#and how when Tony had heart issues in the middle of a fight and everyone could see that something was wrong with him

[daydreamerdrew]

The Avengers (1963) #12

[saiyanprincessswanie]

Mine - Part 3

Pairing: Dark!Steve Rogers x Female Reader

Word Count: 3730

Series Warning: NON/DUB CON, Swearing, Angst, Possessive Behavior, Jealousy, Kidnapping, Male Masturbation, Somnophilia, Drugging, Light Bondage, Physical Fighting, Rough Sex, Choking, Female and Male Oral, Breeding Kink, Multiple Orgasms, Forced Orgasms, Spanking and Stockholm Syndrome.

Please READ the Warnings!! These will be touched on throughout the series.

Summary: Steve is determined to win you over even if you’re denying your feelings. When an opportunity presents itself to flee or stay what decision do you make?

A/N: Sorry for the long wait with this fic. I have been dealing with a lot of health issues. Hopefully, this is worth the wait.

A/N: Beta read by @pigwidgeonxo​ & @lfnr-blog-blog-blog​

Moodboard by @fictional-affairs

Reblogs & Comments on Tumblr are welcomed and encouraged. Even if you leave an emoji you will make my day. 😊💜

I do NOT give my consent to have my work translated or reposted on any social media platform, apps, or third-party sites. If you see my work anywhere besides my personal Tumblr & AO3 accounts, it has been stolen. I will NEVER give written or verbal permission to repost or translate any of my fanfics as they’re MY intellectual property. 🚫 🚫

You woke to the soft sounds of birds chirping outside the bedroom window. You were laying in the middle of the bed when you slowly sat up. Your eyes scanned the room and found Steve sitting in a chair opposite of you. Instinctively you backed up against the headboard. The clink of your bracelet caught your attention and you tried to pull it off.

Steve scoffed. “You can try all you want but that won’t come off unless I allow it. I told you already that bracelet makes you just like everyone else, a normal human with no serum giving you strength.”

“All of this because you want a future with me. I told you I liked you, Steve. This…” gesturing around the room. “This is crazy.”

“This is not crazy. This is what love is. I love you and want my future with you. Don’t you see I thought I lost my chance at happiness when I went into the ice all those years ago? Someone else came out and I gave up on that dream. That is until you came into my life. You make me want to have a life with a family.”

“That’s not what I want…”

“Lies! I know you love me deep down inside your heart. You’re just too mad to admit your feelings now, but in time you will. You will love me, crave me, and in the end, we will have a family cause that is what you always wanted.”

“I won’t and definitely not with you.” You defiantly responded. 

“There ya go being stubborn and acting like you have no feelings. Let’s talk about that. The stolen glances you would give, the flirting you always did, and last night we made love. You moaned my name and begged for more. No longer will you look at me as just a friend. Going forward it’s us now. Who knows after last night it could be the three of us.”

The thought of Steve never using protection last night would have upset you but you were on birth control. A dark chuckle came from Steve as he could see the wheels turning in your head. 

“Yeah about that doll. Your birth control is obsolete. Thanks to Tony I was able to give you a shot that took care of the birth control problem, and made you completely fertile so we could start a family right away. Don’t worry if that didn’t work then we will just have to try harder next time.”

Tears started to fall from your cheeks at everything he was saying. At the moment everything sounded hopeless. You had to figure a way out of this. How could you have ever had feelings for him?

Sensing your hopelessness Steve started to stalk towards you. “I want your body and mind to submit to me willingly. But if I have to take what’s mine for now then so be it.” You got off the bed and took a step back in fear but he grabbed your arms causing you to squeak out in pain. “Strip or I will do it for you.” He let go of your arms and watched as you shook your head. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

Feeling vulnerable you saw no way around this and started to strip slowly for him. As soon as you stood before him naked he smirked, taking in your body. “On the bed, now.”

Slowly you crawled onto the bed while Steve started to strip. You tried to feel brave at the moment. This was just sex, right? Even though you didn’t want to, you knew Steve could forcibly take you. Better to relax and let him have you willingly. The last thing you wanted was to be injured.

Once he was naked he stalked you like prey until he climbed onto the bed. “I better get you warmed up.” 

Steve grabbed your ankles and pulled you down the bed. Pushing your thighs apart Steve laid between your legs. You stared at the ceiling trying to focus on anything but him. But when he licked the first stripe up your core you shivered at how good it felt. Steve chuckled against your core as he started to eat you out like a man starved. His fingers came up your body as he rubbed your clit. You couldn’t help but moan in pleasure at the way he worked you with his mouth and fingers. Every dip of his tongue had you panting in pleasure. You were trying not to moan his name and Steve was starting to pick up on that. He keeps licking sucking, and tongue fucking you until you finally broke. Your back arched off the bed and you moaned his name to the ceiling. 

Stopping his ministrations Steve smiled at you. “My name sounds so good coming from your lips.” Steve sat up and flipped you over onto your stomach. Grabbing your hips he pulled you to your knees so you were ass up and face down. Positioning himself behind you he dragged his cock through your wet lips a few times before he pushed inside you. The stretch had you both groaning in pleasure as he took his time with you. Finally seated all the way in you Steve set a firm and steady pace as he started to take you apart piece by piece. 

Your fingers dug into the bed as you held on for dear life as he fucked you. You tried with all your might not to moan but every snap of his hips had you seeing stars. So you gave in and let go moaning his name like a prayer. 

Steve watched as you pushed back against him every time he snapped his hips. His fingers dug into your hips a little more as he started to fuck you harder. This is what he dreamt of, you being submissive to him in bed as he took you apart. Your moans filling the air were fueling the fire that burned deep inside him. You were a drug that he was addicted to and now wanted all the time. His hand slipped from your hip and made its way toward your clit where he started to rub firm circles against it. Your breath hitched and he knew you were close. Steve plowed into you harder until your walls squeezed him tight as you came with a cry of his name. Within seconds he was cumming deep inside you and groaned your name. Once he worked you through your orgasm Steve pulled out of you and collapsed next to you on the bed.

Steve watched as you had your eyes closed and tried to catch your breath. You were absolutely beautiful in his eyes. He smiled softly at you. “See, we can have this for the rest of our lives. You can’t deny you enjoyed yourself. If you would just accept this now your life would be so much easier. I know deep down inside that you love me.”

You opened your eyes slowly and stared at him for a moment. “Just because my body is a willing participant in this it changes nothing between us.” Your attitude showed just a little in your statement.

Steve didn’t like the way you spoke. “You know me, I’m a patient man. Whether you comply now or later is up to you. Steve climbed off the bed and grabbed his clothes. He headed towards the bedroom door and left you behind. The door closed and you heard it lock. Great, now you were stuck in here. You got off the bed and headed to the master bathroom to shower. Steve should know that you were stubborn and could make his life a living hell. Thinking to yourself you thought, “Game on.”

Steve had taken a shower in the other bathroom when he locked you in the bedroom. His thoughts were of you and how willing you were in bed with him. You could say whatever you wanted about not wanting him but your body didn’t lie. You were just in denial. He knew eventually your feelings would come around and you would see things his way. Hell Bucky already got his girl under control and they were about to have a baby. Children were something he always wanted to share with the woman he loves. In due time you will be pregnant and building a future with him. He knew deep down inside you had feelings but since seeing the message on his phone by Tony you pulled away emotionally. Damn Tony for trying to follow up with him so soon. No matter Steve already knows how to win you over and once he does he will have everything he ever wanted.

You were sitting on your bed in an oversize hoodie and leggings. You were staring out the window lost in your thoughts when you heard the door behind you unlock. The last thing you wanted to deal with was Steve again but you knew you had no choice but to face him. 

“Doll, I made us something to eat so come downstairs with me.” 

Letting out a sigh, you stood up and faced him. He was holding out a hand for you and you reluctantly grabbed it. You put on your fake smile for him and asked, “What are we having for lunch?”

Steve smiled back at you and took your hand. “I just made your favorite sandwich with a side of fruit.”

“Sounds delightful.” You both walked down the stairs together and made your way into the dining room. The food was already waiting for you both as you went to sit down. Steve pulled the chair out for you and you couldn’t help the small smile on your face. He was always a gentleman even though he is acting crazy by kidnapping you. Together you both ate in silence. Steve every now and then would look at you smirking as he took you in. You didn’t know why he was staring at you so much but you didn’t want to find out. 

Right now you were trying to form a plan in your head of how you were going to make your escape. You knew the cabin was surrounded by a forest; you just needed to figure out which way you were going to run. You knew the quinjet was somewhere outside. All you needed was a moment of distraction for you to make your escape. Once you were far away from Steve you would be able to re-evaluate not only your life but the Avengers. How could Tony be involved with Steve’s plan? They were supposed to be your friend. But then another part of you reminded yourself, didn't you want to be with Steve? You had longed for your Captain’s approval and tried to make him jealous with your former boyfriend. Does this make this scenario your fault for pushing Steve too far? Yes, Steve was the one to kidnap you but didn’t you always want a life with him? No life was giving you that chance and you wanted to throw it away. 

“Whatcha thinking about doll? You look lost in thought? Not planning your escape, are you?” Steve leaned forward, his blue eyes practically staring into your soul.

“N-no of course not. Just thinking of what I'm going to do to keep from being bored and locked in my room. I mean I’m going to need something to occupy my thoughts.”

“Well, I brought some of your favorite books for you. They are in the office in a box. I wanted to bring you some creature comforts.” Steve explained, “I want you to have something to do besides fill my bed.”

“Since we are done eating can I see my books? I wouldn’t mind sitting in front of the window to read.” You hoped you sounded convincing enough.

“That’s fine, sweetheart.” Steve stood from the table and grabbed both of your plates. He put them in the dishwasher before he gestured to you to follow him. 

You followed him down the hallway and to the office. Sure enough, he had a few boxes of your things that he brought with him. Kneeling next to the box of books you looked through them. You couldn’t help but smile seeing that he brought your favorites. Gosh, why did this man have to be sweet? No matter his feelings you knew what the plan was. Make it to the quinjet and leave him behind. 

Steve’s phone started to ring from the kitchen. You both looked towards the door leading to it and then back at each other. Steve stared at you for a minute. “I need to take that phone call. If I leave you here to look through your things will you behave?”

You nodded your head. “Yes, Steve.”

Unsure whether to believe you or not he walked out the office door and picked up his phone. You slowly crawled to the door to hear who he was talking to but just when you could hear him you heard him step outside the front door. This was your chance. You crept out of the office and down the hallway. To the left, you could see Steve on the phone looking serious. You went into the kitchen and quietly went out the backdoor. As soon as you turned to close it Steve locked eyes with you and he was angry. You bolted down the stairs and saw the quinjet fifty yards away in the opening. You ran with all your might towards the jet but you could hear Steve running after you.

“Stop now, doll or you will regret this!” Steve shouted behind you.

His steps were growing closer to you as your lungs burned from the running. Damn him for blocking your super soldier serum in your body with the bracelet. On any other day you were equally matched but for your frail body, you could only run so fast. You were just yards away from the jet and started to feel a sense of hope when a hand wrapped around your arm. Steve tackled you to the ground and you landed with a thump, crying out in pain. He turned you over on your back, pinning you to the ground by sitting on your hips. 

“Why run? I told you this is your home now. You belong to me!” Steve shouted out. 

“Let go of me!” You screamed back at him as your legs were kicking trying to help flip you both.

“Never you’re mine. You belong to me now and your place is here by my side.” Steve argued back.

“I don’t want to be yours, Steve. I don’t even know you anymore. You’re a psycho!”

“A psycho? For what loving you? You know who I already am but if you want me to be your villain then so be it. Today you will know me and you will remember me.”

Steve stood and pulled you to your feet. When you started to fight against him he lifted you up over his shoulder. You screamed at the top of your lungs all the way back to the house. “Scream all you want sweetheart no one is going to hear you.” He pushed through the side door and kicked it shut as he continued to carry you all the way upstairs. Once he reached the bedroom he kicked that door shut and threw you on the bed.

He stalked toward you and before you could get off the bed to run he was on you. Quickly he stripped you of your leggings and underwear. You tried to fight him but were easily overpowered. Steve bent you over his knee and held you down so you couldn’t get up.

“Because you didn’t listen to me I’m going to spank you until you get it in your head that you aren’t leaving me.” His hand came down hard on your cheek and you whimpered out in pain. Then came slaps two through five in quick succession and he could hear you cry out for him to stop.

“If you learned to behave this won’t be necessary. Remember this was you who caused this not me.” Steve continued the sequence of slapping your behind and all you could do was sob from how painful it was. By the time he counted twenty, he stopped. You lay across his lap boneless crying from both humiliation and pain. But there was also something else there too, arousal. Steve’s fingers moved through your wet lips and chuckled darkly. “Who knew spanking would turn you on my little minx? You acted like you didn’t like this but your body says differently. Steve picked you up and made you stand in front of him. Tears continued down your face as he pulled your top off you, leaving you naked again in front of him. Steve stood in front of you and stripped himself quickly. Seeing your body’s reaction made him hard as a rock. He pulled you to him and gently pushed on your shoulder until you were kneeling in front of him. 

“I want you to suck my cock doll. Show me that you’re truly sorry. If you bite me know I will break your jaw and that’s not something that will heal fast either.”

You nodded your head as you grabbed his cock and slowly started to stroke him. Your tongue did small kitten licks on the tip of his cock before you took him in your mouth. Your tongue swirled around him as you started to bob your head, up and down across his length. A deep groan left his mouth as he fisted a hand in your hair. With every up and down motion you made the more his hips moved along with you. Before you knew it Steve started to fuck your throat. Every push had you gagging around him and that seemed to spurn him on. Tears dripped down your face as you let him use you. Steve was a groaning mess when he stopped abruptly using you. His cock slid from your mouth and you couldn’t help but cough hard from how you were used.

Steve grabbed your arm and wrenched you upwards. Before you could catch your balance Steve pushed you onto the bed where you landed on your stomach. He pulled your hips up and easily pushed inside you. Every snap of his hips bumped into your red ass causing you to whimper. Steve was on a mission to fill you and maybe if you apologized he would let you cum. His hand fisted into your hair again and he pulled you up against his chest as he continued to fuck you hard. Little moans and cries of pain escaped your lips as he used your body. 

Steve groaned against your ear. Gruffly he spoke, “Tell me you’re sorry and I promise to let you cum. Fight me and I swear I will not let you cum for a week.  I will make you beg for me to let you but I won’t. Say. Your. Sorry.” he emphasized with each snap of his hips. 

You hated yourself that you wanted to cum. Hated that you knew he would do what he said. You had to swallow your pride and give this scruffy menace what he wanted. “I-I’m sorry Steve.”

“Not good enough.” Steve never let up his pace as you tried to hold on to his arm that was now wrapped around your throat. 

“I’m sorry for trying to run. I sh-shouldn’t have done that. Please forgive me.” You squeaked out as he squeezed your throat harder. Your walls started to squeeze his cock as you started to get close to your orgasm.

“Fuck… that’s it doll. I forgive you. I want you to cum for me. Cum for me now!” His fingers let go of your neck and started to rub at your clit. Within moments you were moaning his name to the heavens. A few more thrusts and he was painting your cervix white with his seed. He rode out both your orgasms before pulling out of you and letting you collapse on the bed. 

You drifted off for what seemed like a few minutes but when you woke up you were in the tub pressed up against Steve’s chest. He gently held you as you both sat in silence. After a while, Steve spoke, “I hate that I had to punish you but you wouldn’t listen to me. You broke my trust by running. Can’t you see how hurt I am?” He sighed. “I hate to keep you locked in this room but I’m going to have to until you prove to me that you can be trusted.”

“How do I do that?” you quietly asked. 

“By listening to me. Don’t question anything I tell you. If you can do that and be on your best behavior then maybe I can trust you won’t run again. Until then you will stay up here during the day, eat with me downstairs for meals but come right back to the bedroom. I will bring you your clothes and books so you have something to do and wear. Can you do that?” 

“Yes, Steve, I can do that for you. I’m sorry I broke your trust.” You knew you screwed up and it was all because you were angry at him. You stayed silently in his arms until it was time to get out. You both dried off and when you went to put something on he stopped you. 

“Don’t let’s crawl into bed and rest. We both had a hectic day.” You nodded your head and you both climbed into bed with one another. Steve pulled you close to him and rested your head on his chest. His hand rubbed soft circles on your hip until you finally passed out from exhaustion. Steve lay there holding you close to him. He will win you over in time. All you needed was to see things his way. He kissed your forehead as he drifted off to sleep.

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@happinessinthebeing​

[figaroswilson]

𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙙 ⇒ 𝘱𝘪𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘹𝘪𝘮𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘹 𝘦𝘹𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘳!𝘰𝘧𝘤

Chapter 4

masterlist

story summary: Kira Barnes, the younger adopted sister of Bucky Barnes, is forced out of the dark underworld of espionage and into the light of the new world of superheroes when her brother abandons her with the Avengers to go on the run. She is set in her ways and determined to find her brother until she meets Pietro Maximoff, someone who challenges her black-and-white view of the world.

story warnings: violence, swearing, blood, descriptions of abuse

chapter word count: 2276

< previous chapter // next chapter >

read on wattpad

~ ✺ ~

The Quinjet was awfully quiet.

There wasn't much to say after what had happened in South Africa. Both the fight at the salvage yard and what the Hulk had done to the nearby city was more than enough to shutdown any conversation. After takeoff, everyone had kept to themselves and now they were all scattered around the aircraft, most either asleep or pretending to be. Only Kira and Clint were up, sitting in the cockpit. Clint because he was piloting and Kira for the view.

She was looking out of her side window. Once, during one of his more lucid moments, Jamie had told her that whenever he couldn't sleep he would go to the Navy Yard and watch how the water glimmered in the moonlight as it lapped up against the dock. The way he described it was like it was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. And he was right. The Atlantic was beautiful at night.

Clint had noticed a while ago that Kira wasn't meeting anyone's eye. For someone who would stare into your soul when she talked, it was clear that something was wrong. He decided he should be the one to figure out what and break the silence. Glancing over at her, he asked, quietly so as not to disturb the others, "You alright?"

Kira continued to watch the ocean as she answered him. "I'm not the one who had my head messed with," she replied, just as quietly as he did, avoiding the question.

He realised what she was doing immediately, but decided to play along. "Doesn't matter. I still care about you, Kid."

"Not a kid," Kira joked in return. She really wasn't very good at heart-to-hearts, and definitely was not prepared for one right now. Like usual, she tried to find a way out of it.

"You're like 20 years old," he said. "That's practically a baby."

"I was born in 1935. That's old enough to be your grandma."

"Still a baby."

Kira laughed, shaking her head and tried to change the subject. "Where are we going anyway?"

"You know I know you didn't answer my question. Right, Ki?"

"And you're not answering mine! We're seriously going back to the States? Is that a good idea?"

Clint sighed, dropping the issue for now. "Don't worry. I know a place."

~ ✺ ~

The 'place', it turned out, was a safehouse out in rural Iowa.

A safehouse that was also a farm. Clint's farm. Clint was a farmer.

Kira laughed as Tony's jaw dropped at the revelation. "Not funny, Ki," he mumbled, his eyebrows furrowing in concern, before turning back to Clint. "You've been hiding that you're a farmer from us? How could you?"

"Because you're the most overdramatic person I know, Tony." Clint clapped him on the shoulder. "I thought we already established this," he said, trying, and failing, to hide his smile.

Tony frowned. "Evil man," he mumbled.

The house, though large enough for each of the team to have their own separate rooms, looked like a spec in the middle of the sprawling fields that surrounded it. An old pickup truck and a small pile of firewood lay near a large wooden shed. The place was empty and the nearest neighbours must've been miles away. The entire scene was beautifully still in the morning light, and entirely quiet.

As soon as they got inside, Nat broke off the rest of the group and went straight up the stairs, like she already knew her way around the place. With how close she and Clint were, it made sense; if he was going to tell anyone about a secret house, it would be Nat. He tried his very best to show the rest of the team around the farmhouse, though their awkwardness made it very clear that none of them had ever stepped foot inside one and that no one knew how to be normal about it either.

Kira's thoughts wandered. All she could seem to focus on was how little was currently in her control. The search for Jamie was entirely derailed, she had no way of getting in contact Sam, and the mission she was currently on just seemed to be getting more and more complicated. All she wanted to do was go back to before that damn party, where everything had gone wrong. At the very least, she wanted to let Sam know she was okay.

Logically, she knew none of these thoughts were helpful right now. It was a lot easier said than done, though. She tried her best to put it all out of her head. Tried to pay attention as Thor looked with concern into the nearly empty refrigerator.

Clint looked wildly uncomfortable explaining how difficult it was to get groceries when the closest store was nearly 50 miles away and how much harder it was to keep them fresh when you hardly spent any time at home. Kira tried to help by diverting their attention. "Who's this?" she asked, pointing out an old framed picture of two boys on the window sill in front of the kitchen sink.

"Oh." Clint quickly placed it face down. "No one. Just me, when I was a kid, and— you know. Just a childhood photo," he rushed out.

Odd. She gave him a look. He quickly moved on to showing them their rooms.

~ ✺ ~

Kira mostly avoided the others for the rest of the day.

It wasn't terribly hard. They mostly kept to themselves anyways. Thor had left early on in the day, saying he needed to look for 'answers' with not much else as an explanation. Nat stayed up in her room. Bruce sat quietly in the kitchen, helping Clint out when he needed it, as he tried to put a meal together, and he needed it. Steve and Tony made themselves useful around the house, helping with some of the harder chores, like chopping up firewood.

She had tried to be around the others. At first. Her swarming thoughts quickly stopped that though. It didn't help that she couldn't talk to anyone about it either. Steve was around Tony, Nat was busy isolating herself and Sam was unreachable. Her only other option was to take Nat's approach and isolate herself too, but that wasn't turning out to be a good idea either. The longer the day went on, the longer she had to think herself into a spiral. Slowly, everything started to get too loud and too bright and, eventually, she realised she couldn't quite breathe right. She had to get out of the house.

Kira walked too quickly down the stairs, opened the front door too harshly and took a deep breath. Paused. Let it out. Started walking. Slower than before. She walked till she reached the edge of the property, then walked along the treeline that enclosed it. She walked until she didn't want to anymore. Sat in the shade of a large tree, facing away from the house. Took in the world around her. She tried to do that thing her therapist told her about: clearing her mind. She watched the clouds coming and going. How they always passed. Imagined they were her thoughts. It will pass.

And then, for a long time, she just watched. Birds flittering in the trees. Leaves dancing in the wind. Recently shorn grass, too small to be disturbed. Blue sky becoming tinged with purples and pinks, yellows and oranges. A gentle breeze brushing against her face. Footsteps on hard ground.

"You're not sneaky, Clint," she called out as he approached.

"Not trying to be." He sat down next to her. It was quiet between them for a while, as they watched the sunset.

"It's beautiful out here," Kira whispered, as if the scene in front of her was so delicate that a misspoken word could break it.

"That's why I bought it. You can just... be. Pretend nothing else exists. Clear your head."

She hummed in agreement.

"Of anything, you know," he said in an odd tone. "Like a weird encounter with two annoying 20 year olds—"

"Clint," Kira groaned in annoyance.

"Oh, come on. You can't avoid it forever."

"It's not that important."

"Ki..."

"It's really not! I promise, it's just—"

He gave her a look.

Fine. "It's just that the whole thing was odd. I don't understand why Maximoff didn't try and mess with my head," Kira explained. "I was right there. An easy target. All I had was a gun— same as Nat. And my abilities aren't any more dangerous than Steve's. She even started walking towards me but, then, nothing. They both got this look in their eyes and zoomed off. I mean, can you make any sense of that?"

Clint considered for a second. "Maybe she was too drained."

A look of confusion crossed her face. "Drained?"

He opened his mouth to speak, then stopped himself. Closed it. Considered his words. "You know my taser arrows?" he asked, tentatively.

"You shot her with that?" Kira exclaimed.

"Not exactly."

"Clint..." she said with a warning tone in her voice.

"I may or may not have attached it directly to her head," he rushed out.

"Clint!"

"She wasn't hurt! Promise. Just slightly inconvenienced."

Kira shook her head in disapproval. Then sighed, "It can't have been that anyways, she still messed with Bruce's head after. She was clearly fine. Plus that look, it was less exhaustion, more... fear."

"Huh. Maybe it was your murder face."

"Murder face?" She looked at him incredulously. "You're fucking with me, right?"

"I'm being serious! When you get pissed off at someone, you look like you're plotting their murder. A slow and painful murder. Your murder face!"

Kira laughed at that, though her smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

"It's not just about the twins, is it?"

"Okay, I am not sharing that much. This was more than enough—"

"You don't have to! Promise," Clint interrupted. "We all have to have some secrets."

"Like your picture in the kitchen?"

He nodded.

"And the reason Nat's the only one who knew about this place?"

"I won't ask if you won't. Just... try not to let it get to you too much. Alright? Sometimes the way to do that is to talk about it. Other times it's not. Especially if you're not comfortable. And that's okay too." Then, after a pause, he added, "We should probably get back inside now; it's getting dark. Plus, I have a surprise for you."

~ ✺ ~

"Took you long enough," Fury chastised from the head of the table as they sat down.

The rest of the team was already scattered around the dining room – some seated at the table, others standing. Kira smiled at him as she sat in the chair to his left. She didn't mind a little telling off from the grumpy ex-SHIELD director who had saved her from HYDRA. "Fancy seeing you here," she joked.

"Well, I thought you guys might need a metaphorical kick up the ass."

"Might need an actual one too," Clint mumbled, mostly to himself.

Fury sighed, his brow furrowing. "Ultron really did a number on you folks."

"Gee, thanks," Nat muttered.

"As much as he hates you though," he continued, "he did it to buy himself time. My contacts all say he's building something. The amount of Vibranium he made off with, I don't think it's just one thing."

"What about Ultron himself?" Steve asked from the doorway.

"He's easy to track, he's everywhere," he answered. "The guy's multiplying faster than a Catholic rabbit. Still doesn't help us get an angle on any of his plans though."

"Still going after launch codes?" Tony confirmed.

"Yes, he is, but he's not making any headway."

"I cracked the Pentagon's firewall in high school on a dare."

Fury shook his head, in that tired-of-everyone's-bullshit way of his, at Tony's admission of a federal crime. "Yeah, well, I contacted our friends at the NEXUS about that." At the confused looks that appeared around the table, he explained, "The world internet hub in Oslo. Every byte of data flows through there. Fastest access on earth."

"What'd they say?" Clint asked.

"He's fixated on the missiles, but the codes are constantly being changed."

This piqued Kira's interest. "By who?"

"Parties unknown."

"We have an ally?" she asked.

"Ultron's got an enemy, that's not the same thing," Fury corrected. "Still, I'd pay folding money to know who it is."

"I might need to visit Oslo," Tony said, more thinking out loud than speaking to anyone directly. "Find our 'unknown'."

"Well, this is good times, Boss," Nat interrupted. "But I was kind of hoping when we saw you, you'd have more than that."

"I do, I have you," Fury said. The team looked around at each other, slight looks of disbelief on their faces. They weren't nearly as confident about their chances as they had been before South Africa. Still, he continued. "Back in the day, I had eyes everywhere, ears everywhere else. Now, here we all are, back on earth, with nothing but our wit, and our will to save the world. So stand. Outwit the platinum bastard. He looked at each of them, then asked “What do we know? What does he want?"

"To become better," Steve spoke up, more confident now. "Better than us. He keeps building bodies."

"Person bodies," Tony added. "The human form is inefficient, biologically speaking, we're outmoded. But he keeps coming back to it."

"When you two programmed him to protect the human race, you amazingly failed," Nat sighed, glancing between Tony and Bruce.

"They don't need to be protected." Everyone turned to face the end of the table. It was Bruce, speaking up for the first time since Fury had arrived. Despite addressing everyone in the room, he seemed lost in his thoughts. After a second, he shook himself out of whatever had captured his attention and, in response to the silence that answered him, explained, "Ultron's going to evolve."

"How?" Fury asked.

"Has anyone been in contact with Helen Cho?"

~ ✺ ~

[madhatterbri]

Second Chance | Hook Part 4

Summary: You find out Jack is cheating on you with Anna.

For @99hook

The time flew by and soon you were in another city for your job. You had butterflies in your stomach. This was the first time you were ever going to defend a championship title. You didn't want to lose the title for a long time. As usual, your boyfriend was nowhere to be seen to make you feel less nervous.

"You are going to be fine," Skye pointed out to you. She watched you have multiple panic attacks that night. Now you were fidgeting with your gear. You had to be perfect. Everything had to be perfect. "You are doing an open challenge. Tony hasn't decided who that is going to be yet,"

"I need the people to like me so I stay champion for a long time, Skye. I have wanted to be a wrestling champion since I was a little girl," you informed her. Your new fixation was wondering if the belt should be around your waist or on your shoulder. Skye groaned and placed her air pods in her ear. At least she was still a comfort.

You walked out of the locker room and towards the entrance to the arena. You shook your hands and placed them on your head. The nerves were worse than your debut.

"Hey," a familiar voice called to get your attention. You looked to see Hook. His match ended a few minutes ago. Had he lingered to talk to you? The devil smiled briefly at you. "You got this,"

"Thanks, I..."

Your entrance music sounded. An apologetic look was sent his way. You stepped out to cheers. As you walked down the ramp you high fived several members of the audience. Some took quick selfies with you. The butterflies slowly left as you smiled. You were the people's champion.

You hyped the town you were in. An usual tactic made by wrestlers that were a face. You talked from the heart about how proud you were to be their champion and how you will be a fighting champion. You issued an open challenge as you stood in the middle of the ring.

The familiar sound of Queen Slayer played throughout the arena. People cheered as they stood up. The crowd went wilder once Anna appeared at the top of the ramp. A wicked smile on her face. Her music played as she made her way to the ring.

"Nice belt. I will be the one taking it from you," Anna smiled once she stood in front of you.

"Really?" You asked and looked behind her. "None of your posse is here. How can you possibly win without them?"

She laughed and looked at the ground. You could tell she was contemplating something. Was she going to attack you or take a dig at you? You could have never possibly thought of what she would do next.

"I'm only out here to take the belt from you because I took something else from you recently," she confessed. "You wanna know where Jack was when you won this little belt?"

"He was busy with-"

"Me. While you were getting the championship I was taking your man. It wasn't too hard. Looks like your skills in the ring and outside of the ring are the same... boring and dull,"

"You are lying," you tried to pretend that you weren't falling for her words. The truth was you knew it had to be someone else. It couldn't possibly be someone you both worked with. They could have told you in private not with everyone watching.

"Am I?" She asked. A picture of them appeared on the jumbotron. Jack was asleep next to her. His curly brown hair covered some of his face. Anna had a smile on her face. The words 'she doesn't know 🤪' written across the middle. "I guess you know now,"

Your mouth dropped open in shock. The arena sprung in an uproar at the disrespect towards you. You dropped the belt and took a swing at her. Anna dodged the punch and rolled out of the ring. She walked backwards up the ramp blowing you kisses.

You screamed at her to get back in the ring and fight you. Defending the belt was a distant memory now. Anna and Jack needed to catch these hands. To add insult to injury, her entrance music played once more.

You stormed up the ramp towards her. She ran and before you knew it she was gone. You were never humiliated so much in your life. Tears spilled as you cupped your face in your hands. Skye wrapped her arms around you and led you to the locker room.

"I gotta get out of here. Where is my phone?" You sobbed. You felt like you couldn't breathe. All the oxygen must have been sucked out of the arena.

"Here. I will get the rest of your stuff. Just call me please when you get to the hotel," Skye pleaded while giving you your phone. You nodded and rushed towards your car.

"Your name, wait!" Hook called out. He was now in a hoodie with sweatpants.

"Hook?" You asked weakly. Fresh tears sprung to life in your eyes. "This hurts so much,"

Hook opened his arms to you. You collapsed in his arms. Your face buried in his shoulder. He rubbed your back. The familiarity of him comforting you felt like old times. His scent made you feel like you were home. "I'm sorry this happened,"

"I need to get out of here,"

You pulled away from him and took off towards your car. He watched you leave with a sigh.

[kitmoas]

Gentle Sin Universe

Gentle Sin Master List

A/N: This is a drabble/hc on things that probably won't be touched on tooooo much in the actual writing, so here's some nice universe building for you guys to be able to understand the world. Hopefully spark some questions too!

Warnings: 18+ Dark fic where blood, violence, murder, death, kidnapping/trafficking, and sexual acts will be talked about in most parts if not all. It won't always be blunt or obvious but the dark themes will be there.

***MINORS DNI*** **18+***

In a time where Steve died while getting the serum, meaning Captain America never existed and the Allies lost the war.

Howard never died there for never leaving Stark Industries to Tony. Iron Man never existed and Tony partied his life away. Dying and letting his father’s company go down the drain before it could truly reach its potential.

Thor never understood how to be worthy, and was sentenced to a lifetime as a human. He died trying to do superhuman feats in an attempt to prove his worthiness.

Clint…well he was blind instead of going deaf. He lives a normal life on a farm, no thoughts of any archery ever happening.

Bruce was successful in killing the big green guy

Natasha received the Russian super soldier serum and became one of the best Russian assassins in history. When the Red Room took it one step too far by also putting her sister under a mind-controlling chemical Natasha went crazy. She killed every single widow, after breaking her sister free, and brought the Red Room down. The two of them had to kill the entire widow army to escape Russia, and then flee to America. Natasha initially tried to infiltrate Wanda’s hotel when she was caught in the middle of a gun fight.

Wanda was a product of the Sokovian nuclear war. She miraculously survived a bombing as a child but she watched her parents burn to death. From the toxins she received her “Scarlet Witch” powers and fled to America with her brother. They made their way through high school without an issue until Pietro fell into a bad crowd. It resulted in him getting killed, directly in front of Wanda, and it cracked the last bit of good will she had. Spending nights vengeance killing, Wanda spent the days becoming one of the most well known business owners. Granting her money and immunity from many things, and allowing different covers for her henchmen.

Wanda and Natasha met and the bloodlust between the two got entirely too strong. The two killed anyone and everyone that they came into contact with during the night. Falling in love with the madness and violence, the two fell for each other as well.

Peter was just a young teenager when he was taken from his foster home, brutally and violently. He was brought in front of two women who ended up shooting the men who brought him here immediately. It seems as though he was taken by mistake but with nowhere to go, the two women became mother figures to him. Being raised as a mock black widow, and as a future businessman, he quickly became one of the most dangerous people in the world but his innocent and loving heart stayed. Wanda and Natasha shield him from the dangers of their lifestyle.

Yelena spent her time in America hidden away behind security. Natasha spent most of her days spending time with her, helping her get rid of the remnants of the chemicals. She quickly became friends with Peter when he showed up. The two become a chaotic duo. Together the two lived out all their childhood dreams, and even ones they couldn’t even think of, with the never ending supply of money that Wanda and Natasha supplied. Yelena had an itch to do what she was trained from toddler age to do, murder, but she knew that she was Natasha’s soft spot so she didn’t.

When Wanda and Natasha started running into corpses and blood smears left over from kills they knew weren’t from any of their people, concerns went up throughout their ranks. The two started to get competitive, and began killing during the day. Natasha taking the reins on this one, stealth from her red room days coming in handy. The murders were getting more and more graffic and gruesome as the mystery party started leaving scenes for the two to find.

The two traveled together at night, loudly and proudly killing anyone in their wake when they stumbled on a young girl sitting arrogantly on the desk of Darren Cross, president of Pym Technologies. She’s surrounded by Cross’s head, along with the heads of the entire remaining Pym bloodline.

Kate Bishop, America’s golden girl who’s a certified genius, and is now in charge of the biggest security company on Earth. Kate thrived in school, and athletics. When she finally settled down and graduated college, her mother gifted her with an entire branch of Bishop Industries; Bishop Security and Technology.

The first time Kate killed it was an accident, but it sparked something in her brain. She fell in love with the warmth of the blood as it leaked out of the body, the pained whimpers as the person slowly fell into unconsciousness. When she got control of almost every single security system in the US, she used it to her advantage. Her murders got more adventurous as her bloodlust became uncontrollable, and her brain worked on overdrive on ways to stoop the authorities. Letting them stumble upon evidence and killing them as they try to turn it into an actual investigation.

The three of them decided to team up, using the technology and money to continuously stay one step ahead of the authorities. No one put it together that three of the most prominent women in the United States were the terrorists that left an ocean of blood behind them.

Natasha quietly stepped down when it started getting too close to Yelena and Peter. Opting to protect the one thing that the three villains, as they were now considered by the public, loved the most.

Kate and Yelena meeting was crazy to say the least. The two of them fought and teased each other consistently before one day Yelena snapped and kissed the archer. Since that day the two have dated, and the rest of the group teased the brunette about her soft spot.

When Wanda almost died one night during a shoot out with the FBI the entire group was shaken, and it caused Kate to go into a bloodthirsty frenzy. The young archer killing and torturing an entire building, only stopped by Yelena. This was the moment when the blonde decided that she needed to step up and become part of their group. Stepping in as a bodyguard type person, and protecting Wanda in public during the day.

The three spent most of their nights in a club or hotel that Wanda owned as their henchmen looked for more people to traffic, a new business that Wanda and Kate got into. When someone caught Kate’s eyes, and that is where our story starts.

Taglist: @tforjatp @inluvwithfictionalwomen @lightupthemoon @katebishop-ladyarrow @yourtaletotell @simpfornatasharomanoff @8bitscarlet

[rendevousz]

little hacker

avengers x fem!teen!reader

characters: brief clint barton, tony stark, steve rogers, natasha romanoff, peter parker

summary: you hacked into tony's systems and he, along with the team, track you down.

warnings: mentions of death and a car crash, hacking written by someone who has no idea how it works

word count: 3241

note: hi um this is my first oneshot on tumblr i hope you like it!!

you were 14 when you first met the avengers. your family had gotten into a tragic car accident and you were the only one who made it out alive, leaving you in excessive guilt and burden; guilt because you were the only one granted a second chance at life and burden because you had to live your life, barely scraping by as you were dropped the responsibility of taking care of your sick grandmother.

at 11, where all that the kids your age had to worry about was whether their pocket money was enough to get themselves an after-school snack, you worried whether or not the money left to your name was enough to survive.

at 11, where girls worried about their changing bodies and asked their mothers about it, you had to figure it all out yourself and with the help of your trusty laptop, the only gadget you had, one that your dad had gifted to you after you had gotten 100s for all your tests at age 8. he thought you were his little prodigy and figured a laptop would treat you well. you took care of it well because while you didn't want to spend the last of your money left, —that was specifically set aside for your grandmother's hospital bills— you wanted to hold on to the laptop for as long as you could, as a reminder of your loving father, as well as the memories the item held, after you've watched movies with pretty much all of your passed family members on that laptop at different points in your life. that was why whenever the thing lagged due to how much you've been using it, you almost always figure out how to fix it until it was good as new.

at 12, while your classmates had their parents to protect them when they were out at night, you feared for your life whenever you were out past dark. which led you to learning self defence from youtube videos. you learned them pretty quickly and with your sharp-wittedness, you no longer feared to be out at night. you even had the honours of trying out your skills when some men thought they could get you just because you were smaller than them.

at 12, where kids your age were having fun, enjoying their childhood, you had no choice but to be mature and think for the good of yourself and your sick grandmother. you were forced to grow up and you were probably more mature and intelligent than the rest of your classmates combined.

and at 13, you realised that money wasn't going to grow on trees and the money you were left with wasn't going to last forever. it had to last until you were old enough to work. but with your grandmother's condition getting worse and worse, you were forced to drop out of school. you were upset because you loved it. you loved knowledge. but family came first and the only thing that your knowledge increased on was on computers.

which led to you being able to hack into tony stark's bank account at only 14. you had no other choice than to steal money and who better to steal it from than a guy whose pocket change could probably last you another five years or so? you knew who tony stark was, the whole world knows who he is. and you thought that maybe he would be too preoccupied with his alter ego saving the whole world, along with his group of earth's mightiest heroes that he wouldn't notice the tiny bit of money you'd stolen from him.

of course the billionaire had been alerted immediately by his AI when you'd accessed into his systems. "security breach?" he exclaimed, immediately dropping the tool he was tinkering his suit with in his lab.

he spent about 3 minutes, that was how long you took touring around in his systems, observing what you did in it. he watched as you did nothing about the highly confidential information he had and instead, stole....5 grand from his bank account? that was barely a scratch to his account. what was going on?

he had requested FRIDAY to track down the hacker, mainly because he was perplexed that someone had hacked into his well protected system just to steal a tiny bit of money but it seems that even FRIDAY couldn't track down where it came from.

he told the team and it was then that everyone worried how dangerous the hacker could possibly be.

"who steals just 5 grand after hacking into a billionaire's bank account?" clint frowned after tony had explained the whole situation. "i mean, if i managed to hack into your systems, i'd do way more than just steal a couple bucks."

"exactly. and who knows? they might just be waiting for the right moment to install dangerous malware into the system and until we find the culprit, they're roaming somewhere out there with all our confidential information right at the tip of their fingers. if they decide to use it against us..." tony trailed off, for once having a worried expression on his otherwise nonchalant face. he's never been this clueless about what to do with any sort of technical issues concerning the avengers or himself.

you on the other hand, after getting complacent that you weren't caught, kept doing so for the next couple months or so. you had no ill intentions, just trying to scrape by. the whole situation puzzled tony. he didn't care how much you've taken from him in total now, you were right; it was merely pocket change to him. but you were still considered a threat since you had free access to his systems and he didn't even know who you were or where you were.

that was until you made a tiny mistake, one that if tony wasn't spending every waking moment trying to track you down he wouldn't have noticed. and though it was a small mistake, it certainly was going to change how things ran from then on.

that afternoon, after having just gotten back from visiting your grandmother at the hospital, you were planning to get more money from the billionaire's bank account at the comfort of your own home. god, hospital bills were expensive. once you had had a little snack, you settled down on the couch and opened your laptop. but being the quick-witted person you were, before the screen in front of you lit up, you saw movement from behind you.

your heart raced. you could handle fighting people but those usually happened in alleys at nighttime. this was in your home, your safe place. you made sure to lock the doors and there weren't fire escapes outside your windows so how did the intruder get in?

you could tell they were trying to be inconspicuous to get to you and so you let them. you let the person think that they were going to get you without a fight but when they were right behind you, you swiftly turned your body around and jumped over the couch. the masked intruder let out a surprised yelp and the two of you fought for a bit. before you knew it, you had them pinned under you in just ten seconds.

"wha– how– what?" it sounded like a boy. you looked down at him and noticed his red and blue spandex suit. you frowned. wasn't this the friendly neighbourhood spiderman guy or something? why was a superhero breaking into your home?

he was coughing from your knee pressing down onto his chest and you lifted it slightly, enough for him to breathe but not enough to escape. he seemed grateful though because he muttered a seemingly embarrassed 'thanks'.

"get off the kid or i'll blast you off of him myself."

you look up and saw the iron man repulsor aimed right at you, and obviously iron man himself was standing right there in the middle of your small apartment. behind him stood a redhead, who you knew as the black widow, aiming a pistol at you, and a man with a shield, captain america. the spiderboy must've come in through the window and unlocked the door for them.

when you made eye contact with steve, he frowned in confusion. you looked way too young to be the culprit they had expected. he muttered a quiet 'wait, what?' before tony stark revealed himself, his iron man faceplate opening.

"um...kid? where are your parents? or guardian? we need to see them because there's been some highly illegal activity coming from this address." the man in the suit spoke. you stayed still, knee still pressing against the boy under you, frowning at the adults in the room. they noticed your apprehensiveness and slowly lowered their weapons. "we're not here to hurt you, you can release the boy now," steve told you gently.

you usually weren't one to trust easily but since these people were known superheroes, you reluctantly stood up, still anxious of the possibilities of what they could do to you. the spiderboy got up too and dusted his back, before going to stand next to steve. you were confused as to why these heroes were breaking in your home until you remembered what you had been up to for the past weeks. how could you forget when that was the only reason you were still surviving?

your eyes widened with fear when they met tony's soft ones. he looked at you with such care and worry that you were reminded of your late dad. the man in front of you wasn't the arrogant man you've watched on youtube. you felt bad for stealing from him now. you used to think that he deserved it, despite how little you took compared to how much he had. the man knelt down before you so he didn't appear so big in front of you, seeing your frightened expression. little did he know you were frightened for a totally different reason.

"anyone else living here, kid? because i tracked down this address and someone has been stealing money from me. i might need to have a little talk with them." he explained, looking around the house. you fiddled with the hem of your shirt nervously, scared of what would come once you came clean about your actions. you were scared you were going to be taken in for juvenile crime but you were also scared of the consequences of lying straight to their faces. so you took a deep breath before deciding to just tell the truth.

"t–that would be me, sir." you admitted in a small voice, avoiding eye contact with the billionaire you had been stealing from. a few shocked looks from the team and an incredulous 'what?' from tony had you biting the inside of your cheeks in fear.

"i'm truly sorry about that, sir. i..." you trailed off, debating whether or not to justify your actions because you thought that he might not even want to listen to it. "i had to pay off my grandmother's hospital bills because she is very sick. my family died a few years ago in a car crash and i was the only one who made it. i was left some money to my name but having to survive on that along with paying off nana's bills, it was bound to run out. i...i thought that since you were a billionaire, stealing a few thousands wouldn't matter to you...i'm so sorry, sir. i– i'll start working to pay you back.." you stuttered out, holding your hands together so it would minimise the shaking.

tony's mouth opened and closed, like fish out of water, not knowing what to say to you. he stood up and you were on the verge of breaking down right then and there, feeling as small as you did before he knelt before you. "p–please don't report me, sir. i– i don't know what would happen to my nana if you do.. i swear to you that i didn't mess with your other files. i only accessed the system for your bank account and that was it. i have no ill intentions, please don't report me.." you were now the one kneeling down in front of him, begging.

the team were flabbergasted at the scene unfolding before them and tony was quick to get you off your knees, which scared you even more because the death grip of his metal hands on your forearms had your mind running wild at the millions of possibilities of what he would do to you. was he going to kill you and leave you somewhere that people were never going to find your body? or was he going to dispose of you and use his power to remove you permanently from the system so no one came looking for you? he had the power to ruin your life and you feared that.

snapping you out of your mental breakdown, he spoke softly. "hey, it's okay." and that was when you realised the 'death grip' he had on your forearms had only been your paranoia getting the best of you. he was barely even touching you. your teary eyes looked up at his soft, brown ones in fear.

then he smiled at you.

"it's okay. i understand the reason why you did what you did. you're a good kid, your nana is so lucky to have you. what's your name?" he knelt down before you once again, knowing that him standing tall in his iron man suit terrified you. "y/n." you responded timidly.

"how old are you, y/n?" this time, it was steve who asked. you had forgotten that there were other people in the room, too consumed by your fear for your life a few moments ago. "i'm fourteen, mr america, sir." you whispered out, the sight of captain america in person intimidating you until you saw a kind smile on his face.

"you're pretty young to be doing what you've been doing, y/n. are you aware that you're the first person to be able to hack into my heavily protected, supposedly impenetrable network? many have tried to do so and failed, and they were really smart people too. have you been doing this for a while?" tony asked.

"um...my father gifted me this laptop when i was 8 because i did exceptionally well in school. he believed i was a child prodigy and let me have a laptop since he knew my studies wouldn't be affected by the distraction of entertainment. i used to only hack into games to cheat my way up the ranks but only recently i tried something else since i had nothing better to do and i've been out of school for a while now. i knew you were a billionaire so i tried just for the heck of it and surprised myself when i got in on the first try. and then i saw your bank account details and i really needed money so i stole some... again, i'm so sorry about that." you apologised, looking down at your feet.

he couldn't believe it. you were just messing around and you managed to get into his system? you, a mere fourteen year old who was out of school, managed to single handedly do what geniuses around the world had failed to do?

he was initially just going to have a talk with the hacker, and in case they were dangerous and had backup, he brought his own. but bringing steve, natasha and peter proved to be unnecessary when the culprit turned out to be you.

"where did you learn those moves?" natasha stepped closer towards you. you looked up at the redhead, noticing the glare she had on you when she aimed her pistols at you was replaced with curiosity.

you fiddled with the hem of your shirt even more, embarrassed to tell her that you learned to fight from a couple of youtube videos when she had gotten years of actual training. you were pathetic compared to her. "i, um, i learned them from some youtube videos."

her eyebrows raised in surprise at the revelation. you hadn't gotten professional training yet you moved like you had. peter had superhuman strength, agility and endurance yet you took him down in under ten seconds. sure it may have been a disadvantage to peter because he was caught off guard but he should've been able to take you down still.

now was tony going to let the chance of a lifetime slip by? no, of course he was immediately thinking of recruiting you. your dad had been right about you being a prodigy. you adapted to new skills quickly and you were perfect for recruitment.

"hey kid, wanna be an avenger?"

your eyes widened and your jaw dropped in shock. steve immediately turned to him, an incredulous look on his face as he glared dangerously at the billionaire. "stark, you wanna think about this for a minute?"

"thank about what, cap? you saw what she did to the spiderling. and she successfully hacked into my system on her first try and we took weeks to trace her. romanoff back me up here," he saw how impressed natasha was by you and he knew the redhead wasn't going to disagree. "stark's right, steve. she's only fourteen and she's capable of so much already. we need someone like her."

"exactly! she's only fourteen! this life is dangerous for her!" steve argued. peter then tapped his shoulder to get his attention. "hey, mr rogers, i'm a sixteen-year-old avenger and she took me down easily. not gonna lie, it hurt my pride, also my back when you flipped me over your shoulder," he turned to you but you didn't say anything because you couldn't see his facial expression. "but i think she's going to be okay, sir."

steve sighed before turning to you, the defeated expression on his face softening when you looked up at him with your doe eyes and a small smile. you didn't answer to tony just yet since it seemed that steve had a say in it as well but you were dying to say yes. not only were you not going to be reported for your crimes but to be recruited by iron man himself to be an avenger? who could say no to that? not you, at least, since you had nothing better to do with your life at the moment.

"well, what do you say, kid?"

your smile grew and you nodded happily. the team couldn't help but crack a smile at how happy you looked for the first time since they've encountered you.

"well, you should go pack your important stuff so we can go back to the tower. you're going to be moving in if you're an official member of the avengers." tony told you and you nodded, walking towards your room to start packing while the team sat on the couch to wait for you.

"wait, what's going to happen to my nana?" you turned back towards them, worry etched onto you face. "don't worry about it, kid. you can give me the details later and i'll settle it. she'll be in good hands." he assured. "okay." you mumbled in response.

you were actually going to be an avenger. "awesome.." you grinned to yourself as you packed.

[toomanyrobins2]

drunk on indigo skies pt. 11

Summary: Y/N “Indigo” Phillips had dealt in secrets her whole life. Hired by Tony Stark at 16, falling in love with his son was never the plan. She also never expected that five years later, she’d be leaving Peter in the middle of the night with just a note on the dining room table. Now a year later, she has to return to the Three Families as their whole world continues to be threatened by a rival mob.

Pairing: Peter Parker x Reader

Word count: 1.2k

Content warning: Mentions of alcohol abuse, sex, violence, murder

Notes: Sorry this has taken so long! I'm going to try to be more consistent from here on out. Enjoy 💛

series masterlist // next part

Y/N had gone home to Ellie after her fight with Peter. She’d moved like a zombie until she sat in the nursery, staring down at the sleeping baby in her arms. She groaned and dropped her head back against the rocking chair. Once again, her impatience and temper had ruined her and Peter…dammit.

It had been three days of avoiding everyone. The texts and calls had finally gotten so bad that she’d just shut it off completely. The fight kept rolling through her mind. Why hadn’t she just told him the truth. Peter had said he loved her...maybe the truth wouldn’t ruin that? Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone buzzing and she quickly answered, not wanting to wake up Ellie. She pulled it out of her pocket, whispering into it, “Hello.”

“Is this Indigo?”

“Yes, who is this?”

“It’s Ant at the bar.”

“Why are you calling me?”

“I don’t know if this is my place or not, but Peter is here…and he’s…well he’s ordered a drink.”

Her stomach dropped, “I’ll be right there.” Y/N quickly brought Ellie down to the car, having to ignore how grumpy the baby was. She rushed to the hotel, her heart beating out of her chest.

Standing in the doorway, she stared at the brunet at the bar. It was clear Peter hadn’t shaved since their fight. His face was scruffy and hair stood up on end like he’d run his hands through it multiple times. He was sitting in the center of the bar, a glass of whiskey in front of him. Her mind went back to every time she’d try to take a glass just like that away from him. She made her way over and put a hand on his shoulder, jarring Peter from his destructive thoughts. Sliding the drink away from him, he didn’t even try to stop her. He looked up at her and sighed, tears in his eyes, “I didn’t drink it. I swear.”

Indy threaded her fingers into his hair, “I believe you, baby.”

“I thought about it. Every time I picked it up, you and Ellie ran through my mind.”

Her heart broke at how distraught he looked, “Come home. You can deal with this tomorrow, but tonight just come home. Cuddle with me and Ellie.” Peter nodded and let Y/N throw some cash on the counter and lead him out, mouthing the words thank you to Scott behind the bar.

They drove in silence until they parked. She had stared out the window the whole drive home, her hand gripping his tightly. When they parked, she turned to him, “I know that HYDRA has issued some threats and I know everything is messy right now. I’m going to try to be more honest and open. Tomorrow, you can ask me anything.” Peter leaned over the console and pulled Y/N into a heart-shattering kiss. He let his forehead rest against hers and she smiled softly. For all the anger and danger that existed in the world, these soft moments with him made it all worth it. Peter Parker was a lot of things to a lot of people. To her, he was the man who would sleep on the floor of Ellie's nursery and who had brought her coffee in bed every morning. They had had their lows, but they had grown and now Y/N picture of their future starting to form. “Let’s go to bed,” she whispered.

The sun broke through the window, waking Peter up. He rolled over and it took him a second to remember the night before. Rolling over, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Y/N was still there. He climbed out of bed and went into the nursery to check on Ellie. When he got into the room, the baby was wide awake and kicked happily when she saw him. Peter picked her up and brought her back into the bedroom. He kissed Y/N’s forehead, gently shaking her awake, “You need to get up, baby. We have to go.”

“Nooooooooo,” she rolled over.

“Yesssssss,” Peter mocked her, “I have a surprise.”

She cracked open an eye, “A good surprise?”

“Guess you’ll have to wait and see.” She grumbled in annoyance but got out of bed.

Peter drove them out to where the compound was. Y/N was confused when he drove past the usual turn and continued down the road. “Are you planning to murder me?”

He laughed, “No, I’m showing you something. Now be patient.” Peter turned off the road and headed towards a small house. It looked like the cottage out of a storybook. There was a wrap-around porch and a tire swing hanging on a nearby tree. All-in-all, it was an idyllic home. He parked and got out, leaving Y/N and Ellie in the car. When they didn’t join him, he turned around and waved at them.

Once she walked up beside Peter, he explained, “Every time I wanted to drink, I started going for long drives. I found this plot of land for sale and bought it. Started to build a house. The house we talked about that night. An escape from all the craziness.”

“Peter—“

He held his hand up to stop her from speaking, “You told me starting today that you were going to be honest. I think I should do the same. I just want you to understand that when I say I haven't had a drink since you left, I meant it. Every moment I could, I worked on this.” He pulled a key out of his pocket and they walked into the house.

Y/N looked around, the decor was sparse but the bones of the house were exactly what they had talked about. A big room with a fireplace took up the front of the house. Bookcases ran along one wall, half-filled. Her hand ran along the back of the couch, the same one that used to be in their apartment, “I can’t believe this.

“I asked you what you want, but first, I’m going to tell you what I want. I want you and I love you.”

The idea o telling Peter the truth was getting worse by the second, Y/N swallowed, “Don’t say that.”

“I have to. Because if I don’t I think I’ll explode. I am heart-stoppingly, world-shatteringly in love with you.”

“Peter—“

“Stop running. You loved me once and all I’m asking for is a second chance.”

“I’m not running.”

“Yes, you are. Every day you’ve got one foot out the door, ready to bolt. I love you.”

Her arms were wrapped tightly around her torso, as if that would stop his words from hitting her, “Stop saying that.”

“Why? It’s what you wanted from me once.”

“Because the day you stop saying it again is the day that my heart shatters. I can’t stay and let you fall out of love with me. You may feel that way now, but I’m not willing to see you change.”

Peter threw his hands up in frustration, “Who’s saying I’m going to change?”

“Because I haven’t told you everything and when I do it’ll all change.”

“I love you and I think you love me too, Indy. I don’t think I’ve ever stopped.”

“Dammit, Peter,” she turned away from him and looked around the room, “You did all of this?”

“I love you and Ellie and I want the three of us to live together. Here or anywhere else you want.”

She watched as Ellie toddled amongst the things they used to own. She hated how much it fits. How simple it all looked. “Dammit,” Y/N grabbed Peter and pulled him into a kiss, “Before you make that offer, I need to tell you the truth. The whole truth…”

******************************

@marvel-is-a-mood

@marvelofwitch

@mycosmicparadise

@majo240820

@capsiclesdoll

@slut-for-steve-rogers

@dottirose

@runawayolives

@zaraomarrogers

@jemimah-b99

@redhairedfeistynerd

[hyperbali]

Agatha Harkness Was Right, And Here’s Why

Alright. Finally had to sit down and write my way out of this quiet, internal temper tantrum, and a few people were interested in seeing what I had to say, so I present to you:

Agatha Harkness Was Right, And Here’s Why

Disclaimer: MASSIVE spoilers for the entirety of WandaVision, and I am not nice about it.

I’ll start off by saying that, for all its foibles, WandaVision was genuinely a good example of a property within the MCU/Disney umbrella that stepped out of the usual ‘good guys fight bad guys action extravaganza’ in a way that pushed the envelope. The pseudo-horror aspect of the first few episodes is something I would really love to see engaged with on a more thoughtful basis in future projects.

I would say that it proved to be more than a vehicle to promote toys, but… well…

Yeah. Anyway.

I’ll assume that you watched WandaVision if you’re reading this, but quick recap: In the aftermath of ‘the Blip,’ Wanda is left broken and alone with no one in her corner. Her biggest mentor willingly abandoned his team to get his own ‘happy’ ending (do not get me started on Steve, that’s a document in and of itself), her other biggest mentor is probably off enjoying his family while ignoring the incredibly racist killing spree he’s been on for the past five years, and her lover is dead. When she goes to claim the body, she’s told nuh-uh, that’s government property, please leave.

So she goes to a plot of land in the middle of some nowhere town in New Jersey, which Vision apparently bought despite the fact they were living a pretty decently comfortable life in Scotland, where she looks at the deed that Vision drew a heart on and wrote ‘To Grow Old In’. Very sweet. Kind of weird, considering nothing of this caliber had ever been suggested for either of their characters and they’d been actively running from specifically the U.S. authorities? But sweet.

She has a breakdown and, in her grief, contains the entire town of Westview and all 3,892 of the people in it in her own personal paradise, where nothing bad ever happens beyond sitcom hijinks, no one dies, and every problem is tied up and neatly dealt with by the end of an ‘episode’. Except we learn that this is only paradise to Wanda, who apparently shares the aspect of having to relate everything to her favourite pop culture with Tony, because everyone else in Westview is more or less being psychologically tortured by the incredible amount of pain she’s in, forced to be puppeted actors to make her happy.

Bear in mind, Westview might have been bigger at some point - we have no idea how many people survived the Blip, or how many have been brought back to life within the past few weeks of the current setting. Either way, this is a town that has already dealt with a lot of trauma being dragged into yet another awful, much more specific kind of emotional damage, thanks to ‘the heroes’. Nice.

Agatha Harkness, a witch who’s been up to who-knows-what in the 340 years since she drained the coven that tried to kill her for getting a little too ambitious into jerky, feels the massive expenditure of magical power and decides to investigate. All the while, she carefully uses her own magic to try and peek into Wanda’s psyche, her motivations, all while keeping up appearances and not letting slip that anything is amiss.

I’ll point out that she’s no saint here, either - she specifically keeps one Westview resident at her mercy, and knows what’s happening to the rest of them, but doesn’t attempt to stop it. I’ll chalk that up to her pragmatism; their ‘sacrifice’ was fine to her as long as she could figure out how Wanda could have done something so unheard of in terms of power.

What we come to learn over the course of the show is that, given everything that happened, Wanda didn’t mean to take over an entire town and tool it into her own personal slice of heaven. She very quickly became aware of it; we know that she knows it’s her own personal bubble as soon as episode three, when she’s confronting Monica about how the latter could possibly know about Ultron. Wanda is made further aware of how much damage this is inflicting on others in episode five, when Vision himself tells her that these people are scared. But still, she has everything handled! It’s okay! The outside world is worse, trust her!

Her handling of the question, ‘where are all the children of Westview,’ is one that bears some thinking - and, y’know, kind of more than a little concern. They’re allowed to walk around as part of the ‘Halloween special,’ but as Vision walks further and further out towards the edges of town where Wanda doesn’t have as much full control, people are just frozen in place, or conducting the same few seconds of action over and over. And fully aware of being trapped.

How are they being sustained? Eating, sleeping? If someone isn’t part of her storyline, is she just locking them down into a coma? What made Wanda decide that keeping the children ‘out of the way’ was somehow kinder than involving them, especially given her later argument that she’s been trying to keep the entire town safe and happy?

The fact of the matter is, she only actually starts to feel remorse for any of this after she’s confronted with the fact that, after weeks of being at her mercy, the townspeople of Westview would rather be dead than endure another moment of having to play nice for her enjoyment. She finally opens the ‘bubble’ to let them out - which leads to the ‘epic’ finale of three different entities trying to take down Wanda and her happy family: the S.W.O.R.D. military led by Hayward, the White Vision, and Agatha.

Winding back to how we got here: after Agatha uses her own trapped resident, Ralph Bohner (who, given his casting and the props in place during the last episode, I’m willing to bet is actually the missing witness protection person Jimmy was looking for) in an attempt to lure out Wanda’s reasoning - and fails - she’s pretty much done pretending. She tricks Wanda into her basement, nullifies her powers, and makes her face her own past to get to the truth of the matter.

Not going to lie, favourite moment of the show. Kathryn Hahn killed Agatha’s slightly-amused-slightly-irritated observations about Wanda’s coping mechanisms, and the whole arrangement was extremely meta. I would have paid real money dollars to see her do the same thing to the likes of Tony, Strange, and Loki. Hell, even just having her meet the rest of the Avengers? Augh. If wishes were fishes.

When Agatha comes to the conclusion that Wanda is the vaunted, nigh-indestructible force of nature that she’s literally spent her entire life reading about is the ultimate source of chaos magic and will likely bring about the end of the world, she’s pretty understandably taken aback. To that matter, the fact that Wanda… has very little control over any of it, and is using what she does understand to play housemaker? After how long Agatha has spent learning control, hiding in plain sight, just to be child’s play compared to what Wanda has at her fingertips? I’d be pretty pissed off, too!

The way that WandaVision handled both of the major ‘fights’ - Vision versus White Vision ending in philosophy, and Wanda ending up beating Agatha at her own game of deception - is excellent. A little grating that they had to go with the beat down angle before they got there, but this is MCU; punches and thrown cars had to get shoved in somewhere. And, given that this series very much played with the idea of grey morality, I was sort of hopeful that Agatha would end up in a not-quite stalemate arrangement with Wanda. She’s not as powerful as the Scarlet Witch, but she has the know-how that Wanda sorely lacks; in recompense for her own deeds, she would be able to teach what she knows while also kind of scheming on her own time.

Y’know, like what they did with rehabilitating Loki?

Except that Wanda, who has just gone through the entire rigamarole of coming to terms with the fact that she trapped thousands of people into a nightmare scenario against their will, rendering them helpless to her mercy… traps Agatha into a nightmare scenario against her will, rendering her helpless to Wanda’s mercy.

That moment actually shook me. Oh, my god. We’re supposed to still look at Wanda as a good guy after this?

This isn’t even covering the incredibly awful confrontation with her and Vision where she tries to gaslight him into believing that everything is A-OK, or the fact that the person she gets most violent with (apart from Agatha) is Monica Rambeau, a black woman who spends most of the show bending over backwards trying to say that what Wanda is doing is understandable, justified, and just needs a gentle touch to be dealt with.

That could be its own document, too - how Monica, much as she’s incredible and definitely looks to be a really exciting addition to the MCU roster, more or less gets used as the Good One to absolve and enable Wanda’s actions. One of her last lines to Wanda, after seeing how the people of Westview (rightfully) look at Wanda like she’s monstrous, is “they’ll never know what you sacrificed.”

Sacrificed what? The fake husband and fake kids she made out of her own compulsion to pretend that everything is okay? None of that would have existed if she’d been given the proper resources to actually cope with how much loss she’s had to deal with. None of that would have existed if she hadn’t caused this problem in the first place.

In the end, Wanda flies off in her fancy new gear before the FBI shows up, avoiding any real consequences to her actions - which has pretty much been the running theme of her character ever since she was introduced to the MCU in Age of Ultron. The worst kind of direct consequence she’s ever gotten was being grounded to her room for a while, then kept in the Raft for, like, maybe a day - and both times, she was broken out post-haste.

Meanwhile, she worsened the issues in Sokovia (which, I will say upfront, was Tony’s fault to begin with), unleashed the Hulk on Johannesburg, got a pretty significant amount of civilians killed as bystanders in Lagos (hey, how come Wanda keeps turning a lot of black people into casualties?), and stood back in Wakanda to let their people try to fight off Thanos from getting to Vision until it was clear that there was no other option than for her to get involved.

Great Power Comes With No Responsibility At All, Actually.

Wanda, in the several years she has maintained her identity as an Avenger, has proven time and time again that she takes on innumerable risks without any full understanding of what they mean, allows others to take on the brunt of the fallout for her, and looks sad until she’s forgiven and moves on to the next problem. She has no business casually throwing around the kind of power that being the Scarlet Witch entails, not until she’s actually made any kind of headway into making reparations for what she’s done and tried, really tried, to get a handle on what she’s capable of.

Which she’s apparently doing in the last post-credits scene, astral reading the literal Book of the Damned on her lonesome in the mountains, but… without anyone to guide her, or give her any kind of boundary?

[I ran out of images I could post, but you know exactly what image I am referring to here]

Agatha Harkness was right. And that should terrify everybody that has to deal with Wanda in the future.

(P.S. Do we know if she actually even killed that dog? We never see her holding anything but a blanket, and characters go in and out of that show all the time. Granted, she wasn’t great with the cicada-turned-bird... hmm.)

Additional Notes:

“Well, you’re a Tony Stan, of course you think Wanda’s a villain”

I like Tony because he’s such an awful mess, and the narrative isn’t exactly kind about telling him what a piece of shit he can be! He reaped a lot of problems, created practically half the villains in the MCU, and ended up dying a martyred hero. Thanks to being the tent pole by which this franchise hoisted itself into a cultural powerhouse, he will always be their golden savior. If you want to read about how he’s the true villain of this entire affair, feel free to look up any number of takedown pieces about him that are out there. He’s a dick. I will never “uwu sad baby who did nothing wrong ever 🥺” him the way people do about Wanda.

“Why are you so pressed about this”

Because something as good in concept as WandaVision could and should have been about anyone other than the whitewashed, antisemitic take on Wanda Maximoff that MCU brought upon us. They put crucifixes on her wall in Civil War, for fuck’s sake!

“Weren’t you mad about them not including Aaron Taylor-Johnson”

At this point, I am almost kind of relieved the real Pietro wasn’t resurrected for this, because god knows they probably would have killed him all over again just to inflict that much more pain on his sister.

“Anything else you’d like to tell us, turbo nerd”

This was literally itching at me all weekend to write, so it’s more or less just to get it off my chest. If you powered your way through it, uh… thanks? Sorry if I yucked your yums, but I tried to be as clear with the disclaimer as I could. 🤷‍♂️

[avengerscompound]

Until the End of the World - 17

Until the End of the World: A Captain America Fanfic

Masterlist PREVIOUS //

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

Word Count:  1627

Rating:  E

Warnings: a little self doubt, canon typical violence

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

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

Chapter 17

“Sir,” FRIDAY said.  “I think… I think Geo is sending us a message.”

The uncertainty of the AI’s voice was what really made Steve pay attention.  Given that she was a computer, she never had any uncertainty when she made a statement.  All her statements were made based on thousands of algorithms assessing everything at once.  Yet here she was - facing an undeniable SOS sent down the powerlines - unsure of what she was saying. 

“What’s happening, FRIDAY?”  Steve asked.

“These surges are coming from the outside, something is pushing the grid to feed us power.  I thought it was just a supply issue so I was following it back to the source assuming it would go to a power station.  Instead, it’s going below us.”

“What?”  Steve said.

“I know, Captain,” FRIDAY said.  “And then the SOS just now.  I’m sure it must be him.  He’s being kept in some facility underground.”

Steve strode to the door, gesturing for Bucky to follow.  “Can you figure out exactly where?”

“I’m working on it,” FRIDAY answered.

Steve rode the elevator up with Bucky his heart pounding in his chest.  He wanted this to be it.  He had to find you because all this was his fault and if his lack of foresight meant that you were hurt or worse, dead, he would never forgive himself.

He blamed himself completely for not being more diligent.  Of course, HYDRA had come back.  Of course, they’d remembered you were something special.  Steve had a policy of not killing people unless there was no choice.  Of course, people died at his hand in battle and he had to live with that, but he wasn’t an executioner.

This was the first time he’d ever regretted that.  He wished he’d killed Viper when he had the chance.  If she had gone, then so would have everyone with any power that would remember who you were.  His morals had been the exact reason that his girlfriend and his children were in danger, and what was the point of morals if they meant the people who deserved it least got hurt?

The elevator opened into the command room and he strode in.  Tony turned around looking flustered.  “I’m working on it,” he said before Steve had a chance to say anything.  “This is tricky.  What Geo can do… it shouldn’t be possible.  The things he communicates with - they don’t have any sort of intelligence half the time.  Yet he can convince them in a way that implies they must.”

“You’re sure it’s him though and not someone trying to draw us out into a confrontation,” Steve asked.

Tony shook his head. “It’s him.  I can’t even do what he just did.  There is a clear path down to a place where there is no power supply.”

“Can we follow it?”  Steve asked.

Tony nodded and projected what was the start of a map and overlaid it on the current maps from urban services and surveyors that included service tunnels, subway systems, and sewer pipes.  As he looked it over new sections seemed to be added deeper down and others seemed to be overlaid.

“Is this it?”  Steve asked.

“I’d say so,” Tony said.  “Just trying to find a way in.”

Steve paced.  He wanted to go.  The longer he had to wait the more likely you would be hurt.  Bucky grabbed his wrist as he passed and Steve stopped and looked at him. 

“There,” Bucky said, pointing at the screen.

“What are you seeing, Freezer Burn?”  Tony asked, putting his blue blocker glasses on and tilting his head.

Bucky approached the screen.  “That’s where the Waldorf Astoria is right?”  He said as he indicated a subway line that had been marked as closed on the map.

“Right,” Tony said.

“That track used to be used to go from Grand Central to the Waldorf, specifically for their VIP guests.  You remember when they opened it, Stevie?  General Pershing rode it?”  Bucky said.

“Oh yeah, that’s right,” Steve said.

“How can you remember that and not killing Kennedy?”  Tony snarked.

“Who says I can’t remember killing Kennedy?”  Bucky deadpanned.

“Can we squabble later?”  Steve asked, getting frustrated by how slow they were discussing this.  “What’s your point, Bucky?”

“It’s accessible by a service elevator from the Waldorf.  Which is on the route between here and Geo’s school,” Bucky explained.  “If they parked under the hotel, that would explain why the van vanished so fast, and then they could just get them down to that track unseen.  And as it’s abandoned they could have used it for construction and it gone by completely unnoticed.”

“But the Waldorf is valet parking,” Tony said.  “How would they hide two unconscious people from the valet?”

“Maybe they had someone on the inside?”  Steve suggested.

“Or perhaps they accessed it from the private parking for the Towers of the Waldorf.  They have their own private access to the parking garage,” FRIDAY suggested.

Tony looked at Steve.  “Go.  I’ll assemble the team,” he said.  “FRIDAY get the Legion to focus their scans on that abandoned tunnel.  We need an access point.”

Steve and Bucky took the elevator to the armory.  Steve hadn’t changed since you were taken so he just pulled on the upper part of his uniform, and grabbed the shield.  It took Bucky a little longer to get suited up, but when he was done he not only had his armor on but several different guns and knives packed onto his person.

The two took the stairs to the street.  As well as the adrenaline that was coursing through his system, Steve felt frustrated and angry.  HYDRA hand managed to build an underground facility immediately under his nose.  Grand Central Station shared the block with the Avengers Tower.  They couldn’t have been closer if they’d just set up shop in its basement.

The paparazzi started calling out to them and taking their photos as soon as they ran out into the street and many people who had just been walking along experiencing a normal day in the city stopped to gawk at the two Avengers as they ran down the street.  They charged into the entrance of the railway station.

“Excuse me, pardon me, coming through,” he shouted as he wove in and out of the people heading down into the large open concourse with its domed ceiling with the celestial mural in gold and turquoise.

“This way,” Bucky said, pointing to the left.  “We’ll have to cross over from track 42.”

Steve nodded and followed.  They ran down the platform, past the trains waiting, and onto the tracks.  “Cap!” A porter yelled out.  “You can��t go down there.”

“I need you to keep the tracks clear.  This is Avengers business!”  Steve yelled back.

“We found what seems to be a tunnel,” Tony’s voice crackled over the comms.  “It’s on track 61.  FRIDAY will let you know when you’re near the entrance.”

Steve didn’t need FRIDAY’s help in the end.  The entrance was obvious.  Among the waste and abandoned train carts along the track was a large opening that went down under it all.  It was roughly hewn and reminded Steve of an old mine.  He and Bucky were just about to head down into it when the sound of jets echoed off the walls and they were joined by Rhodey and several of the Iron Legion.  “Cap,” Rhodey said, landing beside them.  “Tony found another entrance, down at the Canal Street station.  That looks like the main entrance and the one that they did most of the work from.  There’s a bunch of construction on the tracks down there and it’s possible they just blended in with the official stuff.”

“Thanks, Rhodey,” Steve said.  “You ready?”

“Always,” Rhodey answered, his visor closing again.

They made their way down the tunnel, Rhodey and the legion flying behind as Steve and Bucky ran down into the bowels of the earth.  As they got deeper down, the rough temporary look of the tunnel began to look more complete, until they were standing behind a door that looked like it was made of thick metal.

“Looks like if we ever had an element of surprise, we’re about to lose it,” Steve said, as he assessed the door.

“That’s if we had it,” Rhodey said.  “Stand back, the longer it takes us to find them, the higher the chance they’ll slip out some secret entrance.”

Bucky and Steve backed up and Rhodey aimed his arm at the door.  A laser burst out from an eye on his wrist and carved through the thick metal.  It took around a minute before he’d cut all the way through.  The alarms started sounding before the door even hit the ground.  A group of HYDRA stormed out from one of the rooms and the Iron Legion flew past Steve’s head and began to fight.

Just as Steve was about to join the fray the alarms stopped again.  Steve looked at Bucky who had his gun raised.  “Geo?”  He asked.

“Geo,” Bucky agreed.

Steve ran in, joining the fray as they took down the guards.  When no more came, they ran down the hall and it split off into various paths.  Steve looked at Rhodey.  “We should split up.  Cover more ground.”

“Agreed.  I’ll take a few of the Legion this way,” he said pointing down the middle.  Steve nodded and Rhodey took off.

“Stay safe, Buck,” Steve said.

“You too,” Bucky said before running down another hall with some of the Legion in tow.  Steve took a breath and looked at the remaining paths.  He gestured for the remaining Legion down two and took off after the last one, hoping that that would be the one that brought him to you.

// NEXT

[karimac]

...in the details, Part 2

A/N: Warning for this series: 18+ audience (minors DNI), some cinematic level violence, some fluff and angst. Doubt that smut will be involved, but it may be implied. I’ll make sure that is noted clearly if it pops up.

All relationships, at this point anyway, are platonic.

Please do not repost or translate my work. Likes, comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated.

A bit about the OC Kari

Part 1

All mistakes are my own.

Word count: 2,249

Before you ventured into Westview, a flight of birds overhead reminded you of Redwing and Sam. Poor Sam. That sixth sense you had told you that fight at the compound was going to lead you all into very weird places. And the first one left you very squarely not in the room once again.

This time it was Steve and Bucky being thick as thieves, and you and Sam were…making a sandwich run? Couldn’t exactly get GrubHub to make a delivery to an attack site, could you? Bruce did not want some driver with a cellphone putting video up on Snapchat. “How would that look?” he bemoaned as he worked on the time travel platform. “We’d be getting tourists left and right. I don’t need that.” So off you and Sam went.

“You know, you could just, you know,” Sam started to say as he waved his hands like he thought a wizard would do, “and just poof up a plate of stuff. Right? With extra food for Banner, of course. He inhales tacos like nobody’s business. Just ask Tic Tac.”

“Sam, what have I told all of you before? Magic is the transfer of energy and matter. No suitable food stuff means no sandwiches. I can’t just think about the deli counter at Wegman’s and make a sandwich and a side of coleslaw appear in my hand. So, we’ll order on the app and pick it up. Just like everyone else. Before I hit the button, any changes to your order?”

“No, it’s fine. But don’t tell me you’ve never done shit like that when you’ve had your back against it,” Falcon huffed as you went to the rental car you’d gotten earlier in the day. That, thank Heaven, was easy to get at the local but extremely small airport.

“I’ve killed small rodents and eaten them, and I don’t mean just rabbits. Snakes, too. And, well, birds of prey, like falcons,” you groaned as you started to get into the car, but you stopped and headed back to the passenger side. “And I know you hate my driving, so here you go,” you said as you handed Sam the keys. “Sorry it isn’t a Ferrari. I was lucky to get this Kia. They didn’t exactly have anything race course worthy.”

As Sam climbed in, he saw bags of gear in the back seat. “You pulling a Wanda? Need some me time away from all us testosterone jockeys? Cyborg is going to be pissed.”

“Bucky has other stuff to deal with, trust me,” you said as you rolled your eyes. “He does not need to add Crazy Old Broad to his growing list of things to do and people to take care of this week. I heard him talking to Steve…”

“You? Eavesdropping? You are human!” Sam smirked, but then he saw the comment had hit a nerve. “You know I was kidding, right?”

“I know you are,” you said as you swallowed hard. In reality, you were not exactly buying that last comment. Sam was a sweetheart, but his comment sounded like things Tony and Steve had said about you in the weeks before the Time Heist. It depended on the situation, but one or the other of them seemed to question you, your motives, your powers and what they could do, and, at times, your grasp on reality. You did have a connection to a goddess they couldn’t see. Blaming them for having those questions just was not in your wheelhouse. “And yeah, maybe I just need to go figure a few things out. You guys know how to get me back here if you need me.”

“Somehow I don’t think Steve, Bucky and I would look so great standing and screaming your name in the middle of a fight,” Sam noted as he finally turned the key in the ignition.

“Now who is having issues with gender roles?” you said with a very pronounced side glance. “Sam, we are all human. We all need a save now and then. Maybe you’ll never have to utter my name again after today, unless you guys can’t find something you think I hid? Thor will be back once he’s done exploring the universe, and you can always get him here fast if you have Strange find him. And Wong is just dying for his shot as a full time Avenger. We all know that! And I can go back and do, well, goddess stuff, I guess. And raise horses. Just, please, make sure no one drops the ball on Parker. He lost his parents and his uncle. Losing Tony will hit him harder than anyone likely expects. He’s a good kid. He just needs support and guidance. Now, want to get this thing moving, or do you want me to drive?”

“And have you antagonize the local cops by going Mach 1? No thank you!”

You had to laugh at that one. You did tend to floor it. A lot.

++++++++++

A short time later, you and Sam rolled back to the site Bruce had chosen to set up the time travel platform. After you two handed out all the food, you realized it was really time for you to get going. No, you didn’t have a train, plane or bus to catch or someone to meet. You just knew it was going to get harder to make the break the longer you stayed there.

“She’s pulling a Wanda on us,” Sam said as he finished off the last of the sweet tea he had grabbed at the deli where you’d gotten food. “I think it’s too much he-man macho stuff, but she won’t fess up to that.”

“Wilson, how many brothers did I have?” you asked as you cleaned up the trash from the table Bruce had borrowed from a local park that had been wrecked during the battle. It had a huge hole in the end, but hey, it was good enough for the moment.

“Eight,” Bucky replied before Sam got the chance. “Just don’t quiz me on all their names. I remember your twin, Branan, and the one who was the vampire. Ewan? Right?”

“Yup, that’s right,” you grinned at Buck. “And no quiz. Promise,” you said as you raised your left hand and crossed your heart with your right.

“Why are you leaving?” Bruce asked as he adjusted the sling on his still injured arm, putting extra emphasis on the word “are” as he uttered it. “We need all the help we can get.”

Bruce, heaven help him, was suddenly one of the last active OG Avengers standing on Earth. Thor was off finding himself with the Guardians, and no one could really begrudge him that. He needed time to heal, and you knew all too well that was not easy nor time limited. Clint had more or less retired again after Natasha’s sacrifice on Vormir. Steve was getting ready to take the stones back, but upon his return, he’d likely join up with Sam and Bucky again to root out any remaining Hydra cells. That left Bruce in a very different place this time around.

“Bruce, you don’t really need me being a head case. Trust me. You do not need me giving any news outlets ammunition to blast headlines that make the team look less than spotless. I need to go home, at least for a little while,” you replied, knowing full well you were not telling him or the others everything. “And as I reminded Sam, you guys can just call me, and I’ll be here. Just whisper my name. Or yell it. Whatever works. Text me! If it’s an emergency, and if I’m not in the middle of some new damned war on my end, I’ll come running. But I have a feeling you guys are going to be just fine. Hell, I’ll give you a blessing before I head out.”

Yeah. A blessing. More like the final nail in the coffin. The words to start the spell to make them forget you.

“Big guy, you first,” you said as you put your hands on Bruce’s injured right arm. “And no, I am doing this, Bruce. It won’t be a full healing, but it should speed things up. You got this, big guy. Biggest brain. Biggest heart. May you realize just how much this team was built with your sweat and tears as it was anyone else’s.”

“I can’t change your mind?” Bruce asked as he pretended to wipe a tear from his eye and pout a bit. “And I am not asking because you are likely the only one of us who can cook…”

“I’m pretty sure all of you guys can cook something. Maybe not a good Colcannon or a fine Dublin coddle, but you’ll survive. As for the cupcakes, you guys may need to get a bakery on speed dial,” you added with a laugh because you knew they’d make that bakery rich. The Avengers loved their sugary snacks.

“Just don’t bug my sister, Bruce,” Sam noted as he waited for you to come over to him. “I still remember asking why the Cupcake Lady had a sword that night when those demon things attacked near the tower. I never asked. Why the cupcakes?”

“And not why the demons or the sword?” you said as you nearly choked on your words. “You realize that was before Steve saw me at Peggy’s funeral. That night was truly a fluke, Sam. No one was supposed to see that side of me then. As for the cupcakes, they were my entry to your world. Gifts from a fan girl. They’re easy to carry, a synch to personalize when needed, and everyone can have their own without fighting,” you said with a grin as Sam shook his head. “What?”

“You sound like Sarah.”

“Then I am in good company. Tell her the good stuff you’ve told me all these years. The words of wisdom. The little jokes. The pep talks. Tell her often. A single mom with two boys needs that. Be there for her, and drag these guys to see her, too. It would do the boys a world of good to have all their uncles stop by. Now, Samuel,” you said as you gave him a hug, “remember to keep these guys flying right. And if the world drops opportunity in your lap, whatever it might be, do not look at it and push it away without a lot of thought. The world needs Sam Wilson, the hero with a heart.”

And now the hardest part of this good bye had you wiping tears from your eyes. “I know. I’m a big mush. Girls from Brooklyn would laugh at me for this, right? Sorry, but girls from Naas and Athy do cry sometimes. I’m going to miss you two lugs. A lot.”

“Lugs. Last time you called us that was in ’43,” Bucky said as he looked down at his feet for a minute. “Somehow Hydra missed that memory.”

“You’ll see us again,” Steve said as he turned briefly to see where the case with the stones was on the platform. “But this time, it better not take 70 years.”

As you looked at the best friends, something about their auras seemed off. They had been planning something when you almost walked in on their chat a few days ago. You had no idea what it was, and you suddenly didn’t want to hang around to find out what the next act was going to bring.

“Just…watch your back, Steve. From what Clint said about Vormir, that one is going to be tough. And Buck, whatever comes next, I’m rooting for you. Even if you can’t see me doing it.”

“You really don’t have to leave,” Bruce kept insisting as you hefted your backpack on your shoulder.

“Dr. Banner, do you really want to fight my demons after all this? I have enemies. You just haven’t seen them yet. Frankly, the only reason that Hydra didn’t grab me before I hooked up with the Howling Commandos was because I was pulled into another dimension by one of those enemies. It was only by some weird twist of fate that Peggy found me when she did. If the veil between worlds had not been so thin near that camp, I might never have made it back, or Hydra might have found me first. It was pure dumb luck.”

{{And, Heaven help me, part of it was these two lugs over here}} you thought as you turned to head to your car. Then you stopped. This was a lot harder than it had been any time before, but it was the curse of an immortal to have to keep moving on. “I wish you luck, joy and happiness. I wish you peace. And, if you are truly lucky, memories long enough to have little space to spare for the likes of me because they are filled with so much more! See you in my dreams, for now anyway, fellas.”

++++++++++

You rolled out of there before Steve started his mission to return the stones, and you got a text from Bruce hours later telling you everything that had happened. Steve not coming back as planned. Then an older version of Steve shows up, sitting on a bench near the platform, and he gives Sam the shield. Right in front of Bucky.

It was now weeks later. No. It was months later, and here you were staring up at the sign for Westview. You’d gotten out of your rental car so you could get a feeling for the area around this little town.

“You made it back,” a voice said behind you. “How are you, after all that mess with Wanda and that Agatha woman? She was a real piece of work.”

The person speaking to you was Dr. Darcy Lewis. Friend of Thor and Dr. Jane Foster. Why was she even here?

You couldn’t fully figure out what the hell she was talking about. You didn’t remember being here before. Yet, you knew who she was, and you had never met her before. Or at least you couldn’t remember meeting her, here or anywhere else.

“Apparently not as great as I thought I was,” you muttered as you winced again. “Dr. Lewis, how long ago was the blip?”

“Give or take a week, about six months ago,” she replied as you started to pace. “Why?”

“Shit. Not this again,” you hissed as you looked up at the sign once more. “I think I’m going to need your help. How much do you know about Celtic myths and Irish history, Dr. Lewis?”

[toomanyrobins]

a little birdie told me pt. 4

Summary: Y/N “Birdie” Parker left New York and her family three years ago in the middle of the night. Now, a call for help to her best friend brings her back into the fold of the Three Families and their “business”

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Parker!Reader

Content warning: physical abuse, miscarriage, cursing, mentions of forced marriage

Word Count: 1k

Notes: This one is a short but I needed to wrap up some minor things so that we can start getting into more interesting things. Enjoy xx

Series masterlist // next part

It had been a little over a week since the dramatic return of Y/N. She had been hiding out at her childhood home and was on the mend. Her confidence was slowly returning and she started to resemble her sarcastic self. Touch was still a bit of an issue after her first day back. Loud noises made her jump and nightmares had come and gone throughout the night. Pepper had tried to get her to talk about what she had gone through, but Y/N had refused to share after that day in the bathroom. Tony had stayed true to his word and, after a week, she was summoned to the Ivory. She looked a lot better than before, but still had to dress strategically and cover some bruises with concealer. When she arrived, her father wasn’t the only one there. George Barnes was waiting too, leaving against the large, antique wooden desk that was the centerpiece of the room. When she turned, she saw that Peter, Steve and Bucky were sitting on one of the leather couches. Y/N rolled her eyes. Of course all of the men wanted in on this reprimand. The Barnes patriarch walked forward and scanned Y/N’s face. He noted the mottled bruising covered with a heavy concealer, “I can’t believe this.” She took a step back, wanting to put some distance between them. Thankfully for her, he stayed where he was, “What the hell happened to you?”

“That’s the best you’ve got after 3 years, George? Maybe a ‘Hi, Birdie’?”

“Hi, Y/N,” he deadpanned, “Now, answer my question." 

She shrugged, “Got bored. Decided I should visit.”

“Visit? You run away into the night before your 18th. No calls, no messages for three years and now you’re just ‘visiting’… And, according to my children, you show up looking like you got run over by a car.”

She clicked her tongue and grinned at him, “You say the sweetest things.” Tony chuckled as he looked up to the ceiling, willing the universe to give him patience with his pain-in-the-ass daughter. She heard the three younger men on the couch trying not to laugh. If there was one thing everyone knew, it was that Y/N loved to mess with her godfather. George asked again what had happened. She seemed to weigh her options and went with her go-to: sarcasm, “Car accident.”

Tony snorted and went to pour himself a drink, leaving George to handle Birdie. “Cars don’t leave handprints on your neck. One more chance.” Y/N just stared at him defiantly, refusing to say a word. He slammed his fist on the desk, “Answer the question!” Y/N flinched at his raised voice and then grabbed her ribs as pain spiked through her torso. Steve was off the couch in a second, ignoring his adopted father and wrapped an arm around her. George cursed under his breath when he saw their reaction. He ordered her to sit down in one of the chairs opposite Tony’s desk. 

Steve crouched down in front of her and spoke softly, “Come on, Y/N. Who did this to you?”

“My boyfriend,” she knew what the next question was going to be, “I’m not telling you his name.”

George scrubbed a hand down his face and grabbed the drink Tony passed to him, “For fucks sake, Birdie, this is not a game.”

Y/N’s eyes blazed. She hated being spoken to as if she was a child. “Really? And here I thought my cracked ribs were the prize.” George’s jaw was clenched. 

Tony laughed at her answer and settled behind his desk, “George, I think I need to speak to my daughter alone. Would you wait outside? Barton should be on his way after the call I left.” Y/N was left in the belly of the beast, alone. Tony steepled his finger, “You always did know how to piss him off.”

She smirked at him, “Well, you did raise me. Mom says kids are like sponges and I absorbed all of your personality traits.”

“So, have you decided whether you’re sticking around this time?

Y/N stumbled at the question and looked down at her hands, “I don’t have anywhere else to go, Dad.”

“I’m going to be harsh for a moment. You did well disappearing and you weren’t on anyone else’s radar. We had stopped looking for you. So I need to know, why come back if you needed to get away so badly?" She felt the breath leave her lungs at the harsh truth. They had stopped looking for and probably didn’t want her back. 

Her heart felt like it was stuck in her throat, “I just want to feel safe again and that’s here.” Tony tried to pull more details of her ‘rough situation’ from her, but she rolled her eyes and gestured at her face, “I’m sure you can guess what went on.”

“Your neck looked like one of your old art projects,” He took a deep breath, “You hurt a lot of people when you left, Birdie. We looked for you and it killed people when I told them to stop.” He swirled his drink and didn’t speak for a moment, “I’m going to offer you something I’ve never offered anyone else. If ever you decide you want out, I’ll let you go. No questions asked. However, this is a one time deal. You leave again, I won’t be able to welcome you back.” Y/N couldn’t believe it and she just stared at him. He walked out from behind his desk, pulling her into a hug, “Now, I can stop being the boss and just be your dad instead.” He led her to the door. 

When it swung open, they were greeted with a unique sight. Bucky had his hand wrapped around the collar of a man’s shirt, with Nat and Steve trying to separate them. Becca and her father were shouting at each other, but they all fell silent when the door opened. Everyone was staring at Y/N, who wanted the ground to swallow her up. She turned to Becca, “Can we get out of here?” Her friend nodded and quickly kissed the guy that had been fighting with Bucky. Y/N realised that it must be her friend’s fiancé. The three women left quickly, avoiding the group. The minute they were out of sight, all four men turned their attention on Stark. All of them had questions... Tony just walked into his office and poured himself another drink. 

[cathrrrine]

RUN | Pietro x Reader

Originally from my Wattpad

CHAPTER 07 - ENEMY

----

"Wanda, talk to me!"

Pietro was trying his hardest to not cry, especially not in front of his teammates. His sister lay still on the gurney, which was being rolled to the O.R by two doctors and a nurse.

"Wanda!"

It was evident he was going to be left with no reply as the doors locked. The image of his sister bleeding out onto the grass was glued onto the back of his mind. Every time he thought about it again, it made him want to punch a wall. Or just lie down and forget about everything.

"Pietro, calm down." It was Clint. He recognised the archer's voice even without looking up. "She's going to be fine."

"She shot her."

"I know-"

"That woman shot my sister." He was seething. His heart was filled with hatred for his now-enemy. All potential positive thoughts he had for her before were long forgotten. The only image he had of her now was when she pulled the trigger as she aimed at his twin.

"She's locked up. Tony's got it under control."

Pietro heard him, but the only thing going through his head was how he was going to murder her.

————

"Lisa, am I right?" The blond soldier crossed his arms, his eyebrows furrowed and his lips pursed.

I saw right through him. He was putting up an act that he was obviously tired of. I wanted so badly to get out, I would do anything for it to be possible. In this case, it was playing coy.

"Yes, Captain." I smirked. "Is that what you prefer to be called?"

"I ask the questions here."

"Sure, you do." I shrugged. "Or maybe you think that's what everyone expects of you."

I could see the shift in his body language and the anticipation reflecting in his eyes. He was intrigued in what I was trying to say.

"You know..." I started, standing up in my cell to walk towards him. "You might be big and strong on the outside. But on the inside, everyone knows you're just the same old weak and puny Steve Rogers."

His spine straightened, obviously affected by what I had said. I didn't care about him liking me right now, all I could think about was how my life was in danger and I needed to fix that.

"Guess what, Captain?" I emphasised his title once more. "Nobody buys your act."

He paused for a moment, and I could see a flicker of uncertainty in his blue eyes. I couldn't help but feel a little bit of regret. He looked so hurt by what I said. Or maybe he was trying to fight back a comment?

I wondered if I was just imagining it, just lying to myself that what I said actually got to him. But something in his facial expression told me otherwise. I guess I underestimated how good I was at playing this game.

"I buy it." A voice called out from the distance. I was a little bit startled, surprisingly. Of course we weren't alone.

"Oh, do you now?" I tried to figure out where the voice came from.

Through the glass, I could make out a sea of red hair. It wasn't until the owner of the voice took a few steps closer that I could make out her eyes, lips and nose. I've seen her multiple times throughout my lifetime, and even though I've seen her in pictures, there was no device on this planet that could capture the sangfroid in her posture, or her aura of solidity. I was moved when our eyes met.

"You...know me." Her eyebrows furrowed. I guess I gave it away.

I wasn't sure if I should answer her. Hell, I didn't even know what to say. "I do."

"I can't say I'm surprised."

"Huh," I scoffed. "Of course you can't. You're a class A threat to anyone you consider an enemy."

"And are you?"

"What? Am I what?"

"Someone I should consider to be an enemy."

I was thrown by that question. Why was she asking that question? I thought me being locked up already proved the fact that I wasn't exactly on their side.

I dared to look into her eyes again, and I was met by the same fire she walked into the room with.

"I know how it is, Y/N. This life you're leading, this isn't something you chose. It was forced upon you." There wasn't an ounce of pity in her words. She was just simply telling me what she thought was my truth.

"I'm not...I'm not Y/N." They knew my real name?

"Then who are you?"

I shook my head, trying to gather my thoughts. Is this what she was trying to do all along? To distract me from my original plan to escape? I barely paid attention to my handcuffs the whole time we were talking.

So, I turned my back to her and shut up.

——————

"Piet?"

He sighed, taking her hand in his carefully. "Wanda, you're awake."

"Well, duh, idiot."

He chuckled, barely annoyed by what he would usually roll his eyes at.

"What happened?"

"You got shot in the shoulder by the bitch of a woman. We managed to capture her and she's in one of the cells now. I think they're in the middle of questioning her."

Wanda's forehead started to crinkle. "Ugh." Pietro leaned forward, ready to tend to his sister's every need. "I screwed up, didn't I?"

"What? No. You did fine." He wasn't expecting that.

"I wasn't strong enough! She got through and I'm the reason why I got shot. This is my own fault."

"Wanda, it wasn't that you weren't strong enough. Believe me, you are." Pietro squeezed her hand in assurance. "Sometimes shit happens."

"Then explain this!" Wanda gestured to her shoulder. "Like it or not, this is by my own hand. I wasn't powerful enough."

Pietro couldn't believe his ears. Why was his sister blaming herself for what that villian did to her?

"Wanda, I knew you were stupid but I didn't know you were this stupid." Wanda rolled her eyes at him, yanking her hand away from his.

"No, listen to me." Pietro urged, "She pulled the trigger even though it was supposed to be impossible, so that isn't your fault. We underestimated how powerful she was, and that's on us. I should've seen it coming."

Wanda smiled, comforted by her brother's attempt to ease her worries. But she still had her insecurities and issues with herself.

"I've seen you kill hundreds of thousands of robots in Sokovia. I've seen you defend yourself against multiple enemies. I wouldn't doubt your strength for a second." Pietro needed her to believe him. "So, why should you?"

The two of them looked at each other. No one understood them better than the other did. It was always the two of them against the world, and now even more so—if not for the other Avengers.

"I love you, idiot."

"Now shut up and go to sleep."

[idorkish]

4 AM Cuddles Part 2

A/n: this is the second part. Again, , this is something I wrote back in 2016 on my original idorkish blog. I couldn't find it in the mess of posts from that, so I'm posting from scratch.

Part 1 Here

Tagged: @agustdowney

It had been a week since your departure from the Avengers’ Tower. You had told Natasha you were just going to visit some family for a while - which wasn’t a complete lie. That night you left, you had called Hank, and as predicted, he had offered you space at the mansion. You knew seeing your old team would be good for you. There were many times over the past years that you almost went back to them, but you knew you couldn't. You hadn’t wanted to use your powers anymore and no one in SHIELD knew, or at least they pretended not to know. Despite this, home was with the X-men and the students. 

You knew you didn’t have much time left before having to return to the Avengers, it was your job. The past week was spent reconnecting with your friends. You spent time with Piotr - drawing and painting together and helping the students in his classes. Other moments were spent with the girls - Jean & Ororo- shopping and gossiping. You also helped around with chores and classes, as needed. Charles insisted you use the time to rest but you loved helping with the children and they seemed to like you back. Most nights you spent in the lab with Hank. It was the most comforting place for you and you felt as if you had never left this space. Despite being close to other X-Men, everyone knew you and Hank were each other’s favorites.

The past week had been filled with nothing but joy and happiness. A few people questioned your real motives for returning but you dismissed them immediately. Charles and Jean were sure to know your real reasons but both kept their old promises of never invading your mind to poke around. Jean knew that with time, you would open up and tell what happened. Otherwise, she was glad to have one of her best friends back. 

You had at least another full week left before you would be forced to return. Knowing you would have to leave your family and friends again was hard and began to weigh on you. Late Thursday, you found your way to the roof of the mansion, your feet hanging over the sides. When younger, and still a student here, you would often find yourself up on the roof to get away from everyone. The quiet that came from being alone gave you time to think. You had taken off and immediately threw yourself into keeping yourself busy, that you never once gave yourself the time to think of what had happened and your next steps. Would you actually go back to the Avengers? You'd be forced to work with Tony and pretend that you never had an issue with him. You knew that if you went back, Natasha would figure everything out. The team wouldn't be the same. You could go back to being a normal agent, perhaps change office locations. But you loved being out in the field, fighting with the team was something you couldn't go back from. 

     Your other choice was to leave and stay at the Mansion. Charles would be more than willing to let you stay. You could work with the students in class or you could help Charles with admin things. Heck, you were sure Hank would be willing to make you his assistant if it meant you staying. The thought that disturbed you the most was that of running away from both and never returning. You knew you could leave in the middle of the night and they'd have a hard time finding you. Even with cerebro, it would take Charles time to find you and you'd be gone by the time they got there. 

“Bad day?” A voice called out making you scream and jump. 

You flailed about as you started to fall from the ledge back into the roof. The voice started laughing. 

“You ass,” you sighed when you realized the voice belonged to your blue ball of fuzz. “Damnit Fuzz, why do you enjoy sneaking up on me?” 

“Why do you insist on calling me Fuzz?” 

“I asked first, Hank.”

Hank walked toward you and helped you to your get before pulling you close and placing his hands on your waist. 

“Because, my dear, it is far too amusing and adorable to see you so lost in thought that you don't realize the amount of noise I do make to get your attention, yet you still get scared. So again, bad day?” 

Resting your forehead on his chest, all you could do was sigh and shrug. 

“Come on. You have to give me more than that.” 

You pulled away from your best friend and ran your hands down your face. 

“Just a lot to think about. I’ve made some bad choices lately and I’m not sure what to do anymore.” 

Hank stepped toward you and wrapped his arms around your shoulders, pulling you back to his chest. Instinctively your arms wrapped around his waist and you snuggled against him. He looked down at the woman in his arms and sighed as he rubbed your back. 

“I got an idea. What about an ice cream and movie night? Like we used to do. I’ll grab the ice cream and spoons, you pick the corniest movie you can find, then you can vent to your dear ol’ Fuzz.” 

You let out a smile and nodded your head against his chest. “That sounds perfect. Meet in your room?” 

“Meet you there in 20 ok?” 

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

-Back at the Tower-

Natasha flopped down on the couch next to Clint and sighed. It had been a week since she had last seen her best friend and despite the messages that she was ok, Natasha couldn’t help but worry. 

“Ya know, if she says she’s ok, then you know she’s ok right?” Clint’s voice broke Natasha out of her thoughts and she nodded slowly. 

“I know, but it doesn’t feel right. She’s never talked about her family to me and we talk about everything. She would have told me something before taking off in the middle of the night while we’re all away. Do you think she’s in some sort of trouble?” 

It was not often that Natasha would show her worry. It was even rarer for Natasha to visibly be anxious. Clint sighed and grabbed her legs, pulling them onto his lap and massaging her calves slowly. 

“Tasha, calm down. Y/n is ok. She has another week before she’s back here. And we’ll probably see her at the party this weekend.” Throwing her head back against the sofa’s cushions, she let out a groan. 

“I forgot about that party! And we’ll be having ‘important people’, as Stark refers to them, there as well.” Clint let out a laugh and pushed her legs off his lap. 

“It’ll be fine. I got to go, training and all.”

Natasha half-heartedly waved at Clint. Pulling her phone, she shot off some quick messages. 

Tasha: y/n!!!! See you at the party right?! Miss you babe! :*

y/n: Tasha! <3 <3 Fingers crossed! Miss ya right back my baby spider! 

Tasha: Even if you aren’t here, help me pick out something, k? Skype? Pics? HELP! <3

y/n: Send me pics and I’ll help. I’m 90%  sure I’ll make it to the party. Pinky promise!

Tasha: Ugg, you’re killing me! I’m taking Wanda shopping tomorrow, we’ll send plenty of pics so be near your phone! OR ELSE

Y/n: lol I promise! I gotta get going. Need to help with dinner. LOVE YOU MI AMOR!

Natasha sighed and tossed her phone on the coffee table. She normally wouldn’t be this anxious but she knew something was off. Y/n would never keep things from her. Sighing, she shook her head. It would only be a few more days before the big party. She’d see Y/n there, for sure. Jumping to her feet, she made her way to the twins’ apartment area, “WANDA! We need to start planning for Saturday!”  

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

After an hour of binging on ice cream and corny 80s movies, you had finally vented to Hank about everything that happened, although you decided not to mention names. You knew that Hank wasn’t the biggest fan of Tony Stark, and you didn’t want him to look at you differently. 

“So, you slept with a co-worker behind everyone’s back and behind his partner’s back? You know you’re my best friend, and I won’t judge you, but that was a mistake,” Hank pointed his spoon at you before grabbing another spoonful of ice cream. 

“I know Fuzz! That’s why I broke it off! I couldn’t do it anymore and I didn’t want it to be awkward, but then it became awkward! I really thought I was in love with him ya know? Then I realized I was just being used and I pulled away from him. But then he started getting all weird,” pausing you shoveled a spoonful of ice cream into your mouth and sighed.

 “...and? Cmon, I’ve let you go the whole week without me asking anything. You were pretty anxious on the phone when you called. I’m worried about you Boo.” 

You smiled and chuckled at the nickname. You had called him Fuzz from day one of being friends, it was a name only you could call him. It wasn’t until you forced him to watch Monster’s Inc that he started calling you Boo. Scooting closer, you rested your head on Hank’s arm and sighed.

 “Hank, I was falling in love with a man who was already taken. I convinced myself that he would leave her because he obviously wasn’t happy with her. I kept telling myself that it would all work out. It wasn’t until he proposed to her that it all came crumbling down, but he still kept coming to me,” you sniffled and wiped at your nose. 

Hank shook his head and pulled you to sit between his legs and his arms wrapped around you. There were no words he could say to make your heart heal and it was in moments like these that he felt helpless. “Boo...Y/n, despite what happened. Maybe it’s for the best,” he took a moment to think of his next words carefully, unsure as to how you would react, “What if you just came back here? With me..Well with us. It wasn’t that bad was it? I-I-we all miss you!” 

You sat between his legs, your head resting on his chest. You had sat like this so many times over the time of your friendship and it had been the most safe spot you could ever find. You moved your hand to his arm and slowly stroked at the blue fur.

“I’ve been thinking about that ya know. About staying. I was going to talk to Charles and see if I could just work at the school. I’m sure I could do the most good here. I wouldn’t need to use my powers as much here…” your voice drifted. You closed your eyes and felt Hank shift behind you. He moved you both so you were now laying on the bed, you laid on him and nuzzled your cheek to his chest as his arms wrapped around your waist.

 “Y/n, we would all love you to come back home. Let’s be honest, Charles would let you do nothing all day if it meant you came back. But it has to be because you want to be here and not because you’re running from your problems. It didn’t work well last time, it won’t work well this time. You’re my best friend, and you should know I love you more than anybody else. So when you’re sure about what you want, I will support you.” 

You wiped at the tears threatening to spill and nodded at his words. You knew what you had to do. Before you could come back to your family, you had to face your team. You couldn’t just abandon them. 

“Hank, there’s a party at work coming up. WIll you go with me? Pretty please? With cherries and sprinkles on top?” 

Hank gave a toothy grin and nodded, “Of course I will. We’ll make everyone jealous. I mean, cmon, Just look at me!” 

You looked up at his smirking face and both of you started laughing. 

“Let’s get some sleep, we’ll talk more in the morning,” Hank pressed a lingering kiss to your forehead and pulled you tightly against him. Giving him a nod, you relax in his arms. This was how you often found yourself falling asleep after missions. Being in his arms again was comforting, it was safe and felt like home. 

“I love you Fuzz.” 

“I love you too my little Boo.”

[red-hood-redemption]

SO I know I’m like, super late to the party, but I finally got my hands on Robin 2021 and there is literally no one for me to talk to about it so now I’m just screaming my thoughts into the void ✌

First off, before i even bought the first two issues, I read through a lot of other people’s opinions on it to kinda get an idea of where it was going characterization-wise for Damian, and because of all the mixed reactions, I figured I should just read it myself and find out. Now I am the FURTHEST thing from a comic book authority, so like, this is truly just an opinion piece but if it convinces anyone to give the run a chance, then yay!!! Honestly, I’m really glad I gave it a shot because I’m genuinely hooked! I’m actually excited about this series (and it scares me lol)!!!

I'm gonna separate my thoughts into two sections: characters, and story, mainly for my own ease, but also if anyone cares more about one thing or the other it's easier to distinguish. But,  the line is a little blurry so if I end up getting a little too much into the characterization in the story section, just bear with me lmao. OH and I'm going to try and keep this as un-spoilery as possible but we'll just have to see. SOOOOOOOO

Characters

I think it goes without saying that Melnikov's art is absolutely gorgeous, and really does show how much Damian has grown up. It makes me want to sob its so beautiful, everyone is so pretty, even the guy that looks like a washed up, high as fuck Tony Stark lmao. But moving on to the actual characters,

Rose Wilson

I honestly don't know too much about Rose, I haven't read enough about her to say anything about her characterization and how it compares to her other appearances, or whether or not she is OOC, but so far, I'm enjoying her taking up the "big sis" role, like, immediately lmao.

I don't know how much I trust her yet, but I definitely get the vibe that even if she does betray Dami in any way, she's probably gonna stick her neck out for Dami again and he's probably gonna do the same.

I'm really intrigued about her motivations for being here. Obviously, Respawn has something to do with it, but I want to know what's up with that. I've seen a lot of theories and I'm so excited. Also side note, that Black Swan chick is hot, and I can't wait to see more of her in action!!!

I feel like Ravager knows a WHOLE lot more than Dami does about the interesting things going on on the island, mainly because she's been doing a lot more sitting and waiting than he has as of yet, but I'm hoping to see more of the two of them doing detective-y sleuthing together. We love a mysteryyyy

Flatline

Okay but real talk, why does she look like a character straight out of Monster High

Honestly tho, I dig it. It's cute! She's cute! She isn't annoying (yet) but I don't know if I care too much about her other than she would make a cute friend for Dami.

I think the problem with DC is that they know people LOVE Harley Quinn and they try so hard to make characters just like her but it always falls short, so honestly I am a little wary of her character development in this run, but I'm willing to give her a shot since her little coffin purse on the cover of the second issue is so damn cute. I'm a slut for character design, okay?

Oh speaking of Flatline and Dami, I don't ship it and I don't want them to force a romantic relationship into Damian's "coming of age"/"soul-searching" moment okay? Because that's what this run is about, at least to me! More on that in the story section!

They're literally 13/14 years old. That's 8th-9th grade, babes lets think about that for a minute

Also let's stop the whole "lets introduce a female character just to make her a love interest!" bullshit okay?

Basically, Flatline is interesting, or at least has the potential to be, but I don't want to get my hopes up because DC is notorious for disservicing their female characters 😕

I think the mixed reaction to her is valid, I don't think she's had much time to make a solid impression yet, so I guess you'd have to read it for yourself. Personally, I don't understand why people immediately hate her, especially because she's like, 14, and what kid that age isn't annoying? like at least a little bit lmao! But, yeah. I don't trust her either but literally everyone on this island is sketchy at least and a murderer at best, so hey 🤷‍♀️

Damian

His new outfit lmaoooo at first I was like "WHaT is this child wearing? You'd think Dick would have rubbed off on him and taught him what good taste looks like" but then I saw the later outfit, with the gold patterning and those sleeeevessssss ugh and I take it all back. A Fashion Icon TM. Truly stunning. A sight to behold. So proud, look at him go 😪

I think there's a lot of different opinions on Damian's characterization in this run, and I can definitely see where its coming from, but I disagree with the notion that Damian has been done dirty and reverted to a blood-thirsty, feral child.  And I have a LOT of opinions on the whole "feral" thing regarding Damian period (but that's for another time).

I don't think of Dami's rampage as a regression for his character. He's letting of emotions right then and I think its very similar to him venting. Its just not verbal, its physical and he knows he's not going to have to grapple with the consequences of his actions on the first kill. He knows he's technically not doing anything wrong.

He is clearly upset at Bruce and his failure to protect Alfred, and while Dami and Bruce are really often described as being very similar personality-wise, they are still distinctly different individuals who came to their current moral codes in vastly different ways. Bruce came to his "no killing" rule on his own; he made that decision for himself. It wasn't taught to him, it was a moment-of-truth kind of situation. Damian, on the other hand is in a vastly different situation.

Dami is, I think, at the beginning of the climb to his own moment-of-truth. He is in his rebellious phase like Dick, where he's gone off to spread his wings. It's not his conscious intention (at least that's not the vibe I got from reading the first two issues), but its directly underlying his "mission".

Damian is growing out of the expectations of his parents and into his own person. We all know he's been thrown from one moral code to another, both drastically different from each other. I don't think its a regression for him to lose his way a little, because realistically, he's going to have to in order to find it, specifically a moral compass that he forged on his own. He's just what? 14? Like hell a kid his age wants to listen to any form of authority. He's as stubborn as it comes. Damian needs to come to his decision regarding the path he takes in life on his own. It can't be made for him. He's seen and lived both sides of the coin, and I don't think he should be forced just yet to choose a side or pave a middle ground, but I do think that he should get the opportunity to see and experience all the gray areas on his own.

I think I'll transition from characterization to story here, because let's face it, this story is about Damian dealing with his confused emotions right now, in the wake of losing Alfred, a man that kind of acted like a grounding presence, a voice of reason, or a moral compass for him (and honestly Bruce and the rest of the bat crew if we're honest).

Story

So there's a lottttt going on in the story that is really enticing and exciting, and I'm really interested to see how it all plays out.

All the rules to the tournament are so, sketchy? Like they don't sound like they are meant to be sketchy, its basic safety and guidelines or whatever but with all the glowy green shit and the stakes of the tournament? Yeah, you can bet your ass its the "no fighting at night" and other shit is gonna be broken, and that's likely when the fun begins *insert evil laughter*😈

I was slightly put off by the whole "let me teach you to have fun" thing with Rose, because it's not like Dick, Steph, Jon, and like the Titans haven't done that with him too, but eh, not something I'm too concerned about. It's definitely just a segway to get us introduced to more characters that might become Damian's friends which will be interesting considering what Mother Soul said about fraternizing.

And that's another thing! I want Damian to make some friends! I know he already has some, but here's the thing: I think he's already been struggling with belonging, and he's definitely been feeling the disconnect between his life and other kids', whether they're supers/vigilantes or not. I think it'd be nice to see Dami have the experience of meeting people who he at first thinks are just like him!! and then realizing that maybe he doesn't really fit in here either, and that it's okay to feel like you don't belong, as isolating as it may feel at times. It just means you have a set of values. I want him to realize that its not always a bad thing, and you learn more about yourself and your own heart this way.

And from there,,, lets talk about the thing that stuck out to me the most in these two issues! GUILT!! It's mentioned SOO many times already, and I think its going to be a really fun, heartbreaking, and interesting aspect to explore about Damian. Is it guilt about his actions? Leaving behind family? Not being able to save Alfred? Not being a perfect example of Robin? He may call himself Robin but he doesn't sport the OG look or symbol like before. I love that his guilt takes on the form of Alfred though, or at least his conscious. I think it'd be really interesting to see this conscious disappear when Dami strays too far from his center, and when he finds it again, it reappears.

I really think that seeing Damian's actions in this run as a failure of character development is an unfair assessment, though. You can't do everything right in order to grow! You have to screw up, lose your way, experiment with life to find your fit, right?

Something tells me he doesn’t care for the tournament itself, but the end result, and the people behind it and more about WHY it was hidden from him. I mean he finds out the tournament TRULY begins once everyone has died once and tHEN he kill everyone? Felt to me less like a “killing spree” as everyone put it to a calculated decision to get the tournament going. He literally cuts Mother Soul off in the middle of her speaking to start fighting at the beginning

Anyway, just my thoughts lol. I do have some issues with the past two issues, and I might make a separate post about that, but honestly not enough for me to dislike Robin 2021 so far. I mean, besides the very obvious white-washing in the second issue, because DC can absolutely do better. And they should. It’s like they thought we wouldn’t notice???? But besides that, story and characterization-wise I’m looking forward to more. Here’s to hoping it stays that way, just with a better colorist!

[notfeelingthyaster]

Imagine (based on the incomplete fanfic Son of the Underworld) (Son of Hades! Percy AU) (5/5) or (5/10)

Hey so, this is the last part of PJO - I follow into HOO, so before you read this, check on the masterpost - and read the warnings before proceeding :)) Good reading!

Annabeth comes to him, at the end of his fifteenth birthday party, and shows her Daedalus laptop. There's a document open in it, and it's labeled Achilles' Curse.

Percy doesn't read it - he hates reading, in any way or form or language - but she does, out loud.

"I'll think about it"

They have a year. Most of them, even those who aren't year-rounders, are going back to camp, to draw battle plans and stock on the armory.

He feels kinda selfish - for a whole five seconds before he remembers he'll probably die next summer, so he just shrugs it off - Percy deserves this year.

They all leave to go back to camp. Nico seems conflicted over something - but Perseus doesn't question it, there's enough bad blood between them.

Paola is really cool - and Sally really loves her. It's kind of bizarre at first, to see his Mom dating his teacher - and of a subject he hates - but Paola is calm and well-tempered and she laughs at his stupid ass jokes.

He visits Persephone afterward - and it really feels like he has three moms to fulfill his lack of a father - well, he is absolutely grateful for the women in his life.

Percy isn't truly in good terms with his father. The man doesn't really seem to care much for him as a person - he is much more of a trophy son.

Perseus loathes being a trophy son, but at least he has someone to help with his powers - not something a lot of half-bloods can claim.

So he goes back to school with Rachel, and they pretend everything is normal. He tells her about his quests - all three of them. He thinks she understands him better now.

He opens up to her. Tells her about Annabeth - the adrenaline-fueled kiss - and Rachel stops talking with him for a week.

She apologizes when she comes back. She needed to figure some things up - firstly, the redhead tells him she is probably asexual - and maybe aromantic too, but she is not certain because the internet wasn't really clear about that.

Then Rachel confesses that she is not jealous of him in a romantic way - she is envious of his friendship with Annabeth. Percy is her first genuine friend that really appreciates her.

This is the first grudge Perseus lets go for real before it even takes place - Rachel didn't leave him because of teenage drama, she ignored him out of confusion. Everyone is allowed space - he knows this better than anyone.

They don't kiss anymore. Not because Rachel doesn't like it - no, she is all for it - but because Percy is starting to think kisses should mean something - he is saving them.

They kiss once - when Rachel father calls for the first time this year - not to ask about her, but to tell Rachel he found this amazing all-girls school. To Percy, kisses mean comfort.

They cuddle a lot, though. These past few years of fear have made Percy very touch-starved.

It's sophomore year - and Percy is in five AP classes: Macroeconomics&Microeconomics, Statistics, Calculus AB, Physics 1, and Comparative Government and Politics.

He is planning on taking both AP Computer Science classes, Psychology, Physics 2, and Calculus BC next year; leaving only Electricity&Magnetism, Mechanics, Chemistry, and World History for his senior year.

If he lives, he is working on a tight schedule here. He doesn't know what he wants yet - and if he is in constant danger, it's already pretty lucky he can do high school - but probably something with Math.

Rachel says fourteen AP courses are ambitious - that he'll burn out. But math comes to him easily enough - it's in his blood.

She is also overworking: She is taking AP Environmental Studies, Art History, Drawing, 2-D Art and Design, and English Literature and Composition.

They complete each other. Rachel is planning on taking as many Art, History, and English courses as she can - he is taking as many Physics, Math, and Science as he can handle.

(She is also going to take on Japanese studies for some reason - probably for her GPA, but Perseus just teases her that she is getting too invested in anime)

Perseus doesn't care about languages anymore - the only languages that matter to him are C++ and JavaScript now.

They study together, they take naps together, they climb to the roof together, they flee school to visit Sally together - he is the Pinky to her Brain, the Scooby to her Shaggy, the Lois Lane to her Superman, the Robin to her Batman.

They look like troublemakers - They are honor roll students, but she is always with ripped pants dirty with paint, and he is always full of flowers everywhere, even in his muddy converses - a cliche to kill all cliches.

They're both nerds - he is the classic one, all polo shirts now, the first chair for every number-related class - and she is the artsy one - there's a brush behind her ear and her hair is so messy that half the time it covers her face.

Paola gifts him a pair of cheap frames without lenses once - saying it adds to the aesthetic - he totally uses them.

Persephone just makes him flower-crowns, and giggles when he matches them with his polo shirts.

When winter comes, he goes back to his hoodies and sweaters and gloves - to find out he doesn't miss them a lot.

Rachel introduces him to polaroids - and they look eerily pretty in the winter, her hair looking like blood spilling over the snow - and he loves it.

If he survives - he can feel Rachel slapping him - when he survives, his college credits will be remarkable. The idea of doing SATs makes him want to cry - reading always does - but he'll get somewhere good - he knows it. Perhaps Stanford. Or NYU. Or the dream of his life, MIT.

He is living his life to the fullest - he starts reading comic books, he gets really (really) into Tony Stark once Iron Man 1 comes out (even if he has to kill at least three monsters just to go to the movies), he plants trees and Rachel starts teaching him how to play her ukulele - but half his mind is still on the upcoming war.

Christmas vacation comes - and he goes to visit Camp Half-Blood, before heading back to his mom. It's quite memorable, if only by the fact that Nico Di Angelo freaking betrays him.

He tells Percy to come to the Winter Solstice with him. Most of the campers are not going - the war effort is in an all-time high - but Percy has never gone before. Hades will be there - it'll be great!

Perseus should absolutely be less surprised with the outcome - seeing that Nico is inviting him in Cabin 1, post-dinner, and they don't even stop to talk to Chiron about it.

But Percy goes. Because Percy wants to make amends.

There's no time to really talk to anyone. They travel in Blackjack for the Empire State Building - and it's fine.

They go up to Olympus, Nico shows him everything in the god's land, the temples are a work of art, if not kind of old, and the meeting is kind of okay, even if the gods are squabbling children.

Then the gods leave, and Perseus thinks they're leaving too.

"My father needs a word with you"

Perseus feels the betrayal claw on him. There are no shadows in the white hall, there's no way for him to escape. Nico looks apologetic - Percy wants to clock him in the face.

"He promised to tell me more about my mother" Nico pleads "He will tell me more about where I've come from. Please, Percy."

Nico is cute. He is, for a soon-to-be fourteen-year-old. But his pretty face and exquisite white eyes don't make him any less of a freaking liar. All his handsome male straight friends betray him - it's a worrying pattern now.

He muses for a second that they also all have a crush on Annabeth - gods, the blonde attract the worst types.

It's double-crossing - Percy ends up in an all-white cell that burns his retinas without any weapons because Zeus wants praise in the middle of this freaking war - doesn't matter if a hundred demigods die, if he only has the glory.

Nico ends up with barely any information - Zeus didn't promise anything. The god of the skies is a lying-ass motherfucker - literally.

And Zeus justifies it - He says Perseus is a criminal because he awakened Typhon. So Hephaestus issues a quest so he can save a hundred demigods, he destroys a powerful titan weapon of doom, and he is the villain? Sure, Jan.

Perseus writes this grudge in his heart - that's where trust will take you. To a cell. Betrayed by a "friend". Again.

He flinches when Nico comes into his cell, pins him to the wall and promptly begins to try and strangle him. He wants to melt in the boy's shadow - to go and never give him a chance to explain - but he looks so guilty Percy waits for his repentance.

The son of Zeus saves him, but Perseus is still pissed off. The god of thunder has threatened to kill him off at least two times now, what is to say he wouldn't have killed off Percy for the sake of glory?

He half hopes Zeus had killed him off. The war is close, too close - Nico wouldn't be the Prophecy's child. There would be no child. Olympus would fall - and Percy would have seen it all from his very comfortable couch in Elysium.

He wants Kronos gone - but he kind of wants Olympus to fall with the Titan.

Nico flies him down to the Earth - the elevator is monitored. Zeus has left, like many others - not to bother with the war effort against his main enemy, but to go to the human world mess with people.

Some gods are doing something - He has heard from Annabeth that Artemis is leading the widest hunt ever, with her brother by her side; Hermes (with Hephaestus help) is delivering Celestial Bronze, other metals, old schematics and a whole lot of fuel to Camp Half-Blood every few weeks; Poseidon is fighting his own war, in the ocean; Dionysus is at Camp - and this time, he is really helpful with the battle formations; Demeter is on the Underworld - Chiron seems to think his father is preparing for war, but Percy sorely doubts it.

Percy is taking some people with him to Sally's Christmas dinner. Just Annabeth, Clarisse, Rachel, Connor, Travis, and Charles - people who don't have a present family to celebrate it with.

Grover is coordinating the dryads up in San Francisco with his second cousin, Gleeson Hedge - they are the first to fall if anything goes wrong in Mt. Othrys.

"I think you should stay." He tells Nico.

"You don't trust me anymore." It's not actually a question.

Percy doesn't trust the boy. Not at all - it's the third time he does something shady to achieve his ends based on emotional turmoil. But he is a good person - it's just his father's cursed temper and his grief.

"It's not that. You're needed for the war effort."

Both of them know it's a lie. Percy doesn't care - he deserves to be bitter a little longer.

Percy goes back home. Christmas is amazing - even if Rachel asks him where Nico is because he is talking about making amends with the boy for a while now.

He goes visit Persephone - but she is occupied, so he wanders through the Underworld after Bianca di Angelo - someone he, for some reason, never been able to reach. It's a pointless endeavor by now.

He finds her. Or else, he finds a shadow of her - she is blocked from his view. Bianca doesn't talk to him - they weren't close - but she guides him to a girl.

Her name is Hazel Levesque.

She seems lost - like most ghosts - but something in Percy calls for her. It's the color of her skin and the sparkle in her golden eyes - Hazel remembers him of himself.

He promises to visit more - even though he doesn't think she'll remember it - and leaves to go back to the surface - he will finish the sophomore year.

And Percy does. After a very distressing break, he is doing his best. His grades drop a little in English because he can barely focus - half his mind is on the war and Nico's betrayal and Hazel Levesque's golden eyes.

Miraculously, his GPA doesn't fall - he still is taking a ridiculous amount of AP classes, and barely has time to breathe - dark circles grow under his eyes, and he looks like a mess - but now he is a Junior.

That's why, as soon as the year ends, Rachel takes him on a road trip with Connor. They go all the way to Boston, then Portland, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, Syracuse, Baltimore, and Filadelfia, before going back to NY.

They are stopped five times by the police - because Percy is black, and it's Rachel driving the Camaro, because she has a learner's permit and Connor is, somehow, an approved license holder.

They are on a pier, enjoying the view of the beach. They did the last week alone because Connor wanted to go check on one of his cousins - at least, that's what he said, with an over-exaggerated wink that both Percy and Rachel ignored for the sake of their sanity.

She tells him about Clarion Ladies Academy - but that her father is at least mildly happy with her GPA this year, even if he disapproves of her Art focused AP classes. Percy thinks Mr. Dare would love him, with his APs on Economics and Politics, if only he was rich. And white.

This time, when Charles Beckendorf arrives in a Pegasus to tell him it's time, Rachel doesn't kiss him - she justs hugs him and makes him promise to call her.

Perseus doesn't go to the Andromeda Ship - he is needed in Camp. He is useless on the water - but they do need him to improve battle strategy.

Charles Beckendorf is dead. Thalia is the one to tell them - she was in her father's palace helping with a monster under her Lady's orders - he went on the mission alone.

Percy talks briefly with Beckendorf's ghost - is his worst developed power, and he can barely hold the "seance" for more than a few minutes. He does it with only Nico di Angelo for witness - the others are the way to close to the situation.

There's a spy passing information to Luke.

They look at him. Doesn't matter how much he does, he is always the first suspect - he is a son of Hades. He was friends with a lot of people on the other side. He was gone for a year and a half, who knows where.

Perseus wants to say that he has helped to save their asses four times now - that without him in the Labyrinth, they would all be dead right now - and that Charles was basically his older brother.

Then he points out he wasn't even here - he had no idea of any plans of anything - and he told him about the spy, so he is not the freaking spy, go point fingers at each other instead of him.

When they start yelling, he stops them - this is not the time, he was just angry at their accusations. They have to burn Charles shroud. Silena is inconsolable - Percy is not very far from it, but he is not a public crier. The last time he cried in public, Luke was dead on a cliff.

Percy speeds up the line for Elysium to Beckendorf - his brother deserves it.

They read the prophecy together - Perseus already read it last summer, he doesn't even care anymore. They look at him anxiously - no one has forgotten that he abhors most of the gods.

Clarisse and Michael Yew fight, but Lee Fletcher - with a mechanical arm built by Beckendorf himself, still re-learning how to shoot arrows and forever incapable of playing the guitar again (but the keyboard is not ruled out yet) - stops them: They can share the chariot. The war is more important - is not the time for petty fights.

Chiron shows them Typhon - and Perseus has a sliver of hope that they can destroy Kronos and be free of the gods at the same time - It's a horrible hope, because he loves Persephone and some of them are even okay sometimes, but he really wants Zeus to go to Tartarus for at least a century, so Perseus doesn't meet him again in this life.

But he also wants the gods to win, because there's a lot of dead people - innocents, people who have nothing to do with this war.

He dreams of Rachel. Rachel is painting Luke - and Percy wakes up crying, for the boy the gods took away.

Annabeth takes him aside and reminds him of Achilles' Curse. He is off to May Castellan's house - the last place Luke has been - for it's his best and only chance, its what Annie thinks. And she is scarcely wrong.

Perseus hates the gods. They wrecked a family - and for what? May Castellan - forever waiting for a son that will never come back, haunted by visions of his future, plates of burned cookies everywhere.

Perseus doesn't pity her - he rages against the gods, who brought madness upon this woman and then left her to it. Where was Apollo, the god of health? Dionysus, who is supposed to control mental health? Artemis, whose job is to protect women?

Hestia is kind - but she is still a goddess. She could've prevented this - but she hides in her hearth and abstains - and that's enabling. Hestia enables the other gods to do as they please, even when she is the oldest. She says they ignore her - oh well, she ignores them right back! He has no time for the laments of another all-powerful being.

So he goes to his mother and asks for her blessing. Then, just to be sure, he asks Persephone's too.

He thinks about his anchor - where does he want it to be in his body. He doesn't want somewhere in his back - where he can't see it - or in his gut - where anyone can stick a sword. He settles for the bottom of his back - where he can at least touch it and it's well protected by armor - and dives.

Perseus hates water - and he has an uncanny fear of drowning. He feels pain - everywhere, horrible pain.

His vision now doesn't have Annabeth's face - the blonde is his link to the demigod world, Persephone is his link to the Underworld and his mom is his link to childhood - but the person who grounds him is Rachel.

He is stronger. He feel his powers at his fingertips - Perseus feels the Underworld as a whole, and it's overwhelming.

Green flames explode from his hands. Flowers made of shadows curve around his ankles - he has been training since he was 12, but now his body can sustain all of his power. This is all his.

He goes meet with his father - Perseus manipulates him. He tells Hades he'll be the hero, but the god himself can be praised for more than being his father. That he should join the battle against Typhon - That's his chance of proving himself. Also, there's less paperwork for him if there are fewer dead people.

His father is amused with his blatant bribing, but he thinks about it, Percy can tell. In a way or another, he excuses himself and goes back to the surface where he is needed.

Persephone stalls him. She asks him to stay, just for this night. He can go back in the morning - he sleeps, and dreams of Rachel again, drawing in the sand. In greek.

He is scared for her - she is having demigod dreams, but she is mortal. Something is wrong.

Typhon is getting worse - and Kronos draws closer to NYC. It's time - he calls for Blackjack and leaves - Mrs. O'Leary, who has become more or less of a mother to his own hellhound, follows. Persephone promises to convince Hades.

They have about sixty campers able to fight heading for the Empire State Building, and five healers. The ones too young to lift a sword or string a bow stayed back at Camp with Argus - fifteen children between 5 and 9 years old.

Percy knows he looks different - he looks just like his father. He has gained a godly aura - he has no scars anymore, no imperfections. Perseus looms over all of them - he went from 5'7'' to 6'2'' - it's a weird view, from up there. It's still strange when they look at him with a mix of fear and admiration.

Perseus Jackson is officially their leader. He hates Olympus - but he will give his life to defend every single one of his demigods.

The vision Hestia shows him just makes him want to tear this throne room with his bare hands - Luke was a kid. He was a kid - and the gods corrupted him. Thalia was a kid - and the gods took her life, twice. Annabeth is still a kid - they all are - and she is here planning battle strategies.

Annabeth missed an extra year of formal education - while Percy is a Junior, Annabeth barely qualifies for a Freshman - because the gods took this from her too.

Percy rages. The ground of Olympus trembles beneath him - he wants to kill something.

Then Hermes appears - like this whole war is not his fault in the first place, the literal bastard - just to relay a message from Athena that gives them a plan that Annabeth was already putting into works and tells Percy to stay away from Annabeth.

Like she cares. Like Athena has ever, ever, done anything for Annabeth.

Perseus can't punch Athena, so he punches the messager (also, because he freaking guilt trips both of them about Luke). He has nothing to lose - he is going to die by the end of the day anyway, and they need him too much.

He has punched a god before - Ares, in a desert in the middle of Los Angeles - but this time, it's satisfactory. He feels good after it.

Hermes seems strangely resigned - He feels guilty about Luke too, but Perseus doesn't think it's enough. It'll never be enough, not while the gods leave their children to rot in a cabin of rejects and May Castellan bakes cookies for a son that will never come back.

Hermes leaves, ashamed. It's only fair, Perseus thinks. They all should be ashamed.

They see the city asleep - the prophecy is in the works.

Perseus executes their strategy - every cabin is covering a tunnel, with the exception of Dionysus, because Pollux is with the Demeter kids, and the Hecate kids stay behind to use spells to overlook the city. Lincoln Tunnel is getting covered by Ares - who, this time around, is actively participating.

The undetermined who didn't desert are with Hermes - and the minor god's children are divided by specialty - most Hypnos and Morpheus children follow him directly, but the two sons of Iris go with the Apollo Cabin.

Annabeth executes Plan 23, automatons, mounting on Mrs. O'Leary (who has strict orders to take Annabeth anywhere she wants without stopping to play around) - she doesn't need his help with this, and Percy has a tunnel to defend.

That left the rivers uncovered - until Thalia appears, with magical sand money, and made the rivers cooperate.

The hunters join the Aphrodite kids - who are half a dozen children between 11 and 19 - the oldest being Silena Beauregard, who uses a crossbow that looks exactly like her immortal half-brother's one.

His bridge is completely covered on skeletons - but no monster comes, even if he hears explosions. He leaves an English Lieutenant from the Battle of Yorktown in command of the bridge - with Tyene, the oldest daughter of Morpheus, to be in alert and don't let Clovis sleep through the battle. Because he did it before - and while it is funny, it can't happen right now.

Perseus mounts Blackjack - and go see where the noise is coming from. It's the Williamsburg Bridge - where are most of Apollo's Cabin.

They fight - and Percy almost cries when he sees Luke, who is not Luke anymore. Luke, who is a puppet controlled by Kronos.

Perseus kills the Minotaur and the weight of his stone spikes collapse the bridge - and Michael Yew dies. This time around, the bridge falls silently into shadows, and he doesn't bother about searching for the corpse - he saw the boy falling, and his screams will haunt all of them, forever.

This time around, Annabeth is not there to protect him - Ethan also doesn't try to kill him. The Son of Nemesis doesn't leave Kronos side for a second - but there's regret in his eyes.

After the bloodlust is gone, Perseus collapses - Will has to bride carry him back. Overuse of his powers - he summoned skeletons and produced shadows, melted enemy swords (with the bonus of incapacitating them without killing), and sprouted stone spikes everywhere - there's even a vine or ten that he used to hold his friends from falling.

Perseus doesn't sleep quickly enough to not hear the yell of anguish that comes from Lee Fletcher - the pain of losing a brother and not being able to fight beside him.

But he does sleep - and he dreams. He dreams of Hades killing Maria Di Angelo, not Hera, like Zeus told Nico. He dreams of Zeus cursing the Oracle - and he seethes, because he also sees what happened to May Castellan.

He keeps getting angrier and angrier at the gods - it's building inside of him. But his friends are still here, still fragile. He can't let them suffer more.

Perseus wakes up, checks on everyone - most everyone is either injured and/or exhausted, but he checks on every camper. He knows all of their names, their ages, their cabins. - and promises to sit up to talk with Thalia and Nico - war makes him prone to peace - and promptly goes back to sleep.

He dreams of Rachel. He wants to scream for her not to come: but she'll anyway.

Perseus dreams of a boy. He is his age - maybe a little younger. His hair is blonde and his skin is whiter - but Percy glances at his eyes, and there are waves in them.

There's a girl by his side - she is familiar to Percy, somehow. They're climbing a mountain.

The dream ends and Percy can't make heads or tails of it. He asks Thalia if she has a brother, but she says that she doesn't, looking wistful.

Prometheus is tempting - but he knows there's no Luke anymore, there's only Kronos. And the gods are horrible, vile and immature - but they never killed any of Percy's friends. Some of them died for the gods - but never by their hands, so for now, Perseus would toe the line.

He does want to punch Hermes again. He takes the Pythos - if everything goes wrong, he will not hesitate in going down for the sake of his friends - but there have been six deaths, and it's enough.

"Was it worth it?" He asks Ethan.

"Alabaster is alive" And it's all the answer Percy needs.

He dreams of Ethan and Alabaster. Alabaster is alive, yes, but he is missing half a leg - courtesy of Clarisse herself. Luke - Kronos - is indifferent, and Ethan curses the daughter of Ares - "The sword that took from us will take from you"

He contains Hyperion with his shadows. Then he helps Grover (who was half asleep, because of Morpheus) to make the Titan into a tree. It's a pomegranate tree - then he sets hellish fire to it and sacrifices it to Hades and Persephone.

A pig is in the sky - this time around, Annabeth and her frightening army of automatons kill it with Nico's help.

Perseus laughs - because Annabeth has about two hundred automatons under her command, Martin Luther King and Alexander Hamilton leading the charge with a giant bull being ridden by the Mad Hatter behind them.

It's weird to see historic figures Percy admires - like Jane Bolin, Sylvia Mendez, or Abraham Lincoln - fighting alongside people he downright despises - Thomas Jefferson and the goatfucker, herpes-ridden, Colombus. His Comparative Government teacher would have a field day.

Annabeth and Nico's pair up is amazing - They fight alongside like they have been doing it all life.

Nico is a force of nature, flying and commanding the winds to do his bidding - His eyes shine in the midst of the stormy clouds. His specialty is weather manipulation - he hasn't had much success with direct energy or electric discharges.

Annabeth has her mother's tenacity for war - and her clever mind for strategies. It's clear in her eyes - she is racking the weaker points of the Clazmonian Sow in her mind and destroying it. The automatons hold the pig in place - and she makes bacon of it.

Hercules couldn't do it. Nico and Annabeth can, because they have the power and the mind.

Perseus is still fighting off monsters - but they're too widespread, so they retreat to the doors of the Empire State Building.

Percy does a mental tally: of sixty-two campers, six are confirmed dead, twenty are injured and nine are out of commission on exhaustion. There should be 27 orange shirts here - but there's only twenty.

Percy wonders if the seven missing are injured, or dead, or under a pile of rubble somewhere with no one to help them. Is there someone being slowly eaten by monsters? Is there someone alone and injured and abandoned? He doesn't know.

He prays that those seven deserted them - at least that means they probably are alive and well.

Perseus looks at Phoebe's grief-stricken face, and he knows it's not probable - she had almost three dozen hunters with her, and now there's barely fifteen still fighting, Thalia nowhere to be seen.

They prepare for their last standing - Percy keeps conjuring skeletons, but they're no match for the sheer strength of the hyperborean giants. Nico is shoulder to shoulder with the Stoll brothers against a group of telkhines - Clarisse is bringing down a whole giant by herself.

After the Party Ponies save them - Chiron leads the charge against his own father, and Perseus is so proud of his mentor he can't even put in words how much - he goes to sleep. Fighting gets him tired quickly, and they'll come back.

He dreams of Dionysus. Perseus is not fond of any god who is not Persephone, but Dionysus is mostly okay sometimes. He seems to care about his children.

Perseus couldn't care less about the Western Civilization - but he'll care for Pollux. It's one of his demigods, after all, and Underworld people are possessive of theirs (i.e. Hades and Persephone).

He dreams of Thalia, in her father's palace, begging Poseidon to leave the underwater war and help with the invasion - His wife is none too happy with the presence of his immortal bastard daughter.

He wakes up to Rachel's helicopter falling - how is Rachel even awake, is a mistery.

The improbable pair Nico and Annabeth strike again: The girl knows how to fly helicopters, and the boy can fly himself. They save the redhead and the pilot - everything is fine.

"You're not the hero"

"Why did you risk yourself to tell me something I already know?"

Rachel doesn't explain - she can't. But she has a vision that says that he is not the hero. The hero of what? Perseus has no idea. But there's no way any of his cousins is dying for this stupid prophecy.

Suddenly, there's a drakon there. Rachel has another prophecy - Perseus fears she will walk the path that led May Castellan to destruction - that only a child of Ares will be able to kill it.

Bad news: All children of Ares are otherwise out of battle.

Clarisse is resting after a nasty concussion - and her brothers and Apollo's children are fighting yet again because Lee Fletcher is in no condition to stop them and Michael Yew is dead. Ares' side refuses to fight without the chariot - which Cabin 7 has hidden somewhere.

The best they can do is fend the drakon off until a miracle occurs. And it does: Clarisse, in full armor, manages to lead her brothers into battle.

Clarisse is dead. Something shatters inside of Perseus - and he leaves the drakon for the Ares' children to solve - he can't kill it anyway - and starts to vaporize the army behind it.

He is so caught up in bloodlust, that he almost misses Clarisse slaying a dragon. Clarisse, who has no armor. Clarisse, who is alive.

Ethan's curse rang true - Clarisse's weapon took something from her.

Silena is a traitor. She is also dead - which makes her a martyr, and probably going to reunite with her boyfriend in Elysium.

He remembers how easy is to fall for Luke's charm - he was - is - still in love with the guy. Percy thought the son of Hermes could do no wrong - and he wonders how much of his rage against the gods sprout from his influence.

Something evil inside of Perseus's mind tells him she deserved it. It tells Perseus that better her than Clarisse - but he shuts it down, and concentrates on his shining red friends.

He hates Ares. But he might just have an okay side if he can produce such a magnificent daughter.

Silena is the Patroclus to Clarisse's Achilles, and the Drakon is Hector - and the daughter of Ares is sure to parade its dead body.

It's the first time they feel like they are winning. It doesn't last - but as he hugs Clarisse tightly, he thinks he might cry of relief.

Clarisse looks tough - but she is a wonderful human being. She loves Silena with her whole heart - even more than she loves Chris, her best friend. Silena might've been in love with Charles - but she and Clarisse? They are soulmates.

The damned Pythos is following Perseus - and he is done with it. He knows where hope will survive best. Rachel wants him to give it to Hestia - but he owns the fire goddess nothing.

She has never interfered, not once, to help the dozens of demigods with no family that is abandoned in Cabin 11, and he won't forgive her for it.

He sacrifices hope to Persephone because that's what spring is. Spring is the hope of a new life. Maybe, Perseus thinks, it'll convince his father to come.

They go down to make their final stand against the forces of Kronos. There's not a lot of them - but they're not getting through those doors.

Well, his father doesn't come. But Poseidon does, with his whole army, Tyson and Thalia behind him, and the scales seem to turn.

And then Kronos cuts the barrier. Perseus can see his Mom (why is his Mom here with a handgun?!) and Poseidon fighting against the monsters under the eyes of extremely confused mortals.

Some are trying to break the barrier - but it's futile. Kronos has corraled them like sheep for the slaughter.

It's just him, Grover, Annabeth and Nico, fighting against Kronos vanguard - which is big, but not as strong as they are.

Kronos passes him without resistance - Ethan follows, but there's anger in his eyes - not for Percy, but for the monster he is leashed to. Alabaster is not there.

As soon as Kronos powers stop working on them, the four follow the titan - and some things never change, no matter the universe.

This time, it's Nico who falls because of Hera - it's her curse over all of her husband's bastards.

Ethan takes one look at Perseus, and they don't even need to fight. They have been friends for longer than they have been enemies - and they both loathe the gods, but Kronos is as much of an all-powerful controller being as any of the Olympians.

They battle against Kronos - Perseus has only his ax against his scyther - a true Underworld fight.

Ethan dies. And Perseus bloodlust consumes him - it clouds his eyes and he can only keep fighting.

"If... if we've had cabins... and they had thrones"

It's true, and more than ever, Perseus wishes Kronos wasn't such a bastard. He wouldn't bother killing the gods - but the titan is a way worse option.

"LUKE, PLEASE" It's Annabeth. He doesn't have her faith - she didn't saw his transformation. But he tries anyway because he loves Luke just as much as he hates Kronos.

"Luke, remember our summer" But his words are caught up in his throat when the titan throws him against the wall.

But the amalgamation of his friend and an all-powerful being looks confused, so props for his genius best friend.

Kronos shows them a rainbow message of Typhon - and that's where Perseus it's pretty sure he starts liking his father.

Because the Lord of the Dead opens up the earth and gets out in a black chariot guided by skeletal horses like a king. By his right side, is Persephone, in armor battle as a queen should be. By his left, is Demeter, who looks every single bit like the matron she is supposed to be.

Behind him, a hundred thousand dead roars. Charon is mounting Cerberus - and literal hell is unleashed upon the Father of Monsters.

The gods strike down Typhon, sending him back to be locked away - this time, in the depths of Tartarus instead of Mount Etna.

Kronos gets mad. Utterly, undoubtedly mad. He talks about burning Luke's body. Then he hurts Annabeth and breaks two promises in one fell swoop.

"Luke.... remember family" It's what Annabeth utters, but Perseus, already certain of their own demise, is crying now.

"That summer Luke, you promised to never hurt her again. You remember it? YOU PROMISED LUKE!!"

Annabeth's promise was already broken - he had hurt her, all those years ago, in Mt. Othrys. But the promise he made to Percy - that he would never hurt her again - is new and broken, in the river Styx no less.

Luke regains his own body, for a minute, and Perseus runs to him like a man in a desert with no water.

"Please, please tell me there's a way to undo this, Luke, please, please"

"There isn't one, Percy" And it's the first time he hears Luke call him Percy, Percy and not Perseus, in his own voice, in two years. Percy cries.

"We... we don't have much time, hellebore. Give me Annabeth's dagger. Before he... before he takes back"

Luke calls him hellebore and it makes him start crying all over again. He gives him the dagger - and Luke kills himself, taking Kronos out with him.

Luke doesn't need to ask if Percy has ever loved him - Percy kept loving Luke, one-sided as it was, even when Kronos was there.

He still crying over Luke's body when the gods arrive. Luke is dead. Ethan is dead. Silena is dead. Michael Yew is dead. Charles is dead.

He lost three of his best friends in two days. Ethan is dead. Luke is dead. Luke is dead.

Perseus can't stop crying. They take Luke's body away - but he can't stop. Annabeth explains what happened to the gods - most of it, anyway. Apollo says he is in shock - his father says he is a hero.

Perseus doesn't feel like a hero. Was this all worth it? Was it worth it the pain and the death and the suffering?

Persephone touches him - and he has no tears to cry anymore. She can't hug him here, but she'll do so later.

He stares at the walls, listening to his friends being awarded - compensated by their siblings and friends' deaths - with a blank stare. Perseus wants his mom.

They call for him. He raised his head but doesn't bother getting up. He just saved their asses - for the fifth time in a roll. He deserves to grieve.

They offer him immortality. A place between the gods.

He laughs. Zeus looks murderous, but he can't stop laughing.

"My apologies, but I have to refuse," he says. But in his mind, he is thinking about how could they even think he might want to sit between them and be an all-powerful being, be another god ignoring his children and messing with mortal lives while thousands die for him.

"Promise me, on the river Styx, that you'll give me the wish that I want."

They promise him, that if it's within their capabilities, they shall grant him his wish.

"I wish for every child at the age of twelve to be claimed. I wish for cabins in Camp Half-Blood, for every single minor god, and my own father. I wish for Calypso to be free, and to the demigods from the opposite side of this war to be given amnesty. It's not their fault. It's not any of our faults."

"You dare to-" Zeus begins, but Percy is really tired of Zeus.

"We fought your war, we won your battles. We, the unclaimed and rejected stowaways of Cabin 11. We, the children of minor and Underworld gods. We deserve respect. Just like my father deserves a throne, just like the minor gods deserve justice."

"Don't you fear us?" Athena asks, something weird shining in her eyes.

"I thought I would be dead today. At least if I die now, I'm dying for something I believe in."

It stays unsaid that he doesn't believe in them. The other demigods look at him worried - but he is not afraid of the gods.

They grant his wish. Some of them aren't happy with it, but they have to do it. He meets Calypso at the front gates of Olympus - and her smile can brighten the pits of Tartarus. He sees Alabaster talking with Lou Ellen - they are both crying.

He thinks it's the end - it's not. Thalia tells him Rachel left for Camp in her Pegasus - and his father has lift the curse, the Prophecy is gone, but he fears for his best friend.

Perseus is too tired for shadow travel - he does it anyway. He flickers, but anyway, he is too late.

It works. Rachel - his best friend - is the new Oracle. Someone jokes they can't be together anymore and Rachel lifts an eyebrow.

"We never were. Didn't you see the last few hours?" Well, he did out himself. Mostly - they might say it's just friendship, and he will hate the way they twist it. Luke wasn't a villain, and Perseus isn't a pure hero with a heart of gold.

Perseus is healing from lost love - and Annabeth is too. His crush on her was only a crush, he thinks - She is his best friend first and foremost. They cry together at the bonfire that burns away the shrouds of 43 demigods - from both sides - and 16 hunters of Artemis. Their souls all rest in Elysium now.

Alabaster comes back to Camp and helps his siblings to build the new Cabin for Hecate, full of spelled blocks and magic chimneys. Clovis and Tyene have their hands full with their own cabins - it doesn't help they keep getting sidetracked with naps.

Somehow, Nico, Thalia, and his bond over helping construct Cabin 13 - They are both way too invested in the goth vibe, mostly because Cabin 1 looks like a temple, and Cabin 3 looks like a beach cabin. And both of them are so over it.

Perseus doesn't want a goth cabin - he is fighting against the aesthetic for years - but sometimes, there are no arguments. His Cabin is made of black marble, and there are skulls everywhere, with torches shining with green fire. Outside, at least. Inside, it looks like Persephone's garden, with input from the queen herself. It's ready just shy of the end of summer vacation.

Rachel tells the next Great Prophecy. Perseus isn't such a positive person to think it won't affect him - he hopes at least it'll wait until he is done with High School.

That night, he dreams of the blonde boy again - it's his first night without nightmares since the battle. He has a scar in his lip, and his green eyes pierce Percy's soul. Perseus wonders if they'll ever meet, wonders if this boy is one of the Seven of the Prophecy.

But alas, Perseus lets it go. The summer is over - he is sixteen, somehow. He is alive and going to go back to his mortal life and his junior year, and grief. Not everything is fine - but eventually, it will be.

It's not the end. Not yet.

[camelely]

13rw S4 Fix

 So i did one of these for last season and I think now that I’ve had some time to think about S4 I’ll do the same. While last season I thought the issue was one character being overused. But here it seems like there were multiple smaller things that could have improved the whole season Again I’m keeping the same basic plotline and characters :) 

1) Winston 

Have Winston stay at Hillcrest. Him moving to Liberty did nothing for the main plot and he was basically a red herring through most of it. Let him try are befriend the characters from the outside. He can learn about Jess from Bryce’s trial and the news coverage and then try to befriend her at Monet’s. This is where he meets and later starts to date Alex. Since he doesn’t go to liberty school Alex sees him as a sort of escape and lets him in. Clay and Ani dont tell everyone about him because they dont know he is trying to get close to them. It makes them seem less like assholes and more like people. They don’t mention his connection to Monty because they dont realize how close he is getting to answers. Clay can still suspect he did the graffiti, after all it was a break in and a non student could have done that. Plus Estella is another red herring in the school. She serves that purpose so let Winston be the outsider looking in. His arc would still be about knowing a different Monty and not knowing who is was at Liberty but now he is literally the outsider who didn’t really get Monty, rather than it just being a figurative thing at the prom. You can still have the prom scene it would just be entirely imagined rather than the half imagined thing they went with. I think they overused the people talking to ghosts thing so here it would be a  fantasy of Monty and the relationship they had rather then a representation of what could have been. However I don’t think this would have retracted from the point. Also play him up, he is a sympathetic antagonist and it sucks how much he is sidelined for Diego. I didn’t hate Diego but Winston and him basically went through the same arc. They were pro Monty and ending up dating a member of the group, couldnt believe that member was involved and then learned something about Bryce and Monty agreed to move on and just did. All while saying they will alway care for that member of the group. It was an unnecessary rehash. Having WInston be the outsider looking in and Diego the insider looking out also lets their characters compliment each other. They should still work together, just have Winston contact him looking for Monty’s friends. It’s simple. 

2) Tyler and Tony 

Oh Tyler. The character who seems to be in the middle of everything despite never doing anything himself. I didn’t mind his arc of helping the cops find the guys who sold the illegal guns. But Tony’s suspicions, eventually leading to Clay and Tony finding out the truth and just moving on never really go anywhere. I think  it would be cool if Tyler tells Tony, despite the cops telling him not to tell anyone, because he trusts Tony. But Tony, who has had bad run ins with the cops, thinks it is a bad idea. He doesn’t want Tyler taking the deal. Tyler says its the only way the guns wont be traced back to them but Tony thinks teh cops are planning to double cross them to mind out more about Bryce and Monty. At the same time he starts getting close to that cop that takes him boxing and helps him get into college (i dont remember his name for the life of me lol). Tyler sees this as being hypocritical and pulls away. Tony still suspects Tyler is behind the lock down because he is pulling away and Tony is getting paranoid. The rest of their story can still be the same but this way they can show Tony’s paranoia and his loyalty. 

As for Tyler and Estella, It was fine. The scene of them in the bathroom was really powerful, being in the bathroom with a de la cruz and becoming comfortable because isnt her brother was really nice. This could even be another reason Tony and Tyler fight. Tony can be paranoid that Tyler is trusting her too quickly and think she will turn on him. 

3) Jess

Her arc with the principal, being scared and agreeing with the security measures before she sees them in action was really interesting. Focus more on it and less on her manipulating Diego. I did like parts of that arc for her so I don’t want it completely gone but I do think focusing on her working with the principal would have been cool. I would call more attention to her first meeting and her agreeing with the measures and slowly show her change her mind and start to turn against them. Maybe even have an early scene of her and ANi talking about it and have Jess admit she feels safer. Move the creepy cop trying to pat her down to the second or third day. So she can have a moment where they make her feel safe before the negative experience. I loved the protest and a bit better build up would have made it amazing

Her arc with Ani. They fought over Bryce... It should have been a conversation. Not a moment where Ani judges Diego and then they argue. I still think this arc should have been Chloe and Jess and should have been in last season. But they had the opportunity to include Chloe this season and just didnt. I’ll talk about this a bit more in the Zach section but I think Chloe should have been at Prom and the moment between the Ani Jess and Chloe should have been then. It would be right after Jess and Ani made up and would have been cool. 

I don’t think she should have had scenes where she saw and talked to Bryce. Yes it created some powerful moments but they could be reworked. Have WInston use his wealth to commission a positive thing in the paper about Bryce and Monty and have her talk to his idealized photo of Bryce. I will mention it in the Clay section but her hallucinations detracted from his journey with mental health. 

4) Clay

Okay two thing here the first is his arc with mental health, hallucinations, and blackouts. They used it for drama and I wish they hadnt. It should have been about him healing. I didnt mind the way they handled the realization for clay that it was him doing everything (Did they explain the symbol he kept drawing because I missed it if they did? or i just forgot because it was that forgettable lol) but I think the whole thing could have been handled a lot better and a more educated fan then I can provide a better explanation for what exactly was off about it. I will say the the therapy sessions were repetitive and I know thats realistic but for a tv show its boring. The scene were Clay goes to his home was weird and low key scary. I understand the purpose but  I wish he had called him and asked to meet at his office instead. A more likable and relatable journey for Clay with his mental health would be really good for a show that was accused of glorying suicide (personally i dont think it did. My inbox is open if you wanna talk though :))

The second thing is the phantom phone caller. I hate this trope so it might just be me but this is so stale. There are exactly two ways it could go. The person could know everything and be a real problem or the person could be fishing for information and not be a real problem. The whole thing was predicable since Winston had red herring written all over him, Estella was barely developed, and on this show it is always the football guys. Instead let the pranks be smaller and less crazy. Like these boys had to coordinate a lot to mess with Clay. There should be more than one prank and end with a Monty doll and Clay holding a knife to set up the camp episode. But they should be pranks, not the phantom caller psychological torture bs. The blood shower can also happen just on a different day. Clay can be confused about what is real and what isnt making him even more worried about his blackouts and again assuming the mental health arc is handled well, the pranks can be a real part of it. Dumping him in the pit on the camping trip also seemed kinda attempted murdery so maybe do something like tie him to a tree of the path or in a small dirt ditch not a rocky pit where if he hit his head or fell weird the team would all be murderers. 

5) Alex

His arc with Charlie was one of my favorite stories this season. I was also not bothered by him getting close to and exploring his sexuality with Winston and Zach. I’m in the minority but I’m glad Zalex wasn’t made canon and Zach was used to be an effective (kinda) ally and good friend. Plus this way Zalex can live on in the fandom untouched or ruined by the writers interpretation. 

They should have given us Alex in therapy. He tried to kill himself had a traumatic injury, an arc with steroid abuse, and an arc about killing someone. All of which were forgotten this season. All the other characters seemed to be dealing with Bryce and Monty, why not focus on Alex? Even if it isnt in therapy just let him exist in his feelings.

6) Zach

I have one major issue with Zach’s arc, the lack of Chloe. She was the reason he almost killed a man. Let them date, let him start to spiral while dating her. She doesnt know what he did. Have them grow apart on screen but her still connecting to him and not wanting to give up on him. They should go to prom together. I know the hooker was supposed to represent Zach turning into Bryce with the hookers and the drunken sex/potential rape  and cocaine. But Chloe fills the same comparison. He brings cocaine she is not okay with it, He tries to convince her to have sex in the back she is not having it. Maybe he tries to convince maybe it becomes a bit worse than that but she breaks up with him at prom and leaves early. She sees Bryce in him, she doesnt have to say it but you can see it on her face and she walks away when her mind and heart tells her to this time no making excuses. Boom Chloe actually has an arc. As for Zach this is a big wake up call for him he sees what we had become. I know it is later in the actual show but I think it should be in the prom episode so he can have a better conclusion in the finale, like the other characters. The whole season was a downward spiral and I wish we got to see more of him pulling himself out of it. If the whole finale is him getting better even though he wont be all the way done he will be in a better place up the end.

7) Justin

Okay the hard one. I think the writers really wanted to kill him. I mean a fan favorite, who did bad things, and the death would be in the series finale. this is a tv writer’s drug of choice. So I’m gonna do a fix where I still kill him first then to the ideal version. Ok so first Justin dies. No HIV/AIDS. It was out of nowhere, unneeded, and seemed a bit insensitive. If you want it to be related to his drug use, make it so he got a bad batch when he relapsed. Or maybe organ failure. If it doens’t need to be drug related it can be an accident or someone he knew on the streets getting revenge, like that drug dealer we spent time with last season. Or if Justin helps Tyler put the gun salesmen behind bars then have it be retaliation for that. He can still go to the hospital and have goodbyes but it wont be an aids diagnosis and death in the same episode. I know they had signs in earlier episodes but the timeline is still really fucked up...

An ideal ending would have him live. He can still pass out at Prom. The diagnosis can be a combination of stress and withdrawal symptoms.He can be the red herring for the person in the coffin. If Justin lives he can represent hope. He can show the audience that you can get better and things can work out. Even if you are sick and think you will die you can do better be better and live in a better world. Plus I love him and really wanted him to be happy. The message would be you can get out of a bad situation and wold have ended a sad series on a positive note. Even if you are a bad person. Even if you have bad circumstance. Even if it feels like the world is against you, it can get better if you put in the effort. Which felt like the message the show was going for in eariler seasons by showing the people on the tapes doing better but abandoned this last season.

So who would I put in the coffin. Ani’s mom. Now I know she wasn’t a well liked character and her mom wouldn’t have the same audience or character reaction Justin’s death did. But this version isn’t about making the audience sad. Ani would finally have a plot that was really about her, her mom died, Bryce’s mom basically wants to provide for her. And she isn’t sure what to do. Justins funeral felt like it was overshadowed by graduation anyway. Now Ani’s moms absence and the funeral being overshadowed both make sense. She is going to college and doing what she can to honor her mom. And the death of a parent causes Clay to immediately appreciate his own family more. The theme in the first season with Clay was appreciating and acting on his feelings for Hannah before she was gone. Ani’s mom dying is a reality check for him and he know the most important things are his family and friends. Justin’s arc was about finding a family and he did. The core of the show is about family, friends, and the importance of  a strong support system. And starting it with a mother grieving her daughter and ending it with a daughter grieving her mother would be a cool full circle moment.

This post is really long so if you read all the way down Thank you! :)