#shout out to Lane who didn’t question me just sending them a photo of some Arcade floor pattern overalls the other day
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
radiosandrecordings · 3 years ago
Text
Truly the strangest emotion is being in public and seeing something and going “oh my tumblr mutual would like that”
37 notes · View notes
tinyyoungblood · 4 years ago
Note
how ab a headcanon where the avengers all take a trip either to disney world or on a disney cruise? i’m a whore for the idea of everyone, especially peter and y/n, just acting like kids again
pairing: peter parker x avenger!reader
a/n: i like this prompt so much!! i’ve never been to disneyland, but i hope this is accurate enough lol. i also turned this into a vlog bc someone had to record this mess and since it can’t be me, i’m giving filming privileges to bruce
              ─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
the avengers in disneyland
everyone is very very excited and the days before they leave pass in a flurry of excitement, but peter has never been to disneyland, so he’s THRILLED beyond means
peter’s jumping up and down while everyone’s loading the van and he keeps asking them if they’re ready for this “life-changing field trip?????”
sam is genuinely afraid that if peter jumps any higher he will bounce off earth, so he grabs peter by the middle and carries him horizontally into the car
steve gave a whole lecture on not getting lost the day before and since tony couldn’t resist it, he is dressed head to toe in neon yellow and grinning cockily
nat steps into the van, sees him, and turns around with her hand over her eyes like she’s been blinded
bruce brings his video camera with him and records everything. first thing they do is hit up a gift shop and it is better than any oscar nominated movie
everything they pick up is subjected to a thorough label reading and some kind of commentary
“steve, show them what you’re getting!!” “slippers” “what kind of slippers” “uh...soft”
thor on the other hand takes it very serious and his commentary ends up being very ~shakespearean~
peter and y/n get matching friendship bracelets for everyone
loki: “i’m not wearing that”
y/n: “that’s alright-“
loki: “no tie it on for me”
bucky wouldn’t have come along if it weren’t for steve and sam, but now he’s taking it upon himself to make sure that everyone stays in good condition so they don’t miss out on training
the whole team gets hourly text messages from him in the group chat
bucky: “There’s a water leak in Mickey’s Toontwon. If any of you slip and hurt yourselves I will kill you.”
y/n: “love you too buck”
(they know it’s his way to express his love for them so every message almost makes them tear up)
loki really wants to go on splash mountain but since he doesn’t want to get his clothes wet, he asks the guards how ~splashy~ splash mountain gets
they don’t take him seriously and it infuriates loki because it’s a perfectly reasonable question but it quickly turns into a passionate argument that holds up the entire line
“I DEMAND TO KNOW HOW HIGH THE RISK OF GETTING WET IS, YOU INCOMPETENT FOO—”
*cue y/n and nat dragging him away while bruce runs after them to zoom in on loki’s pouty glare*
they get him a green rain poncho with black polka dots from one of the gift shops, and he’s still glowering but he puts it on without protest before each ride that involves water
normally the avengers would easily get recognised but since everyone is walking around in costumes, people approach them for several other reasons
thor is just peacefully standing in life, staring at the incredicoaster like it’s the love of his life, when a little kid tugs at his cape
“excuse me sir, why are you so tall?” “good question, why are you so short?” “hmm” “hmm”
they find a micky mouse whac-a-mole and everyone is having Fun but something possesses tony and clint and they are really going for it
tony is a 5 foot tall ball of stress and competitiveness and he is yielding that plastic hammer like it’s the last thing he’ll ever do
clint on the other hand is starting to feel the numbness in his arms
y/n, with sarcasm: “you can do it, clint!”
clint, with spite: “i cannot do it, thanks”
*y/n stares into the camera*
they also make up a rule that if you are in a 5 meters radius of one of the theme park characters, you HAVE to snap a picture with them
steve, who gets constantly shoved nudged by bucky into some character’s path, ends up taking a picture with almost every single disneyland character
at some point, he’s just downright sick of it and there’s a 7 min video of steve zooming across the lot while goofy and woody run after him with wide open arms
bucky is doubled over with laughter in the background while sam is standing beside him and wiping away his own tears
the avengers also buy all the pictures that are taken of them on the rides and even stop at some photo booths so they can send them to wanda and vision who are both vacationing on hawai’i <3
thor, peter, and y/n run themselves ragged and their legs almost give out but they will not stop until they have been on every ride that disneyland has to offer
the others think it’s obnoxious but they follow and join them without hesitation
tony is secretly trembling with fear. doing loops in the air at the speed of light is fine and so is battling aliens, but getting on a rollercoaster ride is just heart-stopping horrifying
it’s not that he doesn’t like rollercoasters, (that man has no self-preservation skills, anything that resembles plummeting to death will be gazed at with big heart eyes) but he just doesn’t trust them
if he didn’t build it or prove it, he doesn’t trust it. period. but the avengers are just so excited and happy that he can’t find it in him to sit out
that quickly results in thor and tony re-enacting very impressive Shouting Contests on each ride without fail
tony is screaming and clinging onto whoever is sitting next to him for dear life because he’s Petrified™️
and thor is screaming, because he’s having The Time Of His Life
he’s feeling the wind in his hair, his heart in his throat, and if he’s not shredding his vocal chords and flinging his limbs around, what’s the point of it all
after 20 different rides, tony is sick of pretending and just trudges through disneyland, the happiest place of earth, like it’s the sole cause of all suffering in the world
nat rejoins the group after she mysteriously disappeared for a moment and her hair is tossed, there’s ash on her face, and half of her clothes are wet
bruce, startled: “where have you been??”
nat, beaming: “there was a ride that spat fire from all sides and people jumped out of nowhere to scare you while the whole place was filled with hot water!!!”
bruce, concerned, zooms in on nat’s excited face
“nat i think you went to hell”
sam is big on merry-go-rounds so he drags everyone with him and while some one them first don’t seem to enjoy it, they change their mind once they see bucky’s little smile
(they go on at least ten more rounds until it starts to get dizzy)
a little girl trips over her princess gown and falls close to where steve is waiting in line, and steve immediately abandons his spot to rush over
bruce zooms in on them bc steve has always been kinda awkward with kids, but here he is, crouching down and comforting that little girl, and it’s so unashamedly soft and sweet
they can’t hear what steve is saying but she’s BEAMING now and even giving him a wobbly courtesy while he claps proudly
bruce turns the camera around and both he and clint are lowkey in TEARS like “why are we crying?? we didn’t even fall down” “i KNOW!!”
nat gets a hold of the camera and she’s on a mission to get the most embarrassing greatest footage possible
“bucky, go stand next to moana” “why?” “it’s moana go stand over there” “but i don’t know-“ “bucky.” *cue bucky, awkwardly standing next to moana while nat grins broadly*
when he’s back with the team, sam just stares at him blank-faced, clearly waiting for bucky to ask why he’s looking at him
eventually bucky caves in with a long sigh
“what” “i can’t believe you don’t know who moana of montunui is. she restored BALANCE to the WORLD. put some RESPECT ON HER NAME”
no one knows why but there’s footage of y/n, thor, tony, and loki strutting up and down in the middle of the lane in minnie mouse plush shoes like it’s a catwalk
sam, bucky, and nat are holding up their fingers to score them while steve is staring at them like he’s analysing their fighting stances
bruce, clint, and peter are standing on the sidelines and cheering them on as they should be
they end their day by digging into an unholy amount of fries that even steve can’t resist because they’ve been walking the whole day
a questionable amount of cotton candy also end ups in their possession and the footage of that is just mostly everyone trying out each other’s cones while the camera is passed between them
soon after, the avengers are back in their van to drive home and bruce zooms in on the row of seats where y/n has her head on peter’s shoulder while the others are also half-lounging on each other, and everyone is asleep <3
* * *
guess what i’m about to say?
stay hydrated pals
hc masterlist
587 notes · View notes
shadow-assassin-blix · 4 years ago
Text
Beauty & Her Beast
CHAPTER 1
Another Blix story, I know. I always wanted to write her into the Marvel-verse and this was one of many ideas that I came up with: Blix as a mutant. I want to eventually add mutants to this world. This chapter goes through Civil War, and the rest will follow through the other movies and eventually the tv show. There will also be flashbacks to how they met, and missions etc in later chapters. 
Let me know if you want to be tagged.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Steve was after Rumlow; chasing him down in a marketplace in Lagos. The chase ended as he caught up to him, throwing punches left and right. Rumlow gauntlets had hidden blades that he attempted to stab Steve with.
It took several more powerful blows until Rumlow was on his knees, ripping his helmet off. Steve stumbled over to him, breathing hard.
He frowned upon seeing the extensive burns on Rumlow’s face.
“All things considering, I think I turned out okay,” Rumlow weakly joked.
“It’s over Rumlow. You’ve lost,” Steve stated staring down at him.
“He remembered you,” Rumlow began with a pant.
Steve stared at him confused, “Wha-”
“Your buddy, your pal, your Bucky. Got all weepy about it. Looking for him, right? You won’t be able to find him. Not unless you find her,” He teased, further distracting Steve.
“Her who?” Steve questioned.
“My old second. She’d know where to find him. Hell, I’d bet money she’s with him right now. Too bad you’ll never learn that,” Rumlow ended showing the detonator he had in his hand.
He pressed it, Steve jerked his shield to protect himself from the blast, but it didn’t explode as he expected. Steve looked around and spotted Wanda using her magic to contain the explosion. She tried to redirect it to explode in the air, but her power went awry. The exploding sphere crashed into a building, injuring many.
The days that followed were tense as the damage done in Lagos gained more attention, especially when it was revealed that there were emissaries from Wakanda that were killed.
When Steve and Wanda were requested to meet with the rest of the team and the Secretary of State, he knew nothing good would come of it.
They were presented with the Sokovian Accords. As they discussed what happened, Steve turned to Natasha.
“Nat. Rumlow… mentioned I should look for his former second. Do you know who that was?” Steve asked trying to make sense of what he was told.
“I’m guessing you’re not referring to Rollins?” Sam asked sitting down, wondering where this was going.
“Rollins was his third in command for quite some time. His previous second? Her name was Blix. She never… gave a last name. In fact, no one even knew her age. She was strong, and… I remember hearing rumors about her having some sort of power, but no one knew what. Well. Rumlow probably did, they dated for a time,” Natasha explained thinking on it.
“So. Her connection to Bucky would also be a mystery,” Steve concluded with a sigh.
Natasha nodded with a frown.
“There… should be some photos of her though,” Natasha noted as she typed on the table’s keyboard.
A moment later they were shown a file, that was mostly blacked out and several data points incomplete. Her face appeared, and Steve studied it for a moment.
She had brown hair, green eyes, facial scars on tanned skin. The only info they really had beyond that was a note that stated she had left SHIELD of her own accord and it was marked a month and a half before the events of the Lemurian Star.
“Does it say why she left?” Steve wondered looking over the file trying to find some sort of clue.
“No. But I did hear something about… getting badly injured. She almost died and that led to her leaving,” Natasha replied crossing her arms.
“Sorry. Why is this important?” Tony cut in, tired of this redirection.
“Rumlow said that if I wanted to find Bucky, I need to find her. But she may already be with him,” Steve explained tiredly as his phone went off.    
“So. You’re looking for a ghost with a ghost? Awesome. Great,” Tony snarked rolling his eyes.
“Listen, I-” Steve began his phone buzzing again.
A text message came in, stating that she had died in her sleep.
The she in question, he knew was Peggy, and he felt his heart drop. He knew it was inevitable, but it didn’t stop the sting of it.
He got up stating he had to go, and as he made his way downstairs, he paused. Everything felt like it was crashing all around him. He knew he had to focus on one thing at a time, but he was not signing the Accords. Not unless he knew what they were getting into with them.
A few days later, he was in London, at Peggy’s funeral. He thought about what could have been, but he also thought about his life since waking up a few years back. He had been fairly happy, and he knows once he finds Bucky again, his life would feel semi-normal again. Beyond that, it was nice to have Peggy back in his life, even if it was just for a short time.
He was thrown off his stroll down memory lane when Sam nudged him, directing his attention to the current speaker. The “nurse” who spied on him. She introduced herself as Sharon, Peggy’s niece.
The service went on, and Natasha told him about who signed the Accords, and how she was on her way to Geneva to be a representative of it. Steve refused to go; he couldn’t trust what these documents would lead to. He couldn’t risk potentially being under someone’s rule, their thumb, when innocent lives were in harm’s way.
Barely two hours later, there had been an attack at the conference. They were scrambling to figure out what had happened. All they knew, was someone matching Bucky’s description was seen near the crime scene. Everyone was determined to paint Bucky as the villain, and everyone was on high alert for him.
Steve knew one thing: he had to get to Bucky first before anyone else. There had to be a logical explanation for this.
Sharon was able to give him a slight head start, which he appreciated. He was in Bucharest, Romania within an hour. It didn’t take long to find the apartment Bucky was hiding in. Steve stepped inside cautiously, looking around.
He spied two mugs sitting on the counter and spotted some gear that was nowhere near meant to fit Bucky.
“What are you doing here?” Came Bucky’s voice behind him.
Steve turned around and tried to explain the situation as Sam told him that the building was surrounded by cops.
Suddenly he felt a presence behind him, and he glanced back to see the woman, Blix, holding a gun pointed at him. She slowly circled around to his front, standing protectively in front of Bucky.
“We are surrounded. We need to move quickly, Soldat,” She spoke, her voice slightly gravelly.
“This doesn’t have to end violently. I want to hear his side of the story,” Steve tried to explain calmly, looking around hearing all the cops approaching their location.
“We’ve been here for months. As far as I am aware, Bucky does not have the power to be in two places at once. I could possibly find a mutant or two who has that power, but it wasn’t us,” Blix said heatedly.
“Then come with me and explain that to the others. Because so far, they all think he set that bomb,” Steve pleaded.
“We’re out of time,” Blix whispered to Bucky in Russian.
SWAT busted through the windows, and Steve and Bucky began to fight them off. Bucky threw a piece of furniture to further block the door, as police tried to bash it down.
“Bucky! Stop! You’re going to kill someone!” Steve shouted at him.
Bucky grunted as he smashed a cop into the floorboards, to reveal the hidey hole that had his stuff in it.
“I’m not going to kill anyone,” Bucky growled as he grabbed the bag, before tossing Steve out of the window.
Blix grabbed her stuff, dodging flying bodies as the guys fought. One cop tried to grab her arm, and she quickly twisted his arm around, slamming her palm into his shoulder, dislocating it, before tossing him into the wall, knocking him out.
When Steve was thrown out, she moved over to Bucky.
“Get to that roof. I’ll meet you there,” Bucky tells her as he made to move to the door.
She nodded, “Be quick.”
Using her power, feeling shadows all around her, she teleported from the apartment to the roof across the way. As she waited, she would use her powers to stop cops from entering the apartment building. She would send the ones repelling from the roof to random locations far away from the building.
Five minutes passed, and Bucky came bursting through a lower window, landing on the roof in a roll. He snatched up his bag, took her hand and they ran forward. Suddenly Bucky was tackled, and in turn so was she, by a man in an elaborate cat suit. Bucky shoved her out of the way as they fought, trying to protect her.
When the guy had Bucky pinned, claws desperately reaching for Bucky’s face, Blix acted. She moved forward and whistled for his attention. As he glanced up, she threw her foot upward in a kick aimed at his face. He moved to dodge, allowing Bucky to rollaway.
A helicopter whirled above them; a cop was shooting bullets at them. It was quickly knocked out of the sky by a man wearing a flight suit. Steve, who had caught up, was trying to stop the man who attacked them. Blix and Bucky took that as the opportunity to run.
When they got close to the edge, Bucky suddenly picked her up, holding her to him as he jumped down, his metal arm grabbing ahold of the side of the building to slow their descent.
As they straightened up, and rushed down a busy street, Blix grumbled, “Really wish you would give more warning when you’re going to do that.”
They ran hard, racing out onto a busy highway; Bucky, after tossing the driver, stole a motorcycle and Blix hopped onto the back with him.
Bucky was dodging cars left and right, trying to outrun their pursuers. Blix ducked under one of his arms, swinging around to face the opposite direction. She pulled out her handgun, shooting at the tires of the police cars. She disabled several before turning her attention to the man who was chasing them.
She tried to aim at his legs/feet, trying to either trip him up or hinder him. He dodged the bullets easily. Her clip ran out, and she grabbed a small grenade from her pack. She threw it up at the ceiling, causing a small explosion. It did them no good as the man caught up to them and caused the motorcycle to crash by swiping at the wheel.
Blix held onto Bucky, using her powers to try and lessen the blow as they skid to a stop.
Bucky muttered, “I hate when you do that. Guess I deserved it.”
“Would you rather I have road rash? Cause… unlike you… I don’t have super healing,” She groaned, the crash having landed both him and the bike onto her.
They got up as Steve and the man in flight suit, caught up to them. They were both staring at the man in the cat suit, trying to figure out who he was.
There was a loud CLUNK as a man in a silver iron-man suit appeared and informed them that they were under arrest. Blix and Bucky sighed simultaneously; annoyed by everything. Blix quietly held her hands up in surrender as an officer walked up to her to take her things. A pair of cuffs was placed on her and she was escorted to a car, alongside Steve and the other 2 men.
Bucky was taken into a separate car and placed in a glass box. Blix glared at it angrily; he was being treated like an animal and it infuriated her.  
As they were taken away, the man she sat next to, Sam as she found out, began talking…
“So… you like cats?” Sam asked T’Challa, who simply sighed in response.
“Sam,” Steve stated, in an admonishing tone.
“What? Guy shows up in a cat suit, and you don’t want to know more?” Sam questioned.
“Your suit. Its vibranium, isn’t it?” Steve confirmed moreso than asked.
T’Challa explained the history behind the Black Panther, the myth, the legend of it to the Wakandans.
“And you? How the hell did you get to the other roof so quickly?” Sam asked Blix turning to look at her. “Better yet, were you the one making all the cops disappear randomly?”
Blix glanced at him briefly, ignoring his questions.
“It is also curious that you have no wounds from the motorcycle crashing as well. Barnes, it is understandable, super soldier and all. But you? As far as anyone is aware, you are simply human,” T’Challa also commented, glancing back toward her.
“‘Simply human.’ Hm. Never heard those words used to describe me. Let’s just say, your majesty, I am far more complicated than you’ll ever know,” Blix said raising an eyebrow.
The SUV had pulled into a large garage, teeming with agents and cops everywhere. The doors were opened, and the three men with her, impatiently waited to have their cuffs removed.
When an agent approached her, she pulled her hands forward, revealing she had gotten out of the cuffs. She dropped them with a purse of her lips, turning to the vehicle that held Bucky. As he was unloaded essentially, she moved toward him.
A burly cop began to step into her path, to stop her.
“If you know what’s good for your own health, you’ll move out of my way,” Blix warned, her stare hard.
He looked at her for a moment, looking between her and the agent in charge, before slowly stepping away. She moved past him, making her way to Bucky.
As she came up to the glass, she squatted down, and looked around for a moment.
“Are you okay, my Soldier?” She asked him in Russian, her voice quiet.
He nodded, his eyes glancing around behind her, before connecting to hers.
“I’ll get us out of here,” She whispered her promise, her hand touching the glass for a moment.
“I know. Be careful,” He murmured back. “Don’t do anything reckless.”
She sighed at that, nodding before standing up, and walking back over to Rogers and the others, joining them as they made their way upstairs. A short blonde man informed them that their belongings were now in their custody, and they would get a receipt of the items confiscated.
A redhead, Natasha Romanoff, appeared, saying it was now government property. Blix grew somewhat annoyed at that, thinking over the items she had kept in her small duffel and the weapons she had.
They were led into a conference room, where Stark was on a call, finishing it with faked outrage.
After a brief argument between Tony and Steve, Tony turned his attention to her.
“And you. Who or what the hell are you? I have 15 very confused SWAT officers trying to figure out how they went from breaching a building to standing in dumpsters 10 blocks away?” Tony questioned her, planting his hands onto the table as he leaned over it, scrutinizing her.
She doesn’t answer him, her right hand she noticed was twitching and somewhat shaking. She frowned deeply at the behavior, trying to make a fist but was unable to.
T’challa who had taken a seat near her, noticed his ring reacting to her presence.
“Your arm… is it vibranium?” T’Challa asked her curiously.
She looked over at him, sighing as she weighed her options for a moment. She wasn’t quite sure if she wanted to answer or not.
Steve sat across from her, connecting the dots, “In your file… what little that wasn’t redacted… it said you left after an injury? Your arm?”
She turned her arm, to face her palm upward, tapping the middle of it. The skin tone faded to reveal a dark silvery robotic arm, that ended halfway up her forearm.
“One of my last missions… STRIKE… or... I guess HYDRA rather… sent me and my team into this tiny village in Ethiopia. We were told it was to protect them from mercenaries who wanted to steal from their diamond mines,” Blix began with a roll of her eyes.
“Let me guess… it wasn’t diamonds?” Steve asked sarcastically.
Blix shook her head, “They had a small mine of vibranium. We were there for 3 days… nothing. Started to believe it was just rumors. On the 4th day, a group of men appeared, and tried to take over. They… tried to show their strength and make everyone fear them… by threatening a child. Little girl who was just trying to get some bread. I jumped in front of her, held my arm out to try and deflect the blade as much as possible.”
“The blade was so sharp… that I didn’t feel it. Took a full minute for the pain to register. By that point, my team had taken care of the mercs and I was passing out from the pain and blood loss. When I woke up, I had this,” She wiggled her fingers, or at least tried to, the fingers moved for a second before stopping.
“Apparently that child was the Chieftain’s daughter. He was very appreciative of my protectiveness. The blades amongst my things were gifts from him as well,” She finished with a pointed stare at Natasha.
“Why is your hand malfunctioning?” Sam asked staring at curiously.
“Pierce saw an opportunity. A new super soldier for his arsenal. The programming… or brainwashing whatever you want to call it, was never finished. The first year or so it worked fine, but it slowly began to have problems. Small things, not being able to fully grasp cups, fingers not moving properly. The past few months, it has taken to twitching/shaking at random times. Can’t really use it when that happens,” Blix explained waving her left arm with a half-shrug.
“Where does Bucky fit into this?” Steve asked quietly.
“I was his handler. About 2 months before the whole Lemurian Star nonsense… Well. Pierce realized that his memory was returning to him. That the usual wipes… weren’t doing it anymore. He realized that Bucky was becoming attached to me…and I him. So. He made sure to do a very thorough mind wipe... and had Bucky attack me. He didn’t recognize me at all. He strangled me until Pierce called him off,” Blix answered with a grimace.
Steve sighed heavily, nodding his head absentmindedly.
“Hello? Am I chopped liver here? What about my questions?” Tony cut in, annoyed.
“It’s long and complicated. Let’s just say, I don’t agree with your Accords and would gladly toss such documentation into an active volcano,” Blix replied with a tired sigh.
“So, you’re a powered being? Great. Let me ask you this though. How the hell can you defend Barnes when he attacked you? How could you willingly harbor and protect a man who strangled you?” Tony questioned her.
“You don’t get it do you? Powered, super soldier, mutant. It doesn’t matter how you slice it; we don’t fear each other. Regular people like you Stark? Who have the influence, the power to change our lives, to control us, with a mere flick of a pen?  That’s far more terrifying,” She countered glaring at him.
“I don’t fear Bucky because I know him far better than most of you. That man,” She pointed to the screen that popped up showing Bucky on one of the lower levels. “Has saved my life far more times than he has ever put it at risk. So yeah. I’ll defend him till my dying breath.”
She stood up at some point during her rant and stepped out once she was done. She paced up and down in the hallway near the command center, trying to calm down.
About 10 minutes had passed, and Steve joined her out in the hallway. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed, shaking his head every now and again.
“What did he say to piss you off?” Blix inquired joining him in leaning against the wall.
“Was about to agree with him. Sign the Accords and make it easy. Then… he tells me that he’s had Wanda under house arrest, to keep her and her powers in control. This happens too often, we start to agree and see eye to eye, and he does something to ruin it,” Steve muttered angrily.
Blix rolled her eyes, “And then wonders why you are so angry? Acts like he doesn’t understand why you are mad?”
Steve huffed out a laugh, nodding his head.
“Tell me something… does… does Bucky really not remember who I am?” Steve asked quietly.
“He remembers. He… he was nervous as to why you were there. Last time you 2 saw each other wasn’t exactly for a cup of tea. There are some things that are still blanks, but he remembers quite a bit,” She whispered reassuringly, placing a hand on his bicep.
“C’mon. We should head back in, they’ll be starting the psych eval soon,” Steve mentioned, patting her hand on his arm, before grabbing it to pull her along.
Blix allowed him to drag her back inside, with a small sigh. They went back into the glass box when an agent joined them and turned on the sound for the eval.
As the psychiatrist spoke, Blix felt a shiver go down her spine. A whisper echoed in her ear. She turned her head slightly, listening to the voice. She turned her attention back to what was going on hearing Steve ask why the task force put out that photo of Bucky in the newspaper.
As everyone realized something was hinky, Blix spoke softly, “Something’s about to happen.”
Steve looked at her confused, as the power went out. The agent tells them what floor Bucky was on quickly.
“How fast can you get to him?” Steve looked over to Blix.
“Faster than you,” Blix commented as she disappeared.
She reappeared in front of Bucky, turning toward the other man. Her eyes went wide as she spotted the book he held.
“H-… How did you get that?” She stammered staring at him.
“Ah. Yes. I wondered how long it would take you to get down here. The beauty… protecting her beast. As sweet as I think it is… I’m going to need you to not intervene,” Came the man’s lightly accented voice.
He had walked around the table and from within his jacket pulled out a taser and shot her before she could react. Her body locked up, and she dropped harshly to the ground. Once the initial shock of it had worn off, she could hear the man speaking Russian. The trigger words. Bucky’s yells.
She painfully tried to roll over, to get up, but her movements were sluggish. He had shot her in the leg, and her hands shakily removed the barbs, as she struggled to sit up. By that point, Bucky had broken free, but the damage was done. The trigger words had been said.
“Ready to comply,” Came Bucky’s robotic voice as he straightened up.
“No. Do you know what you have done?” Blix didn’t want to admit it, but she was nervous.
The man ignored her, as he commanded Bucky to give him a mission report, before ordering him to go take care of the guards outside.
The man then turned to her and came to squat down beside her.
“I must admit… you are quite beautiful. I can see why he’s protective of you,” He reached out to brush her hair behind her ear.
She tried to lean away, but her body was still shaking off the pain of the taser so she couldn’t move away from his touch. When Bucky returned to the room, the man pretended to be injured, and had Bucky pick her up, hiding her just next to the door. Steve came in, staring at him and the scene, suspiciously.
Before Steve could ask anything, Bucky attacked him, eventually tossing him down the elevator shaft. Sam ran in, pulling Blix up, helping her stand. The man used the distraction to run out.
“Who was that asshole?” She asked him as she stood shakily.
“Don’t know, we can ask him when we get him, Steve will get Bucky,” Sam waved her to follow him.
She stretched and bent her leg for a moment, before racing after him, limping a bit. She trusted Steve; knew he wouldn’t do anything to harm Bucky. Her and Sam ran as fast as they could through the rushing crowd of people.
When they made it outside, they realized the man had ditched his jacket, and was nowhere to be seen.
They continued their search, moving further away from the building when Sam got a text from Steve, saying to meet him by the water. The two of them made their way over there and found Steve with an unconscious Bucky. Blix rushed over taking his other arm, helping lift him, so Steve wasn’t carrying his whole weight.
They wandered underneath an overpass, where there was an abandoned car. Blix dragged the two of them over to the door, and using her power, she unlocked the door.
Steve stared at her, “I hope you explain your powers soon, cause… I am trying to figure it out and drawing a blank.”
She snorted quietly not answering. She opened the door, ripping out the panel below the steering wheel, to reveal the wires. She looked on the ground for a moment, grabbing a shard of glass to cut the wires. Using it, she quickly hotwired the car, and started it a minute later. She gets into the driver’s seat as Steve places Bucky in the back, and Sam hops in the passenger seat.
She quickly drives off, following Steve’s suggestion to go to an abandoned warehouse of some sort.
They parked once they were a safe distance and Steve dragged Bucky inside, pinning his arm down under some heavy machinery just in case.
While they waited for Bucky to regain consciousness, Blix sighed briefly.
“Shadows,” She started.
Steve and Sam looked at her surprised, and slightly confused.
“I can move through and manipulate shadows. When I teleport, I go through what I call the Void. It’s… a haunting darkness, where I hear whispers. Voices. Some are pleasant…others… not so much. They warn me of things. Usually. Earlier before the power went out, I heard a whisper warning me of it. I can also… summon things through it, usually small stuff. Been told I could go bigger and create things but…” She further explained, with a shrug.
She waved her hand out to a lone rusted wrench about 20 feet away, it fell away into nothingness, and reappeared in her hand. She presented it halfheartedly, tossing it to the side a moment later.
“That’s… somewhat terrifying but really cool?” Sam said after a moment. “So, when the bike crashed?”
“Used my powers to somewhat brings us into an in-between plane. Not quite teleport but we didn’t really feel the asphalt. Bucky hates it since any person I teleport with they can temporarily hear the voices too. It’s… unnerving,” She answered taking a seat next to Bucky.
“Understandable. I think? So… if there’s a shadow you can do what you want with it?” Sam asked trying to clarify.
“Essentially. The more light there is, the more difficult it is to do anything,” She noted with a nod.
Steve wandered away for a moment, wanting to check the perimeter really quick. As he did that Bucky began to come to. Blix turned to him, moving to sit on her knees, watching him worriedly.
Sam called for Steve’s attention, and as Steve walked over, he quietly asked, “Which Bucky am I talking to?”
“…Your mom’s name is Sarah… and you used to wear newspapers in your shoes,” He replied slowly, with a small chuckle.
Blix smiled softly at that, and Steve weakly joked, “Can’t read that in a museum.”
Steve lifted the machinery off his arm, realizing he’s not a threat.
Bucky looked toward Blix his eyes checking her over, making sure she was okay. His hand gently took hers into his, holding tightly.
“What did I do?” Bucky questioned, his other hand gingerly touching his head where he had hit it.
“Enough,” Steve answered shortly, with a sigh.
“All that stuff. The crap HYDRA put in my head… it’s still there. All he had to do was say the damn words,” Bucky groaned, guilt consuming him.
Bucky further explained what Zemo had asked about, a mission report, the lab, the other soldiers. Blix closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she listened. Once everything was explained, Steve and Sam began to make some phone calls to some allies.
Bucky looked down at their joined hands, and asked, “It’s been acting up, hasn’t it?”
Blix nodded once, with a frown.
“Once… once this is over, we’re gonna go find someone to help you. Get your hand sorted finally,” Bucky whispered as he reached up to brush a lock of her hair back.
She leaned forward, resting her head against his for a moment, replying, “Then the two of us are going to find someplace to hideaway… preferably with a nice bed.”
She felt him chuckle as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her in close.
“Sounds like a plan, doll,” he muttered softly.
Steve who had finished his calls had stepped into the doorway and began to say something but stopped when he saw the two of them. He took in their postures, noting how relaxed they were. Sam, who stepped up next to him, made a small noise.
“Hm. Guess we see what she meant earlier about the whole “he got attached and so did she” thing. Think after the incident at the Triskelion he ran to her?” Sam quietly asked, watching the 2 of them with a raised eyebrow.
“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Steve murmured, clearing his throat before speaking to them. “We gotta go. The rest of our backup is on their way to us. Got to make some stops beforehand.”
Blix and Bucky stood up, following them out. Steve drove this time, after stealing a smaller car, with her and Bucky crammed in the back. Blix tried to make herself small, trying to give Bucky more room with how little space there was.
They drove for about an hour, to a random location, where they met up with the agent from earlier. Steve got out, to talk to her and get their gear that had been snuck out. Bucky asked Sam if he could move his seat up, to which Sam gave a firm no.
Bucky slid over to sit in the middle seat. Blix shifted herself, throwing her legs over his lap, trying to help.
Steve had got back into the car, after moving their gear into the trunk.
“It’s like being trapped in a clown car full of testosterone,” She grumbled as they took off.
“Would’ve thought you’d be used to it, working with STRIKE. Did you really date Rumlow of all people?” Sam wondered turning to look back at her.
“Listen. I had to work my ass off to prove myself to those meatheads for years that I was a damn good agent. I never enjoyed being trapped with them in small spaces for hours at a time. As for Rumlow… yes. 3 years of my life wasted,” Blix said bitterly.
“Damn. Okay. When did uhh… when did the two of you become a thing?” He further questioned, pointing at her and Bucky.
“… It’s a long story,” Blix mumbled.
“We got time,” Sam encouraged. “Do we need popcorn?”
Blix gave him a look, unamused.
“A couple of years ago… my office… in the Triskelion, it was next to a hidden hallway. I only knew it existed because people would walk by and disappear. I was there late one evening trying to finish up mission reports, when I heard yelling in the distance. I stepped out, saw that the usual wall was gone, and followed the noise,” Blix began, adjusting herself in her seat.
“The Triskelion had secret hallways? Seriously?” Sam questioned shaking his head.
“Remind me to tell you where they moved Bucky after this incident,” Blix said with a snort.
“Ooh. Alright explain this incident. Get the feelin’ we should’ve gotten popcorn,” Sam was oddly invested.
“Followed the noise, to a room that held the mindwipe machine and cryotube they kept Bucky in. 10 STRIKE agents were on the ground, alongside a doctor. A nurse was cowering in the corner. Bucky was… agitated,” She continued, rolling her eyes when Sam snorted.
*Flashback*
Blix’s eyes widen in surprise at the sight before her. She tried to walk over to the nurse to check on her, when the man turned his attention to her.
She stopped, holding up her hands, “Easy honey. I’m not armed.”
She spun around, lifting her shirt, showing him that she had no weapon on her. He was breathing harshly and was staring at her confused. He would pace for a bit and then stop suddenly. She looked around, sighing for a moment, and holding her hand out to him.
“C’mon. Let’s… let’s go on a field trip. You’re safe with me,” She beckoned him softly.
He stared at her, watching her as she stepped slowly up to him. She took his hand gently and began to pull him forward. He numbly followed, allowing her to pull him along. She led him back to her office, locking the door behind them. She took a seat behind her desks, patting the stool seat next to her. She quietly finished up her paperwork as he silently made his way to sit next to her.
She emailed the documents off to Pierce, turning toward him with a small smile. She looked him over, taking in his posture. He was still tensed, but his breathing had eased back to normal.
“Ok. I can only hide you in here for so long before the vultures come a-knocking. So. How about… I give you a haircut? And you can go shower afterward?” Blix offered politely not really knowing what else to say or do.
He shrugged a smidge, but otherwise didn’t respond. She had a pair of scissors and an electric razor in one of her drawers, so she grabbed both.
“I’m not a professional hairstylist but I know my way around a pair of scissors,” She said as she grabbed a lock of his hair.
He only raised an eyebrow in response.
She began to cut his hair, making the locks short, before switching to the razor to trim it up. The process took about 20 mins, and as she brushed off the fallen hairs, she smiled at him. She gently ran her fingers through his hair making sure she hadn’t missed any long strands.
“There you go. Feel better? There’s a shower over there, clothes and towels in the cabinet. Go clean up,” She pointed at the door behind him.
He quietly does what she said, and as he showered, she cleaned up the mess. She had just finished sweeping when there was a loud knock at her door. Followed by Brock yelling at her to open the door.
She typed into her computer to pull up the camera outside her office. Brock and several other STRIKE members, along with Pierce himself, were standing outside her door. She connected to the speaker that was attached to her keypad.
“Do you mind? I quite like my door and would prefer you didn’t bang on it like you owe it dinner,” She said dully.
“B. Open the door. He’s not safe, let us in,” Brock pleaded, jiggling the door handle.
“Nope. Chill. I’m fine,” Blix hung up.
At that point, the man had wandered out, dressed, and freshly showered. She waved him over, and he sat down back in the stool. She grabbed a pulse and blood pressure monitor. She checked both of them, as he got comfortable. She grabbed a sticky note and wrote down the information they gave.
Once that was done, she sighed heavily, “I hate to do this, but I gotta return you. Just stay with me. I’ll get you back to the lab without incident.”
She stood up, taking his hand again. They walked to the door, and she called out, “Back away from the door please.”
She waited a moment, before unlocking and opening it. She was faced with several men holding guns pointed in her direction.
“Guns. Down. Now. I just got him calmed down, do not stress him out,” She ordered pushing Brock who stood in the doorframe back.
She led him through the crowd of armed soldiers, taking him back down to the lab. Bucky quietly sat down in the mindwipe chair with a sigh. Blix handed the sticky note to the nurse who stood nearby, watching him warily.
“Where do these need to go?” Blix asked her, holding up the wires.
The nurse pointed out where the nodes needed to go, and how to hook him up the machine. Once he was set, including his mouth guard, she glanced at the monitor.
“Is that set appropriately?” She asked the nurse.
The nurse glanced nervously at her and then at the still unconscious doctor. Blix frowned deeply.
“Fix it,” She quietly ordered her. “I’ll deal with that idiot later.”
The nurse made the adjustments, as Blix felt a hand brush against hers. She looked down to see his hand near hers. Her eyes flicked up to meet his before he settled into the chair.
“He’s ready,” The nurse tells her.
Blix nodded her head, telling her to proceed. She winced at his yells and turned around to leave. She stopped next to Brock and Pierce.
“I saw nothing, I know nothing, I don’t want anything to do with this,” She said in Spanish before continuing on.
*End Flashback*
“However, according to the both of them, they’ve ‘never seen the asset so compliant before.’ And insisted I become his new handler,” Blix concluded.
“So, you literally stumbled into that situation? Damn. Tough break. Why didn’t you tell anyone?” Sam asked curiously.
“My hands were tied. I had to sign many NDAs when I first joined, and I had to sign even more after that incident. I couldn’t say anything without putting myself into legal hell. Plus, no offense Steve, but we had never met. Would you have believed me if I came up to you, a complete stranger, and said ‘hey your best friend from the 40s is alive and I’m his handler?’ Cause… I feel like you wouldn’t,” Blix turned her attention to Steve.
Steve began to say something but stopped, sighing, “Honestly… probably not.”
“After I fished you out of the water, I went to her place. HYDRA, Pierce, they all thought that the mindwipes would erase everything, it doesn’t. I always, eventually, remembered everything. The longer I was awake the easier it was to recall. I had hoped… she wouldn’t hold it against me when I was ordered to hurt her, and help me,” Bucky added, his hands fiddling with the pockets on her cargo pants.
“Appeared in my apartment, like a damn ninja, soaking wet,” Blix said with a laugh. “I knew that he wasn’t in control of his actions. I forgave him a long time ago. I packed up the necessities, and we ran.”
“Hm. Interesting. So… the two of you, what? Spent the last 2 years hiding in various countries?” Steve asked curious.
“Yeah. Essentially. Couldn’t stay at my place. What was left of HYDRA knew of my location. So, we had to move,” Blix answered with a shrug. “Kept low profiles. We were in Romania for several months before you crashed into our apartment.”
The conversation died after that as they made their way to an airport. They parked in a garage nearby, waiting for backup. The four of them stepped out of the car to wait. Steve and Sam walked up to a white van that had pulled up. Bucky and Blix waited by the trunk, watching the interaction.
“This is our backup? Tsk. Times like these make me wish I had my STRIKE team,” Blix whispered in Romanian.
Bucky smiled, clearing his throat to stop the chuckle that tried to escape.
“Play nicely, doll. They are here to help us, after all,” He whispered back, nudging her slightly.
“Never,” She giggled.
Steve who heard the giggle, turned to them, waving them over. The 2 of them were introduced to everyone. Clint Barton/Hawkeye. Scott Lang/Antman. Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch.
She held her hand out to shake Wanda’s and a curious thing happened. Both of their powers activated as their hands hovered near each other, swirling around each other. It was almost like the wisps were playing with one another.
“Huh. Never seen that before. Think we just became best friends?” Blix said surprised.
“Me neither. I think we did,” Wanda said amazed.
The two of them smiled at one another, turning to the guys who had been watching.
“Well. That’s new,” Clint spoke first.
Before anything else could be said, they heard in the distance a voice asking for the airport to evacuate.
“Time to go to work it seems,” Blix announced walking over to the trunk, tossing it open.
She grabbed her bag that was set to the side, placed it on the hood of the car. She grabbed her bulletproof vest, and a corset that had adamantium boning. She grabbed Bucky and forced him to stand behind her, using his bulkiness to shield her from the others. Scott, Steve, and Clint looked away or turned around; Sam was busy getting his gear on, he glanced at her but otherwise paid her no mind.
She took off her shirt and clasped a few of the buttons on the corset first, before tossing her bra into her bag. She quickly finished clasping it, adjusting it briefly. She threw her shirt back on, followed by her bulletproof vest.
“Why exactly are you wearing a corset? Isn’t that… I don’t know. Uncomfortable?” Sam asked as he finished getting his gear sorted.
“The boning of it is made of adamantium. I learned early on that bulletproof only does so much,” Blix explained, as she grabbed her weapons.
She had twin Wakizashi blades, various knives, a gun she put on her hip and another on her thigh.
“I sense a story there,” Sam noted slyly.
“Are you a former soldier or a gossip columnist?” She asked him as she finished up.
She was tossing spare clips into various pockets and waited for the others to gear up as well. Wanda moved to stand next to her.
“May I ask about this story then? I’m guessing Sam has been interrogating you,” Wanda giggled slightly.
Blix glanced at her, making minor adjustments so everything sat comfortably.
“First solo assignment. Had to steal valuable information and eliminate the target. Got the info. But before I was able to eliminate the target, he managed to shoot me 3 times. Two of them broke ribs, the other managed to tear through the fabric and tried to rip through my left lung,” Blix answered, rubbing her side.
“The guys made jokes. Said I should get a bulletproof bra or corset. Knew a guy who owed me a favor. Got me a corset with adamantium boning. He sends me an updated version every couple of months. Showing up to training with that on, shut them all up real quick,” Blix smirked.
Wanda snickered in response, “I’ll bet.”
The guys finished gearing up, and they made their plan of attack, moving toward the hangers.
They were confronted by Stark and his allies.
“Wanda. Are you able to control the purple one? He doesn’t create a shadow, so I can’t control him,” Blix said softly to her.
Wanda nodded subtly, the two of them stepping forward after a kid appeared and stole Steve’s shield.
Blix held her hands out, taking control of the shadows around the others, while Wanda’s hands glowed bright red as she stopped Vision in his tracks.
“Split up. Now,” Blix ordered as she held everyone in their tracks.
“What the hell is this?” Tony asked as he tried to step forward but couldn’t.
Bucky and Sam went one way, Steve, Scott, and Hawkeye in another.
“Hm. Interesting. There appears to be a basement in this airport. Bye bye,” Blix teased as she opened portals directly beneath them, dropping them down.
Wanda shoved Vision down to join them, and then the 2 of them ran forward.
They ran past where Tony and his team had been originally, barely able to make it past before Vision resurfaced with the others. The 2 of them ran faster as they split up to start fighting.
T’Challa appeared suddenly swiping at her face. Blix whipped out her swords, blocking his hands left and right. She was doing well, until her right hand acted up. She had raised her hand up to block when it began to malfunction causing her to drop the sword. She winced as the spasms began to actually cause a bit of pain. T’Challa stopped fighting her, staring at her somewhat concerned.
She quietly sheathed one of her swords, picking the fallen one up, taking a stance once more with just her left hand. Before either of them could say or do anything, she hears Scott mention something about splitting himself in half?
She looked over toward him, confused and then shocked as she watched him become very large.
She used the distraction to teleport over to Bucky.
“I take back my previous statement. STRIKE team got nothing on this,” Blix panted.
Bucky chuckled, “Good to know. We got to get to the plane. Think you can teleport over there, and get her ready for liftoff? It might wind up being just the 3 of us.”
She salutes him with a grin, “Can do… Sergeant.”
Bucky chuckled, shaking his head, “Go… Commander.”
She slipped away, teleporting to the hanger, slipping inside the jet easily. She discreetly began to warm the ship up. She spotted Steve and Bucky racing toward her, after being stopped briefly by Natasha, they joined her onboard. She finished getting the ship ready before allowing to Steve take care control. Her and Bucky collapsed into the chairs behind him buckling up quickly.
They were just barely able to escape the fight, flying off to Russia.
Once they could breathe easy, Bucky turned to her, asking, “Your hand?” He had noticed she was favoring her left more.
She frowned, staring down at it, not wanting to admit it was hurting.
He held his hand out, wanting to look at it. She quietly placed her hand in his, he examined it for a moment. He pressed on a couple of locations, which slowly helped the hand relax and she was able to move it freely again.
She quietly thanked him, and he planted a kiss to her hand, with a smile.
A few hours later they were landing outside the bunker. They opened the ramp, and Steve and Bucky stopped for a moment. She listened to them talk about Coney Island, and the dates they had.
She shook her head at the two of them.
“You spent today’s equivalent of $50 on carnival games?” She asked him surprised. “Did you at least win her a prize?”
“Yeah. A creepy clown doll thing that she loved,” Bucky answered before asking noticing her frown. “Why?”
“… Should’ve had you take me on a date to Coney Island. Would’ve been less disappointing,” She muttered, walking out.
Bucky raised an eyebrow at that, and Steve looked down to hide his smile.
“What happened?” Steve asked as they walked up to the door.
“… Date gone wrong. The guy spent $100 on four different games. Failed miserably with each one,” Blix grumbled. “I wound up spending $5 on a 5th game to win my own prize.”
Steve winced empathically, “That’s…. wow. Even I wasn’t that terrible.”
Steve ripped open the panel, and somehow got the doors opened. The 3 of them made their way in, Bucky and her walking up the stairs, turning around when Tony Stark had appeared. Bucky pointed his gun at him, while Blix’s hand hovered over her sword handles.
“Alright Manchurian Candidate and Satan’s Mistress calm down. Same team,” Tony said as the face guard lifted.
Blix gave him an unimpressed look, as she relaxed.
The four of them moved deeper into the bunker, walking into the chamber that held several glass containers, that had people in them, but none were alive.
“They died in their sleep, if that’s any consolation,” Came Zemo’s voice over the intercom.
The four of them stepped closer to the window, Zemo still speaking. He directed their attention to the monitor near them. It began to play footage… of Bucky killing Stark’s parents. Blix tensed moving to stand in front of Bucky.
“Don’t. Go after Zemo. Don’t get involved in this fight,” Bucky whispered, in a pained voice.
“I’m not leaving you,” Blix whispered back.
“Go. Please. I can’t risk you getting hurt,” Bucky quietly begged.
She glanced back at him, not wanting to do this, but she sighed seeing the look on his face. She disappeared and reappeared in the room Zemo had been in. She spotted the red book, abandoned. She grabbed it, as she followed the path that was before her. She winced every time she heard a loud crash or blast.
She had made her way back outside, and she spotted Zemo sitting down, listening to his phone.
She walked around to stand in front of him as T’Challa appeared.
Zemo quietly explained that his family died in the battle against Ultron.
“I’m sorry that you lost your family. I truly am. But you threw a man, who had nothing to with that battle, under a freight train. Just to get revenge on the Avengers. Do you really think your family would want that?” Blix questioned, waving her hand when she spotted his gun.
She summoned it into her hand, ejecting the clip and the bullet that was in the chamber.
“The living still have use for you,” T’Challa said grabbing him, and pulling him up.
She reached into one her pockets and pulled out zip-ties. She handed them to T’Challa and used them to make makeshift handcuffs.
“I need to go check on my guys. You got him?” She asked T’Challa.
T’Challa nodded, keeping a firm grip on Zemo’s shoulders.
Blix spent a moment, searching through the shadows, trying to find where they wound up. She found them, all 3 of them, on one of the upper levels. She teleported into the room, her eyes widening in horror when she saw the state of Bucky’s arm. She rushed over to him, as Steve hobbled over.
She sucked in a sharp breath, as she took in his state as well.
“Been through worse, if you can believe that,” Steve said with a wince as he knelt down.
The two of them lifted Bucky up, and they started to walk away.
“Wait,” She adjusted her grip on Bucky, leaning over to put a free hand on Steve. “Do me a favor. Don’t talk to any voice you hear.”
She teleported the 3 of them back up top. Steve made a face when they reappeared topside.
“I can understand Bucky’s discomfort. That was… nightmarish. Do you always hear that many voices?” Steve asked shaking his head, trying to clear the sounds from his mind.
“Yep. At the very least you were an adult when you experienced that for the first time. I experienced that when I was 7,” Blix replied with a fake smile.
“That’s… horrifying,” Steve responded as they began to make their way to the ship.
T’Challa was waiting for them, with Zemo. They climbed aboard and made their way back into Europe. A quick phone call to the agent that they had been working with, Sharon, came, and took Zemo off their hands. T’Challa then told Steve to go to Wakanda.
“We’re not being led to our doom here, yeah?” Blix confirmed, looking at him.
“No. The two of you will be safe,” T’Challa assured with a small smile.
When they arrived in Wakanda, they were led to an infirmary where the guys were treated for their injuries, and someone gently removed the remains of Bucky’s arm.
While they were tended to, T’Challa pulled her over to a table. A young woman appeared, attacking T’Challa in a hug. She watched them with a smile, and when they turned back to her T’Challa introduced her.
“This is my sister, Shuri. She will be helping take care of your arm, and Mr. Barnes,” He said proudly.
She stepped forward, telling her to place her arm on the table, flat. Blix does so, and Shuri taps on the table, bringing it to life. A light flashed over her arm, scanning it slowly.
Shuri stared at the info that was the presented once the scan was done.
“It appears nothing is physically wrong with the arm, so it must be in the chip meant to help you control it. The programming is off,” Shuri noted.
“The programming technically was never finished. Since they wanted to recondition me and turn me into a prettier version of Bucky. So…” Blix explained.
“Oh. Well then. We will just have to fix that and redo your arm, so it works more smoothly. Should be an easy fix. Thought you had something challenging for me brother dear,” Shuri teased.
He then began to explain Bucky’s issues and the conditioning that he needed removed. While they talked, Blix wandered back over to Bucky. She sighed in relief seeing him sitting up and looking more awake.
She stood in front of him, checking him over. He pulled her in close, his arm settling around her waist.
“They’re… talking about putting you in a cryotube. I hate seeing you go in those things,” Blix said lowly, her hands gripping onto his shirt tightly.
“It’ll be the last time. One more time, get rid of HYDRA in my head, and then it’s just you and me. Just us. And… when we are no longer considered wanted criminals… I’m going to take you to Coney Island, and take you on a proper date,” He said charmingly.
“Hm. I’m starting to think that it’s probably a good thing I didn’t know 40s you. A girl wouldn’t be able to handle such gentlemanly ways,” She teased fanning herself jokingly.
“In the 40s you would be my wife at this point,” Bucky pointed out.
“Oh? Is that so? Hmmm. Appears you need to make an honest woman outta me. We’re living in sin, it’s quite scandalous,” She said with a grin, kissing him on the lips.
He returned her smile, kissing back. They pulled away when they heard Steve clear his throat.
“I’ll give you 2 a minute,” She whispered, stepping away from them.
Steve walked over to Bucky.
“T’Challa apparently wants to make amends. He’s offering the both of you asylum and going to help fix you two up as well. Not sure how I feel about you going into deep freeze again,” Steve remarked with a heavy sigh.
“Yeah. I’m… I’m not safe. Not safe out there, or… around her,” He whispered the last part.
“… Never seen you look at a woman the way you do her. You actually going to marry her?” Steve asked quietly, smiling at him.
Bucky quietly reached into one of his pockets on his pants, and pulled out a small velvet pouch, handing it to him. Steve opened it, dumping it out onto his open palm. A small silver ring appeared; it had a green stone. He chuckled at the small raven and skull that decorated the sides of it.
Steve returned it to the bag and handed it back to him. Bucky held it in his hand, sighing softly.
“She’s… been there for me. For years. She’s put up with a lot and stayed by my side. She only left STRIKE because they had put her in danger,” Bucky said slowly. “She’s… she’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Steve laughed lowly, causing Bucky to go, “What?”
“Just… 40s you was never interested in marriage or commitment. It’s nice to see you swoon over someone for a change,” Steve ribbed lightly.
“Shut it man,” He mumbled, somewhat embarrassed, with a short laugh.
Steve wished him luck and told him he’d be in contact. He had to go rescue the rest of his team.
Blix returned to his side, knowing that their time was limited until he went under again.
She stared at his closed hand, suspicious, but didn’t say anything until he presented it to her.
“Need you to keep something safe for me until I get out,” Bucky tells her with a secretive smile.
“Am I allowed to look in the bag?” She asked in a childlike tone.
“If you want,” Bucky allowed standing up.
She reached into it, pausing in her movements when she felt the item inside. She slowly pulled it out, taking a deep breath as she held it.
“… You sure you want to marry a hot mess like me?” She asked jokingly biting her lip.
“Yeah. Pretty sure,” He replied, his hand brushing along her jaw.
She slipped the ring onto her left hand and smiled brightly at it.
“Blix Barnes. Sounds more normal than Blix Lage. Less pretentious sounding, at least… Wait… how long have you had this?” Blix wondered staring up at him.
“Got it a week after we moved to Romania. Specifically, after that date when we hiked in Băneasa Forest, and you… bit your fingers trying to stuff 3 fries into your mouth,” Bucky reminded her, a smile growing on his face.
“That did it for you? Me being unladylike and stuffing my face? That’s when you thought, ‘imma seal the deal on this one’?” She was in disbelief.
He laughed at that, “Yep. You make me happy. An emotion I haven’t truly felt… in decades.”
She looked down, biting her lip, as she tried to hold in the tears that were trying to escape.
He gently bumped her chin up, making her look back up at him.
He leaned his forehead against hers, whispering, “Marry me?”
“Yes,” She replied with a smile that was growing.
He kissed her firmly at her answer, and she kissed back with as much enthusiasm. When they parted, she watched silently as the staff got him prepped for the cryotube before he stepped inside.
‘One last time.’ She quietly thought.
She watched with a slight wince as the tube closed and froze quickly. She stared at his face, sighing softly.
She turned to T’Challa and said, “So. What now?”
“Let’s get you settled someplace. Tomorrow we will begin the process of fixing your hand,” T’Challa informed her, offering his arm to her.
She politely took it, and he led her outside. She stared at everything with awe.
“Why ever would you want to leave here?” She asked craning her neck every which way trying to take in as much as she could.
She heard T’Challa chuckle softly, nodding in agreement.
“Ya know… was gonna ask if I was dreaming…. But then I realized… my imagination is not that great,” Blix admitted. “Not possible for me to dream something this beautiful.”
T’Challa thanked her quietly, leading her to a small place that was near a lake, goats roaming about.
“This should be big enough for the both of you. Either myself or my best warrior Okoye will be here in the morning to retrieve you. Sleep well Miss Blix,” He presented the home to her. “Also… congratulations.”
She smiled at him, walking further inside. She easily found the bedroom, and after stripping off most of her gear, she collapsed onto the bed. She slowly fell asleep, the events of the day catching up to her.  
0 notes
biofunmy · 5 years ago
Text
Mel Brooks discusses career, HBO special, Anne Bancroft films
CLOSE
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Mel Brooks, seen here at he 2017 BAFTA Awards in London, is the subject of a new HBO special, ‘Mel Brooks: Unwrapped.’ (Photo: Facundo Arrizabalaga, EPA)
Mel Brooks has had an amazing entertainment career – from “Your Show of Shows” to “The Producers” to “Blazing Saddles” to “Young Frankenstein” – and he’s got the rare EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony wins) to prove it.
The writer-director-actor-producer discusses his life and legendary career in HBO’s “Mel Brooks: Unwrapped” (Friday, 9 EST/PST), a selection of interviews conducted over four decades with friend and former BBC creative director Alan Yentob. 
Brooks, 93, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Europe during World War II, also curated a newly released selection of his wife’s films, “The Anne Bancroft Collection” (Shout! Factory), including her Oscar-winning role in 1962’s “The Miracle Worker” and her unforgettable appearance in 1967’s “The Graduate.” Brooks and Bancroft had been married for nearly 41 years when she died in 2005. 
Brooks, who voices Melephant Brooks in “Toy Story 4” and Disney+’s “Forky Asks a Question,” spoke to USA TODAY about both projects, some daring film choices and his lifelong friendship with Carl Reiner.
Tumblr media
HBO’s ‘Mel Brooks: Unwrapped’ features numerous interviews Brooks, left, has given to Alan Yentob, going back to 1981. (Photo: HBO)
Question: What will viewers learn about you in “Unwrapped”?
Mel Brooks: That there’s many Mel Brooks. There’s not just the devil-may-care, funny Mel Brooks, but there’s the feeling Mel Brooks, the touching Mel Brooks, the Mel Brooks who actually thinks about the world he’s living in and has some thought about how to behave in that world. That could be surprising because I rarely relax and actually become myself and in this one I do on several occasions. I’m happy that I was able to not just be funny all the time.
Funny friends: Carl Reiner: Why Van Dyke is the best, Trump the worst and Mel Brooks is a savvy movie critic
Q: You’ve used comedy and satire to discuss serious topics, but it doesn’t come without risk. What reaction did you get in 1967 to “The Producers,” the satirifc film that features the “Springtime for Hitler” fictional musical?
Brooks: Maybe over a thousand rabbis wrote to me. I was very careful about writing back to everybody who wrote about (it) being in such terrible taste for a Jewish kid. And I said if we get on a soapbox and try to orate like Hitler, we lose because he sweeps the lowest common denominator in feelings and intelligence. But if we can humiliate him with comedy, we win. Funny always wins.
Melephant Brooks: ‘Toy Story 4’ exclusive: Check out the four comedy legends joining Woody, Buzz and the gang
Tumblr media
Nathan Lane, left, and Matthew Broderick starred in “The Producers,” a hit stage musical adaptation of Mel Brooks’ 1967 film of the same name. (Photo: Paul Kolnick)
Q: Along those lines, have you seen “Jojo Rabbit,” a comedy in which a young boy in Nazi Germany fantasizes a buffoonish Adolf Hitler (director Taika Waititi) as his imaginary best friend?
Brooks: I loved it. It was a wonderful movie. Perfectly plausible that the kid would be seduced by this larger-than-life character.
Q: Did you find the depiction offensive, as some critics have?
Brooks: Not at all. I thought it was terrific. There’s always those people who walk the line strictly and those who dare to cross the line. I was one who crossed the line as far as making fun of Nazis. I think I’m going to send (Waititi) a note to tell him, “Good job. Well done.”
Tumblr media
Cleavon Little, left, and Gene Wilder starred in “Blazing Saddles,” a 1974 film directed by Mel Brooks. (Photo: Warner Bros.)
Q: You commented on the evils of racism in the 1974 Western parody, “Blazing Saddles,” but did you have concerns about using the n-word?
Brooks: I wouldn’t have been brave enough to use the n-word so many times, but Richard Pryor, one of our writers on the movie, insisted we just tell the truth. He said, “Don’t worry about it, Mel. You’re on the side of right. These are the bad guys using the word. Never the good guys.” That made a lot of sense.
Q: Why did you want to put together “The Anne Bancroft Collection,” which includes some of her less well-known films, including 1985’s “Agnes of God” and 1987’s “84 Charing Cross Road”?     
Brooks: She was a great artist. I thought we should show more of her work. We don’t see it enough. “The Pumpkin Eater” (1964) is a wonderful movie. She plays a woman suffering the breakup of her marriage. Nobody has really seen it and her work is astonishing. 
Q: The collection includes 1983’s “To Be or Not to Be,” a remake of director Ernst Lubitsch’s 1942 classic that you co-starred in and produced. Why did you make that film? 
Brooks: I never really found a great vehicle for my wife and I. And I said, what about “To Be or Not To Be”? Let’s salute Lubitsch, Jack Benny and Carole Lombard. Can you believe that was made (during WWII)? Talk about the courage of making fun of Nazis then. They could have killed them. 
Tumblr media
Anne Bancroft, left, created a legendary film character, Mrs. Robinson, in 1967’s “The Graduate,” which starred Dustin Hoffman. (Photo: Embassy Pictures)
Q: After “The Producers” and “Young Frankenstein,” would you like to adapt any other films as stage musicals?
Brooks: I did a movie that a lot of people didn’t see called “Life Stinks” (1991). It was kind of prescient (about homelessness). There were people sleeping on sidewalks. These are human beings, cold and hungry. I think we did a good job pointing it out. I’m thinking that could be an au courant musical on Broadway and it could do what I do: Make it funny but make a point of saying something about the human condition.
Q: Why did you produce 1982’s “My Favorite Year”?
Brooks: To salute Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca and “Your Show of Shows,” which I wrote for nine years together with Larry Gelbart and Neil Simon, to mention a few heroes. That’s where we started The 2000 Year Old Man. (Reiner) came into the writers room with a tape recorder and started asking me questions: “I understand you knew Jesus. That you’re 2000 years old.” I became The 2000 Year Old Man and then suddenly there’s this incredible (album).
Q: In “Unwrapped,” you stop by Reiner’s house? Do you visit your friend, who is 97, often?            
Brooks: I see Carl two, three times a week. (Often) what happens is we watch a movie. And, we’re in the middle, it’s very exciting, right? And then he stops because it’s a commercial. He doesn’t want to hear it. Then he goes back and pushes the wrong button and we’re in a game show. But the funny part is that he goes right along with it. He says, “Come on!” He’s rooting for the game show! I say, “Carl, we were in the middle of ‘The Bourne Identity.'” He says, “Oh yeah, that’s right.” Then he goes back to the movie. But for a while, he just swings along with whatever’s on TV. Every day with him is a great gift and I appreciate it.
Autoplay
Show Thumbnails
Show Captions
Last SlideNext Slide
Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2019/12/13/mel-brooks-discusses-career-hbo-special-anne-bancroft-films/2639815001/
Sahred From Source link TV and Movies
from WordPress http://bit.ly/36zd71H via IFTTT
0 notes
Text
Kindness matters! Sheila Kogan’s The Lambs of Fairy Glen, a story inspired by real life
Tumblr media
Please describe the story behind writing your book, and its inspiration.
               Lambs of Fairy Glen came about from a convergence of accidents.  (Looking back I wonder how accidental.)  A friend and I were on holiday in the Hebrides.  (Actually even that was curious because we initially started planning the trip because I wanted to visit a monastery on South Uist, but we never got to that island and the monastery is no longer there.)  We stopped on the Isle of Skye, town of Uig, as a transfer point—a nothing-special town for one night.  At the Uig hotel the clerk said that we had a couple of hours before dinner and, if we thought we could make it, we could climb the hill behind the hotel to see a “very pretty spot.”  On the way we met Mr. and Mrs. Potts near their thatched-roof house (names are my own) and Gordy Macleod tending his sheep and new lambs.  A soccer ball rolled down the hill and in returning it we met the delightful twins, Hilda and Heather.  All along the road adorable baby lambs eyed us curiously.
             At the top of the hill we were stunned to find a beyond pretty reflecting pond framed by lovely trees and a huge mountain of rock standing guard.  We could climb up Lookout Rock (again the name is mine) and I wanted to try it but the frequent rains made the path terribly slick.  Fairy Glen, its actual name, could be described as beautiful or awe inspiring but nothing—not even pictures—captures the magnetic beauty and the quiet peace of the place.  It is a sacred spot.
             The twins were waiting for us as we returned down the road.  They shouted, “Byeeeee,” and we laughed and shouted back, “Byeeee.”  And we kept calling back and forth until we could no longer hear each other.
             I have pictures of that short but intense afternoon (they are on my website sheilakogan.com) but even without photos the time on that road—encountering the people and lambs, breathing in the enchantment of Fairy Glen—remains the most vivid recollection I have of that already memorable trip.
               Now another coincidence was that the 2016 elections were gearing up.  All through Scotland, when the lovely, friendly Scottish people found out we were American they would—almost to the one—say, “What’s with the Donald?”  We would protest loudly that we wanted nothing to do with him, that he was actually theirs in heritage, and that he wasn’t going to win the election anyways.
             They often brought up the story that Donald Trump had built an expensive and exclusive golf course in the Hebrides. Then he had caused a huge environmental controversy because he wanted to cut down all the trees on an adjacent property so that his guests could have a “better view.”
             What I kept worrying like a sore tooth was how anyone could win over that money and power.
               So I had the images of Fairy Glen in one hand and the spiritual problem of the “meek inheriting the world” in the other.  Being Catholic I wanted to trust that Beauty and Justice would prevail but I did not see it, either in the world or in my imagination.  What would it look like if Love and Kindness actually won?  And that was when Lambs of Fairy Glen presented itself:  It unfolded like opening a present.  I kept trying to articulate the story to my friend and she finally pointed me toward a children’s book.  I wrote it on the plane ride home.
               Lambs of Fairy Glen is an Almost True Story because every element in it came from a real encounter:  the lambs, the people, the slick path up Lookout Rock, the girls calling “Byeee,” the greedy developer tearing up the land (though on a different island).  It also seems true that if human effort were to stop that kind of evil it would have to unite with Spirit.  And that if Love was going to triumph, individuals would have to unite with others of similar mind to create a force.  (See question two)  That is why in the story the girls call on the Spirit of Beauty, which then sends the “wooly warmth” of all the lambs.  What was not clear is how it should end.  (I can hope it is true)  I wanted to have Mr. Treat chased away but something kept nagging me to have him redeemed. If you notice, Mr. Pharma chooses to go his own way and is not embraced.  I don’t know how much theology anyone might want to go into but these were the ideas going through my head.  It feels presumptuous to mention that I am especially fond of C. S. Lewis and the multilayered richness of his stories.
               When I got home I read the first draft of the story—without any illustrations—to my then four-year-old grandson.  He said, “It’s a good story, Grammy.”  That was all I needed.  I was off and running.
               I worked on the story for two years, with the help of the Berkeley Writer’s Group, professionally editing, and the opinions of family and friends.  At the same time I was searching for an illustrator.  I did not want the traditional “cute” drawings that are so often seen in children’s books.  After many unfruitful leads, an Australian friend who was visiting told me that he had a friend in Berkeley whose husband was an artist.  Although that connection did not work out, that person had a friend in Trieste, Italy, who was an artist…  I fell in love with Stefan Turk’s work and am very grateful that he agreed to illustrate Lambs of Fairy Glen.  His paintings offer a depth and a whimsy that adds true beauty to the book.
 Why did you make your heroes/heroines lambs? What do lambs symbolize to you? 
             The heroines are the girls because they paid attention, kept faith, put in the effort, and overcame their own natures—including fear and sibling rivalry—to connect with the Spirit.  The lambs are the symbol of Loving Sacrifice.  They are a traditional designation:  the Pascal Lamb in Jewish and Christian tenets and the Lamb of God, Who is Jesus, in Christianity.
             There is another sense of the lambs and that is a connection to our own higher natures, like when we counter a bully with kindness. There is a lamb in each of us but if we are going to affect any social change we are going to have to band together.
 What would you say to someone who didn't think Mr. Treat was bad, that he just wanted to build a hotel that would create jobs, bring more people to the place, etc? What makes him a villain rather than just someone with an idea? 
                Three aspects of Mr. Treat move him from entrepreneurial to evil:  
1)     His self-interest does not allow for the needs of others.  He could have built a hotel in another area of Uig but saw that Fairy Glen was special and wanted it all to himself.  It is like Yosemite—there are hotels there but no one has yet to rope off Half Dome and say this is mine.
2)     The way he got Fairy Glen was through lies and manipulation.  He appealed to the baser emotions of fear and competition then offered false promises and “treats.”
3)     He gave up his humanity.  Mr. Pharma asks for Mr. Treat’s laughter and tears, which are the hallmark of human empathy. Mr. Treat says, “I haven’t used them for a long time.”  He had become hardened in his self-centeredness.
  How does kindness still matter in a world with violence, climate change, etc? Do our individual actions still matter in a world where big institutions and rules shape more of our lives? 
                Every act of kindness matters.  If we believe in God (in any religion) then we must see that an impulse toward good is a connection to the divine.  Every act of kindness grows us away from brittle self-centeredness toward an awareness of our connectedness as a whole.  All religions have some version of the injunction “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”  I also see that kindness grows kindness—allowing a car into your lane will often create a domino effect of consideration.  (So will nastiness)  And love and kindness grow both without and within—people with no empathy, no loving kindness for others—tend to be pretty sour, miserable people.
             Recently I visited the 9/11 Memorial in New York. What stood out to me seeing the story recaptured was that threaded throughout that horrific, truly evil, experience, people—many ordinary people as well as first responders—showed their true divine nature.  That to me is a reflection of God.
  What sorts of books engage children? What makes a good children's book?
 I have taught for over fifty years and am a mom and grandmother.  Over the years I have only become more convinced that children are extremely smart—though they lack information—and that they are fascinated with how the world works.  If one truly talks to a child, straight talk about what you believe is true, the child will engage.  Judy Blume, J. K. Rowling, Dr. Seuss (I am thinking particularly of The Places You’ll Go) and C. S. Lewis are masters of telling the truth whether in everyday situations or in fantasy.  Their characters feel real and the conflicts they deal with are the universal myths of Good versus Evil.  That is why their books are timeless and ageless.  
Two other things:  Children hate to be talked down to and are drawn to beautiful art.
Sheila Kogan’s The Lambs of Fairy Glen is available here. 
0 notes
angelvenin · 5 years ago
Text
fifteen days to slow the spread
on the topic current events. tw for the coronavirus, death.
If you feel sick, stay home. 
Do not go to work.
Contact your medical provider.
So, I don't even know what number day it is that we've been inside. I haven't gone to school in two months. How long is that? Sixty days? It was only supposed to be two weeks. 
After the first week, my sister and I circulated through every activity we could think of. Painting. Playing piano. Playing guitar. Reading. Writing. Sleeping. Cleaning. But things got boring after the third day of playing the only songs we know on piano. We're not the only ones that are bored. My best friends text me everyday of how they miss going outside. It was 90° outside today, and I spent every hour indoors. Even now as I write this on my laptop in the early hours of the morning, as everyone else is asleep. What time is it? 
2:35 AM.
Oh.
I guess I should get some sleep.
If your children are sick, keep them at home. 
Do not send them to school.
Contact your medical provider.
Right now I'd be in geometry, counting down the minutes until school ended and I could go home and sleep. But instead I've only just woken up. It's 2:01 PM. Claire purrs beside me and I reach over to scratch her ear. The morning - well, afternoon - feels oddly relaxing and calm compared to others. I walk downstairs to find my family waiting for me. This can't be good.
"Liliana," my father begins, sparing no attempt to soften whatever blow he's about to give. "You're very mature. You've always been mature. You're handling this pandemic crisis incredibly well, especially for your age. Your mother and I are so proud of you."
He says it in a way that feels demeaning. Because I'm a teenager I can't be mature? When did that stereotype start?
"Thank you," I say anyway, "so what do you want?"
"We're starting to run out of… essential items." My mother sighs, looking at me with her tired eyes. "Even though we stocked up, we didn't anticipate the quarantine lasting this long, and we just don't have enough supplies for the rest of the month."
I look at Rachel. She's playing on her Gameboy, a hand-me-down from Dad's childhood. I don't think she knows what Mom is about to say, but I do. I hold my breath.
"We never want to put you in danger. But we need your help. You and Dad need to get more supplies. Today." she says, hesitation pounding every syllable out of her mouth. 
"You mean we have to leave?" I ask. My mom and dad slowly nod their heads 'yes'.
"I'm afraid so, jellybean." my dad sighs. 
"This is… awesome!"
If someone in your household has tested positive for the virus, keep the entire household at home.
Do not go to work
Do not go to school.
Contact your medical provider.
Mom and dad stare at me, in shock. Even Rachel pauses from Yoshi's Island and smiles at me. I smile back.
"Liliana, you do realize the risk of leaving, right?" My dad clarifies. I nod with a smile.
"Of course I realize the risk, I'm just so excited to finally leave the house. We've been here for two months. I barely get fresh air. And I can't wait to see people other than you all! No offence."
"None taken." my sister replies, her eyes now back on her game.
"I'm… glad you can see the positive side of it," Mom awkwardly states. I look at my dad, who's still shocked.
"Your mother can't go, it has to be you. I hope you can take the responsibility."
I know my mom wouldn't be able to go. With her medical state, she'd be at an incredibly high risk of getting sick or worse. Her lungs and heart are weak, and her immune system is compromised. We all take care of her.
"And Rachel can't go, she has to stay with me." Mom adds. Rachel squints her eyes at me and I return the glare with a smile.
"So, are you ready, jellybean?" Dad asks. 
I'm so ready.
I fill my coat pockets with everything I can think of -
Hand sanitizer.
Gloves.
Extra facemasks.
Hair ties.
My camera (to take pictures).
"Ready to rock and roll?" Dad asks once we're both situated in his car's front seats. 
"As I'll ever be," I respond. He starts the car and we're off.
It's hot. It's hot and it's bright outside, nothing like I've felt since February. Almost no one else is on the road. No cars are even parked outside. It feels like we're in a zombie apocalypse movie. My dad turns the radio up.
"Paid leave has now come into effect for not just government jobs, but to those in retail and food. Many fear this new allowance will cause a dent in the federal budget, but the President assures it is able to be paid for. I'm Maya Diaz, NPR News."
I usually block out the news, since they've reported nothing but the same story since March. The virus is unavoidable. Celebrities talk about it, friends talk about it, the mass media obviously talks about it. First it pissed me off. But now it's just a fact of life.
"Don't pick at your mask like that," my dad says. I sigh.
"It's so uncomfy! Are we almost there?" I whine.
"Calm down, jellybean. We're gonna be there in no time given this traffic."
"Or lack thereof," I take in the empty lanes beside us. Absolutely no one is outside. The city is usually bustling and the traffic is awful. But today, just the two of us are surrounded by silence.
 If you are an older person, stay home and away from other people.
"We need bread, milk, water, toilet paper, vegetable oil, meat, cheese, spinach, apples, bananas, eggs, and toothpaste." My dad reads off of the pink sticky note covered in mom's handwriting.
"And bacon. Mom forgot to write bacon. We need bacon."
"Liliana, your mother hates bacon."
"It's the apocalypse, dad! We need bacon!" I giggle. He glares at me seriously and my smile quickly goes away.
"You can't say that out loud." He whispers as he looks around us. The only people in the huge grocery store are three or four cashiers and some shoppers stocking up like us. "People take those kinds of jokes really, really seriously." 
It's sobering. Rachel and I joke all the time, but I still know deep down it's not something to joke about. I forget to filter myself now that I've left the house. I nod and keep my head down as we get the rest of what's on the list. 
"Your total is $201.90," the ever so gloomy cashier says once we've finished shopping.
"Prices have really gone up, huh?" Dad jokes. I silently roll my eyes at the casual banter, anticipating the painful reaction from the cashier.
"Be glad you can afford it, bud." the cashier spits back. My dad doesn't respond. Neither do I.
Once we load up the car, we drive back in silence. I listen to the radio while I snap some photos of the empty streets when we stop at red lights.
"Of course, this virus hasn't even peaked yet, which begs the question: when will it? For now, schools and businesses are closed and trying to handle this unprecedented emergency. It is not unlikely that schools won't open again for the rest of the standard school year, as reported by the superintendent and school board this Monday."
"What the fuck?" I shout, startling my dad.
"Liliana! Watch your language!"
"Are we actually not gonna go back to school?"
He sighs and purses his lips. Oh God. 
"You heard what the radio said. These are unprecedented times. No one really knows what's gonna happen, jellybean, but you probably shouldn't count on going back this year."
I'm silenced by shock.
It was my first year of high school.
Everything was normal four months ago.
I was so ready for the end-of-year formal. Our first aid unit in health. The history test I was gonna retake next week.
I never got to retake that test.
Then I think about her.
Amy.
Amy, my best friend since elementary school. We don't have any classes together but we always find a way to talk either before or after classes, joking and smiling and laughing. We're best friends.
And I'm not gonna see her until September.
Am I even gonna see her? 
"There are now over eight hundred thousand confirmed deaths caused by this virus. Doctors are still trying to find a cure, and urge everyone to please wash their hands and follow guidelines by the CDC."
I'm just being selfish.
0 notes