#mcu reflection asks

[twilight-zoned-out]

When Bob flies up in the air and the Thunderbolts' reaction was "Wait, is that Bob?" it felt like a plot-necessary stretch at first. Even if he is the only "unaccounted for" person in the raid, Valentina's troops had shot him down just moments before. Then I remembered:

Walker was suspicious of Bob from the start

Walker saw Bob's eyes glow

Walker was the first one to ask whether the flying person was Bob

Yelena started getting more suspicious about Bob after talking with him in the electrical room

Their connecting "Bob" to "unidentified flying person" made more sense.

Also, Walker's treatment of Bob in the Silo was 100% out of line, but it also seemed like at one point he was intentionally goading Bob into "revealing" himself as a threat to prove John's suspicion.

[vivitalks]

young and not too wise

relationships: kate bishop & peter parker

rating: T

total word count: 13.3k

important tags: post-hawkeye, post-spider-man: no way home, canon compliant, 3+1 things, angst, humor, hurt/comfort, kate bishop whump, peter parker whump, friendship, identity reveal

warnings: dognapping (HE'S FINE), kidnapping, non-consensual drug use (sedation), panic attacks, canon-typical violence & injury

summary:

Spider-Man does a double-take. “Kate?” he says, and then, stumblingly, “Uh, Bishop? From, uh, I— I recognize you from the— the…news.” “The news?” Kate’s brow furrows. “What are you talking about?” “Yeah, you’re the new Hawkeye,” Spider-Man says. “Right?” (Or: Three times Kate Bishop met Spider-Man, and the one time she learned his name.)

titular installment in the Kate & Peter New York Shenanigans series!! with a moodboard and everything, wow, production value has really gone up on fanfiction these days

[companionjones]

Triple The Trouble

Pairing: Marc Spector/Steven Grant/Jake Lockley x Fem!Reader

Fandoms: Moon Knight, MCU, Marvel

Warnings: Smut, Cursing, Probably incorrect portrayals of Dissociative Identity Disorder, Reader has hair, Google translate Spanish, English and Spanish speaking Reader

*******

You could have almost sworn that you heard that cliché tranquil flute playing as you opened your eyes to a new day. That's how perfect that morning was. The sun was shining sweetly through the curtains, and you were in bed with the loves of your life.

"Good morning, Marc," you greeted with a small smile.

Marc's face reflected yours. He shook his head. "I'll never get over how you can always tell which one of us is fronting."

"It's just easy to me," you said, "I can't explain it."

A mischievous smile flashed across Marc's face. "I'm not asking you to explain anything."

"Oh yeah? What are you asking me to do?" you wondered, playing along.

"I'm asking you to keep looking beautiful while I do this." On the last word, Marc dragged you closer to him by your sides. He leaned in and kissed you.

You giggled at the sudden movement, but quickly relaxed into the kiss.

For a few moments, you and Marc continued to make out. You both smiled into the kiss when Marc rolled on top of you.

He separated from you to ask, "Do you wanna?"

The way he phrased the question made you laugh. "Yeah, I wanna."

After that, Marc continued the kiss with a little more passion. It didn't take him long to start trailing kisses down your neck and torso.

It tickled. "Marc!"

He only separated from you when his face was in line with your cunt. You could feel his warm breath against you as Marc spoke up to confirm, "You sure, sweetheart?"

At that point, you were getting worked up. You nodded fervently down to him while voicing out a "Yeah."

Marc grew more serious before he settled his face into you. Marc's nose nudged against your clit as his tongue licked a long stripe up your folds.

You shivered and hooked a leg onto his back. Little noises betrayed how you were feeling for a few minutes before you full-on gasped when Marc's tongue plunged inside you.

It got harder and harder to form words. Moans were all that would leave your mouth as Marc's tongue pressed in and out of you.

Soon enough, he added his fingers. You cried out. It wasn't long after that when you were cumming.

You took a couple minutes to come down from your climax, but when you did, you noticed that he wasn't above you. Marc was still between your legs.

"Whatchu doin'?" you wondered aloud to him.

Marc was just staring at you with an ocean of desire on his face. You almost couldn't comprehend it.

"Get up here," you smirked, pulling Marc up to you.

As soon as you could reach his lips, you were making out with him again. While doing that, you rolled on top of Marc and reached down to his dick.

Marc moaned loudly as soon as you touched it.

"What? You like that?" you teased with a kiss. "Bet you'll like it more when I go like this..." Sensually, you started giving him a handjob while moving down to kiss and suck on his neck.

He moaned again, and started carding his fingers through your hair. "Y/n..."

Come to think of it, Marc had been rather quiet, not including the moans. Most of the time, he was a lot more talkative during your intimate moments with him.

As if on cue, Marc's face started to show signs of switching who was fronting. You assumed Marc had gotten too overwhelmed with what was happening, and needed someone else to take over. You took your hands completely off him so to not overwhelm whoever was about to come out.

"Hey, Steven," you smiled when you realized who it was.

"Hello, Y/n. I-I'm pleased to...see you again." He was clearly flustered that you were both naked and you sitting on top of him.

"Do you want to keep going? Or--?" you started to question, but Steven interrupted you.

"Keep going! Keep going. Gods, I felt what you were doing to us, and I had to come out. I had to to be a part of this."

Even though you had had sex with Steven many times before, he was still just as in awe of you as he had been the first time he saw you, whether you were wearing clothes or not. You leaned down to kiss him.

Steven turned you guys over so that he was on top, and he started talking while kissing you. "Y/n...I'd...like to...do something...?"

"What's that?" you returned, barely breaking the kiss.

"Can I...I'd like to...fuck you...doggy-style--?"

You immediately broke the kiss and stared at him with your mouth open. A smile was forming on your lips.

"Or if not, totally understandable--"

Before Steven could completely freak out, you brought him down to kiss you again. "Baby, you know you can always do whatever you want to me."

"Well now, don't go saying that. Not that I would ever, ever hurt you, but you never know if...I'll shut up now."

That whole time he was talking, you were getting into position.

Steven quieted down when you bared your ass to him.

That caused you to laugh as he lined himself up with you.

"A-are you ready?" Steven cleared his throat.

You pressed yourself against him. "Go ahead, sweetheart."

Steven audibly swallowed before slowly thrusting into your pussy from behind. You both moaned at the sensation.

"Oh-oh, gods. H-how does that feel?"

"Feels so good, baby." Your legs shook a little when you moved slightly. "How does it feel for you?"

He didn't hesitate in his response. "It feels like I could explode in you right now...Can I move?"

You nodded, already out of breath. "Yeah."

Steven started slowly thrusting in and out of you, and he slowly picked up speed. You let out a high pitched moan each time he entered you, and gasped every time he pulled out.

"Steven!" you squealed.

His breath came out hot against the shell of your ear. "T-tell me I'm doing a good job."

You couldn't think. "You're doing such a good job, baby, Oh. Oh, fuck. God, yes!"

Then, during one of the seconds he was out of you, Steven took a little longer to thrust back inside. Before he did, he roughly pushed you back down to the mattress.

Before the first Spanish word left his mouth, you knew Jake was fronting.

He hunched over to speak into your ear. "Dios, son demasiado saves Contigo, chica. Ambos sabemos lo ques puedes tomar. No es asi? (God, they go too easy on you, girl. We both know what you can take. Isn't that right?)" He didn't miss a word as he deftly moved his hips away and against yours.

"Yes. Yes!" you responded, then unconsciously switched to Spanish yourself. "No pares. Por favor no pares. Ya casi llego--! (Don't stop. Please don't stop. I'm almost there--!)" You reached your peak once more.

It was while he was inside you then that the body switched to Marc fronting again. You vaguely noticed who it was when he started moving again, and moaned, "I'm yours...I'm yours...We're yours!"

Something deep within you told you that all three of your boys were there with you as the body came inside you.

You moaned when he pulled out, and you collapsed onto your back with Marc laying on your chest. You could tell it was him by how he wouldn't let you get up.

"I need to go clean myself up," you lightheartedly reasoned, but he wasn't having it.

Marc whined, "Not yet. Just gimme a couple minutes, okay?"

You chuckled.

"Hey," Marc moved to look at you. "None of us hurt you, right? I felt things get a little intense with Jake there. It's why I came back out."

You shrugged. "Sometimes I like things intense."

Marc seemed satisfied with that answer. He kissed you. He must've switched to Steven during that because those were his eyes you were staring into when the kiss was broken.

Steven smirked at you. "I'll take note of that," he responded to your previous statement. "Now, let me get something to clean you up with, yeah?"

*******

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! Fill up that heart and reblog if you liked it. I would also really appreciate a comment, if you have the time. If you would like to read more, check out my masterlists. Have a nice day, night, or whatever time it is for you! <3 <3 <3

[librababe99]

In the Quiet Hours

A/N: First off, thank y’all so much for showing so much love to the work I’ve posted so far! It’s great to see all the interactions and makes me happy people are sticking around to see more🥹

In honor of hitting 30 followers I decided to write a quick one shot with Scott Summers. Please let me know if there are other X-men OR MCU characters you would like me to write for!  - Libra ✧ : *✧･ﾟ:*

Word Count: 566 CW: Suggestive themes, friends to lovers 

₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨

The dim glow of the X-Mansion hallway lights barely illuminated your path as you made your way to the kitchen for a late-night snack. You weren’t expecting to run into anyone—especially not Scott.

He was leaning against the counter, shirtless, his body bathed in the soft light filtering through the windows. You paused in the doorway, your breath catching at the sight of him. Scott was always disciplined, composed, but here, in the quiet of the night, he seemed… different. His usual intensity softened, a rare vulnerability on display.

“Couldn’t sleep?” he asked, his voice low, almost a whisper. His ruby quartz glasses reflected the faint light, concealing his eyes, but you could feel his gaze on you, heavy and assessing.

“Yeah,” you replied, stepping into the kitchen, suddenly hyper-aware of the space between you. “You?”

He gave a small shrug, a half-smile tugging at his lips. “Something like that.”

You couldn’t tear your eyes away from him, from the way his muscles tensed and relaxed as he shifted his stance, from the way his skin glowed under the faint light. There was an unspoken tension between you, something that had been simmering for weeks, maybe longer. It was there in the way his fingers brushed yours as he handed you a glass of water, in the way your breath hitched at the accidental touch.

“Scott…” You hesitated, your voice barely audible. The air between you felt charged, every second stretching into something more.

He didn’t say anything, just took a step closer, his proximity making your pulse quicken. His hand reached out, gently cupping your cheek, his thumb brushing against your skin in a way that made your heart race. You could feel the heat radiating from his body, the intoxicating scent of him filling your senses.

The tension between you was palpable, electric. His thumb traced the curve of your jaw, sending shivers down your spine. You could sense the restraint in him, the careful control he always maintained, but there was something more now—something raw, something hungry.

“I’ve been thinking about you,” he admitted, his voice hushed, as if afraid to break the spell. “More than I should.”

Your breath hitched, your heart pounding in your chest. “Me too.”

The admission hung in the air, charged with a need that neither of you could ignore any longer. Scott leaned in, his lips hovering just above yours, giving you every chance to pull away. But you didn’t.

When his lips finally met yours, it was slow, deliberate, like he was savoring every moment. His hands slid to your waist, pulling you closer, deepening the kiss with a fervor that made your knees weak. You melted into him, the world fading away until there was nothing but the feel of his mouth on yours, the way his hands gripped you like he never wanted to let go.

When you finally broke apart, you were both breathless, foreheads resting against each other. Scott’s fingers lingered on your waist, his touch firm, possessive.

“This… this can’t be just once,” he whispered, his voice rough, filled with need.

You smiled, your fingers tracing the contours of his chest. “I wouldn’t want it to be.”

The promise lingered between you, a quiet acknowledgment of what had been building for so long. You knew this was just the beginning, that whatever this was between you, it was far from over.

₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨

[sacredsorceress]

I love the fact that we're domesticating this dude 🤭 since we are "fattening" him up maybe he gets a little insecure and we can like cheer him up? OR the other way around for the chubby girls 🧍‍♀️

-🦑

oh my god domesticating wolvie would be my life's mission if i lived on Earth -100005. i went with the first half today because i have my own issues going on and didn't want to accidentally go on about my own insecurities but i'm bookmarking that because gosh logan x chubby!reader is needed asap. anywho here's a lil blurb...

⋆｡°Comforting Roommate!Logan°｡⋆

ask box | logan howlett masterlist

☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

A puff of air escaped Logan's lips.

"No more donuts from now on." He called from the hallway.

You pulled your nose out of your book and raised your eyebrow from where you sat perched on the couch.

"And why not?" You asked, flipping the page.

Peeking over the cover, you watched Logan from where he stood at the hallway mirror critiquing his own appearance. His hands slipped under his t-shirt, pulling the fabric up to his chin to expose his stomach. In the months since he moved in to your apartment, his once-toned abs had smoothed out.

"C'mon, look at me." He said as if the issue were obvious.

"Logan, you only looked like that before because you were dehydrated and hadn't eaten a proper meal in years." You sighed, dropping the now-forgotten book onto the cushions. "Don't compare yourself to that. You weren't healthy, Lo."

You slipped from where you sat into the hallway to join Logan's reflection with your own.

Logan stood silent, tossing over your words in his head. He knew that they had truth to them- that despite the fact that he could survive off beef jerky and whiskey- it wasn't good for him. He had more energy now than he had had in well, decades.

But despite his gruff demeanor and two hundred years roaming the earth, Logan still hadn't found a way to silence the nagging voice at the corner of his mind telling him that he wasn't good enough. Now, that he had found peace with his past, it seemed it found a new culprit.

"Besides... I like it." You said gesturing to his stomach.

Logan, who could find his affections for you to blame for his sudden self-consciousness- not due to any of your actions, but because of how much he desired your approval- had his breath caught in his throat.

He played it off as a scoff.

"Oh c'mon." He argued half in disbelief, and half as a motivation for you to repeat yourself.

"I do!" You replied, staring at your joint reflection. "And so do most women, Logan. It's attractive. Any woman would be lucky to have you."

Your own insecurities slipped through the cracks- you told Logan that any woman would be lucky to have him and it was true; because you would feel lucky to have him. Staring at the two of you side by side you couldn't help but feel your chest grow tight at the realization you were pushing him into other women's arms.

At the same moment, Logan grew hot at your admittance that you found him attractive at all. He didn't even comprehend that you said that any woman out there would be drooling all over him because who the fuck cared if he had your affection? He hadn't so much as glanced at another person since he met you.

"Yeah?" Logan asked, a smile playing on his lips as he dropped his shirt.

You shook the earlier thought from your mind and smiled.

"Yeah." You assured him. "So... we can still get donuts, right?"

Logan laughed and grabbed the keys from the dish beside him.

"Yeah, yeah. C'mon sweetheart." He said ushering you towards the door. "Let's go."

☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

Just a lil blurb that my sleepy mind wrote at 11:30 pm but I could definitely expand on the idea further later on!!

We're chatting about our favourite mcu guys in the ask box, come join us!

[terrimisu]

Just Bob

Prologue

Fandom: MCU | Thunderbolts (Sentry)

Pairing: Bob Reynolds x Reader (Y/N), ensemble cast

Warnings: blood, mental health themes, soft horror, therapy avoidance, surveillance, implied addiction/relapse

Word Count: ~2.1k

⸻

Summary:

Bob says he’s fine. The team wants to believe him. But when strange malfunctions ripple through the Tower and therapy logs show silence instead of progress, Yelena begins to worry. As doubts grow, Valentina reaches out to someone from Bob’s past—someone who might be able to reach him before it’s too late.

Note: Y/N comes in the next chapter.

⸻

Bob was folding laundry—doing the minimal domestic tasks around the tower, as he had been for the last few months.

His eyes softened as he lifted a sheet fresh from the dryer. Ivory-colored. Still warm.

He held it to his nose, catching a whiff of the lavender dryer sheets he’d tossed in on autopilot.

A faint smile pulled at his lips. Then he moved to fold it, tucking the corners under his chin.

But something caught his eye.

A drop of crimson, clear as day, bloomed after the first fold.

He rubbed it with his thumb. It smeared instead—fresh.

His chest tightened.

Not again.

He brought a hand up to his nose.

Wet.

“A-Ah, shit…” he muttered, tossing the sheet into the dirty pile and stumbling toward the elevator.

“F—fuck,” he whispered, weaving down the hallway, head tilted back. The lights above flickered as he passed. Somewhere in the tower, the lab beeping repeated in uneven pulses—like a heartbeat, off-rhythm.

“So Amsterdam was—Bob?” Yelena’s voice cut off mid-sentence as she turned in time to see him stumble past, disappearing into a bathroom.

Bob stared at himself in the mirror. Blood trailed from his nostril, slow and steady. His hands shook as he washed his face and stuffed tissue into both nostrils.

His reflection blinked back at him. Eyes glowing.

Not gold—something colder. Too bright. Too awake.

He didn’t say anything. Just pressed his palms to the sink and lowered his head.

“Bob?” Yelena’s voice came from the doorway.

He didn’t turn. Just groaned as he wiped the rest of the blood from his face.

Yelena’s brow creased.

“Your nose have a period?”

“I—I think it’s stress,” he muttered, barely audible.

She looked at him through the mirror, unmoving.

“I’m fine,” he added, voice flat.

“Promise.”

⸻

The debriefing room sat in heavy silence. Each of them watching Valentina, who stood at the center console, arms crossed, jaw set.

Ava phased through the vault door, moving to sit beside Walker. His boots were propped up on the edge, eyes flicking to the monitor.

“There was another shift last night,” Valentina said, her voice clipped. She turned to the Tower’s power and energy readouts on the screen.

“Are we talking about—” Walker started.

“Bob,” the others said at once.

Valentina sighed as the feed updated. Everything in line—except for a few flagged anomalies: energy grid failure, containment center malfunction, water levels dropping.

Ava stood.

“The energy grid has shorted before. That wing’s overdue for recalibration.”

She moved closer, hands bracing the console.

“Doesn’t mean it has to be him.”

Valentina didn’t look up.

“What else could it be?”

Bucky stepped forward, tapping the console. A camera feed loaded, filling the screen with a hallway outside Bob’s dorm. Mostly quiet. Logs stacked over months.

Then: footage from last week.

Dark shapes blurred across the screen, unrecognizable.

“Is that static?” Ava asked, narrowing her eyes.

Bucky shook his head.

“Too clear.”

The feed cut. Switched to live.

Bob’s door stayed closed. But along the edge of the frame, something slithered into view—jet black, for half a second—then gone.

Bucky rewound, slowing the frame. A dark, humanoid shape. Crawling. Then smoke.

“Great. Ghosts. Just what we needed,” Walker muttered.

Yelena snapped her gaze to him.

“That’s not funny.”

Walker raised both arms, defensive.

“Just saying—it’s tense in here.”

Ava didn’t look away from the screen.

“Whatever it is, it’s not mechanical. The systems are fine.”

Valentina straightened, hands pressing against the console.

“If Bob’s instability grows, we’re not just risking another power surge. Think about what this place holds. Think about what the Void touched last time.”

Yelena stood, shaking her head.

“It can’t be him. He’s been doing therapy. I take him every week.”

Valentina’s stare sharpened.

“And? Have you ever seen him stay?”

Yelena blinked. Slowly. Her mouth parted, but no sound came.

Silence pressed in like static. Her thoughts flickered through—like skipping scenes from an old tape.

She saw herself walking him to the elevator. That morning last week. Bob chewing the inside of his lip. Then his nails. The way the elevator hummed and neither of them said much.

“Bob?” she’d asked, her voice low.

His hands had stilled. He looked at her—startled. Like he’d just remembered where he was. His eyes were the same blue as always.

Just… foggy.

“Y-Yeah?” he’d said.

“You okay?”

Elevator dinged.

“I’m fine,” he replied, walking out. Not glancing back.

She always let him go from there. Sometimes with a coffee. Or a Frappuccino if he looked tired. Something to hold while someone poked around in his head.

But she never watched him go all the way in.

Not once.

“I…” her voice cracked slightly.

“I just walk him in.”

Her face went tight. Her eyes darted toward nothing in particular, scanning for something invisible.

“What do we do?” she asked, looking between the team.

No one answered. The hum of the tower echoed again, louder this time. The lights flickered above them, faint but sharp.

Barnes broke the silence.

“So we don’t even know if he’s seeing anyone?”

Valentina shook her head.

“He goes. That’s logged. But he’s not staying long or really talking. Not anymore.”

She pulled up a series of screens. One feed, one list.

Therapy logs. Nearly a year’s worth. Notes filed under Bob’s sessions, paired with muted security footage from the tower’s clinic.

Ava squinted.

“Isn’t that—kind of an invasion of privacy?”

“No audio,” Valentina said.

“Cameras are for the psychiatrist. Bob’s case is… complicated.”

One file caught her attention. She opened it. Minimal notes:

Session cut short. Subject nonverbal.

She scrolled. Note after note. Jargon-heavy, terse. Scribbled handwriting. You could almost feel the psychiatrist’s frustration in how jagged the pen had moved.

Then: a blank screen. The last week had no entry.

“I can talk to him,” Yelena said quickly.

Alexei spoke up.

“What about missions?”

Valentina nodded once.

“He’s right. You’re still a critical asset. But this—this is something else. This is groundwork.”

She crossed her arms.

“It won’t be easy.”

Bucky leaned forward.

“So if therapy isn’t working—what’s next?”

Valentina hesitated. Then tapped into another file.

“I dug into his rehab history. North Carolina. In and out before Malaysia. One contact stood out.”

She pulled up a card.

Y/N.

“She was in treatment with him,” Valentina said.

“There were notes. Shared housing. Intake overlap.”

Yelena stared at the name.

“There’s something he’s not telling us,” Valentina continued.

“And if he’s not even telling you—”

She looked directly at Yelena.

“Then maybe this is the next best option.”

She paused, voice lowering.

“Because if we don’t get ahead of this, and the Void returns, we’re looking at a PR nightmare. Or worse.”

The team exchanged uneasy glances. Like they all knew she was right—but didn’t like what that meant.

Yelena’s stomach turned.

“Only if it helps Bob,” she said.

⸻

[TBC – Chapter 1 coming soon]

Taglist:

@werewolfgirl1995

@naushtheaspiringauthor

@sapphirest0nes

Taglist open. DM to be added.

A/N: This is my first in-depth fan fiction in about maybe 10 years — I’ve written others but dropped them due to writers block and workload. I’m open to feedback or suggestions!

This fic is also a deep dive into who Bob could have been pre-Malaysia. Talking about his struggles and recovery is just as important as his power.

Hope you guys stick around for more!

⸻

[kingofthewilderwest]

We need to start questioning the conflation of "maturity" with "increased stakes."

It's not to say higher stakes is always a bad choice. The first half of the How to Train Your Dragon book series has an endearingly whimsical, child-like feel. Hiccup's issues in the first half of book one are an obnoxious, cat-sized Toothless pooping in his helmet. The movie adaptation might have made the book and its counterpart distant cousins, but it was a thoughtful move to alter concepts to the appropriately theatrical: books and movies aren't the same medium. Hiccup riding alone on Toothless, exchanging fire blasts with a mountain-sized dragon, and losing his leg came off as well-done storytelling.

Hiccup staring at a prosthetic never happened in the book. He didn't lose his leg in his encounter with the Green Death. It was, as the creative powers behind the movie said, a result of the increased stakes. They didn't do this just to be more dramatic; they did it because it seemed that, based on how their narrative was going, this made sense. And this was a soft, quiet, shocking, breath-taking scene that instilled how good the movie handled its stakes. It gave us a reflective reaction to consequences that audiences might not have expected. This movie understood timing, pauses, quietness, narrative arc, poignance, reflection, emotion, love, and heart.

We know about the conflation of live action as "more mature" than animation. But a medium doesn't change maturity levels. We all know that's bogus, and many analyses have been given on that. Disney live actions add extraneous gunk, down to Gaston having a past relationship with war (so I've heard, from the people who actually watched the movie), and Disney giving us the sad scoop on why Belle's mom isn't around. Furthermore, lots of times, when I see the conversion of animation to live action, I notice creators feel a need to "raise the stakes" -- in line with the erroneous view of "giving maturity."

But "higher stakes" often means inserting action in place of mindful interaction. I feel today's Hollywood movies, in their treatment of "action," don't let movies pause and breathe anymore - ergo, they don't let us think. Isn't it more juvenile to actively avoid thought in favor of "hey look I made the building go boom"? There may be less "stakes" in introspection and mindful dialogue, but that's what gives it its maturity. That's how we went from Iron Man 1, with its grounded treatment of war and abuse, to the mindless high spectacle MCU is today.

Snappy one-liners or moments that clap at contemporary issues don't substitute for maturity. What can make a story mature is characters grappling with issues in a natural narrative through-line. A snappy one-liner is its own form of speedy spectacle.

We know about the conflation of "gore and sex" with "mature audiences." I believe they're right that graphic sex and gore is designed for adults. But that doesn't make it mature, and that doesn't make it the only way to target a medium for adults.

"Realisticness" isn't maturity. Per above regarding animation: realistic visuals are nothing. And if you think that putting more Debbie Downer material into your adaptation makes it more adult, you have to ask yourself why the themes that spoke to people's souls got muddled in its midst. We weren't mature enough to interact with the most subtle, nuanced, and impacting voice of the story. But hey! Look! There's more corpses, I guess!

It's not the visuals, it's not the events. It's not the "things." It's not the basic insertion of the external. Get past the superficial, get past the top layer of presentation. It's the mind. It's the ability to think. It's the ability to be still. It's the ability to be interested and attentive when something is slow or quotidian, because we can understand why that is important for narrative growth or arcs or themes or commentary on the human condition. It's the ability to know when and when not to include something. It's the ability to make resonant impact. It's the ability to be deep with your emotions or your themes. It's the ability to take what you have and grow it in a way by which we can derive something deeper.

Maturity is critical thought and well-conducted, appropriate responses to content of any kind.

As DeBlois tells Empire, the move to live-action brings a different emphasis to How To Train Your Dragon; a new heft, both physically and emotionally. “It’s so dialed-up in terms of stakes — having a fully credible, photo-real dragon stomping around trying to kill him,” the director says.

And maybe that DeBlois quote is taken out of context. Maybe there's more going on than that one sentence conveys. Maybe Empire is making their own erroneous assumptions. But "so dialed-up in terms of stakes," isn't, on its own, a good appeal. The animated movie already dialed things up - and knew when to include or not include something. A live-action that imitates the visuals of the animated movie exactly, as if no independent thought has been done to its unique adaptation, to the pros and cons of the medium, to what a independently-presented story needs and doesn't need... It has to make you wonder: how many conflations of "maturity" are going on?

How long are we going to keep making our own conflations?

[burst-of-iridescent]

well since i can already tell that we’re all going to be subjected to the same old tired mai & mai.ko discourse for the foreseeable future, let’s get it clear right now that the atla comics have never been, and will never be acceptable mediums of character development, and here’s why:

1. the comics are given the benefit of hindsight, which impairs organic character growth.

it’s become extremely clear over the last few years that many of the comics are made as, or include, direct responses to criticisms of the original show — especially when it comes to katara, mai, and the canon pairings. aang didn’t ask katara for consent? look, he’s checking if he can kiss her! mai doesn’t care about fire nation imperialism? here, she’s an anti fascist! iroh was a creep to june? don’t worry, here he is apologising!

many of the things the characters do or say in the comics feel unnatural because they are not written as characters, but as mouthpieces for the creators to address fandom complaints from the original show.

“but that’s good, right? they’re trying to make it better!” i mean… sure? it still doesn’t change the fact that it’s damage control, and that no matter what stories span the middle, the arcs of these characters still begin and end with avatar: the last airbender, and the legend of korra, both of which are fixed and immutable. the comics cannot retroactively fix the issues of either show, because they’ve already been defined as the goalposts of the characters’ lives, and there is no way to undo that.

it’s like if you eat a meal that isn’t to your satisfaction, and maybe the chief makes you another dish, which is all well and good — but it doesn’t fix the fact that the original meal still sucked! sometimes, accepting criticism means accepting that there’s no way to go back and fix it but to do better next time, with the next story you wish to tell.

if the legend of korra didn’t exist, and the arcs of the characters were left open after atla, then maybe there would be for the room for the comics to function as character development if not for the fact that…

2. the comics are intended for a very different audience than the show.

it’s obvious that the audience for the original show vastly outnumbers the audience for the comics, likely by thousands, if not millions. this isn’t the mcu, where the installation of any atla property is vital to understanding the next, and so on. you can skip the comics and miss nothing whatsoever (and honestly your life would be far improved by doing so).

those who read the comics are likely only the real diehard fans of the show — and the creators know this, which is why we have the whole issue of point one above. but this difference in audience matters, because it reflects the significance of the story being told, and how important it is for the audience to know it. this is why, if the characters’ development and storylines in the comics truly, genuinely mattered, it would have been in the show already.

i’m not saying that the gaang wouldn’t have continued to grow and change post-atla, but generally stories exist as closed circuits, self-contained within themselves. when you end atla, you’re meant to believe that those arcs are finished. that’s the whole reason the comics deal mostly with fun silly adventures, or with quick, temporary conflicts instead of grand, overarching narratives, because they are not truly meant to function as a continuation of the story of atla, or its characters.

(if you ask me frankly, they’re meant to be nostalgia cash grabs, but that’s neither here nor there.)

creator intention matters with the atla comics (or any atla property, in fact), because creator intention was the subject of criticism for the original show in the first place. why must we rely on the comics or the cookbook or avatar legends to tell us that katara did things with her life outside of aang? why do we need to turn to something released nearly two decades after atla to find any evidence that mai denounced the fire nation’s imperialist indoctrination, when she’s romantically involved with one of the show’s most important characters? why are these stories relegated to a medium with far less reach, far too late?

the answer is that the writers didn’t find those stories to be originally worth telling, and that is the real problem fans have been pointing out since 2008.

so, tldr:

[flightlogmcu]

Hey so Sam Wilson as a character is flawed (exists only to score the bl*ck points) and one dimentional which is why people don’t resonate with him as opposed to previous captain (not that that one was any… marvel to behold). It doesn’t help that the actor is a trump supporter…. Flop all the way, Capitan Floptina more like it

You goin on about how he’s the new jesus is kinda proving that represnetion for representation sake is enough for those here without any critical thinking skills lol

Since we're talking about critical thinking, let's have an actual critical analysis of Sam Wilson. (That is if you can actually read more than three paragraphs)

First and foremost, no one appreciates representation for representation sake. Including people who advocate for it. That's why thing such as the Bechdel test and The Duvernay Test exists. It comes off as disingenuous and done poorly half the time. Ironically enough, Disney is notorious for this and it bleeds into Marvel Studios on a regular.

However, it is odd to even consider Sam Wilson for quote unquote "black points" (not sure why you had to censor that) when Sam Wilson has existed as a character since the 60s and has been Captain America in the comics since 2015. He's a prominent character within the comics that was then brought to screen. As thus the natural progression of the MCU.

Sam Wilson as a character in the MCU invites discussion on the idea of not only the role of Captain America but the idea of what America is.

The parallels between him and Steve within The Falcon & The Winter Soldier and (somewhat) within Brave New World provide a perspective in which we are to question what America stands for.

Hofstede's cultural onion model (since I have to stop writing my thesis to address this dumbass message, you're gonna get my thesis talk) reflects the manifestation of culture with layers. One of those layers is Heroes.

Heroes are persons, alive or dead, real or imaginary, who possess characteristics which are highly prized in a culture, and who thus serve as models for behavior.

And by all accounts, Sam Wilson should fit that ideal model: he's active duty military, smart, and (if we were to look within the universe itself) an ordinary man capable of following in Steve's footsteps.

The only issue is that he is black. His accolades and character no longer matter because racism and anti-blackness is wrapped within the fabric of America.

This then points to the discourse of Captain America: what (and who) does the hero represent?

Steve Rogers represented the true to form American hero of the 40s and 50s. Blond haired, blue eyed man with super strength that punched Hitler. Questioning authority and being an immovable object. It represents (whether that is who Steve Rogers truly is or not) an old America at the top of it's imperial game. It intends to reflect brute strength and power through said strength. No questions asked.

Contrast that with Sam Wilson in the modern era. A black man from the south serving in the air force. Prioritizing conversational tactics alongside sheer human strength. No serum needed. He represents a post-vietnam, post-globalization America. An America that has changed in it's values since Steve Rogers was in his prime. He is to reflect what America is today; a *trigger warning cause I know the snowflakes hate this word* diverse country that is intended to be a beacon of hope through compassion that will still fight you and persevere out of spite.

Sam Wilson does not exist just to be black. Most black characters aren't and shouldn't be. The existence of black superheroes and any black character in media is to add a different perspective that invites conversation that would not be considered if we went along with the status quo. And that's for any underrepresented group.

[waywardblazer]

Winter Cottagecore

Bucky Barnes x Reader

warning(s) — fluffy, comfort, momentary angst and implied smut at the end

word count — 2.0k

summary/prompt — (cottage!au) in the wake of the coldest month of the season, hidden in a small cottage in the woods, who better to brave the storm with than the Winter Soldier.

a/n — we’re back in business babyyyy!! any of those moments got u kicking and squealing?? idk how rusty i am but here we go—with the thunderbolts trailer released my bucky obsession resurfaced. i'm scared to see what they did to our precious boy so fellow buck wild fans come and get your soft Bucky content to heal your broken hearts before the mcu breaks them even more than it already has :’(

(divider credits to @whimsicalrogers)

Rain belted against the window as snowflakes drifted down, coating the ground and the tops of the trees in a sea of white. A heavy mist filled the air shielding the night sky above and creating an eerily beautiful scene. The melodically haunting howl of the wind echoed as it slipped through the crack under the wooden door.

You stood staring out beyond the glass at the wild weather. The soft crackling of the flames from the open fireplace was almost as calming as the warmth that radiated throughout the room. You pulled your thick cotton shawl further over your shoulders, breathing in the scent of fire, wood and the remaining berry tea you’d made for yourself earlier.

“There’s my sweet love.” A low and soft voice murmured into your ear as you felt hands slowly snake around your waist.

“Bucky.” You whispered, leaning into his embrace and closing your eyes as he rested his head upon your shoulder.

Both of you stood in content silence for a short time.

“How are we feeling tonight sweetheart?” He asked like the gentleman he was, nustling into your neck lovingly.

You giggled softly at the sensation, your eyes still resting on the outside world in front of you despite your attention being drawn to the super soldier behind you.

“I’m alright.” You replied quietly.

He raised an eyebrow, aware that you’d see it through the reflection of the window. “Just alright? Well, that’s not good enough, we can’t have that now can we.”

It was a rhetorical response as Bucky lifted his head off your shoulder. He then skilfully and gently spun you around so you were facing him, being careful not to hurt you with his metal arm as he did. All the while not breaking his hold.

“I can help, if you’ll let me.”

He stared down at you with his soft but utterly mesmerizing steel blue eyes that in all your years of knowing him never ceased to steal your breath away. You were completely entranced by his gaze. All thoughts that had previously occupied your mind were now a distant memory.

Life tended to move fast, so much so that neither of you had ever had a chance to just stop and enjoy it. Since Bucky was no longer at war and had regained control over his life you had decided to take him on a little winter getaway. Just the two of you, in hopes that it would help ease his ever racing mind and soothe some of his pain. Even though you had checked the weather before coming, it had only spoken of the cold so nothing had prepared either of you for the brutal storm that had blown in unannounced. You were lucky to have remembered to have stocked up on food and warm clothes.

The wind kicked up again and a draught slipped in through the crack under the door breaking your concentration on the soldier and causing you to recoil slightly with a shiver.

A frown passed over Bucky’s face and he stepped away from you, taking your hand while his vibranium one gently pressed against your back as he guided you over to the soft velvet couch that sat in front of the fireplace.

“Wait here.” He uttered as he sat you down before leaving your side and disappearing upstairs.

You pulled your legs up close towards your chest, snuggling down into the corner of the couch. Your fingertips traced meaningless shapes into the velvet.

Just as quickly as he’d left, he returned holding a large blanket and an old draft stopper which he placed by the door, pushing it with his foot to ensure it was secure. He then wandered back over to you and wrapped the blanket around you, stroking your hair before placing a light kiss on the top of your head.

“Thank you dear Bambi.” You mumbled, watching as he dropped his gaze to the floor, a soft smile appearing on his face. The out of pocket nicknames you seemed to come up with for him always made him chuckle.

It warmed your heart to witness that smile knowing too well how rare it was with all that he seemed to carry on his shoulders which often left him with a heavy weighted stare that scared and intimidated anyone who didn’t know him.

You tapped the empty spot next to you, “stay with me?” You asked quietly.

“Of course darling, I’m not going anywhere.” He muttered gently, flopping down beside you with a relieved sigh.

You manoeuvred your body so you could curl up against him. He rested his arm over you and at the same time his vibranium arm dangled over the armrest.

A few moments later, without any warning the wind made the door of the cottage bang aggressively against its hinges causing Bucky to startle, panic rising inside of him as his head snapped up in the direction of the sound. You happened to have your hand resting against his chest so you felt his heart rate spike.

You sat up a little, “hey, it’s alright Buck.” You reassured him.

He returned his gaze back to you, noticing the look of concern in your eyes. He was hit with a pang of guilt. “Scuze,” (sorry) he whispered, switching almost instinctively to Romanian.

“No no, don’t apologise my love. After everything you’ve been through you’re allowed to be scared.” You raised your hand to gently caress his cheek with your fingers. Feeling him lean into your touch you smiled. “You’re safe, you don’t need to be a soldier right now. It’s just us. You can just be Bucky.”

He slid his arms back around you once again, pulling you close to him. You rested your head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat as it steadied with every breath.

You could have stayed like that for hours and really there was nothing stopping you.

The combination of the wind outside and the rain falling against the roof sounded almost like a song. The fire crackled and illuminated the room in a soft orange glow. It was actually the sound of the kettle whistling that pulled your attention away. You looked up at Bucky knowingly and without a word you sat yourself up to allow him to stand.

“Would you like some more tea, pebble?” He asked, looking over at you.

“Yes please.” You replied with a gentle nod.

Bucky disappeared into the kitchen. Only to return a few minutes later with two cups of tea. He carefully gave the one in his metal hand to you, holding it so you could grab the handle.

“It’s hot sweetheart, please be careful.” He cautioned.

You nodded and smiled gratefully at his concern. There was literal steam rising from the surface of the liquid and so you placed the mug down on the table to let it cool for a bit. You leant back into the couch, tugging the blanket around yourself as it had slipped down when you had moved.

You rotated your head to stare out the window from where you were sitting, a gentle sigh leaving you. In all honesty, this hadn’t been exactly what you’d had in mind when you had suggested spending some time away. You’d been hoping for some down time, sure, but also the thought of a peaceful walk through the wintery woods had been your driving reason for coming—besides Bucky of course—you had always been one to enjoy being out in nature rather than being confined indoors. So this really was no picnic for you.

Bucky must have noticed your slight shift in mood because he uttered, “you know. There might be a storm right now but think of the pretty angels and snowmen we can make once it’s over.”

You turned to look at him, your eyes glistening with excitement upon hearing his words.

“I’m sure we can spare a carrot or two for a nose.” He continued with a soft grin. “And we’ll find some sticks to make arms.”

“And pebbles for eyes!” You added with a light giggle.

Bucky laughed softly before taking another sip of his tea, his eyes never leaving you as he did. There was just something about you that left him all giddy like a love struck puppy.

You leant forward, picking up your cup of tea off the table. You brought it up to your lips and took a tentative sip to test the temperature. It was sweet like berries with a hint of honey and mint just the way you liked it. You gulped down more with a satisfied sound, feeling the tea warm your insides.

You stole a glance over at Bucky seeing that he’d put his mug down and was still staring at you. All of a sudden you felt hyper aware. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” You whined defensively, clutching your mug close to you.

“No reason, you’re just really cute.” His eyes were beaming as brightly as his smile.

You looked away quickly before returning your gaze back up at him again. You felt a faint heat rising on the tips of your ears and across the back of your neck as you softly bit down on your lip. You had choked on any remark that you had wanted to make. It wasn’t often that you got flustered but when you did it was always because of Bucky.

Taking one more sip of your tea, you put the mug back down.

A rumble of thunder echoed off in the distance signaling an incoming storm. You had barely noticed how the sounds of the current storm had calmed down over the past twenty minutes.

“I’m not cute.” You mumbled insistently, shooting Bucky a soft disapproving glare but dropped it shortly after, finding yourself unable to hold his dazzling blue gaze.

The sunshine smile on his face morphed into what you could only interpret to be a flirtatious grin as he placed a hand under your chin gently forcing you to look up at him causing your stomach to flip as your heart skipped a beat.

With a slight growl he muttered, “you are.”

You melted right there and then.

He left no time for you to argue because he pulled you into a kiss. The hand that had previously rested on your chin, now slinked down to your hip. He paused for a moment as if silently asking if you were okay, but when you gave him no objections he used his vibranium arm to support himself as he guided you to lie down. He climbed on top of you, causing you to giggle adorably as his eyes remained locked on yours.

“How are you feeling now, sweetheart?” He recalled his question from earlier.

This time you held his gaze unwaveringly, the light heat had spread to your cheeks.

“Better, t-thanks to you.” You stammered.

It continued to confuzzle him as much as it did you to think about how he’d become so lucky to have you in his life. He could never seem to understand, no matter how hard he tried.

“Я тебя люблю, Y/N.” He murmured.

Of all the people in this universe and you chose him.

A thunder rumble louder than before echoed across the sky causing the room to vibrate as the rain began to fall again just as fast as you had for the soldier above you.

“I love you too Bucky.”

He smiled warmly at your words, using his right hand to gently tuck a strand of hair behind your ear and out of your face. “Y/N?”

He looked away from you for only a moment as if reconsidering.

“Yes?” You prompted him, furrowing your brows softly in curiosity.

When he looked back, you searched his eyes, trying to get a sense of his thoughts which you were usually good at doing but there was something behind his eyes that you couldn’t quite read. Even when he spoke his next words, all you could feel was the weight of importance.

“I’m with you ‘til the end of the line.”

He knew you would never understand the true meaning behind what he’d said, but it didn’t matter. He meant every word now, just as he had the first time he’d said it to the best friend he’d loved all those decades ago.

You stared at him for a minute, taking in his words before grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him into another kiss.

“As am I. It’s just us, til the end of the line.”

© 2024 | waywardblazer

𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒃𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒔 !! ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

[traincat]

I know you've probably got dozens of other asks about this exact topic, but I'm gonna ask anyway.

What did you think of the new Fantastic Four trailer?

you're actually the first lol. uh, mixed feelings! I like the retro look of it. I'm still not really sold on most of the casting, but it's hard to judge off a two minute trailer, so I'm trying to keep an open mind. I did really like the shot of Ben looking at his reflection in the window, that felt properly Kirby/Lee, and Johnny falling like the damsel he is was intriguing. (I don't love the hair but at least he's blond.) HERBIE was there! and classic Galactus. so I was pleased about those things.

what I didn't like was that they didn't go all in on Ben's Lower East Side accent, which just feels, hm, a little avoidant to me? and obviously Sue's hair looks incredibly out of place with the rest of the sixties aesthetic. I thought the "Ben was always a rock, Johnny was always... Johnny, and I'm right here" line was lazy, because you have references to Ben and Sue's powers but Johnny just gets Johnny'd. but it's not like I'm expecting the screenplay of the year or anything.

idk I'm not like, y'know, the MCU and I are not friends, but I'm keeping an open mind and I'm looking forward to a longer trailer.

[talenlee]

TLT: Pride and Rage In Queer-Enough Bodies

I’m a little gunshy about writing about The Locked Tomb and queerness because on the one hand it’s really fucking obvious, and on the other hand, last time I did it, someone decided to well-actually me about how Jod probably wasn’t actually bisexual while talking about the time in the book where Jod had sex with a man and a woman at the same time.

Oh spoilers for one of the books I guess.

Like let’s face it you gotta be pretty dedicated to pretending bi guys don’t exist that watching a guy fuck a girl and a guy at the same time to sit there, expanding brain meme style and ask yourself the hard questions of what does he mean by this.

The obviousness of queerness in The Locked Tomb starts at the pitch. The story was sold, to an audience, as lesbian necromancers in space, which in hindsight, is pretty unfair. After all, Harrow’s a necromancer, sure, but Gideon’s just a loser. Still, we’re talking about a book whose pitch starts with the word lesbian, and you can tell that Gideon and Harrow are lesbians because neither ever asks one another to go on a date but they’ve been swimming naked together.

I suppose I should put up a proper spoiler fold. Hey, I’m going to talk about how people relate to their own bodies in the context of The Locked Tomb! Spoilers for the whole series of books, dead ahead!

As a disclaimer, I’m not striving to be comprehensive about this consideration. I’m sure that when the side stories get involved, there’s more to it. I haven’t read Dr Sex or Unwanted Guest or whatever other secondary narrative pieces are out there that those going Alectonuts are hoovering up and reprocessing in the pursuit of the Slightest Morsel.

The Locked Tomb truly exists in a world reflecting on our now in that it’s a world where everyone is beautiful and nobody is fucking. Jod fucks, as I said, but the story that follows characters that almost by definition do not fuck. When Jod speaks of his history in Nona the Ninth there’s almost an apologetic eliding of the way people’s bodies behave. In Harrow the Ninth, Jod speaks awkwardly of the way that people had bodies, bodies that were hot, but then doesn’t mention if any of them were using their bodies to, you know, do anything.

We get only a few instances of actual sex in the world of The Locked Tomb. Gideon has thirsts; she keeps pornographic magazines and she’s easily distracted by a hot girl in a swimsuit. The Lyctors sit around discussing how hot their lost friends are. Nona’s opinions about what makes someone sexy is a whole thread of clues for her ‘real’ identity.

There’s this phrase – everyone is sexy and nobody is horny, or something in that vein. It’s a term used to describe the way that models and actors have gotten more attractive but also less real and the result is a landscape of media where an audience doesn’t find the characters sexy or sexualisable. I don’t get it when it’s used to claim that like, the MCU is full of people who don’t fuck, but I’ve given up on understanding the people who want to make broad, sweeping structural claims about that space. To me, the thing that applies here is the notion that you can have a world of people who find each other and things hot, but there are social boundaries that mean that every alternative to sex is preferable to sex.

When Harrow watches a threesome kick off between three people who are by most accounts, pretty attractive (no matter how ordinary Jod looks), she’s revolted by it. Commander Wake’s plot involves making a baby, and it’s described as a kind of vile chemistry experiment that she’s deeply upset to have to do. Pyrrha is described as being incredibly hot, then she spends her time playing momdad to Nona in a hijacked body that would be, at the very least, a ‘little clocky.’

It’s an interesting series to discuss in terms of modern queerness and it demonstrates a certain tumblr form of queer discourse. Particularly, it’s a setting where conventional rules about gender and presentation are so past where we are now, that there’s unremarkable stuff in the text. Nobody spends their time talking about how Pyrrha is tragically trapped in a masc body. There are theys and thems in the community around and nobody remarks on it. Multiple characters’ souls are transplanted into bodies of a different type, and many of the Lyctors have a soul of a different gender in a body that wasn’t originally assigned that type.

Basically, everything is so baseline queer that there’s not a lot of ways that the story discusses that queerness in the text. There’s no talk about bisexuality or lesbianism in universe because those words don’t have meaningful application.

Thing is this means there’s a lot of conversation about things that aren’t sex that are treated as sex. Then when it comes time for the characters to express intimacy it’s always through some kind of proxy. Gideon and Harrow submerge themselves in water to have the conversation about Harrow’s anxieties. Harrow and Ianthe get hot and heavy over building Ianthe’s arm. This also means that there’s a lot of close relationships that thanks to this no-fucking world, look really incesty! Colum and Silas’ relationship looks weird, and Coronabeth and Ianthe also looks weird, and it might not even be because they are weird, but they’re sure not fighting how it looks.

There are things that are gender that aren’t gender, too! Pyrrha is not treated as a person questioning her gender in a body that doesn’t concur with it. Nobody’s scouring the waste looking for estradiol because that can help her with dysphoria, and indeed, dysphoria appears to be a kind of unheard of concept in the space. Not saying it can’t be there, but people don’t need an explanation for how their souls and bodies don’t align because souls exist and you can pull them out of bodies and do weird shit with them.

What it means is that talking about The Locked Tomb as a specific topic in Pride can feel redundant; you either dig down into one specific thing or you stumble around just pointing at the things that exist. This is a world that’s so queer, and so fucky, but also so repressed that it’s easier to see horrifying dental surgery as fucking than sleeping in the same bed.

It’s almost like it’s Catholic art or something.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

[vivalas-vega]

fine line / part two

decided to post all four of the parts I have written - cannot confirm when the next parts will be coming but this is kind of our setting stage and feels like a good dump before we get into the rest of it. please please please let me know what you think!

fine line / mcu x reader / part two

part one

summary: Three kids from Brooklyn. A war that asks too much. And a woman with secrets stitched into every seam.

to be tagged in future works, please turn on post notifications for @vegaslibrary

word count: 1k

warnings: (not specific to this part, but for the series as a whole. this fic is 18+, you are responsible for your own media consumption). language, angst, drinking, smut, violence, references (and descriptions) of bucky's abuse within hydra, canon-typical situations - this is the mcu y'all, shit will get a little crazy, and a little devastating

Summer, 1943

The streets were quiet, the lights of Brooklyn casting long reflections in the puddles still hanging on from an early morning rain. You moved through the dark with your collar turned up and hands shoved in your pockets, a folded note pressed tight between your fingers. 

Tomorrow morning. Project Rebirth. S.R. is the candidate. Figured you’d want to know. Word is, you’re leaving.

You knew who it was, the contact who’d arranged your intelligence drops and off-the-books assignments since the start. He was the only person in this new world you were joining that you trusted to slip into your shop while you were away, the only person who knew exactly where you looked for secret messages.

You had been confused when you first read it, surely this couldn’t be about Steve Rogers. Your Steve, the one you’d known what felt like your whole life. But really, there was no other S.R. this could be about, frankly no one else you would care about. Steve was the only one left on this side of the world with a piece of your heart. You had to stomach the fact that your best friend was signing up for something you’d only heard whispers about… something that sounded like the ramblings of a mad scientist.

You slipped into the compound with a forged clearance badge, hidden in the envelope along with the note, and a stolen file folder. Your face wasn’t one most recognized, and those who did knew to pretend they didn’t. Whatever you were here for hadn’t crossed their desks so it wasn’t their place to interject, and you were trusted. Valuable.

As you walked down the hallway you passed an older man muttering something about a drink, who gave you nothing more than a distracted nod. He didn’t stop you, no one did. You found Steve sitting on a cot in a white undershirt, bent over a book he wasn’t really reading. His hands were fidgeting in his lap and there was a pinched look to his expression that you knew all too well.

“Bad time?” you asked from the doorway.

He looked up, startled, and then softened when he saw you. “Button,” he started, standing so fast the book hit the floor. “What are- how did you-”

“I know people,” you replied simply, stepping inside. “One of them thought I might like to know you’ve signed up for a top secret government project.”

He gave a small smile, ducking his head as bashful as ever. “Guess the cat’s out of the bag.”

“I guess it is.” You walked over slowly, taking in the slight tremble in his fingers, the tension in his shoulders. He looked like a boy playing soldier in boots two sizes too big. It broke your heart.

“You okay?” you asked, quieter.

He gave you a look, “you think I’m scared?”

“I think you’ve been scared every day of your life,” you said, “but it’s never stopped you.”

Steve’s breath caught. He sat back down and searched your face like he didn’t know whether to thank you or beg you to stay. “What if it doesn’t work? Or worse- what if it does work and I become something I’m not?”

You sat beside him, close enough that your knees bumped. “You’re already strong, Steve. This won’t turn you into something new, it’ll just show them what Bucky and I already see.”

He turned his head, studying you. “You’ve always believed in me.”

“I have,” you said, smiling softly. “I’m glad someone else finally does, too.”

“You’re leaving, aren’t you?” He swallowed. “This is a goodbye.”

“No,” you replied. “It’s not a goodbye, it’s… It’s an I’ll see you after the war.”

“What if I don’t see you after the war?”

“You will,” you reassured, even though you were in no position to make promises.

“Bucky didn’t want you to,” he tried, jaw tense.

“Bucky’s not the only one that gets to fight,” you said, voice soft. “And you- you’re finally going to be seen the way I’ve always seen you. You’ll be off to fight, too. I can’t be left here, with the ghosts of both of you haunting me on every street corner. We’ve all got jobs to do, Steve.”

He exhaled hard. “You’ll be careful?”

“No,” you replied with that mischievous smirk of yours. “But I’ll be smart.”

He chuckled, quiet and rough. “You always were. Too smart, maybe.”

You reached a hand out to rest on his cheek for a soft moment, knowing the next time you saw him, if you saw him, he wouldn’t look like this. He wouldn’t look like your Steve. “Don’t do anything stupid tomorrow.”

“I can’t promise you that, Button,” he said and you let out a quiet laugh.

“If something goes wrong…” you hesitated as your hand fell, not wanting to finish the thought.

He met your gaze, eyes steady. “I’ll find my way back. I promise.” It wasn’t the first promise you’d heard this week, but it settled you all the same. If these boys of yours promised you something, they’d do everything in their power to follow through. You trusted them to keep their word.

You shifted quickly, wrapping your arms around him and pulling him in for a tight hug, and though surprised he immediately reciprocated. “I love you, Steve Rogers, you know that?” you asked. “And even if this war separates us, I want you to know that I’ll always believe in you. I’m always proud of you.” 

Those small arms of his squeezed you with a might you didn’t know he was capable of before he pulled away, “me too, Button.” he said, and you knew that was all he could muster right now. You’d promised this wasn’t a goodbye, but it was. You both knew it. You stood and took one last look at him- the boy who’d never stopped trying, and for the first time all week you felt something close to relief. He would be okay. He’d be more than okay… and you could leave without feeling like you were abandoning him.

“I’ll see you on the other side, Rogers.” You smiled, small and steady, just for him.

“See you on the other side,” he said, and he seemed like he just might believe it.

prev part / next part

[aurumacadicus]

This is more AA than MCU but I can't imagine AA Tony doing this lmao.

--

"Mr. Stark," Peter said, looking up from his phone.

"I'm not doing another TikTok," Tony answered immediately, not looking up from his tablet.

Peter scoffed, as if he wasn't going to suggest just that. "I was just going to ask if you ever wondered what Captain America sees when he looks at you."

Tony lifted his head, preemptively exhausted. "His name is Steve."

"It feels illegal to call him that," Peter said defensively. "Do you know how many times I've had to watch his school specials? 'So. You got detention.'"

Tony turned to look over the couch at him. "Would it make you feel better if I told you that it took him six takes because the first five, he followed it up with 'you fucked up' instead of 'you messed up?'"

"Yes," Peter answered. He began tapping frantically at his phone. Probably trying not to look suspicious as he asked JARVIS for access to the blooper reels. "You didn't answer my question."

Tony sighed, closing his eyes, then turned to look at him again. "I know what Steve sees when he looks at me. I'm out of the bathroom and ready for work by the time he gets back from his runs."

Peter blinked back at him, probably going for innocent and failing, because Tony knew him. "No, I mean how you look from his height. You're five-seven--"

"Five foot eight," Tony cut in. "And Steve's six feet tall. It's not like he's a giant and I'm an oompa loompa."

"Steve's six-foot-three," Peter told him gently.

"Steve is not two thirds of a foot taller than me," Tony sputtered, offended. He was a perfectly respectable five-eight and Steve was a frustrating six-foot brick. He was not three inches taller than that. Tony would not allow it.

"He is," Peter assured him, with that same gentle tone. "JARVIS?"

Tony whipped his head around to glare at one of JARVIS's cameras. There was a long pause, as if he was considering his answer. Finally, though, he replied, "From current measurements, Mr. Parker seems correct in his assertions."

"Not if I take him out at the knees," Tony hissed.

Peter stared at him for a very long time, looking unsure of whether he wanted to continue the conversation. Finally, though, he rallied. "I think we should see what Steve sees."

"My beautiful face," Tony answered sternly, looking back down at his tablet. He poked at some measurements for the engine he was designing for a moment, then turned to scowl at him. "And how do you suggest we do that?"

Peter finally hopped off his stool and walked over to the nearest wall, crawling up so he could fix his phone to it at the proper height with some webbing. He tapped at the camera for a moment, then hopped back down onto the ground and waved up at it. "Ta-da! This should be about the height of Steve's eyes."

Reluctantly, Tony set his tablet aside and got up off the couch. He already didn't like what he was seeing in the camera from a distance.

"Why is there a camera on the wall?" Natasha asked, stepping out of the elevator. She began moving toward the kitchen, circling the camera's main view.

"We're checking to see what we look like to Steve," Peter offered.

Tony grimaced as he looked up into the camera. "Oh my god. Natasha, come here."

"No," Natasha answered. "I'm hungry."

"I look like I should be," Tony began, covering his mouth in horror as he moved from side to side. "Oh my god." He turned back to the camera and lifted his hands up like he would to wrap them around the back of Steve's neck. "I look like I should be saying 'up,'" he finished tearfully.

Natasha appeared beside him a second later, looking horrified in the camera's reflection. "This is what he sees when he looks at me?"

"You're even smaller than I am, what the fu--" Tony covered his mouth again, dropping his gaze down to his feet so he couldn't see the video anymore. He tipped his head up to look through his lashes, unable to help wondering what that looked like to Steve, and let out a howl of dismay. No wonder Steve always teased him about pouting when he was in a sulk or mad.

Natasha took a step closer and looked like she instantly regretted it. She pulled a knife. It didn't look threatening, even to her, and she knew she'd follow through on a stab. "Oh," she said, and then her hands flew to her head, turning away from the camera. "Oh my god Tony."

"This is the worst thing that's ever happened to me," Tony whispered, reaching up to grab the phone down.

"Thor's taller," Natasha choked out.

Tony froze, hand halfway toward the phone, then let out a scream and crumpled to the ground as if he'd been shot.

Peter grabbed his phone while Tony and Natasha were recovering and bolted for the elevator. He didn't want them blaming him for this revelation. He passed Steve, Thor, and Clint as he was rushing out of the lobby and managed a short but sincere, "I'm sorry for what's about to happen to you."

"What?" Steve called after him, aghast, but Peter didn't turn.

[starkparade]

STONY BINGO! 2024 Round 2 Masterpost by starkparade

Saying goodbye to @cap-ironman STONY BINGO! 2024 Round 2, and with it to my first and favorite bingo card! I really loved all these prompts, and I'm so glad some of them made it to my new card so I still have a chance to create for them. For now, I'm proud to announce that I MANAGED TO GET A BINGO!!! I needed to use two Monthly Missions for it to replace squares, but I did it ❤️

Below are the 9 MCU and 3 comics (616 and Avengers Twilight) stevetony fics that filled my squares!

S4 - "Good Morning, Beloved."

Morning Light (MCU, E, 1.8k)

Morning Sex, Mild Somnophilia Tony can’t sleep in complete darkness, and Steve can’t stay asleep once the sun comes up. Most mornings, Steve just gets out of bed quietly so he wouldn't disturb Tony's sleep, but this time he can't bring himself to.

S5 - Writing Format: Non-Linear

Go Away (Please Stay) (MCU, M, 4.6k)

Divorced Tony, Getting Back Together Steve and Tony were together for four years before breaking up due to the events of Civil War. Since then, Tony got back together with and divorced from Pepper. When seven years after their breakup Steve seeks Tony out in his lakehouse, Tony has to decide if he has it in him to give their relationship another chance.

T2 - Super Soldier Serum

Who Wants to Live Forever (MCU, T, 2.8k)

Major Character Death, Immortality It turns out that not being able to get drunk is far from being the worst and only unfortunate side effect of the serum. As the years go by, Steve notices he has not been aging. Everyone else, including Tony, has been.

T3 - Universe: MCU

all the same (or even more) (MCU, E, 3k)

Amputee Tony, Intimacy Issues The worst part of every day since using the Stones to stop Thanos cost Tony his arm is baring himself and laying his prosthetics to rest for the night before joining Steve in bed without them. That's until Steve decides to show him just how much he adores every single one of his scars.

O3 - FREE SPACE

with you (in never-ending twilight) (Avengers Twilight, E, 5.1k)

Body Dysmorphia, Intimacy Issues In the dystopian future of Avengers: Twilight, Steve found out that Tony had survived the devastating H-Day that had claimed the lives of many heroes and led to the rise of a totalitarian government twenty years ago. After Steve rescues Tony from captivity, they must face their feelings for each other. The problem is, Tony's body is now reduced to his disembodied head. How could he ever be good enough for Steve like this?

O4 - Canon: Casualties of War

The Price (616, M, 2.1k)

Major Character Death, Anger Issues Steve never meant for this to happen. He agreed to meet Tony at the Mansion, hoping the fact that Tony asked him to meet meant he reflected on his mistakes and was willing to see Steve's side. But he wasn't. He kept insisting, and kept telling Steve that he needed to stand down. And Steve— Steve saw red.

O5 - First Kiss

Romcom Fantasies (MCU, T, 4.8k)

Too Many Beds, Misunderstandings Tony runs into Steve at the airport, and when the hotel Tony booked in Washington DC abruptly cancels his reservation, Steve offers him to stay the night at his place. It sounds like something straight out of Tony's romcom fantasies starring Steve, except Tony is convinced that Steve is in love with someone else.

Y2 - After The End

Close It (MCU, T, 3k)

Major Character Death, Soulmates AU Steve had to make the hard call to prevent the nuclear blast going off inside the wormhole from reaching the island of Manhattan. As a result, Tony Stark never made it back. Steve did what he had to, and yet his guilt is eating him alive and he can't figure out just why he is so affected.

Y4 - picture prompt (after a mission)

The Fun Way (MCU, E, 1.7k)

Blow Job, Resolved Sexual Tension Tony is convinced Steve keeps harping on about him putting himself in danger on missions because he is frustrated about something else entirely. He has an idea how to relieve that frustration.

Y5 - Wrong Number

Making the Right Call (MCU, T, 6.1k)

Civil War Fix-It, Getting Back Together Tony and Steve have not spoken to each other since that fateful day in Siberia. However, when Steve gets gravely injured in a fight and thinks he is going to die, he goes to find Tony in his workshop so he can see him one last time.

November Monthly Mission: Getting Together

love (if it means you) (MCU, E, 10k)

Demisexual Steve, Abandonment Issues Steve isn't a puritan prude, thank you very much. He may not have had partnered sex, but it's not because of some moral conviction or a conscious choice of abstinence. He simply never felt like he needed a partner. Even with his serum-enhanced libido, the idea of sex never meant much to him before he's fallen in love. With Tony, however, it does. Even if Tony doesn't think he's the right partner for Steve.

January Monthly Mission: Intimacy Issues

My Home in Your Time (616, E, 15k)

Falling in Love, Sexual Dysfunction Before Tony knows it, he's head over heels in love with Steve. Which isn't surprising, it's just a lot more complicated to want to be in a relationship with someone now. Even if he could tell Steve that he is Iron Man, there's still the stupid chestplate. Steve seems to be keeping him at arm's length anyway, and Tony can't figure out why. Steve wakes up in the 21st century, and all he wants is to go home to his time. That's until he falls in love with Tony Stark. Unfortunately, he can't tell him how he feels. Tony deserves someone who can give him everything he wants. And that someone can't be Steve, considering he lost all erectile function as a side effect of the serum.

[atopfourthwall]

To Linkara: Love your videos, especially when you review good comics. Also loved the Fortnite stream you did with other ComicTubers, it's nice to see you being a part of a bigger community again after that fiasco with the other site that shall not be named.

Been meaning to ask you something for a long time, but I couldn't think of what specifically. Problem is I'm a curious person by nature and I also like to ramble. However, while rewatching your Contest of Champions video (great arc, BTW, even if it took longer than expected), a decent question finally hit me. As someone who's a fan of Doctor Who, What If tales, the original Secret Wars and Crisis on Infinite Earths, do you think Hollywood has overused the multiverse idea? I almost got into an argument with someone on YouTube about the subject where I proclaimed the idea still has merit, it's just the folks running Tinsel Town were failed to be creative with it. Heck, to me the idea is like zombies: sure, it can feel repetitive, but that's only if you don't do anything new or original with it. Movies like Spider-Verse have proven as much. Then again, that's just me. Your thoughts?

I still love multiverse stuff and things like No Way Home or Deadpool & Wolverine have shown how the multiverse can be used to give fanservice, while Spiderverse, Loki, and Multiverse of Madness have shown the story potential of meeting alternate universe versions that reflect character development for our main character... but the problem especially with the MCU is that it feels like they don't have much in the way of a PLAN for it. Sure, Kang was being set up as the next big bad and they're shifting to Doom, but even before then it feels like there wasn't much of a story beyond "There are a lot of Kangs." Sure, with Thanos we didn't know his deal beyond the Infinity Stones being powerful until we actually reached him, but you could get the idea how dangerous it was even without that. Still, I think multiverse stuff is still fun and cool as long as it's used in creative ways... and hopefully people will feel the same with the next storyline once it launches. =)