Three (!) ficlets
Paterfamilias, Scorpion, U
Cabe Gallo & ensemble.
Summary: Cabe Gallo has three sons, two daughters and one grandson who he isn’t related to and never officially adopted
Future fic. Written for the prompt "This is my family." at comment-fic. 233 words.
Paterfamilias: shallowness
By now Cabe Gallo has three sons, two daughters and one grandson who he isn’t related to and never officially adopted. But he’s the father they turn to, except for Ralph, who has two already. Cabe does his best, partly because keeping this pack of geniuses on an even keel is a good way to stave off disasters and comes with the job, partly because isn’t that what you do for your family if you can?
Sometimes he fails, because for all the genius-level intelligence floating around, his kids can be dumb. They have the ability to hurt each other and be hurt by the world. Sometimes he can pick up some of the pieces.
He’s relieved it’s not all on him, though. They’ve gotten better at looking out for each other. Walter called Sly ‘brother’ and meant it. Paige stands up to them all in turn, and they listen to her and to each other, not just when they’re reeling off instructions or finishing each other’s sentences over their comms to carry out a mission. Paige has learned to trust them all to be a part of bringing up her boy - the next generation and maybe, before long, not the only one.
Cabe doesn’t walk Paige or Happy down the aisle, but he’s there, and he owns a framed group photograph from both weddings. Cabe likes to think that everyone in those pictures could point to them and say ‘This is my family.’
It’s All About the Chemistry, Sky High, PG
Warren Peace, Layla Williams, Boomer, Medulla (Layla/Warren, canonical relationships)
Summary: Layla Williams doesn’t attend her school reunion with Will or Larry.
Written for the prompt ‘any high school couple, are they still together at the reunion ten years later?’ at comment-fic, 618 words.
It’s All About the Chemistry: shallowness
"It's dumb to have a Sky High school reunion," Warren said, just like he'd said it when it was his ten year school reunion. "We see everyone every time the city's in danger."
Layla was already writing a response to her invitation and it was in the affirmative.
"No costumes. No masks. It’s just a chance to reconnect," she commented.
"You'll spend the whole night talking to Magenta," he muttered.
"Or trying to get rid of Larry," she countered, "if you're not there."
Warren rolled his eyes and his girlfriend caught him at it. They both knew she could handle Larry, the guy who’d had a weird thing for her in high school and over the ten subsequent years, but Layla also knew she’d made a winning argument.
**********
It isn't normal for teachers to attend high school reunions, but Sky High was never a normal high school and Medulla and Boomer had told their evil twin wives that it was a work thing and had already sampled the punch before finding a good spot to see everyone come in. This class had been particularly memorable, after all.
"Pay up, Medulla!" Boomer told his colleague with some glee.
"What?"
"Thirty bucks you bet me that Will Stronghold and that hippie Layla would still be together after high school and I told you it wouldn't last. Here she is with Warren Peace and I don't think they're faking it." Not with the way his hand lay on her lower back and the way she turned to face Warren, excitement writ large over her face, while he looked back at her with amused tolerance. You couldn’t slip a cigarette paper between them, which spoke of a healthy sex life between two consenting superheroes.
"I didn't--"
"Yeah, you did," Boomer said. Principal Powers had left the school by now, replaced by Principal Marvel, but neither of them could stop the series of bets Boomer and Medulla had going about the likely futures of their students. "We were talking about chemistry. It wasn't long after the school dropped the Hero Support track and the timetable was an absolute disaster..." And instead of solving the timetable - Mr Boy had volunteered to help Principal Powers with that administrative headache - Medulla and Boomer had fallen to wondering whether the new golden couple of the school corridors of Will and Layla would last. Both men had started dating the evil twins who would become their wives, so the topic of permanence was playing on their minds.
A loved up Medulla had fallen for the smiling faces of the two friends since childhood who were now romantically linked. Boomer had been the one to insist the chemistry just wasn’t there, not when he’d witnessed Layla passionately arguing with Warren Peace that very day about why he should recycle a bottle he was holding. At least, Layla had been passionate in her defence of the future of the planet, while Warren had answered her in a controlled, almost deadpan tone. But Boomer had seen how the boy’s eyes were locked in on the girl’s face and how Warren had eventually thrown the bottle into the right receptacle. She’d beamed at Warren.
Medulla might know mad science, but Boomer knew chemistry when he saw it and they’d made their bet.
“In my defence, wasn’t Peace dating that scary blonde with the ice powers at the time?” Medulla said.
“The bet was pretty straightforward, old friend, and Williams is clearly with Peace,” Boomer observed, seeing Warren glare with enough heat at an old classmate who was approaching them to make him retreat. “And look, here comes Stronghold with a complete stranger or a student with shapeshifting abilities. Pay up.”
A Long Time Coming, Marvel Cinematic Universe RPF, U
OCs and A-listers.
Summary: Welcome to the red carpet for the premiere of the long-awaited Black Widow movie!
Disclaimer: This is fanfiction - an imaginary scenario featuring some famous people in a professional capacity. Please spend your money on making the movie, instead of legal action.
Future fic. Written for the prompt ‘red carpet interview’ at comment-fic. 613 words.
A Long Time Coming: shallowness
“In a few hours’ time, this red carpet will be full of Hollywood’s biggest A-listers for the premiere of the long-awaited Black Widow.” The reporter isn’t even speaking that loudly as he talks to camera, but the waiting fans start screaming. David is a pro, so he dumps the rest of his prepared lines. “And the fans have come early.” He gestures at the crowd on the other side of the barrier, and hopes his cameraman is quick enough to zoom in on them.
He is.
They’re a striking lot. David has covered a lot of superhero movies, a lot of Marvel movies in particular, for television. It’s why his producer has sent him to LA, hoping he’ll get a lot of big names to talk for this package for their arts show.
“They’re all coming!” she’d exclaimed. “It’s not like they were all in the movie, like in Civil War, but Evans and Jackson are coming and they’ve even wheeled out Downey Jr., so try to get them as well as the people in the movie, babes. And Tom Hiddleston, obviously.”
There’s something different about the buzz for this one. The internet has miraculously behaved itself, has even been, on aggregate, expectant, not jaded.
It’s clear from the waiting crowd, who skew far more female than normal, and most of them, ranging from primary school age to better-not-guess, have red hair and utilitarian clothes. David presumes that security separated the more detail-oriented from all the weapons a master assassin like Natasha Romanov would wear.
There are kids here, after all, waiting to be within feet or closer to real Hollywood stars and people who will actually get to see the film. David tries to interview as many of them as possible.
“Where have you come from?”
California, mainly, but an excited Ohio and Tokyo, too.
“How long have you been waiting?”
Since Avengers first came out! No, since Iron Man 2! Oh, you meant here.
“Why do you love this character so much?”
Because Black Widow gets things done. Because she’s so cool. Because, around superheroes, she steps up just as much. Because Nat is trying to clear the red in her ledger, the redemption arc.
The conversations flow, excited fans bubbling over about how great it is to see their girl get the attention. Some are comics fans and quote issue and panel at him. Some just quote lines crafted by Whedon and the Russos. There’s one film grad student who has dyed her hair red with plenty to say about the choice of director and the timing, coming after Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel, not to mention the news that Squirrel Girl with Anna Kendrick is going to be a thing. She doesn’t make the cut of the final report.
David and camera are hustled off the red carpet eventually, and in the hours before the film stars arrive, he tries to make a comparison between Black Widow mania and Beatlemania that doesn’t sound laboured. He shouldn’t have bothered; the director focuses on the fans’ excitement that they’re finally getting their Black Widow movie.
Then they show Scarlett Johansson turning up wearing what E! calls a big time statement piece, giving a classy soundbite for David and spending some time with fans taking selfies, then she’s joining Paltrow, Smulders, Olsen and the new Russian find for a group hug. Ruffalo and Renner are relaxed and ready to cede the limelight to the top of the bill Johansson, while Evans, Hiddleston and the others say they’ve just turned up to support her and are looking forward to watching the film.
They aren’t the only ones. It’s a bona fide blockbuster.
This entry was originally posted at http://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/245496.html.
Cabe Gallo & ensemble.
Summary: Cabe Gallo has three sons, two daughters and one grandson who he isn’t related to and never officially adopted
Future fic. Written for the prompt "This is my family." at comment-fic. 233 words.
Paterfamilias: shallowness
By now Cabe Gallo has three sons, two daughters and one grandson who he isn’t related to and never officially adopted. But he’s the father they turn to, except for Ralph, who has two already. Cabe does his best, partly because keeping this pack of geniuses on an even keel is a good way to stave off disasters and comes with the job, partly because isn’t that what you do for your family if you can?
Sometimes he fails, because for all the genius-level intelligence floating around, his kids can be dumb. They have the ability to hurt each other and be hurt by the world. Sometimes he can pick up some of the pieces.
He’s relieved it’s not all on him, though. They’ve gotten better at looking out for each other. Walter called Sly ‘brother’ and meant it. Paige stands up to them all in turn, and they listen to her and to each other, not just when they’re reeling off instructions or finishing each other’s sentences over their comms to carry out a mission. Paige has learned to trust them all to be a part of bringing up her boy - the next generation and maybe, before long, not the only one.
Cabe doesn’t walk Paige or Happy down the aisle, but he’s there, and he owns a framed group photograph from both weddings. Cabe likes to think that everyone in those pictures could point to them and say ‘This is my family.’
It’s All About the Chemistry, Sky High, PG
Warren Peace, Layla Williams, Boomer, Medulla (Layla/Warren, canonical relationships)
Summary: Layla Williams doesn’t attend her school reunion with Will or Larry.
Written for the prompt ‘any high school couple, are they still together at the reunion ten years later?’ at comment-fic, 618 words.
It’s All About the Chemistry: shallowness
"It's dumb to have a Sky High school reunion," Warren said, just like he'd said it when it was his ten year school reunion. "We see everyone every time the city's in danger."
Layla was already writing a response to her invitation and it was in the affirmative.
"No costumes. No masks. It’s just a chance to reconnect," she commented.
"You'll spend the whole night talking to Magenta," he muttered.
"Or trying to get rid of Larry," she countered, "if you're not there."
Warren rolled his eyes and his girlfriend caught him at it. They both knew she could handle Larry, the guy who’d had a weird thing for her in high school and over the ten subsequent years, but Layla also knew she’d made a winning argument.
**********
It isn't normal for teachers to attend high school reunions, but Sky High was never a normal high school and Medulla and Boomer had told their evil twin wives that it was a work thing and had already sampled the punch before finding a good spot to see everyone come in. This class had been particularly memorable, after all.
"Pay up, Medulla!" Boomer told his colleague with some glee.
"What?"
"Thirty bucks you bet me that Will Stronghold and that hippie Layla would still be together after high school and I told you it wouldn't last. Here she is with Warren Peace and I don't think they're faking it." Not with the way his hand lay on her lower back and the way she turned to face Warren, excitement writ large over her face, while he looked back at her with amused tolerance. You couldn’t slip a cigarette paper between them, which spoke of a healthy sex life between two consenting superheroes.
"I didn't--"
"Yeah, you did," Boomer said. Principal Powers had left the school by now, replaced by Principal Marvel, but neither of them could stop the series of bets Boomer and Medulla had going about the likely futures of their students. "We were talking about chemistry. It wasn't long after the school dropped the Hero Support track and the timetable was an absolute disaster..." And instead of solving the timetable - Mr Boy had volunteered to help Principal Powers with that administrative headache - Medulla and Boomer had fallen to wondering whether the new golden couple of the school corridors of Will and Layla would last. Both men had started dating the evil twins who would become their wives, so the topic of permanence was playing on their minds.
A loved up Medulla had fallen for the smiling faces of the two friends since childhood who were now romantically linked. Boomer had been the one to insist the chemistry just wasn’t there, not when he’d witnessed Layla passionately arguing with Warren Peace that very day about why he should recycle a bottle he was holding. At least, Layla had been passionate in her defence of the future of the planet, while Warren had answered her in a controlled, almost deadpan tone. But Boomer had seen how the boy’s eyes were locked in on the girl’s face and how Warren had eventually thrown the bottle into the right receptacle. She’d beamed at Warren.
Medulla might know mad science, but Boomer knew chemistry when he saw it and they’d made their bet.
“In my defence, wasn’t Peace dating that scary blonde with the ice powers at the time?” Medulla said.
“The bet was pretty straightforward, old friend, and Williams is clearly with Peace,” Boomer observed, seeing Warren glare with enough heat at an old classmate who was approaching them to make him retreat. “And look, here comes Stronghold with a complete stranger or a student with shapeshifting abilities. Pay up.”
A Long Time Coming, Marvel Cinematic Universe RPF, U
OCs and A-listers.
Summary: Welcome to the red carpet for the premiere of the long-awaited Black Widow movie!
Disclaimer: This is fanfiction - an imaginary scenario featuring some famous people in a professional capacity. Please spend your money on making the movie, instead of legal action.
Future fic. Written for the prompt ‘red carpet interview’ at comment-fic. 613 words.
A Long Time Coming: shallowness
“In a few hours’ time, this red carpet will be full of Hollywood’s biggest A-listers for the premiere of the long-awaited Black Widow.” The reporter isn’t even speaking that loudly as he talks to camera, but the waiting fans start screaming. David is a pro, so he dumps the rest of his prepared lines. “And the fans have come early.” He gestures at the crowd on the other side of the barrier, and hopes his cameraman is quick enough to zoom in on them.
He is.
They’re a striking lot. David has covered a lot of superhero movies, a lot of Marvel movies in particular, for television. It’s why his producer has sent him to LA, hoping he’ll get a lot of big names to talk for this package for their arts show.
“They’re all coming!” she’d exclaimed. “It’s not like they were all in the movie, like in Civil War, but Evans and Jackson are coming and they’ve even wheeled out Downey Jr., so try to get them as well as the people in the movie, babes. And Tom Hiddleston, obviously.”
There’s something different about the buzz for this one. The internet has miraculously behaved itself, has even been, on aggregate, expectant, not jaded.
It’s clear from the waiting crowd, who skew far more female than normal, and most of them, ranging from primary school age to better-not-guess, have red hair and utilitarian clothes. David presumes that security separated the more detail-oriented from all the weapons a master assassin like Natasha Romanov would wear.
There are kids here, after all, waiting to be within feet or closer to real Hollywood stars and people who will actually get to see the film. David tries to interview as many of them as possible.
“Where have you come from?”
California, mainly, but an excited Ohio and Tokyo, too.
“How long have you been waiting?”
Since Avengers first came out! No, since Iron Man 2! Oh, you meant here.
“Why do you love this character so much?”
Because Black Widow gets things done. Because she’s so cool. Because, around superheroes, she steps up just as much. Because Nat is trying to clear the red in her ledger, the redemption arc.
The conversations flow, excited fans bubbling over about how great it is to see their girl get the attention. Some are comics fans and quote issue and panel at him. Some just quote lines crafted by Whedon and the Russos. There’s one film grad student who has dyed her hair red with plenty to say about the choice of director and the timing, coming after Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel, not to mention the news that Squirrel Girl with Anna Kendrick is going to be a thing. She doesn’t make the cut of the final report.
David and camera are hustled off the red carpet eventually, and in the hours before the film stars arrive, he tries to make a comparison between Black Widow mania and Beatlemania that doesn’t sound laboured. He shouldn’t have bothered; the director focuses on the fans’ excitement that they’re finally getting their Black Widow movie.
Then they show Scarlett Johansson turning up wearing what E! calls a big time statement piece, giving a classy soundbite for David and spending some time with fans taking selfies, then she’s joining Paltrow, Smulders, Olsen and the new Russian find for a group hug. Ruffalo and Renner are relaxed and ready to cede the limelight to the top of the bill Johansson, while Evans, Hiddleston and the others say they’ve just turned up to support her and are looking forward to watching the film.
They aren’t the only ones. It’s a bona fide blockbuster.
This entry was originally posted at http://shallowness.dreamwidth.org/245496.html.