#chapter 560

[everykabuto]

[algumaideia]

Uh Donflamingo wants to kill White Beard

I lost my respect for Mihawk

[kuromi-hoemie]

nooo im all caught up on my manhwa and now i have to actually do something else

hell world

[everydayspamton]

day 560 of drawing spamton every day until deltarune chapter 3

[bettyfrommars]

Dirty Metal Summer

a Dirty Dancing au

Part 1: Big Girls Don't Cry

Eddie x fem!Reader

MASTERLIST PLAYLIST

It's 1987, the same year the movie Dirty Dancing was originally released. 21-year-old reader is spending the summer with her dad and aunt at an all-inclusive resort in Indiana while she figures out what she wants to do with her life. After that summer, nothing will never be the same. Eddie is in his late 20’s and works as maintenance staff, he is also the frontman for the house band, begrudgingly delivering top 40 hits for the guests, and a secret third thing. When work is over, there is a completely different scene happening at a place the employees call The Hideout. Wayne is the head maintenance man, Chrissy is a metalhead, and a few other surprises. Bonus: Steve as a sexy, tattooed musician because I can't help myself.

my blog is always 18+only, MDNI please. The only warnings for the first chapter have to do with mention of a death of a parent, mention of grief, allusions to depression, a tiny bit of aggression, and alcohol consumption. But please read chapter warnings as the story progresses, because there will be angst, hurt/comfort, violence (fighting), and smut. Reader is called Bird as a nickname.

A/N: this is a rewrite of an OC fic I wrote over a year ago, and damn, I really needed to change a lot because my writing has evolved so much. I know I posted a snippet last week, but it's all been changed. Thank you to those who have been excited about this, I know Dirty Dancing is a cherished film, so I am treating this retelling with reverence, while adding some creative spins, and I truly hope you enjoy. The ST characters in this fic do not know each other in the same way they did in the show. For instance, Eddie, Steve, and Chrissy all grew up together, but I do my best to stick with their original character traits. This first part lines up very close with the film, but after that, it diverges and becomes a bit different. Same story line, but also not.

Part 1: Big Girls Don't Cry

word count: 6.3k

The soft murmur of a talk radio station hummed in the cement gray Mercedes-Benz 560, with your dad behind the wheel and his sister, your aunt Kim, in the passenger seat.  From the backseat, you stared out the window with your headphones on, wishing for rain.  The scenery was what you would expect from a place on earth that everyone considered idyllic, but you’d been exposed to so much lush greenery with that bright blue, theater backdrop of a sky for the last hour that you were starting to get a headache. 

You pushed your wayfarer sunglasses up to rub the bridge of  your nose, and then flipped the tape over in your Walkman before clicking it shut to press play.  You were listening to a mixtape you’d made especially for the trip, the spine even said “road trip from hell”, but the first one on side b was Everywhere by Fleetwood Mac, and you closed your eyes for the next several songs.  You were doing your best not to think about how you’d be trapped in BFE Indiana for a whole month.

You were also doing your best not to think about how your mother would not be home when you got back, or worse yet, the fact that you would never see her again.  Never feel her generous hugs in those Laura Ashley dresses, smelling of Shalimar; never hear her voice at the other end of the line reminding you to eat something.  

Your aunt said your name and your eyes snapped open.  It was perfect timing because tears were beginning to form at your lash line. She had turned around in her seat and was trying to get your attention.

You pulled your headphones down around your neck.  “Sorry?”

“The lake,” the expression on her face harbored more excitement than you’d ever felt in your entire life.  “Isn’t it gorgeous? We’re going to get pedicures at the spa tomorrow, I already booked it.”

You glanced at your father’s stoic profile and then back to Kim. You felt bad for your aunt, getting stuck on a trip with two sad, mopey fucks who were too depressed to get excited about the things that thrilled normal people.  You were the walking wounded.

“Pedicures, great,” your smile did not reach your eyes, but she didn’t seem to notice, as her enthusiasm doggedly refused to wane.  

It had been almost four months since you lost her, and the world was still too…bright.  Everyone was so talkative and alive and you couldn’t relate. 

You looked out over the smooth expanse of lake that was nestled perfectly in the trees like you were in some type of miniature scale model rebuild of a town.  Your aunt asked your dad, Owen, if he was still listening to the news, and when he shook his head, she changed the radio station to a golden oldies station and was satisfied with the tune Big Girls Don’t Cry by Frankie Vallie.

“You’ll love this cabin, Bird,” your dad said to you as the Mercedes crested the hill and began to maneuver down to your destination on a narrow, two-lane highway flanked with towering trees.  A big green and white sign welcomed them to Hawkins Landing.  “There’s a whole top floor where you can set up for your lessons.”

You turned away, back to the window, hiding the way your nose wrinkled.  You thought maybe a perk of this getaway would be to have a break from practicing the cello you’d been tied to for over a decade, but no luck.  He’d been forced to give up his dream of being a musician, and now you were expected to carry the torch for him.  

You tried to come up with one thing you did in life that was not to please someone else, or boost some idea they had about you, and couldn’t come up with squat.

Besides reading.  And taking long walks with music to clear your head.  Those two were yours, and they could only be taken from your cold, dead, hands.

From the Hawkins Landing brochure your aunt had given you, it was clear that the property was enormous.  Some 30 or 40 guest cabins scattered around, a main house that functioned as a hotel but also housed two different restaurants.  A golf course, boat rentals, tennis courts, an outdoor theater, and a third restaurant situated on the water.  Along with the full service spa, there were indoor and outdoor swimming pools, plus any class you could imagine wanting to take, from salsa dancing and water skiing, to chess and crochet. 

Hawkins Landing was like a camp for adults who enjoyed alcoholic beverages.

There was a security checkpoint at the main entrance with two guards inside.  The taller one with the neatly trimmed red beard recognized your father from the jacket cover on one of his many books.  Thrillers mostly, horror if you squint.  He nervously asked for an autograph, but Owen was very polite, adjusting his tortoise shell glass as he took the black marker that the guard was offering him.  

After the checkpoint, it wasn’t long before the road opened into an expansive rose garden with a large fountain dead center, and the big main house with its wrap-around porch just to the right.  You pushed your sunglasses up to get a look at the people mingling around, getting the idea that the median age there was 45, and it was mostly families.  

The guards had given your dad a foldout map of the property and told him to check in at the main house to get the keys to the cabin they were staying in. The car moved at a crawl at the roundabout, and then came to park where a sign announced new guest check-ins.  

Your dad told you to sit tight while he went in to grab the keys, and your attention trailed off to a black golf cart with a white awning that wheeled in like a racecar and took position in front of the Mercedes.  It sat there close to the curb, idling.  You could see there was a woman behind the wheel, and she was looking straight ahead, giving you her profile.  Chin length, dark gold hair, just long enough for a ponytail, and the words “Hawkins Landing Staff” written in yellow cursive on the back of her navy blue jacket.  Where her sleeve was pushed up at her elbow, you noticed some type of tattooed lettering there, and her fingernails were painted black.  

Up ahead, you caught sight of someone strolling down the sidewalk toward the car with a hand in his pocket. It was a guy with honey tipped chocolate hair styled in a pompadour with a curl that bounced at his forehead, wearing tan chinos and a maroon, button down short sleeve with the square bulge of a pack of smokes in his front pocket. A tattoo peeked out from the V of his shirt, and there was another design on his bicep. He wore a pinky ring on one hand and rolled a toothpick around in his mouth as he sidled up to the golf cart to say something to the woman driving it.  They bumped knuckles and talked for a bit like they were very familiar, him with one foot up on the running board of the cart.

“Steve, there you are,” from the open window, your attention bounced to a short, dark haired woman who’d just come out of the building and stood alongside your dad on the sidewalk.  A closer look told you that her name tag said Joyce.  

The guy with the toothpick in his mouth straightened, smoothing the front of his shirt with his hand.  “Hey Joyce, I was just—”

Apparently uninterested in what he was about to say, she took him by the crook of the arm.  She introduced you all by your family name, and let him know that you were “her special guests”, and you assumed that had to do with your dad being a famous author, or maybe she said that about every new family.  While you chose to not do much else than offer a small wave from the back seat like you had no autonomy, Kim got out to greet them properly.

“This is Steve,” Joyce gestured to him with a Vanna White hand. “If you ever want to take guitar lessons this summer, he’s one of our best.”

“Or, if you just want to have some fun,” Steve’s eyes seemed to be searching Kim’s face, and then he shrugged. “I mean, I run the boats on the dock too, so if you want to ski or—”

Kim got flustered and tried to find her words, fussing with the lapel of her corduroy jacket in a way you’d never witnessed before. “I’m…I mean, sure, who wouldn’t want to be on the lake at a place like this?”

Kim hated boats and got seasick very easily, so you found her new interest amusing.   

Joyce politely waved Steve off and he went, albeit reluctantly, backing up with slow steps to wave farewell.  The smile stretching across his face grew wider the longer Kim couldn’t take her eyes off of him. When he was finally jogging up the sidewalk to get to where he needed to be, Joyce continued to try and sell Kim and your dad on the resort, even though you were already booked for the month. 

“Sunday night is Bingo night. There’s karaoke in The Antler Room on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and you need to check out our house band if you can.  They’re playing tonight on the back patio, and the rhythm guitar is sensational.  She used to perform with Vixen and Lita Ford,” she handed over the necessary keys and pointed the way to get to the cabin on the map.  

“Just follow us,” Joyce said, hopping into the golf cart next to the girl with the forearm tattoo.  

They led the way down a long, winding stretch with lush lawn and manicured hedges on either side, littered with people coming up from the pool in their bathing suits.  There appeared to be a Tai Chi lesson happening on the lawn near the rose garden, and some type of painting class going on just above them on a balcony.  

Made you wonder why summer people always had to stay so busy.

The cabin you’d be staying in was down a side road, tucked at the end of a private driveway with a view of the lake. It had five bedrooms, which was more than enough, but one of them would immediately turn into Owen’s writing room so that he could work on his latest novel.  

You were careful to tuck your Walkman into your bag as the Mercedes coasted into its parking spot.  Squinting up at the place, you were somewhat distracted by how much you liked the creepy, old feel of the whitewashed cabin, and you underestimated how far from the curb you were when you stepped out, stumbling to the side.  

The girl with the forearm tattoo caught you in both arms, preventing you from putting all of your weight on your twisted ankle.

“Whoa,” she moved her supportive grip from your waist to your elbow as you righted yourself.  “You okay?”

Your heart shot into your throat, and then you coughed a laugh, covering your face. “What a way to start the summer.”

She said her name was Robin, and there was a polite handshake exchange. She tripped over her words a bit.  “It’s not every day that someone falls for me.”

“Well, I’m pretty clumsy, you might need to stay close,” and the two of you shared a self-conscious laugh as you led the way to the trunk full of baggage.  

When you reached in to grab your suitcase, Robin teased, “hey, that’s my job,” before leaning further in to take the oddly shaped black hard case, the satin of her jacket skimming your arm. She struggled with it at first, but then held it up by the handle and gave you a sideways look.

“This yours?” She asked, cocking one eyebrow up. “You’re a musician?”

“No, well, yes I am but no I, I play the cello,” you stammered, not sure why it was hard to get the words out. “But here, I can carry that. It’s big and heavy and—”

Robin winked.  “I got it,” and then she snatched another suitcase with the other hand and shuffled by you to make her way up to the porch.  

Once you were all settled inside and Joyce had explained all of the amenities, you and Kim pushed back the curtains and watched the two go from the living room window. Just before they took off in the cart, Robin sent you a wave.

“She looks like a nice girl,” Kim had her arms folded over her chest. “Maybe the two of you could—”

“I know you’re worried about me, okay, but I don’t need to make any friends this summer,” you were holding the case for your cello in front of you with both hands, using it as a metaphorical barrier. “I like being alone.”

By the time you put your stuff away in the bedroom you’d be staying in, your dad was already typing away in his writing room, you could hear the keys of his Selectric click-clacking.  

“I’ll be back in a bit,” you called across the rustic but spacious cabin living room.  “I’m going to look around the main house.”

Kim barely caught your words as she was struggling with her glasses to read an ingredient label as she put some dry goods away in the kitchen.  “Mhmm sounds good, have fun. Be back in time for dinner, we have reservations at…whatever that place is called. Your dad knows.”

You tapped the Swatch on your wrist and gave an absent wave over your shoulder.

With your headphones on, you made your way down to the main sidewalk that split off in two directions, bordering either side of the swimming pool and tennis courts.  You found the bike path that wound down along the lake to the boat dock, and then up into a lush pocket of dense forest.  Two teenage girls on rollerblades almost crashed into you as they bolted around the bend, giggling.  Trying to decide if you wanted to go toward the water or into the woods, you watched a staff member veer off onto an uneven stone pathway and your curiosity was piqued.

Creeping along in their wake, you marched up a hill for what felt like forever, with Bring on the Dancing Horses by Echo and the Bunnymen playing in your ears, until you realized with a start that you’d already arrived at the main building.  It loomed up ahead like a mansion from some old gothic romance novel. 

You continued to plod your way along the trunks of trees, until you spotted a group having a chat on the wide porch, and took a few steps back.

They were all leaning against the railing in a semicircle, facing each other,  so that you could see the Hawkins Landing Staff on the back of a few of their navy jackets.  

One of them was Steve from earlier, next to him was a girl with a blonde ponytail, and then two others.  

“I met that author guy today,” Steve took a drag and then blew the smoke up in the air, away from everyone’s face.  “The one who wrote Darkness on the Hill, that one they made into a movie.”

You realized that it was your dad he was talking about. 

Not looking where you were stepping, you caught your toe on a tree root and your arms windmilled before you were able to find your balance, floundering to duck behind another tree.  Your mouth opened in a silent scream, trying not to gasp at the pain in your foot.  Grimacing, you turned the volume down on the headphones that were around your neck to better hear what they were saying.

“That actor from that one show about law and order is staying in cabin 8,” the girl with the ponytail said.  “Housekeeping says he finishes a bottle of whiskey a night.”

But then, there was another voice. “Now that sounds like a great fucking vacation to me,” followed by the heavy footfalls of boots on wood as a new person approached the group.

The sight of the new arrival made you feel like your brain was wiped clean—-the whole world came to a screeching halt.

Swallowing hard, all of your attention tunneled on him; his long dark hair with bangs that crowded his eyes, a thin but muscular build, tattoos scattered over his exposed arms, and a leather jacket hooked over his shoulder with one finger. He combed a hand through his hair as he walked, chunky metal rings catching the light, and headed over to the blonde girl.  You took note of every movement as she passed him her half-smoked cig and he gave her a quick kiss on the temple.  

Was that his girlfriend?

He stepped back to introduce the younger guy he had with him.  “This Jamie, my new maintenance trainee,” he used the hand holding his smoke to point to each one on the balcony individually.  You really didn’t pay attention until he got to the blonde one.  “...that one there is the lovely Chrissy, and the moody one with the hairy chest is Steve.  They’re the other musicians I told you about.”

Jamie had short black, curly hair and a hoop piercing in one ear.  He lit his own smoke while the metalhead started in with a story about a pump exploding at the pool house, complete with wild hand gestures.  

“Hey, there the fuck you are.  I’ve been looking everywhere for you losers.”

Another voice, another person making their way down the long stretch of squeaky wood planks from the front of the building.  You stepped closer, snapping a twig under your foot, eliciting a worried lip bite.

Everyone stayed right where they were, but for Eddie who moved in front of Jamie in a protective way.  The guy approaching at a stroll had very nondescript good looks with his wheat blonde hair in a tight cut that looked freshly trimmed.  While the others were dressed more casually, this one wore a white dress shirt and tie with black trousers, as if he had some fancy place to be.

“You talking to me?” The metalhead flicked his cigarette ash and stepped forward to meet the new guy before he could come any closer to the group. “Cause, if so, you might want to change your tone, precious.”

“Eddie, don’t,” Chrissy said, and then she stood up, addressing the guy in the suit.  “Jason, what the fuck do you want?”

Eddie, you moved your lips, whispering the name to yourself.  His name was Eddie.  

Jason put his hands up in mock surrender.  “Why so hostile?” He turned to Eddie. “Joyce has been trying to find you for an hour.  There’s a toilet backed up in one of the cabins, and trash that needs to go to the dump. Sounds to me like you’re having a hard time doing your job, Munson.”

You scuttled like a crab, moving to a spot where you could see their faces instead of the backs of their heads.

So that you could see Eddie’s face. 

Steve checked his watch and pushed off of the railing to snub his cig out on the bottom of his shoe.  “I gotta run.  See you bastards at the show tonight,” he said in passing, shoving both hands into his trouser pockets.  He walked right into Jason, shoulder checking him, before casually going on his way.  Jason shot him an evil look.

“Well,” Eddie took a deep breath. “Tell Joyce I got the message,” and then he motioned for Jamie to follow him.

“Too bad we can’t take you out with the rest of the trash, freak,” Jason mumbled, loud enough for you to hear every word, and a tension crackled in the air.

The metalhead stopped dead in his tracks and drew his shoulders back.  

When he finally turned on his heel, he wore a satisfied smirk, inclining his head, as if he’d been waiting for Jason to say something all along. 

Chrissy moved as if she were about to go over and break up whatever was about to happen, but one of the others put a handout and stopped her.  

“Just keep sending your laundry home to mommy, baby boy, and leave the real work to me,” Eddie said, and then he flicked the butt of his cigarette at Jason’s face. 

Jason moved his head just in time so that the hot cherry missed his cheek by a hair and bounced off the wall behind him, spraying sparks.  Chrissy and the others snickered at how beet red Jason’s face got, but he didn’t say another word, he just waited for Eddie and Jamie to be far enough away before he went back around to the front entrance.

When the coast was clear, you stood and made your way to the path again.  With a curse you realized you were going to be late for that dinner reservation, and picked up speed to a slow, sad jog. 

You found yourself thinking that maybe being trapped at Hawkins Landing for the summer wouldn’t be so bad after all. 

—----

Your aunt Kim gave you an exasperated look when you all finally sat down for dinner, being that you’d made everyone 20 minutes late for the reservation.  There didn’t appear to be a single open table when you arrived, but Joyce had made sure to keep the one by the window facing the gardens open for your party.  She came around to introduce the guy who was to be your waiter, and you sat up a little straighter in your seat when you realized it was Jason from earlier.  The way he’d been dressed out on the porch made sense now, as his uniform was the same as all of the other waitstaff.  

Near the end of the meal, Joyce returned to the table in her black pencil skirt and fitted jacket, but this time, she was with a guy who you could tell wanted to look like Don Johnson in Miami Vice, but it came off more as Gary from Weird Science.  

“I'd like you to meet Troy, he’s the son of Mr. Brenner, the owner of the resort,” there was a reluctance about her, as if she’d been forced at gunpoint to introduce him.  

Troy stared at you with an uncomfortable intensity, making your attention fall to your plate.  

“I’m in charge when my father isn’t around,” Troy said with a smug grin, putting his hands in his white trouser pockets, and you spotted some type of metal retainer on his teeth.  

Joyce cleared her throat, annoyed that his statement was far from true.  But she recognized that it was part of her job to indulge the little shit.  

“I just graduated with a business degree from Georgetown,” he gloated, giving you a wink.  “This place will all be mine one day.”

Your father exchanged a look with your aunt over his chocolate mousse.  

“Well, it’s nice to know someone else your age here, isn’t it, Bird? Maybe you two kids should go have some fun tonight,” Kim chirped.  

If your aunt wasn’t so far away, you would’ve kicked her under the table. 

Troy bent at the waist so that his face wasn’t far from yours.  “I’d love to show you around after dinner, if you’re interested in a tour?”

Before you could issue a vague excuse like, “sorry I can’t, I have a headache,” Kim spoke for you again.

“I think that’s a great idea,” she even clapped her hands, applauding it. 

In the end, you went with him to make Kim happy, to get her off your back, hopefully for the rest of the trip.  

An hour or two with a pretentious prick wouldn’t hurt you.

—-------

Troy wasn’t bad company, but he was quite full of himself.  He had interesting stories about his extensive travels, but then he also told awkward stories that were possibly fibs about how many models he’d dated, and expanded on how he wanted to be married with two kids by the time he was 30.   

You, on the other hand, couldn’t imagine thinking that far ahead, and he wouldn’t let you get a word in edgewise.  

You followed close behind through the huge, busy kitchen of the restaurant you’d just dined in, and he tried to hold your hand when he introduced you to the head chef, but you were sly, and pulled it away to cross your arms over your chest.  He gave you a tour of the ballroom and took a stroll through the other restaurant on the opposite end of the building that had a much more relaxed feel, low lighting, red carpet, and a bar at the center.  

You went down to the boat docks and walked along the pier. The stars were breathtaking, but Troy didn’t notice, he was too busy trying to convince you to go out on his boat with him.  You declined, taking a page from Kim’s book to mention a freshly born curse of violent seasickness.  

You had your elbows on the railing at the pier, enjoying the velvet reflection of the crescent moon in the lake, and you could feel your jaw grow tense under the weight of Troy’s stare. 

On the verge of telling him you were ready to head back to your cabin, the sound of music drifted down from somewhere on the property. 

Yes, no mistaking, it was Take Me Home Tonight by Eddie Money, but it was being executed with someone else’s voice, and whoever that person was had some serious pipes.

And then there was the distinct sound of a feminine voice chiming in with the parts from the song Be My Baby Now by the Ronettes in the chorus.

"Is that a live band?" You turned away from him to try and find the source of the music.  It wasn’t coming from the restaurant on the water or any of the cabins to your right.  

"There's a cover band every Friday out behind the main house. You want to check it out?" He held the crook of his arm out to you and hesitated before you took it.  His ego sufficiently stroked now that you wanted to spend more time with him.

Around the side of the building, overlooking the golf course, was a huge, fenced in back patio garden area with a private hot tub and pool for hotel guests.  Troy led you through a white arbor wound with ivy to find that there were plenty of people mingling, drinking, and dancing.  The area was mostly manicured lawn, with stone pathways meandering around from a concrete floor that was right in front of the small riser that was meant to be a stage. You imagined that a million weddings had taken place there. 

At the door was a bar, and Troy got you a flute of champagne, which you downed with abandon and asked for another.  While he was getting your second glass, you made your way along under several boughs of white string lights to get a view of the stage and who was performing the top tier Eddie Money cover.

Just as you stepped into the crowd of people shuffling to the beat, you stopped dead in your tracks.

There he was at the mic: Eddie the metalhead.

Guitar slug low at his hips, wearing a tuxedo with light blue cummerbund and bow tie, his hair neatly combed back and fixed into a knot at the back of his head so that you could really see the curves of his face. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was performing the song against his will.

The rest of the band were dressed similarly, and you instantly knew the one strumming the bass guitar as Steve, and the woman on backup vocals rocking on the rhythm was Chrissy, who wore a conservative skirt and flats. There was also a keyboardist and a drummer, both of whom you did not recognize.

“What’s your major?” Troy asked, breaking your reverie to pass you the glass of champagne. “In college?”

You were confused for a second but then, “oh, I took the year off to…figure some things out.” The full truth of it was that you had dropped out completely and had no intention of going back.  

“I spent a summer in Greece my freshman year,” he offered, unprovoked. “The women there are, wow, so smoking hot.”

The song finished and Eddie took his tuxedo jacket off, rolling up his shirt sleeves to his elbows, exposing the scattered tattoos you’d noticed earlier.  He leaned over to whisper something to Chrissy, motioned at the drummer, and then stepped back into place, brushing a loose wisp of hair off his cheek.

“Find someone special for this next one,” he told the crowd, and was answered with a rush of murmurs.

The first notes to In Your Eyes by Peter Gabriel, a slow song, lit up the space, and your stomach tightened, fearing that Troy would ask you to dance. As he escorted you to the floor, you tried to keep your head down and stay to the back of the crowd, but Troy kept maneuvering you closer to the stage. 

I get so lost, sometimes

Days pass and this emptiness fills my heart

When I want to run away

I drive off in my car

But whichever way I go

I come back to the place you are

You watched the performance from over Troy’s shoulder and followed his lead, shifting from foot to foot.  You were mesmerized by the muscles in Eddie’s hands as he played each note, and the way Chrissy came in like an angel on the chorus.  

He’d captured the attention of everyone in the garden at that moment, and there was a group of women watching him from the sidelines, whispering to each other, possibly about how they wanted to eat him alive.

They were all thinking the same thing you were: Eddie was magic.  

He liked to close his eyes when he sang, so you weren’t expecting him to be staring right at you when he opened them again.  

All my instincts, they return

And the grand facade, so soon will burn

Without a noise, without my pride

I reach out from the inside

He wouldn’t break eye contact, so you eventually had to; the intensity of it was giving you butterflies.

Troy stepped back and tried to get your attention.  “Did you hear anything I just said?”

You nodded, but your gaze only drifted back to Eddie.  Troy followed your line of sight and then dropped both of his hands with a frustrated cluck of his tongue.

"What the hell is he doing up there?" He hissed to himself when it dawned on him that Eddie had been behind the mic that whole time. "That's our goddamn maintenance guy. He shouldn't be up there."

In a huff, Troy pushed through the crowd and headed over to one of the other staff members against the fence. Bird could see him shouting and pointing over at the stage. Whatever the staff guy said did not seem to cheer him up a bit, and he came back to your side, shrugging his shoulders.

"I guess our normal front man Drew has the flu," he reported back. "It's just so hard to find reliable help these days."

Eddie was making the song his own, and that was what you liked about it.

“Let’s get out of here,” Troy put his hand on your lower back to escort you out. “The music sucks.”

—--

It was 9:30 when you made it back to the main foyer, standing in the middle of the lobby next to an obnoxious floral arrangement, when Troy tried to get you to go back to his cabin and watch a movie, only to get respectfully declined.

“Don’t worry about your parents,” Troy said, brushing his finger over your chin. “They know you’re with me, so they’re probably the happiest parents at Hawkins Landing.”

The guy had quite an ego on him, you had to give him that. It was unsurpassed by most. 

In the end, you got away, and as soon as your Mary Jane’s hit the cobblestones outside the front door, you could feel yourself trotting at a quicker pace, eager to put some distance between you and Troy and everyone else, for that matter.  You didn’t stop until you were far enough away from the main hotel to be able to check over your shoulder and not see it through the trees.

It was then that you realized that you had a free chunk of time, and you could do with it whatever you wished.  Your dad would think you were still with Troy, and as long as you made it back to the cabin before midnight, they wouldn’t worry.  

As much as it was the dead of summer, Indiana by the water had very cool nights, and you buttoned up the jean jacket you were wearing just as you noticed a yellow sign on a lamppost to the right that said: Staff Quarters, No Guests Allowed Beyond This Point

And that made you want to venture in even more.

You checked around to make sure there was no one there to notice that you blatantly ignored the sign, and just kept going.  The path at your feet changed from stone to a well-worn dirt path through the grass, and it wasn’t long before you could hear the sound of music erupting in the distance.  

You passed by staff quarters, a few weathered red cabins with white trim, lined close together, and there were some people hanging out on their porches who gave you curious looks, but didn’t seem too concerned with your presence. 

Following the source of the music, you descended down into unknown, poorly lit territory that no longer looked like it was part of the Hawkins Landing property.  

(song playing in the distance is Dangerous Meeting by Mercyful Fate)

It was then that you noticed a pale yellow light coming from the windows of a building up ahead.  Just as the dirt path turned to gravel, you identified the music you were hearing as heavy metal, and it was bolstered by distinct shouts and cheers, even a high-pitched scream or two.  

“Hey,” a voice startled you from out of the dark and you jumped. “What are you going out here?”

Heart racing, you spun around to find out it was Robin.  

She was struggling to carry several things in her arms as she walked and you rushed over to her.

“Where did you come from?” You asked, grinning ear to ear at how glad you were to see someone familiar.

“My cabin is right over there,” she bucked her chin in a direction behind you.

She had a crossbody bag over her shoulder, an amp in one hand, and she was juggling two guitar cases, one of which she fumbled, and you managed to catch it before it hit the ground.  You wrapped your arms around the hard case with the Scorpions sticker on it, silently offering to carry it the rest of the way.

“You don’t have to—” Robin started, adjusting the bag over her shoulder.

“I want to,” you looked back up at the house where the music was coming from, assuming that was where she was headed.  “I carry that big cello around all the time, remember? I’m used to it.”

Robin moved her jaw from side to side and she looked conflicted.  “You’re not supposed to be here.”

Your eyes were still locked on the house hidden in the trees.  “What is that place?”

“Listen,” she gave you an imploring look. “I will get in so much trouble if they find out you came out here. Your dad won’t want you here, trust me.”

Her warning did nothing to squelch your curiosity. “I’m a big girl, I go wherever I want. Plus, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Besides,” she gave you a knowing look, raising her eyebrow. “If your boyfriend Troy finds out you were here, Brenner will fire all of us.”

“He’s not my boyfriend,” you snapped.  But then, softer, you added, “I barely just met him tonight.”

Robin wasn’t in the mood to try and rip the guitar out of your hands, and so, with a heavy sigh, she caved.

“Fine,” she sighed. “But stay close to me, okay? You’re not at the resort anymore, sweetheart.”

You nodded, waiting for her to lead the way.

She took a step forward and then stopped and turned on her heel to point at the instrument in your arms. 

“Be extra careful with that, it’s Eddie’s baby. He’ll grow horns if anything happens to it.”

----

Hi! If you are familiar with the movie Dirty Dancing, you have an idea about what scene is coming up next. I've really enjoyed lining up certain events with the movie, but things will obviously be different in this because I want it to have some surprises in store for you.

Every chapter from here on out will start with a list of the songs, ones that will give hints for what to expect. I wanted to make music a big part of this fic, because it was a huge deal in the movie, and the original soundtrack is still dear to me.

as always, thank you so much for reading and interacting with this story! Comments and reblogs are deeply appreciated. or send me an ask and let me know what you think ❤️

------

taglist: @tlclick73 @micheledawn1975 @kurdtbean @katethetank @elvendria @spookysqaush86 @somethingvicked @stylesxmunson @laurenlokirby @sapphire4082

[mochalate]

[intro] new notification!

msby!atsumu x reader || w/c: 560 Atsumu discovers that the only thing worse than online dating, is dating advice online. a/n: oh look at that, another atsumu fic!! this one is less stressful for me though. its pretty short, with a cute little plot that won't cause me planning paralysis. making edits for atsumu is always so fun <3 i hope you'll read it!!

[chapter 1->]

r/relationship_advice • 3 hours ago

u/fattytuna95

I want to ask out my twin brother's girlfriend.

It's not as bad as it sounds. She's not really his girlfriend.

I'll try to explain.

We're colleagues, sort of. (Me and her— I'd rather starve to death than work for my brother.)

Last month, someone took a picture of us leaving the office. I was only walking her to her car but the person who took the picture wanted to imply that we were dating.

And that wouldn't have been an easy rumour for her to handle, so I got my brother (identical twin) to post a picture with her on his socials.

Obviously, just one picture wouldn't work to convince anyone, so they've been meeting up a couple times a week (they have similar interests, so they were friends already) to be seen together.

Now here's the issue— I never saw her like that before, and I thought it was just fucking annoying to watch people be lovey dovey, fake or not... but one of my other colleagues said it sounded like I was jealous.

And fuck, I am.

Do you think she'd be mad if I asked her out? I reacted pretty badly to the original picture. And I'm worried my brother likes her for real (those photos they're posting are kind of convincing...)

Edit: for everyone asking, no, I can't ask my brother. he'll know why, and if he really does like her I don't want to mess with it. and if he doesn't he won't let me hear the fucking end of it. i can hear the best man speech already.

↑ 25 ↓ •••

u/unicornpoodle • 2 hours ago

lol dude (I'm assuming you're a dude, unless you're a girl who unfortunately is built exactly like your brother) are you sure you like her and aren't just jealous of your brother being happy? fake or not

↑ 50 ↓ •••

u/fattytuna95 • 2 hours ago yeah i'm sure. I cut out a picture of one of my teammates and pasted it over his ugly mug and it made me even angrier. ↑ 35 ↓ •••

u/msbygirlie_13 • 2 hours ago

Oh hey!! I recognise you from the atsumu miya subreddit!! That's so cool you have a twin just like him!! And his brother got a gf recently too!!! (I think they're fr tho lol.)

Okay hmmm this is a tough one. wdym when yuo said 'reacted badly'??? and what was so bad about the rumour in the first place if it's an option for you now???? this is kinda weird ngl.

↑ 42 ↓ •••

u/fattytuna95 • 2 hours ago do you really they're the real deal??? I kind of laughed. And now that I look back at it, I think I might have looked way too eager to put it out there that we weren't dating. like I was disgusted or something. :( I wasn't, I just didn't want her to have any trouble. :( :( I'm sorry, I can't explain the situation any more for privacy reasons. ↑ 20 ↓ •••

u/guiltyassassin_ • 1 hour ago

well you don't have to talk to either of them... you said someone took the original photo. maybe they're still stalking?? ask them what they think?

lmfao you guys are either celebrities or highschoolers with this kinda drama

(also you keep calling your brother ugly, but then say you guys are identical? huh????)

↑ 5 ↓ •••

u/fattytuna95 • 55 minutes ago This is kind of an insane idea, but it does make sense. Maybe I'll do it. (and you wouldn't get it.) ↑ 2 ↓ •••

first chapter tomorrow! please like/reblog/reply/send me an ask if you enjoyed it :) it keeps me going lol [my other fics->] divider: @/cafekitsune

[blackstarchanx3new]

FSR NEW MASTERPOST

Ease of reading in mind

Season 1

Chapter 1: PG 1-20 Four Heroes Return

Bonus Chapter "Name"

Chapter 2: PG 21-31 Back Home

Chapter 3: PG 32-57 A "Walk"

Chapter 4: PG 58-81 Library

Chapter 5: PG 82-108 A Promise

Chapter 6: PG 109-128 Memory Lane

Chapter 7 PT 1: PG 129-155 A Hero Playing a Villain

Chapter 7 PT 2: PG 156-177 A Hero Playing a Villain

Chapter 8: PG 178-197 Dark Mirror's Shards

Chapter 9: PG 198-210 Triforce of Power

Chapter 10 PT 1: PG 211-222 Uncontrollable Curse

Chapter 10 PT 2: PG 223-244 Uncontrollable Curse

Chapter 11 PT 1: Unfinished Business Pages 245-259

Chapter 11 PT 2: Unfinished Business Pages 260-278

Chapter 11 PT 3: Unfinished Business Pages 279-308

Chapter 11 PT 4: Unfinished Business Pages 309-338

Chapter 12: Home again Page 339-360

Chapter 13: Darkness and Vaati 361-370

Chapter 14: A Waking Nightmare 371-386 Part 1

Chapter 14: A Waking Nightmare 371-410 Part 2

Chapter 15: Split 411-424

Chapter 16: Dark Link and Green Pages 425-446

Chapter 17: Dark Link and Green 447-457

Chapter 17: Going Further 458-468

Chapter 17: Going Further 469-492

Chapter 18: Reality 493-506

Season 2

Chapter 19 Shades of Blue

Chapter 19 PT 1: Shades of Blue Pages 507-510

Chapter 19 PT 2: Shades of Blue Pages 511-514

Chapter 19 PT 3: Shades of Blue Pages 515-518

Chapter 19 PT 4: Shades of Blue Pages 519-522

Chapter 19 PT 5: Shades of Blue Pages 523-526

Chapter 19 PT 6: Shades of Blue Censored Pages 527-530

Chapter 19 PT 6: Shades of Blue Uncensored Pages 527-530

Chapter 19 PT 7: Shades of Blue Pages 531-534

Chapter 19 PT 8: Shades of Blue Pages 535-538

Chapter 19 PT 9: Shades of Blue Pages 539-542

Chapter 19 PT 10: Shades of Blue Pages 543-546

Chapter 19 PT 11: Shades of Blue Pages 547-552

Chapter 19 PT 12: Shades of Blue Pages 553-556

Chapter 20 New Friends

New Friends Part 1 Pages 557-560

New Friends Part 2 Pages 561-565

Chapter 21 Link's Bedroom

Link's Bedroom Part 1 Page 570-574

Link's Bedroom Part 2 Page 570-574

Link's Bedroom Part 3 Page 575-578

Link's Bedroom Part 4 Page 579-582

Link's Bedroom Part 5 Page 583-586

Link's Bedroom Part 6 Page 587-591

Link's Bedroom Part 7 Page 592-595

Link's Bedroom Part 8 Page 596-600

Link's Bedroom Part 9 Page 601-604

Chapter 22 Cloudy Kitchen Thoughts

Cloudy kitchen thoughts Part 1 Page 605-610

Cloudy kitchen thoughts Part 2 Page 611-616

Cloudy kitchen thoughts Part 3 Page 617-623

Cloudy kitchen thoughts Part 4 Page 624-630

Cloudy kitchen thoughts Part 5 Page 631-637

Cloudy kitchen thoughts Part 6 Page 638-644

Cloudy kitchen thoughts Part 7 Page 645-649

Chapter 23 The Woods

The Woods Part 1 Pages 650-655

The Woods Part 2 Pages 656-659

The Woods Part 3 Pages 660-667

The Woods Part 4 Pages 668-673

The Woods Part 5 Pages 674-677

The Woods Part 6 Pages 681-687

The Woods Part 7 Pages 688-694

The Woods Part 8 Pages 695-700

The Woods PT 9 Pages 701-706

The Woods PT 10 Pages 707-712

Chapter 24: Secret keeping in the darkness

Secret keeping in the darkness PT 1 Pages 713-718

Secret keeping in the darkness PT 2 Pages 719-723

Secret keeping in the darkness PT 3 Pages 724-729

Secret keeping in the darkness PT 4 Pages 730-735

Secret keeping in the darkness PT 5 Pages 736-741

Secret keeping in the darkness PT 6 Pages 742-747

Secret keeping in the darkness PT 7 Pages 748-753

Secret keeping in the darkness PT 8 Pages 754-756

Chapter 25: Vio

Pages 757-762

Pages 763-768

Pages 769-773

Chapter 26: Dream's end

Pages 774-779

Pages 780-785

Pages 786-791

Pages 792-797

Pages 798-803

Pages 804-810

Chapter 27: Turning point

Pages 811-815

Pages 816-820

Pages 821-826

Pages 826-832

[capitaine-du-terror]

ARTICLES AND BOOKS (and illustrations!) BY H. GOODSIR

BOOKS

- Anatomical and pathological observations, 1845.

Goodsir, John (1814-1867) Goodsir, Henry Duncan Spens ("Harry") (1819-1847).

Link: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/75603#page/9/mode/1up

Harry is the author of the following three chapters:

N°VI. The testis and its secretion in the decapodous crustaceans (pp 35-40)

N°XII. The mode of reproduction of the lost parts in the crustacea (pp 74-78)

N°XIII. Of the anatomy and development of the cystic entozoa (pp 79-103)

> The last one was read before the York Meeting of the British Association in 1844. I did a little research and found that Goodsir was “secretary” in the zoology and botany section:

(Read more:https://www.ypsyork.org/resources/articles/the-1844-british-association-conference-and-the-first-photographs-taken-in-york/ )

-Cases and observations illustrating the history and pathological relations of two kinds of hydatids, hitherto undescribed, 1844

Goodsir, Harry D. S. , Gairdner, John, Lee Thomas M. , Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

Link: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/180385#page/3/mode/1up

Microscopial observations (two pages of illustrations at the end of the book, low quality).

-On two new species of leachia, 1841

Goodsir, Henry D. S. Esq.

(from the Edimburgh New philosophical Journal for October 1841)

Link: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/188531#page/1/mode/1up

(One illustration at the end)

ARTICLES

-Description of the genus Cuma, and of two new genera nearly allied to it, 1843

in: The Edinburgh new philosophical journal, vol. 34, pp 119-129

Link: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12565428#page/139/mode/1up

(Illustrations at the end)

-On the specific and generic characters of the araneiform crustacea, 1844

in: The Annals and magazine of natural history; zoology, botany and geology, vol. 14, pp 1-4

Link: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2331360#page/14/mode/1up

(One plate at the beginning)

- Description of some animals found amongst the Gulf-weed, february 1845

in: The Annals and magazine of natural history; zoology, botany and geology, vol. 15, pp 73-76

Link: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2248314#page/98/mode/1up

(One plate at the beginning)

- Description of some gigantic forms of invertebrate animals from the coast of Scotland, june 1845

in: The Annals and magazine of natural history; zoology, botany and geology, vol. 15, pp 377-383

Link: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/2248663#page/427/mode/1up

(One plate at the beginning)

-On the development, structure and eoconomy of the acephalocysts of authors; with an account of the natural analogies of the entozoa in general, june 1845

in: The Annals and magazine of natural history; zoology, botany and geology, vol. 14, pp 481-484

Link: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/22068990#page/495/mode/1up

Abstracted from the Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, having been read April 1, 1844.

> which I, of course, found:

Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, vol XV

pp. 560-571, three plates

Link: https://archive.org/details/transactionsofro15roya/page/560/mode/2up?view=theater

(His brother was also there!)

-On several new species of Crustaceans allied to Saphirina, 1845

in: The Annals and magazine of natural history; zoology, botany and geology, vol. 16, pp 325-327

Link: https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/22069398#page/339/mode/1up

+Plate XI (at the end)

This last article is also mentionning the Erebus... I'm not crying, you are.

PS: I hope you enjoyed this overview of Goodsir's work, it took me days to gather it all and I'm glad to be able to share it with you all. As I'll soon be in Edinburgh, you can expect to see more Goodsir content! Love <3

[daydreamingnightshade]

So, I have PLANS

And not just any kind of plans but plans for a NEW FIC!

And guess what fandom it's from?

SVSSS! (Scum Villain Self-Saving System)

Featuring one of my favorite ships in the entire fandom.

LiuShen! (WHOOP!)

Lol, anyways...

So, for context, every time I get the urge to write a new fic, I go to my playlist and shuffle play through my 560 songs.

So, while I was listening to one of my favorite songs Dear Arkansas Daughter while feeling a little romantic myself, I suddenly had an idea.

A fic of five chapters featuring pre-IAC oblivious (well, on SQQ's side) pre-relationship LiuShen, with the lyrics of Dear Arkansas Daughter running in the background, acting as prompts for the first four chapters.

No, see, it's going to be beautiful, just hear me out on this.

You with the dark curls - SQQ brushing LQG's hair after his shoulder got injured in a fight.

You with the watercolor eyes - LQG admiring SQQ's "peach blossom eyes" as they take a midnight walk under the moonlight in the forests of BZP.

You who bares all your teeth in every smile - SQQ making LQG laugh- as in, full body laugh- and his smile towards SQQ is so soft it's adorable. SQQ can't stop thinking about it. It almost drives the man insane, haha.

(Later, while lying in his bed inside the Bamboo House, SQQ reflects back onto that moment, at the way LQG's stormy grey eyes crinkled at the edges, at the way the man's dimples appear only when he lets himself smile like that, at the way his laughter still echoes in his ears like the soft ringing of windchimes. It is then, that he has his realization.)

He says, "I can always hear you sing, I wanna hear you speak to me" - SQQ and LQG in the bamboo forests on QJP, with SQQ rambling about anything he can think of while simultaneously denying that he had that realization that night, while LQG just listens all heart-eyed. Of course, that's when our little Bingpup commences his distraction. Cue SQQ panicking while LQG is sus as hell. (lol)

The last chapter is the confession chapter, obviously, but I don't have any plans for that yet. Don't worry, though! I'm sure I'll figure something out.

Let me know if this is something you'd like to see, or if you have some additions actually! I would love it if you shared your thoughts!

[everykabuto]

[viscari-a]

Lee Hakhyun my boi Q-Q

major spoilers for orv novel and side story 5! (760s)

I’m not fully up to date on the side stories but I’m a major chunk of the way in (the Zodiac Ball arc). Im someone who always finds myself rooting for the side/mob characters that appear for 2 chapters and never again. And Lee Hakhyun, with all his compassion, his regrets, his failures, his concerns, his insecurities, feels so uniquely human and relatable in a way that not even Kim Dokja had felt. ORV I started because of the premise and story telling and I got attached to the characters along the way. Lee Hakhyun…I got attached a few chapters in Anyway, the crazy thing is that I’m kind of mourning Lee Hakhyun more and more as the story pass. He’s still alive!!! And I’m grieving for him!!! He’s changed over time and maybe it’s character development, or confidence, but it feels more like the loss of an identity. Especially because in the current arc I’m on and the ones before it, he takes on Kim Dokja’s identity again and again, over and over and over. And at first, it’s so apparent what the differences are!! It’s really amazing, and full props to the author for being able to distinguish and write their characters so well. It’s also because of this that I feel like Lee Hakhyun is becoming Kim Dokja, and if so, that’s so…sad. Not in a bad way or anything fully negative. Change is inevitable, change happens. It’s not always bad, but thinking of what was is always…sad. (Also all of this is fully intentionally on the author’s part I believe, LOL). If it an identity change, it’s one thats almost coerced onto him, and that makes it sadder. The company calls him Kim Dokja and want him to be Kim Dokja, his current group calls him Kim Dokja because of context, his stories are telling him to be Kim Dokja. In truth, in one of the earlier chapters, I was so relieved and happy when the cast shared their true names and our MC said ‘Lee Hakhyun.” He wanted a new identity, and he got it; he has lived a whole life full of successes and failures that are entirely his own. But in the end, it’s cyclical. He was a person (kdj), but just a part, such that people appreciate but are not satisfied. He is an author compelled to write someone else’s story, such that readers admire that story but not his writing. (An author who got popular off a work that you wrote but that isnt your own, how scary is that?? As a writer, that sounds terrifying) He is himself, trying to be whole, but is made to be someone who he didn’t/doesnt want to be (49%), and the more he is made to play that role, the more his boundaries get lost. Lee Hakhyun, the more the story goes on, the more I can’t tell what actions/thoughts are yours, perhaps made with more confidence, and what actions/thoughts are Kim Dokja, whether acting as him or slowly becoming him. I want the story to have a happy ending, but is that even possible, with my perceptions of it? What would it entail? Can he be two different people at the same time? He has people around him to remind him who he is as Lee Hakhyun, but the knowledge that they’re all fragments of Kim Dokja add a level of instability and mind fuckery that makes it less reassuring than it should be. How much has he changed from the 560s to the 760s? Is it character development, or character transition? What is the core of his identity, considering everything? Lee Hakhyun of the beginning is someone I’ll remember fondly for how human he is, and I’ll have to do some rereads to define him more concretely, but I’ll miss him, if he’s not there anymore In context of this post and the whole story, honestly rip our MC for constantly being in an identity limbo and rip me because I didn’t expect the side story to include so much existential crisis. Regardless, i really truly hope he’s happy and content and confident in/by the end

[catrex0-0]

just finished stellarlune and all I can say is those were the longest 560 pages of my life and chapter 42 made it worth it. I think I'll render all the sketches I've done later, but for now enjoy this sokeefe🤲

[nightcourtreader]

Azriel’s shadows

Like I have seen a lot of theory’s and things about Azriel’s shadows. Which includes that the shadows protect Elain, that his shadows hide when azriel feels safe or comfortable, his shadows are there to protect him and that’s why they are around & disappear around certain people, that it is a good thing that his shadows disappear, that he’s going to get rid of his shadows and a lot of other stuff. These arguments can all be easily disproven if you just read the series.

I personally think that Azriel’s shadows are sentient. They have their own thoughts and opinions but they are also an extension of Azriel and his moods and behavior. Like they can clearly communicate with Azriel effectively and Azriel even mentions how they tell him to sleep and that they like to warn about him things.

So here’s a list of descriptions of Azriel shadows throughout the entire series, including his bonus chapter.

Acomaf

* “Azriel’s brows flicked up with approval as the shadows seemed to wrap tighter around him. As if he were the dark hive from which they flew and returned” (pg 160, ACOMAF)

• So rhys told them of the cauldron, and the reasons behind the temple pillagings, to no shortage of swearing and questions—and revealed nothing of what I had admitted in exchange for the information. Azriel emerged from his wreathing shadows to ask the most questions; his face and voice remained unreadable. (Page 205, ACOMAF)

* The spymaster had waited in silence. I tried not to look too uncomfortable as he scooped me into his arms, those shadows that whispered to him stroking my neck, my cheek (pg 240, ACOMAF)

* People often made the mistake of assuming Cassian was the wilder one; the one who couldn’t be tamed. But Cassian was all hot temper—temper that could be used and forge and weld. There was icy rage in Azriel I had never been able to thaw. In the centuries I’d known him, he’d said little about his life, those years in his father’s keep, locked in darkness. Perhaps the shadow singer gift had come to him then, perhaps he’d taught himself the language of shadow and wind and stone. (Page 275, ACOMAF)

* The shadows gathered around his shoulders, like they were indeed whispering to him, shielding him, perhaps. His broad chest expanded with a deep breath that sent them skittering, and then he set into an easy, graceful stroll after them. (pg 285, ACOMAF)

* Azriel, wreathed in shadows by the front door, chuckled quietly. Cassian shot him a glare. “I don’t see you spouting poetry, brother.” Azriel crossed his arms, still smiling faintly. “I don’t need to resort to it.” (Page 392, ACOMAF)

Acowar

* “Azriel arrived first, no shadows to be seen, my sister a pale, golden mass in his arms. Elain’s golden brown hair snagging in some of the black scales across his chest and shoulders” (pg 253, ACOWAR)

* “Shadows curled around Azriel’s shoulders, whispering in his ear as he stared down Eris (pg 270, ACOWAR)

* “I can help her,” said Azriel, stepping to the table as Elain silently rose. No shadows at his ear, no darkness ringing his fingers as he extended a hand” (Pg 315, ACOWAR)

* Azriel squeezed, Eris thrashing beneath him. No physical brawling—there had been a rule against that, but Azriel, with whatever power those shadows gave him..perhaps those shadows that now slid and eddied around the Shadowsinger hid him from the wrath of the binding magic. The others made no move to interfere, as if wondering the same. (Page 428, ACOWAR)

•While shadows gathered around Azriel, Elain at his side, wide eyed at the spymaster’s display” (pg 479, ACOWAR)

* Azriel silently faded into blackness—until he was my own shadow and nothing more. (Page 566, ACOWAR)

* Azriel stepped out of a shadow. “What is that,” he hissed. My brows rose. “You hear it?” A shake of the head. “No—but the shadows, the wind…they recoil. (Pg 560, ACOWAR)

* “That smile grew, bright enough that it lit up even Azriel’s shadows across the room” (Pg 693, ACOWAR)

Acofas

* Az, too—in the strange way that Az could move through the world without technically winnowing. He’d never asked. Azriel certainly had never explained. (Page 22, ACOFAS)

* A corner of Azriel’s mouth curled up, the shadows about him sliding over his neck living living tattoos, twins to the Illyrian ones marked beneath his leathers. (pg 66, ACOFAS)

* Shadows different from anything my powers summoned, spoke to. Born in a lightless, airless prison meant to break him. Instead he had learned it’s language (pg 66, ACOFAS)

“the illyrians are pieces of shit,” he said too quietly. Shadows gathered around his wings, trailing off him and onto the thick red rug. (Page 67, ACOFAS)

Acosf

* Nesta straightened at the shadowsinger’s appearance, the darkness clinging to his shoulders as he offered her a grim smile. (Pg 100, ACOSF)

Azriel was nothing short of beautiful. Even with those scarred hands and the shadows that flowed from him like smoke. (Page 100, ACOSF)

* She set down her teacup. “Is that a threat, Shadowsinger?” Azriel said coolly, “I don’t need to resort to threats.” The shadows coiled around him, snakes ready to strike. (Pg 101, ACOSF)

* Azriel chuckled, shadows skittering. “Did you listen at all last night?” (Pg 221, ACOSF)

• His brother nodded. “Fine.” But shadows still swarmed him. (Page 221, ACOSF)

* “No one spoke, though shadows gathered in the corners of the room, like shadows preparing to strike” (Pg 233, ACOSF)

* He jerked his chin toward Azriel. “Why are you up here?” “I thought I’d do some training myself before heading out for the day,” Az said, his shadows lingering in the archway, as if fearful of the bright sunlight in the ring. (pg 250, ACOSF)

• A shadow curled around Azriel’s neck, the only one brave enough to face the sunlight. “Something like that.” (pg 252, ACOSF)

• Azriel blushed and stepped back, shadows swirling. (Page 603, ACOSF)

• Gwyn asked Az, her teal eyes bright, “what do we get if we finish the course?” Az’s shadows danced around him. (Page 623, ACOSF)

* “There are plenty of other unspeakable things that could be happening to her,” Cassian said, voice thickening. “To Emerie and Gwyn.” The shadows deepened around Azriel, his siphons gleaming like cobalt fire. (Page 688, ACOSF)

* Even Azriel���s own shadows kept tucked behind his wings. Koschei laughed, and Azriel stiffened. Like his shadows had murmured a warning. (Pg 710, ACOSF)

Azriel’s bonus chapter

• Sleep, they seemed to whisper in his ear. Sleep. I wish I could, he answered silently. (Azriel’s bonus chapter)

• But even the silence weighed too heavily, and though the shadows kept him company, as they always had, as they always would. (Azriel’s bonus chapter)

• Elain sucked in a breath that whispered over his skin. His shadows skittered back at the sound. They’d always been prone to vanish when she was around. (Azriel’s bonus chapter)

• he had only allowed himself these thoughts in the dead of night. Had only allowed his hand to fist his cock and think about her then, when even his shadows had gone to sleep. (Azriel’s bonus chapter)

* He aimed for the training pit, giving in to the need to work off the temptation, the rage and frustration and writhing need. He found it already occupied. His shadows had not warned him. (Azriel’s bonus chapter)

* “It’s fine. I came to retrieve something I forgot.” The lie was smooth and cool, as he knew his face was. His shadows peered over his wings at her. The young priestess smiled—and Azriel thought it might have been directed at his curious shadows. (Azriel’s bonus chapter)

* “How was the party?” Her breath curled in front of her mouth, and one of his shadows darted out to dance with it before twirling back to him. Like it heard some silent music. (Azriel’s bonus chapter)

I blame Cassian for this. He’s too busy making eyes at Nesta to notice such mistakes these days.” Azriel laughed. “I’ll give you that.” Gwyn smiled broadly. “Thank you.” Azriel dipped his head in a sketch of a bow, something restless settling him. Even his shadows had calmed. As if content to lounge on his shoulders and watch. (Azriel’s bonus chapter)

* Gwyn nodded farewell, again facing the ribbon. A warrior sizing up an opponent, all traces of that charming irreverence gone. Azriel entered the warmth of the stairwell, and as he descended, he could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him. Could have sworn his shadows sang in answer. (Azriel’s bonus chapter )

So the question is where in the text does it prove that Azriel’s shadows protect Elain? Protection definitions include keeping safe, keeping from harm, defend, shield, take care of, care after. They never left Azriel’s person to protect anyone. The only person they directly touched in this series was Feyre. They tend to vanish around Elain’s presence, like 98% as confirmed by Azriel himself. So how are they there to protect her when they tend to vanish when she’s around? You can’t protect someone you are not around. His shadows turning into snakes ready to strike in the corner is not them protecting Elain, it’s them reacting off Azriel’s mood, because we’ve seen the shadows do the exact same thing when nesta asked Azriel was that a threat in the beginning of acosf and he answered nesta coldly without Elain even being there.

The next theory. That the shadows hide when Azriel/they feel safe. Like 98% of the time Azriel’s shadows are out when it comes to the IC, Feyre, nesta, the Valkyries and the women he’s training in acosf. So if they hide when Azriel feels safe, why don’t they hide when he’s around his family, friends, the women from the library that he’s training?

Azriel’s has known Rhys, Cassian & Mor for 500+ years and going based off that logic, why doesn’t Azriel feel safe around his brothers to the point his shadows don’t disappear? Because we can see they tend to hide around Mor as well. Is it just women? If that’s the fact then why don’t they disappear around nesta? Gwyn? Emerie? What about the new trainees from the library that can’t physical hurt him because he’s been trained to fight his whole life and they haven’t? Because mind you, he’s helping train women that’s in the library and we all know the reasons why they are in the library and wanted Azriel’s help to train. So why would they be a threat to Azriel?

Do we know what his shadows did when he was around Koschei in acosf? A literally death god, that’s a threat who is planning to take over prythian? They hid behind Azriel’s wings. Do we know what his shadows did when they heard the cauldrons “siren song” that led Elain away from the camp to get kidnap by hybern’s camp? They recoiled. You know what recoil means. It means drawing back or jumping back. That means when Azriel’s shadows come into contact or around things they don’t seem safe, they hide, not the other way around.

Why do his shadows dance in Gwyn’s presence? Why did Azriel say that his shadows felt calm and he felt something restless settle within him when he talks to Gwyn and his shadows didn’t disappear but lounged on his shoulders instead like they were just content to be there? He and his shadows obviously felt safe enough to stay and talk with gywn after she gave azriel an out to leave.

So all this literally debunks the fact that Azriel’s shadows disappear when he feels safe because there is no reason why Azriel shouldn’t feel safe in the presence of his family & friends. But they hide and recoil when it comes to true danger and manipulation. I don’t think that them vanishing and skittering back makes Elain to be a bad person or a threat to Azriel but it’s telling that SJM mentioned in Azriel’s bonus chapter that the shadows tend to vanish around Elain and that Azriel does his weird freaky stuff with that damn headache powder only in the dead of night when his shadows are gone to sleep.

To me personally, it seems that Azriel finds solace in his shadows. They comfort him. His shadows are his companions. They were there even before he met Rhys & Cassian, meaning they’ve been with him 520+ years. They are not something to get rid off, they are a literally apart of Azriel’s identity as to why he’s a shadow singer and a spy master. He himself stated that they will ALWAYS be apart of him. Azriel is a grown fae that can protect himself without his shadows, they don’t need to protect him. They help him more than anything.

Azriel has been described to work best in the shadows. That he doesn’t like to be the center of attention to the point where he doesn’t even like opening up presents with his family because he doesn’t like the attention on him. His shadows help him hide from peoples view better, why wouldn’t he be comfortable in them and find comfort with them being out and surrounding him?

I understand wanting to argue for a ship and stuff but literally coming up with lies and false information to make it seem like something is more than what it is when you can easily pick up the books to disprove these arguments is ridiculous.

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

late night convenience store visits

by sweetcon gotham girlie @madmxfan • 25 minutes ago NOT BRUCE WAYNE AND HIS BF SHOWING UP LAST NIGHT ON MY SHFIFTTT 5.76k views | 891 retweets | 462 quote retweets | 1.9k likes ↓ gotham girlie @madmxfan • 24 minutes ago THEY WERE LOOKING FOR TAMPONS LAST NIGHT  4.9k views | 724 retweets | 560 quote retweets | 1.8k likes Words: 1368, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Series: Part 2 of just in: live from the wayne manor! Fandoms: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: Gen, M/M, Other Characters: Batfamily Members (DCU), Bruce Wayne, Hal Jordan (Green Lantern), Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Cassandra Cain, Damian Wayne, Tim Drake (DCU), mentioned Stephanie Brown - Character, mentioned Duke Thomas - Character Relationships: Hal Jordan (Green Lantern)/Bruce Wayne, Batfamily Members & Hal Jordan (Green Lantern), Cassandra Cain & Bruce Wayne, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Cassandra Cain & Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - No Capes, Batfamily Social Media (DCU), Attempt at Humor, Humor, Fluff and Humor, Dialogue-Only, Probably ooc via https://ift.tt/oZntxFX

[the-way-astray]

im sure youre bored with asks about your rant, sorry. but i can't wait to see you tear into unlocked, HIS POV

he sucks so much and the fact that people read his thoughts and still like and love him is crazyy to me

i'm not bored at all, anon! i like it when people talk to me about my rant.

i actually started my unlocked novella rant! fun fact: that's actually the reason i posted only the first eight books separately. i was originally going to wait and post the entire thing after unraveled's release, and i got through the first eight books at a reasonable pace, so i started the unlocked novella thinking i'd get through it even faster because it's only sixteen chapters, right? but no. i was so wrong. it was just so. much. too much. like i'm not kidding when i say i had something to say about keefe like every paragraph of that novella. it was overwhelming as shit and slowing me way down because i couldn't even get through a page of his pov without writing down like a page of rant material.

eventually i stopped because i decided i needed to lay some ground rules about what not to include to make sure that i wasn't just saying effectively the same thing over and over again and running it into the ground. but then, i was also like, but isn't the point of this format of rant to include all of keefe's worst moments and aren't i taking away from that by cutting stuff out, even if it's repetitive? and i didn't know how to resolve that, so my solution was just. do it later. and then i put it down and never got back to it. so that's how much stuff i have to say about keefe in unlocked, lmfao.

he does suck indeed (in my opinion)! it's insane to me, too. i can honestly say i have no clue how people manage to still like him, but then again, he is a fictional character, not a real person, and sometimes likable qualities or a well-written character arc aren't as important to people as relatability, and i'm sure there are many people that relate to him or his trauma.

anyway because you seem eager, have a few excerpts from my unlocked novella rant. just for you, anon:

“[ . . . ] Keefe could feel Fitz’s sour guilt swirling through the air.” (555) Not only was Fitz actively trying to help Keefe feel better, but he also felt bad about reading Keefe’s mind to do it. Keefe had no good intentions with his comment about Sophie and Fitz’s breakup (he literally just did it to rile Fitz up), and didn’t even feel sorry about it afterward. So why do I never see people talking about that, whereas Fitz is questioned for his actions here?

“‘[ . . . ] because you end up making the damage permanent.’ ‘I’m not damaged—’ ‘You’re right. That was the wrong word.’” (556) What the heck??? This always pisses me off so much every time I read it. Keefe purposefully twists Fitz’s words to make it seem like he said something he wasn’t. He made it seem as if Fitz was launching a personal attack on him for his new abilities, where Fitz was simply stating that Keefe would end up with permanent physical damage if he didn’t take his medicine and rest. Just for reference, Sophie said the exact same thing to Keefe in Nightfall and he didn’t immediately accuse her of personally attacking him. So there are some double standards there. But then. Fitz actually coddles Keefe and says that he was right, and claims that he used the “wrong word”. Wow. I- The way everyone in this series just bends to Keefe’s will however little or much sense it makes infuriates me. What the heck, Keefe. Grow a fucking spine. It’s just a word. Why does he have to complain and whine about everything all the time???

“[ . . . ] until Fitz had to go and prove that he was the worst best friend in the history of best friends by asking, ‘Okay, but . . . what about the mimicking?’” (560) He’s the worst best friend because he brought all the information to the table? Wow. And no, Fitz isn’t the worst best friend ever. Keefe is. He takes pleasure in seeing Fitz angry and sad. I can’t imagine a more subtly degrading and manipulative friend to have than Keefe.

“[ . . . ] Fitz told her—because he was begging for a face-punch. And if the world hasn’t gotten so spinny, Keefe might’ve given it to him [ . . . ]” (561) Fun fact, Keefe had an entire moral dilemma in Flashback over the fact that he feels like violence comes easier to him than most other elves. Sophie had to spend an entire forced consolation scene basically lathering him up because he has no fucking spine. So here’s an inconsistency with Keefe’s character right here. He should’ve felt really freaked out by this thought right here because it’s an example of his “violent tendencies” coming out. But he doesn’t. He moves past it like it’s nothing. More proof that Keefe never actually worried about that and Shannon just needed something for Sophie to comfort Keefe over. It never actually amounts to anything of actual value with regards to his arc or story. 

“‘Uh, for the record, most of the emotions are coming from you, Fitzy. You wouldn’t happen to have some unresolved feelings for anyone in this room, would you?’” (561) Keefe continues to purposefully try to provoke Fitz and hurt him for no other reason than that he enjoys seeing his best friend in pain. Why can’t he keep his nose out of other people’s business? Why does he have to be so cruel? Why is Fitz still best friends with this pond scum? All he does is annoy, embarrass, and act cruel toward his supposed “friends”. Why do people like this guy??? He is so toxic, so subtly degrading, so deceptively manipulative, it blows my mind. Does he have something against treating people nicely or something?

“If Fitz’s grumpy resentment had been the only emotion churning around the room, Keefe would’ve let him stand there and stew in it—maybe even made another joke to amp it up. But Foster’s feelings were such a brutal mix of hurt, heartache, and humiliation that he had to mumble, 'Sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I just meant—’” (562) What an upstanding guy. What an awesome best friend. When I purposefully say something cruel to make my best friend feel bad, he can take it. But when my crush feels bad? However will she like me if I’m mean to her? It’s just another example of Keefe’s tendency to be cruel for no reason, as well as his obsession with Sophie. He knew he made Fitz feel bad, but he actually considered making it worse. Wow. And “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded” is just a straight-up lie. He meant it to be cruel, and that’s what it came out as. So in case you think Sophie and Keefe’s relationship is built on any sort of trust or mutual comfort, think again. He just tried to gaslight her. Again.

[blackstarchanx3new]

Four Swords Adventures Manga Fan Comic: Four Swords Returns

S2 Chapter 20: New Friends PT 1

Pages 557-560

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Poor Green.