#now i'm back in germany and summer is officially over

[niallandtommo]

goodbye summer. see you next year. 

[lucy90712]

request for jude plsss :) maybe jude taking reader to his training and make it fluffy

WC: 2.2k

Being in a long distance relationship is hard as you can't just spend time together whenever you want but it does mean that time spent together is extra special and always savoured. This is exactly what life is like for me and Jude. The two of us began dating when he was back in England one summer and before he left to go back to Germany we promised each other that we would really try to make long distance work and we have as two years later we are still together. Whenever we can we will see each other whether it's him coming over here when he has a few days off or me going to see him over breaks from uni. When I was applying to universities I looked at a few in Germany so that I could be closer to Jude but he told me not to move all the way out there just for him so I decided to stay in England to get my degree.

Now that my first year is officially over I have a good few months off and the first thing I did was book a plane ticket to go and see Jude. The idea is for us to spend the rest of the season in Germany and then head back home for the rest of the summer. My flight arrived late yesterday afternoon and since then Jude and I have done nothing but cuddle and enjoy each other's company. We talk at some point every day but we still spent hours catching up on things that had happened that we hadn't mentioned to each other. It was so nice to be alone together for once but sadly that can't last forever as Jude still has to go to training. 

In the many times I have been to visit Jude I have never been to one of his training sessions I have been to plenty of games but never to a training session. This morning Jude asked me if I wanted to go with him and before I could give him an answer he started begging me to go as he wanted to introduce me to his teammates properly for the first time. Of course I agreed to go but I can't lie I'm a bit nervous about it. I have met a few of Jude's teammates mostly the ones he is closest to but I have never had proper conversations with any of them so the thought of meeting all these people at once is a bit daunting. It's very obvious that Jude's teammates care for him which means they are going to judge me to see if they think I'm really right for Jude which is what's making me so nervous. 

Jude was so happy that I was coming to training with him that I decided to keep my nerves to myself and just get ready to go. By the time I was ready Jude had made breakfast for both of us which was only some porridge but honestly that's for the best otherwise he would've burnt the house down. After eating we had a bit of time until we needed to leave so Jude dragged me to the sofa and pulled me on top of him so that we could sit together. We watched some tiktoks together as he wanted to show me some funny tiktoks he'd see and then we ended up scrolling through his for you page which was so random as it had clips from tv shows, prank videos and then edits of him or other players. There was a few videos from one creator that he kept skipping through until I stopped him wanting to see what they were. Turns out they were all different date ideas some of which he'd saved for when we were finally together again which I thought was so cute.

The time we had disappeared in no time and before I knew it we needed to leave for training and I got all nervous again. I think Jude could tell I was nervous as he held my hand for the entire car journey and he even let me play my music which he always says he hates even though we like a few of the same songs. When we arrived there was fans waiting outside like there always is on game days hoping to see the players and get them to take pictures. I always hate this part as I don't like having people film me or take pictures of me as I like to keep myself off of social media as much as possible. As we arrived Jude drove in as quickly as he could and he told me to duck my head while he put his hand in front of my face to stop anyone getting pictures of me which I appreciated. 

By the time Jude had parked the car I was really starting to feel nervous especially when I saw a few of his teammates walking in as it dawned on me that I'd have to talk to all of them at once. Meeting new people always makes me anxious but I get worse when I have to meet a big group of people as it always just feels like there is so many eyes on me. I'm almost more nervous to meet Jude's teammates than I was to meet his parents as at least then I knew what I was getting myself into but now I have no idea what's going to happen. 

"You don't need to be so nervous babe I promise they will all love you" Jude said taking me out of the spiral I'd found myself in 

"Are you sure I mean we're so different what if they think we aren't right for each other" I said 

"They aren't going to think that remember opposites attract and I'm definitely very attracted to you" he said making me laugh 

After Jude's pep talk I felt a lot better so we went in together and he walked all the way to the pitch with me so I knew where to go before he went all the way back to change. I wasn't on my own for long as Jude came running back with a few of his teammates before beckoning me over. As I walked over more of the team came out and they all stood watching me walk towards them which made my cheeks heat up as it was really awkward having so many people stare at me. When I got close enough Jude put an arm around my waist and pulled me into his side to press a kiss on my cheek which made me blush more than I already was. 

"Guys this is my girlfriend y/n" Jude said 

"Hi it's nice to finally meet you guys" I said 

They all introduced themselves to me and gave me a hug which I wasn't expecting but it made me feel a lot more comfortable. They all asked some questions about me to get to know me better some of which I'm sure Jude will have told them but they still took an interest anyway. The more I spoke to them the more confident I was feeling so I let my guard down a little to show my real personality as I was holding back a bit to start with until I was feeling more comfortable. At some point I looked up at Jude who still had his arm around my waist and he had a big smile on his face which made me smile more too. As I turned back to continue talking to all the guys he leant down and kissed my head which made me blush like it does every time he kisses me in front of people. 

It wasn't long before the guys actually had to start training so I went and sat back down to watch them. As they trained I was thinking about how I'd never be able to do any of what they do I like to think I'm fit as I go to the gym when I can but I would never be able to train as hard as they do or run for 90 plus minutes in games. I also took the opportunity to watch Jude train and see the way his muscles flexed and how the sweat formed on his forehead making him look incredibly hot. Jude also took every chance he got to look over to me and smirk if he could tell I'd been staring or blow kisses my way. At one point we had a bit of a staring contest which I lost but it was because Jude was making me blush so much that I had to look away or else I think I would've died. 

Eventually all the guys were done with training so I made my way back over to Jude ready to go home and enjoy the rest of the day together. Completely out of nowhere he came running over and picked me up over his shoulder and brought me into the middle of the pitch where all the other guys were stood before putting me down. Despite putting me down he still had his arms tightly wrapped around my waist almost as if he was trying to stop me getting away from him. 

"You two do know we are stood right here right" Mats teased 

"You are so whipped man" Gio added 

"I am not" Jude defended 

"You definitely are we all saw the way you looked at y/n for the entirety of training and you can't keep your hands off her" Gio said 

"Ok fine maybe I am but at least I have the prettiest girlfriend" Jude said giving in knowing he wasn't going to win this argument 

The boys teased him for that even more before I managed to stop them by asking why we were stood in the middle of the pitch instead of going back in. Jude told me he wanted to put my football skills to the test which I absolutely didn't want to do but I couldn't get myself out of it as Jude wouldn't let me. The two of us have played with each other just in the garden a few times and I am yet to get more than a few meters before Jude gets the ball off of me so my skills are non existent. 

To begin with a few of the other guys stayed behind and we started simple by just passing the ball to each other which I got the hang of quickly. Jude then tried getting me to control the ball from in the air which was much harder but after a few tips I managed to do it a few times. The guys really put me through my paces in testing my dribbling, passing and footwork skills which were all mediocre at best but Jude was proud of me and cheering me on which made me feel good. Before allowing me to stop Jude wanted to see if I could score a penalty so of course he made the tallest player go into the goal and gave me the ball so I could set it up how I wanted. First he gave me some advice on how to hit the ball and the best places to aim for statically which didn't really help as I don't know if I can even kick the ball hard enough in the first place. 

Jude gave me one last good luck kiss before standing back to watch. For some reason I felt like I was actually in a penalty shootout and all of a sudden I wanted nothing more than to actually score despite knowing deep down the odds were stacked against me. I could hear Jude cheering my name as I took my run up and kicked the ball with my right foot thinking that was my better foot. Everything moved in slow motion as the ball headed towards the top corner of the goal and then hit the back of the net as it wasn't stopped on its way. In an instant Jude had ran over and started throwing me in the air before covering my face in kisses. 

"That was amazing she's better than you bro" Karim said 

"I don't know about that but thank you" I said 

"No I vote we get rid of Jude and have you join the team" Gio laughed 

"Hey don't disrespect your captain" Jude said 

"Maybe they have a point love I mean surely I can only get better with more practice right" I teased 

"Bringing you here was a mistake now you're on their side not mine" Jude joked 

"What can I say they believe in my abilities" I laughed not able to take myself seriously

We all joked a bit more until all the guys headed into the locker room to change although I could still hear them teasing Jude while I was stood outside. Eventually he came back out and took hold of my hand so we could walk back to the car together. Jude used the journey home to tell me that I had no need to be nervous and he was right all of his teammates were really nice and I fell like I could become good friends with some of them which I didn't expect when I got here this morning. Turns out going to training with Jude was a lot of fun and I might just have to do it again. 

[doueverwonder]

This was inspired by me scrolling through the APH Germany tag at midnight while listening to the sound of music, also @ask19thcentury-doctorgilbert, it's not like their universe or anything I just really really like their family hc lol. 

Papa - Prussia 

Vater/Vati - Austria 

(Liechtenstein calls him Papa tho)

Mama - Hungary 

Gilbert calls Ludwig, Gnaschel, which means 'little child' in low Prussian.

Erzsébet calls Ludwig Kicsikém which means 'my little one' in Hungarian 

Roderick isn't big on 'terms of endearment' (outside of for Erzsébet and Liesl that is) so he has nicknames for Ludwig; the most notable one being 'Leo'.

(all the nicknames come from @ask19thcentury-doctorgilbert )

I originally wrote this and posted it on my Wattpad on October 3rd for German reunification but just now decided to move it over here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Vater and Mama invited me to their wedding" I told Papa, I had been holding onto the invitation waiting to tell him till last minute. It hadn't even been a year since the war so I doubted I would be allowed to go, but I was still going to ask. 

I swear he clenched his fork a little tighter, "Did they?" he tried not to show that he was angry about it. "They want us to come?" 

I thought of the invitation, it as politely as possible stated that Papa was not invited. Just me, and I wasn't sure how to tell him that. I looked back up "It's in June"

"We are not going" I heard him say, it was as serious as I ever heard him, well not as serious but it was still quite serious, this is just what I knew he would say. Ever since last year Papa has done his best to keep me away from Vater. I didn't matter if I wanted to see him or Mama, it's not allowed anymore because they're 'backstabbers'. For years both my fathers had done their best to get along in front of me, I knew they weren't the closest of friends, their relationship as brothers wasn't even that good... but I never knew it was this bad. 

I poked at my food a bit, I considered saying I wasn't hungry and going up to my room or to the library to read when... "I was thinking we could go to Sanssouci?" my attention snapped to the topic change, "In June, it's been a few years and you loved it there when you were little" 

"Papa I-..." I didn't really know what to say I partially knew it was just to try and keep me away from the wedding in Vienna, "That would be nice, but-" 

"We don't have to go to Sanssouci" He suddenly counteracted, cutting me off "We could go to Königsberg, or... somewhere new, you pick" 

I perked up a bit, "Can we go to Vienna?" I watched his eyes narrow a bit, he took a drink of his wine without breaking eye contact. 

"Friedrich," He said my name slowly sounding it out completely, "We are not going to the wedding" 

"You weren't even invited!" I blurt it out, I wasn't going to tell him he wasn't invited; assuming he wouldn't want to go anyway. His relationship with both Vater and Mama had always been shaky, he loved mama everyone knew he did there was barely any hiding it. I'm told he used to be very open about the crush, flirting with her, joking with Vater that it was only a matter of time before he stole her. Once my sister--cousin technically--Liesl was born though he stopped. This was in 1709 so a little less than a century before I was born, but I've been told he was extra somber at the christening. Quietly congratulating them on 'a healthy baby girl' and leaving as soon as it was over. 

They said that the three of them didn't talk for years after it.

Finally in 1815 when the Napoleonic wars had ended, and I was about two we went to Vienna for the summer; and two weeks after we arrived I officially went from being the Confederation of the Rhine, to The German Confederation. It also began Papa and Vati's split custody of me. Now of course then I was barely two so I didn't remember any of it. Papa stayed that summer, even though it was Vati and Mama's three months. None of them thought it was a good idea to leave me in a new environment with people that were relatively new. 

I went home afterwards, but when December came around we went back to Vienna and this time papa left me there. He stayed a few days to rest from his trip and threaten Vati with my well-being but then... it was a rough few days I'm told. Eventually though I got used to it, and within a few years I was constantly chattering about Papa, Vati, Mama, and my big sister Liesl. When I was eight and about to attend my first outing as the German Confederation, I was sat down a few days before hand 

"Friedrich..." I was sitting in one of the drawing rooms, the door was closed and Liesl had been sent off to practice piano on the other side of the house. "We love that you think of your Vati and Mama as well just that but-"

"But, because of reasons that you aren't old enough to understand" Vati cut papa off, from how they were talking it was quite obvious they had rehearsed this conversation. "It has certain... do you know what the word implication means?" 

I nodded a little, looking in between all three of my parents I felt like I was in trouble for some reason. Talks like this didn't happen unless you were. 

"I told them you would" mama said it, "you're a smart boy" she winked at me, I could tell the entire statement had been to try and calm me down. The rest of the conversation was just telling me that at the meeting I needed to call Vati and Mamma 'onkel Roderick and tante Erzí' and if I talked to anyone about Liesl she was my cousin not my sister. I didn't understand why at the time. It just seemed important so I promised to do so.

I know now all the reasons I couldn't refer to them as my parents in public but... Papa had went back to eating; refusing to look me in the eye. I had the right to... I mean I'm not a child anymore, "I'm going. Whether you want me to or not"

I had tried my absolute best to sound certain. I wasn't scared of my papa, what reason would I have to be scared of him? But I had never directly contradicted him like this, I tried not to it was easier that way. "Fine" I almost couldn't breathe when he said it: he was actually agreeing to what I wanted? "You can go, but you have to find your own way there and back" 

I tried not to be too excited, I assumed I would put my foot down and he would send me to my room... that he would get mad at me. That he was actually letting me go; I didn't expect that. "Thank you Papa! I'll find a way, don't worry" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I stepped onto the train platform, ten hours on a train might seem like a lot. But my fathers would constantly talk about how in the seventeen-hundreds before I was born it easily took a person twelve days to get from Berlin to Vienna. I walked to the luggage car, checking my pocket to make sure I still had my ticket to claim my bags. I occasionally turned to check for Vati, he said he would come to pick me up. I had hoped to get off the train and to the luggage car before other people, but I was too late and ended up in the back of a group waiting. I sighed, I wasn't too fond on waiting But I didn't have anywhere to imminently be either.

"Leo!" I heard someone call out my name, I turned around looking but didn't see anyone I recognized. I shrugged it off, Leo wasn't exactly an uncommon name they could have been yelling for someone else. "Friedrich Ludwig Von Beilschmidt!" 

Okay yeah no, whoever that is is looking for me; I turned back around scanning the crowd more thoroughly before I could even register a face though, 

"Leo!!" Liesl half threw herself into a hug, some people standing around took a step or so back. 

I smiled, accidentally lifting her off her feet as I picked her up. "Lise! How are you?" 

"I'm good how are you," she stopped her tone changing to a teasing one "baby brother?" 

I rolled my eyes, setting her down and pulling her close next to me to keep people from getting annoyed at the space we were taking up. "Where is Vati?" 

"Waiting back at the carriage;" I shook my head a little, it sounded like Vater to do that. I heard the number on my ticket called and quickly pushed to the front of the crowd, Liesl trailing right behind me. "What luggage do you have?" 

"Just the carpet bag" I held it up to show her "and my trunk" She nodded, as I handed my ticket to a porter who checked both numbers then told me to lead the way. The entire walk Liesl and I kept glancing at each other, neither of us wanting to break the awkward silence. The silence persisted all the way to the carriage; I handed Liesl my carpet bag then helped hoist the trunk onto the back and secure it. All I did was nod and quietly thank him before quickly getting in. 

"Papa it was so funny! Leo didn't say anything!" Liesl was laughing, supposedly recounting to awkward walk from the train to here. I sat down next to her trying not to shake my head too much at how funny she thought the ordeal was. 

"It was only because I think it's impolite to have a conversation where all people can't be included" I crossed my arms leaning back in the seat. I could almost hear Vati rolling his eyes, I smiled seeing him "Hallo Vati"

"Hallo Leo" he smiled back "How have you been?" 

I was quiet trying to figure out what to say, how do I communicate an entire year of not seeing him or mama or Liesl in one word? What did I say to show that I had missed them all more than anyone could imagine but had been so busy I could barely think about missing people. I finally gave up, knowing we had weeks to recount everything I had done over the past year and responded with, "For the most part, I've been well" 

He smiled, a sincere smile. "I'm glad to hear that," 

Vati looked tired, I assumed it was because of planning the wedding. They weren't exactly easy things to put together, especially not ones this big and important. I leaned back in the seat, i would never understand how traveling could make you so tired, it wasn't as if you were doing anything too tedious. I wanted to have a conversation with my family, but I also wasn't sure if I had to energy to string sentences together in any meaningful way. 

I glanced over to Liesl, she was almost bouncing in her seat, she kept glancing between vati and I an almost mischevious look on her face. "What's going on?" 

"Nothing!" Liesl snapped quickly, I little too quickly. She was hiding something, they both were that's for sure. "I can't just be excited that you're here?" 

"No, no, you can" Now isn't the time for defending myself or trying to pry secrets out of older sisters who are absolute masters at keeping them. Liesl was granted the knowledge of what I was getting for christmas every year as long as she swore to keep quiet: she got quite good at keeping secrets from me in particular that way. It seems like she knows everything before I do. 

I had never been so happy that the house wasn't too far from the train station, and that's saying a lot. I used to be so used to this trip it's almost embarrasing how much it wore me out this time. "Leisl if you could take my bag I can get--" 

"Nonsense." vati cut me off before the sentence could be finished, "I'll have someone else get your trunk in a minute" 

"Really, it's no-" he was out of the carriage and calling for someone before I could speak another word of protest, so I sighed watching Liesl shrug as she got out. This wasn't unusual here, papa was always much more 'do things yourself' whereas vati deemed it more convienant to hire someone to do things for him. I followed, I was anxious to see mama anyway, think of this just as a way to see her quicker. 

I expected her to be waiting for us, I really did. Everytime I went away for the three months I always got back and to vati and papa's amusement went running straight for her; mama always gave the best hugs so I wanted one from her first. I didn't run this time, I'm not five, eight, or even twelve anymore; I did however walk much quicker then vati and Liesl, I used the excuse of opening the door for them. 

I stepped into the front hall right after them, I couldn't help myself but start to call out "Mama! We're home!" only to be immediatly shushed by Adéla. 

I looked confused at the Bohemian woman, who just rolled her eyes. "She's sleeping," she shot a look at vati, "I thought this blbec would have told you that before you got here" 

"I didn't know if she was up yet or not Adéla, no need to get upset" he seemed annoyed, but kept his usual dignified tone. I was just confused, since when did mama take naps? Sure, I can use the wedding excuse when it comes to vati, but mama has been through much more stressful things and never shown a sign of it. 

"Will she be up soon?" I asked it quickly, partially to interupt what was sure to be a fight between Adéla and vati if it wasn't stopped. 

There was a general shrug, and a small laugh from vati, "Who knows really. She could be up in five minutes, but it could also be a couple hours. It's best to just let her sleep" 

I nodded a little, "If that's the case, would you mind if I went up to my room and rested for a bit?" 

"Of course not! You know where your room is," his tone changed to a joking one, "I promise we haven't touched anything in there since you left" 

I nodded, and quickly promised I would be up before dinner, before leaving to go upstairs. Usually I wouldn't deter from my path, even when I was a kid I preferred to just go straight to my room and not wander; everything interesting was on the bottom floor anyway. But for some reason I decided to look into the room next to my parents. Liesl had slept in there when she was small, but once I came to live here that part time it became my room; and then when I turned eight I was moved down the hall to a room opposite to my sister. In an out of ordinary circumstance, I was curious of what was in the room now. Maybe after I moved out the room was given back to Liesl? 

I opened the door trying to mentally will the hinges to stop screeching so they wouldn't wake mama up. I expected either Liesl's things, or a whole lot of dust but instead... the room was clean, spotless even. It wasn't furnished for a small child like it had been when I had moved out. But it didn't have any of Liesl's things either. There was a cradle tucked in one corner, a rocking chair in the other, shelves had been filled with toys, some new, some familiar from my own childhood; but all of them were meant for babies or very small children. 

I took a few steps more into the room, looking about for explanation. I was being just plain nosy now as I opened one of the drawers, of course it was filled with baby clothes what else would be in a nursery dresser? I shivered slightly as a breeze blew in from the open window, what looked to be brand new curtains billowing out, I went to close the window before something blew in the room. I must have not been paying enough attention because there was a small metal clink and I looked down to see a knocked over paint can the contents of it spilling onto the floor. Muttering something that would have gotten me in trouble with any of my parents, I picked it up right, now staring at the green paint that if not cleaned soon would stain the carpet. 

There were flowers painted already around the baseboards and windows sills, I recognized it as Liesl's art, vati and mama have the funniest stories of her when she was barely six following the Italy brothers around for weeks, all but begging them to teach her how to paint. Then she got good, and then mama and vati had to try really hard to not get upset when she started painting flowers on the walls of her bedroom without permission. I wonder if they know she is doing it in here... 

"Leo?" I stopped dead in my tracks, hearing my mothers voice behind me. 

I feel bad now, but as I was turning I didn't say hello or anything. I just went right into an explanation of what I had been doing: "Mama, I just wanted to see if Liesl had moved back in here or if it was still empty and I accidentally knocked over thi..." 

I stopped again as I was finally facing her, I was left speechless and simultaneously kicking myself for not realizing it the moment I stepped in this room. Part of me said to stop staring and say something, it's impolite to stare. I ignored that part though and continued to stare, she just smiled knowing why I was quiet. 

"Surprise" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was hours later, we were sitting in the drawing room and I still couldn't believe it. eight months! That means I had barely been out of the house three months when this happened, maybe six by the time they figured it out. I couldn't decide if I was mad they hadn't told me in a letter, or happy that they had thought it important to wait until I was here in person. 

"We really didn't mean to hide it from you, Leo" vati said it for seemingly the hundredth time that night, "We just didn't know how to break the news" 

I sat next to mama on the couch across from the chair he was on, I haven't left her side since I found out. Liesl has been teasing me about it: "It's okay, really, I understand"

I repeated my response to the apology for the hundredth time, I was exhausted, but with this development I didn't think I would be able to sleep. Mama was leaned against me, she seemed just as if not more tired then I was. Dinner a couple hours prior had been an event that was for sure. Adéla kept trying to pick fights with me, vati says it's because she and Adelheid--Holy Rome--used to get in the stupidest fights, it was how they bonded. I personally didn't want to continue that tradition. 

It was quiet for a long moment, Liesl had gone upstairs to help get paint, that I spilled, out of the carpet and paint more flowers. Turns out she was given permission to paint on walls this time. Everyone else in the house had already gone to bed or wandered off to do who knows what, supposedly some of them went out for a drink. 

"So, the baby is due in a month?" I broke the silence with my question, as there was something else quite important happening in about a month. 

"Yes" I heard mama say, sitting up a little straighter, "Which is a problem as the wedding is also in a month" 

"What are you going to do?" It was a sincere question. There had to be some type of solution to the problem, 'problem', of the baby coming right before or even the day of the wedding. 

Vati almost laughed, "Pray the baby doesn't come on June eighth is all we can do" 

I didn't like that answer. It wasn't really an answer was the main problem with it. There was always something to be done besides praying: I tried telling myself it wasn't particularly my problem if the baby did decide to come on my parents wedding day, this threw a huge kink in the plan though. Plans needed to go the way they were planned, that's why plans exist! I like things to go how they are meant to, I always have. I have memories of being seven standing on train platform fretting about it being late, because obviously a two minute late train meant it either wasn't coming or our watches were slow and we had completely missed it. 

"Do you have any name suggestions, Leo?" Mama had sat up a bit, looking less half-asleep. "I'll accept anything but Helmut" 

"I suggested it once!" vati immediately protested, "Plus it's going to be another girl I know it" 

"No, it will be a boy" Mama counteracted him with absolute certainty. "We can't decide what to name him though" 

"What about Viktor?" I suggested it carefully, it was late and it was really the first name to come to mind, both my parents nodded obviously accepting the suggestion, "And on the off chance vati is right... Edith?" 

"Edith?" Mama repeated the name with serious consideration in her voice. "It isn't going to be a girl, obviously. But if the baby were to be I don't think I would mind Edith" 

vati seemed thrilled at the suggestion, "Edith! Why didn't we think of that earlier" 

I leaned over to mama whispering, "I think he's made a decision" she laughed watching him now ramble on about needing a middle name to go with Edith, and goodness we need to think about nicknames! Mama and I both had a hard time not laughing too hard, especially when Liesl came in inquiring what everyone was so excited about. 

As I sat around watching two out of my three parents, my sister, and thinking about the fact that I was soon to be a big brother, I did decide on one thing myself. 

It was a good first day home.

[ironboyxs]

The Greatest Love of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr's Life

Fandom: Marvel/X-Men

Pairing: Charles Xavier x Son!Reader; Erik Lehnsherr x Son!Reader; Scott Summers x Male Reader

Summary: On a mission to rescue mutants in Brazil, Charles and Erik found a small baby wrapped in a dark green blanket, Charles knew right away that the child was a mutant. The two eldest's eyes met the baby's strong eyes (E/C) and they had never felt such pure love in their lives... the rest is history.

Word count: 1522

Warnings: The story takes place after the incident in Cuba and Charles is still walking, and none of the bad things have happened, the team is still together.

Scott Summers was new to the Xavier Institute for gifted children, he had recently discovered his mutation and with the help of his brother, Alex, took up residence at the Institute. While leaving the literature class taught by Professor Xavier, he bumped into a boy with (H/C), he was short and skinny but had the features of an angel. Both boys' books crashed to the floor.

- I'm sorry. – The shorter boy said immediately.

Scott still couldn't take his eyes off the boy's angelic features.

- Hey? Are you okay? - Said the boy a little worried.

- Of course, I'm sorry! I've been a little distracted, it's all a little new to me.

- Okay, I understand. Have you ever taken a tour of the mansion? - Said the boy getting excited.

- Professor Xarles showed me some places but not all.

- Come with me, I'll show you my favorite place. By the way I'm Y/N Lehnsherr.

- Scott Summers. – He stopped for a moment to reflect and said – Wait, Lehnsherr as the teacher?

- Yes, I am adopted by professors Xavier and Lehnsherr. So I think officially Y/N Xavier Lehnsherr.

- Nice to meet you.

- It's my pleasure! Come quickly, before my parents find me and ask if I've done my homework.

Scott was a little confused. His brother had already said that Professor Xavier and Magneto were a couple, but he didn't know that they had managed to adopt a son. With Xavier's powers it shouldn't have been too difficult to get the adoption paperwork.

The two boys headed towards the forest at the back of the mansion, it was still late so it was well lit.

- How long are we going to walk? – Scott asked

- Just a little more, lazybones, don't worry, we're almost there!

For twenty minutes the kids walked around and talked about random conversations, their favorite movies and books, what they liked to do in their spare time, favorite subjects and stuff like that.

After a long walk they arrived in an open place, the sun was not so strong that it could interfere with the vision. And what Scott saw in front of him, even through the red lenses, was something beautiful.

It was a clearing, with countless flowers, all spread out in a blooming field with a few trees shading.

- Come, you can lie on the grass and flowers here under the tree, this is my favorite place. - Said Y/N.

- Wow it's beautiful, what are the flowers?

- They are wisteria, I planted them myself, when I found this open space I couldn't contain myself in making everything more beautiful.

- Did you plant all this yourself? – Scott asked shocked.

- Well, I didn't use the orthodox way. - Said Y/N as he made a red rose grow and handed it to Scott.

- This is my mutation, I have control over the vegetation, over nature in general, but I focus more on plants. Papa says I can go too far with my gift, but Dad is afraid I might lose control.

- Papa? – asked Scott.

- Yes, it's how I say daddy in German, or when I see he's angry it's vater, and sometimes when I'm sad and sleepy vati.

- Do you know how to speak German?

- A little, my vater was born in Germany, so I have some German lessons with him.

- It seems incredible to have mutant parents who accept you so well. – Scott said a little sadly. And besides, thank you for the rose. Is it really red?

- Yeah! And forgive me I forgot that your lenses only let you see red. Close your eyes for a moment, please.

Scott closed his eyes and waited for the smaller boy's order to open them.

- Wow. Now it's more beautiful. What did you do?

- Wisterias are usually lilac but I changed them to red, so you can see their beauty.

- Didn't need to, didn't want to spoil your field of flowers.

- Don't worry, I keep changing them colors for a change.

And then came a calm, not awkward silence, just two boys lying in the flowers, relaxing and enjoying the sun. After a while Scott finally worked up the courage to ask.

- If I'm being rude please let me know, but how did Charles and Erik find you?

Y/N tensed a little, but relaxed soon after.

- Well, there was a time when the Brazilian government along with other anti-mutant governments developed a law that tested all newborns for the X gene, and I was lucky to be one of them. My birth mother didn't want to go through the pain of having to hand me over to the army so she left me in a dumpster. And by a miraculous coincidence, the X-Men were in Brazil rescuing mutants and dad felt me, he and vati were running to where I was. They always told me it was the purest love they felt when they looked at me. Since then, I'm their son, dad messed with some people's minds so that adoption can be legalized and I don't have too many problems.

- So... you've lived with the X-Men since forever?

- Yeah, it's quite fun actually. Obviously, they never let me go on a mission, but it's like we're all one big family.

As Y/N spoke, Scott blatantly stared at the boy's face and inadvertently said:

- I think you're the most beautiful person I've ever seen in my entire life.

Y/N's face immediately flushed.

- You're not bad either, ruby ​​eyes. – Y/N said still amidst shyness.

Suddenly Scott realized what he said and sat up abruptly.

- I mean, you're nice and a really charming guy, I didn't mean anything else you know. You don't have to think I'm weird or anything.

- Scott, we're in a place where people shoot lasers out of their eyes, a boy turns to ice and do you really think sexuality is an issue here?

- It's just that I... I've never said something like that to any boy.

- And I'm glad I was the first. My father often asks me to welcome newcomers, but I don't know why, the moment we bumped into each other I felt the same connection I feel with plants. You, besides my parents, were the only one I introduced this place to.

- I guess this counts as a date then?

- Definitely not, ruby ​​eyes, I'm a difficult boy you know? You need to take me somewhere that's special to you too... and face vati.

The last part definitely scared Scott, but he wasn't about to give up on the beautiful flower boy so quickly.

Later that night...

There was a noise at the door of Y/N's room and he knew it was vati.

- May I come in meine kleine sonnenblume? (my little sunflower)

- Yes vati!

Y/N was reading one of Lord Byron's works as he was getting ready for bed.

"I don't know how your father manages to make you read these things..." said Erik.

"Maybe you should give it a chance before you judge" Y/N said with a slight laugh.

- I noticed that you spent a lot of time today with Alex's brother, should I be worried about something?

- No, of course not. I went with him to the wisteria field.

Erik's eyes were surprised.

- I thought it was something that only your father and I knew about.

- I know... but do you know how I feel the vividness of plants? The sprouting of a flower? The germination of a seed? When we bumped into each other in the hallway I had the same feeling, and the first thought I had was to take him there.

- Are you sure about that mein prinz? (my prince)

The door opened again and this time it was Charles.

- Erik, don't get jealous, please.

- It's not jealousy, I worry about who our son hangs out with, you know it's a dangerous world.

- Yes my love, the world is dangerous, but here we are safe.

- Y/N - Charles said approaching his son's bed. “I don't like getting into people's minds without permission, but I guess I have to admit that like your vanti I worry too… and Scott is a wonderful boy, give him a chance.

- Is this serious? - Erik said indignantly.

- Erik I think it's time for you to accept that our son has grown - Charles said laughing.

- Okay, can you two stop embarrassing me and let me finish my reading? - Said Y/N.

- It's okay my love, I love you more than anything. Have a good night. - Charles said placing a kiss on his son's forehead.

- I love you too, daddy.

- Good night mein hundenbay, (my puppy), ich liebe dich (I love you). And let me know if that boy causes you any trouble.

- Alright vanti - Y/N said smiling - ich liebe dich auch (I love you too)

[youngbugandtonystank]

Hey ;) I know I'm going to sound too demanding but can you do a specific homecoming timeline of irondad events? The dates when things happened and how they happened? If you don't want to do it that's okay! Thank you so much for everything and I love you blog!

Sure, why not♥

Let’s make an irondad timeline from the beginning to Infinity War. Since the events after IW don’t exist for me, that’s where I’ll end the timeline :D

Chronologically;

-2008-

On August 20th, Toomes’ crew is formed as they start salvaging items to sell from wreckages and then they turn to the illegal black market in 2012. No one interferes with their business until Peter Parker does in 2016.

On November 25th, Tony Stark (age: 38) admits to the world he’s Iron Man. 7-year-old Peter Parker watches the news while (as stated by director Jon Watts) ‘eating a big bowl of cereal'.

-2010-

On May 7th, the opening day of the Stark Expo, 9-year-old Peter Parker waits in line to get an autograph from his hero; Tony Stark (age: 42). Tony gives him the autograph.

On May 31st, Justin Hammer’s Stark Expo presentation is hijacked by Ivan Vanko. 9-year-old Peter Parker (with an Iron Man mask and fake gauntlets) tries to ‘help’ by standing up to a big drone-robot. Tony saves his life and congratulates him for his bravery. 

-2015-

Before June 2015 Tony was investigating Peter not for his powers, but because his intellect got his attention (this is only my speculation, I could be wrong) ‘Stark Industries announces new scholarships for promising students from urban city schools’ (June 2015). Peter said he’s had his powers for 6 months in Civil War (2016), meaning he got them in November/December, 2015. So the reason Tony could’ve been giving those scholarships in the first place, as speculated by many, may be because he was impressed with the kid’s intellect first (and then obviously found out he had powers) rather than his powers. Remember Tony deemed Peter worthy of going to MIT. 

This also means Tony’s been waiting to meet Peter for about a year. 

-2016-

On May 3rd, Peter stops a car from crashing into a bus before going to school. Tony keeps track of all of his activities. The same video Tony had on his phone (which he took from YouTube lmao):

Tony officially meets Peter Parker on May 23rd. Peter was 14 and Tony was 46. Tony’s birthday is on May 29, 1970 and Peter’s on August 10th, 2001. 

On May 24th Peter arrives in Germany and the events of the airport battle unfold. Same day, while Tony goes to help Steve and Bucky in Siberia, Peter sneaks out from his hotel in Berlin to join a party in his Spider-Man suit.

On May 25th, after spending Friday and Saturday in Germany, Peter flies home with Tony. First in Tony’s jet where Peter asks for food and he’s given crackers, fish eggs and juice (lmao) and then they drive him home in his car in the early hours of the morning.

This is where the convo and ‘not-hug’ happens:

On May 26th, Peter is talking with May about the ‘field-trip’ and tries to cover up his identity by telling May he got into another fight (as referenced before in the novels, Peter gets into fights in school to protect Ned from bullies) and Tony helps Rhodey with his physical therapy (while Vision starts his escapes with Wanda):

On August 10th, Peter quits school band a few weeks before term starts (he sends Happy a text about this, telling him that he has more time for crime fighting and that he made a pretty big sacrifice there lmao). It is also his birthday. Tony listens and reads all of Peter’s messages thanks to Happy.

On September 1st, Peter returns to school after his summer holidays meaning the beginning of his sophomore year. He also texts Happy telling him he’s ready for his next mission and informing him that school ends at 2:45 PM. Tony sells the Avengers Tower and relocates fully to the New Avengers Facility in upstate New York.

On September 8th-9th, Tony flies to India to go to a Hindu temple. He did it to center myself, as a form of therapy. 

On September 9th, they see each other again when Peter goes to Liz’s party but gets distracted by Toomes’ crew. Peter fights them and falls into the Hudson River. Tony saves him. Tony tells Peter to let other people handle Toomes and to stay close to the ground. 

On September 13th, Peter decides to attend the decathlon team competition to go to Washington, D.C. As Peter is being monitored all the time by Tony, Happy calls him to ask why he’s leaving New York and then he lets him off. Peter removes the tracker lmao

On September 14th, Peter saves his friends from the Washington Monument incident. He appears on Fox news:

On September 19th-20th, Peter is given detention but he sneaks out lmao (rebel son). The next day Peter also skips school to find Toomes and his crew. Tony calls Peter to congratulate him for the Washington heroic act. 

Peter goes on his own to fight Toomes’ crew. The ferry splits in half. Tony arrives and saves Peter and everyone else. Tony gives Peter the disappointed dad talk and takes the suit. He also buys Peter a Hello Kitty pajama set and takes him home. 

Peter cries to May and tells her he wanted Tony to see his potential. He feels like he lost the Stark ‘Internship’ (his dad-son relationship with tony lmao).

On September 21st, Peter is all over again given detention and reluctantly resolves to not try to be Spider-Man for the time being.  

On September 23rd, it’s Homecoming and moving (Avengers stuff to the new facility) day. Peter defeates Toomes and recovers the Avengers and Stark weaponry/equipment. He leaves a note for Happy to find. 

On September 26th, Peter gets a text from Happy, telling him to meet him at his school’s bathroom. He tells him Tony wants to see him at the New Avengers Facility. When Parker arrives at the upstate facility, Stark greets him and praises him for his work. 

Tony offers Peter an apartment at the facility. He also organized along with Pepper a room of press so Tony can step out and announce him as the newest member of the Avengers. Peter turns down the offer impressing his dad mentor. Tony and Pepper announce their engagement while Happy drives Peter home.

On September 27th, returning from school, Peter discovers that Tony gave him the suit back with a note saying the suit belongs to him. May finds out Peter’s secret. 

After September, 2016 Peter is given a real internship at Stark Industries where he works and learns from Tony Stark himself.

Tony frames the picture.

- 2017-

Somewhere between this year, Peter updates the Stark-made web-shooters Tony made for him and learns how to manage Tony’s technology at the official Stark Internship. 

Tony Stark along with Peter Parker create the organization Worldwide Engineering Brigade (or WEB headquarters). An organization where bright innovators and the world’s brightest young minds like Peter Parker invent new technologies and equip everyday people to become superheroes. 

Tony Stark designs different types of Spider-man suits for Peter.

They also did missions together as hinted in the movies several times. In FFH, reporters and people around the world saw Spider-man as the ‘next Tony Stark’ and the ‘next Iron Man’, and asked him questions that hinted the same; 

Sean: Sean Wilford, Queens Tribune. What is it like to take over from Tony Stark? Those are some big shoes to fill.

Woman: Are you the head Avenger? Are you the head Avenger now?

Fury: Stark chose you.

Peter: Tony did a lot for me, so... I owe it to him, to everybody.

Also, the coordination and the different dynamic demonstrated in Infinity War tells us that much.

-2018-

On May 30th, Pepper Potts and Tony Stark are out running in New York City and discuss their upcoming wedding. Tony starts dreaming and wanting a kid on his own thanks to his relationship with his son Peter Parker while Peter is in a bus ready to go to his field-trip to MoMa. 

And then nothing happens :D everything’s ok. 

I hope this is helpful for you guys. BTW, look:

Almost 20k fanfics for a platonic relationship. I feel really proud yall ♥

[fycarmensandiego]

A chat with author Melissa Wiley

In 1996, HarperCollins published six Carmen Sandiego chapter books, featuring VILE villains from the then-current "Deluxe"/"CD-ROM"/"Classic" generation of computer games and a new lineup of Acme agents, headed by a Black female Chief (Lynne Thigpen ha impact), and focusing on kid detectives Maya and Ben.

The series included two books each by two writing teams and one solo act, Melissa Peterson. I got in touch with Melissa, who now uses the pen name Melissa Wiley, and she graciously answered some questions about writing the Carmen books and beyond.

To get you caught up to my knowledge before the interview, here's Melissa's website, and here's her bio as printed in the two Carmen books (accompanied by the caricature above):

Melissa Peterson is the author of several books for young readers. Born in Alamogordo, New Mexico, she has lived in eight different states and visited Germany and France. She has never ridden a dolphin, but she did eat a great deal of sour cherry ice cream outside the cathedral in Cologne. [Note: These are both references to plot points in Hasta la Vista, Blarney.] Her research for Hasta la Vista, Blarney included many hours playing Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? An official ACME Master Detective, she lives in New York City with her husband and young daughter.

FYCS: Thanks so much for agreeing to this interview.

Melissa Wiley: What a fun blast from the past! The Carmen books were my first professional writing gig and I had so much fun working on them.

That's so exciting to hear! With that being the case, how did you get involved with the books?

I was an assistant editor at HarperCollins, working for the wonderful Stephanie Spinner. I started out as her editorial assistant at Random House right after grad school and moved to Harper with her a year later, shortly after [my husband] Scott and I got married. Stephanie knew that I wanted to be a writer, and she often sent in-house writing assignments my way (lots of cover copy). When I left Harper in 1995 to have a baby, Stephanie recommended me for several book assignments, including the two Carmen Sandiego novels. That project had been underway for several months—Harper was doing a tie-in with the game and TV show. There were six books in total; two were assigned to me and four went to other writing teams [Ellen Weiss and Mel Friedman, and Bonnie Bader and Tracey West]. I often joke that I got my first modem, my first baby, and my first book deal in the same month!

I loved working with my Carmen Sandiego editor, Kris Gilson. The two books were a blast to write and a great learning opportunity for me. Ellen Weiss remains a good friend of mine. She's a true gem of a person!

Have your experiences writing the Carmen books influenced your work since then?

With Carmen, I discovered how much I love writing humor. Before that (in grad school), my poems and stories were on the serious side. I had so much fun with the playful, sometimes goofy tone of the Carmen Sandiego books that I definitely shifted afterward to more of a focus on humor in my books. I still find writing from a place of playfulness to be my most satisfying kind of work.

Were you familiar with Carmen Sandiego before writing the books?

I loved the computer game! I'd seen several episodes of the show—it's all a bit blurry now and hard to say which I encountered first—and really enjoyed it, but I especially loved the game. Instant classic!

How much guidance did you receive from HarperCollins / Brøderbund? Were the plots your own, or were you given plot outlines?

We were given the basic descriptions for the two kid detectives, and I had a couple of meetings with the editors and the other writers to flesh out the characters a bit more—give them personalities. I don't think Mel was in the meetings, but Ellen was there, and Tracey and Bonnie.

Then I wrote outlines for my two books and the other writers outlined theirs. I was assigned one "Where in the World" mystery and one "Where in Time" mystery. I think I submitted several plot ideas for each—the big challenge was thinking up interesting objects for Carmen and her henchmen to steal. The Blarney Stone and cocoa beans were my favorite ideas and I was thrilled that they got picked!

How did you research the books?

Those were AOL days, and the web wasn't yet a place for intensive research, so I spent a lot of time in the library. For The Cocoa Commotion, I conducted phone interviews with staff members at the Hershey chocolate factory—lots of fun. But I never did get to visit the Blarney Stone!

What was your favorite part of working on the books?

Researching the history of chocolate! Naturally I had to do a lot of sampling in order to describe it properly. ;)

Your author bio in the books mentions that the scene in which Maya and Ben eat sour cherry ice cream in Cologne, Germany was inspired by an actual experience of yours. Did any other experiences of yours make it into the books? Have you had any other travel experiences that notable? (Note: I'm originally from Northern Michigan, so travel experiences involving tart cherries are a high bar to clear for me.)

Ohhh, that sour cherry ice cream! I hope I get to taste it again someday. Apart from eating a lot of chocolate, I can't remember any other personal experiences that informed the books. If I were to write one today, I'd make sure to set a scene in Barcelona. My husband and I spent a week there in 2008 and it was an incredible trip. The paella! The Gaudí buildings! Art on every corner! I'd love to go back someday.

The bio also features a caricature of you with your baby daughter...

That drawing was made by the brilliant comic book artist Rick Burchett, who was working with Scott on Batman comics at the time. Scott was an editor at DC Comics and Rick was one of his favorite artists to work with. When I needed a bio illustration for the Carmen Sandiego books, we commissioned Rick to draw it. I love that piece so much! The baby is my oldest, Kate, who was born right around the time I started working on the books. We still have the original art!

You've written over 20 children's books for a variety of ages, in a variety of genres. Do you have any favorites among them?

That's so hard to say—I'm fond of all of them and I dearly loved creating worlds and adventures for Charlotte and Martha in my Little House prequels—but The Prairie Thief and The Nerviest Girl in the World are extra-special to me. I grew up in Aurora, Colorado and had a summer job at a wildlife refuge on the prairie, a landscape that served as the setting for Prairie Thief. I loved getting to weave secrets into the prairie setting that means so much to me.

Your most recent book, The Nerviest Girl in the World, was published last August. Can you tell us a bit about why you wrote it?

I lived for 11 years in La Mesa, California, a small town just outside San Diego. While I was there, I learned that in the very early days of silent film, there had been a film studio in town. Eventually the studio moved to Santa Barbara, but it was exciting to discover that before Hollywood was the center of the American film industry, little old La Mesa was a moviemaking place. I began reading everything I could find about the studio, and when I learned that many of the cowboys in those early Westerns were real cowboys and ranchers, an idea for a book began to take shape—the story of an adventurous girl who stumbled into work as a daredevil film actress along with her cowboy brothers.

Of course, I'm legally compelled to ask the question that literally every interview currently includes: how has the pandemic changed your job?

LOL! Yes, it's the question right now, isn't it! Well, I've worked at home since the Carmen Sandiego days, and I homeschool my kids, so in the biggest ways our lives weren't hugely affected by the shutdown. But I used to do a lot of my writing in cafés, and I miss that like crazy! I had to think up all sorts of new strategies for staying focused at home this past year. I'm hoping to get back to the coffee shops this summer!

Something I found really interesting is that you have a Patreon, which you explain you started to help pay for medical bills. How has that experience affected your work as an author?

I've played with lots of kinds of content on Patreon and really enjoy having a space to share behind-the-scenes stories. It's a more intimate and personal space than social media, so I feel free to let my hair down and be really frank.

Thanks so much for these fantastic questions! I had so much fun reminiscing about the Carmen Sandiego adventure!

[bopinion]

2021 / 32

Aperçu of the Week:

"Freedom, freedom - Is the only one that is missing. Freedom, freedom - Is the only thing that matters."

(Song by German musician Marius Müller-Westernhagen, 1987)

Bad News of the Week:

"The security of the Federal Republic of Germany will also be defended in the Hindu Kush," said the then Federal Minister of Defense Peter Stuck of the Social Democratic Party of Germany in 2002 about the upcoming Afghanistan mission of the Bundeswehr. And that is what we then tried to do for many years, like so many other nations. The result is well known. The missions were called "Operation Enduring Freedom" and "Resolute Support." Both failed magnificently.

As I write this, the Afghan government is apparently preparing a "peaceful transfer of power" to the Taliban, whose militias are at the gates of the capital, Kabul. Having taken over most provincial capitals, infrastructure, and border crossings with unexpected speed in recent days. "Conquered" would be inaccurate; after all, most official bodies have fled even faster than the advance has progressed. Just two weeks ago, UN/NATO military bases such as Mazar-i-Sharif and Bagram were controlled by the Western military alliance; after their hasty withdrawal, they are now in the hands of the Taliban. But at least our soldiers took their weapons with them and didn't just leave them behind like the Afghan military itself - "Help yourselves!"

Panic is apparently spreading among the population. Most are either fleeing with their most important belongings or have barricaded themselves in their homes with provisions. Many are afraid of imminent purges and punitive measures because they have worked, for example, as translators or cooks for the foreign powers. The experience of recent years is clear: Since 2003, the Taliban have been waging a terrorist-military campaign against the democratic Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the international troops of the ISAF in Afghanistan, starting in Pakistan. In this campaign, the Taliban are more than twice as likely to carry out targeted attacks against Afghan civilians than against Afghan or international troops. A United Nations report shows that the Taliban were responsible for over 75% of civilian deaths in Afghanistan in 2009 and 2010, for example.

Far more frightening than the warlike actions common to the Taliban with regional warlords, however, is their religious fundamentalist underpinnings, especially toward women. On the one hand, these are erased from public perception, and on the other, they are virtually placed under blanket house arrest. Two examples of the former: Women are to be excluded from all media and all forms of public assembly. Photographing or filming women is strictly forbidden, as are images with female persons in magazines, books and newspapers as well as in stores - and even in one's own home. So having a souvenir photo with your own mother is illegal.

And one's own home is one's prison. Examples of the latter: Women and girls over the age of eight are forbidden to associate with men to whom they are not related. They are not allowed to go out on the street alone or without a burqa. They are not allowed to ride bicycles, take cabs, or even speak in public (!). The windows at home must be painted or taped shut, and they are not allowed to laugh or sing. Women are not allowed to work, attend schools or otherwise educate themselves. The only exception is instruction in the teachings of the Koran. If a woman - as well as without income - cannot afford food, she gets "food aid". Stupidly, however, this may only be received from a male relative. So if a widow does not live with a father, brother or son, she will starve.

So even in the 21st century, there are societies that do not guarantee even the most basic rights of democracy, freedom and equality. And in the case of Afghanistan, the West's two-decade effort, involving billions of dollars and thousands of lives, has effectively achieved nothing. Nothing at all. "Enduring Freedom?" What a bad joke...

Good News of the Week:

The so-called "Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change" (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was founded to provide decision and policy makers worldwide with regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and mitigation options - independently, neutrally and objectively. Every few years, the IPCC issues an Assessment Report that summarizes all available data, findings and analyses. Last week it was time again. And the report is - surprise! - a "Code Red for humanity", as the UN calls it.

The contents of the report are dry and unsparing, as it presents only scientific facts and does not moralize. Which does not make the facts any less frightening. Two crucial aspects stand out: man-made climate change is progressing faster than previously feared. And many "points of no return" have already been reached, e.g. regarding the loss of summer ice in the Arctic. As with regard to many other developments, we cannot really predict what the consequences will be. But one thing is certain: they will be negative.

So why does it say "Good News" above these lines? Because we still have a chance. Because it's not too late for the survival of humanity. Cognitive psychologist Christian Stöcker makes a domestic comparison: we come back to the kitchen and find that the fat in the pan has caught fire. We can either react to this by warning the children, grabbing the fire extinguisher and calling the fire department. Or we close the kitchen door like an ostrich, go into the living room to let the TV bring us to more pleasant thoughts and start thinking about which delivery service we will order the alternative dinner from.

So it's our choice. Yes, we have a choice. In our day-to-day actions, in elections, with our priorities. So the federal election here in Germany at the end of September will be a choice of direction. We can stagger on like lemmings toward the abyss. Or we can take an exemplary path in which we, as an industrial nation and a people of "poets and thinkers," demonstrate that economy and ecology are not mutually exclusive. We have the fucking choice - so let's do the right thing dammit!

Personal happy moment of the week:

Last night we chilled out: on a picnic blanket on the shore of nearby Lake Tegernsee. Listened to the crashing waves, the splashing dogs, the playing children, the singing birds. We read the newspaper and nibbled pistachios. An oasis of peace and quiet. So simple and yet so precious.

I couldn't care less...

...that all the favorites lost on the first matchday of the new Bundesliga soccer season. Even "our" FC Bayern München, which has the historic chance to win the German championship ten times in a row (!). I would probably see things differently on the last matchday.

As I write this...

...I'm thinking back to the fact that two years ago we were at the 50th birthday party of a very good friend. In a big, good-humored group. For a whole week. In a luxury cottage in the Scottish Highlands. Feels like from another time. Probably because it was another time. Sigh.

[whiskeykneat]

One More Saturday Night [1]

Notes: trying something a little different since the ao3 link doesn't seem to be working for some people. I made a cut but if it doesn't work this is tagged #long post. // Summary: For everyone else, it's just one more Saturday night in 1964, but for Gale Hawthorne and Peeta Mellark, they’ve both received letters that will change the course of their lives forever. // Rating: this chapter is T, but some parts will be N*FW

I. Fortunate Son (1964)

CHAPTER ONE

It's eight o'clock on a sultry July night in Twelvetrees, West Virginia. Down at the carhop, Katniss Everdeen has just switched shifts with Joanna Mason, and as she leans against the freezer, stretching her sore calves, she's unaware that the boy who's just rolled up in the parking lot with his brothers, the one who carries fifty pound sacks of flour to the back door and gets tongue tied in her presence, would give her the world if he could.

While Joanna slicks red lipstick on her sultry mouth and clips on her garters under the flickering yellow light of the washroom, Peeta Mellark sits in the parking lot of the carhop and turns the words he'll say to Katniss Everdeen over and over again in his mouth, the official decision letter from the draft board burning a hole in his pocket.

He ain't needed here. Got some brothers. That son of yours has always been useless. Let the army straighten him out, Mr Mellark. His mother's words feel like they've been seared into his soul, deeper than the burns from his many years of tending the ovens in their family bakery.

[[MORE]]

"Peet! Cat got your tongue?" Delly giggles, elbowing Peeta in the side. Delly is like a sister to him, they grew up side by side in the garden between the shoe shop and the bakery, fast friends since the day she found him hiding from his mother under the rose bushes.

Unlike Peeta, Delly has always known what she'll do when she grows up, and that's marrying the boy with the easy, charming smile who sits even now with one arm slung over her shoulders -- Peeta's second eldest brother, Wheatley. Their lives are laid out before them like the instructions for a gingerbread house, all it takes it for the pieces to be iced together, like a fairy story, falling into place.

The letter crinkles in Peeta's shirt pocket when he pats it, and as if he knows what's on Peeta's mind, Wheatley nudges him unsubtly. "You gonna tell her?" Peeta has never been close to his older brothers, and this spirit of bonhomie at the eleventh hour feels like they've already picked out a plot at the VA cemetery for him.

Peeta shrugs, feeling a blush heat his cheeks as Katniss skates on by.

"My, I wish I could pull off those dungarees!" Delly chirps, pointing at Katniss.

"I think she looks..." Like a stone cold fox. "...Outta sight." And Katniss does. She's got her dark hair pinned up like old posters of Rosie the Riveter, with a plain scrubbed face and not a hint of makeup. Yet something about her is still so inexpressibly arresting that Peeta can't help but stare at her, lost in thought, as she skates between the cars, taking orders left and right.

She's a devil on skates: her form needs work, but she can serve five cars in under fifteen minutes, with nary a drop of root beer float spilled in a single lap. She never smiles, but Peeta knows any boy in town would love to take her to Lookout Point for some necking. The sexual revolution may not have made it this deep into the mountains yet, but when there's nothing else to do, people make their own fun.

Still, the line is drawn between the Seam and Town, Katniss is the girl from the wrong side of the tracks, and Peeta may not want to admit it to himself, but that's the real reason any town boy would take her out, to see if she'd go all the way, or if she'd keep her legs locked up tight.

As she passes by the finned Buick Electra, she looks up and meets Peeta's eye, and though she never breaks the flow, he sees her look back again, and he could swear she almost smiles.

•••

I don't know how you do it, Joanna had said earlier, with a tone in her voice that might have been a slap or a smile. You might just make something of yourself and get out of this town, kiddo. What she doesn't say is written on every silver scar that marks her flesh, but Katniss lets Joanna keep her secrets, and that's why they're friends.

When Joanna slams out the back door, Katniss hears a Caddy roar in the alley like a tiger, and there's the scream of her friend's high laughter before the only sound left in the waiting night is crickets and the catchy song trickling from the kitchen radio: Do wah diddy diddy dum diddy do...

For a moment, Katniss is lost in the past, and she stares out the back door as the moths flutter at the neon lights, feeling every year of her eighteen summers and twenty more besides, as though she's faded to a pale reflection of herself before she's ever gotten her or Prim out of this place.

"You look like you're run off your feet, girl. Sit down and take a breather. Them Town kids can wait." Chaff plucks the order pad from Katniss's fingers and starts putting up the tickets as he steers her to a chair beside the fan. "'Sides, Mitch would kill me if you fainted on my watch." Chaff passes Katniss an ice cold bottle of pop, and she feels herself sag in relief.

Chaff once flew planes with Abernathy, back in the war with Germany, but beyond that she hardly knows him at all, for Chaff never talks about the city he left to come to their little town that sleeps as the rest of the modern world passes them by.

The bottle of pop sweats in her hands, and it makes her think of the way her pa would bring home one as a treat when she was little, to be shared sip by tiny sip with her baby sister, each fizzy bubble held in their mouths for as long as they could, to make the sweetness last.

"Shit, Miss Undersee was supposed to be here an hour ago." Chaff smacks a hand on the counter, but Katniss can tell he doesn't half care. "If she's late one more time, I'll fire her ass. I don't care who her daddy is."

Before Katniss can make up an excuse for Madge (the secret of how sick Madge's mama is lies on her tongue like a wedge of pitch, sticking her gums together), Chaff passes her a twist of greasy fries and a milkshake (strawberry, like the wild berries she used to sell door to door with her best friend Gale, before he went down the mine). She can't believe how ravenous she is, anyone would think she hadn't eaten since breakfast, and that's as close to the truth as she's willing to admit to herself.

Ever since the mine explosion that killed her father, back in '55, Katniss has had to shift for herself and her sister, keeping their small family afloat. The mine owner sent their mama to a sanitarium in Richmond to recuperate. When she returned, she seemed half the person she used to be, and had to return again and again to be put back together for something called hysteria.

But that's all water under the bridge now, and Katniss is no longer that frightened eleven year old girl, forced to survive on the kindness of strangers. Abernathy took pity on her and hired her as soon as she turned fifteen to work for him at the carhop, and she'll spend her life trying to repay a debt that can never be quantified.

Mr Abernathy passed out hours ago, he's almost as fond of white lightning as Katniss is of making extra tips, anything to get out of this town before it's too late. She's got a scholarship to the university, the same place Abernathy went to, even though she's no more likely to study physics than she is to sprout wings and fly away from the dust of this coal town.

At midnight, when the neon lights shut down, and all the moths in town flock to the lustrous glow the stars make over the quarry pond, she and Chaff will use all of their combined strength to roll Abernathy over and make sure he doesn't drown in his own vomit. That's part of her debt, and she'll be deep in it until she shuffles off this mortal coil.

So when Madge bursts through the door, not a single strand of blonde hair out of place, Katniss is too full of sugar and grease to protest when Madge insists she'll take the next orders out.

"Been pilin' up." Chaff nods to the tickets. "That little Cartwright gal came by and dropped 'em off while Katniss took a breather. By the sounds of it, they're gittin' liquored up out there." But he doesn't make a move to stop Madge from going out the door.

Madge blows a strand of golden hair off her forehead and adjusts her headband, her pale fingers flying over the laces in an intricate pattern as she re-ties her skates. They're pristine white, the kind that Katniss's little sister Primrose would give her eye teeth for, but nothing in the Seam stays white for long, not with the coal dust that gets onto everything, coating it like funerary ash.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she says to Katniss, biting her lip and looking away from her friend. Chaff makes a sound of deep disgust in his throat, and passes Madge the tray. Once she's skated from sight, he turns back to the fryer, and turns up the radio.

Come gather 'round friends and I'll tell you a tale / Of when the red iron pits ran a-plenty / But the cardboard-filled windows and old men on the benches / Tell you now that the whole town is empty (North Country Blues, Bob Dylan)

•••

Madge has skated eleven blocks to get here, refusing to take her daddy's car like some spoiled little debutante, although she might have a year ago, before she went to university, before everything began to fall apart. There's a run in her stockings that will have to be repaired soon, and a burning in her lungs that reminds her she's alive. Now that she's been to university and back, this town feels smaller than ever, but it's a good feeling, as if nothing bad could ever happen here, cocooned from the world outside.

When the lights turn down low, and the town sleeps, she'll lie in her bed and listen to the hum of the locusts in the sycamore tree, where the initials M+G are still scarred across the trunk, as if life followed a pattern, laid out like a children's jumping rhyme.

•••

It is quite propitious, as far as plans go, Miss Undersee. Seneca dabbed at his lips with his napkin. His mustache was damp with moisture, and she felt her stomach curdle at the way it gleamed wetly under the lights. She just hoped he got this whole breakup over with soon, because she was sure that one more minute of having to endure his rubbery lips and his mechanical groping on her knee would make her commit an entirely unladylike act.

As Madge fantasized about flipping Seneca the bird, he laid a clammy hand over hers and took a deep breath. With my money and your breeding, I think a marriage would suit the pair of us, don't you agree?

But my degree... I haven't finished it yet. Madge's smile froze in place, suddenly entirely too aware of the predatory gazes of the waitstaff, as though the entire moment had been orchestrated. She felt blindsided, and furious all at once. But good manners won out, and she smiled again, with a cheer she did not feel.

Seneca laughed, a touch of condescension creeping into his voice. I'm not marrying you for your mind, Margareta. Your father said you might be stubborn.

Madge reeled back in shock, stunned. Suddenly it all seemed too much: the soft candlelight felt as garish as the cheap lights of a carnival fanfare, the white wine in her glass tasted like rotgut mash. She tried to tug her hand back from Seneca's, but he held it fast. You talked to my daddy already? Her voice seemed to be coming from far away.

Why, of course I did, darling. Seneca squeezed her arm tight, a warning. Now, if you want to finish your university degree by mail, that's fine with me, but you won't need any of that when you're Mrs Seneca Crane, wife to the next senator of West Virginia. He continued his monologue, the room fading to a single pinprick of light until all Madge could see was that flashy diamond, all she could hear was the sound of champagne corks and applause, and all she could feel was the tightness closing in on her, as if Seneca's ring was around her neck instead of her finger.