#but at the same time Parker was already having so much growth

[independent-fics]

Wonder if Nate already saw the long game of Parker as the master mind in “The Second David Job.” She was already there suggesting options (asking maggie for help) and she says “you always have a plan b so without maggie what’s your plan” and even he didn’t have one.

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - August 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my new(ly repurposed) Patreon!

1. Smart hives and dancing robot bees could boost sustainable beekeeping

“[Researchers] developed a digital comb—a thin circuit board equipped with various sensors around which bees build their combs. Several of these in each hive can then transmit data to researchers, providing real-time monitoring. [… Digital comb] can [also] be activated to heat up certain parts of a beehive […] to keep the bees warm during the winter[…. N]ot only have [honeybee] colonies reacted positively, but swarm intelligence responds to the temperature changes by reducing the bees' own heat production, helping them save energy.”

2. Babirusa pigs born at London Zoo for first time

“Thanks to their gnarly tusks […] and hairless bodies, the pigs are often called "rat pigs" or "demon pigs” in their native Indonesia[….] “[The piglets] are already looking really strong and have so much energy - scampering around their home and chasing each other - it’s a joy to watch. They’re quite easy to tell apart thanks to their individual hair styles - one has a head of fuzzy red hair, while its sibling has a tuft of dark brown hair.””

3. 6,000 sheep will soon be grazing on 10,000 acres of Texas solar fields

“The animals are more efficient than lawn mowers, since they can get into the nooks and crannies under panel arrays[….] Mowing is also more likely to kick up rocks or other debris, damaging panels that then must be repaired, adding to costs. Agrivoltaics projects involving sheep have been shown to improve the quality of the soil, since their manure is a natural fertilizer. […] Using sheep instead of mowers also cuts down on fossil fuel use, while allowing native plants to mature and bloom.”

4. Florida is building the world's largest environmental restoration project

“Florida is embarking on an ambitious ecological restoration project in the Everglades: building a reservoir large enough to secure the state's water supply. […] As well as protecting the drinking water of South Floridians, the reservoir is also intended to dramatically reduce the algae-causing discharges that have previously shut down beaches and caused mass fish die-offs.”

5. The Right to Repair Movement Continues to Accelerate

“Consumers can now demand that manufacturers repair products [including mobile phones….] The liability period for product defects is extended by 12 months after repair, incentivising repairs over replacements. [… M]anufacturers may need to redesign products for easier disassembly, repair, and durability. This could include adopting modular designs, standardizing parts, and developing diagnostic tools for assessing the health of a particular product. In the long run, this could ultimately bring down both manufacturing and repair costs.”

6. Federal Judge Rules Trans Teen Can Play Soccer Just In Time For Her To Attend First Practice

“Today, standing in front of a courtroom, attorneys for Parker Tirrell and Iris Turmelle, two transgender girls, won an emergency temporary restraining order allowing Tirrell to continue playing soccer with her friends. […] Tirrell joined her soccer team last year and received full support from her teammates, who, according to the filing, are her biggest source of emotional support and acceptance.”

7. Pilot study uses recycled glass to grow plants for salsa ingredients

“"We're trying to reduce landfill waste at the same time as growing edible vegetables," says Andrea Quezada, a chemistry graduate student[….] Early results suggest that the plants grown in recyclable glass have faster growth rates and retain more water compared to those grown in 100% traditional soil. [… T]he pots that included any amount of recyclable glass [also] didn't have any fungal growth.”

8. Feds announce funding push for ropeless fishing gear that spares rare whales

“Federal fishing managers are promoting the use of ropeless gear in the lobster and crab fishing industries because of the plight of North Atlantic right whales. […] Lobster fishing is typically performed with traps on the ocean bottom that are connected to the surface via a vertical line. In ropeless fishing methods, fishermen use systems such an inflatable lift bag that brings the trap to the surface.”

9. Solar farms can benefit nature and boost biodiversity. Here’s how

“[… M]anaging solar farms as wildflower meadows can benefit bumblebee foraging and nesting, while larger solar farms can increase pollinator densities in surrounding landscapes[….] Solar farms have been found to boost the diversity and abundance of certain plants, invertebrates and birds, compared to that on farmland, if solar panels are integrated with vegetation, even in urban areas.”

10. National Wildlife Federation Forms Tribal Advisory Council to Guide Conservation Initiatives, Partnerships

“The council will provide expertise and consultation related to respecting Indigenous Knowledges; wildlife and natural resources; Indian law and policy; Free, Prior and Informed Consent[… as well as] help ensure the Federation’s actions honor and respect the experiences and sovereignty of Indigenous partners.”

August 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[ncisfranchise-source]

Alden Parker’s NCIS team just isn’t the same with Jessica Knight not on it.

Season 22, which premieres this Monday at a special time (8/7c on CBS), picks up some six months after Jessica bid D.C. (and beau Jimmy Palmer) adieu, to head up the REACT Team based out of Camp Pendleton.

Knight’s exit “kicked off a chain of reaction of changes for the rest of the NCIS team,” Katrina Law previews for TVLine. “We find Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) has gone back to his roots and is now on an undercover mission, and McGee (Sean Murray) is interviewing for a new job [as NCIS Deputy Director]. That leaves Parker (Gary Cole) sitting alone at his desk in the bullpen, staring at all of our empty desks.”

Ergo the season premiere’s title, “Empty Nest.”

Knight meanwhile is “fully immersed” in her REACT job, “at the very beginning stages of a huge personal growth,” Law notes. “For years now she has been happily cruising in the shadow of her very high-powered father, but the freedom and the strength that Knight finds in making career and personal decisions that are 100-percent her own, it’s quite liberating.”

On the flip side, “that also means that any mistakes, any regrets that she has, now falls squarely on her shoulders,” Law says. “She’s at a stage right now where you basically see her going, ‘I couldn’t make my dad happy, I couldn’t make Jimmy happy, so you know what? I’m just going to do my own thing, purely based off of my wants and needs, and not include anybody else.”

Speaking of Knight’s mistakes….

The season opens in jarring fashion, with her holding a clergyman (!) hostage (!!) in the REACT Training Center, and demanding to get a lawyer, to hash out the sticky situation. But unlike TV’s usual, tried-and-true in media res gimmick (where we’d then get a “24 HOURS EARLIER” chyron), Knight’s dilemma plays out in real time, with occasional flashbacks to how she got in this mess.

“All of a sudden we kind of start going back and forth between what happened that led up to the day, and it’s this whole, ‘What’s happening? Who’s telling the truth? Who trusts who?’ thing,” Law teases. “It’s quite exciting and unique, and a lot of fun.”

Amidst the hostage drama, might the season opener find time to give viewers a sense of where things stand for Jessica and Jimmy (Brian Dietzen), whose relationship was already getting a bit wobbly ahead of her decision to leave D.C. for San Diego?

“You will get a sense,” Law allows, explaining that Jimmy’s daughter “has been making sure that we have been staying in touch.” So, Victoria is on Team #KnightInShiningPalmer…? “Very much so,” Law confirms with a smile.

Meanwhile back in the big orange room, Vance (Rocky Carroll) and McGee will find their efforts to help Torres with his undercover op repeatedly stymied by a new character, Inspector General LaRoche (played by Castle vet Seamus Dever and a seemingly endless supply of mints).

Will Jessica’s puzzling hostage sitch somehow result in her rejoining Parker’s team, and on a full-time basis? Law is mum, but teases at lease one cliffhanger to come.

“We have some questions that are definitively answered” at the end of the season opener, she says, “but then there is one big cliffhanger that is going to take us throughout the season.”

[alternatively-undesignated]

Fave Shows Tag Game

Rules: List 5 favourite shows (in no particular order) and answer questions accordingly.

Loki

Leverage

The Flash

9-1-1

Only Murders in the Building

@johnsimms Thanking you for tagging me. Love these. Answers under the cut

1. Who is your favourite character in 2?

OT3 as a set but Parker as an individual. From her in season one to her in Redemtion the growth and to still be so mysterious makes me smile. There is also because she helped me with some of my own emotional difficualties.

2. Who is your least favourite character in 1?

oh but this is hard becuase I don't think i have a least favourite from Loki. Maybe the bearded Loki varient who I think is the Hippie one. Kinda creeps me.

3. What's your favourite episode of 4?

Chimney Begins and Oceans 9-1-1 are tided in place as my all time favourite episodes of 9-1-1. Some days one exceeds the other but most the time it's a tie. Ones all the drama the other all the comedy I love it.

4. What is your favourite season of 5?

Both have been so much fun to watch but maybe season 2 of OMITB because it wasn't so confide. Like the whole 'Oh shit here we go again' just makes me happy. They know what they're doing now and they've grown to love each other and want to help/protect each other more. And the twists and sudden 'Oh Shit' revelations. I looked forward to a new ep each week way more than I did with season 1.

5. What's your favourite relationship in 3?

Cisco and Everyone. Like he's the little black dress of the arrowverse. But particularly Cisco and Harry make me so happy and Cisco and Cynthia. Just the rough and ready to throw down with the sunshiny sparkle is a trope I love.

6. Who is your anti relationship in 2?

Eliot and Sterling. I just do not understand that. They hate each other so thats a rivalry I can get behind.

7. How long have you watched 1?

Since it aired. Well technically I waited for it to get a couple episodes in so I could have a few to watch in one go. So like from ep three upload date onwards.

8. How did you become interested in 3?

My brother bullied me into wacthing it. I get it cause I've been bullying him to watch Leverage (he hasn't yet I must bully harder). I enjoyed the comics before and seeing the characters in a different way on tv was cool. And being introduced to ones I'd not heard much before was real cool. I hate he was right about me enjoying it; it's fun and enjoyable (at that time it was) and well acted for a show off SeadoubleU.

9. Who is your favourite actor in 4?

Kenneth might be the most fun and play my favourite character but Jennifer Love Hewitt might be my favourite actor overall. FinalGirlScreamQueen alum has to take the top spot on this show.

10. Which show do you prefer 1, 2 or 5?

I've rewatched Leverage way more than the other. Yeah it is older and has more epiosodes even if you combinded the other two shows. It might be dated a bit and have some not so good peole involved you can say the same for the other shows. At the end of the day if all three them in a burning building I'd save Leverage.

11. Which show have you seen more episodes of 1 or 3?

The Flash and it's mostly because it's a full season worth of episodes and not a limited one like the others. Saying that I quit the show becuase it was getting bad and if they had made it limited it might have been better.

12. If you could be anyone from 4, who would you be?

Oh but this is hard cause like I'd want to be like Maddie or Chim or Hen or Bobby cuase they all so cool and have qualities I admire. So since I have a job a little like hers I'd say Maddie.

13. How would you kill off your favourite character in 5?

It would have to be something very dramatic and over the top for Oliver. I don't see him being a simple run of your mill death. It can't be a stage accident or something related to the theater. Something that would be more of a puzzle than we've already seen. So bludgeoned to death by his own phone so many suspects for it all to turn out to just be an accident after all.

14. Would a 3/4 crossover work?

Okay but this is hard becuase a crossover between the two would be hysterical. Team Flash and the 118 fighting crime together. Hen and Chim treating Barry but he's already healed up. Buck investigating the weirdness while Joe and Athena tell him to leave it to the professionals. Just the chaos that would be Cisco and Chim together with Hen and Caitlin rolling their eyes at their antics. Just think of the jokes that could be had. Think of them.

15. Pair two characters in 1 that would make an unlikely, but strangely okay couple.

Besides Lokius, Miss Minutes and Casey. Unlikely partners. Give them a spin off ala the office.

16. Overall, which show has the better cast, 3 or 5?

Another hard one cause I adore both sets of main (OG) casts. Like they're all so multi talented and amazing. But like I've known/watched Steve Martin Short longer and they're like a comfort pair since FotB. Their ability to make me laugh than cry and laugh-cry in OMITB is top level. But with that I do love The Flash cast and want to see where they be going next.

I'm not sure who to tag so if you see this and would like to give it a shot I tag you.

[rockerb0y]

          metamorphosis was neither a facile victory to achieve nor an exercise of convenience.

     WHEN  the time came for a decision to be made in the hellish bowels of arasaka, fervid  protest  had brashly contended against the notion of an engramic transfer: a dire gamble which heavily relied on the equivocal stability of the megacorporation's rumored cloning program and the mercenary's cerebral condition after excision. a verbal undertaking had already been pledged at the hotel pistis sophia, a  solemn  promise to voluntarily surrender the body to its rightful owner which was intended to be fulfilled. v was meant to take priority if their continued existence couldn't be mutually assured, each and every time; thus, a string of  imprecations  and astringent objections existed as their own variety of obstacles when v's route deviated to the lower levels' research and development department and forewent her arrival at mikoshi entirely. despite all qualms, however, the transfer proved to be a  serendipitous  success.

     at first, there had been  nothing  and then there had been  everything  all at once. the first breath necessitated a laborious effort, new lungs heaving under the direction of a new consciousness — a breath of life, for the first time in half a century. the cloned body felt so much heavier than his digital form but to take up physical space was a  luxury  no longer taken for granted; every limb and corporeal piece of him had weight to it and further to its benefit, the dysmorphia that he initially been present in his host's female form was noticeably absent. it felt  right  in the ways that mattered — as right as it  could  be in the circumstances.

     in the reflection of the bathroom mirror had he bore witness to a  ghost,  a reimagined memory of a young man who had fatuously volunteered himself to an  unwinnable  war effort. dark blond strands had neither been exhaustively acquainted with dye nor known liberation from routine trims, still virgin and all-natural during the body's extended term in stasis and thereafter. the stubble along his jaw showcased a mere few hours' worth of growth, and the entirety of him was unmarred by conflicts long since buried beneath history's ashes. for all intents and purposes had he been resurrected as a clean canvas, and the foreign sight was equally as  surreal  as it was  felicitous.

     in the end, despite previous attempts to secrete the former, robert linder and johnny silverhand had been  reborn  as an amalgamation.

     ❝  nah, i'm covered for now.  ❞   polished chrome revealed cigarette affixed between digits, expeditiously looted from evelyn parker's cigarette case to  christen  a fresh set of lungs and assert newfound  independence  over the vice. over time would addiction be gradually abated out of a vow of personal betterment but for now, a celebratory smoke was an apt means of festivity after their uproarious escape.   ❝  found it in the usual spot. figured what's mine is yours, and vice versa.  ❞

     out of rare respect for his counterpart was the window cracked open a little, enough to air out the smoke so she didn't feel mandated to  indulge  in his habit; she didn't have to humour him anymore, not if she didn't want to. lighter's flame ignited with a rehearsed click and hovered near the end of the cigarette, waiting for it to take before the top was shut with a snap of his wrist and subsequently returned in the same fluid motion. at their respective heights, it didn't escape his notice how her hand was now  dwarfed  by his own.

          even a passing touch felt electric.

     ❝  think i'll start feelin' more like myself once i get some fresh ink and a shit-ton'a hair dye. not used to looking like a fresh-faced youngblood, is all. thought that kid was dead and gone, rotted away to dust in that hotel room. funny that it's all come full circle again — still  leagues  better than the alternative, though.  ❞   sly rejoinder prodded without intent to maim, smile becoming a little broader in a bid to re-establish some semblance of  normality  between them.    ❝  you made the right call back there. a gonk-ass gamble, no two ways 'bout it, but fuck if it didn't actually pay off. you did good, v.  really.  ❞ 

     eye contact was broken to temporarily relieve her of his scrutiny, still unaccustomed to the  novelty  of seeing her at all angles without the aid of glass. from v's countenance to her idle mannerisms, every aspect of her contributed to a  resurgence  of interest which had to be mindfully moderated. the world was finally his to freely observe, to experience, and to engage with. there was simply no knowing whether the privilege would ever lose its luster and be reduced to mundanity but it ultimately didn't matter: v would always have his undying  gratitude  for the second chance.

     ❝  how's it been for you ?  figure it must be nice to have all that free space in your noggin. weird,  maybe, but nice.  ❞

@rockerb0y

shutting the door to the outside in her apartment felt almost deafening - crashing the reality of what they had managed to achieve finally falling down around her. and the exhaustion that seemed to be a permanent part of her being that clung to her bones made it hard for her to discern how she felt about it. relief - possibly. there was a sense of relief there, from the satisfaction of something finally going in her favor - of finally finding a victory in the sea of ruins that her life had become after the relic. relief, yes, that the ticking timer above her head wasn't quite as short. it was still there, but she bought herself years instead of possible just precious weeks. and - alone in her mind again, in her body, she didn't allow herself to think of the implications of walking that road alone now that her other occupant was no longer unwillingly chained to her side. he had his freedom - that was what they had both wanted, right? after johnny no longer looked like the monster under her bed with fangs and claws - after their connection slowly humanized him and she saw a man underneath. not a legend. not a monster -- johnny. she wanted him to have his second chance, and because of that she couldn't be upset if the relic became her issue alone. right? he had no duty to her, and she knew that. she would think about that later - she didn't have the energy to do so in the present moment. as the sounds of the shower pelting against the stall walls filled the small apartment, val busied herself with getting comfortable. stripping off her jacket and laying it over a chair near the door - removing her boots and tucking them to the side. she wanted to sit, and relax -- her body needed it. but her mind was restless. her mind was empty again, and it felt hollow. strange. like a part of her had been ripped out and she hadn't been prepared for the empty feeling that it would leave behind. like prying out out a tooth, or a bone. her and johnny were no longer impossibly entwined by code - once he was showered and whole, she found him sitting on the couch - and she couldn't help letting her eyes linger on him. she wasn't ogling - that wasn't it. sure, johnny was a conveniently attractive man - anyone with eyes knew that. hell, he probably knew that. no, that wasn't it. it was the startling appearance of the blank slate of his skin - lacking the scars and ink that she was so accustomed to decorating his skin in her head. he looked different, in more ways than one. he looked real, like his body actually took up space. like he wasn't about to flicker and glitch out of existence; like his lines held structure. the couch under him bowed under his solid weight, and she couldn't keep her eyes off him for the moment - her eyes lingering on his facial features; even his hair was different. his scruff, short and barely existent and lacking the patches of scar tissue along his jaw. but his eyes -- his eyes were the same. her expression was unreadable as she eventually crossed the room, sitting on the edge of the coffee table near him. because her own mind, picking apart whatever she had going on there, wasn't important at the moment. she could only imagine what was going on in his - what he was feeling. she takes a breath and speaks, looking up at him again to try and meet his eyes. "how do you feel? do you need anything?" her pantry lacked anything of luxury, but she at least could keep him from going hungry.

[foibles-fables]

talanah: the case of the omitted hfw companion

soooo @meg-noel-art and I have finally connected the dots we haven't connected shit re: Talanah's conspicuously short and choppy quest line, along with her overall unsatisfying departure from the game (in lieu of joining the base team). We now hold with 99.9999% confidence that Talanah was fully intended to be included a member of the base, either with a different ending to her quest line, or a different quest line altogether.

As we all know, the early (earliest!!!) promo--the GG Instagram splash posted in tandem with the 2020 HFW Announcement trailer--featured her in exclusivity as a returning character. While this official promo art has since been retconned, it still appears on the inside of the steelbook case with the special preorder additions, as well as on a bunch of GG's official ad material (the Twitch stream header, for example). Her comic was also being released at the same time as all of these dealings, culminating in one final confirmatory line: Talanah's story will continue in Horizon Forbidden West.

Now. I won't get into how I do or do not view any of the returning characters' stories as...real or satisfying continuations in HFW. But it's pretty objective to say that Talanah's was decidedly Not. Without even diving once again into the characterization issues (of which there are plentymorethanseveral), both of her quests give us nothing more than a recap of the comic. Seriously, every dialogue wheel we get with her and with Amadis provides a summary of what happened in The Sunhawk. Nothing new learned, no growth made. Story Not Continued, Same Story Rehashed. It's conspicuously not what we were promised, and not what (IMO) GG knew the fans wanted. I think that's pretty clear, regardless of your view on anything related to her character.

So, what the hell happened? Why was this the product were were given?

Easy: it wasn't at all the product that was intended in early baseline development.

There's a pretty glaring complication re: Talanah's integration into HFW--Freya Parker (her hilarious and lovely VA, seriously go check her out) began shooting Jurassic World: Dominion in February/March 2020. And uhhh we all know what was going on right around then, lmao. So not only does this become a scheduling issue, but a quarantine issue as well. Actor travel during projects was likely a huge ordeal, and Freya's actual studio time was probably vastly limited. Combine these challenges with an already-bloated cast load, and...it becomes pretty obvious which character needed to have their role diminished by degrees. Freya can't get to the studio and dedicate much time--we don't get a Carja base member.

One can pick up hints of this around the base. How almost every character (even new bloods Zo and Kotallo) bring her up at length in the "Companions" speech option, even if they're never mocapped in the same room. The item left at the base, when no other non-members get that treatment. How every single thing about her quest's epilogue and beyond reads like a huge "sorry sorry sorry we're sorry" from the devs ("until next time," "I wish she could have stayed," etc.). It's a consolation for what they had intended--fuller tribal representation, balance among the new and old cast members, a true continuation of Talanah's story.

So what does this mean? Well, yeah, it means that I'm still disappointed and that it's still okay to be disappointed. But having a more rational explanation beyond "this was probably the plan the whole time :))))) she's really not THAT important after all just accept your dinner :)))) oh look the writers forgot about her :))))) i ordered you a new clown nose :)))))" makes me feel a whole lot more optimistic for her potentially having a bigger comeback role in HZ3. We must stay focused, brothers. Shoutout Freya Parker.

[littlemissagrafina]

Everything has changed (and I'm not ready)

Anniversary celebration fic for my irondad platonic soulmate au as well as a gift for @superherotiger

Peter didn't have the greatest relationship with time, it just wasn't on his side. Not after having been cut short with so many of the people that he loved.

First was his parents. His time with them ending when he was only five years old, not even being able to understand fully that his mom and dad weren't going to walk back through the door and hug him close between them. That they never would again.

And just as it had with his parents, his time with Ben was cut short as well. But it wasn't only him this time, not in the way it had been before. His aunt and uncle’s time with their brother and sister in law had been taken but it was different from what and who had been taken from Peter.

It was different this time, because time had been taken from May, now too. Not only had Peter lost his uncle, but May had lost her husband. Just like that, their time with someone that they loved was taken away. Again.

Peter had hoped it would be the last. But that wasn't meant to be.

The next person he would lose time with wasn't even the one to die. No, it was him who died, leaving Tony with the reality of time being taken from them. Their broken and silent soulmate bond left as a constant reminder. An empty hourglass.

And then it wasn't empty. Peter and billions of others had been returned, many broken bonds repairing just as Tony and Peter's at their lost half's return.

Their sands of time started flowing once again in the midst of the same battle that almost led to the sand's second end. Their time was granted a chance to continue, as were countless others around the world, the universe.

Time was returned, and now it was ready to move forward.

 ---

Things change, people change. Time moves and so do the lives of everyone and everything. Nothing can truly stay the same forever, not changing, growing, or moving at all.

It wasn't right. Everything changed, even if it was slowly and in a way that had you looking back on previous years, thinking it was so different back then.

Everything changed, time moved forward, and Peter knew that it had to. He really did. But that knowledge still didn't make him want those changes. It didn't make his fear and his anxiety any calmer.

All it did was overwhelm him and make him feel woefully unprepared in the face of time moving and him having to move with it.

Quite frankly, it sucked. Big time.

It was all too soon, things were moving too fast and Peter didn't know how to handle it. He wasn't ready.

Looking around at the world, he saw the way things had changed in the last two years since the dusted had been returned.

He saw the rise and the fall of the good and bad effects of billions of people returning to a world that had only just found its footing again.

He saw the places he once knew–buildings, parks, and homes–and how they were no longer there. Only a ghost of their memory left behind in the newer versions or the empty remains that replaced them.

And he saw age and growth. Things he noticed oh so much in his family, his friends.

It was in Morgan's growth spurt, her head reaching just above his hip, and the seven candles on the cake at her birthday party.

In the faint lines appearing at the corners of May's eyes and mouth. In the grey hair that Pepper found, and in the creaking he sometimes heard in Tony's bones.

But it was time moving for himself that truly unsettled Peter.

He was 19 now. It had been two years already since the battle. He was supposed to be moving on and growing up.

Peter was going to college in a few months, all the way in Massachusetts. Four hours and over 200 miles away. Away from his home, his family, and the only piece of stability that he had been able to create since coming back.

And he wasn't ready. He was far from ready. With each day that passed, each day that inched him closer and closer to leaving for MIT, he just became more anxious, scared, and lost.

Peter thought that he had at least hidden it well enough, the only problem was his attempts at hiding it from Tony. He knew that the man would more than likely feel at least a tiny bleed through from their Bond but Peter had painstakingly and slowly numbed his side of the Bond in an attempt to stop that.

Apart from Tony, he was sure he had hidden it pretty freaking well from everyone else, and had thought he had been successful at not letting anyone notice.

Keyword being thought. Turns out, Peter hadn't been quite as successful as he'd believed.

That fact became entirely apparent during a weekend visit from the one and only Michelle Jones. (Also known as his girlfriend and the only other person apart from Pepper Potts, May Parker, and Natasha Romanoff capable of subduing and controlling the eccentric genius of Peter and Tony. Yes, even when their dumbassery was combined.)

They had been sitting out on the dock, legs dangling off of the edge and their feet kicking back and forth in the cool, refreshing water of the lake, when MJ had turned to look at Peter.

Her head tilted, eyebrow raised slightly as she pinned him with a gaze that made him feel as though he was one of her books that she analysed.

Peter stared back in silence.

A few moments passed before MJ's expression softened, apparently finding what she was looking for. "You know you can talk to any of us, right? About whatever is bothering you." She said to him, her voice soft and low as if she didn't want to disturb the quiet peace of the summer afternoon.

"And please don't say that there isn't anything, I know that there is. We all do. We care about you, Peter, and we're here if you need us. I'm here if you need me."

A muscle jumped in Peter's jaw as he clenched his teeth, looking for a moment like he would open up. The moment was over seconds later when he sniffed in a decidedly Tony like manner and gave MJ a put on smile.

As if she wouldn't see through it. She did.

 "Thanks, Mich." Peter said.

The conversation was over. He had made that clear and MJ knew that if she pushed anymore that Peter would just shut down. And so, as much as she didn't want to, she backed off.

---

"I don't understand, Pep. He just won't talk. The second you even think about asking if he's okay or anything vaguely similar, he shuts down." Tony rubbed a tired hand over his face as he dropped face flat onto the bed next to his wife, sighing into the mattress as Pepper reached over and ran a gentle hand through his hair.

Even though she was just as worried, Pepper couldn't help but smile at Tony's clear concern and love for his kid. "Maybe he just needs to figure it out himself. I know another certain someone who used to do the same. Not always nice, is it?" She gave a slight smirk before sobering at Tony's next words.

"He closed the Bond. Not completely, but he did it slowly and minutely enough that I didn't notice until I realised one day that I couldn't feel his presence as much as I usually would in the background of the Bond. That's what's worrying me the most." Tony's eyes were dark, exasperated concern glittering in them.

"I just wish he would let us help him. He won't even talk to May. I don't understand why he won't let any of us in, not let me in. My kid is hurting in some way and I don't know what to do or how to help him." Tony looked up at Pepper and she was momentarily silenced by the frustration, love, and hurt written across his face.

That was when she realised it was more than just worry and concern about Peter as Tony's unofficial child, that it was worry and concern about his soulmate who was hurting and withdrawing from any form of support and help.

"What do I do, Pep?" Tony's voice was soft, almost defeated, and she didn't have the heart in her to admit that she didn't know what to do.

Instead, with as much confidence as she could muster, Pepper murmured to her husband.

 "We give him time. And until he is ready to speak to any of us, we give him support and show him to the best of our ability that he is loved and will always have us on his side."

Continue Reading on AO3

Because I'm on mobile and tumblr won't let me post the full fic

[gatherround]

replies were turned off 😭 but i see the way they handled the parker/hardison relationship as off screen is like. how they handle intimacy a bit? like theyve shown sophie and nate kissing a few times but always when it was a very public moment or like when they woke up in bed together was important to reveal for the dynamic. but the shows never been About romance and i think its sort of a... respect to their relationship and privacy that those moments arent shown to the audience?

idk maybe i have brainrot bc my current fave show actually Does This on Purpose. i wouldve loved to see more moments but also if ur not done w s5 we do see more of them like Being a couple!!! and doing cute couple-y things. its just not the centered main focus of the show yk? idk i hope this makes sense its just my take lol

I hear that...at the same time, i think the reason i'm surprised has less to do with how they treat intimacy and more to do with how they treat character growth. like yeah, I wouldn't expect a whole sex scene or think that would remotely make sense for the show, and i think that fits with what you were saying of where they sort of give the characters privacy with what they do/don't show

but the show is so character and relationship driven, and we've seen so many of these relationship turning points between them already, that it feels weird that this turning point was left off-screen. and becoming a couple is a big turning point, for their relationship but also for them as individual characters!

the reason i really would have wanted/expected this moment on screen is not so much about the kiss/romance/intimacy, as it is about the character & relationship growth. and so just like we see the pretzels scene when they take that first step of acknowledging feelings, i would have expected (and wanted, ok!!) a complementary scene when they take the step to actually become a couple

[theredshirtsarecoming]

Okay I am awake again and I am going to put some of my thoughts about the second half of redemption under a cut because spoilers.

I loved this season. It was great to see all of the gang again and the new family who joined.

One thing that I loved in particular about this second half was how much the team bonded with the people they met. Blanche, Stella, Sarah, Bao, Melanie, Emily, Roxie, and more. It was amazing and I loved it so much.

I loved that they worked representation in without just screaming it from the roof. It felt way more real to me than a lot of other shows. They were real and complex characters not just two dimensional representations even if they were there for only a few minutes.

I appreciate the letting people who got stuck in bad situations with bad people redeem themselves. Especially what happened with Melanie and Emily.

HURLEY

Taggert and McSweeten got my favorite callback but not on screen mention.

And I know this is somewhat unpopular opinion but I liked the Eliot/Maria stuff. It felt like a good continuation of Eliot’s story and growth. He has been not alone but disinterested in romance for so long. And this was a doomed relationship from the start and it let him start to figure out that maybe he wants a romance. And that its okay. And I think Maria was a good first foray back into those emotions. She is the kind of person that Eliot would hookup with and maybe this time it went longer. But it was never going to be long term without someone breaking who they are. I am not going to talk ot3 here because I just don’t want to deal with them right now. (but really nothing about this plot line refutes the ot3 in any way from my view point)

I love love love Sophie’s arc this season more than anything. My girl got a fantastic and wonderful story. It works so well and I love her growth.

Same with Harry. I love his journey of morality. And I am super happy we got to meet Becky. It was so cute.

Breanna is fantastic and I hope she and Emily have fun with each other.

I really do like that Parker didn’t really have tons of new growth this season but more we got to see the growth she already did. It felt nice.

The Golf Job is really The Dad’s Day Out Job.

The Jackal Job my beloved. Just all of it

Sophie and Eliot both got adopted in these episodes and I love it.

The alcoholic cardio myopathy is what got Nate, isn’t it?

Overall I really enjoyed all of this and I am walking away happy and wanting more.

[just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi]

Kneecap Day 2020

Behold! My take on @brutal-nemesis‘s Kneecap Day 2020! Whooooo here’s to some Patella pain!

[So we’re jumping forward ever so slightly in Parker’s story, but pretty much all you’ll need to know is that they’re in a lab being experimented on because of their regeneration powers. That’s literally it.]

CW: Lab whump/medical whump, NB Whumpee, noncon surgery, detailed surgery, referenced pas lab whump/partial organ removal, restraints, sadistic whumper, ACL surgery 

[Masterlist]

Parker tried to breathe deeply, refocus and center before the cutting started. They were  strapped down to the examination table - again - this time with extra restraints above and below their right knee. 

Dr. Allen had been gracious enough to attach an oxygen mask for this procedure. Really, it was the least that he could do after removing sections of Parker’s lungs. They had to take twice as many breaths to get the same amount of oxygen, and it was impossibly exhausting. Normally, it would only take them a few days to regenerate, but they were still recovering from the last experiment. 

And now they’ll have something else to recover from, too. 

Voices picked up around them and they closed their eyes. Breathe. Just breathe and get through it. You’ll be fine. Just, just get through this. 

“What is the point of this? We already know any tissue will adapt to the host. What is this proving?” 

“It’s proving that if you’re rich enough, you can get whatever you want,” Dr. Allen responded, finishing washing his hands to put on his gloves. Dr. Cait rolled her eyes. 

“We already knew that. So, who’s this new ligament for?” 

Parker could hear the hard soles of Dr. Allen’s shoes come closer, and squeezed their eyes closed tighter. 

Breathing hurt. 

“Some rich man’s son tore his ACL and lost his college baseball spot. Going for the big leagues, apparently. Turns out that daddy’s money really can buy you anything. And an hour’s work is going to buy me a new Maserati and then some.” 

Something cold and wet cleaned their knee, and Parker tried to force themself to relax. They hadn’t pissed off Dr. Allen lately, so he had no reason to go poking around after he was done. Go in, take whatever it is they want today, and close them back up. 

They tried to swallow back their whine at the incision, but a little made its way through. Dr. Allen’s head snapped up to glare at them, and Parker closed their eyes again. 

Breathe. 

They grit their teeth as they felt the skin being peeled back, at the pressure from the clamps that kept it open for the doctors to work. Parker didn’t think that they would ever get used to the feeling of cold air on the wrong side of their skin. 

Parker opened their hand and focused on pressing each individual finger onto the table as hard as they could. Thumb, pointer, middle, ring, pinky. Thumb, pointer, middle, ring-

An instrument they couldn’t see entered the incision and into the joint. It was cold, and it was pressing underneath their kneecap. Their breath hitched, and wheezed slightly on exhale as two more instruments joined the first. 

Breathe, breathe, breathe, you’ll live. You’ll survive this; you always do. Breathe. 

“Dr. Cait, remind me how much information we have about bone regrowth rate?” 

Tears slipped down from their eyes onto their temples. You fucker. You absolute fuck why don’t you lay down on the table and I’ll cut you open. Let’s see how quiet you are then. 

“What did you have in mind?” 

“We need to remove this ligament in one piece, and I’m finding it needlessly difficult with the patella in the way,” he said coyly, voice dripping with sarcasm. Parker grit their teeth as Dr. Cait merely rolled her eyes. 

“Sadistic, but at least it’s actual research. We also need material to make a bone graft, so we’ll harvest from there.” 

Dr. Allen pat their thigh twice, and Parker wanted to scream. Fuck you. 

A drill turned on, and they couldn’t help it anymore. They pulled at their restraints, head rolling to the side in a pathetic attempt to get away. They were strapped down too securely, it did nothing but dislodge the oxygen mask. 

“Well,” came Dr. Allen’s voice, along with the sounds of his latex gloves being removed. Parker whimpered and turned their head the other way, staring at the shelving unit that held various medical supplies. “I had assumed that the oxygen supplement would be helpful to M-03, but apparently I was mistaken. Let’s go ahead and put it away.” 

Parker wanted to sob. No, please, I’m sorry, I need that, please don’t, I’m trying- wait! The mask was ungraciously removed from their face and wrapped up. Dr. Allen grabbed their head and set it back to the original position roughly. 

Parker grasped for air, focusing entirely on breathing again. The drill started again, and their chest shook. 

They could feel the vibrations all through their leg, through the table, maybe even the air. It was loud and horrific, bouncing off the tiles and metal of the lab. The feeling made their breath shudder and their throat constrict. It hurt, like thousands of pinpricks clustered together, tearing through them. 

They were trying, they were trying so hard to stay quiet, but each breath had a wheeze, every exhale with a whimper. Something ripped and their back arched as far as it was allowed. 

Parker heard something clang against a metal tray, and they tried to take a deep breath. It was shaky, but it happened. 

“Removed roughly 50% of the right patella, severed the patellar tendon,” Dr. Cait noted aloud for the recorder. “Bone growth of M-03 recorded as 83 μm an hour or roughly 2 mm a day, predicted full regrowth of patella to original size would be 5-6 days. Will keep subject under observation.” 

“Wonderful,” Dr. Allen said, placing the medical tray on a side table. “Let’s get back to getting me my maserati, shall we?” 

Parker took a deep breath. 

Thumb, pointer, ring, middle, pinky.

~

Parker ganggggg  @ghostcomit @lave-e @whump-me-all-night-long @rippedjeansandfadeddreams @highwaywhump @panic-and-chaos @mnmlover2002 @thehopelessopus

[plz let me know if you want to be added or removed from the tag]

[neighborhood-merc]

Guys !!! I am back! First of all, I hope all of y’all (your friends, family, pets! too) are doing alright. Keep safe! Wash your hands! Don’t go out if not necessary! Kisses! Kisses! Kisses! Alright, alright, let’s do this shall we? Same shit applies. [Here is Part 1 & 2 btw ] 

The themes of the stories on this list varies, I’m either into something heart-warming, fluffy, domestic that sort of stuff or into some really really heavy and dark messed up ones. (READ THE TAGS) It always depends on the mood am I right? *wink wink*

It’s always gonna be smutty though lol

As long as it’s tastefully written, whatever kinky shit, I can be into it, I don’t judge the writer (they give us free content y’all, who are we to judge??) With that being said if I add something straight up messed up here now/or in the future, don’t come for meh, just mind the tags of the fic, for your own discretion if anything.

this list should be Wade Wilson/Peter Parker - Spiderman/Deadpool pairing only. I kinda like my babies greedy/possessive for/of each other.

READ THE TAGS.

I don’t care who tops or bottoms.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Summaries are taken directly from the fanfic’s summary.

Read the tags first!

Deluge (this is such a good boi, this fic is a good boy!) Weapon X chose Wade Wilson because of several factors in his life. He was a preternatural. He had extraordinary abilities that could be expanded upon. The cancer just made him desperate enough to agree to whatever they wanted to do with him.They didn't just turn him immortal. They destroyed his very soul, tearing him apart and shaping him into something new and never seen before. They took everything he had been and left him with ashes and bones. Soulless.He killed his creators and went on with his life.Then he met Spider-Man.Things started to change.Something inside him, something that had come out of the ashes and was a nightmarish, terrible thing, sat up and took notice. An intense, single-minded notice.

The Perks of Working Third Shift An AU in which Wade is wandering the globe and ends up in NYC where he meets the absolute most perfect man he's ever seen who's working third shift at a quick mart. Even better, the man seems happy to flirt back. Wade makes it his mission to score a date.Peter stopped dating a long time ago, but Wade's flirtations, energetic attitude, and hilarious comments make it hard for Peter not to enjoy the attention. But will all of that be ruined if Wade finds out his secret?

Better Like This  (Listen,  NotEvenCloseToStraight’s Spideypool works are amazing, read all of em, honestly just check out ALL the works of the writers on my list because if I list everything, this is gonna be a long ass list) No one knows Spider-Man is an Omega. Not the newspapers, not the NYPD, and certainly not the overly loud, definitely obnoxious, sort-of-a-good-guy, completely Alpha, Deadpool. And Peter would like it to stay that way. But when he drops into an unexpected heat, Deadpool is the only person he can call to help, and how quickly the Alpha switches from shouting dirty innuendos to whispering comforting things really throws Peter for a loop. After sharing a heat, Peter is convinced that Wade is his Alpha, and is ready to take him as his mate, but Wade rejects him. Wade knows that a man like him wouldn’t make anyone a good mate, much less a perfect, pretty Omega like Peter. So he says no, pushes the Omega away and unable to even work together anymore, they go their separate ways. Peter is devastated, heartbroken, seeking comfort in the arms of another Alpha, and all Wade can do is watch from a distance, and keep telling himself that he is doing the right thing, sparing Peter a life of disappointment and pain. Peter deserves better than him as a Mate, and one day Peter will understand. It’s Better This Way. But is it really?(Peter is Andrew Garfield)

Use Me Peter wants to help Wade. Wants to make him feel beautiful, wants to make him feel wanted... Wants to put out the fire in his own gut whenever he sees the merc for what he really is. He does.

Double Mint Gum Wade decides that only one of his fine-ass self just isn't enough 

Spider Spidey (SPIDERY SPIDEY!)

Bleed the Water Red Peter and Deadpool are held captive by a super-villain that has an inclination for torture. After she boasts her untarnished record at never having hurt a child or teenager, Peter is forced to break the truth to both her and Deadpool.“Did you know I have a perfect record?” The villain collects a rusted pocket knife, tracing it up Peter’s arm, over his shoulders, down to his collarbone, as though considering where to cut. Peter focuses on controlling his breathing, fear twisting awfully in his belly. “You may look down on me, Mr. Spider-Man, but for all the righteous suffering I inflict, I’ve never hurt a child. Not once.”“Y'know, I don’t think you do,” Peter blurts. At his words, Deadpool's stare intensifies. “Have a perfect, non-child harming record, that is.”

Don’t Keep Me Waiting Peter's 90% sure Wade likes him. Or at least he was sure. When you almost jerk off in front of the friend you're definitely not pathetically pining for and they never mention it again, it makes you doubt yourself. Peter knows he should probably just ask what the fuck is going on, but where's the angsty fun in that?

Sometimes When We Touch Peter answers a Craigslist ad for someone who is willing to pay for some unspecified physical contact/sex because he's just that broke. He's surprised to find out Wade Wilson is the one who posted the ad, but thinks he can still manage just fine even when the man explains he'd like him to wear a special costume for the occasion. Of course things become a little more complicated when Wade reveals the outfit he's chosen: a shockingly accurate Spider-Man suit

Sunflower 26 and standing at the head of Parker Industries, Peter feels young in every way. He doesn't know himself, he lacks a lot of experience, and he's struggling to get a grip on what he thinks of the merc with the mouth, an absolute force who has starting pushing his desires in a direction that terrifies him.He desperately tries to come to terms with sexuality, even when it means dragging Wade flat on his face.Takes place after the dance scene in Spider-man/Deadpool, with important plot details omitted. Follows these two through extreme character growth.

Two Thirds of a Whole (I honestly felt weird about this one, but eh, maybe someone who’s into it would appreciate it) Peter Parker and Wade Wilson, finding Vanessa dead and having never met, assume the second body is their other soulmate. When they meet in a market ten years later, they both have a chance they never thought they would get again-- a chance at love.But can they find a way to be happy as two thirds of a whole?

Holding Back The thing about not being able to die is that it makes everything so dreadfully boring. Seriously, immortality's a bitch. So, you gotta keep things interesting. How else are you supposed to get through the day without going insane? Well, more insane.Wade wants to be a hero, but fighting bad guys isn't enough to keep things interesting. Wooing Spider-Man might help, though. And exploring his kinks definitely will. Of course, he never thought anything would come of either of these things. Boy, was he wrong!

Missed You  (Imagine me covering me shyly covering my face for this ehehe) “Wade,” Peter whines, pulling off Wade’s mask and catching his lips in a deep kiss. All he can smell is leather and sweat and gunpowder, and he’s already embarrassingly hard. Wade comes home from a mission. Peter missed him. A lot.

Big Peter can't stop looking at and thinking about Wade's great big arms and shoulders and hands and back. He's fine. (He's not fine.) 

 Slip of the Tongue Sometimes Peter can forget how big Wade is, how much presence he has. Right now is not the time. His heart rabbits in his chest as he swallows, looking up. There’s always something there when Wade’s looking at him, something predatory, that makes Peter nervous and wanting, shivering hot all over.

Wade The Cat  “Aw don’t be afraid little buddy, it’s okay, he’s gone”Wade almost cringes at how someone is talking to him, what the hell?! He’s not a defenseless animal. Wait. No, yeah, he is.Wade looks a little alarmed, stepping back as the man crouches next to him, smiling sympathetically “It’s okay, I won’t hurt you. You okay?”Wade holds his breath, gives an once over at the guy, beautiful chestnut eyes, the adorable smile, the red face probably resulting from the cold and the brown humid hair stuck to his forehead as he holds his umbrella for both of them and yep, ladies and gentlemen if he wasn’t before, Wade is right now a defenseless animal because “Meow” Wade says wiggling what should be eyebrows “Honey, I’d let you take care of me all night long” Wade purrs.

Gonzo Journalist (It belongs to a series “We fell in love in October) A young photographer working for The Daily Bugle hears about the tragic fate of an ex-soldier and decides to write an article about his cause to help him out. Maybe more than in one way.

The Man in the Mask When Wade is unceremoniously dropped off into the custody of one Dr. Parker, he assumes the man has only the worst possible intentions for one of the world's last remaining mutants. But it turns out, the universe still holds plenty of surprises for them both.

You Wear My Name Over Your Heart Like It’s Invisible "Why don’t you ever let me see it? If you have the name already, why can’t you tell me whose it is? I thought we were best friends."Everyone gets their Name when they turn twenty-one. It isn’t their own name either. It’s the name of their Soulmate. When Wade Wilson wakes on his twenty-first birthday, he looks down at his chest and sees Peter Benjamin Parker. He stares for a moment then shrugs, gets dressed, and doesn’t think about it for another six weeks.

Parachute, Please Peter unexpectedly goes into heat after an Avengers mission, which could have been fine, but the ride back is 2 hours and he's stuck on a plane with his closest friends and family.At least there's one person he can call at times like these for relief. And in comes Wade.

Peter Parker’s Home for the Wayward Villain A really long redemption story.

And Words Are Futile Devices Peter doesn’t think he’s lonely. He’s too busy to be lonely. He’s twenty-two, working on his PhD and holding down a shitty job at the Daily Bugle, not to mention his nightly extra-curricular activities. He’s too busy for friends, and he’s certainly too busy for romantic interests. And yet, shockingly, apparently everyone in his life thinks he needs to stop being an anti-social recluse and get laid.So Peter enters the wide, wonderful world of online dating. He doesn’t expect to find his soul mate, or even a friend, and he’s definitely not looking for hook ups. He doesn’t know what he’s looking for, really, until one Wade W. Wilson catches his eye and captures his heart with risqué dog pics and a concerning obsession with cannibalistic serial killers.This is a love story. A sweet, inevitable journey towards each other. There is humor, and melancholy, and a touch of both gravitas and levity to the weeks that trickle by. But really it’s just an account of the slow, magnetic movement of Peter towards Wade, and Wade towards Peter.

Strays Wade finds Spider-Man unconscious on a roof top. Score!Or: Spider-Man has lost his memories, some of his vocabulary, and all of his social conditioning. Wade is losing his mind.

The Inverse Deadpool doesn't have to try very hard to hide his second gender anymore because ever since Weapon X, no one in their right mind would ever believe that Wade Wilson was an omega. It doesn't matter anyway, because Wade knows no Alpha would keep a male omega. No alpha WANTS one, much less one that's as scarred and unstable as he is. Apparently, Spiderman was born to break every rule Wade has ever known.

The Body Remembers When the Mind Forgets When people need a mate in their life, it isn't usually because they've forgotten they already have one. 

Half Your Age (Plus Seven) In which Deadpool has oddly specific and frustrating morals, Spider-Man has excellent friends, his lab partner has an opening for a bassist, Johnny Storm has the warmest feet, and everyone has had enough of hearing Peter talk about Wade Wilson (except Aunt May: she’s always glad to hear he’s back in town).

[katiebugwrites24]

My Very ScientificTM Breakdown of Parker and Hardison’s Relationship

Someone asked me to explain how I’ve charted out Parker and Hardison’s relationship across all five seasons of Leverage, so here you go. All of this is off the top of my head, I literally just sat down and wrote this in a few hours, but I’d love to hear any responses y’all have to it! Do you agree? Disagree? Did I leave something out? Let me know!

It begins in Nigerian Job with Hardison finding Parker attractive (because, of course, she’s amazing). He offers her the whole box of earbuds and Eliot notices and teases him about it. So we know from the beginning he’s attracted to her, which isn’t that surprising.

 In Homecoming Job (episode 2), while Hardison and Nate are watching Parker ‘steal a law,’ Hardison calls her “sexiness” and Nate tells him to maybe ease up on that. Again, Hardison is commenting on his more surface-level attraction to Parker, and on his appreciation for her skills (because competence porn). Nate has noticed, rightfully, that Hardison doesn’t appear to have that much experience with girls, and therefore might not realize that his comments about Parker being sexy might make her uncomfortable (which I think they definitely would at this stage). So Nate is trying to help Hardison out by saying, “hey, maybe chill with that especially if she can hear you.” Let’s face it, Parker would probably not want her appearance commented on in that way at that point.

 Which leads to Wedding Job, when Hardison casually says that she looks “much better in the same dress” than the maid of honor, and Parker is kind of confused and asks “You really think I look good?” He does think she looks good, obviously, he has from the beginning, but this more casual way to approach it was the much smarter move given her skittishness. I think that exchange is what prompts Parker to tell Hardison that she’d pretended to be meeting him for sex in the screening room. I don’t know if it’s what gave her the idea to use that excuse in the first place, but I definitely think it’s why she told him about it when he asked. I think it was an acknowledgement to say “I hear you, and I appreciate that you find me attractive, but I’m not prepared to do anything with that, so I’m just gonna tease you about it a little and never mention it again.” Basically, she’s not shutting him down, but she’s not prepared to encourage him, or take the relationship any further at this stage.

 (There’s another little quip in Mile High Job about how if Parker was a geek she’d be really turned on by Hardison’s hacking, and she just kind of rolls her eyes, which I think is a fair response. It’s similar to the way she rolls her eyes when Eliot talks about some of his relationships. I don’t really read to much into that.)

 By Bank Shot Job, we see them becoming closer friends. They work well together as the undercover agents (which they also did in Wedding Job, but they anticipate and riff off each other really nicely in Bank Shot, indicating that they’ve worked together long enough to be a well-oiled machine). Also they’re obviously hanging out in the van together when the episode starts, and they mention they’ve been in Juan for a few weeks by that point, so I think it’s fair to say they’ve definitely reached friend territory by now.

 Regardless, once we get to Stork Job, they’re “a little more than a team.” That episode is a lot for Parker, and has a lot of her personal growth in it, obviously. It also shows Hardison opening up about his own past for the first time, and it shows how deeply Hardison cares for Parker and her safety. Personally, I also think the scene when What’s-His-Face is flirting with Parker and Hardison keeps making Parker laugh by saying stuff like “do my cape and fangs frighten you” is a sweet moment because he makes her laugh. I don’t really read this moment as jealousy, though I’ve seen that some people do, but I just think he was commenting on how ridiculous What’s-His-Face is. (I forgot the character’s name because he’s always just gonna be Moriarty from the Librarians to me).

 Juror # 6 Job is also great, and I really didn’t want to make this an episode by episode break down, I was really just going for broad overall themes, but I’m in too deep at this point. In Juror #6 we have Hardison who initially brushes off Parker’s concerns just like the rest of them, but he does come around and convinces Nate to listen to what Parker is saying. He also has the insight to say that Parker never had experience with people, etc. I like this scene because it mimics the previously mentioned scene in Homecoming Job with Hardison and Nate sitting in that same spot discussing Parker. Obviously at the end, we also have that sweet moment where Parker is proud of Hardison for his closing statements and also proud of herself for acting ‘normal’ (and I think he’s proud of her too).

 Then in First David, we get the first kiss. Obviously there are different ways to read this one. Either Parker is only focused on the job, and only kissed him because it helped her break in, OR she used the break-in as an opportunity to get to kiss him without actually having to follow through with anything else because she could just play it off. I like to believe the second option, because I think her awareness of his feelings is high enough that she’s starting to question her own feelings at this point, but isn’t consciously ready to go there. So I think she wanted to kiss him and she got to use this as an excuse, and then shut that door again immediately and pretend it never happened. Because later in Second David she was obviously just pretending to not know what Hardison was talking about. She just wasn’t ready to talk about it yet.

 I do also think that small moment in Second David is really telling when Hardison says something like  “no calls no texts for three months, I don’t need y’all” and Parker is seriously offended—like seriously offended, and says “What do you mean ‘you don’t need us’?” In her mind, not only does he obviously need her (they’re more than a team at this point, after all), she stayed away and didn’t contact him because she was protecting him. That was the safest thing to do, it doesn’t mean she didn’t want to talk to him. But Hardison is less . . . emotionally equipped to have to split up from his new family for months without contact, so it makes him feel like they never cared about him in the first place.

 Then we reach season 2, where we have the “people are like locks. You have to have patience and be fiddly” conversation. (By the way y’all, literally all of these quotes are off the top of my head, so if I misquote stuff please forgive me). Anyway, here Hardison wants Parker to know that he did look for her because he wants to be sure she knows he cares about her enough to try (I think she’s perfectly aware he was looking and has been intentionally not letting him succeed because she wasn’t ready for that yet, but who knows). And Parker encourages him with the fiddly message, but is again emphasizing that she’s not really ready yet. This encouragement is different from the acknowledgement she gave in Wedding Job in season one, when she was just saying “I see you.” Here, she’s saying “I see you, and continue, maybe one day it will work out.” Importantly, though, she still hasn’t addressed within herself her own feelings for Hardison.

 Skipping forward a bunch, because this is already 1200 words long and I’m only on season 2, we’ve got other small things, like them pretending to be a couple several times, and Hardison getting kind of jealous of McSweeten in Fairy Godparents Job. Parker also gets mad at Hardison in Ice Man Job, but that doesn’t really advance their relationship that much. The main thing we are seeing over the course of this season is Parker’s willingness to touch Hardison more and more. She holds him in that arm bar for a long time in Tap Out Job, and she pulls him close in the safe in Ice Man. Again, these can all be written off as being part of the con or for a bigger purpose, though, because she doesn’t want to admit to Hardison or to herself that she likes touching/being close to him.

 This similar thing is clear in Jailhouse Job, when he says “see, I like when we pretend to kiss” and she goes “pretend?” and scrunches up her nose. (also, is it just me, or did it look like they were trying to imply something other than kissing? Were they also kissing too? What was happening?) Because Parker may be pretending that kissing him doesn’t mean anything, but she’s not pretending to kiss him. The kisses themselves are real. Also, we see her in this episode once again get naked in front of Hardison, and once again it could be interpreted as Parker doesn’t really view her own body as sexual (perhaps hinting at being on the asexual spectrum here) or it could be interpreted as Parker wanting to mess with Hardison, or wanting to see how he’d respond. I think it kind of could be more of the latter, though I do maintain that Parker doesn’t naturally view her body as inherently sexual regardless. I think that she may have gotten naked because she knew it would make Hardison flustered, and she likes that she can make him flustered, but again she doesn’t want to examine why she likes it.

 In Reunion Job we have the sweet dance, which I think is one step further than what we saw with the touching in season 2, where this time there’s no “excuse” for her to dance with him, she just does it because she wants too, which is great. But I don’t think at this point if he’d tried to talk to her about it directly that she’d be willing to. For the most part, Hardison is really doing as she asked and being patient, but it’s still clear he’s eager to see where things go.

 (BTW, I started writing fic set in this time because there’s so much in these episodes in season three that I want to explore, so if you’re interested here’s the link but be warned I never finished it: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12707019/chapters/28977393)

 In Inside Job, obviously Hardison is super concerned about Parker, and I really think it’s so nice that he’s the one she calls when she gets to a phone. I also like that this is the first (?) instance of Hardison calling her “mama” that I can think of which is personally one of my favorite nicknames of his. I also think it was really eye-opening to Hardison to see how Parker lived and what her warehouse looked like. I think even though he knew all that stuff about her, it was different to see it in person.

 In Scheherazade Job, Parker sides with Hardison against Nate about the whole hypnotism thing, which I think is really interesting especially given that Nate says Hardison doesn’t have the ruthlessness needed to run a crew, but he leaves Parker as the mastermind at the end of the show, indicating that she does have that ruthlessness (which she does) but here she is still on Hardison’s side. I also doubt she’d be able to con her own team the way Nate does unless it was absolutely necessary for their survival, not just for the con. Like, she’d con them to save them from jail or to save their lives, but I don’t think she’d con them just to get a job done the way Nate did with Hardison here.

 ANYWAY, we come to the biggest development, which is the Pretzels conversation in Double Blind Job. One thing I love about this is that Hardison is in no way trying to make Parker jealous in this episode. That would be really kind of manipulative of him given what he knows about her, etc. That said, I think he does a good job of pointing out that there’s no reason for him not to date someone else. Parker hasn’t said anything concrete to him about her feelings one way or another, so if someone like Ashley came along and he wanted to date her, Parker would have no reason to object. Parker realizes this too, which is why I think she actually does say something, even if she can’t actually say the words in the end. This is when Parker realizes that not only does she like Hardison’s attention and get upset when it’s given to someone else, she likes it because she likes him back. So she tells him she has feelings for pretzels, and he understands that it means “I like you but I’m not ready yet so please don’t move on to anyone else” and he accepts that and says “they’ll be here for you when you want them” essentially saying that he’s not going to move on now that he knows she really does have some feelings for him. That allows him to justify to himself waiting on her because he has something concrete, and it allows her to work through her feelings for him without having to worry that he’ll move on to someone else before she’s ready for it to go anywhere.

 There are further moments this season where they grow together and are comfortable together, until finally, in Big Bang Job when they almost get blown up on the train and they manage to work together and disarm the bomb, she realizes that she is ready for pretzels. I don’t know if it’s the adrenaline of the situation or what, but somewhere in that she realizes she does want to move forward. How they’re going to do that is unclear, and doesn’t come up in San Lorenzo because they’re busy with Moreau and then they have to split up for a few months, so none of this comes up again until Long Way Down Job.

 In Long Way Down Job, Hardison is coming in kind of expecting a relationship at this point. Parker has said she wants pretzels, and this is the first time they’re seeing each other in the months since then. Parker, on the other hand, has used those few months to kind of get cold feet. It’s not that she doesn’t want to be with him anymore, it’s that she’s kind of gotten into her own head about being good enough for him or being able to handle a relationship in a way that’s fair to Hardison. That’s why she reverts to pretending not to see his obvious advances, and responding with “this isn’t going to be a thing, is it?” when he’s concerned for her. She’s trying to push back again, and again he respects that, but it’s obviously really upsetting for him. But after her whole experience in the crevasse with Eliot, she understands that it’s okay to be herself while she’s trying to be a better version of herself, and as long as Hardison knows that, then it’s okay. So in the end when she says “you know this isn’t going to be normal, right?” she’s admitting that she is, in fact, ready for “this.” That’s what they have in season four, a kind of limbo thing where they’re not saying they’re dating, but they’ve admitted that they like each other and they’re going on very date-like outings together. I always refer to season 4 as when they have their thing because of how Parker said, “this isn’t going to be a thing, is it?” and then turned around and said it is a thing, it’s just not normal.

 We of course get more great moments in episodes like Carnival Job and Grave Danger Job where Hardison expresses that he would never replace Parker and Parker expresses that she needs Alec. I don’t think they would have said ‘I love you’ yet at this point, but I think these things are essentially saying that in different words. In Queen’s Gambit, again we get that assurance from Hardison that he’s got Parker and he’s not going to let anything bad happen to her, and he proves it.

 In Experimental Job, Parker kisses him again, first on the cheek after she tells him that he’s really cool, and then on the lips to convince Zilgram that Hardison is worth having in the Dustmen. The ease with which she kisses him on the cheek indicates to me at least that a) she doesn’t mind showing him that kind of affection at this point, and that b) she doesn’t mind doing so in public. You could argue back and forth on the second kiss because it is for the job, but also I think she just really wanted to kiss him and knew she had an excuse to do so. Obviously she was acting for Zilgram’s benefit before and after the kiss, but there’s a spot in the kiss where they’re body language changes, and I think in that moment it’s a “real” kiss and not just for the con.

 Parker and Hardison both have some doubts again in Girl’s Night and Boy’s Night, but again those are pretty self-explanatory, so I won’t go into them. But it’s also interesting that the team does see them as basically dating at this point regardless of whether they use that terminology. Sophie references “early relationship jitters” and it’s clear by the way Eliot gives Hardison advice that he knows what’s going on (not that they were that subtle with it, lol). It’s clear enough by the end of the season that they’re together even if they haven’t officially said anything.

 They spend the 6 month break between season 4 and 5 together traveling the world, and then they finally admit to the team that they’re dating. The traveling the world time is when I really think they kind of hammered things out and actually talked not in code, which lead to their official admission to the team. I think this official admission really just means that they’ve become more comfortable talking about their relationship with others. So now they’ll refer to each other as babe (or, memorably “my santa baby”) in front of the team, etc, and refer to things as dates instead of just hanging out or activities together. They’ll spend the night together in the apartment above the brew pub, etc. But if you notice, their behavior around each other doesn’t really change that much between season 4 and 5, which I think is just more proof that they were just as much in a relationship in season 4 as they were in season 5, they just weren’t calling it that yet.

 So, to break it down:

Season 1: Hardison likes Parker; Parker realizes this, and experiments with kissing him

Season 2: Parker encourages Hardison’s advances, but warns him to be patient and fiddly; she begins to touch him more

Season 3: They have the pretzels conversation, and Parker confirms she has feelings for Hardison but asks him to wait for her and he agrees

Season 4: She’s ready for Pretzels now so they have a ‘thing’ where they’re basically dating/in the early stages of dating, but they don’t call it that.

Season 5: They’re finally comfortable admitting to everybody that they’re together, and acting like a couple in public. They’ve gotten over most of their doubts/insecurities about their relationship and are mainly just being happy together as a couple.

[youngbugandtonystank]

If you can, do some more of the facial and body language analysis posts because they're soooo good, I love them and your blog 💕

Hi, I’m sorry for the long wait!

This must be the hardest analysis yet. I cried three times writing this, so I’m sharing my pain with you.

1. Peter is a kid.

2. Tony and Peter are a team.

3. He’s traumatized.

Ok, the first thing you gotta understand about Peter Parker in these movies: he is a kid. 

No matter how much you want him to act all grown up and capable, he’s a kid. A very brave kid. Throughout the movie, Peter remains calm and collected because he really wants to help and he understands the gravity of the situation. Bear in my mind this kid is not acting because someone gave him orders but because they informed him what’s going on. He knows that they need to take the gauntlet off, he knows Thanos is dangerous and this could be the complete demise of not only his neighboorhood but the entire earth. We all know that at the end of the movie, Peter shows just how scared he was all the time.

‘You can't be a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man...if there's no neighborhood.’

The minute he realizes that there’s trouble, he goes and helps.

It’s been two years since Homecoming (it was confirmed that the time gap between HOCO and IW was two years even if Peter says he’s 16 in FFH. This could possibly be a mistake since not many people knew much about IW and Endgame back then. Also, in HOCO there was a similar mistake with the timeline. "Eight years later") Peter’s been spiderman for almost three years and he knows how to control and work his powers better. He probably trained with Tony and he has now more experience with all the superhero thing. 

Now, Peter is his very own independent hero, he has his story but some people think that everything about him revolves around Tony and I’ve said it before, in my HOCO analysis that the reason people think this is because Tony Stark is a very big presence in the MCU and it’s easy to overlook the other details about Peter’s life when someone that big is also there too. But, any fan who really loves Spiderman knows that Peter’s journey is about growth. It’s about sacrifice. It’s about responsibility. It’s about him finding his way into this world and surviving it. It’s about him protecting the little guy because he is the little kid in a big world like his. His attachment to Tony has more to do with the fact that he wants a male figure in his life, one that is alive. He wants the comfort, the safety and the support that comes with it. A teenage wanting those things is not out of the ordinary. He’s allowed to have more than one paternal figure in his life. Don’t constraint Peter just because you don’t like Tony Stark.

And Peter himself confirms this: 

‘Peter knew he should feel all these things -help other people, being responsible inthe hero business- without Tony’s approval. But, right now, Peter wanted Mr. Stark to approve of him more than anything.’ 

‘Mr. Stark made him feel normal and okay. Something he thought he’d never feel again.’

Something very interesting to me was how both Tony and Peter reacted the same way when the aliens came. Tony was internally panicking and said to Bruce: ‘This is it.’ And in the IW novelization, the moment Peter saw the space ship he said to himself: ‘This was it. He had to do something.’ 

Something that I just love about this is how much they know each other too well. Tony knows Peter is stubborn and he won’t give up easily. Tony told him that Strange ‘The wizard’ was in trouble and Peter went after Maw and didn’t let go even if he was getting dragged up to space, so he did what he usually did when Peter was being difficult. Force him back to earth. And Peter? He cooperates with him so well, he calculates his mentor’s next moves and goes along with it. They’re a team. They have worked together before. Two years of working together. Look at the coordination, how they flawlessly work together. They’ve done this before. How Tony just informs Peter what’s going on instead of yelling and panicking. He understands Peter is pretty capable of defending himself. 

Later, they demonstrate this again with this:

Peter is capable of thinking of a solution because this kid, no matter how many pop culture references, is a genius and will be a great strategist in the future and Tony knows this. He left EDITH to Peter for these reasons.

This is routine for them. Tony makes this a teachable lesson. lol. ‘Come on. We got a situation. See him down there? He's in trouble. What's your plan?’

He’s a dad, forgive him.

I love how they just bicker while Strange is getting tortured down there lmao. 

This part only solidifies their relationship. Look at Peter looks so done and disappointed because this is the same argument Tony gives him when he’s in danger. Tony may trust Peter but his safety always comes first and Peter knows this. Look at him: 

He takes in the situation and even if he can come back to earth and fight the other aliens there, he won’t leave Tony. I want to clarify that the reason Peter is in space is because 1. He wants to fight. He wants to help. He’s said it before, if he has the chance to help, he'll do it. He’s spiderman and is his responsibility to help if he can. This is the essence of Spiderman. 

‘When you can do the things that I can, but you don't, and then the bad things happen, they happen because of you.’

2. Tony. He’s a loyal kid and he loves his mentor. People regularly point out Tony’s fear of losing Peter but Peter is just equally scared of losing Tony.

‘speaking of loyalty...’  ‘I just thought about you on the way...and kinda stuck to the side of the ship.’

So he fights Tony on this. He won’t let him not participate. He already lost Ben, he won’t lose Tony. He knows this is a dangerous situation, he wants to protect his people. He feels responsible for them and he’ll fight to do the right thing.

Another thing is how much Peter trusts Tony. He knows and is so sure that Tony will keep him safe, no matter what. This is because Tony has proved this before. Multiple times. He knows he’s Tony’s priority even if the world is practically ending. 

‘He wanted him away from all of Tony’s complicated feelings around caring about this kid way too much to focus on the task at hand.’

‘Tony had to keep himself calm and not think back to mere seconds ago when that terror had been his own, directly connected to the possibility of losing Peter Parker.’

‘Tony had only continued onto the ship because he felt certain that he’d gotten Peter safely out of harm’s way. With Peter here, very much IN harm’s way, would he be able to fully concentrate on the task at hand?’

‘They were about to take on the greatest enemy they’d ever faced. This was an enemy that had haunted Tony for six years. An enemy that threatened to wipe out half of the universe, untold trillions of beings with the snap of his fingers. He had a wide-eyed kid he had to protect’

‘Is this… oh, no… is this how it feels? To be on the other end of this? He owed Pepper an apology. He owed Pepper a lot of apologies.’

I love how Tony is comparing Pepper’s love for him with his own love for Peter. This not only tells you Peter is part of his family but just as Endgame confirms it, Peter is one of the few people he loves the most in the world.

Later, when the guardians attack, look at how Peter stays put, he could easily get himself out of Quill’s grip but he doesn’t, he lets Tony handle the situation. 

Makes me wonder how many times they’ve been in this situation. Homecoming!Peter would’ve done something very reckless. He would’ve risked his life or someone else's but this is a 17-year-old kid who’s had Tony as his mentor, he’s had May to think about and he won’t let Ben down. 

Also,  the non-verbal communication between them is very telling. How the glances, the trust and the way they fight tells us how much they mean to each other. How he always looks at Tony for his reaction and how both of them are in synch with everything. 

Now, let’s talk about this kid’s bravery in this film. Look at him, this is peak bravery. This kid is kicking one of the most terrifying and powerful titans on the universe. 

Even if I loved FFH, I think they shouldn’t have skipped the part where Peter dwells with the repercussions of his trauma. They should’ve focused on Peter’s traumas and experiences after passing through all of this.

Look at this, you do really believe this kid wouldn’t have nightmares of this monster? He probably sees his face in every nightmare. This titan killed Tony. This titan killed him and half of the universe. He threw him around like a rag doll, chocked him and slammed him against the ground. 

One of the most heartbreaking things is that Mysterio is right about what he said to Peter. ‘Maybe if you were good enough, Tony would still be alive’ Peter feels responsible. He does. Remember how Peter was a big part in securing the gauntlet? He took the gauntlet off Thanos. He actually did it. He took it off. For Peter, there were pretty close. That was it. He doesn’t know what Strange knows, Strange must’ve seen in all of the millions of possibilities he saw that even if Peter took the gauntlet off, Thanos would still win. But Peter doesn’t know this. He thinks he almost got it. 

When he came back, he was one of the people who went after the gauntlet to protect it. He took it because he felt like this was his responsibility before waking up and now he’s trying to amend that by taking care of it. Thanos started blowing people off with lasers and Peter still held the gauntlet like it was his lifeline. 

He feels like he failed. The person who used the gauntlet, later on, is his mentor.

Of course he feels like he failed. He feels responsible for Tony’s death even if he’s not. 

‘I don't think Tony would have done what he did, if he didn't know you were going to be here after he was gone.’

He knows that Tony practically did it for him. Tony is a hero and he would’ve done that regardless but the motivation behind all of it, it was Peter. Always Peter.

‘Tony second-guessed everything he did. But the one thing he didn't second guess was picking you.’

It’s natural that Peter feels responsible. Look at the catatonic way he behaves after the horrible experience. He’s still in shock.

Peter is the kind of kid that stands tall and bounces back up when the situation demands it but he’s also the kind of kid that wants to introduce himself to a magical cape and walk ladies across the street.

Look at him: This kid is scared but his bravery doesn’t let him hesitate. He knows what’s right and he knows in his heart, what he needs to do.

This is the kind of kid that would go to war with his mentor, stay on the space ship to save one person, come back from being dead and fight all over again.

Now, this is the most painful part and I almost wanted to skip it because... I’m still not over it and I never will. I still think Tony deserved a different ending.

So first Tony witness one of his biggest nightmares. Peter dying. Peter, for the first time in this film, shows us just how scared he truly is. He sees how the others start fading and he feels his demise coming. It’s inevitable. So he thinks in the one thing he always thinks about when he’s in a place where he can’t save himself. He goes to Tony. He thinks Tony can save him. Tony always saved him so why would this time be different, right? He desperately clings to Tony and begs him to save him. He doesn’t want to die. 

When he knows that there’s no other way, he gives up. This 17-year-old kid just gave up on his life and apologized for it. This just tells you how selfless Peter is. He’s dying and he’s concerned Tony is going to blame himself for his death. 

Then, when he comes back, from Peter’s perspective, it’s only been a couple of hours or minutes but he doesn’t know he lost 5 years of his life. Imagine how traumatic it was for him when he realized he’s been dead for years. 

He lets Tony hug him. He’s probably done this before. I refuse to believe this is their second hug after two years. Just because this hug is more emotionally charged doesn’t mean Peter didn’t get any affection from Tony before. 

Then the terrible thing happens. He realizes his mentor is dying and tells him the thing no one else told him: ‘We won and you did it, sir.’ 

Tony did it and Peter is aware of this. He tells him it’s him, it’s Peter. It’s someone he trusts and knows. ‘Can you hear me?’ He clings to him and by the look on his face, Peter’s in pain. He passed through this once and now he’s doing it again. For Peter, this is history repeating and he feels like is his fault all over again. 

He’s begging Tony to come back now. He’s watching his father figure die. This kid must be pretty messed up. I thought that after this he wouldn’t be capable of trusting people again but maybe FFH took another direction and showed us that nothing can corrupt Peter’s pure heart. Tony would’ve wanted him to stay pure. It’s just who he is, he always put others before himself. 

In my perspective, I think Peter is not over Tony’s death. He’s not even halfway there. He’s still in denial, he’s still assimilating, he’s still going through it and it’s going to take some time.

Peter is one of the bravest kids out there and that alone should be a big reason to have mad respect for him. He has been through hell and back and he still comes out on top in every situation.

Tony is a big part of his life, and he is always going to be. Peter has Tony in his heart and his presence will still be on him the rest of life. He loves Tony and will always love him, whether you like it or not and if you want to be mad about this, stay mad. This is a fact and no matter how much whining you do, there’s nothing you can do to change that. 

[lyssismagical]

love is a battlefield

{Another Random Parkner Glee AU - Based on S5 ep16}

Back in Tennessee, Harley was known as one of the most brashest kids in school. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, not for Harley. He was the kid who walked with his shoulder back and chin held high, prepared for any fights he might start. Not for fun but because Rose Hill High is littered with bullies, and he’ll stand up for anybody, even if he fights back with violence.

He was known as a strong kid with a bright mind who preferred to use his brawn over his brain in most situation. He was known as the kid who sported bruises proudly and used the line you should see the other guy because it was true, he won most fights even if he didn’t always come out of them unscathed.

It was easy for him to walk with an air of confidence, knuckles split and a nasty shiner, almost acting like how a young Tony Stark would.

So when he moved to New York and started dating Peter Parker, it was easy to spot the dynamics of the relationship.

Harley was, well, Harley.

And Peter blushed at every compliment, was shorter than Harley by a good four inches, wore baggy sweaters over button-ups, had the biggest brown eyes Harley had ever seen.

Peter had an air of child-like wonder. He had fluffy brown hair and the shyest smiles. He refused to stand up to bullies and he took everything the world threw at him with so much kindness.

The dynamic was obvious.

Harley was like the protector. He stood up to Peter’s bullies, he complimented Peter every chance he got to make sure Peter understood how loved he was and because Harley loves the way he flushes under the attention. He took care of Peter.

That’s just the way it always was.

* Harley had been waiting up for Peter for hours.

It wasn’t too abnormal for Peter to miss dinner together at the tower, and Tony didn’t seem worried at all about Peter’s absence, but when night fell and he still hadn’t made an appearance, Harley started sending the panicked texts and pacing the living room in hopes that nothing bad had happened.

When Peter got home, wearing Harley’s hoodie and eyes wide at seeing his boyfriend waiting for him, an argument sprouted.

“Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?” Harley demanded, hating how angry he sounds already, hating how much he sounds like an overprotective parent.

“I’m sorry,” Peter says, doe eyes widening and running a hand through his messy curls. “My phone died a couple hours ago and I couldn’t get to a charger, and I lost track of time. I wouldn’t have been out so long if I knew you’d be waiting up for me.”

Harley lets out an aggravated sigh and he tips his head back, trying to get a hold of his emotions. “Where do you go all the time, Peter? You stood me up last week for date night and you missed Acadeca practice the other day, and now this?”

Peter stays quiet, shifting on his feet and fingers messing with his hoodie strings.

“What happened to honesty, Peter?” Harley says, voice lifting with his rising anger. “I thought we agreed that if something happened, we’d at least be communicative. If you- If you’re seeing someone else, I want to know.”

This gets Peter to understand the seriousness of the situation, probably figuring that this would just be another kiss and makeup kind of argument, not accusatory comments.

“I’m not cheating on you, Harley, I swear. I would never do that to you, you know I love you and only you. I just- I wanted to keep this a secret for your sake. The more you know, the more danger you could be in. I- I just wanted you to be safe, okay?”

“What’s going on?”

Peter steps close enough to Harley to touch him, but he keeps his hands in his hoodie pockets, having to tilt his head back to look Harley in the eyes properly. “I’m Spider-Man. That’s why I go out so late and that’s why I keep blowing you off for dates and dinners. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, I just-”

“You’re Spider-Man,” Harley repeats. He takes a deep breath, just relieved that Peter isn’t cheating, that he still loves Harley. He doesn’t realize the shift in balance then, he doesn’t see the change in dynamics just yet.

“I am.”

“Okay.”

“Okay? That’s it? You’re not mad at me?”

Harley offers a smile and gently kisses his boyfriend. “Not mad. Thank you for telling me.”

And things are fine. They’re okay. Harley will have questions and they’ll have to talk about things, but things are okay. They’re okay.

* Until they aren’t.

One Saturday morning, more like early afternoon after staying up until the early hours of morning the night before, and Harley says he’s going to head down to the gym. He hasn’t been in a few weeks, busy with school and working with Tony and staying up to wait for Peter every night has made him more tired than usual.

But instead of giving him a kiss goodbye, Peter offers to come to. Mentions that he hasn’t been training as much either.

And seeing his boyfriend, the same boyfriend that wore his sweaters that engulfed him, the same boyfriend that blushed at every compliment and smiled shyly at the floor whenever given too much attention, the same boyfriend who didn’t stand up to bullies and let Harley protect him. Seeing him in the gym made everything obvious.

Peter was strong. He pulled off his shirt to change into a loose tanktop and his body was more defined than Harley’s, he wrapped his hands to do some boxing and he looked godlike.

He was beautiful and Harley loved him, he really, really did. But this was different.

Peter boxed and Harley felt useless and weak standing nearby, watching his arm muscles flex and his back muscles ripple with the focus he was putting into boxing. It didn’t take long until Harley realized the effort wasn’t hitting the bag, the effort was not hitting it too hard. And that made him feel even smaller.

Maybe it was because Harley always been the strong one in the relationship, maybe there’s residual self-loathing from being bullied in middle school for being the weaker kid, maybe he just feels like everything he’s been doing for Peter has been pointless because Peter could’ve done it all himself.

Whatever it may be, Harley’s upset and he feels like everything is upside down.

And even though he knows exactly what it’ll do to Peter, he starts arguing more often, he starts blowing Peter off on their movie nights to hang out with other friends or visit the gym to try to make the insecurities fade.

Nothing ever works and he feels like he’s running a race against Peter, and all he wants is to win because it’ll prove that he’s not useless, he’s not weak, he’s still needed.

But every step he takes, Peter takes a dozen, and he’ll never win the race. He’ll never even catch-up.

And Peter, at first, doesn’t seem to notice that anything is wrong. He still rambles about his Spider-Man patrols, he still goes to the gym with Harley and shows off his talents and strengths, he still lets Harley take care of him in a way that Harley feels doesn’t matter anymore.

It all starts careening downhill when Peter says that they should spar, just for fun. Peter will make sure to hold back all his super strength, it’ll just be for training and practicing hand-to-hand combat.

Peter wins. Eleven out of the twelve rounds they spar. The only reason Harley wins one is because Peter let him. He seemed to feel bad when Harley’s panting and sweating, knocked to the floor again, so he purposefully lets Harley win.

And the anger reappears, masking all of the shame and insecurities and how weak he feels losing to his boyfriend, the boyfriend that’s supposed to be small and shy and quietly excited.

The fourteenth round they go, at Harley’s insistence, Harley accidentally starts fighting dirty. How he used to fight the schoolyard bullies back in Tennessee, before he hit his growth spurt. He was still short and weak, so he used everything he could to his advantage.

So when Harley gets a cheap shot and hits Peter in the face, not hard enough to hurt him, but hard enough that he’s able to sweep a foot under Peter’s and knock him to the ground, he feels almost like he’s won.

He’s finally won.

But then he sees the hurt plastered across Peter’s face as he rubs at his cheek and frowns up at Harley.

This isn’t winning.

“What the fuck was that?” Peter asks. There’s no real anger in his voice, despite the harsh words.

“I’m sorry.” Harley’s already ripping the wrappings off his knuckles, fumbling off the mats. “I didn’t mean to-”

Peter lets out a sigh, like he’s disappointed in Harley and it cuts deep. “You’ve been acting weird for weeks, babe. I mean, you didn’t show up to movie night yesterday and you slept on the couch instead of with me. I just… Did I do something?”

“No, sweetheart, I swear, it’s not you. It’s just- I’m just- I don’t know, okay?”

“Please just talk to me. Something’s bothering you, and I hate to think that you’re trying to deal with this yourself.”

Harley sinks to the floor, head in his hands. “When I met you, you were just Peter and I- I helped you with Flash and with Brad, and that made me feel like you needed me. I loved how that made me felt, I loved being able to protect you. But now, everything is completely different.”

“Is that what this is about? You don’t like me being Spider-Man?”

“I don’t like the way that I feel about myself anymore, Peter!” Harley stands running a hand through his hair and turning away from Peter, but his boyfriend follows his movements, eyes sad but so understanding and caring.

“I know it’s different, but I’m still your boyfriend, Harls. I’m still Peter, still me.”

Harley shakes his head because as much as he wishes it were true, it’s not. “I feel like I’m running this race against you and I just can’t fucking catch up, okay? You’re a superhero, Peter. And I’m just me.”

“I would much rather be running this race with you, not against you.”

“I know, I know that, I know,” Harley rambles, scared of the tears that fill his eyes because he’s never been the emotional one, he’s never been the one to feel like this. “I just- I’m so scared that you’re going to wake up one day and realize I don’t love him anymore.” His voice breaks and he lets his head fall into his hands again to try to stop the tears that threaten to spill.

But Peter’s hands are the same small, soft hands as they always were, gentle as they touch his shoulders. “That’s never going to happen. I love you, Harley, and I will always love you. Nothing’s going to change that.”

Harley sniffles, letting himself be pulled into a hug. “I know. I love you too. I’m sorry about all of this.”

“Next time you feel like this, please just talk to me.”

“Okay,” Harley says, voice quiet and fragile. He hides his face against Peter’s shoulder, his boyfriend’s arms tightening around his back and holding him close.

He supposes this is a positive, he doesn’t always need to be the strong one. He’s allowed to break down and cry in Peter’s arms too. That’s allowed, that’s okay. That’s a healthy, balanced relationship. Their dynamic doesn’t need to be a protector and someone to protect, they’re allowed to have a beautiful middlep ground.

Peter presses a kiss to Harley’s temple and everything feels just a little bit better in the world.

Taglist: @littlemissagrafina  @spideygirl2003 @romeoandjulietyouwish @c-artara @shadedrose01 @likeaphoenix13 @tonystarkweneedyou {Let me know if you want to be added or removed}

[leverage-ot3]

notable moments from The Gimme a K Street Job

leverage 5.05

lemme just start by addressing the episode synopsis: “to take down a competitive cheerleading company which profits by putting teenage girls at risk, the team must tackle their most corrupt foe yet: congress”

y’all they went SO HARD for 2012 and I stan them SO HARD for that

- - - - -

Parker (into video camera on phone): Do you hate me? You hate me. Is that why you’re making me—

[Leverage Headquarters]

Parker (on display): —do this?

Nate: No, Par-Parker, these girls... they need a coach, and you’re the best gymnast I know.

Hardison: Besides, it puts you on the inside at Pep H.Q. In D.C. They’re running cheer camp for the next week up until championship.

Parker: But they’re teenage girls. What do I know about teenage girls?

Nate: You were a teenage girl?

Parker: Only sort of

parker I guarantee you’ll be in your element soon enough

but, in the meantime, parker complaining to nate like an offended child to a parent is everything

- - - - -

Sophie: Look, did you know about this? Girls being dropped from 20 feet. It’s unbelievable.

Parker: I know, right? 20 feet? Psh! Walk it off.

Sophie: Parker, you do know that normal people don’t just “walk off” a 20-foot fall, right?

Parker: So... all those times I pushed Hardison off a building and he was all “aah!”... he wasn’t just being funny?

(Hardison shakes his head)

Eliot: I thought it was funny, Parker.

Hardison: No way in hell was it funny.

Eliot: You’re always upside down, man.

Hardison: I fell off a building. I was upside...

Eliot: Like a Himalayan tree frog.

Hardison: You calling me a frog? You calling me a damn frog? Say it again. Say it to my face

I’d die for this chaotic ot3

eliot “I thought it was funny” spencer made sure to both reassure parker and fuck with hardison in the saME B R E A T H

- - - - -

Nate: Ah, there’s the crux of the problem right there. Technically, legally, cheerleading is not a sport. It’s an activity.

Sophie: What’s the difference?

Eliot: A sport has legally mandated safety standards.

Nate: Yes, and a for-profit company cannot run a sport, which is why pep wants to keep Competitive cheer from becoming a sport.

I don’t know why I was expecting someone to bash cheerleading the show had never ever let me down and I should have known better

- - - - -

Sophie: Ah, I love government. Shady deals, back-room meetings... It is grifter paradise.

Eliot: This is wrong. We work outside the law, not smack-dab in the middle of it.

Nate: Relax, Eliot. Elected officials are the easiest marks in the world. Between their ego, the greed, and the politics... More hooks than a bait shop

another fucked up government episode let’s go

- - - - -

Eliot: Right. Assuming it passes.

Hardison: Assuming what? It’s a bill to keep high-school girls out of wheelchairs. Who’s gonna vote against it?

[Congressional Meeting]

LeGrange: Ladies and gentlemen, this bill is a staggering... I say a staggering overreach of government power.

Eliot: You were saying

eliot is smug and loves proving hardison wrong on principle

- - - - -

LeGrange: Now, I was a quarterback in high school, so I think I know a thing or two about cheerleaders. And one thing I know is that they do not want big government getting all up in their business.

(Barron and Snyder enter the room)

LeGrange: Cheerleaders are strong, independent young women. They don’t need a bunch of white-haired old men from Washington telling them what to do. They don’t need a nanny state dictating their every move

this whole thing was so gross wtf

- - - - -

(Hardison uses his phone to create feedback on the sound system. A technician struggles to fix it while Hardison hands Eliot his phone)

Hardison: Just press this button.

LeGrange: I said, who knows what...

(Eliot presses button and the feedback gets worse)

they lowkey grinned at each other when they did it ,,,

they’re a chaotic duo that thrives on fucking with people and I stan them so hard for it

two words: assholery boyfriends

- - - - -

Nate: No, not... not marks. Elected officials. We do this right, we’ll have them eating out of our hand by dinner.

(hours later, Hardison enters looking exhausted. The others are seated around looking tired as well)

Eliot: “Eating out of our hand by dinner,” huh?

Hardison (sits down): Anybody else feel like we’ve been chewed up and spit out

and that’s government, people

- - - - -

Sophie: I like stealing things that are real. Cash... of course. Land... sure. Art... yes, please. Corn subsidies? Not so much.

let sophie steal expensive art from rich snobs pls it’s what she deserves

- - - - -

Girl: Um, coach?

Parker: Right! Okay, who’s up for some basic gymnastics drills?

(Parker presses a button and LASER light lines shine between orange cones. A girl in the back raises her hand)

Parker: Yes. You. What are you called?

Madison: Madison. Can I be excused? I don’t feel well.

Parker: But... We have... laser grid, Madison. Laser grid. Huh?

(on phone call)

Parker: They’re so jaded

I hope they still learned how to dodge lasers at the end

also ,,, THEIR PERFORMANCE WAS SO GOOD AT THE END PARKER TAUGHT THEM SO WELL

- - - - -

LeGrange: No, no. Listen carefully, son. Now, people don’t donate to me to buy my vote. People donate to me because they already know how I’m gonna vote. People donate to me because of my integrity. Now, if your people are interested in me, I’m happy to have your money. But if you think you can buy a vote off of J.J. LeGrange, well, you got another think coming.

[Empty Office]

Sophie: You mean...

Eliot: Yeah, I mean the guy’s got integrity. Elected official or not, you can’t con an honest man

congressman: *is honorable*

eliot:

sophie:

hardison:

nate:

*team collectively embodies the surprised pikachu meme*

- - - - -

Nate: Okay, so what’s your next play?

Eliot: Well, you’re supposed to be the mastermind. He doesn’t want power. He doesn’t want money. Maybe he really is an honest man.

Nate: Everyone has a hook, Eliot. Everyone has a weakness you can exploit.

Eliot: Do you?

Nate: No. You?

Eliot: No. Look, maybe this doesn’t fit into your world view, Nate, but there are some people out there that just want to serve. Trust me. I served with them.

Nate: Okay. Well, if all they want to do is serve, you can exploit that, too.

they totally have hooks and it’s the team but smh act like y’all are untouchable whatever

- - - - -

(Parker turns on a light in Ashley’s face)

Ashley: Madison talked to me in confidence.

Parker: A big word for a little girl.

Nate: Where’s Madison?

(Parker leans down into Ashley’s face, growling)

she literally G R O W L E D LMFAO

- - - - -

Parker: Madison? Madis... (sees Madison) Madison, hey, what are you doing down here? (helps Madison up) Everybody’s freaking out. Come on, we got to get you to the competition.

Madison (jerks away): I don’t want to compete.

Parker: What? Why not?

Madison: I don’t want to mess up again.

Parker: What are you talking about? When do you mess up? You’re great.

Madison: Seriously?

Parker: Oh. You were Marcy’s spotter.

Madison: I don’t know what went wrong. We’d done it a hundred times. Everything was going perfectly. (sits down) I just don’t want anyone else to get hurt.

(Nate clears his voice. Parker sits beside Madison)

Parker: Look... I’m not afraid of heights or falling or... Anything I probably should be. But do you know what I am afraid of? Letting down the people I care about. Look, you don’t have to compete if you don’t want to compete. But I think your friends are gonna feel a lot safer knowing that you’re there, instead of having no one there.

(Madison nods)

Parker: Right? Did, uh, that work? Because I kind of got to get all the way up to the roof, so... (leaves the area)

parker NEVER would have been able to be vulnerable and understanding like that in the earlier seasons and we are SO PROUD of her and her character growth

+

“But do you know what I am afraid of? Letting down the people I care about.”

SHE LOVES HER FAMILY SO MUCH AND NEVER WANTS ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO THEM

also ,,, nate’s fond look at her when she’s saying this ??? im soft

- - - - -

Cheerleader: Ready! Ready!

Announcer: Let’s hear it for the MHS Badgers!

Announcer: Ready! Ready! Let’s go!

Nate: Ready?

[Congresswoman Berkus’ Office]

Hardison: Ready.

[Sophie’s Office]

Sophie: Ready.

[Hallway]

Eliot: Ready.

[Pep Athletics Headquarters]

Parker: Ready.

Nate: Let’s go.

they’re so extra I love them

- - - - -

Ashley: Where’s coach?

Madison: She’ll be here. She won’t let us down.

Man: Wolves, you’re up.

Female announcer: Let’s give it up for the Wolves.

Parker: I’m here! I’m here! I’m here! All right, let’s huddle up. I bet you guys could use a pep talk right about now, huh?

(cheerleaders agree)

Parker: For Marcy?

Madison: For Marcy.

Parker: Go, wolves.

All: Go-o-o-o, wolves!

(cheerleaders perform an outstanding routine. Barron approaches Nate as he watches)

parker THRIVED during this episode and you can’t change my mind

- - - - -

parker watching over the cheer team with pride is my religion

- - - - -

also BIG PROPS to the producers that showed male cheerleaders too

- - - - -

LeGrange: Hi. (to Parker) How are you? J.J. LeGrange.

Parker: I don’t vote.

parker is chaotic and we love her for it

- - - - -

Hardison: And what was that about?

Sophie: Huh? Oh, I was j... I was, um, just planning a little trip to the gulf. The military are breaking ground on Fort Devereaux.

Hardison: Fort Devereaux?

Sophie: Mm-hmm. I love government.

Parker: Missed you guys this week. Good game.

I WANNA SEE FORT DEVERAUX

also parker wrapping her arms around sophie and hardison, happy to have her people and admitting that she missed them? the pOWER

- - - - -

Nate: Good job on this one.

Eliot: I know what you’re trying to do, Nate. You could have told me how to hook LeGrange the whole time, but you wanted to see if I could figure it out on my own. I trust someday very, very soon, you’re gonna tell me what kind of game you’re playing.

Nate: Good job on this one.

(Nate walks away. Eliot smiles, but watches him walk away)

eliot’s bashful little smile at the end is everything

[for-ests]

Lost In Your Light: Peter Parker x Reader (Part 5)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 

[ my masterlist ] word count: 4, 349

CHAPTER 5: THE FIRST TIME I SAW YOUR FACE

As soon as Y/N arrived home, she ran into her bedroom and flipped open her laptop.

She had tried her best to remember everything Mrs. Anderson said but most of it had already started to fade away. Genetic... traits... magic?

Frantically typing away, she searched ‘Genetic healing traits’ but nothing on the first or second page had anything to do with that. Feeling slightly discouraged, Y/N tried a different approach. ‘Is it possible to heal someone by touch alone?’

The history bar claimed she had already searched that question before. She bit her lip with worry, and changed it to ‘proof of healing someone by touch alone’

The determined girl hit send and began to scroll through pages and pages worth of seemingly useless information, until one website caught her eye.

Ancient Norse carvings found in Central Norway that depict possible healing rituals

The title itself didn't exactly correlate to the question she was asking, but it was a place to start.

The Asguardians were powerful God-like human beings who most likely had her powers, but amplified to the extreme. It wouldn't be such a surprise if her... mutation... had something to do with them, right?

Her eyes widened. Could this have something to do with another species?

Y/N slumped forward on her desk and sighed. There were endless possibilities. Yet, there was no denying that research on Norse mythology and the Asguardians was a good place to start. And for some odd, indescribable reason, she was drawn towards it.

"Since wars and constant border disputes ravaged the way of life in the early century—Northern Europeans gradually began to gravitate towards spiritual growth. Their lives were filled with blood, killing, and an incredibly short life span. Due to the constant threat if death, early Norwegians highly valued healing and mendification rituals, spending hours and days on the inner channeling of power from the "higher aboves'' believing if they persisted long enough, the Gods would grant the person they were trying to save with new life.

This information is based on the newly excavated rock carvings pictured above, some found outside and inside Stykket. Scandinavian historian experts were able to decipher its meaning.

"New life will come to those that wait." Y/N breathed out the words. She scrolled through countless pictures of the mountainside cave, studying carvings and pictures of the old European rituals.

It didn't make sense, but at the same time, it did. The girl felt drawn to the carvings in the caves and the miraculous tales they told, connected through an invisible bond. 

Feeling somewhat excited, Y/N kept digging through articles after articles of related mythology and excavated Northern European ruins.

But after what seemed like hours of searching, one particular name caught her eye. 

It was a name that felt holy in itself, and as the words breathed from her lips, she froze. 

Eir, the goddess of healing.

"Eir blesses those who are worthy."

After processing the foreign language that had danced across her tongue, Y/N gasped. She had read straight from the picture. She could understand the old Germanic words without reading the translation underneath.

And that's when her hands started to glow. Her eyes widened in fear, unable to control the sudden surge of energy.

Y/N tried to command it to stop, but the senseless light persisted.

She couldn't feel the warmth like she usually could. She couldn't feel it trying to burst from her fingertips. It felt like nothing was there.

Eir.

The name flooded back into Y/N's mind. A cold chill ran down the back of her spine.

Shivering, the girl lunged forward and slammed her laptop shut. She crawled off her bed and paced the room back and forth.

What the hell was going on?

Her mind screamed, but she couldn't express the emotions she was feeling. This revelation was scary, but her heart wasn't even beating fast. She was calm, and unbothered. Could it be possible that she was psyching herself out? 

Y/N stared at the magnificent golden light, one that lit up the whole of her bedroom, sparkling against her eyes and the windows that overlooked the city.

Y/N sat back on her bed. Unsure of what to do. The light would fade eventually… right? 

She turned her hands over and noticed something that she hadn't noticed before.

Her veins were glowing.

Mrs. Anderson had mentioned it could be a genetic trait...

Y/N always knew she was part Scandinavian, it came from deeply rooted ties on her mother's side. She had celebrated it, especially from the recent emergence of Thor and other mythical beings. But her mother was dead. And that part of Y/N died with her.

Y/N suddenly felt solemn all over again. She didn’t have much communication with her mother's side of the family. She hadn’t spoken a word to any of them since the funeral. A funeral that seemed like ages ago, but also one that was as fresh as yesterday. 

Her father was 100% (Y/R), so this power manifesting inside of her was not a trait passed down by his relatives.

Feeling overwhelmed from the lack of valid answers, and desperate to take her mind off the situation at hand, Y/N glanced to the clock. It was midnight.

She sighed heavily. It was time to make her nightly rounds, even though she was incredibly tired and in need of sleep.

At the idea, the glowing ceased. 

Furrowing her eyebrows in concern, Y/N was confused if that was a good or a bad sign. Regardless, she quietly zipped up her jacket and slipped into her boots. She had a feeling tonight wouldn't be so action packed. It would be like most nights-- walking aimlessly through the streets and feeling nothing.

Nevertheless, she persisted and managed to sneak past her father's bedroom without him hearing. She was starting to become a pro at sneaking out.

At least it's for a good purpose... not for partying or drinking. If he ever finds out he should be proud of me.

Y/N stepped out into the street, shivering against the brisk winter breeze. Since it was a weeknight, there was not another soul in sight.

Her senses were static. They felt as cold as ever. An uncomfortable contrast from the warming, encouraging surprise she had witnessed before. 

The girl almost felt like turning back.

But minutes later, she found herself at the end of the street, heading towards the park.

Why do I come here almost every night?  No matter what, I always come back.

Y/N sighed, breath misting into the air. Her eyes drifted to the sky, and what she found was utterly disappointing.The city was so bright that she couldn't see the stars.

Her mood shifted temporarily as a car passed by.

The girl longed to escape the city. She longed to walk through a meadow and sit by a stream. Y/N wanted nothing more than to walk through a forest and inhale the scent of the evergreens. She was starting to grow sick of the constant routine, walking through the bleak concrete streets, shuffling mindlessly through the hallways, sitting at the same park, and longing for something more. Every single day and every single night. 

Sitting there like that, made her feel so little... so insignificant... so normal.

And Y/N knew she was far from it.

So why do I have to keep pretending I am?

She held her hands out in front of her and examined them for the hundredth time that day. They looked normal, they felt normal, so why weren't they?

Why was I given this power?

She felt tears welling in her eyes. Y/N didn't know how much longer she could take this.

She was alone. Nobody could help her, nobody could provide an explanation. She had been suffering through the motions her entire life, hoping for something that might never come.

Through her blurred vision, she focused on the lights across the bay. There was nothing special about them, but she had to focus on something. Nothing around here was special.

And as if it couldn’t get any worse, snow began to gradually fall around her. Y/N could see the crystallized snowflakes pattering across the water, she could see them glimmering in the lamplight.

But she stood still, unaware of how much time was passing. She felt numb.

I'm truly alone.

But that's when she heard the snow crunch under someone's feet.

Y/N whipped around.

It was Peter. Or Spider-Man. She felt like she couldn't call him Peter without knowing what he really looked like. A man in a red and blue suit didn't look like a Peter.

The girl just stared at him, unsure of what to say, and unsure if she wanted to stop the questions racing through her mind.

She had gotten too used to them.

"I had a hunch you were going to be around these parts." He finally said. "Though I'm not sure why you're just standing in the snow."

"Nobody needs my help tonight." She whispered, turning back to face the water.

Peter stepped alongside her, and didn't say anything. Y/N was guessing he felt the same way, since the streets were entirely empty.

"So why aren't you in bed?" He asked, trying to spark casual conversation. She couldn't tell what he was looking at from the shelter of his mask, or if he even noticed how distraught her expression was. 

"Didn't feel like it." The snowflakes began to catch in Y/N's hair. She frowned, wishing she had brought a hat.

Spider-Man was silent. Regardless if he wanted to console, it was nice to be in his company. His presence instantly repressed her negative thoughts and emotions. 

He stepped closer, but not too close. He glanced at her sideways, mask twisting in response with his expression. The girl rolled her eyes, she hated not knowing what he was thinking, or if he was even looking at her. 

"Why did you come find me?" Y/N whispered, his proximity causing her heart to skip a beat, even if she was staring directly into black fabric.

Peter shrugged. "I thought you might be in danger..."

"And...?" She questioned, knowing that couldn't be the only reason. His posture was tense and hesitant, a far contrast from the night before. Something was wrong.

Only for a brief moment was he able to hide the truth. 

Eyes scanning along the exterior of his suit, Y/N tried to find some sort of injury. She furrowed her eyebrows when she couldn't find anything.

"I was wondering if you could heal me again." He admitted, following her gaze. "But I was serious about the danger part."

The girl almost burst out with laughter, but bit her lip to keep herself from doing so. "Of course I would." She said evenly, though deep inside her nerves were stirring.

Peter said nothing.

"Well?" Y/N started to take off her gloves, shoving them inside her coat pocket. The winter air nipped against her skin, causing her to shiver again. 

She looked up to find Spider-Man staring right at her.

"Where is it?" The girl asked. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

"It's on my face." He swallowed.

"And that's a problem because?" She chuckled, knowing well enough why he was hesitant.

"Only a few people know who I really am." He said. "I need to be able to trust you."

"You can." Y/N replied quickly. "I have a secret too. You're the only person who knows what I can do."

"I am?" His voice sounded surprised. "How? You walk around the streets with only a hat on."

"I'm still working on that." She looked away in embarrassment. "What happened a few nights ago was the only incident I've been in. I don't go fighting crime like you, I'm quiet about it. I can lie my way out, unlike you."

"Unlike me?"

"That's besides the point." Y/N tittered, realizing she had instinctively moved closer to him. "You're going to need to take your mask off if you want me to help you."

"I-I know."

"There’s nothing to be worried about, I promise." She assured, knowing such a blanket statement was easier said than done. "We're in the same boat. A secret for a secret."

“You’re right.” His breath sounded shaky. 

Despite that, Spider-Man slowly reached up and slipped his mask off. He had tossed all doubts aside at her confident promise. 

Curly brown locks bounced as they were freed from the silky material, and Y/N's breath hitched when she finally saw the handsome face that was hiding underneath.

"W-wow..." She stammered. He was more attractive than she had anticipated, and frankly, it only caused the crush she had on him to grow stronger.

"What?" He looked confused.

"That looks like it hurts." The girl covered up her moment of reflection. She wouldn’t be caught dead swooning over the very person she needed to partner up with. There was no time for that… there couldn’t be any time for that. 

"It does, a lot." Peter agreed. He could barely see out his left eye, his eyelid so swollen that it was starting to force his eye shut completely. 

There was also a deep, bloodied gash that ran along his whole cheek and across his nose. His skin was discolored with bruises but she still thought he looked charmingly handsome. 

To Y/N, his injuries were a reminder of how selfless he was.

"As you can see I can't go to school looking like this." He whispered. "People would ask too many questions."

Peter could tell Y/N was studying him. He couldn't tell what she was thinking, but he felt her eyes graze over every part of his face.

"Come here." She whispered, holding her hand out. Her voice was gentle and alluring. Peter found himself obeying without a second thought.

Her soft, delicately feminine fingers brushed against the cut on his cheek. They were a warm beacon of light against the harsh waves of wind that swelled around them.

Y/N closed her eyes. The warmth grew intense as she channeled her power to mend the gash. She managed to keep the golden light at bay, but she felt the same surge of energy; one that was almost too hard to control.

The girl’s hidden emotions helped intensify her capabilities. Her fingers ran smoothly along his cheekbone, so smoothly that she felt the scar disappear. Y/N reached over and touched the tender skin along his left eye, taming the natural healing process to follow her own. 

Without trying to, she glanced from the injury to his eyes and witnessed her golden light dancing in them. Gazing further, distracted, she noticed they were an enchanting shade of amber brown. Wonder illuminated in them.

Could that wonder be... for her?

Y/N's hands fell to her sides. The injuries were gone.

"Thank you." Peter said.

"It's no problem, really." She shrugged, slipping her gloves back on. In truth, she didn't really need them since her hands never felt cold. Especially after she used her powers. But it was the one thing that still made her feel normal. 

It was a barrier against the uncertainty of her future. 

Y/N looked back up and met his eyes.

"You know..." She swayed back and forth on her heels, the snowing crunching underneath her weight. "You're handsome. Why do you keep your identity a secret?"

Peter blushed at her partial compliment. "I... um. I don't know. I guess I don't want people to hurt my family and friends. The reason I fight is to protect them, I don't need the fame that may come with it."

"I understand-"

"Why do you keep your power a secret? You could help so many others than just me." Peter continued, a gust of wind blowing his hair to the side. He began to slip his mask back over his face.

"I prefer you with it off." She smiled softly, avoiding the question.

Peter decided to not to pry. He considered the thought she might have a reason to not share her abilities with the world, one that he couldn't understand.

"Well Peter." Y/N said evenly. "I better get going now that nobody needs my help."

"Yeah... Do you have school tomorrow?" He asked.

"Yes. I'm a senior. Are you?"

Peter nodded. There was a moment of silence and she could tell he wanted to say something more.

Y/N waited, her eyes studying him intently. There was so much to look at when it came to Peter. She still couldn't believe she was gracing his face. The girl couldn't help but feel special to know she was one of the few to do so.

"Can I..." He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "Maybe have your number?"

Y/N stared at him in surprise. She couldn't tell what he wanted it for.

"For when I need you to... you know." He gestured, too embarrassed to admit his actual reasoning. 

She grinned as a plausible reason finally clicked through her mind. "And for when I need... you know. Help."

"Precisely." He chuckled, pressing a patch of suit on the side of his leg. A phone slid out on command, and he handed it to her, the contact app already opened.

"Did..." Y/N gasped in astonishment as she typed in her number. "Iron man totally made this suit for you, didn't he?"

"Yeah." He seemed proud. "He did."

They smiled at each other, but Y/N's soon faded. Her contentment was replaced with a solemn expression.

Would this be an appropriate time to ask him for help? If anyone has the connections it's Spider-man.

"Do..." She hesitated, handing him back the cell phone. "Do you think Mr. Stark would have any idea what's wrong with me?"

"Wrong?" His lips parted in confusion. "There's nothing wrong with you, Y/N."

Peter's voice was firm and commanding, and it almost persuaded her to think differently.

"I..." She faltered, stumbling along her words. "You're the only person I've met that has... extraordinary abilities. And we met by chance! It may be stupid, but I feel as if we met... for a reason?" Y/N started to twiddle her thumbs. Admitting her thoughts was embarrassing, especially to a superhero, someone who could actually help her.

His features softened at the sight of her so open and honest. It was almost as if she was unraveling herself for only him to see. It hadn't taken long for him to crack her shell. Perhaps it was because he had trusted Y/N, and she noticed it.

"I feel so alone, Peter. I've been trying to understand my powers, but there's nothing. I need someone to help me-"

"I will help you. All you had to do was ask." He interrupted, knowing she was going to persist trying to convince him of something he already agreed with.

The girl sighed in relief, the words dying in her throat.

"T-thank you... so much." She turned away. "I should get going. I'll... text you or something." She assured, trying to cover up her moment of weakness. Y/N didn't understand why asking for help bothered her so much.

But she needed a change. Though the power was hers, she couldn't do it alone.

"Be safe, Y/N." He called, debating whether or not he should follow her home. The last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt. Talking to Y/N was like a breath of fresh air, and Peter found himself growing particularly fond of her.

She looked over her shoulder one last time. "You too, Peter."

Her parting sentence was simple, yet effective. Peter loved the sound of her voice.

What is this feeling...?

He sighed. It was nothing like the petty little crushes he had for girls at school. This feeling was different, it was stronger; though he had only known her for a couple of days. Peter slipped his mask on as he watched her leave.

She was a mystery he couldn't wait to solve.

As he ran from the park, swinging from rooftop to rooftop, the image of her beautiful smile refused to fade from his memory.

Peter stood at the top of a skyscraper, the sound of harsh winds filling his ears. As he stared out at the city, everything finally seemed to make sense; only for a moment.

He meant what he had said. He would help Y/N in every way he could.

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