#gina answers questions

[ginadespell]

Hello, quick question, in your MHA X ATLA AU, do you think Shigaraki would become an evil avatar, having all the elements, or would it be different?

Thank you for your question! Uh, well. That would get into spoilers territory ^^ but I'm writing a fanfic of the AU if you're interested in learning more about it :D here's the link to it. Tho, I'm a little slow updating it, so sorry for that ^^

[reflectingiridescent]

"It just felt right that they had this kind of formal relationship, because I didn't want...them to have too much of a chemistry and intimacy because that wouldn't have felt right, given the circumstances of where she's at in the season...Once I started saying [it], it just started to feel very...delicious, really." - Gina Bellman on "our Mr Wilson"

I didn't know that the aftershows of Leverage Redemption were all also available on Spotify, so I've been going back and listening to them, and I'm just remembering how much fun it is to hear the show team talk about the characters and the show in general.

This is the episode assigned to 1x08 The Mastermind Job, and Gina talks about how "our Mr Wilson" appeared in the first few scripts, and how she asked if she could keep it. She also talks about being a nerd for the science behind accents!

[traintrainingmontage]

OMGOMGOMG the Rajiv story was so AMAZINGGG!!! TYSM!!! ALSO I have another prompt idea....

Maybe Gina getting stuck in a cave/mine?

Thank you, Breddo!! So glad that you enjoyed <3 I don't know as much about Gina, but I love her design! I hope I did her justice here!

(CW: depictions of being trapped. Not for those with claustrophobia, fear of being trapped underground, etc.)

(Have a prompt I should write about? Curious about what I've already written? Check the main post here!)

Relax, Gina told herself, trying to breathe as little as possible. Fortunately, this was a fairly easy task, given that she didn't need to breathe, but funneling in no air meant that she also couldn't talk. Still, that didn't matter right now. All that mattered was that she relax and keep a cool head. That's right. Remember your standard protocol. Just relax.

With her eyes shut and her fire doused, the Italian tank engine was now going through her mental mantras, doing everything she could to keep calm. Such a thing was far easier said than done, but now, more than ever, it was critical.

Right now, Gina wished that she could be admiring the Earth's natural beauty, and assisting with archeological digs as she usually did. In fact, that was how this particular nightmare had started out. However, due to some reason or another that she couldn't possibly have foreseen, after she'd gotten a good ways down, the walls of the mine that she'd entered had begun to collapse. That earthly beauty now surrounded her from all sides, overwhelming in its completeness, no escape afforded to her in any direction she could see. As such, what once was a marvel had swiftly become a terror.

Even worse, she was not the only one to feel this way. In her cab, her driver, Flaminia, and her fireman, Vincenzo, had both put on filtration masks and were keeping their breathing shallow yet even, trying their utmost to not waste the oxygen afforded to them. The only fortunate fact about their current situation was that the cave-in had left them in a cavern with enough air to breathe, but unfortunately, it had no airflow, meaning that time was ticking.

"...Alright," Flaminia whispered. "Let me try the radio again. Gina, lamps on." The tank engine quietly obliged, activating her lamps so that her driver could find the radio with little fuss. Both of her crew members flinched, but her driver reached out and took the mic in hand, lifting it to her mouth. "SOS. I repeat, SOS. Gina and her crew are trapped in mine 23S01. Emergency assistance requested." Flaminia calmly spoke into the mic, but as soon as she'd finished, she let it drop from her hand, where it clattered loudly against Gina's footplate. The sound caused Vincenzo to flinch, but he said nothing, only letting himself slump to the ground as he tugged his knees to his chest. With the communication finished, Gina was required per protocol to extinguish her lamps in order to save power, so with only a moment's regret, the cavern was once again plunged into that tyrannical, all-consuming darkness.

Carefully, Flaminia pressed her back to the wall of the cab, some distance away from Vincenzo. The weight of the despair, increasing slowly yet steadily, forced their shoulders to bow and their heads to droop. The driver reached for her neck and hooked her thumb beneath a fine golden chain, drawing forth an elegant, gold-plated locket, which she then clasped between her thumb and index finger.

Gina couldn't see her crew, but she could feel their worry, their sinking spirits. Flaminia reached for the radio again, mechanically rasping out the emergency call, but her words were less spirited than before. Vincenzo hadn't spoken since they'd been trapped.

The tank engine bit at her lip, trying desperately to think. She couldn't talk, as that would be a waste of air that she didn't need. She couldn't move. All she could do was keep her crew safe however she could, but in this moment, she had never felt more useless. What was the point of her steel frames and flawed immortality if she couldn't even help those she loved?

It was then, however, that Gina had an idea.

In addition to her radio, Gina had also been equipped with a music player. It wasn't anything fancy, mostly being a CD player with an AUX port, but it did allow her crew to enjoy the occasional piece of music, as well as share it with her. Even though she couldn't use her lights, so as not to drain their power prematurely, her radio and music player used separate power sources, so it wasn't against protocol to use. Thus, with a little concentration, the dulcet sounds of Dame Bella Canto soon wafted through the air, making her driver and fireman look up in surprise, then smile through their masks. Flaminia reached down, gloved hands tracing words into her footplate. Grazie, mia cara Gina.

Although she couldn't answer, Gina simply smiled, Dame Bella's beautiful voice filling the darkness and quelling the monsters of the mind lurking within.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fortunately, they'd only listened to about a third of Dame Bella's Collected Works before the crackle of static could be heard over Gina's radio. Immediately, the tank engine paused the music as Lorenzo's voice, albeit slightly unclear, finally came through. "Gina?! GINA! Are you there? Can you hear me?"

Flaminia grabbed for the radio, holding it up to her lips. "Lorenzo! We are here! We've been trapped in mine 23S01! Send help at once!"

"O-OK!" the engine shouted, and in the background came shouted snatches of Italian as orders were relayed and instructions given.

"We're going to be saved," Vincenzo breathed weakly, a limp smile on his face, and Flaminia patted Gina's cabside.

"Alright, lights on. They'll be here soon."

With a smile, Gina turned her lights back on, and resumed the music. Now that they knew rescue was imminent, engine and crew felt themselves relax, sharing grateful smiles with each other. The darkness had been pushed back further, and now, the cave once again felt beautiful, even cozy.

However, once those first rays of lamplight finally found them, Gina and her crew beamed and allowed themselves to be pulled out into the sunlight, once again appreciating the beauty of the Earth around them but more mindful of its majesty as well.

[tokiro07]

So, i was about to make a post about it myself, but i decided to ask you instead: How will Andy's final death look like?

Given that Undead Unluck is described by a narration box as a story about MC's quest for "the greatest death ever, not once, not twice, but it was now chosen to be the final line of every epiosde of the anime... I think this might genuinly be the entire driving force behind the story. That Tozuka really does want to write the greatest death scene ever, and Undead Unluck is the result of that desire.

Now, the question is: How will this happen? Fuuko yeeting her boyfriend at the Sun during final ragnarok? Andy growing old with Fuuko and dying of old age, surrounded by friends and family? SEX SCENE???? (probably not, but the possibilty of that is very funny to me)

Im pondering this question, becuase on one hand i want AnFuu to live happily ever after as they deserve it. On the other, im sucker for tearjerking scenes, and Andy having a grand epic death would emotionally draining, and i love when stories do that to me...

And, lastly, theres my personal elephant in the room... I kinda want Gina to smooch Fuuko. Now,for the record, i love Fuuko's romance with Andy, and i am NOT the type of shipper who wants the rival ship to be killed off for "getting in the way of OTP" - like, cmon, ITS ANFUU, THE BEST CANON SHIP IN A BATTLE MANGA EVER!

I didnt really ship Fuuko/Gina (or Andy/Fuuko/Gina for that matter) until the loop 101. At that point, i somewhat became a "Andy x Fuuko x Gina OT3 truther", but that was mostly just a joke, i had no true hopesfor it... and then FUCKING POLYAMORY was offically introduced into the story! Something that you see even less in fiction then same-sex reletionships... Like, holy shit, i dont think anything's off the table anymore.

But unfortuently, that poses a dilemna: like one of your reblogs said, idk if AnFuu would be down with going poly, but i also dont want Gina to be shipped with Sean just for the sake of pairing her off with a guy...

So, once again, let me repeat this question: What happens to Andy at the end of the story? How does he die? and how does Gina fit into all of this?

(sorry for the long ask, i hope i didnt sound like a crazy shipper at the end lol)

I'm fairly confident that Andy's death is going to be a shockingly quiet affair given how much buildup it has on the basis that the idea of him finding the "greatest" death is no longer predicated on him trying to kill himself, but achieving a sense of fulfillment

He doesn't want to die for the sake of dying anymore, he wants to die knowing that he lived a good life and left something meaningful behind. Ever since we got to see the shape of Andy's soul, I've believed wholeheartedly that Andy's death will be surrounded by the smiling and tearful faces of everyone he loves and who loves him back

It's not the flashiest death, but it is the best death that I think anyone who enjoys their life can ask for

[ginaporterr]

do you have any thoughts about what ricky and gina's future might look like post season 4 (the rest of the year, and then also through to the end of gina's senior year?) season 4 was so good and i love them and love where they left off, but i still wish we got more 😭

same, i don't wanna get my hopes up for a movie / spin-off but there's SO much potential for stories that are left to be told 😭

based on what tim said, i think the spring musical would've been the greatest showman with ricky & gina as anne & philip!! mourning the loss of rewrite the stars (rina's version) atm 😔 skdfjksd and with ricky's whole 'destiny as the next timothee hal chalamet' thing, i wouldn't be shocked if he was offered the role of romeo and took it, especially if it means he gets to spend more time with gina! i did think it was a big possibility that quinn was kind of forced into offering the role to him bc of how the lyf moment at the press conference would be viewed by outside parties, but when i rewatched 408, there was something that made me change my mind about that that i can't remember rn so. i'm not as solid on that anymore JSKJDS but um. yeah ricky & gina would be spending A LOT of time together between musical rehearsals and study dates, given gina's tutoring ricky and all + if ricky has a role in the movie in some capacity, there's that as well

despite his 'destiny as the next timmy chalamet', i do think ricky ultimately doesn't want to be in the spotlight and is fine leaving all that to gina, so i think after he graduates, he would settle more into a songwriting career and he would pursue music in college. he'll obviously be staying in slc for gina's senior year, but i could see him working towards transferring to a college in either la / nyc as soon as he can bc i fully expect gina to make that move. i wanna say gina would go to julliard but based on all of the mentions of hollywood this season and the emphasis on her being a movie star, i feel like she might be headed to la instead? but yeah, despite ricky & gina not going to the same school anymore for gina's senior year, we've seen how they both actively make efforts to spend time together, so, although there would be an inherent dent in that time together, i think they would have dates (study and romantic) galore skdjfks plus i could see ricky helping gina rehearse for whatever musicals miss jenn puts on for her senior year!! and also just throw in all of the headcanons that everyone has that we didn't get to see, i.e. ricky teaching gina how to play guitar & skate, gina teaching ricky how to knit, them baking together, falling down youtube rabbit holes, etc, etc :)

[callofender]

8. if it's not shigeming count your days.

of COURSE it's shigeming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yaoi 4ever omgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xD

[filmmakerdreamst]

if only i hadn’t used the wrong “their” in those tags 😅😅😅🤣

i fixed it hehe

[accioharrington9]

we can't be friends (but i'd like to just pretend)

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader

prompt: four times you spent a holiday with your best friend Steve Harrington and one time you didn't and missed him.

word count: 10.2k

warnings: friends-to-lovers, everyone can see it (including steve and reader but they're both kind of in denial), mutual pining, characters in their mid-twenties, fluff and (some) emotional angst, steve uses a cheesy nickname for reader, mentions of partying and alcohol consumption, some swearing, no use of y/n

notes: hi all, this is the first reader fic that i publish here, so bear with me, i tried my best <3 in light of the year-end celebrations, this fun little idea of a fic came to me and i decided to give it a shot, so i hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as i enjoyed writing it <3

🥂🥂🥂

“What are your resolutions for the new year?”

You looked up from your glass of champagne when Steve asked you that question out of the blue. You were both leaning against the kitchen island at Nancy and Jonathan’s apartment, distractedly observing your friends playing a drinking game you had both stepped out of.  You were glad to allow your friends their fun, but mostly, to have a reason to get some alone time, just the two of you. A silent agreement, as always.

“You know I don’t believe in resolutions,” you answered before bringing a flute smudged by your red lipstick to your lips.

“Oh, come on, kitten, humor me for a second.”

You raised an eyebrow at him while he waited for your response with a cheeky smile. You heard Robin burst into laughter from the living room, but you were too focused on Steve’s loose strand of hair and the woody scent of his new cologne to acknowledge it.

“Fine,” you obliged him. “Well, I resolve to quit drinking coffee, exercise more, and buy a new and well-functioning car.”

“You’re full of shit,” Steve laughed. “Like you’re ever going to get rid of Gina.”

“Of course I’m not getting rid of Gina, she’s my ride-or-die,” you said, referring to your personified old car.

“Yeah, emphasis on ‘die’ – you're missing a rearview mirror in there.”

You nudged him playfully, briefly losing your balance but Steve helped steady you immediately, putting a hand on your hips that hovered there longer than necessary. You chuckled for good measure but couldn’t help the heat that rushed to your face.

Everyone knew you and Steve had a thing for each other. It had been that way since high school – lingering looks in the hallway between classes, overly tactile during a mundane conversation, pretending to forget something at the other’s house to have a reason to go there again… Everyone knew it, was used to it, and never mentioned anything about it – you and Steve included.

Nothing had ever happened because the timing was always off. If it wasn’t Steve who was dating someone, you were; then you moved away to go to college, and when you came back to Hawkins after graduating, Steve had just left for an internship in New York. Eventually, you grew tired of the never-ending “what-ifs” and made your peace knowing that Steve Harrington would always be more than just a friend but less than a lover. A fine line you both tiptoed in and out of too much over the past eight years.

“What about you?” you eventually asked Steve. “You’re corny as shit, you must have a lot of them resolutions in mind.”

“I only thought of a couple, and they’re not that corny.”

“Let me be the judge of that.”

Steve laughed again, running a hand through his hair as he reflected on what he’d say. You admired him while he did so. It was frustrating, still having that teenage crush on your longtime friend, not being able to let it go, not entirely at least. You sometimes wished you could be his friend the way Robin was to him, or Eddie was to you. It would make it all so much easier, so much less painful than this in two minds you were both stuck in, this blatant desire for more, this fear that it could all be ruined in seconds, poor decisions fragmenting the illusion of a blissful friendship.

“I thought about learning how to play the guitar.”

“Cliché,” you teased. “What else?”

You could see the turn the conversation had taken when Steve hesitated before talking – looked nervous, even.

“Moving out. Getting my own place.”

You stared at Steve, quiet. You couldn’t say you were surprised – he’d been roommates with Eddie since they both enrolled in community college a few years ago. Even after graduating and getting a job, they stayed that way, because it was simple; splitting the bills, having someone to talk to after a lonely day. But it could only work for so long. It was only a matter of time until one or the other got bored and needed a change of scenery. To you, it was no surprise Steve had that revelation first.

“You sound serious,” was the only comment you could express.

“Because I am,” Steve said. “I started looking at one-bedroom apartments to rent in the neighborhood.”

“Does Eddie know?” you asked.

Steve pursed his lips as he shook his head from left to right. You hummed and couldn’t help but look at the young man in question, with his curly hair tied back in a bun and his poor imitation of some football player his team had to guess the name of. You loved this friend group – you loved the dynamic, the hijinks, and the stability. You loved hanging out with Robin, Nancy, and Jonathan at Eddie and Steve's apartment. You loved everything about it and the thought of losing your bearings, of disrupting your habits, made you too sad for the 31st of December, five minutes away from another midnight of confetti, embraces, and promises.

“You’re the first person I told,” Steve eventually said, breaking the silence that had settled between you two. “I thought you could share some of that wisdom you have to advise me.”

You snorted, lazily knocking your shoulder against his arm. “You buttering up to me, Harrington?”

“Only if it’s working.”

You got lost in his beautiful brown eyes, aware of the subtlest things, like his pinky finger brushing your hand timidly, the mint toothpaste on his breath, or how perfectly he wore the sweater you gifted him. It felt so right, standing close to him and toying with the possibility of the unknown. It always did with Steve.

“Okay guys, it’s officially one minute away from midnight, gather ‘round!!” Nancy exclaimed, clapping her hands to get everyone’s attention.

Reluctantly, you left the little bubble of peace and happiness you had created in the kitchen, Steve following closely behind. As you started counting down from ten, surrounded by all your closest and dearest friends, you only had eyes for Steve.

It had become a habit since you first celebrated New Year’s Eve with him years ago – you couldn’t help but wonder if he’d kiss you at midnight. It was a fantasy you’d entertained ever since you were eighteen, the final and first thought of each year that passed without ever becoming real. Each year, naively, you thought it’d be different. But each year, it was the same old song all over again.

As the clock struck midnight and cheers erupted among the friend group, you hugged everyone. You saved the best ‘til last, heart beating frantically as Steve wrapped his arms around you. You buried your face in his neck, getting drunk on his cologne – pathetic, disillusioned.

“Happy New Year, kitten,” Steve whispered in your ear before kissing your cheek – soft, tender, and terribly platonic, as usual.

“Happy New Year, Harrington,” you kissed his cheek in return, the trace of your lipstick leaving a mark on his skin like a temporary tattoo.

And you were too busy thinking about the undone to notice that this year, Steve held you in his arms a little longer than usual.

🌹🌹🌹

“Bro-lentine’s Day?”

“Is that one of those boys band they keep talking about on the radio?"

You held back a laugh at Steve’s question and Eddie’s comment regarding the odd suggestion Robin had just made. The four of you were waiting in line at a Wendy's drive-thru in Steve’s car, the crescent moon shining its feeble light in the night sky above.

“Why would you even think about spending Valentine’s Day with your loser single friends when you have a beautiful girlfriend you could shower with gifts?” Eddie asked, to which Steve, behind the wheel, concurred immediately.

“I mean, I obviously love you guys, but I mostly suggest that because Vickie’s working a night shift on the 14th and I figured it’d be nice to hang out together, the four of us, instead of just… I don’t know, being alone?” Robin admitted.

“Oh, so we’re your stand-ins?” Eddie exclaimed, feigning offense under your amused attention. “Classy, Buckley.”

“That sounds a hell of a lot like a pity party, Rob,” Steve pointed out.

You laughed along as Robin kept putting her foot in her mouth. It was often like that – Robin and Eddie gently bickering in the back seats while you exchanged knowing looks with Steve, in your designated seat at the front of the car.

The only difference was this time, when Steve searched for your eyes to have a silent laugh with you, you avoided his gaze, pretending to look in the distance, thinking about something you needed to say to him but couldn’t find the courage to.

“Okay, fine,” Eddie eventually yielded. “Let’s do this thing. But I have one condition – we go to Steve’s new apartment.”

“Excellent idea!” Robin exclaimed, enthusiastic.

“I told you guys, I’m not done unboxing my stuff, the place is a mess,” Steve argued as he started the ignition to move forward.

Robin rolled her eyes. “You say that like you have a thousand boxes.”

“It's his plethora of hair products - they take up a lot of room,” Eddie teased, which made Robin snort.

“You’re both hilarious, seriously, I can’t stop laughing,” Steve said with a straight face.

“So, it’s a deal,” Eddie said. “Bro-lentine’s Day at Steve’s new place – no, I’m sorry Rob, you’ll have to find another name, I hate how it sounds when it comes out of my mouth.”

“What do you think, babes?”

You only focused back on the conversation when Robin called your name, looking away from the constellations in the sky.

“Hmm? Oh, I’m sorry babes but count me out of this one,” you said with a sorry smile.

Robin laughed, thinking you were probably messing with her. Steve was driving slowly now that the line ahead finally seemed to clear.

“Right, because you have something better to do on Valentine’s Day, of course,” Robin joked while Eddie chuckled.

You tried not to take offense because you knew it was some innocent banter, but it didn’t stop you from frowning.

“Actually, yes, I do,” you contradicted. “I have a date that day.”

The car braked abruptly, causing a blast of horns from the vehicle behind and surprised yelps from the back seats.

“What the fuck, Harrington??” Eddie ranted. “That’s why I keep telling you you’re a shit driver, seriously, how did you manage to get your license, man?"

“Sorry, I got… distracted for a sec’,” Steve apologized.

You couldn’t bear to look Steve in the eye, so you toyed with the bracelets around your wrists and stared at your shoes, waiting for your friends’ reaction to the news.

“Is it someone we know?” Robin asked bluntly. “It’s the cute guy from the music shop at the mall, isn’t it? I knew he had a crush on you, you’re the only one who got Like a Prayer for half price.”

“It was… actually a twenty-percent discount,” you corrected, even though none of your friends cared about that information.

“Who even asks someone out on Valentine’s Day?” Eddie asked himself out loud. “We have three hundred and sixty-five days a year, why choose this nightmare of a commercialized day deliberately?”

“I think it’s cute,” Robin shrugged.

You attempted a smile, but it was nowhere near convincing. Robin and Eddie weren’t even paying attention to you anymore, discussing with each other the pros and cons of a first date on the 14th of February. You gathered the courage to look at Steve, decipher his expression. He might’ve been trying to get your attention a moment ago, but now, he was just staring in front of him, both hands firmly holding the lower part of the wheel.

“So, you’re really going to abandon me with these two idiots, huh?”

Your laugh at Steve’s rhetorical question was a mix of amusement and relief. If there was one thing that meant more than anything to you, it was the harmony between you two. You knew that as soon as you or Steve dated someone, that harmony was threatened. It had happened before. It was a fatality.

“You’ll be just fine,” you assured softly. “It’s just one night.”

Steve chuckled, finally making it to the pickup window. “Yeah, you’re right. Just one night. Easy-peasy.”

At that moment, you couldn’t have imagined that on the 14th of February, you’d find yourself knocking on Steve’s door at ten in the evening, makeup ruined by your disappointed tears, holding tight to your coat and shame in the cold evening air.

When Steve opened the door and saw you standing before him, he blinked at the unexpected sight of you sniffing and shivering.

“What are you doing here, kitten? Is everything okay?”

As soon as you heard Steve’s voice and the concern he displayed, it was out of your control – another tear rolled down your cheek.

“Oh no. Come here.”

You didn’t need to be asked twice- when Steve opened his arms at you, you dived in, letting him hug you tight, accepting his warmth and empathy.

“Dude stood you up?” Steve asked, voice muffled as his face was buried in your hair.

“Worse,” you said. “He was there.”

Steve huffed, because it could’ve been a funny anecdote if not for the dried mascara that ran under your eyes.

“So, we’re not going to the music shop again, huh?”

“I never said it was the guy from the music shop,” you pointed out.

“You never denied it either.”

You snorted and you felt Steve smile against your head. He was the first to part from your embrace, but you were under the impression he could’ve stayed like that much longer.

“What’s taking so long, dingus?” Robin shouted from the living room. “You need help with the pizzas?”

“It’s not the pizzas,” Steve retorted as you stepped inside the apartment.

Both Robin and Eddie turned around on the couch and looked equally surprised to see you there.

“Is it okay if I crash Bro-lentine’s Day?” you asked sheepishly.

“We’re not calling it that!” Eddie said in a singsong.

“You’re more than welcome to crash Bro-lentine’s Day, babes,” Robin told you while wrapping her arm around your shoulders as you sat next to her.

“I give up,” Eddie sighed before heading for the kitchen.

“What did the loser do to get you like that?” Robin inquired, touching your face where the tears had dried.

“Honestly, he wasn’t even that bad,” you explained. “He just… wasn’t what I expected. I guess I’m tired of getting my hopes up and ending up disappointed every time.” You paused, reflecting on that state of mind. “It’s stupid, I know.”

“It’s not stupid,” Robin contradicted with a sympathetic smile. “It’s Valentine’s Day, anyone would’ve expected a perfect date.”

“Hence why you don’t date on that doomed day.”

“Can’t you just let it go already, Eddie??”

You smiled softly at your friends’ innocent quarrel, and you realized in the end, there were no other people you’d rather spend the day of love and romance with.

So, you settled comfortably on the couch in Steve’s new apartment, surrounded by dozens of wrapped boxes and your closest friends with a glass of wine and a cheesy movie to watch, sharing the details of your date with them.

“Well, his loss, darling, not yours,” Eddie said in conclusion to your story.

“Definitely,” Robin nodded.

You smiled lightly and you thought maybe, just maybe, they were right.

“Why are you smiling like that, Harrington?” Eddie then asked.

“Hmm? Oh, no reason,” Steve answered casually before finding a tiny spot between you and Robin on the couch.

����🎉🎉

There was nothing more frustrating than being late to meet your friends and having your car’s engine make that hideous sputtering sound as you kept putting the key in the ignition without it ever starting.

“Shit, shit, shit, shit,” you echoed in sync with the car’s noises.

“I see Gina’s being cranky today.”

You glared at Steve, sitting in the passenger seat and enjoying himself a little too much.

“It’s too hot outside, she doesn’t like it when it’s too hot,” you explained to yourself more than Steve.

“It’s the 4th of July, kitten. It’s always hot on the 4th of July.”

“Thank you so much for this enlightening forecast, Harrington, have you ever considered a career in meteorology?”

You bit your lip when you realized how harsh your comeback had sounded. You slowly turned your head to lay regretful eyes on your friend.

“Sorry,” you winced.

“You’re good. I think I know why Gina’s cranky today – she takes from her owner.”

You rolled your eyes but didn’t bother denying it.

The sun was starting to set in a sky adorned with pink and orange hues only summer could take credit for. The air was hot, crickets chirping and bees buzzing while the whole town was already busying itself in preparation for the incoming festivities.

For the past six years, on Independence Day, you’ve met all your friends by the lake on the outskirts of Hawkins to have a barbecue with beers and watch the fireworks. It was a tradition you all honored religiously each Fourth of July.

Except this year, Robin was celebrating with Vickie’s family, Eddie was working at the music camp, which meant you were spending the evening with Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve, a group hangout that looked an awful lot like a double date, and it worked yourself up into quite a state.

“Did you get the Buds?” you asked Steve as the ignition still wouldn’t start.

“Packs in the trunk,” Steve answered straight off.

“And the blankets?”

“In the backseat.”

“The radio for the music?”

“Nance’s taking care of it.”

You fell back in your seat after failing one too many times to start the car and just closed your eyes, sighing heavily. You wiped your hands on your shorts, the summer heat getting the best of you, chest heaving and patience hanging by a thread.

“We can take my car tonight, maybe Gina needs the rest,” Steve suggested. It irritated you even more.

“We always take your car, tonight’s the one night a year we take mine,” you argued, putting the keys in the ignition again.

“We’ll take yours another time, then, it’s no big deal.”

“No,” you just said.

Without a heads-up, you got out of the vehicle. Steve followed you as you opened the hood to check the engine. You were rough in your endeavor, hair falling out on your face and hands quickly stained with oil.

“Why are you being so stubborn today?” Steve asked you, tone cutting sharp like a knife.

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are! You can tell as much as I can your car’s not going anywhere tonight, mine’s parked right behind and ready to go, so why are we losing time for nothing?”

“She’s just being picky right now but I’m getting there. She needs a little boost and she’s good to go,” you insisted, wiping the back of your hand on your forehead before realizing it’d smudge the oil.

“Yeah, sure, at this rate, she’ll be good to go for Thanksgiving,” Steve said ironically.

You shut the hood close abruptly, shooting daggers at Steve as he stood in front of you with his arms crossed. He looked just as irritated as you did.

“You’re being an asshole,” you stated matter-of-factly.

Steve snickered, eyebrows raising like he couldn’t believe what he just heard.

“Oh, I’m the asshole in this situation? You’re a fine one to talk!”

“Are you seriously turning the tables on me right now?!”

“I’m not, you’re clearly in a mood today and you’re taking it out on me! Last I heard, I’m not a punching bag!”

Your face twisted into a scowl because Steve annoyed you a great deal, but mostly because he was right. You were far from being good company today, and today was meant to be fun, chill, eventful. You could blame it all on Gina, but you knew that was just the tip of the iceberg.

“I’m just saying I’m going to get the car started just fine, all I need is a few minutes to figure it out. And we’re already late anyway, they won’t hate us for the extra ten minutes,” you said as you opened the hood again.

“This is not about the car and we both know it,” Steve stated, sure of himself. Of course, he was – he knew you like the back of his hand.

You closed the hood as soon as you opened it, walking closer to Steve to face him properly.

“Maybe you should take it easy if you want her to work, you know,” Steve remarked.

“Why don’t you just say what’s on my mind, Steve? Since you apparently know it better than I do,” you hit him with your words.

“But that’s just the thing! I don’t!” Steve exclaimed, his voice raising an octave. “I don’t know what’s going on with you right now and you won’t tell me a goddamn thing!”

“You already know what’s going on with me, I made it perfectly clear – I want my fucking car to start so we can go and meet our friends, as we do every year!”

“And I made it perfectly clear that we can take my car, so why are we still arguing about this??”

“Because it’s the way things are supposed to be!!”

The silence that followed that revelation felt intrusive. You couldn’t wait for Steve to tell you off, to argue with you some more, but instead, he didn’t say another word and just stared at you, dumbfounded. It allowed you to reflect on your behavior of the past ten minutes and you immediately dropped your eyes to look at your shoes, ashamed.

“What do you mean?” Steve asked you then, voice softer.

You sighed and looked in the distance, avoiding his gaze.

“It’s the tradition. On the 4th of July, you come to my place to help me pack everything, we take my car to pick up Eddie and Robin on the way to the lake, we meet Nance and Jonathan there, then, you and Eddie set the barbecue while Jonathan and I take care of the music, and Nance and Robin lay the blankets to make us cozy. And we eat and drink until they shoot the fireworks from downtown – it’s how the day is supposed to go.”

“Right, and it’s how it’s going to go today,” Steve assured, confused.

“No, it’s not. Rob and Eddie are not there this year, and because of Gina, we’re late and missing out on the sunset.” You paused, taking a breath. “It’s what I look forward to the most. Watching the sunset on the lake with you guys. All of you.”

Steve relaxed his shoulders and breathed out like he finally made sense of the underlying problem. He stepped closer to you and his hand cupped your face, willing you to look him in the eyes.

“Okay, I’m going to take a wild guess and assume it has something to do with Nancy and Jonathan talking about moving to Chicago next year for Nancy’s job,” Steve said. “Am I boiling or getting colder?”

The rhetorical question elicited a weak smile on your lips.

“I know Chicago’s not that far from Hawkins, but… I like the way things are right now, you know?” you explained while Steve listened, nodding. “I like that we can hang out whenever we want to, show up unannounced at each other’s place, and whatnot.”

“You can still do that if they move to Chicago. It’ll just take you more than three hours to get there,” he teased you.

Steve did it – he made you laugh. “I’m not so sure Gina would survive the trip.”

“I’ll let you borrow my car, then,” Steve whispered, and even though you were bantering, it sounded like a promise.

You chuckled, the knot in your stomach coming undone as Steve put his thumb to your forehead, stroking where you had wiped the oil stain earlier.

“You look like shit,” he told you unceremoniously.

“And you’re a shitty friend,” you bit back, making you both smile.

Friend. The denomination never felt strong enough to define what you and Steve meant to one another. Yet, it was the only one you used, the only one that brought you comfort, especially in those blurry moments that kept you wondering why that boy had always been so sweet and kind to you, even when you felt undeserving.

You jumped at the sound of a car honking from the street, bringing you back to reality as you and Steve turned your heads to see what happened. You felt amused, and somehow relieved when you saw Nancy popping her head out the passenger window of Jonathan’s car like a beautifully staged interruption.

“Oh my God, you guys are late too?” Nancy shouted at them. “I told Jonathan to go over the speed limit, and as you can imagine, he was not happy about it.”

Steve laughed, and you followed suit because it was almost ridiculous, how perfect the situation had turned out. Sure, things felt different this year, with winds of change impending, and the future of your friend group unclear. But at least, you were all on the same page.

“While we’re here, get in the car with us!” Nancy offered, gesturing for you to come closer. “Maybe we can still catch the sunset.”

You exchanged an amused look with Steve, silently agreeing that your uncooperative car and your latest conversation would remain a secret you’d share only between you. Your friends didn’t need to know the reason why you were late.

So, you and Steve hurried to put everything in Jonathan’s car, climbed in the backseat, and made it to the lake just in time to admire the remnant of sunset and put everything into place to wait for the fireworks.

And as you put a blanket over your and Nancy’s shoulders, the fire crackling in the quiet of the evening around you, you couldn’t help but search for Steve’s eyes. He was already looking at you, sitting across the fire next to Jonathan. You smiled when you realized, and he winked at you, playful, secretive.

Maybe you were lying to yourself, in the end. Maybe you didn’t mean it when you said you liked things the way they were. Maybe there was one thing you wouldn’t mind changing, you thought as you looked away from Steve to look up at the fireworks now erupting in the sky above.

🎃🎃🎃

“I’m not sure I get it, Robin – who are you dressed as?”

“Are you seriously asking me that question, Nance? Marty McFly? Don’t tell me you still haven’t watched Back to the Future!”

“I didn’t have time.”

“In five years, you didn’t have time to watch a two-hour movie?”

“I work a lot, okay?!”

You were only half-listening to Robin and Nancy’s bickering as you finished getting ready for the Halloween party that your high school classmate Tina and her best friend Vicki Carmichael threw every year.

Usually, on the 31st of October, you would just crash at Steve and Eddie’s former apartment with the group, stuffing your face with popcorn and watching horror movies. But this year, the boys didn’t live at that apartment anymore and it was the last Halloween you’d all spend together in Hawkins before Jonathan and Nancy moved to Chicago next January. You all agreed it called for a memorable celebration, hence why you were now getting ready with the girls at your place.

“So, you mean to tell me you haven’t had time to watch Back to the Future, but you had it to watch all three Star Wars movies, judging on your costume?” Robin asked while Nancy grunted in frustration.

“I told you last week, me and Jonathan are wearing couple’s costumes – he’s Han Solo and I’m Princess Leia, obviously,” she explained while pointing at her long white dress and peculiar hairstyle.

“Couple’s costumes,” Robin repeated. “Kids these days, they’re just talking nonsense.”

“It’s romantic and fun, you’re just jealous you didn’t think about it for you and Vickie,” Nancy retorted as you were starting to think you were in the middle of playground taunts.

“Oh yeah, I should’ve asked Vickie to dress as Doc, it would’ve been crazy romantic,” Robin sassed.

Once the heels were at your feet, you turned around on your chair to stare at your friends.

“You two realize how stupid your fight is, right?” you chipped in.

“We’re not fighting,” Robin and Nancy said in unison.

You rolled your eyes and turned back around to face your vanity and finish your makeup, but it was too late – you had involuntarily drawn the attention to you.

“And who are you dressing as, hot stuff?” Nancy cooed while smirking at your reflection in the mirror.

You hummed the Dirty Dancing theme song to answer her question, and she nodded approvingly, taking in your pink dress and silver heels.

“I love it,” Nancy smiled.

“Thanks,” you said as you stood up. “And you two look equally great, so stop biting each other’s heads off.”

“So, if you’re Jennifer Grey, does it mean Steve’s dressing as Patrick Swayze? I could see him pulling that off.”

Robin’s question took you aback for it came out of nowhere. You gaped at her, face warm and thoughts racing.

“Hmm, no, he’s not. That’d… be a great couple’s costume, for sure. But we’re not a couple, so…” you stammered, awfully self-conscious.

“Well, yeah, but you might as well be.”

“Robin,” Nancy reprimanded her with warning eyes.

“What??” Robin exclaimed while you watched, confused. “It’s not like she doesn’t know what I mean, it’s been going on for years, this… whatever this is. And honestly, we’re all tired of pretending like we can’t see it.”

Nancy blushed, embarrassment written all over her face as she rubbed a hand over it.

“I don’t… understand,” you admitted, tugging at the hems of your dress to anchor yourself in the moment.

“There’s nothing to understand, babes,” Nancy said softly. “Robin was just joking. Right, Rob?”

Nancy was now glaring at Robin, who had no option but to concur. It felt like you were missing something there, and you didn’t like it. Were your friends talking behind your back? Were they annoyed at your relationship with Steve? Annoyed at the ambiguity, the unsaid, the attraction? Was it all that obvious as of late?

“I’m sorry, guys,” Robin said with a sigh. “I had a fight with Vickie earlier today and it messed me up a little bit.”

“Oh, babes,” Nancy softened, hugging Robin from the side.

“I know that’s no excuse for being a jerk,” Robin winced in your direction.

“You’re all right,” you said with a sympathetic smile, and both Robin and Nancy seemed relieved.

The three of you talked Robin through her problem until it was time to meet the guys outside. Nancy was the first to exit the apartment, but Robin lingered by the front door, hand hovering hesitantly above the handle. Eventually, she made up her mind and turned over to face you.

“I just want you to know that I’m really sorry for earlier,” Robin told you.

“It’s okay, Rob, I get it. You were upset about your fight with Vickie and said stuff you didn’t mean. It’s fine, it happens to all of us,” you said, wondering why Robin had felt the need to bounce back on that.

“No, but see, that’s the thing – I did mean it,” she contradicted. “I just didn’t say it like I should’ve.”

“And how should you say it?” you asked with a frown.

Robin looked uncertain now, fidgeting where she stood. You imagined that if Nancy were still in the room with you two, she’d probably give Robin an earful.

“When I said that we’re all tired of pretending like we can’t see what there is between you and Steve, I didn’t mean that in a bad way,” she elaborated under your undivided attention. “It’s just… We’re your friends, and you know, as friends, we want what’s best for each other, I’m sure you feel that way about us too –“

“Robin, cut to the chase, please,” you interjected before she could lose herself in her explanation.

“We just think if you two admitted what you’re both obviously feeling for each other… You could be very happy together. And the rest of us would be too because damn, we’ve watched it happen since high school and it’s about time one of you does something about it, babes.”

You stared at the door behind Robin, wishing to run away from this conversation that was too much for you to handle. It was the first time one of your friends confronted you on the matter, upfront, and you had no idea how to react.

“I’m not expecting you to say anything, don’t worry,” Robin added. “I just wanted you to know what everyone else is thinking. Do what you want with that information.”

You opened your mouth to respond but you heard the distinctive sound of Eddie’s van parking on the street, your sign that it was time to go and end this conversation for good. You rushed to the door, opening it before Robin could and hurtling down the stairs to some extent on your heels. Once you were outside, you breathed in slowly, calming down and processing what one of your best friends had just confided to you.

You and Robin met Nancy on the curb as Eddie slid the van’s side door open to let you in the backseats.

“Evening, ladies,” Eddie greeted.

“Wow, you’re Elton!” Nancy exclaimed after studying Eddie’s costume, a white ensemble with feathers and glitter that was the singer’s signature.

“You could get that but not mine?!” Robin exclaimed, almost offended.

“Move on, Rob, and let’s have fun tonight,” Nancy teased her while sitting near Jonathan, dressed in the easily identifiable Han Solo outfit.

Robin took the passenger seat next to Eddie, leaving you with no choice but to sit next to Steve at the back of the van. Of course. Almost like it had been on purpose, you thought to yourself.

You settled next to him and you were almost insecure, something you’d never felt around him. You resented Robin for not knowing best, and not keeping her mouth shut.

“Hey, kitten,” Steve welcomed you as you smoothed the edges of your dress.

“Hey, Harrington,” you said in return, attempting to smile at him.

You studied his costume as he studied yours. Aviator sunglasses on his head, green jumpsuit, sleeves rolled back under his elbows – Maverick from Top Gun. You'd gushed over the character when the movie came out, and you wondered if it happened to be a funny coincidence or if Steve had picked that costume on purpose.

“Baby,” Steve suddenly said.

“What?” you choked out with widened eyes.

Steve frowned. “Your costume,” he clarified. “Baby from Dirty Dancing, right?”

You processed the information and chuckled awkwardly, feeling stupid. You let Robin get in your head and you hated it.

“Right,” you breathed out as Eddie drove away.

Something passed in Steve’s eyes, and you were not sure what it was. Hesitation, desire, resignation… You watched and waited, fingers laced on your lap, heartbeat echoing in your ears.

“You look… very nice,” Steve told you in a hushed voice.

You knew neither Nancy nor Jonathan could’ve heard it – they were engaged in a vivid conversation with Robin and Eddie in the front of the car. It was an intimate declaration, meant for you and you only.

Your lips parted subtly, but Steve’s eyes caught it regardless. It did not soothe the rate of your beating heart.

“Thanks,” you croaked it, throat tight. “You’re not too bad yourself."

Steve smiled briefly, then did the strangest thing. He leaned in, his face awfully close to yours, and you thought; this was it. He was going to kiss you. Right then, right there, in the back of Eddie’s van dressed as the guy from Top Gun on the way to a Halloween party.

And as much as you wanted him to kiss you, it wasn’t how you wanted him to do it. Not the place, not the time. Maybe Steve realized it too because he moved away as quickly as he had gotten closer to you, clearing his throat and watching out the window like nothing happened.

The party at Tina’s villa was loud, messy, and packed with former classmates – some you were glad to run into, others you made a strong case of avoiding. You had a nice chat with your high school sweetheart, even though you could feel Steve’s eyes on you the whole time. When you couldn’t bear the weight of his yearning gaze, you took a sip of that rum punch Vicki Carmichael had made – a few times.

You fled to the bathroom around eleven to freshen up and have some alone time. You were reasonably drunk, but still conscious enough to notice someone was already in the room when you barged into it.

“Oh, so sorry, I didn’t know someone was in there –”

You cut the apology short when you recognized the person’s reflection staring at you in the mirror.

“Becky, hi,” you said, surprised.

The girl greeted you back, the sound of your name imperceptible amid the party people shouting in the hallway. Now, you were reasonably drunk and very uncomfortable.

Becky was the last girl Steve had dated. They had been together for two years and seemed happy until Becky broke up with Steve overnight. Everyone assumed she’d probably met someone else, but you always felt like that was too simple and there was another more plausible explanation.

“You okay?” Becky asked you.

“Y – yeah, I just needed to cool off,” you mumbled.

You assumed Becky would urge you to clear off and leave her be, but instead, she stepped aside to give you some space in front of the sink.

You closed the door behind you and stood in front of the mirror, silently watching Becky perfect the mascara on her lashes. You quickly gathered she was dressed as Madonna in the Material Girl music video.

“It’s… been a while,” you said to break that awful silence. “What are you up to these days?”

“Small talk, huh? I thought we were way past that.”

You chuckled, ill at ease and too drunk to have a proper conversation. Out of all the girls Steve had dated, Becky was the one who unsettled you the most. You never knew what to expect of her.

“How’s Stevie?” Becky then asked before reapplying some lipstick.

Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was Becky's inquiry, but something turned your stomach. You always hated it when she called Steve that name. It reminded you of a jealous version of yourself you’d rather leave in the past.

“He’s good,” you said casually, no matter your inner turmoil. “You know. Same old, same old.”

Becky’s lips turned into the semblance of a smile.

“I take it you two still aren’t together.”

You felt your heart drop at that comment. What did she mean, “still”? And what was up with everyone and their insights regarding your relationship with Steve?

“It sounded a lot less petty in my head, I promise,” Becky said when you stayed silent.

“It’s not that,” you replied. “I’m just… surprised you would say that.”

Becky sighed and turned around to face you. It looked like she was about to get a lot of things off her chest, and you were not sober enough for that.

“You know why I broke up with Steve?” Becky asked you, and she obviously wasn’t waiting for an answer. “Why all the girls he dates eventually break things off with him?”

You blinked. You didn’t want Steve’s ex-girlfriend to share that information with you. You had absolutely no desire to detain such knowledge. Yet, you shook your head, permitting Becky to say what she really thought, too curious to pretend you didn’t care.

“Because it’s painfully obvious he’s in love with you and we’re just here passing time until he finally has the balls to tell you.”

In love. You had thought about it all with Steve – he thinks I’m pretty; he’s attracted to me; he likes me more than a friend. But never in your wildest dreams had you dared fantasize about these powerful little words.

He’s in love with you, Becky’s voice repeated like a broken record on a loop in your mind. Taunting, hopeful, too good to be true.

You found yourself sitting on the bathtub’s edge, both arms at your side, speechless. Becky leaned against the wall across from you and chuckled like she'd just shared the funniest story.

“Don’t tell me this is shocking news.”

“I…” you started without finishing your thought. You were at a loss for words and your head started spinning, the fateful sentence seeping into your mind faster than the liquor in your system.

“Look, obviously, it wasn’t my place to tell, but you know, despite everything, I always liked you,” Becky confessed. “You were always nice to me, even though I could tell it was not easy for you.”

You lowered your eyes, apologetic. It was true – you had always been nice to Becky. After all, it wasn’t the girl’s fault if you had feelings you’d never dare confess to your best friend.

“That’s why I’m telling you,” Becky resumed. “I’m trying to help you two out. This whole faint-hearted act was probably cute when you were sixteen, but you’re adults now. Are you waiting for him to get married and start a family with someone else to tell him how you feel?”

The mere thought made your heart ache. You didn’t want to picture Steve married to someone else. It made you nauseous.

“Sorry, that was harsh,” Becky apologized.

“Why are you doing this?” you asked her in a whisper, feeling like your head was about to explode. “Why are you telling this to me and not him?”

Becky stared at you like you’d just said the most nonsensical thing.

“Because he’s an idiot and a coward. If you’re waiting for him to make a move, you’ll wait a long time, honey.”

You spaced out for a moment, and when you returned to your senses, Becky was gone, leaving you alone with your spiraling thoughts in that bathroom.

Becky was right. Steve was an idiot and a coward. The inebriation clouded all your good judgments, so you got to your feet and walked out of the bathroom to look for Steve. After everything that happened tonight, you were confused, upset, and even angry.

You found him outside by the pool, joking around with some guys from his old swim team in high school. You marched to him, bold and determined, and he didn’t notice you right away, so you hooked your fingers to the fabric around his arm and dragged him behind you. You ignored the guys whistling at you both or Steve protesting and asking what had gotten into you until you walked into an empty room on the side of the villa and closed the patio door behind you.

“Okay, what the hell was that about??” Steve exclaimed, his voice loud in the quiet of the room, away from the party noises and the music. “Have you lost your shit??”

“You’re an idiot,” you told him in an accusing tone.

“Tell me about it,” Steve sassed you.

“And a coward!”

“Oh, so you have a whole list, huh?”

“That’s what Becky said.”

Steve looked at you in silence, processing what you just said.

“Of course, you talked to Becky….” he sighed. “Let me guess – she said I stole her INXS tape? She needs to let it go, she clearly lost it, she can’t keep blaming me for –“

“I don’t want you to get married, Steve,” you interrupted him, blurting out what you had been obsessing about for the last ten minutes.

Steve froze and looked at you like you were insane. And you might just be, you realized. You took a step back, dizzy and embarrassed.

“I… was not planning on getting married any time soon. Where is that coming from?” Steve asked you, stepping toward you.

You bit your tongue, holding from saying another stupidity you’d immediately regret. Suddenly, your choice to confront Steve and isolate yourselves in a bedroom didn’t look like the brilliant plan it seemed to be five minutes ago.

“Forget it, I’m drunk, and I don’t know what I’m saying,” you stammered, head low as you walked toward the door.

“Hey,” Steve brought you short by taking your hand before you had the chance to leave. His touch was tender, your hand fit perfectly in his, and you understood what Becky meant when she said "still not together".

“Talk to me,” Steve urged, lacing his fingers with yours. It was unbearable, how natural it felt. “You used to tell me everything, and now, I have no idea what’s up with you anymore.”

You swallowed the lump in your throat, wishing you could go back in time and stop yourself from putting the two of you in this awful situation.

“Come on, kitten, we’re friends, you can tell me anything.”

Friends. You loathed the word that normally comforted you. You couldn’t stand to hear it.

He’s in love with you. How could he say you were friends when he was the one you called first when your car broke down, when he’d snuck out of college to comfort you after you got dumped by your ex-boyfriend, when he drove you across the country to see your sick grandfather for the last time? How did he have the audacity to minimize what you meant to each other after taking such a significant place in your heart for years and years?

“We’re not friends,” you mumbled.

You looked at him and thought you could see heartbreak in his eyes. You’d hurt him. You’d hurt him badly.

“We’re not?” he asked, his voice breaking in the inflection.

You held your breath as Steve questioned you with glistening eyes. He didn’t understand what you were trying to tell him, and it was killing you.

“You know what I mean,” you breathed out, unable to say the actual words.

He’s in love with you. It was so simple. Why couldn’t he just admit it?

You’re in love with him too, why can’t you say it?  you admitted to yourself.

Because no, it wasn’t that simple. Steve wasn’t the only coward in this situation. After all these years, it was so scary to admit, even more to say out loud. How could you expect him to say it when you were terrified of doing it yourself?

Eventually, Steve let go of your hand, an almost insignificant gesture that shattered your heart into a million pieces.

“Actually… No. I don’t know what you mean,” he said, defeated, before leaving the room.

You did it. You ruined everything, you thought as you sat on the floor and cried your heartbreak away.

🎁🎁🎁

It was supposed to be the merriest day of the year, with children's laughter filling the air and countless presents to unwrap. Yet, your heart was not in it, and you had to hold back tears during dinner that night at your parents’ house.

You hadn’t talked to or heard from Steve in almost two months, and it was officially the longest you’d spent without seeing each other. The thought was excruciating. He was your best friend in the entire world, you were head over heels in love with him, and the absence of him was like gasping for air on the verge of drowning.

But today was a merry day. Today was all about spending time together, eating a nice homemade meal, and reuniting. So, you played the part – you ate dinner, played board games with your cousins, and chatted with your uncles and aunts. You did what you were expected to do, and nothing more.

When you returned to your place, to your sad and lonely apartment, you sat down on the floor, still in your red party dress, back to your couch with a glass of wine, and flipped through a photo album Nancy and Jonathan had given you for your twenty-fifth birthday.

It was a recollection of happy times Jonathan had captured with his camera throughout the years – from graduating high school to renting your first crappy apartment, taking your first trip to New York with the group, and celebrating various occasions with them.

You took the last photo from the album, holding it between your fingers to get a closer look. It was a picture of you and Steve on New Year’s Eve the year before. You were posing for the camera, smiling from ear to ear. You were looking at the lens, but Steve only had eyes for you, holding you in his arms with rosy cheeks. When you looked at it like that, in retrospect and from another’s perspective, it seemed so evident that the guy in the picture loved the girl posing next to him.

You were fully crying now, blurry eyes and stuffy nose in contradiction with the holiday spirit. You were about to put the picture away in the album when something in the back of it caught your eye.

There was a note in the handwriting you would recognize anywhere at any given time – Steve’s. Your heart skipped a beat. It had gone unnoticed the first time you’d looked through the album at your birthday party and none of your friends had mentioned a thing about it. You started to look at a handful of pictures to see if others had something hidden on the other side, but they were all blank. All except for one.

You took a deep breath, pondering. Maybe Nancy and Jonathan were unaware of it, but Steve not saying anything didn’t make sense. This note had been there, forgotten in an album gathering dust in your bookcase, for months, and it could’ve gone on for years had you not felt nostalgic on that specific day.

You wondered if you should read it or pretend you’d never seen it. It was only a few words; they were probably some meaningless inside jokes or more personal birthday wishes. But they could also be something more, much more.

You knew you couldn’t live with the uncertainty, so you gathered your courage and read.

Happy birthday, kitten! Don’t know if you’ll ever see this, but I want you to know you’re my favorite person in the entire world, and I love you. Yours always, Steve PS: stop being a sourpuss just ‘cause you turned 25

It had been there. Right there, under your nose, all along. Yours always.

Before you could think it through, your coat was around your shoulders and you were behind the wheel, ready to drive to Steve’s place and tell him how you felt. Screw the stability and the uncertainty – you loved the boy too and you needed to tell him tonight.

It was past midnight, the air was cold and the streetlights reflected in the puddles on the pavement as you drove a little too fast toward Steve’s building. Your heart was racing in your chest, anticipation mingling with excitement while you rehearsed what you’d say in your head.

You were going to confess your true feelings to Steve. Nothing could scare you anymore.

Except, perhaps, the ominous sputtering sound your car made when you tried to restart at a traffic light.

“No, no, no, no, no, come on, not now!!” you begged desperately.

The ignition wouldn’t turn over, and you could’ve screamed at the sky. Was it some sort of cosmic sign preventing you from making the biggest mistake of your life?

You got out of the car to check the engine under the hood. When you opened it, it did something it’d never done before – it gave off fumes.

You coughed violently as you stepped away from the car, looking all around you and realizing you were alone on the street in the middle of the night with a kaput car and wasted opportunities.

“This is a nightmare,” you told yourself out loud. “This can’t be happening to me.”

Your eyes burned as you were about to cry again, disheartened and pathetic. Then, some headlights on the other side of the road caught your attention.

A maroon car stopped next to you and turned the ignition off. You held your breath, recognizing the vehicle instantly and wondering if the universe wouldn’t happen to be messing with you.

The driver exited the car and eyed yours up and down before chuckling.

“I had a feeling Gina wouldn’t make it through the year,” he said.

You laughed, the sound choked up in your throat at the improbability of the situation. You couldn’t believe Steve was there, rescuing you even without meaning to, always being there when you needed him to, the constant one in your life. As luck would have it, you thought.

“What are you doing here this late at night?” you asked him.

“Could ask you the same thing,” he remarked with a smile.

You returned his smile, nervously fixing your hair. The wind was rising, and the air was filled with change and expectations.

“I was… on my way to your place, actually,” you explained, somehow shyly. “I wanted to talk to you.”

A few seconds passed until Steve spoke again like he was processing the information. “That’s funny, I was on my way to your place too.”

You swallowed, unable to stop hoping. “You were?”

“Yeah… Of course, I was,” Steve shrugged. “I couldn’t sleep, and I realized I never got a chance to give you your present because we weren't speaking to each other, so… Anyways, I can just give it to you now.”

“We’re literally in the middle of the road, Steve.”

He looked around at the empty and silent street for good measure. “Yeah, and it’s not like it’s rush hour right now, I think we’re good.”

You opened your mouth to retort but opted against saying anything else. It was your first interaction with him in weeks, it was out of the question to ruin it just to have the last word.

The young man got something from the backseat of his car and immediately handed it to you. You took it carefully, turning it over in your hand to try and figure out what was beneath the wrapping paper.

“I… don’t have your gift,” you admitted, crestfallen. “I mean, I did get you something, but I didn’t think to give it to you tonight.”

“It’s okay, kitten. Just open it.”

You complied, slowly unwrapping the paper with trembling fingers and shortness of breath as Steve observed quietly.

You were now looking at a book’s front cover, and it might’ve seemed unremarkable at first glance, but it was not some common paperback.

“First limited edition,” Steve explained, even though you already knew. “You talked about it at Eddie’s place a couple of months ago, that it was almost impossible to find today, and you’d love to have it. So, I went to every bookstore in town to ask if they knew where to get it, and one of them gave me their counterpart's number from England, they had to send it all the way here but… Yeah,” Steve concluded, face red and hands in his pocket. “I found it.”

You looked up from the book to lock eyes with Steve. He seemed expectant and abashed, almost anxious of your reaction.

“You went to all this trouble for me?” you asked in disbelief.

He pursed his lips and nodded as if it was that obvious.

“You’re well worth the trouble.”

All this time, you had expected blatant signs, big gestures, and declarations, when Steve had been telling you how he felt in his own way for years. It had always been there – in fleeting touches, longing stares, and understated actions.

“I read it,” you eventually confessed.

"The book?" Steve asked, puzzled.

“No," you laughed. "The note you wrote in my photo album. I read it tonight.”

You noticed the way Steve held his breath at that revelation. Suddenly, you no longer cared that you were standing in the middle of the road with your dead car by your side. Suddenly, all that mattered was the pretty boy standing before you and what you felt for him.

“It was corny, right?” Steve said with a nervous laugh. “I know you don’t like it when it’s corny but –“

“Can’t you just be serious for one minute, Harrington?” you cut him short with an amused eye roll. “I’m trying to tell you how I feel here.”

“I know,” Steve breathed out. “I’ve been trying to tell you how I feel for months now, but I never find the right words.”

In the elation of the moment, your words got a mind of their own, and you heard yourself saying: “Show me, then.”

Friends. A designation you held onto for the past eight years, a status that put things into perspective whenever Steve introduced a new girlfriend to the group, a word that freed you of your guilt when getting into relationships yourself, a term that helped you when you would yearn for something more, something you thought to be unrealistic and unreachable.

That word no longer held any power over you now that you were in Steve Harrington’s arms and he leaned in to seal his lips with yours into a long-awaited and overdue kiss, the promise of a cherished and beautiful future.

You'd envisioned the scene time and time again in your mind, but none of the imaginary scenarios your fantasies created could measure up to that kiss. It was sweet, yet demanding, like you were the air he needed to breathe. He kissed you like he loved - sincerely, tenderly, and intensely. You smiled against his mouth, and your heart melted when he did it too.

When you parted from him, lips swollen and eyelashes fluttering, you felt like everything was finally right and mourned the time you wasted being scared of changes.

“So… What now?” you whispered, getting a strand of hair out of Steve’s face to look at him better.

The boy held your gaze, enamored and enraptured like you’d never seen him before. You enjoyed it while it lasted because it was a momentary bliss until reality caught up.

“Well, first, we’re going to call a tow truck," Steve said as he entwined his fingers with yours. "And then, you’ll bid farewell to Gina,” he nodded toward the car.

Your heart tightened in your chest. You’d almost forgotten about your car. It was truly ironic, how you needed to say goodbye to your oldest partner while embracing a new beginning with your best friend.

“Can it wait until tomorrow?” you asked while batting your lashes at him.

“Hey, just because we’re going to make out a lot from now on doesn’t mean you get to do that,” Steve jokingly scolded you while gesturing at your face.

“Do what?” you asked, coy and amused.

Steve laughed and put his arm around your shoulders. “Come on, kitten, I’m taking you home.”

At first, it didn’t feel like much had changed between you and Steve. You were still teasing each other, spending time with the group before Nancy and Jonathan’s departure, and arguing about what car you should buy now that Gina was in a junkyard.

But things had changed for the better, and you realized it on New Year’s Eve when Steve kissed you at midnight, as he would for many new years to come.

❤️❤️❤️

[lowkeyerror]

Play Nice

Regina George x Reader

Word Count: 3.3k

Notes: Angst, Fluff, Jealousy, Established Relationship, Mean Girls 2004

Summary: Asking your girlfriend to be nice to your friends was one thing, but asking her to share your attention was another.

An: I did a poll on if I should do another Regina George and someone asked for 04' Mean Girls so 🍟 this is for you.

Masterlist | Summer Secrets

“I don’t know how you do it.”

You had just sat down at your lunch table with Janis and Damian. The chatter of the cafeteria was rampant, almost making it impossible to hear Janis's comment.

You had a fry hanging out of the side of your mouth as you went to answer her, “Do what?”

Damian nods his head in the direction of The Plastics table, “Stand to be around Regina.”

You give them both a warning look, “I thought we already went over this.”

Janis sighs, “We know, she’s your lover or whatever, but she’s literally the most self-obsessed person that walks down the halls.”

“Well everyone else is obsessed with her too,” you respond.

Janis scoffs, “Not I.”

You tilt your head to the side, “Oh really? You bring her up every day. Sometimes it feels like you talk about her more than me and she’s my girlfriend.”

“I just think it’s unfair that Regina ran around the school calling me a pyro lez only to turn around and start dating my best friend,” she crosses her arms.

“Our best friend,” Damian interjects.

You move to sit next to her, resting your head on her shoulder, “Aw is someone jealous?”

Janis continues to pout, “No.”

“You’re my best friend. My relationship with Regina won’t change that. I’m still an art freak. I sit here with you guys, I haven’t started saying fetch, and I don’t wear pink on Wednesday’s.”

“Not yet,” Janis argues.

Damian nods, “True, that just means she doesn’t have her claws all the way into you yet.”

“Speak of the devil,” Janis murmurs under her breath.

You raise your head off of her shoulder just in time to see Regina strutting towards your table. As always, all eyes are on her. You let your eyes shamelessly rake over her outfit.

“Babe, can I talk to you for a minute?”

The irritation in her tone doesn’t scare you. You look at your friends first then back at Regina, seemingly weight your options.

“I’ll be right back,” you address Damian and Janis.

As soon as the words leave your lips Regina is walking away from the table. Her heels clack against the cafeteria floor. You don’t think you’ll ever get used to the feeling of eyes on you, as you follow your girlfriend out of the area.

“Gina, slow down,” you call after her bit she doesn’t stop.

You jog to catch up to her, right as she slips into an empty classroom.

As soon as you’re inside the classroom, you’re meet with the sight of your girlfriend staring at you with her arms crossed.

“You’re mad at me?” It’s a question as much as it is a statement.

“You were all over Janis. Leaning across the table to talk to her, then moving over and putting your head on her shoulder. Do you want her to be your girlfriend ?”

You get closer to her, taking her hips in your hands, “Baby.”

She wouldn’t look at you, “Answer my question Y/n.”

You can’t help the smile that stretches across your face, “No, I don’t want Janis to be my girlfriend. You don’t have to be jealous of her.”

Her eyes snap to yours, “I’m not jealous of her. How could I be when she looks like that, and I look like this?”

“Babe, she’s my best friend. Can’t you just try to be nice to her, for me?”

Regina stomps her feet, “I am being nice! I could’ve walked over there and pulled her out of her seat and told her not to touch you ever again, but I didn’t do that.”

“Nicer than that. You guys were friends once, you had to have liked something about her.”

Regina rolls her eyes, “She’s funny, I guess.”

You place a hand on her forehead, “No fever.” Then you move your head to her chest, “Heart beat sounds steady. How’s your throat?”

She pushes you away, fighting her laughter, “You’re such a loser.”

You throw your hands up, “Hey I’m just proving that being nice to Janis didn’t kill you. And you like that I’m a loser.”

Regina shakes her, “No, I like that you’re my loser.”

“Same difference. Now can we go back to lunch,” you tease her.

She pretends to think about it, “I don’t know if I’m ready to leave just yet.”

You have confusion written all over your face, “Why not?”

She walks up to you, putting a little sway in her hips, “Because I’m in an empty room with my girlfriend and she hasn’t even tried to kiss me yet.”

You feel yourself blushing, “Oh, I could fix that.”

“Fix it then, baby.”

You don’t waste any more time, pulling her into you. Like with most of your kisses you let Regina dictate the pace. She always kissed you like she was starving. As if she would never be hungry again as long as she could taste your lips.

You moan when she tugs on your bottom lip with her teeth. You can feel her smirk against you. Her hands greedily slide under your shirt. Nails gently scraping against your abdomen.

“Gina,” you whimper, against her mouth.

She starts to place kisses to the underside of your jaw. Her hand finding a place on your throat. Your eyes are closed trying not to get too lost in the feeling.

Regina licks a stripe up the side of your neck to your ear. She takes the lobe in her mouth before whispering into your ear, “Do I get a reward for playing nice?”

You nod eagerly, “Whatever you want.”

She chuckles, squeezing your throat a bit, “Oh baby, you always give me whatever I want that’s nothing new.”

“Pink.”

She pulls back enough that you can both start to regain your composure, “You’re going to wear pink for me?”

You nod, “On Wednesdays, as long as you’re nice.”

She smiles brightly, “And sit with me. So that everyone knows you’re mine.”

You place a chaste kiss to her lips, “Everyone already knows who I belong to.”

“Who do you belong to again? I think I need a reminder.”

This time you roll your eyes playfully, “ Only you baby.”

“Now, we can go back.”

She walks past you and out of the classroom, swaying with every step. You follow behind her, part of you wishing you two could just skip the rest of the day.

When she walks back into the cafeteria, she makes a show of swiping her thumb across her lips.

You sit down back with your friends. They eye you, unimpressed by the gloss that coats your lips.

“Did you really have to announce you had a quickie with queenie?”

You blow off the accusation, “Did not. We just made out a little.”

“Ew,” Damian says.

Janis agrees with him, “Very ew.”

“Well, it was her price for promising to be nice to you from now on. I expect you to be nice back,” you shrug.

Janis gawks at you, “I have to be nice to her?”

“Come on, she agreed to it. Why can’t you?”

Janis frowns, “Well for one, she got a make out session to agree. Do I get something?”

“To see your best friend happy,” you give her a large smile.

“If I so much as feel her judgmental gaze, I am reverting back to my old ways,” Janis relents.

You grab her hand from across the table, “Thank you.”

“Yea whatever,” she brushes you off, but doesn’t let go of your hand.

You can’t resist teasing her, “You can act all nonchalant, but we both know that you love me.”

She snatches her hand from you, “And that’s enough of that.”

“Any other rules we need to be aware of,” Damian butts in.

You clear your throat, “About that… on Wednesday’s I gotta wear pink and sit at The Plastic table.”

Damian’s jaw almost drops, “Did you not just say-”

“I know what I said, but this is for peace between my friends and my girlfriend. It’s a bigger picture moment,” you justify.

“Janis, say something about how stupid this is,” Damian demands back up.

Janis just shrugs, “It was bound to happen eventually. It makes sense for her to sit with her girlfriend at least once a week. She is always with us.”

You smile brightly at your friend, “Exactly! No biggie, just one day.”

The next few days are different. Neither Janis or Regina make rude comments about each other. In fact they start greeting each other. It’s a little awkward, but they keep doing it.

On Wednesdays you sit with your girlfriend as promised. It’s nice sitting with her and her friends. Sometimes it does feel like they’re on a different planet, but it’s not a bad thing.

Everyone seems to be settling into this new normal greatly.

“I have an art show Saturday, I want you guys to come,” Janis announces at your lunch table.

“I’ll be there for another first-place win,” you applaud her.

“Carpool?” Damian asks.

“Obviously,” you respond to him.

Janis spots Regina walking over, but keeps any snarky comment to herself.

“Y/n, art fr-,” Regina stops and reframes her sentence. “Janis, Damian. I’m having a party Saturday. You’re all invited.”

Damian’s eyes are wide, “You’re inviting us? Janis and I, to your party? Intentionally.”

Regina takes in a deep breath, before doing her best to smile, “Yes.”

“Janis has an art thing Saturday, but we’ll stop by after?”

Her already strained smile, becomes more strained, “K.”

She walks away from the table.

“You do know she’s mad right?” Janis points out.

You furrow your brow, “About?”

Janis shrugs, “I have a few guesses, but Y/n when a woman responds with ‘K’ she’s pissed.”

“I didn’t even do anything,” you pout.

Janis puts a hand on your shoulder, “I don’t how to break this to you champ, but you picked my art show over her party.”

You shake your head, “I did not.”

Damian hums, “But you did.”

“I said we’d be there, didn’t I?”

Janis nods, “Yea, but after my art show.”

“Does that matter?”

“Yes,” your two friends say at the same time.

You deflate, “Well shit.”

“You don't have to come to my show. We can just meet up at the party,” Janis suggests.

“No way, I want to be there for you,” you immediately dismiss the idea. “She’s just going to have to be mad at me.”

You hated it when Regina was mad at you. She had the deadliest silent treatment known to man. You had tried approaching her when lunch was over, but she walked right past you.

You had rushed out of one your classes to wait for her to get out of hers, but again she ignored your presence. The last time you tried to approach her at her silver Lexus convertible, but Gretchen stopped you before you got too close.

“Regina doesn't want to speak to you right now,” Gretchen blocks your path to the car.

“I can tell, but I need to speak to her.”

Gretchen stands her ground, “Sorry Y/n, but you pissed her off. I can take a message if you like.”

You peek over Gretchen and see Shane Oman leaning on the outside of girlfriend’s car. He talks to her with a cocky smile on his face. You watch as she giggles at something he says from the driver’s seat.

You clench your jaw, “No thanks.”

You turn on your heel and Gretchen calls after you.

“You don't want to say you're sorry?”

Your eyes cut back over to Regina and Shane, “Nope.”

The next day is Wednesday.

The morning is rough for you. You didn't sleep well causing you to wake up late. You attempt to get dressed quickly, but you struggle to decide if you’ll wear pink. You decide against it.

Traffic isn’t kind to you and though originally you thought you’d make it by the beginning of second period, you show up in the middle of the class.

All eyes cut to you as you rush into the classroom. Ms.Norbury starts to scold you, but she takes one look at you and stops.

You sit behind Janis, who looks at you with concern. Damian has the same look to your right.

You ignore their stares and focus on the lecture until the bell rings. When it does Ms.Norbury asks you to stay after class.

“You look a little worse for wear, everything ok at home?”

She’s wellness checking you. That’s how bad you look.

“Rough night, sorry for being late,” you apologize.

“I’ll excuse it this once, but be more mindful next time, Y/n.”

When you exit the classroom, Janis and Damian are waiting for you.

“You look like shit,” Damian says.

Janis nudges him, “He doesn’t mean that.”

“Uh no, I do,” he doubles down.

“Thanks,” you follow them to your third class.

Janis stops you before you can enter the class, “What’s up with you today? It’s Wednesday, you don’t have any pink.”

“Regina’s not talking to me right now, ” you deadpan.

“And?” Janis presses for more information.

“And I saw her flirting with Shane Oman yesterday after school,” your tone gives away how much this bothered you.

Janis sighs, “Well it’s third period. You know Regina always skips to fix her makeup after gym. She’s probably in a restroom right now.”

You shake your head, “She doesn’t want to talk to me, Janis.”

“Dude, don’t make me be the voice of reason. This is bothering you, just find her and talk it out,” Janis pleads.

You stand your ground, going into the classroom, “Maybe later.”

When it’s time for lunch you sit with Janis and Damian. They try to talk like normal, but your mopey attitude really dampens the mood.

“Earth to fellow homo, do you come in fellow homo?”

You look up, unamused at Damian, “Funny.”

“This ain’t gonna work. You need to talk to Regina asap,” Janis motions towards The Plastics table.

Gretchen, Regina, and Karen are all chatting away like it’s a normal Wednesday.

“Maybe you were right Janis. How do I even do it?”

You put your head down in your arms. It’s just enough to peak at the table. You see Shane Oman walking over. It makes you sit up straight.

You watch as he stands at the table talking with the rest. Then you feel your blood boil when Regina scoots over making space for the man to sit.

You stand abruptly, it draws some attention to your table.

“Y/n,” Janis calls your name.

You shake your head, “I’m going home.”

Though Janis and Damian want to follow you, they stay seated. Janis looks over at the Plastics table to see Regina following you with her eyes. There’s not much change in her demeanor, but she swears she can see a sliver of concern.

Janis can’t stop herself from getting up and walking over to The Plastics table.

“Excuse me no art freaks allowed,” Gretchen tries to fend you off.

Regina puts her hand up, “She’s not here to talk to you. So don’t address her. What do you want Janis?”

“Are you not going to go after her?” Janis questions her.

Regina flips her hair, “Why are you planning on it instead?”

Janis rolls her eyes, “Look Regina, I know you think there’s something going on between Y/n and I, but there isn’t. There has never been anything between us. She’s my best friend, that’s it. She’s your girlfriend, and she’s falling apart because you aren’t speaking to her.”

“Fine, I’ll go talk to her,” Regina gets up.

“Gina, why don’t you-”

Regina glares at Shane, “Don’t call me that. Ever.”

“But"

“But nothing and last time I checked you weren’t wearing pink. So you can excuse yourself from my table. Thank you and goodbye.”

The most popular girl in school calmly gets out of her seat and starts following the path you took out of the cafeteria.

She finds you in the parking lot kicking the door to your car, while yelling profanities.

“Come on loser,” she calls over to you.

You stare at her for a moment before dragging yourself over.

“My car’s out of gas,” is what you say to her.

She waves her hand dismissively, “I’ll get it towed. Now come on.”

“Regina,” you stand your ground.

She groans, running a hand through her hair, “I hate it when you call me that.”

“Well I hate it when you talk to Shane Oman. So I guess we’re even then,” you challenge her.

“Fair point. What can I say to get you into my car?”

It’s your turn to cross your arms over your chest, “We can start with sorry.”

Regina clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth, “I’m sorry Y/n. Now can you get in.”

You wordlessly climb into her convertible. She’s annoyed by it, but she keeps it to herself.

She drives in silence for a long time before her grip on the steering wheel tightens, “I am jealous of your relationship with Janis.”

You didn’t think she’d start the hard conversation, “You don’t have to be. Janis and I are just friends.”

Regina lets out an irritate huff of air, “I know that.”

“Then why were you ignoring me all yesterday,” your tone is somber as you speak.

“Y/n, I’m Regina George. I’m not used to sharing anything. I don’t have to work for attention. I get it when I ask. It’s the same with everyone, even you sometimes. Unless it involves Janis or Damian,” she admits.

You look at your lap, “I don’t want to apologize for giving my friends attention.”

Regina is hesitant as she reaches over the middle console of the car to hold one of your hands. You let her hold your hand.

“That’s not what I’m asking. I just need time to get used to sharing you. It was already a lot to not be mean to Janis. Now I have to get used to the art kids being staples in your life. I’ll do it because I love you, but I can’t promise that I’ll just stop being jealous.”

You squeeze her hand, “I love you too Gina. My friends are important to me, but I promise that doesn’t make you any less important. You’re my girlfriend and I never want you to feel like I’m picking anyone over you. Without you, I’m a mess baby. One day of not talking to you and my sleep schedule is shit, my hair’s a mess, my clothes don’t match, and I don’t have gas in my car. None of that even compares to how empty I felt without you.”

Regina pulls into her driveway effortlessly. The car barely stops before she’s leaning over to kiss you.

Regina’s kisses are usually fierce and unrelenting. However when she does decide to be soft with you, you melt against her. When her hand’s gently cups your cheek, and her lips move slow against yours, it feels like you’re on fire.

She kisses you like she’s afraid you’ll reject her. Instead you pull her closer, she nearly falls into your lap, when she climbs into the passenger seat.

Your arm circles around her waist, keeping her steady against you. When she grinds down into your lap, she let’s out a breathy moan against your lips.

“I’m sorry baby,” it’s more genuine when she says it this time.

You nod, your forehead resting against hers, “Forgiven.”

“Good. How about we finish making up in my room?”

She opens the passenger door and gracefully exits the car. You follow her with your eyes.

“That sounds amazing.”

You scurry out of the car after her. Happy that the argument was past you, and giddy to go to her room. Regina George had a soft spot for you and hopefully she knew that she had your heart in her hands.

[quintessenceofdust88]

(idk what this is yall. It just came to me and I had to write it. Not particularly Eddie Diaz friendly, but he's not even here, so)

It's a Tuesday night and Tommy can't sleep.

For once, it's not because he misses Evan. No, this time Evan is where he belongs, right in his arms. He is sleeping soundly, more relaxed in slumber than Tommy has seen him awake for weeks now.

That's, partly, what's taking Tommy's sleep away, if he's honest with himself.

Doing his best not to wake Evan up, Tommy untangles himself from his boyfriend (God, it feels so right to be calling Evan that again in his mind), grabs his phone and slips away to his porch, the cool air of the night a welcome sensation.

He stares at his phone. It's 12AM, but he knows it doesn't matter. It never mattered to them. He dials Sal's number and hits the call button.

It doesn't take even ten seconds before he hears his best friend's voice on the other side.

"Everything okay?" He asks right away, cause sure, Tommy knows Sal won't be mad at a midnight call, but he'll worry.

"Yeah, everything's fine", Tommy reassures him, and he hears Sal relaying the message to Gina immediately. Gina is practically Tommy's sister in law, he knows she worries too. "I just... I needed to ask you a question. We're best friends, right?"

"Tommy", Sal says, and by his tone Tommy can tell he's baffled. "Twenty years, man. I think we're past the point of this question"

"I know, just humor me, will you?"

"Fine. Thomas Kinard, you're my best friend. Shall we write it on our diaries too in glitter pens?" He says, and Tommy chuckles lightly, but he does have a point to this.

"Okay, so. If you're very angry at me for some reason, what would you do?" Tommy asks, and then decides to go ahead and just ask what's looping through his mind. "What would it take for you to push me against a wall and threaten to punch me?"

At first, Tommy can hear Sal laugh at the other end of the line, but when Tommy doesn't laugh back, he falls silent. Even though he's not seeing him, Tommy knows there's a thunderous expression in Sal's face right now.

"What's this about?" He asks shrewdly, but Tommy's not ready to tell him yet.

"Just answer the question, please" He says, and Sal sighs.

"I don't know, Tommy, the most likely scenario of that happening would be you being replaced by an alien and I'm trying to figure out if you're the real one. Other than that? Nothing, Tommy. What the hell? We're friends. That's not how friends solve stuff."

"So... Not even if I did something to Gina or the girls?" Tommy pushes.

"Well, first of all that's more unlikely than the alien thing. I know you would never intentionally hurt my family, Tommy. So, no. I'd be pissed, but I'd talk to you. Now tell me what's this about before I send a unit of LAPD to your house to find out who punched you."

Tommy feels a wave of affection for his best friend. He always knew that would be Sal's answer, and hearing it feels good for him, but it makes him feel even worse for Evan.

"It's... Not about me. It's about Ev..." He cuts himself off, but knows it's already too late. "...a hypothetical"

"Hm", Sal offers, and Tommy knows he's not buying it. "Would hypothetical happen to have a birthmark and legs the size of a small country?"

"And happens to be sleeping in my bed right now" Tommy admits, and Sal sighs.

"Fuck, Tommy. Do you know what you're doing? You know I'll support you even when you're an idiot, but I don't wanna see you hurt again, man, that's all"

"I... I know, Sal" Tommy says, and he can't resent his best friend for looking out for him. "But we talked properly this time. We know what to expect from each other. And I love him"

"Yeah, I know you do, you sap" Sal says, but there's no real heat to it. "How's he holding up? He and Nash were real close, weren't they?"

The irony of Sal asking that question before any of the 118 doesn't go unnoticed by Tommy, but he doesn't want to share too much without Evan's permission.

"He's... Not great", Tommy admits that much. "It doesn't help that, unlike me, he has a very shitty best friend"

"Yeah, well, lucky for him, he has a great boyfriend who also has a very great and handsome best friend" Sal says, and Tommy rolls his eyes fondly. "You should bring him over this weekend. The girls miss you and Gina will want to interrogate him again because the first time doesn't count anymore"

'Damn right!', Tommy hears Gina add on the background, and he laughs.

"I'll check when he's free and text you, sounds good? We'll bring dessert"

"You better. Tell Buckley he'll have five Delucas to impress all over again. Chocolate is the way to go"

"Will do." Tommy promises. "And Sal? I love you, man"

"Yeah, yeah, don't go all mushy on me", Sal grumbles, but then his voice softens. "Love you too, Tommy. Take care"

They hang up, but Tommy doesn't go straight to bed. The story Evan told him, about how Diaz told him he was making Bobby's death about himself, had left a bitter taste in his mouth that has only gotten worse now that he was reassured that, no, in fact, there are no circumstances where it's okay for a best friend to physically assault the other.

Now how to give Evan the message?

[linoxpudding]

Spaces Between Us - Yang Jeongin

summary: a year later, after the breakup- you run into your ex again, and old feelings start to resurface

pairing: yang jeongin x reader (exes)

genre: angst, fluff, drama

fic type: written + text

P.S this is PART 3 of "prioritizing his girl bsf" au, so please read jeongin's portion in-

PART 1 and PART 2 for context!

a/n: so innie's storyline felt a bit incomplete, but @mrsminseochoi planted such a brilliant idea in my mind that gave it the closure it needed, as soon I read her comment, I just had to write it! @mrsminseochoi you're a genius! ♡

Masterlist

~°~

A few months after the breakup, you get an unexpected message request. It’s from Gina.

For a moment, you just stare at your screen, debating whether to open it. Your heart pounds in your chest—what could she possibly have to say now?

Curiosity wins. With a deep breath, you tap the notification.

Your grip on your phone tightens. Your stomach twists. You knew Jeongin didn’t mean to hurt you, but reading Gina’s confession makes your chest ache all over again.

You imagine Jeongin, the man who once held your heart so gently, now crumbling behind closed doors. The thought alone sends a sharp pang through you.

But it doesn’t fix what happened. It doesn’t erase the heartbreak. But it does give you some sense of closure. You were right all along.

You don’t reply and just block Gina. There’s nothing left to say.

A year later....

Life moves on. You moved on. You focused on yourself, your career, your happiness. You keep telling yourself you're over Jeongin. That you've healed.

But fate has other plans.

It happened on a rainy evening. You enter a quiet café, shaking the cold off your coat as you wait for your drink. And then—

"Y/N?"

The voice freezes you in place. It’s soft, disbelieving, and achingly familiar.

You turn, and your eyes land on him.

Jeongin stands a few feet away, his dark eyes wide with something you can’t quite name. He looks different—his hair is slightly longer, his face sharper, but his expression… it’s the same.

It’s the way he used to look at you. Like you were his entire world.

"I… I didn’t think I’d ever see you again," he softly says approaching you.

"Yeah… It’s been a while," you reply nervously.

He steps closer, hesitant. "Can we talk?"

You don't know why you nod. Maybe it’s curiosity. Maybe it’s something deeper. But soon, you’re sitting across from each other, the air between you both thick with unspoken words.

"You look good. I mean… you always did. But you look happier. Are you?" He asks with a hint of curiosity.

You pause. You like to think you're happy. But seeing him again, the memories flooding back, makes you realize you never fully stopped missing him.

"I am. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t hard," you said.

Jeongin’s face twists in pain. "I know. And I hate myself for what I put you through. You were right about Gina."

Your breath catches. "She reached out to me."

His eyes widen. "She did?"

You nod. "Told me how she planned it all. How she wanted me out of the picture. That you never meant to hurt me."

Jeongin exhales sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Y/N… I never stopped loving you. Even when I tried, I couldn’t. I lost you because I was stupid, and it’s the worst mistake I’ll ever make."

Tears prick your eyes. You want to be angry. You were angry for so long. But looking at him now, hearing the raw emotion in his voice, something in your heart shifts.

"You really hurt me, Jeongin."

Jeongin sighed, "I know. And if I could take it all back, I would."

Silence lingers between you both, filled with the sound of rain tapping against the windows.

Jeongin hesitates for a moment before asking, voice barely above a whisper, "are you...are you seeing someone else?"

You blink at the unexpected question. His fingers clench slightly against the table, his knuckles turning white. He looks like he’s bracing himself for an answer he doesn’t want to hear.

You exhale, playing with the rim of your coffee cup before replying, "Just a few dates here and there. Nothing serious."

Jeongin visibly stiffens. His jaw tightens, and he looks away for a second, exhaling through his nose, "Oh."

A small, bitter smile plays on your lips. "Jeongin, you don’t have the right to be jealous."

"I know," he sighs, rubbing his face. "I just hate the thought of someone else making you smile the way I used to."

You swallow hard. Every logical part of you tells you to walk away, to protect your heart. But your heart has never listened to logic when it comes to Jeongin.

Slowly, you reach across the table, your fingers brushing his. His breath stutters.

"I don’t know if we can ever be what we were," you confess.

"Then let’s be something new. Something better," he replies quickly, his hands tightening around you.

He looks at you like he’s afraid to move, like he’s afraid to hope.

As you’re sitting across from him, the space between you suddenly feels too large. Every part of you aches to close that gap, to feel his presence closer. Without thinking, you stand up, your movements almost trembling with anticipation. He watches, frozen, as you slide into the seat next to him. The air between you shifts, the tension thickening, and without a word, you lean in, unable to hold back any longer.

Jeongin’s eyes flutter shut as your lips meet, the kiss slow and deep, filled with everything you two never got to say. Regret, longing, love—it’s all there, crashing over you both like a wave.

When you pull away, Jeongin rests his forehead against yours, breathing shakily.

"I love you. I never stopped loving you," he says, his voice cracked slightly.

Your lips curve into a small, bittersweet smile.

"Then let’s see where this takes us," you reply.

Maybe love deserves a second chance.

[tiredeyesight]

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ coffee order (jake peralta x fem! reader)

summary : you have a complicated coffee order that no one can remember, and out of all people jake begins to perfect it, creating suspicion in the office.

“i’ll have a venti iced vanilla latte with oat milk, please. can you use ristretto shots and a little extra vanilla syrup? if you can add just a bit of cold foam on top, that’d be great. thank you so much!", you spoke to the barista. the squad was shocked at your request. “how the hell do you remember that!?”, terry exclaimed in a high pitched tone.

———

“i’m doing a coffee run, tell me your orders people!”, charles announced. people began calling out their orders whilst charles wrote them down. everyone’s eyes turned to you. “uhh ill have my usual?”, you said. “no one can remember that but i’ll try.”, charles responded. “venti iced vanilla latte with oat milk. can you use ristretto shots with a little extra vanilla syrup and a bit of cold foam on the top.” you casually spoke. “venti iced vanilla latte with.. yeah im lost”, charles spoke, “message me it?”, he questioned and with a simple nod from you he was off.

———

you and jake were out on your third date. keeping it a secret from the squad, especially from a probing gina who constantly wanted the love life gossip, was hard to say the least. however, the small details made it so obvious that you and jake were seeing each other. the long stares accompanied by little smiles, the way your hands would linger for a second too long for ‘just close co-workers’ when they’d come in contact, the way you would softly smile when the other was brought up. the small things.

you were sitting in a cafe with your hands intertwined with each other under the table. a waitress came over to your table, “are you guys ready to order?”, she questioned. “yes! i will have a chocolate shake while the lady will get a venti iced vanilla latte with oat milk using ristretto shots with a little extra vanilla syrup and a bit of cold foam on the top. thank you!”, jake spoke. he remembered your order?

as the waitress left, jakes eyes met yours. you looked head over heels in love with him bringing a shy smile and chuckle out of him. “you remembered my order?”, you asked. “of course!”, he answered as if it was the silliest question in the world. “you’re so sweet jake.”, drawing another shy smile from him. you leant over the table and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. a blush creeping up on both of your cheeks at the action.

———

it was the crack of dawn on monday morning, everyone called in early due to an important case. everyone was exhausted and gloomy. so jake, wanting to brighten the mood a bit, was going on a surprise coffee run. he got everyone’s usual and brought them back to the office excited for everyone’s reaction. a murmur of gratitude and elation was bounced off the walls of the office at the sight of coffee.

as everyone was drinking their coffee down, gina noticed that you were drinking a coffee too. surely not right? “hey y/n, did jake get your order right??”, gina called out. “uhh yea why?”, you responded back in puzzlement. dots connected instantly in gina’s head. of course! rosa and charles heads rose with a piqued interest, sharing looks about this theory.

gina ushered you to come with her to god knows where. after ensuring no one was around she whispered, “you and jake are seeing each other!!”. oh shit. your face told her everything. “oh my god, oh my god, oh my god!!”, she exclaimed.

authors note : i feel like this is total shit but whateversss! also i could never imagine ordering something like this, please take no offence if you do but oh my gah. hope you enjoyed and as always, requests are oppeeennnn!

word count : 595

[meangirls-imagines]

hey could you do a Regina George x femme reader where the reader is a member of the plastics and gets revenge for Regina on Cady after finding out about the Kalteen bars?

Sabotage

Description: Reader finds out Cady is sabotaging her girlfriend, which is also the reason of her girlfriend's insecurities as of late.

WARNINGS: fluffy, cady being a bitch, reader being protective, regina being insecure

"Do you think I look fat?"

Y/N looked up from her phone at her girlfriend's question. Regina stood in front of her floor-length mirror in a sports bra and biker shorts. She was frowning at her body in the mirror. Y/N answered.

"No? You look gorgeous as usual, baby. Why the long face?" Regina turned towards her girlfriend. "Those bars Cady gave me aren't working I think. It seems like I'm getting bigger." Y/N put her phone down and opened her arms.

Regina walked into her girlfriend's arms as the girl held her tightly. "You look like a goddess, Gina. You don't need weight loss bars. Trust me." Regina pouted. "I just need to lose a few pounds. That's all." Y/N kissed the girl's bare stomach.

"Well, I don't think so. How about you go take a shower and we can get takeout and watch trashy reality tv?" Regina nodded and pecked her girlfriend's lips before heading into her bathroom. Y/N got suspicious and decided to grab the wrapper of the bar from the small trash can in the blonde's room.

Reading the label she saw the word "Kalteen" before she stashed it in her bag to do research on later. The blonde finished in the shower as Y/N placed an order for her favorite chinese place before pulling up a random housewives show as the blonde cuddled into her side.

She was going to get to the bottom of this.

To say Y/N was livid was an understatement. When she went home that night, she googled the brand of bars Cady had been giving her girlfriend, only to find out their true purpose.

To make the consumer gain weight.

GAIN WEIGHT.

That's why Regina had been feeling insecure. Because she was slowly gaining weight. Y/N was pissed. And it helped that she knew the culprit of the crime.

Cady Fucking Heron.

The girl Regina had taken under her wing to help. And this was how the girl re-payed her girlfriend? Y/N was going to get revenge.

In the best way she knew how.

The next day at school, she had approached Karen and Gretchen, telling them the situation. The girls were rightfully pissed. Y/N knew that telling Gretchen was the right choice because by 2nd period, a nasty rumor about Cady had been spread.

The rumor was that Cady had been infected with BV after having sex with the whole football team. Everyone had heard the rumor and by lunch time, it was all anyone could talk about.

Cady had become the school's laughing stock and as she tried to sit with the plastics, Y/N stopped her. "Sorry, Cady. But you can't sit with us. We can't associate with you anymore. Not after your diagnosis.." Cady turned a deep scarlet. "I don't have that! I don't know who started that rumor but they're wrong."

Y/N smirked. Regina sat in silence, wanting to see where this went. "Sucks having someone make everyone think something is wrong with your body doesn't it?" Cady looked at Y/N, confused before realization came over her face.

"It was you." Y/N smirked. "Why, Cady, I have no idea where you came up with that lie!" Cady glared at Y/N. "Why did you do it?" Y/N sighed and smiled. "Well, considering the fact that you messed with my girlfriend's body, I thought I would return the favor."

At that information, Regina looked at Cady. "What do you mean, messed with my body?" Y/N looked at her girlfriend. "Those Kalteen bars? They were making you gain weight, not lose it." Regina became angry at those words and looked at Cady.

"Is that true?" It felt like Cady was suffocating. She had been caught and no one was there to back her up. "Uh..I-" Regina put a hand up. "Save it. You're lucky Y/N only did the rumor. I would've ruined your life. But, since you're no longer going to associate with us, you're no longer a threat. Now, leave us alone, or I will ruin your life."

Cady scurried off as the blonde looked satisfied. Y/N sat down next to her girlfriend, Regina pulling her into a kiss. Gretchen and Karen squealed at the cuteness as the two pulled away. "Thank you for protecting me, baby."

Y/N smirked. "You're my princess, of course I'll protect you."

They didn't see Cady for the rest of the week, learning later on that she went back to being homeschooled. Y/N smirked when she heard the news.

Don't fuck with her girlfriend.

[fookinhellcurlyyy]

LARRY RESOURCES: A beginner's guide [NEW]

REPOST WITH UPDATED LINKS

II. ADVANCED RESEARCH

Additional Information and Important Discussions [Actively Updating - uncategorized, random; for deeper reading] Updated as of 2/23/25

🖇️ Larry discussions and why they matter: LINK

🖇️ Debunked Larry proofs X thread: LINK

🖇️ Boyzone and 1D Parallels (Industry Talk): LINK

🖇️ Louis’ Career History (Timeline/Masterpost)

PART 1-2

PART 3-4

Career Talk Debriefing

Why the sabotage?

Did Louis sacrifice himself?

If he left S*co/S*ny, why does BBG still exist?

Harry's freedom, negotiations, and role in Louis' career situation.

────x────

Larry’s time capsule. Deep research. Feel free to comment other reputable blogs that might be helpful as well. There are lots out there—but I only highlighted a few. They have the most well-kept information for the past decade, and are worth checking out!

Note: For mobile users, there is a search bar where you can type in the topics you’re curious about. 

──

Gina (@twopoppies) 𓏔 Tags Links: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8

──

Daisy (@daisiesonafield-blog) 𓏔 Tags Link (check on desktop to view the complete list of her tags)

──

Allie (@skepticalarrie) 𓏔 Tags Link

──

Marte (@alarrytale) 𓏔 Tags Link

──

Paz (@hoovesandfloorpaws) 𓏔 Tags Link

──

Voxina (@voxina)

──

Ino (@tobethemselves)

──

Sabine (@awesomefringey)

──

@louisisalarrie

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@bulletprooflarry 𓏔 Tags Link (timelines and tags) 𓏔 Back-up @bulletprooflarrybackup-blog

──

Larry Stylinson Google Site 𓏔 Website

──

@cosmicleeds 𓏔 YouTube

──

Freddieismyqueen 𓏔 Re-uploads from various people

────x────

There we have it! If there’s anything important I missed that should be highlighted, I might just add them in next time. My main goal here is to make a quick overview and one-stop guide especially for baby larries. Since some people aren’t familiar with Tumblr and other platforms, it can be harder to do research without knowing where to start. Don’t hesitate to ask questions if there's anything you're looking for (I've gotten pretty good in scouring the crevices of the internet and we have lots of credible veteran larries out here ♡ There are some I might've forgotten to add, but they are definitely just as amazing x), but please do check the posts first in case your question has already been answered.

Hope this helps your Larrying journey. And again, TPWK!

Guide by @fookinhellcurlyy (original account) | Will update and create another part as needed.

OTHER PARTS IN THE COMMENT BOX.

[stygiusfic]

kicked off 2025 by watching my favorite ghibli movie again, Porco Rosso, and I'm full of feelings about it

it is a movie that says as much through images/dialogue as it says by omission. the friend i watched it with (who was seeing it for the first time) was confused by the ending. 'wait, so does he turn back into a human, or doesn't he?'

I said 'well... we don't know!' which she found too vague, but there is a longer version of that answer, the reason why that apparent vagueness is actually a better fit for the story.

i like that we don't get visual confirmation of the outcome of the curse at the end. we do get Curtis taken aback and yelling at Porco to let him see his face, which seems to point to Porco having regained his human self as Marco; but it's hard to be certain, since earlier in the movie, when Fio can't sleep at night, we see a glimpse of human Marco that then goes away. that seeds the possibility that Curtis' glimpse at the end may also have been temporary or imagined. but Marco's story was never about a desire to be free of his pig form; in fact, when Fio questions him about how it happened or how to fix it, he shrugs it off. he has bigger things to worry about—but even if unrelated to his goals, his appearance is undeniably an expression of the movie's theme.

Marco tells Fio in that scene about a near-death experience he had, when all his fellow pilots were shot out of the sky in the war, until only he was left. his plane flew "on its own" up above the clouds, and he saw up in the distance a long line of pilots on their planes, forever flying out of reach, and he watched his friends who just died fly up to join them. he tried to go in the stead of Gina's new husband, but couldn't. he thinks what he saw was not pilot heaven, but hell.

Fio tells him the fact that he couldn't take his friend's place means that "god was telling you it wasn't your time yet" (loosely quoted from Japanese, I don't know the English line). but Marco replies that he always saw it as god telling him to "fly alone for the rest of your life"

this isn't the story of how he became a pig that Fio asked about, but it might as well be. Marco is someone dead set on going it alone. he has left the army, he won't ally with any other force, he is the last one left of Gina's friends. the fact that he looks like a pig only reflects how alone he stands: he is very visibly set apart from every other character because of the way he looks. there are 'people' and then there is him, 'the pig'. he refers to this directly when refusing Ferrari's urging to return to army: "I'd rather be a pig (ie alone, but he doesn't say that word) than a fascist". his convictions aside, he takes pride in being different, even visibly so.

he says to Fio, someone that he tried to keep at arm's length the moment he met her, who then grew on him, that looking at her makes him feel like 'there's still hope for the human race'. notably, it is during that same scene (though at the start) when we see our first and only glimpse of human Marco in the present day.

and though Fio has her own ideas about curing him with a kiss like a frog prince, and we do see her kiss him before that final image when Curtis' reaction implies he might be human again, it's not about the kiss at all.

it's about connection, about the stories we tell ourselves about who we are, about how human it is to seek companionship in each other even through the worst times.

Marco's "curse" is none other than a mix of survivor's guilt and a stubborn resolve to remain alone as he thought he must, after that vision of his fellow pilots in the sky. he sets himself aside from other people to the point that he stops being human at all. it is only in the moments when he allows himself to see the good in the human world around him, and be a part of it (having opened up to Fio and watching over her at the hideout, then at the end apologized to Gina and thus acknowledged the context between them) that he can, even if for a moment, be a person again.

[communistkenobi]

I'm curious how you stomach going thru Tom Cruise's entire filmography when he's such a massive piece of shit. Like I feel like I'd just be thinking about all the women in films he has costarred in and abused beyond reason the entire time.....

I’m going to step very slowly into a minefield so please bear with me:

I don’t find that approach to art particularly helpful or interesting most of the time, and even if you do (which I don’t begrudge you for) I don’t think anyone has a principled stance on the matter, which would prohibit you from watching any film ever made, because the production of film under the current economic and social conditions of the world is itself unjust. Perhaps this is a lazy cop-out - if the moving image is evil then all actions vis a vis said moving image are equally damnable and therefore equally permissible. However, everyone carves out exceptions for what they can stomach (MY favourite celebrity would never do that) or cannot stomach (see: depp, jkr), myself included. And that’s not even getting into the actual issues of the content of the art itself. iirc Tony Gilroy scabbed during the writers strike to finish the Andor S2 script and I still watch it and enjoy it! I am also glad they fired Gina Carrano from the Mandalorian for her transphobia and white supremacy meltdown on twitter, and her character on that show is permanently ruined for me now because of it. I will not be able to enjoy anything involving Noah Schnapp as a direct result of his Zionist views. And so on.

An anecdote I always liked that I heard from a prof is his explanation of what a social position is: once a music band reaches sufficient fame, one of the members will inevitably sexually assault someone. So this might sound overly cavalier, but I don’t care to litigate the moral character of Tom Cruise or figure out exactly what he did or did not do (I’m not familiar with the abuse allegations you mentioned), nor do I care to do that with most celebrities, because that would mean accepting the assumption that doing so will give you an answer as to whether you should continue enjoying their work. I don’t generally find this assumption helpful for how I interact with art, nor does it give me the answer I want - which is always, inevitably, no I should not enjoy this, because accruing that much wealth and fame is unjust regardless of who they are or how hard they worked or their talents as an artist or etc., and this injustice structurally produces abuse (#MeToo is a response to this structure). Like the fact that celebrities exist as a social position is itself a problem lol. 

Now does this mean you can engage in celebrity worship, free of any guilt? Again I don’t know if this is a productive question, or if the answers it gives you will be helpful. I find it generally distasteful, but I likewise engage in celebrity parasociality - I watch Tom Cruise press interviews! I enjoy hearing his little stunt anecdotes and it’s not just because they’re interesting, I find him charming and fun to listen to. And we all had a great time when Pedro Pascal was posting the word socialism on twitter. The examples are infinite.

And maybe this is all just motivated reasoning (I don’t want to consider myself a bad person, etc) to let myself off the hook, but it would be effectively the same critique as like, consuming the MCU despite its deep ties to the US military or what have you. Which again, I have engaged in this argument on this blog, and will almost certainly engage in it again! I will mock anyone who still likes Harry Potter on both moral grounds (JKR is abominable) and aesthetic ones (you have dogshit taste). I am also not principled in this regard. You can call me a hypocrite and I’ll agree with you. But I find a lot of movies ideologically despicable (see: Top Gun) or made by awful people (see: Kubrick) and still really enjoy them. This is not a contradiction for me because I (generally) do not operate under the assumption that my engagement with art first requires me to figure out if the artists are good people or not.

And a lot this is adjacent to the point you’re making, and is a strain of discourse I’m anticipating in this response, so maybe this all sounds off topic or overly defensive, but this leads into the broader discussions surrounding the politics of like, ‘moral consumption’ and using the quality of the moral character of an artistic object or artist as a guide for what you should buy into. your mileage will ultimately vary, including my own. and personally I’m really enjoying Mr Tom Cruise!