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marauderundercover · 3 years ago

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Taking Chances Ch. 19: Lack of Communication (Wayne Gala)

AO3

The shrill ringing of her phone tugs Marinette from her sewing machine. Glancing at the caller ID, she grins widely.

“Hey Uncle Jagged.” She says, pushing her chair away from her desk. It’d been a couple weeks since she last heard from the man as his tour had really picked up at the end. It was practically back to back concerts, so that didn’t leave a lot of time for phone calls or face times.

“Little Rocker! Glad I caught you. I have an event next week and I was hoping I could drop by the bakery so you could fix a tear in one of my suits.” He says. Marinette winces. That’s what she was supposed to do. Tell Uncle Jagged about...well, everything.

“Yeah, about that…” She trails off, wishing she’d thought to tell him about the whole ‘adopted’ thing the last time she’d seen him in person. “I’m actually not in Paris right now. I’m in Gotham spending the summer with my birth father.” She says, deciding to just rip the bandaid off. There’s silence for a minute. Then two. She looks down at the phone, frowning. Did he hang up?

“You’re in Gotham?” He finally says.

“Yup.” She says, sighing. “I’m really sorry I won’t be able to fix your suit.”

“What, no, this is great! See the event is in Gotham! It’s just a bunch of rich people and- hold on. Penny!” He yells. She catches bits and pieces of their conversation, Penny agreeing wholeheartedly with whatever it is Jagged has suddenly decided. “I have a rocking idea.” He adds.

“Okay? I’m listening.” She says, glancing at the new dress she’d started that was pinned on her dress form. She was having trouble with the shape and was quickly getting frustrated with her struggles.

“You could come with! As MDC, of course. You could wear one of your designs and get known in Gotham. The event is supposed to be highly publicized. Penny thinks it’d be a good way to get known in the US. So, whatdya say?” Jagged asks, and Marinette can just tell that he’s grinning widely, can hear it in his voice. She thinks for a minute, glancing at the dress form with a new sense of determination.

“I’ll have to double check with my dad.” She says, trying to think if they had any plans for next week.

“Of course! Let me know soon, okay? Penny says she wants to start publicizing MDC’s appearance if you’re gonna come.” Jagged says. Marinette agrees before hanging up, thinking. Would her dad let her go alone? Or would he insist on coming with? She knew Gotham was dangerous, it’s why she hadn’t gone anywhere by herself despite being a hero herself. She didn’t want to risk her Miraculous falling into the wrong hands, even if the person didn’t realize what they had. Making up her mind, she sets off to find her dad and ask about the event. She still wasn’t quite sure what it was, just that there would be plenty of big names and plenty of journalists- the perfect opportunity to build up a clientele outside of France. Checking his study first, she’s unsurprised to see he’s not there. Knowing chances were good that he was in the cave, she pulls a domino mask out of her purse. Her dad had asked her a couple days ago to wear one in the cave just in case they had unexpected visitors. Kinda like how her and Chat Noir had shown up unexpectedly that one time. Complete accident. Changing the time on the clock, she presses the button that opens the entrance, sliding in and walking through the passage. Glancing into the cave, she grins when she sees her dad, in costume, sitting at the computer.

“Hey B!” She says, knowing not to call him Dad while he was in the cowl. Something about it making him seem less intimidating, or something.

“Ladybird.” He nods. She frowns, glancing at the computer screen and wincing when she sees Superman on screen.

“Sorry, I didn’t know you were busy.” She apologizes, waving awkwardly at the man on the screen. He quirks an eyebrow.

“Hello. Ladybird, was it?” He asks and she nods.

“Er, yeah. Ladybird. Nice to meet you.” She says, rocking back and forth on her heels, eyes darting around the cave. Maybe she should just leave and ask later.

“Is everything alright?” Her dad asks, obviously confused at her presence in the cave. Not that she wasn’t allowed, she just didn’t spend a lot of time there.

“I was just wondering if I could go to an event next week with my Uncle.” She says, trying to stay vague. He’s silent for a moment before nodding.

“We can discuss details later, but that should be fine.” He says. Marinette grins, bouncing up and down in excitement.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” She cheers, resisting the urge to hug him. “Bye Mr. Superman!” She adds, waving before running back through the passage to work on her dress some more. This was going to be amazing!

---

Penny had picked Marinette up early the morning of the Gala. She still wasn’t sure what it was for, but that didn’t bother her. She was just excited that she had finally finished her newest dress in time for the Gala. Penny had insisted on her coming over early so that she could help Marinette do her hair and makeup, which she was thankful for. Selina apparently had something to do tonight and couldn’t help her, and she would’ve definitely been her first choice. Smiling down at her dress, Marinette looks at Penny with a grin.

“Could you take a picture for me without my face covering so I can show my parents later?” She asks. Penny nods, smiling back.

“That dress is amazing, Marinette. Truly one of your best designs.” She says. Marinette blushes at the compliment before smiling at the camera. She thanks Penny and takes her phone back, sending the picture to her Maman and Papa as well as her dad and Selina. She was extremely proud of the dress and wanted them to see her in it before she added her ‘disguise’ to protect her identity.

“Hey, Aunt Penny?” Marinette says, looking up at the woman. Penny hums, putting on lipstick. “What is the event for? All Jagged said was that it’s a Gala.” She says, Penny huffs.

“Of course that man didn’t give you any other information. Honestly, sometimes- you agreed without knowing what the event was?” She says, eyebrows raised. Marinette shrugs.

“Uncle Jagged said that it’d be fun. I trust him.” She says. Penny sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose.

“Remind me to read any contracts before you sign them, okay sweetie?” She says. Marinette nods and Penny smiles. “Good. Anyway, it’s a Wayne Gala. The family hosts several every year to help raise money for the Wayne foundation.” Penny says and Marinette freezes. Wayne Gala? As in, her father? Her family? Were they really having a Gala tonight without telling her? Or inviting her? Were they….were they embarrassed by her?

“Like, Bruce Wayne?” Marinette manages to ask, trying hard to ignore the way her heart breaks when Penny nods. That was why Selina couldn’t help her. She had to get ready for the Gala. And if she had to guess, the rest of her family was also going. What would they have done with her if she hadn’t had plans? Would they have told her then? Or would they have acted like nothing was happening. Where even was the Gala? Oh my god. It was at the Manor, wasn’t it. The thought strikes her and she winces, giving Penny a small, tense smile.

“Are you okay?” She asks, obviously concerned. Marinette nods sharply.

“Yes, one last question. Where is it?” She asks. Penny frowns, obviously not believing that Marinette was okay, but luckily not pushing it.

“Wayne Manor. The Galas are the only time the manor is opened to other celebrities. The family is usually very private.” Penny says. Marinette huffs out a puff of air, working hard to ignore the hurt in her chest. The feeling that she wasn’t enough. That they didn’t need her. Suddenly, she wasn’t excited anymore. She really wished she would have asked Jagged for more details last week, because now she was stuck going. And it was going to suck.

---

Feeling confident in her design and disguise, Marinette walks through the wall of journalists with Penny and Jagged at her sides. She was working hard to push down the intrusive thoughts that were threatening to take over. Instead, she tried to focus on the questions being called out by the journalists.

“Jagged! Jagged Stone, is this really MDC?” One of them asks. Jagged immediately stopping and shooting the reporter a wide smile.

“Of course it is! She designed all three of these outfits.” He says, gesturing between the trio. “Isn’t she rocking!”

“MDC, why did you pick the Wayne gala to make your first public appearance?” Another journalist asks. Marinette turns to Penny, trusting her to answer the question. They’d agreed before leaving the car that it was best if Marinette didn’t speak directly to any journalists. It would make it easier for them to place her age and where she’s from, given her accent.

“She was in the area and Mr. Stone insisted his favorite designer needed a chance to flaunt her skills in America.” Penny says, flashing the journalist a wide smile before gently pushing Marinette along down the line of journalists. Marinette nods to the man who’d asked the question before following Jagged and Penny closely, her stomach churning as they walk up the front steps of the manor. Of the place she’d been living since summer started. Where apparently they didn’t care to tell her about one of the biggest family events of the year. No big deal. She thought they were accepting her, that they were all getting closer. But maybe not. Her dad not telling her didn’t hurt nearly as much as her brothers not telling her. That felt like a knife in her chest. Trying hard to move gracefully instead of tensely, she follows Jagged into the manor and into the ballroom. Her jaw clenches as she spots her family across the room.

“Mr. Stone, I’m Clark Kent. Nice to meet you.” A man with a notebook and camera says, walking over and extending a hand. Marinette narrows her eyes. She thought the journalists were supposed to stay outside. And this man looked oddly familiar….

“Rocking meeting you man! You a journalist?” He asks, his calculating look hidden by a wide grin. Mr. Kent chuckles.

“Yes, sorry for being so forward. Mr. Wayne and I are friends, so he lets my wife and I have an exclusive pass to come inside the Galas.” He says, glancing at Marinette over his glasses. She watches as his eyes widen slightly before he schools his features back into a neutral expression.

“That’s pretty rock n roll of him!” Jagged says, clapping Mr. Kent on the shoulder.

“It is. Pardon me, but are you MDC?” He asks, turning to look at Marinette once again. She glances at Penny, shaking her head to let her know that she’ll speak for herself for this one. As upset as she was with her dad, he obviously trusted this man. So she would as well.

“I am. Pleasure to meet you, Monsieur Kent.” She says, extending her hand. He smiles, shaking her hand.

“And you, ma’am. I must say, I was not expecting to see you here. I was under the impression that in person events weren’t your forte.” He says, clearly fishing for something. She knew how journalists worked, she’d seen Alya at work enough times to understand that the man in front of her was looking for a story. One she wouldn’t be giving, no matter how much her father trusted the man.

“I like to occasionally surprise people.” She says, waving her hand in a noncommittal way. “Keep them on their toes.”

“I can respect that. Well, I’ll let you all get back to your evening. Nice to meet you all.” He says. She nods back at him, not missing the way he immediately darts off to her dad. She watches as the two start talking, a surprised look on her dad’s face before he turns and sees her. She knows he recognizes the dress. Knows that he knows as well who is underneath the veil. She turns, deciding to ignore him. He didn’t want her here, fine. She’d make sure she stayed out of his way.

---

Clark Kent was confused. He’d known that Bruce must have another kid, adopted in some way. He didn’t just work with random vigilantes, especially not in his city. So knowing that Gotham had a new vigilante named Ladybird, he put two and two together. Didn’t take the world’s greatest detective. But what was confusing was the fact that no new faces showed up with the Waynes as they walked into the ballroom for the Gala. Making a note to ask him about it later, Clark makes his way around the room, talking to familiar faces and names, writing things down that would help the story he was being forced to write on the Gala. These events were not his favorite to cover, hardly anything ever happened. Until he heard the commotion outside, other journalists calling out to MDC. He blinks in surprise. MDC had never made a public appearance before. This was an odd one to choose. Preparing himself to confront the designer, he’s surprised as she walks in behind Jagged Stone. He’s even more surprised when he realizes she had to be a teenager. He chats with the girl and Jagged, glancing down at her over the top of his glasses, shock immediately flooding him. The girl had injuries. Hundreds of them. Bones fused back together haphazardly. Quickly excusing himself, he rushes over to Bruce.

“Do you know who MDC is? Because that girl is definitely younger than Tim. And she has hundreds of injuries, Bruce. Hundreds.” He says quietly, watching as Bruce turns and glances at the girl, his eyes widening slightly.

“Shit.” He mutters.

“What?” Clark asks, trying to figure out if he should also be concerned. Bruce smiles, but it's tense.

“That is my daughter.” He says. Clark blinks.

“That’s the new one? Why didn’t she show up with the rest of the family?” He asks.

“I knew she had plans for tonight, so I didn’t tell her about the Gala. I was going to warn her about it, if she didn’t have plans. So she knew to stay in her room.” Bruce explains. Clark frowns.

“You were going to keep her locked up?” He asks incredulously. Not even the least social Wayne was kept locked away for the Galas.

“Of course not. It’s just- she hasn’t said she wants to be announced yet. She hasn’t even said anything about being MDC because she hates the spotlight. I couldn’t just throw her to the sharks. I’m just trying to do what’s best for her.” Bruce says, standing up straighter. Clark sighs.

“Did you actually talk to her about it? Or did you just assume?” He asks, Bruce huffs.

“I think I know my daughter a little more than you do, Kent.” He says.

“Really? Because from here it sounds like she’s about two breaths away from a panic attack. And Penny Rolling keeps reassuring her that they don’t have to stay long. Oh- and now she’s apologizing for not telling her it was a Wayne Gala until today, but she’s also clearly confused as to why it’s upsetting her. And now-”

“Okay, I get it.” Bruce snaps, cutting him off. Clark raises an eyebrow.

“I’m not sure what happened, but you should fix this.” He says with a pointed look before walking away. God knows the Bats all need a push in the right direction every now and again.

---

Jason frowns as he looks around the room for Marinette. He knew that she hadn’t come with the family, B hadn’t explained that one. But he had heard that MDC was there. And he wanted to talk to her, make sure she was doing okay. These things were annoying as hell and he knew he wouldn’t get through it if he didn’t have his brothers (even if they were little shits). He finally spots her near a wall, clearly trying to disappear. He grins widely, walking over and grinning at her.

“Well, MDC, fancy seeing you here.” He teases with a wink. He watches her for some kind of reaction, frowning when he doesn’t get one. “Pix?” He says, softer this time as he looks at his baby sister.

“Oh, that’s right, I wasn’t supposed to be here, was I? Well, sorry to disappoint.” She snaps bitterly. Jason flinches back, surprised at her tone.

“What’re you talking about?” He asks, eyebrows furrowed. Why did she sound so hurt? Why did she think they didn’t want her there?

“Clearly I’m not as much of the family as I thought I was.” She hisses under her breath. He starts to deny that, but she cuts him off with a humorless laugh. “Bruce didn’t even tell me that there was a Gala. None of you did either. A Wayne family Gala and I wasn’t told. I should’ve known better.” She says, turning to walk away. He grabs her wrist gently, stopping her.

“I promise you, we want you here. Dick, Damian, Tim, me- we all want you here. I can’t speak for B, I’ll definitely be having words with the son of a bitch later, but we want you here.” He says, frowning as he listens to her sniffle under her veil. “Pixie, we thought you knew. He told us you weren’t ready to come to this. I swear to you, we would have told you if we knew. I swear.” He adds. His heart breaks as he hears a hiccupped sob break free from her. He wants nothing more than to wrap his baby sister in a hug, but he knows he can’t. Media’d have a field day.

“Really?” She asks in a small voice. Jason nods.

“Hell yeah Pix. Tell ya what, I’m gonna go get the others and then we’re all gonna sneak out. Take one of the old man’s cars and get some garbage fast food. Who needs this lameass party anyway.” He says, hoping she’ll agree. He’ll let himself be mad at Bruce later. And boy was he gonna be mad. The old man had really fucked up this time. It was one thing to ask Mari to not go to the Gala, or to think she wasn’t ready for it. It was a completely other thing to not even give her the chance to decide, or tell her at all. Cause now she was hurt and thinking everyone hated her. Well, he wasn’t gonna let that happen. Not on his watch.

“Lemme just go tell Jagged and Penny real quick.” She agrees, scurrying off. The second she walks away Jason lets his smile drop into a scowl. That son of a bitch. Storming over to his brothers, he tugs them over to the wall. Better not to let B get word of where they’re going.

“What is the meaning of this?” Damian asks with a scowl.

“Pixie’s gonna tell her Aunt and Uncle that she’s leaving and then we’re stealing one of B’s cars to go to McDonalds.” He says simply. Tim frowns.

“And we’re doing this because?” He prompts.

“Because B apparently didn’t tell the kid about the Gala. And she assumed we knew, and that we all hate her.” Jason explains with a frown.

“Father said she didn’t want to attend.” Damian says, and Jason huffs.

“Yeah, well apparently he lied. She had no clue that the event she was going to as MDC was a Wayne Gala.” He says.

“I’ll go get the car and pull it up front.” Dick says, a determined look on his face. Sometimes his ‘we’re a family and we stick together’ shit annoyed the hell outta Jason, but he was thankful for it today.

“I’m gonna go grab Selina’s coat for her to put on. I saw her dress, and if any MDC fan sees her leaving with us it’s gonna start a media circus.” Tim says, walking away to the coat room. Jason sighs, watching Marinette from across the room. A cleared throat beside him tugs his attention back to his youngest brother.

“What?” He asks, pushing his frustration down. He’d go shoot something later, but right now he was determined to not take his frustration at Bruce out on his siblings.

“Why would Father intentionally keep her from the Gala? She is far more adept at social interaction than I am.” Damian says with a frown. Jason sighs, shrugging.

“No clue. But I’m not about to let her push herself away from the rest of us just because B fucked up.” He says, watching as she walks over to the wall, almost disappearing in the shadows. He nods towards her, making sure Damian follows. The second Tim has Selina’s coat, their small group is off, sneaking out one of the side doors and walking past the journalists, sprinting to Dick and the waiting car. They all jump in and she tears the veil off her face, making Jason wince slightly at her red, puffy eyes. Dick slams on the gas, eliciting a curse from Jason and a squeal of surprise from Marinette.

“So! We broke out of that stuffy party. Where are we headed?” Dick asks, glancing in the rearview mirror to make eye contact with Jason. Jason grins.

“We go get a shit ton of junk food from McDonalds and eat it in the car. Give it the old, fast food smell that B loves oh so much.” He says. Marinette snorts, and Jason grins at her. He’d give B hell later, but for now, he was going to enjoy spending time with his siblings.

---

Bruce frowns as he glances around the Gala, not seeing his daughter. Or any of his other children. He made a mental note to talk to them later. Perhaps keeping the Gala from Marinette wasn’t his best decision.

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davidmann95 · 4 years ago

Note

now that it's over, thoughts on Bendis' Superman as a whole?

pretenderoftheeast said: So, thoughts on Bendis' Superman and Action Comics' tenure altogether and separately now that it's over?

Anonymous said: Best and Worst things about Bendis' Superman run

Anonymous said: Now that it is over, what are your thoughts on Bendis' runs on Superman and Action Comics as a whole?

Anonymous said: Retrospective thoughts on Bendis' Superman as a whole now that it's, I guess, done?

Anonymous said: Hey so since Bendis’ Superman stuff seems to be done, what did you think of the run as a whole?

I decided to hold off a bit on writing on this one, if only so that I could reread the Action Comics side of it since Superman stood out in my memory a lot more. But now I have, and as we’re heading into a bold new era of Superman (and it’s coming in fast - just since I made my Superman in 2021 predictions we’ve gotten Ed Pinsent finally reprinting his legendary bootleg Silver Age Superman, Steve Orlando announcing his Superman analogue book Project Patron, an official shonen Superman redesign for RWBY/Justice League, PKJ’s Super-debut turning out far better than I ever expected, Superman & Lois’s first proper trailer largely taking people pleasantly by surprise, and my learning that there’s a Sylvester Stallone Old Man Superman analogue movie titled Samaritan coming out this summer) we’re ready to take a look back with at least a touch of perspective. I’ll lead with complaints, so everybody who’s been waiting for me to say that Bendis on Superman was Bad, Actually, savor this because it’s as close as you’ll get.

The Bad

* I hate to say it, but rereading that side of the run there’s no two ways about it: the structure of Action Comics as a whole is a mess. It baffled me from day one that it was the more acclaimed of the two books for so long - I guess people are hardwired at this point to think of ‘street’ stuff as where Bendis is supposed to be - because it was immediately clear that Superman had a well-defined story he wanted to tell, while Action was the usual Bendis off-the-cuff improvisation. It’s barely even a story in the same way, and it’s certainly not the ‘Metropolis crime book’ people took it as: it’s 28 issues of Superman and his supporting cast stuffed a pinball machine with the Red Cloud pinging off of each other as we wait to see who falls in the hole at the bottom, and partway through Leviathan and the Legion of Doom and 90s Superboy are tossed into the mix to keep it going a little longer. On an issue-to-issue basis it’s frequently really good, but the core plot of the book is *maybe* six issues stretched out over two and a half years.

* I’ve gone into this some before, but structure-wise Unity Saga also has problems: Phantom Planet rules but either it needed to be cut or the back half needed to be a year all its own in order to accommodate the scale of what it’s attempting. It’s got an interstellar civil war leading into the formation of the United Planets, family drama, Rogol Zaar’s whole deal, and Jon’s coming of age, and I’d say only that last one is really properly served. Even Jon forming the United Planets, while contextually somewhat justified in terms of 1. The situation being so far gone he’s the only one who’d even think in those terms, 2. Things being bad enough that these assorted galactic powers would be willing to try it, and 3. Him having the S on his chest to sell it, isn’t at all built up to within the run itself.

* Rogol Zaar sucks. He’s made up of nothing but interesting ideas - he’s an ersatz warrior ‘superman’ of a bygone age of empires up against the new model, he’s the sins of Krypton as a conservative superpower come home to roost, he’s while not outright said to be definitely Superman’s tragic half-brother and the culmination of everything this run does with Jor-El - but none of them manifest on the page, he’s just a big punchy dude with a dumb design who screams about how you should take him seriously because he’s totally the one who blew up Krypton. Even a killer redesign by Ryan Sook for Legion of Superheroes can’t fix that. There are lots of bad villains with good ideas who are redeemed with time and further effort, but I can’t imagine Zaar getting that TLC to become a fraction of whatever Bendis envisioned him as.

* The second year of Action Comics, after establishing itself in its first as one of the most consistently gorgeous books on the stands, leads with Szymon Kudranski’s weak output and then concludes with John Romita Jr. turning in some career-worst work. The latter is particularly egregious because for that first year Bendis writes a really collected, gentle Superman so him getting pushed into being more aggressive should have an impact, but Romita draws such a craggy rough-looking Superman in the first place that it mutes any sort of shock value.

* WE NEVER LEARN WHAT’S UP WITH LEONE’S CAR, WHAT THE HELL. You don’t just DROP THAT IN THERE and then NEVER FOLLOW UP.

The Good

* Superman got his real clothes back after 7 truly ridiculous years.

* Bendis fundamentally gets Clark’s voice in a way unlike almost any other writer - even all-around better writers of the character almost never approach how spot-on he is with having Superman speak and act exactly how Superman should.

* Supporting cast front and center! He writes a dynamite Lois, Perry, and Jimmy (even if many of Lois’s more out-there decisions in the run don’t end up retroactively justified the way you’d hope), Ma and Pa are more fun than they’ve been in decades in their brief appearances, he manages to turn having Jor-El in the mix into a positive, and the Daily Planet as a whole has an incredibly distinctive vibe to it like never before that I hope is taken as a baseline going forward.

* The non-Rogol Zaar baddies? All ruled. Invisible Mafia and Red Cloud are both brilliant ideas executed solidly if overextended. Zod as Kryptonian Vegeta, Mongul as a generational perpetual bastard engine primed to be incapable of self-reflection, and Ultraman as “what if Irredeemable but he’d never been a good guy and also he was a Jersey mobster” are the best versions of those characters by numberless light-eons. Lex is on-point in his sparse appearances. Xanadoth as a mystical cosmic monster older than time who still talks like a Bendis character is however unintentionally a hoot. The alt-universe Parasite is a more intimidating Doomsday than Doomsday ever was. And Synmar as an alien culture’s attempt at creating their own Superman and messing up the formula when they make him a soldier can and should be a legitimate major ongoing villain coming out of this run.

* Pretty much all the art other than what I mentioned already. Fabok does a good job bookending The Man of Steel and Ivan Reis does the work of his career anchoring Superman (special props to Reis as well for drawing the first ever non-Steve Rude interesting-looking take on Metropolis), and meanwhile you’ve got Jim Lee, Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, Doc Shaner, Steve Rude, Kevin Maguire, Adam Hughes, Patrick Gleason, Yanick Paquette, Ryan Sook, Brandon Peterson, and David Lafuente doing their own parts.

* Closely related to the art, all the little flourishes with the powers. Super-speed having a consistent visual with the background coloring changing, Clark internally putting numbers to the degrees of force behind his punches and what situations which numbers are appropriate for, ‘skidding to a halt’ mid-flight before crashing through a window, the shonen-ass major throwdowns as portrayed by Reis, how his super-hearing is handled as a prevalent element. Lots of clever bits that added flavor to what he does.

* While Unity Saga has problems, the whole of what Bendis does in Superman as a means of forward momentum for Clark and his world is excellent. The sort of three-act structure of:

** Clark is led to question his place in things over the course of a few adventures

** Involvement in the larger cosmos and the impact it has had through and on his family makes him realize the answer to his questions is that he needs to step up in a bigger way because there’s no benevolent larger universe to welcome Earth with open arms, nor a cosmic precedent for everything turning out for the best without some help

** As a consequence of the lessons learned by this change in the status quo Clark is inspired to make his own personal change in revealing his identity (with Mythological basically being an epilogue showcasing a ‘standard’ standalone Superman adventure while simultaneously highlighting his new status quo and how it fits in as a summing-up of Bendis’s take)

…does a great job of shepherding through ideas that lend a lot of forward momentum to Superman of the kind he hasn’t seen in a long time. Not perfect, but far lesser stories with far lesser ambitions have made huge impacts, so I’d certainly hope at least some of this sticks around even if, say, regardless of any retcons to the main line there are always going to be stories with Clark as a disguise and Jon as a kid. Oh, speaking of whom,

* KISS MY ASS, EVERYTHING WITH JON KENT RULED

Ahem. Probably a less confrontational way of putting that.

Do I think there was more gas in the tank for Jon as a kid? Totally, making him likeable and viable was the one really good thing the Rebirth era accomplished for Superman and I expect we’ll continue seeing more of it in the future one way or another. But whether or not him being aged up was Bendis’s decision, or working with marching orders to set up the eventually-(kinda-)discarded 5G, the coming of age narrative here is fire. He keeps the essential Clark Kent kindness and bit of Lois Lane cheekiness that reminds you he’s still their kid, which is a combination Bendis is basically precision-crafted to write, but his trials by fire give him a background entirely unlike the by-the-numbers “and here’s how Superman’s great kid grew up to be a great superhero too” narrative you’d expect while still arriving at that endpoint. If superheroes live and die by metaphors then Jon in here is what it means to grow up written as large as possible: leaving home for the first time (and seeming to shoot up overnight!), getting into the muck of how the real world works, being beaten down by authority wearing faces you’ve been taught to trust, scrambling to get through with the whole world against you, and in the end getting through by learning to rely on your own strength while keeping your soul intact and your head held high, and even managing to speak some truth to power. It gives him a well-defined life story with room to go back to and explore the intricacies of each leg of for decades to come in a way Superman hasn’t had since the original Crisis - someone someday is going to write a The Life & Times Of The Son Of Superman miniseries and it’s going to be one of the greats - and negates any question that he’s earned his stature as the heir apparent.

* Coming out of this, Superman’s world is fascinating. He’s out but rather than giving up his day-to-day life he’s openly spending part of his life as CLARK KENT: SUPER-REPORTER and part of his job on the cape-and-tights side of things is now KAL-EL: SUPER-SPACE-DIPLOMAT, Lois Lane coruns a foundation helping people whose personal continuities have been fucked over by Crisis shenanigans, Jimmy Olsen owns the Daily Planet but is still doing Jimmy Olsen stuff because that’s how he gets his kicks, and Jon Kent is going to college in the future. I’m not anywhere near naïve enough to think that’s how things are going to be forever, or shortsighted enough to think there’s no value left in the traditional setups, but god I hope these developments stick around for a long, long time to come and potentially become the new ‘normal’ as far as the ongoing shared universe stuff goes, because it all feels like the right and promising next steps to take for the lives of these characters. However it got here, for all the pluses and minuses along the way even if I maintain the former very much outweighed the latter as a reading experience, Bendis has a lot to be proud of if that’s the legacy he leaves on these titles.

* The recap pages at the desks!

#Superman #Brian Bendis #Jon Kent #Opinion

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hateswifi · 4 years ago

Text

No More Second Chances: Chapter Five

So yes, I know it's been over a month, but I’ve been dealing with some stuff.

Master: Master List

No More Second Chances

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

She sighs in relief as they walk through the portal.

“Are you ok?”

“As fine as I can be, but now that this is over, I have to go back home. I left Jon confused because I was bawling my eyes out and just disappeared,” Marinette sighed, she turns to open a portal but stops as she’s pulled into a hug by him.

“If you need me, I’m a call or portal away,” Adrien mutters into the back of her shoulder.

“Ok, Adrien, I know it’s ten here and you’re not going to school, but it’s early in Metropolis and I have school,” Marinette giggles. “I’ll see you soon.” She steps through the portal.

“What the actual heck,” Jon says, as she enters the living room.

“Have you told your parents yet?”

“Oh yes, he definitely told us,” Lois said, leaning up against the counter.

“Oh heck, um hi, I’m your exchange daughter, and I just so happen to be Ladybug. Another surprise is I was just exposed by my parents to all of Europe,” Marinette answers shyly

“Wait seriously? That’s it,” Jon asks.

“For god’s sake, one person that’s all I ask,” Lois says, picking up her coffee and walking away.

“What’s that about?” Marinette asks.

A yell comes from down the hall. “Because I’m the only normal person here! Just one person is all I wanted.”

“I knew it!” Marinette says triumphantly. “You guys are the heroes of Metropolis.”

“How’d you!” Jon exclaims, earning an elbow from Clark. “I mean why would you think that?”

“You guys wear glasses to disguise yourself,” Marinette deadpans.

“Ok maybe that wasn’t our best idea,” Clark mutters. “But that doesn’t explain how or why you disappeared.”

“Oh that’s simple, my biological parents outed me on T.V. so I had to go do clean up and tie up loose ends,” Marinette shrugs, walking down the hall to her room.

“Where are you going?” Jon called after her.

“To get ready for school, I have to change out of Aunt Amelia’s clothes before school starts,” Marinette called over her shoulder.

“Who’s Aunt Amelia?”

“Adrien’s aunt, who decided that she wants me as a niece,” Marinette’s muffled voice comes from down the hall.

“Oooh is Adrien your boyfriend?” Clark teases.

“No he’s my best friend and hero partner,” Marinette responds, walking back down the hall. “What’s for breakfast?”

“We’re going back to normal now? Ya know what fine, whatever,” Jon said, standing up to grab a cup of coffee.

“You don’t like coffee,” Clarks points out.

“I’m just already done with today,” Jon says, putting his head on the counter.

“You think that’s bad, I’m going over to Damian’s after school to work on our project,” Marinette sighs.

“Oooooooh you gotta a daaaaaaaaaate,” Jon teases.

“No, we’re barely friends,” Marinette says quickly, she puts her head down on the counter.

“Was that a blush?” Jon pokes.

“No, he doesn’t like me at all, why would I bother liking him?” Marinette says, raising her head.

“Ahh it’s ok Mari, he’s like that with everyone, he’ll warm up to you,” Jon comforts.

“I don’t care if he does or not,” Marinette says, standing up abruptly. “I’m going to the train station early, meet me there when you’re ready, I have a lot to think about.” She says, grabbing her stuff before leaving. It was an hour later when Jon found her, just as she said she would be, waiting in the train station.

“You good?” Jon asks, sitting down beside her.

“Yeah, I guess I am there’s just a lot that's been happening during the past day and the question and teasing were too much I guess,” Marinette sighs. “You ready for school?” She asks standing up.

“Uhh sure, I bet we could stop at the little cafe that’s close to school,” Jon says, walking towards the train.

“Ok we have time,” Marinette responds, stepping on the train. The trip is silent between the two raven haired teens. Marinette ends up falling asleep. Even though it felt like a couple of minutes, it was well needed.

Jon woke her up as they were arriving at their stop. “Mari, if you wanna get coffee we’re going to have to get off now.”

“Hmmm… ok,” Marinette sighs, standing to get off the train. Marinette got her coffee and slumped to the first period without waiting for Damian. She laid her head down on her desk and proceeded to fall asleep, luckily for her, Lois called in and said she had been up all night dealing with a family emergency, Mrs. Waters took pity on her and let her sleep.

“Come on next class,” Damian said, looking down on Marinette.

“Huh ok,” Marinette says, standing up, but almost proceeds to fall over, only to be caught by Damian.

“Are you ok?” Damian asks, helping her stand up straight, he actually seemed a bit worried.

“I was dealing with family issues last night,” Marinette shrugged, leaning down to pick up her stuff.

“Are you still able to work on our project after school today?”

“Of course, wouldn’t want to make you even more grumpy,” Marinette said with a small giggle. Damian wouldn’t admit it but he blushed the tiniest blush and if she had been looking at him, he would’ve said it was just her tiredness getting to her.

“Yeah, whatever, let’s head to our next class,” Damian mutters, leaving the room. The classes go on as normal but with an extra sleepy Marinette. They say goodbye to Jon at the end of the day before Marinette and Damian climb into the black car.

“Master Damian, it’s nice to see you bringing home a friend besides, Jon.”

“Alfred she is an acquaintance, and we are just working on a project,” Damian says, looking out the window.

“My apologies, Master Damian,” Alfred says, his eyes flicker to the blue-haired girl.

“Since Damian,” She starts, being interrupted by a yawn. “Is apparently too rude to introduce me, hi monsieur, my name is Marinette, I’m living with the Kents as a part of the exchange program.

“He can be difficult, miss Marinette,” Alfred smiles.

“You’re not supposed to agree with her,” Damian says, looking away from the window to meet Alfred’s eyes in the mirror. After the introductions, the car ride is quite quiet. Unlike Damian’s complaints, the manor is pretty calm. Maybe a too bit calm because Damian had to leave for a minute the next thing she knew, she was out cold, asleep.

Damian walks back into the room to see Marinette fast asleep and he’s about to wake her up when Tim walks in the room watching something on his tablet. “What’re you doing here, Drake?”

“I was watching this video on a French,” He cuts himself off with a slight screech. “There’s a living breathing girl here?” The loud noises stir her awake.

“Did you finish what you needed to do?” She askes with a yawn. She looks over to Damian and sees Tim standing there. “Hey, I’m Marinette.”

“As in Marinette Dupain-Cheng?” He asks, looking in between her and the tablet.

“I mean kind of,” She shrugs. “I don’t go by Dupain-Cheng anymore my parents dis--”

“Shut up! Don’t finish that wor-”

“Did someone say they were disowned by their parents,” Bruce says, entering the room.

“Umm… hi, I’m an exchange student from France,” Marinette greets with a wave.

“So you were born Marinette Dupain-Cheng,” Tim questions, looking back up from his tablet.

“Yeah,” She says slowly.

“You’re the magic girl!” Tim screams.

“Did someone say magic girl?” Dick says, popping his head in the room.

“Seriously? I guess news travels fast,” She says, picking up her phone. “It’s only been like fifteen hours.” She finishes with a sigh.

“Why didn’t anyone reach out to the league?” Tim asks.

“Been there done that, got called a joke, decided that it was better handled by ourselves. And it worked out Hawkmoth is gone, I’m free of that burden,” She shrugs.

“Can someone explain what’s going on, I head magic girl and I want an explanation,” Dick wines.

“Oh.. I’m Marinette Fu, I am the Guardian of the Kwami and true holder of the Ladybug miraculous, but that’s not news, its already been in the news today, well Parisian and British news.”

“Was that the family matter?” Damian asks, eyeing the petite girl up and down.

“Oh yeah definitely, my parents outed me on national television and made it seem like it was my fault I wanted to leave, speaking of leaving it’s dinner soon and I don’t wanna be late,” She says, standing. She grabs her little purse and takes out a pair of round glasses.

“Wait, so you’re in need of parents?”

“You can fight Clark and Amelia for custody,” Marinette says before calling on her transformation.

“SHe’s A FREakIN MAgIC gIRL,” Dick screams, watching her transformation.

“See you at school tomorrow, Damian,” Marinette salutes before walking through the portal leaving a whole mess of a family behind.

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

Tag List:

@sturchling @maribat-is-lifeblood @sonif50 @thestressmademedoit @myazael @mochinek0 @messymessyml @amayakans @weird-pale-blonde-person @animalgirl05 @justafanwarrior @kalianoble @mewwitch @elmokingkong @noirdots @itsmeevie01 @colorfulmongerpsychicranch @tis-i-beanbandit @thetinymoonflower @whats-she-gonna-post-next @alwaysnumberonetruth @hauntedwintersweets @not-annoying @wargraymon0709 @tired-butterfly @heldtogetherbysafetypins @literalfantrash @toodaloo-kangaroo @feliciakainzofspades @lozzybowe @moonlightstar64 @angelofmusickaterinapetrova @pirats-pizzacanninibles @sassakitty @gwennex @dawnwave16 @ccwkm6967 @softlysobbingpostendgame @pale-lady-dreamer @a-star-with-human-name @whats-she-gonna-post-next

Permanent Tag:

@ash-amg @bee-wrecker @damianette-is-life @mjisntme @i-will-be-your-ace @k-poplunardreams @chocolateherringtacofan @toodaloo-kangaroo @i-is-mysterious @imnotfluffy @nanakeid

#maribat #marinette dupain cheng #batfam #damian x marinette #marinette x damian #ml salt fic #damian wayne #ml x dc #damimari

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loisinherlane · 3 years ago

Note

Hi! I hope this isn’t an annoying ask but I’m curious to see how you view Conner’s dynamic with Luthor? I feel that Conner’s relationships with both of his dads hasn’t really been delved into as much. I think the closest we’ve gotten is Titans?

This isn’t annoying at all! <3 Anon, I love getting asks so much because I love to ask. Being asked how I view dynamics is exciting because it’s a chance for me to run my mouth.

First, I’m going to clarify that I don’t keep up with current comics super well, especially because I’m still reading through a lot of the more fundamental old comics. Most of this analysis is based on Post-Crisis continuity, and we’ll have to admit that’s Schrodinger’s canon at the moment. When you say Titans, I’m not sure if you mean TTv3 or the TV show, which I haven’t really watched since midway through the second season, so I have no comments on that.

We should also note that Lex as a character isn’t exactly written consistently. When Kon first appeared, Lex was in disguise as his own son via a clone body... and Kon was only made to be his and Clark’s “son” later, in the wake of the Smallville changes. These are changes I still ascribe to in my canon: The Luthors are from Smallville. Clark and Lex were best friends. This has an enormous impact on the Luthor-Kent dynamic as a whole.

You’re right in that they really haven’t been delved into that deeply. For one, DC doesn’t acknowledge Clark as Conner’s dad (except in this tiny, tiny panel where Lex is reading an article by Lois).

(Adventure Comics (2009) #2)

I see you trying to hide that, DC. Could not make it less obvious. But it’s canon to me. Clark considers Conner his son. <3

Of course, Lex much more obviously calls Conner his son, but he also calls him his property. Big Yikes.

(Robin (1993) #147)

(Adventure Comics (2009) #3)

Obviously accounting for different writers and different takes, we can take this combo in multiple ways. Lex could be lying in either case. Consider the first panel. After his first fight with Superboy-Prime, Conner gets sick, and Tim theorizes Luthor must have a way to save him prepared somewhere. He does, and this is their conversation afterward. It makes sense for a Lex who doesn’t actually care about Kon to still want to save him because he’s “his.” But it also makes sense for a father who loves his son but can’t show it for whatever reason to do anything he has to do to save him without revealing his hand.

This doesn’t even take into account what Lex did earlier in TTv3, but I’m not going to hash that out too much. Suffice it to say, whether Lex loves Kon or not, he’s not above using him as a tool.

Kon’s feelings are more comp(Lex). (Ha. I think I’m funny.) When Kon comes back from the dead, he has this conversation with Clark:

And later, when Kon is working through his list to figure out if he’s more like Clark or Lex, he admits he was lying.

(Adventure Comics (2009) #1)

In canon, Conner has very little time to process how Lex uses him as a tool (see my child of divorce notes), and he has to figure out how he feels about not only being a clone of Superman and Lex Luthor but what that means for him as a person. He really tries to parse that out once he comes back to life, but he never really gets a chance to get to know Lex Luthor as a person, only as a villain.

Personally, I think Kon’s feelings are really akin to a kid who loves their parent while recognizing they’re not a good person. Kon wants to know Lex, and he wants to be part of his family, even as he’s repulsed by him and his actions. This is such a child of divorce mood too: You’re constantly managing your parents’ feelings. Clark hates Lex, so Kon has to hate Lex too! Conner chose his side. He’s not allowed to regret it. And the thing is, Clark is proven right over and over. So why would Conner want to know him at all? But Lex does have family, and while they haven’t been around in a while, I think it would have been cool if his relationships with Lena and Lori Luthor were explored more!

Sorry this got really long and rambly and I totally lost the point. When writing, I try to extrapolate from canon as much as possible. I think they have a really complex relationship that hasn’t been explored deeply enough because they don’t really know each other. I’d love to see multiple avenues. A Kon that unambiguously hates Lex after getting to know him. A Kon who manages to have a familial relationship with Lex in spite of being on opposite sides. A Kon who convinces Lex to settle down and just be the annoying ex-husband, basically. Sometimes, lighter versions of their relationship are fun to write/read. (Literally my rendition in Kon-El and the Great Kazoo Caper.)

Personally, I’m a big fan of metaphors, so I think my ideal Conner and Lex relationship goes back to the child of divorced parents thing. Lex constantly tries to pull Kon between him and Clark, and Kon hates it. He hates that he’ll always side with Clark because it’s the right thing to do, even though it makes him feel guilty. He hates that he cares about Lex at all. And Lex loves him, but that love doesn’t mean Conner isn’t someone he can use. Sometimes parents are just bad people, whether they love you or not.

Hope this makes sense, anon! Feel free to shoot me any more questions you have. <3 <3 <3

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superalphabatman · 4 years ago

Text

The ‘I’m 100 pages into the Superbat tag on AO3′ Rec List Pt1

for @robin-jasontodd

A Game of Misunderstandings - JustGettingby

Things were going well for Bruce until some hot-shot reporter learns his identity. Now, he'll have to do what he can to keep his secret quiet. Even if that means joining the game of blackmail that Clark Kent started.

A Name He’ll Earn - dippkip

When the gods of Krypton uncover a plot to lay waste to humanity, a champion is chosen to rally the people and defend the mortal realm. However, the solution sits ill with Kal-El, who feels it would be more helpful to offer direct aid. Disguising himself as a mortal, he descends from Krypton to fight alongside this champion, but finds he must contend with more amorous distractions than he anticipated. This king of Gotham is a legend in the making, indeed.

As We Grow - butterflyslinky

Clark Kent is a farmer deep in debt to Lex Luthor.

Bruce Wayne is a billionaire with seven children and no luck in love.

But their families have a scheme to get them together and hopefully make life a little bit better.

Causality - whiteroses77

A tragedy befalls the Earth, and Superman decides he needs to do something about it, but he needs Batman to fulfil that wish. But how will their efforts affect Clark and Bruce’s lives?

Conviction - whiteroses77

Batman volunteers for a mission to find something that has been lost. It will take him to an unfamiliar and formidable place. Will it be worth it when he finds something that makes him question himself?

Everyone Knew Eventually - SoraHoshi

It took a little indirect help from a couple of embarrassing incidents, his ex, and his best friend’s son.

failsafe - lesbianchrispine (Sher_locked_up)

They’re each other’s kill switch; but, like, in a totally romantic way.

fallin’ for him was like fallin’ from grace - Resacon1990

“But Bruce isn’t gay?” Clark points out, and there’s an awkward moment of everyone clearing their throats and avoiding Clark’s eyes until he turns to stare at Bruce. “Are you?”

Bruce blinks for a moment before offering a sheepish smile. “I’m not... not?” he offers, and Clark feels his brain just about short-circuit at the news.

Or, five times Clark finds himself falling for Bruce, and the one time he does something about it

Forfeit - whiteroses77

Superman and Batman have to deal with the consequences when they have a really bad day after the JLA have a showdown. But will Clark and Bruce manage to salvage some happiness from someone else’s mistake.

grasp his heart (once and for all) - liodain

Bruce Wayne doesn’t believe in fate.

Helpless - sofia_gigante

When a near-death experience brings Superman’s desire for Batman out into the open, a dark and surreal relationship grows between the two heroes. However, when Clark’s obsession with Batman’s identity collides with Bruce’s trust issues, their games come to a bitter end. Months later, Clark is distracted from his heartbreak by the assignment of a lifetime—an interview with billionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne. Unaware of their shared past—or secret identities—Clark and Bruce's mutual attraction grows into a fledgling relationship. Faced with the potential for something real, they both must decide if they can still live double lives—or if the cost of secrecy will be too high to pay.

In every sense of the word - bobafiend

Superman could not find it in himself to get along with Batman. Every conversation between the two was an argument, and not even Wonder Woman could force the two to make peace.

At least everything was going well at work. Bruce Wayne had recently bought the Daily Planet, and Clark was finding himself rather taken with the man.

Alternatively titled "Why Wonder Woman is on the verge of losing her fucking mind."

Incurable - susiecarter

Clark comes back a little bit wrong—or maybe more than a little bit. He poses a danger to anybody close to him, in more than one way. There's only one person he can think of who's learned enough about Kryptonian biology to help him and isn't currently in prison; and Wayne owes him, anyway. At least he won't have to feel guilty about lashing out anymore, if he's doing it at the guy who tried to kill him.

Except "lashing out" doesn't really cover it, after a while—and maybe Wayne's in over his head just as far as Clark is.

Infection - rebooting

Rather than being killed by Doomsday, Clark is badly wounded, and infected with kryptonite that has been corrupted via Doomsday's blood. In the aftermath of the fight, with nobody realising the extent of the damage, Clark and Bruce attempt to build something like a working friendship, with Bruce shrugging off the alterations in Clark's behaviour as post- traumatic reaction from having been nearly killed, until Clark, who has been giving in to urges to take what he really wants regardless of the cost to other people, decides to take something he's been wanting since the fight: Batman.

Like a Steel Trap - missigma

A young Bruce Wayne travels to Metropolis to try to gather more information about a mysterious new hero, Superman. After his first attempt—questioning reporter Clark Kent in his hotel room—proves fruitless, he returns to his original plan to meet the man himself. Long aware of a kidnapping plot, Bruce allows himself to be taken captive in hopes that Superman will rescue him. While Superman does make an appearance, nothing else goes according to plan.

Like Hand and Glove - megamindful

Bruce Wayne doesn’t have a soulmate. He’s been bare-wristed all his life. Chosen by fate to be alone... but fate never planned on Clark Kent.

Loss of Time - Lopithecus

"Let's listen to Flash, you said. I'm sure it'll be fine, you said." Batman's teeth are starting to clench. "Flash knows what he's talking about, it'll be easy and done with before you know it, you said." He's glaring and clenching his jaw so hard that Clark is almost afraid he's going to break his teeth. "Does this seem easy to you Superman, because it certainly doesn't to me?"

After a mission gone wrong, Bruce is left in a state that Clark really has no idea what to do with. Clark struggles to take care of his friend while battling his feelings for him along with trying to keep him safe from people who want to hurt him.

#superbat #superbat rec list #my rec list #wf #the fact that tumblr crashed #and didnt post this the first time #to erika #this just gonna be all the fics ive seen you these past months #the covid reading list lmao

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wistfulcynic · 4 years ago

Text

Love Blooms

Summary: Princess Emma and Lieutenant Killian Jones have been together for three years. They’re deeply in love and an engagement is imminent. There’s only one problem: His brother doesn’t know about them, and Killian isn’t sure how to tell him. So when Liam finds out by accident, all that’s left is for Emma and Killian to fill him in on the story of how they met.

This is that story.

(a prequel--and sequel--to Error 404: “Little” Brother Not Found)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY @mariakov81!!! My lovely, brilliantly talented Masha, you are a pure delight. Your gif responses make me laugh and your art makes me cry. Your enthusiasm and love of fic is so inspiring and your encouragement is one of the reasons I’m still writing. I love you lots. 😘

You mentioned that you’d like to read a meet-cute, so I hope this one pleases you. Have a FANTASTIC day ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rating: G Words: 4.3k Tags: Lieutenant Duckling, Modern Lieutenant Duckling, Modern Royalty AU, Brothers Jones, College AU, Meet-Cute

On AO3

Love Blooms:

It should have worked, really. As risky plans go, it was a pretty solid one. It should absolutely have worked.

Princess Emma was easily recognisable, of course. As the only royal child and heir to the throne she’d been photographed extensively all her life, and those photos disseminated throughout the kingdom. But they were always taken in controlled situations, with her hair carefully styled and her clothing precisely engineered to invoke a very specific image. Her parents made absolutely certain of that.

After the attempted coup by the queen’s stepmother on the day of the princess’s birth, the king and queen had taken decisive action to protect their only child and to ensure that no one but trusted personnel had access to her. On the rare occasions when she left the expansive palace grounds, no paparazzi followed her and none of Misthaven’s citizens so much as snuck a sneaky pic with a cell phone. Emma was to have protection and privacy until she came of age and officially took on her royal duties. That was the deal her parents made with the press and the people, and they enforced it rigidly.

It should have worked. Emma’s most recognisable feature—her long, bright gold hair—was dyed a temporary dirty blonde (her mother nearly cried) and her green eyes shielded by large glasses. Most days she pulled her hair back in a ponytail and wore no makeup. She dressed in jeans and t-shirts, like any other college kid. It was a good plan. It should have worked.

She hadn’t reckoned on Killian Jones.

She’d known him for a few years, sort of. For several months of the summer she was sixteen while his brother served as a member of her personal guard, Killian had hovered around the edges of her world, thin and gawky and usually with his nose in a book. The one time they were introduced he’d gulped visibly and made an awkward bow, then got away as soon as he could. But not before he’d made an impression.

She wasn’t sure what it was about him that caught her eye—possibly the way he seemed to be trying so hard not to catch it, or the size and variety of the books she saw him reading, or the way he would smirk and roll his eyes whenever he heard something he thought inane (which happened fairly frequently; polite conversation at court was not exactly scintillating). Possibly it was just those eyes, the bright, clear blue of them and the intelligence and humour she was sure she detected in their depths. Whatever it was it made butterflies dance in her belly whenever she saw him, and though they exchanged no more than a dozen words in the months he was at court she couldn’t seem to get him out of her head.

“What does your brother do?” she’d asked Commander Jones one afternoon, as casually as she could.

“He’s starting at the university in the autumn,” the commander replied, pride audible in his voice. “Going to study physics and engineering.”

“Wow.” Emma wished she didn’t find that so impressive.

“He’s a smart lad,” said Commander Jones with a grin. “He’ll change the world, mark my words.”

Emma marked them, though she asked no further questions. It wouldn’t do to appear too interested.

That was August. By October Killian Jones was gone from her life and so was his brother, the elder Jones off to serve on Misthaven’s flagship and the younger of course, to the university. And that really should have been the end of it.

Her desire to go to university herself had nothing to do with Killian, it truly didn’t. She hadn’t forgotten he was there, exactly, but her determination to attend had far more to do with her status as heir to the throne and wishing to be as prepared as she possibly could be when she became queen.

“But your tutors have given you the best education you could have,” her mother pointed out. “You’ve studied the history and political structure of Misthaven and all its allies and enemies. You’ve read all our country’s great books and know the history of our art. You speak six languages. That’s far more knowledge than I had when I became queen. What else are you looking for?”

“I want a chance to get to know the people I’m going to be ruling,” said Emma. “That’s one thing you had that I don’t. I’ve spent my whole life in the palace, and I know you kept me here for my own safety but I’m nineteen now and I want to meet people. Real ones. Ones who don’t know I’m the princess.”

“Emma—”

“Just give me a year,” she pleaded. “Just a year to go to college and live like a normal student. I’ll wear a disguise and go by a different name, you can even plant guards around me if you must but please, please just let me do this.”

In the end her parents relented. Her mother, despite her tears at the new hair colour, had been unconvinced that the small changes Emma made to her appearance would be enough of a disguise, but Emma insisted they were plenty and her father backed her up.

“Do you know why no one figured out Clark Kent was Superman?” Emma asked, as King David nodded approvingly behind her. “It wasn’t because putting on glasses was such an intricate disguise. It’s because the idea of Superman working at a newspaper was so completely absurd. No one saw a superhero in an ordinary reporter and no one’s going to see the princess of the realm in an ordinary literature major. People see what they expect to see.”

And they had. All of them. All except Killian Jones.

She really hadn’t reckoned on him.

She settled in well to college life, though it was not the easiest transition going from her own suite of rooms in the palace to a tiny dorm shared with another student, a bright, chatty girl called Ruby. Ruby was easygoing and outgoing and always going. She loved to party and whenever she went out tried to coax Emma along as well, and though Emma really had gone to college with the intent to study, she reasoned that her main aim in being there was to get to know her people, and what better way to do that than at a party?

Which is how she found herself two weeks into her first semester standing in the living room of a run-down student house, sipping valiantly at some locally-brewed ale and trying to remember the names of all the people Ruby introduced her to, and trying to remember that when they said ‘Anna,’ they were talking to her.

She was chatting with a boy called Walsh who had a supercilious smile and, she soon realised, a very high opinion of himself, when her flagging attention was caught by shrieks of laughter coming from the other side of the room. She glanced over in search of their source then immediately looked again, blinking rapidly to keep her eyes from bugging out of her head.

There across the room, surrounded by a largish group of people—one of whom, Emma noted, was Ruby—stood Killian Jones. It was him, she was sure of it, sure that she would recognise him anywhere, but oh, the changes time had wrought on the boy she’d known. She wasn’t sure if he really was any taller but he looked it, standing straight with his shoulders squared. There was stubble on his jaw and hair on his chest, clearly displayed by the undone buttons of his henley, and his eyes—so much brighter when not hidden behind thick glasses—twinkled as he delivered a quip that had everyone around him exploding in fresh peals of mirth.

She couldn’t tear her eyes away from him, staring so hard she could see the exact moment he sensed her gaze and turned, his own eyes widening immediately in recognition. Of course he recognised her, Emma thought, he would; however older and cooler and hotter he might be now he was still the smartest boy she’d ever met and Superman’s disguise could not fool him.

He stared at her for the longest moment of her life and then he winked—the worst excuse for a wink she’d ever seen—and turned his attention back to his crowd. Emma breathed a sigh of relief. He wasn’t going to blow her cover.

She realised with a start that Walsh had kept on talking this whole time and she hadn’t heard a word he said. He seemed to realise that too, finally, and scowled at her.

“Hey,” he said. “Earth to Anna.”

“Sorry.” She offered a polite smile. “My mind wandered.”

“Well, wander it back over here,” he said. “I was telling you all about my Reddit subgroup I started, and you weren’t even listening.”

“Sorry,” she repeated. “Though actually, would you excuse me, I—”

“Are you kidding me?” he snapped, his scowl darkening. “I bring you a drink, come all the way over here to talk to you. All I ask in return is a little bit of attention and you can’t even give me that.”

“I—”

“I’m a nice guy, you know,” he continued, moving closer. “I’d treat you right. Don’t think I didn’t see who you were looking at just now. If you think those guys would treat you better than I—”

“Look, Welsh—” Emma interrupted, bristling at his presumption and his tone.

“It’s Walsh.”

“Yes, sorry, Walsh. Um, I don’t know what you think this is, but we only just met. We’ve been talking for ten minutes and it’s basically been you monologuing about Reddit the whole time. If you’re really looking to connect with people it might be better to ask them something about themselves instead of dominating the conversation.”

“Oh, right, because it’s all about you, isn’t it?”

“That’s not what I—”

“You’re not even that pretty, you know,” he sneered. “Glasses are really unattractive on a woman.”

Emma began to sputter with indignation. No one had ever spoken to her in such a way before and she was outraged to learn that there were men in her realm who felt that it was acceptable to insult women as long as they weren’t royalty, apparently. Walsh smirked as she struggled to find words vile enough to express her opinion of him, and then a deep voice spoke from just over her shoulder.

“Perhaps you’re the one who needs glasses, mate, if that’s what you really think.”

Emma didn’t even need the butterflies leaping up in her belly to know that the voice was Killian’s. Her heart began to pound in time to the butterflies’ dance as she turned to find him standing just behind her, glowering darkly at Walsh. “I’m certain the lady told you she’s not interested, so why don’t you bugger off back to whatever rock you crawled out from under?” he snarled.

“You can’t tell me what to do,” blustered Walsh.

“And yet I just did.”

“Who the hell do you think you are—”

“He’s my boyfriend.” Emma jumped in before the scene could escalate, blurting the first thing that popped into her head. Walsh gaped at her, so astounded that he failed to notice Killian’s own slack jaw and bugging eyes. Killian recovered quickly, however, and casually looped an arm around Emma’s shoulders.

“Aye,” he said. “I am.”

Emma slipped her own arm around his waist, leaning her head against his shoulder and doing her best not to faint. He was surprisingly sturdy and he smelled so good. She wanted to bury her nose in his neck and just breathe.

“So stop trying it on with my girlfriend and piss off,” he said, tightening his arm to tuck her more securely against his side while also managing to loom over Walsh through the sheer force of his personality, despite them being more or less of a height.

Walsh glared at Killian and then at Emma and then back to Killian again, and when neither of them budged he reached out and snatched the cup of ale from Emma’s hand.

“I’ll be taking that back, then,” he huffed, and marched away.

“Thank goodness,” said Emma. “It was not pleasant.”

“Dwarf ale,” remarked Killian. “Not for the faint of stomach.”

Emma chuckled and looked up at him, into those bright blue eyes that had never faded from her memory. He grinned back at her, a grin with an edge it hadn’t had three years ago, and she caught her breath.

“Killian—” she began, then his eyes went wide with horror and his ears flushed bright pink. He pulled his arm away so quickly she stumbled and stepped back, rubbing the back of his neck. “Bloody hell,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry, Em—er, Your High—”

“Shhhh,” hissed Emma, grabbing his arm and pulling him into a quiet corner. “Careful or you’ll blow my cover. My name’s Anna now. Anna Swan.”

His tense expression relaxed and he raised an eyebrow. “Swan, hmm? Interesting choice.”

“Yeah, it’s a—well, it’s a story. Kind of a long one.”

He smiled, the eager, interested smile she remembered so well. “I have time. If you’d care to tell it?”

He got her a drink, a sweet, fizzy one this time laced with just a few drops from his cup of Glowerhaven rum. They stood close together in the darkened corner and he listened intently as she told him about her childhood fondness for the palace swans, their elegant beauty and terrible manners, and how she’d loved reading the tales of the Swan Princess and the fable of the Ugly Duckling, and how her father had taken to calling her his little duckling after she’d demanded he read her that story at bedtime for three months straight.

“So it just seemed appropriate,” she said with a shrug. “Meaningful, but also it doesn’t give anyone a clue as to who I am.”

“And it suits you,” said Killian. “Swan. Beautiful and fearsome, just like you.”

“I’m not fearsome!” she protested, scowling to cover the blush that heated her cheeks when he called her beautiful.

“Aren’t you?” he asked earnestly. “You terrify me.”

“I do? I don’t wish to.”

“I’m sure it’s unintentional,” he said softly. “And more to do with me being timid.”

“You’re not timid,” she scoffed.

“Much less so than I used to be. And yet—” he took her hand and held it to his chest, just above his pounding heart. “You see?”

Emma gulped and her mouth went dry. His chest was firm and the hair on it rough beneath the fabric of his shirt, his hand covering hers so warm.

“Mine’s the same, though,” she whispered, taking his other hand. With hers still on his chest she could feel his sharp inhale and his heart racing even faster when she laid his palm flat over her own frantic heartbeat.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed. Their eyes locked, his looking dazed and very dark, the colour high on his cheeks and his breaths audibly harsh.

She licked her lips and his eyes followed the movement, his fingers tightening around hers, his hand on her chest sliding up to curl around her neck. He leaned his head down and she tipped her chin up and their lips were barely a breath apart when a crash and a shriek sounded from the kitchen and they both jumped. Killian squeezed his eyes shut, swearing viciously under his breath as he released her hand and neck and stepped away.

“It sounds like things are winding down here,” he said gruffly. “When glassware starts to shatter, that’s your cue to leave. Bit of advice.”

Disappointment tasted bitter, Emma realised. Bitter and crushing and achy and she hated it. She never wished to feel it again. She nodded in response, unable to speak.

They stood silently for a minute, then Killian sighed. “So, um, may I see you home?” he asked, rubbing at his neck again.

She smiled despite herself. “We’re not at court, Killian.”

“Perhaps not, but I’d still like to walk you back.”

“Yeah.” Her smile came more easily with the next attempt. “I’d like that too.”

He kept his hands in his pockets as they walked the short distance to her dorm, but she was acutely aware of him and how near he was and the faint heat she could still feel from his body. When they reached her building he turned to her and smiled.

“Well, Swan, I hope it won’t be another three years until I see you again,” he said.

“It’s a small campus and I’m here until next summer, so I’d guess probably not.” Not if she had anything to say about it, she thought.

“You’re only staying for a year?” he asked.

“It’s all my parents would permit.”

“Ah. I’ve only this year remaining as well, actually, until I graduate.”

“Graduate? But—in three years?”

He shrugged. “I’ve worked hard.”

It was more than that, Emma knew. He was clever and ambitious and determined to make something of himself. To change the world, just as his brother had predicted. She didn’t know the precise circumstances of the Joneses’ life before they found refuge in Misthaven, but from the few hints Commander—now Captain—Jones had dropped they hadn’t had the easiest of beginnings. That they had already made such a success of themselves was deeply impressive, and Emma suspected they were only just getting started.

“Do you—have far to walk to get home?” she asked, a bit wistfully. It was late and she was tired but she didn’t want Killian to go. She wasn’t ready for their time together to end.

“Just to the other side of campus,” he replied. “I’m here on a military training scholarship so I live with the other cadets. When I graduate I’ll join the navy as a lieutenant.”

“Like your brother.”

“Aye,” he agreed. “Possibly even on his ship.”

“That would be amazing.”

“We think so.”

They were standing close again, in a shadowy recess just to the side of the door, and Emma’s heart was pounding, not again but more like still; it had barely rested since she’d laid eyes on Killian. He was looking at her with a gaze so intense she could swear she felt it caress her lips and gods she wanted him to kiss her. If only she had paid more attention to the gossip among the ladies at court, or even to Ruby’s chatter the past two weeks, then she might have at least some idea of how to make that happen. How exactly did one go about letting a man know one wished to be kissed without actually saying ‘please kiss me’? Maybe she should just say it? Or, as the princess, did she need to kiss him first? What was the protocol here? She was royalty damn it, she couldn’t do anything until she knew the protocol.

Instead she just stared at him, feeling hot and itchy and increasingly desperate until he swallowed hard and drew a deep breath, then stepped back. Again.

“Well. I imagine I’ll see you around, then, Swan.”

Don’t go, Emma’s body screamed, even as her mouth said “I hope so.”

He smiled and gave her a small nod, then headed off down the path away from her building, and from her. She watched him go, simmering with frustration. She should have just grabbed him, she thought, and protocol be damned. Grabbed him and kissed him, because damn it she was not going to be able to sleep tonight for wondering what that would feel like, and wishing she didn’t need to wonder.

With an irritated huff she went to the door, taking her keys from her pocket and sorting through them in search of the correct one. She’d just managed to locate it when a warm hand took her by the elbow and tugged her back into the privacy of the shadows.

“What the—” she exclaimed, and then Killian’s lips were on hers. The keys slipped from her fingers and fell unheeded to the ground as her knees went weak and she grasped at his shoulders for support. He walked her back until she was pressed against the wall, his arm firm around her waist and his fingers tangling in her hair as he kissed her, soft and slow and deep and gods.

Emma whimpered, clinging to him, yearning for things she couldn’t articulate. His hand flexed against her jaw at the sound and just for a moment he pulled her flush against him, insistent yet so gentle, like he wanted to consume her and also never let her go. Then, ever so softly, he broke the kiss.

“Go out with me,” he murmured, leaning his forehead against hers and stroking his thumb across her chin.

“Hmmmm?” Emma struggled to think through the spinning in her head and the frantic thrum of her blood. “Go where?”

He chuckled. “Let me take you out to dinner. Tomorrow.”

“Like—a date?”

“Aye, Swan, very much like a date. An actual date, in fact.”

She blushed at the gentle teasing but the butterflies in her belly were performing an elaborate pas-de-deux and she felt like she could fly along with them. “I’d like that,” she said.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“All right. Um.” He cleared his throat and stood straight, though his hand remained on her cheek. “I’ll come by here to pick you up. About seven?”

She nodded. “I’m in room 3017. You can call me on the intercom from down here.”

“3017,” he repeated. He stepped back with a swagger in his hips this time, and bit his bottom lip in a way that made her want to drag him up to her room now, no date required.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, love,” he said, his voice dripping with promise, and she smiled.

“Tomorrow.”

“And that’s how it happened.” Emma concludes. “More wine, Captain Jones?” She smiles at Liam who’s gaping at her, slack-jawed. Slowly he inclines his head and pushes his wine glass slightly forward on the table. The three of them are sitting in the small dining area of Emma and Killian’s apartments at the palace, sharing dinner as they fill Liam in on the story of their relationship. As Emma refills his wine glass, Liam turns to Killian and punches him squarely in the shoulder.

“Oi!” Killian cries. “What was that for?”

“I can’t believe you just kissed her like that!” Liam exclaims. “What were you thinking?”

Killian shrugs. “I was thinking I wanted to kiss her.”

“You can’t just up and kiss the princess!” Liam sputters.

“That’s what I was trying to tell myself,” says Killian. “I walked away cursing who she was and reminding myself I had to treat her appropriately, and then I thought but why? If she’d been the normal girl she was pretending to be, I’d have kissed her at the party. So I turned back and, well, you heard the rest.”

“I’m glad he did, too,” says Emma. “It saved me the trouble of hunting him down and kissing him myself. Didn’t help me sleep that night though.” She shoots Killian a saucy look which he returns in kind.

“All right all right, bloody hell,” Liam grumbles. “Could you stop doing that, please?”

“Doing what?” asks Emma innocently.

“I’ve no idea what you mean, brother,” says Killian.

Liam groans and lets his head fall into his hands. “Where’s that wine?” he says.

When dinner is over Liam takes his leave, and Emma offers to walk with him as far as the door to the inner courtyard. They stroll slowly through the wide corridors and Liam waits, knowing she must have something she wishes to say.

“I’m glad you finally know about us.” Emma glances up at him with a rather apologetic smile. “Killian’s been wanting to tell you for ages. He couldn’t say anything at first of course, because no one outside my family and our closest advisers knew I was at the university, but since we began living together he’s felt awful keeping it from you.”

“I understand why he did, though,” Liam replies. “And I’m truly sorry he ever felt that he couldn’t confide in me.” They walk in silence for a few minutes. “Do, er—” he clears his throat. “Do your parents know?”

“They do.”

“And… how do they feel about it?”

“They’re delighted,” says Emma gently, and Liam feels the tension in his shoulders recede.

“Truly?”

“Truly. It was a bit tricky at first, but they adore Killian and they’re happy I’ve chosen someone who will be a true partner to me when I take the throne. They know how essential that is.”

They are approaching the doors to the courtyard, but Emma stops just inside them and turns to face him. “Liam,” she says. “May I call you that?”

“Of course.”

“Liam, I just want you to know that Killian—” Her voice breaks and she blinks rapidly, looking faintly embarrassed. “I—I just—I love him so much,” she chokes out as tears begin to trickle down her cheeks. “Oh, gods I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t apologise, lass.” Liam withdraws a crisp handkerchief from his uniform pocket and offers it to her.

“Thank you.” She takes the handkerchief and dabs at her eyes. “I’ve never found it easy to talk about my feelings,” she says once she’s calmer, “and the stronger they are the harder it is. But I need you to know that Killian’s heart is safe with me. As I know mine is with him.”

Liam nods, his chest too tight for the words he wishes he could say. He contents himself with a simple “Thank you.”

Emma smiles and gives him his handkerchief back, squeezing his hand as he takes it. “You’re welcome,” she says. “Brother.”

—

@ohmightydevviepuu @thisonesatellite @kmomof4 @stahlop @darkcolinodonorgasm @katie-dub @teamhook @donteattheappleshook @xhookswenchx @snidgetsafan

#cs fic #cs ff #captain swan #captain duckling #modern captain duckling #cs ff au #modern au #modern royalty #meet cute #college au #brothers jones #love blooms #profdanglaisstuff #mariakov81 #happy birthday masha

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letsallsleepoverwork · 5 years ago

Text

Mei’s Tony Stark (WinterIron) fic recs

I needed a whole other list of my favorite pairing, Bucky Barnes and Tony Stark... oops?

For @podonthesuit to celebrate Anthony Edwards Stark’s birthday month (and mine!) The fics are from shortest to longest.

Under 10K

flirting (with danger) by Potrix

Rating: Mature

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark

Canon Divergence - MCU Post-CAWS

Tony stares at the man shackled to the wall for a long, unblinking moment. “You’re supposed to be dead.”

The man raises an unimpressed eyebrow back at him. “Right back at ya, pal.”

Mei’s Notes: a brilliant short and sweet (and SASSY) winteriron fic that warms my heart. I read this when i need a quick pick me up <3

When is a bed not a bed? (When you’re not in it) by RiotFalling

Rating: Teen

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark

Ambiguous Marvel Canon

There’s a tiny safe house, with one tiny window and one tiny couch. And one tiny little bed.

Mei’s Notes: THIS is hilarious. riot write a beautiful scene of two absolute dorks trying to out-matyr each other. such lovely softness and, like anyone who knows me knows, i love the soft. i laughed so hard reading this fic that i instantly fell in love.

Open Hearts, Open Doors by mistrstank (dreamingdarkly), TheKitteh

Rating: Teen

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark

Non-powered AU

In which Tony and Bucky have a very special day, DUM-E is a regular disaster and Tony's friends are a bunch of trolls.

Mei’s Notes: So this is the third story in this series, HUGE REC FOR THE FIRST TWO, but this one is my favorite of the series. There is an immense amount of softness. A marriage between two beautiful souls and honestly I cried with happiness. I was full of emotions, there is nothing more beautiful than the love these two share. To call this fluff is an massive understatement because words cannot properly capture how gorgeous this fic is.

The Prince's Bride by MarvelousMenagerie (HiddenOne)

Rating: Teen

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark

Princess Bride AU

After Tony loses the love of his life to pirates on the high sea, not much matters to him. He agrees to wed Prince Justin Hammer to gain access to vibranium and shut himself away in his workshop until the end of time, but a group of ruffians kidnap Tony to take him to Hydra. Tony's rescue takes on an unlikely form - the Dread Pirate Rogers, who killed the love of his life five years ago.

Mei’s Notes: Princess Bride is just one of those movies that stays with you for your life. There’s so much to unpack and the comic genius of balance between crack and plot makes it a heart warming and heart moving movie for the ages (i also loved the book but THE MOVIE IS MY CHILDHOOD LOVE). This is a wonderful rendition of Princess Bride and the end *chef’s kiss* gold.

11K to 15K

Speed Dating (Isn't Supposed to Happen in Cars) by orbingarrow

Rating: General

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark

Non-powered AU

Tony's temporarily broke due to a scandal at Stark Industries, and with no one willing to hire him, he's got to get creative in how to get by. When he reads about a solar-powered car race that pays out in the millions, he knows he can win it. He just needs a car, all the parts, a racing team, a sponsor, a driver, and like a gajillion other things he does not have.

What he does have is: one whole month, an Air Force pilot, an heiress, two enthusiastic teenagers, a discredited science teacher, three ex-cons, a high-tech robot disguised as a Roomba, and a wicked crush on the guy from YouTube.

Seriously, how can he lose?

Mei’s Note: Arrow is a QUEEN at winteriron fic. She has a brilliant way of balancing snark, story, and softness. EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER has their own tone/voice in the story that I hear in my head and it just makes reading her work INCREDIBLY satisfying. She has so many great works, but with the complexity of balancing all these different characters and weave a story around them, this one is my favorite. Or maybe this one was just the one that just happen to snag my heart... :)

Coffee, Curses, Kisses by wakandan_wardog

Rating: General

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark

Ambiguous Marvel Canon

Tony Stark drags himself out of his workshop on a regular Thursday morning. Well, mostly a regular morning. Except for Clint Barton lying on the breakfast bar in themed underwear. The theme is new, the rest is depressingly familiar. Ok, so maybe the rose petals are new too. (What the hell, Clint?) It's enough to make a billionaire grateful for the Avengers Alarm. Wait a minute, magic too? Fuck, this is just not Tony's day. (Until it really, really is.)

Mei’s Notes: Oh man do i love Toni. My whole heart belongs to her and her writing is some of the beST. I cannot recommend her writing enough, please please PLEASE do yourself a favor and read one (all) of her stories. This one is a masterful demonstration of wit and flirting which if you know Toni, you know she’s a master of both. My heart is warm with love for this one.

The Stars Go Red by orbingarrow

Rating: General

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark

Ambiguous Marvel Canon

Iron Man is not exactly a super-villain, he's just doing his best to save the world, and his methods are questionable, okay? Doing what's right isn't always easy. Tony's come to grips with that.

Mei’s Notes: Im kinda a liar cause honestly I couldn’t really choose and I did a coin flip but since I’m doing a whole different fic rec for winteriron here’s the other Arrow fic. Anyways, this fic has identity porn, it has purposeful deflection of villian!Tony who really isn’t a villian. Both Tony and Bucky are badass. Truthfully this fic is a mix of all my favorite troupes and you will have a blast reading it i promise!

30K to 41K

Compliments by Desolate_Smog

Rating: Teen

Pairing: Bucky Barnes & Tony Stark

Non-powered AU

Tony Stark didn't realize that going out to get coffee while sleep deprived and covered in grease could lead to friendships. He's quite impressed with himself.

Mei’s Notes: Oh man this one was a game changer for me. I think this was one of the first asexual fics I read and the way it’s done is lovely. I like how everything is laid out and just, a part of life. the whole story felt 100% real and the relationships the develop between all the characters feels organic. Still one of my all time favorite fic.

and amidst the ruins, there was you by TheKitteh

Rating: Teen

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark

Canon Divergence - MCU Post CACW & Dystopia AU

With everything resolved - post the Berlin conflict, Siberia and the rogue Avengers' return - Tony relishes in the clarity of what the team is now. He can finally see the well-defined lines, he can rely on solid rules and the chain of command. He's settled into his life like never before. That is, until one day, an unhinged sorcerer with no grasp on his magic shatters that new-found balance.As a result, half of Tony's soul is now gone, but he's willing to do anything to get it back.

Mei’s Notes: I died. repeatably. Kitteh is a goddness of soft winteriron. If you look at the comments you can see me SCREAM about the soft. Of course, there’s some really sad subject matter, Tony and Bucky get sent (while theyre warry of each other) to a world that the Avengers lost Battle of New York, and their deaths are... haunting. It really allows Kit to dive into the closeness, the need to someone else to hold. I would say this is a staple fic to read as a winteriron shipper. Of course tho please be weary of tags and your own needs/wants.

(Walk Walk) Fashion Baby by wakandan_wardog

Rating: Teen

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark

Non-powered AU

This is basically a Winter/Iron AU inspired by a buzzfeed article that went viral not long ago. The artical discussed this instagram in which a model is sort of being trolled by his sister and her toddler son recreating his photos.

Mei’s Notes: OH MAN. This one has adorable baby peter being an adorably perfect little bundle of sunshine. The ultimate melt your eyeballs and heart fic. It is a WIP but OH SO WORTH IT. I don’t really read WIPs can I like closure but this one has the cutest imagery of grown adults melting over a small child. Also Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent!!!!

71,620 Words

create / detonate by pprfaith, reena_jenkins

Rating: Mature

Pairing: Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark

Canon Divergence MCU, Toni Stark AU

In a world where Natasha Stark still dreams of fire and blood, the Winter Soldier wakes ahead of schedule and nothing happens the way it was meant to. (People don’t have a purpose.)

Mei’s Notes: I love fem!Toni so much. I love diving into the difference with Toni’s life if she was born and raised with the expectations of “female”. It’s ironic because the softness I love so much about MCU Tony Stark, i love the a lot of opposites of Toni Stark in this fic. She’s more brash, more ruthless. She is still fiercely protective and kind but there’s an edge that I never felt from MCU Tony Stark. Both are good. I love both. As usual, please read the tags. There’s some rough stuff with this one.

#hbdtony2020 #podonthesuit #winteriron #tony stark #bucky barnes #fic rec #potscast

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whumpbby · 5 years ago

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PLEASE give us a little something, something with Uncle Clark and bby Dick!!!!!!!

Alright, Uncle Clark is one of my fav ideas, because when Bruce adopted Dick Clark was in his mid-twenties, a working hero, confidently climbing the steps of his career (I have this idea that Clark went with being a reporter, because he wanted an excuse to be Superman/access to information, but very quickly realised that wait, this can help people too, and went at it with all he had) and finally met a woman who caught his attention like a bear trap and his parents started to look at him with this sort of an expectation - not only, we want grandchildren, but we want you to have a family of your own, son, we won’t be here forever, we want to see you happy and settled before that. It made him reconsider his immediate life plans - he of course had an idea of a wife, kids, white fence and so on in is head, but that was the faraway future... but now he had an open window view to so much human tragedy, a first-hand look at how frail human life was, how minute. Will he find the happiness he’d dreamed about? A family with a lot of kids? Can he even have children, alien as he is? Will he ever age like a normal human?

So, these questions were all swirling in his head, but he had no time to do anything personal - Lois was a tough nut to crack and Justice League was just raising off the ground and that took a lot of his attention, and the world seemed to be always in peril... but then, Batman got a sidekick. Bruce adopted a child.

A child that was very obviously a Superan fan. At first Clark was embarrassed, as he always was with people proclaiming themselves his fans, but then, well, the kid was so cute and bright enough to make even the Bat crack a smile from time to time... and Clark liked kids, he really did, especially cute ones. And Robin obviously needed someone in his life who wasn’t a dour and stoic vigilante...

The kid needed a cool uncle.

And Clark decided that he was going to be the cool uncle. Almost like being a dad, yeah? Except without the crushing responsibility he could not afford at the moment, with so much on his plate. But he could be cool every once in a while with a kid that didn’t expect anything else than a piggyback ride over a skyscraper or to be thrown super high, or to be fed a slice of Ma’s cherry pie...

And Dick, he freaking adored Clark, because who doesn’t adore their cool uncle?? An uncle that’s there to be cool and nothing else, to chuck him into the air and smile and take him out for ice-cream and bother his dad into smiling more, and speaking with this finny accent when he forgets himself. And also, he’s SUPERMAN?! Gosh golly! And in the day-life he’s an investigative reporter?? That’s so much cooler than a billionaire airhead, Bruce!

Clark is one of the reasons Dick decided to be a Policeman - because Clark has shown him that one can be a hero in both parts of his life, that you don’t have to stop helping people out of costume - and that both are equally as important. Clark treated his investigative work as just as important as saving people from burning buildings and that was inspiring in a more immediate way than Bruce’s charity work (which was important as hell, make no mistake, but Dick was a man of action and he needed to be doing!)

I know that some people don’t favour Dick’s Policeman phase, but I am firmly believing that it was an important part of his development and I am also in massive favour of a ‘real life’ the hero has to be grounded in. Patrolling the cit at night is a very inefficient way to help people, really, it makes much more sense to plug yourself into a job/place that already works at helping. Vigilante personas are for me the part-time jobs of these people (sans the big magical/space trouble) who are using them to make their day-jobs more effective. Like, Clark Kent is not Superman’s disguise (FU Tarrantino=_=) - Superman is just a tool Clark Kent uses to supplement his day job.

And that’s why I think Clark’s presence in Dick’s life was so crucial - because Bruce tended to allow the Mission to become his life. He had this tendency to let the Bat take over Bruce Wayne, spill into his day-life without the ability to balance it out... because Bruce has no day-job - he has people who work for him and his empty Brucie mask and infinite time to spend in the Cave. In time Bruce’s day-job became his family, I believe, that’s what pulled him out of the Bat taking over his life (especially after Jason’s death) and because the cornerstone of Bruce Wayne The Person.

(and am I bitter that most of the Batfam don’t seem to have these day-personas at all nowadays? yes I am, imagine how much more interesting it would be to read stories where they are all spread throughout Gotham’s Police, charity, child support and prison systems, etc, using their skills to help people and their access to information to know where the help should go, where the resources need to be allocated, when a masked vigilante has to step in to save someone from immediate harm. imagine the Batfam as a city-wide network that operates within the letter of the law as much as possible and has to use their wits and skills to do so effectively. less punching and Joker threatening to explode the city for laughs, more detective and procedural drama and more of the Joker using his ‘crazy’ shtick to mask his criminal activity. some punching, yeah, but punching that is followed up by guilt at perpetuating the violence and the internal struggles of someone who knows that they should be better but the crime they’ve witnessed was so hienous they couldn’t let it go... the struggle to keep to the letter, because that’s what will get things on track to be fixed. situation where Jason’s conflict with the family makes sense, because he doesn’t hold back while they all have to hold back for it all to work, even though they wish they didn’t have to - and he knows they are doing good work, and wishes he could just let go and be like them, but he can’t.)

BUT, REITERATING, Clark never stopped being the cool uncle to Dick - even after Dick grew up and started to see the cracks in his armour. But, because Clark is genuinely a good person who was never anything, but honest with him, Dick feels kinship with him.

And Clark saw this child grow up, he saw him mature and struggle, and overcome, and he’s so impressed with the man Dick became and was never shy about letting him know about it. He has no problem being Dick’s emotional support and that means a lot to both of them.

#headcanon #cool uncle clark #metaish #Anonymous

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silverwhiteraven · 5 years ago

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Borne of the Stars - Chapter 6 - An MLB Krypronian AU

Tag List: @eve-valution @weird-pale-blonde-person @kris-pines04 @soulmate-game @abrx2002 @amayakans @vixen-uchiha @heldtogetherbysafetypins @raisuke06 @dorkus-minimus @captainartsypants @mopester-is-here @moonlightstar64 @annabellabrookes @maribat-is-lifeblood @toodaloo-kangaroo @the-navistar-carol @elspethshadow @chocolatecatstheron @ivymala07

[ Posted on Ao3 ] [ Chapter 1 ] [ Chapter 5 ] [ Chapter 7 ]

[ Current Concept Art Sketches ]

[ A/N: You can ask to be added to the tag list for the art of this AU and related Karanette content! I hope you enjoy my work~! ]

[Summary: Kara has arrived, answers are given, questions are made, and school finally begins. ]

Marinette, unsure how to react, became an equally wide-eyed mirror image of Nino.

Kara-Supergirl, her mind helpfully filled in a second time-continued looking as devious and casual as ever with her arms crossed, back against the wall by the classroom door, and the tread of her boot up against the wall.

Nino, wrapping up his own shock before Marinette could, finally spoke, though it was low and disbelieving.

“Mari, dude, tell me that’s not who I think it is.”

She only shook her head in a minuscule in response. Kara pushed off the wall and her hands dropped to instead slide into her jacket pockets as she walked up to the frozen pair.

“Oh, no, sorry Nino, no can do; I’m definitely the me you think I am.”

Kara’s accent was noticeable, but it surprised Marinete just how well she was speaking French. So she really was practicing with Nino, she thought, before another thought made itself painfully obvious, and she tensed up at the realization.

“You won the bet,” she whispered a little breathlessly. The other girl grinned.

“Bet?” Nino’s attention was pulled to Marinette at her words, his brow furrowed in confusion. It was clear Supergirl hadn't told her language practice-dummy about the almost forgotten agreement.

“Yup,” the disguised superhero chimed, “A bet! You helped a lot, Nino, thanks buddy!” She clapped her hand down on his shoulder as she grinned at him, and though it wasn't too hard, an audible ‘oof’ still startled out of him.

“Our darlin’ Marinette here and I made a little wager,” Kara continued, side-eyeing the said girl as she explained to Nino what happened barely over a year before. “I challenged myself to learn French and surprise her with it. Mission: Successful. Not exactly as planned, but it all worked out, yeah?”

“Not as planned?” Worry hinted in Marinette’s voice as she fully found her voice. “Did-did you plan to transfer to school here? This whole time?”

“No?” she didn't seem to be convinced of her own answer, and Marinette just kept staring for another second before Kara gave a shrug and tilted her head in defeat. “Okay, yeah, I did, but not so soon, ya’know? Like for University or something, but it just got moved ahead a little bit.”

Marinette narrowed her eyes a bit as she crossed her arms. Nino stepped back, recognizing the rise of a scrutinizing gaze. Her voice however remained a contrasting soft tone. “So what happened?”

“Grounded,” Kara states with a shrug.

“You’re…grounded, in Paris?”

“Yep. I got into a little bit of trouble with one of my cousin’s friends,” a fellow hero, Marinette guessed, as she missed the glance sent to the locket hanging from around her neck. “And he decided to ‘ground me’ for it,” there were sarcastic air-quotes to accompany the words.

“Sent me to the safest, least crime-ridden city in the world and told me not to act like a hero while I'm here,” Kara finished under her breath for only Nino and Marinette to hear, her expression falling into a pained one at the revealed news.

Nino gave a sympathetic frown and returned the earlier pat on the shoulder in an attempt at comfort.

Marinette felt bad as well, wanting to help cheer her usually fired-up friend back up. “You think you can handle it? I doubt he will keep you from helping when it really matters. If it helps, you can join our class when we do service projects; they’re not the same as what you did back in Metropolis, but they’re still helpful to people.”

Her smile was encouraging as Kara looked back up, one side of her mouth turned upward. “Yeah, I think I’ll do that. Not sure how much help I’ll be, but anything counts, right?”

“Right!” Both Nino and Marinette chimed back, glad to see the now civilian superhero gaining back her spark.

“Besides,” Kara adds on as though it were an afterthought, “it’s not like I came here alone.”

“You-?”

“Marinette!!”

Said called girl was interrupted as she turned around to be crashed into by another girl with long ombre ginger hair.

A laugh escaped Nino, “Should have seen that coming, bro,” he commented, “She does that way too much.”

“Alya,” Marinette whined with a laugh of her own as she steaded herself and her friend from falling over. “I’m clumsy enough on my own, I don't need you turning me into a bowling pin.”

“You will always need me, my dearest friend,” Alya teased, finally releasing Marinette and sharing a fist-bump in greeting with Nino. “Maybe not as your bowling ball, but anything else you may need. So! Who’s the new kid?” Alya was now turned to Kara ever-present curiosity clear on her face as her full attention was turned on the other.

“Kara,” the Kryptonian introduced herself before either of the other two could. “You're Alya Cesaire, right?”

Alya brightened at being recognized and nodded vigorously. “Yeah, how did you know?” Marinette and Nino both silently fretted about the possibility of Supergirl about to out herself all over again to one of their classmates. Their reporter classmate.

“You run the Heroics Archive Blog, right? My cousin was really impressed with your Superman interview.”

“Your cousin?” Alya looked curious to who it was.

The duo who knew Kara’s other identity worried just a little more urgently at the direction the conversation was going. The hero was either about to out herself as the cousin of Superman to a reporter of all things hero, or-

“Yeah, Clark Kent, said he couldn’t do it better himself. Good job there, guy’s a tough one to really impress.” Or out said cousin’s secret identity to the two already in the know, apparently.

The two still sighed almost inaudibly as they were still in the safe with the whole identity thing. They were still glad, however, as they watched Kara give them a side-eye and a wink, that she trusted them so much. It was a bonus that the superhero wasn't as completely reckless as she tended to present herself as. Marinette made a quick mental note to apologize through, next time she saw Superman, for learning his secret identity from Supergirl instead of himself.

There were stars in Alya’s eyes as she comprehended the fact of impressing such a well known writer who shared her interest and focus of stories on superheroes.

The warning bell for class rang out, and Marinette jumped, and though she was standing right outside their classroom door, she still felt the sudden panic of don't be late. The other three with her chuckled at the sight, and she huffed a response before grabbing a hand each of Nino and Alya, now heading for the door. “Let’s try to be on time this year, guys; can’t have those traditional start-of-year macaroons at lunch if we're tardy.”

The responding hums of delight and lack of resistance to her pulls encouraged her to let go of their wrists as they sped past her into the classroom. She turned back to Kara and smiled, “Well, come on, this is your class too, right?”

“Yeah, it is,” Kara confirmed, walking up to follow her. “Why else would I be waiting outside it?”

“Touche,” Marinette giggled, and walked in.

She took quick note of her classmates and where they sat. She was happy to see her entire class from collège all together for another year. Kim and Nathaniel were seated together in the top row off to the left, and Rose and Juleka on the other side. The next row down had Ivan with Mylène, Alix at the opposite desk with an open seat. The second row up was Lila and Max, with Nino now seated at the spot below Alix, another open space beside him. The very front row was the same as the last two: Sabrina and Chloé to the left, and Adrien on the first right, Alya taking the placement Nino once had.

Marinette took a quick glance back to Kara, noticing her sending a poisoned glare at Chloé, before nudging her and tilting her head up at the empty seats. The other girl nodded, sending a final stink-eye to the spoiled blonde, and followed dutifully. Marinette took the space next to Nino, behind Alya. Kara went up to the next desk, gracelessly plopping herself into the seat, curiously earning herself a disdained return glare from Chloé, now positioned behind Marinette and next to Alix.

The start of school bell rang and the new teacher walked in, and for Marinette, with them came a feeling that she now couldn’t wait for the day to be over.

#Borne of the Stars #maribat #Karanette #Kryptonian AU #miraculous ladybug #dc super hero girls #kara danvers #marinette dupain cheng #nino lahiffe #alya cesaire #supergirl #crossover au #chloe bourgeois

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vagrantblvrd · 5 years ago

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Recent videos with Michael wearing glasses again - and the occasional one where Ryan’s wearing his glasses?

I just want FAHC AU pre-Fake AH crew where these idiots have to hide out for a while Because Reasons and their idea of a disguise involves glasses, because of course.

(If it works for Clark Kent, who are they to question?)

Just like.

They go all-out with the Civilian Look?

Michael and Ryan immediately swing towards Classic Nerd because Ryan totally was one before he kind of stumbled into becoming the Vagabond.

Michael is just, hey. He figures no one would expect it from him, and to be honest he totally is a nerd. (He just covers it up with the ~anger and blowing shit up/setting things on fire stuff, so you know.)

Or maybe this isn’t FAHC AU at all and some sekrit spy bullshit and the classic nerd aesthetic is how they dress when they’re not on a mission or whatever?

And then the romcom Meet Cute happens.

One of them stopping at a coffee shop/bakery to meet with a contact - but oh no! Their clumsy civilian persona bumps into someone else and then it’s awkward, bumbling apologies and shy smiles and this oh no, they’re hot realization.

Meanwhile, their contact/handler who’s like, idk. Gavin or Jeremy is watching all this go down like what the actual fuck?

Even better if their eyes meet and they suddenly know the idiots still stuck in romcom mode Aren’t What They Appear To Be. But instead of going to defcon one or whatever with the paranoia and suspicion (how ~convenient they’d both happen to arrange a meet at the same spot, you know?), they shrug and settle back to see how things shake out with their idiots?

And then from there it’s Michael and Ryan doing the awkward flirting and even more awkward dating bit considering they’re both trying to keep their sekrits from one another and are totally head over heels for one another.

Eventually it all leads to some super Dramatic reveal when their enemies or whatever catch up to them and there are shootouts and car chases and that late night first-aide session in a cheap motel somewhere while they try to figure out what the hell is going on/get into contact with Gavin and Jeremy and such.

(Lingering touches and awkwardness/wariness of realizing they’re not just a couple of nerds but actually wanted criminals/highly trained sekrit agents and what does this mean for their awkward little romance now?)

And then some dramatic climactic fight somewhere and good luck kisses - first and last??? - expecting to die and what can it hurt to kiss this asshole before they go out in a blaze of glory, right?

Meanwhile, you’ve got Gavin and Jeremy having their own little meetings all over the place to root out whatever trouble is coming after their idiots.

Late night meetups at an all-night diner and soft little smiles because it’s been a long goddamned day for them. (Michael and Ryan do not make things easy, and oh, God, did you see what those morons did on their latest date? Where did they learn to socialize?)

Clandestine meets at the cliche park bench in front a duck pond and so on, sharing secrets - they’re not enemies, after all, and theirs is a dangerous business and it pays to know people and so on. (Favors that can be called in somewhere along the road and all that, and also Michael and Ryan deserve something nice and they could be that for one another, so yeah.)

And just.

Idk, dropping by with pizza and drinks and taking a break from the oodles of shit they have to sift through to help their idiots and maybe they fall asleep on each other on someone’s couch with a shitty move on the televison and takeout containers on the coffee table and all that?

ALSO.

Having to force their idiots to not be weird about things when everything’s resolved and it’s totally okay for them to be in a relationship because hey, nice things? But also friends/allies/and just fucking kiss you already you assholes, this shit got old real fucking fast, okay?

Also, also.

Realizing they’re more or less in a relationship themselves and oh, hey, when did that happen? But also ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and then, idk, smooches or adopting kittens together.

(Oooooh, also. One of them showing up at the other’s place during a rainstorm before things get resolved with at least - at least - one bedraggled kitten tucked into their coat and that awkward smile and “It followed me home?” without catching the bit about calling the other person’s place home, because they, too, are idiots who are totally gone on one antoher, and anyway, the kitten is cute as hell and already owns both their hearts and just. Yes.)

#ragehappy #fahc au #sekrit agent aus #myan #jeremwood #technically not a fic #vagrant fic

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thecomicsnexus · 4 years ago

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ACTION COMICS #592-593 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 1987 BY JOHN BYRNE, KEITH WILLIAMS AND TOM ZIUKO

Big Barda falls prey of a pornography ring and it’s up to Mister Miracle to rescue her, before she does porno with Superman!

SCORE: 8

So, my first issue of Action Comics (ever), was the second chapter of this story. It was my introduction to Mister Miracle, Big Barda, Darkseid, Apokolips and Oberon. I didn’t know who Mister Miracle was... but I knew right away that Superman was going to film a porno with his wife. Didn’t help I missed the first chapter. I was 11 years old, by the way. Also very new to Superman.

And yet, there are so many things in this story I didn’t “get” when I read it millions of times, I am impressed with the way Byrne can hide things in plain sight (for example, I didn’t get that Maggie Sawyer was a lesbian until I was like... 15). I guess I was a slow kid.

This is also one of the many appearances of Darkseid, waiting for someone in their living room. I like the added touch of him drinking a glass of wine... it makes Tom King’s Mister Miracle more believable.

In fact, let’s stop right there... Darkseid, waiting in a house (a house that is technically a trap in terms of security and locks), drinking a glass of wine for who knows how long... Obviously having a good time, as he kind of has a mission for Scott, a person that defied everything he represents... just to make sure an old henchman of his gets what he deserves. I mean... Darkseid wasn’t even necessary in this story... and yet... I feel like Darkseid’s image completely changed with that one page. Sure, Darkseid has been sitting in couches since the seventies... but that glass of wine gives this a different level of chill. In fact, it was so important for this character... there is even a tumblr about it!

Now let’s go back to the porno... because this is one of those high brow kind of stories you cannot believe was ever printed in a Superman comic.

I mean, a porno of Superman doing a “solo act” would have been very successful... that guy Grossman doesn’t know what he is talking about.

I feel like this was a missed opportunity to answer one of the most asked questions about Superman powers... how can he have sex with a woman without killing her? (well, I would like to know how he farts first... because despite the aura that protects his undies, a super-wind is a super-wind). And this pornographer wonders about a sexual partner for Superman, and I feel like Byrne wasn’t really sure either. He puts him against Big Barda... who is seriously strong... but not exactly invulnerable. Is Clark a virgin? It is implied he isn’t (or will be implied, but again, depends on what you want to believe). Anyway, no sex questions were answered that day.

As I was saying, I was 11. And all of this made sense to me. I didn’t know they were being mind controlled though... I don’t know how many times I had to read this issue to figure that out (I am underestimating myself, I am pretty sure I got it on a second reading).

But probably the best thing about these issues is the Mister Miracle origin retold, with some panels that replicate Kirby very well. Now, saying Kirby and Byrne in the same sentence can make some people feel bad about themselves. Byrne is a big Kirby fan, but he also kind of insulted him by saying that he knew he was working for hire, and those creations didn’t belong to him. Well, at least the Fourth World characters did give Kirby profits, thanks to the Super Powers toy line and the intervention of some DC Editors (not sure at the moment who were the angels in disguise, but I am going with Giordano and Levitz).

It is also interesting that Superman is a very bad porn actor. I am not surprised about this. We have absolutely no hints about what turns Clark Kent on. Sexually speaking, there is not much we can know... and for good reasons. Now, try to make him do a porno... yeah... that’s going to be a stiff performance... well I guess that is a good thing.

And Mister Miracle takes it very well... I can imagine these two do have some kinks, I mean, they come from Apokolips. But even worse, Big Barda already did a porno at this point... we just... never saw what it was about.

As i was saying, I was 11, and I never watched a porno before. I may have found some magazines though.

#john byrne #dc comics #comics #review #superman #action comics #big barda #mister miracle #darkseid #fourth world #apokolips

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singeramg · 5 years ago

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Midnight: Chapter 2

A/n: Hey everyone! Here is part 2 of the story. I think this is going to have a slow build as I want to make sure this goes correctly. Personally i’m excited for where I see this going!

Pairing: Clark Kent / OFC

Rating: M (Story is M, this chapter however is not)

Warnings; None really really just more exposition but there is a good point.

Here is part 1 if you missed it.

Midnight: Chapter 2

I felt Kyle running into my room before he actually came in, giving me time to prepare for the impact as he jumped on me, still managing to take my breath away with his natural density.

“Momma! It’s morning and you here!”

I smiled at him kissing his cheek, watching as his eyes changed from the natural blue they were, to brown like mine.

My son was special, it was the reason I worked odd and late jobs. He couldn’t go to regular daycare because he wasn’t in control of his powers yet.

He was born with various abilities due to his parentage, of course he was stronger than the average three year old being that he had the strength of a 12 year old. He often told me noises bothered him, which led me to believe he was developing his super hearing, but the big power was his ability to change his appearance. It was mostly just the small features for now, and it was mostly unconscious on his part. For example, he would change his eyes to match mine, and throughout the day they would change, and he also liked to play with his hair. Naturally it was black like Clarks’ but his hair had curls. Often times I would come in and my son would have long hair or it would be blonde or brown. Sometimes even Blue!

And honestly he looked like Clark with a tan. Needless to say I had to keep him home until he could gain some control. I didn’t want to have to move... again.

Ms. A was the only one that knew about Kyle’s abilities. When she asked I told her, that his father was an old boyfriend who had nothing to do with him and that I thought he must have had some metahuman blood that he never told me about.

She had no clue I was also now a Metahuman.

Kyle flopped off of me and onto my bed, still in his race car pjs and messy bed hair. He hadn’t changed that yet and I was glad to see it.

“Good morning Kalen, what has mommy told you about jumping on her?”

He giggles and says

“I have to be careful because mommy might get hurt. I don’t think I could hurt you mommy. I love you too much.”

He turned the puppy dog eyes on me in an attempt to not get in trouble for something he knew better than to do.

“Yeah sure young man. You know better that’s why you are trying me with that face. Did you brush your teeth and wash your face?”

He shook his head no.

“Alright, well what are waiting for? No breakfast for my little monster until you do.”

He laughed and took off for the bathroom. I swore he got faster everyday.

‘Kyle’ was his name to the public but his real name was in direct tribute to his father, his name being Kalen Joseph (pronounced Colin) having the name Kal being spelled in his name and Joseph from Clarks actual middle name. I got out my bed, changing quickly into some jean shorts and a tank and going into the bathroom with my son, finding him about to get his toothpaste all over the sink. I took it from him and put a little on the toothbrush and let him take over, brushing my teeth and once I finished he followed me into the living room. I waved my hand, lazily at the TV, turning it on. I was about to change the channel when the reporter began to talk about the rescue I had pulled off last night.

“In other news, last night, a local woman, described her rescuer as her ‘guardian angel’. The local police describe the scene as confusing but thankfully non-fatal. A vigilante stopped a rather vicious robbery and assault, taking down three attackers and leaving them unconscious for the police. While the police are grateful for the intervention they have questions for this person, and ask if anyone has any information on this masked vigilante then please reach out to crime-stoppers tip line”

The reporter says the number as a shadowy, low quality security camera shot of me appears on screen. I was comforted in that I knew no one would know me. I waved my hand again, changing the television to some random cartoons and proceeded to make some breakfast for us both.

*Later*

I dressed Kalen in a pair of jeans, sneakers and a cute red t-shirt, along with a small hat. The hat served as a dual purpose for if he decided to change his hair on me in public. I grabbed my purse and his little tablet that he could use in the shopping cart to keep him occupied.

Once in the store, I pulled out my list and Ms. Alphonse’s list. Chuckling at her circled selection of Twizzlers and jellybeans. The woman lived her life on sweets, I would swear it. I strolled through the store, adding things to my cart, when Kalen started crying.

“Momma it loud.”

I watched as his eyes flickered in various colors and he held his hands to his ears. The lights began to flicker in the store followed by a loud boom.

The store shook as people began yelling and screaming. I yanked Kalen from the cart into my arms, looking for the safest place for us to be. I couldn’t use my powers in public, at least not without my mask and I couldn’t form my suit without exposing myself. I wouldn’t risk my child. I ran for the exit, not caring if I was slightly faster than the rest. Pieces of the ceiling falling as the ground still trembled. I ran into the employee only section of the store, moving until we left out the back door. Kalen was still holding his ears as I crushed him to my chest. I looked up seeing some flying creatures, destroying people, literally feeding on them. I turned away, shielding my son and ducked into a nearby building. The old building had long since been abandoned. No energy source inside of it, I stopped in a back corner, far away from the windows.

I rocked Kalen in my arms, doing my best to send him calming energy, but all the stimulation wasn’t helping. Sitting on the floor, I brushed his curls back soothing him. I was working until I heard crashing into the doors, this just caused him to cry more. I focused and changed into battle wear, just as the door flew open and the creatures came in. I sat Kalen on the floor and tossed up a force field around him.

The creatures took me in my protective stance as a challenge and the all came at me. I focused on getting them off of me. Their eyes were red and they could fly, all of them looking to take me out. I fought them as long as I could and once again the hits had built up enough kinetic energy to blast them through the front door. I followed them out, forming a blade of energy that I held like a sword. Slicing and dicing all of these demonic creatures, until suddenly they looked toward the sky, disappearing as quickly as it seemed they had come.

I cancelled my sword once I ascertained the danger was gone. I wasted no time going back into the building to my child who was whimpering behind the shield I put up. I changed my appearance again, back to what he was familiar with, letting the field down, he wasted no time running into my arms, sobbing, his little hands grabbing at my skin and holding on tightly.

“Come on baby, let’s go home.”

*Home*

I shielded Kalen’s eyes the entire way home, until I felt him relax against my shoulder, his breathing evening out. Once inside the building I stopped at Ms. Alphonse’s apartment, knocking and she opened the door quickly, pulling us into a hug. I looked behind her, as I hugged her back one handed. The news displayed the attack as breaking news also connecting it to similar attacks in Gotham and other neighboring cities.

“I was so worried about you two. The store was dead center of where the attack was.”

I came inside, pushing the door closed, and sitting Kyle down on the reddish brown couch. Carefully not to wake him up, I let him go and sat down next to him. Letting my relief coming through in a sigh, my body sagging into her couch.

“I was terrified. We hid from those things until they left.”

“I am just glad you are okay.”

She goes into the kitchen, I hear her rattling around, making coffee. The news channel changed gears, still covering the attack but this time grainy video appears on the screen. I quickly make note that it’s me fighting in disguise. Thankfully, it cuts off mid-fight, the camera seemingly destroyed. The anchors all asking

“Who is this woman?”

I dropped my head in my hands, frustrated and scared that I would have to leave. Ms. Alphonse came around the corner, handing me a cup of tea.

“Kyle looks like he’s out for the night.”

“It was a lot for him. The creatures were attacking, and with him being sensitive to sounds and stimulation. He was terrified. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to protect him.”

“I think you did everything you possibly could to get him home safe.”

Ms. Alphonse and I talked for awhile, watching the news coverage, before I gathered up Kalen and took him home. I tucked him into his own bed with a kiss to the forehead and a partially closed door, I managed a hot shower and some wound care from the various scrapes and cuts I took from fighting. Just as I finished, I felt someone approaching my apartment. My defenses raised as they knocked, an invisible barrier that only I could pass through went up. I looked through the peephole, surprised to see who was on the other side. Just knowing my eyes were deceiving me I opened the door and asked.

“What in the hell is Bruce Wayne doing at my front door?”

A/n: As always I appreciate any support this gets. i love seeing likes, reblogs and comments. Makes my day honestly. Hell, maybe I will post the next chapter tonight???

#Clark Kent xOFC #henry cavill x black ofc #Black! OFC #clark kent #DCFilms #fanfiction #henry cavill #SUPERMAN X OFC #superman

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firstpuffin · 5 years ago

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Eyeshield 21: the Japanese American-football superhero

Being a lifelong fan of superheroes (like literally since before I can remember) is probably one of the reasons why I enjoy the anime Eyeshield 21 so much. This makes even more sense given Spider-Man has always been my number-one favourite superhero, and whose secret identity was so carefully kept that he was the one chosen to reveal it during the Civil War story-arc.

Which naturally progresses to why I like Eyeshield 21 so much besides the music, characters and art (which is admittedly better in the original manga). Normally I can’t stand any kind of secret in fiction, always anxiously waiting for the wrong person to find out and for the secret keeper to come out with some rubbish excuse and for events to get incredibly uncomfortable for all the wrong reasons, but for some reason the secret-identity secret has never bothered me. It’s actually kind of exciting, bizarrely.

The main character, Sena Kobayakawa in Eyeshield 21 originally keeps his identity a secret for a few reasons: his overbearing childhood friend (Mamori Anezaki) would absolutely object and get in the way, plus Sena doesn’t want to worry her because he is honestly so wimpy; the team’s captain (Hiruma Yoichi) refuses to let him be stolen by other sports clubs, plus he is working the psychologically damaging element of a mystery ace-player on their opponents, as well as the positive effect it has on their own team; and finally, I suspect Hiruma just enjoys tormenting people.

Over the course of the series people do end up finding out who he is. Some characters recognise the way he moves, some people he tells, and one guy recognises him by- his- muscles…; it’s anime, just roll with it. And it’s not unusual for entirely new characters to just see through the disguise immediately. But Mamori, who grew up with Sena and constantly watched over him is oblivious until he reveals it to her.

Naturally some viewers whine that she’s an idiot for not seeing it, but it’s really not that big of a surprise really. See, she’s got one massive disadvantage, and it is in no way her brain.

Well, it kind of is. Her problem is that she knows Sena too well.

Look at it this way, Sena is a wimp, but from the moment he is introduced, Eyeshield 21 is seen as a heroic figure; he’s strong and capable and, at the start at least, he carries the team almost by himself; Mamori actually thinks that he would make a good role model for Sena. Eyeshield 21 is always present and at the centre of events, whereas Sena is frequently missing; this seems like it would make things obvious but look at it another way: Eyeshield 21 is reliable, always there when he is needed, while Sena is unreliable and absent when he should be helping out. To someone who has no reason to put two and two together- well, she’s not seeing it as two and two, but more like 2+(1+), right? (did- did I get that right? I never was great at maths).

Add to this the fact that everyone goes out of the way to give her excuses for Sena’s absences, none of which she has any reason to doubt. When your friend tells you something do you immediately doubt them? (If you do then maybe you should work on your lack of trust ‘cause that ain’t right.) So, why should she ever consider that the weakling she’s been protecting all this time is actually the sports hero, Eyeshield 21? I can’t really understate how much of a coward he was either; most of his relationships up until that point were formed by people protecting him, minus his parents who weren’t left with much of a choice. Sena was even bullied into joining the football team.

But let’s look at another thing: we see her wondering where Sena is time after time, but to her it’s not that common of an occurrence. She occasionally wonders where he is, gets an excuse and then forgets all about it. Mamori has no reason to question further, no reason to suspect and these events are more spaced out than we realise. We see her question this time after time, but the story takes place over months so it’s probably not all that common.

It's very similar to the Clark Kent effect. Seriously, all it takes is for a contextual change to make someone unrecognisable. I’m worried I once offended a classmate for not recognising her while buying a coffee: new situation, different clothes- Now sure, I didn’t know her very well, but the difference was only small; plus she recognised me. Sure, maybe that was because I got a lot of attention being one of the few people to ask questions in class, because I’m a nerd, but still. When it’s a substantial difference, such as a completely opposite persona in an outfit as much a part of them as their own face- I for one can totally see it.

Or not see it as the case may be. Who am I kidding? Of course I see it.

That didn’t even make any sense.

Mamori really is in the worst position to figure out the secret by herself, knowing them both as different people, whereas to everybody else it's just a case of realising that this one new acquaintance is also this other new acquaintance. What she knows about both Sena and Eyeshield 21 conflict and people regularly lie to her face, so why should she?

It’s actually quite lucky for the team that Mamori dotes over Sena so much because if she hadn’t been so relieved to know the truth about him and about Eyeshield 21, him doing so well and thriving and was simply happy to know the truth- well, she could have raised some serious hell. Seriously, being lied to for that long?

I’d never trust anyone ever again.

#first puffin #eyeshield 21 #sena kobayakawa #mamori anezaki #yoichi hiruma #anime #manga #superhero #secret identity #alter ego #thosetagswilldofornow

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