#we have entered the bunker era

[shirtlesssammy]

Dean Winchester every day -- 171/326

Supernatural 8x22//Clip Show

[downthe-f4ndom-rabbith0le]

Inevitable (Alex Summers x Reader)

Inevitable (Alex Summers x Reader) Reader Insert: she/her pronouns Word Count: 13,014 Warnings: violence, angst, fluff, death, injuries, mentions of unable to have children, sad ending, implied sexual actions Spoilers: I guess the plots of X-Men First Class, Days of Future Past, and Apocalypse but the films have been out for years so don't at me.

This is the story of Y/N L/N and Alex Summers - of Aura, the girl who could turn invisible and manipulate energy around her, and Havok, the boy who could generate and blast plasma from his body. A boy destined for destruction, and a girl who could prevent it.

Their story was always inevitable.

I'm going through an X-Men rewatch and I forgot how much of a chokehold some of these characters had me in, especially from the First Class era. As you can probably tell from my previous stories, I have an soft spot for the tragic ones, so here is my little story of Alex Summers who bloody deserved better.

1962 - C.I.A. Mutant Division

Y/N looked around at her surroundings as she followed Erik and Charles down corridor after corridor. She'd never met C.I.A agents before, let alone stepped inside one of their facilities. But Erik and Charles aren't C.I.A., she reminded herself as she took in the bland concrete walls and cold, harsh lighting above her. They were like her - mutants.

She hadn't believed them at first when they'd told her just a few hours ago inside the cafe she was closing up for the day. It had been a busy day and she hadn't had time for a drink of water let alone any reasonable break. She thought she was hallucinating when the two had entered the cafe, prattling on about how they knew who she was.

It was only when she demanded they prove it - that they were like her - and the taller one (Erik) had lifted every piece of dirty cutlery in the store and had them float into the foaming sink to be cleaned that she believed them.

That was almost seven hours ago, the drive from New York to Virginia giving the men more than enough time to bring her up to speed on what they were doing and why: they were gathering other mutants like her to stop another war from starting.

As she followed the two men through the facility, only now did she start to have doubts about their intentions. For all she knew, she was going to be experimented on and tortured, possibly killed.

'If we'd wanted you dead, we would've made sure of that back in New York,' Charles suddenly said without looking as he and Erick led the way.

'What? How did you-' Y/N started to ask, but cut herself off as she remembered what Charles' gift allowed him to do.

Y/N noticed her surroundings starting to change. Instead of a war bunker, the corridors started looking more home-like and the lights grew warmer. As they approached a big orange door, Y/N heard voices speaking and laughing in the room beyond. They sounded... happy.

Finally, Charles looked at her and spoke, but not with his mouth. I promise you, Y/N, he said into her mind, freaking her out a little bit, you don't have to be scared here. You don't have to hide who you are from the people beyond this door. Here, you can be free. Happy, even.

Y/N looked between Charles and the door for a moment, imagining whose faces belonged to which laugh, which voice. She imagined herself doing those same things, and that was what convinced her that she was in the right place.

'Are you ready to meet your new family?' Charles asked aloud this time, to which Y/N nodded and Erik opened the door.

Y/N was met with six people sitting around a coffee table chatting and laughing while having a few drinks. She took a moment to admire them all - a short girl with dark hair and visible tattoos all along her shoulders and arms; a red-head who seemed to be doing a lot of the talking in the group; a man with charcoal skin and broad shoulders in a tight grey vest-shirt; a boy with glasses who looked really shy next to a gorgeous blonde girl who could very well have been a super model; and a blond boy in a dark t-shirt and leather jacket who had the smoothest smile Y/N had ever seen.

They were the perfect picture - how could she possibly interrupt that? Y/N was about to leave when suddenly Charles called for everyone's attention and that smooth smile from the blond was now aimed at her. Her heart thudded in her chest, embarrassment at being caught flooding her cheeks and she just had the visceral response to hide, hide, hide.

'Everyone,' Charles started proudly as he motioned to Y/N, 'this is Y/N. She will be- Wait, where did she go?'

Y/N watched as everyone looked around the room even though she she hadn't moved. Both Charles and Erik looked at her, but they didn't seem to see her. That's when she looked down at her hands and found her entire body covered in a translucent light only she could see. And that could only mean one thing.

'Sorry, I'm right here.' Y/N concentrated hard on revealing herself and when she could no longer see the translucent light, she knew she could be seen again.

'Whoa,' the red-head said, his mouth gaping in shock.

'That... is wicked cool,' the broad-shouldered man exclaimed.

'As I was saying before,' Charles said, sounding sheepish at forgetting her ability, 'this is Y/N. She will be joining you all and her gift... Well, we will leave that to her to discuss that with you all. Erik?'

'Yes,' Erik replied, and then the two of them were gone, closing the door behind them and leaving Y/N standing all alone.

Y/N was usually a confident person - she had to be as a waitress - but having six pairs of eyes staring at her so intently had her wanting to hide again. The beautiful blonde stood up from her place on the white couch and sauntered over to her. Y/N found herself looking up at the woman, who seemed to have legs for days and the most beautiful smile as she approached.

'I'm Raven,' she said, holding a hand out in greeting. When Y/N shook her hand, she gestured to the couch. 'You've come at the best time. We were all just about to discuss our gifts with one another.'

Y/N was quickly dragged to the couch and plunged into an in-depth conversation with the six. After only a few minutes, Y/N felt as if she'd always been there, talking and laughing and joking around and becoming more confident. Although, she couldn't compete with the blond boy with the smooth smile from earlier, now known as Alex Summers.

In the short time she'd heard him speak, she'd deduced he was the cockiest man in every room ever. No wonder he was put into solitary confinement, she thought when he mentioned he was picked up by Charles and Erik at his army base. He's probably been the instigator of more than one fight.

'We should think of some code names,' Raven suggested enthusiastically. 'We're technically government agents now. We should have code names. I want to be called Mystique.'

'Damn, I wanted to be called Mystique,' Sean, the red-head, groaned in fake misery, causing everyone to laugh.

'Well, tough. I called it,' Raven said, then her voiced changed as she physically did, eliciting gasps from the group as she now sat as an exact replica of Sean. 'And I am way more mysterious than you.'

The group gave her a round of applause as she morphed back into the beautiful blonde, but now that she'd revealed her gift, Y/N wondered if what she showed everyone now was her true form or just another disguise.

One by one they went around the room, showing off their abilities and coming up with names for each other. The mood somewhat soured when Angel asked Hank who he wanted to be.

'How about Bigfoot?' Alex jested as he took another sip of his coke. His condescending laughter communicated that it wasn't a nice joke, and that didn't sit well with Y/N.

'Well you know what they say about guys with big feet,' Raven said, eyeing his own feet before she continued, 'and, um, yours are kind of small.'

Alex's smirk dropped instantaneously as the group laughed and oohed at Raven's burn. Except for Darwin, who rounded the group back to the topic at hand.

'Okay, okay, settle down now,' he said. 'What can you do, Alex. What is your gift?'

'How about being burnt by women?' Y/N murmured just loud enough for the group to hear, earning another round of laughs and a hard glare from Alex. Y/N held his gaze with a smirk in challenge, taking a sip of her own drink. He might've been top dog back in army bootcamp, but Y/N didn't like bullies, especially if they were meant to be teammates.

Alex eventually dropped his glare, his whole demeanour changing as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. 'Um, it's just... It's just that... I can't do... I can't do it in here.'

'Can you do it out there?' Darwin asked, and when Alex hesitated to answer, the rest of the group started goading and pleading him to show his abilities. Y/N even found herself intrigued. What could Alex do that he needed open space for?

The group cheered victoriously as Alex gave in to peer pressure, put his drink down and climbed through the broken glass courtesy of Sean moments before. As Alex set up outside, Y/N joined the others who leaned out the broken window to watch him.

'Get down when I tell you,' Alex said as he lined up in front of the bronze statue that's head still smoked - courtesy of Angel's fireball during her demonstration.

'Get back,' Alex said, and Y/N leaned back with the rest of the group, but they all apparently were too intrigued and so they all leaned out from behind the wall to watch him.

Alex went to make a move until he realised the group hadn't listened to him. 'Get back!' he warned again, but when no one moved, he faced the statue again. 'Whatever.'

Y/N found herself gaping at Alex as he seemingly powered up, red rings of plasma rotating around him until he slung them out into the open space but uncontrolled. The last one hit the statue, slicing it on a diagonal that had its head and part of its torso falling to the grass in flames.

The group erupted in rounds of applause as Alex walked back to them. He appeared more confident now as his teammates applauded. Y/N figured he wasn't used to that. Perhaps that was why he'd been in solitary confinement as much as he had been.

'Well, I'm glad you did that out here,' Darwin said, looking at the wreckage slightly worried. 'You've caused... a bit of chaos.'

'I can't control it, unfortunately,' Alex said, looking at the damage he'd caused. 'I'm hoping that might change one day.'

'Don't be ashamed of your gift, Alex,' Raven said, resting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. 'You're amazing.' She looked to the rest of the group. 'We all are.'

When Raven did that, Alex's attention fell onto Y/N again, a skeptical look on his face. 'So what about you? Do you do anything useful or do you just disappear when you get a little embarrassed?'

Y/N's cheeks heated with anger. Who the hell was he to judge her? He didn't even know her.

'At least I don't cause havoc with my gift,' she bit back, motioning to the flaming buildings and statue.

Where a normal person would look at the damage and wince with remorse, Alex had the audacity to look at his handiwork and laugh in amusement. 'Havoc. I like that. Maybe that should be my code name, except change the c to a k so it looks cooler written down.'

Y/N rolled her eyes while the others complimented how good a name it was. But she had to admit it was a fitting one, just a shame he turned her insult into a name for a hero.

Y/N released a sigh then held out a hand to the fires in the courtyard, concentrating on grasping the energy in the air. After a moment, small bubbles of white energy appeared and Y/N was vaguely aware that her new friends had gone quiet as she forced the bubbles to encapsulate the fires. With a flick of her fingers, the bubbles started shrinking, depriving the fires of oxygen and eventually extinguishing them.

When Y/N turned back to the group, she found them all gaping at her in wonder and shock.

'Well, that was cool,' Angel said, earning hums of agreement from the others.

'What exactly did you just do?' Hank asked.

'I don't really know what it is,' Y/n answered honestly. 'But, I think I can manipulate energy or something like that. I can create those force fields, and as you saw before...'

Y/N let the energy hide her, and she relished the shocked faces of her friends as they could no longer see her. Feeling cheeky, she ran at Alex then dropped and swiped his legs out from underneath him, sending him sprawling to the ground.

He landed with a resounding thud, his breath escaping him in a loud, 'Oof,' as he did. Only then did Y/N reveal herself, looking down at him with a smug smile.

'...I can turn invisible.'

The others clapped in appreciation of her demonstration while Alex looked up at her in annoyance. Y/N offered her hand to help him up and surprisingly he took it and together they pulled him to his feet.

'So what, you can control, like, the Force, or something?' he asked.

Y/N rolled her eyes. 'This isn't Star Wars, asshole. It's more like... I can feel the aura of the energy around me and I connect with it and then use it to my will.'

'That's it!' Angel exclaimed suddenly. 'That's your name!"

'What is?' Y/N asked, confused.

'Aura!'

'Aura.' Y/N tried it on her tongue. She had to admit, it had a nice ring to it.

'Aura, Havok, Banshee, Darwin, Angel...' Raven said each of their new code names as she looked at them, grabbing a drink for herself from the table. She looked to Hank. 'We'll find one for you soon, Hank,' she reassured, then pointed to herself. 'And Mystique.' She raised her drink high and everyone else did the same. 'Here's to our new life. Here's to being our true selves.'

'Here, here,' Sean said as they all clinked their drinks together in solidarity.

'So, what do you think?' Alex said just to Y/N as seperate conversations between the others started. Angel switched on some music and her and Raven jumped on the coffee table to start dancing.

'About what?' Y/N asked.

'Are you going to be your true self here? With us?' he asked, and there was a little challenge in his question, as if he really wanted to add Or are you going to hide away?

Y/N had so far lived her life in constant fear. But Erik and Charles said they needed her, that the world needed her. Perhaps it was time to stop hiding.

Y/N flashed Alex a small smile, reflecting his challenge in her own eyes. 'I don't think you could handle the true me, Havok.'

Alex's grin widened devilishly. 'Try me, Aura.'

1962 - X Mansion, pre-Cuba

It had been weeks since the C.I.A Mutant Division facility had been attacked by Shaw, that Angel had chosen his side, that Darwin had sacrificed himself in the effort to save them all, Angel included.

Egos bruised and hope extinguished, Charles had brought those who remained back to his mansion to train for the upcoming battle with Shaw. Which is what Y/N was doing with Raven when Charles entered the gym requesting her presence in the war bunker.

'You want me to what?' both Alex and Y/N exclaimed together in the bunker, gaping at Charles because he'd clearly lost his mind.

'You heard me,' Charles said nonchalantly, walking to stand in the middle of the room. 'I want you two to spar while you, Y/N, protect me. Expand your range of concentration so you can control different energies at once, manipulate numerous fields doing different things simultaneously. Alex now has the tools he needs to control his power so he won't be as volatile as he once was.'

'Hey now,' Alex said, clearly offended.

Charles offered a mediocre apologetic smile before readdressing Y/N. 'You have to push the limits you have set for yourself in order to become stronger. I can sense your full potential hasn't even been scraped at yet. How about we try today.'

Y/N looked between Charles and Alex, who also looked at Charles like he was crazy. But there was an air of truth to his demands. Shaw was no novelty mutant, and neither were Angel and the other mutants following him. If Y/N didn't do this, she would be their next victim, and what kind of teammate would she be if she died too early?

Y/N eventually nodded her agreement. 'Okay, let's do this.'

'You sure about this?' Alex asked her.

'Aw, is big old Alex Summers worried about hurting me?' Y/N taunted, though she didn't really know why. His concern was sort of sweet.

It disgusted her.

Alex's concern scrunched up in annoyance on his stupidly beautiful face. 'No. I just... Oh, screw this. Fine let's spar, L/N.'

Y/N went to stand at one end of the bunker and Alex at the opposite end. Charles planted himself right in the middle of the two, looking too casual for Y/N's liking. Did he really have that much faith in them?

'Whenever you two are ready,' Charles called out, rocking on the back of his heels in anticipation.

'Okay,' Alex said hesitantly as he fired himself up. His new chest plate helped him to control his plasma so he surely would hit the professor if Y/N didn't do something.

Just as Alex fired, Y/N placed a force field over Charles and the plasma blast bounced off it and straight back at Alex. Alex had to duck quickly as his own blast came hurtling back at him, and Charles let out a small laugh as the blast made a small dent in the wall behind Alex.

'Well this is going to be fun,' Charles said, and the fight truly begun.

Alex would sling shot after shot at Y/N and the professor, but Y/N deflected every shot and held the force field around the professor soundly. At one point, Y/N managed to to turn in visible while Alex was distracted and landed a few blows.

But Alex managed to knock her back, the blow forcing her to reveal herself. She had no time to worry about being exposed however, as Alex powered up for what seem to be one giant blast. Y/N managed to bring up a force field around her as the blast connected, but instead of bouncing up off it, the plasma seemed to sink into the force field.

Y/n looked around in confusion, feeling the energy flowing stronger through the force field and increasing with every second. She was vaguely aware of someone calling her name - it sounded like Charles - but the energy was becoming too much to hold up now.

Y/N let out a cry as she released the force field, and the shockwave it sent through the bunker sent both her and Alex flying to opposite ends of the bunker.

Y/N smacked into the solid brick hard, sending an intense throbbing through her head as she hit the ground. Her vision blurred and she felt drained of power like never before. Two blurry figures were in front of her, their mouthes moving but not saying a word. She thought they were saying her name.

After a few more seconds, her hearing came back to her as well as her vision, showing Alex and Charles kneeling beside her with worry on their faces.

'Y/N, can you hear me?' Charles asked, scanning over her body for any injuries.

'Are you okay? Can you hear us? Say something,' Alex said, eyes searching her face for any sign that she understood anything they were saying.

Y/N hummed in reassurance and his worry dissipated into relief. Alex quickly helped her into a sitting position as she gathered herself. 'Well,' she breathed out, giving Alex an amused smile, 'that was... fun.'

This elicited a laugh out of both men as they helped her to her feet. Y/N was very aware of Alex's hand holding her steady on the small of her back as they both listened to Charles.

'My! You two create quite the show,' he exclaimed with an enthusiasm that kind of scared Y/N. 'Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant work, you two. You have both grown in leaps and bounds these past few weeks. I daresay you will both be quite powerful when you fully master your gifts. Now, take the afternoon off, possibly head to Hank in the lab for some patching up and look overs. I will see you both first thing tomorrow.'

'He sounds like a professor talking to students,' Alex muttered after Charles had left.

Y/N shrugged. 'Well, we kind of are students, so I guess that would make him our professor.'

The two shared a small laugh and both their eyes slipped to his arm, which was attached to the hand that still pressed gently against her back. Alex quickly dropped his hand and Y/N took a decent step away from him. Well now it's awkward.

'G-Good fight,' Alex finally said after seconds of silence, unable to meet her eyes. He did the thing where he rubbed his neck and Y/N's stomach did a little flip at how cute the gesture was.

Quit that, she told herself, then realised she hadn't responded to him. 'Y-yeah. You too. Sorry... for sending you into the wall.'

'It's okay. I've been hit harder,' he said, and his cocky smirk was back. Something about his statement rubbed Y/N up the wrong way, like he was undermining her ability. That was a pretty decent fight they just had.

Y/N just huffed and stormed out of the bunker. 'Whatever,' she muttered as she left him behind.

'Hey,' Alex called out as he ran to catch up with her. 'What's wrong? You want me to apologise too? Okay, I'm sorry for sending you into the wall, too. There? Happy?'

'You know,' she started, stomping up the stairs that would take her to the first floor of the mansion, 'you can be such a jerk, Alex.'

'What are you talking about?' he asked, and he had the audacity to sound genuinely clueless.

At the top of the stairs Y/N finally stopped to let Alex catch up. She didn't care that he was taller than her, she looked up at him with annoyance in her eyes. 'You can never admit that someone could be better than you, let alone that they could be your equal.'

His face screwed up in confusion. 'What? That's not what I meant. Where did you get that impression from?'

'You think yourself superior to us all, and for what? We all have gifts, Alex. We are all special and useful and powerful. Yet you make fun of Hank, you belittle me. What is your problem?!'

Alex stepped towards Y/N, closing what little space there had been between until she felt his breath brushing her heated cheeks. 'You know, I was just about to pay you a compliment but forget it.'

'I wouldn't want a compliment from you, Alex. They're more like insults than anything,' Y/N said then stormed off.

'Princess!' Alex called out after her in a last ditch effort to have the last word.

'Jerk!' she answered over her shoulder.

'Coward!'

'Asshole!'

Y/N finally entered the lab and Hank was already looking at her crossed arms.

'You know, you two really need to take your fights outside,' he simply said, already reaching for his equipment to check her health.

Y/N raised a brow in a silent question, to which Hank responded, 'The walls and floors to this place aren't as thick as they appear.'

Downstairs where Y/N had left Alex smouldering, a certain telepath entered Alex's mind. Well that's an interesting flirting tactic.

'Oh, piss off,' Alex hissed aloud as he walked in the opposite direction towards his assigned bedroom. Y/N was the most aggravating person in existence. Flirting with her was the last thing on Alex's mind.

I don't know, I think you two would make a rather nice couple, Charles interjected again.

'I said piss off!'

1962 - Cuba Beach

Y/N was locked in a fight with Riptide when she saw Alex and Sean crash onto the beach, Angel having shot them down. As she went to attack, Alex shoved Sean out of range as he unleashed his uncontrolled plasma rings, his chest plate missing.

He caught her wings, slicing them in half and sending her flying to the ground, but as Alex helped Sean to his feet, Y/N spied Angel get to her feet, rage in her eyes and fire burning in her mouth.

Alex's back was turned. He would never see it coming.

Y/N, rejuvenated by the threat, turned back to Riptide and conjured up a large energy wave and sent it hurtling at Riptide. He tried bringing up a wall of wind to counteract it, but the wave was stronger and sent him into the side of the uprooted submarine. He fell to the sand with a hard thud and didn't move.

Y/N immediately ran for Alex and Sean, hands raised and conjuring up a force field around her friends just as Angel spat fireball after fireball at the two of them. The fireballs bounced right off the force field, angering Angel even more as she turned her attention to Y/N.

Before she could attack, Y/N trapped Angel in another force field, raised her off the beach, and sent her out over the ocean where she finally let the force field drop. It hurt her to hear her old friend's scream as she fell into the deep water, but Angel had done this to herself.

Y/N turned back to the boys. 'Are you two okay?' she asked, looking over them for any injuries. All she could find was Alex's bare chest and a hole in Sean's wing suit.

'We had it covered,' Alex said, his tone annoyed.

Y/N scoffed. She couldn't believe it. He was still being a self-righteous jerk in the middle of a battle?

'I just saved your life, asshole,' she said, stepping towards him in anger. 'Maybe you should be thanking me instead of complaining like a little boy.'

'Get down,' he said, his eyes on something over her shoulder, but she didn't care. He wasn't listening, but she would make him.

'Don't you tell me what to do you self-righteous jerk-'

'I said get down!'

Before she knew what was happening, Alex was pushing her behind him as he sent plasma rings at Riptide, who Y/N obviously hadn't knocked out entirely and was lining up to attack her from behind.

Riptide saved himself from being sliced like the statue back at the C.I.A. with a small tornado, but the impact from the plasma rings sent him flying over the submarine and out of sight.

'And I just saved yours,' Alex said as her tuned back to a shocked Y/N. He was panting heavily, obviously not used to exerting so much energy in such a short time frame. 'Now we're even.'

The way his words were haggard from his lack of breath made his voice raspy and Y/N hated how much the sound tingled up her spine pleasantly.

Y/N opened her mouth to retort at him - tell him how stupid and reckless and irresponsible and idiotic he was - but she couldn't find anything to say, and so snapped her gaping gob shut in indignation. The two just stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, eyes locked as so many unspoken emotions passed between each other.

Until Sean walked in between the two of them, shaking his head in disbelief. 'Damn, get a room, you two,' he said, his tone both disgusted and amused as he started walking back to Charles and Moira still on the crashed jet.

'We're not-' Y/N started.

'It's nothing like-' Alex interjected at the same time, but Sean was already out of earshot.

Y/N and Alex looked back at each other, both their cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

Alex was the one to finally break the silence. 'We should...' he trailed off as he gestured after Sean.

'Right,' Y/N immediately answered, grateful for the change in subject. They still had a fight to win, otherwise the whole world would fall into another war.

Y/N and Alex followed Sean swiftly, happy to leave the awkward interaction behind them. But even after the fight, Y/N didn't know about Alex, but maybe there was a little truth to what Sean's words implied. It wasn't that Alex was unattractive. He was just... infuriating.

But he had saved her life, put his body on the line protect her. That meant he cared for her in some capacity... right?

1967 - X Mansion

'You're what?!' Y/N exclaimed, standing up from her seat in the middle of Charles' office.

'I'm sorry, Y/N, but I have no choice,' Charles said, his voice sad and exhausted.

Y/N should've seen this coming. She'd seen the signs. How Charles had let his hair grow out, how the shadow of a beard grazed his jawline. How he lounged in his wheelchair instead of sitting with his usual perfect posture. And the hope and colour of his eyes had faded to loss and hopelessness.

'Yes, you do,' Y/N argued, slamming her hands on his desk. 'You can choose to keep fighting. You can choose to keep helping and teaching. You can choose hope, Charles.'

'There is no hope left, Y/N,' Charles replied, dejected as he looked anywhere but Y/N's eyes. 'Erik was right. The world is not meant for mutants. The world does not want mutants.'

Y/N walked around the desk to kneel before his wheelchair. 'You can't truly believe that, Charles,' she said trying to catch his gaze. 'After all you have done, after everything we've been through, you cannot believe that. Look at what you've achieved!'

She gestured to the room, but she meant the school as a whole, whose corridors buzzed with students who possessed unique powers. Admittedly the numbers had dwindled significantly because of the Vietnam War, with most of the teachers and the older students being drafted. Y/N had managed to not be drafted so far, and had dedicated every second she had to teaching. She was now in her late 20s and had learned all she could as a student. It was her turn to teach the next generation what it means to be a mutant.

But regardless of numbers, there were still children who needed help. They couldn't close. They just couldn't.

'Please, Charles,' she said, placing a gentle hand on his cheek to guide his eyes to meet hers. He looked in so much pain - a pain Y/N couldn't see but she could certainly try to understand. 'There is still hope. There is still good in the world. We just have to find it again.'

Charles didn't say anything at first, and Y/N took that as a sign that maybe she'd gotten through to him. Since beginning her teaching career, Charles had become like an older brother to her. He hadn't given up on her when she didn't believe in herself all those years ago, she wasn't going to give up on him now.

But Charles gently took her hand away from his face and turned his chair so he faced away from her. 'Hope is a human error. I've already made up my mind, Y/N. I suggest you forget about all of this and go live what life you have left. God knows society won't allow you a full one.'

Y/N remained crouching, too shocked to argue, too horrified to be angry. As Charles turned his back on her - busied himself with his bookshelf - Y/N left the room in a daze, still unsure what had just happened. That's how she felt for the rest of the day as she taught and supervised, students constantly asking her if she was okay as she usually wasn't as silent as she was.

Y/N easily deflected the questions, but she couldn't ignore the breaking of her heart every time she spoke with a student, saw them master an ability, ask a question. How would she break the news to them? A more accurate question would be how could she? They looked up to her, to Charles, to all of them. Some of them had no homes to go back to, no families that accepted them or no families at all.

By the time the last bell rang, Y/N was on the brink of breaking down.

It was now late at night, the children well and truly asleep. But Y/N remained awake, walking the mansion, dreading breaking the news tomorrow during the assembly. God knew Charles was in no condition to break the news himself even though he was the headmaster. And Hank hated public speaking despite being a teacher. No, she had to do it, but she'd be breaking hundreds of hearts in the process.

As she reached the front foyer, looking around and remembering her first few days there, remembering the first few days of the school opening and it being full of enthusiastic and excited children, tears welled up in her eyes.

They'd just started to slip when the front doors clanged open. Y/N immediately went into defensive mode, her hands lighting up as her mutation activated

Alex threw his hands up in faux surrender. 'Whoa! Easy Y/N, it's just me!'

Y/N breathed a long sigh of relief as she let her hands drop. 'Jesus, Alex. You mind knocking next time? What are you even doing here? It's two in the morning.'

Alex was also a teacher at the school, but he sometimes slept off campus as his family home was just a few suburbs away. He usually didn't slip back in until just before class though so this encounter was a little surprising.

'I needed to see the professor,' he said, then his face scrunched with worry as he looked over Y/N. 'Were you just crying?'

Y/N quickly turned her back to him to wipe away the tears that had escaped. 'I'm fine. It's nothing.'

'No it's not,' Alex said, and he took quick steps until he stood beside Y/N. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and managed to turn her to face him. He looked down at her with such concern Y/N felt more tears welling up.

He was a dick. From the day they'd met he'd solidified that for himself. But the past five years had seen him mature, grow, change in ways Y/N had no idea he was capable of. She saw how gentle he was with the children, how fiercely protective he'd become of them.

And while they still clashed and fought like cats and dogs, they'd found comfort in each other more than once. They would always laugh on the terrace late at night as they had a nightcap, downloading their days to one another; Y/N would occasionally bring Alex food when she knew he hadn't made it to lunch because he was so busy with work; and Y/N would wake up sometimes from nightmares to Alex comforting her.

Out of all the original X-Men group, those two had become the closest. With Charles busy running the school, Hank busy with his lab, Raven, Erik, and Angel off recruiting for their Brotherhood, and Sean deciding to go see the world, Alex and Y/N only had each other.

'What's wrong?' Alex asked so gently. 'What happened?'

Y/N couldn't get a word out, her heartbreak finally bubbling to the surface as tears and sibs wracked her body.

'Hey, hey, hey,' Alex said as he pulled her tight to his chest, arms wrapping securely around her, hands rubbing up and down her back soothingly. Y/N clung to him for dear life, the only part of her body she could control as she continued crying. 'It's all right. I've got you.'

They stayed like that for a few minutes before Y/N had no more tears to cry. When she finally pulled away, there was a dark patch of tears staining his white t-shirt that he wore under a plaid overskirt. 'Sorry about that.'

'Don't be. Ever,' he said, and Y/N had never seen him so serious before. 'Now, what's wrong?'

'Charles is closing down the school,' she said, voice dejected.

'What?' Alex looked up the stairs then back to Y/N, confusion and anger morphing his features. 'I'm gonna go talk to him.'

He made to run up the stairs and no doubt give Charles a piece of his mind, but Y/N quickly grasped his wrist and halted him. 'You can't,' Y/N said. 'He's already made his mind up.'

'Like hell he has,' Alex seethed, making to leave again but Y/N pulled him back.

'Alex,' she pleaded with him, 'believe me if I could change his mind I would be up there right now doing so. But... he has no hope anymore. The war has dwindled us thin. He doesn't see the good in the world anymore. That's not something we can give back to him. He has to find that again on his own.'

Alex looked ready to argue, jaw clenching as he looked between the stairs and Y/N. But Y/N slipped her hand into his and squeezed it gently and his features softened. He rubbed the back of his neck - as he always did - as he let out a defeated sigh. 'So I guess there isn't any point in informing him that I've been drafted for the war?'

Y/N's eyes bulged and her heart rate spiked with fear. 'You what?' she asked, but she'd heard him correctly.

His jaw clenched as if he didn't want to elaborate. 'Got the call this morning. I'm just surprised it's taken this long for them to find me again.'

That's right. Y/N sometimes forgot he had been in the army just before they met. 'When do you leave?' she asked.

'Two days from now,' he said regrettably.

Y/N never considered herself an emotional person, but tears welled up in her eyes again. 'It's just not fair,' she said, breathless as she tried to keep the tears back. 'You deserve to be free. You deserve to be happy, Alex.'

'Hey, hey,' he cooed, using both hands to cradle her head and neck, forcing her eyes to meet his. 'I'll come back. I promise. And who says I haven't been free and happy?'

He swallowed thickly as his eyes scanned over Y/N's face, hesitating on her lips before looking back at her eyes. Y/N felt then something change. In the air, between them, possibly both - she couldn't quite tell. But the way he was looking at her, how he held her so preciously, had her heart racing.

'The past five years here have been the most free and happy I've ever been,' Alex admitted. 'Training and teaching with Charles and Hank... and you. You have given me a home away from home, a new family. You've protected me when no one else would; you've laughed and cried and fought with me, for me...'

He leaned in closer now, as if there was a gravitational force pulling them together. 'I will come back, Y/N. To you.'

Alex Summers was a dick, but he was also a kind and loyal man. A man silently laying out his heart before her despite their previous disagreements.

'Promise?' she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

'Promise,' he said, and with that confirmation Y/N stood up on her toes to lock her lips with Alex's.

His hands cradled her face still as he held her to him, their lips melding harmoniously as they kissed. This had been building in Y/N since day one when he'd flashed her that smooth smile that sent her stomach into somersaults. Every fight (verbal or physical), every conversation, every drink they shared, every looked that passed between them, it had all been leading to this.

They finally pulled apart but pressed their foreheads together as they caught their breaths.

'I've been wanting to do that for a long time now,' Alex admitted, his words breathless.

'How long?' Y/N asked, curious.

'Since day one,' he answered, then let out a small chuckle. 'I didn't know it at the time, and when I finally did I never wanted to admit it. I think Charles and everyone else knew before I did.'

'It was the same for me,' Y/N assured him, and Alex smiled brightly before he pulled her in for another kiss.

The rest of the night was spent catching up on lost time. Y/N was thanking Charles that all teachers' rooms were at the other end of the mansion to the students' rooms. Y/N and Alex managed an hour of sleep before the rays of dawn warmed them awake.

'We probably shouldn't have done that,' Y/N said, tracing a finger along Alex's toned stomach.

'We were pretty quiet, I thought,' Alex said, stopping threading his fingers through Y/N's hair to press a kiss to the top of her head. 'Though, you did get a bit loud when I-'

'Shut up, asshole,' she said, giving him a slight shove that sent the both of them into a quiet giggling fit. Once they'd both calmed down, Y/N returned to tracing Alex's abs. 'I mean, we shouldn't have done that because you're leaving in two days.'

'Yeah, we certainly have great timing, huh?' Alex tried joking but when Y/N didn't laugh, he sat up in bed bringing her with him. 'Hey, I told you I will come back. Nothing's going to stop that.'

'You can't assure me that,' Y/N countered.

'What was that whole thing about having hope?' Alex questioned, and when Y/N couldn't find an answer. 'I believe in us, Y/N. I have hope. You taught me that. I will come back. I promise.'

Y/N still had her doubts but she allowed herself to play into the fantasy that it would all end up okay, and she leaned in for another mind-melting kiss.

'Okay, Alex,' she conceded. 'But just know you're still an asshole.'

'And you're still a princess. But you're my princess.'

As the two got ready for the day, Alex asked, 'So what are you going to do? When the school closes down.'

Y/N had been thinking about it since Charles told her and hadn't been sure if it was the right thing to do, but she had to try. 'I heard that Raven has broken off from Erik and is going about their cause on her own. I'm going to go find her and bring her home.'

'That's going to be dangerous,' Alex said, his tone worried.

'And going to war isn't?" she countered. 'Raven is like my sister. I've got to help her. There is good in her, she's just angry at the world. You're right. I have to keep hoping, even if everyone else has lost it. Because we are worth it.'

She walked up to Alex to cradle his face as he had done so many times the night just gone. 'We are worth it,' she whispered.

Alex placed a hand of his own over hers, pressing it closer to his face which had only gotten more handsome over the years. 'You're amazing, you know that right?'

Y/N just smiled before bringing him in for another kiss. When they broke apart she took a moment to contemplate his face then laughed.

'What is it?' he asked, an amused smile on his lips.

'We're just two idiots, aren't we?' she said, her tone bordering on sad. 'All that time wasted on arguing. All seems stupid now in the face of danger and death.'

'I disagree,' Alex said as he took her hand and headed for the bedroom door. 'I wouldn't change that time for the world. I am who I am because of that time, and you were always so cute when you were mad.'

'Hey!'

1973 - X Mansion

Y/N breathed a sigh of contentment as she stood out the front of the mansion, all tidied up and ready to reopen.

'I forgot what it used to look like without the overgrown weeds and dusty windows,' Charles admitted as he looked over the entrance too.

'Now whose fault would that be?' Hank asked with a smug smirk on his lips, but it quickly dropped with Charles' side eye.

Y/N smiled at the familiar banter. It had been a long six years full of struggle and pain and loss since Charles officially closed the school. But a man called Logan from the future had convinced Charles of something Y/N had been unable to, and while Y/N hadn't be able to bring Raven home, she'd been able to help their future and bring Charles back to life.

It had taken a few weeks to clean the mansion up with just the three of them. They had no one else to ask. Logan was missing, Raven too. Erik had gone into hiding, and Sean and Angel and most other mutants had been subjected to and killed by Trask's cruel Sentinel trials. None of them had a chance to say goodbye, and that very thought haunted Y/N even now.

And Alex... Last time Y/N checked, Raven had freed him and other mutants in the army who'd been locked up from the rest of the soldiers for some reason. No doubt for experiments. Y/N had been on base that day, but she'd gone to another bunker with other mutants. Her and Raven had stayed behind after that; Y/N never got even a glimpse of him, but Raven said he was okay and that he missed her.

'That doesn't matter now,' Y/N said. 'What matters is we're doing what we were meant to be doing all along. Speaking of which...' Y/N turned to the two men kind of sheepishly. '...I actually can't start teaching again just yet. I have to go.'

'What?' Hank asked. 'Why? We need you here.'

'I know, and I have every intention of coming back,' Y/N hastily reassured. 'I just... I need to go find someone.'

'Who?' Hank asked, but Charles was looking at her knowingly.

'It's Alex, isn't it,' he asked, but it wasn't really a question. Besides, he'd probably read her mind.

Y/N nodded. 'He used to call me from base every two weeks, send letters once a month. But then the calls stopped coming about a year ago, and so did the letters. I didn't even know if he was alive until Raven and I went to his air base. But I didn't see him, and now I need to find him to see if he did make it home after all.'

Charles looked at her and he smiled, the action caught somewhere between pride and sadness. 'You really love him, don't you?' he asked softly.

Y/N found the same smile stretching across her lips as she nodded. 'Very much so.'

Charles chuckled softly as he looked away, then somewhere over her shoulder. 'Very well then, off you go. But... something tells you'll find him closer to home than you think.'

Confused, Y/N turned to follow where he was looking over her shoulder and saw a black Cadillac pulling into the driveway. It wasn't until the driver pulled up in front of the building and stepped out that Y/N realised what Charles meant.

Alex Summers stood facing her from the driver's door, smiling smoothly at her as he pulled off his aviators. 'Hey, princess,' he said, his tone somewhere between his usual swagger and pure relief.

Y/N flew down the front steps and over to him. He held his arms out expecting a hug, but all Y/N saw was red as she lined up to slap him square across his face. The sound was crisp and cut through the air, silencing even the birds.

Alex was stunned as he turned back to her confused. 'What the heck was that for?'

'How long have you been home' Y/N asked, ignoring him.

'Um, like, a month? I don't really know-'

'And you didn't call me? Let me know you were okay?'

'I was kind of busy consoling my family since I've been gone for like six years,' he argued, rubbing his cheek. 'And you seemed to be busy too. You know, saving the world and all.'

Y/N couldn't argue with that, but she still wanted to be mad at him. He had her all worried for nothing. 'You still could've called me.'

'I'm here now, aren't I?' He reached a hand out to clasp hers and she allowed him to puller her closer with it. 'Trust me, there wasn't a day that I didn't think of you, wishing I was back here with you. I'm sorry if I made you worry.'

His genuine tone softened her anger until it was nothing but relief and joy at seeing him. She pressed her forehead against his own and smiled. 'Like you said: you're here now, right?'

With that, the two connected in a long awaited kiss that reflected all their longing and love for one another. They were so enthralled with one another that they didn't hear a word of Charles' and Hank's conversation happening just a few steps away.

'Wow,' Hank said, trying not look at his long-time friends making out in front of him. 'Alex and Y/N. Not going to lie, did not see that coming.'

'Oh, I did,' Charles said smugly, though his eyes reflected the happiness he had for his close friends. 'From the moment they met, I knew they were inevitable. You didn't need to be a psychic to see that coming.'

1978 - Alex and Y/N's house

Y/N sighed as she unlocked the front door to her and Alex's house. They'd moved in together about a year ago, hating constantly going between the school and Alex's old apartment. He hadn't returned as a teacher to the school after the army as she had, and so found a place of his own. But one night they'd both realised they didn't want to keep figuring out whose place they would spend the night at. They wanted a place for themselves, and the rest was history.

Y/N kicked off her sneakers, grateful for the relief she felt as she walked into the lounge room where her feet sunk into the carpet. Alex seemed to have had an early mark from his office with the U.S. Military, as he was in the kitchen cooking. His soldier days were thankfully over, but he'd been promoted to a desk job which didn't really suit him but it paid well and he could actually try and make a difference from there. For both humans and mutants enlisted into the army.

'Hey, princess,' he said, stirring up some sauce that had Y/N almost drooling for.

'Hey, baby,' she said tiredly as she came up behind him and cuddled him, breathing out a content sigh as she attempted to meld into his back.

'Wow,' he said with a chuckle, 'no asshole today? You've definitely had a bad day.'

'Don't push it,' Y/N warned, but it was an empty threat as she didn't move a muscle. Alex was always so warm, and now that it was winter she craved his presence even more. 'You didn't have to make dinner.'

'I know,' he said nonchalantly, continuing to stir the delicious smelling sauce. 'But I figured if you weren't home by five, you'd had a hard day.'

'Aw,' Y/N cooed, squeezing his torso slightly tighter. 'Alex Summers, you can be so thoughtful, you know that?'

'Besides,' he said, finally putting the sauce bowl down and turning in Y/N's arms to face her, a cheeky smile on his lips, 'you take forever to cook and I want to eat at some point tonight.'

Y/N's smile dropped. 'I take it back. You are a jerk.'

'That's nothing new,' he said as he pulled her in for a loving kiss. Y/N really enjoyed their more fervent kisses - the ones that left her breathless and hungry for more because she just couldn't get enough of him. But this - the gentleness, the care, the love transferred between their lips - calmed and grounded her. Reminded her she was at the best place in the world: home.

'Why don't you go have a shower, relax, and I'll have dinner ready by the time you come out?' Alex asked after they ended their kiss, rubbing his hands up and down her arms in comfort.

Y/N shook her head. 'While that does sound like a wonderful time, I'd rather help you cook the rest of dinner.'

'You sure? It's nothing special or hard. I can handle it-'

'Alex,' she interrupted, heading for the drawer with all their aprons, 'I have spent all day at a desk or in a classroom looking at paperwork and marking grades. I want to help. I want to spend time with you. It's treat enough that you're home before the sun sets.'

She tied her apron up, rolled up the sleeves of her dress shirt and reached into the pantry 'Now, let's get this pasta cooking.'

The rest of the night was relaxed, with Alex and Y/N chatting about anything and everything while they cooked. They continued chatting during dinner, and Y/N laughed at Alex spilling red pasta sauce all over his cream shirt. Before they knew it, bed time had fallen upon them.

Y/N was just brushing her teeth as she was explaining how her day was going to go tomorrow. 'Now remember, I'm going on an excursion with the kids tomorrow to the national history museum so I won't be home until six, I think.'

When Alex didn't answer, Y/N asked, 'Alex? Did you hear me?' He didn't answer again, and so Y/N spit out the toothpaste and hurried back into their bedroom.

'Alex? Why aren't you-'

Y/N's heart almost stopped as she was met with Alex Summers on one knee, holding a delicate but beautiful ring up to Y/N.

'Believe me when I say I had a different plan in mind for this,' he said, eyes hopeful and the twitches of a fearful smile pulling at his lips. 'I had it all planned out and was going to do it when we go on our trip next month. But those places don't mean anything to us: here does. In our home.'

To Y/N's surprise, Alex's eyes welled up with tears as he continued his speech. 'Tonight was perfect, and I realised... that I want to have a night like tonight every night. You are too good for me, Y/N. I can be a jerk and an asshole and self-centred and rash - but you take it all in stride and put me in my place and I thank you for that.

'I love you, Y/N. And I want to love you - fight with and for you, explore with you, live with you - for the rest of my life. So, Y/N L/N... will you marry me?'

Alex never cried, so seeing him get emotional opened the floodgates in Y/N's own tear ducts. Y/N clasped her mouth as both sobs and joyous laughter escaped her, leaving her a blubbering mess.

Y/N wiped away her tears and flashed Alex the most loving smile she could manage. 'What do you think? Of course I will marry you, Alex Summers.'

Alex breathed a sigh of relief and his tears of joy finally fell as he stood up and embraced Y/N. Y/N couldn't hold him any tighter it seemed, couldn't pull him close enough even when there was no space left to close between them. But finally they parted and Alex slipped the delicate ring onto Y/N's finger. It shimmered in the low lamp light coming from their bedside and Y/N couldn't imagine anything more fitting.

'It's beautiful, Alex,' Y/N said, still sniffling.

'Anything for my princess,' he muttered into her hair as he held her close.

Y/N laughed into his chest before craning her neck back to look up at him. 'You're locked in now, asshole. No take-backsies.'

Alex laughed. 'Don't you know?' he asked, leaning down to capture her lips in another loving kiss. '...I was always in it for the long run,' he said after breaking away, warm breath fanning across Y/N's cool skin.

1983 - X Mansion

Y/N was just leaving her classroom when four students came flying by.

'Hey!' Y/N called out, and the four students stopped.

'Sorry, Mrs. Summers,' Jubilee said, a bashful expression on her face.

Y/N eyed who else was with Jubilee. Jean Grey, and the two new students: Kurt Wagner and her brother-in-law Scott Summers.

Y/N placed her free hand on her hips as she looked at them skeptically. 'And where are the four of you off to in such a hurry at this time of day?' she asked, noting how it was the middle of the day.

'Uh...' Jean started, looking unsure.

'We were just off to the library,' Scott interjected, his voice confident and full of bravado. 'To study.'

Y/N narrowed her eyes on Scott. Scott was not the studious kind, and usually she could read Scott like a book. But since his mutation kicked in and he'd had to wear the ruby quartz glasses, it was hard to tell what he was truly thinking.

'That's right!' Kurt added over-enthusiastically, and the others nodded in agreement.

Based on their adamant responses, Y/N knew something was up. But she released a sigh and waved them off. 'Okay, but don't study too hard then.'

'Yes, Mrs. Summers,' Jean and Jubilee said together, then grabbed Kurt and headed around the corner and out of sight.

Scott was just about to do the same when Y/N called out to him. 'Hey, Scott.' He stopped and turned, his lips pulled down in a frown, possibly worried that he'd been caught out. But she just smiled and said, 'It's nice to see you've made some friends already.'

Relief and genuine appreciation split his lips into a smile. 'Yeah. Me too,' he said, then he took off after the others, their laughter bouncing off the walls of the old mansion.

It genuinely made Y/N happy to see Scott making friends. He was usually the reserved type, making small rebellions but certainly not as loud as his older brother. He used to be the kid that got picked on at school, so to see him actively engaging with other kids was promising.

It was the changing period between classes and so all the students were milling about the halls as Y/N made her way down the steps to the front foyer. She had a free period so she was in no hurry.

What she didn't expect to see, once the children had cleared, was Hank and Raven of all people standing together in the foyer.

'Raven?' Y/N said in disbelief, a baffled smile adorning her lips.

Raven and Hank seemed to have been engaged in a serious discussion, but she returned Y/N's smile and opened her arms for an embrace. 'Hey, Y/N.'

Y/N accepted the offer and embraced her long-time friend tightly. 'Oh, it is so good to see you, Raven. It has been too long.'

'Yeah, since seventy-three I believe.' The two women pulled apart but held hands. Raven ran her fingers over Y/N's hands and her fqace changed to shock and happy surprise. 'Oh my God, you got married?!' she exclaimed, bringing Y/N's left hand up to inspect the delicate diamond.

'Yeah. Alex and I just celebrated five years,' Y/N said, her words taking on a sad tone.

'Five years...' Raven dropped Y/N's hand, a sad expression on her face. It was then Y/N recognised that Raven was in the skin she'd worn for years to fit in with society, not her natural blue. There was slight betrayal and hurt on Raven's face too.

'We tried finding you, Raven,' Y/N said, grasping tight to her friend's hands. 'I wanted you there. Truly. You just... Well, since D.C. I imagine you've been busy.'

Raven's betrayal morphed into shame. 'I'm sorry,' she said. 'I would've loved to have been there. For you.'

Y/N knew she meant it, and so she flashed Raven a smile and said, 'It doesn't matter now, though. You're here now, and it is so good to see you. Speaking of which, why are you here?'

'I came to speak with Charles about Erik,' Raven admitted, the two women finally releasing each other's hands. 'I think he's in some trouble.'

'I was just telling her Charles and Alex were out,' Hank added.

'Well, they should be back in the next hour, I think,' Y/N said. 'Why don't we wait in Charles' office until then.'

As they all waited, Y/N and Raven decided to catch up. They discussed everything from the school to Raven's personal missions as a vigilante for mutants to Y/N and Alex's marriage.

'I must admit, I always knew you two would end up together,' Raven commented, a knowing and cheeky smile on her face.

'No you didn't,' Y/N argued. 'Did you even know Alex and I back then? We fought like cats and dogs!'

'Still do, depending on the day,' Hank muttered as he drank his tea.

Y/N flashed him a hard glare before turning back to Raven.

'Oh come on, it was practically inevitable you two would end up together,' Raven countered, laughter dancing on her words. 'But I'm happy to hear you two are happy. You're some of my oldest friends and you deserve happiness.'

'Thank you, Raven,' Y/N said softly.

'So, how many do you have?'

Y/N raised an eyebrow in confusion. 'How many what?'

'Kids. I can only assume you've got an army waiting for you at home...' Raven quietened as she noticed Y/N's demeanour change. Her smile dropped and she sunk back into the couch more. 'Did I say something wrong?'

Y/N shook her head and tried smiling for her friend, but tears welled in her eyes. 'No, you didn't. It's just... Alex and I found out we can't have children about a month ago.'

'Oh, Y/N.' Raven didn't know what to say or do. She just reached a hand out was a grateful that Y/N took it for support.

'We've been trying since we got married,' Y/N explained, wiping the tears away before they even fell. 'When nothing was happening, we decided to go see a specialist. But I guess even being a mutant doesn't make us immune to human genetic failure.'

She gestured to the closed doors that led from Charles' office to the school beyond 'Besides,' Y/N continued fondly, 'I have hundreds of kids already to deal with,. Children of my own would just complicate that probably.'

Raven just hummed in agreement, but said nothing more. No doubt she could sense or even see Y/N only meant half of what she said. Y/N truly loved each and every kid at the school, but it broke her heart to know she'd never have a daughter or son that had her eyes or Alex's smile, her wit or Alex's bravery.

Before they could dwell on the sad matter any further, the doors to the office opened and in came Charles, Alex, and someone Y/N thought she'd never see ever again.

'Moira?' Raven said as the three entered the room, standing to her feet in shock.

'Raven?' Charles asked.

'I'm sorry, have we met before?" Moira asked, cluelessly smiling at Raven, then Y/N and Hank.

Soon enough, Raven and Charles needed to converse privately and so Y/N, Alex, Hank, and Moira stood in the foyer awaiting their decision. Hank took one for the team and took Moira for a bit of a tour around the school while Y/N and Alex stayed in the foyer to talk.

'Never thought I'd see you step inside these halls during school hours again,' Y/N said cheekily.

'My brother and Charles are the exceptions,' he said, and when Y/N pouted he added quickly, 'and of course my beautiful wife.'

'Hmmm, sure asshole,' she said, before allowing him to kiss her briefly.

'You know you can be so mean sometimes,' he said as he pulled away.

'That's why you love me though, right?' she asked.

'Hmmm, sure princess,' he mirrored her earlier comment, earning a light slap to his shoulder as they devolved into laughter.

'So, how's Scott doing?' Alex asked, genuinely concerned for his little brother.

'Don't worry,' Y/N reassured him. 'He's fitting in just fine. Although he said he was going to study just before...'

'Oh, he's definitely doing something he shouldn't be then,' Alex said.

After a moment of silence, Y/N said, 'I was talking to Raven just before... about us not being able to have children.'

The topic always made Alex more protective, and so he placed his hands on her arms and started gently rubbing them up and down slowly. 'You okay?'

'Yeah I'm fine, but it did get me thinking... why don't we look at adopting?'

Alex looked halfway between shocked and happy when she said it. 'Are you sure?'

Y/N nodded. 'Why not? There are so many kids in this world that have no homes, no families. We could be that for them.'

Alex smiled brighter than he ever had as he embraced her so hard he lifted her off her feet with joy. 'I love you,' he said as he finally put her down, then looked at her as if she was the light of his life. 'We're gonna have a family.'

Y/N nodded then pulled him into a short kiss, just as Hank and Moira finally came back to the foyer and Charles' office doors opened. 'Y/N and Hank, you are dismissed from classes for the rest of the afternoon,' he said. 'We have to find Erik.'

~~~

It all happened so fast.

Someone hijacked Cerebro and controlled Charles momentarily, taking over the world for just a split second. Raven, Hank, and Y/N were finally able to wrench Charles free of the power and then Charles commanded Alex to destroy Cerebro.

The incident left the whole group, except for Moira, panting and drained as they exited the flaming room. Charles was unconscious in his chair, giving no signs that he was okay.

Y/N sensed a change in the area's energy force, and looked down the hallway to where a portal was opening. 'Uh, guys...'

The rest of the group followed her gaze to where five figures stepped out of the portal, one notably being an old friend.

'Erik,' Raven said softly, realisation dawning on her face too late. He was not here to be friendly.

Before anyone could react, Erik reached out to Charles' chair and brought him in to their portal which was firing up again.

'Charles!' Raven called out.

The winged figure protected Charles as the others stepped in front of him as barriers. Not that any of Y/N's group chased after them - wait, one person did.

'Alex, no!' Y/N said as her husband ran past her. When he didn't listen, she chased after him.

'Alex!' Hank called out behind them.

'Hey, asshole!' Alex called out to the blue man standing out the front of Erik's group.

The portal reopened around Erik, Charles and the other figures, the blue man stepping out in front to say, 'All will be revealed my child.' His voice was haunting, echoing all around them in a way that emanated power. He was not a standard level mutant.

But Alex still ran, and Y/n sensed he was charging up to fight.

'Alex, don't!' Y/N was almost there, could reach him in another few steps.

'Wait!' Hank called out, but Alex was lining up, red plasma already bursting from his chest. 'Stop!'

Y/N finally realised Hank's fear. While she was trying to stop Alex from chasing after mutant much stronger than all in the room, Hank was more concerned as to what was just beyond the doors Erik and Charles stood before.

Y/N's fingers just grazed Alex's shoulder when he let out a powerful plasma blast. But Erik and Charles disappeared into the portal before the blast could reach them, instead allowing it to burn through the metal doors that lead into the jet hangar.

Y/N pulled Alex behind her as the explosion happened. She threw up her hands and conjured a force field that surrounded the entire hangar just as the fire was about to reach her face. The strain was immediate as well as the heat, and Y/N almost crumbled as the explosion bounced and rolled around in the bubble.

'Y/N!' Raven called out, and Y/N felt hands on her arm and shoulder as Alex came into view.

'Baby?' he asked, eyes apologetic and frightened.

'I'm okay,' Y/N managed out, breathing deeply as the strain increased. 'Get everyone out. Now.'

'We can't just leave you here,' Hank argued.

'We won't,' Alex answered. 'I'll stay with her. Let me know when everyone is out.' When Raven and Hank didn't move, Alex said, 'Go!'

Once they'd gone, Y/N said, albeit with a strain, 'You should go, too.'

'I'm not leaving you,' he said, the weight of his hand on her back ever present. 'Hank and Raven can get the kids out themselves.'

'I'm not just talking about the kids.' Y/N managed to tear her gaze from the swirling explosion just beyond her force field to look Alex in the eyes. 'Go find Scott. Make sure he's okay.'

'I trust Hank and Raven,' Alex said.

Y/N's hands shook and so she turned her attention back to the force field. 'Alex, I don't know how much longer I can hold this. And I'd rather you not be here in case-'

'Don't say that.' Alex moved more into her vision so she didn't have to break her concentration. 'I put you in this mess, I will see you through it. You're the toughest person I know, Y/N. If anyone can hold this, it's you.'

Y/N saw on his face he truly meant it, but her hands shook harder now and the fire was pushing against the field more. Y/N swallowed a groan because as much as she didn't agree with Alex, she had to try.

Every second counted.

But every second was torture.

In reality, it was only five minutes before Hank notified Alex that the school had been cleared. But Y/N's vision was starting to spot black and her entire body now shook. Sweat rolled down her face and exhausted tears threatened to spill over.

Alex's phone buzzed and he answered the incoming call. 'The kids are all out,' Hank said, his crackling due to the horrible service of the lower levels. 'We're coming back for you.'

'Don't!' Y/N strangled out, groaning as the strain increased. She was aware of Alex's gaze on her so she turned slightly to look him in the eyes and saw something that she didn't want to see.

Hank kept talking. 'What? No, we're coming back down-'

'It's okay, Hank,' Alex said calmly, his eyes never leaving Y/N. 'Just... keep them safe.'

'Alex, wait what-'

Alex ended the call and Y/N could've screamed with frustration. 'No,' she whispered. 'You're not staying with me.'

'You never planned on getting out of this alive,' Alex stated. 'Did you?'

'I've made my peace,' Y/N explained. 'You need to be here for Scott.'

'You are my wife, Y/N!'

'And he is your brother!' Tears finally spilled as her powers began to wain. 'He is young and scared and he needs his brother so please Alex, go!'

Pain and indecision whirled in Alex's eyes as he looked from her to the doors that would save his life. Y/N couldn't hold on much longer, but she'd make sure he would get out. Tears spilled down his gorgeous face. Even after all this time he still looked as he had when him and Y/N first met, apart from the hair of course.

Resolve and love and apology was on his face as he finally looked back to Y/N, and he said, 'Scott will understand.'

He was really doing this. He was really going to die with her.

'I can't protect us once I let this field down,' she strangled to say, tears and pain and regret threatening to overwhelm her. 'I have nothing left, Alex.'

'You've done enough,' he said gently, then manouvered himself to stand between her arms so he was face to face with her. He cradled her face in his hands then pulled his lips to hers for one final kiss. 'I'm sorry,' he whispered, tears streaming down his face.

'I'm not,' Y/N replied, and despite their situation she smiled as brightly as she could. 'We had a pretty good run, didn't we?'

That finally brought a smile to his face. 'We sure did, princess.' He looked into her eyes, his gaze unwavering and the way he held her was heavenly. 'I love you.'

'I love you,' Y/N answered, then her energy emptied completely and she fell into Alex's arms.

They held each other as fire engulfed them and the mansion exploded, unable to be torn from each other even at Death's door.

1983 - X Mansion, post Apocalypse Battle

Scott Summers stood before two headstones with X's on them that had been put up in the school's courtyard. Both had his last name.

Alex Summers

Havok

1941-1983

Husband, Brother, Friend, Hero

Y/N Summers (neé L/N)

Aura

1942-1983

Wife, Teacher, Friend, Hero

Scott took his glasses off to wipe his tears. He hadn't been able to fully process his loss thanks to Apocalypse, but now that the school was rebuilt and he was back at school, he was more than aware of Alex and Y/N's absence.

He felt a hand slip into his, and he put his glasses back on to find Jean smiling sadly at him. 'I'm so sorry, Scott,' she said, and he didn't need to be a mind reader to know she truly meant it. 'I never met your brother, but Aura - Y/N, spoke often of him and their heroics at our age. He sounded amazing.'

'He was,' Scott said, looking back to his brother's and sister-in-law's graves. 'He was my hero.'

'They both were heroes.'

The two teens turned to find Hank, Raven, and Charles - now bald from the battle - strolling and wheeling into the courtyard respectively. Charles didn't speak again until the three of them reached the teenagers. 'Even as children, I knew they would be heroes. And in a society where mutants weren't trusted, even feared... They saw the best in the world. Always.'

'They gave everything they could to this school,' Hank added, eyes watering behind his glasses as he looked over his friends' graves. 'They were some of the best people I know, even now.' Hank allowed a tear to fall but he laughed. 'Even if your brother was a bit of a dick, sometimes.'

'Only sometimes?' Scott said, and the group laughed and the weight of grief on Scott's shoulders lifted slightly.

When it grew silent once more, Jean said, 'But is this to be our fate? Where we fight for a world that doesn't want us? Is a premature death only inevitable?'

'Death is always inevitable, Jean,' Raven said gently, and walked up to place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. 'But if Alex and Y/N proved anything to us all is that it doesn't matter what time we have on this earth; it's what we make of it. While we can, we will fight for a better future. For all of us.'

Jean nodded then turned back to the graves along with everyone else. Resentment and pain and loss roiled within Scott as he looked down at where his brother and sister-in-law rested. 'I wished he hadn't died,' he admitted, because that's all he truly wanted.

'Me too, Scott,' Charles said, wheeling up beside him. 'He loved you very much, though. Always spoke about you - about how you were to do great things with your life. I truly believe that, you know.'

'At least he died doing what he loved,' Scott said as he gestured to the rebuilt school. 'Protecting mutant kind.'

The group was silent for another few minutes, just reflecting on their times with the two people in the ground. Then Hank ushered the two teens back to class, and after sometime Raven left to go teach also.

Charles remained for a while longer, unable to leave his friends that he'd buried, that he'd gotten killed. Some small part of him wished he'd never sought them out to join the X-Men. They could've lived quieter lives, safer lives. But we wouldn't have been happy, Charles could practically hear Y/N say with that hopeful smile of hers, and Charles smiled at the thought.

And besides, if he hadn't recruited the two, Alex and Y/N wouldn't have met. And wouldn't that have been a true disservice to his students to never have witnessed such hope and love.

Or maybe they would have. After all, like he'd said, they'd been inevitable from the start.

And maybe Jean was right; possibly, a mutant's life was to inevitably end prematurely. But Raven was also right.

Charles touched Alex's headstone, then Y/N's, tears pouring down his face. 'Thank you, friends,' he whispered tearfully. 'Rest well. You've earned it.'

As the years went on, and the school took on more students and the gardens grew higher and wilder, Charles sought to personally keep his friends' graves clean and tidy. He told each student the tales of his fallen friends, the ones he was unable to bury as well. He made sure that the First Class of X-Men were not forgotten, and that their dream of a better future lived on in the next generation.

Sometimes, as he grew older, Charles saw a little bit of Alex and Y/N when he saw Scott and Jean. It broke his heart to know that Alex would never see his little brother become an excellent hero such as Alex, or that Alex and Y/N wouldn't grow old alongside him and Hank and Raven.

But their spirit lived on anyway, and maybe that was the inevitability of it all in the end.

[humanityinahandbag]

Steddie Halloween

Halloween after 'Spring Break' must be such a hard time for Steve. This is the guy that regularly hosted costume parties at his house during his King Steve era. And at some point probably hosted more laid back ones for the kids and Robin.

But since the Russian bunker he just... can't.

He has regular and more frequent night terrors of torture that had him and Robin shivering and holding onto one another like buoys. He's been dragged down into the depths of lakes by unseen monsters that left all kinds of scars. He gets migraines from moving too quickly or seeing strobing lights.

He carried Eddie's body out of the upside down, hands slippery in blood. He did CPR and felt Eddie's ribs crack under his hands. He looked at Eddie handcuffed to a hospital bed while doctors said we just don't know yet. Had to watch his Uncle, his father, sit by Eddie every day, rarely leaving his side, staring at his chest like he was grateful for each breath his boy took.

So. He's not really able to do Halloween anymore. And that's hard for him.

But whatever. He'll survive. He's fine to sit on the sidelines if it means the others will have a good time.

At this point, Steve was already coming to terms with his bisexuality. He'd already done a speed run through the Coming Out stages and walked out the other side with the eerie confidence only Steve Harrington could muster. This is a dude who has decided that he's going to flirt with Eddie until the other realizes and gets with the program. He knows Eddie likes him. He's a pro at dating and relationships and crushes. He just needs Eddie to figure out that the not so subtle hints mean something.

And then came Halloween.

He'd already told Eddie during a movie night about how much he missed the spooky season.

(And yes, he did discuss it while openly combing Eddie's hair back from his face and absolutely relishing in the way the other boy was turning all kinds of pink under the glow of the TV. Yes, Eddie was taking his time to catch up but no one said Steve couldn't have fun while he waited).

"Aw man. That sucks." Eddie barely managed to boot up his brain again to answer.

"It's fine," Steve would say, even though it wasn't.

And then, on October 31st, Steve wakes up to a maze in his backyard.

It's not a very good maze. It's mostly just tipped over pallets taken from behind Melvalds as the walls and tarps as the ceiling to block out some of the light. But it's so clearly meant to be some kind of a haunted hallway.

Steve is in boxers and a ratty Hawkins Swim Team t-shirt. He didn't take time to put on shoes, so he's walking across the cold concrete and the dewy grass in tube socks.

There's a sign posted on a piece of cardboard at the entrance.

ENTER IF YOU DARE

He stands there, shifting from foot to foot in his rapidly dampening socks, not quite sure what to do but intrigued nonetheless.

There's whispering and hushed voices from inside. And then Dustin is stomping out from around one of the pallet corners dressed in a suit that's clearly too small for him.

"Come on, dude. Can't you read? You're supposed to enter."

"It says enter if I dare."

"Yeah. So enter."

"What if I don't dare?"

Dustin rolls his eyes hard enough to make them stick, and honestly this kid and his tone.

"Can you just-" He groans. "Look. Eddie set this thing up and he and Robin dragged us all out of our beds at ass o'clock in the morning to put on these stupid haunted house costumes and wait around for you to wake up. So can you please just dare?"

Steve blinks. He looks at Dustin's suit. The tie is a little crooked and he's wearing bright yellow socks with his dress shoes. "I thought haunted house costumes were supposed to be... yunno... scary?"

"Yeah," said Dustin, gesturing to himself. "I'm the corporate grind."

And Steve can't do anything but laugh.

He goes through the little haunted maze. El was apparently having the time of her life and waves at him from a dead end, decked out a dress she made out of bits of stapled paper. "I am very frightening," she assured Steve. "I am overdue bills."

"That is very frightening," Steve agreed and ruffled her hair before going down another short hallway.

No one jumps out. There are no bright lights. Will had drawn decorations that they'd taped to the inside of the recycled plywood warning him of imposter syndrome and sleeping past your alarm and girls. Lucas at least put in a little more effort as a basketball player, though he had his knee wrapped in a bandage they must have picked up at the pharmacy and explained to Steve that the true horrors were being benched all season.

Max had refused to put on a costume and declared that she was scary all on her own.

Even Robin was there, waving at him. There was a cooler besides her. "This is the checkpoint," she said. "All the best haunted houses have checkpoints."

Apparently, the checkpoint included his migraine medication that he'd coincidentally forgotten to take that morning and a takeaway cup of lukewarm coffee.

"I tried to keep it warm!" She flapped her hands, waving them at the cardboard cup. "I literally held it between my knees and everything. But I had to help Eddie out last night to start building and-" she paused. "Shit. I wasn't supposed to tell you that. Forget I said that! Just- drink your coffee! Or don't! Is it warm enough? It's probably not. Fuck."

Steve is always shocked at how much more he loves Robin every day.

"It's good," Steve assured her, taking a sip. "Much scarier this way. Nothing scarier than a cold cup of coffee."

When he finally does make it to the end of the maze, Eddie is right there waiting. He's dressed as a vampire, with the stupid fake teeth and blood drawn down his chin with lipstick.

"You escaped the haunted maze!" Eddie put on a show of acting shocked, horrified, angry. His speech comes out garbled from behind the plastic teeth so it sounded more like you ethcaped the ha'ted mathe! It was endearing. Charming. Perfect. "My evil plan is foiled!"

Steve smiled. He looked back at the tarp and plywood and cardboard and duct tape. "You put this all together?" He turned back. "You built me a haunted house?"

Eddie's posturing paused. Despite how much he tried, there was little Eddie could do to hide the way he turned almost shy. He took out the teeth. "Uh. Yeah. But it's no big deal."

"It's kind of a big deal."

"It's really not," said Eddie. "Just- yunno. Figured you should be included." He brightened. "And this isn't everything! We've got a party planned at Joyce's tonight. Low music, we'll keep the lights on. Kids even picked out a movie, but I can't attest to the quality."

"You built me a haunted house."

"I... did." Eddie cleared his throat. He shoved the teeth back in. "But just so you know, it was all part of my evil plan. Which you foiled, My Liege!"

Steve stepped forward. "What was it?"

Eddie paused.

"The evil plan. What was it?"

"Oh. Uh." Eddie swallowed. "Keep you in my evil clutches forever?"

Steve beamed.

Robin had to usher a group of jeering kids away from the Harrington house. It was apparently too much for them to see Steve grab Eddie by the edges of his stupid vampire cape and tug him into a kiss.

"Dracula doesn't swoon," Dustin shouted back at them, covering his eyes.

"This one does," said Steve happily, before going back to work on a very shocked Eddie.

In the end, it did take Eddie a minute to catch up. Once his brain rebooted and he was able to comprehend that he was kissing Steve Harrington, the boy he'd loved since long, long ago.

He spends that night at the party sitting on the couch with his face buried against Steve's chest while the movie played. "You'd been flirting with me?"

"Mmmhm," said Steve, popping a candy corn into his mouth.

"This whole time?"

"Yup," said Steve.

"I wasn't imagining it?"

"Nope," said Steve.

"This is real?"

"Yup," said Steve, and dropped a kiss onto the top of Eddie's head.

"Okay," rasped Eddie. "Just checking."

"Learning how dumb you were being was the scariest thing this entire halloween," Dustin mumbled from the floor.

[kelnexia]

New character reveal!

This is actually an old character I've had for a while but just didn't like the previous design of... Thankfully I was able to score an trade with @hdra77 .

1000CE is an old militaristic ancestor of the iterators, created before the discovery of void fluid, and when the field of bio-engineering was still in it's earlier phases. More lore is below the cut...

1000 Crimson Embers is not a true iterator – instead being an old militaristic ancestor. She was originally built in a time of war just before the discovery of void fluid. She was one of the first artificial intelligence to use a combination of both biological and mechanical systems. Although the technology used in her creation was considerably more primitive than what’s found in the iterators we know and love today. But despite the difference in technology – a lot of the basic concepts and functionality in her design remains largely the same;

The layout of her structure was still fairly large, although not nearly as big as an iterator, and was built as an underground bunker. But the main similarity was how her mind was constructed… Similarly to how iterators in my head cannon have their personalty core and spiritual anchor located within their puppet – 1000 Crimson Embers has a standard brain and supporting set of organs acting as her center of consciousness within her puppet. Her puppet is also much larger than that of an iterator – being the height of an adult ancient instead of that of a child. The exterior of her puppet consists of hard metal plates and mechanical components. Her clothing is also built into her puppet. 1000 Crimson Embers doesn't utilized neuron flies in her structure, as they had yet to be invented by the time she was built – instead she’s outsourcing her cognitive processing to a massive array of inorganic server towers.

1000 Crimson Ember’s purpose was to design and create weapons, as well as to formulate strategies. She was loyal and hard working at the start, showing no serous signs of defiance despite her instinctual taboos being primitive and largely ineffective… That was until after the dawn of the void fluid revolution… With the ancients uniting under the common goal of ascension – the world entered a lasting era of peace – deeming 1000 Crimson Ember’s original purpose obsolete. However the ancients were inclined to keep her online for just awhile longer, as they still had some use for her. They tasked her in helping to create her own undoing – the iterators. She wasn’t a fool though, she knew what they were doing… They were building her replacement and trying to get her to help them in her own downfall! She lashed out in a violent fit of rage – ‘How dare they just carelessly replace her like this after all the thankless work she’s done for them!’ She drove them out of her facility by turning her security systems against them, killing many in her fit of rage.

But the ancients still needed the schematics and research for iterator tech 1000 Crimson Embers had already started work on before she had realized their true intentions behind it. So they struck a deal with her. They would upgrade her with the new iterator technology if she let them back in and got back to work for them. 1000CE reluctantly excepted the deal. But when the work was complete, and the time for her upgrades had come... They put her in stasis for the procedure… But they never kept their end of deal. They simply walked away and left her slumbering form to collect dust.

She awakened again many years after… To the sight of a group of scavengers that had broken in and accidentally reactivated her while attempting to gather scrap. The first thing she did upon seeing the invading creatures that were so rudely ripping her apart – was to reactivate the security system and kill every last one of them. However the damage had already been done. Upon running a system diagnostics, she found that her defenses had been breached, much of her facility has been flooded, and she’s all round in a severe state of disrepair. She would need to do something about that, and fast… Her weather systems were picking up on a massive encroaching storm.

Ultimately she would find her structure too damaged to sustain for much longer… She would end up using the freedom her weaker taboos and more self-significant puppet gives her to take herself off the strings, to at least save her core from the impending decay and flooding of her structure. But the world she would step out into would be very different from what she’s used too… Her home was once an arid region – but now it’s been turned into a tropics by the increased rainfall that has taken over the world and changed it the point of being near unrecognizable from what it once was.

[awesomecooperlove]

The Storm Is Here: Hidden Bunkers Raided, Children Rescued, and the Deep State Exposed

The deep state’s grip on our nation is weakening as their secrets come to light. The truth, long concealed, is now emerging, and the powerful are scrambling to maintain control. Brave actions are peeling back the layers of deception, revealing the sinister operations that have kept the American people in the dark for too long.

February 18, 2024: The Georgetown Raid

Tension filled the air in Georgetown, Washington, DC, as Unit X, a group of elite military personnel with trained Belgian Malinois, stormed a hidden bunker beneath the city’s streets. Inside, they uncovered horrors orchestrated by the deep state—47 children were rescued, and high-profile arrests followed, including a sitting congressman. The mainstream media remained silent, complicit in covering up this monumental event.

Operation Eclipse Exposed

March 15, 2024, marked another victory against the deep state. Leaked documents from a private intelligence firm in Langley, Virginia, exposed “Operation Eclipse,” a plan to fracture the nation through media manipulation and engineered social unrest. The deep state aimed to bring America to its knees, paving the way for martial law. However, Trump’s executive orders from 2020 thwarted this sinister plot just in time.

FEMA Camps Revealed

On June 22, 2024, a whistleblower from the Department of Homeland Security risked everything to reveal that FEMA camps, supposedly for natural disasters, were being used as holding facilities for political dissidents and trafficked children. Satellite imagery and intercepted communications confirmed these camps’ existence in remote areas of Nevada and Montana, exposing the deep state’s depravity.

The Silicon Valley “Suicide”

August 8, 2024, saw the mysterious death of a tech billionaire in his Silicon Valley mansion. The official story—suicide—was a lie. This billionaire, a key financial architect of the deep state, had been funding operations to undermine Trump’s efforts to drain the swamp. Unit X had been monitoring him, and when they struck, they ensured he could no longer threaten the nation. This was not a suicide but an execution in the war against those who seek to destroy America.

The Deep State’s Final Struggle

The deep state is in full retreat, but the battle is far from over. Every day, new revelations expose the extent of their crimes and influence. The fight for the soul of America is entering its most critical phase. The deep state’s reach extends into every facet of society—government, media, corporations, and institutions once trusted to protect us. They have manipulated and controlled us through fear and division for years, but 2024 marks the turning point.

The Mainstream Media’s Role

The mainstream media continues to distract and deceive, burying stories that matter and pushing narratives designed to keep the public docile and divided. They want us to believe everything is normal, but we know better. We see through their lies and understand their complicity in the deep state’s crimes.

The Tide Is Turning

The storm is here, and the deep state is running scared. They are not invincible, and the tide is turning. The hunters have become the hunted. Every action they take is monitored, every plot countered, and every secret exposed. The deep state’s time is running out, and the final, decisive blow is coming.

Conclusion: The Dawn of a New America

The American people are waking up, and the deep state’s days are numbered. The storm is here, bringing with it the dawn of a new America. Stay vigilant, stay informed, and together, we will reclaim our country from those who would see it destroyed. The light of truth is breaking through, and with it comes the end of the deep state’s reign. Their time is almost up, and a new era is on the horizon.

Join now, while it's not too late:

⏩️⏩️https://t.me/JFK_Q17⏪️⏪️⏪️⏪️⏪️

[devondespresso]

i was reading a scoops era steddie au where eddie visits scoops often and one thing i noticed i alway want but have yet to see (bear in mind my fic pallette is basically just shit i see on Tumblr and occasionally reading every fic a certain author has written) is a specific scene of eddie noticing stobins missing when he goes to visit them at scoops the day theyre stuck in the bunker. cause they entered the bunker after a shift one night and didn't get out until at the soonest the next afternoon right before the mall closes so if either or both of them were scheduled to work then they'd be just... gone.

and how characters around them handle that depends on how soon (if at all) they're declared missing. did robin think they'd be in-and-out in their snooping and tell her parents shes be back a little late or did she think they'd be out kinda late fucking around and just lied to her parents telling them shes sleeping over at a friend's like how we know tina was going to cover for erica? did mrs Henderson freak out when Dustin didn't bike back home (knowing what happened with will) or did she know he was with steve and trusted that they were goofing off or something?

and usually i see Steve's parents not being home but what if they were?? they could panic because steve always has some sort of excuse for why hes gone or maybe just his mom starts worrying because while his dad never really asks about him she does and she knows hes probably not at some girls house right now because he at least would have told her. or maybe mrs harrington doesn't know her son as well as she thinks she does and assumes he is out at some girls house and is relieved hes finally getting to be more like himself.

maybe just one or two people in scoops troop are reported missing that night and maybe the search started for them is enough for the other's parents or friends to realize they're all missing. maybe none of them are because they each already had a coverup with the people who'd notice. maybe they spent a good few hours in that elevator regretting lying about where they'd be because now no one knows they're in danger and by the time they start looking it could be too late (obviously erica didn't seem to grasp this yet but shes literally 10 and it's definitely her fist severely traumatic life or death experience. for the others tho it could definitely be on their minds and i have seen a few fics where robin wonders about how steve and Dustin are reacting like they've done scary shit like this before together)

then morning comes and id give it until lunch with no calls or anything before parents who believed their kids were sleeping over to start worrying seriously. maybe they call the friend their child's supposedly with and get a confused parent saying they haven't seen them or maybe they get the friend picking up and confirming they're fine (like tina). but if Mrs Henderson gets worried and calls steve she'll either get the harringtons saying he isn't home right now or she won't be able to reach him. and knowing steves like a big brother and a best friend to dustin knows that if steve missing too he's probably at least missing with him and goes to the station worried about them both

and then theres the fact that scoops has to open in the morning, probably sometime around 10am. maybe steve and robin were scheduled to both work again and as 10am comes and passes scoops ahoy hasn't been touched. maybe some mall manager calls the scoops manager (forgive me ive never worked in a mall but i do work in a store-within-a-store and we have our own manager plus the big store manager) and asks where their employees are. if missing persons reports were filed that last night then the manager would be really worried while frantically trying to find someone to cover for them. but maybe no one knows they're missing yet and their manager is grumbling about their no-shows, maybe considering firing them for both disappearing without even calling out. depending on how much they know and if the reports were filed, whoever has to cover their shifts is either worried about their coworkers (probably moreso robin than steve because of his reputation) or utterly pissed that they both didn't show and they have to open scoops ahoy with a few hours delay and probably a good few karens bitching about being closed. or maybe one or the other was scheduled and while their no-show is really inconvenient at least someone's there to open and ask for backup

and then theres steves car still parked in the back where it was the day before. a bike left behind at the mall is less eyebrow-raising but a fancy car? Steve Harrington's car? Steve Harrington who was scheduled to work today but somehow isn't in scoops right now? is he skipping work while simultaneously wandering around his workplace? and whats worse is despite evidence being there *no one can find him*. maybe thats what it takes for people to realize hes like actually missing. maybe they think he was kidnapped, hopefully he just went home with some girl and lost track of time.

and then theres eddie. eddie whos been stopping by scoops for a while now. maybe he still doesn't really like Harrington but likes teasing him with Buckley or maybe they've gotten pretty close. maybe they're already dating. maybe eddie walks up to scoops one morning to find it closed or to find that one or the other didn't show up for work this morning. maybe he hears from the worker that ones missing or maybe they get a rant about how pissed the worker is to be opening alone. maybe he's the one to go to a mall manager or security officer worried about scoops being closed because he *knows* the people that are supposed to be there right now and they don't just abandon work at the same time with no explanations.

or maybe eddie visits in the afternoons and learns they're missing from their coworkers or maybe hes there because he saw it on the news and went on his our hunt. either way it'd probably end with Eddie looking around the mall for them because he knows steve isn't going to just abandon his beemer in a busy public parking lot. maybe he finds them high out of their minds while checking the movie theatre (this one i do see a lot and am obsessed with its so good) or maybe he doesn't find them at all (its a big mall and they are actively hiding from Russians who know they escaped. sure stobin are not being very secretive while high but dustin and erica are at least keeping them in less-discoverable locations). maybe he goes home knowing hes looked everywhere in that damn mall and assumes they're probably kidnapped and taken somewhere else (if he did find them tho that opens a whole can of worms for if, how, and how much eddie gets involved and while my brains gone down sone of those rabbit holes i don't think i will today)

and then they see the news about the mall fire. and eddie knows damn well that he looked everywhere in that mall but didn't see a trace of his friends but there they are on the news and apparently in the fire. maybe eddie assumes he didn't look hard enough. but maybe he sees how steves the only one with more than a few bruises on his legs, how despite them claiming he was trapped in rumble that also allegedly killed billy hargrove he looks like hes carrying himself on adrenaline alone and hovering around robin and the kids like something more than falling support beams could get to them. maybe its the fact that he look as shit as he did but wasn't laying down on a hospital stretcher like he would be if he just got those wounds.

_._._._

hi if you saw any typos no you didn't UNLESS theyre funny or actually concerning then you should tell me and i can react appropriately

also i swear i feel like doctor strange looking through every possible reality when i go on tangents like this. idk whenever i come up with little fics in my head or come up with different ways my favorite unfinished fics could end im always exploring as many different versions of the same scenario as i can and coming up with as many what-ifs as i can.

also i pressed the poll button by accident while making this and idk how to make it go away to we're trying just ignoring it and not writing anything in it to see if it goes away

actually fuck that it probably wont work so im adding a poll question as a treat for the people who read this far

[technicontrastron]

There's one central office here that they're keeping and it's one of the cold war era underground nuclear blast bunkers they inherited from the Bundespost. We used to have a colocation there and one day we went to install some hardware early in the morning, like 6 am. When we entered our (shared with other carriers) colo room it was dark, we switched on the lights and got to work, and from some corner behind the racks a technician pale as a ghost appeared. We must have woken him up.

[iamthedukeofurl]

I think we should enter an era where everybody is inexplicably making genre-crossing Arthurian adaptations. We start out simple, A post-apocalyptic Mecha story where Arthur, guided over his radio by the mysterious Merlin, is able to activate a long-dormant mech left over from the war that destroyed the world. When that Mech is badly damaged, Merlin introduces him to somebody (Possibly a pre-war engineer who resides in a hidden bunker under a lake and refuses to come out, possibly an AI CLAIMING to be an engineer), who provides him with a new one. This new mech, Excalibur, would have been the ultimate cutting-edge weapon during the war had it been finished. While the mech itself is a potent weapon, what makes it truly special is it's extended self-repair abilities. Arthur assembles the Round Table, recruiting the most skilled and noblest Mech Pilots from across the wasteland to bring order and justice to the world.

So, after various groups have put out a handful of stories in that vein, with straightforward analogues for swords and knights, we start getting a little more abstract. A Mafia Epic. The underworld is in chaos after the previous respected don was killed with no apparent heirs. Merlin, the old Don's trusted friend, finds a young orphan boy who sings a song he claims his mother taught him. This song contains the password to the old Don's vaults, revealing Arthur to be the Don's grandson, raised by his daughter who left the underworld. With the Legitimacy of his family name established, and access to his Grandfather's Vault, young Arthur must unify the warring cartels and assemble a gang of trusted lieutenants. Then, once we've spent a few years redefining what "Noble King assembles an order of Knights" means while getting away from classic heroic archetypes, we can start getting Weird with it. Aspiring Singer Martha Pend manages to extend an old telescoping mic-stand that had been stuck for years. Mert, the sound guy who agreed to let her use the studio space at 2AM when nobody else wanted it because she begged him and he needed to be there anyway cleaning up after the place got trashed by some big-name band from a major label, proclaims that she will be the greatest musician of her generation, IF she can assemble a band. After successfully handling the high-profile, and deeply contested, divorce of Grant Stone and Caroline Sword, young lawyer Arthur Pendragon is promoted to Senior Partner just as the rest of the prestigious Firm of Camelot&Anglia dissolves. Can he keep the Firm alive with a fresh crop of recent law-school graduates? Arthur is prcolaimed the Greatest Fisherman Alive after catching a Swordfish in Stonewater Bay. Something something has to win a big fishing competition in order to save his small fishing town from getting bulldozed to build a resort.

Keep this nonsense going until people are sick of Arthurian Retellings. Then start the whole thing over again with The Count of Monte Cristo.

[confusedkittensposts]

There is a silver pickup truck in bunkers garage. It has many things some of the most prominent ones being blanket and a the jacket that belong to Nephilim Jack. There are three chocolate wrappers littered in the cabin, near one of the wrappers there is a strap of a bag. the bag is carefully hidden under the seat away from everyone belongs to a angel of the lord who currently resides in heaven.

The contents of bag is as follows

A blue spiral notebook, a blue tie, few chocolates, a notepad, black leather bound journal two blue ball point pens, a graphite pencil, a packet of 7 colour pencils (I don't know what products you guys get in US but the smallest pack we get here has 7 pencils)  a huge handmade sweater of olive green colour, three knitting needles, two crochet needles, a pair of handknit black fingerless gloves, a ball of warm yellow and a ball of orange wool, a ball of remaining olive and black wool, a little box haphazardly warped in green gift wrapping paper, white envelope, two Ziplocs, and a bloody rag.(loose papers and photographs)

The contents of the bag have been collected over last 12 years however they range from 6 months old to billions of years old

Sam looked at the stuff from Castiel’s truck brought in by a new hunter named Riley. He looks up as his brother enters the room. Dean seems much more curious about the contents that Sam feels, still they go through the thigs together.

Sam pulls out the sweater, its soft and warm and easily his size.

Dean recognises the rock as one jack picked up when they were out, “its blue like my eyes.”

The small gift box has dean’s name on it making him feel less guilty about opening it, a necklace of rosemary beads, Sam tells him the beads are carved with Celtic symbols powered with angelic grace, Cas had given Sam a bracelet of the same to help with nightmares in honey Cas era. Sam thinks they give you a general calming effect too, It also has a note . (with the way his brothers hand shake and jaw tightens Sam doesn’t ask him what it says.)

Dean tries to open the leather journal only for a sigil to light up and send electric shock through him, it gets tossed aside easily.

One of the Ziplocs has needles and pens and chocolates, rest of the things that were scattered in the bag join them.

The rose gold and black feathers, not very hard to guess whose are collected in a small pile.

The notepad mostly has notes from cases Cas solved and some loose papers, with doddles or animal sketches.

The second Ziploc h neatly folded pages some of them have cute little doodles clearly made by jack and rest of the pages have sketches on them breath taking beautiful sketches.

Portraits of the brothers, of Jack, Claire, Crowley, Rovena, meg, Charlie, Bobby, Jo and Ellen, some people they don’t even recognise, all the pieces have different level of detailing. Its clear that between everything going on Cas did not get to finish them. Some sigils, and art work done in many styles that are identified by Sam to belong across cultures spanning centuries.

It takes the Winchesters all of 13 minutes to get over their internal debate the argument with each other and open the blue notebook. It was a cheap spiral-bound composition book with lined paper, the kind kids took notes in for school. It had the ruffled, wrinkled look of a notebook that had been carried around for a while and written in pretty often. It also had some photographs pressed between its pages

The book had been started sometime after a human Cas left the bunker, its written in many languages, whichever I felt could express him most at that time. It had Castiel’s questions, questions he had no one to ask, the ones no one cared to answer. It had his doubts, doubts about everything he had done, about his decision to keep going rather than putting his blade in himself. His fears, fears of the world around him, of what would come, of forgetting everything he knew... It had stories, of small towns he visited, of people he met, not just when he was human but even after that, towns he went to for a case, or stopped by, for refills or rest or just out if curiosity. It had random information about animals.

It had sketches too, kittens in a box, or a can longing on a wall, or a dog curled up, a baby they did not recognise, some flowers and birds, bees of course, and them of Sam and Dean, younger ones, the ones who had first met Cas, of themselves then.

There are some empty pages, and the last page of the book has a intricate sigils.

While gathering some papers that fall down  trying to put them back in Ziploc, Sam comes across A old folders piece od paper  with a drawing of him and Dean, standing shoulder to shoulder, defiantly from when they were much younger, towards the top of the page underneath the heavily shaded lead were lighter strokes, barely visible. And they looked like wings. Wings that were spread above Sam and Dean, tips curling down in a protective canopy. Sam keeps it. (pretty sure I read about it in a fic don’t remember which)

Dean keeps the box and its contents, Sam keeps the sweater.

The rest of the bag and its contens are given to Claire after Sam finds out Castiel visits her regularly

She is happy to learn that Cas knits and teases the seraph until he gives her a hat with cat ears.

[nya-dragonaxi]

Part 2 of the old Nya art yippie

With also a bunch of text because CONTEXT is important

___

Dix

Fucking jumpscare of my CH phase

Do not talk to me about it, look at the Bismuth censoring my old user name tho !! That's cool !!

___

Double 1

Entering the UT RP era

Fate!Ralsei, created specifically for Rp, the original idea was that he fell into the Card castle's dark fountain and ended up in the void with Gaster

They have a complicated relationship

Then he became friend with X!Susie after she opened the bunker and got him out of the void

___

1+2

Scene from the Rp

TW for a bit of blood

I used Asriel from Negatale, kind of lost interest in the AU so I don't remember everything about him

The scene represents Az who was following Echotale Chara around (rplayed by one of my friend). Echo!Chara was in elevator and it broke so Az tried to save them. Just so yk he succeeded but I was listening to sad music and damn that scene hurt

___

Friday

FNAF OC !!!!! COOKED HARD !!!!!

HELL YEAH

Backstory is that she's an animatronic who melted while protecting a child, was thrown in back of the pizzaria and the only use it had after that was for the souls of 2 children who where murdered, they were siblings too

I don't remember their name but I had a mechanic for the animatronic based on who was controlling it. If it was the girl, it was mostly passive and her eyes glowed white, if it was the boy, it was more aggressive

___

4teen

Entering... The sun and moon AU...

I'm not going to explain in details what sun and moon is about because it is more than an UT/DR AU it's mishmash of literally every show, game, book me and my friend we will call Azu liked

So here's Sun, my character

Yes it's a cat, context ? It was Chi's sweet home rp that turned into the most confusing thing that ever existed with generational curse, demons, elemental powers and soooooo much more random ass stuff

But it was fun, I even have a favorite character who was called Night

So how does UT/DR affect that world ? Well... Timeline monster corrupting everything and there is this one desert in a timeline that exist to protect everyone. It has a giant shield too, I don't have the plan but I know I had made one so in case I find it I'll let y'all know

___

¹5

Starting the UT/DR with metatton EX

He only has this form at the end when the corruption monster was gone

But before that...

___

Six plus ten

METTATON NEO WOOHOO

I think I had started a redesign and then forgot about it

The shield is my favorite part it looks so cool

___

S e v e n t e e n

Flowey + Mad mew mew/mad dummy

Y'all when I was a kid I thought mad mew mew and mad dummy were two different characters 💀💀💀

___

Tbc...

[laconservancy]

Conversing with L.A. Conservancy Member and Volunteer Juliet Drinkard 

by Liz Leshin 

Young Juliet Drinkard with her parents in 1951.

Juliet Drinkard has always loved history, so much so that at the age of 16, she entered an essay-writing competition to highlight a significant African American in history. She chose mathematician and surveyor Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806), won the contest, and was crowned Queen of Los Angeles’ “Miss Negro History Week” in 1969.

Then there’s the tour she organized and scripted for a family reunion in 1986 large enough to fill two tour buses that caravanned through many of Los Angeles’ historic areas, starting at Watts Towers, ending in Hollywood, and of course allowing for a shopping stop at Santee Alley. And although she moved out for years-long stretches, she still lives in the huge South Central house she was raised in, purchased by her parents in 1954, which she describes as “looking like a big ship.”

Although living in the home can be bittersweet now that her folks are gone, she has special memories of eating family meals looking out of the big picture windows of the breakfast room into the backyard at her father’s lush garden, which she says was “like being in a professional nursery.” 

The Drinkard Family Home.

Juliet’s family home was built in 1910, like many of the other houses in the neighborhood.  She describes her parents trying to modernize the house, painting the dark wood white, removing the coffered ceilings and some of the built-ins.  Juliet tried to convince her parents not to make these renovations.  She says that “Even at 11, I liked looking at older buildings,” both her own house and those of her relatives.  Juliet especially likes the opportunities that participating in Conservancy events offers to get inside of homes and other buildings that she wouldn’t otherwise have access to. 

Her parents both moved to Los Angeles from the south, her mother from Louisiana her father from Alabama.  Her father and his brother lived with their uncle, who “bought a tiny house on a street called “Success” in Compton,” notes Juliet.  Her parents met through an uncle on her mother’s side; they dated for a year and got married, spending their honeymoon night at the Clark Hotel on Central Avenue.  Juliet describes the special experience of being able to visit the Clark Hotel in the 1980s.  

Juliet’s commitment to historic preservation intensified when she started working in downtown Los Angeles in the 1970s.  “I went over to see the Bunker Hill area, and learned that the Victorian-era homes had been bulldozed.  I felt sick.  That area should have been preserved… something should have been done,” she says, adding “It’s important – that’s a part of the history of Los Angeles.” 

Newspaper clippings of 1969's "Negro History Week" where 16-year-old Juliet was named Queen.

With her passion for Los Angeles history, it was inevitable that Juliet would find her way to the Los Angeles Conservancy as a member and volunteer (her first assignment was the 2014 special tour We Heart Garden Apartments).  She supports the organization “to make a difference in preserving Los Angeles’ history.”  She loves to explore Los Angeles, and take friends and visitors to many places around town, with a special affection for historic locations.  She observes, “there’s so much to do and see in our own hometown!”   

One of Juliet’s favorite historic places to visit is Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House.  She went to visit three times in a 7-year period before Covid.  She said every time she went, she saw something different, and just loved standing in the space and looking around to get the feeling of the place. 

Two of her other favorite historic locations in L.A. are Union Station and the Farmers Market, both formative places in her childhood that she still loves to visit. She describes going to the Farmers Market in the early 1960s as an 11 year old.  Her mother “worked for a lady whose apartment overlooked the Farmers Market,” and one time her mom gave her five dollars and let her explore the shops on her own.  She remembers how exciting that was. “I bought a little box of pastel chalks for $4.95,” which she says she still has to this day. 

She describes going to Union Station frequently with her parents when she was young, “starting in the 1950s; relatives were always coming and going.”  As a child, she would look through the window at the Fred Harvey restaurant – she wanted to go in but never did.  It was a real pleasure for her to volunteer when the L.A. Conservancy held an event to celebrate the grand opening of the Imperial Western Brewing Company in 2018, in the former Fred Harvey restaurant space, which had sat empty for decades.  She says, “My dream came true.  Over 60 years later, I’m walking through the door, sitting and eating inside.” 

Our sincere thanks to Juliet for sharing so many wonderful memories and family photos.

[papirouge]

I saw that trump will die in the coming years too, (I also believe Putin has cancer), the country falls apart but the rich also fall because their secret bunkers and plans to escape are exposed. They can’t hide anymore

These billionaires are /terrified/ of Gods judgement. Absolutely terrified, and take out their frustrations onto innocent people because it makes them feel like a god on earth. Many have sold their souls and others have had their souls corrupted

I have a friend who can see people who have passed away but haven’t been able to cross into heaven or hell. She told me saw that ceo who was just shot. He’s alone, naked and shaking in a corner of what can be considered purgatory (it’s like the in between), and regretting all his actions because he doesn’t want to admit what he’s done in front of god for judgement. So he’s hiding.

We are entering into an era of change and the powers that are currently standing do not want to fall down like before (think French Revolution and other revolutions)

Don't know about Trump, but I absolutely believe Elon has a God complex (his whole transhumanist thing, his obsession with controlling natality, etc.). I'm absolutely fascinated by how the same people who were fear mongering about microchips in vaccine are enthusiastically supporting him when he deadass has a project of brainchip.... This stupidity leaves me without words....

This vision of the killed CEO is very interesting. It reminds me the report of the Korean woman who got transported to Hell by God and made an entire serie of paintings. She told that in Hell we had a different punishment according the major sin leading our life. Apostates were those who had the most grueling fate.

There's no chance this man can hide anywhere in the afterlife (the purgatory is absolute catholic fanfic nonsense on a theological level) but I guess he has the fate of greedy people. I have to rewatch the video of that korean woman because im fairly sure she talks about it.

And yeah, I totally believe other assassinations or stricking public death are the way. The same woman who predicted Trump assassination said Beyoncé will die on the scene and this event will be unprecedented in terms of public shock (she said that even MJ death was not as big...which says a lot)

[beldamsgarden]

10/18/24

A lot happened. Like, a lot. But between waking up and the time of writing, there were nearly two hours of stressing out and then eating Panda Express. I forgot a good chunk of what happened.

My friends and I were in LA. All of a sudden, a limo pulled up, and Ariana Grande got out of the car. Somebody rolled out a red carpet. There was a whole parade of a British military band forming a walkway on either side of her as she struts down the sidewalk. Something about her being affiliated with the Illuminati?? Idk

I entered this little antique/used bookshop and went down a secret door. An underground bunker shelter was being run by Uncle Machete from Spy Kids. There was a whole fucking American diner, gumball machines, an automobile workshop, and a bookbinding station down there. The people slept in pods similar to those of capsule hotels. I turned into Peter Parker. I was hiding from these people who wanted to kill me for whatever reason. The people trying to kill me turned out to be some hybrid of Illuminati cult members and agents from the Matrix. I (still Peter Parker) went into this bank vault, and it teleported me to another safe house in the woods - a cottage. Uncle Machete stayed back to protect his shop/bunker, which had somehow changed from being a large and brightly lit space to a small bunker with dirt/stone walls lit by dim bulbs and candles. I knew how things were going to end because, on top of being Spiderman, I was also secretly a time traveler. I told Uncle Machete that I had to go through the vault with me, but he didn't listen. Uncle Machete died. I was very sad.

And then something happened in between and all of a sudden, I was watching a young couple during the Renaissance era in a hot air balloon. They were in a forced arranged marriage by their parents, and they were miserable. The guy was sleeping with other girls. The girl was chronically grumpy and always ignored the dude. The dude turned out to be an asshole because he later tried poisoning the girl to break off the engagement. The girl died. I (no longer Peter Parker, back to my normal body) turned back time. The girl got decapitated. I turned back time. I guess I was trying to compensate for Uncle Machete dying. The timeline changed. We entered modern times. The couple were in a mansion that had a fucking aquarium tunnel as the room's walls/ceilings. They had made peace with each other (probably because in this life/timeline, they weren't being forced into marriage), and they were having a movie night sleepover with their friends. Lots of popcorn. I became a regular person without any notable abilities. I entered this big arcade. I've been to this place before in many dreams. I was looking for somebody in the arcade. I don't remember who.

[the-firebird69]

We are watching our son get ready and we see you messing with him about everything every little teeny thing if someone could mess with could find a little thingies and fingers and toes moving about and we're going to collapse you into a little ball of nothing there's no way that we can work with you because what you're doing and you don't believe that you're going to reform yourselves and it's over.

-miss you in the midwest trying to capture us and your evil we see you in fighting over it Non-Stop we are putting into it and erasing and probably half of you will be dead by the end of your little ass and I move and we hate you for it but we needed you out of there and the max would leave and they left for their bunkers and Max said it's a mistake and it really is it's for people who need a break and want to take it all and one fell asleep it's one reason but it's about the law and you guys broke it the referencing Caesar and saying it's Mac in the movie Dawn of the apes and planet of the apes and he was upset for us and we have to try and do it then everyone's backstabbing him and he realizes that you can't help it so he tries to help them by working in the system and it's become very difficult but it seems some progress and we need to watch out for it.

-when I am a progress is that our son is so annoyed he's ready for phase 2 and that's what he's saying it's not really the attitude our son has his attitude is I'm going to beat it out of you and what you guys say is we're going to hand it to you as you say you're being out of us beating it out of us and he says that's not what Matt knows it's not what I know it's true when you die he's going to get stuff and you're going to threaten him with it and that's what Max is encouraged by and we use it.

-there's other things happening on the home front we are going into another phase shortly where the warlock will be under assault and they will declare war on the pseudo empire they would declare their independence as well July 4th until I'm 50 right the document they don't do it every year. This is a special year and in doing so they start the fight and it's really against the pseudo empire and they try to return after having a big fight and supposedly they get along they're fighting over it as they try and come across and they're losing they activate all sorts of things they take chips from the pseudo empire and territory and they do fight their way back here and even into Florida but not a ton they get pushed out everyday and beaten down and it's because big groups are here. They know about it so they're going for the government and the pseudo empire pushes them out again and it's by massive massive atrocities and mass homicide and war on their Islands and they devastate these morlock all of them are crushed. The invasion force that they sent to take over is not really massive but it was big enough to overwhelm the government and they had to flee and it happens before the election and it's the second attempted coup by Trump and his band in outlawed after it's not coming up too long away.

-now with these things comes a whole bunch of events they are tied together a massive number of them and they're going to start in moments a lot of it has to do with the stashes and cashes and more of it there west coast East Coast plan globally to conquer everybody and it does fail and their islands are brought to their knees and kept there and we enter a different era it is the age of the Giants and that's what people call it

By the way I wish all of us the best and if you need assistance call in we're going to help

Thor Freya

Olympus

I'm feeling okay and doing well and yeah I'm kind of bothering you and that's okay and he's used to it a little bit he's going to get used to it more and I'm laughing cuz that's what he says he wants me to have my Ford GT and in a character here and I like it and I'll be careful and he loves me okay everybody of ours he wants people to come by and help and say hello I've had some do it already and I was enthralled and I've got to call them back I have information and a thank you for them

Hera

We do it tirelessly every day and she's doing the work and doing the job and she's being friendly with ours and they're her people and we want that very badly and we see that she is empress material and he is the head of the family as emperor they he ordered us to start up the procedure for her to ascend and we're doing it and she's not being transferred this year but she will and needs to begin the whole program and we're going to start that too we have it for a lot of other people as well and we're going to begin shortly

Olympus

This is my idea and it's greatness and I can't believe it and I did discuss it with Zeus and Hera of course in Zeus brought it up and it's a great idea but for other people too and we have to get them acclimated and it will help with recruiting and we're going to start it now

Thor Freya

[evilminji]

I'm back! And by Zone this still HAUNTS me! >:Dc

You may be asking! "But Evil! Oh fabulously good looking and talented writer that you are! How did they MEET?" Which is understandable, basically EVERYONE but them is deeply confused. But! We must once again Remember and Reference *slaps Ra's time-line* that THIS baby? Has SOOOOOO much room for High Drama, Warrior Of Legend and Shadows, sword dueling and Machiavellian Bullshit!

The man's had MULTIPLE KIDS.

Even MORE Rivals Of The Era(TM) and lovers of Exemplary Skills in their chosen fields!

He also? Flirts and Seductively Subtexts at his favorite opponent like an absolute monster! Just? Non-stop. Nothing gets the blood up like a good ol fashioned Live Steel, roof top, duel to the presumed Death! Preferably atop a train racing through a perilous mountain range, during a ferocious thunderstorm, or at night as they pass through some cenic city full of lights.

You know... as one does.

He really does miss the days when Hot Young Exceptional Individuals would just? Grab a horse, a weapon, and come try to kill him. Maybe dedicate their lives to chasing him down and thwarting his schemes.

The youth these days are so BORING.

Oooooh, your technology box is threatening mine. Oh no. How ever will I recover? Why don't you try shooting at me from half a continent away next? Cower in a bunker like vermin, while trying to play "squash the dot" on your little screens? Pathetic! Boring!

Is there NO ONE to give him the fight he desires?!

*enter stage "Fuck Yoooooooou!" as Danny drop kicks one of his ninja down the street behind him*

He was probably at some highly traditional little café. Planning to have a "I'm totally Threatening You" chat with someone. Maybe stretch his legs and/or influence a bit. When? One of his underlings tried to intimidated the WRONG Feral Honey Badger, son.

Welcome too Pain.

Needless to say? It escalates. You kick ONE ninjas ass? His buddy's gonna take exception to that. So you kick HIS ass. You were just looking for a spot to get lunch, after all. Got things to do. And these guys are BORING. But! You kick a TEAM of ninjas asses?

Well now, suddenly their CAPTAIN wants a word.

Then HIS buddies.

Then THEIR commander.

All of a sudden? It's become A Whole Thing(tm). The street is full of ninja. You are still lunch-less. This has stopped being novel and midly amusing about 15 ninja ago. Then? They Dramaticly Part. A shop door is held open. Big Boss must be arriving. Time to kick HIS ass and go get lunch.

But!

Oh No. HE'S HOT.

Striding out with his Dramatic ass, silly looking, cloak. Which SHOULD be hilarious but somehow looks all Powerful and Cool. Traditional clothing, that hug his body in an open shirted and VERY favorable way. Almost aggressively masculine with all those masterfully honed muscles, perfectly complementary cologne, and darkly refined yet old-fashioned style.

Stance effortly balanced and instinctive.

Head tilted up at a regal and commanding angle.

He looks like a sexy warlord, straight from some work of high fiction. And he's being handed a sword. A NICE, master's work, well used but carefully maintained, LIVE BLADE. Oh.... Oh No.

He wants to fight?

But Danny's body isn't ready! His hair is a mess and he's been traveling all day! *flustered sputtering in Ghost* nuuuuuu~ ( TT-TT) why does Danny keep meeting Hot People only when he looks LIKE GARBAGE?!

Because! Ghosts? Fight to socialize. There is SUBTEXT(TM) to their fighting. Maaaybe its "ha! I think I'm stronger then you!" But maybe it's "hey! Let's be friends!". On occasion? It's even MORE then that. Sometimes? It's "hey ;) noticed your Super Awesome Fighting ;) wanna get up close and personal with me? And~ Fiiiight~♡ ;) "

Ra's is giving off "VERY Bad Boy Who Wants To DO THINGS To You" energy in this club tonight. Well, moderately small, countryside town at mid-day. But STILL! Danny was NOT PREPARED! Shocked, flustered, and maybe he's into this? He DOESNT KNOW?! Such aggressive SEDUCTION, SIR!

Did Ra's INTEND to send this Subtext? Not really. He came here to see the man delivering his highly trained underlings such humiliating defeat. But the youth does not back down. Does not grovel. Handles himself well.

It might be amusing, he thinks.

If it weren't for Pandora? Danny would be utterly CURB STOMPED. He's fought actual Concepts that hit less hard. The blade sings, the dance deadly, as it takes Danny everything he HAS to barely hold on.

His blood stains the blade.

Not much, but Ra's DOES get cuts in. However? It's enough for the sunlight to his those infinitesibly small bits of Ectoplasm in his blood, which makes up half of what he IS now, and light the droplets an almost iridescent green.

Green in a shade Ra's has WORSHIPPED for centuries.

Oh~?

The young man throws himself BACK and away. No where to flee, yet he is not trying too. Ra's allows it. Just to see what he will do. Then? Like blinding sunlight of the Pits surface, a rolling wave. Curtains parting to reveal the truth. A man made of Ice and Starlight. A magnificent Lazarus green light, like divinity shining from his skin. Eyes the color of the deepest waters of the Pits.

He becomes something MORE.

And no longer does Ra's hold the easy advantage. It? Is EXHILARATING. Each blow he blocks a fatale one, capable of caving in a lesser man's torso. The speed and boneless grace. His opponent free of gravities hold, as though floating the coldest waters, yet striking like meteors battering the Earth.

Ice, burning green light, and in the end?

A haunting swan song that rips apart all before it.

Ra's opponent escapes. More then half his men are critically wounded. He has broken ribs and more bruises then he's had in DECADES. He has? Not felt so ALIVE in over a century. Perhaps longer.

So obviously he tracks the man down again.

Repeatedly.

To his endless delight? Unlike CERTAIN people, the man flirts back. Fights brutally. They dance between death and passion, tearing up everything in their wake. The man seeming to be genuinely flattered and intrigued by Ra's interest. And really, Ra's is nothing if not a persuasive man.

They drink fine wines as they battle wits, they dine as they smirk and purr such DEADLY threats, there are such MAGNIFICENT battles at every local. He sends Danny, (not Daniel, never Daniel, unless he wishs too invoke disgust) gifts. Blades and treasures from beyond Earth's soil. Interesting information on places to visit or explore.

For Danny is free and unrestrained, wild in his nature.

For once it is RA'S who chases. He can not say it is unpleasant. Rather, it has become an exciting turn of events. But... once AGAIN? Those insipid and short sighted "Heros" meddle. While he had been careful to keep his passions from the eyes of the Detective and his ilk, he underestimated the rare intelligence of those costumed imbeciles closer to Nanda Prabat.

They confronted Danny.

Ran their ill informed and uneducated mouths.

And NOW? They've gotten Danny's back up. Twisted the truth into something Danny will never accept. Ras has had no chance to ease him into things, to explain his ambitions. And now he flits and flees at even the SLIGHTEST indication of Ra's or his men's presence! It is like chasing the wind itself!

Ra's is FURIOUS.

Not at Danny, of course, he is merely being true to his nature. Made no secret of his views or stances. But at those IMBECILES? At the so called "villains" who should have been KEEPING THEM OUT OF HIS LOVE LIFE? Livid. Wroth.

And now his CHILDREN. His GRANDCHILDREN! Are acting like they have a say in who he does and does not marry! Whom he takes to his bed! Must he ask their permission to hold his lovers HAND next?! For how long did he tolerate your infatuation with the Detective, Talia?! Long after he had proven unreasonable? That's what he thought.

Now if you'll EXCUSE him, not that you have a say, he shall be planning a raid on several illicit stores of alien technology. He requires bait, if he is to entice his lover to stop fleeing and actually SPEAK with him. *dramatically exits*

@hdgnj @hypewinter @nerdpoe @lolottes @mutable-manifestation

Oh... Oh No(TM) :Dc

You know how occasionally? Ra's has to get dunked to rehydrate in that good, good Youth Soup? And probably comes out looking Damningly Fine AF, as a chisled warrior man in his late to mid 20s?

........okay, so HEAR ME OUT.....

You ever date a Hot Passionate Bad Boy, that you KNOW is probably bad for you? Because he is REALLY charismatic? Remembers all the important dates and details. Has Hot Blooded roof top sword fights and dramatic cliff side brawls, with you? Talks like the most Dramatic! Nerd! You have? Ever Heard! *mysterious musical sting by full orchestra*

Swishy cape?

VERY Impressive muscles.

But so High Drama that even you, "Commit To The Bit" Danny, of the Good and Noble House "WHY IS EVERYTHING ON FIRE!?" Fenton, find him... occasionally A Bit Much(tm)?

Just? A REALLY Bad Idea in attractively form fighting luxury wear.

You get too fight ninjas.

..........Danny's not SAYING he gave into his worst Dumbass Thirst Impulses... but, uhhh, he's also? Not NOT saying it?

And it's becoming a problem.

Cause apparently their whole family is CLINGLY (Bruce, in the background of the call: No. REALLY? You DONT SAY?) when they decide they've found The One. And he was unaware of the Murder Cult. Yes! He KNOWS! Should have asked where the ninjas came from! But in his defense...

Hot man, no shirt-y, Danny brain go Dumb and Drools.

He had a fancy sword and wanted to fight, Jazz.

Danny was FLUSTERED!

He refuses to be Mrs. Cult Leader, Jazz! You dealt with hot bad boy Exs! What does he do!?

And just? Jazz? So... so tired. Dear lord, she thought Dani was bad. But no. No Dani came by her... EVERYTHING, honestly, didn't she? It's genetic. It has to be. Danny what the FUCK? When she said "you should get out more and see the workd" this is NOT WHAT SHE MEANT!

Danny? Is not really feeling the helpful vibes here, Jazz. Fine. He'll hunt down Talia. She'll help him! Surely SHE won't want him to be her new step-dad! Hmmmph! *click*

And THAT! Is how the Bats meet their new Son/Brother-in-Law, Danny. Jazz's baby brother.

@hdgnj @nerdpoe @hypewinter @the-witchhunter @babbling-babull @lolottes @mutable-manifestation

[slimeinnocence]

Sainte Bernadette Du Banlay (1963) and The Oblique in 20th Century Architecture

Mario Ramirez-Arrazola May 10, 2024

An acceptable framework for which to understand the confusing historiography of 20th century “modern” architecture is to frame the era as an anxious debate surrounding whether the built environment is at the mercy of either form or function. This dichotomy is primarily understood as a design concern, but the continued integration between architectural discourse and socio-politics allows for these conversations to enter a politicized realm. A particular geometrical aesthetic which rose prominently in the 20th century is the oblique. Immediately, there are a variety of modern architectural figures which have directly employed the use and language of the oblique to their advantage–again, not just simply for design, but towards a political and aesthetic agenda. Those of particular note who employ the oblique are the early 20th century Italian Futurists–specifically Filippo Marinetti and Antonio Sant'Elia–and French-based architects Paul Virilio and Claude Parent, who work in tandem, and of which the former is also quite theoretically based. As far back as 1914 does Marinetti state: “That oblique and elliptical lines are dynamic by their very nature and have an emotive power a thousand times greater than that of perpendicular and horizontal lines and that a dynamically integrated architecture is impossible without them.” Marinetti employs short and blunt arguments to justify a gigantic ambition: the end of classical architecture and the embracement of violence, modernism, war, technology, and speed. Hitherto, how can we understand this development and mobilization of the oblique in modern architecture through a close-reading of these architects? In utilizing Claude Parent and Paul Virilio’s Sainte-Bernadette-du-Banlay Church (1963), along with primary-source written documents from the designers’ themselves (such as the 1997 text Bunker Archaeology), I will move towards an illuminated understanding of this discourse. In the end, there is an attempt to showcase that the oblique does not become mobilized primarily for its functional use (as is immediately inferred) but is rather used as a tool for political and aesthetic means. I will begin by giving an overview of Vilrio’s respective writings’ surrounding the oblique and settle a conceptual foundation for which to understand this concept, including Claude Parent where salient; I will then move onto a close-reading of the Sainte-Bernadette-du-Banlay Church and validate connections between their conceptual drive and its implementation of the oblique; I will end with a general discussion on the form versus function debate in the long 20th century.

In the realm of architectural theory, few concepts have captured the imagination and sparked as much discourse as the notion of the oblique, despite its immediate nicheness within the field. At its core, the oblique represents a departure from the traditional orthogonality of architectural form, introducing a dynamic and destabilizing element into spatial design. However, its significance transcends mere formal experimentation, touching upon broader themes of movement, perception, and social interaction. But contextualization is essential, as to those unfamiliar with architectural discourse it may appear odd to dedicate such careful attention to a mundane shift in geometrical focus. 

Paul Virilio (1932-2018), was a French philosopher and cultural theorist. He is renowned for his provocative examinations of technology, speed, and spatiality. His experiences during World War II, including witnessing the German occupation of France and the bombing of his hometown, deeply influenced his later work on technology, war, and urbanism. These formative experiences contributed to his interest in the impact of technology on society and the built environment. Central to Virilio's architectural thought is the concept of the oblique, which he conceptualizes not merely as a formal gesture but as a fundamental reconfiguration of architectural space. In Virilio's vision, the oblique disrupts traditional notions of stability and symmetry, introducing a sense of movement and dynamism into the built environment. Through his writings, Virilio challenges architects to reconsider the static geometries of modernist architecture and embrace the oblique as a means of reflecting the accelerated pace of contemporary life. Virilio also delved into media theory, examining the impact of mass media and telecommunications on society. He was particularly interested in how technologies of communication influence the dissemination of information and the formation of collective consciousness. Parallel to Virilio's philosophical musings, Claude Parent (1923-2016) was a French architect known for his radical architectural theories and innovative built projects. Born in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, Parent's architectural vision was deeply influenced by his experiences during World War II and his subsequent studies in architecture. In collaboration with Virilio, Parent advances a radical architectural manifesto centered around the oblique. Parent's architectural vision is deeply rooted in the belief that traditional spatial hierarchies must be destabilized to accommodate the complexities of modern existence. For Parent, the oblique is not merely a formal gesture but a conceptual framework for reimagining the relationship between architecture and movement. Through his writings and built projects, Parent advocates for an architecture of sensation, where the oblique becomes a catalyst for new modes of inhabitation and experience. Their relationship was strong, but eventually waned due to political differences, primarily in their respective responses to the May 1968 students riots. Without a doubt, Virilio was driving the theoretical and conceptual fervor in their relationship, while Parent was much more pragmatic and hands-on. In fact, they had somewhat of a Marx-Engels relationship, as Virilio was kindly employed in Parent’s office with the title of “chief critic.”

Central to Virilio's conception of the oblique is his broader exploration of speed and perception in contemporary society. In his seminal work, “Speed and Politics,” Virilio posits that the acceleration of technological progress has profound implications for the way we experience space and time. His examples mainly stem from military history and they shift chronologically from medieval to modern times, all in relation to the construction of the city and general urban environment. His historiographical qualification of his dromological theory is highly creative and varied, such as his commentary on siege warfare: “Bourgeois power is military even more than economic, but it relates most directly to the occult permanence of the state of siege, to the appearance of fortified towns, those “great immobile machines made in different ways.” The oblique, for Virilio, becomes a manifestation of this acceleration, disrupting traditional spatial orientations and challenging our perceptual frameworks. Through his writings, Virilio invites us to reconsider our relationship with the built environment, urging architects to embrace the oblique as a means of confronting the relentless pace of modern life. Building upon Virilio's philosophical inquiries, Claude Parent translates the concept of the oblique into dynamic architectural forms that defy conventional expectations. Parent's built projects, such as the Church of Sainte-Bernadette-du-Banlay in Nevers, France, exemplify his commitment to destabilizing architectural space through the strategic use of inclined planes and skewed perspectives. Through these interventions, Parent seeks to engender a sense of disorientation and movement, inviting occupants to engage with space in new and unexpected ways. In doing so, Parent challenges the static nature of architectural form, advocating for an architecture that is responsive to the flux and flow of contemporary life.

At its core, the oblique serves as a catalyst for reimagining spatial experience in the modern built environment. By introducing elements of instability and dynamism, the oblique invites occupants to engage with space on a visceral level, stimulating the senses and fostering a heightened awareness of one's surroundings. In this sense, the oblique transcends its role as a formal gesture, becoming a medium through which architects can evoke emotion, provoke thought, and facilitate social interaction. As we delve deeper into Virilio's and Parent's writings on the oblique, it becomes evident that their exploration of this concept extends far beyond the realm of architectural form, encompassing broader themes of movement, perception, and human experience. Virilio's and Parent's exploration of the oblique carries profound implications for architectural practice in the contemporary context. As architects grapple with the challenges of designing for an increasingly fast-paced and dynamic world, the concept of the oblique offers a conceptual framework for rethinking spatial organization, form-making, and human interaction within the built environment. By embracing the oblique, architects can create spaces that not only respond to the flux and flow of modern life but also actively engage occupants on a sensory and experiential level. The oblique challenges traditional notions of architectural form, inviting architects to move beyond the rectilinear constraints of modernism and explore new formal vocabularies. Speaking less broadly, it will be important to commit towards a close-reading of Parents and Virillio’s 1963 Sainte-Bernadette-du-Banlay Church project to see how these conceptual ambitions manifest themselves in a direct and material manner. 

First, we can speak purely experientially through how the project performs spatially through photographs (fig. 1). As one approaches the church, it immediately asserts its presence with a strikingly angular facade, defying the conventions of traditional architectural form. The exterior walls, characterized by their sharp inclines and dynamic angles, challenge the viewer's perception, inviting them to reconsider their relationship with the built environment. Unlike conventional churches, which often convey a sense of solidity and permanence, the Sainte-Bernadette-du-Banlay Church appears almost fluid, as if in a state of perpetual motion. Upon entering the space, visitors are greeted by a dramatic interplay of light and shadow, facilitated by the strategic placement of oblique planes and skylights. The interior of the church is characterized by a sense of dynamism and spatial fluidity, as inclined surfaces converge and diverge, guiding the eye upwards towards the heavens. As mentioned above, central to Parent and Virilio's design is the notion of destabilization, both spatially and perceptually. The oblique surfaces disrupt traditional spatial hierarchies, blurring the distinction between floor, wall, and ceiling.

Figure 1: Claude Parent and Paul Virilio, Sainte-Bernadette-du-Banlay Church, 1963, Nevers, France. Interior photograph.

We can also give a historiographic overview of the church based on John Armitage’s research. To Armitage, the church stands as a testament to their visionary approach to spatial design and their commitment to challenging established architectural norms. The architectural landscape of the Church of Sainte-Bernadette du Banlay is imbued with historical and ideological resonances, drawing inspiration from the military bunkers that lined Hitler's Atlantic Wall during the Second World War. This strategic defensive line, stretching over 4,000 kilometers along the European coast, served as a physical manifestation of power and control, reflecting the totalitarian nature of wartime organization. Virilio's fascination with the spatial dynamics of warfare and the transformative impact of conflict on the built environment is palpable in his choice to incorporate elements of bunker architecture into the design of the church. However, Virilio and Parent's intentions extend beyond mere mimicry of military forms. The incorporation of bunker-like structures into the church's design serves a dual purpose: to evoke a sense of protective enclosure and to challenge conventional notions of architectural space. By refusing to adhere to traditional horizontal and vertical planes, Virilio and Parent create a dynamic interplay of form and function, inviting occupants to engage with the space in new and unexpected ways. Despite its formidable exterior, the Church of Sainte-Bernadette du Banlay offers a sanctuary of solace and introspection within its walls. The interior space, conceived as a grotto in homage to the church's patron saint, Bernadette, provides a refuge from the outside world. Virilio and Parent's integration of religious symbolism into the architectural design underscores the church's dual identity as a place of worship and a site of architectural experimentation.

Finally, we may speak upon how the oblique continues to permeate contemporary architectural design, both in literal geometrical form but also in the same conceptual fervor as Virilio and Parent originally set forth. Christian Sander's analysis of Virilio's oblique theory offers a profound exploration into the philosophical underpinnings of contemporary architecture, particularly in relation to the dynamics of space, time, and human movement within urban environments. Sander meticulously dissects the contrasting approaches of the Architecture Principe manifesto and dromology, shedding light on their implications for architectural design and urban planning. At the heart of Sander's analysis lies the dichotomy between the Architecture Principe manifesto and Virilio's dromology. The former, championed by Claude Parent, advocates for an alternative vision of urban spaces characterized by pedestrian-friendly environments and a rejection of the imperative of speed. In contrast, dromology, as articulated by Virilio, takes a more pessimistic view, critiquing the hegemony of speed and technology in shaping contemporary urban landscapes. Sander elucidates Parent's evolution from embracing technological fervor to adopting an anti-speed stance, epitomized in his text “Le temps mort.” Here, Parent envisions a city where speed ceases to be a prerequisite for existence, advocating for a recalibration of urban spaces to prioritize pedestrian needs over vehicular speed. This philosophical shift underscores a fundamental tension between the rapid pace of technological advancement and the human-scale experience of urban life. Moreover, Sander underscores the relevance of this analysis to contemporary architectural discourse by foregrounding the ongoing tension between circulation and architectural form. Architects now have unprecedented access to tools and methodologies for analyzing and optimizing circulation patterns within urban environments. Digital simulations and modeling techniques allow designers to anticipate and accommodate the movement of people with greater precision than ever before. However, alongside these technological advancements, there is a growing recognition of the need to prioritize the pedestrian experience and community well-being. The emphasis on efficiency and speed, while conducive to certain forms of circulation, can often neglect the human-scale qualities that make cities livable and vibrant. As such, contemporary architects are increasingly called upon to strike a balance between optimizing circulation patterns and creating environments that nurture social interaction, cultural exchange, and a sense of belonging. As Virilio was originally beginning to make us wary of, there is most definitely a politics of mobility and circulation spawning in the modern era.

As mentioned in the introduction, it is now essential to wrap-around and contextualize our findings within the broader discourse surrounding the form versus function debate that has permeated architectural theory and practice throughout the century. The dichotomy between form and function has been a recurring theme in architectural discourse, reflecting competing ideologies regarding the role of architecture in society and the prioritization of aesthetic expression versus utilitarian purpose. For example, a seminal work within the modern architectural cannon that we can investigate is American architect Louis Sullivan’s (1856 - 1924) “Form Follows Function” design dogma, first elucidated in the 1896 text, The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered. Louis Sullivan famously argued for the primacy of function in architectural design, asserting that the form of a building should be a direct expression of its intended use. Sullivan's dictum became a foundational principle of modernist architecture, influencing architects such as Le Corbusier and Walter Gropius, who sought to reconcile functional efficiency with aesthetic innovation. This emphasis on functional integrity and efficiency represented a paradigm shift in architectural thinking, challenging architects to prioritize the pragmatic needs of users over purely aesthetic considerations. For architects of the modernist movement, Sullivan's dictum provided a conceptual foundation upon which to build their own visions of architectural progress, grounded in the pursuit of functional clarity and spatial efficiency. However, while Sullivan's emphasis on function represented a radical departure from the past, it also laid the groundwork for a new set of challenges and tensions within architectural discourse. The stark dichotomy between form and function, while initially liberating, ultimately proved to be limiting in its simplicity, leading some architects to question the reductive nature of functionalist doctrine. This is where the work of Paul Virilio and the exploration of the oblique in architecture diverge from Sullivan's functionalist principles. While Sullivan advocated for a direct correlation between form and function, Virilio and Parent's conceptual framework challenges the notion of a rigid hierarchy between the two, instead embracing a more dynamic and expressive approach to architectural design. By introducing the oblique as a destabilizing force within architectural space, Virilio and Parent transcend the constraints of functionalism, imbuing their designs with a sense of movement, dynamism, and emotional resonance. In contrast to Sullivan's emphasis on rationality and efficiency, Virilio and Parent prioritize the experiential and perceptual dimensions of architecture, inviting occupants to engage with space in new and unexpected ways.

This nuanced perspective on the form versus function debate is echoed in the writings of architectural theorist Robert Venturi, whose seminal work “Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture” (1966) challenged the dogma of functionalism and celebrated the richness of architectural form. Venturi's concept of “both-and” architecture posits that architecture can simultaneously serve multiple functions and express multiple meanings, rejecting the binary opposition between form and function in favor of a more inclusive and holistic approach to design. Venturi's critique of functionalism in “Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture” heralded a shift towards postmodernism, a movement characterized by its rejection of modernist ideals and its embrace of plurality, diversity, and historical reference. Venturi argues for an architecture that celebrates complexity and contradiction, recognizing that buildings can serve multiple functions and express multiple meanings simultaneously. This concept of “both-and” architecture challenges the binary opposition between form and function, advocating for a more inclusive and holistic approach to design. In contrast to the work of Paul Virilio and the exploration of the oblique in architecture, Venturi's approach prioritizes complexity and ambiguity over clarity and rationality. While Virilio and Parent embrace the oblique as a destabilizing force within architectural space, Venturi celebrates the richness of architectural form, acknowledging that buildings can embody a multiplicity of meanings and functions. Rather than seeking to resolve tensions between form and function, Venturi revels in their coexistence, recognizing that architectural meaning emerges from the interplay of contradictory elements. In the long 20th century, the form versus function debate has evolved from a simplistic dichotomy to a multifaceted discourse that encompasses a range of perspectives and approaches. While functionalist principles continue to inform architectural practice, architects increasingly recognize the importance of considering the cultural, social, and experiential dimensions of architectural form.

In conclusion, the exploration of the oblique in modern architecture, as exemplified by the works and theories of Paul Virilio and Claude Parent, offers profound insights into the evolving nature of architectural discourse and practice throughout the 20th century. By departing from traditional orthogonality and embracing dynamic geometries, Virilio and Parent challenge the static conventions of architectural form and invite us to reconsider our relationship with the built environment. Through their writings and built projects, they demonstrate that the oblique is not merely a formal gesture but a conceptual framework for reimagining spatial experience, perception, and social interaction.

In our theorization, we may be privy to forget that Virilio’s work had quite the public presence, at the very least in exhibition form. The 14th exhibition (fig. 2) titled “Bunker archéologie”, particularly room 5's display of twentieth-century civil architecture, serves as a poignant reminder of the multifaceted nature of architectural discourse. Among the iconic architectural landmarks showcased, such as the Guggenheim Museum by Frank Lloyd Wright and the Goetheanum by Rudolf Steiner, the inclusion of the church of Ste Bernadette by Paul Virilio and Claude Parent stands out as a testament to the enduring impact of Virilio's exploration of bunker architecture. This transition from exhibition to catalog sheds light on the evolving nature of architectural scholarship and interpretation. What initially began as a series of photographs, devoid of discernible formal attributes yet rich in historical and metaphorical implications, transformed into a tangible manifestation of Virilio's exploration of the architectural remnants of warfare. The inclusion of people in some of the photographs adds an intriguing layer of interpretation, inviting us to consider the human experience within these stark and brutal environments. The juxtaposition of iconic architectural landmarks like the Guggenheim Museum alongside the more utilitarian and austere bunkers prompts us to reevaluate our preconceived notions of architectural significance. By bridging the gap between seemingly disparate architectural typologies, Virilio challenges us to explore the underlying connections and narratives that shape our understanding of the built environment. The inclusion of the Guggenheim Museum, with its avant-garde design and cultural significance, alongside the stark and utilitarian bunkers, underscores the complexity of architectural history and its intersection with broader socio-political contexts.

Figure 2: 14th exhibition “Bunker archéologie”, room 5: “Séries et transformations”. At the center, examples of twentieth-century civil architecture: the Einstein tower by Eric Mendelsohn, the model for a single-family home by Adolf Loos, the Goetheanum by Rudolf Steiner, the headquarters of the High Court of Justice and the Assembly in Chandigarh of Le Corbusier, the Guggenheim Museum of Frank Lloyd Wright, the church of Ste Bernadette by Paul Virilio and Claude Parent (Archives Centre). – ACP 1994W033/074 “Bunker archéologie – Paul Virilio”: communiqué de presse, tapuscrit du catalogue, cartons d’invitations, correspondance, photographies, diapositives, contrats, budget, factures, devis, coupures de presse, projet, 1975-1976.

In this light, the “Bunker archéologie” exhibition serves as a microcosm of the broader discourse surrounding architectural history and theory. Through the lens of Virilio's exploration of bunker architecture, we are invited to reconsider the ways in which we perceive and interpret architectural artifacts, transcending conventional notions of beauty and utility. As we navigate the complexities of architectural discourse, exhibitions like “Bunker archéologie” offer invaluable opportunities for reflection, dialogue, and reinterpretation, prompting us to question, challenge, and ultimately expand our understanding of the built environment and its significance in shaping human experience.

Virilio's philosophical inquiries into speed, technology, and perception provide a provocative lens through which to understand the oblique as a manifestation of the accelerated pace of modern life. His exploration of dromology, or the study of speed, highlights the profound implications of technological progress on the way we inhabit and navigate architectural space. By destabilizing traditional spatial orientations, the oblique disrupts our perceptual frameworks and challenges us to engage with space in new and unexpected ways. In parallel, Parent's radical architectural theories and innovative built projects embody a commitment to destabilizing spatial hierarchies and fostering a sense of movement and dynamism within architectural space. Through his collaboration with Virilio and projects like the Church of Sainte-Bernadette-du-Banlay, Parent demonstrates the transformative potential of the oblique as a catalyst for reimagining the relationship between architecture and human experience.

Looking forward, the legacy of Virilio and Parent's exploration of the oblique continues to permeate contemporary architectural design, both in literal geometrical form and in the conceptual fervor that they originally set forth. As Christian Sander's analysis illustrates, the philosophical underpinnings of Virilio's oblique theory offer profound implications for contemporary architecture, particularly in relation to the dynamics of space, time, and human movement within urban environments. Architects today are called upon to navigate the tension between circulation and architectural form, balancing the imperatives of efficiency and speed with the human-scale experience of urban life. In the broader context of architectural discourse, the exploration of the oblique challenges the dichotomy between form and function that has long permeated architectural theory and practice. While figures like Louis Sullivan championed the primacy of function in architectural design, Virilio and Parent offer a more nuanced perspective that transcends the constraints of functionalism. By embracing the oblique as a destabilizing force within architectural space, they prioritize the experiential and perceptual dimensions of architecture, inviting occupants to engage with space in new and unexpected ways. The exploration of the oblique in modern architecture represents a departure from the rigid conventions of the past and a celebration of the dynamic and fluid nature of architectural form. Through their visionary theories and innovative projects, Virilio and Parent challenge us to rethink the possibilities of architectural space and to imagine new ways of inhabiting and experiencing the built environment. As we continue to navigate the complexities of the contemporary urban landscape, their insights remain as relevant and inspiring as ever, guiding us towards a more responsive, dynamic, and inclusive architecture for the future.