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Iridescent Divinity by Saskia for Purple Haze Magazine
#magatte diop#saskia#purple haze magazine#fairy coquette#fairy core#photography#photoshoot#editorials#editorial photography#editorial#black model#black girl#black girl art#black woman#black women#my upload
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the great war | dr3
"my hand was the one you reached for all throughout the Great War"
summary: after the media was filled with cheating rumours involving her husband, she faced hard times trying to rebuild what was left of their relationship
warning: angst, mentions of cheating allegations, the other woman involved has a name (Skylar James is a fictional character), lack of trust, temporary separation between a married couple, fluff ending
pairing: daniel ricciardo x reader
word count: 3.9k
note: everything in bold are song references and in italic are thoughts, which includes memories from the past, and a public statement.
I'm sorry I took this long to post it, but I'm so happy I was still able to finish this today as I initially promised! hope you enjoy this one!
masterlist
My knuckles were bruised like violets
Sucker punching walls, cursed you as I sleep-talked
Spineless in my tomb of silence
Tore your banners down, took the battle underground
And maybe it was egos swinging
Maybe it was her
Flashes of the battle come back to me in a blur
Isn't it sad how in a blink of an eye one single person can destroy your entire world?
Y/N felt exactly like at that moment. Her floor had collapsed, the walls around her had caved in, her roof had fallen on top of her.
She couldn't believe what her eyes were reading on the small screen she held in her hands. A thousand unanswered questions, a thousand unexplained feelings, a thousand screams trapped in her throat.
I might be sleeping still, this is a nightmare, it has to be, she thought as she looked for an excuse.
After all, it all started when she woke up in the middle of the night and decided to pick up her phone, expecting to see a message from her husband that should be on his way home after a week of work.
What she didn't expect was to have so many texts from her friends and family, and complete radio silence from the person who held all the answers she was looking for.
"Daniel Ricciardo caught in 'cheating' storm after an eventful night in Miami"
"McLaren's Daniel Ricciardo packs on the PDA with American model amid divorce rumours"
"SINGLE HONEYBADGER: everything we know about the Australian driver's wild night behind his wife's back"
"Divorce? Ricciardo seen with woman in Miami club... Spoiler alert: it wasn't Y/N Ricciardo"
It was everywhere.
In every magazine, every gossip page, every social media platform.
They were photos of her husband at a nightclub, clear as day. She couldn't deny it. She could recognize the distinctive curls of his hair, the characteristic smile that was always plastered on his face, and the shape of his body that she knew as if it were her own.
There was something that she couldn't recognize though. Maybe it was her.
Model body, long red hair, short white dress that reflected the purple lights of the bar. And especially Daniel's arms wrapped around a body that wasn't hers, but some other girl who was grabbing her husband's neck, with one hand straying through his hair, just as she had done dozens of times before.
She never felt like this. Somewhere in the haze of the media, she could only get a sense that she'd been betrayed.
She stayed like that for hours. Reading all the news, seeing all the photos, looking at all the comments. It wasn't at all what she needed at that moment. But in an act of masochism and in the absence of the man she loved, she stayed there, seated against the headboard of their king-sized bed, in the cold of dawn, all alone in the house the couple had called home for so many years.
Completely destroyed from the inside out.
All that bloodshed, crimson clover
Uh-huh, sweet dream was over
My hand was the one you reached for
All throughout the Great War
What a fool, her mind kept repeating. But what to expect from a relationship that has advanced at lightning speed?
She still remembered the day they met as if it were yesterday, and she was perfectly aware that it was a moment she would never forget, no matter what happened.
No matter how much of the world she might travel, Canada was always going to be her home, right next to the people she loved.
One of them being her childhood best friend Chloe Stroll, with all her craziness and her giant heart. No one in the world understood Y/N better than the singer, and it had always been that way from the moment they became friends at the young age of 7.
The two of them were sitting on the terrace of Y/N's favourite Italian restaurant in the beautiful city of Montreal.
It all started when Chloe wanted to introduce her new boyfriend to her best friend. No relationship lasted without the seal of approval from the other half of the duo, so they both knew the importance of this meeting.
However, the two girls were taken by surprise when Scotty had the same idea and didn't show up alone, seeking the approval of his fellow Aussie friend. And what a surprise. Daniel simply stood out in the crowd, radiating from all sides like the star he was.
And without even realizing it, a casual lunch to celebrate the beginning of a relationship became a double date that symbolized the start of a whirlwind romance.
She had spent all day glued to Daniel, her eyes almost unable to remove themselves from his image. But the same thing happened on the other side: the driver couldn't have been more fascinated by her, something that provoked an exchange of suspicious glances between Chloe and Scotty, aware of the chemistry between their two friends.
And as crazy as it might sound to the people around them, in the space of nine months, the two of them were walking out of a church in Perth, hand in hand, wedding bands on their ring fingers, her in a long white dress, him in his best navy blue suit.
They couldn't care less about others' opinions and fears about their relationship. They were head over heels in love with each other and that was enough to be sure they were making the right decision.
However, at that moment, the young woman did not know if this was true.
She couldn't stop thinking about the countless times she'd been warned about the playboy fame her now-husband had before he met her.
Did he really cheat on me? Had he done it other times before? Was it the end of us? Their dream love story was over.
The sound of the apartment's front door opening and closing brought her back to reality.
It was him.
Always remember
Uh-huh, tears on the lеtter
I vowed not to cry anymore
If wе survived the Great War
Her body stayed still as she heard the sound of keys being placed on the kitchen counter and the suitcase being dropped on the floor in a hurry. But she just stood there, almost as if she was frozen in fear of facing reality.
The wooden door to their bedroom was opened and she immediately noticed Daniel standing at the bottom of the bed. His eyes were on his wife who, in return, couldn't even look in his direction, her gaze drawn to the white sheets that covered her body instead.
"Baby?" He broke the silence, his voice trembling.
She kept silent on the outside, but on the inside, her thoughts spoke too much. She searched for words to say, but sentences seemed impossible to form in the state she was in.
"I didn't do anything, I swear." He said, in a pleading tone. Y/N felt the mattress drop with the weight of Daniel's knee on it as he tried to get closer to her.
As soon as she felt his icy hand touch her thigh, she unconsciously reacted, pulling her body away from his touch, as if it burned like fire.
"Please." Daniel pleaded, revealing the pain her action had caused him. "Trust me, baby. Please. I didn't do anything." He repeated.
"It didn't look like that." The coldness in her voice was everything he didn't want to hear after the torture that had been the hours of silence during his flight from the United States to Monaco.
"She was trying to talk to me and I didn't think too much of it because she came with some of Lando's friends. You have nothing to worry about." He tried to justify himself. "The media is just exaggerating to sell some non-existent drama stories."
"Just exaggerating?!" She replied, with a louder volume than she perhaps intended, as she allowed herself to look at him for the first time. "Have you seen the photos? Can you imagine what people are saying about you? About me? I look like a fucking idiot."
"And so what they think like that?" His shoulders shrugged, in complete disinterest. "Let them talk. What matters here is that you and I know that these things are nothing more than ridiculous rumours."
"And do I know that?" He was sure he could hear his own heart break at the words coming out of his wife's mouth. "The issue here isn't what people say or don't say. What about me? What about my fucking feelings?!"
"You don't believe me. Is that what you're saying?" Daniel kept up with Y/N's change in tone and now also spoke angrily in his words.
"You've been playing with fire and now you expect me to sit here, watch this shit everywhere and still trust you blindly. How do you want me to believe that nothing happened when there's a bunch of photos of you clinging to some other woman?!" She rose from the bed, placing herself directly in front of him.
"Because we're married! Because I took a vow that I would be loyal to you until death do us part!" He yelled, taking a step closer to her, outraged at the lack of trust in him she was showing. "Because I fucking love you… That should be enough for you." He whispered, realizing they were walking a thin line.
You drew up some good faith treaties
I drew curtains closed, drank my poison all alone
You said I have to trust more freely
But diesel is desire, you were playing with fire
And maybe it's the past that's talking
Screaming from the crypt
Telling me to punish you for things you never did
So I justified it
As soon as the last sentence left the driver's mouth, he left the room and walked at a fast pace to the room, with Y/N following his path right behind him.
This is it, she thought when she saw him reach again for the suitcase he was carrying before. This is the end of us, right here.
"Where are you going?" Her voice cracked as tears threatened to escape her eyes.
"I'd better not spend the night here. If I stay, things will only escalate and I can't risk losing you because I said shit I shouldn't since I'm upset about this whole situation." Daniel admitted with his eyes mirroring hers, also in tears. Both were surrounded by fear and anger, even if it was for different reasons.
Her body physically ached when she saw his figure disappear through the door. She let her back lean against the hallway wall and descend until she sat on the tiled floor.
The only thing left for her to do was cry. And she did just that. For hours, she stayed there, crying uncontrollably, releasing all the hurt and heartbreak that consumed her.
Eventually, she gained enough courage to get up and walked over to their bed, trying to get some sleep. However, as exhausted as she felt, she spent the rest of the night awake, with the numbers on her nightstand's clock tormenting her, seeming to go slower and slower as time advanced.
She didn't even know where he was. Was he with Max? With Lando? With ... her? She didn't even want to think about that awful scenario, but God, it was hard not to wander in painful thoughts without him there to reassure her.
As soon as the woman saw "6 A.M." displayed on the alarm clock, she decided it was a waste of time to stay there, so she got up, sat on one of the benches on the marble kitchen island and prepared herself a bowl of cereal to eat.
She picked up her phone for the first time since her husband left the apartment and hadn't even unlocked it when she read two words: I'm sorry.
Two words from Chloe, not Daniel. And followed by a link from TMZ.
When she thought she couldn't get out of this with her soul more crushed, she read the title in very big and bold letters.
"EXCLUSIVE: Skylar James reveals all about scandalous affair with Daniel Ricciardo, model claims he cheated on his wife with her multiple times before"
That was the last nail in the coffin.
In a matter of minutes, Y/N packed a suitcase with some of her clothes and her essentials and was ready to leave that house towards her real home in Canada.
But not before she took off her engagement ring and her wedding band and left them both behind on the entryway table.
All that bloodshed, crimson clover
Uh-huh, the bombs were closer
My hand was the one you reached for
All throughout the Great War
Later that day, Daniel mustered up the courage to return to his wife, motivated by his friend, Max, with whom he had stayed overnight.
Such was his surprise and shock when he immediately sensed the silence that filled the house, her abandoned rings only confirming his greatest fear.
She was gone.
That silence lasted for weeks. Both were at extreme ends of the world, on different continents.
Daniel had to restrain himself from catching the next plane to Montreal, something he thought about doing dozens of times during those agonizing days of separation. But Scotty had been in contact with him, telling him that he and his fiancée Chloe were with the driver's partner and that he just needed to give her some time.
Until then, he could only dedicate himself to his career and racing as an escape from the real world.
The girl's absence from the paddock was not missed, especially by the media, who continued to sell stories on top of stories about the most scandalous topic of the moment in the motorsport world's gossip.
It was torture trying to avoid that subject day after day, knowing he had lost the love of his life to greedy people who were trying to make a career out of lies. It turned into something bigger unnecessarily, and he could only blame himself for being in that situation, even though he was also a victim of the whole thing.
That's how Daniel decided there was only one chance to work this out and try to win back his girl. And against the orders of the McLaren's PR team, he sat in his hotel room and released a statement about the false case on his social media, not knowing the consequences that could bring him.
They couldn't be worse than losing her.
For the first time in weeks, Y/N was able to breathe when she opened his Instagram story and read the words he wrote.
"Over the last few weeks, there have been a lot of rumours and lies spread around about my marriage and my alleged involvement with another woman.
I come here to clarify that I don't know that woman and that I have never cheated on my wife with her, or with any woman.
From the moment I met my partner, my life was completely dedicated to her. She is the most special woman in the world and I thank God every day that I was the lucky one chosen to be by her side.
I am the first to admit that the photographs published in the media look wrong and that I shouldn't have even let myself be put in that position. But not everything that appears to be true is true and I need to make clear again that all the claims made by the other person involved are pure fabrications.
My body and soul belong to my incredible, beautiful wife and I couldn't live another day without publicly asking for her forgiveness for the terrible position she was placed in through no fault of her own."
Reading that, she couldn't help but wonder if she shouldn't have trusted him more freely, if she hadn't punished him for things he never did.
At that moment she made the decision to return to Monaco. She wasn't ready to give up on their love just yet and to be defeated by this Great War.
Always remember
Uh-huh, the burning embers
I vowed not to fight anymore
If we survived the Great War
After 10 agonizing hours of travelling from Montreal to Monaco, Y/N finally found herself in front of the familiar door of the apartment where she had lived over the past years.
I was so unfair, this is my home, come what may, she thought.
She let herself in silently and walked slowly to the open room at the end of the hall, coming face to face with the image of Daniel, sitting on the foot of the bed, elbows on his knees, head in his hands.
He looked so distraught and so tired. It was evident he hadn't even heard her come in. The girl approached him cautiously and ran her hand gently through the brown curls of his hair as she crouched in front of him.
As soon as he felt her touch, a touch he could recognize anywhere in the world blindfolded, he looked at his wife. His eyes told her everything he was thinking about: the fear of losing her, the despair of someone who didn't know what else to do, the maddening love he felt for her and only her.
"You're here." He said, more to himself than to her. "You're really here."
"I am, baby." She gave him a weak smile, trying to reassure him that she'd come to make amends, not to fight anymore.
"I swear to you that I don't even know her, she showed up at that nightclub in Miami with some of Lando's friends. Everything that woman said is a lie. I never cheated on you, I could never do such a thing." He reached for her hand. "I am completely and truly obsessed with you. No person makes me feel the way you make me feel, and I would never put what we have at risk for anything in the world."
"I know, Danny." She leaned her forehead against his chest as they embraced each other. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you from the start. I don't care what she's been saying to the magazines. I know the man that you really are and that you would never do anything to hurt me on purpose."
"But that's the problem, Y/N. I still hurt you, even if I didn't mean to." Her husband grabbed her face with both of his hands, making her look him in the eye. "I'm the one who has to apologize to you."
"She was trying to say something to me at the club and she walked over to me so I could hear her. When I realized, she suddenly leaned over me and put her arms around my neck and I only had the reflex to grab her around the waist because I honestly thought she had lost her balance or something." He explained what really happened that night. "What I didn't realize was that she had a whole plan to spread those images on the internet in search of her five minutes of fame."
It turned into something bigger
Somewhere in the haze, got a sense I'd been betrayed
Your finger on my hairpin triggers
Soldier down on that icy ground
Looked up at me with honor and truth
Broken and blue, so I called off the troops
That was the night I nearly lost you
I really thought I'd lost you
"We are going to be okay, baby." She said. He had looked at her with such a sense of honour and truth. There wasn't a shadow of a doubt in her head that he was being sincere.
Simultaneously, seeking each other's touch, Daniel and Y/N got up on their feet and hugged each other, making sure their bodies were as close as possible.
And they spent the rest of the afternoon like that, in each other's arms, in comfortable silence, just cherishing each other's presence, at peace at last.
We can plant a memory garden
Say a solemn prayer, place a poppy in my hair
There's no morning glory, it was war, it wasn't fair
And we will never go back
When dinner time came, the couple ordered their usual Chinese takeaway, as they did every Friday when they were both at home, and sat on the sofa on their balcony while they ate under the beaming light of the sunset.
The only difference to the other Fridays was their phones. Instead of being a part of their conversation as they showed each other videos or photos from their week, this time they chose to turn them off and leave them in their dresser drawer so they couldn't be distracted by the outside world.
These were the moments that made it all worthwhile. These moments of peace, comfort and love all outweighed the war.
"I really thought I'd lost you, you know." She said, as she put her head on his shoulder, sighing. "I've never been so afraid in my life."
To that bloodshed, crimson clover
Uh-huh, the worst was over
My hand was the one you reached for
All throughout the Great War
He looked at her, appreciating every little detail on her face, from the small scar she had above her eyebrow to the delicate mole she had on her chin.
After experiencing the world without her, Daniel knew that life would never be as colourful as with his lover by his side.
"You could never lose me, baby." He placed a small kiss on her lips. "It's me and you against the world, forever and always."
Always remember
Uh-huh, we're burned for better
I vowed I would always be yours
'Cause we survived the Great War
Although they didn't need validation from others to make them feel good about their decision to stay together, after a few weeks, the truth eventually came out.
Y/N was getting out of the shower when she got a call from her best friend.
"Hey, Chloe!" The girl said excitedly.
"Y/N, you're not going to believe what just happened." Chloe was always up to date with everything that was going on, but Y/N couldn't help but fear what was coming, especially after the painful weeks she had thanks to digital rumours.
"Skylar was just exposed on Instagram by a 'friend'. She leaked some audios that show it was all a set-up to take advantage of Daniel." Y/N couldn't believe karma worked so fast. "She apparently joined Lando's friends to get into the club but she didn't even know them at all! Can you believe the audacity of this girl?"
Without warning, Y/N disconnected the call, wrapped a towel around her body and ran to Daniel who was in the living room playing PlayStation.
She quickly told him everything that had happened and it was possible to see the driver breathe a sigh of relief when he realized that his reputation was clean again.
Time had stopped when his lips found hers, making her knees go weak. Everything about him consumed her. Her focus was only on him and how he invaded her every sense.
"I vowed I would always be yours." He reminded her, as he leaned his forehead against hers, both of them with their eyes closed in a gesture of calm and tranquillity. "I love you more than anything in this world. You know that, right? We survived the Great War, Y/N Ricciardo."
I will always be yours
'Cause we survived the Great War
I vow I will always be yours
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ACCIDENTAL
SUMMARY — after a battle, you begin to wonder if all you’re meant to do is suffer, or if maybe, it was all accidental
AUTHORS NOTE — i forced @cuinaminute229 to give me a prompt (what if i told you none of this, was accidental), and then incorporated a road trip into this so enjoy the mess that it is! i wrote this in a lecture so if there are any minutes, no there aren’t
The lavender haze that settled around the compound brought peace to your mind. The days had only been getting longer since the last alien invasion you’d save New York City from, and despite the medals you’d won and magazine articles describing your heroics and praising you for your bravery, nothing felt lived up to enough to even calm your mind and save you one night of traumatic nightmares that wake you up with panting and cold flashes routinely.
You’d not been affected by a battle like this since Sokovia. Then, for almost an entire year, your nights were plagued with the echoing screams of Wanda calling for her brother. You jumped at every slammed door and couldn’t wash your hands or take a shower without thinking the water you dipped your body in was the blood everyone lost. Fury retired you from combat for seven months, Maria called your personal cell three times a week just to make sure your head was above water at the bare minimum, Natasha didn’t leave your side. For an Avenger, you were entirely human. But for a human, you were entirely too selfless. You were the heart of the team, the one who bore the most emotion, who thought of the innocence lost every time an invasion struck and children lost parents, parents lost kids, and those who were just lucky enough to lose nothing watched as everyone else lost everything. Nobody ever won, and you took it upon yourself to feel that hurt for them, because maybe, if you’d done something differently, if you’d acted quicker, or with more clarity, you might’ve been able to save somebody a funeral, or a house, or a car. Maybe if you’d been different, things wouldn’t be so bad.
Outside of being an Avenger, Natasha Romanoff was many things. She was careful, incredibly so, but even more than that, she was adventurous. After battles like Sokovia or New York, the first thing the Widow made priority of doing was submerge herself in change. When asked, she would never be honest about how much these battles left her wounded inside, but you knew the truth. You knew her like the back of your hand, and you knew the reason she was so eager for something different was because she didn’t want the remnants of who she was before a war suffocating how much she’d changed after it. If it was anything from dying her hair another color or cutting it all off, she was completely erasing who she was before from her appearance. She was all about new beginnings, and with all she’d overcome, you had no qualms about getting used to blonde hair, short hair, red hair, long hair.
This time was different though. Although her hair had been chopped a few nights ago, something in Natasha still craved for a new beginning. Her skin itched with the thought of how many lives had been lost, but mostly, her heart bled watching you suffocate in this city. The both of you needed out for a little, the both of you were so destroyed by selflessness that it left you nothing more than empty shells of lovers. Devoting your life to everyone else left so little time for devoting life for yourself and her, and maybe it was time to reclaim the moments you had left. If being an Avenger had forewarned you of anything, you’d learned how fragile life is.
Natasha left the bedroom hours ago, muttering something beneath her breath in russian. It was endearing, but you were too sedated by sadness to smile the way you would’ve under lighter circumstances. The sunset was lavender around the compound, and something about the gentle purple sky with impulsive strokes of blue and pink painted around the clouds let your mind wander from bloodshed to warmer days. It was the first time in weeks you hadn’t been paralyzed by PTSD.
The hinges on the door creaked as Natasha came back into the bedroom, arms adorned in blankets and snacks. Your eyes creased, watching her silently scramble around the room until she found the two duffle bags that stayed folded in the bottom of your closet until there was a mission that pulled you away for weeks. The white embroidering of ‘Strategic Homeland Intervention Enforcement Logistics Division’ is beginning to fray from the long term heavy duty use, but you have no idea why Natasha would need them now. The both of you had been laid off pending clearance from your appointed trauma counselors. If Fury didn’t play with two things, it was his favorite girls, albeit Maria, but she was usually safer off then you both.
She rustled through your closet and dresser drawers, folding odd articles of clothing and placing them in the duffle bags without consulting you on her motive. When she moved onto her clothes, you saw her brow pinch. She looked over you with flushed cheeks, nodding silently before moving on to grab shoes and chargers and shoving them into the duffles as well.
“You have my favorite hoodie on.” She mumbled neither to you or to herself, just stating what she’d discovered now that she’d finally come out of her head enough to analyze you. The both of you had been on autopilot for weeks, right next to each other but not even in the same room. “Let's go.”
You frowned, hugging the white comforter tighter around you while pulling your knees into your chest in a protective ball. “What?” You cocked your head to the side, a horrible habit that you’d picked up from Wanda after so many nights playing card games and cooking in the Tower. You hadn’t done so much of that since moving into the compound, but things had changed exponentially since then. It seemed one of you was always traumatized.
“We’re going on a road trip. Then Yelena’s picking us up. Melina renovated the cabin. We’re getting out of here.” Natasha didn’t give you any room to pose an argument. Her words were clear, and the direct edge to her words meant she wasn’t about to let you object. Just like you knew her, she knew you. Maybe you weren’t as inherently outgoing as she was, but you were always down to tag along.
“We can’t just leave.” You rebutted, grabbing her hand overtop of the duffle bag. Her skin was clammy, cold to the touch, trembling with anxiety that would’ve been untraceable had you been anyone else. You read her better than you read a third grade level chapter book.
She cocked an eyebrow, matching your curious head tilt that was meant to be threatening but came off as nothing but almost childish innocence. You could never be threatening to her, despite wielding knives and guns, and being marked with scars from battle where you’ve killed. She could never see you for any of that, just like you could never see her for an assassin. You were just Y/N and Natasha when alone together, and maybe that’s why you worked so well. “Why not?”
“What if-”
“They need us? The world ends? Haven’t we done our part, Y/N? Don’t we deserve a few weeks away from a city that's painted with blood?” Natasha climbed onto the bed, sitting on her knees in front of you. Tears filled your eyes, your heart hammering in your throat, it was like the world faded around you. What if something happened when you were gone? What if somebody needed you? They’d blame you so easily if you weren’t there. All your work in saving the city once would be undone in seconds. How did you get here? In a circumstance that left you paralyzed between choosing yourself and your girlfriend and choosing the lives of innocence?
“What if this is all we’re meant to do, Nat. What if none of this is accidental.”
“We’re meant for more than laying in bed unable to sleep because all we can hear is gunshots, because when we close our eyes all we see is people dying. We’re meant for more than panicking anytime our skin gets wet and thinking its blood, for mentally preparing for an attack anytime we turn a corner, for being scared of the dark in our twenties. We’ve done our part. We’ve made up for all the wrong we’ve been forced to do in life. You have to forgive yourself at some point. The world has forgiven you. I’ve forgiven you. You were never meant to be treated so harshly by the world, this was never meant to be your full purpose.” Natasha reaches out to brush a tear from your cheek, smiling her own watery smile at you as she tries not to cry. She’d never have forgiven herself if it weren’t for you, but she’d go to great lengths to make sure you understood how much nobody blamed you for your past.
“What if i’m not ready to forgive me?” You leaned into Natasha’s hand, grabbing onto her wrist to keep it there, comforted by her skin on yours, despite it being clammy and cold.
Natasha shook her head, tears falling from her eyes despite trying to keep them at bay. “I’ll do it until you’re ready.”
#natasha romanoff#natasha romanoff x reader#natasha romanoff x avenger!reader#natasha romanoff fluff#natasha romanoff angst#natasha romanoff hurt/comfort#natasha romanoff blurb#natasha romanoff fic
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Issue 26, 10/12/2023 - The Overseer
Issue Masterpost About the Overseer
Weekly Weather Report
By Lydia
Temperatures are represented using Celsius. Sorry, Americans!
Wednesday: Temperatures will reach a high of 11 degrees and a low of -2 degrees. Skies will be sunny throughout the day with patches of pink and orange hues tinting all areas during the late morning.
Thursday: Temperatures will reach a high of 6 degrees with a low of -4 degrees. Skies will be mostly cloudy throughout the day with hints of mysterious haze.
Friday: Temperatures will reach a high of 8 degrees and a low of 0 degrees. Skies will be clear throughout the morning with showers throughout the afternoon and evening.
Saturday: Temperatures will reach a high of 12 degrees and a low of 2 degrees. Skies will be partly sunny and windy throughout the day with wind speeds up to 31 miles per hour.
Sunday: Temperatures will reach a high of 3 degrees and a low of -9 degrees. Skies will be mostly cloudy throughout the day.
Monday: Temperatures will reach a high of 13 degrees and a low of 5 degrees. Skies will be mostly clear throughout the day with occasional flashes of spider web clouds.
Tuesday: Temperatures will reach a high of 15 degrees and a low of 2 degrees. Skies will be rainy throughout the entire day with constant downpours.
Wednesday: Temperatures will reach a high of 10 degrees and a low of -4 degrees. Skies will be partly sunny throughout the day with high winds up to 27 miles per hour.
Now onto other news below the cut!
Lost and Found
By Lydia
All of the following items have been brought to The Overseer staff’s office for safekeeping until they are claimed. If you recognize one of these items as yours, please visit us to receive your items, or contact us at [email protected]. Lost items will be sent to Twinkly Trash if not picked up after two weeks. Thank you!
*Not a real email address.
Item 1: A collection of Modigliani paintings
These long-faced paintings, reproduced for commercialism in the Shopping District, were found scattered throughout Scarland. They depict various men and women in sitting poses with relatively uninterested expressions and exaggeratedly long necks.
Item 2: A beard shaving kit
This kit was found in Etho’s ruins and includes a double edge safety razor, pre-shaving oil, after-shave balm, a badger brush, and a beard trimmer. This kit was taken out of a shulker box and left near Impulse’s Dwarven Keep.
Item 3: Three hotel luggage carts
These luggage carts were found with several empty unused trash bags piled on them near Hypno’s base. It is unknown what the intended purpose was for these luggage carts, and they are on the brink of falling apart.
Item 4: A book about keeping iguanas
This reptile pet-care book was found in Pearl’s tree house and was published in 2022. There are illustrations on each page and the book appears to have been very well-loved over the past year. The illustrations are fully colored and appear to be as detailed as humanly possible.
Item 5: A headband with three skulls
This headband has three plastic skulls attached to them and is covered in glitter. The headband itself is black and the skulls are bright orange, purple, and green.
Item 6: A group of miniature pumpkin stress balls
These stress balls in the shape of miniature pumpkins were found near xBCrafted’s base and have been painted with various geometric patterns using a rainbow color palette. They glow in the dark and appear to have been ordered from a very old magazine catalog.
Item 7: A cursed box
This box, fused shut with an intricate golden vine pattern on the lid loop around the front, has launched its finder into a wall upon them attempting to open it. The finder suggests burying it if opening it is not possible.
Fun and Games
This week's fun and games are once again brought to you by Lydia!
And that's all for this week folks! Thank you for reading and have a wonderful day!
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I'M BACK? I'M BACK!
40 - Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced?
So happy to have an album that isn't going to be torture to get through. Almost every track on this album is on *at least* one playlist of mine.
Purple Haze-
An absolute monster opening riff leading into one of the better songs of all time.
So, i know i have Unusual Opinions regarding music and musicians, and one of my stronger ones that I have is that Jimi Hendrix was very likely bi.
"Hold on now!" come the cries of the boomers. "prove it! Prove that the always flamboyant, immaculate, WAY ahead of his time, extremely fashion-forward and highly passionate rock star who tragically died young might be bi!".
To which i say: "did you even hear a word of what you just said?" He straight-up says "excuse me while i kiss this guy" and the entire English-speaking world collectively went "no, no, that's not what he said, he said... Kiss... umm... the sky! Yeah, that totally makes sense!".
Except i used to have a live recording of this song where he very clearly said "while i kiss. that. guy." Keeping in mind that this was before Freddie Mercury or David Bowie could sit down for an interview and say something like "I'm openly bisexual, i fancy both men and women, to roughly the same degree." and the interviewer would then immediately say some dumb shit like :"yes, but why are you gay?"
In short: Jimi was bi, most music magazine interviewers are crap, they have been crap for a long time, bisexual erasure happens TODAY, so of course it would have happened 50 years ago, deal with it.
Manic Depression-
I absolutely love this song. Also, and more distressingly, I also absolutely relate to this song.
The solo is insane, the riff work is phenomenal, and the bass and drums are perfectly in the pocket. (Also, for what seems like a fairly simple drum beat, it's MUCH harder to keep that constantly-shifting time signature in your head than one would think.)
Hey Joe-
Is this the best song about "murdering your cheating spouse and then fleeing the country" ever written? I think so.
I mean, I'd put the Dixie Chicks' "Goodbye, Earl" up there, but I don't think she left her hometown after the murder.
At any rate, a psychotic psychedelic R&B classic.
Love or Confusion-
An anthem for all the autistic folks out there like myself who genuinely can't tell if a person is actively flirting with them or just being polite.
May This Be Love-
I will always be in favor of daydreaming like a lazy-minded fool.
Much more mellow than the earlier songs on the album have been, but Jimi still works in some outstanding guitar noodling.
I would bet money this song was an influence on Incubus's "Aqueous Transmission".
I Don't Live Today-
The biggest goddamn mood on the album, and how I feel almost every time I'm made aware of The News.
The Wind Cries Mary-
Another absolute classic song. Sad but beautiful.
Kurt Vonnegut's lament: "So it goes..." in song form.
When I was young, (for some reason) I thought he was referencing the Virgin Mary. Now, I think she might have just been more of "the one who got away".
Fire-
People of a certain generation and a specific level of culture will likely associate this song with Tia Carrera.
Either way, this song melts faces. The drummer is a goddamn maniac on this one.
Third Stone From The Sun-
I've never listened to this album on acid, but this song seems perfect for that exact mindset with the trippy, heavily-distorted vocals.
It kicks ass, though, don't get me wrong.
Foxey Lady-
People of a certain generation and a specific level of culture will likely associate this song with Dana Carvey wearing a flannel shirt tied around his waist.
(Look, if you haven't seen Wayne's World, you owe it to yourself to do so.)
Are You Experienced?-
The last line of this one (not necessarily stoned but beautiful) always made me figure that "being experienced" is a shibboleth for anything from "you smoke trees?" to "DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE MACHINE ELVES?!"
and damn do I love the backwards drumming.
Stone Free-
Okay, Jimi, I'm pretty sure they DID realize they "were the ones who's square". That's why they would stare at your bizarre marching band leader outfits. (I'm absolutely Not knocking his bizarre marching band leader outfits, I honestly wish I had the panache to pull that kinda shit off.)
51st Anniversary-
Man, between Stone Free and this one right after, I'm guessing Jimi didn't think much of marriage, huh?
Idk, as a happily married man, this one just doesn't click with me.
Highway Chile-
This very easily could have been me after the army, if I had had a car that actually worked.
Can You See Me-
This one rings a bit hollow after all the earlier "yeah, baby, I'm out of here, see ya never, no strings on me" songs, just saying.
It rocks, nonetheless. Also maybe the only time "aww, shucks" had been uttered in a song that still goes this hard.
Remember-
See directly above, except the aww shucks part.
Red House-
And this one, right at the end, proves the hollowness of the last two broken hearted songs in my eyes.
"Girl left while I was gone? Welp. Fuck it, her sister was cute."
A monster of a blues track, regardless. One of my favorites, and that solo is INSANE.
Favorite Track: This is a tough one. A close race, but it's Purple Haze by a nose.
Least Favorite Track: Remember. It's barely about the girl in question! It's about the bird that won't sing and the dumped dude who won't eat because he has the sads.
Sorry about the long time since last time, full disclosure I got thoroughly addicted to a podcast called Kill James Bond, wherein three trans people discuss (and frequently skewer) the poster boy for toxic masculinity. It's fantastic.
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Fifty Shades of Gray (part 2)
Continued from Part 1
Soraironezu (sky-colored gray) 空色鼠 #B8C8D1
a light gray with bluish tints, like a lightly cloudy sky.
a type of gray that was popular in the late Edo period, and is considered an "iki" (fashionable) color that beautifully expresses the bright sky in slightly cloudy weather.
Akatsukinezu (dawn gray) 暁鼠 #D3CfD9
a gray color with a slightly light purple tinge.
In the Edo period, the color name "nezumi" became popular. The term "nezumi" does not always refer to gray, but also to a dusky pink or grayish pink. (source)
Kasumi-iro (haze) 霞色 #C8C2C6
a hazy color, a gray with a slight purplish tinge, or a light purple with a slight bluish tinge. Like a haze over the hills and fields. It's a light purple color that's pretty close to white.
The color of mourning clothes "Kasumi-no-Koromo" (霞の衣)
The word 'kasumi' itself refers to a state in which a distant view becomes hazy due to fog or smoke.
Usukumonezu (light cloud gray) 薄雲鼠 #D4DCDA
a light grayish green color. Light cloud-like gray.
similar to silver gray, silk gray, tin gray, and silver.
Chigusanezu (thousand grass gray) 千草鼠 #BED3CA
a light grayish green color. Chigusa-iro (mint green color) with a hint of gray
Chigusa-iro refers to the medium blue of indigo dyeing used to dye the loincloths of store servants in the Edo period, and the grayer version of the color was called Chigusanezu.
Yanaginezumi (willow gray) 柳鼠 #C8D5BB
the green-tinged gray color of willows. Light grayish green with yellowish tint.
Edo period.
In the "forty-eight browns and a hundred grays" of the late-Edo period, this color was also called "豆がら茶" (beanstalk brown). The reason the same color was called by two different names, brown and gray, is because it's a low-saturated color. Generally, brown is a bitter and warm color. Gray is said to be soft and cool. Naturally, there is also a color called willow brown as a variant of willow gray.
Sakuranezumi (sakura gray) 桜鼠 #D8C6BC
a pale cherry blossom color with a light crimson tint that is gray or light black and slightly dull.
The use of the color name "nezumi" has been seen since the early Edo period, but "sakuranezumi" probably only came to be used after the Genroku period (1688-1704).
Umenezu (plum gray) 梅鼠 #977F7B
A grayish purplish-red, similar to red plum blossoms
Meiji Period.
This color is dyed by iron mordant dyeing using plums. Umezome, which also uses plums as dyeing material, has existed since the Muromachi period (1336-1573), but its color is a light brown with reddish tints.
Kikyo-nezu (bellflower gray) 桔梗鼠 #95949A
light gray bluish-purple color. Light purple with a slight grayish tinge.
It's said that this color name is derived from the grayish purple color of the bellflower.
Botan-nezu (peony gray) 牡丹鼠 #D3CCD6
light purple with a slight grayish tinge. A gray color with a peony tinge.
Peonies are famous for their bright reds and pinks, but blue-colored ones are also available.
Fujinezumi (wisteria gray) 藤鼠 #817EA4
a subdued blue-purple color with a hint of purple wisteria and a hint of gray.
Edo period. Various dyeing methods for this color were introduced in the Edo period. The dyeing method is described in "Somono hayashinan" (1853, Kaei 6) as "equal parts of Soho water, a little bit of Karan indigo, a little bit of iron plaster, a little bit of momo peel, and a little bit of lime water.
It has been favored as a base color for women's kimonos since the mid-Edo period, and was frequently in vogue during the Meiji and Taisho periods.
Around 1894, it was called "shinkoma-iro" and was introduced in the fashionable costume magazine "Miyako no Hana", so it became popular among the general public along with the "Flower and Willow World"
Fujisusutake (wisteria soot bamboo) 藤煤竹 #5A5359
a wisteria-tinged, soot bamboo color with a dark grayish-purple blush.
already being used in the early Edo period, as seen in the base color of kosode in "Genji Hinakata," a book of kosode hinagata published in 1687.
a color chart in the "Tegami-moyo Setsuyo," an instruction manual for dyeing in the Edo period, includes the following text: "Wisteria soot. The color of a reddish brown gray dyed in the color of plum".
There are about 20 color names with "susutake" (soot bamboo) in them, including "Yanagisusutake," "Ginsusutake," "Higosusutake," and "Sharesusutake," and many of them appear in color samples and hinagata books from the Genroku to Hoei periods of the Edo period.
Azukinezu (red bean gray) 小豆鼠 #715454
a reddish gray color. Azuki-iro (red bean color) tinged gray.
In the Edo period, the name comes from adding "nezu" (gray) to a color duller than azuki-iro. It's a part of the "a hundead grays" family, which also includes cochineal gray and red gray.
Budou-nezumi (grape gray) 葡萄鼠 #705B67
A grape-dyed, grayish color. Dark grayish reddish purple.
thought to have appeared in the late Edo period.
Since the ancient name for grapes was "ebi" (shrimp), this budou-nezumi was also called "ebi-nezumi" (shrimp gray).
Tokinezu (ibis gray) 鴇鼠 #E4D2D8
a light pinkish gray color
named after the Japanese crested ibis
Yamabato-iro (mountain dove) 山鳩色 #767C6B
a dull yellowish-green color with a strong grayish tinge, like the feathers of a mountain dove.
Yamabato means "blue dove," and the color name is derived from the color of its feathers.
"Kikujin" and "Aoshirotsurubami" are similar colors representing the color "blue" in the prohibited colors list, and their use was forbidden to the general public.
Incidentally, this is the color of the robe worn by the emperor, which was called "yamahato-iro robe" or "kikujin rode" or "aoshirotsurubami robe".
It was dyed with kariyasu and purple root as in the case of Kikujin and Aoshirotsurubami.
Hatobanezumi (dove feather gray) 鳩羽鼠 #9E8B8E
a reddish grayish-purple color that is a combination of light purple wisteria and gray.
the color of the back feathers of mountain doves
in the "Teikan Patterns and Setsuyo", it is written, "Hatobanezumi: yamabato-iro is different from this color", and a purplish gray color chart showing Hatobanezumi is pasted on it.
It is assumed that this dyeing started in the late Edo period, when a large variety of gray colors with names that ended with "-nezumi" appeared.
Nandonezu (closet gray) 納戸鼠 #4C6473
an ashy, austere blue color
also called "Omeshinando" (御召御納戸, closet-colored silk crepe)
originally meant "A closet made of silk crepe" (御召縮緬の御納戸).
"御召" is a respectful term for "to wear," and the 11th Shogun, Ienari Tokugawa, was a great admirer of high-grade crepe, which is why the word "御召" came to be used to refer to that type of crepe.
"納戸" is a room where clothing and furnishings are stored. It's a typical color of the Edo period, named for the meaning of "dark place," and is a dark blue with greenish tints.
In other words, this color name seems to have originated from the color of the "御納戸"-colored crepe worn by the Shogun.
Incidentally, there are other colors with "御召" in its name: "御召茶" and "御召鉄"
Asaginezu (light scallion gray) 浅葱鼠 #94A8B0
an austere gray color with a bluish-green tinge, similar to the color of a cloudy sky. In terms of hue, it is closer to "Asagi-iro" with a hint of gray.
created during the Edo period, when gray colors were in vogue.
The color name literally derives from gray with "asagi-iro" tints
Fukagawanezumi (Fukagawa gray) 深川鼠 #85A1A0
a light bluish-greenish gray. The light indigo dye turns greenish blue and is called "asagi-iro", but Fukagawanezumi is a more subdued version of this asagi-iro color. However, it's more saturated than Asaginezu
This color became popular in the late Edo period, and its name derives from the fact that it was favored by the frugal young people of Fukagawa in Edo and geisha who disliked glamor and preferred austerity.
After the Meireki Fire (1657), a common pleasure quarter centering on Tomioka Hachiman Shrine was born in Fukagawa, Edo. The area was home to a lumberyard and many lumber merchants, and it is said to have been, in a sense, the cultural center of Edo, where the Tatsumi geisha, with their enthusiasm and chivalrous spirit, were active. Fukagawanezumi was favored in the most chic Fukagawa area of Edo, and eventually became popular among the common people of Edo.
Minatonezumi (Minato gray) 湊鼠 #77969A
a light bluish-greenish gray. The color name comes from the minato paper used for koshibari, a sliding door and wall covering made in the village of Minato in Osaka.
In the latter half of the Edo period, colors with a stylish and fashionable feel came to be favored in contrast to the luxurious and gaudy colors of the previous period, and gray colors such as Minatonezumi became very popular as "forty-eight browns and a hundred grays".
Edonezu (Edo gray) 江戸鼠 #998D86
Brownish gray. Yellowish-reddish gray.
Edo period.
It became popular along with other browns and grays from the mid-Edo period onward. Also called "chanezumi. It appears to have been dyed with yamamomo (bayberry) or ume (plum). Also called "茶鼠" (brown gray) and "当世鼠" (modern gray).
Saganezu (Saga gray) 嵯峨鼠 #B08D84
a brownish gray color.
It was a popular color in the late Edo period and is one of the "48 browns and a hundred grays".
Saga is located in the northwestern part of Kyoto, a region associated with the culture of the imperial court and known for its many beautiful temples: Arashiyama for its cherry blossoms, Tenryuji Temple for its autumn leaves, Daikakuji Temple, and Togetsu Bridge. The elegant and gentle atmosphere of this color may have been associated with the name "Saga," and thus the name was given to this color.
Saganezu emphasizes the elegant image of the color by adding the elegant "Saga" to the name. The popularity of this color may be said to be a triumph of the naming sense of the dyer or draper who gave it the color name.
Miyakonezu (capital gray) 都鼠 #A3858C
a warm, reddish gray.
Just by adding "Miyako" (capital) to the gray color, it gives a bit of a sophisticated image, though it does not refer to the capital of Edo
but rather Kyoto.
It seems that Edo and Kyoto have different tastes in colors. The most obvious ones are Edo purple and Kyoto purple. The bluish purple was preferred in Edo, while reddish, flamboyant purple was preferred in Kyoto. In this sense, Miyakonezu also has a reddish tinge. It may be that it was a rat color that Kyoto people preferred. (source)
Naniwanezu (Naniwa gray) 浪花鼠 #D8BEBD
a pale, austere crimson-red color. Naniwa is an old name for the area around Osaka City, and the color is named after the name of the place. It was one of the fashionable colors of the time, known as "forty-eight browns and a hundred grays".
If you read "浪花" as "nami no hana", it means salt, and perhaps the color name may have been created by combining salt and the name of the place, as the natural sea salt that was common in Osaka at the time contained many impurities and had this light reddish hue.
In any case, the way in which the reddish tint was added to the humble color of gray shows the spirit of the Osaka merchants, who were known as the "kitchen of the nation," toward the Shogunate.
Incidentally, like "Naniwanezu", there are other colors derived from names of places in the Kansai region, such as "Miyakonezu," named after Kyoto, and "Saganezu," named after Saga, but perhaps because they are both from the Kansai region, the color tones are a bit similar.
Sources
http://www.studio-mana.com/ippuku/dentousyoku/dentousyoku_shikisou.html
https://irocore.com
https://www.colordic.org/w
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Eras Tour Imagery - Cruel Summer
The visuals from Miss Americana continue into Cruel Summer. The fountains of color continue to add more pink and purple to the scene.
The arches reappear as bright pink and frame a cloud centered in the screen. From the cloud, a ladder descends.
After a few moments, the cloud explodes into splashes of pink, purple, and blue, and the background begins to turn a deeper pink.
The background continues to darken. The arches turn purple.
Eventually, the background returns to its beginning state. The fountains of color have stopped, but the scene remains slightly blue/purple. The arches begin to fade.
Interpretation:
The transition from the black and white stormy scene to this daylight colorful scene brings to mind the lyrics “the rest of the world was black and white/but we were in screaming color.” Color was injected into the world, and it turned from day to night.
The cloud is of special significance, and I think it portrays the Cruel Summer line of “breakable heaven.” The cloud is heaven, and a ladder descends from heaven, meaning heaven can be reached by us. It draws on Jacob’s Ladder. (I also ascribe to The Ladder magazine theory, which I will touch on in Lavender Haze analysis.) The cloud explodes, showing heaven breaking, and after it explodes, color drains from the scene. Whatever happiness, joy, or dream that was associated with heaven is gone, and we return to the dark landscape. Given the context of Cruel Summer and Lover as an album, this could imply the relationship with the muse has ended. Taylor has returned to the dark place she was in before, but left with some of the color of the relationship.
Video image credits: Swifties Simon/Youtube
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The White Dove Pt 26 - Proof & Pain
“Found a head,” Clint said, nudging the purple head with his boot, “It’s that Thane guy,” recognizing him from the footage they had found to have been playing all day during their drug induced haze.
Fury beside him nudged Thane’s body stating, “And the rest of him. He died here, but there’s blue-ish grey blood over there,” he said, gesturing to a body free dried pool of blood not far from Thane’s burnt orange blooded mess. “Someone got away.”
Mariah, from around the corner, said, “Found the hatches Misique burst them out of, no clue on who was in there though,” she said. Nodding to the open hatch without trace of a body shown to have been down there by hair or skin cells on the bindings and collars. Unlike yours hadn’t been burned beyond the ability to find genetic material on them.
“Pluto Pear,” Fury said lowly, showing her his phone to share footage of the teen he had been watching over for a couple years now his drone had picked up on jean and boot clad self entering her building at Eddie’s side. “Someone knows there’s one kid to lure Misique and Venom into an all out war. Either that, or it was a double cell.” That had Mariah’s lips part.
And Clint nearby tilted his head to the side lowly added, “She is short. No sign of her at any bars or clubs. Wouldn’t be the first kid who was trained up.”
Fury eyed Tony who stepped over the blood stain entering the hall to say, “All liquefied. Blimp is clear, pretty cool shielding tech, could get some nice jet coverage with a variation for SHIELD just give me a couple months to work things out so it doesn’t, well, explode.”
Fury said, “We’ll park this in the hangar, you’ll have ample time. Can’t imagine there’s anything too dangerous or they’d have hit the self destruct if they have one.”
Stark, “They the dead guys or Queen Bee?” he said waving a finger in a circle, “Doesn’t seem spectacular aside from the panels, but even Jarvis can hear they give off a pulse to keep the image steady. No telling if she wanted the tech she could go quieter beyond detection.” He looked around again. “Wouldn’t think blimp with how this guy talked about walking with Death and all that.”
Mariah asked softly, “You want me to check in on the kid?” as Stark went to lower down into the hatch you had been kept in that had the most damage.
Fury shook his head, “Her brother is there, say we give her some space to decompress and work her frustrations out on that ship of hers.”
Mariah said, “Just, Ricky said she’s filed the papers on her parents.”
Fury said, “Maybe then mention to him for a film or something. If it’s the papers I’m thinking of I doubt a drop in on her unannounced would be welcome.”
Stark out of the hatch hovered saying, “She melted the metal, but the walls have grooves on them, like old records. Queenie screamed down here, or the Bolt guy did, his voice left the same imprint on a street according to Jarvis’ footage.”
*.*.*
All across the History magazine and the local papers was the story of the historical find Misique had helped by means of a rumored bribe of food cart funds from a good friend she spent the past two summers around to haul in a chunk of history. Weapons, chains and models of the ship itself to go with a holographic display of it inside the Viking museum in Norway even with little attention on that culture in the past since Prince Thor himself had come to Earth this was explosive. Ship to his uncle had wonder about what it could be. And Rhodey, as your friend and now treasured link to the military, that had dealt with a formerly unknown threat to these shores and those of allies and enemies alike had made his own trip to see the initially unimpressive ship.
Just a five foot strip barely was cleared to show metal unknown to this planet, scans of what you had hints of under the crust found him relaying it was not worth vying for custody of it. Perhaps in the future when your mind had perhaps made something of it, or in the very least they could offer aid of metal supplies to make it more pleasant to look at or stable to be transferred to a museum for display. Even if it would be a museum piece, those who had worked with you, or had looked into your past, knew how special your history was to you and wanted to help if they could after all you’d done for them and their safety, including the millions of civilians also in the dark. You never flinched and first thing shared news of a threat so aside from a friendship with Misique and Venom were beyond reproach in their eyes.
All the same your first day back in your high waisted overalls and shoulder bearing ribbed top were joined by a nice lace shrug you had found to cover your shoulders to meet the dress code of Midtown. Wedges were last to be hopped into on the trip down your flights of stairs to get going when a dig into something online had you close to being almost late for your first day. At the bottom of your stoop the town car there had you frozen in place to see the window roll down revealing Harry Osborn with a wide grin who said, “Your chariot awaits.”
“What are you doing?” you asked as he opened the door for you.
“I transferred to Midtown, can’t be late for the first day.” And softly you had to sigh and get into the car to just have the ride to hopefully get there quicker.
“How did your father manage to get you into Midtown?” you asked and when his mouth opened he gave you a playful glare when you asked, “Is there going to be a hall named after him when we get there?”
“No. I suppose every class could use a charity case. My name looks good on their rosters and they get to join the long list of teachers to be stunned at how miserable a student I am.” He said and you just blinked at him restraining your every urge to slap him.
“Why don’t you just get your GED then?” you managed to ask rather calmly but plainly parting his lips again. “If you don’t even plan on trying? These teachers helped me a great deal in applying for scholarships, my application to Columbia, they work very hard to help students you just have to apply yourself or you are wasting both of your time.”
Widely a grin spread across his face, and he said in a point of a finger your way, “You are right. And if any place is good enough for me to start applying myself Midtown is as good as any. Plus on this school’s roster I might be able to snag a spot on the football team.” He said with a confident grin.
“I think we managed a winning season last year by one game, doubt they wouldn’t take anyone who tried out willing to risk their brain for some head on collision entertainment.” The school came into view as he let out a chuckle to what you said.
“Apparently not much brainpower needed to run a company according to a few of my father’s employees.” He joked.
“Well Oscorp does have an alarmingly high mortality rate within workers there,” causing his brows to arch up at the matter of fact statement.
“You’ve looked into the mortality rate of employees of my father’s company?” he asked in shock making you turn your head to face him.
“He offered me a job after I graduate. Always inspect your future employers no matter how high up the food chain it is.”
“Ah,” he said and his brows furrowed in thought. “How hard is it to get a job?” he asked making your brow arch up, “I mean, you have a few, can’t be that hard.”
“Getting the job and keeping the job are two different things. I would say focus on your grades first or the time needed to improve there would only be wasted and worsen future grade point average as exhaustion and irritations of the work place set in.”
“Fair point. I will do my best to keep a C average at least to make you proud, improve from my usual D roster.”
His brow arched up at your head turning to look at him seriously, “B average minimum. C average won’t get you far unless you are aiming for a football scholarship to college. Most accept 2.5.”
“What’s yours?” he asked when the door was opened for you at the front entrance.
And you answered while climbing out, “4.2.” Clearly he could be heard letting out a scoff behind your back at the stunning leap of your GPA to his, and outside of the car he watched people take notice of you and then himself when he found his feet to follow you inside. “They start us in our homeroom for lockers and books.” You said, and in his show of the schedule he was given you aimed him the right way and were off yours.
Split apart for your home room you walked uncertain of why people down this hall seemed to be sending you looks of pity that at first you couldn’t understand. Not until you rounded the next corner and alongside other lost brilliant minds your parents’ pictures were mounted with a table topped with notes, flowers and other tokens around lantern concealed candles surrounding the joint memorial of the newest members as the school usually did when news of a fallen scientists came about.
Sharp and clear a breath caught in your throat and to Morita and Mark’s view you turned to the wall away from the memorial they promised to leave it at that to not make a scene of your pain. Tears clearly were blurring your vision.
And for a few trembling breaths you were seen nodding to their hushed reminders of support and assurances there was no announcement or anything for the school to aim lingering attention at this painful step you’d taken before you were able to compose yourself. To their comfort you assured them that you would be tolerant of this exposure and continued on to another pity filled room where your fellow home room sharing students tried and failed to pretend they hadn’t seen or heard about the news.
You just had to make it through the next few hours and after lunch you could head off to Columbia and it would be another day to the end of the week when you hoped everyone would have this out of their systems and it would be forgotten for the most part. Meanwhile you just had to ignore the dull burn of all your muscles from the sleepless night before.
*.*.* Hours prior *.*.*
Usually you were gone by now, that was what the man at the front desk said to the Super Soldier who watched the back end of your muscle tearing routine you had been repeating for hours now to not break any of their machines. Steve usually used this back room with ample room and mats for his own ten punching bag breaking routine when his dreams had taken over his ability to sleep. All he had lost haunted him as did the news his best friend was out there with a tie to the teen who was now brutally trembling in the back end of rotations of bicycle kicks and body crunches testing balance and muscle strain.
Crunched up with arms locked around your head, twisting side to side to meet each lifted knee bent from a straight hover over the ground fifty taps of each alternate pair of limbs. Next were followed by a drop flat almost touching the ground to a fold that had you bent almost completely flat with arms and legs up to reach fifty of those marked by twitches of your left brow when hovering flat again.
What he hoped to be the end soon after a drop flat was an arch up into a handstand off your back to drop in fifty push-ups in that pose.
At a 90 degree angle your body dropped to rest flat hovering over the ground in a mock plank pose to drop for fifty reps of those, right after followed by the shift of legs in alternating taps in lunge poses. One with the knee to your chest and the other stretched back. In rapid swaps to get thirty each.
Ended by a flat plant of both feet to leap up in a burpee to tap the pull-up bar over that stretch of mats he was told you had done a stunning 3000 pull-ups and side twists before breaking into this part of the routine.
Every single muscle bright and strained seen around your Razorback tank top and shorts until you grabbed the towel hanging over the pull-up bar. Under which you paused for a trembling exhale then lowered forward to plant your hands on the ground to ease off your sore feet and hunch down to a kneeling pose to help release the pull and burn in your thighs for what should have been a series of cool down stretches.
“I can make her leave, you usually want the place to yourself.” The man whispered to Steve making him shake his head.
“No need, I know her. I’ll see what’s up with her, she’s usually not like this. Someone probably bothered her.” Steve said leaving his bag on a bench he passed to reach the mat you were on he stopped at the end of and wet his lips as his eyes swept over your stunningly sweat free self that was slightly red and trembling. With tear filled eyes that had his mouth just about drop open for the look on your face none of the others could see. “Pluto,” he said and watched the mask shoot back over your face to an even worse stoic expression with those same earth shattering tearful eyes that lured him closer to crouch at your side.
“I was supposed to leave an hour ago. I know.” You said and let out a sharp breath to plant your hands at either side of your thighs to lift up on your clearly defined and dehydrated arms proving years of strength training usually hidden by a nice layer of fat to be less obvious these hours had shed away with rapid ease like a snap of fingers. Out in front of you your legs stretched and you bent forward to take hold of your toes to keep cooling down your burning self while you held back the emotional dam that kept days worth of tears from falling. Not in front of him you wouldn’t break, not with him and not here, not until you could be alone back in your place and then something online, anything at all could be found to keep your mind focused on anything but this and that night.
“What happened? Someone bother you?”
“My parents are dead,” you said dropping his jaw and urging him closer to your side where you flinched your side away from his try at a comforting touch that had him show you his palms as if you had nipped at him like a cornered animal. “I sent off the last of the paperwork to declare them legally dead earlier, the whole science community will know in the morning at news of their patens passing publicly to my name.”
“I’m so sorry. Why are you here?”
“Why are you here?” You asked flatly, stunning him at the clear answer to the question without actually answering it.
“I can’t sleep. Bad dreams. You should sleep.”
He said and you looked at him with a twinge of rage in those heartbroken eyes, “I was there, that night. If I sleep I’ll wake up my whole block.” You staggered out in broken whispers to the fall of two tears. “I’ll be out of your hair after I stretch my arms.”
“I’m gonna take you out to eat,” he practically demanded furrowing your brows and he deliberately pressed a finger into your bicep. “You need to eat after this. My treat, much as you like.” He said and you let out a breath and looked forward to lift the towel and wipe your face then dropped it back onto your lap to begin a series of arm stretches. Softly he let out a breath and said, “I was never good at this, usually Bucky was the one to cheer me up and I was in your shoes. What would he do when you had a bad day?”
“The man I know and your friend aren’t the same person,” you said opening his mouth again until you cut him off, “First off he doesn’t know his name is Bucky, or anything about you aside from your Captain persona.”
“What?” He asked softly.
You looked to him again sharply saying, “That’s what they do, they take us and erase us. But something about my face had him pick me out of the options brought to him. He knew my face, so no, Bucky didn’t comfort me how he would have with you. He trained me and kept an ear out.”
“He’s got amnesia?” Steve asked. “He took a nasty fall from the train, I guess that makes sense. But I’m sure he’s done more than you know.”
“Don’t bother with ruining your workout, surely you could make better use of your time than wasting time off figuring your way out to Russian airspace to find your Bucky.”
“Bucky protected you, taught you, I’m not leaving you like this. Where’s your bag?”
“Don’t have a gym bag,” you said finding your feet in a rapid hop that had him pop up as well to not be left behind.
“I know you didn’t come from where you live dressed like that this time of night and I’d have heard if you lived in Brooklyn.”
“I live in Queens and no one bothers me.” You said walking back to the door now you had been able to urge back your tears to at least clear your vision. Back at his bag he lifted it and his coat, that once at the front door he slung around the back of your shoulders to drape over your chest making you say, “This means nothing I know loaning a coat means you’re going steady back in your era,” and he scoffed.
“I’m at least 80 years older than you. No thank you little Madam. I am covering you from the unsavory glances this time of day.”
And up at him when the door closed behind you you looked saying emotionlessly, “At least I’m not wearing shirts so tight you can see my nipples 24/7 like you, Captain save the girl.” Making him scoff again.
“My shirts are not that tight.” He said slinging his bag over his shoulder.
“Might as well paint your torso, I can find your arteries through that cotton, Cap.”
Before he knew it he said in a try to change the subject off his anatomy and clothes, “I suppose the one thing you could say came from the Great War was my old man died.”
That had you glance up at him and ask at his outlandish statement, “The one good thing?”
“Course it meant my Mom had to work spare shifts but he was a no good lush of a brute. Used to leave us bloody and starving while he drank away all our problems and those of half the block seemed like.” He paused and said, “She worked hard and I did my best to help out while I could and worked on some art classes too hoping to make some higher scratch to let her have weekends off again. Even had a few sketches in the Times and Post.” He said with a solemn stare he blinked away then looked at you as you spoke again.
“TB,”
“Ya. She worked in the TB ward, caught that. Nasty way to go.” He said with a deep heave of a sigh. “Have meds for it now, she helped with that, in a small way. But each Nurse they lost till they got the meds helped in their own way, so she’d be proud. I’m sure your parents know you work hard, what I mean. What’d they do?”
“Geneticists,” you answered then said, “Tried everything to have me. Then it kicked my mother’s condition into overdrive,” you said parting his lips in a look your way at a kid who might have had a rough shake growing up as he had at home. “She was on a ventilator last chunk I had with her. Dad was working for a cure. Not very many working on degenerative diseases that aren’t cash cows.”
“I have to ask, if Buck didn’t know who he was then what’d you talk about all those years he taught you?”
“What he was told to teach me, and stories, mythologies, fables, tall tales.”
“And you knew who he was?”
“Looked him up after I got to Queens.”
“Ah,” he said and his brows furrowed again. “What’s your favorite story?” He asked looking you over in a pause at a street corner where he eased between you and another nighttime wanderer, who was also waiting in the light you had seen often who shook off the gesture by the person he never saw you with.
“What’s your favorite story?” He asked again and you paused trying to think through the buzzing chatter of your bees each in their own try to help distract you from this bleeding pain.
“I, I can’t think of any stories right now.” You said and he nodded.
“Fair enough,” he said. Then added, “Been reading up on some things online. Might be a bit too old for you but you read the Great Gatsby?”
“Ya, classic for school.”
“They have a new film on it apparently a friend said they’d take me to see. Not sure if I like it or not yet. But met Hemmingway during the war and he mentioned his friend Fitzgerald who wrote it. Had some good stories to share over drinks, promised to read it, now I got the chance.” Unable to help it the corner of your mouth quirked up making him ask, “What?”
“It’s a bit insensitive,” you said shaking your head.
“You got some leeway it’s a bad day kid.”
“I guess you couldn’t have ended up farther alike to Hemmingway,”
“How so?” He asked and took the first step with you off the curb when the light turned colors.
“Well he survived several plane crashes, and you, just the one.”
“He what?” He asked mid stunned chuckle.
“Read up on Hemmingway he seemed damn near unkillable for a time there. Plane crashes on top of several near death experiences including I think he got shot a few times after the war. Adds to his whole appeal and his mentality of what he wrote. He was the last of their group alive I believe. Outlived Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda who died of an overdose I believe, loved her something wild how it’s told was never the same. Then Dali after him.”
“Never did like those large forehead paintings he did.” He but in.
“He was the last man standing, depression and melancholy of war wounds really seeped into his whole narrative in the page. He’s one of the greats same as his buddies.”
He paused and said, “I just can’t get over the whole schtick of stealing identities and being someone you aren’t,”
“Bit hypocritical,” you but in making him scoff and turn with you to walk to the end of the wall outside the 24 hour diner to the door there.
“To make someone love you, is what I meant.”
“You wanted to make America love you,” you said dropping his mouth open again.
“I did not! I wanted to fight in the war same as anyone else!”
“So the whole explosive regeneration of your body and new persona was just a bonus?”
He locked his eyes on you with a brow that arched up, “I don’t think you’re old enough to understand.”
“Which part am I missing? You’re still the main propaganda man eighty years later, must get something out of it.”
“A paycheck, how else am I supposed to earn a living in this economy?” He asked and you let out a half hearted chuckle rolling your eyes. “What is that,” he rolled his eyes dramatically at you making you arch a brow up at him in the stand off outside the door puzzling the waitresses on shift inside who had grouped up. Seeing him coming hopefully for them to be able to talk to him even if he had a small female companion with what looked to be his jacket on her.
“I have four jobs in the summertime, two while I go to school, there are jobs, surely you could find one not related to lying about you obeying the laws of the road before you hit the ice.”
“I will have you know-,”
“Did you have a car before you were in the military?”
“No!”
“Rest my case.”
“No one could afford a car on my block back then!” He said as you opened the door he followed you through. “Except for the McGees but they lifted those-,” he paused seeing the cops inside on a coffee and lunch break, making him say in a hunch to whisper to you so he wouldn’t get those deceased former neighbors of his in trouble, “Lifted them off a ferry to sell for parts later.”
And back at him you whispered, “You do know they don’t convict dead people right?”
“Not dead yet, not Gerry,”
And at the side of the cops you asked, “If I was to report a grand theft auto from the 1930’s would you be able to convict?” You said and they both let out a matching pair of chuckles.
“No, who do you know from the 30’s out jacking cars?” In a shrug from you they both chuckled and turned back to their lunch after your look up at the Captain who thanked the pair and guided you to a booth far away from them in the corner.
“Not funny,” he said and you let out a huff seeing the waitresses in a scuffle over the menus to see who would wait on you both with one who snuck around the back of the counter to steal the right with a widening grin the closer she got.
“There’s a statute of limitations, and bias laws to protect immigrants and also supposed statutes to keep cops from using the law to their own benefit.”
“Oh like that ever stopped them before.” He said callously then smiled at the woman who handed over the menus and introduced herself asking what Cap and his apparent sister were doing out at this hour apparently striving to shake her claim on him.
“Nipples,” you whispered making him scoff in her path back to the kitchen with your drink orders.
“No one cares about my nipples,” he whispered back in a lean over the table as you raised your menu to open it in search of what you wanted.
“I’m trying to think of an era appropriate term from your childhood for people who wore shirts that tight,” you said making him purse his lips and lay his arms on his menu a moment to look out the window at this continued topic. “Hussy,” you said making him gasp and look at you. “Ya that sounds about right.”
“It is bad enough I have to hear from Stark how I have ‘America’s Ass’ I do not have to talk about my nipples with you.”
“Well it would make sense he talks about your ass he inherited the right,” his lips parted again then closed in his turn to smile at the waitress who was coming back with your shakes. “His daddy did give you that ass after all,” making him almost choke on the air filling his lungs at his sharp inhale. And for all his intention to distract you from your pain while that waitress was off giving your orders to the cook the other two came to sit down on chairs they pulled over.
Determined to join the booth where they remained adamantly through the rest of the meal not allowing you to get a word in even if you wanted to while they focused all their attentions on the Great Depression era beefcake in front of them. A distraction on his part you were glad for. Deeply bitten by frost all these years later the air that night still engulfed you with little change of the intensity of the chill even against faint flickers of flames that had engulfed your home; the last memory a haunting shadow of your former self. Inside your head the bees of your hive and those in your hair took turns choosing things to help scoot that image and pain aside even for moments that would have your eyes shift ever so slightly over your plate to each turn taken.
He knew that look. Behind the mask deep in those eyes the gaze of a dismantled last man standing he encountered ample times back in the war. Knowing what they had faced and the ghosts of his own dreams all he could wonder was what you had seen to scar you so deeply. What happened to force that mask and this game of cat and mouse for why you wouldn’t let him help you. He just had to get away from these crowding women to do that. What he wouldn’t admit even to himself was the reasoning behind the desire to help you, so that the link to his friend was always there. If you broke and had to be sent away then there was no chance of new clues. So he had to ensure you stayed just shy of breaking, even just a step if possible.
Once paid however around your hand his folded to guide you and himself away from the crowd of women until he was on the other side of the door and all he could do was look down at you. “I warned you about your hussy shirt.”
“Just because you are having a bad day don’t think you can flirt your way out of it,” he said making your brows furrow in his first step to show you back to the gym, “I’ll give you a lift home.”
“This is flirting to you?” you asked and he looked back at you. “Discussion of attire does not equate flirting in my book. And trust me with my rocky boat of a past if I tried at a man over 70 years my senior do consider that a cry for help and lock me away somewhere.”
“I will try not to be flattered by that glaring compliment.”
“Oh don’t get touchy I’m not even 17 yet you can’t possibly be head over heels for me after being refused a conversation with me by three very determined older women.” At the corner he tapped the button for the crosswalk and looked down at you. “I am not exactly known for my scintillating conversation and there are no, is it moonbeams? All those 40’s songs like to use, in my eyes.”
“See, this, this is not happening.” He said waving a finger between you.
“Did they slip you something, that’s just what I’m saying, trust me, I am the last one you want to be using that little smirk look you use to get your way on. For all you know you’ve beamed me with your shield before and I could have a hostile grudge just seething under the surface for all you know for lack of an apology.”
That had him scoff, “I don’t throw my shield at civilians.” He said then added, “And I don’t make faces to get my way.”
“Oh come on you’re like a puppy begging for scraps and you know it. That face is not involuntary, probably something carried over from your tiny days.”
“I was not tiny,”
“Sickly then,” you said and he looked back down at you when you started to walk again at the signal to cross the street. “Look, you’re the one who grew up in eugenics era you’ve heard the terms you wanted to be all friendly because of my news even though I don’t need saving and I’m trying to bridge the terminology gap.”
“I understand you just fine, and I was not tiny.”
“Barely an inch taller than me, I’ll pass that on my toes or fluffing up my hair,” you said in another glance at his hand that fidgeted more around yours.
“Funny, if that’s tiny then you are.”
“Everyone calls me tiny what planet are you on, I had a six inch growth spurt summer before last and I’m still tiny, so if I say you were tiny, it is so, because I am and I say so, so there neh.”
“Did you just ‘so there neh’ me?”
“What are you gonna do about it? Smirk at me to make me take it back?” you challenged making him roll his eyes and shake his head.
“Are you always this confrontational? Baseline for you?”
“I prefer occasionally petty and realistic. I am a magnet for chaos and accept little friction in my relationships, friendly or otherwise. How about you, always this cocky?”
“I am not cocky.” He retorted.
“Are too. But you’re in your head how can you know how you come off.”
“I am not cocky,” he argued back as you passed the gym making one of the guys outside chuckle to himself and chime in, “Keep telling yourself that Peter Pan,” making Steve scoff at him.
“Told you. Not always, but you have your moments.”
“You really must be the life of parties.”
“I mean,” you said making him look at you again partially regretting his tone in the crackle of your voice and glance away, “I dance, other than that I don’t get asked to parties. Usually have to work, or my friends’ parents wanted boys only at their houses.”
“Boys only?”
“Apparently boys are insatiable predators, can’t even show my shoulders in school on dress code or someone might get a tingle then the worst will tear out of them due to my harlotess ways of daring to flash a shoulder.” That had him stop completely and you said, “Day I enrolled at college they handed out a welcome package to me and the other females with pepper spray and a rape whistle. I live alone apparently I give an impression of looseness on reputation off that fact alone. But most of my friends got accepted to colleges across the country, so only a couple left.”
“Why are you short tempered with me? Because I got years with Bucky between your invisible friend Chickadee’s visits with Stark before he met you?”
“My locket and rings are all I have to remind me daily I didn’t imagine my past and parents. Gifted locket from the Goddess Frigg and rings forged of ore from conquests in England out of a bloodline whose women drove men to silence on mention of their names, these are no simple trinkets someone would just hand to someone else.” Locked in silence he stood with confirmation of the painful jab he’d given you while hunting for clues. A fellow orphan with few reminders of a distant past and home gone without a trace. And there to calm his own pain he had gone and trampled over your feelings.
“I apologize. SHIELD wasn’t able to find much from my old apartment to keep in storage for me. Bit of old negatives from my last birthday before I buried my mother.”
“Where are you leading me to?”
That turned his head to point at his motorcycle, “You aren’t afraid of bikes, are you?”
“I have a motorcycle, car and pilots license.”
“Why?” was all he could ask.
“Why not? I plan for chaos.” When he didn’t look away you asked, “Do you need me to drive?”
“No one drives my bike but me,” he said turning to guide you closer where he finally realized your hand still trapped in his that he let go of to swing a leg over his bike he raised off the stand and looked back at you. Up off the ground you lifted a foot to ease down the propped up foot stand urging him to twist and lower the other one, “Sorry,” then turned to the feel of a hand on his shoulder. Stepping over the seat you straddled the pitiful excuse of a rock like leather cushion then took hold of the bottom of the bag on his back as he fired up the engine. Over his shoulder you pointed him the right way until he kept the bike upright outside your building so you could climb off. With ease you did and offered him his jacket you had removed before he’d stopped that he pinned under part of one of his thighs against his groin unable to add it with his bag on his back.
“I’ll pay you back for the meal.”
“You don’t owe me a thing.”
“Well, bout time for my turn at the hot water,” all you did was turn to head inside leaving him lost for what to say.
Only to have him call out, “Get some sleep.”
“You first,” you fired back closing the heavy front door behind you to vanish from his sight just leaving him to head back to the gym while you refused to sleep.
*.*.* Current time *.*.*
Focus on securing a locker, books and following through the first half of your classes for the first day schedule of the split day lineup was simple to keep your mind busy at least until lunch time.
Out of the faces lost in the crowd entering the cafeteria you entered before realizing that you forgot to pack your lunch you looked around and then dug into your pocket to see how much cash you had to spare. Out of the choices you went to join the line for the sub shop and exited with two and a pair of small chip bags to go with your fruit juice you hoped could help this mood go away that had worsened by not eating your usual between class snacks.
Ricky at the usual table smiled when he saw you approach him and his fellow band mates who had joined the table saying, “There you are. You’re never late.”
“Forgot my lunch,” you said taking up the seat he had saved for you at his side. “Ran late in the gym and it just threw my whole schedule off.”
“Happens,” he said in a chuckle watching you start to settle your lunch in front of you once your bag was rested across your lap. Ignoring the silent inspecting stares of his friends new to eating with you, awkward on the new pictures posted up today he continued, “Been a nice day so far, classes seem to be better than what I anticipated and can’t wait to see how tryouts today go.”
Noticing Harry Osborn with his own bought lunch lock his eyes on you he said, “Incoming,” turning your head to the billionaire’s son who headed straight for the empty spot at your side, not showing the trouble he felt brewing in his belly about the news of the parents of his presumed only friend in school. You had never wanted to talk about your parents aside from random mentions of them, and of course he nonstop knew he ranted about his own father while you were harboring this storm alone leaving him feeling even more a terrible friend.
“There you are. Got stuck in a clarification on the assignment order to this cabinet thing my Biology teacher wants for our labs.” He said making you look him over mid chew of your bite of sandwich. “The sub shop good? Figured I should get pizza, last hoorah before weight training kicks in for football tryouts end of the week.”
After you swallowed you said, “Seems suitable, forgot my lunch this morning, ran late. Normally bring my own.”
“Hmm,” he said opening the lid of the top of three mini pizzas to go with his breadsticks and marinara dip. “That due to the news?” he asked and you could feel Ricky bristle up at your side, “Your boat thing you found?” he asked lifting a slice for a pitiful shift of the topic away from what might hurt your feelings worse than they already felt.
“Ran long at the gym, then Captain America sort of commandeered my meal after. What I get for picking a place out in Brooklyn near his old stomping grounds.”
Ricky said, “You ask him about driver’s ed video he made?” making you giggle and pause a try to take another bite of your food mid notice of Peter Parker and Ned entering the table area with trays in hand. Both who stopped and stared at your quick wave their way turning Harry’s eyes to them.
“No one on his block could afford a car, besides this family who used to steal them off ferries, unfortunately we got swarmed by waitresses trying to pick him up due to his painted on clothes and that smirk he swears he doesn’t have.”
“Oh he didn’t,” Ricky exclaimed as you took another bite and nodded making him laugh, “So typical.”
Timidly Ned and Peter made their way to the remaining empty table across from yours where the latter said, “Hey Pluto.”
“Hey,” you gestured between him, Ned and Peter, “Ned and Peter are trying out for the marching band,” lighting up Ricky and the others’ faces luring curious grins across the duo’s faces in response as they got to sharing what instruments they played and how the upper classmen had taken to the instructors for various sections.
Ricky in a notice of Harry quietly stealing another look at your slightly sunken expression mid focus on the meal asked him, “You trying out for the band too?”
“No, just football actually. Not the best but never really got a shot to see what I can make of myself. Boarding schools don’t offer much chance for rougher sports, and it’ll help Pluto to keep an eye on my progress as we travel to games and such. Promised to put all my effort into turning my grades around and just in time too, apparently there’s academic probation for team members who don’t keep up in class.”
He looked to you again and between bites you said, “You should do it for you, started my grade average based on my scholarship requirements but now it’s all for me to see how I can keep it up.”
“You have a scholarship here too, must be hard to keep up with all the rules,” one of the guys to Ricky’s left said gaining a head shake from you.
“Mostly the same rules,” you said then took another bite to focus on your meal as the conversation grew around you to the end of the meal that led you to the final class you had in Midtown.
Pt 27
@jesevans, @lilith15000, @devilishminx328, @theincaprincess, @jiminapickle
#Escaped Child Assassin#Clint Barton#Nick Fury#Mariah Hill#Tony Stark#Steve Rogers#Memories and Shadows#Marvel#Norman Osborn
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2 for dex <3
"Rose-colored boy, I hear you making all that noise about the world you want to see.
And oh, I'm so annoyed, 'cause I just killed off what was left of the optimist in me."
- rose-colored boy, paramore
Los Angeles, 2014
“Okay, so we just need you guys to answer some quick questions, goof around, really like, ham it up. The usual.” The Assistant Director explained. They were surrounded by what could only be described as a record store—if it were dreamt up by a ten year old. Bright, colorful, full of unnecessary knick-knacks for hijinks, and far too large than any regular record store would be. That is, a typical Disney Channel show set. The two teens were seated in typical, actor chairs and nodding along as the AD continued, “This is going to air during commercials to drum up hype for the final season.”
Dex was looking up at the ceiling, a makeup artist tapping powder under his eyes. He gave a thumbs up in response as he sucked up some more Red Bull from the neon pink straw in the can. They’d finished filming for the day and had moved on to press. A couple hours and three different interviews with Tiger Popstar 14 Beat or whatever the magazines names were later, and he was clearly ready for it all to be over. Grace, on the other hand, was smiley as ever. Despite how equally over it she was, she still chirped a happy “Sounds good!” in response.
People were setting up cameras, adjusting lighting, and—his stomach rumbled, eliciting a sigh, “God, I’m starving.”
A Production Assistant fluttering around overheard and stopped by his chair, “Did you want me to have someone get something for you?”
“I’m good,” Dex gave a tired, appreciative smile, knowing whatever grilled chicken salad thing his trainer would much rather he eat was sitting in his trailer.
Grace leaned over. She was still fully in costume: a polka dotted skater dress, with a t-shirt layered under it and very loud, chunky jewelry. Peak 2014. Peak Disney Channel. Her hair was perfectly curled, and it bounced as she nudged his arm, “What are you doing after this?”
He rolled his head over to look at her, “Voice lesson.”
“Can you cancel it and we can get In-N-Out?”
The conspicuous smile on her face was infectious, and he couldn’t help but grin, “We’re already running late, so…” Dex shrugged, glancing at the crew still putting together the shot, “Probably. I think I’ll survive the movie with one less voice lesson.”
“Alright guys—!” Another crew member finally called out, “We’re ready for you!”
The sun had set by the time they were driving through the Hills, Dex’s car filling with the scent of burgers and fries. He found a usually touristy pull off spot—a cliff overlooking the city—to park. The lights of LA glittered in the valley below them, the evening haze settling over the sky in a dull shade of purple.
An elated noise escaped his mouth as he finally bit into the burger, “Holy shit,” Dex groaned, sinking into the leather seat as he sloppily devoured the food, “Bless you, Gracie Lee, you just saved my whole night.”
Grace cackled, grabbing a chunk of her Animal Fries, slathered in cheese and caramelized onions and whatever godly special sauce the burger chain put on everything. “That’s what I’m here for.” Her fingers were already a mess, searching for a napkin somewhere in the bag of food, “Is your dad gonna kill you for getting grease all over your fancy new Range Rover?”
“Nah,” Dex glanced around his car, his sixteenth birthday present, “He’ll probably be glad I got a burger.” He sat up a bit and put on his fairly spot-on impression of his father, deepening his voice and leaning into the Texas accent, “What’s this chicken feed they’re makin’ you eat? You’re getting too skinny. You need a lil’ grease to keep the gears turnin’ smoothly.”
Grace giggled and offered him some of her fries, which he gladly took. “When do you leave for New York?”
“Next Thursday.” Dex answered automatically, like it’d been burned into his brain for months, then sighed, “I haven’t even started packing yet.”
She could see the million other tasks he had to accomplish before then run through his head and behind his eyes. The slow toll of the past couple of years was starting to settle behind the bright blue. Being famous was exhausting. That’s something they fail to tell all the bright-eyed ten year olds begging their parents to be on TV. If you’re not careful, they’ll wring you out of all your worth until there’s nothing left and move on to the next one. Dex always said she was a pessimist. Sweet, golden-hearted Dex, determined to constantly one-up himself, go bigger, do more. Eager to please, and blessed with the burden of far too much talent to waste. And now here he was, about to wrap up the TV show that shot him to fame, and he was already ten steps ahead, preparing for the movie he was on his way to film merely days after.
“Kylie wants to throw me a going away party.” He continued, before Grace could get a responsible word in, “Probably like, over the weekend. You wanna come?”
“The last time Kylie threw you a party, you wound up drunkenly making out in the pool. Which I believe was, uh, after you’d already made out with Hailey in a coat closet, right?”
Dex waggled his eyebrows, the grin on his face unfazed, “Maybe that’s why she wants to throw another one.”
Naturally, he’d taken to the other famous nepotism babies in this city like a house on fire. Their lives were flashy, dramatic, and larger than life for a bunch of sixteen year olds. Even seeing it with her own two eyes, sometimes it didn’t feel real. Tumblr ate it up, though. Grace didn’t mind them, they were all nice enough. But clearly she, who came from a normal family of teachers, was lacking whatever made the rest of them click like they did. Dex always included her, though. Never wanting to leave out anyone he cared about.
“Y’all exhaust me,” Grace laughed, “Sure. I’ll come.”
He made a happy noise and squeezed her arm, “Yay! Oh my God, I’m so glad. I can’t leave this city without seeing you.” And she knew he meant that more than anything.
Dex finished his burger, and she finished her fries. Their comfortable silence and camaraderie settled in the car like a favorite blanket, letting the city go about its night below them.
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Haein Yoon as 'Sirène' for Purple Haze Magazine by Isabel Spantzel
#haein yoon#purple haze magazine#isabel spantzel#photography#photoshoot#editorial#editorials#fashion photography#editorial photography#my upload
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James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942 – September 18, 1970) was a rock guitarist, singer, and songwriter. His mainstream career lasted only four years, but he is regarded as one of the most influential guitarists in history and one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame describes him as "the greatest instrumentalist in the history of rock music". Born in Seattle, he began playing guitar at age 15. He enlisted in the Army and trained as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division, but he was discharged the following year. He moved to Clarksville, soon after and began playing gigs on the Chitlin' Circuit, earning a place in the Isley Brothers' backing band and with Little Richard. He played with Curtis Knight and the Squires before moving to England after being discovered. He earned three UK top ten hits with the Jimi Hendrix Experience: "Hey Joe", "Purple Haze", and "The Wind Cries, Mary". He achieved fame in the US after his performance at the Monterey Pop Festival, and his third and final studio album Electric Ladyland reached number one in the US. He was the world's highest-paid performer, and he headlined the Woodstock Festival and the Isle of Wight Festival. He was inspired by American rock and roll and electric blues. He favored overdriven amplifiers with high volume and gain, and he was instrumental in popularizing the previously undesirable sounds caused by guitar amplifier feedback. He was one of the first guitarists to make extensive use of tone-altering effects units in mainstream rock, such as fuzz tone, Octavia, wah-wah, and Uni-Vibe. He was the first musician to use stereophonic phasing effects in recordings. Readers of Melody Maker voted him the Pop Musician of the Year, and Rolling Stone declared him the Performer of the Year. Disc and Music Echo magazine honored him with the World Top Musician, and Guitar Player named him the Rock Guitarist of the Year. The Jimi Hendrix Experience was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence https://www.instagram.com/p/CldyTqeuz4v/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
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Week 3 | Inspiration / Research
Maciek Jasik
About: Maciek Jasik, originally from Poland and now based in New York, is renowned for his portraits that burst with color and movement. His work has been on the pages of magazines like GQ and has been in his own exhibition "Bypassing the Rational". Jasik's style, using colorful hazes, is instantly recognisable and sets him apart in the world of photography. Inspired by some Post-Impressionist paintings he saw at the National Gallery in London, Jasik started capturing similar ideas in his photography. He prioritizes movement and color while downplaying and softening details. He creates images that are both striking and rather abstract in nature.
Image 1: This image uses multiple different sources of light to create different shadows with different colours. There is a strong haze to the image that makes the details of the face more faded and creates a more mystical theme. There seems to be a vignette created by the light which frames the subject more as well.
Image 2: This photo uses the same lighting technique as the previous, however it is framed within a certain angled line. This allows a focal point of light to be placed onto the face and body of the subject as well as creating a high depth level with the darker grey rest of the image. I also appreciate the modeling from the subject as it works extremely well with the lighting and creates a rather somber tone with a glimpse of hope.
Image 3: This photo again uses the same colouring techniques as the previous images. This photo differs with its extremely high haziness. This haze framing is layered with slightly different colours which creates a level of depth. The center of the image has the least amount of haze which gives more of a view of the subject and keeps some slight clarity.
Image 4: This image yet again uses colouring to push the form of the subject. This image uses a strong reflection which bounces light back into the lens. This creates some purple tones and overall distortion on the image which adds a layer of texture over the subject. The face is lit with a contrasting colour, which allows the subject to stand out over the complicated reflections going on around her.
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Quelqu'un m'a parlé de ses achats de manga et ça m'a fait penser aux romans Jojo que j'attends...
Je n'ai pas suivi de près depuis que j'ai réalisé qu'on visait potentiellement début 2024, mais j'attends impatiemment Purple Haze Feedback.
De ce que je vois, début octobre, Delcourt/Tonkam répondait aux gens réclamant JOJOLANDS que "[leurs] équipes sont déjà sur la publication de Crazy D et travaillent pour la sortie des romans Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, donc attendez encore un peu s'il vous plaît (bientôt)". (source: réponses de DelcourtTonkam sur Twitter)
Six jours plus tard, ils ont publié ce Tweet à propos de Jojo Magazine:
(suivre le lien pour vidéo audio + sous-titrée présentant le magazine)
L'annonce est que Jojo Magazine sort en avril 2024 ! Je crains que ça veuille dire que les trois romans et le spin-off qui sont prévus sortiront plus tard que ça... Mais j'en sais rien. En tout cas, il y a du mouvement, et c'est déjà bien.
Il faut que je suive de plus près pour ne pas rater les romans quand ils sortiront OTL J'ai beaucoup aimé Purple Haze Feedback et je n'ai pas acheté beaucoup de livres dans ma vie adulte donc je serais heureuse de l'ajouter à ma collection.
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Music History Today: June 8, 2023
June 8, 2008: Rolling Stone magazine published a list of the Top 50 guitar songs of all time. Number 5 was "Brown Sugar" by The Rolling Stones, Number 4, "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks, Number 3, "Crossroads" by Cream, Number 2 ‘"Purple Haze" by Jimi Hendrix and Number 1 was "Johnny B Goode" by Chuck Berry.
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On this date in, just the good stuff, music history
March 17th
2013 - John Lennon and George Harrison
John Lennon and George Harrison were honoured with a blue plaque at the site of the former Apple Boutique in a ceremony in London held at at 94 Baker Street. The new plaque reads "John Lennon, M.B.E., 1940-1980, and George Harrison, M.B.E., 1943-2001, worked here."
2004 - Ray Davies
The Kinks singer Ray Davies received his CBE medal from the Queen at Buckingham Palace for services to the music industry.
1984 - Van Halen
Van Halen's 'Jump' peaked at No.1 in the US. Over the years David Lee Roth has given various accounts of the meaning behind the lyrics, but most often says they are about a TV news story he saw where a man was about to kill himself by jumping off a building.
1973 - Dr Hook
Dr Hook's single 'On The Cover Of Rolling Stone' peaked at No.6 on the US chart. The single was banned in the UK by the BBC due to the reference of the magazine.
1967 - Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix Experience released 'Purple Haze' in the UK, (US release was June 19). Hendrix had read Night of Light, a 1966 novel by Philip José Farmer. In the story set on a distant planet, sunspots produced a "purplish haze" which had a disorienting effect on the inhabitants. It is thought that Hendrix took this as the idea for the songs lyrics.
1967 - The Beatles
Working at Abbey Road studios in London, The Beatles finished the recording of 'She's Leaving Home' after adding backing vocals to the track. Harpist Sheila Bromberg who was part of the string section on the track became the first woman to play on a Beatles recording.
1966 - Walker Brothers
The Walker Brothers had their second UK No.1 with the single 'The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore', (originally recorded by Frankie Valli).
1957 - Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley bought the Graceland mansion from Mrs Ruth Brown-Moore for $102,500. (£60,295). The 23 room, 10,000 square foot home, on 13.8 acres of land, would be expanded to 17,552 square feet of living space before Elvis moved in a few weeks later. The original building had at one time been a place of worship, used by the Graceland Christian Church and was named after the builder's daughter, Grace Toof.
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