#any verse but i BEG for king steve

[tthehair]

he burps. seems to be the only thing he wanted to say. now he’s back to reading, without glasses. what a little rebel.

[shemakesmusic-uk]

After releasing their album Play With Fire last year via Suicide Squeeze Records, Californian punk trio L.A. Witch are sharing a new video for their standout track 'Motorcycle Boy'. Speaking about the video, L.A. Witch singer and guitarist Sade Sanchez said "The song is inspired by Moto Boys like Mickey Rourke, Marlon Brando, and Steve McQueen, so of course we took a lot of inspiration from our favorite biker movies like The Wild One, Rumble Fish, On any Sunday, Easy Rider, Hells Angeles '69 and The Girl on a Motorcycle. I had worked with (director) Ambar Navarro and Max on another project and loved their other work, so we wanted to work with them on this. They definitely did their homework and came up with a cool story line. I got to feature my bike that I'd been rebuilding during the pandemic. It was nice to shoot a video where you get to do two of your favorite things, riding motorcycles and play guitar."

Margo Price has shared a new music video for 'Hey Child', said to be the heart and “centerpiece” of her acclaimed 2020 album That’s How Rumors Get Started. It’s directed by Kimberly Stuckwisch. In the moving visual, the country star confronts the demons of her past. There are scenes referencing the time she spent in jail for substance abuse, as well as others depicting her struggles with addiction and depression. Price’s vulnerability is on full display here, and she ultimately uses it to heal and find strength again. Watch it down below. According to Price, 'Hey Child' was originally written back in 2012 “not long after my husband Jeremy and I lost our son Ezra.” She continued, noting how fellow country star and album producer Sturgill Simpson helped encourage her to release it: “'Hey Child' was a song that was written back in 2012 not long after my husband Jeremy and I lost our son Ezra. We were playing shows with our rock and roll band Buffalo Clover and occupying most of the bars in East Nashville. We had begun hanging with a rowdy group of degenerate musician friends and partying harder than The Rolling Stones…The song was about how many of our talented friends were drinking and partying their talents away but after a few years had passed, we realized it was just as much about us as our friends. I had retired it when the band broke up but Sturgill Simpson resurrected it when he asked me if I would re-record it for That’s How Rumors Get Started.” [via Consequence of Sound]

NYC collective MICHELLE has today unveiled their first new single of 2021. Titled 'FYO,' the track powerfully recounts the four lead singers’ experiences growing up with mixed race identities. The track arrives alongside a music video directed by the band’s own Layla Ku and Emma Lee. Speaking on the message behind the song, Jamee Lockard from the band shares: “'FYO' is about belonging to different worlds but feeling rejected by both. Growing up as a mixed-race minority in the US, my self concept was warped by other people telling me what I am and am not, pushing and pulling me between identities. Although my feelings of cultural dissonance still ebb and flow, now I have the vocabulary, support system, and perspective to unpack that inner conflict on my own terms. We should never give others the authority to define who we are."

With her new album Homecoming set for release on April 2 via Daemon T.V., Du Blonde is sharing the video for ‘Medicated’. Featuring Garbage’s Shirley Manson, Du Blonde says of the song, “‘Medicated’ is a letter to my 27 year old self who didn’t want to live anymore, from my now medicated, functioning and content self. It might sound depressing or concerning, but really it’s quite joyful. Like ‘look at how things can be if you hang around’. Shirley and I had talked about her adding vocals to a track and when I wrote Medicated it seemed like the perfect fit. She’s been a voice of reason for me many times when i’ve been struggling and it felt really appropriate to have her. I shot the video in my childhood bedroom using a green screen Girl Ray gave me at the start of lockdown,” she continues. “The spiders are a reference to a hallucination I had in my early teens where I pulled back my bed covers to see thousands of spiders writhing around in my bed, which now I see as a result of extreme anxiety. A lot of the scenarios in the video are a celebration of the things about me that I feel people might feel shame about. There’s so much stigma around taking medication in order to ease mental health conditions, so I wanted to express my feelings on the subject which is basically ‘I take medication and i’m stoked about it because thanks to that i’m still alive’.” [via DIY]

Back with her powerful Y2K sound, Spain's Rakky Ripper channels PC Music and Rina Sawayama on brightly catchy new single 'Whatever'. The new EP Xtra Cost is released  February 19. If you are over the age of 25, odds are that you can recall a very specific kind of pop that graced our launch into the new millennium. Since coined as "Y2K", chart music of that short era was flush with R&B beats, synthetic arrangements and sickly sweet hooks. Britney was the industry’s honey-highlighted princess whilst Christina made it dirrty. It’s something that Rina Sawayama has made 2020-relevant again with the release of her debut album Sawayama, whilst PC Music and Charli XCX took it to another extreme with the redefinition of what it means to be pop. Meanwhile, over in Spain, the alt-pop scene is flourishing courtesy of artists such as Rakky Ripper and her own unique blend of Y2K-meets-hyper-pop. Already gaining Charli XCX approval when the Mercury Award nominee asked Rakky to join her onstage at her Madrid show, the Granada talent shows crossover potential with her new single 'Whatever'. Punchy beats and playful synths capture the sticky heat of pop done well whilst its fuzzy guitar gives it an alternative edge, however it’s its hook-riddled chorus and Rakky’s Spanglish lyrical mix that make 'Whatever' a standout moment. “‘Whatever’ is the pop girl in my new EP Xtra Cost,” shares Rakky of her new release. “It’s my 2021 version of Britney, *NSYNC and the Spice Girls. The new video tells the story about two people who are in love but one of them pretends not to care, so the other person is always chasing.” [via Line Of Best Fit]

Things are afoot in the FKA twigs camp. In October, the R&B star revealed that her third album had been completed during quarantine. Now, she’s back with a new song called 'Don’t Judge Me'. It's her first since dropping the masterful album MAGDALENE in 2019. In addition to a stunning performance from FKA twigs, the track features UK rapper Headie One and producer Fred again…, who’s worked with the likes of Ed Sheeran and Brian Eno. 'Don’t Judge Me' appears to be something of a companion release or sequel to 'Don’t Judge Me (Interlude)', an early 2020 collaboration that also featured all three artists. Unlike the intentional vagueness of that song, the themes on this version are a lot more direct. During her verse and the hook, twigs begs her lover to hold her and appreciate the “precious love” she sends their way with a devastating urgency. Headie One takes a different approach in his verse and goes off about racial injustice and police brutality. “Know more about my people from the streets than from my teachers/ I done a million speeches/ No justice, no peace, ’cause we in pieces/ Officer, am I allowed to breathe here?,” he raps with a conversational directness. It’s a really powerful pairing from two different yet complementary artists with voices that demand the listener’s full attention. Check it out above via a dazzling video co-directed by FKA twigs and Emmanuel Adjei, who was heavily involved in Beyonce’s Black Is King visual album. Like all of FKA twigs’ clips, this one is truly something to behold. [via Consequence of Sound]

Girl Friday have delivered a surrealistic visual for 'Earthquake,' the powerhouse lead single from Androgynous Mary, their acclaimed album of 2020 out now on Hardly Art. 'Earthquake' is one of the band's most gloriously raging moments and sees the group power through three and a half minutes of unadulterated catharsis. Girl Friday’s Vera Ellen, who directed the new video, offers this, “The greatest love story is between a song and a video. I wanted to deconstruct the creative process. How do ideas find each other? What happens when the artist lets outside forces get in the way of an idea? How is an idea affected by us, the audience and our expectations? What does an idea have to do to become it’s complete, purest, self. Beyond anything, it’s a story of fighting for true liberation. This will look different for everyone but I hope people can project their own struggle onto the story, and relish in the freedom experienced by the characters (if only for a moment)."

J-Pop girl-group, FAKY has released their first single of 2021, 'The Light' with an accompanying music video. This song was selected as a campaign song for the horror film Jukaimura (Suicide Forest Village), the most recent work by the master horror director, Takashi Shimizu, who also directed The Ju-on (The Grudge) and Inunakimura (Howling Village). This up-tempo and cheerful track was created to add another layer of eerieness and uncertainty to the hair-raising storyline and themes of the movie. 2020 was a successful year for the girl group. FAKY hopes to further their success in 2021 starting with the release of 'The Light'. “Our new single ‘The Light’ is an uplifting song with its pop melody, powerful live band sound, and motivating message to move forward towards the light” - FAKY. The music was composed by up-and-coming music producer, Maeshima Soshi (Hypnosis Mic, Hey! Say! JUMP, Rinne and Sorane). 'The Light' expresses that moment when your heart quivers, just when you are about to change, with the theme being about overcoming conflict and having “power to strike out into the world.”

Kinlaw's dark-pop quest has seen her shatter boundaries. Snapped up by Bayonet Records, her piercing, roving eye deconstructs her personal feelings, illuminating electronic structures in their stead. New album The Tipping Scale is out this month, and it expertly reflects the vagaries of winter, the spartan landscapes and the self-examination. Taken from the record, new single 'Haircut' deals with shifts in her life, with the urge to propel herself into something fresh. "I cut my hair to confuse myself," she comments. "It started as a mission to change who I was, to make a new and better version, but ended with my feeling like I no longer knew what I was mourning." A song about leaving trauma behind and embracing the possibilities of the present, 'Haircut' carries some inspired connotations for these troubled times. Kinlaw says the single offers "a question of personal power, and even speaking on this song today has been challenging because it was written when I was unsure if I had any power left. I think 'Haircut' can be a lot of things to many different people, particularly those who identify with the juxtaposition of in-depth, internal dialogue paired with everyday coping strategies. There is a sweetness to it, but also such substantial, unwavering difficulty. Today, I prefer to think of 'Haircut' as an anthem of resilience and an ode to the ways we keep going, we shapeshift, and we reinstall that there is a way to find what it is we are hoping to find." The visual leans on the intimate, opening up a window into Kinlaw's life, and her true feelings. [via Clash]

The Rhode Island born,  Los Angeles based singer, songwriter, musician and actress Emeline is known for her work with Thievery Corporation's Rob Garza as well as her solo music full of biting lyrics and catchy hooks. Her new music video for '6 Foot Deep' was filmed at the infamous Westerfeld Mansion a.k.a “House of Legends.” Icons like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin have lived there, as well as the founder of the Church of Satan. Covered in satanic etchings and scratches from his pet lions, the energy within the house added to the feel of the music video. Also previously used for the Russian Embassy, the house has featured on "Ghost Hunters" for it's haunted happenings.

The Charli XCX-crafted Nasty Cherry have returned with their first single of the year, 'Lucky'. The new track follows last year's Season 2 EP, and arrives as first taster of a new EP landing this spring. The band say of their new single, "'Lucky' is a song we wrote for each other during the pandemic where the six weeks we got to spend together felt incredibly precious and introspective. It's a reflective, sweet and spiky little song." [via Line Of Best Fit]

Griff has premiered the video for her incredible new single ‘Black Hole’. Launched as Annie Mac’s Hottest Record in the World last week, the striking new visual sees Griff examine a past relationship through a surreal, Alice in Wonderland’-esque journey from the sewing room into self-discovery (directed by duo SOB). [via With Guitars]

Poppy Ajudha has shared her new single 'Weakness' in full. The London based artist blends together jazz, soul, R&B, and a whole lot more besides, resulting in a sound that is truly her own. 'Weakness' is a song about love, and it finds Poppy capturing that nuanced dichotomy between the rush of pleasure and an innate fear of being out of control. In a note, Poppy explains that her new single is "about feeling out of control and at the mercy of someone else because of how crazy they make you feel, but also feeling bittersweet about it, because you’re a bad b*tch and you don’t have time for that ish." The songwriter steered the video, too, a self-admitted "control freak" who oversaw the neat mixture of animation and a superbly styled set. "Self-directing was really fun," she comments. "I’m a control freak so it was great to get stuck into all the facets of making a music video. Choosing the team, the makeup looks, directing the styling ideas, writing the narrative, working out how to build the set. It definitely felt like a challenge to direct, star-in and perform choreographed moves for the first time but I love to push myself and am really glad I did." [via Clash]

GG McG’s latest single, ‘Good Morning’, is her first release this year and second overall, following ‘Boom’ in 2019. The song was written on GarageBand during lockdown and was produced by Japanese Wallpaper’s Gab Strum, mixed by Konstantin Kersting and mastered by Andrei Eremin. “‘Good Morning’ is about the total, complete chaos of the past year and the feeling of waking up every morning, reading the news and being blown away by just how much worse things were than the day before,” McGauran said in a statement. [via the Music Network]

Singer HyunA dropped her seventh mini album I’m Not Cool on Thursday, singing of the ups and downs of being the “cool girl” on stage. The album’s title song 'I’m Not Cool' sings about the nice things she tells herself. “It’s really about my originality. I try to compliment myself before going onto the stage. I tell myself it’s not bad to be myself. I’ve long dreamed of this moment right now, and I feel like I’m a bird flying freely in the sky or a flower blooming in the field. I know I cannot be loved by everyone, but I become perfect with just one person’s love. The song is about these kind of every day thoughts.” Donned in exotic outfits and flashy makeup, HyunA said she “became a snake” in the song that sings “No one’s as intense as I am, like salmosa. I tried to show as much of myself as I could in the music video. I wanted to show how intense the ‘not cool’ HyunA could become when fully set,” she added. The creativity behind the title track comes from the unique minds of herself, singer and the founder of her agency P Nation Psy, and her best colleague and boyfriend Dawn. “We worked on the song while just chatting about it endlessly with each other,” HyunA said. “When Psy threw in a big catchy chunk, Dawn would creatively unfold this, adding fun elements to make it fit my style and state of mind. I personally like writing those rebellious lines. Mingling these three minds together, every day, was just so much fun.” [via The Korea Herald]

THYLA are sharing their first new music of 2021, with new single 'Breathe', a track that the band confirm will appear on their long-awaited debut album, set for release later this year. Putting 2020 firmly in the rear-view mirror, the Thyla ethos of putting one foot in front of the other serves them well as they look toward what a long-awaited debut album might sound like. As self-confessed underdogs they've developed an attitude that aims at turning the possible into the inevitable, and with the hypnotic 'Breathe' they reach for reflective, melancholy sounds to accompany what is a time of intense loneliness for many. It is a theme that has been creeping into Thyla's music for some time, and 'Breathe' sees them further explore the idea that, in a world more connected than ever, we are paradoxically more shut off as individuals. 'Breathe' shows yet again that even at their subtlest, Thyla are capable of carving out an impassioned pop world full of the intricacies of our much-missed IRL interactions. Lead singer Millie Duthie offers these thoughts on the track: "'Breathe' was written in the early hours of the morning. Eventually we chanced upon this really vibey atmospheric lick that you hear in the intro, and the whole song grew from there. The song blossomed into a slightly melancholic dream-pop bop, it’s bittersweet and has a slightly inconclusive feeling to it; imagine a film where the main character never actually gets the happy ending you’ve been so long yearning for. The result of how the instrumental sounded no doubt manifested lyrics that held the same sentiment. The song is about loneliness, estrangement from family and close friends, yet despite this, feeling a sense of inner strength about the situation. It’s like recovering from a breakup and realising you’ve come out stronger, but a reflection of the scar tissue that resulted from the trauma."

[davidmann95]

All-Star Superman Annotations: Smash Mouth

In the late 1990s, Grant Morrison legendarily met ‘Superman’ in a self-described shamanic encounter outside the San Diego convention center at 2 in the morning and questioned him. His answers and general demeanor inspired his take on the character in his 1998 Superman 2000/Superman NOW pitch alongside Mark Waid, Mark Millar, and Tom Peyer, and later his seminal All-Star Superman alongside Frank Quitely, Jamie Grant, Phil Balsman, and Travis Lanham.

The year after that initial pitch - whether out of the transcendent synchronicities Morrison has written on underlying the seeming arbitrary mundanity of day-to-day life, or significant behind-closed-doors dealings - Smash Mouth released its equally seminal All-Star.

The superheroic associations are immediately evident. But Mystery Men (very fun movie) and Steve Harwell lifting a bus are but the tip of the iceberg. Or perhaps more appropriately the edge of a cliff, for when you peer within, the connections here go deep.

Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed She was looking kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb In the shape of an "L" on her forehead

The opening of the song is obviously an evocation of the underlying rivalry between longtime nemeses’ Superman and Lex Luthor, with the latter mocking his erstwhile opponent on his idealistic shortsightedness in Lex’s mind, as well as that by poisoning him via solar radiation overdose he has at last triumphed. Of course, as the narrative remains on Superman’s side, Luthor’s worldview is exposed as self-aggrandizing solipsism, rendering him looking kind of dumb. That the figure of the song is referred to as ‘she’ is curious; perhaps this is in fact Nasthalsia ‘Nasty’ Luthor. Or it may refer to a sort of conceptual malleability of identity referring to Luthor’s eventual transformation via rehabilitation and time-travel into Leo Quintum, a decidedly more flamboyant and effeminate figure than the decidedly machismo-poisoned Luthor.

Well the years start coming and they don't stop coming Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running Didn't make sense not to live for fun Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb So much to do, so much to see So what's wrong with taking the back streets? You'll never know if you don't go You'll never shine if you don't glow

‘Hit the ground running’ is an apt choice of words when the title of the first chapter is Faster...; the progression of time and defiance of rules, going down the backstreets, can be read as his reaching beyond the typical rules and structures that have fenced him in over decades of continuity and tradition in the face of his pending mortality, such as revealing his identity to Lois (his realization of his mistreatment of her and their relationship as his intellect increases corresponds neatly to his brain getting smart but his head getting dumb), freeing Kandor, and entrusting humanity and Quintum/Luthor specifically with his genetic legacy.

Hey now, you're an all-star, get your game on, go play Hey now, you're a rock star, get the show on, get paid And all that glitters is gold Only shooting stars break the mold

Morrison referenced in his All-Star Superman exit interview with Newsarama his initial frustration with the All-Star brand going on his definitive Superman text, seeing it as an intrusive corporate logo (not knowing that it would ultimately come to be associated predominantly with that one story) when he wanted his story to be seen simply as ‘Superman’. Choosing to work with what he had, his story finds Superman becoming a literal golden glittering all-star shooting across the sky, pure information, an untouchable incorporeal living myth sprung from a man as akin to the ‘rock star’ image formed around ordinary people (such as Morrison himself in his younger days with his band The Mixers). The subject of payment will be returned to at the conclusion.

It's a cool place and they say it gets colder You're bundled up now, wait till you get older But the meteor men beg to differ Judging by the hole in the satellite picture The ice we skate is getting pretty thin The water's getting warm so you might as well swim My world's on fire, how about yours? That's the way I like it and I never get bored

This verse at first appears to be in reference to the coming of the freezing All-Night of the Bizarro Underverse, and Superman’s return as a ‘meteor man’ crashing into a travelling circus. However, while this is a neat narrative transition it is in fact in reference to metaphorical coldness and figurative meteor men, in the form of Bar-El and Lilo, and Superman’s reckoning with his Kryptonian heritage (though the opening lines also evoke the emotional coldness and grappling with mortality that define #5-6: it is this central 6-issue chunk that make up the night side of the archetypal journey into the underworld and rebirth that Morrison has commented formed the mythical structure of the series). The ‘hole in the satellite picture’ is interesting; it could be seen as a roundabout reference to the Kryptonian couple’s conquest of human culture as seen in Metropolis both architecturally and in Jimmy’s adoption of Kryptonian overpants and belt, culminating in the literal hole in the moon (symbolic of dreams, as all culture is the product of) patched up with human cultural artifacts such as the Golden Gate Bridge. More pertinently however, it evokes General Zod’s command of the airwaves in 2013′s Man of Steel, where he not only inhabits a colonialist view of planet Earth evocative of Bar-El and Lilo, but mentions that Superman “could have built a New Krypton in this squalor”, a direct line lift from the issue. Either the time-bending syncronicities go further than initially realized, Morrison played an extremely long game while consulting on the film, or Zack Snyder is not only in fact in possession of the deep understanding of Superman and his source material that his apologists claim, but himself figured this all out a very long time ago and adjusted his work accordingly. In any case, the Kryptonian astronauts’ belief in the “uncontested superiority and grandeur of Kryptonian culture” is impotent in the face of their own failing bodies and ultimate realization that Superman is right; their time has passed, the ice getting thin, and Superman’s kindness and willingness to engage human culture on its own terms - to swim - must carry the day. Per Morrison, “In mythic terms, if Superman is the story of a young king, found and raised by common people, then Krypton is the far distant kingdom he lost. It’s the secret bloodline, the aristocratic heritage that makes him special, and a hero. At the same time, Krypton is something that must be left behind for Superman to become who he is - i.e. one of us. Krypton gives him his scientific clarity of mind, Earth makes his heart blaze.” (Bolding my own)

(Chorus repeats)

Somebody once asked could I spare some change for gas? I need to get myself away from this place I said yep what a concept I could use a little fuel myself And we could all use a little change

The final non-repeating section of the song represents a final struggle between Luthor’s materialistic outlook, only able to see ‘change’ and ‘fuel’ in crass physical, monetary terms, while the enlightened Superman - transformed by his own process of personal growth and forthcoming elevation to solar deity - is capable of discerning a deeper meaning. That this is framed as an exchange, and more specifically an education, hints at Lex’s lesson at the hands of his senses in the worthwhile of the immaterial, divine unity of humanity that will prompt his transformation into Quintum, tying the story in a neat loop. Incidentally, the prospect of ‘change’ as monetary value while not a prominent factor in All-Star Superman will go on to have significant roles in both his major subsequent Superman works, Action Comics and Multiversity (the latter of which by his own admission evokes All-Star in its Thunderworld Adventures chapter, going on to reckon with the capitalistic give-and-take of commercial storytelling aiming for the type of enlightenment Morrison seeks to provide in its concluding issue), advancing the connections of the song to All-Star’s post-release impact as well as its text.

(Chorus repeats, concluding the song)

A final note: but the Meteor Men beg to differ is not only the most Jack Kirby-ass line that dude never wrote, but always reminds me of the 1993 Robert Townsend picture The Meteor Man, which I apparently viewed as a child and which I have always misremembered as having a direct connection to the 1978 Superman. I could swear I recall a bit of a picture being shown of a man with a meteor that’s the same picture of the man who found Kryptonite in the Donner film, the latter of which of course was a tremendous influence on All-Star Superman.

[kayteewritessteve]

Love and War - 2/16

Description: In a harsh medieval world, you set out on a perilous quest that will lead you onto a forbidden land. A land ruled and controlled by a ruthless Warlord King, one who does not look favourably upon trespassers of any kind, and punishes all with an iron fist. You may not know exactly where this quest will end, but what you do know is you will forever be altered by it. And that knowledge alone is what truly terrifies you the most.

Catch up HERE.

Word Count: 3,580 ish.

Pairing: Medieval!Steve Rogers x Reader.

Rating: PG for now. May become 18+ later.

Warnings: Violence. Curse words. Mentions of fears and potentially brutal medieval tactics. Most likely more to come down the road. Please don’t let these warnings scare you too much, give the story a try before you judge it.

A/N: I sadly don’t own any of these characters. And no beta reader, so I do proudly own all the errors and this story, so there’s that.

“Well, well, well,” the larger of the two starts, “and what do we have here?”

You want to scream, you want to run, but you know both urges are pointless in this moment. You can’t outrun these guards, this is their homeland, and you can only assume they are chosen for the Royal Guard based on their knowledge of the land and their skill sets. And then they are most likely meticulously trained to endure more than the average human. Probably trained to outrun, out strength, and outsmart their opponents, every single time.

So no, running away screaming won’t save you now. You’d be smarter to just listen to their commands and pray they show you mercy. Pray they take your submission and obedience as a form of respect and then maybe, just maybe, they won’t kill you. Maybe they will let you free with a promise to never return. To never enter the King’s land again.

But you’re not an idiot, you know that anyone who has ever entered the King’s land has never returned to tell the tale. And even if your mind is trying desperately to tell you that those lost townsfolk are still alive and just living out their days happily in the King’s city. You know that’s not possible, or true. They are all dead. Just as you will be soon.

“Well, what do you wenches have to say for yourselves?” The smaller guard, with long black hair, snaps.

“We—ah—we’re just—“ you try to form a coherent sentence but your mind is just not cooperating at all. Your heart is pounding in your ears so loudly that you can barely even hear your own voice over it.

“Just what?” The larger guard, with long blonde hair, prompts gently, though he still manages to sound rather irritated.

Wanda raises her hands in an attempt to calm them, “we were just trying to find our way home, we didn’t mean to bother you.”

Thank Gods she is here, you’d have never been able to get that sentence out on your own, let alone even come up with a lie that quickly.

“A likely story,” the smaller guard scoffs, “you are 5 leagues into the King’s land, and you want us to believe you were just lost on your way home?”

“It’s the truth,” Wanda snaps, you can tell she is getting ready to do something stupid, and you pray it doesn’t result in you both being killed on the spot. You quickly grab hold of her hand to help ground her, and she snaps her eyes over to yours for a moment. The physical connection visibly calms her and you plead with your eyes for her to control herself.

After a second she nods her understanding and you turn to the guards, taking a deep breath in, and pulling yourself together you finally find your voice. “We apologize for the intrusion, we are both not very good with wayfinding, as you can tell. If either of you could just point us in the direction of Triskelion we will happily vacate the King’s land immediately.”

The smiles that appear on both guards faces do not help your nerves at all, they make them worse actually. “Unfortunately, that will not be possible as you have trespassed, and the King doesn’t take too kindly to that. You will both have to come with us,” the larger guard says as they both move towards you, menacingly.

“Now just you wait one moment,” Wanda says as you both step back, attempting to keep some distance between yourselves and the intimidatingly large Royal Guardsman. “We didn’t mean to trespass, we are just silly women who can’t tell our North from our South. Surely that isn’t grounds to detain us.”

“It is when you trespass on Royal land,” the smaller guard says as he glances at the larger one, sharing an odd look with him for a moment before they turn back to you both. “You’ll need to come with us, don’t make this any more difficult than it need be.”

You sigh and then hold out your wrists to the guards, there is no point in fighting this, you’ll just end up in deeper water. Wanda glares at you for a moment, but you just glare right back, begging her to stop causing a scene as that will surely only result in you both getting beat for it. She shakes her head defeatedly, then sighs and sticks her hands out as well.

“Good decision ladies,” the larger guard says, patronizingly, as he moves towards you, pulling shackles from his belt as he does. “No need to make things any worse by doing something foolhardy.”

Both guards shackle your wrists, and attach you both to a length of rope, as the larger one then proceeds to basically drag you deeper into the Kings territory. You reluctantly follow, as you aren’t really given much choice in the matter.

But as you continue to journey forward, the guards become further and further ahead. Allowing about 5 yards of space between them and you, basically just enough that you can’t really make out their whispered words. Nor could they potentially make out yours, you note.

You obediently follow behind, stumbling over rocks and fallen trees as they continue to drag you along. Praying they are bringing you to a path or trail of some sort, so your aching legs don’t get anymore beat up by the rigorous pace they have set. But before your pleads can be answered you are forcefully yanked over a rather large tree trunk. Falling to the ground with a yelp, ending up in a heap on the other side, and sadly taking Wanda down with you.

Pain instantly radiates through your left leg, and you grip it, writhing on the ground as you yell out, “Gods dammit!”

Wanda quickly collects herself and attempts to check your leg, but you push her hands away for fear she will only agitate the injury more. “Y/N, let me see it,” she says as she tries again to reach for your leg.

In the background to can hear the guards chuckling to themselves, clearly enjoying your hardship. “Get up foolish little woman, we have a long journey left ahead,” the larger guard says through his chuckles.

“Give us a moment, we aren’t all built for this terrain,” Wanda snaps at him, receiving more snide laughter from the boorish guards. She looks back down at you, her voice softening “are you alright, Y/N?”

You grimace and clench your teeth, but nod as you release your leg and Wanda helps you stand, “will you be able to walk on it?”

You hesitantly place your weight on the leg, and though it does hurt, you know you will be able to handle the pain. You look to her and nod again, “yes, it seems to just be bruised.”

“Here, let me check it,” she says, but you shake your head like a petulant child. She sighs deeply, “Y/N, let me see, I promise I won’t touch it.”

You finally give in and nod, “okay, fine.”

She smiles triumphantly then turns you so your back is facing the guards, kneeling down in front of you and lifting your skirts just slightly, just enough that she can look at the injured leg. “You have a nasty scrape, but that’s all. It could have been much worse,” she says as she stands back up.

“Today, wenches,” the smaller guard yells, their chuckles can no longer be heard, so clearly they are becoming fed up and frustrated with how long you both are taking.

“We’re coming,” you snap this time, becoming increasingly frustrated with them as well. You both start to walk towards the guards as they turn and continue onwards.

After a while of walking—limping in your case—you glance over at Wanda. “How are we going to get out of this?” You whisper to her, making sure to keep your voice low so only she hears you.

“I’ll figure something out,” she whispers back, “we just need to play along for now, and wait for an opportunity to arise.”

“What if they lock us away in their dungeons?”

“Then I’ll break us out,” she whispers confidently.

You furrow your brows, and mumble, “we are both going to die.”

She giggles quietly, “you are such a zoilist.”

You gasp, in feigned outrage and shock at her calling you a zoilist; an overly-critical and judgemental nitpicker. “I am not!” But you can’t stop the laugh that bubbles up at her ridiculous insult. “You are the zoilist!”

You both laugh even harder but then the rope is yanked forward roughly once again, “keep it down back there!”

You glare at the back of the guards heads, wishing you could decapitate them both using just your eyes. But sadly, just as everything else, you weren’t gifted with that skill either. Though... “can’t you just kill them both?” You mumble to Wanda.

“I wish,” she sighs, “but I’m not that strong, nor that fast. If I tried to take one of them out, the other would be on me before I could finish the job. You know my magic is more natural than that. I can grow plants instantly, fix injured animals, but the dark magic that is needed to take a man's life,” she shakes her head, “that I am not versed in.”

You sigh, you did know that. But wishful thinking got the better of you. “You’re right. It wouldn’t be worth the risks.”

“Don’t worry, Y/N, we’ll figure something out. We just have to be smart about it,” she whispers and you nod. Then you both fall into a silence as you follow along, finally coming out of the dense wood and on to a wide path. Clearly one that is heavily used, judging by all the prints and marks in the gravel.

You thank the Gods for it though, as now you can walk a little easier and your leg is no longer being agitated by the uneven and fallen tree littered, forest floor.

A while later, as the sun is just starting to set in the horizon, you look up to see the top of a massive castle up ahead, just over the trees. And your stomach drops with every step closer to the intimidating structure, or more so, your Fate that will be decided within it.

As you slowly make your way closer you feel your throat dry up, and your heart begins to pound rapidly in your chest. Your hands become clammy and your face flushes. These are all reactions you aren’t used to. Yes, you’ve been nervous before, and yes, you’ve had each of these reactions before. But never together. Never all at the same time.

And even though you are terrified of the castle, petrified by what will happen to you inside it. Something in you, something deep, deep down wants you to continue on. Wants you to enter that fortress, and fast. You can’t explain it. You just feel like you were destined to be here, Fated to find this place. To enter it.

Maybe your subconscious knows this is where you die. Where you take your final breath. Yet, that doesn’t seem right. Something in you is trying to tell you that you won’t be dying here today, or any day. No, something very different is going to occur here, in this place. But you just aren’t yet sure exactly what that will be.

The guards pull you away from the entrance to the city, leading you off to the right along the outlying wall. The wall acting as a final line of defence for the buildings, structures and inhabitants of the King’s city. A wall you’d have assumed would’ve been taller, but then again, everyone knew not to enter the King’s land. Everyone except you, clearly.

The wall was short enough that you could see the roofs of the buildings that lay within, and if you squint really hard, you could just see that at the very back of the city, the side furthest from where you currently are, is the castle. Large and imposing as it loomed menacingly, yet protectively over the city. Giving the impression that so long as the castle stood, the city would as well.

Your nerves had dissipated now, being replaced by shear awe, mainly for the fact that you got to lay eyes on this place. You got to see the Warlord King’s home up close, a thing no one outside of his people got to do. Yet here you were, walking around the outside of it. You hoped that you’d get the chance to see inside the walls. Get a chance to explore the city. But you knew that would never happen, you’d just be lucky to make it to tomorrow in one piece.

The guards halted in front of a large set of iron doors, set into the wall. Two guards standing on either side, with swords on their hips and spears in their hands. You glanced over at Wanda, who looked both exhausted and forlorn. She didn’t look at you though, she was too busy watching the guards interact. You shifted your eyes back to them and noticed that not one had spoken so much as a single word. They were all just staring at each other, as if having a non-verbal conversation. Which was odd, for sure.

“Why aren’t they saying anything?” You whisper to her.

She shakes her head, “I don’t know.”

Then, the two guards who had been at the doors when you’d arrived, moved and pushed them open, the large iron doors creaking as they did. Once they were fully open the two guards who had brought you here begin to walk, once again pulling you along with them.

You are dragged down a long, dark and musky stone tunnel. One that clearly isn’t used to welcome castle guests. Not that you assume the King ever has any guests to begin with, what with his sheer hatred for anyone not born in his territory. And even then, you aren’t sure if he even likes the people who are born here.

You continue down the dark, damp tunnel, every 10 feet a torch is attached to the wall, giving just enough light to vaguely see where you’re going. But not enough to be able to make out much else.

After a while you reach a large wood door, with a metal plate in the middle near the top. The larger guard knocks 3 times and a moment later the metal plate falls in, away from you and a set of eyes appears in its place. But once again, not a single word is exchanged. Though you see the head, attached to the mysterious eyes nod, and then the metal plate is flipped back into place, right before the sound of locks echoes off the tunnel walls. And then the door slowly squeaks open, revealing another ridiculously large man behind it. He is smaller than the Guardsmen who brought you here, but still much larger than yourself.

The guards drag you both through the door, and before you know it you are unshackled and then tossed into a cell. And seconds later the cell door is slammed shut, leaving both Wanda and yourself unshackled but locked in a small dark windowless room—if you can even call it that, it’s more like a cellar.

You glance around, your eyes having adjusted to the low lighting during your walk in the tunnel. But even with that said, it is so very dark in here. Your eyes can just barely make out a pile of hay, off in a corner, most likely a makeshift bed, and then there is a bucket in the opposite corner. However, you don’t need to question what the bucket is for, just the smell coming off of it is enough to answer that for you.

You hear the tunnel door slam shut and then you know it’s just Wanda, you and the giant door guard left in here. Well, that and whoever else is currently locked in the cells near you.

Wanda quickly makes her way to the cell door, checking the edges for any faults or weak points. But after a moment of that you hear her heavily sigh and can just barely make out her head slumping forward in defeat. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to break us out of here,” she whispers dejectedly.

You make your way over to her, placing your hand on her shoulder, “don’t say that Wands, if anyone can get us out, it’s you. Have some faith in yourself.”

“You don’t get it,” she shrugs your hand off and turns to face you, not that either of you can make out the others features in the darkness. “I can get us out of this cell, but I won’t be able to take on that guard.”

“Then you work on getting us out of the cell and leave the guard to me,” you say resolutely.

She giggles, “and what are you planning to do, exactly?”

“I haven’t figured that out just yet,” you laugh, “but I’ll think of something.”

She shakes her head, and you can just barely make out the smirk on her lips, “we are so going to die.”

“Now who’s the zoilist?” you chuckle out, earning a scoff in return.

“I just don’t see how you plan to take on that ridiculously large man, let alone best him while you’re at it.”

“O ye of little faith,” you pat her back, “trust me Wands, we are getting out of here. Mark my words.”

“Wanda?” You hear someone yell from the cell beside yours, “Y/N?”

And instantly you know that voice. “Pietro?!” You and Wanda yell at the same time. “Is it really you?!” Wanda begs hopefully.

“What are you two doing here!?”

“We came to find you,” you say back.

“You shouldn’t have done that! What were you both thinking!?” He scolds from his cell.

“And you shouldn’t have entered the King’s land in the first place, Piet,” Wanda scolds right back. She never put up with any of his shit. Ever.

“Gods Wanda, I told you not to come after me if I didn’t return, now we are all going to die here.”

“Hey!” A new voice yells, clearly the guard, “no talking!”

You both huddle into the corner closest to Pietro’s voice, trying to not draw any more unwanted attention to yourselves, as you talk to him.

“Piet, we are going to break out of here,” Wanda starts, “do you think you’d be able to take on the guard?”

“Have you seen the guy!?” Piet scoffs, “he is like 3 of me! I don’t know what they put in the water here, but every person I have seen is insanely large.”

“You saw inside the city?” You quickly ask, curious if he got a glimpse of it or not.

“I did, but I didn’t make it far before they captured me. I sort of stood out like a sore thumb, what with everyone having at least 2 feet on me.”

“Really? They are all that large?” You question.

“Yeah, unhumanly large.”

“That will make escaping much more difficult,” Wanda sighs, “considering we clearly won’t be able to just blend in once we get out of here.”

“No, we wouldn’t,” Piet agrees, “and even if we get passed this guard, there are two others by the iron doors.”

“Gods! I forgot about them!” Wanda shakes her head again, “I don’t think we’ll be able to pull this off.”

“We have to at least try, we don’t have any other choice,” you start then realize something. “Piet, when is your sentencing?”

“At dawn.”

“That doesn’t exactly give us much time to plan,” Wanda murmurs, clearly losing hope.

“No, but I may have an idea,” you say as you lean in towards her, “okay, here’s what I’m thinking.”

Somewhere near, yet far.

“Have you found her yet?” the large man asks from his spot, hiding amongst the shadows of a deep, dark cave.

“No Sir,” a smaller man replies, “but we are still looking.”

“Of course you are still looking!” The larger man bellows, “because I told you not to stop until you found her, didn’t I?”

“You did, Sir,” the smaller man nods quickly.

“Well, then why are you here talking to me right now, instead of out there searching?”

“I only came to inform you that we have found a lead, Sir. She has been spotted in the town of Triskelion.”

“That’s wonderful news,” the larger man nods. “Now stop wasting my time and go find her. She belongs to me, and I won’t have anyone else taking her away from me again.”

“Of course, Sir,” the smaller man nods again, “right away, Sir.” He goes to quickly leave the cave, but just before he does the larger one halts him.

“Oh, and Charan—“ the larger man pauses to clear his throat, “Brock?”

He turns around, “yes, Sir?”

“You remember the price for failing me, yes?”

Brock nods quickly, “I do.”

“You do, what?” He growls.

Brock clears his throat, “I do, Sir.”

“Good. Now be gone before I take my anger out on you,” he threatens coolly as he waves a dismissive hand around.

Brock nods once more then hastily retreats out of the cave. Leaving the larger man alone once again, standing in the darkness, with only his thoughts of her, and his desperate need to have her within his grasp once more. She is his, and she always will be.

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

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[shellheadtm-a]

i should move a list like this to my rules or 616 tony care manual but, for now, i realize i’ve never given a list of the most important runs to how i view tony.  so we’re gonna do that now, so you comic-savvy folks, at least, have an idea of where i’m coming from.  i should point out i’ve read (and reread) about 99% of nearly everything tony’s appeared in.  so you won’t find just iron man comics on this list.  these are kinda done chronologically timescale wise instead of date of publication.

hold on to your asses.  this is long.

+ tales of suspense:  for obvious reasons - it’s the origin story and his early adventures, and how he earned the nickname the golden avenger. + invincible iron man vol. 1:  good insight to how tony viewed himself and iron man and the public face of tony stark in the early days. + avengers vol. 1:  second verse, same as the first, formation of the avengers, their thawing steve from the ice, and all the ups and downs of the team roster. + captain america: man out of time:  after finding steve tony introduces him to the modern world.  steve wants out, realizes he’s been viewing the past with rose-colored glasses, and comes back to the present to help the avengers defeat kang. + demon in a bottle (iim 120-128):  the start of tony’s issues with alcohol but by no means the last.  the set up for his time being homeless. + doomquest (iim 149-150):  firmly establishes doom as an iron man villain, on top of everyone else he bothers.  also known as that time tony got to live his ultimate wet dream as a knight in king arthur’s court and fight alongside king arthur. + invincible iron man (163-170): covers tony’s fall from grace as he gets played by a honeypot and loses his company to obadiah stane, and he turns iron man over to rhodey.  + invincible iron man (172):  also known as that time steve found tony in a flophouse and tried to talk some sense into him but you gotta want to help yourself first and tony very emphatically did not (he was actually trying to drink himself to death so...).  also also known as that time steve bridal carried tony out of a burning building like the cover of a cheesy romance novel but no homo, right, marble. + invincible iron man (173 & 178):  tony hits rock bottom after skipping out of rhodey’s mom’s house.  otherwise known as that time tony lived on the streets for months and no one knew where he was or if he was even alive and helped deliver a baby in a blizzard. + armor wars (iim 225-232):  also known as that time tony’s tech got stolen and he went on a rampage to get it back, and also betrayed steve for really reals the first time.  it’s okay, they make up (the pink superstar shirt). + onslaught (event): it’s a mutant based storyline i don’t even know where to start explaining this one.  but it ends in heroes reborn - which is acknowledged but not written in on this blog. + iron man (early 00s):  a darker, grittier iron man.  also showcases tony’s utter self loathing, loss of hope for any form of happiness for himself, and the things he does to try to make himself not feel like such a waste of space.  otherwise known as the time he had an artificial heart from the suit that went obsessive stalker on him and the birth of FRIDAY.  one of my penultimate iron man runs, highly recommended but super dark. + avengers disassembled:  wanda destroys the mansion and the avengers break up, seemingly for good.  tony can’t afford to rebuild and no one has the heart to keep going after what happened. + new avengers:  until there’s a breakout of the raft and steve decides it’s time he and tony put together a new team.  tony can never say no to steve when he begs.  one of my all time favorite avengers line ups, including wolverine, luke cage, spider-woman, spider-man, ms. marvel (carol).  that time the avengers ended up in luke cage and jessica jones’s wedding photo. + extremis:  that time tony could talk to computers in his head - how that came to be.  also incredibly important:  sets the stage for civil war. + execute program:  definitely sets the stage for civil war and displays in a lot of ways how extremis is effecting tony. + civil war:  self explanatory, i think.  comic civil war was entirely us-based, did not involve bucky as a focus point (he becomes the new cap, after all, at tony’s request), and concerned the destruction of stamford due to the new warriors confronting a villain known as nitro.  bitter is the war between brothers, etc. + fallen son & the confession:  steve is assassinated (or...lost in time, more is the case) on red skull’s orders.  tony stark completely loses his shit and falls the fuck apart.  the confession solidified - i think - stevetony as a valid possible ship. + mighty avengers:  explains tony’s reasoning for doing what he did concerning civil war - which was play damage control so people like spider-man didn’t end up on a dissection table instead of the negative zone.  ultron gives him boobs. + iron man - director of shield:  post civil war, tony’s time at the helm of shield, and having a few mental breakdowns, fighting the mandarin, and finding out fun new things about extremis. + secret invasion (event):  skrulls have been infiltrating everywhere.  tony gets uploaded with a virus that takes out all of his tech?  and extremis itself.  is removed as director of shield, osborn is put in his place.  takes place in the middle of the fraction run of iron man. + invincible iron man (the fraction run):  literally the absolute, hands down, penultimate you won’t find better iron man run and view of tony stark as a person.  includes fear itself, dark reign, and the seige of asgard.  cannot recommend this one highly enough.  tony dealing with the aftermath of civil war, and then the brain wipe.  we love a broken man. + avengers prime:  tony and steve finally make up when the realms merge together.  he and steve and thor have all kinds of fun adventures against hela, tony ends up naked, we find out that thor and hellcat did the do.  good fun for everyone but also displays how much tony’s faking what he does and doesn’t remember, if you’re willing to dig a little. + invincible iron man (2013):  tony’s vacation in space, discovering he’s adopted and has a brother, the return of the mandarin’s rings, inhuman fun, the test city that was really a giant iron man suit, and fun times with dark elves.  this run is a ride and i love it despite everyone else hating it.  it has some juicy tony characterization moments. + avengers 2013/infinity:  look, you’d need a decoder ring to understand this shit without reading the whole damn thing.  contains superior iron man and the incursions, the time tony used the infinity gauntlet, the illuminati...there’s a lot of unpack here but explains the weight the current tony stark is carrying from what he did - especially as superior iron man - during this whole timeframe.  includes old!steve. + invincible iron man (2015):  the lead up to civil war ii/secret empire (note:  we don’t even look in secret empire’s direction on this blog).  just a good little snatch of characterization (surprisingly by bendis).  nice look into how tony views himself and how he handles his problems (which is to say he doesn’t handle them at all). + all new, all different avengers:  tony and his tiny little team, comprised of a bunch of kids, the vision, sam!cap, and jane!thor.  lead up to the thing we don’t speak of, but puts into perspective where tony sits at that moment post-incursions. + winter soldier (2018): he shows up in all of like three pages and is mentioned in a few more, but it solidifies that tony and bucky are close?  that bucky trusts tony knowing where he lives and working on his arm, and it puts tony in a support role over being a main player.  also rod reis did the art and it’s fucking immaculate.  

this is pretty much where, right  now, my full canon for tony ends.  i do include some bits from the newest avengers run (up through the vampires - and possibly tony being tossed back in time, i have the feeling he’s gonna hook up with the prehistoric avengers).  also from marvelous ms. marvel and captain marvel, and web of black widow.  what it does not and will not include ever is tony stark: iron man.  we don’t let slott into this house.

[tocxmply-archive]

whisper something by James’ ear! a 1-10 rating will be given on how hard it makes him blush & flusters him (accepting) // @hakune​​​

          jackets & shoes already discarded in a heap on the floor beside the bed, long forgotten—as steve trails a line of kisses upward from his mouth, along the curve of his jawline. nimble hands slip underneath the soft cotton of bucky’s shirt—feeling the corded muscle beneath—as steve whispers to him. ‘just relax, babe; you’ve had a long day.’ his breath is hot against the shell of his ear, ‘let me take care of you.’

          it’s been a long, long day; it’s been a long, long time. i’ve seen seasons come and go. Steve’s merit, that they’re returning home from work at matching hours --- rather than one arriving and the other leaving, one awakening when the other goes to sleep. granted, he still has a long way to go, and no force on this Earth will ever truly make him a morning person... unless he’s to be woken with sex of course but it’s progress. it is huge progress, that now he can eat breakfast at 8am and run on some decent 5-6 hours of sleep, rather than half the amount. and get to the studio reasonably not-late [ten minutes don’t count, every CELEBRITY deserves to be late by ten minutes on the daily]. and, imagine, be productive the entire day without the need for any sort of more-or-less legal substance to keep your motivation going. life can’t get much sweeter, indeed.

‘ mhmmm--- ‘

          sweet is the hum that reverberates at the back of his throat, as well, as those blessed lips find way along the sharp contour of his jaw; he, a sinner, a heathen, about to say the Lord’s name in vain. how many a person’s lips has he had on himself? in himself? all over himself? yet only Steve’s have ever truly found him... have poked at his soul, so innocently at first and now suddenly [suddenly? it’s been almost two years!] as though he’s become a hurricane and his intent is to make shambles out of him; HIS OWN HUSBAND. sweet, sweet shambles, to leave him weak on the knees as his bottom lip quivers and begs for more in silent prayer; sweet, sweet mess, like the bathroom tiles soaked in water after bathing Apollo during a hot summer day. i’ve been saving all my summers for you.

          ‘ your day was long, too, ‘ he says, very hypocritically, ‘ even longer than mine... ‘ ---as though he’s willing to change the status quo; as though, ever, by any stretch of the imagination, he’ll muster self-restraint enough; one day, he managed to not eat all the pancakes in a row, and that’s as far as it’ll ever go. but true words, no less --- whilst he lazes around in bed for five minutes more and then showers during forever and day [so many products to try and review, lest the sponsors begin tapping their watch], Steve is out there running and putting every other greek god to shame. and yet... what’s bits of energy to spend, when you are the sun? his sun. my sun.

          a foot quickly shuts the door behind them, before THEIR BABY can slip in --- some things are not meant to be seen, and it’s for the best. but then sly hands are slithering under his shirt and it’s all he can do, to slump back against said door as gracefully as possible; you're my one true love, i'm your destiny. gracefully if not calmly, and it is this easy to set him afire --- touch the side of his neck and he’s yours to take, like ripe fruit, and this is a lesson learned already during their first date; how far away it is now, that day when he opened the door to meet the new neighbor half-naked. how much his impulse control has not improved; belt is undone, belt falls to the floor, his skinny dark jeans do not follow because they hug his frame like second skin --- though there’s that roll of his hips that yearns for more, more, more. good things come to those who wait / i ain’t in a patient phase.

          ‘ but yes--- yes. take good care of me. treat me like a prince, FUCK ME LIKE A--- ‘ the rest is lost in the whimper that flies out, is left to the imagination. the rest is clothes rustling like leaves in the wind that, for once, do not taste of tragedy. own arms come up and find a resting place round Steve’s neck [my love, he whispers, and it’s so loud it shakes the cosmos], and tug him closer, so close, almost like he’s defying the laws of physics and attempting to have two bodies in a same single spot, till chests clash, a clash of kings, and so do their lower regions --- and this time he tosses his head back, shameless and blissful, and a hand slips to the back of his lover’s head. ‘ oh... my body is ready... ‘  pick my petals off and MAKE MY HEART EXPLODE.

          RATING: 10 --- make no mistake, it’s 0 at making him blush because we know this man is unblushable in this verse. but making him flustered? impatient? wiggling on the spot? yes.

[parf-fan]

Followup: Blackfryars!

Mount Hope, I’m begging you.  👏 Hire 👏 a 👏 copy 👏 editor. 👏

As always, visit the Faire’s website for headshots

Estelle Angrist :  Millicent Goodnestone – Apprentice Stone-Carver 

Inside every stone is a piece of art, so says Millicent. All you need to do is listen to the rock and take away the unnecessary pieces. Now, the artistry comes in the patience with which one removes the extra bits of stone. Patience, hammer, chisel, and a light touch are all that are required. Otherwise, a good piece of stone can become a dust pile very quickly. Thank goodness today is a festival day, because Millicent has been sweeping piles of dust for a while.

Alessandra Appiotti :  Bernadette Albright – Matchmaker 

The shire is being visited by the World’s most famous Bachelorette: Queen Elizabeth! If Bernadette can find the one for Queen Elizabeth, she will go from rising star to full-on supernova! She’d better get started lining up eligible bachelors! Or Bachelorettes! She hasn’t met Her Majesty yet, so who is she to judge her tastes?

Andréa Barton :  Lady Blanche Parry – Lady in Waiting 

This devoted Lady has served the Queen from the time our monarch was in nappies! They are boon companions, sharing court life and all its intrigue and frivolity. While she may look like the marzipan on the cake, her skilled organization of the Queen’s library and fondness for a good jest keeps her wit sharp enough to cut like a knife. Just ask the fool that attempts to play with her heart strings or guitar strings!

Kristin Bauer :  Frances Newton, Lady Cobham – Lady in Waiting

Lady Cobham is thrilled to be on progress with the Queen. After all, this busy mother needs some time with the Ladies. With her soft nature and quick smile, she can often times be found with the children of the Shire, telling stories, rhymes, riddles, and playing games. Her sense of mirth does not leave her without a streak of mischief, as she does love to put her finger in the pot, give it a stir, and see what happens! Naughty or Nice? You be the judge!

Lauralette Bernard :  Tolly Muneford – Harbor Master 

Nothing comes in or out of the shores of Mount Hope that Tolly doesn’t know about. Her web of knowledge reaches far and wide, and she does it all in the service of the Shire. If only she wasn’t so keen on sharing all this knowledge with literally everyone, she might be able to use it for personal gain.

Jennifer Blackwell-Yale :  Emily O. Bales – Fire Brigade 

It has been 15 years since a monarch last visited the Shire of Mount Hope. Coincidentally, it has also been 15 years since the last fire in the shire of Mount Hope. Emily is always ready for action, but no one is quite sure she would know exactly what to do should action arise. When in doubt: stop, drop, roll, and have some wine. It seemed to work out just fine for the Old Dun Cow!

Karen Rose Bitzer :  Rosie DuLait – Milkmaid 

This milkmaid typically spends her day milking the cows and goats on the farm; carefully churning the butter; separating the curds from the whey; making the precious cheese to sell at market; all the time, singing and talking to her fine, generous, milk-laden friends! Is it any wonder that Rosie’s dairy products are highly sought for their sweet, creamy nature? It is even said that her happy cows seem to prance in the fields, as if dancing to a jig. Is that even possible? With Rosie, one never knows! Today she was up early: the Queen is expected and she wants to offer the sweetest cream and the finest butter to lay upon the Queen’s table.

Tabitha Borges :  Abigail Montgomery – Governess to the Lady Mayor 

Abigail has always had a way with children, and has taken care of all the Lady Mayor’s progeny, which means she is quite resilient! Of the many duties, trials, and tribulations the Penburthys have put her through, her favorite activity is still telling stories, and she is a masterful storyteller. Now that the Penburthy children, Calvin, Penelope, and Danforth, have all grown up, she is experiencing Empty Nest Syndrome far more than Delores is!

Elizabeth Burkholder :  Paraffin Dyson – Bellows-Mender

Paraffin is a fan. She is a fan of fans. Her bellows will blow you away, that’s how big of a fan she is. Sometimes she can be a bit of a blowhard, but usually she can play it cool. And yet, even the coolest of bellows-menders may have a difficult time not having a meltdown with our Queen on the Shire. Time will tell if Paraffin maintains her composure or has a blowout, but one thing is for sure; she will certainly enjoy this festival day!

Jasmine Crist :  Mary Robin Richland – Shire Ne'er-Do-Well 

Every shire has one, ours is Mary Robin! While good-natured and always seen with a smile, it is known that one must keep a hand on your purse and an eye on your goods, for you may come up short when the back side of Mary Robin you see! Slight of hand, quick of feet, and always with a jest to share, it is her good nature and sharp wit that keeps her just on this side of the law, for now! It has been heard that she has high aspirations, but for what? Ask her, she may or may not share!

Ashley Crowther :  Ira Roth – Actuary 

Everyone’s heard of mad scientists, but a mad actuary? That’s much rarer. If you stare at numbers all day long, apparently they start staring back. Eventually, everything starts to look like a ledger, and you can see the numbers everywhere. Sure... that adds up...

Josh Dorsheimer :  Jakob Werner – Landsknecht

Professional mercenaries fight the wars of the Kings of Europe. Professionals like Jakob. He does his level best to never think about any of that, though! He would rather spend his time gallivanting around town, spending his hard-won gold on drink, friends, and frivolity. The oldest of the family, Jakob is sometimes mistaken as the decision-maker of the clan. While he won’t outright deny this, the three siblings all know who really calls the shots: their baby sister!

Elisia Freeman :  Agnes Lambourne – Apple-Monger 

Apple cider, apple butter, apple sausage, apple crisp, apple cake.... Just ask this happy-go-lucky lady what you can do with all those apples, and she will tell you! Be prepared, her list is LONG! Apple juggling, apple carving, apple tossing, apple dicing, apple bocci. Do not be fooled, she knows that man does not live by apples alone; everyone knows you need a little cinnamon and a lot of laughter!

Corey Graff :  Wagner Werner – Landsknecht

Wagner travels all over Europe fighting battles with his brother and sister for one reason: he loves them both dearly. Honestly though, he would much rather be laying down in a meadow watching butterflies. Sometimes suffering from middle child syndrome, Wagner’s gadabout ways certainly make life interesting for all the Werner siblings.

Steve Hager :  Rip Skeleton – Gravedigger 

There are two things certain in this world: Death, and Taxes – and Rip ain’t no accountant. Its always nice to have a friendly face build your final resting place.

Jeremiah Halteman :  Ronald P. Eversmeyer – Yeoman Guard 

They say history is written by the victors. Ronald has every intention of ensuring that our good Queen’s name goes down in the history of the world as the greatest victor of them all! He is always prepared to put himself between Her Majesty and danger, wherever it comes from, in whatever form it takes, and at any personal sacrifice! His extensive training in the art of personal security has rendered him one of the elite of the yeoman guard; as long as Her Majesty is not attacked from the air. Unfortunately, Ronald has a fear of butterflies. Something about the wings just throw off his rhythm, but no worries....butterflies in Mount Hope? Never!!

Jonathan Heise :  Sir John Giffard of Chillington, Minister of Parliament, Knight – Nobleman 

This Minister of Parliament felt it his duty to be present during the Queen’s progress at Mount Hope. Concerned that perhaps this tiny village would not be up to the task of hosting our Queen, he would be quick to move the festivities to Chillington. Upon arrival he realized his foolish mistake; never had he seen such a shire, and thought perhaps ‘twas time to move Chillington to Mount Hope! However, for now, why not enjoy the festivities?

Brianna E. Holmes :  Mary Hill, Lady Cheke – Lady in Waiting 

This gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber is well loved by all. Her husband, John Cheke, a gentleman of the court, encourages her in her service of the Queen. The Queen has blessed them often with gifts, grants, and an estate or two. Even at this show of opulence, Lady Cheke takes it all in stride. She finds joy in the simple things in life; her children, her rose garden, and her love of arachnids. Their homes, their legs, and loving little eyes; can you ever have enough? I think NOT says Lady Cheke.

Anastasia Keno :  Louise Weaver – Shepherdess

A diligent if mischievous shepherdess, Louise has a passion for all things fluffy! Why should sheep be the only animals allowed to graze free? Let the cats graze free! Let the puppies graze free! Let the mice graze free! Free the animals! Sorry... she can be very passionate.

Jennifer Litzinger :  Cherie Piquant – Spice Merchant 

If the first pinch of salt is free, be prepared to pay dearly for everything else. A shrewd business woman, do not let Cherie’s smile fool you. She was born to barter, and barter she will! Well-known on the shire as the woman who can get what you need, do not be afraid to ask; as long as its cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, or cardamom, by day’s end, it will be in your kitchen. Ask for a song, and you could be in for a treat.

Dana Micciché :  Katherine Champernowne, Lady Kat Ashley – Lady in Waiting

Appointed governess, tutor, friend, and confidante, Lady Kat Ashley ensured that her Queen had all the necessary tools to rule England. Well versed in astronomy, geography, history, Latin, Spanish, Italian, and Flemish, this unassuming woman is also trained in the art of swordsmanship, axe-throwing, archery, and caber tossing! Think you know a little about a lot? Lady Kat knew it first!

Traci Mohl :  Olivia Charnwood – Huntress 

The family tradition of hunting and tracking lives on in the guise of Olivia. Like her mother and grandmother before her, ear to ground, sniffing the air; hunting prey is in her blood. Mount Hope’s finest archer, Olivia never fails to bring home the meat – just don’t ask her to cook it!! On this festival day, she plans on showing off her tracking skills by sniffing out a merry time!

Beverly Newton :  Charlotte Seaswift – Shipwright

This buoyant aquatic engineer helps keep the Harbor of Mount Hope afloat. An eye for design and a passion for innovation drive Charlotte. She knows that the fine line between sink and swim is just a patch away, and she is always ready to keep things floating on.

Jared Nocella :  Miles I. Gore – Professional Henchman 

Some people are natural born leaders. Miles is not one of those people. Miles is a natural born lackey, and he’s the best there is at being second fiddle. Always down for doing the dirty work, and he does it dirt cheap! Miles is a sidekick with a smile and has a flare for following.

Alexandra Pentz :  Dorte Werner – Kampfrau 

The youngest of the Werner siblings, but make no mistake: she is the one that keeps the family together. From designing the boys’ clothes, managing the family finances, and fighting her share of battles, she is as clever as she is dangerous. And after all that, she still has the ability to be the most mischievous of the three!

Lianna Pike :  Rosalind Anne Uxbridge – Gardener 

Rosalind has had her hands deep in dirt, up to her elbows, preparing for the Royal visit. The gardens must be perfect! Simple details like stone placement can be so critical, yet every time she plants, those chipmunks and rabbits have a feast . That is why Rosalind has a bed in all of her garden plots. She sleeps in a different flower bed each night. Thank goodness the festival is finally here, she can finally get out of the beds and enjoy the beauty of her work with the rest of the shirefolk.

Nicolas Rainville :  Grayson Thomas Hemplewhite – Squire to the Master of Horse, Sir Robert Dudley 

What an honor to serve the horse that carries the saddle that seats the man who serves the Queen so closely! To say that Hemplewhite is a hard worker is putting it mildly. His work is never done. Clean the tack, muck the stall, check the hooves; not to mention ensuring that Tinker, the horse, is always sweet-smelling for his Master to ride. But today is a festival day. Tinker smells sweet, now its time for Hemplewhite to have a bit of merriment.

Jessica Reesor :  Holly Teacake – Baker 

Everyone likes sweets at a festival, and Holly has made sure the shire is stocked with confections to please any palate. Fruity, chocolatey, savory – whatever your taste, Holly has you covered! An obsessive planner, Holly loves the order of a recipe. It is a mathematical equation for pleasing people. If only everything else was that simple!

Laura Reesor :  Pearl Topstitch – Tailor 

A visionary designer with an eye for style. Never satisfied with the same-old same-old; when something works once, she’s done with it! Her appetite for new and exotic is matched only by her skill. She can look at a piece of fabric and see the hidden...pearl...of genius within. Now it is time to show off her skills to the Queen.

James Riley :  Adam Cringer – Yeoman Guard 

A newly-minted member of the Yeoman Guard following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father before him. Legend of Adam’s monster-hunting exploits have already preceded him. Now it is time to see if the man can match the Legend.

Victoria Sangston :  Dorothea Anne Heartley – Etiquette Mistress 

Today is a big day for the shire of Mount Hope, and the Lady Mayor has tasked Mistress Heartley with making sure everyone puts their best foot forward. Of course, is that the right foot or the other right foot? Joyfully surveying the shirefolk, she knows everyone will be on their best, smiling, bowing, hat tipping, formal greeting behavior – or else!

Michael Sheffield :  John Dee – Royal Astrologer

A good ruler has good advisors. Time will tell what kind of advisor John Dee will be. He says he talks to angels. Perhaps he does. Perhaps he’s just a brilliant con man. One thing is for sure – eccentric only scratches the surface of describing this stargazing man.

Jessie Smith :  Polly Lynne Pickering – Apprentice Rag-picker

Polly Lynne has been following in her mum’s footsteps for as long as she can remember. Mum does have a keen eye for bits and pieces, but Polly Lynne is impatient! When she is THE Rag-Picker, she will be much more efficient! Would anyone REALLY notice if a bit was snipped off a gown here and there? Bushes and scissors are a picker’s best friend. She has heard of the fine fabrics worn by the Nobles of the court and is hoping to snip.... errrr....snag a piece or two of those fabrics for herself!

Mary Smith :  Penelope Ann Pickering – Rag-picker 

Some call it rag-picking, but Penelope prefers to call it fabric repurposing opportunities. Opportunities abound in the shire of Mount Hope, all you have to do is look around! And look she does!! With a keen eye for bits of fabric, lace, gossip, and good will, she has a kind word for everyone and perhaps a bit of scrap for those in need; and, really, who doesn’t need a bit of scrap now and then? And now, with the training up of Polly Lynne, she’s busy busy busy! Thank goodness for the Festival. Mirth, merriment, and fabric scraps!

Evelin Stayner :  Buttercup M. Rosehips – Scullery Wench 

This young lady is happy when surrounded by a pile of dirty anything. Beginning, middle, end! That is where she finds her joy. Every day has its adventures, and they all start when the sun comes up and last throughout the day. You may find her dancing, singing, or generally making herself an asset to the Shire of Mount. Hope. Some might even call her a fledgling pillar of society; probably more like a fence post. But everybody has to start somewhere!

Katrin Stayner :  Eva Froman – Sausage Queen of the Shire 

Blessed with infinite patience, and a lithe mind to keep up with her husband. The Fromans are nouveau riche, and happy to flaunt it. Eva is the true brains of the operation. Her wurst is the best, and her husband is the best at being the worst.  [the Sausage King is being played by one of the improv directors who doubles as an independent act.]

Jordan Taft :  Dorothy "Dottie" Brooke – Lady in Waiting 

This Maid of Honor is a seasoned Lady of the court. Certainly Lady Dorothy has done it all, seen it all, and has the bodice to prove it. However, Mount Hope intrigues her. After all, it is time for her to settle down and have a family of her own, and the matchmaker of the Shire is famous throughout the land. She may leave here betrothed, or at least,with several good prospects. Love is in the air, or, is that TURKEY???

Robyn Thompson :  Fiona Erin O'Donald – Personal Foot Post of the Lady Mayor 

When Fiona came to Mount Hope, the first person she met was the Lady Mayor, who had just lost her third foot post in six months. Fiona needed a job; she had no idea what a foot post was, but she knew she could do it! She is Irish after all! As it turns out, she is the best foot post the Mayor has ever had!! Messenger, she’s the Lady Mayor’s personal messenger!

Sandi Trait :  Becky Billingsly – Town Crier and Lady Mayor’s Official Letter-Opener 

Becky Billingsly, the voice of the shire, knows full well the weight her proclamations carry. As Official Letter Opener for the Lady Mayor, she is at the forefront of all the news that is news in the shire. Of course, nothing beats today’s happenings! The young Queen makes her way to the gates of Mount Hope. How thrilling to share her news and tidings with the court of her Majesty!

Ariel E. Urich :  Kathryn Bridges – Lady in Waiting 

This Maid of Honor is on her first progress with the Queen. She has lived her entire life in training for this very time and now that it is here, she realizes that something is missing. She knows how to carry the cup with grace and style; the basket is a simple matter; smiling at the proper time, sitting, standing. So, what is the problem? She has this deep desire to make people laugh! So far, she has shared a bit of her talent with the Ladies of the Court, but perhaps this small shire is where she can be a bit more free with her jests and merriment. Oh, the festival day could not get here soon enough!

Brianna Yale :  Lydia der Schlachter – Butcher 

Leaving home to work for the Fromans was a tough decision but one she is happy she made. Butchering brings her such delight. From the time she begins to sharpen her blade to the beauty of well-cut chop, this butcher knows her way around a slab of beef, pork, and lamb. However, never ask her for a capon! She has been squeamish since the capon incident of 1552. Enough of that! This is a festival day, and she plans on celebrating with the shire folk and perhaps even catching a glimpse of the new Queen.

Darrell E. Yoder :  Sylvan Farelight – Tinker

If it needs mending, this is the man to do it. If it needs replacing, step right up, he has it. If you need a bit of magic in your life, having Sylvan on the streets ensures that your needs will be met! Always popular when he arrives on shire; Sylvan can be counted on to share a bit of news from afar; a bit of wisdom from within; and a bit of magic from, well, from where magic comes from!

To the newcomers, welcome!  To those returning, welcome back!

[larissaloki]

This is my first installment on a rare pair ship M’Baku x Tony x Bucky. A/b/o verse. M’Baku is an alpha same asBucky and Tony is an Omega. Updates for this will be slow but if you like this fic leave a comment and I’ll see which of my stories get the most interest. Once I’ve finished my walking avengers fic I’ll focus on another.

@thoughtfulbreadpolice @seven-oomen @im-tops-bottom @winteriron-trash here you go!

Sharing is caring-

~~~~~~~

Humming Tony checked his phone for any message from Pepper, nothing major really was sent to him. Just a few meetings reports, condensed down enough to get just the important details across. He idly skimmed them, asking Friday to make a note once landed and settled in a private room, to go through them more fully. For now, the notes looked promising for their expansion in China and Japan. Both cities with a lot of people could benefit greatly from clean energy. They were in midst of negotiating of setting up the system there to help make their cities greener.so far Japan surprisingly was much more eager to join in.

Which leads to Tony’s little field trip that he’s on now. T’Challa and Shuri have asked him to help introduce Wakandan tech to the world. Not that T’Challa needed the help really, but it looked good to the council and the press that the two were working together. Of course people where still weary and where calling out for the king to be weary of Stark due to his past business, but it wasn’t enough of an outcry too cause to much damage to their stocks.

After T’Challa’s declaration to open the boarder, many had been skeptical as to what Wakanda could offer the world. T’Challa had a plan though. He had brought buildings and was doing work right now to share technology and open trades. The first to establish trades was Tony. Well, more T’Challa was the first to reach out to him. Understanding that Tony wanted to make the world safer and cleaner.

The trade was under a few conditions though, any plans Tony had involving tech and materials from Wakanda had to be approved by T’Challa and his council first before being implemented. Seeing as the primary material was Vibranium, it was no wonder the King was anxious about how it would be used. One of the other stipulations was that Tony had to visit the country and learn about Vibranium, work with it in a controlled environment that could cope with any mishaps. Learn from Princess Shuri how to safely transport it and such.

Tony had all but launched himself at his car shouting down his phone to prep a jet and replying back to T’Challa that he was on his way that instant. Tony was eager to learn, eager to see the genius mind behind most of the modern creations in Wakanda. He wanted to see with his own eyes the country that could better the whole world.

At first, Pepper had been furious at Tony skipping out on a meeting but, once learning the purpose of his trip she had calmed and assured him she would cover for him. Seeing the major benefit of Tony going just as well as he had.

Smiling to himself, Tony leaned back in his luxurious seat sipping some flavoured sparkling water Tony allowed his eyes to close. Above head, the intercom pinged as the pilots’ voice came across.

“We are fast approaching Wakanda Mr Stark, about 5 minutes before landing-“

The plane rocked violently as something hit it. Above the seats, oxygen masks fall for the passengers. Tony slowly makes his way towards the nearest chair, the rock in and shuddering of the plane making hi nearly fall over several times. Of all the times to leave his suit behind, fully believing he wouldn’t need one and also partly because he was in that much of a rush to the plane in NY that he had forgotten it.

Now, Tony was regretting leaving it behind in the compound.

“Please don’t crash, please don’t crash…” Buckling himself into his seat, Tony fumbled for his phone calling for Friday for information on what happened. He barely heard two words from the A.I before the plane took a sharp downward turn, it threw him back into his seat with a curse as he accidentally dropped his phone. The Omega clutched at the armrests of the chair, he had a bad feeling in his gut that no one was alive in the cockpit of the plane. All Tony could do was hope and pray either he survived the fall or received a quick death.

Tony had a thought as to what could have possibly of hit them when the plane began to tumble over and over, shuddering and jolting as it hit things in its decent. The next few moments where a blur for the Omega, he wouldn’t have been able to recall them if he tried. All he recalls is intense terror than a sharp pain to his leg and side before everything goes black.

~~~~~

M’Baku was watching the young Omega princess work on the newest broken Alpha white boy, also known by the children below as, White Wolf. At first, before M’Baku had earned his place among the tribes, he had been sceptical of the teen Omega genius. After seeing her work in person though, he was willing to admit he had been wrong in his judgement.

She had worked near relentlessly on trying to remove the triggers for the Winter Soldier. After a few tense months, Stark had sent information on his BARF, notes on it and how he made it. To see if it could help them. He had even given them details on how to contact Helen Cho. An expert on squishy science. Together they had come up with theories which Shuri had adjusted and altered her machines and such to make these theories work. Slowly she worked through Bucky’s mind; with his permission; to undo the power of the trigger commands. Rendering them useless.

Shuri has just finished the last command after weeks of working on it. They took breaks between each word and tried it to see if it affected him. So far they have been successful. After this last word, Bucky could be taken out of Cryo completely, allowed to slowly be let back among others to get used to life again.

Next, to him, T’Challa stood silently, observing the procedure. Despite the success so far he refused to left guards drop in case anything set back their progress. He won’t relax until this is completed. Around the room is 5 other Dora Milaje as well as them. All placed out of the way but able to move at a moments notice.

Above Barnes is a hologram of his body and brain which Shuri is looking at as she works on another screen. Carefully moving and directing her machines that are attached to Barnes’ head.

It’s a tense 2 hours before Shuri finally sighs and shuts down the machines with a pleased grin. Turning the princess nods at her brother.

“I’m done brother, your broken white boy I finally fixed. Though I do like this one, can I keep him?”

“No Shuri, you can not, I dare say Roger’s wouldn’t be pleased.”

Pouting, Shuri takes off the tabs that are connected to Barnes as he wakes up, blinking confused for a moment. T’Challa moves to stand by the chair/bed, watching Barnes carefully.

“How do you feel?”

Licking his lips Barnes seems to look down at his lap. “Better, I don’t feel so…tense” nodding, T’Challa starts to recite the words he had memorised by heart now. Barnes tenses as he always does when they do this part. However, apart from the initial tensing, there was no reaction. They waited a few moments but when Barnes felt no change, he looks up in wonder yet gratefulness.

“Y-You did it…”

Puffing up proudly behind her brother, Shuri comes closer now satisfied there’s no danger. “You’re all clear. The Winter Soldier cannot be used as a weapon ever again.”

“So he’s completely gone?...”

At this Shuri pauses as if considering her next word carefully. “We are not entirely sure, I believe experiences are still in there, memories. Things that will bleed over to you. Such as skills, but you have free will now. Think of it as a merge? We only really removed the triggers.”

“Thank you, truly” Barnes looked between them all gratefully. The sump where his left arm was is wrapped up with a dark rich blue cloth to hide the area from scrutiny. Barnes was truly indebted to these people who have not only, given him a safe haven to rest and relax but they have helped him become him again. Whatever he was now. He knows he’s not the Bucky from the 1940’s anymore. No matter how much Steve wished for him too. He was also no longer the Ghost Assassin of Hydra.

He had the freedom to become him again. Choose who he wanted to be.

And he had every intention of not fighting again for a long as he could help it.

M’Baku looked him over from his place by the wall still. He and Barnes haven’t interacted much due to him being mostly in cryo and the fact that too many Alphas around at once had made him skittish. What he did now he had gotten through stories from others. He had heard about the smooth charming Brooklyn Alpha from before the war. The Alpha that could charm a fish out of water effortlessly, who could make Betas and Omegas alike, swoon on the dance floor.

Soft quiet moments like this, M’Baku could only see a shy quiet man who just wants to be left alone to live peacefully. It’s not until he smiles that M’Baku gets a glimpse of the person from those stories. The endearingly soft smiles that make you warm inside when the smile is directed at you. Prompting you to smile back. The puppyish look in his blue eyes as Barnes tilts his head as he talks. Even that ridiculously soft brown hair that practically begs to be petted. A few times M’Baku had to refrain from reaching out to touch the fluffy strands. It was simply unfair. Since his wife who had died a few years back, leaving him and their children, M’Baku hadn’t so much as glanced at another. But Barnes was somehow changing that.

Another that had caught his interest was the Omega, Stark. The first time he had seen him in a video conference, M’Baku had to psychically bite his tongue, lest he says something stupid. The smaller man had been Devine to look at as he worked in his lab in the video. Soft dark brown hair gently curling at his ears and neck. Goggles pushed back on h forehead so he could see them, molten chocolate brown eyes had looked at them inquisitively, but M’Baku could see a spark of mischief as well. Just seeing his face and arms had been torture enough but the moment Stark had stood to retrieve something off screen giving them a glimpse of his ass and legs. M’Baku had to cough to cover for the small groan that had escaped. Going by Okoye’s small smirk. He hadn’t been too successful at hiding it.

For days after that video conference, Starks plush ass and perfect legs had been on his mind and starred in his dreams. He just wanted to grope at that ass and possibly bite it to leave his mark. The jeans Stark had been wearing had shown off all those delicious curves leaving M’Baku wanting.

Upon learning that T’Challa was reaching out to work with Tony on more future projects, M’Baku had none too subtly been bugging T’Challa to introduce him to Stark. He wanted to meet the genius. Perhaps try his hand at Wooing his into his bed. After looking up the man, M’Baku could agree that the man needed a god damn break from shit. Both Stark and Barnes just needed a break from shit life threw at them. And what more perfect way than in the middle of nowhere in Wakanda?

Grinning M’Baku pictured the Stark heir trying to climb a tree. Unaware that the room was looking at him oddly when he started chuckling to himself.

T’Challa was the one bravest to step forward. “M’Baku? What’s so funny?”

“Huh?” Coming back to focus, M’Baku looked around to see the stares and grinned. “Was just imagining T’Challa in crocodile-infested waters,” his grin grew wider at Barnes look of alarm, a few of the Dora looked mildly alarmed as well but stayed still as Okoye and T’Challa shook their heads amused. Shuri grinned outright at him, “did you yet him in?”

“Shuri please…” T’Challa groaned at his sister. Before any more words could be shared the palace shook slightly, a boom from a distance could be heard. Alert T’Challa ran to the nearest window, looking outside. To the distance just inside their borders, they could see a plane crashing down towards the trees and rivers below. M’Baku managed to catch a glimpse of the name on the side of the small plane. Stark.

Immediately, T’Challa shouted out commands for people to be sent to check the wreckage for any survivors. Also for someone to find out who had shot down that plane.

[mysterylover123]

Top 5 Shipping Moments of 2016

Well, until this year ends, this will be the last of these I do. So enjoy last year’s biggest shipping moments, for better, for worst, for whatever you choose. 

#5. SOUTH PARK BREAKS UP EVERYBODY

Season 20 of South Park is mostly a big disappointment (like a lot of 2016) but the biggest one has to be the drop-kick to the gut for most SP shipping fans. Okay, not Creek shippers. But as a Kyman shipper, the whole breakup thing was hard. Basically, 2 episodes in to season 20, the girls all broke up with the boys (apparently a lot more people were dating in the SP-verse than we knew about), leaving all of our beloved heroes devastated, from Kenny to Butters to Stan staring at Wendy’s ‘I can’t fix you’, it was a shocking and haunting way to end the second episode. And among all those straight breakups, there was Kyle staring wistfully at a picture of Cartman. Subtly has gone out the window. 

#4. HAMILTON’S WIDE RELASE CREATES TONS OF SHIPS

Whatever floats your boat, but Hamilton was nice enough to grant us not only the popular Laurens/Alexander, but also Alex/Eliza, Jefferson/Madison, and Lafayette/Mulligan. While Hamilton was released in 2015, these pairings really started up around last year, when people started getting a hold of the soundtrack. Suddenly you heard these songs even if you couldn’t afford a broadway ticket, and the show became a gigantic phenomenon. The biggest ship in the fandom is probably Alexander/John Laurens, but that isn’t to say it’s the only one; there’s shipping going on in all corners of the Hamilton Fandom. Bet you never thought you’d be shipping 18th century historical figures.

#3. ADVENTURE TIME’S BROKE HIS CROWN

Marlene brings PB to meet her dad. A fun bit of Adventure Time girlmance gone unsubtle. For Bubbline shippers, although this episode was more about Marcy’s substitute Dad the Ice King and his issues, the best part was all the Marcy/Bubblegum subtext. Seriously, the episode plays like Marcy is bringing her girlfriend to meet her dad. Then there’s the nicknames, the holding onto each other while flying, the line ‘you always know which button to press’, Marcy denying she has a boyfriend (well, technically not a boyfriend), and PB putting up with the nutty Ice King for Marcy’s sake. 

#2. THE LAUNCH OF LAPIDOT 

Sure, there were Lapidot shippers prior to them becoming barn mates, but 2016 is the year when Lapidot pretty much became the dominant ship in the Steven Universe fandom. No mean feat considering that the two don’t have nearly as much screentime as the other Crystal Gems. Yet fanfic about them dominates. And yeah, there’s a lot to work with in 2016; from Peridot begging Lapis’ forgiveness, to the two filling their barn with ‘meep-morps’, acting like a married couple (with their own kid Pumpkin, no less), and just generally starting to get along so well you could hardly see one without the other...it’s no wonder, really, that the ship has taken off like it did. 

#1. CAPTAIN AMERICA SHIPPING WAR

AKA the alternate title to Civil War. Let’s face it, this movie ripped all of our hearts out. I’m sure it wasn’t just me. It doesn’t seem to matter who you ship in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; Civil War was dedicated to ripping out your heart and playing with it. Let’s see: Ship Pepper/Tony? They’re broken up now, and offscreen! You ship Wanda/Vision? Let’s have her run off and defeat him in battle! Natasha/Tony, Natasha/Steve, Natasha/Clint, Natasha/Bucky...honestly, it’s hard to say if ANY Natasha ship didn’t get their heart ripped out. Steve/Tony shippers basically got their hearts annihilated with a tank missile to the face. And hell, even if you are a hardcore Stucky shipper (like me), they still don’t exactly get a happy ending either! (stupidtriggerwordscryofreezerightthingbut stillhurtsbullshit) Bring on the fix-it fics!

[nicehubbkog-blog]

Dwts: Aaron Carter In Contrast To Robert Pattinson In His Argentine Tango

The initial week of Dancing with the Stars period 9 is in the history publications, and there was plenty of motion featured on tonight's first results display. The solid of Broadway's musical smash The Lion King and Sean Kingston provided up performances, and there was a touching tribute to actor Patrick Swayze, who lately died of cancer. And of course, no Dancing with the Stars outcomes display is complete with an elimination: Two celebrities and their professional partners were despatched packing by display's end. So now you want to know who went home on Dancing with the Stars! Read on for a complete recap and the large reveals. Aaron Carter and Karina Smirnoff. look at here now has toured the globe and sold hundreds of thousands of information as a teenager pop feeling. He is presently the youngest solo artist to have four Top forty singles. His partner Karina Smirnoff has been competing on DWTS since Season 3, and finished in second place with companion Mario Lopez. Her other companions include Billy Ray Cyrus, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Rocco DiSpirito, Mario and Steve Wozniak. Simply because of Aaron's youth, this couple might battle, but on the other hand, they might shock even the hardest critics. Their future on DWTS could go both way. Stay tuned.

Yes, Miley Cyrus' newest video was premiered next, but I'm ignoring it. I'm not pleased with her. Disney and pole dancing don't belong in the same sentence, states this mama.

Aaron Carter Neck Tattoo

Tom Hold off. Really? Does this mean we can anticipate a parade of disgraced politicians now? Is Jim Traficant that far behind (as soon as he gets out of prison, of program)?

When I was four many years old, I really begged my father for a guitar. He was like, "No, you can't have one till you're five." So, ultimately, when I was five, he gave me a guitar, and at any time since, I by no means want to put the guitar down. That's truly where it all began. The point is, there appears to be no center man, no public relations machine churning out press releases. No formal push conferences right here. Just a immediate line to your preferred celeb.

Aaron Carter Love

Tomorrow evening's outcomes show will get rid of one much more couple before Dancing with the Stars enters the playoffs. The featured guest performer will be Susan Boyle and Michael Buble. Jerry Rice, Kenny Mayne and Stacy Kiebler will appear in the seasonal Dance aaron carter age Middle vignette to include some humor to the night. It's distinct that during Season 9 of Dancing with the Stars, which begins on Sept. 21, the use of Twitter and Fb by the show's dancers has currently enhanced the way its twenty million followers get their info. Check This Out and Dancing with the Stars professional, Karina Smirnoff pulled in the greatest score of the night. The judges awarded Aaron a 29 for his Jive. Bruno believed Aaron "kicked a.". Len Goodman believed the dance, "held enough power to light up Hollywood." Aaron has labored extremely hard to improve, after a couple of rocky performances exactly where it seemed absolutely nothing went correct for him.

Aaron Carter 2000

Results display: Alicia Keys will be there, as well as a bunch of other performances. Melissa Rycroft will return as well! Tune in tomorrow night to see who makes it to the finals of Dancing with the Stars Season nine. Chuck Liddell is also versed in martial arts, he is nicely recognized as a former greatest fighting winner. He made a good work and showed his aggravation as he attempted to glide with partner Anna Trebunskaya throughout the flooring. Total score for the couple 22.

Aaron Carter And Nick Carter

By joining Dancing with the Stars, Hold off has gotten one up on Rod Blagojevich, who failed to join the reality Tv circuit when he was rejected for I'm A Celebrity.Get Me Out Of Right here! Aside from Tom Delay, the Dancing with the Stars new solid has its typical mix of talent and B-list star energy. If nothing else, Ashley inherited 1 thing from his well-known father, George: the smile. He did a decent occupation with the footwork, but it really didn't do a lot to stand out from the crowd. With a four from Bruno, Ashley completed with a 15. He also was final in his team salsa. He's just not thrilling, and I'm really not certain he desires to be there; for that reason, he ought to be the male contestant to leave on Wednesday. You can see that this exercise plan is not like any crap advertised on Tv. You will by no means feel tricked, and your cash and time will be ell invested. It combines a great set of workouts with a balanced and well planned diet which will help you acquire incredible outcomes in a relatively brief period of time.

[adriennescomingbacktolife]

(VIII)

Seven hundred eighty-five dollars. Win or lose, that was the amount Adrienne Levi was guaranteed after every appearance with Carnage Wrestling.    And then the bonus during her four-match winning streak was four hundred eighteen dollars per.    Maybe two hundred dollars worth of sold merchandise each show, but then she had to subtract how much it cost even to get made--    Adrienne buried her face into the crook of her elbow. Her Clearwater apartment had become a little sparse as a result of a recent liquidation. Maybe that was done in haste. Someone would have paid something for that ridiculous belt even just to melt it down.    Spread across her kitchen counter, she stared at the pile of papers her mom usually helped with.    This was pathetic, she knew.    If she added this up all right, her pay and her expenses put her in the red: the plane trips, the Ubers, accommodations, bills, and a lease that was expiring very soon. Nathaniel Grant’s fun money had long dried up, and Levi had no one to blame except herself on that. She was a pretender. She was living it up in luxury hotels, wasting money on fancy dinners with her friends, and just really dumb purchases. Like the billboard ad near the Carnage Arena that had that doodle of Insidious with the caption Empire of Dorks.    Not to mention the exposed clandestine meeting between Christopher St. James and Stan Summers, where they discussed their intentions and measured her value as expendable.    With all of this mounting, it was becoming more apparent what she had to do. It was the logical choice. The realistic choice. The only choice.    Scrolling through her business cellphone’s contact list, she hovered over Carnage Wrestling Front Office. Hesitating and delaying the inevitable, Adrienne looked through all of the new friends she had made. All of the people who believed in her. This past summer had been one of the happiest ones of her life. Adrienne considered calling Silvio Leon, but he seemed to have his hands full with a new arrival: Axton Gunn. Oh, she was a huge fan. So huge that she almost cried when he followed her on Twitter. She had all three of his albums, including a signed copy of SKULLFRACTURES that she had sniped an eBay auction for. And yet, things seem complicated and pretty much none of her business. She didn’t want to pile on.    And Matt Knox was so buried in his hatred for Zane King that he was sort of scary these days. His propensity towards committing acts of violence wouldn’t solve this issue. Christopher St. James being in a body cast didn’t diminish his ownership of Carnage Wrestling. Not only that, but he’d also already done too much for her.    Mitch Heart seemed distant. Rumor had it that he was dealing with his own plethora of difficulties.    That left Kohaku Fujihara. They had conversed sparingly. Last month, he’d been dealing with these peculiar family issues, but he’d come out of it okay. Behind this charming exterior, he seemed to have this abundance of wisdom that was beyond his years.    She pressed Call.    “Hello?”    Adrienne almost considered hanging up. Her finger hovered over End Call.    “Moshi-moshi? Ade, that you? I see your name, so it’s either you or some creep who swiped her phone.”    Instead, she touched the Speaker icon, finally piping up. “Yeah, it’s me. Sorry. Is this a bad time?”    “No, not at all, I’m literally doing nothing but flipping through Netflix and wondering why nothing in thousands of options looks good. What’s up?”    Her eyes welled up at the thought of confessing to Kohaku. He didn’t seem his chipper self, but she had to tell someone. Trying her best to keep her tone neutral, she still wavered. “I have to leave Carnage.”    Silence on the other end.    “I have to leave because I can’t afford it anymore. And I don’t think the new person in charge likes me very much. I saw something with him and some other guy that scared me. I’m on some sort of list.”    Her words became disjointed and seemingly a million miles per hour as she choked back the tears.    “I tried. I really tried, but I guess it’s over. All of the offers I ever get are gross. And Carnage is the only place that gave me a chance but now that guy isn’t owner anymore. And all of my money is gone. And I wanted to move, but I can’t. I can’t just keep mooching off others. That’s all I’ve been doing. But my mom said I could probably be a receptionist at the clinic she works at. Just have to pass a drug test. I just have to move on from this--”    “Ade.”    The voice on the other end is gentle, understanding, and steady.    “First off, I want you to breathe, okay? Just take a few deep breaths.”    Kohaku paused, giving her time to do so before continuing.    “Alright. This is the part where a lot of people would freak out and start begging you not to go. I’m not going to do that. I’m not because, while of course, I want you to stay, this is something you have to decide for yourself.”    She reached for a tissue, wiping away the sobbing mess she had become.    “I don’t know what to do. These people depend on me or look up to me, but I’m not the person they think I am. You guys have been so nice to me, but maybe I’m the problem. I finally have a match that is actually for something and I don’t even have the means to make it.” Standing up, she hefted the cellphone in her hand. She spoke a little calmer now. “I promised my partner to meet her. If I lie to her, she’ll hate me forever and--”    “Okay. Tell you what. I know you don’t want to depend too much on charity, but is it alright if I spot you a plane ticket out here? I think we oughta be talking about this face to face. You can crash at my apartment. The place is practically a giant fancy cave. Is that okay?”    There she was, depending on another handout. But Silvio had said much the same thing. Knox, too. And here was another friend saying that she had to stand up for herself. There was a long pause from her as she stared at her wallet on the counter. The Queen of Swords card peeked out from the bifold.    “You still there?”    “Yeah.”    Adrienne considered his offer. It was the only way she’d make the next Chaos. She had already told her mom that she’d drop by the clinic later. Angie wasn’t a dream killer here. She promised her daughter that she could try again in a few years. Maybe find a closer company to work in.    That was the responsible thing to do.    Surveying her apartment, everything that was hers could fit in her backpack.    “Tonight?”    “Yeah, I can do that, should be able to find something. I’ve got you.”    “Okay.”    At 5:28 PM, Adrienne boarded a Southwest flight to Baltimore.    She’d never see Clearwater again.        Standing in front of a ginormous glass panel window, Adrienne admired the view of the Inner Harbor. She’d been all over this place the last few months but seeing it on such a grand scale put it into perspective. Everywhere Adrienne had been meant so much. Whether it was the spectacular victory at the MECU Pavilion or how Silvio Leon gave her that little glimmer of hope with a simple card, she would never forget. With her hands in her jeans pockets, she rocked gently back and forth on the heels of her bare feet.    “This is my first big chance.” Pausing, she considered the arrogance that could be attached to such a statement. Her back was to the camera, so her determined yet still soft voice was the only indicator of her tone. She continued much the same. “Not to say the others weren’t.”    Turning around, Adrienne leveled her gaze at the camera. Her normal cheery disposition was replaced by one that seemed to be more morose. The Starfox t-shirt she had on was a size too big, but she preferred it that way.    “A lot of folks here, they get their foot in the door and they’ve already staked claim to what they perceive is theirs. Almost like they’re entitled to it. Just because of who they are or what they’ve managed to achieve in the past.”    She crossed her arms over her chest, her expression lilting to contemplation.    “I could declare that I want to be the greatest champion this company has ever seen. I could say my name would ring through this vaunted hall of fame once I decide to hang up the boots.” Shaking her head, she followed up with a slight smile. “That just isn’t me. I don’t know what I’m going to accomplish here. Maybe all of the potential I have is just that. So I approach these opportunities a little differently. I see what is on the horizon. I see the allure of the gold.”    For a moment, Adrienne’s dark brown eyes seemed dazzled at the possibilities. Or perhaps it was just imagined.    “But right now, there is only the chance. One cobbled together with fragile partnerships with all intentions towards implosion if it meant that something more substantial was on the line. Seems common with this sport. My opponents are both well versed in being champions. They are consummate athletes. Perennial contenders. Always striving towards their next achievement.” She conceded to this with a slight shrug before continuing. “This is a competition, right?”    Her thoughts moved onto Steve Matthews. Carnage’s Ace. The Technical Master. He had come into this company with the same fire and fury every long time veteran managed to conjure until they learned a little humility or just evaporated when they realized that not many cared about that championship they won twelve years ago.    However, something irked Adrienne just a little, and so her voice became a little less friendly.    “Steve, maybe I should be happy that you finally saw the error of your ways. I had mentioned prior to our previous encounter that I found you lacking of any real convictions. I found you to be opportunistic. You stood by as your partner threatened to choke me with the caveat that I may like it. You quibbled and cringed at his tactics and put up a good argument after the victory slipped from your grasp, but it seemed to be a minor agitation. It was only until Alex Winter put you in a precarious situation that you truly realized what type of person he is. Alex is a little boy, angry at the world for his inadequacies, and he will always point the finger at those who are in his way. His toxic masculinity created this illusion of persecution, where he couldn’t just apologize and move on. His fragile ego blamed others for his athletic shortcomings. And at WAR, he concluded that through your suffering, he could embrace that he possessed no redeemable qualities and get ahead in this world,” She paused and then quipped. “Behold, the age-old tale of man.”    Her hands gestured vaguely into the air as if she were showing off a new wondrous invention. She wasn’t sure. She googled public speaking, and it said that hand gestures were cool to do. Or something like that.    “And so here you are. Good guy Steve. Flashing your pearly whites, bringing cookies for everyone. That was real sweet, so I want to believe you. I want to believe that maybe your personal struggles have made you turn a new leaf. However, it seemed rather easy for JC to get on your bad side because he didn’t, well, talk about you enough. He didn’t appeal to your mastery of this sport because he was too tied up in his own to care. He got into your head and nearly took it off with that huge boot of his.”    She held up two fingers.    “That should have been your second lesson in humility. I don’t have the track record of JC. And I’m sure not willing to do the things Alex did to secure a victory. However, judging by your partner’s words lately, maybe he would be if it meant … just one more shot.”    Pacing back and forth in front of the grand window, Adrienne now pondered about Eli Goode. An opponent she had just become familiar with, she knew that he hungered to recapture championship glory.    “Hey, Eli.” She said as she waved at him just like last time. “Other than some somber musings, you haven’t been on the radar much. Seems like you don’t have much going for you lately. You didn’t help Kyra by becoming Ultraviolent Champion. I didn’t become a small sacrifice for your latest ascension to champion’s row. And worst of all, your idol Jack Michaels stole your thunder by taking your World’s title shot and your chance to punish Ken Davison.”    She found Jack Michaels to be self-righteous and arrogant. The age-old tale of man and all. Eli was a terrific mimic.    “Punish him by becoming the world’s champion and then devaluing the title because he doesn’t care about silly things like that anymore. You’d never do that, would you, Eli?”    Adrienne let that question settle in just for a moment.    “And now you have to suffer the embarrassment of possibly competing for championships below your reproach. Maybe your attitude has changed, but if you look over your career at Carnage Wrestling, you have always been consistent. So what’s going on through your mind? May I venture a guess?”    Slightly exaggerating, she tapped a finger on her chin.    “All you gotta do is beat us. Then Steve. Then you’re champion again. After all of that, only three title defenses, and you can take that Highroad to a better championship. One that only you deserve.”    Putting a hand up towards the camera, she invited Eli to stop.    “I’ll be honest, getting the duke over you last show was really cool. We all question our abilities sometimes. I do it constantly. I probably annoy my friends and enemies alike. But for you, its like a vicious cycle. You can’t seemingly understand that everyone here is just as deserved of these opportunities as you are. But you’re still a world-class wrestler, so I know that you’re gonna make it hard for me to do it again. That goes the same for Steve. But I’m not alone.”    The Dragon Lady. Adrienne didn’t even know her real name, and she looked like she could have split Matt in two when he had even inquired about it. But well, she had her secrets, too.    “My partner is none other than The Dragon Lady. Have you two seen her in the ring? She’s tough as nails. She’s determined as ever because through some dubious circumstances, she has yet to taste victory. I’ve talked to her recently, and she’s ready as ever to make her mark. And how about me?”    She stared down at her feet. Adrienne wasn’t one to talk about herself. It wasn’t being humble or anything like, she just wasn’t sure what to say. She wasn’t any of the things that made a professional wrestler great.    “I don’t know. I should be happy. I’m starting to be recognized by my peers. I even had a feature in that newsletter thing. That was cool.”    Sighing, she wanted to level with the folks watching. She wanted to let them know not to place her so high.    “This was the biggest risk I’ve ever taken. Coming to a new city, for a profession I’ve never actually done, and most terrifyingly meeting new people I wasn’t sure would like me. And I know right now there is someone out there just like me. I’m guessing that you’ve been through the same conflicts. That you’ve hidden the same bruises I’ve had to. And maybe you’re at the cusp of making that very same decision. I … can’t tell you what to do. I’m no role model. I’m just me. But I can tell you that you do have a voice just like me. For so long, like even now, I’ve been afraid to use it.”    Adrienne stepped towards the camera.    “I don’t want to be afraid anymore. And you shouldn’t be either. Whatever is paralyzing you, it can’t hold you forever. I’ve been struggling my whole life just to get to his very moment. To have nothing. And it's the greatest feeling I’ve ever had in my life.”    And she left that one person, whoever they may be, one last question.    “What would it take for you to get there?”        Angie Straussler bundled up her daughter’s apartment steps with groceries in hand. There were more plastic bags in the trunk of the Oldsmobile. Setting one of the bundles of bags down at her feet, she knocked at the apartment door. After a minute, there was no answer. She knocked again. Ever since she was a little girl, Adrienne would almost run to the door to greet whoever was there. No such luck. Maybe she was out on a walk. It was a lovely warm evening after all, and she knew Adrienne was having a hard time leaving this place up in Baltimore behind.    Digging into her purse, she retrieved the spare key to Ade’s apartment. Letting herself in, she was immediately impressed. Every trace of that bastard was long gone.    However, something was strange. There was this air of finality about this she couldn’t put her finger on. She set aside the bags on the kitchen counter next to the stack of bills. Now it was time to figure this whole ordeal out.    Adrienne’s personal cellphone was on the coffee table. Sitting down on the dusty old couch that her one and only child saved from the curb nearly a decade ago, she picked up the phone with a yellow sticky note attached to it—1988, presumably her PIN. Ade had two now. One for work that she could probably just set aside … and this one. The personal one. The one that Angie paid for under her plan.    Entering the code, the screen immediately went to the recorder. Pressing play, Angie heard her daughter’s voice. Hi, mom. I’m gone, as you probably figured out by now. You know where I’m going.    There was a long pause in the recording. Angie could hear shuffling in the background, presumably her daughter hastily packing. You asked me to move on. But, I can’t if I’m still here. You know, I had this plan. I was going to do it the right way. I’d ask my friends to make a trip down here so you could finally meet them. Silvio, Ko, Matt, and maybe Mitch. Probably not him. Anyway, we would have all driven off into the sunset living happily ever after. That day would have never come. My whole life, I’ve been let around by the wishes of others, and whether the intentions were right or not, the choice was never mine. There is nothing here for me. I don’t want to check-in people for their appointments. I don’t want to follow in your footsteps. I know you were doing what you thought was best for me. We’ve always been a team ever since the divorce. You’ve always been there for me even when I probably haven’t been the best daughter. But I can tell you that this is the first choice I’m making with a clear head. I’m afraid, sure. I could fail, but it will be my failure to own. I want to be with my friends. I want to pursue the career that everyone, including you, thought I would never succeed in. I want to be me. There’s just stuff I’m not sure about, things I’ve always wondered about that I need to know about myself. So goodbye. Please just let me go. I love you, mom.    The recording stopped.    Angie listened to it a few more times. Her mind ran through a gambit of emotions and plans and conclusions.    Finally, she set the phone aside. Sighing, Angie resigned to the fact that her daughter would need to sink or swim.    “Love you, too, Adrienne.”

[prideguynews]

Franklin millionaire businessman Monthly bill Lee received a shock upset during the GOP gubernatorial most important in essence simply because he arrived throughout as a great dude. He did not run assault adverts, and he travelled throughout the point out in an RV 2 times, location up extremely scripted town halls in all ninety five counties. He talks a lot about his faith and how his enjoy for Jesus got him by way of the worst time in his everyday living, when his spouse died in a tragic horse-riding incident. But other than admitting he does not consider in gay relationship, Lee has not talked a lot about what that faith seriously appears to be like like, and the press corps has but to press him on it. For some cause, Lee has turn out to be noticed as a “moderate,” not compared with Governor Monthly bill Haslam. He’s not.

Some of this arrived to gentle Tuesday, right after The Tennessean exposed a point out trooper had been canned from Democrat Karl Dean’s protection detail right after leaking information to Lee’s campaign about a “Muslim function.” Explained function was actually a meet up with and greet at Yassin’s Falafel Dwelling in Knoxville, a cafe operated by a Syrian refugee with a genuinely inspiring tale, but Lee evidently thought it was in a mosque, and that a photo of Dean in a mosque would be damning.

But to attendees of Grace Chapel, the Williamson County evangelical church of which Lee is a longtime member, affiliation with Islam is very pretty much damning. 1 visitor pastor, Michael Brown, gave a sermon on March 1, 2015, on “Understanding Radical Islam,” which he says he was precisely requested to give by Grace Chapel’s pastor Steve Berger. Brown started off his sermon admitting that perhaps not all Muslims aid violence or are trying to choose above the nation with Shariah legislation, but as he went on, the implications are crystal clear: Christians in authorities are only trying to do “what’s correct,” whilst in Islam, “there’s no separation of church and point out,” and if Muslims choose above we could all be beheaded.

Islamophobia is not new to Tennessee politics, and it’s specially not new to evangelicals in Tennessee politics, but when 1 is operating for governor of a point out that has the biggest inhabitants of Kurdish immigrants in the nation, it’s value questioning why no 1 is inquiring Lee about this. It is also value inquiring about Lee’s sights on females and the LGBT group, above and outside of gay relationship.

During the most important, there were rumors that Lee had informed supporters at a compact fund-raiser that U.S. Consultant Diane Black “didn’t glimpse like governor material” and that he did not understand why she did not just want to remain home with her grandchildren. Lee and his campaign denied it, just like they denied inquiring the trooper to get a photo of Dean in a mosque. But it’s crystal clear Lee is not a proponent of females in leadership, offered the make-up of his personal corporation. Out of 13 people in leadership roles, together with Lee himself, only 1 is a female, and all are white. At Grace Chapel there are no woman pastors, and no female serves on the board.

Specified Pastor Steve Berger’s sights, on the other hand, it’s unclear why any female would want to provide in church leadership. On September 30th, Berger gave a sermon on Brett Kavanaugh, entitled “Biblical Skills for Bringing an Accusation In opposition to An individual.” In it he cites verses from Deuteronomy, Matthew, and 1 Timothy that say not 1 but two or 3 witnesses (at least) are essential to bring an accusation of sin in opposition to another person. “This is a moral legislation here,” Berger says.

“I’m telling you, I’ve been victimized. I’ve been abused by phony accusations,” Berger says, later on in his sermon. What accusations people may have been, Berger does not detail. But he states that considering that his accusers did not deliver many “witnesses” (which can, he says, consist of fingerprints or DNA evidence), then it was the accusers by themselves performing unbiblically. “For this cause alone, and listen to me, for this cause of two or 3 witnesses alone, Dr. Ford’s testimony, as it relates to this Choose Kavanaugh concern, does not meet up with the biblical requirements to bring forth a legitimate accusation.”

Berger went on to say that even if Kavanaugh did rape another person, he’s still certified for the Supreme Court, simply because “Moses was a assassin ahead of he was the world’s biggest lawgiver,” and “King David was an adulterer and assassin as a King,” and “Saul of Tarsus was a assassin ahead of he turned Paul the Apostle, the biggest Apostle in the heritage of the church.” (Notably, Moses and David and Paul all actually sought forgiveness, a thing Kavanaugh has not carried out.)

This is considerably from the only offensive sermon Berger has offered. In a June 28, 2015, sermon entitled, “It’s Evening in Sodom,” Berger laments the SCOTUS ruling legalizing gay relationship. He preaches that his followers should not be hateful to their gay pals, but they should “beg them to cease their wickedness ahead of it’s as well late for them” — i.e., ahead of Judgment Working day — and says that holding again “truth” in the name of “love” is the real “hate.” Useless to say, the church also does not consider transgender people are genuinely transgender both.

Berger is an energetic proponent of gay conversion treatment, i.e., the discredited belief that 1 can “pray the gay away.” Tennessee is sad to say not 1 of the 15 states and territories that has banned the observe, regardless of opposition by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Planet Health and fitness Firm. But Berger not only preaches about the observe, he’s on the board of the Reformed Hope Community, which describes alone as “a coalition of ministries serving people who motivation to conquer sinful relational and sexual challenges in their life and people impacted by these kinds of behavior, significantly homosexuality.”

Berger is 1 of the customers of Lee’s “Community and Faith-Based Advisory Council,” together with musicians Michael W. Smith and Ricky Skaggs, NASCAR driver Darrell Waltrip, and retired hockey player (and Mr. Carrie Underwood) Mike Fisher. Lee has talked a lot about producing a new point out place of work of faith-dependent and group initiatives if elected, which, at this point, appears to be just about unavoidable offered the polling and Dean’s unwillingness to go on the assault. Regardless of whether the place of work comes to exist stays to be noticed, but during an interview in early July, I requested him about the program. 

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Lee downplayed the faith facet of the place of work and informed me that he wishes to “reach out to nonprofits that are undertaking the perform that authorities are unable to and should not do, regardless of whether they’re faith-dependent or not.” At the time, a write-up on the Breitbart-esque Tennessee Star had expressed “concerns” as to regardless of whether the place of work would have to perform with Islamic nonprofits, and I requested Lee about it. He said he hadn’t browse the post. I then requested if he was attuned to the requirements of Muslims in the point out, specially offered the Kurdish group in Nashville.

“My spouse has worked in a ministry that serves Kurdish refugees, I’ve been to Kurdistan and served with refugees from ISIS in refugee camps,” Lee replied. “I consider that the perform of nonprofits is impressive and crucial, and that is what this is about. And I am a Christian, so my encounters and my perform with non-earnings that are undertaking productive perform has been Christian corporations, so that is what I discuss about, simply because I discuss about my encounter, and I will aid operates that are undertaking, conference some of the biggest problems in our group that I consider authorities should not meet up with, it’s not the role of authorities to do that. But it is the role of the nonprofit group and I would persuade that type of perform, for certain.”

When requested for remark on the numerous challenges Wednesday, Lee’s campaign communications advisor Chris Walker got a bit testy. “A cherry-picked sermon does not equivalent Monthly bill Lee agrees with this,” Walker said of the Kavanaugh sermon. I said that I wasn’t just searching at 1 sermon, that I wanted to know if Lee agreed with Berger about the “usefulness” of gay conversion treatment. “If this is a Steve Berger tale, you require to discuss to Steve Berger,” Walker replied. When pressed on regardless of whether Lee agreed with Berger’s benchmarks for “biblically reporting” sexual assault, Walker questioned regardless of whether I had long gone by way of all of the sermons offered at Dean’s church.

Dean is a Catholic who (when not campaigning) consistently attends the Cathedral of the Incarnation, the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nashville. The church has mass 3 instances daily (only 2 times on Friday and as soon as on Saturday), so even if all the solutions were archived on the web like Grace Chapel’s (they aren’t), it’d be a lot to go by way of. But, like numerous other Catholics, Dean has publicly damaged with the church on quite a few challenges. He does think abortion should be legal, he supported legalized gay relationship a long time ahead of SCOTUS did, and he’s okay with females in the pulpit. And compared with Lee, Dean is not operating adverts touting his partnership with Jesus.

Cari Wade Gervin is a freelance political journalist presently bouncing between a couple of metropolitan areas in Tennessee.

The post A Look at Bill Lee’s Uber-Conservative Home Church appeared first on PrideGuy - Gay News, LGBT News, Politics & Entertainment.