Is this a kissing book?

The Apple and the Tree

theavengersheadcanons:

I know there was a headcanon before about Phil being the son of someone from Doctor Who, but - come on. Fury’s always known that his real father is Agent K, thanks to a mysterious phone call a few months after he hired Phil, threatening to completely wipe his memory and make him believe he’s the prima ballerina for The New York City Ballet if anything should happen to Agent Coulson.

Fury wasn’t happy, but understood. Government men don’t play around when it comes to their kids. Plus, it gave him the perfect plan for Coulson’s eventual departure.

Phil, of course, is alive and well, serving as a mailman for a small town in Massachusetts.

Submitted by anon

Different Terms (yes, this is 1,244 words of fic)

theavengersheadcanons:

It takes Shanta longer than most kids to learn English when she gets to New York. Not because she’s unintelligent, and she’s still learning faster than someone just taking once-a-week lessons, but she’s shy enough and has been through enough trauma in her young life that she simply doesn’t <i>speak</i> all that much. She has nightmares about watching her father die (what she told Bruce wasn’t <i>technically</i> a lie) and her older brother getting dragged away by a gang of thugs. In reality, she should be dead, and she knows it. So coming to New York is almost a dream to her, one that she’s constantly afraid she’s going to wake up from and find herself back in the dark alley she was sleeping in when Bruce found her.

But, eventually, the dreams start to fade, her skinny frame fills out more with consistent, quality food, something Bruce insists on and she doesn’t argue with because having enough to eat at all is a small miracle for her, much less enough that’s <i>tasty</i>. Tony sneaks her candy in a manner that isn’t sneaky at all and Bruce confiscates it for rewards, but he’s got such a soft heart for her that a “reward” is more “every time he thinks she does something adorable.” Clint starts showing her how to make herself stronger, challenging her to footraces around Bruce’s place and teaching her how to do sit ups and push ups. Steve makes her cookies and checks in with her at the end of every day before she goes to bed. Thor she doesn’t see as often, but he always brings her some little gift, a flower still sprinkled with dew from Asgard or a pair of elegant earrings he purchased from a street vendor down in the city. Pepper and Natasha together team up to teach her English, and under their tutelage she finally starts making leaps and bounds of progress, showing her natural intelligence off unintentionally. When Darcy shows up, she joins in the lessons, teaching her slang and introducing her to television shows and movies, some of which she <i>probably</i> shouldn’t be watching but sits through anyway because Darcy insists it’s important for her education (and she likes having popcorn available to make decorative ropes). Darcy also becomes the one to take her shopping and do all the little girly things since the others <i>do</i> have jobs, and much as Bruce cares for her he has no earthly idea what little girls like.

Of course, like with most language courses, some of the first words she learns are the familial ones, like father, mother, brother, sister, and so on. She has trouble with them at first because there’s more rules to addressing your family in India than in America, and while she loves the people around her none of them are her <i>family</i>. It feels almost disrespectful to consider others as family when her father Gaurav and brother Pranjal haven’t been gone even two years, and in fact she doesn’t even know if Pranjal <i>is</i> really gone. It’s a heavy topic for a seven-year-old to face, but this is what her life is, now, and she can’t escape it. The adults around her seem to understand, even if she doesn’t actually explain it (nor do they ask), and don’t argue with her continuing to call them “sir” and “ma’am” and “Mister Bruce” or “Miss Pepper.” But it feels like she’s letting them down somehow or isn’t grateful enough for all they’ve done for her.

The thing that changes it, amazingly, is Saturday morning cartoons. Darcy turns out to be an early riser and Shanta still sleeps like a bird, so every Saturday finds them camped out on the floor in front of Bruce’s TV in a nest of blankets with plates of scrambled eggs and toast (the only breakfast food Darcy trusts herself to not ruin) and glasses of orange juice or hot chocolate. Sometimes Steve will join them, occasionally Pepper if she’s not running around everywhere either looking after Tony or looking after Stark Industries, and Bruce usually walks in when it’s about three-quarters over after a long sleep needed after a long day in the lab, but it’s always the two of them. They watch old Bugs Bunny cartoons that Steve remembers from his youth and shows about ponies and puppies, anything at all that’s bright and colorful, and Shanta laughs more during these times of the week than she does at any other. When she laughs, Darcy always laughs too and reaches over to give her a sideways hug or tussle her hair a little, which just makes her laugh more. But her English still isn’t perfect, and so occasionally she has to look at Darcy and ask a question, which Darcy tries to answer as quickly as possible so they don’t miss anything. After several weeks of noticing a few recurring terms and being puzzled by them, she puts forth another question, and the answer for this one is amazingly simple.

“Mommy and Daddy are just other words for your mother and your father.”

Shanta gives a soft <i>ohhh</i> and nods, something clicking into place in her mind, and she starts wiggling up the courage to act on it. She’s got about an hour before Bruce shows up if he comes in at his normal time, and she still isn’t entirely ready as he runs a hand through his salt-and-pepper curls and yawns. He’s changed out of his pajamas and brushed his teeth, but he clearly needs his morning coffee, and Darcy sticks one hand out of her blankets to wave at him with her fork and a chipper morning greeting. He nods back, gives Shanta a bleary smile, then goes to the small kitchenette attached to the entertainment room to start brewing his coffee. She gathers up her courage and stands, leaving her plate on the floor, and moves over to stand next to him, looking up at him with her hands behind her back but not quite able to say anything. Bruce notices her there after a few moments, turning to face her and his expression sharpening just a little in concern as he asks her if there’s something she needs. She nods, then changes her mind and shakes her head, then nods <i>again</i> and he’s looking pretty confused until she reaches forward and wraps her little arms around his waist and whispers, “Good morning, Daddy.”

Somehow she can <i>feel</i> his heart melting in that instant and he kneels down to hug her in return, tight, and Darcy can’t help letting out a small squeak at the adorable scene before her. Daddy doesn’t release her for a very long time, not until the coffee maker starts screaming at him for not paying attention to it, and he reluctantly lets her go to shut it up as he says to go sit down again, he’ll be there in just a second. She nods and moves back to her blankets, and Darcy’s beaming at her when she sits down again, pulling her close to place a kiss on top of her head. Shanta gives a small smile at that as Darcy whispers - very much <i>not</i> quietly enough for Daddy not to hear it - that the gesture made him the happiest she’s ever seen him, and Shanta nods in agreement.

But she’s not finished yet. “Thank you, Mommy.”

The look on Darcy’s face is amazing to behold.

Tai, that was wonderful!

Show Your Support for Marvel & DC’s LGBT characters and community!

starkexpos:

Hi Tumblr comics fans,

Let’s accomplish some social good today. The organization One Million Moms, who describe themselves as “a network of Christian mothers and grandmothers taking a stand for our children who are exploited by the entertainment industry”, have recently released a statement asking for a write-in campaign to Marvel (owned by Disney) and DC (owned by Warner Bros.) asking them to “change and cancel all plans of homosexual superhero characters immediately”.

This is in direct relation to Marvel’s first gay marriage in Astonishing X-Men #50 and DC announcing a reveal of a male, iconic character’s sexual identity being changed from previous incarnations. One Million Moms goes on to say things like, 

Children desire to be just like superheroes. Children mimic superhero actions and even dress up in costumes to resemble these characters as much as possible. Can you imagine little boys saying, “I want a boyfriend or husband like X-Men?” 

This is ridiculous! Why do adult gay men need comic superheroes as role models? They don’t but do want to indoctrate impressionable young minds by placing these gay characters on pedestals in a positive light. These companies are heavily influencing our youth by using children’s superheroes to desensitize and brainwash them in thinking that a gay lifestyle choice is normal and desirable. As Christians, we know that homosexuality is a sin (Romans 1:26-27).

This is yet again another example of the bigotry from close-minded individuals. Obviously they have no problem referencing Romans 1:26-27, but heavens forbid they take a gander at Matthew 7:1 (Judge not, that you be not judged.). I won’t even touch the stereotypical gender roles this organization is promoting.

What can you do? Easy! Let’s lets overwhelm their voice. For every email Marvel or DC receives asking to remove homosexual elements from comics, let’s send them emails congratulating them on the steps they are taking and showing support for their editorial and creative decisions. Tweet them and let them know you are proud to support gay characters and gay marriage in comics. 

Contact Marvel  

Contact DC

Marvel Twitter

DC Twitter

Marvel Facebook

DC Facebook

One Million Moms Twitter (Note: Let’s try to be civil when explaining why their bigotry is unacceptable. Sometimes it pays to take the high road.)

I hope this post gets some traction, so if you support this cause please reblog for a signal boost.

(via deanspartyhat)