#maybe dustin asks for an autograph

[dykecassidy]

again dont mistake this for complaining but its always normie jim and for once id like to see normie dustin

[libraryofgage]

Librarian Steve :)

Was talking to a friend about people (specifically this one kid that gives such Dustin energy hfjdks) I meet at work (I'm a librarian) and that evolved into this plot bunny so:

Librarian Steve, rock star Eddie, and the 5 times Steve pretends he doesn't know who Eddie is while they flirt + 1 time Steve reveals he knew about Eddie's rock star status the whole time

There is also, definitely, at some point, going to be a second part where the kids keep just barely missing Eddie and refuse to believe Steve is actually dating anyone but especially not Eddie Munson of all people

As always, if you see any typos, no you didn't

One

Steve stares at the man on the other side of the circulation desk. He's wearing a Metallica shirt, ripped jeans, a guitar pick necklace, clunky rings on each finger, and an expression that says he's bracing himself for something painful.

Here's the thing: Steve knows who Eddie Munson is. It's hard to listen to alternative rock or punk or any other genre like that and not know Eddie Munson. It's hard to be a librarian who works primarily with kids in middle school and high school, all going through that painful, angsty phase that they express through music, and not know Eddie Munson.

So, yeah, Steve takes one look at the admittedly (incredibly) attractive guy and immediately knows he's Eddie Munson. Like, of Corroded Coffin fame. Of Rock n Roll Hall of Fame fame. Of platinum-level album sales fame. Of--okay, his point has probably been made.

Anyway, yeah, Steve knows this is Eddie Munson, and while he'd love to say he's a fan and smile at Eddie and maybe ask for an autograph, Steve also grew up as a Small Town Rich Kid. So he knows that look on Eddie's face, the one that says he's bracing himself for someone to start fawning over him and potentially ask for uncomfortable favors or his number or any other request that's definitely crossing the line into invasive.

Steve easily makes the decision to pretend he doesn't recognize Eddie. So, he puts on his customer service smile and says, "Hello, how can I help you?"

The sheer relief in Eddie's eyes is more than enough to tell Steve he made the right choice. "Right, uh, this is my first time here," Eddie says, shifting slightly before placing his hands on the counter and drumming his fingers.

"Oh, congratulations," Steve says, his tone and smile becoming more genuine. "Did you come here to print something?"

Eddie shakes his head, reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a library card. "My friend has, like, a...hold? Yeah, a hold on something and asked me to pick it up," he explains.

Steve nods once and takes the card when Eddie offers it. He scans it and watches the computer load for a few seconds before opening an account window for someone named Asher Katz. "Since you aren't the cardholder," Steve says, navigating to the "Additional Information" tab in the account, "I'll need you to tell me the four-digit pin or code word connected to the account."

He clearly wasn't expecting that requirement, and Eddie flounders for a moment. "Is that a requirement?" he asks.

With an apologetic smile, Steve nods. "Yeah," he says, stretching out the word as he tries to think. "Oh, you could also call him and have him tell me the pin. Then I could confirm that it's okay for you to check out materials on his behalf."

"This is a lot of hoops for a book," Eddie says, frowning slightly as he takes out his phone.

"We have to make sure people's materials are secure. Also, we have to keep track of what people check out for the library's stats report at the end of each quarter."

Eddie looks like he understands about half of that, and Steve once again flashes an apologetic smile. After a few taps on the screen, Eddie glances around the library, ensuring it's empty, before putting the phone on speaker. The moment it picks up, and before Asher can speak, Eddie says, "Hey, man, I'm at the library. Can you tell, uh--" Eddie looks up to check Steve's nametag "--Steve what your pin is so I can check that book out."

A few seconds pass before Steve hears a sigh on the other end of the phone. "1234," Asher says.

"Seriously?" Eddie asks.

Steve glances at the account page, confirms the pin, and nods. "Could you also provide me with your code word?"

"Password."

"Dude!" Eddie says, staring at the phone like he's once again being reminded that his friend is a dumbass.

Steve checks the account again and nods once more. "Great, thank you. Could you confirm that...," Steve trails off, looking at Eddie expectantly.

Eddie blinks like he forgot Steve didn't know who he was and hesitates before clearing his throat and quietly saying, "Eddie."

"Thanks," Steve says, flashing another smile before looking at the phone and continuing, "Can you confirm that Eddie here is allowed to check out holds on your behalf?"

"Uh, yeah, that's fine, man."

"Great, thank you," Steve says, checking the card number once more before heading to the hold shelf behind the desk. He crouches and starts scanning stickers on the spines for Asher's last name and the last four digits of his number. Behind him, he hears Eddie say goodbye, his voice sounding a little strained for reasons Steve can't really figure out at the moment.

He finds the right book after a few moments and pulls it off the shelf. "Here it is," he says, walking over to the desk and pulling up the check-out window on his computer. He scans the library card once more, carefully pulls the sticker off the spine, and scans the book.

"It's due in two weeks, but if your friend needs more time, he can just give the library a call," Steve explains, passing the book and card back to Eddie with a smile. "Was there anything else I could do for you?"

Eddie just stares at him for a few seconds, his cheeks looking a little pinker than before, and Steve wonders if the building's A/C somehow gave up on life. Again. But he can hear it running so that definitely isn't it. "Uh, nope, that's it," Eddie says, gripping the book tightly in his hands, his rings pressing into the cover. "Thanks, Steve, appreciate it."

"Of course, man. Have a good day," Steve says with a genuine smile and wave as Eddie heads toward the door.

With a slightly awkward wave back, Eddie walks out the door, glancing back over his shoulder once before the door completely shuts. Once the library is empty again, Steve hears the door to the backroom open, and Robin practically slides up to the counter, leaning onto it next to him.

"Was that?" she asks. Steve instantly translates the question in his head: Was that Eddie fucking Munson?

"Yep."

"And did you?"

And did you just pretend you didn't know him?

"Yep."

"Did he?"

Did he catch on?

"Nope."

"Do you think?"

Do you think he'll be back?

Steve shrugs, glancing over at her. "Don't know," he says, pausing for a moment before adding, "He's hotter in person."

Robin barks out a laugh. "Maybe you'll actually get to flirt next time," she says, and Steve grins at her, kind of hoping she's right.

Two

Eddie returns exactly two weeks later, and Steve is lucky enough to once again be working a desk shift when he walks through the door. He's wearing a Nine Inch Nails shirt this time, and his hair is pulled back into a messy bun with strands escaping to frame his face. He goes up to the counter, focused on Steve and completely ignoring Robin sitting at another computer, and sets the book down. "I wanna return this. And get a library card for myself," he says.

Steve can't help a clearly amused smile as he takes the book and scans it in. "Do you have an ID with you?" he asks, sliding the book along the desk to rest next to Robin.

He ignores the glare she shoots at him before grabbing the book to place it on a reshelving cart for later.

"Yeah, do I need anything else?" Eddie asks.

As Steve shakes his head, he leans over to grab a library card application from a small organizer. He places it in front of Eddie and passes him a pen as well. "Just fill that out," he says, leaning forward on the counter as Eddie picks up the pen.

"So, uh, what can I do with a library card?" Eddie asks, glancing up at Steve briefly before focusing on carefully writing. His letters are blocky but awkward like he's consciously thinking about how he's writing each one.

Maybe he just doesn't want to risk his writing being recognized, too? From what Steve remembers of the signatures he's seen, Eddie's handwriting is fairly distinctive.

"You can borrow up to 75 materials at one time, place items on hold, use the computers, and you get one dollar of printing credit that renews each day," Steve lists, tilting his head slightly as he watches Eddie write.

"That's it?"

Steve snorts, raising an eyebrow at Eddie when he looks up. "Oh, that's not enough for you?" he asks, unable to help a slight grin, "You can use it at any library within our system, too. So you'll still have options if you get banned from this one."

"Oh? And what would I be banned for?" Eddie asks, his writing pausing long enough to meet Steve's gaze once more and smirk at him.

"I wonder," Steve says, not missing the way Eddie's gaze drops to his lips for less than a second before moving back up.

Holy shit, he's flirting with Eddie Munson.

"I can also help you find books to read based on what you've liked previously," Steve adds, somewhat clumsily pulling back from the flirting. It's only Eddie's second time here, and he doesn't want to let himself get too caught up in...well, Eddie when there's no guarantee he'll be back.

Eddie hums softly as he looks back at the application. "Oh? What would you recommend for me?" he asks.

"What's your favorite book?"

"The Hobbit."

"What did you like about it?"

"The adventure and the characters."

"Do you prefer fantasy? What about sci-fi?"

"Yeah, those are fine."

Steve hums softly, thinking as Eddie sets the pen down and slides the application to him. "Thanks. I also need to see your ID," Steve says, opening a drawer in the desk and pulling out a library card. He scans it, a new account window popping up and waiting to be filled out.

"What's the ID for?" Eddie asks.

"To confirm that you live in our service area," Steve explains, taking the ID when Eddie offers it. He glances at the photo briefly, confirming that it is, in fact, Eddie Munson, and then double-checks the address. It matches what Eddie wrote on the application, so he nods and slides the ID back to him.

"That's it?"

Steve nods, beginning to type Eddie's information into the account page. "Yeah, that's it," he says, glancing up and smiling at Eddie, "Anyway, I think you'll enjoy the Murderbot Diaries. It's about a cyborg that hacks its control module, thinks about maybe going on a killing spree, and then discovers TV instead. It then just goes on adventures through space while fighting, like, capitalism and corporations."

"Sounds pretty badass," Eddie says, leaning forward on the counter like he wants to get a peek at the computer. "How long is it?"

"It's mostly novellas, so they're quick reads."

"Got any copies here?"

Steve hums, entering the last of Eddie's information. "I can check," he says, "but first, I need a code word for your account. Like, if you forget your pin or have someone else come pick up a hold, this word will confirm it's you."

Eddie thinks for a few seconds, his gaze dropping to Steve's nametag once more. "Stevie," he says.

Steve's fingers falter, accidentally typing an incomprehensible key smash into the information field. He glances up at Eddie. "...as in Stevie Nix? Don't forget, this has to be something you'll remember," he says, raising an eyebrow.

With a playful grin and a wink, Eddie says, "Well, I think you're pretty unforgettable, Stevie."

A beat passes as Steve stares at Eddie, feeling a rush of heat to his cheeks. He clears his throat and looks back at the computer, hesitating for a second more before typing "Stevie" into the field and saving the account. When he's done, he slides the card to Eddie along with a Sharpie. "That's your card, please sign on the back."

He notices Eddie stiffen at the request, but Steve doesn't comment. As he instead searches the library's catalog, he tries to ignore the sheer panic coming from Eddie as he tries to figure out how to sign the card. Eventually, Eddie picks up the Sharpie and writes his name in the same awkward, blocky writing he used for the application.

"So," Steve says, getting Eddie's attention once more, "we don't have any copies of the first book here, but I can put it on hold for you. It should be here in around four days, and you'll get an email when it's available. Does that work?"

Eddie nods as he places the Sharpie down. "Sure, I'm happy to swing by and pick it up," he says, his tone and smile and the playful look in his eyes telling Steve there are more reasons than that for him to come by the library.

And as Steve places the book on hold for Eddie, he can't help a tiny, eager smile.

Three

The D8 sits innocently on the counter in front of Steve, marbled colors of blue and red with streaks of gold to complement the gold-painted numbers. Steve had immediately recognized it as Will's when he was cleaning the meeting room, and he knew the kid was probably losing his mind right now searching for it. He feels kind of bad knowing Will is going to lose all hope of finding it before his next visit to the library.

At the same time, though, he's looking forward to the expression of sheer joy on Will's face when he next comes in and Steve gives it back. Maybe it'll even score him a bonus point with Mike, and he'll be a little less of an asshole. Though, knowing Mike like he does, Steve is sure he'll just get jealous that Steve made Will smile like that instead of himself.

That kid is incredibly skilled at finding new grudges to hold.

"Whatcha got there, Stevie?"

Steve blinks, looking away from the D8 to find Eddie leaning on the counter, a familiar grin tugging at his lips. His hair is loose today, falling over his shoulders, and he's boldly wearing a Hellfire Club shirt, like he's confident that Steve won't recognize any of Corroded Coffin's merch.

Which, sure, Steve is great at pretending by now. Especially after he and Robin made a bet on whether Steve could keep the secret until Eddie asked him out. Steve has incredible faith in himself; Robin says he's too dumb and gay to last that long. So far, after around two months and multiple visits from Eddie, Steve is still going strong.

"A D8," Steve says, holding it between his thumb and forefinger so Eddie can see it clearly. "One of the kids left it behind yesterday."

"They were playing D&D here?" Eddie asks, tilting his head slightly as he holds his hand out.

Steve drops the dice into his hand, watching as Eddie inspects the gold numbers and hums softly with appreciation. "I host a weekly D&D program," Steve explains. "A group of regular kids plays, and they were getting a little disruptive when they played in the common area--" Steve gestures to the cluster of tables where the kids used to set up "--and the program gives them the meeting room for a whole afternoon."

Eddie looks up at him like he's just said he's a volunteer firefighter on the weekends. It's not an awe and appreciation that Steve really deserves, but he also can't help the slight puff of his chest when it's coming from Eddie. "Do you play, too?" Eddie asks.

"Sort of?" Steve frowns slightly, trying to remember how Dustin and Will explained his role during the campaign to him. "I'm, like, extras. Their DM, Will, wanted his, uh, NPCs? Yeah, NPCs. He wanted the NPCs to feel more real, so he'll give me, like, a little script before each session and then have me voice the NPCs and give me signals to guide my interactions."

"Signals?"

"Yeah, like, if I'm a shop owner and the characters bargain for stuff. He'll give me a signal of when their, like, rolls are effective or when they suck. And if I'm a villain NPC, he'll give me a signal of when to die and give dramatic monologues," Steve explains.

And Eddie grins again, his eyes practically sparkling with amusement and curiosity. "I kinda wanna hear a dramatic monologue," he says, propping his chin in his palm and looking at Steve expectantly.

He's clearly settled in to watch a show, and Steve isn't one to disappoint. Steve does a quick sweep of the library and confirms that it's just as empty as he remembers. Then, he sits up a little straighter in his chair, clears his throat, and tries to remember his whole dying monologue from the most recent session.

When he speaks, it's with a raspy voice, laced with pain and anger at being defeated, "Curse you, adventurers! You may have won the battle, but the war! The war yet rages, and you will be caught in its carnage! Savor this victory now, for it will be your last, and you will fa-"

Steve cuts off, grinning when Eddie blinks and pouts. "Why'd you stop?" he asks.

"Mike's character killed me before I could finish. Said my monologue was boring."

Eddie snorts, raising an eyebrow at that. "It sounds like your monologue was going to reveal info about the BBG."

"Yep. It was, but Will refused to tell them what the rest would've been, and Dustin threw his dice at Mike for killing me."

"He's lucky it was only that," Eddie says, completely serious, "I might've just killed him."

Steve can't help laughing, imagining Max leaping over the table to tackle Mike to the floor. She's done it before, actually, and the only thing that keeps her from attacking again is the knowledge that Steve will ban her from the library for at least a month if she gets violent again.

"He's lucky none of them want to be temporarily banned," Steve says.

"Oh? That's all it takes to get banned?" Eddie asks.

Steve smirks at the teasing lift to Eddie's question. "Yep, so you'd better watch yourself, Munson. I expect you to be on your best behavior," he says.

"I've never been very good at behaving."

"Great, you'll fit right in with the kids."

He looks up to see Eddie's smile growing wider, and Steve suddenly finds himself wondering how it would feel to kiss that smile away.

Four

Something library school never prepared Steve for is how overwhelmed certain days would make him. That's the thing about working with the public: some days are just never-ending, a line of patrons needing something practically wrapping through the stacks, meaning Steve can't turn off his customer service voice and smile.

Usually, he'll just escape to the back, lock himself in the employee bathroom, and take five minutes to cool down. Robin has gotten great at knocking on the door when the five minutes is up, pretending she needs to use the bathroom so the other staff members don't suspect Steve of breathing away a breakdown.

Today, though, Steve can't hide in the bathroom because of the music Robin is playing in the back. It's grating on his ears, scratching against his brain and down his spine like nails on a chalkboard, made all the worse by his interactions with an older patron with a voice that was rough and somehow rounded with sharp edges at the same time.

If Steve asked, Robin would definitely turn off the music, but he also saw her tense shoulders, how on edge she was, and how the music was the only thing helping her calm down. So Steve couldn't. Instead, he just said he was going to shelf-read the non-fiction section.

Because nobody goes into the non-fiction section. At least, nobody goes to the part of the section filled with encyclopedias. It's a safe corner, tucked into the back of the library where few people wander unless they're desperate for an outdated book of information that has no real bearing on their life.

So here Steve is, sitting on the floor with his knees pulled up to his chest and his eyes closed. This part of the library is quieter, but he can still hear the general ambiance of the building: people talking in hushed voices, the keyboards clicking as people type, chairs scraping against the floor as people pull them out.

And quiet footsteps coming closer. They're accompanied by the gentle sound of metal bouncing against itself. Steve doesn't open his eyes, but he does know that it's Eddie, and he's not at all surprised that Eddie managed to find him deep in the stacks.

It makes him feel a little warm, actually.

When Eddie reaches him, he doesn't speak. He just sits next to Steve, close enough for Steve to feel his presence without their shoulders touching. And he seems content to stay in silence for as long as needed, but Steve doesn't want silence. He wants to hear Eddie's voice; maybe it will override the discomfort of the music and the patron from earlier.

"Could you talk?" Steve asks, his voice soft and barely audible.

But Eddie hears him and scoots a tiny bit closer, letting their shoulders brush.

"I have opinions about library shelving because of you now. Like, why are science fiction and fantasy shelved together as one category? They're two different genres; they represent different things. One is a reflection of our society and all that it could be, an escape into something new, and the other is a reflection of what our society was through the eyes of a new world. And, like, it's not even the ones you think. They both embody different lessons and values and pairing them together is, like, demeaning to the hallmarks of the genres and what they can do for readers."

Yeah, that definitely sounds like an opinion about library shelving and cataloging. Steve can't help a soft laugh escaping him as he finally opens his eyes and looks at Eddie. "What started this?" he asks.

"There are Star Trek novels right next to, like, Seven Blades in Black on the shelves, Stevie. It's horrendous. What the fuck?"

Steve smiles a little, gently knocking their elbows together. "Unfortunately, I can't control how our cataloging department works," he says.

"Sounds like a skill issue to me," Eddie says, "Maybe you should just get good."

Steve barks out a laugh, covering his mouth with his hand at how loud it sounds. He glares at Eddie, his eyes holding no real heat.

Eddie grins right back and leans in a little closer. "Feeling better, sweetheart?" he asks, his voice soft and gentle and brushing against Steve's brain like a cool stream of water on a hot day.

It makes his shoulders relax, something in his stomach uncurling and draining all the tension from his muscles. "Yeah," he replies, "thanks."

"Anytime, Stevie," Eddie says, smiling at Steve like he's capable of hanging stars in the sky, like he'd do a backflip with a broken spine if Steve asked.

And Steve...Steve finds himself getting lost in Eddie's eyes, and he has no plans to find his way out anytime soon.

Five

Most of the library staff hates reshelving books, but Steve loves it. He doesn't have to use his brain beyond remembering the alphabet, and he can listen to music while he works, easily zoning out so the time passes quickly.

Which is what's happening now. He's probably been shelving for a while, but he's been listening to a Corroded Coffin playlist the entire time, humming along to Hellfire and Chains. His head is bobbing along to the music as he works, and he turns to grab another book off the reshelving cart only to find Eddie standing right behind him.

Steve jumps, his heart leaping into his throat as he chokes on air and Corroded Coffin notes. Eddie is staring at him with wide eyes, somewhere between afraid and infatuated, and Steve can't help asking, "What the fuck, man?" in a whispered voice.

"Whatcha listening to, Stevie?" Eddie asks, ignoring Steve's question.

Oh. If he admits to knowing Corroded Coffin's music, then he'll probably be giving up the whole "I know you're famous" thing, and based on Eddie's somewhat terrified look, that's not a great idea right now. But he also can't lie about the music because Eddie's going to recognize his own songs.

"Uh, Corroded Coffin, I think? I heard Lucas playing one of their songs. It sounded catchy and he sent me a playlist he'd made on Spotify," Steve explains.

It's not a lie, technically. That is how he discovered Corroded Coffin, but that was almost two years ago now.

"And, uh, what do you think?" Eddie asks, glancing at the earbuds still playing in Steve's ear.

Steve studies him for a moment before smiling. "They're really good," he says, turning around to continue shelving books. "I like stuff from their second album best so far."

"Do you usually listen to metal and rock?" Eddie asks, glancing at the shelving cart before passing Steve another book.

Steve almost tells Eddie to let him do the shelving, but then he sees that Eddie passed him the correct book for this section, so he bites back the words. Instead, he nods and crouches to slide the book into a bottom shelf. "Yeah. More older stuff, I guess. Guns N' Roses, Metallica, Nine Inch Nails, Queen. That kind of stuff," he says.

"Holy fuck, you're perfect," Eddie says, his voice soft and full of awe and Steve is about to laugh when Eddie adds, "Marry me."

Steve blinks, nearly losing his balance and falling on his ass. He saves himself at the last minute, quickly standing up again so he can look at Eddie. "Seriously?" he asks, wondering if maybe he had just misheard.

He did not. And this is proven by Eddie moving around the shelving cart, grabbing Steve's hand, and getting down on one knee. "Incredibly. Your music taste is fucking immaculate, sweetheart. Also, you're funny, hot, and sweet, and I've recently developed a librarian kink, I think. So. Marry me," Eddie says before using his teeth to pull off one of the chunky rings on his left hand so his right hand doesn't have to let go of Steve.

He then holds the ring up, and Steve really shouldn't find that as hot as he does. Like. Really hot. And he almost considers saying yes. But then he fully processes Eddie's words and almost laughs. "You've developed a librarian kink? So, what, you'll drop me the moment another librarian starts ranting about the Dewey Decimal system?" he asks.

"Okay, fair," Eddie says, nodding once. "Let me rephrase that. I've developed a Librarian Steve Harrington kink. Only you, big boy. Nobody curses out the Dewey Decimal system like you, sweetheart."

That might be the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to Steve, actually. "It's a shitty cataloging system," he says without thinking.

Eddie nods in agreement, still on one knee, still holding up the ring (it's shaped like a coffin, now that Steve spares it more than a quick glance) and still looking up at Steve with an infatuated smile. "It is," he agrees, voice a little softer than before like he's ready to just kneel through Steve's passionate rant about it.

And Steve thinks that might be the final straw for him. "I'd prefer at least one date before marriage," he says, grinning down at Eddie and pulling him back to his feet.

Eddie follows his lead, standing a little too close considering Steve is, technically, still at work. He turns Steve's hand over so it's palm up and drops the ring into it. "Of course, Stevie. How about lunch tomorrow? My treat," he offers.

Of course, Steve says yes.

+ One

"I still think there are funnier ways to tell him," Robin says, crossing her arms and pouting as Steve leans against the counter, his back to the door.

Steve sticks his tongue out at her. "You're just mad you lost the bet," he says. Telling her she lost had made Steve's entire week, especially since it means Robin is finally (finally!) going to dress up with Steve the next time they go to a basketball game together. He's got a jersey and shorts ready for her; he's had them ready since the first game he invited her to. They have her name across the back, are the ugliest shade of mustard yellow he could find, and match his perfectly.

"That jersey is the work of the devil," she says, her nose scrunching in disgust at the thought of it.

Steve just grins. "You never know, maybe a nice girl will be enraptured by your awkward lesbian swag," he says.

Robin is about to answer when she looks over Steve's shoulder and grins, her eyes lighting up. Steve looks over his shoulder to see Eddie smiling at him. "Hey, Stevie," he says.

And here it is. The moment of truth. Steve grins right back at Eddie and turns around, letting him see the graphic on his shirt. It's one he bought at a Corroded Coffin concert a year ago. It has the band's first album cover emblazoned across it with Eddie front-and-center, playing his guitar with the other band members around him as bats swirl in a red haze above their heads.

Eddie stares at the shirt, his smile freezing on his face and his body tensing. Panic starts to fill his eyes, and he glances up, looking ready to explain himself only to stop when he sees Steve's soft, endeared smile. He pauses, studying Steve's expression for a moment before laughing a little awkwardly and tugging on a lock of his hair, using it to cover his mouth. "So, uh, you knew the whole time," he says.

"Yep," Steve replies, leaning forward on the counter so it's harder for Eddie to avoid looking at him. "I did."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Eddie asks.

"You didn't want me to," Steve says. Then he considers his words and corrects, "Or, you didn't want to be recognized. When you first came in, you were bracing yourself for it, and I figured you'd feel more comfortable if I pretended not to know you."

"What about all the other times?"

Steve shrugs, his smile becoming reassuring. "I figured you'd either tell me when you were ready, or I'd tell you when we went on a date because you'd probably get all in your head about having a secret like that while we were dating."

And Steve is right. Eddie would have freaked out over the secret, and he would have struggled with telling Steve at just the right moment, and time would have stretched on and on until it had been too long to tell him anything. It would have been agony for Eddie and left Steve concerned and just not a good time for anyone.

"So, uh, how long have you been a fan?" Eddie asks.

"Well, I wasn't lying about hearing your music from Lucas, but I did lie about the time. It was two years ago," Steve explains.

Eddie slowly nods and then starts to grin. "So, how's it feel dating a celebrity?" he asks playfully, leaning closer and wiggling his eyebrows at Steve.

"Like a Wattpad fantasy come true," Steve deadpans, nearly cracking when he hears Robin lose her shit behind him, her laughter turning into wheezes within seconds.

Eddie laughs, too. It's loud and bright and makes Steve feel warm and happy, like every problem could be solved simply by making Eddie laugh just like this.

Steve is eager to find out if that's true.

[just-my-latest-hyperfixation]

Eddie Munson's royal fuck-up

Written for the @steddieholidaydrabbles, day 11

Prompt: Royalty AU

Rated: G

CW: none

Tags: Rockstar Eddie Munson; Royal Steve Harrington; Meet cute; Flirting; Secret Identity; Sort of angsty/open ending

"So, tommorow…" Chrissy says from behind the folder they've been provided. It looks so posh with its dark green binding, the royal sigil embossed on it in gold print. Eddie hates it. It probably thinks it's so much better than the other folders. "When you're introduced to Prince Steven, you're to address him as Your Royal Highness. After that, you call him Sir." 

"What, really? Dude, at least buy me dinner before we start with the kinky shit." 

Chrissy shoves his feet off the desk, which almost makes him topple off his chair. 

"Can you take this seriously? A royal visit is an important matter. We can certainly use the publicity-" 

Eddie's hand crashes down on the desk. "I'm a fucking rockstar, Chris. That ain't enough publicity? This place is my baby, mine. What does that royal asshole know about what it's like to have a rough childhood? He thinks he can come here, give a little speech, smile for the cameras, and suddenly it's all about him?" 

"What, now you care?" 

He whirls on her, but the look she gives him makes him freeze. Chrissy sighs. 

"Eds, you are so busy with the new album and the tour, you haven't even met the new volunteers. I said I'd manage the place, and that's fine. But you must trust me. Just do it for me. Please?" 

*

The skate park has new graffiti, and he hasn't even seen it yet. Eddie exhales his cigarette smoke and watches how it curls up to the sign spelling Hellfire Youth Center.

Maybe Chrissy is right. Maybe he should be here more. Maybe he's been so caught up in the whole fame and fortune thing, he's losing sight of what's important, like- 

"Watch out!" 

Like guys on skateboards barrelling towards him. 

Eddie throws up his hands. The guy tries to swerve, completely tips his precarious balance, and goes flying off the board and right into him. They land on the asphalt with an undignified oomph. 

"Shit, sorry," babbles the guy and tries to disentangle his limbs from Eddie’s. "Couldn't brake-" 

"S alright," Eddie hears himself say, even though his ass hurts like a bitch from the impact and he can already feel the bruises forming. "You can fall into my arms any time." 

Skateboard guy blinks up at him and - fuuuck, he's cute! In a scrungly, beanie-stuffed-over-chestnut-locks, black-rimmed-nerd-glasses kind of way. 

For a second, nobody says anything. 

"For fuck’s sake," someone swears, and then little Max Mayfield is running towards them, ginger braids jumping with the movement. "I told you to be careful." 

"Sorry," cutie with the glasses says again. Eddie has never seen him around. He must be one of the new volunteers Chrissy mentioned. "Guess I'll need to practice some mo- ow, shit!" 

His hands fly up to cradle his knee. There's a hole and a rapidly spreading bloodstain in the fabric of his jeans. 

"Oh fuck," Eddie says, and whips his bandana from his back pocket to press it to the wound. "Red, why don't you hop inside and get the first aid kit? I'll stay here with …" 

He trails off expectantly. Cutie's eyes go wide. 

"I, erm … Dustin." 

"I'll stay here with Dustin." 

*

Dustin, it turns out, isn't just cute, but also fun to talk to. He doesn’t gush about what a huge fan he is or ask for an autograph once. Eddie never thought he'd appreciate that one day, but it gets really old really quick. 

Instead, they jump from one topic to the next, sitting on one of the benches and watching Max go on her board. Dustin has a quick, sharp wit and isn't afraid to counter Eddie’s jabs with his own, delightfully bitchy sense of humor. Damn, to think he almost missed this one. He really needs to be around more.

"I love this place, y’know? You created something great for these kids." 

Eddie jerks to attention. The sun has started to dip, casting Dustin’s smile and the hair poking from his beanie in a soft golden light. 

"Thanks man," Eddie murmurs, and feels the bitterness boil back up. "Some people seem to think it needs better publicity, though." 

Dustin shuffles awkwardly, winces when the movement pulls on the Care Bears bandaids Max has plastered all over his knee. 

"You mean the royal visit?"

Eddie huffs. 

"Yeah, man. I mean, what are they expecting me to do, bow and grovel while his Royal Doucheness prances all over the place with his perfect hair and fancy suit and thank him for it? It's not like he cares about these kids, it's all just a gig to him."

Dustin draws his bottom lip between his teeth.

"You can't know that. Maybe he does care. Maybe he's-" 

Eddie barks a laugh. "Oh, give me a break. All the royals are good at is looking important and spending our tax money. I can fucking do without-" 

"Steve? We gotta leave, c'mon." 

They both whip around. A fancy black limousine with tinted windows has pulled up in the parking lot behind them. A gruff looking man is holding the back door open and looking at them expectantly. 

Dustin sighs and stands. 

"Coming, Hop." 

"Wait, wait, what?" Eddie babbles as he walks towards the car, shoulders in a sad little hunch. "What's going on? Who's that guy? Why's he calling you-" 

And then it clicks. 

"Oh fuck," Eddie says. 

Dustin … no, Steve … no, Steven - Crown Prince Steven fucking Harrington - gives him a tight smile while the man ushers him into the backseat. 

"Thank you for your time, Mr Munson, I'll see you tomorrow. I'll try not to be too much of a douchebag, I promise." 

The door clicks shut. 

The car glides away. 

Eddie buries his face in his palms. 

"Jesus fucking Christ. He's the fucking Prince."

Beside him, wheels grate on asphalt as Max brakes.

"Wow," she deadpans. "You're in some deep shit." 

Eddie groans. 

Tomorrow is gonna be a long-ass fucking day. 

Part 2

All my holiday drabbles

[findafight]

I’m a sucker for Steve learning about the party’s interests, do you have any thoughts about the kinds of things he’d do for each party member? (E.g. he has the ability to recognize tony hawk, despite his inconspicuousness, because of max’s skateboarding)

Actually now I'm obsessed with the idea that Steve is one of the few people who are not personal friends with him who is able to identify Tony Hawk without a skateboard. Like. Steve is an athlete and respects athleticism, and gives credit where it is due. (He does NOT allow making fun of Olympic athletes, even the weird sports, just because some people don't appreciate how hard you work for it.) So he's like "wow that Tony guy sure is talented. He is so high in the air. Good for him." And never forgets his face. At some point someone shares one of those "didn't recognize actual skate legend Tony Hawk " stories except it ends with "and then the guy in pastels standing beside Eddie Munson slapped his (Eddie's) chest and went "hey!! That's Tony Hawk!! Let's see if we can get an autograph for Max!" And I realized I had been making awkward small talk about cocktail weenies with sports legend Tony Hawk while working up the courage to ask Eddie Munson for an autograph."

He also tries to learn how to Ollie but he's actually really nervous and wears all the protective gear possible and is only able to go forward. (This is from my personal experience being post concussive and not a good skater. It's scary! My brain meat is delicate!) But Max tells him it's okay and talks about the skatepark in California and some of her old friends from there, and he tries to teach her how to make fried rice.(one of the only actual meals that isn't breakfast food he can cook really well completely from scratch) She gets him to do her hair with El because Steve is the only other person who understands that for El hair is a means of control, and that taking care of it is something important to that feeling.

He and El do jigsaw puzzles together and listen to folk music I think. El would appreciate having the option to talk or not, and likes listening to Steve talk too. Also I like jock El so he gets her overly invested in the Cubs like tells her all the lore and she's obsessed with the goat and she joins a softball team. When she first yells at an umpire for a bad call Steve almost cries of pride. Like. Finally. He's not the only one who Gets It.

Lucas and him bond over basketball yes. But Lucas doesn't yell at refs, and Steve gets why but thinks it's very fun when people yell at officials. Also I think they watch clouds together after practicing. Just nice peaceful, laying on warm blacktop and staring at the sky. Maybe El joins them and Lucas and El can bond this way too. Steve and his little jock siblings. (Why does no one consider max a jock for skateboarding? I guess it wasn't really seen as a sport for a long time...hm..)

Steve also bought a flat of new coke before they stopped selling it and keeps it for Lucas on movie nights or whatever and everybody always yells and groans because where is getting that!! It was discontinued!! Also they watch anime together. Erica and Robin join.

I can see him getting into some video games with Dustin and Mike and Lucas. Only the two or more player ones though he doesn't like playing alone. Like. Okay this whole post has anachronisms but please imagine him playing Lego Star Wars (complete saga) with Dustin. The chaos. The yelling.

He's absolutely a pinball guy. They go to the arcade and everyone does their thing but then end up cheering Steve on as he goes for idk star trek pinball glory. Without even tilting it! Idk what to tell you but Steve def loves pinball.

Also before his dad cut him off or after he gets some kind of inheritance he does a very financially secure impulse buy: he purchases an arcade game. Full size. I am partial to Asteroids because that's what my dad impulse bought in the 80's and had it in our basement growing up but let's keep this going he has a themed pinball machine. Icon.

He 100% reaches Dustin to drive. Mrs. Henderson asked him because Steve just looked sad when she mentioned teaching him and she was like well...we could BOTH teach him :) (because she has mentally adopted him. She told him to call her Ma and he does and Robin is like Steve. That's your mum now. And Steve's like no... Everybody calls her that. And she saysnSteve. Only Dustin. Her actual literal son. Calls her that. Guess what that makes YOU.)

Steve and whole party Lego Building Buddies? Mayhaps?

I wish tamagotchis were out in the 80's because Steve would be so diligent a Tama babysitter Erica would sell his services to her friends if they needed it lmao. He'd get all squinty and concentrated you know he'd highscore jump rope but not get the shapes game (me too buddy). Alas. Not to be.

Instead he listens to her talk about her elementary and middle school drama while looking for four leaf clovers. He also has watched MLP with her and may have teared up a little. Also, of course, she is his one true Game Master. Sorry Eddie

Mike is harder...maybe they bond over making snarky comments about people in movies, and then talk about how actually is car racing a sport? And it'd be sort of awkward because Mike has Nancy as an older sibling (even if they don't get along) and he's holding on to animosity that's pointless now. Plus Dustin and Lucas both seem to see Steve as a big brother and friend figure, but like. It's a bit weird for Mike. But still, Mike knows if he bikes to Steve's at two am he'll be hauled in and forced to sit down and asked if he wants a hug and hot chocolate.

Same with will, except Will has Jonathan (El does to but it's different) so at first they're sorta🧍🧍 staring at each other. Steve has to be like sooooo wanna. Tell me about Wizards? Or something? Cool...rocks? And Will would realize that this guy's just, y'know. A guy. Probably similar to Mike except he's not begrudging about it.

I guess a lot of Steve and the party is him listening to them and letting them actually be silly and kids, making snarky comments about the highschool dramas happening, and encouraging them to try different things (he did!) And figure out what they like outside of what they think the rest of the party likes.

[the-daydream-queen]

Dating Eddie and Being a Popular Writer and Being Dustin’s Older Sister:

*My work is not to be taken or used anywhere else without my permission. Reblogs, likes and comments are always welcome and much appreciated. Thank you to all who read my work, and recommend it. It means a lot!

Happy Reading!

Would meet because of Dustin

You drive to pick up Dustin from his after school club, deciding to surprise him since just coming back into town after traveling around.

He walks out with Mike and a few other students.

You get out of the car. “Hey Dustin.”

He stops when he sees you.

“HOLY SHIT IT’S YOU!” He screams running toward you to hug you.

“Who’s the babe, Henderson?”

“Eddie?” you ask.

“Wait, how do you know Eddie?” Dustin asks. “And that’s not a babe that’s my sister.”

“We went to school together a few years back, I had no idea you’d still be here hanging around,” you explain.

“Y/n??” Eddie asks. “I didn’t even recognize you, holy shit!”

Once he finds out that you’re the author that he’s been a fan of forever, he loses his mind.

“I need her autograph, Henderson,” Eddie said one afternoon at lunch.

Dustin didn’t promise anything but said he’d try.

The next day he hands Eddie a copy of one of your works with your autograph and your number.

He obviously calls you right after school.

Dustin is geeked at first at the two of you getting along, but soon finds it annoying

Dustin finding Eddie in his living room.

You bolting down the stairs running to embrace him.

Dusitn faux gagging behind you.

Your first date is something really low key.

You’re at Eddie’s trailer, racking his brain for novel ideas.

He goes quiet and stares at you.

“Go out with me?” He asks quietly.

You smile. “On a date?”

He crumbles and second guesses himself. “Forget it.”

“Eddie,” you say, “I’d love to go on a date with you.”

He looks up from the floor to meet your eyes. “Serious?”

You nod.

He breaks out the biggest smile. “Okay, cool. Uh Family Video trip? Pick your favorite film and then we can get some food?”

“Perfect,” you reply giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Dustin thought you two were bad before, but now that you’re officially dating; he never sees you two apart.

Sneaking into his club meetings after school, to watch.

Dustin and Mike thinking you’re cool.

Until they walk in on the two of you kissing.

This occurs very often.

“MUNSON, THAT’S MY SISTERS THROAT YOU HAVE YOUR TONGUE DOWN, WATCH IT!!”

He helps you when you have writers block

“Baaabbbbbeeee! When are you coming to bed?” he whines.

You sit at your desk, tapping a pen against your notebook.

“I gotta get this deadline in. I’ll cuddle you as soon as I finish,” you sigh, “I just have no idea what to do with the rest of my plot.”

He scoops you up and seats himself in your desk chair, with you now in his lap. “Cuddles now.” He shoves his face into your neck.

You laugh when his lips tickle you.

“Can I read what you have done?” he asks tentatively.

“Please, maybe you can help brainstorm an ending,” you huff.

Naming a character after him in one of your works after he basically saves you from writers block.

[blatantlyright]

2022 Kinktober Master List

Day 3

Kinktober

18+ minors DNI

Tags/warnings: #smut #unprotectedsex #steddie #anal #crying #language #marijuana #alcohol

_____________________________

Unexpected

Corroded Coffin was in town, swinging back through Indiana on their first national tour. The Hideout was jam packed with sweaty bodies, cigarette smoke, and hairspray. Every girl who ever rolled her eyes at Eddie Munson for opening a door for her, everyone who ever made fun of him for playing DND, they were all here.

I would never be caught dead hanging out in this place, but I was a little more than excited to at least catch a glimpse of my… friend? I didn’t quite understand how I felt about the guy. I mean, I wasn’t gay, I loved pussy. Not that there’s anything wrong with being gay. I just wasn’t. We had had an awkward competition over the adoration of resident dork Dustin Henderson, but we had grown familial. He was a lot cooler than me, even if nobody else saw it. It didn’t take some big awakening for him to be a decent person. He just was.

The opening band played a few covers, mostly hair metal. As they finished up their rendition of “Turn Up the Radio” by Autograph, the crowd cheered and split up. Some went to get more drinks, some stepped outside for some fresh air, and I lurked near the stage to try to get a word in with Eddie. He was always surrounded by people, especially girls, at these shows. The band was selling out arenas. Everybody wanted a piece of him now.

My stomach flipped when he finally made eye contact with me and he gave me that wide, ornery grin. “Hey Harrington!” He shouted past a blonde perm in heels, waving me over with the bottle of whiskey he was chugging. I looked around for a way to get back to him without crawling over the stage. “Just jump up there and get your ass back here,” he yelled. I pulled myself up onto the stage. My fingers were going to have rug burn from this. I crawled away from the stage lights, praying nobody was looking at me.

His chunky combat boot rested just under my face. I could smell him. He was drunk, and stoned, and sweaty. The mixture overwhelmed me and I felt myself unexpectedly growing hard against my zipper. His slender, strong hand shot out to help me up. The thick metal rings clanked together as I squeezed his fingers. “I like you down there,” he laughed into my ear, forcing my cheeks to fill with blood. “Aw you’re so cute when you’re flustered,” he mocked, extending his index finger to tap me on the tip of my nose.

I cleared my throat and rested my hands at each side of my waist. “Good evening, Munson. How’s it hangin’?” I didn’t know what else to say. It didn’t seem an appropriate time to try to finally see if his lips were as soft as they looked.

It was never clear if he was flirting with me, or if he was fucking with me. I had a gut feeling that if I ever fed into his game, he would immediately call me out and make fun of me to everybody who’d listen. But… goddamn maybe I was a little gay.

He put his hand on my shoulder and handed me the bottle of Jack Daniels. “I can’t complain, Steve. I have almost everything I could want. I just bought a house out in Georgia. You should come see it sometime. I have a fucking in-ground pool!” I took a swig, nodding as he spoke. “You must have a lot of ladies all over you all the time. How does that feel?”, I asked, pulling my cigarette pack from my pants pocket. He started walking towards the stage door and I followed. “I mean, it’s nice sometimes. I get lonely. It can fill a gap. But, only for so long. And there’s only so much you can do with someone who only knows you from your music. They never want to get to know me because they think they already do.”

He laughed, but I could tell he was hurting. They always say it’s easy to feel alone in a crowded room, and he made it pretty clear that was true. He pinched my cheek and shined that smile again. “What’s up in your world, big boy? Score with any, uh, hot chicks lately?” I ran my hand through my hair and tried to remember the last time I had sex, let alone with a ‘hot chick’. “Nah, not particularly man,” I responded, shrugging my shoulders.

“They don’t know what they’re missing out on,” he flirted as he made his way out the stage door. I stayed inside, unsure of myself. I placed my hands back at my waist. I recognized a couple of the guys from the band and gave them each a nod hello. After what felt like an hour, but was probably only two minutes, I burst through the back door of the venue and searched everywhere for Eddie. I was fine with being by myself most of the time, but I had no business being here in the first place. I was clinging to Eddie like he was my blanky, and now he was lost.

Cars splashed through the alley behind the venue. There were two huge tour buses parked behind The Hideout, making it impossible for them to see if someone was coming from the other direction. Everyone was honking and yelling. As I looked around for any sign of Eddie, I met his gaze once more. He was standing in the front of the tour bus closest to me. His shirt was off and he was gesturing with one finger for me to come to him.

Stupidly, I checked to ensure there wasn’t someone standing behind me. When I looked back to Eddie he laughed and leaned over the steering wheel. “Get the fuck in here, tootsie roll!”, he shouted, honking the horn. The noise made me jump, brewing even louder laughter in him. He was a dick, but he sure was stunning when his eyes lit up with glee.

The bus door opened. Eddie offered a hand my way, ushering me up the stairs. “This is really badass, man,” I complimented. He nodded, arms straight up in the air, tracing trails across the ceiling of the bus. “Thanks, man. This is chez moi until, like, a couple days before Halloween.” He opened the door to the back room of the bus. A huge bed with 8 pillows and the biggest blanket I’ve ever seen rested between huge speakers on each side. “Sit with me,” he invited, plopping himself down on his bed. His legs dangled off the edge. I sat next to him, anxiously avoiding looking at the trail of hairs leading to his belt buckle.

I crossed my legs, staring at the closed door. Eddie sat up and I could feel his eyes on me. There was no way we were about to…

His lips crashed into mine before I knew what hit me. I gasped for air, tongue shooting out into his warm drunk mouth. His lips were softer than they looked. His hands cupped my jaw, metal rings pinching at my cheeks. I didn’t know what to do with my hands, so I used them to steady myself back against the mattress. Eddie moaned into my mouth, grinding himself against my leg as he moved me onto my back. “You’re such a pretty guy, Harrington,” he mumbled.

“Eddie, are you sure about this?”, I asked. I didn’t want to ruin the moment, but I’d had enough drunk hook ups to know you have to make sure. “I’ve never been more sure of anything,” he whispered into my neck, placing tiny kisses down to the collar of my shirt. “We don’t need this,” he chuckled as he ripped my shirt in half, kissing further down to my navel.

I wanted to be mad about the shirt. I couldn’t exactly walk back into the bar topless. The way his lips felt as they made their way to my hip bones was euphoria. I bucked up at him, eager to show him how hard I already was. I forgot about the shirt very quickly. He sat up, sliding his belt out from the loops of his jeans. I reached to unbutton them, then unzipped them. “Oh, you mean business,” he smiled.

The way he looked down at me made my blood run torrent through my veins. I had never seen someone more beautiful in my life. My tongue started to tell him, but was abruptly silenced by his mouth against mine. He sucked at my tongue, pulling involuntary moans from my chest. My erection grew against his stomach. Brushing my hair from my eyes, he stared right into my soul. “You really want me, huh?”

My mind didn’t want to submit that easily; my body already had. All I could manage was a frantic nod. “You’re so dumb, Harrington. I haven’t even got my lips around your big fat cock and you already can’t make words.” My pants were on the floor before I opened my blinking eyes. “You want it just as bad, Munson,” I teased. His eyes darkened. He crawled over next to me, almost touching but not quite. “I dare you to show me your cock,” he sneered.

“What?” I knew this was all a joke to him. He kissed me so well, but it was a joke. His hand rested on the nest of hairs leading into my underwear. “I want to see it,” he whispered. “Why?”, I asked.

“Fine. Close your eyes,” he commanded in a tone so harsh I almost started to go soft. I probably would’ve if he hadn’t pulled down my underwear and teased just under the head of my dick with his tongue. The sensation was totally different than any head I’d ever felt. “Did you get your tongue pierced?”, I asked, gasping for oxygen. “Yes, do you like it?”, he asked. I nodded, hands flying to cover my flushed cheeks.

“Help me,” he growled. I peeked between my fingers. The image of Eddie’s pout around me almost had me filling his throat right then and there. “I didn’t say to open your eyes, did I?” My eyes snapped shut. I buried myself under my hands again. I let out a muffled moan, then asked what he meant by help him.

He snatched one of my hands from my face and placed it on the back of his head. His hair was sweaty and stiff. “Show me how you want it,” he explained. I wrapped my fingers up in his hair, slowly pulling him up and down on my dick. My hands were full of his hair as I fucked up into his drooling lips. He was humming and moaning. One hand was cupping my balls and the other was teasing at my asshole.

He felt too good. My balls tightened up close to my body. I tried so hard to fight it, and suddenly Eddie slid his finger into my ass. Everything went white. I was screaming nonsense, then his name, then fuck. He drained me, milking my prostate with his thick thumb. “Oh baby, you did so good,” he purred, throat raspy from how I used it.

“Have you ever had anything in your ass before?”, he asked, thumb still massaging inside me. “Mm, don’t think so,” I grunted. I felt myself tensing up around him. “Well, do you want more in there?”, he asked, his hand now moving to his own throbbing dick. I laughed shyly. His thumb felt amazing. I wasn’t so sure I could tolerate much more than that. “I’ll be so nice and easy for you, I promise,” he pleased. “If you don’t like it, I’ll stop.”

I stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, talking myself into letting go. I barely nodded and he was already running his tongue along the opening. “Just relax and I swear I’ll take care of you.” I took a deep breath and released the clench of my muscles. I was nervous, but if I clammed up now this wouldn’t be able to work out. Knowing that, I reached for the bottle of whiskey Eddie had brought with him onto the bus. It was sitting on the bed, within my reach.

There was no way I’d get drunk fast enough to not be nervous for this, but sipping from the bottle was a welcome distraction from my worry. His tongue felt so smooth and delicate against my hole. It twitched against him. He began working me with his fingers. The pressure was overwhelming. I thought I might cum again each time he slid over that spot.

“I think you’re ready,” he whispered into my thigh as he sucked and nibbled at the flesh. “So do I turn around?”, I asked. I had never done this before but I wasn’t sure how else he was going to fuck me besides from behind. When I imagined gay sex (like for science of course) it was always from behind. Eddie lifted my legs and scooted me back further into the bed. “I want to watch your face as you take me,” he said.

He pulled my legs straight up to his shoulders and popped the head of his cock right in. There was lube all over him. Everything was feeling so good I didn’t even notice he had grabbed it. “Is that good?”, he asked. I could tell from how tense his jaw was, it was good for him. “Oh look at you, Munson. You’re about to bust already?”

Eddie slowly pushed himself further in. I contracted around him, unable to control my body. “It’s not my fault your ass is so tight, fuck,” he breathed. I reached down and wrapped my fingers around the head of my dick. Eddie spit on it and said, “that’s right, I’m fucking you so good you have to touch yourself about it.”

He was trying so hard to play tough with me, but any fool could see he was hypnotized. I kept my breath deep and slow. I couldn’t help but to bite my lip as he moved back and forth, loosening me up for him. As mean as he pretended to be, he was fucking me so gently. It stung, but in the best way. His hips began to shiver as he ran over my sweet spot again and again, pushing me to cum all over my own chest and stomach. He had been squeezing his eyes closed but as I whined his name, he stared down at me.

In a flash I was empty and he was cumming all over me. It became hard to tell what was mine and what was his. Once the rush was over and he could see clearly again, Eddie left then returned with a warm wash cloth. He sprawled out beside me, wiping our jizz from my belly button.

“Is it time for you to go on stage yet?”, I asked, remembering where we were and why. “Absolutely, and I can’t wait to look out into the crowd and see my favorite guy in my t-shirt, fucked silly.”

[springgirlwaiting4fall]

Falling in Love 1 Story at a Time An MJF and OC Novella Chapter 2

Max

MJF was feeling great, their first promo went amazing. The crowd hated seeing him and Briella together. And when he checked his twitter feed in the locker room after the segment he was being bashed on there as well. Max loved being the bad guy. When he was a kid he was a shy pushover always being teased for his learning disabilities, his size, or being Jewish. As a wrestler he was able to put that behind him and be the confident man he was always meant to be. Changing out of his suit and back into his street clothes Max Caster came up behind him and slapped his shoulder. “Good promo.”

“Thanks.” Caster was one of the 1st friend he made when he started wrestling as both grew up in Long Island and attended the same wrestling academy.

“It must be nice working with Brie.” Max Caster raised his eyebrows and winked.

MJF looked around the locker room and made sure no one seen the look Max gave him, especially the guys that Brie typically rode with like Eddie, Santana, and Ortiz. The last thing he needed was word getting around that he had a very small crush on Brie like they were in high school or something.

“What?” The rapper teased. “Just thinking of that long private drive home you two get to share.”

MJF knew Max was just being a little salty because the two of them usually drove together, but when he found out from Dustin that wanted him and Brie to drive together he told his friend he was on his own. At least for the first couple of weeks.

Brie was waiting for him by the exit after she interfered with Nikki’s match against Ana Jay during the recording of Rampage. She had changed out of the dress she worn earlier and was in leggings and a T-shirt. Her make up was washed off and the curls that were down earlier we’re tossed up in some type of ponytail. It reminded him of the first time he saw her back when he was just starting to get a name for himself and she was having one of her first matches at some fair in Ohio. She was so excited and passionate and still was.

She was saying goodbye to her friends, the people who she used to drive with. They were going to take photos and sign autographs for the fans waiting outside; before going on their way. He wondered if she was sad that she wasn’t able to do that anymore. He would bet that she was feeling bad about not being connected to fans, maybe in the car he could explain how he always had so much fun messing with fans at signings.

“You ready?” He asked, Brie nodded. Without another word he put her backpack on his back. Max opened the door for her, he placed his hand on her lower back. He felt Brie freeze for a moment at the contact, but she continued walking. MJF led her to his car and opened the passenger door for her.

“I could have drove.” Brie put her seatbelt on than fiddled with the hem of her shirt. Was she nervous about being in the car with him?

“You can get next time.” He put his car into reverse and backed out of the space. The car filled with awkward tension. “Are you cold?”

“I’m good.” Brie looked at the fans as they drove by.

“You know what the best part about signings are?” Max looked over at Brie, she didn’t say anything, but did shake her head no and looked curious about what he was about to say. “The little kids who come up and than ask their moms if its okay to flip me off. And when their moms say its yes for one picture. They get so excited.”

Max really liked hearing her laugh. “I definitely prefer being flipped off than having a preteen boy ask for a hug and than try to grab some side boob.” For the next two and half hours they talked about their good, bad and awkward fan encounters.

“This is me on the left.” Brie pointed to a town house. Two guys were in the front yard and looked like they were arguing about the proper way to use a hose. “And those two idiots are my roommates slash brothers.” Brie unclipped her seatbelt. “Thanks for the ride. I will get us next time.”

MJF got out the car and took her bag out of the trunk, than handed to her. She looked shocked by the gesture but said thanks. He got back in the car and watched her greet her brothers and get inside before driving off.

[kohanayaki]

Caught in the Middle (Steve Harrington x Reader x Billy Hargrove) Ch 5

Links: Ch 1   Ch 2   Ch 3  Ch 4  Ch 5  Ch 6   Ch 7

_______________________________________________________

Ch 5 .:Not According to Plan:.

The next day you found yourselves outside the Hawkins community pool after the kids, aside from Max, begged you to drive them there. 

“You're lucky I'm taking you anywhere after you spied on me,” you said, hands on your hips. 

“I wouldn't exactly call it 'spying',” Lucas said.

“You were staring at us from the bushes,” you deadpanned.

“Fair enough,” Dustin said. 

“Listen, I don't know what you guys thought that was, but Steve and I were just hanging out and I don't want to hear you guys spreading rumors around, okay?” you sighed. 

“Sorry, (Y/n),” Will said. 

“It's alright,” you said, “Just don't go sneaking around in the fake plants at the mall again, someone might call Hopper.” 

Everyone got their swimsuits from the trunk and ran to the changing rooms, eager to jump in the pool and cool off a bit. 

You locked up your car, tying your swimsuit cover around your waist. You were lucky this place had life guards, at least; you wouldn't have to keep track of everyone all the time. As you looked up to the guard seat, however, you began to think maybe you weren't so lucky.

“You've got to be kidding me,” you said to yourself. Now you understood why Max was less than enthusiastic to come here. 

“Of course you would work here,” you said, walking up to Billy. 

“Just couldn't get enough of me, hm?” He grinned, stepping down from his perch.

“Don't flatter yourself, hotshot,” you said, elbowing him in the ribs.

The razor sharp glares you were receiving from the middle aged women around you were kind of hard to ignore. Moms everywhere were wishing you would drown as Billy's attention shifted solely to you.

“I see you're popular with the PTSA,” you said, leaning back against the ladder. 

“You could say that,” Billy chuckled, “I don't mind. Boss gives me extra shifts because I bring in more customers.”

“I wonder why,” you said, rolling your eyes, “Have you ever considered putting on a shirt?”

“People seem to like me better without one,” Billy said, eyeing you. 

Your throat suddenly felt dry as his eyes traveled down your body, leaving shivers in their wake. You bit your lip, trying to clear your mind, an action that Billy's eyes followed. You took a small step back, and the energy seemed to disperse. 

'Don't fucking do this,' you thought to yourself, 'You know how he is, you're just gonna get your heart broken again.'

Billy seemed to sense the shift in the air too, clearing his throat a bit.

“Where's your boyfriend?” he asked as a joke, but you could have sworn his tone turned a little bitter despite the unwavering kilowatt smile on his face.

“Boyfriend?” your eyebrows shot up as you looked at him.

“King Steve,” he said, making air quotations with his hands.

You felt a hot blush creep onto your cheeks, hoping you could pass it off and blame it on the sun. 

“He’s not my boyfriend,” you said.

Billy scoffed at that.

“Come on, with the way he looks at you? I bet he wishes he was.” 

“And you don’t?” you smirked.

Billy looked at you, surprised, before chuckling and letting out a low whistle.

“Bold today, aren’t we?” he said, leaning against the life guard post and giving you a full view of his chiseled chest, “I must be rubbing off on you.” 

“Yeah, well you’re a terrible influence,” You laughed. 

While you and Billy talked Max looked over to you guys, watching. A small crease formed in her brow as she saw Billy smile at you, his laugh ringing out through the pool. How long had it been since she saw him smile? Really smile. She couldn't recall any time in the last few years. Maybe in California when they were younger? As Max watched you she couldn't help but think this was the calmest she'd seen her stepbrother in a long, long time. 

__________________________________________________________

As soon as you got home you shrugged off your jacket and jumped onto your bed, sighing as you sank into the plush mattress. It had been an exhausting day making sure the kids didn't get themselves killed. After the pool you drove them to get something to eat, the group just as loud and rowdy as usual. You were lucky the restaurant owner didn't kick you out. 

You reached over the mattress, flipping through the vinyls next to your bed. You smiled as you looked over your collection- Prince, Guns N' Roses, Bowie, Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, and anything else you could think of. You grinned as you picked one out, setting it carefully down on your record player. You leaned back as Ride the Lightning started playing, closing your eyes to focus on the guitar riffs. 

Music was your happy place, pretty much everyone who knew you knew that. Every year for your birthday you'd get a new record from your brother, and some of your favorite memories from when you were younger were at the concerts your dad took you too. Music was always something that got you through tough times.

You were pulled out of your thoughts fairly abruptly as you heard pounding against your window. You pulled the needle off your record player as you turned to face the wall, covered mostly by your curtains. At first you thought it was just the nearby branches scraping against the glass, but fear crept up your spine as your window began to slowly slide open, the night breeze coming into your room. You wanted to scream, and you knew you should, but no sound came out of your mouth. Your only instinct was to reach for the switch blade in your bedside drawer, your hands shaking.

In the darkness a figure emerged from the window frame, one leg coming into your room followed by the other, and you froze as it revealed itself as. . .

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” 

Billy jumped at your sudden outburst, covering his ears. 

“You scared the shit out of me,” his eyes widened as he saw the knife in your hand, “Hey, put that down, would you?”

“I scared the shit out of you?” you said incredulously, “You're the one who just broke into my house!”

“Hey, quiet down, aren't your parents sleeping?”

You turned to him with a look that could cut glass.

“First of all, this is my house, Hargrove, so don't tell me to quiet down. Second, my dad's working late tonight and my brother can sleep through Armageddon like a log, so don't you worry about it.”

Billy just stared at you, not saying anything. 

“What?” you seethed, practically feeling your blood vessels about to pop.

“Nothing, you're just hot when you're mad.”

“I can't fucking believe this,” you groaned. He laughed at your reaction. You closed your bedroom door with a huff and turned to Billy, less than impressed.

“How the hell did you even find my house?” you asked irritably.   

“You can hear the music from the other side of town,” he said with a smirk, “There's not a lot of other people who listen to Metallica around here, you know.”

“And you just assumed it was me?” you scoffed, “Seriously, this house could've belonged to some middle aged dad with a gun for all you knew.”

“Well then this conversation would be very different,” he chuckled, making himself at home and sitting on your bed.

You huffed at his antics, taking a seat at your vanity chair. 

“Nice room,” he said, looking around.

“Thanks,” you said, still weirded out at this whole situation. You were alone in your room with Billy Hargrove- This was a recipe for a world of relapsing bad choices. As he admired your room you couldn't help but notice how normal he acted after literally breaking and entering. You couldn't even imagine the number of window locks he'd picked for a quick hook up, and you swallowed hard as you mentally prepared yourself to kick his ass out the second floor where he came from if he tried anything. 

Billy's eyes scanned over the posters on your wall, most of them were musicians or your favorite horror movies. There was also a bulletin board by your desk plastered with tickets from various concerts. He rose a brow as he spotted something in the corner of your room.

“You play?” he asked, walking over to your electric guitar. 

“Yeah,” you said, “I'm not as good as my brother, he's in an actual band and shit, but my mom taught me.”

You reclaimed your seat on your own bed as he slipped the strap over his head and started playing softly. Without the amp hooked up you could just barely hear the notes as his fingers moved across the fret board. 

'Damn it, (Y/n), don't think about how hot he looks playing that,' you said to yourself. 

As he played Billy noticed a few marks on the body of the guitar and he turned it on its side to get a better look. His eyes widened as he saw it was an autograph. The writing was scrawled out in a mess of stylized letters, but the name was unmistakable.

“Mick Mars?” he said, sitting back on your bed and turning to you, “How the hell did you get him to sign this?”

“My dad grew up in LA,” you said, “Mars was with the guys opening for my dad's band at the time. When Crue made it big they met up when they were touring in New York and my dad had him sign his guitar. He kept it all this time and gave it to me when I turned sixteen.”

“That's fucking awesome,” Billy said, an excited twinkle in his eyes, “I got to see the first show they ever did at the Starwood.”

“No way,” you said, “They let you in?”

“Nope,” he grinned, “A friend sneaked me inside. It was fucking crazy. Tommy's kit practically fell apart before they even started and before I knew it there was an all out fist fight. Sixx jumped off the stage and slammed his bass into this guy's neck and security had to break it up. But they kicked ass once they got started. I remember when I was leaving the bouncer caught me because I was clearly under eighteen and he chased me down the street.”

“That is crazy,” you laughed, him joining you. Silence took over you two momentarily, but it was a comfortable silence. You looked over to him, your fingers playing with the hem of your shirt as you spoke.

“Do you miss it?” you asked quietly.

“What?” he asked.

“California,” you said, “I've only ever been once when we took a road trip to Disneyland, but I know that's not all there is to it. What was it like?”

You sort of regretted asking when you saw the far off look in his eyes, but it disappeared as soon as it came.

“Better than this shit hole,” he said, “I miss the beach, I guess.”

“Do you surf or something?” you asked. 

“Yeah,” he said, kind of surprised, “How'd you know?”

“The hair,” you joked. 

He scoffed, but the smile on his face defied his action of trying to shove you off the bed. 

“Hey, this is my property,” you said, swatting his arms away, “If anyone's getting thrown off it's you.”

As much as you didn't want to admit it, you were actually enjoying the company of Hawkin's biggest asshole. 

As your mock wrestling match died down the room slowly began to fill with the same energy you had felt at the pool, and from the way Billy was looking at you he could feel it too. You couldn't believe he hadn't tried anything yet; he had you alone in your bedroom and your dad wasn't home. You figured he'd make a pass at you right away, but his actions so far really did seem like he just wanted to talk to you tonight. 

You pretended not be be disappointed that he hadn't, and you also pretended not to notice the way his eyes drifted down to your lips. You were a mere few centimeters away from each other now, some invisible force pulling you closer together.

To your surprise it was Billy who pulled away, clearing his throat. 

“Listen, I should bounce,” he said, getting up from your bed and leaving you shocked, “I'll bother you more tomorrow at school, yeah?” 

You stared at his back as he went to open the window again, your head spinning. As loud as the voice of caution in your head was, there was something about this situation and this stupid asshole in front of you that made you say ‘fuck it.’

Before he got his legs through the window frame you turned him around by his shoulders and pulled him into a heated kiss. It was as if all the tension between you two that had been building since you first spoke had just been acknowledged, and damn if it didn't feel good.

As you pulled away, the possibility of that whole exit act being a ploy to get you to make the first move crossed your mind, but the Californian was visibly surprised. 

For the first time in his life Billy Hargrove was speechless.

Well, almost. 

“I thought you said 'no thanks,'” he chuckled breathlessly.

“Shut the hell up before I change my mind,” you said, pulling him back in for another kiss by the collar of his leather jacket. 

Things heated up quickly, but it always seemed like that when it came to Billy Hargrove. He shrugged his jacket off with ease, not breaking your kiss. You bit his lower lip slightly and he let out a low growl, his fingers pulling you forward by your belt. Your arms snaked around his neck as you deepened the kiss, and his hands wandered down to your waist. 

You started unbuttoning the remaining half of his shirt and he seemed hesitant for a moment before sliding it off his shoulders. 

Maybe you wouldn't notice.

You froze as his chest was fully exposed to you. Even in the dark you could see the angry bruises that littered his torso. He winced as you ran your hand over them gently, and you pulled your hand away. 

“Billy-”

“It's fine,” he said quickly.

“It's clearly not fine,” you countered.

“Well it's none of your business,” he said, his voice wavering.

There was no real threat behind his words, if anything it sounded like a cry for help, and your chest tightened. A thought crossed your mind just then: why was Billy out of the house on the wrong side of town in the first place? There were no parties happening tonight, and it wasn't as if there were clubs in Hawkins. He left his house for a reason.

“Did your dad do this?” you asked quietly. 

His head snapped up to look at you, and for a moment you were scared of what you saw in his eyes.

“I'm sorry,” you said, “When I dropped Max off that one day I heard him yelling and. . . I don't know, I shouldn't have-”

You were cut off sharply by Billy's lips crashing into yours, his actions hungry and more forceful than before. He pulled back just enough to look into your eyes, his hot breath fanning across your neck.

“You fucking tell anyone about this-”

“I won't,” you said, chest heaving, your hands gripping onto his bare shoulders, “I wouldn't do that to you.” Your heart was pounding out of your chest as you chose your next words carefully. You didn't realize until now just how broken he was. 

“It's gonna be okay.”

He swallowed hard at your words, gritting his teeth. You tried to steady your shaking hands as you cupped his cheeks, kissing him softly. He kissed you back like a man starved. His grip on you was like a vice, as if he was afraid you would disappear at any moment. His hands weaved through your hair as you moved to straddle his hips, pressing your foreheads together.

“God, you're fucking killing me,” he groaned.

Your breath caught in the back of your throat as his lips latched onto your neck, feeling heat start to pool in your stomach. 

“Are you sure about this?” he asked. 

“Don't pretend to be a gentleman all of a sudden, Hargrove,” you smirked.

Just before you could pull him back in, you heard the sound of your front door closing and you both froze.

“Shit,” you said in unison. 

You scrambled off him hurriedly, hearing the stairs creak as the footsteps got louder. Billy didn't bother with his shirt, slinging his jacket on before practically diving out the window and pressing his body against the outside wall so he couldn't be seen.

You rushed under the covers just as your door creaked open.

“You still awake in here?” your dad asked.

“Well now I am,” you groaned, pretending to rub the sleep from your eyes.

“Sorry, kiddo,” your dad laughed, “Just making sure you didn't die.”

“Goodnight, dad,” you said, smiling as you rolled your eyes.

“Goodnight,” he smiled back, shutting the door gently. 

When you heard the door to his office shut you heaved an audible sigh of relief.

“That was fucking close,” Billy said, poking his head in through the window.

“I know,” you said.

“Well, that's one way to kill the mood,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“Sorry,” you said, “He's not going to sleep for a good few hours, so. . .”

His hand lifted your chin up and you saw that stupid shit eating grin of his plastered onto his face. 

“Don't worry, I'm sure we can pick up where we left off real soon,” he said, planting one more kiss on your lips. “Don’t miss me too much, princess.” 

And with that, he slid down the roof of your house, hanging off the edge for a moment before dropping down and landing perfectly on his feet. 

He shot you a smirk over his shoulder as he hopped into his Camaro, tossing his shirt onto the passenger seat. You fell back onto your bed as the roar of his engine grew quieter and quieter until only the sound of the wind and the cicadas could be heard. 

Your heart was still beating stupidly fast, and you couldn't help the giddy, breathless chuckle that left you. You just did the exact thing you promised yourself you'd never do again. Things certainly didn’t go according to plan, but it felt so good that you didn't even care. 

As sleep slowly claimed you the last thing you saw was the hungry look Billy gave you, the feeling of his lips still lingering on yours. 

Read Chapter 6 here!

Taglist: @in-my-dreams-2000 @ggclarissa @iris1697 @5sosxgrethan @ohnoniella @sarcasticalphaofthelooserspack @aspiring-fangirls-world @wow-im-so-tired @hopesxxhigh @justanothercrazyassfangirl @too-many-lanes @whimsylavender @bish-ima-clown @amarachoren @mosiacbrokenheartstf @mcuvlxgs @xapham @metuel18 @immirandaq @nellaphine @multi-madison @gingertalksshit @jojo-buttercup @kyberhearts @mvdelaine @minnie-marvel @caitlin-rose28 @zandaleekrz @r3inventedd @void-fire-rose @macymafia @wanna-be-idle @newtsshelbys @kimmydespell @weyheyokay @r4ttusr4ttus @cynthianokamaria @spookyartisanmuffineggs @youcanstandundermyamberella @ashadowoftheforest @shrektiledysfunction @arithatonegirl @banannie25

[katatty]

“What should we do with the band now? Dustin’s going to be busy, and maybe we’ll need to get real jobs...”

“No offense, Ripp, but I can’t imagine you doing a real job.”

“I’ve been working ‘real jobs’ since I was 15, buddy!”

“All right, point taken. Maybe we put the band on hiatus for a bit? I was thinking about trying stand-up.”

“Cool. I’ll see if I can put my shitty art degree to work. Then hey, if we fail we can do a suprise reunion tour!”

“Don’t you have to be really popular for people to care about a reunion?”

“We are popular! Sadie asked for my autograph the other day.”

[burstbombbitch]

Muse Questionnaire

Rules: Pick one of your muses and fill in the questions/statements as if you were your muse. Repost, don’t reblog.

Tagged by: @sturmazing​ smooches Tagging: ayyyy do this ok

1. What is your name?    Bonbon Charbonneau.

1.1 What is your real name?     It is as I have said.

2. Do you know why you were called that?     I was named after my grandmother... Not that I’ve ever met her. I wonder if we’re alike---more than visually, I mean.

3. Are you single or taken?     I’m happily taken.

4. Have any abilities or powers?    I don’t... know. I’ve shattered glass yelling. And someone’s eardrums. And that same someone’s entire life. It’s kind of... scary. 

5. Stop being a Mary Sue!     Um, excuse you. A Mary Sue only applies to literature. And usually, only bad writers really write those. And honestly? Everyone’s a Mary Sue, okay? I’ve read sooo many books to come to understand that. Your favorite protagonist? They’re a Mary Sue. Every single one of them. So... silence your tongue, before I remove it from your mouth. Like, there was this one person who like, was fixated with making their character and Handsome Jack madly in love with one another and like, he’s not even that kind of guy, can you believe that---

6. What’s your eye color?     Lilac. Although my pupils are a different story.

7. How about your hair color?    A really pale pink. My grandmother was as light as me, I think.

8. Have you any family members?    My mother and my father. Sonya and Andy, too.

9. Oh? What about pets?    Oooh! I’d really love a pet! Any kind, really! Just something to keep me company...

10. That’s cool I guess, now tell me about something you don’t like.     I’d sooner eat a Nautilus than go near Mahi-Mahi. Any body of water. Honestly, ugh.

11. Do you have any hobbies/activities you like doing?    I love to dance. Singing especially. It’s just really relieving. It’s just a little hard to find anywhere I can sing without being caught by someone.

12. Ever hurt anyone before?     Mhmm.

13. Ever….killed anyone before?    [ Her shoulders droop, her bottom lip hanging ajar as circular brows sink down with the rest of her body. ]

14. What kind of animal are you?    I’m a Bobtail squid. But I’d like to be anything else, honestly---

15. Name your worst habits    I... At a time so long ago, I would’ve said I had none. [ Closes her eyes. ] I bite my nails, still. When I’m nervous, I’ll just... munch on them. It hurts my fingers a lot, but I can’t help it. It’s a little better than pinching at my skin, or pulling on my tentacles. I guess if not those, I do... have maybe a li-ttle lying habit.

16. Do you look up to anyone at all?    No. Not anymore.

17. Gay, straight, or bisexual?     If they have a good personality, I’ll like them.

18. Do you go to school?     I still keep up with my education, but I never went to school with others. My parents didn’t think it was a good idea. I was home-schooled by fancy, pompous professors. I wonder a lot about how things could’ve been...

19. Do you ever want to marry and have kids one day?    I’d really like that. I don’t know about the kids, though. I... I don’t know if I’d be a very good mother.

20. Do you have any fanboys/fangirls?    I’ve been asked to bite people in place of an autograph. I’m very concerned about the state of my fans.

21. What are you most afraid of?    ...the sound of silence.

22. What do you usually wear?     Oooh! I love frilly, flowy things. I just love the idea of things trailing behind me! Ribbons, skirts---anything! I love to see my shadow as they majestically tail me...

23. Do you love someone?    [ Her face warms as coquettish eyes meet with the ground. ] I do.

24. Well, it’s not over yet!    ...okay?

25. What class are you? (high class, middle class, low class)     High. Very high.

26. How many friends do you have?    I don’t really have many. I prefer to keep to very few.

27. What are your thoughts on pie?     Oh! It’s very yummy, but kind of messy. I love the spillage, though. It’s so nice to just... lick right off your plate! When no one’s looking, anyway. I like the kind of pies that don’t have a thick filling, though---the ones that you can just spoon right up!

28. Favorite drink?     I like strawberry flavored things. Max got me one when we first met. The way he got it was, uh, a tad unconventional, though.

29. What’s your favorite place?     There’s... this little hill me and Dustin have, and... it’s just really nice to stargaze, there. I’ve fallen asleep multiple times out there, sleeping beneath a curtain of stars, in a bed of grass, under a warm, cozy comforter. 

30. Are you interested in someone?     You’ve lost me.

31. Would you rather swim in the lake or the ocean?    MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNO---

32. What’s your type?    I... don’t follow? Type of what?

33. Camping or indoors?      Camping!

[honeycreekgcc]

Replay rules under fire after controversial Lexi ruling

Rules controversy yet again in a major.  Poor Lexi Thompson.  Change is needed..

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Cristie Kerr watched it all end with disgust.

Standing behind the 18th green Sunday as this gut-wrenching day came to such an unmerciful ending, Kerr couldn’t hide her outrage.

“This is wrong,” said Kerr, the 18-time LPGA winner. “Where’s the common sense? Where’s the discretion? Where’s the honor? This kind of stuff has to end. It makes us look bad. It makes the game of golf look bad.”

Kerr nailed Sunday’s unsatisfying ending to the ANA Inspiration in a nutshell.

The setting around the 18th green at Mission Hills is as close as there is to a temple of women’s golf, with the walk of champions leading players past the Dinah Shore statue and over a bridge to Poppie’s Pond. Kerr hated how the spirit of the game could seem so cruel and wicked in this special place.

Kerr hated that Lexi Thompson had to lose the way she did, with the Rules of Golf and yet another controversially timed video replay spoiling the nature of the finish.

That’s not to say Kerr hated So Yeon Ryu winning. She likes Ryu, and she felt bad for her, too.

Kerr was moved at how fans around the 18th began chanting “Lexi,” how they rallied for her so empathetically, but she didn’t like how some fans seemed to root for Ryu’s last approach shot to get in the water during their playoff.

“I really like So Yeon,” Kerr said. “She doesn’t deserve this.”

Ryu is one of the most popular players on tour, a gentle spirit and respected competitor whose kinships cross all the many borders in the women’s game.

But Ryu’s win won’t be celebrated the way it should be, not with the way Thompson was so harshly hit with a pair of two-stroke penalties as she left the 12th green in the final round.

Thompson was giving a tour-de-force performance Sunday, a virtuoso effort that seemed destined to be the defining high mark of her still young career.

The 22-year-old American star never looked better with her combination of power and newfound putting touch reminding us of Dustin Johnson’s magnificent finish at Oakmont last summer.

We just didn’t think the comparisons would also go to another distasteful rules controversy.

While Thompson couldn’t overcome the hard blow and win the way Johnson did, she was just as magnificent in her fight. She had so much more to overcome than Johnson, four shots instead of the single shot Johnson faced. The blow was so much more dizzying, with Thompson being told coming off the 12th green that she was being penalized two shots for incorrectly marking her ball at the 17thgreen a day earlier, for placing her ball back down directly in front of her mark, instead of where she originally marked it, slightly to right side of the mark. And that she was getting two more penalty shots for signing an incorrect scorecard.

Thompson went from two shots ahead to two shots behind in what had to feel like a kick in the gut.

She wept going to the 13th tee but somehow marvelously went on to birdie the hole, and birdie the 15th to briefly take back the lead.

In the end, with a brilliant 5-iron to 18 feet to set up a closing eagle that would win her the championship, Thompson looked as if she was going to script the greatest ending in golf history.

This looked like it would end as a celebration of Thompson’s great poise, that it would be remembered as a testament to her resilience, but her eagle putt stopped short.

And Ryu then went on to beat her with a birdie in the playoff.

Kerr shook her head seeing Thompson lose.

“Lexi’s the most honest player out here,” Kerr said. “She goes to all the pro-am parties, goes to so many junior clinics, signs so many autographs. She does all the right things.’

Anna Nordqvist was also at the back of the 18th green watching Sunday’s finish unfold, Nobody there could empathize with Thompson more.

Nordqvist lost the U.S. Women’s Open last summer after a video replay showed she grazed a few grains of sand with her 5-iron as she pulled it back in a fairway bunker on the second playoff hole. She was assessed a two-stroke penalty as she played the final playoff hole. It sealed her fate as Brittany Lang went on to win.

While Nordqvist was encouraged with the USGA & R&A’s recent release of a proposed sweeping makeover of the Rules of Golf, she was disappointed by a glaring absence in their work. She wanted video review to be addressed.

“This rule is the major one that needs to be changed now,” Nordqvist said.

Nordqvist said she doesn’t have a problem so much with rule violations being discovered by video review. She has a problem with the timing of penalties, how they can be assessed so long after they occur and how that timing changes the integrity of competition.

“It was disappointing to see another bad timing here,” Nordqvist said.

The LPGA will get hammered for this, but the rules officials applied the rules the way they should have been.

That’s because the Rules of Golf allow for no discretion, mercy or even common sense in the way video review is used.

Sue Witters, the LPGA’s vice president of rules and competition, had the unfortunate duty to inform Thompson of her violation.

A viewer watching Saturday’s telecast alerted the LPGA to the possible violation with an email sent to LPGA.com’s Fan Feedback. Witters’ rule staff received it on Sunday with Thompson playing the ninth hole in the final round.

It took the LPGA time to find and review the Golf Channel footage. Witters said the video clearly showed that Thompson put her ball back in the “wrong spot,” maybe an inch from where she should have placed it.

“I didn’t realize I did that,” Thompson said. “I didn’t mean that.”

Witters acknowledged the human component in delivering the news.

“It’s a hard thing to do, and it made me sick,  to be honest,” Witter said.

Witters was asked what discretion she had. She said there isn’t any when a rules official clearly sees the violation.

“What’s my choice?” she said.  “If it comes out there was a violation in the rules, then it would be the opposite story: `Oh, they knew. Why didn’t they do anything about it?’ I can’t go to bed tonight knowing that I let a rule slide?”

The villain here is the Rules of Golf.

It’s video review and no good guidelines in how it should be used or tamed or restricted.

Video replay has simmered for so long now as a source of the most wicked adjudications of the game’s rules. Nordqvist is right. It’s complicated, but video review ought to shoot to the top of the USGA and the R&A’s priorities in remaking of its rules.

Source: Golf Channel

The post Replay rules under fire after controversial Lexi ruling appeared first on Honeycreek Golf & Country Club - GA.

[mystichillsgc]

Replay rules under fire after controversial Lexi ruling

This was tough to watch.  Rule change needed!

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Cristie Kerr watched it all end with disgust.

Standing behind the 18th green Sunday as this gut-wrenching day came to such an unmerciful ending, Kerr couldn’t hide her outrage.

“This is wrong,” said Kerr, the 18-time LPGA winner. “Where’s the common sense? Where’s the discretion? Where’s the honor? This kind of stuff has to end. It makes us look bad. It makes the game of golf look bad.”

Kerr nailed Sunday’s unsatisfying ending to the ANA Inspiration in a nutshell.

The setting around the 18th green at Mission Hills is as close as there is to a temple of women’s golf, with the walk of champions leading players past the Dinah Shore statue and over a bridge to Poppie’s Pond. Kerr hated how the spirit of the game could seem so cruel and wicked in this special place.

Kerr hated that Lexi Thompson had to lose the way she did, with the Rules of Golf and yet another controversially timed video replay spoiling the nature of the finish.

That’s not to say Kerr hated So Yeon Ryu winning. She likes Ryu, and she felt bad for her, too.

Kerr was moved at how fans around the 18th began chanting “Lexi,” how they rallied for her so empathetically, but she didn’t like how some fans seemed to root for Ryu’s last approach shot to get in the water during their playoff.

“I really like So Yeon,” Kerr said. “She doesn’t deserve this.”

Ryu is one of the most popular players on tour, a gentle spirit and respected competitor whose kinships cross all the many borders in the women’s game.

But Ryu’s win won’t be celebrated the way it should be, not with the way Thompson was so harshly hit with a pair of two-stroke penalties as she left the 12th green in the final round.

Thompson was giving a tour-de-force performance Sunday, a virtuoso effort that seemed destined to be the defining high mark of her still young career.

The 22-year-old American star never looked better with her combination of power and newfound putting touch reminding us of Dustin Johnson’s magnificent finish at Oakmont last summer.

We just didn’t think the comparisons would also go to another distasteful rules controversy.

While Thompson couldn’t overcome the hard blow and win the way Johnson did, she was just as magnificent in her fight. She had so much more to overcome than Johnson, four shots instead of the single shot Johnson faced. The blow was so much more dizzying, with Thompson being told coming off the 12th green that she was being penalized two shots for incorrectly marking her ball at the 17thgreen a day earlier, for placing her ball back down directly in front of her mark, instead of where she originally marked it, slightly to right side of the mark. And that she was getting two more penalty shots for signing an incorrect scorecard.

Thompson went from two shots ahead to two shots behind in what had to feel like a kick in the gut.

She wept going to the 13th tee but somehow marvelously went on to birdie the hole, and birdie the 15th to briefly take back the lead.

In the end, with a brilliant 5-iron to 18 feet to set up a closing eagle that would win her the championship, Thompson looked as if she was going to script the greatest ending in golf history.

This looked like it would end as a celebration of Thompson’s great poise, that it would be remembered as a testament to her resilience, but her eagle putt stopped short.

And Ryu then went on to beat her with a birdie in the playoff.

Kerr shook her head seeing Thompson lose.

“Lexi’s the most honest player out here,” Kerr said. “She goes to all the pro-am parties, goes to so many junior clinics, signs so many autographs. She does all the right things.’

Anna Nordqvist was also at the back of the 18th green watching Sunday’s finish unfold, Nobody there could empathize with Thompson more.

Nordqvist lost the U.S. Women’s Open last summer after a video replay showed she grazed a few grains of sand with her 5-iron as she pulled it back in a fairway bunker on the second playoff hole. She was assessed a two-stroke penalty as she played the final playoff hole. It sealed her fate as Brittany Lang went on to win.

While Nordqvist was encouraged with the USGA & R&A’s recent release of a proposed sweeping makeover of the Rules of Golf, she was disappointed by a glaring absence in their work. She wanted video review to be addressed.

“This rule is the major one that needs to be changed now,” Nordqvist said.

Nordqvist said she doesn’t have a problem so much with rule violations being discovered by video review. She has a problem with the timing of penalties, how they can be assessed so long after they occur and how that timing changes the integrity of competition.

“It was disappointing to see another bad timing here,” Nordqvist said.

The LPGA will get hammered for this, but the rules officials applied the rules the way they should have been.

That’s because the Rules of Golf allow for no discretion, mercy or even common sense in the way video review is used.

Sue Witters, the LPGA’s vice president of rules and competition, had the unfortunate duty to inform Thompson of her violation.

A viewer watching Saturday’s telecast alerted the LPGA to the possible violation with an email sent to LPGA.com’s Fan Feedback. Witters’ rule staff received it on Sunday with Thompson playing the ninth hole in the final round.

It took the LPGA time to find and review the Golf Channel footage. Witters said the video clearly showed that Thompson put her ball back in the “wrong spot,” maybe an inch from where she should have placed it.

“I didn’t realize I did that,” Thompson said. “I didn’t mean that.”

Witters acknowledged the human component in delivering the news.

“It’s a hard thing to do, and it made me sick,  to be honest,” Witter said.

Witters was asked what discretion she had. She said there isn’t any when a rules official clearly sees the violation.

“What’s my choice?” she said.  “If it comes out there was a violation in the rules, then it would be the opposite story: `Oh, they knew. Why didn’t they do anything about it?’ I can’t go to bed tonight knowing that I let a rule slide?”

The villain here is the Rules of Golf.

It’s video review and no good guidelines in how it should be used or tamed or restricted.

Video replay has simmered for so long now as a source of the most wicked adjudications of the game’s rules. Nordqvist is right. It’s complicated, but video review ought to shoot to the top of the USGA and the R&A’s priorities in remaking of its rules.

Source: Golf Channel

The post Replay rules under fire after controversial Lexi ruling appeared first on Mystic Hills Golf Club.

[mccormickcreek]

Replay rules under fire after controversial Lexi ruling

This was tough to watch.  Rule change needed!

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Cristie Kerr watched it all end with disgust.

Standing behind the 18th green Sunday as this gut-wrenching day came to such an unmerciful ending, Kerr couldn’t hide her outrage.

“This is wrong,” said Kerr, the 18-time LPGA winner. “Where’s the common sense? Where’s the discretion? Where’s the honor? This kind of stuff has to end. It makes us look bad. It makes the game of golf look bad.”

Kerr nailed Sunday’s unsatisfying ending to the ANA Inspiration in a nutshell.

The setting around the 18th green at Mission Hills is as close as there is to a temple of women’s golf, with the walk of champions leading players past the Dinah Shore statue and over a bridge to Poppie’s Pond. Kerr hated how the spirit of the game could seem so cruel and wicked in this special place.

Kerr hated that Lexi Thompson had to lose the way she did, with the Rules of Golf and yet another controversially timed video replay spoiling the nature of the finish.

That’s not to say Kerr hated So Yeon Ryu winning. She likes Ryu, and she felt bad for her, too.

Kerr was moved at how fans around the 18th began chanting “Lexi,” how they rallied for her so empathetically, but she didn’t like how some fans seemed to root for Ryu’s last approach shot to get in the water during their playoff.

“I really like So Yeon,” Kerr said. “She doesn’t deserve this.”

Ryu is one of the most popular players on tour, a gentle spirit and respected competitor whose kinships cross all the many borders in the women’s game.

But Ryu’s win won’t be celebrated the way it should be, not with the way Thompson was so harshly hit with a pair of two-stroke penalties as she left the 12th green in the final round.

Thompson was giving a tour-de-force performance Sunday, a virtuoso effort that seemed destined to be the defining high mark of her still young career.

The 22-year-old American star never looked better with her combination of power and newfound putting touch reminding us of Dustin Johnson’s magnificent finish at Oakmont last summer.

We just didn’t think the comparisons would also go to another distasteful rules controversy.

While Thompson couldn’t overcome the hard blow and win the way Johnson did, she was just as magnificent in her fight. She had so much more to overcome than Johnson, four shots instead of the single shot Johnson faced. The blow was so much more dizzying, with Thompson being told coming off the 12th green that she was being penalized two shots for incorrectly marking her ball at the 17thgreen a day earlier, for placing her ball back down directly in front of her mark, instead of where she originally marked it, slightly to right side of the mark. And that she was getting two more penalty shots for signing an incorrect scorecard.

Thompson went from two shots ahead to two shots behind in what had to feel like a kick in the gut.

She wept going to the 13th tee but somehow marvelously went on to birdie the hole, and birdie the 15th to briefly take back the lead.

In the end, with a brilliant 5-iron to 18 feet to set up a closing eagle that would win her the championship, Thompson looked as if she was going to script the greatest ending in golf history.

This looked like it would end as a celebration of Thompson’s great poise, that it would be remembered as a testament to her resilience, but her eagle putt stopped short.

And Ryu then went on to beat her with a birdie in the playoff.

Kerr shook her head seeing Thompson lose.

“Lexi’s the most honest player out here,” Kerr said. “She goes to all the pro-am parties, goes to so many junior clinics, signs so many autographs. She does all the right things.’

Anna Nordqvist was also at the back of the 18th green watching Sunday’s finish unfold, Nobody there could empathize with Thompson more.

Nordqvist lost the U.S. Women’s Open last summer after a video replay showed she grazed a few grains of sand with her 5-iron as she pulled it back in a fairway bunker on the second playoff hole. She was assessed a two-stroke penalty as she played the final playoff hole. It sealed her fate as Brittany Lang went on to win.

While Nordqvist was encouraged with the USGA & R&A’s recent release of a proposed sweeping makeover of the Rules of Golf, she was disappointed by a glaring absence in their work. She wanted video review to be addressed.

“This rule is the major one that needs to be changed now,” Nordqvist said.

Nordqvist said she doesn’t have a problem so much with rule violations being discovered by video review. She has a problem with the timing of penalties, how they can be assessed so long after they occur and how that timing changes the integrity of competition.

“It was disappointing to see another bad timing here,” Nordqvist said.

The LPGA will get hammered for this, but the rules officials applied the rules the way they should have been.

That’s because the Rules of Golf allow for no discretion, mercy or even common sense in the way video review is used.

Sue Witters, the LPGA’s vice president of rules and competition, had the unfortunate duty to inform Thompson of her violation.

A viewer watching Saturday’s telecast alerted the LPGA to the possible violation with an email sent to LPGA.com’s Fan Feedback. Witters’ rule staff received it on Sunday with Thompson playing the ninth hole in the final round.

It took the LPGA time to find and review the Golf Channel footage. Witters said the video clearly showed that Thompson put her ball back in the “wrong spot,” maybe an inch from where she should have placed it.

“I didn’t realize I did that,” Thompson said. “I didn’t mean that.”

Witters acknowledged the human component in delivering the news.

“It’s a hard thing to do, and it made me sick,  to be honest,” Witter said.

Witters was asked what discretion she had. She said there isn’t any when a rules official clearly sees the violation.

“What’s my choice?” she said.  “If it comes out there was a violation in the rules, then it would be the opposite story: `Oh, they knew. Why didn’t they do anything about it?’ I can’t go to bed tonight knowing that I let a rule slide?”

The villain here is the Rules of Golf.

It’s video review and no good guidelines in how it should be used or tamed or restricted.

Video replay has simmered for so long now as a source of the most wicked adjudications of the game’s rules. Nordqvist is right. It’s complicated, but video review ought to shoot to the top of the USGA and the R&A’s priorities in remaking of its rules.

Source: Golf Channel

The post Replay rules under fire after controversial Lexi ruling appeared first on McCormick Creek Golf Course.

[golftamekawoods]

Replay rules under fire after controversial Lexi ruling

Rules controversy yet again.  Poor Lexi Thompson..  Change is needed.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Cristie Kerr watched it all end with disgust.

Standing behind the 18th green Sunday as this gut-wrenching day came to such an unmerciful ending, Kerr couldn’t hide her outrage.

“This is wrong,” said Kerr, the 18-time LPGA winner. “Where’s the common sense? Where’s the discretion? Where’s the honor? This kind of stuff has to end. It makes us look bad. It makes the game of golf look bad.”

Kerr nailed Sunday’s unsatisfying ending to the ANA Inspiration in a nutshell.

The setting around the 18th green at Mission Hills is as close as there is to a temple of women’s golf, with the walk of champions leading players past the Dinah Shore statue and over a bridge to Poppie’s Pond. Kerr hated how the spirit of the game could seem so cruel and wicked in this special place.

Kerr hated that Lexi Thompson had to lose the way she did, with the Rules of Golf and yet another controversially timed video replay spoiling the nature of the finish.

That’s not to say Kerr hated So Yeon Ryu winning. She likes Ryu, and she felt bad for her, too.

Kerr was moved at how fans around the 18th began chanting “Lexi,” how they rallied for her so empathetically, but she didn’t like how some fans seemed to root for Ryu’s last approach shot to get in the water during their playoff.

“I really like So Yeon,” Kerr said. “She doesn’t deserve this.”

Ryu is one of the most popular players on tour, a gentle spirit and respected competitor whose kinships cross all the many borders in the women’s game.

But Ryu’s win won’t be celebrated the way it should be, not with the way Thompson was so harshly hit with a pair of two-stroke penalties as she left the 12th green in the final round.

Thompson was giving a tour-de-force performance Sunday, a virtuoso effort that seemed destined to be the defining high mark of her still young career.

The 22-year-old American star never looked better with her combination of power and newfound putting touch reminding us of Dustin Johnson’s magnificent finish at Oakmont last summer.

We just didn’t think the comparisons would also go to another distasteful rules controversy.

While Thompson couldn’t overcome the hard blow and win the way Johnson did, she was just as magnificent in her fight. She had so much more to overcome than Johnson, four shots instead of the single shot Johnson faced. The blow was so much more dizzying, with Thompson being told coming off the 12th green that she was being penalized two shots for incorrectly marking her ball at the 17thgreen a day earlier, for placing her ball back down directly in front of her mark, instead of where she originally marked it, slightly to right side of the mark. And that she was getting two more penalty shots for signing an incorrect scorecard.

Thompson went from two shots ahead to two shots behind in what had to feel like a kick in the gut.

She wept going to the 13th tee but somehow marvelously went on to birdie the hole, and birdie the 15th to briefly take back the lead.

In the end, with a brilliant 5-iron to 18 feet to set up a closing eagle that would win her the championship, Thompson looked as if she was going to script the greatest ending in golf history.

This looked like it would end as a celebration of Thompson’s great poise, that it would be remembered as a testament to her resilience, but her eagle putt stopped short.

And Ryu then went on to beat her with a birdie in the playoff.

Kerr shook her head seeing Thompson lose.

“Lexi’s the most honest player out here,” Kerr said. “She goes to all the pro-am parties, goes to so many junior clinics, signs so many autographs. She does all the right things.’

Anna Nordqvist was also at the back of the 18th green watching Sunday’s finish unfold, Nobody there could empathize with Thompson more.

Nordqvist lost the U.S. Women’s Open last summer after a video replay showed she grazed a few grains of sand with her 5-iron as she pulled it back in a fairway bunker on the second playoff hole. She was assessed a two-stroke penalty as she played the final playoff hole. It sealed her fate as Brittany Lang went on to win.

While Nordqvist was encouraged with the USGA & R&A’s recent release of a proposed sweeping makeover of the Rules of Golf, she was disappointed by a glaring absence in their work. She wanted video review to be addressed.

“This rule is the major one that needs to be changed now,” Nordqvist said.

Nordqvist said she doesn’t have a problem so much with rule violations being discovered by video review. She has a problem with the timing of penalties, how they can be assessed so long after they occur and how that timing changes the integrity of competition.

“It was disappointing to see another bad timing here,” Nordqvist said.

The LPGA will get hammered for this, but the rules officials applied the rules the way they should have been.

That’s because the Rules of Golf allow for no discretion, mercy or even common sense in the way video review is used.

Sue Witters, the LPGA’s vice president of rules and competition, had the unfortunate duty to inform Thompson of her violation.

A viewer watching Saturday’s telecast alerted the LPGA to the possible violation with an email sent to LPGA.com’s Fan Feedback. Witters’ rule staff received it on Sunday with Thompson playing the ninth hole in the final round.

It took the LPGA time to find and review the Golf Channel footage. Witters said the video clearly showed that Thompson put her ball back in the “wrong spot,” maybe an inch from where she should have placed it.

“I didn’t realize I did that,” Thompson said. “I didn’t mean that.”

Witters acknowledged the human component in delivering the news.

“It’s a hard thing to do, and it made me sick,  to be honest,” Witter said.

Witters was asked what discretion she had. She said there isn’t any when a rules official clearly sees the violation.

“What’s my choice?” she said.  “If it comes out there was a violation in the rules, then it would be the opposite story: `Oh, they knew. Why didn’t they do anything about it?’ I can’t go to bed tonight knowing that I let a rule slide?”

The villain here is the Rules of Golf.

It’s video review and no good guidelines in how it should be used or tamed or restricted.

Video replay has simmered for so long now as a source of the most wicked adjudications of the game’s rules. Nordqvist is right. It’s complicated, but video review ought to shoot to the top of the USGA and the R&A’s priorities in remaking of its rules.

Source: Golf Channel

The post Replay rules under fire after controversial Lexi ruling appeared first on Tameka Woods Golf Course.

[twincitycountry]

Replay rules under fire after controversial Lexi ruling

Rules controversy yet again in a major.  Poor Lexi Thompson.  Change is needed..

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Cristie Kerr watched it all end with disgust.

Standing behind the 18th green Sunday as this gut-wrenching day came to such an unmerciful ending, Kerr couldn’t hide her outrage.

“This is wrong,” said Kerr, the 18-time LPGA winner. “Where’s the common sense? Where’s the discretion? Where’s the honor? This kind of stuff has to end. It makes us look bad. It makes the game of golf look bad.”

Kerr nailed Sunday’s unsatisfying ending to the ANA Inspiration in a nutshell.

The setting around the 18th green at Mission Hills is as close as there is to a temple of women’s golf, with the walk of champions leading players past the Dinah Shore statue and over a bridge to Poppie’s Pond. Kerr hated how the spirit of the game could seem so cruel and wicked in this special place.

Kerr hated that Lexi Thompson had to lose the way she did, with the Rules of Golf and yet another controversially timed video replay spoiling the nature of the finish.

That’s not to say Kerr hated So Yeon Ryu winning. She likes Ryu, and she felt bad for her, too.

Kerr was moved at how fans around the 18th began chanting “Lexi,” how they rallied for her so empathetically, but she didn’t like how some fans seemed to root for Ryu’s last approach shot to get in the water during their playoff.

“I really like So Yeon,” Kerr said. “She doesn’t deserve this.”

Ryu is one of the most popular players on tour, a gentle spirit and respected competitor whose kinships cross all the many borders in the women’s game.

But Ryu’s win won’t be celebrated the way it should be, not with the way Thompson was so harshly hit with a pair of two-stroke penalties as she left the 12th green in the final round.

Thompson was giving a tour-de-force performance Sunday, a virtuoso effort that seemed destined to be the defining high mark of her still young career.

The 22-year-old American star never looked better with her combination of power and newfound putting touch reminding us of Dustin Johnson’s magnificent finish at Oakmont last summer.

We just didn’t think the comparisons would also go to another distasteful rules controversy.

While Thompson couldn’t overcome the hard blow and win the way Johnson did, she was just as magnificent in her fight. She had so much more to overcome than Johnson, four shots instead of the single shot Johnson faced. The blow was so much more dizzying, with Thompson being told coming off the 12th green that she was being penalized two shots for incorrectly marking her ball at the 17thgreen a day earlier, for placing her ball back down directly in front of her mark, instead of where she originally marked it, slightly to right side of the mark. And that she was getting two more penalty shots for signing an incorrect scorecard.

Thompson went from two shots ahead to two shots behind in what had to feel like a kick in the gut.

She wept going to the 13th tee but somehow marvelously went on to birdie the hole, and birdie the 15th to briefly take back the lead.

In the end, with a brilliant 5-iron to 18 feet to set up a closing eagle that would win her the championship, Thompson looked as if she was going to script the greatest ending in golf history.

This looked like it would end as a celebration of Thompson’s great poise, that it would be remembered as a testament to her resilience, but her eagle putt stopped short.

And Ryu then went on to beat her with a birdie in the playoff.

Kerr shook her head seeing Thompson lose.

“Lexi’s the most honest player out here,” Kerr said. “She goes to all the pro-am parties, goes to so many junior clinics, signs so many autographs. She does all the right things.’

Anna Nordqvist was also at the back of the 18th green watching Sunday’s finish unfold, Nobody there could empathize with Thompson more.

Nordqvist lost the U.S. Women’s Open last summer after a video replay showed she grazed a few grains of sand with her 5-iron as she pulled it back in a fairway bunker on the second playoff hole. She was assessed a two-stroke penalty as she played the final playoff hole. It sealed her fate as Brittany Lang went on to win.

While Nordqvist was encouraged with the USGA & R&A’s recent release of a proposed sweeping makeover of the Rules of Golf, she was disappointed by a glaring absence in their work. She wanted video review to be addressed.

“This rule is the major one that needs to be changed now,” Nordqvist said.

Nordqvist said she doesn’t have a problem so much with rule violations being discovered by video review. She has a problem with the timing of penalties, how they can be assessed so long after they occur and how that timing changes the integrity of competition.

“It was disappointing to see another bad timing here,” Nordqvist said.

The LPGA will get hammered for this, but the rules officials applied the rules the way they should have been.

That’s because the Rules of Golf allow for no discretion, mercy or even common sense in the way video review is used.

Sue Witters, the LPGA’s vice president of rules and competition, had the unfortunate duty to inform Thompson of her violation.

A viewer watching Saturday’s telecast alerted the LPGA to the possible violation with an email sent to LPGA.com’s Fan Feedback. Witters’ rule staff received it on Sunday with Thompson playing the ninth hole in the final round.

It took the LPGA time to find and review the Golf Channel footage. Witters said the video clearly showed that Thompson put her ball back in the “wrong spot,” maybe an inch from where she should have placed it.

“I didn’t realize I did that,” Thompson said. “I didn’t mean that.”

Witters acknowledged the human component in delivering the news.

“It’s a hard thing to do, and it made me sick,  to be honest,” Witter said.

Witters was asked what discretion she had. She said there isn’t any when a rules official clearly sees the violation.

“What’s my choice?” she said.  “If it comes out there was a violation in the rules, then it would be the opposite story: `Oh, they knew. Why didn’t they do anything about it?’ I can’t go to bed tonight knowing that I let a rule slide?”

The villain here is the Rules of Golf.

It’s video review and no good guidelines in how it should be used or tamed or restricted.

Video replay has simmered for so long now as a source of the most wicked adjudications of the game’s rules. Nordqvist is right. It’s complicated, but video review ought to shoot to the top of the USGA and the R&A’s priorities in remaking of its rules.

Source: Golf Channel

The post Replay rules under fire after controversial Lexi ruling appeared first on Twin City Country Club.

[rockhollowgolf]

Replay rules under fire after controversial Lexi ruling

This was tough to watch.  Poor Lexi Thompson.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. – Cristie Kerr watched it all end with disgust.

Standing behind the 18th green Sunday as this gut-wrenching day came to such an unmerciful ending, Kerr couldn’t hide her outrage.

“This is wrong,” said Kerr, the 18-time LPGA winner. “Where’s the common sense? Where’s the discretion? Where’s the honor? This kind of stuff has to end. It makes us look bad. It makes the game of golf look bad.”

Kerr nailed Sunday’s unsatisfying ending to the ANA Inspiration in a nutshell.

The setting around the 18th green at Mission Hills is as close as there is to a temple of women’s golf, with the walk of champions leading players past the Dinah Shore statue and over a bridge to Poppie’s Pond. Kerr hated how the spirit of the game could seem so cruel and wicked in this special place.

Kerr hated that Lexi Thompson had to lose the way she did, with the Rules of Golf and yet another controversially timed video replay spoiling the nature of the finish.

That’s not to say Kerr hated So Yeon Ryu winning. She likes Ryu, and she felt bad for her, too.

Kerr was moved at how fans around the 18th began chanting “Lexi,” how they rallied for her so empathetically, but she didn’t like how some fans seemed to root for Ryu’s last approach shot to get in the water during their playoff.

“I really like So Yeon,” Kerr said. “She doesn’t deserve this.”

Ryu is one of the most popular players on tour, a gentle spirit and respected competitor whose kinships cross all the many borders in the women’s game.

But Ryu’s win won’t be celebrated the way it should be, not with the way Thompson was so harshly hit with a pair of two-stroke penalties as she left the 12th green in the final round.

Thompson was giving a tour-de-force performance Sunday, a virtuoso effort that seemed destined to be the defining high mark of her still young career.

The 22-year-old American star never looked better with her combination of power and newfound putting touch reminding us of Dustin Johnson’s magnificent finish at Oakmont last summer.

We just didn’t think the comparisons would also go to another distasteful rules controversy.

While Thompson couldn’t overcome the hard blow and win the way Johnson did, she was just as magnificent in her fight. She had so much more to overcome than Johnson, four shots instead of the single shot Johnson faced. The blow was so much more dizzying, with Thompson being told coming off the 12th green that she was being penalized two shots for incorrectly marking her ball at the 17thgreen a day earlier, for placing her ball back down directly in front of her mark, instead of where she originally marked it, slightly to right side of the mark. And that she was getting two more penalty shots for signing an incorrect scorecard.

Thompson went from two shots ahead to two shots behind in what had to feel like a kick in the gut.

She wept going to the 13th tee but somehow marvelously went on to birdie the hole, and birdie the 15th to briefly take back the lead.

In the end, with a brilliant 5-iron to 18 feet to set up a closing eagle that would win her the championship, Thompson looked as if she was going to script the greatest ending in golf history.

This looked like it would end as a celebration of Thompson’s great poise, that it would be remembered as a testament to her resilience, but her eagle putt stopped short.

And Ryu then went on to beat her with a birdie in the playoff.

Kerr shook her head seeing Thompson lose.

“Lexi’s the most honest player out here,” Kerr said. “She goes to all the pro-am parties, goes to so many junior clinics, signs so many autographs. She does all the right things.’

Anna Nordqvist was also at the back of the 18th green watching Sunday’s finish unfold, Nobody there could empathize with Thompson more.

Nordqvist lost the U.S. Women’s Open last summer after a video replay showed she grazed a few grains of sand with her 5-iron as she pulled it back in a fairway bunker on the second playoff hole. She was assessed a two-stroke penalty as she played the final playoff hole. It sealed her fate as Brittany Lang went on to win.

While Nordqvist was encouraged with the USGA & R&A’s recent release of a proposed sweeping makeover of the Rules of Golf, she was disappointed by a glaring absence in their work. She wanted video review to be addressed.

“This rule is the major one that needs to be changed now,” Nordqvist said.

Nordqvist said she doesn’t have a problem so much with rule violations being discovered by video review. She has a problem with the timing of penalties, how they can be assessed so long after they occur and how that timing changes the integrity of competition.

“It was disappointing to see another bad timing here,” Nordqvist said.

The LPGA will get hammered for this, but the rules officials applied the rules the way they should have been.

That’s because the Rules of Golf allow for no discretion, mercy or even common sense in the way video review is used.

Sue Witters, the LPGA’s vice president of rules and competition, had the unfortunate duty to inform Thompson of her violation.

A viewer watching Saturday’s telecast alerted the LPGA to the possible violation with an email sent to LPGA.com’s Fan Feedback. Witters’ rule staff received it on Sunday with Thompson playing the ninth hole in the final round.

It took the LPGA time to find and review the Golf Channel footage. Witters said the video clearly showed that Thompson put her ball back in the “wrong spot,” maybe an inch from where she should have placed it.

“I didn’t realize I did that,” Thompson said. “I didn’t mean that.”

Witters acknowledged the human component in delivering the news.

“It’s a hard thing to do, and it made me sick,  to be honest,” Witter said.

Witters was asked what discretion she had. She said there isn’t any when a rules official clearly sees the violation.

“What’s my choice?” she said.  “If it comes out there was a violation in the rules, then it would be the opposite story: `Oh, they knew. Why didn’t they do anything about it?’ I can’t go to bed tonight knowing that I let a rule slide?”

The villain here is the Rules of Golf.

It’s video review and no good guidelines in how it should be used or tamed or restricted.

Video replay has simmered for so long now as a source of the most wicked adjudications of the game’s rules. Nordqvist is right. It’s complicated, but video review ought to shoot to the top of the USGA and the R&A’s priorities in remaking of its rules.

Source: Golf Channel

The post Replay rules under fire after controversial Lexi ruling appeared first on Rock Hollow Golf Club.