#monday night by satellite

[darlinhutchence]

michael hutchence on the set of max q's trippy monday night by satellite music video circa 1990

📸: kendall casey

[wanderingwolpertinger]

I HAVE A PHONE SCREENING FOR AN INTERNSHIP ON THURSDAY!!!!

[pupsmailbox]

MOON︰NIGHT ID PACK

NAMES︰ aelin. aeline. aibek. aku. alcmene. alta. amal. amalthea. amaris. amaya. apollo. arche. archer. ariel. arielune. arion. artemis. aruna. atla. atlas. ay. aydan. ayla. baku. bianca. cal. cali. calli. callisto. celestia. celina. celine. chandra. charon. chroma. crescent. damaris. dark. deimos. diarene. dione. dipper. dream. dusk. elaine. elara. erion. esme. esmere. europa. ganymede. hala. halo. hara. helen. helena. helene. hyperion. hypnos. io. jaci. jericho. june. kamari. khonshu. koko. koray. layla. luan. luna. lunar. lunatalia. lunavenly. lune. luno. mere. mia. midnight. miranda. mirande. mirando. miyako. monday. moon. moony. moonyx. morpheus. mya. myia. neoma. nocturne. nox. oberon. orion. phobos. phoebe. portia. puck. raka. rhea. runa. rune. runo. salina. saline. sandra. selena. selene. selephina. somnia. somnus. thea. titan. titana. titane. titania. titanio. titano. twilight. umbriel. vesper. volana.

PRONOUNS︰ cloud/cloud. cloudy/cloudy. cosmi/cosmic. crater/crater. cre/crescent. crescent/crescent. dark/dark. day/dream/daydream. daydream/daydream. dream/dream. dusk/dusk. ecli/eclipse. evening/evening. galaxy/galaxy. lua/luna. luna/luna. luna/lunar. lunar/lunar. midnight/midnight. moon/moon. night/night. nocturnal/nocturnal. nox/nox. orb/orb. orbi/orbit. orbit/orbit. phase/phase. satellite/satellite. sha/shadow. shadow/shadow. sleep/sleep. sleepy/sleepy. star/star. umbra/umbra. 🌃. 🌌. 🌑. 🌒. 🌓. 🌔. 🌕. 🌖. 🌗. 🌘. 🌙. 🌚. 🌛. 🌜. 🌠.

[sunflowervoltwentyeight]

Happy 28th! Here is my June 2024 fic rec, organized by word count, from longest to shortest. You can view my other fic recs here. Enjoy!

Oxford AU Series by stylinsoncity / @aliensingucci (130k)

Come As You Are  (77k) “I think it could be like this all the time,” Harry says. “I know it doesn’t make sense but I think you should consider it. I could make you happy if you let me.”  louis is a professor of literature at oxford and harry is his newest and most eager protege. both are caught in a story about forbidden love, loss and second chances, in which one is on the brink of heartbreak and the other comes along when he's needed most. Overwhelmingly You (47k) more reflections post-oxford. Notes on Oxford (5k) glimpses at life before, during and beyond oxford, in no particular order

Satellite by suspendrs / @suspendrs (100k)

“It’s been three years since I’ve had a proper hot meal,” Louis says finally. “I have no idea where my family is, or if any of them are even still alive. The only reason I’ve been able to keep myself alive for as long as I have is because I keep to myself, stay guarded, stay hidden. It’s the only way I know how to live,” he says.

Harry wants to cry, but he tries to put on a brave face when Louis finally meets his eyes. “You’re safe here. You don’t have to be so guarded around me,” Harry says quietly, earnestly.

 “That’s very sweet of you,” Louis says, putting his fork down. “But yes I do. Especially around you.”

Or, Louis needs a house. Harry offers him a home.

Just Pretend by kingsofeverything / @kingsofeverything (90k)

Louis Tomlinson is a divorced dad who doesn't date. What free time he has, he likes to spend with his teenage daughter, and if he wants to take someone home, he does it when she's spending the weekend with her mom.

Then he meets Harry Styles, another divorced dad with a teenage daughter, who convinces him it’s a good idea to pretend they're dating to keep their kids happy.

Into The Midnight Sun by summerwine @smrwine (63k)

Every day without Louis was a never ending blue Monday. Every day went without his sweetness and warmth and the radiant colours of his flame. The tenor of his voice became unfamiliar and muddled between going so long without the sound of it and getting lost with every other voice clouding Harry’s memory.But he was here now, warming Harry’s bones with lips like summer. Every moment in his arms felt like a Sunday stroll through London. Beautiful and stormy and feeling every bit like home. or, It's 1983, Harry embarks on his first world tour and Louis is a budding actor in LA. Life spent apart isn't easily adjustable, but somehow they make it work.

Everything of Mine Is Yours by blueskiesrry / @blueskiesrry (33k)

"Did you two have a good time?”

Harry in his bathroom, brushing his teeth with frizzy hair and tired eyes. Harry on the couch cuddled up with Posy, cradling her in the crook of his elbow, humming a soft song. Harry laughing with his friends in a pub on a Friday night, a flower field in his eyes. Harry in his bed tucked under the covers, naked against fresh sheets like a shock of moonlight cutting through a storm.

“Yeah,” he says. “We did.”

or: With Harry in New York finishing up his PhD and Louis in London working as a solicitor, they try to navigate their eight year situationship including almost-daily phone calls, the occasional indulgence of casual phone sex, and endless gossip sessions as the feelings they have for each other get harder to ignore.

Changing Weather (For Worse or For Better) by haztobegood / @haztobegood (3k)

Five times it's raining and one time it stops.

Spoon Time by shiptattou / @wecantalktomorrow (2k)

There was nothing going on between them outside of the normal bro-pal-laddy-dude things every other set of best friends did. All sets of best friends did things like this. You know, hanging out every day, staying up late, and chatting until the wee hours which usually ended up as a sleepover and bed-sharing. There is nothing going on between them.

That is what Harry was going to keep telling himself and everyone around them, anyway because it is the truth, after all.

[accio-victuuri]

year-end sugar rush round up 🍭

it’s time for the last round up of 2023. we have made it through another year filled with clownery and love for the boys! as per my tradition in posting year end candy recaps, i am releasing early 31st cause i am gonna be busy with nye shows. i hope you enjoy looking through all the happiness the final month gave us. have a great new year’s eve everyone!!!

if you wanna look through the past months or year/s then go to this link. 🔗

i’m adding a little exercise to this post tho and ask you, what are your top 5 cpns of the year? please comment or reblog with your answers!

• The tattoo rumor resurfaces ( new clue? )

• Bowing to the crowd as thank you

• 13 fake rumors - from the vault

• potential wedding photoshoot and “superman can’t fly”

• not really cpn but a media account on tiktok posted a video of xz’s appearance in MBS. they used the tags related to xiao zhan for more views, but they included one that has wang yibo’s name on it. 😂 i know that they might have just chosen an already existing tag with xz and wyb name on it and forgot to edit it. but it’s still a funny incident.

• 12/3 ZSWW Fake Rumor ( pre singapore timeline )

• 12/4 fake story contribution ( wolf mates for life )

• Washing candies only make it sweeter

• An example of bjyx being an open secret ( sort of )

photos were going around of a yibo vcr played in a chanel annual meeting in china. we were all happy to see wyb lookin so good and fresh faced, but what we noticed is his top.

the style of top he was wearing (p1) is very similar to that of GG’s (p2) at the airport when he was flying back to Beijing. it’s probably because the weather is getting colder so they wear this instead of their usual esspensive t-shirts?

the point is it’s kind of like the same-style in a close timeframe from each other. so it seems like their tastes in casual clothes are still very close.

• 12/7/23 Candies ( GQ MOTY + XZS Singapore vlog)

• The GQ MOTY hat was a gift from XZ 🤍 // Part two : I have to say that this has become a favorite one among cpns and has become notorious since so/os from both sides are trying so desperately to wash it. those on xz’s side using rocco’s 227 kadian to dispute everything even if it was their fault they were called out while xz was busy working his ass of shooting LOCH. this is just a reminder that the celebrity is not equal to their fans. whatever drama both sides do to each other, has nothing to do with us and does not reflect the boy’s relationship. 🤍

• Coffee from Singapore CPN ☕️

• All the things that happened Monday Morning of 12/11 which includes the magazine covers, pants, xz going online for a moment etc.

• xiao zhan’s snowman ⛄️

• The fact that WYB was wearing the bone necklace tho hidden during his BAZAAR photoshoot. The ones in focus were of course Chanel, but those who pay attention will see it. A proof of how special it is. Imagine WYB being bare faced and only had stuff that he actually needs, and he decided to keep the necklace on.

• Not exactly CPN but more of a similarity i love to see. cause Shandong Satellite TV decided to air BAH right after SBMS! We love to see their works not only be shown in online platforms, but also in satellite TV stations.

• Candy Throwback : Alexander Mcqueen shoes, Nike off white & WYB’s missing mole

• 12/15 double attack of stock photos from XZS and YBO. The black and white theme! Anytime these two decide to give us some update is a happy day!

• Du Hua describes WYB’s looks as that of a rabbit

• Tencent Video All Star Night CPNs 💛

• 12/19 they both went back to Beijing. ZZ was in Shanghai to film and WYB also filmed CCTV stage. The thing is WYB started filming at 2:00 AM and then he was back at the airport to leave at 10:00 AM. They both arrived to BJ so close to each other. CPN is they tried really hard to be back home & be together that day ♥️

• throwback cpn : wyb prepares xz’s room in hengdian (2021)

• their studios posting so close together for winter solstice! tho wyb’s is a preview for his new single, ybo still greeted people.

• Winter solstice CPNs ( WYB’s song preview and GG’s photoset )

• Clowning about a possible secret message from a 9key code

• “Everything is lovely” similarity from xzs caption and yibo’s new single and more clues like a possible connection to an lrlg post & what looks like a rabbit and character for ox.

• black and yellow similarity!

• 12/26 WYB EP cpn post ( teaser lyrics )

• FAE : Free and Easy sweater

• Same style of editing between XZS and YBO who we all know are dating ☺️☺️☺️

• 12/28 candies

• Marie Claire x Xiao Zhan issue 🍭🍬

• Yibo’s new singles : Bystander & Everything is Lovely

• LRLG 12/30 translation and short commentaries

• LRLG responding to cpf comments

• Wang Wang Xianbei 😂😂😂😂

• Similar clothes and Participating in the same single for a nye song

That’s all for now, See you next year!!!! ❤️💛💚

[makehydrafictionagain]

Public Relations (MCU x Reader)- Ch. 2 Pt. 2

Summary: You struggle with your conflicting feelings after leaving Stark Tower the night before, attempting to find solace in the familiarity of home. As tensions rise within the Avengers team, they regroup to protect you, who has begun to understand the gravity of the situation you are involved in.

Here is the link to the other parts!

Monday, May 4, 2015

The lobby of Stark Tower still bore scars from the chaos of Ultron’s attack two nights earlier. Shattered glass crunched underfoot, and the air carried the sharp metallic tang of exposed wiring and scorched materials. Steve Rogers and Maria Hill walked side by side, their steps purposeful as they reviewed the latest reports.

The screens on the walls displayed streams of global reports: incidents at labs, destroyed facilities, and grainy surveillance footage of metallic figures. Steve Rogers stood at the center of it all, his arms crossed as Maria Hill briefed him.

“He's all over the globe,” Maria said, her tone clipped as she tapped on her tablet. “Robotics labs, weapons facilities, jet propulsion labs- reports of a metal man, or men, coming in and emptying the place.”

Steve frowned, leaning in slightly. “Fatalities?”

“Only when engaged,” Maria replied, handing the tablet to him. “Mostly guys left in a fugue state going on about old memories, worst fears, and ‘something too fast to see.’”

“Maximoffs,” Steve muttered, his expression darkening. “Well, it makes sense he’d go to them. They have someone in common.”

Maria’s lips tightened as she tapped another command into the tablet in his hands. “Not anymore.”

On the screen was an image of Baron Strucker’s lifeless body, the word PEACE smeared in blood on the wall beside him. Steve’s jaw clenched at the sight.

For a moment, he said nothing, his grip tightening on the tablet. Then he handed it back to Maria, exhaling sharply. “We need to find him before this gets worse.”

“I’ve got teams combing through satellite feeds and traffic records,” Maria said. “If Ultron’s moving, we’ll find him.”

Steve nodded but didn’t move. His attention lingered on the reports, his thoughts clearly torn.

After a beat, he turned back to Maria, his voice softer but no less serious. “Have you heard anything from Ms. _____ this morning?”

Maria arched an eyebrow at Steve’s question. “_____?” she said, glancing briefly at her tablet. “She’s probably pissed and staying out of the way. Makes sense after everything.”

Steve nodded, though his expression remained tense. “She’s been through a lot. I just want to make sure she’s okay.”

Maria paused, studying him. Her sharp gaze softened slightly. “She’ll be fine, Steve. She just needs time to adjust- to understand what she’s part of now.”

Steve didn’t look convinced.

Maria added, “I’ll check on her when I finish up here. Let her have some space for now.”

Steve nodded slowly, though the tightness in his shoulders didn’t ease. “Thanks,” he said quietly.

Maria gave him a small nod before returning to her work. Steve lingered for a moment longer, before forcing himself to bring his focus back on the mission at hand.

-

Maria didn’t go to your room immediately. She let a couple of hours pass, figuring you could use the time to rest and decompress after the chaos of the past few days. But as the workload in the command center slowed and her mind wandered back to Steve’s concern, Maria decided it was time to check in.

The hallways of Stark Tower were quiet as she approached your quarters. Maria knocked lightly on the door. “_____? It’s Maria.”

There was no answer. Maria frowned and knocked again, louder this time. Still nothing.

She reached for the keypad beside the door and tapped in her access code. The door pushed open, revealing an impeccably tidy room. Maria stepped inside, immediately sweeping over the space.

The bed was neatly made, the desk cleared of clutter, and the suitcases and wooden box that had delivered your belongings sat packed and lined against the wall. your laptop was noticeably absent, along with any sign of your personal effects.

Maria sighed violently, her lips pressing into a tight line, as she turned back to the door.

Exiting the room, Maria headed straight for the command center. As she walked, she tapped her earpiece, her tone brisk as she addressed the team. “Nat. Call me on the secure line. Now.”

Maria’s secure cell buzzed in her pocket as she sifted through the surveillance logs. She pulled it out, answering immediately when she saw Natasha’s name on the screen.

“Hill,” she said briskly.

“What’s going on?” Natasha’s voice was clipped, no time wasted.

“_____'s gone,” Maria replied, straight to the point. “Her room’s empty; suitcases packed, laptop gone. I’m tracing her movements now.”

There was a pause before Natasha responded, her tone sharp. “How long has she been gone?”

“Probably since last night,” Maria said. “She’s not on the Lobby’s surveillance cameras, so she either used the utility stairwell or rappelled down the damn Tower. I’m working on pinning down the exact time.”

Natasha sighed, the sound heavy with frustration. “Steve’s going to be very unhappy about this.”

“I figured,” Maria replied, already pulling up another set of logs. “He seemed anxious to know if she was okay this morning.”

“I’ll talk to him,” Natasha said firmly. “Focus on finding her. Let me know when you have anything.”

“I will,” Maria assured her.

Natasha ended the call, not responding.

Maria stared at the blank screen for a moment before slipping the phone back into her pocket. She exhaled sharply, refocusing on the task at hand.

What the fuck, _____?

-

You woke with a groan, the ache in your muscles serving as an unwelcome reminder of the previous few days. your body protested as you pushed yourself upright, the motion sluggish and disjointed, as though you were still half-asleep. The morning light streamed through the curtains, muted by the haze of dust you hadn’t noticed accumulating in your absence.

Sliding your feet onto the floor, you pushed yourself up with a tired sigh. Your head felt heavy as you shuffled toward the kitchen. The familiar creaks of your old wooden floorboards felt grounding in a way nothing else had since you returned.

You flicked on the light in the kitchen, the sudden brightness making your wince. your phone sat face down on the counter where you’d left it the night before. You considered picking it up, plugging it into the charger and reading the messages you knew would be there. Instead, you turned away.

You grabbed a box of cereal from the cupboard and poured yourself a bowl, letting the clinking sound of dry flakes fill the silence. No milk. You didn’t care enough to check.

Walking into the living room, you considered turning on the TV, but the thought of stumbling upon anything resembling current events made your stomach churn. you had no interest in seeing the world pick apart what was left of the Avengers- or maybe even yourself.

Instead, you crouched by the bookshelf under your TV, where your old DVD collection gathered dust. Rom-coms, animated classics, cheesy action flicks; nothing profound or important.

You grabbed one at random and popped it into the DVD player and let the title screen roll without hitting play. You sank into the couch, staring blankly at the TV. The colorful images offering just enough distraction to keep your mind from wandering too far.

The stillness didn’t last. A faint flicker caught your attention, the overhead light in the living room dimming for a moment before steadying again. You glanced upward, your brows furrowing, but you quickly dismissed it. Before you were able to reach for the ‘play’ button, the backlights of the TV flickered black, revealing your reflection. An unrecognizable woman, unkempt and disordered, sitting on your sofa. When the flickering ended and the familiar song of the main menu returned, you didn’t have it in you to press play.

Probably just the end of the world.

It wasn’t as though anything worked properly anymore. Ultron’s attack had thrown everything into chaos. What was one more glitch in a world falling apart?

You leaned back against the couch, your arms folding over your chest as you stared at the screen. Everything felt distant, muted. Your thoughts drifted to Stark Tower, to the team.

What am I even doing?

The question repeated in your mind, cycling between shame and resignation. You hadn’t expected to feel relief when you left the Tower, but you hadn’t anticipated this emptiness either.

A strange static emerged from the other side of the room, bringing your attention to the old, never-used landline that was installed into the wall. You had kept it as vintage decor from the previous owner, thinking it was a respectful nod to the times past. You looked back at the TV, deciding it was useless being concerned. It didn’t matter. Nothing did- not really.

For a moment, you closed your eyes, letting the soft melody of the DVD menu and the buzzing of the phone fill the silence.

You exhaled, long and slow, sinking further into the couch. The weight of the world could wait- at least until the next glitch disrupted your fragile bubble.

Your eyes fluttered open after a moment, your gaze landing back on the looping DVD menu still playing on the TV. The repetitive music scratched unpleasantly at your nerves, but you didn’t bother to do anything about it. It was easier to let it play than to summon the energy to turn it off.

The clock on the wall told you it was only 12:30 p.m., but it felt like an entire day had already passed.

Your stomach grumbled, reminding you you hadn’t eaten anything substantial since yesterday morning. You pushed yourself off the couch and shuffled into the kitchen, your bare feet brushing against the cool floor, and opened the cupboard.

The contents of your pantry were sparse: boxes of dry goods and a few cans of soup lined the shelves. Your eyes landed on a container of plain oats, and you sighed, pulling it out along with a small bowl.

You worked on autopilot, filling the bowl with water and setting it in the microwave. After you set the microwave timer to 2 minutes, you reached into another cabinet of mugs. You set it next to your electric kettle, pouring water in and flipping the switch.

Your movements were methodical, detached. you removed the bowl from the microwave and spooned oats into it, stirring them absently. The rhythmic motion of your hand was almost hypnotic, allowing your mind to wander.

When the oatmeal was ready, you added a plain tea bag to your mug and poured the hot water over it, letting the steam rise as you carried both to the living room.

The bowl of oatmeal and tea sat on the coffee table as you retrieved an old, well-worn book from the small shelf beside the couch. you settled back onto the couch, the blanket draped over your lap, and opened the book. you picked at the oatmeal with your spoon, eating slowly as your eyes skimmed the words.

For a brief moment, the world outside faded away. you sipped your tea, savoring the warmth it offered, and let yourself get lost in the page.

At some point, your eyelids grew heavy. you rested the book on your chest and leaned back against the couch, your body sinking into the cushions. The quiet tune of the DVD menu still played in the background, blending with the sound of your steady breathing.

-

You weren't sure how long you slept, but when your eyes fluttered, the house felt eerily still. The television had timed out from inactivity, and there was no static in the air. The light coming through the windows had softened, the late afternoon glow casting long shadows on the floor. you moved to your side, nuzzling into the cushions further.

Ring-ring

Your head snapped toward the landline on the wall, your heart pounding in your chest. The phone hadn’t worked in years, its cord tangled and its receiver dusty. you stared at it, waiting for another sound, but the silence stretched on.

Was I dreaming?

You rubbed your eyes, your breath shaky as you tried to steady yourself. The buzz of the static you'd noticed earlier had returned, but now it felt louder, more deliberate. You shook your head and let out a nervous laugh. Your gaze lingered on the phone for a moment longer before you forced yourself to stand.

-

By 5:30 p.m., you were in the bathroom, the soft stepping of your feet on the tile the only sound. you caught a glimpse of yourself in the mirror.

Your hair was a mess, your eyes puffy, and the outfit you left Stark Tower in was begging to be washed. You avoided looking too closely, your focus shifting to the shower instead.

Twisting the knobs, you let the water run until steam filled the room. You pulled your clothes off and let them fall to the floor, stepping into the stream and letting the warmth wash over you.

The water cascaded over your shoulders, the steady stream a small relief against the tension knotted in your muscles. You let your forehead rest against the cool tiles of the shower wall, closing your eyes as the heat enveloped you. For a brief moment, the world outside didn’t exist- no chaos, no destruction, no disappointment.

You exhaled slowly, the steam filling the small bathroom as you tried to let go of the irritation that had clung to you all day. But no amount of scalding water could wash away the memories of the past few days or the gnawing sense of unease in your chest.

Shutting off the water, you stepped out of the shower, grabbing your robe from the hook on the door. You wrapped it tightly around yourself, the soft fabric offering some comfort against the chill of the air. You gently dried your hair with a towel, moving slower than normal.

You left the bathroom, walking into your bedroom, where the light was dim and the setting sun’s shadows stretched across the floor. You sat on the edge of your bed, the towel now draped over your lap as you stared blankly at the far wall. The quiet sounds of your home buzzed in the background, a steady reminder of the mundane life you'd been trying to hold onto.

A small sound broke through the buzz, quiet at first, just the slightest creak of a floorboard.

Your head turned, ear facing the sound as if to echolocate, your heart immediately pounding in your chest. You sat frozen for a moment, straining to listen. Another creak, followed by the distinct sound of something shifting in the hallway.

Your pulse quickened as adrenaline surged through your veins.

You stood abruptly, your bare feet hitting the floor as your mind raced. You knew the world wasn’t safe anymore, especially for anyone remotely associated with the Avengers. But this? This was too close, too real.

Your eyes darted to the small safe tucked in the corner of your closet. You moved toward it quickly, your hands trembling slightly as you fumbled with the lock.

Focus.

Your fingers worked the combination, the clicks sounding louder than usual in the silence of the room. Finally, the safe opened, and you pulled out your firearm, gripping it tightly as you tried to steady your shaking hands.

You’ve trained for this. It could be anything. You can do this.

But it wasn’t just any other threat. The fear clawing at your throat reminded you of that all too clearly.

Before you could even process your next move, the open door to your bedroom exploded inward.

The sound was deafening, wood splintering as the frame shattered under the force. You instinctively ducked, shielding your face as pieces of the door flew across the room. When you looked up, your heart stopped.

A drone hovered in the doorway, pieces of wiring and metal hanging off of what was shaped like a person. It was horrifying; mangled and incomplete. Its glowing red eyes fixed on you like a predator sizing up its prey.

Your breath hitched as you stumbled back, your grip on the gun tightening. Your mind raced, your thoughts a chaotic blur.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Your hands trembled violently as you raised the gun, struggling to steady your aim. Your breath came in ragged gasps, adrenaline coursing through your veins like fire. You were terrified, but you forced yourself to focus on the glowing red target at its center.

“Don’t come any closer!” You screamed, your voice cracking as the words tore out of your throat. Your finger tightened on the trigger, your entire body bracing for what came next.

The drone ignored your warning.

With a cry of desperation, you fired, the deafening crack of the gunshot echoing in the room. The bullet struck the drone’s shoulder, sparks flying as it staggered briefly. But it wasn’t enough to stop it.

“I said- don’t-” you screamed again, your voice louder this time, almost frantic. You fired another 4 shots in rapid succession, but the drone kept coming. Each bullet ricocheted off its armored frame, leaving behind only dents and scratches.

The drone’s weapon whirred to life, the glowing red of its energy cannon intensifying as it retaliated.

You screamed as the blast erupted, a searing beam of heat and light shooting toward you. You fired one last shot before the blast hit, the heat grazing your forearm as it struck the gun in your hands.

The weapon flew out of your fingers, clattering to the floor with a dense thud. Pain erupted in your palm, a sharp, burning sensation that made your gasp and stumble backward. Tears filled your eyes as you clutched your hand to your chest, the skin raw and reddened where the heat had licked it.

“Damn it!” You cried, your voice shaking with fear. The gun was out of reach, lying useless on the floor between you and the advancing machine. You backed away, your bare feet using the carpet as an anchor to push off of.

Panic surged through you, your mind screaming at you to run, to fight, to do something- anything. But the drone loomed closer, its mechanical body unrelenting, its glowing eyes unfeeling.

“Please, no,” you whispered, your voice barely audible as your back hit the wall. Your heart pounded so hard you thought it might burst, each beat drowning out every other sound. You looked around desperately, your wide eyes darting to the shattered doorway, the dresser, the scattered debris. There was no escape, no cover, no chance.

The drone’s weapon powered up again, the red glow growing brighter as it aimed directly at you.

Your body trembled uncontrollably, tears streaming down your face as you pressed yourself against the wall. You closed your eyes, your burned hand clutching the folds of your robe as you braced for the inevitable. The whir of the drone’s weapon reached its crescendo, the light so bright it bled through your closed eyelids.

And then you heard it. A series of sharp, calculated sounds; gunfire, movement, a metallic thud.

Your eyes flew open just in time to see the drone stagger, its metallic frame riddled with impact marks. It didn’t even have time to react before a figure moved into the room.

Maria.

She fired another shot, hitting a critical joint in the drone’s arm, causing it to jerk violently. The weapon it had been aiming at you flickered and died as Maria delivered the final blow, a calculated strike that sent the drone crashing to the ground in a heap of sparking metal.

The room fell silent except for the dying sizzle of the drone’s remains. You sat frozen against the wall, your breath coming in uneven gasps. The sharp scent of burned circuits filled your nostrils, mixing with the lingering sting of your injured hand.

Maria turned to you, her expression stern. “Get in the car,” she barked, her voice leaving no room for argument.

You blinked, still trying to process what had just happened. “I-”

“Now,” Maria snapped, cutting you off.

You flinched, the force of Maria’s irritation hitting you like a physical blow. You nodded silently, clutching your burnt hand as you moved toward the doorway. The splintered frame and debris on the floor felt like a surreal reminder of how close you'd come to dying.

-

The car ride was awkward. You sat slumped in the passenger seat, your hand resting gingerly in your lap. The burn throbbed, a dull, persistent ache that matched the heaviness in your chest.

Your mind replayed the attack in loops, the fear still raw and clawing at you. You could still hear the drone’s weapon charging, feel the heat of the blast that had disarmed you. If Maria hadn’t shown up…

You clenched your jaw, your teeth pressing together tightly as a wave of guilt crashed over you.

How stupid can you be?

You should have taken the warnings more seriously. You shouldn’t have brushed off the flickering lights or the static on the phone. You shouldn’t have left Stark Tower.

Your gaze shifted to Maria, whose hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. Her face was set in a mask of barely contained resentment, her sharp features illuminated by the passing glow of streetlights. The silence in the car was heavy, oppressive.

You wanted to say something, anything, to break it- but what could you possibly say? Sorry? Thank you? Neither felt sufficient.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, you managed to speak, your voice quiet. “Is the team okay?”

Maria’s jaw tightened slightly before she answered, her tone curt. “They’re in South Africa, following Ultron’s trace.”

You nodded slowly, letting the silence settle back in. You stared out the window, the city blurring past in streaks of light and shadow.

You didn’t ask any more questions.

The guilt weighed heavier with each passing mile, your thoughts a whirlwind of self-recrimination.

I should have stayed. I should have listened. Now I’m just another problem for them to deal with.

From the driver’s seat, Maria’s knuckles whitened on the steering wheel. She didn’t look at you once during the drive, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. Her frustration wasn’t just with you- it was with the situation, with Ultron, with everything spiraling further out of control.

But your decision to leave Stark Tower had been reckless, and it had almost cost your life. Maria had seen too many people fall victim to their own stubbornness, too many preventable losses. She wasn’t about to let you become another statistic.

Still, the anger simmered beneath the surface, unspoken but palpable in every tense breath Maria took. She wanted to yell, to demand an explanation, but she bit her tongue. Now wasn’t the time.

You shifted slightly in your seat, but Maria didn’t acknowledge it. The silence in the car stretched, broken only by the vibration of the engine and the occasional sound of gravel crunching beneath the tires.

For you, the silence was excruciating. You stared down at your hands, your burnt palm held against your robe. The pain was manageable, but the weight of Maria’s unspoken disappointment was not.

You thought about the team, about Steve, Natasha, and even Tony. Were they okay? Were they in just as much danger as you had been? Your chest tightened at the thought.

They’re out there saving the world, and I’m here, barely able to save myself.

The guilt and shock pressed down on you until you felt like you couldn’t breathe. You swallowed hard, blinking rapidly as you fought back the burning in your eyes.

The car continued down the empty road, the tension between the two of you as thick as the night air. Neither of you spoke again.

-

The hum of the car engine faded as Maria parked outside a small, nondescript airstrip nestled in the shadows of towering security fences. You stared out the window, your hands clenched tightly in your lap. The throbbing in your burnt hand was a dull ache now, but your emotions were raw.

Maria didn’t wait for you to process. She stepped out of the car with military precision, her boots crunching against the gravel as she made her way toward the waiting jet.

You hesitated for a moment, watching Maria’s figure blur slightly in the distance. The robe you still wore, damp in places and tied hastily, felt like an embarrassing beacon of how out of place you were. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you opened the door and stepped out into the cool night air.

The gravel shifted under your feet as you followed Maria, your robe billowing slightly in the breeze. The chill sent a shiver down your spine, and you pulled the fabric tighter around yourself. You felt exposed, vulnerable, your thoughts a swirl of humiliation and residual fear.

Couldn’t even handle one drone. And now Maria has to babysit me.

The private jet sat ahead, its sleek design both intimidating and impersonal. Maria had already climbed the short staircase into the aircraft, but you hesitated at the base of the steps, glancing back at the empty, desolate airstrip.

“Let’s go,” Maria called down, her voice sharp.

You flinched and hurried up the steps, the chill of the metal biting against your bare feet.

The inside of the jet was functional, clean, devoid of comfort. The murmur of the systems and vibrations of the engines filled the silence. Maria didn’t spare you a glance as she moved toward a storage compartment, opening it with a quick, practiced motion.

“Here,” Maria said, pulling out a sleek black bodysuit that you immediately recognized as one of Natasha Romanoff’s. She held it out toward you, her expression unreadable. “Put this on.”

You stared at the suit, then up at her

“You’re joking,” you said flatly, shaking your head. “There’s no way I’m going to fit into that.”

Maria shrugged, her voice dispassionate. “Then keep the robe on. Your choice.”

With that, she turned and moved toward the cockpit, dropping into the pilot’s seat and flipping switches with precise efficiency.

You let out a frustrated sigh, clutching the suit in one hand as you stood awkwardly in the aisle. The sound of the engines powering up filled the cabin.

As the jet began to move, you stumbled toward one of the small, cramped quarters in the back. The suit felt impossibly tight in your hands, and you scowled at it, muttering under your breath. “Great.”

You shrugged off the robe and hesitated, glancing around the compartment. The jet was dimly lit, offering no real privacy, though Maria was preoccupied in the cockpit. Still, the discomfort gnawed at you as you struggled to pull the bodysuit over your almost-dried skin.

The material clung uncomfortably, every stretch and pull a reminder that it wasn’t designed for you. You winced as the turbulence of takeoff jolted the jet, causing you to stumble into the wall.

“Seriously?” You hissed, grabbing onto the edge of a seat for support.

Finally, you managed to squeeze into the suit. It pinched in places, and the neckline felt suffocatingly tight, but it was better than the robe. You wrapped your arms around yourself, trying to shake off the humiliation.

You made your way back to the cockpit, your steps unsteady as the jet gained altitude. Maria didn’t look up, her focus entirely on the controls.

You dropped into the co-pilot’s seat, crossing your arms tightly over your chest as you tried to find some semblance of comfort in the ill-fitting suit.

The two of you sat in silence, the jet humming steadily around you. You glanced sideways at Maria, who remained stoic, her attention fixed on the controls.

The weight of the day settled heavily on your shoulders. You leaned back in your seat, clutching the edges of the suit uncomfortably as the reality of everything sank in.

What now?

The thought lingered, unanswered, as the jet carried them away.

-

The atmosphere on the jet was tense, a silence weighed down by exhaustion and the raw emotions of their latest disaster. Clint Barton sat in the cockpit, his hands steady on the controls, but his expression was tight with worry. His usual easy going demeanor had been replaced by grim determination as he navigated them toward their destination.

Behind him, the rest of the team sat scattered, physically present but mentally somewhere else. Bruce Banner was slumped in a corner seat, his head in his hands, his face hidden from the others. The guilt radiated off him in waves, the destruction he’d caused in South Africa replaying endlessly in his mind.

Steve Rogers leaned forward in his seat, elbows on his knees, his hands clasped tightly as he stared at the floor. His jaw was clenched, the tension in his posture played against his effort to stay composed. Natasha Romanoff sat nearby, arms crossed, her gaze flickering between her teammates. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes carried a weight of concern and calculation.

Tony Stark, sitting closest to the comm system, broke the silence as he adjusted the controls. “Hill, you’re live,” he said, his voice flat but focused.

Maria Hill’s voice spoke through the speakers, sharp and direct. “The news is loving you guys. Nobody else is.” Her words hit, like a punch to the gut. “There’s been no official call for Banner’s arrest, but it’s in the air.”

Bruce flinched at the words but didn’t look up. Natasha glanced at him, her expression growing concerned.

Tony sighed heavily, rubbing his forehead. “Stark Relief Foundation?”

“Already on the scene,” Maria replied. There was a brief pause before she asked, “How’s the team?”

Tony hesitated, glancing around at the others. “Everyone’s... we took a hit. We’ll shake it off.” His voice carried a note of forced optimism, as though saying it out loud would make it true.

For a moment, the line was quiet except for the sound of static. Then Maria’s voice crackled again, unintelligible, distorted by interference.

Tony frowned, leaning forward to adjust the comms. “Maria?” He asked, his voice sharp with concern. He pressed a series of buttons, trying to clear the signal.

Then the sound of gunfire echoed through the speakers, followed by a scream- a voice they all recognized. Your voice. The drone that attacked you had also recorded the entire confrontation- the perfect tool for the psychological attack Ultron needed to use.

Steve shot up from his seat, his eyes wide and his expression frantic. “Maria! What’s going on? What happened?” His voice was firm, but the undercurrent of panic was impossible to miss.

Tony’s hands flew across the controls, switching frequencies and trying to reestablish contact. “Hill, do you copy?” He called, his voice tense.

Through the static, a new voice emerged- cold, mechanical, and unmistakably Ultron.

“You can’t even protect the people you claim responsibility for,” his words distorted by the interference but clear enough to strike like a dagger.

The team froze, the weight of his words hitting them all at once.

Steve leaned closer to the microphone, his knuckles white as he gripped the edge of the console. “If you hurt her-” His voice was a low growl, a threat barely contained.

Ultron didn’t respond. Instead, there was a long silence, followed by another distorted sound- laughter? Screams? It was hard to tell before the line went dead.

“Maria!” Tony barked, slamming his hand on the console in desperation.

A second later, Maria’s voice cut through the static, “I’ve got control of the line.”

“What the hell was that?” Steve demanded, his voice still tight with worry.

Maria hesitated for a beat before responding. “I have _____. She’s safe. Freaked out, but safe.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Relief washed over the team like a wave, but it was accompanied by anxiety and unease.

Steve sank back into his seat, his shoulders slumping as the weight of the moment settled over him. Natasha glanced at him briefly, empathizing.

“She’s with me,” Maria continued. “We’re heading to the same place you are. We’ll be there before you.”

Another pause. Then Tony sighed, running a hand through his hair and looking to Barton. “Speaking of- where are we going?”

Clint, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, finally spoke up from the pilot seat. “Somewhere safe.”

The cabin fell quiet again, the thrum of the jet filling the space as they processed everything that had just happened. Relief mingled with exhaustion, the weight of their failures and Ultron’s taunts lingering in the air.

Tony leaned back, putting his fist to his face in frustration- or shame.

For Steve, it was a small comfort to know you were safe, but it didn’t erase the guilt gnawing at him.

We should have protected her. She shouldn’t have been in danger to begin with.

The jet flew on, carrying them toward an uncertain future, but for now, they had one small victory: you were alive.

[girlactionfigure]

ISRAEL REALTIME - Connecting to Israel in Realtime

🔥CEASEFIRE EVENTS..

.. DRONE ALERT last evening - a Hezbollah drone flew the border, trying to draw IDF reaction.  It did not attack.

.. ROCKET ALERT early this morning in a northern town - was set off by IDF forces use of an illumination flare on the border.  Not a rocket.

.. Reuters: Hezbollah lost more than 4,000 of its men in the war - more than 10 times its losses in the Second Lebanon war - but far less than Hamas.  This does not include the thousands injured and maimed by the pager and portable radio attack.

.. Lebanese sources: Most of the Lebanon-Syria border crossings attacked by Israel have been repaired.

.. Arab source: In the document concluded by Israel and the USA there are secret clauses related to Iran and this is what made the ceasefire in Lebanon possible.

🔹SYRIA CHAOS.. fleeing Hezbollah left piles of weapons behind in Syria, with multiple Iraqi and Afghan militias supported by Iran taking over their positions. Opposition groups which include ISIS and Kurds (not together) are attacking.  The Syrian Army backed by Russia air power is attacking everyone.  Turkey will likely join, attacking the Kurds.  Israel is NOT INVOLVED.

.. Today Russian Air Force jets began bombing villages that the rebels captured yesterday west of Aleppo.

🔹JUST FOR CONTEXT - SYRIA.. Last night the Syrian Assad regime attacked a school in the city of Yereko  in southern Idlib with heavy artillery.  Several children were killed and dozens injured on the spot.  Awaiting the UN condemnation, the EU threats, and the ICC warrants.  And see the next item below.

🔸HAMAS HOSTAGE DEAL NEWS.. A delegation of the Egyptian intelligence will visit Israel today as part of the ceasefire talks in Gaza per Lebanese media.

▪️PM COURT CASE.. Netanyahu is asking the court to hold a hearing regarding his security arrangements during his testimony. In addition, he requested that by Monday the Shin Bet and the court administration present to the judges the details of the security arrangements.  One of the issues is not only the security nor the time of the beginning of the testimony, but the pace:  A prime minister who testifies three times a week six hours a day is a reality-changing event.  A prime minister who testifies once a week for three hours, another story.

▪️SOCIETAL CONFLICT OR CHANGING PRIORITIES.. the coalition passed the first reading of a new law mandating the privatization of the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation within two years, closing down the public funded broadcasting which includes Kaan news and Reshet Bet radio. If a buyer cannot be found in two years, the broadcaster will be shuttered completely and its intellectual property will revert to the government.

.. “bill’s explanatory notes say ‘the broadcaster’s current output does not justify its “extremely high” government budget and that the move is necessary to “increase competition” in the media market.’

.. The Attorney General’s Office strongly disagreed expressing concern given how many Israelis get their news through television, closing the public broadcasting corporation would minimize sources of news free from external influences and criticism of the government or broadcast of content that is not favorable to the government may lead to measures against private media.

.. The reverse site notes Israel no longer has any shortage of broadcast channels, TV, cable, satellite, and internet access, should not be spending tax shekels to fund a particular channel, puts the multiple private channels at a disadvantage competing against govt. money, and while the Attorney General states they are “free from external influence” - WHO WATCHES THE WATCHERS?  

♦️GAZA - heavy IDF air strikes this morning in the north of Nuseirat, north Gaza.

[disillusioneddanny]

Family Week Day 1. Family || Discovery

For all the things my hands have held, the best by far is you If I could fly then I would know  What life looks like from up above and down below I'd keep you safe, I'd keep you dry  Don't be afraid, Cecilia, I'm the satellite And you're the sky

Damian Wayne sighed as he set his phone down and looked at the painting in front of him. He smield to himself, the likeness between the photo he had taken of Daniel and the painting were uncanny. It had taken him weeks now to get his boyfriend to agree to let him paint a picture of him in his ghost form but now that he had gotten the permission, well all the pleading had been worth it. 

The painting of Danny floating up into a tree surrounded by flowers and a bright smile on his face would be a vision that Damian would cherish for the rest of his existence. 

He and Danny had been dating for just a little over six months now and every day so far had been perfect if Damian was going to say so himself. The two had managed to balance one another perfectly. Danny was all fun and adventure whereas Damian was more organized and practical. He managed to keep Danny from failing all of his classes at Gotham University and in return, Danny helped him live a little. 

They had met in Damian’s art class. Danny was a current English student at Gotham University whereas Damian was an art student, so they would have never really crossed paths. Except Danny had apparently needed some extra money that semester and had taken a job as a model for Damian’s art class. It had been a semester of torture where Danny would shamelessly flirt with him as he stripped down to his birthday suit to pose in front of the class. It was as though he could tell that Damian found the idiot attractive and did everything he could to make the poor vigilante blush like a bumbling virgin. 

At the end of each class period, though, Danny would approach Damian and talk and laugh with him. They had found themselves building a friendship together. They would get lunch every Thursday between classes. Damian would walk Danny back to his dorm most nights as his art class ran from seven in the evening until nine and as a good and noble vigilante that Damian was, he used that as an excuse to walk Danny to his dorm each night. 

And after the final class of their fall semester, Danny had come up to Damian and shyly asked him to go out with him on a real date. Damian had become absolutely smitten at that point. They had gone to get dinner in Bludhaven so that Damian’s meddling siblings wouldn’t catch them. As much as he loved his family, Danny was not something he was quite yet ready to share with his family.  He wanted to hold Danny tight to his chest and keep him away from the insanity that was the Wayne family. 

It was after their third date that Danny had started behaving strange and nervous with Damian and it was during their weekly lunch date that had been moved to Mondays for their Spring semester that Danny had admitted that he needed to share a secret with Damian. 

That night Damian had been dragged to Danny’s tiny two bedroom apartment in the Bowery at the beginning of their Spring semester and had learned Danny’s secret status as a halfa. He had been half dead for six years at that point and had decided that if he and Damian were going to go any further in their relationship then he had to be honest about it. 

Damian had taken that as his chance to share his own secret with Danny. He had done the thing his family had told him to never do and told the civilian that really wasn’t a civilian if Damian thought about it, that he was Robin, the vigilante. Danny had whined relentlessly that it was just his luck that he, a former vigilante would somehow find himself dating a vigilante now that he was an adult. 

Damian had just chuckled and kissed Danny’s whines away, feeling light and at ease knowing that at least his beloved would understand what it meant to be a hero. Danny had been amazing about it, too. He had accepted that Damian would have late nights, that there would be days where he was sore and unable to do much. He would just have Damian come to his apartment and dote on him. He would create ice packs to chill Damian’s sore muscles, he would hold him tight on nights where Damian had failed to save someone and gave Damian the love and attention he needed and desired. 

He hadn’t realized just how emotionally constipated his family was until he had met Danny. Until he had learned about cuddle times and had gotten to experience the joys of dancing in the hallways to Andrew McMahon, Danny’s favorite singer when his songs would come on the radio that Danny had playing at all hours of the day. It was with Danny that he had finally learned that crying was okay, that he could cry when he was frustrated, that bottling things up could lead to his downfall. Danny had taught him what it was like to be human, something Damian would have never expected from someone who was barely human himself. 

It was with Danny that Damian had learned just what love was. That it wasn’t this fragile, delicate thing that you had to constantly protect. At least not with Danny. Danny’s love was fierce and strong. His love was what kept Damian’s nightmares at bay at night. Danny was the one who Damina found himself going to when he needed comfort, when he needed someone to just listen to his problems without trying to solve all of them for him. Danny was everything that Damian needed in a partner and he couldn’t have been more thankful to find him.

He had been what Danny needed too, from what Danny had told him. In the time that they had known one another he had learned quite a bit about Danny. How he had never gotten the stability he needed growing up. How he had never felt like he could rely on anyone in his family, not even his sister. He loved Jazz but even their relationship had grown distant with her sister constantly making Danny feel inferior or like he didn’t know as much as she did. His parents had been so obsessed with their inventions that they hadn’t even noticed their son had died for four years. According to Danny they hadn’t even noticed when he started transitioning to a man. They had to be told he was trans eventually because Jazz was losing her mind over the fact that the two just didn’t notice.

It wasn’t until Danny had packed up to move to Gotham for college that they had even learned about him being Phantom. And their relationship had just gotten even worse from there. He got Christmas cards and birthday cards, and a call every so often but that was the extent of their relationship. Jazz called to check up on him every so often but from what it sounded like they weren’t the best phone calls between the two of them. 

But it was okay, Damian was here for him. He provided Danny with the stability and comfort that he needed. He was here to be the rock when Danny needed to crumble and not be strong. He provided Danny with the things he had grown up without, just like Danny did for him.

Their relationship wasn’t perfect, no far from it! They were still just two twenty year olds in their third year of college trying to navigate the world. Danny worked a lot at his job at the Gotham University library where he was a writing tutor plus his second job at the coffee shop. Unlike Damian he didn’t have family to pay for college and had managed to secure enough scholarships to cover what his government aid wouldn’t. But he still had to pay for his apartment, something he had desperately wanted after being unable to shift to his Phantom form at his dorm room for so long. It didn’t help that Danny vehemently refused to allow Damian to pay for anything for him, citing that he had no desire to be a sugar baby.

Between classes, Danny’s two jobs, and Damian’s job as Robin, the two were unable to spend nearly as much time together as Damian wanted and it had caused issues in the past. But that was fine, they were always able to move past that. 

They loved one another and love would get them through just about anything.

Damian wiped his hands on his rag as he looked around. He was currently in Danny’s apartment, waiting for the other to get back from his job at the coffee shop so that they could leave for dinner. It had happened about a month ago when Danny gave Damian a key to his apartment, citing that he wanted to give Damian a place to escape from his family when he needed. Which was appreciated. 

Damian loved his family and he thoroughly enjoyed living at the manor where he had nothing to worry about but the older he got he needed more space. And Danny’s apartment provided him with that space, and if there were a few drawers that were emptied so that Damian could store his things there? Well no one needed to know about it aside from him and Danny. 

The doorbell rang, sounding throughout the room, causing Damian to frown as he set his paint rag down and started out of the bedroom Danny used as his study room/office and made his way to the door, grabbing one of his birdarangs just to be on the safe side. Danny hadn’t said anything to him about expecting guests. 

He hadn’t said anything about anyone coming over, no packages, nothing of the sort. Damian looked through the peephole and his frown deepened when he found his mother standing on the otherside with what looked like a baby carrier in her hands. 

He swung the door open and frowned. “Mother, what are you doing here?”

She grinned and stepped into the house, pushing past Damian as she did so. 

“Oh Habibi! It has been so long since I’ve seen your precious face,” she crooned, setting the carrier down to throw her arms out and hug Damian. The former assassin simply took a step back and gave his mother a look. 

“What are you doing here?” He asked, crossing his arms over his chest, giving her a clear view of his weapon. 

She sighed and picked up the carrier once more. “I learned you were in a relationship with another man! I have brought you a gift to celebrate!” She said, thrusting the carrier into Damian’s hands. “I know that men cannot have children with other men, so I made you a child! One that is a clone of both you and Mr. Fenton.”

“Mother! You cannot just make us a child,” he hissed just as Danny walked through the door and looked between the two. Talia turned to look at Danny and grinned. 

“And you are the young man that my son is so smitten with!” she exclaimed. Damian sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. His mother had been doing everything she could to get back into Damian’s good graces the last few years and her displays of affection were steadily growing more and more over the top but this took the cake. To make him and Danny a baby to care for?

They had only been dating for six months! Had only known one another for a year! They weren’t ready for a child, not yet anyway! 

“Babe? What’s going on? Why do you have a baby?” Danny asked slowly, looking between Talia, Damian, and the baby carrier. 

“My mother thought that as our six month anniversary we were ready to raise a child together. She assumed that as we were both men, we would be unable to procreate and too matters into her own hands.”

Danny stared at him for a moment, and Damian could tell that his mind was doing mental gymnastics. “But I’m-”

“Yes, I know Daniel. But mother did not and she decided to be meddling,” he said, glaring at his mother.

“What are you talking about?” Talia asked, looking between the two. “You are both men, how else would you be able to get a child with that in the way?”

“Do not worry about that mother, just know that it was not necessary,” Damian hissed before Danny let out a curse. 

“This is the second time a fruit loop made a clone of me!” he whined, coming over to take the baby carrier from Damian. He carried the baby out of the room, leaving both Damian and his mother to stare behind him in confusion. Daniel had never told him he had been cloned before? How did he forget to mention such an important piece of information? 

… 

Danny and Damian soon found themselves staring at a sleeping little girl. She looked to be roughly three months old by Damian’s calculations, he held his intertwined hands at his mouth as he looked over the little girl. 

“She has your nose,” Danny said softly, pushing the visor back on the carrier so that they could better look at her. 

“She has your mouth,” Damian murmured, unable to look away from the precious little girl in front of him. She had only been in Danny’s apartment for an hour and already Damian was in love with her.

“How are we going to raise a baby?” Danny asked with a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. 

“We will coparent, of course,” Damian said with a scoff. 

“No offense baby, but you still haven’t even told your family about me. What are they going to do when you come home with a whole ass baby?”

“What if,” Damian started, his heart speeding up just a bit as he prepared to ask the question he had been wanting to ask Danny for the last two months. “What if I just moved in with you and we raised her together here? You have that second bedroom, we can clear it out and turn it into a nursery. I can pay half of the utilities and rent, then you will be able to quit your job at the coffee shop. Our class schedules are already opposite from one anothers with your classes in the morning and mine in the evening,” Damian said. 

“Yeah but you do that so you can sleep in after patrol,” Danny pointed out. 

Damian shrugged his shoulders. “I have gone years with running on minimal hours of sleep. I will survive while we complete the last year and a half of our studies. We start classes in a few weeks, we have some time to get started on a routine with her and we will go from there.”

“And if there is any overlap in our schedules?”

“Other students bring their children with them to class all the time, we can do the same,” Damian said simply. “We can do this, Danny. If anyone can do this, it’s us.”

Danny nodded and looked at the baby. “I know you said your mother was part of an assassin cult, but I didn’t realize that meant she knew how to make clones. Also, how did she get my DNA?”

“She’s an assassin, I do not know,” Damian said and shrugged his shoulders. “And yes, mother has a tendency to make clones of me, usually they are sent with the mission to kill me. This is the first time she has create a clone of me that is simply meant to be my child.”

“Oh cool! I had a clone made of me by my godfather to kill me! She’s like my cousin now, she’s travelling the Infinite Realms at the moment. I haven’t seen her in years!” Danny said with a grin. 

Damian let out a soft chuckle as he leaned over and rested his head on Danny’s shoulder. “I love you, you goofball.”

Danny laughed and kissed the top of Damian’s head. “I love you too,” he said softly. “You’re going to have to tell your family that you’re moving out of the house you know.”

“I know and they are going to have far too many questions that I am not interested in answering,” he huffed out. 

His boyfriend simply snickered again and kissed the top of Damian’s head once more before resting his cheek upon it. 

“She looks like a Damiana,” he joked. Damian crinkled his nose. 

“Absolutely not. Our daughter needs a more sophisticated name. My grandmother’s name was Martha.”

“That’s na old lady’s name, we’re not naming our baby Martha,” Danny said, taking Damian’s hand and winding their fingers together. “What about Hannah?”

“No, doesn’t suit her. What about Dahlia? It is a flower and –”

“Reminds me of the black dahlia and a little too close to your mother’s name. Which, I don’t know if I should be mad at her for cloning me without my consent, or thank her because now I have an adorable baby that I have no clue how to raise. Oh my ancients, Dami, we’re going to have to buy parenting books! Both of us were raised with terrible parents! Talia is an assassin who raised her own baby to be one, Bruce is an emotional consitpated vigilante who allowed all of his children to become vigilantes before the age of fourteen! My parents weren’t that bad but they were neglectful as shit and I ended up being raised by my sister instead! Neither of us know how to be a parent.”

“We can get parenting books, not to worry,” Damian laughed. “What about Cecilia? After that song you like?”

Danny let out a hum. “I like it, Cecilia Grace, maybe?” He asked. “Cecilia Grace Fenton Wayne. What a fuckin’ mouthful.”

Damian chuckled. “I like it, Cecilia Grace,” he whispered before Danny shrugged him off of his shoulder and leaned forward. Damian watched as Danny unclasped the buckles and pulled the sleeping girl out of the seat and cradled her close to his chest. A soft purr escaped from Danny, making Damian smile at the little display of his ghost side. 

“Hi Cecilia, I’m your daddy,” Danny whispered, running a hand over the head full of black curls. “And this is your-”

“Your papa,” Damian decided, not wanting his child to grow up with the same rules he did. She would never call either of them father, she needed to call them something more comforting, more familial and less stiff and proper. 

Danny glanced over at him, a soft red painted his cheeks. “She’s perfect, Dami,” he whispered, running his hand over her hair once more. “We have so much to figure out.”

“And we will, we will figure all of this out together,” Damian said, wrapping his arm around his boyfriend’s waist and resting his chin on Danny’s shoulder so that he could look down at the little girl, at his daughter. He couldn’t believe this was happening, but here they were with a small baby between them and the very beginning stages of building their own little family. 

Now he just needed to figure out hwo he was going to announce to his family that he was abruptly moving out of the manor to move in with his boyfriend and daughter without arising suspicion from his family. This wasn’t how he was planning on doing this. 

He thought he would get to tell his family he was in a relationship, bring Danny over for dinner and let them get to meet him that way. Maybe they would date for a few more months before Damian finally got the guts to ask Danny if he could move in, and then the two would look for a new apartment when Danny’s lease was up. 

Of course, things did not always happen the way someone expected them to. They rarely did go according to plan in Damian’s life, at least. But at least this instance, it ended with a perfect little gift. 

@dpxdc-familyweek

Like what you read? Follow the links to the next parts!

Part 2

Part 3

[factsnewsnetwork]

SpaceX to Offer Subscription Service for Nations Not Wanting to Be Destroyed by Meteors

"SpaceX Plus will offer satellite internet, additional oxygen for space-stations, and first-pick of MarsX colony dormo-pods, all for the low price of $200,000,000 per year. Furthermore, our asteroid deflection services will going forward be an exclusive part of the SpaceX Plus subscription," read the notice atop the SpaceX website on Friday. Not all users are happy.

"We earned our asteroid protection," says EU defense chief Hans Gribbenschmidt. "Now that asteroid protection can just be bought, any colony can be preserved from the random violence of the cosmos. People will get confused, and won't be able to tell apart backwaters from places that actually matter, like Europe, Australia and New Zealand, North America north of the Rio Grande, parts of South Africa and maybe Japan."

Others, however, are enthusiastic. Said Indian president Narendra Modi on the social-media site X (formerly Twitter), "Something went wrong. If this issue persists please contact us through our help center at help.openai.com." India has already subscribed at the lower tier of SpaceX Plus, "SpaceX Plus Economy," which is cheaper but does not come with space-station resupplies, and protection from the hailstones of God only covers 75% of the subscriber. "That's all we need. Punjab and Bengal we could honestly take or leave. And we figured we'd skip on Rajasthan and Gujarat too, since if a meteor lands far enough west it might kill some Pakistanis," says BJP spokesman Chandan Sankaran.

However, in response to communtiy backlash, SpaceX mascot Elon Musk in an announcement Monday walked back part of the new policy. "After a review of societal and genetic purity, previous asteroid-defense holders will be 'grandfathered in' and retain their status at no cost, but without additional subscriber benefits." Musk did not respond to questions about whether subscribers would no longer have advertisements in the night sky.

Facts! reached out to the governments of Colombia, Nigeria, Sudan, Yemen and Bangladesh, whom along with India are possible impact sites of the recently-discovered Asteroid 2024-YR4, projected to have a 4% probability of striking Earth in 2032 with the force of a large thermonuclear bomb. "The President [Tinubu] believes such a subscription is unnecessary," says Nigerian Chief Press Secretary Joshua Arinze. "If this asteroid does become a threat to him, he can simply leave Nigeria for much much less than 200 million."

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

New SpaceTime out Monday

SpaceTime 20241209 Series 27 Episode 148

First manned Moon mission in half a century delayed again

NASA have delayed the launch of their Artemis 2 manned Moon mission until April 2026.

Ancient hot water on Mars points to habitable past

A new study has uncovered what may be the oldest direct evidence of ancient hot water activity on Mars.

Eclipse-making double satellite Proba-3 enters orbit

The European Space Agency’s Proba-3 spacecraft have successfully achieved orbit insertion following their launch aboard an Indian Space Research Organisation PSLV-XL rocket.

The Science Report

More confirmation that COVID came from a Chinese Lab in Wuhan.

The collapse of the Conger–Glenzer Ice Shelf in East Antarctica.

Scientists discover the gene that makes some cats orange.

Skeptics guide to whenever you get the feeling you’re being watched

SpaceTime covers the latest news in astronomy & space sciences.

The show is available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through Apple Podcasts (itunes), Stitcher, Google Podcast, Pocketcasts, SoundCloud, Bitez.com, YouTube, your favourite podcast download provider, and from www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com

SpaceTime is also broadcast through the National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio and on both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

SpaceTime daily news blog: http://spacetimewithstuartgary.tumblr.com/

SpaceTime facebook: www.facebook.com/spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime Instagram @spacetimewithstuartgary

SpaceTime twitter feed @stuartgary

SpaceTime YouTube: @SpaceTimewithStuartGary

SpaceTime -- A brief history

SpaceTime is Australia’s most popular and respected astronomy and space science news program – averaging over two million downloads every year. We’re also number five in the United States.  The show reports on the latest stories and discoveries making news in astronomy, space flight, and science.  SpaceTime features weekly interviews with leading Australian scientists about their research.  The show began life in 1995 as ‘StarStuff’ on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) NewsRadio network.  Award winning investigative reporter Stuart Gary created the program during more than fifteen years as NewsRadio’s evening anchor and Science Editor.  Gary’s always loved science. He studied astronomy at university and was invited to undertake a PHD in astrophysics, but instead focused on his career in journalism and radio broadcasting. Gary’s radio career stretches back some 34 years including 26 at the ABC. He worked as an announcer and music DJ in commercial radio, before becoming a journalist and eventually joining ABC News and Current Affairs. He was part of the team that set up ABC NewsRadio and became one of its first on air presenters. When asked to put his science background to use, Gary developed StarStuff which he wrote, produced and hosted, consistently achieving 9 per cent of the national Australian radio audience based on the ABC’s Nielsen ratings survey figures for the five major Australian metro markets: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.  The StarStuff podcast was published on line by ABC Science -- achieving over 1.3 million downloads annually.  However, after some 20 years, the show finally wrapped up in December 2015 following ABC funding cuts, and a redirection of available finances to increase sports and horse racing coverage.  Rather than continue with the ABC, Gary resigned so that he could keep the show going independently.  StarStuff was rebranded as “SpaceTime”, with the first episode being broadcast in February 2016.  Over the years, SpaceTime has grown, more than doubling its former ABC audience numbers and expanding to include new segments such as the Science Report -- which provides a wrap of general science news, weekly skeptical science features, special reports looking at the latest computer and technology news, and Skywatch – which provides a monthly guide to the night skies. The show is published three times weekly (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and available from the United States National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio, and through both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

[soniabigcheese]

A couple of things from yesterday

The snow knocked out the satellite signal to my TV so I had to watch some recordings I'd made before I set off on my quest for the day

The order of service cards ended up as one hell of a saga, but at least that should be sorted on Monday

Long story short, couldn't email the printer the words of the service - I was told these could take up to two weeks to get done and I had until before closing this coming Monday

I went away briefly, bought some thick tights, had a chat to the sales person in one of my current favourite clothes shops as she only saw us the Friday before hubby passed away.

Made a donation to charity and hung a bauble on the wishing tree, bought a dress, had a latte and a rethink and went back to printers with a revised idea

They could print off the cards, pictures on front and collage on back and I'd make some inserts to go inside

Easy right?

Wrong

My skills with tech are practically non existent but I had a go.

Same friend who came up with the collage and front photo said she would help.

I'm so grateful

Yet another problem arose, but we got through it

I had intended to go shopping but the weather was cold and very miserable. I was soaked through and buses were turning up all saying out of service

Appears that other towns were completely cut off and there'd been many minor 'prangs' - vehicles bumping into other vehicles

Whilst waiting for a bus ... ANY that was going to where I needed to be - I let out a very LOUD fart. And immediately apologised

The weirdest thing though, happened last night before I went to bed.

I couldn't keep warm, the house was cold, yet, when I let the dog out, I got a blast of warm air from outside! And it wasn't just at the back door, but properly outside. It was lovely

Today is a free day. So, if I feel tired, I'll fall asleep or go to bed, depending on my mood

Monday will be VERY busy indeed. And then, the funeral service on Tuesday

[talonabraxas]

Space Mage ✰ The Sky This Week from April 12 to 19: Bid the winter stars goodbye

Catch a last glimpse of Orion and his hunting dogs, track wild ducks, and spot a dumbbell in the sky this week.

Monday, April 15 First Quarter Moon occurs at 3:13 P.M. EDT. By sunset, our satellite is high in the southern sky, offering a perfect opportunity for viewing.

At First Quarter, the Moon’s visible face appears half lit as the terminator separating night from day sweeps westward, bringing with it lunar sunrise. Right along the terminator is the best place to focus your attention, as here is where shadows and light offer the highest amount of detail. Visible along the terminator, particularly in the lunar south, are several large craters including Hipparchus and Albategnius.

We’ll return to the Moon next week as it’s nearing Full, so take a good look at the features that are visible (and just barely visible, on the night side of the terminator) now so we can compare the view later!

The Moon tonight is in Cancer, placing it near a stunning open cluster called the Beehive. Cataloged as M44, this group of young stars lies in the center of Cancer, just over 9° southeast of the Moon’s position today. At magnitude 3.7, M44 is visible to the naked eye under good conditions; however, the Moon’s proximity may bump up the challenge enough so that you require binoculars or a small scope, tonight.

And do start with low power — because it spans some 95′, M44 is best viewed under lower power to pull in all its members, of which there are some 350. Then consider “zooming in” with higher power or a larger telescope, which will bring out more stars but show only the core of the cluster.

Sunrise: 6:21 A.M. Sunset: 7:39 P.M. Moonrise: 11:38 A.M. Moonset: 2:36 P.M. Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (49%)

[mitigatedchaos]

Technically it's still Monday, though, so a parting note for the night:

I've been hearing about tests of >1 Mbps Internet access to conventional 5G smartphones from satellites.

In the typical day-to-day scheme of things, this isn't going to be a big deal. The smartphone revolution already happened, and the cyberspace layer now covers much of the globe.

In the long run, I believe this will be seen as a marker of the change of the era. Before, there was always a question of whether some remote region had cyberspace access. Soon, everywhere on Earth will.

[merelygifted]

Rare 'moonbows' light up night sky across US as blue supermoon rises — and you could still spot another one | Live Science

Extremely rare, vibrant "moonbows" were spotted in the night sky above the U.S. shortly before the rise of the blue supermoon on Monday (Aug. 19).

The moon will remain bright for the next few nights, meaning you still have a chance to see this ethereal phenomenon for yourself, if you're lucky. And we can tell you how.

Moonbows, also known as lunar rainbows, are created in the same way as their solar counterparts, with one obvious difference: they appear when moonlight, rather than sunlight, reflects and refracts off falling raindrops. But they are much rarer because they can only be seen around a full moon, when our planet's natural satellite is at its brightest in the night sky.

Even then, the moonlight is so faint compared to the sun that the luminous arches normally appear white — that's because the color-detecting receptors in our eyes don't work well enough in dim light to distinguish between the spectrum of colors produced — namely, "ROYGBIV," according to the U.K. Met Office.

However, the moon has been unusually bright over the last few days in the lead-up to the "once-in-a-decade" blue supermoon, allowing more impressive examples of this phenomenon to emerge.  ...

[hesbuckcompton-baby]

helena! my love! we've seen your ocs as boygenius songs... dare i ask what song you'd give them from phoebe bridgers' discography?

bluuuuuu this is the BEST yes yes yes

My OCs as Phoebe Bridgers Songs

Frankie Bevan - Friday I'm In Love

Monday, you can fall apart / Tuesday, Wednesday, break my heart / Oh, Thursday doesn't even start / It's Friday, I'm in love /

Valerie Harmon - Graceland Too

So we spent what was left of our serotonin / To chew on our cheeks and stare at the moon / Said she knows she lived through it to get to this moment / Ate a sleeve of saltines on my floor and I knew then / I will do anything you want me to /

Susie Lamb - Scott Street

I asked you, "How is your sister? / I heard she got her degree" / And I said, "That makes me feel old" / You said, "What does that make me?" /

Anna March - Funeral

And last night, I blacked out in my car / And I woke up in my childhood bed / Wishing I was someone else, feeling sorry for myself / When I remembered someone's kid is dead /

Diana Fayed - Dominos

I scrape my eye when I touch the sky / And lose a little vision for the man / I can call it in my mind / I don't want to hold nobody's hand / I can toss in the morning light / I'll play dead when I'm buried in the sand /

Gwen Dastrup - Silk Chiffon

Life's so fun, life's so fun / Don't need to worry about no one / She said that I got her if I want / She's so soft like silk chiffon /

Faye Warren - Garden Song

The doctor put her hands over my liver / She told me my resentment's getting smaller / No, I'm not afraid of hard work / I get everything I want /

George Aarons - Chinese Satellite

Sometimes, when I can't sleep / It's just a matter of time before I'm hearing things / Swore I could feel you through the walls / But that's impossible /

Ships:

Frankie and Rosie - Sidelines

Watched the world from the sidelines / Had nothing to prove / 'Til you came into my life / Gave me something to lose /

Val and Ron - Killer

Can the killer in me / Tame the fire in you? / Or is there nothin' left to do for us? / I am sick of the chase / But I'm hungry for blood / And there's nothin' I can do /

Susie and DeMarco - ICU

But I feel something when I see you now / I feel something when I see you / If you're a work of art / I'm standing too close / I can see the brush strokes /

Anna and Eugene - Moon Song

And if I could give you the moon / I would give you the moon / You are sick and you're married and you might be dying / But you're holding me like water in your hands /

Diana and Reg - Chelsea

And you spit the blood back, spit the blood back, baby / I'm amazed that you're alright / Oh, so long, prison boy / I won't be home with you tonight /

Gwen and Brady - Waiting Room

I want to make you drive all night just because I said maybe you should come over / I want to make you fall in love as hard as my poor parents' teenage daughter / She'll be the best you ever had if you let her /

Faye and Shifty - Punisher

What if I told you / I feel like I know you? / But we never met / And here, everyone knows you're the way to my heart / Hear so many stories of you at the bar/

George and Curt - Georgia

Georgia, Georgia, I love your son / And when he gets older, he might be the one / He might be the one / Georgia, Georgia, he has beautiful bones / And he never lies or picks up his phone /

[tomorrowusa]

Events in Israel and Gaza have overshadowed news of Ukrainian progress in driving out Russian invaders.

Ukraine used M39 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles provided by the US for the first time against two targets in Ukraine occupied by Putin's forces. One of those targets was an airfield in Berdyansk on the coast of the Sea of Azov.

The result was “one of the most serious strikes of all time” in Russia’s 21-month wider war on Ukraine, according to Fighterbomber, a popular Russian Telegram channel. The Ukrainian military claimed it destroyed a combined nine helicopters in the Berdyansk attack and a simultaneous raid on a facility in Luhansk, farther to the east. Ukrainian analysis team Frontelligence Insight compared high-resolution Planet Labs satellite imagery from September with lower-resolution imagery from Wednesday broadly to confirm the military’s claim. Frontelligence Insight scrutinized imagery from Sept. 29 and pinpointed four Kamov Ka-52 and one Mil Mi-24 helicopters parked on the northern apron at the Berdyansk base. The group then scrutinized imagery from Oct. 17—and found scorch marks where those five helicopters should have been.

Here's how ATACMS work.

The M39 Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS, is a two-ton, 13-foot ballistic missile with a solid rocket motor and a warhead containing 950 grenade-size submunitions. Fired by a tracked or wheeled launcher, the 1990s-vintage missile ranges as far as 100 miles under inertial guidance. An M39 usually should strike within 50 yards or so of its aim-point. This isn’t super-accurate by modern standards, but it’s accurate enough considering that the M39 is an area weapon.

Why the attack on Berdyansk is important.

And now the Russians must make some difficult choices in order to protect their surviving rotorcraft from follow-on ATACMS raids. “The impact of this devastating attack is undeniable,” Frontelligence Insight noted. “It will likely disrupt helicopter operations in the south of Ukraine for some time, compelling the Russians to adjust their logistics and the operations of nearby helicopter bases.”

Russia can no longer count on distance to keep its helicopters safe. Not being able to use helicopters reliably will hurt its operations as Ukrainian forces gradually push south to cut off occupied Crimea by land from Russia.

Wars don't go away because other wars break out or because people in third countries get bored with them. Putin has no fucking business in Ukraine and his invasion is a direct threat to the eastern flank of America's NATO allies.