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skyeeuphixia2 · 2 months ago

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𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙷𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗 𝙴𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚌𝚝

𝚂𝙴𝙰𝚂𝙾𝙽 𝟷 ~ 𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝙾𝙽𝙴

'The Vanishing of Will Byers'

...

November 6th, 1983

Hawkins, Indiana

...

The low sound of Blondie's 'One way or another' quietly fills her room, hardly audible over the soft strumming of her guitar. Y/n was led back casually on her bed, her well-worn instrument in her arms as she focused on the song quietly playing, attempting to learn it by ear. She would have the music louder, it would be a lot easier for her to learn it that way, but after three noise complaints that week from neighbors, she wasn't eager to push her luck. Right as she was getting the hang of it, she heard shouting from outside her bedroom window.

"I'm gonna kill you!"

She chuckles, setting the guitar to the side, pushing herself off her bed, and going to the front door, opening it just in time to see Will Byers speeding past the house.

"I'll take your X-men 134, Goodnight Y/n!" He shouts, a triumphant little grin on his face as he disappears down the street.

"See ya, say hi to your brother for me!" She shouts after the boy, amusement dancing in her voice. A few seconds later, her younger brother slowly rolled to a stop in front of the house, staring after his friend, panting slightly.

"Son of a Bitch," he muttered under his breath.

Y/n, who had been watching the whole thing with her arms crossed, leaning on the doorframe, a knowing smirk on her face, "Bet another comic?"

"What do you think?" He grumbled as he dragged his bike over to the garage.

"You gotta stop starting races when your opponents are already in front of you, now in you come, leftovers in the microwave, just gotta heat it up," She says, ruffling his hair playfully as he passed her into the house. "Yeah yeah," he grumbles, but he couldn't stop the small smile that was tugging at his lips.

"So," She says, sitting across from Dustin once he had heated the pasta Skye had made earlier, sitting down to eat it, resting her chin on her hand, "how was the campaign, it had to be at least 8 hours this time,"

"Ten!" He corrects, through a mouthful of pasta.

"Impressive, so how was it?"

"It was all going really well until the Demogorgon got Will,"

"Why didn't he just cast protection?" she asks, shrugging her shoulders in question as if it was the most obvious choice to make.

"Thank you!" Dustin says, throwing his hands in the air, "That's exactly what I said to do but he went- this is so good -but he went with Lucas' idea to cast fireball instead!"

"Stupid move," she shrugs, shaking her head.

Dustin's eyes squinted at her wrist as he took another bite, "where'd you get that?" He asked, looking at the simple gold bracelet on her right wrist, his voice slightly muffled by his full mouth.

"First of all, gross, second I bought it the other day,"

"With what money?"

"Money I got from babysitting Will two weeks back and Lucas 3 days ago, cause I, unlike you, save my money, maybe you should have considered doing it before betting away your comics," She quipped back, taking his plate when it was empty, and putting it in the sink.

Y/n had been the official babysitter for the 4 boys since she was 13, well technically not Mikes cause Nancy could babysit him, but Nancy would always invite Y/n over when she was babysitting and she often ended up being the one to entertain Mike, so she was essentially Mikes babysitter. "Now, bed, it's a school night," she says pointing down the hall to his room.

Dustin trudged his way to his room, not without grumbles and protests, but he knew his older sister was right. "Night,"

"Night Dust," she smiled. She pulled him into a quick hug, which he gladly accepted, before they headed to their rooms, the quiet hum of Blonide's song still lingering in the air.

...

Y/n trudged out of her room the next morning, already running late. She had thrown on a random band T-shirt she'd grabbed off the floor, paired with jeans, her dark blue striped number and black boots. Her hair was slightly messy, but that was a priority, getting out the door on time was, she had a hair brush in her car anyway.

"Morning sweetie," her mother, Claudia, calls from the couch, their cat, Mews, curled up on her lap. "Can you wake up Dusty?"

She rolled her eyes slightly as she made her way to his room, "I really need to get him an alarm clock that works for Christmas, or ten,"

She knocks a few times. No response.

With a sigh, she slowly pushed the door open, finding her brother sprawled out on his bed, his blanket half on him, half off the bed, a star wars comic fallen lazily on the floor, his hand dangling above it, he had likely fallen asleep reading it. "Dust, up you get," she yawns, turning his light on for a rude awakening.

"No," he grumbles, pulling the blanket over his head.

"You get up in five minutes I'll give you a lift to school," she bargains.

Dustin instantly shoots out of bed, almost tripping over himself, "I'm up!"

Y/n chuckles as she leaves the room, going back to the kitchen. She starts prepping some toast for Dustin when the phone rang, she grabbed it, tucking it between her ear and shoulder. "Hello?"

"Hi, Y/n, it's Joyce," she heard from the other end, the older woman's voice fast and slightly nervous.

"Oh hi Joyce, what's up?" She asks.

"Nothing, nothing, just wondering did you see Will ride past last night?"

"Uh, yeah I - hold on - DUSTIN HURRY UP! -sorry, yes I did, He rode back with Dustin, why?"

There was a small pause and a sigh from the other end, "Um...nothing. Don't worry I just..." Joyce sighs, clearly uneasy, "I haven't seen him this morning,"

Y/n frowned, setting the butter knife she was using to butter Dustins toast down, "Strange...he came back last night right?"

"I was at work and so was Johnathan," she admits, clearly trying to stop herself get worked up.

"Ok, well don't panic just yet, maybe he just went in to get some homework done," she comforts, hearing the tension in Joyce's voice.

"Yeah...maybe," Joyce agrees, though she didn't sound all that convinced.

"I'm taking Dustin to school today so I'll keep an eye out for him,"

"Thank you so much, Y/n," finally a hint of relief in her voice.

"Don't worry about it, sorry but I really gotta run, I'll call you once I'm at school,"

"Thank you again, bye,"

Y/n says a quick bye before hanging up, her stomach twisting slightly. Had Will made it home last night? He seemed perfectly fine when she saw him. She cared for all three of Dustin's best friends like they were her brothers, so if any of them weren't ok, she'd drive herself crazy trying to help them.

"Dustin I'm leaving without you!" She shouts making her way to the door and grabbing her bag.

Before she was able to reach the door, Dustin came barreling around the corner, snatching his breakfast out her hand as he ran past towards her car. She sighed, shaking her head with a small smile. She had a bad feeling about today.

...

After dropping Dustin off at school, and failing to spot Will or his bike, Y/n made her way to her school. As promised, she gave Joyce a quick call to let her know what little she had found. She pushed her worries aside, at least for now, and stepped inside the building into the bustling school hallway, instantly she spotted her friends Barb and Nancy at their lockers, she smiled to herself and made her way over to him.

"We just made out a couple of times," she heard Barb tease Nancy, who rolled her eyes, so Y/n came up to them making obnoxious kissing sounds.

"Ooo Steve shove your tongue down my throat," she said in her best imitation of a lovestruck Nancy, causing the brunette girl to gag in horror.

"Oh my God it was not like that," She blushes furiously, practically hissing at her as Barb tries her hardest not to laugh.

"I hope not. God knows what you could've caught, I don't want to know where that tongue has been," she grimaced, leaning on the locker by Barb, the redhead laughing at Y/n's clear disdain for the self-titled 'King Steve'.

"Seriously Y/n? Can't you just give him a chance? He's not that bad," Nancy huffed, trying to defend her boyfriend.

Y/n gave her a look, one that clearly screamed 'do I look like I'm joking?'. Y/n had her reasons, good ones as far as she was concerned. It was a long time ago, back when she was a freshman, Y/n would spend her free periods in the schools practice rooms, renting a school guitar to play as she refused to use her Dad's old one they had at home, and couldn't afford a new one. One day, she made her way to the practice room, only to find the guitar she rented completely smashed on the floor. The school had blamed her for the damage, forcing her to pay for the damage, her having to use all her savings, and on top of that, she had been banned from using the practice rooms or renting school instruments again.

It hadn't taken her long to figure out who the real culprits were, she had spotted Steve, Tommy H, and Carol, laughing to themselves while she was being scolded by the principal. Now she was stuck using her dad's old guitar which was out of tune, and she hated using anything of her dad's.

To Steve, it was probably just another meaningless day. A joke. Something he'd already forgotten.

To Y/n, it was the day she decided she hated Steve Harrington.

And now he'd taken a liking to her close friend. Fantastic. Thankfully, she and Steve never really interacted. She made sure to avoid him like the plague whenever he was around, and she planned to keep it that way.

"Nance seriously, you're going to be so cool now it's ridiculous," Barb says, a small hint of disdain in her voice, popularity changed people, and Y/n and Bard didn't want to lose their friend to the likes of people like Tommy H and Carol.

"No I will not," Nancy insisted, shaking her head.

"We're serious, Nance," Y/n says, "You better still hang out with the redhead nerd and Y/n 'the loser' Henderson," She says, referring to names that Tommy H and or Carol had so graciously given them over the years.

"Yeah, if you start hanging around Tommy H, or Carol-"

"Ew gross! It was just a one-time-" Her voice trails off as Y/n and Barb raise their eyebrows at her, "Two-time thing," Y/N opened her mouth to respond, but Nancy suddenly noticed a folded piece of paper in her locker. Curious, she grabbed it, unfolding the note as Barb and Y/N peered over her shoulder.

Meet me in the bathroom - Steve

"You were saying?" Barb says smugly, Y/n crossing her arms unimpressed, Nancy looking at the two of them coyly before wandering off in the direction of the bathroom. Barb and Y/n both look after her, each of their smug looks slightly disappearing, both of them slightly sour by their friends new company.

"The bathroom, real classy Harrington," Y/n says rolling her eyes slightly.

"Didn't you know, all the best love stories happen in the bathroom," Barb jokes, causing both girls to laugh as they wander to their first class, at least Barb wasn't changing anytime soon.

...

Y/n sat in her literature class, head resting in her hand, elbow propped against the desk. She usually enjoyed English, but Mr. David had a way of making even Hamlet sound like white noise. She was quickly snapped out of her thoughts however when there was a knock at the door, Chief Hopper stepped in, looking as uninterested in being there as Y/n felt about the lesson.

"Sorry to bother you," he says addressing Mr David with a nod, "I need to borrow Y/n Henderson,"

Murmurs spread across the classroom as all heads turned to her. Y/n blinked in surprise, glancing at her teacher. He gave her a quick nod, granting permission. She hesitated for a second before standing up, shrugging at Nancy and Barb as she passed their desks.

Y/n followed Chief Hopper through the halls of the school, eventually out of the building, confusion growing with each step. "Um, excuse me, Hop? What's this about"

"You'll see soon enough, kid." He replies, not sparing her a glance as they continue walking which did nothing to ease her nerves. A pit begins forming in her stomach as they go to his truck, both of them getting in as they silently drive, the only sounds being the occasional sigh from Hopper, it wasn't long until they pulled up at Dustin's school.

Her nerves spiked. Something was really wrong.

When Hopper led her to the principal's office, she felt her stomach somehow sink further. Inside, Dustin, Mike, and Lucas sat on the couch, looking just as confused as she felt. Another officer stood nearby, arms crossed.

"Sit," Chief Hopper told her as he sat opposite the boys. She sits on the armrest of the sofa next to Dustin.

"The hell did you do?" She whispered to him.

"Nothing!" He whisper yelled back at her. Hopper asks them about Will and that's when it hit Y/n, Will was still missing. The four boys all start to talk over one another, talking about when they last saw him, which way he goes home, trying to be helpful but just pissing Hopper off, Y/n was about to speak up also, but seeing the chiefs patience already wearing thin, she held back.

"Okay, Okay, Okay, one at a time, all right? You," he says, indicating to Mike, who nods, ready to answer any question that the chief had, eager to help search for his best friend. "You said he takes what?"

"Mirkwood,"

"Mirkwood?" He asks sceptically, squinting at him. The three boys nod at him. Hopper looks over towards the other police officer, "You ever heard of Mirkwood?"

"I have not. It sounds made up to me-"

"It's not, it's from the Lord of the Rings," Lucas explained.

"Well The Hobbit," Dustin instantly corrected. Y/n pinched the bridge of her nose, time and place Dust, time and place.

"It doesn't matter Dustin," She says leaning down, telling him off quietly.

"He asked!" He argued back, only for Lucas to mock him and the two to start arguing, Mike trying (and failing) to mediate them, Hopper trying to get them to shut up with little success, so he lets out a long sigh, rubbing his temples.

"Boys!" Y/n shouts, all three of them shutting up under her harsh glare, shrinking back into the couch slightly, "Thank you,"

The chief set her an approving look before looking back to Mike, "You,"

"Mirkwood, it's a real road. It's just the name that we made up," Mike informs him, before Y/n steps in for them, knowing that, while enthusiastic to help, they'd just give a bunch of information that wouldn't matter.

"It's where Cornwallis and Kerley meet," She clarifies, and the Chief nods in understanding.

"Yeah, yeah I think I know it-" He says leaning back presumingly to talk to the officer just to get interrupted by Mike.

"We can help you if you want!"

"I said that I know it!"

"We can help look," Mike protests, Lucas nodding while Dustin lets out a small 'yeah'. However, the idea is immediately shut down by Hopper, Lucas and Dustin opened their mouths to argue, but Hopper raised a firm hand.

"No. After school, you are all to go home. Immediately. That means no biking around looking for your friend, no investigating, no-nonsense. This isn't some Lord of the Rings book."

"The hobbit..."

Y/n looks at her brother and hits his shoulder and when he looks up to protest she just shakes her head at him. Hopper stands up and looks down at all of them, his voice low and commanding, "Do I make myself clear?"

All four of them nod.

"Good, you're dismissed, except you," He says pointing to Y/n who nods and stays seated while the boys get up and file out, all muttering under their breath.

Hopper sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You still their babysitter?"

Y/n crossed her arms. "Pretty much, yeah."

"Right," he said. "Then I need you to keep them in line. Make sure they go straight home after school. No sneaking off, no riding around at night—nothing. I don't want them out there."

She nodded. "Understood, Hop."

"Good." He gave her a firm look. "I mean it, kid. Keep 'em safe. Like you always do. Like I know you can,"

Y/n exhaled, suddenly feeling the weight of responsibility on her shoulders.

"I will."

...

Dustin, Mike and Lucas all trudge out of the building after what felt like the longest day of school of their life. Sitting through class, pretending everything was normal without Will, it was torture. The only thing on their minds was figuring out a plan to find him that night. As they reached the parking lot, they spotted Skye leaning against her car, arms crossed, waiting for them. She waved them over.

"What are you doing here?" Mike asks as they approach her.

"Well first off, Dustin doesn't have his bike so I'm picking him up, and secondly, I'm taking you two home,"

"But we both have our bikes," Lucas points out after he and Mike exchanged looks.

"I know you do, but I'm here to make sure that you're not gonna ride to Mirkwood, I'm driving you straight home and that's where you're going to stay, get your bikes, and put them in the trunk," She says, leaving no room for arguments as she gets in the driver's seat, Dustin joining her in the passenger's side as the two boys sigh and go to grab their bikes.

Her grip on the wheel was tight as she drove, Y/n was worried about Will, not just Will, she was worried about Johnathan and Joyce as well. She's incredibly close with Johnathan, they first met when Dustin met Will and the rest of the party two years ago when they moved to Hawkins, and the two of them have been close ever since, sure they didn't hang out in school all the time, Johnathan preferring to be alone, but they knew they were friends, and that's all that mattered. She hadn't seen Johnathan at school that day, he'd probably skipped to look for Will, but she couldn't blame him, she knew she would do the same if Dustin went missing...god she didn't even what to think about the possibility. Just the thought alone made her feel sick.

They were nearing Lucas' house when she caught snippets of the boys muttering in the backseat, Dustin twisted around to whisper to them. "We'll have to wait until later—"

"Meet at my house—"

"We should bring flashlights—"

Y/n narrowed her eyes and slammed on the brakes, just enough to make their heads jolt forward slightly. "Woah, woah, woah, let's stop that conversation right there,"

"Y/n-" Dustin tries to argue, but Y/n doesn't let them get a word in.

"No listen to me, you are not, under any circumstances to go out on your bikes around that area, or looking for Will, especially after dark. The chief is right about this one guys, this isn't a fantasy book or a campaign, this is real life, and it's scary and it's dangerous. The best thing you can do for Will right now is listen and cooperate with the police, and not become the next kid on the milk cartons. Please...if you're ever going to listen to me, let it be now," She says, practically begging them as they all look down guiltily and nod. "Thank you, Lucas we're here,"

Lucas grabbed his bike from the trunk, murmuring a quiet "Bye" before heading inside. Next was Mike's house. As soon as they pulled into the driveway, he hesitated before getting out. "Y/n..." he started, looking like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just gave a small nod and closed the door behind him.

Now, it was just her and Dustin.

The ride home was quiet. Uncomfortably quiet.

When they finally arrived home, Dustin started heading to his room, however was stopped when Y/n called out to him, "I'm serious, Dustin,"

"Hmm?" He asks, turning around to look at her, confused. She steps over to him, her expression softer as she looks down at him.

"I'm serious, no going out to look for him. I know you want to find him, I want him home safe just as much as you do," She takes his chin in her hand gently, tilting his head up so he was looking at her proparly, "But I don't think my heart could handle it if anything ever happened to you," She says, her voice full of emotion.

Without a word, he wrapped his arms around her middle, hugging her tightly. Y/n exhaled, hugging him just as tightly in return. When they finally pulled away, she ruffled his curls. "Go get some rest, nerd."

Dustin smiled softly before heading to his room. Y/n stood in the hallway for a moment, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She just hoped to God they listened.

...

It was late that night, past the time that their mother had gone to sleep that Y/n hears a small thump, and a hushed 'shit', from outside. Frowning, she sat up and looked outside her window just in time to see Dustin pedaling past the house on his bike, no question where he was going.

"Son of a bitch," She mutters before throwing on a jacket, and running out the house, grabbing her keys and getting in her car, "Always the goddamn babysitter!"

It was already drizzling rain as she reached Mirkwood, finding three familiar boys stood just outside the police tape that was blocking off the woods. As soon as her headlights washed over them, they all froze like deer caught in the beams. Slowly, they turned to face her, blinking against the glare.

"Y/n?" They all call out.

"Are you shitting me?!" She yelled at them, Y/n slammed her door shut and stormed over, her boots crunching against the damp earth.

"The hell are you doing here?" Lucas asked her, still squinting against the headlights, causing her to scoff sharply.

"What am I doing here? I could ask you three the same thing. What did we talk about?!" She yells at them, her hands on her hips as she glares at them all with disappointment.

"We can't just sit around while Will is missing Y/n, now you can either protect us or leave us to get lost as well," Mike says stubbornly, ducking under the tape and wandering into the woods, without waiting for a response, closely followed by Lucas. Dustin hesitates and just looks at his sister, who huffed and snatched a spare flashlight off him.

"Manipulative little shit," She grumbles as the two of snatching a spare flashlight from his hands before following the other two into the darkening forest, as the rain starts to get heavier.

They felt like all of them had been searching for hours, all of them starting to lose their voices from the constant shouting of Will's name, all of them soaked all the way through, exhaustion starting to set in, Dustin falling behind slightly.

"Guys I really think we should turn back," He says, sounding tired and worried.

"Really Dustin?" Lucas argues back, already gearing up to start another argument. Mike and Y/n look at each other, both rolling their eyes and allowing the two boys to argue, there was no telling them at this point. They let them argue until they heard the rustling of leaves, like something around them was moving, Y/n tensed and looked at Mike, who was already looking at her with a concerned face, signaling that they had heard the same thing.

"Dustin shut up," Y/n straining to get a better listen.

"I'm just saying that-"

"Shut up," Mike hisses this time, all of them now listening out, a small rustle comes from behind them. Hoping it might be Will they all point their flashlights in that direction, but nothing.

Another rustle comes from behind them once again, and they all point their flashlights, this time the light falling on a girl. She couldn't be anywhere older than the three boys, shivering in nothing but a soaked, oversized yellow t-shirt. Her head was buzzed, and her wide, terrified eyes darted between them.

"Holy shit..."

(fin)

author note:

hello lovelies, this is all very spontaneous, I haven't tried to write a story following a series or film for years so we will see how it goes and if I commit.

please go and read: just friends by user_is_nonexistant and my bestfriends ex by skullarr as they were big inspirations for me to write my own story (both on wattpad)

hope you enjoy xx

Taglist: @snegyysnapped

Let me know if you want to be added/removed <3

#dustin henderson #dustin henderson x reader #eleven hopper #jim hopper #johnathan byers #joyce byers #lucas sinclair #mike wheeler #nancy wheeler #steve harrington #steve harrington x reader #stranger things

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uispeccoll · 6 months ago

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Voices from the Stacks

Ul'nigid'

Ul'nigid'is a moveable book by artist Rhiannon Skye Tafoya, created in 2019 at the Women’s Studio Workshop in Rosendale, New York. This is edition six of 44, signed by the artist.

The book can take on multiple forms and shapes, with an accordion pamphlet and movable walls made of woven paper. When fully unfolded and standing up, the book resembles a basket. It features five poems in English with accents in Cherokee syllabary. The poems are those of remembrance, healing, love, home, and heritage. The cover shows an illustration of the artist’s grandmother, and the title is printed in both English and Cherokee.

The piece draws on traditional Cherokee weaving techniques used for river-cane basket making, but with the artists own contemporary weaving design. Instead of white oak and rivercane, she uses handmade paper. In her artist’s statement, Tafoya explains that the weaving design “represents the energy of my indigenous lineage as well as the urge to break out of boxes that a colonized society puts my identity, culture, and art into.”

The book was made in honor of the artists maternal grandmother, Martha Reed-Bark, who was a Cherokee medicine-woman and basket weaver. The title Ul'nigid’, which translates to “strong,” embodies her resilience and spirit.

From the publisher: “Ul’nigid’ is a demonstration of love and remembrance, wherein each technical process portrays strength and delicacy, allowing the artist to communicate a contemporary indigenous voice with deep influences from her traditional grandmother.”

Rhiannon Skye Tafoya is a printmaker, weaver, digital designer, and book artist affiliated with the Eastern Band Cherokee and Santa Clara Pueblo tribes. She earned her Master of Fine Arts in print media from Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, Oregon, and her Bachelor of Fine Arts in printmaking and sculpture from the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In her work, Tafoya seeks to share and preserve personal and familial stories, cultural knowledge, and the Cherokee language, while still paving her own journey through contemporary art.

Explore more artists’ books on InfoHawk+, the Book Arts Research Database, or visit us in person.

-Anne M, Olson Graduate Research Assistant

#voicesfromthestacks #artists books #native american #libraries #uiowa #rare books #fiber arts #Rhiannon Skye Tafoya

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petals2fish · 19 days ago

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Read on A03

She loved closing shifts.

They were always quiet, devoid of the demanding patrons that the morning shift had. It was also the perks of being a small surfer town outside of Monterey, most people only came down for the beach on the weekends. But the best thing about the tiny drive-thru coffee shop on Vista Drive was its location for night shifts.

It stood alone at the far edge of Venta’s old downtown, the very last building on the very last block. From the east-facing sides of the shop, Lily Evans could stand outside and see the snow-dusted Sierra Nevadas, still clinging to a late Spring snowfall and glowing at golden hour. To the west stretched the endless blue of the Pacific Ocean, which she loved to stare at as the sun set because the colours would often turn red or orange.

She missed England, but the sunsets there just couldn’t compare to California majesty. Right now, though, she was stuck inside the shop’s cramped one-room kitchen, ready for the closing shift to end. She’d have to lean out the drive thru window to see any more of the lessening daylight.

The radio had already cycled through Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Sabrina Carpenter six times in a row. The drive-thru had been quiet since noon, and now it was five minutes to closing. Lily had already checked off every task on the nightly list. All she had to do was make it to 5:30, and she’d be free to jog down the beach as the stars covered the endless black sky, before heading back to her dorm for the night.

“ I’ve got a blank space baby, and I’ll write your name. ” The radio crooned.

Lily yawned and flipped the radio off, then reached her arms overhead in a long, aching stretch. Her muscles still burned from yesterday’s snorkel down near Santa Barbara. She’d spent over three hours in the water collecting algae samples with Professor Kettleburn. The rougher California waters made her miss her chill tropical dives in the Caribbean from her last summer study abroad.

A sudden chime in her headset startled her upright. Someone had just pulled into the drive-thru, three minutes to closing. That was weird. All her regulars had come and gone.

She pressed the speaker button, cleared her throat, and slipped into her usual cheerful tone. “Welcome to Bluefin Café. What can I get started for you?”

There was a brief crackle of static, then a hesitant voice replied, “Hi, erm… could I get a brown sugar and cinnamon latte?”

Lily blinked. The accent hit her like a wave. It was unmistakably Scottish, thick and musical in that charming, clipped way that carried memories of damp stone streets and secondhand book stores tucked beside cozy cafes. She hadn’t heard anything like it in months .

“Sorry—wait, are you from Scotland?” she blurted, leaning instinctively toward the speaker.

A warm chuckle filtered through the headset, and when he answered, she could hear the grin in his voice. “Aye. Am I meeting another UK transplant, then?”

Lily nodded even though he couldn’t even see her. “You are. Midlands, technically. But I spent a summer in the Isle of Skye during my first year studying the seal population. That accent's unmistakable.”

“Well, I’ll take that as a compliment,” he said, still amused. “It’s not every day I meet someone who doesn’t mistake me for being Irish.”

“I can only imagine,” she said with a soft smile, already reaching for the syrup bottle. The scent of brown sugar drifted up as she measured out the flavour into a measuring cup. “One brown sugar and cinnamon latte coming right up. What’s the name for the order?”

“James.”

The name slipped off her tongue like muscle memory. “James,” she repeated, loving it. “I’m Lily.”

“Nice to meet you, Lily,” he replied, still smiling. She could hear it, plain as day, the warmth behind his words.

"It's lovely to meet you, too." She said.

And just like that, something loosened in her shoulders. She hadn’t realized how tightly she’d been holding herself until she heard her name spoken without the flat, nasal vowels she’d grown used to in California. No harsh American twang. No lame American British jokes. Just Lily so gentle and familiar, like home.

She leaned a little on the counter. Was he a student too? Maybe around her age? There was a brief, comfortable pause. There was no rush, no honking cars behind him, no impatient orders queued up so she could take the second to day dream…and then she blinked, remembering where she was.

“Right, um—five-fifty at the window,” she said quickly, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her face as she reached for the to-go cup. Grabbing a sharpie, she wrote his name with a curving flourish, looping the J a little more than necessary, her handwriting softer and slower than usual. She even drew a smiley face next to the name, the smile on her face hard to replicate with a sharpie.

She didn’t normally bother, but this felt like seeing a long-distance friend.

“See you up here,” she said, doing her best to keep her voice steady as she slid the cup onto the bar.

“Thanks!” came his cheerful reply through the headset.

Lily turned toward the brewer, grateful she hadn’t dumped the last pot of coffee yet so she could take some home. She grabbed it with one hand, balancing the cup in the other, and began to pour. The rich, dark liquid flowed smoothly, but her focus drifted. She couldn’t help it. She glanced toward the drive-thru window, curious to catch her first glimpse of the mysterious voice. She saw him drive up, and promptly turned away quickly from shock.

He's hot.

And that’s right when it happened.

The cup slipped from her hand.

Hot coffee splashed down the front of her light blue sweatshirt in a wave, soaking the fabric and searing her skin beneath. “Shit—!” she hissed, recoiling instinctively. She yanked the sweatshirt away from her stomach, the sudden heat biting at her like a slap. Her breath caught as she staggered back a step.

Of course.

Of course this would happen now…minutes before closing, and the only remotely interesting customer she’d spoken to all week was watching. She blew out a shaky breath, trying to ignore the rising heat in her cheeks.

“Perfect,” she muttered, grabbing a towel from under the counter and pressing it against her damp sweatshirt. The coffee had already soaked through the front, clinging to her like second skin. No use—she’d have to take it off once he left. She’d do it now, but under the sweatshirt was just her navy blue bikini top, ready for her run along the beach.

With a grimace, she tossed the ruined drink in the sink and grabbed a new cup, forcing her hands to steady as she remade the latte. Brown sugar, cinnamon, espresso, steamed milk. Easy. She’d done this hundreds of times. But now each motion felt too loud, too deliberate, like her hands didn’t quite belong to her anymore.

She could feel his stare. It burned the back of her neck. She was acutely aware that she’d not washed her hair since her swim that morning and her red hair was a whirl of swirling red instead of nicely brushed. And she was wearing jogger shorts, nothing nice, not like the other girls who worked here. Lily didn’t even own a pair of jeans.

When she finally turned to the window, latte in hand, she braced herself. And there he was, and she once again almost dropped the cup over how cute he was.

Leaning slightly out of the driver’s side window of a beat-up, sun-faded Jeep, with wind-tousled black hair that curled around the tops of his ears and square glasses perched on his nose. He looked amazing in the California light. He had olive skin, freckled cheeks, and a slightly crooked grin. He wore scrubs, a stethoscope, and had black lined tattoos up one arm.

She opened the window and handed him the drink with a sheepish smile. “Sorry for the wait. I, um… had a bit of a coffee-related accident.”

James blinked, and for a moment his gaze flicked to the faint brown stain on her sweatshirt as he handed over his money. “I—oh. Sorry.”

She laughed, flustered. “No, no. That was entirely me getting distracted.”

He took the cup from her, his fingers brushing against hers for the briefest second, and it sent an embarrassing jolt through her spine as she placed the cash on the register. “Well,” he said, cheeks slightly pink behind his glasses, “then I’ll try not to be too distracting next time.”

Oh, so he was arrogant. She loved a good laugh and this man seemed like he’d offer some if she just played along.

She beamed mindlessly at him, “I hate to disappoint, but the distraction wasn’t you.”

“Damn,” god, his accent was so attractive. “Knocked my ego right down a peg.”

“Next time, don’t be so presumptuous about why I spill coffee on myself,” she teased and leaned against the window sill.

"Presumptuous is my middle name."

'Is it really?"

"No," he grinned, "It's Fleamont."

"Your parents must hate you."

"Adore me, actually." James tasted the coffee and then lifted the cup at her. “Just what I needed, cheers.”

“Cheers,” she said lightly, then added, “Enjoy the latte, James Fleamont.”

He chuckled deeply, that grin still lingering. “See you around, Lily.”

And then he was gone, the Jeep easing forward into the golden haze of early evening. Lily shut the drive-thru window slowly, the soft click of it locking sounding louder in the sudden stillness. She leaned her forehead against the cool metal frame, letting out a long breath.

All she could think about were his square glasses, the way his messy black hair caught the breeze, and the way he’d said her name—like it was his to say. Like they were old friends who’d just rediscovered each other, instead of strangers trading cash and lattes through a old drive-thru window.

She glanced down at her sweatshirt, the light blue fabric now stained with a fan of coffee. She sighed. “Yeah. That’s coming off.”

Moving on autopilot, she locked the register, tucked the night’s cash into the safe, and shut off the lights. The tiny shop settled into a soft quiet, the soft hum of the fridge the only sound as she grabbed her bike helmet from its hook by the back door.

As Lily stepped outside into the warm, salt-laced air, the scent of the ocean wrapped around her like a familiar hug. Her mind lingered on James.

Would he come back?

Ugh, she smelled like coffee now. It overpowered the salt laced air, bitter and familiar. Lily had grown accustomed to the smell after weeks of working the tiny window shop, but she still didn't love smelling like it after every shift. Her poor sweatshirt was probably doomed to smell like coffee forever now.

She tugged at the hem of her soaked sweatshirt, fingers curling into the fabric. With a swift motion, she peeled it upward, the damp cotton sticking to her skin before finally giving way. The summer air kissed her bare stomach as she wrestled the sweatshirt over her neck and head, the tag catching on a lock of her red hair and yanking a little too hard.

“Bloody hell,” she muttered, trying to untangle it as she shook her hair free. She flipped upright, ready to toss the sweatshirt into her bike basket—

And froze.

James was standing two feet away, leaning casually against his Jeep, arms crossed like he’d been there long enough to see… everything .

The golden light of the setting sun poured over him, catching the edges of his messy black hair and haloing him in amber. His glasses glinted just enough to hide the full intensity of his gaze, but not enough to hide the way his eyes traveled, slowly, from her flushed face down to the curve of her shoulder blades and the navy bikini top that did little to hide her curves. Then, the hazel eyes traveled back up, meeting her stare like a cat who’d caught the cream.

They just stared at each other. Lily's heart slammed against her ribs. Her skin burned hotter than the spilled coffee ever had. He was so fucking attractive, that arm sleeve of tattoos swirling up his skin in ways she’d love to trace. She spotted tattoos of a stag, a dog, and a rat. There was a swirling galaxy and a soft section of waves. She could spend hours looking at the way the black lines swirled on his skin.

“Well,” she said, voice higher than usual. “If I’d known you were waiting out here, I’d have put on a show.”

James blinked, clearly caught off guard—then laughed, the sound low and sheepish, with a flicker of nerves hiding behind it. “I swear I wasn’t creeping,” he said quickly, holding up his hands in mock surrender. “I was just... watching the sunset. Trying to get one last bit of peace in before I’m stuck in my apartment all night studying.”

Lily arched a brow, then ran her fingers through her red waves, gathering them over one shoulder as she tried to slow her pulse. “Right. And I was just… finishing up. Didn’t expect an audience.”

“Didn’t expect to be one,” he said with a half-smile, glancing away for a second like he didn’t trust himself to keep looking at her. “You, uh… startled me.”

She laughed lightly, grateful for the flicker of awkward charm between them. “Trust me, the feeling’s mutual.”

James glanced at his watch, then back toward the darkened shop. “Makes sense why it was so quiet. I was wondering why no one else was desperate enough to beg for caffeine this late.”

“It’s a little late for anyone this time of night,” Lily said, nodding solemnly.

“You mean I’m the only crazy one to grab coffee at six?”

“You’re currently drinking the coffee I was going to drink on my way to the beach,” she shrugged, “so, not so crazy.”

He grinned. “I feel like if you hadn’t spilled the first cup, there would be enough for both of us.”

She smirked, the corner of her mouth lifting playfully. “I’m choosing to ignore that jab.”

“Smart,” James said. His eyes drifted to her surf shorts, the sun-kissed curve of her freckled chest, then back to her knowing face. “I can always share, if you want a sip.”

She wrinkled her nose, “no thanks.”

He laughed, “do you not share drinks?”

“Not with strangers.”

“Damn,” he whistled, “I am a stranger, aren’t I?” He grinned even wider. “Guess we’ll just have to change that. What’s your favorite color?”

“Green.” She said. “And you?”

James’ hazel eyes crinkled, “fancy that, mine's green too.”

Lily laced her hands behind her back, the movement casual, but deliberate. It pulled her posture straight, her shoulders back—just enough to make it obvious that she knew his eyes were drifting, knew exactly what kind of effect she was having. She dipped her chin slightly, teasing.

“So,” she asked, watching as his gaze slowly climbed back up from her bare feet, “what are you studying?”

James blinked like he’d forgotten words existed for a second. Then, clearing his throat, he replied, “Medicine. Pediatrics, actually.”

She raised her eyebrows, clearly impressed. “So, you’re smart.”

He chuckled. “I guess that depends on the day. Most of the time, I’m just tired and trying not to fall asleep on my notes.”

“Relatable,” she said with a grin. “Marine bio. Grad student. Summer session.”

He gave a low whistle. “So we’re both willingly drowning in higher education.”

“Speak for yourself,” Lily shot back, a playful glint in her eye. “I’m knee-deep in actual seawater half the time. Marine science specifically requires you to be able to swim, not drown.”

James laughed a warm, full sound that echoed slightly in the open space between them. He reached out, bracing one hand against the side of his Jeep like the moment caught him off balance. It made that tattoo arm flex and she traced the way it swirled up past the sleeve of his green scrubs.

“Nice tattoos,” she flirted so easily with him. “I really like the rat.”

He chuckled, flexing his arm. “My mate Peter chose that one for me. I prefer the stag.”

“Is it highland stag?” She enquired, “like in Cairngorms National Park? They’re so gorgeous.”

“God,” he said, rolling his hazel eyes back, “I forgot what it was like to hear someone talk about home with a proper accent.”

“Yeah,” she murmured, eyes meeting him. “Me too. It’s weird, isn’t it? How you don’t even realize what you’ve been missing until someone says your name or home, the way it’s meant to sound.”

His smile stayed, but it changed, touched by something more wistful, like he felt the same ache she did. He nodded slowly. “It’s the little things, right?” he said. “The way people say things. The way they see you.”

“Well currently you’re seeing all of me,” she joked, motioning down at her body.

Then his gaze flicked downward again—not with the slow, stunned awe of earlier, but with a flicker of sheepish concern. He scratched the back of his neck and motioned vaguely toward her.

“Hey, uh—I’ve got a shirt in the backseat. If you want to borrow it,” he added quickly, “no pressure. Not that I’m complaining about my coffee barista in a bikini,” he said with a crooked grin, “but I figured I’d offer. Y’know. In case you’re cold or something.”

Lily blinked, then let out a soft laugh, part surprise, part gratitude. “That’s... gentlemanly of you.”

He smirked. “I can be semi-respectable in a crisis.”

She tilted her head, eyes shining with amusement. “Are you calling me a crisis?”

His grin deepened. “You did spill coffee and then start undressing in front of a customer.”

A breeze stirred between them, brushing against her bare shoulders and carrying the faint scent of salt, ocean wind, and lingering coffee grounds. The sun was lower now, edging toward the horizon. It would be colder by the water. And if she took his shirt... Well, that meant she’d have a reason to return it. A reason to see him again.

“I’ll take the shirt,” she said at last. “But only because I try to stick to two crises a day. Any more and I start to lose my edge.”

“Right,” James said, already turning toward his Jeep as he opened the back passenger door. “The crisis-avoiding marine biologist slash coffee shop barista.”

“You forgot mermaid princess,” she replied, crossing her arms loosely as she watched him rummage through a duffel bag.

He snorted, “is that so?”

“It’s a delicate reputation to maintain,” Lily said with a mock-serious tilt of her head. “Can’t have the locals thinking I’m a boring brit.”

James chuckled over his shoulder as he bent into the backseat. “Wouldn’t dream of calling you boring, love,” he called back, the affectionate lilt in his voice making her stomach flutter.

When he turned around, a soft, tie-dye shirt in hand—swirls of blue and faded pink like saltwater taffy—the sun caught the edges of his hair, setting his unruly curls aglow with hints of copper and gold. He looked like he belonged in the fading light, like it had been waiting just for him. A spotlight to remind her just how touch starved she was.

She hadn’t been in a relationship in over two years.

This felt like it could be something.

Something more.

He stepped forward, the shirt dangling loosely from his fingers as he held it out to her. The fabric hovered in the small space between them, and then, with the subtlest shift, he nudged it gently into her personal orbit, his knuckles brushing against the inside of her wrist. The touch was light, but it sent a flicker of warmth up her arm.

She took the shirt slowly, her fingers brushing across his, lingering just long enough that it couldn’t be mistaken for an accident. Her skin hummed where they touched. “Thanks,” she said, her voice a little quieter than before.

James’ softening smile made her go weak in the knees. “Anytime.”

Lily took the shirt from him with a quiet nod and slipped it over her head in one fluid motion, the fabric cool against her sun-warmed skin. As the collar passed over her face, she inhaled instinctively…scones and clean cotton, with the faintest trace of something like cedar and sea air. It smelled like comfort. Like a Sunday morning in the redwoods up North.

When her face emerged again, framed by waves of tousled red hair, James was still standing there, watching her like the world had narrowed down to just her. The shirt hung loose over her body, the hem landing just above her thighs, sleeves nearly swallowing her elbows. She didn’t bother adjusting it. Somehow, it felt more like hers than anything she’d worn all day.

James let out a breath, almost a laugh, low and under his breath. “Well… you’ve done it now.”

She raised a brow. “Done what?”

He ran a hand through his already-messy hair and gave her a look that was part awe, part surrender. “You’ve somehow managed to get even prettier—in my ugly old t-shirt....”

A flush crept up her neck, but she didn’t look away. Instead, she smiled as she straightened the fabric and saw she had LA JOLLA BEACH spread across her chest. “I just look like a tourist.”

“I hate to break it to you,” he said, “but the moment you open your mouth everyone knows you don’t belong here in California.”

“And where do I belong?”

“Isle of Skye seems proper,” he said. “It seems like the place where a siren like yourself would flourish.”

“Careful,” she said, a teasing edge in her voice as she tilted her head, eyes steady on his. “You keep saying things like that, and I might start thinking you fancy me.”

James grinned, wide and unguarded now. “You know,” he said, pushing his hands into his pockets, “I should probably eat something before I lock myself in with a stack of med school notes.”

“Yeah,” Lily replied, smiling back at him knowingly. “And I should probably unwind after a whole day of pretending coffee is a personality.”

They stood there for a beat, the fading sun casting long shadows across the pavement, the soft hush of the ocean not far off. Then James tilted his head like a golden retriever, a glint of boldness sparking in his eyes.

“What would you say,” he began, stepping just a little closer, “to letting me take you—and your bike—down to the beach for fish tacos and churros?”

“I’d say…” she drew out the words, her gaze flicking from his eyes to the soft curve of his smile and back again, “that you’re dangerously close to becoming my favorite customer.”

“Oh no,” he said, mock-serious. “Not the top spot?”

“You haven’t bought me a churro yet,” she said, folding her arms across her chest in mock defiance, eyes gleaming.

James held out his hand, palm up like he was making a solemn vow. “Then let’s fix that. Immediately.”

“Only if you give me a five-star rating on Yelp for the coffee shop,” she replied, slipping her fingers into his with an easy grin. "It might entice the owner to give me a raise."

He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Five stars wouldn’t do you justice,” he said as he turned toward his Jeep, glancing over his shoulder. “I’ve neverbeen to a café with a bikini-clad barista before and I’ve gotta say, it’s been a life-changing experience.”

Lily snorted. “Glad to know I’ve raised the standard for drive-thru customer service.”

“You really have,” James said, popping open the back of the Jeep with a grin. “Now go grab that bike so I can impress you even more over dinner."

"How?"

"By naming more species of shark than you, Miss Biologist.”

Lily let out a laugh, raising an eyebrow as she turned to unlock her bike. “Oh, is that the plan? Should’ve majored in marine biology then, huh?”

She wheeled the bike over toward him, the tires clicking softly over the pavement.

"Oh, I can't even swim." James took the handlebars from her with a dramatic flourish. “I’m not trying to steal your mermaid princess status—just respectfully want to challenge your shark knowledge with my highly refined Animal Planet education.”

She grinned, shaking her head. “Let me guess—every Shark Week since 2002?”

He placed her bike carefully into the back of the Jeep and dusted his hands off like it was a sacred task. “Since 2001, thank you very much. I was six and emotionally bonded with a great white named Mathilda. Changed my life.”

Lily laughed again. “You can’t swim, but you have a favorite great white?”

“Exactly,” he said proudly, closing the hatch. “I’m a land-based shark enthusiast. It’s a niche community.”

“Very niche,” she teased as he opened the passenger side door for her and offered a hand to help her in. “Especially coming from a Scot.”

James smirked but didn’t reply right away. He closed the door with a satisfying thud, and she turned to buckle her seatbelt—only to jump slightly as he leaned in through the open window a second later, catching her off guard. He was close. Closer than before. The golden light slanted across his face, highlighting the light dusting of freckles that trailed like constellations across his cheekbones. His eyes, hazel and steady, met hers with a spark of something she was feeling herself.

Was there a chance?

A fragment of hope in his eyes as she felt her lips curve up?

“You’ve clearly forgotten,” he murmured, voice low and warm, “just how passionate Scots can be.”

Lily blinked, her breath catching, just for a second longer than she meant to let it. Her pulse thudded in her ears, the space between them electric and impossibly still. Then, slowly, she fluttered her eyelashes at him. A 'yes please' if there ever was one.

“I guess I’m about to get a reminder,” she murmured.

James’s gaze flicked downward to her mouth and lingered. That was all the confirmation she needed. Her heart gave a stuttering kick, and somewhere in the back of her mind, a voice whispered just go for it . No overthinking, no hesitation, no playing it cool. It'd not everyday a Scottish bloke rolled up to her work and flirted with her.

Fuck it, she thought.

And she leaned in, her nose brushing against his playfully.

“You know,” she murmured, her voice low and teasing as she fluttered her lashes at him, “you forgot to tip me in the drive-thru.”

The corner of his mouth twitched upward. “Want me to pay you now?”

"With tax."

He laughed and then he leaned in, closing the gap between them with no hesitation, his lips meeting hers in a kiss that was warm, certain, and just rough enough to make her heart skip. Lily’s fingers instinctively tangled in his curls. His hair was as soft and wild and just as glorious as she’d known it would be. She closed her eyes, letting herself melt into the moment, her breath catching through her nose as a smile bloomed across her lips.

That made James smile, too and in their shared grin, their teeth bumped together with a soft, surprised laugh between kisses. She twisted in her seat, angling closer, deepening the kiss with an eager pull of his hair. The world outside the Jeep seemed to fall away as James practically climbed up the door to grab her chin while his tongue tasted the roof of her mouth with a flourish.

Passionate, indeed.

He pulled back then, boots hitting the blacktop with a solid thump. His fingers were still curled beneath her chin, so even though her grip on his hair had slipped, her hand slid down, curling tightly around his tattooed arm, refusing to let her touch disappear entirely. She felt like she’d taken a shot of espresso, but in the best way possible.

“Let’s go grab dinner,” he said, voice unmistakably rough. “I have a feeling we’ll close the restaurant down–just like we closed your shop down.”

“I’ve always loved a closing shift.”

And it wasn’t a lie.

This was the best closing shift ever.

#jily #james potter #lily evans #jily fic #jily fanfiction #jple

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clintbarton-thearrowguy · 10 months ago

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🏹Intro post🏹

Name: Clinton Francis Barton

God please just call me Clint

DOB: January 7th 1971

He/him

Trans!Clint (you don’t like it? Block me.)

Born Deaf

Mod:

None, I’m the real Clint

Background: last updated 1/7/25

Mostly based on the mcu Clint but is mixed with my own personal headcannons and comic Clint. best friends with Nat, lives on a farm, kinda retired but not really since he’s still technically a SHIELD agent and does return if he’s needed. Worked with Captain Carter in his Universe but does know Bucky (only heard Stories on Steve) became Ronan because of the Snap, Tony did live though they had to amputate his arm.

As a child is dad was abusive, both parents died in an accident which is when Clint and his siblings ran from home and joined the traveling circus. He adopted all his kids since he’s trans. etc. etc. [I’ll add more if I think of more.]

Family & Family friends:

Partner:

N/A

Sisters:

@thebetterbartontwin - Charlotte

Kids (bio, adopted, and basically mine):

@hawkeyes-favorite - Lila

@cooperbarton-hawkeyeskid - cooper

@baby-barton - Nathan

@its-nate-the-sharpshot - (Teen) Nathan

@the-sleep-arrow-girl - Katerina

@luckythebestpizzadog - Lucky

@officially-kate-bishop - Kate

@thebettermaximofftwin - Wanda

@jade-lopez-maximoff - Jade

@official-pietro-maximoff - Pietro

@whosafraidoflittleoldme17 - Aurora

@erupti-spider - Cat

@your-darling-gaze - Cherry

@gwen-stacy-earth616 - Gwen

@ivanova-web-droid - Skye

@proud-owner-0f-americas-ass - Steve

@new-phone-who-dis0 - Isla

My bestie(s):

@natt-romanoff-barnes - Natasha

@blackwidow-nat-official2 - Natasha

Bestie’s sister:

@the-best-black-widow - Yelena

@your-fav-russian-assassin - Yelena

friends and heroes:

@official-buckybarnes -Bucky

@under0-0s - Tony

@friday-the-ai - Friday

@peterparker-who - Peter

@the-real-peterparker - Peter

@verygoodlawyer - Matt

@dr-bruce-banner-official - Bruce

@thir-0dinson - Thor

@loki-laufeychild - Loki

@that-punk-from-brooklyn - Steve

@capt-carter-mostly-official - Peggy

@officialscottlang - Scott

@samwilson-official - Sam

@we-love-redwing - Sam

”Bosses”:

@im-not-a-pirate - Fury

@trading-cards-owner - Coulson

(If I forgot you please let me know this was made on a whim)

#hawkeye #clint barton #marvel #marvel rp #marvel mcu #mcu #laura barton #avengers #the avengers #kate bishop #intro post #introduction #blog intro #pinned intro

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giveamadeuschohisownmovie · 8 months ago

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I don’t know why, but I’m feeling oddly nostalgic for the good ole days when “Agents of SHIELD” was still premiering. I mean, today, it has a fairly solid reputation as a sci-fi action superhero show. But if you only started watching after the show ended, you have no idea just how much drama this show created. There’s like…whole arcs of drama with AOS. I actually kinda miss the drama, it was lowkey fun to follow.

Off the top of my head, there was the:

* “1st season is complete garbage, why is this even a thing” arc.

* “Stand With Ward” arc. Just…Grant Ward in general.

* “Jemma has a space boyfriend/the creators ruined Fitzsimmons” arc.

* “10 PM time slot is gonna kill this show” arc.

* “Fandom hates that Fitz has a Nazi Doctor alter ego” arc

* “Is this show even canon after season 5” arc

* “This show wants to be X-Men so bad with the Inhuman persecution” arc

* “Did the show blow its budget? Where are the lights?” arc (subplot: Ghost Rider really ate up the budget, that’s why we could only afford Gabriel Luna for 9 out of 22 episodes)

* “Season 6 was really fucking weird” arc

* “Fuck this show for killing Fitz. Wait, I forgot he’s technically not completely dead” arc.

* “Fuck this show for teasing which main member of the team will die in the S3 finale” arc (side note: the drama from this was milked so much that I remember Marvel actually made a poll in which you got to vote who you think was gonna die. Lincoln won the poll, followed by Fitz.)

* “I hate how the show just forgot that Daisy used to be Skye the hacker. It’s like they completely erased Skye from the canon in favor of the comic character. She doesn’t feel like the same character anymore.” arc (yes, this was an actual complaint I saw from people at the end of season 2/the beginning of season 3)

Ah…good times, good times. Marvel TV show drama nowadays feels much less interesting in my opinion. AOS was a drama goldmine.

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technikki · 6 months ago

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yeah ithink i can get through this fine as long as i just never think about anything ever again

#skye's ramblings #ive been crying all day im so tired man. i literally feel like the whole world is falling apart #i miss him so fucking much and he's technically not even gone yet. but he hasn't been acting like himself for abt a week now #and now i know he never will. he's still here but he's already gone. he's been gone for a few days now. and i miss him so fucking much #animal death

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mistfallengw2 · 6 months ago

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When I wake up it's "make Alyt" day >:)

#Skye says stuff #love it when I get to make characters in-game on their canon birthdays :3 #extremely sad that I can't make Favian yet because Veeq is technically first in line for the next necro 😔#let's ignore the uhhhh many characters that still need lv80 and full map exploration

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semisolidmind · 2 years ago

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How does the Modern Reincarnation AU work in the Twice as Bad AU? Especially with MK and everything? I know it would probably be completely unlikely that Peaches would get the opportunity to die with her two monkey hubbies always around her, but what if her dying happened on the journey? Like her death was something that happened while the monkey demons were restrained and couldn't do anything about it, causing them to wait the couple hundred years until she pops up again?

(Also, I can't begin to tell you how grateful I am for your creativity and art! You're awesome. Hope you have a great day! 💙)

oh man oh boy (also thank you skye, you're making my day :))

(so both monkeys have wrist and ankle cuffs in this au, and the cuffs work like a less harmful version of the circlets. anytime reader says a certain command, they throw the demon wearing them to the ground. i imagine that the moment reader dies, the cuffs fall off.)

it's utterly silent when they hit the ground.

the boys are distraught. they're inconsolable. theyre angry. whatever demon caused reader's death will be torn apart peice by peice, tortured until death. and then...

...nothing. the monkey demons shut down beyond an occasional terse word. they're still technically bound to the journey by the circlets and the bodhisattva's command, and so they continue on. they only speak to their companions when necessary. macaque spends most of his time in the shadows, and wukong walks behind the group. they take out their sadness and rage on the myriad demons that get in their way. the journey concludes with wukong and macaque denying their enlightenment and going home to flower fruit mountain.

their conquests become especially brutal for the next couple hundred years.

–––

centuries later, mk comes into the world. wukong finds him wandering the mountain, and adopts him as his own. macaque is an uncle figure to the boy, helping in his training and teaching a different worldview. mk grows up knowing very little about humans beyond what his monkey family tells him. regardless, he's curious and wants to know more.

the two elder monkey demons are jaded, and their resentment for the celestial realm and humanity has only grown. though, they'll both slip into wistfulnesss occasionally, telling mk about reader and what she was like. he heard plenty of stories about her growing up, and he always finds himself wishing he could have met her. it's the only time mk will hear his caretakers speak positively about a human.

when mk asks to go into the city, wukong refuses. he doesn't want his son around any mortals, and were it not for his "infinite mercy," that wretched city would be dust by now. it's only when macaque agrees to go with mk that wukong relents. macaque, who's somewhat more knowledgeable about modern humans than his brother, tells mk what he knows about how the mortal world works. mk doesn't get the chance to make his friends until later in this au, when he's allowed to make short solo excursions into the city to buy groceries.

he's taking too long on a run when it happens.

mk has encountered mei, and thinking the dragon heir was trying to start a fight (given the monkey demons' history with dragons), mk battles her. while the two have their brawl that eventually ends in tentative friendship, macaque waits at a rendezvous point.

when mk doesn't show after twenty minutes, macaque lets out a long-suffering sigh and sets out across the roof tops and alleyways to search for him. the kid, for all his strengths, has never been good at time management. after a while, macaque is able to track him to a little noodle shop in the downtown area.

the dark-furred simian watches from a nearby rooftop as mk and...a disguised dragon? girl? go inside the shop. macaque melds into the shadows, following them in through the half-shuttered doorway. the shop isn't anything to write home about; simple decor, simple noodles, a suspiciously familiar pig demon manning the kitchen, a woman managing the register—

macaque stops cold.

it only takes a second for macaque to get a read on the woman's soul. and upon closer inspection, she looks familiar too.

heartbreakingly familiar. same hair, same eyes... same smile, aimed at mk as she welcomes him. this woman—she's their reader, reincarnated. she has to be. mk makes a joke, something about monkeying around, and the girl laughs; the same joyful sound he remembers from all those centuries ago. it's the same. she's the same.

a shadowy tear makes its way down his incorporeal face. she's here. alive.

he has to tell wukong.

#bad end wukong #twice as bad au

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theanticool · 9 months ago

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A Crash Course to Boxing - The Perfect Weekend to Start Watching!

If you are someone who would like to get into watching professional boxing, but has found it too intimidating this is the perfect weekend for you!

While we don't have any huge superstars facing off, we have 3 amazing cards lined up from Saturday to Monday. They are all available to anyone that has an ESPN+ account (or is just comfortable finding sailing the 7 seas).

We are talking multiple world champions and some of the very best boxers alive today competing so it is 100% worth tuning in for. And since we have this line up, I figured I'd talk about each card and why they're worth watching.

Saturday, October 12th - Artur Beterbiev vs Dmitry Bivol

Why Watch: This is the best fight that can be made in boxing in my humble opinion. Two of the P4P best fighters in the sport in the same division fighting for the undisputed title. Both have been incredibly dominant in completely opposite ways.

Artur Beterbiev is arguably the scariest finisher in boxing, having gone 20-0 while knocking out every single opponent he has faced to date. He holds 3 of the belts at 175lbs. Beterbiev is pathologically aggressive, breaking down his opposition over the course of his fights with devastating power and pressure. Dmitry Bivol is one of the most technically proficient boxers in the sport. Famous for handing Canelo Alvarez the 2nd loss of his career, Bivol's timing and footwork make him one of boxing's hardest nuts to crack. That's why he's gotten to 23-0. Easily one of the most compelling fights in combat sports at the moment.

There's some other good fights on the undercard (which won't be on ESPN+, but PPV. Yeah boxing is still weird). The best cruiserweight on the planet, Jai Opetaia (25-0) is defending his title against Jack Massey (22-2). On the women's side, Olympian Skye Nicolson (11-0) defends her world title against the UK's Raven Chapman (9-0). In terms of name value: Chris Eubank Jr. (33-3) is probably the biggest name on the card and will be facing Kamil Szeremeta (25-2-2).

Sunday - October 13th, 2024

Why Watch: Japanese promoter Teiken has made a habit of doing these double cards full of a bunch of title fights and I love them. The first of the two will take place on early Sunday morning. It'll feature 4 different world title fights, all featuring some of the funnest boxers in Japan at the moment.

First up, WBA bantamweight champion Takuma Inoue (20-1) will defend his title against Seiya Tsutsumi (11-0-2). Takuma is the brother of P4P star Naoya Inoue. A world champion in his own right, Takuma unfortunately doesn't have the power of his brother but is still a world class fighter and a damn good boxer. A win here would set up a unification bout with Junto Nakatani, another Japanese star. Seiya Tsutsumi is a former amateur standout in Japan that has quickly climbed the ranks to challenge for gold. He's been heralded as a future world champion for a while and even won and defended the Japanese BW title. He's also a dangerous finisher, making this a very fun fight to tune in for.

Perhaps the most accomplished fighter on the card is Kenshiro Teraji (21-1, 14 KOs). The former unified champion at light flyweight, Kenshiro is moving up to flyweight to chase another world title. He's one of the most exciting fighters in Japan and is coming off a FOTY contender in January against Carlos Canizales. He's facing off with Cristofer Rosales (37-6), who is himself a very dangerous flyweight. Should be an excellent scrap. We're also getting a fight featuring Seigo Yuri Akui (21-2) who is arguably the top flyweight in the world at the moment and the WBA champion.

Monday - October 14, 2024

Another early morning card from Japan.

Why Watch: Junto Nakatani (28-0, 21 KOs) is one of the emerging stars coming out of Japan. The WBC bantamweight champion first made waves in the US when he KOed Andrew Moloney in what was one of the best knockouts of 2023. He's recently appeared on Ring Magazine's P4P rankings. At 26, he has a lot of time to do some real damage at the world level. While this fight against a can-crusher like Petch Sor Chitpattana (76-1) isn't doing much for his legacy, it seems like it will be leading to a fight with both Inoue brothers if all things shake out the way they should. Which would be huge for boxing in Japan (and the world).

The 2nd reason to watch this card - Tenshin Nasukawa (4-0). Tenshin Nasukawa was the top P4P kickboxer on the planet when he left the sport to chase a boxing career. A feat he accomplished at like 24-25 years old. Now Tenshin is a full out boxer and has been looking every bit like a future world champion in the sport. He is facing far more experienced boxers and taking their lunch. He's not quite at the world title level yet but a win here against Gerwin Asilo (9-0) will only continue to nudge him up the ladder.

There are two other champions on this card worth knowing about - Anthony Olascuaga (7-1) and Kosei Tanaka (20-1). Got my first look at Olascuaga in his last fight where he looked like an absolute terror in the ring. Fast, accurate, and powerful for a flyweight, he took the WBO title with ease in a 3rd round KO win. Jonathan Gonzalez (28-3) is a very good fighter out of Puerto Rico who was the WBO light flyweight champion before moving up for this fight. Looking forward to that scrap. And Kosei Tanaka is a fun action fighter. Go watch that man slip punches and then flurry back with nice, crisp combinations in the pocket. Extremely satisfying.

Like I said, 3 terrific cards of boxing going down this weekend. If you've ever wanted to get into boxing these cards are a great entry.

#boxing #a crash course to boxing #artur beterbiev #dmitry bivol #junto nakatani #takuma inoue

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