#Donnie (after a long pause): a... a hammer??

[dontfindmeimscared]

I cant stoo thinking of how, whike Leo would've become more tech-y, he wouldn't know ANY of the technical terms. That gap would probably really hilarious because Leo seems like the kind of person to name everything in a super explanitory but funny way (since I doubt he had much else for comedy in the pd except for his thoughts)

Donnie will hammer the proper tech terms into him... eventually... maybe

[redsrooftopprincess]

Gravity (Part 2)

This may be becoming a thing. There will be at least one more chapter and I have no idea what to call this thing. Maybe by the end I'll know. 😅

Gn reader x Raphael

Warnings: Hypothermia, language (but I think that's a given in a Raph fic?)

Part 1 Part 3

It had been one week. One week since he'd slipped. One week since the fever carried him to your rooftop.

You haven't spoken. More specifically, he hasn't spoken. Apart from texting you when he made it home like you insisted he did every night, it had been radio silence. You texted him before his patrol like you always did, and he stared at his phone, expressionless, before putting it back in his pocket.

What could he say?

He'd already had the conversation a thousand times in his head, and as far as he was concerned, it didn't need to be said. He didn't need you to let him down easy.

Because you'd mean it. Every damn word. You're sorry. He's your best friend. Nothing has to change.

But it would change, there was no way it couldn't. Things were different now.

That night had been the worst of it. He'd left not long after his confession. At that point, just the sound of your voice was enough to make him weep, and he didn't want to make things worse. Not that he thought they could *get* worse.

He made up some excuse about Leo calling it early, and ran.

He was running now, through the freezing rain, a sudden cold snap in the middle of spring, and hoping that between the temperature and the downpour hammering into his coat, he could think about anything else.

It wasn't long before he was considering ditching the coat. It was already soaked through, and weighing him down, which was hard to do.

That gave him pause.

He stopped, ducking under an overhang, and opened his coat, pulling the fabric back to expose his side. He twisted and looked at the small device mounted onto his shell just under his shoulder blade. There was supposed to be a little red light. There wasn't.

Shit.

They each had them. One of the first inventions D had come up with after they'd started doing patrols as kids.

A blizzard had suddenly torn through the city one night, and they were woefully unprepared with only winter coats. The cold dropped their body temperatures, and then them. Splinter had to hunt across the rooftops until he found them, asleep and hypothermic, huddled behind a construction dumpster.

Donnie didn't leave his lab for days. He blamed himself, he should have known the blizzard was coming, that their gear was insufficient, he should have had *some* kind of backup heat supply. No matter how many times his family told him otherwise, it was his fault, and he would never let it happen again.

So he built something to fix it. Raph didn't really get a lot of the specifics, but the overall was that the small devices "converted kinetic energy into heat that was then stored and distributed throughout the inside of their shells." Or, as Raph understands it, as long as you keep moving, you won't die.

One night a few weeks ago, someone had gotten lucky and he had taken a rusted rebar to the chest that had shattered on impact. His regulator had been damaged by the shrapnel, but the weather had already been warming up, and then the season hit and it was forgotten about.

The rain must have been the final nail, only the exterior was watertight. It was dead. He could already feel the cold and damp setting in. He needed to get home. Fast.

He set off, the only sound other than the roar of the rain was the gradually slowing heartbeat that pounded in his ears.

*Fuck* it was cold.

It wasn't long before his waterlogged coat became too much to carry. He ditched it behind an air conditioning unit, and kept moving.

Hailstones felt like bullets as they pelted bare skin, and through the sheets of rain, the haze of cold and exhaustion that had started at the edges was encroaching. It wasn't long before he was too tired to think.

He was moving on pure instinct, without even the presence of mind to pray he could make it somewhere safe. Somewhere in the back of his mind a tiny Leo was lecturing him for not hitting his emergency signal.

He stumbles. He is so, so tired. The soft darkness of sleep is pulling at him like a rip tide. He drags himself to the next rooftop, barely touching down before he collapses.

[writteninsunshine]

Maybe It’s Better Off This Way - Luxord/Roxas - SFW

Title: Maybe It's Better Off This Way

Author: Donnie

Fandom: Kingdom Hearts

Setting: The Castle That Never Was

Pairing: Luxord/Roxas

Characters: Luxord/Roxas

Genre: Romance/Hurt/Comfort

Rating: T

Chapters: 1/1

Word Count: 1127

Type Of Work: One-Shot

Status: Complete

Warnings: Gay, Slash, Yaoi, MLM, Kissing, Age Gaps, Roxas is 18, Luxord is 34, Disassociation, Mental Health, Reasons To Live

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything.

Summary: Roxas doesn’t know if there’s a difference between him and a Shadow. Luxord might make the difference glaringly obvious.

AN: Hey guys, it’s me again! Just thought I ought to say, if you want vague updates and to talk to me more, I have Twitter and Tumblr, too! Twitter is Sunshinecackle, and Tumblr is Writteninsunshine! I also have a writing Discord that is currently pretty dead. xD I can PM it to people who want it on FFN, for everyone else, it’s here: https://discord.gg/FyaWw25

Until they admit that they enjoy each other’s company, Luxord’s parts were written by my husband, and I edited them. This was based on an RP that we did. I really wanted to write this, and honestly, I had a lot of fun with it, and it’s really therapeutic to write them for me. I hope you guys enjoy it! This is basically the beginning of their relationship for my other fics for this ship.

Kingdom Hearts Fic Masterlist

Maybe It's Better Off This Way

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Roxas sat atop the tallest tower he dared to, staring down at the endless void of heartless at the base, his eyes hollow and mind blank. He was thinking, he was sure of that, but he didn't know of what. His eyes could catch the glimmer of movement of the Shadows, but he wasn't tracking anything, just staring with his hands in his lap.

The tapping of boots along the concrete slab he sat on sounded behind him before there was a soft sigh, and the sound of leather stretching. A familiar blond sat beside him, eyeing Roxas carefully before he thought to try on some words.

“Hey,” Luxord began, not sure if Roxas would even hear him like this.

"Hey." Roxas’ voice didn't quite sound right, and the smaller blond slowly shook his head, glancing over at the other. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah... I was wondering how you're doing..? You've been gone for a while..."

"...Have I?" Roxas asked, blinking, and looking up at Luxord’s pretty, concerned blue eyes, "I didn't notice."

"I thought so... So I came to check on you and see how you're doing." Luxord’s tone was quiet, gentle, welcoming.

"I'm okay." Was he, though? "Just... Thinking." And staring at the bottom like it would be a reprieve.

"What are you thinking of?"

Roxas went quiet. He didn't really know. "Stuff."

Luxord paused for a moment before responding again, "Is any of that stuff life-threatening for you?"

"I... I don't know." Roxas sighed. He really thought that he should know better. "I keep thinking about the Shadows."

"What about them..?"

"We're not... That different. Are we?" The way he posed the question almost sounded more like a statement than anything. "Stuck doing the same thing, seeking a purpose we're never going to attain for a fate we can't..." His words trailed off and his eyelids drooped. He sighed, looking confused for a second.  "Would it really be so bad to let them win?"

Luxord paused, thinking for a moment before speaking, "You have a point... to a point." Glancing back down towards the ground, he continued, "We make our own choices... We have the ability to change our fates... As strange and twisted as it may be... We have the power to make changes to ourselves and twist what should have been."

"I don't think it counts. Fate is something concrete and liquid, like a cat. Displeasing it is easy and then you're..." He leaned forward a little, watching the shadows swarming. "...Splat."

Luxord leaned forward slightly, staring down and following Roxas’ gaze before sighing, "Perhaps things aren't always as concrete as you think... Sometimes you just need a little luck in your favor..."

"I... Don't know if I have any luck left." Roxas murmured, licking his lips. He was quiet for a moment, lost to another thought, before asking, "Do you think that I... Can be good?"

"Can any of us truly be good or is that merely something that pertains to the moment and which side of the coin you're viewing from?" Luxord always knew how to make things sound better. It sounded so much more simple like that.

Blinking in confusion for a second, Roxas considered this. "I don't want to be inconsequential." He finally managed, blurting it out.

"Then don't be."

Furrowing his brows, he stared at his hands. "Can I even do that?"

"Of course. Give them a reason to remember you."

"...Nobody will remember me, Lux. I'm not supposed to..." Exist. He sighed. "We're Nobodies."

"They'll remember you if you give them something to remember... How can they forget if you change their very lives?"

"Everyone forgets me."

"Change that." Luxord finally looked back at the younger, "Build them up or destroy them... They'll remember that."

Those blue eyes met the other's for a second and he glanced away, "And what happens if I can't do either? I die trying?"

"You at least go out... Trying."

"...What's different between dying trying and just... Going out from up here?"

"One of those means you gave it your best shot and the other means you gave up."

"What if giving up is all I got left?"

"Then you need to figure out what's stopping you and why you haven't given up yet... and fight for that."

Roxas paused for a moment, staring down at his hands before reaching over and taking one of Luxord's. He was quiet, just relishing in squeezing his hand. "What do I gotta do?"

Looking at the other's hand holding his own, Luxord smiled softly before leaning in and pressing their lips together for a moment. "..Don't leave me."

Heart hammering in his chest as they kissed, Roxas gently reached up to hold his cheek gently. "...Okay."

"I enjoy spending time with you..."

"I like spending time with you, too..." Luxord’s games always made life more understandable, and everything that he did made life seem more worth living. He would have died without the other, he thought. If he hadn’t come to see him tonight, maybe he really would have. Their lips met again and Roxas sighed softly, content.

“We should move from the edge. I wouldn’t want to see your new lease on life fall so quickly.” Luxord was on his feet in seconds, taking the other by his armpits and dragging him back. He didn’t trust Roxas to be able to stand without plummeting right now, his knees were always so weak when he got to thinking for too long. Hoisting the other man to his feet, he smiled at him gently, pulling him into another kiss. 

This time, Luxord held both of his cheeks gently, tilting his head and swiping his tongue over Roxas’ lips. Parting them, Roxas closed his eyes and leaned forward, pushing up on his tiptoes. It felt like an eternity before their lips parted again, wet and gentle as Luxord looked into his eyes.

“I think it’s you.” Roxas murmured softly, and Luxord rose a brow.

“Me?”

“The thing I need to fight for. The reason I didn’t jump.” Roxas informed, sucking both of his lips into his mouth. Luxord smiled, soft and genuine, before kissing his forehead.

“Then don’t leave me, Bug. I’ll be your reason all you want.” Luxord gently pet his thumbs over Roxas’ cheeks, watching him relax into him. 

“Okay… What about you?”

“Me? You’re important to me, too, if that’s what you want. I don’t usually think about jumping into Heartless, love.”

Roxas laughed at that, maybe too loudly and for too long. He wiped his eye after a moment, grinning up at him.

“Yeah, okay, I get it. Thanks, Lux, you’re the best.” 

“Anytime.” Leading Roxas through a portal to a safer place, Luxord hummed softly to himself, his arm around Roxas’ shoulders.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

AN: Needed to write some more LuxRox self-indulgent stuff. Maybe one of these days they will actually get past just kissing. Who knows. I loved this, I hope you guys enjoyed it!

[catbowserauthor]

A small AU bit on "The Darkness Within"

So, this small piece originally sprung up from a very simple idea. The original thought behind the monster in 2003 TMNT's "The Darkness Within" was that it granted each person's deepest desires and that's why it was so hard to break its hold. They didn't end up going that angle and Laird originally had Mikey's deepest desires as having an amusement part like ranch all to himself. That is not the deepest desires I see for Mikey at all. Hence, this short bit. @brightlotusmoon This one may turn into an AU story at some point:

***

"Leo! Where have you been?"

 The eldest turtle blinked, surprised. He knew this wasn't read but Michelangelo certainly looked the same even though the atmosphere didn't. They were on the stuck in an underground hell hole, not the Lair and yet the atmosphere around them looked like the home to a T. But then, it would make sense, he surmised. After all, Michelangelo had always been a fan of family and home. Though, it seemed that the other turtles couldn't appear in his hallucination.

 "Michelangelo..." Leo began, slowly, carefully. "I know this may seem odd but we aren't in reality."

 Blinking, Michelangelo responded "Whatta ya mean, we're not in reality?"

Taking another inhale, Leonardo confirmed, "It's a trap, a trick. Lies. That monster that took Angel's brother... it centers in on your deepest and darkest desires and makes them real."

 "Wh..what?" Michelangelo asked again, "This...isn't real?" He looked around, as if trying to make sense of such a thing, ran his fingers over the looked-so-familiar stone.

"No," Leo said softly, "It's all a mirage...

 "NO!" Michelangelo jerked away from his brother suddenly and sharply, rightly startling him. For all their spats at times, him and Leo usually got along so well. "No, stop lying to me! YOU'RE the illusion then!"

 Okay, okay, so this wasn't how Leo thought saving his brothers would go but he would amend and adapt. "Michelangelo, don't be foolish. We were all coming to save Angel's brother, remember?" He gestured around them "This isn't where we were. You know it."

 "We're ALWAYS trying to save somebody or stop someone!" Michelangelo argued. He paced, angry and Leo had never seen such intensive emotion from him before. "That's no proof!!"

 "Mikey," Leo tried, grasping his brother's arm "if this is real, then where are Donnie and Raph? Why can't we hear Donnie hammering away or Raph pummeling that punching bag and where is Master Splinter?"

 Michelangelo paused. "The..they're here. They're off doing..whatever it is they're doing."

 "No. They're not here because they are stuck in their own illusions," Leonardo corrected. "They can't appear!" He gestured around, once more. "Call them and see."

 "NO!" Michelangelo snapped again "You're crazy, bro!" He paced away from them, laid a hand on the Lair wall "RAPHAEL! DONATELLO! MASTER SPLINTER!"

 Silence.

 "C'mon, bros! Donatello! Raphael! Show Leo that he's WRONG Raph!"  He paused and when no response came, his skin paled, if only slightly. "Master Splinter?"

 He took off at a run and rushed through the entirety of the false-Lair. He came back, feeling flustered and reached for his Shell cell only to find it missing. "No, I always have it cause Donnie'll kill me if I don't or if I break it and..."

 Leo, feeling enough time had passed, stepped forward "Mikey this is an illusion. You have to accept it and then we can break free and save Donnie and Raph and Angel's brother."   "No!" Michelangelo pulled away again, putting his hands to his head "No, you have to be lying to me. The others will be back later. They will..."

 For all his patience, Leo was getting frustrated. He knew this would be difficult but Michelangelo was being ridiculous, "Michelangelo listen to your--"

 "Papa?"

 That soft, gentle voice shut the turtle leader up mid sentence.

 Appearing from behind Michelangelo in the 'door' of the Lair was a small child, female, entirely turtle in appearance. She stepped inward and approached the orange banded turtle, "Papa, what's wrong?"

 Leonardo felt like his world crumbled around him and his breath came short.

 Falling to his knees, Mikey stroked the girl's long black hair, "Nothin' it's nothin'."

 "Dad?" another voice called and from the side room appeared another turtle girl, slightly younger. Then from the same door that the first had come through, another child, male this time. "Dad?"

 "It's okay, everything...everything is okay. Your other uncles are gonna be back soon. Everything's okay..." Michelangelo repeated, though he was starting to breathe hard. He reached out and grasped each of the children tightly and pulled them tight into his chest. "It's...it's okay. Every-everything is fine. It's just fine." He buried his face into the youngest girl's dark black hair, "I...you're here. I'm here...we're all here."

 "Uncles Donnie and Raph and Grandpa aren't." the older girl argued. She pointed to Leonardo. "Just Uncle Leo."

 Michelangelo's face caved and tears gathered in his eyes, starting silent journeys down his cheeks. "N-no, they aren't."

Leo stepped forward, approached and stroked his brother's head. "No, they aren't here. That's why Mikey has to come with me...to find them. Cause I know Raph wouldn't turn down a chance to play with nieces and nephews. Donnie either. They'd be here, spoiling you all to death."

 Shaking some himself, Leo offered a hand to Mikey. Oh, those heart broken eyes that looked up at him. Those blurry baby blues that pleaded, begged, sobbed 'please don't tell me this isn't real.' 

 Reluctantly, Michelangelo lifted a limp hand and let Leo clasp his and pull him to his feet. He stood slowly and then turned and stroked the hair of the eldest girl "You look after your brother and sister, okay?"

 She nodded firmly and stood firmly and tall. "You can count on me, Papa."

 He nodded, smiled with tears in his eyes, "I...I know I can." He lay a hand on the boy's shoulder "You keep these two from killing one another, okay?"

 He nodded, smiling "Uncle Leo taught me well, Dad." He reached out and wrapped arms around Leonardo who stiffened and then turned back to Mikey, "And I have your spirit!"

 Choking a bit, he nodded "y-you do."

 The youngest one pushed forward and pulled on Michelangelo's hand, "You'll be back, right Papa?"

 Michelangelo locked eyes with her and she looked up at him with blue eyes that were mirrors of his own. "I...I...I will..."

 She nodded and released his hand after a moment. He pulled away quickly and Leo wrapped an arm around him as they walked off.

 "Papa!"

 Michelangelo half turned.

 The girl had stuck a thumb into her mouth and she inquired, her voice quivering "Am I still your Masterpiece?"

 Tears rolling, Michelangelo stammered "Y-you'll always be my Masterpiece, Little Sistine."

 Turning away from the three, Michelangelo's voice quaked and broke as he screamed "It's all a lie! None of this is real!"

 The atmosphere shattered like glass.

[canyousevmyheavydirtysoul]

Bodyguard II: Familial Ties (Part II - Chapter 8) (Brendon Urie x Reader)

Thor sat in a chair with his hands cuffed behind him, staring forward blankly. At the other end of the holding cell, Agent Coulson.

And you.

“It’s not easy to do what you did,” Coulson said after a moment. “You made us all look like a bunch of mall cops. That’s hurtful.”

The agent received no response from the angsty god, just lingering silence as Thor maintained a perfectly blank expression. He saw it pointless – to try and converse with others. In his mind, he had failed, in every sense of the word; he was unworthy.

Even the presence of you was not enough to shake him from his depressive trance, despite his desire to connect with you; he saw no point in trying, because he felt as if he had failed you, too.

“The men you so easily subdued are highly-trained professionals, and in my experience, it takes someone who’s received similar training to do what you did to them,” Coulson continued taking a few small steps forward, “Would you like to tell me where you received your training?”

Thor sat silently.

Coulson, desperate for some kind of answer from the god, pressed on. “Pakistan? Chechnya? Afghanistan?” A pause. “Then again, you strike me more as the soldier of fortune type. What was it, South Africa?”

Still no answer. With unwavering determination, Coulson leaned in close to Thor and spoke quietly.

“Certain groups pay well for a good mercenary. Especially Hydra.” He waited for a reply but yet again, didn’t get one. “Who are you?”

The agent knew full well who the man in front of him was. There was no doubt about it. His closeness to The Director allowed him access to top-level information, such as the existence of Asgard. His question to Thor was merely a means to find out the god’s intentions.

After a long moment, Thor stopped staring blankly at the concrete wall, and shifted his gaze to you. You locked eye contact with him and the disappointment in his eyes was unmistakable, and so intense that you were forced to look away.

Then, with a slight shake of his head, Thor spoke for the first time since being placed in the holding cell.

“Just a man.”

You breathed out shakily, catching Coulson’s eye for a second before the agent regained distance from the god and started for the door. Just before he exited the room, he tossed one last bit of information at your cousin.

“One way or another, we will find out what we want to know. We’re good at that.”

Coulson left the room and after another brief glance at you, Thor lowered his head. You stood still, wanting to say something but having no idea what to say. You couldn’t exactly comfort him and tell him that everything was going to be okay, because truthfully, you had absolutely no clue what exactly was transpiring.  

Before you could pull yourself together and formulate a proper sentence to say to him, a smooth voice emanated from the corner of the room, startling you back into complete silence.

“I thought he’d never leave.”

Thor looked up immediately, seemingly as shocked as you by the sudden appearance of a third person in the room.

“Loki?” he asked in disbelief, staring wide-eyed at his brother, who was clad in 21st century attire, much like himself. “What are you doing here?”

“I had to see you.” You caught Loki’s eye, then, and he looked you up and down with a small smirk. “Skadi,” he spoke, slowly and clearly, acknowledging you for the first time.

You cleared your throat and folded your arms over your chest protectively. “(Y/N),” you corrected.

The God of Mischief’s eyebrows raised in surprise, as his lips pursed slightly. He didn’t get the chance to offer a response, since his brother – who it appeared had found his spirit again – exclaimed loudly.

“What’s happened? Tell me!” Thor hollered, straining against the chair holding him down. “Is it Jotunheim? Let me explain to father-“

“Father is dead.”

Thor stared at him, stunned. “What?” he whispered, feeling as if he had just been made the butt of a twisted joke.

“Your banishment, the threat of a new war…” Loki explained, “it was too much for him to bear.”

The implications of Loki’s words dawned on Thor – he was responsible for his father’s fate. Him. It was all his fault.

Noticing his brother’s current state of self-loathing, Loki spoke up again. “You mustn’t blame yourself. I know that you loved him. I tried to tell him so, but he wouldn’t listen.” Loki held his tongue for a brief moment, and then continued. “It was cruel to put the hammer within your reach, knowing you could never lift it.”

Thor once again stared ahead, falling deeper into the abyss of self-despair, as his brother sighed softly.

“The burden of the throne has fallen to me now.”

The God of Thunder whipped his head around, looking at Loki hopefully. With Odin gone, that meant Thor’s banishment could be lifted. “Can I come home?” he asked.

Loki shook his head. “The truce with Jotunheim is conditional upon your exile.”

“But couldn’t we find a way to-“

“Mother has forbidden your return,” Loki shut his brother down with those five awful words, and Thor nodded, lowering his head in defeat. “This is goodbye, brother. I’m so sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry,” Thor muttered. “Loki… thank you for coming here.”

“Nothing could have stopped me.”

You stood at the other end of the room all the while, observing the brothers and listening intently to their conversation. Something about it all bothered you, but you couldn’t place your finger on what exactly it was.

It came to you a second later, however, when Loki glanced over at you and you caught a glint of mischievousness in his eyes. It was so subtle and quick that it almost escaped your notice, but if there was one thing that spending time around Brendon taught you to do, it was to pick up on all subtleties surrounding physical cues.

Loki observed you for a moment more, as if analysing you. It put you off, but before you could call him out on it, Coulson entered the room; he took no notice of Loki.

“Farewell, brother,” the raven-haired god spoke, looking from his brother to you. He spoke to you, then – barely a whisper, just loud enough for you to catch. “I hope to see you again, Skadi. Soon.”

“Goodbye,” Thor greeted, much to the confusion of Coulson, who looked at the god in perplexity.

You and Thor watched as Loki disappeared.

“Goodbye? I just got back.” Brushing it off, the agent stepped forward. “Now. Where did we leave off?”

The door opened, this time revealing Agent Sitwell, who entered the room and requested a sidebar with Coulson. Straining your ears, you managed to overhear what was being said.

“Sir… he’s got a visitor.”

With a sigh, Coulson looked to Thor, then to you, and with a short nod, turned to leave yet again.

When it was only you and Thor left in the cell, you pushed yourself off of the wall you’d been leaning against all this time. Crossing your arms over your chest just as you did earlier, you cocked an eyebrow and made a show of looking around the room.

“That it? We alone now? You not expecting any other Norse deities to come down for a visit?” you queried, sarcasm dripping from your tongue.

“I’m afraid I wouldn’t know,” he stated simply, matching your attitude. “And are you expecting anymore of your fellow ‘agents’ to barge in through the door?”

“This is our facility; not yours,” you countered quickly, “Every move we make is warranted.”

Thor chuckled quietly. “Is stealing the work of another warranted, too?” he retorted; you knew that he was referring to the raid of Jane’s lab, “Or is that simply something you chose to do in your spare time?”

“Why are you here, Thor?” you ignored his backhanded jab, instead getting right to the point. “You’ve never deemed it necessary to come down to Earth before; why the sudden visit?”

Thor went silent for a moment, memories of him being cast out flooding his head. “I was banished by Odin. Were you not present during my conversation with my brother?” he sassed.

“Oh, I heard it,” you nodded, biting on your bottom lip before shrugging, “But I’m not sure if I believe it.”

Thor scoffed. “You believe my trip here to be of my own willingness? What business would I have on Midgard?”

“You tell me.”

Narrowing his eyes a miniscule amount, Thor’s lips parted as he looked at you. Your body language was standoffish, and it immediately resonated that you did not trust him.

“You think me to be a threat?” he questioned. “That I have come to wage war on this realm? With its people?”

You held up both hands and pursed your lips. “Your words, not mine. All I’m saying is that Asgard has never shown any interest in Earth before, so why now?”

A small spark of anger was ignited within the god, manifesting itself in a frown and a clenched jaw. “Be mindful of your accusations. Asgard wishes not to wage any kind of war, especially not with Midgard.”

“So, why, Thor? Why here? Out of all of the realms, why would Odin banish you here?”

That was the question Thor had been asking himself ever since he woke up in this realm, and now, as he looked at you, realisation finally dawned on him. With a newly enlightened expression, Thor held your gaze intensely.

“Because of you.”

Slowly, your forehead began to crease, and you scoffed softly. “What-“

Doctor Erik Selvig burst through the door, followed closely by a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, and rushed over to Thor.

“Donny, Donny, Donny!” he exclaimed in exasperation. “There you are!”

Thor looked up, unsure of what the hell was going on, as the agent untied his restraints. Selvig pulled the god to his feet, enveloping him in a warm hug.

“It’s going to be alright, my friend,” he assured, “Come on, I’m taking you home.”

Turning, he led the bewildered Thor out of the door. The god turned his head, surveying the room for sight of you, but you had disappeared.

You appeared a minute later in the control room, stomping your way towards Coulson with a panicked look. Gesturing wildly to the door, you demanded answers.

“What the hell was that? You're gonna let him walk? I wasn’t finished-”

“Director’s orders,” he stated simply, forcing you to shut up. “But don’t worry, we’ll keep a close eye on him.”

You watched as the agent walked out, heading for the main entrance to the base. A few minutes later, you did the same.

“So will I.”

 ✧ ✧ ✧

 A few hours later. Jane’s lab.

Walking out from the shadows, you treaded towards the small building, paying careful attention not to make too much noise as you walked over the gravel.

When you were close enough, you called out to Thor. “You two look cute together,” you remarked softly.

Thor startled a bit, having not expected your arrival, and swiftly glanced down at Jane, who was nuzzled into his chest, sound asleep.

“I don’t suppose you came all the way out here to inform me of that fact,” he responded, keeping his voice as low as he could as he gently untangled himself from Jane.

Nervously chewing on your lip, you shook your head and shoved your hands into the pockets of your jacket. “No. Can we talk? Or… ya know, finish our talk?”

“Depends. Will you be making any more false accusations?”

Sighing, you dug your heels into the gravelly ground. “Yeah. Sorry about that. In my defence, though,” you paused and pointed to yourself, “major trust issues.”

Thor hummed softly before leaping down from the roof, landing on his feet not too far from you. He walked forward until you were only a few steps away from each other.

“And you’ve now come here and decided to trust me because…”

“Last year, when I activated my powers, I-,” you breathed, closing your eyes for a brief moment, “I saw my dad. He told me something, then – something that I’d forgotten about, until now.”

“What did he say?”

“You have people out there who care about you. You have family. And you will learn just as well from them as you would from me,” you quoted your father. Judging from the look on Thor’s face when you’d finished, the words held meaning to him, too.

“And considering you told me that I’m the reason you’re here…” you continued, referring to the god’s earlier words, “I’m guessing that this was kinda meant to happen.”

“Yes,” Thor agreed with a slow nod, “I believe so.”

There was an awkward silence that followed, as the two of you stood under the moonlight, thinking over everything that had happened over the last little while.

You were the first one to break it.

“I’m scared.”

Your admission caught Thor off guard, and he looked at you in bewilderment. “I would never hurt you-“

“No,” you cut him off, shaking your head to indicate that that was not what you had meant, “I’m scared of my powers. What I can do with them. I’m scared that I’ll lose control; that I’ll hurt people. I have hurt people,” your voice dropped to barely a whisper during the last sentence. “There was an accident a couple weeks back – I destroyed the entire coastline of a city… all because I lost control. And I’ve gotten better since then, I have, but there’s still a part of me that’s afraid that it’ll happen again, and worse. I hate feeling like that.”

“It’s tough,” Thor said, “And I cannot imagine what it must be like to be the only one down here with abilities like you and I. On Asgard it's simpler; there’s no such fear that would plague you.” The god drew in a deep breath and reached out to squeeze your shoulder in reassurance. “While I cannot make your fear go away, I can teach you how to better manage your abilities… and I do believe that that’s the reason I’m here.”

You smiled at him thankfully, but then scoffed when you realised that time was not on your side. “And how long would that take?”

“Mm.” Thoughtfully, Thor glanced up at the sky, asking you a question. “How many hours until sunrise?”

Pulling your phone out of your pocket, you pressed the home button to bring up the clock. “Just under five. Why?”

“All we need is three.”

You couldn't help but laugh at that. “Three? You’re giving me much more credit than I deserve, cousin. I’m a mess. Pretty sure it’s gonna take a hell of a lot longer than three hours to get me in check.”

“You’ve such little faith in me?” he cocked his head and smiled teasingly.

“No,” you scoffed, “I’ve such little faith in myself.”

“Do not,” he said, gesturing for you to follow him as he led the way into the dessert. “After all – you are a goddess.”

_______________________________

Thank you for reading x

 Taglist:

@arosebyname @avengertrash21 @tiffisnotnormal  @darknessdancing @raversam @theieroenthusiast @the-ghost-of-hemingway @laerkers @peters-vlogs @hockeyswag-boll  @username-number-01834 @untilyouburnallofthewitches @underscoredarcy  @aminasmells @becausebands @converseskyline  @vinyloider @attractiveugly @twentzyonepirates  @tegan-eva @i-only-date-flower-boys @jishwatylrandtop  @blueskiesbleakeyes  @robinruns  @hi-ho-and-hello @svintsandghosts  @iamafishandigosplish  @sunshineandapplepie @kealohilani-tepise  @bookworm104 @sheridans-dynamos @justawriterinprogress  @anotherwriterinprogress

 Note: Yeah, I was gonna write the training scene for this, but nah.

[egyptsblackrose]

Texts From my stranger

Chapter 1) 5 Hours Ahead

I watched as my brothers dragged their feet, heading to bed. Tonight had been long and yet fruitless, as it often was now since we finally defeated the Shredder once and for all. Karn continued to try run the reformed Foot - now that Kari was back in Japan for good - the new ninjas knew better than to make spectacles of themselves, and even the Purple Dragons were keeping quiet lately. So the result was that we could enlarge our patrol run but also meant little happened during. Which meant we spent more time training and running to tire ourselves out.

Raph was the most disappointed with these turn of events, he enjoyed a chance to put our skills to the test. Mikey and Don took it the best, the youngest having more time for his video games and the intelligent one using his free time to work and fix things. Master Splinter seemed more at ease as well, sensing that the dark part in our lives was finally coming to a close and the chance for a more peaceful future was within our grasp.

I had to agree for the most part, though I knew it would be another few years before me and my brothers where truly at peace. By then the hormones we endured would have lessened and been more bearable, our future existence with it just being us easier to accept. Raph was the angriest about it, his usual bad moods had more fire than usual, Mikey hides his loneliness with comics and gaming, and Don didn't even let himself think about it, concentrating on the present and not the future.

As for me, I relished in the extra practice time…and as for my future…I accepted a long time ago that my family would always and only consist of my friends, brothers and Master Splinter and hoping for any more was foolish.

I entered my room silently, untying the knot on my mask and folding it onto my bedside table, I was about to reach for my belt a flash from the phone Donny made caught my attention. I picked up the device to see a text from an unknown number. Curious , but cautious, I opened the message.

Text from 0*********2 : Hey Katie, this is my new number, come on cam soon? - Evie

I frowned down at the phone, stumped for what to do. The number was different for a start, so whoever sent the text clearly wasn't from America, clearly this…Evie typed the number wrong.

I contemplated answering; informing the girl she had the wrong number then decided against it, figuring Evie, whoever she was, would figure it out for herself. So I put my phone down and undid my belt, slipping it off, but a beep and another flash stopped me from reaching for my arm pads.

Evie : Yo, K come on! It's skype night you said you'd be in…?

The same number, Evie. I sighed, deciding it was better to get it over with and text back.

Leo : I'm sorry you have the wrong number

There, short and simple. Expecting that to be the end of it, I went back to preparing myself for sleep, taking off my arm and knee pads, sitting down on my bed when the beep went off again.

Evie : Seriously? Oopps sorry about that, it's my new phone im still breakin' it in, know what I mean?

Her comment made me chuckle, and despite myself I texted back.

Leo : That's alright, new phones are always tricky for the first day or two, I hope you get in touch with your friend soon

I sighed, lying back figuring the conversation was over, but to my surprise, my phone beeped again.

Evie : Haha yeah but fun to play around with right? And don't worry about it I'll send her an e-mail to get the right number to be sure this time

I read the text a few more times; trying to figure out if I should reply or leave it at that and end the contact. I knew I should, it was taking an unnecessary risk replying and entering a conversation with a complete stranger, but I found myself curious and desiring more of the light chatter that we were sharing.

Leo : True, that's good…what kind of phone did you get, may I ask?

Hitting the send button before I could rethink my discussion, I forced my body to relax while I waited for a reply should this, Evie, want to continue talking. I felt oddly happy when I heard my Mobil go again.

Evie : The new Samsung note pad, know if it?

I raised an eye ridge. I knew from what Donnie had told me when we saw the advert for the phone that it was pretty good tec and I was slightly impressed. Don would probably have more appreciation and be able to ask questions, but because I was no genius, I stuck with a simple reply.

Leo : Yeah I saw it advertised, looks pretty good, do you like it?

Evie : Yeah it rocks! I have a few apps for my art work on it too, it's so cool! What kinda phone do you have?

Evie's reply was almost instant which showed her enthusiasm, and it made me smile a little. But her question about my phone made me think, but I came up with a convincing enough reply.

Leo : My brother made mine; he calls it the shell cell for the turtle shell pattern on the back he had engraved

I nodded to myself, not far-fetched, pretty much the whole truth, perfectly believable.

Evie : Wow that's so cool! I take it you like turtles then? :)

I smirked.

Leo : Yeah I do, gotta respect the turtle

Evie : Haha fairs, personally my favourite animals the wolf but hey each to their own :P by the way, I'm Evelyn Richards, Evie for short :)

I found her comment about the wolves interesting and wanted to ask why, but the second part of her text made me stop. How could a girl, however old she was, trust a stranger with her name and number? And a more pressing question in my head was, what did it mean?

Thinking about it, I figured that if the worst came forward I could ask Donnie to block the number, so I figured the only way I was going to get the answers I wanted was to ask.

Leo : You'd give your name away to a stranger you've only just started talking to?

I sat up, finding that I was more curious for her answer than I originally thought. Oddly, I felt my heart start to beat faster and I couldn't think why. Could it be because this was the first possible safe human contact I'd experienced, and with a girl?

The device beeped and vibrated in my hand.

Evie : I'll give you a short version of a very long and confusing story, but I'm very good at telling when someone is trustworthy or not, and you've given me no reason to think I could be wrong about you. In fact you've been nothing but really nice and friendly despite it being so late at night. Besides, I'm all the way in England so I'm not so worried America ;)

I paused. How was it that this girl managed to spike my curiosity constantly? The ninja in me told me to end it here, that this was dangerous territory, that there was too much at risk. But the teenager in me asked, is it so wrong to want a friend?

Raph would say take the risk, learn as you go, develop in the process, that was his style. Mikey would say wing it, go with the flow, see the threat as A challenge and enjoy yourself. Don would probably be more cautious, take it slow, see if the girl was trustworthy first, run a few background checks and then experiment. That's what my brothers would probably do.

Leo : My names Leonardo Hamato, nice to meet you Evie

I sent the text before my common sense could surface. Maybe I needed sleep and that's why I was being so reckless, the lack of rest getting to me.

I thought over her last text and again my inquisitiveness was getting the best of me. I wanted to know what she meant by 'a long story', 'being good at telling when someone's trustworthy', and what it was like in England. Her life had to be so different from mine, and the unknown was too tempting.

My phone beeped.

Evie : Nice ta meet ya Leo ^-^ I take it ur Japanese from ur last name…

I shifted uncomfortably but then again I should have expected this. After all, if I was curious about Evie and asked about her, it was only fair and natural for her to require the same input. The question was, could I? Could I communicate with a stranger without giving away too much? Keep my family safe whiles possibly gaining a friend who would treat me…normal?

Only one way to find out.

Leo : No, I'm American; my adoptive father moved to New York from Japan and found me and my brothers, found us and raised us, gave us a home and family

I held my breath and waited. Two minutes passed and I laid down, keeping my phone in my hand. Four minutes passed then my hand vibrated and oddly my stomach gave an exited jump.

Evie : I see…Evelyn Richards is the name of my foster/adoptive mother gave me when I was young...I don't know my real name or remember my old life…guess we're kind of alike like that hu? :)

I didn't know how to reply, so many questions came into my head but I didn't have to worry about that, because Evie solved my problem for me.

Evie : Wow sorry, I difted into pretty deep territory there, sorry, Ithink its cause I’m so tired, I’m like 5 hours ahead, can we talk more tomorrow?

I should not be as happy with that response as I was in that moment, with my heart hammering against my plastron,

Leo : Sure, I’ll message you first

Evie : Cool, night Leo ^_^

Leo : Sweet dreams Evie

With that I locked my phone and set it back on my bedside table, turning over onto my side for the most comfortable sleeping position, wrapping myself in a blanket. Oddly enough, I couldn’t wait for tomorrow to come.

[sapphicauntie]

B and The Three Gay Caballeros?? Pretty please??

Granny Elvira’s farm was the same as it always had been, even after all these years.

Situated in the middle of a country field far away from any interstate or highway, it had been a long time since Donald had been here, far too long. When Gladstone and Fethry had turned down the chance to own it after her passing (the former citing he wasn’t a stay-at-home type and the latter was down in South America), it fell to Donald and it seemed like a good idea time, and naturally, José and Panchito moved in with him.

It was a change of pace for the three of them. After living in the Institute for a while, it was nice to get back to this kind of thing. Donald had never settled in well after the whole thing with Felldrake so asking Daisy to take control of the Institute was the best thing he could’ve done, his ex girlfriend only too willing. It suited her, and the country suited Donald. He spent his days with his sleeves rolled up and ankle deep in mud, shit or hay, while José gardened and Panchito herded the cattle or cooked in the kitchen.

It had been about a month since they had moved in when things started to happen.

It started little, with things going missing here and there, or the cows being spooked by something. Donald could remember nights in his youth when he and his cousins and sister would sit around campfires in the back paddock and tell stories. Della’s had always been the spookiest, his twin good at telling them to the point where Fethry was almost clinging to him and Gladstone in fear and had to be carried back to the house. The memory of Gladstone’s warning over the phone came back to him.

“No way would I ever be interested in Granny’s farm. One, I’m not the type, and two, that shit’s haunted, Donnie. I mean, I know I’m lucky but not even my luck would keep those ghosts at bay for long.”

Despite the anxiety in the pit of his stomach, Donald swallowed down his medication and left it alone.

It was another month before they had the farm looking good as new since Granny’s passing, Donald having called cousin Gus to help him and José with some of the repairs to the shed and stables. They made small talk while they worked, resetting beams and fixing the old doors, replacing wood in the walls. Gus himself had had the chance to own the farm, but when Donald asked him why he didn’t take it, he just shook his head, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief.

“I wouldn’t want to run into the widow.”

“Widow?” José asked, looking over his shoulder at the goose curiously. “Like a spider?”

Gus shook his head, then looked around them and lowered his voice. “They say that a long time ago, before Grandpa Hunkerdink built the farm, a woman drowned in the stream nearby, on the run from the law or somethin’.” He pocketed his handkerchief and then hefted the last wooden slab into their pulley system, helping Donald pull on the rope to lift it up. “She was a murderess who killed her husband and children, all sos that she could be with another. Rumours say she always appears dressed in white.” He wiped his hands on his overalls as José hammered the panel in, huffing and looking at Donald. “Don’t y’remember Granny leavin’ milk and bread on th’ windowsill? It was to appease the woman’s spirit to leave us alone, especially when the lot of yeh were intent on spendin’ the evenin’ outside.”

“Dama branca,” José muttered to himself as he slid the hammer into the tool belt far too big for his tiny waist, a look from Donald and Gus making him pause and then shook his head a mite sadly. “My people…my country has similar stories, as does Panchito’s. Not always pretty and definitely not for children.” He tilted his head to look at the duck. “Donal’, perhaps it would be best if we started your vovo’s tradition of leaving milk and bread on the windowsill back up again, no?”

Donald huffed, adjusting the sleeves of his flannel. “We’ll be fine. We took on that big palooka Felldrake, we can face anything.” At Gus’ confused glance, he shook his head. “Ask me another time, Gus.”

The goose shrugged and set about taking down the pulley system while José pursed his beak together, then sighed and rolled his sleeves up. “I suppose if worse comes to worse I know a few spells that can keep spirits at bay, if not for long. I really must insist on continuing vovo’s tradition, meu amor, and you know how superstitious Panchito is, but I will double check the wards just to be sure.”

Donald somehow had a feeling that he was going to regret it, watching the parrot start the long walk to the four corners of the property. He knew José had set up spells at the corners when they’d first moved in as sort of a trip wire, just in case, but he turned his head to look at his cousin, Gus rolling the rope around on his arm. “Gus…d’you really think Granny Elvira knew what she was doing?”

“Well, we never saw her, did we? The ghost?” Gus asked, shrugging with a small sigh. “I guess it all depends on what you believe, cuz. I know for sure that Granny knew what she was doing in a lot of things, so I trust in her…whatchacallit…methods. ‘Sup to you.”

They bid Gus farewell after dinner that night, even though they had offered to put him up, the goose was ready to get home. Donald flopped back in a chair at the kitchen table, running a finger through his feathery hair as José sat across from him, sipping a cup of tea, Panchito doing dishes. It was storming outside, the wind having picked up out of nowhere just after Gus had left, dark clouds hovering overhead in the sky.

The lights went out, the three of them letting out a scream as china shattered to the floor, a flash of lightning outside the window illuminating the room and allowing Donald to grab the flashlight from its place on the shelf, flicking it on. He shone it around the kitchen, first finding Panchito standing near the kitchen sink, gripping it in a white knuckled grip, and then turning it to José who gave him a look.

“What? It’s not the ghost, the lightning probably blew a fuse!” the duck grumped as Panchito moved over to José, taking hold of his shoulders and squeaking at the news.

“There’s a espírito?!”

José sighed, placing his hand to his forehead. “I told you this would happen, Donal’.”

“There is no espírito, Panch,” Donald said, turning the flashlight on the rooster and making him squint in the light. “Besides, aren’t you a three times world champion luchador?”

“Well sure, but that’s people. People, Donaldo. I can’t wrestle ghosts!”

“We’ve been to the underworld for Selene’s sake!”

“I’m afraid it looks as though you are about to be able to try, meu amor,” José interrupted them almost calmly, the next lightning flash illuminating the window once again, making him cringe as the three of them looked to it. Donald dropped the flashlight in shock, backing himself into the refrigerator as the ghostly visage of a woman stared back at them, skeletal in appearance and clothed in white like Gus said she would be.

“La Llorona,” Panchito panicked, now practically draped around José’s neck like a scarf or as Scooby Doo would Shaggy Rogers.

“Donal’, I blessed the window with a combination of salt and water hours ago, but it might still be too young to keep such an old spirit away,” the parrot said as he patted the rooster’s arm out of the choke hold on his throat, looking at the duck as he fumbled with the fridge door. “Now would be the time to appease her, my friend, before things get worse.”

“But…but we need…”

José smacked the table with his hand, standing and taking Panchito with him before the taller lost his balance and fell off. “Donal’ Duck, she is a woman in so much agony that she is drifting with sorrow! Do not let her suffer any more than she is already!”

Bony fingers scraped at the window as Donald screwed his eyes shut, shoulders sagging as he looked at his partners pleadingly. “Help me?”

José gave him a smile and put his cigar out, rolling up his sleeves before taking hold of Panchito’s hand to keep the rooster comforted. Together, they found the milk and the bread, and a glass and plate for both, Donald limiting his whining to grumbling under his breath as the wind and lightning rumbled around the house, threatening to undo their hard work. The window was opened, Donald shakily placing both on the windowsill as the ghostly woman hovered there.

“My lady, please forgive my love’s actions,” José said with a bow, gesturing to the meagre meal sitting on the sill as his partners cowered together behind him. “And please know that you are always welcome on your land.”

The ghost seemed to consider it, before she disappeared, along with the bread and the milk from the glass. The wind stopped and the lights flickered back on, Panchito and Donald unable to help but stare as José took both plate and glass from the window, putting them into the sink calmly. “H-how did you know what to do?” the rooster asked, wrapping his arms around José in a hug of apology for his cowardice.h

“I have dealt with a few spirits before,” he confessed, reaching to close the window and patting Panchito’s arm in acceptance, kissing his cheek. “Sometimes all they need is the assurance that they can pass through their land in peace.” José turned his head to look at Donald with a small frown. “Which is why I wanted you to set the bread and milk out in the first place, Donal’.”

“Alright, alright. We’ll make extra,” he said, holding his hands up in defeat before he tilted his head to kiss José’s beak. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you.”

“Y’know,” Panchito began slowly, reaching to pull the duck into their hug. “That was a rush. Anyone else feel up for a little midnight…”

“Not the time, Panchito!”

The rooster pouted, but settled for couch snuggles and a telenovela.

[imjustthemechanic]

The French Mistake

Part 1/? - A Visitor Part 2/? - The Kulturhistorisk Museum Heist Part 3/? - Cutscene Part 4/? - The Marvel Cinematic Universe Part 5/? - Breathless Part 6/? - Escape at Last Part 7/? - Fox in Socks Part 8/? - Things Go Wrong Part 9/? - Downey and Out Part 10/? - Road Trip Part 11/? - Temptation Part 12/? - An Awful Reunion Part 13/? - Unreality Intrudes Part 14/? - A Call for Help Part 15/? - Loki’s Guests Part 16/? - Stan Lee Cameo Part 17/? - Reassessment Part 18/? - Midnight Invasion Part 19/? - Elevator Fight Part 20/? - Courage Part 21/? - Unwelcome Back Part 22/? - Darkest Hour Part 23/? - They Are Here Part 24/? - The Jet Propulsion Laboratory Part 25/? - Word of God

When you need to know the secrets of the Marvel universe, there’s only one person to ask.

“Sixteen hours?” asked Kevin.  “Jesus.”

Steve wanted to tell her not to take the Lord’s name in vain, but he still remembered the weeks of ribbing he’d gotten the last time he’d asked somebody to mind their language.

“In sixteen hours,” she said carefully.  “I might be able to draw a decent picture of it.”

“What if you skip all the testing stuff and just go for it?” Bob asked.

Donny cleared his throat.  “I was in this movie a while back.  The Martian.  Did you see it?”

“You gotta understand,” Kevin added, “I’m just one person and I’ve got other stuff to do.  I’m also trajectory on Europa Clipper, and there’s Mars 2020, and the Ice Giant mission we’re still trying to hammer out… Mike was very clear that it’s all gotta stay in the pipeline just in case we survive this.”

“Right, right,” said Steve.  His brain was starting to recover from the shock six months had given it, and he was now trying to figure a way around it.  “So instead of snatching the wormhole machine out from under their noses and running, we’re actually going to have to permanently neutralize the Chi’Tauri.  Then we’ll have to be on guard for a while in case the ones back in our universe get tired of waiting and send another group.”  The promise of a quick victory had slipped away into the looming dread of a long siege, but they would just have to deal with it. “So we need to figure out how to capture or kill them.”

“I am not flying any nukes anywhere,” said Bob.  “Just to get that out of the way.”

“You killed quite a few of them during the Battle of New York, didn’t you?” Hayley asked.  “How did you do it then?”

“By hitting them really, really hard,” said Natasha.

That didn’t work here, as their attempt to fight in the convention centre had already proved – without the serum, Thor’s Asgardian strength, or Natasha’s enhancements, they just couldn’t hit hard enough.  “They all collapsed when the nuke went off,” said Steve.  “Fury said the scientists figured some kind of connection with the mother ship had been broken.”  If they couldn’t get a bomb into space, doing that again was going to be difficult.

“They must have some kind of weakness,” Hayley said. “Aliens in comic books always do.”

Steve’s brain, which had been roiling a moment ago as he tried to think, came to a dead halt.  Comic books.

“What?” Hayley asked, seeing his expression change. “Do you know what it is?”

“No,” said Steve, “but we know who does!”  He reached into one pocket, then the other, and then realized they’d all left their phones back at the hotel in Canada during their hurried escape.  “We need a phone.  And we need… does anybody have Stan Lee’s number?”

Hayley brought her hands together, a delighted smile on her face.  “Of course!” she said.

“I’ve got it!”  Bob pulled a phone out of his jacket and scrolled through it.

“Use this one.”  Kevin grabbed a yellowed 90’s cordless handset off another table.  “It’s got a speaker.”

Steve picked up the receiver.  “Isn’t that a new phone?” he asked Bob.  “I mean, we left the hotel with nothing.”

“I saved my contacts in the cloud,” Bob said. “Our world might not have all that fancy hologram stuff, but we’re not barbarians!”  He found the contact and showed the number to Steve, who started punching it in on the JPL phone.  “Although Stan Lee didn’t create the Chi’Tauri,” he added.  “I think that might have been Mark Miller…”

“Well, if Stan Lee doesn’t know, then he can probably give us the number of somebody who does,” said Steve.  He turned on the speakerphone and set the handset in the middle of the table so everybody could hear and talk.  It rang once, twice, then three times.

“He never answers right away,” said Bob, trying to sound encouraging.  “And he doesn’t have voicemail.  He says there’s no point because he’s not gonna listen to it anyway.”

A fifth ring, then a sixth… and then finally, on the tenth, there was the soft sound of a pickup.

“Stan Lee,” said the old man’s voice.  “Marvel Allfather.”

“Hello!” said Steve.  “This is Steve Rogers!”

“Oh, yes!” said Lee cheerfully.  “I told you I’d run into you again.  What can I do you for, Cap?  No, wait, you gave up Captain America after Civil War, didn’t you?  I’m still trying to convince the Russos to get you into the Nomad costume.”

Steve refused to let himself be distracted.  “Stan,” he said, “we need to know what the Chi’Tauri’s weakness is.”

There was a pause.  “What, you want me to just tell it to you?” Stan asked.  “That’s cheating!”

“No, it’s not!” Steve protested.  “We’re trying to save the world here!”

“No, no, no,” Stan insisted.  “When the narrator pulls something out of nowhere to tie up the plot, that’s a deus ex machina and it’s been lazy writing ever since the time of the ancient Greeks!  How would you feel if you woke up and found out this had all been a dream?  You’d be disappointed, right?  It’s the same thing.”

“Actually, I’d be okay with that,” said Steve. Waking up in his apartment in Wakanda and learning none of this had ever happened?  He’d take it.

“Well, I’m not,” said Stan.  “I’ve never approved of it, and I’m not going to start now.”

“This isn’t a story, Stan!” said Bob.  “There are actual aliens in Houston and they’re gonna kill people.”

“It’s a story to somebody,” Stan insisted.  “If the people in our stories actually exist in other universes, which they demonstrably do, then obviously we’re a story in somebody else’s, and I’d hate to give them a letdown ending.”

“Ah!”  Hayley leaned forward.  “But a deus ex machina is something that hasn’t already been established in the story’s world, right?  Right?  So you were pre-established!  We met you in the hotel room and you gave us pointers there!  It’s properly a part of the narrative universe, and you can do it again without cheating!”

There was no immediate reply.  Steve waited, drumming his fingers impatiently.

“Stan?” asked Bob.

“I’m still here,” said Stan.  “You know what?  She’s right.  Well done, Miss Atwell!  Very well, then,” he decided.  “The Chi’Tauri who are after you lot are drones.  Remember when the wormhole closed in New York and they all just fell down?”

“Yeah, we were talking about that,” said Steve.

“They’re a hive-mind,” Stan explained, “and the center of their thought and initiative lies in the queen.  If they haven’t got a queen within range, all they can do is lie there and drool.”

“So there are actually five of them here, then,” said Nat.  “We haven’t seen the queen because they’re keeping her hidden.”

“Exactly,” Stan agreed.  “Find the queen, and you can bring them all down at once and cart them off to Area 51 for dissection!  Does that help?”

“Yeah,” said Steve.  “That helps a lot.”

“Wonderful!” Stan said.  “I’ll look forward to hearing about it later – bye now!”  There was a click as he hung up.

Hayley reached out to turn off the handset.  “I… I don’t think he really believes us,” she observed.  “I think he considers this some big game.”

“No, he believes it,” said Bob.  “Stan’s been waiting for something like this his entire life.”

“I don’t care if he believes it,” Steve decided.  “As long as his advice is good.”  He sat back and tried to make a list of tasks.  “So… distract the Chi’Tauri, kill or incapacitate the queen, steal the wormhole machine and bring it back here so Kevin can figure out how to direct it, and then… deal with maybe six months more of Chi’Tauri incursions as they come after Loki again and again?”

“Optimistically six months,” Kevin reminded him.  “I have honestly no idea.”

“When you put it that way, it sounds impossible,” said Hayley, discouraged.

“Nothing is impossible,” Thor assured her.  “Some things are merely very difficult.”

“We’re used to impossible tasks,” said Nat.  She rubbed her hands together.  “Okay, where will they be hiding the queen?  Loki, when you were working for the Chi’Tauri, did you ever…”

“I wasn’t working for them,” Loki interrupted her.  “They were working for me.  And I was never on board one of their frightful vessels.  Those are for the rabble.  I had better ways to get around.  But,” he added, “they kept their queens on the mother ships that housed the Leviathans, far away from Earth where no threat could be present.”

“Okay, I can tell you categorically that there is no Chi’Tauri mothership in orbit of earth,” said Kevin.  “We monitor earth orbit because it’s full of crap that can crash into satellites and make trouble.  Besides, anything big enough to be considered a mothership, if it were between us and the moon you’d be able to see it from your backyard.”

“And we’re already pretty sure that one Leviathan’s all they’ve got,” Nat said, “because if they had more they’d send them.  If they’ve got the queen with them, then she’s on board that.”

Loki sighed, and then took his glasses off with a scowl – but one that seemed to be directed at the glasses themselves rather than at anything else – and leaned forward.  He obviously didn’t like talking about his time with the Chi’Tauri, but he recognized the need.  “Considering the esteem in which the queens are held,” he said, “they would have had to alter the troop transport to let her live on board.  They would not squeeze her into a little sleep pod like a common soldier.”

“Perhaps that is why there are a mere four of them,” Thor said.  “Those we fought in New Yrok seemed to house dozens.  We need to know what’s inside the vessel.”  He looked at Bob.

Bob shook his head.  “The whole thing was special effects, remember?” he asked.  “A bunch of tech people put it all together in a computer while I was busy knocking up Susan.  I don’t even remember what it was supposed to look like from the outside.”

“There were some people back down the hall who had blueprints or something,” Steve said, remembering the rooms they’d passed on the way in.

A quick search found the room in question – JPL employees ranging in age from twenty to seventy had a set of plans and concept art spread out on a table, and were poring over it while a nervous Marvel Studios executive hovered behind them, trying to discourage them from drawing on the original artwork with sharpies.  Steve waited in the hall, leaning on the crutch the policewoman had given him, while Natasha marched in.

“Good afternoon, folks,” she said, and reached for the blueprint mockup they were examining.

They stared at her – especially the representative of the studio, a woman in a pea-green skirt suit, with gray streaks in her shoulder-length brown hair.

“Scarlett?” the woman asked.

“Natasha.”  She held out her hands.

The employees started picking up the drawings and diagrams, loathe to part with them.  Nat put her hands on her hips.

“Do you want us to beat up your aliens for you?” she asked.  “Or should we just let them blow up Houston?”

“Give them to her,” the woman in green ordered. “I trust her with them better than I trust you guys.”    

Word spread quickly, and soon it seemed like half the people at JPL had crowded into one of the big conference rooms, where three Avengers, three actors, and a specialist in orbital mechanics were trying to come up with a slightly more coherent plan.  The woman in green, whose name seemed to be Iris, had loaded a 3D model of the Leviathan on a laptop, and Natasha was examining it.

“The single-person craft dock here.”  She ran a finger down the side of the Leviathan as it rotated past.  “So that’s where we’ll be going in, rather than at the mouth like Stark did.”

“The internal structure is relatively weak,” Bob noted.  He’d found a packet of ‘astronaut ice cream’ somewhere, and was munching on the chalky-looking pink and white contents.  “There’s been big arguments about that online – how Tony couldn’t scratch it from the outside but blew it up from the inside, and how it crumpled up when the Hulk punched it.”

“The vessels are not designed to operate under gravity, only within their own anti-gravity fields,” said Loki.  “If your weapons or the monster’s fist damaged the anti-gravity generator, the whole machine could collapse under its own weight.”

“Like a sea serpent suffocating on a beach,” Thor agreed.

“So if we can lay some charges inside, we ought to be able to bring it down,” said Nat.  “Especially if we can find the generator… that’s gotta be in the head,” she pointed, “if the Hulk managed to punch it.”

“Sounds good,” said Steve.  They were starting to have a plan again, but there was still the matter of time.  When he checked his watch again, they were now down to fourteen hours and twenty-six minutes.

[thelostandforgottenangel]

Repairs

Okay so I've had this idea in my head all day and finally I couldn't help but write it... Now I'm a girl and as so it is weird that I LOVE working on cars (as I have been told by many, many people) and in doing so I do work on my own car - anything from repairs to maintenance it's usually me working on my van. I don't feel right if it's not my hands covered in grease while repairing anything so this fanfiction just came so danm easily

This is set in my AU world so it plays off what I think the guys would do in this situation: I imagined either Raphael or Donatello needing help in fixing the garbage truck and somehow it resulted in my OC giving some assistance. Now giving how Don is the genius who built the truck I figured it would just be funnier if it was Raph who somehow damaged the patrol vehicle.

Raphael while good with his hands and enjoys working on his motorcycle I picture he wouldn't be very savvy on how the truck works

He gets home after going out on his own (Without permission, of course) and somehow damaged something on the truck to the point that it is now not running.

He would be storming around the lair trying to be extra quiet so he could attempt to fix the problem before his father or brothers find out. Being that the one person who can help him doesn't need to find out he goes to get a computer his brother fixed to look up how to do the maintenance needing to get it fixed before it's discovered that something is wrong, not so tech advanced he has to wake his little sister to turn the danm thing on so he can use it

He heads back up to the above ground garage where he parked to vehicle not realizing the teen was following him - he isn't the type to ask for help especially not from his bratty younger sibling so when she offers he turns her down hard spouting off he can handle it, thinking the human girl has gone back down to the lair he gets right to work struggling to get the internet to work only to hit a major road block

After a hysterical half hour of her having to watch him trying to fit his shell under the bottom of the truck she lets him know she's still in the room offering her help again surprised when he actually accepts without a fight

  It wasn’t all that hard to feel his golden eyes glaring down on her as she remained under the edge of the truck working to get the tailpipe off unable to remove the entire thing until she cut the part off that was bent all to hell and wrapped around the back axil

“Raph – I’m scared to ask but… how?” she heard him growl under his breath as she kicked out from under the truck to look up at the massive turtle who was still towering over her where he had been for the last hour, she shifted reaching in the tool bag grabbing the wrench she was going to need pushing her facemask up seeing the anger playing across his face “I’m not lecturing it was just a question – don’t act like I’m gonna go all Leo on you”

He sighed as she kicked herself back under lifting the cutter before the sparks were flying around her until she shifted yanking down on the piece until it clattered to the floor beside her head whooping excitedly as she dragged it out shoving it away before throwing the fire proof blanket off her before removing her welding helmet shaking her head to clear it

“If you don’t want to tell me it’s cool, let’s just get the new one on before Donnie wakes up” she shot him a grin pulling off the rest of her protective gear tossing it into the pile moving the rolling platform she had been laying on crawling under the front before looking up as something dripped on the ground “You broke the oil filter when you hit whatever it was you took out… see if he’s got the stuff in the cabinet over there it should be about time for an oil change anyways – if not we have to make a parts run”

Raphael didn’t move as she started working again groaning as she tried to loosen the bolt until she finally felt it give “Where did ya learn all this kid… Don never said he was teaching ya mechanics” she shrugged before he grabbed her foot pulling her back out so she was looking in his eyes pausing when she realized he had really been asking

He tried not to be rude but since they had gotten up here she hadn’t stopped talking or telling him once more that he needed to be more careful

It had actually been the first time he had spoken a word since waking her as he had snuck back into the lair having to swallow his pride just to ask her how to get one of Donnie’s computers on – she had followed him up to the garage when he refused to tell her why he needed to use it since he hated the rigged up tech she was so savvy with

“Well years of watching you and him work on things up here, your magazines, internet… guess I just picked up a few things while I was pestering you hothead” she rolled back under pulling the old exhaust pipe free yelping when she lost her grip on it before a massive hand caught it, her head turned to see Raphael sitting on the right side out of her peripheral vision “Thanks”

He slowly nodded as she reached for something before he held out the rag she was using; he leaned down watching her as she worked using a hammer to unbend the piece she had cleaned before looking towards where the new tailpipe was sitting looking surprised when he shifted pulling it over for her “Thanks Raphie”

“I should be thanking ya kid” she looked over as he laid back down lifting the heavy metal up for her letting her slid it into place quickly tightening the bolt to hold it there before she was sliding towards the back bolting it up the rest of the way “If ya hadn’t come up here I would have probably had to go get Nerd up”

She looked down seeing a look play over his face, she knew he was right of course Raphael was too big to fit under the garbage truck with his shell and the lift gate was down since Donnie hadn’t had the time to replace one of its damaged parts so they couldn’t get it any higher than a couple feet off the ground on some ramps the teen had pulled over as the biggest turtle pushed it up while she steered since the engine wouldn’t turn over

If she hadn’t offered to help he would have had to get Donatello who was the only one of their brothers who just might be able to fit under the vehicle which would have led to the rest of her family being woken when the genius finally exploded on his brother for being careless

It was easy to figure out that if Leo got up there would be a fight earlier than usual

“So – you want to tell me what happened out there… I know you didn’t do it on purpose” she met his eyes with a small smirk as she moved back to his side rolling over coming face to face with him pausing as her breath caught in her throat quickly recovering when he brushed some hair out of her face scooting away slowly as he sighed

She gathered the broken metal hiding it in a far corner until she could get it out of the garage heading over to the cabinet opening one door pulling out a box full of extra parts digging out a new oil filter and a few jugs of oil turning to see the turtle behind her holding out his hands in a silent offer that she gladly took

 He looked her over as she grabbed two empty oil pans just in case kicking them under where she would need them before hearing him clearing his throat “I–I was patrolling down on the bad side of the city… Foots been active and I just thought better safe then sorry, one minute everything was fine the next – some asshole came speeding out of the alley to my left in a mustang almost t-boning the truck that’s when the police scanner went off that the bank a block away had been robbed”

She listened nodding slowly as she found the oil plug feeling around for the oil filter wrench before he kicked it into her reach chuckling at how fast she snatched it up grinning at the black grime already covering her hands and arms as she worked to repair what he had done “You went after him” he moved standing over where she was laying

His grin only widened as she took interest in what he had said realizing then it was the first time in years they had talked this long without saying anything harmful to one another

“Hell yeah I did after he almost took out a few people who were crossing the road” looking down through the top of the engine seeing the smile on her face before the filter dropped hitting the pan splattering oil across her face and clothes chuckling at the look of shock that appeared before their eyes met giggling as she wiped her face on one sleeve “Chased that sons a bitch for a while until… well he swerved into the oncoming lane and so I didn’t hit the guy coming at me I went off in a ditch”

He could see her nod holding out an oil stained hand until he placed a wrench in her palm seeing she quickly went to trying to loosen the oil plug pointing upward wordlessly telling him to remove the oil cap “Let me guess dirt was wet and it got stuck pretty bad… you pushed it out and in the process bent that sucker around the axil… your lucky you got this thing back before it shut down” he saw her struggling against the bolt grunting as she tried to force it to move

“Oh I had to push this bitch for a few minutes luckily the streets were empty”

“What in the hell… is this fucking thing welded on here” he paused smirking at the colorful language as she shifted her hips trying to get better leverage on the angle she was pushing it at brushing against his leg until he could feel the heat coming through her pants on his skin swallowing a groan as her shirt drifted up revealing her pale flesh

She growled under her breath shifting again making her top ride up until he could see just under where those large breast were peeking out before he heard her cry out as it finally gave under the constant force hearing her laugh before she was working again “Sorry you had to push it at all – the pipe was full of mud so the engine couldn’t breathe… like I said you were lucky you didn’t have to push it further”

He watched her from above seeing she was tightening something else as the engine’s fluids emptied into the pans getting lost in thought as she bit her bottom lip continuing on with what she had been doing before her emerald orbs glanced over catching his “What you up there smirking about big guy” it took a moment to find his voice having not realizing he had been staring for a while still fawning over the way she looked working on the truck smirking as she nudged him with her leg

“How’s yer oil bath coming down there?”

 A soft giggle broke her throat before she reached up adjusting something that must have come loose while he was driving home “Good – pass me the new filter I think it’s all drained out” he reached down grabbing up the filter before she glanced down at him “Almost forgot grab one of those jugs of oil and open it for me”

He chuckled lightly as she rolled out as he broke the seal on the jug carefully dipping one finger in to get some of the new oil on one finger working it around the rubber seal ducking back under the bottom “Ya really did learn something watching us”

She laughed sounding childish and more her age “What can I say you’re not hard to watch” their eyes met quickly when it dawned on them what she had just said seeing the cute blush color her cheeks as she started looking around slowly before shifting so he could see her again “Could you lean down here for a second and hold this in place while I put the plug back in” he rolled his eyes before laying down on his side letting her guide his hand where she needed it as she replaced the bolt “You know – I really do like doing this stuff and you’re so helpful-”

He glared at her as she took the filter screwing it into place checking to make sure it was tight before their eyes met “Shut up ya act like I can’t do this stuff”

“Raph” he realized she actually looked hurt before searching his face with a gentle understanding giving him an apologetic smile as she rolled back to lay at his side gently cupping his cheek in her hand meeting his eyes with no malice before she was grinning realizing she had said it with some sarcasm even if it was aimed at her instead of him “I didn’t mean it like that Raph – I was just saying that if you ever need the help and Donnie’s busy – I wouldn’t mind hanging out with you for a little bit”

He froze as she went back to work not meeting his eyes for a few moments until he started feeling just a bit courageous bumping her leg with his elbow “I’ll hit ya up kid” she grinned as he got up seeing her lay back down cleaning up the filter before she gave him the thumbs up to start adding the new oil watching to be sure it didn’t start leaking the moment he had added in a whole bottle “Does it take all three Rave”

“Yeah but just put in two for now then we’ll check it” she stopped moving under the truck just laying still as he poured the oil into the funnel placing the second empty bottle on the table behind him before pulling the oil stick looking down as she held up the rag for him cleaning it off before replacing it hearing her moving under the truck as he pulled it out once more finding it still needed oil

He had dumped in the third jug checking the stick once more now satisfied with the level as he glanced down seeing she was looking over something smiling to herself like something was amusing her “It’s funny but I really like spending time with you hothead”

He scoffed grabbing her foot hauling her out from under the front end until they were face to face “Ya tell anyone and I’ll beat the hell out of ya – but ya ain’t so bad to be around either ya little shit” she grinned as he looked over her dirty figure wiping some oil from her cheek with his thumb feeling his heart accelerating as she giggled again nuzzling her face into his grip “I actually think ya look cute while yer working under a hood”

He paused as something in his chest made him look at her in what felt like a different light seeing her flush as he leaned in slowly getting closer glancing over her beautiful face until she moved forward closing the small space between them pressing her lips to his in a soft peck tilting her head to the side when he moved straddling her body feeling weak as his mouth pressed over hers harder taking her breath away as his hands rested on her cheeks until he had to pull back

She looked up at him in a daze grinning like an idiot before she pulled him back feeling his rough hands becoming more restless the longer they kissed until he swiped his tongue over her bottom lip seeking entrance into her mouth, within seconds of her lips cracking under his she was groaning as his wide tongue brushed hers

The kiss quickly got heated with their mouths moving against the others feeling a pleasant nip that she returned until their bodies were grinding against the others hearing his frantic pants for air the few seconds their mouths parted only to crush hers under his before she could catch her own breath gasping into his mouth when he grabbed her ass growling playfully as she squeezed his biceps even if they didn’t give under her grasp

He groaned feeling her hands traveling down his body until they stopped at the edge of his pants as he grabbed at her feeling her body relaxing when he was holding her letting her arms wrap back around his neck while her legs went around his waist

The teen was so lost in the moment she barely even realized when his mouth left hers, something had made him pull away sniffing the air for a second before looking down to see her right hand was bleeding dripping down her arm soaking into her shirts sleeve “Kid – yer hurt”

“It’s fine just smashed my knuckles while trying to get the bolt loose” her mouth was over his again holding tight to him not wanting him to stop kissing her even as her mind caught up to what they were doing but all to soon he pushed the teen back moving away “I’m okay Raphie”

“I don’t doubt that kid… but it looks pretty messy and with all that crud on yer hands it could get infected fast” before she could argue that he was acting like Donnie he was on his feet pulling her with him leading her over to the sink at the back of their large garage lifting her up on the counter looking at it before he winced “Ya weren’t kidding – ya messed them up good”

He looked up seeing her staring at him before he leaned in pressing a quick peck to her swollen mouth grabbing the first aid kit his brother kept in one of the drawers moving to turn on the hot water checking it before slowly turning the cold on making sure it was tolerable

“Here let me see ‘em kid” she allowed him to pull both of her hands closer placing them under the water hearing her hiss the moment he added soap seeing her wince when it hit her hurt hand but she stayed quiet while he was scrubbing at the black covered skin working it into a thick lather until he could see for the most part her flesh was coming clean

She watched as he rinsed the soap from her arms grabbing a clean rag drying her skin free from the water as he inspected the wound “Pretty deep kid… got ‘em good didn’t ya” she smirked at him as he dug out some ointment washing it one more time to be sure it was clean before doctoring it up making sure it wasn’t hurting her “There now your all fixed”

She carefully inspected her hand that was now dressed in clean wrappings done with so much care she never would have believed he had done it if she hadn’t been watching him

“You gonna kiss it for me” he chuckled lifting it to his lips pressing soft pecks over the thick bandage before he was cleaning up her face wiping it free of the oil and smut before seeing her eyes sparkling “I think I need just one more kiss… you know to be sure it doesn’t hurt anymore”

He smirked leaning forward to kiss one cheek, then her nose, over her forehead before she wrapped her arms around his neck smiling sweetly as he swooped in crushing her lips under his as she pulled him closer deepening the longing kiss keeping their bodies pressed pleasantly together “Feeling better yet”

“I’m not sure… but I’m getting there”

She giggle as he lifted her off the counter pressing several pecks to her exposed neck before he was holding her against the wall meeting her lips once again, the teen clung to his body allowing her fingers to drift over his arms

She was hesitant to pull away from him but slowly she did clearing her throat before looking over to the truck “We should make sure it’s running before we forget – be bad if Donnie came to get it and it didn’t start”

He knew she was right but he didn’t want this moment to be over now that she was pressed so intimately against his chest plate but when his mind finally processed it he nodded setting her down before she was across the garage hopping up in the driver’s seat turning the key as it roared to life sounding better than it had when he had taken it last night as the turtle moved the pans of oil she had removed from the engine

“Purring like a kitten” she grinned backing it down the ramps parking it where it stopped barely getting to turn the engine off before she was pulled out of the cab finding herself in his arms while giving the teen one of his all too sexy smirks that left her breathless and feeling like she was going to melt right there as he fixed her in his arms moving towards the doors they had come through hours before “C’mon kid, let’s go get some sleep and then tomorrow I could use a hand with my bike”

“That sounds like a good plan” he had just stepped out of the elevator before she seemed to realize she must have been staring at him because she didn’t remember the ride down and he wasn’t putting her down heading straight up the stairs to his room grinning at how confused she looked at him

He shut the door behind him locking it before she found herself on his bed as he stripped his gear off tossing it to the floor before he was over her body smirking as she laid there still looking shocked “Never said I was going to bed right now…”

“What do you have in mind Raphie?”

“How about I thank ya for saving my ass from the biggest chewing I coulda got” she smiled giving him a light laugh as his mouth moved over her neck hearing a soft moan as he licked over the soft skin “Lord knows I don’t want time in the Ha’shi”

She was still breathing fast as he pulled away seeing she was getting as worked up as she had him already “M-Maybe I could accept that” he grinned as she pulled him down on top of her gasping at the secure feeling of his weight on her

They had kissed for what felt like hours until she was so out of breath he was sure she might faint, her face lit up in the brightest smile she may have ever gave him as she curled up beside him as they dosed off in one another’s arms happily hoping for the promised alone time in the garage to work on his bike together the next day

Although she highly doubted they would get much done if he got the urge to thank her again

Okay so  - what did you guys think? Please be as honest as you want I love the feedback from you guys  

On a side note: I REALLY LIKE HOW THIS TURNED OUT!

Now I wanted to do it with Donnie but it didn't fit where I was going with the story so maybe I'll write another later on with our favorite purple banded genius

This turned out so much better then I had originally imagined so in couldn't be prouder

[jamalgreene325-blog]

asked with anger in his voice. “We are out here trying to get paid but there is somethings I just won’t do. Imagine if it was your little sister fool!”

“Cool ok,” Donnie replied. “No problem Little Man.”

As Little Man is checking Donnie Karen pulled up. “What’s up baby?” she yelled.

“What’s up baby? Nothing just putting in some work.”

“Are you coming over tonight for dinner?”

“Dinner? For sure for some of that baked chicken and your thighs.”

Suddenly Detective Brown cruised up. Little Man saw him and slipped the hammer out of his waistband. While leaning inside the car he dropped it on to her lap. She immediately kicked the hammer underneath her car seat while still talking. She pulled off then parked several feet down on Columbus Avenue.

“Well,” Detective Brown said. “Don’t move! Stay right there!” Brown yelled while jumping out of his car. “Hands up!” he said. He then proceeded to frisk Little Man.

“What the fuck man? I didn’t do anything!”

“Let me decide that.”

Brown’s partner said, “Get against the car!”

Little Man leaned against the car. He sees Prince. Prince motions to him to be easy. Prince then picked up his cell phone to call Ms. Russell if need be. Prince paused as Karen walked over then Prince put down his phone.

“What’s going on officers?” she asked.

“Stay back miss this is police business,” Brown snapped.

“I can see that but why are you mishandling him that way?”

“Because we can,” Brown’s partner said. Brown turned around and grabbed Karen’s arm hard.

Little Man turned and yelled, “Get your fucking hands off her!”

She stayed calm and collected. “I suggest you remove your hand Officer unless; you would like my investment company’s legal team of lawyers to haul your ass into court for harassing a tax paying voting citizen!”

“Just who are you lady?”

“I represent the firm of Goodman Silverman and Goldstein and right now, you’re harassing me and my boyfriend. You have a choice to battle my legal team for harassment!”

“You should chose better company to keep little lady,” Brown said in a hard tone.

“Karen, Ms. Karen Graves, to you Officer.”

Brown’s partner then signaled for them to move off. “She saved your ass this time nigger!”

Brown got into his car and said, “This isn’t over tough guy!”

“Kiss my ass bitch,” Little Man mumbled then the police officers drove off. Little Man saw the love in his woman’s eyes defending him and his heart felt the joys of new love. His woman has his back. “Baby girl are you hurt?”

“Listen honey I grew up in Harlem too and this isn’t my first time dealing with those type of people. Now are you coming to dinner tonight?”

“Yeah,” Little Man said with a smile on his face.

“And come get your little toy and be careful out here Omar.”

He walked Karen over to her car and she handed him her bag with his hammer inside then kissed him and drove off. She didn’t want him to see the hurt and worried look in her eyes. She pulled all her strength together to get her man away from harm’s way!

Little Man actually cared for Karen more then he even suspected and she would do anything for him and to him. After the incident, Little Man went over to Prince’s whip to speak with him. “I like the way you handled yourself little bro,” Prince told him.

“Yeah it’s nothing. Just another day in the battle field.”

“Always remember this Little Man; always think before you react. Don’t react then think. Have patience. The prey will come to you. What’s his beef anyway?” Prince said.

“He been trying to sweat me. He must think I am one of those little niggas trying to get my weight up.”

“I saw the look in your eyes Little Man when he grabbed your little lady and I saw the look in your eyes too when he pushed you up against the car.”

“Don’t worry. I can take care of myself out here in these streets. You and Jamal taught me well.

Prince thought to himself, But did I teach you how to live life? Maybe Karen can.

“The streets are hot Little Man and are getting hotter. This fool thinks you were involved with those Hispanic birds getting wasted .you and Raheem handle your business real well in a fight.”

“We made our bones a long time ago,” Little Man replied.

“You are growing up fast like Jamal and I did. All the money you’re starting to bring in, save it like we taug