#minerva heads unite!!

[andstuffsketches]

"I wanted a place I felt comfortable in. I kept on wanting it."

[darkmagyk]

percabeth baby fic/teacher au!

“Constantinople.” Jason said. Ms. Dare nodded, meaning Jason had gotten the question right. He glanced at Dr. Chase to see if she had noticed, if she would give the little nod of approval that all guys on the Jupiter School quiz bowl team craved.

But Dr. Chase wasn’t even looking at them. She and Mr. Jackson, the Juno’s Academy coach, were talking in a low voice, Mr. Jackson showing Dr. Chase something on her phone that was making her frown.

“The 2015 hit movie King of Sparta features this Hollywood leading man?” Mr. Pace asked.

Jason knew this one, he had seen all 4 King of Sparta movies…

Piper, the cutest of the Juno girls, rang in first, and hung her head even as she said “Tristan McLean.”

“Correct.” Ms. Dare said. She glanced down at her tablet to look at the next question, but she was stopped because Mr. Jackson had walked back over to their quiz bowl scrimmage, and put a hand on her shoulder. He leaned down and whispered something to both Ms. Dare and Mr. Pace. Who both nodded.

“I’ll be back,” He said, mostly addressing his Juno students. “I have to go run an errand really quickly.”

Then he left. But it meant Dr. Chase could redirect her attention to the team.

Mr. Jackson was not back through another 2 rounds. But Jason got the coveted Dr. Chase nod 3 times for answering the math questions correctly.

They were nearly tied up, though Jason had just face palmed when Connor had answered “What city was helped by the French, Spanish, and French again before being sold to the United States?” with “Montreal.” Much to Frank and Hazel, who got the answer “New Orleans” correct, chagrin, when Mr. Jackson came back. He was not alone.

In one hand he held a baby carrier were a sleeping infant in a blue onesie and blue beanie, wrapped in a blue knit blanket was laying. On the other side, a slightly older child, but still probably a toddler, was resting on his hip. And trailing after him was a slightly older girl, maybe 4 or 5.

“Sorry, everyone,” He said, “babysitter had an emergency.”

“Isn’t your babysitter Fred?” Mr. Pace asked.

Mr. Jackson nodded.

“What kind of emergency do history professors have?”  Ms. Dare asked.

Mr. Jackson shrugged, “Well, everyone,” He nodded to the teams, “this is Junie,”

The oldest girl waved, but then ran to Ms. Dare, giving her a hug. Which might have confirmed the rumor he had heard from Reyna and Hazel, that Mr. Jackson and Ms. Dare were a couple, if not for the fact that Junie then immediately also hugged Mr. Pace.

“Lucie,” Mr. Jackson said. Setting the very very blonde toddler down on the floor. She stood on a second of slightly unsteady legs, before she found her balance and waved with a wide grin, adding “Hi.”

“And hopefully Sofie will stay asleep.” He slung a bag, a diaper bag Jason guessed, off his shoulder, and started opening it, digging out some duplo blocks and a coloring book and some crayons. With a little bit of effort, and Dr. Chase’s help, the older girls were set up in two of the desks, with the toys, and then they refocused on the practice.

“What three Roman gods made up the Capitoline Triad?”

Oh, good, Jason knew this one. He hit his buzzer.

“Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva.” Everyone looked over where the oldest girl. Junie, was grinning at them, having answered the question.

“Sweetie,” Mr. Jackson said, “this is practice for the big kids. Why don’t you finish coloring a picture for my desk.”

Jason glanced to the back corner of the room where Mr. Jackson’s desk was, and now he could see what looked like a dozen children’s drawing and coloring pages.

“But I’m right,” She said.

“You are,” Ms. Dare agreed, not hiding her smile at all.

“Let’s keep going,” Dr. Chase said.

And then Mr. Pace asked his next question.

“Falling on December 20th or 21st, what is the shortest day of the year?”

“Winter Solstice.”

“Junie,” Mr. Jackson said again, “if you answer all the questions, they students can’t learn.”

“Ok,” She said. Going back to her coloring.

Ms. Dare turned to the next question, “Finished in 1936, this public works project was one of many used to hire people during the great depression.”

Jason paused, he knew this one, it was on the tip of his tongue. Leo’s buzzer beat him to it.

“Hoover Dam.” Mr. Jackson’s daughter said.

“Annabeth Jackson,” And that was Dr. Chase, who Jason knew’s first name was Annabeth. It was an unusual name. Had Mr. Jackson named his daughter after Dr. Chase? “It’s ok to know you’re smart. You don’t have to prove it.”

“Like mother, like daughter.” Ms. Dare joked. Mr. Pace laughed, Dr. Chase shot her a glare.

“Next question.” Mr. Jackson offered.

“Right, yeah,” Mr. Pace read the next question, “What name could you give to an Empire that lasted from 1299 to 1919, or to a small piece of upholstered furniture.”

Oh, that one was easy, too.

“Otto Min.” It wasn’t Junie Jackson who spoke this time. It was the younger one. Lucie. She waved when she saw everyone was looking at her.

Dr. Chase sighed, but Ms. Dare and Mr. Pace broke into a giant about of laughter.

“It’s ok,” Mr. Jackson said, patting Dr. Chase on the shoulder. “She’s just jealous they’ll be on my team when they get older.”

“We’ll win, Daddy,” Junie announced.

“Absolutely,” Mr. Jackson said.

“Did you marry me just to create the ultimate quiz bowl champions?” Dr. Chase asked Mr. Jackson.

“Yep,” Mr. Jackson said.

“I knew it.” Piper announced. She turned to her team, “you all owe me $20.”

[yallthemwitches]

My fic Masterlist

In love with 70s wizard love.

Catch the Wind--Hating him was easy, a feeling as natural as time marching forward. But something had changed with James Potter and Lily couldn’t ignore it so easily anymore. He was becoming, Merlin forbid, attractive. Explicit, Canon Compliant ,Multi-chapter

A Matter of Fairness: James' Quidditch match is derailed by a very distracting Head Girl NSFW, Mature, Oneshot

Slipping Away:Snape didn't think his life could get much worse---until Lily was falling in love with James Potter right before his eyes. A compilation of 3 particular moments between 6th and 7th year. Oneshot, Mature for one scene, canon compliant

Legitimens: Perhaps the real James was doing it on purpose--using memories of Lily to either drive him insane or to push away the real secrets that hid beyond. If it was true, he was succeeding on all accounts.

During a duel, Snape attempts Legilimency on James. Canon compliant. Oneshot, Mature

Bad Moon Rising:James comes back from a Full Moon outing with the marauders to find someone in his bed. Explicit, Canon Compliant Oneshot, smut

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner: Vernon thought a dinner at the Evans' house would be perfectly normal like all the other times--unfortunately for him, Petunia's sister is home and she has company. Vernons POV, T, Canon Compliant oneshot

Simple Math: Remus notices something is off about James and Lily at the Prefect's meeting. Teen ( some suggestive content), Canon Compliant, Written for Jily Week 2024, Prompt: Hair

United Front:Lily and James have the best intentions when showing up to Petunia's engagement party. Teen, Canon Compliant, Written for Jily Week 2024: Prompt: Teamwork

Force Majeure: It’s tempting. He could say yes. Climb those steps and sit on her bed next to her. It was entirely possible to stay friends in that scenario. To do simply as she said: listen to a record as friends because that’s what friends do.Teen, Canon Compliant, Written for Jily Week 2024, Prompt: In Vino Veritas

Those Who Wallow: Against better judgement, Lily uses her invisibility cloak to spy on James. Teen, AU Role Reversal (sort of) Written for Jily Week 2024, Day 3: Role Reversal

The Sound of Silence: Minerva always had a soft spot for Potter. Maybe that's why when it was time to choose a Head Boy alongside Lily Evans, he was was clearly the only option--- A series of vignettes of James and Lily's seventh year through McGonagall's POV. Teen, Canon Compliant, Written for Jily Week 2024, Day 5: Matchmaker

Not a Bang, But a Whimper: During their sixth year, Severus Snape goes out after curfew to give information to Lily that he thinks will bring them back together. Unfortunately, he finds her already with someone else. Teen, Canon Compliant. A companion piece to my other oneshot "Slipping Away" for Jily Week 2024, Day 7: Continuation Station

Playing Dirty: When Lily won against Potter during dueling practice, Snape couldn't think of a better way to finally rekindle their friendship. But Potter was a sore loser and Lily seemed far too willing to entertain him. E, Canon Compliant, Oneshot in Snapes POV

The Seat with the Clearest View: Lily and the marauders were his constant, like two separate stars orbiting his universe. But year after year stars get older. Their orbits start to move closer. It is only a matter of time before they collide. Three part series of Jily through the years. Remus POV. Rated T

Crash Into Me: A collection of unrelated, prompt based fics and ficlets for Jily Kinktober 2024. E, various situations but generally plotless smut, Canon Compliant

Until the Light Takes Us: A collection of unrelated, prompt based fics and ficlets for Jilytober Fest 2024. G-T depending on fic. Canon Compliant

The Storm, The Aftermath: Due to a snowstorm, Lily spends the night at the Potters. The continuation of my Jilytober fic 'The Storm.' E (Though part one is rated T), Canon Compliant. Smut

Whispers in the Dark: When Lily is awarded her prefect badge in fifth year, they warn her that James Potter has a talent for disappearing... but if that's true, why does he keep coming to her night after night, hoping to be caught? Rated T, Canon Compliant

[padfootscoldleathers]

i'll leave (a light on) ch.2

ch.1 ch.3

Minnie watches them all pack in and file out before picking Sirius from the pack. "There's someone waiting for you on the bus."

He scrunches his brows together, "Is it our lawyer again? I swear it wasn't me this time and if it was I plead the fifth." Minnie stops them with a hand on his shoulder. 

"You are a citizen of the United Kingdom," she says, squinting. 

"A citizen in the United States of America, so I will be using their laws and I plead the fifth and will now be taking a vow of silence," he replies smoothly and continues walking out the building. Peter stops walking and waits for her to catch up. 

"Minnie," Pete whispers, "Want to make a bet?" 

McGonagall checks him top to bottom, "Let me hear it."

"We'll take guesses of how long it'll take for him to crack. Whoever's closer, timewise, wins. I say 20 minutes." Pete explains while they trail after Sirius and they both start a stopwatch.

"Six. What exactly are we betting?"

"I want to see what's in the locked box you keep in the drawer under the couch in the tour bus." Peter says it like he knows something or the curiosity has been eating at him. He shrugs, "I'll also take one item if it interests me."

Minerva's heels echo mutely on the concrete as they exit the building. She hums in agreement, "And when I win?" He thinks for a moment but draws a blank, "Anything you like, Minnie."

"A blank check is a dangerous game, Mister Pettigrew."

"Yeah, but it's you, what's the worst that can happen? I like to live on the edge a little and you wouldn't do wrong by me, would you, Minnie?"

"Nothing's concrete. You have yourself a deal." They shake hands and make their way outside to see Kingsley driving in ahead of them with the bus. They load in and not a moment later do they hear Sirius' surprised gasp. Then he starts rambling like a madman, making absolutely no sense but tangibly excited. Peter hears the strangled mutter of "I missed you too" before he realises he's already lost. He slowly turns his head to see Minnie holding up her phone stopped at 5:32. "I suppose I overestimated slightly. You won't be getting inside that box but you do owe me. I know you're a man of your word and if not... I'll call your mamá." Peter eyed her slowly head to heels and back, "You would, wouldn't you?That's low, Minnie." She grins like a cheshire and walks past him, heels clicking, "It's deliciously clever."

"Mm, I'm sure. Deliciously deceiving," he utters under his breath once she's gone. He makes his way over to where Sirius is wrapped tightly and rocking in place with an old friend. Peter smiles slow and fervently and trudges over as Sirius reluctantly lets go. He wraps his arms around her and hooks his chin over her shoulder, "It's lovely to see you, Marianne." Mary hugs him fondly, "I know." He knocks his head into hers and she snickers, "Alright, alright, lovely seeing you, dushi."

He pulls back and narrows his eyes at her suspiciously, "You're here early." Peter steps back completely to inspect her, eyes her head to toe. Then he paces around her, lifting her hair, arms, kicking in the backs of her knees and ducks when she tries to flick him for it. "Ay yai yai, calm down, I'm just checking your mobility. Meds, supplements?" he asks while he holds her face in both hands and turns it both ways. 

"Yes and yes, every morning." He tugs on her ears, checks her temperature with the back of his hand before nodding in approval. 

"How's the stump?" Peter asks, smirking. 

"You know I don't like calling him that," she utters unimpressed.

"Why didn't you choose Hephaestus, again?" Mary rolls her sparkling brown eyes at him. 

"Because the accident was a Hiccup in my life. Also 'half Hephaestus' doesn't sound cool; too many syllables." Peter grins at her with a small kick to her bionic leg. 

"Hey, you break it, you buy it." Sirius breaks out laughing behind her. 

"You're laughing but he cost me several months rent." Marlene walks in freshly drunk behind them and giggles, "A limb more like." That gets Dorcas snickering. Mary slowly raises her right brow and says, "That joke was dropped off a cliff and died harder than Fili in the Hobbit." A mourning silence fills the room and Marls's voice cracks as she mutters, "Ouch. I respect it, message received but... Damn."

Mary throws her arms around Dorcas and Marlene and fully kisses both their cheeks. "Marls, you’ve got to understand I hear that joke all the time, it's annoying now. It's like when people call you an oreo 'cause you have vitiligo or tell you to go back in the blender."

"That's more in line with bullying though. Do you feel like we're bullying you?" Cas asks with an arm snaked around Marlene's waist.

"I don't, but it gets irritating."

"I bully her," Peter cuts in. "Every day." He shakes his head like it's nothing. "It's my job as her brother." He pinches her cheeks from behind and like his abuela does to them sometimes. "Isn't that right, sugarplum." Mary's eyes are unimpressed in contrast. 

"¿Sabes qué, Chiquito?" She utters as she turns around and tries to grab at him, but Peter ducks and runs off to the bunks at the back of the bus in a fit of giggles. Although not before stealing a bottle of tequila from Marlene, who then chases after him, on the way. Dorcas then backs out of the lounge to 'save Minnie from a murder charge'.

Mary drops herself on the sofa and her eye twitches for a bit, then she sighs out as much of the air in her lungs as she can. She makes eye contact with Sirius and she can tell he knows. They've been friends for more than half their lives and he knows her on so many vulnerable levels. Sirius could always tell when Mary was loathing herself. Perhaps because it was so familiar to him, by guilt or by force. She thinks it's because when the quiet rolls in, she drifts away, that it's visible. Still, she hopes that if she drifts far enough, she won't even have to pretend her problems aren't happening. Dreams to be so far that their anxieties won't exist to her.

She sits there staring at him and gradually her eyes haze until she doesn’t really see anymore. Sirius pulls her in and Mary lays her forehead to the side of his neck as he rubs circles into her back. Sirius sings softly into her hair but Mary only gets the melody. It's soothing nonetheless. Something about being with her best friend is making all the shit she's going through finally sink in. It all crashes into her like pain after an adrenaline high and in all honesty – it just really has her feeling like a pile of shit.

Moments pass and the present feels like eternity and yet as if no time has passed at all. Time is measured between speed bumps and red lights while she wonders if this is what it feels like to be losing your mind. She doesn't get to think about it before she falls asleep. Lullabies will have that effect.

Sirius sits up and unrolls the sleeve down her prosthetic, gently removes the leg and puts it to charge. He scoops her up and walks her over to the bunks trying his best not to stumble as the bus turns a corner. He shifts her onto one of the beds but when he tries to pull the blanket over her finds Mary's hands clutching his sweater in a fist.

Peter and the girls drag out an 'awe' from the bunk across and he has to shush them. Sirius watches Mary’s face glisten with sweat for the single second it takes him to decide to climb in. He curls an arm around her head and strokes her hair as she tries to bury herself between his ribs. Mary gradually calms and Sirius wonders what the hell Lily Evans had done this time and what hair stylist she'd moved to.

thank you for reading but first mary macdonald. this is only here 'cause it's her birthday EVERYBODY SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARY

(day two of did you get the reference) taglist under the cut

@moonyswarmsweaters @sspadfoot @thingthatoncewastruee @probs-reading @cheekyboybeth

@starving-marauder-lover @yourlocalbadgerscales @taleofapart-timepoet @mirrs-ball @tea-blankets-andstars

@where-is-vivian @amberlink @wastingawayinmyroom @ashes-to-ashesxx @percabeth-trash

@equippedtolove @moon-girl88 @jamespotterbbg @drunktayloratthevmas @labyrinthhofmymind

@s0ggyguts @nyx-taylors-version @will-vs-the-homo-sapiens-adgenda @siriusly-insane

[softguarnere]

For Whatever We Lose

Lewis Nixon x OFC (slow burn, enemies to lovers) Chapter Four: A United Front

Summary: Dick, as always, has a plan A/N: Finally, the moment we've been waiting for. Warnings: period typical sexism Taglist: @kujofam @dcyllom

It starts immediately.

They return from their run with Easy Company to find their bunkhouse has been trashed. Footlockers have been overturned, mattresses and pillows have been ripped open and off of beds, spilling feathers across the floorboards. They have to clean it up themselves, of course. And it’s not until they’re halfway through and Juanita asks if anyone has seen her underwear that they all collectively realize that their Army issued undergarments are gone.

Fortunately or otherwise, they aren’t hard to find, seeing as they’ve been strung up on the flagpole. The only person who seems more upset about it than the Women’s Squad is Colonel Sink. We don’t want these girls here! the action screams. But the colonel has never been one to back down from a challenge. They remain where they are.

Other signs that they are disliked and unvalued are less extreme, less obvious.

Someone up the chain of command learns that Minerva can play the piano and that Anna can sing, and they find themselves providing entertainment for an officer’s dinner. Women are constantly assigned to the kitchens for their duties, and snickers about how they’re “back where they belong” follow them everywhere. No matter how they wear their hair, someone always find a way to pull it when running past, like schoolboys tugging on pigtails before giggling and running away.

Except this isn’t the school yard. This isn’t a game. This is war.

The letter that arrives that morning is written in very block-like handwriting and begins with Minerva’s least favorite nickname.

Dear Minnie,

Minerva sighs around a mouthful of toast and reminds herself that she’s fortunate only John-Michael calls her that.

I am fine. How are you?

The Germans are gone now, so things are quiet. Pop and I watch for them from the lighthouse. He says that we are holding down the fort while you are away. So you do not have to worry about us, because Sparky and I can hold off the U-Boats.

I hope your training is going good. Mom and I pray for you every night at church. Jack’s mom –

The name physically pains Minerva to see in print. She squeezes her eyes shut, the paper crumpling in her hand as she lets the wave of emotion wash over her. When it ebbs out to sea again, she continues, not quite from where she left off.

I hope we get to see you before you ship off. You are all anyone here talks about. I am very proud to be your brother.

That last part tugs on her heartstrings in a way that makes her feel guilty for how angry she was with her brother for opening the letter with her hated nickname.

From across the table, Keziah sighs. Her posture is stiff – the sort of tense posture that usually comes from a mother hovering over a child’s shoulder while they try to complete their homework. She jerks her neck, the tilt of her head indicating one of the tables across the aisle from where they sit.

“Look at them,” she mutters. “Gaping.”

She’s not wrong, really. Minerva can’t be sure, but she suspects that someone somehow incentivized Easy Company to be companionable with their new additions, because most of them have been amiable enough. Sure, there are a few who have made it known that they do not agree with the women being made part of their company – or part of the military at all – but the treatment coming from within their own company is nowhere near as bad as what they’ve been experiencing from the others.

And at least the men who don’t seem to mind them too much have tried to be polite. Like Webster, several have introduced themselves, made an attempt to get to know their new sisters in arms. Some are more subtle about their intentions. It didn’t take Minerva long to realize that when she gets up to run Currahee in the mornings, Speirs or Lieutenant Winters – or Dick, he keeps assuring her she can call him – materializes out of thin air and joins her for the run. If one of the girls has to walk somewhere, one or two of the men will peel away from the group to tail them, just to make sure that they get to where they are trying to go.

Though none of the men have dared bridge the gap by sitting with the women during their meals, a chosen few have made a habit out of choosing seats at the table beside theirs. All the women politely pretend not to notice the men glancing at their table, constantly checking up on them. But they would have to be blind not to notice that some of them stare.

Like Bill Guarnere is now. There are nine women at the table, but his gaze keeps seeming to land on Keziah.

“Hey, Guarnere!” The woman in question flashes him a smile, though her eyes are cold. “You never seen an Indian before, or something?”

The man at the next table over blinks, taken aback. “What?”

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you that staring is rude?” Keziah clarifies. She doesn’t turn her attention back to the women’s table until Guarnere has averted his eyes and inserted himself into the conversation of the men beside him. Satisfied, she leans back in her chair and resumes eating.

Minerva smirks. “Poor guy. What a way to get turned down.”

Keziah’s gaze shoots up. Her eyes are wide, and in her surprise, she drops her fork onto her plate with a clatter that makes several other women leave their own conversations to flash her a concerned look. “What?”

“Kez.” Minerva leans across the table, like they’re sharing secrets during class, trying not to get caught by the teacher. “He wasn’t looking at you like that. Not in a bad way, I mean. He likes you.”

“No,” Keziah insists. She doesn’t meet Minerva’s eye. That particular thread of conversation has been severed.

“Okay.” If that’s what Keziah wants to think, she won’t argue. There’s obviously some sort of soreness in this topic, some hurt that hasn’t healed yet. Minerva isn’t about to go picking at other people’s emotional scabs. But she has been on the receiving end of enough looks of that sort to know that Guarnere feels something towards her friend. And she’s a teacher. She sees that look passing between students a hundred times a day in the classroom. Suffice it to say, she knows what she’s talking about.

No fraternization, Sobel had warned her and Diana. Well, clearly if the men received the same ultimatums, they aren’t taking them as seriously – or they didn’t receive them at all. What do you do when your captain makes it clear that mistakes will not be tolerated, but then seems to set you up for failure at every turn?

To some, Easy Company’s Women’s Squad seems destined to fail from the start. Despite Sobel’s insistence that Easy Company will maintain its stellar record – or rather, that he maintains his reputation – the girls can’t seem to catch a break.

Anna’s weekend pass gets revoked after Sobel sees her smile at Floyd Talbert. Lori Sinclair’s pass is revoked for having the slowest time up and down Currahee. Lucy McNair is assigned to clean the latrines after a joke about Sobel is – allegedly – traced back to her. Bianca Mancini gets yelled at in front of everyone on the rifle range for not being able to assemble her gun fast enough, and then Joe Liebgott’s is revoked because he steps in and attempts to help her.

“We can’t let them go on like this,” Dick says. It’s morning, and though his tone is strong and assured, his voice is quiet, and Nixon only just hears him over the clatter of silverware and the morning chatter that fills the officer’s mess.

It takes a minute for the caffeine in his cup to circle through his bloodstream and wake him up enough to realize what his friend is talking about, and even then, he’s a little unsure. “Huh?”

Dick shrugs, never taking his eyes off the piece of toast that he’s spreading jam onto. To anyone passing by, it looks like just a casual conversation over breakfast. But Nixon is just awake and alert enough to know that this is very quickly turning into something much more serious.

“The whole company hates our commanding officer,” Dick explains, voice still quiet enough that he won’t be overheard. “But he’s even harder on the women. And then he’s furious when the men try to stick up for them the way they would any of their own.”

“Well, what are we going to do about it?” Nothing they can do, really. Well, maybe something, but he’s not the one clever enough to find it. And honestly, if it weren’t for Dick, he probably wouldn’t even be considering any of the possibilities.

“Not much we can do,” Dick says, affirming Nixon’s original impression of the situation. “But – “ Of course he’s come up with something. Nixon bites the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. “ – we can make it a little easier on the women. Show them that they’re not alone in this.”

“How?”

“Let’s talk to their sergeants. Reach out, create a dialogue. Let them know that we’re on their side. Show them that they can count on us, and that we can work together. They’re in this thing, now, and it’s time that they had officers in their corner instead of instigating more trouble for them.”

If he didn’t know any better, he would say that Dick has already planned this whole thing out. “What do you have in mind?”

“Tonight, in here. We’ll meet with them, discuss their concerns, ask how we can help. And then we’ll help them. Whatever they want, whatever they need.” He pauses, quirks an eyebrow. “What?”

Nixon shrugs, smiling into his coffee cup as he sips the hot liquid inside. “Smart move, setting the meeting in a public place, but at a time where we won’t be disturbed. We can still be accused of fraternization, but the accusations wouldn’t hold up very well, seeing as we’re all in a place where we could be caught at any minute. That counts as evidence that nothing inappropriate has happened.”

“Exactly.”

“If Sobel finds out, he’ll probably still revoke our weekend passes, though.”

“Probably,” Dick says. “But it’s a chance I’m willing to take.”

And take it he does.

At the end of the day, right after the last of the dinner crowd has cleared out, the Women’s Squad sergeants appear in the doorway. The smaller of the two hesitates in the doorway, like she’s unsure if this is something she should risk, but the tall one with the dark hair breezes in with no qualms. Revels, reads the name on her fatigues.

 Sergeant Revels, Nixon corrects himself. One of the college grads who was made an NCO by order of Colonel Sink himself. Nixon would recognize the name even without that, though; one of Sobel’s favorite chores to give him is censoring the mail for the company. Clearly the captain didn’t realize that the chore would feed Nixon’s penchant for a good story. Anyway, the name Minerva had stuck out to him because he thought it was ironic that someone sharing a name with a goddess of war would join up, and then be promoted to NCO so quickly. Very fitting. And looking at her now, it is fitting.

He’s seen her around, of course, now that the women are officially part of Easy Company. But this is the first time he’s seen her up close. She’s got a very attractive diamond shaped face, and freckles spatter across her olive-colored skin. When she smiles, it reaches all the way to her eyes, which are a piercing green. Her dark hair, even pulled back in a ponytail, falls in sleek waves over her shoulder. This is the woman who writes with such care, such fine prose, to her family back home in some place called Frisco, which Nixon may or may not have had to look for on a map, just out of pure curiosity. 

“Sergeant Revels.” Dick extends a hand to her, and she pumps it hardily. “Sergeant Bradham. Allow me to introduce Lieutenant Nixon.”

“Nice to meet you.” Minerva smiles.

Ah, there it is! That strange accent that he’s heard so much about. No, not strange. Unique might be a better word for it. It’s not unpleasant – just something that Nixon has never encountered before.

He smiles as he shakes her hand. “The pleasure is all mine.”

The other Sergeant, Diana, seems nice enough. It’s obvious from her body language, the way that she keeps glancing at Minerva, that she feels out of her depth, but is trying her hardest not to automatically defer to her fellow NCO. Good on her. She doesn’t radiate the sort of confidence that Minerva does, but as Nixon watches her, he can tell that she’s a good, thoughtful listener.

Hopefully everyone else does enough listening for all of them, because Nixon sure as hell doesn’t. He wants to help them, yes, and he wants to support Dick, of course, but the old socialite instincts kick in and it’s like his body runs purely on muscle memory for a moment.

As they sit down, Dick offers the NCOs coffee, which they both accept. From his pocket, Nixon produces his trusty flask, and with a quick glance over his shoulder, tips some of the contents into his cup. From across the table, Diana giggles. The joke approved, he holds up his flask as a sort of offering. Diana shakes her head, though she’s smiling.

Minerva, however, pushes her coffee cup towards him when he makes the same gesture to her. He only pours in a splash of liquor, feeling Dick’s disproving glance from beside him. It makes the sergeant all the more interesting in Nixon’s eyes. Especially when she flashes him a brilliant smile and takes a sip of the drink.

Shenanigans over, Dick immediately gets down to brass tacks. He’s gone over his thoughts with Nixon at least a hundred times since this morning. But Nixon is interested to see how the women will react to what he has to say.

He takes careful note of their reactions. It’s a simple meeting, really. Dick just wants them to know that they can come to him with any issues, that he’s on their side, and that he’s willing to do anything in his power to help with their Sobel issues. The women, for their part, seem thankful, and Diana even has a suggestion of her own.

“I think things would be better if the men and women could get to know each other,” she admits. “Sobel has everyone afraid of losing their passes on fraternization charges. Some of the women feel like they can’t get to know the people they’ll be taking bullets for because of the rule.”

“A stupid rule designed to create divisions between us that’s unfairly enforced,” Minerva mutters.

Diana nods as if to say, Exactly! If she were a little braver, those might have been her exact words.

Dick nods, brows drawn in thought. “Okay,” he says after a moment. “I think we can do something about that.”

We can? Nixon almost asks. He takes a sip of his spiked coffee to stop himself. For someone who’s usually good at reading people, he has no clue what his friend is planning. Better to remain a united front, though. He waits until they’ve bid the women good night – with Nixon flashing them his most charming smile – to ask.

“If the men can engage in bonding exercises, then the women should be able to join them,” Dick explains with a shrug. “Like Sergeant Bradham said: they should know the people that they’ll be taking a bullet for.”

“Do you think they will though? Have to take a bullet for someone, I mean.”

“Why wouldn’t they?”

Now it’s Nixon’s turn to shrug. “Some people seem to think that the Women’s Squad is just a publicity stunt. There are rumors that they won’t see any actual combat; just show up and look pretty for photos or do minimal work on the front lines.”

Dick seems really and truly shocked by the news, which in turn shocks Nixon. People have been whispering about it all week. How has Dick not heard the rumors?

“Well. That would be a shame if the military resorted to using them for models.”

Nixon is inclined to disagree. Some of the women are very attractive and would probably make excellent models. He doesn’t bring it up, though, since that’s not what Dick meant, and the joke wouldn’t land well.

“So, what do you have in mind?”

Dick purses his lips. “They’ve hardly had the chance to socialize. The men have already formed into cliques, and I’m willing to bet the women have, too. Maybe we need an activity that will allow them to get to know each other, form new connections.”

“Well, they can’t sit around and do ice breakers without Sobel accusing us of encouraging fraternization. Hell, he would think we had set them all up on first dates.”

“No. But if they were to participate in an activity that would take several hours, during which they would have plenty of opportunities to talk . . .” Dick smiles. There’s a gleam in his eye that, despite how close they’ve become in such a short time, Nixon has not seen before. He can’t help but chuckle.

“What do you have in mind?”

Dick only shrugs, a casual gesture. “How do you feel about a scavenger hunt?”

[braveclementine]

Chapter 4

Warnings: Angst, Main Character Death

Copyright: I do not own any Marvel characters or locations. However, I do own a few OCs like Elizabeth, Katherine, Stacy, and Jessie. I do not condone any copying of this.

James Rupert Rhodes United States Air Force October 6, 1968 Now Protecting Us From Above

You laid your flowers down in front of the simple but clean gravestone at the Long Island National Cemetery. The flowers were a dark blue and roses.

"Hi James." You whispered, tears coming up in your eyes again. You had been a hot mess ever since you had gotten back from the HYDRA base. "I. . . I came to see you. I just wanted to tell you how much I miss you. It's like there's this huge hole missing in my heart. I just wanted. . . I wanted to tell you that I love you. So very, very much. I wanted to tell you that you deserved more than what you got. You deserved more than what I could give you."

You wiped your face and choked out, "I'm carrying your baby now. Yours and Tony's. He's really happy, I hope you're looking down from Heaven and can see how happy he is. You and I both know he always wanted to be a father."

You tears had trailed all over your face and you wiped them away from your chin and cheeks, "Sorry for being such a hot mess. I just really. . . really fucking miss you. You're supposed to. . . you're supposed to hold your child James. I want. . . I wanted you to be able to hold your child."

You hunched over on your knees, openly sobbing now as you hugged your arms around your chest. Tony knelt down from where he had been standing behind you, wrapping his arms around you.

"Let it all out." Tony whispered. You could feel his own tears sliding down his rugged cheeks. "Let it out. It helps."

And you did. You sobbed, cried, and even screamed about the unfairness of this cruel world. It wasn't fair. Wasn't fair at all, no.

When you finally settled down, you got to your feet shakily, turning, and burying your head into Tony's firm, warm chest.

Stephen crossed the graveyard, carrying two cups of hot chocolate in his hands, handing them to the two of you silently. You sniffled, eyes pink, nose red, cheeks burning red.

"Come on." Stephen said quietly, taking both yours and Tony's hands into his own. "Let's go home."

***

Elizabeth Hope Clementine Maximy July 22, 2003 To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure -Albus Dumbledore

You stood between Clint and Loki in the fourth row at the funeral. Her parents and five brothers sobbed in the front row. Her mother rocked back and forth in her seat, clutching her arms to her chest. Her father had his head tilted back proudly, letting his red rimmed eyes leak tears. Her brothers varied from being to complete messes to being extremely stoic.

Hogun sat in his chair, head hanging as he stared at the ground. Sif sat next to him, a worried expression on her face, a hand on his shoulder. Fandral sat on the other side of him and Volstagg was next to Sif.

Minerva Elizabeth sat on Wanda's lap, as Hogun looked in no position to hold her. He didn't even look like he could hold himself together.

Vision was in his human form and his eyes were tinted red from the tears he had shedded. And they say he had no feelings because he was a robot! The audacity of people.

Pietro looked just as bad as Vision, sitting between Jessie and Katherine who were both openly crying. Katerina was curled up against Heimdall. They had still gotten married, but they had not made a ceremony of it.

You stayed behind after everyone was long gone, which was hours as her mother seemed unable to leave the gravesite. It took her father finally almost lifting her off the ground to carry her back to the car that it was just you- and Loki who stayed adamantly by your side.

You had picked up yellow roses, reminding you of her Hufflepuff side. Loki stayed back by the chairs as you approached the freshly dug grave.

"H-hey." Your voice already cracked as you knelt down in front of the grave, adding the yellow roses to the bouquets and bouquets of flowers that were there. "I just want to apologize. If. . . I'm so stupid. I should've known they were going to kill you. I should've known. . . I should've saved you. I'm so sorry. I'm the worst kind of person. I could've gotten you out, I just known I could've."

Salt water splattered onto the fresh soil. "I'm sorry. Forgive me."

You heard Loki's footsteps approach, crunching over the frozen ground. He knelt behind you, pulling you into a hug. He said nothing of comfort or disregard for your words. He was simply there, a calming presence for you to cling to.

You sat there, apologizing and crying until your nose was throbbing red and your fingers were stiff with cold. Only then did Loki say anything.

"You're freezing my Queen. Come, we need to get you somewhere warm before you get. . . what is that term? Frostbitten?" Loki said, careful not to touch your skin, lest he make you colder than you already were.

You wiped your frozen tears as he led you to a coffee shop.

The two of you sat underneath a TV which was playing the news. Loki ordered two Loki Frappuccinos (Grande Green Tea Frappuccino with no classic syrup. made with sweet cream. 3 pumps brown sugar syrup. extra Carmel drizzle and mocha cookie crumble topping.)

Loki held your hand as you took in stuttering sips from your drink. His eyes flickered up to the TV and he kept them there for a moment. His attentiveness to the TV made you listen in.

". . .say that the hospital was fully aware of what they were doing, getting bonuses for each shot that they administered."

You turned around to see a red-headed news caster on the TV outside a familiar looking hospital.

"The shot in question was disguised as a DTaP shot," The news caster continued, "However, in reality, it was a shot to sterilize women. This comes after the Supreme Court had passed the newest child policy law stating that for every woman-man soulmate bond in a family, there should be a child equivalent to that. This shot was given to every female passing through the hospital as a patient, save one, Mrs. Marvel, the Avengers soulmate."

You turned back around in your seat. You gave a bitter laugh, "She always was right."

Loki turned his attention to you. "Who?"

"Elizabeth." You whispered. "Why the hell do the sweetest people have to die?"

"Do you know how Elizabeth would've answered that question?" Loki asked, a small smile on his face.

You shook your head.

Loki pulled out his phone and said, "when you're in a garden. . . which flowers do you pick?"

You looked at him as he opened up the phone, "The best ones."

He smiled, "Exactly."

You laughed though you had tears in your eyes, "Yes, this looks like something she would say."

Loki put the phone away, taking both of your hands into his. "Y/N."

You blinked. He never called you by your name.

"Y/N. This is painful. This is one of the most painful feelings you will ever go through. But you are strong. You are one of the strongest women I know, and I grew up amongst Valkyrie and Sif. This hurts now, yes. But watch. See. You will move on. You will laugh again and you will smile again. You will come to a point where all that you will feel is overflowing love. Our children's laughter will bring delight into our lives. Time moves on. This sorrow feels overwhelming now, but we continue. We put one foot in front of the other. Slowly, oh so slowly, we move forward. We don't forget, but it fills our body in a different way. I love you Y/N. I love you very much. I want you to know that. I want you to know that everyday, I am here for you."

Tears just streamed silently down your face as you stared into Loki's earnest blue eyes.

"I love you too Lokes." You whispered.

Loki smiled, squeezing your hands, and leaned back. "Now, we finish these delicious drinks that were named after me and we head home. How does that sound?"

"Actually. . . there's one more thing I want to do before we go home."

***

Loki stood silently by your side as moved slowly through the Barnes and Noble, looking for what Elizabeth had talked to you about.

*Flashback*

"I want my daughter or sons first stuffed animal to be something magical." Elizabeth whispered. It was just the two of you, sitting in the backyard by the pool. She was sitting in front of you, her legs in the actually water while you were curled up in a lawn chair, Lucy on your lap.

"Of course you do." You said with a light laugh, bouncing your leg slightly. "Let me guess, some Harry Potter magical creature?"

Elizabeth grinned over her shoulder, "You know me so well Y/N. Probably Hedwig, you know, the owl. Something he or she can cuddle with. Of course, I'll spoil them silly with all sorts of animals. But I really would like the first one to be magical. Their first one."

*End*

"Here." You said softly, picking up medium sized, extremely fluffy, owl. "This is it."

Loki took your hand, paying for the toy, before you headed home.

You headed upstairs, wondering exactly where Minerva would be.

As you walked through the house, you couldn't even tell that a bomb had gone through it. It seemed all the same as it had been before. Except in a little off room, a small shrine had been set up for Rhodey.

You found Minerva sleeping in the girls' room that Tony had set up, in a crib that was placed next to Lucy's.

You bent over Lucy first, picking her up to hug and kiss her. Her pink rabbit was still in there and you smiled, thinking of all the good memories.

Then you put her down, leaning over Minerva's crib. "Hi Minerva." You whispered, putting the owl down next to her. You giggled quietly, seeing that it was almost as big as her. Minerva's small hands pulled it to her as she snuggle into it.

You laughed a little, making sure both baby monitors were on, before you left the room, leaving the door open so that you could get in an out without any problems.

As you headed down on the first floor, you heard a scream.

You full out sprinted, joined by T'Challa and Bucky in the hallway. "What happened?" T'Challa asked.

"I don't know."

"Stay here doll." Bucky warned you and you skidded to a stop, watching them run off.

You hurried back to the children's rooms, pacing in and out of the rooms, watching over them until Steve came up to you. He looked worn out, tired, and full of sorrow.

"Steve? What happened?" You asked.

***

Hogun the Grim October 23, 949 Their Love Lives On In Death

He was buried next to Elizabeth at the request of Thor, though Sif wanted him buried in New Asgard 'where he belonged'. But Thor argued that it was obvious that Hogun was dead because of his love for Elizabeth and that he should be buried next to her. Fandral had convinced Sif, and now we were here.

The flowers that you brought were blue, laying them down at his grave. You stood by Thor's side as he talked to Hogun. Told him how much he enjoyed his comradeship over the years, how much it meant to him that Hogun stood by his side for hundreds of years. How he respected Hogun in his fighting ability and his friendship. And how he hoped that he and Elizabeth were dancing in the stars now.

Loki stood there too, a few paces away from the two of you. Thor finally put an arm around you and the three of you silently made your way back to your house.

You went to the kitchen when you got back, making a pot of tea, taking it out into the backyard.

Ginny and Buster were running around, Steve tossing balls and Frisbees for them to catch. You smiled at him, but didn't join him, sitting on one of the lawn chairs that you had by the pool, though the pool was covered up for winter.

You wrapped your blanket around you tighter. Everything seemed a little quieter now. The house seemed emptier. It was. . . peaceful in a way.

You watched Steve tackled Buster to wrangle a ball from his mouth, laughing. A smile came to your lips.

Loki was right. You would all move on eventually. 

[alanshee-keeper-of-realms]

Ranks and titles of the Main Disney characters in Off the Animation Table

Michael Elias Mouse official title King Michael the 1st of Disney, Owner of the Disney Corporation after 2024 President of the United States in their world let's just say the humans had enough of this whole debacle and started writing his name in he didn't even do anything it was the humans that had little to no faith to the point that they all looked to him to try and fix the Country

It was honestly a day Mickey looks back and laughs at now because it is ridiculous in his mind that the Human Citizens of the United States had such little faith in the options given to them that he was written in to the point he won the election without ever lifting a finger,

And yes he did use that Immunity Clause the Supreme Court had just given to the president of the United States to his full advantage however he is counted as one of the best presidents since Roosevelt because he used it in a way where it was for the people rather than for himself.

All in all it was more so he actually listened to the people like he does with hua normal people the Disbey toons, literally all he needed to do was listen to his people which had now expanded to 250 mil temporarily

Corporal in the army he was there the day Normandy happened on the front lines surviving a gunshot wound to the shoulder of which he received his Purple Heart as a result because he did not need to be out there yet signed up anyway.

Father to their 8 kids,

Minerva Michelle Mouse-Disney: Queen of Disney, Mother of all Disney Toons, First Lady Minerva Mouse Disney, actual Mother of 8 kids, Anne Marie, Eleanor, Olwyn, Marian, Walter, Xandra,Dara and Arthur

George Goofy Goof- CEO of Finances formerly Apprenticed under Roy E Disney whom he took over after Roy's passing, he has his college degree in business

Donald Fauntleroy Duck- Head of Security formerly Sergeant Class in the army and was Navy sailor in World War 2.

.

.

Disney is recognized in this world as its own kingdom it can be considered a micronation to some but officially the Mouse Disney family is recognized as the only American monarchy allowed as the government didn't want to have to deal with their own citizens along with about 4 million others as of 2024

In 2025 when the mouse family had to step in as the presidential family temporarily, Goofy was given complete control over Disney this has happened three times as Mickey does not trust any of the humans to keep it away from him when the time comes for him to resume his leadership,

[arbitrarygreay]

Do you think Adler being a bad judge of character comes from a tendency to associate personalities with positions(like the President) or bloodlines/relatives(like Bellweathers). Like if you live for so long you probably start making assumptions about how someone is going act. Do you think Adler has to reevaluate people frequently when they don’t fit the little box she first assigns them.

This ask is pretty great timing, since I'm ruminating on a post where I think about what capabilities Alder has in order to stay head of the military for 300 years, and what capabilities she doesn't necessarily have.

If you saw my post about Wade, that situation had some specific bad experiences coloring Alder's perspective. If we look at S3 with Minerva and Wade, Minerva got to have time during her retirement where she got to rethink their perspectives and get over the slights. Alder didn't. You do have a point about position, as Alder assumes that having Penelope will control VP Silver's loyalties. As I've theorized, though, Alder's judgement additionally deteriorates under stress, as S2 does, paralleling Liberia.

Let me be more specific: Alder knows that her snap judgement isn't great, so she simply just doesn't listen to that snap judgement often. Like ignoring intrusive thoughts, you know. That's why she can know that Abigail's dismissal of Raelle in 1x1 is preposterous, and can tell her story about her own shitbird (who was possibly one of Raelle's ancestors, and maybe even Willa herself? Alder said early days, but the details after that don't make any sense for that).

At that point, it doesn't matter why Alder's personality has poor snap judgement, if she never follows it.

But I do make this theory anyways, because we have to remember that all of this started by Alder at age mumbleteen throwing off millenia of tradition of keeping it all secret on the scaffold. That points to some kind of mindset in her quick decision making.

But, we have to go back to my post roasting Alder's pettiness, too. Even if she is compensating for bad snap judgement by waiting and thinking, that can also be counter-compensated by Alder just not giving a fuck about the results of that reevaluation, due to her power.

Alder in 1x10: Alder: Yes I've been seeing how the Bellweather unit has so much potential and performs well under pressure. Alder: Fuck them for helping Petra, though. War meat'd. Alder: Oh hey, Abigail showed up anyways. Good mettle. Alder: Fuck you for mouthing off at me, though. Insulting y'all now.

We see this in S2 with Alder's interactions with Petra and Anacostia. She expresses displeasure at how they go against her orders, but ultimately allows operations that will do good for the army to move forward. Anacostia returns the favor, mouthing off at Alder, going off with Scylla anyways, but still reporting to Alder about her observations in the testing center protest. She only holds the actual transgressions (puppeting the president) against Alder, not the petty stuff.

(Also if you read the tags on the post, I mentioned Ender's Game, where the big military strategy/tactic that Ender perfects with Dragon Army is to make units more agile, smaller units with trusted commanders given leeway to adapt and respond to changing situations much more quickly than large formations would allow for.)

[teecupangel]

idk if this was asked already but have you watched/read Red, White & Royal Blue? The movie surprised me bc it was actually well done. But consider this!!! son of the first american female president Desmond Miles meet-disasters prince Altair, second son of the british princess Maud and syrian dignitary(?) Umar. Malik is Altair's older brother bc he has the energy : D Connor is Desmond's cousin bc i love him. its difficult for Desmond as ppl expect him to live up to Altair's reputation as the prodigious but aloof prince or whatever. In the books Alex Clairemont-Diaz has a sister who pretends to date Prince Henry when rumors of their relationship was going around, Desmond needs a big sister we should give him a sister. You know what just make the whole family big and add the Auditores in the mix, they could be more Miles cousins or idk maybe Italian royalty. You can run with it however you like tho!!!

I haven’t watched it yet but it is in my watchlist XD

Okay, so let’s set up the backstory for this one!

For this one, how about Desmond is the son of Jennifer Scott, the first American female president (sidebar: in this one, the Kenways have been in America for centuries so they’re an American family coming from ‘old money’).

This would make Ratonhnhaké:ton his cousin while Haytham suffers as the the little brother of the president XD

Of course, Edward is the best grandfather who may or may not be helping any shenanigans Desmond gets into. Ratonhnhaké:ton swears he’s there to keep an eye on his cousin but ends up helping him instead.

As for the Auditores… hhhhmmmm. Perhaps they’re Desmond’s cousins from his father’s side (William Auditore Scott being the youngest brother of Giovanni Auditore) and he grew up with them so they’re more like siblings than cousins?

To Altaïr’s side…

Altaïr would be the second son of the British Princess Maud after she remarried the Syrian dignitary Umar (and it was a huuuggee scandal) who already had two sons, Malik and Kadar. This means that Malik and Kadar would be older than Altaïr (with Kadar being a year older maybe?) and would be his half brothers.

Who were Maud’s first son?

Jacob Fyre who has an older twin, the crown princess Evie Frye.

That’s right! We’re making Altaïr have a complicated big family in this one!

Also, we can change up the whole ‘sister pretends to date the prince’ and have Evie pretend-date Desmond instead, doing it as a favor to Altaïr and also because she does care for her younger brother.

So, in this case, Altaïr is torn between two families, the royal family who are pushing so much expectations and duties to him which he’s able to meet and his father’s family who worries about him and thinks all that royal ‘power’ is getting in his head (they’re worried about his arrogance as well as this problem of his of believing he has to be the best at everything). His accomplishments are also driving a wedge between him and his older siblings, especially with Evie who is supposed to be the crown princess but is always compared to her younger half-brother while Jacob ignores it the way he always does (so yeah, Altaïr’s royal family is screwed up… oh, did I mention we’ll have Minerva as Maud’s mother and reigning queen to add more drama in the royal family? I didn’t? Well, now you know XD)

And then we have Desmond Scott, the charming oldest son of the president of the United State, who always act like everything is okay and he’s having a great time, even when he has heard and read all the comparisons being ‘whispered’ behind his back comparing him to Altaïr’s reputation, not knowing that Altaïr is annoyed by Desmond’s friendly ‘laziness’ (he gets along with Jacob sooo well it’s scary) and it took him a while to realize that he was actually jealous of Desmond because he makes it look like living with such powerful parents was… easy.

Enjoyable even.

And the more they spend time together, the more they realize that their jealousy was transforming into something much more deeper…

… and more dangerous.

(I know you wanted Desmond to get a big sister but I was thinking who we could add and it was either Layla or Lucy (or Rebecca or Bishop???) in my mind but it felt like that wouldn’t work for some reason so, instead, Altaïr gets the Frye twins as his older siblings XD Desmond instead gets to have two younger siblings. One of them is Arno, of course, because Arno deserves a happy childhood and maybe… Lucy? idk)

[the-wild-card-hand]

i feel ashamed, mainly. / from Stella to Shinn?

Which part mainly did she feel ashamed about? Her situation getting him into this new situation? Shinn being branded as a traitor and an enemy of the state for breaking Stella out of the Minerva leading them to be on the run like this?

"Don't be. I said I'd protect you and I meant that." Shinn shook his head. Durandal seemed like the understanding sort on first glance given the freedom and power to make the hard calls. But to hear the broadcast for his manhunt was jarring to say the least. "You need medicine and care, right? The kind of things only your unit provide right? We just gotta find a way to steal them."

[softquietsteadylove]

For the Agents AU, what if Gil was moved in different station for what he did? Or he would be working for a different boss temporarily (*whispering* a boss that is a rival of Thena on agent team or something and ON GILGAMESH, a boss that Thena would be jealous of🤫).

Gil visited her in the hospital and that's when he informed her that he was assigned to a new boss temporarily, but also assured her that he would be back on her team and will be always on her side. At first she was about to make a call to have him back on his agency (we all know she would never allow this) but Gil refused, he told her that he would be back to her in no time. She thanked him for protecting her and she wished him luck. And once he left her she was furious and I could imagine her throwing a tantrum of course having to know that he had been transferred to a supervisor who is a rival of hers, and he will be spending his time working for that boss.

Thank you!!! :3

Thena turned, sensing the presence in her doorway. "Hey."

"Hey," Gil smiled, although she could already feel something wasn't right. He seemed downtrodden, and he was hunched in on himself like a guilty kid. It was always an easy way to tell he had bad news.

"How did it go?" she asked as she sorted away the last of her things. She was finally cleared to come back to the office, although field work was another two weeks away. But at least she could find out how Gil's assessment hearing had gone.

"Well," he smiled and winced simultaneously, dragging himself inside her office with his go-bag slung over his shoulder. "I'm not fired."

"That's," she measured him with her eyes, tracking any indicator of what had him so uneasy, "good?"

"I'm not suspended either," he mumbled, "technically."

Thena set down the files she was trying to catch up on, pushing away anything that wasn't Gilgamesh. "Gil, what is it?"

"They're, uh," he looked down at his shoes, "transferring me."

"What?!"

"Temporarily," he was quick to amend, but it did nothing for the rapidly growing ache in her chest. "They're putting me in Minerva's unit for a month."

Minerva was a very competent, and bizarrely friendly, team leader who ran an aggressive extrication unit. They specialised in breaking in and retrieving, and every member needed to be nothing if not resilient.

"They're moving you to extrication?" Thena blinked as if he hadn't just told her that. She was still processing the 'Minerva' part.

He nodded, though, his mouth caught between a frown and a snarl. "I think they just want to know that I can behave if I'm on a tighter leash."

"And they think Minerva's leash will be tighter than mine," Thena assessed, to which Gil shrugged in reluctant agreement.

Gil shifted on his feet, no more comfortable with the position they were in than she. "Didn't you two come up in the ranks around the same time?"

Yes, she had worked with Minerva plenty before they became their own unit leads. Minerva was very warm in nature, very pleasant, but also exceedingly calm under duress. She had no temper to her, no buttons to push. In a lot of ways, she was a balance to Thena's own colder, more aggressive method of handling things.

The last time she spoke with Minerva they were both fighting to attain a certain Agent on their teams.

"It's just a month," Gil shrugged again, his voice going thin as a whisper. His throat was tight. "I'll be back before you know it."

Wrong; she was going to feel every second of his absence. Maybe it was a good thing she was being forced onto desk duty for two weeks. She would have more mind-numbing paperwork and less time to think about Gil working under Minerva.

"Hey," he moved around the side of her desk and closer to her. They had become closer naturally since their little rescue operation. And this was exactly why he was being transferred out from under her in the first place. He leaned his head down to hers, "one month."

"One month," she whispered back to him.

"Then I'll be right back here," he smiled, hoping to get one in return.

Thena made the effort--the attempt. It wasn't great, but he appreciated it all the same. "Right back here."

He leaned in, hand on her shoulder as he pressed his lips to her temple. "Where I belong."

"Where you belong," she repeated faintly as she felt him pull away. She held his eyes as he dragged himself back to the door. "One month--and not a second later."

He grinned at her, giving her a sharp nod (and a wink?). "Yes, Ma'am."

Thena waited until her office door was closed behind him. She counted to ten before picking up her thick stack of files and slapping them down on the desk and throwing herself into her chair. She breathed out a rough sigh, slapping the back of her head against her chair.

"This a bad time?"

"That door is closed for a reason."

Kingo walked in anyway, hands in his pockets. "So...Gil told you the news."

Thena toyed with her pen in her hand. "He should be grateful they didn't resign him to desk duty for a year."

"That doesn't mean extrication is the better answer though," Kingo raised his eyes to hers, "does it?"

She avoided looking at him. Kingo was a master of reading people, and she - somehow - was not exempt from that rule. She just didn't think Gil would like working in extrication. She didn't think it was a good fit for him, and it was never a smooth procedure to just insert a new team member into any specialty division.

Minerva had said she thought he'd be a great candidate. Thena had fought tooth and nail to have his application given to her instead.

"Well, I'm sure he'll like it in special ops," Minerva had smiled so blithely at her, not an ounce of malice in her petite little body. "I was looking forward to having such a handsome subordinate, though."

"Boss?"

"It doesn't matter what we think, Kingo," she muttered, finally. She tossed her pen onto her desk. "All that matters is that we all get through this next month."

Kingo pursed his lips, and she immediately knew he was about to say something borderline outrageous. "Are you worried about Gil working under Minerva? Or...are you worried about him being under-"

"Kingo!"

He snapped back physically, scrunching his shoulders and holding his hands up. "Don't mind me. Just...talking to myself."

She huffed; how was she supposed to endure Kingo without Gil to balance him out?

"Don't think like that, Boss," he grinned at her, as if he could read her disparaging thoughts right off of her. "I promise I'll be the perfect right hand. You won't even have time to miss the big guy!"

"Kingo-"

"You can count on me, Boss Lady!" he snapped his wrist in a crisp - and also mocking - salute before heading right out the door again.

Thena hung her head in her hands, groaning. She missed Gil already.

[cinnamontoastcrunch-15]

Mothers of the Moon

Chapter 9 - Cherish

Masterpost

This is a very short chapter that I spent a while trying to add to, but I’ve decided it’s better to deliver a short chapter than no chapters at all

(Also this very much gives off themed oneshot collection lol)

There was a war brewing.

Minerva knew it, as little as she wanted to admit it to herself. She had been forced to follow it for years, for the sake of her students, her wife, her son.

It had started small.

A short article about a wizard getting arrested and some muggles being obliviated hidden at the back of the paper, or a wizard confined to St Mungos for life after an attack. It wasn’t enough for major concern, serious coverage.

Not enough for anybody but her to care.

Still, it was becoming much more noticeable.

She saw the way her son’s fists tightened around the prophet, the way he and Sirius exchanged concerned glances, the way a select few of the Slytherins were becoming much more… comfortable presenting their bias’. It was breaking her heart, to be honest. Remus had just gotten into a relationship that was honestly a long time coming, Poppy and Minerva had found a perfect balance of peace, and the three of them were a unit.

A unit about to be ravaged by a war.

The foundation of trust was always cracked by prejudice, and she was not about to let her family be destroyed by it.

So, not only did she have to cherish the time she and her family had left untainted, but to be prepared to fight and protect them from the war that could no longer be avoided.

“Are you alright?” Sirius’ voice cut through Remus’ mind as he scanned The Prophet. He dropped the paper and offered Sirius a tired smile from beside him.

“More attacks from a werewolf pack.” He explained. “The Ministry are talking about ‘restricting rights and enforcing stricter legislation’.” He read from the paper, watching as Sirius’ hand turned into a fist around his fork, which Remus gently wrenched from his hand, not wanting it to bend.

“That’s not fucking fair-“ Sirius started, Hestia’s head popping up.

“What do you mean? Of course it’s fair! Have you seen the number of werewolf attacks at the moment? The Ministry need to do something!” Remus glanced down, uncomfortable. It wasn’t the first time this conversation had happened right in front of Remus by oblivious housemates, but Sirius usually wasn’t there, so Merlin only knows what was going to happen. “My mum sent me more silver for it, see? Half of the school have it on.” She gestured around, Remus quickly realising why he had been getting such a bad migraine. Sirius was quite clearly seething, at this point.

“Lycanthropes are literally only wolves on the full moon, why is everyone wearing silver now?” He asked icily, and Remus could hear the warning in his tone. Hestia, however, seemed to miss it.

“Because fuck knows what could happen at Hogsmeade! They’re dangerous, everyone knows that.”

“Anyone walking down the street could be a bloody Deatheater!” Sirius exclaimed, voice raising.

“Padfoot.” Remus tried softly, grabbing one of his hands and squeezing it under the table. Sirius schooled his volume, tone exactly the same.

“Because that’s exactly what the werewolf pack are! They’re just Deatheaters who happen to have an affliction.” He said, Remus feeling a wave of fondness towards him. “It’s not the fact that they go through a fucking bone breaking transformation every month that makes them bad people! They would still be Deatheaters even if they weren’t werewolves! The Ministry are using it as an excuse to take more rights away from lycanthropes.”

“Christ, didn’t realise you were an advocate for werewolf rights or something.” Hestia mumbled, turning back to her food quietly.

“Fucking Hestia thinking that she can-“

“Padfoot.” Remus took a glance at Hestia, who was way too close for Sirius to complain about her. “D’you need to go somewhere to cool off?” He asked under his breath.

“No, I- I’m fine. Sorry.” Remus smiled at him.

“Don’t be. It was… thank you.” He settled on, pretty much at a loss for words.

Sirius was just… perfect.

With how dicey his situation was getting, he really needed someone like Sirius on his side, so he was going to fucking cherish every minute of it.

[carnelianwings]

Another week, another shop tournament!

Didn’t win the promo pack gacha but someone else did so I bought my 4th Thasus off of them, so now I’m all set for Set 11 Minerva. 🥰🥰🥰

Played Gandeeva this week, managed to go 2-0 into the 3rd round … where I promptly lost to Prison. Again. 😅 Still, 2-1 is a solid finish for me and I’m pretty happy with the result (but I’m happy with it every time I go net positive).

(More card game ramblings under the cut)

First game was actually a Gandeeva mirror. Won in the end going second because I had the stronger G3 turn and kept pushing advantage from there. Also helped my opponent didn’t get 5 into bind on his G3 turn so I didn’t have to use up as many cards to guard.

Second game was against Messiahs, also went second, so I had a turn to Do Gandeeva Things before my opponent went all in with the Locks. This is also my first game against the new Messiah Stride deck, so I was mostly going off of “generally good anti-Link Joker strats” I’d learned from going up against Link Joker and Messiahs in Zero. Kind of nice that the Lock effect doesn’t pass through into my turn, but to be honest Gandeeva naturally counters against Messiah somewhat because it tends to pass turn with 2 units on the board. This game ended because I managed to scale just hard enough my opponent had to no guard one of my rear guard swings despite having an 8 card hand (of mostly G1+ units, no triggers, and no PGs). After the game I learned he had to bot deck 2 PGs on a check Top 3, call 1 bot deck the rest skill, which is just ☠️ vs a high powered deck like Gandeeva.

Match 3 was Prison, and my god that match up just lives rent free in my head now. Despite actively trying to play against it (tried to empty Soul as much as I could for the Purelight turn), I still ended up losing because of Penetrate Aquas’ guard restrict. That said, I was starting to realize I needed to fine tune my deck some (the ratios just didn’t quite feel right and made some things kind of clunky) plus while running Bavs G0/G1 can help me deck thin I think I’d rather run pure Gandeeva Ride line so I can take advantage of the Dragon Empire cycler to maintain hand size and to either find more pieces or draw some defensive power. Definitely could’ve used it on the Snow turn so I think I’m going to do that.

All in all, another fun week of locals, I think next week we might all agree on a “fun” week so I’ll probably chill and enter with Bavsargra (because I do really enjoy how she plays with the Set 9 support).

[heartsticker11]

Top 5 Bigfoot Sightings

Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is a creature that has captured the imagination of adventurers, storytellers, and cryptid hunters for decades. Alleged sightings of this mysterious, ape-like being have been reported across North America, with stories spanning from dense forests to remote mountain ranges. But with so many reports, which ones stand out? Let’s dive into the Top 5 Bigfoot Sightings and uncover the stories behind them.

1. The Patterson-Gimlin Film (1967) – Bluff Creek, California

2. The Paul Freeman Encounter (1994) – Blue Mountains, Washington

Paul Freeman, a forest patrolman, reported seeing not only a Bigfoot but also its footprints deep in Washington’s Blue Mountains. Freeman’s encounter reignited the Bigfoot craze with photographs and video evidence that many believe are credible. His detailed documentation is still referenced in cryptid research circles today.

3. Bigfoot Sighting on Mount Hood (2000s) – Oregon

There have been numerous sightings around Mount Hood, Oregon—an area known for its wilderness and mysterious allure. Local hikers have reported large footprints and strange noises in the night, with some even claiming to catch glimpses of a massive, shadowy figure. Mount Hood has become a popular destination for Bigfoot enthusiasts hoping to experience their own encounter.

4. The Ohio Grassman (1978) – Minerva, Ohio

In 1978, residents of Minerva, Ohio, reported seeing a large, hairy creature in their backyard. Known locally as the "Ohio Grassman," this Bigfoot-like being reportedly raided garbage cans and was spotted multiple times near wooded areas. The story captivated Ohio residents, and reports of sightings continue to trickle to this day.

5. The Beast of Whitehall (1976) – New York

A group of teenagers in Whitehall, New York, claimed to encounter a large, bipedal creature while driving at night. Several police officers investigated the area and later confirmed seeing the same beast. Known as the Beast of Whitehall, this encounter became one of the most documented Bigfoot sightings in the northeastern United States.

Bonus: Celebrate Bigfoot Adventures with Us!

Why Are We So Fascinated by Bigfoot?

Bigfoot sightings often represent more than just folklore—they symbolize the mystery and allure of the unknown. From campfire tales to TV shows, the search for Bigfoot reflects our desire to connect with untamed wilderness and explore what lies beyond modern understanding.

Join the Bigfoot Community These sightings may leave us with more questions than answers, but one thing is for sure—Bigfoot stories aren't going away anytime soon. Whether you believe in Bigfoot or not, the hunt for this elusive creature continues to inspire curiosity, exploration, and creativity.

Want to read more about Bigfoot and other amazing designs? Head to our main article on Heart Sticker and discover how we bring these stories to life through stickers and accessories!

Explore your wild side and show off your passion for adventure with Heart Sticker’s exclusive Bigfoot-themed designs! Who knows—maybe your next hike will lead to the next great Bigfoot sighting!

[mybookplacenet]

Author Interview: Minerva Hart

Tell us about yourself.: I'm a millennial, self-published author currently living in Italy. I'm married, but no kids so far. I have three published novels under my belt, and about a dozen potential novels in my head, yet to be realized. Where did you grow up, and how did this influence your writing?: I was born in Rome, Italy, though I also spent time in the United States and Israel (no, I'm not Jewish). I also traveled quite a bit with my mother, seeing France, England, Ireland, Spain, Jamaica, the Czech Republic, and others. I like to think that makes me more willing to create stories inspired by different countries instead of always setting them in places familiar to me. Do you have any unusual writing habits? I mean, they're not unusual to me, so I don't really know. I come up with an idea, jot it down on whatever's available, and then develop it on my laptop later. I write down the entire plot, theme, and character details on a sort of Wiki page only I know about, which I then use as a cheat-sheet when I'm actually writing the novel. Sure, things change from that initial document (events turn out differently, characters transform, even the ending can surprise me), but I feel better about having something to consult when I'm uncertain. What authors have influenced you? I was born in Rome, Italy, though I also spent time in the United States and Israel (no, I'm not Jewish). I also traveled quite a bit with my mother, seeing France, England, Ireland, Spain, Jamaica, the Czech Republic, and others. I like to think that makes me more willing to create stories inspired by different countries instead of always setting them in places familiar to me. Do you have any advice for new authors? Besides the ol' gem to show, not tell? Okay. Work hard to make the setting and characters as real to the readers as they already are to you. What is the best advice you have ever been given? It wasn't given to me personally, but it's become my mantra when it comes to writing: "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: Read a lot and write a lot." Stephen King. What are you reading now? 'A Man Called Ove' by Fredrik Backman. It's okay. Not my favorite so far this year, but it's okay. What's your biggest weakness? My stories can be a bit too long sometimes. I know that, and I'm trying to curb the habit. What is your favorite book of all time? One of my favorite books of all time (I really can't give that Number One spot to any book) is 'Chocolat' by Joanne Harris. Not only does it make me hunger for something rich and sweet, but the story is as heartfelt as it is compelling, with characters that I love, a setting I can practically reach out and touch, and a villain's defeat that had me in stitches. When you're not writing, how do you like to spend your time? I like to read (duh), listen to music, watch movies with my husband, and play on the PlayStation 5. Do you remember the first story you ever read, and the impact it had on you? 'Where The Wild Things Are' is the first story to stand out in my mind, and I still love the wild (ha-ha) fantasy of it. I especially love the monster designs, which as frightening as well as loveable. The little boy is a brat, but in the best way possible. What has inspired you and your writing style? Inspiration hits me from all sides. Anything from a real-life incident to a treasured fairy tale to a concept that I think could've been explored better can become the seed of one of my novels. Wherever I get my ideas from, it always starts with, "What if?" I like to think my style's my own, not really mimicking anyone's. I think it used to happen when I was younger: Whoever I was reading, I'd unintentionally take on their style in my writing. But I like to think that's behind me now. What are you working on now? I have a completed first draft for a contemporary sci-fi novel that explores the themes of trauma, addiction, and how love can be lost - and found - between family members. What is your favorite method for promoting your work? I don't know. I use what's available to me. Sometimes it works, other times it doesn't. What's next for you as a writer? Just gonna keep chugging, as they say. I'm going to start working on the second draft soon, all the while jotting down ideas for whatever new stories might pop into my head. How well do you work under pressure? I think I manage okay. How do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing? I guess it depends on the situation I'm writing about. If characters are in danger, I want to describe the unease they feel. If characters are safe, and enjoying each other's company, my tone is relaxed and even playful. It all depends on the context. If you could share one thing with your fans, what would that be? My fans? Aw, I hope I've got a few. Being self-published, I've had to fight for every single sold copy. But if I do have at least a couple of fans, I'd say this: Thanks for being there, and I hope my writing continues to please you! Minerva Hart's Author Websites and Profiles Amazon Profile Goodreads Profile Minerva Hart's Social Media Links Twitter Read the full article

[cupiditasfm]

Skeleton #16: Minerva

OPEN

- Maeve Trinity Carter-Byrne (Only daughter to Amanda and Logan/ Only child to Amanda and Logan, Socialite and Writer/Activist, might be the only sane one in the entire family who wants to change the company and the family for the better) fc suggestion: Florence Pugh

Brief description: She's very dedicated to charity work and donating money to good causes. She's driven to change the world, she's wonderfully gifted with her words. She even penned a letter to Parliament about climate change when she was only nine years old. Maeve might be the only one in the entire family who isn't insane. She has a good head on her shoulders, she's responsible, she knows how to have a good time but she knows when to come home and be a responsible young woman. Her progressive views scare the crap out of her father, he wants to keep her under his thumb and silent... better to keep her docile and in line than wild and unruly. But she won't be silenced, she actively challenges her grandparents, her dad, her mom, her aunts and uncles, even her cousins. She knows what is right and wrong and she's fed up that her family sees horrid things done within the family unit and the company and yet they do nothing. Maeve has had enough and wants to take action... perhaps she might be the whistle-blower on her family by using her connections with her grand-aunt Kitty and the media.