#pig iron for casting

[neometaliks]

Technological Advancements In Pig Iron Production

Here are the latest technological advancements in pig iron production. To know more read on now. Find out about the pig iron production cost, pig iron price and get the best pig iron for casting.

[khaire-traveler]

In place of animal sacrifices, you can draw a paper cow, sheep, pig, etc. and burn that instead! Just be careful not to paint it, as the fumes from burnt paint may be harmful. You can also bake bread or cookies in the shapes of animals and burn those as "sacrifice", make them out of wood, make them out of wax - pretty much any safe-to-burn, flammable material. Just be sure to burn these things outside or with a window open. Be sure to use a burn-safe container as well, such as cast iron or designated fire pits! c:

[starlattethesqueakwal]

Just noticed this while scrolling/random Hazbin Hotel/Helluva Boss rant. :/ (TW: Mentions of Fatphobia, Rape, and other negative stuff.)

The fact that the show has a character, who's canonically plus size, be called a "PIG!" will never not be tasteless like- why does Vivziepop hate plus sized people who enjoy food, like- at all?

It's just so fucking stupid.

Like- she clearly has this thing where the fat characters get hated on for liking food. Which is awful because it basically spreads the message that if you're a fat person who still enjoys what you eat, at all, even if its healthier food, that there's something "wrong" with you and that you "need" to eat raw baking powder or something for the rest of your life, become anorexic, and die to be "healthy" or some shit like that.

Even Bee ends up being disgusted because "LOL ONL SKINNY PEOPLE CAN ENJOY FOOD!" bullshit. Like- the writers do realize that an apple a day or one piece of French toast isn't going to kill you if you're over 120 pounds... right? Like- what the fuck is this?

The merch and stuff even has Mammon constantly around food and its somehow meant to be "disgusting" that he does so. They also made him the sin of "greed", which surprise surprise, also has to do with food! So having the greed character as fat is also fatphobic ESPECIALLY when you make him have food EVERY.FEW.SECONDS to the point where it comes off as a mockery of people with eating disorders.

Hell, if you think about it for more than three seconds, the concept of "sin" is mainly about shaming people with disorders.

"Lust:" Hypersexuality. "Gluttony:" ED. "Wrath:" Mood Disorders. "Sloth:" Iopathic hypersomnia, "Envy: Histrionic personality disorder," "Pride:" Bipolar disorder. Which if anything, makes the ENTIRE concept of "the deadly sins" literally ableist and the fact that Hazbin Hotel exists at all, showing these "sins"/behaviors as presenting someone as a inherently "bad" person for mostly behaviors such as being a sex worker, liking porn, liking food, having mood issues, being alcoholic, and behaviors that make people NOT a "bad person" or a "joke" shows just how inherently flawed Hazbin Hotel is as a concept. I think that I could only list very few scenes where a character was shamed for something actually bad, as then there's the other extreme: Showing a bad behavior as "innocent." Stolas is shown as "innocent" for being a rapist. Valentino is treated like a "sexy goofball" by the cast of the show despite doing the same thing. The men that raped Sir Pentious are shown as "funny." Blitz's murder is overlooked constantly and has no real consequences in the show, etc. Its either a character is shamed for something not even bad or a bad behavior is overlooked. Its so goddamn toxic.

They also make him fully dressed to cover up his so called "disgusting" body when like... chubby people can also be pretty?

The creators even tried to play damage control when once again-

The creators posted that "ITS FUCKING LUNCH TIME" scene after making this post. So... this is bullshit. COMPLETE utter bullshit.

The creators clearly hate themselves and project that hatred onto their fat/disabled/and or poc characters. Also using sins to make themselves look like "better" people for not having certain disorders the same way most hyper religious people do.

They have the poc characters be rapists instead of any other type of villains (EX: Versoika and her crew, Valentino with Angel Dust, Velvette with the "love" drug she made, etc.), they had well-

THIS SCENE.

-and then there's the fat characters and their merch.

When here's a reminder:

You are more than your disability.

You are NOT a "burden", "ugly", or "useless."

You are NOT "greedy" or "gluttonous" for having a eating disorder.

You are NOT "just" sexual thoughts if you're poc.

The entire concept of the "SEVEN DEADLY SINS OOOOOH YOURE GOING TO HELL FOR THIS RANDOM MENTAL AND PHYSICAL DISORDER THATS BEYOND YOUR CONTROL!" is bullshit and this shows just how ironically hyper religious Vivziepop is (transphobia and all) despite her claiming that she is "one of the good ones!"

Also, here's proof that Vivziepop's kendraws screenshots are real:

-and that this post is based:

Goodnight!

[charms-cat]

SPOILERS FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON

Casting

Making famous rapper Choi Seunghyun/TOP play a failed rapper is some perfectly ironic casting 😂

(I know it wasn't intentional. I just thought it was funny)

Fuck Myunggi

Junhee! Kick him to the curb and keep him there! That guy is definitely gonna be a deadbeat dad.

(And, not to get too moral policing here, but it was cruel of her to keep the baby when she knew she was in heavy debt. No child should be born in poverty)

EDIT: somebody misunderstood what I meant by the above paragraph. They thought it was "classist. Every child deserves to live. If the mother decides to have a child, then it's her choice. It's wrong to tell a mother that she should've gotten rid of her baby just bcs she can't provide a perfect life for her child" (not verbatim, but this was the gist). They removed their replies, so let me clarify for anyone else who's confused.

Children are expensive. They will need things or want other things. They might lose a school book or rip their coat or catch an illness or want a toy. All things that need to be fixed, and all of them cost money. And I just don't think it's something children need to be worried about. You might give them an allowance to teach them financial responsibility, but no child should be worried about the income of a household. They shouldn't fear losing or ruining anything bcs they already know that replacing it will be a financial strain on their family. They shouldn't fear the resulting medical care of (being born with/experiencing) poor health bcs they know it'll be (heavier) debt for their family. Children should only worry about childish things, not the potential collapse of their family.

It is not classist to not want a child to be born in poverty. You don't need to provide a "perfect" life for your child. But you wanting a child is not a reason for them to suffer the effects of the life you're currently living.

TLDR; if you can't be comfortable with your child being a little clumsy or careless or sick bcs any of those might be a financial strain, then you shouldn't have children.

I get that Junho didn't want to admit that his brother was the sociopathic Front Man, but he could've just said, "I saw his face but didn't recognise him." People's lives are at stake here, you pig. Smh cops are just useless.

In Junhee's case, we can only hope that she has other friends who'll help her with the baby. Her debt is most likely in the millions, and she already lost both her parents. I'm sure you can ask any parent and they'll tell you that a newborn needs lots of attention. So either she'll need to outsource that vital childcare while she works (bcs I doubt a government check would be enough for both of them) or she needs work that allows her to bring her baby.

STOP KEEPING VITAL INFO TO YOURSELVES FFS

And Jungbae, oh my God. Five seconds to just say "(Youngil) killed someone" and Gihun might've known to be on alert around him. It doesn't take a detective to work out that, "Hey, this guy is going kinda crazy. He might kill us if he needs to. Maybe I should tell someone." Buddy, even if you think he only turned to murder out of a need for survival, he still can't be trusted.

TRAITOR

Y'all I fucking knew that ship captain Park was Suspicious, with a capital S!

+ they made it a point that Wooseok said "which of you got drunk and spilled the intel?" Only to later show him drinking and spilling intel

The very moment he was questioning Wooseok in that restaurant and saying shit like, "I didn't believe him at first," and, most importantly, "so everything (Junho) told me was true?" He was on my impostor radar. Idk how to explain it too well. Like, yeah, I believe Junho would've told him some stuff but telling him "everything"? or enough for him to make a sudden turn from "this is baloney" to "I 100% believe you and in no way do I think all these men are just part of the same cuckoo conspiracy group."

Also, now that it's confirmed that he's a measly fucking rat, I just wanna circle back to the fisherman who said that he was given "leftover bait" by some guy. Who would just have that shit on hand? Fisherman captain Park. Who was "interested" in the drones and how good surveillance is these days? Captain fucking Park. Bastard.

Gyeongseok and Noeul

Do we think Gyeongseok (the dad) is still alive? I think so since they focused on his character but haven't really expanded on his story line + I didn't see a corpse and he wasn't shot in the head so it's pretty suspect + Noeul avoided shooting him in the first game too (for his hair flying. yall, was he supposed to control the wind??) and I'm pretty sure she's the soldier (that shot him) since she was also the only one connected to him outside the game

Add. Note: I really hoped that Noeul had a chance to shoot those rapist bastards during the shootout. Y'know, disguise it as a "why would the players do this? 😔" moment

Death flags 🏴

Hyunju, those fake friends didn't deserve you 😭. I love her. She's been a boss all season.

Gihun saying he'll outlive Jungbae was probably the biggest death flag I've seen so far. But I thought for sure that old guy (10B won in debt) and that shaman were gonna die. I mean,,, telling other people they're gonna die (and you're gonna live) is an ironic death flag.

EDIT: just gonna add that Jungbae also said, "we're both gonna make it out of here" to Gihun + he was the only person to know the "true nature" of the antagonist so that's three different death flags for him 😭

Side note: I found out that the actor for said old guy (Song Youngchang) is a convicted sex offender/rapist. Maybe that's why I wanna see him die so badly.

Hyunju! And Daeho

And I feel sorry for Daeho. I thought he was lil too peppy for a soldier and I was right(?) The guy's never seen live combat.

I just know that your wife, who would've died to bring a life into this world, would be fucking disappointed

HWANG INHO YOU BASTARD

God. The worst part of the whole plan was the fact that they actually got so fucking close, if only they hadn't let that bitch join their ranks

[syoddeye]

cw: butcher!simon, darkfic, dead animals, no butchery depicted, temperature torture, implied hobbling/limb removal. definitely not for everyone. 490 words.

you find yourself hanging between pig carcasses in cold storage. swaying. chain creaking.

the chill sinks beneath your skin, numbing you in long, creeping waves. your fingers twitch, but grow stiffer by the minute. slowly ceding control to the ice. the threat of unconsciousness stalks the edges of your vision and mind, willing you to close your straining eyes and frosted lashes. find peace in oblivion. but the thought of what happens after keeps you stubborn.

of course, there are consequences for staying awake, too.

fifteen minutes, simon said. lettin' you off easy, he said. an eternity spent sailing the cocytus would be more comforting.

you're on the descent, about to pass orpheus on the stairs, when the door opens. the rush of warm air stings and bites, stirring your reflexes and making you thrash weakly. he chuckles as he takes you off the hooks, casting aside your shackles. he throws you over his shoulder, knocking the air from your lungs in scrapes, and pats your flank.

he lays you out on the table, a wet and sticky puddle smears and squishes beneath your back. he looms, his brutish form blocking out the sterile light above. something thick and heavy falls over you, slightly damp and smelling of iron, but you make no move to shed it. you can't, anyway. it's warm and solid but malleable like worn leather.

simon takes shears to your clothes. cutting them from your body and replacing your cover as he goes. his hand slips to your throat and wrists every few minutes. the thick pads of his fingers wrapped in elastic press down firm, monitoring.

he tuts about the kitchen. the longer you lay there, the more feeling you regain. the clearer your mind becomes. you realize your blanket isn't a blanket at all, but his stained apron. still sopping from a day's work.

he strokes your cheek when he catches you staring, petrified.

"feelin' warmer?"

you barely nod, the muscles and tendons of your neck uncooperative. he cups your chin, dragging it down and up, ignoring your whimper of pain.

"yeah? good. let's 'ave a chat."

simon drags a stool along the linoleum to sit behind your head, forcing you to roll your eyes back as far as they'll go. he pets your temples and forehead, closely examining you.

"tried to run. not smart, pet," he leans close, breath fanning over your face. "makes it the third time. remember what i told ya?"

an object clatters onto the table beside you, heavy enough to rattle a small shockwave through your back. his eyes don't stray from your face, but his head tilts expectantly. swallowing thickly, you crane your neck, nerves screaming in protest.

you see the handle first. then the long, steel body. the teeth. a hand saw longer than your arm, one you've seen him take to the pigs in the freezer.

"it's a shame. liked your legs."

[mc-speculation]

Mobs that have babies (in game):

Armadillos

Axolotls

Bees

Camels

Cats

Chickens

Cows

Dolphins

Donkeys

Drowned 1

(The) Ender Dragon 3

Foxes

Frogs

Glow Squid

Goats

Hoglins

Horses

Husks 1

Llamas

Magma Cubes 4

Mooshrooms

Mules

Ocelots

Pandas

Pigs

Piglins

Polar Bears

Rabbits

Salmon (?) 5

Sheep

Skeleton Horses 2

Slimes 4

Sniffers

Squid

Striders

Turtles

Villagers

Wolves

Ziglins (Zombie Piglins) 1

Zoglins (Zombie Hoglins) 1

Zombies 1

Zombie Horses 1

Zombie Villagers 1

Mobs that do not have babies (in game):

Allays 6

Bats 7

Blazes 8

Bogged 2

Breezes 8

Cave Spiders 9

Cod 9

Creakings 8a

Creepers 10

Elder Guardians/Guardians 8b

Endermen 7a

Endermites 9

Ghasts 7b

Iron Golems 8

Parrots 7

Phantoms 11

Pillagers 12

Pufferfish 9

Ravagers 7

Shulkers 9

Silverfish 9

Skeletons 2

Snow Golems 8

Spiders 9

Strays 2

Tropical Fish 9

Vex 8

Wardens 13

Witches 12

(The) Wither 8

Wither Skeletons 2a

Whatever manner reanimates different kinds of zombies seems to reanimate the young as well as adults, regardless of their species or the type of zombie (ie. husks, drowned).

Conversely, whatever reanimates skeletons does not reanimate the young, and thus they are likely reanimated in a completely different fashion to zombies. The only exception is the skeleton horse, which must in turn be reanimated in a different manner than other skeletons. Perhaps it has more in common with zombies than other types of skeletons.

2a. Whether or not wither skeletons are reanimated in the same or a similar way to other skeletons is questionable. They share the trait of lacking young with other skeletons, but are otherwise quite different.

3. The Ender Dragon does not have young, but it does produce an “egg”. Assuming it is in fact an egg, and not some strange byproduct of the beast’s biology or death, this counts - regardless of if it can be hatched by a player or not.

4. Both magma cubes and slimes are capable of asexual reproduction.

5. Salmon can be found in three different sizes. Whether these different sizes are genetic, a product of the environment, or an indicator of age is not entirely clear. 6. Allays are capable of asexual reproduction (in this case it is a magical process rather than a biological one), but they are created as fully-formed adults, and thus technically do not have any subadult phases.

7. These animals do, in fact, have young. Their young are altricial (meaning they are born unable to move or eat independently, and are dependent on the parent(s)), so it is more that they are very unlikely to be seen due to the way that they are reared.

7a. Endermen are also altricial, and hide their young in burrows to protect them from predators, competitors, and their dangerous environment. 7b. Ghasts are another altricial species. They protect their larvae within their largely hollow gas-filled bodies, in a somewhat similar manner to the mouthbrooding of certain fish and other animals.

8. These creatures are created (or suspected to be created), not born, and thus don’t have any subadult phases. These creatures are called constructs.

8a. In the case of Creakings, little is known about their nature in general. At this present time, they seem to be created by the Pale Oak, rather than having their own reproductive abilities.

8b. Guardians are constructs. but are also capable of reproducing. They typically have a eusocial colony structure similar to that of bees - the Elder Guardians being the queens, or reproductive females. Should the Elder Guardians die, however, the smaller drones can reproduce amongst themselves to produce more drones. Notably, drones cannot metamorphose into Elder Guardians like some other eusocial animals. This suggests that the different castes within their species were manufactured by their creators.

9. Similar to altricial species, these creatures do have young, they’re just unlikely to be encountered or noticed by players. In these species, it is because the young are born as very small larval stages, and are often hidden from view of potential predators - like players.

10. Creepers have consistently thwarted any attempts of study or classification. Whether they are a plant, an animal, a construct, or something else entirely, is up in the air. How, or even if, they reproduce is not fully understood.

11. The nature of phantoms is strange and little is known about them. They are undead, but do not resemble any living counterparts that could have died and been reanimated to create them. It is possible they are not animated by an external force, like how zombies and skeletons are, and instead are their own unique organism animated by other means. This makes their method of reproduction a real mystery, one yet to be studied and solved.

12. Pillagers and witches seem to be the product of environmental change in villagers. Thus, the reason their are no baby witches or pillagers is likely not because they cannot reproduce (though granted, it’s not been proven that they can reproduce), but is more likely because the young would just be villagers, and would only become pillagers or witches as they grow.

13. Wardens are bizarre and seldom studied organisms. Much of their life history is unknown, including how/if they reproduce and how/if they develop. This may be difficult to study - for a number of reasons, really, but chiefly because they are seemingly not from this realm at all, and the conditions they now live in may not allow them to reproduce or rear their young.

[theoutcastrogue]

Cartoon depictions of the homeless increasingly reflect the hostility of today’s political leaders toward people on the streets. We’ve gone from images of charming hobos with bindles to zombies taking over cities. If you consume any news at all, you’ve probably noticed that the United States is pathologically cruel to its homeless citizens. This May, the brutal killing of Jordan Neely—who was strangled to death, at the age of 30, simply because he was unhoused and shouting on the Manhattan subway—captured the national spotlight, but it was just one of many such cases of unprovoked violence. In January, two cops reportedly kidnapped a homeless man in Hialeah, Florida, drove him to an “isolated and dark location,” and beat him unconscious. That same month, art dealer Shannon Collier Gwin faced battery charges after he sprayed a homeless woman with a hose outside his San Francisco gallery, barking “Move! Move!” at her. (Predictably, Gwin got a lenient plea deal of just 35 hours of community service.) Elsewhere in the city, homeless San Franciscans have been attacked with chemical bear spray on at least eight occasions. Other assaults have been more impersonal but no less vicious. On July 14, the city of Houston abruptly closed its only public cooling center in the downtown area, potentially condemning anyone without shelter to suffer heatstroke in 90-degree weather. Among the property-owning class, the phenomenon of hostile architecture—sidewalks with spikes that stab anyone who tries to sleep, benches with iron bars, and the like—has become de rigueur. The widespread callousness and lack of compassion are both infuriating and hard to comprehend. How on Earth, we might ask, did things get this bad? [...]

Looking back at older cartoons, one of the things that stands out immediately is the absence of negative attitudes toward the homeless. In fact, during the Golden Age of animation, creators seemed to have had a real affinity for the poor and unhoused, often placing their most iconic characters in that role. There’s a wonderful 1948 Warner Bros. short called “Riff Raffy Daffy,” in which Daffy Duck is looking for a place to sleep—first on a park bench, then a trash can, and finally a furniture display in a shop window—and has to dodge the harassment of the police, as represented by Porky Pig in a little blue uniform. (Literally, the cop is a pig!) Or, in the 1950 cartoon “Homeless Hare,” Bugs Bunny’s rabbit hole is destroyed by a new construction project, leading him to unleash his usual slapstick mayhem against the developers until they put it back. In these cartoons, homelessness is something inflicted on people by outside forces—gentrification and the real estate business, in Bugs’ case—and something which can be successfully resisted. Even Disney cast a homeless dog as a romantic lead in 1955’s Lady and the Tramp, contrasting Lady’s sheltered naivety with Tramp’s superior knowledge of the world. The title invokes the memory of Charlie Chaplin’s “Tramp” films, which similarly brought dignity and humanity to the role of a homeless man. (Bugs Bunny, too, takes inspiration from Chaplin, and multiple Warner animators have drawn him as the Tramp.) In 1961, Hanna-Barbera’s profoundly underrated Top Cat followed the adventures of a gang of wisecracking Manhattan alley cats, who, like Daffy, are always outwitting a meddling policeman. At worst, classic cartoons may trivialize the suffering and danger associated with homelessness—there’s a certain recurring image of the carefree hobo carrying a bindle, which paints the whole subject in a romanticized light—but the homeless themselves are rarely disparaged or made the butt of the joke. Quite the opposite. 

It took a few years, but cartoons caught up to the Reaganite turn. In episodes from the ’90s and early 2000s, there’s a palpable shift in the way homeless characters appear compared to earlier decades. The perspective is different: we’re now seeing them through the eyes of comfortably housed characters, rather than their own. Often they don’t even get proper names. [...] This trajectory leads us, perhaps inevitably, to SpongeBob SquarePants. [..] Squidward gets accused of stealing a dime by his comically greedy boss, Mr. Krabs, and quits his job in a fit of outrage. We then flash forward to see Squidward, now bedraggled and unshaven, living in a cardboard box on the street and begging for change. [...] Mercifully, the ever-cheerful SpongeBob gives Squidward a place to stay—but the moment he’s safely off the street, Squidward turns from a sympathetic victim of circumstance into a lazy, entitled freeloader, straight out of a Reagan speech. He makes no effort to find work and loafs around SpongeBob’s house for ages. [...] Eventually, an exasperated SpongeBob writes “GET A JOB” in his alphabet soup, before shoving him (bed and all) back to work at the Krusty Krab. [...] Worst of all, though, the episode suggests that homelessness can be solved on an individual basis if the people in question simply stop being lazy and “GET A JOB.” This is the biggest myth of all. In 2021, a statistical analysis by the University of Chicago found that 53 percent of people in homeless shelters, and 40.4 percent of unsheltered people, do have jobs. The problem is that their wages are too low, and rents are too high. According to statistics from the same year, it’s impossible for someone working a full-time, minimum-wage job to afford a single-bedroom apartment in 93 percent of U.S. counties, and there are no states in which someone can rent a two-bedroom space on the current federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. In other words, homelessness has little or nothing to do with personal responsibility, or lack thereof. It’s a consequence of large-scale economic decisions made by landlords and bosses. [...]

— Alex Skopic

[ltwilliammowett]

Superstitions of Scotland's fishermen

Perhaps due to the dangers of their profession or their interdependence, fishing communities developed their own unique customs and folklore. They were close-knit and conservative, and their names, food and way of life differed from those of the neighbouring population. There was often rivalry even between different fishing villages, and they rarely married outside their own community.

Because of the dangerous nature of their work, they were unusually superstitious, as were all those involved with the sea. There were words that were considered very unlucky, for example the word minister was never mentioned - he was called the man in the black coat, and the words hare, salmon (red fish), rat (long tail), pig (curly tail) and salt were among the most forbidden words. If the men came across a hare, a dog or a red-haired man, they refused to set sail, and if they found a rabbit, a hare, a pigeon or a dove on board, they certainly did not disembark. The antidote to bad luck was to touch cauld iron.

Other customs were associated with sailing and fishing. For example, it was bad luck to cast the nets on the port side, to taste the food before the first fish was caught or not to take the blood of the first fish. In some places, fights were instigated so that blood could be spilt before the fleet set sail. Some boats were considered unlucky in themselves because they had the wrong names or did not behave according to the rules. One way to avoid bad luck was to never row against the sun (anti-clockwise) when leaving the harbour.

Rituals and spells were said to influence the weather. It was believed that you could whistle up the wind or untie it with special knots in a rope - one knot would cause a breeze, the second a hurricane and the third a storm. The weather was always expected to change on a Friday.

In some areas, other days of the week had special significance, bringing either good or bad luck. For example, most communities did not fish on Sunday, even though it was considered a lucky day. It was believed that work started on a Saturday took seven more Saturdays, while work started on a Monday was quickly completed.

Before a young man could become a fisherman, there were initiation rituals where he had to prove himself, and even today, customs and superstitions still influence the life of a fisherman. Echoes of the old customs can still be found in the villages today. However, as you may have just realised, this type of superstition is confined purely to Scottish fishermen, these types were also regularly found on ships. The reason for this was that many sailors came from the fishing villages as well as their compatriots, and so their superstitions and rituals were taken on board and spread.

[vvynia]

abby and your family’s thanksgiving

pairing: a. anderson x black southern belle!reader

genre: fluff w/ brief mention of smut (mdni)

word count: its headcanons so its short but idk the specific number sowwwy

warnings: not beta read, brief mentions of homophobia but only bc reader’s family isn’t like that, mention of family drama, pregnancy mention, brief moment where religion is talked about (saying grace/prayer)

synopsis: this is literally just headcanons of what would happen if our beloved abby anderson attended your family’s thanksgiving/reunion if you don’t celebrate. very much black reader-centric, but anyone’s welcome to read it esp if you’re from the south cause this is also heavily southern reader coded.

bringing abby anderson to your black (southern) family’s thanksgiving would be a sight to behold.

and imagine its everyone’s FIRST time meeting her too. assuming everyone is super cool and unhateful, i just know she’d have all the aunties’ attention. they see her height, her build and turn to you talkin about, “now, where’d you find her?”

abby would 100% be in ya grandmama’s backyard huddled around the grill with the uncles and dads. she’s got a lil beer in hand (she probably doesn’t even like beer but she likes fitting in and it isn’t all bad when the bonding is genuine) one of em goes “mhm that turkey bout done smokin” and abby is taking mental notes cause one day, she’s gonna smoke a turkey for you two’s family, in your backyard, and your grandkids are gonna be running around

the kids are OBSESSED with her. they climb her like she’s a jungle gym, ask her to throw them in the air, ask her all types of questions. “ABIGAIL! come play with us!” and she does, but the whole time she’s wondering how they discovered what her full name is cause she sure ain’t tell em lool

sometime after, she gets together in the livingroom with you and your cousins, then that one uncle or aunt comes in, says a few words, then leaves with a plate. the gossip commences lol and she’s so in tune to what ya’ll are talking about. she thought her family could dog somebody out?

all that pales in comparison to yall’s words. these sly (and sometimes even blatant) insults are unhinged, the storyline is juicy. she feels like she’s listening to an audiobook of lore. and whenever she asks a question for clarification, someone is always ready to start from the beginning with “see, what had happened was” and “to make a long story short” (the story was not made short)

then it actually comes time to eat, time for her to have her taste buds born anew

your family has whipped up some southern classics: sweet potato pie, pig feet, neck bones and collard greens, cabbage, pound cake, and every other dish you can think of.

you were in charge of the sweet tea, but this year you made a peach batch cause you know abby likes peaches 🥰

ya’ll say grace cause lets be real, if this is the south, somebody baptist and its probably the family matriarch lol

abby is respectful about it whether she believes in god or not cause your family has treated her with the most open of arms and she can feel the love and hospitality all around (if god is real, she thinks, he would’ve wanted everyone who believes in him to be like my sweet girl’s family)

when ya’ll are done and everyone has plated their food, they’re all silently waiting for the white girl’s reaction. they’re trying to play it off, be casual, not stare LOL but they know what’s coming i must admit

and abby doesn’t disappoint cause as you’re sitting next to her, soon as she puts some of them collard greens in her mouth and a couple candied yams and your grandaddy’s secret cast iron skillet macaroni recipe in her mouth, the satisfaction is written all over her face

everyone starts laughing when one of the kids say, “damn, girl, is it good?” to which they’re scolded lol but ofc abby nods like she’s trying to shake the hair follicles out her head

after everyone has ate and said what they’re thankful for (she says she’s thankful for you ofc but she leaves out how thankful she is for getting to strap you down at least twice a week), you two go sit on the porch alone.

you’re leaned against her in a two-seater rocking chair, bellies impossibly full, enjoying the gentle breeze and setting sun and the scent of food that is still wafting from the house

one of your cousin’s kids runs up from the backyard, comes up to you asking for help with opening a new toy, so you help

abby sees how cool you are, how in your element you are with your family, and this moment truly solidifies how much she wants this with you too. ya’ll have had the kids conversation before, so she knows you want at least one

she can’t help but think how gorgeous you’d look bein her housewife, barefoot and pregnant and divine and ethereal, starting a family, never having to worry for a thing bc she’s gonna take care of you

and she knows, when she needs it, you’ll take care of her too

I LOVE LOVE

[whimsymosaic]

I saw someone ask about what daemons the dbda cast would have (from his dark materials) and I thought i’d give my choices:

Charles would definitely be a dog, maybe even a wolf adds on to his thing about being scared of becoming a violent person like his father.

I think an owl would really fit Edwin? It’s symbolic for wisdom and also they look cool visually. I was thinking a crow but with Monty existing I had to vito it.

I think Niko would have a butterfly because in some cultures they are seen as the souls of the living and the dead, believed to be the spirits of the deceased on their journey to the afterlife. They also symbolize joy, longevity, and marital happiness so I thought with foreshadowing and everything it fit Niko really well.

Wanted to go with a witchy daemon for Crystal since she’s a seer but once again cats are the cat kings thing so I decided a bat would be cool. Bats, particularly in European cultures, have long been associated with witchcraft, black magic, and darkness, due to their nocturnal nature and ability to fly.

I think it’d be cool if the night nurse had the same daemon as Kashi, as in they’d both have an angler fish.

Jenny, because it’s ironic as hell, would have a pig as her daemon. They’re also known to very smart pigs so it works out.

Other characters would be very straightforward:

Ester would have a snake, Monty a crow and the cat king a cat.

[enderneverends]

Science in HTTYD pt. 1: Gronckle Iron

Hello hello, enderneverends here, scientist and HTTYD enthusiast! I'm working through Dreamworks Dragons for the first time and I've been thinking a lot about the science used (or lack thereof. When Lightning Strikes is... in need of some work) and I'd love to start with the DoB episode The Iron Gronckle:

Sidebar: If this is a discussion that's been had on Tumblr before I joined I'm so sorry! I haven't seen those posts if they exist 😔

Sidebar Sidebar: If this is also a topic in SoD that I haven't played yet I'm also sorry! I haven't had much time to play!

Sidebar Sidebar Sidebar: If this is expanded upon later in the series again I apologize! I'm currently on The Night and the Fury!

Firstly, based on the appearance and quality of the Gronckle Iron I'd argue that the material created is steel, given that it's light and incredibly durable. Cast iron and wrought iron both don't look the same and/or don't match in quality. Both wonderful for their purposes, but not what is made.

Ductile iron would also be a great contender, but that requires incredibly pure iron ore which isn't what Meatlug digests. Also, ductile iron is more capable of deforming, which is fantastic for construction and automobiles that require impact resistance, but not so great for hand-to-hand combat. Higher impact resistance would result in softer blows, which isn't the case when Gobber slices Snotlout's sword.

Secondly, I'd argue that Meatlug (and Gronckles in general (and Hotburples in the future? But I'm not there yet)) are a way of biologically recreating the Bessemer process.

This is a basic layout of the furnace used to make steel (which, funnily enough, kinda fits the profile of a Gronckle). The general idea is that air is blown through the tuyeres, which oxidizes with the impurities found in the melted pig iron, turning them into gas which is then released. This leaves you with steel to be molded as you (or Gobber and Hiccup) please.

In the episode itself, Meatlug is able to produce Gronckle Iron after eating an excessive amount of various rocks. Later in the episode, Gobber tries to help Fishlegs find out which rock produced the Iron, but to no avail (and multiple consequences). I believe that is where they went wrong. It wasn't a specific type of rock that produced the Iron, it was

A. the amount of trace iron found in all of the rocks themselves (some of which could actually be iron ore, but that's not confirmed to my knowledge) and

B. the amount of air ingested by Meatlug due to her eating quickly

Now the part that's missing is how the tuyeres would be mimicked. My theory is that much like how humans digest food, the Gronckle would have to move their stomach around a bunch to maximize surface area for the oxidation to occur. Theoretically, even if the gas is in equilibrium with the steel (as it isn't immediately expelled in the episode) the equilibrium should favor the gaseous state due to the high temperature. The steel doesn't enter a gaseous state due to it's incredibly elevated boiling point, leaving the impurities and steel well separated.

And huzzah! The full Bessemer Process (Gronckle Edition) is then:

eat an large amount of rocks really quickly to ingest air and iron

have the stomach slosh around to maximize surface area for oxidation.

expel both the gas and the steel so that the system leaves equilibrium and gives relatively impurity free steel!

By the looks of Gronckle biology in general, they don't seem to produce any slag (if I had to guess they'd probably poop it) so that makes keeping the impurities out that much easier.

And also later in the series, I'd have to watch RTTE to make determinations about the Hotburple and how it prefers iron ore to rocks, but that won't be for some time!

That's my theory on Gronckle Iron! Again, if this is explained in canon or in SoD I'm sorry! I just love science and httyd so much I couldn't help but combine the two! Anyway, if you made it to the end thanks for tuning in to my scientific hyperfixation fueled yap sesh!

[neometaliks]

Technological Advancements In Pig Iron Production

Find out here about the technological advancements in pig iron production. You should also learn about pig iron for casting, and pig iron price.

[tobiasdrake]

Ranma 1/2 episode 3. I can't be the only person who somehow, despite not thinking about this series seriously in a long time, still hears "YAPPAPPA YAPPAPPA II SHAN TEN hashagu koi wa ike no koi" in their head when starting up the reboot series.

Where did you come from? I thought I forgot you.

By contrast, the new OP hasn't grown on me as much. Can't imagine why. It couldn't be that I've heard the new one twice but heard the old one eight billion times over the course of three decades, such that any new music in its place is going to inherently sound like an imposter.

Nah, it's probably just that the song isn't good. That's a reasonable thing to conclude.

(In seriousness, new OP is fun.)

Uhhhhh, part 1 because I had a lot to say about Nabiki, my fave from back in the day who gets to be in the spotlight for the first time this episode.

Speaking of the OP, this is my favorite shot.

I don't know what it is exactly but every time I see this, there is a haunted look in Ranma's eyes. I don't think that's on purpose. I think he's just supposed to look like he's happily jogging.

But I see a thousand-yard stare on this boy. The look of a person who has seen things that can never be unseen.

Which.

Is fair.

For Ranma.

Rejected so hard. This is a misunderstanding but it's still hilarious how quickly Nabiki nopes the fuck out of this shit.

To be fair, she's seen the way Kuno treats the women he's interested in. If I were her, I would want no part of that.

Ironically enough, Nabiki/Kuno is IIRC the most popular ship for both of these characters. Though, given that being physically strong enough to beat the shit out of him at martial arts is such an important quality to Kuno, I'm not sure he and Nabiki are really compatible.

Makes perfect sense from Nabiki's perspective but honestly I'm pretty sure she's more likely to Black Widow him for his wealth than fall in love with him sincerely.

So begins Nabiki's career of being the absolute worst person in Ranma's life, in a cast that includes multiple people attempting to murder him. Nabiki is something far worse than a shonen rival. Worse than a romantic rival. Worse than a shonen rival who wants to surpass you at romancing your love interest.

She's a capitalist. And she has found a saleable product.

(My characters are always the absolute worst. Goddammit, Nabiki.)

There's something really interesting in Nabiki's reaction to that remark. Like. She gets back into gear pretty quickly after this moment.

But.

Just for a moment.

She had a visceral, kneejerk reaction of shock and disgust at the realization that Kuno was planning on pursuing Ranma and Akane at the same time.

Just for a moment, she had an emotional reaction strong enough to break her poker face.

I mean, she's still going to profit off it. She is a capitalist after all.

But it happened. That brief glimpse into the humanity underneath the cash register was there.

For those unaware of yen to dollar exchange rates, she's charging about $20 for Ranma's photos. Akane's are about $27. So we can actually quantify her feelings for Akane. She loves her sister exactly $7 more than a stranger she met a few days ago.

Don't take it personally. It's just business.

(I felt really gross saying that. Probably because it was really gross. In seriousness, Nabiki is an active participant in Akane's harassment, without Akane's knowledge.)

That said, she does still try to help this situation once she's done cashing in on violations of Ranma and Akane's privacy.

It doesn't take because Kuno aggressively refuses to learn the truth about the Pig-Tailed Girl throughout the series lest it compromise his delusions. But she does try. There seems like there's basically no reason for her to do this except to burst Kuno's bubble.

...except then she also does this when she realizes Kuno didn't get it.

She tried to burst Kuno's bubble and it didn't work so now she's making it worse instead. At this point, it's clear that Nabiki's just starting shit for funsies. She is the show's trickster. Her allegiances are to money and entertainment.

She was expecting a hilarious blowout the one way and when she didn't get it, she went a different route. Goddammit, Nabiki.

Of course, her troll antics eventually blow up in her face when they out her capitalist antics.

But she never really has to face any sort of consequences for it. Right when it seems like things are about to turn against her...

Ranma, rather than presenting a united front against their mutual abuser, decides to open his fucking mouth and insult Akane instead.

This is how capitalists win. They skate home with all the money and no comeuppance while their victims pick each apart.

[slowthypiglordblr]

Huntress Mononoke: Adventure Time Cast represented with Princess Mononoke Characters

Finn the Human as Ashitaka

Finn's grass arm will probably be his cursed hand.

Huntress Wizard as Mononoke Him/San

Molto Larvo as Lord Nago

Finn getting touched by Larvo's molten hand be like.

Flame Princess as Kaya

While the english dub she refers to Ashitaka as "brother", she was actually meant to be his "Bride Elect".

The Lich is represented through the Tatari-Gami/Demon Curse

Marceline Abadeer as Moro-No-Kimi/Moro

Pretend that she can still shapeshift this time.

Princess Bubblegum and Peppermint Butler are Lady Eboshi and Gonza respectively.

Iron town is the Candy Kingdom

Billy as Okkotonushi/Okkoto

BILLLLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jake the Dog as Yakul

Choose Goose as Jiko-Bou/Jigo

The Lemongrabs are the Ape Tribe

Mr. Pig and Tree Trunks are Koroku and Toki respectively

The Penguins as the Kodoma

There is literally nothing I can imagine from the Adventure Time Universe that quite matches the otherworldly nature and presence of the Shishigami/Forest Spirit/Nightwalker. So instead I'll just let you decide that one.

[spicyblogger2]

Your pussy is wack and your blade is cast of pig iron

[eponastory]

Sometimes. Maybe, It's Okay. Chapter 1

James 'Bucky' Barnes finds it difficult to adjust to civilian life. People either think he's an Avenger or he's still a killer, making it hard for him to figure out who he is exactly. His therapist? She's not helpful at all because she pushes his buttons. He's supposed to move on, but how can he when nightmares and flashbacks have him sleeping on the floor? He isn't sure he is living like he should be. His apartment is an empty Hell that he thinks he needs to suffer in.

Until he meets Claire. His neighbor across the hall who plays the cello every day, has two guinea pigs, and cooks amazing food. On top of that, she doesn't care if he was an assassin who was involuntarily used to shape the world by a criminal organization. All she cares about is giving him a place to run away from those demons in his closet. It just happens to be more than that.

Chapter Summary: Bucky adjusts to life after the Blip and discovers his therapist is not exactly the best.

Pairings: Bucky x OFC

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 3k+

He didn't have much to his name, just the clothes on his back and the things he had on him when he was arrested. If it weren't for the president, he'd still be in prison, though there were several conditions to his pardon. One of them was therapy. 

Sessions started on Tuesday with a Dr. Raynor, who appeared to be the tough love type. He was not interested in divulging anything to someone he didn't know, especially someone who was supposed to report on his progress. Yet, with that in mind, sixty days in prison went by faster that he cared to admit. He was technically a free man to do what he wanted, even though he was practically homeless at the moment. 

Not a problem, he had been awarded the biggest back pay in military history for his time as a POW in Hydra. Not to mention the other benefits he was supposed to get, like Tricare and any loan he needed. The problem was, he really didn't know what to do with all of that. Bucky considered himself a simple man, so what did he need? 

For starters, Sam could stop calling him every day. That would be a plus. He could block Sam’s number, but he liked answering the phone long enough for the man to say something and then hang up. That was entertaining and satisfying all in one go. It was all Steve’s fault though. 

“It's gonna be okay, Buck.” 

It sure as Hell wasn't when less than twenty-four hours after Steve handed over the shield, the FBI showed up and hauled Bucky off. He didn't resist. It was stupid to try, especially since they all knew what he did in the past. He knew it too, which is why he went along like a good citizen. Fifteen days of testimony and then another five for jury deliberation had him on the proverbial chopping block until the President stepped in. He didn't like the guy, but he could respect someone willing to see past all the brainwashing. 

So what now? 

He sits outside a Cafe in Brooklyn with a newspaper and a pen circling the potential places he could afford rent on. Technically he had enough to buy a place, but he lived his life before the war being frugal, so he intended to keep it that way. He really didn't need much. To be fair, growing up in the 20’s and 30’s taught him about living on nothing because of the Depression, followed by the war. Still, living simple was a blessing in disguise and he was pretty good at it. 

It's when a nice young lady bring him the coffee he ordered a few minutes before that he realizes there are people staring at him. She doesn't seem to be bothered by him when she sets the cup and plate down on the cast iron table, but it's the others around him that whisper. That’s fine, they can whisper. He doesn't really care at this point because his face has been all over the news for almost three months. He wears gloves to keep his arm out of sight, not because it makes people uncomfortable, but because he is insecure about it. He doesn't want the attention. 

“I'm sorry about the wait.” The waitress says to him as she tucks a platinum lock behind her ear. “There was a problem with the machine.” 

“It's fine.” He reaches into the pocket of his jeans and pulls out his wallet. It's not much, just a thin bi-fold he picked up at a store. “How much do I owe?” 

“It's on the house.” She says nervously. “You're an Avenger.” Not really, but if everyone wants to think he is, he’s not going to correct them. “I'm here because of you.” 

That statement sort of takes the wind out of him because his part in all of it is minor compared to Stark’s. He only shot at monsters and found himself eating dirt half the time. There was definitely a little more trauma from that fight too. 

“I really didn't do much of anything.” Most forget he had been turned to dust too. He can't smile at her or give her anything more than a polite nod after she accepts the tip he gives her. He watches her walk back inside the Cafe, ignoring the other patrons around him. 

He isn't in a good place. 

Figuratively and literally. 

“So what are you going to do? Return the stones and then go have the picket fence life that everyone dreams about?” He's upset. He shouldn't be, but he is. He can't help but to stare out at the lake in front of them as they sit on the only bench left on the property. 

“Bucky, what’s so wrong with that?” Steve sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He probably doesn't realize what his absence is going to do. 

“I get it. Better than anyone else you know, but what about everyone you leave behind? Who is going to pick up the shield, Steve, because it isn't going to be me and you know that.” He knows that he isn't the right person for the role. There is too much damage. 

“Sam.” Steve says with every bit of assurance in his voice. “It has to be Sam.” 

“You want Sam to take up the shield?” Somehow, Bucky isn't surprised by this and he honestly can't disagree. He isn't angry about it, not like he should be. “He’s a good man, Steve. I don't like him, but he is a good person if he went into this because of you.” He remembers his fight with Sam on the helicarrier before he went on the run. “He stuck his neck out for me when he didn't have to.” 

“Isn't that all that matters, Buck? Someone who will have your back?” Steve puts a hand on his shoulder. 

“I feel a promise coming on.” He mutters out with a scoff. “Please don't make me promise to look after his ass.” 

“Nah, I wouldn't do that.” The smile on Steve’s face says otherwise. “Not when you need to look out for yourself.” 

“Well, I can't promise to do that either.” He chuckles. “But I'll try.” 

“Here.” Steve pulls out a small brown notebook from inside his jacket. “A list of all the things you need to catch up on.” He holds it out to Bucky, who looks down at it as if it's something he shouldn't touch. “I'm pretty sure you'll add more to it.” 

Bucky takes it in his hands. “I think there is another list to put in here, actually.” 

“Yeah, I know.” Cap tells him. “That's why you need it more than I do.” 

He’s got his hand over the inside pocket of his leather jacket where that book sits. He's not angry at Steve for wanting a life, he's angry because he was left with so many pieces to pick up from him. From all of them really. He had hoped he could give Stark some kind of apology, to give closure to the man that sacrificed himself for everyone, but that didn't happen. Now he had another name he could never cross off. 

“Look… it's the Winter Soldier.” A little girl's voice pulls him from his thoughts and he sees her sitting two tables away with her mother. “He isn't so scary.” He’s not. At least he isn't now. Children were safe from him now that he had control over himself, but that didn't mean he hadn't done some awful things in the past. “Can I go say hi?” Her innocence is refreshing and she seems excited to see him there.  

“No, baby, it's probably best to leave him alone.” Her mother says as she reaches over the table to wipe something from the blond girl's cheek. “He’s probably going through a lot right now.” The brunette woman looks at him with caution written on her face.

He decides it's time to leave the Cafe now. He finished his coffee and has found a couple of promising places in the classifieds so moving on was probably for the best. Standing up, he folded up the newspaper, sticking it under his arm before shoving in his jacket pockets and walking down the streets. Brooklyn changed quite a bit since his last walk down the strip. The old shops he used to know were now places where people brought their cell phones for repair or new eateries that didn't make the mark. There was even a smoke shop that he remembered being a clothing store back in the day. 

He remembered there had been a really good Italian restaurant and an Irish pub too. Maybe it was still there after all this time. He remembers his mother dragging him and his sisters to church every Sunday saying that they had to get right so life would be plentiful. If only she'd have known back then that her son would end up being lost to time in a way. She must have broken when she learned he died, or didn't really die even though he pretty much did. 

It wasn't a picnic in the park for sure.

But things had changed. Bucky didn’t know if that was a good thing just yet because he was practically alone and he had a lot of work he needed to do. Work being figurative. He needed to find peace, like he did during his time farming in Wakanda. Except finding that in Brooklyn was complicated to say the least. He never thought he'd go back home again, but here he was, walking down the sidewalk like it was still 1942. 

Okay, maybe it wasn't, but the fact still remained that he missed home more than he thought he did. Except home was a little busier and louder than he remembers. He could get used to it as long as he didn't have to deal with anyone or worry about someone getting into his business. Sometimes that caused a few problems he didn't know how to handle just yet. 

After making a few calls, he was able to set up a viewing or two of a couple apartments close to the main part of town. After talking to the landlords, he was able to confirm that both units were vacant and ready to move in as soon as possible, which was perfect. The sooner he had a roof over his head, the better because staying in a hotel downtown was absolutely eating up his cash. He still had to find a way to get around without getting on the train or taking a bus. Too many people in an enclosed space caused some problems. 

The first apartment he looked at was pretty much a studio setup. There was a bathroom, a large open space, and the kitchen all in one. While he didn't have an issue with a studio, it was too big. Too much space to fill up and he was not going to spend money on a lot of furniture he really didn't need. He politely declined in the Brooklyn way before moving on to the next place which was more like what he was hoping for. 

“It's been empty for a while. The last guy to rent it went to jail so it's been sitting since we hauled everything out two months ago. Before that, there was a couple living there, but they got dusted.” The landlord, Malcom, said as he led Bucky up the flight of stairs going to the second floor. He was a tall, skinny guy with a receding hairline and a heavy New Yorker accent. “My tenants are all really nice people. The ones on this floor kinda banded together to take care of each other during the Blip, so expect them to be a little welcoming. They're good people though… best tenants a guy could ask for.” He waves his hands around as he talks while they crest the top of the stairs. Bucky isn't sure if he likes the idea of neighbors knocking on his door all the time. “Oh and the elevator is out for the next three weeks. The repair guy had to order a part for it and what do ya know the damn thing is on backorder.” 

“Don't worry, when I grew up, our elevator didn't exist.” Bucky half smiled as Malcom opened the door for him. 

“That's rough.” 

The building had been around since the 1890's for sure, especially since Bucky could see the original dark stained hardwood flooring was in good shape. Despite it being scuffed up. On the far end of the corridor was a window that faced the street while four doors lined the hallway painted a dark red. It looked more like a hotel than an apartment building, but he remembers this place well enough. Back in the 30's it was one of the places that most of the big spenders lived. 

“Yeah, so 5B is down there at the end on the right.” Malcom is pulling the keys out of his pocket as they move to the door with the brass hardware. “We had the units renovated in 2014 with all new plumbing and electricity after the fire marshal said it was a safety hazard. All the appliances are in great condition, although I think the dishwasher in this unit is a little fritzy, but it still works.” He unlocks the door, opening it for Bucky to go inside and check it out for himself. “You've got a balcony with a fire escape, bathroom connected to the bedroom, and a stacked washer with a dryer. Courtesy of the couple that was dusted.” 

It was actually nice. The kitchen is small, but Bucky doesn't plan on cooking for more than just himself. The door leading out to the balcony actually made him feel like he had an escape route if something happened. Honestly, he felt fine with the place. 

“I'll take it.” 

“Tell me about last week.” 

He really isn't keen on paying attention to Dr. Raynor when she asks him questions. It's been two weeks since he started sessions with the most cynical therapist the people in charge  could find. It's not that Bucky doesn't like her, it's that he doesn't exactly care for any of it. He hates the big windows in her office because they let in too much light. The couch he sits on is not that comfortable, and he is pretty sure the mural of a peaceful forest is supposed to be where he can see it. It's ass backwards and he doesn't see the point of getting to the bottom of his problems. 

“What is there to tell?” Bucky doesn't want to say it. “I moved into my new place and I'm doing good.” Good may be an overstatement because the first night alone brought up some pretty intense memories. 

“What about your neighbors?” Its almost like she is trying to read his mind by looking down the scope of a 30-6 high powered rifle. It feels invasive and it's making him squirm internally. “Have you met them yet?” 

“Not really.” He's seen the old veteran that lives on the other end of the hall and the single mother with her son as they brought in groceries. Other than that, he hadn't really talked to any of them. “I don't really want to.” Meeting them would give them the idea that he was inclined to associate, and he really wasn't. 

“You'll have to talk to them at some point, James.” Not if he could help it. He could stay holed up in his apartment until someone breaks down the door and tries to drag him out. He's all kinds of antisocial. “It will not hurt you to forge some kind of relationship with someone, and I'm not including myself in this.” 

“I have a relationship with Sam.” As in a strange sort of love/hate type of thing that annoys him, not something to brag about really. “I don't really like him, but I have to put up with him.” 

“I suppose that is a start.” He rolls his eyes at the doctor that is pulling things out of her ass at this point. “Moving on, what do you think you need to work on the most?” 

Bucky knows what he needs to do. He's known it since Steve handed him that notebook and when he started writing down names in it. Names that could be the key to his nightmares fading away once he made amends. If he could make amends that is. Some of the names were… crossed off before he could do anything.  

“I want to…” he swallows, “right some wrongs.” It's hard for him to say because he doesn't trust Dr. Raynor. Not yet at least. His mind is still messed up and his trust levels are very low. “Steve said I could do that if I wanted it bad enough.” He reaches into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulls the book out. “I have the names, I just… don't know what to do about it.” 

“Do you think crossing them off will make you feel different?” It's an honest question that makes him sit in silence for a moment. 

He's not sure. He wants that to be the case. Every name is one less nightmare for him to see at night if he can find these people. Most of them are people who he had helped hurt others. The ones that didn't hurt anyone were going to be the hardest ones and he wasn't sure if he could do it. 

“I don't know.” He licks his lips. “Maybe.” 

“Let's set some ground rules if you are going to start crossing off those names.” Dr. Raynor opens her notebook and begins to write. “Rule one. Don't do anything illegal.” 

“Wasn't planning on it.” He states rolling his eyes. 

“Rule two. Don't hurt anyone.” He leans his head back against the couch and sighs at her second rule. “And rule three…” He half listens to her when she states his name. “I'm no longer the Winter Soldier and your part of my efforts to make amends.” 

He hates it already, but he agrees because he knows it's the right thing to do. Bucky knows it's engraved into his soul to do the right thing, but it was unfortunately something he couldn't do for the longest time. The right thing didn't exist. His morality had been erased along with the goodness he had slowly reclaimed. It took years to get it back, but only a few words to start that avalanche. 

“I'm with you til the end of the line.” 

Steve saved him, again. 

He's walking through the second floor hallway when he hears a woman talking on the phone. It's not really a surprise to see one of his new neighbors standing in the hallway on the phone as they try to open their door. But he sees her standing there trying to fiddle with her keys while holding her phone between her cheek and shoulder. The other part of this is that it's the neighbor across from him who he had never met. 

“Yeah I know.” She's speaking loudly until her keys drop from her fingers landing heavily on the floor with a thud. “Shit!” Bucky has half a thought to go up to her and pick up her keys for her, but she does it herself. “No, I just dropped my keys like an idiot.” She sighs before running her hand through her balayage locks. “It's been a long day at work and I need a shower.” 

The former assassin thinks it's best if he just sneaks by her to his door instead of being caught. He puts his skills to work in being silent as he crosses the wide corridor to his apartment without catching her attention. 

“Yeah, I love you too.” He's just made it to his door when she hangs up her phone. It's only the one squeaky floorboard just outside his door that gives him away. Fuck. 

Bucky watches as she turns to face him, seeing him standing there like he's been caught trying to break into his own place. She puts her phone inside her coat pocket as she eyes him with her blue orbs then raises an eyebrow. It could be worse. As a matter of fact, he was an idiot to think he could get away from this confrontation now, so he clears his throat to say something. 

She beats him to it. 

“You must be my new neighbor.” A smile spreads across her face as she looks him up and down. 

“Uh… yeah.” He can't help but feel put on the spot and he doesn't like it one bit. Licking his lips he pulls out his keys from his pocket and finds himself fiddling with thim. “Just moved in last week.” 

“I know. Maxine told me.” She says. “She's in 3B with her son. She said she saw you the other day.” This is getting really uncomfortable as she gazes into his soul. “I'm Claire, by the way.” She walks up to him and holds her hand out. The first thing he notices is the rings on her fingers and her purple nail polish. 

“James.” Bucky gives her the name he goes by to those he isn't close to as he clasps her hand in his right one. He can feel how strong her grip is in his leather clad grasp. “I didn't want to bother you while you were on the phone.” 

“Its fine. I was in my own little world.” She lets go of his hand. “The floors in this building are like an alarm.” 

“Yeah, I can tell.” He half smiles as she tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. 

“Well, I'll let you go.” She takes a step backwards. “It was nice to finally meet you, James.” She gives him a half wave before turning around to her door. 

“Yeah, nice meeting you too.” Maybe. She could be one of those neighbors that will bug him all the time. 

She was pretty though. 

Really pretty. 

Bucky shook his head. He didn't need to be thinking about women, even though talking to one did feel pretty good. He thinks about it as he unlocks his door and walks into his very bare apartment that most women would see as a red flag. He didn't even have a bed because a mattress felt like he was sinking into a marshmallow and it was going to swallow him up. The whole time he was in Wakanda, he slept on a pile of layered rugs that were firm to the touch. Before that, it was the floor or a really firm mattress. He had a couch, but he preferred the floor. 

Any smart woman would run away. 

He is pretty sure that Claire was very smart, but she was his neighbor. Unfortunately, they were bound to cross paths at some point. He can't entirely avoid people like Doc said. It wasn't like the interaction with… Claire? Yes, that was her name, was that bad. Actually, he felt pretty calm about the whole interaction because it was just the two of them. He felt on the spot at first, but when she started talking first, his nerves disappeared. 

He ran his right hand over his face as he leaned up against the door. He used to be a totally different person before Hydra got into his head, now he was a fucking mess. The shitshow in his head was proof of that because it took him a long time to figure out what memories were real and which ones he conjured up in his head to cope with the brainwashing. 

Sometimes he had these memories of dancing with a couple of girls in the 40's and then it always ended up in something a little more like skin to skin. There was usually some kind of drinking and the smell of cigarettes clinging to him when he went back home. His mother slapping him on the back of the head for coming home at the crack of dawn. That was before the Army. Then he remembers Steve shaking his head at the amount of times some girl would beg him for a light. He wasn't one of those ‘tough’ guys, but he was a charmer. He used to love sweeping the ladies up for a dance, bringing them onto the dance floor at the clubs and spinning them around was his second favorite pass time. 

“Hey Doll.” He sees her staring at him from the table in the corner. The lights are low while the band plays on the stage. Hours earlier his life changed for the worst. He sits next to her in the booth, because he knows she's been sitting there alone since the asshole she came with found another girl. “You look lonely over here in the dark.” 

“It's not so bad.” She says before digging through her clutch for a cigarette. “Sometimes a girl just wants to look lonely.” She puts the but to her lips as he pulls out his lighter and flicks it on. “It brings in all the nice fellas.” She leans forward to light up that wonderful roll of tobacco. 

“How do you know I'm nice?” Bucky smiles like the charmer he is. “I could be like your guy over there feeling that girl up.” 

“You're not. I can tell.” Her ruby red lipstick makes her brown eyes pop. “You've got a hungry look, but behind those baby blues, you just want to be loved.” She puts a hand on his cheek. “You can't hurt a girl to save your life.” 

She's a hundred percent correct on that, but he doesn't let her know it. He's never met a woman like this so he doesn't know how to feel. She looks young, but the crows feet in the corner of her eyes say she is definitely older. She's probably a decade older. He doesn't care, she's beautiful and independent. It's so attractive and he can't help but to stare at her for a moment as she hands over her cigarette. 

“They've called in your card, didn't they?” She's perceptive as he takes the drag and settles it to his lips before pulling in the sweet nicotine. “Most of the boys here are going.” 

“Yep.” He exhales the smoke from his lungs before handing it back to her. She's wearing dark blue, but in the light, it looks almost black. “I leave Wednesday.” She nods taking another drag then tapping the ashed into the tray on the table. 

“Most people don't know, but you'll go there like you are now…” she picks up her drink with a sad smile, “you won't come back the same.” He's not sure if his heart has plummeted to his stomach or if that was the drink he had earlier, but her words seem so final. 

Suddenly he is terrified. 

It's much more terrifying than Dot telling him that she thinks she may be pregnant. She wasn't, but it scared him to death. Not that he wouldn't do the right thing by her, it was just being a parent scared him. He was good with kids, he liked them a lot, but he wasn't ready for that yet. War seemed so much easier than raising kids. 

Going to war didn't seem so scary before he walked into the club, he saw the honor in it. Now that he sat down in the booth with this beautiful brunette, he was terrified. She made it terrifying by saying the truth because he didn't want to change. 

“I'll be honest with you, Sweetheart.” She rubs her thumb on his cheek. “You are a good man for serving this country, I adore that, but after tonight you won't want to dance like you did before.” 

Thinking about it then, Bucky had no idea what she said would be a hundred percent right. Now in hindsight, it was like she predicted his future and left it in the hands of fate. He never did catch her name before she sashayed out of the club into the night alone. All of his friends from that era were gone, so he couldn't ask them if she was a real person or something his brain cooked up. It felt real though. Right down to the way his shirt collar seemed to tighten up when she spoke about changing. 

Bucky almost wants to collapse because he has never felt as alone as he does now. He's never felt so different. He is trying to find himself and at least now he doesn't have to worry about someone else trying to take that from him. He can't help but to slide down the door onto the floor because even though he has a direction to move, he can't see the end of the tunnel. That proverbial light is too far away and he has to slog through the bodies he laid out over eighty years. He doesn't think he can get there, but he wants to try. 

His Hell is in this apartment. 

Master List Chapter 2