#there's a joke i thought of including where during every book nat would have a new rental car and

[albatris]

everytime i see 'a rental car takes a left down rake street and disappears' i always briefly go 'damn the rental car industry is in SHAMBLES' as if everytime you tag it ANOTHER rental car disappears. Absolute menace on the car economy

please god help us we are running out of rental cars!!! where are they all going!!!

[ashintheairlikesnow]

Seconding the 'mob guys watching over Chris for Paul's suggestion!

CW: References to murder/mob organization stuff, references to parental death, grief, referenced past whump of a minor

Every Tuesday at 9 am, just like clockwork, Sean Malley lumbers into a coffeeshop nestled into the corner of a flat featureless strip mall. Contrasting to the pale concrete nothingness of its surrounding, the little coffeeshop is painted  a warm, rich brown along the exterior, with heavy platers spilling over with purple and yellow flowers every few feet until Sean reaches the door.

It’s a welcome bit of individuality along this ring of small strip malls and larger big-box stores kept out of the city proper by a pile of zoning laws too draconian to fight. He’s been coming here for ten years now, more or less, and has seen the little coffeshop through its earliest days struggling for business right to now, where he feels reasonably certain he’ll be dead long before they close this place for good. 

He moves inside, the light immediately warm and slightly dimmed. The scent in the air of freshly roasted coffee beans and baked goods. The cannolis they sell came from him, Sean’s proud of that - his wife had a favorite recipe and he’d given it to them after she passed, hoping for one batch for the service. They’d just kept making them, having one ready for him when he popped in, and... well, they’ve sold them ever since. Even call them Christa’s Cannolis, handwritten in cursive on a little placard. She’d have been tickled pink, he thinks sometimes, to see it. 

One of his knees comes and goes as it pleases these days, giving his step a bit of a shuffle-scrape. He’s smiling, though, and humming as he goes.

Life is good for Sean Malley, all things considered. 

Truth be told, he hadn't actually expected to live this long. Keeping close to Conor and his family had paid off in the early days - just as his instincts had kept him safe when the Garden erupted in in-fighting, too. When the Clean-Up happened, during the Garden’s most vicious in-fighting, Sean had seen half the men he’d watched start as snot-nosed dumbasses taken out one by one, clearing the way for Conor’s fucking grandson to make his play for power.

Those kids who’d run lookout gigs and then moved on to guard duty or work with the cargo coming in... one by one those kids-turned-adults, with families of their own, had been removed from the picture. Fifteen, all told, a bloodbath stretched out over six months - sixteen, of course, if you count how Paul’s murder went all wrong. 

The one comfort had been watching Conor’s grandson lay the groundwork for his own comeuppance the whole time - promising favors for loyalty and then killing the ones he’d promised those favors to. That’s no way to start yourself as leader, and... well.

Trash had been taken out, in the end. Riley Higgs had gotten rid of the poison - and the poison’s friends - and his crew’s a damn sight better than Conor’s grandson’s people had been. 

Riley, for one thing, understands that an organization like the Garden works, in the end, on trust. On being a family.

Don’t kill your family without a good damn reason, now do you? 

Now Riley... he had a good reason. And Sean had made sure Riley Higgs knew a few very important facts that kept him on the man’s good side, and very much alive when the dust settled.

Even if he had did have to live with a bum knee. And back. And his hip’s started twinging every time it rains...

"Morning, Mr. Malley!" His favorite barista calls out, giving him a wave from behind the counter. She's a pretty thing, just cute as a button. Probably in her late twenties but when you’re as old as Sean is, everyone looks like a child playing pretend. 

Still, it always brings a bit of sun in the old man's day to see her bright pink hair before he ever takes his seat. He always tells her she should move on from here, do something with her life other than serve old men their coffee and watch them while away the hours.

But I like it here, Melody always replies, giving a little shrug of her shoulders. I like our regulars, too. Besides, this place pays better than the job I’d get with my actual degree. 

"G'morning to you, Melody!" He calls back, moving to have a seat in his usual spot, sinking gratefully into the plush armchair by the bookshelf in the corner. His favorite coffee table book, a heavy thing full of photos of World War II, is already laid out on the side table next to it, bookmarked where he’d left off last week. "Busy day, today?"

Melody is already heading his way, coffee in hand just how he likes it, one of Christa’s Cannolis on a small plate in the other. Sean’s doctor has been on him about cutting out sugar, and he’s done it just about everywhere else, but he still has his cannoli on Tuesdays. Christa had been so proud of herself when she’d mastered that recipe... 

"Not really,” Melody says with a shrug, breaking into his thoughts. “Just the usual morning rush and a couple college kids, wandered outside but they left their drinks, I figure they’ll come back. One of 'em looks like he got mauled by a real weak bear."

Sean feigns surprise. "Oh, does he now?" He takes a sip of his coffee and sighs happily. "Not too hot. You had it out already, didn't you?"

"I saw your car pull into the lot," Melody says, giving a little it's nothing gesture. “I knew you’d be in, so I kept an eye out for you.”

"You're a doll, Melody, and this place would be lost without you." He presses the twenty-dollar bill into her hand, and when she protests, he shakes his head, adds another ten, and closes her hand firmly around the cash. "Take it, take it. I'm an old man on my own, who've I got to spend it on, huh?"

"You're not that old, Mr. Malley," Melody sighs, an old song and dance between them. “You’ve got grandkids who could use it, too, you know.”

"Ha! Trust that my grandkids never want for anything, Melody. Besides, live the life I've lived, and sixty feels like eighty-two. Go on, then. Cilly'll be along in a bit."

He sits back to drink his coffee as she heads back behind the counter, watching through the front window the cars that pass along the highway, the scattering of people getting in and out of their own vehicles in the parking lot. It's a perfect, and perfectly normal, Tuesday morning. Just like any other.

A perfectly normal Tuesday where one creature of habit makes it a point to get a quick look at another. 

A flash of red catches his eye, and he frowns, watching a bright red Northern cardinal alight on the bench placed outside the shop, preening one wing briefly and then seeming to look towards the lot.

Sean follows its gaze, silently chastising himself for being so utterly taken by a simple bird, but... Northern cardinals are more or less unheard of around here, especially in the city. This one seems to cock its head in his direction. 

"Someone," He mutters to himself, "is a bit lost."

There's a peal of laughter, as the door opens, the little bell on top chiming to announce them, and there they are.

Two young people walking inside, heads tilted together. One of them has thick, wavy black hair, one of those haircuts the younger people like so much now, shaved on the sides but long on top. The younger guys in the Family wear their hair like that now and then. 

Sean thinks he liked it better when everyone kept things neat and tidy, but times change, and the Garden can't stagnate just because an old timer's got opinions. Riley’s take is he’d rather is people look like they could be anybody anywhere, and Sean has to admit the kind of haircut he’d like to see would stick out like a sore thumb.

Both of them are wearing all black head to toe, the black-haired one in a tank top and baggy pants, a large yellow lightning bolt on a cord settled just below their collarbone. Honestly, if he gets past the hair thing, they’re cute as a button, too.

Really, though, he’s not here because of them.

He’s here to get a good look at the young man walking in beside them. 

It’s funny - it’s been nine - ten? - years since he last saw Paul Higgs alive, the day before he and his sweet Ronnie were gunned down in their own home in the night... but tears still prick at the corners of Sean’s eyes when he see the ghost of Paul in his son’s narrow face.

There’d been a joke when the little one first came into the world, that somehow Paul and Ronnie had put together a child where her genetics simply skipped out entirely. He’d been a little clone of Paulie from the start, and he’s different as a man than he’d been as a child lining toy cars up at their feet in the warehouse on Saturdays when Ronnie needed a break.

Sean pulls his phone out, idly scrolling - his daughter had helped him to get Facebook and a couple other things besides, including some kind of app that had his favorite card games. He pretends now to be fascinated by something he sees, but in truth he pulls his camera up and starts recording.

“It, it, it could change everything,” Paulie’s boy is saying, breathlessly excited, hands moving through the air in a blend of gesture and general happiness. “You see? Everything! Make it, it, it-it safer, make... make things better.”

“I know, I know,” The other one replies, deep voice warm and thick with love, and Sean sighs, missing his Christa now more than ever. He consoles himself with a bite of cannoli. “I already told you I’m in, Chris, okay? I’m going to help you. You don’t have to sell me on it.”

Tristan ducks his head with a shy smile, and boy if he isn’t Paul’s spitting image in that, too. Paulie hadn’t smiled much, not like his kid does - maybe that’s what he got from Ronnie - but in a smile like that, well... you could see where he got it from. If you’d known Paul, of course.

Which the kid didn’t, not anymore.

“It could, um, be dangerous though.” They’re barely audible now as they go back to where they left their still-steaming drinks, sitting down on a nearby couch. “Nat’s worried. And, and, and you know Jake-”

“Chris, you could walk across a crosswalk when the light starts blinking and Jake would still worry about you,” The other one teases. Sean knows their name, but right now it won’t quite come to mind, lingering on the tip of is tongue, never quite landing. “It’ll be public, yeah-”

“Telling everyone who... who, who I am.” Tristan starts tapping his fingers on his pants, a peculiar finger-twist-tap-tap-tap gesture that Sean once knew as well as anyone, when the boy was small. But it’s the words, with a hint of nervousness lining them, that get his attention. “The... the whole world’s going to, to, to to-to-... to... to know about Tristan Higgs.”

Now that gets Sean’s attention. He cuts the video, sends it to Riley, and starts a new one. It takes work not to sit up, or drop his cannoli, or in some other way give himself away. 

He knows, then?

How?

Sean looks down at his phone, looking over the scar on Paul’s boy’s forehead, the only remaining evidence of what had been much more visible the first couple times they’d seen him out after it happened. Sean and Cilly had figured maybe a fight - people get into them, really. Paul wasn’t exactly gentle as a lamb, and why would his boy be?

But now... he wondered. His instincts told him the two were related, and of course he knew from the time they’d worked with WRU pretty closely under the table that those memory things they did sometimes failed. Sean had done a fixer job once for someone whose pet had recovered memories too fast and killed a servant in a panic...

“Oh, Paul,” Sean murmurs. “What’d your boy do, hm?”

“I’m, I’m going to to to t-... to tell everyone who I am,” Paul’s boy is saying, leaning forward and taking the hands of the other one in his own, squeezing them tight. “I’m... will, will, will you come with me? When, when I... so someone’s there?”

“What? Holy shit, Chris, go to the Olympics? With you?” They inhale and exhale, blowing some hair from their eyes, and smile. “You should take someone who knows more than I do about all that stuff, Chris, take Jake, or-”

“Jake has has to stay here. To, to protect the house. But... will you come with me?”

Sean cuts the video, sends it to Riley, and this time adds a message.

Olympics are in Chicago this year. What’s Paul Jr. planning?

He feels eyes on him and glances up to find Tristan looking over at him, an expression of uncertainty on his face. Sean’s been watching him for years, popping up in places, the way you sometimes see the same faces at the corner store, the mom-and-pop, a coffeeshop like this one. Now, he watches Tristan look him over, knowing he’s familiar but not knowing why. Part of him, with a pinprick of an old, old grief, wishes Paul’s little boy would recognize him now. 

Most of him knows it’s better if he doesn’t.

Tristan looks away, and goes back to talking, but his voice lowers and now Sean can’t quite pick up what he’s saying beyond a few scattered words. He gets a couple photos of the lovebirds with their head together, sipping coffee, and sends those on to Riley, too.

Job done, he settles back to finish his cannoli and drink his coffee. Tristan and-... Laken, his name suddenly supplies, only an hour after he’d started trying to remember it - get up and leave, Tristan’s arm around Laken’s waist.

Good for the kid, Sean thinks, with a smile. By this age Paul had an elementary school son running around, but you know, it’s good to take your time on these things, and it’s nice to see that all the shit they’ve had to stand back and watch still wraps up nicely into Paul’s boy living a pretty nice life indeed.

His phone dings just as Cilly enters - right on time at 10, like clockwork - and he glances down to open the message from Riley.

I’ll get one of our guys to look into it. This might give us the out on the business I don’t want to be in I’ve been looking for. Kid looks good, looks like Paul. Family genes run deep.

Sean greets Cilly, even older than him but a sight more spry, and glances out the window. The bird’s gone from the bench, of course. The day is bright and shining.

-

In Laken’s car, they’re halfway back to the house Laken shares with their roommates when Chris suddenly sits straight up. “Mr. Malley,” He breathes out, green eyes widening.

Laken jumps - he’d been silent, preoccupied and in thought - and nearly jerks the car into a curb. “Damn, Chris! You scared me. What’d you say?”

“The old guy, in, in, in the the the the-the-... the coffeeshop, who kept looking at, at me.” Chris rocks forward, hands on the dashboard, his eyes staring ahead but not at the road, they’re looking far ahead... or behind himself, back in time and not space, when and not where. “His name’s Mr. Malley. I, I, I knew-... my dad knew, my, my, my dad, my dad-” 

He winces, the headache splitting him apart, and Laken hits their turn signal, pulling into the parking lot of a generic fast food place, swinging into a parking space and turning to look at him. 

“Chris? You okay?”

Chris’s face has gone pale, cold sweat breaking out. It still happens, sometimes, and when they lean over to touch his shoulder he flinches back from them, instinctively.

Laken exhales. “Okay. Ride it out, Chris. Let the memory go if it’s hurting, it’ll come back to you. They all come back now.”

“No! No, I, I, I want-... Mr. Malley knew my dad, I went to-... work, with, with him sometimes, his his his wife babysat me, I... I know him. I knew him. I knew-” He turns to look at them, and they fight the urge to try and touch him again.

Not yet.

“Do you... do you think, think, think he knew me?”

Laken swallows. “I don’t think so. Wouldn’t he have said something, if he recognized you? If he was your dad’s friend? Are you absolutely sure that-”

“Yes, I’m, I’m sure. I know it was him. I, I, I know, he, he, he gave me me me Dinotopia books... for Christmas one year...” Chris jerked in a breath and let it out again, hands going up over his head, folding himself in half until his forehead rested on the dashboard, pressed to the cool molded plastic. “He, he, he, he came to their funeral, he hugged me, he said, you’re too young to to to to have to lose so much, and everyone said-... everyone said stuff I hated but but but not him, he said, he said-”

“Chris, please, don’t hurt yourself doing this-”

“He said grief gets worse before it gets better, and and and and he said-... he said... he said don’t let anyone tell you that R-Ronnie’d want you to to to be strong, she’d want you to scream your head off if you want to, your dad’d be proud if if if if-if... if you told us all to go to hell, and... and and and and it felt like he was the only person who who who knew them at all that day, everyone said, said, said stupid things but not him, not-... not him and not Mr. Cilly, not-... not my Aunt Jo, not anybody, but he-”

Chris chokes on a sob and when Laken throws their arms around him he melts into it this time, crying against their shoulder, the two of them uncomfortably arched over the center console and the gear shift. 

“It’s okay,” Laken whispers, running their fingers over the slowly growing fuzz of his hair. “It’s okay. Let it ride, Chris. It’s okay.”

“He, he, he was my dad’s b-b-best friend-... Why d-didn’t he, if he saw me, why wouldn’t he-... I s-see him all th-the the the time, why doesn’t he know who I am?”

“Maybe he’s like Akio,” Laken says, and feels him trembling under their touch. “Maybe he’s always thought you were dead.”

“I w-was,” Chris whispers “When I, I, I was Baldur. When I was training. When... when I... was good. I was dead.”

“Chris-”

“I was dead,” Chris says, and they kiss his head, helpless to think of anything else to do. “When my p-parents died, I died, too. Mr. Malley made m-me feel like I I I wasn’t. Why didn’t he kn-know me? Why didn’t a-anyone know I was alive?”

“I don’t know, baby. I don’t know.”

“Hurts,” Chris whispers. “Why, why, why didn’t anyone help me before she she she-... before I was-... why didn’t anyone help me?”

Laken’s own eyes burn, and they draw circles on his scalp with their fingertips. “I can’t answer that,” They say, low and soft. “I’m sorry. But you know you have people who can and will help you now.”

For a while, Chris’s only sounds are sobs, and Laken can only make soft soothing nonsense noises and feel like shit that it’s not enough.

“Ev, everyone knew she-she hated me,” Chris whimpers, and sounds younger than he ever has, and Laken wants to throw a punch or scream and they can’t do either, only sit in the car and glare at people who look in as they walk past. “Everyone.”

“Chris-”

“Everyone knew, why, why, why why why didn’t they stop her?”

-

Back in the coffeeshop, Sean and Cilly are in the midst of an argument about a baseball game that happened 30 years ago when his phone rings. He holds up one finger and picks it up, lifting it to his ear.

“I have a job for you,” Riley says, with his cheerful hint of brogue. Funny, to remember that this part of the family only came here a few decades ago. “It’s a job I know you’ll enjoy.”

“Watching Paul’s boy is my retirement gig,” Sean says amicably. “You know I don’t do the dangerous stuff any longer, Mr. Higgs.”

There’s a silence. “I’m going to do some looking into what you sent me. But in the meantime I need to give you a job, and you’re going to do it.”

“And why is that, Mr. Higgs?”

“Because you’re going to want to do this.”

“What is it, then?”

Another pause.

“I want you to find Joanne Botham.”

Sean thinks of the dour, angry woman who had ignored Tristan in his funeral suit, gathering mourners around her while she sobbed over Ronnie’s loss, Ronnie’s own son alone on a couch staring off into space until Sean himself had sat down and told him, don’t let ‘em say your mom’d be proud of you bein’ stoic today, kiddo. Ronnie’d want you to scream if you felt the urge. 

The kid had looked at him like he’d been given water in the desert, a starving man offered a bowlful of broth. Mr. Malley?

People will say a lot of real stupid stuff to you today, Sean had said. His eyes had gone to Joanne Botham, and Ronnie’s sister’s icy glare when she looked at her own nephew had made his blood run cold with anger even then. Likely in the future, too. But you just remember Paul and Ronnie weren’t saints. And they’d never want you to be, either. I’m sorry for your loss, Tris. No one on God’s earth has loved their kid like yours loved you. Should’ve seen his face when he told us your mom was pregnant with you. Could’ve lit the world with all the sunshine there.

A clap on the back, a whispered thank you, and that had been the last day Sean Malley had ever seen Tristan Higgs alive.

Until, of course, Riley had told him there was a boy living in a pet liberation safehouse who looked remarkably like Paul. Until, of course, Riley had shared that he’d known Tristan Higgs was alive all along. Until, of course, Sean had been told he couldn’t make a move because WRU was protecting all the players who had stolen his friend’s kid. 

Until... now.

“Mr. Higgs?” His voice drops, and Cilly sits up, alarmed at the sudden change in tone. 

“You heard me. Find Joanne Botham. I have a feeling we are about to get the opportunity we’ve been waiting for.”

The phone goes dead on the other end, and Sean slowly sets it down, finishing his second cup of coffee in a gulp. Then he looks at Cilly, and starts to smile. 

“Riley’s got work for us,” He says, and when Cilly’s eyebrows raise he doesn’t wait for him to ask for more. “Don’t worry. You’re going to like it. Finally get to do what we should have done ten fucking years ago.”

---

Tagging: @burtlederp , @finder-of-rings , @endless-whump , @whumpfigure , @astrobly @newandfiguringitout , @doveotions , @pretty-face-breaker , @gonna-feel-that-tomorrow @boxboysandotherwhump  , @oops-its-whump  @cubeswhump ,  @whump-tr0pes  @downriver914 @vickytokio @whumpiary @orchidscript @moose-teeth @nonsensical-whump

[justkending]

Just Roommates. Chapter 27.

Series Summary: These two college friends have had years to grow together. Each being the others support system, adventure buddy, movie night partner, and dorky roommates. That is until things start coming to a new light in their relationship. At least for him… Is there something else there? Is it possible? Were these feelings always there?

Pairing: (Modern) Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warning: Fluff, Adulting, sexy-times mentions, language.

Word Count: 2700+

A/N: This is a very simple chapter, but I needed it for the next chapter:) Hope you enjoy!!

Chapter 27:

"That's perfect right there! Thank you!"

Y/N was instructing the movers bringing in the last of their furniture while her and Wanda started unloading items for the kitchen. Steve, Sam, Clint, Wanda, and Vision had all pitched in their cars as ways to help with moving the smaller boxes from their flat. Nat and Maria were going to be there within the next hour.

Bucky was out by the cars with Steve bringing in a few more hauls of the boxes.

"So, when's the engagement party?" Steve asked.

"I honestly think Y/N's just going to count this move in party as the engagement party. She's not one for all the formal events. Which I'm perfectly fine with," Bucky smiled, re-adjusting his grip on the larger box as they walked up the porch.

"Really? How are we supposed to get you two gifts if we didn't know this was the engagement party?" Steve asked.

"Don't act like you guys didn't all bring some housewarming gift. I saw you all casually trying to hide your little gift bags and stuff. Horrible hiding by the way," Bucky chuckled as Steve opened the door for to the two of them.

"Housewarming gifts are different from engagement gift," the blonde countered.

"I guess, but we really don't need anything. We just want to hang out with you guys in our new home. That's enough for us both," Bucky shrugged, putting the boxes down and turning to see Wanda and Y/N laughing in the kitchen.

"You know, Bucky, just a year ago you would be all over the material things. Something I think Bonnie would have played a part in and also been ecstatic for," Steve smiled looking at his friend. "The fact that's not even a thought for you shows how lucky you got Buck. You and Y/N both got lucky."

Bucky couldn't looked away from Y/N. She was in her 'moving overalls' as she called them since apparently she had so many they all had a special purpose. Her hair was in a messy bun with a head scarf wrapped keeping her wayward curls out of her face. Failing at at its job, but still cute nonetheless. One of the overall shoulders wasn't hooked and was hanging off her shoulder. She was laughing and pointing something out to Wanda in the living room.

"I did get lucky. The woman has taught me more things than I cared to know existed. And because of that I'm a lot more content and happy with my life." Bucky sent a single nod and smile after making eye contact with Y/N who blushed and winked back at him. "I'm on a high Steve, and I haven't fell from it in 6+ months."

"I feel you brother," Steve said squeezing Bucky's shoulder.

"You feel me?" Bucky said with a small laugh knowing Steve was as single as could be. "How do you-" When Steve's reaction was just a dopey smile as if he were lost in space, Bucky's eyebrows shot up. "You punk! You're seeing someone and you didn't tell me?!"

"Hey, hey. Quiet!" Steve said, putting his hands out in surrender. "I-I just wanted to see how things would go and didn't want anyone to get their hopes up, but... Yeah... There's a girl."

"Steve, that's amazing!" Bucky said, pulling him into a hug. "How long?"

"Remember Dr. Erskine from your charity gala?" Bucky nodded. "One of his shadows for his work happens to be in the geriatric field, and he mentioned the senior home to her. She came by for a visit to see the home for some research and we kinda hit it off." Steve had a blush creeping up his neck and was rubbing the back of it in nerves.

"Well, what's her name? What was she doing research for? How old is she? Blonde or Brunette? Or maybe redhead-" Bucky started spouting out questions.

"Her name is Margaret, but she goes by Peggy. She does different funding for senior homes and is doing research in veterans history. She's trying to write a book right now about different stories of WWII vets and Vietnam vets. She's just a few years older than me," Steve answered with a laugh. "And brunette. The most beautiful brown hair and brown eyes I've ever seen on a woman..."

Bucky watched as Steve once again drifted into a dream world. He knew how that went considering it happened to him practically every time he thought of Y/N.

"I'm happy for you Stevie. And don't worry, I'll keep it on the down low. I know how important the beginning of a relationship is, and with our friend group, I'm not going to chance ruining that," Bucky laughed half joking, half being serious.

"You can tell Y/N. Just  Y/N though," Steve laughed.

"Ok, good. That was my next question..." Bucky grinned.

"Come on. Let's get you moved in," Steve nudged as they went back outside for another load.

___________

"Y/N, this place is going to be beautiful!" Nat said, raising her glass as the group of friends sat in the living room on the new furniture.

There were boxes scattered everywhere in their designated rooms, some opened but not unpacked. Only things out were some coasters for the end tables, and a few accent pillows that came with the couches today.

"It's true. I saw some of the decorations you have boxed up, and just by the looks of it this place is going to be stunning," Maria nodded, taking a sip of her wine.

"How many bedrooms?" Clinton budded in.

"Four including the master. So enough for you guys to crash if you ever get too drunk to leave," Bucky winked wrapping his arms around Y/N's middle on the chair they were snuggled into.

"Careful to make that offer. I may never leave," Sam laughed with a smirk.

"Everyone but you," Bucky said with a fake glare.

"You see how he treats me, Y/N? So mean and for no reason," Sam fake pouted.

"Oh, quit it you two. Always teasing the other until someone actually gets their feelings hurt," Y/N waved them off. "Sam, you are more than welcome to stay here when you want."

"Thank you," he said in a proud tone as if he won.

"Of course after day 3 there will be a rent fee," Y/N added with a smirk of her own as she took a long sip of her drink.

"Hey!" Sam said, choking on his drink a little.

"That's my girl," Bucky laughed.

"So what did you guys decide on for the flat? Are you going to sell it or..." Wanda asked turning to them from where she was sat by Vis.

"I'm going to rent it out for cheap to some college kids. No point in bumping the price when I don't really need the extra money. I remember how hard it was for people to find affordable housing during that time, and that way I can still keep it. It's already paid off," Bucky answered.

"That's a good idea and sweet of you. College me would have jumped for a place to stay like that for cheap," Nat nodded.

"Y/N thought of it. I was going to sell it, but made better sense to just rent it out," Bucky shrugged.

"Ok, enough boring adult talk! Tell us how it happened!" Maria jumped in.

"Gotta be more specific sis," Y/N laughed.

"The proposal! We've all seen the ring! Now give us the details!"

"Ok, ok. You wanna tell it or me?" Y/N turned to Bucky who just smiled and shrugged.

"We both can, but you start."

"Ok," she smiled before turning to the group. "So we came out here just to set up some lights and see the finished product of the house."

The rest of the story later, the girls were ooing and aweing at the sentiment. The men just grinning and sending smirks to Bucky for the romantic kind of man he apparently had been hiding from them.

After some more catching up, Y/N giving the girls room tours as well as sharing her decor ideas, while Bucky took the guys out and showed them the land and what they planned to build, the crew started packing up.

Bucky and Y/N said goodbye to everyone as they packed into their cars, and waved to them until they were out the driveway and headed back to the city.

Y/N let out a sigh and turned back to the house. Bucky followed and wrapped his arms around her as he rested his chin on her shoulder.

"We have a lot of unboxing to do," she said.

"Yep, but we unpacked a lot tonight. Let's save the rest for tomorrow."

"Yeah, ok." She turned back and gave him a hug as she fell into him. "I love you."

"I love you even more Y/N. Let's go to bed."

________

The next night, Bucky got a call from work saying they had a business trip that Stark had set up for the two to travel and speak with a few investors on some new projects. Something that was bound to take place in the merger. It just so happened to come up when the two were moving in and had a shit ton of boxes to unpack.

"How long?" Y/N asked once Bucky got done explaining Starks travel plans, and they unboxed some items for one of the guest rooms.

"Sounds like a couple of weeks. No more than two, hopefully only one," Bucky sighed. "I can see if I can make it shorter. I don't want to leave you to unpack all by yourself, and maybe the investors-"

"What are you talking about?" Y/N laughed, stopping and turning to Bucky from the bedside table she was organizing. "You don't have to make your work shorter just because I need help unpacking some boxes."

"Well, no, but-"

"I know what you're doing B. It's not going to work."

"I'm not doing anything..." Bucky mumbled, looking down at the bed frame he was currently screwing in the last few pieces into place for.

"You don't want to travel with Stark for up to two weeks, and you're using moving as an excuse. Nope. Nuh uh. You're going mister," she said matter a factly as she plugged in the bed side lamp and brushed her hands off.

"And what if I don't want to go cause I don't want to leave you?" Bucky said with a raised eyebrow standing up.

"It's your work Bucky. You're going to have to leave sometimes to take care of business." Her hands were crossed over her chest and hip popped. Bucky places his hands on his hips in an attempt to mock her sass.

"You want me out of the house or something?" he joked.

"No... I've just noticed you've been pushing work to the side, and trying to distract yourself from it and using the house as an excuse."

"I'm not-"

"James Buchanan Barnes. You have a huge, crazy busy, growing, multimillion dollar business to run. You can't keep distancing yourself from it just because you don't like Stark all that much," she said, taking a step closer and Bucky matched her.

He paused. She was right. He had been finding any excuse to work from home, or only going in during times Stark wasn't there. He still was extremely annoyed by the man, and the less time he spent with him the better. On the other hand he had been really excited about living with Y/N and being with her more now that they were engaged. 

Screw knowing each other for years. The man was in the honeymoon phase still, and hadn't even glimpsed outside of the puppy love he had for her.

"But what if I don't want to..." he pouted moving closer and putting his hands on her hips as he pulled her in.

"Sucks. You're the big boss man whether you like it or not," she shrugged, still crossing her arms with a playful gleam in her eyes.

"You're kinda scary. You know that?" Bucky chuckled tilting his head to her.

"When I need to be, yes. That's not new news," she said with a sly smirk. "So on that note. Let's get you packed for your trip."

"But-"

"Nope! No excuses bossman!" she said walking out the door to their room.

_________

Y/N was right. This was a big opportunity for the business, and even though Bucky was getting comfortable spending his time with Y/n in their new house, and as a newly engaged couple, he did need to get out and actually work.

The trip ended up being a week and half. Y/N having to stay behind to handle some housing things like plumbing, gas, land surveying and all that fun stuff. That and she still had her job as a personal trainer/ yoga instructor, so she couldn't just up and leave with only a day's notice for almost two weeks.

The two facetimed and talked every night and day. Y/N showing him new places she had got around to decorating and layouts and ideas for the land.

What Bucky didn't know was that Y/N had the girls over almost every night to help her finish up unpacking and decorating before he came home. Sometimes Steve and Sam too if she needed some more heavy duty help.

"Y/N, this is all so stunning. He's going to be so surprised when he gets home," Nat smiled as they all stood looking at the newly decorated home.

"Really? You think? It's not too much is it?" she questioned bringing her hand to her chin as she examined the room they were currently in.

"He's going to love it Y/N. Anything you do he loves, but this is crazy impressive," Steve added as he packed up his tool box. "You ever thought about interior design?"

"That's what Bucky said," Y/N laughed. "And now that I have so many people asking me that," she looked at Maria, Wanda, and Nat who had also been commenting on it all day, "It's starting to sound like a possible fun side-job."

"Well, I'll pay you to come revamp my apartment if you do anything close to this," Maria grinned, taking a swig from a beer bottle.

"You got it," Y/N laughed. "Ok, I need to go pick him up from the airport in about an hour, so I'm going to go get changed and do a few last minute things. Thanks again you guys for coming out here and helping."

"Anytime! Maria and I love the scenic drive here, and it gives us a chance to see your fucking gorgeous home," Nat smirked bumping her hip with Y/N.

"That and you know you can always call if you need a handy man when Bucks not here," Steve added, picking up the tool box.

"Thanks for that Stevie. I appreciate you," she said giving him a small peck on the cheek.

"Yeah, I'm just here for the free alcohol," Wanda teased as she downed the rest of her beer. "Helps when Nat's driving."

The crew laughed at the red head and started heading for the door.

"Let us know what he thinks! And when you guys are ready, we can have a housewarming party since it's all done!" Nat shouted as she walked to the car.

"Will do! Love you guys! Drive safe!" Y/N shouted and waved from the porch as they loaded up and made their way down the long driveway.

Once they were out of sight, Y/N turned to look at the finished product of their home. The lights on the porch were hung and turned on. The inside was lit up and bringing life and a sense of comfort to it.

"How did I get so lucky?" Y/N sighed as she thought about the life that was to come with her special person. All she had to do was pick him up from the airport, and yet another milestone would be made.

(Ok pictures are coming next chapter!) 

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[96thdayofrage]

Mrs. Douglas was the music teacher. Let me be clear: she was not a music teacher, she taught music at the three predominately Black elementary schools in my hometown. She taught at a different school every day and, if you lived in Hartsville, S.C. any time between 1968 and 2006, she was the music teacher. Mrs. Douglas is the reason everyone from my childhood knows the words to “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the Black national anthem.

Being home-schooled at a young age, my mother hadn’t shielded me from whiteness so much as she surrounded me with Blackness. But I longed to go to school. I wanted to play on a playground and carry books in a knapsack. Having to raise your hand to speak and eating square pizza seemed like so much fun, which is why I cherished Wednesdays with Mrs. Douglas. On Wednesday afternoons, Mrs. Douglas gave me private piano lessons in her home and I was her prized student. I was a child prodigy and–if I could just remember to lift my wrists and keep my posture straight–I was on the path to becoming the next Stevie Wonder or Ray Charles. I was always eager to play for Mrs. Douglas because she had one thing that inspired students to perform at the highest level:

Mrs. Douglas was beautiful.

Even as a ten-year-old, I could see it. Everyone could. Perhaps the best way to contextualize her beauty is to say she was a combination of Thelma and Willona from Good Times. She had a pre-Beyoncé level of fineness that made little boys swoon and little girls belt their hearts out in perfect tune. And, she began every gathering with the Black National Anthem–“Lift Every Voice and Sing.”

It really is a perfect song. God must have laid that on James Weldon Johnson’s heart because, in 169 words, he somehow captured the entirety of the Black experience. The lyrics are at once painful and triumphant without wallowing in our trauma. And when we hit that “Sing a song...” part, we really spill out all of our Blackness. In the annals of Black music, “sing a song” ranks right up there with Frankie Beverly’s “Before I let you goooooooo....” or Ricky Bell’s confession that “it’s driving me out of my mind.” If there’s anything Black America can do, we can sing a song.

Mrs. Douglas did not teach me the Black National Anthem. I have never been in a setting where people actually learned the words or the melody. Everywhere I went, people just seemed to know it. Looking back, this was probably the work of Mrs. Douglas, but for the first ten years of my life, I assumed everyone was born knowing how to blink their eyes, do the Electric Slide, and sing “Lift Every Voice.”

One Wednesday, at the end of our hourlong lesson, Mrs. Douglas gave me a copy of the Maya Angelou bestseller along with the sheet music to “Lift Every Voice,” as if one were necessary to understand the other. She told me that she would be teaching me how to play the anthem for the next few weeks but we could only begin after I read the pages she had bookmarked. In the chapter, Angelou describes her elementary school class singing the Negro National Anthem. I’m sure my piano teacher was trying to stress the importance of the song to our history and culture but all I could remember is Maya Angelou describing her anger after a local school board official denigrated the entire Black race during her grammar school graduation ceremony:

We were maids and farmers, handymen and washerwomen, and anything higher that we aspired to was farcical and presumptuous.

Then I wished that Gabriel Prosser and Nat Turner had killed all whitefolks in their beds and that Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated before the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, and that Harriet Tubman had been killed by that blow on her head and Christopher Columbus had drowned in the Santa María. It was awful to be Negro and have no control over my life.

It was brutal to be young and already trained to sit quietly and listen to charges brought against my color with no chance of defense. We should all be dead. I thought I should like to see us all dead, one on top of the other. A pyramid of flesh with the whitefolks on the bottom, as the broad base, then the Indians with their silly tomahawks and teepees and wigwams and treaties, the Negroes with their mops and recipes and cotton sacks and spirituals sticking out of their mouths. The Dutch children should all stumble in their wooden shoes and break their necks. The French should choke to death on the Louisiana Purchase (1803) while silkworms ate all the Chinese with their stupid pigtails. As a species, we were an abomination. All of us.

Jesus. Was I supposed to be reading this? Were white people this bad? Was the song this good? And how would this help me play the piano? It did not help my posture at all. I know this was probably Mrs. Douglas’s attempt to ensure that I would thank her in one of the Grammy speeches that I would surely give later in life but, Ma’am...

I. Was. Ten.

Still, enthralled by her beauty and a little disturbed by her reading assignment, I committed to playing the fuck out of that song. And, by “playing the fuck out of that song,” I basically hit the keys harder and with more emphasis (Did I mention I was ten years old?). It was obvious that Mrs. Douglas was pleased. For the next few years, I played “Lift Every Voice” at all the Black functions around town, including Pastors’ anniversaries, cotillions and every Black History Month program. I didn’t even need the sheet music. I didn’t know any other songs. To this day, my entire piano repertoire consists of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” It was the only song I could interpolate into other keys.

But my favorite time to play the anthem was when Mrs. Douglas’s Combined Glee Club performed. The Combined Glee Club was basically the best singers from the Black elementary schools combined into one choir. Led by Mrs. Douglas, the CGC was the number-one ranked glee club in all of the greater Hartsville area. Not just anyone could be in the Combined Glee Club; you had to be selected by Mrs. Douglas. It was the official verification that you had musical talent. I’m sure some people put it on their college application.

If there was something Black going on, they were invited and those motherfuckers could sing. All of my neighborhood friends were on the Combined Glee Club and my best friend played the drums for them. (Yes, they had a drummer!) The CGC usually performed the Donny Hathaway version of “I Believe in Music” (which, until a few years ago, I believed was a song Mrs. Douglas had penned herself). But their specialty was opening up with “Lift Every Voice.”

If I am being honest, I have to admit that I am a tiny bit afraid of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” in the way that I am afraid of the Holy Ghost or making potato salad for a family dinner. I know how important it is to us, so I am afraid to mess it up. Even though I hadn’t been around white people, I somehow knew it was our song. I had never seen it on television or on the radio. It was like a secret handshake or a fried chicken recipe–It belonged exclusively to us. Plus, if I messed it up, Mrs. Douglas might not consider the marriage proposal I was planning in a few years. Every time I played “Lift Every Voice,” there was a lot riding on it.

When I finally started attending public schools, my mother enrolled me at a predominately white school where I was assigned to a homeroom where I was the only black kid in the class. I’d like to explain how the white kids made racist jokes at my expense but, if they did, I didn’t even notice it. In fact, spending time around white people for the first time at ten years old, I learned more about Black people than I learned about white people.

I had not assimilated the subconscious deference to whiteness that often accompanies being Black. I became acutely aware that white people are not smarter or even more educated than any of the kids in my neighborhood. They were perfectly mediocre. They didn’t know how to double-dutch and they didn’t even have a glee club. In music class, the teacher just passed out instruments and let the kids have jam sessions. How were they supposed to acquire their daily recommended dosage of glee? I was a little ashamed of going to school there, so I led all my friends to believe that I was still being homeschooled until they discovered the truth at the annual Holiday Music Showcase.

Every year, all of the schools would get together for a Christmas program to show off their best musicians and singers. The white schools would have violinists, saxophone players and ensembles playing classical music with terrible basslines. As for my predominately glee-less institution, we learned a special super-Caucasian rendition of “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.” I was just thankful that we didn’t have to follow the Negro Mass Choir. They were last on the program.

My white classmates were unmoved as each individual school performed and, with each successive song, I slunk lower in my seat. During Washington Street Elementary’s performance, as they lifted up His name with a perfect a cappella version of “Children Go Where I Send Thee,” a kid sitting behind me whispered:

“Look at all those lips!”

Everyone giggled. I did not.

Our performance was predictably lackluster (probably because I refused to sing). It sounded like an episode of Little House on the Prairie. It sounded like long division. Rudolph’s nose had never been so unremarkable. Had he heard those flat notes wafting through the Center Theater, I’m sure he would have been as ashamed as I was. We trudged back to our seats as the Baddest Glee Club in the Land took the stage for the last performance. Of course, they sang “I Believe in Music.” Accompanied by Mrs. Douglas on piano and my homeboy James on drums, they blew the doors off the place. Even my classmates were impressed because, when they hit one particular a cappella refrain that every Black choir does, my classmates were clapping along. They were off-beat, but they still clapped.

After a rousing round of applause, Mrs. Douglas announced the next song from her piano: “Lift Every Voice.” Of course, all of the Black people in the audience—even the children—stood up. None of the white kids even moved. I was the only person in my entire class who stood.

Mrs. Douglas didn’t play that shit.

She stood up from the piano and glared at the audience as if to say: “You motherfuckers better stand up and show some respect.” I had never seen Mrs. Douglas express anger. And she waited. And the choir waited. She looked. And the choir looked. As she scowled at the audience, Mrs. Douglas saw me standing and smiled. She waved me to the front of the auditorium and whispered in my ear: “You wanna play?”

By the time I sat at the piano and she ascended to the stage to direct the Combined Glee Club, everyone was standing. She looked at me with her usual glance and in one microsecond, my back straightened. My wrists were raised to the perfect 45 degree angle.

And just like that, I was Black.

For the first time since I had read Maya Angelou’s angry words, I was no longer afraid of the song. I don’t know if it was the repetition of playing so many times, or the hand of some unseen thing, but I was suddenly able to play and sing the song simultaneously. And goddamn, did that Combined Glee Club lift their voices. They sang that song.

Our song.

I called Mrs. Douglas today.

I had so many questions. I wanted to ask her why she dragged me around town when I don’t have a sliver of musical talent. I really wanted to know why she made me read that book. I figured she’d tell me something about building my character, giving me a reason to socialize with people my age or how music helps the brain mature. Or maybe she’d make some perfect metaphor about birds in cages.

She did not answer.

I still have a song, though.

We are the song.

[straightouttaneptune]

It girl pt. 4 - Superhero debut

Pairing: Mentor!Natasha Romanoff x Mentee!Reader, Platonic!Avengers x reader, Peter Parker x Reader (In the future)

Warning: Reader being a kickass, Peter x Reader is settling in... Not much to warn.

Summary: Natasha had once joked about picking a random new recruit trainee to teach all her skills since Tony had recently become Peter’s mentor. Fury sees this as a legitimate idea, and asks Natasha to choose her protège, code name: “it girl”.

A/N: I’m so sorry it took so long! But it’s finally here, and the reader is on a mission!!! Anyways, it’s been decided that this little series will end with Part 5 or a 6, depending on how long it will be. Enjoy xx

Prologue Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 5 Part 6

———————————————————————

2 weeks later

“We gotta go to that Stark internship now!” You and Peter told Ned and MJ simultaneously, before rushing out of the campus hand in hand.

“Peter, gimme your backpack.” He tossed his bag to you as you placed his and your bag into a self-navigating drone you pulled out of your pack, the coordinates heading right to the Avengers Compound.

“Alright. Ready?” You turned back at Peter in his spider-man get up, giving him a thumbs up.

He wrapped his arm around your waist, flustering you a little. No matter how many times the two of you did this, the contact with his well-built body always got your heart to pick up its pace. You’d liked Peter ever since he had that crush on Liz, but you’ve never had to suppress your feelings harder than the last few weeks. There were a lot more secrets, touching, grabbing and moments spent together compared to when you were just in the same friend group.

Peter thanked god that his mask covered his obviously red cheeks, and tried his hardest not to stare at your excited, adorable face.

You let yourself feel the cool wind combing through your hair, that drop of your stomach when he lets go of the web to shoot another, the awes and gasps of the people down below and obviously being hugged by Peter.

The two of you land right in front of the door, where Bucky and Sam were bickering at each other again. Something about Sam eating Bucky’s plums again, so now Bucky was going to make Sam mow the entire field.

“Oh hey, kids. Stark, Nat, your kids are here!” Sam yelled into the building, then continued to sass Bucky with arguments that made no sense whatsoever.

“Well, you have cooties, so I saved the plums from Bucky germs. It is safer in my stomach.”

“I hate you. So much.”

You waved goodbye to Peter and rushed up to your room, ready to change into training gear. But as soon as you entered the walk-in-closet, MINT's voice rang through the room. 

"Mission gear lock: Deactivated. Welcome, Y/N Y/L/N." Your eyes widened in surprise, rushing to the furthest side of the closet to look at the Mission gear compartment. 

To your surprise, the blue shield had been taken down, revealing black combat suits of different uses. The usual one, with all black form-fitting shape, tactical with bullet vests built into the top and knives stored in various places, covert that included zero design and came with a black eye mask, and so on. You pushed the clothes aside to reveal a screen, that asked you to swipe left and scan fingerprint to continue. 

You followed the instruction without hesitation, MINT immediately replying with "Authorized personnel. Agent in training, Y/N Y/L/N. Congratulations, Y/N." 

You jumped back in surprise as the walls started moving, the clothes that were hung up moved to the other side of the wall to reveal a new one, stacked with weapons and many types of guns. 

"What. the. fuck." You mumbled to yourself in astonishment, staring at the various weaponry that seemed too high-tech to even exist on the Earth. 

"I see you've already opened my gift." Your head couldn't whip sideways any faster,  spotting Natasha standing by the entrance, leaning her shoulder on the doorway. She dressed in her Black Widow suit that you only saw on TV during the NY and Sokovia attacks. 

"This is insane. I'm allowed on missions?" 

"Only a small mission, with me supervising from the compound, okay?" She held up her finger and gave you a stern look, which you nodded happily to. You were already pumped with adrenaline, ready to take on basically anything. 

“Alright. Let’s get you to Fury. Put the one with the... blue design on.” She rummaged through the suits, finally pulling one out. It looked exactly like the ones she wore during the battle of Sokovia, except it looked a little more updated.

You looked at yourself in the mirror, body covered in full-leather or spandex or whatever the material was. You looked good. Even though it was quite the workout to put it on, it felt perfect and comfortable, every inch of the suit hugging you right.

You felt the reinforced shoulder plates, the gun holster on your thigh squeezing lightly, and the best part was, the material was engineered by Tony to make sure whoever wore it, doesn’t sweat out of their minds. The material kept it’s cool even after the workout putting it on, and you didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.

“Alright it girl, let’s go.” Natasha knocked on the closet door before her head poked out. “Grab that gun on your right, and follow me.”

Not even a few hours later, you were dropped off on a lonely hill of god-knows-where in America, left on your own to fend for yourself.

“Agent 13 will only be a few miles away in case anything goes wrong, okay?” You heard Natasha speak into your comms. “And, call me Natashenka on missions. Especially covert ones.”

“Natashenka?”

“Yeah, it’s the Russian nickname for Natasha.”

“Mm, I like it.”

You walked alone for a little while, no enemy or buildings in sight. So it really caught you off guard when a bullet flew straight beside your ear, landing itself in a tree behind you.

You recalled your past training with Natasha, rolling on the ground to find shelter behind a thick tree. Taking out the gun out of your holster, you tried to keep calm as you tried to spot the shooter. You also powered up your shock bracelet just in case.

If you were gonna do this, you were gonna do this right. Kneeling down on one knee, you aimed your gun at the man standing in front of a small army-camp looking building. With a sharp exhale, your fingers pulled the trigger and the bullet flew through the warm summer air.

The bullet buried itself in the guard’s bulletproof vest, knocking him out cold. “Good job, Y/N. But be careful. He’s not dead.”

“I don’t wanna kill anyone!” You whispered into your comms, slowly making your way to the gate. It must’ve been a severely under-staffed base since that guy you took out was the only guard outside. 

You stalked into the base, and all you could say was that it looked damaged. It looked very close to collapsing, and you were trusted to retrieve all of the files on the Avengers from this dump. 

"Hello, sweetheart. What's a girl like you doing here?" You turned around to face an unexpected number of guards, all standing behind one especially dark, suspicious-looking man. 

Your mind rushed to find you a perfect lie to deceive them, so you wouldn't fucking die in there. "Mm. Anastasiya Primanova. Sent from the base in Russia, courtesy of Strucker." You used the thick Russian accent you've heard in movies before, hoping it would sound real. "Y/N? What is going on?" You heard Natasha's frantic voice after you introduced yourself as someone else entirely. You hid the nervous hammering heart behind a cold, dead expression, putting your gun back in the holster. Please buy this, please buy this, please...

"Strucker's dead." He stared at you, inspecting you, but at least he wasn't shooting at you. 

"Obviously. I did his dirty bidding. He wrote a will. I was to take over this American base. It's quite the dump. кто ты?" (Who are you?) You used all the techniques in the book, making sure he took you in as 'Anastasiya Primanova', not 'obviously American girl on a mission'. You raised your chin and cocked your head, an unmistakable sign when one is looking down at someone. If you wanted anyone to see you as above them, you had to fake it till you made it.

"Kazimir." 

"So, are you going to show me what you've been doing or what?" Your hand rested on the gun in your holster, the other on your hip. He looked like he was conflicted, but in the end, he bought the act. He dismissed the soldiers to go back to their designated posts and signaled you to follow him. 

"You shot one of my men." He looked at your side-profile, seemingly still skeptical. But to be fair, that was justified. 

"And I'll shoot you too if you keep talking to me." Your pocket knife made a sharp slash sound as you popped it out, looking back at him warningly. "I trained with the Winter Soldiers. Do not try me." Your acting was so on-point, you had to give yourself a pat on the back for it. Threatening him as a first-impression made him fear you, even though he didn't know anything about you. It was simple psychology in the animal psyche, where one learns to fear another if they seem superior to them. 

“Oh, my god, Y/N, what are you doing?” A faint panic in Natasha’s voice was evident, but you were improvising.

He took you to every room from floor 1 to sub-levels, and you were down to the last room. Now, you had a perfect image of the whole base in your head. The base was much more complicated than you had thought, it was working perfectly underground even though it looked like a mess on the outside. The Avengers would have to come back to destroy this place.

“This is the archive.” Kazimir scanned his card to show you the inside, before taking off to do whatever evil thing he had on his schedule.

You grabbed his jacket before he could fully walk away, pulling him back forcefully. He showed you a look of hostility, but you paid his resentment no attention.

“Card.” You put out your left palm, and he uneagerly left his card in your hands.

“Thank you.” You eyed him carefully one last time, making sure he had no intention of betraying you or knowledge that you were an imposter. When he only showed bitterness, you let him go.

“Наташенька, I’m in.” You whispered proudly, but discreet in case there were any listening devices or cameras. That was most likely.

“Good job! What was the whole thing with Anastasiya and everything?” She sounded relieved, letting out a small sigh.

“Simple acting... Human psychology... The important thing is, I got the file on the USB.” You stared at the USB in your hand, letting out the breath you didn’t know you were holding in.

“Great. Now, get out of there.”

It was too easy from there. You glared at a couple soldiers on the way, made your way to the elevator and up, and just strolled out of the building. Once you were far enough, you called for the quinjet to take you back in.

“Y/N! Oh god, I was so nervous.” Natasha jumped out of the jet right as the door opened, rushing up to you. 

The adrenaline was starting to wear off, and the full realization of what you did started to dawn on you. “I just walked into a HYDRA base, made them think I was their leader and stole confidential files?!” Your organs felt like they were being jumbled up in the washing machine. You felt so dizzy you even had to hold onto Natasha for support.

“Director Fury, Mr. Fury, um, that base, that base was not what you said it was.” You crouched down to sit on the floor of the quinjet, safe and sound on your way back to the compound.

He looked to you curiously, waiting for you to say more.

“There was a place, underground, and hundreds of soldiers. You gotta- you gotta send the Avengers or something in there. There was a room, sub-level 2, where they were doing experimentations on animals, and they said they’ll start-“ You rambled while Natasha sat by your side, her face twisting into various emotions before she set her eyes on Fury with anger.

“We sent her to a fully-operational HYDRA facility?!” She shot up, her eyes wide with rage. Fury appeared more interested in how you went in there and didn’t die.

“You went inside and fooled them all? You saw- no, they guided you through every inch of the place, and you remember it?” He walked over to you, eyes narrowed and tone low.

“Fury!” 

“Right. But to be fair, you did a really good job.”

You chuckled, looking up at Natasha who still had a worried look on her face. Her sharp features softened when her eyes met with yours though, seeing how content you looked with yourself.

“Yeah. You did.” She smiled down at you sheepishly, as the quinjet came to a halt in front of the compound. The jet lowered itself on the concrete, FRIDAY’s voice ringing through the speakers. “Destination Arrived.”

A couple days later, practically everyone knew of the ‘it girl’ in the building who fooled over 100 HYDRA men and retrieved inside information and base layout that spies would take weeks to obtain.

You helped Steve make up a strategy for the infiltration, drawing him a map of every exit, every hide-out and all the places to avoid bombing. Sam started to randomly give you high-fives when crossing each other in the hall.

“What’s up, it girl?”

“Not much, Sam.”

*high-fives*

Thor would address you as “Y/N Natashadottier”, completely mistaking the whole Earth’s last-name system. You quite liked it, to be honest. A lot of times you went home to find your mother gone, her things packed with money on the table, clearly gone after your father again. In times like this, you never had anyone when you were younger. But now, you could easily show up at the Avengers Compound, and be welcomed, your room ready for you at all times. So in some ways, Natasha was your undocumented guardian.

Natasha couldn’t be more proud, everyone working in the new SHIELD was buzzing about the ‘it girl’, who was not a mutant, not an enhanced, not a genius, just a high-school girl who reads a lot of psychology books.

Peter also was excited for your big debut in the superhero world, the corners of his eyes crinkling every time someone mentions the ‘it girl’. Tony and Natasha obviously notice this, but they’re keeping quiet to see how fast you’ll get together.

Next chapter: Part 5

Taglist: @mindset-jupiter @fangirlingisajob @theadventurousqueen @gwenmxnstacy @ballerboobitch @the-lady-cersei-lannister @golden--rain @dollofbucky @sakuranomegami @elizabeth-santana-98 @anne2cold @eyeballtoes @marvel-is-a-mood @roseryss @redqueenstorm @orchideax @huntersociopathavenger @petertinglessss @marv-ells @hopefuloperaangelnerd @je11yfishwriter @iloveyou3000morgan @kewl-r @missmulti @grace-barnes-13  @samarcher79 @slow-dance-in-the-dark @intricate-melody @editsbyjenny @brenleestar @a-vvenger @princessizzy36 @sweetcrvture @itsbebeyyy @caws5749 @thenerdiverse

[thefallennightmare]

Soldat [1/10]

Paring: Bucky Barnes x Reader and Steve Rogers x Reader

Warnings: language, angst, fluff, violence, smut(eventually)

Summary: Captain America and Reader have worked together at SHIELD for over a year. What happens when they have a run in with The Winter Solider and Steve finds out the secret Reader had been hiding from him all this time?  

A/N: Alright here is chapter one finally! Tumblr decided to be stupid and delete it. This series will take place during The Winter Soldier and I’m not quite sure how long it will be. So strap in ladies and gents! It’s going to be a crazy ride!

              A soft breeze came through the curtains in my living room as my eyes scanned the same sentence in the book that was placed in my lap. The sentence that I had reread four times now. Closing the book with a groan, I set it on the other end of the couch and grabbed my phone from the coffee table in front of me. 

No new messages. 

I pocketed my phone while pulling my bottom lip between my teeth. Worry etched in my bones as I realized that I hadn’t heard from Steve in over 48 hours. He never went that long without sending some kind of message back to me. It was supposed to be a simple “save the hostages from a ship in the middle of the ocean. It’ll take a day tops.” Steve words. So here I was, two days later wondering what the hell went wrong. 

“Stupid ankle,” I cursed my sprained ankle as it was the reason I couldn’t go on the current mission. 

I had tweaked it a few weeks back and Steve wanted to make sure it was 100% before going back in the field. No matter how hard I tried to convince him I was fine, Steve could tell in the small limp that I was lying. 

I’d been on Team Captain America for almost a year now, Nick recruiting me because of my background. Three years on New York Swat and almost five as a secret agent for the FBI. There was more to my past, what helped mold me into the agent I was today but that was a part of my life that I kept hidden from everyone, including Steve. There was a time in my life where I was at my lowest and darkest however, as much as that moment in my life caused me many emotional and permanent scars, I don’t think I would be where I was today. 

My finger ran over a small scar on my wrist as I thought back to that time, years ago, and my skin quivered as those memories came back. A dark, cold room with only one bed and the looming fear of when the next time would be when I would see him; would it also be the last time? Would my end be near?

“Christ, I haven’t thought of him in years.” I shuttered, pushing those thoughts away and tried to think of Steve.

In the year that I had been working side by side with him, Steve and I had become incredibly close. Soft touches, hushed conversions just between the two of us, and stares that never went unnoticed. We weren’t official, afraid of it getting in the way of work so we would never make it past first base; hell we never even made it close to first base.

Tired eyes read the clock that hung above the fireplace and a soft sigh left my lips. Calling him would be a waste of time because I knew he never kept his phone on him while on the field, it always stayed on the jet, so I decided to send him a text. 

I should have figured it would take you longer than a day without me.-Y/N. 

I didn’t even have a chance to set my phone down because a few seconds later it was buzzing and Steve’s face appeared on my screen, indicating he was face timing me. 

“Thank god I actually look somewhat decent,” I muttered before hitting the green button, accepting the call. 

Steve’s bright smile warmed my heart as I took in his appearance. Soot covered his forehead and chin, his typically styled hair was a mess, almost falling in his eyes as those tired blue eyes stared at me. 

“Hi,” I breathed. 

“Hey yourself. What time is it there?” Steve questioned. 

I looked at the clock before my gaze rested back on Steve. “Just past 6 in the morning. How’d the mission go?” 

Steve leaned back in the chair of the jet and ran a hand over his face, unbeknownst to him smearing the soot over his face. I suppressed a giggle, not wanting to let him know. 

“You’re cleared to go back on duty. Starting three days ago.” 

“I told you! We could have been finished days ago and you wouldn’t have needed me to water your plants.” I joked.

Steve shot up. “You have been watering them, right?” 

The seriousness in his voice made me roll my eyes. 

“Oh my god, grandpa. Yes, I did water your plants. You know, I forget that you’re 95 years old then you act like that and suddenly it all comes back.” I said with a small smile. 

“You love me,” Steve gave me a smug smile. 

My heart flipped. You have no idea. 

“So when are you going to be back?” I changed the subject. 

“The jet is landing at SHIELD in a few hours. I have to do a few errands but then I’m all yours,” the softness in his smile warmed my heart. 

“The usual?” I asked. 

“I’ve called in the pizza. It should be ready to go by seven.” 

“I’ll bring the beers then,” I smiled 

Every time we complete a mission, Steve and I would meet at his place for pizza and beers. It had been our tradition for the past year, no one else from the team joining. 

Just us. 

Steve’s lips moved as he was about to say something but a certain redhead appeared from behind him, coming into view. 

“NAT!” I yelled, “I miss you!” 

Her smile mirrored my own. 

“You are forbidden from ever taking leave again. This one almost forgot his shield.” Natasha pointed at Steve. 

“I did not!” He defended. 

“Oh Stevie, what would you do without me?” I cooed and noticed his cheeks burned red. 

We stared at each other for a few seconds and if feeling some type of tension between us, Nat shook her head before ruffling Steve’s hair. 

“You’ve got something on your face.” 

Steve looked closer into his phone and I swore, his cheeks were a deep crimson now. 

“You let me talk to you like this the entire time?” Steve questioned, quietly thanking Nat who gave him a towel. 

I shrugged. “I thought it was a cute look.” 

“Maybe if you stopped giving Y/N bedroom eyes, you would have noticed how dirty you were,” Natasha teased. 

“Nat!” I scoffed, feeling some warmth spread to my stomach. 

“What?”, she shrugged, “Someone has to call him out. 

Shaking my head with a laugh, I gave them a small wave goodbye and told Steve I would see him later. 

I ended the phone call with a sigh and felt excitement spread through my veins as the thought of being alone with Steve kept creeping in the back of my mind. 

“Where the hell are you Rogers,” I grumbled as I checked my phone for the fifth time since arriving at his apartment twenty minutes ago. 

I had called and texted him wondering when he would be home but was met with silence. My fingers slid over his door frame before peaking under the doormat hoping to find a spare key but nothing. 

“You’re damn lucky you’re cute,” I cursed when I checked my phone yet again. 

“Talking to yourself?” 

Spinning on my heels towards the voice, my heart leaped when I saw Steve ascend the staircase, wearing the brown leather jacket that looked so good on him. He had the box of pizza in one hand and was messing with his keys in the other.

“I left my spare key at home. You should really leave another one somewhere.” I noted. 

“I do,” he nodded towards his neighbor across the hall, “Kate has one.” 

“Oh,” I sighed. 

As if the Gods’ wanted to torture me more with the thought of Steve’s neighbor across the hall, she came out from her apartment. Adjusting the laundry basket on her hip, she smiled towards Steve. 

Jealous eyes watched as they chatted, Steve flirting almost effortlessly with her. She giggled at a lame joke he told and I scoffed crossing my arms over my chest. My shoulders slouched in anger when Steve invited her over to join us. 

“I don’t want to impose,” she looked between Steve and I. 

Steve quickly shook his head. “No, we’re just friends.” 

My heart dropped to my stomach. “Yeah, friends.” 

“Maybe next time. I’ve got a load in the wash.” 

Steve agreed to the next time and I had to turn away as he hugged Kate. 

“You could have been a little nicer to her,” Steve asked as he leaned against his door. 

“I’ve been waiting almost a half hour for you. I’m tired and hungry so sorry I didn’t feel like being friendly,” I snapped but immediately apologized when I saw the hurt flash across his face. 

“It’s been a really long day,” I sighed while pinching my eyes shut. 

“Hey, it’s alright.” Steve pulled me into his chest and left a soft kiss to the top of my head. “I’m sorry I’m late. I was visiting a friend at the V.A center.” 

My brows rose. “The V.A center?” 

Steve nodded. “Yeah, Sam. I met him a few days ago. He’s nice, I can set you up with him if you want?” 

“No thanks,” I scrunch my face, “I can find a guy by myself.” 

“How’s that working out for you?” Steve joked. 

Scoffing, I gave him a slight push and I nodded towards the door. “My pizza is getting cold.” 

He laughed but his body froze leaning an ear against the door. 

“What?” I questioned. 

“My record player is on.” Steve glanced over to me. 

I leaned my ear against the door but shook my head, “I don’t hear anything.”

“You don’t have super soldier hearing,” Steve teased. “Did you leave it on?”

“I swear I turned it off when I left the other day.” I promised. 

Getting into Captain America mode, Steve shielded me as he slowly unlocked the door, pushing it open. I slipped my knife out of my boot as I followed close behind. The music vibrated off the walls as Steve grabbed his shield from its place on the wall. The knife flipped in my fingers with ease as we reached the living room and saw the slouched figure sitting in the chair. 

Nick Furry.

“I don’t remember giving you a key,” Steve sighed while leaning against the wall.

“Did you really think I would need one?,” Nick defended while sitting up, “My wife kicked me out.”

“I didn’t know you were married,” I admitted. 

“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” Nick admitted.

“I know, Nick. That’s the problem,” Steve declared while turning on the light.

Goosebumps pricked my skin when I took in Nick’s appearance. He had a giant gash to the side of his head and blood was dripping down onto Steve’s chair. I wanted to ask what happened but he held up a finger to silence me while he turned off the light. Nick typed a message into his phone before showing us. 

Ears everywhere.

Steve and I shared a look before our eyes glanced around the apartment. Steve tensed up next to me, the anger of being watched rose from within and he cursed under his breath. All of his private moments suddenly weren’t so private anymore. 

“I’m sorry to do this but I had no other place to crash,” Nick showed us a new message on his phone. 

Shield Compromised.

“What the fuck,” I cursed. 

“Who else knows about your wife?” Steve continued to play along, in case it was true that his apartment was bugged. 

Nick stood with a groan and limped over to us, clutching his side. “Just my friends.”

Just us. The new message on his phone read. 

Steve scoffed. “Is that what we are, Nick?” 

“Steve,” I warned, “Now isn’t the time for whatever beef you have with him.” 

“That’s up to you,” Nick admitted. 

The floor beneath our feet shook as a scream erupted from my throat when the wall behind Nick exploded in gunfire. Steve grabbed my waist and pulled me into his chest as we watched in horror as Nick’s limp body fell to the ground. 

“What the fuck?!” I yelled. 

“Get away from the window!” Steve demanded, pulling Nick’s body in the hallway with us. 

He went to look out the window to see if he was able to see the shooter but Nick grasped his arm stopping him. 

He opened his hand and a hard drive sparkled from the light outside. 

“Don’t. Trust. Anyone.” Nick sputtered before passing out. 

“Steve, what the hell is going on?” My voice quivered with fear. 

Before Steve could answer, his front door busted open and Kate walked in, gun armed and aimed. 

“Captain Rogers, I’m Agent 13, Shield Special Service.” Kate said walking further into Steve’s apartment. 

“Kate? What the hell are you doing here?” I questioned. 

“I’ve been assigned to protect Steve,” She defended. 

“On whose order?” Steve snapped. 

Kate set her gun down before nodding towards Nick. “His.” 

Steve and I shared a look and giving him a slight nod, I turned my attention towards Kate. “You should call it in, Agent.”

“Foxtrot is down and unresponsive. I need EMT’S.” Kate ignored me as she talked into the radio. 

“Do we have a twenty on the shooter?”” 

Steve peaked around the corner and grabbed my hand, pulling me with him. “Tell them we’re in pursuit.” 

Not asking any questions, I let Steve wrap his arm around my waist as we ran through the window, literally, and felt the ground vanish beneath our feet. Glass shattered around us as we landed hard on the floor of the building across the street. 

“Ow, that’s gonna leave a mark,” I groaned rising to my feet taking off in a chase after the shooter.

Steve was just a few paces ahead of me while the shooter was on the roof above us, his heavy footsteps echoing through the empty offices. Steve busted through doors and glass windows, making it easier for me to keep up with him.

“There has to be a staircase to the roof somewhere!” I yelled before I watched through the window in front of us as the shooter jumped down onto the roof of the building in front.

“We’re going through the window, aren't we?” I semi whined. 

“Yup!” 

Suddenly, Steve barreled his way through the window rolling onto his knees and threw his shield at the shooter. The broken glass crunched beneath my boots as I came to a sudden halt when my eyes landed on the man who had caught Captain America’s shield mid throw. 

Long brown locks. 

Blue eyes. 

A metal arm. 

My mouth ran dry while my hands shook, unable to move out of the way as the shield came flying back towards me. Ears rang in silence as the blood drained from my face, memories of that same metal arm slamming into me like a brick wall. The same man that I thought of earlier for the first time in years was standing right in front of me, in the flesh. 

“Y/N!” 

Steve’s voice brought me back as I fell to the ground with his body on mine. With the shield gripped tight in one hand, his other gently cupped my cheek. Steve pulled my face to look into his eyes however, I couldn’t focus. I ignored the feeling that took over my body when Steve pressed his hips into mine, unknowingly, and licked my dry lips. 

My past life had just barreled into me; a private part of my life that absolutely no one knew about and suddenly, I was very terrified of them finding out.

[girlactionfigure]

He was drafted into the Army in 1943. His fellow recruits remembered him as "simple, bland, unassuming." He described himself as a "nothing, a nobody." No one, including the young man, knew what life had in store for him.

In the Army, he served as a staff sergeant in the 20th Armored Division. Elements of his division participated in the liberation of Dachau concentration camp - Although his unit was near, they did not actually enter the camp.

Although he was proud of his service, he remembered that time as very painful for him - he not only witnessed the horrors of war, but it was also the same time his mother passed away.

His father, a barber, was born in Germany, and his mother was of Norwegian heritage.

He was born on this day, November 26, 1922 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Being the only child, he was very shy. His uncle gave him the nickname, "Sparky" after the horse "Spark Plug" from the Barney Google comic strip.

His mother was bedridden during his high school years, and the young man often heard her cries of pain. Her illness was identified as cancer in November 1942, the same month he was drafted. On February 28, 1943, he used a day pass to visit his mother one last time. He got to say goodbye to her that day, but he said, "I'll never get over that scene as long as I live."

He would also regret the fact that his mother would never see what he would become.

After returning from the war in the fall of 1945, he sold his first cartoons to his local newspaper.

"The first Peanuts strip appeared on October 2, 1950, in seven newspapers nationwide. Although being a professional cartoonist was [Charles] Schulz’s life-long dream, at 27-years old, he never could have foreseen the longevity and global impact of his seemingly-simple four-panel creation," according to the Charles M. Schulz Museum.

In the summer of 1968, after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and after corresponding with teacher Harriet Glickman, Schulz made a bold decision, introducing a character named "Franklin" to his Peanuts comic strip. As told in the July post on the Peace Page celebrating Franklin's 50th birthday, Schulz by that time was already a very popular comic strip artist and did not have to acknowledge the school teacher's request to introduce a black character in order to bring the country together and show people of color that they are not excluded from American society.

Schulz carefully thought about it, knowing that his career could be in jeopardy, as other cartoonists had politely declined Glickman's request. But, he corresponded with Glickman's black friends to ensure that he would present Franklin in the best light, smart as Linus and not condescending, even to the point where some would joke that Franklin was too boring and "normal" compared to the other Peanuts characters.

He also received backlash as some newspapers threatened to cut his strip if he showed Franklin in the same classroom as other Peanut characters. He courageously ignored the threats, sitting Franklin in front of Peppermint Patty at school and playing center field on her baseball team. He even told the president of the comic's distribution company that "Either you print it just the way I draw it or I quit."

According to The New Yorker, Schulz always worried about the portrayl of Franklin. "He needn’t have worried, though, because Franklin felt real — or at least felt respected — as a kind kid on the beach with whom Charlie Brown plays in the sand. (“Whites Only” pools were not uncommon in 1968.) Though Schulz may have lived a quiet, remote life in his California studio, he was woke enough to realize that all one had to do was care enough about a character for he or she to 'work,' even if the shell of the character wasn’t his own."

Schulz later introduced another black character, Milo, as well as semi-Latino Jose Peterson, one of the first characters of Hispanic descent in U.S. comics. He also gave voice to women in sports in the strip after he became friends with tennis star Billie Jean King, leading to a lifelong interest in the fair treatment of women athletes and a seat on the board of the Women’s Sports Foundation that King founded.

Today, the work of Charles Schulz is still very popular, even though recently the Peanuts' animated Thanksgiving special is embroiled in some undeserved social media controversy designed to divide fans who may not be aware of how Franklin was originally introduced.

In an article in Snopes, Nat Gertler, author of a book about Peanuts, wrote:

That even though the animated cartoon was in a completely different media than Schulz' newspapers, there is an "assumption that Charles Schulz himself planned the admittedly awkward shot being referenced [of Franklin sitting alone on one side of the picnic table]. While Schulz definitely kept a hand in the animated work, by 1973 when the Thanksgiving special aired, the Peanuts characters were starring in not only a steady stream of TV specials, but also a series of animated feature films. Schulz certainly wasn’t laying out every shot himself — he had a day job to take care of, writing and drawing the most popular comic strip going, as well as creating original books, handling licensing materials, and so on. A talented team of animation folks were doing their job on this."

Schulz critics also like to ask why Franklin was drawn to look "dirty" in the first early panels, not realizing that back then every newspaper comic strip was printed in black and white with no option for shading other than drawing lines to depict shades.

Gertler would conclude, "Schulz stuck his neck out introducing Franklin." Others have pointed out that the network which produced the original Peanuts Thanksgiving special is also responsible for cancelling The Smothers Brothers show for being critical of the Vietnam War and the political mainstream. It should also be noted that it was only recently in 2015 that the television academy recognized a black woman, Viola Davis, for best actress in a drama, the first time that award has gone to a black woman in nearly 70 years of award-giving, shedding some light on how ground-breaking the introduction of Franklin was in 1968.

"Despite the over-all racial imbalance of the “Peanuts” cast, this caring is really the secret, mysterious power of Schulz’s entire strip. Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy, Schroeder, Franklin, and everyone else came alive on that page because of Charles Schulz’s ability to make you care about and feel for — and, in Charlie Brown’s case, at least, feel through — nearly every one of them," according to The New Yorker.

Schulz died on February 12, 2000. By the time he retired in "December 1999, the Peanuts comic strip was syndicated in over 2,600 newspapers worldwide, with book collections translated in over 25 languages," according to the Charles M. Schulz Museum.

The Museum also says of Schulz, "The continuing popular appeal of Peanuts stems, in large part, from Schulz’s ability to portray his observations and connect to his audience in ways that many other strips cannot."

"The thoughtful pacing in 'Peanuts' is reminiscent of that of 'Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.' The two also share a rejection of the violence and manic energy that characterize other children’s media of the time", according to the New Yorker.

“Schulz wasn’t an artist because he suffered. He suffered because he was an artist," said writer Jonathan Franzen in the Press Democrat. "To keep choosing art over the comforts of life — to grind out a strip every day for 50 years, to pay the very deep psychic price for this — is the opposite of damaged. It’s sort of choice only a tower and strength and sanity can make.”

Bruce Handy in The Atlantic wrote:

"So if I were asked to pick the character most likely to find happiness if he or she ever grew up . . . I wouldn’t hesitate to pick Charlie Brown. Maybe he does find a form of redemption in his suffering? He feels his failures deeply, he suffers profoundly, and yet he remains ever willing to take another run at kicking the football or trying to get his kite aloft or pitching the next game or hoping this year, finally, to receive a valentine. If he is a blockhead, it is in part because he cares so much; diffidence doesn’t merit the insult. Like his creator, he has passion and persistence. If he were real, I like to tell myself, Charlie Brown would be fine."

The Jon S. Randal Peace Page

[lokis-lady-death]

Stark Tower Layout

Lady Death: This is a little snippet I did which originally began as a reference for some future snippets I’ve been working on for a Loki x Reader (Ice Mutant).

If you’re interested in a story this is based on: Click Here and read the first installment.

It’s been months since Thanos’s defeat and Tony Stark has built a second Stark Tower for the Avengers in Brazil, deep in the forest. It’s built similarly to the tower in New York, but has less of a skyscraper feel. The outside is coated in a reflective material manufactured similarly to the camouflage used to hide the kingdom of Wakanda and was specially developed with Shuri’s help. This feature, however, is only to keep it from being seen from above by satellites as the facility itself is not in a secret location.

1st Floor:  The Entrance

As anyone could expect, the entrance to Stark Tower is incredible and, simply put, extraordinary. Entering the main floor, the first thing visitors see is an arc reactor the size of a car along with words illuminating across the top in bright fluorescent “Avengers Assemble”. Tony said it was cheesy but it puts a smile on Steve's face every time he sees it. Elegant glass staircases on either side of the arc reactor lead up to the second story. It is all completely open and bright with massive windows that let in the brilliant sun rays, even showing a beautiful sky when it was taking thanks to specially manufactured glass invented by Shuri.

2nd Floor: Tourist Center

Stark had specifically chosen to create a tourist center in the lowest levels of his complex for the simple reason that he knew the Avengers needed to maintain face (and Pepper insisted it was a good idea to keep up appearances without holding press conferences on the regular basis). They were icons, symbols, and most of all heros. All profits made go towards hundreds of different charities around the world, usually those pertaining to Avenger related missions. Once of the most popular destinations at Stark Tower for visitors is the world renowned gift shop that houses random images taken of the Avengers with unrelated daily quotes they have made. The most notable include: Black Widow “I can’t, I’m afraid of spiders”, Captain America “You can’t do the fondue unless you have protection”, Spiderman “Oh, geeze guys, I don’t know”, Ironman “ Excelsior “ 

3rd Floor: Accounting Department

Because a building this large, this full, and this advanced requires money. It is nearly entirely made up of Tony's own pocket change, but sometimes a grateful nation or wealthy family the Avengers saved will make a donation to housing (but that secretly gets donated back to the community around the Stark facility, such as orphanages and hospitals).

4th Floor: Loading Dock and Med Bay

This is the floor where most of the Avengers tech is kept (beside things that are personal such as Sam's wings). It also houses a well stocked armory that contains anything as weak as bean bag shotgun shells (used for low level crooks) to much more lethal high caliber assault rifles (for more complicated cases). Any weapon repair would happen here, as well as any medical treatment that the Avengers could need. It can be used in emergency cases for the rest of the workers at the tower but so far that has not been necessary.

5th Floor: Training Rooms

This floor contains a fully loaded gym, a jacuzzi tub, steam room, and stall showers that are accessible to everyone at the tower. There were however, rooms separated for special training that was only used by the Avengers that included a holographic simulator that, while not as physical as the microbots, could use a projection on an android dummy, perfect for one on one training when you don't have a partner. As a joke, Tony had programmed the only reflection the dummy was capable of to be Secretary of state Thaddeus Ross. As an extra joke, someone (no one knows who but suspects Bruce) reprogrammed the boys to instead show Tony, repeating sarcastic comments and rolling his eyes. Steve said he had never had such a great workout partner.

6th Floor: The Simulator

The simulator, which takes up the entire sixth floor, requires special access passes not every Avenger has. This floor is most notably used for team training and uses microbots to create simulations of different villains and scenarios. Only Bruce or Tony themselves are capable to turning on the simulator because of its complexities. This rule came after a near disastrous event with Sam nearly creating a lethal replica of Thanos in with the Simulated Microbots, an event Steve brings up regularly. “You’re just mad cause the giant eggplant kicked your ass. Again,” Sam would snapback.

7th Floor: Avenger Academy(because Tony couldn’t think of a better thing to call it)

The classrooms are more technical than academic, but make for a good show for when Aunt May allows Peter to come stay at the tower. It has several computers set up for any of the Avengers team or Stark Tower’s employee to use. There is also a small library tucked away, because while Tony insisted everything be electronic, Pepper thought some of the tower inhabitants could use the nostalgia of a good hardback book.

8th Floor: Individual apartments (Dubbed the Geriatric Floor) Bucky, Steve

Because, let's face it, they're lost without each other so of course they're on the same floor. They insisted on having the lowest level apartments in the complex so “If someone attacks” they would be the first defense. Their apartments are very similar in style, with simple amenities, painted in patriotic colors, and decorated with several old pictures and framed special news articles the old school men enjoyed. Even the electronics in their apartments are simplified, with Friday always there to help the boys with any questions they had for new age tech.

9th Floor: Individual apartments (Dubbed the Experiments-gone-wrong Floor) Wanda and Vision, Bruce

Wanda and Vision were apprehensive about moving into the tower at first, but once they officially had their apartment set up, they couldn't imagine calling anywhere else “Home”. Vision especially  enjoys Bruce being across the hall whenever he is in the mood for discussions, usually ending with some bizarre, other world innovative ideas that they would run by Tony when he comes by the tower. Wanda has come up to join young and Nat in your late night lounging.

10th Floor: Individual apartments(Dubbed the Deadly Women Floor) Reader, Natasha

You weren't sure what living on the same floor with Black Widow would be like, but it turned out the two of you made fast friends. It was nothing for you to go over to her apartment in the late hours of the night to enjoy some wine and girl talk, or for her to come by so you could both binge watch murder mystery shows, almost always challenging each other to guess the murderer by the end of the shows. The two of you go on a girls’ nights out with Wanda and Pepper every other weekend, usually spending your time comparing the men you had to put up with on a regular basis. Everyone agrees Pepper is a saint for dealing with Tony. On rare occasions, Gamora and Shuri join you, but those stories never get shared with the rest of the team. There is a rumor, while out enjoying one of these legendary evenings, your small group overthrew an evil dictator and liberated a country in the throws of civil war, but that never made the news so no one could confirm it. Viva la revolution.

11th Floor: Guest rooms: It is strategically located in the middle of the avengers team so they are secured at all times.

Most often used for Clint and his family during family friendly events such as Christmas and Thanksgiving. Everyone, including Scott and his daughter,come every New Year to watch Stark light up the sky with his endless supply of iron suits. Dr. Strange has also stayed, but only after a party since he is usually plastered and goes around asking guests if they would like to watch him conjure a demon. So far the answer has been no but Clint's kids have asked him to pull a rabbit out of his hat. He normally goes to bed after the jokes are made. The Guardians have stayed once after a party, but no one is allowed to talk about that night. Ever. T'challa and Shuri come to every single party and even the tower has, but it always ends the same way: the brother and sister in a head to head match on one of the many competitive games in Sam's apartment. And every single time, Shuri wins at the last second. Peter Parker comes during family events with his Aunt May, but has been known to sneak into the tower during the more adult parties. He has even started a tradition of “Movie Night” where they set up a projector screen on the balcony and play movies (usually big name classics that Peter annoyingly quotes halfway through, but every once in a while they play The Notebook because Clint cries every. Single. Time).

12th Floor: Individual apartments (Dubbed the Bachelor Pad) Sam, Thor, Loki (newly moved in)

Sam and Thor always got along well and once they found something they enjoyed in common, they became quite the unexpected besties. Turned out they both enjoyed video games. Sam keeps an assortment of gaming consoles that he regularly plays through with the god of thunder between missions (and anyone else that dares challenge their gaming skills). Sam was, however, less than thrilled when Loki took the apartment across the hall from him. He has a hard time getting along with the god of mischief and they would constantly bicker, a fact that was not made better when Loki consecutively defeated him and Thor at Super Smash Brothers. Loki tends to either stay locked away in his room, but every once in a while he will sneak away to the library.

13th Floor: Tony Stark’s Closet (named by Pepper)

It’s really more of a workshop for Tony's suits but Pepper considers it Tony's closet (and was quite adamant that they were not to be kept on their living foor). It also houses the main lab. Tony only allows full access to Bruce, Vision and Shuri because he thinks any other Avenger may “mess up the intricacies of the numerous sensitive technological advances” he has made in that lab. Steve doesn't take the secrecy personally, just makes comments that they better not be working on an Ultron 2.0 (he is extremely proud of this 21st century tech joke).

14th Floor: Tony and Pepper’s Penthouse

This is where the Avenger’s have their major get together. It opens up to a wrap around balcony and is the only access to the rooftop Helipad, which is mostly for Tony and Pepper's personal use when getting to and from Stark Industries in New York. Though they don't live at the tower full time, Pepper come at least once a week to check on things. Tony comes so often it's easy to forget he doesn't live there. He has been known to come in the early morning hours to work on new suits, but Pepper doesn't know that.

Floors located under the compound:

Garage: where every type of vehicle you could imagine is stored, nearly all of them donning the Avengers logo. There are anything from motorcycles (including a special edition Harley-Davidson RL 45 Steve picked got for Bucky), ATVs, cars, trucks, and one massive speed jet used to transport the whole team. The garage is only accessibly to the Avengers team and has a massive ramp that opens up 100 meters away from the normal front entrance of the tower. 

Basement: Located an extra 50 meters below the garage, no one ventures this low in the tower. It is used to mostly house old tech Tony has developed, unused suits/weapons the team has no use for that is too dangerous to dispose of, and even some left over alien artifacts collected over the last decade.

Like my garbage? Read more of it! Master List

Let me know if you wanna be tagged if I decide to do a sequel!

I tagged anyone who might like the story this will be used in. It won’t be some intricate, detailed story line sort of thing, more like random snippets of stories that happen in the tower, but they will all be based on Loki x Reader (and won’t all involve Jotun Loki)

LOKI TAGS: @socialheartbreak @kcd15 @maladaptive-ninja-returns@nephalem67 @jessiejunebug @woodyandbuzz20-01 @bambamwolf87   @kitsuneharo12 @yzssie@macbetheliza @lokilvrr @lokixme @li-ssu  @j-u-s-t-4  @letskillthefuhrer

[thawedpatriot]

okay, my e.ndgame thoughts are below the cut. beware, they’re somewhat incoherent at times mainly just because my brain is still trying to wrap my head around some stuff. also it’s really really long. like 3k words long. major spoilers ahead!

-okay so the whole beginning felt. really rushed, if that makes sense? like, i’m glad that tony got back to earth fairly early on but that was very sudden, having carol show up and carry the ship to the compound. however, i can’t complain too much because watching steve book it to tony’s side as he was coming off the ship gave me life. the fact that he just hovered the whole time and was there to support him and show he cares just. pleased me.

- tony had every right to blow up at steve. i mean, god, the man’s been through so much. he’s lost so much and is still recovering from everything that happened. he’s frustrated and angry and hurting and steve pressed for information too callously too soon, and it set an exhausted tony off. totally valid. and tony was right, he saw all this coming and no one listened to him, even though half of that was just bc aou was a fucking mess writing wise. but steve told him ‘together’ and because they weren’t together when shit went down, they all lost. would it have killed either of them to call during the two years they had to do so? no, probably not. that probably would’ve been a step towards working back to that ‘together’ thing. because there’s years of unresolved tension and conflict between them at this point, none of it ever got resolved between them, so it’s finally coming to a head now that they’re properly in the same room again.

- that said, the ‘you weren’t there when i needed you’ bit rubbed me the wrong way. because it was bruce who ended up calling. tony never made a call, never asked for steve’s help. never let him know he needed him, even though he had that ability to. so yes, steve is at fault here too, but it’s not 100% on him that things went down the way they did, if that makes sense.

- tony shoving the arc reactor into steve’s hand???? killed me on the spot, thanks.

- the devastation steve must be feeling when they figure out the stones are gone??? gutting. he was so sure they would be able to bring everyone back wit the stones once they’d taken care of thanos. he was so ready for a fight, so ready to get his revenge and make things right, and there just. was no fight, no way to bring his friends back. he’d lost bucky all over again, and now he’s lost sam, too. sam, who he dragged into all this. that kind of guilt festers in him for those five years, no doubt.

- i wanna know what steve did for those five years. because, yes, we see him talking in that small therapy group, but not only is he giving advice he’s not taking himself, but he’s just not shown doing much of anything else. he’s holding on to all his trauma and grief and not dealing with it, just like he’s been doing since he left the ice. so what is he doing all that time??? but also seeing him in a therapy group setting made my heart swell a little bit because you know he did that for sam. he misses his friend and is doing that for him, i will not believe anything otherwise. sam was and is so important to him.

- this is unrelated to steve but is important to me as a bi: carol’s hair looked so good i made a noise when i saw it and my friend hit me in the arm 

- god i wish we saw more of steve and nat interact. because clearly they’ve been in contact with one another for the past 5 years and that’s probably the longest running friendship he’s had going besides bucky so. it’s nice to know he didn’t lose everyone in one way or another for those 5 years. they just know each other so well and recognize the similarities between one another and i’m just really glad he wasn’t all alone all that time.

- steve is so done with everyone throughout this movie, including himself. it’s beautiful.

- sidenote, i could not take bruce seriously as a character the way he was and i don’t know why. also they did thor dirty. they did thor so dirty. he was a joke until they needed him to fight. the level of guilt and trauma thor is dealing with is immeasurable and they turned it into comic relief by leaning into fat-shaming and joking about alcoholism???? nah man, that’s not okay. not at all. address that he’s dealing with ptsd, show that he’s using unhealthy coping mechanisms, and help him. don’t make fun of him, don’t just let him keep doing that to himself, help him. the only scene in the whole movie i genuinely liked with him in it was his scene with frigga. because she took him seriously, she was willing to listen and offer advice and tell him what he needed to hear. that scene was so important.

- another sidenote, as much as i disliked p.epperony in the past, this movie made me appreciate them more. because i’ve always loved them both as individual characters, pepper potts owns my whole soul, but as a couple they were just written in a way that made me not love it as the movies went on. however, this movie really showed growth in their development as a couple, in pepper accepting tony for who he is and the needs he has to do good. also tony is an amazing father and it’s just so validating to see a character who grew up with an abusive parent break the cycle and become soft and kind in any interactions he has with his daughter. you can tell how much he loves his family, and it’s what he deserved.

- okay so i hope we can all agree the time travel science in this movie was fucked and they did a really bad job at explaining how it works. it was not clear, did not make sense, and following standard time travel laws there were a million paradoxes happening and it makes me angry. nebula killing her past self? bullshit bc she should not exist after that. steve’s whole ending??? also bullshit but i’ll get to that later because that’s an essay in itself.

- tony giving steve the shield back was such a big deal okay. the fact that tony has acknowledged that holding onto the resentment was detrimental to his own health and being was so important. we got a handshake and i really thought they were gonna go for a hug but noooo that’d be too much to ask for i guess. but steve hasn’t seen or held that thing in like 7 years it has to be nice to have it in his hands again, seeing as he always refers to it as an extension of his arm and all. and to be getting it back, nice and polished, from tony probably means a great deal to him as well.

- okay now let’s get to the actual time travel bit. steve and tony being the ones to zap back to 2012???? my god its like everything i ever wanted was handed to me on a platter. that movie was what got me on this marvel train and as even with its issues, it holds such a dear place in my heart. so you know the second that ‘2012′ popped onto the screen i was ready to combust. and then it just got better because it felt like an extension of the movie, like we were seeing deleted scenes, which was just. really nice?? 

- god okay “america’s ass” gave me so much life as dumb as the whole joke was. because tony blatantly checking out steve’s ass?? my dude thats the gayest thing i’ve ever seen with my own two eyes. but then tony commenting on how his ass looks in the suit???? i was living, okay. living. and the fact that he checked out his past self’s ass and was like ‘yeah, damn straight’ amused me greatly.

- ngl the ‘hail hydra’ bit made me uncomfy initially, but honestly i’m just gonna appreciate how clever my boy is and how stupid hydra is. his ‘i’m clever and i know it and i just outsmarted piece of shit nazis’ smile as he walked away from the elevator with the case???? priceless. i was half expecting another elevator fight but i guess that wouldn’t really make sense sfdghj

- steve fighting himself? past steve reacting to the compass appearing and getting super fucking pissed over the concept that someone might’ve taken it or something??? the fact that it was ‘bucky is alive’ that had him going full stop???? oof. also, the ‘i can do this all day’ and ‘yeah, i know’ was funny initially but oh my god is my boy exhausted. he’s so tired. he’s been fighting for decades. someone let him rest. please. 

- also unrelated, i wanna know where the fuck loki fucked off to when he grabbed the tessaract. like is this where the concept for his spinoff show comes from???? what did he do????

- steve and tony being on the same wavelength and trusting each other??? steve trusting tony wholeheartedly even if he didn’t fully know what it was tony was planning?? important. so, so important.

- steve in camp lehigh. oh my god. why did no one recognize captain america???? it’s been twenty years, sure, but y’all slapped ‘birthplace of captain america’ on your sign and there’s probably pictures of his face around in more places than peggy’s desk. you’re telling me no one would recognize him standing in the middle of the military camp??? nah, i don’t buy it. y’all had poor disguises and didn’t even get him sunglasses or anything. c’mon guys, you’re better than this.

- okay look this isn’t a tony blog but what the fuck was that scene with howard,, i understand it in terms of why they included it when looking at the narrative. because of tony’s whole ‘resentment is corrosive, didn’t like it’ thing and the need for closure on that front before his story ends, but he didn’t owe howard jack shit, let alone a ‘thank you’. that man, even if he had the best intentions and wanted tony to succeed in the future because he knew he had potential, was neglectful and abusive. he was not affectionate, he did not make tony feel as though he were loved, and it deeply affected tony as a person. the fact that he doesn’t know how far along his own wife is with their firstborn child??? big red flag right there, friends. sure, it’s good to show kids with bad relationships with their parents that its possible to work through negative emotions and resentment and move on with their lives but this was not the example to give. tony did not owe his father anything at that point. he’d moved on, made himself better, became a better father than howard was to him. i’m just. so angry about it okay.

- steve looking through the glass of peggy’s office at her, believing this was the last time he was going to see her again??? broke my heart but i called it as soon as i knew time travel was involved in this movie. i knew they’d throw a ‘steve sees her while traveling and is really sad about it’ bit in there somewhere. and i would have been content if that was it, if that was all he got. if that was the closure he got, one last glimpse of her. the fact that twenty years later she still has the picture of him, before he was captain america, on her desk??? erases any of the development and growth we know she went through in her series and whatnot, but it’s a good reminder that peggy carter was one of the few people that saw steve for who he was. she saw the skinny kid from brooklyn and knew he had what it took to be a hero, she saw him for the good man he was. she loved him for who he was. that means a great deal to steve, who no doubt struggles with the line between steve and cap a lot. but by this point, peggy would have moved on. in the series, she had moved on. erasing all of that development is detrimental to her character and i refuse it.

- seeing jarvis again was a treat. i squeaked.

- what the fuck was that with natasha??? what kind of man-pain fuel was that??? and why didn’t she get the proper funeral/mourning she deserved??? she’s been around since im2, she was the one who united the avengers, she was the first female avenger (bc they swept janet van dyne under the rug but thats a whole other rant), and that’s the end of her arc??? as soon as i saw where her and hawkeye were headed i just knew. i knew what was gonna happen and i was hissing internally. because i knew there was no way she’d be like ‘yeah you’re my best friend, you have a family, you go ahead and jump’ and on behalf of all the mcu writers i wanna apologize to all c.lint.asha shippers for the mess the mcu gave y’all. i’m so sorry j*ss fucked it up for y’all bc he wanted something for two characters no one else wanted. she deserved to be mourned. she didn’t deserve to be forgotten for like the rest of the film after that initial ‘she’s gone’. she deserved a funeral, too. steve just lost one of his closest friends???? on top of everything else he’s lost, let him express that. please.

- so back on my s.tony shit, the ‘that’s my man’ when tony nudged steve awake to hand him back his shield after the compound blew up??? not heterosexual at all. y’all aren’t even trying to hide it anymore u bastards

- STEVE ROGERS USING THE HAMMER. Y’ALL. Y’ALL. MY BOY IS WORTHY AND I KNEW IT AND THIS MEANS HE SPARED THOR IN AOU BC HE’S A COMPASSIONATE LOSER WHO DIDN’T WANT TO HURT HIS FRIEND’S PRIDE AND FEELINGS. BUT GOD THAT WAS THE COOLEST GODDAMN THING I’VE SEEN ON SCREEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. HIM USING BOTH HIS SHIELD AND THE HAMMER AT THE SAME TIME, MAKING COMBO STRIKE OUT OF IT??? USING THE LIGHTING???? MAN I CAN TELL YOU WITHOUT A DOUBT THAT I HAVE NOT SCREAMED SO LOUD IN A MOVIE THEATER IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. GOD I LOVE HIM SO MUCH.

- all the ladies fighting together?? shielding peter???? kicking ass together??? gave me life. that was the most beautiful scene in the entire mcu,,, it made my bi heart burst,, all it was missing was nat, but it was a nice way to be like ‘this is what she started’. and seeing pepper out there as rescue was just the cherry on top okay i love her sm she’s so cool and finally fighting out there alongside tony and rhodey. my wife carol danvers is also the coolest??? not even flinching when thanos does whatever head-butt thing he was going for??? god i love my wives.

- ‘on your left’ god damn yes let sam wilson be the one to announce that they’re all back my boy deserves it. i wanted a proper reunion between steve and sam and/or bucky. we didn’t get that. we didn’t get that!!!!!! we didn’t get anything like that!!!!! steve was primarily on his own for 5 years because he lost his two best friends and we don’t get a reunion scene??? i call bullshit, marvel

- also rocket trying to shield groot with his own little body during the aerial attack??? broke my little heart??? like he just got him back and is terrified that he’ll lose him again,,,

- no one talk to me about tony stark i can’t handle it, he deserved to be happy and live a long life with his family. he deserved that happy ending, but i’m so grateful that pepper just. understood what he needed. she knew what he needed to hear and was there for him and could just ‘we’ll be okay, you can rest’. and give him that peace of mind. he did it, he saved the universe, he brought everyone back, he can rest. but god he really deserved to be able to rest with his family, happy and alive, okay.

- steve’s small exchange with bucky was like a nice reference to the first cap movie, but that was all we got. steve has spent multiple movies trying to get bucky back and help him, and we don’t even get a reunion scene and then just this one little bit of back and forth. a soft ‘i’ll miss you’, even though its technically only supposed to be seconds for them?? like,,, does that means bucky knows??? like, he has a feeling he knows what steve’s gonna do??? idk man, idk. all i do know is that they deserved better in this movie. i’m also summing up bucky’s telling sam to go talk to steve as bucky’s ‘i don’t know if i can handle that’ admission tbh.

- god bless sam wilson. between being the one to be like ‘bring him back. where is he? get him back.’ the second something seemed to go wrong with the time travel was,,, really nice. like, thank you for caring about my boy. thank you for always having his back. i love you so much sam wilson. and anyone who thinks sam shouldn’t be the one to get the shield can meet me in a back alley okay, this man has earned it, he’s the right pick for the cap mantle. the cap theme playing when he was given the shield? Iconic. did i cry whenever the cap theme played during this movie?? Absolutely.

- time travel in this movie is a fucking joke but i wanna know if steve had to see the red skull when he returned the soul stone because can you imagine??? that interaction??? like, did anyone warn him??? did anyone tell him the red skull was there or was it only implied when clint said something about a red man or whatever after coming back and being upset about natasha???? but also where did steve travel back to in order to start his new life??? were there just two caps in the universe??? one in the ice and one living his life w/ peggy???? none of it makes sense. none of it. where does the shield go/come from???? guys??? guys.

-okay now we address the end of steve’s arc. i’m gonna start by saying i see both sides of the discourse it’s stirred up. i understand the intention behind it, not wanting steve’s story to just be one big tragedy. because that’s where it was headed. if they killed him, he would have been fighting for decades on end without rest, without knowing peace, and that would’ve been it. that’s not the end people want to see for their heroes. he deserves to be able to put down the shield and rest. he deserves that ending for himself after fighting his whole life. However, the way they did it not only flattened his entire arc, but it flattened peggy’s entire character as well. she built a life in his absence, she moved on, and he knows this. he knew this, and i refuse to believe that steve would selfishly go back and disrupt that, take that away from her for the sake of his own personal happiness. that’s not steve rogers, a good and compassionate man. because think about the life he’d have to lead, knowing all he does. because if he isn’t supposed to disrupt the timeline, he has to let everything with hydra happen and infiltrate shield, something he knows peggy’s dedicated to, he has to let everything with bucky happen and be okay with not stepping in and rescuing his best friend from that horrific life/killing tony’s parents, he has to watch both tony and sharon grow up knowing everything about their lives??? (not to mention how fucking weird everything with sharon would be  considering the mcu just forgot about her after they made out in the parking lot???? sharon deserved better.) 

- this wasn’t an end of an arc, it was the flattening of an arc. he didn’t actually deal with anything that he’d been through. tws was all about how he needed to move on, peggy herself told him that the world was changing and he had to move with it instead of lingering in the past and what he lost. he was supposed to be building himself a new life, addressing what he lost and the trauma he’s been through and work through it all to push onward. that’s development. he got away with not working on himself or anything he went through, the group therapy was never actually beneficial because he didn’t take any of his advice, he clung to his emotions and grief and wasn’t able to move on and says as much. giving him this easy way out just feels lazy in my opinion. like they didn’t know what to do with him, wanted him to end up happy, and this was the only way they saw that happening because he wasn’t properly developed over the course of the mcu. i’m happy my boy ended up happy, don’t get me wrong, i was very close to sobbing over him finally getting that dance, but it was highly unsatisfactory in terms of a story and character arc.

[edge-lorde]

i also read the adventure zone graphic novel adaption. pretty good. a little hard to follow at times, because every scene is based off dialog in the show. 

they did of course have to change a few things, like they of course took out and replaced all the mentions of names of things in the pre-made adventure they were working off of in the beginning, like phandalin is now haverdale, ect. they also introduced taakos show earlier than normal, and made it a joke that magnus just always want to talk about his backstory rather then travis just wrote up a really long backstory for a character that he thought he was just going to play once and never got to read on the show. 

which leads into a strange thing about the book, which is that while they do still have a GM, who is just regular griffin popping in,  they completely take out the fact that merle, magnus and taako are all being played by real people. this is very strange to me, because the joy of the adventure zone and other role-play based stuff, is not just the story that is being created, its the fact that that its a story being created collaboratively by a bunch of people, who all have their own shit going on an reasons for playing a character how they play them, plus the random element of dice being rolled and the tension that comes with it. 

like when something happens due to a nat 20 or nat 1, its usually a moment of howling laughter. taking that out and making it seem like it was written intentionally seems like a net loss for the medium for me. 

but for taz explicitly, i love that its a family playing dnd together, and all the dynamics that they have together, and all the meta jokes... i thought maybe there would be a page at the end where it would have like, griffin sitting around a table with clint, travis and justin, and theyre all laughing and got their minis out on a board and stuff. didnt happen though. :(

other things that they took out/ changed:

changed my favorite line that magic brian ever says, “love your cadence, dear, where you from?” to something similar but not as memorable. loved that line for some reason, lol. 

shortened johans introduction to him just saying hey to them after they get out of the elevator, rather than playing them a song inside it. 

(i looked for this one specifically) during the end of the balance arc show, clint complements griffin on his story telling even from the beginning, in reference to him having to go back to do the book adaption. he says that the inn that they stay in in the 1st chapter was called the red robe inn, i think. i looked for this and they didnt include it that i could tell.

criticisms aside though, its still a fun read. taakos expressions are always spot on. and they show a lot of the future breau characters before they have thier first lines in the background, like killian talking to carey, and boyland walking around. really good.

[vigilantdistressed-pretendwriter]

Memorial - Avengers AU

Alright. First not Thomas Sanders story that I’m posting. 

This is set after Endgame with a couple of changes. Uhm. Pepper moves back to the city, Peter lives with her and Morgan. When I wrote this, Far From Home hadn’t come out and I had looked up if May dusted and what I found said she hadn’t so my first thought was she lost Peter and Tony and was driven to kill herself and Peter blames himself. Up to you if you want Steve to be old or young in this. 

Characters: Peter Parker, Pepper Stark, Morgan Stark, Steve Rogers, Thor, Bruce Banner, Clint Barton, Scott Lang, James Rhodes, Sam Wilson, Wanda Maximoff and Bucky Barnes. Word Count: 6010 Trigger Warnings: Implications of suicide, talk of death, a lot of crying (If I have forgotten any or if there is something you would like me to tag, let me know.)

It started with soft crying in the middle of the night. Someone in the small house would wake up and someone else was crying. 

Most of the time, everyone would wake up in the same bed each morning. A few times, there have been locked doors and no sightings. 

Peter keeps track of who’s crying each night and how they react. 

Morgan cries and will accept hugs. She will get up, have a warm drink, and climb back into bed with whoever came into her room, 

Pepper accepts hugs most nights, only a few nights she closes and locks the door, hoping Peter and Morgan leave her alone. 

Peter opens his door occasionally, mainly just letting Morgan in. Peter remembers the last time he saw him. That sense, that feeling he got. That knowing that he wasn’t coming back this time. Hearing his heartbeat slowing down.

Every night that Peter Parker cried, he hoped that Tony Stark would come into his room and hold him. He hoped that he would wake up and Tony Stark would be there, offering to watch a Star Wars movie with him. Every night that Peter Parker cried, Morgan Stark would climb out of bed and hug her big brother till he was asleep again.

***

“Morgan. You have to get up.” Peter whispered, gently shaking the little girl. 

“I don’t want to.”

“I don’t care. I have some clothes picked out for you and Mummy has breakfast waiting for you. Can you get dressed then come eat some breakfast?”

“Okay.” Morgan dramatically got out of bed. 

Peter left Morgan to get changed. He also got dressed, preparing himself for the day. 

“Hey, Peter. How’s today?” Pepper was stood in the doorway.

“Okay.”

“You’re seeing them today, aren’t you?” She asked softly.

“Yeah. But I’ll be okay. I can do this.”

“Yeah. Just remember that if you need anything, anything at all, my phone will be on.”

“I know. Thanks, Mum.”

Pepper smiled at Peter before going back to the kitchen to make sure Morgan was eating.

Peter made sure to pack his suit, his headphones and his charger into his bag before joining his family for breakfast. 

Once breakfast was over, Peter help Morgan finish getting ready for school. He brushed her hair and help her make lunch. 

Morgan then sat quietly reading a book as Peter finished getting himself ready. 

They left the house after saying goodbye to Pepper and headed off to school.

“Peter. Mummy was crying last night.”

“I know, Morgan.”

“Was she crying because daddy isn’t coming back?” 

Peter took a deep breath. “Yeah. That’s why she’s crying. Because daddy isn’t coming home. But you know why, don’t you?”

“Daddy isn’t coming home because the Angels need his help. When the angels don’t need his help, they will send him back to us.” 

Peter smiled. “Yeah.”

“Don’t cry, Peter. Daddy is smart. He will help the Angels and be home soon.”

“Yeah. He will.” 

They arrived at the school.

“Have a good day, Morgan. If you need me, press the button on your watch.”

“Yep. Love you, Bye.” Morgan said before running off to join her friends. 

Peter walked back out the gate and walked around the school into a nearby alleyway. He leant against the wall and tried to steady his breathing. 

“You’re okay. Everything’s okay. They’re your family.” Peter whispered to himself. 

Peter changed into the suit and started swinging around the city. He helped out whoever needed him, just giving directions and helping kids in crowds find their parents. 

***

“Peter. Everyone is waiting for you.” Karen alerted Peter. 

“Okay. Thanks, Karen. Let them know I’m on my way.” 

Peter made his way over to Stark Tower, hesitating as he approached. 

A wave of emotions hit him as he walked through the door. Peter made sure to keep his mask on so that no one could see the tears slowly making trails down his cheeks. 

He walked towards the elevator, thankful the workers still left it empty for special visitors. 

“You know where,” Peter whispered. The elevator slowly rose, carrying Peter to the 19th floor where the Avengers, at least whoever was left, were waiting for him. 

“Hey, Guys,” Peter said as he walked into the room. 

“Hey, Peter. How are you holding up?”

“I’m okay.” 

Wanda moved forward and wrapped her arms around Peter. 

“Why are we here?”

“We’ve been asked to hold a public memorial for Tony.”

“Why only Tony?”

“What do you mean?” Sam asked.

“Why not anyone who was lost? Auntie Nat? Aunt May? People who died because no one was caring for them in the dust? People who couldn’t adjust to life after the dust? What about all of them?”

“That’s actually a really good idea. We can hold a memorial for anyone who’s gone,” Bucky said, just loud enough for everyone to hear.

“How’s everyone going to take that?” Wanda asked

“They can just deal with it. Everyone has lost someone in the last five years due to Thanos, we included. We’ve been given the task of holding this memorial so we can make it what we want.” Rhodey said.

“Like what they had around the place during the five years?” Scott asked. 

“Exactly,” Steve confirmed. “We can ask the public to send us the names of those they lost during that time and we can replace the old sites with our new ones. And have a big one here in New York for Tony and Nat.”

“Everyone who was lost has to be recorded in the New York one, though,” Peter said. “It wouldn’t be fair to have only some names in the main one.” 

“Good point.” 

“How are we going to do this, though?” Wanda asked. 

“We could have the big stone slab things spread in a huge circle. Maybe in rows, so there are, like, rings of stone slabs with names on each side of them. And we could have pathways dividing it up into sections or something to make it easier to get around and remember where names are,” Scott suggested.

“This is going to take a lot of work. I mean, years of work.” Steve pointed out.

“That’s okay. As long as this gets done for them,” Peter said, hoping the others didn’t notice the quiver in his voice. Wanda placed an arm around Peter’s shoulders and squeezed him slightly. 

“It’s okay. We’ll be okay.” She whispered in his ear. Peter took a deep breath.

“Shouldn’t mum- I mean Pepper be here?”

“We asked her if she would help and she said she couldn’t go through that,” Steve answered. Peter nodded in understanding. 

“Where’s Morgan?” Rhodey asked from across the room.

“I dropped her off at school before I came here,” Peter explained. Rhodey nodded in understanding. 

***

“Guys. Can we take a break from planning for a while?” Bruce asked from the corner. “I think we all need a break.”

“Yeah. A break sounds good.” Clint agreed. The papers and pens were left on the coffee table as everyone moved through to the dining room. Wanda and Bucky moved to the kitchen to make food for everyone. 

“What was Mr Stark like? At the beginning of the Avengers and when he was in school?” Peter asked hesitantly. 

“At school? Tony was so stuck up.” Rhodey smiled at the memory. “He was top of all his classes. Hated joining outside clubs unless he knew he would be good at them. Seemed like one of the laziest kids in the class until test time came. Never studied but got top marks.” 

“Sounds like a dick,” Sam remarked. 

“Guess he was what he ate, then,” Rhodey muttered to himself.

“How about when the Avengers formed?”

“I read the report done on him by Nat. Apparently he was originally too narcissistic to be on the team. Iron Man was allowed but Tony Stark wasn’t.” Bruce smiled slightly. 

“He seemed to think to put everyone’s life in danger was funny and picking a fight with me without his suit on was smart. Still not sure why everyone thinks of him as a genius.” Steve joked. 

“Really? How did he put everyone in danger?”

“He was playing around, scaring me, poking me with tools and lab equipment,” Bruce spoke up. 

Peter smiled. He missed his mentor, his dad, so much. He knew it would take a lot to move on but hearing about who he was helped. 

“You okay, Kid?” Thor asked quietly.

“Yeah. It’s just hard.” Peter smiled at the god. 

“I know. If you need anything, you have me. And the whole team.”

“Yeah. Thanks, Mr Thor.” 

Everyone moved back into the lounge when they were finished eating. 

“I think this is really good. I’ll send it off later. Who’s up for a movie?”

“Movie sounds good,” Rhodey said. 

“I can’t. Sorry. I have to get going to pick up Morgan. And I need to make sure Pepper is okay. It’s been a while since she was left home alone this long.” Peter started to repack his bag. 

“It was nice seeing you again, Peter. We should meet up again soon.” Wanda hugged Peter tightly. 

“Yeah. I’ll try to meet up with you guys soon. I have all your numbers.” Peter smiled at the team before heading to the elevator. 

Peter, having taken his mask off to eat, put his mask on before swinging back to Queens. He stopped outside the school, waiting for Morgan to come out of class. He knew that his eyes were still puffy and Morgan would know he’s been crying. He put a hoodie and some track pants on before too many parents showed up. He removed the mask then headed into the school, heading towards Morgans class. 

“Peter!” Morgan called as she ran out of the classroom. 

“Hey, Princess. How was school?” Peter asked

“Boring.” Morgan pouted. “How was your day?”

“My day was okay.”

“You’ve been crying.” Morgan pointed out.

“Yeah. I was.”

“Are you okay?” “Yeah. I’m okay. I just spent the day with Dad’s old friends. We were talking about him.” 

“Really? Are you okay?” 

“Yeah. I’m okay. Let’s get home and you can tell me all about your day at school.”

“Can we have ice cream?”

“Of course we can.” Peter smiled at Morgan. Peter reached out and help Morgans hand as they walked home. 

“Hey, Mum. We’re home.” Morgan yelled as she opened the door.

“Hey, baby. How was your day?” Pepper asked as Morgan rushed into the lounge where Pepper was relaxing. 

“Boring. It’s school. How fun could it have been?” “Learning things is fun.”

“Yeah. That’s why school was boring.”

“Don’t worry, Princess. I can teach you some stuff after dinner.” Peter smiled at Morgan as he sat on the couch.

“And how was your day, Peter?”

“My day was good,” Peter replied. “Tell you later, though. For now, I have to eat some ice cream with Morgan.”

“Can I have some?” Pepper asked. 

“Sure.”

Peter went out to the kitchen and served three bowls of ice cream. 

Peter and Pepper were sitting in the lounge, listening to Morgan complain about an annoying boy in her class.

“You know, Morgan. If he’s annoying you, it means he likes you.” Pepper smiled at Morgan.

“No. Don’t listen to mummy. That’s not true. If a boy is annoying you, you tell the teacher and try and get the teacher to listen. He shouldn’t be annoying you. If he keeps doing it and the teacher doesn’t do anything, tell me and I’ll talk to your teacher,” Peter said. 

“Okay. Thanks, Peter.” Morgan smiled at her big brother. 

“Peter. Can you tell us about your day?” Morgan asked once she had finished telling her story.

“Uhm. Well. I spent some time talking to Dad’s old friends. We’re thinking of building a statue of dad somewhere in New York.” Peter said, keeping an eye on Pepper. 

“Wow. Would daddy be okay with that?”

“Yeah. Daddy would love it.” Peter smiled at Morgan. 

***

Once Morgan was in bed, Pepper asked Peter about what they had discussed at the meeting. 

“We didn’t really discuss much. We spent a lot of time just chilling out. They were talking about Tony.”

“What are the plans for the memorial?”

“Statue of Tony and Auntie Nat with memorial stone slabs like what they had during the years. Everyone who died because of the decimation will have their names on the slabs. There will also be a building with computers that have all the names on them and people can look up names and read about them and see pictures and we might even allow people to write about their lost ones.”

“Were you okay with being there?”

“Yeah. I kept my mask on for a while because I was crying when I got there. But they all understood and being around them helped.” Peter smiled at Pepper. “I promise I’m okay.” 

“Alright. Go to bed. Get some sleep.”

“Are you okay?” Peter asked. 

“Yeah. I’m okay.”

“What’d you do today?”

“Not much. Did a little bit of cleaning around the place. Watched a movie. Just relaxed a little.”

“We aren’t that stressful, are we?” Peter joked.

“No, Peter. Not you two.” Pepper smiled at Peter. 

There were a few minutes of silence. 

“I really miss him,” Pepper whispered.

“Same,” Peter whispered as he curled into Pepper’s side. 

“I thought I told you to go to bed?”

“Don’t want to sleep alone tonight. And I don’t think you should, either.” 

“Alright. What do you want to watch, then?”

“Anything’s fine.” 

***

Peter slowly made his way down to his room after leaving Pepper asleep on the couch. A soft crying reached his ears as he passed Morgan’s room. He gently pushed open the door and approached the crying girl. 

“Hey, Princess. Are you okay?”

“I want him back.” Morgan looked up at Peter from under her blankets. Peter sat on the edge of the bed. 

“I know, princess. But he can’t come back.”

“Why not?”

“Because he has to help the angels.”

“Why can’t he come back when he’s finished helping them?”

“Daddy can’t come back because he died, baby. He died protecting our lives.” Pepper was standing in the doorway, tears threatening to spill. “Your 1daddy was fighting a bad guy and he didn’t win.” She approached the bed and sat down. 

“Why was daddy fighting?” 

“Because no one else was going to fight for him. He was fighting so that we could live. He was fighting for you, baby.” Morgan crawled onto Pepper’s lap. She wrapped her arms around Peppers' waist and buried her head in Pepper’s shoulder. Pepper wrapped her arms around the small child and rubbed her back. 

“It’s okay, baby,” Pepper whispered, tears falling down her cheeks.

Peter left to set up a movie on the TV and made three cups of hot chocolate. Pepper, Peter and Morgan spent the night together.

***

“Peter. Hey. It’s Wanda. Please call us back when you can. We need to talk to you.” Peter turned his phone off and threw it on his bed. 

It had been two years and he had intentionally not called any of the Avengers. He would text them, asking for updates, but he never rang. After being ignored by them for weeks and trying to move on from his dreams of working with the Avengers. It was time that Peter grew up. He had a little sister to look after as well as a mum. He couldn’t keep living in his dream. 

Peter. Meeting at the tower. You NEED to be there. If you don’t come, we will hunt you down. -Sam

What is the meeting about? -Peter

Can’t tell you that. Please come. Starts in an hour. -Sam

How do you know I’m not busy? -Peter 

Not as important as this -Sam 

Peter quickly packed his charger, a change of clothes and some snacks. He slipped into his suit and made his way out of the house. Just before he started swinging away, he sent Pepper a text. 

An urgent meeting with the Avengers. Not home. Don't know when I will be -Peter

Peter swung towards Stark Tower. He flew in a few levels below the shared floor and took the elevator up to where the team was. 

“I’m here. What’s so important?” Peter asked, not bothering to even greet anyone. 

“Well hello to you. How have you been?” Wanda greeted.

“I’m fine. Why am I here?”

“Not sure how often you’re in the area, but the memorial is finished.” Sam walked in from the kitchen.

“And? You couldn’t have texted me that?”

“Peter. This is Tony’s memorial we’re talking about.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Just.” Peter sighed. “It’s been a while since this was something I spoke about. How does it look?”

“It’s alright, Peter. The memorial looks great. We can go see it in a few days. It opens the day after our viewing,” Steve explained.

“Cool. What day, exactly? And what are the restrictions?”

“What do you mean, restrictions?” Wanda was confused.

“Can I bring Pepper and Morgan if they want to come?”

“Yeah. They can come. It’s next Wednesday. Meeting here at 9 then heading over to the park as a group,” Steve said.

“Okay. I’ll try and make it. Can’t promise Pepper and Morgan will come, though.”

“That’s okay.” Sam smiled at Peter. 

“Anything else or was that all you need?”

“We are actually planning a movie night for this weekend. It’s the anniversary of the Blip and we all wanted to be together for it. Would you and the ladies like to join us?” Rhodes asked.

“I’ll have to ask Pepper if she’s okay with it.”

“I understand. You don’t have to bring them along, though.”

“I’m not leaving them overnight so it’s either they come or I don't,” Peter said. 

“Alright, Kid.” Steve seemed to understand. 

“Anyway. I have to go. I gotta pick Morgan up and I should be home when Pepper gets home. I’ll text to update you on if we’re coming to movie night and the Memorial. Bye.” Peter rushed to the elevator, heading back down to the floor he landed on. He rushed off towards Morgans school. 

***

“Hey, Mum? Would you be keen to spend a night at the tower?”

“What do you mean?”

“The team invited me to a movie night at the tower this weekend for the anniversary. I don’t want to leave you and Morgan here alone. Do you want to go?”

“You don’t have to worry about us. You can go, Peter.”

“I don’t want to go without you guys.”

“Why not?”

“I can’t sleep without you guys around. I won’t be able to sleep at the tower.”

“Okay. I’ll try to make it. When is it?”

“I’ll ask. Another thing I wanted to ask. The team also invited me to a private showing of the memorial site on Wednesday next week. It’s finished. They said it would nice if you and Morgan could come. Is that okay with you?”

“Peter. I would love to go.” 

“Great. I’ll confirm for Wednesday and ask about this weekend.” Peter relaxed a little and pulled out his phone, texting Wanda. Wanda replied almost instantly. 

Great. Can’t wait for Wednesday. Heads up. It’s formal dress. No dark colours, though. Movie is Saturday night. Aim to be here about 4 so we can order dinner though. -Wanda

“Hey, Mum. Movie is on Saturday. Wanda said to be there about 4. And Wednesday will be formal dress but no dark colours.”

“Okay. I’ll go out tomorrow and get me and Morgan something to wear. Do you have something formal to wear?”

“I think I still have a lavender suit in my closet.”

“Okay. And we may as well go to the movie night. No point being alone.” Pepper smiled at Peter. “You okay?” She asked. 

“Yeah. I haven’t spoken about him much over the past two years. That’s all. Was a bit of a shock today when they suddenly needed me.”

“It’s okay, Peter. If you change your mind and you don't want to go to the movie night or the memorial, tell me.”

“Okay. Thanks, mum.” Peter hugged Pepper before disappearing to his room. 

***

Saturday rolled around quickly. Peter helped Morgan pack a bag with her pyjamas and a change of clothes for the next day before he packed his own bag. Once Morgan was all set, he let her play games on his phone as he went to check to see if Pepper was ready. He heard her crying as he walked down the hallway. He knocked gently on her door, waited a few seconds, then opened the door. Pepper was sitting on her bed, a bag packed next to her, crying into her hands. 

“Hey.” Peter sat next to her, moving the bag out of the way. “Hey. It’ll be okay. I know you miss him. I do too. But being with the team, remembering him, will help. I promise. Do you want me to take Morgan and let you have some time to yourself?”

Pepper took a deep breath, calming herself. 

“No. I’m okay. I’m sorry. I’m almost ready. Could you keep Morgan occupied for a bit longer?”

“Yeah. No problem. Love you.” Peter stood from the bed, leant over and placed a kiss on Pepper’s check before leaving the room. He went back into the lounge where Morgan was sitting.

“Who’s Wanda?”

“What do you mean?”

“You got a text from Wanda.”

“Oh. She’s one of dad’s old friends. She’s one of my friends, too. You can meet her this afternoon.”

“Is she pretty?” 

“Yeah.”

“Yay.” Morgan smiled widely. “When are we going?” She asked excitedly. 

“Soon. Mum’s almost ready. Just wait here for her.”

“Okay.” Morgan sat patiently on the couch.

Pepper appeared in the lounge a few minutes later. She smiled at Peter and Morgan.

“You two ready to go?”

“Yeah!” Morgan yelled as she jumped off the couch. Peter followed an over-excited Morgan outside to the car. Peter jumped into the driver's seat after making sure Morgan was in properly. Pepper sat in the passenger seat and smiled at Peter.

“You okay?” She asked. Peter kept his eyes ahead of him as he started the car. 

“Yeah,” He whispered. 

The car ride was mostly quiet, everyone lost in thought. Peter pulled around to the back of the tower and parked the car. He climbed out and helped Morgan collect the bags. Pepper stayed in the car, keeping herself calm before going into the tower. 

Peter took Morgan inside, leaving Pepper to come in when she was ready. Peter made sure to get Morgan upstairs as quickly as he could before she started asking too many questions.

"Peter, are dad's friends The Avengers?"

"Where did you hear that?"

"The news was on the other day and it said something about a memorial made by the Avengers for those that were lost, including their teammates Tony Stark and Natasha... I can't say her last name."

"Romanoff." 

"Yeah."

"Yeah. Those are dad's friends. That's who lives here."

"But this is dad's tower. Mum and dad worked hard on this tower."

“Mum still owns it but she is letting the Avengers live here because she doesn't want to live here and it's better for the team to stay together."

"Okay. Are we meeting them all now?"

"Yeah." 

Just then, the elevator door opened. The room was full of energy. The coffee table was covered in snacks and drinks. 

"Peter. You guys made it." Sam called loudly. 

"Yeah. Hey guys. This is Morgan. Morgan, This is the Avengers. Dad's old friends."

"Wow. this is so cool. This tower is so big."

"Hey, little one. You want to come and help us pick what movie to watch tonight?" Wanda asked from across the room.

"Yeah!" Morgan yelled excitedly before running over to where Wanda was.

"Peter. Is Pepper here?" Steve asked quietly.

"Yeah. She stayed in the car while I brought Morgan up here. I think it's a bit much, being back here."

"Understandable. Is she alright?"

"She's strong. And she would do anything for Morgan. So I think she'll be okay." Peter nodded. Just then, the sound of the elevator opening reached their ears. Pepper walked into the room. 

"Hey, mum. Are you okay?" Peter rushed to her side.

"Yeah, Peter. I'm alright." Pepper smiled at Peter but he could see that she had been crying. 

"Hey, Pepper. How have you been?" Steve stepped forward to take the bag out of Pepper's hands.

"I've been better." She answered. 

"Am I allowed to- uh. Can I hug you?" He asked awkwardly. Pepper nodded her head. Steve instantly wrapped his arms around her comfortingly. 

"Hey, Sam. You want to move these round to the back of the couch?" Steve asked, pointing at the bags that Peter and Pepper had left by the door.

"Oh. It's okay. I've got it." Peter grabbed the three bags and moved them to where Steve pointed. 

"How's this gonna run? Like. When's dinner?" Peter asked.

"Dinner should be here at about 5. Once dinner's over, we are gonna move into the lounge and start the movies. We have all planned to fall asleep on the couch in here instead of going to bed tonight." Bucky explained.

"Is there a mattress we could put on the floor? There isn't enough room for all of us to sleep on the couch."

"Sure. I'll get the guys to find one for you." 

Dinner arrived right on time. Everyone squeezed around the table in the dining room to eat. 

"Damn, guys. It's been 2 years, now. That's kind of scary." Bruce said while everyone was eating.

"Yeah. It used to be hard to imagine not having them around." Clint said. 

No one had to ask who they were talking about. 

Dinner finished quickly and without much more conversation. Everyone moved through to the lounge. 

The team took the couches and seats while Pepper, Peter and Morgan claimed the mattress on the floor. 

The movies started and no one talked. 

***

The guests left the next morning, Pepper saying she had stuff to do. Morgan gave everyone a hug and tried her hardest not to cry. Peter carried Morgan to the elevator and once the doors were closed, she started crying. 

“It’s okay, princess,” Peter whispered in her ear.

“I want my daddy.” She said through her sobs.

“I now. But dad can’t be here. It’s okay.” Morgan continued to cry. 

Once they got back home, everyone went to their rooms. It didn’t take long for Peter to hear Pepper crying. 

Morgan quietly left her room and went into Peters. 

“Peter? Can I have a nap in your room?”

“Yeah. Of course.” Peter moved away from his desk where he was sitting and laid on the bed. “Come here, Princess.” Peter opened his arms and Morgan crawled into them. 

***

Wednesday took forever to arrive. Pepper spent part of Monday and most of Tuesday locked in her room. The few times Pepper was out of her room, she would apologise to Peter for making him look after Morgan. Peter would reply “It’s okay. I understand”, smile, and go back to whatever he was doing.

Wednesday morning, Pepper got up early, made sure they all had everything they needed, then woke Peter and Morgan, who were both sleeping in Peter’s bed. 

Peter was quick to get in the shower and then get ready for the day. As soon as he was close to ready, Peter started getting Morgan ready. 

Morgan was dressed in a red dress the fluffed out from the waist down. There was a row of flowers across the top of the dress and lace lining the bottom. In all honesty, she looked like a real princess. 

“Hey, Mum? Did you let Morgan pick out her own dress?”

“Of course. She saw it in the shop window and decided she needed it. I wasn’t going to say no.”

“It looks very nice on her.” Peter had gone to check on Pepper, making sure she was okay. “Do you need help with anything?”

“No. I’m okay. Thank you, though, Peter. How about you go put your suit on instead of walking around in a top and track pants. We’ll leave soon.”

“Okay. Call out if you need anything.” Pepper smiled at Peter before he rushed off to get changed. 

Peter’s lavender suit was hanging up on the back of his door. He quickly got changed and tidied his hair before going back to the lounge where Morgan was watching TV.

“You ready, Princess?” Peter asked.

“Yep.” Morgan turned away from the TV to look at Peter. “Is that a purple suit?” She asked excitedly.

“Yeah. My favourite colour.” Peter smiled at Morgan.

“Peter? Can you come here, please?” Pepper called from her bedroom. Peter rushed to the room.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah. I can’t do the zip up, though. Can you help?” Peter zipped up the dress. Pepper stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself. The diamond belt and chest of the dress reflected light around the room, the long, champagne skirt twisting slightly as she moved. Pale coloured high heels prevented the dress from dragging along the ground. 

“He would love this, you know. Us taking a whole day off for him.”

“It’s not just for him. It’s for everyone.”

“I know. But he would make it about him. You know that.”

“Yeah.” Peter smiled sadly.

“Hey. Don’t cry. Not yet. There will be plenty of time for that later.” Pepper hugged Peter tightly. 

“Are we leaving soon?” Morgan's voice echoed down the hallway. 

“I guess that’s our cue to leave,” Peter said, smiling slightly at Pepper. He held his hand out to her. Pepper allowed him to lead her down the hallway to the lounge. Morgan gasped when they entered. 

“Wow, mummy. You look really pretty.” Morgan smiled.

“Thank you, baby. You look really pretty, too.”

“Ladies. I think it’s time to go. We don’t want to be late.” Peter interrupted. 

The three of them made their way out to the car, Peter getting behind the wheel again.

The ride to the tower was mostly quiet. Peter had put on some quiet music and no one felt the urge to talk. They reached the tower and the team were standing outside, all in different coloured suits apart from Wanda, who was wearing a red mermaid dress with lace sleeves. The dress clung to her body, fanning out slightly at her knees and brushing the ground.

Peter parked the car and all three of them got out. 

“Hey, guys. How is everyone?” Peter asked as they joined the group. There were a few mumbled replies. 

Everyone climbed into the two vans that were waiting for them nearby. Wanda, Clint, Pepper, Peter, Morgan, Sam and Rhodey were in one van while everyone else was in the other. 

They arrived at the memorial site five minutes late. 

“Everyone okay?” Steve asked while they were standing by the entrance.

Everyone nodded silently. 

“Let’s go.” Everyone followed Steve through the gates. The scenery of the town disappeared and was replaced by the sight of Tony and Natasha towering over everyone. 

“She would hate this.” Peter heard Clint whisper.

“He would love this.” Pepper smiled. 

“Take a look around. Uhm. I believe that the computers inside will tell you the location within the park of anyone you want. If there is anyone you’ve lost, go ahead and search.” Steve said awkwardly. Peter didn’t wait for anyone to move. He rushed towards the building that Steve had pointed at and to the nearest computer. 

After a couple of minutes, he left the building and, following the directions that had come up on the computer, Peter found the stone slab that had May Parker written on it. After scanning the stone for a few minutes, he found her name. 

“I’m sorry,” Peter whispered as tears started falling down his cheeks. “I’m so sorry, Aunt May. I should have been there. I should have been there. I’m sorry.” Peter was on his knees now. He was whispering to himself, tears streaming down his face. “I shouldn’t have left you alone. I should have tried harder.” A soft hand on his shoulder caused Peter to flinch. 

“It’s okay. It’s only me.” Pepper kneeled beside Peter. “I didn’t think you should be alone.” Peter threw himself into her open arms. 

“It’s my fault. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, Peter. None of this was.”

“If I had tried a little harder. Or if I had listened to him. It’s my fault. I’m to blame.”

“No. It’s not your fault. You all tried and fought as hard as you could and we won.”

“No one wins in war,” Peter whispered. “There is only ever loss.”

“Peter. Please don’t blame yourself. None of this is your fault.” Peter stayed there, crying silently now.

“You okay, kid?” Steve asked once everyone had gotten back to the tower. Not trusting himself to talk, Peter nodded. 

“I wanted to ask you to do something for me, Peter. It’s okay to say no. I don’t want you to feel forced into doing anything. But would you be willing to officially open the memorial tomorrow?”

“Really?” Peter whispered.

“Yeah. Really. Do you want to?”

“Do I have to say anything?”

“Only if you want to.”

“Okay. I’ll be there. What time?”

“Here at 8:30 if you can. Light colours again. It’ll be okay to wear that again.” Steve smiled softly at Peter. 

“Peter. We should get going.” Pepper was carrying Morgan, who was asleep. Peter smiled slightly at the team before following Pepper to the car. 

“Are you okay?” Pepper looked worriedly at Peter. 

“Yeah. I’m okay.”

“It’s okay to not be.”

“I know. But I am. Can I hang out with Ned this weekend?”

“Yeah. Of course.” 

Peter made sure to get up extra early the next morning. He showered and put on the suit that he hung up the night before. He took a moment to breathe, preparing himself to be in the public's eye. 

He drove himself to the tower. 

The team arrived at the memorial in vans. 

All Peter remembers is getting out of the van, being escorted through the silent crowd and then suddenly he was sitting in a seat on a stage next to the statue. He heard his name being said and then Steve was standing there, offering a hand. 

“It’s okay, Kid. you don’t have to say anything. Just cut the ribbon.” Peter stood from the seat and followed Steve to the front of the stage where there was a piece of ribbon strung between two small poles. The crowd clapped and cheered. 

“The Stark memorial is now, officially, open. Please be mindful of others and follow the rules.” Steve announced. The crowd quickly vanished, spreading out through the park.

You okay, Peter?” Wanda asked once they were back in the vans.

“Yeah. I’m okay.” Peter smiled sadly at her before staring out of the window. 

“We are having snacks and stuff this afternoon and the tower. You want to invite Pepper and Morgan?”

“Nah. I think I’ll skip. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. We understand.”

From then on, Peter had constant contact with the team. He and Wanda, being close in age, became close. Peter spent more time at the tower. It still hurts every time he went there, but being with his family made it all that little bit easier. 

***

Peter cried. 

Peter cried as he walked across the stage at his graduation, knowing that all the Avengers were sitting in the audience, cheering him on. 

Peter cried as Steve officially made him an Avenger, knowing that Tony would have killed for the chance to do it instead. 

Peter cried as he got a job at Stark industries. He knew Tony had left him a job that would pay well for him to take as soon as he left high school. 

Peter cried as he hugged Morgan who was now 15, standing by Peppers grave, silently promising Pepper he would look after Morgan. 

Peter smiled as he walked past the memorial site to pick up dinner for him and Morgan 15 years later, remembering all the times he cried over the man who made him smile so many times.

[imagine-loki]

Monsters and Magic

TITLE: Monsters and Magic

CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: 21/?

AUTHOR: nekoamamori

ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine you’re a vampire who helps the Avengers defeat an evil seethe of other vampires, and Loki befriends you after you end up in their custody

RATING: T (so far)

NOTES/WARNINGS: Also on AO3 click here

   Loki stood and whirled to turn and face Thor. “No way. I’m not leaving, not when we finally just got Y/N back!” he protested loudly, magic sparking around his fingers in his agitation and distress. He didn’t want to leave you when you were finally safe. Especially when they just got you home yesterday.

    “It’s Father’s orders. He sent one of the ravens. We must return home. It will be a short visit only, Brother, just long enough so he can see for himself that you’re worthy,”

    “How did he find out already?” Loki demanded in a growl.

    Thor gave him a look that he was being stupid. “You know I have to send him updates and the ravens check up on us while we’re here. So of course I told him. I’m proud of you, Brother, and wished to share your accomplishment with the rest of our family,” Thor explained.

    “I can’t just leave Y/N!” Loki protested again, almost desperately.

    “It’s alright, Lokes, if you have to go home…” you told him softly. He ran his fingers through your hair.

    “I’m not leaving you, kitten,” he replied firmly.

    “Stubborn, noodle,” you replied.

    “I just got you back,” he told you just as firmly. “I’m not leaving you. Hydra is going to try to get you back,” he added. He and Thor seemed to be at an impasse. Thor thought quickly about how to fix it.

    “You heal quickly, lady, it’s one of the few perks of your affliction,” Thor addressed you finally. “I’ll stall Father for at least a few days, long enough to you to recover physically from your ordeal with Hydra. Then you can come to Asgard with us,” Thor suggested.

    Loki rolled his eyes. “Father is never going to willingly allow a Midgardian into Asgard,” he told Thor. Odin was notorious about not wanting Midgardians, or mortals in his realm.

    “I will fix it with Father. He’ll understand that you would refuse to leave your lady, especially when we borrowed the ravens to help rescue her,” Thor replied reasonably.

    Loki thought that over, then looked to you. “Darling, would you be alright with coming with us?” he asked. He would agree to this plan without you on board.

    “Are you kidding? A chance for a Midgardian to see Asgard!? Of course I want to go!” You bounced up from the couch excitedly and wrapped your arms around Loki’s neck while his arm wrapped around you and he chuckled at your excitement. “As long as Odin will actually allow visitors from Midgard,” you added that last part, remembering what he said about Odin. You’d also have to hide that you were a vampire from him. You didn’t think Odin would approve if he found out.

    “I’d love to show you the wonders of home, sweetheart,” Loki told you warmly. He looked over your head to Thor. “Very well, convince Father and we’ll bring my lady along with us.” Thor nodded his understanding and went to write his return letter to Odin. Loki turned his attention to you. “And you, my darling, need to rest and recover from your ordeal so you’ll be up to travelling,” he told you firmly, but warmly. Damn Trickster was bribing you very well to actually rest, no matter how boring resting was.

    “You drive a hard bargain, Trickster,” you teased. He laughed and hugged you tighter, sure if you could joke and be your usual ball of sunshine that you’d recover from Hydra.

    *

    Thor bought you a week, during which you worked with Loki to make sure the trigger words were actually out of your head and started working on Bucky’s, but more slowly, since Loki didn’t want you using a lot of magic while you were recovering. You also made sure to actually sleep, did some light work in the lab, spent your free time playing board and video games with the boys, and grudgingly accepted a couple of small blood donations from Loki. Very grudgingly and only under threat and hints that he didn’t think you were recovering fast enough to risk travelling.

    Stupid jerkface danger noodle cornering you into doing what he wanted.

    However, you were healed a lot faster than you would have otherwise, so you couldn’t complain too much. Though you wanted to, even though the blood donations did Loki absolutely no harm, as he had to remind you every time.

    The morning you were to leave, you were in your suite making sure you were prepared to deal with the sun. It was about an hour before dawn. You didn’t know how long you were staying and knew you wouldn’t be able to stay out of the sun the entire time you were there, so you were packing. There was a soft knock on your suite’s door. “Come in!” you called.

    “You should be careful inviting people into your room without seeing who they are, kitten. There’s rumors there’s a vampire around,” Loki teased as he came into your suite.

    You laughed. “I think I’m safe from the vampire, noodle,” you replied as you vanished your parasol and turned to go hug him. “You guys ready to head out?” you asked and stole a kiss. He smirked and kissed you back.

    “Very nearly. I came to bring you this,” he told you warmly and handed you the bundle of cloth that had been in his arms. You raised an eyebrow as you took it from him. “You can’t go to Asgard without Asgardian attire to wear,”

    You groaned. That didn’t sound pleasant. “Asgardian attire doesn’t sound like it includes my jeans or the Black Sabbath shirt I stole from Stark,” you informed him with a hint of a whine, glancing at your current outfit, which included the stolen Black Sabbath shirt.

    “On that point you would be correct, little one,” he smirked and gestured to the bundle of cloth in your arms.

    You unfolded it to reveal a black and green dress that was like nothing you ever saw on Earth. “This…is a dress,” you grumbled at him, sighing heavily. You were a grease monkey and didn’t do dresses unless you had to. Apparently in Asgard you were going to have to.

    “True. And it is in my colors,” he added with a touch of pride. Or possessiveness, it was hard to tell.

    You sighed heavily and rolled your eyes at him. “You’re incorrigible,” you informed him dryly, but folded the dress over your arm to take it into your bedroom to change once he had left.    

    “I am courting you, darling. You are my girlfriend, if you prefer the Midgardian term. It’s Asgardian custom for the lady to wear her man’s colors, especially among the nobility, of which you cannot deny I am a member,” he added with a smirk. You rolled your eyes again. He was a prince, of course he was a member of the nobility.

    “Fine, fine,” you agreed finally and kissed him. “Now shoo so I can change,” you teased.

    He smirked and offered an overly elegant bow. “As my lady wishes. We’ll meet you in the living room when you’re ready,” he added before he vanishes in a shimmer of green light.

    You changed quickly into the black and green dress, the soft leather slippers, and black and green cloak. You used a quick bit of magic to do your hair in a suitably elegant style, and make sure it stayed that way. Once that was done and you were sure your sun gear was hidden in a dimensional pocket as well as a couple books, a toolbox, some other random bits of equipment and odds and ends that might come in handy, you made your way downstairs to the living room where Thor and Loki were both waiting.

    “So… how it look?” you asked Loki after you stepped off the elevator and the boys came over to greet you. They were both in Asgardian style clothes as well.

    “You look radiant as ever, kitten,” Loki told you warmly and kissed you.

    “Asgardian dress suits you, Lady Y/N,” Thor adds kindly.

    With that settled, you said goodbye to Bucky and Nat who were both in the living room to see you off, then went to the circle outside where Thor usually called the Bifrost. There seemed to be a permanent Bifrost circle etched in the ground. Thor raised Mjolnir and Loki wrapped his arm around you, holding you tightly against his side. “Travelling by Bifrost is an experience,” he explained when you looked up at him confused. Thor called to Heimdall and the Bifrost opened around you.

    You flew up into the sky and held on tightly to Loki shocked and in awe at the rainbow bridge. You stepped into the Bifrost chamber and were faced with a large man with a huge sword. “Welcome back to Asgard, you highnesses, and welcome lady,” he bid you all in a deep voice. You dropped your arms from Loki’s waist, but took his arm when he offered it to you.

    “Thor, Loki, you made it,” a woman said as she entered the Bifrost room. Both boys turned to look at her.

    “Sif!” Thor greeted her kindly and gave her a hug. Loki walked over to her with you.

    “Darling, this is Lady Sif, one of the fiercest warriors in Asgard. Unfortunately also one of Hammer-brain’s friends. She however is much more pleasant company than the rest of the oaf’s friends. Sif, this is my beloved, Y/N of Midgard,” Loki did the introductions. You and Sif exchanged pleasantries.

    Sif gave you an appraising look, though. Too appraising. “Um…Loki? Should we be concerned that your little mortal’s heart isn’t beating?”

[thoughtsofdarc]

The Butterfly Effect - Part 9 - The House.

Bucky Barnes x Reader

Words: 2046

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to @thing-you-do-with-that-thing as she spottet the mistake I made in the last chapter.  Clint did of course not know Steve and Peggy’s kids, as they are Bucky’s friends ;) Instead it has now become Sam’s kids.  I’m sorry if that confused anyone along the way. 

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5 - Part 6 - Part 7 - Part 8 

It's been almost a year since Natasha and Clint's wedding and life has been good. I'm finding myself to be happier than ever and I'm enjoying every day more than the day before... It's like I'm riding a never-ending high. Bucky and I are doing great, he's the best boyfriend a girl could ask for and I still get butterflies in my stomach when I look at him.

We are more or less always together, most of the time I stay in his apartment. It's closer to my job and to the garage where he's working and it's just so easy to go there after work. During the weekends we often end up staying at my place, just because it's stupid to have a place that I don't use.

I think I have at least as many things in his apartment as he has, and he has the same amount in mine.

Natasha is teasing us, and telling us that we should just sell one of the apartments and move in together officially, and while we're at it, we should get married too. She thinks we are acting more like a married couple than her and Clint is. We're not oblivious, and we have talked about actually doing it... Moving in together that is. But right now, life is just lovely as it is. And we both agree that we aren't in a rush, since we have all life together.

 All life together... It's the first time I've had a boyfriend that actually thinks about the future where we're both included. It's also the first time I have a boyfriend that I actually wants to spend my future with. It makes me smile!

 Today however, we're not going to look for a home for our selves... No, Nat and Clint have bought a house in the suburbs and today is the day that they officially get the keys. Bucky and I are going to meet them and see the house for the first time.

 Pulling up the street where the house is, Bucky slow down as we watch the houses and front yards. He turns his head so I can hear him before he says "I like this place! It seems so nice and quiet, but still it's close to everything" I agree and hug myself closer to him as we roll down the street to find our friends.

 I spot their car further ahead and point. Bucky nods and drive up behind the black SUV, where he park and turns off the bike. Nat and Clint jump out of the car and come to greet us.

 "What took you so long? I've been dying to go inside and have a look again!" Nat almost screams in eagerness when she throws herself around my neck. "Well, hello to you too Mrs. Barton!" I chuckle as I hug her back and wave to Clint with a smile.

 "Welcome to our new home" He says as he gesture towards the big house in front of us and all four of us turn to have a look.

It's big, it's beautiful and it's so Nat and Clint.

 The guys are already chatting away and are not paying any further attention to us. They have become close friends over the last year. Nat has her arms wrapped around mine while holding my hand, as she leans her head on my shoulder

"Isn't it beautiful?" She asks, all dreamy and happy. I have to agree, it really is.

"Let's go in, come on!" She says eagerly, almost childlike as she bounces up and down, smiling from ear to ear. We all walk up the few steps to the porch and to the door, where Clint unlocks it and open up to their new house.

He places a peck on Nat's lips as he say "You and Y/N just go on, Babe... Buck and I will catch up" before he turns to Bucky and adds "She hasn't done anything than to talk about how much she has been looking forward to show Y/N the house. Sometimes I think that it's the two of them moving in together, and I'm just the one who pays" Nat hits his shoulder and pretends to be offended, but the smile shining in her eyes gives her away and she quickly kiss him back "See ya' later guys!" She says as she drags me towards the first room of the house.

  "I have to give it to you Nat... It's a really great house. A part of me is envying you for moving in here!" I chuckle as I look around in the master bedroom "There's so much room and the garden is fantastic" I add as I look out the window and down to the garden where the guys are chatting away.

I see Clint talk and wave his arms around. I'm imagining that he is telling Bucky about the plans they have for the place and Bucky, always able to live himself into things, are just as eagerly pointing and drawing invisible things in the air. I smile at the image before me and ask myself how I have become so lucky in life.

 "I know, right? I'm so happy we got this. It's in good conditions and to a fair price. The neighborhood is just great and we're not too far away from the city, but still far enough away for this area to be safe and quiet" She smiles at me, so happy and content and I swear she's glowing. "But the rooms Nat... There are so many rooms! You have to have a whole bunch of kids to fill this place up!" I joke with a laugh, but stop when I see her face

"NO! Are you serious??!" My jaw drop, when I see her wide eyes, trying to hide the happiness and the smile on her lips "Are you really pregnant?!" She nods and tears start to pool in her eyes as she grins at me "Yes! I've wanted to tell you for so long, but I wanted to be sure"

 I almost knock her over when I throw myself at her in the biggest hug known to mankind with a shriek so high it's only heard by dogs and bats.

  After the tour and me promising not to tell anyone about the pregnancy we meet up with the guys again, so Bucky and I can go back home and let the two of them enjoy their new house alone.

 "It's such a nice place guys... I'm so happy for you!" Bucky says to Clint as he grabs our helmets. "It really is! A perfect area if you ask me..." Clint beams "There's a house for sale further down the street. We were looking at that too, before we decided on this one. Maybe you should make it official, buy a house and move in together" He winks at the both of us and makes me chuckle.

"You only say that, cause you know that Nat would spend all her time over at my place, and then you would be free to watch all the games in TV that you'd like" I mock him and Bucky smiles at our banter.

 We say goodbye and congratulates both Clint and Nat with their new house again and then we're on our way back towards the city. At the house Clint mentioned Bucky stops to take a look. It is very beautiful and we can't stop ourselves from imagining how it would be to live there.

And when Bucky says that the front yard would be the perfect place to teach our future kids how to play ball, my heart grows two sizes. God I love this man!

*Ding*

A text message pops in 5 minutes before I get off from work. There's nothing more to do today and I've practically already packed my stuff and am ready to go. I look around, everybody is occupied by something else, so I sneak my phone up from my purse and take a look Handsome Park Guy: "Hi Snow White, I'm parked outside! :D I have a surprise for you, so hurry down when you get off"

I smile at the phone and quickly type a reply: "I'm already on my way down, babe... see you soon! <3"

Once I'm down I speed walk through the hall and out the door, just to get greeted by Bucky on his bike, a picnic basket strapped to it and him holding my helmet in his hands, ready to drive me off into the world.

 I make a little jump on the spot when I see him as I squeal in delight by the thought of going on a bike ride to have a picnic somewhere. He chuckles and kisses me deeply when I get over to him

"Hi Doll! God, you look great. Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, almost..." I say, making him look at me questioning "... I just need one more of these" I put my hands on either side of his face and put my lips to his, enjoying the warmth of his soft lips "Now I'm ready!"

 He laughs and shakes his head at me but I just shrug and smirk as I give him a wink before I jump up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist and lean in close.

 I know we're going, before we even arrive. The park, to the place where we first met and later ha our first date and I get so excited by the thought.

 Bucky parks the bike, takes my hand and leads me to our tree, where he puts down a blanket and takes out all the treats from the basket.

He's beaming and the happiness radiates to me while we eat and drink the things he brought. Laughing, talking and joking our way through most of two ours.

 When were done I lay down with my head in his lap, as I watch sunrays peaking through the leafs of the tree. Bucky plays with my hair just as he knows I like while he looks down at me, a little smile curling the side of his lips.

 "Are you ready for your surprise, Doll?" he asks and I look up at him wide eyes. "Isn't this my surprise?" I ask and gesture to the remains of the meal we just had. The one side of his mouth goes further up in a crocket smile, his blue eyes shine down at me as he shakes his head.

 "No, I have something for you" He says and reaches for his jacket, to get something from the inner-pocket. He gives me a box, neatly wrapped with a bow on top "Here you go Snow White"

I sit up to face him as I carefully take the box from his hands and gently lift the top. Inside is a golden key, the head of it formed as a bright blue butterfly. It's pretty, beautiful even, but I don't understand why he's giving me a key.

When he sees my confusion he purses his lips in an amused expression.

 "It's not a real key, Doll. It's a symbol" He looks into my eyes and takes a deep breath as if he's suddenly nervous "you remember the house Clint mentioned a few weeks back?" I nod as my eyes turns wider. How can I not remember, we booked an appointment to go see it, just for the fun of it.

 "I've talked to the bank and the real estate agency... The house is ours if we want it. We just have to sign the papers and it's ours" Bucky takes my hand and press his lips to it.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is, would you move in with me?" I don't answer, I can't, my words won't come out. Instead I throw myself around his neck, tumbling us both to the ground as I kiss him deeply, with happy tears streaming down my face.

 When we have to break it off to get air, he chuckles and say "I take that as a yes?" I smile wide and brightly as I look into his eyes "A definite yes!" I agree.

Part 10

Did you like this?? Let me know what you think, good or bad… and I’ll love you forever! :D

Tags: @fangirling-all-the-way-tbh @owhatshername1 @sinceimetyou @alextittle @todorath @tbetz0341 @fortheloveoflamp @hippie-taco-lady @buckysjuicyplums @mynameisreallycoolbutitstoolong @kalisaysfuck @shitmymomsay @mjgonzalez-01 @projectxhappiness @kuollut-talven @lol-haha-joke @caplansteverogers @loki7ms @who-cares-rn @bexboo616 @cc8302 @buckysarm4 @altyex @happylittlethingsss @mizzzpink @silver-starburst @buckybarnesappreciationsociety @yknott81 @marvelite1998 @thing-you-do-with-that-thing

[aroworlds]

Aro-Spec Artist Profile: Sebastian

Our next aro-spec creator is Sebastian, better known on Tumblr as @gloriousmonsters and @mangledmouth!

Sebastian is a bisexual, autistic, aromantic trans man who is single-handedly covering many literary bases in producing original aro and queer short stories, novels and poetry. Aside from his Tumblr blogs, you can find and support more of his work at his Patreon. If you have a dollar or two you’re wanting to invest in worthy aro-spec talent on a less-regular basis, please take a look at Sebastian’s Ko-Fi!

With us Sebastian talks about identifying with the role of villainy in narrative as an aro creative, aromantic characters and grand emotional gesture, the divide between representation and self-expression, and some spectacular-sounding work-in-progress book titles! His investment in aromantic characters and characterisation shapes every word, so please let’s give him all our love, encouragement, gratitude, kudos and follows for taking the time to explore what it is to be aromantic and creative.

Can you share with us your story in being aro-spec?

It took me a while to realize I was aromantic, but it was one of the things that made me go ‘oh, that makes … a lot of sense’ when I looked back at my childhood. I was a weird, isolated kid, so I didn’t learn from bouncing off other children; I learned through stories.

One of my strongest early memories is of watching a poorly made Red Riding Hood film over and over again, belting out the lyrics to the (poorly written) villain’s song, called ‘Man Without A Heart’. Cut to a year or so later, watching the Rodgers and Hammerstein Cinderella (still the best Cinderella, IMO), I was utterly fascinated by the villainess singing: ‘Falling in love with love is falling for make-believe…’

I didn’t know, that early, that I didn’t feel romantic love. Not consciously. But there was something utterly, obsessively interesting about villains that sneered at love, who were called heartless, who challenged the narrative that there must always be a love story and it must come out right no matter what. I felt, on a deep level, that these people were like me somehow. The additional queercoding and common side-helping of mental illness helped - or didn’t help, depending on your perspective. I grew up knowing, deep down, what my part in life was: I was the villain.

When I hit my rebellious age, it first came out by my saying, ‘But being a villain doesn’t mean you have to be wrong or unhappy’. I began collecting villains like nobody’s business, and writing stories that more and more often centered people whose character types I’d only ever seen as villains. And from there we arrive at today!

Are there any particular ways your aro-spec experience is expressed in your art?

Recently, my brother (who is my sounding board for a lot of stories, as I am for him) looked at my books-to-write list and said, ‘Nearly every idea you have is a deconstructed romance or strong non-romantic relationship.’

I love strong relationships, so I originally thought I needed to write people as love interests to get that; these days I feel more free to focus on whatever the heck I want, and being aro shows in everything. My current WIP centers a poly relationship where two of the partners are aromantic. Two people (often, but not always, a man and a woman due to my frustration with the ‘men and women can’t be friends’ thing) who are the most important people in each others’ lives and are platonic, show up over and over again in my novel ideas; I start with relationships that look like romances and then pull them apart. Part of this, I think, is due to my autistic ‘let’s take this into component parts and see how it works’ tendencies; being autistic and being aro aren’t cause and effect, for me, but they play well together.

When I write poetry, some of it deals explicitly with being aromantic, but all of it is non-romantic. It makes me kind of anxious sometimes to think of people interpreting pieces as being romo because they’re about intense emotions; one of the biggest ways being aro is expressed in my writing is my constant attempts to show other feelings, connections and relationships than romance being worthy of big feelings and gestures. I’ll sometimes refer to myself as ‘aromantic but capital-R Romantic’ (i.e.  extremely dramatic) because of that.

What challenges do you face as an aro-spec artist?

I’m sure I’ll run into more problems as I try to take my increasingly aro and queer and ND works to professional markets, but at the moment my biggest problem is self-censoring. I sit at an awkward junction of having multiple identities I want to include in my work, and being … well, someone who grew up obsessed with villains, who later on developed a decade’s interest in slasher horror, and who still tends to write people who are perceived as, or see themselves as, villains. Awkward because I always have that voice in my head (helped along by some of the stuff I see on social media) going ‘that’s not good rep! nobody will want to read this!’

But I know from experience that not writing from the heart (and look at that, I do have one after all!) doesn’t end well, so I’m working on getting good at writing my weird dark stuff and hoping I’ll find the audience for it. And I always leave a little bit of light in it, because I have another voice in my head, still saying, ‘just because you’re a villain doesn’t mean you can’t be happy’.

It’s a weird sort of positivity, but it works for me.

How do you connect to the aro-spec and a-spec communities as an aro-spec person?

Following and submitting to this blog is part of my first attempts to actually join the aro-spec community. I tend to move slowly and be very nervous of talking to new people, but I’ve been trying to be more affirming of my aromantic identity lately, and seeking out other aros is part of that. Hopefully I’ll settle in a little more as time passes.

How can the aro-spec community best help you as a creative?

At the moment, people following and reblogging from my poetry blog @mangledmouth would be much appreciated. It’s hard to get traction with poetry (especially if you don’t write romantic poetry) and I’d love more people to see my work. I’m proud of a lot of what I’ve done, so check it out! Be warned that my love for horror and oddness turns up there as well, but there’s nothing too graphic.

And Ko-Fi donations or small Patreon subscriptions are always appreciated.

Can you share with us something about your current project?

My current WIP (titled either The Night In Wanting or And One of Us Be Happy, depending on whether I go for the one that sounds better or the one that fits best thematically) is about a third done! Praise me, because I’m really bad at finishing things, but I’m still on track to wrap this up at the end of June. It’s about a Weird Small Town and Sarah, a girl with a reputation for breaking hearts, who decides to date one of her best friends and actually try to make it work. Her attempts at being normal quickly get derailed when their town’s general weirdness turns hostile - attacks by creatures from the woods, unsettling amounts of rain, pictures changing when you’re not looking at them and a really pushy forest spirit trying to bargain with people for a heart. Her attempts at normal are further derailed when she figures out that her new boyfriend is also in love with a mutual friend, and that she might not feel love at all.

I love these characters, guys. This story is finally coming together after years and the three main characters - Sarah, Mags and Fred - have always been at the heart of it, no matter what shape it took. (Mags used to be a ghost, and the story went through a phase of being a Band AU of itself. Fred kept getting possessed, and there’s a joke about that in the text now that nobody will get but me. And now you guys!) It’s terrifying to write a YA that’s not only poly, but focuses on an aromantic main character, but I’m determined to make it work.

(This is is one of the most sweet/normal things I’ve worked on, despite the healthy dose of horror. I’ve also been writing snippets of a pet project called How The Child-Eater Became King, to give you an idea of the other end of the spectrum.)

Have you any forthcoming works we should look forward to?

I haven’t got the release date for it yet (it’ll probably be a while yet) but I recently sold a short story, Sabuyashi Flies, to Glittership. The main character, Sabuyashi, was originally aroace but turned out to be a lesbian ace during writing. (Characters often decide to come out while I’m writing, which is always fun to handle. I mean that both sarcastically and genuinely.) I’m already working on and off on the sequel story where she meets her future best friend Nathaniel, who is aro. Working title is Nat Luckless and the Girl Made of Beetles. Look for news about Sabuyashi Flies soonish and Nat Luckless whenever my slow butt manages to finish and (fingers crossed) sell it!

[taaroko]

Post-IW MCU Rewatch: Iron Man 2

Time for Iron Man 2.

Opening with the villain watching the press release from the end of the first movie on the news is an awesome way to link up with this one. I really wish we knew more about Howard Stark and Anton Vanko, though I do love that he showed up in Agent Carter. I mean, did Howard name Tony after him?

I love Ivan Vanko. He’s just as smart and resourceful as Tony, but he grew up with nothing while the man he might’ve been raised alongside had everything. (Imagine an alternate universe where Howard and Anton never fell out, and Tony and Ivan grew up basically as brothers. How crazy would that have been?)

I remember rolling my eyes very hard at Tony’s entrance with the Ironettes when I watched this in theaters. I was not looking forward to watching a whole movie of him being this egotistical. Interesting foreshadowing with him talking about legacy, though. He knows he’s dying, so while he’s eating, drinking, and being merry, he’s also concerned with getting his affairs in order.

Hehe, keep flirting with Pepper while the annoying Senator is talking to you. Yesss.

Okay, I’m kind of confused as to how Tony was able to act autonomously as Iron Man. As much as I love that he declared his identity to the world, he’s an American citizen, and he can’t just go flying around into military conflicts based on his own judgment. Is he getting away with it because he’s a billionaire? If so, that’s gross. Is it because he’s got all these military and political connections? Was he working with Rhodey when he “stabilized East/West relations”? How did that happen?

I love Tony trolling Senator Stern, I love the dopeyness of Justin Hammer (but I HATE when he calls Tony “Anthony”), and I love Rhodey’s attitude about being asked to give a much briefer book report than he was planning to. Is he the Hermione? I think he’s the Hermione.

Anyway. AUGH. Okay, every time we see the demonstration of Hammer Industries’ suit and it practically twists its pilot in half, I can’t help doing a full-body shudder and screaming a bit. That’s horrid.

What the heck? A black rectangle on a white canvas is considered art? Why?

Hi Nat! Love the hair!

Wait a second, Elon Musk? Holy crap.

“Not everyone runs on batteries, Tony.” Awww.

Ivan’s quite fond of walking away from explosions, isn’t he?

Hammer is such a dweeb. He had...organic Italian ice cream flown in from San Francisco. Dude, you are doing this rich guy thing wrong. I love watching Ivan interact with him.

I really don’t want to know the mechanics of being able to go to the bathroom in the suit if you’re also wearing clothes in there.

What exactly is the appeal of parties like that?

“Give me a phat beat to beat my buddy’s ass to.” *snort*

Bahaha, Rhodey hit him with the kitchen sink.

I love that they come up with their winning combo move during this fight.

Tony in the giant doughnut is great.

“Don’t get so attached to things. Learn to let go.”

Okay, one thing I never fully appreciated was that the arc reactor was Howard’s invention. Tony’s contribution was making it smaller, and successfully synthesizing the power source Howard always had in mind. Working that out makes me like this movie better. Also, Howard’s subterfuge—concealing his plans for the “new element” inside the Expo’s layout—was that because he was suspicious of SHIELD and didn’t want it falling into their hands? That’d be interesting, and it would fit in well with the way the Hydra plants eventually sent Bucky to kill him. 

Hammer has like zero charisma. I wonder if that’s the actor’s personality or if he’s just really good at playing a dweeb who thinks he’s the coolest guy ever (or wants you to think that, at least). I love Rhodey and General Allen staring stone-faced at him through the whole presentation.

I wonder if O’Reilly knew he was being portrayed as a douchebag in his cameo as himself.

Tony you are rambling. You know, I think he was trying to tell her he likes her, now that he’s more confident he’s not dying.

So all this “new element” stuff is pretty absurd science, but I love watching Tony in blacksmith/engineer mode. I wish they would’ve at least given us a number for Tony’s new element. And what did he name it? Tonium?

Ahahaha, I love Coulson’s concern with the weird Cap shield thing.

“Land of enchantment.” “So I’m told.” Heh. See you soon, Thor!

Not sure how the new core would’ve undone the damage from the old one, but okay.

Stop talking, Hammer. Your jokes are terrible.

I love Nat and Pepper taking down Hammer with an armbar and assertiveness, respectively.

Hi baby Peter! (Best retcon ever.)

You know, all these times someone in an Iron Man suit gets hurled very hard into the ground from great heights kinda make it more believable that Rhodey survives his fall in Civil War. Those things clearly have ridiculous shocks.

“Hammeroid Attack”

That blast should’ve sliced Ivan in half.

I love Rhodey crashing the Pepperony moment.

Tony’s small favor is so deliciously petty.

Okay so the theme here clearly has to do with legacies. Tony and Ivan are the legacies of Howard and Anton. Tony is concerned with what he’ll leave behind. I feel like it gets kinda muddled, though. Maybe if Howard had been portrayed as the clear antagonist in the situation between him and Anton, then the inherited conflict would have made Ivan look more sympathetic, and I think I would’ve liked it better if Tony had kept Howard on a pedestal, only to realize he wasn’t what he thought, rather than having him be a cold, distant father who turned out to actually love him (ineptly). Then in the final showdown with Ivan, Tony could’ve tried to bridge the gap and get through to Ivan, only to fail and be forced to take him out. In any case, Tony does realize the potential Howard saw in him and makes his vision for the arc reactor technology a reality.

This one doesn’t have as good of a story as the first, but I still like all the characters, including the newcomers.

[floatingpetals]

Vanish in the Dark Pt 4

Pairings: None at the moment(Still got nothing.)

Warnings: Language,

Word Count: 3500+(Holy crapola)

Summary: Assassin’s Creed AU and Marvel AU crossover.  The Brotherhood has spent years hiding in the shadows keeping the Templars in line as the years pass on. When the Templars company Abstergo Industries strikes up a deal with Hydra, things have to change. The Brotherhood decides to step out of the shadows, reaching out for the help of the Avengers. What could go wrong?

A/N: So because of all you wonderful people who’ve followed me, I’m posting two parts(Pt 3 and Pt 4) today. And holy crap, this ones long you guys. There’s a lot I had to fit into for this part and I couldn’t didn’t want to split it up. While I’m sure the Avenger’s aren’t this oblivious, you have to think, they’re working with an organization whose been doing the spy thing for millennials. They Avengers are awesome, but I think the Assassin’s would have their shit together a bit more and know how to one up them. Side note: I know it’s not canon but I always imagine that every time the assassin’s go into eagle vision, their eyes turn gold. It’s a shift in their vision and the only way you’d know they turned the vision on. I figured it could also be a way to communicate without words between them. Sometimes whistles are too obvious. I hope ya’ll enjoy! Also liking and rebblogging also helps me know if i should keep going. Thank you guys!  ❤️

Once again, the gif is not mine, credit to the owner.

Part Three | Part Four |  Part Five | Series Masterlist 

“Are we sure this is such a good idea?”

Steve answered with an exasperated sigh before he took a sip from his cup of coffee. He glanced over to where Bucky sat two tables down, who was grinning stupidly into his own cup of coffee. Bucky snorted in response to Sam’s whine, and nodded at the waitress who brought him his pastry. The sat at the café across the street, their eyes watching the open courtyard in front of them.

“Seriously, you bought food?” Natasha questioned. Bucky rolled his eyes and turned to look around the area, his eyes skimming over to her location. She sat on a bench on the other side of the street, Wanda sitting on the other end flipping through a magazine.

“You’re only upset that you didn’t get this spot.” Bucky mocked, making a show of enjoying the chocolate covered pastry. Natasha opened her mouth with a retort but was stopped when Sam jumped in again.

“Seriously. This is a mission, and you two are acting like children.” He leaned against the pillar of the building next to the Abstergo’s, chastising the two of them. They simply chose to ignore him. Sam focused back on the building, taking it all in.

The two buildings were relatively close together, the press conference within reaching distance from his location, the only thing separating them was the small walkway between the two buildings. From where he stood, he didn’t have to move his head to see everyone. It also meant he could see the other people milling around the walkway. He tuned out the other’s on the com when his eyes landed on a tall blonde.

The woman was dressed in a pencil skirt with a white button-down blouse that screamed frazzled business casual. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, the dark-rimmed glasses slipping from her nose, and her purse had fallen to the crook of her elbow. She struggled with piles of paper she had in her grip, and Sam watched a book slip out from beneath her arms. She stumbled in her heels, and soon all the contents of her arm and purse flew across the walkway right in front of him. Sam’s hand shot out on reflex, catching the woman before she could hit the hard pavement.

“Oh my god.” The woman let out a sob, turning to Sam. He froze at the sacred doe expression, her emerald green eyes threatening to spill out the tears she was holding in. His other hand went out to gently grab her other arm, pulling her to stand. He didn’t let go, her eyes captivating him. It wasn’t until Steve spoke his name that he was snapped out of it.

“You okay?” Sam breathed. The woman gave him a broken smile, nodding as she stepped back. Both Sam and her bent to scoop up the piles of papers, apologizing to the people that stepped around them. She tried to tell Sam it was fine, that he didn’t need to help, but he insisted. Once the stacks, while unorganized, were neatly stacked once more, Sam stood to pass them to her open arms. The woman had scooped up the contents of her purse, shoving everything in without a glance, as if she had done this many times before. She turned back to Sam, smiling widely at the man who found himself once more enamored by her beautiful green eyes.

“Thank you,” The woman bubbled, taking the papers from him. “Thank you so much!” She stepped away, although hesitantly. With a small nod, she turned and walked away, grinning stupidly to herself. Sam watched her go, a similar smile on his face.

During it all, he missed the way the woman had glanced at him, the way she sized him as he reached for the papers. He missed the way she glanced over to the crowd of media for the conference, her eyes landing on dark grey. He missed the subtle flicker of gold in her eyes or the way the dark grey responded with their own gold. Sam missed a lot when she stumbled, including the small beads that spilled from her purse when the larger content spread out on the pavement. He also missed when two men passed in front of him after the woman had left, their eyes flicking over to him while he watched the blond move around a corner, disappearing from sight.

“Sam.” Natasha snapped, bringing Sam back. “We’re on a mission, can you please stop acting like a child.” She joked. Wanda stifled a giggle, glancing over to Sam who was openly glaring at them. Both women grinned at Sam but were pulled away when two men stepped into their line of sight. The two men were built wide, muscles rippling under their shirts that look a size too small for both of them. Not that the two women were complaining. They couldn’t seem to pull their attention away, instead settled on watching the men.  

One was grinning at the shorter, while the latter was frowning and grumbling under his breath. Natasha’s eyes flicker down noticing that while they looked to be in some kind of argument the other was winning, their hands remained interlocked with each other. The taller nudge the shorted with his shoulder, leaning into the shorter’s side.

“Oh come on, it’s not that big of a deal.” The redhead laughed. The shorter snorted, running his free hand through his black wavy hair.

“Not that big of a deal?! You’re mother embarrassed me, and you just sat there and let it happen!”

“Oh, come on.” He rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “She wasn’t trying to be mean, it’s just what she does. She only picks when she cares.”  The dark-haired man turned to stare up at the redhead who was still grinning at him.

“I don’t think her making fun of my profession is the best way to tell someone you care.” He snarled. He opened his mouth to begin again, but the chorus from ‘Princes of The Universe’ by Queen stopped him. He huffed and pulled his hand away to allow the redhead to reach into his pocket.

“Speak of the devil,” The man grinned. The dark-haired man rolled his eyes and stepped away, reaching into his own pocket. He pulled out a thin box of Altoids, the plastic still wrapped around the box. He unraveled the plastic, while his partner chattered away. The dark-haired man looked around, spotting the trash can that was beside Natasha. Natasha immediately looked back at the book in her hand, but never kept the man out of her peripherals. He walked the short distance, the redhead following close behind still talking animatedly, and threw the plastic away. The man moved a step towards the redhead, popping open the box. Right as he went to reach for a mint, the redhead gestured with his hand, hitting the box from his grip. The mints flew out of the box, scattering on the pavement, several bouncing off of Natasha’s head.

“Shit!” The dark-haired cursed, bending to pick up the can. “I’m so sorry!” He didn’t know what to do, his hand reaching to do something. Natasha just laughed, waving him off, picking up the few mints that landed on her to toss into the trashcan.

“It’s alright, accidents happen.” She giggled. The redhead had stopped mid-sentence, his eyes wide.

“I gotta go Ma.” He said as he hung up. He moved to his partner's side, looking guilty for being the reason why she was pelted with mints. “I’m so sorry! I get excited when I talk with my mother.”

Natasha smiled warmly at the two, once more waving them off. “Boys, don’t worry about it. It’s just mints. Not like you poured hot coffee on me.”

The two didn’t seem to buy her apology, but they both nodded. “Again, we’re sorry. We’re uh. We’re just gonna go and leave you to read. Sorry again.”

Natasha simply smiled at the two, watching as they sulked away from her bench. Wanda smacked her with her magazine, grinning stupidly at Natasha.

“You’re ogling Nat.”

Natasha shrugged, turning back to the book. “You saw them. It was hard not to.”

Tony made a noise of disgust, while the other groaned. Wanda simply giggled, looking over at the mints that were still scattered on the ground.

“Should we pick them up?” Natasha shook her head, glancing over to the seats of the media.

“Nah, they’re just mints, they’ll dissolve in the rain.”

Wanda shrugged and went back to observing around them, keeping a lookout for anything out of the ordinary. Neither noticed how the two men had purposely stepped in their line of sight. Neither notices that the mints weren’t all mints. And the two never noticed when the men glanced over their shoulders, smirking to one another. The Avengers were too wrapped up in themselves to notice the nod the two men gave the woman sitting by the café as they moved further down the street.

Steve shook his head, a thought going through his head. ‘What was going on today?’ He knew they were on an important mission, even though they barely knew what the mission was about. They had time to take everything in last night, to talk about everything that had taken place. While they still weren’t happy about everything, they knew the group needed to set aside their frustration. This Brotherhood wanted the same thing. They hadn’t hurt anyone of them, at least not physically. All the group had managed to do was point out a few flaws in their system. A low blow, but it wasn’t life-threatening.

Steve looked back at the cup of coffee in front of him, watching the liquid swirl in the cup. A chair shifted in front of him, and curiosity got the best of him. He froze when he saw the woman sitting across from him as she settled in the seat. She pulled out a sketchbook and pencil, her gaze shifting up and to her left while she looked for a person or thing to draw. When she saw Steve staring at her whole body tensed. Neither could seem to look away, both lost in each other’s eyes. Steve felt his chest tighten, the same feeling he had the first time he saw Peggy worming its way back into his heart. He found it hard to breathe as if he was having his first asthma attack in decades.

“Steve?” Bucky called softly, noticing his friend's shift in behavior. Steve blinked, clearing his throat. He looked away first, ignoring how her eyes were still taking him in. He glanced at Bucky, scratching his chin to let him know he was fine. He couldn’t speak while she still observed him, which fortunately wasn’t much longer. He felt her gaze leave him but could sense it every once in a while return. He dared a glance, noticing how her hand was moving across the page. The woman was sketching something, the corner of her tongue poking out of the corner of her lip, her brow creased slightly. She glanced up again, eyes raking over his body before settling on his face. She froze once more, having been caught staring again. She grinned sheepishly but returned to her drawing. Steve relaxed, having put the two and two together. He turned back to wait for the press conference to start, but kept a close eye on her.

The woman flipped the page after a while, and paused to find another person to sketch. Bucky had been watching the side of her head for a while, and when she scanned the area, her eyes settled on him. Bucky sat straighter in his seat, his heart caught in his throat. She noticeably sucked in air, heat rising on her cheeks. She smiled slowly at Bucky, who found himself returning to the smile. She turned back to the paper, her hand quickly move across the sheet. She would peek up through her lashes every few seconds, grinning when she saw the way he was still watching her intently.

Unlike Steve, Bucky wasn’t uncomfortable with being caught staring. It brought back memories from the before the war, having a beautiful dame ogling. He found himself reverting back to what he once was with just a simple look. He grinned, his blue eyes flicking over to Steve who was once again shaking his head at this friend.

“What?” He asked quietly through the com, lifting the cup to cover his mouth. “There’s no harm in it.”

“Bucky-“

“What is with you people?!” Tony all but snarled. “We’re on a mission! Knock it off! And quit looking at each other.”

Bucky and Steve sighed, mumbling an apology. He was right though. They needed to focus. The sound of a phone ringtone broke through their mental berating, both soldiers turning to the woman that sat between them. She fumbled in her backpack, cursing when one of the pockets flipped open the contents spilling out, along with the phone she was searching for. She picked up the phone and answered while scooping up the pencils and erasers that scattered.

“Hello?” She paused mid zip, and then her head popped up. “Are you serious?!”

Steve watched as her expression shifted from disbelief to pure elation. She quickly shoved her sketchbook into her bag, slinging it over her shoulder.

“How is she? Is she okay? Is the baby all good?” She bubbled, scooting the chair back. Steve and Bucky both watched as she moved through the tables, grinning widely to whatever the person was saying on the other end of the phone. “Boy or girl?” She paused. “Yes! You owe 20 bucks! I told you it be a girl! I’ll be right there!”

The woman giggled, giving the two men she had been drawing less than a minute ago a quick happy wave before practically skipping down the street. Steve and Bucky watched her skip away, grinning stupidly to themselves, her happiness infectious. Both looked at each other for a moment, before they broke out into laughter. Today was odd, but that wasn’t as bad as they had thought.

Of course, they were so focused on the woman and her smile, they missed the small balls that fell out with the rest of the contents of her purse. Neither saw her subtle kick of the tiny beads in Bucky’s direction as she moved around the table. They missed the look she sent across the courtyard when she stepped away with her back facing them. They also missed the dark grey respond with matching gold as the woman skipped away. They were too wrapped up in the performance to notice it all.

“Seriously.” Tony barked, now more than annoyed. He twisted in his seat, glaring over to the others that were scattered around the area. “You people need to focus. This is ridiculous, and Oh, my god!” He seethed, turning around to glared at the woman that sat in the seat in front of him. “Do you have to pop your gum so loudly? Is that really professional?”

The woman smirked at him over his shoulder, chuckling low. She tucked her auburn chin-length hair behind her ear and raised a brow at him.

“I’m sorry, does that bother you?” She smiled wide, looking more like the Cheshire cat than a reporter. She rested her elbow on the back of the seat, leaning back. Tony stared at the woman with a flat look, his eye twitching ever so subtly. He had been listening to her pop her gum ever since she sat down half an hour ago. “I gotta ask though. Why are you, Tony Stark, here?”

He folded his arms across his chest, leaning back in his seat. He wasn’t going to answer, but the grin on the woman’s face grew with each second he refused to answer. Right as she was about to turn back around, Tony leaned forward.

“Not that it is any of your business, I’m here because they have some interesting technology that I want to know more about.” It was partly the truth. The woman considered it for a moment, looking him up in down with her steel-grey eyes. They studied his face, grinning at the flinch when she popped her gum again.

“You could just ask somebody for a free walkthrough of their buildings. You are Tony Stark after all.” She pushed, raising a brow. Tony rolled his eyes.

“Tried that. Apparently not even my name will get me a golden ticket.”

The woman hummed, looking to her left. “That’s a shame.”

Curious, Tony looked in the same direction. There was nothing of interest, and when he turned back to the woman she was back to staring. He narrowed his eyes at the woman at a very obnoxious pop of her gum.

“Is there something I can help you with?” The woman shook with glee, trying not laugh outright at the frustration the man had directed to her.

“No, I’ve just never seen you so annoyed before. Normally you’re cool as can be.” She popped her gum again, grinning when he ground his teeth together.

“Maybe it’s because I’ve had to listen to that for the past half hour, and the person responsible for it wouldn’t mind her own damn business.”

“Language,” Steve grunted although he was finding the whole thing rather humorous. Not often did Tony let people get to him so easily, and somehow this woman managed to do it in under half an hour. He made a note to find her later to take notes. 

The woman opened her mouth to speak but was stopped her phone began vibrating in her lab. Reluctantly, she turned away from Tony to look at the name. Her loud groan pulled the attention of others around her, all looking rather irritated at her behavior. She lifted her phone, showing the screen to the small crowd she earned.

“Sorry, boss.” She rolled her eyes as she answered. As she said hello, she turned back to Tony, who tensed under her gaze. “What’s up, doc?”

Tony was sure his eyes would have rolled back into the head of his head permanently by now with the number of times he rolled them today. And it was all because of this annoying, boisterous woman. He watched as her grin faltered, before slipping off her face.

“What-No. That was put on your desk yesterday-“ She stopped, flinching at the volume of the voice on the other end. “Alright, alright! Pull your thong out of your ass crack, I’ll get it to you before 3.” She snapped. The voice on the other end was unintelligible, but the tone was clear. They said a few more angry words before hanging up. The woman glared at the phone in her hand. She looked up at Tony, who was feigning disinterest.

“Well, it seems you got your wish Stark.” She muttered, bending down to scoop up her briefcase. Tony watched as she stood, trying to keep in his relief. But he was finding it rather hard to accomplish. “Maybe we’ll see each other around.”

Tony snorted, turning to the podium at the front. People were starting to show, the conference starting momentarily.

“Let’s hope that never happens dear.” He waved her off, dismissing her. He didn’t look back at her as she moved through the rows. If he had, he would have seen the knowing look in her eyes. He was so wrapped up in his frustration, he missed everything. He missed her move when he turned to the left earlier, not even realizing it was all part of the plan. Because of his distraction, he didn’t see when she subtly reached down, sticking a cylinder under the seat. When she popped her gum after he turned back, he missed the quiet beep that came from the cylinder. He missed the small balls that spread on the pavement after she bent to pick up her briefcase, the noise of her standing hiding the taps as the scattered.

When the mic let out a loud squeak, all heads turned to the podium, including the rest of the Avengers. They didn’t pay the retreating reporter any mind, instead focused on the speaker as they stepped up. If they hadn’t, one of them might have noticed the smirk of the woman’s face. They would have seen her reach for her phone, dialing the same number that called earlier. They missed the confirmation that all was in place, that they group didn’t notice a thing.

Y/N nodded, catching the woman’s eyes from across the courtyard. She stood to the left of Abstergo’s entrance, hiding in the shadows, only steps away from where the sponsors stood. Both eyes flashed gold when they acknowledge the other, and the woman ducked around a corner. Y/N turned back to the podium, waiting for the show to begin. Once it did, they’d only have five minutes. Now she could only hope nothing went wrong.

Vanish in the Dark Tag List:

@buckybabybaby @ccehrler @the-echo-of-insanity @aya-fay @kystarlight17 @evra-von-what @sassyandclassyx@alicethecactus @rebsniper @ymstmp-izzi @northscorpio@inumorph @therealwatermelon​ @locaaednaa​ @savannahingersoll14​ @arrowguyxx​ @stay-wokke​ @thehunterismine​

(OPEN-let me know if you’d like to be tagged) Also let me know if you’ve asked and I’ve missed you! I didn’t mean to miss you:)