they did.

We ranked some notable Met Gala attendees on how they measure up to our own (very stringent!) camp criteria.

Photo by Stephen Lovekin/BEI/REX/Shutterstock

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga is an incredibly talented performer, sure, but I kind of feel like she has me by a chokehold here, daring me to declare her anything other than camp after four outfit changes. We get it Gaga! You’re camp! Trying very hard is camp but there’s a sort of earnestness to Gaga’s desire to adhere to the theme that isn’t quite camp. Still, I’ll give it to her. Did you hear that? You can loosen your grip on my neck now, I think I’m starting to get rope burn.

Camp-o-meter: 8/10, definitely camp.

Photo by David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock

Billy Porter

This man understands camp on a deep, deep level. Porter arrived at the Met Gala dripping in custom gold Cleopatra-inspired look by The Blonds carried by six shirtless attendants. Subsequently, the attendants lowered him off the dais and Porter unfurled his cape to reveal a wingspan of Albatross-like proportions. To understand the true meaning of camp, we need look no further than this man.

Camp-o-meter: 9/10, severely camp.

Photo by David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock

Serena Williams

Williams’ floral, sprouting dress by Versace initially strikes me as a bit too ‘nature-y’ to be camp, but the Off-White Nike sneakers put the outfit over the edge. In her essay on camp in the May issue of FASHION, Tatum Dooley writes “Virgil Abloh’s penchant for quotation marks could be seen as the ultimate example of contemporary camp.” Go off, Serena.

Camp-o-meter: 7/10, totally camp.

Photo by Clint Spaulding/REX/Shutterstock

Laverne Cox

Don’t ask me why, but ruffles are camp. (Okay fine, ask me, I’ve already written a whole story about it.) Ruffles were one of the major themes of the evening, worn in heaping amounts by Doutzen Kroes, Lily Collins et al., but Laverne wore them best. Full camp marks awarded here.

Camp-o-meter: 8/10, totally camp.

Photo by David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock

Natasha Lyonne

The aeronautic shoulders of Lyonne’s jumpsuit are a clear reference to queer icon Klaus Nomi, which affords her some serious camp points. (Plus, she acted on Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, one of the most camp tv shows of all time.) This look is bold, strange, and very gay. Do you hear that? It’s the camp alarm sounding off.

Camp-o-meter: 7/10, undoubtedly camp.

Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety/REX/Shutterstock

Cardi B

One of my many hopes for the Met Gala was that somebody would arrive wearing a train of Princess Diana proportions, and Cardi B did not disappoint. Though honorable mentions go out to Gwen Stefani, Rachel Brosnahan and Sophie Hunter for attempting the train, it was Cardi’s Bi’s distended Thom Browne dress that truly achieved the excessive exaggeration native to camp. Cardi looked a little bit like vampire Aaliyah in Queen of the Damned mixed with Pope Benedict XVI. Her train required three separate fluffers. If that’s not camp then I do not know what is.

Camp-o-meter: 9.5/10, unbearably camp.

Photo by Matt Baron/REX/Shutterstock

Miley Cyrus

Brutally un-camp. Cyrus’s status as a former Disney star should help her coast by on merit alone, but this Saint Laurent look is simply not camp. It would be perfect if she were, say, attending a Studio 54-themed party, but this is the Met Gala! Just because something has sequins doesn’t make it camp. Plus, major points docked off for having bangs.

Camp-o-meter: 2.5/10, unfortunately un-camp.

Photo by Stephen Lovekin/BEI/REX/Shutterstock

Celine Dion

So, so, so, so camp. It perhaps cannot be overstated how camp Celine Dion as an entity — and by extension, her Met Gala outfit — is. Dion’s appeal as a performer is based on her painfully earnest delivery of ballads like “My Heart Will Go On” combined with flamboyant showmanship and a penchant for pizzazz. In this silver Oscar de la Renta jumpsuit bedecked with fringe and a feathered headdress, Celine gets extra camp points. According to Dion, the outfit was partially inspired by “the glitzy costumes of the Ziegfield follies.”

Camp-o-meter: 9/10, indubitably camp.

Photo by Matt Baron/REX/Shutterstock

Hailey Bieber

A term that often gets thrown around when trying to define camp is ‘trashy.’ Bieber’s faux-thong backless gown by Alexander Wang was definitely that. The tawdry detail reminds of being an awkward middle schooler in the early 2000s when it was cool to wear low-rise jeans with a hiked-up thong. Intentionally exposing a whale-tail? Definitely camp.

Camp-o-meter: 7.5, unexpectedly camp.

Photo by Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock

Lena Dunham

Bizarre, yes, but definitely camp. Dunham’s Christopher Kane dress from his F/W 2019 collection inspired by sexual fetishes completely, unexpectedly nails the theme. Camp is all about reveling in one’s own freaky filth and what better way to articulate this than by caping for a semi-obscure sexual fetish? Good job, Dunham. This look is totally weird, very extra and undeniably camp.

Camp-o-meter: 7.5/10, distinctly camp.

Photo by David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock

Karlie Kloss

Kloss waltzed onto the red carpet looking the golden ticket from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in a Dapper Dan x Gucci dress — and not in a good way. This outfit reads as if she did the cursory reading on camp, then decided to ignore everything in favour of looking normatively hot. This outfit is distinctly not camp.

Camp-o-meter: 5/10, regrettably un-camp.

Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety/REX/Shutterstock

Ryan Murphy

Wearing a shimmery salmon suit by Christian Siriano, Ryan Murphy appeared to be emerging out of a shell like Boticelli’s Venus. Mimicking a famous painting IRL? Yep, it’s camp.

Camp-o-meter: 7/10, high camp.

Photo by David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock

Wendi Deng Murdoch

Murdoch arrived in an outfit the looked like the ocean floor, all brain coral and undulating sea anemones. Though I am not in the business of awarding camp points to anyone less than six degrees of separation away from human axis of evil Rupert Murdoch, I must reluctantly accept that Murdoch’s Met Gala was sufficiently camp.

Camp-o-meter: 6.5/10, begrudgingly camp.

Photo by Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock

The Olsen Twins

MK & A’s floor-grazing Chanel leather getups give off extreme Morticia Addams vibes. Though the concept of twins wearing matching outfits strikes me as somewhat camp, these outfits are simply too stately and/or elegant to qualify. Camp stems from bad taste and Mary-Kate and Ashley could not access bad taste if they tried. It pains me to award the Olsen Twins a low score on anything, but these outfits are simply Not Camp.

Camp-o-meter: 4/10, slouching towards camp.

Photo by David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock

Katy Perry

What the actual f*ck. This woman clearly understands camp on a deeper level than I previously believed possible. On second evaluation, I should have expected this from the person responsible for “I Kissed a Girl” (extremely camp), but this look took me by complete surprise. Perry took the Surrealist concept of a readymade (the chandelier) and then cranked it up to eleven by wearing this Moschino dress and headpiece featuring over 7,000 Swarovski crystals. This look was so good — so camp! — it gave me a mild heart attack.

Camp-o-meter: 10/10, sickeningly camp.

The post How Camp Was Last Night’s Met Gala? appeared first on FASHION Magazine.

How Camp Was Last Night’s Met Gala? published first on https://borboletabags.tumblr.com/

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fy-dr-janefoster · 7 years ago

Link

by moon_goddess_118

Words: 2029, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Series: Part 2 of The Bellucci Mutants.

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage

Categories: F/M

Thane Fosterson via AO3 works tagged 'Jane Foster/Thor'

#IFTTT #Feedly

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ao3feed-daredevil · 7 years ago

Text

Holding Out For a Hero.

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2LtkEWa

by moon_goddess_118

Words: 2029, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Series: Part 2 of The Bellucci Mutants.

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage

Categories: F/M

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2LtkEWa

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #daredevil #daredevil netflix #marvel's daredevil #daredevil tv

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ao3feed-janefoster · 7 years ago

Text

Holding Out For a Hero.

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2LtkEWa

by moon_goddess_118

Words: 2029, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Series: Part 2 of The Bellucci Mutants.

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage

Categories: F/M

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2LtkEWa

#IFTTT #ao3feed #fanfic #jane foster

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sobeautifullyobsessed · 12 days ago

Text

🎄 Wrapped Up In Christmas Memories 🎄

a Stephen Strange Christmas fic

Chapter Two

genre: angst, catharsis, healing...and above all, love❤️💚

characters: Stephen Strange, Hope Collins (OFC); established relationship

word count: 1.9k

Reposting from last year as edits have been made on the way to finally completing this fic.⛄️🩵🎄

moodboard by @strangedreamings 💙🩵💜

The weeks ticked down towards Christmas, and Stephen remained as occupied with his work as in any other month of the year. And still Hope held steadfast to her promise to ask nothing but his tolerance as she rang the season in. Every few days, when he emerged from attending to his Sanctum duties or his ongoing studies, or returned from a far-flung mission or from Kamar-Taj itself, he would find she had added some new decoration or holiday detail, making not only his quarters, but the main floor as well, ever more festive. Her Artist's eye insured that she kept everything tasteful and in accord with the surroundings. Hope's latest addition had been an evergreen garland for the fireplace on the main floor, lit with colorful fairy lights and frosted candle holders of varying heights bearing ivory or red candles, nested along the greenery.

Whenever he complimented her newest handiwork, Hope would give a modest little shrug as she thanked him, moving onto the next subject of conversation without so much as a pause--though Stephen could absolutely feel how pleased she was. Thus, their equilibrium continued, and despite his ambivalence about the holiday season, he found himself quietly looking forward to each new surprise.

One such surprise was Hope's newfound dedication to attending the weekly vigil service each Saturday evening of Advent at a small Roman Catholic parish in Brooklyn. In their occasional discussions of philosophy and faith, she had given Stephen the impression that although she was lapsed from organized religion, Hope still held a true belief in a higher power. Indeed, he always saw her as a living example of the biblical maxim 'do unto others...'. And of course, she had understood and respected the beliefs he had come to hold about soul & spirit, and good & evil, based on his experiences and encounters with mystic realities.

In response to his curiosity on the first Saturday she shared her plans, Hope fell back on a familiar explanation. "It's a tradition that does my heart good to honor," she told him frankly. "It connects me to my family even when we're apart. With those who've passed on...and with past generations." He didn't miss the flicker of grief in her eyes and in the set of her mouth at her reference to those who had passed on, though soon enough, her honest smile replaced the sorrow. "Besides which, I love the music...the lights on the tree...the aroma of the incense they save for the most sacred moments. That sense of being one with a community of like-minded souls is vital to my experience of the Christmas season." Stephen found none of this surprising, for such was her nature, and part of the reason she had conquered his heart with no effort at all.

With a scant few weeks until Christmas Day, the Sanctum felt ripe with Hope's inimitable brand of holiday cheer. The sights, the scents, the flavors, and the very sounds that filled his rooms, became reminders of his own Christmases past, though Stephen refused to entertain those memories as he knew they'd only leave him morose.

Even the Sanctum kitchens had their own unique decorations, courtesy of some of Hope's grammar school-aged students; a couple dozen had given her handmade, crayon-colored Christmas cards and Tempera-painted winter scenes of snowmen and Santas, Angels and Christmas trees, or sledding and skating children, which found their way onto the walls and the refrigerators.

She'd even fashioned a miniature tree as a tabletop centerpiece, festooned with a popcorn & cranberry garland and a tiny paper chain of red & green construction paper loops. In a surprising moment of clarity, Stephen remembered the several years when he still believed in Santa Claus and had helped his mother create the same sort of decorations for their tree, and how excited he'd been counting down the days until Christmas morn. Memories of a simple happiness that he'd quite forgotten had been his. Gazing at Hope's little tree brought a warmth to his chest he would like to share with her - but he stopped himself each time, knowing full well that if he let that recollection bubble forth, it might open the gates to other memories not as pleasant.

Most evenings now found Hope settled on the sofa wrapping presents or penning personal greetings in Christmas cards, while her favorite Christmas movies played on television, setting what she considered the ideal mood. Stephen eventually ended up joining her some evenings, and once he took his place beside her, she very willingly set aside her project in favor of cuddling on the couch with him. He ended up adopting the habit of fixing them hot chocolate, and in Hope's homey company, he discovered that he didn't even mind the movies he'd once found trite and too sentimental since his undergraduate days. Besides, they made Hope happy--and her happiness had become key to his own.

On the 14th, Stephen was called to Kamar-Taj for an emergency meeting of all the Masters of the Sanctums and those in charge of the various disciplines. A rift in Earth's reality had opened inside the Kibo caldera of Mount Kilimanjaro, and whatever entities had worked that magic, it appeared they were trying to wake the dormant volcano into eruption. He only had time enough to fire off a cursory text to Hope, warning her he might be away for several days--and advising her not to worry. Then he was off to Tanzania, along with Wong and a dozen other Masters to beat back the incursion and seal the rift.

'Twas a grim Stephen that returned to the New York Sanctum just after midnight on December 17th. Hope was sound asleep, and he didn't have the heart to awaken her. He was sporting a split lip and multiple abrasions to his face, neck, and hands, and though he had been charm treated in the Kamar-Taj Infirmary, he still had a slight but nagging cough from smoke inhalation.

Yet he had gotten off more lightly than most of those who had to battle the dragonlike creatures that seemed to be ideally suited for a volcanic environment; that breathed fire and fought ferociously to maintain their foothold. Two Masters had fallen to their flames, and three more had suffered severe enough burns to be placed in magic induced comas while Healers worked around the clock to hasten the regeneration of new, healthy skin. Wong, who had suffered a broken wrist, bore the same sort of wounds as Strange and the other Masters did. Stephen was heartsick over the lost lives and the pain of his brothers & sisters, and his body ached all over.

Casting the Mirror Dimension on the master bath, he bundled up his rent robes and buried them deep in the hamper so Hope wouldn't see how badly they were damaged and bloodstained. Stephen had already repaired Cloak, and it had flitted off upon their return to the Sanctum to see to its own ablutions. He soaked in the tub of hot water and Epsom salt for nearly 90 minutes, trying to put the pictures frozen in his mind of the battle and the wounded behind him. Fearing that sleep would still elude him once he finally went to bed.

In the wee hours before sunrise, he slipped carefully and quietly between the sheets, and by some lovely instinct, Hope turned to him. She stirred a bit when he placed her hand above his heart--for he always found that soothing--and after a few moments she whispered, "Missed you, magic man. Is everything alright?"

Stephen sighed in the darkness, unwilling to disturb her peace with the truth, and murmured 'yes', and then, 'I missed you too'. What he wanted most was to forget everthing for a little while, and when she rested her head on his shoulder, he nuzzled the tender haven of her hair, focusing on Hope's softness until he was able to drift off the sleep.

Stephen rarely indulged in the luxury of sleeping in, but this day it had been a necessity. Though he felt physically refreshed when he finally left his bedroom, his spirit was all too weary, and he remained disconsolate in his very bones. No matter the season, he would've felt this way following the outcome on Kilimanjaro--but somehow looking at Hope's cheery holiday trimmings made it even worse. When he found her in the kitchen baking cookies, the sweet sight of her, so incongruous with the miasma he was lost in, prompted him to issue her a fair but regretful warning.

She had just moved a batch of cookies onto a wire rack to cool, then turned to greet him--but her smile faltered the moment she saw the misery on his face. "It went badly, then." Stephen nodded, and then she was sliding her arms beneath his, holding him tight, murmuring against his neck. "I'm so sorry, Stephen. Do you...do you want to talk about it?"

He shook his head and simply held her close, grateful that she was his true and loving sanctuary. When they parted just a little, Stephen cleared his throat before speaking. "Hope...honey..." he began, cupping one hand against her cheek, "I really appreciate how patient you've been with me this past month. And I appreciate everything you've done to bring Christmas to our..." He paused when his voice cracked, taking a moment before continuing, "...to our home."

Empathetic as usual, Hope simply reached to cup his cheek in her hand, and he wished he could just let himself melt into the moment. "But I dunno if the miracle you're hoping for is gonna happen this year. The past few days were pretty rough and given that...and the ghosts of my Christmases past...well, I think it's best if you lower your expectations about the holiday. I don't want to disappoint you but...well...I'm not gonna be catching the Christmas spirit this year."

Hope sighed and turned her face enough to place a soft kiss on the base of his thumb. "It's alright, darling. I...I understand." She sighed and stood tall enough to kiss his mouth, then whispered against his lips, "Whatever you need, Stephen. However things go." She embraced him warmly, then moved enough so she could look him in the eyes. "I spent five Christmases wondering how things might have been if you had survived Thanos. I know what's most important to me now--so in the end, all I really want for Christmas is you."

Stephen managed a small but genuine smile. He had expected no less. Undaunted, Hope briskly changed the subject. "How about I fix you some lunch and you go unwind with some mindless television? I'll bring it right to you."

"Actually, there's a little something I want to take a look at in my study...if you don't mind too much..."

"Of course, of course," she answered gamely, then swatted him softly on his way, "Gourmet grilled cheese and tomato soup are the special today, and the only tip I require is a couple dozen kisses."

"You can add those to my tab, honey," Stephen chuckled, then headed down the hall to his study, grateful for the distraction which he knew awaited him on his desk. Getting lost for a little while in a recently discovered manuscript might be exactly what he needed to get through the day.

In addition, I've written a couple of one-shots/prompt fills as part of their ongoing series, The Wizard and the Artist. These works can be found both on tumblr and on AO3.

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sobeautifullyobsessed · 1 year ago

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[excerpt from an upcoming Stephen Strange x Hope Collins fic]

🎄Wrapped Up In Christmas Memories🎄

(Indulge me, if you will? Not sure if I'll be able to complete this story by Christmas, let alone the New Year ~ but the need to write this part is strong upon me, while my loves for Stephen and for Story compell me...)

genre: angst, catharsis, healing...and above all, love ❤️

characters: Stephen Strange, Hope Collins (OFC); established relationship

word count: 1.2k-ish

...Beverly Strange had been a music teacher before she ever became a farmer's wife. And for most of her life--despite how stony her husband grew over the years, grimly implacable in the face of what he found to be frivolous--she had done her best to fill their household with music. It was no fluke that Stephen developed such a great love for music that his prodigious intellect maintained a mental catalog of music trivia encompassing multiple genres.

Beverly had given private piano lessons as much for fulfillment as for the extra money the family had needed in lean years on the farm. Until the birth of Stephen's younger brother Victor, she had volunteered as Choir Director at the community's small Lutheran church. Stephen could remember spending many an afternoon in the weeks leading up to Christmas and Easter in the choir loft, coloring quietly and humming along while Beverly conducted practice. Once her youngest child, Donna, had been old enough to sit in a church pew under Stephen's supervision (for their father rarely attended weekly services) Beverly had resumed a place in the choir and was often featured as a soloist during the holidays. Stephen had been damn proud watching his mother sing her favorite carol, 'Oh, Holy Night'; how straight she had stood, free of his father's angry shadow, and of how flawlessly (to him, anyway) her notes had risen--in his child's mind he had been sure they had reached Heaven itself.

Most of all, though, he had always been proud to see when some parishioner or another was moved to tears by the purity of her rendition. Decades later, he could easily recall that feeling if he allowed himself to remember, could hear her in his mind--but the pain of Donna's death and the toll it wreaked upon his mother usually precluded him from indulging in such sentimental recall. Beverly's music had fallen mute the day his sister had drowned; she had never sung in church again, nor had Stephen ever heard her sing in their own home in the too short years that followed before her grief prematurely aged her into an early grave.

Stephen himself had adopted a stoic mien in the wake of losing Donna, internalizing the blame he felt for failing to save her, and by extension, their mother. Nearly two decades later, it still hurt too damn much to remember the first--and very rare--people who had loved him unconditionally, as both had been lost to him well before their time. And as his most vibrant memories of them included Christmastimes, he had turned his back on all but the most superficial of holiday celebrations.

He kept his painful thoughts and memories buried deep and had only confessed them to Christine (whom he realized in retrospect was the third soul to have loved him unconditionally) one sloppy, drunken night two months after his accident. She had given him what solace she could, gently urging him to not be so hard on himself, reminding him that both Donna and Beverly would wish for him to seek some healing, and staying with him until he drifted into a dreamless sleep. When she returned to check on him the next day, he had closed himself off again, rejecting her concern as unnecessary. Brushing off the incident as impertinent to his current life and goals.

But now...oh now! A wee bit at a time, Hope--who loved him as unconditionally as his past dear ones--had been chipping away at that wall. Reintroducing Christmas into his life by osmosis, without a hint of pressure for him to embrace the season. As she'd promised four weeks ago, she'd gone about her Christmasing without the sort of fuss that might bother him. With each little Yuletide advance she had made in the Sanctum, he had found himself relaxing and accepting, smiling in concession, happy to play witness to her happiness in the season.

Christmas was still a week away, and Stephen had begun contemplating what sort of gift he might manage for his own Who-girl. He hoped to find a gift that spoke his heart clearly, but each idea that came to him fell flat soon after he thought it up.

Settled comfortably in his study this evening, he was delving into a freshly discovered manuscript that appeared to have been penned by The Ancient One when she had been apprenticed to Merlin, during his tenure as the Londinium Sanctum Master. Though it should have been a fascinating read, Stephen found himself distracted by the question of what to give Hope--and by the carols she was playing in the living room portion of his quarters. Celtic Woman, he told himself with no effort to recall the facts; released October 2006, peak chart position number one on Billboard for US Worldwide Albums. The trilling of the all female group was pleasant enough, but not at all conducive to the study he was attempting.

Meaning to simply ask Hope to lower the volume so he could concentrate, Stephen removed his reading glasses, leaving them to rest atop the open manuscript and then headed the short way to the main room of his suite. The fragrances of cranberry and evergreen greeted him as he drew near, for she'd made a substantial investment in candles for the season, and they were clearly alight as she wrapped presents. Hope was deep in her element and happy to be so.

The music paused between tracks, and when it resumed, it stopped Stephen in his. The opening strains of 'O, Holy Night' filled the air, and in a heartbeat they landed upon him, sending him back to his youth, well before he had known loss and heartbreak. To those crisp, cold Nebraska evenings when his heart had swelled with love and pride to see his mother sing. Unprepared as he was for those powerful images and sounds to fill his senses, Stephen backed away, his eyes prickling with tears of mixed grief and recollection. Tears he'd put off for far too long in his quest to avoid the pain. And yet he knew that just several feet around the corner was the very soul who had given him the exact comfort, love, and strength he'd needed to complete the dreadful journey he had undertaken to save this Universe from Thanos--and that she'd be only too glad to learn this part of his past and help him find healing.

By some remarkable coincidence, or as if she'd heard his thoughts, Hope's answer came unbidden, her voice blending in as though it had been meant to be a message for his ears alone.

'Sweet hymns of joy, in grateful chorus raise we..., ' she sang as his heart seemed to crack open in bittersweet relief. 'Fall on your knees, O hear the angels voices...' Stephen wrapped his arms across his chest while he wept to remember the love and warmth that had been his in the little church and in every moment spent in his mother's company. How had he made himself ignore such a miraculous gift? Surely the joy of it far outweighed the sorrow. How foolish to have gone so long without allowing himself such comfort.

The carol now drew swiftly to it's close, and still his Hope sang sweetly, following the notes faithfully, unaware that she had reawakened a dormant part of his heart. 'O night,' she crooned, in happy harmony with those recorded singers, 'O night divine!' He swiped his tears away with both his palms, deciding he must tell her this part of his story. His reasons for divorcing Christmas from his life. And that he understood at last that every day of this beautiful season, she'd been patiently showing him that love was stronger than even grief...

[to be completed - once I finish the beginning as well!]

tagging: @aeterna-auroral-avenger @strangelock221b @stewardofningishzida @icytrickster17 @ben-locked @lorelei-lee @mousedetective @darsynia @bakerstreethound @hithertoundreamtof23 @rmoonstoner @mckiwi @doctorstrangeaskblog

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sobeautifullyobsessed · 1 year ago

Text

Wrapped Up In Christmas Memories

a Stephen Strange x Hope Collins fic

Part One

genre: fluff & Christmas to begin with; angst, catharsis, with healing later...and as always, love❤️💚

characters: Stephen Strange, Hope Collins (OFC), established relationship

word count: approximately 3.1k

moodboard by the very generous @strangelock221b 💙🩵💜

"Oh, Stephen..." she started to protest.

"I don't wanna disappoint you, honey, but I...I gave up Christmas a loooong time ago..."

"Gave up Christmas?" Hope tutted. "You don't strike me as a Scrooge..."

He felt more than heard her sigh, understanding that she would not be deterred--while well aware that as ever, whatever form her persuasion would take would be gentle. Patient. Quiet. Stephen couldn't help but love that about her.

"Alright," she told him, laying her palm above his heart, which he always found soothing. "I promise to be mindful of your...baggage...if you help me with just one tradition tomorrow."

Stephen's turn to quietly sigh with his intent to cooperate, "Just the one? Seems a fair bargain to make...if you can stick to it."

"Just the one--I promise," Hope laughed softly, "And after that, well...I'll go about my Christmasing without the sort of fuss that might bother you."

Though he could practically feel the wheels in her head turning to come up with a way to change his view of the season, he chuckled, "It's a deal then. So what will we be doing tomorrow?"

"Getting a tree, of course. That's my mom's thing. Tree goes up the day after Thanksgiving...and comes down on New Years Day. Although, since I've been on my own, I keep it up however long I want. It's an excellent remedy for the mid-winter doldrums."

"A tree it'll be, then," he promised, reaching to turn off his bedside lamp, "And then I'm out."

"Like a light", Hope assured him. "Now, do you wanna be the big spoon or little spoon tonight?"

"Thanks, Stephen," she murmured, clearly on her way to sleep, "Love you too."

"Shall we what," she countered impishly.

"Head back home."

"Oh...well...", she bit her lip, mulling over her answer for a few moments, "You go on ahead, darling. There's just a few more things I'd like to pick up..."

Stephen hadn't expected her to be so easily accommodated. "Are you sure, honey? I can spare a while longer if...if you'd like me to."

She had dimmed the lights for maximum effect, showing off the slow, steady twinkle of the white lights that graced every branch of the tree. The ornaments were a mix of dark blue and gold bells and balls, variously sized, and many of them sprinkled with golden glitter. Featured among them were larger, glassblown ornaments shaped as suns, moons, and stars, as well as other traditional celestial symbols. The total effect was breathtaking--and a telling reminder that Hope was an Artist, deep down to her soul.

"And nearly perfect for a Master of the Mystic Arts," she replied, a slight tremor in her voice, "Don't you think so, anyway?

Stephen nodded and laid a kiss on top of her head. "I can't imagine anything more perfect, Hope," he agreed, his voice grown thick with emotion. "You were planning this for a while, weren't you?"

"It's actually a little short of perfect, Stephen," she confessed difidently.

"No, Hope...honey...it's perfect for me," he insisted, "Both as a wizard and as a man."

"I don't mean in that way, darling. It's...it's unfinished," she sighed, motioning to the crowning branch. "It's in want of a star."

"Aaaaaaah." Stephen let the moment linger before smirking, "And is that by design, or just something you overlooked?"

"I just can't reach it," came her plaintive, honest reply.

"I see." Stephen could feel how hard she was trying not to ask for his help, in light of her promise to him. How dear that was to him! A simple yet lovely truth about this woman he loved. How could he not offer to help? "You know, I wouldn't mind adding the finishing touch, honey. If you'd allow me to, of course."

"I suppose that'll be alright, darling. If you wouldn't mind too terribly."

"Not at all," he told her, truthfully. "Do you have one, or shall I conjure something to match your theme?"

"And you're the lucky winner," Stephen observed in a hushed tone, immediately adopting the same reverence with which Hope handled the fragile antique.

"Yes," she sniffled softly. "Mom was the middle child, but her older sister didn't have any girls, so when she passed, it came to me. That was during The Snap years. Once she came back, my mother never really recovered from finding out her sister had died alone, without the comfort of family near."

Stephen's first thought was of his mother, Beverly, and of the colorless Christmases between Donna's death and her own. In the face of Hope's bittersweet revelation, he couldn't bring himself to express his observation; that grief had been his mother's cause of death as well.

Hope took note of the pain that briefly flickered across his features. "Stephen, are you alright? You looked so sad, all of a sudden."

Maybe so, he told himself. But not now; not tonight. I'm not ready to face that kind of pain just yet. And the small voice answered: of course you aren't. It seems you never are.

"Jim Carey or the DreamWorks one," Hope asked as they headed, arm in arm, toward the closer of the two Sanctum kitchens.

"Jim Carey," he asserted with a grin, "The other is far too sentimental for my liking."

[to be continued🎄]

In addition, I've written a couple of one-shots/prompt fills as part of their ongoing series, The Wizard and the Artist

tagging: @strangelock221b @mousedetective @icytrickster17 @ironstrange1991 @darsynia @ben-locked @hithertoundreamtof23 @aeterna-auroral-avenger @lorelei-lee @stewardofningishzida @thelostsmiles @mrs-cookie @paperclippedmime @groovyqueer

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sobeautifullyobsessed · 8 months ago

Text

Stephen Strange...and a special Blue Morpho butterfly

(Excerpt from my fic,'Friday in the Park with Stephen'; takes place pre-Infinity War. Posting it now simply because it makes me happy to do so.)

...Stephen missed Hope's call again late Sunday morning, growing a bit frustrated that they were left to play phone tag, but within the hour he’d had to assume the full mantle of Master of the Mystic Arts and join several others in the Basque countryside of Spain, to beat back an incursion fire-breathing Wormes; he’d ended up staying there two days longer as the Sorcerers searched for and finally sealed their point of entry into Earth’s dimension. Stephen returned from that foray slightly singed, and in need of a hot shower and a cold beer or two.

He found a large manila envelope waiting on the desk in the study he had commandeered as his own. It was marked in one corner ‘Please Do NOT Bend’, addressed simply ‘Stephen Strange’, and had to have been hand delivered, for there was no stamp or postmark—and in place of a return address was the inked image of a small but vibrantly blue butterfly, leaving him without a doubt whom had left it for him. Intrigued, Stephen carefully slit beneath the sealed flap and pulled out two pieces of 11 x 14 cardstock that had a piece of sketch paper sandwiched between them.

He thought that it must be the portrait Hope had done of him, as they sat on the grass in Washington Square Park, and he smiled broadly despite his exhaustion, recalling the pleasant way they had whiled away the day, of their evening stroll to Hope’s place in Brooklyn, of the starlight kisses they had shared—and most especially of how reverently she had held his hand against her cheek, gingerly kissing his scarred flesh, and of the image that had flashed through his mind of her with her hair undone, looking very like she was ripe for his taking.

Stephen let out a slow breath, and with hands that tremored from his old injury, removed the sketch from its protective cover.

"Whoa,” was all he managed, thunderstruck by a new image which Hope has so faithfully rendered. The paper itself was similar to that in her sketch pad, but even to his untrained eye, of higher quality. She had titled the piece The Nature of Beauty--and had depicted a beauty he had honestly not believed was there. Her Artist’s eye was truly keen, for she had captured his every minutia from memory alone.

The back of his left hand was displayed as though on its side, with his right hand draped across that wrist. She had added both his bracelets (fashioned of bead and leather, gifted to him by the elders of an Indi village after he had vanquished a Blight Demon that had laid waste to nearly half their fields) and his watch; he recalled her curiosity at him wearing a broken timepiece, and how she had only nodded in understanding when he replied it held sentimental value beyond any question of time, respecting his privacy enough not to press for more. Hope had thoroughly filled in the details, even down to the cracks on the watch face. His fingers were relaxed, though his right index finger was held just slightly bent—and upon it sat the Blue Morpho, it’s wings and body so meticulously portrayed that Stephen could almost see it flutter slightly.

She had drawn the piece in blacks and greys, with the subtlest hints of color at the his beaded bracelet and his watchband--though the butterfly held the echo of it’s true color, in sky blue chalk (so like the color of the sky that afternoon) which she had treated with a some kind of fixative to keep it from smudging. He found the sketch reminiscent of DaVinci’s detailed, realistic style, in his multitude of studies of the human form—the perfection of the human form which he had ever worshipped. Lastly, Hope had placed the date in the lower, righthand corner, and her initials bordered on the sketch itself.

But his favorite detail—one he never would have guessed he would find pleasing—was her depiction of the scars upon his hands. Hope had not stinted in depicting the weals that marked them, but she had given them an unexpected softness that left him with a soft appreciation in the center of his chest. Stephen decided on the spot that he would have it framed right away, to hang above the small desk in his quarters; it would be a gentle reminder of that old axiom ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder ’—and of an extraordinary soul whom fate had somehow sent in his direction on a sunny, spring afternoon. Hope had taped a note loosely on the reverse of the sketch, which he removed with care. It read:

Dear Stephen,

I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I have enjoyed creating it. This is the original, of course--but I have kept a scan of it for my portfolio. At the least, perhaps it will remind you that beauty is well beyond skin deep, and that others often see what we think of as our flaws in a kinder light than we see ourselves. You may not know this, but in many cultures blue butterflies symbolize joy, beauty, and good fortune--most appropriate when I think how lucky it was that our paths came to cross that day. Thank you for allowing me the privilege of trying my best to capture the unique beauty of your hands...scars and all.

Sincerely,

Hope

PS I promised patience, and I swear I am a woman of my word. But please do keep trying, Stephen—as I’m certain that our paths are meant to cross again. xx

Energized by her astonishing gift, Stephen didn’t hesitate. He grabbed his cell from the shelf where it sat charging, sending a silent request unto the universe ‘please—let her pick up in person this time’. And perhaps because his prayer was fervent—perhaps too, because he’d earned himself some good karma—Hope picked up on the third ring. “Stephen,” she exclaimed brightly, “I just knew it would be you this time!”

“I just got back in town, I’m looking at your gorgeous sketch, and I’m thinking we have to get together this afternoon.” Before something calls me away again. “You game?"

“Absolutely,” she averred, “And what do you have in mind?” The note of mischief in her voice caused his pulse to speed its pace.

“There’s this great little pub on East 4th Street, The Four-Faced Liar. Some of the best burgers in the city…”

“Got it…” She sounded as eager as he felt, “Hey, that’s about halfway between our places.”

“Yup.” Stephen was already planning his route—well, where he could discretely portal to, giving him adequate time to shower and get dressed first, “Let’s say an hour, I’ll meet you there?”

“It’s a date, then?"

“You bet’cha it’s a date,” he promised, “And Hope?”

“Yes, Stephen?” He could swear he felt her smile across the miles between them.

“Wear some comfy shoes, okay? There’s no telling what adventures we might get up to today.”

The sigh she gave at that sounded as full of possibilities as his heart was hoping for. Of course, only time would tell—and as a master of time (in his unique way) he knew that time, in this case, was surely on his side.

Hope & Stephen ~ probably my most popular, most widely read, pairing...

Thank you from the bottom of my ❤️ for creating this @fanartka❣️It's a huge and indescribable thrill to see them together outside of my imagination!!😍💙❤️🦋

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