#and i was like ??? and then i remembered thanos and everything and it made sense

[respectthepetty]

Pride Petty Watch (The Untamed) 1/?

I let the crowd pick which two blacklisted shows I would watch from my Petty List, so I flew through the first one knowing I had this 50-episode beast waiting for me. People have warned me that the first two episodes wouldn't make sense, there are a ton of characters to keep track of, I need to watch it at normal speed, and I need to keep the sound on. Therefore, I was already mad before I hit play, yet somehow I started the first episode, blacked out, and emerged five episodes later.

Which means I like it so far, and here's some quick reasons why:

Before I start, these two better be an item because they are my favorite BTS song aka "🔥" and since I haven't seen them in the present yet, I'm fearing something happened to them in that great battle in the past, and if so, I'M GOING TO BE BE LIVID! I've had them for three whole minutes, and they are everything to me, so I feel this story is going to fuck me over.

Everyone is chasing after this golden black snitch, yet nobody is catching it, so although there is a lot of death happening, I'm laughing.

If you squint, My Stand-In and The Untamed are the same. Boys who fell off a cliff come back in another body only to live the same life with the same people and make the same bad decisions. Cool cool cool.

This current lecturer is stating nobody could find the body but he fell into fire/lava, so what body were they thinking they would find?! Also, don't think I didn't catch homeboy getting in trouble in the past for asking in class what happens when a spirit demands revenge and the instructor got upset because look where we are now! Possession of a body for the sake of revenge. Should've entertained the question, professor, because sixteen years later, it will come back to haunt you, literally.

And homeboy applied his own theory of making the possessed bodies work for him to fight the other body. He is a smart cookie, and that's why the original Moo Moo person gave his body up to him.

@dribs-and-drabbles, if this is why you told me I needed the sound on, I'm confident I'm not going to remember this melody. And how is he playing a leaf right now?

I can't take this seriously. This feels like an 80s music video, and he is about to hit me with the hottest synthesizer intro.

And the sword has the golden black snitch in it. *Pikachu face*

I can't play an instrument but for a DIY flute made out of bamboo on the spot, I thought his playing was excellent. For people being saved from being squashed, they are some haters, and I would have stopped playing just so they could suffer.

I picked up that sister is dead in the future, but her kid is a brat, and I would've been mean to him too.

And did the brother really kill him in that battle on the hill because when the entire crowd was like "you killed him, right?", he was looking like . . .

So this is the brat's daddy? It would make sense that a man who shut down an entire hotel for his party would have a son who sets 400 traps so nobody else can catch anything. The privilege is genetic.

I like him AND I respect him. He has priorities and they are to drink and party because even when he came back in that other body, he snatched the liquor. As the opening showed, he's here for a good time, not a long time.

I don't like Fuddy Duddy. He can remember 3,500 rules (this place is where fun goes to die), but couldn't remember to tell my party bro that his sister and brother were inside? Everybody just left homeboy without a note saying where they are, and Fuddy Duddy had the information, yet was too busy lecturing about rules. AND committed the ultimate party foul and wasted the liquor. Make that the 3,501th rule! He's lucky he can lay the synthesizer so well.

This is where the big battle is/was (Nightvale, Nightshade, NightWhatever), and I hope this man died in it because he is doing TOO MUCH! "I don't fear death; I fear boredom" YOU'RE boring! Shut up and go collect the pieces of that dumb rock, Thanos Jr., so we can get this battle going.

HE BROUGHT A BIRD INTO CLASS! This is the everyday American high school class.

Why is everyone in the Fire Nation so pissed? Is it because it's hot there? All of y'all are doing too much except for that sister and her brother. I know that brother was the zombie guy from the statue fight, so that means the main homeboy was talking to Fire Nation sister at the graves. That was her family's grave, and she must be a good person, who is probably dead now too.

So they can all play magical instruments? They're like Josie and the Pussycats, playing gigs between fighting crime.

The brat's dad is gold, the Cloud Recesses (what is this name about because they should be a lot more fun with a name like that?) are white and blue, and the Fire Nation is red, so it's odd that homeboy had the dark blue robes with red underneath before coming to school, and keeps getting really friendly with the fire people. Plus the cloud people's power is blue, but his comes out in bursts of red. Is his daddy really Fire Nation? Get Maury on the line.

So his bird buddy gave him porn, which he gave to Fuddy Duddy, who then ripped it up. No wonder why he is so good at school and remembers 3,500 rules. Got nothing but time on his hands since he isn't using his hands doing anything else by being so repressed.

Fuddy Duddy just said he doesn't touch people, yet in the very beginning he snatched homeboy's hand without hesitation, so he wouldn't fall to his death. Then, he snatched that premium liquor for him. I see you and your heart on your sleeve, my man! Just like this water demon, the feelings are sneaking up on you and snatching you up!

Should've bought her the comb, bro, because she's going to be dead after that big battle since she was sent to snoop for the Fire Nation. Even though she is trying to help her brother, I feel this will be y'alls Romeo and Juliet moment.

So the brother was always going to come back from the dead since he already was cursed(?), and my homeboy is once again proving to be a friend to all. I like you, and I will learn your name, hopefully by episode 28.

Only three marks healed in the present, so whoever is the last mark has to be one of these hoochies, and the more backstory I get, the more I think it's going to hurt when I find out who the last mark is.

Half these people have already died leading up to that big battle and the other half will die as homeboy sets out on his Kill Bill journey, so like . . .

"You and I have unfinished business"

*slams on the 'next' button*

[that-cartoony-villain]

after that agatha finale i have many thoughts about rio as death and all the symbolism behind her actions so beware of spoilers for the whole series also in no particular order its gonna be stuff i remember so I'll be jumping around

I'm going to start with the last agathario scene that we gays were hoping The Kiss™️ which is kinda obvious about a kiss from death which is very common in literature and it symbolizes dying so that part was very direct, idk if this means they never kissed before or not but in that moment agatha had a clear goal of getting rio's power for herself and they both knew it would kill her as she said in the first ep... this does imply that she probably tried to do this before but rio stopped her when they were in love all those centuries ago

which kinda goes into a theory that maybe their first entanglement (whatever that implies) created nicky, cause agatha says she didn't do a spell or incantation to create him, he was made from scratch, and rio being The green witch™️ deals not only with death and decay but the cycle of life and death, creation and destruction, so it makes sense that he is their child, created from their love, which is why it hurt them both when she had to take him away, he was also something that challenged the balance of the universe, like billy, and rio allowed agatha to keep him with a timetable that nobody knew

and that takes me into the witches death that agatha killed to keep her son alive, she knew that giving bodies to death would allow rio to turn a blind eye to her child, and it makes for great symbolism with the sentence "death follows wherever they go" because it wasn't that agatha wanted to kill people, she had to so nicholas could survive, because death *was* following her wherever she went, they fell in love and rio had to make the tough decision of leaving her so she wouldn't take away agatha's most prized possession, their kid, and once she did have to do it she still kept following agatha because now she was actually killing witches just to have power and stay alive, she was grieving and murder became her go to (not a good thing) but death kept following wherever she went

and that is possibly why rio never got over her, she was always pursuing agatha and she didn't have time to let go, so at the end when agatha makes the deal to give up billy in exchange of rio letting go of her it had both the meaning of allowing her to be immortal and to forget about agatha, she was tired of having death follow her and they both knew the only way that could happen was for rio to give up her feelings and stop wanting to be with her

another thing is the whole tarot symbolism of death, as a major arcana in most decks death means the closing of a cycle, it isn't a bad card even though people see death as a bad thing, but the whole lilia ep was about showing how her cycle was about to finish (not necessarily meaning her death btw) and through all of the road each of them had their cycles closed, alice managed to get rid of her curse, jen got her power back, lilia finally understood her timeline and organized her thoughts to save her coven, billy found more power and possibly where his twin could be, agatha got the power she wanted for a bit and rio finally put agatha on the ground

also i could talk about how lilia might still be alive but that's a different rant that will come some other time

anyway i just really loved all the death symbolism throughout the whole show and how well they portrayed everything, aubrey did an amazing job as rio and i do hope they use her again in the mcu since we've had so many deaths and there will be more and how she deals with some of the things that don't necessarily follow the natural order of things (just please don't make it comic death cause rio is a lesbian she would never fall in love with thanos)

[jlmasaysmoneyisbest]

BSD X DCU

Someone hate my brain with me becuz wtf

So this is kind of a cross over with marvel as well but only with

Thanos

who snaps almost everyone

Only Bruce and Alfred is left

Thanos has Fyoders plan in mind

so not only are people gone but powers

then comes abilties

War is torn through the land

Alfred dies

Bruce takes on a new name given to him as a gift from a new friend

Fukuzawa Yukichi 

He meets Ranpo and immediatly wants to cry because he would so fit with his children

he created the agency

and every new member made his heart swell and break at the same time because he loved his family and he missed his dead ones

So blah Blah Blah

people die get revived Vampires!

Everything gets fixed

Fyoder is alive as well as Bram and Kunikida

Ships are acoming

Everyone gets to live happily

Yokohama is like in a mha crossover a closed off

area

Abilities are only in there and the people who were left behind in the snap(yes Yokohama is huge)

Everyone outside is back and have been slowly trying to get back to their lives

rebuilding everything that was destroyed

The supes and bats and everyone else are looking for Bruce or at least for his body

Everyone in Yokohama

have this totally different morals

including bruce

He no longer has a no kill rule

but instead kill only if necessary

Bruce has been threw war he has Fukuzawa pasts

Honestly I accidently read a fanfic that is Bruce is great but the kids are bad and basically leaving him alone and ignoring him and basically bad father Bruce but instead its the kids

idk it was really random and complicated and I don't remember much but it made me sad and hate the batkids a little ):

So jealousy! because everyone loved that

Fukuzawa was the father to his agency like he never was to the bat kids no matter how much he wanted to be

also to make it more dramatic

Im making Mori and Fukichi try to win his love

Like it was by total accident I imagined this scene

you see

I imagined a scene where

the batkids meet everyone and Mori says

"Say what can I do to get your father to marry me"

Fukichi jumps in as well

the kids are incredbly confused while

Fukuzawa hates himself

Fukichi and Mori asked him out

In THE MIDDLE OF A BATTLE

and Fukuzawa who was entirely focused on the battle said yes

and then they proposed in another middle

he said yes but caught himself

and said

"ONLY IF YOU GET MY ENTIRE FAMILY TO AGREE"

and as much as they hate the two they would totally agree for shits and giggles

also Mafia totally want Fukuzawa as a father figure

and the batkids are so confused

and are like

Why do we have more family

Did B just allow that man to kill

why is he friends with villains

(which you know in BSD makes small sense)

why are two men fighting for his hand in marriage

wtf different reality did we walk through

This Unlike BSD and DCU is all very

Slice of Life

Comedy

What the fuck is happening

I am jealousy

Father President YAYAYAYAYAYA

[nekoannie-chan]

Space

Title: Space.

Fandom: Marvel, Captain America.

Ship: Steve Rogers X Reader.

Word count: 893 words.

Rating: Teen.

Summary: The first travel, Steve and you have after the Blip.

Major Tags: Snap, space travel, Blip.

Additional tags: This is my entry to @multifandom-flash, Valentine’s day card & square 3:

"Free space.”

You can read it on Wattpad and Ao3 too.

@saiyanprincessswanie

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistakes, please let me know and I will correct them.

I don’t give any kind of permission for my fics to be posted on other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don't steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other people. The only exception is the ones I gifted 'cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and are not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Marvel's characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

Add yourself to my taglist here.

My other media where I publish:  Ao3, Wattpad, ffnet, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter. 

If you like it, please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog.

Tags: @sinceimetyou @unnuevosoltransformalarealidad @navybrat817 @angrythingstarlight @shield-agent78 @charmed-asylum @pandaxnienke @real-fbi @smokeandnailz @white-wolf1940 @tenaciousperfectionunknown @xoxonotme @bluemusickid @leyannrae @harrysthiccthighss @marvelatthisone @caplanbuckybarnes @sapphire-rogers @lizzieolseniskinda @notyourtypicalrose @hallecarey1 @nana1000night @talia-rumlow @writingshae @alexxavicry @azulatodoryuga @daemonslittlebitch @chaoticcollectivenightmare @endlesstwanted @chemtrails-club  @marigoldreamer @whiskeytangofoxtrot555 @here4thefanfics @theestorm @patzammitt @kmc1989 @somegirlfrom

The last few years Steve didn't seem the same; if when he woke up he thought he had lost everything, he had been wrong; he lost everything with the Snap.

He couldn't erase from his mind the scene from the last time he saw you. When the others began to fade away, you ran into his arms, terrified. He immediately embraced you, wanting to protect you; he even covered your face so that you would not continue to see, but he could do nothing when you began to disappear between his fingers.

The nights before you made the trip in time, he couldn't sleep; he couldn't stop remembering all the moments you had lived together and all the time you had lost because you weren't there.

Things were not supposed to be like this.

Two weeks after the Snap was supposed to be your wedding, because Thanos' attack shouldn't have happened, you had everything ready. The hardest thing for Steve was having to call to cancel everything. It didn't make sense for the wedding to go on if you weren't there.

And now he didn't know how to explain to you everything that had happened, although what he feared the most was that as soon as he saw you on the trip, he would run to hug you.

“I don't understand anything you're telling me, Steve; it's just not possible," you said, confused, after he explained what happened.

“What's the last thing you remember? “he questioned.

“I was hugging you, and then everything went dark. I opened my eyes, and you weren't there," you answered.

“You know I would never leave you, right?"

You nodded. He hugged you. It seemed completely implausible what he had told you, but the evidence was irrefutable. Steve had been living in a nightmare for the last five years. Now, what would you do?

“How about a trip? We can move up the honeymoon," Steve proposed.

“All the dates are booked, right? We'd gone to so much trouble to plan everything," you said, disappointed.

“The only thing that matters to me is that you're here, and now we have a chance to make up for all the time we lost.

“Tell me more about the trip," you asked.

“Have you ever been in space?" Steve asked.

“Is that a tricky question?"

“No, I'm serious."

"No, I've never been."

“I'll take care of showing you how wonderful it is." His voice was beginning to sound full of excitement; he hadn't felt that way in a long time.

“And how are we supposed to go? Will the raccoon take us?" You were confused; at first, you thought he was joking, but it seemed he was serious.

“No, we'll take one of Tony's ships. I don't think he'll mind; he's too busy with his family."

You grimaced. Sure, everything was different, but it was too strange to hear.

You started packing your bags; what were you supposed to need in space? You didn't know exactly what to put; the internet wasn't much help at that time either; there was no information about it. You took the sunblock just in case; you were going to be near the sun, weren't you?

If someone had told you about this trip a few years ago, you would have laughed and thought you were joking.

The readjustment had been somewhat difficult, but Steve didn't leave you alone for a single moment; he was so determined to help you. He was trying very hard to make up for all the time you had lost.

You had only found a date for your wedding a year later, although that would give them some freedom to reinvent the whole plan you had. So while Steve was right that you could move up the honeymoon, you'd also have to admit that not just anyone would take your fiancée on such a unique trip.

The feeling when you left Earth was inexplicable; your perspective had changed, and it was so much more beautiful than how it looked from the ground. You turned to look at Steve, who, since you took off, had not let go of your hand.

Maybe you could stay; you didn't need you at the compound; you could live peacefully in space, making up for lost time and feeling infinite.

He began to tell you what he felt the first time he made that trip, although he kept repeating that nothing was the same without you.

You looked into his eyes, and you smiled. His eyes matched perfectly with the scenery that surrounded them.

When you saw that he stabilized the ship, you stood up, pulled his arm, gave in somewhat confusedly, and put one of his hands on your shoulder and the other on your waist.

“What are you doing? “he asked.

“Shh, don't talk; you're ruining the moment," you answered.

You leaned on him and started to dance. It didn't matter that there was no music; you could pretend there was.

You could pretend you were dancing your wedding waltz.

It wouldn't matter how much time passed, whether it was minutes or hours; all you wanted was to be able to be like this for eternity.

Steve was going to make sure that nothing would ever separate them again; he was going to do whatever it took to make you happy.

[layla4567]

Spoilers Loki s2 e5

I have a lot to say!!! (this will be long)

Ok first of all this scene made me laugh a lot because of how randomly they presented the original timeline of Mobius, he looks like a child playing (oh and him being a single dad it makes a lot of sense to me)

expectation:

reality:

Oh my f*cking god If I liked O.B before, now I love him with all my soul! He is not only a nerdy genius but a science fiction geek whose passion is to be a writer!!! And why didn't they let him keep his books in the bookstore?! I would gladly buy them!! Just look at his face, he needs a hug :(

AND WHY THE FUCK DID THEY NOT HELP HIM WHEN THE BOOKS DROPPED ON HIM?! IT COSTS NOTHING TO BE KIND DAMN IT

Ok, I think we've all realized that O.B's workshop is the same as the basement where he works at the TVA, maybe he was the one who created the TVA after all? btw how beautiful the photography is in this entire series.

I admit it, I laughed my ass off at this scene, I apologize (make it a meme pls lol) Honestly, this whole scene and the interactions that O.B had with Loki made me laugh (when Loki tries to control his timeslipping or when O.B electrocutes him as scientific proof)

This scene where Loki adjusts his hair and his jacket to see Mobius 👀 (he only does it with him) I wonder what the Sylki fans have to say

Remember how I said I hated Hunter X5/Brad Wolfe? Well I was wrong, there is one person I hate more, her. Girl, they're literally telling you that everything is going to shit and you don't give a damn? On top of that, when they tell you that you are selfish, do you take it naturally as if it were something to be proud of? Why are you like this? The worst thing of all is that when Loki says he wants his friends back she calls him selfish, not sweetheart, that's not being selfish. Being selfish is turning a blind eye to a problem that you mainly caused. Loki's fear of being alone is understandable and justified since he felt that way all his life and has done all the things he did for that same reason, which It's being really selfish, it's the opposite, wanting to be alone and forget your friends and not care that their timelines are falling apart. Sylvie you are a hypocrite (sorry I had to vent)

AAAAAAAAAA I'M GOING TO CRY GOD. I said it and I will always say it Loki needs a hug 😭 This scene is super moving because it shows us Loki's true purpose, he just wants his friends back, who are also people he hasn't known for a long time but who were attentive to him (btw Tom Hiddleston always shines in all his scenes )

This scene...holy shit this scene was scary. I think it's even more terrifying than Thanos' snap.

It's overwhelming how everything around her disappears in seconds leaving her in literal emptiness. There is absolutely nothing left, only threads floating in an enveloping blackness. When I saw that scene I felt empty and desolate.

OH SHIT HERE WE GO AGAIN...

NOOOOOOO MOBIUS NOT YOU (He just wanted to save his children 😭)

Loki's face when he sees his friend disappear D: (I'm having deja vu from the first season when Mobius was pruned)

Sylvie too?! Why does she disappear and Loki doesn't? (By the way, you just arrived Sylvie when you realize that everything is disappearing? really?)

Ok this is a nightmare for Loki, he was left alone and couldn't do anything to avoid all that, I think it's the most hopeless scene of the episode :( (And the way he tries to grab those threads…I'm broken)

OK HEAR ME OUT BECAUSE I HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THIS SCENE. I think the background voices help a lot with the feeling of anguish and helplessness that Loki feels, for not being able to save what he loved most, his friends. And when you feel overwhelmed by all those voices and at the end one stands out and it's Sylvie's voice saying something like what makes a Loki a Loki is the fact that we are destined to lose? That's when he screams in despair and goes back in time just a few seconds earlier and manages to control his timeslipping. And I must say that at first when I saw this scene it reminded me a lot of the scene from the movie "Ella Enchanted" when she is forced to kill the prince and she is surrounded by mirrors and begins to remember moments of her life such as when her mother told him to trust her or something like that (I don't remember the scene much, I saw it years ago lol) the point is that she refuses with all her heart to obey that order and in a moment of desperation she screams just like Loki and she says that she will no longer be obedient and drops the dagger, freeing herself from the spell. I don't know if you understand my point because I'm bad at explaining, but I think that the love he feels for his friends was what made him go back in time, that strong desire to want to make things right and that determination to say "this isn't true." It can end like this, I decide what is going to happen" (free will) I think that is what makes him finally able to control the situation, love is the most powerful force. Something similar happens in the movie "Tomorrowland" I think.

This scene is really powerful, the background music, the phrases that Loki says, the context of the scene, it is cinema. I think you don't need an action scene or scenes for a scene to be epic and move you. This is epic with so little, it is simple but effective. And the music is really the icing on the cake, it is so hopeful and gives strength to the moment when Loki returns to the TVA being able to fulfill his mission, I cried. Loki has evolved into a hero who saves the day and everyone.

And that ending??! Oh no the cliffhanger again..

Phew I know this was very long but I really needed this kind of catharsis, never has a Loki episode left me with so many emotions and beautiful things like this one. I laughed, I got excited, I cried and I was scared. I am very happy with the evolution of Loki and each episode that passes wins my heart more, I can't wait to see the next chapter. Everything is perfect in this series, the music, the settings, the actors, etc. It shows that it is made with the heart

[imagines-for-the-fangirls-soul]

Return to Me - Chapter Twenty-Nine and A Half

Chapter Twenty-Nine and a Half: For the Better

A/N: Hello, friends! As always, Return to Me is never far from my thoughts, and I often find myself rereading chapters when I need them. And as always, I want to rewrite everything I've ever written. But, since I've put so much work into the current rewrite, I've decided to fill in some of the gaps that seem to haunt me the most. So voila, I present to you my first add-on chapter.

This chapter will follow both the reader and Poe, in the aftermath of their breakup. As I have reread this story, I feel like the absolute depression that each of them went through wasn't expressed enough, so this needed to be done. This is aggressively inspired by the TikTok edit of Waiting Room x All I Wanted.

Pairing: Poe Dameron x Reader Word Count: 3.6k Synopsis: Somehow, life goes on after the painful breakup, and Poe and the reader struggle to find their footing in this new world.

Tags: @xeniarocks, @too-many-baes, @idocarealot, @treblebeth, @treestarrrrrrrr, @thescarletknight2014, @cspr-2, @ibikus, @mellow-f1, @mrsdaamneron, @trustme3-13, @ella-solei, @minelskede, @gleigh42, @givemethatgold, @and-claudia, @constantdisgrace, @wordsinwinters, @readingvogueonprivetdrive, @trshbb, @kaitlynw011, @ihave2muchtimeonmyhands, @fairytalesforever, @thanos-jeep, @mixedfandxms,

@pastelbunny1501, @emotionalcal, @danicalifxrnia, @getyourselfaunicorn, @spider-starry, @roserrys, @blushingwueen, @sam-wilsonnn , @commondazy, @throughparisallthroughrome, @ms-dont-care , @bubblegumcat229 , @barnesdameron , @i-hope-the-roof-flies-off , @deliriousgeek , @elisearts, @abzidabzy @lxntsxv

Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

You cannot remember the last time you ate. You know you've been drinking water, but only because every hour or so, Nové is there to force it down your throat.

You have never felt this weak before. You have lived on Naboo for most of your life, but every breeze off the lakes chills you to your core. Sitting with your upcoming cabinet nearly knocks you to the ground.

You know eating will help, but you can't seem to muster up the appetite, even when your favorite foods are presented in front of you.

Your mind wanders. You try to stay in the present, listen to the information that you know will be beneficial to your reign, but you can't seem to focus on a single thought.

Well, aside from the memory of the pain on Poe's face. That never, ever leaves your mind.

The only other thought that grasps you is what your father said after you told him it was over. That you and Poe were over.

"Know it's for the better, Y/N."

Compared to the devastation in Poe's eyes, the look in your father's was warm, caring even. You know he truly believes that this is the better course. And that belief haunts your thoughts.

"Y/N?" One of the handmaidens ask. You aren't sure which one, since you just met them all, aside from Nové. You think it might be Loré, the one with the beautiful dark hair.

"Sorry?" you say, trying to shake yourself back to the present.

"Did you decide on what dress you want to wear?" she asks. By her placating tone, you know it's not the first she has asked this.

"The red will be fine for today," you say.

Today, your coronation day, the final brick that will complete the wall between the life you had known for five years, and the one you have to embrace now.

"Excellent choice," Loré says softly, and goes to collect the supplies to prepare your look.

Poe cannot remember the last time he hasn't woken up with a terrible hangover.

In reality, he knows the last time was the last morning he spent with you, when things still made sense. But since that awful day, the rest have become a blur of too many drinks in the quiet of your formerly shared quarters.

The beep of greeting that BB-8 gives him only strains his already growing headache. He mumbles a hello and staggers his way to the bathroom.

Poe splashes cold water on his face, raring himself for the day. Leia informed him last night that she has a mission for Black Squadron, and Poe couldn't have been more relieved.

When he was moving, when he was fighting, when he was doing anything other than sitting in this room, it was easier to ignore the thoughts that clawed at him in the night.

It was easy to forget the absolute gut-wrenching pain of your goodbye. To forget the memory of you walking back up the stairs, towards the life you were leaving him for.

It was easy to forget that he had hardly fought for you.

He dressed in his orange jumpsuit and together he and BB-8 left the room. The least amount of time he could stay in here, the better it was for his mind, heart, and liver.

The makeup is lighter than you had expected.

Looking at yourself in the mirror, the white face paint covers every inch of your skin, but it feels as if nothing is there at all. Loré paints two red dots on your cheeks, and finishes with the lip design, as Nové brings your selected gown in.

The dress takes a few minutes to put on. Sondé pins the the veil into the braided crown of your hair, and there is no more stalling to do.

You are motionless before the standing mirror. It is your reflection you see, but it's not someone you know. Queen Bhavisama looks back at you, her eyes welling with tears just like your own.

Before they can fall and ruin your makeup, you shove those feelings down. The numbing thought, "Know it's for the better," clings in your mind, and you let it wash over you.

Flight check is a reflex to Poe. Without even realizing he has started, he is already done. BB-8 wows something at it, but Poe only recognizes half of it. He hears the word 'general,' and he hops down from the X-Wing as Leia walks up.

"Commander," she says with a sad smile. The only type of smile Poe has received from any of his friends in the last few weeks.

"General."

"Are you ready for today?"

"Of course."

"Didn't have too much to drink last night?" she asks, but her demeanor makes it seem like she already knows the answer.

"I'm fine, Leia," he says softly.

"Are you?"

There is nothing but worry in Leia's face as she asks. She's not asking as his general, but as an old friend, the person who officiated his wedding, the person he's looked up to for years.

He can only bring himself to nod. Somehow, he thinks if he tried to speak the lie, he would falter.

"Be careful, Commander."

He nods to her once more and begins to climb back up the X-Wing, when Leia says, "And may the Force be with you." Not just on this mission, her eyes seem to say.

You have been shaking since Sarsa Broden gave you the responsibility of Naboo. You know there was a parade in your honor, you know that you walked through it, probably smiled and waved at your citizens, but it's all a blur.

Back at Theed Palace there is a party in your honor, yet you are incapable of finding a single reason to celebrate.

When you enter the room, you know there is commotion around you, but you don't hear any of it, until your father's hand is on your arm.

"We are so proud of you," he says, throwing his arms around you. You hardly feel them. His face holds no emotion other than delight, no matter how hard you search.

"Thank you," you mutter, shrugging out of his arms. You need to get out of this room, away from all these people.

You aren't sure you've cried before 9pm in any of the past weeks. Appointments have kept you too unfeeling to have time to. But the coronation ceremony has brought you to your knees, and you need to get out of here before you lose control.

"Ah, your highness," a voice says, and before you can register who it is, they have your arm in theirs. You look up into Sarsa Broden's smiling face. He's an old family friend, and typically the sight of him would have made you nothing but happy, but now, all you can see if him handing over Naboo to you.

"You did well today, my Queen," he says. The title chafes. Suddenly your dress feels much too tight.

"Thank you," you manage to say.

"Ah," he says, as a server walks by with a tray of food. "My favorites. Any for you--"

"No, no thank you," you say. Just the smell of whatever it is makes you nauseous. When was the last time you ate anything?

"I hope that you know you can call on me for anything you should need during your term."

"Of course I do," you say. The temperature in the ball room must have gone up at least ten degrees. It quickly feels hard to breath.

"I'm glad," he says with a smile. He studies your face for a moment and his smile drops. "Your Highness? Are you alright?"

"Perfectly fine, my lord," you pant.

"I know this can all be overwhelming, but I do hope it's all you ever wanted it to be."

You are going to be sick.

"Please excuse me," you say, not giving him enough time to respond before you bolt out the nearest exit.

Workers are a blur as you race past them, struggling not to knock them over.

Know it's for the better.

You hear footsteps behind you and know that it is your security, probably confused as hell about your sudden exit.

All you ever wanted.

At the end of the hall is a door out to the terrace.

Know it's for the better.

Naboo matches the mood of her queen. The temperature has dropped significantly, as heavy rain falls over Theed Palace.

All you ever wanted.

It is the final straw. Here in the downpour in the dark, with only a few streetlights and the glow of the opened door where your guards wait, you break down.

Falling to your knees, tears pour down your face faster than ever. You can feel the face paint slipping down your cheeks, but it doesn't matter. A scream like sob wrenches out of you as you hold onto yourself.

Both your father and Broden's words echo in your mind. Like scorpions they sting and sting, over and over again. You cannot find a way to be free of them.

Warm arms wrap around you, and for a moment you think it's one of your guards, but then you look up into Nove's face. It looks like she's crying, too. You open your mouth to say something but it just comes out in a sob. She clings to you tightly and rocks you gently as you cry.

"All I wanted was him," you weep, clinging to her just as tight.

"I know, I know."

"All I wanted," you say again, and you know you are shouting, but it has to come out. You say it over and over until your throat is scraped raw. Nové just rocks you in her arms and shushes you gently.

"I know."

The bottle of moonshine is empty before Poe realizes. Just like how the mission was over before he knew it.

The bottle was a gift from his dad. He came to visit Poe a few days after he heard the news. All attempts Kes made to get Poe to open up were futile. But when it finally all came out, over a couple glasses of the very same moonshine, Kes held him tightly, crying with him.

He left the bottle with Poe and told him to comm if he needed anything. Poe thought he could use another bottle right now, but knows that's not what his father had meant.

He holds the bottle in his hands, his grip tightening as he reads the label. It's the same brand, his father's brand, that Kes served to you when the two of you had gone to visit. Back when things were good, back when things made sense.

He doesn't realize he is holding the bottle too tight until it shatters in his hands.

"Fuck," Poe yells, trying to shake the shards of glass from his hands. The door to his quarters opens and Snap comes in, eyes wide.

"What the hell?" he asks, stepping over the shards of glass to look at Poe's hand. "What happened?"

"Bottle broke," Poe says through gritted teeth. "I'm fine."

"You're not," Snap says, pulling Poe after him. "You've got shards of glass in your hand."

"I said I'm fine, Snap!" Poe barks.

He has been like this for too long. Every little thing seems to set him on edge. He knows his friends are only trying to help, but each time they reach out, his anger only grows. No one can help him. It's a fate he has readily accepted. Why can't they?

"I know you are. But there's glass in your hand. I just want to get you cleaned up."

Poe keeps protesting as Snap leads him to Med Bay, but Snap ignores him. It isn't until they are sitting in the white, sterile room, his hand devoid of glass and bandaged, that Snap speaks again.

"What did the bottle do to piss you off?" he asks.

Poe's first instinct is to shake his head, but he finds himself saying, "Just brought up a memory."

"A bad one?"

"A Y/N one," he says quietly.

"Ah."

"You know," Poe say after a beat, "I drink to try and forget her, but everything ends up reminding me of her."

"General Organa told you she could find you another room."

"I don't want another room," he says. His voice cracks a little, but he fights to control it. "I don't want any of this, Snap."

"I know, Poe," he says gently.

"Why didn't I fight harder?" he asks, just above a whisper. He has kept these thoughts silent for too long. He wants them to come out, but knows it's pointless, given the state of things.

"What?"

"Why didn't I fight? Why didn't I confront her parents? Why didn't I take her off of Naboo, give her time to think it over? Why didn't I-"

"Poe, you--"

"Why wasn't I enough? Why wasn't our love strong enough?"

"Hey, don't start thinking like that," Snap says, bracing a hand on his shoulder. "You know why she did what she did. And you know it hurts her, too."

"I don't know what I know anymore," he says, dropping his head into his hands. He wrings his fingers through his mess of curls. They've been knotted for weeks, but he can't seem to find the desire to fix them.

"Maybe laying off the moonshine will bring some clarity," Snap says carefully. Poe lets out a tut of laughter and nods noncommittally.

"Thanks for the first aid, Snap," Poe says, and hops off the exam table.

As midnight overtakes Naboo, Nové and the other handmaidens have tucked you into bed. After spending stars know how long holding onto you on the terrace, Nové was eventually able to coax you back inside. Together, Loré, Sondé, and she got you out of the ruined coronation gown and into a warm bath. They brushed out your knotted hair as you sat in silence, and then crawled into bed next to you.

Loré, on your left, distracts you by reading inane articles from gossip nets, ones that sometimes get you to crack a smile. Sondé, on your right, has made a cup of warm tea, that she hands to you now.

Seeing that you are taken care of for the moment, Nové slips out of the room. The halls of Theed Palace are nearly empty as she finds her way into an unoccupied communications room.

She only has to wait a beat before the holographic image of Jess appears. Nové can't help her smile at seeing her, but there is pain there, too. A longing of her own.

"Hi, Supernova," Jess says.

"It's so good to hear your voice," Nové says gently.

"Yours, too."

"How are things?"

"They're alright," Jess says carefully. "Business as usual, but there is a tension that hangs in the air."

"Here too."

"How did the coronation go?" Jess asks.

"The ceremony itself went off without a hitch, but a few minutes into the party, Y/N broke down. She cried in the pouring rain for probably an hour, and all I could do was hold her," she says, feeling again, how helpless she felt then.

"It's good that you were there for her."

"Yeah," Nové says, "I'm just glad to see it finally come out. She's been a ghost these past few weeks. She only cries in the night when everyone else has left, but in the morning there are still red circles under her eyes. And then it's back to a living corpse. She hardly eats." Nové sighs. "I don't know what I can do to help her."

"I don't know that there is anything we can do," Jess says. "We've been trying to figure out how to help Poe over here, but he doesn't want to talk either."

"He's gone silent, too?"

"No, he just brushes us off when we try to. And he's taken to drinking. When it's time for a mission, debrief, he's there and in normal Poe spirit. But the second any of that is over, the tortured look comes back over him, and he disappears to his quarters to drink. He broke a glass bottle in his hands earlier today."

"How are they ever going to . . ." Nové trails off, unable to say it.

"How are they ever going to find each other again?" Jess asks.

"No. How will they ever get past this," Nové says.

"I don't know. Do you think there's a chance, after all of this is done?"

"I don't know," Nové says with a sigh. And she truly doesn't. She can't even imagine how tomorrow will shake out, let alone years from now. "Are you going to tell Poe we spoke?"

"I'm not sure. I'm going to go check in on him afterwards. I think today was particularly worse, because he knew that the coronation was taking place. I'll see if it's something he needs to hear, if it's something he can handle.

"What about Y/N?"

"Not tonight I won't," Nové replies. "We just got her into bed, I won't give her another thought to torture herself with."

"Don't forget to take care of yourself, too, Nové."

"I won't."

"I miss you like crazy."

"I miss you more," Nové says with a sad smile.

"Talk soon?"

"Absolutely. Jess?" Nové asks, before she can end the call. "We both miss you all. If he can handle it, tell him, won't you?"

"Of course. Goodnight, Supernova."

"Goodnight, Jessika."

A knock at his door awakens Poe. He lifts off the bed and notices the chair in the corner is in pieces, a bottle of whiskey lying next to him. He can't remember how it got there, or how the chair broke, but that has been happening more and more.

He has pushed his feelings down for so long, they seem to manifest in bursts of anger. He knows the drinking isn't helping these mood swings, but he can't bring himself to care to stop.

He knows he is drunk when he goes to open the door for Jess and nearly falls as he trips on more scattered junk. Jess walks into the room, and takes in the mess as she does. A bottle rolls away from her foot, rattling as she kicks it.

"Poe," she pleads, "Tell me this isn't all yours."

"What do you want, Jess?" he asks, flopping down at the end of his bed.

"At least say they aren't all from today."

"They aren't all from today."

"We're all worried about you--"

"I don't need your worry," he says, looking at her. "I'm fine."

"I never ever saw you drink this much when Y/N was around."

"Well she's not anymore, is she?" He can feel the fire blazing in his eyes as he says this, the anger forming inside of him.

"I never saw you drink this much before her, either," Jess says quietly.

"I'm fine," he says again, knowing it's a lie. "I'll quit soon, I'm just--"

"Trying to drink your way through the galaxy?"

"Why are you here, Jess?" he asks tiredly. "Come to dig the knife in further? I know you were calling Nové today."

"I did."

"So, how is she?" he asks. Jess knows he's not talking about Nové.

"The same as this," she says.

"Y/N is drinking herself to a stupor?" Poe asks with a pained smile.

"From the way Nové tells it, she can't bring herself to do much of anything. Says she's like a ghost."

A ghost. Poe can hardly imagine you as such. Can hardly imagine the woman he loves, the woman so full of life and laughter, suddenly empty and silent. The only time you were remotely like that, was around your parents, but even then you had venomous words to wield against them.

"She's not fighting anymore," Poe says, understanding, "She's accepted this fate her parents have decided for us."

"Not sure she had much of a choice."

"Yeah, but I did," he says. "I could have fought for her. I should have fucking been there today."

"What could you have done?"

"I could have tried," he says weakly. He stands, turning away from her as the tears he tries so hard to keep at bay threaten to fall. Jess ignores his desire to be alone and wraps him in her arms. It isn't until he's fully embraced that he realizes how much he needs this. He holds her tightly.

"I'm sorry," Jess says, the only thing she can think to say.

"I know," he says, breaking away from her. "I am, too." And that's really all he's been since it happened. Sorry for himself, sorry for you, sorry for the life you would have had, and the one you have now.

"So," he says after a beat, "What's her name?"

"Queen Bhavisama," Jess says quietly.

"Thank you for telling me," Poe says, a gentle dismissal. Jess nods.

Once she is gone, Poe sits back down and reaches for the closest bottle. He brings it to his lips but stops before drinking. His thoughts are on you, same as every day, but he cannot get the haunted image of you out of his mind.

He hates himself just a little bit for sitting here, knowing you are in pain. And he hates himself more because he knows that if he did run to you, it wouldn't change anything.

The bottle in his hand is mostly empty, and before he can take the final swig, he holds it up in toast and says, "To Queen Bhavisama." The liquor burns as it goes down and the bottle crashes onto the floor as Poe sobs into his hands.

[awakandanavenger]

Hello! If you have the time, may I ask for a Natasha x former avenger reader fic? It takes place two years after endgame and Natasha and Tony are brought back to life by the power of science and magic (Idk maybe Strange and Banner worked together to bring them back, you decide how) and Natasha finds out reader went down a dark path from grief of losing Nat and has been doing vigilante stuff like how Clint was doing when being ronin. And she finds her and knocks some sense into her and it’s a tearful reunion?

Come To Your Senses (Natasha x g!nReader)

Summary: Natasha and Tony are brought back to life. Nat finds you while you're continuing Barton's mission as Ronin. She has to knock the sense into you to stop and come home.

Word Count: 768 (Still short but still longer than the last one)

Warnings - Mentions of reader being criminal but not sure if there is anything else? Let me know if there is.

A/N - As for the person who requested this, sorry it took so long to write, university is keeping me busy but any other requests you guys want to send I'll do as soon as I can! Remember ya'll, NO SMUT REQUESTS!

It has been two years since Thanos was defeated and honestly… I couldn’t care less if the world is safe once again. I have nothing left worth protecting now that she is gone. In fact, I do not care to the point where I’ve took it upon myself to continue Barton’s mission from during the time of the blip. I hunt down and slaughter every criminal I can find. At least then there would be some satisfaction for the world, and me.

Just now I am waiting to ambush a gang of criminals. They have been drug dealing and the usual shit. Still. They kill people who try and stop them so it is up to me to stop them if no one else can. I take my sword from my waist belt. But just as I am about to run inside and complete my mission, a finger taps my shoulder and I whirl around with sword aimed ready to attack whoever it was that tapped me but who I saw made me drop my sword with a loud clang. Luckily, none of the criminals inside heard.

“What are you doing here?” She asks. “No. Not possible. You’re dead.” I say not believing who is right in front of me. It’s my imagination surely! “It’s really me. I’m back. So is Tony.” I step forward to her and gently feel the locks of her red hair. “You’re real? But how?” “Bruce and Dr Strange came together and found a way to bring us both back to life.” Wait, what if this is a trick? What if this is a shapeshifter and is finding a way to get to me to kill me? I have made a lot of enemies over the last two years, so it is possible.

“You’re hesitant which is understandable.” “Damn straight. For all I know, you’re not really Nat.” She raises her eyebrow. “What do you mean?” “Well, for all I know, you could be a shapeshifter. Those exist.” “Well, I’m not that. When they brought me back my first thought was to find you. Bruce told me everything that’s been going on and where to find you. That’s how I knew.” It is true. Nat was always protective of me but still, everyone knew that. Then I got an idea. “Okay, if you really are Nat and not a shifter. What was the first moment we both shared when we realised we belonged together?” Only the real Nat would know. “The first moment we shared together was that night when I had a nightmare about the Red Room. You rushed to comfort me, and it was the sound of your heartbeat that lulled me back to sleep. The next morning you said if the sound of your heartbeat helps me sleep, you’d gladly stay forever.” It’s true. That was our first real moment that I admitted to myself that I’d love and take care of her from that point on.

Now that I am certain she is the real Natasha, I wonder why she even came back for me in the first place. “Okay, so my question to you Nat is why are you even here? Surely Bruce or Strange must know what I’ve been… am doing.” “That’s exactly the reason I came to find you. To stop you continuing your ‘mission’. Clint did the exact same thing but even he was able to put his dangerous behaviour aside when he got his family back.” “What? And you’re expecting me to do the same now that you’re back?” “I don’t expect you to do anything. It is your choice. I just hope you make the right one. If you do, I’ll be at the Avengers tower.”

That got me thinking. So, if I am understanding this correctly, she will take me back if I stop killing criminals. Hmm, I suppose I could change the mission so they get arrested instead because no way in hell am I stopping completely. Plus, if the Avengers get back together, that way in a way, my mission can continue but in the right way.

Just as Nat was about to leave, I grabbed her hand, and she stops. “You’re right.” And I explain my thoughts of wanting to continue but in the right way. Surprisingly, she agrees. “So, you’ll come back home?” She asks me. I sigh knowing she’s going to keep finding me until I agree to go back. “Sure.” I speak. In all honesty, I can’t believe I am going back, with Natasha no less. It’s enough to make us both cry of happiness knowing.

Hope you all liked this one! Don't forget, I still take requests and Nat isn't the only character I accept requests for. There is also Wanda Maximoff, Shuri, Queen Ramonda, Nakia and Okoye! NO SMUT AS MENTIONED! Hope to see your requests soon! :)

[julietashton]

it’s hard to be anywhere these days (when all i want is you) - three

part one. // part two. 

three.

FRIDAY was the one who interrupted them. If she hadn’t, Peter really wouldn’t have even noticed if the world was burning around them.

At that point, he didn’t even care if it was.

But Sophia drew away from him and left to the pilot cabin without shooting him another glance. Peter simply stood there, watching her leave with buzzing ears, a spinning head and his heart going into cardiac arrest. It took him a while to gain back control of his senses—even the spider ones.

Then, a sharp thought hit him and he remembered she was getting married, bursting the momentary bubble of happiness he’d been in a few seconds ago. Reality crept in, and the notion that this had been just a heat-in-the-moment thing for her felt like one of Mysterio’s illusions—except this one was real, and Sophia was never going to be with him.

Maybe she would have. In another life, if he hadn’t made the decisions that had brought him there, Sophia would be his; would be marrying him instead.

But she wasn’t. She was getting married to someone else, and Peter was going to end up being one of her what-ifs.

“Peter.”

He looked up at her voice and stared at her. She was back, still looking flustered and thoroughly kissed; with swollen lips and her hair clip gone. But apart from those physical clues, nothing about her expression told him they were going to live happily ever after now.

The Quinjet suddenly became smaller, closing in on him, and he was finding it hard to breathe.

Sophia frowned. “Are you okay?” she asked, attempting to go over to him.

But he stood up and got even further away from her. He couldn’t know what he’d do if she got closer—he would either have a meltdown or he would kiss her again.

Neither of those things was acceptable right then.

“Yes,” he croaked out. “What did FRIDAY want?”

She took him in for a moment and Peter did everything he could to control his expression. She didn’t seem entirely convinced, but decided there were more pressing matters.

“Mysterio’s in London,” she told him seriously. “And we need to stop him now.”

***

They had to give it to him—Mysterio knew how to put on a show. He’d staged an Elemental Fusion with the amalgamation of the Four Elementals and created total chaos in one of the most iconic locations of the city of London.

The illusion didn’t last long though. Mysterio was caught off guard by Sophia’s appearance, wearing an upgraded version of the suit she’d used on the final battle against Thanos and that Tony had built especially for her. Her fury at the man was unparalleled, and Peter knew this was very personal to her, as Mysterio wasn’t only misusing and taking advantage of her father’s stolen technology, but he also was destroying her city.

Even in the middle of battle, Peter couldn’t help but be amazed by her—and incredibly turned on. She really was a force to be reckoned with.

As Sophia went to help civilians and keep people out of danger, Peter handled the drones and confined them to the Tower Bridge, which proved to be harder than he’d thought.

After a prolonged skirmish with the drone fleet, Peter ran out of web fluid and the fatigue of the past days began to take its turn on him. It was Sophia who helped him once again by shooting the sonic cannon and destroying the drone fleet. That created a hole in Mysterio’s defences and Peter could get to him.

He almost had him until Quentin used one of his illusions again—and made him believe Sophia had burst into flames inside her suit after a drone had attacked her.

Never had he felt pain like that in his life, like a massive hole grew in the middle of his chest and sucked the life out of him. It sent him spiralling. He went into shock and then into rage. He screamed and cried and got shot. He destroyed every single one of the remaining drones and still couldn’t get enough.

Blood. He just needed blood.

It wasn’t until he’d killed Mysterio that the illusion disappeared and reality made itself present once again.

“PETER!” Sophia screamed, landing on the bridge. The nanotech suit disappeared and he gaped at her in shock, relief, fear and hope as she ran towards him. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly, making him realise she was real. “Oh my God, are you okay? I thought he’d killed you. The illusion didn’t allow me to see you. Did he—”

She interrupted herself when he threw his arms around her so tightly that she gasped. He hid his face in her shoulder and began crying and shaking like a leaf.

“You’re alive,” he stifled, touching whatever part of her he could, to make sure she was there in one piece. “He—He showed me—You were inside the suit and—flames—and—”

Sophia drew slightly away, just enough so she could place a hand on his cheek and look at his face. The mix of worry and relief was on full display, but all Peter could focus was on her touch, on her smell, on her being real and safe in his arms.

“I’m okay, Peter,” she told him gently. “I was never in danger. You can breathe now… let’s do it together, yeah?”

He did so mechanically, letting her guide him through breathing exercises until his head stopped spiralling. He couldn’t be sure how long it took, but Sophia didn’t let go of him once, keeping their distance to a minimum.

When he regained control of himself and the panic attack passed, the consequences of the fight were finally felt and exhaustion took over him.

He felt woozy so it was an effort to focus on her. However, he could confirm she was okay; there were a few scratches and cuts on her face, but no permanent damage.

Sophia brushed his hair out of his eyes gently and Peter closed his eyes at the soft touch.

“Are you feeling better?” she asked in a whisper, almost as if she was scared to speak louder and disrupt his peace. 

Which was nonsense—she was his peace. Around them, the city was in chaos, but it didn’t make his senses go haywire because they were anchored solely on her.

Peter nodded, smiling lazily; his body felt light, too light, to the point he wasn’t feeling his legs and hands any more.

“Peter?”

He wanted to answer; he really did, but there was no strength left for him to make his body do it. Through half-lidded eyes, he saw Sophia pale as his legs gave out. She let out a shriek when he collapsed on the ground.

“Oh my God, you’re bleeding! You’ve been bleeding all this time and you didn’t tell me!” she cried out, kneeling over him. “Peter? Peter, can you hear me?”

Barely, he wanted to answer, but he couldn’t.

“Peter! Peter, come on, don’t—don’t do this to me.” Her voice cracked and, even though he could no longer see anything but black dots, he felt something wet and warm falling on his face. “Please, love, no. Wake up. You need to wake up, Peter.”

Love. She called me love.

That was the last thing his mind registered before he passed out.

four.

[thehydromancer]

Lordship at Last; A Scrub's Tale

After 268 hours (I know) and 173 levels (I KNOW), I finally cleared my first Elden Ring run. I... love it. It took me a long time to realize exactly why, but when it hit me it made perfect sense. The whole game is the Water Temple. I don't think I need to explain that to anyone. A simple statement, but the more you think about it, the implications are layered and sublime. I vaguely recall an ancient game mag interview with some dev or another who, when asked what his dream project would be, described a grittier Zelda with more subtle storytelling and more interesting uses in combat for traditional equipment such as the hookshot. I remember loving the concept, and later Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom. Elden Ring though feels like the logical conclusion to exploring the freedom and flexibility of modern fantasy adventure games, the masterpiece bookend to the world of possibilities that the OG NES Zelda began to reveal to us.

And what a journey its been. My first Souls-like game, starting out as a bandit named Torrent (IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN THE GAME {I THOUGHT} ADDRESSED MY CHARACTER BY NAME IN THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES!!!), not understanding how shields worked, and grossly under leveling vigor (hell finished with only 40 before hearing after the fact that 60 is typically the goal). Dying to the lake side ruins bats again. And again. And again. Standing in the Church of Elleh thinking I was safe, studying the Limgrave Tree Sentinel with my shiny new telescope, only for it to drop the walls on me. Not understanding how elemental damages work till the last 3rd of the game. Breezing through some bosses only to be kneecapped physically and spiritually again and again by a pair of mangy mutts, cocaine bear, biblically accurate angel bubbles, or simply a zombie holding a torch causally away from their body. Spending the first half of the game dying in numbers that would make Rosus himself say 'hey slow down there partner, thanks for putting my kids through Raya Lucaria with all those runes you lost, but I really need a break.' Forgetting I'd picked up the crystal tear for cleansing during the Mohg fight, instead trying everything up to and including Law of Regression to clear the triple ring status effect during the fight.

Ever so slowly, painfully, learning the ins and outs of the game. Slowly morphing from a dex curved sword user with throwing knives and a bow to a mage knight desperately cheesing his way through the last 60 hours of the game. SO. MUCH. BACKTRACKING. I must have revisited Stormveil over the course of 100 hours, finding something new every time. Exploring every nook and cranny in the world, scrapping runes together as hard as I could in the early game, only to be shocked at how easy leveling became in the second half of the game. Hosting tryouts for every Spirit Ashes like I was assembling the outer-gods-damned Avengers to fight Thanos wielding the Elden Gauntlet. ACCIDENTALLY STUMBLING UPON DRAGON ELDEN LORD, WHOOPS SORRY SIR(S?) DIDN'T MEAN TO DISTURB YOUR ETERNAL TIMELESS SLUMBER! In the end, somehow, managing to defeat all demigods and I'd guess 95% of the bosses in the game. I know I missed a few, and there was 3 or 4 I purposefully decided to ignore for my own sanity (if Blaidd had been half red wolf he'd of been the next Elden Lord I swear).

Bosses that gave me the greatest trouble at the time;

Margit (pretty sure we killed each other at the same time, so I never got his runes)

Godrick (I'd like to think it'd be a different story now that I've developed some skill and muscle memory but boy was this a grind)

Dragon Tree Sentinel guarding Lyndell (probably over 50 deaths, just the worst, only read about the additional summons later!)

The Elden Beast (how do pure melee builds beat this guy!? I had trouble keeping up with it using various ranged spells, the opportunities to stab it felt few and far inbetween)

Bosses that I was shocked at how easy they were based on memes/carbot/the community;

Radahn (only demigod I beat my first time, still an awesome battle)

Placidusax (one of the most enjoyable fights in hindsight, really felt like I was hitting my stride with the ebb and flow of battle finally)

Malenia, Blade of Miquella (in fairness was probably grossly over leveled by this point, downed in 3 or 4 attempts)

Radagon (the cheese was real but I was also serving it)

Special shout out to the meteorite staff and rock sling spell, the true MVPs of my run and the breakers of bosses, especially dragons. The carian knight sword and grandeur skill had an incredible run until I was able to nab the Sword of Night and Flame, and eventually the Dark Moon Greatsword itself, fulfilling my transformation into Fierce Deity Tarnished. Loretta's War Sickle was surprisingly fun as well for non boss fights.

As I look ahead to the DLC and meander/experiment through a NG+ or 3 while I wait, I can't help but wonder, probably a true dark horse theory... are we, the Tarnished, in some way, shape, or form... Miquella? Why would Malenia, instead of seeking him out to rescue her beloved brother, wait for him in the one place she knows he isn't... convinced he'd return... when it was I, Tarnished, all along who returned? Silly I know. But Torrent (I hate that I have to specify this, the horse) also reacted to Torrent (the Tarnished) in a way that felt more meaningful the second time around after having experienced most of the story. Why would Melina choose us (assuming we were her only attempt) over all others? Did she even truly know?

Alright that was a lot. I wish I'd kept a running journal of my play through, there was just so much wonder and discovery. I look forward to picking up Bloodborne and Lies of P to continue feeding my new addiction!

[frasier-crane-style]

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is a blockbuster so uncreative that it has two separate skybeams in it

Actually, what it really reminds me of is The Forbidden Kingdom, you remember, that movie where Jackie Chan and Jet Li finally teamed up, only it was all focused on some douchey kid? This is the same thing--the Autobots and Maximals finally team up!--only it's all about some douche. Because representation.

I'm serious. The Maximals are barely in this movie. The Autobots aren't in it much more. But we get a lot of this random dude, whose sole characterization is that he's from Brooklyn. Brooklyn! He's from Brooklyn, you guys!

Could it be? Are these characters in... GASP... Brooklyn?

There's also this chick, who delivers each line like she just bit into a sandwich. It makes you miss the days of Michael Bay. Sure, the actresses he cast couldn't act either, but at least they weren't 5/10. Let's admit it--the CGI model is hotter.

The plot makes no sense and is cobbled together from older blockbusters, which slightly made sense. Unicron--you know, Galactus for robots?--eats the Maximals' homeworld. He's trying to get today's MacGuffin, the Transwarp Key, which the Maximals hide on Earth in prehistoric times. Earth: The Transformers' junk drawer. Is there a single fucking widget those damn bots own that they haven't stashed here?

Now, Unicron wants the Transwarp Key because it will allow him to travel to other planets and eat them. The Autobots want it because it will let them go home to Cybertron (this movie is in continuity with Bumblebee, when they all left Cybertron).

This compels a few questions. How did Unicron get to the Maximals' planet if he can't already travel through space? Why can't the Autobots just return to Cybertron the same way they got to Earth? The movie says that Unicron is 'trapped in another galaxy,' presumably since the Maximals left, which I think the movie says happened a couple millennia ago. This seems like a short amount of time to devour every world in a galaxy, since Unicron says that he's starving--maybe he can only get around at sublight speeds? In which case you have to wonder why he can't travel FTL, but his minions can easily make it to Earth. Shouldn't Unicron be able to travel in the same manner his minions do?

Anyway, you know what all this means. Our heroes have to find two halves of the plot coupon*. The bad guys get the plot coupons instead and use it to summon up the worse guys with a portal, allowing for an endless stream of faceless CGI hordes. Rhinox has no lines.

*("This is some Indiana Jones shit," our Brooklyn protagonist from Brooklyn helpfully notes, since the movie is desperately trying to do MCU style meta humor--lots of characters talking about how silly it is that they are interacting with giant space robots)

The movie even rips off the scene from The Avengers where Loki astrally projected to talk to Thanos. Same exact visuals and everything.

Also, it's Representation now, so the first twenty minutes are about how our protagonists are oppressed by jerky white people who do evil, oppressive things like refuse them medical treatment unless they pay their hospital bills and not give them jobs because their references are bad. Which makes it unintentionally hilarious that Brooklyn guy is the first minority lead in a Transformers movie and the first protagonist to meet his Autobot buddy by grand theft auto instead of buying a car. Brooklyn!

The movie also really wants you to know that just because the Maximals came to Earth in prehistoric times, doesn't mean they created the Nazca Lines or anything. Which, bizarrely, is done by the archaeologist lady saying they must've created the Nazca Lines and Optimus Primal saying that humans did it. So... I guess she's racist for assuming Indigenous people couldn't create the Nazca Lines? It's one of those daft moments meant only to do numbers on Twitter.

Oh, and GI Joe shows up at the end. It's supposed to be one of those 'Samuel L. Jackson meets Tony Stark' moments, but that Snake Eyes movie flopped (and the movie is set in the 90s for no reason, so anyone they get would be retirement age if they did a movie in the present day), so they just give Brooklyn guy a business card that says GI Joe on it. That's the big surprise cameo. A business card.

[themculibrary]

Uncle Ben Masterlist

a false sense of (in)security (ao3) - driftingskies237 T, 2k

Summary:

“I can’t believe you know all of that!” Uncle Ben smiles as a young Peter rambles to his Uncle on the way to the Expo. “You’re a really smart kid, Peter.” Younger him blushes, “Sure, Uncle Ben.” “You really are. I wouldn’t lie to you,” He promises.

Peter’s not sure what his Uncle would say about him now.

A Moment in Time (ao3) - inkinmyheartandonthepage G, 2k

Summary: Tony Stark does the test run to travel back in time to right what Thanos had done. Only, he travels back further than he thinks and has to opportunity to meet Ben Parker for the first and last time.

Earning The Okay (ao3) - Alia_JuneBug T, 147k

Summary: Peter Parker is absolutely fine. Never mind the fact that he’s Spider-Man and dealing with an abusive uncle. Enter Tony Stark, The Avengers, an internship opportunity, and a homeless guy named Walt. Now we watch Peter try to keep everything a secret. Because that always turns out well.

Falling, Flying (ao3) - beforethemoon ben/may T, 9k

Summary: Or, the Parkers stick together through every tragedy.

Fear and Responsibility (fanfiction.net) - RECKLESS SOLDIER-MS T, 4k

Summary: SOA spinoff: Peter has always feared his responsibilities. But when faced with the daughter he thought he lost, Peter begins to doubt his qualifications to be a father. He remembers the lessons of his uncle and looks to the future. Osborn schemes, but little May unknowingly has a silent guardian. Aspects of spiritual genre, family fluff and humour

Hot Chocolate (ao3) - OliOcelot ben/may G, 456

Summary: Uncle Ben always made the best hot chocolate.

If You’re Going Through Hell, Keep on Going (ao3) - ben/may T, 74k (WIP)

Summary: In a world with no superheroes or powers, Tony Stark turns over a new leaf after his plight with Afghanistan. He goes to therapy and it changes his life, so much so that he decides to open up his own practice and help people that are like him.

His newest client: Eight-year-old Peter Parker

Little did he know that he would actually become attached to one of his patients.

Incalculable Worth (ao3) - friendofspiderman ben/may G, 2k

Summary: “I’m expensive.” He says quietly, eyes glued to his lap.

Ben’s confused. “What do you mean, buddy?”

“Kids cost a lot of money, and then grownups can’t go on trips or have nice things or…or do what they want. Kids tie them down.”

The phraseology sounds all-too-familiar to Ben, but he asks for more context all the same.

“Who told you that?”

My Community (ao3) - Forthelore pepper/tony T, 43k (WIP)

Summary: Tony Stark gets community service–as assigned by Judge Caprice–and leaves it up to Pepper to find him a good place that he can wallow away his hours dealing with random people of New York. Except, Pepper Potts picks one of the local children’s hospital that gets a lot of their medical equipment directly from Stark Industries. It just so happens, that one of the few kids on the ward that are a fan of TONY STARK and not Iron Man is one spunky six year old–Peter Parker.

Take the Rocket Ship (ao3) - Project5tbd G, 1k

Summary: In which, six-year-old Penny Parker attends a science fair and falls in love. Uncle Ben probably doesn't realize what he's releasing onto the world, but he's supportive anyway.

The Bite (ao3) - bambirosesavage ben/may T, 16k

Summary: Before Peter Parker was Spider-Man, he was just a kid with a spider bite and a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

(Un)focuse(d). (ao3) - HatWearingIdjit ben/may G, 989

Summary: After the spider bite, Peter Parker gives himself to Spider-Man and neglects his own civil life.

So he is confronted by Aunt May and Uncle Ben about it.

[abbatoirablaze]

Porcelain Doll, Merry Christmas, Mr. Barnes

Word Count:  1.6k

Warnings: basement husband, slight angst, mentions of cheating/infidelity.

If Bucky had to make a list of things he hated, outside of his life as the Winter Soldier, relationships would have to have been at the top of the list. 

Things just never went well for him when he tried to have one.  At first they did…or so it seemed, but in the end, they never worked out.  It was like he was doing something wrong, and they just kept slipping through his fingertips. 

He remembered back in thirties when he was contemplating going to war, how he was looked at like he was the cream of the crop by every woman he’d encountered.  All he’d have to do is send a smile and wink over his shoulder and within moments he’d have his pick of the litter every single time.   He was charming and sweet.  Women would trip over each other, fighting for a chance to be with him. 

But after he became the winter soldier….after his stint with the Avengers…after Thanos…after deciding that the best place for himself wasn’t just hiding away in Wakanda, he’d tried to have a normal life while still being an agent for Shield. 

And for a while, things were good.  He’d found a dame and settled down with her.  She was sweet as sugar and tough as nails.  She wasn’t meant for the field, but that didn’t stop her for trying.  And for a while, things were grand between them.  She’d told him that she couldn’t have kids, which to be honest, wasn’t something he’d considered, but the longer he was with her, he didn’t seem to mind.  They’d settled down in a nice little suburb and she’d partially retired, limiting herself to office work instead of the field. 

But Bucky stayed active. 

Too active. 

He let everything else fade to the background. 

And that included the relationships he’d had.  Romantic and otherwise. 

“Some dame you got there, Buck…”

“Yeah,” he shrugged, loading his bag for yet another trip, “she’s a bit mad at me for missing the light up night at the tower, but you know what they say…the missions don’t wait for anyone.”

“Bad guys don’t take a break,” Steve agreed with a nod, “say…you sure she’s going to be alright while you’re tracking something down in Tunisia?  I mean…it is the holidays…”

“Mind keeping an eye on her for me, punk?”

“Someone’s gotta keep the bed warm!”

At the time, Bucky thought it was a joke. 

He patted his friend on the shoulder and chuckled, but he didn’t get just what his oldest friend was hinting at. 

He didn’t catch the secret glances between his wife and his best friend as she made dinner, or when the two super soldiers stayed up late for a few drinks before he had to head to the tower to be briefed for his mission.

He didn’t even think twice when he left before his friend.

“Steve.  Oh…OH STEVE!”

Bucky’s jaw clenched. 

He stood outside of the house, his go-bag tucked under his arm.  He didn’t need to go inside to hear his wife calling out for his best friend.  Didn’t need to slide into the warm home that he and his wife had made  only to see her and his best friend breaking the bed. 

Every little detail made his stomach turn.

How the fireplace seemed to crackle, forgotten in the living room. 

How the bed was creaking with every thrust of Steve’s hips. 

How the headboard hit the wall with every push, further sullying the vows that he and his wife had made to one another. 

Vows that his best friend was witness to as the best man at the wedding just a few years ago.

For a few solemn moments he was wishing that he never became a project under Hydra, and that he’d died in the war.  His oversensitive senses were like a dagger to his heart; a betrayal from the man he viewed as his closest, oldest friend, and the woman he’d allowed himself to fall in love with.

“Mr. Barnes.” Bucky’s eyes snapped away from the door.  He was surprised to see you standing there at the edge of his lawn.  Your German shepard seemed uninterested in stopping and had already tugged at the leash you were holding.  But you weren’t paying much attention to him.  No, your attention was focused solely on him, “Mr. Barnes…di-did you lock yourself out again?  I think my parents still have the spare from the last time…I-I could run home and grab it if you like.”

Bucky noticed the concerned look on your face and he threw on a charming smile and shook his head, “I didn’t mean to alarm you, doll…sorry about that.  Guess I sort of…got lost in my thoughts for a moment.  Sometimes it’s hard to shake back into civilian life when I’m coming home from a mission.”

“Oh…”

He noticed how you shivered ever so slightly while the snow lightly fell on your small frame; the wind beginning to pick up as the chill settled in for the night.  He took a few steps froward until he was on the edge of the porch, “What are you doing out without a heavy winter jacket, doll?  You’ll catch a cold dressed like that!  And right before Christmas, could you imagine?  Here.  Take my jacket.  Your parents would be really upset if they knew I saw you walking around like that and didn’t offer you mine..”

Before you could reject his offer, he’d dropped his go bag on the snowy porch and raced down the walkway to you.  He’d pulled the surprisingly warm leather jacket off himself and put it over your shoulders.

“Mr. Barnes-“

“You’re a few streets away from your house!  You’d definitely catch a cold if I didn’t help you out” he pointed out, quickly cutting you off, “Did Romeo here want to go for a long stroll in the cold?”  

“I guess he just missed you,” you shrugged, “I know he likes coming to see you.”

Bucky smiled at the lie.  The dog could care less about him.  He knew that you, a sweet eighteen-year-old, had a crush on him ever since he’d moved in.  But he didn’t dare dream of calling you out. 

“You should get home, sweetheart…it’s getting colder out…and my jacket will only keep you warm for so long.”  

“Oh…yeah,” you agreed, biting your bottom lip, “I-I’ll get your jacket back to you in the morning, Mr. Barnes…”

“Don’t worry about it, alright?  Just get home safe…”

“I will…”

“Merry Christmas, doll.” He offered, giving you a gentle wave off.  You muttered something under your breath, about how he should enjoy his own Christmas, and then you’d turned to leave, without so much as another thought, leaving Bucky to deal with his first predicament; his wife cheating on him with his best friend.  He gave a heavy-hearted look back to the door, before trotting silently after you, “hey doll…wait up, yeah?”

You barely managed to turn before his arm was wrapped around your waist and he was already pulling you against his side.  You shivered ever so slightly and looked up into his glassy eyes, “Mr. Barnes…are-are you alright?”

“Call me Bucky, doll,” he chuckled warmly, trying to forget his current situation, “lets get you home safe and sound, okay?”

The lights were harsh against Bucky’s eyes; even though they’d been closed.

“God damn it…” he growled, reaching in front of his face to try to block out the light, “what the hell?”

He’d stopped his sentence, far too confused at the fact that his arms were bound, and that he couldn’t reach more than a few inches from where he was positioned.  His eyes opened and he blinked a few times, trying to look past the blinding fluorescent lighting to see what was going on around himself. 

“What the fuck is going  on?”

“Hello Mr. Barnes.  I’m glad that you finally woke up…I was starting to think that I got the dosages wrong at the Christmas party.”

“What?” Bucky asked groggily, his brow furrowing as he tried to make out the vague familiarity within the voice, “Christmas party?  What’s going on?”

The shadow passed by him for a moment, blocking out his light.  He blinked yet again, hoping to be able to see who his assailant was, but his eyes continued to betray him.

You sat on the edge of the bed, fingers gently reaching out and caressing the stubble on his cheek.  He could make out the soft frown you were giving him, “Oh Mr. Barnes…you feel like you’re running a fever…do super soldiers get sick?  Or is it an after effect of the drugs?”

“Who are you?” he asked groggily, “What do you want from me, huh?”

“Silly Mr. Barnes…” you taunted, leaning towards him once more.  Bucky gasped when your eyes met his and everything snapped into place.  How could he forget you?  His lips parted and you smiled; he remembered you from all those years ago before you went away to college, “I don’t want anything from you…what I do want is more of a who…”

“Who?

“I want you, Mr. Barnes…”you sighed, the pout on your face becoming the only thing he could focus on as your lips pressed against his temple.  His eyes met yours through his peripherals and you leaned your head against his, “I was so patient…waiting for you to notice me…but you never did.  You were so torn up about your whore of a wife walking out on you for Captain Rogers…I was just a speck of dust in your rearview…but no more games…I want you, Mr. Barnes, and it’s about time that I get you.”

[sjsmith56]

Finding Jade - Chapter 2. The Sky With No Clouds

Summary: The woman found in the badlands regains consciousness. Jade has been looking for the Heroes as she’s learned how to defeat the Others. She also reveals that she has abilities.

Length: 2.4K

Characters: Bucky, Steve, Bruce, Jade, Ma.

Warnings: none really except Jade seems odd to the Avengers. Her telepathic abilities aren’t threatening.

Author notes: The look for Jade was deliberate, petite, with pale blonde (almost white) hair. The character was inspired by the look of an Australian model, Ollie Henderson, who went blonde for while. It gave her an otherworldly look that contrasted sharply with Bucky’s size as well as the physical and emotional darkness that surrounded him. Jade’s oddness also comes from her background but as she lives with the Avengers she will adapt quickly. At a point later in the story she will make a decision that affects her character deeply.

<<Chapter 1

🐕

Ma sat meditating in the hidden garden of the Sanctuary, trying to make contact with her adopted daughter Jade without success.  They had argued about whether they should stay in the safety of the Sanctuary or try to make it to the Bunker, where the Heroes were.  Ma called them Heroes remembering how they had stopped that Thanos guy from killing everyone after he had killed half of all people the first time.  Ma had been able to sense and stop the Snap from happening to her, Jade and Ben but Jade's husband Seth had been on a foraging expedition in the Badlands and had never returned.  At the time they had thought he disappeared in the Snap but when the Heroes reversed it five years after the Snap and Seth didn't return Ma knew it was something else.  A year after Thanos was defeated for good the Others came.  Life became a struggle for everyone, even the Heroes.  That's why Jade wanted to go on to the Bunker.  She had found out what would kill the Others and she wanted the Heroes to know about it.  The old woman decided to try one more time to reach Jade.  Focusing on the talisman made of jade in her hand she pictured her daughter and sent her a thought.

"Jade, wake up," she thought.

There was nothing at first then she heard it, weak but alive.  "Ma, I made it," thought Jade back to her.  "I'm alive and in the Bunker."

"Rest Jade," said Ma.  "Get your strength.  Ben and I are safe.  We will wait for you.  Take your time."

Jade acknowledged the advice and her thoughts turned soft as she allowed herself to sleep.  Ma could hear Jade's subconscious as she slipped into the sleep cycle.  When the dream cycle started and it was a dream of the three of them playing she was satisfied and withdrew from Jade's mind.  Her daughter was alive and with the Heroes.

There is a crack, a crack in everything

That's how the light gets in

Anthem by Leonard Cohen

Bruce watched his patient as he sterilized his instruments.  She had stirred briefly about an hour previously and he thought she would waken but he realized she had gone from unconsciousness to sleeping.  It was confirmed when he noticed the rapid eye movement behind her eye lids.  Thank goodness Bucky had cleaned her up.  He wouldn't have noticed the REM with all the crusted dirt on her eyes.  Her colour was better, proof that the broad spectrum antibiotic had done its work and was battling the poison that most Other wounds often had.  She must have been terrified to come through the Badlands alone.  The fact the Others may have followed her into the Badlands was an indication to him that she was important.  The Others weren't stupid.  They didn't go where there wasn't water.  It's why the Bunker was built where it was, in the middle of the desert next to the Badlands of New Mexico.  Once a connection had been made that the Others liked water most survivors had found ways to isolate their water supplies to keep them hidden from the aliens.  Until this strange woman woke up Bruce wouldn't know why she came through the Badlands nor why the Others were after her. 

He wished Wanda was here.  She could gently probe the woman's mind while she slept.  But she was on leave, having slipped into a depression on the anniversary of Vision's death.  He felt compassion for her as he also struggled on the anniversaries of Natasha's death.  Wanda and Vision at least had declared their love and had been able to have a physical relationship.  He hadn't ever really told Natasha how he felt and had run when she tried to push the relationship further.  To the end of his days he would always regret that.  He heard a small groan and he jumped out of his chair, coming to the bedside.  He checked her IV and when he looked at her again her eyes were open and she was looking at him.

"Hey," he said softly.  "I'm Bruce.  What's your name?"

"Jade," she said in almost a whisper.  "Am I in the Bunker? I need to see the Heroes."

"You're in the Bunker," he replied, noting her name fit her eye colour.  "By Heroes I hope you mean the Avengers.  They're here waiting to talk to you.  Do you feel up to it?"

Jade nodded and Bruce helped her sit up a bit.  He gave her a glass of water which she drained.   She looked down and saw the scrubs top and bottoms.

"Where's my tank top?" she asked.  "And my jacket and pants."

"Your jacket and pants are on the chair," he motioned to the chair near her bed.  "They're pretty dirty so we'll wash them and get them back to you.  We had to cut your tank top off.  I'm sorry but when we cleaned you up we saw you without clothing but the man who washed you is a good guy.  He won't say anything to anyone else about what he saw."

She got a faraway look in her eyes for a moment.  "The long haired man with blue eyes," she said.  "He's sad."

Bruce nodded.  "His wife and baby son died last year," he replied.  "He is sad."

"You saw my tattoo then," she said.  "I'm not with them.  They ran me out of the commune when I was a child.  Said I was cursed.  Ma found me in the Badlands and adopted me.  I was married but Seth disappeared in the Snap and never returned.  My son, Ben, is with Ma in the Sanctuary.  We have to get them out of there.  It won't be safe much longer.  The Others have big plans."

Bruce looked at her.  "How did you know I was going to ask those questions?" he asked.

"It's my curse," she said.  "It's why the Children of Adam cast me out when I was six years old."

"How old are you now?" asked Bruce.

"Thirty one," she said.  "Can you call the one who found me and the long haired one.  The dog can come as well.  You stay, too.  You're nice."

Bruce went to the intercom on the wall and called Steve and Bucky.  Said the woman was awake and wanted to talk but only to them and to him.  He added "bring the dog" to the conversation.  A few minutes later they walked in and she smiled at them.  Bruce made the introductions.

"Thank you for finding me and bringing me here," she said to Steve. 

"Thank you for alerting your master," she said to Buddy, who jumped up and put his paw in her hand. 

"Thank you for cleaning me so well," she said to Bucky.  "You did a good job on my hair.  I've already explained to Bruce that you don't have to worry about the tattoo.  They cast me out when I was six years old.  In their eyes I was cursed.  But Ma, that's my adopted mother, found me in the Badlands and took me in.  She calls it a gift because she has one as well.  She's listening right now as we talk.   My son Ben is with her.  He doesn't have a gift except he's my son and I love him."

She stopped speaking, looking at the three men expectantly.  They were all a bit taken aback by her style of speaking but Steve cleared his throat.  "Why were you in the Badlands?" he asked.

"Trying to get away from the Others," she said.  "They followed me in a ways and were able to wound me.  They knew I had important information for you and were trying to stop me."

"Where are Ma and Ben?" asked Bucky.

"They're in the Sanctuary," she said.  "It's on the other side of the Badlands and Ma has been able to hide it from the Others.  They know it's there somewhere but they can't see it.  Would you like to see it?"

She put her hand out to Bucky and he touched it.  He immediately had a vision of an oasis in the desert.  An older woman with blue eyes and white hair sat and smiled at him.  When Jade let his hand go the vision disappeared. 

"Don't be sad for Lily," said Jade.  "She knows you miss her and the boy.  They watch you and hope you move on someday."

Bucky started breathing heavily and turned around leaving through the medical room door.  Jade didn't seem bothered by it and turned to Steve.  He excused himself briefly and stepped outside.  Bucky was leaning against the hallway wall and when he turned his eyes to Steve he looked haunted.

"She knew about Lily," he whispered.  "How did she do that?  How could she show me a vision of an oasis in the desert?"

"Did you get a sense she's dangerous?" asked Steve.

"No, quite the opposite," said Bucky.  "She's an open book.  I sensed no fear, or hate.  The calm that emanates from her is ... indescribable.  I'm a little shaken by it but I feel drawn to her."

"Come back in then," he said.  "She asked for you so you must have made an impression on her."

Both men returned and she looked at them in her friendly way.  She realized she had affected the long haired one and made a mental note not to share so much the next time they touched.  She smiled to herself seeing them touching more in the future but she kept it to herself. 

"You said the Others had big plans," said Bruce.  "What plans?"

"They have built themselves ... exo-suits, that's a word, isn't it?" she asked.  "Suits that provide them water in the desert and the Badlands.  They're going to search those areas soon.  They will find your Bunker.  They want to kill you because you're the biggest danger to them right now.  They know you defeated Thanos."

"Do you know when?" asked Steve.

"Hard to say," she said.  "They are very difficult to read as they are a ... hive mind, a group consciousness.   It's like listening to thousands of bees buzz in your head.  There are many nests but they are connected to a queen.  Their queen is well protected but she is the one who develops the strategy.  I've heard the one near the Badlands occasionally.  That's how I know they want to kill you.  They want to kill me and Ma as well.  Because we can hear them."

"Do you know how to stop them?" asked Bucky.

She turned to face him and he saw the jade colour of her eyes fully for the first time.  "Kill the queen," she said simply.  "They can't function without her.  You need me and Ma to locate her then you go in and be Heroes and kill the queen.  If you can get the other Hero to come back ... the witch, we have a better chance to find the queen and kill her."

The three men looked at each other and stepped out into the hallway together.  No one said anything at first.

"That's the plan," said Bucky.  "Find the queen, kill the queen."

"Sounds reasonable when you say it that way," said Steve.

"No it doesn't," exclaimed Bruce.  "What kind of plan is that?  You've fought the Others before.  It takes a lot to kill just one.  You'll have to go through thousands to get to the queen and she's going to be a hell of a lot stronger than an ordinary Other.  It's suicide."

"Then we need a better way to kill an Other," said Bucky.  "We need to capture one and bring it here.  Study it, determine it's weaknesses and then exploit that to get to the queen."

"Hive mind," said Bruce.  "They will know where it's being held and attack."

"Unless we can suppress the connection," said Steve, looking through the window on the medical room door at Jade as she sat there with her small smile. 

Steve walked in while Bruce and Bucky followed.  Before he could say anything she looked right at him.

"That's a good idea," she said.  "We should be able to suppress their link to the queen.  But again, it would work better if you could bring the witch hero."

"Wanda," said Bucky.  "Her name is Wanda."

"Gotcha," said Jade.  "Thank you, Bucky."

Bucky smiled at her despite any misgivings he had about her.  Her reading of his mind for his name again was almost imperceptible but he was sure that wasn't the only thing she had looked at.  Strangely, he didn't feel violated or exploited.  She had even shared something with him; an image, ever so fleeting, of them kissing.  It didn't bother him as much as he thought it would.

"Jade," said Bucky.  "You want us to get Ma and Ben first.  Where is the Sanctuary?"

"I can show you on a map," she said.  "But it's better if I take you as the way is confusing.  Ma will keep it hidden until we get there.  Once she stops hiding it we're all in danger from the Others.  Wanda really needs to be in on the rescue.  Having her can make all the difference.  Do you want me to contact her?"

"No thank you," said Bruce.  "We'll do that.  She might not come."

"She misses him," said Jade.  "I missed Seth for a long time so I understand.  Tell her that." She yawned.  "I'm tired and I'm going to nap.  Can Buddy stay with me?"

She looked at Steve, knowing that Buddy was his dog.  When he said yes she looked at Buddy and he jumped up onto the bed with her, laying beside her.  She laid on her side with her arm around the dog, closed her eyes and seemed to fall asleep within minutes.  Steve and Bucky left Bruce there to watch over her.  As they walked down the long hallway both men were thinking of the odd but compelling woman they had just talked to.  She had risked her life in one of the most dangerous areas in the country to reach them.  Her manner was simple and open, but she had a gift that had terrified a community enough to cast her out when she was a child.  When they reached the common room they looked at each other.  They were going to call Wanda.

Chapter 3>>

Series Masterlist

Please like, comment and/or reblog if you liked this chapter.

[dvaderstark]

My opinion on the Multiverse Saga so far.

So I know that Phase 4 was incredibly divisive and with Quantumania’s reception Phase 5 has already started the same trend. I don’t know if I am just easily pleasable but here are just quick thoughts on the Multiverse Saga.

WandaVision- Outside of having mild issues with the finale, great show. 9/10

Falcon and the Winter Soldier- Loved Walker. I mean I liked other things but by himself I loved this show. I thought the Flag Smashers were interesting but not too sympathetic in the grand deal. 8/10

Loki- Fantastic show. Enjoyed every character. HWR is fantastic in the finale. Favorite D+ show so far. 10/10

Black Widow- Fairly standard MCU movie. I liked Natasha and her family, Yelena especially. Also while I was not outraged, Taskmaster was boring. 6.5/10

What If?- Outside of some continuity issues, namely I am still confused as to how Thanos got 5 stones in 2015 in the Infinity Ultron episode and thinking that the Thor grows up as an only child episode could have gone in a more interesting way than he becomes a party fratbro douche, I really enjoyed this show. Hyped for the Tony and Gamora episode once Season 2 happens. 8/10

Shang-Chi- Just rewatched it last night. Fantastic, one of the best origin movies in the franchise. 9/10.

Eternals- It’ll have to take a rewatch, but I remember liking this movie in theaters. Maybe it was just because the sense of scale was impressive and made it an experience but I enjoyed it. Also some of the characters were great (Druig, Makkari, Thena, Gilgamesh) but it was kind of a mistake to have 10 new characters. 5.5/10

Hawkeye- Really liked this show. Great checking in on an underrated character, great seeing Yelena again and Kate is a great addition. 8/10

No Way Home- Loved this movie. Cemented Holland as my favorite live action-Spider-Man. Just an experience to watch it in theaters. 10/10

Moon Knight- I really hope Isaac comes back in some other project. He made this show. Other than that, nothing too special though the ending of the fourth episode is about as stunned as I have been watching anything ever. 8/10

Multiverse of Madness- Definitely requires a rewatch but I remember liking the movie for the most part but thinking that in spite of Olsen’s amazing performance, Wanda’s story was mishandled. Also the trailer did seem to imply the multiverse aspect would be played up more. 7.5/10

Ms. Marvel- Loved Kamala, loved Bruno and thought the first 3 episodes and finale were great, but the villains sucked and the 4th and 5th episodes were fairly boring. 7.5/10

Love and Thunder- I do think this movie has some good parts. The ending was great, when he did have screentime Gorr was great, Thor and Jane’s romance felt real unlike in the Dark World. But I agree with the point of the movie was too jokey. Also Korg seemingly dying but being reduced to a face that still makes annoying jokes and stating the obvious annoyed me almost as much as 3PO seemingly dying in Rise of Skywalker and then there being a back up memory file. 6/10

She-Hulk- Liked this show. Didn’t think there was anything special about it good or bad. Thought the last 2 episodes were great. Liked the fourth wall breaking though disliked Matt and Jen having sex since I was a huge Matt/Karen shipper from Daredevil Netflix. Also while the CG wasn’t that good I never thought it was terrible. 6/10

Werewolf By Night-Just really liked this, hope they do this sort of special more often. 9/10

Wakanda Forever- Loved this movie. While Ironheart’s introduction was a little clumsy and Ross’s plot is also clearly all set up, everything else is great. Namor is a great villain, I thought Shuri was thankfully a way better character than she was in any prior movie and Ramonda was just sublime. 9/10

Guardians Holiday Special- Just loved this special. Gunn has done no wrong in the whole franchise. Can’t wait for Guardians 3. 9/10

Quantumania- Loved Kang though his introduction has been clumsy. Scott is great as always and so was Janet. Also parts of it were just so wonderfully bizzare. On the other hand, Hope was just so irrelevant, and Cassie’s character change was kind of too abrupt. 6/10

Guardians 3- Just I have basically no words. It's absolutely fantastic. Rocket and Star-Lord in particular are done so well but it is just such a great finale to Hunt's trilogy. 9/10

Secret Invasion- This show generally sucked. Good first episode and the individual performances are great and Sonya is fantastic and that's it. Hated Talos's death, hated the Rhodey reveal. Hated the surprisingly low amount of intrigue and surprise. Also insane that Fury couldn't find the Skrulls a planet considering that Thanos's planet with the garden is empty. 3/10

Loki Season 2. Fantastic. If this is Loki's finale then it was a great ending to one of the best MCU characters ever. OB is fantastic the expansions to every old character except for Sylvie is done really well. OB is fantastic. In spite of his real life issues Majors is awesome. 9/10

The Marvels- Loved Kamala, The primary dynamic between the three leads is great, the Young Avengers setup was cool. The sequence where the Flerkens eat the SABER people was actually really funny. Kamala's family are great. Fury is entertaining. On the other hand the movie is too short and Dar-Benn is not a terrible villain but could have been great. 7/10

[super-hero-confessions]

Hades from Totally Spies, Mandy from Hercules, and Darkseid from DC are my favorite bad guys. The Lord of the Dead is a hilarious yet threatening snarker with an excellent performer, the Asian mean girl has the best comebacks and her two-dimensionality makes her ripe for “Fanfic Fuel” (no not “Fetish Fuel” you pervs), and Apokolips’ ruler is all the more terrifying when you consider what he represents and how it has resurfaced in our current society. Sure Hades does not represent the original myths at all*, Mandy’s voice might be a little weird, and Darkseid has definitely been overexposed but at least those villains haven't been retconned to death (Xehanort), shoehorned when they didn’t need to be there (Adam Taurus), written as “crazy” to justify lazy writing (DCEU Lex Luthor, Joker), suddenly written as “crazy” out of nowhere (Azula), pathetic (that one guy from LOK who i can’t remember the name), barely show up or are involved with the main story at all (MCU Thanos, and from what was seen so far, MCU Kang), not given enough chance to shine due to being a twist villain (most Disney antagonists nowadays), a tired evil Superman cliche, outright contradict the culture of the work (The “Devil” character in LOK even though it’s supposed to be a Asian world, NOT based on Christianity), unintentionally more sympathetic than the “heroes” (Magneto), incredibly inconsistent due to writers unable to make their minds up on how to write the character (Freddy Krueger and Mystique*). etc. And it doesn’t matter that LOK had good villains, that show was still ******* awful. * Then again, “staying true to the myths” is how we got that horrible version of Wonder Woman’s Amazon family in the New 52, so is that really a good idea now? *No seriously Marvel, WTF is with Mystique in the comics? Is she really good deep within? Is she the most evil mutant ever? In her solo series, she’s in tears about having to sacrifice a child (though someone beats her to it), when one comic said she couldn’t give two shits about throwing Nightcrawler down a cliff and if memory serves the panel even showed her flashing an evil grin (at least the 90s animated series made it clear Mystique felt guilty over it). And apparently a new story revealed that she instead tied him to a log and sensed him down a stream, so oh wait she didn’t really throw Nightcrawler down a cliff? Or something like that. Also in that solo series she seems to really care about mutants whereas other writers say she’s only in it for herself. In fact, Mystique in her solo title seemed to be a very chill anti-hero overall, never doing anything truly twisted. Even when she’s doing bad **** the writers can’t make up their mind on her personality. Her trying to assassinate Senator Kelly and sacrifice a newborn was bad but at least she still was trying to save her dying daughter and wasn’t actively “malicious”; and Senator Kelly was an bigoted ******* so, meanwhile she’s written in other books as a utterly sadistic assshat who killed Carol Danver’s lover while impersonating her for some reason and in Bendis’ run she’s an unapologetic asshole who put Dazzler in a coma and framed to X-men for a crime spree she pulled with Sabretooth and that other villain. And what the duck is with everything she pulled in Jason Aaron’s run? Her relationship with her kids is also all kinds of “do whatever”. Again does she truly love Nightcrawler and Rogue and would give her life for them (as the 90s animated version did one time) or does she see them as tools to be used and is not afraid to maim or kill them? Claremont’s run probably wrote her as a loving mom yet in a later X-Men comic she freakin stabbed Rogue! Even the sympathetic solo series points this out! For gods sake Marvel, I don’t care if she’s good or evil JUST PICK ONE SINGLE VISION FOR THE CHARACTER AND BE DONE WITH IT. Mystique has like 5 or more different characters just crammed in there and it’s such an exhausting mess. Kind of like Xehanort really.

[side-shuffling-hyperfixations]

Hello ! I love your work and I was wondering if you could write something about Peter 1 and 3 finding out about the fact that Peter 2 was low-key possessed at some point ? I'm referring to spider-man 3 with venom, if we ignore the memes and take into consideration the fact that this situation must have been traumatizing for him. I wonder how the other peters would react and how p-2 could talk about what happened to him

He wears all black just like his soul, yet his heart is made of gold.

__________

“So yeah, that’s how Mr. Stark saved the universe. Killed the big purple guy and his whole creepy alien dog army in a snap of his fingers. Done and—well, yeah, literally done and dusted,” Peter One concluded his long tale with a decisive nod and a shrug. He wasn’t ready to talk about what had happened immediately after that, not in too much detail, and his brothers seemed to sense the tenderness of his grief on the subject. They wouldn’t press him for anything more.

“That’s…wow.” Peter Three shook his head. “He must have been one hell of a guy.”

“Heh. Yeah, h-he was, he was amazing.” After a lingering moment of silence, Peter One fidgeted, shrugging again in an attempt to move the conversation forward. “But hey, now that you know about Thanos and that whole deal, I want to hear more about Peter Two’s alien! What was that like?”

“Oh, yeah!” Nudging their older brother in the side, Peter Three concurred, prompting, “How’s about that space goo, huh? Was it a big alien invasion force like the purple guy’s?”

“Uh…no, it was just the one.” Peter Two allowed himself a small, uncomfortable chuckle. “Not quite as impressive as saving the whole universe. I don’t know if you’d really be that interested in hearing the whole thing.”

“Hey, no, I bet your showdown was really epic too!” Two made an inconclusive noise, stalling for a few more seconds by taking a sip of his beer, only to swallow hard and stifle a cough when Three promptly elbowed him again, wheedling, “Come on, I don’t even have any cool alien stories! I’ve gotta live vicariously through you two. Spill the tea!”

Peter Two’s lips thinned in a rueful, lopsided smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Well…” He cleared his throat. “It came down to Earth in a meteorite that hit Central Park. MJ and I were out there on a date and it must have followed me home somehow. Maybe it hitched a ride on my bike or something, I don’t know. Anyway, I went to bed in the suit because I was waiting to lure a specific criminal out of hiding—it was Flint Marko, actually. You remember him.”

“Obviously.”

“Yeah, kinda hard to forget the big, angry sand giant when I’m still finding grains of him stuck in my boots!”

Peter Two chuckled again, this one even more halfhearted than the last. “I feel you there—and, um, speaking of things getting stuck to the suits, that’s exactly what happened. One second I was in bed like normal, then I thought I felt something crawling on me, like…like worms or snakes. It was all just really cold and slimy.”

Peter Three sputtered, flailing his hands against the mental image the same time Peter One cringed with an “Eww!”

“Yeah. Not the best sensory experience.” Instinctively sliding his arms over his chest, he suppressed a faint shudder at the memory. “For a second I thought I had become self-aware in the middle of a nightmare or maybe sleep paralysis. I couldn’t move, I-I couldn’t do anything to stop it. It was all over my face and neck, everything went black and then…well, I still have no memory of how I got there or why but when I woke up, I was on the side of a building somewhere with this alien goo fused to my body.”

“Wha—” The disgusted furrow of Peter Three’s brows deepened for a moment before he fully processed the words and they shot up toward his hairline. “Wait, what?”

Running his hands gingerly up and down his arms to quell a phantom prickling sensation, Peter Two kept his gaze averted to the floor but in his peripheral he could still see Peter One scrambling upright in his seat, concern paling his face.

“Dude, that’s—holy—”

“I-I was okay,” he hastily interjected, only to self-correct with a grimace. “At least I felt okay afterward. Actually it almost felt good.” The words tasted bitter; his stomach turned against them. “I don’t know. If it was supposed to hurt, maybe it’s a good thing I blacked out.”

“Wait, wait, hang on, that’s not the point!” Peter Three interrupted. “I mean, I’m glad it didn’t hurt you but it still…all you’ve ever said was that you fought a black goo alien, you never said it possessed you!”

“It assimilated my suit, it didn’t really possess…” He paused, heaving a short, steadying breath. “Alright, it…imprinted on me, bound itself to me. We had a sort of symbiotic link.”

“That doesn’t make it sound any better!” Peter One stammered, aghast. “It stole time from you, stole your memories? You still don’t remember what happened in that gap before you were on the building?”

“No but…honestly, when all is said and done, that little bit of missing time has been the easiest part to cope with. If I could forget everything that happened next…” He was sure the others could hear it when his heart skipped a beat. The old, familiar guilt and self-loathing were creeping up his back, tightening his throat. Peter Three’s hand on his knee, much gentler than his prior nudging, didn’t help.

“Peter Two, are you—are you actually okay from all that?”

Jerking a nod, he repressed the initial urge to maneuver away from his touch. “Yeah. I’ve dealt with it f-for the most part. It was years ago.”

“Okay, but you know that whole ‘time heals all wounds’ thing is bull.”

“True, but I’ve done a lot of work on myself since then. Most days I don’t even think about it. It’s just…obviously not something I like to think back on.” His downcast eyes darted over their worried faces only briefly before tearing away again. “I know you guys look up to me in a lot of ways. I-I’m honored by that but I have a feeling if you knew what I did back then, you wouldn’t be so quick to call me a hero.”

“Hey. That’s not fair to yourself, not when you can stand to be around me.” Peter Three’s fingers tightened on his knee for a moment. “I’ve done a lot of terrible things in my time and you haven’t hesitated even once to tell me that I’m loved.”

“Mr. Stark wasn’t all great his whole life either,” Peter One added in a small voice. “He made plenty of big mistakes. H-He used to be an arms dealer but then he spent the rest of his life trying to make up for it. He turned it around and became a real hero.”

“Like you. What matters to us is who you choose to be now. You’re our brother and we love you—and whatever it was that happened, I think the black goo could stand to take some of the credit for any poor decision making.”

“It was a lot more than ‘poor decision making,’” Peter Two spat, voice hitching. “The symbiote—it brought out the worst in me, everything dark and arrogant and spiteful and cruel. I was the hero of the city and all I wanted to do was hurt people. I ruined my life and the lives of everyone around me.” Finally twisting away from Three’s grasp, he rounded on Peter One. “C-Can you imagine ever throwing a bomb in your friend Ned’s face?”

“I’m sorry, what?!”

“Can you? I can, because I did. My best friend Harry, I threw a bomb at him. I tried to kill him! Marko too. You were better than I could be, Peter One. I didn’t want to save him, I didn’t want to cure him. I ground his face into dust and sent him down a drain without a second thought, like he was nothing. Good riddance. And MJ…” He bit the inside of his cheek against the memory of his hand stinging from the impact. Clenching his fingers now, he dug the heels of his palms viciously into his burning eyes. “I became everything I hated. I was a bully and a monster and—and—”

“And it wasn’t the real you, Peter! You had an alien parasite attached to you, affecting your mind,” Peter Three stressed. “You were under duress!”

“But I still did it. I used and abused people, manipulated them, tore them down at every turn and I thought it was fun.”

“But we know you, we know you aren’t really like that. A monster wouldn’t be looking back on it now and still regretting it,” Peter One protested. “If that’s who you actually were, d-do you really think Mary Jane still would have married you? I think MJs have a knack for seeing through Peters no matter which universe they’re in. She has to know who you really are, even better than we do.”

“Who are you?” she had demanded from the ground, staring up at him with grief, horror and accusation in her face.

“You’re a good man, no matter what the symbiote told you. I know our whole thing is great responsibility but there is such a thing as taking too much responsibility. That creature corrupted you. And maybe you felt okay in a twisted way when it was happening but looking at you now, your friend Harry and MJ and all of them obviously aren’t the only ones who got hurt.”

Curling his knees up underneath him on the couch, Peter Two stayed shamefacedly silent. Several seconds crawled tremulously by, during which Peter Three scooted to reclose the distance between them and slip an arm around his shoulders. Thankfully Two didn’t try to pull away a second time. When he spoke again, it was in one soft, shaky breath, barely audible.

“I really am okay most days. I swear I’m okay. I just still get nightmares sometimes.”