#Lovers and Fools

[henke-penke]

People in the comments of Lovers and Fools mentioning the aftermath show and how they'll react to everything happening and I'm just...

oh they're going to react alright

[hairmetal666]

Steve doesn't date, not anymore. He goes to bars, clubs, picks people up and makes it clear it's just for the night; that it can't, won't, be for anything more.

He falls too fast and too hard; wants so badly to be loved that he loses himself to it. So, he doesn't date and he's fine. More than fine, actually. Not worrying about finding someone, about falling in love, lets him truly enjoy his life; maybe for the first time since childhood.

He goes with Robin to visit her parents in Hawkins, wakes up at the ass crack of dawn to go for a run. With the sun barely up, he doesn't expect to come face-to-face with Eddie Munson, smoking on a park bench.

They startle each other in the early Hawkins quiet, Eddie jumping hard enough that he drops his cigarette into the dirt at his feet.

"Christ, Harrington!" He snarls a little.

"Fuck, Eddie." Steve fights to catch his breath. "What are you doing out this early?"

He glances up, finds Eddie's eyes raking over this body in a way that makes him go hot all over.

"Haven't been home yet." Eddie smirks. And he can see that's true, Eddie is fully dressed, faint lines of mascara trail across his cheeks.

"Had a show?"

"Something like that." Eddie's cheeks pink, and he pulls a chunk of hair over his face.

Understanding dawns, and Steve points at him, delighted laugh bubbling in his throat.

"Don't--"

"You had an all night Hellfire meeting?" Steve cackles.

"Shut--Harrington, shut-up." But he's smiling too. "I'm in town this weekend. Dustin insisted!"

"You can tell him no, you know?" Steve giggles.

"Like you ever could."

Eddie stands then, and they hug, quick and tight. He practically crumbles into his friend's body, but then, that's nothing new. Steve breathes him in, immediately comforted by the familiarity of tobacco and leather and sweat and weed.

"I'm at Rob's. Come say hi?"

Eddie nods and they trek back together. They kept in touch, after Vecna, and their chatting is easy, like it's not been six months since the last time.

Eddie stays for breakfast tells them with a smile, "I was gonna call but--I'm moving to Chicago. That's why I'm crashing at Wayne's for now, stopped on the way--"

The rest of his words are smothered by the force of Steve and Robin's hug, Steve's heart beating an elated rhythm he doesn't bother investigating.

--

When Eddie makes it to town, they hang out as constantly as an adult with a day job and a touring musician can. It's nice, good, to see Eddie sitting on their couch. To watch him smoke a joint on the balcony. To hangout in his bed as he works on new music. It's just like the summer of '86, before they all went off to find their futures.

They're closer than they've ever been. Crashing at each other's apartments, sharing clothes, meeting for coffee and drinks and meals. There's not a day or night when they're free that they don't spend together.

Steve knows he's falling for Eddie; was halfway there already, and now--well, Eddie's beautiful and funny and smart and talented. He doesn't make a move, though. Because Eddie'll leave, like they all do, and losing Eddie will crush him more than anyone else ever has.

--

In June, Eddie's gone for a month, touring across the midwest. The day he's expected back, Steve's in the kitchen, rolling up fresh pasta, simmering sauce on the stove.

Robin stomps in, eyes flashing. "What are you doing?"

"Making dinner?" Steve raises an eyebrow.

"Steve."

"Robin."

They glare at each other across the kitchen. Steve breaks first. "What's wrong with making our friend dinner?"

"I don't want either of you to get hurt."

Steve freezes, swallows. "I'm not--I'm--I wouldn't."

"Just. Promise you'll be careful?"

He nods, squeezes his hands into fists. "Course, Rob."

And he means it, he really does, but when Eddie lets himself in, Steve runs to the doorway to pull his friend into a tight hug.

Eddie huffs out a burst of air on impact, laughing lightly. "Miss me, sweetheart?"

"So much," Steve whispers. He presses his nose into Eddie's neck, breathing him in, and he doesn't miss the way a kiss is pressed into his hair, the way Eddie's breathing him in too.

They fall into their natural rhythm immediately, Eddie following him to the kitchen, cooing and posturing that Steve made him dinner.

As Steve serves up the food, Eddie wraps his arms around his waist, leaning against his back. God help him, but Steve can't help relax into the hold, turning his head until their eyes meet.

Desire bleeds from Eddie's gaze, and Steve's breath hitches. He wants this so badly, knows he shouldn't, but he lets himself lean in until they share air.

But--he can't lose Eddie. He can't.

He turns away, lets the moment die. Eddie doesn't stay over that night, and Steve pretends like it doesn't make his stomach hurt.

--

They aren't as close after that.

Steve keeps telling himself it's because they're busy. The school year's starting up, Steve's got lesson plans to write; Eddie made an EP, it got interest, he's taking meetings in New York and LA. It's okay that they're spending less time together.

Until Eddie stops returning his calls.

He tries not to worry. But one call becomes two, becomes three, and he can't help it. He goes over, dread a knot in his stomach. Eddie opens the door, and he's shirtless with sweatpants slung low on his hips, hair loose and streaming around his shoulders. He looks happy.

"Steve? What are you--"

"You weren't answering my calls, and--can I come in?"

Eddie winces. "It's not a good time, Harrington."

He stands there for a second, stung, not sure what to say.

"Eddie, I--"

"Babe?" A voice calls from inside the apartment. "Who's at the door?"

Steve freezes. Can't think, can't move. He hopes it isn't obvious that his heart is shattering, but Eddie's blinking at him, panic written in the lines gathering on his forehead.

"Steve, Stevie, please," Eddie is saying, but he can't do this. He can't do this.

He walks away, all the way home, numb to everything around him.

The phone's ringing when he gets to the apartment. He ignores it. Goes to his room, locks himself in, crawls into bed.

The phone keeps ringing. He keeps ignoring it.

It isn't supposed to be like this. They weren't dating, weren't trying for a relationship; Eddie's supposed to be his. He curls into himself, sobs until his ribs hurt, until his eyes are as heavy as his heart, and he falls asleep.

--

Steve startles awake, disoriented, to someone knocking on his bedroom door. He has no idea what time it is, how long he slept, but he expects Robin to be waiting in the hall.

It's Eddie. Hair in a messy bun, face flushed, eyes too bright.

"I'm sorry," falls out of Steve's mouth before he can think of anything else.

"Steve, I--I don't--" Eddie shakes his head. "Do you want to be in a relationship with me?"

"Yes," Steve whispers. "But I can't lose you, Eddie."

Eddie reaches out, slender hand, cupping Steve's jaw. "I need you to really listen when I say this, sweetheart. You will never, ever lose me. Not a chance."

"You can't know that," Steve says. Tears break free, cascade down his cheeks. "I used to think who could ever leave me? You know, back before Nancy. But I realized that actually no one would stay. And I can't--with you I can't--"

"Sweetheart," Eddie chokes on a sob. "I'm yours. Have been for years. I will never, ever leave you, no matter what we are to each other. But I can't be in some of a relationship with you. You have me wrapped around your finger, and I--I need it all, Steve."

"I want you to have it, Eddie." He presses his hand to his heart. "This belongs to you, but I--I couldn't survive you leaving."

"I would stay, Steve. I will. I promise on everything I have, everything I am, that you would never, ever lose me."

Steve stumbles into Eddie's arms, totally gone, and their mouths meet in a clumsy kiss. It wrecks Steve, tears him apart, renders him down to his smallest parts only to build him back together. He knows now for certain that there is no one else in the world for him.

They break apart, but don't move out of each other's orbit. "I love you," Steve whispers.

"Stevie, sweetheart, I love you more than anything." His fingers wind their way into Steve's hair, gentle, holding him. "I promise you'll have me for forever--fuck, longer than forever. My soul will find yours wherever we end up. I swear it."

[kaiju-krew]

she knows whats up that one new clip

[strijkdesign]

Announcing the Bad Apple Artists onbline auction for this month with the theme "the fool's journey" (tarot). As soon as I heard that, I knew exactly where to find inspiration - in the incredible world of Robin Hobb's Farseer books! Who else here can't get enough of Fitz and the Fool's adventures? This original mixed media painting will be up for grabs during Bad Apple's July auction, scheduled from 28th JUL at 23:00 to 31st JUL at 23:00 UTC+02 Come, let's celebrate the Fool's Journey in the most whimsical way possible! See you at the auction!

[musashi]

playing through farewell to get 1 line of optional dialog for a video essay and every time strategywiki says 'choose the wrong option here for a minimal penalty and some fucking insane banter' i cannot fucking resist

[notamamiboye]

WHY IS IT IN THE SUPER BOOP COLORS?

IN THE LAST HOURS OF APRIL FOOLS DAY...

[dimpledumplings]

The duality of man

[April Fools 2023-2024]

credits to @danrifics for the devil cards! That wasn't me, go support their art over there!

[saeist]

"is that..." your eyes trail down from sae's distraught face to the cat that was softly purring in his arms.

there stood outside your front door is no other than itoshi sae, who was dripping wet, holding what seems to be a stray cat.

last time you checked, you didn't own any cats.

"a cat? yes. now let me in" sae grunts, inviting himself inside your warm apartment.

you sigh, closing the front door as you go prepare sae some fresh clothes that he leaves around in case of times like this.

before sae showers, you watch him as he runs around your apartment finding something to keep his new pet in so it could also be warm (as you hear him mumbling to himself about how it, pertaining to the cat, needs to be in a warm bed)

he ended up using his other spare clothes as a makeshift bed for his new furry friend.

now here you were, in the living room, watching sae play with his cat

"so are we not gonna talk about this?" you ask, breaking the silence in the room. sae momentarily looks up at you and raises a brow, "what?"

"i'm not raising it" you point out, motioning to the cat that was sprawled on his lap. sae glares at you when you called his cat "it"

"it"s name is maruko" sae hisses, "and correction, we are raising her"

your eyes widened. he cannot be serious about this, can he?

"sae, before we commit to things like this, we talk about them. remember? last time i checked we didn't even have the talk about being furparents yet, let alone raising a pet!" you argued.

you hear sae sigh. you almost felt bad for him this time around. what you didn't expect that he'd actually pull the puppy eyes on you to convince you to raise maruko with him (more like gaslit)

"but maruko-chan looked so sad being drenched in the rain, i just had to get her you know?" sae trails off, cradling the cat as if it was his newborn (in his eyes, it is his newborn)

you avoid his eyes because the longer you stare, the more you are lulled in his little trap. not this time sae itoshi, not this time-

"fine!" you burst, unable to resist sae. how could you say no to his rare pleading face and maybe this could be the next step for your relationship with the soccer super star

"okay great. i already ordered everything maruko-chan needs"

[myuminji]

vash who loves wolfwood who loves vash in every universe that seals his fate with death.

[are-you-romanticizing-murder]

People who hate friends to lovers have clearly never heard of Fitzloved.

Like "the best friend love interest is always boring" MEET Fitz he is a soggy dog boy who kills people and MEET The Fool a silly little puppet boy who turns into a beautiful lesbian sometimes (yes I'm quoting that one comment)

"There's not tension" Oops, those flowers weren't sent by me I'm actually homophobic. Oops, I'm leaving you because I thought you'd be happier in a heterosexual marriage (after all, I'm supposed to be dead). Oops, I stabbed you because I thought you were a threat to our mpreg love child! etc. etc.

"Why wouldn't they just confess their feelings earlier?" MURDER. MURDER. DEATH. REPRESSION. DEATH. MURDER. KIDDNAPPING. DEATH. MURDER. MURDER. MORE REPRESSION. GETTING EATEN ALIVE BY WORMS.

"It's not as intense" THEY MERGE SOULS AND BECOME ONE BEING.

I like friends to lovers :)

[acornered]

Boop as in "here's someone I haven't seen on my dash before, lets give them a little bap"

Boop as in "we've been friends for years let's spam each other"

Boop as in "hi there"

Boop as in "I just want to watch the counter go up"

Boop as in "we are mutuals but I've been too shy to interact before now"

Boop as in "we aren't mutuals but I see you on my dash and I wanna be your friend"

Boop as in "we are sitting in the same room but this is how we are communicating"

Boop as in "I'm tucking you in gently and kissing your forehead"

Boop as in "I am beating your head with this cardboard tube"

Boop as in "I see you"

Boop as in "I love you"

Boop as in "I hope you will be ok"

[henke-penke]

Chapter 5 is (somehow) almost done so here's an out of context spoiler for y'all

[matchamiko]

Something something…Childe turning you, his fresh new lover into a dependant nympho……teaching you how to suck his cock all messy and drooly and whimpery……cradling your cheek as you gaze up at him suckling the tip and demanding sweetly you play with yourself at the same time……coming undone himself at how obedient and carefully you follow his instructions…finding himself falling down the same codependent hole as you and struggling to go even a single day without bullying his cock into you or shoving his face between your supple thighs…

[copypastus]

Can you tell I'm back on in my murder sim phase? Anyway here's the second funniest thing that happened to me while playing Lover's Trophy. Jak belongs to @ffishstickks

[perfectlovevn]

Happy April Fools??

[jabberwockprince]

let's pop!