#and peter and benjy chose not to hear that

[ethan-torchios-bitch]

benjy: stop setting things on fire because you’re curious about what will happen. what will happen is fire

peter: but what if something else happens just this one time

benjy: peter i will cut you

peter: all you’ll do is give me a scar and make me look more badass

benjy: …i will paint your walls a very dull brown

peter: NOO!!

[marvelavengerspovs1]

Puppy Love Pt. 2

Pairing: Bucky x F!reader

Warnings: Fluff

Length: 984

Summary: You and Bucky finally name the new puppy and introduce Alpine.

A/N: If you haven’t read pt. 1 yet, here’s the link! How would y’all feel if I made this into a mini-series? I just love the idea of Alpine and a puppy!

I do not give consent for my work to be translated, copied, or sold!

Once Bucky opened the door, he fell in love. How could he not? The way that the puppy looked up at the both of you, wagging it’s tail was too much for both of your hearts.

Bucky sits on the floor with the puppy, petting it and smiling. “Ok, I can see why you brought it home.”

You close the door behind you, making sure Alpine stays out of the room. “Yeah, he’s too cute.”

“It’s a boy?”

“Mhm!” You hum. “We do need to take him to the vet though, gotta make sure that he has all of his shots.”

The puppy lets out a soft bark and you hear a soft meow on the other side of the door. The puppy tilts his head before wandering to the door to sniff out the culprit. He sits at the door, pawing at it with his tail wagging.

“He really wants to meet Alpine,” You smile back at Bucky.

Bucky smiles at you but you can tell that he’s getting nervous. You place your hand on his knee and gently kiss his lips.

“Alpine is going to love him, I promise you.” You reassure the super soldier.

Bucky nods and looks back at the door. He notices that the puppy has gotten up and is playing with Alpine’s paw that she managed to wedge beneath the door. Bucky relaxes a little and smiles.

“You know, we should probably give the puppy a name.” Bucky looks at you.

Your smile widens. “Ok, let’s think of some names and then we’ll narrow it down.”

Bucky pulls you into his lap as you both watch the puppy, thinking about his name. You play with Bucky’s fingers as the names start to come to you.

“Ok, I have 5,” You turn and look at Bucky.

“I have a couple too,” He smiles at you and gives you a quick peck.

“Ok, you go first!”

“What do you think about Max?”

“Uh… I don’t hate it.” You shrug.

“Ok, well you give me a name and we’ll switch off.”

“How do you feel about Archer?”

“I feel the same way you feel about Max. What about Buster?”

You laugh at that name. “I’m sorry, I don’t want you to think that I’m laughing at you, it just sounds like what an old person would name their dog.”

Bucky pinches your hip and you yelp. “Hey! I’m not old!”

You snort. “Says the man who is 107. Ok, what about Romeo?”

“I’m definitely vetoing that one. What about Rocky?”

“I would love the name Rocky if he was like gray or black, but he’s a light brown.” Bucky nods his head and looks over at the puppy, still playing with Alpine.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

“How do you feel about Peter?” You suggest.

Bucky looks at you with a raised eyebrow. “Are you only suggesting Taylor Swift-themed names?”

You gasp and dramatically place a hand on your chest. “How dare you accuse me of something like that? I would never-” Bucky gives you one look and you cave. “Ok, yes I am. But you love her too and she has some pretty good dog names.”

Bucky nods his head in agreement. “You got me there, I do love Folklore and Evermore. But we are definitely not naming our dog Peter.”

“Ok, fine!” You sarcastically roll your eyes and Bucky laughs.

“What do you think about Charlie?”

You hum in approval. “I do like that one. What about Benji?”

Bucky tilts his head. “I don’t like that one very much. I don’t have any other names so you can tell me your last one.”

“What about Whiskey?” Immediately the puppy turns his head and looks at you.

“Well I guess he just chose his name,” Bucky laughs as Whiskey makes his way to the both of you.

“It’s a compromise. It’s still a Taylor Swift reference but it’s also your favorite drink.” Bucky hums.

“I think that we should introduce Whiskey to his sister, don’t you think Doll?” Bucky gets up and offers a hand for you.

You gladly take his hand and pick up the puppy, giving him a kiss at the top of his head. Even though you reassured Bucky that Whiskey and Alpine would get along just fine, you couldn’t help but feel nervous. It’s only been a couple of hours and you both already love Whiskey to the moon and back so if you had to find a new home for him, it would be devastating.

“Let’s introduce them.” You nod your head at Bucky and he opens the door.

Unexpectedly, Alpine is sitting at the door waiting for all of you. She is a pretty independent cat and only wants attention when she craves it, usually late at night before bed. Bucky bends down to pick her up to move to the living room, a place that would be more neutral for both animals.

Alpine jumps out of Bucky’s arms and waits patiently for you to let Whiskey down. The puppy squirms in your arms, also wanting to be let down. You look at Bucky, who’s sitting on the couch, and he nods at you. You gently put the dog down and sit beside Bucky.

Whiskey immediately starts to sniff Alpine and she does an inspection of her own. The two pets stare at each other for a minute before Whiskey bolts with Alpine chasing after him.

You let out a relieved laugh. “Oh, I’m so glad that they’re getting along.”

Bucky wraps his arm around you and gives you a kiss. “You called it Doll.”

You both hear a crash come from the kitchen and your eyes widen. You hear Whiskey barking and Alpine meows right back, almost as if the two are arguing.

“We better check on them,” You say as you get up.

Bucky gets up and shakes his head. “Acting like actual siblings.”

[blooming-violets]

Trick-Or-Treat (part two) || TASM

Summary: Another Halloween, another year gone by, and more Claire and Benjy to keep Peter entertained. There's never a dull moment in the Parker household. It's a very short read and simple and cute. (read last years Halloween fic here)

A/N: It's been a while since I've written anything. I'll dip my toes in and see how it feels by starting with the cute twins in Peter's life. Special thanks to @tarzinnia for bringing back last years Halloween fic and inspiring me to attempt writing again. Happy Halloween, bitches!

Spider-Man. 

That’s what Claire insisted on being for Halloween. Peter couldn’t help but be proud of her choices. 

“I don’t think there’s a better costume out there,” he boasted to you late one evening. He was sitting at the kitchen table, happily sewing a handmade Spider suit for his daughter. 

“Don’t tell that to Benjy,” you replied. “He’ll be heartbroken to hear you think his Buzz Lightyear costume is subpar.” 

Peter huffed, “Store bought will always be subpar. He wouldn’t even let me hand make it for him.” 

“You didn’t see him when we walked by it at the store. He fell in love. He looked up at me with those big brown eyes and I couldn’t say no to that face. He adores that costume. You’re just playing favorites because Claire chose Spider-Man.” 

Peter smirked, “The kid has great taste, what can I say?” 

You ruffled your husband's mop of messy hair and chuckled, “Just wait until she starts telling people she’s dressed as her dad for Halloween. That smile will be wiped right off your smug face. There’s no faster way to lose your secret identity than to have children. They can’t keep anything secret.” You passed him a red tutu to sew around the waist of the costume. Claire might want to dress like her father’s alternate identity but she still wanted to have the princess vibes she loved. “I think you should add a tutu to your suit. You’d look fabulous.” 

Peter laughed, “I really would, wouldn’t I?” 

“I’ve got to go to bed. The twins drained all my energy today. Please don’t stay up too late working on the costume. You still have plenty of time to get it done.” 

He lifted up his head for a kiss, “I’ll follow you shortly. Just a few more finishing touches…”

Claire’s eyes lit up when she saw her costume. Peter had successfully added the skirt and bedazzled the entire thing to create a sparkling, princess version of Spider-Man. 

“It’s perfect!” She shouted with excitement. “I’m going to look just like you daddy!” 

“Is this what I look like in your eyes? Full of sparkles and absolutely spooktacular?” He held the costume up to her small frame to admire his work. 

“Let’s get you kids dressed! It’s almost time to leave,” you shouted as you bustled into the living room holding Benjy’s costume and a pile of clothes. “Put some warm clothes on Claire under her suit, please, Peter.” You tossed him her thermal sweater and pants. “It’s going to drop down to the 40’s tonight and I don’t want them to catch a cold.” 

You quickly got Benjy into his warm clothes and tugged on his Buzz Lightyear suit while Peter dressed Claire. 

“Are we going to see Auntie May tonight?” Benjy asked. It was no surprise. He asked this just about every single night in the hopes that he’d get to see his favorite person. Tonight was his lucky night. 

You gave him a wink, “She texted me a moment ago and told me she was on her way over.” 

Benjy jumped excitedly around the room before running straight to the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of her walking up to the apartment building, so he could alert the entire family of her arrival. 

You turned around to get a good look at Claire as Peter finished carefully zipping her in. He stood up to marvel at his creation. Tears of love and joy brimmed in his eyes which he quickly tried to wipe away before anyone noticed but you caught them. His love for his children often brought him to tears. You wrapped an arm around his waist and snuggled into his side. 

“You did good,” you whispered to him. “She looks great.” 

“I know everyone says they have the cutest kids but they’re all wrong. Ours win. It’s a good thing they inherited mostly your genes so they could end up this adorable. If they got mine, they might end up looking like haggard monsters,” he joked. 

“Oh, shut up. Benjy is the spitting image of you and he’s the most precious, perfect boy I’ve ever seen.” 

Peter turned to wrap you against his chest. He placed a warm kiss against the top of your head, “We make cute kids. Maybe we should make some more some time soon.”  You quietly gasped under your breath, “Peter Parker. Are you implying what I think you are?”

A sneaky smile tugged at the corner of his lips, “Maybe. The twins are going to start kindergarten next year. They’ll be full time at school. It sounds like a perfect time to bring a new little bug into our lives.” 

“I-” you weren’t sure what to say. “We’d need a bigger place. Three kids in one apartment is not going to work for us. We have been saving up for a house, though…I mean, if we move to the suburbs, you’d have to commute with Spider-Man…my job is done remotely so that won’t matter but you’d have to go back and forth into the city. I was looking into some nice school districts. We’d have to adjust our budget a bit. It could be doable…” 

“Is that a yes?” He asked, cutting through your attempts to mentally plan your entire future. 

You smiled, “It’s a yes.” 

Peter scooped you up into his arms and spun around with a joyful laugh, “We’re going to have another baby!” 

“Alright, alright, put me down! Nothing is set in stone, yet. Let’s try to get through Halloween first.” You took a step away from your husband and glanced around the room. 

Benjy was still patiently waiting at the window for any glimpse of May. Claire was nowhere to be found. 

“Claire?” You called out. “Where’d you run off too? Auntie May will be here soon. We’re going to leave in a minute to Trick or Treat.” 

You walked down the hall and peeked into the bathroom. Nothing. You poked your head into the twins shared bedroom. Nothing. 

“Claire?” You called out again. 

“In here!” She shouted from inside your bedroom. 

You pushed open the door and your jaw dropped at the sight occurring before your horrified eyes. 

“Look, momma!” Claire sang. “I��m daddy!”

Your daughter, in her sparkling Spider suit, was stuck halfway up the wall. She crawled up to the ceiling with nothing but her finger tips and the toes of her red converse. 

“Peter!” You shouted, not able to take your eyes off her. As she reached the ceiling, she smoothly made the upside down transition until she was crawling directly over your head. 

Peter showed up at your side. It took him a second to find the source of your stunned silence. When his eyes slowly looked up, his mouth fell open to mimic your own. 

“Holy shit,” he whispered. 

“That’s a bad word, daddy!” Claire chastised him from above his head. “Catch me!” 

Without a word, Peter snatched her from the air as she gracefully unstuck herself from the ceiling. She giggled at the action as if crawling up walls and leaping into her father’s arms from above was an everyday occurrence for her. 

“I’m Spider-Man just like you,” she hummed happily, not old enough to fully grasp the weight of what she was saying or what she’d just done. 

You and Peter exchanged terrified looks with each other. A shocked silence had stolen any attempts at forming words from your mouths as you both desperately tried to comprehend what you’d just witnessed.

“Uh huh…yeah, sweetie…just like me…” Peter managed to squeak out. 

“Auntie May’s here!” Benjy squealed from the other room. 

Claire squirmed out of her father’s protectful grasp to run towards her brother, both brimming with excitement to let May into their home. 

Neither you nor Peter could move. 

“Did that just…” your question trailed off. 

Peter nodded, “Yeah. Yes, it did.” 

You took a long, shuddered breath, “Okay. That’s okay. That’s fine. Everything is fine. We just…have…a daughter with abilities…no big deal…not a problem at all…everything is great…” 

Peter tugged you to his side, sensing you were about to start spiraling if he didn’t put a stop to it, “It is fine. I’ve been through this before. I can handle this again. She seems like she’s handling this better than I was at 16. She’s a natural at it! It’s totally, 100% fine and not at all terrifying.” Peter was always a terrible liar. “It appears she may have inherited more of my genes than I initially thought and that is okay. She’s really embodying the spirit of that Halloween costume isn’t she?” He gave a breathless chuckle. 

You shot him a stern look at his poor attempt at a joke, “Seriously?” 

He shrugged with a guilty expression etched onto his face, “They don’t write a parents handbook for this kind of thing.” 

“Our preschooler can crawl up walls! Her teachers are going to hate us, oh god. What are we going to do?” 

The buzzer rang, alerting everyone of May’s presence at the door. 

Peter glanced towards the sound, “Right now, we are going to let May in and then we are going to take the kids out Trick or Treating. We are going to have a fun night watching them run around and collect candy. They are going to be kids and enjoy their Halloween. Then we will come home, let them go crazy with sugar, then attempt to get them to bed. Afterwards, you and I will start on our endeavor to make baby number three. And then…tomorrow, we can figure this out more. But, tonight, tonight is for us.” 

You gave a slow nod, allowing his words to comfort you, repeating his mantra, “Tonight is for us. Tomorrow is for worrying.” 

Peter gave you a warm smile and a quick kiss, “Worry tomorrow, have fun tonight. This a problem for future us. Present us needs to only worry about how much candy we can fit into those kids’ pumpkin buckets.”

A smile grew over your face as some of the fear dissipated. Not all of it. You were always going to fear for the future of your children but Peter was always going to be there to help smooth out those worries. 

“If it’s Trick or Treat, Claire definitely chose ‘trick’ this year.” 

Peter laughed, “And Benjy will always choose ‘treat’. That will be one thing that never changes. The boy loves chocolate! Let’s go let May in before the kids break down the door. Come on, my son needs sugar and my daughter needs an exorcism. A perfect Halloween combination!”

The End :)

[ao3feed-jily]

Dating Sirius.

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3g0OB0J

by moonyberry

“Hear me out,there’s something in it for both of us.” he reasoned.

“Something in what for both of us?”

“In us dating.”

Remus snorted,rolling his eyes.Of course this was a joke.It was supposed to be funny right?

Words: 2363, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Categories: F/F, F/M, M/M

Characters: Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, James Potter, Peter Pettigrew, Lily Evans Potter, Dorcas Meadowes, Marlene McKinnon, Benjy Fenwick, Bellatrix Black Lestrange, Alice Fortescue (Minor), Frank Longbottom (Minor)

Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes, Sirius Black & James Potter, Remus Lupin & Lily Evans Potter, Past Benjy Fenwick/Remus Lupin

Additional Tags: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Light Angst, We'll see about the light, Homophobia, Cheating, James Potter is a Good Friend, Lily Evans Potter is So Done, Idiots in Love, Explicit Language, Alternate Universe - College/University, Forehead Kisses, Exes, Sirius Black Needs a Hug, Remus does too, It's okay though they have their friends, and each other, Falling In Love, Love Confessions, Partying

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/3g0OB0J

[dyinglightroleplay]

𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒.

NAME : Arabella Petra Figg RELATIONSHIP TO THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX : Member ( active - duty ), On-call Non - Magical Physician AGE / BIRTHDATE : 37 Years Old / born 16 July 1942 at 10:02pm EST ZODIAC SIGN : Cancer ( sun ), Virgo ( moon ), Aquarius ( rising ) EDUCATION : Université de Paris / Université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie ( MD ) BLOOD STATUS : Pureblood Squib

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒.

✧     Benjy Fenwick ( platonic ) ✧     Peter Pettigrew ( antagonistic ) ✧     Gabriel McKinnon ( player’s choice )

𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐒𝐄𝐄𝐍.

Directing the makeshift infirmary created at Order Headquarters following the Battle of Hogwarts.  She’s yet to hear a full report of the battle’s events.

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐔𝐒 : 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐍.

PLAYER : Mod Rivka FACECLAIM : Rachelle Lefevre URL : @aerabella

𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: BLOOD SUPREMACY, GASLIGHTING, ALLUSIONS TO THE SHOAH, WAR

ZERO / RISING. * How is your character perceived by others?  What mask do they wear, and is there more than one?

The biggest current conflict in Arabella's life is, frankly, that she's essentially leading two of them --- --- she's spending her days ( and three nights a week on call ) at Charing Cross Hospital, working as a general surgeon, and her nights ( and nearly every waking hour she isn't working ) making herself available for Order business.  These two worlds hardly dovetail in any convenient, meaningful way, and often, Arabella feels more like she's being slowly - pulled apart between them than she is bridging any sort of gap.  And, as the War progresses this feeling only intensifies for her, bringing a new companion in doubt.  Albus' move to the Ministry saw one of her major remaining ties to the Magical world frayed, and she can't help but feel lost ; the disintegration of her relationship with Alastor, no matter how necessary or mutual, hasn't helped that.  Arabella has always relied on her uncanny ability to seek strongholds in people, rather than places, in friends rather than family, to keep herself tethered to the life she's chosen.  But even that is called into question as the Order steadily begins to turn inward, as bonds strain, as the stakes raise in ways she's not even certain herself she can withstand.  

Something I'd really like to investigate with Arabella is how much of her literal existence is affected by continual, subtle gaslighting --- --- even unconsciously, bias lives so intertwined with Magical politics that not a single day goes by where she doesn't question her place in this world, or her ability to participate in it.  Losing Albus’ influence only fuels this, leaves her unsteady enough to begin to doubt her own competence, her own power ; while she may not have Magic, she's never felt its lack as keenly as she has in the days since the news of the Battle of Hogwarts broke.  And of course, she's grown used to fighting this, she's grown used to proving herself time and again at tests that never would have been presented to her if she could wield a wand.  But the weight of displacement wears, a quiet wound she doesn't dare mention for fear of seeming too needy, too weak, too much.  Arabella has spent her life taught, continually, that who she is, who she was born to be, is something of an accident, a problem, a tragedy, something to be hidden or forgotten, something to be ashamed of.  And the fear in that self - fulfilling prophecy --- that by asking for help, that by speaking about her insecurity or her fear, that by appearing anything but self - possessed and certain she's somehow proving them right --- keeps her from growing past it.Additionally, I'd really like to explore the shape Arabella's role in the Order takes, as a non-magical person.  We know that she spends her life as this 'double agent', continuing undercover and keeping an eye on Harry as he grows up on Privet Drive --- --- how does she get to that point?  What about her training, her personality drew Dumbledore to that conclusion, fostered that trust?  And what is she doing now, in his absence?  She's a woman with military training, an accomplished physician, but these are not valuable skills to Magical eyes ; how does Arabella translate her accomplishments for Magical colleagues in order to establish her competence and earn their regard?  And what does she do with it, once she's finally managed to earn it?  What inspires her to carry on even after the fall of You Know Who, even after Lily and James' deaths?  Why does she continue to devote her life to a world that has, from the moment she was born, tried so hard to forget her ?

And perhaps it's the nature of a woman brought up across two worlds, but Arabella is a woman of contradictions.  She is brutally soft, she is tender in equal measure as she is tough.  From a very young age, she understood that she, and she alone, was responsible for her happiness, for her safety, for her security, for her love.  Coming of age the non-magical child of pureblood parents taught her early that no one would make space for her, if she did not demand it.  And does that necessarily always make her the easiest to get along with?  Of course not.  But has it made her singleminded, driven, powerful in ways that she would not have been otherwise ?  Absolutely.  She exists in a space entirely of her own making, and taking that space is a purposeful, continual choice.  Arabella is, above all, protective of this, and careful to only allow people into that space who will respect it, or help her maintain it.

Ruled by her emotions ( a true water sign ! ), Arabella thinks with her heart, with her gut.  She's intelligent, well - spoken and well - educated, but pragmatism doesn't serve her ; she's action - oriented, stubborn, and proactive.  Still, she is steady - handed, and is less about the rush of acting before thinking and more about the dominant emotion of the action --- --- while she allows her emotions to dictate her choices, time has given her the benefit of perception and self - awareness.  She learnt empathy long before she decided to pursue medicine, and discovered the joy in using her perceptiveness to bring others peace early in life.  Guided, always, by her heart, Arabella presents a calming, opening presence, but it is not one that she abides being used or taken for granted.  And again, this is where her fundamental duality comes into play ; she can be generous, kind, and affectionate with those she trusts with those energies, but she can be equally cold, distant, or aggressive with people who've proven themselves unworthy of that emotional labor.  Protecting herself --- because, truthfully, she doesn't trust others to do it --- takes precedence here.

A classic introvert, Arabella can come across as quiet or aloof, but her rich inner life --- and vibrant energy, shown to those who know her well --- fills her time and keeps her from retreating inward or closing herself off fully.  However, she has a distinct confrontational side, and one that is not always to her advantage ; Arabella wears her anger, just like her heart, on her sleeve.  Despite this, she is not a good arguer, preferring instead to sort through her own feelings first to address her needs, if possible.  Sensitivity and intuition rule here, as well, and while Arabella is at her most obvious when angry or frustrated, she is very particular about whether or not 'fighting it out' will serve her, or simply take away her peace.  This combination is interesting, especially for a woman who prioritizes herself, especially for a woman stretched between two worlds as she is --- --- Arabella is, truly, the sort of unbothered who can decide if a confrontation will not be worth it long before it comes to a head.  In this way, her anger is valuable to her --- --- not as a weapon, but as a means to separate out what is and is not worth her investment. 

ONE / THE SUN. * Choose one to explore : what about their personality, general preferences, sense of self / ego, or fundamental traits attracted you to them?

I have .... so quickly fallen in love with Arabella, in the same way I fell in love with Davey, as an opportunity to really dig deep and explore intersections in this universe that don't usually get much attention.  With Arabella, there's a chance to delve into how Squibs interact with the magical world in a time where their very existence is questioned even more than it usually is --- --- where do Squibs fall in the hierarchy desired by blood purists ?  What part of their identity is more valuable, is more important, is more easily leveraged, politically and interpersonally ?  And what does it feel like to be part of a sub - group so small that you might very well be the only you you know ?  But even beyond that, Arabella presents the opportunity to look into the worth of a woman's work, and how its gauged in a society that fundamentally considers her to be 'broken'.  Children raised in magical homes who end up without magic don't have that Hogwarts Moment that Muggleborn children do ; at eleven years old, at ten, maybe even earlier, Arabella's entire world got infinitely smaller, rather than broader.  She was raised in one culture and fundamentally turned out of it, how does she cope with the intersection ?  What life does she chose ?  How does a Witch who can't perform magic parse her own identity and how does she go about making space for herself to just exist ?  And all of this, of course, viewed with the Dark Lord's war as the backdrop .... I can't wait to tell the rest of her story.  I can't wait to hear it.

The Order is not Arabella's first time amongst soldiers, but it is undoubtedly her first time fearing for them.  Albus was never a man of great explication, preferring to work as close to omnisciently as possible in what was, at least she'd believed, an attempt to protect anyone else from the pain and loss of the great labor of war.  But as the recruits skewed younger, as the faces seated 'round the meeting's table grew rounder, softer, before they became fewer altogether, Arabella caught herself thinking less and less like an Officer.  And the newest ones, the youngest ones, they are fierce and indomitable in ways the Order undoubtedly needs to re - invigorate their efforts, but is that worth this ?  Is that worth losing them ?  It seems absurd that a world of magic, armed with the fantastic and limited only imagination, could fall so easily into a pattern repeated in the wake of the waste laid to the Muggle world mere decades before.  She wants to be hopeful, she wants to see that ferocity and conviction and let it reassure her, let it comfort her, let it reignite her own fire.  But Wizards are so ineffably human, in this way --- --- as prone to mistakes as they are to a fervent refusal to acknowledge them.  So she worries, instead.

TWO / THE MOON. * Which color would you associate most strongly with them and the emotions that dominate them?  Describe however you’d like.

MUTED TONES.  Lavender, clary sage, rose quartz --- --- soft but lingering, perfumed, precious, protective.  Spring rain on windowpanes making watercolor, worn - in knits, velvet or silk, the thatch of an aging floral sofa run - through with unmistakable cat scratches yet beloved all the same, comfortable all the same.  Multi - colored capsules and oils, blood seeping pink through the white threads of sterile gauze, the faint - orange stains of iodine left behind and the quiet yellow of sterile soap caught under cut - short fingernails.  The blue - lipped hush of the operating theatre, and the lavender tinge of dawn that greets her as she leaves ; sunset - colors of desert and death, white enveloping as some believe it will always do, when life leaves this world.  The sweet melt of candlelight across a familiar face, the pale gold pinch of a well - baked challah, burnished gold and the cream droplets of dried wax. 

THREE / MERCURY. * What is this character’s area of expertise? Where do they excel?

Several years of Medical study and residency later, Arabella is currently practicing as a hospital - based general surgeon.  She spent two tours of French Army duty as a field medic, first at eighteen ( and simply an assistant ) and again at 35 and running her own team.  She's also an active participant in Médecins Sans Frontières, helping to train younger physicians in field strategies they might use abroad, and while she hasn't yet had the pleasure of taking a humanitarian trip herself --- blame this war, of course --- she very, very much wants to.

Despite being unable to accomplish any Magic on her own, Arabella takes careful consideration and great pride in finding and placing protective objects and plants in her personal spaces.  Growing up so entrenched in Magical culture meant she sees the efficacy --- and the appeal --- of utilizing crystals, candles, oils or scents, and herbs for their healing, safeguarding, and enriching properties.  She's also a rather adept Tarot reader --- --- the grey area between everyday magic and Magic is expansive.  

[tonydadisbestdad]

Sticky Situation

Peter ParkerxReader

Word Count: 1443

Summary: Peter is having a horrible date until you come to his rescue.

Peter knew exactly how he’d gotten into mess he was currently in. However, he was baffled as to how to get out of it. He didn’t mean to say yes to a date with the awkward girl that was constantly obsessing over him at school. Yet he had, he knew he was too nice, but he didn’t want to upset her.

So here he was, nervously tugging at his collar in the restaurant she’d picked. It wasn’t his taste, it was too stuffy and dark, and there were too many older people giving him dirty looks.

It didn’t help when his date showed up and made a scene. She was a giddy mess as she lunged at him.

Peter couldn’t hold back his grimace. He couldn’t stop the thoughts of running away as they were led to their table, but she was wrapped around his arm, making it impossible to do.

As he soon as he sat down across from her, she wouldn’t shut up. And Peter wasn’t the type of guy to be rude, so he just let her go on and on. That was until their waitress showed up.

“Hi, my name’s Y/N, I’ll be taking care of you this evening. What can I get you to drink?” You asked, sweetly.

Peter couldn’t help the blush that flared across his face. You were breathtaking. He almost let out a chuckle at the face you quickly tried to hide, hearing his date’s voice.

When you turned to Peter your smile reverted back to normal. You were in disbelief that anyone would be on a date with this girl. “And what can I get you?”

“Um j-just water, please,” Peter stuttered, he cursed himself for his sudden nervousness.

Somehow your smile turned even sweeter for him. “I’ll be right back with those.”

Peter watched you go, but it only lasted a second before his date was snapping her fingers in his face, wanting his attention.

She didn’t say anything about the way Peter had looked at their waitress. She just started going on and on about things Peter didn’t care about at all.

He stared at the menu, trying to find something that sounded edible and wasn’t too expensive. Sure now he worked for Mr. Stark in his free time, but that didn’t mean he wanted to blow all of his savings away on a dinner he didn’t even want to be at.

When you finally returned to take their orders you couldn’t believe this girl. Not only could she not pronounce anything on the menu correctly, she seemed to just be picking the most expensive things on the menu. You felt bad for the young man who looked like he was being drained of his life. You felt even worse when he chose one of the cheapest things on the menu. You left to put their order in, wondering what you could do to help this guy, because he was way past miserable.

Peter let out the biggest sigh of relief when his date told him she was going to the bathroom before their food arrived. He put his head down on the table, he was beyond tired of hearing her talk, and even more tired of being here. The only good part of his night was you. He knew he wouldn’t stand a chance with you, especially since he knew it’d be weird to hit on someone serving him. It didn’t help he was technically on a date, either. He practically jumped out of his skin when someone tapped his shoulder.

You quickly pulled your hand back away from the man’s shoulder. “I-I’m sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” You explained.

The genuine worry in your eyes made Peter’s stomach flutter. “Uh, y-yeah,” He said at first, before looking across at the empty seat in front of himself. “A-actually no… I-I don’t want to be here. I didn’t mean to say yes to a date with this girl… but I couldn’t say no, I was afraid to hurt her feelings… and now I’m sort of stuck…”

You offered him a sympathetic smile. “Well, you could always just leave. She is in the bathroom, I could tell her you had an emergency and had to go?”

“I-I couldn’t do that,” Peter said. “As much as I wish I could… I go to school with her, and I know if I just left with some excuse, I wouldn’t be able to tell her no after that… I don’t think she’d accept that as an answer, honestly. She’s terrible…”

You thought for a moment. “Well, you can always be more terrible.”

“What do you mean?” Peter asked, arching a brow at you.

“Just eat really obnoxiously. No sane person can stand someone that eats like an animal. So, if you annoy her by eating really loud, she’s not going to want to eat with you again.” You told him.

Peter nodded. “O-okay, yeah… thank you.”

You smiled at him. “Of course… and if that doesn’t work, let me know and I’ll come by and drop a drink on her.”

“You’d do that for me?” Peter asked, surprised.

You shrugged, a small smirk play at your lips. “Well, you look pretty miserable and I think I could show you a much better time.”

Peter blushed again, only this time it was much more obvious. He had no time to respond because you walked away. He realized why as his date sat back down.

“So,” she started, going back into whatever she was talking about before.

Peter took a long sip of his water. He caught your eye from across the room, maybe he could have a chance with you.

The eating thing was so not working. So, Peter finally gave up, he didn’t even have the appetite to eat his meal. He sent you the saddest look, praying you understood what he was asking.

You smirked to yourself as you made the stickiest drink possible. “Hey, Benji,” You said to your coworker. “Will you bump into me so I can drop this on this one chick? This cute guys on a date and he’s having the worst time.”

Benji chuckled. “Yeah dude, I got you.”

You both left the kitchen, Benji went one way, you went the other. Both of you acted as if the other didn’t exist and as you went to pass your target, Benji’s shoulder collided with yours. The bright red drink flew from your light grasp, all over Peter’s date.

The shriek she let out had the whole restaurant wincing and looking for the source of the noise.

Peter had to cover his mouth to keep from laughing.

“Oh my God,” You said, your tone completely fake, but the girl didn’t seem to notice. “I’m so sorry!”

“What the hell?! My dress! My hair! Are you that incompetent that you can’t carry a drink?!” The girl shreeked.

You didn’t hide your expression this time. Your eyes squeezed shut as your eardrums shook from her shrill voice.

She looked at Peter now. “Come on, Peter. Take me home! I can’t believe this bitch ruined our date! I hope you don’t think we’re paying for this now!”

It wasn’t the fact that she was yelling, or that she didn’t want to pay for the mean, but the fact that she was demanding that her date take her home. Your fist clenched.

Seeing the anger rising in your eyes Peter quickly stood and got between the two of you. His back was to you. “Look, there’s no need to yell at her like that, it was an accident,” Peter tried to reason with his date.

The girl’s face turned as red as the drink that was just dumped on her. “Are you kidding me?! You’re taking her side?! I can’t believe you, Peter! This is over! I should have never asked you out in the first place!” She turned on her heel and stormed out of the restaurant.

“Thank God that’s over,” You said, starting to clean up the mess that was left behind.

Peter started to help you. “Thank you for doing that… is there anything I can do to repay you?”

You stopped and smiled at him. “Well, you can let me take you down the street to this good burger place… i-if you want that is. I guess it’s kind of weird that your waitress is hitting on-”

“Yes, I’d love to,” Peter answered, cutting you off.

Your smile widened. “I’m off as soon as I finish my last table over there, if you wanna stick around?”

Peter nodded and sat back down. “Take your time.”

@buckysendoftheline

[webheadjrrbio]

May “Mayday” Parker is the child of Peter and Mary Jane Parker in a future, alternate universe continuity. In the MC2 continuity, they were reunited with their baby daughter by Kaine, who found the child living with Alison Mongraine, the con artist who had kidnapped the baby on instruction from the Green Goblin. After they were reunited, Peter lost a leg during the horrific final conflict with the Green Goblin. After the battle Peter was offered a bionic replacement from Mister Fantastic but, considering it a wake-up call, decided to retire and focus on being a husband and father (the battle is glimpsed in Spider Girl #7, and fully explained in Spider Girl #49). For years, they chose to keep their past from May and hoped that she wouldn’t develop powers of her own.[volume & issue needed]

Despite her parents’ hopes, May began developing versions of her father’s spider-powers when she was 15. At the same time, Normie Osborn, grandson of the original Green Goblin, set out to restore the family name. May donned Ben Reilly’s Spider-Man costume to stop him and soon took to crime-fighting, at first hindered, then helped, by her worried parents.[volume & issue needed]

May shares traits of both of her parents. Like her mother, she is a beautiful, charismatic, and a popular student, and she is intelligent and bright, just like her father. She also inherited his love for in-fight bantering. In addition, she is a very good athlete and excelled in her girls’ basketball team until she quit, after her powers emerged. On the one hand, May seems to have inherited the “Parker luck” in which her dual identity wreaks havoc in her private life. On the other hand, her superhero career, unlike her father’s, begins with her successfully protecting her family. From the early part of her career onwards, Spider-Girl has developed a reputation for avoiding unnecessary battles and reforming her former adversaries, like Normie Osborn and Raptor. Spider-Girl quickly establishes herself in the superheroic community, gaining reserve status in the Avengers and allies in the New Warriors and Fantastic Five.[volume & issue needed]

In The Amazing Spider-Girl, May promises to give up costumed super heroics, dates Eugene Thompson, and runs for student council. When Mary Jane becomes aware that the Hobgoblin poses a threat to her daughter’s teenage friends, she allows May to resume her activities as Spider-Girl (a situation they wanted to keep secret from Peter). After a battle with the Hobgoblin, May tells her father the truth, and after a conversation with Mary Jane, they allowed May to resume her Spider-Girl identity.[volume & issue needed]

After an attempt at helping the S.H.I.E.L.D. government agency, a case filled with a piece of the Carnage symbiote was released. It attaches itself to May’s friend Moose, who becomes the new Carnage. In exchange, Carnage will bond itself to Moose’s terminally ill father, curing him in the process. Carnage causes a stir at May’s school and kidnaps Peter and Baby Ben, forcing May to confront her friend. May tries to talk to Moose within the symbiote but fails, and it bonds with her brother Ben. Peter escapes as May battles the two symbiotes and gathers sonic gear that may be able to defeat the symbiote. However it is May who uses the weapons, thereby destroying the piece of the Carnage symbiote. Her success is not without a measure of collateral damage: not only is Moose furious at Spider-Girl for dooming his father, but the sonic weapon renders Ben deaf.[5]

Ben’s hearing is eventually restored thanks to the intervention of Normie Osborn. Normie later stumbles on one of Norman Osborn’s former labs, and discovers a fluid tank containing what appears to be a physical duplicate of May Parker. Notes left behind by his grandfather indicate that this Mayday is the original he kidnapped years ago, hinting that the Mayday raised by Peter and MJ is yet another clone.[6]

Fury the Goblin Queen begins acting out the Green Goblin’s final gambit against Peter Parker. While kidnapping the retired Spider-Man, Fury also activates a signal that awakens the unconscious girl within the Osborn labs’ tank. The changeling escapes, confronting Mayday on the roof of her high school just as she is changing into Spider-Girl. The two briefly battle before being caught in an explosion. A critically injured May is rescued from the debris by Araña’s forces. Araña, realizing that May might not survive her ordeal, offers to merge with her. However, she intervenes in a vision quest that Mayday is undergoing. By aiding her overcome a force she was meant to overcome alone, she obstructs Spider-Girl from uncovering whether or not she is the true May. Araña also has an ulterior motive: by assuming the body and power of Spider-Girl she hopes to take the Black Tarantula, an adversary and former lover, by surprise and defeat him. Araña successfully completes the merger and temporarily assumes control of May’s body, leaving May and a third, blond woman who shares her name (later revealed to be the spirit of Aunt May) trapped within Araña’s body.[7]

Meanwhile, the changeling emerges from the blast relatively unharmed and attempts to resume May’s life. However, her presence deeply disturbs Benjy. She later receives a call from Normie, telling her about the capture of Peter Parker, leading the changeling into taking on the role of Spider-Girl.[8]

The two women are restored to their rightful bodies while in battle with others. May, in Araña’s body, runs into the changeling just as Araña, in May’s body, enters the lair of the Black Tarantula. The Black Tarantula is able to see through Araña’s trick and nearly knocks her unconscious, just as May, in Araña’s body, is knocked unconscious as well, leading the two of them to recover their original bodies.[9]

Normie Osborne, along with Kaine, Phil Urich (in his Green Goblin Costume), Darkdevil, and Raptor, try to rescue Peter Parker from Fury’s hands, unaware of the fact that Peter has absorbed the mind and memories of the original Norman Osborn. This leads to a fight between the assembled heroes and Peter, now possessed by the Green Goblin. May arrives just as Peter/Green Goblin reunites with the changeling, who is revealed to have been genetically spliced with the DNA of the Venom symbiote, giving her similar metamorphic powers displayed by Spidercide, but without the need for a host like normal symbiotes.[10]

Bonding with his “daughter” (and, unintentionally, Spider-Girl), the possessed Peter declares himself as “The Goblin God” and begins to go on a rampage, while May finds herself trapped within her father’s mental psyche. With the aid of the spiritual influence of her Great Aunt May Parker, as well as flashbacks to the day she healed Normie Osborn’s psychological scars, Mayday and Peter are able to overcome Norman in a psychic duel and convince the Brand New May that May is a good person. Norman is seemingly defeated, but not before he denies Mayday the chance to discover whenever or not she is the true daughter of Peter and Mary Jane, or the clone. Mary Jane is rescued from near-death by Benjy, who reveals he has developed organic webbing.[11]

With the Brand New May uncertain of her place, May proposes she become a member of the Parker family; Mary Jane agrees, though Peter distrusts her and objects to the idea. May takes a walk, reflecting on how her parents, baby brother, and potential new twin sister have overcome so much and truly become “An Amazing Spider-Man Family”.[12]

The following storyline sees Mayday and her clone (now named April) begin to steadily grow as crime-fighting partners, with April proving at times to be unstable and far more intense and ruthless than her “cousin” Mayday. At one point, April murders Tombstone when she believes him to have murdered May.[13]

In the meantime, whilst trying to control the rising gang warfare in New York City as well as keep her unruly cousin in line with both her temper and powers, Mayday’s relationship with comic book artist and friend Wesley begins to blossom into a deeper bond, and Wes at times demonstrates hints that he knows May’s identity. April briefly attempts to play mischievous match-maker with the pair by posing as May, but Wes sees through her deception. April eventually takes on the name “Mayhem” and embraces her symbiotic, intense, no-nonsense nature and cuts herself off from The Parker family to pursue a life as a vigilante who answers to no one.[14]

The Spectacular Spider-Girl title concludes with May sacrificing herself to save April’s life. However, in the far future, a future incarnation of April uses Doctor Doom’s time machine to return to the present and convince her past self to act responsibly, she does and saves Mayday’s life at the cost of her own and at the cost of the future that came to be. May is later united with Wes, who reveals that he does indeed know May’s true identity and they kiss, beginning a relationship.

[ncmagroup]

How do you stop an irate customer from spreading the news?

By Young Entrepreneur Council

No entrepreneur wants his or her customers to be unhappy. Not to mention that it’s bad for business. We asked 17 entrepreneurs to share their fixes for handling irate customers.

  1. Don’t React First

Listen and put yourself in his or her shoes–it makes a difference. Most people want to react, but the most important thing is to fully understand the problem and see it from the customer’s point of view before reacting. It’s easy to truly care about them. And once you truly care about them, it’s a lot easier to solve their problem. —Dan Price, Gravity Payments

  2. Find the Median Between Needs

Customers are human beings. Ask yourself what you would really want in their situation. Find the median between what you need and what they need. You can call it a compromise, but in reality, it’s a sacrifice. For example, discounting their bill shows that you’re willing to share their pain. That goes a long way. —Benji Rabhan, ConversionCore

  3. Be on Their Team

We teach our customer service reps to always be on the same team as the customer. For example, a customer wants to return a product outside of the return policy window. Instead of saying, “Sorry, it’s too late to return the product,” we tell them to say, “It looks like this purchase is outside of the return window, but let me see what I can do for you.” Then the customer sees the rep as an ally–not as an enemy. —Laura Land, Accessory Export, LLC

  4. Use Their Insight

Unhappy customers can be a goldmine for how you can improve your product or service. Listen to them, and see it as a gift. —Suzanne Smith, Social Impact Architects

    5. Don’t Disagree Right Away

Never flat-out disagree with an unhappy customer. This will only make the conversation more adversarial. It’s far more constructive to be empathetic and agreeable with customers. Then you calm the customer down and also potentially learn from them. —Christopher Pruijsen, Afrostart.io

  6. Let Them Lead to a Solution

I love having these types of tough conversations. They lead to solutions that make customers happy, which is always gratifying. They also might lead to solutions that can fix a problem you didn’t realize you had. It’s the best type of market feedback! —Peter Awad, GoodBlogs

  7. Make the Customer Whole

Apologize for and explain the situation, issue a refund (if applicable), and offer an additional benefit for sticking with you. Have a set strategy for specific problems, but personalize each response. Great customer service can turn unhappy customers into brand advocates; poor service does exactly the opposite. —Carlo Cisco, FoodFan

  8. Tell Them They’re Right

When a customer is unhappy, the most important thing is for them to know they were heard. The best way to do this is to start by agreeing with them. After you establish that you understand them, they will be much more receptive to being flexible on how the issue is resolved. —Raoul Davis, Ascendant Group

  9. Listen to Them

When there is a problem, the first thing you should do is listen and understand what happened from the customer’s perspective. Then ask the customer exactly what would make him or her happy. It’ll win them over for life. If you can give more than what the customer asks, then you will gain a major fan. You’ll also be surprised at how listening can benefit you personally. —Derek Capo, Next Step China

  10. Apologize to Them

There is nothing more frustrating than hearing someone say, “I’m sorry if you have been inconvenienced.” Passive language makes it sound like the customer chose to be frustrated–not that you delivered a poor experience. Begin with “I’m sorry,” then move to “How can we make this up to you?” You’ll not only make that person happy, but you’ll also learn how to improve. —Aaron Schwartz, Modify Watches

  11. Call Them

Every company has unhappy customers. A customer can and will mostly express his or her displeasure through email or by a review. Human contact is the best way to tackle the issue head-on. You’ll notice a customer may be more relaxed and open to reason on the phone. He or she is likely to be very appreciative when a higher-up or even the owner of a company takes the time to pick up the phone and call. —Pablo Palatnik, ShadesDaddy.com

  12. Respond from the Top

To resolve problems, have your company’s CEO reach out directly to the customer. If the customer sees that the issue has been escalated to the top executive without having to ask for it, it will deliver the message that his or her satisfaction is a top priority. —Robert J. Moore, RJMetrics

  13. Evaluate their Expectations

When a customer is unhappy, there may be a very good reason for it. It’s important to take advantage of this situation. Ask the customer about the origin of his or her discontent. Then it is up to you to evaluate and improve the situation. Make sure to ask the customer about his or her expectations, too, to avoid any communication issues. —Thomas Kjeldgaard, SplashPost

  14. Make it Right

I’m not going to say that the customer is always right, but I feel like I need to always make it right. If we have to go above and beyond to reconcile a difference or repair hurt feelings, we’ll do it. I suggest asking a lot of questions. Ask why he or she is unhappy. What happened that made him or her feel that way, and what does he or she want you to do to about it? Often the customer just wants to be heard. —John Meyer, Lemon.ly

  15. Ask One Question

One way I deal with an unhappy customer is by asking, “What exactly is happening or not happening for you?” Then, I give him or her all the time he needs to explain, despite my urge to end the conversation. I remain as quiet as possible, then use phrases such as, “I can tell you are very upset and will do my best to resolve the problem” whenever the customer demands a response. —Jay Wu, A Forever Recovery

  16. Give Personalized Attention

When a customer has a problem, one thing that can be really irritating is going through contact forms and automated email and not being able to talk to a real person. As much as possible, give customers personalized attention so that they feel heard and have a positive experience in resolving their issue. —Matt Ehrlichman, Porch

  17. Give Customers Validation

Acknowledge their unhappiness honestly, and make it clear that you’re working towards a clear and expedient solution. The only time things get contentious is when you’re unable to acknowledge the mistake that was made. A clear validation of the customer’s concern and a corrective plan usually to fix the issue. —Adam Cunningham, 87AM

  Go to our website:   www.ncmalliance.com

17 Ways to Deal With Unhappy Customers How do you stop an irate customer from spreading the news? By Young Entrepreneur Council No entrepreneur wants his or her customers to be unhappy.