#DC listen to me bring Eddie back

[morning66]

If every other DC character can come back to life, I don’t understand why Eddie is still dead. He was such a fun character and I thought him and Rose together were hilarious.

[ijustwanttoreadfanfiction]

Friendly Sex - Chapter 8 - The Visit

First of all, I want to apologise for the delay in posting. This chapter kicked my ass, I wanted to cover a lot of ground and this must be the 8th version but I'm still not 100% happy with it, had to happen at some point.

Secondly this covers topics that will likely be uncomfortable for some people, involving a manipulative step-parent and abandonment issues. If anyone needs to talk about this subject, my ask box is open.

Chapters warnings: MDI (18+ only), mentions of smut, explicit language, adult themes, drug use, abusive step-father, emotional manipulation.

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Tuesday 20th May 1986

You’re holed up in the back of Eddie’s van, straddling his lap, furiously making out whilst Touch Too Much - AC/DC plays. It was a habit you had gotten into over the past few weeks, one of many habits actually. Eddie along with the rest of Corroded Coffin played a regular gig every Tuesday evening at The Hideout, you had found it was as good a place as any to hook up, particularly when the regular audience was made up of ten drunks and the bar staff. Eddie had threatened Gareth and Jeff into sworn silence about your sudden presence under pain of death, exile etc etc.

“I should be getting home soon.” You whisper against his lips, Eddie answers by holding your hips tighter, grinding you down harder.

“Five more minutes sweetheart.” He murmurs breathlessly, sucking at the sensitive spot on your neck, since that night at the trailer it's become something of a catchphrase for him; always wanting five more minutes between your thighs, five more minutes of fooling about in the Drama club costume closet, five more minutes of hammering into you.

“You’ve already had ten.” You sigh without any trace of reproach, grabbing his face to bring him back to your lips, feeling him grin.

“I’m just making the most of my time.” He says, kneading the flesh of your ass. “Seeing as you’re abandoning me this weekend.”

“I’m not abandoning you, I'm going to visit my mom, you know, the Queen of Abandonment.” You mumble, feeling your mood plummet as it had been prone to doing the last couple of days. Eddie had made a valiant effort in listening to and trying to soothe the various worries you had about your upcoming trip to Chicago, how it couldn’t be for anything good, having to spend time with Philip, watching the twins enjoying the life you once had before it was all messed up.  

“Hey,” Eddie cups your cheek. “It’s just for four days, you’ll be home again before you know it.”

You nod, fiddling with the black stone ring on his right hand, allowing yourself to be coddled as he presses a kiss to your forehead. 

“C’mon princess, let’s get you home.” He hums.

-------------------------------------------------------------------Wednesday 21st May 1986

Wednesday nights were Hellfire Club nights, with Eddie being decidedly occupied, you had invited Robin over to hang out and compare English notes before your final in a few weeks. Both of you laying on your bed, feet at opposite ends, heads meeting in the middle over a pile of paperwork. You heave a heavy sigh, correcting a sentence, trying to ignore the slight twinge in your back. Despite promising to get you home, you and Eddie had gotten carried away last night, which led to you bouncing on his dick in the driver’s seat of the van, the steering wheel as it turns out was not the most comfortable thing to lean against.

“So, you seeing Eddie later?” Robin asks nonchalantly, highlighting something in her book.

“No, tomorrow.” You reply, distracted by a tricky paragraph. 

At first it’s like white noise, a dull fuzzy sound filling your ears, but then her words and your admission sink in, turning so quickly to face her you crick your neck; she’s grinning wide enough that you think her cheeks might split.

“What?” You squeak, feeling all the colour drain from your face. “We’re not - how?” You feel sick.

“Got three words for you babe, closed circuit television.” She says like a cat that’s got the cream. “I saw you both on the security monitor when he came into the store a couple of weeks ago.”

Your heart was in your mouth, or your ass, one of the two. How could you have been so stupid? Keith had specifically had camera’s put in after the adult section was opened, which happens to be right next to the Sci-Fi shelves. 

“YOU’VE KNOWN FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS?!” You shout incredulously before remembering your dad is downstairs, dropping your volume to a frantic hiss. “Oh my god Robin, why haven’t you said anything?!” You ask freaking out, hiding your head in your hands.

“I was waiting for the right time.” She reasons calmly like you’re discussing the weather, not your deepest darkest secret. “So what’s happening?”

“Nothing is happening, we kissed, once, that was it.” You say in complete denial.

“Bullshit, I saw you getting into his van the Saturday before last and on Monday you turned up to my practice smelling of weed with twigs in your hair and huge hickey.” She looks extremely pleased with herself, whilst you’re still trying to stop yourself from spiralling into a full blown panic attack. “So, are you together?” She asks.

“No.” You say shortly, huffing in annoyance when she gives you a look that screams ‘liar’. “I’m telling the truth Rob, we’re not together.”

“Soo, what then?” She presses, taking your hand in hers. “You can tell me, I won’t judge.”

You bite your lip, in the month you and Eddie had been hooking up it had often occurred to you that your agreement may become public knowledge, you’d had enough close shaves with the Principal Higgins/Fred Benson incident, and the first time Gareth walked in on you both the men’s room of The Hideout. But now it came to actually talking about it, you were terrified.

“It was the night of the party.” You mutter quietly. “I was upset about Steve, Eddie was out in the garden and we got talking, turns out he’s got it bad for Chrissy Cunningham.” 

Robin does a very poor job at hiding her amusement, but presses her lips into a tight line, gesturing for you to continue. 

“It’s your fault actually.” You jibe at her. “I told him that you thought I just needed to get laid in order to get over Steve, one thing led to another and we…” You trail off giving her a pointed look.

“You had sex in the garden?” She gasps.

“More like the street.” You wince at the confession, feeling your cheeks heat up.

“God damn.” She breathes. “Again not judging.” She adds quickly, holding her hands up in defence. 

“After that we sort of made a pact.” You say.

“What kind of pact?” Robin asks, she’s near shaking with curiosity, but you can tell she’s trying to keep a handle on it for your sake. 

“The kind of pact where we’ve been having lots of ‘casual’ sex.” You don’t know why you do air quotation marks around the word casual.

“And there I was thinking you were just using sex to pay for drugs.” She whispers, effectively stunned, you shove her insulted and you both burst into a fit of giggles. “So the mystery guy has been Eddie Munson the whole time?”

“Uh, huh.” You say, still giggling, some weird hysterical euphoria gripping you now you’ve told someone. You collapse back on the bed, Robin joining you so you’re staring up at the ceiling, holding hands like you did when you were little.

“Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.” You sigh, giving her hand a squeeze. “I didn’t want you to think less of me.”

“Babe, I was in love with Tammy Thompson, a literal muppet. I could never think less of you.” She says, pressing your foreheads together with a soft smile. “So - is he good?”

You nod, exhaling heavily and she whistles.

"It's always the freaks." She laughs, sounding thoroughly impressed. 

You think about how much lighter you feel with Robin now in the picture, but the stress of keeping it a secret from the rest of Hawkins still lies heavy on your mind.

"Rob -" You say seriously. "-Steve can't find out. He'd kill Eddie." Robin bobs her head in solemn agreement, whilst making a movement across her mouth, an imaginary zip.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday 22nd May 1986

You’re busy packing your gym bag ready for your flight tomorrow, when your bedroom landline rings, you grab the whole phone shoving the receiver between your shoulder and neck.

“Hello?”

“Hey princess.” Eddie’s voice crackles through the speaker, and you try to ignore the immediate smile that creeps across your face.

“Hi.” You reply, grabbing a few pairs of clean socks with your free hand. 

“Good day?” He asks, with a slight yawn.

“Eddie you literally saw me -” You check your watch, laughing “- four hours ago.”

“A lot can happen in four hours sweetheart -” He reasons and you can almost hear his devious grin. “- a person could get up to anything.”

“Oh yeah like what?” You goad, shoving your Hawkins High sweater into the bag. 

“Well, I for one have played guitar, made some Kraft Mac & Cheese and jerked off.” He says, sounding incredibly pleased with himself.

“Wow, that is impressive.” You deadpan.

“I know, I did have some difficulty with the jerking off though, nothing feels as good as your tight pussy anymore.” He teases, and even though you’re alone in the house you still get flustered, almost dropping the phone. 

“Ed’s you gotta stop.” You say sternly but the effect is lost when you start laughing again.

“What time is your flight again?” He asks, and you can tell from the change in his tone that he's trying to behave himself.

“3pm.” You sigh, chucking a pair of converse on top of the bag.

“It’ll be ok sweetheart.” He reassures you, before clearing his throat, devilish Eddie back in play. “Now get on the bed and talk dirty to me.”

____________________________________________________

Friday 23rd May 1986

You hate flying, and have always preferred to take the train but your mom doesn’t understand why you would want to take a five hour journey over a one hour journey. You stand awkwardly outside the main terminal at O’Hare, glancing at your watch every five minutes until you hear two little excited screams heading your way. The twins.

Your half brother and sister are on you before you can blink.

“Oh my god, look at you guys you’ve gotten so big!” You exclaim, lifting Heidi up as Paul clings to your legs. “Where’s Mommy?”

Paul points back in the direction they sprang from, your mom bustling along in high heels, hair perfectly coiffed. 

“Darling!” She calls happily, reaching you slightly out of breath, placing a quick kiss to your cheek. “You’re so pale!” She cries standing back to observe you.

“I’m fine Mom, there was just some turbulence when we were landing.” You sigh, hitching Heidi more securely to your hip as you pick your bag with some difficulty, Paul wanting to hold your hand at the same time. “No Phil?” You ask as you walk back towards her car, the kids chattering away over each other so you only pick up every other word.

“He got called into work, but he should be home for dinner this evening.” 

__________________________________________________

After a manic afternoon of playing with Heidi and Paul, you’re taking a break before dinner, reading 'The Colour Magic' as loaned to you by Eddie. Perched on the plastic wrapped sofa in the fussy living room you feel distinctly out of place, everything in your Mom’s house is pristine, coasters on every surface, fresh flowers adorning each room, shoes off at the door so as not to ruin the shag carpet, even the magazines in the rack were alphabetized. You imagined taking her round to Eddie’s, she’d probably faint.

You hear the kids suddenly shouting in excitement, obviously Philip is home, he rounds the door and you instinctively tense up, both of you looking at each other with open dislike.

"Hello Y/n, how was your trip?" He greets you stiffly, like there's a broom up his ass.

"Fine thank you, how was work?" You ask so overly polite you sound near robotic.

"Busy. Heidi tells me you gave her and Paul some candy?" It's so prompt and accusatory you're amazed he bothered even saying hello; a new record in his self-restraint at criticizing you. You mark your place carefully in the book before trusting yourself to respond.

"Just some Red Vines I had in my bag." You reply as measured as possible. 

"The children don't usually have candy, particularly not this close to dinnertime." He chastises, and you can tell he wants you to apologize, you can see it in his hard stare, the way his jaw ticks.

"My mom said it was fine." You say, rising to move past him.

"She was humouring you, next time respect our rules." He says bluntly, grabbing your bicep none too gently. "Every time you're here you cause trouble, my children do not need your bad influence."

You yank your arm out of his grasp, about to respond when a small voice interrupts.

"Mommy says dinner is ready " Paul mumbles, little face hovering by the doorway, his expression worried. You scoop him up, leaving the room and Phil at speed.

"C'mon Paulie, let's eat."

________________________________________________

You were rattled, Phil's grip still feeling like it's curled tightly around your arm, as your mom passes the salad bowl to you.

"Looks great Mom." You say looking at the food on your plate.

"Moussaka darling, Phil and I had it in Greece last year." She smiles blissfully at the memory. "I like to make it for special occasions, and what's more special than having you to stay." She reaches over to give your hand a quick squeeze.

"So Y/n, how are your studies?" Philip asks you, pouring himself a big glass of red wine, like he hadn’t physically restrained you ten minutes ago.

"I have two finals left and that's it." You say taking a sip of milk, thinking you'd much rather have the wine.

"And your college applications?" 

"I’m uh - taking a year or two out, save up some money, maybe travel for a bit…?” You hesitate, feeling diminished in his presence.

“That’s quite an ambitious plan, particularly on your salary I would imagine.” He says smarmily, and you feel your temper rise. “Or were you planning on asking your mother and I to fund you?”

“I don’t need your help, I save everything I make.” You spit out between clenched teeth.

“We know darling, Philip is just teasing you.” Your mum reassures but you can see the high flush of colour on her cheeks, a sign that she’s stressed.

“I actually thought I could come up a bit more often once I graduate, maybe once a month, give  you two a break from the kids, take them out to the cinema and things.” You say, speaking directly to your mom. Smiling as Heidi and Paul both gasp and bounce up and down excitedly in their seats at the prospect.

“Oh that’s very nice of you darling but -”

“- we won’t be here.” Philip’s voice cuts across your Mom’s like a knife.

“What do you mean?” You ask, your mom suddenly finding it difficult to meet your eyes.

“We’re moving sweetie.” She says quietly.

“To Sydney.” Philip chimes in, a broad smirk on his face.

“As in - Australia?” Your voice shakes as you look between them. “But, that’s so far away...” Your stomach drops in a sick swooping motion.

“It’s a big change, but an exciting one. Phil has a new job, and they’re paying almost double what he's on now.” Your mom says, trying to inject some excitement back into the room, but she falters under your tearful gaze.

“What about me?” You ask in a small voice.

“You’ll still be able to come out darling.” She soothes.

“Not to Australia, Mom! There's no way Dad can afford it.” You shout, feeling your chest rise and fall rapidly.

“We’ll pay you for you sweetie -.” 

“- no we won’t Evelyn, we agreed, she either pays her own way or she doesn’t come.” Philip snaps, the following silence suffocating around the small dining table.

“Did -did you agree to that?” You ask, your heart breaking into a million pieces, noticing Heidi was silently crying opposite you.

“Well not in so many words, we just thought, Philip suggested that maybe you could contribute something -'' She trails off, looking at Philip for support who simply sips his wine, looking impassive.

“Mom, how am I going to see you? The tickets will be close to a thousand dollars!” You cry, feeling like you’re ten all over again, begging her not to go.

“Well I guess you should start saving then.” Philip mocks and you feel yourself break, eight years of hatred pouring out. 

“You fucking asshole.” You snap, hands shaking as you kick your seat out from under you . “What? You weren’t happy enough that you took her from me the first time so now you’re going to take her to the other side of the world?!”

“You watch your mouth you little bitch.” He shouts back, slamming his fist into the table, Heidi and Paul both openly crying as your mom tries to soothe them.

“M-mom?!” You sob desperately needing her to back you up, but she doesn’t even look at you.

You rush away from them to the spare room locking the door, feeling like you’re going to pass out, choking on your tears. You grab the phone and dial.

____________________________________________________

Eddie was having an incredibly delightful evening, Wayne was working, he had left over lasagne, a couple of beers, a bong ready to go, the only thing missing was you.

He could have sworn while he was jerking off earlier that he could smell your perfume on his pillow and it had sent him wild, he wanted nothing more than to rail you into the mattress but you weren’t here, he wouldn’t see you until Tuesday at the earliest and it was torture.

He was just about to start watching The Shining when the phone rang, probably Reefer Rick wanting to offload some shit.

“Yeah?”

There was silence at first, enough that he was ready to hang up when he heard a tiny sniffle

“Eddie?” The panic that washed over him was instantaneous, hearing you call his name in a cracked voice.

“Sweetheart? What’s wrong?” He asks frantically, already tugging on a Reebok before remembering you were in Chicago.

“S-she’s - leaving me.” You cry, it sounds like you’re breaking your damn heart.

“Who?”

“My Mom.” You sob, Eddie can hear how hard you’re breathing, he’s worried you’re going to have a panic attack.

“Sweetheart, I need you to calm down for me, ok?” He paces on the threadbare carpet feeling completely useless as you just cry harder, little whimpering sounds escaping you.  “Can you take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth, can you do that for me princess?”

He hears your breath stutter slightly, but then you inhale shakily.

“That’s it, in through your nose, and out through your mouth.” He finds himself doing it with you, the hand that’s not holding the phone rising up and down, it’s about another minute before Eddie feels that you’re stable enough to talk again.

“What’s happened baby?” He asks gently.

“They’re moving to Australia.” You say thickly. “Mom, the kids and Philip.” You spit the name out like it’s poison.

“Shit.” Eddie says heavily, and he’s irritated with himself that he can’t think of anything better to say. “I’m so sorry sweetheart.”

“She doesn’t love me.” You sound so sad, hating that he can’t wrap you up in his arms.

“Hey, that’s not true.” He insists.

“Then why does she find it so easy to keep leaving me?” You ask, voice cracking into tears once more.

“Because people do stupid hurtful shit princess, even to the ones we love.” Great he was sounding like a fucking hallmark card. 

“I just wanna go home.” You whimper. “Everything is so fucked up. I wish I'd never come here, I just wanna be home with you.” You say it so quietly that at first he thinks he’s misheard, but the way his heart stopped said differently. “I-I miss you Eds”

You can’t miss him, surely? What was there to miss? You guys had a good time, sure, but he didn’t give you anything that you couldn’t get elsewhere. You just wanted comfort, you were far from home, going through hell. You probably didn’t want to put your dad through it so you rang him, but you could have called Robin? Maybe even Harrington? He ignored the spike of jealousy at the thought of Steve comforting you instead of him.

“Eddie, are you still there?” You sniffle. Shit, way to fucking go Munson, just give her the silent treatment whilst she’s pouring her heart out.

“Y-yeah, I'm here sweetheart… I miss you too.” He breathes, shaking the nervous energy out of his hands, he wants to expand, tell you how much he misses you when he hears a loud banging in the background and a muffled voice, possibly a man’s.

“Fuck off Philip I'm on the phone -” The banging continues, Eddie hears you grunt followed by a dull thud, he assumes you’ve thrown something against the door, followed by more muffled yells. “-yeah well you can bill me and upgrade your seats to first class you prick!” You shout back.

“Cunt.” You mumble, and Eddie can’t help but laugh, you let out a wry huff.

“Ed’s I'm gonna have to go.” You say, sounding miserable once more.

“Will you be ok?” He’s worried about how volatile Philip the Cunt was, ready to drive through the night to get you if wanted to.

“Yeah, I'm gonna run Phil’s phone bill up some more, call my Dad. Maybe get a flight back tonight.” You heave a sigh of exhaustion. 

“I’ll see you soon sweetheart.” He promises.

“Counting on it Munson.”

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[thewitchofthewilds140]

Hello again! Couldn’t help myself and wrote a part ii. The chokehold this dude has on me is unreal. Tried to proofread and gave up. Please enjoy!

Summary: you and Eddie have been hanging out for awhile now and have somehow managed to become very entangled with each other.

Content warnings: swearing, panic attacks, angsty, very fluffy, nerdy, this is serving sweet boy Eddie.

An Unnatural 20: Part 2

“You’re done at 8 right, Y/N?” Eddie had taken to driving you around wherever you needed to go whenever you needed to get there. It was supposed to just be one car ride, one hangout and smoke session, but it had turned into so much more over the last few months. “Yeah, if you can. No worries if not, you’ve really been going above and beyond. I’m really fine to walk home, it’s not that far.” You still hadn’t been able to get your car up and running, despite your best efforts; your bank account would not allow it. “Don’t you worry your pretty little head, sweetheart” he smirked. “I’ll be here with bells on!” He promptly turned up his stereo and started blasting the AC/DC song like a total dork. Flashed you a smile and was off in a cloud of dust. You flip him the bird as you cough dramatically and smile back.

Time to get to work. You sighed deeply. The only thing getting you through these next 8 hours of monotony was the reassurance that you see Eds later, that and your Walkman that your boss let you blast as long as you only had one ear covered with your headphones. Eddie had given you some new tapes to help you make it through; Dokken and Queensryche. There wasn’t much else to do at the gas station —organize and stock the few shelves, ring out the few customers that passed through, and listen to the same old who sat out front day after, smoking and endlessly complaining about how the towns gone to shit ‘these last few years.’ Gentlemen, this town has always been shit and will remain such until it’s inevitable demise. You shift your headphones to cover both your ears and Dokken’s In My Dreams drowns out chatter.

There had always been weird stuff going on in Hawkins. Whisperings and strange occurrences, disappearings and deaths. It had never really phased you or your mom though. You both tended to stay on the outskirts of it all, never getting to involved. Never drawing too much attention. If you were honest with yourself, which you rarely were, it was lonely as hell. Maybe that’s why you found yourself jumping at the chance to be close to someone, to be close to Eddie. That warped little dipshit had wormed his was into your head, your heart, AND your daily routine. Shit. He’s enmeshed himself entirely, little punk. You smile to yourself.

You’d never met anyone quite like Eddie. So intense, but so goofy and playful with the magnificent charismatic ability to bring anyone out of their shell. You start to sway to the music as you rearrange the cigarette packs again, and your hand rested on Eddie’s brand. You catch yourself smiling again and close your eyes listing to Eddie’s music and thinking of him. You open your eyes to see the packs of cigarettes shaking slightly. Jesus H Christ, what the hell is wrong with me? This is getting ridiculous. You hear a faint but incessant knocking that snaps you back to the present. You rip off one of your headphones and turn to see Henderson and Wheeler waving to you shyly.

“What can I do for you fine, young sirs? Shouldn’t you be in school or something?” You ask cynically. They glance at each other nervously. “So…we were talking and wondering…if you’d be willing to sub for Lucas tonight?” You cock an eyebrow. “Didn’t you hear, boys? I’m banned. Is there anything else I could do for you? Would you like to purchase any of our fine wares today? Pack of gum perhaps.” Dustin lifts both hands in protest, clearly trying to smooth this over. “We did hear…that. But we also heard that you and Eddie have been hanging out very nearly every day.” “We think he’d let you play if you’d ask, so could you just ask…for us?” Mike blurred out. You always did appreciate when someone could just be straight with you.

“While I have no idea why you pretend to know anything about my busy social schedule, I’m surprised you doing realize that I have to work tonight.” The boys start to protest and you raise your hands this time. “But…since you came all this way and played hooky to come and seek me out, I’ll see what I can do. We play at 5 right?” Their faces light up and Dustin shakes Mike by the shoulders in victory. “I told you they’d say yes!” He whispers. You take a small bow as they sing a chorus of thank you’s while leaving the shop. Now to work on the boss.

Your boss was fine with you leaving earlier, less he has to put out for your paycheck. You briskly walk to the school, Walkman on blast again; this is one of your absolute favorite feelings in the whole world. Your plan was to get to Hellfire early, pray to the gods that Eddie wouldn’t be in full Dungeon Master mode yet and ask him to let you sub for the boys tonight. Even though you had been hanging out together so much, neither of you had broached the subject of the last time you played. You hoped he against hope that he had let it go and wouldn’t push you.

“Y/n, what the hell are you doing here?” Eddie smiled as you walked in. He had been setting up the board for the evenings campaign. Then his face fell as he realized. “You’re not here to sub for Sinclair tonight, are you? I told those two little dweebs you couldn’t.” He looked at you sternly. “Eds, come on. You still think I’m a cheater? After hanging out nonstop for the last few weeks? Really?” You can see his expression hardening, contemplating what to do. “I told you last time, sweetheart. You tell me how you do it and I’ll let you play.” He wasn’t going to budge. “And no turning on the waterworks to try and make me feel guilty!” He’d gotten to know you too well, and had seen you charm and bewitch anyone you wanted something from.

“Eds, just let me play this once more and I’ll show you I’m not cheating. Just let Fenn the Feytouched join the party on this one last adventure. I know you probably plan on annihilating these losers tonight, give ‘em a fighting chance.” You had plucked his heart strings and hit him where you knew it would hurt, asking to take care of his little sheep. He rolls his eyes and growls. “Fine! On one condition: you explain yourself, tonight, after the campaign.” Well shit. You really wanted to play, but you questioned that you wanted to play that badly when everyone else started to file in. Everyone was ecstatic to see you; they were all nervous that they wouldn’t be able to find a suitable sub for the evening, and instead they were pleasantly surprised to be saddled with one of the best players around. You glanced at Eddie and he bowed and gestured to the chair closest to him. So you sat and unpacked your gear, ecstatic to be able to play again.

“Only the one nat 20 today, eh Y/N?” You rolled your eyes. Everyone had cleared out but you and Eddie. “What, were your spidey senses tingling again tonight, Munson?” You teased. “No, not tonight.” He mused. “But you and I still need to have a talk. Time to pay the piper, L/N.” You had completely forgotten while riding the high of the game. “Well see here’s the thing Eds, I don’t remember actually agreeing to your terms.” He scoffed in disbelief. “You’re going to disrespect my table, not once, but twice now. I don’t know how our relationship is going to recover.” He feigns absolute despair, bringing a hand to his forehead.

“Our…relationship eh?” You smirk at him and his face flushes red. He runs a nervous hand through his hair and stutters out “You know what I mean, our friendship is a type of relationship—there’s more than one kind of relationship in this world ya know—all kinds.” You nod sarcastically and crinkle your nose and pout your mouth as you walk cross the small distance between you. He keeps mumbling an explanation while he watches you approach, his face getting redder by the second. You have him on the proverbial run and it gives you an absolute thrill to see this verbose boy at a loss for the right words.

You stare at his mouth and place one finger on his lips to shush him and he quiets. “Eds, you okay?” You smirk as you lean your face in closer to his, heart beating out of your chest despite all this sudden confidence you were exuding. “Never bet—never better, sweetheart!” he manages to squeak out. “Can I kiss y—“ you feel his mouth hard on your own before you can finish the question. His hands are holding either side of your face as his lips tangle with your own. Your hands are in his beautiful hair, tugging gently and intertwining your fingers. What started out hard and insistent had melted into something much softer. Much sweeter. Your head is reeling at his touch, intoxicated by his smell, it’s almost too much but somehow not nearly enough.

You’re so lost in him that you don’t even realize what you’re doing. It only ever happens when you lose complete control yourself, whether from extremely positive or extremely negative emotions, usually you can control it like your mom has worked so hard to teach you. But you threw yourself into Eddie with such wild abandon that you let yourself go, you let yourself feel.

You opened your eyes wide to find yourself and Eddie floating a few inches off the ground, his hair raised as if he was charged with static electricity, with dice and miniatures circling around you. Eddie felt you pull back from the kiss and opened his eyes as well. Oh shit shit shit. His eyes turn into saucers as you both fall to the ground and everything that was suspended crashes to the floor. “Uhh Y/n, did I uhh just crack something loose in my spine or was shit just floating?” You can’t speak, you’re starting to hyperventilate. No one’s supposed to know. Ever. No exceptions, not even for Eddie. He can’t know. You try to mouth the words but no sound comes out. You just sit on the floor looking like a fish out of water as tears start to stream down your face.

“Shit, y/n it’s okay—you’re okay!” He sputters as he scrambles over to hold you. “No one—no one can know” you manage get out, repeating it over and over, shifting into hysterics. Eddie pulls you into his lap and cradles you in his arms, kissing your forehead and he tries to get you to match his deep breathes. “You’re safe, I’ve got you. It’s just me. No one else knows. You’re good.” You turn to bury your face into the crook of his neck and hold onto him as if he’s what’s anchoring you to the ground. Eventually you’re breathing starts to slow and you can start to think more clearly. Did he really just see everything? You slowly lift your eyes to meet his gaze. He has tears streaking his cheeks and he moves to cup your face in his hands. “You’re okay, I got you.” He whispers and then leans in to kiss you tenderly.

“Why are you crying?” You question softly. “Because I just saw someone I— that I care about have a complete panic attack over a telekinetic episode they just had! If you’re not okay, I’m not okay.” You can feel the hiccup forming in your throat from crying and you smile gently at him. “You…care about me?” “Jesus H. Christ, Y/n. You can never help yourself can you?” He sighs and let’s out an exasperated laugh. “Yes. YES! I care about you.” “You’re not freaked out?” He rolls his eyes and beams at you. “I just got to make out with the most beautiful, interesting—“ you laugh out loud “clever, delightful, charming, person I’ve ever met in my whole goddamn world whilst floating in the air surrounded by dice; I’m for sure freaking out, in the best possible way.” He kisses you again and again until he’s sure he’s affirmed that you’re both okay.

You never imagined you’d be kissing him, here, like this. You’d thought about it so much over the last few weeks of hanging out together. But you never in your wildest dreams thought it would really happen. But it had, and not only had you kissed but he saw what you could do and he stayed and kissed you more.

“You’re seriously the most amazing individual I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, y/n.” He stated in a suddenly serious tone. “Would you wanna like…be in a relationship maybe? Like not just in a friendship way…” his voice fell off as he stared at you expectantly, looking through his mane of hair. Part of you wants to tease him for being so…sincere but you think better of it and instead nod. “Yeah, I think I’d like that.” He is electrified by the answer and can’t stay seated anymore. He hops up, the helps you up with an extended hand and then spins you into his arms and then dips you into another deep, but tender kiss. Your heart is pounding your chest as you feel yourself start to lose yourself in his mouth again. He brings you back up for air and then dusts off some floor crumbs from your back as he smiles at you.

You’re almost too stunned to speak. Almost. “You’ve got moves, Munson.” You smile and flick your tongue over your bottom lip. “I wasn’t expecting that.” He chortles and spits back “says the one who just banished gravity from the room minutes ago!” You laugh too. “Wanna go back to my place and…hang out?” He ventures. “I’d love to.” You sneak your hand into his and kiss his cheek. “Right on, Fenn the Feytouched.” He waggles his eyebrows at you and you punch him in the arm for being such a dork. You finish cleaning up and then he offers his arm to you in a grand romantic gesture and you curtsy before you take it. Who knew he was such a cutesy romantic dude?

As you go outside into the crisp air, you smile to yourself in disbelief and you squeeze Eddie’s hand. He turns to look at you and stops in front of you and pulls your chin up with one of his hands while he places the other on the small of your back. His brown eyes are damn near twinkling in the twilight. You could see both the first stars coming out and the sunset behind his beautiful hair. He just smiled and stared at your face, examining it almost. “Eds, what’s up?” You murmur, feeling extraordinarily vulnerable. “I just—want to remember this for always.” He kisses you so sweetly you can barely remember what stars are anymore, burning the memory of this moment into both of you. You begin to smile and hum the song into his mouth and when it registers to him what you’re humming he pulls back with a look of ‘really?’ on his face. You crinkle your nose and reach your hands into his hair again and kiss him this time, and the world just stops and you melt into him.

[brookediamonds]

With The Words from a Poet and a Voice from a Choir | Eddie Munson

Summary: Reader is in Vecna’s trance and Eddie has to remind her what she’s fighting for. -2k+ words

Pairing: Eddie Munson x female reader (reader is 18)

A/N: I am new to one shots/imagines, I usually write novels on Wattpad so this is my first time writing on Tumblr. Lmk what you think! If you like this check out my wattpad, @/district12girlonfire I have a Liam Dunbar book for the Teen Wolf lovers! Enjoy!

Songs/Inspo:

Holding Out For A Hero - Bonnie Tyler 

Edge of Seventeen -Stevie Nicks

Past

I sighed throwing my bag to the floor of the football field and placing my headphones on that were attached to my cassette player. Looking around the empty green field, I nod to myself and fall down to the plush grass.

Pressing the play button on my walkman, 'Take My Breath Away' by Berlin blasted into my ears the scene where Tom and Charlotte admitting their love for one another in the new movie 'Top Gun' runs through my mind.

Ugh, Tom Cruise, so pretty. Closing my eyes, the corners of my lips turned up lightly as my new favorite film replays in my mind. The wind blew gently as the sun shone nicely down on me, I softly hum to the tune that I had been repeatedly playing the last few days picturing my own love life to the song.

Unfortunately, it was nonexistent. Suddenly a tall shadow came over the orange view under my eyelids making me squint one eye open only to see a tall long haired figure. Eddie Munson?

"You okay there, sweetheart?" I barely heard his question over my obnoxiously blaring music causing me to hit pause on my walkman.

Sweetheart. 

Oh I'd love to hear that name fall from his lips again. Bringing my headphones down to hang on my neck, I sit up on my elbows, hanging my head back to look at the boy upside down. 

God, his hair, it's so beautiful, he's so beautiful. 

"Skipping gym, not in the mood to run a mile," I admit truthfully. 

Eddie gasps and plops himself next to me.

"Y/N L/N? The valedictorian, skipping class?" He gawks wrapping his arms around his crossed legs. 

"You know my name," I realized whispering my words. I didn't think he knew me, I wasn't popular and mostly kept to myself. We did share one class together, Mrs. O'Donnell. 

I sat in the front and he sat in the back, so we hardly spoke but all semester I prayed we'd get paired up for a project just once so I can know what he's really like.

I only knew what everyone had said, and I refused to believe the rumors that Eddie 'the freak' ran a demonic cult when really it was just an innocent club of Dungeons and Dragons with a bunch of nerds. 

And maybe if we did get paired up for a project, we could talk and I could finally help him graduate. 

"Of course I know your name," he smiles flashing me his cute dimples. "Whatcha listening to?"

Slightly embarrassed, I pull the cassette cover out from my bag showing him my newest movie soundtrack.

"Oh no," he chuckles grabbing the tape from my hands. "I did not take you for a movie soundtrack lover!"

"It was a good movie!" I fought attempting to reach out for the tape. 

"This doesn't even feature Metallica or Rat," he points out scanning the back of the case.

"Well that's why I have these," I say pulling my bag close to me. I pull out my Metallica, Mötley Crüe, and AC/DC tapes laying them out in front of us. I watch as his mouth falls open slightly, his big brown orbs shinning at my collection.

"I have a whole shelf of these at my house," I admit proudly seeing him rummage through the very small fraction of my collection. 

My heart sped up at my next thoughts that entered my mind. Fuck it. "Y-You could come over sometime and we could..." I avoid his gaze trying to find the words. 

"We could..." he tilts his head attempting to make eye contact with me.

"I don't know, maybe listen to some tapes together," I say lowly fiddling with the wire attached to the headphones hanging on my neck. 

"I would love that," Eddie grins leaning towards me.

"Really?" I blush. 

"Yeah, someone's gotta save you from this," he jokes holding up the 'Top Gun' soundtrack. I roll my eyes stifling a laugh. It falls silent between us for a second, and I take that chance to glance down at his hands admiring his shiny metal rings that dressed his long fingers. 

"Which one's your favorite?"I snap out of my trance meeting his stare.

"Huh?" 

"Which one's your favorite?" He repeats holding up the cassette. "From the soundtrack."

"Oh," I blush once again my eyes flickering down to my walkman. 

"You're listening to it aren't you?" He grins. 

"N-No!" I defend myself. Yes. 

He quickly reaches over me and presses the play button causing the slow love song to blast through my headphones. He leans in closer pressing the side of his head against mine listening to the song. 

"You are a little romantic aren't ya?" He teases me. I turn to look at the man next to me, noticing the tiny freckles that littered across his nose and cheeks. 

"So what if I am?" I held my head up confidently. "I can't help that I'm a hopeless romantic."

"There's nothing wrong with that," he shrugs. "I bet you're a great girlfriend."

I snorted at his comment making him snap his head towards to me. 

"If only," I mumble laying back down on the grass to stare at the blue sky scattered with random clouds. 

"Wait," he pauses laying his legs out and leaning down on one elbow to be leveled with me. "Do you not have a boyfriend?"

I felt the blood rush to my face, a soft sigh fell from my lips. 

"Nope."

"You're kidding," Eddie scoffs moving closer to me.

"Not that hard to believe," I mumble looking down at my twiddling fingers. 

"Actually it is," He admits. My eyes snap up to his. He then raises his eyebrows, scoffing. "You really don't see it do you?"

I sat up on my left elbow to level with the boy next to me cocking an eyebrow. "What?"

"Y/N, you're fucking beautiful."

-

Present

As we made our way into the trailer, I suddenly got a twisted feeling in the pit of my stomach. Shaking it off, I look forward attempting to pay attention to my boyfriend explain his plan to steal weapons.

Then I heard it. I heard him. The clock struck, chiming its indication it was my time. No, no, no. Turning around, the well lit trailer was suddenly darkened.

Don't show fear. He feeds off it. I feel my fist ball, my finger nails indenting crescent shapes into my the palm of my hands. Vecna came into my view, I could feel my blood run cold and my adrenaline start to spike.

"Y/N," the deep whirring voice sent a strong chill up my spine. "It's time for your suffering to end."

"Not a chance," I spoke shutting my eyes. I think back to a memory that was significant to me. Opening my eyes, I see I'm back at the school football field.

A picnic cloth lay above the grass, a stereo sat on the blanket playing Mötley Crüe's 'Don't Go Away Mad' slowly in the background.

This was Eddie's and I's first date.

-

Eddie's POV

"Y/N, what do you think?" I ask glancing up from the newspaper. She stood still, her eyes glazed over blue, blinking repeatedly.

"Shit!" I shouted shooting up from my spot. The eight of us frantically gathered around the frozen girl in front us, scared to be put in this position again.

"Where's her walkman?" Lucas asks panicked.

"She dropped it in the upside down," Robin responds.

"Where's your stereo or walkman?" I asked frantically, turning to the redhead.

"Here!" Max quickly grabs the box, shoving it into my hands.

"She doesn't listen to Kate Bush," I realize clicking the walkman open. "We have the same taste."

There's no time for me to run out of here and to my place, we risk someone seeing me too.

"This is all I have!" Max ushers bringing over her pile of cassettes. I begin to rummage through them, my hands shaking out of panic as I pick through the tapes.

"Trash, trash, trash," I mumble throwing each tape behind my shoulder.

"Hey!" The redhead exclaims catching the cassettes. This one!

"Oh not you too," I groan seeing another soundtrack I would never own but my girlfriend would because she's a sap. Frantically removing the tape from its case, I shove it in the walkman pressing start.

Dustin quickly places the headphones on the love of my life, I move to stand in front of her placing my hands on her shoulders.

"Come on sweetheart, if this doesn't wake you, I don't know what will," I say my eyes never leaving her flickering ones.

Y/N's POV

Just as Vecna hovered his long clawed hand over my face, the voice of Bonnie Tyler boomed throughout the sky.

An almost portal like opening appeared 50 feet away from me. Through the opening I see myself in Max's trailer levitated in the air with Eddie and everyone else screaming up at me.

My mind thinks back to a core memory of Eddie and I hanging out in his room with me between his legs picking at his guitar.

"I'm gonna be the next Joan Jett," I grinned strumming the chords to an okay melody.

"I love you," Eddie blurted out. Twisting my head around, I face my boyfriend who stared at me with large frightened eyes.

"You do?" I whisper my heart melting at this moment.

"Would I let you play her if I didn't?" He chuckled referring to his beloved item I held. I laughed gently placing the guitar back above us on the wall. I place my legs over Eddie's long ones, sliding my hands around his neck.

"I love you too," I respond wholeheartedly. "My pretty boy."

We lean in sealing our first 'I love you's' with an ardently kiss.

I can hear the voices of my friends and Eddie screaming out my name.

"Y/n, baby, please wake up!"

More memories flash through my mind, some of me and Robin, me and my mom, and of course, most of me and Eddie along with our friends.

Another memory of Eddie and I resurfaces.

We lay on the rooftop of his van embracing each other feeling fat and full from the meat lovers pizza we just devoured under the stars.

"I wish it could be like this all the time," I sighed picking at the fabric of Eddie's Iron Maiden t-shirt.

"Me too, sweetheart," the boy beneath me agrees. "Me and you, just us two, forever."

I looked up at him, placing my chin on his chest, my heart fluttering at his choice of words.

"I love that," I whispered reaching my hand out to caress his cheek. "Forever."

"Of course you do, my big sap," he teases grabbing ahold of the hand that's as touching his cheek only to peck the inside of my wrist.

"You love it," I smile gently scooting up to be closer to him if possible.

"You know I do," He agreed. "I love everything about you."

Eddie's POV

Caressing the side of Y/N's head, I search in her eyes for any sign of life waiting for her to snap back to reality.

Instead, I see her body begin to lift into the air my heart beginning to race, flashbacks of Chrissy running through my mind.

"Why is she floating? Why isn't the music working?" I yelled reaching out for anyone near me. Max stares up Y/N in disbelief, at loss for words.

"A-Are you sure she likes this song?" Max stutters her eyes never leaving my girlfriend's body.

"She loves this song, my ears have literally been bleeding from how much she's been rewinding it in my van this last month!" I stress running my hand through my messy curly main.

"I-I," Max is at a loss for words, no one finding a solution.

"Come on, Y/N, please come back to me," I say softly gently grasping my hand around her small ankle.

"That's it," the redhead spoke walking closer to me. "Talk to her."

"Talk to her?" I cock my head back.

I see Max glance behind her, her eyes meeting Lucas's briefly before looking back to me.

"When I was in Vecna's state, I not only heard the music, I heard Lucas and everyone around me through the portal," she explains. "If there's an opening to us right now, she's listening to all of us, especially you."

Twisting back to Y/N's body, I grab her other ankle looking up at her.

"Y/N, baby you need to listen to me, not just Bonnie Tyler," I begin. "You need to come back to us okay? I need you here, your mom needs you. Your friends need you."

I lick my lips letting all my thoughts spill through my mouth.

"I need you, okay? When this is over, and I graduate we're getting the hell out of this place you hear me?" I shout slightly shaking her.

Y/N's POV

"I promised to get you out of this town but in order to do that, I need you to fight this sweetheart."

I hold on to Eddie's words, choking for air as Vecna tightened his grip around my neck with his extra hands.

"Don't let him take what's yours, you're stronger than he is and he knows it that's why you're still here with me."

Flashbacks of me and Eddie play through my memory, our first kiss, sleepover, arguments over the radio.

"Come back to us baby, you have to come back so we can kill him together. We can't do this without you."

I see my mom and I sharing the last piece of strawberry cake on my birthday. I see me and Robin taking polaroids on Halloween when we were 12.

I see my group of friends that I've come to know and love standing around me as I'm getting the life sucked out of me mid air by an evil force.

"You need to fight!"

I feel a surge of force run through me, and when Vecna thinks he finally has me;

He doesn't.

I reach forward launching the pocket knife Eddie gifted me into Vecna's throat making him drop me from the hold he had.

Falling to the floor, I waste no time scrambling to my feet and sprinting into the circle of light opposite of me.

Hearing boulders begin to drop, I manage to outrun the bombs and make my way closer to the exit.

Eddie and my friends are still screaming up at me I can see the fear in my boyfriends eyes all the way from over here.

Just. A. Few. More. Steps. And-

Eddie's POV

Y/N gasps, suddenly being dropped from the air, I catch her as she falls not so gracefully into my arms. Wrapping her up in my arms, I hold her against my body letting her catch her breath.

"You're safe, you're here, you're alive," I think out loud. "I thought you were leaving me."

She lets out shaky uneven breaths, her grip tightening on my arms, she leans further into my chest clearly just as terrified as I was at what just happened.

"I'm here, I'm here," she murmurs. "I'm not leaving you."

I press a hard kiss to the back of Y/N's head, before nuzzling my face into the crook of her neck never wanting to let go again.

Y/N's POV

Once I've had a drink of water, talked through the plan accordingly and presently this time, we go through the chaotic adventure of stealing a van and speeding our way to the armor store.

I stay behind with Eddie, just the two of us alone in the van while the others go and buy weapons for tonight.

Luckily (and unfortunately) the van was a home therefore there was a walkman and headphones laying around for me, so Max could have her own. Just as the van door closes, I look over at my boyfriend who sat towards the front staring at the table in front of him.

Walking over to an unusual quiet Eddie, I gently place my hand on his shoulder before taking a seat on his lap.

"Hey pretty boy," I say lightly. Eddie shifts slightly, running a large hand over my thighs and the other snaking up my back.

"Hi," he whispers ever so quietly.

"Whatcha thinking about?" I ask reaching a hand out to push some of his curls behind his shoulder.

My boyfriend gives me knowing stare, before tearing his gaze away from me to look down at my lap.

"I can't lose you," he murmurs. I lift his chin with my pointer finger, making me look into his his big doe eyes.

"You're not going to," I reassure him. "Because of you, I never forget what I'm fighting for."

"You heard me?" He asked. I chuckle rubbing my thumb across his cheek.

"Every word," I confirm. Eddie grins leaning his face closer to mine, softly rubbing his nose against mine.

"I mean it though, once this is all over, I'm getting us out of here, okay?" He reminds me. Leaning  my forehead against his, I nod.

"Okay."

[herroyalhighnessqueenmomo]

For Eddie (A playlist created by me inspired by my love for Eddie Munson)

So these are all the songs I have put together for this playlist I created and I tend to listen from time to time. A lot of these makes me think of Eddie and I cherish them. Hope you all enjoy. I intend to edit and add more songs to the playlist in the future if any songs fit in the playlist to me.

After Dark by Mr. Kitty: Honestly I think about the music video someone created for this that was edited from the movie Career Opportunities. Something about roller-skating around in an empty store alone with Eddie just sounds like a randomly great date.

All I Wanted by Paramore: I really want to write a fic based off of this or someone else to. Every time I read an unrequited love angst fic about Eddie, this song is playing in my head.

Baby Got Back by Sir Mix a lot: Still think Eddie would love this song if he loved big girls.

Back in Black by AC/DC: Eddie would love this

Back in the Saddle by Aerosmith: And this one too

Before I Forget by Slipknot: Eddie pegs me as a Slipknot fan.

Big and Chunky by Will.I.Am: Eddie loves us big girls. This is a battle I am willing to die for.

Bodies by Drowning Pool: I feel like this is a super metal song he would love automatically.

Boom Boom Boom by the Vengaboys: This is just my fave song by the Vengaboys.

Bring me to Life by Evanescence: I am convinced Eddie would consider this a beautiful love song.

Cannibals by Hey Violet: I want Eddie/Joseph’s body to be donated to me. That is all

Cherry Pie by Warrant: I want an au where Eddie falls for a stripper or something and this is the song she should dance to. That would be great.

Closer by Nine Inch Nails: Because I personally would love to get fucked like an animal by Eddie.

Come as you are by Nirvana: I am convinced 90s Eddie would be into the whole grunge thing and Nirvana would be one of his faves.

Coming Undone by Korn: Eddie probably would actually listen to Korn unironically.

Crawling by Linkin Park: Eddie would have loved Linkin Park.

Crazy Bitch by Buckcherry: Ever since I read this one fic where stripper Eddie danced to this song, I can only ever associate this song with him.

Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne: This is a classic.

Dead Bodies Everywhere by Korn: Eddie would relate to this song a lot.

Death by Rock and Roll by the Pretty Reckless: If Eddie could he would want his tombstone to say ‘Death by Rock and Roll’

Do You Wanna Touch Me by Joan Jett: Another fic I read where this song was mentioned and now I only ever think about Eddie for this.

Dragula by Rob Zombie: I have no idea. I just think Eddie would really fuck with this song.

Duality by Slipknot: He just really fucks the way the guitar just melts well with the drums.

Eat Me by Demi Lovato: This is a banger and Eddie would definitely get behind this.

Enemy by Imagine Dragons: Everyone really was his enemy, like literally.

Enter Sandman by Metallica: I don’t think this needs an explanation.

Even Flow by Pearl Jam: Idk if just reminds me of Eddie.

Everywhere I go by Hollywood Undead: I can’t quite put my finger on why this song makes me think of Eds but it does.

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Metallica: Nough said

Forgotten by Avril Lavigne: This is a song I used on Faded Memories so I always think of Eddie.

GUY.exe by Superfruit: I wish I could synthesize Eddie into my life 😅

Guys My Age by Hey Violet: This is technically more for Joseph since he is a few years older than me but is super mature and idk I just love it.

Gypsy by Dio: Eddie would love this since its Dio

Head like a Hole cover by Gina and the Eastern Block: AU where Eddie is either a switch or a sub has me thinking about this.

Hella Good by No Doubt: For some reason makes me think of Eddie

Highway to Hell by AC/DC: Since everyone thinks he worships satan he would just be like “Well fuck it guess I’m on the highway to hell anyways”

Honest by Mali Koa: My fic faded memories.

I Love Rock n’ Roll by Joan Jett: Self Explanatory

I was made for lovin’ you by Kiss: Eddie claims this is the best love song ever.

In the End by Linkin Park: This is Eddie’s Gospel

Kick me by Sleeping with Sirens: Another one of Eddie’s Gospels.

Kickapoo by Tenacious D: He really would stand with one leg on his throne and just proudly exclaim “Tis I who fucked the dragon!” during a campaign and I could picture it.

Last Resort by Papa Roach: Eddie definitely fucks with this song.

Master of Puppets by Metallica: You know why

Metal Health by Quiet Riot: Great banger. You can’t tell me Eddie wouldn’t bang his head to this song.

My Dick by Mickey Avalon: He just really finds this song hilarious as shit.

Next Contestant by Nickelback: That one scene from my fic.

Numb by Linkin Park: Eddie is a huge fan of Linkin Park okay.

Only Girl by Rihanna: Make this a rock cover and and Eddie would swoon if someone sang this for him.

Paranoid by Black Sabbath: Now you know for a fact Eddie was a Black Sabbath fan.

Pour some sugar on me by Def Leppard: Eddie would fuck someone to this song. I’m sorry I don’t make the rules.

Same old Song and Dance by Aerosmith: From the scene of my fic.

Shout at the Devil by Motley Crue: Again totally going after the fuck it attitude since people think he worships satan.

Skin of my Teeth by Demi Lovato: In an AU where Eddie uses more drugs, this song would be too relatable to him.

Spitfire by the Prodigy: Oddly reminds me of Eddie

Stand up and Shout by Dio: Convinced this is Eddie’s fave song on this album.

Still into you by Paramore: Cute song

Straight Through the Heart by Dio: Song mentioned in my fic

Super Freaky Girl by Nicki Minaj: I wanna F-R-E-A-K with him. 😏

Unholy by Sam Smith: Eddie could do several Unholy things to me and I would thank him.

Up & Down by the Vengaboys: If you know you know.

Walk this Way by Aerosmith: Eddie just loves this song.

Welcome to the Jungle by Guns’ n Roses: If his D&D campaigns had a theme song this would be it

You Drive me Wild by the Runaways: Eddie drives us all wild. What else can I say?

[contentconsumer]

howdy!! i saw you have your ships open, so i'd like to request one. please ship me with someone that's over 18, and a guy. :3

(fyi, this is like a req for a stranger things ship)

ANYWAYS!

my name is michelle, i am 4'10", and a capricorn!

i have long, fluffy/wavy brown hair and brown eyes! i have fair-ish skin with a lot of beauty marks and birthmarks scattered throughout my body. i'm curvy-ish? think of an hourglass, but athletic, i lift a lot so i'm very much in shape and toned. i used to do sports but later stopped because of how clumsy i am. i'm latina, so i speak both english and spanish, and with that brings one of my biggest insecurities.. my nose. back in middle school and high school i'd get bullied for having a "hawk" like nose, so.. yeah. i have elf ears (stahl's ear - genetic mutation) and naturally rosey (very rosey pink) lips. i'd like tattoos and piercings one day, maybe within the next 3 years.

due to that, i became very reserved. timid. shy. i found comfort in music and art, i play the electric guitar and very much enjoy ozzy osbourne, childish gambino, metallica, ac/dc, judas priest, & etc. i've been drawing since i can walk, basically, and had it not been for my dear love for science and crime, i would've majored in something with fine arts. i'm majoring in forensics, btw.

as for who i am, like i mentioned - i'm very shy and timid and reserved, but i will stand up for those who i love and will (and been known to have a mean) bite anyone who disrespects my family and friends. i may be short, but i'm very very strong for my size. once you get to know me, though, i'm like a ball of energy. i've been told i'm the funny friend of the group - and bring the "personality and joy" to calls and such. it's very nice. i also have a very generous heart, i'm known to give money to those who need it, and answers to anyone who asks. i vibe with people very easily.

for how i dress, i can go from a grungey look to a pretty princess, sometimes i'm very lazy- and since i'm from texas, i also have a cowgirl outfit, or two. but mostly grungey. you can find me with my airpods on, dancing down the street or lip-syncing in the store. andddd one final thing, i love love love watching documentaries, about like serial killers or history or just lore on video games, cause i fucking love games (and lore).

thank you so very much for your time, i'm sorry if this is all over the place. if you need anything from me, please dm me!! <3

omg are we the same person? hello fellow capricorn/weightlifter/true crime lover/tattoo&piercing enthusiast (are we gonna kiss rn?) anyway i ship you with eddie munson! i feel like eddie would love to have a strong and energetic partner who always keeps him entertained - he also understands the hardships which come with bullying etc.. so he just gets you. i feel like you speaking spanish would just do something to him, and he often asks you to just say anything because he thinks it sounds so beautiful - you share music and can be found in his trailer listening to whatever you deemed is your favourite record for the week. he also finds how clumsy you are so cute and endearing lol.

tysm for the request i cannot believe how similar we are haha - enjoy! <3

[bgharison]

Nincompoop -- an H50 Fix-it coda 10.22

Prompt from @rijariz

So I really want Danny to say "I told you not to make me come looking for you, you stubborn Ass. But before we go back I have some conditions. No exes, no mysteries, and no more 3 letter agencies please!!!"

Thanks for the prompt!!  This was written kind of quickly, un-beta’d, and I might polish it later, but I hope it does service to your wonderful idea.  I ended up splitting up Danny’s dialogue, but I think it worked.  :-)  

***

“Danny,” Steve sighed, closing his eyes and gripping the phone tight.  “It’s good to hear your voice.”

“I almost didn’t answer; I didn’t recognize this number,” Danny said.  “Not that I mind -- texting is fun and all, but yeah, it’s . . . it’s good to hear your voice, too.  This your new number?  The team will want --”

“I’m calling from a payphone.  It’s -- “ he stopped.  “I started thinking, maybe I shouldn’t keep in touch.”

Danny was silent.  Steve could feel the hurt and betrayal from thousands of miles away.

“We still don’t know if the threat is over, there could be more . . . I can’t do this, Danny, I can’t keep putting people I love in danger.”

“Steven.  Don’t do this.  You plunge yourself into that hole of guilt . . . you go too deep, there’s no coming back.”

Now Steve fell silent.  He had promised to come back, but maybe it was safer if he didn’t.

“Steve?  Steven!”

“I love you, Danny.  Take good care of Eddie for me.”  He hung up the phone before he could change his mind; before his emotions betrayed him.

Danny slowly thumbed the call off his phone screen, then pulled up another contact and pressed call.

“Yeah, Catherine?  I’m gonna need Steve’s location.  It’s time to bring our boy home.”

*******

Danny pulled the scarf up around his neck, hunched against the wind and a few determined pellets of freezing rain, as he made his way to the rental car building.  The inconveniences of flying in to a small airport, he supposed.  

The Jeep he’d requested was fueled up and ready for him.  He tossed his bag into the passenger seat as he climbed in, wincing a bit.  He hadn’t been back to driving for very long, and the flight had already stiffened his healing muscles.  At least the bruising was completely gone.  It had been weeks before Tani could look at him without tears.  

The freezing rain quickly gave over to snow, making the drive even more peaceful.  He thought nothing of the conditions.  Montana snow was still easier than Jersey ice.  

He wasn’t surprised to see Steve on the porch as he pulled up to Joe’s ranch.  He wondered if there was ever -- would ever -- be a time that Steve wasn’t hyper-aware of his surroundings.  He wondered the same for himself, now, as he pulled himself carefully, stiffly, out of the driver’s seat. 

"I told you not to make me come looking for you, you stubborn ass."

“I wouldn’t have thought you’d look for me here,” Steve said, pulling a blanket tighter around his shoulders.  

“Yeah, for someone who needed to get away from memories . . . you picked a weird place for that,” Danny said.  He studied Steve, taking in his appearance.  His cheeks looked a bit pinched under  his thick, soft beard, but his beard was trimmed, his eyes clear.  Danny had seen worse.  He snorted as he took in Steve’s bare feet.

“Must be slipping if you could track me,” Steve said.  “Or was it a lucky guess?”

“You gonna let me come in, or you gonna get frostbite on your toes?”

Steve smiled at him then, genuine and full of affection.  Danny felt relief wash over him.  

“Get in here, Danno.”  Steve held his arms open, and in a few steps, Danny felt himself wrapped tight, cocooned with Steve in the warmth of the blanket.

******

“I can’t believe you low-jacked me,” Steve said, but he was grinning.  

“Catherine said she’d tag the one thing you’d never ditch.”

“My Sig?”

“The picture of Grace and Charlie, actually,” Danny said.  He raised his eyes to look into Steve’s.

Steve’s breath caught.  “I love them.  That’s why I can’t come back, Danny.  She knew, she knew exactly how to get to me, how to hurt me the most -- I almost lost you.  What if it’s not over?  Hell, what if someone else I took down decides to come after me?  What if they go after the kids?”  He stood up abruptly and walked to the fireplace.  Resting his hand on the mantel, he turned his back to Danny.

Steve flinched when Danny rested a hand on his back.  “Turn around and look at me,” Danny said softly.

Steve turned, reluctantly, and even with his head ducked down, Danny could see tears threatening to well over.

“Steve.  You remember the last time I got shot?  Did that have anything to do with you?”

Steve shook his head.

“No.  That was one of my old cases.  That guy could have decided to go after the kids.  Thank God he didn’t.  But Petterson did, remember?  He took Gracie.  You’re not the only one who’s made enemies in their line of work, Steven.  I have, too.  Your dad did.  Your mom.  And Joe.  But you have something they didn’t, Steve, you have a family.  An ohana.  You taught me that -- you gave me that.  And now, instead of turning to that family for comfort -- comfort we all needed -- you ran.”

“I’m exhausted, Danny, like never before.  I thought, getting away, getting some space, would . . . and then I almost lost you, because of a vendetta against me and I thought -- I wanted to get as far away as I could, before anyone else got hurt.  I didn’t want to risk hurting the team any more by staying.”

“You hurt us by leaving,” Danny said softly.  “You hurt me, leaving.”

“Danny, I’m so sorry,” Steve said.  “I should have been there for you.”

“Did leaving help?  Has some space and distance helped you, Steve?”

Steve shook his head, the tears finally spilling over.  “No,” he rasped.  “God, no.”

Danny pulled him into his arms, Steve tucking his face into his uninjured shoulder.  Danny could feel a few hot tears splash onto his neck.

“You needed a vacation and instead chose an exile,” Danny said, rubbing Steve’s back.  “Nincompoop.”

Steve chuckled and held Danny tighter.

“I’m pretty sure we’re both exhausted,” Danny said.  “Come on, let’s get some rest.  Then we’ll talk.”

It seemed the most natural thing in the world to follow Steve down the hall and into the bedroom he was using.  Steve shucked off his jeans and pulled on a pair of soft, faded flannel pants.

“My bag’s still in the Jeep,” Danny said, but he was already unbuttoning his jeans and flannel shirt.  Steve reached into a drawer and pulled out a similar pair of flannel pants and tossed them to Danny.  It was easy enough for him to shed his jeans, but he winced as he tried to ease his arms out of his shirt.

“Let me help,” Steve murmured.  He gently, carefully slipped the shirt off Danny’s broad shoulders and tossed it aside.  His fingers traced carefully over Danny’s black t-shirt, where he knew the bullet wound was, feeling the small bandage still present.  “It’s healing?”

“Yeah, Steve.  It’s healing just fine.”  Danny pulled on the flannel pants, shooting a glare at Steve’s smirk when he rolled the hem up.  “Shut up and gimme some socks, would’ja?”

The bed was soft, the fluffy quilts just the right weight, and Steve’s shoulder the perfect fit.  This was different than sharing the bed in DC.  There was no hesitancy, no caution.  DC had been about efficiency and Steve’s raw anguish.  This . . . this was mutual exhaustion and mutual comfort. 

“I shouldn’t have left,” Steve said, rubbing his fingers absently over Danny’s bicep.  “You were already living in my house, this should have happened a while ago.”

“Well.  Technically, nothing’s happened yet,” Danny said.  He thought they were on the same page, done with fighting this thing between them, but what if --

His thought was cut off by Steve leaning up and over, pressing his lips to Danny’s in a soft, sweet, lingering kiss.

“There.  Now, technically something has happened.”

“Can I hope for more to happen?” Danny asked.  He couldn’t keep the grin off his face if he tried, but Steve looked solemn.

“If you can forgive me,” he said quietly.  “And if you can’t, I’ll understand.”

“Goof,” Danny said, wrapping his hand around the back of Steve’s neck and pulling him down for a kiss, one that was not quite as soft, or sweet.  “Steve.  I do forgive you.  Yeah, it hurt but . . . I know you were trying to do what  you needed to do, to protect us.  But next time, listen, hunh?  When you get wrapped up inside your head and feel like you need to run, listen when I ask you to stay, yeah?”

*****

Danny woke slowly, the smell of coffee and bacon drifting in from the kitchen.  He sat up in bed, stretching out his stiff shoulder, and stopped in surprise at the sight of Steve’s bag, open and mostly packed at the end of the bed.  He slipped out of bed and padded toward the kitchen, careful not to trip on the too-long pajama pants.

“Babe?”

Steve grinned and poured a second mug of coffee, holding it out to Danny.

Danny accepted it and took a grateful sip.  “Your bag is almost packed.”

“Good work, detective.”

“You thinking of running away some more?”

“Thinking of running home,” Steve said slowly. “With you.  For good -- no running; not me, not you.”

Danny pretended to think it over. “Okay.  But before we go back I have some conditions.”

“Okay,” Steve said cautiously.

“No exes, no mysteries and no more 3 letter agencies please!!!"

“Danny, you have to know, Catherine wasn’t --” Steve started earnestly.

Danny held up a hand to interrupt him.  “Babe, I know.  I, ah, might have been the one to suggest Catherine get you through the first leg of your little expedition.  She told me, it’s not that way between the two of you . . . explained it when we were talking about putting that locator on you.  I don’t just mean Catherine.  No more Lyns, or Ambers, or Brookes . . . no more half-assed attempts to convince ourselves that there’s anyone else for us but each other.”

Steve nodded enthusiastically.

“And for the love of God, Steven -- I don’t care who comes with an envelope or a message from the beyond -- no more.  Stop letting your past hurt you.  You’re not responsible for the choices of your parents.  You don’t owe them anything.  You don’t owe the CIA or the NSA or any other alphabet a damn thing.”  Danny didn’t try to keep the anger out of his voice.

“The Navy?” Steve asked quietly.

Danny heart skipped a beat.  “You’d give it up?”

“For you.”

“Babe.  Asking you not to love the Navy, to cut yourself off from your fellow sailors . . . God, your brothers . . . no.  No way.  But no crazy stunts!  No more jumping in with Junior on crazy missions!”

“I’ll ask you first, I promise,” Steve said, grinning.

“Ask -- first --  no, no, Steven, that is not --”  Danny stopped, narrowing his eyes at Steve.  “You’re joking.”

Steve shrugged.  “Mostly.”  He turned back to the stove and cracked some eggs into a skillet.

“So?”  Danny asked.  Steve looked back at him over his shoulder.

“So, what?”

“So, do you agree to my conditions?”

“Yes, Danny,” Steve said, rolling his eyes.  “Yes, I agree to your terms, I accept your conditions, nag, nag -- here.  Eat your breakfast.  We need to get to the airport, catch the next plane out.”

Danny took a bite of perfect scrambled eggs and moaned softly.  Steve raised his eyebrows and gave him a heated glance.

“I never even got my bag out of the car,” Danny said.

“Well, that’s gonna make packing real easy for you, buddy.”

“Or . . . you did, at one point, want to get away.  Get some space.  Clear your head.”  Danny gestured around the ranch house, the wide porch, and the peaceful scenery around them.  “You could still do that.”

Steve put his plate down across from Danny’s with a thunk.  “I thought you wanted me to come home.”

“Oh, I do.  Absolutely.  But . . . we’re here already.  We both could use some time away, some time to rest, and heal . . . together.  Don’t you think?”

Steve nodded, a slow smile spreading across his face.  “Yeah.  Yeah, that sounds nice, Danny.”

Danny grinned back at him.  “And, you know, we can see if . . . maybe that something more we mentioned will happen.”

Steve stood up quickly.

“Ste -- where you going?” Danny waved his fork at Steve’s still full plate.

“I’m getting your bag out of the car and calling Catherine to say thank you,” Steve said.

“Nincompoop!” Danny called after him.

“Your nincompoop,” Steve yelled back over his shoulder.

Danny shook his head in resignation.  Steve still didn’t have socks on.

[crescentmoon223]

Chicken Soup for Your Soulmate

It started with a cough and ended with a kiss (aka how Mulder cared for Scully when she was sick)

For the @xfilesfanficexchange​ Fluffy February exchange, I received a prompt from @gaycrouton​, asking for “Scully catches a cold, and Mulder takes care of her.” I hope you enjoy it, Nicole! xx

Set during season 7, shortly after Millennium.

Read it on AO3.

Mulder tapped the tail of his tie against his belt, fidgeting with it to occupy his hands—and his concentration—while Scully turned away, covering her mouth to muffle her cough. Overhead, a tinny voice announced a gate change for a flight to Seattle. All around them, people hurried by, suitcases in tow. Another day. Another airport. Another journey back to DC after making a mess of things in the field.

“You okay, Scully?” he asked.

“Fine, Mulder,” she said, but her voice was hoarse.

He looked at her, noting the slight flush of her cheeks and the glossiness in her eyes. Dammit. No wonder she had been so quiet today. She was coming down with something and being her usual stoic, stubborn self. She hadn’t complained when she had cancer, so of course she wouldn’t make a fuss about a head cold. They’d board soon, and he knew from past experience how miserable it was to fly while congested.

He also knew the withering look he’d receive if he tried to dole out medical advice to his favorite medical doctor. Sometimes with Scully, actions were better received than words.

“Be right back,” he told her. “I’m going to stretch my legs before we board.”

She nodded, pulling a book out of her briefcase.

He made a pit stop in the men’s room before heading to the gift shop. He walked to the selection of travel-sized toiletries and medications along the back wall and grabbed a small box of Sudafed before perusing the snacks. Automatically, he snagged a bag of sunflower seeds for himself. Choosing something for Scully was more difficult. What would sound good to her while she was sick but still be healthy enough that she wouldn’t turn her nose up at it?

Of course, he could have just asked her what she wanted, but he’d wanted to surprise her with a thoughtful gesture. It had been weeks now since their New Year’s Eve kiss. Their first kiss. It had altered the dynamic of their partnership in an unspoken way, like an extra file wedged into the already overflowing cabinet in their basement office, once that announced, “You kissed, and you both liked it” in big, red letters.

So far, neither of them had been bold enough to make the next move, or even to address their millennium kiss. But he was thinking about it almost every time he saw her. Hell, he was thinking about it most nights at home alone in his bed. He’d been thinking about kissing her for years.

He’d been thinking about it that night he walked in on her and Eddie Van Blundht about to make out on her couch. She thought it was me. She would have kissed me. He’d been thinking about it that fateful afternoon in the hallway outside his apartment when their lips had been moments from touching before that damned bee stung her and sent him to Antarctica to save her. She would have kissed me then too. He’d sure as hell been thinking about it when he kissed that alternate version of her onboard the Queen Anne back in 1939. Not knowing if he was about to die, his last wish had been to kiss her.

He selected a cup of fat free honey-flavored yogurt. It wasn’t quite the same as her bee pollen, but hopefully she would like it. Honey was supposed to be soothing on a sore throat, wasn’t it? Two bottles of water completed his purchase.

She’d been more reserved with him since their New Year’s Eve kiss, as if she felt the subtle shift in their relationship as acutely as he did and wasn’t quite sure what to do about it. That made two of them. They were nothing if not masters of tiptoeing around their emotions.

He paid for his purchases and walked back to the row of seats where he’d left her. She sat, black blazer unbuttoned to reveal the gray shirt she wore beneath, focused on her book. As he dropped into the seat beside her, she looked over at him, eyebrows lifting slightly as he held the Sudafed, water, and yogurt in her direction.

“Thanks,” she murmured, putting down her book to accept his offerings.

“Didn’t want to listen to you cough all the way home,” he joked, immediately wanting to smack himself on the forehead, because he’d happily listen to her cough if it meant he was beside her.

She rolled her eyes at him as she popped a pill out of the pack and washed it down with a swig of water before opening the yogurt, and he felt smugly pleased about his purchases.

There was a fine line with Scully, not enough or too much. Over the years, he’d tended to walk on the safe side of that line, but lately, he found himself wanting to cross it.

“Got plans this weekend?” he asked, leaning back in the too-small plastic seat and crossing one leg over the other.

“I imagine my weekend will involve a lot of tea and Sudafed,” she said, holding up the package with a wry smile. She sounded even more congested than she had a few minutes ago. Whatever she’d picked up, it was hitting her hard and fast.

“Any interest in a Twilight Zone marathon?” he asked, imagining them sitting together on her couch, watching his favorite show as he brought her tea and wrapped her in a big, soft blanket.

“Pass,” she said.

“Flight 7921 with nonstop service to Washington DC is now boarding from gate two,” the tinny voice overhead announced.

“That’s us, Mulder.” She tucked the bottle of water and Sudafed into her briefcase before standing to throw away the empty yogurt container.

He rose, resting his hand against the small of her back as they walked to their gate, pondering his next move, just how far over that line he wanted to step once they were back home in DC.

* * *

A knock at the door jarred Scully from a restless, feverish sleep. She groaned as she dragged herself upright on the couch, registering the dull ache in her bones, the heavy pressure in her sinuses, the rawness in her throat as she swallowed.

God, she hated being sick. And she definitely did not want to see one of her neighbors right now. Hopefully there wasn’t a medical emergency in the building, because she wasn’t exactly in top form, but such was the life of a doctor.

She stood, tightening the belt of her robe around her waist as she walked to the door. A quick peek through the peephole revealed the only non-neighbor who had access to her building: Mulder. They’d exchanged keys years ago, a necessity in their constantly upended lives.

She unlocked the door and pulled it open. “Mulder, what are you doing here?”

“Brought chicken soup,” he said, holding up a plastic bag. “And a few other things I thought you might like. I can just drop them off and go if you don’t want company.”

She motioned him in, less annoyed than she would have anticipated about him intruding on her sick day. “What other things?”

With that signature Mulder grin, he walked to her kitchen table and emptied the contents of his shopping bags, revealing a large container of soup, a blue bottle of Gatorade, and a package of popsicles, plus some decongestant and cough drops.

She felt a little pinch in her chest that had nothing to do with the germs currently doing war inside her body and everything to do with the man standing in front of her. “Thank you. That was very thoughtful.”

“Want me to warm you up a bowl of soup?”

“Actually, that sounds perfect.” She hadn’t eaten much of anything today, mostly dozing on the couch in a miserable stupor.

He shooed her out of the kitchen. “Go sit down. I’ve got this.”

“Okay,” she acquiesced, too tired to argue. As she walked to the couch, he was already putting the popsicles in her freezer, moving effortlessly around her kitchen, a reminder of just how much time they’d spent together over the years.

She curled up on the couch, tucking her feet into her robe, trying to get warm. When was the last time she’d had someone here to take care of her when she was sick? She couldn’t remember. If pressed, she would have insisted she didn’t want to be taken care of. She was perfectly fine on her own, always had been, always would be.

But then there was Mulder, carrying a steaming bowl of soup into the living room, looking so happy to be useful, and really, where was the harm in letting him fuss over her, just this once?

“Can I get you anything else?” he asked as he set the bowl on the table in front of her.

“No, thank you.” She took another dose of the cold medicine she’d left there before reaching for the bowl of soup. “I notice you didn’t bring your Twilight Zone tapes with you.”

“I can take a hint,” he said, sitting in the chair across from her.

“Occasionally,” she said with a smile. She sipped the soup, savoring the warm broth as it slid over her sore throat. “Mm, that’s good.”

“I’m glad.”

She didn’t ask if he’d made it. She knew it was store bought. That wasn’t the point. He’d given up whatever conspiracy chasing he’d had planned on this sunny Saturday to bring her soup.

They made idle conversation as she ate, and then he brought her empty bowl to the sink. His cell phone rang, and he answered it in the kitchen, talking in hushed tones. Probably the Gunmen or someone else with a lead for him to chase. Her eyelids were getting heavy again. She lay down, pulling the throw blanket over herself. Mulder could show himself out after he got off the phone. As she closed her eyes, she realized she felt a bit better with a belly full of warm soup.

She woke to the sound of the television, the sharp blast of a whistle and the cheer of a crowd. She squinted through bleary eyes to find Mulder kicked back in the chair beside the couch, feet on the coffee table as he stared intently at the TV.

“You’re still here?” she croaked before dissolving in a fit of coughing.

“Got nowhere else to be,” he said, transferring that intense gaze from the football game to her.

She sat up, swiping at her eyes as the coughing eased. Somehow, he managed to look perfectly at home on her blue and white striped chair that was way too small for his oversized, lanky frame. He wore a long-sleeved Jets T-shirt with well-worn jeans, and if he looked handsome in a suit and tie, it had nothing on casual weekend Mulder. She had the irrational urge to curl up in his lap and rest her head on his chest, to feel his heart beating against her cheek and the warmth of his arms around her.

Where had that come from? Shaking her head at herself, she stood and went down the hall to the bathroom. When she made it back to the living room, he had a popsicle in each hand.

“Grape or cherry?” he asked.

“Cherry,” she answered, extending a hand.

He handed her the red popsicle, sitting on the couch beside her to eat them. “Feeling any better?”

“Maybe a little,” she said, although it might have more to do with his presence than a lessening of her symptoms.

“Want me to turn that off?” he asked, waving his popsicle in the direction of the TV.

“No, it’s fine.” She shifted closer to him as she ate, sighing gratefully as the icy treat soothed her throat. When she finished, he took the stick from her and leaned forward, setting it with his on a coaster on the table.

“Need anything else?”

She shook her head, suppressing a smile as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Gradually, she relaxed into his embrace, letting her side press against his, warming her through her robe. And then, because she couldn’t quite help herself, she rested her head against his shoulder.

He reached over and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, an unusually tender expression on his face. “Thanks for letting me stay.”

Her brow wrinkled. That was an odd thing for him to say.

“Been thinking about this a lot,” he said. “You know, since New Year’s Eve.”

Ah, the kiss they’d been dancing around for weeks now. This wasn’t exactly the best time to bring it up, but she doubted he was about to. They were both familiar with the steps to this dance, side stepping the things they didn’t want to address, instead sharing their feelings without words.

“Me too,” she whispered.

And that was that. He sat and watched football as she dozed on his shoulder, relaxed and comfortable, happier than she’d felt in a while, confident that this roundabout dance would eventually bring them together.

It was late when he finally stood to leave. “Want company again tomorrow?”

“Not particularly,” she told him, feeling the twitch of her lips that belied her words.

He clutched his heart in mock affront. “Your loss.”

“Thanks for today,” she said, gripping his hand in hers.

“Anytime, Scully.” His teasing smile faded as his gaze dropped to her lips, and something warm fluttered to life inside her that had nothing to do with her fever.

If she hadn’t been sick, she would have kissed him. She wanted to so badly. But since she ought to keep her germs to herself, she went up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his cheek. His hands landed on her waist, and his face turned, bringing their lips together for a sizzling moment before she stepped backward out of his arms.

“Germs,” she whispered, heart racing and a giddy smile on her face.

“Worth the risk.” He winked, backing toward the door. “So, same time tomorrow?”

Her smile widened. “See you tomorrow.”

[blankdblank]

Brother Dearest Pt 16

It all seemed to be a blur and through a guided tour of Washington DC you took in the sights filling up another few rolls of film until you found yourself here. Once again you were in a dress chosen by another. Gina had been the one to help you choose this dress, light blue with a belt and a low dip in the cleavage with shoulders fully covered while still being sleeveless. Your Canadian uniforms were not to be worn, none were allowed actually. Among the sea of other wounded and notable soldiers you entered the line for the White house between your vest and blazer clad group joining the other men in feeling a bit under dressed while the few females with you were dressed a bit fancier. It was meant to be casual, a garden party yet all the same everyone here felt a bit out of place all the same no matter your achievements.

First Lady Bess Wallace was there in a crème lace gown beside her daughter, Margaret, an actress your age well known also for singing as well as her work on radio and screen entertainer who was well loved by the press in a yellow lace gown. Out of everyone in the line it seemed their grins lit up more in seeing you nervously spreading yours in return to mask your true feelings. You didn’t enlist and after the brief greeting following the others you listened to the tour of the building flowing out into the gardens where eyes shifted your way and those apparently knowing why you were here began to whisper the truth. Into your hand Eddie’s folded and towards your table your group walked flashing grins to the fellow soldiers there.

“Lieutenant Laslow,” with a gesture to his missing arm he said, “Ambush on our platoon in Italy, tank took out half the square we were guarding, you?”

Victor cleared his throat, “Lieutenant Colonel Creed, shot twice, brushed it off.”

That earned an impressed tick of his brow and James was next saying, “Colonel Howlett, shot twice on Normandy Beach that I can remember, saw it through to the end.”

Eddie was looked at next and he said, “Sergeant Pear, I, don’t really remember my injuries. Made it through Normandy though, all the way to the end.”

His eyes flinched to you and you flashed him another rapid grin in his head nod, “Ma’am, my apologies, manners are still rough back stateside, first name’s Lewis. What’s yours?”

“Everyone calls me Bunny Pear.”

He nodded and a smirk ghosted across his lips, “Are you enjoying the party so far? Bet you haven’t seen this many G.I’s in one place.”

“Not since I was awarded the Medal of Valor by King George in London back in September.”

“Pardon me?”

Grinning at him again you replied, “I was discharged as a Corporal Medic in the Canadian Armed Forces.”

His lips parted, “Medic?” You nodded, “How’d you get the medal?”

“I was shot three times, lasted four years, not a bad ratio for how often we were shot at.”

James nodded, “True.”

“How could they let you serve as a Medic?!”

Eddie said, “Our base was attacked first night out. Not much time to argue.”

Lt Laslow asked, “Did you at least complete your ammunitions training?”

“What is it about me wearing a dress that men automatically assume I’m a waste of resources?” You asked glancing at Eddie.

Eddie, “I think it’s the heels.”

Lt Laslow, “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to insult you, it’s just, you don’t look old enough to serve. I got two girls at home myself, barely 9.”

“I was a ward of the Hospital and 16 when it was attacked. I’m 21 in July.”

Lowly he repeated, “16..” Up on his right a woman in a floral dress and two young girls showed up causing him and the other men to stand, “Everything good?”

The woman nodded, “Yes, the girls were fascinated with the soaps they had out for us.”

Lt Laslow chuckled and turned saying, “This is my wife, Christine, and our girls Moira and Marien.” Looking you over he named you all, “Lt Colonel Creed, Colonel Howlett, Sgt Pear and Corporal Bunny Pear.”

The girls giggled repeating, “Bunny?”

You nodded with a grin, “When I was little kids used to call me Jack Rabbit to make fun of my name so my mom started to call me Bunny. They stopped.”

Christine looked you over asking, “You are an Officer?”

You nodded, “Yes, I am.”

“I have to ask, if you’re Canadian forces why are you here? I thought it was just our boys.”

His wife patted his arm and Eddie said, “We were born in New York, Bunny and I. Dual citizenship.” A nod came from him and the girls dipped into an adorable round of questions through the tea and snacks being served out until the President came out.

From the moment of being spotted by those around you everyone joined in on the ripple of soldiers standing and greeting him. “Mr President” flowed from table to table he passed returning nods from him to each greeting them in return asking how those there were, hearing, “Very well, Mr President” in return. At your table he paused however saying with a grin, “I am glad you could make it Miss Pear. Mr Pear. Just a few moments.”

You nodded flashing him a grin, “Of course, Mr President.”

Looking to the confused family across from you he said, “Are you doing well today? Glad you could join us too Lt Larkin.”

“Yes, Mr President. Honored to be here today Sir.”

Watching him stroll to the table up front with boxes instantly making your heart skip. “I do apologize for my tardiness.” He said as you all sat down again, “However there seems to be so much to do this weekend for some reason. To cut to the chase we are all here to celebrate and pay our respects to men, and women go have fought honorably in defense of our country.”

One by one each table was called up with medals of distinction and honor being issued out with photographs being taken with them and their families. With yours last you watched him claim a pair of boxes he brought over and around your necks the medals were hung, yours feeling so heavy and parting your lips and those around you noticing you were given the Medal of Honor over Eddie, who didn’t mind at all preferring you getting the higher honor.

“Mr Pear, for your courage and distinction in the line of duty continuing on through several injuries and aiding in bringing down several enemy planes, trucks and tanks disabling them from further use on behalf of the United States of America we thank you and offer you this medal in gratitude.”

“Thank you, Mr President.” It wasn’t believable to many that you had been behind that but with his mechanical background he was the clearer candidate for the credit. But he would hold off on correcting him for now, at least publicly.

But Truman stepped to you lifting the Medal. “Miss Pear, how can I list all of your achievements? To have been 16 and face an attack your first night forcing you into combat with your brother is reason enough for a show of respect. But to have earned your Medic patch and the rank of Corporal is astounding. I have thanked your brother in bringing down enemy vehicles but I am aware you had aided in that feat as well. All of the other women here faced those returning to their hospitals noting the effects of the war while you aided our boys in defending our territories and advancements while patching them up. I have a distinct recollection of an encounter you had with your troop crossing paths with one of our Captains from Texas who I met just yesterday stating you disabled three German trucks and helped to bring down four planes before taking a shot from one of the captured passengers inside. Three times you were wounded in duty and refused to head home until the battles were through. On behalf of the United  States of America we thank you, and offer you this medal as a sign of gratitude.”

“Thank you, Mr President.”

He shook his head, “No, thank you. You are the only woman in service to have received this medal and the only woman recorded to have made officer. You have faced terrible times and battles to get here and I am honored to have met you, and deeply saddened to have heard that you lost your brother Steve along the way.”

Another box was brought over and your heart clenched as you accepted it after he had opened it resting it onto your palm, “A Purple Heart. To honor his sacrifice.”

With a timid nod you held a semi calm tone, “Thank you, Mr President.”

A picture later and you were off to mingling keeping hold of the Medal uncertain of why you were on the verge of tears exactly. Victory Ribbons were added to your collection along with Good Conduct Medals. You didn’t need more but between your Medal of Valor and these from Truman you had gained several extra medals you had been awarded once the full reel of your so called accomplishments had been listed in full. None of it seemed to fit right though, the smiles and the clapping and gratitude for your service. Still lowly into your ear Victor rumbled, “Let the people feel big by pinning a medal on you for doing what they would have failed at.” Turning your head you caught his eye and his subtle grin and wink, “It’s just metal and ribbons, we won the battle, let them hand out their prizes and name their heroes. We’ll be home soon and off their pedestal.”

Home was coming, back to freedom and only loving pictures captured from Victor in your casual days instead of these forced poses. Against their sides you stood never feeling a lack of a hand on your side of hand, each sensing you were feeling another build of pressure at being flaunted. By the time you got back to the hotel your ears were ringing at the laughs and smiles of the men and women upon hearing the basics of a comic someone here had seen. Somehow you held your composure all through the rest of the day and the ride to the hotel through more and more pictures reminding you of muzzle flashes. Eyes closed in the elevator you turned to lean into James’ chest at his pulling you close for a hug, Eddie stood by the wall with Victor distracting him with some limerick seeing he was trembling as well.

Warm kisses peppered across your forehead while he held you close ignoring the stolen glances of the hotel elevator operator, who took the medal cases poking out of your bag as the reason for the troubled reaction. It was hard, trying to come to terms with all of this, how it could be medal worthy, what you had done, all the people you had killed. Along with the great big lie and secret you had to hide. It was innocent, a question of how you made Corporal, yet again you were seated against that wall with hot metal tearing through your shoulder after bringing down those planes. Half truths of how you had brought them down, magnets formed from scraps affecting their engines, a thrown dagger instead of a rifle contorting to tear through the shooter’s arm. It still hurt and for a moment it was hard to leave that flicker in time and still not feel that panic when you pulled back to the present again.

You wanted so badly to just go home. But there would be a dinner the following night and from the First Lady herself you heard you were to join in on the party and get a couple more tours before being able to head home again. It seemed the press had picked up about you and here like in London you were to be paraded around a bit longer. Tenderly you were helped into your pajamas and across the bed you listened to the radio station Victor had chosen, all together chatting to calm again waiting for the dinner to be brought up to your suite.

.

The dress arrived along with the meal, shoes and gloves as well. Off the shoulder sleeves with a tight sparkling navy blue top with accented flowers around the dip feeding into a fold of fabric reaching the layered poofy skirt in the same material with a sheer panel on the back holding the buttons down the top of your back. Matching gloves and shoes sat by them along with diamond earrings, three dangling stones ended with a sapphire each. Tuxes were brought for the men along with shoes and cufflinks.

It was going to be lavish and together you taped up your egos forcing out your best grins trying not to count down the hours until you were back to collect your things and ride the rails to Canada again.

It should have been dreadful but with several great musicians there to supply the music post opening speeches you took to the floor stealing glances up at the trombone player. The action making James purr by your ear, “Should I be jealous? You keep staring up at the stage.”

Weakly you forced out a chuckle, “I think that trombone player, I’ve seen him. I think he’s one of Steve’s favorites. Got enlisted before he could see him play.”

James nodded, “Ah, you could ask for a picture you know.”

“I know.” You said thinking back to the camera in your bag you had been carrying around looking for something worth taking up Steve’s last shot on the roll.

All the same a lull was found and with grins the musicians, fully aware of who you were grouped together expecting a song request only to fix their spots to all be in the picture you thanked the men for. From the piano player a page was torn from his music lined notepad he passed around for all the men to sign and hand over to you widening their smiles in your ample thanks to them. Though the moment of your picture by morning would be splattered all over newspapers and burned into magazines talking about the evening and returned soldiers being honored, copies of which the Brocks would send to you back in Canada.

.

For all his faults Steve was still your brother and you still felt that pull to try and be there for him when you could. A silent tear would roll down your cheek thinking of how hard Steve must have worked for the pocket change he had left you and how he would have been happy to get back to art school to get better pay as some artist in the few outlets available at the moment. Like a glove the warm green lands molded around you again and cuddled up to James’ side you rode the way home only to end up driving back with Victor when Eddie and James got called to help with some town celebration they were prepping. One firm kiss came in Victor’s hop down and climb into the cab finding the book jammed under the seat to keep you from sliding back.

“You alright?” The question had you glancing his way and you gave a nod, “What’s rolling around up there? You seem a bit blue.”

“Can’t help but think of what Steve would be doing if he made it.”

“Ah,”

“He used to draw in the park and sell comics to the papers to pay for us. Left art school to enlist. He was actually really good, could have been great.”

Victor slid over easing his arm behind your back to kiss your forehead, sighing out, “Brothers. Can’t live with ‘em half the time, even if you hate ‘em you still love ‘em, deep down somewhere.”

“Does it take long to develop pictures?”

You asked stealing a glance up at him and he said, “Not long. Once we get home I’ll help you see what Stevie boy captured with that camera of his.”

Leaving the bags by the door he watched you pull out the camera and held out a hand to guide you to his darkroom. Into the room he switched on the red light and showed you how to pull out the film he then added to the enlarger once the chemicals were measured out. Altering the height and focus. He showed you how to fix the positioning and make the test strip then smirked in your grin easing wider through the developing stage following his instruction to rock the mixture gently. From there you removed the image and slid it into the stop bath you rocked again, after which it would be added to the fixer mixture you would rock as well. A wash came next before he hung up the image you both looked over seeing the image of your group photo making you nip at your lip hoping Steve would have liked it.

Vince grinned saying, “One down, let’s see who else we got here.” Guiding you back to step one through the process again and again expanding the collection a puffy cheeked sax player behind him and Bucky as young teens was next followed by three more like it. Until you paused seeing a picture of you reading a book in the window, just a silhouette of the book on your lap and finger skimming across the page with hair covering almost all but your legs. “Huh,”

“Why would he take a picture of me?”

Victor hugged you kissing the side of your forehead, “It is a moment. Something struck him about it.”

“I remember that book. I’d read the rest, but I read one of her nursing manuals.” Turning back to the others you were confused seeing just another picture of him and Bucky in front of the theater with the film title cut out that they both were pointing to.

An image of a Christmas party you had attended was next, the year your mom had died, you weren’t in this image but the next one, in the dark office seated on the desk reading a book by a lamp where you had spent the night. With your fingers floating in the air just shy of your lips signaling the drop of it to turn the page in moments. A moment you weren’t coated in one of your sweaters showing off the silk dress one of Bucky’s sisters and mother had picked out for you, enough to silence the required color but far less appealing than they would have chosen for themselves. That was next to the end with five more pictures from more shows ending with the first picture taken, your mom holding the bow from the camera he had unwrapped on a random gift out of nowhere.

“I can see where you get it from.”

You glanced up at him and hugged him around his chest, “It never stops hurting does it?”

Around your back his arms looped, “Eventually, you wear the pain like a brilliant pair of shoes. It pinches and you get used to the dull throb, but you get these crystal clear moments where you forget that it hurts. And someone mentions your shoes, and it still doesn’t hurt, but every now and then, you feel a pinch again when someone scuffs them.”

“Maybe we could etch that into a plaque or something,”

Lowly he chuckled saying, “Don’t tempt me, I’ll stitch it into a pillow for you.” Making you giggle to yourself, “Come on, let’s get you changed and unpacked. Catch some fish for dinner.”

.

Across the counter you leaned with chin propped on your fist on the arm resting up, your body fully supported by your elbow. Foot rocking behind you as a finger on your free hand turned the page in the latest bridal magazine the girls had been leaving out after removing all other reading materials including town papers. Men were lost for their usual printed distractions also left to browsing the glossy pages due to their plotting. Still there was no ring on your finger but it was only a couple weeks since James had confirmed he would propose. From the other end of the room Dot and her cousin smirked seeing your head tilt in contemplation at the dress on the page. The lingering pause luring them closer to see you rotate the magazine so they could see the dress, ruffled skirt with a corseted top with off the shoulder sheer sleeves, one like princesses wear often in books and films.

At their arrival you asked, “Too much?”

Together they looked it over and said, “It’s perfect.”

Dot said, “Real showstopper.”

Looking it over again you said, “I think James would like it.”

Her cousin said, “Honey, he would marry you in a sack and you know it.”

“The others are nice but I don’t think I’d want silk. I do like the ruffles, and James does like how I look in a corseted gown.”

Dot said, “You have a stunning figure. The sleeves are a nice touch.”

“My mom had lace sleeves on hers.”

Dot’s cousin, “You can’t wear hers?”

“Oh, she sold it, when Steve was a kid, said they wanted it for a play, I think. Called for twenty gowns. Got five bucks for it I think.”

They both said, “Oh,” with deflating grins.

You shook your head saying, “It’s alright, wasn’t really my style. Lace shrug with a silk dress coated in strings of beads. Eddie’s aunt said it used to make the most strange noises any time she moved. Would have driven me crazy.” Making the pair giggle at your rolled eyes. Turning a few pages back you said, “I was thinking something like this for bridesmaids.”

Dot’s head tilted sideways at the sequined dress with a sheer back slit in the middle accented by face crystals around the neckline, “But that’s a wedding dress.”

“Well I read into the history of weddings bridesmaids wore wedding gowns as well, veils too so if any demons came in the ceremony they couldn’t be able to find the bride, same as the groomsmen.”

Dot’s cousin smirked at you, “I think it’s lovely. Any clue on who you want for bridesmaids?”

The question leading you with a hopeful tone making you roll your eyes, “That depends on how many guys James can round up. I know I would be expected to at least ask Eddie’s sisters.”

Dot, “Who would give you away?”

“Eddie’s pop most likely, if he can make it. I’m not certain if he can leave New York.”

They asked, “He would have to miss it?”

Softly you giggled saying in a whisper, “Between you and me he’s got a history with the law,” making them giggle, “But who knows, maybe he’ll sneak in inside a trunk or something.” Spreading their grins.

Dot, “I think it’s beautiful. We can all help, pick the flowers and set it all up, including the church, which has a lovely barn next to it for events we could set up just swell for you.”

“You don’t have to go to that much trouble.”

They both scoffed and her cousin said, “Honey, we do this for every couple. It’s sort of a welcome from town, our blessing of sorts. All of us pitching together to spare you all the trouble.”

At the misty eyed grin you gave them their hands laid on yours resting on the counter and Dot said, “We love you. And even if you spend years in the States at a hundred different schools we love you and can’t wait to help you through this. You might not have been here that long but you’re family now, and we’re not taking no for an answer.”

At the truck arriving Dot tore the pictures you chose out of the magazine and folded them to go and slip into your purse she passed to you in your move to gather your tips. You would be here just a couple months until summer would hit and you would be off back to New York for who knows how long to get your degrees. But the thought of having such a nice sendoff from your friends here who just wanted your happiness.

Home again would come with fishing and a hike while Victor insisted on handling dinner to calm down from an argument the brothers seemed to be in the middle of shunning each other afterwards. Usually it would die down after a day or so but confused in the middle of a two day stand off you spent your morning off lounging across the couch while Victor was off collecting wood with Eddie.

Tucked against James’ side your finger tapped his chest and he tried not to smirk knowing you were going to ask again what you had been hinting towards since the evening prior. “About Victor.”

Flatly he replied, “I am not talking to Victor. He could walk off the roof all I care.”

Softly you sighed and asked, “You won’t even tell me what happened?”

“Nope.” In your droop across his chest his smile inched out again knowing your brothers were off perfecting his surprise for you that the trio couldn’t think of a better way to distract you from than by having a blowout fight excusing why you weren’t all together as you usually were. An easy distraction involving little fibbing to keep facts straight on they could easily manage ample time for your privacy and theirs to ensure everything was perfect for you.

Tilting your head up your lips pressed to his jaw and he smirked at your asking, “Not even if I ask nicely?”

“I don’t believe this. Are you trying to control me with physical advances?”

Lifting up you hovered over him leaving a kiss on the top of his nose, “Depends, is it working?”

In a purr he closed the distance answering, “I’ll keep you posted.” Planting his lips on yours is what would end in his carrying you upstairs to keep you distracted while the pair returned to gather more supplies signaling with a special bird call moments prior.

Warm peppered kisses would linger through the morning until a late afternoon when a believably tense dinner would end in a huff from you making the pair both scoff and trade heartless apologies and promises to be in better moods by breakfast. Lowly however Victor said, “Don’t forget the shower tonight Jimmy.”

Flatly his brother replied in your glance between them, “I won’t. You coming?”

Victor shook his head, “Nah, seen enough of the trees for a day.” You glanced between the pair and Victor smirked at you, “Don’t you worry Pipsqueak, we’re not quarreling. You will enjoy it and you can tell me all about it in the morning.”

“Fine. But we’re doing something as a family in the morning. No grumbles.”

Eddie chuckled saying, “Oh no doubt there will be no grumbles.”

.

Sunset came fast and with your hand in his James led the way through the trees off into the distance stealing a glance back at you still in your blue dress from earlier though in manageable sneakers over heels. “Not far yet, got the perfect spot.”

Giddily he hopped over roots and over low laying logs he turned to lift you in his arms helping you over them stealing pecks on your cheeks making you wonder as to why he was so excited at guiding you to do more stargazing. All the same off into the distance he kept moving onwards, “We’re not going to miss it, are we?”

You asked in another move of his to lift you over another obstacle and he hummed back, “Not a chance. Not far now.” Adoringly his eyes locked onto yours and a hasty kiss was stolen by him and he nodded his head stepping back, “Just a bit longer.”

With another stolen glance your way his eyes eased over you taking in your every detail and he guided you around another set of trees making your eyes shift over the sprawling  tree decorated by short candles filled glitter coated mason jars dangling from varying lengths of strands of string. Sweetly with a hand on your side James guided you a few steps to your right making you lift a hand to curl your fingers in front of your lips at the design of lit up hearts surrounding the picnic area under the tree. Walking closer you stepped onto the blanket at James’ side staring up at the branches above with paper stars dangling randomly throughout and you asked, “How are we supposed to see the stars from here?”

Turning your head James wasn’t there making you lower your gaze when James shifted your hand he was still holding to kiss the back of it. “Darling, I am utterly dreadful with this. I love you, more than I could ever say. We don’t need the stars tonight, we can do our own dancing.”

Anxiously a giggle escaped you and you asked, “You brought me out here to dance?”

“Among other things,” his free hand rose with a ring between his finger and thumb, “But you’re a bit under dressed.”

“It seems I am.” Your eyes fixed on his and never left partially ignorant of the ring he eased onto your left ring finger then promptly stood up lifting you in his arms claiming a warm kiss as he did.

Whistles sounded and claps afterwards ending the kiss turning your head to Victor snapping pictures hoping the lighting was enough to capture the moment in more than an oddly colorless blob beside Eddie who was clapping. “Bout time!”

Still staring at you James grinned wider folding his fingers a bit firmer along your ribs never wishing to let go of you again while your fingers traced lines into his upper back with subtle strokes of your other fingers against the diamond coated band on your purple heart shaped stone bearing engagement ring. Down you looked again locking eyes with your awed fiancé deepening his loving grin and gaze as you asked, “When did you manage to do all this?”

Lowly he hummed through a barely there chuckle, “I didn’t.”

“You lied to me.” You said to Victor who chuckled moving closer to you. “All of you.”

Victor chuckled in James’ setting you down and replied, “Well we had to come up with some believable excuse to keep you busy while we got all this right.” Instantly your grin split wider in his move to come closer claiming a tight hug and peck on the forehead from your future brother in law with Eddie right after him. “Had to be perfect for you.”

Eddie’s second hug came after a congratulatory pat on the back for him to deepen the awed grin on the man’s face who kept his eyes trailed on you in your moment of distraction from him, an expression Victor captured in another picture followed by another for when you peered up at him again. “Well you hit perfect on the head.”

Eddie said, “And perfect comes with snacks, come eat.” He said guiding you both over to the blanket on which you all settled, you against James’ side granting him a chance to do something other than simply stare at you. Stolen trails of his nose against your cheek came between gentle peppered kisses while your hands folded on your lap allowing you a stolen brush of your thumb against the stone making Victor smirk.

Leaning over in Eddie’s pulling out the snacks Victor grabbed a spare candle he brought closer turning your head from glancing at James to the candle at his saying, “Go on, take a gander.”

From him to the ring on your hand lit up your eyes dropped and a smile ghosted across your lips. “You picked a heart?”

James purred by your ear, “I hoped you might like it.”

“It’s so beautiful, purple too, must have cost a fortune.”

James shook his head, “My father bought it for my mother.”

Softly you asked, “Really?”

He nodded, “It wasn’t to her taste, refused to wear it, too dark,” his grin deepened with a hint of a blush, “And the cut was absurd apparently. You do like it?”

Closing the distance you kissed him warmly then hummed in a bump of your nose to his, “I love it. Thank you. Certainly won’t see another like it wandering down the street.”

Victor chuckled, “Certainly not.”

Eddie, “Bona fide antique, got to be quality not seen in ages.”

James smirked at him, “You wouldn’t be wrong. Stone’s one of a kind and it’s purer white gold than they sell nowadays.” Contently you melted against his chest treasuring the moments of being held in his arms. True nothing really had changed, it was nowhere near to a surprise to be engaged right now, to some it was just a ring but for you all it was a solid reminder that the family you had formed was becoming more solid by the day. Very soon legally impossible to divide or refute by others.

Pt 17

@changelingkhat, @alishlieb​

[dustedmagazine]

Jennifer Kelly 2020: I’m done expecting next year to be better

Not to belabor the point, which has been covered everywhere, but 2020 sucked. My last live concert was on March 7th. It was 75 Dollar Bill in a beautiful reconfigured industrial space on the Amherst College campus, and I already had questions about whether I should be there or not. The show was worth it, absolutely riveting, and no one I know got sick from it, but a couple of weeks later, Amherst College shut down and then, basically, the world.

When I think about 2020, I think about bands that don’t fully make sense unless you see them live, and how, this year, no one got to see them live. I think about musicians who were barely making it before, now cut off from concert revenues and, in a lot of cases, day jobs at restaurants, coffee shops and bars. I think about six-digit medical bills from multi-week COVID-19 treatments, and how my insurance will only cut that to low five figures. I think about the constant spew of bile and nonsense, the willful destruction of American institutions and the persistent sense that we will never recover from any of this, and I look for refuge.

Most of the time in music. Because the music kept coming even when everything else shut down. Even the artists who were holding back for better conditions ended up releasing EVERY ALBUM ON EARTH starting about September 18th. There was always music, good music, interesting music, beautiful music, and while that doesn’t compensate for a terrible year, it was something.

Here are 10 albums I loved best from 2020, with links to reviews or other articles I’ve written about them.

1. Gunn-Truscinski — Soundkeeper (Three Lobed)

Soundkeeper by Gunn-Truscinski Duo

A gorgeous exploration of mood and tone, this double CD set includes two extended live cuts and ten more recorded just down the road in Easthampton, Massachusetts. (And I thought nothing ever happened up here.) “Pyramid Merchandise” punches the hardest, John Truscinski balancing rock solid beat keeping with abstracted sculptures of percussive experiment, while Gunn finds the sweetness and the growl in his blues-touched guitar sound. But “Ocean City” is pure lovely respite, with big rounded notes dropping slowly and with grace through wavering transparencies of sustained tone. Long, searching, “Soundkeeper” will rekindle your longing for live improvised music, while the closer “For Eddie Hazel” vibrates with supercharged intensity, the notes and the steady rhythm too bright and beautiful to look at straight on.

2. Six Organs of Admittance — Companion Rises (Drag City)

Companion Rises by Six Organs of Admittance

Chasny imbues the down-home with wonder and the inexplicable with natural grace in this album inspired by stargazing. The album’s name references the way Sirius appears close to Orion, and the rollicking “The Scout Is Here,” commemorates the appearance of the Oumuamua asteroid, but this is no squiggle-y space opera. The music is mainly made of clean, all-natural picking, blues bends, and rambling jangle, though ruptured, periodically, by rushing, whooshing, amplified electronic sounds. Warm, simple clarity is tipped with awe in finger-picked “Black Tea,” while mists and mysteries predominate in evanescent “Worn Down to the Light,” but the joy comes in the balance between the ordinary and the unknowable shimmering like stars in a black sky.

3. Gil Scott-Heron and Makaya McCraven — We’re New Again (XL Recordings)

When the estate of Gil Scott-Heron asked Chicago composer, percussionist and hip hop chopper Makaya McCraven to reimagine the artist’s last, most personal album, McCraven jumped at the chance to tackle its themes of black struggle, black family and perseverance. McCraven surrounded Scott-Heron’s words with shimmering, post-jazz arrangements that incorporated some of his father’s recordings (his dad is jazz drummer Stephen McCraven) in an ongoing tribute to the blood relatives who shape and equip young black men for a challenging world. The music is wonderful, very different from the original, spare, blues-based arrangements, but they open out the master’s words in an illuminating way. I like, especially, the hustling, shuffling movement of “New York Is Killing Me,” which summons the city’s energy as clearly as the feel of heat rising out of a subway grate in August.

4. Obnox — Savage Raygun (Ever/Never)

Savage Raygun by Obnox

Obnox’s psychedelic mayhem roars like a California wildfire, setting a torch to rock, soul, hip hop, jazz and punk with fuzz-crusted abandon. Icons like Hawkwind flare out and curl into white-hot ash, while even Neil Young’s lick from “Southern Man,” is consumed in the all-encompassing heat of Lamont Thomas’ onslaught (“Young Neezy”). A double album, Savage Raygun covers a lot of ground, but in such a kinetic rush that it seems like one entity that stretched from end to end.

5. Anjimile — Giver Taker (Father/Daughter)

Giver Taker by Anjimile

Anjimile sounds beautifully comfortable with their new vocal range in this second full-length, which follows a gender transition. Pitched low and warm, their voice effortlessly navigates subtle melodies, integrating complex, African-leaning rhythms into songs about love, identify, family friction and the possibility of redemption through embracing one’s authentic self.

6. Osees — Protean Threat (Castleface)

Protean Threat by Oh Sees

John Dwyer has fronted bands called The O.Cs., The Ohsees, Thee Ohsees and now just Osees, evolving from a one-man bedroom pop outfit to a gleefully slopping garage pop project to a droning, krautrocking motoric monster along the way. This newest iteration takes a little of this, a little of that, from the repertoire, putting Dwyer’s best Bo Diddley-esque stomper in years (“If I Had My Way”) next to a wiggy psychedelic freak bomb called “Toadstool” which is adjacent to the dub-scented, narcotic head trip called “Gong of Catastrophe.” The mix works because Dwyer and his band commit to all of it, sequentially and within tracks. It’s the best Osees in years, all the good things in one package.

7. Sam Amidon — S-T (Nonesuch)

As always, Amidon starts with traditional, mostly folk and blues material and, as always, he transforms it into something more adventurous, spiritual and faintly otherworldly. With Shahzad Ismaily and Antibalas’ Chris Vatalaro to back him up, he breaks down the unyielding contours of pre-modern banjo tunes and porch blues, finding steady drones and complex afro-beat syncopations in their steady melodies. You can hear “Cuckoo Bird” a million times in a million different voices and never hear it as luminous and open-ended as here.

8. James Elkington — Ever Roving Eye (Paradise of Bachelors)

James Elkington is always pressed for time, maybe because he works regularly for so many other people’s bands (Richard Thompson, Jeff Tweedy, Spencer Tweedy) and collaborates with others (Steve Gunn). And yet his second solo album brims with balm and solace; he finds time in the interstices between warm, jazz-scented, Pentangle-esque verses and intricate flurries of picked and strummed and electric guitar. Even “Nowhere Time,” which exhorts “It is time for you to move,” has an ease and calm to it, while “Moon Tempering” is as still and lovely as winter starlight. Ever-Roving Eye is an album that assures us we’ll get it all done somehow, but just stop for a minute and listen.

9. Jehnny Beth — To Love Is To Live (Arts & Crafts)

This riveting solo debut from the Savages frontperson is both quieter and more intense than her full-band compositions, juxtaposing incendiary spoken word with the hedonistic thump of the dance floor. Guests are varied—Joe Talbot of IDLES at one pole, the actor Cillian Murphy at the other—but the music never drifts from Jehnny Beth’s singular viewpoint. Compare her to PJ Harvey or Beth Gibbons or Bobby Gillespie as you will (I did), but this is her 100%, and there’s nothing else like it.

10. Cable Ties — Far Enough (Merge)

Far Enough by Cable Ties

Australia churns out quality punk bands like the Hershey factory makes kisses, and Cable Ties, formed in Melbourne by four young rebels, ranks as one of the best to surface here in America this year. “Tell Them Where to Go” is the money track here, all rust-crusted bass crunch and ragged estrogenated vocal energy. But let’s not put them in the “girl band” ghetto. As I said in my review, “The easy thing would be to compare McKechnie’s vibrato-zinging vocals with those of Sleater-Kinney’s Corin Tucker or her verbal agility to Courtney Barnett, but the blunt force and agile violence of the music, brings to mind post-punk bands like the Wipers, Protomartyr and Eddy Current.”

Honorable mention

I also really enjoyed these albums in 2020.

Lewsberg — In this House (12XU)

Damien Jurado — What’s New Tomboy (Mamabird)

Bill Callahan — Gold Record (Drag City)

Mike Polizze — Long Lost Solace Find (Paradise of Bachelors)

Destroyer — Have We Met (Merge)

Decoy w/ Joe McPhee — AC/DC (otoROKU)

Thurston Moore — By the Fire (Daydream Library)

Tobin Sprout — Empty Horse (Fire)

FACS — Void Moments (Trouble in Mind)

Elkhorn — The Storm Sessions (Beyond Beyond Is Beyond)  

Howling Hex — Knuckleball Express (Fat Possum)

Wendy Eisenberg — Auto (BaDaBing)

Xetas — The Cypher (12XU)

Califone — Echo Mine (Jealous Butcher)

Chouk Bwa & The Ångströmers — Vodou Alé (Bongo Joe)

Shopping — All or Nothing (Fat Cat)

Bonny Light Horseman — S-T (37d03d)

Tashi Dorji — Stateless (Drag City)

The Slugs — Don’t Touch Me I’m Too Slimy (2214099 Records DK)

Dr. Pete Larson and his Cytotoxic Nyatiti Band — S-T (Dagonetti)

[animalpetcel]

Ideal RHATO

Okay, so I’ve done some thinking. While Red Hood and the Outlaws was an interesting concept; give Jason friends and a team of his own, get him out of the Batfam Shadow, it’s been bogged down by L*bdell spotty writing and questionable Editorial decisions. So I’ve taken the time to think of what I would personally want the Outlaws to be.

First of all, I don’t believe that Jason would be better of if he remained solo. While he does deserve a good solo run other than UtH, the idea of permanently sequestering from creating meaningful, recurring relationships with other heroes is just repulsive to me. He should be allowed to have friends and people to talk to outside of the Batfamily guys, there’s only so many adventures he can have by himself before they all start sounding the same. You could even have him gaining friends as part of his character development.

Okay! So let’s begin

In my version, the Outlaws would be a more obvious antihero team. They take cases by those who feel that regular heroes can’t help them, that they won’t go far enough to achieve justice. The Outlaws won’t kill often, but it would usually be awful criminals like drug dealers, traffickers or those in charge, but if they don’t kill, they won’t be above dissing out harsh, lasting punishments to those who cross them. There could be the possibility of them being a team looking for redemption, but I’ve never really thought about them going in that direction.

Btw: This will be a hard reboot, everything from New52 to Rebirth regarding RHATO will be completely retconned, because Lobdell wrote almost all of them and despite what people want to believe most of it is bad save for some barely passable moments

Outlaw Members

Jason Todd

Can’t have the Outlaws without their infamous leader. Like I said above, I believe that having his own team can be a good thing for Jason, he can establish a history disconnected from his history with Bruce and actually start to move on. I’d imagine him being a reluctant leader, preferring to work alone but admitting that having people to rely on has made his mission a lot easier. He’s a very driven and calculated person, and after reading Arkham Knight Genesis, I have no doubt in his leadership skills and his ability to turn a ragtag group of antiheroes into a team to be reckoned with.

Idk if I’d keep his All-Caste stuff. I know that it was probably created to give his backstory something that stands out, since he’s the third Batfam member to have the League of Assassins in his backstory and isn’t the only one that’s died before, but he barely uses the All-blades or brings up the All-Caste to the point were you can omit it and don’t really have to do that much to replace it. At this point, I’d accept Talia making him train with Brother Blood over the All-Caste.

I’d probably say that the Lazurus pit Talia used to bring him back was kinda special, giving him a minor healing factor and increasing his strength, idk, something small.

Eddie Bloomberg

(I hate Tom King and this dialogue too but I wanted a recent image of him)

Did you know that unlike Roy Harper, Eddie was actually Jason’s best friend pre-reboot? Most people don’t because DC doesn’t care about using pre-established canon or developing its less popular heroes! 🙃

Okay, I used to be a huge fan of Jason and Roy’s friendship in New52 RHATO, but then I learned that Roy was originally Dick’s friends, that his personality was dumbed down for New52, Roy actually hates mercenaries and would never become one, they only used Roy because he was more popular and that most Titan/Roy friends actually hate his New52 counterpart and friendship with Jason. While I believe that Roy and be both friendship with Dick AND Jason (but in different ways. Dick is more of a close friend while he and Jason should have a more big brother kind of relationship), I have to admit that DC dropped the ball here, and it would be easier to just scrap everything instead of trying to make it work.

Eddie’s personality is actually quite similar to New52 Roy’s, and he and Jason already have unexplored history, so switching Roy with him won’t mess anything too much.

And now, I hear you ask “Ani, what about the Outlaw’s being an antihero group? Wouldn’t that make Eddie stand out?”, and I will reply “Don’t worry, I have a plan!”

Back when Eddie first got his powers, Neron, the king of hell at the time (?) wanted Eddie to be his protege, but Eddie refuses. But what if Neron was more forceful? Eddie could be offered, now powerless again because of the events of TT (but his death is retconned to just getting badly injured), to become Neron’s protege once again. With nothing left to lose (his relationship with Blue Devil is still in the fritz, Teen Titans no longer seem to give a damn and Rose & Jaime is still off doing their own things), he takes it. I guess he’s probably look different with more of Neron’s power coursing through his veins, but the point is that Outlaws become a “Fall from grace” for him. He’s trying to still be a hero, but as Neron’s influence continues to grow, his ability to tell right from wrong gets more and more clouded.

He’s the one to approach Jason with the idea of being a team, wanting to relive the “Good Ol’ Days” when they were younger and less bogged down with personal trauma. While Jason is reluctant, he admits that since being self-exiled from the Batfamily that it’s been kinda lonely, so he agrees, but only short-term. Eddie then segways into the next member of their burgeoning group–

Rose Wilson

While pre-reboot, Rose and Jason did not have the friendliest interactions, with her holding a blade to her throat while his brothers threatened him with a crime he never committed. Post-reboot, he and Rose seem to have a more “friendlier” relationship, but the Wilson family have been rebooted at least theee times in both New52 and Rebirth, so who knows if they even still know each other now,

Rose and Eddie were very close friends in Teen Titans, and I think that getting Rose away from the madness of her family and father could be good for her character.

Eddie manages to convince her to join the “Outlaws”, but like Jason, she goes into it thinking that it’ll be a one-time thing. She cares a lot about Eddie, and sticks with the team to make sure that he’s doing alright. She probably could have an arc were Nightwing confronts her on her work in the Outlaws (since the other heroes see them as white-hat mercenaries) since he mentored her in being a hero, so it could be about dealing with what other people expect of her.

Essence

While L*bdell might be basically a shit writer, he does create interesting concepts. With a better writer, Essence could be a very interesting character, watching from the shadows and judging whether or not the Outlaws are actually “good” people, before she eventually starts taking a more active role in helping them punish criminals.

While she would at first interact solely with Jason, asking him questions about his deeds and ordering him in what direction she feels is best, she would eventually introduce herself to the rest of the group. I think she’d get along best with Komand’r, while the others might test her absolutism, Black-And-White morality a bit.

Rankorr (Jack Moore)

I know that there’s some people who want Guy Gardner to be Jason’s lantern, but what about a lantern who is close to Jason in age and actually fits the Outlaw theme?

Jack Moore is a Red Lantern, not only a Red Lantern, but the first human lantern who is also the first Red Lantern to be capable of creating constructs. He struggles with his rage, and deep down, he wants to enjoy a normal life on earth.

Maybe after Red Lantern (retconning Lobo or if not, he’s brought back using Red Lantern Blood Magic), he decides that the RL’s are a bit too cult-like for him and tries to lay low on Earth, finishing his literature degree and opening up a small bookstore somewhere in London. He’s close with Guy, but still can’t/refuses to let go of his rage, so Jack is still a RL

Of course, keeping his rage at bay is hard work, and after witnessing police brutality one more time, he loses control.

The Outlaws were hired by the family of the victim to make the officers see justice, but after seeing Jack work, they realize that this might be their easiest case yet.

Afterwards, Jack tries to downplay the entire thing (before resorting to threats when the Outlaws won’t listen), but Jason eventually convinced him that his talents would be wasted just being a civilian (and that his rage will only get worse if he continues to just let it boil without an “outlet”) so he joins the team

Blackfire

I’ve read Komand’r’s backstory, I know how bad it looks. However, in a medium where retcons and reimaginings are features instead of bugs (and can benefit a character’s story if done right), I really think it could be possible to make her work.

After reading New52 RHATO, I began thinking that it could be so much better if not only Eddie took Roy’s spot, but also if Komand’r took Starfire’s, since I feel like she had more potential beyond “Kori’s evil disabled sister”, “War Criminal” and “Struggling queen of Tamaran”

First, I’d change her pre-reboot backstory so instead of taking over the Gordanians, she is instead captured by them after Starfire frees her from the Psions (Komand’r still hates her sister and refuses to follow her). Through her clever mind and manipulations, she manages to earn favor with Lord Damyn, feigning romantic interest. Of course, given Komand’r’s nature, she ends up killing and replacing him, but her rule doesn’t go over well and she is again recaptured, but this time she’s brought to Earth.

Realizing that she’s now trapped on the planet whete her sister has become a successful and popular hero, Komand’r is at first angry, and then conspires to free herself and take revenge on her sister (who she still blames for everything despite that not being the case).

The Outlaws bust the alien trafficking ring, and Komand’r, seeing her chance, decides to show off and make nice with them to eventually use them for her revenge.

She finds Eddie and Rankorr easy to manipulate, but she bumps Heads with Jason whenever she tries to take his role as leader away from him and finds Rose’s mind to be “weak”. Overtime however, she bonds with Jason over feeling inferior to their siblings, realizes that her anger shares Rankorr’s intensity, and grows a genuine friendship with Rose and Eddie

Oh yeah, and maybe she tries to make things right with Kori

Artemis Grace

What would the Outlaws be without the greatest Amazon to have ever lived? Nothing, that’s for sure.

While I don’t agree with Jaytemis (at least not yet), I have to admit that Jason would be a fool not to like her. She’s a cool, confident character with a lot of interesting lore behind her.

Her joining will probably be pretty close to canon. The Outlaws are tasked with going after Black Mask, and Jason decides to go undercover, as the Red Hood still has his fingers in various criminal pies. While investigating, he runs into Artemis, who is looking for the Bow of Ra, and rest is history.

I feel like she’ll get along really well with Rose and Komand’r and maybe she’ll date one. She’ll definitely view Eddie a bit dismissively, and she isn’t a huge fan of demons. Rankorr would probably come off as stuck up to her.

Bizarro

Anyone who knows me will know that I’m am not a huge fan of Bizarro clones. I consider them to be an overused concept (that sometimes feels as if it relies on gene superiority, but idk if I’ll ever fully process my dislike for them), and the fact that as the time I’m writing this, there are at least four currently in continuity does not enamor me with the concept more.

However, after re-reading RHATO a few times, I’ll admit that the Outlaws’ Bizarro has grown on me. Since he already kinda has a unique name (Bizz), all I think he needs is a more visually distinct costume (doesn’t even have to directly reference Superman, but I can go 50/50 on the backwards “S”)

The Outlaws getting Bizz is exactly the same as canon. I’d imagine that he and Eddie would be as close as brothers. While Rankorr might find Bizz’s way of thinking and speaking to be annoying, I’d think that Rankorr will eventually warm up to him and probably teach him how to read and help Artemis teach him. Komand’r and Rose will probably be less receptive to him, but who knows

August Heart

I’m a Godspeed fan first and human second, we’ve been knew.

In all seriousness, Godspeed is the perfect Rebirth era character for RHATO and the fact that he and Jason still haven’t met is why DC doesn’t have any rights.

Okay okay, but he’s honestly a perfect fit. Like Jason, he also kills when dealing with crimes, but he isn’t so good and knowing who’s guilty and who isn’t just yet.

This will probably be after Death of the Speedforce, with August finally making things right with Barry, but still not forgiving himself for everything that happened. Deciding to self-exile himself rather than go back to Iron Heights, August travels, trying to figure out what do to do next, trying to follow Barry’s rules (which he finds to be very wishy-washy) to the best of his ability.

Eventually, he learns that Black Hole is still running, and against his better instincts, he goes after them.

His trail of lightning destruction catches the eye of the Outlaws.

Barry, realizing that his best-friend might need someone who can actually be there all the time to help reign him in, Barry goes to the Outlaws and asks them if they can help him once they catch up to him

They do in the form of offering a spot on the team.

August is very self-assured (even if it is hiding a softer, more emotional center), but has proven to be able to work with others, so I can see the other Outlaws coming to like him. They might find him a little cocky/early to jump the gun, but still a trusted and valued member of the team.

Since every Robin has their own flash, it only makes sense to finally give Jason (and have them date) a speedster of his own, and it should be someone who fits his morals, and who else could Then the speedster fans literally call “The Red Hood of the Flashfam”?

Final Thoughts

Other possible members I would consider/accept are

Eradicator Superman

Koryak

Vanessa Kapatelis/Silver Swan lll

Simon Amal (Crux)

Danny Chase

Clone!Roy Harper

Connor Hawke

Orm Marvius

Man O’ War

Lagoon Boy

Scarlet

Zachary Zatara

Thomas Merlyn

Ragman

Bleez

Walter West

Even with a cast as sizable as the one I just listed, with a good enough writer, there could still a few minor side characters. I would personally want the them to be

Scarlet: Jason’s former sidekick. She could be either a civilian who he talks to get experience some normalcy or the leader of her own version of the Outlaws made of up the Generation Outlaws we meet in RHATO #37-40. Either way, it could contrast with Bruce and the way he (mis)treats his own sidekicks and family

Zachary Zatara: Eddie’s old friend who helped him get his devil powers. Zachary would definitely be worried over Eddie once again accepting Neron’s power and will want to try to help. Whether he suceeds or not will depend if the writers want to go in that direction

Isabel Ardila: She’s a nothing character, but there’s a small chance that with a better writer, she might gain an interesting personality or an actual purpose in RHATO

Talia Al Ghul: before the reboot, Talia was Jason’s mentor figure and even gave him a cool dagger. It would be so cool if we can bring that back and erase Morrison’s problematic charactization of her. Maybe the dagger she gives Jason could be an All-Blade or smth. They’d definitely take a few cases from her however

Batfam, Titans and respective groups: it would have to happen eventually. It could lead to some interesting, angst filled conversations. And who knows, maybe they’ll actually make progress with their issues

But this post has gone on long enough. I just really wanted to talk a bit about my ideal Outlaws team that I will never see anywhere except for my dreams because mass media hates me and DC still thinks that Lobdell deserves to write Jason 😔😭

[blake-and-sco]

Tagged by @schofielded (thanks luv!)

Favourite movie - It has to be ‘1917’ doesn’t it? Hands down one of the most beautifully written and shot films of all time. And don’t get me started on the soundtrack ;)

Movie that makes you remember your childhood - Disney’s ‘Sleeping Beauty”. Even as a kid I knew this film was A R T

Favourite Tom Hanks movie - ‘Turner & Hooch’ even though it breaks my heart every time 😢

Favourite Disney movie - ‘The Lion King’ but only the 1994 version. The 2019 version can get in the bin pls.

Movie that makes you cry - ‘The Pianist’

Favourite 80s movie - This is cheating but basically the ‘Back to the Future’ trilogy owns my heart.

Favourite comedy - I hope this counts but ‘Eddie the Eagle’ is h i l a r i o u s

Favourite sports movie - Definitely not my favourite genre but ‘The Great Escape’ is a classic

Favourite gangster movie - ‘Goodfellas’. Can’t believe I loved this film so much

Favourite war movie - ‘1917’ again? But otherwise it’s definitely Nolan’s ‘Dunkirk’

Movies you can watch over and over again - ‘St Trinians’ is perfection :)

Movies with the best soundtrack - OK it’s either ‘The Great Gatsby’ or ‘The Last of the Mohicans’ and you can’t make me choose

Favourite Christmas movie - It’s technically not even Christmas if I don’t watch ‘The Polar Express’

Movie that you’re embarrassed you love - ‘The Full Monty’ is nightmarish when you’re trying to explain the plot to someone who hasn’t seen it. (But I recommend this btw @schofielded!)

Favourite sequel - ‘The Godfather Part II’ was better than the first, dont @ me

Favourite period drama - Lots of my favourite period dramas are actually TV series’ so my favourite period film has to be ‘Belle’. Gugu Mbatha-Raw is brilliant in this and it’s such an underrated film

Favourite DC film - OK after googling what this actually means (!) it turns out ‘Wonder Woman’ is basically the only one I’ve seen 😂

Favourite movie quote - “Listen, we don't mind the gays, and the lesbians, that's fine. But don't you dare be bringing people from North Wales down here” - Helfina in ‘Pride’

I tag @thekellygang @privaterossi and @buster-keaton if you fancy it :)

[rwby-analysis]

Regarding whether the DC Comics are canon or not, despite some details not adding up to canon: 

Eddy here, co-writer and brand archivist on the show. There were some artistic merits taken in the recap comic to make things simpler for a new reader to understand. Ruby returning home downtrodden was a more succinct image than having her be brought back unconscious (and raises less questions like: hey, who's that bringing her back?), and Tai waving to Ruby was to establish that Tai was still currently a part of her life when the comics were moving forward, since Tai played a part in upcoming issues. Is this the actual moment she left? Does it have to be? It's mostly there to represent an idea. The writer and artist had a delicate balancing act that involved condensing hours of material into only a handful of pages, in a way that had to set up and pay forward the story that they're telling in these comics as well.

The show is still the show and nothing that happens in a comic is going to change that. I understand why people take this seriously, and hope that people understand that we take these things seriously too. There are lots of notes and feedback we give to DC about what can/can't be in certain issues -- we're always going to lean on keeping things faithful in spirit and word as much as possible, except when the second one is going to cost unnecessary page/panel count. If a small adjustment makes things more simple for a new reader in a way that doesn't break or alter the actual story, and allows DC to do what they want to do, we're going to try to empower them wherever we can. Naturally, some people are going to disagree on what those things are and the severity of them -- and to be frank, sometimes we won't execute on it perfectly either -- which is why we listen and take that feedback and adjust for upcoming stuff. It's just important to remember that we're all on the same side here :)

- source

Thanks for linking this comment to me under one of my posts! 

[nancythebisexualslutwheeler]

Can i get soulmate au reddie ? Can i PLEASE

So I looked through soulmate prompts and saw one where soulmates can hear each other sing and I said yes that’s what I’m about. xx T 

Eddie hums a lot. It’s annoying at first. A constant buzzing in the back of his mind, but it’s there, and Richie’s about had enough.

He knows it’s his soulmate. Knows he can hear his soulmates singing, and that’s the reason he’s not flipping out when he hears the incessant humming.

He’s much more elaborate, does whole performances of 2000s pop punk in his shower. Which he has to admit are sometimes timely and extremely late or extremely early. But at least his soulmate hears his actual voice. Might recognize him, if he ever heard him in person.

Richie knows he’s a dick. Like a grade A asshole, and he’s demanding. His team absolutely frets after him at every single show, Richie’s sure he would forget his fucking pants if his stylist didn’t lay them out for him. But that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t take care of them. Like, take care.

Whitney’s on an extended paid maternity leave until whenever she wants to come back because she’d just had a whole live human, dammit. Richie should have been best man for how much money he had shelled out for Brian’s wedding.

There’s only one employee who never accepts anything. Wouldn’t even tell Richie his damn birthday, and that was his accountant, Eddie Kaspbrak.

If he didn’t know Eddie from work, he would have been tapped that ass. But since he did and that was unprofessional, he kept the stares to a minimum. Eddie, the germaphobe, organized little shit he was probably didn’t even like men. But Richie is too old to be having some sort of crush, and he’d been told that a few times, but Bev had never seen Eddie Kaspbrak in jeans, and that was a sight to be hold.

Anyway, he finds out it’s Eddie’s birthday, Carol had baked him a cake, which Richie ate more than one piece of, if he’s being honest, and decides to bounce downtown to Eddie’s office.

He has other clients, of course, Richie’s not that wealthy, but he likes to think of Eddie as his because he drops everything anytime Richie calls. He wishes he could call him for different reasons. Late at night as a matter of fact.

But anyway, he prances into Eddie’s office with a huge bouquet of flowers just to be obnoxious. There’s lots of fawning from the receptionist and she giddily leads him to the conference room. He’d hardly meant to interrupt a meeting, but who is he to deny, he’s sure her name is Hailey, or Haddie or something, her fun.

“Eddie,” he sing songs loudly.

Eddie’s looking just delicious in a purple button down. Sans tie. Richie wants to lick his throat.

“You didn’t tell me it was your birthday! I am wounded Edward. Wounded!”

“Richie,” he says desperately, “Hailey,” he snaps, “we’re in the middle of-“

But a black woman has already stood up and shut her folder,

“Eddie. It is your birthday! Get out of here!”

He splutters,

“I can’t, I can’t,”

“It’s a Friday afternoon,” she insists, “don’t keep your boyfriend waiting, that would be rude!” And since she’s his boss, she says it with a touch of finality.

And here’s the thing, Eddie doesn’t correct her. He knows Eddie’s probably embarrassed but how much would a, “not my boyfriend thanks.” Take? Surely not long. But what does happen, is Eddie slams his briefcase shut and grabs, grabs, Richie’s cock stirs that’s how hard he grabs him and drags him out of the room.

His office is neat and pristine, just like he is,

“What the hell? This is my place of work!”

He scoffs,

“And now they think you have a boyfriend to replace that stick up your ass you moron! You didn’t tell me it was your birthday!”

Eddie’s jaw drops and Richie watches every emotion flash across his face as he realizes this is for a birthday.

“You little shit!” He doesn’t comment about the dick joke, which, interesting, “All this for my birthday? How did you even find out?! Get out! You know what, it doesn’t matter, get out,” and he’s pushing at Richie’s chest. He is handsy. Richie is preening,

“What about your flowers?!”

He doesn’t,

“I don’t want flowers you idiot! Take them away!”

“But Ed, they’d look so good right here,” and he saunters over to the corner of the desk, rubbing his hand across it. “I bet Hailey can find a vase.”

Eddie hesitates,

“Fine, leave the flowers but get out.”

Richie walks around his desk to look down at the city below.

“You ever bang anyone in here?”

“What?!”

“I mean, ever just pressed someone against the window, twenty feet in the air, no one can see you but you can see-“

Eddie squeaks and Richie laughs, turning around,

“Man I’m just-“ he’s about to say kidding even though he’s so totally not, but Eddie looks kind of into it. He’s unbuttoned another button, his cheeks are flushed and there’s sweat at his temples.

Richie absolutely grins.

“What is it going to take for you to get out?” He whines.

“The bar, tonight. We’ll all go. Big party for my man Eddie!”

Eddie looks like he’s about to throw himself out the window,

“Fine. Fine. Text me the deats later.”

“If you don’t show up I’ll be here on Monday morning!” He says, heading out the door.

Richie is a dick and that’s why he’s wearing tight skinny jeans, Vans and an AC/DC shirt that’s about two sizes small, with a checkered flannel over it.  If he was ten years younger it would be a crop top and eyeliner type of night.

He has an idea. Seduce Eddie Kaspbrak.

It’s not everyone. It’s not even someone. Richie and Eddie are the only two at the bar. It’s pathetic. Richie can sense Eddie about to leave and he orders them a round of drinks. Well, shots. And then drinks. And then Eddie buys shots. And then Eddie is sweating, in his t shirt and cardigan, cardigan, is he freaking sixty?!

So anyway, he’s standing up, sliding the sweater off of his shoulders and Richie’s sliding his hands down his chest.

“What are you,”

He slips the tips of his fingers underneath Eddie’s waistband, barely brushing skin as he pulls his shirt out from where it’s tucked into his pants. He pats Eddie’s abs. Slowly removes his hands.

“Much better!”

He is so drunk. Eddie is so hot. He wants to fuck him.

Anyway there’s more shots and then there’s a body shot situation that Edward suggested. And Richie’s had a hard time keep his thoughts under control since Eddie licked his happy trail!

So there’s nothing that’ll kill his oncoming erection like-

“Karaoke!” He shouts.

“Karaoke?” Eddie asks.

“Karaoke!” He shouts again.

Eddie has to go first. Eddie has to go first because Richie is almost to the point of being too drunk and he was going to need to go home soon. He’s begging and Eddie’s not listening and then Richie’s bringing out all the stops. He’s leaning into Eddie’s space and begging and his mouth is wet and he’s about ready to offer anything to him if he just fucking goes first so Richie can jump him the second he gets off stage and they can get out of here.

So anyway, Eddie’s getting ready to sing and that incessant humming is back in his head. No. Not now. He thinks. He just wants to focus on what song Eddie chose to sing and the humming keeps going.

Suddenly the base is starting and Eddie has a sense of humor too because... well his soulmate is singing Fergalicious, which is, precisely what song Eddie is on stage singing.

Eddie. Is. He cocks his head to the side and strains to ignore the voice inside of his head and focus on Eddie. But he’s.. right. For once. Eddie is his soulmate. Eddie fucking Kaspbrak is his soulmate. The love of his life, holy shit.

He drags Eddie off the stage. Kisses the confusion off of Eddie’s face. Whisper sings obnoxiously across his lips, watching the realization slide across his face.

“Holy shit.”

Richie pulls him in for another kiss.

[phantomchick]

Can I ask what are your fav ships pretty, pretty please?

!!! Okay sure. 

I’m uh a multi shipper so I’m gonna put a read more after the first 3 if that’s okay?-

Wonderbat - Diana and Bruce are the one’s in control of the justice league’s shared braincells and I love their harmony and their commitment to helping people as much as they can whenever they can. I watched the Justice League Animated series as a child and I’ve never stopped loving their dynamic since. That show is the lens through which I look at this ship. It’s the Yearning. It’s the attraction. It’s the wonder. It’s the way they smirk at each other. It’s everything.-

Superbat - It’s the trust. Clark gave Bruce kryptonite because he was the only one he could trust to be Superman’s watchman. He gave him the ultimate power to destroy him and trusted that he wouldn’t unless it was necessary, he trusted him to be selfless and think of everyone even if it meant hurting a friend, and he trusted him to be the one to end him if he ever went bad because he didn’t want to die to someone who didn’t love him. On the other hand, Bruce trusts Clark with his secrets and also is the one he turns to for advice as an equal. He trusts Clark to be a good person and to remind him that he’s one too when he doesn’t feel like one at all. Also the way they troll each other is fantastic.

-

SuperHood - Because Kara and Jason both have anger issues and daddy issues and abandonment issues and trust issues and ptsd and yet they’re both fundamentally good people. Also the fic writers and fan artists really brought their A game even if canon didn’t so now I’m infected, it’s too late for me, I will go down with this ship. 

RedRed - Red Devil x Red Hood - Eddie was Jason’s penpal as robin and they’ve had zero interaction since Jason came back from the dead. But seeing as Eddie remains the only canon character who actually maintains that Jason was a good robin I am fucking sold on the potential of this dynamic. Also they can be old movie nerds together.

BruTalia - Because Talia isn’t what morrison and recent canon made her. She’s the morally complex daughter of an assassin overlord and Bruce is her father’s most dangerous enemy and her greatest love. In a black and white world full of Villains and Heroes, Talia and Bruce connect in the grey. Talia believes in The Batman and the good he’s capable of more than almost anyone on Earth and I will die on that hill. Bruce believes that Talia’s more than where she comes from and how she was raised, and also has a soft spot for intelligent/beautiful women who can handle his world both as a Wayne and as a Bat. She makes Bruce remember what’s most heroic and noble about himself when he’s at his lowest most self loathing points, and he makes her remember that there’s always a choice. I love this ship because it’s Romantic, in the relationship sense of the word and in the ‘stories of romance and daring do’ sense.

Ren/Kyoko - diving out of the dc fandom here, Tsuruga Ren and Mogami Kyoko’s love story has been making me swoon since I was in secondary/high school. It’s the good stuff.

Merthur - Merlin/Arthur - because it’s hilarious and dramatically romantic all at once. And the fic writers reeeeally bring their game.

Spirk - Kirk/Spock - It’s the premise and we approve. *Salutes the fandom elders who grew this ship from the seeds* Let’s boldly go motherfuckers!

Spike/Buffy - because angel’s condescending and can’t match the sheer witty banter of this dynamic even on his best day. Also Spike is hot.

Germany/Italy - hetalia was an adorable junk food for the brain kind of show that should really have been more blatantly anti nazi even still. But… the fandom as a whole really brought their passion for this ship? Like the pure Creativity and taking silver and turning it into gold with nothing but personal investment in the characters’ dynamic to do it with, kind of passion. There are a lot of fancomics set in the modern era where these anthropomorphic personifications of countries are not currently under the sway fascist governments … and it’s adorable. A guilty pleasure kind of ship.

Joker/Harley - I’m gonna get a lot of flack for this one, but as a dc fan I just find comics with them together more entertaining. Also batman: the animated series made it impossible for me not to love seeing this twisted mess of a ship!Yes it’s an unhealthy relationship, do I still find them fun and enjoy seeing and exploring said fucked up relationship? Uh Yeah! This ship makes me remember the good old days when Harley’s character wasn’t all over the place depending on whether the writer woke up feeling like she’s a hero, an anti hero, a villain or something inbetween - with no discernible transition or actual redemption arc to justify any of it. Also back when The Joker wasn’t the most annoying character alive but actually a highlight in Batman’s arsenal of rogues and a fun antagonist to read about. This ship is mostly sunk by canon and also poison ivy, but I still have fun when I see the fan art.

Kataang - because Aang is always there for Katara and is the first person to believe in her and really listen to her about her dreams and desires for the future. And because Katara grounds Aang and actually cares about his wellbeing more than his abilities as an avatar. Also they’re just cute.

Toph/Zuko - because I like it and for no deeper reason than that.

Clark/Lex - because the identity porn of Lex loving Clark but hating Superman is fantastic and also canon.

Bruce x good writing - the ultimate rarepair when will canon let them be together? WHEN. 

[mythanklessexistence]

Kool Skool (01) Teriyaki Asthma Session

Mythanklessexistence.tumbler.com – Session(1)

I found Chuck, freshman year at college.  We had a bunch of things in common… skating, skiing, surfing, mountain biking and most importantly the love of PUNK ROCK!!!  Thank GOD!!! Millersville was quite a cultural black hole, back in the late 80’s.  We ditched our roommates after Christmas Break and first thing ya know, Chuck and I are settling in to our cave of a dorm room.  That’s when he started getting tapes sent to him, from his High School best friend, who went to the University of Washington in Seattle.  It was a direct link into the Seattle music scene. Live & Direct... from his record collection, radio air tapes he recorded for us from local DJ radio shows, and even occasional freebie samplers direct from Seattle!!  What?.  By 1988/89 I wanted everything that came out of that arena… Sub Pop, Am-Rep, Estrus, C/Z, Glitterhouse, 1/ 4 Stick, Boner, Touch & Go, Alternative Tentacles, etc… what an era for original music.  Especially as eclectic music scenes where co-existing and erupting all around the country!

That was how I met Bill Tormas, after venturing into his seminal Lancaster, PA record store – Web of Sound.  He was very curious about how we knew so much about that scene, as he too was just discovering it and bringing in everything, he could for the store… it was a truly amazing experience, trust me.  There isn’t a scenester in that town that doesn’t owe a debt of gratitude to that man. He was the first.  He was the first one that went through that proverbial BRICK-WALL of Mennonite/Amish/PA Dutch conservative thick-headedness.  But damn was he cool and did he have an ear, head and taste for music and people!!  He could talk a douchey rich dude into being a juke box 45 collector to the must fuzzed out stoner dude$30 imports and everything in between.  He was sweet too – really cared about your experience with music and he was quite the gateway!!

Most of these singles where purchased around that era at his shop.  Some I just drooled at and had to hunt down once I got some cash in my pocket. So… KOOL SKOOL is sort of me recreating Bill’s distinctive “The Web” experience in honor of that great store, man and musical era!!  Sharing tunes, I enjoy and think you may have interest in, and then following the spider web out of the C/Z arena into its web of connections throughout the scenes across the country of that era.

Tonight, we started with the second release in the Teriyaki Asthma 7” Vinyl series.  ALERT – this entire series is available on a CD, or Vinyl LP collection – check it out here, I love Discogs, but I Really Love record stores (Shop Local): https://www.discogs.com/Various-Teriyaki-Asthma-Vols-I-V/master/41161

VOLUME II starts us off with Amorphous Head, playing Lonely Lonely and Hullabaloo with, Kill your Parents. Next, we threw VOLUME Four on the deck and played one of the iconic tracks from this series – Alice Donut’s, Mrs Hayes… I can still remember the first time Bill played this song for me – SOLD. He brought them to the Chameleon shortly after this for a “Business Person’s Special” Friday Night early show, that just BLEW the doors off the place, making us all fans.  The 2nd song is of equal caliber – it’s Gwym by Vexed. Then it’s back to the OG platter – TE Vol II for the second side with Pitbull Babysitter’s – The Head Talks Cheese b/w Hold On, by My Name.  What a killer side this is too!!  Back to deck two and TE Vol Four for one of the unsung heroes of that scene and era – Icky Joey for Josephine b/w God’s Acre – Wood.  Seriously check out some of the other God’s Acre releases for some real strong recordings of the scene and it’s sound.

Moving on, we throw down Teriyaki Asthma Vol VI with one of Seattle’s most obnoxious punk/noise bands – The Thrown Ups with Walrus Head.  Def a must check out, is some of the Thrown Ups stuff on Am-Rep.  The second song is also one that Bill turned me onto when he first pointed out Olivelawn, back when they first hit the shelves.  Freaking A, are they awesome!!  Key to the band in my mind is the ensuing friendship and sheer brilliance of Eddie Glass, from Fu Manchu and in later in my world – Nebula. Several times they came to the area and played shows in York and Baltimore with my band PORTER.  I really loved my time spent with those dudes.  Nebula’s drummer, Ruben is definitely one of the top five drummers born out of that era – if not thee best and a real great dude!! Hope someday to get to Cali and share some tasty waves with him and my new friend Ben a pretty good surfer from Cali, I met via Puerto Rico and my nieces wedding back in February.  

So that’s when we started a run on Olivelawn 7” ‘s.  First went the 1990 ish release from insta-noise records with Side A featuring: Instant Punk Rock Song and b/w a killer tune – Mom’s Farm.  Mixed in on the other deck was the Nemesis 7” with The Cat’s Meow and another version of Mom’s Farm.

That slab was followed by another Olivelawn – Nemesis release – 4 is greater than 2 and the tunes Whale Finger & Signed DC.  The last disc in the Olivelawn tribute is the Sympathy for the Record Industry 1991 release of the tune – Beautiful Feeling on side A and Carvin is the Devil’s Paintbrush as the B-Side.  That Olivelawn jag end by taking us back to the TA Vol VI record for the Pain-Teens with Come Up and See Me Sometime, b/w with a great tune from Unrest entitled – Caitlin Bums(?)

So I’m not exactly sure where the Instagram Live shut down, so the rest of my original set included the Teriyaki Asthma Vol. VII with it’s A-Side of Poster Children’s, It’s True and Hammerbox’s, Promise to Never.  The B-Side has two killer voices of the “Indy Rock” scene that was starting to filter over into the punk & noise scene, Superchunk with the rocking tune, Sister and the lovely band – Tsunami.  Since the moment I first heard the first note and beat from this band. I was in love!! Just awesome!!! Their tune Punk Means Cuddle was to be the Segway into a Tsunami jag with their Simple Machines release with the tunes: Flameproof Suit, World Tour and Ski Trip on the A Side. The B Side has Kickball Babe w/Candyman.

I hope you enjoyed checking out these records as much as I enjoyed collecting and listening to them.  Thanks for the memories, for sure!!  Buy more Porn Orchard records… seriously!!!!  See ya round…