#I WANNA HOLD COUNSEL WITH MY FATHER AND TELL HIM ILL BE EVERYTHING THAT HE COULD NEVER BE

[railway-lands]

PRODIGAL SON - RATIONALE IS DECLAN LYNCH CODED. OKAY LISTEN TO IT RIGHT NOW LOOK AT THOSE LYRICS AND TELL ME IT ISNT .ASUFHGSDJFLS IM GOING NUTS RIGHTN OW

[lesbian-deadpool]

AA

Y/N has created a chat.

Y/N: Well, this is a whole bunch of bullshit.

Y/N has renamed the chat: Avengers "Anonymous"

Y/N has added, Steve, Thor, Natasha, Rocket, Bruce, Clint.

Steve: Y/N, what is this?

Y/N: Counselling.

Steve: Why would we need counselling?

Y/N: Why would we need counselling, he asks.

Y/N: Have you looked in a mirror lately? You think those sideburns are a wise choice?

Natasha: She has a point there, Steve.

Clint: Yeah Steve, the '50s are over.

Natasha: Thankfully.

Y/N: You can hardly talk, Clint. What's with the hair?

Clint: What is wrong with my hair?!

Y/N: It looks like a whole other entity.

Clint: What's wrong with that?

Y/N: It looks like you glued road kill on your head.

Y/N: Rocket stay away from him.

Rocket: Huh?

Y/N: I'm only trying to protect you.

Clint: I'm not gonna kill the raccoon!

Rocket: Who the hell are you calling a raccoon?!

Clint: You?

Clint: Because that's what you are.

Rocket: I am not a raccoon!

Thor: No, he is a rabbit!

Steve: Thor, he is literally not a rabbit.

Y/N: Nor is he fully a raccoon, so let's just drop this before his furry head explodes.

Thor: Yes. Back to Barton's stupid hair!

Clint: You can talk, Thor! What happened to yours?

Thor: Please don't make me remember that scary man.

Clint: I'm just saying, I'm not the only one who's changed their hair.

Clint: None of you guys are talking about Natasha's hair.

Y/N: That's because hers looks normal. And just a warning, she could kill you with that plat. So watch what you say.

Clint: What is this? Pick on Clint day?

Y/N: No. This is Avengers Anonymous. Like Alcoholics Anonymous, only more depressing.

Y/N: However we really should make a pick on Clint day.

Clint: Wow, I feel the love in this chat.

Bruce: We do love you, Clint. But we love picking on you more.

Clint: I see that.

Thor: It's our favourite pass time. Next to giving Steve cubes of ice.

Steve: And you wonder why I'm messed up.

Y/N: Because you were extremely ill as a child.

Natasha: Then your mother died.

Thor: Then you copied me by getting RIPPED

Bruce: Then you lost Bucky.

Clint: Then you got frozen.

Y/N: Woke up in the future, and fought aliens.

Clint: Then found out Bucky was alive and brainwashed by the enemy.

Y/N: Peggy died.

Thor: Then fought your friends. WITHOUT SOME OF US

Natasha: Lost Tony, went on the run with Sam, and I, and had to leave bucky behind.

Bruce: Fought aliens, again.

Y/N: Then lost half of the universe.

Y/N: And that's all without adding the PTSD, the war, etc., etc.

Steve: Yes, thank you!

Rocket: Wow man, you're really messed up.

Steve: I know...

Y/N: We're all like this, trust me.

Rocket: Damn.

Rocket: Anyway, I won't be needing your Assholes Alliance, or whatever the hell its called.

Y/N: Really?

Y/N: Reeeeeally?

Rocket: Yeah, I don't need it. I'm perfectly fine.

Y/N: Really? Cause I'm pretty sure you SOMEHOW grew a beard. Over fur! Like how does that even happen?!

Scott has joined the chat.

Scott: Furry.

Bruce: You can talk.

Scott: ...

Scott has left the chat.

Y/N: You're covered in food that you've dropped on yourself. From the WEEK. You've been crying almost non-stop. I watched you spray squirty cheese into your mouth the other day, the whipped cream right after. You've been watching family movies and reality TV for weeks now.

Rocket: I did not come out for this.

Y/N: You're not even out. You've been in the living room for three days.

Rocket has renamed the chat: Assholes Alliance

Thor: You are so petty rabbit.

Rocket: But it's right tho.

Y/N: Jesus Christ. This is where we can talk to each other, to get our feelings out.

Y/N: So... who wants to go first?

Steve: ...

Natasha: ...

Bruce: ...

Rocket: ...

Thor: ...

Clint: ...

Y/N: Really, none of you?

Steve: You made this chat, Y/N. Why don't you go first?

Y/N: Right. I made this chat. I've already done something. Now its time for one of you to step up and have a turn.

Clint: ...

Bruce: ...

Rocket: ...

Natasha: ...

Thor: ...

Steve: ...

Y/N: Seriously?

Y/N: Okay, fine. I'll have to nominate someone.

Y/N: Thor?

Thor: Hmm?

Y/N: It's your go, now speak.

Thor: What if I don't want to?

Y/N: You'll make me very sad.

Thor: You can't emotionally blackmail me, Y/N.

Y/N: ... :(

Thor: Okay! Okay!

Y/N: Thank you :)

Thor: So, where should I start?

Y/N: Well, with what's hurting you the most, I guess.

Thor: Okay. So, I lost my brother, Loki.

Bruce: Yes, such a shame.

Natasha: We're sad about this why now?

Thor: He changed, tell her Banner.

Natasha: Bruce?

Bruce: He was starting too, I guess.

Steve: I don't buy it.

Clint: How many times did this guy die?

Rocket: He told me at least three times.

Thor: Oh no, many more than that! It was one of his favourite games to play as a child.

Natasha: To die?

Thor: No. To pretend to die.

Y/N: So he might not be dead?

Thor: No, he's definitely dead. I watched Thanos snap his neck.

Rocket: Did you hear it?

Thor: Yes. It haunts me. I hear it when I sleep. Along with the screams of my people.

Rocket: Metal.

Bruce: Where did you learn to speak like this?

Rocket: Groot.

Clint: Who?

Thor: Tree.

Clint: What?!

Natasha: He was a walking tree.

Clint: A walking tree? Like the one out of The Wizard Of Oz?

Natasha: Yes, but nice.

Clint: Oh.

Clint: No. Wait, wtf?

Y/N: Okay, Thor, ya wanna carry on? Cause Rocket is crying over his tree son again. Clint is losing his mind. And I an extremely regretting my decision of making this chat.

Natasha: We can just end it here.

Y/N: Ha, nah. Too late, we're already too deep into this shit to end it now.

Natasha: No we're not.

Y/N: You're not getting out of this, Natasha.

Natasha: Shit.

Y/N: Thor. Carry on.

Thor: I've lost my mother, my father, my sister I never knew existed, Heimdall, my people, my home planet, the other Revengers, my friends broke up, and I ost some of them too, my hammer got destroyed, I didn't go for Thanos' head, Jane and I broke up, I don't even know if she's still alive I don't know where Thanos is, I lost my new friend tree, I don't know if my other space friends are okay. All of this, and I made the mistake of getting Rabbit addicted to coffee, so now there's less for me.

Rocket: I like the speed speed drink.

Y/N: Holy fuck.

Natasha: Thor. How are you still... y'know, walking?

Steve: If I were you, I would be curled up in a ball on the floor, bawling my eyes out.

Cint: I am curled up on the floor, bawling my eyes out.

Rocket: It's true. He's laying on me.

Clint: He makes a very comfy pillow.

Y/N: Regretting making this chat more now.

Natasha: There's still time.

Y/N: You're not getting out of this, Natasha:

Y/N: In fact. Why don't you go next?

Natasha: There is nothing I need to say.

Y/N: Oh, really?

Y/N: Why don't you tell us all about how you've been in the training room nearly 24/7?

Natasha: I'm just honing my skills.

Y/N: I think it may just be grief, that you're channelling into getting better.

Natasha: And I think I may need some more targets. Y/N? Do you volunteer to be the next one?

Y/N: Steve, your go!

Steve: But, Natasha...

Y/N: I SAID YOUR GO!

Steve: Okay... well, you've already said everything I needed to say.

Y/N: ... shit.

Y/N: Clint?

Clint: No.

Wade has joined the chat.

Wade: This is because the author does not know wtf happened to Oliver Queen.

Wade has left the chat.

Y/N: Why are you curled up on the floor, laying on Rocket, crying your eyes out?

Clint: None of your business.

Y/N: What's with the hair? And the suit?

Y/N: And the blades?

Y/N: Where did your bow go?

Clint: None of your business!

Bruce: Leave him alone, Y/N.

Y/N: Okay, Bruce. Talk.

Bruce: ... fuck.

Y/N: Why can't you turn in to the hulk?

Bruce: Cause he's a big green asshole!

Y/N: Where have you been for the last three years?

Bruce: Inside the Hulk fighting as a gladiator.

Natasha: You've been the Hulk for three years?

Bruce: Yeah, it's changed me...

Thor: Yeah, now he's cool!

Bruce: Excuse me?

Thor: -er than he was before. Which was pretty damn cool.

Rocket: Hold on. I'm confused.

Rocket: Does this gut transform into something else? Or was he inside someone? Was this Huk pregnant with him? Cause if they were, he's big for his age.

Steve: What?

Natasha: The?

Y/N: Fuck?

Clint: ???

Bruce: No, Rocket. I transform into something else. Something big, green, and strong.

Rocket: Oh. Now I get it.

Thor: You're taking this all very well, Rabbit.

Rocket: I'm from space?

Rocket: I'm used to this.

Bruce: That makes sense.

Steve: I don't know if I ever want to go to space.

Natasha: You would lose your mind.

Y/N: Let's send him to space!

Bruce: Y/N!

Y/N: What?

Bruce: We're going anyway. There's no need to yell.

Rhodey has joined the chat.

Rhodey: You know who never wanted to go to space?

Rhodey: You know who was scared of space?!

Rhodey: YOU KNOW WHO'S TRAPPED IN SPACE RIGHT NOW, IF HE'S NOT DEAD?!

Rhodey: T O N Y

Rhodey has left the chat.

Y/N: Bye Rhodey!

Rocket: What's up with him?

Natasha: He's been like this ever since we've gotten back.

Y/N: He really misses, Tony.

Steve: We all miss Tony, Y/N.

Y/N: Hold on. Did Steve really just say that? Or am I hallucinating again?

Clint: When were you hallucinating before?

Y/N: When I felt like Tony was running out of oxygen.

Thor: Wait, what?

Steve: Hold on, is no one concerned about the guy calling someone the author?

Y/N: Nah, that's just, Wade. That's what he's like.

Natasha: Insane?

Y/N: Yes.

Y/N: Rocket, you're up.

Rocket: ...

Rocket: I'm sad.

Y/N: Interesting.

Y/N: I would never have guessed.

Y/N: You practically hear the surprise in my voice.

Steve: You are so sarcastic sometimes.

Y/N: Thank you.

Y/N: Anyway. This has been incredibly unsuccessful. Unless you count showing everybody just how fucked up you are, as successful.

Y/N: So... I'm gonna goooo...

Natasha: Hold on, Y/N. It's your turn.

Y/N: Ha... yeah, about that...

Y/N has left the chat.

Steve: Oh no you don't.

Steve has added Y/N.

Y/N: Shit.

Y/N has blocked themselves from the chat.

Steve: HOW DID SHE EVEN DO THAT

Natasha: I don't care anymore. I get it out of her later. I've got training to do.

Clint: Right. Rocket and I have some crying to catch up on we're really behind.

Rocket: Yep.

Clint has left the chat.

Rocket has left the chat.

Natasha: Maybe Y/N's right about us needing counselling. Well, them at least.

Steve: Yeah, they sure do.

Natasha: You and Thor extremely need it.

Thor: Wait, WHAT?!

Natasha has left the chat.

Steve: She's right you know.

Thor: Yeah, I know.

Thor: Wanna go eat our feelings?

Steve: YEAH

Thor has left the chat.

Steve has left the chat.

Somewhere across the galaxy

Tony has created a chat.

Tony has added, Nebula.

Tony: Hey, Neb? Could you hand me that wrench?

Nebula: I'm kinda busy fucking up this wire right now.

Nebula: I'm imaging it as Thanos' neck.

Tony: Thanos' neck is thicker than that.

Nebula: Don't ruin my dream.

Thanos has joined the chat.

Thanos: You talking shit?

Nebula: Piss off, old man.

Tony has blocked Thanos.

Nebula: Thanks.

Tony: It's okay... so, about that wrench?

Nebula: Get it yourself.

Nebula has left the chat.

Tony: She'll warm up to me.

Tony: I have the need.

Tony: The need to adopt another child.

Tony has left the chat.

[petri808]

5 Stories Up

Inukag AU. I had an idea about them getting trapped in an elevator. Lol it is what it is. Drabble on my phone.

It was something people often do today, nothing out of the ordinary especially when working in a multi-floored office building. And Kagome Higurashi loved working for Taisho Industries despite being in close proximity to demons. They all treated her like part of the family... except for one.

Her boss was the youngest son of the CEO Toga Inutaisho. Where Toga was kind and relaxed, his sons not so much. He warned her that Inuyasha wasn’t exactly personable and that no one had lasted more than a few months in the position. But it paid well, was a really good opportunity, so she accepted the challenge.

How bad could Inuyasha really be?

By the end of the first day, Kagome had almost broken down in tears in the man’s office. Inuyasha was an asshole! But instead of getting upset or sad, she was furious! Gossip had told her he didn’t have an easy childhood. Human mother who died when he was young. An older brother that resented and treated him with disdain. Kagome was certain Inuyasha grew to be this prick because of it, but that wasn’t a good enough excuse.

After his rant, Kagome had quietly closed his door, and by the time she turned back to face him, a look of anger had transformed her face into that of a demoness. She let him have it! Cursing him out for his attitude. Screaming at him that she was not some stupid little secretary who’ll cower in fear. She could purify his ass if she was so inclined!

“I’m here to help you Inuyasha and if you were smart, you’d realize that and treat me like a partner!”

Needless to say, he had been shocked speechless. No one in his staff had ever spoken to him that way and frankly... he was amused. Had his father picked this one knowing of her background? He wouldn’t put it past the old man. Inuyasha didn’t change his attitude but he yelled at her less afterwards. And he had to give it to her, Kagome was proving to be a very capable right-hand girl.

So considering this rocky start, and the strange relationship that was born from it afterwards, it wasn’t a surprise that they now found themselves in this awkward position. On their way to a meeting, Inuyasha and Kagome entered the elevator at the 11th floor and by the 5th it had come to a dead stop.

“What the fuck!” Inuyasha growled as not only had it stopped, but the power, lights, and everything shut off, leaving them in pitch blackness. He whips out his phone dialing his father. “What the hell’s going on, is this a prank!”

“The power?” His father responds, “no apparently there’s been a city power outage.”

“We’re fucking stuck in the elevator!”

“Oh my,” Toga chuckles, “I’m assuming you and Miss Higurashi?”

“Yes!” Inuyasha growls.

That only makes Toga laugh harder. “Well son, the electric company is saying this might take a few hours to fix so, you could climb out the service trap with Miss Higurashi or just settle in and wait. But if I might suggest,” his voice lowers amusedly, “you two should get to know each other better.”

“You’re a dick!”

“I’m just a man who’d like grand babies sometime this century,” click.

“Bastard!” Inuyasha raises his hand to throw the phone against the wall.

Kagome quickly stops him. She grabs his hand, “D-Don’t! I left mine in the office, it’s our only way of communication.”

She could only see what the dim illumination of the phone provided, but he could see her. Rather, now that she’d broken his thought train and anger, he noticed a different scent coming from her.

“Are you okay?” Inuyasha asks her. Kagome was still holding onto his hand. “Wanna let go now?”

She shakes her head. There was something only her closest friends and family knew about her. A fear born from nightmares of her father trapped in the car wreck that killed him. With the help of quick counseling, Kagome could handle being in confined spaces as long as it had an end in sight. But being stuck, in a metal elevator, in the dark... this was like her nightmare realized.

Her body begins to tremble as the emotions take hold of her mind. What if it falls? What if they run out of air? What if they’re trapped for so long they die of starvation or thirst?! It was ludicrous, but not for someone with claustrophobia to have these thoughts.

Inuyasha is befuddled. Here was this woman, the first one to stand up to him, trembling because of the situation? He couldn’t understand why. Was she afraid of the dark? “What is wrong with you woman? We just gotta wait till the power comes back on and...”

“I-I can’t be in here like this... I-I... T-This...” her fingers dig into his skin. “C-Claustrophobic!” She drops to a crouched position and pushes herself backwards until she hits the wall. Tears pour down her face as she cradles her head in her hands. “It’s not happening... it’s not happening...”

His ears pin against his head. Just great this woman was coming apart at the seams and he had no clue how to handle it. Maybe he should call his dad for advice?

“Please don’t leave me...” She whimpers.

Now what made her think he’d do something like that? Okay, yeah he was an ass but that would be a pretty messed up thing to do. “I’m not going anywhere Miss Higurashi.” He pinches the bridge of his nose. ‘Think, stupid! What would your mom tell you to do in this situation?’

He kneels down, and takes a seat beside her. “Look, Kagome... I don’t understand why but we’re... we’re gonna be fine.”

“You don’t know that.”

True. But he was ninety-nine percent sure of it. “On the bright side, you’re not alone, right? I’m stuck in here too and I believe we’ll be okay.”

Inuyasha looks at his phone, battery life 80%, thank you for small favors. He turns on the flashlight option, looks around, and sees the trapdoor in the ceiling. On his own, he could get out easily, but with Kagome in tow, one wrong move and they could fall down the shaft. He tucks the possibility aside from now and if things got worse he’ll chance it.

Next he turns it to Kagome. She’d wrapped her arms around her knees and her head was braced on it. His ears falter. Seeing her like this was pulling on his heart strings. But he couldn’t think of anything to do. Inuyasha texts his dad about Kagome.

‘Try taking her mind off the situation, keep her talking, hold her, anything so that she doesn’t focus on what’s happening...’

It was worth a shot.

He scratches his head, “um, so, Kagome, is there um, anything that would help you feel better? Maybe talking about it?” She shakes her head. “Okay, well, gah!” His ears pin back. “I’m not exactly good with this stuff, you know, never really had much affection to learn from.” He mumbles, “I was the worst person you could’a got stuck with it...”

“You’re not the worst...” her voice was quiet and timid with no hidden lies behind it.

Inuyasha perks up just a tad, at least she spoke! “Oh, really, there’s worse people out there than me?”

“Yeah. And I don’t think you’re that bad Inuyasha, you just had a hard time while growing up... like I did.“

“What happened to you? I-If you don’t mind me asking.”

“My dad died when I was younger.” Kagome sighs, “in a car wreck and just imagining how he must have felt, trapped in that car, I...”

At that point he cuts her off and scoops the shaken woman into his lap. “You don’t have to explain.” Now he understood why she panicked. “Kagome that’s not going to happen to you, I promise. We’ll get out of here one way or another.”

She was surprised that Inuyasha was being so kind and even more so when he’d pulled her into his lap and was comforting her. She sniffles, “What do you mean?”

He chuckles, “I’m a Hanyou, this box can’t stop me if I want out! But it’s safer if we wait for the electricity to come on, then to try climbing out of here.”

That did make her feel a little better. “Thank you, Inuyasha.”

“But I didn’t really do anything.”

“I bet I’m seeing a side you don’t show to anyone.”

“Keh! Yeah well, don’t be spreading that around, I got a rep to keep up.”

And for the first time since the ordeal started, Kagome smiles. She still felt a little nervous, but somehow, just being close to Inuyasha, talking like this with him, was melting away her anxiety. Beneath the grumpy exterior, this man had a soft heart. Who would have guessed it would take a broken elevator to bring it out.

“You’re almost cute like this,” she teases, “I really like this side of you.”

“Oi, what’d ya mean almost. I know I’m cute, not my fault people don’t recognize it.”

“They do,” her body flushes. “You’re just not the easiest to approach.”

“Why Miss Higurashi, it sounds like you have a crush on me.”

“I-I do not! I just, y-you know... okay I admit you’re handsome, but I didn’t say anything about a crush!”

“Good thing we got that cleared up.”

“Yeah!”

“It would be a shame if I thought you might like me.”

“Wait, What?!”

“Nothing, nothing. I think you’re cute too, in a crazy, spit-fire kind of way, that’s all.”

Kagome turns around in his lap. “Are you feeling ill, Mr. Taisho,” she places a hand on his forehead, “you’re being too nice, and flirty, something must be wrong.”

“Keh! Stop it,” Inuyasha batts her hand away from his head. “Try and be nice and I get teased, fine!” He mumbles. “I can go back to being an ass.”

“No, please don’t. I’m sorry.” Kagome slumps back. “I took it too far.”

An awkward silence falls between them. It was nice to not feel so panicky anymore about being trapped in this elevator, but now Kagome was nervous about things that had been said. She was still wrapping her brain around Inuyasha’s behavior because it was so different from what she was used to. But the problem was, she really liked this side.

Only her best friend Sango knew about the cute but pain in the ass boss Kagome had, and now she’d just blurted it out. Yes, if she wasn’t lying to herself, maybe she had developed a tiny crush on Inuyasha and now those thoughts were plaguing her. Better than the phobia.

In the meantime, Inuyasha texts his dad asking for an update. So far the utilities had managed to get the power plant back up and running, but an eta for their area was still up in the air. It could be minutes, it could be hours.

Wonderful. They’d shared enough for such a short amount of time. Hell he was pretty sure this was the most they’d ever talked personally. And he wasn’t sure if it was something he’d ignored till now, but in this confined space, Kagome’s scent was rather alluring.

He chuckles in his head. Maybe it had changed now that she wasn’t irritated with him. She was cute too, that hadn’t been a lie. She was strong, willful, he bet his mother would have loved Kagome.

“A girl who can put my son in his place,” laughter, “don’t lose this one Inuyasha...”

That actually brings a smile to his face.

“Kagome, I wanna apologize for being mean to you before. You didn’t deserve it. I think you’re perfect for me... I-I mean as my assistant!

She turns to the man who’d hidden his face in the shadow of the phone light. Her eyes wide and bright. “Um, thank you...” Kagome responds cautiously. “I appreciate you saying that Inuyasha.”

“But I don’t,” he takes a deep breath and goes for it, “I don’t think you should stay as my assistant.”

“What?! Why?! You just...”

“Let me finish! I wasn’t lying earlier, I think you’re cute and smart and I like how feisty you are... do you see where I’m going with this?!” She shakes her head. “Ugh! You’re gonna make me say it, aren’t you?”

“Inuyasha I’m really not following...” Kagome pauses. “Wait are you telling me that you really do have a crush on me?!”

He turns away. “I’ve always been a dick to my assistants cause most of them really did get under my skin... but the truth is with you, I kept doing it cause I didn’t know how else to behave. I don’t know how to deal with this lovey dovey shit.”

Kagome slides over till she’s facing him. She grasps his face in her hands and gazes into his eyes with a smile. “It’s not so hard, Inuyasha. You did a good job right now helping me through my anxiety.”

“What’s that got to do with it?”

She chuckles, “showing you care is not all flowers and chocolates.” Kagome leans closer. “Though showing is not a bad thing either...”

His golden eyes flash in the dim light, but she sees it clear as day. “I can do that,” he grins and pulls her the rest of the way forward. A jolt of electricity zips through his body the moment their lips make contact.

“S-Sorry,” she mutters, blushing something fierce, “I got excited.”

But he brushes his lips against hers unfazed, “just try not to purify me,” he teases before centering his kiss. She shakes her head lightly, relaxing into his kisses and his touch.

It takes another hour for the power to come back on, but by then Kagome had forgotten all about her anxieties thanks to the new Inuyasha she’s met 5 floors above the ground.

[feenyreadscomics]

Rosaries, part eight

Last time, Stick showed up. It was a bit fillery, admittedly. Also, chat stuff: Hottie McBurnerphone= Claire Temple, I lived, b= Foggy Nelson, Old Man= Steve Rogers, Night Nurse= Linda Carter, the hair is real= Karen Page. Also, Jim is talking about Bucky, since Bucky, when asked his name said "Jim," ya know, like a liar.

Matt and Jim high fived. They did it. They finally got a bike. Went on Craigslist, found a guy, $750 cash, no questions asked.

"Hey Jim, wanna take some pictures with me so I can let my friends back home know I'm okay? Fogs doesn't believe me."

"Sure." So they messed around, taking photos of them and the bike.

Matt sent them to Foggy. Foggy put them on the chat.

That changed a lot of things. But neither Matt or Jim would know it.

--

I lived, b: hey, here are some photos Matt sent me.

Night Nurse: glad to see he's having fun

Hottie McBurnerphone: glad to see he's alive

The hair is real: who is he with?

I lived, b: a friend he met on the train

The hair is real: food to see that they seem to be doing ok

The hair is real: *good

Old man: yeah

--

Brrrriiinggg. Brrrrriiinnngggg.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Foggy, listen. I know a guy who might need legal counsel."

"Sure. If you could call the front office, Karen should be able to set up an appointment."

"Thanks."

--

"So, let me get this straight," Foggy leaned back in his chair, stretching, "You have a friend, who was captured by Nazis, brainwashed, murdered a bunch of people, tried to kill YOU, and you want me to defend him."

"Yes." Steve looked at him expectantly.

Foggy rubbed his eyes and sighed. "Ok. First of all, we'll need to get him here for an interview. When can we do that?"

"Ah, yeah, about that..."

"You can get a hold of him, right?"

"Theoretically."

"Theoretically. Great! Just peachy. Look, Steve, any case we have can't go forward if I can't meet my client."

"I'll see if I can get in contact with him."

"Let me know if you do. Or if you need to talk."

"Will do." Steve got up and walked out the door.

"Holy shit," Foggy muttered to himself. If Steve actually got the guy, this was going to be a long day.

--

Steve kneeled in the sanctuary, fiddling with his rosary. He couldn't focus at all. Couldn't focus on the crucifix or the prayers he was supposed to be praying, just...nothing.

Fr. Lantom entered in the back, and sat back a few pews. Fr. Lantom knew something was troubling Steve, so he waited.

Eventually, Steve gave up, and walked back and sat next to Fr. Lantom.

"What is troubling you?" Fr. Lantom asked.

"Father, how responsible are people for their own actions?"

"You mean like free will?"

"I guess."

"Hmmm." Fr. Lantom paused. "Let's say you and I sat down for lattes. And I put coffee, tea, and water in front of you."

"Okaaay." Steve's brow furrowed.

"And you pick a drink."

"Yeah."

"Even if I had foreknowledge of what you pick, you still pick it, right?"

"Yeah, but that's not my question. It's not an 'in relation to God' question. It's about what would inhibit free will."

"Theres no set list, but the Church does have some answers. Mind altering substances, such as drugs and alcohol, mental illness can, and of course there are things that interfere with freedom to act."

"Ok. So, let's say someone was hypnotized. What then?"

"It does impede on free will. Any particular reason you are asking?"

"Just curious."

--

"Ya know, I think I could drive the motorcycle if I didn't wear a helmet."

"But how? I don't mean to sound like an asshole, but you're blind." Jim paused for a moment. "Wait, this has to do with how you could tell people were tailing us earlier?"

"Yep." Matt replied, popping the p.

"So, how does that work, exactly?"

"Well, I've described it as a 'world on fire', but I hear that's not helpful, as it implies I can see," Matt snorts. "I have no light perception, so everything I detect is through sound, smells, touch, and taste. And there is so much of that, it feels hellish."

"Like a world on fire."

"Exactly!" Matt grins. "So, I vote I try the motorcycle."

"And you'd drive the loud engined, exhaust producing machine how?"

"Fair."

--

Foggy. Foggy. Foggy. Matt's phone shrieked.

"Hey Foggy. What's up?"

"Well, one of your super powered friends came into the office, and wants me to lay the groundwork for an insanity-slash-brainwashing defense. Could you do that for me?"

"Well, what do you know about the case?"

"Not much. He's tight lipped about it."

"Send me what you got. I'll work on it."

--

Matt eventually reasoned with Jim to head to the library.

Matt opened his email and listened. Damn was this case shaping to be a clusterfuck, if he ever saw one. Guy nearly killed his best friend and ran. Guy was possibly brainwashed. About the only thing this guy could have for a defense was conclusive brainwashing evidence.

This was a real shitty case. Matt couldn't help but wonder if Foggy gave it to him so he'd understand what would happen if he got caught Daredeviling.

Speaking of Daredevil...

Matt sent a quick text to Danny, asking if he could cover for him. It had been a while since Daredevil had been seen, and having someone go in his place may be a good idea.

Danny texted back that he could.

Which is amazing, frankly. He would have an alibi for some Daredevily activities.

If only this case was more simple. Matt sighed, and tapped Jim on the shoulder.

They headed out into the night.

--

Thank you for reading! Apologies for not getting this out quick, and taking a while to write it!

[occasionalfics]

Cross the Stars, part XV

part xiv, part xvi

A/N: I’m not sure how to word a trigger warning for this part, but it does get a bit disturbing.

Summary: The meeting with the Krylorians spares Peter Quill, but at Indriza’s expense.

Words: 2,922

~~~

The Krylorian clothes that the concierge brought up for the meeting are tight, itchy, and dull. Indriza hates the way the skirt flows out from her knees but causes her thighs to rub together whenever she moves. The top is ill-fitting - the President has, apparently misjudged her measurements. The cropped bottom of the monochrome top sticks itself far into her midsection when she sits, as does the top of the skirt. Thankfully, the shoes that had been brought from her are so far from the right size that she was forced to wear her boots - her only other consolation besides her hair. To offset the discomfort the outfit gave her, as well as the heat of the planet, Indriza decided to put her hair in a coiled bun on top of her head, pinned into place as carefully as she could manage.

Yondu looks twice as uncomfortable in his suit. It seems to be made of the same terrible fabric her outfit is made of, but at least it’s not quite as tight. It covers more of his body, though; the sleeves come all the way down to his wrists, the trousers all the way down to his ankles, and his undershirt seems to be three times as thick as anything else he normally wears. It’s clear that he is not used to going undercover, and while Indriza hasn’t done it in a while or ever did it frequently, she can at least draw from experience to appear comfortable.

The board room is long, with a single table down the center of it and windows at one end. The President sits facing the windows, her advisors and counsellors on her right. Yondu is directly to her left, Indriza beside him, Kraglin and Tulk next to her. They are the only four from the crew dressed for the meeting, but only a few others are present, standing by the doors at ease. Peter is back at the penthouse; Indriza insisted he be left with two guards inside the room and two outside.

She knows why she is there, even if the rest of the crew doesn’t. Kraglin does, Yondu does, it’s possible that Tulk does, but otherwise, the rest of the Elector men most likely wonder why she takes precedence over them. They don’t know that that is by request of the Krylorians, not Yondu himself. It was the Krylorians, after all, who provided her the uncomfortable costume, who wanted her genes and biology to create clones.

“Thank you for joining us,” the President says to no one in particular. “I believe we have a deal to broker?” She looks directly at Yondu then.

He is sitting too straight, and his hand in Indriza’s is too tight. She lets it be, though, because she knows he needs the subtle support.

He clears his throat and nods. “I believe so, Madam President,” he says, going slowly to pronounce each word carefully. “We been led to believe you might have technology that could help us out.”

The President nods. “I mean no offense,” she says, “but I wonder why a ravager, like yourself, did not first try to take the technology for yourself. We on Krylor are not accustomed to benevolent ravagers, after all.”

“My men follow my orders,” he responds.

Indriza wonders how much he’s thought this through. Clearly more than she’d given him credit for.

“They go where I tell’em. Due to recent circumstances, I’ve not been able to...freely leave my ship as I would like. I’ve not been given the opportunity or the intel to make the trip out here for the technology myself, and so neither have my crew.”

The President nods politely. Her advisors sit still and inquisitive.

“For what it’s worth, I appreciate the honesty, Yondu Udonta,” she says. “But now that you have heard the rumor of our technology, I wonder why you need it, and what your terms are for its acquisition.”

He looks at Indriza briefly. She smiles softly at him and squeezes his hand, reminding him that she is there for him, should he need her to intervene. So is Kraglin, and even Tulk if they needed him.

When he turns back to the President, he says, “We - myself and Indriza, here - are fugitives.”

He pauses, and Indriza waits for the counsel to react. They make no sign of emotion. The President, however, takes in a sharp breath and looks at Yondu with wide eyes.

“Stakar Ogord, the leader of the United Ravager Factions, wants us. We’ve been in hidin’ for months. We wan- need your technology to grant ourselves freedom from his bounty.”

“A bounty?” the President asks.

Indriza’s heart sinks. She forces herself to focus on her breathing, but her mind is racing with thoughts of betrayal. Images of Omara from her nightmares appear before her - there she is, across the room, blaster pointed at Indriza, a ravenous look in her dark, terrifying glare. But Indriza blinks, and she is gone. Yondu squeezes her hand.

He nods. “Been after me fer some time, I have’ta admit.”

“But- why?” the President asks.

Indriza stares at the side of Yondu’s head, hoping her glare will come across to him. He cannot tell the President about Peter. They are the only two souls that know the whole story, and it needs to stay that way. Forever. For Peter’s sake.

“I’m an exile of the United,” Yondu admits. “Made some bad mistakes in my past, and now I’m payin’ for ‘em. Indriza just chose to believe that there’s more to the story than she heard is all.”

“Is there more to the story?” the President asks.

Yondu shrugs. “Maybe not enough to have a bounty over her head,” he says. “We wanna disappear as we are now. We want freedom.”

“And what price are you willing to pay for freedom?” the President asks.

Indriza sighs. Yondu looks at her, and she knows he expects her to say the words. She nods.

“We’ve heard Krylorians are interested in harvesting genetics of rare species, with the hopes of conserving and even recreating those species,” she says, resisting the urge to shift in her seat.

“We are,” the President says. “Though we find few specimens are willing to endure our tests and experiments.”

Yondu chuckles, but says nothing. He shakes his head, but is largely ignored.

“Perhaps you haven’t found specimens as desperate for freedom as we are, Madam President. Yondu and I, and the child, we’ve been cooped up for too long. None of us are creatures who survive long in one place, when we have a crew to support.”

“I can’t imagine that the Elector is easy to tire of, given its size,” the President says.

“Perhaps, to someone who has somewhere else to go at the end of the day. Or week. Or month, in our case. Madam President, Yondu and I are... willing to submit to your experiments in exchange for disguises that will outlast our bounties. Three of them, of course, though we ask that Peter not be notified of the terms or subjected to experimentation.” For more than one reason, she thinks. She can only imagine what would happen if the President were to find out he was born of a Celestial.

“We do not often find two people so willing to take the responsibility of another in exchange for our services,” the President says. “But we also do not believe in subjecting children to anything too dangerous. You want three disguises, one for each of you and one for the child, and you expect us to take payment for two?”

“I’ll take Pete’s place,” Kraglin says beside Indriza.

She turns to look at him and wants to shake her head, but doesn’t. Not when so much already hangs in the balance.

“There are plenty Xandarians in the galaxy,” the President says. “What do you have to offer us?”

No one has an answer. Kraglin shrugs. Indriza is reminded of just how young he is. His pride, his loyalty to Yondu, and his youth are speaking for him, she knows. She’s seen Omara be there before. But it will get them nowhere.

“Madam President,” someone says.

Indriza looks across the table to see one of the counsellors bent forward, facing the President.

“We have before us an opportunity, I believe, to study the genetic makeup of our ancestors,” they say, turning then to glance at Indriza.

So does everyone else in the room. She wants to groan, but holds her breath to keep from making noise. That just has to come up, doesn’t it? she thinks.

The President nods just slightly. “That still does not make up for three disguises,” she says.

“Does it not?” another counsellor says. “Think of the possibilities her biology bring, Madam.”

Indriza grasps Yondu’s hand as tightly as she can manage. This is exactly the kind of thing she wanted to avoid. They are giving the Krylorians all they need to have control of the Axion rebirth so that they may hide from her sister. Her stomach hurts; her head is hot and spinning; her throat is dry and she feels about to burst.

Think of Peter, she tells herself. He was so happy to see a pool - something so trivial in the grand scheme of the galaxy, but so important to a child who’s been locked on a metal hunk for months. He could have the childhood she desperately wants to give him for the price of allowing the Krylorians to do as they please with her genes.

The President lifts her head and lets her smile spread. “Of course,” she says. “We’ve been waiting almost two decades for an Axion to happen upon us, with the hope that we may be able to recreate the race.”

Indriza can’t tell if the President is being too honest on purpose or not. She wants to run, to get back on the Elector and live out her days in bed with Yondu and Allura, not worrying about anything else ever again.

“I suppose I cannot turn down this offer,” the President says. “Three disguises for two willing specimens, one Axion. Yondu Udonta, you have yourself a deal.” She holds her hand out to him.

He doesn’t smile back as he shakes her hand. The counsellors stand and cheer, but the ravagers are quiet and demure.

Indriza lets go. Of everything. She stands from her seat and leaves the boardroom, heading for the magnetic lift. Her mind is blank except for thoughts of her sister, her mother, her father, her brother - her whole family, large and mostly gone. Their shadows follow her as she steps through the lobby of the hotel, their mouths wide as if to scream at her, but no sound comes out. She knows that they’re calling her a traitor to her people in any case.

She steps on the hem of her skirt, stops, and bends to examine the awful fabric. The end is ripped from where her boot tore it, so she continues the rip all the way up to her mid-thigh, then continues her walk. The lift is open, as if waiting for her, so she steps in, goes to the back, and waits for the doors to close before turning and leaning against the wall. Then she bends forward, for she hears the screams of the shadows now, in this small room with no windows and only one sliding door that won’t open until they arrive at the penthouse.

She covers her ears. The screams are so loud, reverberating off of the metal walls around her.

HOW DARE YOU

TRAITOR

PIRATE

EXILE

YOU’VE SOILED THE AXION NAME

YOU’VE TAINED THE AXION BLOOD

UNGRATEFUL MISCREANT

DISGUSTING EXCUSE OF A RAVAGER

That last one is in Omara’s voice, high and piercing. She falls to the floor, but Omara is everywhere.

YOU LEFT ME

YOU LEFT THE UNITED

FOR WHAT?

THIS FILTH, THIS UNWORHTY BASTARD AND HIS TRAITOROUS PLANS

HE WANTS TO DESTROY AXION

HE WANTS TO TAINT US

YOU LEFT ME

YOU DESERTED ME, INDRIZA

HOW COULD YOU FUCKING DO THAT

Indriza is screaming now, too. She doesn’t know the doors have opened. She doesn’t know they won’t close until her weight is gone. She doesn’t know that Peter is in the room with his guards, listening to her glass-shattering screams, running to find her. She doesn’t see any of them, doesn’t here Peter calling to her as she’s lifted out of the lift by one of the guards. She doesn’t feel their rough hands on her as they carry her back to the penthouse, or the gentle leather as they lay her on the couch. She is writhing, but Peter is holding her as still as he can. She doesn’t notice him lay on the couch with her and wrap his arms around her. She doesn’t feel him constricting her movements, but she does stop moving. Her screaming does not cease, however.

“Driza!” Peter yells, but nothing stops her.

“I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I SHOULDN’T HAVE LEFT I SHOULD HAVE WATCHED I SHOULD HAVE STAYED I SHOULD HAVE REPENTED I’M SORRY,” she yells to no one and everyone.

And then, without warning, her ears are assaulted. No, they’re covered. Soft, spongy material is over them, and then music is coming through them into her head, driving out her family and their terrible noises. Her own yelling stops abruptly as she lets the angry music fill her. Her throat hurts. The sun is out, still. The room is bright and there are freckles in her line of view. She is breathing heavily when she looks down at Peter, his hands around her again, his headphones on her head.

He gives her a few minutes to calm down. Before the song has ended, Peter removes one of the headphones and says, “It’s called Cherry Bomb. It makes me feel better when I’m angry.”

She isn’t angry. She’s terrified and disappointed. She hates herself for what she’s done, but when she looks into his eyes, she remembers that she’s done it for him. For Peter. He is defenseless without the crew, without her and Yondu. They did what they had to do to protect him, just as Yondu has always done.

She closes her eyes and sighs, removing an arm from his grasp. With it, Indriza wraps him in her embrace and holds the child to her chest. She feels like crying, but doesn’t. She’s not sure what he’s seen of her, but she knows he doesn’t need to see more.

“Thank you,” she whispers to him, placing a kiss on the top of his head.

Peter cuddles up to her. He is warm now, too, the comfortable warm she loves. His breaths against her skin are slow and calming, and he is alive. Soon, he will be free. She will, too. And Yondu. They will be the family she wants them to be, and they won’t have to worry about Omara or Stakar Ogord.

Indriza falls asleep that way, with Peter in her arms, his music blasting in her ears. She doesn’t know when Yondu comes back, or when he moves her to the bedroom they mean to share, or when it gets dark, but eventually she wakes, just briefly enough to see him holding her.

Someone has changed her into night clothes. Her head is against his chest, his arms around her. He’s not sleeping - she can tell by his uneven breathing, the clicks of his tongue every so often.

“I’m sorry, Driza,” he says quietly. “Didn’t want it to go that way. Ya knew it would, and I let it happen anyway.”

She puts a palm against his stomach. “We had to,” she says. “For us. For Peter. He is so good, Yondu. Much better than us. He needs this.”

“I know,” he says. “Just wish things were differ’nt.”

“How?” she asks, looking up at him. “If you’d taken Peter to Ego, he’d be dead by now. Or worse, since we don’t know what Ego was planning. Or is.”

“Maybe I could’a taken’im to Stakar,” he says. “Maybe he’d’a understood.”

“Maybe,” she says. “But you thought you were doing the right thing by hiding him. If too many people know about him-”

“Stakar might know ‘nyway. Yer sister knows. She could’a told ‘em.”

She is frozen for a moment then. He is right. When they’d first met, when she’d made her first mistake, so had he. She thought she could lure him into a trap for more units, and he’d spoken far too easily about Peter’s heritage. But there was no going back. She knows that, too.

“We’re the only family he has, Yondu. We have to do anything we can to keep him safe.”

She wonders how foreign this must be, as a concept, to Yondu. Indriza grew up with a family, and had tried to keep it in tact for as long as she could. She’d led the Axion faction with compassion in her heart. Her mission was to spare those that needed sparing and steal from those who could afford to lose. But Yondu… He led one of the most cantankerous factions in the galaxy. He was ruthless - he had to be, to keep his men loyal to him. He had to show very little emotion, had to care very little for anyone but himself. Except around their family.

“I know,” he says, then kisses her. “Just wish it was differ’nt, is all.”