#easily my top movies for 2022

[therosejamjournal]

thinking about how smile (2022) is every traumatised person's worst nightmare. how the message clearly says "your trauma will always win and no matter what you do, you'll swallow it and it'll inhabit your skin forever." how, even if the protagonist had defeated the monster, she would have still lost - the intergenerational trauma has already spread its insidious wings and would survive in the mind of her sister's child. how traumatised people are so often told to just 'suck it up and smile through the pain,' how laughter is the best medicine until it isn't. how misery loves company. and how sometimes healing comes too late too little - you've let the beast grow too strong, it became an intrinsic part of you, your identity.

[justarandompersononthehellsite]

So... @muffinlance wrote a really awesome story. I read a post from a point in time, though I truly do not remember when since it seems like I've been working on this project forever, saying that she gives blanket permission for people to print and bind the story into a book (I think there was an also addendum saying that they do not give permission to be sold, since selling fic is illegal). This fic has had total control over my whole brain since it was sent to me (@creatorofthemind I believe it was you, so thank you forever for tuning me into it) back during the days of like chapter six or seven.

So here I am now, sharing this amazing journey of my first ever bookbinding adventure. Further reading below.

So to give you an idea of what's going on, this is a fanfiction about Zuko (Avatar the Last Airbender) (animated show version, the LA show did not exist yet and we do not speak of the movie) being adopted by Hakoda, Father of Katara and Zuko. (This might have also been what kicked off the Give Zuko A Parent craze, but don't fact check me.)

Overall, the characters from the show stick very well to the cannon versions, but where MuffinLance really shines is in the rich backstories and fleshed out feeling of all the non cannon elements. Especially the background characters. I would argue that the writing in this peice of fanwork could easily rival the cannon show at many points of comparison.

Now that you have context, we can get into the actual process.

To start, I used this guide to figure out where to even begin, and fount the included resource list to also be quite helpful. I cannot for the LIFE OF ME figure out where I found the template I used for the front matter and such, but it must be somewhere and I will link to it when I inevitably come across it again.

Then I began to typeset. This step took... a long time. I worked in chunks from about September of 2022 to late March of 2024. I would get a big section done, sometimes even the entire thing, but then find I hated the way I had done it and give up for months at a time. Such is the life of ADHD and flitting interest in projects I suppose.

And then finally, step one was done, and I was left with pages on a word document that look like this. (And do please let me know if you want the link to the document. It was so much work, and I would love to not be the only one to use it.)

Next step was printing out this beast. Ended up being about eight pages of front matter, and about 630 pages of body text.

That I printed wrong.

Twice.

Before finally getting it right. And then not getting a picture of it, because I finished at 4 am and had work at 7, and am also an idiot.

Then I simply stitched along, putting everything together into a beautiful text block.

And came up with a design for the cover.

Yes the glue did end up lumpy. Ignore it.

Yes I did have to sketch out the design onto a scraped page several times before I figured out what I was doing. Ignore that too.

The cover design does wrap around the entire cover. No I did not get a picture before I glued the thing down. See again: I'm an idiot. And just... massively impatient.

Finally, we get to the stage of gluing. Behold, my bookpress.

Of course, topped with Madam MuffinLances own actual professional-people book, Fox's Tounge and Kirin's Bone. It is Excelent. Here is the LINK so you can go and support this amazing author with the real-monies as well as the internet-kudos.

Then, once everything is glued together, one must give the book its "gilt" edges.

[jelly-fish-wishes]

Out of curiosity. What do you think would be the best thing to improve on in the Mario Movie that could be acknowledged and improved on in the sequel?

You know, other than Luigi getting more screentime because I think we can all say and agree on that.

I apologize for any weird grammar down below lol

The pacing could have been better. The start of the film was PERFECT, but as soon as they enter the warp pipe, everything seems so desperate to get to the next part.

I also wish Peach was fixed. I wish she was the same as in the games, but a little more “umph.” Yeah, she was awesome, but she lacked the sweetness she’s known for, and none of her lines in the film were memorable. They were basic lines. The only mildly entertaining moment was when she was trying to comfort Mario after failing the course for the final time. Girl boss Peach was ok, but maybe if she was written as “adorkable,” maybe I’d liked her more.

Toad and Mario’s friendship was completely swept aside in favour of Mario and DK’s rivalry. The LAST TIME Toad and Mario EVER spoke a word to each other was when Toad was begging Peach to join the adventure. After that, nothing. He’s just there to cross of a checkpoint in the list of characters that needed to make an appearance.

The Prisoners could have been handled better. We were introduced to the Snow Kingdom back in October of 2022. The Penguin King became iconic throughout the entire time we were waiting for the film to drop. They even introduced a blue Hungry Luma as a nod to Mario Galaxy (another checkpoint character unfortunately). The last time we see the penguins was when Kamek announces the sacrifice. We never get to see them OR the other Kongs escape. The penguins being shown escaping would have sufficed. Maybe having some of the them hold back KP from trying to fight Kamek for easily taking them down (they would have made such perfect comedic reliefs). And maybe having the Luma fling himself towards the explosion to reverse it would have made TONS OF SENSE, especially for those who played Galaxy.

“It’s time for my demise! Bye bye!” Flings himself into the explosion, reversing the effects.

Those are my top four complaints for the film. I’m sure they’ll make the sequel better. After all, the film works as a good start for how the Bros came to be in the Mushroom Kingdom. They needed their first impression of Bowser to be bad to seal their rivalry.

One thing I do appreciate about the film is Mario’s reason to stay throughout the film. People complained about Luigi being the “damsel in distress,” but it makes sense as their origin story. Mario BARELY knows Peach, so why would he go out of his way to rescue a stranger? By having Mario and Peach join forces to accomplish a goal that benefits both of them was a great way to get them to know each other, thus having Mario feel SO GRATEFUL that he’d do anything in return.

[oceanlix]

Day 13: Jaemin + Hair pulling

Pairing: Jaemin x female reader

Genre: Smut

Word count: 2,382

Warnings: Dirty talk, hair pulling, fingering, slight biting, breast play, begging

Kinktober 2022 Masterlist

The rain is coming down so hard that you can’t even see your car down on the street anymore. Jaemin leans over your shoulder, letting out a whistle at the torrent of water covering the window.

“I guess you should just wait out the storm here,” he suggests. You turn to him and raise your eyebrow, but he’s got that innocent look on his face that always makes you scoff. The glasses he’s wearing make it even worse, you decide. “What? There are worse places to sleep.”

You shrug. Part of the trick is not letting Jaemin know how much he affects you sometimes. If he doesn’t know, then he can’t ever tease you for it. And Jaemin is the type to never let something like that go, so you’d rather he never finds out about it. “You’re probably right,” you agree, flopping down on his couch. “Can we at least watch a movie to kill some time?”

“Sure.” Your friend turns on the television, heading straight to Netflix. Thunder rumbles outside, lightning flashing in the window. It lights up the dark living room, casting a white glow on Jaemin’s side profile. You study him as he flips through the available movies, hoping he won’t notice your roaming eyes.

You’d been thinking differently about Jaemin lately. It had all started when your roommate pointed out the way your behavior was different around each other. At first, you hadn’t agreed with her, but the more time you spent around Jaemin since that discussion, the more things you started to notice. Like how he only ever offers his jacket to you after a night out, never to Yeji or Doyeon. Or the way he only lets you taste his food before he’s one cooking. There’s a million other little things that you had never noticed until recently.

“Hello, Y/N? Do you wanna watch this one?” Jaemin’s voice fills your ears, and you suddenly look up to see his face inches from yours, a teasing smile on his lips.

You glance past him at the screen, seeing the trailer for Love and Leashes. Your face flushes red immediately as you reach out to smack his arm. “Jaemin, what the hell?!” you exclaim, trying to hide your embarrassment.

“What?” he laughs to himself. “I know you think Jun is hot, so I thought you’d wanna watch it!” Jaemin presses play and throws himself onto the couch next to you, placing his head in your lap before you can protest any further.

“Play with my hair,” he demands, grabbing your hand and placing it on top of his head. You stare down at him incredulously. “What? It feels nice.”

You shake your head. If there’s one thing Jaemin is good at, it’s totally confusing you. “Fine,” you lament, sliding your fingers into his hair. Your friend sighs contentedly, his eyes falling shut. You decide not to comment on the fact that he’s not even watching the movie, another flash of lightning filling the room for a few seconds.

The two of you sit in silence, you watching the movie and playing with Jaemin’s hair while he falls asleep. You’ve already seen it, that’s why you didn’t exactly want to watch with your friend that you lowkey have a crush on. But since he’s not even awake, you get into the plot pretty easily. And Jaemin was right; you think Jun is hot.

The scene where Jiwoo gives Jihoo the glasses comes up, and you can’t help but glance down at Jaemin’s skewed pair hanging off his nose. Carefully, you slide them off his face with your unoccupied hand and fold them up, placing them on the coffee table. You’re about to turn back to the movie when a hand grips your wrist and you shriek in surprise, yanking on Jaemin’s hair with a much stronger grip than you intend to.

You expect Jaemin to yell at you, but he moans instead. Both of you freeze, the lightning making the room turn white as you stare at each other in shock. You don’t know what to say without embarrassing your friend or yourself, so you keep silent, waiting for him to speak first.

“Well, I guess the cat’s out of the bag,” he chuckles, sitting upright and turning around. You don’t know what that means, so you keep staring at your friend.

Jaemin smirks and leans forward into your space, hands resting on either side of your hips as you lean back against the arm of the couch. His face is so close now and you’re holding your breath for some reason.

“What?” you say dumbly, trying to break whatever tension is between you two right now. The movie is still playing in the background, but you don’t know what’s going on anymore. You hope Jaemin will put you out of your misery soon before you embarrass yourself further.

“I like having my hair pulled,” he says nonchalantly, like this is a totally normal topic between friends. Maybe it is, but not when one is desperately hiding their attraction to the other.

You gulp. “And? Do you want me to do something about it or are you only telling me because of what just happened?”

Jaemin scoots even closer, so close that your noses are almost touching. “I think you know the answer to that already,” he whispers, just before he grabs your shoulders and covers your mouth with his.

As you practically melt in his hands, you realize you must totally suck at hiding your feelings. Jaemin has always been observant though, so you probably had no chance to begin with. He was always going to figure you out at some point.

You don’t know where this is going, but you let him climb over your lap and lay on top of you. He drags your hands back to his hair and you get the hint, yanking on the strands harshly. Jaemin moans loudly into your mouth and grinds his hips against you, his hard cock brushing against your hip.

“Can I take these off?” he asks, pulling at your sweatpants. You sort of regret wearing your comfortable underwear today, but you nod anyway. Your friend grabs the waistband and tugs them off in one go, leaving you in just your boring white panties. Jaemin doesn’t seem to mind though, not with the way he licks his lips and smirks at you.

“I’ve been thinking about what I’d want to do to you if I ever got the chance to have you like this,” he says, snapping your underwear against your hip. You don’t know how to respond to that, so you just bite your lip. Jaemin had thought about you that way too? It was surprising, to say the least. He has his fair share of girls after him; he could literally pick anyone he wants.

“Y/N? What are you thinking about?” He strokes your bare legs, making you shiver.

“Just…I’m surprised,” you admit. “Why me?”

Your friend laughs, only slightly mocking. “Are you kidding? Is it not obvious I’ve been flirting with you this whole time?”

You think back to all the things your roommate pointed out about your friendship with Jaemin and you realize, yes, you have been pretty oblivious. “I thought you were just teasing me,” you admit.

Jaemin laughs and leans forward to kiss you, longer and deeper than the first time. He cups your jaw in his hand, carefully holding your hip with the other one. When he pulls back, his expression is softer than before. “I’ve always liked you,” he tells you, sincerity in his voice.

You wrap your arms around his neck and hug him, not caring that you’re just in your underwear. “I like you too, Jaem,” you whisper into his ear with a grin.

The playful smirk is back on his face instantly when Jaemin looks at you again, his hand sliding into the front of your panties easily. He cups your pussy with his hand, fingers slowly teasing your entrance. “Yeah? Do you wanna play with me right now?”

You bite your lip and nod, moaning softly when he finally inserts two fingers. “Right there,” you gasp when he curls his fingers just right against your spot. You don’t know how he found it so quickly, but Jaemin doesn’t let up once he does, mouthing at your neck while you squirm against him.

“Look at you taking me so well,” he murmurs into your ear. You grip the fabric of his sweatshirt and buck your hips up, earning yourself a bite on the neck from your friend. “Be patient, baby.”

You try your best to stay still, but you need something to distract you from the building pleasure. You run your hands through Jaemin’s hair and pull hard, loving the low groan he lets out in response. His movements stop just long enough for you to catch your breath, and then you start kissing his neck.

“I love it when you pull my hair,” he confesses, turning your head towards his for a sloppy kiss. Jaemin pulls his fingers out of you and tugs your panties off entirely, then shimmies out of his sweatpants. Your mouth waters at the fact he isn’t wearing any underwear beneath them, his hard cock already leaking precum when it slaps against his stomach.

Your friend catches you staring as he settles back between your legs, smirking as he grabs your hips. “Like what you see?” he teases, pushing your sweatshirt up.

You nod, letting him pull it over your head. You didn’t wear a bra today, so your breasts are on display and Jaemin can’t take his eyes off of them. “I guess you do too,” you laugh, tugging on his hair to get his attention.

He moans softly, his hands sliding up to massage your breasts. “I’ve imagined this so many times and it still doesn’t compare to the real thing,” he admits. Jaemin lowers his face until he can take one of your breasts into his mouth, tongue swirling around the nipple agonizingly slow. You yank at his hair involuntarily, the vibrations of his groan making you buck your hips against him. His cockhead brushes against your entrance and you throw your head back, desperate for more.

“Please Jaem,” you beg, pulling him off of your breast so you can look him in the eyes. His hair is even messier now, the playful look gone and replaced with pure desire. You wrap your arms around his neck and kiss him, rubbing your folds along his cock enticingly. “Fuck me already.”

“Raw?” he asks incredulously.

You nod. “I’m on the pill and I trust you,” you tell him.

Jaemin drops his head down against your neck and groans. “You’ll be the death of me,” he says, and then he’s pushing his cock into you.

You swear you’ve never felt this full; it’s not even that Jaemin’s cock is really big or long, but your walls hug him like he was made just for your pussy. You dig your nails into his shoulders and arch your back, trying to take him in faster than he’s going.

“Didn’t I just tell you to be patient?” he warns, hips stilling completely. You whine, wrapping your legs around his hips to try and make him move.

“Please, I just wanna feel you,” you whimper, your eyes filling up with tears of frustration. You’ve waited so long for this moment and now Jaemin is taunting you, not letting you have what you both want. It’s driving you crazy.

Jaemin’s gaze softens, and for a second, you think you’ve got him. But then he smirks, grabbing your thighs and squeezing them roughly. “You’ll have to do better than that if you want my cock, baby,” he says meanly.

You let out a huff, crossing your arms over your chest. Fine; you can play dirty too. You smile sweetly and gesture for him to lean closer. Jaemin thinks you’re finally obeying, so he leans in. When he’s close enough, you grab two handfuls of his hair and crash your lips onto his, sloppily kissing him.

The moan he lets out is sinful, and you lift your hips up until he bottoms out within you. You feel even fuller than before, if that’s even possible. Jaemin wrestles his head away from your grip and glares down at you, but his swollen lips tell another story.

“Looks like I win,” you tease, circling your hips slowly. Your walls flutter around his cock, but you bite back the moan that threatens to fall from your lips.

Jaemin chuckles, sitting back on his heels and tugging your hips up more. “Fine. You don’t want to listen? We can do this the hard way, sweetheart.” You raise your eyebrows, but your eyes fall shut a moment later when he starts fucking into you at a rapid pace. Your hips are so far off the couch that you have no leverage to slow him down; you can only hold onto his arms and beg.

“Jaemin, Jaem, Jae- please!” you cry out, your head twisting and turning against the couch cushion. He refuses to slow down, hips smacking against your ass repeatedly. That tight feeling in your core builds quickly, too quickly for you to do anything other than gasp and cum all over his cock without warning.

Jaemin fucks you through it, letting your body collapse against the couch when it’s over. He pulls out of you slowly while you whimper from the oversensitivity. You’re still trying to catch your breath when he appears above you, smirking as he brushes the sweaty hair away from your forehead.

“Holy shit,” you manage to breathe out, earning a chuckle from your friend as he kisses you gently. “That was something.”

“Gee, thanks!” he says with a roll of his eyes. You tug him back down for another kiss, caressing his tongue with yours. When you part, you smile at him softly.

“I’m glad we did that,” you admit. “But geez, did you have to go so hard?”

“You weren’t listening to me!” Jaemin exclaims, slapping your bare thigh. The smack echoes in the dark room, making both of you giggle.

“I promise I’ll do better next time,” you say with a grin.

[itwoodbeprefect]

Fic Writing Review 2023 🌈

i wanted to take a moment to reflect on the past year and bring it to a nice close, so i took to tumblr search and google to see if there was some sort of tag game going around. i frankensteined this list of questions from a few different versions of what was probably originally the same thing, but the nature of The Website of course makes it impossible to locate an original, so this is me just sort of, well, joining the fun by starting a parallel thread.

-

Words and Fics (on ao3) 📚

words posted: 73,947, but this is a little deceptive because all the words for A flip-flop state of mind currently get counted for 2023, so it's probably something closer to 45-50k

fics posted: 21, which will eventually go down to 19 when i update the two multi-chapter works and they get sorted into the new year

first fic: Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream Throuple [Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)]

last fic: Bases loaded, do your dance [h50]

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Ships and Fandoms ⚓

ao3 tells me the following:

Starsky & Hutch (8)

Hawaii Five-0 (2010) (7)

Ted Lasso (TV) (2)

Stargate Atlantis (1)

Hard Core Logo (1996) (1)

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) (1)

Top Gun (Movies) (1)

and for each of those it's probably the ship you most expect if you know the thing (and the way fandom works), except maybe ted lasso (both fics are keeley/roy/jamie) and sga (a gen team fic, no ships).

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Top 5 Fics by Kudos 🏆

no big surprises here. ted lasso was easily the biggest fandom i've written for this year (not to mention that these two fics had the good fortune of being posted very soon after the finale), followed by h50 long before s&h comes on the scene:

How To Build A Triangle (or accidentally fall headlong into one, or whatever the fuck) [ted lasso]

Honey honey, how you thrill me (Honey honey, nearly kill me) [ted lasso]

A flip-flop state of mind [h50]

Oh, kiss me like the final meal (Yeah, kiss me like we die tonight) [h50]

Something old, something new [h50]

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Top 5 Favorite Fics 💖

these are in no particular order!

3 AM, the time when most people die - this is a hard core logo (1996 canadian movie) fic which just kind of Happened, and it hung around on ao3 for a solid few days in a 0 kudos 10 hits sort of state, which had me giggling every time i thought about it. 2023 goal of writing for me, myself & i achieved (0 kudos on a fic)! ✅ (that said, it does also bring me great joy to see that the number is upwards of zero now. lovely to see an obscure thing find its audience. <3)

Your hands in my back pockets - a starsky/hutch fic, and in some ways the opposite to the previous one. i had a "this is alright" sort of feeling about it when i hit post, and the (lovely! very flattering!) way people responded to it surprised me somewhat. reading it back now, i don't know what bothered me about it at first - it's nice, it flows, it's all good! plus, i really like the title. it's a good s/h title.

POV: It’s a lovely day, you’re sipping a refreshing cold drink on your 70s apartment balcony, and the upstairs neighbor who always waters the sago palm outside your front door when you forget about it has that one friend over and his windows wide open. - this is a starsky/hutch all dialogue fic, and it was just plain fun! very easy to write, thankfully not hard to read, and the title is completely ridiculous in a way that still gives me a kick.

How To Build A Triangle (or accidentally fall headlong into one, or whatever the fuck) - can't not mention this one, i think. it's the roy/jamie/keeley ted lasso fic i wrote in record time (for me), and i had a blast doing that and i think that's palpable in the end result. i have warm memories of this!

Oh, kiss me like the final meal (Yeah, kiss me like we die tonight) - h50! steve/danny! they'd gotten swamped by all the starsky/hutch in 2022, but they made a minor comeback this past year. and again, this fic was just plain fun - a scene that really needed the mcdanno rewrite, and i'm glad it happened, and that it decided to flow so smoothly it grew twice as long as intended. the gag with the gun is still good, the banter works, and i like "it tastes like a laugh".

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Fandom Fic Events 🤝

my knee-jerk first thought was none, which would have been a blatant lie for this year! i wrote a fic for the SHareCon (starsky/hutch con) zine, which is currently still zine-only but will appear on ao3 at some point in the future, and i also wrote something for this year's Starsky & Hutch Advent Calendar, which can be found here (which will also lead you to all the other lovely advent calendar gifts of 2023 and previous years!). neither of these things would have happened if starsky & hutch fandom hadn't been such a warm, welcoming, unbelievably well-organized space. <3

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Projects for 2024 👀

oh god. oh god i have so many things on the grill.

the end of 2023 was a stretch of time where i did write some, and at times even a very decent amount, but nothing seemed to be getting finished - which was annoying for a bit, and then sort of petered out into oh well. it'll happen, eventually, when it wants to. which means that currently i have a whole bunch of nearly finished things for a whole bunch of fandoms:

bad buddy - should this be top of the list? who knows. but oh, i need to write something for this - i have to, i need to, you know. it's just that it's turning out to be more of a challenge than most new things i start writing for, because i do feel i have a reasonable grip on the characters, but the fact that it's a thai series which i'm only consuming through fan-generated subtitles is clashing with some of the fundamentals of how i usually write fic, as it turns out. usually i watch a thing and then mimic character voices to write a section of (probably mostly, maybe only) dialogue, which then gets filled out with descriptions and an actual setting later on. the problem with bad buddy is that i love, love subtitles, and i love, love the people who write them, but they do (understandably! naturally!) lead to some very clunky english at times, and i just can't write things like "are you chickened out, fierce eyes". i cannot. which means i need to half-invent the right english character voice (and how that blends with the little i know of thai speaking patterns and customs), which takes away the thing i usually lean on way more heavily than i previously realized i did, so. it's a journey! it's an experiment! i'm learning things! i'm making choices! and i'm pumped about it but it's also REALLY slowing down the bad buddy fic production.

starsky & hutch - many things are happening! many many! they're just happening slowly. there's one particular fic about starsky and hutch comfortably out at a party and hutch fielding questions about names which has been 98% done for a month or two, but i need one (1) more connective paragraph to wrap things up, and apparently i'm in no hurry. and i love that for me, at the same time as i'm tempted to flick my brain and go Do It. Just Do It. oh god, and then there's a much older comedy fic stuck in close to the same situation only there it's 95% and the missing part is the end, which is at least a little more serious, and there are. i think literally a dozen probably. things that are cooking, bubbling, making interesting little noises. it's yet to be seen which of those turn out tasty.

h50 - there are some shorter wips here that have great potential to go somewhere, but mostly i want to finally (finally!) wrap up a flip-flop state of mind, which only needs finishing touches (albeit a bunch of them) on the final chapter, and then maybe 200 more words for the short epilogue to round things out. i had somewhat hoped to get that done before the new year, but it didn't work out that way, and i'm at peace with it - the longer this fic takes, the more comical my initial estimate of "i can probably get this done within the month" becomes. and after that's done, i can refocus my energy on Sweet like a chic-a-cherry cola, another ill-fated plan which i Will see through (while also enjoying myself), dammit, but i think for that one i'll need to pre-write the whole thing before i start posting again or i'll just keep going in circles.

nashville - it's been a while since my rewatch, so i'm not sure it will ever really come together, but i have a fun little 5+1 will/gunnar thing which lives half in a google docs file and half in my heart. could be nice!

sga - there's One Fic that's near done and has a few turns of phrase in it that keep making me go "oh, this might be worth finishing, actually" every time i return to it, but i think i'll need to let that happen a few more times before we actually get there. there's also a light and comedy-ish aro/ace john fic (heavily featuring john&rodney and john&team) on a low boil. i think that one might need to wait for me to rewatch the show at some point so i'm correctly immersed in the Vibes of it all, but it's very dear to me, so it still gets a permanent In Progress label.

due south - there's one particular thing that i might get back to? maybe. it could happen. @redgoldblue's dedicated live reporting on their due south watch, as well as their ds fic, did stir something in my brain.

other - there's literally two paragraphs of hard core logo fic kicking around in my notes which might turn into something some day. (when i started writing 3AM those new words were intended to blend with the two existing paragraphs, but they never did.) there's some ted lasso that can still be considered wip, but my ted lasso fic moment burned bright and short, it seems, though it's nice to know the framework is there if i ever do a rewatch. oh man, and there's a weird homoerotic over the top (because that's what this canon is) tango & cash wip which i hope will make it across the finish line some day, but i wouldn't be surprised if in the end that's, like. coming to an ao3 page near you soon! in 2026.

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Tagging ✨

tag any number of people you want as far as i'm concerned (which can be zero! that's a valid number), but i haven't spotted this going around in my fandom circles yet, so i'll shoot for some good coverage: @redgoldblue @luredin @actingcamplibrarian @stephmcx @pterawaters @the-arya-silvertongue @logicgunn @incognito-insomniac @dedkake @spaceradars @spurious @sparrowsarus @flownwrong @theroseandthebeast @jimmyandthegiraffes @soleadita @ivycross @murphyhatesme @bgharison @thekristen999 @cowandcalf @msbeeinmybonnet @ruztyryan and you, reading this. i fully tagged myself to do this, so please don't feel shy about doing the same! i really do want to read your answers, if you feel like giving them.

obviously there's no pressure, and also feel free to modify this any way you want! give different stats, list top 5 by hits instead of kudos, name just one favorite fic, add in fics you only posted to tumblr rather than ao3, skip a category or invent a new one or throw the whole thing out and only reflect on a single piece of writing in more detail - it's all fair game, as long as it suits you.

[bamfkeeper]

What’s your fave version of Kurt? I honestly like a lot of his versions

Oh, there's so many. Short version is, I love Kurt in every way. He's just a character I've always held dear, no matter how he is. BUT...I do have my favs 💙

Under cut because it is a larger post. Also the formatting for the images didn't work how I wanted so no images I'm afraid.

Kurt from Way of X (2021) is one of my favorites, his depiction and style he's drawn is something I like a lot. He's expressive and goofy, with his serious moments. Also was the comic series that made me start collecting them, now I have a shelf full of Nightcrawler comics ~

Who can forget goatee Kurt?? UGH. Seriously up there as one of my favorites. He has a goatee in multiple comics, Immortal X-Men (2022) does it just right. He's so willing to sacrifice himself for mutantkind and it shows a more selfless yet determined Kurt. The comics make his story so much better, it's like a huge web and deepens my appreciation for the character a lot.

Nightcrawler (2014) is also one of my favorite runs. The art style is especially good and I love how the artist drew him. And of course the bamfs are in it 💙 I enjoyed the series a lot, easily one of my favorites. It shows all the good parts of his personality!

As for shows, I think the obvious interpretation is X-Men '97. I love how they played him, the art style is so cool and it works with his classic design a lot. He's sooo cute and I thought they did an excellent job with such a good character. I love how sweet he is and how willing he is to protect those he cares about. His swords aaaa the triple wielding was crazy!

Wolverine and the X-Men is also one of my favorites. I fell in love with him when I saw him. I love his voice and I really love how they showed him running on all fours! A lot of people forget he can easily move between bipedal and quadrupedal. He is so agile and I love the fight scenes with him. They showed a more serious side, but the show itself is a little more gritty and serious, so all the characters are like that. Still a fun depiction!

I want to mention the movie versions real quick too. I grew up watching the X-Men films. I adore them, and I adore their depictions of Kurt too, but comparing them to show/comic versions, they just didn't make the cut to being my top favorites. I still love them though!

There are other depictions of him in darker comics that I also really like, since the stories and explorations of those versions are so interesting to me. But...the ones I already listed are enough favorites ~

Thank you for the ask !

*BAMF*

Dividers by @/strangergraphics

[everythingpresley]

Don't You Kiss Me Once or Twice - Chapter 10

Character/Fandom: Elvis - Elvis (2022)

Prompt: Jessica Anderson is Elvis Presley's assistant and after months of working together, slowly something sparks between them. Friendship? Or is it more? [ Fem!Reader ]

Rating: Explicit/Mature (NSFW, 18+), Slowburn

    ||     Word Count: 5,357

Author's Note: My longest chapter yet! I hope you guys like this one, let me know what you thought of the chapter!

Masterlist

Don't You Kiss Me Once or Twice - Chapter 10

I groaned and grunted feeling like my head was going to explode and for some reason something heavy was on my body pressing my back into the bed. I blinked a couple of times, the room was pitch black and I had no idea where I was for a second. Disoriented, I looked down at my chest and saw a head full of hair nuzzled to my breasts. My eyes widened and my jaw dropped seeing Elvis asleep on top of me with his head on my chest and his arms wrapped tightly around my body, our legs entangled together.

What in the world happened last night? 

Gradually, my eyes adjusted to the darkness and I remembered where we were. We had just finished our last stop on tour which was in Los Angeles, California. To celebrate the end of our 4 month tour, Elvis decided to throw a party at his Beverly Hills house. 

Now the big question, how did I get into Elvis’ bed with him lying on top of me?

A few hours ago

The party was in full swing. A lot of unfamiliar faces walking in and out of the house. It was nice to be in the Beverly Hills house, it was gorgeous but it wasn’t Graceland. In Graceland you can easily get lost in the acres of land, it really felt like a little piece of heaven on earth. I was not in a party mood, I really wanted to be back in Graceland in my own bed. However, Elvis went full out with this party when I told him he should just relax and sleep after 4 months of hard work. He practically scoffed in my face and told me we can sleep when we’re back in Memphis. God this boy did not know how to relax or take it easy. He is always on the go even when he’s not recording or performing, you’ll find Elvis on his horse or with his karate instructor or doing something stupid that might injure him and the other mafia members. They acted like little boys sometimes and I had to be the mother of the group. 

I walked around the giant house with my Bellini in my hand, feeling lost. Elvis also decided to hire a catering service and a bartender so that was a plus instead of just having drinks directly from a bottle or a can since I wanted something light and fruity. 

“Jerry!” I yelled over the music once I spotted him and threw my arms around him, hugging him tightly.

“Jess!” He laughed, hugging me back “I haven’t seen you in so long!” He joked, we had just seen each other a few minutes ago but I really didn’t see any familiar faces for the past 30 minutes. 

I felt someone tug on my dress from the back, jerking me back and away from Jerry’s arms. I turned around with furrowed brows when I saw Elvis with a frown on his face, gripping my dress. 

“Elvis!” I grinned and threw my arms around him.

The expression on his face melted as he laughed and wrapped his arms around my waist.

“What’s up with you?” He asked once I let go.

“I haven’t seen any familiar faces for 30 minutes! I was bored out of my mind.” I replied while both Elvis and Jerry chuckled. 

“Seriously, who are these people?” I asked him.

He shrugged “Friends of friends.”

I did spot a lot of famous musicians and movie stars which was kind of exciting but I would never approach them especially as a fan. People do say you should never meet your idols. 

I gasped and gripped Elvis’s arm “Is that Frank Sinatra?” 

Elvis laughed and nodded “Do you want me to introduce you?” 

I shook my head no “No, no, no.”

“Why?” He chuckled. I was still gripping his arm, staring right at Mr. Sinatra. 

“Because if he’s mean then I can never listen to his music ever again and I love that man.” I replied.

“Relax, don’t go throwing around the L word.” Elvis frowned “You don’t even know the guy.” He muttered.

“But he’s Frank Sinatra!” I looked at him with wide eyes. 

Elvis rolled his eyes then took my hand in his, pulling me towards Frank.

“No, no, no.” I whispered to Elvis, pulling my hand back while he laughed and continued to tug me along. 

“Frank!” Elvis yelled, clapping him on the shoulder with the other hand that wasn’t holding mine. 

“Elvis! How are you?” Frank asked, grinning. I remained standing still, my hands now gripping Elvis’ tightly. 

“I’m good! I’d like you to meet someone.” Elvis said and turned his head towards me “This is Jess, she’s been my assistant for two years and she’s a big fan.”

“Really?” Frank grinned turning towards me. 

I giggled “I am a huge fan Mr. Sinatra, you have an incredible voice!” 

“Why thank you and you can call me Frank.” 

We talked a little about some of his songs and he was very kind.

“Enjoy the party man.” Elvis smiled and tugged me along with him as we left Frank with his friends. I just realized that Elvis hadn’t let go of my hand the entire time. My hands seemed tiny in his big one and for some reason it felt natural to be holding his hand. 

“What was that giggle, Jess? I have never heard you giggle like that before.” Elvis chuckled “And you almost crushed my hand to pieces with how hard you were squeezin’.”  He said, shaking our still joined hands. Realizing I still had my hand in his, I pulled out of his grip. His smile faltered slightly, looking down at his hand.

“He’s my celebrity crush.” I replied, blushing. Admitting this to Elvis made my cheeks flush a deep red.

Elvis pouted and placed his hand over his chest “And you didn’t have a crush on me doll?”

“Who doesn't have a crush on you Elvis?” I replied which made him grin “But I usually crush on way older men. I promise I don’t have daddy issues.” 

Most of my celebrity crushes where older men, I didn’t see Elvis as way older. Yes, there was almost a ten year difference between us but I usually found men who were 20 years older than I am attractive but this wasn't the case in real life. I had never dated anyone who was a lot older than I am and Elvis was the first guy I slept with who was almost ten years my senior.  

“I’m an older man.” Elvis winked.

I rolled my eyes and pushed his shoulder, with a small smile playing on my lips “You’re not that old.” 

“What are you drinking?” He asked when I sipped my Bellini. 

“Try it.” I said and handed him my drink.

He made a disgusted face and gave it back to me “Way too peachy for my taste.”

“You don’t even like to drink, I thought you’d like this, there’s barely any alcohol in this.” 

Elvis’ eyes focused on something behind me which made him sigh. I turned and saw the Colonel.

“The Colonel wants me to make a speech.” 

“It’s okay just keep it short and sweet and make sure to thank everyone for coming.” I said because I knew he hated making speeches. 

“Here, use my peachy drink to make the toast.” I chuckled, handing him my drink once more. 

“Thanks doll.” Elvis chuckled and took my drink. He headed towards a small stage that was placed in the living room just for the night. 

“Ladies and gentleman!” He spoke loudly into the mic, dragging everyone’s attention as someone lowered the volume of the music “I was told by Colonel Sanders- sorry I-I mean Colonel Parker that I have to make a speech!” Everyone laughed at the Colonel Sanders joke, he really knew how to control a room even when he wasn't singing.

I grinned but I could tell he was nervous because he was bouncing his leg. 

“This tour has been incredible albeit tiring but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” Elvis said and thanked all of the people who made this happen from the band, the sweet inspirations, his friends and family and the Colonel.

“And my lovely assistant Jess.” He smiled at me “Lord knows how you put up with me day and night, thank you for sticking around and always looking out for me.” 

I smiled softly at him, it really touched my heart that he thought to include me in his speech. 

“Cheers! Ignore the crappy pink drink in my hand!” He said and lifted the glass in the air as everyone did the same. 

“That was a very sweet speech.” I said to Elvis once he walked back to where I stood and the music started playing loudly again. 

“Thanks. Here’s your crappy drink.” Elvis said. 

I rolled my eyes, reaching to take the drink from him when he pulled the drink back and took a sip again before handing it back to me. I laughed “So you like it!”

“It gets better with each sip.” 

I finished my drink and placed it on the table next to us. Elvis placed his hands on my shoulders and shook me slightly “Let loose a little!” He yelled over the music “Stop being the mom of the group! I want to see drunk Jess.”

I laughed and shook my head “You do not want to see drunk Jess. She’s a big mess, that’s why I avoid drinking.” 

All of a sudden someone covered my eyes with their hands “Guess who?” The voice behind me said.

I gasped and pulled the hands away from my face “Grace!” I shouted and swiveled around, wrapping my arms around her “I missed you!” 

She laughed and hugged me back “I missed you too! And I missed my husband of course.” Grace said when Jerry cleared his throat, announcing his presence. 

“You came into the house and right away went to Jess instead?” Jerry said his mouth gaping. Grace let go of me and rolled her eyes, pulling Jerry in for a kiss “I saw you recently when you flew in for the weekend. I haven't seen Jess in 4 full months!” 

“Hi Elvis.” Grace smiled and hugged him.

“Hey Grace.” Elvis smiled back and hugged her. 

The Memphis Mafia and their wives were really like all a big family, I love all of them so much and their friendship with Elvis was really sweet. Being on tour was hard for the wives especially the ones that had kids because we were constantly on the move so all of them opted out and didn’t join us on tour which was sad for me since I was surrounded by men, there were no women except the Sweet Inspirations who I adored as well. They really kept me company and were so much fun to be around. Not to mention how talented they are. 

Grace pulled me towards the bar and got us Gin and Tonics, I shook my head no at her “I don’t want to drink.”

“Come on! I’m here! We’re having fun!” Grace replied as we waited for our drinks to be made.

“We can have fun without drinks.” I told her making her roll her eyes at me. 

“So tell me, did you hook up with anyone on tour?” She wiggled her eyebrows. 

“No.” I scoffed “When would I be able to sneak off with a man?”

“We should get you laid tonight!” She shouted over the music. I laughed and shook my head.

“Yes, yes, yes! Drink up Jess!” She handed me my drink. 

I rolled my eyes again and threw my drink back, feeling the G&T burn as it passed down my throat. Grace cheered and proceeded to do the same.

“Whoa! Are you trying to get my wife drunk Jess?” Jerry asked, walking to stand by us.

“Your wife is the enabler here Jerry.” I replied “I’m innocent.”

“Not that innocent.” Grace and Elvis said at the same time. I didn’t notice Elvis walking up to us as well. 

I narrowed my eyes at them. Elvis grinned and winked at me. I knew he was referring to the night we slept together so it made my cheeks flush. 

“I need another drink.” I muttered and turned to the bar to order another Gin and Tonic. 

We drank some more and danced to the music. Charlie was equally drunk and was dancing with Grace and I. It was the most hilarious thing to witness Charlie’s goofy dance moves. 

Slowly, the night started to become a blur with the amount of drinks Grace and I had. I tried to let loose for once, I don’t remember the last time I drank this much. I don't particularly enjoy drinking and I hated the feeling of a hangover, I just thought it wasn’t worth it to feel groggy and sick the next day but since we were celebrating the end of this long and grueling tour I figured why not. 

People had slowly started to filter out of the party as time ticked closer to the morning. Most of the mafia members were on the dance floor with us and I was having the time of my life. 

“Grace, if I don’t say this now. I won’t say it tomorrow because I’ll probably be cursing you instead but thank you. I’m really having fun.” I giggled, slightly slurring feeling foggy. Plus, I know I won’t thank her tomorrow since I’ll be nursing a hangover.

“I’m glad Jess.” Grace grinned.

“Let’s get on the bar!” Charlie yelled, grabbing my hand.

“What?” I laughed, Charlie was killing me. I had never seem him like this before.

“I dare you!” Grace laughed, pushing me.

“Let’s do it!” I grinned. Charlie laughed and got on the bar, helping me up.

Everyone cheered once we got on top. I laughed and wrapped my arms around Charlie’s neck while he placed his hands on my waist, dancing together.

“Strip! Strip! Strip!” Everyone chanted. I looked at everyone with wide eyes and shook my head but Charlie on the other hand threw his jacket to the crowd then pulled his shirt off while I laughed. 

I gripped the bottom of my dress that ended above my knees and pulled it up slightly, making them think I was going to pull it off. 

“Enough!” Elvis growled, appearing in front of the bar and pulled my arm “You’re done! Get down Jess!”

“E.P! Let her dance!” Charlie said and wrapped his arm around my waist “We’re having fun!” 

“Get. Your. Hands. Off. Charlie.”  Elvis glared down at Charlie. Charlie gulped and let his hand slip from around my waist.

“Wow!” I yelped, once Elvis pulled me down by the waist and threw me over his shoulders “Let me down Elvis!”

“You’ve had enough Jess!” He said while people booed him for pulling me off the bar. Charlie on the other hand continued to dance and the party commenced.

Elvis walked into his bedroom and placed me down on my feet.

“Party pooper!” I frowned.

“What the fuck was that Jess?!” He clenched his jaw, getting close to my face. His eyes ablaze, darker blue than usual. He was outraged and breathing heavily.

“I wasn’t actually going to strip! I was kidding!” 

Elvis gripped my arms “What the fuck was that with Charlie?! Do you like him?” 

“Charlie?! No, we were just having fun!”  

“You are so annoying.” He replied. 

My jaw dropped “I am NOT! You’re annoying!”

He exhaled harshly through his nose then he cupped my cheeks and smashed his lips on mine. I moaned against his lips and gripped his shirt, pulling him closer to me. 

Elvis groaned against my lips “I’ve missed your lips.” 

All the food and drinks I had during the night started bubbling up my throat. I pushed Elvis back,  feeling light headed from all the drinks I had and being held upside down over Elvis’ shoulder “Oh god, I’m going to puke.”

I rushed into his bathroom, emptying the entire contents of my stomach into his toilet.

I felt him come up behind me. He held my hair back and soothingly rubbed circles on my back.

I groaned and leaned back against his chest “This is so embarrassing.”

“It’s okay.” He replied, running his hands through my hair. 

“I told you, drunk Jess is bad.” I mumbled, almost falling asleep in his arms on his bathroom floor. 

“Come on, you got some vomit on your dress.” He said, standing up and pulling me along with him.

“Can I take off your dress?” He asked, his expression a complete 180 from a few minutes ago. He was now looking at me with such tenderness, it made my heart melt. His eyes a soft, clear blue. No longer dark and rage infused. 

I nodded. He reached down and pulled my dress up and off of my body. I was left in my bra and panties. I could tell he wasn’t allowing his eyes to linger on my practically naked body out of respect that I was drunk and he was trying to take care of me and my drunken mess.

“Here, turn around.” He said, I turned my back towards him as he helped me shrug on one of his satin robes. Placing his hands on my shoulders and swiveled me around, tightening the sash and tying the knot to cover my body. 

“I need mouth wash.” I felt disgusting right now. Elvis pointed to the mouth wash on his sink and I quickly gurgled the taste of throw up from my mouth. 

“Come on, let’s get you to bed.” He said and pulled my by the hand.

“I can go to my room.” I mumbled, my eyes closed as I allowed him to gently pull me along.

“Shh, you can barely walk.” He replied, removing the covers for me to get into his bed. 

“Go to sleep, good night Jess.” He leaned down and planted a kiss on my forehead. 

Currently

I couldn’t remember what happened last night and how I got into Elvis’ bed. The last thing I remember was getting on top of the bar with Charlie then its all a blur. God, I hated getting drunk. I shouldn't have listened to Grace. Everything hurts, my head hurts and my eyes burned. I also had no idea how many hours I slept.

I tried to get my arms up, since they were pinned down by Elvis.

“Stay still.” He groaned.

“No.” I grumbled “Wake up, what the hell am I doing in your bed?” I asked.

“Sleeping.” He mumbled, not moving. 

I pulled my arms forcefully and tried to push him off by his shoulders “Get up!”

“No.” He replied, tightening his arms around my waist. 

Then it hit me and I gasped loudly “Did we sleep together?” I asked when I saw that I was dressed in one of his satin robes.

“Yes.” Elvis replied. 

“No way.” I said slowly, no way we slept together again after 4 months. We were finally moving forward. I’m not going to lie and say it still didn’t bother me that he slept with other girls but it didn’t bother me as much.

“Relax.” Elvis said “I’m kidding. Nothing happened.” 

“Then why am I in your bed and why are you on top of me?” I asked him, pushing him off. He finally released me and rolled over to the other side of the bed. 

He lied on his side, holding his head up by leaning on his elbow. God, it’s not fair that he looked so good in the morning, having just woken up. 

“And why are you naked?!” I looked at him with wide eyes. 

“I’m in my boxers! And you’re the one that’s in my bed!” He shrugged. 

“Elvis, seriously. I’m freaking out, what happened last night?” I asked, not being able to remember anything. 

He frowned slightly “You don’t remember what happened last night?” 

“Kind of. Some stuff are a bit blurry.” I replied.

“What’s the last thing you remember?”

“Charlie pulling me with him to dance on the bar. Then everything is a complete blur.” 

Elvis sighed and ran a hand down his face. He smiled slightly “Someone partied a little too hard. I’ve never seen you like that Jess.” 

I groaned and covered my face with my hands. 

I gasped again “Oh my god! You saw me puke!”

Elvis chuckled and rubbed my arm “It’s okay.” 

“Why am I in your bed again?” I asked.

“Because you were falling asleep on the bathroom floor and I didn’t want to walk you to your room in a robe.” He shrugged. 

“And why were you on top of me?” I raised both brows. 

“I was asleep, I have no idea how I ended up over there.” He said, his cheeks slightly flushing. 

“Were you comfortable crushing me with your weight?” I smirked. 

“Oh it was amazing honey!” He smirked and lied down on his back, stretching his arms over his head. 

This was so weird. Us cuddling in bed was so wrong. Elvis and I needed boundaries, we were way too comfortable with one another. I know he wouldn’t do this for someone else, he rarely allows people to sleep on his bed.

“My head is going to explode.” I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut.

“There’s water and 2 Advils on the bedside table.” Elvis replied. 

I sat up and I get the overwhelming sensation to cry because he was being so cute. I should also mention that I get super emotional when I’m hungover. I threw back the two pills and took a sip of water, swallowing the pills down.  

“Why are you pouting?” Elvis chuckled. 

“I hate being hungover.” I replied with tears in my eyes.

Elvis threw his head back and laughed at me.

“This is why I don’t drink.” My voice wavered. 

“Awww. Honey.” Elvis laughed and pulled me, hugging me to his bare chest. I laughed slightly with tears streaming down my face, his chest hair tickling my face

“And you doing cute things is not helping.” This made him laugh even harder.

“Me setting pain killers at your bedside is cute?” 

“Yeah.” I chuckled against his chest “You took care of me last night and today.”

“I barely did anything.”

I pulled my face back and looked down at him, our faces barely a few inches from one another “Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me doll.” He replied gently, then reached up and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. 

I cleared my throat “I have to go before everyone wakes up. Then it will look bad, me walking out of your room in your bathrobe.” I said and got out of bed. 

Elvis pouted “I wanted to sleep more.”

“Then sleep, there’s still a lot of time before we need to head out.” I replied, picking up my dress from the bathroom. Cringing when I saw the vomit stain on it. 

“I can’t sleep now, the bed is too cold.” He looked at me pointedly, once I exited the bathroom.

“Says the guy who likes to blast his A/C to freezing.” I smirked, placing a hand on my hip.

“See you at breakfast.” I said and walked out, shutting his door behind me. 

If it wasn’t weird I would’ve gladly gotten back in bed to cuddle him and go back to sleep. I was way too comfortable. 

I heard someone at the end of the hallway gasp. My eyes widened and turned to see Grace leaving her room.

“What the!” She shouted when I ran to her and placed a hand on her mouth.

“Shhhh. You’re being too loud.” I whispered. 

“Fuck.” She continued when I dropped my hand from her mouth, but her voice way lower this time. 

I pulled her into my room and shut the door.

“Nothing happened.” I said and went into the bathroom to throw my dress in the hamper.

“Oh I believe you. It’s not like you just walked out of Elvis’ bedroom in his robe at 8 in the morning.”

“Okay I know, it looks bad.” 

“And what the hell was that last night!” She said, siting on the bed “He was outraged seeing you dancing with Charlie.”

I frowned, not really recalling him being mad.

“I saw the way he looked at you when you got up on the bar with Charlie, he was charging over the moment you put your arms around Charlie.” 

“I-I don't know.” I sighed, running a hand through my hair “I need to shower and freshen up.”

“No, tell me what happened later!” 

“I really don’t remember, I just know that I puked which is why I’m in his robe and then I was asleep.” I shrugged.

Grace winced “Maybe I shouldn’t have forced you to drink that much.”

“Believe me, last night was the first and last time you’ll ever see me drunk.” 

“But it’s sweet that he took care of you, I don’t think he’s ever done that with anyone.” 

I ignored how my heart skipped a beat at Grace’s words. I wanted to punch my stupid heart for reacting that way knowing nothing can ever happen between me and Elvis. 

We headed back to Memphis a few hours later, I couldn’t stop buzzing on the flight to get home. I just wanted to get there already, get dressed in a comfortable outfit, put on a face mask and get through this horrible hangover. I was so thankful that the entire Mafia were taking a week off so Graceland wouldn’t be as busy and noisy as usual. It was just Elvis, Vernon, Grandma Dodger and me at home. We got back around 7PM, everyone retreated to their respective rooms. I took a shower and threw on sweatpants and a matching sweatshirt. Heading towards the kitchen to mix up my favorite homemade mask. I whisked 1 egg white with honey and lemon and applied it to my face. 

“What are you doing?” Elvis asked, walking into the kitchen.

I turned and chuckled when I saw him looking at my face with wide eyes. 

“It’s a mask.”

“What does it do?” He walked closer and swiped some of the mask using his finger and then he licked it “Ugh.”

“Ew. Why did you lick it? It has a raw egg.” I said which made him gag even more, he couldn’t stand egg yolks. I laughed at him as he washed his hands in the sink.

“The mask is really good for pores, it helps tighten them.” 

“Huh.” He said and looked at the bowl “I have really bad pores.”

“No you don’t.” I replied.

“You don’t, your skin is amazing. So this is your secret.” He grinned. 

I laughed “You can have some.” 

“Can you put some on my face?” He asked.

“Just dip your fingers and smear it on your face.” 

“I don’t want to touch that raw egg. Please doll.” He pouted. I sighed, rolling my eyes at him and walked over to him. I dipped my hand into the bowl and scooped some of the mask to place on his face, I was standing further away from him which made some of the mask drip on the floor. 

“Oops.” 

“I won’t bite doll.” Elvis said and pulled me by my sweatshirt closer to him. We were merely inches away from one another. Way too close. Elvis closed his eyes and waited for me to finish smearing the mask on his face. This oddly felt very domestic, as if this was a regular Sunday night with a significant other. 

“You don’t need to close your eyes.” I chuckled as I continued to put the mixture on his face.

Elvis smiled and opened his eyes. He stared intently at me while I tried my hardest to just focus on my hand instead of his eyes.

“Never mind. Close your eyes.” I muttered. I couldn't stand his blue eyes staring at me like that. It was a mix of tenderness and hunger. Elvis chuckled but kept his eyes open.

He hummed slightly as I finished applying the mask “All done.” 

He puckered his lips and moved his face closer to mine.

“Elvis.” I grumbled, taking a step back.

“I’m just teasing doll.” Elvis laughed, opening his eyes. 

“You’re so annoying.” I muttered, washing my hands in the sink. 

“How long should I keep it on?” He asked leaning against the kitchen counter next to the sink.

“30 minutes or so.” 

“Make some popcorn, I’m gonna change and then we can watch a movie till we wait to remove the mask.” Elvis said, heading out of the kitchen. He was still dressed up in black slacks and a button up long sleeve shirt. 

“Be careful not to get the mask on your clothes.”

“I won’t!” He yelled as I heard him pound up the stairs. 

I sat down in the TV room with a big bowl of popcorn and 2 pepsis for Elvis and me. God this felt like a date. Elvis walked in dressed in a matching sweatshirt and sweatpants. 

I laughed “Are you copying me?” He looked really cute in a sweatshirt, I rarely get to see him dressed so laid back. 

“Yes! When I saw your sweatsuit I remembered I had the exact same one, in the exact same color.” Elvis replied. 

“Oh god, we look like a couple.” I joked. 

His smile faltered slightly but he grinned again “We look cute.” 

I bit my lip, he did look cute. 

He narrowed his eyes and placed his hands on his hips “Don’t look at me like that doll. What did I tell you about biting your lips?” He practically growled. 

I tried not to squirm and squeeze my legs together at the raspiness of how he said that so instead I rolled my eyes at him and patted the couch.

“Sit down. Let’s watch the movie before I pass out.” 

He shook his head and plopped down on the couch.

“And I wasn’t looking at you in any way.” I muttered, my eyes on the TV screen. 

He leaned towards me, his breath on my ear making me gulp and close my eyes “You were looking at me the same way you looked at me when we fucked.” He whispered in my ear.

“I think you’re imagining things Mr. Presley.” I replied, opening my eyes and starting at the TV screen. I hated that he still brought up the night we slept together, we agreed to forget it ever happened. I know I didn’t forget it but I can’t help but feel slightly awkward every time it hits me that he’s seen me naked. 

Elvis shook his head, taking a deep breath then leaning back into the couch, spreading his legs wide. 

We watched a romantic comedy movie and for some reason everything was just a bit funnier when you’re with someone, we shared popcorn and laughed together. I was so exhausted so I leaned my head back on the couch, slowly my eyes fluttered shut. 

“Honey.” I felt Elvis run a hand through my hair “I’m so sorry.” He winced “You need to remove the mask then you can sleep as much as you want.” 

I yawned and opened my eyes. I was now on Elvis’ chest and his arm was around my shoulders.

“Oh no, I got some of the mask on your sweatshirt.” I mumbled. 

“It’s okay, thats what washing machines are for.” Elvis smiled softly. I sat up and Elvis’ arm slipped from around my shoulders. 

“You looked so peaceful, I feel so bad for waking you up.” Elvis chuckled.

I smiled and shook my head “It’s okay. I can’t wait to get to bed.” I said getting up “Are you not going to bed?” I asked when I saw that he stayed seated. 

“No, I’m gonna finish the movie.” He replied. 

“Good night Elvis.”

“Good night honey.” 

Taglist: @urrfavvana @girlblogger2002 @butlersluvbot @iheqrtaustin @dramaticpandabear @godlypresley @marie73ep

[retrievablememories]

bleed | yuta (m)

pairing: yuta x black reader word count: 2.1k genre: smut, pwp warnings: nosebleed, bloodplay/blood consumption, dirty talk, fingering, public sexual acts, one mention of period cunnilingus a/n: i wrote this back in feb. 2022 when tinashe’s “naturally” came out but i ended up hating it and decided never to post it. however, i just watched “bones and all” and i found the theme of consuming your lover/becoming one a bit similar.....and i’m hoping maybe that movie has primed some of you for the content of this fic? 💀 so i’m giving it a chance now.

if not, let’s pretend this never happened....

please do heed the warnings, this is a little different from the usual fare on this blog. no, yuta is not a vampire in this fic. and this is how i imagine he looks here.

--

The air outside is dry and hot, and it surrounds you like a scratchy blanket you just can’t take off. You fan a hand across your face, trying to look unaffected even though you’re burning up. You agreed to go hiking with Yuta to spend some time with him today as he’d been quite busy at the tattoo studio lately, but you didn’t expect it to be quite so hot. Even your sundress isn’t providing the relief you’d like.

“Do you need to rest?”

“Maybe for a few minutes,” you say with a sheepish laugh, adjusting your sun hat on top of your head. You stop to lean against a thick tree trunk, trying your best to stay underneath the shade even with rays of sunlight breaking through the leaves. Yuta stands in front of you, tilting his head at you curiously. It makes his blonde hair flop into his eyes.

“You look like a nature fairy. I should take a picture,” he says.

You shake your head, though you bat your eyes at him playfully. “I look hot and sweaty.” You remain still anyway as you let him take a few pictures of you. He even gets a few laughs from you as he acts like a stunned and eager paparazzo, hitting ridiculous poses to get just the right angle. Afterwards, he comes over to show you the pictures and get your approval before saving them.

You rub your nose to scratch a small itch that’s arisen, but you must’ve done it a bit too roughly, because seconds later you feel that tell-tale rush in one of your nostrils.

When Yuta glances at you, his eyes widen. “Your nose is bleeding,” he says, speaking a little too late. You feel the trickle going down your philtrum and top lip, and you hurriedly lean forward and cup your hand underneath your nose to try to catch some of the blood and keep it from going onto your dress. You aren’t very successful, though; there are already some crimson drops staining the hem of your skirt.

“It must be because of the heat. Damn…my purse, Yuta. There are tissues.”

“Wait. Can I…” Yuta places his hands on your shoulders and turns you to face him.

“What are you doing?” you glance up at him, your eyes sliding up from his tattooed arms to his imploring expression and his parted lips. You give him an incredulous look as your heart beats a little faster. “You can’t be serious. Now?”

“Just a taste?”

You’re quiet for a few moments, the anticipation of what he’s asking of you swirling in your gut. It’s a quiet, out-of-the-way part of the forest, away from the main hiking trail; you doubt anyone will easily find you here. You’re anxious, but doing this in a semi-public place makes your nerves jitter from an emotion you dare to call excitement. “It’s going to ruin my dress, Yuta,” you complain.

“I’ll buy you another one just like it, baby. I promise.”

His tone is soft and promising even as his eyes and mouth are hungry, and something about that juxtaposition gets to you. It makes your core throb even in your current state. So you agree without thinking about it any longer. “...Okay. Just don’t take forever with it.”

Yuta leans his body into yours, one hand on the small of your back, and tilts your head up from its lowered position to draw his tongue across your bloodied lips. The metal of his tongue piercing against your skin makes a tiny shiver travel through you. His nose nudges yours as he licks your lips, and he groans at the taste of your blood. Your bloodied hand falls to your side, and you try to be careful of it touching your dress—not that it really much matters anymore.

His tongue slides up from your chin, and he kisses your philtrum where the blood has pooled in the little divot above your lips. The blood is still trickling down your chin in between the two of you, staining your skin and your clothes. Yuta sucks your top lip and bottom lip successively to clean them of blood, though the flow doesn’t yet stop, continually feeding him with more crimson. Finally, he fits his mouth over yours and fully kisses you, tasting properly like your blood. His hand tightens on your back, and a whimper escapes you.

“Why do you like this so much?” you whisper once you part from each other, trying to breathe steadily in and out of your mouth so you don’t inhale the blood.

“It’s having a part of you inside me,” he mumbles, and you’re actually surprised at his answer. Not that you haven’t asked him before, but he’s never answered it with this much intimacy until now. “Becoming one. Your blood is my blood, too.” His eyes seem to hold all the world’s emotions in them, and if you weren’t already enamored with him, you think you could be convinced into signing away your heart to him forever. “Isn’t that the type of romantic shit you like?” He speaks with his lips mere centimeters from yours, close enough to touch, as if he could breathe you in if he tried just hard enough.

“You are so strange,” you murmur. “I like you.” You both smile then, teeth reddened. He swipes his bloody tongue against yours, and you catch the tip lightly between your teeth before suckling it. Your kiss is a mess of your blood and both of your saliva dripping down your chins, but you adore it, and you tug him closer by his hair to show it. You already feel the beginning of an erection pressing into your stomach.

“Says the masochist,” he says, dragging his blunt nails across the sensitive skin of your nape. Your eyes nearly roll back at the sensation. The blood is starting to coagulate now, your nosebleed slowing, and you feel a bit uncomfortable with the drying, sticky blood on your face and chest and hand. Yuta isn’t finished with you though, proven by him taking his hand from your nape to slide his fingers into his mouth. “Slide your panties to the side for me.”

Your face burns, and your eyes dart around your surroundings. “You sure no one will find us here?”

“I’ve been to this trail and this little spot plenty of times. No one’s gonna find us unless they’re looking to do the same thing we are.”

“Ah, so you bring all your conquests here…? Nice to know.” You shake your head and snicker. Yuta only shrugs with a slight smirk, not bothering to deny your claim. With your clean hand, you reach underneath your dress to pull your underwear down completely, and they come to rest around your ankles. The less hassle for you, the better.

Satisfied with how wet his fingers are, Yuta slips his hand underneath your dress and slowly rubs at your clit, his fingers dipping lower on every other stroke to nudge against your opening. He situates his hand so that your clit slides between his ring and middle finger with every stroke instead of touching the small nub directly; he knows you prefer to be worked up like this. Your eyes flutter at the sensation, and you push your hips closer into his hand, the bark of the tree digging into your back. His tongue sticks out from the side of his lips as he focuses on pleasuring you, a soft and deep groan falling past his lips. “You’re so sticky and wet, and I’ve barely touched you. Guess I’m not the only strange one.”

Yuta does this for a few minutes more before sliding his middle and index fingers knuckle-deep into you, groaning at how your walls squeeze around him and how your face scrunches with the pleasure-pain of the stretch. He lowers his head to lick the drying blood off your chest and your neck as he pumps his fingers into you, his palm rubbing against your clit as he does. You don’t think you’ve ever felt quite so dirty before, which kind of scares you about a man you’ve only met and began dating a couple months ago, but it’s also exciting. You don’t know how anything after this could compare—and you sort of hope there isn’t an after.

He kisses you again, your teeth clicking together with his urgency to have your lips on his. The taste of his sanguine mouth as he twists his fingers inside you and nudges against that spongy spot inside you has your thighs quivering around his hand. “You’re so pretty when you bleed, baby. I’ve never seen such a bloody, pretty thing.” He praises you, his breaths heavy and tone rushed as he speaks against your mouth—into your mouth. “Makes me feel like a wild fucking animal—want to cum all over you, mark you. Or in you. Fill you up ‘til it’s dripping down those thick thighs.”

You chuckle breathlessly, sweat springing up on your body from his actions between your legs and the heat combined. “I-I’m flattered, but you wouldn’t say that if it were that time of the month.”

Yuta smirks, his eyes hazy with his lust. His expression seems to say if only you knew. “I’d suck your pussy no matter what time of the month it is.” He murmurs it like he’s telling you a nasty, terrible little secret. “I’d stick my tongue deep inside until you bled all over it…suck your clit until that pussy has no choice but to cum for me.” You’d probably be grossed out if this were any other situation—if this were anyone but Yuta—but his words have you whimpering and your walls clenching around his fingers as he thrusts them into you faster. You’re so wet that the slick sound of him pushing his fingers into you is echoing off the trees, and you can only hope he’s right about no one ever coming around here.

“I hope you prove i-it,” you gasp out, your words breaking off when he grinds his palm against your clit just so, and it’s enough to snap the tension in your abdomen.

Your body curls into his when you cum, waves of pleasure rocking you and making you unsteady enough that you have to lean on Yuta for balance. The way he kisses your neck gently—if a bit messily—only to leave a sharp bite after each touch of his lips heightens your pleasure, and you can’t help but moan unabashedly into the hot air of the forest. He doesn’t stop thrusting his fingers into you until you grasp his wrist and cry out his name, and then he’s pulling them out to suck your wetness off.

You look nothing short of a disaster when he’s done with you. Your dress and chest and half of your face stained with blood, your underwear lying around your ankles, your hand bloody and your nails caked with dried crimson. It will take a while to get that completely out from under your nails, you already know, and you’re not thrilled at the prospect of it. Your sunhat lies on the ground next to you, and you’re not even sure when it slipped off.

“...Okay. You’re done, for real this time? Go in my purse for me.”

Yuta does as you tell him. “You have wet wipes too?”

“You have to be prepared for anything in the wilderness,” you say, smelling the metallic scent of blood from your mouth as you speak and scrunching your nose. “And you know how you like to fuck whenever the mood strikes, so…easy cleanup.”

You and Yuta clean yourselves up as much as possible, which ends up in you using the entire small pack of wet wipes. There’s nothing you can do for the stains on your baby blue dress, and they’ll probably be too set in to fix once you return home. You roll your eyes, but you let Yuta pull you into him and lay an apologetic kiss on your lips, one of his hands grasping the curve of your ass. His cock is still stiff between your bodies, and you break the kiss to glance down.

“Do you want me to…?” you suggest, your fingers tracing over the bulge straining his zipper. He makes a sound in his throat that makes you think he wants more of your touch, but then he takes your hand and laces his fingers through yours.

“Later,” he says. “The only place I want to cum is inside you, but I think you’ve had enough of being messy for today.”

You get multiple strange and alarmed looks from other hikers when you get back to the main hiking path. You know it’s because of you walking around with bloodstains on your dress and a stupid smile on your face, but you ignore them all. 

[crybaby-bkg]

Week Three, Day One of Kinktober 2022

Manhandling Kink: Boku no Hero Academia: Shinsou Hitoshi

Word Count: 1.4K

Tags: manhandling kink, bit of a strength kink, brat reader, finger fucking, mentions of slaps on the ass

Shinsou loves you, he really does. Has been dating you since your second year together, knew you were the one the moment he really got to understand you and care for you. 

But goddamn, you grind his gears sometimes. 

You’re a brat, in every sense of the word. You’re sweet as candy whenever you want to be, but there are just times where you want to push your loving boyfriends buttons. You pick and you pick and you poke and you poke, knowing it’ll grind his gears until he snaps. 

But that’s what you want, isn’t it? You like to see him go off and snap until he puts you in his place. And that’s what you’re doing right now. 

“You really get on my nerves sometimes, ‘Toshi. You know that?” You pout at him, arms crossed over your chest as you glare at him from where you stand facing him. He sits on the bed, eyes heavy and tired, running a thick hand down his face, scratching at his scruff as he sits and listens to you pour your woes out. 

“Yeah, I know, baby.” Hitoshi sighs, looking at you through his fringe, slouching where he sits and spreads his legs a little wider to accommodate you where you stand between them. You frown even harder at him, shifting on your feet as you look at him down your nose. 

“Don’t call me that right now.” You grumble, already knowing you’re weak for your boyfriend, but you can’t let him get off too easily. He’s committed unspeakable crimes against you—promising to watch a new movie with you that he apparently already watched with Denki last week without telling you and he ate your leftovers last night after coming in from patrolling—and you can’t forgive him too fast. But you know and he knows that a few words can butter you up, and you both also know that you can brat your damn head off when you want to. You don’t want to be buttered up, and he doesn’t want you to brat right now. 

“I’m sorry, my love.” He says instead, smiling softly up at you and reaches out to hold your hips in his warm hands. It doesn’t work though, as you bat him away with a scoff and take a step away from him. 

“Not good enough, Shinsou.” Oh, now you’ve really done it by using his surname and pushing him away. He narrows purple eyes at you for a moment, realizing quickly how he has to deal with you now, and proceeds to act accordingly. 

Shinsou snatches your hips in his hands quicker than you could step off, snatching you forward until you come tumbling into his lap and under his chin. You gasp at the force of it, at the strength of his hands, at the thick and roughness of his palms. He moved you so easily, so rough and dominant, so quick and swift, you’re dizzy for a second. But once you gain your composure, you breathe heavily from your mouth, trying your best to glare at him but its hard when your resolve is already crumbling. Its hard when your inner thighs are already starting to get slick from your dripping hole, and he holds you around your waist so tightly that you couldn’t move even if you tried—and you did. 

“L-Let me go,” you huff at him, trying weakly to push at Shinsou’s strong shoulders, but they don’t give. You didn’t expect them to; he’s a wall of muscle that most people don’t expect. He’s not all big and brawny and veiny like most top pro heroes, but he’s sturdy, thick, and corded when he flexes to be a show off. He could pin you down and throw you around if he wanted, and he has on many occasions. It brings a flood of memories when he only squeezes you tighter and frowns down at you from the bridge of his nose. 

“You don’t really want me to, though. Do you?” Shinsou teases, grabs your wrists when you don’t stop pushing at him like some pesky pup. He cocks his head at you, leans down until you’re nose to nose with him so that he can catch your eye, to which you keep trying to avoid. You huff again, flustered, shuffling on his lap when you suddenly feel something poking you under your thigh, and it makes you wetter than you could imagine. 

“I do,” you swallow, try so hard to sound convincing, but you don’t, and you both know it. Shinsou waits until you finally look at him, grins wide and mean, and starts moving before you can even realize it. 

He’s as strong as he is fast. Shinsou flips you around until you’re on your back on the bed, ignoring your huff and complaint, as he starts moving quicker than your eyes can follow. He lifts you from the bed again until your body is flipped to lay vertically on the sheets, arms thrown over your head, shirt tore off, pants and panties ripped from your thighs, body flipped over, hips pushed high into the air. You try to complain in all of this quick movement, but your words die off when he suddenly pushes your face into the mattress and hikes your hips up higher. 

“Why do I have to get like this with you?” Shinsou tuts disapprovingly as he swipes two fingers through your slick folds. You shiver, thighs twitching, as your cunt betrays just how much you’re turned on by him manipulating your body however he pleases. 

“What is it about me manhandling you that gets your pussy so wet, huh?” He asks under his breath, bullies two fingers inside of your sopping hole. You’re still kind of loose from the 4am fuck session, but still tight enough for him to whistle under his breath. You whine, at a loss for words, wanting to fight back, deny the fact that you like it when he throws you around, but it’s hard when he’s already pumping and crooking his fingers inside your cunt. 

“I d-don’t like it, and I-I hate it.” You spit at him, pouting, before your mouth drops open at the sudden onslaught of pleasure when he reaches around to press down on your lower belly. He keeps fingerfucking you, quick and his fingers agile, reaching every place he knows will make you scream for him. And when your screaming isn’t enough, he rips his fingers out and slaps you on the ass once, twice, before plunging them back in again. 

“Tell your pussy that then, my love. She’ll betray you every time.” You can hear the grin in his voice as he leans over you, nipping gently at your ear to watch you jump before he laughs. You try to hide your face in the sheets, but Shinsou only nudges you until you can’t escape him. Until he’s all over and in you, and becomes so much that you start to burst at the seams. 

“Tell me you love it. You love it when I’m rough with you.” He goads, palm resting on your lower belly as the tips of his fingers stretch down until they’re lightly strumming your clit, his other hand still pumping religiously inside of you and hitting your sweet spot. You don’t know when the tears started leaking, but they’re wetting the pillows, and you don’t think you can hang on for much longer. 

“Fuck, I love it, love everything you do to me, love it all, baby.” You whimper to him, which he only laughs heartily at before doubling down on letting you reach orgasm. He nips your cheek now, biting at your jaw as he starts fucking his fingers quicker inside of you. 

“You cave so easily, can you really call yourself a brat?” Shinsou teases, before finally leaning back to watch your cunt spasm and clench down around him when you hit your orgasm. It’s a pretty sight, he thinks, as your thighs spread even wider and your hips buck back on his hand, and your lips stretch around the sweet intrusion. It’s intense, as you’re all moans and cries and pleas for him to keep going, to stop, to use his cock instead now. 

Shinsou eats it all up though, smiles, and lets you boss him around however you please. After all, as much as he secretly loves you being a brat, he loves when you’re a whiny and needy mess for him even more.

[kaes-wonderland]

𝑯𝒂𝒊𝒌𝒚𝒖𝒖 𝒙 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒔

↳ ☆ pt.1 ☆ pt.2 ☆ … ☆

❥ Genre: Fluff

❥ Published: May 8, 2022

❥ Kae’s Notes: I’m proud of myself for FINALLY being creative, it’s been so positive, nothing like Wattpad. But I’m starting to get back in a funk, but all the love on the first part made me really excited to get this one out. See my navi for more! And, please request, I need the distraction!!

SOMETIMES ATSUMU forgets he’s dating you because he still can’t shake the fact that someone as amazing as you would want to date him.

TENDŌ ALWAYS memorizes the the tune to your favorite song(s) so he can hum them to comfort you and impress you with his natural listening skills.

NISHINOYA HAS A LOCKET with a picture of you two in it. He’s constantly caught admiring it, especially when he’s waiting to be subbed in.

YAMAGUCHI GETS OVERWHELMED very easily, so he loves holding pinkies with you. That alone makes him a blush my mess.

KENMA HATES the feeling of latex gloves/dye on his hands, so he loves when you help dye his hair

BOKUTO HAS A hard time falling asleep at night, so if you can’t sleep, or are just a night owl, you WILL be baking cupcakes while watching crime movies, or random clips of volleyball matches

AKAASHI IS QUITE bashful about this, but he loves when you sit on his lap while he finishes his work/your work if you’re to mentally drained to finish.

FUKUNAGA WRITES little love notes to you, telling you all the things he’s noticed about you (little things) and gives them to you all bashful

SUGAWARA IS A plant parent, meaning he lets you name all of his plants and will remember every single one of them without you having to correct him.

YAMAMOTO LOVES to hug you from behind and rest his chin or cheek on your shoulder/top of your head.

SUNA HAS GROWN A SOFT SPOT for you. Every time you get a small scrape or cut, he’ll patch it up and then lightly kiss your boo-boo…then laugh at your stupidity.

KIYOKO ALWAYS GIVES YOU head-pats as that’s her way of giving affection as she’s not the most…affection person.

KAGEYAMA GRIPS ONTO your sleeve or the bottom of your shirt when he wants attention.

YACHI SUBCONSCIOUSLY doodles you and her initials in a heart on her notes and always gets flustered when someone points it out.

HINATA ADORES your giggles, so he loves to give you butterfly kisses against your cheek, neck, or stomach.

LEV AND YOU have a tradition of baking something new when you visit each other…having Yaku on speed dial if something catches fire.

KUROO COMES UP behind you and covers your eyes, and in a strange voice goes, “guess who?~”

AONE WOULD WRITE POETRY for you. He has a box in his room he puts the papers in, too shy to give them to you quite yet. Although, he’s not the best hider, so you’ve found them, you falling for him all over again with how whipped he is for you.

©k_kae- 2023 — all rights reserved. please do not copy, modify, or repost my works and claim them as yours. But reblogs, likes, and comments are alway welcomed. Thank you, stay positive シ

[fibula-rasa]

Favorite New-to-Me Films

January ’24

READ on BELOW the JUMP!

(listed in order of collage above, L to R)

Eleven P.M. (1928)

[letterboxd | imdb | kanopy]

Synopsis: Sundaisy, a violinist, tries to fulfill a friend’s dying request to ensure his son is raised away from the criminal element of the city. Unfortunately, Sundaisy is duped by a phony priest, and the boy grows into a low-level crime boss. After a series of misfortunes spurred on by the boy over the course of decades, Sundaisy’s family is nearly ruined. However, Sundaisy’s will for vengeance leads to supernatural consequences. All this is couched in a frame story of a man trying to meet an 11 p.m. deadline.

This is easily my favorite first-time viewing of the month. The synopsis above admittedly does not capture the mystical/transcendental attitude that Eleven P.M. reflects. This is the only film Detroit-based Richard Maurice ever directed, but it displays sophisticated ideas about film storytelling, using an array of devices in inventive ways. It’s always a treat to be reminded of how creative and exciting independent filmmaking can be in America. If you want to check this one out, I advise you to keep an open mind and not approach it with an overly literal, nitpicky mindset. Let Richard Maurice take you on this ride and I don’t think you’ll regret it!

I watched this on the Pioneers of African-American Cinema box set, which I can’t recommend highly enough. The films are outstandingly curated and contextualized and the set showcases an often-overlooked but indispensable part of American cultural history. A lot of the films are also available on streaming through kanopy, which you may be able to access with your library card if you live in the US.

---

Lea on Rollerskates / Lea sui pattini (1912)

[letterboxd | imdb]

Synopsis: Lea isn’t allowed by her parents to go rollerskating with a friend, so she decides to skate in her own bedroom. She proceeds to wreak havoc in the home before an accidental self-defenestration sets her free to wreak havoc at the roller rink instead.

A jam-packed, stunt-heavy bit of nonsense led by Lea Giunchi. I’ve watched quite a few of her films now and I’ve learned this is pretty standard for her. I love each and every pratfall.

---

Two Girls are in Love with Foolshead / Le due innamorate di Cretinetti (1911)

[letterboxd | imdb]

Synopsis: Cretinetti is dating two girls at the same time. The girls decide to duel, but Cretinetti is the one who loses… repeatedly.

I’ve finally gotten around to watching more Andre Deed films and this one was a highlight for January. I don’t know who the skinny woman is, but she and Valentina Frascaroli are great together.

---

X (2022)

[letterboxd | imdb]

Synopsis: A crew of filmmakers leave Houston, TX for the country in order to film a farm-themed porn. The producer of course did not disclose the nature of their stay to the elderly property owners. Said owners have ulterior motives in renting their cabin and respond violently to the group.

Appreciative of all of Ti West’s work, and X has so much going on and so much to say that I originally typed out two full pages (single spaced) on it before I knew it. I won’t be sharing those two pages because I think there are a few points on the approach to gore in recent horror movies that I need to mull over more. For now though, I’ll just say, I didn’t enjoy X at all, but I deeply appreciate what Ti West is putting out there. I probably won’t watch it again and I’m going to be sure my stomach is prepared for whenever I get around to Pearl (2022).

---

The Hayseed (1919)

[letterboxd | imdb | Silent Comedy Watch Party]

Synopsis: Fatty wants to marry Molly, but so does the sheriff. Buster tries to keep the general store in working order while the sheriff plots against Fatty.

Luke the dog is one of my top 5 movie dogs of all time. I’ve never made an official list, but I know in my heart that Luke is at the top. Also, I adore how many modern professional wrestling moves you end up seeing in Fatty/Buster collaborations! In this instance, note the dance sequence with the lady who gets swung around wildly.

---

The Ghost Ship (1943)

[letterboxd | imdb]

Synopsis: Tom Merriam, a young officer, reports for his first commission on a long haul trip on the Altair. The captain has a bit of a strange vibe, but the newbie likes him, at first. As crewmen perish under the captain’s leadership, and the captain’s lectures take on a more sinister tone, Tom knows he needs to act to save the remaining crew and the ship. 

Checked this out as I was on a Val Lewton kick not knowing much about it beforehand. I did not expect it to be a movie about fascism done in microcosm. So, if you were looking for a movie about ghosts or a Flying Dutchman, this ain’t it. Its off-beat structure amped up the tension, though the denouement was a little too pat. Cinematography was fantastic, as you might expect from Nicholas Musuraca. I hope Sir Lancelot got two checks for how much his singing contributes to the movie. Richard Dix is such a skilled actor in everything I’ve seen him in, but he is pitch-perfectly terrifying in this movie.

---

Miss Pinkerton (1932)

[letterboxd | imdb]

Synopsis: A nurse who’s bored with hospital work gets assigned to an old woman who’s ailing after a big shock: finding the dead body of her nephew. The detective on the case asks the nurse to gather reconnaissance for him at the house and she gets all the excitement she can stomach as a result.

Miss Pinkerton is a pre-code gem I somehow have never seen before, despite my devotion to Joan Blondell. The plot and characters are interesting, the cinematography (done by Barney McGill) and staging of the film is very dynamic and Joan Blondell brings so much to Miss Pinkerton with her signature effervescent sass. It’s also just over an hour long, so it would make a great watch for one of those evenings where you’re indecisive but want to find something compelling but compact.

---

Phil-for-Short (1919)

[letterboxd | imdb]

Synopsis: Damophilia “Phil” Illington is a free-spirited tomboy brought up by a Greek-professor father and his right-hand man, Pat. Her lack of lady-like decorum raises the ire of two town elders, who are also the local killjoys. When her father passes away, one of the elders abuses his position of power to force her into a conservatorship. Phil disguises herself as a boy and hightails it with Pat. While on the lam, Phil makes the acquaintance of a young woman-hating Greek professor. Through a set of misadventures, Phil and the Professor end up married, but it takes quite a bit of work after the marriage for them to find happiness with one another.

Great characters and performances and I enjoyed marriage not being treated as the resolution or an end point to the story. It’s also very endearing to see such a pervasively queer story about a man and a woman getting together.

---

The Mystic (1925)

[letterboxd | imdb]

Synopsis: A con artist enlists the help of Hungarian travelling carnival performers to enact a phony medium scheme against the hoi polloi of New York City.

Tod Browning is a sure-bet filmmaker for me and The Mystic was no exception. Highlights for me were: the execution of the seance sequences, Erte’s gorgeous costumes for Aileen Pringle, and an ending that I hoped would happen but assumed wouldn’t!

---

There Ain’t No Santa Claus (1926)

[letterboxd | imdb | Silent Comedy Watch Party]

Synopsis: When Christmas rolls around, Charley doesn’t have enough money to both pay the rent and buy his wife a present. He uses his $80 to buy her a watch, instead of the rent, and his nasty landlord/next-door-neighbor steals the watch. Christmas Day turns into a free for all, when both Charley and his landlord dress as Santa and plan to enter via their respective chimneys for their respective children. 

Well-paced, great comeuppance, and very well-executed gags. Additionally, Charley Chase looks absolutely outrageous in his Santa wig and he knew it!

---

This one didn’t make it into the collage, but it’s still on the list:

Little Moritz Runs Away With Rosalie / Little Moritz enlève Rosalie (1911)

[letterboxd | imdb]

Synopsis: Little Moritz loves Rosalie and wishes to marry her, but her father objects. So, of course Rosalie and Mortiz run away together in his funky little flivver, but dad and the family dog give chase.

Most of this short is the chase sequence and it’s very well executed. Sarah Duhamel is so cute and so is her family dog. The location shooting is nicely done (was this shot in Nice?) This charming poster captures the vibe of the short perfectly:

---

In January we were hit with a nasty winter storm and, while we were relatively lucky in my neighborhood, we were without internet for a third of the month. So, we ended up relying on our home video collection, which accounts for five of the films above and me re-watching two seasons of Soap and Fritz Lang’s Niebelungenlied (1924). 

Despite the holdup, I continued my “Lost, but Not Forgotten” series with The Dancer of the Nile (1923) and started a limited spin-off series, “How’d They Do That?” about special effects and stunts in the silent era. 

I also made themed gif & still sets for: Miss Pinkerton, Dementia (1955), and A Christmas Carol (1971).

Here’s to a less eventful February! And, as always, if you’re interested in any of these films, but have specific content warning needs, feel free to ask me.

[deliwrites]

𝔻𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕔𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕟𝕤 // Dream

// DATE // 15th of October 2022 // PAIRING // Dreamwastaken x reader, no pronounce used, small bit for afab!readers, small bit for European readers // WARNING // fluff, mention of period blood // WORDS // 1,6k+ // SUMMARY // What dating Dream would be like

// MASTERLIST // ANONLIST //

Living with the boys in the Dream Team house

Not that Sapnap and George minded

Bothering Dream when he's editing

"How long you gonna be busy for?" you ask him. Leaning on his chair in an annoying way where it dips the chair down. He rolls his eyes with a playful look on his face. He knows you do this cause you're in need of attention. "A little while longer I'm afraid," he tells you. Though, he quickly saves his progress and turns his chair to face you. "Do you need something?" he asks, already knowing the answer. "Hugs?" you ask with a pout. Dream grins, patting his lap. Inviting you to sit down. You do so, positioning your legs on either side of his. Scooting closer to the male. Wrapping your arms around his neck, snuggling your face into his neck. He gives you a gentle squeeze, then turns the chair back around. Going back to editing with you in his hold.

Cuddles for daaaaaaaayyyyyyyys

Surprisingly playing cosy games with you

He hates to admit that he loves playing Stardew Valley with you

"Secretly" has all the spots memorized of your favourite character just so you can become friends with that character quickly.

"Where is Penny?! I can't find her!" you exclaim as you run all over the place trying to find your one and only love (:P) holding a diamond which you stole from Dream's chest. "She's by the community centre," Dream is quick to reply which makes you stop in your tracks. "How do you know that?" you question him suspiciously. Opening the map you locate him by the ocean. "I- I, uhm, just walked passed her. On my way to the mines," you hum in acknowledgement. A sweet smile forms on your lips. Happiness filled you at the fact that Dream went out of his way to learn Penny's schedule. Just for you.

Movie nights, with or without George and Sapnap

Movie nights without them, you two take over the entire couch.

He's on his back, laid out across the couch.

You're half on top of him, half shoved between Dream and the back of the couch.

Legs tangled together.

Your head on his chest

His right arm is wrapped around you tightly, wanting to keep you secure and safe.

Blanket over the top of you.

Patches resting above your heads on the backrest.

Movie nights with them, you two claim the big corner of the L-shaped couch.

Wrapped up in blankets even when Dream gets hot.

He'll just remove his hoodie if he gets too hot, always wearing a shirt underneath cause that's what men do apparently.

He knows you get cold easily.

And with the bills rising you don't really touch the thermostat all that much.

Because of that, you're always walking around in cosy clothes.

More often than not those outfits consist of Dreams hoodies.

With you getting cold easily he always makes sure to have a spare hoodie or jacket with him whenever you guys go out. Whether it's on a date or just to Walmart.

Gifts for days!

You are not materialistic but you really have to watch your tongue around him. Or people might think you are.

The moment "Oh that's cute" leaves your lips, he's already on his way to secretly buy whatever it is you just said that about.

You tell him he doesn't need to buy you all these gifts of course, but will he listen? No.

"Dream! What did you get me this time!" you yell through the house once you've accepted a package from the delivery guy. Your name is written on the package. But you have not ordered anything recently. "Oh, it's just that mug you really liked from Etsy," he says when he walks into the kitchen. You were there, package on the counter, knife in hand to open it. He's standing by the custom build shelves filled almost to the brim with mugs you've been gifted by him. A max of 5 had been bought with your own money. "Dream," you tell him seriously. Putting down the knife before walking up to him. You wrap your arms around his middle. Staring up at his towering frame. "I love you," you tell him sincerely but you want to get your point across. "But I need you to stop buying everything that I find cute." You've told him this before but he never seemed to get the gist of it. The serious look in your eyes is what gets him. "Alright," he sighs gently. It's not a sigh of annoyance, it's a sigh of defeat. He just wants to spoil you rotten. "But there are like, three more packages on their way," he grimaces, unapologetically might I add. "Dream!" you blurt out but can't help but giggle. Shoving your head in his chest you shake your head. He chuckles and wraps his arms around your shoulders, squishing you softly. Pulling away just a bit you stand (on your tippy toes). Pecking his lips softly. "You're an idiot," you tell him. Pecking his lips a few more times. A smile graced his face. "But I'm your idiot," he grins.

Dates are the best

He'll bring you to a romantic fancy restaurant once a month.

If he can't get you all the gifts then this is how he'll spoil you.

Not that he doesn't spoil you on any other date.

He sure does

Cinema date?

You want 2 boxes of popcorn and 2 boxes of chips? Sure!

2 large of not xl drinks for you as well.

Home dates will forever be your favourite though.

They hold a special place in your heart.

At least once every week you have a home date where he cooks for you.

Every time he tries a new recipe.

He knows you can be a picky eater, but he has this way of slowly introducing you to new foods.

Before you moved in with him your list of liked foods was quite low.

Now it's grown to more than 3 times that amount.

One thing that always sticks with every date;

Ice cream for dessert! Always!

A little bit for European readers

With you being European, you're used to getting sips of alcohol since you started High school.

You're not an alcoholic or anything.

You do enjoy the occasional drink during a date.

You know he doesn't really drink.

So you never force alcohol on him.

You respect him for it.

So you'll keep it to a max of two drinks on the date.

A little bit for afab!readers

What he does when you're on your period.

He becomes a servant

Ran out of pads/tampons?

No problem, he's already on his way getting them for you.

Brings you you're favourite foods and candy while he's at the store.

He'll never truly feel the pain you go through with all the cramps.

But he knows how painful it is for you.

He's heard you talk about them since before you two even got together.

Before you moved in but did visit and spend nights he was prepared.

With the wrong stuff but he tried.

The first time your period decided to pay a visit while you were over.

It was earlyish in the morning. Dream was still fast asleep in bed. A heavy cramp is what woke you up. "Shit, shit shit," you grumble, forcing yourself out of bed. You're quick but try not to wake up Dream. Getting into the bathroom, you sit down on the toilet. Confirming your suspicion. "Fuck," sighing you lean forward, elbows on your knees. Face shoved in your hands. "This can't be happening." You don't know how long you spent in the bathroom. Just going over what options you had. You could put toilet paper in your underwear, but a clean pair of underwear is back in Dreams room. In order to get that you would have to leave the bathroom with bloody underwear. "God damn it!" "Y/n?" you hear Dream call out from somewhere in his room. "Are you okay?" His voice seems to get closer to the bathroom. 'Damn it, I didn't lock the door!' "Don't come in," you beg, embarrassment running through your veins. 'Why did the bathroom door have to be so far from the toilet!' "Y/n, what's going on?" his voice is filled with worry. Sighing, you can't help but feel emotional. "My period came early," you confess in a whisper. "I'm sorry, what? Do you mind if I come in," unsure on how to answer. You don't answer at all. Bad choice, as he opens the door and walks in. You're quick to grab the towel hanging by the sink next to you. Draping the towel over your lap. "No, Dream, I don't want you to see this," you wine, hanging your head. Hiding your head in your hands once more. "What's wrong, y/n. Talk to me," he kneels in front of you. Taking your hands, gently off your face. Cupping your face he makes you look at him. "My period came early," you tell him quietly. "I didn't bring any pads." "That's okay," he says so quickly it shocks you. Opening the cupboard under the couple's sink, he takes out a packet of pads. Though you can't help but laugh. "What?" he asks, a little confused by your laughter. "These will do for now," you tell him, taking the pack. "But these are for nights and heavy, heavy periods at that," you take one out to show him the size of the pad. It was about the size of his hand and a half. Which is large. "Woops," he grimaces. "I'm sorry." "It's okay, thank you," you thank him sincerely. Pecking his lips before asking him to bring my bag, for clean underwear.

Once you've fully changed into comfy clothes

Dream settles you in bed, covered by the warm duvet

He's in and out of the bedroom

Getting you snacks and Tea or Hot chocolate milk.

Overall Dream is a lovely boyfriend, he'll do anything for you.

[madamrynodm]

Batman (2022) Sequel thoughts/ideas/wishes

Ok I've thought about this way too much to keep it to myself. So, I cast my thoughts to the void and maybe the void will give me a gold star for my efforts

I've got 2 big hopes/what-ifs for the sequel to The Batman. Easily became one of my favorite superhero films ever, and I cannot wait to see more! Anyway

2 big hopes: Dick Grayson and the Court of Owls. I wanna see them. I wanna see them so bad. I think there's potential for a SICK story if they go that route

1. Dick Grayson. PLEASE GIVE US ROBIN I BEG OF YOU! I think BatPat is a great candidate for a Robin story. Him being fresh on his journey to understand who he is as Bruce and Batman would be great to see contrasted with a young Robin on the trail of vengeance. We could watch him struggle with the desire to help Dick get justice for his parents' deaths (something BatPat hadn't gotten), but also want to protect him from the dark pit Bruce found himself in in the last movie. I'd like for Dick to actually be a kid in this rendition, maybe a teen. Either way, let him be young. I wanna see Bruce lose his mind trying to be a parent while Alfred watches smugly

2. Court of Owls 🦉 They'd be perfect here! Now, I don't want them to be the Big Bads yet. Let's just uncover them. The death of the Graysons can lead the film, and we can discover a deeper conspiracy linked to them later on (set up a 3rd movie?). If I remember correctly, in the Court of Owls run (2011?), they orchestrated the Grayson murders to try and nab Dick. Bring him into their fold as a new assassin. The Court could also play into Bruce's continued struggles with the Wayne family legacy and the "sins of the father" theme (what with the Court manipulating the Waynes for generations)

Ok ok ok now for the meat and potatoes of my rant. Here's how I'd run the Batman sequel if I had any power or even vague experience in filmmaking:

We open the movie loud. The opposite of the first. I'm talking bright lights and loud music. It's a carnival, a public event. Something to raise money for Gotham. Bruce is there, and he hates it. But, hey, if he wants to help the city, he's gotta step up his public game. We follow him through this loud, oppressive environment to the big top. Time for the main event. Circus begins, all eyes on the center ring. Introduce the Graysons! We got Mom, Dad, and Dick all performing their hearts out. The movie gets louder, everyone loves their performance!

Then, it goes dead silent. The Graysons fall. They die in front of everyone, right there. Bruce and Dick both have front row seats to the tragedy. The circus goes nuts, but we don't hear a thing. Cut to later, Dick is alone, maybe with the police, an EMT, idk. Anyway, in a scene that mirrors the mayor's kid in the 1st movie, Bruce sees Dick suffering alone and takes him in. (I don't know if that is when a formal adoption happens or if that's saved for the end of the film)

Moving on, Bruce takes to the streets as the Bat, investigating the Grayson deaths. Something's wrong. This is shaping up to be a murder. He later investigates another murder. Pull this scene from the comics, Owl motifs, warnings, all that. Movie follows that line of tying the seemingly unrelated deaths together and finding the Court beneath it all.

Maybe give Dick a bit of Tim Drake and let him catch on that something is up with Bruce. Dick wants in, he wants to find his parents' killer. Bruce lets him, recognizing his desire for justice and thinking that it'll help this kid. Shenanigans ensue. Like I said before (I think), a central arc we could see is Bruce now watching the path of vengeance from the outside, trying to help this scared and hurt kid heal while giving him and his parents the justice they deserve. Further examination of what it means to be a hero, what it means to truly heal, etc.

We can wrap up with Dick bringing the killer to justice and finding some peace. But it ain't over yet, as Bruce realizes that there's something deeper going on. Gotham's boogeyman, the Court of Owls, is real! And they're up to something! BA BA BA!!

I think Dick should become Robin in act 1 or the start of act 2. Either way, if we are gonna get a live action Robin, I wanna see him in action! Also I wanna see people like Gordon and Martinez react to Bats just... suddenly having a child around. Let Dick make bad jokes please 🙏

Whew! That's is for me! I finally wrote this all down, maybe I can clear out some brain space now

[chrisbitchtree]

Time After Time

Now that the names have been revealed, here's my fic for the Harringrove Holiday Exchange 2022!

You can also read it on AO3 here!

***

December 31st, 1985. New Year’s Eve. One of the biggest party days of the entire year, and for the first time in Steve’s recent memory, he had no wild, over the top plans for the evening ahead. No parties to throw or attend, no clear indication that his night would end up with him buried inside a female classmate, whispering lust filled lies into her ear, or puking his guts out in someone’s parent’s rosebushes, both of which had happened on New Year’s Eve in the past, sometimes on the same night.

Most of his former Hawkins High classmates were home for the winter holidays, and once word had spread that the former king of Hawkins High was working at Family Video, they’d all stopped by to gawk and rub their fancy college educations in his face, but none had deemed their former King Steve worthy of an invite to the parties he knew they were throwing.

So no, Steve would not be seeking out any action that night. His plans for the evening were to finish up his hectic closing shift at Family Video, helping families make last minute selections for movie nights, and then pick up Robin and a large pizza so they could head back to his place and drink cheap champagne and watch a movie marathon of their own on the giant TV in his parents’ den. He looked forward to finally watching Back to the Future while not fucked up on Russian truth serum.

***

The night was great. He had a ton of fun with Robin, as he always did, talking shit about his former and her current classmates, bemoaning their pathetic lack of love lives, and guzzling cheap champagne while wearing the party hats and blowing on the noisemakers she’d bought, plus, he’d loved the adventures of Marty McFly even more the second, much more lucid, time around.

He let Robin paint his nails and put eyeshadow on him, like she always begged him to let her do, once they’d cracked open the drinks and he’d had a few glasses. She cooed over how beautiful he looked, laughing as she took Polaroids of his new look.  At 11:50pm, they’d flipped over to the live feed of the ball drop, in Times Square. At 11:59pm, Tears for Fears ended their set, and the countdown started.

His arm around Robin’s shoulder, Steve envisioned a fresh start for everyone involved in Starcourt. A chance to leave everything that had happened this year behind and lead normal lives for the first time in what felt like forever. It had been a difficult seven months since everything had happened, since they’d watched Billy Hargrove die right in front of them. He’d personally never been a fan of Hargrove, but he’d saved their lives that day, and a mix of guilt and sadness washed over Steve every time he thought about the other boy and the life he’d missed out on.

Just as they were about to join the crowd in shouting “Happy New Year!”, the live broadcast was replaced with an infomercial, a smiling woman with big blond hair listing the features of the newest model of Dustbuster.

Steve and Robin looked at each other in confusion, but they didn’t really think much of it. There must have been a glitch in the feed, and they’d had to replace it with something at the very last second. They played a few rounds of cards as they finished off the last of the champagne, then Steve supported Robin’s drunken form as she made her way into the guest bedroom. Tucking the blankets around her, he said a silent thanks for the addition of her to his life that year. He really didn’t know what he would do without her.

All seemed well as he went back downstairs and made sure the doors were all locked and changed the calendar over to the new 1986 one that his mother had left out on the counter, then shucked his jeans and sweater, leaving himself in just his underwear and a t-shirt to sleep in. Cocooned in his fluffy duvet, he found that sleep came to him easily, and he nodded off thinking of the year ahead, hoping that with help from Robin and Dustin, he’d be able to get into, at best state college, and at worst, register for some classes at a community college while he figured his shit out.

***

The first sign that something was off came as he was making breakfast for Robin and himself the next morning. Wanting to let her sleep, he’d walked silently past the guest room, quietly pulling out a pan and mixing up pancake batter. Looking for company as he cooked, he turned the radio his mom kept on the counter on low.

“It’s 9am on December 30th…” the radio host shouted. Steve almost spilled the batter as he turned and looked at the radio, sure he’d misheard, or the DJ had said the wrong thing. He shook his head, returning to the task at hand, flipping bacon and digging through the cupboard and fridge to see what he could put in the pancakes.

He went to wake Robin so he could ask her if she wanted raspberries or chocolate chips, but found the guest bedroom empty, the bed completely untouched. He glanced at the ensuite bathroom, but found the door open and the light off, no Robin in sight. Maybe she’d woken early and headed to the living room or ditched him and went home to sleep off her hangover in peace.

When he didn’t find her there, he walked back to the kitchen and picked up the phone, intending to dial her home number, hoping to find her there without arousing suspicion in her parents. They already weren’t big fans of Steve’s, as they assumed that he was Robin’s older, deadbeat boyfriend, not just her trusted confident and best friend.

As he was about to pick up the phone and dial, he noticed that the calendar was still set to December 1985, all the days crossed off except the 30th and 31st. That was odd, he was sure that he’d put up the new one his mother had left out before he’d gone to bed the night before. He turned, finding the 1986 one laying on the counter where his mother had left it.

Before he could give any more thought to it, the phone started to ring. “Harrington residence, Steven speaking,” he greeted the caller, as instructed by his mother at an early age.

“Hey Steve,” Dustin replied, sounding, in retrospect, way too casual for the words that were about to leave his mouth. “I think we have a problem. As you may or may not have noticed, we seem to be going back in time.”

He dropped the phone in shock, needing a moment to think things over before he could respond. So, this wasn’t just a weird dream, or if it was, he wasn’t the only one having it. It was upsetting and strangely comforting at the exact same time. A third option, one involving Dustin paying off the radio host to say the wrong date and breaking into Steve’s house to switch back the calendar flitted briefly through his head, but even for Henderson, who lived for playing tricks on Steve, that would be a lot, and a big chunk out of the allowance that he was putting aside to save for a new telescope, so Steve chose to believe him for the time being.

He picked the phone back up and let Dustin explain that they weren’t the only two experiencing this. He’d already spoken to Lucas and Will, who reported similar disruptions to the countdown the night before, and they were calling Mike and Max while Dustin spoke to Steve.

They agreed that everyone would meet at Steve’s in an hour, and then Steve let Dustin go so he could call Robin. Again, the phone rang before he could pick it up to dial. Before he could even greet the caller, Robin was shouting into his ear.

“Have you talked to Keith today, Steve? I think he’s going nuts. He just called me and asked me why I wasn’t there to open the store at 9, but it’s New Year’s Day! We’re closed, but he’s trying to tell me that it’s the 30th! Also, do you remember driving me home last night? I woke up in my own bed, and I don’t remember how I got there, and I’m really hoping that you don’t tell me you drove drunk. You didn’t, did you?”

When she finally paused to take a breath, Steve cut in, explaining what everyone else had experienced, telling her to go to work and act as if everything was normal, and that he’d fill her in later.

Seemingly unsure of how to reply, Robin had let him go, telling him in a shaky voice that she’d do that.

The third call came minutes later, as Steve was still trying to wrap his head around what was happening.

“Hello, Harrington residence, Steven speaking.”

“Uh, hi Steve, it’s Max?” Max whispered into the phone. “I know this is going to sound crazy, but I just heard a knock on my window a few minutes ago, and when I looked, Billy was standing there.” She sounded like she’d been crying, but he could hear the smile in her voice.

“You know, Max,” Steve sighed, rubbing his temple with his free hand. “That’s not actually the craziest thing that’s happened today.”

***

Less than an hour later, the entire party and a seemingly alive Billy Hargrove were sitting around his living room. Before Steve could say anything, Hargrove was squinting at him.

“Are you wearing eyeshadow, Harrington? And are your nails painted? What have you been getting up to since I died?”

“You show up, out of the blue, since months after you died, and what you want to talk about is why I’m wearing eyeshadow?”

Billy gave him a look, motioning to Steve to answer.

Steve could already feel a headache coming on. “Robin came over last night…” Billy promptly cut him off.

“Oh, that’s the kind of kinky shit you and your girl do together.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and Steve had half a mind to punch him, but took a deep, calming breath instead.

Max punched Billy in the arm, and he gave her a look, but thankfully, he shut up.

“So,” Steve said, “are you going to tell us what exactly happened here? Last time we saw you, you were laying dead on the floor of the mall with a hole through your chest.”

“Like I Max earlier,” Billy replied, “I don’t know what happened. I opened my eyes, and I was laying in the snow in the middle of the woods out near the quarry. No clue how I got there.”

Before long, they were all arguing about why they were going back in time, and what the reason was for Billy’s return.

The one thing they could all agree on was that it had to be connected to the Upside Down in some way. There was no way that it could be just a weird coincidence that they were seemingly the only ones that were going back in time. Judging by Keith’s reaction to Robin not showing up for work, they could only assume that no one else had been sucked into it.

From his seat on the corner of the large sectional, Will piped up. “We need to make a plan to defeat the Mindflayer, if it even is the Mindflayer this time and not something stronger this time around.”

“Haven’t we had enough heroics?” Billy sighed from his position standing with his arms crossed. “What is this thing’s obsession with us? Was getting possessed, stabbed, and dying for half a year not enough?”

Steve was not in the mood for Billy’s shit right now. He’d been looking forward to leaving this all behind, and knew it was the same for everyone else. “No, Hargrove” Steve replied, shaking his head. “We can’t just ignore that thing. You’ve seen firsthand what it’s capable of. We need to shut that shit down, and we need to do it as soon as possible.”

“And who put you in charge, princess?” Billy challenged, advancing on Steve, a sneer on his face.

Steve put his hands up in mock surrender. “Woah, Hargrove. No one put me in charge, but someone has to take the lead on this. Believe me when I say I know no one wants to deal with this thing again, but for better or for worse, we’ve clearly been summoned to deal with this thing again, and I’m not going to have the death of a bunch of residents of Hawkins on my conscience. I couldn’t imagine.”

Steve regretted the words as they were leaving his mouth. Hargrove’s lips quivered momentarily, and his face went uncharacteristically pale before he could steel his expression into something meaner.

The blond boy turned and started walking out of the room, towards the front door, Max hot on his heels, glaring at Steve over her shoulder. Steve moved to stop him, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Billy…” he started, but Hargrove twisted out of Steve’s hold.

“Don’t you dare fucking talk to me about this again, Harrington. You’re right. You can never even imagine how it felt to know that I was responsible for all those people dying. Whatever your stupid little plan is, I want no part in it. Understand?”

Steve nodded, dumbstruck, watching Max and Billy walk out the door. Hopper followed with El, probably to give Billy and Max a ride home. There wasn’t anything else Steve could do at the moment other than go back in there and try to beg for forgiveness from Billy and Max later. He had bigger fish to fry right now.

Thankfully, in his absence, the others had started back up their theorizing and plotting, Dustin writing everything down as quickly as he could in a notebook he had open on his lap. They all politely ignored what had just happened. Try as they might though, they didn’t really get much accomplished before Steve had to head into work. If the Mindflayer wanted to fuck with them, then where was it? It had never been shy about showing up in Hawkins before.

***

When he got to Family Video, Steve gave Robin the rundown on everything that had happened at their meeting, and with Billy and Max. She agreed that it was best to try to let the Billy situation blow over a bit before he approached the blond again. Robin stayed his whole shift, and between customers, they tried to keep plotting, but they didn’t come up with much either.

At about 8pm, Hopper called to report that he had Billy at his house for the night, away from prying eyes, and that he’d done a sweep of the town with Will and El in tow, and neither of them had been able to sense anything Upside Down related going on, but they all agreed to keep their eyes and ears open for anything suspicious.

***

The next morning, as soon as he woke up, Steve raced downstairs, heart sinking when he saw that the old calendar was up, December 1985 on display. The 29th was now uncrossed too. So, it wasn’t a bad dream. They were really going back in time.

He made himself a plate of toast and a cup of coffee and sat, waiting for everyone to arrive. He barely touched his food, sick to his stomach with the thought of how far back in time they might go. Were they going to land on July 4th? Why? Or would it go back even earlier. Maybe they would have a chance to keep Billy from getting possessed at all.

At half past nine, his doorbell started to ring, and before long, everyone was again assembled in his living room.

Steve’s mind was racing. Thankfully, he had that day off, but he was going to have to sneak into the filing cabinet in the back office of Family Video, the one where Keith kept a binder with all of the past schedules, so that he could write down when he was supposed to have worked every day since he and Robin had been hired in early October. If they were going to make this work, they were going to all have to make it look like they were moving forwards in time, just like everyone else.

“So, Harrington, how am I supposed to believe this isn’t some stupid prank? I had enough of that thing the first time around, so if this is a prank, it isn’t a very funny one. I’m supposed to be getting out of Hawkins, not getting more deeply entrenched in it.” He muttered the last phrase, ducking his head and shaking it.

Steve couldn’t help but pity him.

***

In the end, after a lot of discussion, it was decided that the only thing they could do was try to live their lives as normally as they could, just in reverse. They would all go to school and/or work per usual and try not to worry about the impending doom.

The biggest issue was Billy. Max couldn’t exactly bring him home with her, and Hop’s cabin was barely big enough for him and El, let alone a third, fully grown, almost adult person.

Everyone turned to Steve. Fuck fuck fuck. He had no reason that Billy couldn’t stay here. “Fine,” he sighed. “You can stay here, Hargrove, but no snooping through my shit, no messing with me. This is just a place for you to hide out.”

“Got it, boss,” Billy saluted him, smiling for the first time all morning.

In the end, it was decided that Billy would start living at Steve’s on the 23rd of December, since his parents would be home for Christmas. At least he had a weeklong reprieve.

This was going to be so much fun.

***

Hopper dropped Billy off at 12pm on the 23rd. Steve showed Billy to the spare bedroom, helping him carry up his bags up. When he opened the door, Billy promptly flopped onto the bed, making a mess of the blankets and neat arrangement of pillows. “Nice digs you got here, Harrington. Fancier than any hotel I’ve ever been to. And mommy and daddy just let you have it all to yourself.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t get used to it.” Steve replied before it registered what he’d said. “Fuck, Hargrove. Sorry.”

Billy waved him off. “I’m choosing to be optimistic. I survived this once; I can do it again.” Only the slight waver in his voice betrayed his confident tone.

“That’s good.” Steve nodded, proceeding to show him the guest bathroom to cut the awkwardness.

***

For the first couple weeks, Billy was quiet. He mostly kept to himself, never inhabiting the same space as Steve. He ate his meals earlier or later than Steve, always washing and drying his dishes and putting them away right away, the fact that he’d left the guest bedroom at all only evidenced by the food disappearing from the fridge and cupboards at a faster rate than usual.

Steve could hear him watching movies in his room at night, the closed door muffling the sound. Curious about the kinds of movies Billy was into, Steve made it a habit to see which slot in his family’s vast movie collection was empty, then check to see which one it was the following morning when it was returned.

Animal House, Caddyshack and Ghostbusters had all been recent selections, which surprised Steve. He hadn’t taken Billy for a comedy fan, picturing him frowning at Full Metal Jacket or the Godfather. Maybe they had a bit more in common than Steve thought.

He was also a neat housemate, which Steve was thankful for, since he wasn’t exactly one to keep a super tidy house. Steve did the shopping and yard work, since Billy couldn’t go outside, and in return, Billy swept and mopped, and Steve was pretty sure he’d even scrubbed the toilets one day while Steve had been out at work.

Eventually, Billy started leaving his room sometimes when Steve was home, and it felt less like he was living with a really tidy ghost. He didn’t really talk, but he’d go out to the living room and watch TV with Steve sometimes while he ate dinner after work. They’d laugh at MASH reruns, get sucked into shitty late night B movies.

One night, while they were sitting on the couch, Hargrove pulled out a baggie of joints and a lighter, holding them out to Steve. Where the hell had he even gotten those? Steve was afraid to ask. “Wanna get high?” He asked, flicking the lighter.

“No smoking in the living room,” Steve said automatically and very loudly, his voice echoing in the cavernous room. Billy lowered the lighter, looking momentarily stricken.

“Sorry,” Steve followed up quickly. “It’s just that my mom would kill me if she came home, and her couch smelled like smoke. Come with me.” He motioned for Billy to follow him, grabbing a couple of beers from the fridge, then heading up to his bedroom.

They walked silently up to his room, Steve trying to picture if there was anything like dirty boxers or lube strewn about for Billy to see. Thankfully, he didn’t think so. He’d cleaned up pretty well the day before.

They flopped down on the bed and Billy pulled the baggie and his lighter back out. Steve slid the window open so the room wouldn’t reek as bad after they were done and accepted the joint when Billy handed it to him, handing him a beer in return.

It wasn’t long before they were completely mellowed out, both laying back, Steve laying opposite of Billy, trying to resist the urge to poke him in the head with his socked feet.

“So,” Billy asked, finally breaking the silence, “are you ready to potentially get your ass kicked by Russians again?”

Steve ran a hand through his already sleep mussed hair, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. This wasn’t something that he talked about a lot, and he was honestly surprised that Billy knew.

“Max told me,” Billy said, reading Steve’s mind. “She likes to remind me that I wasn’t the only one that went through hell that day.”

Steve took a sip of his beer, then let out a long exhale. “Not really. There’s a pretty constant ringing in my right ear, and they were worried there might be permanent brain damage. As if I’m not already enough of an idiot, now I’m brain damaged.”

Billy poked him in the leg. “Don’t talk about yourself like that, Harrington. It’s not the first time I’ve heard you say that, and it’s not a good look. If you call yourself stupid, it’s basically inviting other people to call you stupid. I know you act like an idiot, but you’re not dumb.”

Huh. Billy Hargrove being nice. The world really was backwards. He didn’t know how to reply to that, so he just passed the joint back to Billy and laid back, closing his eyes, enjoying the high and the companionable silence.

***

After that night, it was like a dam had broken, and they started spending more time together. Sometimes, when Steve would come home from work, Billy would have dinner waiting for him, and they’d eat together before moving to the living room to watch a movie while they folded laundry or play boardgames from Steve’s massive collection.

Billy was great at Scrabble and Steve dominated at Yahtzee, although Billy argued that you couldn’t really win a game based so purely on luck. After a game of Monopoly that had turned into a shouting match where Steve, in one of his admittedly lower moments had flipped the board and left the room, they’d decided to retire that one for a while. They’d also gotten really into card games, although Steve balked at Billy’s suggestion that they play strip poker.

***

As soon as they’d gotten comfortable with that nightly routine, it changed again, as they hit the day before Steve had been hired at Family Video. With no job to go to, his schedule was wide open. He’d sleep in until noon unless it was a day where Billy cajoled him into working out with him.

Steve had unearthed the set of weights that had been long collecting dust in the basement, originally purchased during one of his father’s brief health nut phases. Billy made good use of them, slowly putting back on the muscle mass he’d lost during the months after Starcourt, and Steve, more to shut Billy up than anything else, lifted a lighter set.

He’d always preferred cardio, personally, but he’d learned quickly that sometimes it was better to just do what Billy asked than to hear his bitching about it, whether it was weights or the benefits of eating salad or getting eight hours of sleep. Steve hated to admit that physically, he was feeling better than he had in years.

***

As they moved back into late August and the kids were off school, they started spending more time at Steve’s as well. They were all well aware of Steve’s fear of using the pool after what had happened to Barb, but that didn’t stop the kids from showing up almost daily for a swim.

It was decided that the fenced in yard was secluded enough for Billy to come out as well, so most of afternoons were spent out there, the kids playing Marco Polo, Steve working on his tan, and Billy alternating between hanging out with Steve and hovering around the edge of the pool, sticking his legs in, still uncomfortable around the kids besides Max and El.

Sometimes everyone, including Nancy and Jonathan and Hopper and Joyce would come over, and they’d have a BBQ, the kids giving themselves stomach aches from hot dog eating contests, and everyone ending the night sucking on popsicles, lounging around on the lawn furniture, lazy and tired from too much sun.

***

Somewhere between the evenings spent out in the yard and the nights spent getting high with Billy, laying back, pressed together side by side, on Steve’s bed, talking about anything and everything between hits, Steve inexplicably found himself falling for Billy. What had caused it, Steve had no clue, but now he couldn’t get the blond out of his head.

He’d find his eyes lingering on Hargrove’s cherry red lips, or the constellation of freckles on his cheeks and shoulders, made even more noticeable by the time he spent out in the summer sun. He’d get a little swoosh in his belly every time he made Billy laugh, not just a polite laugh, but one from deep in his gut, loud and silly and genuine, like he was showing his real self to Steve a little bit more each day.

He’d walk into the kitchen, his hair still mussed from sleep, rubbing his eyes, grumbling about needing coffee right now, and Steve found himself wanting to bury his hands deep in Billy’s hair, pull him in close, and kiss the grumpy little frown off his face.

He also found Billy looking at him a lot, but it was hard to tell if he was checking Steve out, or just trying to figure out why Steve was spending seemingly all his time looking at him.

The night that almost sent Steve over the edge was one evening that was uncharacteristically cool and rainy for August. Everyone had stayed home for once, except Robin, but she’d left a couple of hours before, so it was just Billy and Steve lounging around on the couch. Billy had his feet in Steve’s lap, and they were watching Jeopardy, trying to beat each other to the answers.

When the episode was done, Billy turned to him. “Wanna go out to the hot tub? At least it’s covered, so we won’t get rained on, and these weary bones could use a soak.” In lieu of swimming in the pool, Billy had gone extra hard on the weights that morning.

Steve nodded, and in a flash, Billy was pulling down his shorts, and Jesus, he wasn’t even wearing underwear, he walked towards the patio door. Steve didn’t even know where to look.

“Hargrove!” he sputtered. “You know for a fact that I have extra swim trunks that you can use.”

Billy just waved him off, telling him to bring beer and towels. “There’s no point, Harrington. It’s only you and me, and it’s not like it’s anything you haven’t seen before.”

Steve took a moment to compose himself and will his dick to go down, and by the time he’d changed and grabbed the requested towels and beers, he found Billy shoulder deep in the bubbling water.

“Are you always this free?” Steve asked, his cheeks heating.

Billy shrugged. “Like I said, nothing you haven’t seen in the changerooms before.”

“I guess,” Steve said, sighing. “But this is different. It’s up close and personal.”

Billy cackled, starting to stand. “I can get a little more up close and personal if you’d like, princess.”

Steve pulled him down by the arm, already exasperated. “Sit the fuck down and drink your beer.”

Billy’s laughter rang clear in the night, and Steve closed his eyes, trying to commit the sound to memory.

***

One evening, after Dustin had demanded some one-on-one time with Steve, he’d relented, even though it was taking away from the precious time he had left with Billy. They were only a month away from July 4th at this point, and Steve wanted to spend every moment that he could. Max had requested some time with Billy though, so Steve had taken Dustin out to the diner for dinner.

After confirming that Steve would be paying, Dustin ordered a double cheeseburger, cheese fries, and a milkshake. He was pretty sure that Dustin had mentioned being lactose intolerant once, so he made a mental note not to keep him out too late. Mrs. Henderson could deal with the upset stomach that was sure to come.

Dustin wasted no time, cutting to the chase as soon as the waitress had walked away to put in their order. “So, what’s up with you and Billy spending all of your time together?”

“Dude,” Steve replied, trying to sound casual. “He literally lives down the hall from me. What am I supposed to do, ignore him?”

Dustin nodded. “Yes. Do exactly that. He’s an asshole, Steve. You know this, I know this. Your house was just supposed to be a place for him to lie low, but every time I try to hang out with you lately, you’re too busy because you’re hanging out with him.”

“Dustin, my man,” Steve replied, patting his shoulder. “Someday, you’re going to learn about a little something called empathy. Have you ever thought that maybe Billy’s a scared kid, just like we are? Everyone handles their emotions differently, and the sooner you learn that the better.”

Dustin waved him off. “Nah, I think he’s just a jackass, and you’re just being brainwashed.”

By then, the food was arriving. “How about we just agree to disagree?” he asked, holding up his own milkshake. Dustin clinked his against Steve’s, and Billy seemingly forgotten for the time being, Dustin launched into a story about his latest physics experiment.

***

When Steve got home, Max’s bike was no longer leaning against the garage and her shoes weren’t inside the door, so Steve assumes she headed home already.

He didn’t see Billy in the living room or kitchen, and he wasn’t out on the back deck having a smoke, so he called up the stairs.

“Billy?”

“Up here, princess!” Billy replied. “Bring beer!”

Steve rolled his eyes, but did as he was asked, grabbing two cold bottles from the fridge before heading up the stairs. When he got to his room, he found Billy laying on his bed, holding up the December 1985 issue of Playboy. Steve could feel his face immediately start to heat.

“Classy, Harrington,” he laughed, waving the magazine.

Steve was mortified. Of course, that had to be out, tucked under the corner of Steve’s pillow for the other boy to find. It wasn’t even something he usually bought himself, and this issue had been a gag Christmas present from Robin, handed to him with an assortment of candy and the newest Tears for Fears tape when they’d exchanged gifts behind the counter of Family Video during their closing shift on Christmas Eve.

She’d told him that she wanted to cheer him up during his dry spell, and Steve had tried to hand it right back, muttering about Robin’s dry spell, but she’d countered that it couldn’t really count as a dry spell if she’d never seen any action before. He had to concede that she was right, but that hadn’t stopped him from trying to roll it up and drop it in her backpack when they’d closed for the night. She’d caught him and forced him to take it home, and they’d spent the ensuing months sneaking it back and forth.

He thought he’d finally won when he’d slipped it under a pile of records in Robin’s bedroom when he’d been over at her house two days before, but she’d clearly found it and returned it to him.

He tried to snatch it out of Billy’s hands, but Hargrove wasn’t having it. He jumped off the bed, running out into the hallway. “Let’s see who Stevie’s favourite is. Any pages stuck together? I see Carol Ficatier’s picture got some loving!”

Fucking Robin. One night, in a fit of giggles, she’d coated her lips in Steve’s mom’s bright red lipstick and pressed a kiss to the model’s photo.

Even though Steve knew that Billy knew it wasn’t him that had done it, it didn’t stop him from chasing Billy out into the hall. But even though Steve was taller by about an inch, Hargrove managed to hold it up out of Steve’s reach. He dashed back into Steve’s room and Steve got in the door just in time to see Billy hop up on the bed and start jumping, his head thrown back in laughter.

Steve jumped up on the bed with him, but Billy bounced away from him, eventually losing his balance and flopping down on the mattress.

Steve lost his balance too and came crashing down on top of Billy. Their faces were inches apart, so close they could kiss.

Billy looked down at Steve’s lips, and he was sure the blond was going to take leap, but instead, he leaned back and asked, “Is that what you’re into?”

Steve blinked, confused. “What am I into?”

Billy waved the magazine. “Brunettes. Is that your type? Pretty little brunettes?”

“No,” Steve replied, not breaking eye contact with Billy as he shook his head. “I’m more into blondes. Stocky, freckled, and the more bite the better.”

Before Steve could even process what he’d just said, Billy’s lips were on his, and there was a hand fisted in his hair.

Steve’s brain went offline for a minute before he snapped back into it, cupping a hand on Billy’s jaw, rubbing a thumb over the prickly stubble he found there. Holy shit, he was kissing Billy Hargrove.

Every nerve felt electrified, and his stomach was alight with butterflies. They rolled around on the bed, taking turns on top, hands touching every bit of skin that they could reach, kissing until they were breathless, and needed to take a break.

“Fuck,” Steve breathed, dropping his forehead against Billy’s. “That just happened.”

“Yeah,” Billy replied, smirking. “It did. And you’re an even better kisser than I imagined you would be, Harrington.”

“Imagined?” Steve pulled back, so he could look Billy in the eye. “How long have you been picturing kissing me, Hargrove?”

Billy’s already flushed cheeks coloured even more. “Since the first time I saw you. Spent the whole school year trying to work up the nerve to do something about it, and then that fucking piece of shit turned my life upside down. Literally.”

Steve groaned at his last line, whacking him lightly in the arm. “You really liked me that whole time? You didn’t do a very good job of showing it.”

“Ever heard of pulling pigtails? I had no clue how to show you I liked you, so I just teased the fuck out of you. In retrospect, it probably wasn’t my best move. Can we forget about that and just go back to the kissing thing?” he asked, burying his face in Steve’s neck.

Steve nudged him up so their lips could meet. “Definitely.”

***

It seemed that now that he and Billy had gotten a taste of each other, they couldn’t get enough. Any minute they had alone together was spent with either their lips locked or their bodies touching in some other way. If Billy was making dinner, Steve was pressed up against his back, chin perched on his shoulder, watching as he chopped and stirred and sauteed, and Billy’s favourite place to watch TV was in Steve’s lap. It felt so good to be touched, just for the sake of it. Steve would melt into Billy’s arms, relaxing and feeling at home.

Billy had quickly moved from the spare room to Steve’s bed, and they slept soundly, wrapped up in each other’s arms. Before bed, they’d lay in the dark, spilling their deepest secrets, and their hopes and fears, knowing that everything they said within the confines of their little two-person world would be kept between them.

One night, Billy brought up the future, dancing around, as always, the fact that if the Mindflayer had its way, Billy, and all of them, might not have a future after July 4th 2.0. It was easier that way, to pretend that they weren’t careening quick into the end of their short time together. It was less than two weeks now, and Steve wasn’t going to waste a second.

Billy told him about his big plans to get out of here and head back to California, where he’d go to business school, then open his own garage. He was going to get a little house by the ocean and take back up surfing, and never set foot in the Midwest cold again.

“What about you, Harrington?” he asked. Steve was holding him in his arms, breathing in the scent of his soap and shampoo and the underlying Billy smell, but the blond twisted out of his grasp so he could meet Steve’s eyes in the dark.

Steve shrugged. “I’ll probably just be here forever, shuffling papers at my dad’s office until he croaks, and I take over the company.”

“Wow, that’s fucking bleak, Harrington. You ever thought about moving out to the west coast?” Billy asked.

Immediately, Steve pictured Billy teaching him to surf, their hands intertwined as they walked along the beach at sunset. It sounded too good to be true. He shook his head. “I’ve never been further west than Iowa once, for a family wedding. My life is pretty much mapped out already, courtesy of my father.”

“Well,” Billy replied, kissing Steve. “If you ever need a change, you’ll have at least one friend out there.”

Steve pulled Billy into his arms, and he fell asleep like that, picturing a lifetime of golden sunsets.

***

Just a few days before the 4th of July, Hopper showed up at Steve’s house with El in tow, asking to speak with Billy. They’d been in the kitchen making breakfast, and Billy was only wearing boxers. Steve heard him thumping up the stairs to his room so he could pull on clothes. He reappeared shortly, and Steve ushered everyone into the living room.

“It wants you,” El said plainly, looking at Billy. “I’ve been trying to see what it wants, but the connection’s been weak. It was stronger today. Because we’re close. We were right. It wants you. You weren’t supposed to die on the 4th of July. It wants to keep you alive and keep you as a host.”

Steve felt his stomach drop. It was the 7th of July. They only had a few more days left with Billy. If they were heading back to the 4th, they had three days, and if they were heading back to June 29th, the day Billy had been possessed, they had eight. He tried to take a deep, calming breath, but it came out more like a shudder. His only goal at this point was to not cry.

He turned to Billy, who’d turned ashen white. “I just need a minute,” he said, standing up and walked through the kitchen, grabbing his cigarettes and lighter off the counter. Steve could still see him, but his back was turned. He started to pace as he puffed on his cigarette. Steve wanted to comfort him but respected his need for privacy. At least it gave him a few minutes to think.

A conversation that he’d had with Billy a few days before came to mind. They’d been laying in bed, talking about how it seemed like the Mindflayer liked to prey on people who it felt were emotionally weak and alone, and Billy had been the perfect target when the Mindflayer had taken up residence inside him. He’d felt like he didn’t have any real connections in Hawkins, and his father had been particularly cruel that night.

Billy and Neil had fought over something Billy couldn’t even remember anymore. What he did remember was finally snapping and telling Neil that he was going to drive back to California on his own. Neil had slapped him and told him to go for it, but to remember that there was nothing left in California for Billy, only his mother who didn’t love him enough to stay.

Tears streaming down his face, Billy had driven through the dark, just trying to get out. That’s when the Mindflayer had found him, preying on his broken heart and mind.

“Did El ever tell you how she brought me back to myself that day?”

Steve shook his head. “No, she told us that it wasn’t our business.”

“It was my mom. When I was little, she used to take me surfing at this beach near our house. It was our special time, just the two of us. She’d let me talk and talk as we walked on the beach, and she’d tell me how good I was at surfing. I fucking sucked back then, but she’d always tell me how great I was anyway. I think those are my happiest memories.”

Steve wrapped his arms around Billy tighter, trying to hold back tears. “She sounds like she was pretty great.”

Yeah,” Billy replied, snuggling back as close as he could get, his back pressed right up to Steve’s chest. “She was.”

Maybe, he thought now, if they worked together, through El, to help Billy remember as many good memories as possible, they could get him out of the Mindflayer’s hold and destroy it once and for all.

He turned to Hop. “We need to get everyone here. Now.”

***

When he’d first told Billy, while El and Hop went to pick up some of the others, the blond had told him he didn’t think it would work. “There’s you and Max, but who the fuck else has happy memories of me, Harrington?”

Steve gave him an unimpressed look. “How about El, when you saved her life? When you helped Lucas with basketball? When you helped Will with his D&D campaign? Not everything needs to be big and significant. Everyday life is great too. Everyone likes you, and everyone wants to see you survive. Trust me.”

Billy had rolled his eyes and called Steve a corny motherfucker, but promised he’d at least consider the plan.

A half hour later, everyone was gathered in Steve’s living room, and he was explaining the plan to them.

“Come on, Steve, really?” Mike retorted. “We’re going to save Billy with the power of friendship? What is this, My Little Pony?”

Steve started to tell him that he was right, it was a dumb idea, but Billy piped up first. “You know, kid Wheeler? I think Steve’s plan is great. We’re going with it.”

He looked over at Billy, arms crossed, staring down Mike, so confidently defending Steve, and immediately felt choked up. God, Steve fucking hoped his plan worked. He couldn’t imagine what he’d do if it didn’t.

***

They tried to make the best of the time they knew for sure they had left with Billy. When everyone else left that day, Max stayed, and she and Billy went out to the backyard. Steve wanted to give them their privacy, so he stayed inside wondering what they were talking about out there. When Steve drove Max home, she had tears in her eyes, but she told him she was coming back the next morning, so it must have been ok.

When he got home, he found Billy sitting on the couch in silence, and Steve sat beside him, pulling Billy into his arms. The blond didn’t say anything, just letting himself be held, but when he eventually pulled away, his shirt was wet, and Billy’s eyes were glistening.

“Don’t fucking talk about it,” Billy said, pulling a lighter and pack of cigarettes from his pocket and heading out to the yard.

Steve let him go, and eventually, Billy made his way back inside, asking Steve if he wanted spaghetti for dinner. They ate in front of the tv, watching their usual episode of Jeopardy, both trying their hardest to pretend this was a normal night, even when it was anything but.

***

The next day followed the same pattern, Max coming over and spending the day with Billy before requesting a ride home from Steve again. She took his hand as they turned out of the driveway onto the street.

“I know I shouldn’t say this, but in case Billy hasn’t told you, and chickens out and never tells you, you should know that he loves you. A lot.”

“He hasn’t, but I love him too. A lot.” He tried his best to smile at her, but it came out watery and shaky. He hadn’t even said to himself that he loved Billy, but somehow, saying it now, he knew it was true. He loved Billy Hargrove, and he didn’t know what he’d do without him.

“Good,” she replied, offering a shaky smile of her own. “He deserves that. You both do.”

He let her out around the corner from her house and headed back to spend another night with Billy.

***

“It’s not fucking fair,” Billy said, his eyes filled with tears, that night as they laid in bed, passing a joint back and forth. “I really thought when I woke up that day in the woods that that was my second chance at life. I was ready to grow some balls, tell you how I felt, grab you, and get the hell out of here. I’ve had enough of this. Why does it fucking have to be me?”

This was the first time he’d seen Billy let out his feelings about what was about to happen, and he didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fucking fair. He pulled Billy into his arms and rocked him as he cried, sobs wracking his body, trying to hide his own silent tears. “It’s not fair, Billy. It’s not fair. I’m so sorry.”

He let Billy cry it out, until his sobs became soft sniffles, and he started to yawn. He laid Billy down on the bed and got in behind him, stroking his hair until his breathing evened out and he fell asleep in Steve’s arms.

***

The next day was, just as Steve expected, a somber affair. It was barely 8am when Max showed up at the door, and Steve made Billy’s favourite, French toast, and bacon for breakfast. The three of them ate in silence, enjoying each other’s company.

When they were done, Billy and Max headed outside to lay in the sun and talk, and Steve did the dishes, then went up to his room to pull out his old Scoops Ahoy! uniform. Tomorrow, yesterday, whatever it was, would be his last day of being employed at Scoops, and he and Robin had decided that wearing their work uniforms would be the easiest way for them to go in unattended.

Once he’d collected all the pieces, he hung it back up, out of the way, so Billy wouldn’t need to see it. He sat around after, trying to watch a movie, then read a magazine, but he was a ball of nervous energy. Eventually, he just took to pacing the living room.

At 4pm, Billy and Max said a teary goodbye, and Steve took her home, with a reminder for her to be ready for Joyce to pick her up at 9am.

***

When he’d asked Billy what he wanted to do that evening, he’d asked Steve if they could just have a normal evening like usual, so that’s what they did. They ordered a pizza and watched Jeopardy, and then played Monopoly, enjoying the bickering it caused for once.

They’d just flipped the TV over to a low budget cable movie when Billy crawled out of Steve’s arms and into his lap. He took Steve’s face in his hands, cradling it almost reverently, and kissed him deeply. Steve tangled his hands in Billy’s hair, tugging gently, and they were gasping for air by the time they pulled away to take a breath.

Billy pulled his shirt off, then Steve’s, and pressed up against him, chest to chest. Billy was hot, as usual full of molten heat, and he was flushed right down to his pecs. He took Steve’s hand and placed it on the bulge in his shorts.

He turned, nibbling on Steve’s ear before whispering in it. “I want you to fuck me, Harrington.”

Steve placed his hands on Billy’s shoulders, pulling him back so he could see his face.

“Billy, are you sure?”

Over the past month, they’d done pretty well everything else, from quick, awkward hand jobs, Steve almost coming the moment he wrapped his hand around Billy’s cock for the first time, to just last week, when Billy had sunk to his knees right in front of this couch and taken Steve into his mouth, touching and stroking, licking and sucking, until Steve had seen stars, his head thrown back, cum dribbling from the corner of Billy’s mouth.

He'd returned the favour, and afterwards, they’d cuddled, sweaty and sated, and Steve felt like that was as good as life would get. The fact that Billy was trusting him with this now meant everything to him, but he didn’t want to do it just so Billy could check it off a list of things he thought he should be doing.

“Yes,” Billy replied. “More than anything. I want this. I want you.”

Steve nodded. “Ok then, let’s go.”

He ushered Billy into his room and undressed him, pulling off his shorts and briefs slowly, allowing himself to take time to touch every part of Billy. Every freckle and mole and divot and crease committed to memory. His scent and his smile, the way that one curl always fell in front of his eyes. His laugh, and the way it felt to have the blonde’s strong arms wrapped around him. He never wanted to forget.

After stripping off his own clothes, he grabbed lube and a condom and followed Billy onto the bed. He laid the other boy on his back, grabbing a pillow and sliding it under his hips. He prepped him gently, adding one finger at a time until Billy was whining and begging Steve to just get inside already.

Steve kissed him once, twice, then rolled the condom on. He slid inside Billy slowly, an inch at a time, until he was fully engulfed in the blonde’s tight heat. Billy wrapped his legs around Steve's hips, and dug his nails into Steve's shoulders, holding on tight. They moved together, Steve stroking Billy in time to his thrusts, whispering soft praises in his ear until he was close, and it became mostly incoherent babbling.

They both came with tears in their eyes, shaking and panting, covered in a sheen of sweat. That didn’t stop them from entangling their limbs, trying to get as close as they physically could.

“I love you, Steve.” Billy said quietly, into the space where Steve’s shoulder met his neck.

“I know, Billy,” Steve replied, stroking the other boy’s sweaty curls. “I love you too. I’ll always love you.”

***

They didn’t get much sleep that night, instead laying awake in each other’s arms, and before they knew it, it was 8am and Steve’s alarm was going off. They dressed silently, then drove to the mall in Steve’s car, hands clutched together over the centre console.

The previous battle of Starcourt had been in the evening, but they had no clue what to expect, so they wanted to get there early. They were the first to arrive, so they sat and waited, taking in the massive structure of the mall that had the day before only been rubble.

Steve squeezed the other boy’s hand, turning to him. “You know I’ll always love you, right, Billy? No matter what happens?”

Billy nodded. “I know. Wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t, but I know.” Steve could hear the tears choking his voice, and couldn’t bear to look at him, or he knew he’d start crying too.

***

Before long, the other’s arrived, and they made their way into the mall in groups, to avoid drawing attention to themselves.

Steve, Max, El, and Billy were the last to enter, but they found nothing out of the ordinary. The mall was bustling with shoppers, and when he turned to look at Scoops Ahoy!, he found his co-worker, Alan, opening up the shop for the day. This wasn’t it. It wasn’t the 4th that they were waiting for at all. Maybe they would have a chance to save the lives of everyone who’s lives were taken by the Mindflayer in the week between the 29th and 4th.

A little anti-climactically, they dispersed, agreeing to go about their days as normal until the 29th, unless something suspicious arose.

Billy and Steve went home, with Max in tow to spend more time together. The mood seemed lighter than it had in days, all three of them silently agreeing that if they’d said goodbye to Billy already, they should treat this time like the bonus that it was.

Billy and Max swam, and they ate junk food and stayed up late, Max sleeping over under the guise of staying at El’s house.

***

 On the evening of the 29th, they drove to meet everyone on the backroad where Billy had originally collided with the Mindflayer. Steve could sense a change in Billy almost immediately. His posture became harder, more rigid, and his mouth was drawn into a tight line. It made the hairs on the back of Steve’s neck stand up.

“It’s here,” El whispered to Max and Steve. “It’s time.”

Steve physically ached with the desire to wrap Billy in his arms and hold him tight, but he knew he needed to walk away and just hope that their plan worked. They left Billy and assumed their positions in the ditches.

There was a loud rumbling, then a bang that sounded like a clap of thunder. The streetlights flickered before going out, then, with an ear-splitting cry, the Mindflayer appeared before Billy where he stood in the middle of the road. Steve looked over at Max, whose eyes were wide, horrified. It was time to put the plan into action, so Billy could walk away uninjured, with the Mindflayer banished from his mind and Hawkins free of its wrath.

On Steve’s cue through the walkie talkies, everyone started to conjure up their happiest memory of Billy, trying to get across to him, through El, how much he was loved and cared for. She ran to him and held him, even as he struggled in her grasp, the Mindflayer trying to break him free.

Steve called to mind all the nights he’d spent together with Billy, laughing and joking and spilling their secrets to each other. He pictured wrapping his arms around the other boy, holding him close and telling him how amazing he was, kissing him silly and telling him that he loved him, that he always would.

He just hoped that the Mindflayer wasn’t imbedded too deeply into Billy’s brain for their thoughts to get through to him. At first, there was nothing, just the roaring of the Mindflayer, weaving its way around light posts and cars to get to Billy. But then, slowly, there was a change. Billy started to struggle less, and the grey veins started to recede.

Billy was shouting at El to let him go, but it was going from ear-splitting to a dull roar. He was slumping over, like the fight was draining out of him. The Mindflayer’s tentacles started to draw back, and it was shrinking. Steve looked around at everyone deep in thought and smiled. It was working.

Before their eyes, the Mindflayer vanished. They could only hope they would never see it again, but at least for right now, Billy was alive and ok, and so were all the other residents of Hawkins.

Eventually, Billy was simply whimpering, and his legs gave out. He fell to the ground, bringing El with him. “It’s ok, Billy,” she said over and over, smiling softly at him, stroking his hair.

Steve sighed in relief. It was going to be alright.

He wanted to run to Billy, but he stood back, letting Max go to him instead first.

She punched Billy in the arm and tried to discreetly wipe a tear from her eye. “You scared the shit out of me, Billy. I’m so glad you’re ok. I really thought it had you this time.”

Billy laughed, pulling her into a bone crushing hug. “You can’t get rid of me that easy, shitbird.”

Eventually, Max pulled away and looked at Steve, motioning for him to come over.

Steve’s heart started to beat wildly, still unable to believe that Billy was truly ok, even as he witnessed him sitting there with his own two eyes.

“Harrington,” Billy greeted him, grinning. “Glad to see me?”

“Fucking understatement of the century,” Steve replied, pulling Billy into his arms. "I'm never letting you go again. You live in these arms now." Billy nodded, laughing. Steve kissed the other boy until Dustin told them they were being gross and to get a room.

“Gladly,” Steve laughed, pulling Billy to his car. Someone else could deal with the aftermath of the crumbling mall. They’d had enough for one day.

***

They spent the rest of the day in bed, not moving except to eat. They were tired and Billy was sore, and they were both unwilling to let the other out of their sight.

***

The next morning dawned clear and bright, and Steve grinned to himself when he looked outside and realized there was snow falling in heavy drifts past his bedroom window. He turned on the radio just in time to hear the DJ say “Good morning and happy new years, Hawkins! Looks like it’s going to be a snowy one today! Stay home and enjoy the time with your loved ones if you can!”

That’s exactly what Steve planned on doing. He shook Billy awake, urging him to look outside. “We’ve done it. We’ve finally done it.”

Billy’s answering grin was brighter than the sun.

[digitalgate02]

Hello, it's Ni again with a little idea in mind: What if we start breaking the comfort zone and trying the most difficult part of Digimon writing/arting? Yes, the digimon.

I'm making this post an encouragement for you to start trying something new and expand your skills -- I'll share some of the tips I've been using for a whole decade when it comes to writing and drawing digimon with their human partners.

Bear with Ni!!

For writing:

My method is: making any inner monologue into a conversation and letting the digimon complete, elaborate, or comment on the human partner's lines.

The technique of the former has been observed by some people that this is basically what happens in-series (at least in Adventure/02 material) -- all of that planned inner monologue you had planned for the character? turn it into a conversation with the digimon. There's so little inner thoughts depicted in Adventure and 02 BUT there's a ton of little exchanges between the human with their partner. It also helps that in Adventure & 02, the digimon are somewhat an "other self" of the children, so they basically know them enough to point out when they're hesitant, nervous, angry, embarrassed or happy.

It also helps that certain digimon partners like Daisuke's V-mon, Jou's Gomamon and Wallace's Gummymon/Terriermon have no filter and try to encourage their partners by either roasting them by sheer accident. Remember, the digimon are extremely honest when it comes to their partners feelings, they can spot a lie pretty easily. So why not write Taichi saying a lie to hide something and Agumon innocently commenting aloud that that was a lie?

The latter technique is my own personal flavor. I'll give you an example: Daisuke is explaining his delicious new ramen recipe, and V-mon adds some commentaries like a TV announcer on TV commercials by saying "And there's more!" "Look at this delicious ramen broth!" "It's 100% approved by the customers!"

The digimon usually tends to put extra emphasis on what their partner is saying, or they make little comments! Or even, they might elaborate or complete phrases as well. The reverse can happen too, of course. Think about stuff like Happy Smile, 2-TOP, Fly High, HEY-Rasshai!, Forever Adolescence, etc songs where they have a little talk between the songs, or are bickering, or are completing the others’ lines.

For Drawing:

This part is a little more trickish, but here we go. Let’s watch a few shots of Digimon anime/movies and analyze how they depict the kids interacting with their digimon.

Since Tailmon is small, Hikari crouches to her eye level in order to talk with her in Kizuna. Note that this is how you can have both in the same scene/shot when Tailmon is not in Hikari’s arms. You need to plan where to place the digimon in your art, by knowing its size in-series, which form you want to feature in the picture, and where to place them.

For the celebration of Hunters’ final episode 10th Anniversary in 2022, The Digimon Web profile on twitter posted this illust of Gumdramon and Tagiru. Note that Gumdramon is the main star of the composition and Tagiru is behind him, as if he was commanding Gumdramon in a battle.

Now, some personal examples from my own art, to show how I deal with this:

This composition plays with the idea of a selfie. Gumdramon is being held by Tagiru here.

Middle Schooler Daisuke & Chibimon meets Kiyoshiro & Jellymon. The interaction between them is Daisuke and Chibimon looking at Kiyocchi’s hand, which is also the exact arm Jellymon is tied to.

Now, for bigger mons: Know their size and how to place them in the scenario, like Angoramon is here in this official art:

Since Angoramon is bigger than Jellymon and Gammamon, they decided to place him and Ruli behind the other two pairs. You can see this composition shows an interesting dynamic between them and also Jellymon on top of Kiyoshiro’s head.

Remember: the bigger the evolution/form you want to depict with their human partner, the more trickish might be. But don't worry! I trust you to figure it out! You can do it!!

I hope this post can help people, those observations and tips really helped me once and are still helping me when working on digi-stuff ;v;

[d-criss-news]

In Tune With Crissmas

“Criss” Kringle’s coming to town a little early this year. And he’s got creative plans to spread some musical Yuletide cheer throughout the Motor City.

You might even say that it’s his civic duty.

“I’m in the service industry. As an entertainer, I’m here to play some music and take you through a bit of a holiday music Ted Talk,” says actor/singer/songwriter Darren Criss about his “A Very Darren Crissmas” tour coming to the Fisher Theatre on Sunday, Dec. 10. “Hopefully, people will leave with a little holiday pep in their step.”

Topping Criss’ concert playlist are songs from his A Very Darren Crissmas album which dropped in 2021. But because of the pandemic, Criss never got a chance to have a full-blown Christmas concert tour — until now.

“The album and tour showcase creative imaginings of classic tunes and rarely covered hidden gems along with two original Christmas songs,” says Criss, a 2009 Theatre Performance graduate of the University of Michigan.

Joining Criss on stage is fellow UM Wolverine and BFF Tomek Miernowski as his music director. Criss’ set list features “a wildly eclectic collection of songs from big band Christmas classics to novelty tunes and modern-day folk-pop ballads,” he says.

Long before the Crissmas album — which features duets with Adam Lambert, Lainey Wilson and Evan Rachel Wood — Criss was writing original songs for the hit TV series Glee which featured Criss in his breakout role as Blaine Anderson. In 2018, he won a Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and Critics’ Choice Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for his role as Andrew Cunanan in The Assassination Of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story. In addition, he recently starred in Netflix’s hit series Hollywood, for which he also served as executive producer. And Broadway fans will remember Criss’ star turns in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and American Buffalo with Laurence Fishburne and Sam Rockwell in 2022.

Though Criss won’t be able to squeeze in a visit to the Big House in Ann Arbor this time around, he’s already checking out the home game schedule for 2024.

“I make it my business to come back at least once a year, especially during football season,” says Criss, who attended nearly every game when he was a student. The last time Criss was in Michigan, he also visited the Motown Museum with his band.

“It was fun,” he says. “There’s a bit of Motown that’s infused in this album that was inspired by the Detroit sound. So, when we play [the Christmas concert at the Fisher Theatre], there will be a bit of a hometown vibe.”

Though Criss’ dad moved all over the country growing up, he spent his formative years in Detroit.

“So that’s why when I applied to the University of Michigan, and ultimately got in, it was such a big thing for me to be able to take my dad to the Big House for a football game. He hadn’t been to Michigan since he was 10. And I took him, easily, more than 50 years later to see a game there. That was a lot of fun,” Criss reminisced. 

“I’ve got a lot of kinship with the state of Michigan and the city of Detroit.”

Birmingham City Lifestyle (December 2023 Issue)