#and I always love a good stevie smith mention

[mizgnomer]

David Tennant speaking to Esquire Magazine about his BAFTA 2024 red carpet look - during the promotion for Rivals

Video Source [ X ]

[anika-ann]

Cracks in Foundation (S.R.)

Type: one-shot, standalone or part of Love on the Brain series

Pairining: Steve Rogers x reader    Word count: 6000

Summary: Dating Steve Rogers is a curse and a gift. Even as it was always a privilege, right now, it feels like the former. You really want to smack some sense into him so this never happens again, but you know it will – after all, that’s half the reason you love him.

In other words, Steve is stupidly brave on a mission and it has consequences neither of you could foresee. But maybe you should have; because now you’re here alone to pick up the pieces.

Warnings!!: Steve being an absolute dumbass, mentions and images of death, hypothermia, PTSD, flashbacks, probably not an ideal treatment of a flashback, canon typical violence, language

A/N: reader is called “Agent Jones”, works for the Avengers Initiative; you do not need knowledge of Criminal Minds or Love on the Brains series to read this, but it will, of course, make more sense. I imagine this taking place much later - in about a year after the events of Love on the Brain; divider by firefly-graphics

In my body I fight fire With the snow, my hell is cold (SYML – Body)

This shouldn’t have happened. This nevershouldn’t have happened but it had – of course it had. You should have seen it coming, both the action and the reaction. All of you should have known better, but you in particular.

Unfortunately, sometimes, despite your ability to profile people, you still failed.

Sometimes, despite your best knowledge of Steven Grant Rogers, you still managed to underestimate him. His literally unhuman body. His profoundly good heart. His incredible strength in both muscles and psyche. His ability to have you burn for him with a single touch. His ability to touch your heart in ways no one ever could.

His extraordinary dumbassery.

You really should have known so much better.

If you had, you wouldn’t have him here, face ashen, lips turning blue, eyes wide and unfocused; he looked like death itself.

You swallowed your tears and tried to battle the ever-rising panic crawling up your throat, closing your eyes for a moment as if it could erase the terrifying sight.

“Steve? Stevie? You’re going to be okay… I’m here. You’re going to be okay…”

You repeated the mantra so many times you weren’t sure anymore whether you were saying it to him or to yourself.

The craziest thing was, it wasn’t even the worst sight of the day you were offered by your exceptional dumbass of a boyfriend; no, that had been what your own mind had shown you. Now that image was going to haunt you forever and despite knowing yelling solved nothing and it couldn’t change the past, you were going to scream your lungs out when you’d get the chance. Later. Right now, you had more pressing matters to attend to.

Like making sure Steve Rogers, your GG, would come back to you.

You needed to get to work.

It was a routine mission really, if such things as routine existed within the Avengers Initiative. It was rather routine in terms of involvement of the actual Avengers; Steve and Natasha joined missions like these – sweep a base, gather intel, make some arrests if lucky enough – on a regular basis. Tony Stark coming with? Less so. Still, one could call it routine enough, even when located in the death of tundra in Russia around 100 miles from the border with Finland.

Besides the cold and Tony, there was nothing extraordinary. Just another mission.

And it had been; until the agents scattered and you heard several voices in the comms reporting they were in pursuit of the enemies. Until you found out they were chasing them through the tunnels and suddenly found themselves outside of the base. Until you learned that outside meant the landscape of the very frozen lake Natasha had purposely avoided landing the quinjet on for the fear of the heavy aircraft destabilizing the already risky environment.

Until you heard agent Smith was down. And by down, they meant under the ice, because a thinner layer of it cracked and broke under his feet. Until Steve fucking Rogers, two hundred and forty pounds of muscle and zero brain power at the moment had the wonderful idea to rush to Smith’s aid.

You had made it out of the base just in time to see his navy-blue suit disappear and your sleep for the following nights probably with it. You had stood there holding your breath as if you were the one in the icy water, as if subconsciously testing how much oxygen – as if that was the only concern – you had left before you’d have to make it to the surface for another breath.

It was long. It was too long. You had taken at least two breaths in the meantime and you weren’t sure the panic rising in your chest with every frantic beat of your heart, with every second they did not appear above the surface, was to blame.

Your hand flew to your comms and you cursed yourself for not having done it moments ago.

“Tony-“

“I’m onto those idiots, Squirt, don’t worry,” his voice sounded in your ear, not quite easing your worry in fact.

Steve was still under. Still in the water. Even though you were aware that he survived much worse than a few seconds of icy cold water – try decades – you’d rather he was still conscious when Tony would get his stupid ass out. And the second Steve would be able to hear you, were going to yell, very loudly and probably more than a little hysterical, because what the hell had he been doing beside tempting fate to give him another involuntary icy nap. You were going to chew the hell out of him, your fists curling in your thick microfibre gloves, because you felt like punshing him too, anything, just so you could stop holding your breath.

But you needed him to get out first.

“And get to the jet, your bae will need some warming up,” Tony added, causing you to grit your teeth, even as you were grateful; not a second later, the whoosh of Iron Man’s suit flying above your head blew the few stands of hair that escaped your hat in your face.

Completely ignoring Tony’s inappropriate comment and his sound advice, you remained right where you stood, gaze transfixed where you had last seen Steve, slipping under the surface. Your pulse thundered in your temples as you watched the red and gold of Tony’s suit fly like a flare above the flood of white surrounding you all, nearing the break in the ice, no doubt searching the heat signatures you assumed were fading with each passing moment.

And then the Iron Man himself performed an obnoxious superhero-like landing, complete with fist on the ground and your anger, gathering since you saw Steve dive into a fucking ice soup without a second thought, exploded, your vision turning bloody red for a split second. What the fuck was Stark doing that for?! Did he really just feed his ego while on a rescue mission?! You were going to-

And then the fist landed again. And again and again and then it hit you. You didn’t have the capacity to scold yourself for assuming and assuming completely wrong; the realization stunned you, blood freezing in your veins having nothing to do with the snow and harsh wind hitting your face.

The ice had frozen over. Steve jumped in and before he could emerge, the ice had frozen over his head. The image of a him under water, holding Smith, the fucking moron, to his chest and fighting to punch his way through the solid surface, swinging his arm heavily through the icy water stinging every inch of his skin, losing oxygen by the minute, that was an image that would haunt you forever, even as you had never set your eyes on it.

Then again, the arm of Tony’s suit diving into water and pulling out two men as easily as if they were helpless kittens was etched into your brain just as effectively, arriving with overwhelming relief. With a wordless prayer on your lips, you squinted against the snow blowing in your face to search for a lump of beloved and hated navy blue suit contrasting against the endless white of the plain surrounding the incident.

You’d swear you could hear him coughing, hungrily drinking in air in between when he doubled over as soon as Tony dropped him off in a safe distance from the crack. In the back of your mind, you were aware of the red and gold figure carrying the motionless body of Agent Smith, flying it to the quinjet, the medical team having prepared on the ramp with a stroller and equipment, but your eyes were transfixed on the dark mass of a supersoldier good hundred feet away still. You were almost certain, even from the distance, that he also managed to empty his stomach to make him feel even more miserable. Not that you blamed him; it had to be, apart from really fucking cold, extremely terrifying. It definitely was for you. Just the memory made your feel throat as if squeezed in a vice.

“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry, pick-up number two happening right away,” Tony assured you face-to face, uncharacteristically humourless now that he had set eyes on the momentarily lifeless body of Agent Smith.

You thought you uttered a thank you, but he couldn’t hear it as he was already off to carry your exceptionally idiotic boyfriend along. And so you ran to the jet, boots heavy with snow falling in and biting coldly into your calf and shins, legs stiff from the shock of the experience still.

When Tony finally brought Steve after what felt like a lifetime, you certainly didn’t speak a word of complaint when he also hauled him further into the quinjet into one of the medical cubicles sans a team. You followed, painfully aware of every single muscle in Steve’s body trembling, the tips of his fingers having turned white.

“You can yell at him first,” Tony told you graciously, shooting Steve an ugly look before glancing at you entering just behind them.

“Gee thanks,” you snarked back automatically, tone softening when you met his genuinely worried eyes. “Thank you, Tony, really.”

“Whatever,” he scoffed, but a small smile passed over his lips. “Jarvis, heat up this room for our Capsicle, will you?”

You rolled your eyes at the nickname. Steve wasn’t going to live that down any time soon, probably ever, not after attempting to became an icicle for the second time.

“Certainly, sir. Gradually heating up to 25 degrees Celsius, as recommended in the medical manual,” the AI chimed helpfully, the wave of heat washing over you instantly. The air felt almost tropical after the arctic wind outside, but you were grateful. Steve would need that.

“Thanks, J,” you said, throwing off your gloves, hat and parka as quick as you managed with your fingers freezing, not bothering with more as to help Steve strip his soaking garments as soon a possible.

The silence that settled after rang a sudden alarm bells; it dawned to you at last that during the whole exchange, Steve remained quiet. Way too quiet.

You’d expect the sounds of zippers and Velcro as he was tearing off his uniform, the fabric dripping icy cold water despite the best engineers and designers having worked on the material. You’d expect his teeth to clatter in doing so, colourful curses on his blueish lips, especially when in company of only you and Tony. He had been coughing out water, quite violently, barely just having been dropped in the jet, so you’d think his air-ways would still fight spasm and the biting intrusion of ice, the raspy wet cough not ceasing.

But Steve was doing neither of that, tripling your worry for him in the process.

You moved to round him to get a look at him with an urgent whisper of his name, stomach flipping in fear when he didn’t answer.

The lack of any action or sound was incredibly disconcerting, because it could mean two things: either, he was absolutely stunned, the weight of what could have happened finally falling on him, or he had been already struck by hypothermia severe enough to be acutely in danger despite being a far cry from what Smith had looked like when Tony dropped him off.

When you finally laid your eyes on Steve’s face, your heart nearly stopped. His skin was scarily pale, his lips turning alarming blue, but that, while worrying, wasn’t surprising at all. What shocked you was his eyes; his pupils were blown wide, unfocused, misted over to the point that had he been lying on the ground, you’d swear he was--

Do not even think it. You can’t. He was going to be fine, he was alright, he just needed to warm up, he was not—He was very much alive, you were sure of it, he had to be. But the fact was, Steve couldn’t see you. He wasn’t seeing anything.

With horror, your gaze fell to his chest and in a split second, you realized that his whole body was still. Way too still. He wasn’t moving at all; he wasn’t even breathing. And yet, he was standing upright, almost as if his feet simply froze to the ground and that was the only reason why he hadn’t collapsed yet- But you knew, you knew that wasn’t possible, and despite the panic clawing at your throat, you were hundred percent certain that he wouldn’t be standing upright had his heart stopped, so how was he still standing?

It would be baffling if it wasn’t absolutely terrifying. Why was he so still? It literally looked as if he was frozen, as if-

He was frozen.

When it finally clicked, a choked noise erupted from lips, your heart shattering into thousand pieces; but your mind snapped into action, already working on solutions.

“Tony, get us as many of towels, blankets and those small heat packs, as you can manage  and give me full access to J. Make sure we have complete privacy. No one needs to see this.” Your throat was too tight for you to be able to speak on normal volume, but that was the least of your concerns, truly. You were sure Tony heard you just fine.

At least someone did.

“Kinky-?” Tony uttered, confused by your sudden escalated panic and the look you shot him – if looks could kill, he’d already be lying in a pool of his blood.

“Tony, get your ass fucking moving or I’ll swear to god I’ll strangle you in a way that will make Sam McDowell look like an amateur.”

Whether he knew the name of the prolific serial strangler or simply understood the urgency in your tone, he had enough wit to take his leave without further protest and with relative hurry, leaving you focus fully on Steve. Oh Steve. The absent brilliant blue of his irises had your stomach make another unpleasant somersault, your eyes filling with tears, nose tingling in anticipation of a full sobfest.

You so couldn’t afford that now. You couldn’t afford screaming either, but good god, did you want to – you wanted to stand in front of a mirror and scream your lungs out because how could it have not punched you straight in the face right away? How could you have not seen it coming?! You only had years of experience in profiling, with dealing individuals struggling with PTSD among other things. You only known Steve for years, knew what he had endured. You only learned about the sacrifice of Captain America in high school, several years ago.

God, the icy water. Could there be any more obvious and deadly trigger?

Of course Steve’s gaze was absent, his whole mind was. He wasn’t here with you, not in time and not in space; he was in the water. In a water so icy it was turning solid, trapping him for decades to come. People couldn’t breathe under water. People couldn’t breathe when frozen in a mass of ice.

Now you understood the reason for the absolute stillness of his whole body including his chest. Steve’s mind was locked so firmly into the memory that it either shut his body – because logically, he wouldn’t be able to breathe, let alone move in the prison he found himself in – or it latched onto his survival instinct, screaming at him not to breathe to prevent the water flooding into his lungs.

You fought your instinct to gag when the iron fist that realization hit you square in the stomach and sent bile up your throat.

So not the time. You needed him to snap out of it. And you needed it fast before you’d lose any more precious seconds.

“Steve?” you called out lowly, giving zero shit about the crack in your voice. “Stevie? You’re going to be okay, but I need you to breathe. Can you do that for me?” you pleaded.

Grimacing, you released an involuntarily whimper when you got zero reaction. You pushed through the lump in your throat, forcing yourself to repeat the words in normal volume. The only response you got was the ever-present unnatural stillness; and Steve’s lips gradually turning bluer.

Your thoughts whirled in your head, mind desperately trying to latch onto any knowledge and experience you had with dealing with PTSD. You had never encountered someone with similar problem, never dealt with a flashback of this magnitude; Gideon had once taken the lead with a soldier trapped in his mind, murdering civilians for he believed them to be enemy soldiers, but that was Gideon. Jason Gideon, with his mind of steel and twenty-five years of experience. Jason Gideon, one of the founding fathers of the Behaviour Analysis Unit himself.

On your own, you were at loss with someone so far gone; but what you knew had to be enough. What you knew was that the only way of breaking Steve out of the prison his mind had created was to anchor him in reality, to appeal to all his senses.

The problem was that the majority of stimuli Steve was receiving from his senses matched the very environment of his flashback. The reality you would try to ground him in was his clothes soaking wet in freezing water and him being on a planewith a voice of a woman in his ears, trying to sooth his suffering. In other words, the reality was how he ended up buried in the ice in the first place.

Aware that you were shaking like a leaf yourself, jaw set so tight it was beginning to hurt, you were also painfully aware you couldn’t just stand there doing nothing with cheeks wet with tears and stare at the strongest person you had ever knew involuntarily depriving himself of oxygen. You had to do something.

Touching him was, frankly, a terrible idea; touching anyone with a flashback would be, because you’d be risking triggering a fight or flight response instead. Touching Steve and triggering the fight part in a supersoldier however, get him run on pure instinct? Now that could result in your broken neck or crushed windpipe really quickly. That idea truly didn’t sound appealing to you; and Steve would never forgive himself. You’d rather avoid that.

You took a deep breath, releasing the air shakily as your mind raced. Alright. Time. If you couldn’t ground him in space, you needed to ground him in time.

“Steve, GG, look at me. I’m Agent Jones – I’m Sparkles,” you said urgently, taking care to voice every syllable, daring to step an inch closer to him, hoping to fill his field of vision completely. “And I’m right here with you. There’s no water. Nothing’s stopping me or you from breathing.” You exaggerated an inhale and exhale, the warm air washing over his face, but without any effect. “There’s plenty of air, GG, for both you and me. Please.”

You dug your nails into your palms when nothing happened but your love staring back blankly, unnaturally stiff.

Steve could hold his breath for a long time – much more than an average human, his lung capacity unmatched – but he had also been drowning, so you really couldn’t count on that. You were running out of time. He was going to pass out. Sure, his breathing would kick in then and hell, maybe losing consciousness would be a blessing compared to this, but that sleep would not be peaceful and there was no telling what the wake-up call would look like other than really fucking unpleasant. The idea of him escaping one nightmare only to be find himself in another and then another until he woke up to the reality just as harsh, as if freshly having lost the whole world he knew all over again, chased fresh tears into your eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Tony’s voice snapped you from your focus, your heart nearly bursting through your chest.

Jesus, how long had he been standing there?

Not important; and you didn’t have time to explain. Without thinking, you spilled the truth in as few words as possible, in the very same breath you tried to appeal to Steve again, your gaze never shifting from his pale face.

“He’s having a flashback, please leave, thank you for the blankets-- GG, please. Breathe with me, there’s nothing to be afraid of, I promise. I’m right here. Trust me. I can breathe just fine…”

You could not. You felt as if someone smashed your ribs with a crowbar for laughs and hit and hit until you couldn’t breathe in without blinding pain, but you knew, you knew it had to be nothing compared to what Steve was facing and you needed to get a grip, you couldn’t wallow in it and you couldn’t let the biting fear consume you. Not with Steve like this.

You were out of other options. Gulping, you oh so slowly lifted your trembling hand, settling it against Steve’s ashen cold cheek. You only got as far as your skin brushing his when a vice-like grip on your wrist stopped you, tearing your touch away and completely immobilizing your hand in the process.

He didn’t look at you as you hissed in pain; he was still far, far away, not moving an inch more than strictly necessary to stop you. But the jolt of pain into your wrist was accompanied by a loud gasp for air, his ribcage expanding right in front of your eyes.

A wet laugh escaped you. “Oh thank god.”

His fingers might as well be made of ice, just as freezing and just as rigid, clutching at you with all the might his body was probably capable off and it hurt. But at least it wasn’t your throat in his grip; you could both breathe. That was a tremendous win.

You still needed to anchor him further and actually bring him back, but the door to his mind were unlocked at least. Now you needed to appeal to all his senses, talk him through it, so he could open the door himself.

“Agent Jones? Do you require assistance?” Jarvis asked warily, no doubt reacting to your physical distress.

Rightfully so, because it was growing – if it was possible, Steve’s fingers dug further into your flesh, already making for a bruise, you were sure. Your fingertips begun to tingle, strange numbness spreading through your hand, but you were far too gone to give up now. You could handle this. You’d get Steve release you on his own.

“Not for now, J, thank you. We’re good—actually, Jarvis?” you called out lowly, the artificial intelligence instantly letting you know he listened. “Can you play me a song? I need to get Steve in the modern times.”

“Certainly. What would you like me to play, Agent Jones? Something contemporary?”

“Yeah. Contemporary and irritatingly ear-worming,” you muttered, mind racing.

A song Steve would hundred percent know, one his mind would without a single doubt identify as something modern. It was the biggest assholery of your mind to push the melody of Let It Go into the forefront of your overstressed brain before anything else, but a hysterical chuckle escaped you anyway, forcing you to lick off tears from your lips. It was the stupidest thing and the worst irony ever – because yeah, the cold really fucking bothered you now and it sure bothered Steve.

“Something way too overplayed on a radio, preferably without the words cold, snow, ice and such in it, J.”

It was only half a second later, when Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off came out the speakers.

Despite yourself, you snorted, fresh tears springing out. This time, you appreciated the irony. That was what Steve needed, right? He just needed to shake it off. He’d be fine.

Taking a deep breath, smiling through your tears and the growing pains in your wrist, you got to work.

You told him what he was hearing. The engines, the song, the heating running, your voice. You told him what he could see, your hair, the colour of your eyes, the Avengers logo etched onto your uniform and not an SSR one, the high-tech equipment you knew he could have never seen in his original time. You told him about the heat washing over his face and hair, your hand in his.

The owlish, painfully slow blink you elicited was a victory, bringing a smile to your face, drying your tears, bringing a softer and softer tone to your voice as you continued speaking.

“Steve? GG? I know it’s cold and I want to help you,” you said gently, trying to meet his gaze as it began to slowly roam to room; still absent, but not misted over anymore. “I could help you by taking off that wet suit, taking away the cold. But for that, I need you to let go of my hand so I can-“

You gritted your teeth and squeezed your eyes shut when the response you got was the exact opposite, as if he was mad at you for even suggesting it; you stifled the whimper at the prickling his grip sent through your arm. It was hard to tell whose hand was paler now; he definitely cut off your circulation and it was not a pretty sight. But you only had yourself to blame and you promised yourself you’d never do otherwise.

It was only when the numbness replaced the pain that it dawned to you where the problem might be.

“GG, please? I promise I won’t leave. I’ll stay right here with you. But I need you to release my hand so I can take that cold away. Only the cold, I swear.”

You nearly cried when the pressure on your wrist gradually eased, a shaky exhale sounding a lot like a whine escaping you. That was most definitely more than a bruise; you allowed yourself a few seconds of deep breaths, fighting off the dark edge in your vision.

Then, you grabbed after one of the small heating pads, snapping the thin metal plate inside to initiate a chemical reaction; in an instant, the thick liquid began to solidify and warm up. You placed in into Steve’s still open palm, hanging loosely by his side, enclosing his icy fingers around it despite the gloves getting in the way. You winced at the sharp pain shooting through your arm. Definitely more than a bruise. You repeated the process to warm up his other hand, finally going for the Velcros and zippers on the front of his suit.

Thankfully, the temperature Jarvis had set melted the microcrystals of ice around the metal, allowing you to undo it relatively easy. You felt Steve’s eyes on your now, his body slowly, oh so slowly getting on with the programme, fists unclenching when you needed to pull the sleeves over his hands without dropping the pads.

“You’re doing so good, Stevie, so good,” you praised him softly, loud enough to speak over the second playing of the song in the background. You were going to hear it for days, you were certain. And you’d hate it forever, too. “You’re a great help, GG, thank you.”

When he dropped the pads, you made a quick work of undoing his gloves too, before pushing new pads into his hands. His thick pants followed; the boots though, those were trickier.

Fuck this. You swiftly searched the transparent cabinets for scalpel, slicing the material through as carefully as you could with your still trembling hands. The water was still brutally cold against your fingers; and your wrist was beginning to throb. Almost there, you soothed yourself, wondering whether you’d manage to make Steve sit down so you could take off those boots and the pants… and underpants. You’d rather have him keep his dignity, but his boxer shorts were soaked through as well and way too close to his core… maybe if you placed enough heating pads around…

The truth was that despite your instincts screaming at you, you knew you didn’t have to worry that much about the physical effects of the low temperature on him. As awful as it sounded, you knew he could take the icy cold – that was part of the problem. It was the numbing memory constructing the perfect trap for his mind, the dissociation, that took precedence, as unusual as it was. And if you weighted the pros and cons…

Well. It wasn’t like his dick was going to freeze right off.

You stood to your full height, licking your lips as you faced Steve again. He was watching you now with surprising intent; you tried to give him a reassuring smile, raising your unharmed hand slowly enough for him to register and placed it on his ribs, almost under the armpit, ready to support him in case his muscles didn’t quite respond to his command as expected when you’d ask him to sit down.

What you didn’t expect was for him to crumble under your touch.

Over two hundred pounds of muscle was too much for your body to carry. When he leaned onto you without a single warning, his knees giving way, dropping his whole weight on your shoulders, you tumbled to the ground as you were without a real chance to slow down the fall. Your hands instinctively attempted too, but you knew you could add bruised backbone and your other wrist to the list on your injuries.

And while pain briefly shot through you very bones, you soon didn’t give a damn.

Not when Steve buried his face in the crook of your neck, arms gripping onto your body like as if it was a lifeline, harsh breaths and heartbreaking sobs escaping his lips, shaking his usually strong frame; but maybe that was just shivers from the cold. His skin was still almost icy to touch, his nose like an icicle as he pressed to your collarbone over your thermals, wet hair tickling your chin; his pants at his ankles, his boots, barely keeping together, still as his feet. You let them be as they were. Instead of stripping him further, you managed to reach for at least one of the pads and throw it into his lap, the blankets and towels too far away.

You enclosed Steve in a hug, achy hand carefully resting in his hair, the other running soothing circles on his back in a poor attempt to console him. His tears seeped into your shoulder and you never cared less for anything in your life; yours in return disappeared into his hair. Sweet nonsenses were spilling from your lips, drowned in his ragged sobs; you whispered his name over and over, his name and all endearments that came to mind and even remotely fit him. I’ve got you, love. Sweetheart, I’m here, sweet, I’m here… oh GG, my gentle giant, giant heart, I’ve got you, this will pass, I’ll help, I’ll help, I’ll help you stand up again. You’re doing so well. I’m so proud of you, baby, so proud…

The song, thank god, stopped playing as soon as Steve broke.

You could feel his body weighting a ton, every muscle weary, strung and feeble at once, and yet, it was his mind making for most of the weight he couldn’t bear. Feelings he normally hid behind a wall as tall as Tower of Babel so he could lead others into battle with a brave face now oozed off him and soaked your skin and mind. You could only imagine the onslaught of emotions and memories, reminders of all he lost, the ghost of having woken up in the new millennium for the first time looming over him.  

The way his fingers dug into your forearm, clutched at the flesh of your waist, it would hurt later; but at the moment, those long agonizing minutes that felt like an eternity, you barely felt it, instead consumed by overwhelming grief for the kindest and strongest soul you had ever met. The best man, breaking in front of your eyes and in your arms.

It took long minutes before you dared to move, just enough to reach for the blanket and strip him off the pants and shoes at least. You never went too far. The volume of your voice decreased along with Steve’s, along with the tremble of his exhausted body. He melted into your frame, falling asleep right there, held in your considerably weaker arms and you were grateful.

In a low voice, you asked Jarvis to notify Steve’s therapist – and yours, even if with less urgency. The worst of it was over, but you weren’t naïve as to think that just because the storm was over, there would be no damage and no need for restoration.

For now, you held Steve and tried to keep him warm, not blind to the fact his body combined with Jarvis’ service was already drying off the last piece of clothing he wore. You ran the fingers of your unharmed hand through the golden damp strands of his hair, pressing a kiss to his forehead every now and then, hoping his sleep was dreamless.

Minutes or hours later, Natasha was the one to find you still curled one into other, gently telling you that everyone had already left the jet and that she’d send medics over in a few. You gave her a brave smile even as you were feeling everything but, your adrenalin wearing off and leaving you on the brink of breaking yourself.

When two medics rolled Steve away and you followed, refusing to move an inch farther from Steve than necessary just in case he’d unexpectedly wake up, a third one forced you to take an x-ray as your hand was already swelling.

As it turned out, there was a crack in both your ulna and radius, the mass, however strong, having been unable to withstand Steve’s strength. The swelling was bothering your nerves and your veins, hence the painful tingles and numbness; but in the end, they were just cracks. They’d heal.

Cracks actually usually hurt more than complete breaks, Doctor Jackson told you. You thought it was quite fitting. What Steve had experienced was not a break, for he was never broken; you weren’t certain he could be. It was but a crack; the foundation of who he was had so far been strong enough to withstand horrors unimaginable. And even though the cracks hurt like a bitch, you’d be there for him to help him through the pain.

The cracks in your bones could be solved by a few pills and rest; his would be a little more complicated.

But you’d help build him up again. You’d help him stand tall. Not for the sake of Captain America, the shining beacon of hope, the façade that could be speedpaint with shines of red, blue and white with ease. No, you’d help repair the real cracks for Steve, the gentlest of giants you knew, even if it would take more time and effort than an icon.

He was worth the trouble; even as you suspected that once he’d wake, he might have a thing or two to say about that. You’d convince him otherwise; you wouldn’t be alone.

And neither would he.

With a splint all over your forearm and wrist and a promise you would do a session in Doctor Cho’s cradle to speed the healing, you settled on the bed by Steve’s bedside, the surprisingly serene expression on his face and the gentle beeps of the heart monitor making for a warm hum of satisfaction in your chest.

You’d heal together. Of that, you were sure.

I was hearing words in black and white Twisted up inside my broken mind Outstretched dirty hands just like a child Hungry little fool, but you were mine (SYML – Body)

Steve Rogers masterlist // Love on The Brain masterlist

Notes (because the first aid trainer in me screams and severe hypothermia is a bitch): normally, first concern would most definitely be the cold, hypothermia and the impending arrhythmia (can be caused by the cold), but a) it was established Steve’s body can take it (proved the hard way) and b) his suit probably kept the absolutely worst away… PSA over.

ANYWAY. I hope you – well – liked it ("enjoyed" feels like a little too strong of a word for Steve’s suffering) 🥰 Thank you for reading! Feedback is life.

P.S. – this will likely be followed by a second part called Restoration, but I make no promises.

P.P.S. - if you wish to read a fluff about "Steve fell through frozen lake" situation, I recommend Frozen by @tilltheendwilliwrite 🥰

P.P.P.S. -  if you are a CM fan, know that the title is a loose reference to Emily's issues in the second half of season seven when she tries to re-settle down with the team and at Quantico.

[lizzygrantarchives]

Wonderland, November/December 2011

The “Video Games” singer’s dilapidated, sepia-tinged glamour and heart-melting vocals have made her the talent to watch this year. For all you wannabe internet sensations out there: this is how it’s done.

Lana Del Rey and I are perched on the curb trying to light cigarettes with a novelty lighter shaped like a gold bar. Tiny, encased in a leather biker jacket and skintight jeans, her soft brown curls cascading over her shoulders, she finally beats the breeze with the diminutive flame that pops out the top.

It has been a whirlwind year for the 25-year-old NY native, who has been splitting her time equally between Brooklyn and east London’s Kingsland Road (couch surfing all the way). Like Willow Smith, SuBo and, er, Boo the dog, she has achieved that dubious accolade of “internet sensation” status and is in the process of turning her hit ‘Video Games’ – seemingly everywhere at the moment, from the Christopher Kane show this September to the latest episode of Made In Chelsea – into a proper chart topper.

To be fair, the song does its own PR pretty well. It’s one of those niggling tunes that lodges in your head, both because of its simplicity (the main refrain is just four notes, mirroring the slow march of the backing chords) and a more complex, displaced sense of nostalgia, full of odd contrasts. Lyrics like “I say you the bestest/ Lean in for a big kiss” have a sad, faded coquettishness to them, while the chorus (“It’s you, it’s you, it’s all for you”) blaze with naïve sincerity. Then there’s the repeating full stop of ‘Video Games’ – which seems both weirdly out of place and suitably childlike in the midst of it all.

Del Rey’s heart-stopping voice – think Mazzy Star with Stevie Nicks’ vocal range and Nancy Sinatra’s fragile strength – stands a mile out from the other stuff in the charts. There’s no Auto-Tune or expensive video or banging remix. It’s just Lana, and some harps and a bit of piano, creating a spooky, swirling filmic atmosphere.

I expect her to be like her songs, a bit sad and introspective. She’s not. She’s giggly and full of beans. She jumps up to talk to various other people that walk past, proclaiming her love for them. She flutters her eyelids, which are thick with eyeliner and falsies, and twiddles with the tassels on her purple slippers.

Lana (born Lizzie Grant) started to make music when she was 18. “I was always writing little songs, but nothing I liked then. When I left school I wanted to do music because I thought I was good at it and I wanted to do something that I loved. So my uncle taught me to play guitar and I did these little shows, just me and my guitar, singing and playing the five chords that I knew.”

I mention how that’s quite punk, that Patti Smith famously only knows three chords, and she laughs, “I’ve got two up on you, Patti!” That might not be the only similarity either – Patti famously plugged away until the world sat up and took notice of her. “Yeah, there were so many times when I didn’t think ‘it’ would happen. I just carried on living my life, you know?”

Raised in Lake Placid, upstate New York, Lana listened to Eminem as a kid (“Everyone listened to him, it was the 90s”) until she discovered Bob Dylan, Nirvana and Frank Sinatra, “the masters of all genres. Does their music inspire mine? They inspire me in life and my life inspires my music, so I sort of think they have influenced my music.”

I’m trying to imagine how the Dylan/Cobain/Old Blue Eyes triumvirate permeates her life on a day-to-day basis – her hair is perfect, her face is perfect, she’s not wearing a suit or a holey old sweater: she looks like an escapee from Valley of the Dolls meshed with, as one blogger put it, a blow-up doll version of Natalie Portman.

Maybe it’s in her old-fashioned Hollywood pizzazz that so many aspire to and even more fail at. And this in turn might be the crux of some of the Del Rey backlash that has surfaced online – that her lips are fake and that she originally recorded under her own name. Neither things are new or surprising with many other pop stars, but with Lana it has caused a Marmite reaction.

“Yeah,” she sighs, “my mood changes about it depending on the day. In general, you don’t want anyone to say anything bad about you. I think when anything gets popular quickly there is always scepticism, but I don’t think that’s grounds for being rude or cruel. I’m sure it wouldn’t have happened if I were a man. I personally don’t believe in expressing a negative opinion, just because I’m not interested in it. Life is so short in general – the more negative energy you put into the world is just time-wasting.” She takes a long draw on her cigarette and adds, fixedly, “What other people think of me is none of my business, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt my feelings.”

The dilapidated glamour of Del Rey’s aesthetics is part of the reason we love her. Her DIY videos, made with her sister holding the laptop to film her, and spliced in with old clips from YouTube, are part of what has gotten her to this point. No marketing man or video director could have faked the naivety and enthusiasm she’s poured into them.

“Yeah,” she bursts, “I’ve made all the videos so far – it’s expensive and I had no budget to ask anyone else. I think when you really want to make your own world around you, you just do what you can with what you have. And I didn’t have that much. Building my visual world was something that I transitioned to because I had done everything I wanted to do sonically – I’d finished my first record and I needed to get the pictures around it and, again, I was just guided by my own intuition, for whatever that was worth.”

We shoot the breeze for a while, talking about boarding school (she went, she was an outsider, although she wouldn’t want to put it like that), stylists (she has one, it’s more of a gay-best-friend-who-helps-her-find-the-right-frock-for-events scenario), where to get the best manicures (she has huge acrylic nails) and where she’d like to call home (“New York. Or Paris. I don’t know.”).

Listening to Del Rey’s music, it seems incongruous that someone so chirpy could make such sad songs. “I’ve been happy and sad; I’m not sad anymore. It doesn’t have anything to do with the music; it has to do with enjoying life, on life’s terms, and finding peace with yourself. I’ve been happy for a real long time – seven or eight years.” Is she happy because she makes the music she wants to? “Yeah,” she beams before saying, dogmatically, that she believes “it’s important to walk along a path towards something that makes you happy career-wise. And if you’re not happy, you can’t tell yourself that you are.”

Has having four million hits and counting on ‘Video Games’ made her happy? “I am happy with the way things are,” she says, “but I was happy with the way things were. I could be doing anything but I am doing what I love, and not doing things I hate.” There must be parts she doesn’t favour? She grins. “When I thought it was never going to happen, I stopped doing it and just lived my life. I haven’t been on stage for two years… so I’m not too sure how that is going to work – I’m not a natural exhibitionist.”

This much was evident during Del Rey’s recent appearance on Later… With Jools Holland. Dressed all in white, with huge hoop earrings, she shuffled uneasily from side to side, her eyes cast down and her voice perhaps even more fragile than usual. But somehow it ended up being all part of the charm – the rapt silence in the room was palpable.

She lights another cigarette and stirs at the gravel with her toe, hands neatly folded in her lap. What will happen next to the girl who reminded us that pop can be crafted and beautiful, whose favourite records are Lil’ Wayne and the American Beauty soundtrack? Whose big hit that was made at home on her laptop went viral quicker than you can say “Bieber”? “This afternoon I’m off to work with Bobby Womack,” she laughs. So, she’s right. There’s something to be said for gentle persistence.

Originally published in the November/December 2011 issue of Wonderland with the headline Miss November.

[neil-gaiman]

Neil, what's your favourite poem? lines you always come back to?

Depends on my mood. I love the frustrated humanity in Rochester’s Imperfect Enjoyment, and love the inevitable metaphor in Henley’s Madam Life’s a Piece in Bloom. There’s Stevie Smith’s Not Waving But Drowning, I love that, and Louis Macniece’s Bagpipe Music and so many more.

During the heights and depths of the Covid pandemic Kipling’s Natural Theology kept running through my head and I was surprised to discover I had long ago, as a boy, committed it all to memory. It’s not my favourite poem or even my favourite Kipling poem. But still, it seemed so apt. I will post it to save people the trouble of looking it up…

Natural Theology

PRIMITIVE

I ate my fill of a whale that died

And stranded after a month at sea. .

There is a pain in my inside.

Why have the Gods afflicted me?

Ow! I am purged till I am a wraith!

Wow! I am sick till I cannot see!

What is the sense of Religion and Faith?

Look how the Gods have afflicted me!

PAGAN

How can the skin of rat or mouse hold

Anything more than a harmless flea?

The burning plague has taken my household.

Why have my Gods afflicted me?

All my kith and kin are deceased,

Though they were as good as good could be,

I will out and batter the family priest,

Because my Gods have afflicted me!

MEDIÆVAL

My privy and well drain into each other

After the custom of Christendie...

Fevers and fluxes are wasting my mother.

Why has the Lord afflicted me?

The Saints are helpless for all I offer—

So are the clergy I used to fee.

Henceforward I keep my cash in my coffer,

Because the Lord has afflicted me.

MATERIAL

I run eight hundred hens to the acre

They die by dozens mysteriously.

I am more than doubtful concerning my Maker.

Why has the Lord afflicted me?

What a return for all my endeavour

Not to mention the L.S.D!

I am an atheist now and for ever,

Because this God has afflicted me!

PROGRESSIVE

Money spent on an Army or Fleet

Is homicidal lunacy...

My son has been killed in the Mons retreat,

Why is the Lord afflicting me?

Why are murder, pillage and arson

And rape allowed by the Deity?

I will write to the Times, deriding our parson

Because my God has afflicted me.

CHORUS

We had a kettle: we let it leak:

Our not repairing it made it worse.

We haven’t had any tea for a week. . . .

The bottom is out of the Universe!

CONCLUSION

This was none of the good Lord’s pleasure,

For the Spirit He breathed in Man is free;

But what comes after is measure for measure,

And not a God that afflicteth thee.

As was the sowing so the reaping

Is now and evermore shall be.

Thou art delivered to thine own keeping

Only Thyself hath afflicted thee!

[staarkindustries]

Undercover

You and Steve need to go undercover for a mission, what will happen after you make him see your vulnerable part?

Warnings: fluff, mention of shooting and fighting.

Words: 1559

(Gif not mine)

"Alright guys, it's an undercover mission. I was thinking about Capsicle and L/N." Y/N nodded. Undercover missions were her favorite: five stars hotel payed by Tony, new clothes, idiots who tought would be easy to take her to bed and that she could kill with a tea spoon. "Sure, what is it?" The girl asked, looking at Steve and then back at Tony. "You will pretend to be a newly married couple. It's a ball. Clothes, hotel are payed and the jet is on the roof." The girl snickered and looked at Steve. "He really wants us to leave, get your things Cap, I'll meet you on the roof." And she went away, going to her room.

"Friday, set automatic driving." "Coordinates set." "Thanks Friday." Steve sighed and sat down on the bench. "You okay, Steve?" "I hate flying." "I know, it'll be okay. It's just a couple of hours." The soldier nodded, closing his eyes. "Wanna play a game?" Y/N asked, trying to distract him. "You're such a kid... What is it?" "Oh I am the kid, Rogers?" "Sit down, and don't use that tone of voice with me, Miss." He joked and smiled while his eyes were still closed. Y/N sat next to him and smiled too. "What are you going to do? Put me in detention?" "I hate you." "You clearly don't."

"What a wonderful hotel, darling!" The girl said, with a slightly pitched voice, laughing at the annoyed face Steve did. "Y/N..." "Oh, I love you so much!" "Come on, L/N, let's go." He sighed and leaned against the counter. "Hi, we booked under Smith." "Sure, room 214." One. One room. "I'll kill Stark." "I'll gladly help you." She giggled as Steve opened the door. "So Rogers, what are you going to do?" "We have two days before the ball." "Uh, I want ice cream." She said sitting on the bed. "Then why are you sitting down? Come on, let's go." He took her wrist, starting to walk towards the door. "Steve!" "Hey, you have to call me Jonathan." "Okay, Jonathan." She laughed and followed him.

"Steve." Steve got up on her elbows, and looked into her eyes. "Can't sleep? Do you want me to go on the sofa?" He asked quickly, thinking that maybe she was uncomfortable with him sleeping in the same bed as hers. "No, no, don't worry." "So what's going on?" "I heard a noise." "What was it like?" He heard a shot. "Like this, Rogers." He tried to get up, but she held him back. "No, please don't go out." "Y/N..." "Please." She took his hand. "Come here, come here." He hugged her as she shivered. Another shot was heard in the air. "Steve." "It's okay, it's okay." She settled into the Captain's arms, trying to ignore the shots. "Sweetheart, I need to see what's going on." "N-no, you don't have to Steve. Please." "Y/N." "God I feel so stupid, go." She released him and curled up on the bed, while Steve looked at her with sweet eyes. "I'll be right back, I promise you." He hurried out of the room and ran downstairs. He noticed that the hotel was quiet, there was not a living soul and it looked whole. "Jonathan." The girl whispered, still on the stairs, using his fake name so they wouldn't risk blowing the cover. "What are you doing here?" Steve asked, scared that she could get hurt. "Did you really think I would let you go out alone?!" "Let's go back to the room, there is nothing."

"Steve, can I ..." She didn't complete the sentence, because Steve pulled her to him and kissed her forehead. "Sleep Y/N, I'm here." The girl hugged him and sighed. "Thank you, Stevie."

"Wow." Steve said as Y/N came out of the bathroom. She smiled and sat down to put on her heels. "Thanks Steve." "Can you help me with the tie?" "Sure, but I can only tie one type of knot." "Are there more ways to fix a tie?" "Oh my God, Rogers." She laughed and began to tie it. "Thanks sweetheart." "No problem, darling." She smiled at him, then took the gun and put it in the bag. "Are you sure we need it?" "You have shield magnets under your jacket, did you think I wouldn't notice?" "Hit and sunk." He said making the girl laugh, then offered her his arm. "Shall we, Penny?" "We shall, Jonathan." She smiled and leaned against him. "I already hate these heels." "You could not have worn them." "Yes sure, I could have put on sneakers!"

"Name please." "Smith." "Come in." "That was easy." "Stark must have done something." "Yes, like always." He smiled at her. "Come on Jonathan, let's dance." She took his hand and led him towards the center of the room. "I'm happy to be here with you, you know? I mean... If it had been Tony it would have been weird, that's it."

"Well, I'm happy to heart that, Penny." He smiled and walked over to her. " "I think I see him, Jonathan." "Okay, turn around, I want to see him." The girl nodded, then she got closer to him, to speak in his ear. "Twelve o'clock, gray suit." Steve looked where Y/N said to him and sighed. "Any ideas?" He asked. "Shall we take him somewhere and shoot him in the head?" She asked innocently, Steve chuckled. "The first part is doable, but Stark said to keep him alive." "Okay, I can try to flirt with him. Go out, I'll take him there." "With what excuse?" "You surely are not from this era." She kissed his cheek, then walked over to the man. Steve looked at her for a few seconds, before stepping out of the building.

"Since I do not want you to hold a grudge, I'm not someone that likes arms dealers." Y/N said, before kicking him in the balls and then in the head. "Don't worry Rogers, he is just passed out." "Yeah, sure. Let's get out of here."

"Hey." Steve greeted the girl, entering her room. "You need something, Steve? I'm almost done with the report, I swear." The soldier grinned, then shook his head. "No, I'm not here for the report, Y/N." She sat on the bed and patted on the spot next to him. "What is it, then?" Y/N asked. "I just wanted to know if you were okay. You know, after that night..." "Did I make you uncomfortable? I know that I, being an Avenger, shouldn't be scared of guns but... I don't know it's just the loud noise and I was scared you could get hurt and..." "Hey, it's okay sweetheart. Everyone is afraid of something, you don't need to be ashamed of it. I'm afraid of flying and I'm a super soldier, what should I say?" "You have every reason to be afraid of that." "So do you." He said, looking at her. He always found her beautiful, with the expressions she made when something annoyed her, or when Tony did one of his jokes. But mostly he loved the face she did when she smiled. He knew she could make his day only by smiling at his words.

Steve sighed and put his hand on the girl's cheek, stroking her cheekbone. "You are an amazing person, and you shouldn't be scared to let the people who love you see what makes you human. Fear makes us humans, Y/N, you need to undestand that." "I... I don't know how to let people in. I'm an Avenger, for God sake, people should fear me, not the other way around." "I like this side of you. Not that I don't like the others, you are beautiful, and funny, and cocky and... And I sound like an idiot." The girl chuckled. "No please, go on, you really were blasting my ego." Steve pushed her playfully and rolled his eyes when she tried to do the same. "It's not fair, I'm not as strong as you. Don't roll your eyes at me, Rogers." "Or what? Are you going to put me in detention?" "You are quoting me, find your own quotes, be original." "I hate you." "Again? You don't." Steve sighed, looking at his shoes. "Yeah, no, no I don't." The girl smiled. "Are you gonna kiss me now or what Rogers? I tought that your mother taught you how to treat a girl." Steve blushed and his eyes widened. "What? Not used to girls being open about what..." He had enough. He knew that she was just messing with him, but at least he had a good excuse to kiss her. "Finally." "You drive me crazy, L/N." "Glad to hear that." She kissed him again, this time with more desire. Steve groaned when she pulled at his hair, bringing him down on her bed. "I have been waiting for this, Rogers."

"They did it! They kissed guys!" Tony yelled, and Y/N jumped from the bed. "Say hi to the mini camera I bought yesterday." "That's fucking stalking, Stark." She said when she saw the red light that was pulsing on her desk. She took it and she threw it to Steve, that smashed it with his bare hands. "So, where were we?"

[what-is-your-plan-today]

CSI Rogers and Barnes: The Serious Cereal Serial Killer Episode 16: Is This Thing Rolling...

Co-written with @icanfeelastormbrewing​

Part 2

Warnings: Bad Language words.

Please read Part 1 first.

“I’m not trying that on, you seen the price tag?” Bucky glared at Katie who narrowed he eyes as she held up the Midnight Blue Soho Double Breasted wool suit.

“You are so trying it on Barnes, you’ll look amazing in it.” She insisted. “Trust me, Sam will love it”

“Sam can wear it if he loves it.” Bucky shook his head. “Doll face, it’s almost five hundred bucks!”

“It’s a Paul Smith” she shrugged “You want quality, you gotta pay. Trust me, a good suit is an investment Bucky.”

Bucky considered this for a moment before he cocked his head and a teasing grin spread across his face “Yeah, I suppose. And I can always use it for the next wedding.”

“You’re not getting married in that.” Katie shook her head. “You need a tux.”

“I’m not getting married, you are.” He looked at her and she rolled her eyes, well used to his constant teasing about he and Steve’s future by now.

“Just try on the goddamned suit.”

“Cranky much?” he mumbled.

“May I remind you that I am hungover and you dragged me out here to help you but you keep bitching about everything I suggest. I should be dying on my sofa indulging in indecent amounts of sugar.” Kate narrowed he eyes at him.

“Technically it’s not your sofa. You might have moved in, but…”

“Err, it belongs to Steve and he belongs to me, ergo it’s mine.”

“You know I could argue against that but if I ask him he will probably say of course I’m hers with that stupid goofy smile on his dumb face.”

Katie smirked “Exactly.” She thrust the suit at him “Go. Try. NOW!”

Bucky took the suit “Vicious.”

Leaving Katie glaring at his back he headed into the changing room and quickly stripped before pulling on the suit. And, in all fairness, he had to hand it to Katie, it was smart, probably the nicest one he has ever worn to be fair. It felt good, decent quality and was tailored exceptionally well. Dare he admit it, he looked pretty damned good. He opened the cubicle door and walked out of the changing room to get Stark’s opinion, finding her stood not far away looking at something on her phone, frowning.

“You ok?” he asked, and she nodded, not raising her head, her eyes fixed on the screen.

“Yeah was just looking at some photos that Tony put of the bachelor party on facebook…” she took a breath and looked at Bucky “How did Steve really get that black eye? I can tell he is lying to me.”

Ah, crap… should have seen that one coming Barnes.

He let out a sigh “Ask him”

“I did, and now I’m asking you.”

He groaned, knowing full well he wasn’t going to get out of this. Fuck you, Steve, fuck you.

“Fine, I’ll tell you if you promise not to freak out.” He looked at Katie who nodded.

“Promise”

“Why don’t I believe you? And if you say anything to Steve I’ll bug your bedroom and post the recordings on my Instastories”

“I said I wouldn’t flip out at you.” She looked at him “That’s all I’m promising, but seeing as we’re making threats, James,  if you don’t tell me I’ll also post a video. The one I got of you singing into a wooden spoon the other morning to The Sound Of Music”

Bucky felt his mouth drop open in horror. “You wouldn’t.”

“Try me bitch.” She shook her head “It will go under the caption of Bucky Von Crapp, seeing as you sounded like a strangled cat.”

Bucky rolled his eyes, as he began to recall the events of the previous night.

“Be your bachelor party next.” Bucky grinned at Steve as they stood at the bar in the compound.

Steve rolled his eyes “Just don’t.”

“Come on punk, you know it ain’t that far-fetched.” Bucky grinned and turned to order their drinks. Just as he was paying he heard Steve muttering to the side of him.

“You gotta be shitting me.”

Frowning he turned to look at Steve, whose jaw was twitching. His nostrils flared as he’s glared at something, or someone. Bucky followed his eyeline and saw a tall, slim, dark haired man dressed in a white button down and black slacks, stood with a group of other guys.

“Am I supposed to know who that is?” he turned back to Steve, a puzzled expression on his face.

“I wish I didn’t know who it is. It’s Ward.” Steve replied simply.

Bucky’s frown deepened as he looked back at the man, then turned once more to Steve “As in Stark’s douchebag ex Ward?”

“In the flesh.”

Bucky took the beer from the bartender with a thanks and looked Ward over again “He looks like a dick.”

Besides him Steve picked up his beer, “If it looks like a dick…” at that point Ward let out a huge laugh, “And sounds like a dick…”

Bucky snorted and watched as a slim, bottle blonde woman in a tight skirt and very revealing top approached Ward. Ward smiled and looped an arm round her, giving her a kiss.

“Wait…is that who he did the dirty on Stark with?” Bucky looked at Steve.

The Captain nodded.

“Talk about a down grade.” Bucky shook his head “She ain’t a patch on your girl Stevie.”

“I know, thanks pal.” Steve gave a small smile then sighed “If Tony sees him….” He glanced around for the man in question to see him stood with a few other members of the Batchelor Party, looking the other way.

“Why is he even in here? I thought Pepper vetoed him after the incident on the karaoke night?” Bucky asked.

“She did. But Happy isn’t working is he? He’s over there drinking with Tony, and Pepper aint here either so… “ Steve took a breath and frowned “I don’t get it, why would he want to come here anyway? And how would he know he’d get in…unless…he found out about the party somehow…”

“Probably just a coincidence.” Bucky offered.

“I don’t believe in coincidences Buck.” Steve looked at him. Bucky held his gaze for a moment before he turned back in Ward’s direction and took a deep breath as he saw the man in question’s eyes flick towards them. A sly grin spread across Ward’s face and he said something to the woman who nodded as he began to head towards them.

“Well, looks like we’re about to find out.” Bucky muttered. Steve turned to him, followed his gaze and the rolled his eyes, turning back to the bar.

Ward stopped at the other side of the bar, placing his order before he remarked. “Rogers.”

Steve didn’t even look at him when he replied “What are you doing here Ward?”

“Same as you, having a good time with some friends.” He gestured back to the group he had been with “ I see it’s Tony’s bachelor party. Pepper, I presume?”

Steve continued to ignore him.

“Give him my regards.”

At that, Steve turned his head in Ward’s direction just long enough to shoot him a filthy look before he picked up his drink.

“Come on Rogers, you still bitter at me?”

Steve swallowed a mouthful of his beer “Bitter isn’t exactly the word I would use” his voice was flat, unemotional, and Bucky knew that was far more dangerous than when he displayed out and out anger.

Time to step in.

“Look, jack ass…” Bucky pulled himself up to his full height and glared at Ward. “Why don’t you go and talk to Tony yourself. Sure he’d be thrilled to see you after what you did to his sister.”

Ward looked down at Bucky, there was a few inches height difference but it didn’t bother the Sergeant in the slightest. He knew if it came to it he could handle his own.

“And you are?” Ward raised his eyebrows.

“Barnes. Sergeant James Barnes.”

“That’s quite a mouthful Sergeant.” Ward mused. “And, speaking of mouthfuls. How’s Katie doing Rogers?”

Steve gripped his beer bottle tighter, an action Bucky saw in the corner of his eye. “Don’t you even mention her name asshole.”

“Are you ever gonna man up and ask her out?” Ward shook his head and at that Steve turned to face him.

“I’m warning you. Stop talking about her.”

At his words a smirk spread across Ward’s face. “Oh my god, you finally did…you two are…you’re together.”

Steve simply stared at him as Bucky grinned, unable to stop himself from speaking the childish insult that had cropped into his head.

“Well I know which one of you got the short straw, I mean you didn’t exactly trade Stark in for a better model did you? Certainly not from the looks of your poor man’s Dolly Parton over there anyway.”

To his delight the smug grin on Ward’s face slipped and a flash of anger was noticeable in his eyes.

Steve lay his a hand on Bucky’s shoulder “Leave it pal, he’s not worth it.”  But it was too late, Ward has bitten back, rising to Bucky’s jibe.

“Don’t you dare talk about my fiancé that way.”

And at that Steve snorted “Fiancé? Seriously?”

Ward glared at him “You got something to say Rogers?”

“Nothing at all.” Steve chuckled. “I wish her luck, she’s gonna need it.” With that he picked up his bottle “Come on Buck.”

Steve turned to go and Bucky looked Ward up and down one more time, smirking, before he to made to follow Steve.

Crisis averted.

“Hey, Rogers? She’s a good fuck isn’t she?”

Crisis re-emerging.

Steve stopped, his shoulders tense and he took a deep breath, but didn’t turn round.

“Does she still do that thing with her nose? You know, just as she’s about to come? That little twich?” Ward continued, letting out a little groan “Man even thinking about that now does things to me…I kinda miss it.”

At that Steve spun around, blazing with anger ready to go for Ward but he was too late. Bucky had already shoved the asshole hard in the chest.

“You’re really starting to piss me off.” He growled as Ward stumbled back a few steps. Bucky clocked that some of his friends were now walking towards them, and was distracted slightly when Ward shoved him back. Bucky then spotted the swing that was coming his way and ducked. Unfortunately Steve, who was stood behind him, took the punch straight to the left side of his face. The Captain staggered a few steps backwards before he righted himself and then drew his right fist back and smacked it straight into Ward’s nose. Ward dropped to the floor, blood billowing down his shirt as Steve shook his fist out, flexing his fingers.

Bucky blinked as Ward lay on the floor, the force of Steve’s punch knocking him out cold and he turned to his friend, raising an eyebrow a little “I had him on the ropes.”

“I know you did.” Steve looked at his friend before he sighed “Suppose we better call 911 so they can get him on a gurney…”

Katie blinked as Bucky finished his tale. “So it was Ward?”

Bucky nodded “You understand why he didn’t want to tell you now, yeah?”

“I guess so” she bit her lip.

“I gotta ask, what the fuck did you ever see in him?” Bucky shook his head “Tony’s right, the guy is a shitweasel.”

She snorted “Trust me, I have no idea.”

Silence fell between the two of them and Bucky took a deep breath “You’re not mad are you?”

“Mad? No, I just think you’re a pussy for dodging the punch and letting Stevie take it Barnes.” She teased, smiling at him.

He shrugged “First time for everything.”

“Suppose I’ll have to thank you both for defending my honour.” She smiled, before her smile turned into a dirty smirk “But your thanks will be a little less physical than Steve’s.”

Bucky groaned “Gross.” He then looked at her, narrowing his eyes “You promised not to tell him I told you.”

“No I promised not to go mad.” She stated.

Bucky looked at her, contemplating her words before he realised that was in fact what she had said. He let out a growl of frustration and shook his head “Whatever.”

At that point they both heard a low whistle and turned to see Sam striding through the men’s boutique towards them.

“Well look at you sergeant Barnes, you’re gonna kill all the ladies”  Sam grinned, raising his hand and extending his finger and thumb in a gun motion “Pew pew!”

Katie turned to Bucky, smiling “Told you he was gonna love it.”

Bucky rolled his eyes before he smirked and turned to Sam “Not the ladies I’m after.” And with that he gave him a quick peck on the lips.

“Aww you two are so cute.” Katie clapped her hands together.

“Piss off Stark” Bucky shot back.

“Now who’s cranky?” she laughed “I tell you you’re cute and you get all pissy!”

Bucky shook his head “I’m gonna get out of this suit.”

“Need any help.” Sam quipped and Katie arched an eyebrow.

“Guess I’ll be right there at the opposite side of the store, pretending I don’t know you two.”

“Now you know how I feel around you and Stevie.” Bucky looked at her.

Katie laughed “You know, the 4 of us should go out again soon.”

“Yeah, but without the element of surprise this time.” Sam shot her and Bucky an accusatory look

“Well it’s all out in the open now. But I kinda miss the sneaking around…it was a little exciting.” Katie shrugged.

“Seriously?” Sam looked at her and she snorted.

“No, it was hell.” And then she grinned “Although the secret sex was good.”

“Tell me more girl.” Sam wiggled his eyebrows and Bucky shook his head.

“Trust me you don’t want to know”

“Oh, trust me I do.”

“And on that note, now I’m really gonna go get changed.” Bucky nodded towards the changing rooms “Then we can drop you home so you can die on the sofa.”

“Actually I need you to drop me off at Momma Rogers’” she said.

“Oooh you having lunch at Sarah’s?” Bucky smiled, knowing full well that he’d end up with an invite when he dropped her off.

“Yup, and I can’t wait.” She said, “I need food. My stomach feels like its eating itself.”

***** Steve walked into his Ma’s, stamping his feet on the mat, ridding his boots of the light dusting of snow he’d picked up since getting out of the car.

“Ma?” he gave a shout as he unwrapped the scarf from round his neck and began to undo his thick, blue quilted Canada Goose jacket. She emerged out of the kitchen into the hall and beamed at him, but her smile slipped and she nodded to his face.

“I thought the days of you coming home with a black eye were well behind you.” She stared at him “What the hell did you do?”

“Things got a bit messy at Tony’s stag party” he shrugged as his mom gently reached up to cup his cheek, tilting his face round so she can see it better. “Don’t fuss ma.”

“Shut up Steven.” Sarah’s voice was as stern as her face “I’m your mother and I’ll fuss if I want to.”

Steve rolled his eyes as her hand dropped back to her side. “Has Star seen this?”

“We live together. Of course she has.”

“Hmm, bet she didn’t like it either.” Sarah shot back “Good job you’re a fast healer. That would look a right mess in the wedding photos next week.”

“He came off worse, trust me.” Steve shrugged off her comment.

“You’re a Captain in the NYPD Steven, fancy brawling in a bar like some school kid.” His mother shook her head.

“I know ma, but…well it had to be done, and I don’t wanna talk about it anymore.” He urged, hoping she would take the hint and drop it but of course she didn’t.

“What do you mean it had to be done?” she pressed and Steve knew he wasn’t going to be able to fob her off so decided to tell her the truth.

“Ward showed up last night at the compound. He was saying vile things about Katie. Really vile”

“So you punched him?” Sarah deadpanned.

“No, I mean yes, after he took a swing at Bucky…look, it’s really not a big deal.”

Sarah narrowed her eyes “I really don’t like that boy. Tony isn’t particularly fond of him either.”

“That’s because he’s a prick.” Steve shrugged.

“Language Steven. But yes, he is a prick. Now, let me get you some tea.”

Steve followed her into the kitchen and she filled the kettle and Steve started rummaging in the fridge for a snack.

“You know it’s funny his name is Grant.”

Steve emerged with a piece of pie that he had found and looked at her “What do you mean?” He took a bite of the pie which turned out to be cherry. It was good.

“I mean you both share the name and couldn’t be more different from one another.” His mother mused.

Steve swallowed his food. “Well, not all the ladies called Sarah are as pretty as you…or make as good a pie as you.”

Sarah smiled at her son, shaking her head. “Shut up Stevie.”

He chuckled “What you making for lunch?” he asked as he checked his watch to see it was almost 1. Kate had text him about 15 minutes ago to say they were leaving the store in Brooklyn City centre so she shouldn’t be far off.

“I take it that means you’re staying then?” Sarah turned to look at him and he grinned, as she shook her head, smiling to herself “Oh, and where is Star by the way?”

“She’s gone shopping with Bucky for a suit. Told her to meet me here if that’s ok? She shouldn’t be long.”

“Of course it’s ok. You’re always welcome here, you know that.”

Steve smiled, swallowed the last of his pie and took a deep breath. He knew that he didn’t have long to do what he needed to do before Katie arrived so he had to do it now. “Er, Ma, before she gets here, I err, I wanted to talk to you.” He said, his hand gently rubbing the back of his neck.

“Yeah?” she asked, not looking at him as she reached for 2 mugs in the cupboard.

“Yeah…” god his palms were sweaty, this shouldn’t be as nerve wracking as it was, it’s his mom…

Sarah turned to face him, a mug still in her right hand and she frowned at the expression on his face. “What is it son? What’s wrong?

“Nothing’s wrong. Quite the opposite actually.” He took another deep, shaky breath and smiled at his mom. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking these last few days especially, and, well, with Katie living with me for the past few months it’s kinda hit home just how good it feels, ya know? And I want it all the time…so before I came here, I went to ask Tony for his blessing to ask Katie to marry me.” At his words he watched the mug slip from his mother’s fingers and it hit the tiled floor and smashed. He had expected her to react in some way but not quite like that. “Ma you ok?” He watched as she brought a trembling hand to her mouth.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m ok Stevie…it’s just…” she blinked “I’ve been waiting for this day to arrive for so long.”

Steve couldn’t resist teasing her “I didn’t say he had given his blessing.”

His mom looked at him, arching an eyebrow “Would it make a difference to you if he hadn’t?”

“Not really.” He shrugged, smiling softly.

“But he has right?” Sarah looked at him “Because I know Howard and Maria would be as happy as I am right now.”

Steve smiled softly. “Yeah. He did. Long Story, but…let’s just say I know Howard would be happy too. But don’t get too excited, she hasn’t said yes yet.”

Sarah scoffed “Oh hush, like she’s gonna say no!”

He smiled softly before he looked at his feet before he glanced back at his mother “So, Ma, I was…I was wondering if I could have you ring?”

Sarah smiled, her eyes shining as she gave a nod “Of course you can son.” She walked towards him and cupped his face “It’s been waiting for you for years.”

Steve smiled, the lump that he had earlier felt in his throat in Tony’s study was back again as he looked at his mom. “You know, there was a time I thought I’d ask you for it for Peggy.”

Sarah shook her head and with a simply shrug stated “I always knew it would be Star’s”

The sentiment hit Steve like a tonne of bricks. First Howard, now his mom. The man he had long since come to regard as a father and his mother had both spotted what he had failed to see for almost a decade.

“Ma…” he managed to choke out, his eyes filling and Sarah smiled.

“I know son. And it makes me so happy to know you’re happy too. Finally.” She leaned up to give him a huge and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be right back.”

She left the kitchen leaving Steve to his own thoughts. He’d had a few doubts, not about marrying Katie, but whether or not it was too soon, but that fact that neither Tony nor his mother had commented on the fact that they’d only technically been together for 3 months. In reality they’d been with one another for much longer, having been best friends and dare he say it, completely and utterly blind to what was in front of them. There wasn’t a woman in the world that would ever come close. He smiled to himself, suddenly his eye didn’t hurt anymore. After speaking to Tony and his ma, and most importantly Howard’s message he felt like he was living his life how he should be. He had everything he has ever wanted, and more.

Sarah walked back into the room and handed him a black velvet ring box. He opened it, smiling as he took in the ring which sat nestled in the ruby red silk inside of the box. It was a large oval shaped diamond, with a pave set slim band. It was delicate enough to suit his girl but also big enough to be flashy, which he knew she wouldn’t care about but he did. There was something in his ego that wanted Katie to have a decent rock on her finger. But the main thing about it was the sentiment. This had belonged to his great-grandmother, then his grandmother, and now his mother, passed down the Roger’s side of the family for generations until it reached his Pa. He looked at his mom, his eyes straying to her ring finger where she still wore her simple wedding band having stopped wearing her engagement ring some 5 years or so after his father had died. When he had asked her why, she’d sighed and simply said that on what would have been their 10th wedding anniversary seeing it had made her sad as it reminded her of the day his father proposed. He hadn’t pushed her to explain, he understood.

“You know it was pretty unheard of to have a diamond that big back when your great-grandfather bought but, well, you know the Rogers side had some connections so to speak.” She said and Steve snorted. He had a feeling if he dug far enough back into his father’s side of the family he would uncover all sorts of Irish-Italian mob members, which was the reason he had never bothered.

“I forgot how pretty it is” Steve smiled “It’s been years since I last saw it. But I remember how I used to play with it when I was little and you held me in your arms when I was sick.” Sarah smiled fondly “Yes you used to like to roll it around my finger.”

“It was soothing.” Steve said, his eyes on the ring as it sparkled in the light of the kitchen. “I liked how it shone under the light.”

“Maybe one day your kids will do the same to Star.” Sarah said, a little suggestion in her tone and Steve looked at her.

“I’d like that Ma.” He confirmed and she took a deep breath.

“Well, I hope it happens soon.” The looked at him pointedly “I’m getting old Steve and I want to be able to run around after my grandkids.”

“Behave!” Steve laughed, shutting the box as he looked at her, smirking “There’s plenty of life in the old dog yet.”

Sarah narrowed her eyes at him “Cheeky.”

At that point they were interrupted by the bell ringing followed by the opening of the door and Katie’s voice drifted up the hallway. “You’re such an ass Barnes, I ain’t rung the bell at this house for 9 and a half years!”

His best friend’s laugh hit his ears “ I like the sound it makes.”

Steve glanced at his mom, panic flooding his system as he curled his hand around the box.

“I’ll go see them in…buy you some time.” She nodded. As she walked out of the kitchen he heard her greeting Katie as he hastily stashed the ring box in his coat pocket where it was hanging on the chair back

“Oh, err…” he heard his mom stop and Bucky spoke.

“Sorry, Mrs R, this is…”

“I know who he is James, Sam worked with Steve long before you came back from Russia. I just didn’t know he was your Sam.”

“Sure am, Mrs Rogers. Nice to see you again.

At that point Katie walked into the Kitchen, pulling off her hat and her scarf, her cheeks pink from the cold. Steve smiled and opened his arms. “Hey sweetheart, you feeling better?”

She stepped into his embrace, taking the soft kiss he offered “Much, be even better still when I’ve eaten.”

He smiled and looked up at Bucky as Katie stepped back to take off her coat. “Get a suit, jerk?”

Bucky dropped his jacket onto a chair “Yeah and a pair of shiny shoes your girl insists are in fashion.”

Katie rolled her eyes “He looks good in it right Sam?”

“He sure does but…”

“Don’t say it Sam!” Bucky warned, and Steve had a feeling he knew what was coming next. And sure enough…

“He looks better out of it.”

Katie looked at Steve “See what I’ve had to put up with? Had to pretend I didn’t know em.”

“Welcome to the grossed out by another couple club, doll face.” Bucky looked at her and she rolled her eyes as Sarah laughed.

“They can’t still be that bad James.”

“The tales I could tell you about these two from the last week or so alone are NOT suitable for a Mom’s ears Mrs R.”

“Shut up Bucky.” Katie and Steve shot back in synergy.

“And they do that. Talk at the same time, say the same thing…” Bucky rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, it’s kinda freaky.” Sam nodded in agreement.

“You can shut up too Sam.” Steve looked at him.

“Hey don’t look at me. I do what he does…” he pointed to Bucky “only slower.”

Bucky glanced around, spotted the smashed mug on the tiles and pointed to it “What happened there?”

Steve looked at the mug, recalling the reason why it had smashed and was desperately trying to think of an excuse when his mom came to the rescue.

“Oh, I was making a tea and along came Stevie with his black eye and my mug slipped.”  She looked at Bucky “By the way, James, Steve says you were involved too. Seems like the pair of you are back to being troublesome teenagers again.” She looked at Sam “I’d keep an eye on your boyfriend Sam. He needs to be put in check some times.”

Steve and Katie share a glance at Sarah’s use of the word boyfriend. It was a term Bucky hadn’t actually used when referring to Sam.

“He’s not my, we’re not…” Bucky trailed off as Sam glared at him.

“Well this is awkward.” He mumbled as Sarah narrowed her eyes

“You can’t lie to me James Barnes. You love this young man.”

And just like that Steve found himself smirking at the fact that someone was ripping into Bucky’s and not his relationship for a change

**** Of course Sarah wouldn’t dream of allowing Bucky and Sam to leave without being fed so the 5 of them ate lunch and then before the two men headed off to spend the rest of the afternoon together. As usual, Sarah insisted that Katie and Steve leave her to clear up so they retired to the living room and curled up on the sofa. The fire was on, giving the room a cosy, warm feel and Katie was sitting snuggled up to Steve, curled under a blanket.

After about 10 minutes her attention turned from the TV to his face. Steve could feel her eyes on him and he turned to face her as she sat up and her fingers gently caressed his eye and cheekbone.

“Does it hurt?” she asked him quietly.

“It did, not anymore.” He replied honestly.

“Good, close your eyes.” She instructed. Steve arched an eyebrow at her but did as he was told. She kisses his eyelid and around his bruise tenderly, her breath warm on his skin “Really Stevie” she took  his face in both her hands and tiled it left, then right “ I’m so jealous of your eyelashes”

He laughed and opened his eyes, his hand running up the outside of her arm where it rest over her shoulder.

“Thank you.” She looked at him

“For what, doll?”

“For punching Ward.”

Steve looked at her, shaking his head “Fucking Bucky.”

“That’s Sam’s job” Katie said making him chuckle a little “Don’t be mad at him, I pushed him into telling me.”

“Should have figured you would.” He shrugged.

“Why’s that?”

“Because you can be persistent when you want to be sweetheart.” He smiled gently. “And you’re welcome. I’d do it again in a shot, you have no idea how good it felt.”

“My hero.” She smiled, “Guess not all superheroes wear capes, huh? Mind you, I’m not sure Superman would go around punching Lois Lane’s ex…”

“For the record, Superman does wear a cape, but that aside, even Superheroes have bad days doll.” Steve shrugged.

“You know, that’s a kid’s bedtime story.” She looked at him and he shot her a cheeky grin.

“I can read it to you tonight if you like?”

“How about you read it to me now Captain?” she arched an eyebrow as he looked down at her. Grinning he sat back against the cushions and pat his leg, gesturing with his head.

“Come here Doll.”

Katie moved so she was straddling him, her hands smoothed up his chest to his shoulder and his fell to her hips. Both of them threw a glance to the door of the room, conscious Sarah was in the kitchen, but there was no sign of her, Steve could hear her humming to a song vaguely in the kitchen and knew she would be in there for a while. He leaned up, pressing his lips to Katie’s, his hands moving and splaying on her back, pulling her closer.

Somehow it felt different to him. It was the first kiss they’d shard since he asked Tony and his ma those two important questions and it was almost like there was more to it, even though he never thought that would be possible. It struck him that the decision he had come to about asking her to share the rest of his life with her meant he would never kiss anyone else but her again but he didn’t care he didn’t want to.

He pushed up against her and she let out a soft sigh at the contact and rocked her hips slightly. An involuntary grunt slipped from his lips and the kiss grew frantic, for the moment the pair of them forgetting where they were until they heard a plate clatter in the kitchen. Both paused, their eyes opening as they looked at one another before they let out a soft laugh each, the ridiculousness of the situation not passing them by. Both in their 30s, acting like a pair of teenagers.

“How long has it been since you made out with a girl in here?” Katie teased.

Steve hesitated, in all honesty he had no idea. It had been a long time. “Erm, maybe 20 years, a little less?” he shrugged and Katie frowned.

“What, you mean you and Peggy didn’t…”

Steve shook his head “It wasn’t really something she would have done. She was too…proper I suppose is the word.”

Katie cocked her head to one side as if she was considering something before she shrugged “Her loss.”

“Can we not talk about her doll?” Steve said gently. He really didn’t want to think about anything like that. His hands moves and slid up and down the outside of her thighs and he smiled “It’s you and me now. No Peggy, no Ward…and I intend on keeping it that way till the end of the line.”

Katie smiled and her hands moved up to cup his cheeks, fingers scratching in his beard. “I love you Captain.”

Steve leaned up pressing his lips to hers gently before he pulled back, sliding his nose along hers as he whispered to her softly “Love you too doll.”

[murfeelee]

My 7 Comfort Movies

Thanks @drawing-way-outside-the-lines for tagging me here, and @white-enamel-ts3​ for tagging me here!

I have my Top 10 Movies of all time listed here, and another Top 6 Movies here. If anything, these “comfort movies” are really just my top 7 honorable mentions following those lists.

Alphabetical order, cuz I can’t really decide which one “comforts” me the most; each fits different moods for me.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula

I told y’all any Gary Oldman film would be in my honorable mentions! XD But Dracula is my freaking FAVORITE work of his (yes, even more than Sirius Black). Holy crap; best vampire movie ever made, and best Dracula ever depicted, fight me on this Lugosi stans. 🧛

Trailer <---- SPOT ON trailer! Really captures the creepy, sexy, bloody, stylish, horrific, beautiful and campy vibes of this CLASSIC FILM.

Count of Monte Cristo

I often watch this movie at night while stuffing my face with peanut butter cookies; don’t ask me why. The original with Richard Chamberlain is better, longer & more detailed & intricate (same with how I like diCaprio’s Man in the Iron Mask movie but Chamberlain’s is much better), but I just feel better after watching this version IDKY; sue me.

Trailer <----  Very good trailer. Everyone knows he’s framed, jailed & escapes with $$$, but It doesn’t spoil exactly HOW he gets his revenge (the real jist of the film) and give away the whole frikkin movie like some other trailers on list list..... >_>

Interview with the Vampire

I’m obsessed with Anne Rice’s books; I have ALL of them. Even though Queen of the Da*ned and Interview with the Vampire got A TON OF STUFF DEAD WRONG WTF WERE THEY DOING, I still thoroughly enjoy both films. But Interview was the better movie by far. QotD just went waaaaaay off the source material, when they had no reason to.

Trailer <----Hands down THE BEST TRAILER in this list. It captured everything perfectly, and even touched on Anne Rice’s whole homoerotic aspect with Lestat & Louis -- “he chose one man...gave him a daughter....” I see what you did there. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Jane Eyre

I think my mom and I have seen almost every major film rendition of Jane Eyre ever made, or we’re darn near close. The Toby Stephens (Maggie Smith’s son) version is my favorite. (Granted, the Timothy Dalton version is THE BEST version (my mom’s fave).) They STAY getting cuties to play Mr. Rochester; it’s hilarious.

Trailer <---- This trailer is effing ridiculous. 😂 BBC....please explain to me why y’all decided that effing medieval choir epic battle music was the right choice for this gothic romance? 🤣🤣

Practical Magic

One of the most #MyAesthetique movies of all time. Witches, magick, necromancy, matriarchies, architecture, fashion, music, Stevie Nicks. 👌👌👌👌

Trailer <---- (This trailer is absolute trash; makes it seem more like a B-side comedy. Doesn’t capture the mood & essence of the movie AT ALL. 👎👎 )

Pretty Woman

One of the best movies ever; I LOVE it. Every single millisecond was just....ICONIC. This movie is so freaking 90s. XD

Trailer <---- (Jeeze, how friggin spoilery can a trailer get; just show the entire movie whydontcha. 😒)

Pride & Prejudice

The Keira Knightly version was INCREDIBLE, considering how much they crammed into a 2-hr film, rather than a full-blown miniseries. Yes. 1000 times yes!

Trailer <---- (I hate spoilery trailers, ISTG, come on, this gives everything away!)

HONORABLE MENTION:

The Fifth Element

Because Gary Oldman movies will always be feel-good movies for me.

Trailer <---- This was a weird trailer. Not bad, but it paints the movie as some epic Armageddon film, glossing over the HUGE campy element. Cuz this was 100% a comedy, and a hilarious one at that. Yeah, it had action and adventure, but come on. With only a millisecond of Chris Tucker? THE biggest presence in the whole film? Bait and switch.

Thanks for reading!

I tag everybody!

[imagine-avengers]

Biker Part Four- Bucky Barnes Series

4/10 This is part four of my Biker Bucky series. The previous parts can be found on my masterlist, as will the other parts once they come out!

The week seemed to drag on but by Friday Elizabeth was completely settled in. Which is exactly why she had decided that it was finally time to visit her brother and his family. Driving over to Manhattan in Bucky’s truck wasn’t ideal for Elizabeth, as she hadn’t mentioned to her brother that she was in contact with Bucky again. Arriving in Manhattan, Elizabeth showed up at the small café that they had agreed upon.

“Aunt Liz!” Elizabeth heard the voices of the twins that were her brothers children as she entered the café.

“Timothy, Hannah.” Elizabeth grinned at the thirteen-year old’s, before hugging them both. “Gosh I missed you two.” Elizabeth then moved towards the table where her brother Adam and his wife Delilah were sitting. “Adam, Delilah.” Elizabeth hugged Delilah first before turning to her big brother and her eyes immediately filled with tears.

“Stop that, you’re gonna make me cry.” Adam said standing and pulling his sister into a tight hug. “Don’t you dare leave for that long ever again, do you understand me?” Adam pulled away as Elizabeth nodded wiping her tears away. The group sat around the table for an hour chatting before Delilah announced that she had to get the kids to their soccer game, she bid both her husband and his sister goodbye before leaving. “So.” Elizabeth stared at her sad salad in front of her.

“I’ve seen James.” She mentioned. “More than seen, I guess. We’ve talked.” She looked up at her bothers disappointed face. “Don’t look at me like that Adam.” She stated. “You knew damn well that the minute I moved back in four houses away from Steve I’d see James eventually.” She told him as Adam sighed.

“Well I had hoped you’d moved on and wouldn’t continue being involved with a gang that does illegal activities.”

“Adam, the stuck-up lawyer is coming out.” She teased at the fact her brother was a lawyer. “I’m not falling back into my old life Adam.” She told him. “But I do have to accept that I am still in love with James Barnes.” That was the first time since their breakup that Elizabeth admitted that.

“You still love him?” Adam asked as Elizabeth nodded sheepishly. “Lizzie, if you love him, really love him, be with him, hell there wasn’t a week that the man didn’t call me or my office to find out how you were, he clearly still loves you.” Adam stated. “Now, I may not like James Barnes and I never have,”

“That’s because you always lost the fights against him, brother.” Elizabeth grinned as Adam rolled his eyes.

“But he makes you happy and that’s all mom and dad ever wanted.” Adam smiled at his sister. “I have to get back to work, I have a meeting with a client. You need an escort back to the subway?” He asked as the two stood ready to leave.

“Uh no, I drove.” She stated.

“You drove?”

“Yeah, James doesn’t want me taking the subway, so I’m driving his truck as my car basically is totaled.”

“Wait, you’re driving his car?” Adam asked. “Elizabeth, no, you have no clue what he’s been involved in with that,”

“Adam.” Elizabeth cut her brother off. “I guarantee any ‘illegal activity’ is not done in that truck. The only thing even remotely illegal that has happened in that truck was the fact that I lost my virginity in the bed when I was seventeen and we went camping.” She stated causing Adam to groan.

“Lizzie tmi.” He whined causing Elizabeth to laugh.

“Liz.” Elizabeth heard the voice belonging to Clint. Turning with a sigh she nodded to her old friend.

“What’s going on?” Adam asked before Elizabeth could open her mouth. “You wouldn’t just show up here if,” Adam paused when Elizabeth touched her brothers arm.

“What is it Clint?” She asked stepping towards him, knowing the only reason he’d show up in Manhattan would be if something bad had happened. “What happened?” Elizabeth asked grabbing her purse and her coat and kissing her brothers cheek. “I’ll call you alright, love you.” She stated before she and Clint disappeared out the door.

“Nothing happened Liz.” Clint stated as they headed towards her truck. “We need you back in Brooklyn, things are tense with Hydra and it’s best you stay where we can watch you. He doesn’t want you leaving Brooklyn without an escort.”

“So, James sent you to be a babysitter.” She stated as they got to the truck. “You be sure to tell Bucky that you were a good boy, but he can shove it.” She stated before slamming the door of the truck and driving off.

Elizabeth spent the rest of her day angry that Bucky thought she needed to be watched. So, she humored him and stayed in Brooklyn inside her home. She did some cleaning around the house and organized the few medical supplies she had, knowing at some point Bucky or Steve would show up at her door hurt. Before she ventured down the street to visit Peggy. The two talked well past the time the kids went down for bed and up until Steve strolled in around one in the morning, they bid each other goodnight and Steve took her home before heading back to his wife.

Saturday was no different than any other day, Elizabeth sat around the house searching for jobs on the internet. She cleaned her house, cut her back lawn, and even fixed the leaky hose in the backyard before calling it a day and relaxing on the couch with a book. Around one in the afternoon she received a call from Steve letting her know they were having their typical barbeque at Bucky’s place. With a groan, Elizabeth readied herself for the day and took the twenty-minute drive to Bucky’s, walking in well after everyone else had arrived.

The backyard was spacious, you walked in through either the garage that opened to both the driveway and the backyard or through the side gate. In the center was an above ground pool and to the right of it was a small patio area where two separate grills were sat, Clint and Sam manning them. To the left of the pool were a few tables and chairs for everyone to sit at. All around sat the group of bikers, probably thirty to forty, all drinking. There were children running around playing, a group of teens swimming in the pool or playing on their phones, and toddlers playing in the corner where there were some toys set up for them.

“Lizzie!” Steve grinned seeing the girl enter through the side gate holding two cases of beer. “And you brought gifts!” He hugged her before taking the alcohol and passing it off to Thor whom took it and put it in the fridge. “We were afraid you weren’t coming.” He stated grabbing the two cold beers from Thor and handing one to Lizzie before leading her towards where Peggy was sitting on a small couch on the patio talking to Natasha and a few women you didn’t recognize.

“No way to get out of coming Stevie.” Elizabeth teased. “Peggy would have had my ass if I hadn’t shown up here.” She stated as they laughed. “Anyways, I wanted to come.”

“Good good.” He grinned as Elizabeth opened her beer and they neared Peggy, Steve passed Peggy the beer before winking at Elizabeth and disappearing into the crowded backyard.

“Hey gorgeous.” Peggy wiggled her eyebrows at Liz.

“Hey Peg, where are the kids?” She asked falling into the chair across from Peggy and giving a smile to the women around her before taking a drink of her alcohol.

“Sorry, but who are you?” A blonde-haired woman asked as she eyed Elizabeth’s choice in outfit, a white sunflower sundress and white gladiator sandals.

“Elizabeth Smith, and you are?”

“Fiona Gregory. Funny, I’ve never heard of you.” The women sneered as Peggy elbowed her.

“Play nice Fiona, this is Bucky’s girl.” Natasha stated leaning against her own chair. “Besides, she left before you came around. Fiona is with Pietro.” Natasha stated.

“Nice to meet you.” Elizabeth stated glancing around, her eyes unconsciously searching for Bucky.

“He isn’t here yet.” Peggy stated. “Ran out to pick up Becca.” Elizabeth’s head snapped towards Peggy.

“Rebecca is coming?” Elizabeth asked as Peggy nodded.

“Every week.” Fiona stated. “Bucky always goes to get her. You look sick.” Fiona noted as Elizabeth had paled slightly at the mention of Rebecca.

“Rebecca and I aren’t on the best of terms.” Elizabeth stated taking a long drink from her beer.

“What do you mean?” Before Elizabeth could answer Peggy, she was being tackled by Emma and James.

“Aunt Lizzie!” They grinned at her as the others laughed.

“Hey kiddos.”

“Liz Smith.” Rebecca’s voice came from behind. “Thought you weren’t ever coming back.”

“Go play.” Elizabeth ushered her niece and nephew away from her. “Wasn’t planning on it Becs, but things happen.” Elizabeth stood and turned towards the women that was once a sister to her.

“Yeah I heard you got fired. What was it for? Sucking your boss off?” Rebecca asked moving closer to where Elizabeth had been standing.

“You’re hilarious Becca.” Elizabeth said with a deadpan tone. “But as I remember that was actually you.” Rebecca moved towards Elizabeth.

“Rebecca. Enough.” Bucky stated touching his sisters arm before whispering in her ear, she disappeared in the crowd as Bucky stared at Elizabeth before nodding towards the house. The two walked into Bucky’s small living room, still decorated from when the two redecorated months before Elizabeth left.

“You kept them?” She asked scanning the wall of pictures, most of were her and Bucky, others of them and their friends. But the wall was full of memories. “You added some new ones.” She stated, her hand running across one that they had taken after they said their first ‘I love you’ to each other.

“It’s better to hold on to memories when you can’t hold onto a person.” Bucky stated as Elizabeth turned towards him.

“Buck,”

“No, you left for you reasons, I know, trust me.” Bucky stated leaning against the doorway that separated the kitchen and living room.

“You had Clint following me.” She mentioned continuing to look around the room, her eyes stopping at the small painting that hung on the wall, it was of Bucky, Steve, Peggy, and Elizabeth after the boys had taken over the club, Elizabeth had gotten it painted for she and Bucky’s anniversary. “I don’t appreciate it Bucky.”

“I need you safe Liz. There’s been some threats since you came back to town, they know who you are to us.” He told her with a sigh. “Steve and I think it’s best you guys don’t leave Brooklyn.” Bucky moved towards the fridge and grabbed himself a drink.

“You two think it’s best? And whom exactly are you tell me I can’t leave Brooklyn, and how do you plan to stop me?” She asked stepping into the kitchen where Bucky had been drinking his beer.

“I dare you to try leaving Brooklyn, you won’t make it out of city limits.” Bucky told her as Elizabeth smirked.

“And you expect me to stay away from my brother and my family?” She asked. “Adam doesn’t come to Brooklyn anymore, you know that.”

“I don’t care about Adam, Elizabeth!” Bucky’s voice grew before he turned to look at her. “I want you safe, and you can’t be safe where I can’t see you!” Elizabeth took a step away from Bucky as he rose his voice.

“You want me safe, fine. But that’s my family Bucky, my blood, yeah, you guys might be my family but I’m not blocking Adam out of my life because you don’t think it’s safe. If this threat is from Hydra, they know me Buck, they know my family, I won’t be safe if they aren’t.” Elizabeth stated. “Buck you never understood that, you never understood why I had to stand with my family. You of all people know I won’t leave my family behind, not again.”

“You didn’t leave your family behind,”

“No, you pushed them away from me! You pushed him away! You and the damn club! You threatened him,”

“Oh, hold on. Threatened?” Bucky laughed as Elizabeth’s hands were on her waist. “No, your brother borrowed money, he needed to pay it back.”

“And you broke his leg!”

“In my defense that wasn’t necessarily me,”

“No, you just set the order for Clint to do it.” She stated. Their arguing had been heard throughout the yard, thus causing Steve to enter.

“Knock it off!” Steve’s stern voice came up from the sliding glass door. “It wasn’t Bucky’s order for one, it was mine. Your brother, owed us over a hundred grand and was avoiding us.”

“So, you broke his leg? You’re both unbelievable!” She stated throwing her hands up. “If he owed you money you should have come to me about it Steven.”

“Figured you might want to know; he still owes about fifty grand.” Steve stated as Elizabeth groaned.

“I’m leaving, you stop me from leaving Brooklyn and you will never see me again, you got it?” Elizabeth’s eyes landed on Bucky, then Steve. “Stay away from my family, do you understand me, because if you don’t, we’re all done.” Both men nodded before Elizabeth turned and headed out the backdoor and heading towards the truck.

[pinnedandneedled]

I’m Sick of My Face and Yours Most Definitely Isn’t Helping- Part One

This is my first story, and part one of my submission for @sebbbystaaan ‘​s 500 follower challenge.

Bucky x Reader 

Warnings: Swearing. Warnings change for each part. Except for swearing. Swearing will always be there.

My prompt was, “It’s the first time I’ve seen you look ugly. And that makes me happy.” from Bridesmaids. It will be in bold when I use it.

“Tony,” Steve starts uncomfortably.

“This is a terrible idea.” He says, looking at the stubborn man.

“Yup. But it’s our only option. Good luck telling him.”

He pats Steve on the shoulder and all but runs from the room. Steve groans, rubbing his forehead. This was not going to go over well.

“Bucky, we need to talk.”

“Holy shit, are you pregnant?”

A look of alarm overtakes Bucky’s features. He’s not ready to be-

“S- wait, what?! No! What gave you that crazy idea?”

“Well,” Bucky starts, a newfound calmness and studious look on his face, “in fanfiction that’s what female readers generally start with when telling their love interest that they’re pregnant.”

Steve blanches, his original objective forgotten and replaced with concern for his friend’s interests and mental state.

“Okay, we’ll address how you know that later. But before we continue- I’m a man! There’s no way I could be pregnant!”

“You never know, Stevie. Who knows what your serum did to you.”

As if having an epiphany, Bucky begins looking around wildly. 

“This is starting to sound like a Stucky fic- it’s not, I promise you!”

Steve’s concern intensifies.

“What the hell are you talking about, Buck, and to who? Also, what the hell is Stucky and what does it have to do with this situation?”

Bucky turns to look at his blond friend, a gentle smile on his face.

“Oh, Stevie. You innocent child.”

After that... interesting exchange, Steve goes into “Captain Mode,” as it is often called. Bucky takes note of this immediately and straightens up.

“Now, the reason I called you in here is because Tony found someone who he believes is tied to HYDRA.”

After that word leaves Steve’s mouth a grimace forms on Bucky’s face. HYDRA has always elicited this reaction from the brunet, and Steve knew he was about to make things even worse- albeit in a different way.

“The man’s name is Liam Smith. He’s a director and producer for no popular films. Now, upon hearing his name you’d think, ‘wow, that guy has the most common first name for a male and most common last name in America. He must be a boring character.’ And you’d be right. His file is squeaky clean. Too clean.”

“What got him on Tony’s radar in the first place is his obsession with your look-alike, Sebastian Stan. He’s an actor. You two look and sound exactly the same- if you were to cut your hair, or he grew out his, no one would be able to tell the difference- save the metal arm, of course. Now, normally this would be okay, but Smith has notably talked positively about HYDRA to various media outlets. This could be nothing, but we should treat it as something.”

Bucky understood where the captain was coming from. They can’t take chance with HYDRA. Now all that mattered was figuring out what Steve wants him to do. Upon voicing this question, Steve paled noticeably. 

“Well, Stan is going to be in a new movie he’s filming.”

No.

“So we figured, seeing as you two look alike..”

NO.

“You can take his place and get information that way.”

N-

“You don't have a choice. I’m sorry, Buck, but you really don’t. We can’t chances, and this is the best way to way to get information, and take him down if he is HYDRA.”

Steve gives Bucky his best sympathetic smile, and this sends shivers down Bucky’s spine. There’s more.

“Alright, what’s this movie about?”

“Looks like we’re partners, Barney.”

(Y/n) wears a smirk as she strolls up to the brooding brunet. Bucky glances down, eyeing her with a glower on his face.

“Don’t call me that. And Steve didn't mention anything about partners.”

(Y/n)’s smirk grows.

“I know, Boinky. I decided it for myself. I can’t let you do this alone. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to see it firsthand and laugh at you.”

Bucky lets out a low growl. She’s enjoying this way too much.

“I fucking hate you, you know that? ‘cause I do.”

(Y/n) rolls her eyes, letting out a sigh at his dramatics.

“If you hate me, then why are we dating?”

“That’s a very good ques- ow! Why the hell did you hit me?!”

Shaking her hand after punching her boyfriend in the gut, (Y/n) plainly states, “Because you swore at me. Well, technically not at me, but in reference to me.”

“It’s not my fault I swear this much,” Bucky frowns, “I get it from being around you and your potty mouth.”

(Y/n)’s face twists up at this.

“Did you really just say potty mouth?”

Shaking her head, she puts her hands on her hips and continues.

“Besides, I haven’t swore once. The readers can confirm this.”

Bucky froze stock-still at her words, shuffling nervously.

“...the what?”

Another smirk forms on (Y/n)’s lips.

“You’re too much of a bucket head to understand the intricacies of the multiverse.”

As the last word rolls off her tongue, Bucky stiffens even more.

“..yeah.. I have so many questions..” 

There is a slight tremor in his voice as he says this, making (Y/n)’s (e/c) orbs narrow in suspicion.

“Further proving my point. Anyway, do you remember your role?”

“My role in the mission or my role in the movie? Because I don’t remember shit about “my” character, but I do remember my role in the mission.”

A small sigh leaves (Y/n)’s lips, before curling back into her familiar smirk.

“Well, fun fact- we need to do something about your little look-alike.”

“Wait, why?”

“’Cause we can’t have you both showing up at rehearsals, and we need to get his script. Stark couldn’t get a copy.”

Bucky whips around to look at (Y/n), looking at her like she’d been injected with the G-Virus and grew an eye on her arm.

“Do you know how tightly kept those scripts are?! How do you expect us to get it?”

(Y/n) looks at him with a deadpan stare, her eyes screaming how stupid he is for not figuring it out.

“Were going to find Sebastian, follow him, break into his hotel room, knock him out and then drag his unconscious body into the woods nearby.”

“And leave him there?!”

“No, you dumbass. There should be a safe house there.. should.”

(Y/n) whispered the last part quietly so Bucky wouldn’t hear it. He didn’t.

Bucky nods to himself at her words.

“..so, what are we actually going to do?”

“Exactly what I said.”

“You’re kidding,” Bucky eyes (Y/n), taking note of her stoic expression, “you’re not kidding.”

Turning away from the (h/t), he clenches his fist and looks at the ground in defeat.

“I’m in love with a psychopath.”

Ignoring her boyfriend and his existential crisis, (Y/n) asks FRIDAY for Sebastian’s location.

“Mr. Stan is currently at the Starbucks on [REDACTED] street.”

Nodding to herself, (Y/n) takes on her most common facial expression.

“He has taste. Good. Let’s get moving, babe.”

Resigning to his fate, Bucky nods and begins following behind (Y/n).

“Alright..”

[gayregis]

Open question to you and your followers! Do you have any songs that you feel are like something dandelion could have written? I have such bad memory of his poetry from the books, but I’ve been listening to “I’ll be seeing you” and “all of me” and “easy living” by Billie holiday, and for some reason they are giving me dandelion vibes? I’ve never thought that about a song, so I’m curious if anyone else has!

oh those are such good songs, i love billie holiday!

i feel like i’m going to post my entire dandelion playlist here... ok fuck it, why not. 

bolded: the ones that could be dandelion POV / dandelion singing them 

🌟: the ones i feel the most strongly about

silly love songs / wings 🌟

all my loving / the beatles

build me up buttercup / the foundations — geralt pov about dandelion

cecilia / simon & garfunkel

georgy porgy / toto

50 ways to leave your lover / paul simon — dandelion pov giving geralt bad relationship advice

when i was a boy / elo

rio / mika 🌟   — dandelion pov... well rather, julian pov... i imagine a scene and montage of him singing this in a kind of belle from beauty & the beast or anna from frozen or rapunzel from tangled way, as in, singing about his character motivations as he makes his way through a regular morning, it’s his intro song as a plucky youth in a disney movie to explain his backstory

wildflowers / dolly parton 🌟

ob-la-di, ob-la-da / the beatles

sir duke / stevie wonder

raspberry beret / prince

dumb blonde / dolly parton

killing me softly with his song / roberta flack — geralt pov about dandelion

midnight blue / elo — time of contempt brokilon scene

i’m looking through you / the beatles — geralt pov about dandelion when they arrive in beauclair

here you come again / dolly parton — anna henrietta pov about dandelion when they arrive in beauclair

guitar man / bread

honorable mentions that i think are dandelion but i know them too much just as their own songs to put them in this playlist:

sexual healing / marvin gaye

let’s groove / earth, wind & fire

peg / steely dan 🌟

deacon blues / steely dan

fire and rain / james taylor

you’re so vain / carly simon 

mr tambourine man / the byrds

i’m coming out / diana ross

songs aren’t in this playlist because they’re more gerlion than just dandelion...

your song / elton john 🌟 — dandelion pov to geralt

boulder to birmingham / emmylou harris — dandelion pov, following geralt into brokilon and through the wilderness during the saga

there is a light that never goes out / the smiths — dandelion pov... also i keep imagining dandelion singing this and really feeling it, and geralt suddenly turning around sharply and asking him to sing something happier... he went a little too hard on the “to die by your side is such a heavenly way to die”...

kokomo / the beach boys 🌟 — dandelion pov to geralt... canonically he’s always recommending places like the wine festival in cidaris so...

eternal flame / the bangles — sapkowski deserves this for naming one of the dandelion-saturated short stories what it is...

i will follow him / little peggy march

he’s a rebel / the crystals — funny story because i stole this from a fanmix for my OTP from my other fandom

sweet baby james / james taylor — dandelion pov about geralt, lol

iris / the goo goo dolls — geralt pov about dandelion

and like, one or two julianarietta songs for good measure:

diamonds on the soles of her shoes / paul simon 🌟 — dandelion pov about anna henrietta when they first meet

uptown girl / billy joel — dandelion pov to anna henrietta

and of course, i’ve saved the best for last because it’s the song i relate to every single one of my OTPs... if i can’t relate it to a ship, is it really fit to be my OTP...

never gonna give you up / rick astley — dandelion pov to geralt... 

[riathenowheregirl]

Gold Dust Women: My Favorite Witchy Singers

Okay, before you burn me alive with “Where’s this certain artist?!” or “Why is this certain artist not here?!” or “Who even uses Tumblr these days?”, uhmmm me bish?? It’s my safe zone. Okay, the last question was a joke. 

Can I just say that the amazing women on this list are artists I listen to all the time. They’re my favorites, so chill (I’m open for suggestions tho). This is not Rolling Stone or Billboard magazine, it’s just ya girl’s good ol’ tumblr blog. Also, I’m not saying that all of them are literal w i t c h e s, it’s just that they portray the same aesthetic through their art and music. 

Alright, now that’s settled, let’s start.

1. STEVIE NICKS 

Do I even need to explain this? Stevie is undoubtedly the Etheral Queen of them all, the Pioneer, the O.G. Supreme whose lyrical soul and spellbinding voice echoes from the distant past to the inevitable future. Everything about her oozes with witchcraft and magic starting from her iconic top hat, to her millions of intricately made shawls, down to her platform boots. Only Stevie Nicks could pull off such Not-of-this-Era outfits and she has been doing it CONSISTENTLY. She’s in a timeline of her OWN. If you listen to her music, you would notice that every song of hers is poetry, like she’s telling a story or conjuring the unknown. She’s every witchy woman’s icon and that’s a fact.

Stevie is an untouchable yet gracious legend, we’ll always be a part of her sisterhood until the day of earth’s decay. Forever the Queen of Rock N’ Roll. 

Current Favorite Stevie Lyrics:  “ You can fly swinging from your trapeze, scaring all the people...but you'll never scare me.”  |   “Once in a million years a lady like her rises. Oh no, Rhiannon, you cry, but she's gone and your life knows no answer.”

Notice how I used the word “current”? Because it always changes depending on the state my life. Here’s a more detailed post on why I love her.   

2. KATE BUSH 

“Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy, I've come home, I'm so cold! Let me in through your window!”

The eccentric beauty, Kate Bush made a genius, artistic move by writing a song about the book, Wuthering Heights, written by Emily Brontë in the 1800′s. Mind you, she was only 18 when she wrote and was the first song written by a female artist that landed on top the charts. Her voice is almost as distinctive as Stevie Nicks. While Stevie’s more nasal, commanding, wailing rock n’ roll goddess, Kate’s voice was high-pitched, alarming, ghostly, queer, and fairy-like. Everything about her is Performance Art. This is a woman who is not afraid to express herself.

For starters, you might think her music is strange and weird. Trust me, I felt the same way when I first heard her songs. But then, it began to grow on me leaving floral patterns on its path. 

Favorite Kate Bush Lyrics:  “Do you want to feel how it feels? Do you want to know that it doesn't hurt me? Do you want to hear about the deal that I'm making? You, it's you and me.”

3. FLORENCE WELCH 

This one is as obvious as Stevie Nicks. Florence Welch from the band, Florence + the Machine, is a poetess, a screaming banshee, and a full-pledged Sister of the Moon. She even started a witch coven during middle school. From her red carpet looks to her everyday outfits on Instagram, Florence vibrates powerful witch energy. Not to mention she has a song called “Which Witch” and that haunting music video for Big God with levitating women. Flo is not a woman to trifle with, I’ll tell you that. 

Photos courtesy of @lillieeiger

In all her songs, Florence will bind you with magic and it’ll leave you breathless. If Stevie’s songs are poetry, hers are spells you could sing out loud. Also, if you haven’t seen her house tour, go check it now! 

Favorite Florence Welch Lyrics: “'Cause I am done with my graceless heart so tonight I'm gonna cut it out and then restart.”  |  “And in a moment of joy and fury I threw myself in the balcony like my grandmother so many years before me.”

4. LANA DEL REY

Remember when Lana used witchcraft to hex Donald Trump? It was all over the news and Twitter went wild. She was later quoted saying, “I really do believe that words are one of the last forms of magic and I’m a bit of a mystic at heart.” Oh, and she also did a collab with Stevie. 

We. Stan. Forever.

There was even a time that I MEMORIZED the monologue in the music video for Ride. ALL OF IT, HUNNY. 

Lana’s hypnotizing vocals together with her sixties baby doll dresses and Priscilla Presley hair is enough to convince me that she’s not of this era. She has a deep understanding of the beauty of past generation and the looming sadness and nostalgia that comes with it. Whenever I listen to her music, I imagine myself as a rockstar’s muse who is involved with the mafia but then I decided to leave him while taking his gun and convertible. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Favorite Lana Del Rey Lyrics: “Well, my boyfriend's in the band. He plays guitar while I sing Lou Reed. I've got feathers in my hair, I get down to Beat poetry. And my jazz collection's rare, I can play most anything.”

5. LORDE 

David Bowie didn’t call her the “future of music” for nothing. Just two albums under her belt, Lorde already proved that she will one day become a legend herself. Her music narrates an unparalleled interpretation of the anguish and fleeting charm of our youth. She knows what we’re feeling because she’s been there herself and is on the road to healing just like us. 

I think the message she’s trying to say is that we’re constantly losing grip on our innocence, and that life is often wicked so we need to accept that, grit our teeth, get on with it, and make art. She can also see color when she hears music. 

In my opinion, Lorde is one of the greatest artists of my generation. 

Favorite Lorde Lyrics: “The truth is I am a toy that people enjoy till all of the tricks don't work anymore, and then they are bored of me.”  |   “That slow burn wait while it gets dark, bruising the sun, I feel grown up with you in your car. I know it's dumb.” 

6. FKA TWIGS

Honestly, FKA Twigs is literally art in living form, a celestial angel that nobody can easily decipher. This woman has more talent in her fingertips than I could ever have in a lifetime. She somehow reminds me of a young Kate Bush; fearless, experimental, with an intoxicating voice. She never stops reinventing herself and it’s beautiful.

In FKA Twigs’ world, there are no limits, just endless galaxies. She pours her whole being in all of her songs and it shows. She’s not for the faint of heart, let me tell you that. 

Favorite FKA Twigs Lyrics:  “And I don't want to have to share our love. I try but I get overwhelmed. All wrapped in cellophane, the feelings that we had.” 

7. SKOTT 

I say this all the time, but I cannot write without Skott’s music blasting on my earphones. She grew up in a “forest commune run by outcast folk musicians” and was not exposed to contemporary music until her teen years. You would notice it in her songs. 

It’s hard to explain why, but listen to Skott’s music when there’s thunder and rain outside, then you’ll know why this woman is witchy. I kind of want her to be more popular and known, but then again, I also want to keep her to myself. Scratch that, LISTEN TO SKOTT’S MUSIC NOW. 

Start with Glitter & Gloss. 

Favorite Skott Lyrics: “Like an empty canvas, hear me cry. Like a masterpiece, I'm in your eyes. Now your colors are in front of me, we're a picture-perfect oddity.”

8. FIRST AID KIT 

I fell in love with this sister duo when I first heard their song, Emmylou, while browsing YouTube. It’s one of those moments of instant magic. Klara and Johanna Söderberg are a coven of their own. I would describe their music as “Woodland Folk laced with runes and wild flowers”. 

Their voices compliment each other so much that it reminded me of Simon & Garfunkel (they even performed their own version of America in front of Paul Simon!!!). First Aid Kit has this Woodstock seventies vibe, and you know me, I live for that sh*t. 

Favorite First Aid Kit Lyrics: “ When I run through the deep dark forest long, after this begun, where the sun would set, the trees were dead and the rivers were none. And I hope for a trace to lead me back home from this place, but there was no sound there was only me, and my disgrace.”

9. ZOLA JESUS

Zola Jesus’ music deserves to be played with an orchestra inside an abandoned castle in Transylvania while it gently rains and you’re wearing a white nightgown as you roam its empty halls. Is that too much?

 Not at all. 

Like Skott, I listen to Zola whenever I’m having writer’s block. If I ever finish my book, I’m gonna have to thank them. 

Favorite Zola Jesus Lyrics: “I'm on my bed, my bed of stones, but in the end of the night we'll rest our bones, so don't you worry. Just rest your head cause in the end of the night we'll be together again.”

10. ZELLA DAY 

Photo Credits to Harper Smith

I LOVE ZELLA DAY’S MUSIC OH MY GOODNESS. My favorite songs of her are Sweet Ophelia, Hypnotic, Man on the Moon, and Hunnie Pie. ESPECIALLY HUNNIE PIE. I cry whenever I hear that song. It’s just so pure, calming, and beautiful. 

Her music belong in the psychedelic era. 

People labeled her as the “happier version of Lana Del Rey” but I think she’s in a league of her own. She deserves more recognition, honestly! 

Favorite Zella Day Lyrics: “The older we get there's an ocean of people in places we've chosen and you know how mama keeps saying “we've gotta stop the games we're playing””. 

Hope you guys approve of my list! I really like sharing stuff that I love! Feel free to message me for more suggestions, I’d really appreciate to know more witchy artists out there. We’re all in a huge coven of sisterhood. 

Thanks for reading!

Love, 

Ria  🌙

P.S.

Please follow my blog!!! THANK YOU  🔮

[decemberworldblog]

November 1

Sunday 7:20 pm

• Bluebeard's Castle •

You used to wrap yourself in fairy tales like a blanket

but it was the cold you loved.

Sharp shivers as you uncovered the corpses of Bluebeard’s wives. Sweeter goose bumps as Prince Charming slid one glass slipper over your little toes, a perfect fit.

But by the schoolyard, real princesses floated by you on fall winds.

You saw the gulf between you and the rich girls and vowed to stop believing in fairy tales

But the stories were in you, deep as poison.

If Prince Charming was real,

If he could save you,

You needed to be saved from the unfairness of everything,

When would he come?

The answer was a cruel shrug in a hundred fleeting moments.

The sneer on Stevie Smith’s face when he called you a fat cow.

Uncle Jeff’s hand squeezing your ass in the Thanksgiving Kitchen.

The accusation in your father’s eyes when you told him what happened.

From every boy masquerading as a man that you let into your body, your heart,

You learned you didn’t have whatever magic that turns a beast into a prince.

You surrounded yourself with the girls you’d always resented, hoping to share their power, and you hated yourself.

And that diminished you even more. And then, right when you thought you might just disappear, he saw you.

And you knew, somewhere deep, it was too good to be true. But you let yourself be swept, because he was the first strong enough to lift you.

Now, in his castle, you understand Prince Charming and Bluebeard are the same man.

And you don’t get a happy end unless you love both of him.

Didn’t you want this?

To be loved?

Didn’t you want him to crown you?

Didn’t you ask for it?

Didn’t you ask for it?

Didn’t you ask for it?

So say you can live like this.

Say you love him, say thank you,

Say anything but the truth.

What if you can't love him back?

----------------------------------------------------------

You

----------------------------------------------------------

I don't know why I like this poem.... But I just love it ❤

First of November..... Every beginning is a new beginning.

In my previous blog I told that I will be telling stories..... I forgot to mention that this blog will have stories yes for sure but it will be more of a dairy.

I spent almost like solid 6+ hr on mobile 😊wonderful right 😳😁will didn't waste my time technically as I was drawing beck for the YOU series on Netflix! Had a couple of arguments with mom over random stuff...... And had vanilla custard in the evening...... What I am trying to say is I wasted a whole day!!!

So..... Today! I woke up pretty early around 6am not by will but only coz my brother was running around the house because he was preparing for a cycling event today. I had nothing to do(I had a lot of pending assignments to do..... But that doesn't count) , so I decided to jump right into my mobile as soon as I opened my eyes.

I still have few more hours⌛ hope to something productive at least now.

Ok bye.

[michelleplayswithfire]

Top 30 Top 40 Hits of 1978

Honorable mentions: As -- Stevie Wonder (#36 -- peak Jan. 21) Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song) -- Billy Joel (#17 -- peak May 27) Only the Good Die Young -- Billy Joel (#24 -- peak Jul. 8) Just the Way You Are -- Billy Joel (#3 -- peak Feb. 18) (#17 -- YE 1978) She’s Always A Woman -- Billy Joel (#17 -- peak Oct. 14) Dust in the Wind -- Kansas (#6 -- peak Apr. 15) (#39 -- YE 1978) You Really Got Me -- Van Halen (#36 -- peak Mar. 25) Native New Yorker -- Odyssey (#21 -- peak Feb. 18) (#91 -- YE 1978) Copacobana (at The Copa) -- Barry Manilow (#8 -- peak Aug. 12) (#74 -- YE 1978) Baby Come Back -- Player (#1 -- peak Jan. 14) (#7 -- YE 1978) Take A Chance On Me -- ABBA (#3 -- peak Jul. 8) (#32 -- YE 1978) Emotion -- Samantha Sang (#3 -- peak Mar. 18) (#14 -- YE 1978) Double Vision -- Foreigner (#2 -- peak Nov. 18) (#88 -- YE 1979) Prove It All Night -- Bruce Springsteen (#33 -- peak Jul. 22) London Town -- Wings (#39 -- peak Oct. 14) Close the Door -- Teddy Pendergrass (#25 -- peak Sep. 16) Werewolves of London -- Warren Zevon (#21 -- peak May 13) It’s the Same Old Song -- KC and the Sunshine Band (#35 -- peak Jul. 1) Fool (If You Think It’s Over) -- Chris Rea (#12 -- peak Sep. 16) (#84 -- YE 1978)

30. Short People -- Randy Newman (#2 -- peak Jan. 28) (#41 -- YE 1978) 29. Peg -- Steely Dan (#11 -- peak Mar. 11) (#62 -- YE 1978) 28. Baker Street -- Gerry Rafferty (#2 -- peak Jun. 24) (#26 -- YE 1978) 27. Ebony Eyes -- Bob Welch (#14 -- peak Apr. 8) (#96 -- YE 1978) 26. The Closer I Get To You -- Roberta Flack with Donny Hathaway (#2 -- peak May 13) (#38 -- YE 1978) 25. The Groove Line -- Heatwave (#7 -- peak Jul. 15) (#49 -- YE 1978) 24b. Fantasy -- Earth, Wind and Fire (#32 -- peak Apr. 22) 24a. Serpentine Fire -- Earth, Wind and Fire (#13 -- peak Feb. 11) (#77 -- YE 1978) 23. My Best Friend’s Girl -- The Cars (#35 -- peak Dec. 23)* 22. Don’t Look Back -- Boston (#4 -- peak Oct. 7) (#93 -- YE 1978) 21. Miss You -- The Rolling Stones (#1 -- peak Aug. 5) (#16 -- YE 1978) 20. Running On Empty -- Jackson Browne (#11 -- peak Apr. 29) (#82 -- YE 1978) 19. Boogie Shoes -- KC and the Sunshine Band (#35 -- peak Apr. 1) 18. More Than A Woman -- Tavares (#32 -- peak May 6) 17. If I Can’t Have You -- Yvonne Elliman (#1 -- peak May 13) (#19 -- YE 1978) 16. Boogie Oogie Oogie -- A Taste Of Honey (#1 -- peak Sep. 9) (#9 -- YE 1978) 15. Shame -- Evelyn “Champagne” King (#9 -- peak Sep. 9) (#64 -- YE 1978) 14. Love Is Like Oxygen -- Sweet (#8 -- peak Jun. 24) (#23 -- YE 1978) 13. Use Ta Be My Girl -- The O’Jays (#4 -- peak Jul. 8) (#42 -- YE 1978) 12. Summer Nights -- Olivia Newton-John, John Travolta & Grease Cast (#5 -- peak Sep. 30) (#69 -- YE 1978) 11. Thunder Island -- Jay Ferguson (#9 -- peak Apr. 1) (#50 -- YE 1978) 10. We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions -- Queen (#4 -- peak Feb. 4) (#25 -- YE 1978) 9. Macho Man -- Village People (#25 -- peak Sep. 2) 8. Grease -- Frankie Valli (#1 -- peak Aug. 26) (#11 -- YE 1978) 7. Sweet Talkin’ Woman -- Electric Light Orchestra (#17 -- peak Apr. 29) (#86 -- YE 1978) 6. One Nation Under A Groove -- Funkadelic (#28 -- peak Nov. 18) 5. Who Are You -- The Who (#14 -- peak Nov. 4) 4b. Baby Hold On -- Eddie Money (#11 -- peak Jun. 10) (#67 -- YE 1978) 4a. Two Tickets To Paradise -- Eddie Money (#22 -- peak Sep. 9) 3b. An Everlasting Love -- Andy Gibb (#5 -- peak Sep. 23) (#45 -- YE 1978) 3a. Shadow Dancing -- Andy Gibb (#1 -- peak Jun. 17) (#1 -- YE 1978) 2b. Night Fever -- Bee Gees (#1 -- peak Mar. 18) (#2 -- YE 1978) 2a. Stayin’ Alive -- Bee Gees (#1 -- peak Feb. 4) (#4 -- YE 1978) 1c. Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah) -- Chic (#6 -- peak Feb. 25) (#20 -- YE 1978) 1b. Le Freak -- Chic (#1 -- peak Dec. 9) (#3 -- YE 1979) 1a. Everybody Dance -- Chic (#38 -- peak Jun. 17)

Albums Worth Checking Out: One Nation Under A Groove -- Funkadelic Parallel Lines -- Blondie C'est Chic -- Chic Van Halen -- Van Halen This Year's Model -- Elvis Costello Darkness On The Edge Of Town -- Bruce Springsteen The Cars -- The Cars Motor Booty Affair -- Parliament 52nd Street -- Billy Joel Q: Are We Not Men?  A: We Are Devo -- Devo More Songs About Buildings And Food -- Talking Heads The Man Machine -- Kraftwerk Destiny -- The Jacksons Outlandos d’Amour -- The Police Public Image (first edition) -- Public Image Ltd. Night Flight To Venus -- Boney M.  Easter -- Patti Smith Group The Modern Dance -- Pere Ubu Chairs Missing -- Wire Road To Ruin -- The Ramones Germfree Adolescents -- X-Ray Spex

The Bottom of the Pile: It’s Late -- Queen (#74 -- peak May 27) Supernature -- Cerrone (#70 -- peak Feb. 11) If My Friends Could See Me Now -- Linda Clifford (#54 -- peak Sep. 23) Runaway Love -- Linda Clifford (#76 -- peak Jul. 22) Time For Me To Fly -- REO Speedwagon (#56 -- peak Aug. 26) Roll With the Changes -- REO Speedwagon (#58 -- peak Jun. 10) Blame It On the Boogie -- The Jacksons (#54 -- peak Nov. 25) Trans-Europe Express -- Kraftwerk (#67 -- peak Jun. 24)* Do You Wanna Dance -- The Ramones (#86 -- peak May 6)* Rockaway Beach -- The Ramones (#66 -- peak Jan. 21)* Ca Plane Pour Moi -- Plastic Bertrand (#47 -- Jun. 17)* Psycho Killer -- Talking Heads (#92 -- peak Mar. 11)* Kings and Queens -- Aerosmith (#70 -- peak Apr. 1)

New wave songs are the ones starred. 

[hiphopscriptures]

Fresh Artist Fridays: Brave Williams

Don't Tell Me No, is an unapologetic assertion of vulnerability. It gives you permission to not let your ego make decisions for your heart and a reason to say yes to love. "To me, my song Don't Tell Me No, has a timeless sound. It's Classic. I really wanted to channel that feeling in the video; so I decided to pay homage to an era that represents that to me, the jazz era," mentions Brave. "I wanted something simple, elegant, clean and classic. A beautiful black piano, a talented pianist (Johnnie "Smurf" Smith), and an old school mic," she adds.

The song was written by Brave Williams, Brittany Barber (John Legend, Ty Dolla), and Kristal Tytewriter Oliver (Diddy, Chrisette Michele) and produced by Ivan “Orthodox” Barias (Mary J Blige, Phony PPL, Chris Brown) and the classic visuals were directed by Zack David. "Don't Tell Me No" music video was globally premiered on Bossip.com and is available on all streaming and download platforms now.

Brave Williams Bio:

Call it her parents’ prophetically-ordained choice of first names for a baby girl or divinely inspired coincidence - as per textbook definitions which encompass everything from “a bit daring” and “ready to face and endure” to “without showing fear” – singer/songwriter/SAG-AFTRA actress BRAVE WILLIAMS has been nothing less than courageous, spirited, determined and dauntless in her whirlwind rise to notability within the worlds of music and entertainment over the course of the past few years. Having quickly and effectively established herself as that simultaneously “sultry and edgy while everyday relatable” songstress whose “Oooh Luv Ya” and “Road Trippin’” 2015 singles set off buzzworthy online presence and fast-growing download support, in definitively brave fashion, BRAVE WILLIAMS more than lives up to the meaning of her name as she precedes her audacious, anticipated self-titled full-length debut set (a Brave New World/SRG ILS/Universal Group release) with the recent release of her oh-so-sultry R&B beat-ballad latest single, “Don’t Tell Me No.”

With her now signature self-assurance paired with a heavy dose of vocal temptress; the lovelorn, “old-school-slow-grind-meets-slinky-paced-modern-R&B” flow of “Don’t Tell Me No” finds the vocalist noted for championing her girls actually addressing the fellas this go ‘round, all while examining relationship “goings-on” and vulnerabilities both genders can easily relate to. “It’s completely relationship-driven,” Brave explains, upon sharing the inspiration for the song, “based on conversations I’ve had with my sisters and best friends. Men always have this idea that they have to be strong and powerful with whatever it is that’s going on. And men are just as scared as women to fall in love. So to me, it was like a declaration to men like ‘I know you’ve been through some things that have your protective wall up, but don’t let that heartache or disappointment become your permanent identity. You can still be open to fall in love, but fear will keep that blessing from happening.’ Because there’s so much noise happening – like politics, the social climate and things on the news – I want people to be reminded that love can slice through all of that…and kill all the noise. I want that to be welcomed, and I want people to be invited to always go back to love despite everything’s that’ going on.” Though attitude-laced, ladies’ anthem-styled singles like 2017’s bouncy, head-boppin’ “U Tried it” and early 2020’s deep-bouncin’ “Options” may have empowered the ladies, she’s ultimately a fair and equal opportunity (musical) communicator. “I am so pro-women, like I am always here for my girls,” she ponders upon the mention of feminism, “but I never want anyone to think or take my interpretation that I’m anti-man, because I’m not anti-man. I love my men, which is why I wrote ‘Don’t Tell Me No,’ because I wanted to speak to my men like ‘I know you’re scared. I know that you can be feeling some type of way about love and relationships. But let’s do this together; don’t tell me no.’”

Largely produced by Ivan Barias (Musiq Soulchild/Mary J. Blige/Chris Brown) while Brave handled songwriting alongside co-writers Brittany Barber (John Legend/Ty Dolla/Love & Hip Hop Hollywood) and Kristal Tytewriter (Diddy/Chrisette Michele), multifaceted Brave’s anxiously-awaited Brave Williams full-length LP aims to make good on the promise and hoopla generated by the release of her Fearless EP (2015) and its breakthrough singles. “Ivan is part of my Philly team whom I’ve known for several years now,” she shares. “He actually produced a lot of my records on Fearless. Once we met through [our mutual manager] Michael we just clicked. So it’s actually Ivan and Tytewriter [I worked with]; she’s a Philly-based songwriter who’s worked with Diddy, Ledisi and Estelle…and she’s also an engineer. So she engineers all my sessions.”

Hence, beyond the independent woman-themed “Options” and the love introspection of “Don’t Tell Me No,” the BRAVE WILLIAMS contemporary hip-hop/R&B music listeners have come to know musically and melodically elaborates and narrates an everyday love journey with a debut set that manages to tell a full-fledged story. “This new album is me being totally transparent about relationships; so I’m taking you through the beginning, the middle and the end of relationships,” says the sassy siren of her Brave Williams debut. “Whatever those emotions are, it’s telling a complete story. So in the beginning, when you’re extremely happy and have that full love feeling, is something I wanted to capture with the uptempo songs. Or going in the middle when you realize ‘Ok wait a second; the person I met six months ago has left the building’ and it’s like “Who is this guy? Let’s not forget that I still need you to treat me like you treated me in the beginning.’ And it takes you all the way to the end, whatever the end might be; if you’re happy, there are happy songs on there. And if it’s a breakup or even some of my own trials and tribulations that’s I’ve experienced in relationships, I’ve definitely penned those songs. It’s kinda like a diary…..a relationship diary [which is a bit scary].”

As it turns out, the seeds for her talent and penchant for storytelling can be traced to her early Baltimore, Maryland-based childhood…more specifically in the back-seat of her Mom and Dad’s red Chevy, on a day she vividly recalls hearing legendary rapper Tupac’s “Keep Ya Head Up.” “I remember it like it was yesterday; I was mesmerized,” Brave recounts. “I know that I had heard hip-hop before that moment, but that was the first time that it really resonated with me and I started writing. I really just started writing poems. I had no idea I could sing because I started out rapping.” Always quick to showcase her rapping and spoken word skills at open mics, she confesses that she stumbled onto the notion that she could sing upon trying to turn one of the raps she’d written into a song. That epiphany spurred a newfound exploration and appreciation of the R&B of her generation (“I love Faith Evans, Jill Scott since her first album and ‘What’s the 411?’ by Mary J, because she was like the perfect marriage of hip-hop and R&B”), as well as more classic R&B from the likes of Stevie Wonder, Bobby Caldwell and one of her idols, 80s singer/songwriter/musician Patrice Rushen.

Armed with her newfound appreciation of soul/R&B and burgeoning songwriting talent while honing her singing chops, characteristically ballsy go-getter Brave ventured and dared to develop her craft partaking in countless local open mics, one of which permanently changed the direction of her life and fast-forming music career. “Someone in the crowd pulled me aside after I got off stage [one night] and said ‘I wanna introduce you to a producer in D.C. who’s looking for an artist,’” she recounts. “From that, I was introduced to [producer] Rich Harrison (Beyonce'/Amerie), I signed a solo deal with Columbia Records and I never let them know that I had just learned how to sing two weeks before.” Thus the spirited determination which defines her very name arose, in which case she admittedly “faked it. I was like ‘Yeah, I could sing’ and once I got in the studio they could tell I was undeveloped. So once ‘the cat was out the bag’ I knew I didn’t want to lose my deal, but I needed to put myself around singers so I could grow. So that’s how I came up with Richgirl.” Signed to Jive Records, though the female quartet (which also included fellow siren Sevyn Streeter) captured the attention of an immediately awestruck urban audience with their mad-tight Harrison-produced “He Ain’t Wit Me Now,” which fans concluded should have been huge and remains a multi-million-viewed VEVO music clip, the group never quite got off the ground.

However, when you’re the living and breathing synonym for the word “brave” – in fact, indomitable – you move one, following your creativity and passion where fate takes you. In the case of BRAVE WILLIAMS, that meant persistently pursuing her dreams, adeptly learning from her experiences and exposure and seizing opportunities presented until that eventual “right place, right time” scenario. “It was because of that experience [with the group] that I got the knowledge to start my own label,” admits Brave, “just to learn the administrative work a major label actually does. To learn the type of work that’s required of an artist…like the long hours and tour life. It gave me tools to really navigate and properly start my own label (Brave New World). That’s what I did after the group disbanded and then that’s when I put out my first song, ‘Ooh Luv Ya.’ Then I hired everyone I needed [like a street team], the PR and ‘this and that’ to get that song on radio. And so when that started playing on radio, that’s what got the attention of R&B Divas (TV-One reality show).” Like a fast-rolling, momentum-building snowball, Brave commenced to not only recording her Fearless EP with subsequent singles and landed noted acting roles in VH-1’s CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story biopic, BET’s Angrily Ever After, her first leading role in Netflix’s Love Dot Com and BET’s The Christmas Lottery (alongside Greenleaf’s Asia Epperson and Family Matters’ Reginald Vel Johnson), but embarked on her passion for philanthropy though hands-on work and involvement with Associated Black Charities, the Baltimore area’s St. Francis Mentorship Program and City Women’s Shelter, acting as Ambassador/lead lrainer for the Steve & Marjorie Harvey Girls Who Rule The World girls’ mentorship program (for 200 young girls from around the world); and advocating health, fitness training and wellness through her very own Brave Williams Fitness Club. The club’s specialization in weight loss, diet nutrition, personal training, tailored fitness plans and increasing muscle mass is a personal passion she takes quite seriously and a source of great pride given its results in her local community. “In the last two years I’ve transformed 3,200 bodies,” proudly shares ISSA-licensed (International Sports and Science) certified trainer, Brave, “from women who were morbidly obese and those who’ve suffered from diabetes, to heart palpitations and other illnesses. It’s always my goal to get them off the various medications and another thing that I’m really passionate about.”

In the meantime, music listeners can also rest assured that same exact level of creative passion was invested into every song that comprises her curiously-awaited Brave Williams debut collection. “I wanted to be transparent in my moment and that was the moment of writing this album and reflecting on everything. I want people to relate to it. I want to be able to inspire the people who hear the songs. And if they’re in that type of relationship at that time, they can use some of my records as navigation on how to handle what they’re feeling. My whole purpose is to inspire.” Sounds to me like the musical mission taken on by beautiful and multi-talented BRAVE WILLIAMS was much more than accomplished.

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[toldnews-blog]

New Post has been published on https://toldnews.com/technology/entertainment/jackson-nicks-enter-hall-with-encouragement-for-women/

Jackson, Nicks enter hall with encouragement for women

Stevie Nicks, who became the first woman inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Janet Jackson, the latest member of the Jackson clan to enter the hall, called for other women to join them in music immortality on a night they were honored with five all-male British bands.

Jackson issued her challenge just before leaving the stage of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” she said, “in 2020, induct more women.”

Neither Jackson or Nicks were around at the end of the evening when another Brit, Ian Hunter, led an all-star jam at the end to “All the Young Dudes.” The Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs was the only woman onstage.

During the five-hour ceremony, Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music thanked multiple bass players and album cover designers, the Cure’s Robert Smith proudly wore his mascara and red lipstick a month shy of his 60th birthday and two of Radiohead’s five members showed up for trophies.

During Def Leppard’s induction, Rick Allen was moved to tears by the audience’s standing ovation when singer Joe Elliott recalled the drummer’s perseverance following a 1985 accident that cost him an arm.

Jackson followed her brothers Michael and the Jackson 5 as inductees. She said she wanted to go to college and become a lawyer growing up, but her late father Joe had other ideas for her.

“As the youngest in my family, I was determined to make it on my own,” she said. “I was determined to stand on my own two feet. But never in a million years did I expect to follow in their footsteps.”

She encouraged Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, producers of her breakthrough “Control” album and most of her vast catalog, to stand in Brooklyn’s Barclays Center for recognition, as well as booster Questlove. She thanked Dick Clark of “American Bandstand” and Don Cornelius of “Soul Train,” along with her choreographers including Paula Abdul.

There was some potential for awkward vibes Friday, since the event was being filmed to air on HBO on April 27. HBO angered the Jackson family this winter for showing the documentary “Leaving Neverland,” about two men who alleged Michael Jackson abused them when they were boys. Jackson never mentioned Michael specifically in her remarks but thanked her brothers, and he was shown on screen with the rest of the family.

Jackson was inducted by an enthusiastic Janelle Monae, whose black hat and black leather recalled some of her hero’s past stage looks. She said Jackson had been her phone’s screen-saver for years as a reminder to be focused and fearless in how she approached art.

Nicks was the night’s first induction. She is already a member of the hall as a member of Fleetwood Mac, but only the first woman to join 22 men — including all four Beatles members — to have been honored twice by the rock hall for the different stages of their career.

Nicks offered women a blueprint for success, telling them her trepidation in first recording a solo album while a member of Fleetwood Mac and encouraging others to match her feat.

“I know there is somebody out there who will be able to do it,” she said, promising to talk often of how she built her solo career. “What I am doing is opening up the door for other women.”

During her four-song set, she brought onstage a cape she bought in 1983 to prove to her “very frugal” late mother that it was still in good shape, and worth its $3,000 price tag. Don Henley joined her to sing “Leather and Lace,” while Harry Styles filled in for the late Tom Petty on “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around.”

David Byrne inducted Radiohead, noting he was flattered the band named itself after one of his songs. He said their album “Kid A” was the one that really hooked him, and he was impressed Radiohead could be experimental in both their music and how they conduct business.

“They’re creative and smart in both areas, which was kind of a rare combination for artists, not just now but anytime,” he said.

With only drummer Philip Selway and guitarist Ed O’Brien on hand, Radiohead didn’t perform; there was a question of whether any of them would show up given the group’s past ambivalence about the hall. But both men spoke highly of the honor.

“This is such a beautifully surreal evening for us,” said O’Brien. “It’s a big (expletive) deal and it feels like it. … I wish the others could be here because they would be feeling it.”

The Cure’s Smith has been a constant in a band of shifting personnel, and he stood onstage for induction Friday with 11 past and current members. Despite their goth look, the Cure has a legacy of pop hits, and performed three of them at Barclays, “I Will Always Love You,” ”Just Like Heaven” and “Boys Don’t Cry.”

Visibly nervous, Smith called his induction a “very nice surprise” and shyly acknowledged the crowd’s cheers.

“It’s been a fantastic thing, it really has,” he said. “We love you, too.”

His inductee, Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, recalled ridiculing the rock hall in past years because he couldn’t believe the Cure wasn’t in. When he got the call that the band was in, he said “I was never so happy eating my words as I was that day.”

Def Leppard sold tons of records, back when musicians used to do that, with a heavy metal sound sheened to pop perfection on songs like “Photograph” and “Pour Some Sugar on Me.” They performed them in a set that climaxed the annual ceremony.

Singer Joe Elliott stressed the band’s working-class roots, thanking his parents and recalling how his father gave them 150 pounds to make their first recording in 1978.

Besides Allen’s accident, the band survived the 1991 death of guitarist Steve Clark. Elliott said there always seemed to be a looming sense of tragedy around the corner for the band, but “we wouldn’t let it in.”

“If alcoholism, car crashes and cancer couldn’t kill us, the ’90s had no (expletive) chance,” said Elliott, referring to his band mates as the closest thing to brothers that an only child could have.

Roxy Music, led by the stylish Ferry, performed a five-song set that included hits “Love is the Drug,” ”More Than This” and “Avalon.” (Brian Eno didn’t show for the event).

Simon LeBon and John Taylor of Duran Duran inducted them, with Taylor saying that hearing Roxy Music in concert at age 14 showed him what he wanted to do with his life.

“Without Roxy Music, there really would be no Duran Duran,” he said.

The soft-spoken Ferry thanked everyone from a succession of bass players to album cover designers. “We’d like to thank everyone for this unexpected honor,” he said.

The Zombies, from rock ‘n’ roll’s original British invasion, were the veterans of the night. They made it despite being passed over in the past, but were gracious in their thanks of the rock hall. They performed hits “Time of the Season,” ”Tell Her No” and “She’s Not There.”

Zombies lead singer Rod Argent noted that the group had been eligible for the hall for 30 years but the honor had eluded them.

“To have finally passed the winning post this time — fantastic!”

[featherlessredheads]

Do all of the bands C;

Alabama Shakes: Favorite female lead?

Taylor Momsen & Stevie Nicks

Arctic Monkeys: Favorite male lead?

Dave Grohl, Morrissey, Eddie Vedder

Ben Howard: An album that reminds you of your favorite season?

I have no favourite season, so I’m just gonna pick an album for each season (; If I Was - The Staves for Spring; Ultraviolence - Lana Del Rey for Summer; The Colour In Anything - James Blake for Autumn; Blood Bank EP - Bon Iver for Winter

Bon Iver: An album you could listen to on repeat for years?

Hadestown - Anaïs Mitchell, don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that one

Bastille: A song that brings back bad memories?

Violence (Enough Is Enough) - A Day To Remember

The Beatles: An artist you think is overrated?

Maroon 5, songs like This Love, Wake Up Call and If I Never See Your Face Again were great, I even love Payphone, but everything after that was kinda shit. Don’t Wanna Know is just a horrible, repetitive, unoriginal track that no one really asked for. same goes for most of their recent work

Coldplay: A band you used to love but never listen to anymore?

all those bands I listened to when I was 15, Paramore, Pierce the Veil, A Day To Remember etc. I still love them though, I just never get around to listening to them ):

Daft Punk: Favorite instrumental (no vocals) song?

7/8 - The Kyteman Orchestra, The Call Of Ktulu - Metallica

Dawes: A genre of music you absolutely cannot stand?

any kind of EDM lmao

Electric Light Orchestra: Favorite song to help you cheer up?

Baby - Royal Republic, Bewuste Sabotage - De Jeugd Van Tegenwoordig, WHAT IS LOVE - HADDAWAY, Blues Is Dead - De Staat

Elliot Smith: Favorite song to listen to when you're sad?

England - The National (tbh any The National song)

Evanesence: Ever done drugs and listened to music?

never really done drugs I’m a good kid 

Fun.: Put your music on shuffle and list the first three.

Songs For Women - Frank Ocean, Molly’s Lips - Nirvana, Burying Davy - The Decemberists

Fall Out Boy: First album you fell in love with?

oh man I guess that’d be an album called Frustraasjebloes by a Frisian troubadour 

Green Day: A song that makes you feel rebellious?

Why’d You Bring A Shotgun To The Party - The Pretty Reckless

George Ezra: A song that reminds you of a past lover?

okay I haven’t got any past lovers, but Man In The Box - Alice In Chains reminds me of a past crush

Genesis: A band that your parents always played when you were little?

Eagles, Queen, Pink Floyd, all that good stuff

Hozier: Favorite brand new artist?

The Lemon Twigs released a bombass debut album last year!!

Iron & Wine: What song would you want to be played at your wedding?

Hard Sun - Eddie Vedder

Imagine Dragons: What song would you want played at your funeral?

Daylight Again - Crosby, Stills & Nash

Jack Johnson: A song you heard in a movie and fell in love with?

I recently watched Hell Or High Water (fucking incredible movie by the way) and fell in love with Outlaw State Of Mind by Chris Stapleton. also, Apple Blossom by The White Stripes was featured in The Hateful Eight, in love with both

Joy Division: Your least favorite album by your favorite band?

(my absolute favourite bands don’t have any weak albums so I’m just gonna pick a favourite band) Death Of A Bachelor - Panic! At The Disco. this album contained several great tracks, but as a whole... it lacked some genuine heart and emotion. it wasn’t as heartfelt and creative as their previous albums

The Killers: Name your top three songs of all time.

Cold Blooded - The Pretty Reckless, Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas, Dear God - XTC

Linkin Park: Suggest a band you think I might like.

you should check out John Coffey and Graveyard! both excellent bands, lots of raw energy and power. John Coffey is hardcore punk, explosive, just fucking awesome. Graveyard is more like a throwback to 70′s stoner rock mixed with hardrock, but sludgier and dirtier

Led Zeppelin: Favorite album art?

Hadestown - Anaïs Mitchell, Bon Iver, Bon Iver - Bon Iver, Reflektor - Arcade Fire, To Pimp A Butterfly - Kendrick Lamar, You’re Dead! - Flying Lotus, The Blackest Beautiful - letlive., In The Aeroplane Over The Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel, Pretty Odd. - Panic! At The Disco, Schmilco - Wilco, Fear Fun - Father John Misty

Muse: Craziest music video you've ever seen?

that one song by Glass Animals, was it Gooey? anyway, it was super weird and gross and it nearly made me throw up

Mumford & Sons: Favorite cover version of a song you love?

I reaaallly love Father John Misty’s cover of Heart-Shaped Box by Nirvana, both versions are magnificent

The National: A song you sing in the shower?

Easy Livin’ - Uriah Heep

Nathaniel Rateliff: A song that never fails to make you emotional?

My Little Ruin - Glen Hansard, She Used To Be Mine - Sara Bareilles, Heavenly Father - Bon Iver (acapella)

One Direction: Backstreet Boys or NSYNC?

BACKSTREET BOYS

Pink Floyd: You can go back in time to see any band you want. Who would it be?

man, I would’ve loved to see Nirvana. that band really shaped me as a teenager. also Led Zeppelin, The Who or Deep Purple in their glory days when John Bonham, Keith Moon and Jon Lord were still alive

Queen: You can meet any band member, living or dead, and hang out with them for 24 hours. Who would it be?

Justin Vernon, Dave Grohl, Stevie Nicks or David Bowie

Radiohead: Favorite concert you've ever been to (or a band you want to see live).

ohhh hard one, as there are so many concerts that were pure magic. tie between Fleetwood Mac, Iron Maiden and any John Coffey show I’ve been to

Rihanna: A musician you respect, even if you might not like their music?

Ariana Grande & Nicki Minaj, both have like 2 or 3 songs that I like, both are admirable women

Roo Panes: Favorite acoustic version of a song?

Oh, Oh, Calamity - John Coffey (unplugged) and For Emma - Bon Iver (blogothèque)

Simon & Garfunkel: Favorite album movie? (Ex. Yellow Submarine, The Wall, Help!, The Graduate)

Purple Rain - Prince + The Revolution, The Graduate - Simon & Garfunkel

Skrillex: What's the strangest song you have on your Ipod right now?

Father John Misty’s cover of Ryan Adams’ cover of Taylor Swift’s Blank Space in the style of The Velvet Underground

Tame Impala: A band none of your friends listen to?

i guess The Decemberists? they should though, their music is basically cute folk songs about bloody murder and words you’ve never heard of

Taylor Swift: Name that one artist that literally makes you so angry you're willing to throw the damn radio right out the window to make it stop.

BIRDY

U2: A song or album that somehow got onto your Ipod but you have no idea where it came from??? Weird.

Seasick, Yet Still Docked - Morrissey. for some reason this song was on my ipod, without any mention of an artist. idk man the song was just there. I don’t recall ever downloading it

The Vaccines: What are your favorite lyrics? Quote them for me. Do they mean something special to you?

there are way too many lyrics I love with all my heart, but one of my favourites is on Kim’s Caravan by Courtney Barnett:

“We either think that we're invincible or that we are invisibleWhen realistically we're somewhere in betweenWe all think that we're nobody but everybody is somebody else's somebody”

Vampire Weekend: A band or artist you follow on Twitter?

not really on twitter anymore, but I used to be an Avril Lavigne fan account lmao

Vance Joy: An artist where you can never tell what the hell they're singing?

Pearl Jam

Weezer: Favorite oldschool band?

define “oldschool”??? like Led Zeppelin, Fleetwood Mac, or more like Nirvana??? those are my favourites though

The xx: A genre/band you've been getting into that you never thought you would enjoy?

I never thought I’d get into any kind of hiphop, but I’ve come to love and admire all their clever ways of creating music. it’s mind-blowing

thank you so so much for asking!!!! this took me so long though hahah