#rose erskin

[homerjacksons]

RIPPER STREET S01E05

[scribbledbyhand]

We need to have this today …

[justviwriting]

"Shifting Tides" - Chapter 10 (AO3)

Fandom: Ripper Street

Characters: Susan Hart, Rose Erskine, Emily Reid, Deborah Goren, Bella Culver

Rating: T

“Is it true?” she asked then. She had not bothered asking before as she never indulged too much in rumors, neither cared about any that did not involve her. And she had no intention of talking with Mrs. Reid about it either, but if one wanted to avoid a certain topic of conversation, it would be good to know as many details about it as possible. “Yes,” Jackson replied plainly, aware what she was talking about. “All of it?” Susan continued asking. “I don’t know,” Jackson told her. “I asked Reid but you know how he is. After I annoyed him long enough, he finally admitted to it but not more. And it’s not really any of my business either way.”

[themculibrary]

Tumblr Fics Masterlist

8PM - @avintagekiss24 sam/bucky 1k

Summary: Sam and Bucky are enjoying life after all of the chaos of Thanos finally dies down.

Amplification (ao3) - @polizwrites minor steve/peggy G, 334

Summary: Steve reflects on the effects of Doctor Erskine’s serum. 

Away - @thenigotthisfamily 3k

Summary: While Yelena is away on a mission without her, Natasha swears she does not spend all her time moping and missing her little sister. The other Avengers disagree. 

First Kiss - @spiderman-homecomeme peter/mj T, 1k

Summary: Peter and MJ’s first kiss.

ghosts and implications - @infiniteeight8 tony/stephen T, 1k

Summary: Stephen takes Tony on a field trip. It is not what Tony expected.

good things come (to those who wait) - @a-splash-of-stucky steve/bucky E, 3k

Summary: If there’s one thing that Steve Rogers hates doing, it’s waiting.

But for Bucky? He’ll do anything. For Bucky, he can be good.

Hot for Teacher - @ceealaina steve/tony T, 10k

Summary: Tony is the established physics teacher, Steve is the truly terrible new guidance counsellor. It’s not quite love at first sight (but it’s a pretty close thing).

if the world was ending you'd come over, right? - @val-made-a-mistake loki/sylvie G, 1k

Summary: to sylvie lushton, loki laufeyson is bothersome when he’s drunk.

I Want to Hold Your Hand - @likemewhenimangry bruce/natasha 2k

Summary:  Five times Natasha held Bruce’s hand. A progression of touch, trust, and the places they intersect.

Marshmallow Kisses - @kiki-shortsnout tony/stephen T, 1k

Summary: ‘If it’s not in there then I probably packed it in my duffel bag,’ Tony called after he’d tamed his own frustrations. Shuffling forward on his knees toward the fireplace, he searched for something to light it with. He’d worked hard to make all their stars align for this trip, had moved countless meetings and owed favors to other Avengers to get them here.

No, he wasn’t going to let anything ruin it, not even Stephen himself.

Written for the prompt: Ironstrange and cuddling by the fire

Mistletoe Kisses - @i-lovethatforme peter/mj 1k

Summary: day five: it's the most wonderful time of the year

one last breath of hope - @thelightofthingshopedfor T, 1k

Summary: Thor knows this last battlefield miracle is not for him, that none of his cherished dead will step through one of these portals to help defeat Thanos--until, actually, one of them does.

Puppy Surprise - @yes-i-am-happyaspie G, 999

Summary: Peter found a dog and really wants Tony to keep it for him.

Roses for the Prince - @mariana-oconnor clint/bucky G, 3k

Summary: Many suitors have sought the Prince's hand, but he only has eyes for his gardener, who doesn't even notice him looking back.

Sam Wilson’s Luck With Blind Dates - @every-marveler-ever sam/tony G, 1k

Summary: Sam Wilson has horrible luck when it comes to dating, he really just isn’t interested. His sisters (Darcy, Jane and Natasha) decided it was their job to set him up on blind dates. Not knowing that Sam Wilson is seriously unlucky regarding blind dates. 

sock drawer - @livingincolorsagain sam/bucky 352

Summary: okay for the prompt list: sock drawer

Soulmates - @fantasy-n-stuff peter/tony

Summary: I'd love Tony Stark/Peter Quill soulmatess if it interests you.

Soulmates - @pepperonyspizza pepper/tony 1k

Summary: soulmate au where you touch your soulmate for the first time it leaves a handprint that's how you know they are your soulmate

What are friends for? - @musette22 steve/bucky G, 2k

Summary: “Buck, look,” Steve snorted, bumping Bucky’s shoulder and pointing at the menu board. “So, if I’m a Cappuccino, I think that makes you a Babyccino.”

Bucky huffed out a breath that Steve knew meant an amused laugh. “What the hell is a Babyccino.”

“No fuckin’ clue,” Steve grinned fondly, “but it sounds real cute, so it fits.”

Bucky just gave a tiny roll of his eyes, but Steve could tell he was pleased by the way the tips of his ears flushed ever so slightly.

[silverior968]

Dead Men Halloween costumes circa 1970s, Happy Halloween!

[Image ID: A digital drawing of the Dead Men posed for a group photo. The background is dark. To the left, Larrikin dressed as Gomez Addams and Anton dressed as Morticia Addams. Larrikin's hair is slicked back and he's drawn himself a pencil mustache. He's wearing a pin-stripe suit and carrying Anton in his arms, smiling up at him. Anton has dark-colored make-up on and is wearing a black dress and shoes, and holding a rose in one hand. To their right is Skulduggery Dressed as Miss Marple, wearing a pink jacket and skirt combo, white tights and gloves, black shoes and a pink bowler hat with flowers. He also has a gray wig on. To his right is Erskine, dressed as 60s Joker, with face paint, dyed green hair, a green shirt, a black bow and a purple 3-piece suit. Knelt by his feet is Hopeless, shapeshifted to look slightly more feminine, with curly hair and a pink, blood-stained dress and heels. They are dressed up as a Night of the Living Dead zombie, with black lipstick and eyeliner running down their face. They are snarling at the camera. To Erskine's right is Saracen Rue, dressed up as Han Solo, winking. He has his arms crossed and his outfit consists of a white low-cut shirt, a brown vest, brown trousers and shoes and a holster belt. To his right is Dexter, with long wavy hair, dressed as Boromir from Lord of the Rings. He is smiling and his outfit consists of a red cape with a fur lining, a silver tunic with a brown belt and a silver collar with a white gemstone. His trousers are gray and his boots are brown. Finally, in the right side of the drawing is Ghastly Bespoke, dressed as Dolly from Hello, Dolly!. He is wearing a gold dress, and a ginger wig. / End ID]

[oregon-art]

Charles Erskine Scott Wood, Untitled (On the Snake River), 1906, oil on canvas, 25"x30"

C.E.S. Wood may have been the most influential cultural figure in Portland in the forty years surrounding the turn of the twentieth century. He helped found the Portland Art Museum and was instrumental in making the Multnomah County Library a free and public institution. He secured the services of his friend Olin Warner, a nationally known sculptor, to design the Skidmore Fountain, and his words "Good citizens are the riches of a city" are inscribed at its base. The Portland Rose Festival was his idea. He numbered among his friends Mark Twain, Emma Goldman, John Reed, Clarence Darrow, Lincoln Steffens, Ansel Adams, John Steinbeck, Charlie Chaplin, James J. Hill, and Langston Hughes. Soldier, lawyer, poet, painter, raconteur, bon vivant, politician, free spirit, and Renaissance man, Wood might also be the most interesting man in Oregon history.

via

C.E.S. Wood on the Oregon Encyclopedia

[scotianostra]

On August 22nd 1567 James Stewart, Earl of Moray was proclaimed Regent of Scotland.

It seems to be almost every post I do about men in power, it involves them switching sides, the Earl of Moray certainly did that several times.

Like many a prominent Stewart, James Stewart was illegitimate. He had a good pedigree, of course, as he was the illegitimate son of James V and his favourite mistress Lady Margaret Douglas, wife of Sir Robert Douglas of Lochleven and daughter of John Erskine, 5th Lord Erskine. He was thus the half brother of Mary I, Queen of Scots.

Illegitimacy was never a barrier to success for sons of Kings as the likes of Stewart were often granted positions of privilege. In such a fashion, James Stewart was made Prior of St. Andrews in his youth, but he was never intended for a career in the Church. Initially putting these men in positions like this was a device that enabled James V to take the Abbey’s income into his own hands; income that later fell to James Stewart.

Prior to 1562, Stewart was known as Lord James, but this notable quasi-Royal rose to become the 1st Earl of Moray, the Earl of Mar (briefly) and Regent of Scotland.

Unsurprisingly, religion played a big part in the life of James Stewart. Like many another, he came under the influence of the ideas of Protestant reformers such as George Wishart and John Knox. Like many another, he also abandoned the Catholic faith and joined the Protestant Lords of the Congregation and is regarded as one of the founding figures of the Scottish Church. His change of faith wasn’t the only switch he made in his career, which gets, largely speaking, a good press.

Switching religion led James Stewart to rebel against his legitimate Queen, Marie de Guise, in 1559-60, but despite that switch, in 1561, he helped negotiate the return of his half sister, when she found herself surplus to requirements in France. With masterful political poise, he reverted to being a supporter of the Crown and became Chief Adviser to Mary I, Queen of Scots, managing to moderate some of the more extreme Calvinists, which helped the Catholic Mary survive in a Scotland in the throes of a Protestant Reformation. He was rewarded with the Earldom of Moray on the 30th of January, 1562, and made it his business to pursue a policy of amity with England.

Moray switched sides yet again when Mary married Henry Stewart (distant relation) in 1565. Moray’s political policies and religious adherence meant he had no choice but to oppose the marriage, which pushed him into a rebellion known as the ‘Chaseabout Raid’ and subsequent exile in England.

Whilst in England, he conspired from a distance with the murderers of ‘Fiddler Davie’ Rizzio, but Mary was oblivious to his involvement and he was able to return to Scotland after she gave him a pardon. So, notionally at least, he was back on her side and, at the time of Darnley’s assassination, Moray contrived to be in France, which is where he remained whilst the Bothwell affair panned out.

When Mary abdicated at Loch Leven in July of 1567, in favour of her son, the infant King James VI, Moray was appointed Regent of Scotland and returned to the opposing side once more. It seems that he may well have “reaped the fruits of the conspiracies” surrounding the murders of Rizzio and Darnley. After Mary escaped from Loch Leven on the 2nd of May, he was instrumental in her defeat at the Battle of Langside on the 13th of May, 1568, which forced her to exile and doom in England.

That makes five changes of side, but doesn’t stop posterity praising his time as Regent for having secured both civil and ecclesiastical peace, and the title of ‘The Good Regent’. Interestingly, an entry for Moray in the reference standard 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica concludes that James Stewart “…pursued his sister with a calculated animosity, which would not have spared her life had this been necessary to his end or been favoured by Elizabeth.” Perhaps Moray’s most important legacy was that his actions ensured James VI was raised a Protestant, which led to the Union of the Crowns in 1603, when, as Nigel Tranter called him, "Shaughling Jamie Saxt" succeeded Elizabeth I. Shaughling Jamie Sax meaning shuffling James VI.

Uniquely, Moray has the dubious distinction of being the victim of the World’s first ever recorded assassination by a firearm. That occurred on the 23rd of January, 1570, when Moray was the ‘mark’ in a professional ‘hit’ perpetrated by James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh, a staunch and disgruntled supporter of Mary. Hamilton shot from his ‘lie’ behind a window at his uncle’s house in Linlithgow and fatally wounded Moray as he was passing in a cavalcade in the main street below.

Hamilton, like a true sniper, escaped to obscurity, but Moray’s death elevated him to the status of a Scottish Protestant martyr. His funeral in Edinburgh’s St. Giles’ Cathedral on the 14th of February was an occasion of much public mourning, graced by the presence of the less than graceful John Knox, who preached the sermon, and George Buchanan, who read the epitaph. James Stewart was buried in St. Anthony’s aisle in St. Giles’.

The pic is the “Gude Regent” circa 1568.

[queen-of-the-avengers]

CATFA: Part Six

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.1k

Warnings: canon violence, language, and angst

Author’s Note: any and all comments are appreciated <3

x

Howard starts the machine and monitors Steve's vitals on the screen as the serum works its way through his system. This is much different than when you took the serum the second time after you stole it from Markus. He was getting too powerful, so you did the only thing you could think of and stole his only working serum.

Without a second thought, you plunged the needle into your arm before injecting the serum. The guards still have yet to figure out you were gone, but it would be any minute until they do. The serum mixing with your blood was like a burning pain, but you fought through it.

Your hands grew warmer and warmer until they were burning with intense heat. The pain was too much for your body to handle on its own, so you collapsed onto the floor. When your hands reached a certain temperature, they burst into flames. It should have scared you, but it didn't hurt. 

To accommodate your next power, they instantly cooled down before water began forming from the water molecules in the air. The water evaporated into the air, and you thought it was over until the wind started to pick up. You were inside, but the wind was stronger than it should be. Shielding your eyes from the air, you looked around to try and find an exit when it died down only to be replaced by the ground shaking.

Thinking it was an earthquake, you tried to take cover, but it stopped as soon as it started. The elements seemed to die down, but not before your skin started turning a different color. Your body was trying to adjust to the foreign liquid inside your bloodstream, which is why your body was going through these stages. It was trying to work with the serum instead of against it.

The side effects stopped, and your body went back to normal. The pain was gone, and you were finally able to get off the ground. Silence filled the air, and you didn't know if what happened to you alarmed anyone until the red emergency lights started blaring.

Shit, they figured out you were gone.

It was an intense process, but you hope Steve doesn't have to go through what you did.

"That's ten percent. Twenty percent. Thirty. That's forty percent," Howard kept ticking off the percentages as they rose.

"Vital signs are normal," another doctor announces.

"That's fifty percent now. Sixty. Seventy," Howard counts. 

When it reached seventy, Steve began to scream in pain. You push past everyone to reach Steve alongside the doctor.

"Steve! Shut it down!" you yell.

"Kill the reactor, Mr. Stark! Turn it off!" the doctor yells.

"No, I can take it!" Steve shouts from inside the pod.

The meter reached one hundred percent before it overloaded and shut down. Peggy rushes downstairs to see if the man she's crushing on is okay. You can see her feelings for Steve without having to look hard. He's charming her by being himself, and that's all he's ever wanted.

The pod opens, and you have to hold back your gasp because whoever was inside wasn't Steve. Well, it was but the serum caused him to grow an extra foot and a bunch of muscles where he didn't have any before. He's taller than you, more muscular, and looks a lot stronger than he was. Everyone gathers to see if he's okay as the doctor and Howard help him out of the pod.

"What the fuck?" you gasp and make room for Peggy who pushes herself to the front.

"How do you feel?"

"Taller."

"You look taller."

She admires his body and reaches out to touch his enormous pec, but she pulls back and hands him a shirt. Everyone is so busy congratulating Steve, Howard, and Dr. Erskine, that no one pays attention to the lingering man next to the second vial of the serum. One minute, people are happy, and the next, there is a big explosion in the booth where most everyone watched from.

Screams can be heard from everyone inside the room, but the only person who didn't duck down was the doctor. The mysterious man steals the only remaining serum, takes out his gun, and shoots the doctor twice in the chest. Peggy immediately takes out her gun and tries to shoot the man, only hitting him once. She rushes after him while you and Steve tend to the doctor.

"Steve, we got to go. Come on!" you urge.

The doctor is dead and Steve is out for revenge. By the time you reach the main room of the antique store, the owner is lying dead on the ground with broken glass surrounding the broken windows. Peggy is outside shooting at a car that is headed straight at her, and if Steve didn't interfere, she would have been run over. He tackles Peggy to the side, allowing the driver to get away.

"I had him!" she yells.

"Sorry!"

Steve runs after the man but he isn't used to his newfound sense of strength and speed. He goes crashing into a wedding store and easily shakes it off. Steve might get himself killed if you don't help him, so you take off running after him.

"Steve!" You finally catch up to him. "I'll cut him off!"

You hate doing this now in front of everyone, but you transform yourself into a deadly grey wolf. Steve watches with wide eyes as his best friend turns into something he never knew could happen, and you run off in a different direction to block the driver's path. People scream when they see you but you have more important things to worry about right now.

You cut through an alley and see the car speeding right at you. The driver looks back to see Steve running after him when he turns back around, he swerves his car to avoid hitting you. You ram yourself into the side of the car, watching as the car swerves and crashes into the side of a harbor dock.

Due to running into the car, you're caught off balance and you go falling to the side, almost crashing into the water. Steve manages to catch up with you just as you transform back into yourself.

"What the hell was that?"

Before you have a chance to answer, the driver got out of the wrecked cat and started shooting at Steve. The driver's door was yanked off, so Steve grabs it to act as a shield to protect him. People all around the man step back in fear for their lives, but there is a little kid who is in his way. His mother tries to reach for him, but the mysterious man grabs him as a hostage.

"No! My son!" the woman screams.

"There's no time to explain," you yell at Steve and get up.

You run toward the man who is trying to escape further down the harbor dock, but you're not going to let him get away with this. You walk closer to the man who shoots at you, but the bullet passes right through your shoulder and out the other side. You don't slow down as if the bullet did not affect you even though it hurt like hell.

The man scurries away with the child, and you turn the corner to see him holding the gun to the child's head. This is what makes you stop. Steve comes around the corner, and the man points his gun at Steve instead.

The man pulls the trigger but there are no more bullets. Seeing the kid as a hindrance, he tosses him off the side of the dock and into the waters below. He's getting away but you have to make sure the kid is alright. You and Steve rush to the side and look down, and you sigh in relief when the kid is alright.

"Go get him! I can swim!"

The mysterious man takes out a remote and summons a submarine that's waiting for him. If he gets into it and escapes, then the bad guys are going to have the serum that worked on Steve.

"Do you trust me?"

"Kind of."

"Hop on and I'll give you a ride."

You jump into the water first and transform into a black marlin fish so you can catch up to the submarine. Steve jumps into the water and grabs your top fin, and you swim as fast as you can to catch up to the submarine. Once there, Steve jumps onto the front of it and smashes the glass to let water into the sub.

Steve manages to get the man out, and he throws him so hard out of the water and onto the dock that it breaks the vial he stole. Any hope of recreating the serum is now inside Steve. You and Steve leave the water to confront the man, and he just laughs at your efforts.

"Who the hell are you?"

"The first of many. Cut off one head and two more shall take its place."

The man pops out a fake tooth and eats it, causing his mouth to start foaming up. If he were ever caught, then he has a backup plan to die so he doesn't get tortured for information.

"What the hell are you?" Steve asks you.

There is a crowd forming, and you need to get back to everyone to come up with a game plan.

"This isn't the time or the place. Come on."

Back at HQ headquarters, the doctors take blood from Steve since the serum is now in his veins. If they can replicate it, then they would be able to make more super soldiers.

"Think you got enough?" Steve asks when the nurse is finished taking ten vials of blood.

"Any hope of reproducing this program is locked in your genetic code. Without Dr. Erskine, it could take years. Y/N, may we take some blood samples from you?"

"No, you can't. I'm sorry, but this one stays and ends with me."

"Understood."

"He deserved more than this," Steve sighs.

"If it could only work once, he'd be proud it was you."

The submarine was brought back to Howard so he could examine it, and the Colonel makes an appearance with the senator about what actions needed to be taken now. Peggy leaves the room, allowing you and Steve a chance to talk.

"What the hell are you?"

"I'm really sorry you had to find out this way. I never meant to keep it from you for this long. I didn't know how to tell you, and Bucky told me it's best if you didn't know."

"Bucky knew about all this?"

This is where you come clean and tell Steve everything there is to know about you. He's having a much harder time believing it than Bucky did, but you know he'll come around.

"Steve, I never mean to hurt you. I promise I always had your best interest at heart. I'm still your best friend. I'm still Bucky's girlfriend. This doesn't change because you found out what I am."

There is something bigger at stake here, and if he's going to win this war, he's going to need allies. The past eight years you've known him have been some of the best, and knowing what you are doesn't change those memories. He trusts you, and if you say you're no threat, then he believes you.

"I just wish you would have told me sooner."

"Would you have believed me?"

"Probably not," he chuckles.

"Come on, let's join the others."

You and Steve exit the room and head downstairs where everyone else is.

"We are taking the fight to Hydra. Pack your bags, Agent Carter. You too, Stark. You're flying to London tonight."

"Sir, if you're going after Schmidt, I want in," Steve says.

"Yeah, me too," you chime in.

"You're an experiment. You two going to Alamogordo," the Colonel scoffs.

"The serum worked."

"No offense to you, but you need us if you want to win this war," you say.

"I asked for an army, and all I got was you. You two are not enough."

"With all due respect to the Colonel, I think we may be missing the point," the Senator says. "I've seen you in action, Steve and Y/N. More importantly, the country's seen it. The enlistment lines have been around the block since your picture hit the newsstands. You don't take a soldier, a symbol like that, and hide him in a lab. Son, do you want to serve your country on the most important battlefield of the war?"

"Sir, that's all I want."

"Then, congratulations. You just got promoted. You too, Y/N. I'm counting on the both of you."

Look like you're flying to London where your boyfriend is. This is going to be a good surprise for him, and you can't wait to get there. You can imagine it now: you and Steve fighting in a war against Hydra and killing those who represent pain and horror.

However, whatever you imagined isn't what you got.

x

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[skulduggery-pleasant-bp9]

Part 5 – A bit of Background to Erskin

WARNING!: Mention of suicide, Mentally unhealthy and emotionally unstable Reader, Cursing, mention of murder/killing, AND MORE ! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED !!!

Read THIS to understand why the reader has a name !

Our faforite subject...DRAMA.

After they finished eating, Valkyrie and Vile finished their round of eyes of Kali, then got Melancholia clothes for later to put on and played with Erskin drinking Ludo, without shot glasses of course. They didn’t plan to get drunk after all.

After two more hours, Melancholia suddenly started to wake up. Lord Vile grumbled and hissed in pain as he made the flesh melt away and became a skeleton in the armor again. He stood up and towered over Melancholia. Soon enough she opened her eyes and when she saw Vile tower over her, her eyes grew wide, freezing in fear.

She spotted Valkyrie and Erskin too and she tried to throw shadows at them, but nothing happened.

“W-what ? No ! Where…?!”, she yelled in fear and confusion.

Vile lifted the blanket and took a look at Melancholia’s body again, to make sure no more carvings were left behind or returning.

“Fight me and I might get forceful, Miss Clair. You haven’t seen me be forceful yet.”, Lord Vile threatened darkly.

She froze up and looked at the three of them.

“What the hell did you do to me ?!”, she yelled in horror.

“We removed your carvings from your body. It would have killed you at some point. You were too unstable to be a Death Bringer and the sigils made it just worse. Now let me make sure nothing stayed behind. Otherwise I will get forceful.”, Vile explained.

“WHAT ?! I was PERFECT !”, she yelled.

“You were a lost cause.”, Lord Vile replied and checked her arms.

“I wasn’t !”, she protested.

“You were working like a broken battery. When you used too much of your abilities you discharged and were in immense, unnecessary pain and when you recharged you felt a wave hit you, but it would discharge very quickly as soon as you used it. It is like a battery that is broken and can’t be fixed. It discharges randomly and when it is used too often. You would have exploded and never been able to open the Passage.”, Lord Vile disagreed.

“I was WORKING on it !”

“You CAN’T work on it. A real Death Bringer doesn’t have such issues in the first place. I would know. I AM the Death Bringer after all. I just refuse to do what these idiots of Necromancers want from me. The Passage isn’t all that great. Nothing would change. No one would envelop to better or worse. We would be stuck forever on the same page. No one would be able to have a family of their own. Nothing new would happen. It would get boring really quickly. It. Is. Not. WORTH. It.”

Melancholia fell silent at that. She never thought about those things before.

“I suggest for you to go see Kenspeckle and a Sensitive for a while. You need emotional and mental recovery. You might have seen Craven only doing what was best for you, but he did sadistic, forbidden, criminal things to you and your mental and emotional state needs help to recover from all the trauma. You hear me, child ?”, Lord Vile asked.

Melancholia looked at him and nodded.

“Not a word about Skulduggery and me to anyone. We plan to tell everyone when the time comes. You understand ?”

She nodded again.

“Good. Then I will leave you now and Skulduggery can take back over. Until we meet again, Valkyrie, Erskin.”

“Bye Vile.”, Valkyrie said.

“Goodbye you old sock.”, Erskin joked.

Lord Vile snorted and let the armor melt away. The skull fell forward and after the armor was gone, it rose again. Skulduggery came back and looked at the three of them.

“I am pretty surprised that he kept his word…”, he then said.

Erskin scoffed.

“I am pretty surprised as well, that he let you go again. He is way more decent than you.”, he said and then left the room.

“That was a poor choice of words Skul. You know how protective Erskin is over Lord Vile. And I can see why. He was very nice actually. Just like you were when we met the first time.”, Valkyrie informed.

“It could all be show.”, he denied.

“Like you pretend all the time that you are fine, since the Faceless Ones ?”

Skulduggery stayed silent at that. She gave him a glare. He sighed and looked away.

“Fine I will shut up about it. Now what of our guest ?”

“As Vile said, to Kenspeckle’s. He might be able to help her a bit to recover.”

“What about Erskin ? Will he come as well ?”

“I will ask him.”

With that she left the room, going to Erskin’s. She knocked and then entered his room. He looked at an old picture with a grim face.

“Hey…”, she said softly.

“What do you need ?”, he grunted.

“Do you want to come with us ? We are bringing Mel to Kenspeckle.”

“No thank you. I don’t want to listen to Mr. Perfect and his complains about his counterpart any more than I already have to. I think I rather kill myself.”

She frowned and was silent for a bit.

“Are you that mad at him ?”, she asked.

“Sometimes, I wish I never missed him when he died. He was always so collected and ready to rescue others. But since that day…the day his Family died, he died and came back…he is different. He became irresponsible and uncaring. He just lets everything go with a shrug of his shoulders. When he was alive, he would have scolded you and me on a daily basis. Like, we can’t just kill someone, never judge a book by its cover, everyone deserves a second chance, just because they were bad at the beginning doesn’t that mean that they can’t change, don’t attack people as long as they don’t start a fight with you, don’t run head first into danger and all that shit. He would have scolded us like a Dad. It all went missing when he came back.”

She stared at him with wide eyes. Erskin let tears slip when he said all of that.

“It was one of the many reasons I looked up to him and saw him close to a Father figure. He taught me cause and consequence, strategy, when to act and when to let it go, what was right and what was wrong. He tried to keep all of us safe. Where did HE go ?”

“So he…didn’t go back to at least a bit of normal ?”, she asked.

“No. He didn’t. When he came back, I hoped that he would…you know…be at least still 50% of the man I used to know and partly grow up with…But there wasn’t even 20% of him left. I don’t know how the others see it, but I see it as clear as crystal. It is night and day to me. He tried to keep me away from the war, you know ? He didn’t want me to join. I did anyways and he was very unhappy with me, told me I had no idea what I will have to see…naïve as I was, I told him that I knew. I thought I could deal with it all. He was right…I had no clue and I was left traumatized.”

They didn’t know, but Skulduggery listened in on them. He just stood near the slightly ajar door, listening, not moving.

“Were you hoping he would replace his kid with you ?”, she asked Erskin.

“God no ! I wasn’t even hoping to be adopted. But…I guess he partly did ? He was the one who took me everywhere with the others and himself alone, he taught me a lot on his own…I did feel like he adopted me at some point. I don’t think he noticed that though. It was war and he always stuck together with the people that were on the same side as him. I think it was normal for him. But as a 16 year old that never had loving nor caring parents, it was a big thing to have someone suddenly care.”, Erskin chuckled saddened.

“Your parents never loved you ?”, she asked.

“No. My Mother was an abusive, manipulative whore and I never met my Father. I have no idea who he was, nor do I have a name. My Stepfather was very abusive too. One of the many things that made me run away with ten years of age.”

There was a silence and Erskin sighed shakily.

“I was practically in the world of Mages in infant age. I was still considered a ‘Baby’ as I joined. I thought I couldn’t see more horror than the shit I was already forced to face, since I was three years old, from my own Mother. Skulduggery warned me. Told me I was practically still a Baby and that I shouldn’t be joining a war with that age. But I really wanted to help and I saw no value in just sitting around and doing nothing. He helped me with my abilities a lot, so I can control them very quickly and got way more powerful than a 16 year old was supposed to get. But I really needed it in the end.”

“Was he against a lot when he taught and trained you ?”

“Yep, he was. I was not allowed to drink, not allowed to stay awake as long as the rest of them, was not allowed to keep watch at night, was not allowed to be alone on the field, nor was I allowed to leave the camp without anyone with me. He was also against me knowing how to handle a gun, but Vex and Hopeless talked him into it, for my own safety.”

“Wow…very responsible of him.”

“Yeah. It was annoying back then to me, but…it felt nice to finally have someone that looked after you… My Mother didn’t give a shit, she never checked on me and my Stepfather kept me awake all night or tore me out of bed in the middle of the night. It was…the first time someone cared a bit about my health.”, Erskin said softly.

“Let me guess, when they got angry you called them by their last name, in fear they would hurt you.”

Erskin shook his head.

“Not quite. When they were angry, I wasn’t allowed to call them Mother, Father or by their first names. It was always Mister and Misses. I was to only address them by their last name when there was more than one person in the room, or strangers. I was not allowed to utter a word of their abuse or I would get it tenfold worse. I was not allowed to ask for help to get me out. I was not permitted to let anyone know that they were my parents. I was nothing more but a butler. Not even that was right, but they couldn’t say that I was a slave.”

Valkyrie covered her mouth in horror.

“Your own Mother treated you like that ?”, she asked in horror.

“I was never wanted by her. Because I was unwanted, but still born, she wanted me to make it up to her. To show her I was worth her time. I never reached it, though. Even if I did everything right, she was never proud. If you thought I got once in my life a hug or a small praise from her, you are deadly wrong. I was always the useless, waste of space and time child.”

“Did really no one ever love you ?”, she asked.

Silence.

“I…I had an Uncle. He barely came to visit, but he did care, I guess… He never really showed it, but he knew about the abuse and when he was around, he made sure nothing happened to me the whole day. He helped me around too. But…I had no idea where he lived, so I stayed a stray kid.”

“Did you ever have a birthday with him ?”

“No…When my Birthdays came around in that house, I got more abused than usual as a present…A constant reminder that I am nothing but unwanted. Well…besides that ONE last birthday in that house…I had a gift on my bed… It had no name on it, so I don’t know if it was from my Uncle.”

“What was in it ?”, she asked.

He gave a sad smile.

“An animal plushie. It was handmade too. I hid it away from them, never had time to play with it, but I loved it all the same. When I ran away, I took it with myself and used it as a small comfort. I lost it one day and never found it again, sadly.”

“Did the Dead Men ever celebrate your Birthday ?”, she asked him.

“Well…yes and no. I never told them my Birthday. I hated my Birthday. They celebrated it though, just on a different date. The day I joined the Dead Men unofficially, was the day they decided would my Birthday be. We barely had time in the war to do much for one another’s big day, but we tried.”

“Who wanted to give you a Birthday party ?”

Erskin laughed softly and wiped his tears away.

“Saracen, Vex and Ghastly to be honest. They annoyed Skulduggery until he agreed. They only insisted on it, because I was still so young. It was war and there was a high possibility that every day and Birthday could be my last, so they wanted to make every day and Birthday as great as possible.”

“What did you get ?”

“Mostly clothes from Ghastly, weird stuff from Vex, Saracen always tried to get me stuff that could help me in the future, Anton gave me a hug and a card most of the times which is a lot from him he doesn’t like hugs, Hopeless got me new ammo and once or twice also knives and daggers, Erskine got fancy looking stuff for me and Skulduggery, when he was alive, always tried to bake a cake for me. When he died and Larrikin was with us in the mud, he always tried to get a pastry and give it as a cake. He was very sweet and nice. Such a goofball.”, he chuckled.

“Mud ?”

“I call the difficult war times, mud. We had to mostly hide in mud and stuff, so yeah.”

“Oh…”

She then looked at Erskin again.

“Then when did you join the Temple of Necromancers ?”

“Well…I stayed a few more days maybe two months longer with them after Skulduggery’s return, and then I went to Ghastly’s Mother. I needed advice of what to do and that I thought I was going crazy. I saw spirits…Even Skul’s, when he wasn’t back.”

“Really ?”

“Yeah. She said it is a Necromancy trait and I should learn some of it. It might help me in the future and so I did. I went to the Temple and they took me in and educated me. Vile came two months later. I was just like him, a fast learner and we quickly were equally powerful, but he easily overpowered me at some point. I tried really hard to make friends with that idiot and nothing was for naught.”

“But one day they kicked you out.”

“Yes… Lord Vile told me what he was planning to do and I wanted to be a part of it, to get revenge on Serpine. But they figured it out and threw me out two months too early. Vile taught me everything he still learned before he, himself, dropped out and went onto the battlefield. I returned to my siblings and the Dead Men then.”

“You had siblings ?”

“Yes. Two males and one female. They are not worth mentioning though.”

“When did they join ?”

“Fifty years after I joined the war. I wish they never did.”

“Because they died and you were sad ?”

“No. Why would I be sad with traitors that Vile warned me about ?”, Erskin scoffed.

She stared at him in shock as he said that they were traitors. Skulduggery was in disbelief.

“What…?”

“I told you, rats were hard to detect. All three of them were rats.”

“So they worked for Mevolent ?”

“Oh you wish they did. They worked for our dear, beloved, abusive, good for nothing Mother.”, he spat out.

Her eyes went even wider at that.

“She knew you were still alive ?!”

“Of course she did. There was never a body. To be honest, I didn’t think she would care to look for me. But she only did to kill me anyways and she failed very much in that.”, he chuckled darkly.

“Tenebrae did mention that you are hard to kill.”

“Ah, yes. He did that slimy Bitch. He can curl up and die in a corner of his fucking Temple for all I care. He could choke on a stick right in front of me and I would laugh.”

“How did Vile find out about your Mother and your siblings trying to kill you ?”

“She wanted to use him as a tool for her own shit and told him everything, because she thought she had him under her spell. Sucks to suck for her.”, he said laughing.

It only gave Valkyrie more questions, but she didn’t dare to ask them. She could push him into silence again. Erskin looked back at the picture in his hands.

“I am thinking about burning it.”, he informed her.

“May I see it ?”, she asked.

He gave it to her. When she looked at it she saw Ghastly instantly, Anton too, his face was obvious, Vex’s smile was easy to recognize, Erskine had almost the same hairstyle too, Saracen was in between a man Valkyrie never saw before and Dexter Vex. The man didn’t really smile but also didn’t frown. Erskin almost seemed to look the same in that picture. Only the clothes were different.  And then there was another man she never saw before, he had a warm smile while he looked at Ghastly and Erskin. Ghastly had put his arm around Erskin and pulled him close, which made the boy smile brightly.

“Who are these two people ?”, she asked and pointed at the two men she never saw before.

“The one that tried very hard to smile is Hopeless. He never could smile on command, just as Anton. The other one was Skulduggery when he was alive.”, Erskin told her.

Her mouth fell open and if she would have been a cartoon character, her jaw would have been on the floor. Then she snapped her eyes back at Erskin.

“Why would you burn that ? You all are so happy and it is the last memory where Skul was alive and well !”

“Exactly. A constant reminder, that he once WAS that man and that he NEVER will be that man AGAIN. Why cling onto such a silly memory ?”, Erskin asked her.

“Erskin, you aren’t thinking straight. You are mad at Skulduggery and I understand why, but you don’t have to destroy memories that you valued so much, only to later most possibly regret it.”

“I am not MAD at him ! I am still GRIEVING over someone WHO DIED A LONG TIME AGO ! Sure I am mad for a second when he talks bad about Vile, but he doesn’t KNOW the truth YET, so I understand why he acts like this ! I am grieving EVERY FUCKING DAY, since he DIED, the person that I looked UP TO ! This fucking photo is a constant reminder of WHO THE HELL I LOST THAT DAY ! HOW MUCH I LOST THIS PERSON ! It is a constant scar that gets ripped open again and again ! A constant reminder that I FAILED TO SAVE HIM ! I WAS TOO LATE ! I FUCKED UP !”, he yelled at Valkyrie with new tears in his eyes.

“That you were…too late ?”

“I had the antidote ! I made Anton, Dexter and Ghastly help me as fast as possible and I went on a hunt to find him ! I didn’t tell them why I hurried so much, nor what the potion was for ! When I had his location and the antidote, I hurried as fast as I could, but I came 20 fucking seconds too late !”

Silence.

“You knew about the trap ?”, she asked him.

“No. But I was there as well. I saw him running off and leaving us behind. It seemed like he was chasing someone and I followed. I…I never saw him so rageful before…It scared the shit out of me, Valkyrie. You never saw him THAT pissed off.”

“You saw Serpine kill his family and you didn’t do anything ?”

“Val, I was a Teenager ! Not even, I was a kid ! It was the first time I saw Serpine do that, I was frozen in utter horror ! I wanted to move, I wanted to shoot him ! But my body wouldn’t move ! I had no idea how to get out of that situation ! I could just stand there and watch !”

“You saw it all…”

Erskin looked away from her.

“It was all my fault. I will NOT deny that. I know for a fact when Skulduggery finds this out, he will never want to see me again, if he doesn’t consider killing me already. I was there, I could have done something, and I couldn’t fucking move to do anything. And I messed up my last chance by 20 seconds. All of the Dead Men knew, on the day Skul was burned, what I was trying to do. They all did. God…I couldn’t look them in the eyes for years, after my failure. All I wanted was to stop existing.”

She didn’t say anything. Skulduggery was in utter shock and Erskin was hugging himself tightly.

“I really tried to make up for it… I just…how do you fix something like this ? I practically HELPED to kill his Family, without meaning to ! Ghastly found out about all of that with Anton. They told me for years that it wasn’t my fault that I froze up, that they would have too, but-but what if they were lying to me all along ?! God they must have been disappointed with me ! Do you have any idea how many times Ghastly and Anton told me to just tell Skulduggery already ?! That he would understand ?! At first I believed them, I really did, but when he came back and was so hell bent to kill Serpine for revenge, I backed out ! I couldn’t tell him ! How would I have explained that ?! As soon as you mentioned his family, he would have pulled the trigger on you ! How was I supposed to explain ?! He would NEVER forgive me, nor would he want to make the effort to understand ! This was his FAMILY ! Not just some random people ! He…he would never want to see me again.”

“Hey, hey…calm down. I think the same as Ghastly and Anton. He would understand. He would need time to get around it and to process that information, but he would understand.”, she tried to soothe Erskin.

He shook his head wildly.

“He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t ! All his rage would return and I would be so fucking destroyed to have all his anger thrown at me ! I can’t see that rage again, Valkyrie ! It scarred me the first time and it scares me since ! Ghastly and Vex know how emotionally sensitive and unstable I am ! Skulduggery doesn’t know that. If he would shout at me again, like he did three weeks ago, I might have a breakdown and NEVER recover from it !”

“Did you…have a breakdown once before ?”, she asked.

He looked away.

“Ask Anton, Ghastly, Dexter and Erskine. I…I need to sleep right now…I’m over thinking again and it will cause me a panic attack. Have fun with Kenspeckle and Melancholia and get home safely….Maybe I will see you tomorrow… Or next time something serious is going on. I-I need a break.”

“What about the picture ?”, she asked.

“If you don’t want me to destroy it, then keep it. I…I will ask for it when I want it back…”

‘Spying is rude, Skulduggery.’, Vile tutted in his head.

‘Shut it. You knew this, didn’t you ?’

While he talked with Vile in his mind he silently left the hallway and went back to the living room, watching Melancholia sit on the couch, dressed in the clothes Vile and Valkyrie picked for her to wear. They fit her perfectly.

‘Of course I did. He told me everything after he knew that I was NOTHING like you.’

‘He is scared of me.’

‘No. He is not scared of YOU. He is scared of YOUR RAGE. He just doesn’t show it. That’s why he is always so blunt with everything and is quickly angry. You are not the man he used to know. Who he needed in the war. That man died, didn’t he, Skulduggery Pleasant ? That man died when his Son died. Am I right ?’

‘I don’t think I changed that much after death.’

‘You acted way more like a Father when you were alive. You scolded Erskin, like he was a kid. You fed him, protected him, cared for his wounds, cared for him in general…you treated him like your own kid. He grew to like you as a father figure, something he never had before. You even bothered to celebrate a birthday just for him. No one else ever did that for him before. I would almost bet that he didn’t just see you as a father FIGURE, but as a real Dad. And then you were snatched away from him. He wanted to help you, pay your kindness back in saving you, but he was too late. When you came back, you were cold, distant, ignorant and just not who you used to be anymore. You didn’t CARE anymore. Since that day…Erskin blamed himself for everything that went wrong.’

‘I wasn’t cold at all. I needed time to process-‘

‘Stop lying to yourself. You didn’t process ANYTHING. As soon as you came back, all you cared about was killing. You forgot about Erskin. You forgot that he was only a child. You forgot that you were the ONLY one that had a very strong bond with him. You forgot EVERYTHING about yourself and Erskin’s relationship. It led him to a downfall, something you swore silently to yourself, you will never let happen. You didn’t see all the red flags, didn’t hear his cries of help and closure for you. You. Let. Him. DOWN.’

‘I didn’t let him down ! I-‘

‘He is scared of YOUR rage. He is scared to tell you something that was out of his control. He was scared to tell you about me and him knowing each other. He was scared to mention your family. He is scared to let you know anything, that could trigger your anger. He wasn’t scared in the past. He told you everything that was on his mind and was necessary, when you were still alive. He would have told you about me, if you would have been the same after death, but you came back totally changed. He would only tell you any secrets he has now when you were really six feet under. But not while you are still roaming around here. Your Rage was scarring to witness and he saw it. It destroyed him mentally and emotionally. And after you came back, you didn’t bother to talk to him much. Everyone saw him suffering, but you didn’t care.’

Skulduggery was silent and looked back into the hallway where Erskin’s room was.

‘The special bond you two had is damaged and it gets worse each day. You were the one he looked up to and trusted you the most. You rarely got angry and that was one of the many reasons he talked to you so much. Now you are in constant rage. Don’t you remember how hard it was to get him to trust you in the first place ? I remember it clear as day.’

‘He barely talked, then he would never answer our questions about his past. He was a troubled kid and it took so long to get him to talk and to not pretend anymore. He was good in it. A real faker.’

‘Well, now he is even more skilled in it. He trusted me with a few things. I was less anger driven than you, but it wasn’t the same for him. He wanted to talk with YOU. He needed closure from YOU. Not from me. But you never saw how damaged he was and how he continued to crumble. And now…he hid away entirely from everyone. It is rare that he falls apart like that and reveals what he really feels at the moment. He thinks that you gave up on him, that he was a lost cause after all and you never tried assuring him that everything was okay. He feels used, betrayed and stupid for trusting someone…for hoping that after death when you returned you would still be there. He decided to take steps in directions he shouldn’t have and he had no one to guide him anymore.’

‘What did he do…?’

‘…How many times do you think he tried to commit suicide, Skulduggery ?’

At that Skulduggery froze in utter shock and horror. Erskin tried WHAT ?

Masterlist HERE !

[youlikefanficdontyousquidward]

Phoenix Project

A rogue Hydra agent, Tomas Weber seeks to find previous experiments in order to mount an attack against the world. Natasha uncovers the plan and they move to intercept.

Can you believe this is all just backstory to get to Falcon and the Winter soldier fic? Yes I'm normal thank you for asking.

Marvel OC story.

It had been 15 years since that night, still the nightmare hung heavy on your waking mind. You were bolt upright in an instant, knife slashing into the darkness. It took several long minutes to slow your breathing, to remind yourself you were free. The car crash was a vague memory, the cold metal arm ripping you from the blaze more of sensation than a solid visual. The icy grip the first of the horrors HYDRA showed you. You showered, sure that the neighbors would curse you for doing so in the middle of the night. Still you couldn't stand the sweat on your skin, the heat too close a reminder to the fever you'd had. Eleven years old and strapped down as you thrashed against restraints. The serum burning every nerve raw, skin sloughing off before regrowing new. It was over now, you chanted in your mind. The cold water numbed you till your fingers pruned. You hunched alone in your flat, large fluffy hoodie tucked down over your knees. The TV was on but you couldn't have said what was playing. The sun rose, light coming in through thin curtains, illuminating your form still frozen in place. That was until the door bell went. You'd thought you imagined it at first but the second ring came with knock.

"Hello? I'm so sorry to wake you, my dog was clawing at your door…I can give you money, I'm so sorry, I can call the police for you…"

"No!" You shouted, straightening up. You took careful steps forward, listening intently. It sounded like a woman but something still felt off. An odd sensation of being watched burning into you. The sudden stabbing sensation came seconds later. Your eyes narrowed in on your letter box, open with a gun pocking through. You stumbled back, the tranq already taking affect. Your legs felt like lead as you fell towards the kitchen. You were loosing sensation quickly and had only one terrible plan. You tried to raise the knife but the weight in your hand was becoming too much to keep your grip. It clattered uselessly to the floor. The door opened, unlocked? You'd locked it the night before you were sure. Your vision blurred, tears filling your eyes. The figure was unclear as they walked in.

"Ready to come home?" A voice called, the recognition sending a bolt of fear down your spine. They crossed the space as you re-hid the switch. "No…" you breathed out. The face of Weber clearing as he approached. He grinned as the black dots consumed your vision.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sam was furious. Not only had some of HYDRA escaped but now one of them had some serious weapon power. A missile with enough blast power to level half the country. "We know where he's headed?" he asked. The faces around the table were stern. Steve looking to Bucky and Nat, while Tony stared out the window. "There should've been a tracker in there, but we got bupkis." Tony cursed, falling into his chair. He was taking it hard. That missile was his, meant to defend against alien threat but now it was in a rogue HYDRA officers hands. With everything from SHIELD fall to Sokovia he was in real need of a win and this certainly wasn't helping. "Weber was the officer in charge for the phoenix project," Natasha began. "Which was?" Tony grumbled. "Not real technically, it was a proposal SHIELD denied. A resurrection of Erskine's serum, using what was found of his first try with Red Skull." She explained. Sam watched Bucky, his face remained calm but he saw his right hands knuckles turn white. "Okay…and how does that help us." Stark gestured wildly. "I can scour those files in seconds but half that information is redacted or lost." He air quoted around that word. "Yes but I read around that, enough to know someone who's been there before." Nat turned to Bucky. He looked tense, jaw ticking before he leaned forward. "Old facility in the Alps…" He began. Stark clapping his hands together, mouth opening to speak. "But it collapsed almost 7 years ago." Tony's jaw snapped shut. "He could have went to one of the other sites." Bucky finished. Tony jumped up pointing to him. "And you know where they are?" He quizzed. Bucky sighed, nodding. "But there's more." Tony froze, sitting back down again. Sam felt relieved, the man was finally gonna let someone get a word in. "The project was real, they did recreate the serum." He looked pained a moment, some part of this memory too hard to speak.

"One of the subjects… they got out. I've…I know where they ended up." He strained.

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Bucky felt queasy in your flat. The place was a mess but in the normal way. You'd clearly tried to carve a life out for yourself here, even though the struggle to was evident. Clothes strewn, forgotten take-aways, bottles, cleaning not kept up and the general musty smell you got when you refused to open your windows. That was expected. You'd been through hell, he'd seen to that. No what made his stomach sink was the tactical knife laying abandoned on the ground. He was too late, Weber had found you first. Natasha moved around the room, poking at your scant belongings. Steve approached his hand coming to rest on Bucky's shoulder. "Bucky, what's eating you?" he asked. Bucky didn't want to say. Didn't want him to know about the kid he'd thrown to the wolves. The times later when he was called upon for your training. He still had nightmares of your screams, pleading, his betrayal. "It's my fault." Bucky started. "No, hey come on…" Steve started trying to comfort him but Bucky met his eyes. "No, it's my fault HYDRA had them in the first place. I took them. When when they escaped? I took them back... they were only free because I was on ice." He admitted though the flash of pain on Steve's face only twisted the knife. Time and time again they'd tried to tell Bucky it wasn't him, that it was the winter soldier. But he was the one who had to live with those memories.

"Hey, I got something." Nat called coming back to the front room. A black box blinking in her hands.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You were in a cell. Cold, damp and barren. The door wasn't even locked but why would Weber bother to when the force fields were active.

Sure you could open the door but beyond that the energy field would force you against the back wall and fry you...again. All you had was the hope that your plan was working and when the light flickered you knew it had.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sam rushed through the compound. Weber was in here somewhere, fighting or fleeing from the others. He and Bucky were searching, trackers showing your responder down these halls.

Still with the labyrinth of tunnels he and Bucky had split up. He had the tracker open on his hub, following twists and turns until he stopped at a open door. He drew his weapon, stepping in quietly. The room was bare quickly drawing his eyes to a small pool of dried viscera, the blinking tracker laying forgotten there.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The blood poured down your cheek, the tracker abandoned. With the sound of commotion above, you guessed help had arrived sooner than you'd expected. Which meant you had to leave now. You blinked your healed eye, letting your vision clear a second before continuing to run. You rounded a corner, feet padding softly on the stone before you froze. It couldn't be? The winter soldier turned to you, your eyes meeting. You didn't scream instead scrambling away as fast as you could. The pounding of his boots followed and you felt tears welling. No HYDRA was gone right? Only scraps remained, so how did Weber have him? You ran right, cursing at the dead end ahead of you. Still he didn't fire at you, toying with you? He must know this place like the back of his hand. You shot eyes down the hall, no doors, no escape. "Wait!" He called after you. Your breath was rapid, a panic settling in that made your ears ring. A crushing pain through your skull forced a wail. You turned backing against the wall, as Soldat approached. "Please, stay back!" You shrieked, pressing as flat against the wall as you could. To your surprise he actually stopped, standing still with his hands raised. You let the tears stream, it wasn't like he'd never seen you cry before. Still cruelty wasn't exactly his thing, why was he mocking you like this. "Bucky?" Another voiced called out, a man you actually recognized turning the corner. The falcon? You'd seen him on TV before, an avenger, did he come for Weber? Then why was he… Bucky. That had been his name before, James Buchanan Barnes. Steve Rogers had found him. "Hey, hey, your okay," The falcon called out to you. His eyes were warm, a friendly smile ghosting across his lips. "We're here to help okay?" He inched forward, a hand outstretched. You stilled a moment, throat still to tight to speak. Your hand twitching before you let it rise. That's when the Iron man turned up. Landing behind the two before walking his way forward towards you. "We've not got time this place is set to blow, I'll take winter soldier 2.0 there." He closed the distance. They were going to trap you. Fear solidified, rage rising to meet it. Without a word you scaled his suit to the shoulders, leaping off over the others and rolling on the ground. You didn't spare a second to watch a reaction, instead breaking into another sprint. There was no plan, just a feral flee, voices calling after you. Bounding through an open door, leaping down stairs, scrambling away. You heard their pursuit though you'd prayed they'd heed their friend's warning. This place was gonna blow, which was fine by you. If the place crumbled a top you it'd be fine. You'd survived worse and the pain was worth not getting taken again. You prayed they'd only seen the same leaked information you had. It was scant and if you didn't know more it'd be hard to connect you to it. It was one of thousands and the file photo was a 16 year old you with a shaved head. "Please this place is gonna come down, you'll die!" A voice called, to your left on the opposite cat walk, Steve Rogers kept pace with you. So they didn't know what you could do? Maybe you could get out again before they realized. A large piece of the ceiling fell on his side, blocking him from going any further. You paused, it'd been a close call, he'd just barely missed it. They'd keep perusing, until the base fell atop them too.

You cursed, moving to leave but you stopped. Looking back at the pleading face of Captain America. So worried about you he was going to get himself killed. So you surrendered, nodding to Rogers. The falcon swooped low and you raised your hands, letting him lift you. Your skin screamed but you kept a hold letting him fly you to a clearing. He dropped you gently on the ground, landing too close for you to make a get away.

"Everything's gonna be alright okay?" He smiled warmly at you. He was a hero right? You'd seen them all on TV before, they helped people right? So maybe you could try trusting them, at least for now.

It wasn't until you made it to the quinjet you realized how tense the rest seemed. The falcon frowning at them slightly before you felt a prick against your neck. You spun, Natasha not expecting the fist that connected with her face. You scrambled, swinging at any approach as they tried to calm you. The solider appeared from the tree line and you cursed at him until your speech slurred. You recognized the effects, this stuff took most folk down before they could react. For you? Almost a minute of struggling against iron man and Rogers restraint. You screamed, cursed, threatened and thrashed until the drug stole your sight and you slept.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What was that!" Sam demanded. "They were co-operating!"

"We don't know anything about them! Bucky's been pretty quiet about this whole thing." Tony rose to meet him gesturing widely.

Bucky sat stewing in the corner, Steve at his side. Whatever happened before you knew the soldier, not Bucky. Still Sam understood what he meant, Bucky clearly knew more than he'd say. He wouldn't keep quiet if it was important to the mission though, whatever it was he was protecting himself... or maybe you?

"Do we have anything on them?" Steve asked crossing his arms over his chest. He rounded the table towards Natasha but the documents were heavily redacted. More black lines then any text on each screen he looked to.

Steve was searching desperately, if could just get something to show Tony this treatment was unnecessary. Bucky didn't talk much about HYDRA but he didn't need exacts to know whatever they did to you was awful.

"No, well...just one thing. A medical report from one of the guards on duty." Natasha hummed, turning in her chair to face him. Steve frowned at her as she continued, only the tablet's back staring back at him. Nat hiding behind it, contents hidden from the room too.

"The man was admitted to the medical after the subject... injured his face." Natasha hummed still holding the file.

"Nat..." Steve began but she shook her head.

"There's a photo Cap, don't think you wanna see that." She started to explain but he met her eyes. She sighed handing the tablet to him, turning back to the mess on the desk. "Don't say I didn't warn you..."

Steve barely made it down half the page before Tony was at his side.

"They ate a man's face! No." Tony shouted, spinning to face Steve.

"Technically they just bit it off." Natasha quipped.

"They didn't find it!" Tony pointed at her before returning his glare to Steve. "They're unstable and for all we know a sleeper agent." He snapped, stalking towards the two way mirror.

"Look!" He pointed wildly. Sam stood by Steve across the room. Even from that distance he could still see them through the glass. The soundproofing stole the sound but he could see your scream. Thrashing body and wrists raw from straining against the restraints.

"I'm not saying anyone in goes alone." Steve continued. "It'll be Sam and Myself. We'll talk to them." Sam froze a moment though he supposed he was the best qualified to help.

Stark groaned turning back to you. Veins popping under red, sweat slick skin as he could read his name between your curses. "10 minutes." He relented.

"And the cuffs stay on." He called after Steve.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You froze when the door opened, glaring from the gurney at the men. Captain America and the Falcon. They were quiet, walking in with concerned faces before stopping in front of you.

"We know what HYDRA did to you," Rogers began but your snort cut him off.

"Do you now." You eyed him, pulling again on the straps. You saw his jaw clench, his eyes casting down for just a moment. He was feeling guilty? Wilson too, he wouldn't meet your gaze. You couldn't be sure if it was just shame at your position but this bode well.

"Weber's got a missile that could destroy a whole state, if he gets to the other test subjects..." Roger's looked startled when you began laughing.

"Please Blair..." Wilson started. Your laughter abruptly stopping as you turned a glare towards him.

"You get that off my lease." It was a fake name but then all of your names were. You were upset with him, you'd really thought he seemed sympathetic but here you were.

"We're just trying to help." He continued, meeting your eyes. It was shocking to see the genuine pain behind them. Though it soured in you quickly. What did he know? He didn't know you, they couldn't know what you'd been through. What your capture by them would cost you.

"Help?!" you screeched. "You've sealed my fate here! I'll be a lab rat till the end of my days!"

Neither man seemed to deny that. Rogers looked to you again, a slight mist in his eyes.

"A lot of people are gonna die, good people. He's going after the other test subjects too, surely you don't want that?" Rogers stepped forward, a hand rising to you.

You lunged against the restraints, snapping at him. He recoiled, Sam stepping to him. You couldn't help the hysterical laugh that escaped you. Teeth gritting, tears threatened to spill again as the absurdity hit.

"The others!" You shrieked between fits of laughter. "The others are dead!" Your body racked, laughs developing into chocked sobs. "It's just me."

The men looked surprised, a silent understanding between the two passed. You regained as much composure as you could muster. Rogers pitied gaze grating on you.

"Weber doesn't know that. He's trying to amass a strike team of sorts we think. If we could get to him before he finds out, stop him now before he tries to launch an attack" Roger came forward, his hand moving slowly to you again.

You eyed the movement, out the corner of your eye you could see Wilson focusing on you. The anxiety was coursing through you causing your fingers to twitch. In flashes you were back underground, damp air and copper tastes. The doctors, the guards, Weber, all hands reaching, gripping, clawing at your skin.

Your wrist was freed and in the next moment your hand was too Rogers' throat. He was still, calm, a hand up to stop Wilson's intervention. His gaze still locked to your own. In a flicker you saw your Alec's eyes looking back and you let the grip loosen.

"We need your help." Rogers whispered. His eyes were too genuine and you relented. Hand dropping back to the bed as you sighed. You screwed your eyes shut, slamming your head back against the pillow a few times.

He was too much like him, both had the same righteous talk. Alec made a whole ten escape attempts. Kept as many others as he could fighting, resisting. When the base crumbled around you, it'd been just the two of you left trying to escape.

"I do this and you don't leave me out. I wanna be there when the last of Weber's hopes shatter." You met his gaze again and he nodded.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stark wasn't happy. Sam watched him frowning as you padded in with him. You'd glared at him but Sam could see the way your muscles tensed, the way you drifted closer to him. You glanced back to him, something like fear briefly crossing before you turned back.

He was familiar with the look you gave him. He'd seen returned soldiers do this before. Hell Bucky had done it when he dragged Steve to the hospital after they landed in the river. Attaching to someone for stability and he seemed to have been given that role. He'd been the first Avenger you'd really seen after Bucky. He'd been the one to come between you both.

He was only proved right when you flinched away from Natasha coming to near. He shifted closer, careful not to touch you. Seemed that was a big trigger to your outbursts.

Weber had sent out a message for any HYDRA in hiding to come to him. You were shown the code message, Tony still eyeing you from across the table. Sam could hardly believe the file Nat had found. It didn't match the terrified person. Nor the one who'd given themselves up when Steve had been in danger. Still all they had on you was that you bit.

"Bucky understood the german but there's a code there too, the sentences don't make sense." Steve explained, letting the recording play. Sam noticed you tense at the voice on the recording. Normally he could have put a hand on someone, centered them somehow. All he could do right now was stay by your side and leave you an opening to shift away.

"Yeah it's the same code they used before. Nurses didn't like us knowing what they were up to before they started." you answered, face flat and without any emotion to it. You were trying to stay strong, focused. Still Sam saw the white knuckles at your side.

"So? What'd he say?" Tony patronized. Sam cursed inwardly, shooting him a look.

"Not telling." You met his gaze across the table.

"You little... people are at risk here." Tony began.

"I know. I'm not giving anything till I have some certainty I get out of this." You continued your gaze bore into Tony.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sam lead you through the compound towards a room you could rest in. You remained twitchy, jumping at the sounds around you. It was hard to watch, no wonder Bucky's rehab had been so hard on Steve.

"There's a bathroom through there, you can get washed up. I'll get some clothes." Sam explained, as you passed into the room. You looked back at him with a frown as he hovered.

"You gonna watch?" You frowned.

"No! what no sorry, I'll leave whatever I find on the bed for you" Sam babbled, shrinking back. A slight bemusement passed over your features before you turned from him.

"Wilson?" you called back to him. He paused watching as you shifted under his gaze.

"You can call me Sam." He answered, giving you time to try say your peace.

"If... I know you cannot give me my freedom. Your country'd never let me just fade away again but if I helped. Would they let me come?" You stammered.

Sam could see so much bubbling under your skin. Anger, fear, hope. There was a bitterness in your tone, a need for revenge.

"I can ask." He smiled. You didn't return it but the nod you have him seemed lighter.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You got your demand, though you should have suspected you'd be cuffed. Still it was a step away from confinement and one closer to an escape.

Sam, as he'd asked you to call him, sat by your side. He'd left large baggy layers of clothing for you after he'd left. Returning only to lead you to the others in the morning. He'd been kinder than anyone you'd ever met before, you wanted to trust him but it still felt wrong. He was working with them, surely that meant he'd turn you over when this was over?

Or maybe you'd end up like Maximoff. You'd seen her in the compound training with the red guy. Had she'd been free once, did she even know she wasn't anymore? Sure she lived in this space but the golden bars didn't hide the cage.

"We're nearing the location." Rogers approached taking a knee ahead of you to be at eye level. "Things are gonna be dangerous in there, please just stay here."

"No." You kept his eye, trying to ignore how much he reminded you of Alec. He was a good person, you could tell, he'd throw himself through the fire if it meant someone else didn't have to.

Alec had been with you till the end. The base crumbling under the weight of the ground above, supports failing, fire spreading. You'd already tried for the others, having to meet his eyes and tell him what you'd seen. He seemed defeated then, collapsing in the tunnel entrance. It took all you had left to drag him as far as you did but he was done. Bloody are near death he'd told you to leave him, escape alone but you couldn't.

You didn't know him as well as you'd have liked to but you couldn't bare leaving him to face his end alone. So you stayed, hand in his own, saying a prayer to a God you didn't know till the walls caved in.

It took days to crawl free, months more to find your way out of the mountains. You never felt you deserved a happily ever after that but you wouldn't let yourself be caged again.

So you snuck into the building with Sam, Natasha and Rogers. You had the codes to turn the missile off and they'd do the rest. Stark was waiting for his queue with the soldier.

You'd refused to let him come with you. The man had looked hurt which took you by surprise. Rogers' explained about the brain washing, trying to introduce you to Bucky. Still it did little to ease your mind.

It didn't take long to reach Weber. He was good but no one could take on the whole Avengers. Still he tried, firing a round of shots meant to hit Sam square in the chest.

It happened before you knew it. The bullets passing clean through your throat, chest, arms and embedding in the wall behind. You gurgled a swear before collapsing.

Sam crawled from where you'd pushed him, a fight breaking out behind you. His hands were warm against the chill that racked through you.

"Hey, hey easy, your gonna be okay, helps coming." He panicked out. You shook your head to him, the pain clouding everything but it'd be too late. The missile was engaged and if he didn't get that code in now it'd launch before you were back upright.

You flung your blood soaked hand out, smearing the numbers on the floor beside you. You met his gaze again, trying to insist he leave with shredded vocal cords.

"I'm gonna be right back." He assured, squeezing your hand before darting off. You hoped he wouldn't, the scratching feeling overcoming all pain. The itch coursing through, tingling down each nerve to each torn muscle.

The fight ahead seemed more involved than you expected, straining you lifted your head. Weber had back up? Other hydra guards and low ranking officers it seemed. Still Rogers was making quick work of them, Sam at the panel with...

Christ back up had arrived. You hauled yourself to a sitting position, a startled Natasha making eye contact across the room before another volley of shots took her attention.

She'd already noticed your proficiency at sneaking in here. If you didn't get out now she'd pass that on. With the healing found out too you were screwed.

Your body screamed at the movements, signals firing against raw new nerves or to still torn skin. The knitting of muscle and skin audible to you over the fight. Still you pushed on, glancing over the mayhem from your support on the wall.

They were winning, Weber getting cast flying over the railing by Rogers. He was up again swiftly, broken armor sparking as he glared at you,You met his stare, blowing him a weak kiss before trying to shimmy away.

He was on you in an instant dragging you to a false wall and through into a tunnel, It was brutal, slow and just all around painful. Still you pressed on, they'd be cuffing folk in a moment and you'd rather not be there to join the captured.

You had a much better chance finishing Webber off and trying for your escape.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Sam!" Steve called out, leaping down to Bucky. Sam left the man unconscious bellow him, running after them as they left.

"What, what's happening?" he called out, jumping out a window to fly along the side of the building. Bucky glanced to him as he activated his scanner. His googles reddening the building, heat signatures lighting up.

"Your friends run off." Bucky stated. Sam frowned, he'd seen the damage. There was no way you were walking off, one bullet had severed your spine!

"That part in the file. The bit about the explosion. You were wrong they didn't escape before... they escaped after." Bucky continued. Sam caught your body through his goggles, barrelling through the window ahead of you.

"Wait stop!" he called, putting his hands up. You stood, bloodied, hunkered over but alive, with Webber beneath you. He couldn't believe his eyes, you should be dead. Even with the blood loss still saturating the clothes, never mind the bullet holes. Though now he could see you up close again they were gone. Nothing but a pink circle on your throat to hint anything had happened.

"Y/n." You spoke, voice clear and not nearly as shredded as it should be. "My names y/n..."

"Y/n." You spun backing closer to Sam. Steve and Bucky approached. They had their hands up too Bucky having tossed his gun across the floor before you'd even turned.

Webber groaned against the ground but stopped when Bucky came into view. His battered body wouldn't be moving for a long while.

"Please..." you trembled out. "I don't wanna go back there...just...please" You whimpered.

Sam's heart sank, the desperation in your voice pulling him. He could only imagine what you'd been through before. You deserved a normal life, not whatever they could offer.

"Steve..." He began.

"They're right Steve." Bucky spoke to his shock. All eyes turned to him as he shifted his feet from cuffing Webber. "I... I remember you. What I did. We can't let our guys get them either Steve."

Sam breathed a sigh, he'd known there had to have been something. That you'd had to have met the soldier but the pain in Bucky's voice was something else. He was right, even a fraction of that was unacceptable. Even with all they could do for you, you would accept nothing less than freedom. You'd spend every day fighting for it.

Steve sighed, straightening up. "Your right." He pressed his com link, addressing the others.

"They're gone, we're perusing them south." He called, giving you a nod. "Webber's captured, Sam's got him" Then he and Bucky turned, running off following their fake trail.

"Are you gonna be okay?" Sam asked throat catching at your crying face turning back to him.

"Yeah" you sniffed. "I've disappeared before. Thank you Sam." You smiled at him, before hobbling away. He took a deep breath before heading to the window with Webber, they could give you a good head start.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You were content. You couldn't say you were happy, not with the nightmares still plaguing you. Happiness still felt out of reach most days but others it was closer.

The refugees from Sokovia ended up in many neighboring countries, it was in one of them you found yourself today. A shelter for those in need that you worked in now. The pay was almost non existent but there was always a roof, a bed and food.

You'd spent some of the afternoon with the orphans. You still found it hard to take your guard down but they seemed to always weasel their way past you defenses. Especially the precautions brunette that seemed forever glued to your leg. At first you'd shaken her off, the contact making you squirm but as the days past you'd gotten used to her.

She reminded you of a child you knew before, with HYDRA. An enhanced though you'd never seen Lyla's ability. You'd just sang to her, kept her as comfortable as you could. Until the day she didn't come back from the doctors.

"Y/n!" She chirped from behind and you anticipated her tiny frame landing on your own. Only it didn't. Frowning you turned to the room, a puff of dust hitting your face. You coughed, anxiety creeping through your skin.

Then the screams began as a third of the building seemed to turn to dust in front of everyone's eyes. You did what you always did, hiding in the building as the outside world seemed to distend into chaos.

The days passed and a guilt gnawed in your gut. Every news broadcast a tragedy. Sam was gone, Barnes, half the world. It was desperate times and with that you made your way to America, to Steve.

You were returning to the compound today, another mission gone as well as it could. You passed through the rooms of the compound searching for Nat. You didn't dare break the silence, fearing something awful had happened.

Instead you were met with the sight of an emaciated Tony Stark.

"And you!" He shouted, suddenly pointing towards where you stood half hidden in the door way. The team turned to you, surprised at your sudden appearance.

"Tony please they've been helping..." Rogers began coming to your defense.

"What?! Little bit of target practice for everyone." Stark continued to yell. You kept quiet, clearly he needed this, need to blame someone. You let him, raising a warning glance to Steve.

"Oh yeah we all know about your little trick. Tell me, it stop you from dusting?" He ranted. "Or are these guys just keeping you around for organ donation!" Tony laughed dryly.

"That didn't work actually." You snipped, feeling your own anger rising to meet him. Tony stopped a second, meeting your eyes with a look between disgust and concern. Your anger fizzled away at the sight of him. You could only imagine what he'd been through to come back here. "My...uh organs don't work in doner bodies." You explained.

Tony hesitated then, Steve trying to turn his attention. It worked but only to turn Stark's anger to him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Is there anything you can do for him?" Nat turned to ask, now Tony was hooked up to fluids and resting.

"I can heal any cuts or bruises but I can't really do anything about...the rest" You replied as passively as you could. You'd never much liked Stark but your anger with him had long since cooled down. He'd lost that Spider-kid up there, you knew the guilt and pain would be eating away at him worse than any muscular dystrophy.

Nat nodded, dismissing you to go to his aid. Without Sam as an anchor here you'd found yourself drifting closer to Natasha. She'd been accepting of your return and thankful for any help you could give.

You headed towards the room where Pepper was watching over him. It hurt to heal, worse to take someone else's injury into yourself but you didn't let them know. You'd all but convinced Barnes and the others that it was a reflex. That any sign of pain on your end was just an echo of your fried nerves. Steve remained unconvinced but seemed to indulge your lie. After all it eased his friends conscience greatly.

He moved to intercept you placing a hand on your arm. You flinched away from his contact, cursing yourself for reacting. It wasn't his fault, you knew that but you still struggled with it.

"Sorry...thank you. You really are helping here you know." Steve forced a tight smile. You knew he was trying to make you feel better. You'd had a rough time returning to them and you suspected Nat had given him some more insight into your past.

You nodded to him before heading in and greeting Pepper. At least she was happy to see you. Her and Nat had been the ones sending you where you were needed. Places were A&E hadn't been set up, into traps and nuclear waste disposal.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was to everyone's surprise when they found you at Stark's home. His little daughter dragging you around in a tiara and wielding a toy sword.

"So Y/n?" Steve asked trying to break the tension with Tony.

"Yeah, Pepper invited them over a few times. Take a lil break from being melted by radiation. Apparently they'd grown rather fond of her." Tony smiled, peering into the kitchen. He watched you settle beside Pepper, taking the plates from her to help.

"And when Morgan was born, they kinda stuck around between shifts at the hospital. They're here most weekends, unlike some of my other friends." Tony turned a pointed look to Steve.

Steve averted his eyes, he'd tried to keep in contact with you. For the first year he'd done well but then you'd pulled away and he'd let it happen. He'd done worse with Tony, barely more than a couple calls a year.

"You can stay with us for dinner but that's it." Tony stated before Morgan came to save him. He joined his family in the kitchen, leaving Steve and the others on the porch. Tony peaked across the breakfast bar, watching you squat down to talk to Morgan.

He'd never of guessed you'd return the way you did. Showing up to help when they needed you. He hadn't expected that from you but he'd grown closer to you in the meantime. He saw his own anger in yours, it was a defense and had no bite behind it.

When Pepper brought him in to help with a nuclear problem, it'd been his drones that saved you. Pulling your body from where you'd gotten stuck. He imagined what would have happened if he wasn't there. You stuck burning to death over and over till whatever made you tick finally let you die?

After that he'd looked into what you'd been doing to help and replaced that with more machines. Now all you took on was shifts at A&E where there weren't enough doctors. You still had a temper, a distrust of others but you'd softened a lot. Even opening up about Lyla when his daughter was born.

It was strange for sure but he'd began to think of you like a strange family member. Though he joked that to you that you were their babysitter.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You were half away across the US when you saw the first people returning. You spent the next days dodging the chaos to reach Tony and Steve. Hell at this point given all Steve had told you about him, you would be happy to see Bucky!

It was Pepper that reached you first and from her grim smile you knew. They'd lost people in the fight and your heart sank. For you it was Natasha, Steve and her Tony.

You let Morgan hold your hand as her mother brought you up to speed. Stroking her hair as she played with your watch. It'd been a gift from her father and you took it off to let her hold it.

"I'm so sorry Pepper." You said when she grew quiet. You'd never been in this position. Trying to comfort someone after a loss. You'd never allowed yourself to be close enough for it to be a possibility before.

Pepper collected herself, swiping a tear before sitting up straight. She was trying to be strong, for the others, for Morgan.

"The government is trying to return to normal. I cannot guarantee what will happen if you stay." She began. "but you'll always have a place with us. We can falsify what happened here, pretend you were lost too?"

You mulled it a moment. You'd grown to love them, something you didn't think possible for you. But if they kept you here it'd put them at risk. You couldn't have them hurt because of you.

"I have to leave Pepper..." You began though Morgan's sudden grip on your arm made you stop.

"I understand y/n." She responded, ushering Morgan to come give her a hug.

"I gotta go see Sam, then I'll be gone. I'll be in the US until after..." You trailed off again. You'd never been to a funeral, you didn't know if you'd be invited.

"Of course." Pepper strained a smile that you couldn't return. Your heart was torn but surely this was for the best?

[homerjacksons]

Fluffy February - @fluffyfebruary Day 23: Dance Word count: 706 Fandom: Ripper Street Pairing: Homer Jackson/Edmund Reid AO3

A/N: This is a moment of pure joy that I just couldn't bring myself to deny them despite the fact that I can't really picture them being OUT, at least not to the men in their lives, not with the lives they lead. But alas, this IS meant to be a month of fluff, and it's fanfiction, it doesn't have to necessarily make sense :P it's not as though these idiots were ever anything close to canon anyway.

--

Jackson was mid-sentence, laughter still on the tip of his tongue, leaning forward across the table, fully and drunkenly engrossed in the story he was telling, when Susan’s eyes settled above his shoulder, sly little smile on her face. His words died on his tongue as a shadow fell over him and he turned slowly, eyes falling on Reid and his soft, nervous smile.

“Would you do me the honour of dancing with me, Captain Jackson?” Reid asked. His voice was barely audible above the music from the band in the corner, but Jackson heard him as though he’d shouted it, loud and clear and earth-shatteringly intentional.

Jackson swallowed, glancing back at Susan, who inclined her head encouragingly, then to Drake, who rolled his eyes with an awkward but genuine smile of his face, then to Rose in Drake’s arms, who was beaming at him, nodding like she knew, like somehow they all knew this had been coming and it was only him left floundering.

He took a deep breath before downing the rest of his drink then stood, turning to face Reid once more. “You sure about this, Reid?”

“I’ve never been more certain in my life,” he all but whispered, extending his hand for Jacksons.

And Jackson took it, let himself be pulled out onto the dance floor and into Edmund Reid’s arms, this time not in some quiet, private room away from prying eyes, but in front of all their friends and family, everyone they knew and loved. He let it all fade away until it felt as though it were just him and Reid and the slow, steady music. Just him and Reid, because for all his bravado, for all the times he’d insisted no one would notice stolen touches here and there, for all he’d insisted in the past that they could get away with more than they did, he’d never imagined a moment like this, had never imagined himself to be brave enough, let alone Reid.

“You’re shakin’, Reid,” Jackson murmured against his ear, pulling back enough to look him in the eye.

Reid huffed a shy laugh, ducking his head, cheeks tinged pink. He licked his lips, taking a deep, long breath before meeting Jackson’s gaze again. “I’m terrified.”

Jackson grinned at that, couldn’t help himself even as his heart hammered against his ribs and his stomach swooped with a cocktail of emotions, almost all of them positive. “Yeah, me too, Reid.”

“Really?”

Jackson laughed. “Course I am. We could be arrested for this.”

“Highly unlikely,” Reid said with an embarrassed smile.

“Still a risk,” Jackson reminded him, just in case Reid had completely lost his mind.

Reid nodded, taking another deep breath as though to steady himself. “I am sure there will be repercussions, men who no longer wish to work with us.”

“And?”

“We can deal with that when it happens,” Reid said, as though it were that simple.

“Can you, though?” Jackson pressed, had to, because he had to know Reid was okay, was going to be okay, wasn’t going to regret this, because as much as he revelled in it, he didn’t want to be the reason Reid was miserable and he certainly couldn’t live with Reid resenting him.

Reid nodded, expression serious as he stared into Jackson’s eyes as though willing him to understand. “I’ve had some time to think about this. I’ve made my choice.”

“You planned this?”

“Extensively,” Reid said through a laugh, glancing over Jackson’s shoulder, back to where their friends sat. “I hope you don’t mind me telling Bennet.”

“I kinda think he’d figured it out,” Jackson said with a shrug. “Just too polite to say anything.”

“He’s a good detective.”

Jackson hummed his agreement, taking another deep, steadying breath. He had the feeling all eyes in the room were on them, but the fact that the music was still going, that no one had said or done anything, let him tell himself it was all going to be okay. It had to be. Because this, them, together in front of their friends, it was a dream that had been a long time coming and they deserved it, every joyful moment of it, for as long as it could last.

[scribbledbyhand]

Rose Erskine

Here’s a little making off

[justviwriting]

Chapters: 1/10 Fandom: Ripper Street Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Edmund Reid/Emily Reid, Deborah Goren/Edmund Reid, Bennet Drake/Rose Erskine, Bella Culver/Bennet Drake, Susan Hart/Homer Jackson Characters: Emily Reid, Rose Erskine, Deborah Goren, Susan Hart, Bella Culver, Edmund Reid, Bennet Drake, Homer Jackson, Mimi Morton, Isaac Bloom Additional Tags: Some angst, Mentions of sex work, mention of abortion Summary:

After being kidnapped and finding herself in the care of the women’s shelter, Rose is unsure where her life will lead her. Meanwhile, Emily Reid is trying to deal with her failing marriage, while Deborah wonders whether she could still maintain a friendship with Emily after having an affair with her husband. Bella has caught the interest of Sergeant Drake, and Susan has to reconsider her business as her girls keep leaving her.

A multi-chapter fanfiction set after the events of season 1, following the lives of the women of Ripper Street.

[themculibrary]

Long Stony Fics Masterlist 2

part one

A Higher Form of War (ao3) - sabrecmc M, 292k

Summary: Tony is a King with a surprising number of people out to kill him. Steve and the rest of the Avengers are fighting for Pierce's rebellion and end up with Tony as their prisoner. Oops.

almeno tu nell'universo (ao3) - silkspectred E, 114k

Summary: Tony drives off.

Well, he wants to.

But he can’t.

Because.

Steve Rogers is in front of his car.

Steve fucking Rogers. Is in front of Tony’s fucking car.

Celestial Navigation (ao3) - sabrecmc E. 210k

Summary: Celestial Navigation: 18 year old Omega!Tony finds himself Bonded to Captain Steve Rogers. He isn’t happy about it until he is.

Data is King (ao3) - Amuly E, 136k

Summary: In a cyberpunk dystopia, all the wealth is concentrated in New Versailles and the majority live in impoverished ghettos outside. Prosthetics are strictly prohibited, though many of the poor have body modifications to help them live. Steve Rogers is an idealistic young man who raids the storerooms of New Versailles with his best friend Bucky Barnes, to bring food and medicine to the poor. But when tragedy strikes, Steve is inspired by Dr. Erskine to go seek out the notorious slumlord/black market trader Tony Stark. Rumor has it that Tony used to be a member of New Versailles, but left to make his fortune off the backs of the working man... or was he kicked out? Although they don't hit it off at first, Steve and Tony must work together.

They have some help. The Three Fates are women who control information. Steve's friends from his old life are good people on the fringes of society because of their prosthetic enhancements. And there's Tony's network of resources and connections, not to mention his brilliant engineering mind that helped him build his empire.

But when Steve and Tony finally manage to put their differences aside and rise up against New Versailles... not everything is as simple as it seemed.

Go Ugly Early (ao3) - just_another_tinker E, 252k

Summary: He’s The Captain?

This was not good. This was so not good.

There were theories of course, of what The Captain would look like. Most followed the typical Hollywoodesque belief that he was some version of the Godfather, sitting in a dark room with a cigar, commanding his forces with a flick of his wrist. There were even some that even thought that The Captain was not one person, but a whole network of people with eyes and ears everywhere.

The blonde Adonis in front of him was definitely not what Tony was expecting.

Of course, in the end it didn’t matter.

There was a reason no one knew what The Captain looked like.

Because anyone who saw his face never lived to tell the tale.

I'm Right on Top of That, Tony (ao3) - DyslexicSquirrel E, 92k

Summary: “Excuse me.”

Two heads turned toward him, Ms. Potts standing with a practiced, professional smile. “You must be Mr. Rogers. I didn’t realize the time.”

Stark looked from her to Steve and back, his eyes widening slightly. He got to his feet, shaking his head. “No, uh-uh, not happening, Pepper. Is he even old enough to work? If he says ‘I’m right on top of that, Rose,’ I’m jumping out the window.”

Irreparable (ao3) - aslightstep G, 131k (WIP)

Summary: Forgiveness is a journey, or so Tony was maybe told a long time ago. He doesn't know about any of that and doesn't particularly care to. In the wake of civil war, the Avengers remain, as do their enemies. And Tony Stark rebuilds, as always.

He destroys the phone, he burns the letter. But he can't (he won't) eliminate Steve Rogers from his mind.

I Started a Joke (ao3) - Naferty T, 102k

Summary: "Tony?"

"Who the hell is Tony?"

Keeping Secrets Isn't Healthy (ao3) - slightly_salty_ace T, 91k

Summary: Tony Stark adopts Peter after his aunt is killed in an accident. Only, he doesn't tell any of the Avengers about the adoption. Two years later, and the team is starting to figure it out. Or so they think. More and more secrets are revealed as they dig deeper, and the Avengers are finding it just a bit more difficult to trust one another. New villains are on the rise, pushing the team ever closer to their limits.

It isn't long after the team starts to fall apart that Peter goes missing.

Life is unfair (ao3) - Ladate E, 84k

Summary: Tony is an asshole and Steve may be a little bit in denial. Tony is Alpha and Steve is, well, not really Alpha but that is a secret. This is a long suffering path from hate to love. In a world where gender defines your life, where biology controls your body, Steve is trying to figure out who he is and what he wants from life.

It was supposed to be funny but it turned out very angsty.

Metronome (ao3) - SuperstringSymphony E, 90k (WIP)

Summary: “Thank you. You're wonderful.” He says, and he means it. Tony looks away, hands drumming along the lab table nervously. Steve stares at his hands, and suddenly everything makes perfect sense. It's a nervous gesture so like Iron Man's that first day Steve woke up in this strange new world. An empty suit. Bruises with an explanation that just seems phoned in. Tony exhausted and aching but still working, funding the Avengers through his own pockets. Tony keeping untold secrets close, brown eyes wide and filled with something unspeakable in the hallway, leaning away from Steve's arms instead of into them. If it's true then Steve's in even more trouble than he already thought he was.

Dangerous does not even begin to describe Tony Stark. He thinks, even in his own mind he sounds resigned.

In which the world at large does not know Tony Stark is Iron Man, and Steve falls for him harder than a bag of bricks anyway.

Never Too Late for Love (ao3) - Sineala E, 98k

Summary: Steve has always believed that a soulbond is a blessing -- a rare and beautiful miracle, joining the thoughts and feelings of two people forever, from the first time they touch. Steve knows he's not going to be one of the lucky ones. He knows Gail isn't his soulmate. But he loves her, even if they're not soulmates, and he's going to do right by her. After the war's over, he's going to marry her, and they're going to settle down. They'll buy a house. They'll have children. He'll see his family again. Maybe Bucky will live next door. It's going to be a good life. He doesn't need a soulbond. He'll be fine without one.

Then Steve wakes up sixty years in the future to find that his wonderful life has moved on without him. His family is long dead. His fiancée married his best friend. And the only purpose he has left is leading the Ultimates, a misbegotten team of superheroes with flaws too numerous to count. Steve hates everything about the future -- but most of all he detests Tony, flashy and flirtatious, who embodies everything Steve hates about a world he never wanted to live in.

And, oh, yeah, Steve has a soulmate after all: Tony fucking Stark.

Nostalgia (ao3) - blue_jack E, 119k

Summary: "Fuck my life. Why me?" Tony asked.

peter’s stars (ao3) - IronPengu, parkrstark T, 175k

Summary: Steve and Peter lose their apartment and are kicked out on the streets. Steve has to juggle between jobs to earn whatever money he can, take care of his son while resfusing to let him realize how much they’re trouble in, and keep them warm and safe on the city streets in winter.

So, he really doesn’t have time to date the billionaire that flirts with him everyday as he buys his cup of coffee. Even if he did, he can’t let himself fall for the man. Because if he knew that he lived from a backpack and showered in a public bathroom there’s no way he’d still want him…right?

Pieces of Echoes (ao3) - geekymoviemom T, 334k

Summary: When weapons designer and SHIELD consultant Tony Stark and his son are kidnapped following a routine weapons demonstration, newly defrosted World War II hero Steve Rogers is sent to find them.

But what begins as just another mission, a way for Captain America to reintegrate back into society, quickly warps into something more as betrayals are discovered, harsh, long-buried truths are finally brought to light, and Tony and Steve come to realise that their biggest allies are each other.

Power and Paradox (ao3) - The_Kinky_Pet E, 286k (WIP

Summary: “Billionaire, genius, engineer, philanthropist, submissive.  Yeah, submissive.  Any questions?”

OR

Yet another BDSM-AU.

Resurrection, Reconstruction & Redemption (ao3) - Elspethdixon, Seanchai T, 90k

Summary: Doom brings Steve back from the dead. Hijinks ensue, some of which might vaugely be considered plot.

strays (ao3) - Anonymous T, 85k

Summary: Tony will take whatever he can get from Steve, which is pathetic, because he’s not even really friends with him.

Or, the highschool!AU where Pepper is Tony's much-needed therapist, Darcy is his parter in crime, Bruce needs to go through puberty, Clint shows up to school with bruises and Steve just wants everyone to get through this intact.

stress relief (ao3) - romanoff E, 84k

Summary: They don't love each other. They barely even like each other.

Walking The Wire (ao3) - emquin pepper/tony, steve/tony, mary/tony N/R, 372k

Summary: “I knew your mother,” Tony said, figuring it was the right way to start. “You know this. She used to work for me and I liked her a lot. We were friends and she sort of reached a part of me that very few people could in those days. I think it was partly because she was brilliant and because she didn’t bore me like most people did. I didn’t love her -- not like that, but I cherished her friendship.”

“Mr. Stark why are you telling me--”

“She left when she found out she was pregnant,” Tony said and had to glance up, “and didn’t even bother to tell me about it.”

-

It was a one night stand and Tony had a lot of them, but this one changed everything. Tony always knew Peter Parker existed. He had no idea that Peter would become Spider-Man, but he kept tabs on his son, even when he couldn't meet him. Peter Parker grew up unaware of his superhero father, admiring Iron Man from afar and unaware that one day he would too become a super-hero - an Avenger. Spanning the entirety of the MCU , this fic covers a canonical view of what it would be like if Peter was Tony's biological son dwelving heavily into the canon. AU post-Infinity War with an AU version of Endgame and with a Stony endgame.

[princesssarisa]

Sleeping Beauty Spring: "Let's Pretend: Sleeping Beauty" (late 1940s record album)

For children of the Great Depression and World War II era, a weekly source of fairy tales was the acclaimed radio show Let's Pretend, which aired on CBS from 1934 to 1954. Created, directed, and written by a woman named Nila Mack, and with a cast of "juvenile performers" mostly in their teens and early 20s, the show offered half-hour adaptations of fairy tales, myths, and other fantasy stories. Several record albums of stories were released as well, with the same cast, scripts, and music heard on the radio.

While no Sleeping Beauty episode of the original radio series has survived, the Sleeping Beauty record album does. The cast includes Marilyn Erskine as Princess Beautiful (yes, that's really her name in this version), Albert Aley as Prince Charming, Miriam Wolfe as the Witch, Arthur Anderson (a.k.a. the original voice of Lucky the Lucky Charms Leprechaun) as the King, Sybil Trent as the Queen, Gwen Davies as the Fairy Queen, and the show's host, "Uncle" Bill Adams, as the narrator. The script is by Nila Mack and the musical score is by the series' regular composer/conductor Maurice Brown.

The story is told in a concise, straightforward way, but with a surprising number of creative choices. The opening scene places far more emphasis than usual on the religious nature of the baby princess's christening, as it takes place in a cathedral instead of at the castle. The villainess who curses the baby isn't a fairy whom the King and Queen neglected to invite, but (as the cast list above indicates) a witch. Her anger at being snubbed seems less valid and more insane than the traditional fairy's, and her curse is especially sadistic too, as she declares that when Beautiful pierces her hand with a spindle, "blood will flow, her hand turn green" and "pain will twist her body crooked" before she dies. The traditional "last good fairy who hasn't yet given her gift" is also omitted. Here, the only significant good fairy is the Fairy Queen, and despite having already given the baby the gift of beauty, it's she who softens the Witch's curse from death to a hundred year sleep.

On Princess Beautiful's sixteenth birthday, her parents make the mistake of leaving her alone in the garden to pick roses. Then along comes the Witch, disguised as an old peddler woman with a spinning wheel for sale. In keeping with her sadistic words, after Beautiful pricks her hand, the curse takes effect so slowly that Beautiful runs away, bleeding and in pain, finds her parents, and tells them all that happened before collapsing. The King and Queen summon the Fairy Queen, but all she can do is instruct them to make their sleeping daughter look lovely on her couch (dressed in pink velvet robes, with a crown studded with diamond stars on her head), and then put the whole castle to sleep as well.

A hundred years later, Prince Charming and his squire Alan find the castle surrounded by dense trees, but when they approach, the trees part to form a pathway to the castle gates. The two explore the sleeping castle, and eventually, the prince finds Princess Beautiful's chamber, is smitten by her beauty, and kisses her. Upon waking, Beautiful instantly knows Prince Charming by name, explaining that the Fairy Queen told her in her sleep that he would come. The King and Queen wake and reunite with their daughter, the rest of the castle follows, and the wedding is joyfully announced.

Like most Let's Pretend installments, this Sleeping Beauty is full of simple charm. The young cast acts their roles well, the writing is poetic, and Maurice Brown's music provides the perfect compliment. One oddity, though, is that the actors always say "an hundred years" instead of "a hundred years. Did it used to be considered "proper grammar" for "H" to always be preceded with "an"?

I wholeheartedly recommend this album to old-time radio fans and fairy tale lovers alike.

@ariel-seagull-wings, @thealmightyemprex, @reds-revenge, @faintingheroine, @thatscarletflycatcher, @autistic-prince-cinderella, @the-blue-fairie, @paexgo-rosa, @themousefromfantasyland

[measuringbliss]

Spider-Man Read-Through 039: White Tiger (SSM 9-11)

MASTERPOST

This time, we've got...

Politics! As well as two mentions of a character I love, more POC, a new vigilante I love, and avant-garde arts and crafts... It might be the best batch in a while. Plus, Medusa's back!

Look. Before we begin, I have a theory. Harry's shrink is trying to know who Spider-Man is by uncovering Harry's memories, and HE's gonna be the new Green Goblin, not Harry.

Hmm. We shall see.

Anyway! ESU announces that night school is gonna be cancelled, regardless of how many protests there are. Spidey is understandably miffed.

An ethnic professor calls out the administration and states that hispanic and black students will be hit the hardest by this decision, as shown in previous panels. I like it! I like when Spidey gets political (more than usual). I enjoyed a similar arc in 1969.

The university COULD sell its Erskine Manuscript (Erskine being the man who invented the Captain America super soldier formula!), but the direction finds it too priceless for such an endeavor.

Once again, it hits very close to home. Gosh, it really hits. :(

It's funny because I was thinking about the Prowler hahaha. I doubt it's a coincidence.

Night falls, and as Peter goes to the university, strange men in green prepare to assault the place, as well as...

Well, I already like this character.

Peter can't do much about the White Tiger, and the latter encounters the green goons.

See, what I appreciate about WT's costume is that its complete whiteness makes for nice panels.

WT escapes with the manuscripts, and the chairman is very happy to see our new character is Hispanic. Great excuse to say heinous stuff! It's now state of emergency at ESU. (Getting France under Macron's regime flashbacks.)

Spidey goes to the Daily Globe (remember it subtly rose to prominence this run) and...!

Damn, a duel between one character I love and one I'm starting to really appreciate?! I have to read that!

Thanks to Spidey's investigation, he tracks down a detective, who gives him a recap of what happened in Dead Hands of Kung-Fu 20-31 and explains WT's identity. And the Prowler, still a vigilante, checked (with his fists) whether WT was a killer or a hero. I'm happy to see Hobie hasn't stopped! Or, sad But also happy.

WT gives the professor mentioned earlier, Vasquez, the manuscript, and Spidey arrives on the scene. They fight and tension rises on campus.

Can we smooch, sir?

See, I was thinking it was too easy, and it truly is, because in the France of 2023 AD, cops just don't ask anything. They see peaceful protests, they repress. How fun!

That makes sense. Peter does note the WT acts different!

Spidey and the true WT keep fighting, and suddenly, windows open and the neighborhood cheers for WT! Spidey is stumped... and a bit jealous. "You may have pulled one of the biggest boners of your life," Spidey thinks to himself. TMI, tiger! I mean. Oh, anyway...! They finally listen to reason and go back to ESU, but...

Oh, dear. That's almost vile. Too optimistic. Oh no, I really enjoyed this batch until then!

The detective arrives just in time to clear some things up as well (the fact that the WT had nothing to do with the green thugs).

Everything's well that ends well... and Medusa?! Hell yeah! The last time we saw her, she was pretty entertaining.

Fun times!

Anyway, if you're wondering if the comments about the issue are worth your time... no, they're not. They really aren't.

Anyway, for SSM #11, we get Chris Claremont of X-Men fame as a guest writer!

It starts in medias res, as Peter worries about kid who apparently saved him and MJ from being run over by a car. Hey, remember MJ? Remember how this magazine is called "Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man"? Remember we have other characters than Peter Parker? A whole ensemble cast, in fact. Where are they? What are they doing? Aaaargh!

So the kid absorbed a toxin, and Peter has to race against time to find the antidote.

Okay, first off, handsome Peter. Second: I thought Peter's sudden skin change was very audacious and avant-garde (ATSV anyone?) but... in the scans somewhere else, Peter's just fine. How peculiar! I kind of really love it though. This is art, folks.

I love how the lady at the front looks horribly depressed while Peter and MJ are enjoying themselves.

So Spidey tracks down the antidote, but someone already took it... Medusa!

They fight, Medusa escapes, but Spidey finds her again... on Coney Island, which means for the second time in this run, we get one of my favorite devices: an amusement park! I love amusement parks! Who doesn't? Hell yeah!

This is art. All of this.

Anyway, Spidey interrupts Medusa saving one of her acquaintances with the same serum, him and the Inhumans fight, then they decide they don't have to. The old, dying guy takes some of the serum, and Black Bolt helpfully flies away to give the remainder of the serum to the kid.

Everything's fine. Medusa namedrops Yon-Rogg (if you've seen Captain Marvel, you'll do "Ah!" too) and the matter is resolved.

This issue was fun, but I can't help but be tired when heroes fight against each other when it's very clear they could both talk for about two minutes and be done much more quickly.

Next time: Hitman's back in town! Yay...