#hodge twins gif

[precious-little-scoundrel]

|| Radio ||

Requested plot points? ☑️

Circa: early February 1944

Immediate previous fic: Favorite Escape

Summary: when your hodge podge radio won’t work, who should ya call? Probably the flight engineer

Warnings: usual universe warnings apply, 18+ but nothing very alarming really happens in this one, references to others are made, some potential slut shaming in the beginning if ya squint? perhaps some queer baiting but it’s the Buckies rolling around on the flooor, they’re one massive queer bait lbr, it’s not me. Also. My shit Crystal Radio making descriptions- don’t come for me I haven’t made one and I spent five hours falling down a rabbit hole as to how the guys made them in the camps and at the end of the day I said: screw it! And went with one of the Brit’s scenarios 🍻

Edited only by my tired little eyes, full warning and have mercy 💋

Also, just a note I feel compelled to make- this fic centers around women in the army, in a war, which they’re spending under dire conditions in a POW camp. Yes there is love here, there is also hierarchy and discipline and the enforcement of that does not make one character or another necessarily callous or less loving. They are their ranks first and foremost as all signed up for.

“They’re forging papers, you know.” Maureen broached the topic to Egan one day, late February and when her cheeks were still bruised from Ida’s book.

Bucky paused his tracing of a map, sooty finger trailing along a river with the same incomprehensible name as its twin running parallel, he didn’t know anything about papers or anyone making them and she knew that. “Who?”

“Good ones. Identification, passports.” She enumerated.

“Who?”

“The Poles. The ones with the-“

“-the liquor.” he finished for her, remembrance and condemnation heavy in his wry tone. “The ones you stayed out all night with.”

“Stayed long enough for them to get drunk enough to show me.”she replied, without heat, which was surprising.

“Some grand plan of yours, huh?” He bit back a laugh, it was a fine way to cover her ass for being insubordinate. It was a way he’d likely try if he was in her place.

“No.” she swore instead. “Just luck, I happened to see them. They got careless. Maybe an answer to all Jack’s prayers.”

“Yeah. Anything to give that rosary a break.”

“Yeah.”

“You asked them?”

“What for?”

Bucky regarded her with thinning patience but something kept him from snapping, the feeling of a riddle still to be solved. “For some papers.” he clarified, measured and intent, she knew how much easier that would make their plans for Ida.

Maureen shook her head, glancing down at her twisting hands, “I didn’t want to-“ her mouth twisted too, “-I wanted to ask a superior first.”

Bucky considered that for a moment, slightly touched at her newfound wisdom, “Why not ask Buck?”

She shook her head again, auburn hair curling under her chin just so, even here in the stalag she had some traces of the old charm. “He’s got too much to worry about for me to be bringing in hypotheticals.” she was so upset by something she would not even meet John’s eye and he felt a slice of remorse for how he hadn’t even noticed the ground down change in her since she got here, his drinking buddy and the soft fleshed rival of merry old English days was a gruff and battered and sullen woman; being a red blooded American male, he regretted that dismal change. “And I'm worried about what to bargain with. What can I promise? We haven’t got much and I don’t have— there’s not much anyway, but what we’ve got I didn’t wanna promise. Not without-“ she still hadn’t met his eye, he tracked hers; a furious roving of pale blue back and forth across the floorboards and it made Bucky itch.

“Who signs these papers?” Bucky asked, thinking the logistics through, knowing she’d perk up if he brought them up.

“Haven’t a clue. Maybe they haven’t figured that part out yet. I don’t know. I just know they’ve got papers.”

“Good ones.”

“Yeah.”

“We haven’t got much.” he agreed, clicking his teeth in thought, “What’d you give them for the liquor?”

“They just invited me.”

“Didn’t have to lend a hand or nothin’?” he balked and Maureen threw him a glare that seemed more hurt than rage, and chastened by a voice inside that sounded much like his mama’s, he amended with sheepish humor, “Hell, feel like lending a hand myself these days, if it’d get me a whisky.”

Her gnarled fist curled white in her lap, she managed hoarsely, “They just wanted to talk about home. To someone who hadn’t heard about it a million times before.”

“They got cigarettes?” he asked.

“As most common payment for their booze -they’ve got enough to insulate their shack three deep.”

“Cigarettes won’t cut it then.”

“I’ve been thinking.”-

“Yeah?”

“The radio. I’m the only one who doesn’t think it’s worth the risk but, I know, it doesn’t matter, it’s happening. Gale’s going to keep trying. And if it works-“ she rubbed at her eyes, tired and unsure, “-that’s quite the bargaining chip.”

Bucky nodded slowly, eyes narrowing as his smile grew a touch broader, “News of the outside world.” he was half in agreement, “Buck asked for a week. Been four days.”

“He’s stumped.” Maureen retorted instantly. “And he’ll stay that way and he’ll go nuts and you’ll go die going over the fence and then he’ll have no reason left not to die too.”

Bucky whistled, low and chiding, “You’re full of rainbows today, Candy.”

“You know who he oughta ask.” she shook off the barb. “But he won’t. And I don’t want him risking it for this thing anymore than anyone else, but you all want it so bad, and they’ll shoot us for it if it works or not. I’m not asking her. But you would. Might as well get shot for it working, right? Isn't that what you said yesterday? You know who he should ask.”

Bucky’s keen eyes showed the moment it dawned on him, his eyebrows shot up and his mouth sagged and he ran a weathered hand over his face, “Awww shit, Candy.” came garbled behind his palm. “Ah shit.” he said again with conviction as he shoved the hand into his pocket, wretched acknowledgment of her point clear on his face.

“I didn’t want to suggest it, told Ida it’s a fucking dangerous thing and I’ll never forgive if— but you all—“

Bucky grounded aloud, “Nah, nah she’s -Lu would solve it.” he muttered, shushing her. “Demarco really pummeled you the other day, huh?” he added, and that got her to meet his eye, she looked spooked and a little incensed, “Saw him fuckin’ you up behind B compound but sheesh, s’like he hollowed you out worse than a jacolantern; yer shifty as hell.”

“He-“ Maureen still felt like blanching at the memory of Benny’s terribly correct opinions, his disappointed eyes and his fist full of her flight jacket asking her what in the living fuck was wrong with her besides a concussion, a sick childhood and an ever nauseating jealousy of Buck Cleven’s paternal time and effort, “-he had some admonitions. After…after the other night.”

Bucky hummed, shitty smirk taking up residence on his face, “How ‘bout that.”

“I’m gonna be better.” she muttered and Bucky felt for her, could almost taste the echo of his identical and hollow determination to climb the mountain of bad habits when weak from spuds and pneumonia. He told himself the same every morning and fell into bed condoning his failure every night, like a ritual.

“You’re gonna get us those papers.” he corrected, shoving off the wall to come near her, give her the full Major treatment and maybe a friendly hand, “And you can promise your drinkin’ buddies news from the radio.”

Maureen nodded in understanding, no joy or animation left in her green eyes. She used to enjoy a bit of subterfuge, now she only felt hollow misery at the thought that she'd dragged Lu into this, too. This risk she hated so much and yet no one cared. Lu would be glad to be dragged in, it’s true, she was itching at the chance to be useful and to make Gale proud, it’s how the girl was wired. It’s how most girls were wired, Maureen supposed, desperate to make Gale Cleven approve. Lu’s enthusiasm wouldn’t make the sight of her being made to kneel in the mud and have a bullet put in her head any easier, wouldn’t make Maureen feel any less responsible for it when her lifeless body thudded to the earth.

All that lovely goodness stamped out.

Over a radio.

Bucky’s hand felt too hard and too big on her shoulder. He had gone before the vision cleared, mud and wire and the freezing main square at Ravensbruck fading back to the musty bunk room. Maureen shook herself and stood up to make herself somehow appealing, reamniante some semblance of the cheerful rashness that had led her to the Polish combine in the first place: she found it hard to inspire. She’d like to count that a victory but she knew better, she wasn’t reformed she was just tired.

A washed face and a fake smile and the promise of news from outside would have to be enough to bank all their risks on, it would have to be.

“Crank,” she greeted the man in the hall, flashing him clean, water brushed teeth and her gentlest, freshly soot lined eyes, “I’ve been tasked by Major Egan with an errand, spare a minute to babysit me?”

__________________________________

Bucky finds Buck Cleven in his own bunkroom, Demarco outside on watch and that’s all Bucky needs to know to guess the radio is out and Buck’s working like a fiend yet again to make it work. Sure enough, he’s hunched over the table with it, mittened hands shaking from cold and exhaustion and a sheen of sweat on his forehead despite the paltry sweater he wears.

Bucky walks in and Gale gives him a soft, acknowledging glance before continuing to his work. Bucky takes up his usual place behind Buck’s left shoulder to watch and Buck, being used to it, goes on.

“My little Kriegie Marconi, huh?” Bucky allows the nagging impulse he has felt for weeks while standing in this position to finally exert itself, and his forefinger lifts and swirls in the curling gold strands of hair at the nape of Gale’s neck, his friend almost bolts away but then seems to choose a prey’s tactic and just stills, goes very still and Bucky scritches the scalp beneath his grab in assurance he don’t meant anything by it. He doesn’t think he does, at least.

Gale, wary and with a voice close to mechanized it’s so stilted, inquires with ever-present politeness, “You alright Bucky?”

It’s better than that whole ‘major’ business; getting called Major as if that meant shit anymore. “Yeah, ‘course I am.” Bucky rakes his fingers through the hairs there at the nape of that dainty neck, scritches the scalp with all four of his main ones, and uncovers a white long scar sliding round once he lifts the hairs there. “Why wouldn’t I be? Gonna be a father soon.”

Buck does jerk then, away from his touch and wheeling his chair around to glare at Bucky; it’s an impressively executed little pirouette and John misses the feel of his warm neck and oil soft hair. “Jesus John.” he reprimands.

“We’re gonna get outta here Buck.” John swears, he’s so sure of it because he cannot in all his thinking and predicting ever imagine a scenario where they don’t, and he chooses to think it’s not delusion but a good omen. “Ida’s gonna have that baby and when it’s safe we’ll all meet up.”

Gale is looking at him like he’s his own father again, Bucky knows that look, it always makes him equal parts ashamed and desperate, “Jus’ like that.” Gale mocks in a husky gust.

It’s devastating, and it’s intended to be, and Bucky could bear that with better humor if he could still touch Gale and his hair. “Just like that.”

Gale hums and it’s a mean sorta vocalization that makes Bucky’s heart thud and his skin prickle hot, it’s the kinda noise you kiss off a person, he thinks, but it’s Buck and so he doesn’t know what to do with it. “It’s gonna get you killed.” Buck is saying instead and Bucky lets him, “I know you all think she’s cracked up and maybe she has but it wouldn’t hurt to listen to Kendeigh sometimes when she’s tellin’ ya shit that a five year old could accurately guess, -goddamn it.”

His voice rose to a strong rage by the end and Bucky takes a chair opposite him, sick of standing there like a dumb dog waiting for his scolding to be over. “So what.” Bucky challenges him, “We just wait around and Brady pops out a child and the krauts let us keep it and it’s our new mascot and we all sing zippidy doo da, huh? Huh, Buck?”

Gale’s hands fell away from his face with a slam to the table, a shocking degree of anger showing for a split second and it gave Bucky an odd degree of gratification. “I jus’ want you to find a plan with better odds.”

Bucky sniffed and leaned forward, went in for the kill and Gale was looking at him like he expected it, like it was his turn to play daddy to everyone here and Gale for once was so beaten down he wouldn’t just allow the changing of the guard, he was close to angry at its lateness. It made Bucky’s heart thud.

“I’ve been listening to Kendeigh.” Bucky refuted briefly, “And we’ve got a plan.” Gale gave him a tired look of encouragement to go on, “How long’s it been since you slept? Huh, well, we got a plan. Practically perfect, or it will be, just need the radio.”

“Ain’t giving this away.” Gale said, “Not for anythin’, even useless.”

Bucky patted the table top in easy assurance, if he could have reached Buck’s thigh, he’d have patted that instead, “No, no, don’t need to give it away, just need it to work. So,” he softened his voice and his eyes tightened, “I’m callin’ Lu in.”

Oddly, Gale does not fight it. Not aloud, at least. There’s an anguished look of hate on his face and Bucky mirrors it. It’s for this place and the fucking awful choices they have to choose from every goddamn day.

“You run this by Ida?” is all he asks.

Bucky pops his flaking lips audibly, “What, need us both gangin’ up on you to agree? She’ll sign off. Smith’s an officer. Gotta remember that sometimes, Buck.”

The way his Buck swallows hard and dry contradicts his words, “I do remember that.”

“Really?” Bucky’s mouth gives a soft smile of doubtful incredulity and Gale’s mimics it, mournful but a smirk all the same, “Feel like she should answer to ‘Gale’s Baby’ these days. Lieutenant Smith who?”

Gale scoffs, “Careful now.”

“No really, she’s an officer and she wants to be treated like one. It’ll do her good to have work. Her kinda work.”

“Could get her killed.”

“Layin’ in her bunk could do that.”

Gale grunts, its sounds like an agreement.

“So I say Lieutenant Smith gets put on radio detail. Like her goddamn job description suggests. Huh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Gale lets out a shaky agreement.

“Aaaaand,” Bucky draws it out as he rises again and saunters over to Buck who is ready for him and loose this time, “how bout I go back to bein’ the one you’re frettin’ ‘bout all the time. Got me almost jealous of the girl. How ‘bout I do. Huh?”

Gale’s scoff is fond as anything as he looks up at John with cheerful derision, “And you ‘bout to be a father? Make me an old man? Fuck no, ya looney.”

“Alright.” Bucky concedes with hands up in surrender before lurching forward and grasping Gale’s rickety chair back by its wobbly spokes and hefting it partially off the ground, beautiful and outraged prude of an occupant still seated in it, “Then I’ll play daddy and put you to bed, how ‘bout that.”

“John Egan for fucks sake-“ Gale’s fists pounded on the meat of his shoulders and his outraged protests wafted against Bucky’s neck and his jabbing knees collided with the meat of his thighs and Bucky hadn’t felt so close to him or so happy to be alive since England.

“Major sir, the hell is goin’ on?” Demarco’s tame inquiry from the safety of the doorway made them both lose their grapple and they collided together onto the floor, bunk bed barely missed by their heads and the hapless chair mixed up between their limbs.

Bucky grinned, hip sore from his fall and kidneys suffering from Buck’s trapped elbow there, “Puttin’ Goldilocks to bed.” he replied.

DeMarco processed that and the scene before him with grave sobriety before saluting lazily and turning to go, “Right on, sir.”

John did his best to rise up without further pinching Gale who was indeed trapped beside him and beneath him, chair legs wound between a lanky human leg in a puzzle that Bucky realized might take some caution to untangle without harm. Strangely, Buck wasn’t moving, he was just looking up at him like a cat would their clumsy master who has done somethin’ stupid which was a surprise to neither. It was so innocuous a look and so nostalgic, it winded Bucky with the realization he hadn’t seen it in ages, just as he hadn’t felt his boney ribs against his own and the feel of his elegant hands yanking him around in a fight. This miserable place really was stomping out the glow in the best people.

“Ya know Buck,” he ventured, clearing his throat for extra casualness, “I’ve missed you.” When Gale only kept looking up at him, perfect porcelain face with its unsettling scars and wary eyes without a lick of storm in them, John Egan grabbed his shovel and dug his own grave a little deeper, drug a finger down his cheek. “Missed all this.”

Bucky didn’t know what he meant by “this” but it felt safer and worse all at once, since he did miss Buck but he and Buck never used to hang out on floors with a chair as chaperone. Mercifully, Buck neither points that out nor moves away, acting very much like he needed to heaped on the floor with Bucky and a stray chair every bit as much as John did. Like it’s doing him good.

“And you couldn’t’ve jus’ said.” Gale murmurs with the softest eye roll of the century and Bucky feels like beaming and it must show in his face so strong and bright after a sunless winter that after a flash Gale’s cheeks flame from it and he averts his eyes.

“I dunno Buck, could I?” Egan asks one blushing cheek and Gale hasn’t got a good reply for that, so they just lay there on the floor.

“Go on now, get off me.” Gale doesn’t shove at him, he presses his hand to John’s forehead like he would a dog and John goes, obedient as one.

———————————————————————-

They found Lu with Murph and Benny and Brady, measuring out what seemed to be lot lines between Love Shack #9 and the next combine, boot scuffed perimeters already visible in the light snow and drawn in a decently tidy rectangle. There were guards loitering nearby, nosey as always with their cigarettes and their antsy dogs anytime someone did something out there besides piss or pace or stare at the fence.

“What’s all this?” Bucky inquired cheerfully, coming up to them with Gale, bundled and shivering behind him.

Benny looked up from tilling a furrow with his boot, right where Lu’s mittened finger pointed out. “It’s for the garden. S’posed to be spring before long.”

“A Chicago man oughta know better, Benny.” Egan snarked.

“Need us?”

Bucky sniffed, a casual set to his body that belied his quest, “Just the little one.”

Smith promptly looked startled, then eager. “All well Majors?”

“Need your advice on the color of my cufflinks with this suit.” Bucky extended his arm and beckoned her, “C’mon back in for a minute. One of you too, need a watch to go with the cufflinks.”

———————————————————————

With Benny on guard, Brady and Kendeigh having excavated the radio’s shell from the floorboard and table leg in which it resided, the Buckies stood over Smith’s small frame as she sat at the table and inspected the simplistic device with keen eyed appreciation for the construct.

“It’s really marvelous.” she assured Cleven, running her fingers over the carefully coiled wire and precarious pin.

Gale didn’t even crack a smile. “What’s wrong with it?” he asked instead.

She shook her head, a frown gathering. “Never made one-“ she cautioned.

“-but you get the idea.”

“Yes sir, I do.”

“So what’s wrong.”

Lu ran her fingers over the wire, again and again, the dusty metal not insulated, just bare copper, likely stripped from somewhere. It reminded her of early days as a cadet when they threw chicken wire mixed with hydraulic lines at herself and her fellow rookie engineers and told them to sort it, testing to see if they knew which was which. It had been so rudimentary she had wanted to laugh until she realized others were being flunked.

This was so basic she was stumped.

“Take your time, Lu.” Bucky spoke up after a burdened pause during which she could almost feel Major Cleven breathing down her neck.

“Candy, can I try with the headphone?” she asked at last, frustrated and out of her element, just a few months out of a plane and she had already lost her touch.

Maureen passed it over and Lu pressed it to her ear, not to discern what was quite obviously radio silence, but to imagine the whole process in reverse, track it down the cord all the way to the base, each possible breakdown of the conduction.

She fingered the ramshackle diode with burgeoning suspicion. “What’s your crystal?”

“That’s just…lead.” Cleven muttered.

“From?”

“Ground pencils.” Bucky supplied cheerfully.

Smith bit her lip, “We need sulfur added. Lead won’t conduct on its own.” She figured Cleven knew that, the grim and unmoving set of his mouth suggested so.

“Just- sulfur?” Maureen asked.

“If I had sulfur we could add it to the lead dust, ignite it and-“ Smith grinned at Kendeigh, knowing that she alone may have shared her enjoyment of a small conflagration from time to time, “burn it down and you’ve got something close enough to Galena. Just need a pinch of it should work.”

Bucky shoved his hands in his pockets and surveyed the mostly morose room. All except for the two girls grinning at each other over the hypothetical of a little chemistry experiment in a highly flammable wooden combine.

“We’ve got sandy soil.” Buck’s contemplative drawl spoke up, “Dunno if we could extract enough pure sulfur.”

Maureen stared back at Egan instead, “Other sectors have gotten portions of kits, chemistry kits, radio kits, they’ve been smuggled in with all sorts of stuff. Inside of a violin, oat bags. Nothing to fully build something. They might have sulfur. I could make inquiries and- well, Jack could pick it up next time the band goes over C compound to entertain the poor Aussie bastards.”

“How do you kno- nevermind, actually. Nevermind.” Bucky broke off, “Alright. Sure, why not. Ya sure that’s it?” he asked Lu once more.

She gave a helpless little shrug. “Gotta be. Or the wire’s dirty. Where’d it come from anyway?”

Gale gave Bucky a long suffering look as Bucky seemed to swell a couple inches and bounce back on his heels at the mention of his scrounging prowess. “The lamp.” he nodded above them all.

Jack Brady scoffed, short, clipped, betrayed, “That why it cuts out all the time? Strobed us so bad last night -thought the room was possessed.”

“Sacrifices Jack, sacrifices.”

———————————————————

Benny had hauled in enough water buckets to elicit some negative attention from the guards, and when the inspection came the inmates of the Love Shack insisted the drenched floors and table of the Majors’ barracks were due to sanitation post regurgitation. At night, with only one stolen torch light from Combine 15 to illuminate the endeavor, a basin of water beneath a smaller bowl in which lay their precious and recently procured ingredients, a science experiment began. The Majors and Ida gathered round, all looking as ghastly and spectral in the light of the flashlight as Brady’s fake ghost. It held the thrill of a bonfire night except for the stakes, which all in the room did their best not to dwell on.

“Zippo, Candy.” Lu gave the word and Maureen, with only the protection of Ida’s bent aviators to keep from a scorched cornea, flicked on her lighter and set the mixed powders ablaze.

It flamed up high and smelly, making Benny gag and mutter something about Meatball’s gas to a tittering Brady, and then died down to a yellow smoking ember.

“We should let it sit.” Lu surmised with a squeeze to Maureen’s only somewhat singed hand, her big dark eyes surveying the burnt bowl and their smoking experiment with glittery excitement at the possibility of success, “Let it cool, settle, maybe strain it. Can you get me a net? Oh Candy come now, get me a strainer?” she begged with a laugh as Maureen rolled her eyes at the idea of yet another trip to the Stalag Market for the most random items imaginable. If they hoped to not be suspicious, they’d need better lies or more money.

“How about cheesecloth?” Kendeigh tried not to grin indulgently- and failed- in the face of Lu and having recently been allowed to set something on fire

Lu kissed her cheek. “Cheesecloth would be perfect.”

In the end, cheesecloth did indeed prove perfect, and amongst the burnt dust of the combined minerals was a gritty little pinch full of the needed crystals. Or so Lu said, Gale agreed but the crease between his brows hadn’t lifted for two days; Bucky’s fingers had begun to twitch in antsy need to manually smooth them out. He imagined Maureen felt the same but she hadn’t said, uncharacteristically forbearant now she had some job to keep her sane. Even if it was playing fetch for Lu.

—————————————————————

“Well, this is it.” Gale muttered when the watch had been set once more, Murph and Hambone on the steps, Crank inside, Brady at the door, Benny at the window. Even Major Clark had joined them in the barracks for this final try and Lu’s cheeks were maroon from the attention even as her deft hands steadily pressed her concoction beneath its intended rod.

“Pass me the pliers, sir?” She asked and for a moment, the teacher became the apprentice and Gale fetched her the stalag forged tool, rudimentary like everything here yet the gripped and pulled and lifted same as the pliers back home. “You could check your look in this wire’s reflection.” She complimented Gale’s buffing of the copper wire.

He shrugged in turn. “Didn't wanna leave anythin’ to chance. That it?” he asked as her hands stalled and she surveyed her work.

Lu nodded solemnly. “Yes sir.”

Gale picked up the headphone from in front of him on the table like it was a gun he was about to bring to his head. “Here.” He extended it to her instead, “S’right, it was your job, you should be the first. Cmon.”

Despite her voiceless protest he pressed the headphones into her hands and Lu, never knowing how to disobey an officer, folded immediately.

For a good ten seconds everyone in the room held their breath as Smith pressed the headphone to her ear and gently wiggled the clothespin along the wire, searching and tuning, her face holding that old peaceful concentration they hadn’t seen since the last mission. She was at home with her mind tuned to another dimension. The pilots in the room knew that look, that was the look of someone at home with something that terrified them all the same, the gut swooping feeling of clearing the take off and sledding along the tops of the clouds. Wrong and strange and utterly incomparable to others, it was the closest to home one’s mind could be. Lu belonged somewhere on those electric currents and searching them out was like finding oneself again.

Then at last, Lu’s eyes sharpened out of their dreamy haze of concentration and she said, gentle as always, “It’s the BBC sir.”

💋 Hope you enjoyed! Feedback is a writer’s lifeblood, please feel free to scream in comments or the inbox, I love it and wanna hear it all. Trust me, nothing is “too dumb”. Your thoughts mean the world to me.

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[simplykenni]

(I just love fucking around in your inbox and making a scene.) Would you like to rate these random men who make my knees weak? I'm genuinely curious on your opinion and if we have similar tastes since we both bond over Mr. Ben.

"Make a scene" whenever! I'll always indulge you 😌 let's go through one by one because I'm not too familiar with all of them:

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Logan Lerman 😍 before Bullet Train came out I quite literally hadn't heard about or seen him in years. I had a crush on him when he was Percy Jackson and in the Perks of Being a Wallflower. He's also a softboi.

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Me too, girl 😵‍💫 he's fine. And if these are completely different men...they're twins lmao.

Rahul Kohli is beautiful! I love what I've seen of him and I need to get into more of his work. He was great in Bly Manor and wasn't he also in Midnight Mass? Good man.

Aminé just started catching my eye recently, and it's because I started listening to some of his songs + saw an album cover. He's eccentric and cute. 

Oscar Isaac is a top tier man. Some people call him daddy, but he's my baby 💛.

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Idk who this last man is shsjsksk. He's alright though. He looks nice tho so I assume he's a stand up fella.

[arcadiafm]

under the cut is a few new wanted connections added to our server !!

[ INES ] is looking for a [ (ELDEST) LOST CHILD ] connection, who is [ 400 - 700, OLDER THAN THE KID WITH NAMOR ] years old and looks like [ MALI.NALLI, FROY GUTIERREZ, QUANNAH CHASINGHORSE, XOLO MARIDUELA, KAREN VEGA, VALENTINE ALVAREZ / @B1TCHIEST, KIANA LEDE, CELESTE ROMERO, KAHARA HODGES, @XIUHTEZCATL, @JADERABARIVEL0, CODY CHRISTIAN, ANDREA CHAPARRO / ANY NATIVE N. AMERICAN / NATIVE MEXICAN FC ]. [ HAN ] [ DOES ] require to be contacted prior to applying. ( ines' oldest child (the other being with namor, who she also lost) -- this one she had a bit more time with, anywhere from 10-16 years but that can be adjusted. this child was taken from ines and raised by another person, perhaps because of 'revenge' against ines' mother, amora, or salvador gallio (father figure who turned out to be ines' real father, he’s now a npc in the rp after being dropped), or even selene gallio. we can plot out how they become reunited and realize they're mother and child (':, maybe it'll be a happy reunion, maybe it won't be haha, very rapunzel + finding carter vibes )

[ NINA MAXIMOFF ] is looking for a [ TWIN ] connection, who is [ 24 ] years old and looks like [ ANY ROMANI FC WITHIN AGE RANGE -- BUT COULD ALSO BE OPEN TO THEM BEING ADOPTED + THE SAME AGE, THOUGH THEY SHOULD STILL BE A PERSON OF COLOR ! ]. [ MUN ] [ DOES NOT (BUT YOU CAN, I LOVE PLOTTING)] require to be contacted prior to applying. ( they very much mirror pietro + wanda when they were younger, but nina is the speedster with younger wanda's personality + anxiety. their attachment to each other was unhealthy as kids as they wouldn't do anything without each other and at times nina couldn't exist without her twin, especially given that she has ASD + a lot of anxiety, so her twin is a strong, comforting presence for her. nina didn't get her powers until a few years ago, so it's up to you if the same thing happened to the twin, or maybe they've had powers since childhood / puberty like most mutants. )

[ WANDA MAXIMOFF ] is looking for a [ JERICHO DRUMM ] connection, who is [ 40s+ ] years old and looks like [ IDRIS ELBA, BRANDON JAY MCLAREN, ALDIS HODGE, SINQUA WALLS / UP TO PLAYER ]. [ HAN ] [ DOES (IF INTERESTED IN A ROMANTIC CONNECTION FOR THEM) ] require to be contacted prior to applying. ( first, when choosing a fc for him, please choose a dark-skinned black man and not someone who's lighter! secondly, i love their dynamic even if it's not romantic. wanda has said that he's someone she feels understands her more than most -- as herself, and as a witch, which is not always something she gets within her relationships. i think even if they're platonic it would be a nice thing for her to have around. but if you're interested at all in something romantic you must contact me first and we must plot it out and get a vibe for what their dynamic will be like. most likely, if we've never shipped before, i'll want to 'test it out' at first and see how they do. he could also be the father of wanda's young daughter, mara !! she's a little witch in the making and very cute.)

[animezinglife]

x

[mlpmemes-and-mlpthings-123]

[enbyboiwonder]

[buckybarnessunflower]

Together Forever Chap. 17

The few girls that had been wanting to join The Army to fight like Y/n had, had quickly switched over to nursing after a couple of weeks of the brutal training. Y/n was the only girl left to train to fight so the decision was made to switch her over to the men's training. The decision was met by the disapproval of Colonel Phillips who was in charge of not only the boot camp but also of Project Rebirth

It was beginning to seem like Colonel Phillips hated the Roger twins with how he only targeted them during training exercises. When Y/n was beating his top recruits time in running, he would make her run another lap. When she completed the obstacle courses faster than the rest, he made her start over with a weighted backpack that was so heavy she couldn't stand up straight.

Steve was given test that surprised Colonel Phillips when he would pass. Steve's group had been out running when they came up to a flag pole and were told whoever could get the flag down would be able to ride back to camp with Agent Peggy Carter who Steve was growing to like more and more.

Steve had quickly been pushed away by the other men as they tried and failed to climb up the pole to reach the flag, when they all had moved away to start back running Steve walked up to the pole. He had noticed from afar that a bolt at the bottom of the pole was loose and when he pulled it out the pole fell to the ground with a loud thud.

Steve had folded the flag before handing it over and climbing in the car. The group of men watching on wore looks of surprise but Peggy was impressed that much Steve could tell by the small smirk on her red painted lips. She didn't speak as they made their way back up to camp but Steve didn't mind as his body relaxed into the old worn leather cushions of the jeep they were in. His body sagged in relief at not having to walk the rest of the way to camp.

It didn't take long before word spread about what Steve had done and it brought a smile to Y/n's face knowing that while her twin may lack physically that he was smart, smarter than most. Dr. Erskine knew that Steve Rogers was not who Colonel Philips would have chosen for project rebirth even before the man had scoffed at the suggestion.

"I'm looking for qualities beyond physical" Dr. Erskine had said as they stood together watching the group do jumping jacks. "Do you know how long it took to set up this project"? The Colonel had asked glaring at the doctor "All the groveling I had to do" he continued.

"I'm well aware" "Yeah well throw me a bone here Doctor. Hodge has passed every test we gave him, he's big and fast. He'll be the prefect soldier. You don't win wars with kindness Doctor" They bickered back and forth between each other. "You win wars with guts" Colonel Philips said before unfastening a fake grenade in his hand and throwing it at the group of men and yelling "Grenade!"

They watched as the men immediately stopped their jumping jacks and ran away for cover, except for Steve who had noticed Peggy nearby and threw his small body on what he thought was a real grenade and curled his body around it "Get Back! Get Away!" He shouted and Peggy could hear the desperation in his voice.

The men who had ran for cover watched from a far and as the seconds went by without the sound of the grenade exploding one of the men said "All clear" before they got up from their hiding spots. Steve had glanced up at Peggy, the sun in his eyes making him squint up at her to see her face.

"Was this another test"? he had asked confused making her smirk return that he loved seeing so much. "He's still skinny" Colonel Phillips said before walking away but Dr. Erskine couldn't stop his smile as he watched Peggy help Steve up from the ground.

Later that day, after dinner had been served and the sky was starting to darken as the sun went down Y/n had been ordered to go to Colonel Phillips office. The air had a slight chill to it as Y/n made her way across camp to his office making Y/n pull her jacket closer to her body.

Y/n felt nervous sitting across from Colonel Phillips, he had yet to even spare her a glance as he looked over her file. "Rogers" he said still not looking up at her "Yes Sir" Y/n said silently praying that her voice didn't tremble as she spoke. "As much as I would like to not have to admit this, I do, you're the best soldier we have here at camp" he said finally looking up at her.

The lines in his face seemed to deepen as he frowned at her "I don't understand why you want to join the war so bad but I can't argue with facts" he continued. Y/n held her breath as he spoke not expecting the praise that he gave her. He sighed exasperatedly as he looked back down at her file, thumbing through the pages not really reading them and showing little interest.

"These facts are why I will be sending you to the front lines, where you're needed" he said and Y/n couldn't stop the look of surprise on her face. "I'm sending you to the 107th" he continued and picked up a stamp and pressing it on her papers.

"You ship out in a couple of days kid" he finished looking up at her again but it was with a look of respect. "Be safe out their soldier" he said and Y/n swore she saw a tiny smirk lift up the corner of his mouth but it was gone as quick as it came making her question if she ever really saw it.

As Y/n made her way back to camp it was now dark, the only thing visible in the sky was the stars and the moon. Not even the chill from the air could stop the happiness that she felt as she quickened her pace to Steve's tent.

"I'm being shipped to the 107th" Y/n said after waking Steve up by shaking him. "Congratulations" Steve said pulling his twin in for a hug. "You'll be with Buck again" he said with a smile that grew when she blushed "I've missed him" Y/n admitted finding her boots more fascinating then looking at her twin. "He'll be happy to see you" he said squeezing her shoulder.

"I'll miss you" Y/n whispered and hugged him tight. They closed their eyes, trying to keep their tears from escaping. "I'll be there with you and Buck soon. Dr. Erskine came in after dinner and told me that I've been chosen for the project" Steve tried to say with a smile but it came out more as a grimace. "Hey you'll do great Stevie, he chose you for a reason, He picked you out of everyone else. If he had any doubts I'm sure he would let you know. You've wanted this for so long and I've always been worried about you but I feel good about this" She said and Steve felt better, he smiled and this time it reached his eyes.

TAGLIST::::::::

@matchat3a

@vicmc624

@ladyalexandranna

@ginger-swag-rapunzel

[writersrealmbts]

A Little Quirky: Forever Kisses

Description: It’s been a few months, and the two of you still haven’t rescheduled the wedding, when Jimin comes up with a plan. And maybe having your wedding the day before Easter is a little bit quirky, but when have the two of you ever been normal?

Warnings: N/A.

Posted: 04/17/2020

Tags: Jimin, Hybrid!Jimin

Fluff: 1,721 words

A/N: Seriously, guys, you have no idea how long it took me to make the timeline for this series because I keep jumping around in that timeline. I’m hoping to keep things more streamlined from here on out, at least until I can finish all of their stories. Right now this is the last part I’ve got planned for these two!

Previous Part.

“What if we got married next weekend?”

You paused at Jimin’s question, watching his tail sway back and forth nervously. After having to cancel the wedding the previous fall due to the damage from the storm and having to hide in the Sanctuary for safety, the two of you had been going back and forth about what to do for the wedding.

“I mean, all of my family will be around, so then we would just need to bring your family around as well. Micheal has this really pretty barn on his property that I bet could be cleaned up in time, and Hobi and Ren have tons of indoor plants that we could probably use, since flowers are probably pretty hard to get. I know it wouldn’t be what we had originally planned, but we could still have something…nice.”

You slowly placed more books on the bookshelves as you thought about it. “You…you know it’s Easter next weekend, right?”

“Yeah, I know, that’s why it might be hard to get flowers and why my family will all be around. I know it’s unorthodox, but…” He sighed and turned to face you. “I want to marry you. I know I haven’t been helping try to reschedule our wedding, I mean, everything has come up since then. You had your clinicals, I had to graduate, and then we both started our jobs, and now moving in here…this is the last weekend that should be stressful, and I just…I….”

You studied his slumped shoulders, the way his tail curled around him, and quickly went over to him, wrapping your arms around him. “Jiminie.”

He leaned into you. “I just want to be happy. We’ve been so stressed and I just…I want something to celebrate.”

“I’ll see if my parents are free,” You whispered. “But we’re going to need all the help we can get to make this happen in twelve days.”

He nodded, relaxing. “I know who to call.”

“Then I’ll call my parents first,” You said, kissing his forehead.

Rain started pelting the windows, and you winced. Because just a moment later, the thunder shook the apartment.

Jimin shrunk. “Um.”

“Go crawl into bed and pick out a movie. I’ll bring the tea in after I’m done talking to my parents,” You said, pushing both of you up. You’d honestly seen today coming, Jimin had been so stressed the past month and you were surprised he hadn’t broken sooner. Storms were actually some of the best ways for the two of you to work through stressful things.

He nodded and started hurrying toward the bedroom, breaking into a run with a flash of lightning.

Your poor kitty.

You started on the catnip tea while you called your parents, getting a green light from them for a wedding next weekend and instructions from your mom to use her as much as possible. She also said too plan it for Saturday, like the smart mom she was.

Which meant only eleven days, and you two would definitely want to have brunch with the families the next day, but that was all pretty agreeable to you.

Jimin agreed when you joined him in the bedroom, and sent a text. “I know this is going to be stressful, but I also think it’ll be worth it.”

You kissed him. “I’m marrying you, of course it’ll be worth it.”

———

You looked around the barn. “It’s great.”

“Yeah, thankfully we’ve moved all of Emma’s stuff into a storage unit, and it wasn’t damaged during the storms so we were throwing potlucks in here for our workers, a couple birthday parties, and I think we had one wedding here.” Micheal rubbed the back of his neck as he looked around. “But we got it cleaned up in the past two days so that you guys could see if you wanted it.”

“It’s great. Thank you so much,” You said, smiling as you looked around. “It’ll be perfect.”

“Good, I’m glad it’ll work. Gotta say, you guys didn’t give yourselves much time.”

“We didn’t, but…it’ll be fine. We still had a bunch of stuff from before, and my dress. We just needed our families to make the day perfect.”

Jimin hummed happily, arms around your waist. “Exactly.”

“And flowers, you need flowers. Because otherwise we’ve ordered all of those flowers in vain,” Your mom said.

“Of course, mom. Flowers are important too,” You purred.

Your father chuckled. “Your family knows how to do things quickly, don’t they, Jimin?”

Jimin nodded, grinning. “We planned my Eomma’s and Appa’s wedding in a series of weekends and set it all up in two hours the day of.”

“Oh God, I cried so much,” Micheal muttered, rubbing the back of his neck again, looking like he wanted to cry again. “It was a terrible idea for me to officiate.”

“You were the only one who would,” Jin said calmly, joining the group. “Will a hodge-podge of chairs be okay?”

You nodded. “We’re not going for anything too fancy.” Not this time. Before it was going to be elegant and whimsical because hot-damn Jimin looked good in those sorts of settings, but right now…all of this seemed way better.

“We’ll set them up in a purposeful way, and that’ll make it look more purposeful and whimsical. Sort of a rustic-whimsy?” Emma looked to you for confirmation.

You nodded, smiling.

“I’ve got Taehyung and Yoongi bringing flowers with them as well, since we didn’t think we had enough between our towns together, that should help fill things out,” Emma said to your mom. “I thought we could use the white Christmas lights on the rafters to create a nice ambiance?”

“Oh, I was going to ask whether we should maybe have the wedding outside by that fountain and the reception in here?” Your mom said, looking between you and Emma.

You considered it for a moment, then looked at Jimin.

He shrugged ever so slightly, signaling that it was up to you.

You nodded. “If the weather permits, sure. That sounds like a great idea.”

Emma nodded. “Well, it’s supposed to be sunny and seventy, so….hit or miss on that.”

You grinned, laughing. “Very optimistic, thanks.”

She nodded. “Glad to be of service. This is what happens when all of my children don’t sleep in a week.”

“Oh, sleepless nights,” Your mom said sympathetically.

“And days, the triplets have gone off naps. Thankfully the twins are still too tiny to not nap.”

Jin sighed. “Can we blame Hoseok? Let’s blame Hoseok.”

She snorted and hit his arm. “He’s the only reason we’ve had any sleep, hon. Don’t blame the angel.”

Jimin laughed. “I’ll help him and Jungkookie run them out after this.”

“I’m sure your children are adorable when they’ve slept,” Your mom said.

“Even the adopted ones,” Emma agreed, walking off with your mom and showing her pictures of the pups.

The other dispersed, leaving you and Jimin.

“So…we’re just going to let them set things up?”

“Looks like it. I trust them. I’ve got the most important thing,” Jimin answered, squeezing your waist. “In a week, we’ll be married.”

“We will,” You whispered back, smiling happily and relaxing into his arms as he pressed kisses to your neck and cheek.

———

Jimin took your hands, smiling so softly as he gazed at you. “I promise to work alongside you, to support you in all you endeavor, just as you support me. I promise to care for you as though you were me, as though we are one. To walk beside you during the good times, and shelter you during the bad. To make a home for us, just as you are the home for my heart. I want to go through life with you by my side, no matter what our situation in life may be. To laugh with you, and cry with you, and whatever may come, to work through everything together. Even though we may argue, I promise to always return to your side and work through whatever it is. I want to love you, and be loved by you all the days of my life. You crashed into my life, and haunted my dreams, and I want you to always haunt my dreams because I will never grow tired of seeing your beautiful face. We’re a little quirky, but there’s nothing we can’t do together.”

You just grinned back at him, completely choked up and trying not to cry. How were you supposed to follow that?

He laughed softly, wiping some of the escaped tears from your face. “And I’ll always wipe your tears, if you’ll agree to wipe mine.”

You just laughed and tucked yourself into his shoulder. “I love you.”

He chuckled and pet your hair. “It’s your turn, y/n.”

You pulled away and tried to pull yourself together. “Silly kitten.”

Soft laughter came from your families.

“Neither of us have had easy lives, but I promise to weather every storm with you. I promise to attempt to be patient during trials, and understanding during arguments. To be the high of your days, and to keep you company during your lows.” You looked to the sky since you were still on the verge of crying. “I want you to be my first and last love, I want to live a full life with you, and grow old with you. Every kiss has been sweeter than the one before. We’ve shared the sweetest of moments together, and made it through some times of uncertainty side-by-side. I love you so much, and I know I’m not always easy to love but you’ve never faltered. You’re my soulmate, and you’ve always encouraged me when I was nervous or uncertain. You’re my best friend.”

He purred, but it sounded choked.

“Rings?” Micheal asked.

The two of you exchanged rings.

“You may now kiss your bride.”

Jimin grinned and pulled you in, kissing you both gently and passionately before pulling away. “Stuck with me forever.”

“Stick with me forever,” You corrected, then kissed him again.

He laughed, and held you close to him, ignoring your families. “We’re married now.”

You just laughed a little and pushed him so that he would walk you back down the isle. “Yes, we are.”

----

Previous Part.  Next?

Masterlist.  Series Masterpost.

[bloodkingdomrp]

♛OH SINNER MAN…♛

NAME: UTP Lanoix AGE: 30+UTP FACE CLAIM: Aldis Hodge, Brandon Mychal Smith, Laroyce Hawkins, Charles Michael Davis, UTP  **please note that the character must be of African/African-American descent** + face claim resources  AFFILIATION & POSITION: Faction & Associate  OCCUPATION: UTP GENDER & PRONOUNS: UTP (Male or Non-Binary)

♛WHERE YOU GONNA RUN TO…♛

You were a Lanoix through and through, one of the scattered left from the family. In your childhood, you had an obsession with heists, thefts that screamed catch me if you can. Your mother always said that you would grow up to be a liar, little did she know how much truth was in that statement. You started small- gigs where you pretended to be someone else, drifting focus until you could take a wallet. Slowly but surely, the roles you created became much more advanced. And the winnings? Midas would be jealous. You’re a person with too many faces, always craving a bigger target... and you won’t stop until you’ve won it all.  

♛WHEN DEATH COMES♛

The Illegitimate: He’s gunning for the crown, and he managed to rally you to his cause. There’s something ever so inspiring about the man, how he commands the attention of the masses and can convince anyone to do his bidding. You find him fascinating and even more valuable if actually pulls a revolution off. With the biggest target being Rafal Kovali, you’re more than happy to offer your services to the Illegitimate to help him achieve his goal... so as long as you get a share once the battle is won. 

The Socialite & The Casanova: The twins, your cousins who love the limelight. While you work mainly behind the scenes, a chameleon with each job, your cousins are in it for the long haul. One managed to become Chicago’s finest catch and the other commands social circles in the city.  Their delicately formulated personas have almost become a part of them, and you can’t help but wonder if they’re going too far. While you disagree on the mode of operation for the Lanoix, family is family.

The Gambler: The Gambler is a tricky person to place, they somehow knows everyone’s business. All the time. While it isn’t a good thing for other people, you don’t mind. The give you lists of targets- for a fee- and then you can have a bit of fun playing the field. It’s mutualism at its finest

The Money: One of your ongoing games is with Chicago’s favorite bank executive. His business is booming and it just so happened that he was looking for a partner. You immediately came up with a plan: a full proof back story, forged paperwork (thanks to the Gambler) that deceives in every detail. If this works, you’ll be up to your neck in money. Little do you know that his finances are actually backing the very same group you’ve allied yourself with. 

+connection mentions

THE CON ARTIST IS OPEN

[blackgirlslivingwell]

Why Are The Hodge Twins Making Videos About Black Women - Pandering To YTs & Colorism?

In this video, I want to talk about the Hodge Twins and their content about Black women (and other marginalized groups).

[t3rr3nc3]

[ccgpc-blog]

Lets keep it real!, It is what it is, so just say what it is. Oh, facts! I wounder...

[roughridingrednecks]

One of the Hodge Twins

[thestraightmutt]

HodgeTwins FTW!!