#i can’t stop imagining bruce being bullied into doing hot ones

[the-last-genderbender]

What’s funny is that Gotham is so used to the Wayne’s insanity that it’s just normal, a part of everyday life, and everyone just accepts it.

Famously dead Jason Todd turns up at a gala, well good for him. Tim Drake, the heir to a rival company, apparently lives at Wayne Manor. Huh, when’d that happen? And Bruce Wayne himself just, like, disappears sometimes. But also, it’s totally understandable to want a break.

But thats chill, i mean, it’s Gotham so the public just shrugs and moves on. They have much more craziness to deal with. And then you realise that they’re the Kardashian’s of their universe so what the hell must the rest of the world think? You’re watching ‘Bruce Wayne answers the webs most searched questions’ and he just throws in that he gets mugged twice a week (at least). Like imagine full on conspiracy pages dedicated to the Waynes, analysing every moment, then deciding to go to Gotham to find out more and they ask around only to find out Gothamites are completely unbothered.

People would absolutely hate it and I love that

[buriednurbckyrd]

The Breakup Box (5)

It felt odd to go about her normal daily routine.  How was a person supposed to carry on business as usual after being kissed senseless by two super soldiers?  It was more than a little embarrassing to admit to herself that she would have let them have her right there in the kitchen where anyone could have walked in and seen.  She knew she hadn’t imagined feeling the evidence of their shared excitement pressed against her and thinking about it sent sparks of hot lust through her body.  When rational thought became possible she was thankful they had the sense to stop before everything got overheated.

It was a little strange to sit and eat pancakes like they hadn’t just rubbed up on each other.  Y/N frowned while she changed into her workout clothes. Her invitation to join her in the gym was politely declined.  Steve and Bucky kissed her cheeks and disappeared with an annoying air of mystery.  Oh well, she thought.  At least I know where we stand now, and there’s almost no one I trust more then them.  

Deciding to go easy after her week of self imposed punishment she put on a soothing playlist and went through her modified routine, and made a point of skipping a round with the punching bag.  Her now ex always made seemingly casual or offhanded comments about how her exercise habits must not be doing much.  Now, she couldn’t remember why she had ever laughed them off.  And because those thoughts were bringing down her happy mood she vowed to put him out of her mind.  He’s not worth it, he doesn’t get to make me feel bad about myself anymore.

“Hey you.”  Y/N nearly fumbled the weight she was holding.  

“Natasha?” She set it down and rushed over to her friend leaning in the doorway.  “Shit, I’m pretty sweaty but I really wanna hug you.” Natasha just laughed and embraced her.  

“I haven’t seen you in two months, I don’t care.”  

“How was DC.?”  

“Really, really boring.  But I shouldn’t have to go back again for a nice long time.”  The red head grinned.  “Ross still can’t stand you.  Bruce is still at the top of his black list but you’re creeping up there.”  

“Well shucks, I’m honored.”

“According to him you’re ‘a razor tongued harpy’ and ‘an undignified brat with no respect for authority’.”  

“Am I now?”  

“He told Fury he should dismiss you from the team immediately.”

“Bet he just loved that.” Y/N laughed.

“More or less told him where he could put his opinion.  I wouldn’t worry about your position, Fury’s got your back.  Along with every other person you’ve ever worked with.”

“Ross doesn’t scare me, he might be high ranking but underneath it all he’s just a bully.  If he keeps my friends’ names out of his mouth he’ll have no more grief from me.”  She walked around the gym wiping down and putting away the equipment she had used.

“We all know he’s incapable of keeping his mouth shut so I look forward to the next harpy appearance.”  Natasha said with mirth.  “But enough about all of that.  How are you doing?”  Y/N looked up at her friend, confused.  

“I’m fine, why?”  

“Sam was on his way out as I was on my way in,”  Natasha said.  “He might have mentioned your recent breakup.”  

“Oh, that.”  She drank from her water bottle.  “I’m really okay. Better than I have been in a long time.”  

“Then you made up with Rogers and Barnes too?”  

“Sam sure had a lot to say for someone on his way out.”

“The man is a shameless gossip.” Natasha shrugged.  Y/N sighed and chuckled.  

“I need a shower before we have girl talk.”  The other woman fell in step beside her.  

“That gives me time to find something to eat.  I wanna hear everything.”

…

An hour later Natasha and Y/N were settled on their favorite couch with a bowl of popcorn between them.  Natasha refrained from commenting until the entire story was finished, letting Y/N tell her everything that had happened.  

“Well,” the red head said after a few beats.  “It’s about time.”  Y/N blinked.

“Really? That’s it?  That’s your reaction?”  Natasha shrugged.

“The three of you have been dancing around this forever.  I honestly can’t believe you dated that idiot for as long as you did.”  She looked at Y/N seriously.  “Why did you go out with him?”  The question took her by surprise.  

“I’d like to say I don’t know,” she said.  “But you’d know I was lying.”  

“I would.”

“I didn’t think any of this was possible.  I thought I’d just watch and wish and hurt and I wanted to pretend that maybe I could move on and stop pining.”  Her voice had dropped to a whisper.  “And maybe it wasn’t good but I couldn’t stand being alone.”  

“I hate that you were so unhappy.  I could see it but I didn’t know what to do.  I probably should have interfered.”  Natasha laughed softly.  “We’re all dumb asses, huh?”  

“I think it had to happen like this?  That sounds so corny but I guess things do happen for a reason.”  

“True. You ended up here and that’s the point I guess.” She grinned. “And speaking of point, you know you’re honor bound by girl code to give me all the salacious details when you get more than a sample in the kitchen.”  

“All of it?  You really want to know every detail?”  

“On second thought, just the highlights might suffice.  I still have to work with them.”  They both laughed.  “You really do look happier than I’ve ever seen you.  Haven’t seen them yet but I imagine it’s about the same.”  

“I hope so,” Y/N bit her lip.  “Can I admit something?”  Natasha nodded.  “This all feels like a dream.  There’s a part of me that doesn’t believe it, and I’m so scared that I’ll wake up and it won’t be real.  Or even worse, it is real and they’ll decide it was a huge mistake and our relationship is destroyed.  I thought just telling them would ruin everything and now I can’t tell if I’m over the moon or terrified.  Or both at the same time.”  Her head dropped back.  “I’m a fucking mess.”  

“Messy or not, those two boys are head over heels for you so relax and just go with it for now.  Don’t overthink it.”  

“I hope I’m as confident as you are when I grow up.”  

“First of all, you’re what, six months younger than I am?  Second of all, fake it until you make it, baby.”  A quiet throat clearing interrupted them.  “Oh, hey Steve, Barnes.”  

“Good to see you back, Nat.”  Steve told her.  “It was quiet around here while you were in DC.”

“Sounds like there was still plenty of excitement without me.”  She said with a suggestive glance at the three of them.  A pink blush bloomed on Steve’s face.  Natasha laughed and stood up, walking over the Steve and patting him on the cheek.  

“We’ll catch up later, I get the feeling you three want some private time.” She laughed while she left, Steve and Bucky both looked down at their feet with embarrassed grins.  

“Hi.” She said a little shyly.  

“Hey there, Doll.”  Bucky leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips.  “Sorry for leaving you hanging earlier.”  

“It’s fine,”  she reassured them.  “And you’re here now.”  They sat down on either side of her, both taking one of her hands.  

“We’re hoping you’re free tomorrow night,”  Steve said.  “We thought tonight might be too last minute.”  He gave her fingers a squeeze.

“And we want everything to be perfect for our first date.”  Bucky told her.  Their faces were so earnest and sweet, Y/N felt her heart stutter.  

“We can do something low key, don’t feel like you need to make a big fuss.”  

“You’re worth a big fuss,”  Steve kissed her.  “This isn’t the most conventional beginning to a relationship but we want it to be special.”  

“Don’t you worry about a thing.  We have it all planned.”  Bucky sounded so proud of himself.  She giggled and wrapped her arms around him.

“I can’t wait.”  Bucky and Steve shared a look over her head.  They couldn’t wait either, it was past time she was shown how she deserved to be treated.  

next

[avengerscompound]

She Sets the City on Fire - Second Summer

She Sets the City on Fire: A Bruce Banner Fanfic

MASTERLIST PREVIOUS //

Buy me a ☕ Square: @brucebannerbingo​ - U5 Ice Cube Play

Rating:  E

Warning:  Age Gap, smut (MF, light ds, oral sex, improvised bondage, ice cube play, switching)

Word Count:  2645

Pairing:  Bruce Banner x OFC (Summer)

Summary:  Bruce is drawn to Summer.  She’s everything he wished he could be.  Carefree, exciting, and she knows exactly who she is.  There are so many reasons a relationship with her wouldn’t work.  So why can’t he stop thinking about her?

A/N: On the first chapter

7. Second Summer

It was hot.  That kind of heat that pressed down on you from all sides and clung to your skin, wet and oppressive.  The kind of heat that made the streets of New York smell like piss and garbage and Bruce imagined made him a little on the ripe side too.

Second Summer.  It was always worse when it was the Second Summer.  When the temperature started to drop and he just getting used to the idea that everything was cooling off and needed to make sure he had a coat when he went out and should possibly start considering a hat, gloves, and scarf as well, it was extremely unpleasant to then flick back to t-shirts and being too hot in his slacks.

He had his own Summer to help make it a little bit more bearable though.  The slight redhead who he seemed to crave like some kind of drug sat on her bed in her bra and panties with a textbook beside her and a glass of iced water.  Condensation beaded on the side and ran down it in little rivulets, pooling around her fingers.  It looked so good in this heat.  She looked so good in this heat.  Inviting in a way that it was hard for him to concentrate on the work that he’d brought with him.

A lot of their time spent together was like this.  Just sharing space while they got on with their work.  Her with her study and him with his research.  Sometimes it was like now, where one of them sat at a desk and the other lazed on the couch or bed separated from each other but still together in that comfortable way that usually took so long to get to in a relationship, but for him, he felt it so quickly with her.  Sometimes they would lie together in bed.  Him with his head in her lap or her leaning on his chest with her book opened lying on it.  They’d stop and kiss or fuck or make love and then go right back to what they were doing.  It could be his place or hers.  It didn’t seem to matter.  But it was this strange domesticity that Bruce had never known he wanted and now he had it he wasn’t sure how he’d ever lived without it.

Not that they were together all the time.  They weren’t.  She still had to go in and teach tutorials or put in a show at the office. She had meetings with supervisors and trips to the archives.  She went out to raves or parties or just to spend time with her friends.  Dancing and talking and fucking.

Bruce, of course, had lab work and Avenging.  There were his friends too, though even Tony’s parties weren’t on the level of the ones Summer went to.  At least not these days, now he was married and they were talking about having kids.

Today it was Summer’s and despite the air conditioning working double-time to keep her apartment cool it was hot and hard to concentrate and all he wanted to do was go over to her and forget all about interstage coupling.

He got up and unbuttoned his shirt, shedding it off and letting it fall to the floor as he crawled up on the bed.  Summer looked up at him as he stalked over her.  She had her legs pulled up against her and he leaned against her calves as he reached over and dipped his index and middle fingers into her glass and scooped out an ice cube.  He ran it over his brow before putting it in his mouth and sighing contentedly.

Summer shifted, spreading her legs a little so Bruce was able to lie down between them.  He rolled onto his back, resting his head on her soft stomach and looked up at her.  She smiled down at him and fished her own ice cube out of the glass.  “Are you a little hot, baby?”  She teased.

“Yes,” he complained.  “What’s wrong with your air conditioning?”

“I don’t know, honestly.  Didn’t expect to need it today,” she said as she ran the cube down Bruce’s throat and over his clavicle.  The coldness of the cube was a sweet relief against the heat of his skin.  He closed his eyes and hummed as it melted, leaving a cool wet trail in its wake.  “Did you want to go back to the tower?”

He shook his head slowly.  “No.  I feel like I’m being a baby anyway.  I lived in India and South America during the hot season.  I should be able to handle fall in New York.”

Summer took out another ice cube and ran it over his lips, letting the cool water drizzle into his mouth.  “You’ve gotten soft, Brucie.”

He chuckled and patted his stomach.  “I have.  I was much fitter back then too.”

“Aww, your padding made it so you can’t deal with the heat,” she teased.

Bruce rolled over onto his hands and knees and took her glass off her placing it carefully on the bedside table before grabbing her thighs and pulling her down, so she was flat on her back under him.  She squealed and wriggled under him.  “Bruce!  You’re a very bad man.”

“Am I?”  He teased taking another ice cube and painting her lips with them.  Her mouth opened just a little, her tongue dancing out and flicking over the ice.  “You’re the one teasing me for putting on weight.”

She giggled and sucked on the ice cube, pulling his fingers into her mouth too.  The heat of her mouth contrasting the cold of the ice.  She slowly released his fingers grazing her teeth over them and smiled up at him with a wicked twinkle in her eye.  “I am such a bully.  I don’t even know why you hang out with me.”

Bruce pressed his weight down on her, and nuzzled into her neck, ghosting his lips over her throat as he relaxed into her.  He could practically feel her pulse pick up and the Hulk lazily raised his head at the back of Bruce’s mind in interest.  “No?  You don’t have any idea?”

“Tell me,” Summer hummed, as she tilted her head back to give him better access.

Bruce sucked on her throat, his tongue flicking over her skin. It was salty from sweat and he let the taste of her fill his mouth.  She hummed softly and tangled her hands in his hair.

“You are smart and funny and weird.  And so much fun.  You make me feel like I can be something other than scared and angry,” Bruce mumbled against her skin.

“Mmm you never seem scared or angry to me,” she hummed, taking an ice cube and running it down the back of his neck.

“No, never with you,” he agreed.

“Just horny,” she added.

Bruce laughed and pushed himself up onto his knees, looking down at her.  She lifted her hips, squirming a little under him and he grabbed another ice cube.  He slowly ran it down her throat to the dip in her clavicle.  She arched her back and reached behind her and unhooked her bra and tossed it over the edge of the bed.  He looked down at her, taking all of her in.  The way the sweat beaded on her pale skin.  The pinkness of her nipples.  The way her red hair curled down her neck and stuck to her skin in places.  She was so beautiful and there was still this part of him - the part of him from high school when girls would ask him out on dates as a joke - thought this was too good to be true.  He hadn’t been that kid for a while now though and as much as he was loathed to admit it, the Hulk was a big part of that.  And now he had this woman who somehow put him at ease in a way that he didn’t even have to worry about the Hulk either, he was going to appreciate every minute he had with her.

He ran the piece of ice over the swell over her breast, circling it around her areola until her nipple hardened and then running it over the nub.  She shivered and sucked in air through her teeth before moving to the other breast and repeating the action.  Her breasts looked so inviting and he took what was left of the ice cube and put it in his mouth before leaning down and pulling her nipple into his mouth.

“Fuck…” she gasped, shuddering and arching her back.  He ground down into her cunt, his cock straining at the coarse fabric of his slacks as he used his tongue to swirl the ice around her nipple while he suckled on it.

“Bruce,” she breathed.  He looked up at her without stopping what he was doing.  She rolled her hips under him and gripped the sheet.  “Tie me up.”

He sat back on his knees and ran his hands over her.  “You’re sure.”

“Mmm…” She hummed, reaching up and grabbing her headboard.  “With your belt.”

Swallowing thickly he unfastened his belt as he positioned herself diagonally on the bed, holding on to one of the posts.  He wound the leather around her wrists and fastened them to the bedpost.  He ran his fingers along where the leather touched her skin, worried about how tight it was or if it would rub.  “Is that okay?”  He asked.

She nodded.  “Yes.  It feels good.”

“Do we need safewords or anything?” 

She shook her head and laughed softly.  “Not unless you plan to get rough with me, Brucie.  You planning to get rough?”

He swallowed again and shook his head.  “No.  I was just… the ice…”

She hooked her leg around his waist and used her calf to rub his side soothingly.  “Then it’ll be fine.  I say no or stop.  You’ll stop right?”

“Of course,” he said nodding emphatically.

“Then we’re all good,” she assured him.  “I’m all yours.”

He grabbed another piece of ice.  They were starting to shrink in the glass, so the piece he took was not very large.  He trailed it over her nipples again and then ran it down her chest to her stomach, leaving it in her belly button to melt as he pulled her panties down and off.  He took another piece of ice and put it in his mouth, before ducking down and while he kept it on his tongue, he swiped it up her folds.  She mewled and her body shuddered.  The noise seemed to travel right through him, and settle in his dick, making it throb for her.

He swirled his tongue around, countering the cool of the ice with the heat of his mouth.  As her fluids filled his mouth, diluting with the water and he drank it down greedily until the cube was fully dissolved.  He took another cube and repeated the action, sucking on her clit and flicking the ice cube over it as he used his tongue on the small bundle of nerves.

Summer moaned and writhed under him.  The sounds she made were dotted with the soft snap of his belt as she jerked against her bindings.  The ice melted away and he swallowed the cool, salty liquid in his mouth.  He pushed two fingers into her and sought out her g-spot just like he’d shown him.  He stroked his fingers over the soft spongy surface again and again.  Summer’s sounds became louder and louder and she bucked and writhed under him.  Her cunt began to flutter and clench around his digits and he nipped at her clit and twisted his wrist.  She jerked up and cried out, gushing on his face.

He sat up and wiped his mouth as he looked down at her, panting below him.  There was a pleased rumble at the back of his head like he was being congratulated on a good job.

Summer hummed and rolled her hips.  “Unfasten me, Bruce.”

He moved quickly, letting her out of her bonds.  She sat up and guided him back on the bed.  He let her lead him, leaning up against the bedhead.  She took the scarf that was draped over her lamp and used it to tie his hands behind his back.  Hulk panicked for a moment, and he let out a sound that was deep and primal as his neck tensed.  Summer climbed into his lap and tilted Bruce’s head up to look at her.  “Slip your hands out,” she said.

Bruce shifted his hands and they fell free of the bindings right away.  The Hulk immediately backed right off and something else was in his place.   A deep, and relentless desire to try this.

“I would never do anything that would make you uncomfortable,” she said as he put his hands on her hips.  “Do you want to try that?”

“Yes,” he groaned.  “Please.”

Summer pinned his arms behind his back again, loosely binding them with the scarf. She unfastened his pants, keeping eye contact with him.  Something happened as she pulled his cock out and began to slowly stroke it as she maintained eye contact with him.  That part of him that always was on edge, and always felt slightly unsafe let go.  He just relaxed and knew, right now, right here, he had nothing to worry about with Summer.  She had him and he was safe.

She dipped her fingers into the glass on her bedside table and scooped out some ice and put it in her mouth.  She leaned down and wrapped her lips around his cock.  The mixture of hot and cold, paired with the suction and the wetness of her mouth sent shivers through him and made his muscles clench and relax out of his control.  He let her take complete control, watching as she looked up at him bobbing her head up and down on his cock.

As the ice melted away she would swallow the water, adding more pressure and suction on his cock.  His cock throbbed and twitched in her mouth, leaking precum over her tongue and down her throat.  She hummed happily and sucking up and down his cock.  Deep-throating him before pulling up slowly and just sucking on the head.  She pulled off and licked over his balls, before pulling one into her mouth and rolling her tongue over it.  A bead of precum formed on the head as she sucked on one ball and when she moved to the other, it drizzled down his shaft.  She ran the point of her tongue up the path it had made before dropping her head back down.  She moved faster and sucked harder until he couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Summer…” He groaned and bucked up into her mouth, releasing straight down her throat.  She drank it down greedily and pulled off, crawling up into his lap and bringing her lips to his.

As they kissed deeply, he slipped his hands from the scarf and wrapped them around her, holding her close despite how hot it was.

She pulled back and curled up against his chest, her whole weight relaxing into him.  “Summer,” he said gently.  “I… you don’t know … what you did…”

She kissed the corner of his jaw.  “I know.  I feel safe with you too, Bruce.  You make me feel safe to be me.”

He smiled and closed his eyes, pressing his lips to the top of her head.  “I love you,” he whispered.

She didn’t say anything at all, just hummed contentedly before pulling away.  “Come on, let’s go have a shower.  We kinda need it.”

He got up and followed after her.  She did seem to know exactly what he needed.  It was scary how not scary that was to him.

// NEXT

[bonzhur]

"I have 4 brothers (one of them is younger and the two oldest are quite a lot older) so I was thinking maybe a Damian Wayne x reader (16+) where Damian and reader are secretly dating and Damian bumps in to the reader whilst they are both out with their siblings. Maybe a few of them know each other from school and they wanna hang out and Damian and the reader try and pretend they don’t know each other so their siblings don’t make a big deal about their relationship but maybe somehow they let it slip."

~♪~♪~♪~♪~♪~

Oh my gosh...

First off, I'm so sorry for not checking my asks, college and now this world wide issue. I'm so sorry!! *Bows* Please forgive me!!!

Second, I hope you can still enjoy this late reply, I'm really sorry ;-;

Guys, the keys for this story are these;

B1- Brother 1

B2- Brother 2

B3- Brother 3

Again, I am so sorry! P.S. details are lacking so I choose them for you... You'll see what mean later. Please enjoy this late reply, again, I'm so sorry!

~•~•~•~•~

I sighed as I sat on the mahogany bench, my sweat rolling down my skin as I tried to catch my breath.

"B1!"

The screech of my younger brother can probably be heard throughout the entire park, heck, maybe even Gotham. But I get how he's feeling, I'm ticked as well after all.

"What on earth gave you the great idea to drag me out of my bed to go jogging with you!" I turned my head to see B3 jabbing his finger at B1, who's just trying not to laugh. Yea, let's see that smug grin later when I beat ya for interrupting my sleep.

"What's wrong, lil bro?" B1 chuckled as he skipped a few feet away from him, holding his hands up in defense. "Not my fault you lack vitamin D and been hold up in your room with your video games, you and y/n both."

"Excuse you!" I immediately sat up and glare at my brother. "But my babies needed me, okay!"

A hand came suddenly and messed up my already bad bed hair. Not my fault B1 dragged me out of bed with no preparations, again whatever. I swatted the hand away, glaring at B2.

"Hey, I understand your struggle." He said with a look of understanding. "I bought you that switch with animal crossing remember."

I huffed and crossed my arms. Not my fault I got addicted to the game, not my fault it's one of the only games I can play with him.

A smile started forming on my face as I thought of him. Damian Wayne, son of billionaire Playboy Bruce Wayne, a student in Gotham High, and my absolutely hot boyfriend. Can't deny how toned and defined his body is~ And that ass is mine, so back off bishes! If only I can say that...

You see Damian may be my boyfriend, but we're in a secret relationship. Yea, sucks to be me alright. I do understand where he's coming from though. It's not about his image (he'd throw that away cuz he don't care) and definitely not his family, though he's adamant that I can't meet them yet (something about them never ending teasing and him not trusting they can keep a secret, also the fact that he wants to know how long it takes for them to figure it out). It's about me.

In Gotham High, I'm just a lucky smart kid, who got a scholarship. No one really pays attention to me, especially since there's more interesting people. So finding out a normal person like me is his girlfriend, let's just say it wouldn't end well. His fans would bully me relentlessly, people would assume I'm a gold digger or just a hoe. The rumours, the lies, the fights, the many ways this can go from great to worst. It's not the best situation to be, especially when Damian isn't always there to be by my side. Anything can happen and that anything scares both of us.

I groan as I quickly fixed up my hair into a high pony. It's bad enough that Damian doesn't go easy on me during training and now my big bro wants me to exercise in my rest day, not cool.

"let's just get this over with." I stood up, glaring at B1 as he innocently whistles. "I have a date with my bed and switch after this."

"So you're cheating on Pizza? With bed and switch? That's harsh." B2 cried as he clenched his hand over his chest, like the drama queen that he is.

"Maybe I should take Pizza out on a date later? Seeing as you're busy." B1 joked, fixing his black tank top like it was a suit.

"ha ha, very funny you two." Rolling my e/c eyes, I crossed my arms and walked towards them. "Now can we please just go?"

"fine, as soon as B3 stops complaining." B1 chuckled, causing me to sigh.

"I swear you three are making me loo-" All of a sudden, I felt someone bump into me and like dramatic girl, I nearly fell. But thankfully the culprit grabbed my wrist, saving me from the fall. I turn to the next victim on my list and was met with the mesmerizing green eyes of my surprised boyfriend. Shock dawned on my expression as I could only whisper. "Dami?"

"Habibti." Damian whispered back, I assume getting lost in my e/c eyes as well. Or maybe it was my sports outfit, who knows.

He pulled me up to stand and I was about to say something when I heard my brother called for me in the background. This snapped me back to reality and away from the Dreamland of Damian's eyes, pulling my hand back and stepping away from him. He did the same, now definitely looking at my outfit.

Now remember how B1 dragged me to the park for a jog. Well, it's extremely hot today and I'm not about to get out in the burning sun without a proper outfit. I.E. shorts, a tank top, running shoes, and my Batfam cap (a humor gift from B3. jokes on him, I love this hat). Now seeing how Damian is looking at my outfit, I can already tell what he's thinking, he's look at me with lust and want after all. Sweet Lord, if you're there. Please say me from this predicament I'm in. I want to walk please!

"Yo Dick, how ya been?" The voice of B1, surprised me as I turn to them. Eyes widening when I realized that Damian was with his brothers and sister. I think it dawned on Damian too, because now he moved more away from me. Sad but hey, secret relationship after all.

"Nothing much B1." Dick Grayson turned to me, eyes holding a flirtious glint when he saw me. "This your younger sister? Y/n?" He asked naturally, not like he ate me up with his eyes.

"Yea, she is." B1 said, like the confused idiot that he is. "Y/n, this is one of my old friends, Dick."

"Hi..." That's my poor attempt at interacting with people, brought to you by Social Anxiety and Depression!

"Name's Dick Grayson, this is my sister, Cass. My brothers, Jason, Tim, and Damian, who I think you met."

"Don't fool around, Grayson." Damian interrupted him. "I don't even know her."

"But you guys had a connection! Don't deny it!" Dick defended, while Cass giggled and Jason smirked at this, knowing a fight is near. Tim just went and laid on the bench, within seconds, he's asleep. Dude, the fu-

"Okay! Break it off." B2 said, pushing Dick away from Damian. "Me and my siblings have to go and finish our jog."

"oh, us too." Jason piped up. "Mind if we joined?"

"Sure, why not." B1 said instantly.

"wait, what?" Says my confused brain.

So during the jog, they explained how they knew each other, Jason to B2 and Dick to B1. Being from the same school and all that stuff, having a little fun reunion. Cass and B3 are watching Tim, who is barely awake but jogging too. I'm both amazing and confused at the same time. As for me and Damian, well..

We decided to jog the slowest, being at the back where none of them can see us or barely hear us. You can imagine how Damian teased me about my outfit and how after he's done with me, I can't stand for a week. Add some 'accidental' touching here and there, maybe a peck or two in secret. I'm actually surprised no one saw or questioned us.

Yea, that's how I felt until the end. Where Tim and B3 basically almost threw up because me and Damian are being too lovey dovey in the back.

"WHAT!"

Oh the chaos, how both B1 and Dick were celebrating about their siblings having a significant other, how B2 and Jason had a talk with each other about what to do if one of us broke the other's heart, and Cass being a sweet girl and congratulating us. She's the best.

At first, we tried to deny it, it's not like that, etc, etc. Then Tim pointed out that Damian called me Habibti, which we both, again, tried to deny it. Until Dick kabedons me and Damian attacked him. So now, they know that we're dating... Great.

Atleast now I can go to his house and be with him without fearing if his siblings see. Let me tell you, it was hella alot more fun than before.

~•~•~•~

First off, again I'm so sorry. Second, I literally typed this for an hour and a half. I need sleep.. Not my best work, please forgive me at that. It's been years or months since I last made a one shot and it's obvious in the fic, Atleast to me.

Thanks for reading this late reply post!

[banashee]

Part 5 of my @badthingshappenbingo​

Prompt: Bullying

Please look at the end for more detailed trigger warnings if you need to - this story is about a lot more than just bullying.

*+~

 You were supposed to e different 

 “Jesus, Clint. You’re a mess.”

 Clint doesn’t say anything, staring ahead and grinding his teeth. Once upon a time, he would have laughed along or thrown some sort of insult back. Now, though, it would cost too much energy - energy that he doesn’t have and didn’t have in months.

 A shake of head, a short laugh. They turn around - Clint wants to throw up, break something, scream, cry and sleep for three days straight, all at the same time. He doesn’t though - all he can do is stare ahead and wondering when exactly his team started to hate him so much.

The thing is - his new medications knock him the fuck out.

 To be fair, he’s always been a bit of a disaster, and his therapist would very much like for him to acknowledge this as the symptoms of his PTSD, Depression and Anxiety that they are, but it's still a work in progress. It doesn’t help that there is constantly new stuff that piles up on him, and it sends him into a tailspin on a regular basis - so he’d gotten new meds, because the old combo simply didn’t help anymore.

 The thing about the pills knocking him out though? Yeah.

 Clint has a hard time staying awake and alert, keeping his brain focused. He      tries,     but trying simply isn’t enough when his brain keeps fucking him over.

 Today, he fell asleep in a meeting about a upcoming mission, much to everyone’s displeasure or amusement, depending on who you would ask.

 Clint leaves the room as soon as possible, not looking back and not talking to anyone. He’s feeling sick to his stomach but otherwise empty - how he even makes it back home to his apartment in Brooklyn, he couldn’t tell. But as soon as he closes the door behind him, he shuffles off to the couch, shoulders hunched and head hanging low. He barely just makes it to the couch and falls asleep for hours, but when he wakes up again, it’s like he didn’t sleep at all in the first place. Then he checks his phone  and there are 5 missed calls from Steve.

 Clint calls back, and the Captain is not amused.

 He doesn’t mean to fuck up, and yet he keeps doing just that. He doesn’t know how to stop.

 He doesn't know how to keep going, either.

 Clint is used to being the "weak link" of the group - it's kind of obvious, seeing as he's one of the few entirely human members of the Avengers, especially since he doesn't have any armor or robot technology or anything besides his (admittedly high tech) bow and arrows and a few knives strapped to his person. He's not enchanted in any way, shape or form but he's fucking good at his job - it's why he's here in the first place.

 And although the jokes have always been there, they seem to have gotten more frequent. Maybe he's just imagining it, but they seem to have gotten more malicious, too. Clint is not entirely sure if that is true, but it sure feels like it. Maybe it's just his brain going crazy, or maybe they really do think less of him these days - he sure as hell won't ask. He already is the butt of jokes on a regular basis and he's   used to that, too, since he's been in that position for most of his life in a number of different circumstances but -

 It hurts. It hurts to be mocked and laughed at all the time.

 Clint used to laugh it off, laughing along just to cope and cover up the fact that the jokes stung deep inside even when that wasn't the intention.

 Now? He wouldn't be able to tell and he doesn't laugh anymore.

 Annoying. A mess. They call him these things on a regular basis, jokingly or not, he's no longer able to see a difference.

 Useless, waste of space - that's what he calls himself in the privacy of his own head because he wouldn't be able to see if there is even a distinction between those words anymore. It still hurts to hear it out loud, especially when they're no longer joking.

 "For fucks sake, could you maybe be any more annoying?!"

 It's early in the day and he didn't sleep at all that night. He's out of it, forgot to take his medication this morning - the restless tapping and twitching of his leg drives Tony insane and he's glaring at him. He's not in a great mood to begin with, easily annoyed and way more snappish than usual.

 "I can try." Clint answers, no heat and no passion at all behind the statement. It sounds hollow in his own ears, and he really really wants to sleep - sleep is easier than dealing with life right now. But that's not possible. They need to talk through more details of a mission and it takes hours until they're done.

 Clint attempts to stay focused and pay attention, he really does, but he finds himself unable to make any sense of the words that might as well be gibberish strung together, and his eyes fixate on a spot on the table.

 When he leaves later, dead on his feet and with a pounding headache, he doesn't react when someone is calling his name after him - all he wants is to go home and sleep, but once he's there the air leaves his lungs, and he's panicking and      why does he always have to fuck everything up?  

 Clint curls up in the corner of the couch for hours, hands fisted into his hair and tears soaking through the sleeves of his hoodie.

 A low whine and the feeling of a cold, wet nose nuzzling at him slowly pull him back to reality, and when he looks up again, Lucky is sitting in front of him, plastered to his shaking form. The dog is warm and alive and breathing, and Clint reaches out to run a hand through his fur. Which Lucky takes as an invitation to get closer, climbing on top of his human and affectionately licking his face.

 Clint wraps both arms around the mutt, which he patiently allows him to do, and with the feeling of soft fur and a steady heartbeat pressed against his cheek, he's slowly coming back to himself.

 When he makes his way to the bathroom later, to take his medication he realizes that he missed the dose this morning - cursing, he makes a mental note to pay more attention but even in the privacy of his own mind it's laughable.

 But he makes an effort to remember in the upcoming days, and the pills make him tired and sluggish - at least he can't blow his brains out when he's constantly asleep, so, progress?

 Except then he completely fucks up in the field.

 He's exhausted despite sleeping all the time, and his reaction time suffers - a lot. Clint is way too slow, missing important cues and then he misses his target. He completely misses a target for the first time in over a decade and the last time he did, he'd been shot and bleeding profusely so at least he'd had an excuse then. He doesn't have one now and he never tells anyone about the change in medication and how it makes him entirely useless - there are enough snide comments thrown his way already and Clint really doesn't feel like reminding the others of the fact that he's completely fucked. At this point, he is convinced he'll lose his spot on the team and that can't happen. He won't allow it - he just needs to keep it together.

 The debrief is short, but it's very clear that his fuck up didn't go unnoticed - when he's asked to explain, he almost chokes on his words and doesn't do anything to defend himself. All he says is he'll do better next time, and the look he gets in response is silent but he can practically hear the "You better." that may or may not be hidden in it.

 They're all disappointed, and rightfully so.

 When he's able to leave, Clint can't make it out of the tower in time - he can't breathe and his brain screams      panic panic panic     and it's all he can do to duck into the nearest bathroom and throw the door of a stall closed behind him without locking it before he crumbles to the floor, shaking violently and falling apart.

 He comes around to a calm voice talking to him and a warm, gentle hand carefully touching his arm. When he looks up, eyes red and nose stuffy, head pounding with a dehydration headache, he realizes that Bruce is sitting cross legged on the floor in front of him, looking concerned. Clint has got no idea when he even got here and how much he saw but he figures it's enough - shame sits hot in his chest and he looks back down again, attempting to calm down.

 "Hey. You with me?" Bruce asks, and he's still calm, still gentle. Clint nods, mutely. He doesn't trust his voice yet.

 The scientist nudges his forearm with a cool water bottle.

 "Here, drink this."

 He takes it, opening it with shaking hands and does as he's told. Bruce stays close the entire time.

 "Do you wanna talk?" he asks carefully, but Clint shakes his head no. He really doesn't want to.

 "Just a bad day." he forces out, and it doesn't sound like his usual self at all - his voice is cracking, rough and exhausted.

 Bruce just nods, keeping quiet for a little while and his hand remains where it is, slowly rubbing small circles on Clints arm. The contact feels nice - it's soothing, helps him breathe a little bit easier.

 "The offer still stands, you know. If you ever need anything." Bruce offers when he manages to get up from the floor a little while later, walking to the door. He nods, gratefully.

 "Thanks, Bruce. See you around."

 "See you around."

 Clint leaves the building with his shades on to hide himself away and walking as fast as he can manage in his current state - when he finally makes it home, he crawls straight to bed, thinking back on the day.

 The fuck up in the field and the meeting that followed leave him nauseous with guilt and shame, but it's Bruce's kindness afterwards that really gets to him.

 He didn't expect it, and he keeps telling himself that he doesn't deserve it, especially after almost causing the death of civilians that day. It leaves him wrecked, sobbing violently until he falls asleep from sheer exhaustion, clawing at drenched bedsheets and with Lucky pressing close to him in an attempt to comfort.

 The next day, he only takes half a dose of medication - he needs to get it together, needs to stay focused.

 He keeps going like this for weeks and at first, he experiences a high that makes him hopeful that he made the right decision - it leaves him ecstatic even, and he manages to do one hell of a lot better on missions than he did before. Even the comments about him being an annoying mess die down, and he desperately wants it to stay that way.

 Part of him wants to book it under success, but the other, much more logical part of him remains suspicious of how this stunt is going to turn out in the long run.

 It's his hopeful part that wins over and keeps him going like that - until he crashes.

 He's not 100% sure if the crash of brain chemicals would have happened so soon if it wasn't for everything going to shit.

 When Clint goes to bed that night, everything seems normal. He's relatively okay (whatever counts as okay for him these days), and Lucky is happily snuggled up on the covers by his feet, perfectly healthy, or so he would have thought since there was no reason to think otherwise.

 Except, when Clint wakes up in the middle of the night because he feels like something is incredibly wrong, Lucky is cold and unmoving at the end of the bed.

 Lucky was old, and when he thinks about it, Clint would have thought it a good thing that he peacefully fell asleep instead of having to suffer.

 But it catches him so completely off guard, and he's beyond devastated over losing his beloved dog, that it sends him into a downward spiral quicker than ever before.

 Clint doesn't leave the apartment. He doesn't sleep, doesn't eat, and doesn't do anything besides getting up to use the bathroom.

 He keeps half dosing or some days, even completely forgetting his medication. It quickly catches up to him, and in addition to the pain and grief over the loss of his best friend, his brain completely fucks him over now.

 If he wasn't so goddamn tired he would have seriously hurt himself. As it is, he can't even do anything about that, even when his thoughts keep circling around sharp knives and quick bullets that would get the job done.

 He thinks about it for days on end and it hurts, to be in so much pain and being unable to stop it.

 He doesn't call or talk to anyone.

 The team is all he's got and he loves them all, but in the last few months he didn't tell them anything personal anymore, too afraid to be mocked or made fun of.

 He couldn't cope if that was to happen now and he doesn't want to annoy them any further as it is - if he loses his team (and he carefully, very carefully doesn't think the word "friends" because he doesn't know if that's even what they are these days) he would lose everything he's still got.

 Curled up in bed, apathetic and not caring that he's been able to smell himself for at least two days, the vibrations of his phone travel through the soft mattress that's still damp from sweat, tears and snot and it causes Clint to lift his head, tiredly blinking at it before he reaches out.

 He's got a text.

     "Movie night and dinner at the tower tonight at 7. You coming?"  

 Clint seriously needs to think about that.

 Part of him wants to stay here and not deal with anything anymore, too tired to even bathe or take care of himself.

 Another part of him longs for human interaction and maybe, hopefully, a bit of physical contact. He doesn't remember the last time he's been hugged by anyone - it's been too long, and the thought makes his chest hurt all over again.

     “You don't deserve it.”     and      "Why would anyone want to be close to a useless piece of shit like you?"  

 Clint ends up not answering the text and not doing anything at all, really. He attempts to sleep, for however long he can manage to. His phone vibrates another two or three times with messages, but he ignores those, too.

 So he remains home alone, miserable and unable to reach out for any help.

 Some time later he's got a small burst of energy - he takes advantage of it to get in the shower, because he's feeling truly disgusting right now.

 While the warm water is working its wonders on his sore and stiff muscles, he can feel his stomach growl painfully. Clint doesn't know the last time he ate something, but faintly remembers that he might have some cereal left.

 He pours a bit of it into a bowl and picks at it, eating them dry. It's like chewing on cardboard, and he stops soon, too turned off by it to keep trying.

 He remains hungry though, but doesn't trust himself with more than a bottle of water.

 It's at least a little bit of relief.

 Staring ahead at the wall in front of him, Clint zones out. He's got no idea if it's minutes or hours, but he's pulled out of it with the ringing of his landline.

 This phone is ancient, heavy and loud, attached to the wall with a cord. He barely ever gets calls there, so he walks over, very slowly and adjusting his hearing aids on the way.  Then he picks up and greets whoever is calling with a flat and emotionless

 "What."

 The voice that answers him is very much familiar.

 "Hey, it's Bruce. I was going to ask if you're okay? It's just, uh, we haven't seen you in a while and you never answered any of the texts…"

 Clint opens and closes his mouth a few times. He doesn't even know how much time went by since the text messages.

 "Uh. Sorry?" He's not entirely sure how to answer - besides, he doesn't really feel like talking about any of this.

 Bruce takes a moment to reply. It's obvious that he's worried, but not wanting to push too far.

 "Are you okay, Clint? To be honest, you've been kinda off for a while and I'm worried about you."

 The mean voices in the back of his head wake up. They sneer and laugh and gloat,

     "It's a lie, no one cares about you"     and      "Why would anyone want you around?"     they say, and Clint can feel the phone shake in his hand.

 "I'm -" he starts, but then thinks better of it and cuts himself off, plastering a fake smile on his face in an attempt to imitate a cheerful tone of voice when he lies,

 "I'm fine."

 It doesn't sound convincing at all, not even in his own ears. And it doesn't seem convince Bruce, either, because he hums, and then pauses, clearly assessing how to react best. Finally, he settles on,

 "If you'd like to, we're all meeting up again for dinner and movies tonight."

 Clint wants to decline - but then, he still agrees. It might be easier than ignoring everyone forever.

 "See you later." he tells Bruce and then he's quickly hanging up without waiting for an answer.

 As soon as Clint hangs up, he already regrets that he said he’ll come, but calling back now and telling Bruce he won’t be there kinda feels like a giant dick move - especially since he’s got no hard feelings towards him, seeing as he’s been the only person to never make any snide comments or fun of him at all. Maybe it’ll be nice, still.

 He just needs to get a grip and not give them a reason to say anything - he can do this.

 Part of him wants to call Natasha and talk to her - the last time they spoke had been almost 2 months ago, and she’d asked him not to call after this conversation unless she calls first - there is no ill intent, Clint knows, it’s just that Nat is in a deep cover operation right now and any outside contact could screw it up or endanger lives if things go wrong.

 He knows the drill and doesn’t risk it, but the urge is still there - he misses his best friend. Always does when they’re apart for long, but especially now, he’d love to hear her voice, just for a short moment.

 By the time Clint actually makes it out of his apartment and into the subway, he’s exhausted again. He is glad that he always keeps a go-bag ready, so at least he doesn’t have to pack anything. He’s traveling with it, just in case he’ll be too worn out to make it back to Bed Stuy that night, which is likely - that way, he can just crash in his quarters in the tower. Clint hasn’t really been there since - well, he hasn’t stayed there in a while.

 About an hour later, he enters the tower and gets into the private elevator, tiredly returning JARVIS greeting as he rides up to the top of the building.

 Now is the first time he actually looks at himself in a while - the glass walls around him are mirrored on the inside, Clint looks at his reflection no matter where he turns - he might have showered that day, but he looks awful.

 He’s visibly lost weight, hair a mess and too long. His face is pale and with an unkempt beard that he didn’t even bother taking care of. His usually bright blue eyes are dark, empty and filled with a dull sadness.

 The hug he gets upon entering the common room is entirely unexpected, and Clint barely manages to suppress a flinch at the sudden contact. He forces a smile on his face and clasps one hand on Thor’s back as he releases him again.

 “Hey guys.”

 “Hi Clint!” various forms of greetings are called back over the room, and Clint waves quickly before making his way to the couch, grabbing a drink on the way there. He can feel the nervousness creeping up into his throat, which is stupid - this is the team, people he’s known and been close to for years.

 Or at least that’s how things have been once upon a time - now, he’s not so sure anymore.

 Unsure if it is his imagination or not, Clint avoids looking any of them in the eye, but he is pretty certain he can feel them looking at him oddly.

 Especially Bruce - he’s the only one he       really     talked to on occasion in the last few weeks, and he’s been concerned even then. Now, he looks at him and there is a mixture of worry and sadness in his dark eyes.

 “How have you been? We haven’t seen you in a while.”

 Clint works his jaw, clenching it for a moment before he answers,

 “‘m fine. Same as always.”

 It’s a blatant lie, but he wants to avoid any confrontation if he can - he’s exhausted, and if anything happens tonight, he won’t be able to keep a lid on it all and then everything will go to shit - even more so than it usually does.

 Clint’s brain is foggy, and he isn’t entirely sure how to act. Being here is weird, feels right and wrong at the same time. Like being in a place he would have called “home” without hesitation, but now

 he feels like he doesn’t belong here anymore. It’s strange, and it hurts.

 But Clint manages to dodge and ignore the questions about his well being, keeping his face carefully closed off.

 It works until dinner - Clint is attempting to choke down just enough pizza so it won’t look suspicious, but it tastes like he’s eating the box instead of it’s contents. He’s eating slowly, nausea rising and after not even a whole slice his stomach is revolting and he puts the food back down. Hopefully no one will notice - but they do.

 It’s Tony who calls him out on it.

 “Is everything okay? No offense but you really don’t look too great right now.”

 He means well, and the question is genuine - but for Clint, it’s one more step towards his breaking point.

 For      years    he’s had to listen to various degrees of quips and comments about his person and his mental health. For too long, he’s had to pretend to be okay with it and for too long, it had all gone too far.

     “Their concern isn’t real”    the voice in his brain keeps whispering, louder and louder until it’s no longer a murmur and more of a shout inside of his head.

 Clint knows how this goes - he’s lived through it before, years before he ever met any of the people currently around him.

 Decades ago, in the orphanage or after, in the circus, they had loved that little joke - pretending to care, pretending to comfort - only to laugh and pull away as soon as he’d been pushed too far, too desperate for any human warmth to the point where he actually tried to reach out, faintly hoping, even though he knew better, knew they’d use it against him.

 Those times are supposed be over, this team is supposed to be      different     - but it seems like he’s been wrong about that, too.

 Clint remains silent, holding back anything that might slip from him.

 But then Steve turns over, looking straight at him and just as concerned as he says,

 “You know you can talk to us, right?”

 That is when Clint explodes.

 He whips around, glaring, and then he can no longer stop the words that just keep flowing out of his mouth.

 “What, so all of you can mock that too, have a good old laugh about me?! Oh, haha, look at Clint, so annoying, such a mess, what a useless waste of space! So funny, I can’t fucking breathe!”

 Roughly, he shoves the box of pizza away from him and pulls himself up from the couch, pacing the room - his outbreak leaves Tony, Bruce, Steve and Thor in shocked silence, and he continues, because he just can’t stop himself anymore.

 “Listen, I know it’s true and I’m doing my best here, I really am, but this shit needs to stop. I’m done. I absolutely fucking can’t right now, my brain’s a mess with the new fucking medication and there’s always something - I just -  so if you want me off the team just tell me, but      please     just stop it, I can’t- Fuck!”

 Words keep stumbling over each other, and Clint is breathing hard, trying his damndest to keep it together and not panic, but it gets harder and harder, up until the point where he’s almost hyperventilating, shaking and needing to sit back down - he makes it to a chair several feet away from the others, subconsciously keeping his distance and keeping his head down, eyes locked on his knees and then squeezed shut in an attempt to stop himself from tearing up.

 He fucked up, more than usual, and they’re all going to hate him for this, and- it isn’t supposed to go that way. But he’s said it all because he just can’t keep his mouth shut for any longer, and now he’s ruined the night for everyone including himself - he should have stayed home.

 But no one and nothing even waits there for him anymore now that Lucky is gone - the pain in his chest is almost unbearable, keeps him from breathing right.

 The world around Clint seems to be far away and blurry, and he doesn’t register anything anymore, shaking apart and choking on fear.

 He doesn’t realize that people are talking - to him, which is useless right now, and about him, debating if medical help is needed, and they settle for the best option they have right now, which is letting Bruce take over.

 Bruce is close to him but not touching, calmly talking and trying to get Clint to breathe with him. It takes a while, but he does, still looking down because he’s too ashamed to look up and look at any of them. He can’t even tell if anyone else is even still in the room - it’s oddly quiet now, and it might be entirely possible that they left. Clint doesn’t find it in him to care - he focuses on breathing and tunes out the rest.

 Some time later, he is not in the living room anymore - he’s in his quarters, faintly realizing that Bruce brought him there and remained close the whole time. Now, that there is a bit of privacy, Clint feels more secure to let go.

 He’s warm and safe here, door closed and the only person in the apartment with him is Bruce, who has both arms wrapped around him now, patient and gentle as always and he manages to talk him down from the panic.

 When Clint finally manages to stop shaking and gets a grip back on himself, he ends up telling Bruce everything - now that all the things he already blurted out in anger are out in the open, he might as well try and sort it out or at least get the rest of it off of his chest.

 He tells him about the struggle he’s had for years, how he just laughed it off and laughed along with jokes that actually hurt because that has been so much easier than speaking up and actually asking for help.

 He tells him how the quips and comments have started to get to him more and more, and how lately, everything just piled up to the point where is no longer sure if he’s even wanted around anymore.

 He tells Bruce how his brain is completely fucking him over, hence the new medication and the issues with them that lead to the current clusterfuck that is his life.

 He’s telling him about how he started to leave out doses of said medication, just so he wouldn’t fuck up even more.

 Clint talks about losing Lucky all of the sudden, talks about loneliness and wanting to end it because at this point, he figures he might as well - he’s exhausted to keep it together and keep to himself, despite the fear of getting mocked and made fun of.

 But Bruce doesn’t do any of this - he simply remains by his side, listening and waiting for the worst of the storm to pass while Clint is holding onto him - it’s been to long since he’s been able to be this close to someone, and he completely soaks up the gentle contact, equally grateful for the support and being ashamed of being so vulnerable in front of another person.  

 “I’m sorry that you’re hurting, and I’m sorry that we contributed to it. That we didn’t realize what was going on in the first place.”

 Bruce is telling him quietly, and Clint remains completely silent, merely hugging him closer for a moment in acknowledgement.

 “But I can promise you, no one wants you off of the team - that was never even an option, even when I understand why it must have felt that way.”

 It feels good, to hear this out loud. Clint isn’t entirely sure if he can believe it, but he can’t deny that hearing this takes a little bit of the weight off of his shoulders.

 In the upcoming days and weeks, they talk - they talk a lot, and it’s awkward, difficult and draining but it is necessary. Not only to solve the pile of issues and rescue the team, but more importantly, to save their friendship and so they can open up the communication between all of them.

 Everyone wants to avoid a situation like this in the future at all costs - so they talk. It feels good, despite everything.

 On the day right after it all comes to the light, Clint finds himself sought out by Tony, Steve and Thor, all of them shuffling to his quarters, silent and bashful, which is unusual for all of them. They’re apologizing profusely - none of them have realized what has been happening, and it’s a small comfort that, while their behavior has been hurtful, they’re not malicious, just oblivious - and they’re ashamed of themselves.

 All of them should know better than to be so careless with their words.

 The talk takes up most of their day, and as difficult as this is, Clint is glad that they know now - that the people around him are just as flawed as he is, but that they’re still a team, still sticking together.

 All of them agree that they have to work on talking more instead of deflecting and laughing when it would be much more beneficial for all of them to just       say     something.

 Over the following months, Clint finds that he is learning to trust his friends again and he’s not entirely sure when exactly that stopped. But he realizes now, just how much insecurities and old trauma his own brain had thrown into the mix - it’s a mess to sort out, but he manages it somehow, with the help of his friends.

 Now that they know about the various issues that he’s dealing with, he’s actually spending a lot more time at the tower again. There is company and support here at all times, which Clint finds helps tremendously - he’s so used to keeping everything to himself, so used to not be able to share his struggles, he forgot how good it can feel to just let go and be held up until he can stand on his own again.

 All of them, but especially Bruce urges him to stop messing with the anti depressants, urging him to take the prescribed amounts of them to level out and get better.

 “If that means you won’t be able to go into the field as much then so be it. You need to take care of yourself before you can help anyone else.”

 It’s a sentiment often repeated, and Clint finds that he’s not annoyed or pissed off at it like he thought he would - because he knows that this shows how much they really care about him.

 It’s been a long time since he’s felt that way and while it makes him sad that things had to go so incredibly wrong first in order to find this again, he’s glad that they’re at this point at all.

 Knowing that the team really does have his back is the biggest relief of it all.

 His therapist is happy with the progress he’s making once the additional stress factors have died down and he is able to deal with his mental health issues, as well as the grief over the loss of his best friend on four legs. It’s not an easy time by any means, but he gets through it.

 The day Natasha finally returns from her deep cover mission, almost 7 months have passed and she arrives in the common area of the tower just in time for a late night snack and to be tackled into a bear hug by Clint - she drops her bag to the floor and hugs him just as tight, glad to be finally back home.

 Clint didn’t know when she would return, and is beyond happy to see her again - it’s been too long, and he only lets go of Nat when her stomach rumbles in protest of being empty for too long, which is when he pulls her along to the couch and makes a beeline to the kitchen to go and get food.

 They sit down together to eat, and when Natasha asks,

 “So, how have things been over here?”

 Clint just leans close for a moment, and settles on,

 “It’s been a lot. Tell you later, okay?”

 Natasha looks at her best friend, and even though he looks a lot better than he did a few months or even weeks ago when she hasn’t been around, she doesn’t miss the deepened worry lines on his face, the new gray hairs and the missing weight that he still hasn’t put back on. But the smile on his lips seems to be genuine, and the slight sparkle in his tired eyes looks real, too.

 “Okay, later then. I love you.” she tells him, because it’s true and it feels like the right thing to say at the moment.

 Clint pulls her close, immensely glad to have her back.

 “I love you, too.”

 They  eat in silence, and one after one, the rest of the team joins them, sprawling along the furniture and chatting away. Some kind of movie is running on the giant TV, and finally, Clint feels like he really is home again.

 A place where he belongs.

*+~

Square: Bullying

Trigger warnings: - Dealing with Depression and Anxiety, Mental Health Issues in general - unhealthy coping - self-medication ( I strongly advice against it and this story is in no way, shape or form meant to encourage anyone to do so! I am no mental health professional!) - Bullying - Loss of a pet (non-graphic) - Suicidal thoughts - Thoughts about self harm

[cashasideas]

I’ve recently become obsessed with MLB x DC, especially the idea of Marinette and Jason being long lost adoptive siblings (I can’t remember who came up with that but they’re a genius)

So anyways I had an idea. It’s that type of situation but instead of meeting via field trips or any of that, what if it was sometime after the whole hawkmoth situation?

Here’s the basic idea;

-So they had basically adopted each other as kids on the street but then there was an accident and now it’s years later and they believed each other dead, Mari got adopted by her parents, Jason by Bruce, etc. (as it tends to go)

-after hawkmoth is taken down, Lila doesn’t get caught so the lies continued and got much worse. Adrien is still reeling from Gabriel being hawkmoth so even though he’d gotten better/him and Mari became good friends he can’t help her here. He might be out of school getting put into the system or in the process of having his bodyguard obtaining guardianship cause you can’t tell me he doesn’t care about the kid

-ANYWAYS! Lila goes a bit too far, probably lying about something having to do with the final battle and her playing a key role in the hero’s saving the day, maybe even saying something like she saved ladybug when she made a mistake and lead her and chat noir to hawkmoth. Something along those lines, maybe even throwing Adrien under the bus like ‘I’d been tasked with infiltrating the agrestes to help LB get to HM’ and Mari just kinda snaps a bit and mutters to herself about ‘yeah, that’s totally what happened, like you weren’t willingly aiding a terrorist’ but says it a bit too loud and it spirals from there, Lila turning it around and uses the fact that Mari is the only one in the class outside of HM’s own son to never have been akumatized, making it look like she was in on it or something.

-long story short the fact that Alya was recording at the time just made everything worse and now Mari is on the run. She has friends, Adrien, Chloe, Luka, Kagami, Max (I refuse to believe the one who was smart enough to create AI would ever think a napkin could gouge out his eye- glasses or not), Alix, Kim, and probably Nino mainly (yes Alya’s his GF but if he stood up to Gabriel for Adrien then he can disagree with his partner. Besides, if Adrien’s uncomfortable with Lila hanging off of him then he’s gonna side with whoever is supporting his bro). Also, the others in the class don’t bully mari or anything, they all care about her (barring Lila) but the fact that those claims were live on one of Paris’ most popular blogs? Well there wasn’t much anyone could do to help

(I’m a lover of fluff, we’re focusing on found family/sibling fluff here so in my head salt is kept to a minimum)

-skip to a month or so later and she’s made it to the states, living on the streets for the first time since she’d been put into the system and to say she’s rusty would be an understatement. Mari isn’t doin so hot and suddenly, someone offers to help her out

-she isn’t dumb, she’s skeptical and careful about how she goes about this. It takes about 2-3 weeks of getting to know this person before she finally agrees. (I don’t know who I’m not a DC buff, I just know they’re gonna be on friendly terms with either Jason or a member of his family)

-yet another time skip and she’s meeting the person’s friend(s?) and BAM, wouldn’t you know it they just so happened to know her long lost brother. And if they don’t and it’s one of his family members instead then she ends up befriending them too and then later, while visiting said family member at the manor with the person who’s helping her, Jason crashes the party and just kinda freezes cause ‘HOLY SHIT’ and it’s beautiful and chaotic cause just imagine

He burst in the room, ready to be a nuisance (like all siblings are), and suddenly locks eyes with this smol child mid sentence and stop, and just doesn’t know what to do. Cause he’s like 99% sure that’s the kid he though was dead for years and she’s somehow here and wtf how???? So a million questions are going through his head and the same is going on in Mari’s mind cause, once again, HOLY SHIT THATS MY SUPPISEDLY DEAD OLDER BRO WTF IS HE DOING BARGING IN LIKE THIS?!?!?! And it takes another person in to room clearing their throat just kinda like ‘y’all good???’ For them to act and they just end up shouting at each other like “ I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!” “I THOUGHT SO TOO!” ‘Well one of you isn’t exactly wrong’ (the other persons comment was ignored) “HOW DID YOU FIND ME?!” “I WASNT TRYING TO BUT I GUESS I DID UNINTENTIONALLY???” “YOU’RE REAL RIGHT?” “I MEAN I’D HOPE SO” “CAN I HUG YOU???” “YES????” And just, awkward long lost siblings don’t know what to do with themselves but are happy they’re back together now. After the initial shock wears off there were most likely tears, they either went off to catch up in private or get bombarded with questions of how they know each other Etc.

-I’m not sure what happens after that, probably her friends tracking her down via news about yet another Wayne. There were no pictures of her in the articles but they’d know that description anywhere and just had to check it out, not like they had any other leads. They may or may not know that Mari is ladybug, and by this point I don’t know who all would be considered permanent holders. Maybe all of them, maybe it’s still just LB and CN that get to keep theirs but either way they will reunite

it’s just a rough idea, anyone can take it up and tweak it if they want though!

[invisibleanonymousmonsters]

Blind Date

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Request: It had to be fate when Steve runs into his work crush on a stroll through his old stomping grounds. 

Word Count: 3,756 - One Shot

Once again, special thanks to @kquel12 and @alexabarnes for letting me pick their brain.

Steve walked around the city. It had been a hot summer day and it seemed the people of New York couldn’t escape it until the moon replaced the sun. There was a nice cool breeze that finally made the heat bearable.

Steve had needed to clear his head. So he rode his motorcycle back to the city. He’d spent all day in Brooklyn, familiarizing himself with his old stomping grounds again. He spent the later half back in Manhattan. Now he made his way down fifth avenue after strolling through the The Met.

It was getting late and there were fewer people in the area. The usual tourists had made their way back to their hotels or were out on the town.

Steve was strolling slower than usual, taking in the sounds and views of the city. He’d curiously look into Central Park from his spot on the sidewalk. It was nice to know that the park hadn’t changed hardly at all since his time growing up.

He was just about to speed up his walk and make his way back to the old Avengers Tower and grab his motorcycle to make his trip back to the compound Upstate. But then he saw a familiar face walking toward him on the sidewalk.

It was Y/N. 

She worked for the PR department at the compound. They’d frequently exchange smiles and polite conversations. Luckily, Steve didn’t need to work with her all that often. It was mostly Tony that had to be talked through how to handle bad publicity.

Y/N was always professional and – from what Steve was told – she was rather amazing at her job.

Sometimes Steve wished he misbehaved more so he’d have an excuse to talk to Y/N more. His little crush was only really noticed by Sam, Steve, and – of course – Natasha. 

On multiple accounts, Bucky had to jab Steve in the stomach to stop him from staring at Y/N with heart eyes when she was in the same room as them. Steve was grateful for the wake up calls. But he always wanted to punch Bucky when he smirked at him knowingly.

Steve didn’t think it was professional for him to make a move. It was an HR nightmare waiting to happen. And working in PR, she had to know what a mess he would be to date. So Steve just watched her from a distance, secretly fawning over her.  

Y/N was close enough to Steve on the sidewalk now to notice him as well. She had earbuds in and quickly took them out.

Steve swore he caught a melancholy aura around her before she caught sight of him. But maybe he’d been imagining it.

“Captain Rogers,” she beamed brightly.

God, she was beautiful.

It was then that Steve noticed she wasn’t wearing her usual business attire. Instead her makeup was a little brighter and she was wearing a summery and loose dress. She looked even more beautiful than usual and he didn’t know that was even possible.

“Y/N,” he greeted with a grin. “And please, it’s just Steve. We’re not at the office.”

She nodded. “What are you doing in the city?”

Steve shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans and looked around awkwardly. “Uhh…just needed to get out of the compound. And before I knew it, I was riding into Manhattan.”

She eyed him, seeming to sense that there was more to it than that. But she still nodded in understanding.

“You look…” Steve wanted to say ‘beautiful,’ but it felt too inappropriate and forward.

“You look lovely,” he finally said.

Y/N let out a nervous sigh and blushed. “Thank you,” she said shyly, like it was unusual for a man to say that to her.  

“Am I stopping you from getting somewhere?” Steve asked hurriedly. She must have better things to do that to talk to him.

“No. No, not at all. I was just…I was just having drinks with my friends.” She gestured behind her with her thumb. “They wanted to make a whole night of it. But I wasn’t feeling it.”

Steve nodded.

He couldn’t get over how the soft breeze was making her hair flutter around her face. Her skin seemed to be glowing from the humidity of summer. There was a part of him that just wanted to grab her and kiss her. But that wasn’t him. That would never be him.

He remembered his words of warning to Bruce. ‘As maybe the world's leading authority on waiting too long, don’t.’ Maybe he should stop being a coward and take his own advice. They weren’t at the office. And he knew he would never make it weird if she rejected him. In fact, he thought she’d better. Clearly she was too good for him.

“Hey, would you – would you want to grab a drink?” He finally asked.

Her eyes widened a bit. “Now?” She blurted out softly.

Steve chuckled, “Yes, now. Unless you really wanted to call it a night and head home.” She bit her lip. “A drink sounds great, actually.”

Steve was stunned that she agreed. “OK. I’m not really familiar with the area these days…Do you know a place nearby?”

“Yeah, I do.” Then she pointed in a general direction. “There’s a spot I like a few blocks north of here.”

Steve smiled and nodded. “Lead the way.”

Y/N took them to a hole-in-the-wall dive bar. She looked out of place in her pretty dress and even prettier face. Steve was almost glad he was there with her because the patrons appeared to be mostly men that wouldn’t behave themselves around a girl like her.

They sat at the end of the bar, basically a dark corner of the bar. The stools squeaked when they sat on them.

“What can I get for you, darling?” A woman came over with a cut off t-shirt and a sleeve of tattoos on both arms. She winked at Y/N, making Steve think she was just as interested in Y/N as he was.

Y/N looked at Steve for a second. “Wanna play a game with me?”

“Sure,” he said almost too quickly and casually. He’d do just about anything she asked if he was being honest with himself.

Y/N smiled at his quick response and turned back to the bartender. "Can we get six shots of tequila and two Stellas please?”

The bartender was taken aback, but clearly impressed. Before Steve had time to comprehend what was happening, Y/N had pulled out her credit card and handed it to the bartender with a, “Keep it open.”

“You know, I was the one that asked you to get drinks…” Steve pointed out.

Y/N smirked at him. “Is this where you try to prove that chivalry isn’t dead?”

“Back in my day, we didn’t call it chivalry. It was called being polite and it was also just expected.”

“Right. Gentleman weren’t a dead breed,” Y/N rolled her eyes.

Steve’s eyes softened at her obvious hurt with the statement. “So, what’s this game you’re dragging me into?”

Y/N perked up at his subject change. “We’re going to ask each other whatever we want. Each shot is a question. But if we don’t want to answer the question, we have to take the shot.”

Steve nodded slowly, “What’s the beer for?”

“Oh, that’s our chaser.”

The bartender came back with their beers and 6 shot glasses in her hand. She poured them the tequila and left them a salt shaker as well as a glass full of lime slices. She left them alone with a, “Have fun, kids.”

Steve looked at the shots. “I guess now is a bad time to tell you that I can’t really get drunk.”

Y/N’s face scrunched. “What do you mean?”

He shrugged. “Side effects of the serum. Guess my metabolism burns it off before I can get the buzz.”

“Well then, you’ve got quite the edge to this game. I might not remember your dirty secrets in the morning. But you’ll remember all of mine.”

Steve chuckled. “In that case, ladies first. Ask away.”

She sat up excitedly. “What do you hate the most about this century?”

His brow raised at the forwardness of the question. “Alright, so that’s how this is gonna be then?”

She just smirked and nodded.

“I guess…” he shifted in his seat, “Technology is amazing. It’s grown faster and bigger than I could’ve ever imagined.” Then he hesitated. “But – don’t make fun of me for this – I think a lot of people are ignorant to the new problems it’s brought too.”

Y/N was clearly intrigued, leaning in closer. “Like what?”

“I don’t know – There are some many new ways to harass and bully people. Lack of privacy. A platform for lies and misinformation. Advertising your life like it’s a brand. Don’t even get me started on cyber security. Hell, we invented Ultron because of it. People’s phones? They’re like…interrupters. People miss so much because of them.”

He quickly listed them off and then took a breath. He slowed his thoughts down. “No one writes each other letters anymore.” He sighed, “The instant gratification of everything is…disappointing.”

Y/N smiled at him. “Who knew Captain America was such a romantic?” Steve blushed and chuckled, “Guess I am then.”

“I don’t disagree with your criticisms. But, you know, there are some good things that came with technology.”

“And I’m not disagreeing with that.”

“You can talk to people across the country, see their face. Yeah, social media is obnoxious. But I can keep up with my friends that don’t live near me. I feel like I’m still a part of their lives and we can remain friends easier, even if we only get to see each other once a year. The internet opened up people to the whole world.”

Steve looked at her for a moment. “What?” She asked.

“And you call me the romantic…” Steve teased.

Y/N rolled her eyes at him.

A moment of silence pass between them.

Steve cleared his throat, “My turn?”

She nodded.

“Did you always want to work in public relations?”

Y/N laughed at the question. “Did you always want to wear a uniform, throw a shield around, and save the world?” “Well…I guess not.” Steve admitted.

“Exactly. We don’t always do what we want. Sometimes we just do what we’re good at because we don’t really see another option.”

Steve watched her for a moment. His expression was sympathetic, like he just instantly understood that she had dreams she had yet to fulfill. That maybe she never would.

“Uh…I think it’s your turn,” he told her gently.

Y/N eyed him for a moment, mischievousness evident in her gaze. “Can we just agree right now that we’re not coworkers?”

Steve nodded.

“Promise you won’t get mad?”

Steve nodded again.

“When’s the last time you had sex?”

Steve’s eyebrows rose to his forehead. He knew people were more open about sex in this century. But it still caught him off guard every time. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to it, no matter how long he was exposed to it.

Without hesitating, he took the shot.

“Oh, come on!” Y/N cried out with a laugh.

“Nope,” was all Steve said as he winced at the burn of the alcohol going down his throat. He might not be able to get drunk, but alcohol still didn’t going down easily.

“You really are a gentleman, huh?” It was more of a rhetorical question than anything.

Steve ignored her comment and looked at the bottom of his beer glass. “You know, back in my day, people kept that kind of stuff to themselves – stayed between you and your partner.”

Y/N smiled softly at the comment. “You have to realize that you not answering also kind of answers it.”

Steve shook his head, rolled his eyes, and decided to move on.

“Do you like working for us – I mean, like working for the Avengers?” Steve asked nervously. A part of him imagined her going home and complaining about them to her best friends, saying she needed to get a new job as soon as possible.

“Yeah, I do. Really, I do.” Y/N admitted. “Sometimes it’s just not good for my self-esteem or ego,” she added with a laugh.

Steve’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

Y/N took a sip of her beer and cleared her throat. “Are you kidding? You guys save the world. You put your lives on the line constantly. Meanwhile, I just make sure the media vultures leave you guys alone.” Then she smiled. “Oh, and I’m damage control for Stark. Which…should be a full-time job on it’s own.”

“You do understand the reason we do what we do is so people like you can have a normal life.”

His voice was serious and his eyes were even more.

They just watched each other for a moment.

Then Y/N looked down in her lap, trying to figure out if she should ask her next question. “Have you dated since you woke up?”

To her surprise, Steve didn’t toss back a shot.

Y/N knew he had a relationship with Sharon Carter at one point. But from what she’d heard, there hadn’t exactly been a courting process. It didn’t seem like Steve had to submerge himself in the dating culture of today to establish a relationship with his past girlfriend.

“Not really.”

“Why not?” She challenged.

“It wouldn’t exactly be fair.”

Y/N just looked at him with confusion.

“She – She wouldn’t just be dating me. She’d be dating Captain America. I don’t know if I’m willing to throw that onto someone.”

“But you dated Agent Carter,” Y/N blurted out. Then she winced. “Sorry. God, I’m sorry. That was so rude.”

Steve laughed at her. “It’s fine. Really. It didn’t work out. We’re still friends.”

Y/N took in a deep breath to gain some bravery. “I might be stepping out of line by saying this, but I think you need to hear it. You think you have some sort of baggage because of who you are. But if she’s the right girl, she won’t see it as baggage. Because she’ll love you.”

Steve’s heart melted at the words. God, why did she have to go and say something like that to him? As if he wasn’t already smitten.

He shifted in his seat at the tension her statement caused.

“OK. Since I see where are boundaries are now…” He smiled devilishly. It was strange to see such a thing on Captain America’s lips. “Do you believe in love?”

Y/N blinked at him, trying to process what he said and convince her brain she hadn’t imagined it. Then she reached for the tequila shot and threw it back. “Hey! What! No!” Steve cried out with amusement.

“Nope. Not happening,” Y/N answered as she bit into the lime.

The night went on that way. The questions held less weight and they allowed themselves to get sidetracked in different conversations. Steve couldn’t remember any other time when he learned so much about someone so quickly. Their conversation had more meaning than the average one between two people. Even with the things Y/N wouldn’t say or talk about, Steve learned something from them.  

It was getting late. All their shots has been drunk and they went through more glasses of beer. The bar was a little less crowded than when they’d arrived. At this point, Y/N was quite drunk. She was still herself, just more open and giggly. Steve was only irritated by how much more adorable it made her.

“Wanna know a secret?” Y/N giggled before taking a sip of her beer. He’d politely asked the bartender to stop giving her shots.

Steve didn’t really answer her yes or no, just waited to see if she wanted to tell him or not.

“I lied to you earlier,” Y/N gave him a sad smile and looked down at the bar guiltily.

Steve tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

“When I ran into you, I hadn’t just gotten done getting drinks with my friends.” She wasn’t looking at him as she spoke.

He waited for her to continue.

“I was on a date. Well…I was waiting for a date.” Y/N took in a shaky breath. “He stood me up.”

“What?” Steve blurted out without meeting to.

“It was a blind date that my friend set up. I had his number. Jesus – I waited for 30 minutes before I finally realized he wasn’t coming. He didn’t answer any of my texts. I just sat there, thinking he was running late.”

Steve watched her for a moment, realizing that she was trying to play it off. But it clearly had really upset her. It made sense now, why she wanted to go right into the hard liquor and to mentally push him. She was upset. She was looking for some kind of release.

“He’s an idiot,” Steve finally declared.

She finally looked at him. Her breath caught.

Her eyes cast downward. “My friend showed him a picture. He had my full name – could’ve easily looked me up.” She shrugged. “Maybe he just didn’t like what he found.”

But Steve was already shaking his head aggressively.

“What? That’s probably what happened!” Y/N argued with slurred words.

Steve sat up straighter in his stool – as if that were possible – and leaned a little closer to her.

“Now it’s my turn to cross the line,” he warned with a voice that was low and serious. “Any man that treats you like that is a fool. Silver lining is that he spared you from the obvious reality of being unworthy of you.”

Despite being drunk, his declaration still struck a chord in Y/N’s heart.

“Steve – I…” she couldn’t form a coherent thought. She closed her eyes to try harder, but it threw off her equilibrium and she stumbled off her stool.

Steve instantly caught her by her shoulders. “Woah, there.”

“Sorry,” she slurred, gripping his forearms.

“I think it’s time we get you home,” Steve muttered as he tried to get the attention of the bartender to close the tab. Y/N was too drunk to catch that Steve put the bill on his card instead and safely put hers back into her purse.

It took him a few tries to get Y/N to correctly give him her address, but he eventually got it. Luckily it was in the neighborhood.

Steve kept his arm around her waist, scared if he let her get too far away from him, she’d drunkenly stumble into the street or fall to the ground. She didn’t seem to mind his touch.

“It’s not fair that you can’t get drunk. I’m making a fool of myself and your just satan’s witness…” Y/N slurred as Steve unlocked her door for her after she failed to do so at least 10 times.

“Yeah, but you’re the one having all the fun, doll.” He chuckled.

“Whatever,” she slurred before tripping over a pair of discarded shoes.

Steve caught her again. “OK. Let’s get you to bed, huh?”

“Oh, yes! Bed!” She dragged him to her bedroom and only let go of his hand to toss herself on top of her bed like a starfish. She let out a sigh of content, causing him to chuckle.

Steve took off her shoes, but stopped at that.

“Hey,” she sounded surprisingly sober with just that word. “You’re not going back to the compound, right?”

Steve scratched the back of his head. “Uhh…Yeah. That was my plan.”

“It’s late, Steve. Just stay here.”

He watched her for a moment. Like he realized earlier in the night, he’d do just about anything she’d ask of him.

“Yeah. OK. I’ll sleep on the couch in the living room. Thanks.”

She tried to hide her slight disappointment, like she had expected America’s golden boy, Steve Rogers, maybe the last living gentleman, to sleep in her bed beside her.

Steve started backing out of her room. “Goodnight, Y/N.”

“Hey, Steve?” She called out into the darkness, just as he was about to shut her door.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for tonight.”

——————

Y/N woke up the next morning with a splitting headache and a mouth so dry that it felt like no amount of water could ever cure it.

Then last nights events came flooding back to her memory. Well, there was obviously bits and pieces missing, and a lot of it was blurry.

Had her and Steve been flirting? The whole night?

It was impossible. He was…Steve Rogers, Captain America. In what world would he ever have any interest in her?

Y/N groaned and rubbed her face. Work was going to be so embarrassing on Monday. She’d have to apologize and then she’d never be able to talk to him again.

She got up and walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water, fully expecting to find her living room empty.

And she was right. There was a blanket politely and neatly folded on the edge of her couch. The only proof that Steve had spent the night.

But then there was the sound of the bathroom door opening and Y/N jumped as she turned around, half expecting it to be an intruder.

Steve paused at her surprised look. “Morning,” he greeted.

“I didn’t think you’d still be here,” she admitted.

“Oh, sorry. I should go.”

“No! I’m glad you’re still here. I should apologize for how I behaved last night–”

“Please don’t be embarrassed or apologize,” Steve interrupted. “I – I liked seeing you like that.”

“Like what?”

“Open. Honest. Yourself.” He hesitated. “Not my colleague.”

So her drunken mind hadn’t been imagining the flirtations.

Y/N’s heart beat faster at the way he was looking at her. “Would – Would you like to get breakfast together?” Steve asked her softly.

“Really?”

Steve smiled. “The universe owes you a date. And I think I could be the man for the job. I would make more of a show of it, ask you out to dinner on a Friday night, take you to a fancy restaurant. But I don’t…I don’t think I can wait that long.”

“No. No, breakfast is great.” Y/N blushed and smile shyly. “I’ve always wanted to go on a breakfast date.”

-------------------------------------------------

Wanna know something funny? I went out to dinner when I was in the middle of writing this and my friend and I sat next to a guy that had clearly gotten stood up and it was so heartbreaking. I felt so bad for him. 

Anyways, I love feedback and hearing people’s reactions. It makes me happy. 

[ellana-ravenwood]

I’ll always be here for you... - Bruce Wayne x Reader

Just a small fluffy story with the Bat I wrote in 6 minutes (I’m a looser, I always check how long I take to write things...AHEM), right before going to work, hope you’ll like it ! As usual, feedbacks are always welcome :-) :

You can find my masterlist here : @ella-ravenwood-archives

_______________________________________________

You hated this.

Oh God you hated it so much. 

You were used to be independent, to never ask for help. 

And that ever since you became an orphan. There were plenty of parentless children in Gotham...After all, it was the city with the highest crime rate in the USA (though those last few years, with the intervention of a certain “Batman”, there wasn’t any orphans anymore...or at least, not because of crime, as sometimes life was just unfair and an accident or disease was quick to happen...).

And because you found yourself alone so soon, and because there were that many orphans in your time, especially since you were from the poorest neighborhood in Gotham...Well you had to take care of yourself. You ended up in an orphanage, and there were way too many kids...

You had to learn how to handle shit by yourself, you had to find ways to avoid problems when you got yourself into trouble (and oh my your big mouth, sassiness, sarcasms and wits got you in plenty troubles). 

You took care of yourself. You stood up to bullies, even if you ended up getting a beat down. Hell, you took care of the weakest ones, the outcast, the weird ones that nobody wanted...because that’s how you are. That’s the reason it clicked so fast with Bruce actually, the reason you two fell for each other so hard. You both wanted to help, you had the same kind of background etc etc...And he loved that you always spoke your mind (unlike the people he had to deal with as Bruce Wayne), never afraid of the reactions. How you were always fair, but strict if you had to. How you were just never taking shit from anybody ! Your independence was something he loved and valued (though sometimes it was a bit frustrating how you’re refuse him to help you to do something...Also he was one of the only one you’d allow to help on very rare occasion though...like, ok, sure, he could carry you to the car and back home if you had one too many drinks). 

You’re independent, but cannot stop yourself from helping others. You got out of your ways a hundred time just to help someone...But someone helping you ? No. That wouldn’t do. 

Even now, as, after a motorbike accident, you broke one of your leg and one of your arm, as well as a few ribs. 

You know you should call one of your sons, your husband or Alfred. You know that. You know you actually need your help but...No. You just can’t. 

You always took care of yourself, and it’s not now that things are gonna change. Besides, you didn’t want your children, nor your Bruce or your surrogate father to think you were weak...Though this was probably the most ridiculous thing you could come up with. 

You ? Weak ? They would never dare even think it. You were the strongest woman they ever met, and you needing their help would never change that for them...but in your head ? Well, in your head needing help was a sign of weakness, and you grew up in a World were any sign of weakness would eat you alive, would throw you to the wolves of Gotham’s crime club... 

And so today, with an arm and a leg in a cast, and ribs that hurt whenever you even just breathed lightly, you didn’t call for their help as you were trying to get into a warm bath you had drawn for yourself. 

The first struggle was to sit down on the side of the bath and actually turn the water on...AND WHY WAS THIS DAMN BATH ONLY HAD TWO TEMPERATURE FOR ITS WATER  ? It was either “Mordor” or “Hoth”, no in-between, extremely hot, or extremely cold...fighting with just one arms and your damn ribs, balancing yourself thanks to the cast on your leg, you bend over to basically put half hot water and half cold water in the bath, hoping it would give it a manageable and pleasurable temperature...And you were right. 

The water was just perfect. 

The second struggle was getting your close off...Still sitting on the side of the bath you took your pants and panties off only God knew how, wiggling yourself out of them. Your shirt was more...Complicated. It took you literally an hour of frustration before finally being able to get it off, one inch at a time...You thought you’d never see the light of day again when your head got stuck in. 

Your bra...Oh well your bra was a nightmare. You twisted your healthy arms in so many ways you felt you were gonna break it too, and then ended up tearing everything apart out of anger. 

Finally, naked. 

You wrapped your leg and arm in a plastic bag, so the water would touch it, and you almost broke your neck getting in the bath...but you were in. And you did it by yourself. As it should be. 

You stayed in there for a long time, when the water started to run cold. You tried to add some hot water but ended up burning yourself pretty bad and wasn’t able to muffle your scream of pain. 

You hoped to God none of your family members heard and...Heavy steps running into your bedroom and then to the master bathroom shattered all hopes you had. 

Bruce. 

And the worried look on his face as he almost broke down the door getting in the room made your heart beat faster. 

He looked around, panicked, until he saw you in the bath and creased his eye brows. He approached you, looking damn perfect in his black suit (one of your favorite), and crouched down next to you. 

You looked gingerly at him, biting your lips slightly as you just knew what he was going to say. And sure enough, he started : 

-You’re impossible you know that ? How the Hell did you even got in there with your injuries ? Did you hurt yourself further ? 

With an annoyed sigh (you really hated when people worried too much about you, even though it also made your heart race with happiness to know someone was caring this much about you...Sometimes, you were a walking paradox) you say : 

-No I didn’t hurt myself. I mean I did, but not getting in the bath. I just...I just burned myself. 

You show your hand that got burned and...oh damn that man. He gently takes your hand in his, and kisses your burn, before slowly starting to suck on your fingers...you shiver. 

Hot. And it’s not just the burn...

Tenderly, he puts some stray wet hair out of your face and smile. You can’t help but smile back. He takes your fingers out of his mouth, and kisses your cheek. 

He doesn’t say those dreaded words, he doesn't ask : “Can I help you ?”, no...he just does it. After brushing his fingers on your cheek, kissing you softly on the lips, and making sure your burn wasn’t actually too bad, he went and grabbed a bottle of shampoo. 

Your favorite. Of course. It smelled like (your favorite scent), and it was his favorite too...

You flinch as he goes behind you, and settles himself there, on his knees. The man is such a giant that he’s still taller than you even like that. You straighten, and wince as your ribs are acting out again. 

His mouth is at your ear now and : 

-Just relax, I’ll wash your hair for you. 

And as the tip of his fingers dip in the water and he starts massaging your scalp with some shampoo, all your want of resisting disappears. 

You were about to tell him that you were fine, that you didn’t need his help but...oh, oh it feels too good, how his hands caress your hair all the way down to your neck, how all his moves are tender, soft, careful and loving. 

And you realize...You do need him. You really do. 

You will always need him. And he knows how to help you without you feeling like your dependent of him but...You are. 

You are and you don’t care. 

Because you love him. Because he’s everything to you. And because he’s the first one who ever showed you what it was to be truly loved, to know someone cared for you, to be worshipped like a damn princess. 

Every time you looked at him, you just felt his adoring gaze on you, his eyes full of awe and..

-I love you my Broosh. 

You simply say. And you know, even though you can’t see him, that he’s smiling. Of his genuine and full of joy smile he only reserves for you. 

-I love you too. More than you can ever imagine. 

Oh but you can imagine. Because of how much you love him and if he...

-I will always love you, you’re everything I want in this life and more. I love you, and I wish you’d let me love you more. I wish you’d let me show you that I can’t live without you. I wish you’d let me help you more, and my love, it doesn’t make you weaker to accept my help. I love you. I’m here for you. I’ll always be. There’s a million things I could tell you, and I will. But right now, let me just take care of you please, because I love you more than my own life, and I can’t bear to see you in any pain. Just...let me love you. 

You cannot say anything. His fingers through your hair are dizzying. And when he helps you out of the bath, dries you and carry you bridal style to your shared bed...Yes. 

Bruce Wayne is the only one that can make you speechless. 

And here, in his arms, you’re completely dependent of him, you’re at his mercy and...You wouldn’t have it any other way. 

-I love you my heart. 

-I love you too (Y/N), love of my life. So much it hurts. I love you too...

Fin.

__________________

Pardon if there’s any terrible mistakes and if this is bad. I wrote it very fast and had to run to work). 

[hysterialevi]

Where the Demons Sleep pt. 5 (Cobblebats)

From Bruce’s POV

WAYNE MANOR

“I want him dead, Brannigan,” I repeated, irritated at the man’s persistence. “I won’t say it again.”

Albert paused for a moment, clearly hesitant to go along with my plan. I could hear him clearing his throat.

“With all due respect, sir, Aiden could be of use to us. His sister, Vivienne, fought valiantly against William, and now she’s dead. Most-likely, the boy wants vengeance now. We can take advantage of that.”

I shook my head. “Aiden is brash and reckless. His plans are careless, and he acts without thinking. How else do you think William was able to capture him so easily? I won’t put our mission at risk simply because you took sympathy on some useless boy. We can’t give him the chance to go after William on his own. William is going to die -- but it’ll be by our hand. Understood?”

Albert’s tone sank with disapproval. “...Understood.”

I straightened my tie and hovered a finger over the “end call” button, standing up from my desk’s chair.

“Good. Now, go on and find someone to do the job. We can’t let anyone trace this back to us. Oh, and once they’re finished -- kill them. Loose ends, and all that. I’m sure you know the drill by now.”

Brannigan didn’t protest any further. “...Of course, sir. I will ensure this gets done quickly and cleanly.”

I glared at the open space in front of me as if I were face-to-face with Albert. “Yes, you will. Oh, and one more thing, Brannigan...”

He froze. “Sir?”

“If I find out that you tried to save Aiden behind my back, just remember: you aren’t the only connection I have in England. If I wanted, everything you own, everything you’ve touched -- it could all be mine before sundown. I don’t spare traitors, and you are certainly no exception. So save us all the trouble, and make sure it doesn’t come to that, yeah?”

He gulped out of nervousness. “I assure you, Mister Wayne, it will never come to that.”

I chuckled softly. “Let’s be realistic, shall we.” 

I let out a breath. “Anyways, you should get to work. If you need anymore info on Aiden, contact me. In the meantime, just make sure he drops dead.”

I could practically hear him nodding out of obedience. “Consider it done.”

“I’ll speak with you later, Brannigan.” 

Ending the call without another word, I allowed myself to enjoy a few seconds of silence as Brannigan carried out my orders on the other side of the world, escorting yet another soul across the River Styx. It was strange, sometimes, to think about how much I was impacting peoples’ lives when I rarely ever got to see the results in person. There was so much violence, so much backstabbing going on in England because of me, and yet, I was barely affected by it. Physically, at least.

Casually pacing around the office, I found myself staring at a family portrait of me and my parents, causing a wave of flashbacks to surge through my head. Even though it had been nearly two decades since the both of them were murdered, I could still hear my father’s voice scolding me everyday, telling me how I needed to be stronger. 

As a child, nothing I did ever seemed to please him. It was always too much, or too little, but never perfectly in between. Even when I defended Oz against the other kids who used to bully him, my father wasn’t impressed at all. In his eyes, I was just a scrawny, weak boy desperately trying to fill his father’s shoes -- and failing. 

In the beginning, I never understood why it was so hard to satisfy him. I used to think I was one of the toughest kids in the neighborhood -- what with how I defended my friends, and all -- and the fact that my father couldn’t see it only frustrated me more and more. I was fighting off bullies, punching them left and right, protecting those who were close to me, and still...my father called me weak. What more did he want?

Though, on the night of his death, I finally saw what he meant.

Staring back at the barrel of the gun that just murdered my parents, and preparing myself for what were almost my final moments...I had never felt more powerless in my life. Everything about the world I knew had been flipped around all because of a single man, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was the first time I ever experienced true, genuine fear, and that was the day when I realized what my father meant by “strength.”

He was never talking about physical endurance, or the ability to knock someone’s teeth out. To him, true strength meant growing a will of steel, and being able to greet death as an equal.

To me though, that was simply everyday life.

Sharing a throne with Hill, Brannigan, William, and Falcone was about as exhausting as one could imagine, and if I didn’t act quickly, there was no guarantee I would still have a portion of the power in the future. My best chance right now was to turn them against each other, and hopefully, eliminate them one by one, leaving room for no one else but me. A task much easier said than done, but nonetheless, still doable.

Before I could think on the matter anymore however, a friendly voice suddenly spoke from behind me, tearing my attention away from the family portrait. It was Alfred.

“There you are,” he greeted with a smile. “I thought I might find you here. You’ve been working tirelessly these past few days -- locked up in this office. I figured you could use some fresh, hot tea to relax. All is well, I hope?”

I quickly returned the smile, taking one of the warm cups into my hand. “Yeah. Thanks, Al. I just finished talking with Regina about some business. Things have been busy in Wayne Enterprises, but nothing we can’t handle.”

The butler beamed with relief. “That’s good to hear, Bruce. For a moment, I was afraid you might be overwhelmed. Clearly though, you’re much stronger than I thought.”

I let out a fake chuckle, trying my best to act normal as I took a sip. “...you have no idea.”

Placing the tray of tea down, Alfred adjusted his glasses and walked up to me, his eyes landing on the family portrait as he let out a nostalgic sigh.

“Are you...all right, Bruce?” He asked. “I don’t mean to pry, but I happened to catch you viewing this painting rather intently mere moments ago...which is understandable. We all reminisce every once in a while. Memories can often provide company in the absence of people. Though, in your case, I’m not sure if those memories are exactly...desirable.”

I glanced up at my father’s face, his stone-cold expression almost immediately swatting my gaze away. I took another sip of the tea.

“I was just wondering if...if Dad would be proud of who I am today. You know how he used to berate me when I was a child. I was always too weak, or too timid -- never the capable, hardy son he wanted.” I stared blankly at teacup in my hand, my reflection looking back at me. “Do you...do you think he’d still see me in the same way now?”

Alfred scoffed, though not in a mocking manner. 

“Why, of course not, Bruce. You’ve become quite the formidable, adamant young man. Hardly anything shakes you.” He folded his hands behind his back. “I...understand that Thomas may have been difficult to please, and his standards were always rather high, but I’ve no doubts he’d be proud of you now. I know I certainly am.”

You wouldn’t be if you knew who I really was, I thought to myself. On the outside though, I simply accepted the praise.

“Thanks, Al.” I said, finishing the remains of my tea. “That means a lot.”

I placed the empty cup back on the tray. “Well, I’ve had my break for the day. I should get back to work. I’ve got many things to attend to, and even less time.”

Alfred nodded. “Then I shall let you go. Just...try not to strain yourself too much, yes? For an old man’s sake.”

I chuckled. “Which old man are you referring to?”

Just then, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, bringing our conversation to a pause. I briefly checked the device.

Carmine: Need to talk. Now.

Carmine: It’s about Ham.

Carmine: Meet me at the cafe. 

Carmine: Make sure no one follows you.

I brought my attention back to Alfred. “And there’s my queue.”

“Is everything all right?” He checked, noticing the concerned look on my face. I hurried out of the office, hoping to avoid further questioning from him.

“Yeah, yeah. Something’s just come up at Wayne Tower, and I need to go sort it out. I’ll see you later, Al.”

“Very well,” he said, taking the tray into his hands. I could tell he was just a tad suspicious of my abrupt exit. “Good luck, sir. If you ever require my assistance, you know where to find me.”

I replied to him in my head.

If I ever require assistance, you’ll be the last person I drag into this goddamn mess. 

That was what Hill and Falcone were for, and I intended to keep it that way. They were “friends” of mine, sure, but neither of them could even compare to Alfred’s companionship. They were easily expendable, and they weren’t the only crime bosses in this city. If the situation ever presented itself, I had no doubts I’d be able to find sufficient replacements for both of them. 

Alfred, on the other hand...he was the treasure in a tomb of traps. There wasn’t a single person in Gotham who could follow in his footsteps, and if anyone even dared to touch him, there’d be hell to pay. 

He was the only true family I had left, and I was willing to do anything to keep him safe...even if that meant locking away my deepest secrets from him. Knowing too much information was the reason my parents were murdered, and I had no plans on sacrificing Alfred to the same fate.

[starkbarnes-lovechild]

Five Platonic I Love Yous from an Avenger (and a Special Romantic One)

Part 6 (Bucky)

Bucky was self-aware enough to know something was wrong with him. Being under the control of Hydra would do that, even if he was only ever out for missions (which were rare, to be honest) and reprogramming before and after his missions. It would fuck anyone’s mind, especially when one remembered every kill.

Headshot. Precise and quick. Asset could easily run if needed.

A long, thin blade through the back of the neck; paralyze target. Interrogate.

Asphyxiate target. Break target’s neck. Slice wrists. Should look like a suicide.

Accident.

So, yes, he was not the poster boy for good mental health but he was pretty sure none of them were.

Steve had lost so much time, asleep the whole time—at least Bucky was awake now and again, was able to catch up on trends and the like because he needed to blend in. Sometimes, he would look at the blond, see him staring at nothing, lost in thought and Bucky knew he was probably reminiscing what it was like with the Commandos, the time was ripped from.

(Tony and Howard helped Steve a lot, he could see that, the latter probably more so since they began to explore their romantic tension—Tony’s incessant babbling and Howard’s silent support reminding him now exists and the past was not something he should be holding on to, that it was something he should let go because holding on would be deadly).

Natasha—he remembered her, a little girl, no older than four, who looked at him with barely hidden awe whenever he moved for a kill, as if he created the galaxies. He remembered what he taught them, what everyone before him had taught them. He has read the files S.H.I.E.L.D. had on her and it was bad. She might have been trained to kill, trained to withstand torture, trained to not feel anything every time she would slit someone’s throat but she was only human and he could still see that little girl in her eyes sometimes.

(On one memorable night, when both he and Natasha were plagued with nightmares and only had each other for company, she had said, “You taught me how to be a killing machine,” he flinched, ready to run, but she continued, “but you also taught me how to be a human.” He tilted his head confused. She smiled, “You told me I did a good job.”

After, weeks later, he would lie in bed and realize she wasn’t the only one who learned how to be a human that time.)

Clint and Thor, they were both soldiers in their own right. They have always fought for the people, protecting innocent lives and have gone against many. They’ve seen horrors nobody would even dream of and they survived, they surpassed every nightmare they encountered and lived on. They fought, kept on fighting, for the greater good.

(Thor was a naturally jolly person and Clint always had a joke at the tip of his tongue, sometimes a challenge to get the ball rolling.)

Bruce. He was a little more relatable. He knew what it was like to not have control of yourself, to desperately cling to the smallest bits of yourself left while everyone kept on taking and taking until you were simply a shadow of who you were. Bruce knew what it was like to be a failed experiment, to be a tool for people to use. He has caused destruction as he tried to cling to his own humanity and Bucky, Bucky got that, got the feeling of being not strong to enough to keep your head straight, to lose to your own mind and body, to destroy without your consent.

(They were not close, not really, but they fully understood each other in ways none of the other Avengers probably could.)

Loki was a little bit of a wildcard to him at first but soon enough, he and the younger Asgardian were good friends. It surprised most of them, simply because Loki loved to play tricks while he preferred to mind his own business, Loki loved the attention at times while he blended into the shadows. The two of them found similarities far more important than their differences, though.

(Bucky couldn’t sleep, couldn’t get the image of Steve dying out of his head. He has always been the one to protect Steve, keep him out of trouble and make sure he would live for another day. He couldn’t do it for now, though, because he wasn’t cleared to go out on missions with them. He couldn’t watch his best friend, his brother’s back and he felt helpless, more so after this mission which actually landed Steve on bedrest.

He was in the living room, letting sound of the TV wash over him when Loki, who seemed to have come out of nowhere, sat down beside him, a mug of hot chocolate in his hand which he offered to Bucky. The former assassin, took the beverage, trusting the Asgardian and took a sip. The other man simply sat beside him, silent for a few moments. “I know what it feels like to have to protect your brother. I’ve done as much for Thor and I will never stop feeling as if it would not be enough someday. That someday, I would be too late to save him.”

Bucky relaxed with the knowledge that someone fully understood.)

And then there’s Tony. The boy was so young, so naïve about the world and yet he chose to fight—for people who loathed him because he was much better than they could ever be. He chose to help the world, to keep it safe as much as he could. He chose to protect people even when they condemned him when he couldn’t save everyone. He chose to keep on fighting, keep on defending people, because he saw it as his responsibility.

(“It scares me sometimes,” Steve started one day, while they were taking a stroll out, “Tony’s so willing to throw his own life away just to save everyone. People think he’s selfish and self-centered and, other horrible things but if you learned to see beyond the masks?” the blonde had smile, small but filled with fondness, “He’s one of the most selfless people I know. He’s one of the kindest and brightest and…” he breaks off and shakes his head slightly, as I he was trying to find the right words.

They keep walking. It was silent for a moment. “He’s like a star,” Steve continued, “you see him shine from afar, a small blinking light and you wouldn’t know how big or how bright it actually is until you actually try to get close.”

They didn’t talk about it again but Bucky knew it was because Steve understood that he did [does] see what the blond—what their closest friends—saw in the boy.)

Tony was selfless beyond imaginable but he also knew the line between being kind and being used by someone. He was never afraid to say no when he knew the other person was simply using him. He had a sharp mind and Bucky adored that. He loved Tony’s sarcasm, the way he would not let someone walk all over him. He loved the way Tony pushed people to learn, knew just how to encourage them to want to learn more.

Tony was amazing and he couldn’t get enough.

Watching Tony had become a habit, one he couldn’t shake or outgrow. It seemed at every turn, the boy had a surprise under his sleeves. Tony never did what was expected and even if he did what was expected, he did it in the most spectacular way, in a way which would leave people either breathless or shaking their heads. He seemed to enjoy keeping people on their toes, gleefully watching their surprised faces.

(“He has that effect on people.” Howard chuckled, fondness shining in his eyes as he watched his son gesture widely, animatedly, in the center of an enraptured crowd. “If they’re not jealous of him, they want to worship the ground he walks on.” He tilted the whiskey glass he’s been holding since the beginning of the night towards a girl who seemed to half in love with the boy already.

Bucky hummed, felt something inside him clench and thought to himself, can’t really blame them.)

Tony never failed to surprise him at every turn but there were three instances he would never forget.

The first one, Tony was scolding a man, practically twice as big as he was and had almost a foot and a half over him. It was also noteworthy that the man had a military stance, and one who seemed to have been in the military for a long while.

Tony’s arms were moving everywhere, lips moving too fast to be read. His brows were in a deep frown, nose scrunched the tiniest bit to show his displeasure. Buck couldn’t help but think of an angry kitten.

A few moments later, he saw the other man nod and say something. From Bucky’s place he could read the man’s lips, forming an apology. That was when he noticed the two boys with them. The one in front of the bigger man looked like him and was quite big as well, leading Bucky to the assumption they were probably father and son. The other boy, this one much smaller, was standing just behind Tony, a stuffed lion in his arms, dirtied but in good condition.

The bigger man looked down at his son, expectant, while Tony laid a hand on top of the other boy’s head, a reassurance, Bucky assumed, as the taller boy hesitantly spoke. Bucky couldn’t really read the boy’s lips, seeing as he wasn’t moving them as much, but he could assume it was an apology as well, based from how the other one shyly nodded while Tony beamed, the father of the other boy obviously letting out a relieved sigh.

Later, Tony would tell him the bigger boy was bullying the smaller one, and that the father reasoned his son was simply pulling the other kid’s pigtails. “So I told him abuse shouldn’t be condoned and seen as a sign of affection. I mean, if you like someone, you don’t ruin their day and make a bad impression, do you? No! You do something nice and hope they appreciate it. I told him to teach his son good things, not things that would turn him into one of those bullies in school—someone everybody hates but never had the guts to go against.”

(It reminded him of Steve before he became Captain America—always standing up to the bullies).

Logically, he knew Tony could probably take on the bigger man, but all he could think of whenever he remembered the incident was a kitten trying to meow a tiger into submission.*

The second one, he was beyond ashamed because he shouldn’t have been surprised in the first place.

Steve was usually his only partner (opponent) on drills, Natasha on certain occasions, because he didn’t trust most of them. Eventually, Thor and Loki were paired with him as well, since he couldn’t accidentally kill either of them. Hulk was never an option as an opponent except for Thor and Loki, but sometimes he would get paired with him if it was a tag-team sort of practice. He’s even gone against Clint a few times and was paired with him more often because they were both long range assets for the team.

The one person he’s never fought with or against was Tony.

All along Bucky thought it was because Steve didn’t trust him with Tony. As it turned out, Steve didn’t trust Tony to go easy on him, he realized as he stared at the ceiling, his back on the mat, confused. He could hear most of them snicker and the few who were trying to pretend they were not laughing and he couldn’t move because. Well. That was not something he expected. He has been watching Tony have a go with all the other Avengers but it seemed like all his observations were useless since Tony still caught him off guard. He was a trained Hydra assassin, damn it! He taught Natasha everything she knew now, which he could tell was eventually taught to Tony.

The boy—call me boy one more time and I will end you—Tony, wasn’t as strong as either him or Steve. He wasn’t even as strong as Clint and he was the only one who wasn’t enhanced in some form, but he was quick, agile, and was incredibly creative. He knew how to use his opponent’s body against them, and when and how to use his own body to his advantage. He could somehow quickly calculate his opponent’s movement, finding a quick way to disable them. Moreover, he could quickly use whatever was closest as a weapon, probably from either Natasha or Peggy herself.

When he got his bearings, he sat up and everyone else who was watching stopped bothering to hide their amusement and laughed loudly. Tony looked so proud of himself that he didn’t have the heart to feel insulted. Instead, he gave himself a mental pat on the back for being the cause of that look.

“You shouldn’t have underestimated Tony, James.” Thor said with a smile, leaning back on the wall. He was still trying to get Thor to call him Bucky because James was too formal, too common.

“You were the one who taught me not to underestimate anyone.” Natasha smirked, arms across her chest.

Loki hummed, slowly twirling a wooden staff Steve made him practice with. “What was that Midgardian saying? You got your ass handed to you?”

He would have defended himself, claim he had not underestimated Tony, but he realized he probably did. It wasn’t a conscious decision, he was sure of that. He knew how Tony fought and has seen him fight with all the other Avengers. He knew Tony purposely made himself appear smaller, weaker than he actually was and Bucky knew that but somehow, Tony still managed to fool him, so to speak. That was why he was caught so completely off guard and had rendered all his observations useless.

A large part of him was ashamed to have lost to someone as young and as small as Tony was. A larger part, though, was damn proud to be part of a team where this young man existed.

The third one, and probably his favourite one, was a week before Steve and Howard’s wedding.

It was an ordinary day, really, but realizations come at the most unexpected time.

He knew Tony baked. The whole tower knew Tony baked. He wasn’t at pâtissier level and he did fuck up more than just two baked goods, but when he baked something he was an expert at, it was bound to be delicious.

Bucky has never seen Tony bake, though.

Well. Until he has.

He and Steve have just finished a round in the gym and was cooling off before they hit the showers. They were on their way to the kitchen to grab a light snack to stave off the hunger, seeing as it’s almost lunch anyway.

AC/DC’s You Shook Me All Night Long played softly in the background as they entered the kitchen and Bucky just, froze.

Tony was there, obviously baking, in just a tank top and basketball sorts. His bangs was tied up to keep it away from his face and an apron wrapped around his body. He has smudges of flour here and there and god he looked absolutely breath-taking and Bucky just wanted to kiss him and, wow, okay, that was kind of new.

He looked at Steve who stopped in his tracks when he seemed to realize Bucky wasn’t following him anymore. They had a conversation with their eyes, a feat that took a little too long to regain. Bucky looked like he was about to pass out while Steve, the jerk, was practically beaming and said, “Took you long enough,” and turned his back to the brunet to continue is journey to the fridge,

Later, they would sit down and talk in Bucky’s room, which used to be Steve’s before the blond moved to Howard’s room. He would panic and Steve would be calm, would tell him to take the chance, to take a risk for something more and Bucky would be on edge for the rest of the week.

(“Give him some credit, Buck. Tony’s a good kid, you might be surprised.”

Oh. He knew Tony was a good person but whether or not Bucky would handle the rejection well, that was up for debate. He didn’t want things to be awkward simply because he was too afraid to be in the presence of the genius.

When he said so to Steve, the blond simply shook his head with a small, fond smile.)

Now, as he watched his best friend dance with his husband, he took a deep breath and turned to the young man standing right beside him and held out his hand, “Wanna dance?” Tony looked surprised but delighted as he reached his own hand towards Bucky’s, a light flush on his softly tanned skin.

Bucky wrapped his arms around Tony’s waist while the younger man placed his own arms around Bucky’s neck. They swayed softly to the music, the acoustic guitars blending well with the singer’s voice. It must’ve been Howard who chose the song, knowing Steve listened to One Direction, Carly Rae Jepsen and Justin Bieber—Starks seemed to have great taste for music.

Bucky holds Tony tighter, still gentle but firmer, and he could feel the younger man do the same. Tony was almost a head shorter, the top of his head just reaching Bucky’s lips. He let his jaw rest by the younger man’s temple. They didn’t even seem like they were trying to dance anymore, simply hugging while swaying from side to side.

“I love you.” Bucky whispered, nuzzling the younger man’s head. He could feel Tony’s breath hitch, hear that air lodge in his throat. He knew, even if Tony didn’t feel the same, they would still be friends, that Tony wouldn’t let it be awkward. He valued the younger man’s friendship more than anything but Steve was right—you never know the chances unless you take the risk.

“I know.” Tony replied, just as softly and, okay. Maybe Steve was right and suddenly, Bucky can breathe. The, I love you, too was not explicitly mentioned but he knew what the younger man meant anyway.

Bucky chuckled, a little breathless, “Great. You just ruined the moment by Han Solo-ing me.” He probably looked deranged, by how big he could feel his smile was, but that was okay. Tony returned his feelings and yeah, he could totally do this. Besides, he could tell the younger man was probably smiling just as widely as he was.

“Please.” Tony huffed, tightening his arms around Bucky’s neck. “It wouldn’t be us if we don’t have ruined moments.”

Bucky simply turned his head and let his lips rest against Tony’s temple, the smile, softer now, still firmly on his face.

Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Part Four | Part Five

AN:

[J1]You can’t tell me you didn’t laugh at this image. xD

Also, oh my fucking bloody hell! I am finally done with this! *dances around goofily*

[djrelentless]

“The New Hitler, Uncle Tom and The Racist Reich”

As the reports keep coming in every day of the continued violence and hateful rhetoric at Trump rallies dominate the news, I have started this blog several times but continue to be distracted at how unbelievable the presidential election is this year. Never would I have believed that we would be talking dick size and Hitler style speeches to get to the Oval Office. This is probably the all time low in U.S. politics.

It seems unfathomable that in 2016 there would be people making pledges to a business con-artist and legions chanting and cheering for violence against people of color. But that's exactly where we are. All because the belief that white supremacy was still alive and well in 2008. Unfortunately for them, Barrack Obama proved that the United States was ready to elect its first African-American President. The good ol' boys in Washington did not even bat an eye of concern when he announced his candidacy. Instead…they were really worried about Hillary Clinton (or more likely the concept of Bill Clinton being anywhere near the White House again).

And although this would open the door to the many possibilities of what the next President of the United States could look like, it also opened a pandora's box of hate. The resentment and anger of white privilege would fester into the Tea Party and now the new racist reich that rally around Donald Trump. But Trump supporters are not the only scary people out there. The other racists who are following Ted Cruz are pretty damn unsettling too. Cruz is a complete throwback to Jim Crow as a candidate can be.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/01/polit...

I'm watching one of Trump's mouth pieces, Jeffrey Lord defending him on CNN and distorting U.S. history to justify why there is violence at Trump's rallies. His claims that because originally the Ku Klux Klan started in the Democrat Party is that these protesters are to blame because it is in their nature to be violent. Meanwhile there are tons of footage of Trump telling crowds to "Punch 'em in the head", "Take me out on a stretcher" and "I'll pay your legal fees". Sounds like inciting a riot to me. So, when I saw the footage of what happened in Chicago and heard that they had to cancel Trump's rally I wasn't surprised. And I imagine there's going to be a lot more of those incidents to come.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politic...

But the one thing that I just can't figure out is why no one has figured out that Trump has no idea what he's talking about when it comes to the issues in the campaign. The reason he has resorted to all these theatrics has been to stir clear of having to actually say anything of substance. And when he does speak on an issue he sticks his foot in his mouth. He likes to tote that he is so smart, but his vocabulary does not go any further than words like "huge", "best" and "win". It's like he read an affirmation book and has literally stood in front of a mirror (basically the hateful racists who are angry about Obama) and practiced affirming what he would like to happen. I always say that we must change our vocabulary in order to tell the universe what we want. Say what you want….not what you don't want. And Trump has taken that to the tenth degree. He stands on those stages and says what he wants to happen and people follow and believe him. He has no idea how to run a country. Hell…he has shown over and over again that he does not know how to be a good business man.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/...

For the protesters….don't go into a Trump rally with attire that says you are not a Trump supporter. Go in looking exactly like what they are expecting. Don't disrupt what is being said or done. Take your phone out and record it! Then start posting it. Get it to your local news stations. Let America see the ugly truth of what this man is doing and saying (as well as his followers). Yes…there are news organizations at most of his rallies, but for some reason they all stop short of showing the horror of what he stands for. CNN has showed brief seconds of protesters of color being pushed and shoved by not only by the local police and secret service but also people in the crowd. And most of those being thrown out were not resisting or fighting back. But if we could catch the rhetoric and hate speech that Trump is saying and compile it I think we can drive the message home of what Middle America thinks of the rest of the country.

The only thing that has worked in his favor has been that there has never been a political animal like him before. He is not a politician so he had no rules of engagement when it comes to campaigning. And quite frankly….everyone thought that he would just burn himself out early on the trail and the Republicans could continue on business as usual. And by the time they had figured out that he wasn't going anywhere it was too late. He had bullied his way to the front of the pack and was dominating the other candidates because they were all trying to be gentlemen. And poor Marco Rubio fell right into Trump's trap. Reality TV tactics brought Rubio right down to Trump's level and Ted Cruz profited by Rubio's mistake. Cruz instigated Rubio to go fight the big bully while knowing all along that it would open the door for him. I applaud John Kasich for staying out of the mud slinging, but do not discount his ugly agenda behind the kind, soft spoken Republican. If you dig into his dirty deeds he is the candidate who really has delivered the conservative goods when it comes to abortion and other hot topics. So you see….anyone from the Republican side would be toxic to the progress that the United States has made in acceptance and equal rights. They all want to turn back time to when they had more control over the country.

Besides all the candidates I think another thing that is bothering me during this Republican primary is the blatant propaganda machine that keeps trying to play Jedi mind tricks when defending the wrong side of history. Folks like Jeffrey Lord and Katrina Pierson make me cringe every time I see them on television. They know that what they are saying is a script and complete lies, but they sit on air and spew these twisted accounts of the daily events without a conscience.

But even worst are the new Uncle Toms that betray their race for a paycheck or some false sense of security that Trump is going to reward them when he gets what he wants. I'm talking about folks like Omarosa and Stacey Dash (I don't know Raven-Symone's political affiliation but she's a little cray-cray as well). And don't get me started on celebrities like Mike Tyson and Dennis Rodman. But I guess the all time ridiculous endorsement has to be Dr. Ben Carson. What on earth could have made you get behind the man who compared you to a child molester? What do all of these people have in common? Money! Money has blinded all of these people into forgetting who they really are and where they came from. But the truth of the matter is that if any of them got into any kind of legal trouble, they would find out how O.J. Simpson feels right about now. You're fabulous and great for ratings and photo opts but in the end you are still black in America. And most of their comments are such a slap in the face of civil rights that it makes you wonder how they sleep at night. When Omarosa said that the protesters at Trump rallies get what they deserve for showing up, I wanted to jump through the television and drag her into the average African-American neighborhood so she could see how real black people live and what they face on a daily basis. No one on the Republican side has spoken a word about the Black Lives Matters Movement. The amnesia that these folks get when they get a little paper is astounding! And Carson should take a good look at the coverage of his speech at his Trump endorsement….Trump wouldn't even stand on the stage with him at the same time (unlike when Chris Christie and Sarah Palin endorsed him).

http://theslot.jezebel.com/all-the-...

But I guess another delusional public figure is the big bag of con-fuse-ment is Caitlyn Jenner. I think she is about to find out what the Uncle Toms are going to find out as well. She actually believes that by throwing her support behind Ted Cruz that she will not only be helping the Trans Movement but she is going to be welcomed in the Republican fold by such a strict conservative. What an idiot! I actually defended Caitlyn when she came out and started her reality TV show. But like anything that is associated with the Kardashians, the longer is goes on the more you realize that it is just another media whore stunt…..rich people trying to make money off poor people watching them on TV. And I guess the sisterhood has ended between Cait & Candys Cane since she recently endorsed Hillary Clinton. And reports say that Cait's reality TV show is endangered of being cancelled because of poor ratings. As if she thought that her success was going to happen even though she insulted the LGBT community when she sat on Ellen and said she didn't really believe in gay marriage equality. I'm sure many will be upset with me for saying so, but Caitlyn's downfall is going to be Bruce's mentality.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...

News pundits are looking around like they are so surprised that Trump has garnered so much support of the past year. But I'm not. After Obama interrupted Trump's season finale to announce Bin Laden's Death, I'm sure that was a declaration of war to Mr. Drumpf (his real last name). Thus came Trump's lead in the "Birther" charge. And I'm sure all of Obama's jokes during that Correspondents Dinner also was the final slap in the face as well.

This is the scariest time in U.S. politics. The new Racist Reich believes that they are really taking their country. Like White America is losing control and needs to take a stand. The brown people are getting a little too up-iddy since one of them made it into the White House. Republicans have yelled over and over again that Obama has ruined the office. He's weak on defense (instead of being strong on offense). He went on an "Apology Tour". When in my opinion, he fixed the U.S.'s image. Many world leaders breathed a sigh of relief when Obama became president. After dealing with Bush & Cheney and their foolishness it must have been a welcomed change to deal with someone who was articulate and willing to talk civilized. image what will happen if Trump or Cruz get into office. There is already talk of banning both from some countries.

I have been watching the facebook feeds and it is interesting to see everyone fighting for their candidates. I have not said publicly who I am voting for. Mainly because I don't want the campaigning to come to my page. I have a few friends who are very vocal about their beliefs and can't remember that they are not on their page. There's nothing like having a post being high-jacked for someone else's agenda. All I will say is that I am definitely a registered Democrat and I will definitely fight to see that Trump does not make it into the White House.

[carbonjen]

JayDick HS AU. Dick has a disability (he lost his ability to walk due to an accident). Even though he's dependent on others, he's still surrounded by friends/fam and Jason doesn't understand why. Usually those who are different get bullied (as he's seen at other schools) and it's not as if Dick doesn't get bullied b/c he does. Jason finds that he's attracted to Dick and wants to talk to him but every time he opens his mouth, he just ends up insulting Dick cause he's nervous and Dick is a beauty

In lieu of a title, I’m going to quote one of my favorite comedians. 

“Laughing at somebody is just another way of dismissing them, but laughing with somebody is a bridge to understanding” -Zach Anner

When Jason had been picked up by Selina Kyle, he hadn’t thought much about her small cat filled apartment, but it turned out, the woman knew what to do with her money. Jason had pried a bit and it turned out Selina had a pretty rich sugar daddy. When said sugar daddy found out about Jason, he’d been pulled out of Gotham High and placed into Gotham Academy. He hated his uniform, and he hated wearing it on public transport. 

He was used to being ridiculed in school so that didn’t bother him. It was being ridiculed by his own people on the bus that really bothered him. He had grown up with people like this, but they sneered at him the further they got into the bad side of Gotham

Jason made it work though. He understood how the world worked. Gotham Academy had all the same cliques and groups as any other school, popular kids, jocks, nerds, druggies. Some of these groups mixed a bit at Gotham Academy, but Jason still knew the structure and purposely placed himself on the outside. 

Then there was Dick Grayson. Jason had been to a couple different school’s as a kid, his mom dragging them down to the lowest levels of poverty for drugs. All of the schools had been bad, but the kids that always got it worse were the kids that were different.

Dick Grayson shouldn’t have been one of the popular kids at Gotham Academy, but he was. Jason didn’t want to sound like an asshole, but at all his other schools, the kids in wheelchairs usually had to be sequestered in classrooms of their own to avoid ridicule. 

What got Jason even more was where Dick Grayson came from. He was a former acrobat, his parents dying in the same accident that put Dick in a wheelchair. It was all stuff that would have the kids torn to shreds at any other school in Gotham, but here, Dick had a group of friends that looked out for him. 

The only thing Jason could of that made Dick less of a target was that he was hot. Jason had seen plenty of men thanks to Selina’s past times, but none of them had been as beautiful as Dick Grayson with his sharp cheekbones and bright smile. 

Jason knew a lot about Dick and his following because his locker happened to be right next to Dick’s in what had to be the worst twist of fate Jason had ever seen. 

Jason met Dick a few days after he started. They were both at their lockers when Jason was shoved headfirst into his while he was trying to unlock it. Jason whipped around. 

“Freak,” Someone shouted laughing as Dick rolled up to the locker next to Jason’s. “Looks like they pair them together now.”

Jason threw one of his books at the guy and nailed him in the back of the head. “Fuck off asshole.”

“You think you can treat me like this?” The guy asked as he approached Jason and kicked the book aside. “Do you know how much my dad pays this school? Not as much as your poor bitch of a mom.”

Jason was winding up to punch the guy when Dick moved between them. “You know who I think would enjoy hearing about this situation,” Dick asked as he looked at the guy. “Bruce would probably love to hear about how you made fun of me and the new guy whose mother he happens to be very good friends with.”

Jason looked down at Dick and the one thing he couldn’t keep out of his head was how hot the guy looked when he was angry. His eyes went all dark and stormy and his voice dropped down low. Jason had to force himself to look away. 

The guy held his hands up and stepped back. “Jeez, fine. I was just playing. Calm down.”

When the guy was gone, Jason picked his book up again. “So Bruce is Selina’s sugar daddy?”

“That’s one way to put it,” Dick said as he opened his locker. “Jason, right? Bruce told me to keep an eye on you.”

“No offense, but I don’t think you can do a whole lot to help me out if I’m ever in a rough spot.” Jason kept struggling with his lock and was this close to giving up when Dick smacked Jason’s locker and it opened with ease. 

“Offense taken,” Dick replied. “No offense to you, but I just saved your ass back there. I may not be physically imposing but I have influence at this school.” 

With that, Dick left Jason to stand there, watching Dick roll away while he cursed himself. 

The problem with Dick Grayson was that Jason was attracted to him. This wouldn’t have been a problem if Jason had experience with being attracted people and knowing what to say to them. Jason frequently made an idiot out of himself in front of Dick and all his friends. Jason was convinced they hated him. 

Jason was at his locker one day, Dick’s army of half redheads around him. Jason made his way to his locker and tried not to eavesdrop on their conversation. They were talking about a bonfire and how Dick wouldn’t be able to go. Dick was talking about how it was alright but the rest of the group were talking about how they were trying to work things out so Dick could go. 

“How about none of you go to the bonfire because bonfires are lame and there’s a 99% chance it’ll be busted by the cops anyways.”

The comment slipped out without Jason really noticing it and Jason cursed under his breath as everyone turned and stared at him. 

“Uh, how about you mind your own business?”

“Kind of hard to do when you’re all flocked around my locker,” Jason retorted. 

“Dick’s locker is here too,” a redhead said, narrowing her eyes at Jason. 

“Yeah well Dick doesn’t take up as much space as you guys.” 

Jason heard a snort and looked down to see Dick hiding laughter into his hand. 

“Was that some kind of insult?”

“No,” Jason said. “But I can come up with one if you really want to hear one.”

“Jason, Babs,” Dick said. “That’s enough. You guys go to class, I’ll meet you there.”

“Are you sure you want to be alone with him, Dick? I heard this guy gets in fights all the time.”

“I heard people don’t like being talked about like they’re not there,” Jason said. “And it’s not like I’ll hurt him. It wouldn’t be a fair fight.”

The girl, Babs, narrowed her eyes at him again but after some careful urging from Dick, they all left. 

“You know, you’d have way less problems if you weren’t so combative,” Dick said. 

“Asking me to stop being that way is like asking you to walk,” Jason replied, leaning against his locker and crossing his arms. 

Dick raised an eyebrow at him. “Was that thing about the bonfires true?”

“What, that they all get busted?”

“Yeah.”

Jason shrugged. “Think about it, a big fire in Gotham is going to attract attention. Especially in a nice part of Gotham.”

“I was looking for an excuse not to go,” Dick said. “I think I’ll use that one.” 

“The whole wheelchair thing wasn’t good enough?” Jason asked. 

Dick laughed. “Apparently not,” he sighed. “You know, you’re the only person that’s ever joked with me about it.”

“I’ve always been taught to make light of a bad situation.”

“Oh, I always thought you were taught to fight your way out of it, based on what I’ve seen at least.”

Jason laughed and shoved gently at Dick’s shoulder. “Fuck off Grayson, you’ll be late to class.”

-

Dick and Jason’s interactions either went super well, or they went terribly and Jason hated himself for that. The playful banter happened between them way too sporadically for Jason to say he was making any sort of progress to be anything but acquaintances with Dick. All to often, Dick would look at him and Jason would spit out something stupid. 

Dick approached him during his free period in the library one day. 

“Hey,” he said. “Can we talk?”

Jason swallowed and pushed aside his homework. “Uh, yeah, go ahead,” he gestured to the table and instead of taking a seat across from him, Dick took the perpendicular edge. 

“So I can’t help but notice,” Dick said. “Either our conversations go super well or you just kind of insult me and I wanted to ask so I could get it out of the way. Do you have a problem with me?”

“No,” Jason replied, and before he could think about what he was saying, he continued. “Far from it.” Jason cursed and Dick must have noticed. 

“What?”

Jason looked down at the table and he could feel the heat in his cheeks. “I like you,” Jason said. 

“You mean like as a friend?” Dick asked. Jason looked at him and that must have said it all because Dick leaned back a bit and put his chin on his hand. “Oh,” he said. “I see.” 

“Now that we have that out of the way,” Jason said. “We can go back to what we had before. Your friends can keep hating me and I can keep insulting you because I can’t talk because you’re so beautiful.”

Dick stared at him for a long moment and Jason wanted to die because the silence between them was so tight it almost hurt. 

“I’m free on Friday,” Dick said. 

It was Jason’s turn to look at him and ask, “What?”

“I like you too,” Dick said. “Because you aren’t afraid to talk about my disability. Other people treat it like this giant sore spot, but you make it something I can laugh about. No one has ever done that. They always treat it like something that limits me, but you put it in another light and I like that. Not to mention you’re insanely hot, but that’s neither here nor there.”

Jason stared at him and Dick had a shit eating grin on his face. It was beautiful. 

“So,” Dick said. “Friday? After school? Alfred always picks me up so he can give us a ride to the manor and we can hang there.”

Jason grinned. “Imagine Selina’s face when I tell her I got my own sugar daddy.”

Dick swatted at his hand, but he let it rest there. Jason laced their fingers together. It turned out, fate wasn’t so bad after all. 

[moviegeekandproud-blog]

Aside from going to the movies as much as possible I do love a chill night in with good ol’ Netflix. With the ENDLESS amount of content on the streaming service, Netflix also loves putting out their own original movies and T.V. In between my trips to the theatre I just so happened to be able to catch a movie here and there throughout the year and like last year, here are the list of movies l watched with a brief review of how they turned out in no particular order.

Okja 

picture via pinterest

picture via slashfilm.com

Starring Tilda Swinton and Paul Dano

An exceptional adventure of a little girl named Mija risking everything to rescue her best friend, a remarkable animal named Okja from a multi-national company. I found this movie to be exciting, fantastical, and touching friendship story with a satirizing message regarding the food industry. With comic and over the top performances from everyone involved including Jake Gyllenhaal, you will fall in love with the lovable Okja.

3 ½ out of 5

I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore

picture via imdb.com

picture via mistfts.com

Starring Melanie Lynskey and Elijah Wood

This dark comedy involving a woman whose home was burglarized and gets inspired to find the people who did it with the help of an eccentric and obnoxious neighbor. As they dig deeper they get entangled in a much bigger situation they are clearly not prepared to handle. This movie is not bad. I liked the wit of the script. Since it is a comedy, there are a lot of bumbling criminals running around the movie but I think the self help the depressed lead is going through is interesting enough to keep it realistic and a little relatable to anyone who feels like they get shit on every day and just can’t get a break. Check this out if you feel like something indie to watch. A comedy with a bit of substance.

3 out of 5

Naked

andcompany.com

picture via consequenceofsound.net

Starring Marlon Wayans and Regina Hall

With no explanation given at all, Marlon Wayans plays a man who happens to be caught in a time loop repeating the day of his wedding to his fiancé. Not only that, he wakes up completely naked. Only he remembers his previous day and must find a way to make it to his wedding and marry the woman he loves. The concept is nothing new you haven’t seen before and unfortunately, the hijinks were a bit too silly to be taken seriously. Yes, it is a comedy but it has to be funny and somewhat real even for comedy sake. No real interesting characters. Marlon is charming but he was given a horrible script to work with. Its an okay watch but once it is over you will forget you watched it.

2 out of 5

Little Evil

picture via imdb.com

picture via hypable.com

Starring Adam Scott and Evangeline Lilly

A horror comedy spoof of The Omen a man marries a woman with a 6-year-old son of her own. Typical modern family except that he believes the is might be the antichrist. I love the concept and Owen Atlas who plays the devil’s child is great in it as the brooding evil incarnate. Evangeline is funny as the naïve mother unaware of her son’s true destiny. Packed full of other known standup comedians and T.V. actors this has a bit of humor that keeps you engage but as the movie progresses it gets way too silly and a little boring. This is one I think can be scrolled pass but if you like the actors associated, give it a shot.  What do you have to lose? Your soul?

1 ½ out of 5

Take the 10

picture via imdb.com

picture via imdb.com

Starring Josh Peck and Tony Revolori

A comedy involving two friends who plan to make a big change in their life has to tie up loose ends when a drug deal goes bad. All taking place in one day, this movie is told in interwoven shorts from the perspective of a different character each time covering the same 24 hours. This movie would actually be worth recommending but the characters are not likable at all. In fact, one of them is just a straight up asshole who is too narcissistic for his own good. The Y generation may find this enjoyable and relatable as well as anyone who lives or knows southern California well to understand the joke within the title. It wasn’t boring just not a great movie.

3 out of 5

iBoy

picture via imdb.com

picture via inuth.com

Starring Bill Milner and Maisie Williams

Trying to capture on the superhero fad, a young boy is given the ability to control anything technological. Of course, no superhero with powers are created without a tragedy. He gets these abilities because pieces of his cellphone were implemented into his brain after being shot in the head while on the phone. Discovering his new gifts, he uses them to save his crush and take back the neighborhood that is being controlled by a mobster and his goons. This idea is about as bonkers as it sounds. It actually attempts to try and be a serious authentic crime drama. The acting is par and the movie isn’t slow. The way he uses his abilities is creative but this story is a stretch to be taken seriously. For you Game of Throne fans out there that want to see Arya Stark out of her war garment then check this out, otherwise, this is a movie you don’t need to see.

2 out of 5

#realityhigh

picture via imdb.com

picture via dailydot.com

Starring Nesta Cooper and Keith Powers

Combine the color and upbeat acting of Disney and the updated and modern teen experience of Freeform and you got yourself a high school comedy. This one involves a high-achieving high school girl who is supposedly someone who isn’t beautiful to get the man of her dreams because she wears glasses witnesses her crush dating someone who is the center of a reality tv show that follows her around. Through certain circumstances she is drawn into the world of being popular and getting everything, she wants but also risking losing the very thing she didn’t believe she had the whole time. I actually enjoyed watching this teen flick. All the characters were very likable, they all had brains and had a voice and it seemed that everyone got their fair share of screen time. I actually see this show being a great series. At the end of the day it is a cheesy teen flick that makes millenials look like technologic narcissistic zombies. If they decide to do more of these following up what happens next, I wouldn’t object. Honestly, if you watch the trailer and have interest in watching it, check it out.

4 out of 5

You Get Me

picture via imdb.com

picture via netflix.com

Starring Bella Thorne and Halston Sage

A thriller in the same vain as A Fatal Attraction, Swimfan, and anything involving a love affair turned deadly. Bella Throne is the new Glenn Close in this teen suspense movie when she has a one-night stand with a man who recently broke up with his long-time girlfriend. After a weekend of sex and cuddles, he tries to get back with his girlfriend realizing what he lost and she decides that he is the new love of her life and will destroy anyone that gets in her way. This movie was a little cheesy as some of the actions carried out seemed to unreal to be carried out. I don’t really feel sorry for the victim or protagonist of the movie. These movies tend to bug me sometimes with the idea that a woman can’t go without a man. Just think if this movie was Twilight and Stewart’s Bella went all postal in addition to her obsession with Edward. If you are a fan of Bella Thorne, check this out. If not, this is the same ol’ same ol’ tale.

2 out of 5

1922

picture via wikipedia.com

picture via basementrejects.com

Starring Thomas Jane and Molly Parker

The Stephen King adaptation of his novel 1922 sees a prideful father and farmer who is having financial troubles keeping his farm afloat. His wife wants to sell but he is to proud to give it up. Convincing his son to participate, they plot to kill his wife to make sure they can keep the farm. The outcome is far more than they would imagine. Paranoia, deceiving, and ghostly visions and dreams plague the father and son who try and keep up the charade that their mother just disappeared. Haunted by their crime the movie gives off a thrilling ride to possible insanity. This movie is more drama than horror and more depressing then suspenseful. Doesn’t mean this movie wasn’t good but just know that this movie may not be what you think it is. If you want to see a gut-wrenching story and the desperation of what one man would do to keep his livelihood, you may enjoy this film.

3 out of 5.

The Babysitter

picture via wikipedia.com

picture via bloodydisgusting.com

Starring Samara Weaving and Judah Lewis

This horror comedy is one of the best horror films in 2017. It is silly in a McG sort of way but has a lot of heart in it. This movie has everything: cults, bullies, spiders, shirtless hot guy, blood sacrifices, deflating implants all wrapped up in a big bow with McG’s signature stamp on it. That can only mean you are in for a bizarre, twisted, and funny flick mixed with some jump scares, some cool kills and the laws of gravity are thrown away because it’s McG. I love the cast and they played likable characters. This will make you laugh and there is a lot of blood. I think the script is clever and the friendship between the babysitter and her charge is the best part. A slow start in the beginning but once it happens it doesn’t stop.

4 ½ out of 5

Gerald’s Game

picture via wikipedia.com

picture via fhm.com

Starring Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood

An adapted Stephen King novel adapted for screen was one of the best ideas in 2017. I have never heard of this novel before and it is terrifying to watch. What a well done film with suburb acting from Carla Gugino who is at a cabin with her husband trying to spice up their relationship but due to unfortunate events she is put through the most brutal mental test to find out if she has what it takes to survive. This was a gut-wrenching edge of your seat one woman show. It will have you spooked, bewildered, and any other intense feeling you can think of. I highly recommend this film and towards the end you will witness one of the most painful look away scenes of 2017.

5 out of 5

If you would like to read a full review of What Happened to Monday and Death Note, click here and here.

There are more to be seen and eventually I will get to more. Which Netflix movies did you watch in 2017? Comment below with your favorites and ones that were just the worse. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you at the movies.

title photo provided by vancouvereconomic.com

Netflix Original Movies 2017 Aside from going to the movies as much as possible I do love a chill night in with good ol’ Netflix.

[djrelentless]

The New Hitler, Uncle Tom and The Racist Reich”

As the reports keep coming in every day of the continued violence and hateful rhetoric at Trump rallies dominate the news, I have started this blog several times but continue to be distracted at how unbelievable the presidential election is this year. Never would I have believed that we would be talking dick size and Hitler style speeches to get to the Oval Office. This is probably the all time low in U.S. politics.

It seems unfathomable that in 2016 there would be people making pledges to a business con-artist and legions chanting and cheering for violence against people of color. But that's exactly where we are. All because the belief that white supremacy was still alive and well in 2008. Unfortunately for them, Barrack Obama proved that the United States was ready to elect its first African-American President. The good ol' boys in Washington did not even bat an eye of concern when he announced his candidacy. Instead…they were really worried about Hillary Clinton (or more likely the concept of Bill Clinton being anywhere near the White House again).

And although this would open the door to the many possibilities of what the next President of the United States could look like, it also opened a pandora's box of hate. The resentment and anger of white privilege would fester into the Tea Party and now the new racist reich that rally around Donald Trump. But Trump supporters are not the only scary people out there. The other racists who are following Ted Cruz are pretty damn unsettling too. Cruz is a complete throwback to Jim Crow as a candidate can be.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/03/01/polit...

I'm watching one of Trump's mouth pieces, Jeffrey Lord defending him on CNN and distorting U.S. history to justify why there is violence at Trump's rallies. His claims that because originally the Ku Klux Klan started in the Democrat Party is that these protesters are to blame because it is in their nature to be violent. Meanwhile there are tons of footage of Trump telling crowds to "Punch 'em in the head", "Take me out on a stretcher" and "I'll pay your legal fees". Sounds like inciting a riot to me. So, when I saw the footage of what happened in Chicago and heard that they had to cancel Trump's rally I wasn't surprised. And I imagine there's going to be a lot more of those incidents to come.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politic...

But the one thing that I just can't figure out is why no one has figured out that Trump has no idea what he's talking about when it comes to the issues in the campaign. The reason he has resorted to all these theatrics has been to stir clear of having to actually say anything of substance. And when he does speak on an issue he sticks his foot in his mouth. He likes to tote that he is so smart, but his vocabulary does not go any further than words like "huge", "best" and "win". It's like he read an affirmation book and has literally stood in front of a mirror (basically the hateful racists who are angry about Obama) and practiced affirming what he would like to happen. I always say that we must change our vocabulary in order to tell the universe what we want. Say what you want….not what you don't want. And Trump has taken that to the tenth degree. He stands on those stages and says what he wants to happen and people follow and believe him. He has no idea how to run a country. Hell…he has shown over and over again that he does not know how to be a good business man.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/...

For the protesters….don't go into a Trump rally with attire that says you are not a Trump supporter. Go in looking exactly like what they are expecting. Don't disrupt what is being said or done. Take your phone out and record it! Then start posting it. Get it to your local news stations. Let America see the ugly truth of what this man is doing and saying (as well as his followers). Yes…there are news organizations at most of his rallies, but for some reason they all stop short of showing the horror of what he stands for. CNN has showed brief seconds of protesters of color being pushed and shoved by not only by the local police and secret service but also people in the crowd. And most of those being thrown out were not resisting or fighting back. But if we could catch the rhetoric and hate speech that Trump is saying and compile it I think we can drive the message home of what Middle America thinks of the rest of the country.

The only thing that has worked in his favor has been that there has never been a political animal like him before. He is not a politician so he had no rules of engagement when it comes to campaigning. And quite frankly….everyone thought that he would just burn himself out early on the trail and the Republicans could continue on business as usual. And by the time they had figured out that he wasn't going anywhere it was too late. He had bullied his way to the front of the pack and was dominating the other candidates because they were all trying to be gentlemen. And poor Marco Rubio fell right into Trump's trap. Reality TV tactics brought Rubio right down to Trump's level and Ted Cruz profited by Rubio's mistake. Cruz instigated Rubio to go fight the big bully while knowing all along that it would open the door for him. I applaud John Kasich for staying out of the mud slinging, but do not discount his ugly agenda behind the kind, soft spoken Republican. If you dig into his dirty deeds he is the candidate who really has delivered the conservative goods when it comes to abortion and other hot topics. So you see….anyone from the Republican side would be toxic to the progress that the United States has made in acceptance and equal rights. They all want to turn back time to when they had more control over the country.

Besides all the candidates I think another thing that is bothering me during this Republican primary is the blatant propaganda machine that keeps trying to play Jedi mind tricks when defending the wrong side of history. Folks like Jeffrey Lord and Katrina Pierson make me cringe every time I see them on television. They know that what they are saying is a script and complete lies, but they sit on air and spew these twisted accounts of the daily events without a conscience.

But even worst are the new Uncle Toms that betray their race for a paycheck or some false sense of security that Trump is going to reward them when he gets what he wants. I'm talking about folks like Omarosa and Stacey Dash (I don't know Raven-Symone's political affiliation but she's a little cray-cray as well). And don't get me started on celebrities like Mike Tyson and Dennis Rodman. But I guess the all time ridiculous endorsement has to be Dr. Ben Carson. What on earth could have made you get behind the man who compared you to a child molester? What do all of these people have in common? Money! Money has blinded all of these people into forgetting who they really are and where they came from. But the truth of the matter is that if any of them got into any kind of legal trouble, they would find out how O.J. Simpson feels right about now. You're fabulous and great for ratings and photo opts but in the end you are still black in America. And most of their comments are such a slap in the face of civil rights that it makes you wonder how they sleep at night. When Omarosa said that the protesters at Trump rallies get what they deserve for showing up, I wanted to jump through the television and drag her into the average African-American neighborhood so she could see how real black people live and what they face on a daily basis. No one on the Republican side has spoken a word about the Black Lives Matters Movement. The amnesia that these folks get when they get a little paper is astounding! And Carson should take a good look at the coverage of his speech at his Trump endorsement….Trump wouldn't even stand on the stage with him at the same time (unlike when Chris Christie and Sarah Palin endorsed him).

http://theslot.jezebel.com/all-the-...

But I guess another delusional public figure is the big bag of con-fuse-ment is Caitlyn Jenner. I think she is about to find out what the Uncle Toms are going to find out as well. She actually believes that by throwing her support behind Ted Cruz that she will not only be helping the Trans Movement but she is going to be welcomed in the Republican fold by such a strict conservative. What an idiot! I actually defended Caitlyn when she came out and started her reality TV show. But like anything that is associated with the Kardashians, the longer is goes on the more you realize that it is just another media whore stunt…..rich people trying to make money off poor people watching them on TV. And I guess the sisterhood has ended between Cait & Candys Cane since she recently endorsed Hillary Clinton. And reports say that Cait's reality TV show is endangered of being cancelled because of poor ratings. As if she thought that her success was going to happen even though she insulted the LGBT community when she sat on Ellen and said she didn't really believe in gay marriage equality. I'm sure many will be upset with me for saying so, but Caitlyn's downfall is going to be Bruce's mentality.

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/201...

News pundits are looking around like they are so surprised that Trump has garnered so much support of the past year. But I'm not. After Obama interrupted Trump's season finale to announce Bin Laden's Death, I'm sure that was a declaration of war to Mr. Drumpf (his real last name). Thus came Trump's lead in the "Birther" charge. And I'm sure all of Obama's jokes during that Correspondents Dinner also was the final slap in the face as well.

This is the scariest time in U.S. politics. The new Racist Reich believes that they are really taking their country. Like White America is losing control and needs to take a stand. The brown people are getting a little too up-iddy since one of them made it into the White House. Republicans have yelled over and over again that Obama has ruined the office. He's weak on defense (instead of being strong on offense). He went on an "Apology Tour". When in my opinion, he fixed the U.S.'s image. Many world leaders breathed a sigh of relief when Obama became president. After dealing with Bush & Cheney and their foolishness it must have been a welcomed change to deal with someone who was articulate and willing to talk civilized. image what will happen if Trump or Cruz get into office. There is already talk of banning both from some countries.

I have been watching the facebook feeds and it is interesting to see everyone fighting for their candidates. I have not said publicly who I am voting for. Mainly because I don't want the campaigning to come to my page. I have a few friends who are very vocal about their beliefs and can't remember that they are not on their page. There's nothing like having a post being high-jacked for someone else's agenda. All I will say is that I am definitely a registered Democrat and I will definitely fight to see that Trump does not make it into the White House.