#harley was and is the most important and precious thing in my life

[heybaetae]

.

[allegra-writes]

“Fool’s gold”

Peter Parker x Reader

NSFW

Warnings: Smut. Sex pollen.

This is an alternative version to my fic "Fireproof", where the reader gets doused by the sex pollen instead of Peter, but you don’t need to have read that first. As any sex pollen fic, this can qualify as non/dub-con, so read at your own discretion and responsability.

Dedicated to @angel-spidey because without her this would have never seen the light of day💓

MY MASTERLIST | SERIES MASTERLIST

Peter knew it was wrong. He knew it. He wasn't delusional enough to believe it was something other than the pollen making you act that way. Making you say those things. You had always been sweet to him, that was true, but you were sweet to everybody, didn't make any difference if they were a janitor or an avenger, it was one of the reasons he liked you so much. 

He also knew he wasn't the only one. His eyes weren't the only pair of eyes that strayed to you in the lab, Harley too seemed to be rather distracted whenever he was in your presence. And in fact, Peter didn't think he had ever seen Steve visit the lab that often before. Ever. And the guy was freaking Captain America, how could he ever compete with that? 

You didn't feel the same way about him, he had resigned to that a long time ago. To watch you from afar. To love you from afar. Because at least that much was true: the only way he knew he beated the other two men, beaten them by a long shot, was that he loved you the most. 

That was why he had left the med bay, because he couldn't stand it, seeing you like that, fighting against your restraints, skin flushed and eyes on fire, calling him, begging him to…

He wasn't able to resist it. 

And why he had walked away from the lab, leaving Bruce and Tony and even Stephen, to wrack their brains trying to find a cure, when the obvious solution was right in front of them. 

That was how he had found himself alone, in the dark, pretending to nap in the little on call room right outside the med bay, still in his suit after that disastrous mission they should have never let you tag along in the first place. Far enough from you not to hear your desperate pleas, but close enough to help if something happened. If the damn alien substance raised your fever enough to- No. He wasn't going to think about that. Dr. Banner was going to come up with an antidote. They still had time. 

Yeah, he knew it was wrong. He knew he should have told FRIDAY to alert mister Stark as soon as he heard the soft sound of your footsteps on the hallway. He knew he should have fled as soon as the knob turned and you entered the room. As you made your way to him. But he was paralized, frozen in place, as you leaned down over him, running your hot, way hotter than normal, hands down his chest, leaving fiery trails in their wake over the thin skin tight fabric of his suit. You raked your nails over his abs, feeling the muscle riple under your touch. 

"Y-you shouldn't be here" He stammered, as your fingertips came close, dangerously close, to the place where his suit was already starting to feel tight around his hips.

"Hmm… but you won't tell on me" your thumb traced the base of his length, a barely there caress that nonetheless had him jumping. "Will you, Peter?"

He breathed you in, another mistake. He could practically smell your desire, leaking through your pores. Pheromones, sweet and mouthwatering. 

He wouldn't. He couldn't. 

Even in the dark, he saw you smile bright at his surrender. Discarding your lab coat, you straddled his hips, little blue skirt riding up your thighs, and released your hair from its ponytail as Peter watched, entranced by your every move. You spread your legs a little more, letting your center come in contact with his by then obvious erection. He could feel your heat through his suit, choking on thin air when he realized you weren't wearing any underwear. 

"F-fuck…" He gasped, eyes rolling back inside his skull as you started rocking above him.

He tried desperately to hold still, to stop himself from bucking his hips up to meet yours, but it was impossible. Every cell in his body telling him to move, to touch, to take what he had wanted for so long. What he had never dared to dream he could have. 

You moaned at the delicious friction you were creating, and you could hear him starting to breathe harder too. He felt amazing, a soothing balm to your burning skin everywhere you touched. This was what you needed, what the chemicals running in your blood demanded. He was warm, and hard, and male. But more than that, he was Peter, and he had to be yours. There was no other way, no other ending for this story. 

You grinded your pelvis against his harder, the pressure on your clit just perfect, the coarse texture of his suit only adding to the sensations. You were making a mess of it, ruining it, but it was worth it just to hear his groan the moment your wetness seeped through the fabric. 

"We can't… we can't do this" Peter tried to protest, even as his hands flew to your waist to aid your movements. 

"Why? Because an alien pollen is messing with my head?" You got rid of your t-shirt, and Peter's reply died in his throat, you weren't wearing a bra either "because it's wrong? Because It's dirty and-"

A wounded sound left Peter's mouth, a wordless surrender, a sob at his own damnation, and he snapped, his fragile control finally shattering to pieces. One second you were on top of him, teasing him within an inch of his life, and the next you were trapped between the soft mattress and his hard body, as his lips ravished yours, one hand roughly massaging your breasts, the other slipping under your skirt, searching blindly, fingertips digging into the delicate skin of your inner thighs. He was furious in his onslaught, desperation clear in the way he was kissing you, all teeth and tongue. Greedy. Ravenous. 

Because if this was all he was ever going to get, just one night with you, as you used him to scratch an itch, then he was going to make the most of it. He was going to commit every little detail to memory: The shape of your body under his, the taste of your skin, the smell of your hair, vanilla and cinnamon and something else, something uniquely you. The sweet little moans falling from your lips. 

"Peter, please"

He almost died when you said his name like that, breathless and needy.

"What do you need, princess?" He sobbed, "Anything… it's yours…just-"

"You. I need you" You replied, graceless fingers clawing at his suit, "take it off, please, I need to feel you"

He obeyed, pressing the spider on his chest and practically kicking it off in his haste to return to you. You welcomed him back with open arms and open legs, as he crawled up your body, kissing every inch of skin he could find in the way. Your breath hitched when he got to that little spot just under your breast, and you could feel his smile against the curve of it, right before his lips enveloped your left nipple, calloused fingers circling the other one clumsily, unskilled. But you were too delirious, too far gone to notice, the miles of skin against yours both soothing and stroking the fire within at the same time. 

You cried out,

"Peter! Please, it hurts so much, please! I- I can't-"

He kissed the tears away, softly, delicately. A stark contrast to his own demeanour just minutes ago.

"I-it's ok. I got you" He cooed, caressing your face "I'll make it better. I promise" 

He braced himself on one arm, elbow digging into the mattress next to your face, as he wrapped the fingers of his free hand around himself, aligning with your center. It took him a few tries, even slipping out once. He had no idea what he was doing, only knew that you needed him, and he wasn't going to let you down. Your life depended on it, and it was too important, too precious for him to even think of failing. 

You raised your hips just a bit, and he was sliding in, easily, so easily, as if he was meant for it. As if your bodies were two pieces of the same puzzle, finally falling into place. 

"Oh god…"

You clutched as his shoulders, burying your hiss into his neck. 

"Oh my god are okey? Did I hurt you?" The panic in Peter's voice made you smile despite yourself. He was still Peter, the sweetest most caring guy you had ever met. Soft, even with his hard cock so deep inside you, you could feel it in your soul, in your very essence, already claiming you as his. 

But you didn't need gentle. You didn't want him to thread softly. You needed hard, and fast, and more.

"Peter… fuck me"

"I-..." His eyes met yours, and you saw a new determination in them, jaw squaring as he withdrew almost completely, only to surge again, tearing a new cry from your lips. 

He let instinct take over, starting to thrust in and out of you, your tight, silky heat making his eyes roll inside his head

"Fuck! Oh god… oh my god… you feel…" He panted, amazed, handsome face scrunching in pleasure, eyes closed and mouth slack, "Fuck, you feel so good!" 

You wanted to reply, to tell him how amazing he felt too, every inch of his thick hard cock stretching you just right. Every ridge, every vein sending shocks of pleasure to your body until you couldn't see straight. You could feel you peak already building, with every delicious drag.

"More… Peter, please… more" 

How could he say no, when you were begging so prettily in his ear, hand tugging at his curls making it hurt so good? He picked up his pace, hips slapping against yours. Over, and over, and over… 

You were still on fire, every inch of your skin alight, exploding in sensation but it didn't burn anymore. Now it was a simmering warmth, making everything sharper, more intense. Better than anything you had ever felt before. He was better than anything you had felt before. 

And Peter was lost in you, in your moans, in your body, in your cunt. In the way you were taking him, consuming him. You wrapped your legs around his waist, changing the angle, letting him reach deeper, bury himself almost to the hilt. Your blunt nails digging into his back until he smelt blood. 

He fucking loved it, love the idea of carring your marks even after this was over. He knew he wanted you to wear his. 

His lips found your neck almost of their own accord, sucking and nibbling until the sounds leaving your throat were nothing short of pornographic, the wanton whines and moans resonating in the room until he was sure Bruce and Tony could hear them all the way to the lab. 

"Yes, scream for me baby girl, let them know how good I'm fucking you" Peter didn't know where it was coming from, that arrogance, that… possesivenes. He knew you weren't really his. It was the pollen, you would never be doing this otherwise. And he probably wasn't that good, it was his first time after all. 

But your cries, the way your whole body was trembling under his, were giving him confidence. 

"Oh god… you're coming for me, aren't you? You gonna come on my cock?" 

You opened your mouth in a silent scream, and he almost fell on top of you taken by surprise by the feeling of your walls squeezing his cock for the first time ever, triggering his own release. But he didn't have time to recover before you croaked a weak but firm, 

"More" 

He met your eyes, stunned, but all he found there was assurance and passion. 

He turned around on the small bed so it was you the one on top. 

"Ride me" 

You didn't need to be told twice, straightening on top of him, rising slightly on your knees only to let yourself fall back down, impaling yourself on his dick. He licked his lips, looking like a king with a hand behind his head, gazing up at you through hooded eyes. 

"Show me"

"What?" 

He gestured towards the mini skirt you forgot you were still wearing. 

"Lift up that pretty skirt, and let me see how good you take my cock" 

A little whine left your mouth at his words, and you did as you were told, never stopping your bouncing motions.

It worked as Peter imagined it would, his softening cock coming to life again as he watched it disappear inside you. 

"Look at that" he whispered, almost in awe, "such a beautiful pussy, looks so pretty, stuffed full of my cock…" 

You picked up your rhythm, a little unstable on shaky legs, both hands still holding the fabric up and out of the way.

"Peter…" you whimpered. 

"What do you need, baby girl? I told you, anything you want is yours… I'm yours" 

You moaned, incapable to find the words. Thinking was impossible, speaking was inconceivable, not with him still between your legs.

He bucked his hips, 

"Uh!" 

"That what you want, princess?" He smirked, smug, "Like it better when I give it to you?"

You nodded, shamelessly, your legs burning with the effort but stopping was not an option. He sat up on the bed, enveloping you with his arms, thrusting up into you faster, deeper…

You felt the head of his cock stab your cervix, and he must have felt it too, because he groaned, eyes glazing over. 

"Can you feel me? Feel how deep I am?"

"Yes" You hissed.

"Gonna come like this…" He took hold of your hips, bringing you down hard as he thrusted up, "come so deep inside you… mark you… from the inside" 

You could feel it approaching fast, the pleasure he was inflicting on you too much, too soon. 

"Fill you up so good…"

"Yes"

"Until it's gushing out of you… and then… gonna fuck you again…"

"Yes!"

"Come inside you again… make you my little cumslut…"

"Yes! Please… please give it to me"

He could feel you tense around him again,

"What do you need, princess?"

"Your come" You screamed, "Give me your come, Peter!"

"Fuck! My pretty little slut… take it… Take it!"

And you did.

…

You passed out somewhere between rounds five and six, utterly sated and exhausted, but Peter couldn't sleep, terrified of the moment you woke up, all the pollen consumed, the spell broken. He knew it wasn't real, but for a few hours, he had been happy, pretending you truly did love him, wanted him, as he had loved and wanted you since the first time he had seen you, all that time ago, the day mister Stark had entered the lab with you in tow, announcing Peter that he had a new lab partner. 

He was running his fingers softly up and down your naked back, a barely there caress, watching you sleep, relaxed and happy, when he heard the buzzing coming from your lab coat, long forgotten on the floor near the bed. He took it out and saw Tony’s name lighting up the scream.

He slid to pick up.

“Fucking finally! Y/n, where the hell are you?!”

“Mister Stark, it’s me” He whispered his reply, as not to wake you up.

“Peter! Thank God! What happened? Please tell me you didn’t-“

“Sorry, Mister Stark,” Peter interrupted him, “We kinda did…”

“Shit! Please, Peter, please tell me you kids used protection!”

“Uh…”

Tony left out another loud curse at the other side of the line.

“Where are you? Y/n did something to Friday and now it won’t tell me where you are in the tower. You still in the tower right? I need the both of you to come to the lab right now” Tony was talking a mile a minute and Peter knew something very bad, not of the good was going on.

“Why?”

“Because,” Tony’s voice was frantic as he tried to explain the gravity of the situation, “That pollen thing? That’s not an aphrodisiac like we thought, it’s a fertility treatment. It messes your hormones and hers up with every fluid exchange! Like an artificial heath”

Peter turned to look at you, peacefully asleep, curling up to his side, blissfully unaware of anything and everything going on outside that bed.

And maybe it was the alien substance fucking up his brain, maybe he was the one fucked up, all by himself, but the mental image of you, round with his child, sleeping like that next to him every night? It wasn’t half as horrifying as Tony seemed to think it was.

After all, the girl of his dreams was finally his, and a baby would guarantee she would remain his, forever.

“You know what, Mister Stark? I have to go now. Talk to you tomorrow…”

“What? No, kid, don’t hang up on me! Peter Parker I swear-…”

Tony Stark heard the line go dead.

The end.

[funkylittlebidiot]

Hi! I'm kinda new to IronStrange ship, can you please recommend some angsty and fluff fanfic? I will really really appreciate it. Thank you!!! ❤️

Welcome to the fandom!! 💕 

I will try my best! I’m new to making rec posts but let’s start with my ultimate faves!

Let’s first make sure you’ve read canon! I know the Russo’s fanfic is really popular, but if you want the actual ironstrange story, you need to read @salty-ironstrange-shipper ‘s From The Top - everything from Iron Man to Far From Home with Ironstrange at the core!

From The Top - by lucifersfavoritechild (156,527) (Ironstrange Cinematic Universe: 185,755)

Summary: “Stephen, if you’re . . . there somewhere . . . when I drift off, I’ll be with you again. I can’t wait.” | | Personally, I think the MCU would be much better as a love story between Stephen Strange and Tony Stark. Don't you? Starting from Iron Man, and going all the way to Endgame, with all the appropriate stops in between. Let's take it from the top.

Once that’s done and you’re looking for more fluff - with sides of angst whenever needed - start with reading @elisaphoenix13 Supreme Family Chaos. It’s so much fun, really cute, and great for if you need a sub-fandom to lose yourself in. It involves all the Avengers but mainly focusses on the main family of Stephen, Tony, Harley, Peter, Thomas, William, and a bunch of OC’s - do come join our ramblings in the discord =)

Supreme Family Chaos (Series) - by Elisahpoenix (290,314)

(unofficial) Summary: It starts with adopting Peter, but Stephen can’t stop himself from becoming a mom - and again, and again, and again (x4). 

If you’re still looking for long fics and new versions of canon, I recommend @nanosorcerer‘s I Knew You For A Day and @wspaceblog‘s Indefinable Things (be quick in downloading this one it’s worth it). Both involve the Iron Fam with both Peter AND Harley which is an immediate win for me. 

I Knew You For A Day - by nanosorcerer (387,776)

Summary: Endgame AU where Stephen is able to save Tony after he Snaps. Neither realize how their now shared life force will entwine them in more ways than one. Through Tony's recovery, he realizes the difference between who has always been there and who will always love him.

opinion: I really love this world! Stephen and Tony’s relationship is so fucking precious! It’s tender, it’s emotional, it’s - quite literally - dependent, it’s everything you could hope for. It’s fluffy and angsty and just such an intense read. I’m currently behind because each chapter is 20k at least which only shows how much the author loves it and cares for the characters and story. Really important takes on recovery both mentally and physically; it allows Tony to have a dad bod and body issues and it’s seriously brilliant. 

Indefinable Things - by w_space (283,996)

Summary: The war is over. The rogues are back. Steve is definitely not over it. There are lots of secrets about to implode. Tony just really wants his recovered relationship with Stephen to work. And Peter just wants everyone to leave his dads alone.

(With a lot of flashback into the past of how Stephen and Tony met, got together, fell apart, only to have all roads lead back to each other again.)

opinion: i really enjoy reading this one; it’s one of my ultimate favorites (obviously)! It’s such a ride each chapter and makes you feel things x 3000. Everything that happens is genius and amazing and it has a wonderful take on Tony and Stephen’s relationship and everything that happened in between their past and present. Their relationship to the rogues is complicated yet intimate and it just keeps you guessing in all the best ways. Especially if you also like Natasha and Loki, I think this fic is a great read for you! I still can’t get over how intricate this is.

Now to actually get to some specific fluffy and angsty reads - I’m not sure what length you’re actually looking for and I know that lengthy fics can be daunting. But most of my bookmarked fics do have at least 20K words. For shorter ones i’d recommend just looking through the mentioned authors’s other works and bookmarks - because you’ll probably find plenty of gems there. Here’s some of my favorites:

Obstacles and Opportunities - by shortsnout (54,361) Mature

Summary: Stephen Strange has been trying to juggle the responsibilities of a being a single father, his work and some resemblance of a social life. When his son, Peter is injured at the Stark Expo it brings about a chance encounter with a charismatic douchebag, which leads to an unexpected friendship and some unexpected revelations about Stephen’s sexuality.

Single parent AU, no powers.

Opinion: this one has a special place in my heart as it’s one of the earliest ironstrange fics i’ve read. It’s also a family fic which I love. I think it’s very well at recognising Stephen’s more difficult qualities and where they would clash with parenting, which gives it a very authentic feel. Tony is wonderful as always - very cute and a hot romance. 

Other works by the author to check out: Counterfeit Boyfriend (15k) and for an even smuttier one Bast’s Enchantment (12K)

Time After Time - by fancylances (47,755) Teen

Summary: Tony Stark is unstuck in time. Stephen Strange might just be the only person in the universe qualified enough to help.

opinion: Fix it! A great AU without being too AU! It sticks to the MCU and their respective powers while also giving a great alternative to the events of IW and endgame. I really enjoyed this one - if you’re looking for fluff and angst this is it :)

This Doesn't Mean That I Like You - by betheflame (13,756) Explicit

Summary: Stephen Strange and Tony Stark have hated each other since high school. Now that Stephen is the headmaster at their old preparatory academy and Tony's been hired as the temporary science teacher, no one expects that to change. If only they could stop having sex, things might not be so complicated.

Opinion: !!! i love anything with an academic setting and this one is just 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻 i loveee it a lot

 You can’t force a love to grow - by turtle_abyss (29,013) Teen

Summary: The people of Midgard say the drought is a final curse wrought by the Red Skull as he and his men were driven from the land into the churning winter sea. King Fury of Midgard believes in no such curses, but his people are starving and riotous and he is desperate. He puts out a call for aid to the other kingdoms. The desert only howls its answer, the messenger to Asgard is turned away at the border, but the messenger to the mountain kingdom of Kamar-Taj returns - shaken and babbling of ghosts and demons - carrying a scroll. Kamar-Taj will open a route of trade, but in exchange, they want a bride for their prince. King Fury, childless, puts out a call to his noble houses. Lord Howard Stark of the Southern Mines senses an opportunity for advancement and offers up his son, Anthony, who fits the specifications listed in the terms. Anthony would argue. Wants to fight and scream and flee. He’d dreamed of a love marriage like his mother always spoke of. The King paints a kind picture of duty and dignity: this marriage will save his people from starvation. His father threatens to throw him to the desert's mercy. There's no point in arguing. His heart probably won't last long anyway.

Opinion: really sweet!!! i enjoy a good Medieval/royalty AU and it didn’t disappoint! Plus it has ART!!! it’s great 10/10 all around. @turtleoftheabyss Is a great author in general and has so many great fics to check out.

Other works by the author: R&R

Sometimes, A Family Is - by CrystalRoza19, NeonCrayons (20,656) General

Summary: Sometimes a family is comprised of you, your recently divorced dad, an unruly group of teenagers and a semi-unemployed former world-class neurosurgeon… Peter Stark hoped that moving back to the city would help his father get passed all the struggles and animosity that plagued him after his divorce. What he hadn't thought to hope for was a way for his father to move on; he’d always had a hard time letting people go, after all. Stephen Strange was everything Steve Rogers was not. Maybe he could be everything Tony Stark needed to heal his broken heart. Throw in an unruly group of teenagers and you have yourself a family.

Opinion: This is perfect for Fluff and Angst!! It’s a really sweet No Powers AU and checks all boxes it’s great!

My Starlight - by Insert_witty_username (our very own @stark-strange-love2) (18,452) Explicit

summary: Leviathans, the all powerful beings that reside in the void beyond the world they created, are destined to do nothing but observe as the Earth turns day after day. Stephen was content to do the same as the other Leviathans, that is, until he lays eyes on Tony Stark, a human prince threatened with an arranged marriage from his father. Stephen helps him, but now they have a new problem. Stephen, a being of unfathomable power is married to a human prince. Where do they go from there? Alternately, a myth as to the creation of the stars

Opinion: this is so good oml!! I already mentioned i love a good royalty!AU and this is truly an epic piece of writing; great concept to begin with and an actual happy ending! 

Other works by the Author: Universal Coding (11K) 

Persona - by @wifeofstark (26,032) Teen

Summary: Stephen Strange sees himself forced to team up with the Invincible Iron Man due to unfortunate circumstance and soon enough he falls for his quips and charm. The only problem is he doesn’t even know his name. Then an incident in Japan forces Stephen and Tony Stark together under even more unfortunate circumstance and when he discovers that the businessman is nothing like he expected he no longer knows how to feel

Opinion: it’s been a while since i’ve read this but i’ve been intending to reread because I keep thinking about it lately! it’s so good! If you want something cute and fluffy with a little bit of a comic book vibe - this is really funny and sweet. 

Other works by the Author: Afterworld (30K) (vampire!AU!!!), Songs About Sex (50K), and so much more I haven’t got around to reading yet

The Douchebag, The Asshole, and Their Kids: A Love Story - by Teamironmanforever (74,954) Teen

Summary: Stephen Strange - sorcerer supreme, former neurosurgeon and resident asshole - is tasked by his fellow sorcerers with speaking with Tony Stark - genius, billionaire, philanthropist, part time hero and full time douchebag - after the “civil war.” The two get off to a rocky start as miscommunication, mistrust, and past pains threaten to do them in. However, both men are nothing if not adaptable and, with the threat Tony can’t get out of his head, the two will have to work in close quarters to stop earth from coming to harm. All while leading a brand new avengers team and co-parenting three meddlesome teenage kids that seem to have it in their head that the wizard and the genius want in on each other’s pants.

Opinion + warning this hasn’t been finished and seems to currently be abandoned as it hasn’t updated since February but i still definitely think it’s worth the read. It’s one of my ultimate favorites and I love it a lot. 

I haven’t even talked about Imagined yet because I Don’t Know Where To Start.

I’ve just linked their page because it’s too much. Too good. 

Personal faves are;

Citizen’s Erased (first work i read of hers and it’s so good!! seriously brilliant and painful in all the right ways), 

Little Monsters (which is just so cute i’m obsessed and Desperately Waiting On More, Liz!!!),

Sorcerers of Ephemeral Colours (which she’s currently working on - and again; royalty/medieval AU instant win), 

Five times Five (This fic came into my house and flmqkdjsm - it CAN and WILL murder you in your sleep through a perfectly timed heart attack), 

Talking In Reverse (cute coffee shop University AU that will obliterate you on the spot - Italian Tony 👌🏻), 

The Two-Fold Problem of Dating, (possibly my fave one-shot?? why do i like these idiots they’re the worst) ... and now i’m realising i’m just citing each work in her repertoire... but there IS MORE go read it each fic is amazing.

Now I already mentioned @salty-ironstrange-shipper at the start with her most famous work, but definitely check out her entire page lucifersfavoritechild because she should also get recognition for her other gems including - but not limited to -  

Let It Be 

Paint It Black and Synergy (villain AUs 💖)

Gold Roses (how many times do i have to say it; ROYALTY AU!!)

and if you like pepper x christine Of All The Stars Most Beautiful. (which is just a sapphic dream tbh)

At this point I remembered I’m also a writer TM so here’s my favorite fluffy x angsty fic: 

(Sober) Companion - by ME (20K) Mature

Summary: Stephen Strange, ex-neurosurgeon, current sober companion, prides himself on his competence. If he's so competent, however, why is he having so much trouble getting through to his new charge, Tony Stark? Usually it's Stephen putting the pieces back together, but when Tony is giving him none to work with, and instead starts meddling with Stephen's, he might have to reconsider who's fixing who. And can the answer be both or neither at the same time?

I know my recs haven’t changed much since previous times but that isn’t going to stop me from talking about them. I just probably brave going through my history at some point to find the ones i forgot to bookmark ...

But my advice is always to just go to the ship tag and play around with the filters; specific AU/tropes you’re looking for, sort through wordcount/kudos/comments/bookmarks, otp: true or with extra characters, etc or be a badass and just start from the first fic ever written to the one that was updated last. 

Also you might have noticed i tagged the authors whose blogs I know because if you’re new to the fandom you should probably go follow them for more Marvel content!

[marveloustrauma]

so, I'm clearly seeing things that aren't there

okay...

I am truly ill prepared for the next MCU phase. why you ask? well, when the MCU first launched their debate film IRON MAN in 2008 I was but 10 years old. I grew up along side many of these characters, some I love more than others it's true, many who were not treated well by the writers/producers and some who have come to pass. while watching a video essay the creator pointed out how the MCU's titular hero and villian are both fathers. Thanos sacrifices his daughter in exchange for the soul stone and the 'greater good'. that's because in Thanos' mind wiping out half of all living creatures is considered a 'correction', a 'balance' must be kept and Thanos' is willing to sacrifice his own daughter in order to do so. in Gamora's (2018) famous last words "no. this isn't love". Thanos is toxic he claims to love his children but he tortures them, destroys them, harms them and kills them (both directly and indirectly).

Tony doesn't become a father until after the events of Infinity War, yet throughout all 3 phases of the MCU Tony Stark/RDJ is considered the 'father' of the MCU. In IRON MAN 3 Tony all but adopts young Harley, in CIVIL WAR & HOMECOMING this motif is pushed even further with Tony mentoring Peter Parker. seeing Tony being a positive father figure for so many young characters is clearly a well thought out part of Tony's character arch. this is even more important to think about when you consider how Tony didn't grow up with the best dad around (granted Howard/Tony's relationship needs to be discussed in a different post cause there's a lot to cover there). it's made clear to the audience that Tony had a difficult relationship with his father (in the comics it's flat out abusive, the MCU's writers treated Howard Stark kindly being more of dismissive and passive-aggressive towards his son). in the first 2 Iron Man movies Tony works to move out of his father's shadow, this is somewhat achieved in CIVIL WAR when Tony creates B.A.R.F. which allows him to work though the emotional trauma of dealing with his parents passing (as well as other things too probably this man has serious mental health issues). this progress is hindered towards the end of CIVIL WAR but Tony still manages to reconcile with his demons enough so that when he meets his father again in ENDGAME he now understands Howard a lot better. at this point Tony himself is a father to Morgan, he knows he can't be the perfect father (Tony has struggled in the past with doing the 'right thing' AVENGERS: AOU is a good example for this). if Tony wants to build a brighter future for his daughter and avenge the fallen he has to sacrifice his own life. and he does. Tony lays his own life on the line and is finally able to rest...

-- EXCUSE ME WHILE I FUCKING SOB REAL QUICK CAUSE FUCK I'M NOT OVER HIS DEATH --

unlike Thanos Tony makes the sacrifice play if Tony truly wants to correct what has been wronged he has to take on the full repercussions. yes it means never seeing his daughter again but Morgan gets to live, his daughter gets to live her life vs. Thanos' choices which lead to the death of many of his children even his most precious Gamora (who he murdered). Thanos is an abusive and selfish father. Thanos is very similar to the father Tony grew up with, the core of Tony's demons and insecurities and when faces them, faces Thanos Tony is brave, he is resilient, he is the protector. Tony does not give up to the bitter end telling Thanos the truth, "I am Iron Man". Tony knows who he is. He is the man who will make the sacrifice play for his friends, his comrades, for all living creatures and for his daughter. Tony is a good father, damnit his the best

-- HOLD ON THESE FUCKING TEARS --

for 11 years I called Tony my father. sure I had my ups and downs with the character no one ever has a perfect relationship with their parents and yeah, he is fictional. however, I'm an introverted kid with no father who will claim me and here is this amazing and wonderful character who is shaping my youth. idealizing Tony as my father is no different to someone else claiming their favorite character is their best friend or closest companion. your comfort character as they would say.

this is why I appreciate WANDAVISION so much! besides being pure perfection for a great number of reasons the Disney+ show captures all the many stages and feelings associated with grief. it makes sense for this show to be the sequel to ENDGAME (the show takes place roughly 3/4 weeks after the events of ENDGAME). Wanda is helping us all move forward and accept the death of the characters who were slain so that the story could have a 'happy ending', a win for the heroes and death to the enemy.

now sadly, I am still recovering. and that's okay. I know that even after their gone these characters are still a part of me, just like Vision is the part of the Mind Stone that resides in Wanda. they are eternally connected and bonded.

FAR FROM HOME deserves a mention ofc. The film focuses on many things so for me the time given on Tony/Peter's relationship doesn't go into full depth, personally. yes we discuss Tony's legacy within the film however FAR FROM HOME doesn't have the same gut wrenching stomach twisting effect as WANDAVISION (these are all personal opinions. mine might not be the same as yours). still it's worth mentioning as Tony's much darker past makes an appearance, a darkness in the form of Mysterio who comes rushing straight for Peter. a son bearing the sins of his father. in the beginning of the film this weight is crushing Peter, he is unsure, grieving and far too young for all of this. yet by the end, Peter knows who he is. he knows the truth and Mysterio "can't trick... [him] anymore". Tony trusted him, Tony beieved in him and for Peter that's enough.

where was I going with this...? oh right!

I'm sad and depressed as fuck. I am eternally grateful to Robert Downey Jr.'s for his portrayal of Tony Stark. I'm so incredibly impressed with this character's arch and I love the idea of two father figures battling it out with the loving, kind and supportive father like Tony Stark winning over an abusive nut sack like Thanos.

the MCU has this strange line that they walk. on one hand there are themes, motifs and stories that feel incomplete, not yet fully realized. just short of greatness. then there are these well thought out methodical almost philosophical at times stories that are being written right before our very eyes. I suppose this is what 'family entertainment' is. as a kid I looked up to my heroes believing nothing could harm them, because the hero would always win and get to go home. as a young adult I know that the greatest heroes makes the greatest sacrifices which means... they don't always get to go home. and... that's okay because I know that Tony can finally rest knowing that his family (Pepper, Morgan, Peter, the Avengers, everyone tbh) are finally safe. the recurring nightmare has finally reached it's 'happy end'.

on a side note...

shout out to Josh Brolin! Thanos might be a saggy sack of nuts but Brolin is a an amazing actor and should not be hated for his portrayal of such an iconic villian. remember, you can hate the character but you should also appreciate the actor for their performance!

[darknessisafriend]

I’m here for you

WARNING: triggering topics explicitly described: anxiety and self-harm

Reader is struggling with self harm, has a lot of scars on her arms and Arthur knows about them, he knows also that reader is trying not to do this, but it's something like an addiction. Lately in readers life everything goes wrong, she lost her job and feels like no matter what she do it's never enough. So one day when Arthur is at work, she gives up and cuts her arm. Arthur finds her sitting on a couch bleeding and crying, and he takes care of her. 

You were pacing in the living room, alone; your boyfriend Arthur was still at work and you…you didn’t have any work left, you had lost your job and now you didn’t know what to do. You and Artie already struggled financially, how were you going to do? Given the current situation will you ever find a job again? And how much weight it would add on his shoulders! You felt like shit for losing your job.

“Fuck, you’re so fucking stupid! Why couldn’t you prove how good you were!?” you muttered to yourself. Since the news, you could only think of one thing: hurt yourself. You didn't know what else to do, how to deal with the emotional turmoil you felt inside; it was overwhelming, it was too much; you had been resisting for hours but you couldn't anymore, you had to do it.

So, you headed to bathroom and took the razorblade you had well-hidden from your boyfriend and went back to sit on the sofa. It was an impulse impossible to control; you had to do it, no matter how hard you tried to stop these past months…in distress, you bounced your leg, fighting this urge to pierce your skin, trying to resist but you wanted to feel this relieving pain. You looked at your arm, already full of scars some recent, some older, some deeper than others…but what could one more do then?  

“Fuck this…” you swore finally giving in to your urge, pressing the blade on your skin and cutting… once…twice and a third time…

You closed your eyes as you felt the burning pain fill in your forearm; in this instant you felt relief, what you felt inside coming out through the pain. But when you opened your eyes again and saw the blood coming out of the cuts, tears came out of to your eyes, rolling down your cheeks, you had done it again. Why couldn’t you just stop!? why were you so weak!? You barely heard the click of the door opening

“Hey love!” Said the voice of Arthur joyfully, despite the fatigue he could have, you felt his joy to come home to someone who cared about him, who loved him. But then he froze in his tracks when you didn't answer, his eyes landing on your bloody arm, tears on your face. He wanted to panic and rush to you, but he knew it was better for you to be calm. Still, it hurt him so much to see you this way; he blinked away the tears in his eyes.

“I'm-I’m sorry Artie…I'm so sorry…I tried, I couldn't-” you cried; he instantly closed the gap between the two of you, sitting next to you; he briefly visually checked that the cuts were not too deep but didn’t touch your arm, giving you space.

“Hey, it's okay, I'm here now, love…what's wrong? tell me what happened, please.” he spoke on a gentle yet worried tone, his fingers coming up to erase the tears on your cheeks. You took few deep breaths, trying to calm down your breathing, focusing on Arthur's feather like touch which had moved from your cheeks to caress your hair.

“I…got fired and now I don't know what to do Artie…I know you are already working your ass off and I'm not even able to keep my job I'm stupid-“ you lamented.

“Don't worry.” He cut you off by a hug, tightly embracing you.

“But-”

“I said don't worry Y/N. Come with me and let's clean that wound.” He helped you up, resting his hand on the small of your back as he guided you to the bathroom. He sat you down on the edge of the tub while he went to the cupboard to take the necessary, disinfectant, compresses and bandages. He came to kneel in front of you, gently taking your hand in his before starting to clean your wounds, his touch light, careful not to hurt you to much; still , you winced but compared to the tenderness of your boyfriend, that pain it was nothing; the love you felt from his care brought you comfort and relieved you more than any harm could.

“I used to take care of my mother, so I can handle it while waiting for you to find another job. Now there's something much more important: you. You are not stupid, it's not your fault that you got fired and you are not weak, you are fighting to feel better and you have been fighting for months to try to stop harming yourself. I know better than anyone else how addictive it feels; you are very brave Y/N. You are making progress… you had stopped for two months; this is already a big step…�� he spoke softly; bandaging your wounded arms, his fingers lightly brushing over your burning skin.  

“Even if I succumbed…?” you sniffled, your eyes shinning with hope; Arthur lowered his head to tenderly kiss your hands and then your bandages. Then, he lifted his head again, meeting your eyes, his soft gaze full off adoration.

“Yes, it is already big victory two months! but let me tell you that whenever you feel the urge to hurt yourself…come to me instead, even if I’m at work, I don't care. You are the most precious person I have; you supported me through rough moments, I want to do the same with you. Will you allow me to help you?” he gave you a sweet smile, full of gentleness and love. You nodded, wiping away the tears on your cheeks with the back of your hand, then you felt his lips land on your cheeks.

“What do you think of watching your favorite movie together while eating dinner? I’m cooking for us tonight.” He suggested with a lovely smile, putting a strand of hair behind your ear. You eagerly nodded.

“Yes, I’d like that very much Artie.” You stole him a tender kiss on the lips “I love you, thank you for staying by my side.”

Tag list:  @call-me-harley-quinn​ @cigznvalentines @skaravile​ @help-i-am-obssessed​ @arthurfleckjoker2019 @theartistdetective​ @lyoongx​ @jaylovesbats @niniitah-ah @soulsdontbreaktheybeeend​ @fleckcmscott​ @obssessedandthirsty @weirdflecksbutok​ @stardancerluv​ @charlie-sisters​  @sgtsavoytruffle​ @ohcarlesmycarles​ @rajacero 

[idyllicstarker]

Idea: Starker Tattoos

Heya.. so umm, this ask was made, a long time ago. But I actually did finally do it! I know it isn’t exactly what you had in mind, but it is what came from it, so I hope you enjoy it!!

Warnings: Slightly fem!peter, daddy kink, one mention of the word homophobia, light smut, foul language

| Part two

“It’s just a tattoo, I don’t see what your problem is!” 

The frustration in Peter’s tone was evidently getting stronger, his pitch increasing the longer this conversation went on, because for the life of him he couldn’t understand why Tony wouldn’t just let him get it. The longer he argued the more worked up he was getting. It wasn’t the first time they’d had this argument after all, and Peter was at his last straw by now. 

“Well, answer me then, what’s your problem?”, he repeated, his tone firm, but increasingly strained, choked up from the emotion. Peter could never fight with Tony without getting emotional. No matter how angry he was, he could not physically argue with him without tears appearing. He hated it, because he hated seeming weak when he was trying to be strong. The nature of their relationship already meant that Tony barely took him seriously when he was trying to be authoritative; to Tony he was being nothing more than a bratty baby. But Peter wasn’t, he was genuinely 

“I don’t have a problem with you getting a tattoo Peter. I just..”

Tony trailed off, letting out a sigh. He was tired, today had been a long day. He’d got through seven clients, which may not seem like a lot, but each tattoo had intricate detail, colour, and perfection. It had been a long day of concentrating, and he just wanted to rest his eyes. His migraine wasn’t helping at all, and as he learnt against the counter in his tattoo shop he found his eyes closing without his control. 

As Peter watched with narrowed eyes, he scoffed, and shook his head. “You’re infuriating”, he muttered quietly to himself, turning around to grab his jacket from the communal hooks in the store. It was a small pink leather jacket, the lapel in which was dazzled with sparkling diamonds. It matched the pink thigh highs he was sporting, his white body-con dress revealing his milky thighs. When Peter had bounced into the store as the day was ending, Tony couldn’t help but lick his lips, ready to bend Peter over this very counter and fuck him right then and there. But he had to wait until Bucky (his employee and friend) to leave, and by the time he did, Tony managed to muster the self control to wait until they were back home at least. But he knew he was getting nothing tonight after this disagreement. 

“Baby, come on now, where are you going? Let me just lock up and we can leave”, Tony begged, just wanting this conversation to be over. Even if he ended up not getting laid tonight, he at least wanted to curl up in their bed (or at this point maybe he’d be sleeping on the couch) knowing that Peter was safe inside their shared walls. And if he was lucky, with a little bit of coaxing and pampering, a warm bath with bubbles, and some of that cheap red wine he’d bought the other day, he’d be buried inside Peter’s walls. 

Slowly approaching the smaller male, he pressed up behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist. He was gentle enough to not hurt him, but firm enough so that Peter couldn’t squirm away like he tried to do. 

“Get off me, you’ve pissed me off enough today, I’m going to Ned’s”, he hissed, which Tony only groaned at. His warm breath tickled the side of Peter’s neck, a shiver rolling over his body as his hairs stood up, the boy letting out a submissive whimper. 

The sound made Tony smirk - already the boy was melting and it had barely taken any work.

“I’m sure Ned  can’t take care of you like daddy can”, he growled huskily against his ear. He knew the boy top to bottom, knowing exactly what to do to make him weak. And like suspected, Peter was already leaning back against him for support. All it took was one rough push of Tony’s crotch against his ass, to have the boy letting out a moan. 

“Fine, but I want a bath”, he grumbled, his cheeks pink with embarrassment knowing he’d given up way too easily. But he couldn’t exactly show up to Ned’s with the front of his dress straining against his prominent bulge.

Tony chuckled softly against his neck, his tongue slipping from his lips to lick over the warm skin slowly. He licked all the way up to his ear, letting out a soft moan once he reached it, as if Peter was the most delicious snack he’d ever had the opportunity to excite his tongue. In which, he pretty much was. “I knew I’d get through to you eventually”, he hummed, not in a particularly malicious or teasing tone. Just a simple matter of fact tone. He was quite proud of himself in a way, how easy it had been. And it confirmed that Peter wasn’t all that mad, a good thing considering Tony was sick of this conversation. 

“Come on now baby, why don’t you go wait in daddy’s car”, he said, but it wasn’t a request, more like a demand, pushing his body away from Peter’s, emitting a whine from the boy. “Now Peter”, Tony said, quite sternly, delivering a rough slap down on the boys ass, licking his lips at the way it jiggled under the soft cotton, not hiding anything from Tony’s gaze, just the way he liked it. It stretched over his ass, and once again, Tong remembered just how lucky he was to have Peter. He was so perfect, and of course, not just in his body, but in every other way. He smiled softly, pressing a kiss to Peter’s head. “Come on Pete, I’ve gotta lock up, the sooner I do, the sooner we can leave”, he said in a softer tone this time. “And if you’re good, daddy might just help you out in the car”, he growled lowly, patting his backside gently before moving to begin to turn off all the lights. 

Peter’s smile grew, nodding his head eagerly. He didn’t even say anything, way too excited to get home, tattoo forgotten. He grabbed Tony’s car key, before he practically ran out the door into the car park, scurrying to Tony’s old beaten up car, and slipping into the passenger seat. His dress was up his thighs within a second, rubbing himself through his lace panties with a moan. 

Tony took a last look around the shop, letting out a sigh. His gaze flicked to the window, making sure Peter got into the car safely, but frowned a bit. His precious boy getting into the rusty old steel can, was a heavy sight - he rubbed at his head with a groan. Peter deserved so much more: limousines and sports cars, his own personal driver. Tony didn’t even know how at this point he was keeping a roof over their heads. He struggled to buy Peter clothes for god’s sake. Everything he deserved, Tony couldn’t provide. And his angel of a boyfriend never once complained. But Tony knew, or at least he thought he did, Peter was probably sick of it. He came from wealth and splendour, he was used to mansions and gold, not a shitty, dirty apartment in the rough part of the neighbourhood. Tony closed his eyes, trying to diminish these thoughts. It wasn’t long until Peter turned around and told him he’d had enough, he just had to try and build a better life for them before that. 

With an aching hand he grabbed the store keys, and walked out the door, beginning to lock up. 

~

The ride home was… pleasant, to say the least. Peter’s high pitched whines and moans filling the interior of the car whilst Tony’s large fingers filled him up perfectly, the other hand lay unshaking on the wheel as if nothing was even happening. 

The rest of the night passed like usual. Before they’d even made it through the door, humping each other desperately in the elevator, and Peter giving a not so subtle moan of a “heya Alfred’, to their elderly (extremely homophobic ) neighbour as Tony carried him in. Before they’d even shut the door, Tony whispered “cum for me baby”, and Peter was crying out. His ring of flesh and muscle clenching around Tony’s fingers as he came, his body trembling in his arms. Tony shut the door in just enough time to hear Alfred shouting at them about reporting them, but neither of the two were listening. 

As Peter calmed himself down, with shaky legs he climbed down and was on his knees within seconds. In just two more, Tony’s briefs and jeans were around his ankles and Peter’s lips were wrapped around his cock. 

It was a while before they’d lowered their sex drives just enough to actually eat some proper food and get on with their night (the main event was always saved for later). Tony looked across at Peter from their small kitchen table as he shovelled Kraft Mac and Cheese down his throat. It was far from the five star meal Tony had wanted to give to him, but he knew he wouldn’t be getting one of those at least any time soon. But Peter didn’t seem to mind, he was content with his slightly congealed dinner (because Tony didn’t add enough milk). 

“I’m still not through with this Tony”, Peter said suddenly. 

Tony let out a long sigh, his fork clattering to his plate as he leant back against the creaking chair and closed his eyes. 

“I don’t want you to get all moody with me Tony, but you need to realise this is important to me…”

“Why do you want a tattoo so bad Peter?”, he questioned. There was a long, pregnant silence and thus, Peter’s answer never came. 

“See, you’re being silly. You just want one because you see me, and you see what I do, and you’re fascinated by it”, it was from the truth, but Peter didn’t want to give up the real answer just yet. Sure one of the reasons was because it was a big part of Tony’s life, but it wasn’t the only reason. The fact that he didn’t want to reveal it was what kept him silent. “You don’t need a tattoo my love. Trust me. Your porcelain skin is perfect without having any ink to taint it.”

“But what if it’s important to me…”

“Shush Peter now please. I don’t want to have this conversation anymore”, he continued, ignoring the fact that he’d completely cut Peter off.”It’s like what Kim whatever her last name is said: You wouldn’t put a bumper stick on Harley.”

Peter’s face scrunched up before he huffed. “It was Kim Kardashian. And a Bentley Tony, It was a Bentley. Not everyone thinks a motorbike is the most precious thing in the world like you. If you’re going to try and persuade me with pop culture references at least get them right so you don’t look like a fool at the end of it”, he snapped. 

“I’m sorry baby boy. But that’s it now, come on. No more talk about tattoos.”

Of course Peter was much too stubborn to actually agree. So he stayed quiet, not promising anything but giving up for tonight. He stabbed his fork into a piece of macaroni, putting it into his mouth with a small sigh. A heavy tension warmed both of them, the only sound being their forks scraping against their bowls. It was only once Tony was finished, looking over to Peter with an almost guilty but subtle expression. 

Feeling the gaze on him, Peter’s soft eyes looked up at Tony and finally he smiled.He didn’t want to argue anymore tonight “So am I still getting my bath daddy?”, he asked innocently, and with a chuckle, Tony too, began to smile. 

 “However could I deny my baby of his desires”, yet his smile was tight, unconvinced, because it was pretty easy when he didn’t have the money to get them in the first place.

~

Tony’s wish for that conversation to be the last of its kind was clearly not granted. Sure, Peter had actually waited a full month this time before inquiring again, but Tony just hadn’t wanted it to be bought up at all, but of course, the boy’s persistence was much too strong for that.

Yet his persistence was fueled by the simple reason that Peter was annoyed. Tony didn’t even want to look at the design he’d chosen, and maybe if he did he’d realise why it was so important and special for Peter to get it. So this time, he didn’t give him the choice.

They were cuddling on the couch. Peter tucked snugly under his arm, a thin, scratchy blanket draped over them as both men kept their eyes to the TV. Peter didn’t even know what they were watching, but he was bored.And it wasn’t long before his interests moved someplace else. His fingertips softly crawled down Tony’s arm, his gentle touch scarcely brushing over his skin until he reached where he wanted. Tony of course had two sleeves of tattoos, one on each arm. Starting from the bottom, Peter began to trace around the tattoos gently with his fingertips. Underneath him, Tony tensed, already knowing what was coming from that one small movement. 

“Your tattoos are so pretty Tony”, Peter muttered quietly, looking up at his lover with a sincere grin. 

“Thank you love, you know that means a lot to me… but you’re still not getting one.”

There was a beat of silence before Peter let out a frustrated grin. “Why are you being such an ass about this”, he eventually shouted, pulling himself away from Tony and up off the couch. He grabbed his phone from the coffee table before sitting back down with a pout making sure to leave a good couple of inches away just to emphasise how annoyed he was with the man. “You didn’t even let me finish, I didn’t even get to ask this time but you’re already saying no. Just look and you’ll understand”

Peter thrust the phone under Tony’s nose, forcing him to look at the photo on the screen “MJ drew it for me after I told her what sort of thing I wanted!”

Even Tony had to admit, the idea was cute, and he did understand why Peter wanted it. It was an infinity sign, with Tony’s initials causing a break at the top right and the bottom left. Above it was a heart, and around it birds. It stemmed from Peter’s guilty obsession with the notebook. When they first met, Tony had never watched it, and on when on their midnight picnic date,  Peter said he wished he too would like to be reincarnated into a bird upon his death, and Tony looked over and somehow managed to quote the lines perfectly: ‘If you’re a bird, then I’m a bird’, before leaning in to give him a soft kiss. Of course the quote was written just under the infinity sign and honestly Tony thought it was perfect. It was drawn in such a way that it didn’t seem too much for one tattoo. It was beautiful and yet it hurt his heart.

“I wanted it to be a surprise, but I had to ask you first, I was going to get Bucky to do it, but he knows how protective you are and said he wouldn’t unless he got your permission. But if I don’t then I guess I’ll just go get it done from someone he will, whether you want me too or not. My body, my choice or whatever”, it was a clear sign Peter was seething. He was actually considering going against Tony’s word. There wasn’t exactly a power imbalance in their relationship, but usually Peter did listen to Tony, and thus far, they’d managed to always settle an agreement. 

Finally, Tony lifted his gaze from the screen of the phone. He turned to look at Peter shaking his head. “Peter if you do that, I will never forgive you. You’re not getting it”, he said firmly. “That shits permanent, I would know, I do it for a living.”

Tony half expected Peter to continue to argue, maybe beg, or storm off angrily. He didn’t seem upset, at least not until Tony’s last words. As soon as they left his mouth, it was like something inside of Peter had snapped. He recoiled, bringing the phone to his chest and clutching his heart like he was in great pain.His angry expression dropped, and his eyebrows furrowed. He was hurt. No, he looked more than hurt, he looked broken. And Tony wanted it to go away. 

He didn’t understand what he’d done wrong. But he needed to fix it. He couldn’t have his baby that upset. Especially over him. 

“Baby, whatever you think I said I didn’t mean it..”, he tried to soothe, yet Peter’s bottom lip was quivering and tears were forming in his eyes. 

“Oh so you didn’t mean just to tell me our love means nothing to you”, he spoke. His voice cracked, wavering with the sudden burst of intense emotion. 

“What?” Tony asked, panicking as he shook his head and reached out to touch him. But Peter was much too fast, standing before Tony could come anywhere near him. “Baby..”, Tony sighed, “Baby I didn’t say that at all”, he whispered.

“No, Tony, you did. That shits permanent huh? Yeah, you’re right, that’s exactly why I want it. Because I thought we would be too. Isn’t that what you always promise me? Me and you, forever. Then why won’t you let me get something to symbolise that. Are you gonna break up with me? Is that it?”, he was shouting now, tears streaming down his red face, all worked up from his rant.

“Peter you know that isn’t what I meant. I’m not going to break up with you. I want to be with you forever, I promise. I just don’t want you to regret it…”, he winced as soon as the words left his mouth, realising he was only making things a lot worse. 

Peter let out a cry before turning on his heel and walking to the bedroom. Tony was up and after him of course but as he reached the door, a pillow was thrown to his chest and the door slammed in his face. He looked down at the Pillow and let out a small groan. Guess it was the couch tonight.

~

It had been a week, and Peter still wasn’t talking to Tony. The good thing - he hadn’t packed his bags and left. Tony was only hoping this was over soon because he didn’t think his back was going to survive the couch any longer. Well there was that and the fact that his baby was mad at him and he of course didn’t like that.

He’s just gotten done with a client,in the store, it had been a quiet day. With no appointments for now he’d sent Bucky on his lunch break. He sat at his chair behind the counter, letting out a deep breath to try and feel a bit more alive. 

As the door opened, a small gust filled the room causing Tony to look up. He raised an eyebrow as he watched a forlorn looking Peter come trudging in. He was on his feet within an instant “Baby are you okay?”

Peter sniffled quietly, moving his hand to wipe at his eyes, and as Tony walked around the counter he noticed the tracks of tears on his pink cheeks. He opened up his arms and within seconds Peter had sunk into them, the first time in a week they’d had any sort of contact apart from minor conversations within the apartment. “Peter what’s wrong? Did someone hurt you”, he repeated, more urgently this time already plotting all the ways he could get away with murder.

“I just tried to get some groceries Tony…”, Peter said softly, causing Tony to look down at him confused, nodding his head as if coaxing him to continue. “Your card got declined…”

With those four words, Tony tensed up. His arms grew loose around Peter, despite how hard the boy struggled to hold on in an attempt to ground Tony and not have him lose his mind. But it was too late. He gently pushed Peter away, moving to sit back in his chair, his head in his hands. It was quite for a long while, too long of a while. Quiet until Peter slowly approached, taking Tony’s hands and moving them so that he could crawl into his lap, facing him.

“It’s okay Tony, we’ll figure it out. I’ll get my dad..”

“Your dad hates me. I don’t think he’ll be willing to send me money because I can’t do enough to fucking support us”, Tony spat bitterly. 

Peter sighed pressing a kiss to Tony’s lips to try and calm him down. “We’ll work through it. We always have done. I’m starting at that florist around the corner next week, remember?”

Of course Tony remembered. Peter had never worked a job in his twenty one years of living. Tony knew that from the start. But Peter wasn’t a spoiled brat. He was just used to living a soft, cushy life. If he fell, there would also be pillows underneath him to break his fall. All until he met Tony. 

They’d kept it a secret for a while - Peter sneaking out to see him and whatnot. But his parents were bound to find out eventually. And when they did, the ambitious and wealthy Parker’s were not happy that their only son was dating a ‘punk street rat’ as they so lovingly put it. It was either Peter broke up with him, or cut off his ties to his family. So of course Tony retaliated by gifting Peter a promise ring and the rich pretty boy’s life changed forever. His credit card was shut off, his phone bill shut off, everything Peter was used to, was gone. The only things he had left were the clothes on his back, and his actual phone. The newest at the time, but now, it was the oldest phone Peter had ever had. And it would only get older. He moved into Tony’s cramped apartment, but even now, some of the clothes he owned were still folded in his suitcase because they wouldn’t fit in Tony’s small wardrobe. He promised he’d get Peter his own, he never managed to get enough funds. In an attempt to give Peter what he was used to, he had to change a lot about the way he lived. He told Peter not to get a job - he didn’t have to help, that was Tony’s job; he paid his phone bill for him (at the expense of Tony’s own phone, which he ended up selling); he would never let the food get low like he used to, even though it meant he was spending more on it, and he’d make sure his bills were always paid on time. Before Peter, he didn’t care if he had to shower in cold water, but he never wanted his baby to take anything but a hot steamy shower; he didn’t care if he was threatened at being thrown on the streets for not paying his rent, but he would never drag Peter into something like that.

The point is, Tony never wanted anything but the best for Peter, and so he worked with what he had. But now, he’d failed. And he didn’t know what he was supposed to do. 

“Baby with all due respect, I don’t think your little florist job is going to do much. I have to pay  bills in two weeks, rent in three, and.. Fuck.. I was meant to give Bucky his pay tomorrow!”

Peter bit down on his lip. Tony never usually let him in on the financial side of things, he didn’t like to let Peter see how hard it was to make ends meet. So, Peter was a bit at a loss with all of these things.

“I can sell some of my clothes-”, he began, but was cut off by the glare from Tony making him go quiet instantly. 

“I’m not making you do that”, Tony said, he was firm, his voice wavering with slight aggression. But Peter didn’t blame him, Tony was scared, it was so clear to see in his eyes. “Peter I need you to go back to your parents and tell them that we broke up. Just say that they were right, and..”, he began to raise his voice to speak over Peter’s sounds of indignation “I know it will hurt your dignity, but for the sake of you not having to struggle through me being incredibly broke, I need you to go back.”

“It’s not my dignity Tony-”

“Peter I’m still in debt from fucking opening this place!”

“Shut up and let me finish! It’s not my dignity I’m worried about, It’s you. You’re supposed to be the one I marry. Your struggles are my struggles whether you like it or not. I’ll live on the streets if i have to, as long as it’s with you. I can go days without eating, so if it’s food you’re worried about, we’ll buy what we can and you can eat it all. If we have to leave the apartment then MJ and Ned will help us get back on our feets. And I know Bucky and his boyfriend Steve would too. If not your friends, I know you have them Tony.”

He was off his lap at this point, pacing, the desperation rich in his tone trying to get Tony to see that he wasn’t leaving him.

“Why do you want to stay with a poor fucker like me?”

“BECAUSE I LOVE YOU TONY”, Peter finally burst, turning around to shout at him, his chest heaving with each heavy breath. “Because I love you”, he repeated, quieter this time and softer.

 “Don’t you love me?” he asked quietly. He seemed almost scared to hear the answer.

Yet he didn’t have to. Because Tony’s eyes flashed with guilt and Peter gasped, a sharp pain shooting through his chest as he fell forward against the counter no longer able to hold his body up himself.

“I knew it..”, he muttered quietly, refusing to look Tony in the eyes as his own filled with tears. “This is why you wouldn’t let me get the tattoo.”

Tony felt like the worst man in the world. Of course he loved Peter, but he couldn’t let him know that otherwise he’d stay and Tony would feel so much worse knowing he was putting Peter through hell. But at the mention of the tattoo he scoffed. 

“Are you really going to bring that up at a time like this”, he snapped, standing from his chair and shaking his head. 

“Well I guess it just confirms what I said all along. You don’t love me half as much as I love you, and forever was always just a lie..”, although Peter’s bitterness was evident, so was his pain. And as he turned around to leave through the door Tony knew deep down he couldn’t leave it like this. 

“No Peter, that’s where you’re wrong”, Tony said his hands clenched into fists as he turned around to face the smaller male. He was met with Peter’s back, but he’d froze. His hope was always there, hope that Tony did actually love him.

 “Look down at your hand and the ring on your finger. It was a cheap ring, it was all I could afford at the time, it’s pretty funny how I can afford even less now. It’s discoloured, It’s not the right size for your finger, but I tried my best”, he waited as Peter did so, “I gave you that as a promise that I would spend the rest of my life with you as long as you were happy, healthy and safe. If you continue to try and make ends meet with me, you will be none of those things.”

“You don’t know that..”

“I do Peter. Because even if I somehow manage to get out of this debt, and we go back to the way we were before, You still deserve better. I haven’t taken you on a date since those first few months, I haven’t got you gifts either. That ring was the last thing I ever got you. Do you know how disgusting that makes me as a man?”

Peter spun around at that, his expression hardened, clearly wanting to disagree, but Tony didn’t let him.

“I never wanted you to get the tattoo because I was set on changing our lives. I thought I was getting somewhere, but obviously I miscalculated. I wanted to give you the life you were used to, A tattoo would only be a reminder of where you started out with me. Poor, struggling, overall just living a pretty shitty life. I figured when i’d turned our lives around you wouldn’t want that reminder of how it used to be”, he said quietly, running his tongue over his bottom lip slowly. 

“That’s the reason I also want you to go. Not because I don’t love you, but because I love you too much to see you suffer anymore.”

Peter let out a soft whimper, looking down to his feet. 

“I’m not suffering Tony, no matter what you might think. I’m not. Sure, it was hard for me to adjust into a lifestyle I’m not used to. But never once in our two years of being together have I ever complained.”

“I just want to give you the best.”

“You already do Tony. We could be living in a homeless shelter and I still wouldn’t complain as long as I’m with you..”

Both of them fell silent. It seemed a long time before the room saw any movement. But eventually Tony opened his arms and Peter scurried into them. They stayed there for a while. Just with each other, trying not to think of what was going on around them, and just focusing on their love. Because they needed each other. And maybe Tony was finally starting to see that.

~

“Being woken up like this never gets old..”

Tony’s husky morning voice filled the room as Peter giggled and cuddled against his side. He’d just gotten done with his mandatory morning hickey attack on Tony’s neck, and of course his lover wasn’t complaining.

“I have to remind all your employees that you’re taken”, Peter whispered softly against his ear, his hand rubbing Tony’s chest appreciatively of the man’s body. “Especially that new secretary you have, Poppy was her name or something.. I don’t like her, I see the way she’s eyeballing you”, Peter pouted, causing Tony to chuckle and press a kiss to Peter’s pouty lips. 

“It’s Pepper love, and I wouldn’t worry. I’m pretty sure she, and all of my employees remember the sinful sounds you were making as you decided to ride me on my desk with the door wide open to display the fact that I am actually owned”, Tony reminded, a fond smile on his face at the memory. It definitely set the tone for what kind of boss Tony was.

“Well I got my point across didn’t I? You’re loved nationally and internationally, I don’t wnat no one touching on my man” Peter huffed, causing Tony to chuckle and nod his head.

“Yes, yes baby, you definitely did.. So much so that I think we should repeat it right now”, he hummed softly, pulling Peter on top of his body causing the younger male to roll his eyes. 

“You’re going to be late for work Tony. You can’t keep Stark industries waiting!!”

“I own it you silly”, was the reply, but Tony was far too concentrated on pressing kisses over Peter’s skin to really give it much thought, His tongue slipping under the waistband of Peter’s lace panties, emitting a soft moan from the boy. Sex back in their old apartment was mind blowing, but sex in their large mansion, on their silk sheets, just added a bit more to it if you asked him. Tony swore he’d tore this pair of underwear off the boy last night, but then again, Peter had so many sets of lingerie, Tony swore he was seeing new ones every day. 

As Peter shuffled down between Tony’s legs to take the older male’s morning wood into his mouth he smiled up at him. Ever since Tony managed to set up Stark industries, and gave the tattoo shop to Bucky (of course giving him some starting funds too, not wanting him and Steve to have to go through what he and Peter did), Tony had been so much happier. Of course that was to be expected, he was stressed, but this was a better type of stress. No one was worrying about where the money was going, if they could pay bills next month. It had been a long road, with a hell of a lot of speed bumps and potholes, but they’d finally made it. 

“Do you think we can go out to dinner later, just me and you? That nice restaurant you took me to when you proposed. I know it’s expensive, but it’s about time we had a date!”

Tony laughed softly, nodding his head. His fingertips running down Peter’s back and over his sides affectionately. They brushed over Peter’s tattoo, the one Tony ended up getting too, in the same place as Peter, on his side, as he hummed softly. “Of course baby”, he said softly, deliberately missing out the fact that they literally went on a restaurant date a couple of days ago. 

“Now stop stalling, your little ass is tight and my cock isn’t going to lube itself”, he demanded, watching as Peter rolled his eyes and spat on his erect shaft, Tony running his fingers through his hair.

Because after all, who was he to deny his baby of his desires; especially now that he could, and he would, give him the world.

[thewritingcaptain]

One Final Trick - Chapter 1

Post-Endgame. The world has said its goodbyes to Tony Stark. Everyone, including Pepper, has resigned themselves to his death, and is simply trying to move on and adjust to life without him. Until she gets a phone call from the grave. It seemed Tony had one final trick up his sleeve - if she can help him pull it off.

Notes: Yeah, so, there’s not a lot to say with this. It’s pretty obvious, I think. This is probably the only story of mine that I will ever really acknowledge the shitty mess that they’re calling “canon” now, because I personally reject and/or refuse to acknowledge about 90% of it, particularly depending on the movie. Although obviously, this is meant to undo a good chunk of it, so. That’s about the only reason why.

Until we get that far, some warnings: obviously, major character death, and yeah, it’s sad. It killed me to write, so, you’ve been warned. Other than that, I can’t think of a whole lot for this one. Despite this, I hope you enjoy. 

Every time.

Every time someone said his name. Every time she got a phone call. Every time someone gave her condolences. Every time someone asked how she or Morgan was doing. Every time she entered his old office. Every time she saw his picture. Every time she walked into her God-forsaken house.

It was like the pain was fresh. A fresh pang would hit her, and she had to try not to cry.

She did her best not to show it, especially for Morgan's sake. She still had a company to run, a child to take care of, and a million and one reasons why she couldn't just break down.

She was doing pretty good, or at least she liked to think so. Even if it was hard not to toss around blame and guilt, and to stop the million and one "what ifs" that would pop in her head at the worst of times. She was managing; and that was all anyone could hope to do right now in this mess that had become the world.

It was three days after the funeral - about two weeks since the battle against Thanos - when she got the phone call that flipped her grief-filled world on its head.

It was a late Monday morning. She was at the cabin, although Morgan was currently out with Happy in the city. She'd been letting everyone take turns visiting with her and taking her places as they pleased, as much because it gave her time to both grieve and try to work as because she knew everyone wanted to hold on to that last piece of Tony as she did. While Morgan didn't quite grasp what was going on, she definitely knew everyone around her was sad, and she knew that Tony hadn't come home. The permanence of it on a barely five year old child was something she wasn't quite sure if Morgan grasped fully or not.

Pepper sighed, running her hands through her messy hair and leaning back in the chair. She'd been doing the best she could to work from home, since she had no one else to watch Morgan consistently and she wasn't quite sure she was comfortable leaving her with someone all the time even if she did. She hardly wanted to give her up to her many admirers, but she knew she couldn't keep her locked up in the cabin her whole life, no matter how strong the urge was.

Her phone rang from somewhere off to the side. She reached over and grabbed it blindly, putting it up to her ear and trying to put on her best professional voice. Whoever was calling didn't need to know she was lounging around in her pajamas, doing her best to work through her misery and failing quite spectacularly. She took a breath. "Pepper Potts," she greeted as she answered.

She only got one word in answer, and it was enough to make her freeze.

"Pepper."

Tony's voice.

Oh, God. She clutched her chest, wondering if this was what a heart attack felt like, the way her heart was hammering so hard and fast it physically hurt. This wasn't possible, wasn't-

"It's me. Listen, whatever you're saying, whatever you're thinking, just don't. I can't hear you." He stopped for a minute, and she heard him sigh slightly, could picture him rubbing his face as he struggled for words. "I'm sorry for this. A recording like this isn't my favorite way to do things, but I already recorded a hologram, and I just… I needed to make sure this would go to you and only you, and so it just wouldn't mesh, and…" He stopped, groaning a bit. "I'm sorry. I'm rambling. If I had more time, I'd start over, but I don't, so here goes."

Pepper couldn't speak, couldn't move, couldn't breathe. She just clung to the phone. Whatever this last message was, she could tell it was going to be important, or else Tony wouldn't have sent it to her. She had so many questions, but she couldn't even begin to process them until this was over.

Tony's voice continued to speak, not knowing if she was listening or not and continuing forth with his message. "If you're getting this message… it's because I'm dead." He stopped, and she could picture him shifting, fidgeting with something around him to try to keep his hands occupied, to distill his nerves over whatever he was going to say. "I… don't know if you know when or how or any of the details, and I don't know how it happened. Maybe the whole time travel bit, maybe Thanos himself, I don't know. I just know this is tricky and dangerous and… if you've seen my other message, know that I meant what I said. Part of the journey is the end, and no death is ever timely. But for me to go right now… God, with Morgan, and everything that's already happened, and I just…

"Pepper, before I say anything else, you have to know that I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything I've ever put you through, including this. I never deserved you, and you never deserved anything I made you deal with either. And you can tell the others I'm sorry, too. One day, when Morgan is old enough to understand… well, hopefully that won't be necessary, but I'm getting ahead of myself."

He stopped again, taking a shaky breath. "If I'm dead right now, there's a reason, Pep. I hope I didn't go in vain, and I hope we won. But if I am, it's because someone needed to go, and so it had to be me. There's a million and one reasons for that that I don't have time to go into, but you'll just have to trust me when I say that. I'm sure you knew when you let me go into this that if there was any way for me to get the kid back, I would do it, universe be damned or not, even if it means my untimely death. And that alone is the only reason I need anyone to know."

"But I'm getting a bit off topic, and I don't have much time. Someone will come in here any minute looking for me. So here's what I need you to know, Pep." A chair creaked as he leaned forward. "There could be a way to bring me back."

Oh, this was definitely what a heart attack felt like. She clutched her arm, biting back a low whimper at the pain there. Or could loss and hope really feel this tangible? She bit her lip, willing the tears in her eyes to dissipate, her mind to stop spinning. She had to focus, had to listen-

"I'm going to give you a minute to process that before I continue, because explaining to someone who's going into shock is a waste of my time and yours." He stopped for a moment, and she could hear him sitting there, not saying anything, just breathing. It was the most precious moment of silence she'd heard in weeks, and she closed her eyes, willing herself to memorize the sound before he spoke again. "Okay. Time's up. If you're not listening, you'll just have to restart the message and listen to all that rambling again."

"Some of this stuff is even out of my league, and I don't understand all of it myself, so if it doesn't make sense, don't worry. You'll need help if you decide to carry it out anyway. And, I mean, obviously, if I'm dead because we lost, nothing I'm going to say will matter, if you're even alive to hear it, so don't worry about it then, either. Anyway, I'm going to try not to think like that, and pretend that I know we won and carry on from there."

"So with my knowledge of the Infinity Stones, and what Thanos did to acquire them, it's become fairly undeniable that we have… souls." He paused. "I don't know how that works, what with the Big Bang theory and the stones and that the idea of a soul is based in religion, typically, but I don't have time to get into it and try to find out. Considering the idea of Thanos and the stones and the aliens out there and all of that is enough to blow everything we think we know through science and religion completely out of the water in many ways, I guess it doesn't really matter. But that's not really the point.

"The point is that we do have them, and when we die, that soul still has to go somewhere. And I know if I have any say in the matter, mine is going to be connected to all the things that matter to me here. You. Morgan. Happy. Peter and even Harley, if we're able to bring them both back." He takes a breath, his pain almost palpable, even through the phone, and she could tell that in that moment he was trying to shut out the guilt and pain that assaulted him every time he thought of them. "If they're back, undeniably, a piece of me will be with them, just as much as you and Morgan. I will do everything in my power to watch over all of you. So you may have to gather them all for this, but not yet. Not right now."

"I'm sorry there's so many variables to this, just… bear with me." He sighed. "If my soul is still tied to you guys, then feasibly, if I could get a new body, I could… come back. Enter into it. But it would have to be my body. My DNA, all of that, otherwise… well, this whole thing is so untested, and I don't even know that this will work. I know there's theories, but that's all I have to work with here. Besides, I don't want any body besides my own. I know that sounds ludicrous, considering if I'm dead I should just take whatever I can and be happy to be alive, but… well. It's the truth."

"And this is where I need your help, Pepper, and where you're probably going to need others. I don't know how I died, so I don't know where my body is, what it looks like, if you even have it in this time. If you do, and it's salvageable, great. If not, Banner has some of my DNA. Don't ask him why; you don't really want to know, I assure you. But assuming he still has it, that should be a start. I'm sure you can find more of different kinds if you look around; he's got the tools to salvage it.

"What Bruce won't have is the tools to grow me a new one." He paused, letting that sink in. "You'll need the Wakandians for that. I don't know how tough of a sell it'll be to get T'Challa to help, but I know they have the tech to do it. Again, don't ask how; you don't want to know. I've done them some favors, though, so hopefully, it won't be a problem.

"God, there's so much in between stuff I can't even begin to help you with, Pepper, and I'm so sorry for that. And, ultimately, this is your decision." He swallowed thickly. "I… I can't ask you to do this, Pepper. Not really. If you're getting this, then, well, you've been through enough already, and I shouldn't be getting your hopes up like this. But I also couldn't just go on this mission and not leave something behind. Someone had to know it was possible. If not for me, now, maybe in the future, for someone else. If you don't want to get your hopes up with me, then don't. I understand. And you need to know, Pep, that if I died on this mission… I did it willingly. And I knew what I was doing, and I will do exactly what I said I would either way - I will watch over you, from wherever I am, whatever comes next, and one way or another, I'll always be with you."

He stopped, and gave a soft, breathless laugh. "God, listen to me. When did I become such a sap? It's from spending too much time with the kids, honestly." A beat of silence. "I… just spent fifteen minutes rambling into your ear, so I'm sorry for that. Hopefully, this message will never have to reach you. For now, I'm going to upload it to Friday, and if I haven't accessed her and deleted it approximately two weeks from the time it goes into her system, then she'll forward it to your phone. What you choose to do with this is completely up to you, Pep. Who you tell, how you go about it, if you want to at all… Wherever I am, if you're listening to this, know that I understand, and I don't want you to live with blame or guilt in any way. I did what I had to, and I knew what I was doing, what I was giving up. And no matter how bad it hurts… if it was my life for one or my life for the world, I would have had to go either way. It's better that it was just me, if at all possible, right?" One last, shaky breath. "Tell Morgan… well, you know what, I said that in the last one, and I love you both way more than 3000. So for now… just know I love you. Goodbye, Pepper."

The line went quiet. Then the robotic voice of her voicemail kicked on, asking if she wanted to listen to the message again, delete it, or to press zero for more options.

She ended the call instead, letting the phone drop from her hand.

She didn't know when she'd started crying, nor when exactly the pain in her chest had faded into shocked numbness. All she knew was that there was a way to bring him back, or at least a way to try to, and she owed it to everyone to try, even if she didn't want to herself. But oh, did she want to.

What she didn't want was to bring him back only for him to jump back into the thick of things, or for something to go horribly wrong and for him to not be the same as he was. She could take the devastation of this failing, for all of them, if it meant there was a shot; but only if it failed totally and completely. If he came back, but was brain-dead, or worse, she didn't think she could bear that.

But still. She owed it to everyone Tony had listed - and many more - to try. To at least take the first steps and see if it was even possible. Not that Tony hadn't set about on many an impossible task before and succeeded, but if no one else had any idea how to do it, then he just might fail this time, when it mattered most.

One last trick. One last try. One last shot at life.

When her hands finally stopped shaking, she picked up the phone again.

[bruciewayne]

okboomer.jpeg

stevetony, steve & peter, troll/millennial steve rogers, 2k

-

Something many people forget, or rather, overlook, about Steve Rogers is that he’s not really 90 years old, not in terms of lived years, technically he’s barely thirty, technically he’s a millennial. And a fast learner.

All of this culminates into one, hour-long conversation with Peter and Harley (Tony’s never going to tell him to babysit them ever again (he blatantly ignores Rhodey’s jabs at his kids getting along with his boyfriend (they’re not like that, he swears))) which ends with Steve getting Instagram and Twitter. Which seems harmless initially, because it’s not like he’s going to get catfished, or groomed, or manage to buy into every pyramid scheme ever (Peter tells Tony that only Facebook has pyramid scheme ads and if, after that, he makes an active effort to be on the Stark Industries Twitter more, then no-one has to know), but it’s soon evident that memes, which appear to be entirely inconsequential fun, are in fact, not.

For whatever god-given purpose, Steve and Peter hang out a lot more than one would expect from a man from the Great Depression and a kid too young to remember 9/11, which means, as with most friendships, their vernacular somehow ends up merging, case and point, last week.

“So you and Cap are getting along pretty well,” Tony says, casually, as he walks into the kitchen around noon (he hates to admit it, but he’s getting to the age where his body will actively protest to any accidental fasting), and finds Peter waiting for his garlic bread to warm in the oven.

“Yeah! I know everyone thinks he’s hard-boiled, but he cooks with gas and he’s no chicken, so it’s all gucci in my book,” Peter replies, not taking his eyes off the oven door, completely oblivious to Tony attempting to translate everything he just said, because he’s fully fluent in six languages and what on earth just flew out of Peter’s mouth isn’t any of them.

Tony feels like he should be concerned, but Steve seems to be more comfortable in the century and Peter, from what he’s gathered, either thinks of him as an older brother or an eccentric uncle, so, despite his better instincts, he watches from afar as Peter (and some of his friends, and Harley) manage to incorporate more 1940s slang into their vocabulary than Steve had, and as Steve becomes almost worryingly invested in meme culture.

“I don’t really know,” he says simply, when Tony asks him why he took so easily to it. Tony pours out two cups of coffee and slides one over to Steve. It’s late enough that the very first rays of sunlight are just peaking across the horizon, and just about dark enough that they can pretend it’s still yesterday.

“They’re fun,” Steve says, after a moment, and Tony pretends to watch New York officially move into the next day, staring at Steve and the way the orange-pink light hits his face instead.

“I can’t say I understand it fully,” Tony starts, quietly, “but it’s nice to see you happy.”

Steve turns to face him. What feels like long ago Tony couldn’t bear the full, intense, focus of Steve’s gaze, but now, now that he’s not trying to intimidate him, he can’t help but feel almost comforted by it. 

“Thank you,” Steve says, after a moment, mouth, pretty and so, so pink, quirking up at the corner.

He doesn’t know who moved first, but one minute they’re just staring at each other, and the next, he’s in his lap and finally, finally, they’re going to bed.

“May I remind both you, Sir, and Captain Rogers, that you have the mandatory biannual Avengers press conference in two hours,” JARVIS says, after allowing Steve and Tony a few precious minutes of afterglow (in the space of three days, Tony’s discovered some fascinating things about Steve, one of which includes just how fast he can move his tongue).

Steve groans into his neck and wraps his arms around his waist, effectively pinning him to the bed, not that Tony’s complaining, but he was late for the first of these biannual conferences and after that Fury installed a rule (with the help of Pepper the traitor), that ends with Tony teaching a community college foundation maths class, so he nudges Steve gently, “Get up.”

“No,” he says, almost petulant, somehow attempting (and, bafflingly, succeeding) to move closer to him, despite starting out with no space whatsoever between them, not that, once again, Tony’s complaining, “don’ wanna,” he mumbles.

“We have to,” Tony says, trying to be the adult, whilst making no effort to push Steve off him.

“Nah,” Steve says, and Tony can feel him smiling, all soft and gentle against his skin, “‘m Captain ‘Merica, don’ gotta do nothing.” God.

“Double negative, darling.”

“You’re’a double negative,” Steve grumbles, but the supposed intended effect is entirely lost by the way he’s looking at Tony, like he hung the moon and the stars and created life and the earth itself (for what reason, is akin to Atlantis to Tony, but by God had Steve asked him for the moon, for the whole damn solar system, he would do anything in his power to give him it). He knows that the battle is completely lost when Steve starts spreading a series of incredibly distracting kissing down his chest, and who is he to disobey his captain’s orders?

“One more strike and you’re off to community college,” Fury growls as soon as he comes into the green room, followed by Steve.

“He was helping me with an emergency, sir,” Steve says, Tony notices that his voice had dropped into what he’s internally dubbed his ‘Captain Important Voice’, which makes everyone what to follow his exact words (and has the side effect of making Tony unimaginably horny, but now, just before he’s about to be on multiple live news channels, isn’t the time), and despite being at least two decades his senior, Fury just nods.

“You’re excused for now, Stark,” he mutters, quite possibly the closest he’s ever gotten to apologising.

Tony grins at Steve, “Have I finally corrupted America’s Golden Boy?”

Steve smiles back, small, but with an edge, teasing, “Don’t take all the credit, I’m pretty sure Arnie and Bucky had something to do with it, back in the day,” he says, and Tony’s vision absolutely does not turn greener than a copper fire at the prospect of Steve having sex with someone else, because he’s well aware that he’s not a virgin, therefore, by definition, has had sex with other people, and Tony’s definitely okay with that and doesn’t want to drag him into the janitor’s room and mark him up where the people ten feet away can and can’t see (amongst his discoveries, he’s found out that his thighs are delightfully sensitive) and then curses the serum for clearing up the marks so fast that it would be entirely futile (well… not entirely). Nope. Not him. 

He’s not bad at poker, but he knows from Steve’s expression that he’s given himself away, and then it dawns on him, maybe that was the end goal. 

“Bastard,” Tony mutters, under his breath, as they walk through the curtains to face the vultures, and Steve just grins wider, that little glint in his eye confirming what he thought. He really does live up to the title of ‘Master Tactician’, huh?

And now Tony’s horny in front of quite possibly the worst group of humans to possibly exist: reporters (not that he’d ever even mention that to Wayne, not if he liked having his balls attached as they originally are, and in the right place). On the bright side (and they do like unnecessarily using the flash) they, and the prospect of the questions sure to be flung his, and the team’s, way, manage to pretty much decimate his libido.

The conference goes as all conferences go, slowly, Tony finds himself creating JARVIS’ updates, SIOS updates, and, during a particularly dull exchange between a reporter and Thor, reciting the capital cities in reverse-alphabetical order, then, during the mandatory sexist-reporter-against-Natasha exchange, the elements of the periodic table, in order of most to least reactive.

He takes to staring at Steve after that, he’s not in uniform, but he doesn’t need to be, to be respected and regarded as ‘Captain America’, everything about his body language, his expression, the way he holds himself, he exudes power and control and Tony’s fascinated and bewitched entirely, even as Steve’s focused on the reporters.

He almost jolts when one of them addresses Steve.

“Captain, as a man from a time when homosexuality was considered a criminal offence, do you support the legalisation of same-sex marriage across all states?” 

Steve, if possible, sits up straighter, and says, “As a bisexual man growing up when I did, nothing would make me prouder for this nation. Everyone, regardless of race and gender, deserves to have the right for their love to be acknowledged by the state, withholding that right, just because it’s two grooms, doesn’t constitute American values of equality and freedom, and, if I may be crass, it’s long overdue.”

They don’t even get a chance to celebrate, or clap, because a white, balding reporter with quite possibly the worst shirt-tie combination Tony’s seen in a while, stands up, “I demand you resign, we can’t have a faggot represent America! You’ll be spreading your disease to impressionable young kids, then what would we be? A nation of fairies and bumboys? We’d be the laughing stock of the world!”

Steve gets that glint in his eye again, and smiles a little as he leans closer to the microphone, making direct eye-contact with the man, who’s squirming slightly, and up until this point, Tony’s almost forgotten about Steve and his fluency in modern memes, but he can see Peter grinning and he just knows what he’s going to say, a millisecond before it comes out of his mouth. 

“Ok, Boomer.”

And that’s when the room explodes with more laughter than Tony’s ever seen in all his years (and maybe, when Steve grins, all sunny and bright and so goddamn beautiful, that’s when he realises that he’s in love, but that’s for another time), and Maria has to take them off stage.

The next morning, Steve flicks through his phone to find his face plastered all over the internet, news sites and meme pages alike.

CAPTAIN AMERICA SHUTS DOWN HOMOPHOBE

-

my parents talkin abt how ‘art isn’t a career’:

me:

okboomer.jpeg

-

CAPTAIN AMERICA OR CAPTAIN DISRESPECT?

-

was anyone going to tell me that captain america is a millennial who’s aware of, and uses topical memes

or was i meant to watch him verbally decimate an incel on msncb myself???

-

STARS AND STRIPES? CAPTAIN AMERICA COMES OUT

-

anyways if captain ‘from the fucking 1940s gays are sin era’ america doesn’t have to “make a choice” neither do i ✌✌

“You’re a worldwide sensation,” Tony teases, nudging him.

Steve just shrugs, “It’ll go away by tomorrow,” he says, optimistically. He puts his phone on the bedside table and turns to Tony, all talk of memes leaving the room very fast.

It doesn’t. Not even when Ellen mentions it.

“Cap,” Peter says, jogging up to him, almost half a year after that damn conference, “I don’t think you understand, you’re gonna end up in the modern meme hall of fame.”

“Well, there are probably worse things to be known for.”

(It takes Tony an embarrassingly long time to realise that Steve was talking about his old sex tapes.)

((After that it takes him even longer to realise the implications: Steve’s watched those tapes.))

-

for ‘accidental meme’ on happy steve bingo

[thewriterwithnoplan]

Dirty and Useless (Part 12)

Summary: Jason Todd had always said there were only two types of cop; Dirty and Useless. So when Y/N comes along with a spunky partner and a laughable code name it’s safe to say they don’t exactly see eye to eye. But if they’ve got anything in common it’s their secrets. Both are hiding behind masks whether they know it or not. Will the Robin get the Nightingale to come out of the shadows? Pairing: Titans!Jason Todd x Reader Word Count: 1543 Warnings: None.

Bruce Wayne was a man of many things. He was a billionaire playboy, a caped crusader, and a proud business owner. Over the years he had donned several masks, each one more intricate and fragile as the last. One thing he had never imagined being – a father. Or rather an absentee, poor excuse of a father.

He’d given it his all, taught his daughter every skill he knew. But somehow, he had still missed the important stuff, the little achievements that had nothing to do with beating a villain into a gutter in crime alley. He’d missed milestones and holidays, graduations and birthdays. But most of all he’d missed the warning signs.

Looking back at it, there had been plenty of signs that Y/N was not happy with her gold-encrusted canary cage. Her protectiveness toward the Sparrow had been the biggest warning. But by then – too busy with his new protégé Dick Grayson – Bruce was far too arrogant to see it. And then all at once, she was gone – in court on one day, out of Gotham the next.

What Bruce Wayne had never been prepared for, was the possibility that maybe the problem hadn’t been Y/N. He’d tried to replace her time and time again. First with Dick Grayson, who he’d molded into the perfect Robin. But even then, Bruce had missed the cries for help and Dick had left too.

But this time, with Jason Todd – whose only wish was to be close to the great Batman – there was no possible way that Bruce could screw this up. Or so the man had thought. Somehow, he’d managed to push even the ever-so-violently-brash Jason away.

“And how was your day Jason?” Bruce asked over dinner – despite the fact that Jason had made a point to ignore the man all afternoon.

“It was fine.” He sighed, with a deject shrug. “Y/N took me out after lunch, so it wasn’t exactly the worst.”

Y/N gave him a teasing pout, “You make it sound like seeing me isn’t the highlight of your day.”

Jason’s answering expression was something of an amused smirk, with a playful eye roll thrown in the mix. For whatever reason Jason’s grumpy mood was directed only at the big bad Batman. Y/N gave an exasperated sigh as she tutted into a spoonful of her dinner.

“Oops, sorry Jay,” She snarked, “I didn’t mean to get in the way of your whole teenage angst thing. How long does it take you to make your hair look like you could careless in a perfect sorta way?”

Bruce had no idea what his daughter was going on about but his newest protégé obviously did. The boy had to wait several minutes for his shoulders to stop shaking in silent laughter before he answered;

“It was your bike helmets, the style just seemed to suit me.”

Y/N cracked a smile, “Sure does, Boy Blunder.”

“Oh, like you’re not the clumsiest girl I’ve ever met,” He grumbled, running a hand through his hair unconsciously. “You tripped over like three times, at the park today.”

“Wait, you two went to the park?” Bruce interrupted.

“Well yeah,” Y/N shrugged, “Jason told you, I took him out of school after lunch so we could get ice cream.”

Jason scoffed loudly, eyebrows raised, “When you say it like that it sounds like you didn’t roll up on your motorcycle and threaten Gregory.”

“That was his name?”

“You what?” Bruce demanded. “What were you thinking? What if the press finds out?”

“Say they’re lying? I don’t know what you’re worried about, I’m the lost daughter of Gotham they’re not going to do anything.”

Bruce opened his mouth to continue ranting, likely about how she was being irresponsible and painting a bad picture for the Wayne name. She’d heard the same lecture a million times before, Jason probably had too. So, when her phone started ringing merrily, both were a little more than relieved.

Holding a silencing finger up – rather rudely, but what did she care – she held the phone to her ear for a moment. After grumbling a few affirmatives and answering a few no doubt strange questions, Y/N hung up and turned to Jason.

“I’m going to see a friend after dinner,” She gave a wicked grin. “Care to join me?”

***

Jason Todd was glad he wasn’t a villain. He’d rather fight Joker a hundred times over than spend more than a handful of minutes in Arkham Asylum. It was fucking creepy as shit. With damp corridors, low ceilings and rows of flickering lights it was straight out of an old horror story.

But Y/N seemed right at home as she strode beside him, navigating the halls like she knew the place inside and out. It was not reassuring. She strut between the barred doors, paying little attention to the cackling lunatics within. For whatever reason Jason had assumed that they were going to meet a level headed companion. Perhaps one of her colleagues from the bureau or a down to earth socialite that she’d befriended.

Instead, they were being escorted through a fucking prison. It seemed that the woman wasn’t done scarring him just yet. At first, he’d chuckled at the idea; how could she beat making a seasoned Gotham thug piss himself with only her eerie singing? The answer was simple – by dragging him through the prison of Gotham’s most wanted, most of whom were likewise pissing themselves at the mere sight of her.

“We just passed Bane,” Jason gawked, “He fucking bowed.”

“I’ve been at this a hell of a lot longer than you,” She shrugged as if it were that simple. “I figure that being nice to the villains gets you further in life, but some of them – Bane for example – think that’s weakness. So, I had to show him that my kindness is a blessing. One that he should be begging for.”

Jason reminded himself why he wanted her on his side. She was a different breed of vigilante, one that people thought twice about crossing. He doubted that the GCPD ever gave her trouble like they did to him and Bruce. Perhaps she had scared the shit out of them too, or maybe they left her be because all she did was sing her song and everyone fell to their knees.

Not for the first time he wondered what it had been like when she’d first started out. She must have done something to command so much respect. Somewhere along the lines, she must have been forced to prove herself. He wondered if she’d ever killed anyone in pursuit of the power, she now so carelessly wielded. It wasn’t exactly unlikely.

“So, who are we visiting?”

“Harvey Dent.” It fell silent for a moment, as Jason waited for her to explain. But the silence seemed to only stretch on further, as they made their way through the Asylum.

“Two-face?”He exhaled heavily, “Why the fuck are we visiting a half-retired, back alley villain? He’s got no stake in the upcoming war, I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t know shit about it.”

“Harvey knows something about everything,” Y/N assured as she straightened out her blazer. “He’ll have plenty of information about your precious little clown fight.”  

“You sound like you know him.”

“In the old days - before the whole acid to the side of his face thing – he worked with my father. Putting the criminals, we caught behind bars.” She tugged at her sleeves, hating the fact that she’d been forced to wear the stiff outfit to convince the guards they were on ‘official-business’. “Dad tried to rehabilitate him a few times but I… Look I’m not proud of it, but I set him up to take outa few low-level criminals.”

“You set him up to take people out?” Jason couldn’t hold in his snickers if he tried. “You, little Miss. Perfect Daughter of Gotham? I don’t believe you for a second.”

“That’s funny, bird brain.” Y/N pulled at the shoulder of his own suit, making sure it sat properly. “Anyway, when I was trying to get the court to let me leave Gotham, Harvey helped me. He’s an A-list Gotham asshole but he keeps quiet enough that he can discreetly provide information.”

“I could’ve gotten us the same info.” Jason rolled his eyes, “What’s the point of all this when we could punch it out of the Joker himself.”

They paused in front of a door, “Well that’s not exactly discrete is it? The point of calling me in, was to minimize damages, wasn’t it? If we can get the right information, we could defuse all this before it even starts. So, think of this as your second lesson.”

“Yeah, so lesson one; fight with the Robin symbol.” He scoffed, “Let me guess, lesson two; try talking first? Bruce would be so proud.”

Y/N sighed heavily. She dug a key out of her pocket, wondering how any of the criminals in Arkham, managed to stay there for long at all as she unlocked the door in front of them. A familiar half-melted face greeted her from the metallic table he’d been handcuffed to. Two-face’s signature coin, rolling between his fingers.

“Lesson two is shut up and do as I do.”

A/N: With the second season of Titans finally on Netflix, this story is going to be updated far more frequently so I’d like to ask; After the Joker v Harley fight is cleared up, would you like to see some things from Season 2? 

And further on in the story, there might be some discussion around who the reader's mother is. So if you have any thoughts or recommendations on who Y/N’s mother should be, feel free to comment them! 

[venetum]

Monachopsis - one

read on ao3a peter parker x harley keener fanfic

read on ao3

Peter was in the middle of his weekly Skype calls with Ned when Tony called him. Things had been a little bit difficult for the two boys since they’d gone their separate ways for college, with Peter deciding to stay in New York and go to Columbia in order to continue to be Spider-Man while Ned accepted his offer from MIT. But they’d persevered—setting up a time for at least one Skype call every week and texting back and forth as much as their busy schedules would allow them—and their relationship remained as strong as ever even three years later.

To be completely honest, Peter’s relationships with his friends from high school hadn’t really been affected by their moves to college, nor by the distance. If anything, it was the friend who lived closest to him that Peter had somehow lost. Peter Parker and Harley Keener Stark had been attached at the hip almost as soon as Tony had introduced Peter to his son, a few months after Tony had first approached Peter about Spider-Man. With Harley only a year older than him and enrolled at his school, the boys had gotten along even better than Tony had initially hoped they would. Well, until Harley left for university, that is. He’d chosen to remain in the city, but had vehemently denied Pepper and Tony’s offer for him to continue living at the tower, insisting on living in his own apartment by the university instead. That was when things had started going downhill for the two of them, with Harley absorbed so completely in the attention he was getting at college that he was too busy to even give Peter a second thought.

Not that Peter still cared about him. He’d had plenty of time in the past three years to rid himself of any feelings he’d once harboured for the blue-eyed boy. Platonic or otherwise.

So there Peter sat, fiddling with the latest version of his web-shooters at his desk as Ned rambled on about the project he was currently working on, blissfully unaware of the storm that was about to wreak havoc on his entire life.

And then his phone rang.

“Sorry, Ned, hold on one second,” Peter told his best friend, already reaching out to grab his phone as Tony’s own unique ringtone filled the room.

Ned only nodded, having been around Peter long enough to recognise who was calling.

“Hey, Tony! Everything okay?” Peter answered the call.

“Do I need a reason to call my favourite son?” Tony wondered, sounding mildly offended.

Peter rolled his eyes, laughing. “No, I suppose you don’t. So, how was the meeting with the board? They give you the go-ahead to finally retire, old man?”

“Something like that,” Tony sighed. “That’s actually what I’m calling about. Can you drop by the tower in an hour?”

“Yeah, of course. I’ll see you there.”

“See you, Pete.”

Peter hung up and bit his lip, wondering what exactly the board had done this time to put his mentor in such a strange mood.

“Everything okay?” Ned’s voice filtered through the speakers of Peter’s laptop, drawing his attention back to his best friend.

Peter shook his head, “Yeah, everything’s fine. So tell me more about this code you’re writing.”

_____

Harley blinked blearily up at his parents, wondering idly if he had drunk enough the night before to be currently hallucinating to the extent he was sure he was.

“I’m sorry, you want me to what?”

“Date Peter Parker.” His father—Tony—helpfully supplied.

“Absolutely not.” Harley snapped, folding his arms over his chest in defiance.

He saw his mother’s lips twitch up into a small smile, surely reminiscent of the many tantrums Harley had thrown that had left him sitting in this exact position.

“Harley,” Pepper began gently, taking a seat next to her son. “We need you to listen to us right now. The board does not want you to take over from us once we retire, partially because they think you’re too young and partially because of your reputation in the press. They don’t want to have to deal with a CEO whose messes they’ll constantly have to clean up and honestly? Your father and I agree.”

Harley rolled his eyes, his gaze flickering between his parents.

“I don’t see what any of this has to do with me dating Peter. Besides, Tony did way worse when he was my age.”

“Do not compare yourself to me, Harley.” Tony snapped, “You were meant to be better than that. Better than me. And we both know the board won’t take this shit from you because they took enough of it from me. Peter, on the other hand, doesn’t have anything the board would object to at all. He deserves better than having to be dragged into this mess, but we don’t really have many options so I suggest you get your act together before Peter gets here and listen to us, or you’re going to have to kiss this legacy goodbye!”

Harley’s hands curled into fists at his sides, the blood rising to his face as Tony completed his rant. Of course, he fumed, of course Peter’s pristine reputation will be swooping in to save the day.

“Why don’t you just make Peter your precious CEO then?” Harley retorted, ignoring the dull pain that had begun to throb in his chest at the thought that his parents might actually prefer the younger boy to him. God, he needed a drink.

“He doesn’t want the job, Harley.” Pepper sighed. “You and I both know you’d be perfect for the job if you tried. So, if this is what you want then that’s exactly what we need you to do—try.”

“He despises me,” Harley pointed out in a last-ditch attempt to stop the ridiculous plan his parents had come up with to please the board. “And even if he didn’t, I don’t date.”

“We’re not asking you to fall in love with him, Harley.” Pepper laid a hand on her son’s shoulder. “Just… pretend for a few months, okay? Go on public dates, be seen holding hands by the press, do whatever you need to do to convince the media and the board that you’re turning over a new leaf and maturing enough that they can trust you to lead a company.”

“This is ridiculous.” Harley pointed out once more. But as ridiculous as the plan was, following in his mother’s footsteps and inheriting the company from his parents had been his dream since he was thirteen years old and had moved in with the pair. He would do it, for them. For the dreams he used to have. “Has Peter even agreed to this yet?”

Tony smiled triumphantly, knowing they had worn him down. “He should be here any minute now, we figured it would probably be best to run things by you first and get any drama out of the way before he gets here.”

Harley ran a hand through his hair, the urge to walk over to the bottles on the other end of the room and pour himself a drink intensifying at the thought of having to face Peter Parker again in such a close setting. “Great.”

“So, you’ll do it?” Pepper raised her eyebrows, wanting to get a clear answer out of her son before Peter arrived.

“If he agrees, sure. Why the hell not?” Harley shrugged, trying his best to appear nonchalant. After all, what were the odds that Parker would actually agree to fake-date him, anyway?

Well, it turned out that the answer to Harley’s question was way higher than he’d anticipated.

______

Peter sat silently across from Tony and Pepper as they explained their situation with the board to him, forcing his gaze to remain on the couple instead of allowing it to drift to where it actually wanted to go—to observe the slightly rumpled boy who was the main reason Peter had to be at the tower today.

“Sure,” Peter finally responded, a few moments after the two had stopped talking. “I know how important it is to the two of you to leave S.I. in good hands, and you’ve been planning your retirement for years. I’m down to help in any way I can.”

The boy sat next to him scoffed quietly at his comment, cursing under his breath and shuffling in his seat so that he too was facing his parents. Pepper beamed at Peter, her smile closely mirroring the one plastered on Tony’s face once the pair realised that Peter was, in fact, serious.

“Alright, then. Let’s work out some of the specifics, first.” Pepper pulled her StarkPad over to her and began typing. “We’ll want the two of you to start as soon as possible, of course, so that you have enough time to make the relationship look serious before the break-up.”

Peter simply nodded, his mind still reeling at the fact that this was actually happening. He was going to date Harley. Harley who he hadn’t spoken to properly in three years, Harley who had been the person Peter relied on most in the world, until suddenly, he wasn’t anymore. He wondered idly if maybe he should’ve taken some time to actually think about this decision first.

But, no. He knew Pepper and Tony would only be asking this of him if they had no other options left. This was the right thing to do. He just hoped that his heart would survive the process.

“When exactly will that be? The break-up, I mean.” Harley finally spoke up from next to him, breaking Peter out of his thoughts.

“Around when you graduate, probably. Preferably after the board offers you the job.” Pepper responded, the pace of her keystrokes increasing as she jotted down her thoughts.

“Which gives you approximately nine months to prove to press that you’re madly in love.” Tony provided rather helpfully. “Piece of cake.”

“So you say,” Harley huffed.

Peter resisted the urge to sigh. He could already tell that he was in for the longest three months of his life.

“Alright, so we should probably go over some basic rules while we’re all here. Firstly no one outside of this family can know that the two of you aren’t actually together.” Pepper began. Peter opened his mouth to interject, only to be cut off by Tony.

“Yes, that includes Ned and MJ, Peter.”

“Secondly, we need the two of you to not be involved with anybody else during the course of this relationship because we absolutely cannot risk providing the tabloids with an even bigger scandal.”

“You have got to be kidding me!” Harley exclaimed. “You might as well send me away to be a fucking monk while you’re at it.”

Tony snorted, “Cut the shit, kid. Not fucking around for nine months isn’t going to kill you.”

Peter’s glancer flickered between his mentor and Harley, his enhanced hearing allowing him to notice the increase in Harley’s heartbeat at the comment, his anger and embarrassment coming off of him in waves.

“Is there anything else?” Peter asked Pepper, desperately trying to redirect the conversation before Harley exploded.

“Not that I can think of at the moment. Just make sure to keep your public appearances constant and keep your social media accounts updated. I’ll let you know if we remember anything else.” Peter nodded, rising from his seat on the couch with Harley. The two boys made their way towards the door, Peter wanting desperately to escape before the situation got any more awkward.

“And, Pete?” Tony called to him just as he was leaving. Peter turned back to look at his mentor. “Thank you.”

“Anytime, Tony.” Peter smiled at him, giving him a quick thumbs-up before he left the study.

The two exited the room in silence, making their way to the elevator that would take them down to their respective modes of transport.

“So…” Peter began, shoving his hand through his hair as he tried to figure out what to say. “That was something.”

Harley grunted in response, keeping his eyes trained on the closed elevator doors. Stifling a sigh, Peter cursed the elevators at Stark Tower for taking what felt like eons to come get them when they were usually as prompt as ever.

“Look Parker, we don’t need to act like we like each other when there isn’t anyone else around. I’m doing this for Pepper and Tony, and for the company, and you’re doing this because Tony could ask you to jump off a bridge and you do that blindly.” Harley scoffed, “Let’s just get through these nine months and not kill each other, yeah?”

Peter narrowed his eyes at Harley, his heart aching slightly at how alien the man before him now was compared to the teenager he once knew.

“There was a time when you felt the same way about Tony,” Peter commented idly, breathing a sigh of relief as the elevator doors slid open.

“Don’t ever doubt my loyalty to this family,” Harley snapped at him, practically stomping into the elevator. “Don’t act like you know me, Parker. You don’t. Not anymore.”

Peter took a step back, not quite knowing how to respond. The elevator doors slid shut, sealing Harley inside. Peter sighed. Harley was right, after all. Peter certainly didn’t know the man that Harley had turned into, but he was beginning to doubt whether he’d ever really known Harley at all.

(A/N: Let me know your thoughts on this chapter!! And shoot me a message to be added to the taglist for this fic. I know its been aaages since I posted but I have more time, and I intend to finish this for sure.)

Tags: @livinglife1516​  @philipshaaayyyy​  @maywildflowers​ @carttorchdeatth​  @parkneroses​ @mauverawrites​ 

[lessieandfifi]

P R E G N A N C Y and M O M   T A G -Updated!

1. At what age you get pregnant for the first time ?

I fell pregnant for the first time when I was eighteen, when I was in my last year of college. I suffered a miscarriage at seventeen and half weeks along.

2. What were your two feelings when you come to know about your first pregnancy ?

I was really nervous and scared because I was only eighteen years old and still in college. I was worried about what my parents would say and how I would cope with a baby being little more than a child myself. I was also really scared about what Sean would say, because he was young too and he was at university and I knew that he was really focused on passing his exams.

3. What was your feeling seeing your first newborn baby?

The first time I held Milena I was totally overwhelmed. I couldn’t believe I had a tiny little baby girl who was all mine. I couldn’t believe I’d made this tiny human being. And I couldn’t believe how much love I felt for this tiny, perfect human.

4. How many children do you have ? How old are they now ? I have Six little ones; Milena is 8, she will be 9 on the first of July. Justin James is 8 old and Evelyn is 7 and will be 8 on July 2nd. Harley is 3 1/2 and Amelia and Alessia are 4 months old!

5. How does your boyfriend/husband react each time after knowing about pregnancy ?

First pregnancy

He was really surprised because we thought we’d been careful and he was really nervous because he was only 20 and in university. He stayed really calm though and said he’d stick by be. After the first scan he said he felt a little bit excited.

Milena’s pregnancy

He was really happy when we found I was expecting. We knew we wanted a family but we hadn’t been actively trying but at the same time didn’t mind if it happened. We took the test together and when we the saw two blue lines we both smiled.

JJ’s pregnancy

He was really surprised when I told him that I thought I meant be pregnant again. He was stunned when the test came back positive but his shock quickly subsided. After my first scan he was looking forward to having a second baby, especially when he found he was boy!

Fourth pregnancy

While we were on our honeymoon I experienced some morning sickness and when we got home as test confirmed I was expecting. Sean was really surprised. We’d been careful and we had three children aged two and under. When the nurse told us it was twins, he was even more shocked. Sadly I miscarried at 10 weeks.

Adopting Evelyn

When I suggested that we adopt Evelyn he was a little shocked but he quickly decided that it was the right thing to do. When we signed the papers and she officially became ours, he smiled and bounced her in his hands.

Harley’s Pregnancy

He was thrilled. We’d been trying about nine months before I fell pregnant with Harvey. We did the test together and when we saw the positive test he picked me up in his arms and spun me round in his arms then tickled me flat tummy.

Amelia and Alessia’s Pregnancy

Like my previous pregnancy, he was thrilled. It had taken us about 18 months to conceive, so when we finally saw the positive test we were delighted. He was a little, I’m not sure, sad maybe, as it would probably be the last positive test we saw. When we discovered we were having twins, he was shocked, but happy.

6.  Who named your child/children ?

Their names were a joint decision. Sean suggested the name Milena really on in my pregnancy, before we even knew she was a girl. I really liked that name. When we discovered she was to be a little girl at my twenty week scan we knew then and there that would be her name. I chose the name Eve. We didn’t decide on a name for JJ until after he was born. I wanted to called him Justin and Sean wanted to call him James, so in the end we decided to combine the name but he mostly just goes by JJ anyway. I came up with the name Harley and we both suggested Benjamin after Sean’s eldest brother who pulled him out a car after a crash, before it blew up. We argued quite a lot about names for the twins to be honest. In the end we each decided to name a twin. I named Alessia and Sean choose Amelia. We both loved each others choices so it was all good in the end!

7. What was the hardest thing while having a baby ?

Having a baby who wouldn’t feed properly and was really colicky for the first few weeks of her life and not knowing how to help her. Also being pregnant and having a small baby was difficult. Often my bump was in the way and I couldn’t really be active with her when she was learning to walk because I was heavily pregnant.

Then with Harley and the twins, I had gestational diabetes and had monitor myself really carefully and with Harley, he was huge, so he put a lot pressure on my pelvis towards the end of my pregnancy. I really struggled to walk during the last few weeks of my pregnancy with him.

8. What was your favourite part of being pregnant?

All of it really! But I especially loved the feeling of my babies kicking inside me and watching my belly grown so much.

9. What was your least favourite part of being pregnant?

Poking and prodding myself during my last two pregnancies due to gestational diabetes. Also the waddling during the last weeks. I hated that.

10. Which child is mama’s baby ?

Harley JJ and the twins are definitely mama’s babies

11. Which child is daddy’s baby ?

Milena and Evelyn are definitely a daddy’s girls.

12. Did you marry the father of your children ? If yes, when ?

Yes, we got married in 2013, with Evelyn and Milena as bridesmaids and JJ as ring bearer!

13. Who among you and your boyfriend/husband dominates in deciding things for your children ?

There isn’t any domination, we both decide on things equally when it comes to our children. We always share ideas and thoughts and never do anything concerning the children without consulting the other. Our children are the most precious things in our lives and we feel that decisions about them should be shared and not one sided or made by just one of us.

14. Tell three changes you felt between a married life and after becoming a mom ?

I’m not sure I felt much change after getting married to be honest. Although now we try to set out one evening a week where we have dinner on our own and have some intimate time. We try to go out together at least once a month too. But about being a mother. You have to be so prepared and you can’t leave the house with a well stocked baby bag and plenty of toys to keep your little ones entertained!

15. What is the best thing about being a mother ?

The best thing about being a mother is having people around you who you love unconditionally and who you know love you unconditionally.

16. Husband or children. Who is your first priority now ?

My children are so important but my relationship with Sean is important too. They’re pretty equal really, I love them all just as much.

17. Do you want anymore children?

I feel we’re done. We won’t actively try for any more babies. We always take precautions now and use contraception. We’re pretty content with six, but sometimes you never know. If I were to fall pregnant again, we would of course go ahead with the pregnancy. But we’re not really planning on that so!

Love,

[darkarfs]

I’m currently...not doing anything with my life (except worrying that my edema not going away after two days and a 6-mile hike is serious), so I’ve been climbing through the DC Universe Animated canon. (Caution: spoilers) On the one hand, I really love how cavalier it is regarding death. When I was growing up, comics meant nobody could die unless it was like, a huge moment, and then it was someone like Gwen Stacy, or Elektra, or someone almost completely meaningless, like the first Bucky Barnes, or, the case of DC, they crushed all their continuity in the Crisis for Infinite Earths storyline, only to start anew.  On the other hand, I really HATE that they’re so cavalier regarding death. Mostly because it’s really graphic and grim when they DO show it (it shows SO many civilian casualties), it’s often in hideous, painstaking detail, often to show how ruthless a murderous villain is. But after 5 movies, I wanna go, “YES, they’re all ruthless, we get it!” But then actual characters, people you might have grown attached to are often killed on a whim (Batgirl, who is in two movies as a complete character, basically makes a cameo in the last one to be descended on and ripped apart) and often, other times, they are killed OFFSCREEN. I get that not everything has to be a climactic duel, and not every villain needs an epic send-off. I know that the fundamentals of emotional investment and storylines don’t always call for that. (Says the person who was unpleasantly pissed at the 40-minute mark of No Country For Old Men, though partially because I was yelled at by the internet, saying “IT’S A DECONSTRUCTION, YOU JUST DON’T GET IT, MAAAAN!” And I wasn’t even invested in the dead character, either. Maybe the Coens are just too precious about certain things? Anyway.)  And maybe, in their own roundabout way, DC’s Animated division are trying to deconstruct all of that. “Maybe you won’t get to see your favorite characters die. It’s something that just happens, and you’re not always there to see it.” Maybe.  But then why touch on all the comic book milestones? Why make a whole movie about the death of Superman, or John Constantine’s deal with the devil to make sure he doesn’t die of cancer? Why flesh out SOME of the important ones, but then kill other key players...often ones within that storyline...offscreen, or in a moment you can blink and miss how it happened? I wouldn’t even care about it, except that one of my favorite cartoons since 2005, the Harley Quinn series (or the less reference-heavy Venture Bros, mostly because they’re using licensed DC properties), does a fine deconstruction all on its own. And IT only kills pivotal characters onscreen. It treats civilian and henchmen death as a punchline, but doesn’t treat us to TOO many of their gruesome dismemberments, or as many MAIN characters.. A few, yes, but arguably less than the first two Justice League: Dark (I know) movies. Parse that out as 180 minutes vs 598 minutes.  I forget what my point was. And I’ve claimed over and over that I don’t care about most superhero continuities. I was famously (in my Livejournal days) one of the biggest Gunnm/Battle Angel Alita fans you could find on that website. And I still liked it, as I got older. The last volume was published in December of 1998. So I had 21 years to reconcile how I would feel about the movie adaptation, which was teased since maybe 2007, with multiple directors (if you look up James Cameron Battle Angel in Google Image, you will eventually see him directing some film with a bootleg Battle Angel shirt, it’s kinda great). And when I saw it, and it got a lot of shit wrong, I wasn’t mad. I said, to myself, in the theater, “well, that was not how it happened,” but I wasn’t MAD that they didn’t depict it correctly. But I ALSO watched the first Transformers, and said to myself “this isn’t in the spirit of the show or even the toys. The toys never peed on people.” So, again, what do I know.  I lost my thread again. What I’m saying is that the DCAMU is wildly inconsistent, tonally (regarding death; it’s otherwise seriously “grim action movie” in tone otherwise), and I found it annoying and upsetting more than once. All said, though, you know what? The fights as usually very kinetic and choreographed very well to extremely excellently, tailored often to the characters’ powers and temperaments, so I can’t see any fault in that. Hang on, is Joaquim de Santos involved? Lemme look... Nah. I would call it a shame, but that means there’s someone else out there who cares as much about animated fight sequences. 

[stolligaseptember]

reasons why bombshells is the best timeline;

jason gets to live a blissfully happy life with this two gay moms kate and renee, and even though he is still unfairly murdered, once he’s brought back to life it’s to reunite with his two gay moms and to fully come to terms with his death, to accept that his time in the world has already passed, and to get to pass on on his own conditions

raven, zatanna, and constantine all get to be happy and be happy TOGETHER as a weirdly cobbled together little family of magic users, and it’s the most precious thing ever

zatanna is jewish-romani!!

and while john may be in a long term relationship with zee, he is still his very own brand of a disaster bi

kara is gay and so is lois

lois is also cuban american

meanwhile clark is just the literal personification of a sunshine beam who doesn’t like to fight and just wants to make those around him happy

kara and courtney kortni are sisters, and it’s the most significant relationship of the entire series

kara’s biological parents are a lesbian couple from krypton

kara and steve trevor are bff’s and it’s the most wholesome shit

mera is the rightful queen of atlantis and gets to keep arthur around as her arm candy/trophy husband

kara/mera is a rareship you’ll have to claw from my cold, dead hands

mera was also diana’s first kiss

miriam bätzel/miri marvel is a young jewish girl, one of the strongest persons on the entire planet and singlehandedly put a stop to the holocaust

donna and cassie are japanese americans, and with the help of wonder woman and dawnstar they thwarted order 9066

katana and the soul of her sister stopped the bombing of hiroshima

victoria october is here, and with the eventual help of ivy they stave off the famine at leningrad

shiera is mari’s “princess paramour” among a heap of other affectionate titles

mari stole hitler’s dog after she had won an olympic gold at the 1936 games she also stole like, some other important political stuff, but most importantly she stole his dog

barda is gay and is in a committed relationship with kimiyo hoshi

rudi härpfer may be ugly but he’s still our dear darling

dinah is trans

babs is a vampire for apparently no other reason that it just being sick as fuck

dinah and babs also kiss at one point, and even though it was technically cpr it also totally counts

harley and ivy are the true power couple of the entire universe

harley gets to beat the literal life out of the joker with her hammer

bette is the head of kane industries and is one of the founding batgirls!!

the batgirls are the batman inc., and the original gotham squad consist of; two black girls, two jewish girls, one singaporean transgender girl, one asian boy, one (1) white girl and one (1) white boy

kate and selina are the batcat relationship we’ve always deserved

martha and thomas wayne survive that fateful night in the alley thanks to kate!! and bruce gets to be a normal boy for once in his godforsaken multiversal life

and it’s just 138 issues of women loving other women, kicking ass and beating up nazis and other scumbags, what more could you possibly want??

feel free to add anything i might have missed!

[kpopisthereasonihavenolife]

Off Limits

Monsta X

Im Changkyun/Reader [F]

Genre: High School AU, Rebellious, Drabble

Warnings?: Smoking, Disregard for rules, Swearing, Inappropriate language

Words: 1.5k

“Hurry your bitch ass up, I’m not getting any younger out here while your dick is stuck in some Spencer’s purchased, unsanitized fleshlight.”

“I’ve never been more offended or proud of you for your onslaught of insults lately,” Changkyun said back to your obviously fake rage over the phone.  “Besides, if anyone’s bought anything from Spencer’s, we both know it's you.  How else can we explain that kinky set up in your closet, hmm?”  He chided as you promptly hung up on him without a word. 

Slotting his phone back into his ripped jean pocket, he stuck his AirPods in his ears, blasting whatever edgy band he was into these days.  He found himself listening more to edgy American labels more than most these days, his time in America really laying into his DNA, despite not being born there. That is one more thing you never let him live down, his Western like behavior. 

You’ve claimed to be ‘scarred for life’ when you walked in on him in the middle of a keyboard smashing, screeching deathmatch in Overwatch while he was stark-ass naked at 3 AM. In your house mind you. Seeing his fake American Tit-Tat was one thing in life you never planned on seeing.  

You had to buy a whole ass new computer chair after that night, too traumatized with the imprint of his naked arse in your sweet leather seat to ever sit in it again.  You had half a mind to call a priest and have it excised, but you couldn’t afford a whole Holy Man in garbs, so new chair it was. Thankfully, as compensation, Changkyun pitched in on half the bill for it. 

He walked a bit further down the ever darkening roadside as he soon watched light post after light post flicker on.  Some with working lights, some with new LED lights that not only allow you to see below you but apparently 30 feet in every other direct resulting in direct blindless for 5 minutes if stared directly into. 

He soon rounded a corner as he saw your silhouette not too far off.  He watched your arm raise to your mouth, stay for a moment only to drop and a puff of smoke push past your lips.  It looked like you were wearing a jean jacket he got for you for no other reason than you looked good in it.  Jeans that nicely rounded your ass, even from his distance, and he could guess what shirt you were wearing.  Probably something about aliens if he had to guess. 

He reached for his phone, just before stopping and plucking one AirPod from his ear to hear his footsteps.  He had to be quiet; yes, very very quiet.  He moved along a barely holding together brick wall and slid along it, looking like a blond fool at dusk where he was still pretty much 90% visible.  

Taking step by step in his torn up, ankle black Harley Davidson biker boots, he held his partially painted finger in front of him.  Tiptoeing like some cartoon character, he stood nearly directly behind you now.  He waited, watched you take a breath of your nearly finished cigarette and once your hand was dropped to your side, he jumped into action.  

“HOWDY!”  He screeched into your ear as you whirled.  You swung your arm behind you, your stupid best friend ducking down, safely out of the way while your unfinished, but small cigarette fell to the ground. He looked up at you, seeing your shirt.  Black with white writing saying “I bEliEvE” in a pretty awful font.  Not at all pleasing to the eyes.  “Alien shirt, I knew it.”  You were quick to kick out your converse covered foot and push his squatted ass into the ground. 

He teetered over as you stood over him with your arms cross.  Hair hanging in tangling in front of your chest as you looked down at him. To any stranger, you would seem to be bullying the blond high schooler, but you two were fairly well known in your small town.  He pushed himself up on his elbows.  

“I always knew you were the ringleader of every relationship you’ve been in.  PUshing people down, oof.”  You rolled your eyes as you stepped over him. Not quite disregarding his chide. 

“This is why you can’t get a girlfriend.  You suck,” you groaned back as you stepped on your still smoking cig with the toe of your shoe. He hopped up like he wasn’t on the ground to begin with. 

You and Changkyun have known each other since middle school when you first showed up in his rinky-dink little town. Officially attached at the hip when you flashed your chest to some stuck up jock and got picture proof to frame him for sexual harassment, all because he kept making jabs about your ass. 

If one were to drive through your town and blink, you’d be in and out in a flash.  Population a whopping 500.  Everyone knew everyone, stories of “I taught so-so’s parent in school too” coming from every old and rotting teacher on school property.  

Not that either of you heard it much.  Neither of you really care much for the school scene.  Not fitting in with the small school system.  You’d think such a small town would go to a bigger town for schooling via bus, but no.  School houses were built, and by houses I mean houses.  You swore they held lectures in superstores, they were that small.  

It’s not like school was important.  Even in a small town, no one cared about grades or success.  It was all about who was wearing what.  The TV programs on the night before. Jocks trying to win over hearts of adolescent girls thirsting for whatever they could get for a night and $20. Or who was fucking who in the public bathroom at lunchtime. 

So, you both stayed in your world.  A world of bad choices, smoking, drinking having the time of your lives regardless of the opinions around you.  Some adults couldn’t wait for you both to just up and vacate town.  Maybe then they’d stop hearing about what you both did the night before.  

One time it was graffiti on the side of the doctors building.  Another it was tying every cart in the supermarket together with zip-ties.  One night you both decided to paint on your face and start a bond fire in a vacant abandoned lot and acted like fools.  Life was never dull with the two of you, that's why it was thrilling. 

“What’s the plan tonight then?” 

“Fuck if I know.  You’ve killed my last cigarette and I can’t afford another pack right now.”  You whined as he plucked a fresh pack from his back pocket.  

“Ah, my mistake.  Madam Piss-Poss needs a cigarette like an alcoholic need beer.  Just where have my manners gone to.” Packing the box in his palm you rolled your eyes.  

“you’re just as bad as I am.  Shut your mouth before you choke on my fist.”

“I’m not into  your kinky stuff, Y/n.” 

“You’re pushing it.”

“Pushing what?  Your buttons?  I suspect you only have 2, and they’re named as such:” He poked at your breasts. “Nip and Nap.”  

“You are such a pig!”  You whack at his head.  He swirls around completely unbothered as you fix your shirt he had bunched up. He tore off the plastic around his pack of cigs as he pulled one to place between his lips and offered you one more. 

“Pig that you can’t stand to be without.  How precious, you might be pulling at my heartstrings.” 

Although you gratefully accept the toxic stick of tobacco, you still get in one last jab.  “Don’t imply I make you horny,” you finished.  He chuckled as he plucked his lighter from the side of his boot.  You never understood why he kept it there, it always smelt of feet. He offered you the light, but you shook your head.  “I don’t want your smelly foot lighter.” 

Changkyun rolled his eyes.  “Then let me light it, baby.”  He stepped closer to you as you tipped your cigarette between your lips up with your tongue.  He always does this.  He grabbed the back of your neck with one hand as he steadied his light with the other between his black-tipped fingers. Pushing the fiery ash against the tip of your cigarette, it took a moment but soon you were huffing in the toxic fumes, same as he. 

It was stupidly intimate, but it was your thing. It was the thing between you two.

You refused to label it, as did he.  There were no titles, no distinguished relationship status: they were off limits.  You two were the pair who did everything together.  You’d hold hands, you’d hold each other, you’d ugly sob and get drunk together in an abandoned building.  You’d even get lost in lust from time to time; greed and lust were no exception to human nature. 

You both even sat at each other’s side and hyped one another up when you both got your first tattoo’s and piercings that continued to grow in number as the years ticked by.

Yet, you were also the pair who would call each other ‘pussy’ just because someone didn’t make a crumbled up burger wrapper into the nearest trash can.  Insults were compliments, and if a compliment was truly shared, then your bond grew tenfold.  There were no hurt feelings, no titles, no words to describe you both. 

You were just Y/n and Changkyun, just two humans living their lives. The words ‘I love you’ were strictly off limits.

[wolvrun-blog]

𝚐𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚘𝚗 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚎𝚝𝚝 !   is  that  harlow everleigh moore   ,    the    (    self - destructive    )    ,    (    stubborn  )    but    (    loyal   )    ,    (    courageous   )    /    (    werewolf / vampire hybrid    )    ??    (    she / her   )    could  pass  for  alycia debnam - carrey   ,   if  they  were    (    twenty - three   )    years  old  and  been  alive  for    (    twenty - four    )    years    .    supposedly    ,    they  work  as  a    (   graphic design artist .    )  

howdy ! it’s me parker ( @observynt ) back w/ a new muse !   under the cut you’ll find some info about my precious babe harlow ! she’s new to me so i’m really excited to figure her out ! if you’d like to plot pls like  this post && i’ll hit u up when i get a chance ! 

GENERAL   , 

NAME.    harlow everleigh moore . NICKNAME.    harley , eve , AGE.    23 .  / 24. BIRTHDATE.    december   23 ,   1996 .     ORIENTATION.   pansexual ,   with   a   preference  for  women.   OCCUPATION.     graphic design artist ,

PERSONALITY  ,

POSITIVE TRAITS.    honest , loyal , respectful , compassionate , courageous , honorable , intelligent .  NEGATIVE TRAITS.      self - destructive , impulsive ,   stubborn ,   forgetful ,   nervous , easily - distracted.  BAD HABITS.   she'll chew her lips && fingers until they're utterly raw. she also has a horrid habit of tugging at her hair when nervous / anxious . definitely quite forgetful & will forget important things more often than not . 

OVERVIEW , 

harlow's mother came from a long line of self - absorbed werewolves. they loved everything about the power that being a wolf held. their family often killed in their early teens , eager to inherit their abilities as soon as possible. 

her mother, eden, was different though. she hated everything about being a werewolf. she, like many of her family, triggered her gene early on in life. though, she found herself regretting it almost immediately. she didn't like the new-found abilities, or the once a month turns. 

she never intended to have kids. but a one night stand led to the birth of harlow. she completely pulled away from her family. moving all the way across the country. she didn't want her child to be raised the way she had been && knew that if she stayed at home that she'd have no choice. 

so harlow's normal childhood began. 

her mother struggled. when they moved, they had nothing. she worked her fucking ass off to build them a life worth living. sure , it was hard. a struggle till the end . 

but it was worth it. by the time harlow was ten , her mother had found them stable living. had a good job, and harlow had a good life. 

her childhood was good. her mother? good. 

she loved every second. that is, until she began to grow up and began to ask questions her mother didn't want to answer. 

like, " why do we not have any family , mom? " and where eden's parents were. finally, her mother admitted that they lived across the country. but she hadn't talked to them in years. 

the questions continued well into her teens , finally coaxing enough information out that she could search for them. 

the searches were small at first . hesitant google searches that she would quickly erase from her browser history. 

with facebook growing in popularity, she tried it. 

just one small search and there she was. her grandmother, eleanor. 

she erased all evidence of her search quickly and refused to even think about it again. months passed before she searched it again . this time, during a fight with her mother. 

one quick message ruined everything that her mother had built for them. 

her mother's family quickly appeared. insisting they came home. she never told her mother that it was her that told them where they lived, or that she even knew who they were when they showed up at the door. 

her mother had no way to turn them down, and so … they were forced to move all the way back across the country. this quickly introduced harlow to the genes that lay dormant inside of her. but like her mother, she had no interest in killing or being one of them. so instead of following the ritual, which all of her cousins had followed way earlier in their lives, she refused. 

her mother's family didn't take too kindly to this, and insisted that she had no other choice. they wouldn't live with a coward.

and so, six months before her eighteenth birthday, harlow made her first kill. 

after that, she fell into a deep depression. one only soothed by her mother. who was kept quite busy. forced to fall back into line in their family, she had no choice but to follow orders. 

secretly, they planned another escape. they were both miserable. 

four days before harlow turned eighteen, they ran. it didn't work out, of course. nothing in these kinds of stories works out. her mother was caught, but somehow harlow wasn't. she ran. and ran. and ran. terrified to even think about what they had done to her mother, she ran until she couldn't anymore. 

she spent her birthday cold & alone. terrified that her mother was injured. or you know, even dead. 

she found her way to illinois & into the pack there. 

she had no idea how to live her life as a werewolf. not really, so the newly turned wolf settled into the pack. trying to grasp some semblance of normal. 

everything grew to be normal. sure , she turned into a wolf every full moon. most of her friends were werewolves… but she'd finally started making money doing what she loved: graphic design. 

and then it happened — they were turned. the entire illinois pack were turned into an experimental crossbreed. hybrids. 

she had no idea what had happened, really. but she was fascinated by amara and the entire situation. 

she enjoyed the newfound freedom that this brought. the ability to turn on will, rather than being forced to once a month opened up so many amazing opportunities for her and while she wasn't sure what she thought of the rest of it. this was a true perk. 

this is how she ended up here — having followed her pack to london. where the growing number of supernaturals  seemed to flourish. she was fascinated by the ever - evolving community and even enjoyed the move. 

though she still doesn't know what happened to her mother, she's grateful to be as far away from her mother's family as she can possibly get. 

[octaviainthewasteland]

Wonder Woman: on female characters in comics PART 2

part 1, 2, 3

Please bear in mind that English is not my first language!

Part 2:  Useless pretty, sexy bad and second-hand skirts

Summary: A classification of female characters in comics.

Before we get going, an important note: this is not character bashing. I may sound extremely critical and snide at times, but it doesn’t mean that I hate these comics or these characters or even these authors! Batman, for instance, is my absolute favorite fictional character. I also have the biggest soft spot for Harley Quinn and Lois Lane. However, it doesn’t mean that it gives them a free pass. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Text under the cut.

In the previous chapter, we’ve touched on ‘fridging’ and why it’s not cool (ha-ha see what I did here). Due to particular conditions, women were pretty much absent from the picture and therefore, could not influence how women were portrayed for a while. Male visualization of women turned out to be quite… limited. Reading comics, I have noted that female characters in the comic books can generally be divided into four categories. There are, of course, some exceptions, but the percentage is far too small. As I thought about these categories, I’ve realized that three out of four are constructed though the sexism of the superhero narratives, while the last one is in a constant struggle against it. There are damsels in distress, femme fatale, gendered spin-offs and the female superheroes. Some characters fluctuate from one category to another, or fit into more than one. Let’s talk a bit more about the first three, so it’ll become clearer, why the female superheroes are so important for representation of women.

 The first category is the damsel in distress: the mother or the aunt, the girlfriend, most often powerless.

It includes such characters as Lois Lane, Vicky Vale and Iris West. Interestingly, all three of them are journalists, which arguably justifies their rash behaviour, which often lands them in trouble. They are nice, generally understanding, but quite often annoying, as they manage to land themselves in trouble yet again. It’s like they don’t understand that they should just sit down, because they either land in villain’s hands or they pressure the hero to quit heroing. With time, they have become snarky and easy-going, and obviously able to take care of themselves (until they aren’t) but the truth is, they are indistinguishable. They are cut out from the same piece of cardboard, as precious time for character development cannot be wasted on them, and they serve as conscience, motivation and ‘someone to come home to’. They are the classic ‘women in the refrigerators’ (Simone, 1999) and their interests and plot arcs rarely transcend the love interest, or in case of Iris and Aunt May, the relative of a superhero.

Probably the most notable example will be the Injustice franchise, where Superman becomes a tyrannical dictator, stricken with grief after the death of Lois, who has also been pregnant with his child at the time (Injustice: Gods Among US [I] #1, 2013)*. The comic series depicts the extent of Superman’s psychological trauma, as he is deceived by the villain into killing Lois with his own hands, thus, focusing not on the tragedy itself, but solely on Superman’s reaction to it. By the end of the series, the reader still has no idea, what kind of person was Lois. She is not important, what is important is that now the superheroes have an excuse to fight each other. Nobody in the comics really mentions her. The only time someone does, it is to reprimand Superman for his actions, all while Superman plans kidnapping Lois from another dimension because she’s just replaceable. Of course, this isn’t a story about Lois, but if a main heroine of Superman family cannot get a decent dealing, what’s there to hope for, for a lesser female character? We do not see her family or friends. She doesn’t really have a life outside her husband and it is precisely her connection to Superman that gets her in trouble. I might be picky, but having a joint surname (Lane-Kent, West-Allen, Watson-Parker) isn’t enough of a feminist statement for me.

The second category is the femme fatale or a seductive villainess, such as Talia al Ghul, Poison Ivy and Catwoman.

Most often, she is attracted to the superhero and tries to sway him of his righteous pass with her female charm, while he treats her as a lesser threat than male villains, because he believes she can be ‘good’ again. If she rejects the ‘good side’, she gets further from humanity and, thus, loses her chance for sympathy, absolution and happiness. Seductive villainesses often find themselves in a situation where they have to resort to their sexuality to distract their opponents or to persuade men to work with them. They are reduced to sexual objects for the male characters and by extension for the spectator, meaning the reader of the comics (Mulvey, 1975: 62).

They perform the role of the seductresses, trying to lure the hero from the path of righteousness and virtue. While being positioned as the erotic object, they are at the same time completely dehumanized. Talia turns from a villainess in love, who cannot decide on her loyalties, into a full-fledged assassin, and she is portrayed as a cold-blooded maniac, who drugs and rapes Batman, brainwashes him, clones their son and kills him (Robin: Son of Batman, 2015). In Harley’s absence, Poison Ivy does not value a human life at all, manipulates people and is more plant-like than human (Austin, 2015: 294).

The relationship between female empowerment and male disempowerment can be described as dichotomous. There is a prevailing narrative that a woman with power is a threat (Austin, 2015: 286). She defies male dominance and dares to enforce her own rules and focus on her own desires. The man tries to regain control over the dangerous woman. (Mulvey, 1975: 67) Notice how generally these women have a good cause at heart: Talia’s aim is to preserve the planet from disastrous actions of human kind; similar to Poison Ivy, who is concerned with flora; Catwoman protects felines and girls and women of lower classes and is essentially a version of Robin Hood. Harley Quinn has a mental illness, and copes with it by adopting animals and looking after them. Killer Frost is a heat-vampire and when she finds a cure (Firestorm) she pretty much stops attacking people, because she was doing it only to survive. Another interesting observation: it is their connection to men that pushed them to extremism. Talia is manipulated by her dad (who assures her of his love for her to save him on numerous occasions, but in the end kills her and uses her body to store his consciousness (BTAS)). Pamela Isley is nearly murdered by her male colleague. Selina is sexually abused by men. Killer Frost is locked up in a working reactor. I would assume everyone knows what’s the deal with Harley. Most often it contrasts with the actions of the hero: he tries to help her, make her normal again, fix her. This perpetuates a stereotype of how women are wrong about their prejudice against men, because ‘not all men are like this’. What is also inevitably and unknowingly created is that these women do not need fixing, it would change them at core. They aren’t even evil, as much as they would only help a cause if they believed in it. Even if they try to change for a man, they relapse: but through relationships with women, they are healed and they are able to embrace their power and be good, be evil, be something in the middle – and being true to themselves at the same time.

 Obviously, I am going to talk more about Harley Quinn. In the case of Harley Quinn, Joker physically and psychologically abuses her, manipulates her, makes her lose her job and her degree, drives her mad and so on. When she exercises her agency and comes close to killing Batman, successfully trapping him – something Joker himself had not succeed in – he angrily sets the boundaries between himself and Batman, their relationship, and Harley, who must only follow orders (Mad Love #8-72, 2009). Man games are one thing, and woman must never intrude! Harley learns it the hard way – it costs her almost every bone in her body. Joker ‘owns’ Harley and when she leaves him, he is livid and immediately sets to return her into his possession (Gotham City Sirens #10-26, 2011), exemplifying how Joker is unable to accept Harley’s existence beyond him (Austin, 2015: 285). On the other hand, Batman tries to establish his authority over her by bringing her to justice and rehabilitating her. He perceives her as a victim and someone, who despite being as dangerous and cunning as Joker (Mad Love #8, 2009), still needs saving. Harley is caught between two men, and while Batman is genuine in his desire to get her away from Joker (plus he doesn’t have romantic feelings towards her), it’s a no-win situation for Harley, because she can’t break away from her dependence issues. Enter Poison Ivy. By making Harley immune to all toxins, she both makes Harley stronger and cancels her main advantage over her. Poison Ivy doesn’t see Harley as a sidekick or a child who doesn’t know any better – she makes it possible for Harley to keep up with her. It also transforms Poison Ivy’s character. From then on, writers have abandoned the trope of Poison Ivy’s occasional boring crush on Batman.

 The third category is the ‘spin-off franchise baggage’ (Scott, 2013). It is quite easy to spot this type of characters, as their names are literally the derivative of their male (the original) counterpart: Batgirl, Supergirl and She-Hulk.

She does not have a sound or at least unique backstory, she is essentially the female version of the character, but secondary to him: weaker, less interesting, less popular and less developed (Fretheim, 2017: 32-33). Supergirl is another survivor of Krypton; She-Hulk was created literally by blood transfusion from Bruce Banner to his cousin, Jennifer Walters (they wanted to give her his rib, but it sounded vaguely familiar for some reason).

Sometimes such a character can break out of the limited space, provided by the legacy of the common root of the aliases (Bat-family, Super-family), for example, Barbara changes her line of activity after injury and Batgirl becomes Oracle, a character in her own right, giving voice to a readership with disabilities. It is also an example of how ‘fridging’ can be turned into a positive character development. In the Killing Joke, Barbara is harmed only because of her association with Jim Gordon, and the thematic purpose of her injuries is to provide emotional stakes for Batman. Nevertheless, she doesn’t stop being a hero and doesn’t become a liability. She is unique and interesting to read about. However, while it is possible, it is also reversible, as in 2011 Barbara puts on the Batgirl suit once again (Cocca, 2016: 78). Rarely, she can become more popular than the original hero, like Hawkgirl.

In terms of visual representation, it is quite easy to retrace sexual discrimination in the way that the male and female counterparts are portrayed. Although men with super powers do not need muscles to lift cars, they look jacked, a bit too much really. Hulk is positively ugly. Women, on the other hand, cannot let themselves be caught looking a tad less than ready for a Playboy photo-shoot.

Where male superheroes are embodying the ideal of masculinity, they are fit, muscled, and attractive – they are essentially the asexual subjects, while even their own gender-bent versions are put into suggestive poses and are given revealing outfits and heels (Batman: The Drowned #1, 2017).

Last but not least, the category of the female superhero. She is created as a distinct character, with her individual backstory and a set of powers. She is Wonder Woman, Starfire, Black Canary.

 The female superhero has her own backstory and her own set of powers. This doesn’t mean that they’re saved from the male gaze, unfortunately. The image above is one of the most modest costumes of Starfire I have found. This is particularly Starfire’s curse:

The female superheroes stand seemingly separate from the male superheroes, but men are still the part of the equation. Damsels, seductresses and knockoffs are directly linked to the male superheroes in forms of extensions of the mythos. The female superheroes exist in a state of eternal struggle against the male superheroes, male villains and male readers. According to O’Reilly, the female superheroes are restricted not only by the authorities, but even by their own sex (O’Reilly, 2012).

 To understand the mechanism of gender politics within the comics, let’s examine Wonder Woman against the male superheroes, namely Superman and Batman. While deconstructing their dualistic natures, we encounter a paradox of Otherness (Fretheim, 2017: 10-11). Every superhero has a secret identity. This duality attracts the reader, by making him or her identify through resemblance with the superhero’s disguise as the everyman or everywoman. The comic book promotes the idea of inclusivity, participation. It indulges the fantasy, providing the impression of the activist participation. (Pitkethly, 2012: 216) Superhero defeats the villain and saves America, and the reader feels like he or she has contributed to the victory of ‘truth, justice and the American Way’. It is no coincidence that the popularity of superhero comics correlates to the periods of the high and low threat (Peterson, Gerstein, 2005: 887). In times of the high threat, such as the Second World War, there is a significant increase in interest for ‘powerful’ and ‘tough’ fictional protagonists (889).

 Superman is also a meek reporter Clark Kent. Bruce Wayne is also a caped crusader Batman. As a superhero, Wonder Woman, too, exists as a heroic person and an alter ego of an ordinary woman, Diana Prince. Her otherness is expressed through being an Amazon, a super-powered being and a half-goddess. However, as a woman, she is also forced into position of the Other to Superman and Batman (De Beauvoir, 1949). If you’re unfamiliar with De Beauvoir, she referred to the socially constructed concepts of women and femininity in her Second Sex, written a year after women got the right to vote in France. The standards of the so-called femininity were established by patriarchal society and every woman was obliged to live up to these standards. De Beauvoir described the cultural symbols and social pressures put on girls from the very young age. Girls were taught to be passive and submissive, she did not have a choice as she was defined by the male dominated world to be a mother, a grandmother, a housewife. Men were the one, the neutral, the common, while women were the Other. While a man was the creator and the subject, a woman was an object in his power and always secondary to him. She also talked about the social taboos such as menstruation, criticizing pseudo-science that invented the idea of the biological inferiority of women. Menstruation was not the topic to talk about in public, since the very ancient times girls and women were locked in their houses during the periods. The female body is regarded as the Strange, Different, the Other. There is a cult of appearance; the women learn how to manipulate people with their looks. There are certain norms of how a real woman should look. The praises of female virginity and restrictions of the expose of the female sexuality were listed among the other ways in which the male society discriminated the female accumulation. Wonder Woman is, therefore, pitted as the Other to the male superheroes, while being alienated from other women.

 So we can see that no category of the female characters in comics are any better than another or have it any easier than another. Nonetheless, the figure of the female superhero is important, because it is a definite step away and open resistance to being background or second-hand. Girls couldn’t relate much to Lois, because, honestly, they were not supposed to – she was not their fantasy, she was male fantasy. There were some female superheroes prior to Wonder Woman, but yet again, they were created by men for men, and girls didn’t want anything to do with them. Industry naturally assumed that the reason is girls being generally uninterested in comics. As Dr. Marston noted, ‘not even girls want to be girls’ (Lepore, 2016: 187). He set to change that, and hence Wonder Woman was born.

*it needs another note: Injustice series is actually one of my favourite comic runs ever, and it has great female characters and great character development and is simply amazing. But it’s based of a game, and they had to work with the game premise, and they did a fantastic job doing it. Still, as I love it dearly, I’m allowed to critique it and so I will.

**despite the name, Superman’s Girlfriend Lois Lane is a wild and fun comic.

Bibliography

Simone, G. (1999). Women in Refrigerators, available at: http://www.lby3.com/wir/

 Austin, S. (2015). Batman's female foes: The gender war in Gotham City. Journal of Popular Culture, 48(2), 285-295.

 Mulvey, L. 1999. ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema.’ In Film Theory and Criticism: Introductory Readings, edited by Leo Braudy and Marshall Cohen, 833–44. New York: Oxford University Press.

 Scott, S. (2013). Fangirls in refrigerators: The politics of (in)visibility in comic book culture. Transformative Works and Cultures, vol. 13

 Fretheim, I. M. (2017) Fantastic Feminism: Female Characters in Superhero Comic Books. Trykk: Reprosentralen, Universitetet i Oslo

 Cocca, C. (2014). Negotiating the Third Wave of Feminism in "Wonder Woman". PS: Political Science and Politics, 47(1), 98-103.

 Cocca, C. (2016). Superwomen: gender, power, and representation.

 O’Reilly, J. D. (2005). The Wonder Woman Precedent: Female (Super)Heroism On

Trial. Journal of American Culture 28.3: 273–83.

 De Beauvoir, S. (1949). The Second Sex. New York: Vintage Books

 Pitkethly, C. (2011). The pursuit of identity in the face of paradox: Indeterminacy, structure and repetition in Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 1-7.

 Peterson, B., & Gerstein, E. (2005). Fighting and Flying: Archival Analysis of Threat, Authoritarianism, and the North American Comic Book. Political Psychology, 26(6), 887-904.

 Lepore, Jill. (2015). The Secret History of Wonder Woman. New York: Knopf.