how can the world want me to change?

they're the ones that stay the same Arthur Evangeline Hedley. 28. Elementary school teacher.

[gralto]

[evangelinehedley]

freedomtostrive:

Steve couldn’t hide his smile at the contented surprise the other showed upon recognizing his identity. “I believe I am. I haven’t really been announcing my presence much this past few months, but I figured you wouldn’t hold it against me,” he said sympathetically. There was no law forbidding him from going about with his life in New York, but he did mind the kind of bad attention he could get if more people noticed him.

“As of now, I’m a civilian, just like you.” He pointed out, hoping that it would make Arthur more comfortable to keep talking to him as they were before. He quite liked the chance to chat with someone who believed in the same ideals.

Evangeline could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest. It wasn’t every day Steve Rogers talked to her about what was happening in the world - and oh my God, she still couldn’t believe that this was Steve Rogers right there. “Oh, no, of course not.” She agreed, wanting to show him that she was on his side on the whole registration thing. Actually, she could understand the ones who wanted to register, but she believed it should be optional, instead of mandatory.

Evangeline managed to open a more relaxed smile then. Steve clearly was a nice guy who didn’t recriminate if she was just a civilian; in fact, it looked like he cared about her opinions, not to mention that he had complimented her choice of work as well. Feeling flattered, but still shy, Evangeline tried to deal with it as if Steve was just a regular guy, instead of the hero still was. “Good, then. And how’s that going for you? Civilians can be pretty boring.”

[twelvepercentxofamoment-blog]

Pepper’s afternoon lunch walk had been thoroughly ruined. What promised to be a lovely, warm September day had turned into a torrential downpour all over the city. She quickly slid under a nearby awning, brushing the water off her arms, wishing she’d grabbed the newspaper sitting on her desk before she left.

She glanced to her left to see another doing the same, and she smiled a little, wet bangs clouding her vision. “Summer in New York, huh?” she said. “Always unpredictable.”

[evangelinehedley]

Evangline had been on her lunch break and had planned on going to a book store for some new children books, but halfway there, the skies closed off with clouds and a massive rain started to fall. She ran to the nearest awning, but she was still soaked; checking her bag, she was glad to see that the contents in it weren’t wet as well.

Hearing a voice, she turned to the side to look at the woman and Evangeline couldn’t help but sigh in agreement. “Yes. We should know better than to walk around without umbrellas, huh?” She tried to give a friendly smile, but it came off as extremely shy. Averting her eyes, Evangeline looked at the rain falling on the street. “It looks like it won’t stop so soon.”

[radiohosttrish]

“Yes, thank you,” Trish repeated for the countless time, a yellow smile on her lips. She didn’t understand how some people just chose to ignore all the signs that she was uncomfortable talking about the past. They didn’t respect how she tried to make a name for herself past the scandals and the lack of privacy her mother had bestowed upon her.

She found a pair of sympathetic eyes in the crowd and acted quickly. “Thank you for all the love, but I’m meeting my friend right there,” she said with a nod towards them, walking away from the fan.

[evangelinehedley]

Evangeline had not been paying much attention. As always, New York’s streets were busy and filled with people. She tried not to look anyone in the eyes, minding her own business. However, she soon heard a familiar voice and she looked up, looking around, until her eyes fell on Trish Walker. 

They had met before and while Evangeline would not be too naive to think they were friends, they did have a nice time talking together. Now, it was clear by the look on her face that she needed a helping hand, so Evangeline promptly walked to her, waving shyly before speaking. “Hey, Trish.” The fan had started to follow Trish, but Evangeline was a 6′5 person - in a male body, no less, so it ended up being a bit threatening, even though Evangeline would never hurt anyone.

“Are you okay?” Evangeline didn’t even know if Trish remembered her, and for a moment she started to panic, afraid to make a fool of herself.

[spockemon]

*q*

[evangelinehedley]

freedomtostrive:

“Yeah, I remember that,” Steve replied with a chuckle. He hadn’t really worked directly with children in a long time, but he remembered how they were when he was on tour and the occasional times the Avengers stopped to talk to the little ones. He cared about keeping them safe, that was the least he could do, and he was glad that they were in capable hands, like this teacher.

“It’s very nice to meet you, Arthur,” he said as they shook hands. “I’m Steve.” He could have made up a name, but he’d never been very good at hiding. If anyone should recognize him, better it be someone that agreed with his point of view and he was certain that Arthur didn’t like how far the registration act was going.

Evangeline was glad that the man had agreed with her and was chuckling along. Kids were the best; so pure, so innocent, so honest. It saddened her that some of them grew up to become bigoted members of the society. Hopefully, she’ll make an impact on her students, leave a mark within them that would help them grow up to be polite, respectful and caring. 

At the man’s name, Evangeline frowned. She had had the feeling she had met the man before, but now the name made it seem like he was someone she might have heard about before. And it was with a sinking realization that Evangeline finally managed to fit face and name together and discover this one was Steve Rogers. She gaped at him for a moment, blushing profusely, her anxiety making her heart accelerate. It wasn’t every day she ran into a super; in fact, that had been the very first time she had met one and it was Captain freaking America.

“Oh my god.” She whispered, getting neared to him to whisper, suddenly afraid someone might overhear them and find out Steve Rogers was there, out in the open. She knew he was a fugitive and she worried for him. “Oh my God. Are you for real?”

[evangelinehedley]

crime-fighting-spider-guy:

“Several steps back.” he winced, nodding to agree with the sentiment she had said. His eyes glancing about the dingy floor with a sour expression, hands intertwining to wring out the bad feelings. “I’m ashamed of people more and more lately, getting kind of sick of things like this constantly hanging over our heads.”

His eyes widened at the mention of himself, the far off stare snapped back to the taller person, swallowing hard. Did they know who he was? Was his identity forfeit? Finally breathing when the rest of the statement was finished, his panick finally passing by like the breeze near the Hudson. “Oh. Yeah. Yes.” he chuckled, releasing the sigh of relief that escaped him, covered by the breathy laugh. “It is. It’s… Inhumane. Misguided. Wrong. What’s the difference between me and that kid? Some extra chromosomes. A different strand of DNA?”

“What if that kid wasn’t a mutant? What if he was a victim of his phone exploding? Are we going to start pointing fingers, start calling out people we don’t like?”

Evangeline nodded, a sad expression on her face. She didn’t want to lose faith in humanity, but each passing day made it harder. People like her already suffered and were killed on a daily basis, they were hated on at every opportunity by people who didn’t understand them or who simply wanted to be mean and make someone suffer. They didn’t choose to be this way, much like the mutants hadn’t chosen to be born with the extra gene.

“Exactly.” Evangeline agreed. The boy made a fair point. What if it had been something completely different and the boy was only a decoy to spread a warning to mutants and supers all over New York? Although, Evangeline still thought that it was inhumane to treat anyone the way they did, mutant or human or super. 

“I mean, unless someone actively tries to hurt people, like there are some people some times, they should be arrested and dealt with. But even in those cases, underage people should always have the benefit of the doubt.” It wasn’t such a complex matter, and yet people couldn’t see in shades of gray. 

[evangelinehedley]

freedomtostrive:

“I’m sure he’s not alone,” Steve commented softly. “And you aren’t either, even if it’s just the two of you. It sounds like you care a lot about each other.” Which was something he had always admired, being an only child. He’d seen how Bucky would take care of his sisters, how responsible he felt for them even though he was just a few years older. It made Steve smile as the other man continued to speak about his passion for teaching children.

“It’s not creepy, children are often more honest than adults. There’s nothing better than seeing the admiration in the eyes of a child, because we know it’s true.” He wouldn’t get into details, as it seemed like he hadn’t been recognized yet, but one of the best parts about being the symbol they made him to be was the hope he brought to children all over the country.

Evangeline smiled, comfortable enough to be talking to this stranger about her life. It was hard to meet new people who had such a sense of justice and respect. Nowadays people felt more and more compelled to spew nasty things to anyone they deemed weird; which had been the case with the boy from the news, treated like a rag doll that could be pushed around or thrown away. “We do. It’s always been the two of us against the world.” Evangeline said proudly. Even when her father was alive, Taylor and her had already been very close.

At the mention of her students, Evangeline chuckled. “They are far too honest, actually. They don’t have any filter yet. Some times it’s hilarious, other times, not so much.” And even though she said that, she had a fond smile on her face. Her students meant the world to her and she had hope for the future whenever she taught them. They were good, and she hoped she had influence enough to keep them good throughout their lives. “I’m, uh, Arthur, by the way. It’s a pleasure meeting someone with the same beliefs as me.” She held a hand, wanting to make this man her acquaintance.

[evangelinehedley]

crime-fighting-spider-guy:

Peter passed by after another failed delivery, glancing over his shoulder to see the video he knew thousands, maybe millions were watching on loop. During Mr. Aziz’s rant about punctuality and the customer’s satisfaction, he inched a little closer to lean across the counter. Nodding at the tall guy in front of him, motioning towards the video.

“It goes against everything people have been fighting for over the years. It’s such a step back. I mean, 2016 and we can’t even focus on looking out for our fellow human beings?” he scoffed, his clear sense of justice showing.

Evangeline turned to look at the young man behind her. The boy on the video probably just a couple of years younger than this one and Evangeline couldn’t understand how people could be so cruel to people so young. Shouldn’t they be treated with more respect? “When we think things are finally moving forward, we give such a step back that it’s hard to believe we’ve progressed at all.” Evangeline commented, choosing to stop watching that awful video. It made no good to watch it anyway. 

“This must be even harder on yourself, right? You’re young, seeing others within your age range being treated like rag dolls must be terrifying.” She hoped her words weren’t being patronizing, but she was worried for people his age and she hoped he didn’t mind it.

[evangelinehedley]

Will you always be insecure?

“Probably.” Evangeline lowered her head in an attempt to make herself look smaller. How could she not be insecure?

[askboxmemethings]

Try to break my muse in five words or less.

[evangelinehedley]

freedomtostrive:

“Not all people are suited for offensive battlefronts,” Steve commented softly. He’d always been very keen to fight, he often forgot that many people didn’t like resorting to violence. It was hard to understand for someone who had constantly tried to punch his way out of his problems. “Oh, a teacher,” he said with a little smile. “It takes courage to do that too, you know, shaping young minds.”

He took a sip of soda and leaned back against his chair, looking at the other man again. “You’re doing the best you can, I’m sorry if I implied that it’s not enough. Sometimes I can’t stop fighting.” He chuckled.

Evangeline opened a small smile at his words. Well, she would never go to a battlefield, not a real one and not a hypothetical one. She hated conflict and the idea of facing all the hate in the world, towards her or to any other minority, always made her nervous beyond belief. She liked the safety of her home, where she could be herself without anyone judging or hurting her. “It’s okay.” She said, with a shrug, looking away for a moment. 

“My brother is like that, you know. He goes to pride parades, to the women’s march; if there’s anything of the like, he’ll probably be there. He just doesn’t face the world alone because I asked him not to. We’re all we’ve got, so I can’t lose him for being reckless. But well... I envy him a little. I wish I could accompany him.” But it was hard for her to go out of her comfort zone. At the mention of her profession, she smiled proudly. “It’s not that hard. They are all very pure and sometimes they just repeat things they hear at home. I always try to talk to them and explain why some things they say are wrong. Mostly, it works. And I don’t know, I love doing this. I love them and they are my friends. Which may sound creepy, I know, but...” She blushed and waved a hand around to dismiss the subject. Evangeline hoped the man didn’t think less of her.

[cxdename-hawkeye]

“Hey, yeah, can I get a large black coffee?” Clint considered after a moment and grimaced. “Iced. Damn hot out there.” The barista had no particular interest in his reasons (his nine-year-old coffeemaker finally decided to give up on life and Natasha was trying to wheedle him into buying a newer version he didn’t want), so the transaction was quick and simple. Even if he wasn’t the biggest fan of paying money for coffee when he could’ve made a better cup at home.

Clint tensed when someone bumped into him on the way to the pick-up counter, just barely quelling the urge to throw a glare over his shoulder. But then again, he always looked like he was glaring. “Careful,” he said instead, tone pointedly neutral. If he got lucky, he wouldn’t be recognized.

[evangelinehedley]

Evangeline had been preparing some classes for her students, trying to come up with games and activities that might hold the attention of a hoard of five year olds, She had chosen a quite coffee shop near her home and was already on her fourth cup of coffee. This time she decided to get a croissant as well, to eat something while she looked for more ideas on her tablet.

When she stood up, however, to get her beverage, she accidentally ran into someone. Her heart stopped at the man’s word, but she couldn’t just shy away now. “I’m so sorry.” Her tone was soft and low, completely different from her huge body. “Did you spill your coffee? I’ll buy you another if you did. I’d feel awful if I screwed your order.” She pursed her lips, taking her own Iced coffee from the pick-up counter, but then her eyes turned to the man again, expecting him to forgive her clumsiness.

[evangelinehedley]

freedomtostrive:

Compassionate people were few now that not caring about anything seemed to be in fashion, even though Steve could argue that it had always been like that. There had always been those shunned by society for being different and those that tried to speak for them – sometimes they were heard, sometimes they were shut down before making too much noise. He knew whose side he preferred to be on.

“You don’t need powers or influence, only a desire to change the world. It’s our duty to speak up and stand our ground when we see something we don’t agree with.” He replied. Somehow he felt like they were both talking about more than just the poor mutant boy. “Even if you think you can’t make a difference, you should still try. If we all do, we’ll be strong enough to stop this before it gets worse.”

Evangeline averted her eyes and looked down, ashamed. She didn’t have what it took to make a difference. She struggled with her own problems, unable to make a difference for herself and others like her. She was scared; scared for herself, for her brother, for her students. If she rubbed the wrong people in the wrong way, they would be all at risk. She had seen it happen before. However, the thought of her students made her open a small smile and look at the man once again.

“I’m not very confident. I don’t like conflict. If someone raised a hand to me, I’d probably cower instead of fighting back. The only thing I can do, is to teach compassion and respect towards others to my students. They are between five and six and I believe that teaching them from a young age might make a difference in the long run.” Her smile grew sad, however, as she continued speaking. “It’s not much. It certainly isn’t all that I should do, but it’s what I can do.”

[freedomtostrive-deactivated2018]

evangelinehedley:

Evangeline watched the video on his phone, headphones in his ears, the rest of the restaurant she was in was lost to her. The images of the young boy - he was still a child, it was so clear he wasn’t an adult yet - being carried like a criminal broke the woman’s heart. 

“Geez.” 

She spoke in a small tone, hand covering her mouth as she watched once more in an attempt to understand what was going on. However, nothing could explain the treatment the boy was going through. He was one of them, the gifted, who had some sort of power, maybe due to birth or some kind of exposure. Every day the news talked more and more about them, but she had not met anyone like them yet; even though they looked like everyone else and probably just wanted to live their lives as normal as possible.

“This is inhumane. He’s just a kid.” She was speaking to no one in particular, and while her voice was low, it was still loud enough for someone around her to hear.

It wasn’t often that he was alone after taking Wanda in, but he knew that she liked to spend time with Clint as well and he honestly didn’t want to make his presence overbearing. Although when he didn’t have the girl around, he also didn’t try his luck in the kitchen – going out to eat was a better idea. He’d been enjoying a quiet meal, the slight changes in his appearance and the baseball cap he always wore when going out preventing people who didn’t know him out of uniform to recognize him.

He looked to the side when the soft-spoken stranger on the other table said something under his breath. Suddenly he remembered the video he’d seen all over the news and on the internet earlier that day. “They are going too far, this is no way to treat a boy in need of help,” he said in agreement, shaking his head. “People still haven’t learned how to deal with differences.”

[evangelinehedley]

Evangeline noticed someone talked to her and was quick to take off her earphones and turn to look at the man. She pursed her lip and nodded. She knew it was far from being the same thing, but she had been proven time and time again that people didn't know how to deal with differences. People were often filled with prejudice and didn't give people the benefit of the doubt, to prove other that they were good. Just like this boy.

"I agree. The world is far too narrow minded. I understand that they might be scared of things they don't know, but..." She stopped talking for a moment, looking at the image of the paused video for an instant before turning on his chair to talk more clearly with the man. "Unfortunately there is nothing we can do and I feel so useless. I'm just a, a guy-" Evangeline caught herself right on time to say 'girl'. "-no powers, no influence, nothing. And there are children out there being thrown around like puppies for things they can't even change about themselves." She licked her lips in an attempt to control her emotions. Once again, the reality of these gifted people were far too similar to her own - the difference was that she could live a life of denial without people knowing. Things didn't need to go wrong for her. But people like this boy? How could he control such an immense power without help or understanding? It hurt her that she couldn't do anything.

[evangelinehedley]

Evangeline watched the video on his phone, headphones in his ears, the rest of the restaurant she was in was lost to her. The images of the young boy - he was still a child, it was so clear he wasn’t an adult yet - being carried like a criminal broke the woman’s heart. 

“Geez.” 

She spoke in a small tone, hand covering her mouth as she watched once more in an attempt to understand what was going on. However, nothing could explain the treatment the boy was going through. He was one of them, the gifted, who had some sort of power, maybe due to birth or some kind of exposure. Every day the news talked more and more about them, but she had not met anyone like them yet; even though they looked like everyone else and probably just wanted to live their lives as normal as possible.

“This is inhumane. He’s just a kid.” She was speaking to no one in particular, and while her voice was low, it was still loud enough for someone around her to hear.

[saawek]

QUICK SKETCH OF ONE OF MY FAV WHO IS EVEN MORE MY FAV NOW