move along

Troy Banner. 23. Dog dad. Less green Hulk. Agent. Architect. EnGAYged. Whiskey lover.

[troybanner-blog]

& rylie-barton:

“I wasn’t going to say was anything about you owing me one, but…” the hollow chuckle that followed her words was short lived. Even the joke didn’t sound right to her at present moment, the idea of either of them owing the other anything at all just too ridiculous. They stuck by each other out of familial obligation born of choice, a brother-sister love that was all the stronger thanks to the fact that it hadn’t been forced by blood. They’d never had to be that way and yet they were and maybe for the first time, Rylie was realising that in the same way he could have come to her with anything and she wouldn’t have turned him away, she could do the same. She had. Her fear all along that he’d judge her or worse was completely unfounded and it seemed pretty silly that it had taken so long to really realise that. “You’re the one who called himself a new man. How was I to know if your change had also happened to affect your view of breakfast foods?” Typical banter. She could do that, at least. “Look at you, Banner. A fountain of knowledge,” any other time or place it would have been a sarcastic comment said with a roll of her eyes. Not this time, though. Rylie had done as much research as she could when she could, but there was so much she didn’t know or retain. So much she hadn’t thought about and now it was too late in some ways. Troy being at her side and being able to tell her all those things… well, she appreciated it. She appreciated her brothers presence, full stop. “Eat some protein, avoid too much grease, and take vitamins. Got it. I’ll be in tip top shape again in no time at all,” she flashed a smile, thought her gaze was focused on the sign ahead. They were pretty much there and soon enough, it’d all be done. “I’m okay,” she sucked in a breath, turning his way, “I mean– I’m scared. Which is pretty silly, I know, but…- I’ll be okay. I know that much, at least.” And she did, she could feel it. The less distance between them and the clinic, the more calm she was becoming. She wasn’t thinking twice, or anything of the sort. Things were unfolding the only way they ever could have, the only way that was right, and Rylie knew that. “I just have to get in and get out, that’s all. And, you, uh…- you don’t gotta wait if you don’t want to. You’ve probably got plenty to be wrapping up, so…”

He chuckled, mostly out of courtesy, at Rylie’s attempt at a joke. He knew that today must be rough for her and he would not blame her if she did not feel up for a bit of humor. He admired her attempt. He admired her strength. “The constant in life is change--and my undying love of all things breakfast related.” He smiled as she complimented his knowledge on the subject--he was mentally gave himself a pat on the back for researching the matter so well. Sure, Rylie probably knew what to expect already and the doctors were sure to provide any necessary instruction for her behavior during and after the procedure. But it didn’t hurt for Troy, who had more or less assumed the role of her caretaker post-procedure, to be educated. “It’s not silly to be scared. I would be surprised if you weren’t scared. It’s a medical procedures, those are always a bit scary. And you don’t know entirely what to expect--it’s not like this has happened before. At least I’m assuming it has not. It’s more than okay to be scared. Just keep thinking about how much better you’ll feel when it’s all said and done.” Troy pulled into the clinic’s parking lot. He was able to turn into a spot not far from the door. He was thankful that unlike what countless films had shown him, there were no protesters in sight. It was too early for a fight. He put the car in park and turned off the engine. “My schedule is actually wide open today--I’ll be sitting right here the whole time. If you want, I can come in and hang out in the waiting room, but I’m going to be honest--I hate the way waiting rooms smell. And they always have the dumbest shit on the television,” he said with disgusted face. He was teasing, mostly. Of course if Rylie asked he’d get out of the car and be by her side for as long as the doctors would let her, despite his aversion to waiting rooms. In addition to a love for breakfast foods, there was one thing about Troy that had remained unchanged. His dedication to his loved ones. His loyalty was undying. He had always cherished the family he made for himself, but these past few years he was confronted head on with just how lucky he was to have them. He hoped they felt the same way towards him. He smiled at Rylie.  “I’ll be here waiting.” He should get her flowers, if not now before he goes. Something as lovely as she.  “And I’ll be here for you always.” Now and forevermore. 

[troybanner-blog]

& rylie-barton:

She wondered if he felt the same way she did. It was hard to curb that thought. He was the only one she’d trusted to tell, the only one at her side, now, and even though it wasn’t his mess and he could’ve chosen otherwise, he was right there. The only one she had who knew what was going on and what was about to happen– she had to wonder, really, if the same feelings of worry (and oh, she was worried– she’d spooked herself with dozens upon dozens of different articles the night before, thinking she could handle it and ending up sorely mistaken) and a desire for it all to be done with were weighing on his chest like they were on hers. It was unlikely, and more than that, forgivable if he didn’t, but to have someone who at least partly understood was maybe the more selfish of her hopes. “Still. Hardly anything I’ve told you over the past while has been good– and you didn’t have to be there for me this time, but… here you are. It really means a lot to me,” it was a rare (maybe not so rare, as late, but she still considered it as such) moment of honesty, coupled with a raise of her head and a small smile directed his way. Whenever she’d needed him, and even some times when she hadn’t even realized she did, Troy had been there for her. He always pulled through and once again he’d done the same and maybe that was what brothers did and he was the closest she had to one, but it still meant something, that he was always by her side. Be it storms or darkness or drink or this– he stayed consistent. Rylie had been a little more hormonal as of late, understandably so, and the gratitude was enough to really make her feel choked up, so she was grateful to be able move onto other subjects. “Nah, it’s okay. Even if I could’ve, coffee hasn’t been my friend since all this started,” it was a sad state of affairs when even her morning cup of coffee had started to turn her stomach. It was weird to think how that wouldn’t be an issue for much longer. “I’d do just about anything for something stronger than a cup of joe,” it was an unfortunate truth she said with a sigh, and another look ahead instead of his way. Though, true as it was that a drink would make her feel better and ease the trembling of her hands, she was quick to tack on at the end, “But, pancakes would be good too. Or waffles. Something… breakfast-y, anyway. Would that be cool?”

“You’re going through a bit of a rough patch right now. What kind of big brother would I be if I didn’t stick by your side? Especially when you consider you’ve stuck by my side through years and years--decades, really--of my bullshit.” He smirked as he came to a stop at a traffic light. As the distance between them and the clinic diminished, Troy was surprised to find that his anxiety was not spiking. He felt more calm than he had the past few days--it was as if his body had decided that enough was enough when it came to worrying. Today was not about it. Today was not about his feelings, his thoughts. It was all about Rylie and what was best for her. He sensed she was scared, nervous. Why wouldn’t she be? But there was nothing in him doubting that Rylie was making the right decision. He hoped she felt the same. “Would that be cool?” He fired back at her, half snickering, half mocking her. “What a ridiculous question--when has it never been ‘cool’ with me to get breakfast? Dumb question, Ry.” He shook his head and made a right onto the street where the clinic was. It was still down the road some ways, but they were getting closer and closer. “You should probably order eggs, maybe some bacon or sausage. It’s important for you to eat protein after. Though we should probably check that the food wherever go isn’t too greasy, you want to eat things that’ll be easily digestible so your body can get all the needed nutrients as quickly as possible. Which reminds me, I want to ask your doctor if there are any vitamins or supplements they recommend for you to have the next few days.” He glanced at Rylie before adding, “I may have read up a little on the subject. Just want to make sure we get you back to feeling normal as quickly and efficiently as possible.” He could see the sign for the office about a block or so up. They were close. So close. “How are you feeling?”

[troybanner-blog]

@forrestfull-bailey how much time do you got

[troybanner-blog]

& rylie-barton:

@troybanner

Once a date had been set, it had seemed like every day between was just leading up to the appointment. It wasn’t too long a wait, really, but it had felt it, and there was a certain amount of relief when it finally came around, a feeling that she was sure would only grow after it was all said and done. Or… at least she hoped. Really, she didn’t know how she was going to feel at the end of it all, and more than that, she couldn’t know– it wasn’t like the situation was one she’d ever experienced before, and watching it play out on television to fictional characters had done little to prepare her for what was to come. But it was what was right. She clung to that thought as she’d gotten ready and headed down to meet him, reassuring herself over and over that it was her choice, she’d made it, and it was the right one. There was little room for second thoughts between all that, if they were even likely to have appeared at all… and she didn’t think they were. Rylie just wanted to get through the day ahead of her, at that point. She just wanted it to be done. And, falling into the passenger seat beside Troy, she couldn’t have been more grateful that she wasn’t on her own through it. “Morning, Banner,” keeping herself busy was what had gotten her through the wait, and even now, she was doing the same. Clipping in her seatbelt, fiddling with the strap, keeping her gaze down and her expression unreadable. Same old Rylie. “– Thank you. For doing this, I mean- you and I both know I’m a public menace on the road. And a taxi would’ve…- nevermind. Thank you.”

Troy had arrived to pick up Rylie almost 45 minutes earlier than necessary. He sat in his car, sipping his coffee and nibbling on a muffin. He usually inhaled breakfast without much thought and still hungered for more. Today, he could barely finish his banana nut muffin. After a picking at the muffin for a while he gave up, throwing it in the brown paper bag the coffee shop had given it to him in. He did his best to distract himself with social media and games on his phone, but the minutes dragged on. He was growing antsy, cursing himself for being so early, when Rylie entered the car. “Morning,” he smiled at her warmly--a gesture possible through the miracle of coffee. He watched her fiddle with the seatbelt. When she was buckled him he let out a deep sigh and reluctantly started the car. He had spent the previous night reading stories of procedures gone wrong (even procedures that had nothing to do with what Rylie was having done). He watched video after video explaining what exactly what was going to happen, what the risk were, how minimal those risks were. Troy didn’t retain the low percentage rates of incidents, only that there were incidents. All he wanted was for this to be over, for Rylie to be okay, and most-preferably fetus-free. “It’s no problem, I swear. I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t sincerely want to be here for you.”He turned his attention to Rylie and began following the course he had mapped out to the clinic. “Sorry about not getting you a cup,” he said as he raised his cup of coffee to his mouth. “I know you weren’t supposed to eat or drink before....I’ll get you something after. Anything you want.” 

[rocknrollwillneverdie-blog1]

Visit Original Link

Brick - Ben Folds Five (Whatever and Ever Amen, 1997)

[troybanner-blog]

how great is dan's ass?

Pretty damn great.

[troybanner-blog]

do u take it up the butt

What are you twelve? Yes I do. 

[troybanner-blog]

alexander kaligaris is back, but i was really hoping you'd murdered him

I’ll let Rylie and Calder take care of him. He’s not worth my time.

[troybanner-blog]

remember that time you and bailey went on a date

How could I forget.

[troybanner-blog]

do you ever regret not making it work with kalei?

I regret how our romantic relationship ended. But as painful as it was, I’m really happy with Cap. He’s my soulmate. And Kalei is going to find someone 100 times better for her than I ever was.

[troybanner-blog]

do you miss benjamin radcliffe?

Yeah. Anyone know what the hell he’s been up to?

[troybanner-blog]

[troybanner-blog]

I can't believe I m missing so much someone give me all the dirt the scoop the hot goss

[troybanner-blog]

& rylie-barton:

Dammit Kaligaris was right. Dammit Barton, too. Part of why it had taken Rylie so long to actually take a test, even when she knew that something was most definitely off, was because she couldn’t quite wrap her head around how stupid they’d been. All those media depictions of unplanned pregnancy’s should have had more of an effect, should’ve taught them both to be more careful during or at least taught Rylie to do what had to be done after, and yet… here she was, in the exact sort of situation she didn’t want to be in, nor had she ever thought she would be. She was supposed to be smarter. She was supposed to make better decisions, or at least ones which wouldn’t have such huge repercussions and leave her to make a decision that was by no means easy, but necessary. She hadn’t spent much time thinking all the different options through, both because she wasn’t very accepting of the situation and because she really didn’t know where to begin– but she’d kind of known all along, even before she’d said it out loud, that there was only really one way it could all go. She just… couldn’t imagine any of the others, couldn’t see how they’d play out. It was a decision that was difficult to think about, even hurt, but she imagined that was how it was supposed to be. She was supposed to put more thought into it than she’d put into anything else, ever, because it was important– but if at the end of it, she never changed her mind, then… didn’t that make it the right decision? If it was so hard to do but she was so sure of it, then wasn’t that it? She couldn’t imagine her mind changing any time soon, even with the worry eating away that by going through with it, she’d somehow be in the wrong. She didn’t know where that came from– why she thought it about herself, when she certainly wouldn’t have thought it of any other woman going through the same thing. It was just a thought that was there and wouldn’t go away, but… it was certainly eased, just a bit, by Troy’s words. “Thank you,” again, she didn’t really know if that was the right thing to murmur in reply, accompanied by one final tight squeeze of his hand. But it seemed right. And she felt grateful, in one sense of the word, that he was there and saying all the right things and not letting her be alone with that thought– the worst of them. “I don’t want to go on my own. But it’s…” it’s a lot to ask. Or at least, it felt like it was, but for once, she didn’t really have it in her to shrug off the offer, “I’ll understand if you’re busy, but- I’d like if you could?” There was pretty much no other person in the world who Rylie would have wanted by her side for however long he’d be allowed be there. No one else who could make her feel strong, or even just feel better- time after time, Troy had pulled through when she needed him the most. He’d never let her down, and she’d never lost trust in him. She loved all of the old team like they were brothers, but no bond was quite as strong as the one she had with Troy. It made sense she’d told him, that she wanted him nearby, even when she couldn’t imagine telling anyone else. “Not much..- I didn’t really know where to begin? I’ve got a number to call, but I don’t really know how it works, or… anything like that,” she supposed that it was something she should’ve researched more, and would have to, now. But still a part of her just… didn’t want to. She kind of just wanted to fall asleep and wake up with it all done– fast forward through the next fortnight, at least, only stopping when it was all behind her. What a dumb way to think. “Troy- is it okay if we don’t, right now?” Not doing anything was kind of the exact opposite of what she was supposed to be doing, but… still, she couldn’t help but ask, voice smaller now than it’d been even minutes before. “I’ll look later- I’ll call, later, but…- I know it’s probably not possible, but can we just go back to something that’s not this, for a little while? Can we just watch a movie, or something?” She wasn’t trying to forget it, that wasn’t possible. Nor was she trying to go back to birthday celebrations– they’d never been further from her mind. Rylie just needed her big brother, the one who’d gotten her through thunderstorms unscathed, who’d made her feel safe after the darkness, who’d given her back a little peace of mind, already. It was almost childish of her to want to just sit with him for a little while and not have to think anymore about what was to come– but she couldn’t help herself. She was trying so hard not to be needy, but right now it just seemed impossible to be anything but.

“Rylie.” Troy smiled, his love and admiration for Rylie shining through. “If you want me there, I’m there.” Troy’s business in Buena Vista was done. He didn’t have any pressing matters to handle in D.C., though he was itching to get back. But Rylie came first. She’d always come first. He wasn’t going to leave until the procedure was done and until Rylie seemed okay. Or close to okay. She deserved to be more than okay. But Troy knew from his own experiences with being not okay that going from ‘not okay’ to ‘okay’ would not happen overnight. And it would not happen with someone (Troy) watching Rylie’s every move and putting unnecessary pressure on her. He would be there for her, always in her heart, no matter the physical distance between them. She knew that. He knew that. There was a part of him that wanted to pull out Rylie’s laptop or use his phone to do a little bit of research, to take the first steps towards getting the abortion over with. In Troy’s mind, the sooner she got it done with, the sooner she could begin moving forward from it. But he could see that pushing Rylie to do anything of the sort at the present moment would just push her past her breaking point. “It’s your birthday celebration. We can do whatever you want. Though, if you don’t mind, I would like to suggest a terrible, corny horror flick and some pizza. Just a suggestion,” he smirked. He laid back on the bed and let out a deep sigh. “I’m not sure what it is about this town,” he mused, more to himself than to Rylie, “but it feels like there’s always so much...excitement. I don’t know about you, but I think I’ve had enough excitement for one lifetime. I’m ready to enjoy some quiet.”

[troybanner-blog]

& reevathatch:

“Vine? What’s Vine?” Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to think back on all that Dante had told her. She couldn’t recall anything about Vine, though he probably told her about it at least once. She shrugged her shoulders, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jean shorts. “I haven’t heard many of their songs, but I’ll definitely go listen to Songs About Jane.”

“It’s...it’s dead. It’s not worth explaining because it no longer exists. Don’t worry about Vine. Let’s just have a moment of silence for it, okay?” Troy bowed his head and closed his eyes as he held a silent prayer for the fallen social media platform. “Pay particular attention to ‘Sunday Morning.’ Love the jazz elements.”

[troybanner-blog]

& kaleipelekai:

Kalei glanced down at their joined hands. Three years ago, she would have giggled. Her heart would have started racing, and she probably would have blushed. Now, though? Now he could grab her hands, and she felt nothing. She bit down on her lower lip as the tears she’d tried so hard to hold back rolled down her cheeks, and loosed a shaky breath. They might have had a lot going on, but a bit of warning would have been nice. It certainly would have been better than waking up two separate times to hear that her family members had dropped off the face of the earth. “I’m sorry for bothering you with this– I..” She stopped short when he spoke of Phoebe, her eyes widening ever so slightly. She didn’t actually know much about Phoebe Barton, or her death, but she knew just how much it had affected her friends. She smiled softly, shaking her head. “That’s not crazy. That’s actually sweet. I…I talk to Kai, and Kelani as if they’re still around. Just because I miss them.” Kalei took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She didn’t deserve the world. Hell, she didn’t deserve the air she breathed on a daily basis. Somehow, she was the one who got left behind. She was the one who had to deal with the after effects of everybody leaving, as if they had thought she was strong enough to take it. Kalei had never been weak, but she certainly had never been strong enough for something like…well, this. She finally found it in herself to meet his gaze, swallowing the lump in her throat. She gave his hands a gentle squeeze, shaking her head softly. “You’re right. I’ll always have you.” For now. But even then, he would leave too. Everybody left eventually.

“You’re not bothering me with anything.” Troy smiled sincerely. “Of course I’m right. I’m always right.” He was still smiling, but behind the smile there was...disappointment. Troy had a feeling that Kalei didn’t believe him in one way or another. He knew that he could go on and on about much he loved and supported Kalei until he was blue in the face and it would most likely not change whether or not she actually believed him. Maybe, once upon a time, he could have made her believe him. He could have done something more, said the right thing, made it all better. Or at least helped her come to peace with herself and her life--all the ups and downs. That wasn’t going to happen now. He wasn’t going to make things magically okay. He couldn’t. He dropped Kalei’s hand and took a step back from her. “If you ever need to get away from here...from anywhere...Dan and I have a really nice guestroom. We’d be happy to show you all the best restaurants. You can check out the Smithsonian and all the fun historical sites. Our deck is the perfect spot to find some peace and quiet.” With a softer smile he added, “Maybe we can sit out there and compare sketches like the good ole days.”

[troybanner-blog]

& thorxson:

Calder scrunches up his face in clear distaste of Troy’s theatrics. Troy always does this. Calder stays silent though, his eyes staying on Troy’s, eyebrows furrowed together in disapproval, but patiently waiting for Troy to finish. He’s taken the biggest bite in the world. Calder is half tempted to get Mjolnir out and hit Troy over the head with him. As Troy finally prompts Calder’s question, Calder finds himself looking down briefly, at his hands bunched together. “Is Rylie… Okay? Is she doing okay?” His voice is soft, and quiet. Even quieter then usual, because of the shame that he can’t even ask her himself.

Troy pushes the plate back towards Calder. He leans back in his chair, folding his arms over his chest, hoping a comfortable position will help him process and respond to Calder’s question better. Unfortunately, this position is not as comfortable as he had hoped. He spends a full minute shifting his position in his chair, moving closer and then farther and then closer again to the table again. “Oh, well she’s...you know. Rylie.” Troy cleared his throat. He didn’t know how much Calder did know about Rylie’s current situation. Troy certainly did not think it was his place to fill Calder in. “What does it mean to be ‘okay?’ Can anyone ever be truly...okay?”