#the candy curtis case

[winstonsns]

i read your cuteness aggression for the curtis!reader and i’m in love! can you maybe do preferences with a curtis!reader who’s a year younger than pony? thank you and have a wonderful day/afternoon/night! ☺️

the gang and 13 year old curtis!reader (request)

pairings: ponyboy x reader, johnny x reader, soda x reader, darry x reader, dally x reader, two-bit x reader, steve x reader

warnings: cussing

authors note: this is strictly platonic guys!! i feel like i’ve been falling off lately LMAO. i hope u guys enjoy though 💗

word count: 1.0k

PONYBOY CURTIS

the two of you are the closest in the gang, being the closest in age and him being a protective older brother to you

he doesn’t always feel the closest to his siblings because him and darry are always arguing, soda’s in the middle and doesn’t interfere anymore

but you’re always one to comfort pony after he gets into a heated argument with his oldest brother

he helps you with homework a lot since you’re not far behind him, he helps you study and get super high grades so darry isn’t on your ass for shitty grades

pony also reads you books when you’re stressed, it’s also just something he enjoys doing in your presence

quality time means a lot to him because his brothers are never home, he’ll read a magazine or do homework in a room with you, it gives him a sense of safety

JOHNNY CADE

the two of you aren’t exactly the closest in age but you talk to each other about everything

you and johnny hang out at the lot and sometimes fall asleep there, when you wake up, you direct him to your house so he can sleep there too

sometimes he’ll give you little gifts for fun, remembers a lot of things you tell him

if you talk about a book or item you want once, he’ll get it as soon as he can

he really appreciates your friendship and will do anything to keep it and strengthen it

probably let’s you borrow his switchblade even though he always has it on him, has backups too

SODAPOP CURTIS

he’s the most annoying but loving brother to you, always asking you if you have a partner yet and teasing you if you do

“ooooh.. who were you hangin’ out with today, y/n? you like them?”

“soda, i’ve been friends with them for years!”

“yeah, but do you like them?”

he’s the embodiment of the trend ‘i know love is real because (name) is real and they are full of it’

soda makes sure you have a lot of attention and love, doesn’t necessarily try to replace your parents but is somewhat nurturing to you

he doesn’t rant to you often because he knows it can be overwhelming, you’re just a kid, as he puts it and shouldn’t be dealing with others problems

sometimes he’ll take you to the DX after school so you can gossip and you can learn about working

DARRY CURTIS

darry’s your eldest brother and is extremely protective of you, always checks up on you and asking about your day

he has the same expectations for you and ponyboy, he checks over your homework but is calmer with you

he wants you to be with some sort of guardian wherever you go, even if you’re walking down the street for fun

he knows it’s not the safest for you to be alone, especially at night

because he doesn’t have the best relationship with his brothers, he makes cake with you more often than he does with the others

he does not let you participate in rumbles, he says it’s way too dangerous for you to fight

DALLAS WINSTON

he fucking hates kids so it’s a surprise he enjoys your presence

you remind him a bit of himself, you’re a bit of an ‘outcast in the outcasts’ because you’re the youngest and told you can’t do anything

so dally teaches you how to live in case you ever get put on the streets, teaches you what to do in the worst case scenarios

he’s hard on you though, it’s tough love and he can get really frustrated if you get hurt or in trouble because he’s taught you how to protect yourself

steals random stuff for you, most of the time it’s candy or random sweets like popcorn from the drive in, sometimes it’s a drink

TWO-BIT MATTHEWS

you remind him of his younger sister, he feels obligated to protect you in some way

most of the time, soda and darry are working so they aren’t home most of the time, pony’s hanging out with johnny so keith watches over you

sometimes he calls himself your babysitter because he thinks it’s funny, it’s even better that he knows you’re fully capable of taking care of yourself

he’ll tell you super inappropriate jokes and when darry’s there, he’ll smack him on the back of the head

“two, knock it off. she doesn’t needa hear that stuff!”

“i didn’t even do anything, super—“

he steals stuff for you too, whether it’s something related to your studies or a random item you want for some reason

STEVE RANDLE

originally didn’t want to be around you, he doesn’t want to be around ponyboy and you’re with him all the time

but eventually, steve warms up to you and lets you hang out with him and the gang sometimes

he’s actually pretty smart and not many people expect that from him, he helps you with homework even though he can get frustrated at times if you don’t understand

if you’re into cars, expect him to teach you all about them and for him to invite you to the DX

maybe he lets you help him fix some of the cars, of course you won’t get paid money, instead snacks he gives you for free

soda will come up to you in the morning as you’re barely awake, talking to you

“steve said to come to the DX after school, gonna teach you some stuff about cars.”

[dallasgallant]

Halloween headcanons

Talked about 1960s Halloween [Here] and think I may do it for future holidays as they pop up! But I also thought I��d do some actual headcanons, maybe drawings if I think of some later on

Dallas, Two-bit, Steve and Soda all really like the ‘trick’ part of the night, sometimes they can rope Johnny or the others into it. Pony’s got a weak throwing arm though… (egging, toilet paper, the works.)

For when they trick or treated going over to the west/south side of town would be the equivalent of a “King sized” neighborhood (this was before there were too many mini bars of candy, it was practically all full size and homemade treats)

Johnny loves popcorn balls the best. You hear a sickening crunch… it’s not a spooky sounds record it’s him.

Mrs. Curtis would always have them take costume lineup photos as kids at least once. Dally has always been a victim of Red eye photos (except for the few years he was gone to New York) as they got older it turned into more candid photos of the boys sprawled across the living room or porch.

As he’s gotten older Pony stays back to hand out stuff rather than collect it on his own, thinking he’s too tuff™️ — he is however working on his Halloween gore makeup. Goal is to scare children.

Their dad was the type to sit in a lawn chair at the end of the drive (in this case on the sidewalk) with a few buddy’s and tell stories and pass out candy. -> Darry now does this tradition if he doesn’t have a friend call him up to go out.

Soda likes candy corn. Like really likes it- all of the brothers do and it baffles the rest of the gang. However, Steve likes wax candy so he can’t talk.

Pumpkin carving always ends up in flinging the guts everywhere and a chorus of ‘aw my hair!’ You’d think they’d learn by now. They don’t.

Pony and Steve get particularly fussy about their hair but then you also get pumpkin seeds and decorations out of it so maybe it’s ok.

Dally can carve the best jack o’ lantern though.

Two-bit crashed a soc costume party once for three hours without getting noticed.

By the end of the night the rest of the gang will show up at the Curtis door (usually blitzed) and they all swap treats… that they got through reputable means… and watch whatever horror marathon is on before the tv ends for the night (24 hour tv is very very new)

Pony has a love hate relationship with Horror movies

Johnny however is utterly fine with gore and does better than Pony, who will sometimes gag at his own makeup. He’s very “Aw that’s gross… cool.”

Soda and Steve also go to parties a lot, sometimes the others will join them other times they’re too busy causing chaos.

Cherry, Bob, Marcia and Randy always do coordinated and planned group costumes that usually win then attention or a contest or two. They go to the more traditional teen Halloween parties

[brainwasheddd]

Hello :]

What are some outsiders hcs you have?

YAY!!!!!

Ponyboy:

- absolutely CANNOT sleep alone. One time Darry was out on a skiing trip and soda decided to stay the night with Steve and he just stayed up all night. Then when everyone came home he dragged soda to their room and forced him to just lay down in bed with him so he could sleep a few hours

- this isn’t really a headcanon because it’s in the book but he’s a really good liar, mostly because he’s a writer and has a such a big imagination. He can get out of any situation with a lie if he tries hard enough, professional gaslighter

Sodapop:

- likes sad movies and cries over them. He gets bored over most movies but when they’re sad he gets invested and turns into a huge bawl baby, especially ones with horses

- one time he tried on Sandy’s lip gloss as a joke and he couldn’t stop staring at himself and thinking about how it just looked right (transfem Sodapop?? I read a few fics like that and I love the concept so much)

Darry:

- needs at least an hour of being absolutely alone every day to unwind. It’s hard when there’s constantly people he has to look after but if he doesn’t get his time to recharge he’s more likely to snap at the gang

- still has Paul’s ring on a necklace in one of his drawers. He knows he should get rid of it, they’re never getting back together and holding onto it is just making him feel worse, but he can’t bear the thought of throwing it out

Johnny:

- can’t sleep without noise of some kind (cars, crickets, anything). That’s why he chooses the lot over the Curtis house even when it gets cold, he can’t bear the silence. Darry catches on and starts leaving the TV on a low volume for him so he can sleep

- really good at drawing. He rarely does it and only ever doodles on napkins or the margins of worksheets, but when he does it’s amazing. Ponyboy tells him if he ever becomes a published author he’s gonna hire Johnny to do the cover art.

Dally:

- never has his back to the door/always keeps the exit in his line of sight. Even just hanging out with the gang, he’s constantly paranoid he’ll need to escape quickly, so he keeps an eye on the exit just in case

- grew up catholic. His mother took him to church every Sunday, and he kept going for a little bit after she died. But as he got more involved in the gangs of New York, he stopped going and started feeling like he didn’t deserve to step foot in a church anymore. But at the same time, he felt guilty for not going, like he was betraying his mother and god. Catholic guilt is strong in this one

Two-Bit:

- brings his little sister along to hang out with the gang sometimes. They all love her to death and would do anything for her. When she gets her first boyfriend, they all give him their own version of a shovel talk, with Two-Bit’s being the most detailed and scariest because he completely loses his usual joking demeanor

- regularly threatens to kill or at least seriously harm Johnny’s parents and Steve’s dad. Everyone thinks he’s joking because it’s Two-Bit, he’s always joking, but he’s not. He’d go to prison for his friends if it meant they were safe. They offhandedly mention getting a bad beating and he goes “want me to take care of them for you?” And they just laugh it off

Steve:

- we all know Pony’s an unreliable narrator. Steve actually does care about Ponyboy a lot, he just doesn’t show it too well. But he gives him candy and soda from the DX, lets him help fix up cars, and sometimes if he’s out with soda and sees something he knows pony will like like a cool calligraphy set, he’ll swipe it and make soda give it to him and say it wasn’t from him. It’s just that sometimes he likes his alone time with soda, and he can be a little brash, but he certainly doesn’t hate the kid

- sleeps in the lot almost as much as Johnny. He and Johnny are really close because of it, sometimes they’ll stay up together and just talk all night. Johnny’s death hit him really hard, and he couldn’t sleep in the lot for months after, no matter how hard it got with his dad

[pupsmailbox]

STARTING WITH C

MASCULINE︰ cade. caden. caelan. caiden. cairo. cal. cale. caleb. caleb.. callahan. callan. callaway. callen. callum. calvin. cam. camden. camdyn. cameron. camilo. camron. cannon. carey. carl. carleton. carlos. carlton. carson. carter. cary. case. casey. cash. casimir. cason. casper. cassius. caulder. cavan. cayden. cayson. cecil. cedar. cedric. cesar. chace. chad. chadwick. chaim. chance. chandler. channing. charles. charley. charlie. charlton. chas. chase. chaz. chesley. chester. chet. chip. chris. christian. christie. christopher. chuck. chuckie. chucky. cillian. clair. clancy. clarence. clark. claud. claude. clay. clayton. clem. clement. cletis. cletus. cleve. cliff. clifford. clifton. clint. clinton. clive. clyde. cobie. cody. cohen. colbert. colby. cole. coleman. colin. collin. collins. collyn. colson. colt. colten. colter. colton. connell. conner. connor. conor. conrad. cooper. corbin. cordell. corey. cori. cornelius. cornell. corwin. cory. cosmo. coty. coy. craig. crawford. cree. creighton. crew. crispian. crispin. cristian. crofton. cruz. cullen. curran. curt. curtis. cuthbert. cy. cyan. cyril. cyrus.

FEMININE︰ cadence. caelie. cailin. calanthe. calanthia. caleigh. cali. callie. calliope. cam. camellia. cameron. camila. camilla. camille. camryn. candace. candi. candice. candy. candyce. capri. cara. careen. carey. carina. caris. carissa. carla. carlisa. carlisle. carly. carlyn. carmel. carmella. carmen. carol. carolina. caroline. carolyn. carrie. carter. casey. cass. cassandra. cassidy. cassie. cat. cataleya. catalina. catharine. catherine. cathleen. cathryn. cecelia. cecilia. cecily. cedar. celandine. celeste. celestine. celia. celinda. celine. chalice. chana. chandler. chanel. chanelle. channing. chantal. chantel. chantelle. chanté. charisma. charissa. charisse. charity. charla. charlee. charleen. charleigh. charlene. charley. charli. charlie. charlotte. charmaine. charnette. chasity. chastity. chaya. chelle. chelsea. chelsey. chelsie. cher. cherette. cheri. cherice. cherie. cherilyn. cherise. cherish. cherry. cherryl. cheryl. chesley. chevonne. cheyanne. cheyenne. chloe. chloë. chrissie. chrissy. christa. christabel. christabella. christabelle. christal. christen. christi. christiana. christie. christina. christine. christobel. christy. chrysanta. chrystal. ciara. cicely. ciera. cierra. cinda. cindi. cindra. cindy. claire. clara. clare. clarette. claribel. clarice. clarinda. clarissa. clarity. claudia. clematis. clemence. clemency. clementine. cleo. clover. coleen. colene. colette. colleen. collins. collyn. connie. constance. cora.

NEUTRAL︰ cab. cable. cache. cade. caden. cadence. cai. cal. callahan. callaway. callout. calm. camari. cambrian. camdyn. cameron. camille. camp. campbell. camren. camryn. candle. candy. cannon. canyon. captain. captor. carcass. carousel. carry. carsen. carsyn. carter. cartier. cas. cascade. case. casey. cash. casino. casket. casper. caspian. cassidy. castle. casual. cat. catalogue. cavalry. cave. cavity. cay. caydence. caylen. cedar. celeb. cement. cemetery. century. chain. chainsaw. chandler. channing. chaos. char. charge. charity. charleston. charley. charlie. charly. charm. chase. chayce. checkers. cheer. chemical. cherish. chernobyl. cherry. chevelle. chevy. chiffon. chilly. chip. chirp. chop. chosen. chozen. chris. chrome. chrysalis. chrysanthemum. church. cider. cidney. cinder. cinnamon. city. cj. clarity. clarke. classic. clay. clear. clementine. cliché. click. cliff. cloak. clock. closure. cloud. clover. clownery. cob. cobalt. cobolt. cobra. cocoa. code. codin. colby. colt. comatose. combat. conley. control. cookie. cooper. copeland. copper. cor. coral. corbyn. corduroy. core. corvette. cory. cosmic. count. court. courtesy. courtney. cove. coven. covet. coy. coyote. cradle. crane. crank. crash. cree. crest. crew. crime. crimson. crisis. critter. croc. crosby. cross. crow. crown. cruise. crush. crystal. cupcake. curse. cyan. cyber. cylinder. cypress. cécile.

[xo3ll1e]

𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓒𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭'𝓿𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓮𝓷

Darry Curtis x Little!Reader, It wasn’t overnight that Darry became your Daddy. It all started when you started coming over to the Curtis house for studying. Although you and Pony weren’t in the same grade, you were in his classes due to you being in APs just like him. It’s just, the one class that was holding him back was math. So his solution was to come to you, the girl he saved from some Socs a couple of days ago. Sure he’s popular but no one else he legitimately wants to talk to is in this class, so he asked you to tutor him. Of course you said yes, I mean who wouldn’t?

Aurora POV

I was walking with Pony to his house. He warned me his gang was gonna be there but when are they not? Meeting them wasn’t the easiest thing but I’ve been helping out Pony for a couple of days now and at least 2 or 3 of them are there, making it easier. Me and Pony made it to the front of his house and he pushed open the gate signaling for me to follow. We walked up the steps onto the porch and he just opened the door.

“Was it not.. Locked?” I asked, obviously it wasn’t but I couldn’t help but wonder why. Nosy, I know

“Oh, well it’s just in case any of our gang wants to come in. Who’s gonna want to break in anyways? Not like there’s anything to steal.” He said while letting out a chuckle at his final words. He led me inside and everyone turned to us, except for Darry, Soda, and Steve. I liked Darry, with his beefy arms and sculpted face, just so handsome overall. But I’m here for Pony NOT the eye candy.

“Hey Pony! Hey Minnie!” Two Bit called out turning his body away from the TV. I looked at what he was watching but go figure, it’s Mickey Mouse.

“Hi Mickey!” I said cheerfully, I’ve only known him for just a couple days but ever since I sat down with him one day to watch Mickey, laid against him and shared my slice of chocolate cake, he just started calling me Minnie. I don’t mind though, I think it’s cute.

Me and Pony greeted Dally and Johnny who were talking while playing cards on the kitchen table, they welcomed us and turned back to their game. Pony led me to his room and as he settled down on his desk, I sat on the edge of his bed. We pulled out our homework and we started working.

“Hey how do you do number 8? The variables aren’t adding up and I’m somehow getting a different number every time.” He said with a sigh, I peeked over his shoulder and started pointing to where he made his mistake.

“Well you mixed the signs up a bit that’s all, but then you also forgot to multiply after you factored.” I told him, he just looked at me and I instructed him what to do. Just then Darry came in.

“Hey kiddos! Dinner’s ready!” He exclaimed lightly, I gasped and checked the time. 8:30, not late but I was supposed to be home by 6. Just before my mom got home so she didn’t know I was here. Yeah I snuck behind my mom’s back to be here, but so what? Woman never lets me live anyways.

“Oh shoot, my mom’s gonna be so pissed” I started to panic, I hurriedly grabbed my bag and pencils but Darry stopped me.

Darry POV

Look at her go, she looks like a little bunny while panicking like that. I didn’t want to laugh but I could just imagine her little ears and tail flopping and bouncing all about. I shook my head and stopped her.

“Hey listen kid, I could just drive you back and explain the situation to her, no biggie.” I said casually, she shook her head instantly and declined.

“No way! My mom doesn’t even know I’m here! Let alone outside at all! In which I shouldn’t be.” She said shaking. I felt so bad, poor lil girl, can’t imagine what’s going on in her head. I know she’s a little I know she is. I was reading the paper and saw this small article by some famous therapist talking about “age regression” I looked into it and thought it was so cute. I’d be the perfect caregiver for her, the perfect Daddy. I know I am.

“Alright then let’s call her, she starts yellin’ or what not you stay here ya dig?” She looked at me unsurely but ultimately nodded, good girl I thought. Ponyboy stood up and rubbed her back, leading her to the phone. I followed as we watched her dial her house number. The rest of the gang had left, so now it was only me, Pony, and Soda. The ringtone played for a second until we heard a click.

Ponyboy POV

“Hello? Who’s this?” A harsh voice came from the phone, I watched Aurora’s expression, how quickly her eyes became glassy and her lip trembling.

With a deep breath she said “Hi mom I’m so sorry I-“

“AURORA?? WHERE ARE YOU? WHO’S PHONE IS THIS THAT YOU’RE CALLING FROM? DO YOU REALIZE HOW WORRIED I WAS???” The woman threw question after question and yell after yell, Aurora only got worse. I’m not gonna lie, I like her. I have a crush on her. I mean who wouldn’t? She’s petite and supple and just the smiliest girl you’ll ever really meet but right now it looks like she’s about to start bawling. Sodapop came out of the kitchen and watched us, he must’ve heard the incessant yelling of Aurora’s mom. The woman just kept yelling and Aurora didn’t look up from the floor once, I’m guessing she’s embarrassed now. I could tell she wanted to say something but she just never did. Her mother let out a sigh and said

“You know what, I don’t care anymore. You wanna ruin your life and yourself by sneaking around ME. YOUR MOTHER. All you do is lie and lie and lie and I’m not taking this anymore. Stay there for all I care.” There was a click, and the phone just started to ring. All hell broke loose. Aurora bc started hyperventilating and sobbing, unable to catch her breath. I immediately took her into my arms, tucking her into my chest, she’s so small, barely reaches my shoulders.

Darry POV

Oh my cute girl, oh my sweetheart. She doesn’t deserve this. I watched as Pony rocked them side to side with her in his arms. I was albeit jealous, but I knew she needed someone right now. I pulled Soda aside and let the two have their time.

“What happened man?” Soda asked me

“Lil’ girl’s moms don’t like that she’s here. She’s staying the night, go make a plate for her” I told him and he got to it. I prepared her a glass of water because I know she’ll be dehydrated once she finishes. If she ever.

I peeked into the living room and saw them cuddling on the couch, with her face in his neck letting out sniffles. I sighed and made my way over there

“Dinner’s gonna get cold if y’all don’t eat now. Aurora we made you a plate, you’re staying here tonight.” I told her truthfully and I watched something in her eyes change. Almost like her eyes got softer and I know something had shifted when she stood up and tugged Pony by his shirt, almost like she never wanted to let go of him.

Third person

They all sat down at the table and started to eat, except Aurora. She couldn’t stomach anything and her appetite was long gone after her mother had yelled at her like that. She tried masking it but she was always told that she was an open book. Sodapop looked over at her and sighed

“Listen Doll, I know your momma just yelled at you but you gotta eat ya know?”

She looked at him and took a little nibble of the food, looking away right after. He sighed and scooted his chair close to hers, while Pony and Darry watched in curiosity as to what he was doing. He cut her food into bite size pieces and stabbed one with his fork. He raised it in the air and said

“Here comes the airplane!!” With a smile and his tongue out, obviously trying to lighten the mood. She looked at him strangely but felt bad that he felt forced to do that for her. She found it nice as well, did he know she felt little? Or did he really just want to lighten the mood after what just went down. She opened her mouth and leaned into him accepting the food from the utensil. He smiled and repeated the process a couple of times until her plate was halfway done.

As she was gonna take another bite she heard

“Pssst Aurora” Ponyboy whispered, who knows why he was whispering but all of them turned to him and now he had his fork raised. Waving and pointing it around towards Aurora to get her to take the food off of his fork. She giggled lightly which made all their hearts melt and ate the food from him. Darry then pouted and felt like he was missing out so he wanted to join in on the fun. He raised his fork, let out a whistle and as she snapped her head she smiled and happily took the food, kicking her legs in excitement. They helped her quickly finish her food and Darry brought her a nice cold cup of ice water. He was going to hand it to her but then he said

“ah ah I’m gonna help you drink your water, I think little girls like you need help” He crouched down to her height and positioned the cup near her mouth and helped her drink. She drank a little less than half and let out a whine to signal that she was done.

Darry pov

I watched her sip on the water and when she whined I pulled it away. I checked how much water she drank and looked at her disappointedly. Aurora looked back at me with puppy eyes and turned her head just like one

“Honey how much water did you drink today? Do you know Ponyboy?” I looked towards Pony who said,

“I’m not sure but during lunch she did drink her whole water bottle” I nodded and looked back at Aurora who was looking around. Sodapop let out a yawn and stood up, put his plate away in the sink and ruffled Aurora’s hair. She let out a squeal and kicked her feet around excitedly, gosh her giggling was so cute.

“C’mon Ponyboy, let’s go to bed now” He said walking towards him and Pony’s room

“Goodnight Dolly! Goodnight Dar!!” He said happily while shutting the room door, Ponyboy looked at Aurora and took her in his arms, rubbing her back.

“You wanna sleep with me and Soda tonight? I can even kick out Soda and it’ll just be me and you” He said rocking them back and forth, she shook her head and replied with

“No it’s okay! I can just sleep on the couch don’t worry” I felt so bad but I mean I’m almost a decade older than her so obviously I can’t say anything or I’ll look strange, even though I really do want to say something. Maybe even offer her to stay with me but I have to let the thought go and I start the dishes. Obviously still listening to their conversation

“I really don’t mind ya know, the couch isn’t the softest place and it might be a tight squeeze but you can lay with us” Pony said

“I know I know but please I’m perfectly fine with the couch”

“Alright fine, but if you want to, come lay with us kay?”

“Mhm!” She agrees and they wish each other goodnight, now I’m left alone with her.

“I’ll bring you some pillows and blankets”I told her and went to the closet to grab some, I brought them back and found her waiting on the couch patiently. I placed a pillow at the arm rest and gave two to her. She placed them how she wanted which was just so cute.

Aurora pov

I rearranged the pillows to how I liked, one in between my legs, one at the edge so I hopefully don’t fall, and one at my head. I looked at Darry who was looking at me funny. Admiration, adoration? Who knows but I reciprocate. I’ve had some sort of feelings for Darry since I first met him. Big beefy biceps and that sharp jawline. I just wanna kiss and lick him but I’m sure he doesn’t want me due to our age gap. He passed me the blanket he held and bid me goodnight. I waved to him and got comfortable. At least I tried to, there was a faint smell of cigarettes, my clothes were so itchy and uncomfortable and I felt dirty. I wanted to cry, this is a sensory nightmare!

I just flipped and flipped around until I somehow fell asleep.

Darry Pov

I entered my bedroom, leaving my door cracked just a bit and stripped myself of my clothes except for my boxers I slipped into bed but then I couldn’t help but notice the amount of rustling that came from the living room. I so badly wanted to go back to the living room, take little Aurora into my arms, and let her sleep with me for the night. But I knew I couldn’t, Pony and maybe even Soda would be livid. So, I just tuned her out, which didn’t really work but after a while she stopped anyways, and fell asleep.

That was until I heard this incessant whining and whimpering. I thought Ponyboy was having a nightmare so I put on some loose sweatpants and headed towards his and Soda’s room. But then I realized that the noise was coming from the living room. Aurora. I sped walked towards the couch she was laying on and I found her crying, kicking, and mumbling little “no”s and “I’m sorry”s. My eyes softened as I cradled her into my arms, wrapping the blanket around her, shushing her and bouncing her up and down as if she was an infant. I gave her light feathery kisses all over her face while bringing her to my room. I shut my door completely and looked down at her. She stopped the kicking but she was still crying so I knew I had to wake her up.

“Aurora.. Aurora wake up sweetness, I know it’s scary but c’mon wake up now” I said shaking her a bit. Her eyes shot up and frantically looked around.

Aurora pov

I felt myself being shaken and my eyes opened immediately. I looked around and saw him… Darry… I looked at him with big eyes and felt them get glassy. My mouth slowly started to become wobbly and tears were running down my face. I felt myself getting littler and littler by the second and Darry quickly cuddled me. He laid me down on the bed but as soon as I felt him try to pull away from me I tried grabbing his shirt, only to realize he wasn’t wearing one, which then made me scratch him. I started to cry harder because now I feel bad that I did that and let go of him, punishing myself and telling myself that I ruin everything that’s good to me.

There was a dip in the bed until I was brought back into Darry’s arms. He shoved me into his chest and started shushing me

“Shhhh shh little love, I know I know. Don’t be scared no more, I’m here” He reassured me, I shook my head because I didn’t deserve this. I don’t deserve this love. I’m already burdening him and his brothers enough, why did I have to pull this? He just continued to whisper

“Oh honey it’s gonna be okay, quit your cryin’ now, for me?” He looked down at me, I felt his eyes. But then I felt his hand pull my chin up to look at him and meet his gaze. My tears weren’t stopping but he just kissed them away and rubbed my back and head.

You know what, it’s okay to be selfish. I can accept his attention. I am allowed to have this. So I snuggled my head in his chest and I heard him huff out a laugh and kiss my temple. This is nice, I like this.

“Goodnight little girl, sweet dreams” He whispered dreamily. I mumbled a “G’night” back and we fell asleep just like that. Maybe I do have a chance with him.

check out my ao3 if u want moar!

[jadelotusflower]

Stargate rewatch: 2x03 - Prisoners

Jack-and-Daniel duel pointer fingers, and SG-1 get thrown into prison for trespassing on sacred ground/aiding a fugitive. The justice system works swiftly in the future on this planet now that they’ve abolished all lawyers.

“It’s like we’re in Botany Bay.” This always annoyed me! Botany Bay was not the original (colonial) name for Sydney Harbour - that was Port Jackson/Sydney Cove. Whilst the First Fleet did first arrive in Botany Bay in 1788 with the intention to found a colony there, it was considered unsuitable for settlement and they relocated slightly north. However use of Botany Bay as shorthand for the colony did persist in Western culture, so it’s understandable that Daniel would make this mistake since it's not his area of expertise. Nevertheless, he’s wrong.

Jack removes Daniel’s glasses as a sign of weakness in a prison environment, while director David Warry-Smith breathes a sigh of relief.

But surely not being able to see is a greater weakness - again we play the game of just how bad is Daniel’s eyesight, really?

This episode is credited to Terry Curtis-Fox, the first of three he would write for the show, although he also gets a senior advisor credit this season.

Bonnie Bartlett is our guest star du jour, playing Linea. She was Ellen Craig on St Elsewhere, but I remember her best as Arnie and Danny Devito’s mother in Twins.

Beware of Greeks bearing gifts, or rather, powerful women in prison bearing power sources. A great deal of the first few seasons is SG-1 stumbling into situations and making poor decisions.

"I've long believed that the best way to get knowledge is to give it." Linea's philosophy aligns with SG-1's so you can see the appeal - but one of the lessons they'll learn over the years is that those willing to give knowledge so freely are the ones to be wary of, and that they themselves must temper their willingness to hand out guns and tech out like candy. One of the overarching themes of the show is that knowledge should be earned, not given.

Linea creates cold fusion with the power of plants, and Sam is practically giddy with dreams of eliminating pollution.

LOL, Jack checks under the table in case it's a trick. However he does not ask the pertinent question of why she is in prison before offering to take her with them.

Daniel brings this up, to which Sam and Jack argue that the justice system they've experienced isn't exactly balanced - the reasoning is fair enough since they're stuck there without Linea's help. The real stupidity comes later in the episode when they give her free rein of the SGC database.

There's a nice ratcheting tension in this scene as the prisoners slowly surround and close in around SG-1 as they talk. It doesn't come to anything, just a reminder that our heroes are not in a safe place.

Teal'c points out they have no transmitters to open the iris, so Jack tells Daniel to think of alternate gate addresses. Er...what about the Alpha Site? i.e. the very planet Daniel gated to from Apophis's ship not two episodes ago?

We have two new SGC faces - Major Warren from SG-3 wanting to retrieve SG-1 (guess Makepeace was out sick?) played by Colin Lawrence who apparently was also in pilot episode but I have no memory of him. Assuming that guy didn't die I'm going to say it's the same character, who will apparently pop up again in seasons 3 and 5 so I'll have to keep an eye out. The other guy is Major Kovacek of SG-9 who wants to maintain diplomatic relations with the Taldar, but this is his only episode.

Hammond decides this a job for a series regular, and makes his first trip offworld. It is amusing to watch Hammond be direct while Kovacek lawyer-speaks around him.

"There was an experiment with tragic consequences - [thousands] died." Linea is a master of doublespeak - she doesn't actually lie to Sam, just gets her Kenobi on with a certain point of view, admitting she's not innocent knowing that will actually make Sam trust her more.

For a planet with "almost no crime" the Taldar sure are sending a lot of people to prison.

Daniel gets KO'd yet again, this time via strangulation. He's revived by Linea's Power of Plants, which also cure the new arrival Simian's blindness, enabling him to later tell the team that she's the "Destroyer of Worlds".

"Well, you actually won a fight, Danny boy." Bad Irish accent aside, maybe Jack did call him Danny more than I remember. His look of pride, despite knowing Daniel did absolutely nothing to win that fight, is very sweet.

Apparently Daniel gets his best ideas while passing out, recalling the planet SG-3 was scheduled to visit - the very same mission Hammond ordered Warren to go on rather than postpone to try and extract SG-1. I do love it when a plot knits together like this.

Everyone has a nice little reaction to Daniel distributing the gruel - Sam with a grimace, Teal'c refusing to take any, and Jack with a little sarcastic "thank you."

They escape, Simian jumping through behind them. While Sam is showing Linea how to use a computer, Warren brings Simian to Hammond.

Jack has bruises around his neck in this scene from the earlier fight, a nice little bit to continuity. Daniel doesn't seem to though - the result of Plant Power?

Linea uses her knock-out device on Sam and escapes with a message: "Thank you for your kindness. All debts have now been paid." Sinister!

We can assume that Linea didn't actually give Sam enough info about her "activators" since the tech is never mentioned again and the SGC certainly doesn't master cold fusion. But hey, SG-1 made it home, that's certainly a fair exchange for letting a murderous psychopath loose on the galaxy, right?

We will of course see Linea again (in younger form) next season, but she had the potential to be a great recurring villain and for the SG-1 to face the consequences of their recklessness here. It's a real shame that didn't get explored.

[kaytheday]

Chapter 7 'Of Spades' is out now!

Ace didn’t expect much to happen for her 16th birthday that year. Between the Curtis brothers being on their own and everyone else struggling, she decided not to bring it up. She didn't want it to be one more thing to worry about when everyone was having a hard time. 

It had been nearly four months since the accident and even though time was helping a little bit, it was still hard. Ace knew that Ponyboy was still having a hard time eating, but Sodapop said he was slowly starting to come back to himself. Darry was working himself into the ground. He had two jobs now and the gang hardly ever saw him. When they did, he was always irritable and exhausted. 

Keeping most of that in mind, Ace didn’t expect much of a celebration. Not that she’d ever had big birthday celebrations growing up. She was never in the same place for too long, always shuffling between guardians and houses. None of the people she had ever lived with had enough money to afford a big celebration for her anyway. 

Her favorite birthday she’s ever had was her 12th birthday. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis had brought her to the lake with the rest of the gang. Mrs. Curtis had even made her a cake and all the gang had chipped in for a present for her. They had spent the day swimming in their jean shorts and wrestling in the water.

The rest of her birthdays had been virtually forgotten. She didn’t remember any birthday celebrations below the age of eight years old. Last year, Dallas had taken her to Rosies for her birthday. She'd spent the night dancing and drinking from the case of beer that Two-Bit had swiped from the corner store earlier that day. Then Dallas had lit off some stolen fireworks, arguing that it counted as a birthday candle. 

With all her past birthday celebrations being so pathetic, she figured this year it would be impossible to ask her friends to celebrate. With everything going on, she didn’t want to ask for anything. Ace figured she’d just swipe a candy bar and maybe a cheap bottle of brandy and spend the night in the lot. She didn’t know yet, Steve might want to do something with her. 

He’d left early this morning, shaking her shoulder and giving her a quiet ‘happy birthday Acey, love you’ before putting on his Black Panthers jacket and sneaking out the door. She’d just smiled sleepily, swatting him away and saying she loved him too. Though it was rare to hear those words from Steve, Ace never doubted that he loved her. Not for a second. He just didn’t say it all the time. He wasn’t like Sodapop, who was very vocal about the people he loved. Steve would rather fix up your car or swipe you a coke than tell you he loved you. Ace knew that he had different ways of showing his love, but it was still nice to hear it out loud once in a while. 

She slept in a little past ten, waking only when her aunt started slamming cabinets. Being out of school was really messing up her sleep schedule. Realizing she had to get out of the house before her aunt started yelling and throwing things, Ace got dressed in a red tank top and jean shorts with a brown belt. Throwing on some sneakers and doing a once over of her hair in the mirror. Figuring she could pick it out at Two-Bits house, she set off. Making a quick dash from her shared room to the door downstairs. 

Luckily, her aunt only saw a glimpse of her, yelling something incoherent before Ace slammed the door behind her. Taking a breath of the hot Tulsa air, she set off down the street toward Two-Bits. 

Link to Read the Full Chapter Here!

[auntmaryjo-blog-blog]

December 26, 1963

We've had our Christmas and a nice one it was. Due to Curtis's work schedule the Holcomb's Xmas celebration was held on the weekend. Mom Holcomb prepared a sumptuous meal which preceded the opening of gifts. The gift opening revealed a record for Lee (from me), a paint by number set (from Lee), pillow cases from Jean & Curtis and a check plus $5 bills for Lee and myself from the Holcombs. We managed to snag Kaye and Earl for a few hours Christmas Eve so that my family could open their gifts in our "Christmas House" as Mother calls it. I really went all out on decorating this year what with a musical stocking above the piano; candle sticks, a reindeer, and creche, on the piano; candy dish, Christmas card basket, camel candle holder, and red candle on the coffee table; paper bell and choir angel on the record player; little Xmas trees on the den tables and the metallic spirals above the TV; as well as dining table decoration which consisted of glass goblet filled with gaily colored ornaments. Lee put a stocking and bells on the front door and hung a Merry Christmas sign on the garage door. All in all we had quite a display. Back to our Christmas Eve gift opening...Lee received socks from Mother and Dad and a beautiful sweater from me (he had picked it out) as well as socks from Aunt Stella. I was given a beautiful purse by Mother and Dad and a pretty blue wool cardigan sweater by Leroy and a Damask tablecloth from Aunt Stella and stoneware plate from Aunt Myrtle. Highlight of the present opening was Mac who opened his two gifts with those active front paws and promptly went to chewing on his new chew toys. He never bothered any of the gifts under the tree before Christmas but he seemed to know these gifts were his.

[whileiamdying]

Paul Morrissey, Andy Warhol’s Cinematic Collaborator, Dies at 86

In films like “Trash” and “Women in Revolt,” he brought movement, character and something resembling a story line to the Warhol film aesthetic.

Paul Morrissey, center, with Andy Warhol, right, and an unidentified man in Los Angeles in 1966. “My films derive from Andy’s,” Mr. Morrissey said in 1972. “I use a lot of this technique but add direction, story and a little more selection.”Credit...Steve Schapiro/Corbis, via Getty Images

By William Grimes Oct. 28, 2024

Paul Morrissey, whose loose cinéma-vérité films made with Andy Warhol in the late 1960s and early ’70s captured New York’s demimonde of drug addicts, drag queens and hipsters and turned an unlikely stable of amateur actors into underground stars, died on Monday in Manhattan. He was 86.

The death, in a hospital, was caused by pneumonia, said Michael Chaiken, his archivist.

In films like “Flesh,” “Trash,” “Heat” and “Women in Revolt,” all made on budgets of less than $10,000, Mr. Morrissey brought movement, character and something resembling a story line to the Warhol film aesthetic, which had consisted of pointing a camera at an actor or a building and letting it run for several hours. (Warhol’s “Empire” was a continuous shot of the Empire State Building that lasted eight hours and five minutes.)

Relying on a shifting collective of amateur actors, like Joe Dallesandro and Viva; transgender performers, like Jackie Curtis, Holly Woodlawn and Candy Darling; and marginal downtown characters, Mr. Morrissey concocted a distinctive blend of squalor and melodramatic farce that captivated many critics and even, in some instances, translated into box-office success.

The scripts, such as they were, were almost entirely ad-libbed. The stars simply portrayed themselves. And the plots defied synopsis.

Mr. Morrissey, front, with, from top, Joe Dallesandro, Holly Woodlawn and Jane Forth, in a publicity photo for Mr. Morrissey’s 1970 film “Trash. ”Credit...Henri Dauman/Jour De Fete Films

“Trash,” Mr. Morrissey’s biggest critical and commercial success, followed the trials and tribulations of Mr. Dallesandro playing a heroin-addicted gigolo earnestly, if groggily, trying to support his wife, played by Ms. Woodlawn. “Women in Revolt” took the theme of women’s liberation and grafted it onto a sendup of Hollywood women’s pictures of the 1930s, with Ms. Curtis, Ms. Woodlawn and Ms. Darling striking poses and reflecting on their status in a sexist society.

In any case, Mr. Morrissey believed fervently in star power first and last. “Andy and I really try not to direct a film at all,” he told The New York Times in 1972. “We both feel the stars should be the center of the film.” Holly Woodlawn, he insisted, would be remembered long after Pablo Picasso was forgotten.

Mr. Morrissey finished his tour of duty with Warhol by making two horror films intended for a broader audience: the 3-D “Flesh for Frankenstein,” released in 1973 under the title “Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein”; and “Blood for Dracula,” released in 1974 as “Andy Warhol’s Dracula.” They were dismissed by most critics as campy gore fests.

“He was great because he shot beyond the margin,” Maurice Yacowar, the author of “The Films of Paul Morrissey” (1993), wrote in an email. “In the party scene in ‘Midnight Cowboy,’ John Schlesinger gives us a teasing glimpse at the new subculture, but Morrissey really dug into that world. Henry Jaglom, Jim Jarmusch, Hal Hartley — all the American independents who give us big feelings from small stories about offbeat characters — their founding father was Morrissey.”

“Flesh for Frankenstein,” released in 1973 under the title “Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein,” was dismissed by most critics as a campy gore fest but acquired a cult following.Credit... EMI Film Distributors LTD, via Movie Poster Image Art/Getty Images

Mr. Morrissey was born on Feb. 23, 1938, in Manhattan to Joseph and Eleanor Morrissey, and grew up in Yonkers, N.Y. He attended Roman Catholic schools and studied English at Fordham University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1955 and began making 16-millimeter silent films. His first effort, a one-reeler, showed a priest saying Mass on a cliff top and then throwing his altar boy over the edge.

Despite the subject, Mr. Morrissey was not rebelling against the church. He enjoyed perplexing interviewers by fully endorsing his Jesuit education, heaping scorn on liberals and denouncing sex, drugs and rock ’n’ roll even as he presented, without comment, scenes of shocking degradation on film.

“With us, everything is acceptance,” he once said of his collaborations with Warhol. “Nothing is critical. Everything is amoral. People can be whatever they are, and we record it on film.”

After serving in the Army, Mr. Morrissey ran, and lived in, an underground cinema in the East Village, where he showed his own films and those of others, including “Icarus,” an early effort by Brian De Palma. Mr. Morrissey later took pains to explain that he was not part of the experimental-film movement. With his interest in stars and narrative, he was, as he liked to put it, “independent of the independents.”

Mr. Morrissey was introduced to Warhol in 1965 by the poet and filmmaker Gerard Malanga at a film screening, and the Factory phase of Mr. Morrissey’s career began. At the time, Warhol was making experimental films at the commercial loft on East 47th Street known as the Factory. The titles capture their static, impassive aesthetic: “Hair Cut No. 1,” “Shoulder,” “Couch.” The camera stared, unblinking, and whatever happened, happened — or didn’t.

Mr. Morrissey in 2000 in his Manhattan apartment. “People can be whatever they are, and we record it on film,” he once said.Credit...Sara Krulwich/The New York Times

Accounts differ about this period. Mr. Morrissey himself revised his version of events, gradually reducing to the vanishing point Warhol’s participation in the films that went out under his name after 1965.

At the time, however, Mr. Morrissey conceded more ground. “My films derive from Andy’s, but his were being made without direction, without preparation, with total improvisation,” he told The Times in 1972. “I use a lot of this technique but add direction, story and a little more selection.”

After working on “My Hustler” (1965), Mr. Morrissey took over as director on “Chelsea Girls” (1966), the first Warhol film to break completely with the catatonic approach typified by “Empire” and reach a wider, if still underground, audience.

“Lonesome Cowboys” (1968), a series of arch allusions to the Hollywood western (with a cross-dressing sheriff), disturbed audiences with a gang-rape scene, and Mr. Morrissey later found it wanting. With “Flesh” (1968), “Trash” (1970) and “Heat” (1972), however, he moved to the front ranks of independent filmmakers, a position solidified with the giddy “Women in Revolt” in 1972.

[ear-worthy]

Charts & Hearts Podcast: Nerding Out About Rom-Coms

You have to give serious props to the Charts & Hearts podcast. Its origins began in August 2019 as the Nature Finds A Way podcast, a pop culture biology podcast where the co-hosts weed out biology fact or fiction in favorite books, TV shows and movies. The podcast looked at the science in movies such as Jurassic World, Alien, Harry Potter, and The Mandalorian season two. 

Then in May 2022, the podcast co-hosts announced a seismic change. They were migrating their existing podcast into a new podcast called Charts & Hearts. In this new podcast with the same feed, the co-hosts are still using science to work their way through an epic list of rom-coms "in the hopes of creating the most epic spreadsheet podcasting has ever seen."

Once a science nerd, always a science nerd. The new show even dropped its serious-toned intro music for a bouncy, rom-com-y intro ditty that sets the exact mood needed to chat about romantic comedies.

In the last 17 months, the podcast has discussed such terrific rom-coms as The Holiday, 27 Dresses, Mamma Mia, The American President (one of my favorite episodes), and, of course, Dirty Dancing.  

To be clear, this show is not a rewatch podcast. The show and the co-hosts will not go into exhaustive detail about each movie. They assume you have watched the film. In the case of cozy rom-coms, fans often watch at least 50 times. 

I think listeners will enjoy how the co-hosts dissect these films with a mixture of humor and the brain of a scientist. It's like mixing Neil DeGrasse Tyson with Sarah Silverman. In the Mamma Mia episode, for example, the co-hosts discuss how they love the Colin Firth character so much because he revels in his ridiculous nature, while Pierce Brosnan struggles to play his role so straight.

What co-hosts Lindsay Curtis and Sarah (anonymity requested and granted)  do in Charts & Hearts is to find and categorize rom-com tropes and discuss them with hot takes and a little bit of science. Sarah is a web developer who likes knitting and tide pools. If you don't know, tide pools are isolated pockets of seawater found in areas where the ocean meets the land, such as rocky ledges. 

Lindsay Curtis is a podcast editor/ producer and a digital marketing expert, who likes cetaceans and the TV show West Wing. 

As co-hosts, Lindsay and Sarah work together like peanut butter and chocolate in Reese's candy. They're a perfect combination. They finish each other's sentences, and lead each other to seamless transitions. 

The tone of Charts & Hearts is sharp-witted and analytical without being condescending to the rom-com art form. I like that aspect of the show. The co-hosts can have fun at the expense of the format, but do not descend into malicious mockery. 

If you're a lover of rom-coms, I recommend Charts & Hearts. The show is equal parts science, analytics, film critique, humor, and wit.

[magicmiss]

,,In another life, we met and loved each other (bis)’’

Night version of this post

[maagicmiss]

It’s funny cuz sometime I scroll down my procreate library and I see discarded/forgotten sketches and it’s like :

[cha0ticatfy]

➜ 𝐻𝑖𝑠 𝑆𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑡 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑙

( Jake Jensen! x Innocent Reader )

━━━━━━━❈✦❀✦❈━━━━━━━━━━━━━━❈✦❀✦❈━━━━━━

• Plot: Just Jake giving comfort at a SA situation.

•Important to read before continuing!:

I do not romanticize, normalize or promote the consensus of any type of Abuse.

I do not romanticize the BARE MINIMUM that a person or in this case a man should do in a situation like this.

This is pure fiction and I wrote it because I empathize as SA survivor.

I do not intend to take this topic as a subject of romanticization, if this content triggers you DO NOT READ IT, I send a hug to all the survivors out there ♡!

•WARNINGS!!

•The content of this fanfiction is for people over 18 years of age, any interaction by minors will be blocked without hesitation.

•SA/SH topics •Fluff Jake Jensen •Naive reader •talking about despersonalitation and desrealization! •mentions of abuse •angst •difficult content that can trigger sensitive people • (does not implied consensual sex)

•I tried to be as less explicit as possible but I left writings open for this.

•Author's note: I wanted to make a fluff thing with Jake jensen So bad! there are many things mentioned here that unfortunately happen daily.

THIS IS PURELY FICTION, I DO NOT AGREE, NOR DO I SUPPORT BAD THINGS MENTIONED HERE. IF THIS IS NOT YOUR CUP OF TEA KEEP SCROLLING ♡

LIKES, REBLOGS AND COMMENTS ARE VERY APRECIATED 🧚‍♀️💗🌷

ANY MISTAKE OF WRITTING ITS COMPLETY MY FAULT, INGLISH IS NOT MY FIRST LENGUAJE.

A knock on the bathroom door makes you come out of your depersonalization in the shower, letting the warm water run through your body, trying to "clean yourself"

Running the duck-shaped sponge over and over your thighs and waist, as if a second skin were going to come off, trying to assimilate what happened.

"Darling is everything fine?" said Jake, worried about the time you took in the shower, 20 minutes longer than usual, usually he wouldn't ask why you took so long, but your strange appearance when you returned home made him hesitate.

"I..I yes! almost ready Jakey."

You said clearing your throat so as not to show signs of having cried.

What a shame, what a shame to have to confess all this to Jake, surely he would be angry if you confess such a thing, he could be disappointed on you or maybe he would be annoyed!

You shook your head and rolled yourself up in the withe bath robe.

Taking small steps to get out of the shower, He came to hug you and take you to bed

"You know I missed you so much today my little girl."

He commented while kissing your cheeks and slowly untying the knot of the towel, showing lovely caresses on your naked body, letting his fingers slide over the wet skin of your arms, the only thing that separated him from you was a stupid robe that he himself gave you thinking about how much you like comfy things.

He had missed his girl a lot, his sweet Angel.

He stayed at home, working on Curtis's computer programming, that's why he decided to let you go to the supermarket alone, but he ended up missing you more than usual.

You tensed before his action, remembering that what happened was absolutely your fault, you cheated on him, you lied to him, you broke the promise to be loyal.

Guilty thoughts invaded your mind, he would never do that to you and you betrayed the relationship.

"Uh..Jakey I think it's better that I...put my clothes on."

You tried to hide your gaze from across the room, avoiding his possible angry reaction.

The man separated from you and took you by the waist, arching his eyebrowns in concern, he wanted to go further.

Something like this had never happened in the time that you both have been together, you usually like to please him and he like to please you too, an implicit mutual agreement of pleasure.

You received a kiss on your forehead, he understand before the clear evidence that today you would not do anything in the room with him "It's Okay princess, we can watch a movie downstairs if you want."

He smiled kindly, "we can eat hundreds of candies just for today my girl"

He gave you a kiss on the cheek, his love lenguaje was always physical contact.

Other times that idea would sound like the best idea on the planet, but your stomach was in a knot to even think about food or candies.

He understanded your decision, smiling tenderly, maybe you were not in the mood or you were very tired he thought, and without wanting to ask why he left the room.

A quiet cry came out of you, the sadness it was very strong, your chest hurt and you did not feel that your body was on the planet, a horrible depersonalization attacked you.

You couldn't keep hiding this from him, he's so good to you and you cheated on him!

━━━━━━━❈✦❀✦❈━━━━━━━━━━━━━━❈✦❀✦❈━━━━━━

Your body lying on his chest while he was still sitting on the couch, watching one of those comedy movies while he played with your hair.

"Honey you haven't touched your plate since i turned on the tv."

The man was worried, usually you could eat candies until you got a headache that would force you to go to sleep with you both snuggled up.

You couldn't pay attention to the movie, In any moment the tears could come out of your eyes, Jake's laughter only made you smile weakly.

"Don't you think it's funny? it's a paradox." he said raising his arm pointing to the TV.

You nodded shyly without understanding the plot of the movie, your mind was elsewhere while your eyes focused on a fixed point, in the distance listening to the dialogue of the movie he chose.

Jake realized that something strange was happening, something different, that its not you, the things are not usually like this.

"Jakey...?" you spoke, you finally spoke.

After hesitating, you had thought of just telling no one, and omitting the truth to Jake, but you would probably feel worse.

With a shy tone you looked for his eyes, he was still playing with your hair but paying attention to the television.

"Ja..Jakey?" with a broken voice you called him again, and this time the man paid attention, he turned his head to see you.

"Tell me princess, are you alright?"

In his eyes you could see the adoration and the total concentration that he gives you when you want to talk to him.

He was with a doubt if there was something strange, something that he didn't know yet.

"You can count on me for anything, even if you need to hide a..."

Before before he could finish the joke, you interrupted him.

"I'm your angel?" The question took him by surprise, he frowned his gaze in doubt.

"Of course you are doll, my only and beautiful Angel."

His tone that exudes confidence makes you believe him every time he says anything to you, every time that he is so confidently affirming something to you...you believe him.

Small kisses were distributed all over your face, his affection was one of the things that made you happy the most and he knew it, he knew he needed to have that protective instinct with his sweet girl.

You nodded at his words, a little better but still worried, even so you had cheated on him, still you betrayed him, those words you repeated to yourself over and over again

"you still cheated on him".

Lovingly he rubbed the top of your head and gave you a kiss, a warm kiss, a kiss of love.

He loves you and you know it, he always shows it.

He doesn't deserve this but you couldn't take it anymore, you couldn't hide it anymore, big tears, tears that you had contained since the morning came out.

"Jakey..I-I'm so..so sorry"

Between words, small gasps from the loss of air before the uncontrolled crying worried the man, he paused the movie and incorporated in the couch.

He had never seen you cry like that, and he honestly didn't like that your angelic and innocent face had another expression other than happiness and emotion in the face of little things.

"Doll what happened? you are scaring me."

Because for you to have to interrupt one of his jokes, things had to be serious, you really liked to laugh out loud at what came out of his mouth, but not this time.

No words just cries and silence.

"Tell me what's wrong so I can help you."

He cleared the hair from your face to see you, with his fingers he took your jaw and raised your face, tears and eyes like a hurt lamb were shown on your face, the shame, the sadness and the fear.

His eyes were desperately looking for yours.

"Honey what's up, you can trust me, you're really scaring me"

You sniffled, "No..Jakey.."

You moved your head to the side again and again refusing to speak, he gave you a warm hug, "Anything princess, I'm for you."

You whimpered from the center of your stomach.

"Promise...that you won't tell anyone, and that you won't get mad at me."

Your swollen lips from biting them so much to not let the words come out of your mouth caught his attention, when you are quiet you usually bite your lips until you slightly hurt them.

You raised your little finger to seal a promise, a very common habit between the two of you when you have a secret to keep.

Jake nodded and intertwined his little finger with yours, with a face of doubt that was more evident than anything else.

"Please..Jakey promise me I'll still be your favorite person after this."

You said while playing with the sleeves of your nightgown and with your head down.

"I promise I will continue to see you sexy after this princess."

He said winking his eye, still not knowing that this was more serious than he thought.

You smiled slightly and started.

"Today... I..I went to the supermarket.."

The man grabbed your head and ran his hand through your hair waiting for you to finish telling the story.

Not knowing what was going to come out of your mouth was that was making Jake nervous.

"Everything was fine... but in the fruit hall..."

Jake smirked.

"Are you going to tell me you're like this because you stole a grape from his bag again and got caught?"

The man laughed, trying to soften the tension of the moment, because honestly with your naivety it was very likely that you would be caught stealing grapes.

You raised your head in denied.

"I met a man.."

Your heart was beating fast, as if you had run hundreds of kilometers, your hands were cold and your mouth was dry.

His heart dropped from his chest to his stomach, his first thought was that you stopped loving him, that the spark went out and you found someone else, he swallowed thickly.

"A..and I was trying to reach something from a high shelf"

Jake's breaths were slow, almost like he was being charged $100 a breath.

You waited for a sign on his face to continue, looking at his two eyes, because of his height you had to raise your head a bit, and it was almost like the times when you were on your knees in front of him, like when he has a stressful day.

More tears came out of your eyes going through your soft big eyelashes as you remembered what happened next.

"He...he was nice at first but..."

After being silent, Jake spoke

"But? what happened next?..babe?" he took your knee with his hand that was going up and down quickly.

"He...he lied to me." he tilted his head a little and opened his lips between, he didn't know what that really meant.

"He..he said that could help me reach what was on the higher shelf."

The change in your gaze was drastic, that's where Jake suspected what happened.

Hiccup and insignificant sobs came from your mouth.

"I said yes, and..And he got behind me..And.."

Jake wanted to rush the way you told everything, but he couldn't be too anxious or he would lose your trust and the small talk that you both had about this.

"How was he?" Dumb question, maybe he didn't know, he didn't know what to ask, you closed your eyes quickly and brought your hands to your face, when tears kept coming out of your eyes, he wiped each one of them with his fingers.

"I hear you."

"Tall, and..and he have green eyes.." he nodded.

"And... I thought it was fine that he was getting behind me...Jakey..I swear it was a very high shelf for me"

You tilted your head, looking for pity in his eyes and making your eyebrows furrow in sadness.

And it's true, anything compared to you is taller unless if you're wearing the black heels you bought for Christmas.

"But then... he started running his nose down my neck..and... there weren't many people in the supermarket to ask for help."

Loud sobs kept coming out of your mouth.

Jake closed his eyes for a moment, he knew where this was going to go and he wasn't liking it.

He wanted to rip this moment out of your brain and burn it with the crumpled papers from his office, you don't deserve this, not to his sweet girl.

In case it was what he believed, he was sure that he would do everything possible to kill whoever hurt his girl .

"And... and it seemed strange to me when..when he.."

You lowered your eyes in shame to have to say it out loud so you lowered your tone.

"He was...just like you."

Jake tilted his head, he didn't understand what was happening, and after giving you the time to talk he expressed himself

"Could you repeat that?"

You agreed "He was like you."

Jake put his elbows on his legs, a curious look followed by taking your left hand.

"what does that mean doll?"

"Yes, when... when you and I played in the room... you... you are... was it..hard?"

Jake sighed and his exhalation took a long time to come out, he took his glasses and ran his hand over his face, he was frustrated, angry, annoyed, but not with you, with the guy who had dared to do something as cruel as insinuating and abusing your innocence.

The information chilled his bones, as if a bucket of frozen water had been dropped on him while he slept.

"And..and"

"he lift my skirt, and he.. rubbed his thing against me"

You shook your eyes at remembering the feeling of the man behind you rubbing himself.

Jake couldn't think of anything else but the way in which even talking about this, you were ashamed but even so, he appreciated the trust you have in him.

You sniffed at the amount of fluid coming out of your nose.

"Jakey..he still had his pants on but I could feel him..sorry..sorry I..I didn't mean to cheat on you!"

He looked up, your face eager for his forgiveness, afraid that he was mad at you.

How could he be mad at you?

How could he be mad at you for something that wasn't your fault?

How could he blame you for having no idea of the cruelty of some men?

Something got damaged inside him, something consumed him at your words, in your innocence you thought that was cheating on him.

"And...And I had noticed that he was following me before but...but I thought he wanted to make friends!"

You are too innocent and sweet for this world.

He tilted his head

"Doll..a lot of people out there are mean."

And he blamed himself for not coming with you, he blamed himself for not quitting his stupid computer programming job to protect you.

You lowered your head while your hands continued to play with your nightgown

"I...I feel...dirty."

"I believe you doll, you are very brave for talking to me about this, if what he did made you uncomfortable then it was wrong, you are not dirty, or bad, you were just getting into your business, he is sick"

After that Jake's silence was worrying for you, he didn't speak at all, you could only see you in both eyes, looking for words to tell you.

"You don't deserve this, I'm not going to leave you alone"

You smiled tenderly.

"I'm not mad at you because you are my Angel, and Its also because I love you so very much no matter what."

Jake's words were like a glass of water in the middle of the desert.

"He asked me.. if I wanted to be his girl for the night."

He just wished this was a bad dream, he wished he hadn't had to work to come with you, he wished that man hadn't touched your innocence in such a cruel and depraved way.

The seat of the armchair became more and more uncomfortable, and the darkness of the room only illuminated by the television gave a dramatic aspect at the revelation.

"I told him that I had a boyfriend... and... he told me that I was probably a stupid boy who doesn't know how to play well."

The words were on the tip of your tongue, you remembered everything in detail.

As if nothing, you finished telling the story,

you wiped away your tears with your thumbs, your head started to ache from crying for so long.

"Doll, you didn't cheat on me, you were just minding in your own bussines, this is not your fault, you are not dirty, you are not bad, he is."

After the two of you were silent, and Jake looked at you with the worried face you've never seen before, you took a piece of candy from the bowl and unwrapped it to put it in your mouth.

"Jakey?... are you mad... at me?"

He looked for your gaze, swallowing his tears, to be strong for you.

"Princess... what? no! absolutely not, I wouldn't be upset with you at all, you are not alone"

Your eyes lit up through so many tears, you swallowed the strawberry flavor of the caramel.

"Seriously?" he nodded and hugged you tightly.

"Sorry, sorry for not coming with you, sorry for not protecting you my girl"

He said and you giggled.

"This isn't your fault Jakey...maybe if I hadn't put on my favorite skirt he wouldn't have lifted it."

Every cell in his body caught on fire, with the force of his being he hated that man so much, and blamed himself for not protecting your innocence.

"You know this is abuse, and pretty girls who had been abused have to speak up right?"

He said putting your hair behind your ears and taking you to lie on your chest.

"Mmm..I thought I was cheating on you"

He kissed your head.

"Nothing that man did has anything to do with you, or your look, or your skirt or your gentleness, he's rotten inside, and deserve death."

Tears came to your eyes as you remembered everything again like a vivid memory.

"Jakey...I didn't want that he.." Jake shushed you.

"I know honey, I know, let me take care of this."

Tears stained his t-shirt.

"th..thank you.."

"¿Jakey?"

A soft sound came out of his mouth, giving you permission to continue.

He was rubbing your back and you clung to his shirt like your life depended on it

"I..think... I think I don't want to go to a supermarket again for a while."

His hard look scared you, but he was just thinking of ways in which he and Lloyd could help him capture and kill that idiot.

"Don't worry princess, I can take care of that... so you can't had to go to there again..but I can help you, find a safe space you know..to get over this."

Your heart jumped with joy, like the flowers that bloom in spring, he was not angry with you!

He understood you and supported you, there was nothing more you could ask for than to feel understood.

"I'm sorry..for..for not having sex with you when I went out to the shower."

You wiped away your tears as high-pitched sobs escaped your puffy red lips.

He inhaled air scented with your perfume, still wondering what he did to win over a girl as sweet and innocent as you.

It seemed you cared more about what he thought than your own abuse.

"We can stop doing it for a while if that bothers you ...I wouldn't mind at all, I care..I really care 'bout you and your safety"

"Uh..I like cuddles...we can do that!!"

The man nodded trying to give you a smile of encouragement, he knew that these issues are more difficult to overcome than they seem, and a false step could trigger you.

"Sleep" he said "you need to rest my brave little girl, thank you for telling me."

you let out a deep exhalation.

"Jakey?" an "uhm" came from the man's lips.

"what if I had a nightmare?"

you said raising your eyes to meet his gaze, He thought about going to the room to get your stuffies but he didn't want to leave you, not again, not for a moment more..

"I'll fight with your nightmares then."

A soft sigh left your body as you settled into Jake's chest.

"I love you...a-and sorry to ruin your movie."

The man clenched his jaw, what happened to you it's not fair and it never will be.

He is not capable of getting angry with you for interrupting a movie, much less for trusting him.

He continued to draw circles on your back, and you started to fall asleep, but only this time he would not be able to sleep.

In his eyes you are an ethereal angel, and he would know very well who to require to to take care of that situation.

Perhaps it was difficult for him, because one part of your spark had gone out, seeing you discouraged or depersonalizing at any time, but he was not selfish, you felt it even more and needed support.

To see how before leaving home you replaced your skirts or dresses with comfy pants.

You Patiently waiting for him at home, anxious to see him walk through the door with the supermarket purchases, and making a list on pink paper with many stickers so that he would not forget what you need, because you would not return to a supermarket in a long time.

And he became more careful, avoiding spooning you in bed, because that could remind you of that episode or get you triggered.

Also take care, what he said with you, worrying about seeing you depersonalize at any time or feel sad at some inopportune time.

fill you with courage so that you decide to go to a psychologist or to talk about small details that you focused on while that horrible episode happened.

He would do whatever it took not to abandon his girl, and anything to make that man pay for what he did with his sweet angel.

[georgiapeach30513]

Go To Sleep

🖤🖤🖤🖤

Summary:  You have a date

Pairings:  Bucky X Joshua, Nick Vaughan X Reader

Rating:  floof

Warnings:  mild language, 18+ ONLY

Word Count:  1.7K

Desperate Lives AU Masterlist

Bucky & Brooklyn Masterlist

“Hey Bucky,” you nearly shout at him as you open the door and you’re back to finding your things.  Bucky’s head leans down the hallway in confusion.  “You’re early.”

"Finished early,” he starts following you down the hallway and to your bedroom.  Noticing the outfits on your bed before you close the door in his face.  “What are you doing?”

“Changing.”

“I kinda liked the robe,” you roll your eyes trying to find the perfect outfit.  None of them.  “What’s the deal with your room?”

“What’s the deal with all the questions?  You’re the one that is early,” you sigh and just pull on the closet thing to you.  It’ll have to do.  You don’t know much about the guy.  Just that he’s a friend of a friend or something like that.  He’s a good guy you were assured.

You open the bedroom door up, and Bucky is still standing there, giving you a long look down your body, “You look nice.  Did I miss something?”

“Um...you are early.  Sarah took Joshie to get pizza, and a new board game.  Why are you here early?”

“I finished work...” a knock on the door leads you both to look towards the front.  “Early.  Who is that?”

“My date.”

“Date?”

Ignoring him you go to open the door and Nick extends a hand out to you, and then looks at Bucky, “Hey Bucky.”

“Nick?  You’re going on a date with Nick?”

“Yep, that’s the plan.  Let me go get my, purse.  Bucky, I’ll text you the location in case there’s an emergency with Joshua, don’t hesitate,” you don’t mind continuing to talk since Bucky is following you through the house.  “I’ll text on my way home to make sure Joshua is asleep.  Woah,” you exclaim when he’s right behind you as you turn around.  “Back off.”

“Is dating a good idea?”

“Miss Kitty was the one who orchestrated this.  She has an ex...”

“Curtis.  Yeah, Nick is friends with him, but I mean in general.  Dating?  And he’s picking you up at your house.”

“I see.  Well,” you give a quick glance to the front and Nick just awkwardly stands there in the doorway looking around the décor.  “There’s a reason Joshua isn’t here.  There’s a reason I’m texting you my location.  It’s not in case of an emergency.  Curtis is a cop.  He showed me his background check.  Also there’s a reason I’m going to let you know when I’m heading home.  My son...”

“Our son.”

“Our son will not see him.  My...” Bucky narrows his eyes at you and you grit your teeth, “Our son will not meet him, he’ll not know him, he’ll not even know a name unless it’s serious.  If this is a problem, Sarah is plenty capable of keeping him by herself.  It would be a big disappointment for him though, because they’re getting popcorn with candy and all the stuff to make a giant and disgusting sugar cookie pizza.”

“Sugar cookie pizza?”

“It’s something Nana created for him when he was having a bad day.  Giant sugar cookie, cream cheese and marshmallow fluff as the sauce, and a bunch of candy.  Enough to put you in a sugar coma.  He enjoys making it and wanted to do it with his dad.  Now please, I really need to leave for my date before our son gets here and sees me with another man that is not his father.  You are the only man in his life.  Steve doesn’t count.  Goodbye Bucky.  I’ll see you when I get home.”

Bucky follows you out to the front door, and holds out a hand for Nick to take in his own.  You give him a quick eye roll before Nick’s hand barely presses on the small of your back, leading you to his car.  And wouldn’t you know it, he opens the door for you.

Bucky is angry.  He is pissed, he wants to hit something, but he doesn’t.  His body instead just paces around the foyer waiting on his son and Sarah.  Annoyed, but knowing he doesn’t have a right to be annoyed.  He’d been here with Becca, been there with Mrs. Drysdale.  It’s a step they all take.  Date or date around until they realize what they have in front of them.  

He’s still pacing when Sarah arrives with Joshua who jumps into Bucky’s arms.  He finally feels his anger slowly melting off of him with the touch of his son.  His sweet little boy smell, mixed with a bit of blueberries.  “Buddy, why don’t you go ahead and take your bath.”

“That’s grownup talk for you need to talk to Nana.  Did you not want mama to go out with friends?  Do you want to be her friend?” the little boy gives his dad a smile, and Sarah starts chuckling.  “I want you to be friends,” Joshua gives Bucky a couple of winks before he wiggles out of his arms.  “You want me to tell her I want you as ‘friends’?  Azzie and Icy’s dad lives with them.”

“Don’t worry about it right now, buddy.  Just go get your bath so we can make your sugar cookie pizza.”

“Ugh!  She told you?  That was going to be a surprise.  Oh well, we’re going to watch a movie.  Nana got us Trouble to play too,” the little boy turns, but then stops looking at Bucky.  “Can I take one in mommy’s bath?  I take longer baths.”

“Joshua, go upstairs to your bath.  The longer the bath the less time you get with your dad,” he gives Nana a quick okay before going up the stairs to his bathroom.  Sarah waits until she hears the water running before she looks at Bucky.  “He normally bathes after eating.  We’re having pizza and a sugar cookie pizza.  I’m sure he’s going to be nice and saucy for bed.  Probably falling asleep on you.  With you already being here, and demanding he bathe, you saw him?”

“She’s on a date.”

“I’m aware.  Single women do date James.  Tell me, did it bother you?  Did you wish it was you taking her out on a date?  Did you say anything negative about her choice of dating?”

“How do you do that?  You always know.  I told her I didn’t expect anything from her, but I didn’t expect her to be dating a whole man.”

“As opposed to half a man?  James, when you broke up with your girlfriend, she had already agreed to go on dates.  She has to get this out of her system.  The only man she was ever in a relationship with was Simon.  She’s dated but he was the only one that kept calling.  It’s hard for women, and she loves you.  Be patient with her, but show her how good of a father that you can be.  But you sweetheart, don’t need to jump into a relationship.  She’s worth the wait, because you know that wait is going to lead you to more children, marriage, and the life that you’ve wanted.  She’ll figure it out.  She’s always wanted you in her life.  Even when she tried to deny it.  Even when she tried to prove she didn’t.”

“How did she do that?”

“One date with Steve.  She and him both hated it.  She admitted she just wanted to say that what happened was a fluke, that she fell for you because of comfort, but Steven is comfort, and she didn’t feel anything.  Give her time.  Be consistent with that giggling little boy that is drying off upstairs and is excited about a night with his dad.  I don’t think you realize how much he’s always wanted you.  Steve talked about you all the time with him.  I know that you are angry at him, but he did try.  He was always trying to get her to be honest with you,” the two of them stop when a still slightly damp little Joshie bounds down the stairs and is jumping back in Bucky’s arms.

“Let’s make the sugar cookie pizza, and then eat pizza!”

________________________________________________________________

“Street performers don’t get enough credit,” Nick tells you with a smile.  “I’ve been here before.”

“What did you perform?” throughout the night Nick had kept getting closer to you, his hand constantly brushing against yours, but never grabbing your hand, and honestly for that, you’re thankful.  

“Oh, just a trumpet.  Play at a restaurant some weekends.  Like this,” the two of you stop and watch someone playing the guitar.  “She’s not even looking at the crowd.  She’s playing here, but the music is for her.  Her eyes are closed and she’s letting the music lead her,” leaning forward he places a twenty dollar bill in her jar.  “Performers perform yes.  But they have to feel it first.  It resonates with them first, and then, we get more out of it.”

“I’ve never looked at it like that, Mr. Vaughan,” you know it’s getting late.  Know that while you’re young, you have a child that you need to get back to relieve his father for the evening.  

“I know, I should be getting you back.  Bucky the babysitter or the dad?” 

“Dad.”

“Didn’t know he had a kid.”

“Neither did he.  I do need to be getting back, Nick.  It’s late, and I’m sure my son has pestered Bucky to death,” you roll your eyes to look up at Nick with a smile.  You watch his Adam’s apple bob for a second and you’re almost scared of what he’s going to do.

“I had fun.  This is nice.”

“It was.  Thank you for this evening.”

________________________________________________________________

You walk into your new home and get a bit frustrated at the mess.  Mess in the kitchen mess in the living room, but when you walk over to the couch and see Joshua snuggled tightly on Bucky’s chest you have to take a moment to breathe.  The mess completely forgotten, because this in front of you is what you’ve always envisioned.  Joshua with his father.  Going over to grab a blanket to cover them up, Bucky’s eyes shine up at you.

“I can leave.”

“I wish you’d stay.  For him, I mean.  He’s comfortable.  Plus...”

“I’m sorry about the mess, we’ll clean it in the morning.  How was the date?”

“Shh, don’t wake up our son.  I’ll see you in the morning Bucky.  Goodnight.”

Leaning forward you give them both a kiss to their forehead, whispering a soft goodnight to Bucky.  As you walk away you hear a sweet little, “You think she bought it daddy?”

“Shh, if she knows you’re awake, she’ll make you clean up this mess.”

Lingering only to watch him snuggle tighter into Bucky, “You’re comfy.  I want her to go on a date with you.”

“Me, too.”

“Then ask her.”

“She’s worth the wait Joshie.  Now go to sleep.”

Masterlist

[avatarvyakara]

Strands of Webbing

A Spiderverse Fanfic

Prompts 157-168

“Traversing the Web”

First | Previous | Next

157. Genealogy

"Richard and Mary Parker," says Peter B, writing the names at the top of a piece of paper next to his own.

Noir nods. "Same here. Never met them, though."

"Curtis Parker and Hida Haraka," says Peni.

"I think my mother's name was Susan? She left us a note next to the egg sac."

"Ranjit and Mina Prabhakar," says Pavitr.

"…Peter Parker and Marie-Jane Watson," says Mayday, pointedly.

"Reinhold and Miriam Pauker," says the Cob.

"Albert and Claire Reilly," says Mabel.

"…how did this start?" Miguel asks Miles, from the other side of the room.

The other Spider-Man shrugs. "They started talking about blood types in case anyone needs some for transfusions, and it turned into making a family tree."

Miguel blinks. "But…they're from different universes, so the blood would glitch out of existence inside their bodies anyway—"

"They'll figure it out," Gwen reassures him. "Eventually."

"Why's Pavitr there?"

"Apparently he's got some English blood on his mom's side and they think he might be related."

"And El Porquito?"

"He just turned up. He does that."

"And we wouldn't want it any other way," says Miguel fondly.

158. Tribute

Peni doesn't accept payment for her work. So whenever someone needs something, or has been given something, they leave her snacks and treats instead. Gray has a bit of a minor advantage here—the textures of smells and tastes work on overdrive in his world to counteract the sparsity of colour—and candy buttons from his universe are the most stolen item in her workshop. But she's also developed a taste for peda, which has started a minor black market trade from Pavitr and Roshni's worlds.

Miguel would happily accept payment for his work if literally any of the Spiders around here had any money.

("Put your wallet away, Porquito.")

159. Quarantine

"Dude, if your world's really shutting down because of a global plague…" Gwen begins.

Peter sighs. "Nah, it's fine, guys, it's fine. Spider-Man's still out at work, I can still write science articles, MJ's been editing papers, the villains have actually been lying low for the most part…the only thing that's a bit frustrating is that May gets cranky if she can't go out. Buuuut I think I've found a way around that."

"…Peter."

"What?"

"What?" says Miles, before the answer dawns on him. "Oh. Peter, you didn't…"

"What? She likes the fresh air. You can't get fresh air on the ground in this city." Peter lifts his ten-month-old daughter up to the camera. "Here, May, say hi to Auntie Gwen and Uncle Miles!"

"Baaah!" says May happily, on general principles.

"Aw, hi sweetie!" Gwen coos. "Look at how big you're getting! Peter B. Parker, we are not done here. How are you!"

"Gah!"

"She's gonna say my name first."

"Nuh-uh, it's gonna be me. Hey, May, it's Uncle Miles!"

"Mmmmah!"

"See?"

"You're already daddy's superhero," murmurs Peter to May, who giggles.

160. Student

"You can really teach me?"

The kid has potential, Olivia can admit that to herself. But Carolyn Trainer is a Doctor Octopus for a very different sort of world. She's much more into blending virtual reality and physical than looking for new ones. Reasonable, but not the most transferable of skills. Besides, she's already got a pretty good student back at home, even if she's still waiting for the right time to involve Mr. Morales in her…off-the-books research.

Still, she can definitely pass on a few tips.

"Well, I'll try, kid. First of all…actually, first and foremost, don't get too attached to your mentor figures. You might end up kidnapping them without their realizing it, then having a car thrown at you by their super-powered nephew whom you're now not allowed to kill yourself. That gets annoying."

"I…what?"

161. Forward

"This is Peter Pauker," says Miguel, prodding the Cob forward. "Please don't show him any pirate holos."

Peter, who looks like a half-crazed shaman with a moustache worthy of a cowboy, shiny white glasses, and a raggedy red cloak with a tight hood, is still looking around in astonishment.

"Welcome to Brooklyn, my man!" says Miles, cheerfully.

He's still in his spider-suit. So is Gwen, and Peter B., and Billy, and Ham.

Peter leans over to Miguel.

"You're sure I haven't just joined a cult of demons in Hell, right?"

"Seriously? Not to put too fine a point on it, but you're the one with the fangs."

"To be fair," says Miguel, "this is Brooklyn."

Miles looks mildly insulted. "Hey, not cool."

"What can I say, parcero, the Bronx has you beat no matter the century."

"Just please tell me Staten Island has remained the same," mutters the Cob. "We just managed to get rid of the British a few years ago. You know, the bad ones. It's still got that strength of spirit, right?"

The other Spiders look at one another.

"Dude," says Miles, putting a friendly hand on Peter's shoulder, "I am so sorry."

162. Gradation

“I’m serious,” Peter insists. “Whenever I’m around, the universe just won’t let people swear. If you think it’s a swear word, you can’t use it. It’s a curse. I’ll prove it.”

The pig goes to the fridge, and takes something out. “Miles, what delicious delicacy do I have in my hands?”

“Uh...applesauce?”

“Very good! Tall, dark, and breezy, your turn. What’s this?”

“Miles just said it was [bleep].”

The other Spiders blink.

“[Bleep]. [Bleep]. Jumping catfish, what the...[bleep]. [Bleep].”

“I rest my case,” says Peter, walking out of the room. (With his snack, of course.)

But not far enough that he doesn’t hear Noir suddenly roar, “GODDAMN APPLESAUCE!”

“Peter! Language!”

“...sorry.”

This is apparently too much for the other Spiders, who burst out laughing.

Being a cartoon is fun.

163. Similarity

Sometimes, diplomacy is required.

It's nearly midnight, it's probably somewhere in Japan in the mid-19th Century, and there's a spider-demon at the bottom of a crevice near a waterfall. Trying to hide.

Keep away!

It sounds deep and yet surprisingly feminine. It also manages to sound both alluring and deadly while at the same time conveying a terrible panic.

"Hey, hey, it's okay," calls Peni in what she hopes is the right Japanese for the time. (SP//dr's helping to translate and feeding her the words in her head, but it's not always perfect.) "I'm a friend. I'm not gonna hurt you."

Jorōgumo, down in the crevice, stares at her—and then shakes her many-eyed head in puzzlement.

You're…you're like me?

Peni smiles. "Kind of."

Jorōgumo waves her front legs around in confused despair. But…you're not like me. You're human. Nearly.

"Oh! That extra bit is probably from Takara here," she says, patting SP//dr on the leg. "We're SP//dr—that means, well, spider. We're best friends. And you're a jorōgumo, right? A golden orb spider?"

The spider-spirit nods, miserably. I didn't want to be. I still don't.

Peni sighs. "I don't think you have a choice. But it's okay, you're not alone. There's a whole bunch of us. We can help. It's going to be alright."

There's silence from the crevice.

Can you stop it from happening? whispers Jorōgumo. It gets so hungry. I try to only go after bad guys, but…it keeps coming back.

"I don't know," says Peni. "But I'll try. I promise you. Just…come out. It's okay."

There's a pause, and then a scuttling noise. Slowly but surely, the giant golden spider climbs out of the crevice. As it does, it changes into a young woman, wearing a raggedy red kimono with blue and white wave patterns. (It is August, after all.) She looks strangely familiar.

Peni holds out a hand, which the other Spider takes, and pulls her to the surface. It's not so bad a place, this waterfall, in the moonlight.

"My family name is Pākā. Pākā Peni." She beams, and bows.

The girl—she can't be much older than seventeen (or thirty, or seventy-five)—smiles nervously and bows as well.

"Haraka. Haraka Hida."

…well, that she wasn't expecting.

164. Magnetism

“He’s not too bad-looking,” muses Mayday. “You know, for a guy from the 18th Century.”

“He’s also your father,” says Hobie, bluntly. “Sort of.”

“May has a point, he is right comely,” muses Billy.

“...for you, I have no words.”

“Do you think someone should tell him those are replicas?”

“I want to see how long it takes him to find out.”

Peter Pauker, swinging away at what he knows to be automata dressed as pirates but hoping to put on a decent show for his new friends, is having the time of his life.

165. Dybbuk

"You're actually Peter Parker?" asks Olivia in amazement.

The Superior Spider-Man snorts. "Hardly. I merely took over his body and let his consciousness decay in my own dying form. I like to think I'm putting it to good use."

"As…Spider-Man."

"The Superior Spider-Man, thank you very much."

Well, someone’s proud.

"A psychic transfer…" muses Olivia. "Huh. Do you still have the schematics for that device?"

"I might do. But these are fascinating." Spider-Man is poking at her arms. "A fluid-filled polymer with pulses running through to control movement…oh, marvellous." The mask is removed. Peter Parker stares at her work with a peculiar interest that Olivia's only really seen in the mirror. Even Rosie and Carolyn and Luke were more interested in the person their counterpart was, rather than her tech. Not that she’s one to talk, give her science over people most days of the week, it’s just that it’s…

…actually she's not too sure how she feels about this.

"Guess you didn't need yours anymore, huh." She slowly retracts her arms.

"Oh, you'd be surprised,” says her counterpart, not seeming to notice. “I just swapped them out for a more…lightweight model. Not dissimilar to your own. Now," and Peter Parker sits down while Otto Octavius looks up, "what can you tell me about the multiverse?"

166. Crier

“HEAR YE, HEAR YE! THE MASKED DEMON KNOWN AS THE COB HAS ONCE AGAIN STRUCK UPON OUR BELOVED ISLE! TWO INNOCENT THIEVES WERE...innocent thieves, who wrote this garbage?...TWO INNOCENTS FRIGHTENED NEARLY TO DEATH BY THE SPAWN OF SATAN!”

“...wow,” says Mayday. “Old J. Jonah Jameson actually found his niche. Deafened by the sound of his own voice.”

Peter Pauker laughs, and they go back to leaping across the rooftops.

167. Mayfly

Life is measured differently in the ‘30s. Peter is nineteen; that’s old enough to hold a job, be working for several years, be an adult for two. His older counterpart is thirty-eight; by that age, Peter’s half-surprised he doesn’t have kids already. (Only half; Parker luck probably came into play.) Porker is...actually Porker is probably timeless, which is helpful because it marks him as that much less likely to die on the job. And the rest are just...okay, not children, nearly adults, but so small.

Peni sees it differently, he knows. What to him is the insurmountable gap of years she sees the same way as being born in different weeks of the same month. Kid’s basically got three times the lifespan he hopes for, six times the lifespan he expects. To her, they’re all kids.

(And yet she’s working a job deemed too risky for most adults even in her time. At fourteen—she started a year ago, same as him, but was bitten at nine. For him, a child; for her, basically a baby.

Sometimes he wonders whether her uncle, nice as he seems, actually is Doc Ock, only out to torment his own niece instead of the unsuspecting “lessers” of New York in general. He's half-worried that he'll find out her Aunt May looks like another super-villain—and one-eighth-worried that she wouldn't need to.)

168. First

It is Peter Pauker's terrible misfortune to be in his home dimension when a black portal opens in the air, and three figures drop out over the southern shore of Manhattan.

A black-and-white giant, flashes of red lightning crossing its featureless ebony face to make a hideous expression. A white wraith with terrible burning eyes, smallest—human height—and possibly most terrifying. An enormous black spider—no, not a spider, a harvestman.

They land on the nighttime rooftops, barely seeming to touch the surface.

itsnotthesamewithouthimisit

That's the giant's voice. It bypasses the ears and scares the mind into remembering it. It sounds…oddly feminine. And young. And familiar.

noitsnot

imisshimtoo

That's the harvestman, deep voice sinking through to the bone and freezing it solid. And also familiar.

focus

werenotgoingtoletKarnturningtraitorspoilourhunt

besides

weneedourstrength

theOneWorldsarecloserthanever

That's the wraith’s voice. Familiar, and terrifying for it, because Peter's heard that one in his own universe and he doesn't like the implications one little bit.

icansmellit

itsclose

The black one twitches, glitches, and suddenly is looking directly at Peter.

dontplaywithyourfoodtoday

letsjusteatit

The wraith again. She sounds distinctly annoyed.

icalldibs

The giant's lightning-mouth has split apart, revealing a deep red cavern and a deep black tongue.

youalwayscalldibs

The black harvestman is already spinning out a line of thread between its front limbs. It sounds amused.

imagrowingspider

ineedsomethingsweet

There’s no time for banter. Peter has two choices at this point. Make a jump, and try to fight off these monsters on his own. Or take the Gizmo Device and hide in another world. Get help.

He wouldn't be the Cob if he let others get hurt (again) for work he should be doing. The burden of capacity, Uncle Bernhard always called it.

“You dare to come to my world?” he shouts. “Stealing the voice of the woman I love? You are not welcome in this place, foul impersonators!”

The three demons look at him like cats watching a very angry one-legged mouse.

thevoiceofthewomanitloves

ihopeitsnotyouagainJennix

rememberthatlasttime

That’s...that’s Gwyneth’s voice. Twisted and warped, but it’s her.

hahahaaa

iremember

itwassofunny

iloveyouyouknowido

youcanfightit

iknowyourestillinthere

wellofcourseiamsilly

whereelsewouldibe

howdidittasteMorlun

High-pitched and giggly.

likeautumnleavestumblingthroughasilentcity

Rumbling and soft.

betyouthisonetasteslikecowardice

italreadyreeksoffear

theseshadowsgetmoreandmorerealisticeverytime

“Coward? Hah! Better insults have been spluttered by dying rats!”

oohfeisty

Peter draws his sword and revolver, and leaps. The Cob’s special abilities push him hundreds of feet into the sky...

It occurs to him, as he's high in the air, perhaps a split second too late, that perhaps he's still the Cob in spite of never backing away from a fight—

[id-pack-archive]

Plain Text

Starting With C

Masculine: cade. caden. caelan. caiden. cairo. cal. cale. caleb. caleb.. callahan. callan. callaway. callen. callum. calvin. cam. camden. camdyn. cameron. camilo. camron. cannon. carey. carl. carleton. carlos. carlton. carson. carter. cary. case. casey. cash. casimir. cason. casper. cassius. caulder. cavan. cayden. cayson. cecil. cedar. cedric. cesar. chace. chad. chadwick. chaim. chance. chandler. channing. charles. charley. charlie. charlton. chas. chase. chaz. chesley. chester. chet. chip. chris. christian. christie. christopher. chuck. chuckie. chucky. cillian. clair. clancy. clarence. clark. claud. claude. clay. clayton. clem. clement. cletis. cletus. cleve. cliff. clifford. clifton. clint. clinton. clive. clyde. cobie. cody. cohen. colbert. colby. cole. coleman. colin. collin. collins. collyn. colson. colt. colten. colter. colton. connell. conner. connor. conor. conrad. cooper. corbin. cordell. corey. cori. cornelius. cornell. corwin. cory. cosmo. coty. coy. craig. crawford. cree. creighton. crew. crispian. crispin. cristian. crofton. cruz. cullen. curran. curt. curtis. cuthbert. cy. cyan. cyril. cyrus.

Feminine: cadence. caelie. cailin. calanthe. calanthia. caleigh. cali. callie. calliope. cam. camellia. cameron. camila. camilla. camille. camryn. candace. candi. candice. candy. candyce. capri. cara. careen. carey. carina. caris. carissa. carla. carlisa. carlisle. carly. carlyn. carmel. carmella. carmen. carol. carolina. caroline. carolyn. carrie. carter. casey. cass. cassandra. cassidy. cassie. cat. cataleya. catalina. catharine. catherine. cathleen. cathryn. cecelia. cecilia. cecily. cedar. celandine. celeste. celestine. celia. celinda. celine. chalice. chana. chandler. chanel. chanelle. channing. chantal. chantel. chantelle. chanté. charisma. charissa. charisse. charity. charla. charlee. charleen. charleigh. charlene. charley. charli. charlie. charlotte. charmaine. charnette. chasity. chastity. chaya. chelle. chelsea. chelsey. chelsie. cher. cherette. cheri. cherice. cherie. cherilyn. cherise. cherish. cherry. cherryl. cheryl. chesley. chevonne. cheyanne. cheyenne. chloe. chloë. chrissie. chrissy. christa. christabel. christabella. christabelle. christal. christen. christi. christiana. christie. christina. christine. christobel. christy. chrysanta. chrystal. ciara. cicely. ciera. cierra. cinda. cindi. cindra. cindy. claire. clara. clare. clarette. claribel. clarice. clarinda. clarissa. clarity. claudia. clematis. clemence. clemency. clementine. cleo. clover. coleen. colene. colette. colleen. collins. collyn. connie. constance. cora.

Neutral: cade. caden. cadence. cai. cal. callahan. callaway. camari. cambrian. camdyn. cameron. camille. campbell. camren. camryn. canyon. carsen. carsyn. carter. cartier. cas. casey. casper. cassidy. cay. caydence. caylen. cedar. chandler. channing. charleston. charley. charlie. charly. charm. chase. chayce. chevelle. chevy. chosen. chozen. chris. cidney. cj. clarke. cobolt. codin. colby. conley. cooper. copeland. cor. coral. corbyn. cory. courtney. cove. cree. crosby. cyan. cypress. cécile.

STARTING WITH C

MASCULINE︰ cade. caden. caelan. caiden. cairo. cal. cale. caleb. caleb.. callahan. callan. callaway. callen. callum. calvin. cam. camden. camdyn. cameron. camilo. camron. cannon. carey. carl. carleton. carlos. carlton. carson. carter. cary. case. casey. cash. casimir. cason. casper. cassius. caulder. cavan. cayden. cayson. cecil. cedar. cedric. cesar. chace. chad. chadwick. chaim. chance. chandler. channing. charles. charley. charlie. charlton. chas. chase. chaz. chesley. chester. chet. chip. chris. christian. christie. christopher. chuck. chuckie. chucky. cillian. clair. clancy. clarence. clark. claud. claude. clay. clayton. clem. clement. cletis. cletus. cleve. cliff. clifford. clifton. clint. clinton. clive. clyde. cobie. cody. cohen. colbert. colby. cole. coleman. colin. collin. collins. collyn. colson. colt. colten. colter. colton. connell. conner. connor. conor. conrad. cooper. corbin. cordell. corey. cori. cornelius. cornell. corwin. cory. cosmo. coty. coy. craig. crawford. cree. creighton. crew. crispian. crispin. cristian. crofton. cruz. cullen. curran. curt. curtis. cuthbert. cy. cyan. cyril. cyrus.

FEMININE︰ cadence. caelie. cailin. calanthe. calanthia. caleigh. cali. callie. calliope. cam. camellia. cameron. camila. camilla. camille. camryn. candace. candi. candice. candy. candyce. capri. cara. careen. carey. carina. caris. carissa. carla. carlisa. carlisle. carly. carlyn. carmel. carmella. carmen. carol. carolina. caroline. carolyn. carrie. carter. casey. cass. cassandra. cassidy. cassie. cat. cataleya. catalina. catharine. catherine. cathleen. cathryn. cecelia. cecilia. cecily. cedar. celandine. celeste. celestine. celia. celinda. celine. chalice. chana. chandler. chanel. chanelle. channing. chantal. chantel. chantelle. chanté. charisma. charissa. charisse. charity. charla. charlee. charleen. charleigh. charlene. charley. charli. charlie. charlotte. charmaine. charnette. chasity. chastity. chaya. chelle. chelsea. chelsey. chelsie. cher. cherette. cheri. cherice. cherie. cherilyn. cherise. cherish. cherry. cherryl. cheryl. chesley. chevonne. cheyanne. cheyenne. chloe. chloë. chrissie. chrissy. christa. christabel. christabella. christabelle. christal. christen. christi. christiana. christie. christina. christine. christobel. christy. chrysanta. chrystal. ciara. cicely. ciera. cierra. cinda. cindi. cindra. cindy. claire. clara. clare. clarette. claribel. clarice. clarinda. clarissa. clarity. claudia. clematis. clemence. clemency. clementine. cleo. clover. coleen. colene. colette. colleen. collins. collyn. connie. constance. cora.

NEUTRAL︰ cade. caden. cadence. cai. cal. callahan. callaway. camari. cambrian. camdyn. cameron. camille. campbell. camren. camryn. canyon. carsen. carsyn. carter. cartier. cas. casey. casper. cassidy. cay. caydence. caylen. cedar. chandler. channing. charleston. charley. charlie. charly. charm. chase. chayce. chevelle. chevy. chosen. chozen. chris. cidney. cj. clarke. cobolt. codin. colby. conley. cooper. copeland. cor. coral. corbyn. cory. courtney. cove. cree. crosby. cyan. cypress. cécile.