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bewitching-elizabeth-olsen · 3 years

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Press: “It’s a New Day”: THR Drama Actress Roundtable

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER: Gillian Anderson had been dreading this. A tripod had arrived at her home in the U.K., along with a mess of lights and, really, just the thought of having to sit through an hour-plus on Zoom had her practically reeling. But then the woman who stuns as Margaret Thatcher in the most recent season of Netflix’s The Crown got talking — about pigeonholing and pay equity, about grieving and giving oneself over — and soon she didn’t want to stop talking. And neither did anyone else — The Queen’s Gambit‘s Anya Taylor-Joy, Pose‘s Mj Rodriguez, Genius: Aretha‘s Cynthia Erivo, WandaVision’s Elizabeth Olsen and Ratched‘s Sarah Paulson — at THR’s annual (virtual) Drama Actress Roundtable.

Let’s start easy. Complete this sentence: On set, I’m the one who is most likely to be …

GILLIAN ANDERSON Hiding in a corner. (Laughter.)

ANYA TAYLOR-JOY Pacing whilst moving my hands like this (waving above) trying to figure out what it is that I’m doing.

SARAH PAULSON Bossing everyone around.

ELIZABETH OLSEN Probably trying to make the crew laugh.

At the same time, you’re also inhabiting characters for long stretches and often they require you to go to dark or heavy places. What happens when a director yells, “Cut”? Do they come home with you?

MJ RODRIGUEZ I try to separate myself from Blanca as much as possible, especially [because we’re] dealing with immense trauma. So, when I go home, it’s Michaela Jaé going home, and I bring Blanca to the set. It’s easier that way because it can weigh on you otherwise and wash off on your family.

TAYLOR-JOY I wish I had as much control over it. For me, there are some characters that you can very easily snap in and out of and then there are other ones like Beth in The Queen’s Gambit. I’d worked back-to-back on two projects with one day off in between, so by the time I got to filming the show, I was exhausted and there was no energy to create a barrier. And that was potentially the toughest thing about the show, because it was a wonderful experience as an actor to be able to not have to reach for any emotion, but then you also have to go through the psychological warfare of figuring out, “Why do I feel so awful in the morning?” Like, “What is happening?” And then you go, “Oh, it’s not my feelings,” but I have to sit in them all day and I have to be aware enough to go, “You are not depressed, the character is depressed, and at some point that will leave you.” But I do think a bath every single night — being able to have the visual representation of washing yourself clean of something — helps.

OLSEN Regardless of what exactly the day requires of you, emotionally, you’re just tired. And so you try to be patient and professional and kind, and then when you go home, that’s when your fuse is just … smaller. (Laughter.)

TAYLOR-JOY You should date us, we’re fabulous.

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CYNTHIA ERIVO I did, it was a real ugly cry. After playing [Harriet Tubman in the 2019 film], I went straight to see my mother in London and I don’t know what happened, but I just broke. You know the visual representation of shattering glass? That was what was happening to me. All the stuff I had to dig through to play her, all that heartbreaking stuff didn’t leave me when I finished, and it took time to just dissipate. And it was the same with Aretha — unfortunately, the pandemic hit when we were in the middle of shooting, so I couldn’t completely get rid of her during the six-month hiatus, and then I had to go right back into playing her. And it’s little things, like mannerisms, that stick with you. The lilt in her voice when she’s speaking to people. Like, that’s not me but I was stuck with that for a bit. And I was recording an album at the same time, so there was no space between one and the other. It took me a while before I could listen to an Aretha song again.

ANDERSON I certainly had that experience doing X-Files for nine seasons. I had a good couple of mini breakdowns during that, and at the end, could not talk about it, could not see it, could not see pictures, could not. I needed to immerse immediately in theater in another country. And then after a while, I was able to embrace it again, but when I started to embrace it, it was almost like I separated myself so much that I was looking at the image as if it was another person. When you immerse yourself so entirely as we can and we do for such long periods of time, there’s not going to be no consequence to that. Of course, there’s going to be consequence to that.

TAYLOR-JOY May I pose a question to the group?

Please do.

TAYLOR-JOY It’s so wonderful hearing you two talk about this, because I’ve always felt really crazy for the depressions that you go into after you leave a character and not being able to necessarily connect with yourself. And I’m really curious to hear what your relationship is with something being seen. Because when I first started working, I convinced myself that filmmaking was a very private practice with a private group of people and that no one was ever going to see it. And I thought I’d grow out of that, and I haven’t. Every project I have to sit myself down about two months after it’s finished and go, “People are going to see this and have access to it whenever they want.” How do you guys work [handle that]? Because for Queen’s Gambit, I had to go through a grieving period. It was grief, genuinely, to think, “Oh goodness, this thing that I loved so much is not mine anymore.”

ANDERSON I had that experience after doing Blanche in Streetcar [Named Desire] here in the U.K. and then in New York.

OLSEN I saw your last performance in New York. You were fabulous.

PAULSON Fucking phenomenal.

ANDERSON I felt like I’d lost my best friend. I was grieving. Some friends of mine in New York had a brunch for me the weekend after [I finished my run], and I arrived like a complete wreck. It was so profound. I also knew it was unlikely I was going to do it again because I knew that I’d probably lose my mind. I got really close. Like, I’d survived by the skin of my teeth and if I did it again out of ego or attachment or not wanting to let her go, there would be consequences. So I knew it was the end, and it was so sad.

ERIVO Do you know what’s so crazy? I listen to you and I’m like, “Oh my God, that’s what was happening to me during The Color Purple.” It was the last show and I started grieving in the show, knowing that it was coming to an end. There’s one last song and I couldn’t get through it. And then the show ends and I buckled under the sadness of it. But there was no way I could have continued playing Celie on that stage. It [had been] 14 months and I had to let her go. The line between me and her had disappeared. But to answer your question, Anya, I’ve never had an issue with people seeing things. I usually have an issue seeing it after it’s done.

PAULSON This happened when I did Marcia Clark [for The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story]. I felt a profound connection to her and I felt protective of her, and the experience had been so tectonic plate-shifting for me, both as a performer and as a human, and I thought, “If I watch it, I’m going to pick apart everything.” She was left-handed, so every time I use my right hand, I’m going to think, “God damn it, why did they use that?” So, the only way to protect myself from that is to detach from what the world will experience with it. And I’ve maintained that for a long time now — I really don’t watch [things I’m in] because I don’t have the strength, first of all, to bear the sight of my face and, also, I find it really confronting. The preciousness of the thing you were creating with these other people is what I want to be the indelible thing for me and not how it was edited.

TAYLOR-JOY Mm-hmm.

PAULSON All that does is make me furious because I don’t have the power to go in and go, “Hi, um, could you choose take six? It’s infinitely better.” (Laughter.) And when you don’t have that ability and you’re at the mercy of someone else’s opinion of what is the finest work that you’ve done, which doesn’t always line up with what you feel, it’s really jarring and you feel so powerless to do anything about it. So, I have to just sage it all out and let my experience be the only thing that governs the way I feel about it.

RODRIGUEZ When the first two seasons of Pose came out, I didn’t watch them at first because I was just so nervous about how the world would receive it. It was a story that a lot of people haven’t gotten to see, and it was a whole bunch of trans women of color finally getting their shot. It’s a lot of responsibility. And on top of that, it’s a story that’s filled with trauma and things that a lot of us trans women have gone through, so it was hard for me to watch all of those things back.

Gillian, in your career you’ve also been a champion for pay equity. But even as you were promoting a book you co-authored on female empowerment a few years ago, you acknowledged that you were nervous speaking up about being paid less than your male co-star. What do you think you were scared of, and how have the conversations for you changed since?

ANDERSON I just need to point out that I first fought for pay equity way back when it was audacious by anybody’s standards, because I was a nobody when we started to do that series. But when I really spoke up about it was when it happened again, four or five years ago, after the career I’d already had post-X-Files. We were going back to do another season and Fox came to me to offer, I don’t know, a 10th of what my co-star [David Duchovny] was being offered. That was the point where I was like, “Fuck this. I’m actually going to talk about this [publicly].” And since then, it hasn’t really come up. I mean, I haven’t worked with a lot of men, so that hasn’t been an issue. (Laughs.) I’m certainly tuned to it, and were it something now, I’d address it. But I have so much admiration for anyone who stands up for their right either to be paid or to be hired, period. And look, they weren’t going to fire me on The X-Files. The stakes weren’t that high. I put my foot down, not because the stakes weren’t high, but if they were going to fire me, some people were going to have some things to say about that. It’s very different for a young woman going into a job situation with a boss who’s overbearing and asking for a pay raise.

Sure, you had leverage.

ANDERSON Yeah.

For the rest of you, when have you spoken up in your careers?

ERIVO I mean, the obvious is I’m a Black woman, and that has a lot to do with how you’re paid, how you’re hired, if you’re hired, the way you’re hired — it affects everything. I’m lucky enough to have a team behind me that is brave enough to ask the questions I’d like asked: What I’m being paid compared to the leading man in the show, or if I’m being paid a lot less, whether or not they are willing to come up so it becomes equal. And about little things in my contract that just make it easier to exist on a set. For me, it’s about having the guts to stick with it and to keep asking and keep fighting. And there are definitely times where you’re like, “I am so exhausted from asking the same thing.” Like, if we could please have this makeup artist with me because usually there are no Black makeup artists on a set and you’re the only one who needs one, and I’ve had to have that fight every single time I’ve gone onto a set: “I need to hire these two people because they are the only people that understand how to do my face or my hair.” It isn’t about vanity, it’s about making sure that whoever I’m playing is represented in the right way because they understand how to work with my skin tone and my hair. But you keep sticking with it because it’s not just me having my way, it’s me being able to employ two other people. And then maybe I’m asking, “Can we have a DP who understands lighting that works on my skin tone?” So it’s constantly being OK with asking the questions. And there is a bit of fear, like, “Am I going to be seen as difficult?” And yes, there are times where I’ve had someone say they’ve heard I was difficult, but usually, it’s because I’ve asked a question that will make for a better surrounding or a better show. And if I keep asking the questions and if other ladies like myself keep asking the questions, and we keep trying to better our spaces, it just becomes the norm — because at some point it has to just become the norm.

Elizabeth, I believe you had a saying in your house growing up, “No is a full sentence.” When do you find you use it?

OLSEN I use it a lot. (Laughs.) I use it when I’m on set. I mean, I want to be a part of every department when I’m on set. I want to understand the schedule. I want to understand everything. I produced a TV show [Sorry for Your Loss] that didn’t get too much light of day because it was on Facebook, which, whatever … but as a producer on it, it was really important for me to be a voice of everything you’re saying, Cynthia, and have heads of departments feel like and look like the freakin’ world. And just from having a taste of that for two seasons, I can’t [go back]. So when I go to do Dr. Strange 2 in England, I guess I use it when I just can’t shake it even though [the production is] so much bigger than me. I don’t know, my opinions are vast and everyone hears them, from the first AD to the EP. I think I’m like a representative of anyone having a hard time on set. … (Laughs.)

PAULSON You’re the Equity rep, I love it.

OLSEN Oh my God. (Laughter.)

When you think about your careers, is there someone else’s that you look at and go, “Ooh, yeah, I’d love that”?

OLSEN Gillian’s, Sarah’s …

ERIVO Yeah, Sarah, you’re that for me. You’re fucking incredible.

PAULSON You saying that to me makes me want to cry because sometimes you feel like you’re doing this in a bubble and you don’t even know if anything you’re doing ever has any meaning or impact to anyone.

ERIVO It does. From my heart, it does. And I hope I get to work with you one day.

PAULSON I’d give my eyeteeth. (Laughs.) For me, it’s Gillian — somebody being on a TV program for a long time that’s wildly successful and then retreats to another country to be onstage, to reconnect yourself to the very things that inspired you and made you want to be a part of this. It all gets very confusing in terms of how to navigate [this business]because you do want to make a living, but you also want to follow your heart. And there does come a time where you can become quite depleted from the constant output without any input. And if you’re a woman of a certain age, which I certainly am, I feel like I’ve got one foot on one window frame and I’ve got the other one over here and I’m just trying to insist that they stay open for as long as possible. And some of that is beyond my control, but when I look at Gillian’s career I just go, “Well, I want that.”

ANDERSON Thank you for saying that. On the one hand, I feel like there is some degree of design, but I’ve also never really gone after things. And when I finished with X-Files, I didn’t know if I wanted to be on a set again ever. So aside from having grown up in the U.K. and wanting to go back, I knew it would take time before I could, if I was going to. And in London, you could move between theater and TV, and that was always my dream. But every actor has the thing that they’d want more than the thing that they have, and I’m a cinephile, and so I [wonder], “Why do I keep doing TV? All I want to do is do film.” And I’m still doing TV. (Laughs.) But I’ve had such amazing opportunities that, coming from Scully, I even questioned people, like, “Why are you offering this to me? What makes you think that I can do this?” I’ll also say that as soon as you have kids, kids are the priority. So, I say to people, “I’m gonna be such a pain in the ass for you to hire. But if you think I’m this person, I’m gonna need to work during this period of time and then have time with my kids. And it’s going to be expensive for you. If you are willing to do that, then I’m your girl, and if you’re not, you need to find somebody else.”

Anya, Queen’s Gambit became a global juggernaut. How have your opportunities and choices changed? Is there pressure to strike while the iron is hot?

TAYLOR-JOY I think I’ve always followed character and only recently did I start following directors as well, but it’s always been about, “Do I feel like I’m the right person to tell this story? Do I think I can tell this story correctly?” And if you look at something like Queen’s Gambit, it was not supposed to be the white-hot show; it’s a show about a girl that plays chess for seven hours, but I felt so compelled to tell that story. So, it sounds cheesy, but I really just keep following my heart. OK, wait, I take that back. Something I’m also learning is that you give yourself to this person for three to six months, and I never used to think about this before, but now I start thinking, “Am I ready to give up my life for this person? Do I need to tell this story so badly that I’m going to do that?” I try not to think about what other people will think, because it’s your life at the end of the day. And as we all know, you’re that [character] every hour of the day, and when you go home it’s difficult to let go of them, so you have to really love them.

Mj, you’ve talked about how significant this show was for you and for the visibility of the trans community. How have the opportunities being presented to you post-Pose changed?

RODRIGUEZ In the middle of the third season, I started figuring out my worth, and it’s scary. I was nervous. I didn’t expect to actually book my next job after Pose.

ERIVO I did.

PAULSON We all did.

RODRIGUEZ And see, that’s my insecurity and that’s something I have to fix. I didn’t think it was possible. To get an opportunity like Pose and have myself centered in the story and to end it with hope, and then to get another opportunity with an iconic actress [an Apple TV+ comedy co-starring Maya Rudolph] was surreal. But if I’m still feeling the need for protection as far as my Blackness, my Latina-ness and my trans-ness go, that means there is more work to be done.

Are there doors still not open to the rest of you? Parts you’d love to play if only Hollywood would see you that way?

PAULSON No one has asked me to do a comedy, and I’m a little frustrated about that.

ERIVO And you’re funny as fuck.

PAULSON I spend a lot of time in these worlds where I’m either running or crying or screaming or playing a real person and trying to get their physicality, and I’d really like to do a nice road picture with me and a couple of chicks.

ANDERSON Ooh, I’ll go with you!

PAULSON How about all of us just in a road movie — like, get a Winnebago and let’s go?

ERIVO I’m down.

RODRIGUEZ Yeah, count me in.

ANDERSON I’m 53, Sarah, and I’ve really only been offered comedy in the last three years of my life, and I don’t think that’s because I’m any funnier than I used to be. I think a lot of it is that people just couldn’t fathom it, whether it was that Scully was still in their minds or it was someone else, because I’ve played a lot of dark characters, too. And so they just weren’t coming. And then came [Netflix comedy] Sex Education — and I passed when it first came to me because I didn’t think it was right. It was my partner who proverbially dug it out of the trash.

ERIVO I’ve yet to see a Call Me by Your Name for a Black woman, I have yet to see a piece that allows a woman of color to be sensual and soft and loving and be loved. I’ve just not seen it, and I desperately want to experience that, just because I want to be able to be in that space of vulnerability and lilt. I really want to do that. And that hasn’t come my way. A comedy hasn’t come my way either.

RODRIGUEZ Same. It’s been so hard when it comes to trans women being loved in a sensual way, and I’d love to do something like that.

Elizabeth and Anya, to Sarah’s point, Hollywood likes to keep actors in a lane. How have you avoided that kind of pigeonholing in your careers to date?

TAYLOR-JOY I’ve been saved from a lot of things in my life from pure innocence and naivete, genuinely. My first movie was called The Witch, I got a script immediately afterward that was about, you guessed it, a witch, and I figured, “Wow, why do they want to see me do this again?” So, I was immediately like, “Can I not do anymore witch movies, please?” And my agent was like, “OK. Sure, whatever you say.” I wonder how many people agree with me here because I certainly want to please, but in order to please, I don’t have to give up myself, and actually it’s more important to please myself than it is to please anybody else. I’m giving my heart, my body, my soul, everything to this character, I’m not going to do something because somebody wants me to do it. That doesn’t make any sense and, also, it makes me miserable and then I can’t do my best work. And so if I feel the opportunities that are being given to me aren’t the right ones, then I have to stick my neck out and go, “Hey, I think I could maybe do this, if you’ll give me the opportunity to try.”

How about you, Elizabeth?

OLSEN [In the beginning,] I was just trying so hard to not be put in a box that that’s what was guiding my choices. I knew that I didn’t want to be an actor who was thought of as “youthful and beautiful” and whatever that attachment people like to put onto young women, and so I did everything in my power not [to be seen as] that. But I didn’t have my own pillars of why I wanted to do things beyond just the character. That started to solidify only in the last five years. So I made a lot of odd decisions [after theater school at NYU] because I didn’t know enough about film and the machine of it. Right, Sarah? You were there for that time. We were in Martha Marcy May Marlene, and I remember someone asked me, “You had Sarah Paulson with you, didn’t you know it could be a film people saw?” And I was like …

PAULSON You were like, “Who the fuck is Sarah Paulson?” (Laughter.)

OLSEN No, but independent cinema to me was just, like, going to Quad Cinema in New York and seeing a movie. The theater world is all I understood. So I feel like a moron for going back to theater only once in 10 years. And this conversation with Gillian right now is inspiring.

In light of Elizabeth’s concern about the trap of being perceived as “youthful and beautiful,” how would you all complete this sentence: I wish our male counterparts also had to …

OLSEN Deal with lighting and hair and makeup before doing press. I don’t know what I’m doing.

ERIVO Deal with people believing that you’ve lost your sexuality after the age of 30.

TAYLOR-JOY Had an understanding of what it was like to walk into a room and sometimes have to enforce yourself for people to take you seriously. That ability to just walk into a room and go, “I am valid, I own my space and everybody respects me” — it would be good if they knew what it was like to not have that.

ERIVO And on the flip side, to not have to deal with walking into the room and trying to make sure people aren’t scared of you when you get there.

What do you all know now that you wish you could have told yourself at the beginning of your career?

PAULSON I would like to have told myself that I didn’t need to excise myself from the experience. I was very focused on looking at other actors who had careers that I admired when I was first starting out and wondering what it was about them that made it possible for them to be chosen or employed and I’d often try, in an audition or a social setting, to mimic what I imagined was the desired effect, taking me out of the scenario. And there’s this beautiful Martha Graham-to-Agnes de Mille letter that I used to keep in a dressing room any time I was doing a play, about how there is only one you in all of time and space and that what you see and how you experience things is unique to you. And if you block it, the world will not have it. And as a young person, I thought, “Mute me, mute my opinions, my thoughts, my assessments and try to fill it with other things,” and now I think it’s the exact opposite, so I wish I had known that earlier. But I’ll take knowing it now [over] never knowing it at all.

RODRIGUEZ I would have told my younger self that my existence is worth it. When I was younger, I tried to fit into this mold of what a woman should do — you know, keep your legs crossed, always bow down to a man. But we don’t have to live in that world anymore. It’s a new day.

It is, and that’s a good place to end. Thank you all for sharing your time and your stories.

ERIVO I know we’re supposed to finish, but do you know what’s occurred to me as I’ve listened to every one of you? I remember where I was when I watched every single one of you — and I remember what I was dealing with or going through. I was watching you, Sarah, when I was shooting Aretha. I was watching you, Elizabeth, when I was in London on my own, and you, Anya, when I was in Atlanta. Mj, I remember watching a season of Pose while I was shooting The Outsider. And Gillian, I watched you when I was in a hotel with my partner outside of London. And I remember what happened. And so your performances aren’t just brilliant, your performances get to be Post-its in all of our lives, and so I thank you for that.

PAULSON That’s a very beautiful way to put it …

ANDERSON It also brings us back full circle to what Anya said at the beginning, which is, “Oh my God, I have to keep reminding myself that people are going to watch this.” But actually, thank God that people are watching it, because we’ve touched each other’s lives and numerous other people’s lives just by focusing on the thing that we love most.

TAYLOR-JOY And the importance of these conversations is the honesty, because it’s very easy for us to get locked into our own heads of this as an individual experience — “There’s something wrong with me,” or “Everybody else is doing really great and nobody else grieves their characters,” or whatever your version of that is in whatever industry you’re in. But having honest conversations with people who are willing to be vulnerable just makes me feel so much less alone.

PAULSON The next time you feel that way, text me. I’ll remind you. I’d also like to say that there’s this [perception] of women being pitted against one another and not being there for one another, and this conversation is diametrically opposed, in that what we are actually saying is that each of us has been buoyed by and inspired by the work of everyone here. So, I may not watch anything I do, but I sure as hell am watching all of you.

Press: “It’s a New Day”: THR Drama Actress Roundtable was originally published on Elizabeth Olsen Source • Your source for everything Elizabeth Olsen

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lovelyirony · 4 years

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Footnotes

it’s been a bit since i added to the bookshop au: time got away from me!

We’re taking over the world/a little victimless crime -Do It All the Time, IDKHBTFM

Tony notices that Bucky doesn’t come into the store for a month. This is fine. Should be fine. Not like he wonders what Bucky will think of the newest latte, which is geared more to the warmer weather that has been breezing in cheerfully. The iced latte, flavored with caramel and coconut, had been a hit with MJ and Ned, who both loved it.

But Bucky hadn’t come in and tried it.

His anxiety tells him that he is found out and are currently waiting until Tony leaves the building to set up a trap and probably blow up every single book and also him.

But that would be stupid. There’s no way that the Avengers know who Iron Man or War Machine is. Tony Jarvis is a nice guy who runs a bookstore, has a suspicious amount of money from inheritance, and got a degree in English from a local college.

He even photo-shopped pictures there with Rhodey and everything. (Thank god for anti-aging technology and Rhodey’s genius.)

But he still kind of wants Bucky to come in and look at books. He even has a few records pulled just for the occasion.

“You are quite honestly the worst kind of person,” Rhodey says. “Who gets a crush on who is supposed to be their arch-nemesis and wants to make a custom coffee menu for them?”

“Not me,” Tony says quickly, pushing away the lemon-blueberry scone idea. “And besides if anyone would be my arch-nemesis, it would clearly be Black Widow. We match each other intellectually.”

“Not a chance,” Rhodey says with a snort. “Or did you forget the time you got so nervous you—”

“Hello?” comes a voice from the front. Rhodey immediately cuts off, going back to filing new shipments. Tony looks over.

“Hey, you’re back!” Tony cheers.

Rhodey makes a motion of gagging. Tony flips him off with one hand behind his back as he comes forward.

“Sorry I haven’t been in. Work has been…enlightening.”

“Usually code for ‘I-don’t-get-paid-enough’” Tony teases. “You wanna try an iced coffee drink?”

“I’m game.”

“Sit down at the table, I’ll get it out for you.”

Bucky has to admit that a good apron can do wonders for an ass. Or maybe Tony just has a really nice one. Either way, the view is spectacular.

“What has work been having you do?” Tony asks, pouring in syrup.

“Oh just…the usual,” Bucky says. He’s horrible at lying. He really, really is. “They keep twisting up what they want, it’s getting confusing.”

“Bookshops, luckily, are much simpler than that,” Tony says, smiling. He slides the drink over to Bucky. “Try it. Tell me what you think.”

Bucky takes a long slurp. Puts his head back.

“Tony, you ever experienced a masterpiece?”

“Once or twice,” Tony says, smiling.

“This is the damn Mona Lisa of drinks.”

Tony grins. Bucky sips a bit more, sighing in contentment.

“Hey, I know that last time I learned that you sold records. What are, um, your favorites?”

“I’m glad you asked…”

Bucky learns about new music. He learns that he needs to google new bands. AC/DC is a clear favorite of Tony’s, who sings along. It’s a funny juxtaposition with his cardigan and old jeans, glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.

Bucky finds some of the old ones, which Tony doesn’t look surprised at.

“You have an old soul,” Tony says.

“You don’t know the half of it,” Bucky mutters.

“Don’t I?” Tony teases. “You act as if you’ve never had iced coffee before.”

Bucky has to turn back to the player to stop from laughing in front of him. What Tony doesn’t know…well. He’s damned sure he doesn’t know that technically all of Bucky’s favorite records were either unable to be found, most likely questionable, or long disintegrated with time.

Oh, Tony knows. He knows for a damned fact that Bucky has never had iced coffee, most likely does not know who the hell Jimmy Carter was and knows how to disassemble and reassemble most weapons in under sixty seconds.

But it’s cute to mess with him. His brow furrows. Tony has a thing for furrows.

“Hey Tony?” Rhodey asks, head popping up from the upstairs. Bucky automatically looks up, finding the face to be vaguely familiar.

“What is it Rhodey-dear?” Tony calls back out.

“I have a computer glitch, you gotta come see it! Now!”

“This better not be a repeat of the pinball incident,” Tony mutters, turning back to Bucky. “I’ll be back in five minutes, I promise.”

“Take your time, love,” Bucky responds.

Bucky then immediately wonders if he bangs his head against the column near him if Tony and Rhodey will hear it. Tony also called his…person “Rhodey-dear.” Dear! Does he even have a chance?

But this brings him to think about Rhodey. He looked familiar. Bucky’s life doesn’t consist of knowing that you know someone from a certain social event and trying to place them. No, Bucky knows people because of two reasons:

1.) He tried to kill them.

2.) SHIELD has something on them.

He’s pretty sure that if he was faced with someone like Rhodey, he wouldn’t be able to kill him. Even from the head poking out, he could see a pretty defined shoulder and a look set to his gaze that read as very competent, entirely capable of taking down an authoritarian government, and also probably likes gourmet cheeses. The last one is a guess. But Bucky likes to guess pretty damn accurately.

Rhodey…

Rhodes. Colonel James Rhodes. Close with Tony Stark, who went missing. They thought he had something to do with something. He moved to New York pretty quickly after that, refusing to go into military service to a “previously unreported mental incapacity.”

Bucky smells bullshit.

Tony Stark. Another mystery in this puzzle. Bucky remembers trying to kill Howard and Maria Stark. It was the wrong person. Winter Soldier never missed his targets. Of course, Tony Stark wasn’t the target.

Rhodey is freaking out. Someone at SHIELD figured out there was a tiny bug in the system.

“When did they hire someone competent?!” Tony whisper-yells. “I thought they were two years behind schedule!”

“We made that schedule when we were drunk out of our minds from Moscato,” Rhodey hisses.

“Still! It was Moscato. It wasn’t like we drank vodka until we were shit-faced. That would’ve ended up disastrously and possibly given Dum-E and U a new sibling before Butterfingers.”

“Butterfingers wants a baby, just so you know,” Rhodey says.

“Why are you telling me this now?” Tony asks.

“Because you know what you’re doing and I figured you should know what your daughter is up to. It’s very important in developmental psychology.”

“Do not,” Tony hisses. “Let me fix this…”

With a couple more frantic curses, one eye shut, and a yelp, the problem is (mostly) taken care of.

“You think they can trace it?”

“It’ll trace back to a random e-café,” Tony says. “And there will be Justin Hammer who is currently trying to work out why his dating profile isn’t working. I’ll give you a hint: it’s the bio and the fact that he looks like he’s going to bail on paying for your dinner.”

Rhodey smiles, shaking his head and looking out the door.

“Get back down to Barnes. Don’t let him know what this is.”

“When would I?”

“You tend to be a terrible liar around people you like.”

“Why you—!”

“Thank you for helping with the pinball machine again!” Rhodey says, throwing his voice. He shoves Tony out of the office. Tony’s cheeks are bright red, he’s flushed, and he can barely walk down the stairs.

He’s not sure what exactly happened. He knows someone found out about them, tried to trace the bug back. That simply wouldn’t do because Tony runs a legitimate business. Pays taxes on April fifteenth and everything.

“Sorry about that, emergency with a pinball machine game,” Tony says.

“Understandable,” Bucky says. “What was wrong it? A bug get in?”

“Uh, not exactly,” Tony responds, body going tense for a moment. “You want to pick out a new record?”

“Yeah, sure…”

They find out that Bucky absolutely hates the pop, almost-fake music from the fifties.

“It’s…unsettling,” Bucky says, shuddering. “Gross.”

“Let me get some Benny Goodman then,” Tony says.

“How’d you know?”

“Everyone likes his music,” Tony says. “But then again, you did say you were an old soul.”

Bucky can hear the familiar music fill the air as he hums to himself.

“Hey handsome, wanna help me with something?” Tony asks. “I have some books that need to be shelved. I was wondering if you could help?”

“No problem,” Bucky says, grinning. “Can’t reach the top shelf?”

“Why you—”

“I’m shelving!” Bucky calls, grabbing one of the boxes.

Tony thinks that no one should be attractive when they’re lifting boxes. Especially when they’re holding what is essentially about forty pounds with one arm. His left one, but still.

There is also the matter of making sure that Barnes never finds out who he is. Tony has been quite careful about that, although the “bug” comment got to him. Does he know about them? Is he playing some sort of long game?

Answer: no. Bucky got distracted by a book title that he remembers from years ago.

“I forgot I read this,” he says, smiling. “It was forever ago.”

“Old books get to you like nothing else,” Tony responds. “I grew up with Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. You read that one yet?”

“Add it to the recommended box,” Bucky answers.

He has his own box now. Technically a crate, but Tony’s been putting books there for Bucky when he thinks he’s found one that he’ll like. Which of course, Bucky will like whatever book is in there if Tony chose it. He likes anything Tony chooses. He would wear the worst outfit in existence if Tony chose it.

Shelving goes by with little conversation, although they both hum along to the music being played softly over the intercoms. Tony comes and goes, helping customers with different items, brewing some more coffee, and getting some more boxes.

Bucky likes the routine.

He’s sad to go, taking his books with him and waving a soft goodbye. Tony’s leaning against the doorframe, a fond look on his face as the bookshop light floats out onto dark pavement. He wishes he could be there all the time.

And then, of course, people are in his apartment.

“Bookstore again, huh?” Steve asks. Natasha’s looking through the pile of receipts on the kitchen counter.

“You go there a lot,” she murmurs.

“I like being literate, gives me a headstart on Clint,” Bucky answers glibly.

“Even if someone liked reading this much, they wouldn’t be buying obscene amounts of books and coffee.”

“I don’t buy every book. To—the owner lets me take some home if I return them the next day.”

“You’re on a first name basis?” Natasha asks, eyebrow arched. “Just what bookstore are you going to?”

“One that’s none of your business,” Bucky says.

“It says it on top of the receipt,” Steve says.

Bucky curses.

Steve laughs at him.

#bookshop au #lovelyirony writes #sorry it took so long #i've been dealing with personal stuff and schoolwork #but now schoolwork is done #writer's block on the other hand.....#winteriron #rhodey #pepper potts #tony stark #bucky barnes #steve rogers

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daddysfangirls-marvel · 5 years

Text

Goth Boss

Request

warning: fluff, language, angst

summary: Tony stark x daughter goth reader. The avengers find out that Tony has a secret teenage daughter and make tony ask her to visit. But when they meet her the avengers find out why she was kept secret.( could bucky and Steve he terrified of how y/n looks since they are from a different time and seeing a goth girl for the first time scares them) (tony has a strained relationship with y/n as she grew up without him and he kept her secret)

It was dinner time and everyone was sitting at the table eating peacefully and having conversations. Everyone expect Clint who was just staring at Tony intensely. Tony tried to ignore him but it was really hard to ignore the eyes burning two holes in his head.

“Alright, what is it? what do you want?” Tony said dropping his fork and glaring back at Clint.

“Remember, when you met my family and you were kind of upset and made a lot of jabs at me hiding my family. That was all very hypocritical seeing as you have a teenage daughter you’ve been hiding”

Now that got an uproar out of the entire table. Tony tried to get up and leave but everyone pulled him back into his chair. They bombarded him with non-stop questions from every end of the table to the point he couldn’t even get in to answer.

“Can we meet her?” Peter asked everyone quiet down and waited for Tony to say yes he never denied Peter anything he was like his own son.

“Listen, kid, I don’t think-”

“Yes. I went through your phone and called her up it took some convincing but she’ll be here Friday afternoon.” Clint smiled slightly.

“So did what now,” Tony said standing up.

Clint knew what he was doing. He picked up on Tony and his daughter’s strain relationship as soon as he picked up on the phone, which by the way took a dozen calls before she actually picked up. He wanted to know why the relationship was so strained and too meet Tony’s mini-me so he convinced her to come over tomorrow after school. Of course, he told a small fib about Tony being hurt a bit to actually get her to agree to come along. He was curious about their relationship. She was his only daughter yet they wanted nothing to do with each other.

“She should be here on Friday after school.” Tony was up and out the door before Clint even finished talking. This was going to be very interesting.

Tony had just emerged from the elevator after being ghost all week and went straight to the bar. After dinner, he had barricaded himself in his lab and this was the first time anyone had seen him since. There was a ding signaling the elevator and Steve jumped up prepared to greet their guest.

“Hello, my name is -Woah,” Steve said taking several steps back and retracting his hand. In front of him was a teenage girl covered in all black. In black boots, a short black dress, black tights, a black leather jacket, black lace fingerless gloves, a black beanie on her head, dark makeup eye shadow, eyeliner, black lipstick, all top off with a single ring piercing hooked in the middle of her bottom lip. And Next to the goddess of darkness stood their happy sunshine, Peter. He waved.

“Hello Woah, (L/n), (y/n) (l/n)” she said with a blank expression

Bucky stepped up “This is actually Steve, Steve Rogers. And I am Bucky Barnes” He stepped forward offering his hand she looked at him for a moment before actually taking his hand extremely slow.

“I’m Natasha, this Clint -”

“The guy who called me”

“Right. And everyone else. Wanda, Vision, Sam, Bruce, Rhodey, and Thor. We’ve heard-”

“absolutely nothing about me”

“Yeah pretty much didn’t even know you existed until about three days ago. Why don’t you fill us in.”

“He’s not dead or dying” she pointed to Tony who was leaning on the bar with his back towards her drink his whiskey” so I’m leaving”.

And with that, she was out the door and no one stopped her.

“Well that was rude she didn’t even tell us her name.” Natasha scoffed.

“Yeah, I don’t know what that was,” Peter said looking at where she had disappeared to. “ Her name is (Y/n) (L/n) and she’s usually really nice. I mean she’s this sweetest person I’ve ever met. She helps me with my homework, class projects, assessments, We study together... She likes reading, poetry, and books Edgar Allen Poe, Bram Stroke, H. G. Wells, Mary Shelley, and Shirley Jackson. I didn’t even know who those people were until I meet her... She’s an artist too painting and taking pictures. You should see her work it’s truly beautiful, stunning the most breathtaking thing you’ve ever seen I promise.

(Y/n) (L/n) is the kindest, sweetest, caring ...the most beautiful person I’ve ever met” Peter seemed to go into some kind of daze as he spoke about the girl. He just stared off into space as he rambled on and on about the girl a goofy smile plastered across his face. In every other sentence, he mentioned her beauty and by then everyone figured out that Peter had a hardcore crush on the girl.

“Peter’s got a girlfriend ” Sam teased

“What?! oh no she...” Peter sat on the steps clenching his backpack strap “ She’s gorgeous, she’s a queen, a goddess. and I’m PeTeR pArKer” his voice cracked as he said his own name that got a laugh out of a few people. Tony rolled his eyes.

“Not everyone is what they seem, Kid”

“You don’t even know her,” Peter said standing up the room fell silent Peter never ever raised his voice or spoke against Tony. This was indeed a surprise.

“I’m her father”

“What’s her favorite food, book, movie, tv-show?”

“I- pepperoni pizza, some dark poetry shit, I don’t fucking know”

“her favorite book is the entire Harry Potter series, she doesn’t have a favorite move because she hasn’t seen every movie, her favorite Tv show at the moment is The Boys, and she’s FUCKING PESCATARIAN SO SHE CAN’T EAT PEPPERONIS” and with that Peter took his leave and left the tower. Everyone was shocked.

“HEY” Peter screamed as he ran trying to catch up to (y/n) she slowed down to a stop allowing him to make it to her side.” I’m sorry I... I didn’t know Mr. Stark was your father.”

“No one did, Bug boy, that was the point.”

“B-bug boy, I don’t-”

“Yeah, I know your secret you’re shitty at hiding it.”

Peter shook. Truth be told they have never had a conversation outside of the classroom and all of those conversations were about class and the assessment or test they were handed. The only reason Peter knew so much about her is that he was a nasty habit of eavesdropping on her conversations with others. He didn’t even know if she knew the first name she only ever called him Parker.

And Honesty on (y/n)’s part she knew a lot about Peter. She only began to pay attention to him when she heard he was Tony’s intern. She wanted to make sure he was okay and taken care of. And while observing him she does one he was spider-man, I mean come on she saw his suit hanging out of his bag anyone with a pair of eyes could connect the dots pretty easily, and two Tony treated Peter than he had ever treated her. Knowing that alone severed any friendship or relationship between Peter and (y/n) before it could begin.

“I haven’t and won’t tell anyone. Your secret is safe with me.”

“Thank you”

“But seriously you have to work on your lying skills. I figured it out in less than 10 minutes and that was only because I was taking a test and had to divide my attention.” Peter laughed as he took a seat next to her on the train.

“Can-Can I ask a question? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to I mean it’s a personal question and I would get it if you didn’t want to hear it. I probably shouldn’t even ask it because it isn’t any of my business.-”

“Give me the god damn question Parker before I leave you on this train.”

“Why don’t you like you your dad?”

“I was conceived through a one night stand. My parents weren’t stranges they knew each other beforehand they were friends but after that night he didn’t want anything to do with her. It took him a while to find out about me as he wouldn’t pick up her calls... I’m not like him, I’m no science smart, I can’t build anything, I’m not social, I can’t charm a room, I can’t be a superhero.

I Like history, art, I’m anti-social, I avoid any and all social events, I trip over air, I’m not normal... I’m not you” And with that, she stood up Peter watched as she left the train he was to stun to get up and get off himself even if this was his stop.

She had been jealous of him.

After (y/n) meeting with the Avengers Peter became distant spending less time with the team and more time chasing (y/n) who was doing everything in her best abilities to ignore and avoid the boy. She even went far as to skip several classes or entire school days when he was just too much to handle. It’s not that she didn’t like the boy he just reminded her too much of Tony and it didn’t help that he constantly called the boy even in the middle of school, he was always worried about him.

He never showed that kind of worry for her.

“Hey (Y/n) are you busy this -” Peter tried to ask for the 20th time

“yes” and she replied with the same answer for the 20th time.

“Like what,” MJ asked she and Ned had Joined in on the whole corner and attack (y/n).

“If you must know I’m babysitting on Friday, Saturday volunteering at the orphanage, and then the senior center Sunday morning.”

“what? Why?” Ned asked as if (y/n) just said something crazy or grown two heads.

“I want to help people. I plan to grow up and get a career in nursing. I like children best but I’ll work with all people. I like making people feel better.”

“Peter You’re drooling” MJ pointed out to said boy as he looked at (y/n) in a daze with a goofy smile as she spoke. He didn’t even hear her point him out.

“Bye” (y/n) began to walk away, that Peter noticed.

“wait, Can I join you? Saturday and Sunday, please?”

“Okay”

“what?”

“Saturday and Sunday you can join me. I will message you the address and times. Don’t be late. I’ll wait.” and she walked off leaving Peter vibrating from pure excitement. And His friends watching the goof he was.

Peter was in the mirror as he straightens his shirt preparing for his date. was it really date? She had invited him to come along with her and help it wasn’t really a date. She didn’t say it was a date he was just assuming. He probably shouldn’t do that. It probably wasn't a date. He was probably just a tag-along friend.

Even if it wasn’t a date it was something. She was inviting him to spend time with her and that was something. It was an improvement.

“look at you, so handsome,” May said as she came in pinching her nephew's cheeks. He swapped her hands away best he could but with her aunt strength, it was impossible.

“Stop, you’re crushing me. Go away”

“You’ve got a date with a pretty girl”

“It’s not a date just going to the orphanage with her to volunteer. That’s all” May smirked as she just walked away. Her little man all grown up.

Peter pulled out his phone getting ready to text (y/n) and let her know that he was on his way but before that could happen his phone rang it was Tony. Tony never called.

“Sir? what’s wrong?”

“Suit up and swing over we’ve got a mission, kid”

“um...um okay. Okay” He could do this mission quickly and come back to his date hangout with (y/n). He’d just text her and let her know what was happening and why he would be late but before putting on his suit and swing to the tower.

“Alright, what’s up? Where’s the fire?” Peter asked as he landed on the platform. Everyone looked confused as to why the spider child was here but no one said anything just shrugged it off.

“Come on kid we got to get going.”

The mission was in Texa an enchanted person was there but they weren’t the only people looking for them, Hydra was too. A fight ensued but luckily they won taking down Hydra and saving the enchanted person which happened to be a little boy. The Boy was registered with the Avengers as an enchanted but due to his age,12, instead of joining them he was sent to Xavier's school for gifted youngsters. The only unfortunate thing about this mission as it took so long. It took upwards of four hours to finish the mission and return home. It was 4:50pm when Peter finally made it to the Orphanage.

Peter cursed as he saw (y/n) exit the orphanage. He was more than late.

“(Y/N)” recognizing voice she didn’t even bother turning around instead walking faster “(y/n)” she was heading towards the subway. Looking around to make sure the coast was clear Peter webbed her hand as she touched the railing.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to catch up with you. Why are you running away from me?”

“Because I don’t want to see you”

“I’ sorry I didn’t show up today I had a mission-”

“So you didn’t ditch me”

“of course not. I messaged you explaining I had to go and didn’t know when I would be back and... It didn’t go through.” Peter opened his phone to his last message to her and saw that message with a red exclamation point. “ But I tried to see” Peter showed her the message.

“I’m sorry”

“It’s okay I guess. Saving someone is a good and acceptable excuse” and it was she spent most of the afternoon waiting for Peter’s arrived and was a bit devasted when he didn’t show up. She has a lot of trust issues and although he didn’t promise to show up she still felt duped for believing in him. Now it didn’t hurt so much knowing he at least tried. “ Could you cut me out, please”

“oh, yeah, sorry”

The two of them ended up taking a slow walk home and on the way, they stopped for ice cream and to a long way through the park. The whole way they talked (Y/n) talked about her mother Peter talked about his dorktastic aunt and friends. Peter was very surprised to discover that her apartment was a block away from his place. He ended up walking her to her door.

“I have one last question. You don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to. I was just curious. If you don’t like Mr. Stark why did you come to see him?”

(Y/n) didn’t even hesitate to give him a straight answer “ I thought he was on his death bed I figured I would give him the courtesies than he gave me.”

“I don’t understand”

“I told you I’ve transferred from three schools. The first time it wasn’t my fault someone did something and I was blamed for it, The second time the schools' star quarterback aka the principles son touched and said something inappropriately to me no one believed me, and third time around I got jumped and was beat so bad they had to put me in a coma.

I use to live in Miami that’s where the quarterback thing happened. My mom wanted to move us away from that and she asked my dad if he could take me until she could transfer in her job, he said no He didn’t want my drama. So I had to spend the rest of the school year there, it was ...rough. Um I moved to New York the next year and at that school, I was bullied by a bunch of rich girls, mommy and daddy gave the school a lot of money so she could do what she wanted. She had ner friends Jumped me and while I went to the hospital and almost died... um when I was in my coma my mother called him and I heard everything he said and it wasn’t nice

“Listen Tony (Y/n) is in trouble-”

“again”

“wait please listen-” She tried to get a word in as she wiped her tears and try to explain the situation.

“No, no, I won’t I can’t, I don’t want to. Every time you call it’s because she’s done something wrong or gotten herself into some trouble. And I’m not bailing her out again.” Her tears were gone and she was filled with rage.

“blaming her out. YOU’VE NEVER BLAMED HER OUT OF ANYTHING. HELL YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW HER FUCKING NAME YOU CONSTANTLY CALL HER KID.”

“Every time I see or hear from her there is some kind of problem. She has never brought good news. She is a problem child nothing less nothing more. I’m not taking the blame for her bull shit.”

“(Y/n) is a beautiful little girl with a heart of pure gold and innocence. The kindness little girl to ever walk this earth. She is not a problem child she the perfect child, my perfect child. There is nothing wrong with her. There never was and unfortunately, you’ll never know that.” He didn’t hear that last sentence as she whispered it and he wasn’t going to strain his ears to hear it.

“Tony, what happen you said you’d never be like him?”

“what- What are you talking about?”

“ You’re just like your father” hanging up she threw the phone across the room shattering it to pieces. She sat down and handled her dying daughter's hand.

“ I don’t mean to knock your hero off his pedestal. He’s not a good father at least not to me. I wonder how he’ll treat his future children will they be precious little angels or problems he wishes to hide them, like me... Did you like that answer?” Peter didn’t answer shrugging his shoulders and taking a step back.

“Maybe it’s because I look like this, dress like this or maybe it was because I’m not a boy. Who knows. I don’t. All I know is he doesn’t want anything to do with me never has and never will... Bye Peter Parker”

(y/n) slowly opened the door and slipped inside slowly closing it watching Peter the entire time until the door was closed.

“Where have you been, young lady? it is late the street lights have been on for hours.”

“walking” (Y/n) said in a bit of a daze as she sat down on the couch

“Walking?”

“with Peter Parker”

“Peter Parker? Oh, the boy you don’t like but talk about constantly”

“MOM”

After their late-night walk, Peter and (y/n) became close and good friends. They were constantly hanging out together before and after school. Aunt May met her and immediately liked the girl after hearing about her relationship with Tony Stark she decided she didn’t like the billionaire as much anymore no matter his treatment towards her nephew he was neglecting his own daughter. May had invited her over for dinner along with her mother and her mother had returned the generous act by inviting them over as well. The two little families were becoming close.

“You’re in a rush kid.”

“Yeah, I got somewhere to be” Peter answered vaguely. All the answers he gave Tony recently were vague.

“Where is this place you need to be? a date?” Natasha asked wiggling her eyebrows mischievously.

“no, no, Aunt May and I are going to dinner with (y/n) and her mom”

“You’re still talking to her”

“Yeah, she’s my friend did you think I was going to stop hanging out with her just because she’s your daughter.”

“Her mom still bad-mouthing me?” Tony asked. He expected it they were bad-mouthing him as Tony had been distant recently or more like when (y/n) showed up.

“No Mr. Stark they haven’t been bad-mouthing you. Honestly, they don’t even talk about you they avoid any topic that will somehow lead to you.”

“Then why have you been distant lately?”

“Usually when I talk to you it’s about my day and I’m now spending my day with (y/n). I didn’t think you want to hear about that... plus she has deliberately asked me not to tell you anything about her” Peter said that last thing really quickly and tried to make his way to the elevator as an escape.

“What do you mean by that?” Bucky asks successfully making Peter stopped in his tracks the young boys sighs heavily before spinning around and facing Tony who was sitting at the bar. Peter had a look of guilt and dread as he spoke.

“You don’t want her or at least you act like you don’t. She believes if you don’t want her you don’t need to know anything about her.”Peter wasn’t looking up anymore so he didn’t see the look of anger and pain take over Tony’s face “ And honestly, she’s constantly on my mind so I don’t know how to talk to you without mentioning her so I simply stopped talking to you. She’s important to me I’m not going to lose her because I blabbed to you about something I shouldn’t have... I should go before I’m late for dinner.”

Tony poured himself a few more glasses of whiskey his eyes were burning and a headache began to form. The others cleared the room Bruce and Clint were the only ones left with Tony.

“Tony, why didn’t you tell us about your daughter?” Bruce asked in a gentle voice. He could tell Tony was on the way to getting drunk now was the best time to ask him.

“... I wasn’t ready to be a father I was still in my playboy phase I guess... She’s not normal she’s not like me or her mother I didn’t know what to do with her, I still don’t.”

“But she’s your daughter. I don’t completely understand my children their not exact copies of us they’re going to be different.” Clint said placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze“ I don’t understand how you could leave your daughter because she was different and I don’t believe that’s why you left her. So what’s the real problem?”

Tony looked up at bruce “ I was scared to be like my father and I was scared she’d be just like me. Best way to avoid that is to avoid her altogether. She won’t end up like me or who I use to be”

“Tony the best way to assure she’ll end up just like you is to treat her like your father treated you. Which is what you’re doing”

“I didn’t mean to” Tony looked like a small vulnerable child who had just discovered that he had done or been doing something really bad. He was nearly in tears. Bruce pulled him into a hug “ I just don’t know”.

“It’s alright, we’ll figure out. Let’s go rest for a while”

Bruce moved Tony off his seat and maneuvered him towards the elevator trying to walk him to his bedroom for a few hours sleep. He knew Tony would wake up and skip off to his lab sooner or later. Clint watched as Bruce lugged Tony away he wasn’t wasted he was just processing a lot and that apparently took his legs away.

Clint simply didn’t understand. He could never abandon his children they were his everything. He just couldn’t imagine his life without them he probably wouldn’t have a life if they weren’t in it. He was a very reckless man but the thought of his children always grounded him and brought him back.

This was just too much Clint was going to schedule some time away and with his family. It missed them. He’d be sure to hug his daughter when he saw her.

In the living room (y/n)’s mother and Peter’s Aunt were squealing over baby pictures while the two teens were in her bedroom trying to escape embarrassment.

“I didn’t even know my aunt brought my baby pictures” Peter groaned as he flopped on her bed

“My mom probably messaged her beforehand. She does stuff like that, she likes to embarrass me.”

“Yeah. But you know she’s right”

“About what?” (y/n) asked as she laid down next to Peter.

“You made a very cute baby” and that got him a pillow to the face he laughed as she pouted “ And even as you aged that cuteness hasn’t gone away” (Y/n) smiled giggling slightly.

“Do you realize what you just said?”

“Yes, I’ve been working up the courage to say it for the past 20 minutes.”

She giggled some more bopping his nose “Keep giving me compliments like that and you might get somewhere, Pretty Boy.”

“Ya think so?” He turned to her. They really close a few inches between them he could feel her breath on his lips and she could see the brown glow in his eyes.

“Yeah”

“Can I ask you something?” she nodded “ We’ve been having a lot of these dinners and they’re sort of like dates”

“with our aunt and mother but yes”

“So I’ve taken you on a lot of dates”

“I guess so, where is this going Peter?”

“W-would you be my girlfriend?” (y/n) laughed as Peter stuttered. He was just so cute. He blushed and tried to look away but she placed a hand on his cheek.

“Where did that courage go?”

“I-I think I ran out, sorry”

“Yes, Peter I’ll be your girlfriend. But under one condition. You take me out for ice cream.”

“Of course” Peter leaned forward kissing her she hummed into the kiss before pushing him away.

“Like right now.” Peter laughed.

“Mommy, I’m home. You will not believe the day I’ve had. Peter brought me flowers there was a spider in them. It’s gone now. Aren’t they... beautiful?” (Y/n) walked into the apartment she saw her mother standing arms cross glaring hard at someone in the living room. Looking around the corner she found Tony Stark standing stiff in the living room. He smiled as he saw her she cringed.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’ve come to see you I’ve come to talk to you”

“I can kick him out if you want,” her mother said not even looking away from him.

“No, let's see what he wants first. Can you put these in a vase, please?”

“Of course love”

(Y/n) nods for him to follow her and she leads him to her room. Tony had to take a deep breath as he entered her bedroom because it was... dark. She had black curtains, black bedsheets, black bookshelves, and dark painting covered the walls. The bookshelves against the wall were filled and stuffed with books and there wasn’t any dust meaning she read them all regularly or dusted regularly, Tony was leaning towards the first one. In one corner of the room were canvas and paints and in another was a desk where her laptop was.

“I didn’t know you painted,” Tony said picking up one of her canvases it was truly beautiful.

“Yes, I sell them online. I’m sure you’re not here to talk about my painting, Are you Mr.Stark?” She called him by his surname he was a direct jab at him meant to hurt him and it did its job but he wasn’t going to let it show.

“Yes, actually. I want to know about your painting and your books, and school work. I’d like to know everything... I know I haven’t been good to you I’ve been an absolute dick and three is no excuse for it I was just being a dick. I just... I’d like to to start over.”

“I’m 16, I think it’s a little too late for that.”

“I guess I’m a bit late.”

“A bit late would have been when I was 5, Mr. Stark. Really late would have been when I was 10,... I’m 16... you never showed up.” Tony cleared his throat and put down her painting.

“I’d like to start over”

“From where? Half the book has been written already. I’m not going to start over for you when so many people have already been written in.” Tony sat on her bed as she sat on her window seal he sighed.

“I know I’m not the best I don’t deserve to be your father but I would like to be involved in your life in some way. Hell, I’ll be your bank if you want.”

“I don’t want your money... What made you change your mind?”

“I had a shitty father and I promised myself I would never be like him but look and behold I’m just like him. I just ... please give me another chance.”

“alright” (Y/N) said not even looking at him Tony jumped up

“Really?”

“Don’t mess up”

Tony smiled he looked around the room he was really happy he didn’t know what he was supposed to do with himself. He was just standing there like a fool. “ Should we-should we go do something together? Ice cream or dinner?”

“ No I have a study date with MJ in30 minutes and I’m having dinner with Peter later on tonight. If you really want to do something how about you go talk to my mom you hurt her more than you hurt me. I’m going to head out.”

“you right. Can I have this?” Tony picked up one of her paintings she just glared at him. He took that as a yes putting a hundred dollars on her desk and backing out of the room with the painting.

“Hello,” Tony said Awkwardly as he stood in the middle of the kitchen clenching on to (y/n) painting. (Y/n)’s mother was busy running around cooking her way of staying claim staying busy “ Um I’d like to talk to you”

“About?” She said angerly

“Everything”

“The goth Boss has arrived” (Y/n) said as Aunt May let her in she twirled showing off her new dress.

“oh, you look beautiful, sweetheart. Peter tell her she looks pretty” praised her and demanded her nephew do the same.

“She looks beautiful she always does”

“Smooth Parker. Real Smooth” (Y/n) said as she wrapped her arms around his shoulder kissing his forehead.

“What are yo u doing here? I was about to go pick you up”

“Um... Mr. Stark is my house. He’s talking to my mom right now. He says he wants to change things he wants to be there now.”

“A bit late for that” May mumbled under her breath but the teens clearly heard it

“ I ... I think I’m going to give him a chance.”

“well, whatever happens, I’ll be there to support you through it”

“Thank you” And they kiss. And Aunt takes a picture of this kiss but they didn’t know that.

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#tony stark #tony stark daughter #Tony Stark fanfiction #tony stark x reader daughter #tony stark x reader #tony stark x daughter #avengers fanfiction #Avengers #peter parker x reader #peter parker

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dear-selena · 5 years

Text

All I See (Peter Parker x Soulmate! Reader): Chapter 4

Peter Parker x Reader Soulmate!AU

Summary: You live in a world where women start to gain color when they meet their soulmate, but they cannot see all the colors at once until they’ve united with them. Peter Parker is your soulmate, but he has no idea. You want to tell him about the colors you see, but are afraid to. Sometimes, girls can be malicious with the soulmate troupe, and you don’t want Peter to think you’re doing the same. So you keep quiet, and experience one color at a time.

It isn’t until Liz Allan comes in the picture that all you see is green, and you hate it.

Warnings: Angst Central tbh

A/N: Hey guys! This took a little longer than I hoped to get up, but I hope I made the wait worth it! I’ve actually been writing another Peter Parker fanfic, so if you’d like to be added to a permanent tagging list, please let me know! I’ll also add you to this story tags list if you just request that.

Okay enough rambling... enjoy!

Chapter Four: Why So Blue?

Words: 2226

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

The weekend felt like it lasted forever.

After Peter left your apartment, you were given a good two days to think about how you wanted to talk to him about the whole soulmate thing. The entire weekend put you on edge, and you’d imagine scenarios on how things could go. You daydreamed of him smiling wide, picking you up, spinning you around, and kissing you like the way you’ve always wanted. After all, you wanted to save your first kiss for your one and only, and when you met Peter last year, the thought of kissing him was always on the back of your mind. These thoughts would make your vision turn pink, and you could practically see all the colors come together.

Then again, with how luck has been for you, you could see things working against you. You imagined him with a look of disappointment, confused at what you were trying to say and ultimately walking away from you.

“You’re not Liz though…” You could practically hear him say.

These thoughts screamed the loudest in your mind, making your vision turn a very familiar shade of green. Certainly, with him falling for Liz once again, you couldn’t stand a chance. Everyone knows she’s a gorgeous girl. Whenever you saw her at school she was talking to someone. She definitely had a lot of friends, and everyone seemed to like her. You saw the way other boys looked at her, and you saw how she was able to handle the pressure of constant attention. Compared to you, Liz was perfect.

No wonder your soulmate wants to be with her.

You walk into school Monday morning, dreading the day ahead of you. If you were being honest, you were really hoping to not run into Peter today. You hadn’t come up with a plan to tell him that you were his soulmate without freaking him out. Despite how long the weekend was, you needed it to be longer so you had more time to think.

You open your locker and throw your lunch in it, not caring about the leftovers you brought from home getting messed up. Your vision has been purple all morning, fearing the moment you’d see Peter. Sighing into your locker, you look at the small mirror you keep in there. You have the heaviest bags under your eyes from all the sleep you lost this weekend, and the makeup you were wearing was not helping you out in any way. With all the overthinking you’ve done, there’s no wonder you felt like an absolute zombie.

“Someone didn’t get her beauty sleep,” someone said right beside you. You looked at them through your mirror and saw MJ at her locker that was right next to yours. She had a straight face as she focused on opening her locker and getting books out.

You turn to face her. “I couldn’t sleep. I was too busy this weekend thinking about something I need to do.”

“Oh, like tell Peter you’re his soulmate?”

Your blood ran cold. Did MJ really just say that? You look up at her as she closes her locker and starts to walk to her first class. You practically slam your locker shut and run after her.

“Wait, wh- wh- what do you mean?” You say once you caught up to her. Damn, she’s a really fast walker.

“(Y/N), I can just tell he’s your soulmate. You tend to blink intensely and look around in awe when he says something nice to you. I just assumed that was your colors changing,”

You were taken aback. “Do I really do that?”

MJ snorted. “Yeah, and you also look at him with heart eyes. It’s kind of gross.”

You glared at MJ for a moment, but sighed. She was right after all. “You’re crazy observant you know that?”

The two of you had reached her class by now. Instead of walking in and ditching you completely like you thought she’d do, she turned to look directly at you, a serious look on her face. “Look (Y/N), you should just tell Peter you’re his soulmate. You don’t need to do the whole ‘cliche romance’ thing or whatever. You’re lucky you can at least see color,” MJ looked down and you swore she was frowning. You then remembered that she still sees black and white, and you realize MJ must want to see her soulmate. You felt the same way before you met Peter, and you remember how it felt to know other girls saw colors, and you couldn’t.

“Peter’s a loser, but you’re ultimately stuck with him. You should make the most out of it while you can.”

Even though MJ basically insulted your soulmate, you smiled at her. “Thanks MJ, that really means a lot.” She nodded her head and turned towards her classroom before you could hug her goodbye. You know she’s not one to show affection like that, but you really wish you could express your gratitude towards her.

As you walked towards your first class you were filled with a new sense of confidence. Your vision started turning orange, which indicates excitement for your soulmate. Your newfound determination set your head straight as you finally decide to tell Peter when you saw him today.

Today you were going to tell Peter he is your soulmate.

__________

Lunch rolled around and you still haven’t seen him. He’s normally in English with you, but he wasn’t here today. Sometimes Peter comes in late if he senses danger in the city, and from the news coverage you saw on your social media, you knew Spider-Man was out saving the day.

However, you didn’t feel anxious. You still saw orange, and you still felt confident.

When your class got out for lunch, you walk to your locker, when you suddenly stop in your tracks. You see Ned standing by his locker, peering over the door trying not to be seen. When you followed his direction of sight, your heart stopped when you saw Peter talking to Liz on the other side of the hallway. Your orange vision immediately turns green.

You quickly make your way to Ned. “Hey Ned, why are you spying on Peter and Liz?”

“I’m trying to hear what they’re saying,” Ned responds. “Or at least try to read their lips.”

You look back over towards your soulmate to see him smile wide at Liz. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before walking away from him. Peter stood idly for a moment before walking towards you and Ned shaking his fist in some sort of victory.

“Uh, hey man… what’s got you so happy?” Ned asks trying to sound casual.

Peter smiles wide again, practically glowing. “So I finally gained the courage to ask Liz on a date, and she actually said yes!”

HUH?

The world felt like it suddenly froze around you as colors started to fight for dominance.

You start to blink rapidly as your heartbeat accelerates, your mind going a mile a minute. You try to process what Peter just said as purple, red, and green engulfed your vision rapidly. With your body trying to find the right emotions to react to Peter’s news, you felt your mind was all over the place, ultimately giving you a headache.

After what felt like a minute of your internal color seizure, your vision calms into an intense shade of green. You feel ringing in your ears as your heartbeat continues to go lightening fast. You see Ned cheer for Peter as they did their handshake. Ned was clearly excited for the boy. However, As your ears stopped ringing only to be replaced by numb arms and tears threatening to fall, you suddenly realize what had happened.

Peter just asked out Liz. Liz said yes. Peter gave himself to someone else.

Your soulmate doesn’t want you.

Despite the ringing in your ears, you watch as Ned and Peter fully engross themselves in a conversation that was obviously about the one and only Liz. In order to not break down on the spot, you start to slowly back away from your two friends. Once you thought you were in the clear, you turn around and walk away.

You quickly dodge people in the halls as you felt tears about to fall. You want so badly to breakdown, to let your emotions out now that you’ve lost your soulmate. But you didn’t want to do it around anyone. You knew you’d never be able to live with yourself if you lose your cool in public.

As you continued to speed walk to the nearest bathroom, you hear someone call your name. You blink back tears and turn around to see Peter chasing after you. “(Y/N)! (Y/N), wait!” Peter shouts over the crowd of students. Instead of waiting however, you turn back around and try walking faster. Unfortunately, Peter is light on his feet, and he caught up to you in no time.

“(Y/N),” Peter said, placing himself in front of you and putting his hands on your shoulders. “What happened? Are you okay?”

You shake your head, refusing to look at him. “Peter, I don’t really want to talk about it now,” you say attempting to get out of his grasp. However, he didn’t make the escape easy.

“(Y/N), please, I want to help you, be here for you. Please trust me.”

You swore you heard him wrong. Did he really just say he wants to help? He was just cheering about how he chose another girl and suddenly he’s concerned about you?

But nevertheless, he did say that, and he was now rubbing his thumbs over your shoulders trying to calm you down. If anything, his hands felt like weights on your numb arms dragging you closer to the ground with every move his thumbs made. You don’t know what came over you, but you knew one thing.

You didn’t want to lie to him.

You look up at Peter, a glint of fire in your eyes. “All I see is green.”

Peter loosens his grip on you and looks at you with confusion. “Wait, what?”

“All I see is green Peter, and I absolutely hate it!” You try to stay calm, but your voice level was rising.

Peter continues looking confused for a moment before he starts putting the pieces of the puzzle together in his head. He suddenly looks at you with deep concern.

“(Y/N), is your soulmate doing something bad to you?”

Are. You. Serious.

You blink rapidly as the tears find their way out, letting out an exasperated sigh that sounded like you were choking. With your arms tingling, and heart breaking, you could feel your mind going into autopilot.

“Yes Peter, and you’re my soulmate!” You practically shout, thanking the lord that the hallways weren’t as crowded anymore.

Peter’s eyes widen as he pulls himself away from you. “I’m- I’m what?”

“I’m your soulmate, Peter! I knew from the first time I saw you. You smiled at me from across the hall and I instantly saw yellow and pink and all sorts of colors. But all I see is green right now, and I know it’s because you want Liz. It’s because she’s all you talk about since she came back. It’s because you are willing to give yourself to her because I was too scared of making you angry if I suddenly told you the truth. It’s because I didn’t want you to think I was lying like Gwen did before.” You let out a shaky breath. “It’s because you don’t see me that way…”

Your breathing became rapid and your head pounds. You didn’t realize how much energy bottling in your feelings would have on you. As your mind got off of autopilot, you became aware of how eerily quiet everything was in the halls.

You hesitantly look up to see Peter’s face. He presses his lips tightly together and furrows his eyebrows, fumes evident in his eyes. His hands make fists and you can tell he’s attempting not to scream.

It’s obvious he’s angry at you.

“Are… you… kidding me?” Peter practically yells, his voice dripping with frustration.

Your eyes go wide at his sudden outburst, and once again colors flash in front of your eyes. Purple, green, and red engulf your vision, putting your mind in an emotional storm. You see Peter’s mouth moving in a furious state, but you genuinely couldn’t hear what he said. Your ears rang even louder than before, and your mind felt like exploding.

Your vision once again starts to settle, but this time into a cold, new color you’ve never seen before. The tears you’ve fought off for so song start to win the battle. As tears rapidly come out, you find yourself running away from the empty hall, away from whatever you just experienced…

And away from your soulmate who clearly doesn’t want you.

As you continue running away from Peter, you accept this new color that engulfs your vision. You finally find a bathroom to run into and ran in, letting your emotions out. As you sob in front of a mirror, you look up at your reflection to fully see this new, cold, and unfamiliar color.

All you saw was blue, for sadness.

——————————

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#peter parker #peter parker x reader #spiderman #spiderman homecoming #spiderman far from home #spiderman ffh #ffh #marvel #mcu #peter parker x soulmate #peter parker x y/n #tom holland x reader #tom holland #self insert #soulmate au #soulmate #dear-selena fanfiction

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romeoandjulietyouwish · 4 years

Note

Could you maybe write a Parkner fic where Valentines day is coming up, and Peter's super sad about it because he thinks he wont get anything (and because hes hardcore crushing on Harley, but thinks Harley doesnt like him back that way), but Harley does like him back and gets him flowers and chocolates or some other type of gift? Maybe Peter gets small little gifts all day from a 'secret admirer' and it turns out to be Harley? Idk just something cute and fluffy. Love your fics!! ❤❤

Thank you for this great prompt! Sorry it took so long

This is LONG so here’s the ao3 link!

“Wake up, sweetheart!” May calls from the kitchen as she pours herself a cup of coffee. “Time for school!”

Peter groans in response, burying his head into his pillow, “I’m sick!” He tries, faking a weak cough.

May sees right through him. “No, you’re not! Get your butt out of bed!”

Peter groans again and sits up. Today’s going to suck. Peter quickly gets dressed, brushes his teeth, and does his best to tame his curls before he opens his bedroom door and wanders into the kitchen.

May kisses his cheek when he walks in, “Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetheart.”

Peter rolls his eyes, “Why does everyone love this holiday so much?”

“Why do you hate it so much?” May counters.

Peter stares at her, “You know why, May.”

She brushes his hair out of his face, “I know, but try to have a good day today okay?” Peter gives her a small nod. May kisses his cheek, “I gotta go to work. I’ll be back for dinner, okay baby?”

Peter nods, “Love you, May.”

“Love you too,” she smiles as she swings her bag over her shoulder and walks out of the apartment.

Peter sighs.

Today is the worst. But he bites into a piece of toast and throws his things into his backpack.

The walk to school with Ned does nothing to brighten his spirits as Ned only fills the conversation with his plans with Betty tonight. He’s taking her to a romantic dinner and then once Ned’s parents leave for their date, Ned’s taking Betty to his house to do...other things. Ordinarily, Peter finds Ned and Betty’s relationship rather sweet. But today he just can’t handle it.

He just clenches his jaw and ignores it as best he can.

Things are worse at school. The amount of PDA is through the roof and he can feel so many eyes on him. Peter just ducks his head and walks as fast as he can to his locker. He swings it open angrily, startling when something falls onto his feet from inside. When Peter looks down he finds a rose. A red rose just fell out of his locker. Peter picks the flower up curiously, turning it to read the small note attached to it.

From your secret admirer.

What?

He inspects the note for any sign of who gave it to him but finds nothing. It could have been Harley. Peter dismisses that thought quickly. Harley doesn’t think of him that way. Peter’s head snaps up from the rose when he sees Flash and his cronies making their way down the hallway. Peter’s heart speeds up and he quickly looks back down at the flower. It’s a prank. Again. Just like last year. Peter fights off the angry tears that start to fill his eyes. Whoever is doing this to him just wants to see a reaction. So Peter won’t give him one.

He tucks the rose into his backpack and hurries to class. But Peter comes to a stop when he sees his desk. In the middle of it is a pink sticky note and a bar of his favorite chocolate. He picks them up as he sinks into his seat, reading the note.

You are so beautiful, Peter. You make my heart stop when you walk into a room. -SA

A small smile crosses Peter’s face. But it disappears when the door to the class opens and the rest of the class begins to file in. Peter quickly hides them in his backpack. Whoever this is can’t be serious. Peter’s been the victim of too many cruel pranks to think this is true.

He keeps his head down and his arms wrapped around his stomach for the rest of the class. He doesn’t want to give whoever sent these the chance to see how the words make his heart flutter.

“Are you okay?” Harley asks him during the next class, leaning across the aisle.

Peter nods sharply. His mood only got worse when he received another note a gift at the start of this class. The small gift had been a toy penguin, his favorite animal. And the note had said:

I love the way you smile when you understand something new. -SA

Peter hates that it made him happy. Words from a bully, from someone who is just gearing him up for disappointment, shouldn’t make him this happy. He quickly shoved them into his bag. He didn’t want Harley to see. Harley, the boy he’s been crushing on for over a year, will never be allowed to know the humiliation Peter is going through.

“I’m fine,” Peter hisses.

He hates the way Harley looks dejected as he turns away. Peter trains his eyes on the front of the class but doesn’t listen to what the teacher is saying. It doesn’t matter. As he zones out, he imagines a world in which these gifts and notes came from Harley. He pictures Harley memorizing his schedule, leaving class early to plant the gift in his next class, perfectly planning each gift to make Peter blush. At the end of the day, Harley would pull him aside and tell him that he was his secret admirer and then he would take Peter’s face in his hands and kiss him. Peter would thank him shyly for the presents. Harley would smile his lopsided smile that makes Peter’s heart flutter. Then Harley would bite his lip and look at Peter like-

No.

Peter won’t let that go any farther.

It’s not Harley.

The class drones on but Peter can’t get Harley out of his mind. At least it’s a welcome distraction.

He can almost feel Harley’s rough hands combing through his hair, pulling him closer and closer-

Stop.

Peter forces himself out of his fanciful daydream. He doesn’t even acknowledge Harley when the bell rings, dismissing them to lunch. Harley calls his name, but Peter doesn’t turn around. MJ has always said he’s never been a good liar and Mr. Stark always tells him he wears his heart on his sleeve. So he won’t look at Harley. Not when his mind is still mulling over those stupid notes.

All Peter can hope for is a normal lunch. No flowers or notes or gifts. But sure enough on their table in the lunchroom is a red rose and a small note. MJ, who is already sitting, fixes him with a questioning look. Peter throws himself down on the bench and looks pleadingly with MJ. “Help me.”

She quirks a brow, “What?”

“I keep getting these stupid notes and stupid flowers from someone,” Peter whines.

“That’s a problem because...?”

“Because it’s not real!” Peter exclaims. “Because this is obviously a prank and I’m just waiting for whoever is doing this to me to laugh at me and say it was all a joke.”

MJ sighs, “Peter. Has it occurred to you that this may not be a joke? Maybe someone really likes you.”

“MJ. Do you remember last year?” A dark look crosses over her face and Peter knows she is replaying the same horrible memories as him. “Yeah. I’m not falling for this again.”

He stuffs the rose into his backpack, eyes quickly reading the note against his will.

I love the way your hair looks in the sunshine. -SA

Peter’s eye catches on Harley walking over to them so he quickly tells MJ, “Don’t tell Harley.”

“Why?”

“MJ. Please. Don’t.” Peter begs.

MJ nods quickly. Harley smiles when he sits down, “Hey guys. Where’s Ned?”

“Eating lunch with Betty,” Peter points to where Ned and Betty are cuddled up at a different table. He sighs and tears his sandwich in two. “I hate Valentine’s Day.”

Harley frowns, “Really? It seems like something you would be all over.”

Peter shakes his head, “Nope.” Harley throws a look at MJ who just shakes her head, ending the conversation. Peter doesn’t say much all of lunch. Harley and MJ carry on a conversation about some book they read. Then Peter’s phone dings.

Harley: You sure you’re okay?

Peter: I’m fine.

Harley: You don’t seem fine

Peter: I. Am. Fine.

Peter feels bad, but he doesn’t want Harley to know what happened last year and how it’s happening again this year. It’s too humiliating.

After lunch, Peter hurries to his next class. Maybe if he gets there fast enough his “secret admirer” won’t have time to leave him anything. But he’s out of luck because there on his desk waiting for him is a note and another chocolate.

You are such a unique and caring and genuine person. -SA

He crumples the note up and shoves it into his bag. Why can’t his awful day just be over already?

The next class is exactly the same. He finds another note on his desk:

I have never loved someone as much as I love you, Peter Parker. -SA

Peter hates those words. He is so distracted by the feeling the words give him that he doesn’t notice Flash walk in. “What’s that, Penis?” Flash asks as he leers over Peter. Peter quickly crushes the note into his fist.

“None of your business, Flash,” Peter bites.

That makes a horrible smirk cross his face, “Is that a valentine?” Flash laughs, turning to his friends, “I wonder who sent it? I mean, I can’t think of a single person who wouldn’t take a dead animal over you.”

Normally Flash’s half baked insults wouldn’t hurt Peter this much, but between all of his intense feelings and thoughts today, he can’t help the pain that erupts in his chest. Thankfully the teacher starts class before Flash can say anything more.

The entire time his heart rate won’t die down. He replays the words from the note over and over again in his mind. I love you. That’s what the note said.

I love you.

Peter allows himself a small smile. Even if it’s a lie, the words are nice to hear. But in all honesty, he just wants this day to end. He wants to go home and cry until he passes out.

The second the final bell ring, Peter rushes to his locker. He gets there before the hall fills with students running through the front doors. He tries to throw his books in as fast as possible, but something catches his eye. Inside is a note.

Meet me by the football field. -SA

Peter slams his locker shut. He won’t. That’s what happened last year and...

Peter runs.

He runs as fast as he can out of the building and down the street and back to his apartment. Once he’s inside he empties the notes and flowers out on his bed five of them. The same handwriting. All messages of love. Things only someone who really was watching him would know these things. Who could have sent these to him?

Peter has no idea. He crumples them up in his hands and throws them across the room in a shout of rage. He slams his fists on his bed as hard as he can, tears pouring down his cheeks. Why can’t these stupid bullies leave him alone? Allow him a moment of peace? Why do that have to ruin every day for him?

Valentine’s day is supposed to be filled with joy and love and happiness. And instead, Peter spends another year in complete misery and confusion.

He doesn’t know how long he sits there crying, but eventually, the sky grows dark and Peter forces himself out of his bedroom. He wants to get some food, maybe a glass of water, and then go right back to his bedroom and watch tv until he falls asleep.

But just as he walks into the kitchen he hears a knock on his door. Peter frowns and walks over to it, opening it quickly. On the other side is-

“Harley?” Peter breathes. Because there stands Harley. He is soaked to the bone and wearing a black suit, holding a bouquet of red roses.

“Hi,” Harley smiles that same dopey smile Peter loves.

“You’re wet,” Peter acknowledges slowly.

Harley rubs the back of his neck, “Yeah, yeah it’s raining.” They stand there for a moment longer, just looking at each other. “Can I come in?”

Peter nods quickly, “Sorry, yeah, come on in. I’ll get you a towel.” Harley stands in the middle of the doorway as Peter walks to the closet in the bathroom. His heart is beating like a butterfly in his chest. Harley is here. With flowers. Could it be...?

“Here,” Peter extends the towel to Harley who wraps it around his shoulder. “You can come in and sit.” Peter leads Harley into the living room and they sink down onto the couch beside each other, only a few inches between them. After a moment, Peter has to know, “Harley? Why are you here?”

“To make things right.” Harley extends the bouquet of flowers toward Peter. “There are for you.”

“For me?” Peter takes then tentatively.

“Yeah. Look, Peter, I was the one that sent you those notes today.” Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my g- “And I’m sorry if I freaked you out. I just wanted to do something special for you and when you told MJ at lunch she pulled me aside after and told me that I needed to stop what I was doing because I was scaring you because of what happened last year, but at that point, it was too late and...” Harley takes Peter’s hands. “I am so sorry, Peter. I didn’t know. I-I just wanted to show you how much I love about you in a special way. Peter-”

“Harley.” Peter interrupts. Tears are pooled in his eyes. It wasn’t a prank. Someone really thinks about him like that. And that someone is Harley. “I love you too.”

Harley looks up, “You-you do?” Peter nods. Harley wastes no time in pulling Peter into a tight hug. Peter doesn’t even care that Harley is wet and cold because he’s here. He’s here and he loves Peter. When Harley pulls back, Peter brings their foreheads together. “Peter, can I-”

Peter cuts Harley off by tipping his head forward and kissing him. It’s exactly like Peter imagined, excepts Harley’s hands fall to his waist instead of his cheeks. But Peter doesn’t mind one bit. Because it’s so perfect. Harley’s lips are so soft and gentle against his. Peter pulls Harley closer to him, trapping his face in his hands. Harley pulls out of the kiss after a few more seconds, falling against the back of the couch, touching his thumb to his lips.

“Wow,” Peter says, slightly out of breath.

“I wish I did that before I put us through that today,” Harley says, almost in a daze.

“Well, you can do it again,” Peter blushes.

Harley sits up and puts his hands on Peter’s him, “Come here then.”

Peter smiles and leans in. Just before their lips meet Peter whispers, “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

...

Send me some prompts!

#my fic #peter parker #harley keener #spiderman #spiderson #spiderson fic #parkner #peter/harley #parkner fic #/ bullying #tw bullying

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ellanainthetardis · 4 years

Note

Hi :) I’m know you’ve written fics where both happen but out of curiosity, in movie!verse (which admittedly I mostly ignore hahah) do you hc effie would move to 12 when Peeta moves back? Would it have been as difficult for her to live in the capitol if she was known to have been the escort that sided with the rebellion rather than the one that everyone thought was the enemy? What do you think would be her prompt to realise she’d rather be with haymitch when it’s not her PTSD like in book!verse?

MMM that’s a very interesting question I rarely touch movie!verse post MJ. I’m not entirely a fan of a “stay sober” Haymitch (at least not until a few years down the line when he might make the decision to cut out himself, bc it wasn’t his choice to get sober in MJ and I feel like he wouldn’t stick to it but I digress). As for Effie, it’s hard to tell. I love EB to death and I love her portrayal of Effie but the way they used Effie in MJ... I can’t really get behind it. She’s acting like her most flamboyant spoiled brat self all MJ 1&2 and 13 never puts her back in her place. I’d have liked to see a transposition of the scenes with the prep teams, for instance, or something that would confront her to reality, instead I got customized uniform book!13 would never have allowed and random comic relief.

Anyway. Back to to topic. Two options, I think. Either we consider purely movie!canon and we decides they started hooking up in 13, so when he says don’t be a stranger maybe he means that but she doesn’t take it to mean “please move in ily” bc they don’t have the “history” so to speak. In which case, I will lean more toward something where she stays in the city and take a job with Plutarch, basically filling out Fluvia’s role, by becoming his Chief of Staff or something. I do think she has the skills to go into politics, maybe not as a face but as a PR or yeah, chief of staff, or something like that. Higher up but behind the throne, you see?

Since she joined the rebellion after the Quell and was quite publicly the Mockingjay’s escort during the war, I think most rebels would be satisfied with that and maybe conclude she’s been a part of the rebellion for longer than anyone realized and she wouldn’t deny it so... She would be okay with them, maybe even well considered... I do think she would be in hotter waters with the Capitols but since Capitols invented the game, they would pretend and be very hypocretical bc they want to survive and, while she wouldn’t believe a word or a smile and watch for the knife in her back, she would go along with the charade.

I think she could make a successful career out of that. A career she enjoys even, because her brain would be put to use for once. And since she wouldn’t be as jadded by the war, I don’t see her ambition being put in check. I guess she would be in relationship with Haymitch but it would be long distance. Holidays, the occasional week-end in 12 or the city...

Maybe it works out well, at first, because Haymitch isn’t used to having someone romatincally around and that’s a good transition but after a while, I do think he would get in a frame of mind where he wants something more stable and it might put tensions on their relationship a few years down the line...

I’m a romantic and I love them so I want to think they would make it but I’m not sure how much a fling that started in MJ with the movie!characterisation would really work out. Either she quits and move to 12 (but she’s so ambitious and if her career is really working well, it seems ooc) or Haymitch moves to the city (which is NOT happening) or they find some sort of in-between solution where she takes a political role as a delegate in 12 or something...

Second, option (my default when I play in movie!verse) we consider a hybrid of (what we think is) book!canon and movie!canon for Effie. We consider Effie has a lot of character development pre 74th and is fully aware of the states by the time Katniss pulls out the poisonned berries and isn’t as clueless during the Tour and etc as she pretends to be on screen. So when she arrives in 13 she’s DEEPLY unhappy about having been “kidnapped” (probably bc if Haymitch had asked, she would simply have said yes), really upset by the rebels failing to rescue Peeta and mostly worried because she’s not stupid enough not to see she’s not welcome. She’s basically durmped into the enemy’s den and Haymitch isn’t even around to protect her (bc he’s in withdrawals). I like to consider book!13 when I write that verse and pretend movie!13 doesn’t exist, so she would also be “a fish out of water” - as was promised when MJ1 came out. I also like to have her wear the real uniform for that reason, I think it’s important for someone like her who always means to stand out to be forced into the ranks, because it would play on her mind and that’s interesting.

Anyway, book!hayffie do seem to have more history regardless of if you think they were having an affair before 74th or not. They have all those “of one mind” thing and conspiracy in elevators... They do seem to have a more... real equal working relationship, meanwhile in the movie, it seems Haymitch is doing all the work.... So if we take that into account, I think, in that hybrid idea, Effie would stick with Haymitch and remain his escort (and Kat’s obviously) in 13 so she’s more involved despite the hostility she triggers. Her being more involved means she gets to see more of the horrors happening in Command. She would also, I think, be tired by all the years of dead kids. That’s something that would sit heavily on her and I’m not sure book!Effie shrugs it off as easily as movie!Effie does...

What I like with movie!Effie though, is that she develops a real nice relationship with Katniss. That, we do lack in the books. And I really like that because I think it might come to play a role post MJ.

Of course, when we consider post MJ we have to decide what to do there too. I don’t like the movie!MJ ending XD I don’t like that Katniss isn’t hurt/addicted and I don’t like that they ship her off right after the murder. I like the whole “suicidal/withdrawal/trial” thing better. There is SO MUCH happening beyond her room during those weeks (months?) and that’s what’s interesting because I think that’s when hayffie’s fate is decided. (either they implode in book!verse - for a little while - or they seal the fact they want to be together for hybrid movie!verse)

Anyway, if we consider the hybrid version of Effie (movie!verse but with book background and the idea that the affair didn’t in fact begin in 13) I think it’s possible she just might be exhausted and disgusted by all the politics and worried about the children enough that she would just come to 12 with Peeta. To test the water. Also she knows her feelings, she’s mostly confident Haymitch does love her, she probably simply isn’t sure he’s actually ready to have her around him 24/24 in his house.

I mean if she and Haymitch had been dancing around the casual/not so casual thing for years, she might want to take a shot at being steady, committted while he’s miraculously willing. I can see it as a natural progress of their relationship assuming they took a big step in 13 (either by openly sharing a compartment even if it’s not official like I like to hc or even just by not systematically denying when someone assumes they’re together or even - which I think is plausible - by having an actual convo where she puts it on the table that she wants more and he actually awkwardly reassures her that he does have feelings - even if the words aren’t said yet...).

Now if they just started hooking up in 13, I don’t think she would show up with Peeta because there wouldn’t be all the developped intimacy and trust that they need. They both have huge trust and intimacy issues. Haymitch more than Effie, granted, but I don’t think she’s the kind of girl who would drop everything to follow a guy without being 100% certain he loves her without question. She’s a romantic, no questions, but she’s also pragmatic. I’m not sure we get those conditions with movie!hayffie.

ALSO I realize this is all my hc and basically book!verse doesn’t give us much more to go on but I really do believe with all my heart the only reason Haymitch would be open to having a romantic (committed) relationship post MJ (and take a shot at sobriety on top of it) is because of Effie, of their long complicated affair and because he realized he loved her a little too late. Two things in movie verse: either they were hooking up and he doesn’t have the *gasp she’s in the Capitol’s hands, I lost her, shit I love her don’t I?” reveal (although I guess we can still have him start realizing during VT and go from there) so the knowledge he actually wants her in his life full time is slower to come OR they start hooking up in MJ and he doesn’t have the years of denial and tentative repressed feelings so I’m not sure how we go from him being a hermit to him wanting to be committed to someone he was sure he disliked even though he was fond of her.

And she might have the same doubts. Basically a movie!hayffie relationship would have a lot of things to work out. But the thing with movie!hayffie is that Haymitch backstory isn’t explained (is it? I don’t remember. I blacked out most of the things I was disappointed about and boy was I disappointed with the Finnick reveal scene) and Effie’s background is very unexplored so it’s kind of sandbox. I’m too fixed in my own hc and visions of the characters by now but someone else might come up with very various backstories and backgrounds and make it work better than I could maybe...

If you read all that rambling and made sense of it, I give you a golden star. Maybe I’m way off base though. It’s been a while since I watched the movies. I really didn’t like MJ1 and 2 much. There were stuff I liked, some scenes, mostly papa!H and mama!E, obviously I enjoyed the hayffie... But idk, 13 is too different from what I pictured, not strict enough, and I’m irked every time Coin gives Katniss a peptalk that should have come from Haymitch. The lack of Haymitch is also annoying to me. He’s supposed to be a key player and he’s just in the background. Even Effie is more useful, I feel.

Anyway, see how my brain works? You ask a question and it jumps in a thousand different directions. I’m not sure I did a good job at explaining my thoughts.

But do share yours! I’m interested! It’s been a while since we talked headcanons and meta! I’ll put this on the tag if people are feeling like reading ramblings and discussing their own vision...

All hcs and meta are interesting!

#hayffie #meta #hc #LOTS of rambling #but I'm interested in other opinions #so if you feel like reading my ramblings #and if you manage to make sense of them #cause let's be honest I forgot how to do a structured answer #please do share your opinions #I'm interested #and also it's something to do #haha #I guess I'm not writing the next chapter of mind wipe today though #cause it's almost noon now #lmao #well #I'll write a prompt instead #anon #ask

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padfootagain · 5 years

Text

The Suit

Here we go with a new cute little thing!! It is the last one-shot for my celebration, for the next two days, I will be updating two series you have voted for. I do hope I have managed throughout these 5 fics to bring a little bit of fluff and softness into your week. In case I had not succeeded so far, maybe this one will do the trick ;)

I have 0 respect for Canon in many fandoms (okay, all fandoms, to some extent) but especially when it comes to the MCU. Everybody lives, everybody is happy, the Avengers live together and the sky is full of rainbows! So… cute things ahead for Steve Rogers :)

I hope you like this, tell me what you thought about it!

Gif not mine (enjoy the eyelashes… argh, why is he like this?)

Word Count : 3941

When people picture the interior of the Avengers headquarters, they imagine some kind of large hangar filled with training rooms. Advanced weaponry on display in some of these rooms too, target practice, and large spaces where the Avengers can train and learn new fighting moves. Some might also imagine the Avengers' personal quarters, a kitchen, a large living room where all can gather and eat some Chinese food, maybe a room where they all can watch a good movie together too, a large bedroom for each of them and offices too were they can work on the intel sent to them.

And to this entire description, although one would gather a vague image instead of a real glimpse at the inside of the most secret building in the world (or at least one of the most secret buildings, for sure, although we must all admit that many labs in Wakanda are even more wrapped in shadows), this person listing the inside of this fortress would be right. At one major detail… or well, three, actually.

This enlightened person would have forgotten the library, for one, large and composed of an eclectic collection of novels, thesis about nuclear physics and comic books, was right between the movie room as the Avengers called it, and the offices.

Also, there is a miniature hospital in the base of the Avengers. They call it the infirmary, but it contains everything needed to heal any kind of wound they could sustain on the battle-field, and some of the most recent pieces of equipment would make even Dr Strange blush out of envy.

But the most important set of rooms that one would have forgotten are the labs. Scattered throughout the buildings, and yet vital for the heroes. Who makes the suits? The weapons? Who collects the intel? Who improves their defensive accessories? Who analyses the clues the Avengers find throughout their missions?

Obviously, the busy team of researchers and engineers working at the base.

And while you could hear the characteristic detonations of Natasha, Bucky, Sam and Clint training at firing, you were yourself stuck with a very hard problem to solve.

On your desk, what was left of Captain America's suit laid splayed so you could examine the damages the explosion had caused. He was okay, thanks to luck, his super-soldier organism and a little bit of patching up. A week after he was back from his mission, he was apparently completely healed already.

His suit, however, was still just as damaged as it was at its return from the field.

You heaved a sigh, rubbing your tired eyes. If one had told you, back at University, that your PhD in chemistry would be put to use to help a bunch of super-heroes, you would have laughed at their faces. And yet…

You heard a knock on the door of your office, but you didn't need to look up to know it was Peter Parker. You had recognized the knock already.

"Hi, Dr. Y/L/N!" He beams at you as he steps into your office and closes the door behind him.

You rolled your eyes at the teenager.

"How many times do I have to tell you? You can call me Y/N. I’m not that old! Besides, everyone does."

"Captain Rogers doesn’t."

"Yeah, but that’s because he’s old fashioned on a few things."

Peter grinned.

"You know, Natasha has another theory, and it’s a very different one."

"And what could that theory be?"

"Better let her explain it to you," he eluded the question. "What’s that?" he added, nodding at the pile of burnt and torn fabric on your desk that really didn’t look much like a uniform anymore.

"It’s Captain Rogers’s suit. I’m supposed to make an improved one for him."

"Cool! Your suits are always comfortable and efficient. Do you have any ideas yet?"

"None whatsoever."

"I guess he won’t need a new suit before the party. I hope nothing calls for it, at least. So you have a couple of weeks."

"What party?"

"There’s a big party in a couple of weeks. Everyone working here will be invited, I guess Pepper simply hasn’t sent the invitations yet. You’re gonna come, right? That would be awesome!"

"Well… if we’re all invited, then I guess…"

"Nice!"

You exchanged a smile. Something told Peter, and not his Peter tingles, another sense, a sense that was growing sharper and sharper ever since he and MJ were together, that Steve Rogers would be happy to learn that you would attend the party…

"But I doubt that you were coming here to talk about suits and parties, now, were you?"

His smile was back on his face.

"I have a new idea for my web fluid. But I need your expertise. Can you help?"

You let out a chuckle as you stood up and walked towards the door with a pen and your notebook.

"Of course. Come on, tell me all about it."

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

After a few sleepless nights for you and your team, the new suit was finally ready. The tests showed a major improvement in terms of heat responses, you hoped it would protect Captain Rogers efficiently for his next mission.

The advantage of being the head of a scientific team in the Avengers HQ was that you could go to their part of the buildings and give them their new suits, weapons and other gadgets yourself. You had grown quite fond of most of the team along the years too, which made the trip out of your lab particularly enjoyable.

You wandered off from room to room, passing before the fighters training in various methods of combat. You also came across Tony and Peter watching Morgan’s favourite Disney movie with her, and you asked them about the Captain's whereabouts.

"I think he went to the gym with Sam and Bucky," Peter answered, his voice distorted by the handful of popcorn he had shoved in his mouth.

"Because obviously gym is useful to him," Tony added in his usual teasing and yet casual tone over the loud music of Be A Man. "I’ve always thought he was short in muscles."

Meanwhile, Morgan was shouting the lyrics and was now standing on the sofa, mimicking the fighting moves of Mulan.

"BE A MAN!"

"What are you looking for him for, anyway?" Tony went on over the loud singing of his daughter. "You need a coach for the gym?"

You laughed in response.

"No, we’ve finished a new suit for him, so I’m bringing it to him."

"YOU MUST BE SWIFT AS A COURSING RIVER!"

"You guys even do the delivery part for free? Amazon might have reasons to worry."

Peter had now joined the little girl for the rest of the chorus, and he and Morgan were both singing at the top of their lungs.

"WITH ALL THE FORCE OF A GREAT TYPHOON!!"

"Well as I said, he’s at the gym," Tony went on, still focusing on you instead of the two kids by his side. "Lifting heavy things and stuff. He’ll be happy to see you."

"What do you mean?" you asked back with a frown.

"WITH ALL THE STRENGTH OF A RAGING FIRE."

Tony merely chuckled and gave you a knowing look. Although you didn’t know what the knowing in the look was about, you oblivious little thing…

"He’s always happy to see you, Y/N."

"MYSTERIOUS AS THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOOOOOOON!!!"

Tony’s gaze finally drifted back towards the two kids on the sofa, a tender smile soothing his features.

"I think she has a chance to become a superstar," he told you, pointing at Morgan. "That’s pure talent we have here. It’s not the same for the other guy over there of course, but everyone can’t be gifted."

"Hey! I don’t sing that badly!" Peter protested from his end of the couch, making both you and Tony laugh.

You thanked Tony for his help, and he waved at you in response, along with giving you a wink that seemed to carry a silent message, but you failed to understand it. Instead, you continued your journey through the HQ (but not without Morgan giving you some popcorn in support for your noble quest first, of course), and walked to the gym with a light trot and humming the tune of Mulan’s songs.

Indeed, you found Steve right where Tony had told you he would be. At the gym. Sam and Bucky were there too, but the three friends seemed on their way out. Sam and Bucky were talking (or well, bickering was a better word to describe any of their interactions, really) near the door while Steve was picking up his stuff…

… and for some reason he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Or a T-shirt. Or any piece of fabric whatsoever that would cover his torso, the skin glistening slightly with a thin layer of sweat.

No matter how uncomfortable you felt, you couldn’t help but stare.

The three of them turned to you as the door loudly closed behind you, and you all remained motionless for a moment. And for a short moment, time seemed to stop as the four of you each reacted differently to the scene unfolding around you.

You were standing, frozen, in front of the door, your package still safely in your arms as your lips parted without you noticing, and you wondered about the ratio between his biceps and your thighs…

Bucky and Sam were motionless as well, simply because they were trying not to laugh as they watched the silent scene playing between you and Steve.

Steve was still, stopped mid-movement, holding his towel in one hand and a bag in the other. And his mind was currently wondering how it would feel to touch your cheek…

He was the first to shake himself out of his thoughts, and you were rather grateful for it, as you reckoned that you wouldn’t have been able to break free on your own.

“Dr. Y/L/N. What can we do for you?”

You forced your brain to work again and your stare to leave his torso to rest on his intense blue eyes instead. How could he have such long eyelashes?

"Actually, I… hmm… I’m the one who can do something for you. I’ve finished your suit," you added, handing him the suit although you were unable to cross the room to give him the package. You didn’t trust your legs enough, they felt like they were made of soft cotton instead of bones and muscles.

"Oh, thank you," he gave you a bright smile, throwing his towel on his large shoulder and striding to you.

You reckoned that it was rather rare to see a genuine, bright smile on his features. Little smiles, yes. But large ones? Not so much. You guessed that he was very happy to get a new suit. Or perhaps the source for such happiness blooming in him was the person who brought the suit… but you didn't know that, by then.

He took the suit wrapped in kraft paper, his smile still on his lips. You noticed how flushed he was, you guessed it was because of the gym session he had just finished. You couldn’t know that your assumption was only partly true. There was another reason for him to blush up to the tip of his ears. That reason was standing right before him.

"Are you coming tomorrow night? At the big party?" he softly asked.

"Yes, I am. All the lab was invited, and most of us are coming."

"Have you found your plus one yet?" Sam jumped in the conversation.

"Oh, no. I’m coming alone. I mean, it’s not like I need support, I’m going to see my friends there so… no need to pretend."

Sam gave Steve a pointy look. Which his friend ignored.

"Are you bringing someone?" you inquired in a friendly tone.

"Yeah. Yeah, I do. He doesn’t though," he added, nodding towards Steve.

You turned to Steve again. He tightened his grip on the suit, and shrugged, a shy smile on his lips.

"As you said, no need to pretend tomorrow."

You stared at each other for a couple of seconds, that seemed to stretch into minutes. And the more you looked at him, the more you wanted to tell him how you felt, how you hoped to see him the next evening, how wonderful you thought he was and… Gosh, he had gorgeous eyes…

But you couldn't do that.

"Well, I’ll see you all tomorrow then. Have a nice day," you hurried the words out of your mouth so you could stride out of the room before your reason would yield in favour of your heart, and you would spoil everything.

The second the door had closed behind you, Sam was chuckling.

"You know, it ain't that hard to ask her out. You had the perfect opportunity. You just had to ask ‘Y/N, would you like to come with me to the party tomorrow’."

"Sam…" Steve heaved a heavy sigh.

"He’s too romantic for that. He’ll make a move tomorrow night. In the moonlight and all," Bucky mocked, making Steve roll his eyes.

"I hate both of you."

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

The large room was filled with a crowd. Low lights kept an intimate atmosphere throughout the floor. At the top of the Stark Tower, the view on New York City was stunning, an intricated labyrinth of shining lights matching the paler ones hung on the sky. You felt a little tipsy after drinking a couple of tequila shots with Natasha and Wanda. You reckoned that you needed some air, and stepped outside the busy room decorated with perfect taste. The music was still loud coming through the windowpanes as you walked on the large balcony. You hadn't seen Steve yet, but reckoned it was for the best. People had dressed up for the occasion, and you did not plan on dying of a heart attack because of the sight of him in a tuxedo.

The fresh air cleared your thoughts a little and you took a deep intake of breath. You leaned against the bannister, shivering a little as the breeze brushed your naked arms. You took in the view, the sparkling lights shimmering against the darkness of the night, the busy streets and wandering forms drifting back and forth into the maze spreading below your feet.

"Hey! Y/N! Bring your arse back inside, Thor and Nat are trying to see who holds their liquor best!" you heard one of your colleagues call for you, but you shook your head with a chuckle.

"We all know Nat will win."

"I wouldn't be so sure."

You spun on your heels as you recognized Steve's voice. He was standing there, a few steps away from you, his silhouette wrapped in the lights coming out of the busy room giving him a surreal halo, a hand in the pocket of his trousers and a shy smile on his perfectly shaven face. And yes, he was wearing a classic tuxedo. And God, did the man know how to wear a bowtie…

"After all, he is an alien," he went on.

Your colleague had disappeared, you guessed she had judged wiser to leave the two of you alone on the balcony.

How could there be only the two of you out there anyway? Where were people gone to?

"Yes, but she knows too many tricks to lose this kind of bet," you argue.

He let out a chuckle, his eyes flickering to the tip of his black shoes and back up to your gaze, capturing it for good.

"I guess you're right. It's always unwise to underestimate her."

"Exactly."

"Aren't you cold out here?"

"No, I… I needed a little bit of fresh air."

"These parties can be a little too intense," he nodded.

"So can be the tequila."

You both laughed, and fell in a comfortable silence. Steve was too busy staring at you to think of anything else, let alone about words to say.

He hadn't felt that way in what seemed to be an eternity. The nervous tremor through his body, the stumbling of his heart, the freezing of his thoughts… he knew the symptoms and had no doubt about the disease causing them.

Love was an easy thing to spot when it was true, after all.

But if his feelings for you were clear to him, he didn't know about your feelings for him, that was a completely different story. Everyone kept on telling him that you liked him, and he reckoned that he should trust his friends' judgment. The doubt was still there though, a little frozen cube buried in the depth of his heart that burnt through now and then. And it was burning now.

Because as he stared at you, such an accomplished, clever, independent, strong, fierce, graceful woman, he wondered if you could really feel the same way he did.

He had been feeling this way for you for so long though… years, really. And he reckoned now that it was more than time to speak his mind. In the worst case, he would get his heart broken. But in the best case…

"Are you enjoying your evening so far? Would you like something to drink?"

You gave him an amused smile. He seemed nervous…

… maybe your friends were right about him after all.

"I am enjoying my evening so far," you answered. "And no, thank you. I already feel tipsy enough for tonight."

He walked to join you against the bannister, a dreamy smile on both of your faces.

Inside, the music had changed from some energetic pop to a slower and intimate tune. It seemed that time had slowed around the two of you as well, as you stared at each other, your frames lightened by the light inside the tower but also by the stars above and the streets below. Steve's blue eyes reflected the distant lights in an almost impossible way that lit your heart on fire.

There were a thousand things that he wanted to tell you. He wanted to tell you how he thought about you first thing in the morning and last as he closed his eyes to fall asleep. How you made him feel like he belonged in this world that wasn't his. You were amongst the few people who did not see the old soldier in him, but the man behind the shield. You had never made a snarky remark about his lack of knowledge to a reference, and he was grateful for it. You loved sharing the things you loved and that's what drove you when you showed him things he had missed during his time in the ice. It wasn't in a will to change him and make him fit better into a world he had been pushed into, it was in a desire to show him something you were passionate about, simply because you liked talking about it. It wasn't about changing him, it was about sharing. And the majority of people he had met since he had been awakened did not share that state of mind, but the opposite.

He longed to tell you how much he loved hearing you laugh, and thought you had the most adorable smile, and how he admired your smart mind, and how he respected you and your opinion about everyone else's…

There were a million words to be spoken and a thousand thoughts to articulate, but all that passed his lips when he finally mustered the strength to talk was a mere invitation, although it still sounded like a declaration.

"Would you like to dance, Y/N?"

Your heart skipped a beat or two as he called you by your first name, and dear God, did your name sounded wonderful rolling on his tongue. His hand rose as he offered you his open palm, fingers trembling slightly, blue eyes drenched in reflected lights still capturing your gaze and your entire life too. You were vaguely aware of people inside, and maybe some were staring at the two of you, but you couldn't find a way to care, nor even to check if your assumption was correct. Instead, you could not look away from Steve.

There were so many words you meant to speak and thoughts to express and confessions to free from the safety of your heart. How you adored how kind he was, and selfless. How you respected how driven he was and always right to his beliefs. And an infinity of other tiny things that had made you slowly and yet irrevocably fall in love with him.

Instead, you smiled up at him, and spoke only an answer, that still sounded like a promise.

"I would love to."

You thought he would bring you back inside, but he didn't. Instead, he wrapped an arm around you, pulling you closer in a soft gesture. You slipped your hand in his and he gave your fingers a tender squeeze.

You started to sway with the gentle tune, but could barely acknowledge the movements of your feet. You were so close to him, he was so close to you… how could you survive this?

Calloused fingers held yours in a gentle hold, his other hand resting in the small of your back, drawing you closer and closer in an embrace that grew tighter every second and yet of which you knew you could free yourself of if you wanted. It felt safe. Warm. Peaceful. And safe, yes, so safe, so comfortable, you could lay your life in his hands blindly and wouldn't even worry about it. You couldn't remember when was the last time you felt like this, like this man before you could never make anything to hurt you, like not in a million years would he let anything bad happen to you. It felt like a lifetime ago that you trusted a man so thoroughly as you trusted Steve now.

There was warmth spreading from your body to his, reassuring, soothing. A calming glow oozing from your soul conquering his last lines of defence. He couldn't fight against you. He loved you too much for it. All he could do before you was to lay down his arms and offer you his heart on a plate. It was dangerous, and yet he was not afraid. He trusted you too blindly to worry about what you could do with his most precious offering. You would do with it what you pleased. He would accept it all no matter what. It could either bring him back to life or break him for good, but in any case, he would not regret giving you his heart. He knew so much, at least.

He leaned down, your bodies too close to be moved closer to each other by then, resting his jaw against your temple. He remained quiet and so did you, although your two pounding hearts spoke better than your tongues at this moment.

There were no words needing to be spoken, you both knew that this feeling coursing through your bodies now was the feeling of coming home.

Inside the busy crowd, Sam was finishing his third glass of bourbon, while Bucky drank the last drop of his third beer. They exchanged a glance, and Bucky extended his hand. Sam could only chuckle before reaching for his wallet and slipping a twenty dollar bill in Bucky's hand. He had lost his wager, but learnt an important lesson.

One should never underestimate the sense of romance of Captain America, especially if he is wearing that kind of suit.

*****************************************************************

Tag list : @ponycake27 @horsesreign @xinyourdreamsx @jbluevelvet @notkeppeki @daynigt-dreamer-stuff @fudgeflyss @stuckupstucky @snek-shit @suchatinyinfinity @i-padfootblack-things @buckybsarmy @heyohheyitsgabi

@madamrogers

#Steve Rogers #steve rogers x reader #captain america #captain america x reader #steve rogers imagine #steve rogers fanfiction #captain america fanfiction #captain america imagine #mcu #mcu imagine #mcu fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #imagine #writing

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xsteriism · 4 years

Note

Good luck on your exams!!!! And WELL DONE ON GETTING 30O FOLLOWERS YOU DESERVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM!!!!! I have a prompt if you wanna do it? Peter likes to take a lotta photos but doesn't tell anyone and one day Tony finds his camera and it's full of all these amazing pictures of himself and the ironfam and ned and MJ and loads of other pretty things so he buys him a camera and one day Tony gets a picture of everyone asleep and hangs it up! Do it if you want!! Good luck with everything! 💕

hello!! im SO SO sorry i took so long to write this prompt, i havent been feeling myself lately, but i wanted to write something after two months, so here!

i would like to tag @technically-a-little-dragon because i hope this makes you smile :) and @officialtonystarkprotectionsquad because you always support me!

(click on the title to read on ao3)

——

Peter’s Camera

——

Tony is one of the best people to photograph, in Peter’s opinion. Once the genius gets into the mood, there isn’t much that can be done to stop or distract him, which makes him the perfect candidate to photograph. Peter has gotten snaps of him where sparks are surrounding him as if he’s some kind of angel descending from heaven or where he’s sleeping peacefully after days of intense creating, with Dum-e prodding him but to get no reaction in return.

Peter got the camera from Ben as a birthday present, a small second-hand Canon camera. It was old, a little broken, but with his genius brain and some stray parts he found in a dumpster, Peter managed to fix it within a night. However, it was at the expense of neglecting his homework, which he had to rush through the next morning. He didn’t care if the camera had buttons that weren’t working or if it glitched at the worst timings— the camera was Peter’s camera, gifted by his Uncle Ben, and that was all that mattered.

The camera rarely left Peter’s being since he got it, so it was usually always accessible. After he became Spiderman, Peter would bring it on patrol, taking scenic pictures of the city or himself in action. He takes pictures of anything and everything and has to transfer the pictures to his computer every month because of how quickly he fills the memory card.

Maybe it was because he didn’t talk about it, or maybe it was because he only took pictures of people when they weren’t looking, but nobody has found out about his hobby yet. He isn’t ashamed of it, just doesn’t see the need to talk about it when he already has so many things going on in his life. Peter wouldn’t deny it if someone found out about it someday, but for now, he likes that photography is his little secret.

——

Tony isn’t sure what he’s looking at.

Is that a camera from the 1970s? Do those still exist? What on earth is this doing in his lab?

Frowning unconsciously, he picks the camera up, feeling it in his hands, examining it like some specimen. Just as he’s about to put the camera down and leave it, his finger brushes over a button, showing the pictures in the memory card. Eyes widening with mild shock, Tony clicks through the pictures of his family.

He sees himself, surrounded by tools, the light illuminating his face, making him seem otherworldly. He smiles at the picture of Ned, in which he’s grinning at Lego, with his face stuffed full with food. He huffs out a laugh when a picture of Harley teaching Morgan how to use his potato guns pops up and snorts when a picture of MJ smiling softly at a bird shows up. The billionaire snickers at the pictures of Pepper, who looks like the CEO she is as she glares at Clint and Scott or when she’s reprimanding grown adults (see: The Avengers) about safety and rules.

Tony lets out a tiny gasp when he sees Natasha, the notorious Black Widow, smiling softly at a kitten. He chuckles lowly when the picture of Thor, on the verge of tears at the sight of a mouse, appears. And he smirks when he sees Bruce, who looked like he was in the middle of panicking, with a wildly out-of-control specimen in the background. He beams as he sees Bucky and Steve, roleplaying a scene in a book to Morgan, who has a wide grin on her chubby face.

All these pictures, yet not one of Peter. Could it be that… this camera was his?

Of course, it’s his. Whose else could it be?

Tony sets the camera back onto the table, dialling Happy as he exits the lab.

“Let’s go camera shopping.”

——

“Boss, where do you even find the time for photography?” Happy asks as he begrudgingly follows Tony into the camera shop. Why was he always dragged into stuff he didn’t want to do? Better yet, since when did Tony like photography?

Tony rolls his eyes, not that Happy could see. “You wouldn’t get it. Now, which camera do you think is best?”

Happy gapes at the billionaire, looking to and from between Tony and the cameras on display. “How would I— Why would you think—”

“Oh, look at this… Leica S… Typ 007?” Tony sounds unsure— unusual, but not unexpected since this was something he wasn’t familiar with. “What? What does this mean?”

Based on what he knows, this camera is for Peter. Tony cares about him so much that he’d willingly go out to buy him stuff and risk himself running into paparazzi. Sighing in resignation, Happy glances through the specs and the prices of the cameras because Tony obviously wouldn’t and if he accidentally buys a $27k camera, then Peter will definitely freak out.

“Boss, look at the price,” Happy sighs again, “do you really think Peter would accept this?”

Tony almost had whiplash from how fast he turned his head to face Happy at the sound of Peter’s name. “How did you know I was getting this for the kid?”

Happy rolls his eyes, walking past the nervous saleswoman who had been staring at them with a wobbly smile for the entire time they’ve been at the store. He picks up a relatively light camera, something he knows Peter would like and shows it to Tony. The clueless billionaire takes the camera, inspecting it as if he knows everything about it and nods approvingly.

——

Tony isn’t going to lie. He’s a little excited and a little nervous— something completely new from what he usually feels when gifting. He did snoop around in his camera, after all.

Jumping a little when the doors to his lab open suddenly, Tony tightly clutches the box in his hands, forcing himself to face the sweet, sweet teenager and hopes he won’t get mad.

“Hello, Mr Stark!” Peter greets with a chirp in his voice, beaming at the billionaire. “So, I was thinking about some updates I want to do for the—”

Tony interrupts him before the kid can immerse him into his ideas as well. “Pete, I have something for you.”

Innocent, brown eyes bore into his and Tony offers him a nervous smile. He beckons Peter over with a wave of his hand and forces the wrapped box into small arms. The teen cocks his head to one side, looking at him in mild confusion and all Tony’s thinking is, ‘why is he so cute?’

He motions for him to open his very impromptu gift, uncharacteristically wringing his hands in anticipation. Peter gently undoes the tape holding the wrapping paper in place, unwrapping it diligently, unlike how it was wrapped.

“Mr— Mr Stark!” Peter splutters as soon as he sees the camera. “This— isn’t this too much? You already give me an allowance on top of my salary as an intern. I can’t—”

Tony grins, secretly happy that Peter isn’t angry with him for snooping around and discovering his secret. He frowns playfully, sitting on his hands so that the teen wouldn’t be able to force his gift back. “Well, your camera is an ancient relic, and we can’t have that in my very futuristic house, now can we? Besides, why didn’t you get a new one if you had the money?”

Peter smiles, a little forlorn, a little reminiscent. “Uncle Ben gave me that camera and I just never really thought of upgrading it.”

“Hey,” the billionaire holds back a wince at the mention of Ben, knowing it was a sensitive topic. “You can display the camera in your room, no need to get rid of it. Heck, I’ll even make a glass display box for it if you want.”

The teenager smiles again, this time a little brighter, happier. He hugs the camera to his chest, before shyly thanking Tony, as if the billionaire checked the price before paying for it.

A few weeks later, after Family Friday Night, Tony finds a printed picture of the whole family— Avengers and Non-Avengers alike— sleeping in the makeshift blanket fort, on his table. And if he encases it with a handmade frame, hanging it up where everybody can see, then it’s nobody’s business but his.

——

please ❤️ if you liked it! comment if you want? follow me for more, i guess?

#marvel #irondad #spiderson #soft #Send prompts #fluff #Peter Parker fluff #tony stark fluff #celestial-irondad

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xialing-gf · 4 years

Text

goodbye

summary: you do all 16 things you should do after a break up in hopes of moving on from MJ

(Week 7 of my 30 week prompt challenge: breaking up)

Wc: 2148

a/n: this is based off the poem “to do list (after the breakup)” by rupi kaur, from her book “milk and honey”

read on ao3!

1. take refuge in your bed

The pro of being dumped right before spring break was that you had the entire spring break to get over being broken up with. The con of being dumped right before spring break was that you had the entirety of spring break to think about MJ and the breakup.

Lying in your bed, memories of MJ replaying through your head. You were curled up underneath a few layers of blankets, seeking refuge from the chilly New York spring that seemed to still feel like winter. This was your first break up ever and there were certain things you should do, according to your experienced friends.

They told you that laying in bed for hours on end and feeling emotions was totally normal. So, instead of doing the generous amount of homework teachers assigned, you were bundled up in your blankets, wallowing in pity, which was supposed to be a good thing. The only reasons you got up was to get water and food (mainly ice cream) or to use the bathroom.

Your parents knew that MJ broke up with you and didn’t pressure you to get out of bed or to do work; they understood that you were mourning a loss and gave you plenty of space. Unlike how one could get tired from sitting in a chair for long periods of time, one could never get tired of lying in bed. While lying in bed, you had tried to watch funny clips from talk shows and adorable videos of animals that would make you smile until your cheeks hurt, but they only temporarily distracted you from the pain.

Most of the time, you just stared at your colorful bedroom walls or mindlessly browsed through photos of you and MJ in your camera roll that you couldn’t bring yourself to delete. You knew you would have to move on eventually but right now, you decided to indulge in the sharp pain of the shards of a failed love.

2. cry. till the tears stop (this will take a few days)

In addition to lying in bed for hours on end, thinking about MJ, you also coped with your emotions by crying. Crying is generally a healthy way to cope with emotions but you had cried so much in the past few days that you were starting to get worried about your own health.

Through the multiple days of crying and lying in your bed, you discovered there were different types of crying. The first type was crying after an event just happened, the pain still fresh in your heart. It was an intense cry, tears punctuated by small hiccups as you tried to breathe through the nonstop sobs climbing up your throat. The second type was crying a few hours later, remembering that you had just been separated from the love of your life. The third type of crying was the crying that occurred through the last couple of days of spring break; the type where you would cry into your pillow or tissues during random periods of time, a different type of grief mixed with withdrawal ejected into your tears.

Finally, the crying stopped and the rivers in your eyes were controlled.

3. don’t listen to slow songs

Once school started again, you decided that you shouldn’t continue moping or else people would pester you with more questions about you and MJ. You had already gotten quite a few questions and it took all your willpower not to start crying when you answered their prodding questions.

In order to deal with all the curious people, you decided that you should try to improve your mood and that staying positive would help you deal with your emotions. So, you scrapped the playlist that you made for crying sessions that mainly had slow, sad songs and made an entirely new playlist titled with a simple smiley face.

In that playlist, you included songs that were made to boost one’s mood, such as “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen, and played the playlist whenever you could, usually between classes or when you were walking home.

The fast, upbeat songs did help improve your moods a few times but most of the time, it was just a temporary band-aid to help soothe the pain of breaking away from MJ.

4. delete their number from your phone even though it is memorized on your fingertips

If you had a dollar every time you picked up your phone wanting to call MJ, you would be richer than any president in the world. Fortunately, you had a lot of self-control and even though you would go to her contact and hover your finger above the “call” button, you would never press down.

During spring break, you noted the absence of MJ, even more, when you instinctively began texting her about your feelings, something you always did when you two were dating, but you always deleted your messages before sending them. So many messages were the same phrases repeated over and over again and you wanted nothing more but to let her see all the pain you were experiencing.

You knew that you were bound to accidentally call her or send a composed text so you deleted her number from your phone, even though it was etched into the walls of your heart and probably would never be forgotten.

5. don’t look at old photos

Technically, you had already broken the rule of “don’t look at old photos” during spring break but starting from now, you promised that you wouldn’t look at old photos, no matter how hard it would be. You promised yourself that you wouldn’t delete them but wait until you were ready to look at them and not feel pain upon seeing the smile of MJ’s face.

The hardest part was changing your phone’s wallpaper so it was no longer a picture of you and MJ smiling while hugging each other in front of a beautiful water fountain. Now, your wallpaper was simply a photo of the vast blue sea, filled with the uncertainty of waves and darkness.

6. find the closest ice cream shop and treat yourself to two scoops of mint chocolate chip, the min will calm your heart. you deserve the chocolate

Even though a dark cloud seemed to envelop you ever since the breakup, things were starting to get better and you felt ready to let go. You were proud of yourself for slowly getting better, even if it took longer than you expected.

This led to you deciding to treat yourself with a scoop of ice cream at your favorite ice cream shop. After school on Friday, you stopped by the ice cream shop and ordered a scoop of mint chocolate chip, your favorite flavor. You were in no rush to get home so once you got your scoop, you ate your ice cream as you watched people walk past the shop.

The sun was starting to peek out of the clouds and for the first time since MJ left you, you couldn’t help but smile.

7. buy new bed sheets

You couldn’t look at your bed sheets anymore. Every time you saw them, you were reminded of her or reminded of lying in bed after crying about her. You had these bed sheets for almost three years and while they did have some sentimental value, you wanted to get new ones. Luckily, your mother understood and you bought new bedsheets online.

They arrived within a few days and after laying them out on your bed, you felt as though you could finally get a fresh start.

8. collect all the gifts, t-shirts, and everything with their smell on it and drop it off at a donation center

When people say they did some spring cleaning, you highly doubted that their definition of spring cleaning was the same as yours. On a weekend, you finally gathered up the nerve to collect all the items MJ gave to you as gifts and anything else that had her scent on it and put it in a box labeled “Donation”. It would be a shame to see all those items thrown away so you decided to donate them all to the local Goodwill.

As you handed the box over to the person who was working at the store, she asked if these items were all yours and instead of giving a complete answer, you simply managed a smile and vaguely answered, “They don’t belong to me now.”

9. plan a trip

Getting out of New York to clear your head was another great idea suggested by your friends. They all saw that you were getting better and didn’t need to listen to your forcefully upbeat playlist to be happy so they planned a trip to Hawaii with you.

That trip was one of the best vacations of your life. It was a long weekend as teachers had some sort of events that resulted in the cancellation of three days of school after a weekend and during those five free days, you were in Hawaii with your friends, having a great time without MJ by your side.

10. perfect the art of smiling and nodding when someone brings their name up in conversation

Those two letters next to each other in any conversation was always devastating. Even though you believed you were finally over MJ, anytime somebody brought her name up, you would involuntarily tense up and unintentionally inject stiffness into your words. But, after countless conversations where her name was brought up, you finally mastered the art of smiling and holding back any pain that threatened to spill out from between your lips.

11. start a new project

The paintbrush no longer felt familiar to your fingers. At one point, you had painted whenever you could and that stopped once you reached high school. MJ did see a few of your paintings and asked a few times about it but you never fully explained why you loved painting so much. There wasn’t an exact reason you painted; perhaps it was a way for you to express yourself or maybe you just enjoyed the feeling of the brush gently dragging down a blank canvas. Either way, painting was one of your favorite hobbies and you decided to pick it up again.

Standing in front of a blank canvas propped up on your table surrounded by countless colors, you dipped your paintbrush in red and filled the empty canvas with colors.

12. whatever you do, do not call

You entertained the possibility of calling MJ again. You were in a good place and maybe you could finally talk to her without breaking down into tears. Your fingers hovered over her numbers and you gritted your teeth as you looked up at the ceiling, trying to gauge whether this was a good idea or not.

Logically, calling her would only bring you down to the place you were right after you two broke up but there was still a flicker of hope in you that maybe talking to her would help you move on. Your logical side won and you turned off your phone, setting it aside as the air you trapped in your lungs finally escaped.

13. do not beg for what does not want to stay

Begging for forgiveness was always seen as losing but if it meant you could get MJ back, you were willing to concede. However, you were held back by your friends, who helped you calm down and delete the message you were about to send to MJ, asking for her forgiveness. They were right to do so as you needed to move on and there was no fixing what was broken.

14. stop crying at some point

The rivers were back again and stronger than ever. Just when you thought you had gotten over her, something broke inside you again and tears began pouring out of your eyes as you clutched your pillow, willing for every emotion in you to just stop.

Pain was prodding at your stitched up heart, threating to slice it open again and when you opened your eyes after the last of sobs left your chest, shadows were crawling on your ceiling.

15. allow yourself to feel foolish for believing you could’ve built the rest of your life in someone else’s stomach

You still couldn’t believe that you allowed yourself to hope that you and MJ could have a future together. Whenever you were with her, you always imagined that you would be able to hold her hand ten years from now and that you two would be cuddling in an apartment, content as you could be. Reality slammed that fantasy down but looking back, love had made you foolish enough to believe that everything could work out.

16. Breathe

You take a deep breath in and a deep breath out and finally let go. Freedom.

check out my marvel page for more marvel fics! i also have an mj x reader masterlist!

Taglist: @dutchiewhotriestowrite @just-your-local-history-nerd @chickenstrips45

(Comment if you want to be tagged in my marvel fics!)

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hellzyeahthewebwieldingavenger · 4 years

Photo

The thing I love about Otto, he is the guy who...Peter Parker is supposed to be the everyman, and in a lot of ways he is, but he is always dating the most beautiful women in the world...supermodels, Gwen Stacy...And Otto was the guy, I am not a big fan of the late-90s as an era of Spider-Man. There was a character called Stunner who came along and was this big Amazonian woman with super-strength, who was Otto's partner and love-interest and the big reveal was that she was a virtual reality simulation and the real person was an overweight woman in a virtual reality machine. But when Otto finds out he says, I didn't love you for what you looked like, I loved you for your mind...I can’t remember if she [Aunt May] saw Betty [Brant] as a bit of a Jezebel because she was older

We er...we really need to unpack this. I already did a post where I cited the above as part of why Christos Gage should never have been allowed to write Spider-Man.

But lets dive deeper into the idiocy of this.

First of all if nothing else the above quote and panels really do prove beyond doubt that Marvel knew what they were doing when they paired Slott and Gage...well sorta. Gage and Slott’s approaches to Spider-Man fundamentally come from the same place of fundamental misunderstanding and regressive beliefs thus they were perfect to work together. It’s just that Gage is a comparatively more competent writer than Slott and therefore Slott should’ve been HIS understudy and fill-in guy not the other way around.

So let’s dive into the less awful bits first. Like Slott Gage doesn’t know his continuity and is too lazy to even google it.

Let’s put aside how Stan Lee himself stated Betty Brant is younger than Peter NOT older, the age difference would’ve been insignificant enough (Peter was a senior in high school when he was dating Betty, that’s stated in the issues) so what is this ‘Jezebel’ crap? The fact his mind would go to that rather than just Aunt May thinking MJ would be a better match is at best eyebrow raising.

Moving on, the crux of his assessment of Otto and Stunner’s relationship is way off the mark. Ignoring the fact that Stunner and the reveals made about her occurred in 1994-1995 (so literally not the LATE 1990s at all), he’s totally distorted the story as it unfolded. As such let me show you some of the relevant pages.

Gage’s assessment of Otto and Stunner’s relationship hinges upon two interconnected ideas.

a) Otto was unaware that her stunning appearance was a facade and

b) That he didn’t care upon finding out

As you can see that is a distortion of what the actual stories conveyed.

Otto was always aware Stunner’s appearance was a facade because he invented the technology that made it possible in the first place!

Otto also began dating her BEFORE she became Stunner. This does indeed support the idea that for him outer beauty is not that relevant.

For myself I find this idea debatable for a few reasons. Not only in the above images does he directly refer to Stunner as beautiful and the love of such a beautiful woman makes him happy but in the classic Spec #75 Bill Mantlo implies Otto took a fancy to Felicia due to her being attractive.

I grant you it’s far from impossible to interpret that Otto in fact was referring to Stunner’s personality as beautiful and took a shining to Felicia for reasons beyond her looks. In fact I find that interpretation interesting. But both examples hurt the narrative of Otto being a man who doesn’t care about outer beauty, even before you get to the fact that in Superior he was oggling and actively trying to fucking rape Mary Jane! What exactly about her ‘inner beauty’ led to him doing this?

Then of course you have his relationship with Aunt May which has been treated as genuinely romantic when it’s very unlikely to be that.

The truth is Doc Ock has been inconsistently written over the decades so pinning down that he’s a man who doesn’t care about a woman’s outer beauty in regards to his feelings for them is extremely iffy.

His dynamic with Stunner and Gage’s assessment is even iffier as the pages detailing his ‘courting’ of her prior to her becoming empowered can definitely be interpreted as him actively manipulating her for his own ends. He needed a test subject for his technology, a technology he was hoping could essentially ensure he’d live beyond the demise of his mortal body and mind (which obviously happened in Superior). Angela was that test subject, he either came across or scouted her out with the explicit intention of having her use his machine.

Because we only get brief flashes of their relationship it’s unclear if he was 100% decieving and manipulating her (as he was to Anna Maria and Mary Jane) or if he was sincere in his affections, at least on some level. Maybe he even started out manipulating her but grew to genuinely care for her before or after her transformation into Stunner.

My point is it’s not this grand moral victory for Otto that he cared for Angela even though she was overweight.

Which brings me to the most damning thing about Gage’s comments.

According to him Otto is better than Peter because Otto didn’t date supermodels or sexy cat burglars.

Much like all his work with Otto before and during his Superior run, Gage practically wanks off the character.

You see Otto is ‘different. He’s not like ‘those other guys’, or more specifically ‘that Peter Parker guy’. HE doesn’t date supermodels or sexy cat burglars.

He just keeps the sexy cat burglars as his ‘guests’ that he won’t let leave his lair, will date by deception and attempt to rape the supermodels and will probably manipulate vulnerable overweight women for his own selfish scientific pursuits and date them sincerely once they’ve transformed into wrestling divas.

Of course in reality, romantic and sexual attraction is something none of us can help and we are going to feel about whoever however we’re going to feel, and the harsh truth is a lot (but not all) of the time outer appearences do matter, or at least they do when it comes to initial attractions. Often in healthy relationships they matter less as time goes by, but are rarely totally irrelevant. Nobody, of any sex, gender or sexuality, is shallow for on some level taking looks into account for how they feel about a romantic or sexual partner, at least on some level.

In Peter’s case Gage’s assessment (which synchs up with Slott’s) of him as shallow is so asinine because he clearly doesn’t just care about looks. In fact semi-famously in the classic Romita stories his initial attraction for Mary Jane fades after he (incorrectly, and unfairly) starts to view her as shallow and little more than her looks.

No doubt about it that chicks’s as pretty as a pumpkin seed...and just about as shallow.

ASM #45*

Peter late of course dumps Black Cat in part because she doesn’t love him for who he is, and only cares about him as Spider-Man. He wants someone who will share a life with him, whom he can connect with. If he was only interested in her because she was sexy why would he do that?

And of course this is to say nothing of the absolute denigration Gage’s comments pay to both MJ and her relationship with Peter.

I’ve felt this way for awhile now but to be blunt, if a writer ever just sums up MJ as a ‘supermodel’ I’m going to presume they either don’t understand her character and/or hold some messed up opinions. Putting aside how MJ hasn’t a model (super or otherwise) for most of her history it’s just messed up that everything else about her is dismissed in favour of pushing that profession and treating it as a summation of who she is as a character.**

Because whenever creators or characters sum up MJ as a supermodel what they really mean is ‘she’s just a shallow, pretty face’. Which is so facepalm worthy ironic because the crux of Mary Jane’s entire character since The Death of Gwen Stacy in 1973 has been that people THINK she is just a shallow pretty face but she in fact absolutely isn’t!

And aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall the stuff that is relevant to why she isn’t is literally the reason Spider-Man fell in love with her in the first place. All the guilt, regret, insecurities, bravery, sense of responsibility and inner strength that subverted what we thought we knew about her, that’s the shit that her and Spider-Man’s romance is built upon.

How the fuck does anyone miss that! It’s not even like you need to read deeply to see it, just read a Wikipedia entry!

It isn’t the crux of Felicia’s character, but the same applies to her. What jackass in this day and age (or indeed since the 1980s) honestly thinks Black Cat is nothing but sex appeal? There is an entire goddam Black Cat ongoing series demonstrating she is more than that! Gage is a goddam relic at this point!

On the flipside of course is poor Anna Maria.

Once upon a time Anna Maria was the best character in Spider-Man. Back in the dark days of 2013 and 2014 when Superior was going strong, MJ was out of the picture and the best Spider-Man books on the stand were about a kid replacing a dead AU Peter Parker and Peter Parker’s clone, Anna Maria was a stand out.

A new character with a personality, likable, a new love interest for ‘Spider-Man’ that on paper made a certain amount of sense even though the circumstances were disgusting. And on top of that she provided a dash of representation that was handled in an appropriate way.

As time went by she gradually devolved as a character and went way off the rails to the point where now she’s being a misogynistic asshole to other women by judging them for their looks. It’s so fucked up because she herself has been judged for her looks, just in a very different way whilst the likes of those ‘shallow’ women she cites have never said a bad word to her or to my knowledge anyone else on the basis of how they were born.

Good job Gage, this is probably the last time we’re going to see Anna Maria and you’ve fully transitioned me from a guy who kind of wanted her to stick around in some capacity as a regular supporting player for Peter into a guy who would be delighted for her to forgotten and never appear again.

Fuck Gage.

Fuck Superior

Fuck the entire asinine, mishandled, clusterfuck of an era that outstayed it’s welcome circa December 2012!

*In fairness he does bring up he might just be thinking ill of MJ because he’s upset about other things. See, THAT is a more even handed and on point depiction of Peter Parker being flawed. But Stan Lee being a better writer than Gage or Slott shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone.

**Not to mention ‘supermodel’ shouldn’t even be used as shorthand for ‘shallow person’ in the first place. Are supermodels not people too? Are they incapable of being intelligent or having worth outside of their looks? I mean FFS we live in a world where this (starting at 3:37) really happened:

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#Christos Gage #Spider-Man #Superior Spider-Man #Anna Maria Marconi #otto octavius #Doc Ock #Dan Slott #Doctor Octopus #mjwatsonedit #Mary Jane Watson #Mary Jane Watson Parker #Black Cat #Peter Parker #Felicia Hardy

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tonystarkstan · 5 years

Text

When Peter goes off to college, it’s an adjustment for both him and Tony.

The first time Peter goes an entire day without at least texting Tony, the man freaks out. Immediately assuming the worst, he puts on his suit and literally flies to MIT in a panic, sure that his kid is hurt.

Tony finds him eating Cook-Out in a study room in the library, except the kid isn’t studying. He and a couple other boys Tony doesn’t recognize have blankets on the floor with a laptop out in front of them. They’re watching The Incredibles 2.

Needless to say, Tony can’t help but feel embarassed for days afterwards, especially with May and Pepper constantly laughing and reminding him what a mother hen he is. The kid is growing up - he doesn’t need to talk to Tony constantly. Something in the man’s chest aches a little at that.

The second time it happens, the kid hasn’t talked to him in four days and he’s not answering Tony’s calls. When he fails to respond to May’s texts and calls, they decide together that they’re allowed to worry.

Tony wastes no time in booking it to the university, heart racing as he thinks of all the reasons why Peter would go four whole days without contacting anyone.

Maybe he’s being bullied and doesn’t want to talk to anyone. Maybe he tried to patrol and he’s lying somewhere, hurt. Oh god, maybe he’s been kidnapped and Tony should have left much sooner and maybe -

He has the flu.

Tony bursts into the kid’s room, only to wrinkle his nose at the telltale smell of Sick Teenage Boy. The kid is curled up on his bed, fast asleep with a bucket beside him on the floor. Tony winces in sympathy, immediately sending a text to May and Pepper.

Spider kid has the spider bug. Haha, get it? Anyway, once I get things cleaned up here, I’ll fly him back. I’m sure his roommate will appreciate it.

After those two initial incidents, May, Tony, and Peter sit down and have a discussion. Actually, mostly it’s just Peter trying to tell Tony that the man has “attachment issues” and needs to stop being “a total mother hen.” The kid smiles, though, and Tony knows the concern is appreciated, if not always necessary.

They do decide that Peter will text if he needs anything and will send a message every couple of days just to reassure them that he’s okay (“Can you even blame me? The kid always finds a way to get hurt!”). If not, Tony’s allowed to come running.

It’s a system that works, for the most part.

But this time, it progresses differently. After three days, Tony just assumes the kid has forgotten. Peter’s gotten a lot more involved, joining various clubs and taking on different volunteer positions. It’s not surprising that he’s not finding as much time to socialize with May and Tony.

After the fourth day, May tries calling him and leaves a voicemail. Peter doesn’t call back, and May can’t help but worry. This time, though, it’s Tony who laughs and says, “You’ve been spending too much time around me. Kid’s probably playing some sort of nerd drinking game.”

She worries at her lip, a bad feeling in her gut, but she shrugs, figuring the man’s right. “You would know, wouldn’t you?” she teases, pushing her worry aside.

Once the weekend hits, though, worry starts to settle deep into Tony’s chest. He calls Peter again, frowning when it cuts off mid-ring. His calls are being intentionally ignored.

Tony calls one last time.

“Uh, heya, Pete,” he says, trying to go for nonchalant and completely failing. “Listen, I know you’re a Big Kid now, but your old man has heart problems, and your Aunt Hottie is too pretty to have these worry lines on her face. Just, uh, at least text us to let us know you’re okay.”

Tony waits. And waits and waits and waits, getting all the more agitated by the minute. May is at work, but he can’t wait any longer, a pit of dread opening up in his stomach, and he shoots her a quick text.

Going to check on our kid.

He makes it to the school in record time, wasting no time before hacking his way into the building.

This time, he stops outside of Peter’s room before bursting in. Despite the tight knot of worry, they had agreed that Tony would learn to give Peter space to grow. Sometimes not rushing in is the only way to do that.

Tony listens for a moment, heart stopping when he hears it:

The sound of someone crying. Of Peter crying.

Tony tosses privacy out the window and opens the door, aching at the sight before him. Much like last time, Peter is curled into a tight ball on his bed, but this time, he’s flipping through pages of the scrapbook May had given him for graduation, the only light in the room coming through the cracks in the closed blinds.

Peter doesn’t even look up when Tony walks in, and somehow, that’s even worse than what Tony had pictured. He quietly walks forward and sits on the edge of the kid’s bed, watching as Peter flips the page to a picture of Tony getting dunked for charity.

Tony smiles fondly at the memory. Peter was taking part in a charity event through the school, and he’d begged Tony to sit in the dunking booth and let high school students try to hit the target to send Iron Man falling into the icy water.

Peter, the snarky brat, had done it four times, and succeeded every time. Pepper made sure to capture all of it.

Tony gently places a hand on the kid’s head, sifting through the curls as a lone tear traces its way down Peter’s cheek.

“That was a good day,” Tony says, nodding to the photo, and Peter looks at him then, not even bothering to brush the tear away.

He looks at Tony with a look the man doesn’t quite understand, something sad and nostalgic in a way Tony’s not sure he’s ever felt.

Peter’s lower lip trembles, eyes filling with tears again as he leans into Tony’s touch.

“I miss it,” he croaks, voice rough with disuse, and Tony has the alarming realization that it’s probably been days since Peter’s spoken to anyone, if his room is anything to go by.

There are empty containers of Mac n cheese cups on the desk, and his book bag is slung haphazardly off his chair. The room is tinged with the smell of Teenage Boy, and Tony ventures tonguess that it’s been a couple days since the kid’s showered.

Peter’s a mess.

“Me too,” Tony confesses softly, hating the way Peter’s hand trembles as he flips to the next page. They both look at the picture of MJ giving Peter a piggy-back ride while Ned laughs at whatever Peter’s said.

“I want to go home,” Peter says quietly, and Tony’s two seconds away from scooping the kid up and whisking him back to Queens.

“Done. We can go right now,” Tony immediately tells him, but Peter shakes his head. Tony studies him, confused. “I don’t - talk to me, bud. Why have you been ignoring our calls?”

Peter sniffles again, a pained sound, and it’s all Tony can do not to pull Peter into his lap like a little kid.

“I just - I just - I have to grow up some time, don’t I?”

He looks up at Tony with red-rimmed eyes, and he looks so sad and so tired that this time, Tony doesn’t even hold back. He gently pries the scrapbook from Peter’s grasp and shifts so that his back is against the wall, tugging Peter’s upper body into his lap.

“Pete, no,” Tony says gently, and the kid answers by hiding his face against Tony’s thigh. “I mean, yeah, but just because you’re away doesn’t mean that you can’t talk to us anymore.”

Peter slings an arm across Tony’s legs, effectively holding his mentor in place as Tony continues to tug soothingly at his hair.

“I know, but. I can’t. I can’t talk to you without missing home,” Peter whispers quietly, and Tony melts.

“Oh, kid.”

He should have known Peter would be missing them as much as they miss Peter.

“You know you can come home whenever you need to, right? Happy and I are always willing to come get you if your aunt can’t,” Tony tells him, and Peter smiles softly.

“I know.” He sighs heavily. “But. Home’s not really the same anymore, either. I want things to be how they used to be. I miss Ned and MJ and movie nights at the Compound and Thai dates with May and patrol through Queens.”

Peter’s throat closes up with a emotion, and he swallows thickly before continuing. “It’s not the same.”

Objectively, Tony gets it. But he never had a home to miss the way Peter does. Never really had a home worth missing. Not until Peter and Pepper and May.

“I know, bud,” Tony murmurs, massaging Peter’s head gently in just the right way. “It’s never going to be the way it was,” he agrees, and Peter makes a wounded sound in the back of his throat.

“But,” Tony continues, “these things?” He gestures to the scrapbook at their side. “You harassing me and vice versa? Laughs with MJ and Ned? Thai dates with May? Those are never really going to go away. We miss you too, kiddo.”

Peter nods, tears spilling over as he shifts himself so he’s laying on Tony’s chest, Tony’s arm wrapping firmly around his shoulder.

“Thank you, Tony,” Peter says, offering him a watery smile, and Tony squeezes him just a little tighter.

“Anytime, kid.”

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billyhargroveinaponytail · 4 years

Photo

Good Ole Dacre Montgomery

Chapter 7: 'I fell victim to the sound of your love'

Songs for this chapter:

'To Build A Home' By The Cinematic Orchestra 'Grace' By Lewis Capaldi

'Waves' By Dean Lewis

The rest of this story:

* https://my.w.tt/i2KaR5fm55 *

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

The smell of pancakes filled the air of Myra's trailer,coming in through the small crack in her door. '11:30am' The bright screen of her phone shinned back at her. Myra moved the cover off her body to realize that she was still in her bathing suit top and shorts. She dug around in her suit case and took out a pair of shorts and her signature bed shirt. She pushed back her bedroom door to see Paisley seated at the dining table with Joe.

"Hey there sleepy head! I decided to invite Joe over for breakfast I hope that's ok with you!" Myra nodded, her head pounding with every step she took. "Why did you let me drink so much?" She groaned searching through the cabinet for a pain reliever. "You needed to relax, you deserved a night to let loose." Paisley gave a warm smile, hoping Myra had forgotten most of last night. Unfortunately Myra hadn't forgotten, the image of Dacre and Liv wrapped in each other's arms stayed burned into her memory.

"I'm liking the shirt,MJ!"Joe spoke. Myra glanced down at what had become her favorite shirt with disgust. "I'm going to change and go do some laundry, do you need any done?" Myra walked into her room, switching out her shirt with a black hoodie and her slide on shoes. "No I will take care of it tomorrow, you want me to go with you?" Paisley took her empty plate to the sink,rinsing it off. "I'll be fine, you spend time with Joe. I'm going to run to the store and get some Advil too, if you can think of anything you need let me know!" Myra shoved her dirty clothes into a large bag, lugged them down the steps and out of the trailer.

They offered a laundry mat on set in a small building that also contained vending machines with every snack you could think of. Myra luckily brought her headphones so she wouldn't have to socialize with anyone. She inserted her quarters and took a seat, as the machine began to fill up with water. Every song Myra found on her phone happened to be a sad song, so she decided to call her mom instead. The phone rang a few times before a sweet southern voice answer the other line. "Myra!" She spoke in a sweet voice. "Hi mom, how is everyone?"

"We are great! How are you? How are things going? Are you having fun?"

"I am good,mom! Things are going great,I am having such an incredible time, it is everything I have ever wished for!"

"We miss you here so so much! We can't wait for you to come back to visit!"

"I miss you guys too! I will be home for 3 days, while we are on our break, I will make sure to stop and visit everyone!"

"Yay, we can't wait! Your dad says he misses you! Your brother does too, even though he won't admit it!"

"I miss all of you guys too so so much!"

"Paisley's family just got her for lunch I will call you later, sweetheart I love you!"

"I love you too mom!" Myra hung up her phone, she hadn't even realized she was crying until a tear landed on her phone screen,she really did miss her family. The laundry room door swung open and a tall blonde walked in. "Hey you're the girl from the party!" She didn't even have the curtesy to remember Myra's name.

"Yeah, Myra!" She wiped her face of any tears and sat up in her chair. "Yes! Maya!" Myra didn't even have the energy to correct her. Liv was carrying a large pink bag with what seemed to be the entire Victoria Secret store inside. She took over the two remaining washers,throwing her clothes in one and what looked like Dacre's in another. "Listening to anything good?" Myra quickly locked her phone and looked in her direction. "No nothing at all!" She removed her headphones, when Liv flopped down beside her. Liv's phone made a loud alert, she glanced down rolling her eyes and laughing. "Oh guys, they're crazy you know what I mean?"

"You have no idea!" Myra glanced at the time on her washer, wishing it would go by faster. "My boyfriend has been bugging me nonstop this morning, he's so needy!" She turned her phone to Myra to display their messages to her.

Myra swallowed down the lump that had formed in her throat, fighting back every tear. "Do you have a boyfriend?" Liv spoke,moving her phone back down to her lap. "N-no, I don't." Liv crossed her legs pulling her chair closer to Myra's. "You're telling me with all these cute boys running around here none of them have caught your interest." She looked at Myra in shock.

"One did but that was a mistake." Myra mumbled,glancing up at the machine again. "Well I'm sure the right guy will come around!" Liv scrolled through social media, posting a picture of her and Dacre from the night prior. Liv sighed at the speed the machines were going. "I'm just going to have Dacre's assistant get these and I am going to head back to the trailer. It was nice seeing you, Maya!"

Again Myra rolled her eyes watching the girl leave the laundry room, swaying her hips. A number popped up on Myra's phone that she was unfamiliar with.

"Hey." She spoke in a confused tone. "Hey My! It's Jake! I just got a call from Dacre's girlfriend asking if you could pick up his clothes from the laundry room in about 45 minutes or so. So you've officially set yourself as his assistant huh?"

"No!" Myra spat into the phone, "I am not his assistant, I am an intern here I am helping everyone and I am not getting his laundry!" Jake chuckled to her response. "The honeymoon stage over between you two?"

"Honeymoon stage? There was no honeymoon stage! I was just helping him that is all!"

"Sure,sure, so that's a no on the laundry?"

"Yes that is a no, I have got things of my own I have to deal with!" Myra hung up and dug around in her bag for a book,The Fault in Our Stars. She had folded in the page she left off on and continued from that spot, ignoring the world around her. The sudden buzzing from her phone caught her attention. It was Dacre calling.

Declined. Myra pushed her phone back down inside her bag and continued on her chapter. She had reached the forth chapter when the washing machine notified her it was done. She switched over her clothes and noticed the two machines Liv had been using were done as well. She restrained herself from being helpful and returned to her seat.

"You know the boy dies right? He smoked in the movie."

"It was a metaphor. He put the killing thing right between his teeth, but he didn't give it the power to do its killing." Myra was zoned into her book not realizing who was talking to her. "So you're not going to answer my calls?" Myra glanced over the page to see Dacre bent over at the dyer putting his clothes inside. "There's nothing for us to talk about." Myra raised her book back over her face.

"I need to talk though, I need to apologize and explain things to you."

"There's nothing to explain,it was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened." Dacre pulled a chair up beside Myra his knees against hers. "Myra you mean so much to me and I wish I could explain all of this to you, I should have told you before and I screwed up." Myra kept her face into the book to disguise the tears crossing her cheeks. Dacre pushed the book down giving her a faint smile," I care so much about you please understand this.." "Don't you have somewhere to be? Liv must be waiting for you." Myra moved from her seat and inspected her clothes in the dryer. They had 8 minutes left so she stood by the machine,waiting eagerly. "I'm sorry again, please understand. I will see you tomorrow." Dacre pursed his lips for a moment. It was quiet and he looked deep in thought. "Myra," He breathes,approaching her once more. "You looked beautiful the other night. I meant to tell you that but I-uh got so busy and I am sorry. The dress just looked great on you." The loud bing from the dryer, informing Myra her clothes were done, brought her attention away from Dacre. She shoved her now cleaned and dried clothes into her bag and rushed out of the building, not speaking a word to Dacre.

Myra returned to her trailer,making sure to knock before coming inside. "We're decent don't worry!"Paisley rang from inside and opened the door for Myra,taking the laundry bag from her hands. "You doing alright, MJ? You look a little flustered." Myra nodded,choking back tears. "I'm fine! Ready to just relax before the big day tomorrow!" Paisley knew her friend was lying, something had happened but she didn't want to mention it in front of Joe. "Did you get yourself some medicine?" Paisley questioned, placing the laundry bag onto Myra's bed. Myra had completely forgotten, she was in such a hurry to leave the laundry mat. "I forgot, I will be fine. I will get these clothes put away and then sleep some more." Myra collapsed down on her bed, in the pile of freshly dried clothes.

"Joe and I planned on going out, so I will be sure to grab you some, anything else you'd like?" Paisley waited at the door feeling sorrow for her heart broken friend. "I'm alright Pais, thank you." Myra pulled the cover over her legs and surrounded herself with the warm clothes,sighing in relief. Paisley and Joe left out the door, the entire trailer instantly becoming silently. Myra took in a few deep breathes before falling asleep.

The entire day had consisted of napping and eating for Myra, the only productive thing she had done was put the clothes away and that was only because they had lost their warmth. Paisley and Joe returned back, with multiple shopping bags. "M, you awake?"

Myra walked out with her comforter wrapped around her. "Yeah,I'm awake." She took a seat in the booth, noticing Joe's sympathetic look. "I am fine Joe, I promise!" Myra tried not only convincing themselves but also herself. "I know, I am sorry just worried about you is all!" Joe gave a kind smile, showing that he actually was concerned for his new friend.

Monday morning had come and Myra was ready to take on the world. She felt strong and confident, she knew what she was here to do and she was going to kill it. There would be no distractions, no one was getting in her way. She had taken up the opportunity to work with Joe today, partially to get away from seeing Dacre, but also partially so that Paisley could see Joe more.

"E Pluribus Unum" Myra read off the script to Paisley. "That's the title of today's episode,it means one of many." Paisley was a little too focused on the set to even be listening to Myra. "This is insane! It looks so incredible!" Myra walked behind her looking around the room. "The set designers do an amazing job!" Joe joined them wearing his Scoops outfit, this time it was covered in blood and his face was decorated with bruises and gapping wounds. Paisley was taken back by his new look. "aw poor babe!" She brushed his cheek, placing a small kiss on his nose. "You look terrible!" She busted out laughing,along with the others. Joe placed a quick kiss on her cheek before rushing over to his place on set. Sylvia appeared behind the two girls with a big smile. "Good morning ladies! How was your weekend? I saw the live interviews, you did great M!" She spoke with praise. "Thank you, it-it was a great weekend!" Myra gain the courage to form a smile. Paisley agreed. "Are you ready to show us more of your creative directing skills?" Sylvia took a seat in the empty chair closest to them. "Directing skills?" Paisley looked over at Myra confused. "She didn't tell you? She helped create a lot of this scene, she came up with how the whole thing would be set up!" Myra's stomach twisted instantly, she didn't want Paisley to know, what if she hated it? Or what if it was terrible?

"My, you ready on set?" Myra rolled her eyes at the terrible nickname and then nodded to the calling voice. She took out her clipboard and sat next to the camera with the Duffers. "Everyone in places anddd action!"

The large Russian man stood in front of a tied up Joe, pretending to swing his fist into the side of his face. "Oh," Joe grunted. "That one stung."

"Who do you work for?" The Russian spoke in a thick, rough accent. "For the millionth time, I work for Scoops Ahoy!" Joe pleaded. "Scoops Ahoy!" He tried catching his breath that had been knocked from him. Again the other Russian swiftly punched Joe in the stomach, causing more blood to spew from his face. "What the hell?! Look at my outfit!"

"Look at my outfit!" He repeated. "You think I just wear this!? You think I'm a spy in a sailor's uniform?" Another punch was slammed into Joe's diaphragm, he gasped, beginning to pant. "How did you get here?" The main Russian questioned him. Joe took a deep gasp before replying. "I already told you! I told you before." Joe gasped for more air trying to form a reply. "My delivery didn't come, my friends and I thought that it was left on the loading dock, so we went into the room and it turned into an elevator and then..and then we dropped, next thing we know, I open my eyes, and we're in this..wonderful facility." Joe looked around the empty room, blood pouring out his nose and mouth. "But I swear to god, nobody knows about us, nobody saw us. You could just let us go, alright? And I am not going to tell anybody about this,okay? Shit happens, life goes on!" He rambled on.

"And uh-uh Ice--ice cream. Ice cream okay? You guys know what ice cream is. Everybody loves ice cream. I don't know if you have Russian ice cream or if that's considered Gelato. I don't know what's what, but whatever you guys want, seriously. USS butterscotch, I mean, you gotta try it. It is out of this world, I am telling ya!" Joe tried to change his tone to convince them. The two solider's began laughing in sync. Joe joined in with them,nervously. "I like this guy!" The head Russian spoke up from the laughter. "USS...butterscotch." He mocked Joe.

Joe gave a panicked look between the two, waiting to see their next move. The laughter came to an instant halt, the Russian moved his face close to Joe's. "Who do you work for?" He spat.

"Oh come on! No,no! No seriously!" The second soldier moved in close to slam his fist against Joe again, knocking him to the ground. Unconscious Joe was now drug down the hall by the solider's throwing him into the room where at the same time Robin has been tossed in. "Get your hands off me!" She screamed fighting off the two guards carrying her. She was thrown on the ground and quickly got to her knees trying to help her unconscious friend. "Steve? Steve! Steve?" She repeated trying to shake him awake.

The head Russian now made his way into the room, to join the others. "What did you do to him? What did you do?" He smacked Robin across the face, bringing her to join Joe on the ground.

"Put them in chairs."He spoke in Russian to the fellow guards. Robin was brought to her feet and strapped to the chair, while the same happened to a still unconscious Joe. "Steve, wake up!" Robin yelled, her back being strapped to Joe's. Robin grunted as two large straps where wrapped around them, their arms tied together in their laps. "What did you do?"

Joe's head was ripped up by his hair and Robin begin begging the Russian to leave him alone. "Steve,Steve can you hear me?" Robin tried turning to look at him. "I think your friend needs a doctor." The Russian spoke,pacing around the room. "Good thing..we have the very best!" He leaned in close to Robin's face. He turned to face the other guards laughing, but when he turned back to face Robin she spat in his face with anger. The room instantly became quiet as he took a raged look to his face. "You're going to regret that, little bitch!" He gave the others a command in Russian and they left the room together. "Bastard, let us out of here!" Robin yelled at them,exiting the room.

"Help!" Robin yelled repeatedly from the room. "Hey," A groggy Joe spoke up. "Would you stop yelling?" A look of relief came to Robin as she turned to see her friend now waking up. "Steve! Oh, my God!" Robin panted. "Steve, are you-are you okay?"

Joe grunted, taking in a deep breath. "My ears are ringing, and I can't really breath, my eye feels like it's about to pop out of my skull. But you know, apart from that, I'm doing pretty good." Joe's eye was swollen and Myra glared back to see Paisley on the edge of her seat almost in tears. "Well the good news is that, they're calling you a doctor." Robin let out a small chuckle, while Joe glanced around the room. "Is this his place of work? I love the vibe. Charming." Robin laughed more at his reply. "Yeah tell me about it. So, okay, do you see that table over there to your right? No your other right!" Joe turned his head in the correct direction. "Yeah okay, do you see those scissors?"

"Uh-uh" Joe spoke up. "Yeah well, I think that if we move at the same time, we could get over there,and then maybe I could kick the table and knock them into your lap."

"And I could cut the binds!" Joe spoke finally understand her plan. "yeah and we could get out of here!" Joe nodded his head in full agreeance. "Gotcha,okay yeah we can do that! Those morons. They left scissors in here?"

"Yeah morons, total morons!" Robin laughed along with Joe. "Okay on the count of three,we're gonna hop." She confirmed her plan with him. "Okay, good, hop on three. I gotcha!" Joe agreed, beginning to sway his body.

They both successful jumped into the air together on Robin's count of three. "Okay that worked. All right, let's try again." This time they both counted to three. "Holy shit, this is gonna work!" They both grew with excitement, counting to three again. This time both of their chairs toppled to the ground with a loud bang. "It's okay!" They both lightly chuckled. "Don't cry Robin!" Robin giggled more, showing Joe she was not crying at all. "A-are you laughing?"

"Jesus." He sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry it's just I can't believe I'm going to die in a secret Russian base with Steve "The Hair" Harrington. It's just too trippy,man." Joe spoke in a calm tone trying to comfort her. "We are not going to die, we're going to get out of here,okay? Just- you gotta let me think for a second."

Paisley turned in her seat to see Dacre standing behind them watching Myra smile widely at the scene she had worked so hard on, Dacre looked proud.

"Do you remember,um,Mrs.Click's sophomore history class?" Robin said softly. Joe shook his head in deep confusion. "What?"

"Mrs.Clickity-Clackity. That's what us band dweebs called her. It was first period, Tuesdays and Thursdays, so you were always late. And you always had the same breakfast, bacon,egg and cheese on a sesame bagel. I sat behind you two days a week for a year." The camera continuously panned back and forth between their faces.

"Mister Funny. Mister Cool. The king of Hawkins High himself. Do you even remember me from that class?" Joe stayed quiet with a look of shame on his face,causing Robin to only let out a small chuckle. "Of course you don't. You were a real asshole, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know." Joe spoke groggy and monotoned. "But it didn't even matter. It didn't matter that you were an ass. I was still..obsessed with you. Even though all of us losers pretended to be above it all,we still just wanna be popular...accepted."

"If it makes you feel any better, having those things isn't all that great. Seriously, it just baffles me. Everything that people tell you is important, everything that people say you should care about, it's all just," Joe scoffed before finishing his sentence. "Bullshit."

Myra chuckled a little at her throwback idea to season 2, when Nancy and Steve broke up.

"But I guess you gotta mess up to figure things out, right?"

"I feel like my whole life has been..one big error." Robin replied. They both joined in laughs,agreeing. "At least it can't get any more messed up than this."

"You know, I wish I'd known you in Click's class." Joe admitted to her.

"Yeah?"

"Really, I do. Maybe you could've helped me pass the class. Maybe instead of being here, I'd be on my way to college right now." Joe confessed, the blood now dried around his eye and nose.

"And I would have no idea that there were evil Russians beneath our feet, and I would be happily slinging ice cream with some other schmuck." Robin glanced back at her friend.

"Gotta say, though, I liked being your schmuck. It was fun while it lasted." Joe gave a sweet smile. Dacre still stood behind them watching the scene take place. "What're you doing here?" Paisley questioned him. He moved his head down towards her, his eyes never leaving Myra. "I heard she was working on this scene I wanted to see what she came up with. She's truly amazing at this." He spoke with honesty. Paisley nodded, looking at the scene still continuing. "You really hurt her, Dacre. She hasn't admitted it but, she's my best friend and I know."

Dacre sighed, "I know I did, I screwed up, I should have told her what was going on in the first place. Myra means so much to me I hope you understand this." He glanced at his watch and then to Paisley. "I have got to get going, but please don't tell her I was here I don't want to upset her more." Dacre walked off and Paisley gave a sympathetic look.

Russians rushed onto the scene through the large door,buzzers sounded. "Where were you two going?" The head Russian questions them,clicking his tongue. A bald man in a long,white jacket shook a bottle of blue substance in the camera,while the fellow Russians picked up Joe and Robin off the floor.

"Try telling the truth this time, yes?" The head Russian came face to face with Joe, while the doctor loaded the blue container. "It will make your visit with Dr. Zharkov less painful." He ran his hand through Joe's hair, then pressed his thumb into his face wound,causing Joe to wince.

The head Russian nodded to the doctor, he stepped to them as Joe began begging. "Wait a second. Wait. Hold on. Okay! Wait, wait,wait! What is that thing?"

"It will help you talk!" The doctor spoke in a thick accent, gripping onto Joe's head and shoving a fake syringe into Joe's neck. "Did you even clean that thing!?" He screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Cut!" Myra yelled, smiling over at the director. "That was amazing, great job everyone!" The director clapped with enthusiasm.then patting Myra on the back. "You did great!" Myra's face was glowing, at least that is what Paisley said after approaching her. "That was so good,MJ! Aside from seeing my boyfriend get the crap beat out of him, I loved it!" This was the first time Paisley had addressed Joe as her boyfriend and it made Myra so happy. "Boyfriend,huh?" She smiled wide, looking over at Joe talking with the directors then back to Paisley.

"Joe has been nonstop talking about you this morning during makeup!" Mary came over to join them,congratulating Myra on a job well done. "He-he uh, he called me his girlfriend last night so I guess it's an official thing." Joe walked up behind Paisley wrapping an arm around her waist. "You guys over here talking about me?" He looked to Myra and then Paisley. Paisley quickly shook her head no, while Myra blurted out, "Yep!"

"You did an awesome job on that scene,Myra! It was so much fun!" Joe squeezed Paisley in more. "Getting beat up is fun to you?" Paisley raised a brow at him. "I mean you like getting spanked and no one is over here judging you for it!" He smirked down placing a kiss to her forehead, while she shoved her elbow into his side. "There are some things I don't need to know about my best friend and that is definitely one of them!" Myra gagged at the image in her head.

"Are you stopping by to see Dacre's scene?" Sylvia joined the group, a schedule in her hand. Sylvia was unaware how the weekend went and what even happened between her and Dacre.

Both Paisley and Joe looked to Myra for her answer. "No I think I am going to head back to the trailer and work on the next scene a little. You guys go, have fun!"

"If you don't mind would you drop this off at Jake's office on your way back! He needs this so he can turn in your progress report to your college." Sylvia held out a sheet of paper to Myra. She took the paper placing in on top of her others. "Yeah I'll take care of it! You two be safe!" She chuckled, walking in the direction of the Jake's office. Paisley and Joe both waved her off.

The long hallway leading up to his office was brightly lit up and the sound of music left the room through the closed door. She gently knocked but there was no answer, unsure if he heard her she turned the door knob walking inside.

"Jake..Liv??" Myra was traumatized.

#stranger things #stranger things fanfiction #strangerthingsedit #dacre montgomery #dacre x reader #dacre montgomery imagine #dacre #dacre kayd montgomery #joe keery #robin buckley #netflix #fanfic

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peter-parkers-passport · 4 years

Text

Flower Child (Peter Parker x OFC)

Chapter 7: Ms. Landry Goes to Washington

warnings: depictions of anxiety

The morning Lila left for the field trip started out relatively quiet. It was sunny, which was deceptive, for the October weather was on the cusp of slipping into chilly. But it wasn’t the cold air that awoke Lila. The ball of anxiety sitting in the pit of her stomach propelled her further from sleep and motivated her to leave the warm confines of her bed. Immediately, she treaded over to her desk, where her journal lie open to the checklist she’d made that week. Get ready, Remember decathlon jacket, WATER PLANTS, Pack toiletries, Go over packing list (see next list), and so on.

She was about halfway ready to leave when she heard her phone’s alarm going off. Not entirely uncommon, sometimes Lila would find herself awake before her alarm if she had a lot weighing on her mind. Or if she was anxious, and today it was the latter. Sure, she was excited to go to Washington, but she was also still nervous for the competition that was only a day away. Lila took a deep breath as she turned off her alarm, trying to remember her father’s words.

You are Lila Landry… You can do absolutely anything.

That mantra was on repeat in her head as calm music streamed from her phone. It was from a playlist MJ had helped her make on a random Saturday afternoon, shortly after Lila had called her for help to come down from a panic attack. Michelle made it collaborative, and was always adding new songs to it, which made Lila smile at the notion that Michelle cared enough to do so.

Speaking of Michelle, Lila’s phone chimed while she was double-checking her packing list, and saw a text from her friend light up her screen. Setting down her list, she walked over to her phone and read the message her friend had sent, frowning all the while.

I know you’re awake, I’m wondering if I can hitch a ride to school with you. Dad went to work early.

Lila let out a soft hum of disapproval, not that anyone was around to hear it. And not that Michelle ever asked, but Lila’s opinion on her dad always lessened when she sent texts like these. No maternal figure in the picture, it was just MJ and her dad, much like Lila and Ted. The only key difference being that MJ’s father used his job as a coping mechanism to deal with his failed marriage, and often neglected to be there for MJ. In an incredibly vulnerable evening, Michelle explained that it was her parents’ doomed marriage that set her up for struggle when it comes to letting people see her be emotional. That night, Lila joked about how she wore enough emotion on her sleeves for the both of them, and ever since they’d reached a silent agreement that any emotions between the two were void of judgement.

Lila also did her very best to conceal her judgement of Michelle’s father, even though she was fairly certain Michelle knew her exact feelings on the matter. It was never talked about, but Lila did her best to include Michelle in as many things in her life as possible with her dad, the open invitation into their household always available whenever MJ needed it. Today was one of those days, apparently.

She heard her father whistling downstairs as he no doubt was cooking breakfast to-go for the both of them, mentioning last night how he’d be heading upstate to talk with the flower farms for new ideas in the coming winter. Quietly, Lila walked downstairs, where the whistling grew louder. Upon entering the kitchen, Lila was hit with the smell of bacon first and foremost. She then saw her dad as he worked on what Lila assumed was a homemade breakfast sandwich. Smiling at the sight of her dad in the flowery apron she bought him as a joke, Lila cleared her throat to signal her entry into the room.

“Mornin’ Tulip,” Ted said after seeing her leaning against the fridge. “You have everything ready to go? I can start putting stuff in the car.”

Lila walked over to the island, and leaned up against it. As her torso leaned on the harsh countertop, she felt a twinge of pain blossom from her still bruised ribs. But she noted how it was becoming increasingly more manageable, and took that as a good sign for this trip. She shrugged lightly, and answered her father, “Almost. But I was wondering if there was any way we could pick up Michelle on the way to school? Her dad went to work early.”

Ted being the only person Lila voiced her concerns to about MJ’s father understood the need she had to help her friend out. Smiling gently, Ted nodded before asking if Lila thought MJ would want something to eat. He then proceeded to shoo her out of the kitchen and finish getting ready. Returning to her room, Lila sent a quick text to Michelle saying yes she would come get her, and bring food as well.

Twenty minutes later, Lila and Ted were in the car and on the way to Michelle’s house, Lila dutifully holding on to the extra breakfast sandwich her dad had prepared. And when Michelle stepped into the car, she gratefully accepted the sandwich with a smile on her face. Nothing else had to be said on the matter, and soon the three of them fell into their same rhythm of ease and comfort. Ted asked if Michelle felt ready for the decathlon, to which she easily answered with a simple yes before showing Lila her new sketchbook she bought the other day.

In no time, they’d arrived at the school and circled around to the back lot where all the school buses were parked. Mr. Harrington and a few other kids were standing around, loading duffel bags into the school bus the decathlon team was supposedly taking down to Washington. Michelle got out of the car and took her bags, thanking Ted before heading over to Harrington to check in. Lila was quick to follow suit, kissing her dad gently on the cheek and sending an “I love you” over her shoulder as she got out of the car.

After checking in, Lila and MJ were left waiting outside the school bus to wait for the rest of the academic decathlon team to show. They said their hello’s to each person who showed up, and gave Liz their undivided attention when she ran through the itinerary (though that was more for Liz’s sake than their own) before the two made plans to protest in front of an embassy. They planned to do more research as to what embassy in particular while the rest of the team showed up and checked in with Mr. Harrington.

After everyone had gathered around the bus with their things, donning their yellow competition jackets, Mr. Harrington had finalized attendance and went onto the bus to talk to the driver. Lila was still talking to MJ when out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone drive into the parking lot, get out of the passenger’s side, and run towards the rest of the group. Her eyes widened slightly and her heart began to beat faster at the familiar sight of brown hair and signature plaid. “No way,” She breathed, confused at his appearance.

“Hey, it’s Peter,” Abraham yelled, alerting everyone else of Peter Parker’s presence. Most of the conversation ceased as the team eyed their supposed former teammate.

“Peter?” Liz asked questioningly, and with good reason. Most of the people staring at Peter were skeptical that he was there in the first place. Judging by the fleeting stares he gave everyone and the breathlessness, he already knew.

“I was hoping I could rejoin the team,” He said, and that was when Lila noticed the duffel bag in hand and backpack he had on his back.

But before anyone could really register what he was asking, Flash was already on him. “No. No way. You can’t just quit on us, stroll up, and be welcomed back by everyone-”

“Hey, welcome back, Peter,” Mr. Harrington, with coincidental comedic timing, had stepped off of the bus. “Flash, you’re back to first alternate.”

That was not the response Flash had apparently been hoping for, “What?”

“He’s taking your place,” Abraham explained, a smug grin on his face.

Michelle stepped up from behind Lila at the sound of everyone’s laughter, “Um, excuse me, can we go already? Lila and I were hoping to get some light protesting in front of one of the embassies before dinner.” At the mention of Lila’s name, Peter’s eyes found hers for the first time since arriving with the group. From a mile away she could tell that he was still nervous, and sent what she hoped was a comforting smile his way. It seemed to ease something in him, for Peter gave a thankful smile back to her.

“Protesting is patriotic,” Mr. Harrington agreed. “Let’s get on the bus.”

Lila picked up her small suitcase and helped Michelle with one of hers (she was fairly certain it was just a bunch of other books and sketchbooks packed away), a small smile remaining on her face. She was about to climb onto the bus when Michelle muttered behind her, “Strange taste, Lila.”

Whipping her head back around to face her friend, Lila raised an eyebrow in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“Peter,” Michelle shrugged, looking impassive as normal. But Lila could have sworn there was a hint of warning in her tone. “Something just seems off about him, is all.”

*****

The drive down to D.C. had been filled with beautiful fall trees lining the highways, two bathroom breaks, and Liz drilling them on potential questions that were likely to be in the competition the next day. After an hour and a half of non-stop questioning, Mr. Harrington finally stepped in, citing Liz was working the team a little too hard. By the time they entered the Bethesda area, Lila had already exhausted her knowledge of pop culture, biology, and literature, and she ultimately was ready for settling down at the hotel.

Eventually, the team made it to the hotel, where they had several hours to themselves before regrouping and heading out for dinner. Michelle had changed her mind mid-busride about protesting in front of an embassy, and opted to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture instead. She, Lila, and a couple other students visited the museum, which happened to be near the Washington Monument, and the building housing the decathlon the next day.

Lila and MJ were eager to see everything the museum had to offer, and read in extensive detail just what was what, and before they knew it, they had to leave for dinner. Together, they traipsed through the streets of D.C., back to their hotel. She felt good, Lila felt content with being with her best friend on an educational field trip. And that good feeling lasted through dinner, where Lila and Peter had a detailed conversation about the movie industry both prior to and after Star Wars was released.

So when Liz knocked on her door after everyone retired to bed, Lila’s good mood had her less hesitant than usual to follow the rules. Liz asked her and Michelle to join her and the rest of the team for a late-night swim. Michelle, having not brought a swimsuit, took her book and changed into flip-flops, agreeing to stick her feet in the water. Lila did bring her swimsuit, and promised Liz she’d head down right after her.

Humming a song she’d had stuck in her head the whole day, Lila walked down the hallway briskly, the cold air on her legs propelling her to move faster so she could soak in the warm water. She rounded the corner, and stopped in her tracks when she saw Liz throw a candy bar at a hooded figure. For a brief second, Lila thought the person was Mr. Harrington, and they were all caught. But Liz ran away, and the person turned around, coming face-to-face with Lila.

“Peter,” She said, her voice pitched higher due to surprise. Suddenly, she grew very aware that she was only in her swimsuit, more skin than she was comfortable with exposed in general. Her grip on her towel grew tighter as her thoughts raced.

Not that Peter seemed to notice, the look of matching surprise on his face only just beginning to shift into one of nerves. She figured it was due to the fact that he wasn’t wearing his swimsuit. He was clad in a hoodie and skinny jeans, with a delicate blush on his cheeks. No doubt from talking to Liz, but the sight still made Lila bite her lip. “Lila, what - what are you-” He glanced down at her attire, which only made heat rush to her cheeks faster. “- Swimming.”

She nodded her head, taking her time to stare at his appearance. “You’re s-sneaking out, too. A-Anywhere exciting?”

“I doubt there will be anything exciting,” Peter answered, “I’m just going to the business center to do some extra studying.”

It was an almost expected answer to come from Peter, since he was undeniably one of the smartest people on the planet, but Lila paid way too much attention to him. Her nerves of talking to him had dulled in the slightest, and Lila picked up on how he had moved from looking at her swimsuit back to her eyes, to just over her shoulder when he answered her question. Combined with his fidgety demeanor, and how he scratched the side of his face, she knew he was lying. Surely the several podcasts she’d listened to about social interactions wouldn’t steer her wrong.

“N-No, you’re not.” If she wasn’t sure before, Lila certainly was sure Peter was lying after calling him out on it. The light flush that sat on his cheeks vanished, and his eyes grew wider. Everything in his body language mimicked a deer in the headlights, unsure of how to proceed. So instead, he kept his mouth shut. “You’re v-very good at disappearing, you know. L-Like when you leave school, you - you just seem to vanish.”

“Lila, I-”

“Your secret is safe with me,” Lila interrupted, her statement firm and meaningful. At the mixed expression of confusion and shock Peter wore, Lila’s lips twitched into a smile. “I w-won’t say anything about you l-leaving. Just… be safe, okay?”

A large, grateful smile formed on Peter’s face, and Lila thought it was one of the most dazzling things she’d seen. “Lila, you’re a lifesaver. Thank you. I’ll be back before the competition, I promise.” He skirted around her, and jogged towards the staircase at the end of the hallway, leaving Lila in the hallway. A cool draft started blowing from a vent she had apparently been standing next to, reminding her that she was in her swimsuit, and she had a place to be.

*****

Lila was exactly where she was supposed to be the next morning, but Peter Parker was not. Everyone ate breakfast together save for Peter and Ned, and when they were called to leave, only Ned showed up. He’d covered for Peter by saying he assumed he was in the business center of something along those lines, and Mr. Harrington was too focused on getting the rest of the kids to the decathlon to really give Ned a proper lecture about letting his friend leave.

Lila should’ve known how disastrous the day would actually be right then and there, but it wasn’t like she could predict the future. It wasn’t like she knew she would plummet to her death in a few short hours.

*****

Peter Parker sat on top of a semi-truck, headed back to D.C., panicking. Karen, the AI that Tony Stark had installed in his suit, informed him that a certain piece of alien technology he’d been carrying around since the night of Liz’s party was actually an explosive. The technology, a Chitauri alien core, had been left with Ned. Not that Peter didn’t trust Ned to watch over it, but the problem was that he did trust him, and Ned would watch over it like a hawk. More than likely, he would have brought it with him wherever he went until Peter came back.

Peter pulled out his cellphone, and desperately tried to call his friend, frantically leaving a voicemail informing him that the glowy-thing is a bomb.

*****

Lila had just handed her phone over to one of the decathlon employees when Mr. Harrington pulled her aside. He kept glancing through the doors in hopes to find Peter race through, but to no avail. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he looked apologetic when he told her, “Lila, since Peter isn’t here, we’re going to need you on the table.”

Her stomach dropped, and her knees grew wobbly. “W-What? What a-about Flash, isn’t he - isn’t he first a-alternate?”

“Yep, and so are you. Good luck, and have fun up there!” With one last look through the doors, Mr. Harrington jogged away, leaving Lila practically in shambles. The only person who seemed to pay attention to their conversation was Michelle, and she was quick to get to Lila as soon as she turned around.

“Lila-?”

“All contestants please make your way to the stage.” A voice came from above them, and Lila had no choice but to swallow her dread.

“We’re gonna be okay,” Lila said, though who she was trying to convince, she wasn’t sure.

*****

Please be okay, please be okay, please be okay, Peter chanted in his head, jumping from one car to the next as he hurried back into town.

*****

Between all the uproarious cheers, bear hugs, and large smiles, the actual competition was a blur. Lila and her teammates rotated on portions of the decathlon, though after a while, Lila had to participate more frequently, in part because there were numerous biology questions, but also because Flash froze up, unable to answer any questions at all. Ultimately, Michelle was the one who won them the decathlon, staying cool and level-headed throughout the competition, and pulling them out of a sudden death to win the whole thing.

The ceremony afterwards was short and sweet, all of them being granted medals and a large trophy that seemed to develop a superglue as soon as it touched Flash’s hand. He was not seen without it for the remainder of their time at the decathlon. Lila was on such a high of winning, and being a part of something so positive, that she completely forgot about how Peter was missing until Mr. Harrington was handed an extra medal, one he was supposed to wear.

Still beaming with pride at the lot of them, Mr. Harrington escorted everyone out to collect their things, and herded them across the street to the Washington Monument.

#peter parker fic #spider-man #peter parker #mcu x ofc #mcu #peter parker x ofc #spiderman homecoming #ofc #spiderman x ofc #mine

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sunlightdances · 5 years

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Feel it When My Heart Beats

Title: Feel it When My Heart Beats Author: Katie @sunlightdances Pairing/characters: Bucky Barnes x Female Reader, feat. Peter Parker, Steve Rogers, and Sam Wilson. Rating: PG mostly, but there are a few curse words. Words: 3,091. I got a little carried away. This is pretty dialogue-heavy, even for me. Summary: One instance of Bucky helping Peter with his history homework turns into a tiny bit of hero worship. Bucky acts put off, but really he relishes in his visits to Queens, because they mean getting a glimpse of you, Peter’s charming (and pretty) neighbor. Inspired by this post I keep seeing going around! (I just really need Peter and Bucky to interact more, okay) Disclaimer: I don’t own Marvel, or any of its characters. The plot belongs to me! Please don’t repost my work on any other sites without my permission. Reblogs are okay, appreciated, and encouraged!

Let’s get one thing straight, right off the bat.

It’s not like Bucky doesn’t like Peter Parker. He does, really.

Doesn’t even mind taking him under his wing, sort of.

He only acts put off when Steve basically assigns Peter to Bucky’s charge, insisting that it would be good for Bucky to get to know the kid, and good for the kid to have someone to look up to.

(Bucky still isn’t sure that he’s the best person for anyone to look up to, but that’s a conversation for another day)

So, yes. It’s not like Bucky doesn’t like Peter Parker.

It’s just-- he never planned for you. Peter’s down-the-hall neighbor, the one who is entirely too smart for your own good and subsequently very suspicious of all the comings-and-goings into a fifteen-year-old’s apartment in the early hours of the morning.

You’re also very pretty.

You make Bucky nervous. He stutters over his words, he blushes something fierce… you knock him off center, and you’ve only ever had a small handful of conversations.

Bucky ran into you on the elevator tonight, in fact, and could barely think of anything to say. He’s pretty sure you recognized him. He’s trying his best to come during non-busy hours, after most people come home from work, before they go out for the evening, in hopes that Peter will be able to keep his anonymity for a while longer. He’s just a kid, after all.

Bucky rolls his eyes at himself when he finally knocks on Peter’s door, his ears tuned to where you’re unlocking your own door a few feet away.

The door in front of him opens. Bucky pushes past him into the small apartment.

“Thank god you’re here,” Peter says, dramatic as ever. “I’m going to fail AP History.”

Bucky rolls his eyes. “No, you’re not.” He sits down on the couch, arm thrown across the back as he glances at all the papers and books spread out on the coffee table. Bucky reaches into his pocket and tosses a comms device on the table. “Put this on for a second.”

“What?”

“Comms. Put it on.”

Peter looks fairly betrayed, pointing accusingly, “You can’t do this to me again. I gotta study, if I don’t pass I’m--”

“Captain’s orders,” Bucky says seriously, trying not to laugh as Peter straightens up.

“Cap? Captain America?”

“Do you know another one?” Bucky sighs. “Look. What’s the problem? We’ve been studying for weeks. You know this backwards and forwards. Honestly, you should trust your books more than me anyway,” he points at his head. “Memories aren’t what they used to be.”

“I can’t keep all the names straight. The German ones.”

“Just write down that they were all dicks and call it a day.” Bucky says, laughing when Peter glares. “Really, though. Comms. Cap’s got a mission for you.”

Peter does as he’s told, but grumbles something about ulterior motives under his breath. Bucky presses his finger to his left ear. “We’re here,”

“Peter, it’s Steve.”

Peter almost gulps. “Hi-- hi, Steve. Cap. Captain America--”

“What have you got for us?” Bucky interrupts, watching as Peter shakes his head at himself. “Kid really does need to study, at least for a bit.”

“It’s recon. That’s all. No involvement,” Steve says, “Plus I wanted to make sure you’re not filling the kid with lies about me.”

Bucky snorts. “All he has to do is go to a museum and he can see you in all your star-spangled glory, pal.”

“Do I need my suit?” Peter asks.

Bucky shrugs. “Couldn’t hurt. You can climb up higher than I can with that, anyway.”

“Buck…” Steve trails off, exasperated.

“Right, right. Recon. We got it. And back in time for dinner.”

Peter rolls his eyes again.

It’s part of Peter’s training, to do small recon missions, small skill stuff, and get used to the comms devices plus working with other members of the team. Tony and Steve’s idea, per Fury’s request.

Bucky doesn’t mind the training. It gives him something to focus on, a goal to achieve. Plus, he hopes the people who he trains end up with a better mental image of him as Bucky Barnes afterwards than they ever did of the Winter Soldier.

Now, perched on a rooftop, Peter on the opposite side of the street, he’s beginning to regret this particular assignment.

Peter’s whispering the names of German generals to himself.

“Parker,” Bucky barks, “You gotta press the button again if you don’t want everyone to hear what you’re saying.”

“Sorry,” Peter mumbles. “I guess I should learn this stuff so when I fail AP History I have something to fall back on, huh?”

“Focus, guys.” Steve chides. Bucky can hear the laughter in his voice.

“There,” Peter says suddenly, “Two guys in the alley. They’re making a deal, but I can’t see what either of them have.”

“Our intel says they’re planning something bigger, so this might just be the initial meetup.”

Bucky looks through his scope. “Average build, caucasian, one’s got a tattoo on his left arm.”

“Parker, can you zoom in, see if you can see anything that might give us an idea of when this is going to go down?”

Watching, Bucky gets the feeling on the back of his neck that tells him there’s eyes on him. He’s laying as low as he can get, the sun is going down… he whirls around just in time for the door to the roof to slam shut.

“Shit.” He curses.

“Buck?” His comms crackle to life.

“Nothing,” he says to Steve, staring at you, watching him with narrowed eyes, your hair fluttering slightly in the breeze. “All good.” He presses the button to switch off the mic on his comms.

“I knew it.” You say, no preamble.

You take a few tentative steps forward.

“You’re an Avenger.”

He smirks. “The arm give it away?”

A small laugh. “Never noticed it until now, to be honest. Where’s Peter?”

“Peter?”

You sigh. “You were literally just in his apartment.”

“Um--”

“Sergeant Barnes! I’m supposed to tell you to-- oh.” Peter actually swings on to the rooftop. “Oops.”

“Yeah, oops.” Bucky says, watching your face closely for your reaction. You actually look surprised.

“He’s Spiderman? You’re Spiderman?!”

Bucky groans, “Really? I was so easy to figure out but you couldn’t tell that this kid who is always sneaking out of his apartment is Spiderman?”

“I thought he’d be older,” you say, shrugging.

“Man…” Peter mutters. “So… what do we do now?”

A half hour later, and the three of you are in Peter’s apartment, an uncomfortable silence settling over you. Peter’s thumbing through notecards for his exam idly, and you’re tapping your fingers against your jean-clad legs.

“Does it really matter that I know? I mean-- you’re all famous anyway.” You say suddenly, laughing lightly. It reminds Bucky of a windchime in the breeze, and-- shit. He really shouldn’t be thinking like that.

Peter looks at Bucky, who sighs.

“I guess not? I don’t know. You’re the one who wanted to keep it a secret,” Bucky says, gesturing towards Peter.

“I want to be a teenager, okay. For a little while longer. If everyone knows who I am, that’s it.”

Bucky knows what he means. He can’t go anywhere without someone asking for a picture, or shying away from him entirely because they’re wary of him. He doesn’t know which is worse. He doesn’t mind it, really. But the kid’s right. Privacy goes out the window once you’re officially an Avenger.

“You don’t need to, like, wipe my memory or something?” You wonder aloud, and Bucky snorts.

“This isn’t the Men in Black.”

“Well.” You stand up. “Your secret is safe with me, Peter Parker.” A glance towards Bucky. “Sergeant Barnes,” you say, letting yourself out the front door.

“She’s something else, isn’t she?” Bucky asks, and flinches when Peter throws a pillow at him, catching him on the jaw.

“Gross! She’s my neighbor.”

“Concentrate on the cards, kids, or I’m going to find that MJ girl, and--”

“Okay, okay.”

It’s weeks before Bucky sees you again. He’s picking up Peter for a training session back at the compound, and is pretty much loitering in the lobby when you come in, looking flustered.

“Oh, hi.” You say, your gaze landing on him and rooting him to the spot. He never noticed what a unique color your eyes were before.

“Everything okay?” Bucky asks.

“At ease, Sarge,” you say, and Bucky wants to kiss that smirk right off your mouth. “Just went for a run.”

Bucky smiles, looking down at his feet. “Didn’t decide to become a vigilante after realizing your neighbor’s secret identity?”

You grin. “Thought I’d leave that to the professionals.”

From somewhere deep inside him, Bucky gathers his courage. “Do you-- I mean, would you want to--”

“Sorry!” Peter barrels down the stairs, “Sorry, I’m late, I-- Oh.” He stops when he sees you, and looks suspiciously between you and Bucky.

“You’ve got amazing timing, Parker.” Bucky mutters, sneaking a glance at you. You’re looking at him, a pretty blush on your cheeks, and a smile on your lips.

“What were you saying?” Peter asks.

“Nothing. We’re late…” Bucky says, trailing off. Leaving right now is the last thing he wants to do, but the moment is lost.

“Next time.” You say, quietly, only for Bucky to hear. “Ask me again next time.”

Bucky feels the Earth come to a standstill underneath his feet. A slow grin grows on his face, and it takes everything in him to say goodbye to you and leave with Peter.

“Can’t wait to tell Cap we’re late because you were flirting,” Peter says as he climbs into the passenger side of Bucky’s car.

“Watch it, punk.”

Peter really does remind Bucky of Steve sometimes.

When they get to the compound, Peter heads down to the lab to hang with Tony while he makes some modifications to his suit, before he’ll head back to the training area to spar with Bucky, Steve, and Sam.

Bucky heads to the training area to meet with them, finding them already halfway through a simulation. He watches from the sidelines until they finish and steels himself when he sees Sam nudge Steve and the two of them share a laugh.

“Don’t start,” he warns as they get close enough to hear him.

“You brought Parker today, right?” Sam asks, “Finally make a move on the neighbor?”

“You’re literally the worst.”

“Leave him alone,” Steve says, but he’s clearly trying not to laugh.

“If you must know--” Bucky starts, ready to just spill the beans, because it’ll be easier than the shit he’ll get for it if they find out on their own, but Peter runs in, reinforcing what Bucky already knows - he really has the worst timing.

“Sergeant Barnes!” He skids to a stop, phone in his hand, “Oh, sorry. Cap, Mr. Wilson--”

“Steve.”

“Sam.”

“Right. Sorry, I just-- I got an email, I passed my exam!” He says, his excitement contagious.

“Right on, kid.” Sam says, high fiving the younger man.

“Told you so,” Bucky says, grinning. “Great job.”

“Good work, Parker.” Steve says, and Peter practically lights up at the praise.

“You can totally ask my neighbor out now,” Peter says, off-hand, despite Bucky’s sharp look, “Now that you don’t have to come over to study all the time.”

Steve and Sam have the most unbearable, shit-eating grins on their faces as they look back at Bucky, eyebrows raised, smug. Bucky feels the plates in his arm whir as he struggles to maintain his composure. He can feel his face burning, but suddenly doesn’t understand what the hell he’s so embarrassed about.

He does want to ask you out. He wants to know more about you than just your name and where you live. He wants to know what makes you happy, what makes you tick, and what makes you laugh. He wants to make you laugh.

“You know, I was halfway there this morning before you interrupted,” he tells Peter, who looks properly chastised until Bucky elbows him. “Go suit up.”

Peter waves goodbye to the others sheepishly, and heads off.

“You dog,” Sam says, ducking out of the way of Bucky’s punch.

“Good for you, Buck.” Steve says, clapping him on the shoulder. “By the way, Parker’s been improving.” He was already strong and agile on his own, but he needed some discipline. God knows he had the heart, too. “I think I might partner the two of you for a small mission if Tony signs off on it. Just to see how he does.”

“He gets in enough trouble on his own,” Bucky grumbles, “Just wait for him to get into something and you won’t need a mission as an excuse.”

Steve rolls his eyes. “You know what? Take the afternoon off. I’ll handle it for now. Maybe you should go back to Queens… bump into a pretty girl…”

“God. Shut up.”

Steve and Sam leave him alone, but Bucky finds himself unable to get you off his mind the entire day.

Suddenly, finding an excuse to get back to Queens is at the top of his priorities.

Bucky does not get back to Queens out of his own free will.

He’s undercover, technically. He and the rest of the Avengers, spread out across the street at several different cafes, watching and ready for an illegal arms deal to go down.

Of course, this is when you spot him.

You’ve been shopping, and you sit down at the table next to him without so much as a hello, and Bucky’s eyes widen, like he can’t even believe what he’s seeing.

Timing.

“Uh, Bucky…?” Steve’s voice is in his ear.

“I know,” he says through grit teeth, keeping his voice soft and level.

You glance at him out of the corner of your eye, eyes narrowed. “Bad time?”

He smiles, but it’s exasperated. “I’m beginning to think this is never going to happen the way I want it to.”

“Bucky, get her out of here.” Steve’s voice sounds again, tense.

“Not a great time for flirting, Tin Man.” Sam.

He smiles tightly at you, “Please, shut up.” Then, quickly, “Not you. Look, this is-- not a great time. In fact, you didn’t hear it from me, but I think you should get at least ten city blocks away from here.”

Your eyes widen a little, but to your credit, you don’t run away, you don’t shy away. “Big operation going down?” Your voice is quiet, conspiratorial.

“Just trying to catch some idiots. With some idiots.”

“That’s rude,” Wanda’s voice says in his ear.

Bucky curses every god he can think of and a few he’s pretty sure he made up, because he wants nothing more than to sit here with you and talk for hours. He wants to hold your hand and he wants to learn about you… he’s beginning to think he’s cursed.

“I’m gonna go,” you say, and he flinches, his hand reaching for yours before he can stop it. When his fingers close around yours, it’s like a zap of electricity runs up his entire arm.

Your eyes meet his, liquid and warm, and he feels like he’s drowning.

“Tomorrow. Lunch time. Meet me here?” You ask, and he’s nodding before you can even finish your sentence.

“You got it.”

Your smile is etched into his memory for the rest of the day, even as he’s throwing punches and getting the absolute crap punched out of him back.

It’s lunch time and he’s late.

You look around nervously, your feet tapping a rhythm. You look at your watch, wondering if maybe this just wasn’t meant to be.

Quick footsteps draw your attention, and you turn to see him practically jogging down the block, his imposing figure unbearably attractive in a leather jacket, white t-shirt, and jeans that fit him just right.

His eyes light up when they land on you, and you melt.

“Sorry, the train was late, and--”

“It’s okay. You’re here.”

“Finally,” he agrees, and you’re relieved to see he’s as happy as you are to finally be doing this.

When you first saw him coming and going from Peter Parker’s apartment, you were suspicious. You figured maybe May was seeing someone, but there was a familiarity about him, and you couldn’t place it.

One night when he was leaving, you were taking out the trash, and when he offered to take it down for you, you saw a glimpse of silver between his sleeve and the glove on his left hand.

You felt like an idiot for not recognizing him sooner. It all started to fall into place after that, and between the lingering glances and awkward flirting in the elevator, getting time alone with an actual Avenger proved to be difficult.

“Can I say something to you before we get interrupted again?” He asks, still sort of out of breath as he sits down, closer to you than you expect him to be.

You nod, nerves settling in.

“I think you’re beautiful. And funny, and smart, and I don’t even--” He shakes his head, “I don’t even really know you, aside from your name. But I want to. I want to know you.” He sighs. “My job… it makes it hard. But I don’t want you to get the wrong impression. I like you and I want you to like me too.”

It all comes out in a rush, and he looks almost sick as he finishes. Something in you softens seeing how nervous he is.

“I like you too,” you say quietly. Throwing caution to the wind, you grab his hand. Belatedly, you realize it’s the left one, but you don’t care. “I like you too and I want to know you too.”

He lets out a breath, leaning back in his chair. “Yeah?”

You smile. “Yeah.”

You have lunch together, but the food gets cold as you spend more time talking than eating. After, he walks you to your door. He’s shy and a little flustered, but also so, so charming.

You have a brief, wild thought that it would be so easy to fall in love with this man. You feel it, deep inside, deep in your bones, and with every beat of your heart. You know it’s crazy, you know you need to remind yourself not to go too fast or get too ahead of yourself, but you firmly believe that you met Bucky Barnes for a reason.

#bucky x reader #bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes imagine #marvel fanfiction

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