#AND THAT HE ONLY LEARNED ABOUT ROBIN 2 FROM A. NEWS PAPER

[frogaroundandfindout]

Bruce you make me so ill (Batman #416)

[where-does-the-heart-lie]

Grand Line Crew Modern Au Gang!

i hope yall enjoy, this took a while to get all together, here

ASL post

East Blue Crew post

Friends we made along the way 1 post

Friends we made along the way 2 post

i dont have many additional headcanons for this lot, but i did write a short story with them :) enjoy

Brook only wears the absolute grooviest of clothing at all times.

Brook only wears the absolute grooviest of clothing at all times.

Brook only wears the absolute grooviest of clothing at all times.

That’s just gonna have to be there 👆 tumblr likes to glitch out my posts.

Dont give chopper caffeine. He’ll either have a heart attack or operate on 5x speed, its a gamble every time.

robin and franky love watching home improvement shows, house hunters, how its made, myth busters, and other technical shows together.

When Luffy shows robin memes on his phone, she takes out her reading glasses and holds the phone like a mom does. Ya know that squint. You know.

Jinbei used to be a trucker and had a convoy with s bunch of his truckin’ buddies. They had matching leather jackets with “the sun truckers” embroidered on the back

Franky has a wig closet. It is vast. If you went in there you'd think you were in Narnia or something

Chopper is BEYOND CONVINCED that Sabo is a vampire.

One day, sabo volunteered as an assistant in a medical class chopper was taking. He was acting as chopper’s patient as he was learning the patient procedures of a checkup.

It was all going fine, chopper got all the patient identification out of the way and next was to acquire blood pressure, breath count, and heart rate. But the stethoscope and pressure monitor wasn’t working, and it make it seem like Sabo,,, didnt have a pumping heart,, or blood,,, or really breathed at all(he doesnt take very visible breaths).

Chopper was stricken with fear at this and assumed the absolute worse as he looked in horror at Sabo’s naturally pale complexion and long canine teeth. Chopper simply jotted down the average count of each recording instead of getting new equipment, and tried not to think about it, but

“huh, all of those numbers are usually lower than that. Maybe all that Special Concoction™ i drink is finally catching up to my heart rate.”

“how much have you.. drunk?”

“like for today? Or since I woke up.”

Chopper is fucking horrified. Sabo woke up to being a vampire and drinks blood as a special concoction. He cannot believe this.

”Never mind, I don't need to know, its all normal, you're normal.”

“Wow… that's the first time a medical practitioner has called me normal. My brothers are gonna get a real kick outta this.”

CHOPPER IS FUCKING HORRIFIED. HE HAS BRETHEREN??? Chopper just keeps his head down and finishes up the check up practice as Sabo remarks he has another class in the blood bank, which was lemon in the paper cut for chopper.

For a month or so after that day, Chopper didn’t see Sabo at all, and he forgot about his fear for a little while. However one night as chopper was hanging with Luffy and a few others in the straw hat friend group, there was a knock at the door. Chopper happily said “I’ll get it~” as the rest of the group continued in conversation.

Chopper skips over to the door and when he opens it, he sees the figure of Sabo standing in front of him. Tall and opposing, smiling a big toothy grin with bright blue eyes shining from the overhead lighting. He’s wearing a long trench coat with the collar popped and an ascot was wrapped around his neck.

What chopper was seeing before him.

Was the vampire.

He let out a scream right out of a horror film and promptly fainted.

A minute or two later, he awoke laying on the couch, feet elevated and vest unbuttoned, to his friends looking at him from the foot of the couch.

He goes to stand up, but a strong gloved hand stops his movement and guides him back down

“Don't get up too quickly, little man.”

Chopper looked next to him and saw The Vampire. What was he doing in his house?!?!?

“Are you alright, bud? You opened the door for me, screamed in my face, and then passed out.”

“I’m fine, thank you,” Chopper said with the highest voice-crack to word ratio in his entire life.

“Right. Well again, dont get up too quickly, if you need water or anything let your friends know. I just came here to pick up Luffy cuz some family stuff came up. Have a good night!”

“…you too, and thanks for taking care of me…”

“No prob!”

“One last question?” Inquired chopper.

“What's up?”

“Did someone invite you in?”

the end

PS: Sabo's "special concoction" consists of Red Bull and Espresso. He hasn't slept in 72 hours. This will have lasting effects on his health.

thats all for now! thanks for reading~

[ladykailitha]

Hey, guys it's that lovely time again when I go through my permanent tag list and remove people that haven't interacted with my stories in awhile to clear the way for new people.

So here's the deal, you'll have two weeks to respond to this post. I will post it again every week so that hopefully if you don't see it the first time, maybe one of the others will.

NO JUDGMENT! I swear it. I just want to know if you're still interested so that if you're not, people who are can take your spot.

You can tell me if you want to be:

Removed from my permanent tag and all my stories

Removed from my permanent tag list but keep you on all my stories

Removed from my permanent tag list but only some of the stories (let me know which ones)

Stay on my permanent tag list but be removed from all my WIPs

Stay on my permanent tag list but be removed from some of my WIPs

Stay on my permanent tag list and all my WIPs.

My current WIPs so that you know what I'm currently working on:

Well Met By Moonlight: Steve is a werewolf, Eddie is a vampire and there are strange and horrible things going on in Hawkins. No Upside Down supernatural creatures AU.

Never Hold Back Your Step...: Boy With a Bat book 2. Sequel to Can Anybody See Me? Season 2 Au where Eddie picks up Steve as one of his lost sheep and him and Steve get together. Set immediately after book one, Steve has to get through high school and his new summer job. Only this is Hawkins and danger is always lurking around the corner. Featuring season 3 AU.

Icarus: Eddie makes it big with Corroded Coffin as Steve and Robin seemingly struggle with menial jobs. Only there is more than meets the eye with the up and coming metal band The Fallen as Eddie learns that the lead singer and Steve is one and the same. Now they have to manage three private lives with super stardom. The path to love never was smooth.

Sweet Home Indiana: Sweet Home Alabama fusion. Eddie and Steve get married when the first state makes gay marriage legal. But soon a rift forms between them and Eddie leaves. Now almost a decade later, Eddie's back in Hawkins looking for a divorce so he can marry his fiancee, Chrissy. But when he arrives, Hawkins starts feeling like home in a way he thought he lost long ago. Now he has to chose between his new life in Seattle and his old life in Hawkins. But not everything is as it seems and that makes things harder. For everyone.

Paper Hearts: Post Season 2 Valentine's day AU. Hawkins is doing a fund raiser for senior ball, people can buy paper hearts to give to their friends and lovers. Pink for friends and red for lovers. Steve doesn't have a girlfriend this year so he decides to get twenty pink hearts to give to girls that wouldn't normally get any. Cue Eddie finding that adorable and to do the same for Steve so he doesn't feel so lonely on Valentine's. They fall in love.

So here is the list of people that haven't liked, commented, or reblogged my stuff in about two months.

@danili666 @chaoticlovingdreamer @genderless-spoon @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @emly03

Also if you're on my list and want to be removed from certain stories, let me know here too!

[wolfjackle-creates]

Bring Me Home Arc 2 Part 20: FINAL

So guess what I realized this morning. Today, November 13, 2023 is the one year anniversary of me posting my first DPxDC fic to tumblr. It was the original fill for this very fic. (Which you can find here.)

So I decided I just had to finish this arc and get it posted. This year has been amazing and so much fun. I've become a much better writer and joined a community that has brought me so much joy. I'm glad to be here and I'm glad so many of you like to read what I'm sharing.

I noticed I got a few new readers over the past week or so, so welcome to all of you! Hope you enjoy this early update!

In personal news, my nephew was born and he's adorable and I'll be meeting him tomorrow! (As soon as I'm done posting this, I'm off to make food for his mom.)

Story Summary: Tim and Danny are both neglected by parents who care more about their work than their families. They deal with this by spending too much time online and find each other playing MMORPGs. They keep up their friendship as Tim becomes Robin and Danny becomes Phantom and don't bother keeping secrets from each other.

Arc 1

Arc 2: Part 1, Previous

Word Count: 1.2k

-----

In the end, it ended up taking several hours for Danny, Sam, and Tucker to escape their families and converge on the park. In that time, Tim had called Bruce to let him know he’d be back in Gotham by tomorrow and finished most of his homework.

While he worked, Wulf and Bart were having an animated conversation in Esperanto.

Tim was pretty sure Wulf would be bringing Bart to the Ghost Zone for a tour sometime and started making plans to learn Esperanto himself and bribe Bart to get in on them.

Cassie was helping Conner sort through some of the music Sam had given him. Tim was jealous as he solved more banal trig questions. Why did school have to be so boring? He tapped his pencil on the paper in time to the beat of whatever music Conner had playing.

Tucker was the first to arrive. “Danny and Sam not here yet?” he asked as he plopped down next to Bart and Wulf.

“Nope. Haven’t heard from them, either,” said Tim. He opened his phone notifications again just to be sure, but there was nothing new.

Tucker shrugged and pulled out a stick of jerkey to munch on. “Not surprising. The Fentons will be all overprotective after the mayor was kidnapped by a ghost on live TV. And Sam’s parents are just as bad. Only they smother rather than check the weaponry.” He turned to greet Wulf in Esperanto.

An email came through on Tim’s phone and he groaned. “Our evening interview was canceled. No one wants to hear us try to defend Phantom anymore.”

Cassie cursed. “Course not. Bet the paper won’t publish our editorials either.”

Conner looked over, confused. “Won’t they? Clark works for the Daily Planet. They publish stuff like that all the time.”

Tim didn’t look up from his math as he answered, “That’s the difference between a big, Pulitzer winning publication and a small-town op-ed.”

Tucker sighed. “Well maybe someone will remember your interviews from this morning in a positive light.”

Bart rolled his eyes. “Come on, we can’t change it. So let’s move forward. Next step, make friends with more ghosts! Wulf says there’s a bunch of cool people in the Realms.”

“Realms?” asked Tim.

“It’s what he says the Ghost Zone is actually called. The Infinite Realms.”

“Huh. I’ll have to check JL databases, see if they have any information on them.”

Tucker asked something in Esperanto and Bart burst out laughing as Wulf looked on in confusion.

With Bart’s help, though, he rephrased until Wulf was able to reply. And then the three kept to Esperanto. Tim really had to find time to learn it.

Sam was the next to arrive. She grinned and sat down next to Conner. “How you liking the music?”

Conner grinned and showed her the sheets where he ranked the bands so far based on which songs he’d listened to. She then took over the speakers and searched for specific tracks to try and change his mind about some of the bands he liked the least.

Tim let his eyes close as his friends’ voices washed over him.

After some indeterminate time where he dozed between sleeping and awareness, a foot nudged his hip. Tim grumbled out what was supposed to be a, “What?” but was too mumbled to really be understood.

“Come on, Secrets. You can do better than that.”

Tim cracked an eye open to see Danny grinning down at him. He pushed himself up slightly and blinked heavily in the sunlight.

“Finally got away from your parents?” asked Tim.

Danny collapsed on the ground next to him. “Ugh, don’t remind me. They’re freaking out over everything that’s happened the last few days. Jazz and I are basically going to be on lock down until they feel confident the ghosts are gone.”

“Did you have to sneak out to get here?” asked Cassie.

Danny shook his head. “No, I told them I was going to find you guys to make sure you were all safe. You’re welcome to come back to ours tonight, by the way. Mom and Dad basically insisted on it.”

“What do you guys think?” asked Tim. “Spend one more night here at Danny’s and head out in the morning?”

Cassie sighed. “My mom’s already freaking out that I’ve been gone longer than planned. I should get back tonight.”

“I’ll stay,” offered Conner. “I’m your ride home, anyway.”

“Why don’t you come to my place, Conner,” offered Sam. “Your nails need a fresh coat after fighting today. And I need teach you about the different brands of makeup and what to look for in terms of cost, quality, and ethicality. Plus I can get you more music.”

Tim laughed when Conner looked to him. “Go for it. Have fun.”

Conner grinned. “Then yeah, let’s do it!”

Bart shrugged. “Wulf is going to go back to the Realms soon. I’ll head out after. Wally and Linda want me over for a family dinner tonight.”

“Well, looks like that’s it, then,” sighed Danny. “Been fun having other heroes around.”

Tim nudged his shoulder. “Join the Young Justice. You could join us and we'd help out whenever you wanted. Get you around people who actually appreciate what you do for them.”

But Danny was already shaking his head. “I have to stay here. And now Amity trusts heroes even less. I want to improve that, not make it worse.”

“Even if you don’t join,” declared Conner. “You’re not getting rid of us now.”

Bart nodded his agreement. “Yep. We’re gonna be stopping by all the time. You’re in the group chat.”

“Exactly,” agreed Tim. “And we’ll figure out ways to help you. Starting with how to minimize property damage. That seems to be the big thing people focus on. You can make shields, right? How big can you make them and how much power do they take?”

Danny smiled wryly. “Can’t say I’ve really tested it.”

Tim laughed. “Well, I know one thing we’re doing tonight. We’re going to go back to Nasty Burger—” Tim looked around at the whole group “—all of us. Then Cassie and Bart are going to go home. Danny and I, at least, are going to take a nap. Then we’re gonna test the current limits to Danny’s powers.”

Danny bumped their shoulders together. “You know, this is just like gaming with you all those years.”

“Yeah, well, it’s best to be thorough.”

“We’ve measured, like, his top speed and stuff,” said Tucker, pulling out a PDA. “Want to see what we’ve got so far?”

“Absolutely.” Tim took the device and looked through it. “You’ve a decent amount of information here. Maybe instead of taking a nap, I’ll help you organize it and come up with a testing plan.”

Conner flew over to him and pulled the PDA out of his hand. “Not after pulling an all-nighter you won’t. We’re going to get some food, then the two of you are going to sleep for at least four hours.”

“I’ll set Jazz on you, too,” threatened Sam. “Don’t think I won’t.”

Tim pouted as the device was given back to Tucker. And grumbled more when Conner picked him up and threw him over his shoulder.

“Come on, food time.”

“I am going to put kryptonite in your phone,” threatened Tim.

“Bingo!” shouted Cassie.

Danny laughed as he stood. “Does this mean I can join the next round?”

Tim scowled. “Traitors, all of you.”

-----

Next

And that's the end of this Arc! Arc 3 will pick up where the original fill did. (Only this time, Tim won't be the only DC character there to help Danny.)

I'd say something like I can't believe it's only been a year, but so much has happened to me in the last twelve months that it feels like a lifetime ago, to be honest. But it's been a good year and I'm glad this community has been part of it.

Please follow the subscription post if you want updates for when I start transferring this arc to AO3 or begin posting Arc 3.

[steddieas-shegoes]

this place is such great motivation for anyone trying to move the fuck away from hibernation

chapter 5: i would leave if only i could find a reason also on AO3 Rated E Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰

Much like the day before, Wayne Munson couldn’t resist giving Steve a bit of a glare when he arrived at the same time as Eddie for dinner. Mia was sitting on her playmat, shoving blocks around until it sort of resembled a small tower, but quickly losing interest when she saw Steve.

“Mama! Mama! Uh!” Mia yelled.

And then she fell forward onto her hands, rocked her body back and forth a couple of times, and crawled.

Wayne’s jaw was practically on the floor as he watched Mia crawl the short distance to where Steve was standing at the front door.

She plopped back onto her bottom when she reached him, holding her arms up expectantly, beaming that gummy smile at him.

“Holy shit.” Eddie fell to his knees next to Steve, picking her up and peppering her face with kisses until she was giggling. “You did it, princess!”

Steve joined him on the floor, a hand reaching out to cover Mia’s back as he smiled at them both.

The glare disappeared from Wayne’s face almost as quickly as it came at the sight.

In truth, this was all Wayne had ever wanted for Eddie: someone who made him happy and celebrated his happiness with Mia. It was impossible to pretend he couldn’t see the love in Steve’s watery eyes when he looked at them.

Wayne was always going to be overprotective of his boy and his angel, but maybe he could start letting Steve climb the wall. Maybe he could even throw a ladder over the edge for him to hold onto.

“Daddy’s so proud of you!” Eddie sniffled, a tear falling down his cheek. “Stevie, did you see her?”

“I did! Good job, princess!” Steve kissed her forehead, tears pooling in his eyes.

It was bittersweet, watching Eddie and Steve share this moment with each other and Mia, knowing that he was going to miss a lot of these moments if Eddie followed Steve to the city.

He’d have to be okay with that, knew it was a possibility from the beginning anyway, just didn’t think it would be so soon. He thought maybe he’d get to see her first steps, hear her learn new words, maybe even be around for the joyful day she was potty trained and they could save so much money on diapers.

Looking at the way Steve and Eddie were praising her and smiling at each other, Wayne knew it would be worth it to miss those things if it meant Ed and Mia were taken care of and loved.

“I guess I better check on dinner,” he said softly, not wanting to interrupt the moment too much.

“Oh! Do you need any help?” Steve offered, starting to stand up from the floor.

“Nah,” Wayne waved him off, offering a genuine smile. “I’ll get ya when it’s done.”

Steve nodded, settling back down next to Eddie and watching as Mia reached over for him.

“Mamamamamama!”

Wayne shook his head, an overwhelming fondness taking over.

He paused on his way into the kitchen to watch as Eddie handed her over to him, giving him a soft peck on the lips and a warm smile.

**************

“So, Steve.” Wayne wiped his mouth on a paper towel before turning his attention to Steve, who suddenly looked like he was wishing he was anywhere but here. “Tell me about what you’ve been up to.”

Steve gulped, shoving some of the mashed potatoes around his plate. He’d barely eaten yet, but Wayne was almost certain it had more to do with his nerves than whether or not he liked the food.

“Well, I’m currently a waiter at a Michelin star restaurant a few blocks from the apartment I share with Robin. I make pretty decent tips, better than most people who wait tables in the area. Um, I applied for a technical school in the city.” Steve looks down at his plate, blushing. “I’m going to get a cosmetology certificate so I can work in one of my friend’s salon while I figure out what I might wanna do long term.”

Wayne pretended he didn’t see Eddie’s hand squeeze his knee under the table.

“So you wouldn’t wanna do that long term?” Eddie asked.

“I don’t know. I didn’t really think it could be a career, I guess,” Steve shrugged. “Not for me, at least.”

Wayne and Eddie shared a look.

“It could be. If it’s something you liked.” Eddie said while Wayne nodded in agreement. “You’ve always been known to have great hair, it kinda makes sense for you. Plus, imagine how well those old ladies would tip you just for being handsome.”

They all laughed as Steve seemed to relax a bit more, taking a bite of his baked chicken.

“You know, Ed has been thinkin’ about talkin’ to someone about a tattoo apprenticeship,” Wayne provided before taking a bite of food. “You know anywhere near you that might be interested in havin’ him?”

Steve lit up at the question, and for good reason.

Eddie smiled at Wayne, mouthing a silent ‘thank you’ as Steve started talking about a couple shops within walking distance of the apartment.

It was a quiet acceptance of what was to come, of Wayne giving his support in the only way he knew how right now. Eddie could see it for what it was, and Steve almost certainly could too.

“And there’s a park with a huge playground the next block over, so we could bring Mia all the time. She could even make some friends! There’s a mom group that meets every Tuesday morning and Friday evening-“

“How do you know about this?” Eddie asked.

“Oh.” Steve’s face turned bright red. “I cover for one of the women on Fridays so she can take her twins. They’re almost two.”

“I’m not sure they’d welcome me since it’s just moms.”

“They’d love to have you and Mia. There’s one other dad that switches off with his wife when she has to work. You’d probably like him, he likes Ozzy.”

Eddie snorted. “Ah, yes. The pinnacle of friendship: Ozzy Osbourne.”

“You’d have something in common!” Steve laughed. “He saw him in concert last time he was in Chicago.”

“Really?” Eddie dropped his fork. “Like just a few months ago?”

“Yep,” Steve’s smug smile made Wayne smirk. “Had pit tickets even.”

“He was in the pit?”

Steve nodded, looking over at Wayne. “He said his buddy is the one who got a drumstick when they threw them into the crowd.”

“Holy shit, Steve. So you move to the city and now you have cool friends?” Eddie was joking, but his words had just a hint of jealousy to them. “Or do you have a crush on this guy?”

“Oh my God, Eds, no. Trust me. He’s an accountant with a buzz cut and no tattoos.”

“No tattoos?” Eddie shook his head. “Sounds like he’s hiding something.”

“Maybe you can be his friend and he’ll share his secrets,” Steve nudged him playfully.

Wayne watched as they got lost in each others’ eyes, rolling his own when they wouldn’t look away from each other even after a solid minute.

“How’s dinner, boys?” Wayne asked, smirking when they both jumped in their seats.

“It’s great, thanks.” Steve saw that Wayne’s plate was mostly cleared, a few pieces of chicken left. “I can do the dishes and stuff when we’re all done. I’m sure you’re tired and wanna head to bed soon.”

Wayne squinted at him.

If he didn’t know Steve a bit better, he’d assume he was trying to impress him.

“I think I got it tonight. Why don’t you boys get some rest? You’ve both had a lot goin’ on and Mia will be up in a few hours for a bottle.”

“I don’t mind-“ Steve started, only to have Eddie covering his mouth with his hand.

“Take what’s being offered, Stevie.”

“Listen to your boyfriend, Steve.” Wayne stood up and gathered his plate and glass of water. “Nice havin’ ya over. I’m sure I’ll be seein’ a lot of ya the next few days.”

“Yes, sir.”

“So formal. Stop scaring him so much, Wayne, Jesus.”

Wayne let out a laugh, probably louder than he should have knowing Mia was asleep just down the hall, and touched Steve’s shoulder with the back of his hand.

“It’s Wayne, Steve.”

Wayne left the room before Steve could start crying.

**********

“Are you sure it’s okay I stay?” Steve whispered.

Eddie leaned in to kiss him softly, smiling at him as he pulled away. “I’m sure, sweetheart.”

Steve peeked over his shoulder at the crib, smiling at Mia’s sleeping form.

“She’s amazing. You’re amazing,” Steve closed his eyes and settled further into the pillow under him. “I can’t believe I get to love you both.”

“I can’t believe you want to.”

Steve’s eyes searched Eddie’s, his hand resting on Eddie’s side, just above his largest scar from the bats. His fingers traced the outer edges, where the skin was oversensitive.

“I always want anything you’ll give me.”

Eddie groaned as quietly as he could. “You’re killin’ me. I wanna be inside you so bad right now, Stevie.”

Steve slapped his chest, but immediately leaned in for a kiss, hungrier than the last one.

“How quiet can you be?” Steve whispered against his lips.

“Me? How quiet can you be?” Eddie’s eyes widened as Steve’s hands landed on his waistband.

“I don’t have to worry about being quiet if I’ve got your dick in my mouth, do I?” Steve smirked as he kissed down his neck, his hand pushing Eddie’s pants down just enough to free his rapidly filling cock.

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie rolled to his back so he could lift his hips and help get his pants further down. “You may actually kill me.”

“You’re so dramatic,” Steve said as he kissed down Eddie’s bare chest, hovering for a bit longer over a tattoo he didn’t recognize. “What’s this one?”

Eddie tilted his head down to see what Steve was pointing at.

“It’s the word ‘mine’ over and over in a heart,” Eddie was actually blushing. “Mia’s name means ‘mine’ so I convinced my buddy to do this for free for me soon after she came.”

Steve looked at it closer, then leaned in and kissed it, let his lips linger for a moment.

“It’s perfect.”

Eddie cupped the back of Steve’s head, but didn’t push or pull him in any direction, just needed the feel of Steve in his hold.

A small cry startled them out of the moment, and when Eddie looked over to the crib, he saw Mia’s legs kicking like she was trying to get loose from her swaddle.

Steve sighed, but smiled up at him before patting his chest once and standing up. “I got her,” he said as he walked over to the crib. “Hi princess. You’re not supposed to be awake yet.”

Eddie sat up and looked over at the clock. Steve was right, she shouldn’t be awake yet, and if she was, they’d either been too loud or she was sick.

It only took one close up look at her cheeks to know which it was.

“Shit.” Eddie stood up and reached over for her, frowning as he held the back of his hand up to her forehead as she let out a small whimper. “Dammit.”

She rested her entirely-too-warm cheek against his shoulder.

“What is it?” Steve asked, concern etched on every corner of his face, hand raised like he was ready to comfort or fight if needed.

“She has a fever.”

Every possibility ran through Eddie’s mind: flu, strep throat, a cold, maybe something even more serious.

Steve’s brows furrowed. “She was totally fine right before she went to bed.”

“I know, but babies just get sick. Happens fast,” Eddie half shrugged. “Wayne may not have noticed anything was off while we were in the shower.”

“She’s really warm though, baby. This isn’t something that just happened in the last hour.”

Eddie knew Steve meant well, and probably knew plenty about how that was true for adults, but he didn’t have experience with babies. The sudden stress of knowing he’d probably have to miss work to take her to the doctor tomorrow wasn’t helping his reaction.

“It can.” He sighed. “Maybe you should head out. I don’t want you to catch anything.”

“I’m not leaving you. You have work tomorrow.”

“Yeah, but I have to bring her to the doctor if this fever doesn’t break before morning. And if you get sick, you’ll be miserable for the trip home and you can’t work when you’re sick-“

“Eds, she’s got a tooth coming in.” Steve was running his pinky finger along her bottom gum, smiling to himself when she started nibbling on it. “That’s probably where the fever came from.”

Eddie tried not to feel stupid. She’d already been teething before this, but had luckily escaped having much of a fever. The drool was a bit excessive, and she put everything in her mouth, but otherwise, she was the same happy and healthy baby she always was. Babies did sometimes get fevers for seemingly no reason, but usually that reason was actually because they were teething.

Mia gurgled as she kept trying to munch on Steve’s finger, his face wincing slightly when she bit down harder.

“Seems like it broke through,” he said, though he didn’t pull his finger away. “Poor thing. You want me to get a piece of ice and hold it on her gums? It’ll numb it for a bit.”

Eddie nodded silently.

“Hey. Eds.” Eddie looked at Steve. “You’re a really great dad for being so worried about her.”

Eddie relaxed at Steve’s words. He should’ve known Steve wasn’t judging his parenting, Steve never would over something like this.

“Sorry.”

“For what, baby? You’re just trying to take care of both of us.” Steve kissed his nose. “I’ll be right back.”

He moved quickly, but quietly, from the room, not wanting to disturb Wayne on his way to the freezer to get an ice cube. Eddie watched him leave the door open a crack, just enough for the warm glow from the nightlight to light his way down the hall.

Eddie rocks back and forth on his feet, whispering to Mia while she sucks on her own fingers to try to find some relief, however temporary, from the pain of her tooth popping through the gums. She’s making low grunts every few seconds, either in acknowledgment of what he’s saying to her or in frustration from the pain.

“Mama,” Mia whispers wetly, drool dripping from her mouth when she refuses to take her fingers away to talk. Eddie can’t help smiling fondly at her. “Mamamamama.”

“He’s coming right back, princess. He’s gonna help.”

Steve rushed back in the room, practically sliding across the carpet, ice cube between two fingers to try to prevent it melting too quickly from his body heat.

“Alright, princess! Let’s get your fingers out of the way so we can use this instead.”

Steve pried her fingers out of her mouth, shushing her quiet whine with a kiss to her cheek. He gently brought the ice cube up to her lips and rubbed until she opened her mouth enough for him to rub it over her gums.

She kicked Eddie a couple of times, but seemed content with his solution.

“That’s it, honey. Feels a lot better now, huh?” Steve whispered to her.

Eddie watched as Mia’s eyes never left Steve’s face, a small smile finally replacing the look of pain she’d had before.

He felt cool drops dribbling down his chest as the ice cube melted, but didn’t care enough to try to find a burp rag or t-shirt. He couldn’t look away from this moment.

It felt like everything had maybe led up to this, this very tiny moment in his bedroom, where he could have handled it, but didn’t have to.

Where Steve showed he could fit in a way Eddie didn’t know he needed.

Where his presence would be missed while Eddie figured out how to follow him to Chicago.

How had he already made such a big impact on their lives that going a few months without him now seemed like an impossible task?

“Eds? Baby, what’s wrong?”

Eddie blinked a few times to see Steve looking at him with concern, Mia half-asleep again in his arms.

“Sorry. I just realized that I don’t ever wanna do this without you again.”

It was dangerous to admit, and while he was pretty sure Steve could sense how important he was to Eddie, he’d never come out and said it quite like that.

“You don’t have to,” Steve leaned in to kiss him. “I’m right here.”

“You’re gonna be leaving in a few days, though. And I know we’re gonna come be with you, but it’s not gonna be right away. It’ll be hard to have this and then not for a while.”

Steve nodded once. “I know. But we can figure out a schedule for calls so I can talk to you and Mia until you can come be with me. I’m sure I could come visit again next month during the restaurant’s yearly deep clean. They close for three days and hire a company to scrub the place from top to bottom and pay us our hourly wage for all shifts missed. It’s kinda like a mini-vacation for me.”

“Or maybe we could come visit you.” Eddie set Mia down in her crib gently, holding a hand on her chest so she wouldn’t freak out that he left her. “See our future home. Maybe bring some stuff so moving there feels real.”

Steve wrapped his arms around his waist, kissed his jaw, and rested his head on the opposite shoulder from where Mia had been.

“Pretty sure we’ll have the place to ourselves for most of that, maybe you should be the one to visit. I’ll get a crib for Mia so she can test her new room out. Maybe I can get Robin’s friend Cam to paint a mural on the wall.”

Eddie’s brows raised in surprise. “You can paint the wall?”

“Maybe.” Steve shrugged. “Not like we can’t just paint over it when we move out.”

“Who know you were such a bad boy?” Eddie wiggled his brows. “Keep talkin’ about breaking rental agreement rules. It’s very sexy.”

Steve muffled his laugh in Eddie’s chest. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously in love with you, sweet thing.”

Steve pulled back, fond smile still on his face. “You sure are a sweet talker. I dunno if I can keep up with your charm.”

“Sure you can. You just said you’d paint a mural in our daughter’s bedroom in a rented apartment that probably doesn’t even let you hang picture frames on the walls. Very charming.”

Steve didn’t say anything, just looked at Eddie with wide eyes.

“What?” He finally asked.

“You just said Mia was our daughter,” Steve whispered, broken, somewhat hopeful.

“I-“

“It’s okay if you didn’t mean it, Eds-“

“No, I meant it, it’s just-“

“Seriously, I understand it was a slip. Easy to do when you’re tired and-“

“Steve!” Eddie whisper-shouted, his hands coming up to rest on Steve’s cheeks. “I meant it.”

“You meant it?”

Eddie’s lips were on Steve’s, a better response than any words he could give would be, his tongue tracing along his bottom lip asking for entrance.

“Meant it,” he said again as he pulled Steve backwards towards his bed, opening his eyes for a moment just to make sure Mia was still asleep.

“You gonna be quiet?” Steve whispered against his lips as they settled back in his bed.

“You won’t even know I’m here,” Eddie smirked as Steve kissed down his chest. “Well, except for my dick in your mouth.”

Steve shook his head. “Terrible. Where did the charm from earlier go?”

“It’ll return from the war after you get your mouth on me, I promise.”

Steve rolled his eyes but did as was requested, swallowing around Eddie’s length at the same time he reached up to cover his mouth with his hand.

[real-jaune-isms]

How Zoro Would Confess: 10 Things I Heart About You

*Robin is sitting on a long couch in the library reading, when Zoro enters the room and closes the door behind him, only half trying to be quiet*

Robin: Ah, good afternoon Zoro-kun~

Zoro: Hey Robin... god I'm still not used to you calling me that.

Robin: Fufufu~ So, since you don't tend to come in here, can I help you with something?

Zoro: *pulls out a chair from the table in the center of the room and sits backwards in it to face her* Yeah, you could say that. Listen, I... I'm sure you might say I don't need to, but I wanted to put the effort in for this. So just... let me get through this? I suck at this stuff, but I'm not asking that shitty cook for help so you'll have to deal with how I did it.

Robin: I have no idea what you're talking about... but you seem determined, so I'll hear you out with whatever this is.

Zoro: *nods appreciatively, pulling a folded piece of paper from his pocket* Had to write them down so I could get it right now... 'The 10 Best Things About Nico Robin'

Robin: Oh my god... Zoro-kun you don't have to-

Zoro: I said I want to. Please.

*she falters, but sits with her hands on her lap trying to appear calm*

Zoro: 10. How brilliant she is. Robin is a genius who knows history facts that often help in new unfamiliar places, and when we're in situations we can't solve by hitting things she usually thinks of a solution.

9. How cute her face looks sometimes when she's reading or hearing something new that she's really interested in.

8. Her life was full of pain and hell and crushing misery, but despite all that she's a woman who's more kind and understanding than I could hope to be. She's patient and diplomatic, and so good with kids, with how much Chopper looks up to her as a great example.

7. Her dark sense of humor was unnerving at first, but I've gotten used to it and enjoy it now, so she always makes me laugh.

6. How damn impressive it is that she learned to read Poneglyphs, and she knows how important to our voyage that makes her but she trusts m- US to protect her. She's one of a kind for her skills, and every other reason on here.

5. How determined she was to earn all our trusts and be welcome on the crew, and how long she worked to get mine in particular. She cares.

4. She's a badass and precise fighter who can take down a dozen men or a man twice her size with her powers and deadly skills, and I find that very attractive.

3. Her voice is both soothing and exhilarating, it just feels amazing to hear.

2. Whoever gave Boa Hancock her title has never seen Nico Robin, because she's the most beautiful woman in the world as far as I'm concerned.

Robin: *has been getting more and more flustered as the list went on, fully beet red and crossing her legs now* Z-Zoro~...

Zoro: And number 1... *looks up from the paper to stare into her shining blue eyes* I love you, Nico Robin~

Robin: *clutching a hand over her mouth, gasping and starting to cry* Oh my god... Zoro-kun!~ D-did Nami put you up to this? I swear if she's gone this far to torment the two of us...

Zoro: What, you don't think I can think up something this heart felt? It's my own writing, see? *Shows that its in scrawl that a cartographer like Nami would never have*

Robin: Oh Zoro... this is real... I love you too!!~ Come here!

Zoro: *comes to sit by her side, gets pushed onto his back* MMMMPH!!

Robin: *throws herself on him to kiss him as deeply and for as long as she sees fit, not having to be teasing now that their feelings are clear and requited* MWAH~ MWAH~ CHU~ What... do you want this to make us?

Zoro: *gasping and panting to get more air* Like... putting... a label on it? Boyfriend and girlfriend feels too kidsy for us, would partner get the point across enough?

Robin: I think it could, though I may also call you my lover~

Zoro: I can live with that, my love~

Robin: *kisses him again, adoring how sweet he can be* You know Sanji will be furious about this, right?

Zoro: When have I ever cared what he thinks? He'll have to let it go, there's no way I'm giving up on being with you~

*They just sit and enjoy the bliss of their new relationship for an hour or so, eventually leaving hand in hand*

[billybabyy]

i'll keep playing that goddamn song (if it keeps you alive.)

mentions of: blood, upside down flashbacks.

author note: this is the first time i’m posting something that i’ve written so please be nice 😅 i’m nervous.

word count: 823.

read on ao3.

goes with this moodboard

June, 1989

Dustin shouldn't be here.

He should be celebrating. With his friends. In Mike Wheelers stupid basement like he and the party have been planning since they were twelve. He should be there, not trudging through the headstones of Roane Hill Cemetery.

His suit looks good, tailored to fit him perfectly and even though it's longer now, Steve still helped him with his hair, just like he did for the Snow Ball of '84, he doesn't care about any of it now though, just counts the rows. 1...2...3...4... Until he finds what he's looking for.

Edward Munson.

Dustin smirks, he'd hate it, can hear Eddie telling him to scrap it off and write something cooler every time he comes here. He runs his fingers over the engraving, it's not even that old but it's mostly eroded away from all the profanities him and Wayne took turns scrubbing off that first summer after. It's clean now though as he leans back against it, fiddling with one of the rings on his fingers.

The intro to Master of Puppets plays for what feels like the 100th time in an hour—which is about the amount of time it took him to work up the nerve to actually walk here. It isn't as loud as it was that night, coming muffled through the shitty black headphones hanging around his neck—they're Eddie's... or they were Eddie's, they broke last month, sound only coming out of one side, Dustin has new ones now, orange ones hanging on a hook in his room, but he needed these ones tonight. The music is almost loud enough to drown out the sound of gurgling blood he still hears in his head... almost.

He turns the volume up a little higher.

"End of passion play, crumbling away, I'm your source of self-destruction."

It startles him, James Hetfield screaming in his ears, he usually restarts the song before he even has a chance too, forgets that there's still another seven minutes and thirty seconds of the song he’s never heard. Eddie never played him the part that comes after, just the intro over and over while he was learning it. Dustin can still hear him talking about how he'd sweettalked the girl behind the counter at the RadioShack to get him a copy early. If the after sounds anything like how he feels right now he doesn't care for it, as far as he's concerned, the after sucks... 

He hits rewind and then play, sparking up the joint he had tucked behind his ear over the first strum of Kirk Hammett's guitar—it's the last of what he could save from Eddie's locker before Principal Higgins had it cleared out, kept it safe all these years, hidden away, special for tonight, doesn't care if it's still good or not. He doesn't cough anymore either, not like the first time, not now that he's used to it, just lets the smoke fill up his lungs and let's the too sharp edges of his mind turn fuzzy.

"Bad—ba..." His voice strains, squeaks and crackles like he's back stumbling through the upside down, ankle broken and throbbing, screaming for Eddie, the sound of bats screeching overhead. He turns the music up a little louder, wipes the clammy sweat from his hands on his fancy slacks and tries again, "Bad news first, right?" The silence of the cemetery tugs at him but he takes it as response enough, "Well, bad news... you weren't there." He blows out a shaky breath, blinks away the tears starting to burn behind his eyes and takes a piece of paper out of his suit jacket—folded, even though his mom told him not too. "Good news," He says, unfolding it, tossing it in front of the tombstone, "Good news, I finally graduated."

Rewind. Play.

Everyone had been there, his mom, Steve, Robin, hell, even Wayne was in the front row, the seat beside him left empty... He stares at it. His diploma, doesn't know why Eddie worked his whole damn life for it, it's just a stupid piece of paper, he thinks.

He leans his head back against the grave, tears rolling steady down his cheeks now, "You should've just ran."

The air in the cemetery seems to change, like something's on the other side of it, listening, feels like it's patting him on the shoulder rather than rustling his hair with the breeze. Or maybe it’s just the weed… making his bones feel like jelly and his eyelids heavy, he's too tired to hit rewind again so he decides to just let the song play, see if there's anything in the after worth listening too. And maybe Eddie's three year old weed still has some kick to it because he thinks that he hears it, something to still keep him playing the song over and over, something to keep him from floating away, something to make the after more bearable, he hears it, between the verses, between the strums of the guitar.

"I love you, man." 

tags: @destroya2005

[the-broken-truth]

Broken-Style Remix: Platonic Yandere Bruce Wayne + Bat-Family & Dakota Blake (Part 5)

SUBTITLE: THE HUNTRESS OF ARTEMIS

SUMMARY: Damian Wayne decides to get rid of the Father Figures in his elder sister's life so that she will embrace Bruce Wayne as her one true father and him as her younger brother. One night, as Robin, he stalks Tobias Blake and intends to end his life when he is intercepted by the Mysterious Hunter of Artemis who claims that the Blake Family is under her protection.

NOTE: WRITTEN IN SCRIPT FORMAT

[LOCATION - THE BLAKE FAMILY BAKERY - 15 MINUTES AFTER OPENING]

[The Shop smells like fresh baked goods like muffins, cinnamon rolls, and other pastries, as well as coffee, tea, and other delicious drinks. Damian sits in his chair at a high table with his laptop before him as he types away - he looks like he is doing homework but he is taking notes on Rani Blake as she and her employees work in the shop; there has to be something he can use against them so that Dakota would come to them instead. It's been a month since Wild Berry Week and Damian still comes into the shop for a Blueberry Muffin along with a cup of coffee; he learned that Dakota made the recipe for the muffins while Rani bakes them, that's the only reason he comes to the bakery and enjoys his sister's creations before leaving his when his father calls for him. So far, the bakery is running smoothly but he occasionally sees Rani glaring at him to which he smirks at her; she knows that the Wayne Family is after Dakota and she wants nothing more than to kick him out but if she kicked out a member of the Wayne Family without reason, it would be bad for business and she didn't want any bad publicity in the papers about her bakery.]

[The door opened and Damian looked up from his laptop to see a familiar male walk into the bakery: Tobias Blake. He looked into him: A Military Man who served 2 tours and collected a great number of scars - physically and mentally - but he managed to get himself together and find a decent job along with a woman by the name of Tori Bishop - now going by the name Tori Blake after her marriage to Tobias. Damian looked the man up and down: He was tall and muscular with short rusty red hair and green eyes that went well with his tan skin; as much as he didn't want to admit it, he saw what Tori saw in him - a kind-hearted man with a will and body of steel.]

Tobias (Walks over to the counter and waves Rani over): Hey, Little Sister, I wanted to inform you that your new shipment of supplies and pans is here. I guess Wild Berry Week damaged your pans, huh? 

Rani (Exhales as she runs her hand through her long red hair): Yes, they did. I wish 'Kota would work with me here, then I could have more hands around to get more muffins out.

Tobias (Places his hands in his pockets): You know that Dakota loves where she is, Rani, plus I don't think her godmother would give up her number one barista without a fight. Literally.

Rani: I know. I know. You sure do know a lot about Dakota, Elder Brother, but that's to be expected from the man who raised her all those years ago. Remember when she called you 'Daddy' when she was first learning how to speak? You still have that recording, don't you?

Tobias (Blushed in embarrassment as he scratched the back of his head with a low but hearty laugh): Yeah... It was so embarrassing but at the same time, it made me realize that I wanted children of my own. Now, Tori is pregnant and she says that I raised a decent young lady in Dakota but do you have any idea how long it took her to call me her uncle after years of calling me her father?

Rani: Well, you did a lot of things that a father would do: Took her to the hospital when she was sick, drove her to school when she was running late, scolded her when she got a boyfriend.

[That made Damian almost choke on his muffin piece - a BOYFRIEND?! HIS SISTER HAD A BOYFRIEND?! Well, she was old enough to have one so to speak but she was still a Wayne and there was no man alive that was worthy of the Wayne Heiress! He needed to find out how this so-called boyfriend was and deal with him...but first, he need to have a word with Tobias - the man who robbed Dakota of her real father, their real father. Once he was done with his muffin and coffee, he closed his laptop and placed it inside the satchel across his shoulder before walking over to the adults talking before he cleared his throat, gaining their attention; both of the Blakes looked at him with disinterest in their eyes and scowls on their faces.]

Damian (Glares into Tobias' Green Eyes with his own): Tobias Blake, I need to have a word with you about Dakota Wayne.

Tobias (Turns to face Damian and narrows his eyes): Her name is Dakota Blake, I should know because I was the one who named her when she was born. It was my honor that was given to me by her mother - the one that raised her for the past 16 years. 

Damian (Narrows his eyes): The only reason that woman raised my sister was that she was too selfish to take to my father about his heir and you have been talking about raising her but don't you understand that you have taken away the right of raising a child away from her biological father? From my father?

Tobias: Listen, kid. I don't give a damn about your father or you for that matter. Both of you are making my niece's life harder than it has to be because you can't take no for an answer. Dakota has expressed numerous times that she wants nothing to do with your family and she refuses to claim the Wayne Name. Why? Because she's a Blake and it doesn't matter how much money your father tries to throw at her or Marissa, she will never be a Wayne.

Damian: You don't know what you are talking about. Dakota is a Wayne - it's only natural that an heir takes her father's name.

Tobias (Smirks): Funny you say that. She called me father but she only refers to your father as Bruce.

[Damian looked at the man with anger in his eyes but calmed down before turning on his heel and walking out of the shop. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed a number before placing the phone to his ear - it rang 4 times before the other person picked up.]

Alfred: Yes, Master Damian?

Damian: Get some information on Tobias Blake - he's the one who took the right and privilege of raising Dakota away from my father and I want him to pay.

Alfred: What are you planning, Master Damian?

Damian: I'm going to remove him from the equation completely.

[3 Weeks Later]

[There was a chaotic peace about the nights of Gotham City - a deadly silence that drew out the darkest passions of man and beast; Damian guessed that's why so much villain activity happened at night, under this blanket of darkness and chaotic peace. However, he wasn't looking for a villain or going on patrol with his father and adoptive brothers - the Last Robin had a mission of his own and he was going to use this time to his advantage. Jumping from one rooftop to another, Robin ran alone in the night as his eyes narrowed while he was reaching his target - Rani Blake's Bakery. For the past 3 weeks, Damian has been looking into one Tobias Blake to understand his pattern and he found out that every Saturday, there was a family event and all of the Blake Family was invited; sometimes Dakota would attend but this weekend, she had something else to do and couldn't attend, this was perfect for Damian, she didn't need to be around for what was about to happen.]

[Landing upon the roof of the last building across from the back of the bakery, The Last Robin crouched behind a rooftop door and peered around the corner to look down at the door that led to the back parking lot of Rani's Bakery, his eyes were locked on the door when it opened and the tall man walked out with a smile on his face as he placed his hands in his pockets as he hummed a song. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his car keys as he walked over to the lone car in the parking lot. Damian reached into his Batarang Case and pulled out a League of Assassins Star and aimed it for the neck of the man.]

Damian (Thinking): 'You're not Dakota's Father - Tonight, it will break her and I will be there to put the pieces back together with her real father. Goodbye, Tobias Blake.'

[Just as he was about to throw the star, something flew past his ear and knocked the star out of his hand, causing him to retract his hand and hold it when the mysterious object also cut his fingers. He looked at the object - a lone arrow was embedded in the stone of the rooftop door - Damian looked in the direction of the arrow and his eyes narrowed as he laid them upon the one who shot the arrow.]

[A lone figure stood on the roof with him, dressed in black attire with a black wolf mask that covered the eyes and nose of the person and a golden crest on their shoulder with the name 'ARTEMIS' written in black writing. From what Damian could see, the person had tan skin, and short black hair but he couldn't see their eye color. The Hunter was armed with an arrow loaded in a bow, pointing it at Damian, and a short sword on their black - a katana. Damian rose to his feet and glared at the Hunter before pulling his sword out of its sheath.]

Damian (Points sword at the Hunter before him): What the hell are you doing? You're getting in my way.

Hunter (With a female voice - a woman): You were aiming for someone who is under my protection.

Damian (Raises an eyebrow): Your protection? Just who the hell are you?

Huntress: I am a Huntress of Artemis and that's all you need to know. Well, that's a lie. You need to understand that the Blake Family is under the protection of the Hunters of Artemis and if you go against them, we will come to protect them and put you in your place. Now, you have missed your mark, leave this place and never return.

Damian: Never. I won't stop until I accomplished my mission. I have too much at stake here to just give up because some 'Bat Family' Wannabe demands me to.

Huntress (Scoffs): You fail to realize that I have nothing to do with the Bat Family, nor do I wish to be like them. The Order of Artemis is much older than the Bat Family's Presence in Gotham and you are overstepping your bounds, boy. Leave the Blake Family alone or deal with us.

[Damian watched as Tobias drove away in his car before he charged at the Huntress of Artemis with his sword and roared in anger - his target got away and he was pissed off about it. He swung his sword at the female under the mask before she jumped away and pulled out her sword before placing her bow away. A fight was going to ensue. For the past twenty minutes, Damian swung his sword and used the skills his father and mother steeled inside of him but they were nothing compared to the Huntress of Artemis. The battle ended when the Huntress grabbed his wrist and lifted her knee to crash it into the side of his elbow, making it bend, and shattering it, making the boy scream in pain before roundhouse kicking him in the chest to make him slide against the roof until he came to a stop. Damian grunted as he picked himself off the ground, holding his broken arm as he growled at the girl before him.]

Damian: How? Who the hell are you?

Huntress (Places her sword back in her sheath and turned away from Robin): As I have said, I am a Huntress of Artemis and I am a protector. Leave the Blake Family alone...or I'll break more than your arm. (Runs and jumps to the next roof before disappearing in the darkness of the night)

[Damian released his arm and placed his hand over the intercom in his ear.]

Damian: Father... we have a problem.

[sabraeal]

Tenderness Like a Bruise, Chapter 2

[Read on AO3]

Took a small break from frantic bingo writing to make this for @puffdragongirl‘s birthday! Robin asked for MORE OD ANA, and since I had always meant to continue with this fic...I was happy to tack another chapter on!

The petal and wings of Wisteria may burst across this man’s throat, but he’s no royal messenger Od Ana’s ever seen. Too young, for one; his pale hair fluffs out from his scalp like a chick’s feathers, kind that shouldn’t be wandering so far out from under their mother’s nethers. His daemon’s been ridden hard too, her flanks heaving the way an experienced rider would never allow. 

Still, she’s got enough spirit in her to give Od Ana one of those wall-eyed stares, the kind that shows white all around. That’s what they get, having their reputation precede them like it does. The prince’s messenger and his witch daemon. Sometimes he’s got her so far away you can’t even see her. Can’t trust a man like that. 

They’re lucky that daemon doesn’t take more after a horse and balk for the shock of it.

Ah, but whatever she thinks of its bearer, the bad news is stamped with the royal seal all the same. “There’s the message. From the prince himself!”

There’s a certain amount of pomp to these things; the messenger holds it out, a little square that can’t have much more than a handful of lines scrawled on it, and bows like it’s some lordly edict. And for all that, Obi sits back in his hips and takes it, opening it with little more than a flick of his wrist.

There’s a trick to it, of course: apply the correct amount of force at the right angle and wax sheers from the sheet without even clipping the Wisteria wings. But messenger boy doesn’t know it; he just stands there gawping like he just fell off the wagon, impressed by nothing more than a party trick. Od Ana hopes for his sake he learns to hide it better. There’s plenty of thorns in Wistal’s garden that would enjoy having a bumpkin in their pocket. The king, for starters.

“Ah, but also...Sir Obi...on my way here...”

Od Ana glances up, claws flexing over collarbone, and, ah, she’s seen that wide-eyed gaze before, that starry shine. She may have no name to put to a face for him, but it looks like whatever reputation has wended its way back to Wistal has more in common with Hiro’s hero worship than city folk superstition.

The messenger’s reedy voice drops to a whisper. “I heard news about the string of attacks on noblemen.”

Obi glances up, the bristle of his hair brushing her feathers. “Oh yeah? A new development?”

“Well...” Under Obi’s direct attention, the boy shies the way young men do at a pretty girl’s doorstep. “They say that the lead suspect is, ah...”

Hisame Lugis. The name springs to her beak on reflex, instinct. She’s only seen the man once, malingering at the edges of a ballroom, but she’s heard enough about that little ladder-climber to know he’s the sort that wouldn’t be shy sharing a few knives to the back among friends. Especially if those lucky pals were thinking about putting their grubby paws on the same heiress of Seiran.

“...Sir Mitsuhide Lowen.”

The papers flutter to the cobbles, Obi’s hands boneless above them. “What?”

Obi might have a memory like a steel trap, but between the two of them, it’s Od Ana who reads faster. She hunches over his shoulder, skimming the prince’s sloping script, and still, she can’t put it all together, can’t make it make sense. The lords, the murders, Sereg, Mitsuhide. Maybe from a distance the edges blur into a big picture, like one of those fancy paintings in Wistal’s galleries, but from here, on the ground, she can’t see it. Can’t see how anyone would think a man like Mitsuhide Lowen would send another man to do his dirty work. Dust, that he’d have dirty work to begin with.

She’s got a hundred thoughts buzzing in her head, each more nasty than the last, but Obi doesn’t say a word, doesn’t do anything but lean over the stone and stare out over the plaza. Shirayuki’s down there right now, with Ryuu too, and neither of them know, neither of them could even suspect...

Her beak clicks, annoyance biting at her like mites. “You aren’t actually thinking of going.”

It’s not a question, it’s a hope. A blind one, flung out into the wind as an attempt to slow their descent. Because she already knows the answer: he is. And the longer he says silent, the more sure she becomes.

“Don’t.” It’s not in her to plead. Birds don’t have knees, she’d always say-- not where Shirayuki hear-- but, oh, Obi has enough for them both. What’d be nice is if he could stop getting on them. “Zen hasn’t even asked for you.”

“He has.” The words roll off his lips just like that first step he took in the forest. Playful, testing the edge of his limits, flirting with the promise of pain. The next one will be worse, she knows, and the next, all the way up to when it suddenly isn’t. To when it’s all gone. “There’s no other reason for Master to send another guard up here.”

Not unless he’s already expecting Obi to come sit at his heel. That’s how these Wisterias work, of course: everything written between the lines. Obi wouldn’t be sagging underneath his sir if he wasn’t fluent in it. If they both weren’t.

Doesn’t mean she has to like it.

“We have something good here.” And she’s not ready for that sting again, for the burning in her chest as another bond breaks, left to die somewhere out in snow. “Something real. There’s no reason to give that up to--”

“They need us.” One corner of his mouth lifts, helpless. “And if we turn our back on them now, on Mister...”

His shoulder lifts, and oh, she knows that hopeless look all too well. If we don’t go, his smile says, then we aren’t who she thinks we are.

The worst part is: he’s right.

“Shirayuki,” Suzu observes, far too mild. “Your flask is going to boil over.”

“What? Oh!” With a blink, the apparatus comes into focus, and ah, yes, that is too rigorous a roil when she’s looking for something just a hair above a simmer. “Ah, thank you.”

His shoulders shrug the way a hanger might, all wires and sharp edges, coat surviving through sheer hardiness of the fur. “Don’t mention it.”

And just like that, he walks away. No, ‘gee, Shirayuki, what’s got you so distracted?‘ or ‘is there something on your mind?’ Hermia gives a sympathetic blink,  but she doesn’t so much as croak to slow him down either, just sits on his shoulder like a moss does on a log while he wends around the lab, aimless.

Shirayuki sighs, turning the valve on her burner until the flame flickers at a much cheerier orange. Fiddles with the legs on her alembic’s stands for good measure too; anything to keep her mind from drifting back out to the market, to the stairs she’d watched for nearly half an hour before Suzu came to distract her with work. His work, specifically, but it had been better than sitting on cold stone and wondering.

“Worrying,” Perkunas hums, paws catching her around the ankle. “You’d been worrying. Like you are now.”

“I’m not,” she snips, because she isn’t, not at all. It’s just that Obi and Od Ana exchanged one of those glances of theirs before they left, the kind that came just before a blizzard blew down from the mountains, or before adopted brothers climbed up a balcony to steal her away to the mountains. The kind that said trouble was coming, and they’d have to put themselves right in its path.

Not that she’s been turning that over in her head all afternoon. She hasn’t. It’s just been there, tugging at her thoughts the same way Perkunas tugs at her patience, siphoning off gulps of her attention until--

Well, until things boil over. Which she’s half tempted to do as well, if Perkunas can’t leave her hem alone. “Oh, honestly,” she huffs, ducking down to glower at him. “Aren’t you supposed to be the wise one?”

He only stares back, all glossy eyes and innocence, as if one of his claws weren’t already caught around a stitch. If only she were Od Ana, she could click her beak right at him and let him know just how close he’s coming to her limit, and--

The lab door clanks against the shelves, her only warning before an all-too familiar voice calls out, “My Lady!”

It’s impossible to tell who cries “Obi!” first, but it’s Perkunas who trundles down the stairs so quick it yanks at their tether, hard enough that she hits a hip against the table trying to follow. She hobbles over to the top of the staircase just in time for his head to butt into Obi’s shin, and oh, she feels that all the way back in her mouth, molars jittering together with every descending step.

The hand that scritches behind Perkunas’s round little ears is thoughtless, a habit, but when Obi stops in front of her, smile stitched poorly into place, the space he leaves is purposeful. For a moment, she wishes he might reach for her, might catch her elbow in a palm, but instead he turns to a spooked Suzu and lilts, “Sorry about that. Mind if I whisk her away for a minute?”

“Uh?” Suzu glances between them, wide-eyed. “Go ahead.”

Hermia ruffles her feathers, all mouth when she adds, “Doubt we could stop you.”

It’s Od Ana’s place to click her beak, to drawl a clear, you got that right, but--

But she’s not here. And that, more than anything, makes her breath catch, makes her practically gasp out, “Lead the way.”

It’s strange to see Obi how the guards must, his back to the pillar and arms folded, all his usual warmth filed away for professionalism. Perkunas scampers after him, parking his round bottom right over one of his boots, and-- and it’s the sort of thing that might make her laugh, if he could meet her eyes.

“According to the messenger--” Obi’s voice echoes in the empty hall, a low, rasping thing made for grim conversations and even grimmer secrets “--the royal guard is sending a messenger to Sereg to basically put Mitsuhide under arrest.”

“That’s...” Her tongue plumbs the cavern of her mouth, suddenly strange with unfamiliar words. “That’s absurd. H-how? Why?”

One of his shoulders shrugs, the lazy sort he used to do back when he spent more time hanging down from trees than with his feet on the ground. From when she used to wonder if he had a daemon at all. “The decision is based on the testimony of this knight, Taws.”

And who is he? she wants to ask. How is his word worth so much more than a man like Mitsuhide’s?

All she manages is a strangled, “Mm.” Partially from the anger constricting her throat, and partially--

Ah, well, it’s distracting for Perkunas to paw at him like that, hopping around and bapping at his waist, enough that the wool scratches at her own hands. And when Obi bends down, scooping him up...

“Master didn’t mention any of it in his letter,” he grunts, arranging the chubby body over his shoulder. Perkunas trills, the round dome of his head bonking into Obi’s jaw once, twice, before he figures out how to fit beneath it, like a child who had long outgrown a lap but is loath to admit it. “So I guess he probably hasn’t heard. Yet.”

Shirayuki smooths a palm over her waist; it does nothing for the phantom press there, nor the one just behind her thigh, but, well, it’s hardly unpleasant. “Ah...”

His gaze meets hers over Perkunas’ head, and oh, it would be nice if she could fit as neatly, if only so she might be held when he says, “I’d better look into it.”

Perkunas grunts, annoyed. “Why?”

Obi’s mouth pulls thin. “Because I know for a fact what kind of person Mitsuhide is.”

That steadies her, makes her knees feel more solid than commissary jelly. “Yeah,” she breathes, giving her head a stiff nod. “So do I.”

“What about us?” Perkunas whines, wiggling in his arms. “Do you think they might come after us?”

Obi’s grip stiffens, eyes pulsing wide.

“I won’t let that happen,” he promises, pulling Perkunas closer. He gets another head butt for his troubles. “You just stay here in Lilias, the both of you.”

“But--”

“Okay.” It’s a betrayed look her daemon turns to her, his clownish face rumpled in a grimace, but she just stares at him, serious. “We’ll stay put, if that’s what will help.”

Obi lets out a sigh, his whole body slumping down the pillar in relief, Perkunas cradled tight against his chest. “Yeah, it sure will.”

His head lifts, and Perkunas wiggles again, squirming until his back half plops on the the ground, front paws still clinging to Obi’s shoulders. “Anyway, you little sausage,” he laughs, scrubbing him behind the ears. “If they were gonna threaten Master through you, it wouldn’t make sense to go round about it like this. No--” his brows tilt, thoughtful “--they’re after him and the aides. I’m sure of it.”

“I don’t like it.” It’s so easy for Perkunas to say those things, to play the petulant child when he’s all clumsy cuddles and funny faces. If she tried-- well, there’s a reason she doesn’t. “Couldn’t you just tell them...?”

“Nah, they’ve got enough on their plate. This is my job.” Obi presses his head to his, serious as he says, “So I gotta do it.”

Perkunas sits back, arms hanging sulkily over his belly. “All right,” he whuffs, put out. “If you gotta.”

“That’s the thing,” Obi says, smile too tight. “I really, really do.”

It’s easy to keep her head when it’s all just...logistics. Shikito still has to arrive from Wistal, and Obi has a handful of leads he can chase all from the leisure of his desk. Permissions to seek as well, not the least from Makiri, who won’t be happy to see one of his most experienced guards snatched out from under him right before inspections. The more she doesn’t think about dates or times, the further it seems, like that lunch she keeps promising Izuru or Suzu’s thesis defense.

But when he leaves her in that hall by herself, begging off to go send off a few notes before dinner, it’s--

It’s real. Too real. And much, much too close.

There’s a fluttering by the window, a golden shape taking form on the sill, and all it has to say is, “Shirayuki,” and--

And that’s enough. Her eyes blur, and with a single step she buries her face into Od Ana’s breast.

“I’m not crying,” she tells her, because she can’t be if feathers catch the tears before they ever fall. “It will all be fine. I know it will be.”

“Of course,” Od Ana agrees, beak nuzzling at her hair. “It can’t be anything else.”

And oh, how nice that would be, if only either of them believed it.

[f1inl3ey]

Here’s some headcanons for tbp characters that no one asked for

Finney

Obsessed with queen

Allergic to bees

HATES pineapple

Autistic

Special interest is space

Severe anxiety

Braids Gwen’s hair every morning

Has a box in his closet full of plushies that he put away after being made fun of bc of them

Once him and Gwen swapped rooms without their dad knowing (like literally swapped furniture and everything)

Works at a graveyard when he’s 20 as a half time job while he’s at uni

Becomes an astronomer

Hates having long nails. Cuts them all the time

Only Robin knew about his dad so after he died he could only rely on Gwen since he didn’t want to tell donna that kind of stuff

Bisexual

Robin

Convinced finney to grow out his hair a bit

Follows finney around after he gets out and the other ghost boys find it weird and creepy

Dyslexic

His bandana reeks bc he never takes it off unless he’s sleeping or doing anything that could get it wet

3/4 of his closet is t shirts that he’s cut the sleeves off of

ADHD

Nice when he’s not beating someone up and everyone thinks it’s weird

Tried to skateboard once and sprained his ankle

Extremely selfless (ex. Denies all help from everyone when sick or hurt)

Weirdest music taste, it’s all over the place

Literally no musical ability at all

Hands are always clammy (is that how u spell it?) it annoys everyone

Stole his uncles truck once

Gay

Bruce

Selfless

Surrounds his whole life with what he thinks his parents would find disappointing and tries to avoid doing those things but stops after his friends told him that it wasn’t healthy

OCD

Hides in Amy’s room when he’s sad and watches her go about her daily routine. It makes him feel better.

Loves dogs

Amy covers for him when he sneaks out and he does her chores for a week after to repay her

Room is messy but clean at the same time

Writes the most vile insults about people in Japanese in his favourite notebook

Hates metal and paper straws

Collects baseball cards

Obsessed with solitaire. Plays it daily

Puts ice in every drink he possibly can

Likes sherbet

Doesn’t like labels but says he likes both boys and girls

Vance

Him and Bruce used to be friends until he pushed Bruce away

Severe daddy issues

Mummy issues but also doesn’t have mummy issues at the same time

Chews gum constantly

Graffitis trains

Autistic

Special interest is pinball

Bpd

As gay as one can be

Major feminist bc of his mum

HATES sleeves

Actually really smart and has good grades. He only stayed back 2 years because of the amount of suspensions he was getting

Literally screaming for help (subtly) but no one is listening

Billy

Several near death experiences

Vitamin deficiency

Was best friends with griffin way before they got kidnapped. Was absolutely crushed when he found out he was missing

His dog is his comfort

Hates his neighbours

Delivers newspapers to robin

Mummy issues

Reads books that are at least an inch thick

Collects rocks

Knows there’s something mentally wrong with him but doesn’t care enough to actively seek out a diagnosis or an answer

Mood disorder

Always carrying a pack of mints around

Aroace

Likes sour candy

Griffin

Iron deficiency

His dad died when he was little and he currently lives with his mum

Once tried to eat a crayon

Social anxiety

Puts beads on his shoelaces

Excoriation disorder/dermatillomania ( a form of ocd where an individual compulsively picks at their skin)

Always had to be sent home because he was sick. Never had enough money to go to a doctor

Gwen talked to him during a boring assembly once but they never became friends or talked to each other again

Spent lunch in the boys toilets or in his favourite teachers classroom

Weirdly obsessed with English, loves correcting people on their grammar or spelling and learning new words

Billy was his safe person. He’d always go to Billy when he was upset.

Once got so bored that he stared at the clock in his house for 3 hours

Extremely rough hands

Thinks too much. Comes out with the weirdest shit like “how do dreams work”

Gwen

Grows up to realise that she’s on the acespec

When she first met Robin she didn’t like him but then they started talking about finney together and she warmed up to him very quickly

LOVES Donna. Warms up to her very quickly and every time she’s over, hanging out with finney she always drags her away from him to do her hair and play dolls with her

Collects bracelets

As a teenager she starts to put posters of her celebrity crushes on her wall

Loves the Beatles and David Bowie

As soon as the ‘talking with psychopaths’ book series came out her and finney became obsessed with it.

Allergic to nuts. Specifically peanuts (poor gwenny she can’t have Nutella)

Actually hates when people call her Gwendolyn. She just prefers Gwen

Likes thriller movies over horror

She’s a hoarder

Becomes obsessed with paranormal activity shows

When she graduates high school she goes on a road trip and calls it the ‘the drive of ‘87’ (I think that’s around the time she should graduate high school)

She’s the type of person that can sleep anywhere. And I mean anywhere

Donna

My girl is a raging bisexual and you cannot tell me otherwise

She thinks of Gwen as the little sister she never had

She loves partys but she wouldn’t sneak out just to go to one. She’d rather get her well deserved beauty rest

Blondie stan

Has a 15 step skin care routine and a 9 step hair care routine

The biggest bookworm. She goes to cinemas with the book of the movie she’s watching just to see how much the movie missed

Her and Gwen bond over their love for the Beatles and when she stays the night in Gwen’s room they scream the lyrics to the entire abbey road album and finney finds it so annoying

Converse high tops is her go to shoe. She loves her high tops and has all the colours she can get

Her and finney bond over queen, they argue over who the best band member is

My girl loves the smell of lavender. She owns anything lavender that she can get her hands on. Even her perfume is lavender

She prefers listening to finney and Gwen talk over everyone else

Collects charms and puts all the ones she’s collected on the same necklace that she wears daily. She even has a charm in the shape of a moon that finney and Gwen got her for her 14th birthday

Loves crystals. Thinks they’re the prettiest things ever

Listens to podcasts all the time

This was longer than I expected but it’s fine

[brightsun-and-darkmidnight]

The Angel and The Unholy

I want to thank @earthlyangelbby for beta reading this. All mistakes are still my own.

Chapter 2 - Surface Knowledge

Summary... A little in Eddie's perspective to show how well the Carrier family has been accepted into Hawkins. As well as the first tutor session between Eddie and Victoria.

I hope you enjoy and please let me know if you liked this at all.

.....

Eddie looked over at Victoria, not being able to help himself. 

She was smiling, talking with a few others. Eddie wondered if there was anyone she didn’t talk to because everyone would. The band geeks, science nerds, cheerleaders, jocks, and even the ones who partied. She talked to all who crossed her path, especially people who she could help. Some of the people who talked to her were others who were enrolled in tutoring. Mrs. O’Donnell spoke highly of her and maybe she could help him.

Maybe he could learn more about her too…

Victoria was sitting with the group of band geeks right now…Talking just as animatedly with Robin Buckley about something with that radiant, trance inducing, gorgeous, perfect smile…

Then Eddie watched as Nancy Wheeler asked her a question and then Victoria smiled as she gathered her things. They moved towards the doors of the cafeteria room. Nancy holding a sheet of paper to her. The answer was clear what that paper was when Victoria grabbed her red folder she kept specifically for food orders to give to her mother, Sylvia, and grandmother, Echo. 

Dustin tapped Mike’s arm frantically. “Is she talking to your sister?”

Mike spoke quickly, “is she ordering more cookies?!-”

Dustin was up and pushing Mike towards them. “Gogogogo!”

Eddie watched the two freshmen rush towards Victoria and Nancy, their eyes hopeful and quickly talking over Nancy who looked annoyed at the interruption. Victoria laughed, the sound reaching Eddie’s ears and making him want to smile. She nodded to the young boys and they cheered unashamed.

Gareth mumbled, “think they will share with us again?”

Eddie silently hoped to get another taste of the cookies. No one could describe the amazing way the food tasted because it tasted out-of-this-world good.

The Carrier family was quickly, lightspeed fast, making a positive name for themselves. 

The brother, Andy, a fucking mircale worker as the towns new handy man that could fix anything. He had a quick solution to nearly every problem, making him the new ‘first to call’ for any issue. If he could get his hands on something that broke, he could fix it. He stopped to help people whose car broke down on the side of the road and tried to at least mend the issue so they could get home. He could fix the hardware of any appliance.

He proved his skills in blueprints and constructing houses on their own property.

The house that the zombie boy lived at, that was where the new family lived. Andy completely changed the property and used only a few contractors, choosing to do the work mostly between himself and the family. Added a second story to the house, installed a greenhouse, renovated some space for cooking purposes and food storage.

Mike and Dustin were there a few times to pick up an order or few with Nancy and they couldn’t stop talking about how much the property had changed in the short time they lived there.

All of the family members have proven to be self reliant, never asked for help but ready to do anything to help others, they were all compassionate and selfless.

As well as righteous.

The head of the family? Mr. Carrier. He was a lawyer, and a damn good one. Hardly lost a case.

They were the perfect family…

All Eddie had was his uncle Wyan and a bad reputation from his father. Known as the TOWN freak for his taste of music, and hobbies. Dealt drugs for his money that already got him a criminal record. Third time trying to pass senior year… So he was perplexed as to why he had the extreme fascination with her. He wondered why the hell he signed the paper for tutoring but it just felt right. It felt like his chance to learn more about her. The idea was stupid as shit. All because she knew he suffered academically enough for a teacher to push tutoring onto him.

Excellent grades must be a part of the demand within the family because Victoria was not at the school long, almost a month, and tested amazingly enough to be accepted into the tutoring program. Teachers loved Victoria and her sister, Natalia.

While it seemed the family was settling in for the foreseeable future, Eddie was sure Victoria would leave. She seemed like the type that had a bigger life than a simple small town. Get a fancy degree and be off to whatever perfect dream job she wanted.

Eddie dreamed of getting out of this small town, and hit it off big with his band, and experience all the crazy and amazing shit that rockstars did. He wouldn’t be the freak of the town, he would be adored by his fans for being the metal head he was.

Victoria was welcomed by all, helped all.

Eddie brought in his little lost sheep and gave them understanding to embrace who they were. Nerd and weirdness completely accepted by him. He took every chance to try to prove to the students of Hawkins High that stereotypes and people in those confined little boxes were hiding pieces of themselves. Vital pieces that would fester until they exposed themselves to the so called friends of school, only for them to run away and abandon friendship. Either way, most of these people would never see the other as soon as they got the diploma. Off to college or a new location for a fresh start.

The bell rang and maybe tutoring could be the fresh start he needed.

He thought of one word with a snort. Doubtful.. 

Eddie went to his locker to grab the notebook for biology class with Mrs. O'Donnell. He hated this class. Learning about life, only to then do the disgusting dissection later on this year. He couldn’t stand it. People call him a freak and a satanist while he chooses to skip class during that lesson, all while everyone else is excited to dig around in something dead.

Eddie wondered if Victoria would participate in that. She seemed way too nice for something insanely cruel.

Victoria was in her usual seat near the front of the class so Eddie sat in the back. For some reason he hoped for something different but he wasn’t surprised.

Victoria couldn’t even look at him. That actually hurt somehow because she was nice to everyone else… The note he passed to her yesterday was used as the bookmark for his notebook. He read it over as Mrs. O’Donnell’s voice became background noise… Victoria really did seem to give him the same kindness everyone else received. He knew she would have to talk to him during tutoring, she would have to talk to him because how else was he going to learn from her?

For once. He was looking forward to being in the school longer than he needed to. He was going to probably make an idiot of himself, the fact he was thrown into tutoring by a teacher was probably enough… He sighed, holding the note before tucking it away and attempted to take notes.

—-

Victoria bumped her forehead against the locker. The supplies she needed for the tutoring sessions today in her bag hanging off of her shoulder. She knew she had to get to room 203, however… She knew in about an hour, she would be sitting next to Edward Munson.  

“I should just go home…”

Natalia scoffed, “call in sick to work when everyone has seen you in good health the rest of the day? Sounds believable.”

“When are you ever help?”

“I help by not sugar coating shit. Shit is shit. It does not change if you try to polish it, just makes it worse to deal with later.”

Victoria grumbled, “Go home.”

“Yeah. I’m going before it gets dark… When are you done today?”

Victoria sighed, throwing her back into the locker… “I should be done around six. Dad knows to pick me up.”

“Good. Should be enough time for you to get ready for tonight.”

“Yeah. I hope I can get some answers tonight. I have offered a lot this last month, even more so within the last week.”

“I noticed. Yours is rivaling Grandmother’s…”

“I got to go.. Get this over with. I need the money anyway.”

“I’ll check in on how things went in a few months.” Natalia winked as she rounded her belly. Crackling in laughter and skipped out of the way as Victoria was going to hit her.

Victoria focused on her sister, felt her energy, then projected the sharp pinch she inflicted on herself to her sister.

Natalia yelped and rubbed her arm. She turned and flipped Victoria the bird. “I’ll tell dad!”

“Not if you want to keep the unfortunate series of events happening to the kid who picked on Max a secret.”

Natalia huffed as she walked away.

Leaving Victoria alone, groaned as she turned around. Heading through the halls to room 203, where Nate sat, starting the homework already. He really struggled with math but Victoria was happy he was trying. Now if he would stop trying to ask her for tutoring somewhere else other than the school, that would be greatly appreciated.

When the time was getting closer to the hour being up he noticed.. “I know that my time is over for this week, is there any way that I could get some extra time. Study at my place, maybe?”

“I have others I tutor and it is easier if I have one location. I only get 3 hours for each person a week.” Victoria got her planner out and the paper for signatures after each session, her proof for payment. “As always, sign here. Then you can schedule for next week.”

Nate signed and filled three separate times for next week. Then wrote something else largely and circled it a few times. “I’m throwing a party on halloween. I’d love to see you there. Booze and all that fun stuff.”

Victoria looked at how he filled every block for that day. In ink. Her mouth opened for a moment as she tried to think of what to say, calmly. “Uh..” 

Nate was heavy into partying, and fun stuff meant drugs and whatever else happened between the impaired. Victoria has been to parties before but she didn’t find them all that admirable. Especially because there was always someone intoxicated flirting with her or even putting their hands on her.

Knowing she had a fated waiting for her she never wanted to entertain anyone else. It was a common thought between many of those who had fated that it was almost like stealing another’s love life. Some people look down on those who entertain others. They call those people greedy and unfaithful because they have their person out in the world waiting for them. Even in cases of casual sex it was still looked down on. Sometimes people catch feelings regardless of the talk of “no emotions.”

In rare cases, a casual hook up could become obsessed with and jealous of the fated pair… It has ended in death often enough to be taught as warnings. Often very intricately woven with the sex talk because children outside of a fated pair have happened.

Nate’s question pulled her out of the horror stories she has heard. “Do you drink?”

She enjoyed a drink occasionally, it gave her a little relaxation. “Not often.”

However, at parties it gave her a look into the truth of some people, something about alcohol brings the ugly heads of truth out in people. Made digging for secrets easier. 

“I’ll have a lot supplied, and lots of people will show up.”

A weakened mind was easy to manipulate with telepathy.

Victoria offered a smile, she could use that time to dig around. “I will try to make it.”

Nate smiled largely after a moment of realizing there was a glimmer of hope. “If you need help picking out a costume, I could help. Get you into something, cute.”

Victoria took the chance to get out if it was going to be a party like that. “Thanks for the offer but if costumes are a requirement, then I’m out.”

“Then costumes are optional.”

She laughed as humorsly as she could. “You changed your mind quick.”

She put her planner off to the side as she closed it. Then looked at the time then the door where Edward stood. She saw how he looked at her, confusion still evident in his eyes even though he looked at her with awe. Maybe he was just as confused as she was about him. 

Why were they paired together?

Nate spoke and pulled her out of her thoughts. “Just want your beautiful face there.”

Edward's eyes changed, anger dancing in his narrowed eyes.

Victoria turned towards Nate. “You do need to go, my next person is here.”

“I don’t believe it, Munson is getting tutoring this year. Is the new tutor worth feeling like an idiot?”

Victoria replied quickly, professionally. “If I truly make you feel like an idiot, then I am not doing my job properly. I apologize for any reason you have come to this conclusion on your own. I will put in a referral for you to be switched to someone better suited.”

Nate scoffed. “That’s not what I meant.”

“I want you to have the best chance at passing this year. That chance is clearly with someone who won’t make you feel terribly about yourself. I am sorry for anything I have done wrong and will see what your options are for another tutor. Have a good rest of your day, Nate.” Victoria offered a smile but she knew it did not reach her eyes because they had the irritation of protective anger burning in them. "I will try to make it to your party."

Nate huffed, leaving with his things. 

Victoria gestured to the seat beside her. “Please sit. As I said in our note, I don’t judge. I apologize if he made you feel bad in any way. I won’t tolerate that at all.”

Edward shrugged, “Nah. It’s okay. Third attempt in senior year so I hear it all the time.”

Victoria looked at him, seeing him try to look unaffected but she could see some unease. He kept moving his eyes, rubbing them. She said, “My eyes get irritated sometimes too, try to blink rapidly to attempt to produce some tears for lubrication.”

He looked at her odd so she continued on the right path of conversation. “But, anyway. School isn’t for everyone, nothing is wrong with that.” She pulled out Eddie’s test with a big red F on it, making him sigh at seeing it. “The only people who are going to need to know the specifics of how cells divide are scientists and doctors who monitor that process, with microscopes. I guess teachers do too.”

Edward smiled a little. “Apparently you need to know how cells divide too.”

Victoria shrugged. “I’m just here for the pay because I retain information in an odd way.”

“Care to share your secret, oh wise one?”

Victoria shook her head with a chuckle. “I dig around in their brain.”

Eddie rightfully looked at her confused. Of course he wouldn’t understand telepathy.

She refrased for normalcy. “Find people who are fascinated with a subject and talk to them. Ask questions, dig, you know?”

“The teachers would die if I did that.”

“Lucky for them, I’m here for you to ask the questions you want to know. If I need to, I’ll find out for you. Take notes during class and come to me with questions. For right now, let's go over this test.”

Victoria noticed Eddie was more relaxed after their talk and now she was doing everything in her willpower to treat him like all the others. She kept her hands away from his, refrained from pushing hair away from his face, staring at him too long, and making herself keep on track of the subject.

The time dragged on for that hour as she controlled herself. She wanted to get to know him more. He seemed like a good person, he was polite, friendly.

Victoria looked at the time. “I apologize, but my next person is going to be here soon. I see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah. I got the slot right after school.”

“Yeah. Not many want to get tutoring on Fridays.”

“Do you like to be here on Friday?”

“It is not terrible. Tutoring barely pays anything, but it's the same place as school, so I don't have to walk elsewhere. I also help the little food service going on in my house for some extra cash.”

“Dustin and Mike love your food, thankfully brought Hellfire a cookie for each of us last time we had a meeting."

Victoria stated, “the club for that fantasy board game?”

He rose his eyebrows, “You know about Hellfire? Dungeons and Dragons?”

Victoria scoffed. “Everyone talks about it in all the media as if it is worse than ouija boards.”

“Those boards for summoning ghosts?”

Victoria responded causally as she flipped through her calendar. “Not always ghosts so that's why anyone with a working brain stays away from them.”

“What do you mean, not always ghosts?”

Victoria wet her lips and as she realized she fucked up slightly. “You know in the movies. Usually something bad, like, a demon attaches to the ones using it. Haunting them, hurting them.”

“You think demons are real?”

“I think there are many things that have yet to be proven. Many find comfort in a religion or belief in higher entities because they fear the things that are uncommon and unknown. So those who are highly religious see those things as unholy. The fear of things they don't have in their straightline scriptures make them unwilling to understand anything else.”

“You are not religious?”

Victoria paused for a moment, “I was explaining that I do not agree with people who have a closed mind to new things." 

Victoria slid the paper for him to sign and offered the calendar. "Sign there by the X, it is the form that I turn in to get payment and proof you were here. And if you want to, you can schedule for next week now or wait until a later time. Mrs. O'Donnell is going to have that quiz on Wednesday. Maybe Monday and Tuesday would be days to consider."

Edward looked at the dates for next week. Then tentatively spoke. "I have a gig at the Hideout on Tuesday night. With my band. Could we do a double on Monday? Is that okay?"

Victoria slid the planner to herself. "I only have an hour available on Monday left. I am done by six." Victoria looked at the clock, the next person was almost ten minutes late and with the importance of tonight she needed to get home. "You still have an hour available this week, out of the three. If you want, I could do it for two hours, tomorrow. Then, that way you could go over everything this weekend on your own and I could see what you need help with on Monday."

"Yeah. Uh.. sounds good."

Victoria pushed the planner to him. "Fill those in and you have 2 remaining hours for next week."

"Are you going to go? To the party?"

"According to the planner I am. Anyway, my next person will be here soon."

He gathered his few things, "Right. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Have a good night, and be careful."

Edward stopped for a moment, a small smile on his lips. "You too."

[strangersteddierthings]

AO3 First Lines Tag Game

I was tagged by @afewproblems. I appreciate the tag!! :D

Rules: post the first lines of your 10 most recently published ao3 stories (if you have less than 10 fics posted, post the first lines of all your fics)

Shovel Talk(s) - [Ao3] -Steddie

Steve and Eddie aren’t even together when Steve gets the Shovel Talk from Eddie’s uncle, but it is what tips Steve into talking to Eddie about his feelings, so he’s not upset by it.

Save Max - [Ao3] - Steddie

1. Make Sure Eddie Lives

Convince Wayne to move away? (how??)

Befriend Eddie sooner? (tried and failed)

Graduate Early?

2. Save Max

Stop Billy on Fourth July. Save Billy? Does he deserve it?

3. Help El With Powers. How?

Save Hopper? How to learn location of Russian prison if saved?

4. Convince Everyone To Move Out of Hawkins

That’s all that’s written on this slightly crumpled piece of paper.

Assuming Makes An Ass of You (And Me) - [Ao3]

It's Saturday evening and Steve is annoyed. He doesn't understand why everyone won't just stop asking if he wants to talk.

Class of '85 - [Ao3] - Steddie

August 25, 1984 - Two Days Before the Start of School

There's a good view of the whole party from their dark corner of the yard, where Jeff, Gareth, and Brian are huddled around him. Eddie'd told Carol Perkins he'd show but only if his friends could come, too. If she wanted weed, then his friends could have beer.

The One Where Steve Plays D&D - [Ao3] - Steddie

“Okay, that’s gotta be all there is, right?” Robin asks as she flips through the book again, pausing to flip back and forth between two pages, eyes narrowed like these pages have offended her personally. She’s leaning against the customer side of the counter at Family Video, and Steve is on the other so they can be facing each other.

Bad News First, Eddie - [Ao3] - Steddie

"Bad news first, Eddie," Steve sighs as he leans back on his heels, cleaner in one hand and a rag in the other. "They vandalized your headstone again. Good news, I beat Wayne out here so he won't be seeing it."

Enough - [Ao3] - Geraskier

It doesn't matter that Geralt's stomach does a little flip every time Jaskier accidentally brushes against him when they walk. It doesn't matter that his heart beats faster than he ever thought possible when Jaskier sings (sometimes literally) his praises for even the smallest of things. It doesn't matter that he would move heaven and earth just to see Jaskier smile. It doesn't matter that he loves Jaskier.

This has made me realize I need to put more of my fics on Ao3. I definitely have more posted to Tumblr than I do Ao3.

I'm going to tag: @i-less-than-three-you, @nburkhardt, @ladykailitha, and everyone else who hasn't done this yet but wants to!

[alligatorpawnshop]

Rapture - Chapter 1

word count: 2617 rating: mature

In the aftermath of the Great Hawkins Earthquake and the death of Vecna, Robin and Steve find themselves a job at a new mascot-based children's entertainment restaurant. Nancy soon discovers all is not as it seems at the Party Palace.

---

This is a Ronance-centric story focused on creating a fun and believable alternate season 5 for the show. Definitely not a thinly-veiled FNaF AU (I promise it's more than that and has actual cool lore)!

read on ao3

next chapter

---

"And so, we played the game again, for one last time. It didn't matter that there were no maps, or dice, or no monsters. Pardieu saw the monsters. We did not. We saw nothing but the death of hope, and the loss of our friend. And so we played the game until the sun began to set, and all the monsters were dead."

- ♁ -

August 2, 1986.

"That was a shitty movie," Dustin said, rolling his eyes and setting his paper plate, slick with pizza grease, on the coffee table. 

"What'd you expect? It's called ‘Mazes & Monsters'. Dumb from the start," Lucas' laugh rolled over the credits music as he finished his own pizza. It had arrived, late, three-quarters through the movie.

Mike huffed, but the light in his eyes showed he was just as entertained as his friends. Bad movies with friends always made for a fun time. "It's just crazy that so many people think that about a game, even outside of Hawkins, enough to make a weird-ass movie about it."

"They just don't realize how cool it is," Dustin turned up his nose, smirking in a very uncool way.

Steve held his hands up. "Woah there, don't get ahead of yourself," He said, having only tolerated the horrid movie because the boys found it so entertaining. He had found it pretty boring. Thank God it was over. "Just because the movie sucked and people hate your game doesn't mean you're cool, buddy."

"Be nice," Robin, sat beside (partially on, her legs sideways over his) Steve in the beat-up armchair next to the couch, playfully slapped his shoulder. "Let the dorks be nerds. Haven't they gotten enough shit for it already?" She tilted her head slightly, grinning.

"Can't let them get big heads, Robin," Steve said with a roll of his eyes, pushing his friend off of him to go and collect the group's used plates. He was always the one keeping their apartment clean—if he didn't pick them up, nobody would.

Yes, their apartment. Over the summer, following the earthquake that practically destroyed a fourth of the town, Steve and Robin had gotten an apartment together. Steve hated being alone, as his parents were always out on trips, and Robin hated living with hers. They rather liked each other, so it was an easy decision. Robin wasn't going to college ‘till ‘87 (at least) now, anyway. The earthquake had wrecked her family's house so much that they couldn't afford to send her to college anymore, so she'd be working for quite a while to save up a little money before the loans got her.

Much else had happened in the few months between the Hawkins earthquake and where they were now, the party huddled up around Steve and Robin's TV watching shitty movies snatched from Family Video by its two responsible, trusted employees. For one, the Byers and Eleven had moved back to Hawkins. Tragedy seemed to follow them wherever they went—they might as well stay close to those who could share in the grief it brought.

Max had awoken from her coma in May, blind and unable to walk. In the two months since, she'd regained her vision—somewhat—and had learned to walk again with a cane. She had been spending a lot more time with the party than she did before after Starcourt, unable to do much else and not wanting to sit around at home. She sat on the couch now, sandwiched between El and Lucas, arguing over exactly how stupid the movie really was. She seemed to be doing better, but Steve still worried about her a lot. He worried about all of them a lot.

Steve worried a lot nowadays.

The worrier tossed the plates in the garbage can by the kitchen, just a few steps from the sitting area. He crossed his arms and leaned against the counter, watching with a small smile as the group exploded into a lighthearted argument about the worst movie of all time. It was nice to see the kids laughing—Robin, too. None of them had laughed much anymore. It was hard, knowing all that they did.

Steve had watched as his kids retreated into themselves over the months following the raid on the Upside Down. He saw them become shells of themselves more than ever before. Most painfully, he watched Robin do the same. Himself, too. But it was over. It was over, for good this time. El had eviscerated Vecna's mind, and Nancy, Robin, and Steve had destroyed his body. The gates…they'd opened, the earthquake happened, but just as soon as that big, ugly gash in the earth had opened, it collapsed in on itself. It left no otherworldly trace, only massive earthly destruction. 

The Upside Down was gone, for good. No more Vecna, no more Mind Flayer, no more Demogorgons or Demodogs or whatever weirdo nerd names the kids gave every Upside Down creature that reared its ugly head at them. At least, Steve hoped.

They'd never been able to figure out if destroying Vecna had destroyed the Upside Down, but it had definitely destroyed all of the gates, barring the other world from theirs permanently. There was no mastermind to force gates open, and El knew now how the original one had opened (though she never told Steve himself) and said there was no possible way it could be opened from their side again. He believed her. He wanted to.

"You zoned there, Steve?" Robin leaned her arm over the back of the armchair, giving him a funny look as the rest of the group continued arguing over the credits scrolling endlessly down the screen. He knew that look well. Are you just chilling, or having an episode, bud? 

Steve ran his hand over the back of his neck. "Just taking in the scenery," He said. Not quite sure on that, Rob. "I didn't think such a shitty movie would have them in such a good mood."

"Movies, no matter the shittiness, are an art, my friend," Contrasting the pretentious tone she took on, Robin climbed out of the chair and over the back with very little grace, sliding over the arm and onto the ground at an awkward angle. She grabbed some stray, crumpled-up napkins and threw them out (Robin Buckley? Cleaning? Maybe Steve should be the one checking on her) before sitting on the counter next to Steve. Voice low, the brunette learned over to him and said, "We oughta tell ‘em."

"Oh, it's not that big a deal," Steve hand-waved her head away. "It's just–"

"What's not a big deal?" El's ears practically perked up like a cat's, and soon did the rest of the kids' as they all turned to look at the two adults in the room. Steve could swear El had super hearing in addition to all her other stuff with all the little strings of conversation she'd caught before. Or maybe it was just the urge to know, to never miss out on anything again. Never miss something that could be a sign of upset, or danger, or…

Or maybe he was projecting.

Robin shot Steve a bemused glance and nodded him along, earning a sigh from the poor man. He stood up, pushing himself away from the counter to clasp his hands together. "Alright, kids, here's the deal. Robin and I aren't working at Family Video anymore."

"What?" asked Dustin.

"Why?" asked Mike.

"So?" Max raised an eyebrow.

"We got a better job," Steve raised his hands, shaking his head dramatically. "At one ‘The Party Palace.'"

"Oh, come on dude, seriously?" groaned Dustin, chorused by the rest. "That's so lame."

The Party Palace was once, in another time, known as the Palace, a cool arcade the boys and Max used to hang out and play games at. However, following the earthquake, the former owner put the business up for sale, and it was bought and turned into a Showbiz Pizza-style establishment just in time to spoil the gang's summer. The kids hated that it was gone; Steve had said that maybe, if he got the money, he'd buy a Nintendo for the apartment for them to go crazy on instead. That had yet to happen, but it remained a possibility, since…

"They pay almost two whole bucks more there, you know. It's a business decision," Robin said, kicking her feet from the counter. She almost caught Steve's back, but he was just out of reach, on purpose.

"A business decision? It'll be a net loss with all the money we'll have to spend at the video store now!" Lucas said, exasperated.

"Yeah, what about us?" The kids huffed and puffed, their nearly endless supply of movies Robin and Steve snagged for them free of charge now at an end.

"Contrary to popular belief, our lives don't revolve around you, dipshits," Steve said, dodging another Robin kick by simply moving one inch forward. "I already pay for pizza at least once a week for the entire pack of you, you can buy a movie or two."

"Lame," El said quietly, followed by many sage nods from the others.

"You guys just suck," Steve said, glancing at the clock. 11:38 PM. "You're all probably cranky from lack of sleep. It's late, go home, get out of my house."

"One, it's not that late, two, it's not a house, it's an apartment, and three, you're zero fun," Mike said as the kids gathered their bags. "No wonder you're working at the loser arcade."

"Go home, loser," Robin threw an empty plastic cup at the boy, thonking him in the head. "It's s'posed to rain in a little, anyway," That earned quite the scoff from Mike, but the kids all went somewhat willingly toward the door. 

"When do you start?" asked Max as the group was corralled through the door and down the outside stairs of the short apartment building, Steve helping her down the stairs as she hadn't quite grasped those with her cane yet. It was obvious by her question and the look in her eyes that she was calculating the amount of movies they'd be able to obtain depending on the length of Steve and Robin's remaining employment at Family Video.

Sadly for the redhead, Steve said, "Monday, why? Want to come visit the dumb baby arcade, Max?"

"Forgive me for asking a question," Max rolled her light blue eyes and climbed onto the back of Lucas' bike. He'd been ferrying her everywhere since she gotten out of the hospital.

Steve watched, hands on his hips, until all the kids had vanished from sight. It had begun to sprinkle. He ran a hand through his hair—can't have that getting messed up, no sir. But man, those kids would be the death of him, he was sure. They already almost had been at least five times. At least.

He turned to climb the rickety wooden stairs leading back up to his apartment, not daring to risk the splinters of the handrail, despite it becoming increasingly slick as the rain began to fall in thicker, heavier drops. He opened the red-painted door to find Robin back on the armchair, ignoring the remaining mess of disposable cups and napkins strewn around the room. Oh, Buckley. He knew her cleanliness couldn't last.

Robin remained silent as Steve began picking up the refuse littering the floor and coffee table, playing with the many thick rings that adorned her hands. "Kids always leave a fuckin' mess, I swear," Steve muttered as he tossed the garbage into the can. "If they don't clean up after themselves next time, they're never allowed over again, and I mean it this time."

"Quit being such a housewife, Stevie," Robin hummed, looking up from her rings to shoot Steve a smirk.

"Oh, shut it, you're just as bad as them," Steve chastised her, getting a paper towel to make sure the coffee table didn't get too many cup rings on it. If only those damn kids knew how to use coasters. "Worse, maybe. If I didn't pick up after you, this place would be a dump."

Robin laughed, a sound Steve had always liked, even when they were nothing but coworkers at Scoops Ahoy. Jeez, that felt like such a long time ago. "I picked up those napkins earlier! Just for you."

It thundered outside. "My hero," Steve grimaced out a smile and fake-half-curtsied as aggressively as possible, causing Robin to grin. He went to wash his hands in the sink and was about to tell her to turn off the TV before the bulb went out when all of the lights suddenly flickered in the apartment.

Steve jumped nearly through the ceiling, going pale as the lights fizzed and flickered before stabilizing again. He steadied himself with a wet hand against the counter, sink still running beside him, and took a deep, shaky breath. Just storming. That's it, that's all.

"You okay, Steve?" Robin's voice, far shakier than it had been moments before. Steve looked up from the blank spot he'd been staring at on the counter as he tried to calm his racing heart to see his best friend's pale face peering over at him from the chair, eyes wide.

"I'm good, yeah," Steve replied, letting out a sigh. He hated being so jumpy—he'd never been before…well, everything. But now, it just seemed to keep getting worse.

He knew Robin was dealing with the same thing. The other week, a black snake (Steve was unsure of the type, but Robin said it wasn't poisonous) got into the apartment and scared the shit out of both of them, who had mistaken it for a tentacle. Every time a lightbulb went out, every time their neighbor's loud-ass grandfather clock chimed, every anything, their hearts jumped into their chests. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Robin nodded. She waited a minute before saying, in a slightly less shaky tone, "Got any beers left?"

"No, but I have some vodka, Coke, and some Twizzlers," Steve moved to open one of their cabinets. Drinking after a little Upside Down-memory-thing had quickly become tradition in the Buckley-Harrington household after a night spent celebrating their brave removal of the snake from the premises. It probably wasn't healthy, but what were they supposed to do?

"Oh, gimme that, then, Harrington," said Robin, who got up to change tape in the player. They were always quick to move on from the topic of the Upside Down—unless they were drugged up by Russians, it was hard to get either of them to talk about their feelings. "What movie?"

"Uh, I dunno," Steve shrugged, pouring them each a nice concoction and tossing the bag of Twizzlers onto the couch. "What do you wanna watch?"

Robin sifted through the stack of rented movies the kids had left on the TV stand and picked one at random. "Oh, hey, they got Back to the Future."

"Bet that was Henderson," Steve brought the drinks to the coffee table and sitting on the couch. Robin shoved the tape in and sat down next to him, putting a Twizzler in her drink to use as a straw. Eventually, it grew too slow for her impatient brain, and she ended up chugging the whole thing.

Steve gave Robin's arm a gentle slap. "Woah, Buckley, slow your roll," He said, concern drawing his eyebrows together just a bit.

"Chill, we don't have work ‘till Monday. It's Saturday," Robin said, grimacing after swallowing the last of her drink.

"You handle drinks as well as I handle not housewifing," Steve replied, taking a sip of his own. Eh. Not his favorite. "I'd love for you to be alive in the morning." "Gee, thanks."

[ladykailitha]

Permanent Tagging List Take Two!

Hey, guys it's that lovely time again when I go through my permanent tag list and remove people that haven't interacted with my stories in awhile to clear the way for new people.

So here's the deal, you'll have one week to respond to this post. I will post it again every week so that hopefully if you don't see it the first time, maybe one of the others will.

NO JUDGMENT! I swear it. I just want to know if you're still interested so that if you're not, people who are can take your spot.

UNTIL THIS HAS COMPLETED ITS DURATION THERE WILL BE MORATORIUM ON ALL FUTURE REQUESTS TO BE ADDED TO MY PERMANENT TAG LIST!

I love all the requests I'm getting to be added to it. But I am at 44 on my permanent list and if it hits 50 then there is no way to add people to a story's tag list. Something I really don't want to do.

You can tell me if you want to be:

Removed from my permanent tag and all my stories

Removed from my permanent tag list but keep you on all my stories

Removed from my permanent tag list but only some of the stories (let me know which ones)

Stay on my permanent tag list but be removed from all my WIPs

Stay on my permanent tag list but be removed from some of my WIPs (let me know which ones)

Stay on my permanent tag list and all my WIPs.

My current WIPs so that you know what I'm currently working on:

Well Met By Moonlight: Steve is a werewolf, Eddie is a vampire and there are strange and horrible things going on in Hawkins. No Upside Down supernatural creatures AU.

Never Hold Back Your Step...: Boy With a Bat book 2. Sequel to Can Anybody See Me? Season 2 Au where Eddie picks up Steve as one of his lost sheep and him and Steve get together. Set immediately after book one, Steve has to get through high school and his new summer job. Only this is Hawkins and danger is always lurking around the corner. Featuring season 3 AU.

Icarus: Eddie makes it big with Corroded Coffin as Steve and Robin seemingly struggle with menial jobs. Only there is more than meets the eye with the up and coming metal band The Fallen as Eddie learns that the lead singer and Steve is one and the same. Now they have to manage three private lives with super stardom. The path to love never was smooth.

Sweet Home Indiana: Sweet Home Alabama fusion. Eddie and Steve get married when the first state makes gay marriage legal. But soon a rift forms between them and Eddie leaves. Now almost a decade later, Eddie's back in Hawkins looking for a divorce so he can marry his fiancee, Chrissy. But when he arrives, Hawkins starts feeling like home in a way he thought he lost long ago. Now he has to chose between his new life in Seattle and his old life in Hawkins. But not everything is as it seems and that makes things harder. For everyone.

Paper Hearts: Post Season 2 Valentine's day AU. Hawkins is doing a fund raiser for senior ball, people can buy paper hearts to give to their friends and lovers. Pink for friends and red for lovers. Steve doesn't have a girlfriend this year so he decides to get twenty pink hearts to give to girls that wouldn't normally get any. Cue Eddie finding that adorable and to do the same for Steve so he doesn't feel so lonely on Valentine's. They fall in love.

So here is the list of people that haven't liked, commented, or reblogged my stuff in about two months.

@danili666 @chaoticlovingdreamer @genderless-spoon @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @emly03

Some additional info!

I remove people who haven't interacted with any of my posts in more than 60 days. This is anything I post: chaptered fics, one-shots, and rants, whether or not they've been tagged.

What does interact mean? Comment, like, OR reblog. It doesn't have to be all three. Hell it doesn't even have go beyond a like. Though, really reblogs are the best because it means more people beyond the tag list can see it.

If you've done any of those things in less than sixty days, or have said that you're going through a rough patch and interaction will be down for awhile, you are still on the list.

I put up the option to be removed from certain stories because @maya-custodios-dionach said that they didn't like a couple of the stories (omegaverse and metal band Steve) and I thought oh, why don't ask people what they want to be tagged IN?

And in the last couple of days I've had about half of my tag list chiming in and tell me what they want. It's fantastic! Open communication for the win!!! It makes me giggle that no one has asked be from Boy With a Bat book 2, though. Literally everything else has.

Most of my regular permanent listers have made themselves known on what they want to be tagged on, but if you just like the post without commenting, I will take that as option 6 and move on. These people don't HAVE to comment or like, you'll stay on the list regardless.

But if you have stories you would much rather not be tagged in, I'd like to know, you know. ;)

@itsall-taken @spectrum-spectre @chaosgremlinmunson @i-must-potato @carlyv

@vecnuthy @irregular-child @awkwardgravity1 @littlewildflowerkitten @scheodingers-muppet

@disrespectedgoatman @tinyplanet95

[lovestuckyhatemarvel]

And I’m watching episode 3 now. Let’s see how this goes.

1.) Day IDK how many of me adoring Max and El. Should I support El spying on the boys? No. Do I support it anyway? Yes. I support girl’s rights and girl’s wrongs.

2.) Oh wait, I support the girls because the boys are sexist.

3.) Oh suddenly now Hopper knows how to apologize after barging into El’s room while drunk? Like literally this could have been avoided if Hopper had just encouraged her to have a social life outside of Mike, because Mike being her whole world was actually bad.

4.) Oh, I forgot they chose to spy on Billy at random and El is seen by him. Also it was definitely happening simultaneously with him sacrificing someone, probably the coworker but it’s impossible to know for certain at this point because you don’t see the girl whimpering and the subtitles only say ‘girl whimpering’, not a name.

5.) It is very difficult to tell if Will is a player in a campaign and is forcing Mike to run one or if he’s dressed as Will the Wise as the DM for some reason, even though that doesn’t make sense.

6.) Does Jim Hopper not own anything other than his work uniform?????

7.) Jesus Christ, Hopper couldn’t look past his own jealousy to listen to Joyce for two seconds until she said ‘what if it’s them?’ Oh wait nvm, he’s still being a little bitch. And this makes no fucking sense because Hopper was always the person who listened her the first two seasons!

8.) I would have walked out in the middle of Hopper’s bullshit too, Joyce.

9.) Poor Max thinks El accidentally looked in Billy getting laid.

10.) Nancy dismissing Jonathan’s worries makes me mad. The Byers family all has Cassandra complexes or something.

11.) The shitheads working for the paper all definitely suck. Also, how is Nancy Drew an insult? She was a world traveling and beloved detective who always saved the day and had two best friends. And she had a boyfriend I never cared about. I wanted her with Frank Hardy.

12.) Dustin actually is shockingly right about what to look for in a date, but wrong about who Steve should date. Obviously Steve should date Eddie, who is off somewhere safe this season aka not existing.

13.) Okay Will does DM in season 3 for the first time. But Mike was the DM before that.

14.) Max and El are being Nancy Drews. <3 <3

15.) The only consistently good visual in Stranger Things is the Void that El finds people in.

16.) I just realized the entire group would benefit from a group chat or a Discord server. Would do them all a world of good to be able to be like ‘FYI looking into insane rats’ and others to be like ‘FYI there’s a missing cheerleader’ and for Will get to be like ‘FYI my friends are dicks and somehow this feels like the worst thing that has happened to me because I’m a child and losing friends actually is worse than going to a Hell dimension’

17.) Neither Steve nor Dustin know what an evil Russian looks like. Also Dustin doesn’t know how to fake a phone convo.

18.) The code gets translated episode 2 and cracked in episode 3. I swear every new season makes me realize how bad the Duffers are at pacing.

19.) Nancy really doesn’t wanna have a conversation about how this will get them fired. I love her and her big damn hero complex, I really do, but she’s gotta learn not everyone else is middle class enough to afford to do that.

20.) Oh finally Hopper has an adult conversation about his feelings. We needed more conversations like this.

21.) Will is the only person Mike readily apologizes to without being prompted. But also they totally forgot about hiw little spot in the woods.

22.)I forgot Will destroys Castle Byers. Oh this is actually really sad. Oh bud.

23.) There is clearly a light switch at the top of the stairs to the basement and no one uses it so is it broken or did they just ignore it for effect.

24.) Steve is such a pouty puppy in the rain. They are all absolutely soaked. ALSO ALREADY ROBIN AND STEVE HELD HANDS. BEST FRIENDSSSSSSS.

25.) Hopper got attacked by a Russian in the lab. Forgot about that. ANd by attacked I do mean got his ass kicked. Steve and Hopper have solidarity over being the protector and also occasionally getting the ass beatings of their lives.

26.) El just broke into Heather’s house. Also everyone was very stepford in there.

27.) Oh Billy got to see backstory of El looking bitchin’. Fun.

28.) WILL’S SPIDEY SENSES ARE TINGLING AGAIN.

29.) Well, I forgot they straight up drug the mom but knock the dad out with a wine bottle. I’m confused as to why they didn’t just drug both parents because both were drinking wine, but I guess they decided it was more dramatic? Anyway, I feel bad for Heather, not for Billy

[willel]

I thought Hopper and Bob were stated to be old friends from high school even though they didn't exactly cross paths. Maybe like you said, they knew each other but did not exactly talk while Bob was secretly crushing on Joyce. Hmm... I wonder how they're gonna portray that then? Because from what we know, Joyce did not exactly have a connection to Bob until later on. Are they gonna just kinda change that? If that's not the case it would mean that we're just gonna most likely see Joyce and Hopper together instead, with a little bit of Bob, also I am not sure how correct it is but the wiki says that Bob was classmates with Joyce and Hopper, which is ig interesting. I do not think Bob would be 2-3 years old younger than Hopper or Joyce though because it is said that Hopper and Bob knew each other and were friends to an extent, I think they must have been in the same year for them to meet, but I am not sure. I just wonder how they're gonna connect their dynamic together since Joyce is said to be unaware of Bob's existence whereas Hopper seems to have a more connection to Bob when they were in highschool.

I'm imagining a situation where Hopper is the kid that kinda talks to everyone but isn't exactly super close friends with anyone? The one that's always chill but doesn't get too close.

So it'd make sense if he was friends or friendly with both Bob and Joyce but Joyce and Bob never actually crossed paths/met face to face.

One hour he's skipping class smoking cigarettes with Joyce under the stairs. The next hour he's with Bob in the library as Bob is trying to help him write a paper.

Next hour, I guess he's screwing a girl in the back of his dad old car as he claim he did in season 1.

If I had to guess what they're going to do with Bob, he's going to be connected to Hopper, who is connected to Joyce. Maybe it's possible out of all the kids, Bob is the one that interacted with Henry once or twice. He created and looked over the middle school AV club after all and that seems like something Henry would be interested in.

Then again, I don't think Henry was THAT into it because Will was able to use morse code to get by the Mind Flayer's mental block on him. If Henry knew Will was using morse code, surely he would've stopped him from doing that too. Then again, he was only there for a month, so it's not like Henry could've memorized morse code that quick. It could fit actually.

Bob really cared a lot about the whole outcast thing and being bullied. And how he never stood up to his bullies and admired that Joyce did. I dunno. I can see that coming into play.

Imagine a repeat of season 2. Bob telling Henry,

Bob: If my parents treated me that way. I would stand up to them once and for all. You get me? Don't be afraid to talk to your parents.

Henry: Oh ok. -goes home later that night and tries to murder everyone-

Bob seeing the news: Oh... his parents really were terrible. His dad ended up murdering him. :C

Pfff. Random thought don't take it too seriously. But anyway.

As for the same year thing, that's not necessarily true. Take Robin for example. I think she's a year behind Steve but shared at least 1 class with him. Depending on the high school, the subject, and the student, it's not odd for there to be younger and older students together in the same class. I wouldn't be surprised if Bob was super smart and was put into some higher level classes. Not sure if the concept of "AP class" existed back then but maybe it did.

So it'd be like:

Bob - direct interactions with Henry encouraging him to defend himself, much like he did for Will

Hopper - No interactions with Henry but has interactions with Bob, Joyce, and his parents. We got a lot of Hopper exposition in the show already to be honest so I don't think we need too much more

Joyce - No interactions with Henry or Bob but interacts with Hopper . Will probably learn about her family dynamics and how she came to know Lonnie. May have very indirect connections to the Creel tragedy.

Henry - Might barely appear to be honest, might be more focused on Virginia Creel and an occasional scene with Bob or something

At the very least could make for some fun fanfiction one shots!