#melina rai

[rabid-dog-steve-horn]

For all my fellow wrestling fans.

Enjoy.

[wntrs0ldier]

An Offer · part 01

pairing: mob!bucky x reader words: 3,4k warnings: language, typical mafia themes, men talking, a/n: english is not my first language, sorry for any mistakes!

next part> | series masterlist

series summary: When your father dies, the only thing you can do for your family and the empire he built, is to marry a powerful man.

chapter sneak peek: At first he looked directly into your eyes, but soon his stare carefully slid lower. The muscles of his face highlighted as he clenched his jaw, something raw appeared in his eyes. You also glanced down at yourself and stumbled at how your body reacted to the cold and the undeniable electricity hanging in the air. It spread only between you and Bucky.

When your father died, you only had time to fit all the stages of grief into one brief episode of momentary shock, then your thoughts revolved solely around the future of the Family. Besides your mother and younger sister, you had to take care of business. And even though you understood the rules of the dark world you grew up in, no one had ever explained to you what decisions you should make to prevent the empire your father had created from crumbling. 

The warm rays of the setting sun were breaking through between the gravestones. You had to admit that the sun made everything a little better. Ironically, everything around you seemed to be coming to life; the greening grass, the budding leaves on the trees, the birds singing somewhere in the background. Even the slight rain didn't seem so bothersome when the sun was warming your skin and there was a crisp spring breeze in the air. 

You couldn’t focus on the ceremony, your thoughts were occupied by something else entirely. You were unable to ignore the fact that, as the minutes passed, your high heels were being swallowed up more and more by the mud. In all this sense of loss, which you had never experienced before, you felt sorry for a pair of shoes, even though you had hundreds of them. So instead of letting your emotions take over, you began to list some of the funeral attendees you managed to recognise.

You spotted some members of the Rumlow Family. Despite the generally accepted rule of temporary peace and immunity for any funeral, the sight of Rumlow Senior and his son made you a little uncomfortable. You knew that their presence in any other situation would have meant trouble. For as long as you could remember, your Families had lived in discord, and even if there had not yet been a major clash, their company carried the echo of a bomb ticking somewhere nearby.

A few rows away were representatives of the Russian mafia – Melina Vostokova, who stood at the head of the group, and Natasha Romanoff. 

You also saw Tony Stark – the biggest manufacturer of weapons, which your father helped distribute mainly on the black market. Tony himself claimed that he was not a gangster, but the truth was that he took the side that benefited him the most. No wonder he was the richest man in the United States. Or at least as far as you were aware.

Even state attorney Alexander Pierce showed up, which struck you as highly risky and simply stupid, but perhaps it was all about some twisted way of paying respect to a worthy rival. On the other hand – no matter how absurd it was – you wouldn't be surprised if it was John Walker, Pierce's nephew, who persuaded his uncle to attend the funeral. Walker had been looking for an opportunity to approach you for a long time; even now he was staring at you with a strange longing and an inappropriate dreaminess spreading across his face. You felt your skin itch as he stared at you like that, so you decided to look away in case John got the idea to take the initiative.

As discreetly as before, you looked a little further away. You weren't surprised by the presence of Timothy Barnes, the head of the Barnes Family, which not only lived in peace with yours; there were times when the paths of your Families would cross, so Timothy and your father occasionally visited each other to discuss the best strategy of action together. 

It was the company of his nephew that surprised you. Mainly because the presence of Bucky Barnes was an unusual occurrence – a few years ago he simply disappeared and no one really knew what was going on with him at the time. 

With much longer hair and a broader chest, he looked a little different than when you last saw him. And when you watched him from where you were standing you realised that he was staring at some indefinable point, and the hostility beaming from his eyes made you shudder; even if it wasn't directed at you.

You followed his gaze, wanting to know the poor man who had earned Bucky Barnes' cold, piercing stare, and you met Walker's eyes again. As John looked at you, Bucky observed him intently. 

You stayed close to your mother, but did not directly accompany her when condolences and respects were paid. Right next to you stood Michael – your father's trusted advisor and confidant.

“Look at that... How desperate they are,” he said quietly, leaning towards you. “Waiting to take over everything your father worked for.”

You blinked a few times, suddenly awakened by the interest in the man's words. You were, after all, supposed to somehow take care of all this, and what Michael had said complicated matters a lot. You didn't know how you could not only control the money, the power in the Family, the influence, the connections and the territories, but also keep it from the mentioned takeover. You were getting more and more confused.

“How would they do it..?” you asked hesitantly. 

“By marriage, certainly. Nobody wants a war,” Michael replied. Almost choking, you held your breath, an unpleasant knot, burning with anxiety, was tied in your stomach. “But don't worry about it,” he added calmly. “I'll try to get some suitable offer.”

Nibbling nervously on your lower lip, you glanced at your mother. You wished you had been a little more selfish and a lot more cruel – maybe then you would have focused completely on yourself. “Make sure they'll be safe. Mom and Suzie.”

Michael nodded obediently and walked away, leaving you alone with the impression that he had already begun searching for a candidate. But before that feeling could poison your consciousness completely, your mind picked up someone's presence. So you looked in front of you and, still confused by the subject brought up by Michael, fixed your gaze on Bucky Barnes, as it turned out. You frowned slightly, not quite sure why he was standing before you. In addition, alone; his uncle was talking to your mother.

“I'm sorry about your father,” he spoke, and there was something in his eyes that made you believe his words. 

“Thank you,” you replied quietly, but with proper politeness. For some unknown reason, you wanted to move. Perhaps you intended to shake Bucky's hand, or perhaps you just needed to change position. Whatever that was, you shifted, but one of your shoes refused to come off the ground. “Oh, this fucking mud…” you whimpered in helplessness rather than irritation.

Bucky immediately came to the rescue in this unusually absurd situation; he crouched down, and you felt the fingers of his warm hand wrap around your bare ankle. Aware that you wouldn't be able to free yourself from this ridiculous trap – at least not when your companion was throwing himself at your feet – you had to let Bucky handle it. Losing more control of your own legs, you leaned forward and involuntarily rested your hands on Bucky's shoulders. He didn't react; didn't frown, didn't give you an angry or confused look, didn't comment in any way. And you were really grateful to him for that, because you already had enough embarrassment. Though you couldn't complain about it at the moment – the unsolicited warmth spilling inside your stomach drowned out the rest of the emotions. 

Bucky tightened his grip around your ankle even harder – although you couldn't call the sensation painful or at least uncomfortable – and pulled it upwards in a firm motion, freeing your heel from the muddy ground.

“You alright?” He asked, and you hurriedly nodded in response.

You were too busy setting your foot in some safer place to remember to move away from Bucky. So once he straightened up, your hands were still on his shoulders. But he didn't do anything about it this time either. In the most literal sense, Bucky Barnes let you find support in him. As soon as you realised this, you immediately took your hands away and nervously smoothed your dress, only to have them occupied by something other than Bucky's shoulders.

Bucky clasped his hands together in front of him, wrapping the fingers of one hand around the wrist of the other. You couldn't look him in the eyes any longer; especially as his stare was somehow overwhelming. He nodded as if he were someone at your service, and you – too embarrassed by the event from a moment ago, stunned by the sudden, unexpected contact with Bucky Barnes and simply dazed by the atmosphere of the funeral – timidly followed him with your gaze until he disappeared into the crowd. 

Even though he vanished from your sight, you could still feel his burning touch around your ankle.

It was late. Far too late for any social gatherings, but Michael announced briefly that you were expecting guests. He seemed to be in such a hurry that you didn't want to waste time on getting ready either. You had only had time to comb your hair when a maid sent by Michael peeked into your bedroom. You didn't pay much attention to the fact that you were only wearing a short satin nightgown. All you could think about was Michael's nervousness; you wondered what it could have meant and how bad a situation you were possibly in. 

As you left the bedroom, you wrapped yourself tightly in the robe that was part of the set - just as short and satiny as your pyjamas. Before you had completely made it downstairs, you noticed two men not far from the front door. The prevailing coldness indicated that they had only just entered. You hesitantly stepped down from the last stair and headed forward. Recognising Timothy and Bucky Barnes, you immediately stopped. In your first instinct of learned politeness, you tried to give proper attention to the older one, but you couldn't help the way that every molecule in your body, pushed by natural curiosity, was drawn to Timothy's nephew.

Unlike his uncle, Bucky was not wearing a long coat but a leather jacket. Exposed to the pouring rain outside, it glistened in places. You raised your gaze to look at his damp hair, but before you got there, you noticed that he was watching you too. At first he looked directly into your eyes, but soon his stare carefully slid lower. The muscles of his face highlighted as he clenched his jaw, something raw appeared in his eyes. You also glanced down at yourself and stumbled at how your body reacted to the cold and the undeniable electricity hanging in the air. It spread only between you and Bucky.

“Gentlemen,” Michael said. An obvious tension in his voice reminded you that something was wrong. “Please.” He leaned meaningfully towards the dining room. “Miss Y/N should be here in a moment.”

“She already is,” Timothy shared his observation, a sly smile stretching out his mouth. Michael only then noticed your presence.

A silver tray with a couple bottles of alcohol – the only acceptable treat at this hour and on this occasion - was placed on the long dining table, along with glasses. 

You adjusted your robe precautiously and took a seat, facing your guests. Michael sat right next to you, completing the impression of the formation of two camps separated by a table.

“I'm beginning to hear rumors that Brock Rumlow has made you an offer,” Timothy spoke, the expression on his face indicated that he wasn't surprised in any way.

“An offer..?” You repeated, holding back the urge to give Michael a disapproving look. He should have told you. 

“On your hand in marriage, of course.” 

‘Marriage’ combined with ‘Brock Rumlow’ made a mixture so disturbing and explosive that you felt the blast in your gut. As if someone kicked you in the stomach. You should have guessed what the ‘offer’ meant, on the other hand you hoped Michael would mention it as soon as it came up. But you didn't expect Rumlow to make a move so quickly.

“This worry does not concern you, I am afraid,” Michael claimed.

Timothy leaned back in his chair and looked at the man with a slightly dismissive look. “We had a good relationship. Freddie and I. We advised each other on many occasions so that our decisions wouldn't endanger our Families,” he said. “So yes, this worry does concern us. And I'm curious to see what you decide.”

You glanced surreptitiously at Bucky, as if you needed reassurance that he was still sitting there, but you sensed he was around even without that. He held his eyes on you as you watched him with evident confusion, then reached for one of the bottles standing nearby. He took a quick look at the label, then poured some of the rusty-red liquid into a glass and slid it over to you. Did he think you needed alcohol to process what you were about to hear?

“Brock Rumlow isn’t the worst thing that can happen to her,” Michael said calmly. “You know how powerful the Rumlow Family is. And making peace with such a strong enemy would make our business, as well as yours, easier. I suppose I don't have to explain it to you.”

“Do you think this is what Freddie would want for his daughter?” Timothy asked.

“Freddie got himself killed,” Michael snapped, the atmosphere at the table became even thicker. “And as for his daughter, he didn't prepare her properly. He was a fool if he thought it would never happen.” 

There was silence. You looked down at the glass wrapped tightly by your fingers, and finally decided to raise it to your lips. It wasn't the nasty, bitter taste of the drink that bothered you, but the thought of your future. You were pretty sure that your fate had already been decided. 

“If you make an agreement with Rumlow, sooner or later he will violate, if not break, all its points,” Bucky spoke up, drawing everyone's attention. “He made the offer less than twenty-four hours after the funeral,” he pointed out. “Not to mention he only showed up to steer you towards positive consideration,” he said casually, and you thought that such diplomacy was clashing with his wet leather jacket and stubble. 

“James…” Michael sighed.

It seemed, however, that Bucky was not going to let go. “You know what this deal is about,” he continued with a strange, surprising resolve, as if the matter affected him personally. “Do you honestly believe Brock Rumlow will hold up his part of the deal? Did you forget his relationship with women or are you just going to overlook it?” he sneered. 

“You know surprisingly much about these agreements.” Michael no longer concealed his irritation. 

“I can marry Brock,” you finally spoke up, and this time they all looked at you. Michael was relieved, Timothy concerned in some way, and Bucky appeared to be a little lost since you seemed to ignore everything he just said. “It’s not like I have to live with him. Right..?”

Bucky clenched his jaw and looked angrily at Michael. “You didn’t tell her.”

“I haven't had a chance. You admitted yourself that they were quick to make an offer,” Michael defended himself. Bending under the pressure Bucky was putting on him, Michael looked at you nervously. “Rumlow Senior has the right to claim an heir who will take over both of the Families in the future. In this case… it is possible that you will have to live with Brock after all.”

These words flooded your mind, almost making you dizzy. You grabbed your glass again and poured the rest of the alcohol down your throat to fight the nausea. 

“Well…” Lips pursed, you took a deep breath through your nose. “This complicates things… a little.”

“I will arrange a meeting and everything will be clear,” Michael said after a moment of uncomfortable silence. “We are not sure what they think about all this. No matter what is said about Brock,” he glanced at Bucky not accidentally. “we should meet with him.”

“Great,” Bucky snorted. “I’ll be there.”

“Excuse me..?”

“Since our decisions affect our Families…” Bucky recalled his uncle's earlier words. “It’s obvious that Y/N doesn't know enough about arranged marriages, so I’ll be there. As an adviser.” He shrugged. “You are more than happy to team up with the Rumlows, and I will try to cool that enthusiasm.” He tilted his head, smiling insincerely. 

“If that's how you see it, it's more a case for your uncle,” Michael protested.

They both looked at Timothy, and his lips stretched slowly in a mysterious grin.

“I believe Buck can handle it,” he said. 

The meeting was over. You decided to accompany Michael to see the guests off.

Michael walked beside Timothy, who was walking to his car; they were discussing something that didn't exactly reach your ears, but you didn't feel the need to know. You weren't concerned that they were discussing your future - you doubted they felt like it after the conversation at the table.

“Bucky?” You started in a soft tone. Bucky, who had just left your house with the intention of joining Timothy, stopped and looked at you. You walked down a few steps and stood on the stone path, right in front of him.

He swept his gaze over you again, starting from your bare feet, through your exposed legs, to the delicate material of your nightgown. His stare didn't make you sick as the thought of Brock did. 

Bucky took a step towards you, and the scent of fresh laundry, mint and wet forest hit you. You stepped back, so he did it again until you were standing under the canopy that protected you from the rain.

“Do you always have to get some poor girl out of trouble?” You squinted, but couldn't help an amused smile forming on your lips.

“No. Just you.” He shrugged, slipping his hands in the jacket pockets. “I don’t want you to get cold. That’s all.”

“You don’t want me to get cold.” You nodded. “Just like you didn’t want me to drown in the mud. And now you don’t want me to marry Brock,” you pointed out, raising your eyebrows. “Why? Because Michael is right; joining our Families together would be the best option. You don’t want that?”

“The best option?” he repeated. “For everyone except you?”

You smiled softly in response – you didn’t feel like thinking about that again. “So? What’s the reason?”

Bucky looked away for a second, took a deep breath and shook his head. “Maybe my heart is in the right place. Maybe I want to do some good.”

You watched him expectantly, finally raised your eyebrows in theatrical disbelief and both of you laughed briefly. No matter how curious you were about the real reason, you decided not to badger him.

“Hey, what’s the deal with Walker?” Bucky asked playfully, frowning.

“Walker? John Walker..?” You let out a nervous chuckle. “Why?”

“I saw the way he looked at you. You can be sure he’ll make an offer, too.”

You wanted to laugh at his words, but the truth was Bucky could be right. And the thought of that made you more exhausted than you already were. “What about you?” you asked casually. You didn't beg for anything, you didn't offer anything. You were just curious. “You're not part of this?”

For a split second you witnessed him tense up. He clenched his hands, only to relax them immediately afterwards – just like his jaw muscles. You didn't understand the source of this reaction, but you didn't even think about it; it was like a brief flash that you didn't have time to think about properly.

“I may have my heart in the right place, but I'm not a guy you marry,” he said. “Steve is. I can put in a good word for you if you want,” he added jokingly, making you smirk. “Get back inside, Y/N,” Bucky commanded softly as he began to leave, taking a couple steps backwards. 

You rolled your eyes, and he turned his back to you, then got in the car, leaving you with that burning feeling again. This time it wasn't just limited to your ankle, but your whole body.

[sapphicromanoffxo]

Lucky Ones | vii. Due encounters

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x Wanda Maximoff

Word count: 4,042

Warnings: mild fluff, angst, that's all

Summary: Part of Natasha has been revaled and Wanda struggleed to understand the newfound reality

A/N: i needed to get this off my chest so here it is. Uhh. Advance sorry?

»»-----------► Series Masterlist

The days leading up to her birthday did a number on Natasha's mood, and it showed on how she berated her employees on their poor performance. Every now and then, she found herself pacing in her office, trying to calm down her overwhelming emotions. Could it be that she was trying to cover up her anxiety with anger instead? That had been her coping mechanism for years. No amount of therapy could pull her away from her ways.

One more thing made Natasha on edge. She was planning on telling Wanda the truth but couldn't find the courage to do so. Part of her was afraid of what Wanda's reaction would be to the fact that Natasha had been withholding vital information for months. Natasha's gaze frequently drifted to a polaroid picture on her desk, a snapshot of herself captured by Wanda, who had developed a sudden passion for photography, with Natasha as her muse.

There was an unsettling dynamic between them; Wanda possessed an uncanny ability to influence Natasha, bending her to her desires with a subtle power. Natasha, despite her reservations, complied reluctantly. The emotional ties between them left Natasha apprehensive about potential repercussions. Natasha hesitated to reciprocate Wanda's affection, no matter how genuine Wanda's feelings were. She was haunted by a nagging doubt that accepting Wanda's affections might lead to abandonment once the truth surfaced.

Natasha had found herself contemplating her emotions regarding Wanda ever since that fateful night when Wanda confessed her love. In truth, Wanda's affection felt like a comforting embrace Natasha hadn't realised she yearned for. Despite this, Natasha had a tendency to downplay her responses to expressions of love, a pattern that began with Melina's affection. From Melina's nurturing to Wanda's unwavering love, Natasha had been granted a second chance at a family that genuinely cared for her.

As Natasha immersed herself in thoughts about family, her office door swung open abruptly, revealing Yelena energetically barging in.

"Natalia! Happy birthday to you, happy to you!" Yelena embraced Natasha, singing in an annoying yet endearing manner. It's apparent that both of them are polar opposite since Yelena is a walking ray of sunshine while Natasha is a gloomy weather.

"Yel, it's not even my birthday yet and it's only Thursday. You're too advanced," Natasha quipped, rolling her eyes at her sister's antics.

"Oh hush. I can't wait for your celebration this Saturday. Mom had it all planned out and the kids are buzzing with excitement, too! Although they are only excited about the cake part and that's okay." Both women chuckled at Yelena's comments. She remembers how she and sister would fight over the last piece of cake when they were younger. They ended up not eating it at all since Alexie stole the cake while they were bickering.

The two women talked some more about their lives. Yelena is now a fashion designer and starting her own brand. She is the one who has been supplying Natasha's suits which Wanda adores so much.

After a while, Yelena bids her goodbye as she still has errands to run in the city and Natasha is back again with her gloomy mood.

After completing her afternoon class ahead of schedule, Wanda eagerly anticipated a visit to Natasha since she's been having a bad day at work. Intent on brightening Natasha's mood, Wanda concealed a bunch of pristine white tulips in her bag. As she approached the entrance of the building, a familiar voice called out her name, prompting her to turn around in surprise. "Yelena? Oh my god!"

Yelena enveloped Wanda in a warm hug. "Wanda! It's been ages. How have you been?"

"Things are good. I'm still in college and taking engineering."

"Really? I remember how passionate you were about engineering. I'm thrilled to hear you're making it happen!"

"Yeah, it's a wild ride, but I'm hanging in there."

"By the way, my sister is celebrating her birthday at the orphanage this Saturday. You should come and finally meet her!" Yelena had often spoken about her sister during their time in the orphanage, but Wanda had never had the chance to meet her. Back then, Yelena had been considered being adopted by the orphanage owner but chose to stay a bit longer with her friends before heading to New York.

"I'd love to come! It's high time I meet the sister you've always talked about, huh?"

"Absolutely! I'll introduce you, and you two can chat about your engineering stuff I guess."

Numbers have been exchanged before they went on their different ways. They have agreed on catching up and Yelena would pick up Wanda in her apartment on Saturday.

Wanda strode into the building, navigating her way to Natasha's office. Natasha's secretary offered a greeting and inquired about the reason for her visit. Wanda simply stated that Natasha had requested to see her and sought her assistance. Without further inquiry, she received the green light to enter Natasha's office.

As anticipated, Natasha was engrossed in her laptop, wearing a frown that swiftly faded upon spotting Wanda.

"Hey, I wasn't expecting you here, detka." Natasha pushed her chair back, inviting Wanda to sit on her lap for a warm greeting.

Naturally, Wanda complied, wrapping her arms around Natasha's neck. "I just wanted to see you and surprise you, I guess."

"Hmm. I really like this skirt of yours, sweetheart." Natasha's hands travelled down Wanda's legs, caressing the exposed skin.

Wanda chuckled at Natasha's boldness. "Natty, we're in your office!"

"And? It didn't stop us before. I remember how I bent you over that couch, and you loved every second of it."

Wanda suddenly stood up upon remembering the flowers in her bag. She retrieved them and had a shy look on her face when she gave them to Natasha. "For you."

Natasha struggled to suppress a blush, but her body betrayed her. "Baby, what's this for?"

"Nothing. I know you've been having tough days at work, and I wanted to make you feel better." Wanda settled herself onto Natasha's lap, noticing a small smile on Natasha's face – a positive sign.

"You didn't have to, but thank you. Just being with you makes me feel good." Natasha rested her head against Wanda's chest, attempting to conceal the warmth spreading across her face.

"You're welcome, Nat. I love you." Wanda's words stirred something in Natasha, prompting her to take a deep breath and broach a topic with Wanda.

"Do you have any plans this Saturday?"

"Uh, I'll be out with a friend. We haven't seen each other in a long time, so we're catching up this Saturday. Why? Do you have something in mind?"

Though disappointed, Natasha resisted the urge to persuade Wanda to stay with her. Instead, she smiled and replied, "That's alright. I won't be in New York, and I just wanted to know if you wanted to come with me. But it's okay. I'll be back right away anyway."

"Are you sure? I could accompany you if you'd like."

Natasha gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind Wanda's ear, her courage momentarily discarded. "No, no. It's fine. You have fun with your friend, okay?"

Saturday came, and Natasha's anxiety has skyrocketed at a different level. She wanted so badly to just blurt out everything and hope for the best. Being a coward and an idiot will get her nowhere. Wanda has been nothing but gentle and loving towards her, and deserves to know the truth but she can't find in herself to utter a single thing about it.

Wanda was about to leave when Natasha tugged her sleeve. Unable to articulate the depth of her feelings, she managed a simple, "Take care, okay? And keep me informed about where you're headed?"

"I will, Nat. You drive safely, too. Your speed limit is only 60 km/hr." Wanda said to her lover playfully, unaware of the storm that was happening on Natasha's head.

"That's too slow for me, baby. How about I push it to 80?"

"You're too bad! Please be careful, okay? I have to leave now. Bye!" With a peck on Natasha's cheek, Wanda left the apartment.

Natasha headed to the bedroom to dress, catching her reflection in the mirror. Whispering to herself, she said, "S dnem rozhdeniya tebya, Natalia." Happy birthday, Natalia.

Yelena wasted no time initiating a conversation as soon as she picked up Wanda. They delved into years of catching up, compensating for the time spent apart since their orphanage days.

"I enrolled in college; luckily, they accepted me despite the lack of educational requirements from our special education background. It was challenging, having to take multiple tests to meet their standards," Wanda shared.

"Must have been tough. And Pietro? Where's he now?" Yelena inquired.

"He got a scholarship in Michigan as a race track runner. I miss him; it's been a while," Wanda admitted.

"I can't imagine you two being apart. You were practically inseparable!"

"Yeah, it was tough when we decided to go our separate ways. We knew it would happen as we became adults and pursued different careers."

Their conversation flowed throughout the drive until they reached Westview, slightly delayed by traffic. Milena greeted and hugged them upon arrival, marveling at Wanda's growth. Pleasantries exchanged, preparations continued, and Wanda had the opportunity to meet the children.

Wanda had a moment of reflection on how Milena and this place provided safety and a fresh start for her and Pietro, Wanda felt a deep gratitude toward Milena for taking a chance on them and helping rebuild their lives.

"Yelena, your father will be arriving soon. Natalia will be accompanying him, so let's wrap this up," Milena instructed, orchestrating the surprise for the birthday celebration. The children, adorned with smiles and holding balloons, eagerly awaited the moment to astonish the birthday guest. Wanda, however, found herself unexpectedly nervous, unable to pinpoint a valid reason for her unease. She was about to finally meet Yelena's sister, someone she only knew through stories.

Reflecting back to when they were just 13 and 16 years old, Wanda and Yelena shared a unique bond that blossomed in the confines of the orphanage. Yelena's adoption notice at 16 marked the beginning of her new life, and she returned from meeting her adoptive family brimming with excitement about her soon-to-be sister. Yelena had painted a vivid picture of her sister: a college student pursuing a challenging course and is undeniably cool. These descriptions left Wanda with a twinge of jealousy, wanting her to have her own family and the security that came with it.

In those moments, Wanda yearned for the warmth of a family to come home to, a place where she could find solace and a sense of belonging. Although the prospect seemed distant, relegated to the past, Wanda had grown into adulthood, now pursuing her dreams and carving her path in her chosen career.

Wanda's momentary reverie was abruptly interrupted by the melodic chorus of the children singing the birthday song. The long-awaited guest had finally arrived, although the seconds seemed interminable to Wanda as she fixed her gaze on the approaching figure, which made her heart stop. The walk, the mannerisms—Wanda recognized them instantly. The world seemed to hold its breath as everyone erupted in excitement, but Wanda found herself rooted to the spot, unable to move.

Natasha. All she could see is Natasha. Natasha is Yelena's sister. The person she have heard stories for being cool. The person who have given her a place to stay, provided her needs, and ultimately, her lover. What are the odds of this happening from one in a million. It's like the world have played on both of them by being at the right place, at the right time.

Wanda's emotions spiraled in every direction, throwing her out of the loop of the present time. Happiness surged within her, the prospect of being with Natasha and celebrating together. But at the same time, a wave of anger and betrayal crashed over her. The realisation hit her hard—she had bared her soul, shared every facet of her life for the sake of transparency, yet she knew so little about Natasha. In Wanda's understanding, relationships were built on reciprocal openness, and this revelation stirred a heavy mix of conflicting emotions within her.

"Wanda! Hey, are you okay? We lost you there for a moment. Come on, let me introduce you to her." Yelena tugged at her arm, leading her toward Natasha.

"Talia! You remember my friend, Wanda?"

In that moment, Wanda felt her heart pause once again.

Natasha's gaze met Wanda's, and Wanda discerned a fleeting hesitation as recognition dawned in her eyes.

"I know her, Yelena. She works at our company part-time," Natasha remarked, avoiding any mention of their personal relationship, aware that this unexpected encounter was something neither Wanda nor she had anticipated.

In this instance, Wanda wished she could vanish, retreat to the hills, and never return.

"Oh bummer! What a small world, huh?"

Operating on autopilot, Wanda tried her best to keep her emotions at bay. The details of what happened afterwards were blurry for her. The celebration went on for hours and she deliberately avoided Natasha. She wondered how she could engage in a normal conversation without her emotions taking over? Choosing to remain close to herself, Wanda kept mostly quiet.

As the evening neared 6 o'clock, Milena extended an offer to Natasha. "Nat, you can stay here for the night if you want. Yelena will be here."

"No, I don't think so. I still have some things to finish for tomorrow. I'm sorry, Mom."

"Tomorrow is Sunday, Nat. That's all you do, so focused at work. Loosen up a bit." Alexei encouraged, hoping to persuade Natasha to stay the night. Despite his attempt, Natasha remained resolute.

"Dad, I know how to 'loosen up'. I just have a lot to do, that's all. I promise I will make it up to all of you next time. Okay?" Natasha compromised, realising the need for an impending conversation with Wanda, which is more important.

Yelena, eager to spend more time with her friend, turned to Wanda. "What about you, Wanda? You can stay here with us."

"I'm sorry, but I have to decline for now. I still need to work on my projects due next week," Wanda replied, a subtle acknowledgement passing between her and Natasha, both recognizing the unresolved tension.

"Well that's fine, Wanda." Milena reassured her and added "Natalia should drive you back to New York. Both of you should head down now before it gets dark."

The two women bid their farewells and made their way to the car, the atmosphere heavy with unspoken tension. It was suffocating and sickening. Wanda wanted to jump off the car but it wouldn't do any good. Neither dared to initiate a conversation, both opting for silence as they endured the awkward car ride.

Yet, someone had to break the silence and address the inevitable. "I know you have questions, and I will answer them once we reach home," Natasha finally spoke, setting the stage for the much-anticipated conversation.

"Did you know?" Wanda's question hung in the air, her gaze avoiding Natasha.

Natasha sighed heavily, her response measured, "Did I know what?"

"That I will be at your party?" Wanda's voice dripped with coldness, a version Natasha was unaccustomed to, a Wanda who couldn't even meet her eyes.

"No, I did not," Natasha admitted. The truth was, Yelena hadn't mentioned bringing her friend, and had she done so, the unfolding events might have taken a different turn.

"But have you known me for long?"

Natasha hesitated for a moment, a fleeting confirmation of Wanda's doubts. Eventually, she replied, "Yes."

The remainder of the ride passed in a heavy silence. Natasha was acutely aware of the tangled mess the situation had become. She found herself in a position where defense seemed futile, unable to offer a reasonable explanation to appease the situation.

Wanda got out of the car immediately and waited in the living room. She was mentally preparing herself for what's about to happen. She has so many questions! Questions that she never knew she will be asking to the person whom she loves the most. This could lead to two things and Wanda cannot fathom how devastating either endings are.

As the door clicked shut, Wanda wasted no time confronting Natasha, "Are you going to be truthful, or are you going to cover your ass here?"

"I am willing to answer whatever you ask. I owe you that. But I am asking for you to have an open mind," Natasha implored, attempting to maintain a semblance of calm between them. Wanda, visibly vibrating with anger, stood on the precipice of an emotional outburst. Natasha, prepared to weather the onslaught of Wanda's emotions, offered what little solace she could in that moment.

Wanda scoffed at Natasha's plea, "An open mind, you say? How can I have an open mind when I don't even know who you are? We've been dating for months, and I've just realized how little I know about you. I didn't even know who your parents were until now, your birthplace, your story, or even your birthday! Do you understand how messed up that is?"

"Wanda, I'm sorry—," Natasha began, but Wanda cut her off with a surge of frustration.

"No! Your apology means nothing! You're only sorry because you got caught. What if I hadn't run into Yelena and she didn't invite me? Would you continue lying to me?"

Admitting guilt, Natasha pleaded, "Yes, I've omitted important details about myself, but I swear I wouldn't lie to you. Please, you have to trust me."

Wanda, questioned Natasha's sincerity. "How long have you really known me?" The impending revelation filled Wanda with a sense of dread, sensing that the truth might be too hard to understand.

Natasha, resigned, took a seat on the couch, covering her face with her hands. The truth, she knew, would cause a chain reaction of nothing but damage. With a heavy sigh, she confessed, "I've known you since the day you moved into the orphanage."

Wanda felt the breath knocked out of her as she processed the weight of Natasha's revelation—eight years. Natasha knew her for that long and felt uncomfortable with this information.

"You've known me for eight years, we are dating for months now and you never thought to tell me?" Wanda's voice held a mix of betrayal and confusion.

Natasha, grappling with her own choices, responded, "I don't have a reasonable explanation, but believe me, I had planned to tell you."

Wanda, frustrated, demanded answers. "Why keep it a secret for so long? Why did it have to happen this way?"

"Because I was afraid of what your reaction was going to be! I was afraid that you would run off and leave once you knew the truth."

"That's not an excuse, at all! You were just protecting yourself but what about me? You have exposed me to something I have no knowledge about!" Wanda retorted sharply.

"I don't know how and when I was going to say it. I was scared, okay? You were the only good thing that is keeping me going and I don't want to lose you."

Silence.

An eerie silence stood between them and they try to comprehend what was going on at this present time. There's a lot to take in with everything that has just been said, and there is a lot more to tackle.

"What else do you want to tell me?" Wanda implored, eager to uncover every detail Natasha had to share.

Natasha hesitated before revealing, "Mom, Milena, mentioned that you and Pietro were leaving the orphanage for college. I knew it would be challenging as the education provided to you wouldn't meet university standards. So, I found a way to help both of you. I provided letters of recommendation to the universities you applied to. Pietro's went smoothly, but for your university, which had higher standards, I used every resource to ensure your acceptance including a sponsorship to them and it happened. I saw the potential in both of you so I helped."

Wanda couldn't believe what she was hearing. The college application she had diligently worked on was manipulated by someone else to guarantee her entry. She thought she had met every requirement, but now she realised she had been pushed into it without a hitch.

"Are you telling me this to appease me? That you're the reason my application was accepted? Am I supposed to find comfort in that?" Wanda's voice reflected a mix of confusion, frustration, and a sense of betrayal.

"I genuinely wanted to help. I had the means, so I did what I thought was right," Natasha quickly defended herself.

"So you're telling me this was all planned? To weave me into your life? For what? To be manipulated or played with just because you had the power to do it?" Wanda's voice conveyed a mix of disbelief and frustration.

"I'm not playing with you, Wanda."

"But I was a child back then, Natasha! You mean to tell me that you have been watching me since I moved into the orphanage?"

"No, that's not how it was. Whatever it is that you're trying to tell me or thinking is not it. There were no ulterior motives on my part. It was only when I was invited to your university as a guest speaker that I developed an interest in you. You have to believe me. Please." Natasha's explanation carried a sense of urgency, a plea for understanding in the midst of the chaos that had unfolded.

Another silence has enveloped two of them. Only Wanda's heavy breathing and Natasha's sighs echoed in the room.

"I didn't even know your name," Wanda whispered as she sat at the other end of the couch, her words loud enough for Natasha to hear.

"My name is Natalia Alianovna Romanova," Natasha conceded. There was no hiding it now that the truth had been unveiled about their situation.

"Your name is beautiful." Wanda's sincere words hung in the air. Natasha chose not to respond, uncertain about how their relationship would proceed after tonight.

"Feel free to rest on my bed; I'll take the couch. It's been a long day for both of us and you must be tired. Take some time for yourself. If you feel like talking more, we can do it in the morning, only if you're comfortable." Natasha extended the offer, hoping to further open herself to Wanda, one step at a time, as long as Wanda wanted to be with her.

Wanda rose from her seat, heading toward their room, seeking space. Both needed the distance to process what just happened. Wanda desperately wanted to believe in Natasha and her reasons, but her mind was clouded with anger, confusion, and betrayal. To top it all, she's having all these doubts. How could she be certain Natasha wasn't playing with her? Considering the lengths Natasha had gone for her, the possibility of manipulation loomed large.

Sleep was not in store for the two of them. Wanda ended up crying for hours, thinking about Natasha. She loves her so much but could not accept her explanations that easily. She has been bombarded with information however it felt inadequate somehow. This emotional distance was unfamiliar to Wanda, yet within it, she yearned for the comforting warmth Natasha had extended. The desire to crawl to Natasha, to feel the reassurance of her embrace, lingered strongly. But she can't let her longing betray her.

Meanwhile, Natasha decided to have a nightcap because she knew sleep wouldn't come easily. Her thoughts were all over the place, jumping between her past, present, and future. Amidst the uncertainties, one thing remained clear – she couldn't afford to lose Wanda. The younger woman had carved a meaningful space within Natasha, and the desire to keep her close was overwhelming. However, Natasha understood that she couldn't hold onto someone who might want to go. Even though her feelings were strong, Natasha realised that Wanda's well-being was more important than her own.

Natasha started at the moon, just like she used to do when she was younger and asked "Mom, will it get better?"

[gayvecchio]

I was able to track down the episodes of Providence that David Marciano guest starred in. I was disappointed that he and Melina Kanakaredes didn't interact (I was hoping to see Vecchio and Victoria together again, lol) but it was a delightful surprise to watch Ray Vecchio and BJ Hunnicutt pal around.

Enjoy some extremely low quality gifs:

[circadianaa]

scout & melina

⬇️lore⬇️

this is part of a currently unnamed au me and my co-writer ray cooked up the other night that’s literally just “the war ends and everyone’s alive because we’re tired of the tragedies we keep writing”. after the war, cortex squad absconds to some rural planet and ends up setting up on a farm. they get to live out their days peacefully and with family all around <3

melina is wishbone and isadora’s youngest daughter (her older siblings are zohra, irsia, saccharine, knuckles, and kp! melina, zohra, and irsia are the “littles”, the kiddos who were adopted as young children after the end of the war. saccharine, knuckles, and kp are all clones and were members of wishbone’s squad during the war). scout was a member of the coruscant guard and a friend of knuckles, but not a member of cortex squad; you can find a summary of his story in my oc masterlist, linked in my pinned post!

regardless, scout got brought along when cortex left coruscant. he’s very much a loner, having spent so much time alone during the war, and is happiest when he’s out minding his herd of sheep on the far reaches of the ranch’s property. however, when melina comes along, she latches onto scout and his weird wizard robes whenever he comes down to the main house for a few days to rest. the second she’s old enough, she’s following scout out on his trips; at first, scout allows this grudgingly with the pleading of melina and the watchful eyes of wishbone and isadora, but she grows on him in the blink of an eye. she’s a curious, empathetic, and adventurous child who loves scout’s sheep and all the different things the wilderness they explore together has to show her. all in all they’re besties and one of my favorite things right now <3

[jungle-angel]

Outer Range x Camp Half Blood x Wizarding School Face Claims

Ok guys so the lovely @floydsmuse and I have been going back and forth about a crazy idea if the Abbott family ran a ranch that was a mix between Camp Half Blood and Hogwarts. For all you Yellowstone fans out there too, yes the Dutton gang is involved and helps with the running of the school. I couldn't help but think too that it's not just the Olympians that come to the school or have kids here, oh hell no!! We've got a ton who have come from across the globe, so check these out (lol, I apologize, I'm a giant mythology nerd so prepare yourselves for this weird ass thing). Some may or may not have taken on the role, so be forewarned (lol).

The Gods and Goddesses (Face Claims)

The Olympians

Zeus-Sean Bean

Hera-Jennifer Connelly

Demeter-Erica Cerra

Hestia- Melina Kanakaredes

Poseidon-Kevin McKidd

Hades-Clive Standen

Athena-Brie Larsson

Aphrodite-Natalie Dormer

Hephaestus-Alex O'Laughlin

Ares-Wyatt Nash

Apollo-Chris Evans

Artemis-Rose McIver

Hermes-Jake Picking

Dionysus-Diego Luna

The Egyptians

Isis-Gal Gadot

Hathor- Naomi Scott

Osiris-Mido Hamada

Anubis-Markus Hamilton

Horus- Mena Massoud

Ptah-Charlie Rawes

The Orishas (Nigeria)

Yemaya-Angela Basset

Shango-Winston Duke

Obatala-Idris Elba

Oya-Ayo Edebiri

Aja-Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Ochosi- Daniel Kaluuya

Oshun-Lupita Nyongo

Eshu Elegba- Denzel Whittaker

Ogun-Jeremy Sample

The Mayas, Aztecs and Incas (DO NOT ASK ME TO PRONOUNCE ANY OF THESE, lol)

Ixtlilton-Danny Ramirez

Ix Chel-Salma Hayek

Chicomecoatl-Gina Rodriguez

Quetzalcoatl-Oscar Issac

Inti- Christian Meier

Mama Killa-Magalay Solier

Mama Qocha-Claudia Llosa

The Celts and the Norse

Brigid-Jesse Buckley

Thor-Chris Hemsworth

Loki-Tom Hiddelston

Hel-Katie McGrath

Cerridwen-Eve Hewson

Neith-Jaime Dornan

Odin-Anthony Hopkins

Frigga-Rene Russo

Freya-Whitney Hoy

Freyr-Domnhall Gleeson

Gods and Goddesses of Asia

Kali-Zoe Saldana

Saraswati-Ashwariya Rai

Lakshmi-Lara Dutta

Guan Yu-Daniel Day Kim

Mazu-Gemma Chan

Uzume-Awkwafina

Mayari-Angel Locsin

Xiwangmu-Michelle Yeoh

The Jade Emperor-Ken Wattanabe

Zhurong (Chong Li)-Harry Shum Jr.

Native American and Polynesian

Kamohoaliʻi-Jason Momoa

Maui-Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson

Hi'iaka-Lindsay Watson

Pele-Mapuana Makia

Spider Grandmother (Navajo)-Lily Gladstone

Sena (Inuit)-Anna Lambe

Grandfather-Wes Studi

Grandmother-Tantoo Cardinal

Tó Neinilii-Dallas Goldtooth

Disclaimer: THIS IS ONLY FOR THE STORY. NO DISRESPECT IS INTENDED AT ALL!!!!!!

[tarnishedinquirer]

Location: Fourth Church of Marika

On the next rise over from the Church of Pilgrimage sat the Fourth Church of Marika. This one was heavily guarded by the ghostly Mausoleum Knights, who had apparently recovered from the Wandering Mausoleum's collapse.

After dispatching one of the guards, its surcoat didn't dissolve. It depicted the bell (positioned over the crotch, classy) and said that it rang in mourning of the soulless demigods.

Who are these soulless demigods? There has to be a story behind this.

There was also a ghost at this one, staring off at a ruined tower across the field. It said:

Ohhh, there it is, the tower! Finally, I can return. To our home, bathed in rays of gold!

I'll have to check out that tower later.

Beyond this it felt weirdly empty. I was expecting Melina to show up when I sat at the Grace, but she had nothing to say. Aside from the expected Sacred Tear, there wasn't even any treasure. There was an absence here that I didn't feel in other, similar sites, even when horrible monsters had taken up residence here. This church was abandoned by god.

Why was this place abandoned?

Why was it guarded by mausoleum knights?

What does the spirit mean by "return"?

[ultra-puzzlemaster]

Cold hands

A little something I wrote something for the 10th day of @descember (don't pay attention to the date time is an illusion): it's a small scene between Melina and Descole, set during the time when Melina was still alive and living on the island of Ambrosia with her father. There are a few of my headcanons as well.

Spoilers for the Professor Layton and the Eternal Diva only.

I don't know if there's a need for content warnings? There are mentions of Melina's illness and future death, but that's it I think (please tell me if there should be more I'm not used to this yet)

On a winter morning, when the night started to fade away and the first colors appeared in the sky, Melina Whistler had gone on the beach on her own. While waiting for the sun to rise, she was rubbing her hands against each other and gently blowing on them, in an attempt to keep her warmth inside of her ill body.

As the first ray appeared above the horizon, the ocean started to shine, and Melina paused to gaze at it. It was truly a wonderful moment. She felt like the whole island was awakening, and was welcoming her like an old friend. The feeling warmed up her whole body and made her forget about the coolness of the morning.

She could hear the sea singing to her. She breathed in deeply, and joined her voice to the one of the waves:

"Ah ah ah aaaah…"

"Ah ah ah aaaah…"

"Ah ah ah a-- *cough*"

Perhaps it wasn't such a good idea, she thought. Perhaps I haven't recovered enough yet.

As an answer to her question, a gust of wind suddenly blew, causing her another coughing fit. It felt like the winter wind was trying to steal her last bits of life.

When she managed to calm herself down, she heard footsteps approaching behind her. She anxiously turned her head to who she thought would be her dear father, but her eyes widened when she saw the masked man standing next to her.

"Sir… Descole, was it?"

She had heard his name only once, when her father presented her the man who owned the castle they were about to move in. They hadn't exchanged a single word since then, and even though she was extremely grateful for the chance he gave her to live on this beautiful island, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease she had every time she saw his dark castle, or her father discussing with him of things she couldn't imagine.

He slightly nodded.

"Are you alright, miss Whistler?"

His tone was calm, and his words were polite, yet a shiver ran down her spine.

"Yes, I apologized if I worried you."

"Are you cold?"

"I just—"

Before she could finish her sentence, he took off his cape and handled it to her. For a moment she starred at him, surprised, then took the piece of clothing and wrapped it around her. It was too big on her, but it shielded her from the freshness of the wind.

And it was a nice gesture, too…

"Thank you sir."

A smile appeared on his face.

"My pleasure, miss Whistler." he responded, with a bow. "Would you mind if I stayed here as well?"

"Oh, no, of course not!" she stuttered.

She didn't understand what he wanted, but she could not simply push him away. She looked at him anxiously but he simply sat on the rocks, a few feet from her.

For a moment, they both gazed at the sea in silence. The sun was still rising, spreading its light, warmth, and life on the island. The darkest tones of the sky were turning into bright hues of vivid colors, from yellow to pink, before fading to blue. An ephemeral spectacle, accompanied by the whispers of the nearby waves.

Finally, Descole broke the silence.

"If I may…"

Interrupted in her contemplation, Melina looked at him.

"Why did you come here alone, miss Whistler?" he said, harshly. "Surely you didn't think a nighttime walk in the woods would improve your health, did you?"

She felt a twitch of anger at this moment. Who did this man think he was?

And yet, what explanation could she give him? She herself could not explain that feeling, that calling, that was driving her to the sea… Nor could she acknowledge the reason why she came without her father. Not with everything he was doing for her…

She turned her head towards the sea and responded:

"I just wanted to watch the sun rise." she said with a tone sharper than she intended. "My health has improved enough for this since we moved here."

She glanced at him, hoping to decipher an emotion despite his mask, in vain. Was he angry? Disappointed? Worried?

"I understand." he simply responded in a softer tone. "My apologies, it was rude of me to ask you this. I am very glad you're feeling better, miss Whistler. I only hope you will heal soon."

It felt sincere. Something she couldn't explain was still bothering the young woman, but she started to think that she may have simply judged this man too quickly.

"It's alright." she calmly said. "And you can call me Melina."

"Very well, Melina."

Somehow, hearing her name gave her a warm feeling.

She studied him again. His costume was very eccentric, to say the least, and made him very hard to read. His mask wasn't just hiding his identity, but his thoughts and feelings as well. A barrier between the person he truly was, and the rest of the world. A shield, and a prison.

But Descole is still a person, she reminded herself, as she tightened her grasp on the cloak he gave her. Behind his facade is a living human, with a beating heart.

Maybe she could get to know him a little better today.

"Can I… Can I ask you something?"

"Hm?"

She took a deep breath.

"Why did you bring us here, on this island? Why me, of all people?"

He paused for a second, thinking.

Then a large smile appeared on his face, as he responded:

"You could say… I fell in love with your music."

Melina was completely taken aback by this answer.

"Wh-Wh-What? What do you mean?" she managed to ask.

He chuckled at her reaction.

"Hahaha, I am talking about 'The first night'. They say it's another of Whistler's work, but it was actually you who wrote it, am I right?"

"I..."

It had been the most logical decision, and she knew it. Her music would reach more people through her father's name, and he did help her composing this piece after all.

Still, it was the first time someone would recognize her work, she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride inside her chest, mixed with the guilt of having hidden the truth.

"… How did you know?"

"You father is very talented, but this song was quite… different, from his usual work. I quickly realized he could not have been the person who wrote it. However, I could hardly believe such a famous composer would simply steal the work of someone else. That's when I figured out that the genius behind this work of art could only be you, Melina."

"Impressive…"

The smile on his face grew larger. He was proud of himself, wasn't he?

Descole paused. His gaze moved back to the sea, then up to the now blue sky. Starring at the faded crescent of the moon, or at a memory he was reliving, he continued:

"I'll always remember the first time I heard it. This melody… it was like all the stars in the night sky were singing together, in perfect harmony. Truly a masterpiece."

Melina felt that warm feeling again, in her chest and now her cheeks. Or was she blushing? She had no idea her music could affect people this way…

"After this, I wanted to listen to more of your work, so I made a few researches. Unfortunately, it was then that I learned about your condition."

Suddenly, something shifted in him. His face darkened. His tone changed. His fist clenched.

"At that moment, I knew I had to do everything in my power to save you. And I would stop at nothing to make you sing again."

She starred at him, unable to move. Something was wrong. Very wrong. That feeling of unease again… It seemed that the air suddenly got a lot colder.

"This is… just for my music? Really?"

He let out a somber chuckle.

"Ha. You can't see it yet, but I assure you Melina, your music is way more powerful than you can imagine."

"I--"

The cape couldn't keep her body warm anymore, and suddenly she was seized by a violent coughing fit.

"Melina, are you—"

"I- *cough cough* I need-- *cough* I need to go back. *cough*"

"Of course. Let me help you."

The next moment he was right next to her, and offered his hand to help her stand up.

After a second of hesitation, she took it.

She froze.

His body was ice cold.

As if he hadn't received any warmth in a long time.

As if he hadn't feel any warmth in a long time.

He didn't seem to notice her reaction. Or perhaps he simply didn't care.

He helped her getting back up, and without exchanging a word, they returned to the castle.

There, she was welcomed by her dearest but extremely worried father. He seemed really distressed by her early disappearance, for which Melina felt guilty. It took her a while to calm him down by reminding him that she was fine, she was not hurt, she was not lost, she was here and everything was alright.

The father then wrapped his arms around his daughter, and held her close, as if he was afraid she would disappear again. It felt warm, comfy, and safe.

Melina returned the embrace, and for a moment, she thought of that icy contact she had with the masked man earlier. And she wondered…

Could he give such warmth? Could he accept such warmth?

…

Descole…

Which one of us… had truly stopped living?

[princessmorgan08]

Cherry Holtzman Headcanons

Intreducing one of my Ghostbusters Oc's with Headcanons:

• had multiple camera's as a Kid (destroyed each one of them)

• met Egon and Elon/Russell at the age of 2, became Elon's/Russell's-honorary Sister/ was a grooms-mate at his Wedding

• was the kid who would get into fights gor her friends and get away with it

• had a paranormal encounter at the age of 5

• in middle-school, Cherry, Egon and Elon/Russell skipped their Junior-Prom, instead they swimming in a near Lake [ Cherry and Elon/Russell dragged Egon into the lake] that was the Day Egon fell for Cherry

• after Cherry moved to Chicago, she kept contact with the Spengler Twins for 2 years before slowly forgeting about them

• after meeting Egon again,Cherry also started to have feelings for her Friend

• in Her Freshman year of College, Cherry dyed her hair

• Her favorite Colour is Red

• Her favorite song is : 'Cherry Bomb!' from the Runaways

•said she will never have kids, but in the end she had one Step-son and a Daughter

• she is Pansexual

• is a few Months older then Egon and Elon/Russell

• in 1989, cherry worked together with Melina and Lydia on their own Business

• She named her and Egon's daughter Jillian after her late-Mother

• Cherry has Nicknames for everyone, for example; Egon= Egie, Elon/Russell= Russ(now)/El[ formerly]

• Her middle name is Lisa

• Designed most of the Ghosthunters Equipment alone

• Is the Inventor of the Proton-whipes ( Jillian's and Morgan's main Weapons)

• she is the God-mother of Melina's and Ray's Daughter

• is the Mother of the group

[beezonia]

More Layton women and some head cannons!!

—

Sophia Herzen

She is a natural leader

A bit shy but knows when to use her voice

Has a strong passion for protecting those she loves

Hates seeing anyone hurt and will hug you for long periods of time until you feel better

Is a bit forgetful

Also has some sort of green thumb

But has a thirst for adventure and that’s how she ended up in Folsense with her father

She’s a mother figure to many

Stern but fair

Very closed off when she’s been effected negatively hence it’s one of the reasons she wouldn’t tell anton about the baby (Folsense would have killed her and iris)

Jewellery lover

Has lots of rings to adorn her fingers

She’s a Crystal lover, she believes in the gems and their meanings

She’s the soft mum bean

Katia Anderson

Katia doesn’t really talk a lot unless it’s with the people she’s closest too or in a dire situation

She prefers to keep to herself

Loves dream catchers, her mother gifted her one every birthday they got to share

Her birthstone is topaz

Katia really likes to tell stories though, she has a very creative mind

Extremely tough on the outside but soft on the inside

She’s a lesbian definitely

Can read people extremely well

Loves to take walks by lakes katia finds them really peaceful

Like her grandmother she has the strong urge to protect everyone around her so she doesn’t have to go through more loss

Also has a thirst for adventure

Strong sense of justice

Dabbled in violin playing and sometimes performs when she’s bored

She’s the stern bean

Janice Quantlane

The biggest melina fan in the world

The two of them would sit by the piano and compose tunes and make up lyrics for hours

They’ve know each other for years

Loved archeology on the side of her music studies hence the reason she knows the prof

One time she was found in her dressing room with a few artefacts she had found on an expedition

A mix of a prima Dona but in a good way and a bit of Christine

Definitely a ray of sunshine, smiles all around

She was scouted by the great Madame Lorna Lier a former opera singer who took her under her wing

She knits whilst melina is composing scores with her father

A tad bit naive but means well

Lesbian defiantly

Melina Whistler

Studied music with her father and her mother who was a violin player

Was homeschooled probably or got sent to a very prestigious music school

Met Janice when she got her first gig in a band at the opera she was working with

Instantly fell in love

Hopeless romantic

Hopes to one day travel the world with her family and friends

Extremely ambitious and a perfectionist

This means she does pull all nighters most of the time

Her mother Vivi taught her how to play the violin whilst Whistler taught her piano

She’s quite withdrawn but won’t hesitate to make friends

But does tend to be called a bit emotionally constipated

Her and her father have this thing where they go to the beach and light a candle for her mother since she isn’t with them anymore (I think)

She’s gone through a lot and needs hugs

Janice give lots and so does her father

Bi bean

Rachel Bronev

An extremely tough cookie to crack

She’s stern, and slightly temperamental

It takes along time for her to warm up to some people but with leon it was different

He got to see her less stand-offish side

She becomes extremely soft and worried for her friends health

Allows herself to lean on Leon’s shoulders every now and again

Another mum friend

Speaking of mums

It took her and Leon a lot longer to conceive the second time around that’s why there’s the age gap between Hershel and theo

Loves to read to her sons when she gets the chance

Another engineer

Her and Leon met in a lab where her experiment kinda blew up in his face

They sorta hit it off there

Leon was like “I can help her come out of the shell”

Rachel was like “pls fuck off”

But they got to know each other and eventually fell in love

She’s ver skeptic about things but doesn’t let that stop her believing in signs or fairytales

Overall she’s the cat like bean

[sanjuwrites]

url song game

thanks to @theghostofashton, @firstprince-history-huh, @teeveeyou, @inflarescent, @birdclowns for the tag <3

S - snow on the beach by taylor swift (feat. more lana del ray)

A - afterglow by taylor swift

N - need to know by doja cat

J - jhoome jo pathaan from pathaan

U - up and down by doja cat

W - wildest dreams by taylor swift

R - river road by zayn

I - i've had enough by melina kb

T - to be so lonely by harry styles

E - evermore by taylor swift ft bon iver

S - sunflower vol. 6 by harry styles

absolutely no pressure tags go out to: @alrightbuckaroo, @chaotictarlos, and @detective-giggles

[peacesmovingcabaret]

I posted 3,066 times in 2022

188 posts created (6%)

2,878 posts reblogged (94%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@skiplo-wave

@jadedaceofspades

@rae-arts777

@melina-mellow

@thottiehardy

I tagged 1,080 of my posts in 2022

#great pretender - 107 posts

#doctor strange - 92 posts

#ironstrange - 83 posts

#tony stark - 68 posts

#laurent thierry - 66 posts

#stephen strange - 65 posts

#peter parker - 52 posts

#makoto edamura - 48 posts

#moon knight - 45 posts

#jjba - 29 posts

Longest Tag: 119 characters

#i guess he decided ‘hey turns out you’re not completely worthless so i guess that means your worthy of your first name’

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Character development is Khonshu going from:

“Idiot” and “Worm”

to

“Steven”.

233 notes - Posted April 14, 2022

#4

I think I’ve discovered something more repulsive than Hawaiian Pizza….🤢

@jadedaceofspades

394 notes - Posted January 20, 2022

#3

Spider Bros in a Nutshell

Tobey! Peter: Older Bro. Geriatric af. Youth Pastor Vibes. Wise Sage Energy. Motivational Speaker. Gets mocked for being a Boomer™️! Jokes on them, he doesn’t even need any fancy tech to be Spider-Man. He’s the OG. Still doesn’t get memes.

Andrew! Peter: Middle bro. Middle Child™️. Insecure. Attention Seeking. Needs to be told that he’s amazing. Brags about being the tallest. Troll Energy. Film School Student Vibes. Bisexual. Picks on the little brother, but will beat the shit out of anyone who hurts/upsets him.

Tom! Peter: Younger Bro. Literal Baby. Yet acts like he’s the oldest. Total Brat. Chaotic Gen Z Energy. Personality embodies every popular meme and vine of his generation. Brags about fighting with other super heroes and going to space. Has to keep his two older bros up to speed about literal everything.

430 notes - Posted January 25, 2022

#2

Acknowledging that women can be just as physically abusive and violent as men does NOT absolve male abusers of their crimes. Nor does it dismiss female victims claims of domestic violence towards them by said male abusers.

It just means that women are capable of doing bad things to people just like men.

9,736 notes - Posted April 21, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Warner Bros. is really reaping what they’ve sowed.

First they fired Johnny Depp from Fantastic Beasts and replaced him. Only for it to bomb hard in the theaters.

They kept Amber Heard in Aqua Man 2, only for people to boycott. And we all know it’s gonna bomb too.

They fired Ray Fisher for speaking out against Joss Whedon and against the racist treatment. Now they’re stuck with Ezra Miller, who’s been arrested twice already for literally assaulting people. Now the Flash movie has been postponed and I doubt anyone has an urge to see it.

They’re gonna go down as a studio who punished and fired two victims, while supporting a literal abuser and a violent felon.

They’ve got no one to blame but themselves.

12,249 notes - Posted April 21, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[goji-pilled]

godwyn is just a bunch of question marks in my head.

i think i'd like him to be a lot more silly compared to the other demigods. sure he's a warrior, he's a prince. but he's also born in a time that was the golden age of the erdtree, and he was so as marika's precious golden child.

he didn't witness the horrors the shamans were put through, like messmer very likely did.

he is not born with a curse like most of his siblings.

he is not an empyrean, and so never had to tackle the gravity of that.

aside from the battles with the ancient dragons there doesn't seem to be anything threatening peace while he was alive.

he had children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so forth.

and so i just. can't imagine him being such a ultra-serious or broody man.

i think he'd be the "of fun!" part in the "someone will die-" "of fun!" joke, take things not to serious (unless it's something like the ancient dragons attacking), be more laidback, relaxed. where messmer if very serious, almost intimidating godwyn is like a ray of sunshine. where melina is more quiet and reserved he's loud and very outgoing.

i think people naturally like him, they're drawn to him. and i think that's why he would get along with most people.

most being a keyword, since i think the opposite is true for ranni. everyone loves him, everyone welcomes him with open arms but her. and that's like. it's whole own thing. because i cannot decide if ranni would hold resentment for him until the end, or does she warm up to him.

i'd like to imagine the latter. that no matter how hard she tries to keep people at distance, no matter how much resentment she might hold for him at the start, at her core she loves and cares anyway.

and i think that'd be the case here too. that through many attempts to do so, godwyn manages to get through those icy walls and they get to be friends, siblings.

mostly because it makes the tragedies even worse

anyway i need to study him under a petridish

[maylegacy-sims4]

The whole family showing up for Jasper to age up

There's Jasper as a teenager. I changed his hair color to match the others' better... but I think I'll put it back. Also, he had the makeup on when he aged up, so I left it because I'd never have chosen it and I like it.

When he aged up, his wolf form was a black void

I thought this was fun! He hasn't furyed yet so I haven't seen him in his wolf form in real life yet.

Melina got thrice Crumplebottomed

Her midlife crisis included casual flirting and she got told off for trying to flirt with Agnes

They were already enemies when this began

Agnes also bought one of Esmeralda's looks and I've never been sadder that I didn't screenshot something lolol, so bummed that she didn't wear it to the club

This happened while Melina was asleep...

This is because the scientist career has so many of Melina's tasks including giving her coworkers tainted/untested serums and having the sim ray used on them...

Melina has had some promotions

She got abducted and she was psyched about it

But she's had a negative moodlet too about having been abducted though.

The butler randomly changed again. The previous butler didn't die... do they quit?

Ximena continued to be a horndog even in her old age, always reaching out to Melina for love life advice

Ximena died

The cat died

Kentucky died again

Agnes after Melina used her sim ray to make Agnes change her clothes

Kaleb May (featured in the background up there) also passed away

No, absolutely not! She has been hardcore into gardening for forever, you're not going to turn around and tell me she hates it. She does it autonomously, she gets inspired, she has gardening level 10. She loves gardening.

Kya is an eSport Gamer, she makes bank

[brokentreeonline]

Tangles and Knots from Renée Marie Petropoulos on Vimeo.

Short Drama | Australia | 2018 | 16 Min |

A unique, intimate bond between mother and daughter becomes threatened when the mother helps her teenage daughter throw a party to impress new, more popular friends.

'Tangles and Knots' is this week's Staff Pick Premiere. Read more about it on the Vimeo Blog: vimeo.com/blog/post/tangles-and-knots-renee-marie-petropoulos/

‘Tangles and Knots’ was produced on the land of the Gadigal peoples of the Eora nation.

We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of the lands on which we work and pay our respects to Indigenous Elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty has never been ceded. It always was and always will be, Aboriginal land.

Festivals: 68th Berlinale: Generation 14Plus Competition 2018 SXSW: Narrative Shorts Competition 2018 Sydney Film Festival 2018 Palm Springs International Shortfest 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival 2018 Athens International Film Festival 2018 Pluk De Nacht Open Air Film Festival 2018 Adelaide Film Festival 2018 41st Denver Film Festival 2018 17th Cinemaforum International Film Festival 2018 London Short Film Festival 2019 Flickerfest 2019 Reelgood Film Festival 2019 New Filmmakers Los Angeles 2019 Brooklyn Film Festival 2019 St Kilda Film Festival 2019 Athens Short Film Festival 2019 CinefestOz Film Festival 2019 Hollyshorts Film Festival 2019

Awards and Nominations: Winner of Best International Short Film at the New Filmmakers Los Angeles 2020 Awards Winner of Best Female Director Award at Hollyshorts Film Festival 2019 Winner of Canon Award for Best Direction in an Australian Short Film | Flickerfest 2019 Winner of Best International Student Filmmaker Award at the Denver Film Festival 2018 Nominated for Best Achievement in Screenplay at the St Kilda Film Festival 2019 Nominated for the 2019 ADG award for Best Direction in a Student Short Film Nominated for AACTA 2018 Best Short Fiction Film Award Special Mention - Event Cinemas Australian Short Screenplay Award | Sydney Film Festival 2018 Winner of Best National Short Film | Greek Australian Short Film Festival 2018 Selected for ‘Student Selects’ & ‘Faculty Selects’ as part of the Columbia University Film Festival 2017 Received the ‘Audience Choice Award’ for Program E, Columbia University Film Festival 2017

Credits: Starring: Leeanna Walsman & Odessa Young Supporting Cast: Mitzi Ruhlmann, Toby Wallace, Govinda Röser-Finch, Bryn Chapman Parish Written and Directed by Renée Marie Petropoulos Produced by Janet Brown & Yingna Lu Co-Produced by Kristin Frost Associate Producer - Melina Maraki Executive Producer - Alexandra Petropoulos Director of Photography - Zoë White, ACS Production Designer - Diva Abrahamian Casting by - Stevie Ray, CGA Costume Designer - Lucia Arias-Martinez Hair & Makeup - Candice Hickson Editors - Renée Marie Petropoulos & Chelsea Taylor Sound Designer - Eli Cohn Colour by - Kath Raisch Production Manager - Yingna Lu 1st Assistant Director - Stefanie Foerster Stunt Coordinator - Tony Lynch

A Jars Productions & Paper Moose Production

[lamilanomagazine]

Maione e Bambinella hanno conquistato anche Milano

Maione e Bambinella hanno conquistato anche Milano. Un successo di pubblico caloroso quello che a Milano ha riscontrato "Mettici la Mano", la commedia napoletana uscita dalla penna di Maurizio De Giovanni, con la regia di Alessandro D'Alatri e dedicata al brigadiere Maione (Antonio Milo) e a Bambinella (Adriano Falivene) con la giovanissima Elisabetta Mirra. Lo spettacolo, andato in scena al teatro Menotti e che tornerà in Lombardia (Cesano Boscone, Cesano Maderno e Brugherio le prossime tappe) è un omaggio a due dei personaggi più amati della serie del Commissario Ricciardi prima successo letterario di De Giovanni e poi televisivo su rai uno. «Il pubblico minalese ci ha dato tantissimo - ha detto a margine Antonio Milo - e sempre accade non solo con questo testo». La storia è ambientata nella Napoli della Guerra, dei bombardamenti alleati e conserva dentro di sè tutti i colori e le sensazioni di un popolo come quello napoletano reso ancora più misero dopo il Fascismo. Si parte anche qui da un fatto di sangue e da un'indagine ormai conclusa con l'arresto da parte di Maione della responsabile di un efferato delitto. Ma non è quello al centro, come nel Commissario Ricciardi. Al centro è la enorme umanità di Maione e Bambinella che, tra botta e risposta esilaranti, cela tutto il bello dell'essere lì e in quel momento. Pur nelle brutture intorno. Li abbiamo visti tante volte in tv entrambi a stemperare il racconto noir del Commissario tormentato che parla con i morti ammazzati, li abbiamo amati. Ma dal vivo, a teatro, la magia è aumentata all'ennesima potenza. Maione e Bambinella, insieme alla bravissima Melina che per bisogno, per la vita, uccide, dialogano col pubblico e non lo lasciano mai solo. Lo spettacolo merita davvero ed è da vedere sia che si conosca Ricciardi sia che non lo si è mai letto e visto. «La televisione in genere non aiuta il teatro - ha detto Adriano Falivene che nel personaggio di Bambinella è cresciuto in modo superlativo - ma in questo caso lo ha fatto e siamo eternamente grati a quel mezzo». Applausi e risate non mancano.... #notizie #news #breakingnews #cronaca #politica #eventi #sport #moda Read the full article