#i assume they’ll just. find a car. maybe

[warlenys]

they’re fucking stupid for going on that road trip on motorbikes what the hell is gonna happen when wilson gets too ill to ride it. obviously the idea of him getting on the back of house’s is great but what if he gets too weak and just lets go and falls off. plus what about car md. or have they finally escaped the not telling each other they love each other hell. can’t tell whether it’s deeply romantic or stupid as shit which i guess actually makes it very very hilson

[buff-electra-truther]

the Starlight Express Alumni Podcast is fascinating because you have

-multiple stories of people accidentally falling into roles that suit them perfectly, in very different ways

-Reva Rice basically never got hurt and one of the only times she did was OFF SKATES when she fell down the stairs

-Dolan Jose REALLY wanting to cover the “girl components” and being SO excited to at least be Wrench

-the mental image of a 6’6 Vegas Showgirl looking guy as a couples therapist

-the perpetual challenge of casting Poppas lol this constantly comes up in different Stex interviews

[ladykailitha]

Not All That Glitters is Gold Part 11

The second one for today. Steve and Eddie have an actual conversation about their wants and needs from the relationship.

Pt 1 Pt 2 Pt 3 Pt 4 Pt 5 Pt 6 Pt 7 Pt 8 Pt 9 Pt 10

@mira-jadeamethyst @rozzieroos @redfreckledwolf @emly03 @itsall-taken

****

Eddie laughed when Steve explained the reason for the flowers that night over drinks. “Do you really think your parents will leave you alone now?”

Steve shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. But they’ll fuck off for awhile at least. And honestly you can’t buy that kind of peace.”

He smiled. “Damn straight. My own dear ole dad came out of the woodwork when Corroded Coffin hit it big. Tried to take credit for teaching me to play guitar.”

Steve leaned forward, chin on his fist. “I’m guessing that’s nowhere near what actually happened?”

“Oh hell no,” Eddie scoffed. “He taught me how to hotwire cars, blend into crowds to get away from cops, and how to lie through your teeth so convincingly that no one could tell. But you want to know who did teach me how to play? My Uncle Wayne. The man who took me in when the cops finally caught up with the rat bastard.”

Steve sighed wistfully. “God, what I would have given to have an Uncle Wayne. But sadly, when the test came back as infertile all they could think about was how to ‘recoup the loss of having an omega for a son’.”

Eddie’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head. “Are you fucking with me?”

“I wish I was,” Steve said mournfully, shaking his head. “Most of the men on my dad’s side of the family were alphas and if they weren’t then they were omegas pumping out babies like a machine.”

Eddie winced and took Steve’s free hand in his. “I’m sorry, baby. That’s got have been so hard.”

Steve squeezed Eddie’s hand with a sigh. “The disappointment was so palpable in that doctor’s office you could cut it with a knife.” He shook his head. “They even refused further testing, even though my great-great grandmother on my mother’s side was a golden omega.”

“Really?” Eddie said, his eyebrows shooting up. “Damn. Those are super rare.”

Steve nodded. “I have two friends with red hair and that’s more common than a golden omega.”

“But if they were so desperate for money why didn’t they test for it?” he asked gently.

Steve shrugged. “My dad is a skinflint. The cost of the test outweighed the gamble on my chance of being ultra-fertile instead.”

“Damn just think you could have had your choice of any alpha in the country,” Eddie teased, “if they had and you turned out to be one.”

Steve shook his head, wrapping Eddie’s hand in both of his. “Nah, I prefer it this way, I have a job I love, a best friend I couldn’t live without and you. If I had been a golden omega, my parents would have made me chose from the crustiest, conservative assholes they could find.”

Eddied ducked his head and blushed to the roots of his hair. “So I’m assuming the label sent you a copy of the interview today?” he asked shyly.

Steve nodded. “Of course. You were so cute.”

“So call me stupid,” he said clearing his throat, “but I didn’t know escorts were allowed partners. I looked it up, a couple even have bonds. Like how the fuck does that work?”

Steve laughed bright and clear and Eddie went to remove his hand from his, but Steve held on tight.

“I wasn’t laughing at you, babe,” Steve soothed. “I was laughing because Robin thought that you weren’t aware and told me to clear it up with you. That was the main reason for drinks tonight.”

Eddie blinked at him owlishly. “Wait, really?”

“Of course,” Steve said. “But to answer your question about how omegas with bondmates can still be escorts, you forget that a lot of what we do isn’t about sex. Everyone associates escorts with sex, but that’s just a common misconception. Sometimes people just want the attention of a kind omega with no strings attached.” He kissed Eddie’s knuckles gently. “And then there are the ones that want a ‘cheating’ scenario without the drama of actually cheating.”

Eddie frowned. “So how does that work?”

“They want to have sex with a bonded omega,” Steve explained. “But without having to worry that there would an actual alpha gunning for them.”

“And their alpha doesn’t care they’re having sex with other alphas?” Eddie asked, tilting his head to the side, his eyes gentle and curious, not judging.

Steve shook his head. “Nope. Things can change, of course. A famous Starcourt escort Mia Sanchez retired last year because her alpha asked her to. But they had been bonded for fifteen years before retirement.”

“Huh.”

That filled Eddie with a warmth he didn’t know he was missing until that moment. He licked his bottom lip slowly.

“And if I wanted to properly court you,” he asked easily, “what would you say to that?”

Steve grinned back at him. “I’d say yes.”

Eddie leapt from his seat and came around the table to kiss him firmly on the lips.

Steve laughed, breaking the kiss, but Eddie didn’t mind. He couldn’t be happier.

“So you don’t want me to chose between you and my job, then?” Steve asked, referring to their contract.

Eddie shook his head. “If there was a way that you could be happy with both, darlin’, that was choice I was always going to make.”

“What about the Grammy’s and your rut?” Steve asked, concerned. He felt bad, but he still wanted to get paid for those things. He didn’t want to suddenly have Eddie expect them for free now that they were courting.

“Don’t worry, Stevie,” Eddie murmured into his omega’s ear. “The contract will still be for those things, we just won’t have a fake break up of our fake relationship after my rut.”

Steve’s lip wobbled. “Would it be a real break up of a real relationship?” he asked softly.

Eddie pulled him in for a big hug. “Not for all the gold in all the world. Okay?”

He let out a shuddering breath. “I’m okay with that.”

Eddie kissed him again before going back to sit down in his chair. “So for the Grammy’s I looked over those two outfits you sent me for suggestion on what you should wear.”

Steve smiled, grateful for the change of topic to something safer and more comfortable for him. “Yeah, which one did you prefer? I mean, I have closet full of amazing clothes and if nothing suits your fancy...” he half shrugged, “it gives me chance to go shopping.”

Eddie laughed. “No, no. I loved them both. Though taking you shopping has it’s appeal...” He shook his head. “I’m getting off the track here. I want you to wear the mini to the awards and the pant suit to the Vanity Fair after party.”

Steve’s mouth formed an ‘O’ and he grinned. “That is a fantastic idea. I love it.”

“I thought you’d like that,” Eddie said with a grin. “Do you get to wear much stuff that’s just for you or do you have to be ‘Starcourt Escort’ twenty four seven?”

Steve shrugged. “It’s a bit half and half if I’m honest. I don’t have to be dressed to the nines all the time...”

“But if you don’t,” Eddie said with a growl, “all the tabloids say that you’re ‘letting yourself go’?”

Steve blushed and nodded.

“What would you want to wear if you weren’t ‘escort Steve’?” Eddie asked, motioning to the waiter that they needed another round.

“It’s stupid,” he said, tucking his chin tightly to his chest. “I’m a fashion plate. That’s what I’m supposed to be.”

Eddie clicked his tongue and wagged his finger. “None of that. I won’t let anyone talk shit about my boyfriend, not even himself.”

That surprised a laugh out of him. “I like the polos, Henley’s, and chinos look. Lame I know.”

Eddie’s eyebrows shot up. That was not the answer he had expected at all. He thought it would have been sweat pants and baggy sweaters.

“It’s not lame if it makes you feel good about yourself,” he insisted.

Another couple of bottles of beer arrived and Steve grabbed one. He just held it in his hands. He let out a long sigh.

“You know how we can roleplay situations for clients?”

Eddie nodded. They had done the meet-cute in a bar roleplay just last night.

“There’s one you won’t find on my list,” he continued. “At least not anymore.”

Eddie could feel the tension build between them. Whatever this was about was fucking hard for Steve to talk about.

“Sometimes busy executives and business owners like to have a scenario where they come home to a cute little omega housewife. If it’s a female omega, think the 1950s type. Dresses and high heels.”

And suddenly what Steve was talking about hit Eddie like a fist to the solar plexus. Male omegas would be in the polos and chinos. But the roleplay had tainted Steve’s love for those kinds of clothes and it made Eddie furious.

“And if you’re seen out and about wearing them,” he guessed, “people think you’re doing the roleplay, don’t they?”

Steve flushed in shame. He nodded once.

“Shit, sweetheart,” he murmured. “Are you sure you like this job?”

Steve’s head snapped up. “Yes! The good far out weighs the bad. Like ruts without an omega can actually fuck up an alpha body. Like completely wreck it to hell. So I get to go in and help these alphas that don’t have an omega they can trust and help them through one of the worst weeks of their year and that it happens multiple times, anywhere from three to five depending on their age. Yes, I’m trained to be charming and great in bed, but that? That’s what makes everything worth while.”

He was panting at the end of his rant, eyes wild, hands clutching Eddie’s fiercely.

Eddie chuckled. “All right, darlin’. I didn’t mean to offend.”

Steve ducked his head and Eddie gently lifted it back up with two fingers. “I like that you’re passionate about what you love, honey. It makes you sparkle.”

Steve looked down at his watch and cursed. “I’ve got to go.” He looked back up at him. “But I’ll see you on Friday?”

Eddie grinned. “It’s a date, sweetheart.”

Steve hopped off his seat and walked away.

Eddie shook his head and murmured, “Hate to see you leave, but damn do I love to watch you go.”

Steve ass looked amazing in whatever the guy wore. But now Eddie understood his need for hyper-masculinity. Even when he was wearing that golden dress, it highlighted his flat chest and broad thighs.

People made assumptions about who Steve was based on what he was wearing at all times and if he was even the slightest bit not what people expected he got hell for it.

In a lot of ways, Steve’s every move was even more scrutinized than Eddie’s and he was the frontman of a very famous metal band. He couldn’t imagine living the way Steve did. But despite all the hang ups and downsides, Steve was happy and you really couldn’t buy that.

He paid the tab and walked out onto the pavement. He lit up a cigarette and took a long drag. He let out the smoke slowly and flicked away the ash.

Eddie was content with his lot in life for the first time since he moved in with his uncle, Wayne. Wayne was always supportive of whatever Eddie wanted to do in life and was happy to hear about Steve.

And even happier when Eddie had called him this afternoon to tell him Stevie might agree to date without all the hoopla of the agency. Everything Eddie did, Wayne was sure to hear about it first.

Wayne was home. No matter the distance. Something Eddie never thought he’d find out here in California.

Stevie was quickly becoming home for him. He never thought he would want to mate, not after seeing how horrible his parents acted. But now?

Now he couldn’t wait to start courting the most beautiful omega in the world.

Eddie took another drag of his cigarette and then flicked it away. He hailed a cab and gave directions for home.

He couldn’t wait to show Steve off on live television. And maybe just maybe win a Grammy or two.

****

Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17

Tag List: @spectrum-spectre @estrellami-1 @zerokrox-blog @swimmingbirdrunningrock @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @chaoticlovingdreamer @messrs-weasley @goodolefashionedloverboi @maya-custodios-dionach @val-from-lawrence @i-must-potato @danili666 @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog @justforthedead89 @bookworm0690 @bookbinderbitch @yikes-a-bee @littlewildflowerkitten @vecnuthy @scheodingers-muppet @y4r3luv @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @genderless-spoon @anne-bennett-cosplayer @awkwardgravity1 @irregular-child @nburkhardt @apomaro-mellow @yellowdevilkitten @eyehartart @mangoinacan13 @demolvr @ellietheasexylibrarian @rememberthatiloveyou @slowandsteddie @r0binscript @alyelf @melodymeddler @mogami13 @annabanannabeth

[valyrfia]

Haha I love that lestappen gate is resurfacing, though I think we did a complete 180!

We used to love lestappen gate bc a lot of us felt Charles was being wasted at Ferrari, but now with the Red Bull team inevitably imploding, the questionable quality and brand of their 2026 engine, and Merc still rebuilding - I feel like if anything, Ferrari are looking to come out as the top team.. and so maybe Charles was right in staying (I hope). If lestappen gate were to happen I now feel like it's highly unlikely for Charles to go to RB but actually more possible Max goes to Ferrari after Hamilton retires..

Lestappen Gate was for those of us who were frustrated with Ferrari for seemingly wasting Charles’s talents and wanting to see what he could do in the most dominant car on the grid. Now at the end of 2023 that most dominant car was Red Bull and likely it will be for the first part of 2024 but after….

As you mentioned anon, the entire team imploding with CH clinging on to a position he should’ve resigned from ages ago, new engine along with the new regs in 2026, losing staff to Ferrari, rumours of them losing Adrian Newey to Ferrari…..the writing is on the wall for Red Bull. They’ll still be dominant for the first part of this season but other teams will begin to catch up and Lewis’s move to Ferrari is as much about trying to catch top talent at Ferrari and much as it is having a 7x WDC talent in the driver’s seat. Charles definitely made the right choice staying at a team that he knows like a family and loves him back like a son, a team that will within the next couple of years probably have the most insane off-track talent we’ve seen in a few decades going into the new regs. Forza Ferrari sempre.

As for Max going to Ferrari after Lewis retires….I would just say it’s much more likely than we think. Assuming Max doesn’t retire before Lewis (which is always a possibility to be honest, Max has been yapping quite a bit about retirement lately), Max and Charles have obviously already had that teammate conversation and decided that they could work, and I maintain that Max’s apologies to Charles in part fermé after COTA and Vegas 2023 were part of Max proving to Charles that they could work.

Max also has sentimental connection to Ferrari through Michael, and I do think that if Red Bull stops winning and a spot opens for Max at Ferrari, he would take it. I’ve been saying this to @tsarinablogs but I personally find the idea quite fulfilling in their own personal narrative as well. They are the two generational talents of this era, but Charles has always been the one “chasing” Max in their careers, into karting, into F1, to race wins, to championships, but at the end of Max’s career, he’s the one who chases Charles to Ferrari.

[dreamlandiasims]

previous | next

Erwin: Back in the 70s, Strangerville was a military base and research facility. Well, it was a town before that, too, but the government presence really made it what it is today. The story is they got a report one day of some strange plant growing here and the feds rolled into to check it out. Turns out, the plant was alien in nature. The military did their best to cover it up, but it caught the attention of some of the early ufologists, namely the Curious brothers. Long story short, the military lost control of the situation, the plant-alien threatened to take over the town, and the ufologists had to dispose of it.

Frankie: There’s no way a single word of that is true.

Erwin: Yeah, well, that’s what a lot of people said to the Curious brothers. The government sealed the case up tight, and without any proof, no one believed them. Anyways, the town was pretty quiet after that. Officially, the military operation here was done. But in reality, they had worked out an under-the-table deal with some private organization, which bought the lab and took over research there.

Frankie: I met someone at the lab who said he owned it—well, paid for it at least. Ted Roswell?

Erwin: Ah, the Roswells. So this organization that bought the lab, it’s called Agnos. I don’t know much about it—there’s, like, nothing online—but it seems to involve the leaders and wealthy elite of cities all over the country. I’m talking Del Sol Valley, San Myshuno, Willow Creek… I don’t think the Roswells are really involved at the highest level. But they have the money to keep the lab in operation, so they’re given just enough power and influence to stay loyal.

Frankie: Wait… so how does BioSim Tech come into all of this?

Erwin: Well, now that’s the next piece of the puzzle. BioSim Tech is a real, legit company—but it’s owned by Agnos. They seem to dabble in a lot of different industries, but “bio engineering” is their main focus. On paper, the company is dedicated to “developing cutting edge solutions towards a brighter future for Sims everywhere”.

Frankie: Okay, sure.

Erwin: So it seems like they’re working on cures for disease, operations to increase longevity, things like that. But—and this part is just my theory, by the way—I think it’s all a front. I think what they’re really interested in is Strangerville’s connection to the extraterrestrial.

Frankie: Here we go…

Erwin: See, the alien plant… no one knows how it got here. It just appeared one day. Now, one of the leading theories among ufologists is that there are certain places in the world—places where there’s a higher frequency of abduction stories, UFO sightings, what have you—and that this means that the fabric, the material, separating our world from others is thinner, or more fragile. And so, periodically there are events that may cause a small tear—

Frankie: Aaaand you’ve lost me. How does any of this help me find my mom?

Erwin: I’m getting to that, if you’ll just listen…

Frankie: I’m trying! Could you get there a little faster maybe?

Erwin: Fine. Forget my theories, here’s what I know. A few years ago a new team of scientists showed up, some sort of changing of the guard. Still part of BioSim Tech, but… different somehow. More secretive, more controlling. And things have been weird here ever since. Technology going haywire, people losing their memories, and… well… people coming to town and never leaving.

Frankie: Wait, what?

Erwin: It’s not every person that drives through. But every now and then, they’ll decide to stick around—sometimes they’re tourists, sometimes… they have car trouble. And within a few days, they’ve disappeared. No one sees them leave, but we all just assume they skipped town. You know… helps us sleep at night.

Frankie: And you didn’t think to tell me this sooner?

Erwin: Look, I’m sorry. Like I said, it’s not every person that comes through. I didn’t want to scare you unnecessarily. Also… they scare the shit out of me. Agnos seems to have eyes and ears everywhere. People that go out of their way to warn others… also disappear.

Frankie: … What are they doing with the people they take?

Erwin: That… I don’t know.

Frankie: Then let’s find out.

Erwin: I, erm, what?

Frankie: You and me, Merlin. We’re getting into that lab.

[fandsart]

They find themselves stranded just outside of town. Right near the of their trip to Indy, the car ran out of gas. They’re only two miles away from a gas station and Steve was so sure they’d be able to make it. Maybe the car has to use more gas than it used to, or maybe the meter shifted, over the years. Steve maintains that they should have been fine. But now they have to wait for a tow truck.

They’re right by a field of grass, full of green and white clovers, with a sprinkling of daisies. Robin eventually gets too restless just sitting in the car, waiting, so she gets out and plops herself into the field and starts fidgeting with the grass. Steve follows suit.

“I’m sure they’ll be here any minute.”

“Have you ever made a daisy chain before?” she asks, holding one up between her forefinger and thumb.

“Yeah, some girl in elementary school taught me how to make them.”

“Oh my god! Steve, I got obsessed with doing it and used to go around just teaching everyone I could how to do it. What if we met all those years ago? Could you imagine? How crazy would that be?”

“God, I hope not. I super embarrassed myself in front of that girl.”

She hums. “Maybe not then. I don’t think I had anyone embarrass themselves while I taught them, so probably not. What did you do? Try to flirt with her?”

“What? I was in elementary school!”

“Exactly. I assume that attempt would be made so much worse with the lack of experience. I mean, you don’t do so great with the experience.”

He shoves her head. “I didn’t flirt with her. It was seriously like 3rd grade.”

“So what did you do?”

“Well, I guess I didn’t embarrass myself so much as I just… was embarrassed. By something else.”

“By…” she probes.

“My dad. Dragged me away. Called me a sissy for it.”

“Oh… I didn’t think that was embarrassing.”

[fuctacles]

in love and war part 2

For Spicy Six Winter Challenge hosted by @thefreakandthehair

T | 2221 | feelings realization, bi awakening | read part 1 here | part 3 here

And this takes us to the present. The revenge plan.

The sun has just come up and there are four of them camping in Steve’s car, sharing thermoses full of hot beverages of choice. (Steve brought one full of hot cocoa and it's the crowd’s favorite.)

“Eddie is not an early riser, we’re wasting time,” Lucas complains while observing the trailer with his binoculars. 

“I think his uncle’s gonna wake him up for us,” Robin assures him. And like clockwork, Wayne Munson’s truck comes into view, almost knocking down one of their sculptures. The man steps out, takes a look at the dozen snowmen surrounding his trailer, and disappears inside. 

About fifteen minutes later, the curtains in one of the windows move. Steve’s buzzing in his seat. Or maybe just shivering. He reaches into his pocket for a tissue to wipe his runny nose.

“There’s a message!”

“Well, read it!”

“Nice move, Stevie,” Lucas reads the paper that appeared in the window. “Can’t play with you tho, I’m sick. Sad face.”

“Did he draw a sad face or…?”

“Of course, he drew it!”

Steve yanks the binoculars from Lucas to see for himself. The papers disappeared but Eddie took their place in the window, wrapped in a blanket. There’s a scarf around his neck and his nose is red. He looks bad.

“Damn. He really is sick.”

“Full offense but you look like shit, too.”

“Can it, Mayfield.”

He steps out and walks up to the trailer. Eddie finally spots him and he perks up and waves at him.

“Hi!” 

Even through the window, Steve can hear how croaky his voice is.

“Guess there goes your next campaign.”

Eddie laughs weakly, it turns into a cough.

“Guess so.”

“You started it,” he reminds him.

“I know. Sorry.”

“Why?” Steve frowns at him. Eddie shrugs.

“Seemed like a fun idea.”

“Imagine how much fun you could be having playing DnD now.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Eddie waves his hand. “But. You know.” He shrugs again.

“No, I don’t know.” He shakes his head, frowning again.

“You don’t play DnD.”

He taps against the glass nervously and Steve collects himself quickly.

“We can find something that doesn’t end with you in bed.”

Eddie’s eyes sparkle with mischief and Steve immediately realizes the double meaning in his words.

“Okay, shut up.”

He turns around and leaves quickly. The inside of his car is surprisingly warm and he shivers from head to toe.

“Well, I’m leaving before I catch whatever this is,” Max eyes him before escaping the car. She stops once outside. “Lucas, you coming?”

The boy scrambles behind her.

“Let’s get you home,” Robin squeezes his arm. 

He takes one last glance at Eddie’s trailer and nods. 

It’s all misery from there. He makes camp in the living room because that’s where the tv is and he needs some entertainment while sitting on his ass and coughing. Robin takes stock of his medicine cabinet and whatever else he may need while housebound. She forces him to take his temperature. He’s prissy about it because it would make the sickness real, but it’s barely above average.

“Good. Let’s keep it that way.” Robin pats him on the head while inspecting the thermometer. “Where’s your walkie?”

“There’s no need-”

“Little shitheads need to know they’re on their own. Or rather on their parent’s mercy.”

He nods.

“It should be on my desk.”

She’s gone for a while which makes him assume he’s excluded from the conversation. There’s probably a lot of yelling happening from the kids and Robin’s saving him the headache, bless her heart. She comes back eventually, walkie in hand. 

“I’ll leave it nearby in case you need anything, but I told them not to bother you, that you’ll contact them if you need anything.”

“Thanks,” he smiles. “You’re the best.”

“I know,” she smiles back. “Dustin isn’t happy, of course, but his mom said they’ll come with some soup later. Max said, and I quote “serves them well.”

“She's not wrong,” he mutters.

“Will and Lucas said they’re sorry. Will said Mike’s sorry too.”

Steve snorts.

“Course he did. What did Eddie say?”

“Nothing,” she shrugs. “Either he was sleeping or too sick to speak up.”

“Huh.” He’s weirdly disappointed about that.

“Anyway, I gotta go to work now because my coworker called in sick.” She pats his knee as she stands up.

“Uh, I’m sorry?”

She shakes her head.

“You’ll pay me back when I come down with whatever I just caught from you. I’ll come over tomorrow with some movies. don’t forget Dustin’s coming later today!”

He groans.

“Right, of course.”

“Yeah, not jealous about that, buddy.” She pats his head. His hair is ruined enough that he doesn’t protest. “Walkie if you need anything, do not leave the house, keep yourself warm. Toodles!”

“See you, Rob.”

Later he has to listen to Dustin yelling at him from the other side of the room (“I’m not getting any closer to your germs, Steve!”). Claudia, the wonderful mom she is, doesn’t have such reservations and hands him the soup she brought after heating it.

“Dusty made us make rounds to all your friends to gather a care package for you.”

Steve makes a surprised sound over his cup.

“Being sick is so boring, we thought it could help!” Dustin adds, still yelling from afar. But the anger seems to have seeped out of him. “We’re going to Eddie’s next, his care package is cooler.”

“Dustin!”

Steve laughs.

“He’s probably right, Ms. Claudia, I don’t think our interests overlap as much as with Eddie.”

“Well, you’re gonna get educated because we do not have boring jock shit for you.”

“Dustin!”

“What?! It’s the truth!”

Steve snorts so hard, he needs a tissue.

After they leave, he digs into the care package like it’s a Christmas morning. Everything has little post-it notes with get-well wishes and signed who it’s from. From Robin, he got promised medication restock and some hard candy for his throat. Will gave him a copy of Hobbit and a tape which upon opening, turned out to have a small joint hidden inside, courtesy of Jonathan. El lent him a Wonder Woman comic. Dustin gave him a Batman comic and a handwritten guide titled “D&D for dummies”, that actually made him chuckle. At the bottom, probably because Dustin was ashamed of his friend, was an issue of Sports Illustrated with a note “Read the Magic Johnson interview!” and below that, a girly-looking magazine, dryly signed “from Erica.” He chuckled to himself and opened it first. Inside was another Post-it note that read “page 17”. Intrigued, he flips the pages to find it.

On page seventeen, there is a segment titled “Flirting or bullying?” and one of the questions/stories is highlighted with a pink marker. Steve gets to reading.

“Dear TM team,

My friend, S, is being followed by this boy who keeps starting snowball fights. He’s waiting for S’s shift to end, sitting in his van outside the shop to do so. It’s turning into a full-blown snowball war by this point. My other friend thinks they are pulling pigtails, but I just think they are dumb. So, is it flirting or boys being idiots? -E”

Steve drops the magazine and goes into the kitchen to have a refill of his soup.

When Robin comes in the next day, the magazine still lies where he left it, taunting him. His heart stutters when she picks it up with a laugh.

“I guess under all her snark Erica is just another girl, huh?”

Oh, how wrong she was.

He licked his dry lips before speaking up, barely audible and fucking terrified.

“Open it.”

Surprised, her eyes snap at him, but something in his tone makes her comply without a word. He pretends to busy himself studying the romcoms she brought.

“Huh,” he hears among the rustle of the pages. He looks up, too tempted to watch her face while she reads.

“What’s so fucking funny?” he asks, watching her lips quirk.

“Nothing!” she squeaks. “I’m surprised she did that.”

“I’m not. It’s Erica.”

“True,” she giggles, closing the magazine. He frowns at her.

“What did they say?”

“You didn’t read it?”

He taps his fingers against his mug.

“I chickened out,” he admits.

“Why don’t you ask Eddie yourself?”

“Robin,” he whines.

“Steve,” she whines back. She scoots closer and takes the mug out of his hand to lace their fingers together. “Listen, I rejected you and now we’re friends. You’re friends with Nancy too. You can let him down gently, it’s not the end of the world.”

“No, Robin…” He sighs, squeezing her hand. “I think I was, um… pulling his pigtails back.”

“Oh shit.”

“Oh shit,” he nods.

They look into each other’s eyes, giddy and nervous, before bursting into giggles. Their eyes fall back on the magazine. 

“Hey.”

“Hm?”

“Didn’t Eddie get a care package from them too?”

“Oh shit.”

“Dude I can’t stay here forever, pick up the phone!”

“Your yelling is really not helping me.”

“Oh, so you’d rather do it by yourself?”

He winces.

“No? Yes? I don’t know!”

She groans and he’s pretty sure she’s about to strangle him when the phone calls. They both jump and stare at it. Robin eyes him but he’s not moving a muscle so she groans and picks it up in the middle of the third ring.

“Yes?” She sounds calm and collected. “Oh, hi Eddie!” She smiles like an imp, staring straight into Steve’s soul. “You sound like shit.”

He makes a sound of protest, but she puts a hand up to stop him.

“Oh, you just got your voice back? And you’re calling Steve first thing? How sweet!” She’s making kissy faces at him and he’s about to commit murder. “Yes, he’s awake, I’ll get him.” She holds out the receiver. “For you.”

“Fucking obviously,” he murmurs, snatching it from her. She snickers.

“I’ll be in the living room,” she says and struts away, but he keeps an eye on her just in case she decides to eavesdrop. 

“Steve?” 

He does sound terrible.

“It’s me, hi.”

“Hi, um. Did you, by any chance, maybe, perhaps, get a care package from the kids?”

Steve’s insides twist.

“Yes?”

“From Erica too?”

“Yes.”

“A magazine?”

“Page seventeen?”

Eddie breathes hard into the receiver. 

“Yes, that.”

The silence hangs between them. His clogged sinuses make it hard to formulate thoughts.

“What did they say?”

“What?”

“Was it flirting or bullying?” he clarifies, fumbling with the cord. 

“You didn’t read it?”

“No.” He tries to find an explanation that doesn't sound bad. “Wanted to hear it from you.”

Eddie takes a ragged breath, it turns into a coughing fit. Steve frowns.

“You should go back to bed, we can talk about it later.”

“No!” Eddie protests straight away. Coughs a bit more. “I just… Yes, they say it was flirting,” he spits out.

Steve suddenly feels worse.

“But they were wrong,” he pushes for clarification.

Eddie sounded like they were.

“I don’t know,” he admits instead. Steve frowns.

“What do you mean you don’t know? You either flirt or-”

“I never thought about it, okay?” Eddie interrupts him. “I always assumed I’m into chicks but I’d definitely not flirt with one like that.”

It feels like a punch in the gut and Steve knows his own answer. Robin’s right, he’s survived rejection and unrequited feelings and got life-long friendships out of it. He can bear one more.

“Well, I’m pretty sure it was flirting on my part.”

Eddie starts coughing again.

“It’s okay if you weren’t i just wanted to be clear,” he adds as soon as the coughing subdues. “I never thought about it before either.”

“No, listen. Steve. Stevie.”

Steve’s stomach makes a backflip against his will.

“Yes?”

“I’m still thinking about it, okay? Just, the fever isn’t helping. Like, I want to say yes, but I’d rather say it when I’m not sick and half out of it, you know?”

Steve barks out a laugh, relieved and hopeful.

“Sure, makes sense. I’ll still be here.”

Waiting, like a dumbass.

“Cool. I’ll call you tomorrow, I’m out of stamina for today.”

“Sure, uh, sleep well.”

“You too, sweetheart.”

Steve’s too stunned by the pet name to put the phone away, so they just breathe into each other's ears, startled. But he won’t let Eddie one-up him like that.

“Goodnight, handsome.”

Eddie made a choked sound before ending the call. Steve puts the phone down and walks back into the living room, where Robin is waiting for him, the TV forgotten.

“Well? What did he say?” she asks before he can sit down.

“That he’s still thinking about it.”

“Nooooo!”

“But he did call me a sweetheart.”

“Oh?”

“I guess neither of us realized we were flirting.”

“Steve!” She starts slapping his arm.

“What? What?!”

“I hate you so much! You were each other’s gay awakening? How is that fair?!”

She’s pouting when he grasps her hands to stop the assault.

“Well, we can plot a snowball war against Vickie next,” he offers.

“Are you kidding me?! She’d hate it!”

Steve imagined a gaggle of kids ganging against the poor little redhead.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. I guess men are a simpler species.”

“You are so lucky I love you.”

[the-roo-too]

paxxword -> favourite thing about you with ot7

lily jin morrow | 🐨

your book taste

that’s a bit goofy answer 😭 but she adores when you talk to her about some books you read. she doesn’t care if it’s a piece she knows or not- she’s all ears. might make a ‘lily’s lost the plot’ about something you recommended. totally brags ‘my gf said this book is so cool and i love it and i love my gf’ and is just all smiley. everyone totally teases her if they see lily with a book you mentioned the previous day.

oh haewon | 🐻

your voice

especially when you read to her. i always see reader asking haewon to sing and i feel like haewon would like you to read a chapter every night. that way you’re both going over books she deems as necessary to read. also if she’s away from you, she’ll call you first thing in the morning and say with a very raspy voice ‘hi love, i just wanted to hear you. could you tell me that quote from shakespeare again?’

seol yoona | 🦌

your hands

another goofy answer- she just loves to hold hands with you. maybe you’re sitting with her in the dorms watching a movie, she’s playing with your fingers. give it that kyujin sits between the two of you, sullyoon will stretch her arm so far that she’s still touching your hand. if anyone passes by, they’ll probably laugh at her, because the position seems absolutely uncomfortable. sullyoon is happy tho, she can have her skin to skin contact.

choi yunjin | 🐯

your nose

she’s very goofy. she likes to just come up and bop you on the nose. will hiss if you do it back though. it’s her form of showing affection. she also likes eskimo kisses! adores them. that’s basically the way she greets you- you’re sitting anywhere, she comes up, leans down, rubs her nose against yours and walks away. i feel like she’s the type to do the ‘i got your nose’ thingy too. you’re feeling bad? she comes running, pokes your nose lightly and says the phrase with a cheeky grin. cheers you up on the spot, no questions asked.

bae jinsol | 🐣

your height

bae is tall. not enormously tall, but still towers a bit over the members. she just assumes you’re shorter than her (if you’re not, she’ll find a way). she likes to put her chin you the top of your head, or your shoulder. just back hugs you and stuffs her face in the crook of your neck. says it’s very comfortable and does it a couple times a day.

kim jiwoo | 🐭

your stuffed animals

if you’ve seen my haewon smau, i’m a firm believer that jiwoo has a collection of plushies. every kind. although i see her as the type of person to send you a picture of two stuffed animals and say ‘that’s so us’. has probably kidnapped at least three of your plushies, they are either her children or being held hostage. that’s also the way to get her to do anything. she will marry you at the spot if you take her to build-a-bear.

jang kyujin | 🐱

your hugs

she’s just really soft for them. she loves cuddling with you anytime, anywhere. could be in the back of the manager’s car while going on schedule, or on the sofa when you visit her at the dorms. she just loves to hug you! poor baby will be so pouty at a practice if she doesn’t get one hug from you previously :(

•^•

[blood-injections]

Imagine a seemingly tragic Fab Four, in a world where maybe there was some truth to the Jet Star and the Kobra Kid traffic report, where Poison ran out as soon as the announcement came and Fun Ghoul couldn’t follow fast enough. Or maybe something completely different happens but whatever happened, maybe he’s the only member of the fabulous four left. Or maybe they just lost one of them, maybe Party, dragged off by Korse on the day when the fabulous four finally lost a fight to them, to be interrogated and probably killed.

But whoever they lost, months or even years down the line, it’s finally Fun Ghoul’s turn. He can’t get out of the way fast enough and there’s guns trained on him, he can’t fight his way out of this one. There’s two choices, let them take him or go down fighting. Die here and now or become a prisoner and maybe have the slightest chance of escaping. There’s nobody to help him, maybe Kobra and Jet were there too, but they were also captured or even shot down. So Ghoul makes his choice, he drops his weapon, lets his arms be wrenched behind him, wrists cuffed tightly, and lets himself be dragged into a shiny white car and sped back to Battery City.

Next thing he knows, he’s flanked by masks as he’s escorted through the halls of a building in the city, likely towards a cell or interrogation room. He keeps his head up, keeps his eyes open for a chance at escape and shows them he’s not scared. But then someone passes them,, walking in the opposite direction down the hall, it’s just a worker or unmasked scarecrow or something, but Ghoul’s knees buckle because he recognizes that face. He cant move, freezes and stumbles, eyes welling with tears as he makes eye contact with the man he hadn’t seen in months or maybe even years, depending on how much time I decide will have passed.

Party Poison only pauses slightly when ghoul collapses, doesn’t look at him with even a flicker of recognition, just a slight grimace as Fun Ghoul is roughly hauled back to his feet and shoved along by his guards, and then they’re gone, down the hall and on their way.

Fun ghoul gets thrown into the barren room that will hold him and he sinks to his knees and cries. Party had vanished after Korse had taken him, they had assumed he had been killed, maybe they should’ve known better. But they had searched for months, they never got any intel on if they had been captured and if they were being held or not.

Fun Ghoul had just started to accept that Party was gone, but then here they were, just another drone in battery city’s halls, memories of their life locked away by drugs. And it breaks his heart, but it also gives him the strength to fight, because if he can get out of here, maybe he can find them and bring them home, maybe there’s a chance Party can remember.

But for now he’s captured, interrogated and tortured, yet to see a chance to escape as they try to do to him what they did to Party. But he fights for as long as he can.

And little does he know that meanwhile, elsewhere, that one Better Living worker is unraveling, because that glimpse of Fun Ghoul in the hall started to undo something that had been done to them long ago. And soon they’ll start to question things, and then they might start to remember. And in a search for answers they’ll brave execution by going to the source. Fun Ghoul thinks he’s going to get out and save party poison. The last thing he expects is party poison busting in and saving him.

[laura1633]

omg the lack of “reading” (visual/aural) comprehension going on with Charles’ cooldown room giggle, like watch the whole clip guys cmon. This is the full sequence of events: 1) they ask how Carlos was able to overtake (max made a mistake, they mention maybe the brakes were already going at that point, then bring up Carlos’ DRS) 2) Charles says, in response to the clip that plays when you see the beginnings of smoke coming from Max’s car, “because seeing that, it was like 2-3 laps, …” (can’t make out what else he says) and does his little huffing laugh, and it’s the SAME LAUGH he always does when he’s feeling awkward (see: when Carlos gifts Charles the chili plush and references that they’ll no longer be teammates). The words + his huff combined shows that he was in disbelief about the situation that things could go so wrong THIS EARLY in the race. That’s why he was “laughing”—he couldn’t believe it happened so quick for Max. This is backed up by: 3) immediately after they catch sight of the more severe smoke coming from Max’s car on screen, INSTANTLY Charles and Carlos stop laughing and go “oh [shit]” “whoa” “oh no” and charles is rubbing his face in shock. It’s obvious how much Charles cares when he saw how bad it ended up being on screen.

Hi anon

Thanks for sharing your thoughts anon ♥️

I haven't heard the audio or watched the full clip which is why my comments were only joking around. I don't think Max actually needs to spank Charles for this just for the record 😂 and I will still defend both Max and Charles like my life depended on it if people are vilifying either one.

I don't think Charles was laughing directly at Max's issues, I just don't see Charles finding that funny. You can also see Carlos, Lando and Charles chatting and laughing between themselves and then the expression slightly changing when they look back at the screen.

I would love to be able to assume most people are just joking around with it and its not too deep but I am too afraid to go into any Charles Leclerc or Max Verstappen tags to check because I really like to just surround myself with positivity on this site.

I do find the idea that Charles was laughing because Max's car looked like it was farting rather funny though 😂

Anyway on to Suzuka and hopefully Max and Charles will be laughing together in the cool down room.

[jenyifer]

Dead Friend Forever ep 8 initial reaction

Omg everyone I’ve caught up!!!!! I’m gonna get to watch the behind the scenes and first eps again woooooooooooo. Thought this ep would have more answers honestly but I got some big new questions

Let’s get into it

But hey he told someone before he died hopefully something can come of that. Once again we know Tee’s uncle gets caught.

Okay so Non’s crying scenes where he’s wearing the bracelet really killed me. Poor baby. So lost and scared no where to go until he mentally snaps. We don’t know exactly what mental disorder he struggles with. I assume it’s bipolar or schizophrenia. It’s sad but I’ve know people who struggled with both. Going off their medication lead to really dangerous places and ways of thinking. I don’t blame non for going to extremes here. Ugh his scream up the stairs really is going to torture me

Tee does at least extremely regrets what he does to Non. I really don’t think he wanted Non dead or in this much trouble but besides non he’s the one most in over his head. He’s also in an impossible situation. No escape his dad is sick and his uncle is an evil bastard who barely takes care of him.

God I hate Por he is really despicable. He’s so realistic though the bully with too much money for his ‘friends’ to speak up. Por has 0 empathy for anyone has little concept of others even his ‘friends’ when Top gets attacked you know you didn’t care? Por.

Oh Non. They did bully and torture you. Non was too good too desperate to make friends to even have one like Jin. He genuinely was doing most of it for Jin. Just to have one friend. So painful. Bullies don’t care what could be going on in your life. I think it’s part of having their brains under developed because later in life they may apologize. I was really bullied in school and when I go home which is 16 hours ago via car sometimes I’ll run into my bullies and they’ll act like we were friends. Or they’ll try to contact me online etc. I think they learn what it means to be bullied later in life or (this actually happened) they have a kid that has ADHD and likes anime and other interests I had and they realize that as a school kid they would have bullied and tortured their own child. So to make up for it they want to talk to me again. Non shouldn’t have gone to that house. He should have just pretended like they were already dead. Change schools. But… if he’s off his medication he can’t be held accountable for his actions here. He’s already obsessed with his story pre everything breaking down. Gahhh I feel so bad for him.

Is this the last time we see Non? He could still be alive I doubt it though. I can’t believe Jin thinks he’s better than the rest of them. Jin and Fluke should have stopped them. I realize that maybe they didn’t understand the depths of trouble Tee is in. Maybe they didn’t compute the graviety of the situation. Non told them Tee had him do the horse account. But it’s worse than that. I’m sure with time Jin at least can put together the extent of trouble Non was in and know he’s been killed.

Tee does try multiple times at his own risk to try to find out what happened to non which is something. It’s possible his relationship with White is an idealized penance for what he did to Non. White is also innocent looking and sweet like Non really was.

Phee’s dad is in an impossible situations the bad guys have proven they are willing to kill and completely cover it up with money. I don’t blame him for backing off to protect his child.

Gahhhhhjj I hate Por so much. Idk why he acted so upset about Non at the beginning of the series. If anything the one who seemed least upset about Non was Jin. But Jin broke the camel’s back and lead Non into the lions den again and again.

Come on Phee let’s get those bitches.

So Tan I’m 100% sure he is New. You can change your nickname.

What I don’t know is

1. Why would Top do anything to Por? Top delivered Non with Tee. Top knew about the accounts. Top doesn’t seem involved heavily else where so… idk

2. Where and who is White? Did he really not know anything is he related to the teacher maybe? Cause we know the teacher is dead. I doubt it though.

3. Does Phee have any feelings for Jin? I doubt it.

[manias-wordcount]

Right Here, Right Now (Laurent Thierry)

Kinktober 2022 Day Sixteen: Phone Sex

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

Today, it’s not the sunlight streaming in from your windows that wakes you up. It’s the sound of your phone ringing a familiar ringtone. A ringtone that even your sleep-riddled mind recognizes and has you running to pick up the call through a mess of blankets and comforters and sheets for your dearly beloved. 

 “Hello?” Your voice is full of tiredness as you press the accept call button and place the phone to your ear as you sit up in bed. For a second, you hear nothing and assume he’s speaking too quietly for you to hear. It’s a bit of a struggle to brush a few strands of your hair away from your ear to make sure you can hear better. But still nothing. And all it really serves to remind you about how you passed out instead of trying to go to sleep like usual. Your hair is a mess, and your clothes and half hanging onto your body and…wait a minute…is he-? “Laurent! It’s not fun-”

 “I’m sorry my lovely, I did not mean to laugh at you.” His accented english flows easily through your phone as his soft chuckles die down. You want to be mad at him. For so many different reasons. But you can’t. Not while you’re imagining the smile on his face whenever he greets you in the morning. The sweet kisses he’d deliver to your lips. The gentle way he would hold you. But you wished it wasn’t just in your imagination. You wished it was real. Right in front of you. Right here. And right now. “I could tell that you just woke up. I suppose my pretty girl had an eventful morning.”

 His remark has your already warm face growing even warmer as soon as your eyes slide over the clock at your bedside that reads 11’clock. He’s calling you out, almost as if he was there to see the messy white sheets draped all over the bed from your lonely night of tossing and turning in the large master bedroom. And as much as you try to control the feeling, you can’t help but feel that excitement grows inside of you. Daring to hope that maybe, just maybe he was actually here. That he knows that you just woke up not because of your voice but because he can see you. Right here. And right now. 

 But all it takes is for a second of a clear mind to think straight and for reality to hit. Would he have called if he was here? Would he have called just to give you a surprise greeting before stepping into the room from just outside? Maybe. But he could just have easily woken you up with a kiss. No grand scheme. No pretending, nothing. Besides- you know he’s not here. Because all around him you can hear the faint sounds of city night light. Wind blowing and people shouting. Cars honking and music playing. It’s the furthest thing from your shared summer home on the beach. It’s the furthest thing from you.

 “When are you coming home?” You ask him instead. It’s been too long since you last saw him. “I miss you, Laurent.”

 The second his name leaves your lips for the second time today, you hear a sharp inhale. Your cast your head down, waiting for him to find the words to say. You can imagine what they’ll be. A promise that he’ll be back before you know it. A murmured, “I miss you too.” So many pretty words he could tell you. So many pretty words he could say. But they wouldn’t make things right. They wouldn’t bring him home. They wouldn’t make you happy. 

Not like he does, anyways.

 “Soon.” He promises, after what feels like an entirety of silence. The word is breathless, yet you feel so much power from that one single word. It makes you feel for him. The weight he must have on his shoulders, wherever he is, doing whatever it is that he does. But that doesn’t stop you from missing him. It’ll never stop you from missing him. “I miss you, my lovely. I wish I could see you.”

 Oh. 

 His last words- they sounded huskier. Heavier, even. And over the phone, you could swear his breathing was starting to pick up, ever so slightly. Like he was thinking about something important. Thinking about something exciting. Something…something perhaps like you? And that thought has you growing a little flustered yourself. Suddenly, the air feels just a tad electric. All the sleep is zapped from your body, and the flimsy pair of panties you don are starting to stick to your center as you begin to squeeze your legs together. It’s a quick change from the mood before. No more somber and sullen. Now, only the tension you feel from you meet eyes from across the remains. A change that’s deep and sexual. Adventurous and dangerous. And it’s a change you can’t help but welcome as you lay your head down and bring a hand up to your chest.

 “I wish I could see you too.” You agree, testing the waters just a little bit before diving right in. Your hand slips underneath your silk pajama shirt, cupping one of your breasts and squeezing. It’s not quite the same as his touch, but you manage to draw a near-silent sigh from your mouth as you take two fingers and twist your nipple in a way that almost perfectly mimics him in every way. “I wish I could touch you.”

 More silence. Broken only by the quietest muttered string of german curses you’ve ever heard from his lips. You’ve just started a dangerous game. A game that you both know you should be doing while he’s on the job. And especially while he’s out in a public space. But you can’t wait.

 “I wish I could touch you too.” 

 So you don’t.

 The hand on your breast moves down. Trailing a small line down your stomach before dashing in between your thighs. The pads of your fingers just barely brush over your panties to find that you’ve already soaked them through. And on a normal day, you would have taken your time. You would have been slow and tasteful with all the ways you would have touched yourself. Running your hands up and down your own curves, making yourself feel as special and beautiful and important as you know you are. You wouldn’t have rushed. You wouldn’t have gotten messy. You wouldn’t dive straight in.

 But on normal days, you’d do this in preparation for Laurent. Teasing and toying with him as prepared himself to enter you. To fuck you. To make love to you. But he’s not here right now. And sure, he’ll be here soon. But you can’t wait for soon. You just can’t. You need it now, now, now.

 So if you closed your eyes, and you tried really hard- maybe, you’ll be able to do it. Maybe you’ll be able to imagine it’s his fingers and not yours, entering your desperate cunt. Maybe you’ll be able to imagine it’s his hands and not yours, making you feel gasp oh, so sweetly over the phone and the pleasure starts to build. Maybe you’ll be able to imagine that Laurent- your Laurent is right in front of you. Watching you. Waiting for you. Touching you.

  “So I guess you’ll have to just continue touching yourself for me, my lovely.”

 Right here. And right now. 

[jennhoney]

A couple days ago my brother was looking for their Christmas stockings and as you might imagine stuff at their house is pretty discombobulated. He found two. Mom forgets that she can’t walk anymore and just offers to go look for the things and it’s sad and upsetting. He wanted to do the stockings as a nice thing for mom and his dad because mom usually does them. He was telling me, “I couldn’t find mine but it’s not like anyone is going to put anything in it.” And I immediately went to Murble and asked if she would help me send my brother a box of trinkets and snacks and she just handed me a gift card and told me to go wild and that’s just how it has been.

Yesterday my dad came to town to help get the groceries as I am in charge of charcuterie and I needed to get last minute gifts.

My brother has PrincessCousin’s husband in the Christmas drawing and he likes IPAs so we went to the fancy booze store and I sent pics to my brother so he could pick out things by name or label and be a part of the giving.

My mother has PrincessCousin’s name and she’s getting more and more confused and I’m not sure she sent anything and I wanted to make sure there was a present to open. My dad took me to TJ Maxx and Home Goods and we found some perfect stuff. And he paid for it all and it’s just a tiny thing we have control over.

I gave up my giant Lego box to put CousinBestofUs’s husband’s gift in. I’m hoping to do a day trip to IKEA after Christmas to get another one but if I don’t it still feels right and it is what I can do.

We met the aunts for lunch and Auntpretty1 was all like, “I don’t know what to get CousinManlius.” And I was all snarky like, “ask him???” But that isn’t what the family does and it led to me having a nice texting convo with CousinManlius and I’m assured he now has something to open on Christmas.

All the cousinbabies are getting a stuffed animal but not delivered until the 26th, half the babies are out of town on Christmas and I’m planning an after Christmas gathering for games and snacks so they’ll get them then.

Oh and I have AuntAlwaysRight in the Christmas drawing, she had the very simple request of a raygun tshirt “but maybe not political”. Done! But not this shirt:

When I was in Georgia I wrapped the presents mom had ordered so my stepdad and brother would have something to open on Christmas. It was mostly nice. Only a little odd and heartbreaking. We got to two air pumps and I assumed one was for my brother and the other for my step dad but she wanted to look at them and said, “one is for Robert and the other is for Jennifer.” And handed them back to me. My mom has been a very good gift giver over the years this may very well be the only gift from her this year and the last gift I get from my mom:

I think my balance is too bad to ride my bike and I don’t have a car but I’ll work on that next year.

[alyjojo]

Thinking of You - September 📬 2024 - Capricorn

Whole of their energy towards Capricorn: The Chariot rev

Feelings: 10 Wands

Intentions: 8 Wands rev

Actions: 9 Swords

Character Card: The Storyteller 📖 rev

I assume this is an ex. There’s been no progress, no change, no movement, and there won’t be. With Storyteller rev, they could feel like you’ve been mind-controlled or something, like your opinion of them is tainted or controlled by what someone else thinks. There’s more than one person here, it’s like the enemy of your friend, you hate them because your friend hates them, or your sister’s dad’s boyfriend told you they are a bitch and you believed it - something like that. They want to talk to you but won’t, they don’t know if you’d respond or be nice if they did, 10 Wands shows heavy burden on them.

They intend to do nothing and wait for you to do it, you could’ve recently broken up. They assume you’ll talk and get back together. You’ll say something. Eventually. Maybe. In action they’re going to panic because you haven’t and they’ll wonder if you never will. Messages show they want you, maybe they’ll come around and message you. Not in Sept., that I can see anyway.

Messages:

- There is not enough of me for you.

- I don’t want anyone else.

Possible signs:

Sagittarius, Gemini, Cancer & Pisces

If you’re dealing with:

Knight of Cups shows these being possible romantic options, or your general nature is sweet and kind-hearted. You may be seeing things optimistically and reaching out to others around you, making the first move/call even, just because you care about your people 🥰

Aries - some kind of flirty or passionate communication existed but is over with now

Taurus - either avoiding an apology or apologizing for being sneaky/deceptive/switch

Gemini - finds you to be the most beautiful creature that’s ever walked the earth and they’re winning when they’re by your side 🏆

Cancer - progress is being made, in time ⏰

Leo - coming around but still holding back from you, still has reservations about this

Virgo - your best team mate 🍻 work or home

Libra - changing something they’ve had or done for a long time, and it’s like they’re over it by the time other people are informed

Scorpio - feels betrayed by you and that’s ended the friendship, or knows they did that

Sagittarius - you blocked them for being pushy or flirty, no means no fuck off, or switch it

Capricorn - could be a parent or a good role model in your life, they’re even-tempered and someone you can trust to advise you 🙏

Aquarius - one of you is pissed off and bitter the other one healed without them, it’s unfair

Pisces - won’t give you rides or let you use their car because of work conflicts - or you two have night/day differences in future goals

[cobraonthecob]

F1 2024 Predictions!

Red Bull: Obviously they’re going to continue to dominate. They have to get in their domination years before the 2026 regulations come by, so as far as 2024 and 2025 are concerned for me, Red Bull is going to aim to dominate and they will. The only thing I’d be interested in Red Bull in is whether or not Checo will have stable mental health to hold a smaller gap in points between him and Max, because what the hell happened after Monaco alsdkjfaklsdfj.

Ferrari: I am not a superstitious person usually, but if you have Scuderia in your name, your strategists are shit. AlphaTauri has this problem, and Ferrari is the same. At least Ferrari has a car that can get points (not great ones, but still points) whereas AT will be far away from the points. So hopefully 2024, the strategists gain more brain cells, otherwise, it’s just going to be a repeat of 2023.

Mercedes: The strategy is questionable at times, but what really needs to improve is the pit stop times. They’re doing better, but they NEED to get their heads out of their asses for that because that’s the real killer in my opinion. 

Mclaren: My surprise prediction of 2024, is that Mclaren is going to be the team that will come close to lighting a fire under Red Bull. Or rather; Oscar, Lando, and Checo are going to be fighting for podium spots after Max fucks off ten seconds ahead of them (a gracious guess, it would’ve been 20 seconds but I decided to be nice). We all saw Mclaren’s miraculous technological growth this year, so assuming Mclaren doesn’t bring a tractor at the start of the season, I can very much see a Red Bull vs Mclaren fight.

Also we need a lando win. Please, he’s been suffering for too long

Aston Martin: I don’t follow AM, so if anyone wants to bring additional info, I’ll be grateful, but I feel like they’ll bring the fight to P3 in the constructor’s championship against Ferrari and Mercedes. They seem to have decent strategy and pit stops, it’s just that the car is average with two good drivers. Maybe they should hope for more rainy races and Lance works his driving-in-the-rain magic.

THE MIDFIELD:

I predict that it’s going to be an Alpine-Williams-AlphaTauri/Racing Balls fight.

Alpine: if the Frenchpine civil war doesn’t fuck them up more, because Pierre really showed what he was made of. I can’t really estimate how good they are against each other because Esteban has had 6 DNFs total, 4 being mechanical failures, 2 retirements because of collision from other people running into him, and I’m not counting all the times Esteban has run into other people but no DNF because I’m not combing through every race lol. I think they’re equal, it’s just that Esteban’s car was plagued with mechanical problems and Esteban regularly finds himself in weird situations where he’s getting bonked into or he’s bonking into someone else. Alpine is going to be fighting themselves and the rest of the midfield lol.

Williams: Alex is definitely going to head that king of the midfield fight for Williams while Logan will quietly improve and hopefully get points. 

AlphaTauri: Daniel and Yūki are probably the best driver pairing AlphaTauri could ask for. Daniel’s experience and Yūki approaching his fourth year on the team means they have to be fighting for consistent points now from both of them, and that’s only if AT doesn’t give them a tractor to drive. Also, before anyone who didn’t pay attention to Yūki’s growth this year, you missed out. The two major times I can say that Yūki costed himself points was Singapore - I definitely think he turned too early in that first lap and doing it next to Checo of all drivers - and Mexico, where he turned on the outside and bumped into Oscar and spinning himself off the track. But most importantly, even though Yūki couldn’t crawl back into the points in time, he LEARNED, and in Brazil, he applied that when he didn’t do the same error when he and Lewis were fighting. 

Sauber: Hopefully with the shedding of AlfaRomeo, they’ll bounce back. But they’re my flop prediction.

Haas: This team flopping is a given. I will be pleasantly surprised if they pull a Mclaren and miraculously be consistently pulling themselves into P9/P10 every race.

[bonniebird]

Ghost!Billy Hargrove x Fem!Reader

Requested by Anon​

Halloween event

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“Billy you’re being silly.” You muttered as you tore through the discarded clothes at the bottom of your wardrobe. 

“I am not! You should totally go as one of those old-school ghosts. You know, like from E.T.” Billy grinned at you as he lounged on your bed.

“Oh yeah? Then what’re you going to go as?” You asked him. His smile faded a little and he shrugged.

“I wasn’t invited.” He gave you a strange look as you glanced back at him with surprise.

“Why not?” You asked and frowned at him as if you suspected it was something he did before turning back to your search.

“You know why.” Billy muttered. You were both silent for a moment and you sighed.

“Because you and Tommy fell out? That was ages ago. Besides, if he complains, remind him it’s Carol's party and not his.” You said. When you found the costume you’d been looking for you got up and held it up proudly. Billy was gone, and your window was open just enough to let in a cold breeze.

“Billy?” You called out.

“Hey! Hey! Sorry, I’m late.” Robin said as she burst into your room. She glanced at the costume you had in your hand and her smile dropped. “Oh. Um. Sorry if I’m interrupting something.”

“Oh no. I was just looking for Billy’s costume from last year. In case…” You had been about to say in case he needed it but Robin hurried to hug you.

“You’re so brave.” Robin said and smiled as you pulled away.

“For dressing as a sexy nurse?” You said. The two of you frowned at each other until Robin waved you off.

“Come on. Steve’s waiting outside we’ll be late.” Robin hurried you along and you both rushed out to the car. You sat in the back while Robin climbed into the front. She muttered something to Steve who glanced at you in the rearview mirror. Yu smiled at him when you noticed but he just quickly looked away.

At the party you tried to spot Billy, assuming that he’d gone ahead. You caught glimpses of him, his hair, his shirt. Of course, he didn’t dress up. Pushing through the crowd you found him in the back garden.

“Billy! I’ve been looking for you.” You paused and took in his costume. 

“Ew, your costume looks so… weird. Did Heather help you? She’s getting good with the makeup.” You said. Billy smiled at you and shrugged.

“I guess. They’ll notice if you’re not inside.” He warned. You shrugged and took his hand.

“Where’d you go? Before. You just vanished.” You asked. He sighed and stroked your cheek leaning in close enough to feel his breath. It was cold. Maybe the breeze of the crisp evening air you thought to yourself. “Billy. I’m being serious you keep vanishing on me.” 

“Stee! Stop!” You turned, Billy’s hand still in yours. Steve grabbed you roughly.

“You need to stop (Y/N)!” Steve snapped and shook you.

“Steve! Get off!” You shouted. No one noticed the confrontation, the music was too loud and there was a keg-drinking contest going on out on the front lawn.

“Stop!” Steve hissed out furiously.

“Steve, (Y/N) can’t help it! Just stop it!” Robin was trying to pull him away from you but his fingers dig painfully deep into your arms.

“Why? Why is it just (Y/N) that gets to act like they lost someone? Max lost him too.” Steve was shouting at you now. Tears pricked your eyes as Robin finally pried him away.

“You’re ok.” Billy whispered as you stepped away and gently touched your arm over where Steve had held you.

“Why didn’t you stop him?” You asked Billy. Steve scoffed and swore, gesturing at you as if he couldn’t believe that you’d turn to Billy.

“(Y/N). Who’re you talking to?” Robin asked.

“Billy. Seriously? He’s right here.” You said and gestured to Billy who was staring down at the floor.

“(Y/N).” He said your name softly.

“He’s dead!” Steve shouted at you. Your eyes closed as memories flashed forward into your find, fast, dismissed as quickly as they came. 

“No.” You whispered.

“Yes. You were there. You went to his funeral. His car is in your garage.” Steve was gentler now. As if reminding you hurt him as much as it hurt you. You shook your head and grabbed at Billy’s hand.

"If I was friends with a ghost I would know about it." You insisted. You looked at Billy who was now staring at your hands. He slowly looked up and smiled at you.

“It’s ok. You should let me go. If you don’t you’ll just end up coming to find me.” Billy said so softly that perhaps it was a trick of the wind. He moved closer and you could smell his brand of cigarettes. The cologne that you’d given him for his birthday. He’d hated the smell but used it anyway, just because you gave it to him. He’d kept the empty bottle hidden with a picture of his mom.

“Billy you’re right here.” You said quietly. Your eyes closed as you felt a coldness press to your forehead as he kissed you there. Tears slipped from your eyes as you started to give in to reality. Robin’s hand pressed gently on your shoulders, letting you know she was with you. She and Steve stared as you opened your eyes and then he was there. You’d been talking to thin air but there he was as if he’d climbed out of his own grave. Then he fades into the air with swirls of black and grey matter. The three of you watched him grow higher and higher into the air before vanishing from sight. Your legs gave out and you crumpled to the floor as you started to remember. You covered your hands, trying to quiet your sobs.

“You saw that?” Robin asked quietly.

“Yeah. I did. We should get (Y/N) home. We… we should call El. See if she can sense something at (Y/N)’s.” Steve said. He was staring at the spot where Billy had appeared. He felt guilty. It turned his stomach until it ached. He helped Robin get you up and out of the party. Had a few too many drinks they said. Everyone bought it, they’d all been waiting for you to lose it after the accident. After Billy died. Robin put you into your bed as soon as they got back to yours. You could hear Steve calling Hopper, filling him in on what they’d seen.

You were vaguely aware of waking a few hours later to Joyce stroking your head. She gave you a sad smile and left some warm pumpkin bread on the side table next to your bed with a drink before falling back asleep.

Billy tags:

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