#aerial silks tricks

[dr-lemurr]

trick or treat!🎃👻💜

[the-anxious-acrobat]

acrobatics! 🎪 ☁️

[andthespidersfrommars]

six of crows is meant to be set in like the 17th century and aerial silks were invented around 1959 and my sister and I were just talking about how weird and out of place it is that show inej had a silk performance?

[innytoes]

Ooooo Willex circus AU? Hyped!!!

For someone with anxiety, Alex knows his job is a bit of a strange pick. Climbing a tiny ladder up to a tiny platform high, high above the ground only to fling himself into the air holding on to just a little bar attached to two pieces of wire doesn't seem like something people who get anxious easily would do.

But when he's in the air, he's flying. He's in complete control of his body, he knows exactly what to do, he knows exactly where the bar will be.

And most of all, he trusts his partner with his life. Willie will always be there to catch him, to grab him, just like they've practiced over and over a hundred, a million times. With every gasp of the crowd, Alex knows Willie will be at the end of it, steady hands and a firm grip, and a beautiful, sparkling smile just for him.

Yeah, Alex gets anxious about a lot of things, but two things in his life have never sent him into a panic. And that's being a trapeze artist, and falling in love with Willie.

[ghostlykestrel525]

⋆ ✴︎ SILKS ✴︎ ⋆

so like a week ago i went and did a Thing-- family festival and performed with fellow circus peoples which means i have silks pictures and like silks is my favourite and yes. sharing.

you can also see the lovely lovely lady who's taught me most of what i know and run the place i practice/learn at trying to wrangle the tails of the silk in the bottom orner here because the wind does pretty things when it catches the fabric but in terms of actually not falling off the silk and being able to y'know, do stuff it's an absolute pain in the ass

[turtlesandfrogs]

I'm going to share a secret that I wish I had known sooner: There's this thing called "physical therapy" and it can make you stop hurting.

It's magical. I know I guy who spent literal decades (he's in his like, 70s now) thinking that he had arthritis in his knees. He went to the physical therapist, and in a year he was without knee pain.

I know an 80-year-old lady that was falling down a lot, couldn't step over a curb, and couldn't get up off the floor. She was convinced (and it did take some convincing) to go to a physical therapist, and she hasn't fallen in months, can step over curbs, and can get back off the ground with only a 4 inch support. And she's still getting better!

I hurt my shoulder being a dumbass and doing an aerial silks trick I knew was too hard for me, had a fucked up shoulder for months, and physical therapy made the pain go away.

If you're going around without a full range of movement, just living in pain, please go to a physical therapist. If you were assigned physical therapy and didn't go, please reconsider.

If you're going to a chiropractor for pain on a reoccurring basis, please, please, please consider going to a physical therapist. They can't fix everything, but it's amazing what they can do.

And yes, just like mental therapy, the doing of it can suck big time, but the rewards are worth it.

[exhausted-exho]

Thinking About Biker Pezzy

Like yes he actually owns and rides a bike. He literally just got a new one. BUT hear me out...

Imagine like stunt rider Pezzy. Like you're an acrobat in a circus and he's one of the daredevils. One of the guys who does the ramp jumps, stands on his bike as it moves around (in that move mimicking trick riders), rides around in the sphere.

Ugh like I know he said the other day he's never gonna be one to be going 100+ miles an hour because he values his life but just imagine you two being kids who grew up in the circus together. Close in age but from two different groups of practice so you never crossed all that much.

You remember first noticing him when you were 6. A few years older, already beginning to train in taking care of the bikes and learning the most basic moves. Meanwhile you were with the aerial team, beginning to learn different ground tricks.

The first time you guys interacted wasn't for years yet. You were 13 then, taking part in your first show. He'd already been in for a year or so and saw how nervous you were, wringing your hands in the wings as you waited for your cue to run on and climb the silks up to the trapeze swings.

"Hey, you'll do fine." Your eyes widened at the fact he was even talking to you. It didn't help that you'd been admiring him from afar for a while, beginning to harbor a little crush. "I was nervous my first show but it all comes down to muscle memory. Focus on that, not the crowd."

"I have to appeal to them, though." Your voice was small. Meek and anxious. "I don't have a helmet to hide behind like you do."

"True. But you've been helping with the kids parties and you do well with them. Just think of the crowd as a bunch of kids you need to entertain for a few minutes." You nodded, thanking him before hearing your cue and darting out onto the floor to begin your routine.

His advice had been helpful.

It was a few more months until you got a chance to cross paths again and it was due to being teamed up during a load out, moving crates together and packing the trucks.

It was during those long hours that you guys clicked. The two of you hanging out became commonplace after that. Every spare moment one of you had was spent around the other, even if the other was in rehearsals.

Which meant it only made sense.

The ringmaster wanted something new. Something fresh. Something that no one had ever seen before to generate larger audiences again. The circus had been dying in popularity the past few years. To keep everyone fed and on the team, he needed a new angle.

So you and Pezzy were the two he chose. The ones whose skills were to be combined for the new ending segment. The grand finale to top all else.

Who would've thought to put acrobatics on stunt riding?

Despite how insane it was, it worked out for the two of you. You got to spend most of your time together, now, and it just meant you got even closer.

He was used to the danger of stunt riding. You were used to the danger of heights and acrobatics. Combine the two and you're clinging to him for safety and he's keeping you grounded.

The most terrifying one wasn't even the dancing on the back of his bike while he rode the rings. Nor was it joining him for stunt jumps and doing your own tricks midair.

It was the sphere.

You stood planted in the center as he rode circles around you, one hand out to trace your waist as he spun, to keep track of you. A hand holding yours as you spun with him in a way reminiscent of figure skating.

It was the accident that had him making the first move. One day the ringmaster wanted you to change it up. To have a set of aerial silks halfway through a jump to grab onto. But even with all the rehearsals and successful shows, there was one day you missed the silks.

Your hands were sweaty, your arm was tired, the timing a bit off, the jump a bit too far to the side. It all combined in some cursed formation, causing you to fall twenty feet.

There were pads, but you landed just wrong, destroying your ankle.

You'd never seen Max so scared. So angry before. He just about tore the ringmaster apart for having the idea that got you hurt.

When you were finally able to get back into shows, he was anxious. Terrified it would happen again. Now that you'd gotten hurt, he had it in his mind constantly, always worried about the possibility that you could get hurt again from any little thing.

It lead to him pulling you aside before your first show back in and pressing a lingering kiss to your forehead, muttering into your hair as he gave you the tightest hug.

"Be careful. Promise me you'll be safe."

"I'm with you. Of course I'll be safe."

"But last time-"

"Last time was an off day for everyone." You pulled back, cupping his jaw with both hands while his landed on your hips. "I trust you. Now let's go kick ass. Together."

He nodded. "Together."

You kissed his cheek and slipped away. He followed, grabbing your wrist.

"You're not leaving my side again. Last time you did you got hurt."

"What are you, my guardian?"

"Your boyfriend." He grinned nervously at your stunned expression. "If you'll let me."

You paused for a moment before smiling as wide as possible.

"We said together, didn't we?"

[scaryspears]

Can you do Hanzo, Fujin , Cassie, and kitana with reader that does aerial silk?

Aerial Silk Reader x Mortal Kombat

I had to search up aerial silk for this one, and I gotta say writing this was tricky. Sorry if it sucks. Reader (just like bimbo reader) is descended from a Chaosrealmer which is why she has her abilities (hypnotism, control gravity around her, time-related).

Cassie Cage

Cassie wasn't sure what to make of you being joining the team. Johnny knew you because you were an extra in one of his films, but you had to be great if you were placed with the Kombat Kids. She was pretty sceptical, what were you going to do with a long silk? It certainly wasn't a whip. And then she saw it. When you fought it was as if the world slowed down. You moved majestically, your silk was a trap, and she was trapped. To you.

Surrounded by silk, she kissed you, and you let her.

Hanzo Hasashi

Your moves looked very complicated. No matter how many times Hanzo watched you fight, it was a confusing experience. But it was the kind of confusing he was strangely fine with. Every time it was a performance rather than a moment of bloodshed. Most times you weren't fighting at all, just twisting and turning in that silk of yours. It was a new thing every time. The concept of time did not exist with you in its way, and one could not waste time wondering how that was possible.

Hanzo was glad that you were on his side, even if he was confident he could see through your silk of webs, he was not confident he could burn them, because that would mean burning you.

Fujin

Fujin is entranced to say the least. You commanded gravity itself, and floated where your enemies could see you, but your silk caught the weapons as if they could not be considered an obstacle. If Fujin did not have more than a thousand years of experience he was sure he wouldn't be able to see through your tricks.

Where did the music come from? That he could not figure out. You used his wind against him, and he was caught in your silk. He hung upside down like a butterfly stuck in a web. Fujin was much too cute to suffocate, so you joined his side of the battle.

Kitana

Kitana could remember when she first saw you. You were Shang Tsung's pupil straight from Earthrealm, but it seemed there was something else in your blood. You were a better assassin than she was. Your victims did not know what awaited them as your performance was the last thing they would see. Kitana was almost envious, not of you but of them. She too wanted to see something as beautiful if she were to die.

You were a tangle of silk, and Shang Tsung took pride in this. But Kitana was determined to make that pride become her's, and possibly something more.

[breadstraightfromthewell]

I don't know if anybody has already thought about it

but circus-themed Lords in Black (and Webby!)

so like, either they just have these circus-themed looks when they appear in human form, or The Black&White is this great travelling circus that comes to Hatchetfield several times a year, and where, if someone were to look a little bit closer, something suspicious is going on

Wiggly is the ringmaster; he runs the circus, introduces the rest during the act, and also comments on their performances. he would also be the one to choose volunteers if they were needed and invite them onto the stage

he also orders the Sniggles who run around and perform smaller acrobatic acts like contortion, hand walking, or even human pyramid maybe

Pokey has the appearance of a mime, but his role in the circus is of a puppeteer and ventriloquist. he makes intricate performances with many puppets, often staging musicals. he doesn't speak, but he uses his puppets to say things for him

Nibbly overall performs all the acts connected with eating. Sword swallowing, fire eating, insect eating, glass eating. he could also do some strongman acts, I think

Tinky is a clown and does all the usual clown bits like physical comedy, some juggling (with little yellow boxes that look a bit like rubic cubes, wonder what they are). he also does two magic tricks: the 'sawing a woman in half' and the sword box trick

Blinky is mostly a technician and observes what's happening, but he sometimes also performs magic acts and illusion tricks, and also sometimes does tricks with a cyr wheel and chinese yo-yo

Webby is an acrobat. she performs mostly in air; all the tricks with tightrope walking, and also slacklinig, etc. she also does the spanish web and aerial silk

i'm thinking about maybe trying to draw designs for them but we'll see how it goes haha

[affo-gatto-gateau]

I had a random idea for an npmd circus au but I don't really have a plot or story so I figured I might just share it here?

so

Nerdy Prudes Must Die Circus AU?

The nerds are all part of a circus, though no one at school actually knows who they are. The vague idea would be people at school (specifically Max, Grace, and especially Steph) finding out their identities.

Ruth: Walks both tightrope and slackrope, and is being mentored in contortion

Pete: Does aerial stuff, silks primarily but also hoops and trapeze. Sometimes partners with Richie. Mostly so he can throw him.

Richie: Primarily does magic tricks, but also tumbling.

Ted: Contortionist and acrobat.

Paul: Primarily is an animal trainer.

Random ideas:

Ruth's headgear is hidden in her costume by a swirling metal cage of wires as a headdress. She still has a bit of performance anxiety, but it's generally mitigated by the fact that she's so far up from the crowd that no one could see or recognise her.

Ted is afraid of heights. Pete and Ruth tease him about it a lot.

Ted is also the one to mentor Ruth in contortion. He teaches her to use her powers for evil. Checking changing rooms is a necessity, because if you leave even the smallest space unchecked one of them will unfold from it and laugh at you.

Paul is the accountant for the circus. He takes breaks from numbers and goes and chills with the animals. He is also a clown. Not that anything changes about him, he just wanders around and slapstick happens to him. People laugh because he's the only normal guy in a world of madness. So basically as he is in canon.

Richie's sleight of hand is impeccable and he will use it to pickpocket literally anything he can grab. If something goes missing, he is the first person people go to.

The nerds play hide and seek and are absolute menaces at it.

Pete is wayyy stronger than he looks (yes, Steph is very impressed). He can pick up and throw both Richie and Ruth, and often does. This is also how they climb him so easily. They will both hang off him and he just has to drag them around like the dead weights they are

Speaking of climbing, yeah, they can all climb basically anything. Is it a surface? Is it vertical? Yeah they can get up it.

All of them can juggle really well. Somehow Paul's the best.

[missterious-figure]

What performances can the birds do? And is there aerial silk performance because that's probably what Void would do

Some harpies do aerial silk performances, and some do acrobatic tricks. Others learn to do hundreds of different dances, varying from fast to slow paced, traditional and new. It depends on what harpy it is. Like a peacock could have a harder time doing aerial performances compared to a peahen because of their large tail feathers. Peacocks already, sorta, dance anyway.

But the Birds of Paradise casino has more then just Peacock harpies. They have a number of tropical, rare, and colorful harpies. And that's not all. On top of having harpies, they have regular birds, too. Of course, only the most exotic kinds.

[the-s1lly-corner]

Could you like do a ragatha x female reader but reader does like trapeze and aerial silks/hoops?

Ragatha x fem!reader who does trapeze stuff!

me thinks imma do this request and maybe one more then make something to eat; i get so invested in writing and answering requests that i kind of. forget to get up and eat until my legs are cramping and locking from sitting for so long

okay i know literally nothing about this stuff i am literally relying off of google but im putting this down before i even write my authors note before i get the chance to forget. imagine like, spiderman type kiss, where youre upside down hanging from... something, and just stealing a quick kiss from ragatha. she would be so flustered, she wouldnt be expecting it. her face would be as red as her hair

loves watching you swing around; the bars and stuff were always there in the circus, mostly in the common area of the tent so its nice to see that theyre finally being used by someone!

she cant help but get a little on edge when she sees you swinging about, though... she knows you cant get significantly hurt thanks to the nature of the digital world, but that wont stop her from worrying that one day you might fall!

even so, she loves to watch you practice and perform, she will always be there to watch you, even if some of the others come and go to see what you're up to. ragatha will be your number one fan throughout all of this

please do not ask her to catch you when you decide to do a trick. well, she wont refuse to catch you, she will definitely try if you were to try to do a land on the ground or were to fall... she wouldnt let you down like that, but she would absolutely beat herself up about it if she didnt make it to you in time

you could try to ask her to try it with you, but i think she would politely turn you down, not because shes not interested but because subconsciously theres that fear of falling and busting yourself open, you know? shes happy supporting you from the side!

....thinks some of the outfits you wear are really pretty... this woman is having gay thoughts before she remembers that you two are already dating and can kiss

[onyxtheenigma]

Acrobat Clowns

Please bear with me as this is the first long post I've made about clown husbandry.

Acrobat clowns are, as the name suggests, acrobats. They love to do anything high up, such as walking on a tightrope or doing tricks on a flying trapeze. Acrobat clowns are a lesser known breed of clown, often only being kept by richer people because of the amount of space they require. I personally don't know much about the history of acrobat clowns, so if anyone could give me some information on that, it would be greatly appreciated.

Appearance

Acrobat clowns have white faces, colorful facial markings and are generally a bit slimmer than other clown breeds due to their usual activities. Their hair is very brightly colored, but yellow is the most common for them. They love to wear mostly brightly colored clothes with neck ruffles and maybe puffy sleeves. Acrobat clowns don't tend to like the traditional circus clown baggy clothes, though. They'd much rather wear something that doesn't inhibit movement while still being interesting and colorful.

Behavior & Care

Acrobat clowns are a very energetic and playful breed, so they need lots of space and toys. Keep in mind that they need a very big tent. These clowns are a very social breed, so get yours a couple of friends. They do best in groups of 3-6. As for enrichment, get an acrobat clown a flying trapeze, a tightrope, and some aerial silks to start with. Their diet typically consists of popcorn, shelled peanuts, cotton candy, and the occasional lollipop as a treat. If you have kids, an acrobat clown isn't for you, as the clown will probably get your kid to try something like walking on a tightrope, and then *splat!* Kid pancake. Teenagers and adults do much better with acrobat clowns, as they actually know when something is dangerous.

[ironunderstands]

Went to Las Vegas on vacation this month (saw the Cirque de Soliel) and thought of a fic where the Ten Stonehearts plan to create the greatest circus in the universe. Maybe to compete against the Penacony’s Families in festivities or just plain fun. Cue romance and hilarity.

They all work on the business, background in gymnastics/atheltics: Topaz animal taming, Jade doing neat tricks aside from her whip, Aventurine training with Ratio to make the opening act stand out (duo trapeze), and recent new characters joining in.

Robin sings of course, Sunday conduct music, and Masked Fools make the show hilarious. Aerial acts, swinging trapeze, aerial silk, puppetry, death-defying stunts, etc. Not sure who would be a Ringmaster (Watchmaker?).

The premise of the show can be anything from a dream to magic, audience participation. Music variety: opera, drums.

Itches brain the right way :D

oh my god I’m sorry this took an actual month to get to but I do find the idea of this to be really fun, and I think it would suit hoyofair perfectly

[a-small-batch-of-dragons]

Look After You

could you do a peter parker hurt/comfort fic where he hides an injury? i really liked family web and i’ve been missing your peter parker fics. no worries if it’s a no <3 – anon

Read on Ao3

Warnings: passing out from blood loss, hiding an injury

Pairings: gen

Word Count: 3470

"Spider-Man? Status."

Peter grits his teeth and puts a hand to his comm. He doesn't have to—Karen would transmit whatever he said anyway, but the movement does momentarily distract him from the gaping hole in his side, so he's got that going for him.

"I'm okay. I'm, uh, I'm at the corner of the collapsed building. Is everything okay?"

"We're still clearing away the stragglers. Can you keep lookout from there?"

"Uh—" he glances around. There's a toppled semi that would give him a high enough vantage point without straining his injury too much. "I think so. How, uh, how many are left?"

"Only a few. Stay sharp, kid."

"Aye aye, Captain." He hears a snort of laughter from Mr. Stark and a less-subtle dig at the fossil from Ms. Romanoff as he clambers shakily to the top of the wrecked shipping container. For better or for worse, the impact from one of the projectiles warped the metal so that there's almost a curve for him to lean against. The good news is the sharp part is not where he could sit and rest.

The bad news is that it faces the opposite way of where he's supposed to keep watch.

"Spider-Man? Anything?"

"Uh—negative, negative, Falcon, I don't—I don't see any of them."

"You sound winded. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, just—" he hisses through his teeth as a bit of shrapnel digs itself further into his side— "tired out."

"You should go on more runs with Steve, that'll get your endurance up," comes Sergeant Barnes's voice along with a screech of metal.

"You say like you don't run laps around him on purpose sometimes."

"He's actually pretty decent when it comes to pace matching," Ms. Romanoff says, and there's the distant sound of her firing at something, "unlike someone."

"I resent that implication." Mr. Barton muffles a grunt. "Just because I don't do all the aerial silk stuff with you anymore—"

"I'm sorry, back up: Barton did aerial silks? And this is the first time I'm finding out about this?"

"What can I say, Tony, you can take the kid out of the circus…"

"And I thought we shared things with each other." There's the telltale whine of the repulsor. "You taught the kid any of your tricks?"

"You think I can teach that kid anything he won't figure out on his own?" The whizz of arrows. They're all fighting. They're all doing things. They're all being useful. Peter's just sitting here. By himself. Not even doing the one thing he's supposed to be. "I'd be surprised if I came down and he already knew exactly what to do."

"We should put that to the test, huh, Baby Spider?"

Baby Spider. That's him. He should respond to that. Moving is hard. Why was he trying to move?

The world starts to get fuzzy. His eyes are closing—no, the world's just getting darker. And thinner. And flatter. And his head hurts. Why does his head hurt? He didn't get hit in the head. There's something wet on his side. And his hand. And the chair. Why is the chair so bumpy? He doesn't like bumpy chairs. He should've sat on a nicer chair. Maybe he should go do that. It's better to sit on a nice not-bumpy chair that isn't wet than a bumpy wet chair.

He blinks again. He's really blinking slowly. He could've sworn the world was upright a second ago. What happened to the flat black thing that was erasing his view? Maybe that was something from his suit. Mr. Stark did say he put a lot of stuff into it, so maybe it was something he just hadn't discovered yet. It wasn't like he could go into it now, he was…he was…what was he doing?

Chair. Right. He'd been sitting on a bumpy wet chair. He didn't like sitting on wet things. That just made his skin feel all itchy. Itchy and prickly and not fun. His whole side feels wet now, did he lie down on the wet chair? But that doesn't make sense. If he lay down on the wet thing, then the side under him should be wet, not the side facing up. But the side facing up feels wet. So does his arm. So does his hand. His mouth feels like it's filling with something. Is he drinking? He's wearing a mask.

He coughs. Something metallic splatters over the inside of his mask. His breathing feels thick. There's something stuck in his teeth. There's something in his mouth still. He tries to breathe. It's hard. It tastes wrong. Breathing shouldn't taste like anything, it should just be breathing. But breathing tastes bad. That's bad. He should say something. He's supposed to tell them when he thinks something's wrong.

But they're busy right now. They're fighting.

What're they fighting?

What's he supposed to do now?

Why is moving hard?

There's something crackling in his ear. He tries to reach up and paw at it. Something makes it really, really hard to move his arm. So he doesn't. He turns his head slightly like that'll make the thing crackle louder. He blinks. Was he blinking? Were his eyes closed? It's dark. It's really dark. Maybe it's night time. Maybe this is all a bad dream. Is it bad? What makes it bad? He's in pain, but that's not new. Maybe this dream is just about being in pain. He's had those before. They aren't any fun. Sometimes he gets them when he's just in the tower, because then when he's there it feels weird.

He knows it's not supposed to feel weird. He's supposed to talk to them when he feels weird, not have them be the cause of him feeling weird. But the nightmares—bad dreams, dreams, the things he has when he's not in his head properly, they all tell him that they don't have anything to worry about because he's Peter, and he's supposed to be fine, and so he doesn't tell them when he feels weird because that's not helpful.

Helpful…helpful…he was supposed to do something. He's supposed to be doing something right now.

What was it again?

There are teeth in his throat and a claw piercing his ribs by the time he manages to scrape together enough brain cells to manage the word lookout.

***

"No, you got my Baby Spider hurt, you go away."

"He was my Baby Spider first, now let me—"

"No! You've done all the necessary things to make sure he's not dying, he has been transferred to the bed to sleep and heal, which means that it's time for me to tell you off for not taking care of our Baby Spider."

"Exactly, our Baby Spider! Let me see him, he's gonna wake up all confused—"

"And I will tell him what's going on. Now shoo. You know the rules, out, out, out!"

"…you'll tell me if anything's—"

"If anything is wrong, yes, yes, of course I will, now get out."

Peter's swimming through a haze of voices. There's something cottony in his mouth. Everything hurts. Does it hurt? It hurts but like it's on the other side of a glass wall, like he can see the hurt and feel the glass moving from the impact of it but it's just not quite getting to him.

"Hey, hey, Baby Spider, shh, it's alright. You're safe now, do not worry, Aunt Spider is right here."

The soft rolling words flood his ears just as the pain shatters through the glass. A high-pitched whine reaches his ears and he only realizes it's him when the voice shushes him again with all the tenderness to make him cry.

"Shh, shh, Baby Spider, you're okay. Don't cry, don't cry—they have you on the good pain medication for a reason, you're going to be alright. And if you're not, I'll go out there and kick all of their asses for letting you get hurt so badly."

Something soft and warm touches his head. It moves over his cheek again and again, before something else touches his forehead. It feels softer and…wetter? That's bad. He doesn't like wet things. Wet things are bad right now.

"Open your eyes, Baby Spider, come on, look at me."

Oh. That's why it's so dark. His eyes are closed. He blinks and immediately whimpers in pain. It's too bright. Bright is bad. He wants to go back.

"Shit—okay, there, lights are off now, come on, that's it, look at me, Baby Spider. Let me see you."

Peter cracks his eyes open, blinking muzzily up at the blur in front of him. After a few seconds the blur wobbles and something wet drips down the side of his face. He doesn't like that, but he does like the soft thing that brushes his cheek afterwards.

"There you are," the soft voice says again as a face begins to emerge out of the blurry darkness, "there's my Baby Spider. You scared everyone pretty badly."

"Y-Yelena?"

Yelena pouts. "Not Aunt Spider?"

"Aunt Spider?" His voice cracks and suddenly he's a baby again, crying when he wakes up from a nightmare and he doesn't know what to do except hide away forever. "A-aunt Spider, I'm—I don't—"

"Shh, shh, it's okay." She pets his cheeks and hair, leaning closer so he can see her better. "It's okay, Baby Spider, you're going to be okay. Are you scared, is that it?"

"What's—what happened?"

Yelena's expression darkens. "You were out on a mission. There were these gross little crawly things that got loose from some lab and they were attacking people. You got hurt by one of them when a building collapsed and then didn't tell anyone."

The wetness…the blood…he must've bled out on top of the truck. Bits and pieces come back to him; the scrabbling yelps and gross weird not-flesh leaving chunks of viscera on the sidewalk.

"One of them got to you. It messed you up pretty badly. For a while, we weren't sure if you were going to make it." She places her hand very gently on the side that hurts a little less, the sensation dulled even further through the thick swaddle of bandages. "You got hurt really bad, Baby Spider."

"I'm sorry."

"No, no, no, you don't apologize for being hurt, that's not your fault. You apologize for not telling people that you're hurt so they can look after you."

He doesn't have the blood to spare for shame to rush to his face, but he feels it burn all the same. He's never been very good at getting scolded, not even when he's at his best. In some ways, he's happy it's happening now, when he's already in pain and crying in a hospital bed—can he count on looking pathetic and regretful enough to escape the worst of it?

Probably not. It's only Yelena here. He's going to get dressed down by everybody else later, they're most likely waiting until he's not in the bed as a favor to him but really he just wants them to get it over with now. Lick his wounds all at the same time, and all that.

"—by Spider, Baby Spider, shh, shh, hey, stay with me, look at me, come on."

"S-sorry," he wheezes out, "'m sorry, I know I did it wrong, I can—"

"Hey. Hey. None of that, you don't do that right now." The hands hold his face firmly. "You look at me, okay? That's all you do right now, you look at me."

"Yelena? I mean—Aunt Spider?"

"Yes, that's right. I'm right here, okay? I'm not leaving." Thumbs move across his cheeks—his wet cheeks—he's still crying, that's not good. "Shh, hey, it's okay. We'll worry about all that later, hm? Right now you just—"

"No!"

Yelena stops and blinks. Confusion flickers across her face. "'No' what?"

"We—we can do it now," he manages, "I know—I know I messed up, you can tell me it now, I can—I can take it, it's better that way—"

"I'm not going to yell at you while you're in a hospital bed, Peter—" Peter, not Baby Spider, he's making this worse— "you need to rest."

"No, 'm good, I'm good." He bites his lip hard and tries to take a deep breath, raising his chin. "I messed up, I'm sorry."

Something complicated works its way into Yelena's expression. The hands on his face don't soften, but the next pass of her thumb is less practical, more affectionate. "What's going on, Baby Spider? You look so scared. I'm not going to hurt you."

"No, I know, I know that."

"Then why do you look like I'm about to?"

He swallows heavily. His mouth still tastes like blood. "I-I just meant that it makes sense that—well, I'm awake now, so we can—so…"

She looks at him expectantly when he doesn't finish. He swallows again.

"I don't want to inconvenience everybody else," he decides on finally, "so if they're waiting to talk to me, then they can…they can do it now and then they don't have to worry about it anymore."

"And what is it that you think they'll say?"

"…you know, what I did wrong and what not to do next time."

"And once they've told you this, they'll leave you alone?"

"Y-yeah? I mean, I think so."

"And—what? Just let you be in pain by yourself?"

He frowns. "What?"

"You are severely injured, emotionally unstable, and quite possibly the most vulnerable I've ever seen you, and you think this is the right time to be, what, reprimanded and left alone?"

This is a trap, his body screams, this is a trap, this is a trap, this is a trap.

He doesn't say anything. Yelena looks at him hard for another few moments before she's pulling away. He bites his lip to stifle a whimper at the loss of contact and choke down the wave of dread that courses through him. She's probably going to get the others. This is good.

This is good, he tries to convince himself, get it over with now, heal all at the same time without the dread of it coming later, this is good, this is—

He's so scared. He's really scared and he's going to cry and that's not going to make it any better because he has to at least seem like he's worthy of being here.

"Drink."

—what?

"Drink," Yelena repeats, holding a straw to his mouth, "you need water."

He opens trembling lips and lets her feed the straw into his mouth. The few sips of water he's able to take rinse the worst of the blood from his tongue. She doesn't look at him as she watches the level of fluid in the cup go down, pulling away when he's had almost half. It comes to rest on the side table with a clunk. She folds her hands in her lap and stares at him.

"I do not abandon people to suffer in silence. I will not leave you to endure your pain on your own," she says firmly, "that is not the kind of person I want to be anymore."

"…okay?"

"You think they will be angry at you? You think they will yell at you?" He nods. "Then I will sit here with you while it happens, and afterwards, when you are still hurting, I will be here with you."

"Aunt Spider—"

"If it makes any difference, I don't think they're going to yell at you, but if you are scared of it, then I will stay with you." She puts her hand over his. "You want them to come and do it now, right, so that you won't worry about it happening later?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. I will let them know they can come see you." She reaches for her phone and types something. A moment later, she puts it away again. "They are on their way."

"Thank you."

"Mm."

The dread billows and pulses in his chest and throat. He still doesn't have blood to spare for his face, but he can gnaw on his tongue. There are footsteps and shadows outside. He suddenly squeezes Yelena's hand hard and she squeezes back.

The door opens—

"Oh, Peter—"

"Shit, kid—"

"Pete—"

"All of you move, that's my Baby Spider." Ms. Romanoff shoves her way to the front of the group and glares at Yelena, before her face softens and she's reaching out to cup his face. "Hey, Baby Spider, you doing okay?"

He manages a nod, still holding the dread in his mouth like a frog.

"You need more painkillers?" He shakes his head. She taps him lightly under the chin. "What's this face for, then?"

His eyes look to Mr. Stark, who immediately turns to the nearby screen and starts scanning it. "Readouts look good, vitals are stable. You're due for another round of meds in…about fifteen minutes."

He looks over the edge of his glasses at Peter.

"You need more now."

"N-no, Mr. Stark."

"Mr. Stark," he huffs, looking away, "you're killing me here, kid."

"Wh-what was I supposed to say?"

"Peter," Captain Rogers says with his voice all soft and low from the foot of the bed, and when he turns to look he sees that really gentle expression he sees aimed at Mr. Stark when he's not sleeping or Sergeant Barnes when they're talking about something, "we're worried about you."

"I'm sorry, Cap—Captain."

Captain Rogers comes closer, stepping around Yelena—he squeezes her hand again and she squeezes back—and sitting near his head. He reaches out and brushes some hair back from his face. "What's going on in your head right now?"

"I—I—"

Out of desperation, he makes eye contact with Yelena. She sighs. "He believes you are all angry with him and would prefer if he were to be reprimanded now, so that when you leave he can be in pain by himself and heal from it without having to worry about more pain later."

…more explicit than he would've gone with, but true.

"Oh, kid," he hears Captain Rogers murmur—and that can't be right, but there are still fingers carding gently through his hair, "we were never going to yell at you. We're not mad at you, sweetheart, we were scared, that's all. You got hurt on our watch, Peter, that's what we're worried about—we just want to make sure you're okay."

"Barton and Barnes didn't come up 'cause they didn't want to see you so hurt," Mr. Stark says, "'cause they're still pissed at themselves for letting it happen. Wilson's off with Aunt May getting your stuff so you can stay here for the next few weeks."

"B-but—"

He cuts himself off with a truly pitiful sound when Ms. Romanoff leans in and kisses his forehead. He distantly registers the sound of winces and muffled curses but he's too busy not being able to think.

"I will never be mad at you for being scared, Baby Spider," she whispers, "and I won't leave you in pain. You're my Baby Spider, Peter."

"You're not—you're not mad?"

"No, Peter."

"You won't yell at me?"

"We won't yell at you," Captain Rogers murmurs, ruffling his hair, "you're safe, sweetheart."

"And we're not just gonna let you be in pain." Mr. Stark presses a button and Peter's body sags in relief as something floods his system. "We don't leave people behind."

"See, Baby Spider?" Yelena squeezes his hand again. "You're not going to be abandoned to pain here. If you're hurt, you tell us, and then we take care of you."

"That's right."

…well, now he feels like an idiot for assuming and making them feel bad that he assumed. And now he's definitely going to start crying because he doesn't know what to do now and crying sounds like a good idea.

"Shh," he hears a gentle voice murmur as a warm hand rests lightly on his injured stomach, "shh, sweetheart, it's okay, let it out."

"Move over, sit down. There, that's better. We're not leaving, kid, you're gonna be okay. FRIDAY, can you—?"

"Already on it, boss."

Another kiss—at least he thinks that's what it is. "Shh, Baby Spider, we're right here. You're safe."

Everything hurts. Everything hurts and that's…that's okay. Because there's a warm hand in his hair and a gentle voice in his ear. There's a kiss on his forehead and a whisper against his temple. There's a shadow on the bed and a watchful eye on the machines keeping him stable. There's a hand in his and a promise filling the room.

You will not be abandoned to pain. We will take care of you.

[tumbleinthenet]

this is apropos of nothing but my thoughts on mirtala (my precious daughter my darling girl) include:

she's always trying her hardest, so she doesnt get why anybody wouldnt want to be like. the most authentic and best they are at what they do (ive touched on this with sonja im sorrryyy i dont know why i ship them i need to explore my avenues more)

she might be psychic. she might not be. if she is she might not know (i imagine its very weak zoolepathy mostly, raz and frazie seem to understand sugarcube just fine so she thought everyone else could too). either way i dont think it matters to her. shes just not really interested in the psychic stuff because she loves the circus so much, but she might like thinking up ways to incorporate powers into routines with her papa.

i think of dion as being more technically skilled and perfect with his tricks and frazie as being better at making her moves artful. i think tala is weighted more towards dion's style in that she wants to make everything perfect but i also think shes also always wanting to do something bigger and better and more interesting.

absolutely does aerial silks are you KIDDDIIIING.

i dont have any thoughts on this but mirtala is a better tracker than you is such a crazy line to me. what do you mean by that how often do you have her tracking. is she in the woods nose down like a bloodhound. i need to think more on this

a little uppity! a little uppity. i dont know why i just feel like shes got this perfectionist streak and she thinks shes kind of at her full potential and like yeah right now shes a baby but i can see her being this high femme teenager who knows shes better than everyone else and gets such an ego about it and has to be humbled.

she's not above being messy and being a kid but i also think she would mostly be messy and kidlike just. around her family. like around strangers shed really rather prove herself as someone worth respecting. she's the golden child the little princess she makes the oohs and aahs happen at shows and she wants everyone to know that.