#El is such a beefy boy and I love him

[beefrobeefcal]

Hello Beefro!

I'm hopping around the Ask boxes with some pancake asks.

Which Pedro boy is getting dome beefy pancakes? You can interpret and answer that in any way you like.

Love, El

oh El! Who could it be? It took me a minute to figure out what a ‘beefy dome’ pancake was, but after some googling, I know exactly who’s gonna benefit from this.

Thanks for the ask, baby!

Make-your-own-kind-of-music regards,

Beefro👌🥩💜

It’s Javi G!

Javi sat back and groaned, letting his head tilt against the chair’s headrest.

“More pancakes, Mr. Gutierrez?”, you offer, trying to keep your eyes at a professional level and not at the ball gut sitting on his lap.

He waves his has slightly at you, and offered a lopsided smile. “No, thank you, Pollita.”, he said softly. “You already have my shirt ready to tear.”

That poor red, button up shirt. It’s been through a lot, and since you were hired as his personal assistant, the seams and buttons look to be on their last legs.

“The shirt looks fine to me, sir. Have another… come on. You deserve it.”, you cooed, keeping firm eye contact with him.

His pupils got a little bigger and his smile grew. He let out a small, almost inaudible whine as he shifted in his seat.

You hear the first button pop off then hit the floor as he sat forward to eat the next pancake.

[i-mybrunettelady]

Been low-key obsessed with an only sliiightly self indulgent human!Liv and human!El AU where Liv is an archeology professor with a specialty for Germanic tribes (don’t ask where that specifically came from, i don’t know) and El is his very stylish chemistry professor colleague with lots of jewelery and shiny long black hair. And they’re in love. Everyone knows it. Liv rarely fails his students and El has to fail at least one student per exam. El doesn’t even try to be professional in hallways and goes on his tippy toes to kiss his giant beefy historian boyfriend and Liv lets him because El’s just endearing like that

Academia boys amirite

[jollybone]

I was thinking about how V’s mohawk would look like if his hair was wet- ...yeah. Idk why or how they fell into the water or why El is there but El thinks V’s hair looks hilarious like this. V on the other hand is not that amused.

Eliot Eloi Varley (right) belongs to @rejected-beater

Vincent “V” Gibson (left) is my OC

(click for better quality)

[heywoodvirgin]

So here's a few thoughts I had because I'm a soft for big beefy boys and domestic fluff:

Jackie reading a book while V is lying in his chest trying to sleep (Extra fluff if V already read the book, so Jackie gasps and she says "You're in that part?" or they can complain about a carachter together)

Crashing at a friends house after a party and Jackie has to inspect V's body in the morning for bruises she doesn't even know how she got it because she's a dumbass™ ("You leaving already?" "Yeah, someone broke their own finger while trying to do a cartwheel" "Successfully doing a cartwheel")

V making coffee really early because she knows Jackie has practice or a fight

V aways watching his fights and treating his cuts after "This one looks pretty bad Jaquito" "But did you see the other guy tho?"

Stealing Jackie's jacket and he teases V saying he wants it back but it look gorgeous on her so she wears it the entire night

Adopting a pitbull or one of those giant dogs (alaskan malamute I think?) and they don't ever leave V's lap. "The dog is replacing me princesa"

Leaving a party at 3am and V wanting to find an open thai food place so they walk through night city trying to find it

Waking up in the middle of the night wanting fast food so Jackie goes down to get it

Painting a mural together on El Coyote (Well one of them is painting the other is just giving moral support)

V being really competitive on child games. "YESSS I NEVER LOSE, YOU CAN BEAT ME SON" "Calm down cariña, it's just monopoly"

Dressing up fancy just to go on open houses in rich areas (And maybe stealing a thing or two because fuck the rich™)

Can you imagine going on a amusement park with Jackie? Homeboy would get V A LOT of stuffed animals "Jackie I literally can't carry any more prizes" "Just one more mi amor you said you wanted the big pink bear" V would probably give some to kids passing by.

Invading private property to skinny dipping

I just know Jackie is really good at braiding, when V don't wanna deal with her hair he would brush it and do a pretty braid. (Okay but having a daughter and he is the one that does her hair???? I'm soft)

I usually don't imagine myself or my V with kids but Jackie giving his girl little boxing gloves? Adorable

Is practically canon that V is a terrible driver therefore Jackie would always insist on driving for the sake of their lives.

Jackie coming home from work out and hugging V really tight because he knows she will try to get away from his grip "Jackie you're all sweat go take a shower" "Only if you join me"

V being super close to Missy (maybe she's dating Vik? Idk) and her telling all about why V and Jackie signs are compatible

I have a Modern HC in my mind where V is brazilian, so since portuguese and spanish are very similar languages they would understand each other just fine and talk together in their mother tongue. They would call each other "Mi alma" "Amor da minha vida" "Cariña". Cooking and making traditional dishes together. If they had kids they would grow up learning three languages; V talking in portuguese when she's angry

Jackie gifting V a little cross necklace, (or any type of necklace if you're not catholic) that she never takes it off

So... This is what I have in my head rn 😌

Oooh, I just love these. Love how your imagination is workin' ;)

You surprised me with Jackie knowing how to braid 🌞😍

I mean, I imagine his big fingers working on my hair in the most gentle way and I'm melting ( I'm soft too he he)

Also I too I've never imagined v and jack with kids but that thought of him putting his little girl's tiny hands in tiny boxing gloves ... 😍😍😍

[boethiahsboytoy]

IN DEPTH TES OC QUESTIONS: VYRTHAAL. (((if you dont feel like going for all of them, then pick your favs cos i know thats a long list but im excited to hear what you will share for the boi)))

I’m gonna do ‘em all >:3c Also thank u omg I’m so excited that Anyone’s interested in him ;w; Side note, occasionally I’ll mention Marzog who’s an orc created by @elderscrelders that found Vyr when he was hidden away and raised him, as well as Sinarwyn (aka Sina) who’s my newest OC; a former knight-paladin of Auri-El that joined Marzog and Vyrthaal on their travels when the town she once lived in was destroyed by the Thalmor. 

Under a cut, RIP mobile users!

1) It’s a little unreasonable for everyone in a Middle Ages-esque fantasy to be perfectly literate, and writing with quills was considered legitimate labor! How well can your oc read and/or write? How detailed is their quest log/journal, if they keep one at all?

Vyrthaal’s parents made sure he could read and write, but unfortunately when he’s found by Marzog he can only read and write in ancient Falmer so.....doesn’t really help him much lmao. So he’s learning! He does keep a rather detailed journal, though he doesn’t write in it daily--I’d imagine he doesn’t really have time for that. But he writes in it as much as he can.

2) How educated is your oc? Did their parents teach them, did they have a tutor or were they apprenticed to a master, or did they attend a university? What university? What are they educated in? How long did their education take? (Learned skills like blacksmithing count here too!)

Vyr was nobility, so his parents wanted to make sure he was a highly educated boy. Since there’s not any lore I could find on snow elf education I’ve been kind of bullshitting everything about this BUT I headcanon that upper class mer like him would be trained by private tutors that are masters in their subject(s). When he’s later taken in by Marzog he of course is trained in blacksmithing once he’s settled in (and it helps him stop focusing on the trauma of seeing his home attacked and destroyed etc. etc.), as well as how to fight. When Sina joins them, she teaches him to hunt.

3) Does your oc have any kind of crafting skills that either aren’t in-game or don’t have as much importance in-game as they would in real life? (For example, can your oc sew or weave, etc? Are they skilled in any kind of art? Can they make jewelry or work glass? Are they musicians? etc)

Marzog taught him how to make clothes and do things like embroidery! He uses his new skills to try and recreate snow elf attire so there’s a whole orc stronghold that, when they’re not in their armor, wear elegant and pretty robes ;u; @elderscrelders​ says that Marzog would like to weave tapestries, and I think Vyrthaal would try to learn too. He wouldn’t be incredible at it, but he’d still like it! He’d also enjoy painting, and most definitely decorates the armor that the orcs in his stronghold wear uwu

4) What pantheon does your oc worship? If they worship the Cyrodiilic/Imperial pantheon, does that include Talos? If they secretly worship Talos, how do they justify hiding it?  

I haven’t given a lot of thought to this but UESP says that the snow elves have their own pantheon. Vyrthaal certainly would have worshipped them as a child, but after being found by Marzog and becoming a part of orc society, he’d feel a connection to Malacath as well. 

5) How religious is your oc? Do they come into conflict with others over their beliefs? If their patron deity told them to do something extremely undesirable or against their moral compass, would they do it? Would your oc sell someone’s soul for a corn chip?

Malacath is his Dad.

That being said, he wouldn’t follow an order from any god he worships if they told him to do something against his moral code, but he’d be scared about doing so lmao. 

6) Does your oc have a family of origin? How many members of their FoO are still living? Do they have a good relationship? How much contact does your oc have with their FoO? How in-the-loop is your oc’s FoO about your oc’s being Dragonborn/HoK/Nerevarine?

*laughs nervously* Uh. No. But while they were alive, Vyr’s parents were distant and not at all there for him emotionally so he didn’t have a great relationship with him. I don’t really see the point in developing them beyond that but I’d imagine they wouldn’t like the idea of him being a Dragonborn? That or use him to like...gain more power, or something. 

Marzog’s stronghold on the other hand loves him like he’s one of their own, and Marzog is an amazing mom. He can trust everyone in his new family to help him when he needs it and to be supportive. With Sina he pretty much Immediately develops a close familial bond with since they’re two of the last remaining snow elves alive and she understands a lot of his feelings in a way that no one else really can, as much as they’d try to.

7) What social class was your oc born into? Did they change classes at all? How?

Oh whoops I already mentioned this :’3 His parents were fairly high-ranking nobles. Marzog’s mother was the healer and the one that would communicate with Malacath for their stronghold. So Marzog herself is fairly important, but not like. A chief’s daughter. So as her son, that would make him kind of important? But he’s also the Designated Babey.

8) How politically active is your oc? Are they obviously influential, or is their influence more subtle?

He’s.....he’s 13. Even if he did try to be politically active, I don’t think anyone would actually listen to him. Jarl Balgruff might because he seems like the sort that would, but other than that...yeah, no. He also wouldn’t be too interested in politics as an adult aside from making people Stop attacking the Falmer, and giving the Reachmen their land back. He’d be on good terms with Madanach tho, if that counts!

9) What unplayable faction would/did your oc join, if any? Why?

Do the Falmer count? Because unlike Gelebor he’d want to connect with them and make an active effort to try to help them--and he does with Kili’s clan! And as I mentioned he’d help the Forsworn, so them too I think. Off the top of my head I can’t think of any more, I think those r the only things relevant to Vyr anyway??

10) How trustworthy is your oc? Would they ever change opposing factions?

Absolutely not, Vyr is a ride or die. The only exception would be if he would be pushed to doing something seriously fucked up. A Trustworthy Boy.

11) What is your oc’s main source of income, if they have one besides plundering tombs and adventuring? If they’re mercenaries, are they part of a company? 

He gets an allowance from Marzog uwu But she’d also let him keep any money n valuables they find adventuring.

12) Does your oc own their own business, and if so, what is it?

Nope, he wouldn’t really be interested in that-

13) Is your oc good with finances? Bartering? How long can they keep the money they make? 

He really wouldn’t be! He’d spend all his money on like 30 sweetrolls! He’s a kid and he needs adult supervision lmfao.

14) Does your oc have any particular rivalry or mutual dislike with any NPC?

I jokingly said “literally every Nord” but for a while, that’s how it is. He was frozen while the Nord colonizers were trying to wipe out his entire race and saw them destroying his hometown before his father tried sealing him and the rest of his family away in a secret hideaway area. He sees them as murderous brutes first, people second, and it takes him a long, long time to understand that that’s technically ancient history, and that the Nords of today aren’t the people who killed most of his race. But he will always hate the Companions though I don’t know if they’d even know he exists?? They seem like they just chill in their own lil world but to be fair, I’m not that interested in them so...I genuinely don’t know lol;;

Also he will personally bite out Ulfric Stormcloak’s throat, and no one will stop him.

15) How well-liked is your oc? What is their reputation, if they’re well-known? Are they simply liked/disliked, or are they respected but feared, or personally liked but not taken seriously, etc? Do major factions consider your oc an important player?

Everyone loves him, and it’s definitely not because he has two terrifying elf moms standing behind him! :)

...which sounds like a joke, but Marzog (big beefy orc who can snap your bones like twigs) and Sina (highly trained knight-paladin that looks ready to murder 24/7) really Do terrify everyone into at least being respectful towards him. 

He’d probably be well known throughout other orc strongholds, and even orcs outside of them would know about him. As soon as he learns...Anything about the Companions he would do Everything he could to wreck their shit. Needless to say he’d be hated by him. I think those are the only things I’ll go into in this ask, because this is already so long.

16) Does your oc have a horse/other mount? A pet? How did they get this animal? If they were given the animal, do they have the money to maintain it? How careful/careless are they with their animal? What do they do with their pets while adventuring, especially on dangerous quests?

When he meets Kili and his clan, Kili decides to travel with him about a year later when they’re both around 15. As a  parting gift, the clan leader gives him a chaurus reaper as a companion, and he absolutely adores her. Unfortunately it’s highly unsafe for her above ground as she’d pretty much always be attacked on sight, so she does spend most of her time underground with Kili’s clan. 

17) Does your oc take their time as they travel, or are they purposeful? How do they survive in the wilds, especially if they aren’t hunter-types? How dependent is your oc on civilized society?

I feel like he’d make good time travelling, but for a while Vyrthaal would hate it. He lived a very sheltered life, he’s not used to living outdoors, but Marzog (and later Sina) would help him out as best as they can. Sina would also teach him (and maybe Marzog?But she’d use that just as an excuse to be close to her) how to hunt.

18) What does your oc like to eat? How much food do they eat? Can your oc cook, and can they do it well?

He loves treats n sweet desserts, as well as the big, hearty, rich, and savory meals I imagine orcs would make! He also has a surprisingly large appetite for such a small person, but I headcanon that that’s just A Dragonborn Thing(tm) so it only sort of counts. (if he wasn’t a Dragonborn, he’d actually have a very small appetite). He can cook some basic things and roast some meat over a fire and such, but nothing super fancy.

19) If your oc is a vampire, do they go outside in the daytime? Does the daylight affect or hurt them in any way different from in-game? If they interact with society, how do they justify looking half-dead and hating sunlight? How good is your oc at blending in? Do they even like dealing with society?

He would never willingly become a vampire, and he and Sina would always wear disease immunity enchantments to avoid it (and keep potions of cure disease on hand just in case. In a modern AU, they’d also have Falion on speed dial).

20) If your oc is a werebeast, how much control do they have over their transformations? Have they ever lost control? What happened? If not, why do they have such strong control? Does Hircine ever call on them, and do they answer?

He’s also not a werebeast. I don’t think he’d be able to control it well just because he’s a kid, but I think Marzog wouldtry to help him with that, as would Sina. If Hircine were to call on him he’d answer even if he Wasn’t any sort of werebeast, being an ally of the Forsworn and all he’d probably be honored!!

21) What does your oc wear in the city/settlements? In the house? When travelling, but not adventuring or expecting combat? Do they vary their clothes depending on what hold/city they’re in? If they don’t, why not (e.g., if your oc wears the same outfit to tend their garden or lounge around the house as they did to meet Ulfric or Elisif, why?) Does your oc have a good or bad sense of fashion? How many clothes does your oc have?

In cities and towns like Whiterun, Riften, etc. he’d wear simple robes. In the stronghold he’d wear clothes that are more tight fitting and don’t have billowy bits; think plain long sleeve shirts, pants, and a vest n such. While he travels he’d always wear armor he’s forged until he’s gifted ancient Falmer armor, which he then wears. He doesn’t vary his wardrobe much as snow elves are very resistant to cold so you could see him in the dead of winter just. Wearing regular old clothes lmao. When visiting Kili and his clan, as well as other Falmer clans, he’d likely wear regular Falmer armor (minus a helmet lmao). He would dress up in finer clothes to visit any Jarls except Ulfric, he’d wear full armor.

22) How picky is your oc about their gear? Do they have different equipment for different adventures, or is it the same suit of armor for everything (not counting upgrades like from steel to ebony)?

Same suit of armor for everything (except anything I’ve mentioned above) !

23) How does your oc acquire their clothes, and from where/whom?

He makes them, for the most part. Marzog helped him forge his first set of armor though, as well as make the first few pieces of clothing. The “modern”?? Falmer and ancient Falmer sets of armor are ofc all gifted to him tho,

24) Can your oc swim, and how well? Have they ever swam in the ocean, or only lakes/rivers? Remember, it’s much harder to swim in the ocean than in a lake! If your oc is an Argonian, do they take special advantage of it somehow (e.g., do they go diving for fun/for profit, do they instinctively hide in the water, etc)? If your oc is a Khajiit who can swim, how do they get their fur dry?

He can Not swim :’) He’d actually be a little bit afraid of water. Not out of trauma or anything ut just because he’s never really around big bodies of water often so it’s just New And Scary for him.

25) How easy/difficult is it to rob your oc? Pickpocket? Bribe?

It would be impossible to rob or pickpocket from him bc of Marzog and Sina lmao (though significantly easier if he’s alone, but he gets really scared on his own so that’s rare). He also wouldn’t take bribes.

26) If your oc is part of one of the more morally questionable or outright evil factions, how do they justify it to themselves? Do they still consider themselves as morally good? How well known is their affiliation to these groups? Do they have separate personas (e.g. Dragonborn to some people, Listener to others)? Do their family/friends know? If they have separate personas, how do they keep their less than righteous activities secret?

Apparently some people consider the Forsworn to be morally questionable which, yeah I guess they Do do some Fuck Shit but. He’d be open about it, he fully agrees that the Reach is the home of the Forsworn and as such they own it, and he’s not afraid to make that known. He’d wear the armor of the Old Gods that Madanach gives him any time he goes to see any Forsworn or travels through the Rift.

27) How helpful is your oc, and why? Are they helpful or kind even during difficult situations? Are they pragmatic, or do they have a hero syndrome?

I wouldn’t say he has a hero syndrome, but he’s a sweet kid that wants to help as many people as he can! He’s not like this with everyone at first, he definitely struggles with “why should I help people that would want me dead” but as he comes to terms with this being a new era he’d slowly be a bit more...gentle. And the more he adjusts the more his sweeter, friendlier nature begins to shine through!

I think I mislabeled these a little while reformatting, bc the original post only has 26 asks???? Uh,,,Oops! Lmao but that’s all of them so it’s fine!

Thank you for sending this in I had a lot of fun answering these! I tried not to ramble too much because this is long as it is so. I guess if anyone wants me to expand on any answers they can send in an ask or smthn??

[urdearestmom]

Lights, Sound, Screwdriver! | Chapter Eight

“Ow! Jesus fuck!”

“You better shut the fuck up before I pound your teeth in!”

What did I do to deserve this, thought Mike. Currently, he was being shoved into a locker by none other than Troy Harrington. The asshole had already clocked him in the jaw while he was unsuspectingly making his way from the washroom to his history class for his presentation with El, and now was violently attempting to fit all six feet and three inches of Mike into a locker that couldn’t have been higher than his shoulder.

Troy also kept repeatedly punching Mike in the stomach so that he was winded and couldn’t fight back. He supposed it was actually a pretty smart plan; a good way to keep him from bolting away from Troy as he usually did. Finally, dickface managed to get most of Mike inside the locker, leaving only his feet sticking out of it and the rest of him cramped into the much too small space as he tried to avoid Troy’s fists. Troy then proceeded to slam the door as hard as he could multiple times, and Mike felt like maybe Troy was trying to break his ankles or something.

“That’ll fucking teach you not to mouth off. Who do you think you are, Wheeler, huh? Fucking pussy…” Troy slammed the locker door one last time and then stormed off, leaving Mike with his eyes squeezed shut and trying hard not to scream at the injustice of it all. What the hell had he ever done to Troy to warrant the shit he’d had to put up with for the last eleven fucking years of his life?

Mike got out of the locker and leaned his head against the wall next to the block, breathing deeply. He looked at his watch and cursed. I’m five minutes late, she’s gonna kill me. He wasn’t sure if the she he was referring to was El or their teacher, and he wasn’t sure whose wrath would be worse. He rushed down the hall as quickly as he could, limping a little because of the door’s impact on his poor ankles and holding a hand to his jaw where he knew a bruise was going to be obvious very soon.

Turning to where his class was located, Mike saw El standing outside the doorway of the room looking up and down the hall. When she spotted him coming, she ran to meet him.

“Where the hell have you been?” She exclaimed, but then she noticed he was limping and holding a hand to his face. His hair was also very messy, which it usually wasn’t because Karen Wheeler refused to let her son out of the house with what she called a “rat’s nest” on his head. “Wait, what happened to you?”

Mike groaned. “I’ll tell you later, it’s not important. Let’s just get to presenting, alright?”

El threw him a sideways glance as she led him through the door as if to say, Oh, you’re definitely telling me, buster.

He smiled at Mrs. Bubkes as he walked in. She didn’t return it. “How wonderful of you to join us, Michael.”

“Sorry, I lost track of time in the washroom.” Cringing upon hearing what that sounded like out loud, Mike went over to stand on El’s other side. She had already drawn their timeline of major events on the board and was just waiting for him to begin.

“So, our project was on the seventies. Raise your hand if you remember those golden years!”

By the end of the period, Mike would say that their presentation had gone pretty well. There weren’t any major slip-ups and he thought the flow of information might actually be making it into his classmates’ heads. Mrs. Bubkes looked pleased. All in all, he thought they’d get a good grade.

Back in the hall during the five minutes between classes, El cornered him and demanded he tell her why he’d been late.

Mike sighed. “Troy…”

Her nostrils flared. “I swear to god, I will punch that bastard’s lights out. When I get my hands on him…”

“El, it’s fine. He just shoved me into a locker, is all. Tried to close the door but I’m too tall and he just ended up slamming it on my feet. That’s why I was limping.”

She glared. “He just shoved you into a locker? As if that’s not bad! But you have a bruise on your face, too.”

He looked down, cheeks burning. “Okay, so first he actually clocked me in the face when I came out of the washroom, and then he punched me in the stomach and shoved me in the locker. He left after that, though, so it’s fine.” Mike wanted nothing more than for the ground to open up and swallow him right there. He couldn’t even look El in the face, he was so embarrassed. God, what a weakling. Can’t even keep myself from being shoved into a way too small space. No wonder he called me a pussy, he’s right. This is why no one likes me.

El put her hands on either side of his face and pulled it up so he’d make eye contact with her. “Look at me. Nothing about what he did to you is fine. It’s unacceptable. There’s literally no reason for him to do any of the shit that he does to you, so I don’t want you blaming yourself.”

He blinked, taking in her words.

She paused, then continued. “Remember what I told you? You deserve all the love in the world, you’re, like, one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met! Troy has problems he doesn’t know how to deal with, but that’s not your fault and it doesn’t mean he can take it out on you.”

El paused again, anger crossing her face. “I’m still gonna teach him a lesson, though. I’ll see you after class.” She let go of him and stalked away into her math classroom.

Sitting in English, his last period of the day and his favourite class, Mike was completely unable to keep his focus. He could hear Mr. Reid going on about the significance of the blood Lady Macbeth washed off of her hands, but he wasn’t really paying attention. He was thinking about what El could possibly do to Troy.

He knew she was most definitely a force to be reckoned with, and he clearly remembered that the reason they’d even met was because she’d been sent to the office for stabbing the very same asshole with a goddamn screwdriver. But he also knew that Troy was probably insane, and wouldn’t have any qualms about hurting El just because she was a girl. Mike didn’t want her put in Troy’s sights because she’d tried to defend him. He’d gladly take the other boy’s beatings for the next eleven years if it meant he’d leave El alone.

When the bell signalling the end of the period rang, Mike’s stomach was in knots, and it only got worse when he saw that El was coming down the hall in his direction. She never does that. She must be coming to get me.

Indeed, that was exactly why she was there. She grabbed his hand and dragged Mike with her in the direction of the school’s entrance, where she claimed to have seen Troy after school every day. Upon arriving in the hall that led outside to the parking lot, Mike saw that Troy was, in fact leaning against the row of lockers closest to the doors, surrounded by his goon friends.

“No, El- don’t-” He struggled to keep her back.

“Shut up, Mike. Let me deal with him,” she hissed.

He felt like his stomach had fallen out of his ass when she yelled in the direction of the boys by the door. Mike was taller than all of them, but he was skinny and had almost no upper body strength (and no coordination, either). Just one of them could easily take him out.

“Hey, McFucking bitchface!”

Everyone in the hall turned to stare, taking in the tall, stick-thin Wheeler kid and the small spitfire that was Jane Hopper standing by his side. She had a look of murderous rage on her face.

The boys didn’t answer, not knowing that the name was directed at one of them. “Yeah, I mean you, Harrington!”

Troy smirked and pushed himself off the locker he was leaning against. “What’s up? Mayfield finally take me up on that date?”

Mike gulped and internally said a quick prayer for his life as El walked forward to stand close to Troy, bringing him with her as he was still holding her hand. “No, and she’s never going to. She has standards,” El spat, her eyes narrowed to slits. She seemed to realize in that moment that the hallway was full and whatever confrontation she had planned wouldn’t go over well. “Everybody clear out! This isn’t going to be pretty.”

She then waited until most of the other students were gone, leaving the hall empty but for herself, Mike, Troy, and his beefy friends. The bully leered. “What do you want, then, Hopper? Or have you come to defend pretty boy Wheeler?”

Mike closed his eyes. He’s going to go apeshit on her. I can’t let that happen. “El, I really think we should-”

She looked at him, and he saw the look again, the one she’d given Hopper when Mike was at their house, but it was about ten times angrier. “No. He’s getting what he deserves.” With that, she turned and socked Troy right in the nose.

He bent over, howling, and his buddies backed up. “You broke my nose!”

El whipped something out of her pocket and held it under Troy’s chin, forcing him to stand straight. Glinting in the sunlight streaming through the doors, Mike saw that it was a screwdriver. He was so shocked by her punch that all he could think was, Huh. Guess she wasn’t kidding when she said she carried it around.

Troy’s nose was bleeding and it looked crooked, appearing to have been broken just as he’d said. El glared at him, digging the point of the tool further into the skin under his chin. “Do you want to fucking try that again? You remember what happened last time. If you so much as lay one finger on my boyfriend again, I will fucking gut you. And you can’t do anything about it because is the chief gonna believe you over his daughter? I don’t think so,” she seethed. “Don’t even fucking look at him, Harrington, I swear to god.”

The group of boys surrounding Troy looked scared, and were avoiding looking at Mike. Troy gulped and opened his mouth, probably to say some stupid shit, but El pushed the screwdriver up and he closed it. “Get the fuck out of here before I do something I regret, assholes.”

They didn’t need another warning, James bodily hefting the limp Troy over his shoulders and the rest of them running out the doors as quickly as they could.

Mike’s throat was dry when El turned to face him, satisfied that the assholes had left. “I’m sorry you had to see-”

“I’m your boyfriend?” He croaked.

She let go of his hand quickly and blushed, looking away. “I know, I know, it just came out. Just pretend I didn’t say that.”

He closed his eyes tightly for a few seconds, then opened them again and El was still standing there, still blushing at the fact that she’d accidentally called Mike her boyfriend. This was real. HOLY SHIT.

“Can I kiss you?”

Her eyes snapped to his. “What?”

“Can- can I-” She cut him off by nodding, and that was all the incentive he needed. He reached his hands to her waist and pulled her closer, bending down to press his lips gently to hers. For a few seconds it was just that, lips touching lips, but then El’s arms wrapped around his neck and one hand went into his hair and somehow they were closer.

It was everything Mike had ever dreamed it would be, and he had dreamed of this moment a ridiculous amount of times before. Her lips were soft and warm, and for a first kiss it wasn’t too bad. A shiver ran down his spine and he felt like there had been a fire burning in his chest that had just spread to the rest of his body. All of him was warm when he pulled back from her to breathe. He only had to look at her face to want it again.

“Holy shit,” he breathed.

El opened her eyes and giggled at his expression. “You look like you just narrowly missed getting hit by a train,” she said.

“It feels like I did,” he answered. “Can we do that again?”

In response, she simply leaned up and kissed him again. And god, was it amazing to be kissed by El Hopper. It felt like everything in the world was alright if she was kissing him, and nothing could ever go wrong again.

She pulled back this time, looking up at him with a smirk. “So what does this mean?”

“Well, I hope it means you like me because I like you so much that sometimes I don’t know what to do with it,” Mike said nervously.

She frowned. “You’re a dumbass if you think for a second that I don’t like you. I probably like you more than you like me.”

“Hate to break it to you, but that’s scientifically impossible.”

“Sure it is.”

“Hmm, maybe. You are the one that accidentally said I was your boyfriend, after all.”

“Shut up!” She shoved him playfully and he caught her hand, lacing their fingers together.

“El Hopper,” Mike started, “Will you take upon yourself the arduous task of being my girlfriend?”

At that, she grinned. “There’s nothing I’d rather do.”

Mike’s heart soared.