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dragonflylady77 · 6 months

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Not-So Blind Date

Hiiiiiiiii!! This fic was so much fun to write. I hope you enjoy it!

This is my contribution to the @harringrove-relay-race

Roommates AU, Idiots in love | Rating: Teen | 5.1k

On Ao3

Billy's been in love with Steve since about twelve seconds after they met the day Billy moved into the dorms... Once they both graduated, they found jobs and an apartment. Sharing a space with Steve is both the best and the most frustrating thing in Billy’s life. Because Billy is completely and hopelessly in love with Steve. Because Steve has no idea. Because Steve is straight.

Billy closes the front door behind him with a relieved sigh. He dumps his keys in the bowl on the sideboard and toes off his shoes.

Today sucked. As if sleeping through his alarm and spilling his coffee on his clean shirt wasn’t enough, he missed the bus and was late for work. Then it just kept getting worse, work was endlessly piling up on his desk, his favorite lunch spot was closed, he dropped sauce on his pants. That was followed by an afternoon of playing phone tag with a couple of suppliers and to top it all off, it started raining on his walk home from the bus stop.

He strips down to his boxers, dumps his clothes in a wet pile on the bathroom floor and turns the shower on before getting a towel from the hallway cupboard.

He stops when he hears Steve’s voice. It’s unexpected because Billy is pretty sure Steve had a day shift today. He sounds angry but Billy can’t hear another voice so he must be on the phone.

“No, thank you, I’ve heard quite enough… Oh, yes, I’m sure… Whatever, dickhead… Uh huh… Yeah, have a nice life.”

Footsteps get closer and the door to Steve’s room opens before Billy has a chance to disappear into the bathroom.

Steve looks like he’s been crying, his eyes red, his cheeks blotchy, and he’s still wearing his teal scrubs.

“Oh, Billy. Hi. Didn’t realize you were home,” Steve says, startled.

“You okay, pretty boy? Do I need to break someone’s legs?” Billy feels a bit awkward standing there in his boxers, holding a towel to his chest. Exposed. He notices Steve’s gaze taking in his state of undress and it warms something in his chest. A spark of hope he quickly extinguishes.

He’s been in love with Steve since about twelve seconds after they met the day Billy moved into the dorms. Alphabet buddies, roommates and then best friends. Moving from the dorms to an apartment after they both got their degrees and found jobs seemed like a natural progression, splitting the rent and everything else. Sharing a space with Steve is both the best and the most frustrating thing in Billy’s life.

Because Billy is completely and hopelessly in love with Steve.

Because Steve has no idea.

Because Steve is straight.

Billy brings his focus back on Steve and the current crisis.

“What happened to you?” Steve asks, his hand gesturing vaguely towards Billy’s hair, his curls dripping down his chest.

“Started pissing down on my way home from the fucking bus. Then a car drove through a puddle a bit too close to the sidewalk and I got drenched.”

“Sounds like we both had shitty days.”

“You have no idea.” Billy just wants to have a hot shower and forget today happened.

“Wanna order in and watch Justified?”

“Sounds good, Stevie.” With a grin and a nod, Billy heads to the bathroom. The hopeful part of him likes to imagine Steve is staring at his ass but he doesn’t turn around to check. The bathroom is full of steam when he steps in the shower and he lets the hot water wash away his bad mood.

*****

Steve is sat on the couch, Billy on a cushion on the floor in front of him, the empty pizza boxes discarded on the coffee table, three sad looking pieces of garlic bread left in one of them. Steve is combing curl serum into Billy’s still damp curls with his fingers. He doesn’t remember exactly how long since he started doing this for Billy, it was sometime in their second year in college, but it’s become a calming activity for both of them on bad days.

Justified is playing on the TV, Steve doesn’t know how many times they’ve watched it over the years but it’s their go-to comfort show. No matter what happens at work, Steve knows that Billy will be there when he gets home to cheer him up with take-out, beer and their favorite Deputy US Marshal.

“Hey, Stevie?” Billy asks from his spot on the floor.

“Yeah?” Steve grabs the towel he left on the armrest to wipe his hands then he pats Billy’s shoulder twice to indicate he’s done. Billy moves up to sit on the couch, sprawling next to Steve, his toes wedging under Steve’s thigh.

“Ava or Winona?”

“Um… Gosh, I don’t know.” It’s been a while since they played the pick one game. Usually the choices are equally ghastly and the game ends in fits of laughter.

“Come on, just pick one.”

“I’m thinking!” Steve looks at the screen. They’re somewhere in season two, Winona and Raylan are tentatively dating and Boyd is boarding at Ava’s house. He thinks about both women and their motivations. “Ava.”

Billy lets out a low whistle. “Well, pretty boy, color me surprised.”

“Why? She takes no shit, rolls with the punches and adapts, and she’s very resourceful. Reminds me a bit of you actually.”

“Aww, Stevie.”

“It’s true.” Steve shrugs. “You got away from Neil and built a good life for yourself. Now we just need to find you a man.”

And maybe, just maybe, that man could be me.

The thought hits Steve and he freezes. He blames seeing Billy in his underwear earlier for the stray thought. He’s been doing so good ignoring them but it’s getting trickier, especially on nights like tonight when they’re both very tactile and domestic.

He got tired of telling Robin that Billy is his roommate and not his boyfriend, but it seems the more he answered her never-ending questions, the more she was comforted in the idea. It forced Steve to take stock of all the stray thoughts about Billy he’s been ignoring for, well, years, and untangle them all to realize something major about his identity. And his feelings. Something he has yet to share with Billy.

He’s not sure why he still hasn’t told Billy he’s bisexual. Every shift he’s had with Robin in the past few months, and every time they’ve seen each other outside the hospital, she’s asked him if he’d done it yet. He knows he should tell him, Billy is his best friend after all. But Steve isn’t sure he’s ready to rock the boat. Just because Billy is gay, doesn’t mean he’d be into Steve. And Steve would rather live with Billy as things are, than go through life without him, nursing a broken heart.

“Oh god, not you too,” Billy laughs as he kicks Steve’s thigh. “Heather is constantly on my ass about dating again and I am not interested.”

It’s a nice ass , Steve thinks, feeling his face heat up and hoping Billy doesn’t notice.

*****

It’s been a couple of weeks since Billy came home soaked to the bone and overheard the end of Steve’s phone call. Steve hasn’t mentioned anything but he’s been home more so Billy wonders if that means Steve is single again.

He was clearly dating someone before, even though Billy never got to meet whoever that was, which, weird. Steve tends to bring the women he dates to Friday night drinks with their group of friends, once they’ve made it past the three months mark.

They’ve taken to cooking dinner together when Steve is not working the night shift, and it’s really nice. Billy enjoys the close contact and the banter as they chop and dice and sauté. He misses it when Steve has a night shift, and always makes sure Steve has a plate of leftovers waiting for him in the fridge when he gets home.

Heather has been trying to talk him into going on a blind date with some guy her girlfriend knows. Billy told her he would if she let him meet said girlfriend, because they’ve been going out for months and Billy still knows nothing about the mystery woman. So far Heather hasn’t given up any information so Billy remains blissfully dateless.

He’s not interested anyway. He knows he should try and move on from his crush on Steve, but it’s hard to do when they live together, and he is not prepared to not have Steve in his life.

“You started without me.”

Billy turns around from the sink where he’s washing the vegetables for tonight’s stir fry. Steve is standing in the doorway, wearing Billy’s old UCLA hoodie and carrying a shopping bag. He looks tired. Billy smiles.

“Hey, Stevie, I wasn’t sure when you were coming home and you didn’t text. Sorry.” He nods towards the chopping board on the counter. “You can chop the chicken if you want.”

“Need to get changed first. I’ll be right back.”

They settle into their routine, working together to cook their meal, knowing what needs doing without having to talk about it. Once they’re sitting down on the couch with their food, and a drink, Billy puts Justified on.

“How was your day?” Steve asks and Billy shrugs.

“Tommy was his usual obnoxious self, Heather still won’t tell me anything about her girlfriend and the taco truck I like was back on our street. You?”

“Slept in, had lunch with Robin, we’re both on nights for the rest of the week, so that’s nice, makes it easier.”

“You were home late,” Billy remarks. He missed Steve, okay? Sue him.

“Sorry, should have texted you to let you know. We had lunch at that Japanese restaurant Robin never shuts up about, then she dragged me to the mall to find a present for her girlfriend for their six month anniversary and I had to talk her out of getting a kitten.”

“Oh my god!”

“Uh huh, then she tried to convince me a pet rabbit was the best idea ever.”

“Wow. Glad you were there to stop her. What did she get in the end?”

“Oh well, she walked into Victoria’s Secrets and I told her I was leaving.”

Billy laughs. “I thought you liked that shop. You were always there when you were dating that girl last year.”

Steve blushes. “That was different. I didn’t feel right discussing undergarments about my friend’s secret girlfriend!”

Not for the first time, Billy wonders about the odds of their friends both having a secret girlfriend, and if, maybe, Heather and Robin are dating each other. He told Steve about his theory and they paid attention during Friday night drinks but the two women didn’t even sit next to each other or interact all that much. Either they weren’t dating or they were really good at acting.

“Fair enough.” Billy puts his empty bowl on the floor and stretches. His t-shirt rides up, exposing a sliver of his belly and Steve’s eyes follow the motion. Billy tells himself it doesn’t mean anything, Steve is just reacting to the movement.

“Anyway, she decided to go back another time, and we found a coffee shop because I needed some caffeine after being at the mall for so long. And that’s when she ambushed me.”

“What do you mean, pretty boy? How did she ambush you?” Billy is confused. He turns around to face Steve, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around them.

“She asked about Sam and when I said we broke up a couple of weeks ago, she tried to convince me to agree to go on a date with someone she reckons is perfect for me.” Steve sighs.

Billy’s fingers dig into his calves. So he was right, and Steve is single. And now he knows the name of the girl Steve was dating. Not for the first time, he wonders if that’s who Steve was on the phone with that night it rained so much. Steve called whoever a dickhead, an insult typically thrown at males, so maybe not.

“What did you say?” The idea of Steve going on a date with someone who isn’t him makes him want to puke.

“Told her it was too soon.”

All Billy hears is that Steve didn’t say no. And really, he has no reason to say no to Robin. Suddenly Billy can’t be in the same room.

“Sorry, gonna head to bed, long day tomorrow.”

“Oh, okay.” Steve looks at him part surprised, part sad, making Billy’s heart squeeze in his chest.

He needs to get out of here.

***

Steve can’t shake the feeling that Billy is avoiding him. For the past three weeks, Steve’s dinner has been waiting for him when he gets home from a day shift. Every time there is a note from Billy stuck to the fridge, saying he is out with Heather or in his room with a headache or other vaguely believable reasons. And Billy always seems to be on his way out whenever Steve gets up before a night shift.

It’s starting to piss him off. He has no idea what sparked the change. And he hasn’t seen Billy in person long enough to ask him. Last night, Billy was blasting Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've) by the Buzzcocks, making Steve wonder if Billy had been seeing someone and it ended badly. The music was so loud that Billy didn’t even hear Steve knock on his door.

Maybe tonight will be the night they can sort it out. Steve is running late for Friday night drinks with their group of friends because he had to process a patient right before clocking out.

When he gets to The Upside Down, everyone is already there and Billy is in a corner with Heather, talking animatedly. They stop when they notice Steve has arrived.

Once again, Steve wonders what the fuck is going on with Billy, and why he won't talk to him about it.

“Hey, dingus!” Robin hands him a beer as he sits down next to her. “Was starting to think you weren’t coming.”

“Got delayed at work and had to stop at home first,” Steve says, taking a sip, eyes on Billy who is looking at his drink. “What did I miss?”

“Heather and Billy bitching about Tommy, mostly,” Robin replies with a shrug.

“We have news,” Nancy says, from where she’s sitting with Jonathan across the table, gathering everyone’s attention. “I, um, I got the job at the New York Times so we’ll be moving in the next month or two.”

The whole table erupts in happy shouts of congratulations. Steve feels a short pang of nostalgia at the thought that the dynamics of their group of friends will change, losing two of its core members. And now he’s worried about losing Billy on top of that.

“You okay, Stevie?” Robin asks, nudging him gently with her elbow and Steve sighs.

“Yeah… just… tired.” He keeps glancing at Billy, who is avoiding eye contact.

“Uh huh. Come help me get the next round,” she says, standing and looking at him expectantly.

Steve gets up and follows Robin to the bar, dreading the conversation he knows he’s coming.

Robin doesn’t waste any time once they get away from the table. “You told him yet?”

“Told who what?” Steve retorts, aware that his reply won’t fly with Robin. He wants to turn around to see if Billy is looking but resists the urge.

“Don’t do that. Don’t pretend you don’t know exactly what I mean,” she says, grabbing his wrist to get his attention. “You need to tell him how you feel.”

“Why?” Steve doesn’t see why he can’t keep secretly crushing on his best friend and roommate, instead of upsetting the status quo and risking everything. But then, the way Billy has been avoiding him makes him dread the day he’ll come home from a shift at the hospital and Billy will be gone, leaving behind a note, if he’s lucky.

“Because that man has been gone on you for freaking years and you’ve been too blind to see it. And because he, at the very least, needs to know you’re not as straight as he believes you to be.” Robin squeezes his hand. “And if you won’t, then you need to find a way to move on and let him go.”

“Rob…” Steve’s heart squeezes painfully at the thought and something heavy settles in his gut.

“You can’t keep going like this, sweetie. You deserve to be happy. You both do.”

Steve closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Robin is right. He can’t live like this. He needs to do something . “Fine.”

“Fine what?”

“Set me up on that stupid date with that guy you think is so perfect for me.”

Robin stares at him for a long time before she speaks. “Are you sure that’s what you want?”

Steve shrugs. “Sounds better than losing my best friend when he inevitably turns me down.”

*****

Billy needs to get out before he punches a hole in the wall.

He was having a drink before he got started on dinner prep when Steve woke up after his night shift and sprung the news on him that he was going out. On a fucking date . It took all of Billy’s control to not hurl his beer bottle at the wall.

Now Steve is getting ready and Billy locked himself in his room, pacing and trying not to scream. If Steve brings the girl home at the end of their date, Billy might have to throw himself out of the window.

He grabs his phone and texts Heather.

hank, you busy

need to get out of here

steve going on a fucking date

why is this happening to me

the universe hates me

hank

holloway

heather

come on

i need you

please hank

i’ll jump out the window

Billy regrets having quit smoking because he’d kill for a cigarette, if only for something to do with his hands that’s not serial texting Heather or punching his pillow because he can’t make holes in the wall and risk losing the security deposit.

OMFG Blondie, calm your tits!

don’t tell me to calm down what if he brings his date home

i can’t do this i’ll pack a bag and move out while steve’s on his date

Jesus Fucking Christ, William.

First of all, you live on the first floor, so you’re unlikely to do much damage to yourself if you jump out the window.

you underestimate how much i can do out of spite

I would laugh at you so much before I called the ambulance.

you’re supposed to be my friend and you’re making fun of my pain

Ugh. Seriously, Billy, I’m out on a date with my girlfriend right now.

everyone is on a fucking date fine let me die alone

I swear to God, you are such a drama queen.

We’re at Enzo’s, come over, I’ll buy you a drink and you can crash my date, I guess.

oh so now i’m good enough to meet your girlfriend

steve just left i heard the door

Wear something nice.

why

Because Enzo’s is a nice place and they won’t let you in if you’re wearing your sweatpants and your ratty Scorpions t-shirt.

Clean button down and your nice jacket, if you please.

heather

William.

ugh fine

gonna have a quick shower first

If you must. Want me to get you an Uber? 20 mins?

yes please

thank you hank

love you

Love you too, Blondie.

Billy takes a quick shower and speeds through his hair care routine before putting on the clothes Heather requested. He’s ready and outside a couple of minutes before the car Heather ordered for him arrives.

He tries not to think about Steve and his date and attempts to distract himself by doom scrolling on Instagram. Steve posted a photo of a candle on a white table cloth in his stories. On the verge of tears, Billy closes the app and puts his phone in his pocket.

Heather is waiting for him outside the restaurant and hugs him as soon as he steps out of the Uber.

“You clean up good, Blondie.”

“Fuck off,” Billy says, but there’s no anger in it. He feels drained and heartbroken. Steve is wining and dining some chick and Billy wants to cry. He’s glad Max is away, cycling the length of New Zealand with Lucas, because there’s no way he could take her ‘I told you so’ right now.

“Come on. I’ll introduce you to my girlfriend.” Heather leads them through the doors and past the maître d’. Billy looks ahead and something clicks when he spots Robin in a booth at the back of the room. Someone is sitting across from her but he can’t see who yet because they have their back to the room.

“I knew it.”

“What?” Heather asks, glancing back at him for a second without stopping.

“You and Robin.”

Heather stops then and turns to face him. “What do you mean, you knew? You never said.”

“Both of you saying you have a mystery girlfriend you don’t wanna talk about? That no one can meet or know anything about?” Billy shrugs and manages a small smile. “I’m happy for you, but I don’t get why you felt you had to hide it.”

“Sorry. It was nice to keep it to just the two of us at first and then we weren’t sure how to tell everyone. Then it kinda became a game to see how long it would take you guys to notice and say something.”

Billy nods towards the booth where Robin is sitting. “Looks like I’m not the only one crashing your date night.”

“Oh,” Heather says, with a smile that Billy recognizes, it’s the one meaning she’s up to no good. “That’s your date.”

***

Steve is getting really frustrated with Robin. They’ve been sitting at Enzo’s for over twenty minutes and she still hasn’t told him anything about this mystery person she set him up with. She said her girlfriend is waiting outside to bring them in and encouraged Steve to enjoy his rum and coke and the complimentary breadsticks.

“Oh,” he hears a familiar voice say behind him, “that’s your date.”

He turns around and freezes on the spot, his hand gripping the table for support. Heather. Robin’s girlfriend is Heather . He remembers having many discussions about it with Billy but they could never decide whether the two were actually together or not.

There’s movement behind Heather and someone steps out beside her. Steve’s heart skips a beat. It’s Billy. He’s wearing that dark red button-down shirt that looks so good on him and his nice jacket. Steve feels his heart rate speed up.

Billy looks as confused as he does so Steve turns back to Robin. “Robin... What…what’s going on?”

“Well, Stevie, I told you that my girlfriend knew someone who’s perfect for you,” Robin says with a satisfied grin and Steve wants to shake her until she explains. He puts his hands on his thighs and squeezes them into fists.

This is not happening.

“What the fuck do you mean, Harrington is my date? He’s the one who’s on a date, Hank, not me.”

Hearing Billy refer to him by his last name hurts, like a knife through the heart. He hasn’t done that since the first months they lived in the dorms back in college, before they became friends. Steve never expected their friendship to end in a fancy restaurant in front of an audience but apparently this is happening now and there is nothing he can do about it.

Heather shoves Billy forward and Robin gets out of the bench seat so Billy can sit there instead. He does so only after Heather glares at him and Steve takes a closer look at him. Billy still won’t make eye contact with him and Steve can tell he’s clenching his jaw, like he does when he’s angry or frustrated. Before either of them can say anything, Heather puts both hands on the table and looks at each of them in turn.

“Both of you, shut it and listen,” she starts, Robin standing by her side, looking resolute.

“Hank—” Billy starts, shutting up when Heather lifts one eyebrow and gives him a withering look.

“No. This has gone on for far too long. I know it’s bad form to out someone but needs must. Billy, honey, Bambi here is not as straight as you think. I am not sure why he hasn’t told you yet, but I know that Robin has been on his case about it for ages. And you,” she turns to Steve and he sits up straighter.

The woman is scary, Steve isn’t afraid to admit it. He stays silent and waits to see what she’s going to dish out.

“If you can’t see that my boy here has been gone on you pretty much since he met you, I don’t know what to tell you.”

Robin puts her hand on Steve’s and gives him a light squeeze. “I told you the other night you couldn’t keep going like this. You and Billy need to talk. Take the time you need, enjoy your dinner and we’ll see you tomorrow.”

Heather pats Billy’s shoulder then she takes Robin’s hand, and they leave the two of them alone. Steve is reeling from the exchange, his mind stuck on what Heather said to him.

“Billy…” he starts, the words dying in his throat when he sees the haunted look on Billy’s face.

“Is it true?” Billy whispers, fiddling with the ring on his finger. His cheeks are pink and his shoulders curled up like all his confidence drained away.

It makes Steve’s chest hurt to see him like this. He reaches across the table but his hands stop just short of Billy’s. “Yeah, I’m… I’m bisexual. I, um, I was going out with this guy called Sam a couple of months ago but I broke up with him.”

“Why?”

Billy’s voice is just above a whisper, his eyes shiny with unshed tears and Steve wants to punch himself for putting them there.

“He wanted to, um, to go all the way, and when I said I wasn't ready for that yet, he decided to get it from someone else. I found out and dumped him.”

“Okay.”

“Billy…” Steve waits for Billy to look at him and this time he slides his fingers over Billy’s. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I guess… I guess I was scared.”

“Scared? Steve, I’m gay, what did you think I was gonna say if you told me?”

Steve breaks eye contact and looks down at their hands on the table. His reason for not telling Billy seems flimsy as fuck now. “I was scared I would tell you you’re the reason I realized I was into guys and you wouldn’t feel the same way about me. And you’re too important to me and I didn’t want to risk what we had.”

Billy laughs then, but it’s a wet, sad kind of laugh. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Billy turns his hands over and links their fingers together. “Pretty boy, I’ve been in love with you since the day I met you.”

“You… you never said anything.” Steve feels his cheeks heat up.

“Steve, you always said you were straight. I didn’t see the point. It was hard enough when I knew you were actually in a relationship with someone but when you mentioned Robin setting you up on a date the other day, I couldn’t pretend to be okay with it anymore.”

“I’m sorry, Billy. I’m so sorry.” He can’t believe he almost missed out on this. Almost lost Billy. “I realized you were avoiding me but I couldn’t work out why. Every time I came home from work, I worried you would be gone for good. And it broke my heart.”

Billy must see something on his face because he leaves his side of the table to sit next to Steve, his arm going over Steve’s shoulders and pulling him close.

“Baby… I’m sorry. It hurt too much to be around you.”

Steve wraps his arms around Billy’s waist and buries his face in Billy’s neck, inhaling the scent he knows so well, taking comfort in it. After a moment, he pulls back just enough so he can look Billy in the eye. “I love you. I’m sorry it took me so long.”

Billy doesn’t say anything in reply, instead he moves his hands to cup Steve’s face and presses their lips together.

Steve melts into the kiss. He never wants it to end. He wants to climb inside Billy’s chest and live there forever. He finds that reality is so much better than any dreams he had.

A discreet cough behind them puts a stop to the kiss and they pull apart slowly. A waitress is standing by their table, holding a tablet to take their order. Steve looks at Billy, who nods with a smile.

“I’ll just… um, pay for the drinks, and we’ll be on our way, sorry for the trouble,” Steve stammers, feeling his cheeks heat up, trying to process the fact that he just made out with Billy in the middle of a fancy restaurant. Oooooops.

“That’s fine, sir, the tab for the drinks was settled earlier,” the woman says with a smile.

“Oh, okay.”

Billy squeezes Steve’s shoulder. “Let’s go home, pretty boy.”

Steve smiles before untangling himself from Billy and getting out of the seat. He feels Billy following as he gets his wallet out of his pocket and pulls a twenty dollar note from it. He hands the waitress the tip and thanks her before taking Billy’s hand in his and leading the way towards the exit.

They make out against the wall while they wait for the Uber that takes them home, and pick up where they left off as soon as they walk through their front door. They kick off their shoes and take off their clothes in record time then tumble in a tangle of limbs onto Billy’s bed.

Steve is naked with the man he loves and they’re kissing and laughing and dry humping like teenagers and he doesn’t remember ever feeling this happy and content with anyone.

Later, when they’re both sated after a couple of orgasms each, they pad to the kitchen in their boxers. Billy makes them chocolate mug cakes that they eat with ice cream under a blanket on the couch. Phones turned off to keep the bubble they’re in intact, they put on Justified.

“Hmmm…” Bill says, looking at the screen with a smirk.

“What?” Steve asks, half expecting what comes next.

“I guess I should have asked Ava or Boyd, really.”

Steve groans as Billy cackles, the blanket falling off them.

“Dick,” Steve says, punching him playfully in the shoulder. “Okay, Raylan or Boyd?”

Billy pretends to think about it, Steve can tell. Then he looks at Steve, all serious.

“You.”

~~~

Please look forward to the wonderful work from the next contributor: @lorifragolina

#harringrove #billy hargrove #steve harrington #billy x steve #harringrove relay race #hg relay race #dragonflylady77

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a-local-idiots-shitpost · 1 year

Text

The Brothers ask Mc for help

Lucifer:

he hates that it came to this but he needs Mc´s help

usually he would rather die than involve the chaotic Sheep, but it concerns a task Diavolo gave him

which actually involves the kind of illegal activities Mc excels at

he honestly wonders if Diavolo asked him to do this, so he can laugh when Mc retells it to him

would make sense because he asked for a freshly slayed Monster who is made of complete poison

he already knows he has to stop Mc from trying to eat it and to stop them from killing it with their bare hands

they stopped using a knife and found an affinity for tearing everything apart like a wild animal

but he does have to admit that´s kinda impressive and kinda attractive...

Mammon:

he needed help for another one of his heists, because he needs their brutality when he get´s caught by the guards

yeah he isn´t even about to pretend he can sneak out without being caught, like there are like double the Guards then there are rooms

also heists are a Great bonding activity and everything is better when you do it with a friend...and he kinda owes Mc a bunch of Money and they want it back which is the only way to get everything fast enough

but they know how to sneak and knock out/kill so he could do a lot worse

and he knows Mc will get him gifts if they have more money to waste

and maybe he´ll get them something nice as a gift too...

Leviathan:

he needs somebody to help him eat a special type of Candy so he can win a special figurine and it needs to happen asap

also he would have asked Beel but this is a very important time specific mission and he can´t wait for him to get back from practice

so Mc has to suffer alongside him instead of Beel BUT if he get´s a second one he can get a figurine for Mc too so it might be worth it for them

and they get the love and affection from their favorite Otaku? It probably won´t change their mind but something he can throw out their

and he´ll do whatever they want with them if they do that for him

Satan:

he needed your help with testing out a new Ancient Tome he got

which may or may not involve some curses that he wants to use on Lucifer, smug bastard had it coming because he finally has a Curse that will work on him…

at least that´s what he hopes, especially because it also is another forbidden tome that he managed to acquire, don´t ask him how he promised to not out his supplier

also if Lucifer finds out a lot more people will get into trouble

anyway want to help turn random Demons inside out? or maybe turning them into toads would be better to start of with

there are a lot of curses you can try out together

Asmodeus:

he always asks Mc for help not because he is helpless or something but because he always thinks it´s so sweet when Mc helps him pick out his clothes or applies his nail polish and make-up

he may have to redo everything but having all of Mc´s attention on him makes it worth it <3

and he loves seeing them gut Humans/Demons/Angels who get a bit to touchy with him, seeing them covered in blood and feral is always a nice sight

and if he get´s lucky ha can take a bath with his favorite Human, after they took a proper bath and sadly in swim wear but it´s still better than nothing

Beelzebub:

he needs Mc to get food for him because a lot of place where he went to or wants to go to banned him for emptying their kitchens and getting angry when they don´t have any food left

he even promised to buy them as much food as they want if they do this massive little thing for him and he won´t ever ask them to get something for him ever again (a lie)

but he´s not lying about the fact he will get you as much food as you want when you do that for him

just try to be secretive about who you´re getting that for because he doesn´t trust anyone else… and everybody else he could ask already said no

Belphegor:

he wanted them to get back home to get him his favorite pillows

and they told him to do it himself, the nerve of them! if he wanted to do it himself he would have done so

I mean he could but it´s easier to have others do your work for you

and if he get´s caught by Lucifer one more time he said he will personally make sure Belphie will never fall asleep again

so he needs you to do that for him

also if you don´t he´ll tell Lucifer what you did and all the things you are planning to do :)

#obey me #obey me shall we date #obey me imagines #obey me headcanons #obey me lucifer #lucifer avatar of pride #obey me mammon #mammon avatar of greed #leviathan avatar of envy #obey me leviathan #satan avatar of wrath #obey me satan #asmodeus avatar of lust #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #beelzebub avatar of gluttony #belphegor avatar of sloth #obey me belphegor

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themonotonysyndrome · 2 months

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A couple of days ago, I posted some headcanons about Castin. I sprinkled in some Modern AU and I thought: "Why stop there? Why not go crazy? Go stupid?" So after rambling on and on with @moonandstarlightsposts last night (love you, baby~), here's my take on Desmond Asmr's characters in a..

High School AU!

Characters (background + types of club/school activities they would join)

Baroness:

A wealthy heiress who was homeschooled her entire life until her legal guardian enrolled her in school so she could gain some life experiences. The aloof, popular girl type was quickly befriended by the Queen Ascendant while she and Reyes were childhood friends because their families were in the same social circle. She's the secret alcohol supplier for Tigress' parties, and her form of payment is favours. So be careful when you request any help from her~

She met Castin after their teacher arranged for her to be his history tutor. She found him annoying at first, but after his heartfelt confession, they slowly became friends and later, a couple after both had to hide in a nearby bathroom before the hall monitor noticed.

She joins the Book Club with Reyes. If you want to find her, she's either reading in the library or chilling at the bleachers during football practice. Occasionally, she raises a thumbs up when Castin hollers at her, her eyes never leaving the pages.

Castin Hammer:

The popular jock who all the girls write his surname in their notebooks and all the guys want to be. He's riding on a scholarship. Thinks that secured his future, so he's more concern with maintaining his popular image alongside Rhett.

Fell in love at first sight with the Baroness when she got out of the principle office but thinks she's playing hard to get when all his flirting attempts get shot down. After receiving a reality check from Rhett, he becomes more honest with her and confesses to her after they scramble into a bathroom to escape the hall monitor. At first, he was highkey afraid that being his girlfriend would mean she would get bullied by his admirers, but after a particularly nasty cheerleader was expelled due to several allegations, Castin thinks his girlfriend is scary and hot, lol.

He joins the football team after his puberty glows up and is considered one of the school's star players. He likes showing off to the Baroness during practice and insists that she wears his varsity jacket.

Queen Ascendant:

The girl that can fit in any friend group, but she's no alpha bitch, no, no. The Queen Ascendant is friendly and constantly invited to parties, yet at the end of the day, she only has a few close friends who would stay by her side even after graduation. She's grateful for them. She befriended the Baroness because she looked so awkward during the first week in high school, so she helped her out by showing the ropes and they became close ever since!

The Queen Ascendant actually went to the same middle school with Rhett! Though they were never really friends, they were aware of each other's existence. She thought they were cool, but for some reason, he absolutely hated her guts after prom. This carried over to high school, and everyone knows it. The Baroness once asked if she wanted her to get rid of Rhett, but the Queen Ascendant promised that he was not going to hurt her.

...Aaaannnddd then came abduction. But don't worry! They managed to communicate well and all is good. Now, she has to restrain the Baroness from trying to kill her boyfriend.

She joins the swim team. She's not too big on competition, though. She likes it as a hobby, especially when he bends down to leap into the pool, and Rhett has full view of her ass.

Rhett:

The face of the high school. The number Mr. popular. Anything and everything he does will circulate around campus THRICE! Everyone wants to be in his friends' group. At least 2 girls would confess to him in a week to the point that there's a running bet. Strangely, he never accepts any of them nor has a girlfriend.

Rhett is Castin's childhood friend and is a constant support figure when his mother dies. He's also unafraid to dish out tough love when Castin needs it.

How she and Rhett became a couple, well, took the entire school by surprise! Everyone knows that Rhett had a personal beef with her, but no one knows - including the Queen Ascendant! - why and he refuses to explain why. The truth? He asked her out to prom during middle school via love letter and slipped it in her locker. Unfortunately, it flew away when Rhett's back was turned. So he was heartbroken when she went with someone else and, thus, has been nursing a grudge ever since.

The two were forced to work together on a school project, which resurfaced his feelings for her, who is still trying to figure out why he hates her so much because he's super hot and cold with her. The boiling point is when he abducted her from her home during the weekend and took her to his family's cabin. They finally talked it out and returned to school as a couple after being missing for 2 whole weeks. Needless to say, their friends were very concerned.

He is the captain of the football club and a damn good leader. He cares for his boys and is close with the coach. Under his captainship, their school won several inter-state competition trophies. Don't admit to his face that he preens like a peacock when the Queen Ascendant watches him in the field. He will punch you.

Cupcake:

The quiet, studious girl who only sticks close to her group. The wallflower that everyone missed. Cupcake tends to get bullied by those who are looking to take advantage of her, forcing her to do their homework and such. Her only goal is to graduate high school with flying colours, keep her head under the radar and help out her family.

She became entangled with Warren when she accidentally caught him sneaking out of school when the teachers were looking for him. To buy her silence, Warren offers to befriend her and keep the bullies away. Everyone in school was surprised and jealous at how closely he stuck to her after that. They gradually fell in love with each other after lots of hardships. He even asked her out to prom!

She joins the Science Club and sometimes tutor the juniors for extra bucks. She doesn't feel comfortable sitting with the Baroness and the Queen Ascendant at the bleachers during Warren's practice at first, but she eventually warms up to them.

Warren:

One of the stars of the football team, where he, Rhett and Castin form a trio and so share the same amount of popularity. He always has a new girl hanging off his arm every month. He is the life of the party and sometimes even the host. He and Castin play fight a lot, and rarely butt heads with Rhett. Academically, well, you rarely see him in class because he would rather be somewhere else.

When he met Cupcake, he didn't even know she existed, but the more he hung around her, the more he realised that she was actually pretty funny and chill. Expect him to bring her to parties, introduce her to his friends and be all protective whenever his exes dare mess with her. He's secretly a softie around her and lowkey enjoys looking out for her.

Warren is all about being street-smart and quick on his feet to get out of trouble. His goal is to ensure that Cupcake enjoys high school to the fullest.

He joined the football team as soon as tryouts were open. His varsity jacket is more often found in Cupcake's closet than his.

VP:

Girlboss. Gatekeep. Gaslight. That's VP. She kicks ass and takes names on the regular while running to be valedictorian. Everyone looks up to her, and she owns it. Her style is always on point, and she appears untouchable. In reality? Her home life sucks, so she's desperate to have her public image appear clean.

VP has a fierce rivalry with Wajid because their visions of their club keep clashing. Somehow, Wajid found out about her background and used it against her: either work with him to produce the best show ever so that their after-school curriculum looks great, or he'll deliver the info to the newspaper club. Not wanting to be bested, she seduced him into sleeping with her, took a selfie afterward, and threatened to share the pic with his girlfriend at the time if he tried anything shady.

After that incident, you can hear them fighting non-stop, and sometimes, you might even catch them stumbling out of the janitor closets or other inconspicuous places. Rumours never stop circling around them.

She is the co-leader of the theatre & costume club. Her job is gathering funds for props and textiles and her biggest investor is the Baroness. Sometimes, she would also act on stage with Wajid.

Wajid:

The cool, serious and somewhat mysterious guy that you can't help but turn your head twice when he walks by. He's a bit intimidating to approach at first but once you get to know him, you'll realise that he's actually... pretty alright. He just ain't got time for drama (which is hilarious because he's all up on VP's business).

The teachers love him because he always submits assignments on time and respects the rules. The girl who one day declares herself his girlfriend likes how obedient he is. To sum it up, Wajid has no complain about his life.

...Until VP rudely tries to usurp his position in the club that he's painstakingly built with sweat, blood and tears. The girl that haunts him like a beautiful spectre. She's a shooting star that tilts his world on its axis. But unknown to her, he enjoys arguing with VP. Enjoys this forbidden feeling growing between them, and for once in his life, he wants to do something for himself.

He is the director of the teacher and costume club. He coordinates every play, interviews actors and actresses, and ensures everything runs smoothly. When he's on stage with VP, he struggles to ignore his growing feelings for her.

Tigress:

The delinquent, rebellious student who transfers from so many schools because she keeps getting expelled. Her father was wrongly framed and is jailed for life, leaving her in the care of a dirty cop for an uncle. She having a rough time growing up is an understatement.

Tigress is a pretty scrappy fighter. She has connections to all sorts of things and knows lots of people, which has earned her a bit of a reputation. For what it's worth, she's proud of the person she has become.

She and Renae were good friends before his mum accused her dad of embezzling money from their joint company, and that's when bitterness and hatred toward Renae's family set in. She's looking forward to her pound of flesh now that she and Renae are studying at the same school. Despite that, she still has some fondness for her dorky friend, and it really confuses her.

She tries to join several clubs but none of them interest her in the long run.

Renae:

Another rich kid but unlike the Baroness, Renae has an overprotective mum who controls every aspect of him, even his school life. Also, unlike the rest of the bois, he's more of a pretty boy. Adorable, smartly dressed and is the hall monitor. Yup. This makes him unpopular with a lot of people, but no one dares to mess with him because rumours have it he comes from a royal lineage. Renae is also haughty and a bit of a Tsundere, so his friends are those who share his background.

He and Tigress were childhood friends, and despite being too young to recognise it, he was heartbroken when she mysteriously disappeared one day. So excuse him when it took him several weeks to realise that the new transfer student was his friend!

Tigress being a delinquent does not stop him from trying to befriend her. In fact, he's determined to be her 'prince charming/knight in shining armor' and rescue her from other delinquents in the school, much to the annoyance and amusement of Tigress.

A delinquent and a hall monitor—will love bloom between them? The newspaper club is keeping a close eye on them!

He doesn't join any clubs or after-school activities because his mother prefers to have him at home.

Gorgeous:

The QUEEN BEE of the school. The female alpha. The one girl that the Baroness, Queen Ascendant, Cupcake, VP and Tigress dare not to cross. The one who ensures the school doesn't become a flaming dumpster. Gorgeous is genuinely friendly, always there to lend you an ear and is a multi-tasking master. Her grades are always top-notch, she's athletic and someone that the faculty and student body could rely on.

However, getting to where she is currently requires a lot of sacrifice. See, she and Desmond came from the same middle school that ended up burnt down due to an accident. She belonged to a gang that wanted to change the school for the better, and so did Desmond, but unfortunately, both had very different ideas on how to achieve it. There was a fight that resulted the school getting destroyed. Investigations were launched, but no ties could be found.

When she and Desmond enrolled at the same high school purely out of luck, the two swore to work together instead of against one another, and they fell in love!

She is the vice president of the student council. She manages all the clubs, checks through student attendants and humbles Desmond occasionally.

Desmond:

This is the guy that your mama warns you about. A bad boy who has fooled the entire school faculty into thinking he's an angel. Those who knew him back in the past like Gorgeous? Well, they'd immediately transfer the moment they saw him.

Controlling a school is just a trial run for him to see if he has what it takes to create his own empire once he graduates. He had plans even in middle school, but Gorgeous became a force he never expected, including falling in love with.

The moment he laid eyes on Gorgeous, he knew that she would be his downfall. His suspicion became true when she held up a lighter with a vicious smirk on her beautiful face. After their middle school was destroyed, he vowed that if their paths were to cross again, he's gonna do everything in his power to make her his partner-in-crime and future wife. Girlfriend would have to do for now.

And wouldn't you know it, both of them had a fresh start when they noticed each other during orientation.

Present of the student council. Nothing goes within the school without his say-so. He can easily withdraw the football team from participating in competitions, shut down any clubs he wants and even fire teachers who he has a problem with. It helps that he still has contact with his old gang.

#monotony's rambling #desmond asmr #headcanons #sjdskjdnasd #it took a whole day to write these out #can i just tag everyone that exist in desmond's world?#well #all the relevant couple #anyway #ENJOY!

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ohdeedraws · 1 year

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Bit late to the trend but since the Velma show butchered the scooby gang so badly, I've seen people sharing their ideas for a scooby doo rewrite and I wanted to share an idea for a reboot I've been working on for a while now.

The story would take place in Coolsville, a small town famous for the high number of disappearances every year and the rumors of monsters, a witches curse and other paranormal activities. It's also famous for its renowned Personal Dectecives, Mystery Inc.

The gang would be older in this, probably in their 40s. They have grown up in Coolsville and become local celebrities. Aside from Mystery Solving, they have their own lives and families.

Daphne became the writer of an immensly popular series of mystery books detailing the gangs adventures throughout the years (I'd imagine these to be episodes of the past shows, eg. 'What a Night for a Knight' from Where Are You, 'Camp comeoniwannascareya' etc., because yes, they're canon in this reboot). She married a famous fashion designer (but during the events of the story they're going through a divorce because she has finally come to terms that she is a lesbian). She has three kids.

Fred coaches the local highschool football team when he's not inventing new traps or catching monsters. He married a woman who works as the main news presenter on the local channel and he loves her dearly, more than his traps. Together they have two children.

Velma's main focus is Mystery Inc. But on the side she runs the local book shop, the main supplier of Daphne's books. She was married to an English Professor who works at the University a few hours outside of town, but they realised they weren't right for eachother and got divorced. They had one child together.

Shaggy runs a cooking/food review blog where reviews food from all over the world and shares his own recipes and tutorials, all with his trusted dog Scooby by his side of course. He's a single parent of one, and no one talks about his wife because, quite honestly, no one knows who she is.

The Gang are still close, like family, even after all this time. But the show wouldn't focus on them, it would focus on their eldest kids.

Let's meet them!

Grey Matthews-Blake is the richest kid in Coolsville. He's often seen wearing his father's newest line of clothes and his signature designer green sunglasses (that he even wears inside). He's known to be quite dramatic, sarcastic, and generally uninterested in anything to do with his mother and her job.

Wren Dinkley is often told that it's hard to believe they're the Velma Dinkley's child. Whether it's when their preforming their heart out on the stage during whatever production the local theatre group are putting on, or failing science, Wren doesn't let it get them down. They're headstrong, passionate, and totally comfortable with themselves...'totally'.

Cassia Jones is the nicest girl in town. She's captain of Coolsville Field Hocky Team, Head of the debate team and Student Body President. She's bubbly, hard working and determined to live up to the Jones legacy and make her father proud.

Billie Rogers doesn't care what her dad and dog tell her, she knows the supernatural rumors in town are real. And she's going to be the first person to prove it. She's talkative, outgoing, and very knowledgeable in the paranormal - much to her dad's dismay.

Despite their parents relationships, the kids aren't that close. The town's folk expect them to be just like their parents and that couldnt be farther from the truth. But they do have one thing in common with the Original Gang, their mystery solving talent. Unfortunately, for some unknown reason (*wink* plot *wink*) their parents are strongly against them following in their footsteps.

But things come to head one day when Mystery Inc disappear, and the local police turn up useless in the investigation.

Now its up to the kids, Billie, Wren, Grey and Cassia to band together to take up the jobs left in Mystery Inc's absence and find their parents. But in doing so they'll discover that their quaint small town is not all that it's seems and have to unearth a witches spellbook, an old grudge and an ancient evil that many have tried to escape but no one has defeated.

Ft. Side Characters such as The Suspects aka Jinx and Mozz McKnight (daughter and son of Thorn from the Hex Girls!), RJ Herring (Son of Red Herring), and other callbacks from all of scooby doo lore!

This is just the bare bones explanation, I'll go deeper into each character in their own posts and introductions. But this is my own little passion project. I've been obsessed with scooby doo since forever and I've always wanted to make my own iteration :)

#scooby doo #scooby doo reboot #rewrite #shaggy rogers #velma dinkley #daphne blake #fred jones #original characters #writerblr #I'm taking Scooby Doo back from HBO #They're my OCs now

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ndntighnari · 5 months

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W the Loblaws boycott coming up for May, I do have to voice some worries.

Weltons corporation is. Huge. Absurdly so. I just wanna put that out there. Boycotting loblaws, superstore, shoppers, etc MAY make the owners notice smth, but the likelihood is that... They won't care.

This is because outside of loblaws and their public facing stores, welton foods also does things like hotel food delivery, hospital food delivery, college and university food delivery. And by food delivery i do mean that they are SUPPLIERS of raw materials and such for these kitchens and restaurants. They're a major player in the food industry here, to the point where i actively know of several of their IT contracts + know what their shit is like bc of connections in the restaurant and bar industries who have EXPLICITLY complained abt this shit.

Basically. Consumer boycotts for welton foods, while admirable and smth I do fully support, are probably just going to wind up hurting the store employees who already get minimal hours, cant have water at the cash w them, have to pay money if they want to wear a SWEATER TO WORK WHILE IN CANADA (you have to wear a PG or store brand sweater that costs 40 bucks out of your paycheck), and who are going to have to bear the brunt of the ire from the people still shopping there.

This doesn't touch on the people who use the loblaws, shoppers, or superstore pharmacies for their medication. These people don't have the ability to fully boycott welton corp bc of the whole "uses them for meds".

People also forget that it's not just these stores owned by welton. Theyve got shares and partial ownership basically anywhere you buy pc brand foods, alright. Its basically how i figure out who's owned by them. More importantly though, other grocers are doing the same shit, just getting away with it bc theyre a bit more subtle or bc the focus isnt on them. Walmart, metro, sobeys, price choppers/freshco, the list goes on.

Boycott, sure, but the thing we really need here is for the govt to actually take action and force these corporations to lower their prices on basic necessities, because people all over canada are being priced out of living, no matter what grocery store they're shopping at. We need active regulations on this, and that's never gonna happen if people don't push for it.

#idk man im tored #boycotts do work and are good for ppl who wanna stand for their morals and all #but the fact is the only ppl hurting w this are gonna be employees w cut hours and more verbal abuse #welton does more than just grocery theyre huge in the restaurant industry #so many hotels use them as their food supplier. same w hospitals #i know just in ottawa theres min 3 hospitals and 3 hotel chains that do.#minimum #thats not counting other things that arent chain and still do bc i know a few there too #i worked at loblaws and part of their trainin videos were abt how welton is in EVERY part of the food industry #like its insane

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wings2fashion · 3 months

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missroy33 · 1 year

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x-line-active-wear · 2 years

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activewearmanufacturer · 9 months

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shadowcatzone · 11 months

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this is a xingyue child story, with some renheng on the side. but it's mostly about. the child. imagine them maybe a head taller than yanqing. that'll be important, somewhat.

in this one, xingyue child will have ptsd, abandonment trauma, as well as that "my father is bad so i'll probably be bad too" - i forgot what this one's called. i'm not very good at writing all of these but i'll try my best. just. keep them in mind somewhere.

well, the problem with criminals, they thought, is that it's a downward spiral. they let out a silent laugh, more like a huff. knowing their situation did not make them stop, though. they were so close to finishing up and leaving.

nobody would question them staying in the forge after nightfall. they did often forge things during nighttime. but they only had about 3 more minutes until the surveillance turned back on, so they hurriedly took any valuables the other workers left behind.

they even took the liberty of replacing the high-quality steel with low-quality ones. well, the supplier might get in trouble, but since the steel was already paid for, there wasn't much that could be done.

slipping away for the second time that night, they hurried back to the spot they had been in ten minutes prior. hurriedly lighting their pipe, drawing a large breath of the smoke, before exhaling it into patterns.

when everything turned back on, they drew in the last of the smoke before suffocating the embers and heading home. had their parents been around, they would certainly be less then thrilled about their childs choice of activities.

___

"you said you wanted to practice, to train with someone else, right?"

yanqing paused. he did tell them he needed training, but the timing seemed rather odd. "...i thought you didn't want to talk about fighting? you said specifically during meals..."

"ah." they pushed their lunch aside. "yeah. but, a friend of mine is gathering all sorts of people to... practice fighting in front of an audience. would you be interested?"

he thought about it for a minute. "...you won't mind if i ask the general first, do you?" "oh. technically, i don't mind. go ahead. it's just... you see..." he stared at them for a minute, and was about 70 percent sure this was gonna involve him in something... less legal. but he was willing to give his 'friend' the benefit of the doubt.

"don't look at me like that. those people want to practice to fight in front of an audience, so they're naturally rather shy. what do you think would happen if THE general jing yuan decided to watch them? they'd die on the spot!" they could see that the teen didn't believe a word. but they have a secret weapon for cases like this... "well, that's a shame. i once heard the general also wasn't fond of public fighting before he practiced with a group just like that."

they didn't even have to wait long- "did he really!??" would i lie to you? they thought, yes, i would. "i believe my father mentioned something of the sort once." that the man needed a lot of practice to master his weapon, and that he wasn't fond of public events. a white lie, surely.

___

"do i really have to wear the mask? it's annoying." well, he really wouldn't ask that if he understood why they were here. "well, but it's to help people with their shyness. even if YOU don't really need it, these guys would feel really bad about themselves knowing you can do what they can't." that made even less sense, even in their mind. "just try your best to win. I'll be waiting over there, at the counter."

___

they've been coming to the same general area for a few days now. "well? aren't you improving a lot?" yanqing started grinning "yes! the other day, i was sparring with the general, and he also said i was improving rather quickly! i... may or may not have told him about that sparring group, accidentally... i'm sorry." they stood in thought for a moment. "...did you? that's okay though. i really didn't expect you to keep it secret for so long either..." they walked to the place in silence. "hey, yanqing... i've heard... that there are, well, gonna be some... troublemakers tonight... listen, if i tell you we need to leave... then we best leave. immediately. okay?" "...alright, sure."

the fights went as usual, when, halfway through, [xingyue child] dragged yanqing out through a separate, concealed exit, not a bit to early, as the door falls closed, the space is quickly filled with cloud knights.

"well, i'll have to talk to my friend about when this takes place the next time. let's go eat something!" the teen nods and goes along. through a dozen winding passages, they find themselves at aurum alley.

___

yanqing was scowling at them. "do you know how angry the general was??" [xingyue child] smiled apologetically. "oh, yanqing i just wanted to ask you if you would help me..." "you got me involved in that illegal fighting ring! and now you want my help again!?"

they tried even harder to look really downcast. "i didn't know it was illegal... my friend promised it wasn't..." they wondered if they should jam their nail into their leg so they'd actually cry. "but i have to carry a bunch to the artisanship commission, and if i do it all on my own, i won't finish today... and then i won't have the time to eat dinner... i'm sorry, i really am..." he sighed. it can't be helped... "...fine."

they went to a warehouse, accompanied by [xingyue child]s constant thanking, apologising, and promising it won't happen again. looking up at the warehouse, he voiced his concerns once more. "are you sure this isn't illegal...?"

they gasped, feigning hurt. "of course not! look, see, if this was illegal, there'd be no need for me to have this temporary pass for the warehouse! right?" they held it up like a prize. it certainly has their name and picture on it. "alright. open it then." they turned around, and under the guise of fumbling with it, exchanged it with another pass. gaining access immediately, the two went inside.

carrying the boxes to the artisanship commission wasn't difficult, but they were rather large. they ended up handing them to an assistant who seemed... far too casual for the position. "don't worry. he'll move the boxes the rest of the way."

___

"...a number of warehouses have been stolen from. keep a close eye on those you pass." yanqing nodded at the generals instruction. "were there no recordings of the thief?" "no. the surveillance was down for about ten minutes." this didn't, however, mean that he didn't know exactly who did it. "i'm thinking of letting dan heng handle this..." he says, under his breath, while massaging his temples. yanqing had, however, already left.

___

their horns weren't that problematic. cutting off their horns was painful, but bearable. the alternative could be far worse. the horns would quickly grow back, like nails. the real problem was cutting their tail - which also grew back, but hurt a lot more, due to it being attached to their back. never the less, the disciples paid a lot for ingredients like these. and if the preceptors ever caught sight of their draconic features... their surroundings fell apart as they cut- then they jolted awake.

when sleep found them again, they returned to a barren landscape. when they were living on the zhuming for a while, they did so under ardens regia, whose voice still haunts them. "do not disappoint me. if you end up as your father before you, you must not gaze upon me." they are being cast aside. dropped on the battlefield to die. the second time they woke up, they didn't go back to sleep, they instead went out to the forge in the artisanship commission.

___

when [xingyue child] was called to the seat of divine foresight, they thought they were gonna be scolded. they did expect their 'uncle', jing yuan, to lecture them a bit. or a lot.

what they did not expect was the addition of the people who should have been, rather, would have been, their parents. the seat of divine foresight had otherwise been mostly cleared out.

"[xingyue child]," jing yuan started, "you've become quite bold lately, haven't you?" "i don't know what you mean, uncle. i didn't do anything wrong, did i?" the tension in the room went up. "then, should i tell you exactly what you did wrong?" "well, that would be-" "i believe you have been stealing... again." their expression froze up for a second. they had a hard time reading the generals expression. just how much did he find out? "i wouldn't, you told me last time to better myself. i wouldn't make the same mistake twice."

"even if you didn't steal. we're rather worried about your... involvement... with those illegal fight rings you somehow managed to drag yanqing into." they felt panic rising in their chest. "but, that was a misunderstanding. i genuinely thought those were just sparring matches." his smile fell on their last sentence. "is that so? well, there's more..." the list of crimes was long. none of them had been terrible crimes, but add them all up...

by the end of it, [xingyue child] had paled significantly, their mind racing. dan heng had a concerned expression. blade stared off into space, seemingly unconcerned about the issue. "...that's a lot." dan heng probed carefully. jing yuan was smiling again, "that is a lot."

"but none of that is my fault." [xingyue child] spoke up. the general sighed. "then, whose fault do you think it is?" "no, i mean, it's not my fault. i'm not at fault for becoming a criminal." "...elaborate." [xingyue child] had a desperate smile on their face. "i mean - really? i'm just a victim of my circumstances. it was very obvious, actually, that i would turn out this way. right? because i'm just like my parents, and my parents were both criminals, so i-" blade, who had been uninterested in the conversation, interjected, by grasping [xingyue child]s shoulders. "who told you that?"

"i... everyone says that. i mean, it's true." they wondered if the man who was once their dad would try to murder the entirety of the luofu. he certainly seemed to consider it. "...no, obviously not everyone, but... the mean ones." he didn't seem convinced.

_____

tired hhhhhh

(insomnia, nightmares, anger and distress

feeling unsafe, low self-worth, shame, insecurity, uncertainty about getting their needs met)

#i'm eating gilbird #honkai star rail #hsr blade #hsr dan heng #hsr yanqing #//xingyue child

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