#so i'm surprised i got this ask right after we spent two episodes joking 'the true main character' everytime

[prodbyblush]

i rlly need a part 2 of we got married in japan like where nijiro and reader meet at his favorite place and he finds that reader is still wearing the ring omg-

ｎｏｗ ｌｏａｄｉｎｇ …

▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒ 100%

ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ!

・❥・requested

an: click this to read part 1

→ fem!reader

• nijiro is up for a surprise. • one year after the final episode of the couple, the producers of the variety show program contacted you, nijiro's virtual wife, for a reunion.

Y/N: "It's been a really, really long time since I last saw and spoke with Nijiro! I've spent a month in Manila to film a movie and three months in Prague for another movie. Apart from that, I've also been invited to various fashion shows so I've never really gotten the chance to personally contact him."

• all nijiro knows is that he's been given a portfolio about an upcoming drama that his manager gave him. • all the while he's reading the printed plot on the portfolio, his road manager is already taking him an all familiar place he used to know - the house you two shared during your three month marriage. • upon arrival, nijiro is all ????? because he sees no buildings, no parked luxury cars. all he sees is the little house with a small garden, the sight of it immediately had him chuckling.

Nijiro: Truthfully speaking, the movie my manager gave me really looked interesting. I already tried channeling being the brother of the main character but...to my surprise...the house is in front of me. Does Y/N know? No. Ah, she's definitely in for a surprise.

• oh boy, nijiro, it's actually the other way around- • opening the front door, nijiro proceeds to remove his shoes in the doorway, already thinking of making y/n's favorite dish when he hears a familiar voice spoke to him.

"Welcome home." It was Y/N, white apron already adorning in front of her, peeking through the kitchen with a soup ladle in one hand.

"Honey" Nijiro sweetly spoke, walking towards the kitchen from where she stood. "It's been a while." He comments, looking at the preparations Y/N is making.

"Can I help?" He asks, eyes blinking.

"Hm?" Y/N hums. "But I'm about to be done. Just sit over the dining table."

"Eh?" Nijiro makes a sound. "But I can't have you doing all the work."

• as food preparations are done, the former couple that everyone loved sat down and had dinner together, just like old times.

"I was so surprised that everyone really loved us on the program." Y/N says after swallowing the food in her mouth. "I'm sorry that I couldn't contact you often. I was already filming for a lot of movies."

"It's alright." Nijiro comments, "I hope you didn't forget bringing your umbrella with you now. You used to keep forgetting it."

"I always have my umbrella with me now!" Y/N chirps.

Nijiro: When I'm with Y/N, it suddenly feels like I'm filming We Got Married again. That's how much we grew close and comfortable in our relationship.

Y/N: It's nice how I finally got the chance to talk to Nijiro again.

"What has my honey been up to lately?" Nijiro asks in a sweet yet teasing tone.

"I've finished filming a move overseas and a commercial for a lipstick brand too!" Y/N beams.

"Ah, I've seen that lipstick commercial." Nijiro comments. "I'm jealous of the guy in the commercial. The producers should have hired me instead." He jokes, jokingly shaking his head as well.

• halfway through nijiro, it was only at that time did nijiro's eyes averted to her left ring finger, the ring still adorning on her finger. • a wave of warmth washed over his chest, taking out the ring he turned into a necklace; showing it to Y/N.

"I still have mine here too." He says, the little ring gleaming right in front of her.

TAGS: @retrospacealien @chishiya-of-diamonds @ang3liclov3ly @kenqki @shadowheads-shitshow @lunoxxy @supercoffeeblogs @laylasbunbunny

[holden-caulfield]

Because She's Worth It

↪︎ 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭

Summary: reader's friends find out about her secret relationship with Draco Malfoy.

Warnings: none, just a terribly written ending.

Word Count: 1428

//

"Watch where you're going, traitor." said your so-called friend Harry as he bumped into your shoulder without even looking you in the eyes.

He had a reason to be mad at you, just not a good one in your opinion. You had been dating the slytherin prince for quite some time now, but you had decided to keep your relationship a secret, afraid of the judgement of your friends. After the recent events, rightfully so.

They had found out a thursday morning: the gryffindors had transfiguration with the slytherins and once the lesson was over, Crabbe and Goyle thought it would have been funny to pick on you and the golden trio. You reacted with your usual snarky remarks to put them in their place but what surprised you was that Draco had intervened and told them to stop. The action shocked everyone, including himself. You looked at him with an alarmed look and he played it off with a quick comment,

"Why even bothering with these nullities? Just you wait and they'll realize they don't belong here." Crabbe and Goyle laughed at the statement as if it was the greatest joke to have ever been told and you sighed in relief.

"If there's someone who doesn't belong here, it's you, Malfoy!" spat Harry, still set on arguing.

"Let's just go away." you whispeded, trying to stop Harry and Draco from starting something everyone would have regretted. Hermione grabbed Harry and Ron but Harry didn't budge, instead he took a step closed to Draco.

"What's up Malfoy? Not in the mood to bully anyone today?" said Ron. Draco visibly stiffened and you could tell he was trying very hard not to tell them off there and then but he knew you wouldn't have appreciated it. Crabbe and Goyle got closer too, feeling surprisingly feisty that day.

"Why don't you listen to your stupid girlfriend and go away?" at Goyle's comment, Draco's eyes began burning.

"I am not his girlfriend!" you objected, but Goyle wasn't done yet.

"Whatever, why don't you shut your stupid mouth and use it for something more useful, like-"

"Why don't you shut your mouth before I make you!" spat Draco, grabbing Goyle's robe's lapels in his hands.

"What?" Goyle looked legitimately terrified as he asked the question, but Draco kept his eyes trained on him and didn't move. You placed your hand on Draco's shoulder and he suddenly seemed to realize what he had just done.

"Don't you ever talk to her like this." he released Goyle and he immediately backed away. The trio's gazes were fixed on you as you gently took Draco's hand in your own, knowing that you wouldn't have been able to keep the secret any longer anyway. He cast a worried glance at you and you squeezed his hand, reassuring him.

"Malfoy, really?" asked Ron poisonously. You opned your mouth to explain everything, but he stormed off, followed by Harry and Hermione. She gave you a comforting look, meaning she would have talked with them, but you had a bad feeling about this and you were right.

It had already been a week since the episode and you still hadn't talked with Harry nor Ron. They ignored you everytime and you were getting quite frustrated. You were sad because you missed your friends but you were also angry because you thought they would have at least given him a chance. You also felt a little bit of guilt, but that feeling was immediately sent away with Draco's loving kisses and sweet words to reassure you you hadn't done anything wrong. Luckily, Hermione gave you a chance: you told her everything and she understood you, she didn't necessarily approve of Draco, but she knew he made you happy and that was enough.

After a week of not talking you thought they would be up to listen to you, but when you tried talking with them in the corridors, they simply bumped into you.

"Watch where you're going, traitor." you felt your heart break a little, you couldn't believe your best friends were treating you that way. Draco's hand was interlaced with your own but when he saw the look in your eyes after the encounter, he knew he had to do something and not just stay there and watch you getting hurt over and over again by your friends' silence. He broke the contact and strode over to Harry and Ron, placing himself in front of them. A deep scowl was plastered on both of their faces, but Draco's own frown was even deeper. You rushed up to them, fearing the worst, but instead of hexing them, Draco started talking:

"Listen here kow, Potter. You don't like me and I don't like you and I never will. I've done dreadful things to you and many others of this school, some of them I don't regret. I know I don't deserve your pity, but that incredible witch right there does. She saw something in me that I didn't even know was there. She makes me a better person by simply existing and gracing me with her presence and you are a complete and utter fool to voluntarily cut her out of your life merely because she gave me a chance. She deserves to be happy and I feel incredibly lucky knowing she chose me over anyone else, I will do everything in my power to make sure she is content, even if this means talking to you or even pleading you. Because she's worth it. So if you decide you still wish to be a touchy downright prat, at least have the decency to respect her or I'll make you regret it."

Draco's love words were laced with venom as he glared at Harry and Ron who were now staring back at him, mouth agape. He waited a few moments before interweaving your hands back together and resuming his path towards the slytherin common room. When the two of you arrived there and closed the door behind you, you immediately threw your arms around him, almost making him tumble down. He held you close to him, one hand on you low back and the other holding your head. You pulled away only to crash your lips on his, your hands cradling his face as if he could disappear. He kissed you back passionately until you both had to pull away to breathe.

"Should I lash out more often? Because so far I'm loving the consequences." he said with his usual smirk as you both rested your foreheads against each other. You rolled your eyes and gave him a quick peck on the nose.

"Idiot."

"I'm profoundly offended!" he feigned hurt, slightly receding from you.

"No, come here! I want to grace you with my presence!" you retorted with a playful pout on your lips.

"Oh shut up." he grabbed you by the waist and held you flush against his chest, reconnecting your lips once more before settling on the green couch in front of the fireplace.

You spent the night in Draco's dorm just like you had done many times before and got ready to head to the great hall for breakfast. You and Draco walked into the hall, his arm slung around your shoulders. You saw your friends sitting at the gryffindor table, but quickly avoided eye contact. Despite that, they noticed you and made their way towards you.

"Can we talk, y/n?" asked Ron, nodding towards the door you had just walked in from. You nodded 'yes' and led them outside.

"We're sorry, y/n." began Harry. Hermione slightly nudged Ron with her elbow.

"Yeah, we're sorry, y/n. We behaved like complete gits." added Ron ruefully.

"I think someone else here deserves your apologies..." you suggested and Draco raised his brow at you before smirking lightly.

"We're not going to apologize to Mal-" Hermione nudged Ron again, a bit harder this time, and Ron immediately changed his mind.

"We're sorry, Malfoy, I guess." said Ron annoyed. You raised your eyebrow at Harry who scoffed before adding, "yeah, sorry."

"And I think that someone else should apologize too." Draco's complacency was soon replaced by a look of confusion as you looked up at him expectanctly. He rolled his eyes in annoyance before muttering, "I'm sorry but I still loathe you"

"Likewise." stated Harry before you pulled all your friends in a tight hug. You pulled away and gripped Draco's hand.

"Can we go now? I'm starving." admitted Ron and you all made you way towards the great hall.

[superbdragoncollection-stuff]

Thoughts on Separate Tides and Allergen Representation; an Essay

“No appleblood. I spent the money on gryphon eggs for Luz. There’s not a lot she can digest here, so I make sure I have her favorites around.”

“Because you stuck with me, you lost your magic! You almost got turned to stone, and now you can’t even afford your appleblood because you’re worried about what I need to eat!”

This episode had a very surprising, and very sweet display of allergen representation. I really appreciate Luz’s issues and anxieties in this episode. While it’s presented in a fantasy way, when she explains how upset she is about her food restrictions, it speaks to a real issue affecting people with allergies and digestive problems. As someone with a food allergy growing up, the moments really spoke to me. I have Celiac Disease, which means that my body can’t digest gluten, a protein in wheat. I can eat the stuff physically, and the symptoms aren’t obvious like a peanut allergy. This makes it difficult to detect. The way it manifests is that my stomach can’t digest the protein. It will go through my small intestine, and tear up the lining of the organ that absorbs food, and what remains of the lining has a hard time absorbing other nutrients, causing me to essentially starve. These symptoms don’t appear immediately, taking days, weeks, or even months to register, making it even more difficult to detect. While gluten is something health nuts are obsessed with lately, it is a very real threat to people with my condition. My food can’t share the same plate, can’t share the same space; if they even so much as come into contact I have to scrap the whole meal just for safety’s sake. When I was younger, before I was diagnosed, I didn’t grow an inch for two years because my body had gone into maintaining the bare minimum needed for survival. My bones think they’re younger than they actually are. When I was diagnosed and I recovered, I grew a lot. What spoke to me in this episode was Luz’s discomfort and distress at Eda’s money troubles when it comes to food. It wasn’t a joke, it wasn’t mean, it was really meaningful, it’s a fact of life. It’s much like how Eda’s condition was treated in the first episode she appeared, just a part of life. Gluten free food is expensive, finding places that won’t actively poison me is exhausting, and I’m constantly worried about cross contamination. Even a few crumbs can be a problem. Frequently I will feel like a burden, like I’m being pedantic even though this is vital to my health. I cannot live off food with gluten, I will die. Yet it still feels as if I’m a burden. I’m right there with Luz; hearing people having to talk about our food sensitivities, and having to accommodate us, even if it's in a loving way like Eda said, is upsetting. I’m also going to guess that like me, Luz is also a picky eater even amongst stuff she can eat. On school trips, I always needed special treatment; it tended to be something that I don’t care for even if it was gluten free, or dry sandwiches I brought from home while my peers chowed down on pizza. I remember the looks everyone gave me. I have to explain to every single restaurant I find my condition. Even if they’re understanding, it’s a pain. Luz has been confirmed to be neurodivergent, and I am right there with her as well. It takes an immense amount of mental energy to find restaurants, to find the right menus, find the ones with the right accommodations. Food can’t even be cooked in the same fryer if I want to avoid cross-contamination. It’s terrifying and upsetting to constantly have to go to the front of the line and ask for what feels like conspicuous special treatment. As a neurodivergent person, social anxiety makes this so much worse. I constantly fear the cooks are cursing me under their breath for inconveniencing them, I fear that people behind me are whispering and that any moment a hand will land on my shoulder and demand I get to the back of the line with everyone else. Sometimes I will get food that I simply don’t like, or hasn’t been cooked right. Asking to have it fixed is terrifying, and I fear the people around me even more. Luz may not be super poor on Earth, but she voiced a lot of anxieties and frustration that people like me have. I'm from a well off family that could afford the additional expense of gluten free food, but I can’t imagine what a nightmare it is for real families who can’t afford gluten free food, or who can’t even

afford a diagnosis. To add insult to injury, many people will mock or dismiss us as being liars, pedantic, or just picky. It is a common thing to mock people with gluten free preferences; the Angry Birds movie made fun of it. I hear people complain about how expensive the food is even if they don’t have to eat it. People will offer me bread even after I explain to them what it will do to me. Dennys seems to have adopted a chain-wide proclamation to refuse to accommodate gluten free people. I have not eaten there in three years, because we experienced serious food problems in restaurants in Virginia and Vermont. Virtually every time I entered a Dennys three years ago, I would ask for a plate of plain and simple chicken that normally comes with toast, and I ask them to remove that; somehow, they would always screw up the order by putting glutinous bread right on top and ruining the whole meal. Yes, we are that sensitive to contamination. If it even touches the food the meal is ruined. Once, it was understandable because the waiter had been awake for eighteen hours. The other times were not. I saw the waiters argue with the other staff, I had a manager once come out to explain my own disease to me, even as two pieces of toast just sat there stewing on my chicken. That feeling of being a burden, of hearing people argue about trying to help you, stings very much. Some people will assume that we just don’t like wheat; I’ve heard horror stories of people trying to “prove” someone didn’t have Celiac Disease by secretly putting it in their food. The fact that we don’t go into anaphylactic shock when we consume it makes this a common problem as it leads them to assume it’s not an issue. It being a fad diet has also made my life worse; I have to constantly specify that I am not just gluten free, that I have an actual medical condition. I have to carry cards in my wallet to explain the situation. It feels like the world around me conspires to keep me from being healthy. And it feels like the world hates people like me for it. The best representation I’ve ever gotten for Celiac Disease was a CollegeHumor sketch. Most of the time, allergen representation is a joke, even if it’s informative and not meant to be mean. The Owl House breaks that trend with these two little exchanges. “No appleblood. I spent the money on gryphon eggs for Luz. There’s not a lot she can digest here, so I make sure I have her favorites around.” “Because you stuck with me, you lost your magic! You almost got turned to stone, and now you can’t even afford your appleblood because you’re worried about what I need to eat!” Luz’s snap at Eda about her food sensitivities is something I feel. I don’t often get allergen representation like this, especially any as loving and kind as this. Even to family, who love and support me, I can feel like a burden, as if there’s something wrong with me that is somehow my fault, and not the fault of a genetic disease dating back thousands of years. It’s deeply upsetting and frustrating to experience this. No matter who it comes from, it hurts a lot. I’m glad The Owl House captured this feeling perfectly. It’s good to know I’m not alone here. I’m glad to see representation where facts of my life aren’t seen as a joke.

[sillydreamer]

Hello! O/ I just saw this post of yours and... it's free? If it does: I'd like a headcanon about this image that Beemoov shared today in IG... What type of story I want? I don't know, I'm here to tell you that: Feel free to write anything that your head does about this image and... in that image is Nevra, can you do also for Lance and Leiftan in the future? There's no rush, you can do it with peace of mind n_n

Scenario of the image in episode 7 New Era (Nevra)

Of course I can do this ;3

Let me tell you that I got excited and wrote a scenario instead of a headcanon and also I read it wrong sorry ahhhh, if you want it as a headcanon just say the word and I’ll do it right away! Don’t hesitate to ask!

I'll do the same when Lance and Leiftan images comes in the future (either if the episode comes or when someone publish them in here, I don't have instagram x_x). Anyway, here comes what I think that happened in the image.

Okay seeing this now that I have finished I think that I wrote something quite long hahahaha...I hope that you don’t mind 😅

The stars seemed to dance at the night sky just like the people did below them, Nevra gazed up and found the brilliant dots covering everything until the horizon. Since Huang Hua became leader everything seemed quite normal and everybody was happy. Why couldn't he advance?

He remembered what happened during the last eight years of his life, he discovered people that helped him but now they were gone, he needed to take new responsibilities to protect whoever needed it. The world seemed more like a cold place while everybody danced around him.

"Nevra? Is everything alright?" the voice of Huang Hua interrupted his thoughts and he looked at her. The leader seemed genuinely worried to the point that Nevra felt guilty for being the reason of that.

"Yes, I just feel a little bit tired, that's it" replied Nevra with a low voice. He knew that Huang Hua didn't believe his lie because she sat down right at his side and looked even more concerned.

"I know that there are things that bothers you and are taking space in your mind. It's hard to move on. Let me be clear; I don't want you to act like everything's alright and to ignore what happened eight years ago" her voice always had the power to calm down people, even the vampire felt safe and by looking at those honey eyes he felt like all of the problems could disappear in an instant "But don't forget that there’s things that you can learn in hard situations”

He didn’t answer. That grey eye was passing by every single person in the garden. Each one of them seemed happy and were celebrating with their friends. Why couldn’t he feel the same way?

Nevra sighed heavily and stood up, not having the courage to see Huang Hua’s eyes.

“I’ll think about it. Now I should dance a little” he moved on through the people searching for somebody. He didn’t know what but his legs were moving and his eyes trying to find something. A grip at his shoulder make him turn around and his eyes crossed with a young lady.

The vampire knew her, she was one of the H.Q habitants. They had a few dates and spent some nights together but nothing more. There were not feeling between them and how could it be? Risking himself to get damaged again? 

“Nevra sorry for bothering is just that you seemed...bad” her voice was soft and low. His instinct forgot about whatever it was searching and put all its attention to the lady.

“Nothing unusual, just work and I was searching for fresh air” those words were lies. Nevra felt bad for lying since he hated them but there was no point on worrying others more, he needed to carry with its own weight and problems as he had done for the last years.

“I see...do you want to dance?” she asked almost timidly. Nevra stretched out his hand to grab hers and led both to the dance floor.

This play was a feminine voice followed by a piano and a violin. Nevra was a great dancer since young and he felt the music running through his body but something was feeling wrong. His instinct was telling him to stop and as far a he knew the best option was to follow his inner voice.

Still he didn’t want to leave that poor lady alone so he spend a few more songs dancing with her. His hands grabbed her hips and followed the rhythm of the melody while she looked directly to his face. He looked back but inside of his head the voice begged him to stop, to quit and ran away. ���But ran away of what?” He questioned himself while helping that lady to give a spin. The music turned off and this meant that another song was coming by.

“Nevra, are you busy tonight?” again her voice interrupted his thinking. Nevra blinked a few times but didn’t answer. While looking at that lady with yellow eyes he spotted someone else over her shoulder.

Two big purple eyes were looking directly at him, that brown hair was very particular but what surprised him most was the look that Erika gave him; those purple eyes seemed sad but not surprised.

Nevra moved back and looked at the lady that was in front of him, she was waiting for his answer with a bright smile at those beautiful pink lips.

“I-Im sorry...I need do something” Nevra’s voice vacillate for a second. When he looked back at Erika she was gone.

“I understand” the lady whispered and got closer to give Nevra a quick kiss “But promise me that we are going to see each other soon”

After promising that he walked away, back to the H.Q, in there his steps became faster until he was running. Nevra wanted to get away from the world and hide where nobody could ever find him. But again that voice at his brain began speak and told him to think, to not get overwhelmed by the situation.

Before he could question that or even think Nevra found himself front of the crystal room. A few years ago that was his place for meditation; knowing that Valkyon gave his last breath in there, that Erika and Leiftan sacrificed themselves...a lot of hard decisions were taken inside of those walls.

Nevra entered and was received by the pale light of the mineral, nobody was there to bother him and his thoughts. With a calmer step he walked like he was attracted to the light. A heavy sigh left his mouth but it didn’t last long since he heard someone approaching.

That was a public place, by the oracle. How could he expect to have peace in there? His surprise was bigger when Erika’s shape crossed the door and started walking at his direction.

“Hey, leaving early?” she asked with a calm voice, still he could hear that there was a storm behind it. Erika stopped walking to save a few feets between them.

“Not feeling good, that’s it” Nevra excused himself and looked back to the crystal. It’s light had the ability to calm him down and keep his mind-cold, and that was what he needed to most.

The guardian didn’t answer but still the vampire was able to hear the footsteps behind him and when he looked, she was just at his side. But Erika wasn’t looking at him, instead her eyes were focused on the crystal, her eyes glowed and she looked impressed.

Her right hand extended to the mineral and touched the cold surface but nothing happened, the silence flood the room until Erika sighed heavily.

“Even if my powers are back, I can’t save everybody. I’m...useless” the words that came out of her lips and her head looked down.

“No you’re not” Nevra’s words came out even without him thinking about it. The guardian looked at him but the vampire regretted that immediately. He wasn’t the best with soft words and all that he could think is on what would Huang Hua say.

No. He wasn’t Huang Hua. He would do it in the Nevra way.

“Look, I know that it’s hard to leave the past behind. Believe me, I spent many night eating my brain thinking why I didn’t do this or that. But... the end I learned that we can’t change the past, we need to move on and think about what we learned with the experience so we don’t commit the same mistakes again”

He was surprised that those words came from him, Nevra felt relieved when the guardian looked at him with a small smile at her lips, happiness was the only emotion that the vampire could feel and he also smiled, forgetting his old emotions.

A soft melody of a violin could be heard on the distance and Nevra looked at the door by instinct. Nobody came.

“Do you want to dance?” the guardian asked breaking the wall between them. The vampire looked back and saw her hand extended at his direction. He grabbed it and lead her to dance at the sound of the melody.

The bodies moved along with the music, Nevra’s fingers touched Erika’s hips while his other hand held hers. They were very close, too close. Nevra step back to give her a spin and then catch her. Erika seemed surprised but again she smiled.

“Looks that you hadn’t loose the style” she joked and straightened to keep moving.

“I’m not that old, you know?” Nevra replied and gave her another spin “Although I have to admit that I used to be faster...”

“I prefer it this way”

Both of the bodies kept moving in perfect synchrony, another instruments joined the violin and this motivated these dance couple. For the first time in seven years Nevra felt free, their foots were able to move across the room and nobody was there to judge, they were just the two of them, sharing a moment.

Erika turned but this time her body moved backwards so her back is against Nevra’s chest, her left arm stretched to grab the vampire’s nape and pull him closer.

“Did you really meant to say that?” Nevra asked while his left hand touched her face “That you prefer it this way?”

“I prefer when you are calmed down like now but...” she stopped for a second and closed her eyes with pain “I can’t stop thinking if this is going to end tonight”

“What do you mean?” even when he was confused his body didn’t move, so didn’t Erika’s. The music could be heard in the distance but the dance stopped.

“I know what you have been doing these years, flirting with more women and then pretending that nothing happened” Erika opened the eyes and they seemed like two amethysts, Nevra was shocked “Is this the same for you?”

Nevra remain silent, that was a question that hadn’t come through his mind. Was her really a one night thing? He remembered all of the adventures that they lived together, how she managed to smile through hard times and how she sacrificed for a world that wasn’t even hers. Giving him and everybody a chance.

Nevra’s hearthbeat increased while Erika’s face still looked at him, he knew what was that feeling. Something that he tried to ignore since she awake. 

“Of course not, you are more than just that” his voice was soft and some pink cheeks could be seen at his face. He pushed away just to grab her chin and look at those soft lips “You are more that I could even imagine”

Erika stepped closer while her eye closed, the vampire did the same and the last thing that he saw was that beautiful face before their lips touched.

His hand hugged her body and pressed her against his shape, Nevra was desperate to feel that warm feeling, sharing it with someone else. Erika’s arms moved through his chest and ended up hugging his back.

That was a moment that both of them hoped to last long, but they needed air and this end up with the kiss but still a smile could seen at their lips.

“Want to try again?” the vampire asked.

The night was only theirs, with other melodies running through the air they kept dancing and whenever they had the chance a fast kiss will appear to be followed with others.

This was definitely longer that I expected, at first I struggled about how to do it but then I heard Edda’s Requirem and gave me the inspiration to write all of this. 

I really imagine these two dancing with that song it just- *chef kisses*

If you hadn’t heard the song it this one.

[alirhi]

...goddess help me...

This fucking episode. *deep breath* This... This episode is where I'm expecting to get some serious hate. Let me just get this out of the way right up front:

I. Hate. Zemo.

I do not find him sympathetic, or funny, or charming. I find him creepy and annoying. I did not like him in CA:CW and I do not like him in TFATWS. If you are pro-Zemo, you are not going to like my version of this show from here on out. Just find something else to read and don't bother me about it. You've got the actual canon, so go enjoy that.

Got it? Good. Now, on to the main event!

Episode 3: The Power Broker

First of all, Sam doesn't let Bucky walk in there alone. No matter Bucky's (flimsy and nonsensical) argument, Sam's like "hell no. I go in with you, or you don't go in." The main reason for this isn't to keep Bucky from breaking Zemo out of prison (with decent writing, he would never do that) - it's so that Sam witnesses Zemo taunting Bucky with/about the trigger words. because Zemo is a piece of shit.

Since he doesn't know the full story, Sam is confused, but he files this interaction away to ask Bucky about later. He's listening to Zemo acknowledging that Bucky was "not conscious for most of [his] imprisonment" (which, yes, clearly refers to the time he spent frozen, but can also mean while he was under their control as TWS/"The Asset" - also, key word: imprisonment) and when he calls Bucky a means to an end, Sam scowls, looking ready to go off on him, but he waits. They've got more important issues.

Neither of them entertains the thought of breaking Zemo out for even a nanosecond. He does that shit himself. And literally the only reason I'm sticking with him getting out at all is because I want to address some truly egregious moments linked directly to him in the show. Zemo makes them think he's setting them on the trail when really he's just sending them to his motor pool. Bucky and Sam are confused until they see Zemo in his stolen guard uniform, then they're both angry and want to ship him right back to prison, but he strikes a deal with them: "My help for my temporary freedom. Creating super soldiers cannot be allowed to continue; let me finish my work, and then do with me as you will." He has no intention of going quietly back to prison, obviously, and they're not stupid enough to believe otherwise, but they believe they can keep him on a short leash, so they agree for now. Anything to bring down the Flag Smashers and whoever created them.

After the title, we cut to Raynor on the phone in her office. She's agitated, fiddling with things on her desk. "No, sir," she's practically growling, "it was disrupted. - Walker did! - It's not my fault your new attack dog got off-leash!" She pauses, huffs, and says more calmly, "No. Of course not. I'm sorry. - Well, I don't see how, with the new Cap strutting around barking orders! - What am I supposed to do? Tell Captain America in front of a dozen witnesses that he can't have his predecessor's favorite pet because we're not done reprogramming him? I didn't see that going over too well. I made a call. - No. No, no, no, we can still use him. The work's not finished, but he still trusts me. He'll be back." A pause as she listens. Angry again, she snaps, "What do you want me to do, shove a tracker up his ass? He'll be back, and we'll pick right back up where we left off! - Don't worry, sir, the Asset will be fully compliant and ready to use soon. I'll make sure of it. - Yes, sir. You, too." She hangs up and tosses her phone on the couch, grumbling, "Dick."

Cut back to Sam, Bucky, and Zemo getting going on their trip to Madripoor. On the plane, Sam wants to talk to Bucky about what he's learned so far, but doesn't want to bring it up in front of Zemo... until the notebook incident reminds him that Zemo already knows more about Bucky than he does.

After Zemo's line about the list, Sam angrily corrects him: "You mean people HYDRA used The Winter Soldier to hurt." When Zemo shrugs and his response is basically along the lines of "what's the difference" Sam is like "oh hell no."

"Those words you were reciting at him," he reminds Zemo, "what were they, Russian? They clearly meant something. They were supposed to do something. What are they?" "Sam, let it go," Bucky pleads, unable to look at either of them. "It's nothing." "You wanna drown in your guilt, that's fine," Sam snaps, "but make sure it's for the right reasons." He turns back to Zemo, who's smiling at this exchange because he's a monster and thinks Bucky's suffering is fucking funny. "I asked you a question, Zemo. What did those words do?" "They activate the Winter Soldier programming," Bucky grudgingly admits. He doesn't want to talk about it, but he's sure as hell not going to let Zemo speak for him. "Or, they did, before the Wakandans got all that shit out of my head." "It's a shame," Zemo says with a smirk. "Imagine the possibilities that come with perfect obedience." "I think you mean 'slavery'," Sam growls, "and I think you're in the wrong crowd to be looking so pleased about it. Remember that we can send your ass back to prison any time." "Of course," Zemo agrees, but with an arrogant smile that shows he doesn't believe for a second that these two have any real power over him. Still, he bides his time and sits back quietly, watching Bucky fidget with the notebook. Sam turns back to Bucky, seeing his discomfort; he won't let the topic go, though, not yet. He just softens his tone. "So, they 'activated the Winter Soldier'? What exactly does that mean?" Bucky shrugs, still not looking up. "Pretty much what he said - perfect obedience. What little consciousness they left me between cryo and the chair was squashed down, locked away. And I did whatever I was told, exactly the way they told me to." It finally clicks. He'd had his suspicions before, of course, but now Sam gets it. Visibly horrified, he stares at this quiet, broken man, and finally sees the truth of what he'd been through for 70 years: "They stripped away your autonomy. Shit, Bucky, they didn't even let you be a person. That's..." He swallows, looking like he'll be sick any minute. "That's awful, man. I'm so sorry." When Bucky tries to shrug it off and downplay it again, Sam gets angry. "Look at me!" He waits; it takes a few seconds, but Bucky reluctantly looks up and is surprised to see just how upset Sam is on his behalf. "It wasn't your fault. None of it. When Steve said you didn't have a choice, I had no idea... You really, truly had no choice; not even the ability to choose. That's horrifying." "I doubt it would make much difference to the people he's killed," Zemo points out snidely. "Or their families. Let's ask Tony Stark, shall we?" "You shut the hell up," Sam growls. He watches Bucky flinch and make that face - the face he's starting to really fucking hate - that says he agrees with Zemo. Bucky still can't see things the way Sam does; he still feels the guilt and shame, and even when he himself pointed out his lack of agency under HYDRA, it didn't click for him that Sam is right, not Zemo.

It's too much, too soon. Sam sees that and decides to change the subject, to give Bucky some time to process. He nods at the notebook, and they have their little Marvin Gaye debate, where Sam is over the top about it on purpose, because Bucky needs the distraction.

Of course, Zemo ruins it by opening his big mouth again and reminding Bucky of more trauma: his time fighting in WWII. That's why Sam latches onto the bit about Madripoor; to keep the focus not only on the task at hand, but off of Bucky's past that he clearly still can't cope with.

"James... You will have to become someone you claim is gone." Sam is officially ready to throw Zemo out a window. 😂 The only reason he doesn't jump to Bucky's defense again and basically tell Zemo to fuck himself (in a PG-13 way 🙄) is because Bucky's, as Sam pointed out in ep2, a grown-ass man, and because he's just learned how few decisions this poor man has been able to make in his life. Sam doesn't want to come across as another "handler," deciding everything for him, even if he does think this plan is stupid and needlessly cruel.

At the bar, when asked if he wants "the usual", Sam just casually waves the bartender off like "nah". Zemo already said they had business to attend to, so it's not like anyone would be suspicious that now's probably not a good time to be doing weird shots lol. (wtf even was that? I'm not sure I want to know, but...what part of the snake did he drop into that drink?)

Sam's not an idiot (I'm really so sick of this trend of turning intelligent characters into morons because the writers can't think of any other way to move their plot along) so his cell phone has been off this whole time. No sudden call from Sarah to put them all in danger. There was really no point to that, anyway; Sharon likely would have killed Selby for talking about Nagle with or without the excuse of "saving" Sam and Bucky. I mean, it's not like they know who fired that shot, ever.

"They cleared the Bionic Staring Machine," Sam still jokes, but he follows it with, "and they think he's a mass-murderer." "They think?" Sharon stares at him incredulously. "Didn't he kill pretty much everyone he's ever met?" "Wow." Sam glances back at Bucky. "She really is awful now." To Sharon, he adds, "You met Steve; do you really think he'd have defied 117 countries to protect someone evil?" "He did it for Bucky," she points out. "Let's face it - Bucky could blow up half the planet, and Steve's loyal-to-a-fault ass would still take a bullet for him." "You know I'm sitting right here, right? I can hear you." "Look, I don't think you're evil, Bucky," Sharon assures him. "But I know you killed a lot of people for HYDRA." "I'm not denying it." "He didn't have a choice," Sam snaps, glaring at them both. "But we're not getting into that right now. My point is, the government's afraid of Bucky, and they still pardoned him. All you did was steal something. I'm sure they can be persuaded to see reason." "The day the US government sees reason," Sharon quips, rolling her eyes, "is the day I sprout real wings and fly off into the sunset." "Careful, Icarus," Bucky mocks with a smirk, "the sun and brand new wings don't exactly go together." Then he shrugs and glances at Sam. "But she's not wrong."

At the party that night, it takes a few minutes (grumpy old man Bucky's not sure how to feel about the music lol) but a peek of pre-war Bucky comes out to play: they were told to "blend in", so he dances. At first he's just bobbing around alone looking stoic and out of place, but soon he's smiling and dancing between two attractive people - one male, one female. Sam is surprised, but before he can tease him for it, Sharon comes to get them all. Even she's a little "wait what?" at Bucky having a little fun lol. (recovery is not linear, guys. trauma doesn't mean "perpetually miserable, no fun, doesn't even know how to smile." in my TFATWS, Bucky gets his lighter moments; real ones, not humor at his expense)

When they find Nagle, Bucky's the one who notices and opens the secret door, while Sam keeps an eye on Zemo. Bucky catches Zemo trying to grab that gun; closes the drawer on his hand before opening it and taking the gun away. "Nice try." Nagle tries to get away while there's only one person watching him, but Sam catches him and forces him back into his seat. With a bruising grip on the back of Zemo's neck, Bucky drags him back over to where he and Sam can both keep an eye on him. Nagle is killed in the shootout as they're trying to escape; Zemo still runs off, blows shit up, and comes back with the stolen car so he's not totally useless.

I had no problem with Zemo being the one to kill Nagle; Nagle was the worst and def had to die, and Zemo has never had an issue killing anyone. Where I took issue with this scene was Bucky and Sam being dumb enough to let Zemo wander and get his hands on a gun. Nope. Not happening.

Anyway, shootout! Explosions! Funny banter! The seat thing, which is my favorite nod to CW ever lol... And then the conversation on the plane...

"You okay?" "Yeah." Sam sighs. "Just thinking." "About how to get Sharon that pardon you dangled in front of her?" He shakes his head. "About how Nagle referred to 'The Winter Soldier Program" like it was some kind of after school club; like you weren't standing right there. And 'the American test subject' like... Like Isaiah wasn't even a real person." He turns to face Bucky, looking angry and weary. "Makes me wonder how many times... How many times are we gonna run around in the same circles before people learn? And how many people need to get crushed underfoot in the meantime?" "Did you really just equate me with Isaiah?" Bucky frowns, not sure how to react to that. "That man is a hero." Sam opens his mouth to say something, but his phone goes off and Zemo approaches at the same time, effectively cutting off their conversation.

When they get to Riga and Zemo tries to guilt trip them over Sokovia, Bucky deadpan reminds him, "Neither of us were involved in that fight." "I doubt you'd have been much help if you were." He shrugs. "Probably not. But I like to save my guilt for events I was actually present for. It's a thing." Zemo laughs. "Fair enough."

Bucky goes on his walk, and meets up with Ayo.

[icharchivist]

@cxsaltwater replied to your post“what's your opinion on linssen”

what the hell, have i started a new age of linssen followers or something

I don’t know, did you? :D

I know there’s a blog on tumblr that just posts about Linssen, and I know some artists (mostly in the Japanese community I heard?) are actually quite found of him and if you lurk on Pixiv you can actually find a lot of Linsseen art. (also axeeee on tumblr likes them a lot)

so. Somehow. He has fans I suppose. Who would have expected.

[lyssismagical]

Hey, you know... if you ever wanted to write another Parkner glee au (bc i found the other two you wrote and I'm obsessed) I think the Bash episode in s5 would be pretty cool. If you can't swing it, that's fine. Just a suggestion but mostly good job I love what you've done with the others 💖💖💖

Glee AU #3 – Bash (S5 ep15)

{TW: Homophobia, Violence}

 Ever since they moved to Boston together, things had been relatively calm. There hadn’t been any conflicts between any of the roommates, no terrible injuries, no issues with moving out, they’d been happily enjoying the adult life.

Harley and Peter were going to MIT, MJ going to Harvard, and Ned at Tufts University.

They were living in a decently nice apartment not far from all three of their campuses, and close to where Betty, Ned’s girlfriend, was going, Yale.

It was theirs in a way that most things weren’t. They paid for it all on their own, and they were continuing to pay rent, pay their bills, and buy groceries all with their own hard-earned money.

For Harley, the best thing about the past couple months in Boston was Peter.

They’d been dating since Junior year and now they’re living together, sleeping in the same bed, going to school together, having date nights all the time.

At first, MJ had said, quiet and concerned, that she was worried this would be too much for their relationship. She’d always been observant, and it was true that they were used to a lot of time apart. Especially with Harley spending the summers in Tennessee and Peter spending most nights Spider-Manning, they’d never really spent this long together.

But their relationship flourished.

Instead of feeling claustrophobic in their relationship, they basked in the time they could spend together.

They had more arguments, but they had a lot more time to communicate their problems and work through them. They were good for each other in that way.

The peace they’d all been basking in made it so surprising when the first headline appeared before them.

A friend of a friend was in the hospital after being beaten up in an alleyway, left unconscious in the rain, simply for being gay.

Peter hadn’t been Spider-Man in months. After Mysterio the summer before and the additional stress of moving to Boston and MIT, he’d made a deal with May and Tony that he’d put Spider-Man on the backburner unless absolutely necessary.

Everybody had expected, sitting around their dining room table, newspaper laid out on the center of the table, that Peter would be swinging through the streets to bring justice.

Instead, Harley found Peter in their bed, blankets tugged over his head like he was hiding from the horrors of the world.

“You okay, darling?” Harley asks gently. He sits on the edge of the bed and waits patiently as Peter slowly pulls the blankets off his head.

“No,” he says, eyes wide and glossy. “I know Travis wasn’t the only one with that way of thinking, but I guess it felt like the world was righter after Travis had changed for the better.”

Harley silently curses himself. Of course a headline like that would bring back unwanted high school memories.

Travis Wright had bullied Peter for three years, even going as far as threatening to kill Peter after he’d kissed Peter. A year or so later, after Harley and Peter had met, Travis had found Peter again, had admitted to being gay himself, had been projecting his own internalized homophobia on Peter, and told Peter he was becoming a better person.

“I’m so sorry, honey,” Harley murmurs, tugging Peter into a hug. “I promise you, you’ll be okay. We’ll keep you safe. We can have MJ’s boyfriend bodyguard you or something. Or we could even call Happy, get a real bodyguard-”

“I’m Spider-Man, Harls, I’m my own protection. I just- I worry about you. I know you’ve always been the kind of guy to fight back and you’re strong, but these guys- they’re always stronger and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Harley smiles gently at his boyfriend, kissing his forehead. “Is this the perfect excuse for you to walk me to class in the morning? I wouldn’t mind riding the subway with you.”

It’s a silly kind of joke to be making in such a scary time, but Harley’s always been the kind of person to make badly timed jokes.

It does it’s job, though. Peter offers a watery smile and links their hands together.

Peter does end up walking Harley from class to class, even if it means being late for his own, and even if it means nearly losing his job when he’s late.

He’d do anything to keep Harley safe, that had never been a question.

Except for the small fact that Peter’s a busy guy. He’s always been the kind of person to fill his workload to the very brim, to never give himself even a second of spare time.

So he’s not too surprised when one of the days, he’s waiting just inside the autoshop he works at, waiting for Peter to show up, when MJ hops out of a taxi instead.

“Peter called,” she explains, looping their arms together to start their trek back to their apartment.

If anybody threatening shows up in their path, they can just pretend to be dating instead, so neither of them are very worried about anything happening. And either way, it’s only a fifteen minute walk back to the apartment.

“Did he get caught up?” Harley asks, not a hint of anger or disappointment in his voice.

“A coworker asked him to cover her shift because her sister got in an accident. You know how he is. He called me on his break, very flustered and asked if I could walk you home.”

Harley frowns. “I’m capable of taking care of myself.”

“He knows that,” she says, squeezing his arm. “He’s just protective and he worries about you, about all of us, really. He’s even had Ned being careful not to take any shady routes home after classes.”

They make it home without any problem, unsurprisingly. Ned’s sitting on their couch, video game controller in hand. Betty’s stretched across the cushions, head in her boyfriend’s lap. She’s staying the long weekend at their apartment.

Harley immediately makes his way to the kitchen to start making dinner, and he hears MJ talking to Betty and Ned in the living room.

Maybe that’s why, when the call comes, it’s such a surprise.

It’s supposed to be a domestic, sweet Friday night with the five of them, eating Harley’s homemade dinner and bickering about which movie to watch.

It’s supposed to be the kind of night where everyone turns in early from a long week of hard work, followed by a late Saturday morning breakfast of Peter’s wonderful pancakes and MJ’s expensive coffee.

It’s supposed to be followed by Saturday Dinner Potluck where Flash and Harry come to visit, and Gwen sometimes makes it out to join them, and everyone makes a bit of food to share.

That’s not how it goes.

*

It’s late and the four of them are half-asleep around the living room, not worried about their missing fifth member, unsure when he’ll make it back from his late shift.

Harley’s phone rings from the kitchen, just loud enough to heard over the Friends episode that plays on the TV, more background noise to their hushed conversations than anything.

Harley extracts himself from the couch, coaxing MJ’s legs out of his lap and Ned’s head from his shoulder, socked feet padding quietly across the hardwood to the kitchen.

“Hello?”

As soon as the news is delivered, he slips into one of the breakfast bar stools, heart pounding in his chest as he utters a quick goodbye, fingers moving to dial Harry.

Harry, living just a few hours away in his own house with his boyfriend, answers his ringing phone, assuming wrongly that it’ll be Harley confirming Saturday Potluck.

Flash stirs against his chest when Harry drops his phone in horror and surprise at the news.

Tony’s asleep when his phone rings.

Pepper and Morgan are sleeping on the couch next to him, the credits of a Disney movie rolling on the TV.

The news is told before he can even get out a greeting.

He wakes Pepper, tears already shining in his eyes.

May’s working a night shift when she gets the call. It’s late and the worry spikes faster than imaginable. She’s gotten too many late night calls from any of the kids to know what it means.

The news still makes tears spring to her eyes and her knees go weak.

Harley’s been pacing the waiting room for nearly two hours by the time Harry and Flash burst through the doors, faces echoing Harley’s panic.

“Is he okay? What happened?” Flash demands, hands trembling as he grabs Harry’s and squeezes tight.

Harley opens his mouth to explain the story he got from the man who talked to them earlier, but nothing comes out.

“There’s been a few attacks recently,” MJ says, materializing at his side, hand on his shoulder. “A group of people who aren’t happy with the positive changes with gay rights who’ve been targeting people. I guess… There was this guy, Charlie, who was getting attacked in an alleyway, and- you know Peter. He’s never been the kind of person to stand by while someone else is in trouble.”

“Is he going to be okay?” Harry asks, paling when Harley and MJ are quiet for too long.

Harley swallows thickly. “He should be. He’s got Spider-Man on his side, and Charlie called the cops as soon as he got away. But the group, one of them pulled a gun.”

The boyfriends sink into a set of chairs across from them, knuckles white where they hold hands.

“But is going to be okay?” Flash’s voice is shaking almost as badly as his hands. “This isn’t even close to the first time he’s been shot.”

Before Harley can give an answer, not that he can really think of anything good to say, a nurse comes out of Peter’s room.

“Parker family?”

They must look like a strange bunch. Harley, MJ, Betty, Ned, Harry, and Flash, but the nurse barely even blinks when they turn to her.

“Is he going to be okay?” Flash repeats.

The nurse smiles. Not one of those plain and sad, sympathetic smiles, the kind of smiles that Harley was given when he was told his dad was never coming back. The kind of smiles that he was given when the principal at his first school told him there was nothing he could do about cruel words.

It’s not that.

It’s a genuine, good news smile.

“Yeah, he’s going to be just fine. His body’s still working through the anesthetics from the surgery, but everything went well and he’s all patched up. You can go in to see him, but I’d recommend not crowding his room when he wakes up.”

All eyes immediately turn to Harley. He’s Peter’s boyfriend, he’s not exactly sure if that takes priority over best friends, but he understands that they’re giving him the opportunity to see Peter first and his heart warms.

He nods quickly, thanking the nurse as quick as his clumsy tongue will let him, and his shoulders finally relax.

“He’s in room 248 whenever you’re ready.”

The nurse smiles once more before she heads back down the hallway she came from.

“Are you sure?” Harley asks when the two couples sit down again.

MJ smiles, patting at his shoulder. “Go see him. Come get us when you’re ready to. We’ll all be okay waiting for a little while longer.”

That’s all the reassurance he needs before he hurries down the hallway, awkwardly trying not to sprint, but desperate to see his boyfriend as quickly as he can.

He barely manages to slow himself when he bursts into Peter’s hospital room, eyes wide and burning with tears.

This is the one downside with being in love with Peter Parker.

Having to get used to seeing his loved one in a hospital bed too often, even if it’s never for very long. With Peter’s enhanced healing, he’s never been in the hospital for more than a couple days, but it also makes him think he’s invincible and jump into fights without a second thought.

Even now, in a scenario where Peter was supposed to be walking home from a shift at work, where he was supposed to join them in their living room, maybe offer to crack open a bottle of wine for them, snuggle up against Harley’s side.

Even then, Peter ended up in the hospital.

How much is the world going to throw at him for simple existing? How unfair is the universe for throwing this at him too?

Harley finally moves, eyes unable to stop staring at the cuts and bruises that litter his love’s pale skin.

He carefully slides into the space next to Peter in the bed, tears burning at his eyes as he gently presses a kiss to Peter’s temple.

“Nothing’s going to harm you, not while I’m around,” he promises.

He presses his nose against Peter’s neck, tucking his head in the crook of Peter’s shoulder, and he tries not to make it too obvious when the tears fall.

*

Harley jerks awake when he feels a kiss to his cheek.

His eyes dart around the room, remembering where he is and why, and the pain sparks in his chest, nothing physical but something so deeply emotional because his Peter was hurt.

“Hi,” Peter says, squinting up at Harley. His cuts have mostly healed, red lines left in their wake. The bruises have gone from the scary hues of black and purple down to softer yellows and greens. He’s half-smiling but there’s something awfully wrong about it.

“Are you feeling okay?” Harley asks, immediately regretting the words. “I mean, obviously you’re not, but I just- I don’t know-”

Peter winces and he rests his mouth against Harley’s jaw for a long moment to compose himself.

Eventually, he sighs and says, “I’ve been shot before and this isn’t my first being beaten up, that’s for sure. It’s not even my first time being beaten up for being bisexual. That was pretty much my whole junior year.”

Harley nods silently, gently threading his fingers through Peter’s hair. They’re close enough together, squished up in the hospital bed, that Harley can see the flush of Peter’s cheeks and the tears that pool in his eyes.

“But this felt so different. Travis, at least he knew me, right? He was never going to kill me, despite the threats he made. He was just a scared kid, you know? Those people, they saw a guy with a rainbow pin on his bag, and they wanted to kill him. They saw me protecting him, and they wanted to kill me too. That’s not- That’s not right.”

“It’s not,” Harley agrees because he isn’t sure what else he’s supposed to say. “I know, but Charlie, the guy you saved, he gave a full statement to the police, and it should be enough to track those people down and have them arrested.”

Peter sniffles, chin wobbling. “I’ve just never been that scared before. I was so worried for you that I wasn’t even thinking about me when I was walking home that night. I thought- I guess I thought I’d be okay because I’m Spider-Man. But I wasn’t Spider-Man.”

“I’m so sorry,” Harley says. He kisses his boyfriend’s forehead, grabbing his hand and threading their fingers together. Peter’s knuckles are busted, blood still staining his fingers.

*

Peter’s released from the hospital that night.

He’s still weak and beyond tired, but he throws on a brave smile as Harley helps him up and into the sweatpants and t-shirt MJ brought for them.

Harley hails them a taxi and he never lets go of Peter’s hand for the whole trip home.

“You okay?” Harley asks for the thousandth time when they reach their apartment door.

“I love you,” Peter says instead, kissing Harley before he smiles. “I’m good, I’m alright.”

Harley opens the door and leads Peter into the apartment.

The dining room, kitchen, and living room are all filled with people.

May, Gwen, Tony, Pepper, and Morgan made the four hour road trip to Boston. Harry, Flash, and Betty are still hanging around. Ned and MJ are setting the dining room table. Abbie and Macy got the nearest flight from Tennessee.

There’s food laid out across the table and MJ spots them first, lighting up in a smile.

“Saturday Night Potluck,” she explains, jogging over to pull Peter into a tight hug. “Don’t you ever do that to me again, you hear me?”

“No promises,” Peter says, but he’s smiling brightly and he looks so much younger, worry lines smoothing out and the nicks and faded bruises look more like tricks of the light, not a traumatic experience painted so much deeper than his skin.

Tony’s there next, but he doesn’t take it as well. “Are you kidding me, Parker?”

Harley can tell the anger comes from the right place, and he rolls his eyes. “You couldn’t wait even one day to reprimand him?”

“Was I stupid to think you’d be safe here?” Tony demands, completely ignoring Harley. “Was it stupid of me to think that sending you off to University would mean you’d be safe? What were you thinking, Parker? What if they’d all had guns, huh? What if- They could’ve killed you.”

“I know.” The smile’s faded from his face and it makes Harley want to punch Tony. “But I’ve been dealing with these kinds of people for as long as I can remember. I’ve got my healing, Tony. I can’t just stand by when things like this happens.”

Tony’s expression crumples and he tugs Peter into his arms. “Please, for the sake of my old heart, please don’t do anything like that again. I can’t handle getting anymore calls like that, okay?”

Peter squeezes Tony, but doesn’t bother making that promise.

Everyone knows, all too well, that Peter’s guilt complex mixed with his heroic compassion, he’d never be able to give up helping people. It’s just what he does.

“Saturday Night Potluck!” Ned calls out, arms spread wide to show off the arrangement of too many lawn chairs around their much too small table, covered in different dishes and foods. “Come eat!”

Harley smiles and wraps an arm protectively around Peter’s waist to lead him to the table.

Life is about weighing the good with the bad, and Peter, despite having been through so much bad, still has plenty of good constantly surrounding him.

He has his strange, inexplicable family. He has Saturday Night Potlucks and Friday movie nights. He has this.

Harley squeezes his hand.

He’s still here, still standing, still going to view the world in the same optimistic, hopeful way that he always has despite everything that’s told him not to, still going to stand strong and brave, still going to stand up for what he believes in despite the consequences he might face, still going love because love is enough to conquer hate.

He’s still here.

Taglist: @littlemissagrafina  @spideygirl2003 @romeoandjulietyouwish @c-artara @shadedrose01 @likeaphoenix13 @pj-hermes-tonystark-obsessed @you-get-killed-walk-it-off @kitkatwinchester  @emo-girl10  

[thecompostpile]

I'm An Adult I Ordered Coffee Ice Cream

Ice Cream On A Friday Afternoon

A Bacon Nation

Whoa This Is Growing Up

Ice Cream Essay #2

It finally happened. I have been trying to outrun it for years. The long boney fingers of adulthood have finally grabbed me around the waist and thrust me up just a little bit closer to death and a lot bit away from childhood.

After years of looking at ice cream menus. Spent my entire life looking at each of the flavors. Reading the entire list and contemplating each flavor. Slowly testing to see which flavor I fancied most. Did I want sprinkles? Cup or cone? Sugar or wafer? Twenty-six long hard years of building up my ice cream identity. Probably hundreds if not thousands of scoops of ice cream.

Not once in all of these times did I ever want to get coffee flavored ice cream. It never even crossed my mind. Coffee flavored ice cream was something adults got. I certainly wasn’t an adult. When I was a kid I didn’t like coffee and I certainly did not want to find it anywhere near my ice cream.

It took me a really long time to even try coffee for some reason. I never thought it was cool to drink it in high school, so I didn’t. I am pretty sure it wasn’t until it was at least 21 where I started drinking coffee and it wasn’t until 2016 where I started drinking coffee regularly. My first “real” job was an internship at Subway Headquarters where they gave us free coffee. That’s when I really started drinking coffee.

I remember being sure that kids weren’t supposed to like coffee ice cream. .  I don’t remember where I got the idea. Someone had told me that. It sounds like something a cousin or a tv show would say “Coffee ice cream is a waste of good ice cream” or some joke like that. Right now, I think maybe Rugrats but my childhood memories are such a blur. It is crazy to think about what sticks in my little kid brain and what doesn’t. I know every Pokemon name but can’t remember most of the vacations I took. I have almost no memories from elementary school but I do remember almost every episode of Spongebob Squarepants. I don’t know brains are weird.

There are also all sorts of old wives tales about how coffee isn’t supposed to be for kids. Kids can’t have coffee. I don’t remember who told me it or where I heard it but I knew, kids couldn’t have coffee. Maybe that is why it took me so long to start drinking coffee. I was a kid. I wanted to stay a kid. Staying away from coffee would keep me a kid forever.

Now while I think about it I could have used a lot more coffee in high school or even my early days of college. I was always tired. But looking at it as an adult,  fairly leftist adult, I believe that the entire idea of coffee is bullshit. We are forcing a drug into our bodies to stay awake. Our bodies obviously don’t want it, just look at the many awful side effects of drinking coffee. Yet every single morning I drink at least two cups of the stuff. My body doesn’t want to be awake it much rather be sleep but capitalism demands it so I chug down coffee every single chance I get.

Coffee flavored ice cream defeats this entire point. It doesn’t have caffeine in it and if it does it doesn’t have as much as a cup of coffee does. The ice cream is just normal ice cream that tastes like coffee. Who asked for that? I drink my coffee black and  I don’t even think I want the taste of coffee in my ice cream. Why is this even a thing? Only an adult who loves their job and getting up in the morning so much that they would get ice cream that reminded them of going to work. Coffee ice cream is for adults

I’ve tried coffee ice cream before sure. I’ve tried someone else's. It was a favorite of my dad’s. He has even bought quarts of it and I thought it was interesting. Even as a kid who knew they wouldn’t enjoy coffee flavored ice cream I still had to try it. I had to know I didn’t like it. Really understand what about it I didn’t like. Constantly drawn to things just because I shouldn’t have them.

I am now much close to thirty than I am my teens. I drink coffee every single chance I get. I have given up on trying to stay young. A Hangover ruins my life. I can barely drink like I used to. Hell, I can barely eat sugary things like I used to. My knees always hurt. I am old. I did an adult thing I ordered coffee ice cream. I am now officially an adult now.

When I woke up on Friday morning I wasn’t planning on getting coffee ice cream. I had never gotten coffee ice cream before. Why would today be the day I changed my mind. I wasn’t even really planning on getting ice cream. Little did I know in only a few more hours I would change all that.

It all started when I went to get tacos with my brother. The tacos were great BUT there was no coffee ice cream there so we will skip over that part of the story. The taco place is close to my personal favorite ice cream place though Walnut Beach Creamery. As we drove by it my brother said the exact same thing that was on my mind.

“Can we go to the ice cream place?”

We could we certainly could. So I drove by to make sure it was open, even though I knew it was open and parked on the street. As we were walking over some guy yelled at us from his car. I didn’t hear him but I like to think he yelled something like

“Enjoy your ice cream!” or “They have the best ice cream!”

I’ll never know for sure though.

We stood at the outside window. All of their flavors were listed on a sandwich board but I knew all the flavors already. I had been there only a week ago when I realized they had opened for the summer. I had also been writing another Ice Cream Essay before this one and was reading their flavors. I knew I wanted to try Banana Bread ice cream. It sounded perfect I love fruit in my ice cream and I love banana bread. It was a match made in heaven.

Before I got the ice cream I had planned on getting I was going to pull a little trick. One ice cream, in particular, had grabbed my attention. It was called Morning Jolt. It was coffee flavored ice cream with chunks of chocolate covered bacon in it. While I couldn’t imagine getting a whole cone of that I was intrigued.

My plan was simple I would just get a sample of the Morning Jolt and then would get the Banana Bread ice cream instead. I asked the ice cream lady if I could have a sample of the Morning Jolt and she said sure. She handed me a metal spoon full, this was weird and I was very surprised by it and explained what was in it.  It was fine. Not my favorite but interesting.

“Can I have a small Banana Bread?” I asked. Her face got sad. Oh no. What could be wrong? Did she want me to get the Morning Jolt? Was it her favorite? Was she disappointed she could tell I didn’t like it very much? What had I done?

“We are out of the Banana Bread right now. I’m sorry” The ice cream girl informed me. I panicked. I hadn’t planned for this. I wasn’t sure what to get. Morning Jolt was still fresh on my mind so I got a sugar cone with that instead. I had done. I had paid my own hard earned money for coffee ice cream. I was an adult.

I didn’t hate my decisions at first. I was fine with it. I ate my ice cream as my brother ordered. The coffee ice cream was really good and refreshing. It was melting quickly from the heat so I had to eat it quickly. The chunks of bacon were interesting and kept me on my toes.

I don’t really know when everyone became obsessed with bacon. I mean bacon is fine. I have nothing against it. Culture seems obsessed with bacon. It is on everything. I personally blame the Bush Administration and the early aughts. I am not writing a thesis on bacon, just an essay about ice cream so I won’t dive deeper on this train of thought I just thought people should know I am not really an “OMG PUT BACON ON IT YOU STUPID BITCH” kind of person.

I don’t think bacon really belongs in or around ice cream. Let us imagine we are doing the same with sausage or ham. Obviously, I get that Morning Jolt is supposed to be a play on breakfast but I don’t see the point. The bacon was maple bacon which I really didn’t think went well with chocolate.

I took a chance went with something that sounded interesting. It didn’t really work out for me. Isn’t this most of adulthood though. Putting yourself out there, risking something trying something new, only to be let down. Melting ice cream as you walk away from the ice cream drenched in buyers remorse as I walk away from 20 other ice cream flavors I would have liked much more.

If adulthood is coffee ice cream. I want nothing to do with it. If adulthood is coffee ice cream it is bitter, pointless and a waste of good ice cream.