#mike: what drone

[muzzleroars]

I believe Gabriel and V1 have that drone…

If the other angels meet it, how do they react? How does that little drone react?

(see this!)

since it no longer has a weapon, the drone is usually very wary of new people and only allows itself to be curious when it's in gabriel or v1's presence. new angels would be particularly frightening for it, despite how interesting it finds them - they look a lot like gabriel, and so it really wants to get to know them since he's been so nice! but each one gives very different vibes that really determine how much the drone chooses to come out from behind gabe or v1.

raphael of course is the easiest - he's curious about the drone too, and he finds its little chirps to actually be quite charming! he's learning to appreciate the machines in some way, knowing it's not their fault that they were created as they are, and he enjoys meeting one now that's entirely peaceful (even if not exactly by choice). in the back of his mind he does think it's a bit sad that gabriel can't have a real pet, and he does wonder about the capacity of the digital mind to be like theirs, but he will admit the drone is cute regardless!

uriel brings a nervous energy to the interaction that causes the drone to be more cautious around him, but he's truly interested in it too - it's just that it can move unpredictably and it doesn't have the capacity to communicate, so they end up frightening each other a few times. uriel is in general much more....wary of machines, believing them to be something impossible to understand given how their mind was not made by god and acts only in accordance to manmade principles (that he certainly believes humans themselves didn't understand), so he's not about to play with it or pet it. but it is a much safer way for him to observe a machine, so he's at peace with it once he starts understanding how it moves.

if michael could get to see the drone (maybe at a point where he and gabriel are trying to sort things out a bit less violently), he doesn't like it (surprise) as he finds machines to be human abominations. this one doesn't particularly garner much ire from him though, considering how simple it is and it's more like a toy in his eyes...but it concerns him somewhere how much gabriel surrounds himself in this artificiality. a machine pet and a machine partner? he's unconvinced that they love at all, and that gabriel has forgotten the true connection of emotion even on this basic of a level. but he's fallen, so it's expected. i do very much like the drone being a sort of litmus test though that shows michael's shifting view of machines as he gets to know v2 - when he's suddenly giving it a little pat and it chirps in response without fear, gabriel KNOWS something's up!!!!!

[bethhiraeth]

So can we (not you @booksandpaperss sorry elli I'd actually love to hear your thoughts) talk about how byler coded I Know The End by Phoebe Bridgers is? Like,

"Close my eyes, fantasise" - playing dnd

"Three clicks and I'm home," "There's no place like my room"- Will in the upside down wishing he could go home

"But you had to go, I know" Will leaving for California, Mike 'leaving' Will for El

"Man I hate this part of Texas" "But I'm not gonna go down with my hometown in a tornado" - Hating Hawkins for its memories and closed-minded people and want to run away (Smalltown boy style?)

"Talking on a rusty swing set" HELLO? SWING SET??

"After a while you got quiet and I got mean" Will being quiet and not sharing his feelings and Mike getting frustrated?

"I'm always pushing you away from me," HOW MANY TIMES HAVE THEY PUSHED EACH OTHER AWAY? Also the next line "But you come back with gravity, and when I call you come home." They always find their way back to each other.

OH AND THE COVER ART FOR THE ALBUM! I think it was @wayward-sherlock who pointed this out, but the art is literally two people standing in the same spot but the image is mirrored and one of them is UPSIDE DOWN.

This song just screams THEM every time I hear it.

[starryhutcherson]

━━ A NEW FAMILIAR

author's note: crawled out of my hole for this one guys. sorry for being so ghost mode im working on putting out more stuff, apologies if this isn't of the highest quality as i'm running on sugar free redbull and three hours of sleep ! love my life hahahahaAHHHH

'୧ ‧₊ pairing: best friend!mike schmidt x reader warnings: 18+ sexual content! oral sex (f!receiving), p in v, unprotected sex, dirty talk, swearing word count: 4600+ ⋆ ✩‧₊

Mike’s expression always glooms when you bring up the next date you’ve arranged. He knows how this story plays out; he knows the truth behind the men you’ve matched with on whatever sketchy website you’ve wasted your time on. They’ve molded themselves into the embodiment of perfection, through falsified photos and fabrications buried in their bios. His patience crumbles like fireplace ash as you skip around his living room and drone on about whatever dickhead you’ve set your poor, precious heart on.

He knows, always, the the outcome is running makeup and salty cheeks, sobbing on the floor of his living room in a creasing satin dress and his welcoming arms, a bitter exclamation of “you were right Mike” leaving your lips in the knowing silence and him gritting his jaw and pretending that it doesn’t bother him the the only habits you ever find yourself falling back into are the bad ones. 

It’s no different today. 

Mark or Matt or Mitch – you really were killing him, because it should be Mike. It should be him. Him that you’re getting ready for, him that you’re daydreaming about. And it’s an odd feeling, like a movie where your favorite character dies and then movie finishes and you have to accept that they aren’t coming back, no matter how long you sit glued to the reclinable chair, popcorn crunched beneath your sneakers and the credit-scene reflected in your shrinking pupils. 

Mike’s not the type to be happier with the hope – he’d let the truth swallow him up, sink into his creaking bones, he’d live with the loss. But he still has hope for you. He has hope that your eyes will open and you’ll seep into his brain and his breath and his bed. He hopes you’ll start seeing him instead of just looking. Maybe it's wishful thinking. Ignorant optimism.

It feels like it. 

It feels like it, right now, when he’s leaning against the doorframe of his bathroom and watching you get ready, your animated chatter reverberating around the small space between coats of mascara. He offered to give you a ride before you’d even asked, and he’ll tolerate the sting of watching you get out of the car looking all pretty for someone who isn’t him, just to make sure you get there safely. It’s the type of sacrifice he’ll make for you. 

“I can’t even feel my face, I’ve been smiling so hard all day!” You squeal, powdering your cheeks with more purposeless product – he thinks it’s all pointless. You’re radiant, even in the harsh lighting of his bathroom. 

He offers a low grunt. What is he supposed to say? He’s not happy. And he’s not gonna pretend he is. 

You either don’t notice or choose to ignore, continuing to doll yourself up to whatever standards you have for yourself. “I mean, he says he’s been skiing since he was 6. He’s practically an olympian.” 

Mike scoffs. 

“What?”

“Nothing,” he grumbles, shaking his head. “Can you hurry up?”

“Alright, grumpy. Calm down. I gotta do my lips and then I’m ready. Plus, nobody told you that you gotta stand here.” 

A fleeting flush of fuchsia permeates his cheeks, but he looks down at his worn shoes to hide it. It’s true. He didn’t have to stand here. But if an angel was populating your bathroom you’d want to take a peek, would you not? That’s how he thinks you look. Angelic. Glowing from your soul, a content smile knitted on your lips. You might as well have a halo and wings – that heaven-sent aura is reinforced when you douse yourself in lingering washes of that sweet perfume that’s branded itself to you. He’d recognise that floral aroma anywhere, the way a shark detects a drop of blood amongst saline scattered seas. 

“Okay, I’m ready. How do I look?”

Cruelest question of them all. “You look… fine. Good.”

A knot forms in your brow. “All this effort for that terrible answer?” Playful, but with a truthful undertone. Why do you value his opinion so much? He doesn’t want to assume anything. 

“Well I’m not the person you’re dressing up for.” I wish I was. He doesn’t say the other words, but he thinks them so hard he’s half convinced if you were listening in the right spot, or looking into his eyes for long enough that you’d hear it anyway. 

“Okay, okay, whatever. Let’s just get going, don’t wanna keep Mack waiting.” 

Two letters. That’s all it would take. That’s all he’d have to swap to make it him.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

✩‧₊˚

Even if you aren’t aware, even if he did offer, he drives begrudgingly. He focuses as much as he can, on the road ahead and not your glistening figure beside him in the passenger seat, the very definition of temptation. 

The mall parking lot is barren, a few gleaming cars scattered amongst the otherwise desolate area. He pulls into a space, sets the car in park, rakes in a greedy sigh of air. 

“If anything happens, call me.” 

You sneer teasingly. “Don’t be so pessimistic. It’s gonna be great, he could be my future husband, y’know.”

Yep. Mack, the 35 year old you've met online, who’s only notable talent seems to be skiing and his greatest life achievement to date is shooting a deer, whose head is mounted to the wall in his bedroom, typically visible in the background of his many instagram posts which involved his shirtless figure straining to flex his overly pronounced bulk. A match made in heaven. He wants to scream. 

And how can you even tell him to not be pessimistic? How can you look him in the eyes and act like this moment hasn’t happened time after time, the point of no return before an evening spent crying in his arms as he reassures you that your failed dates are never your fault, even though by now it seems like you must be seeking out the same genre of shitty man if you’re this good at getting your heart broken. He’s sick of picking up the fragile little pieces of his bathroom floor, cutting himself on the shards of a heart that’ll never be his. You deserve more than these half-baked, single night romances. He could show you that. 

“Yeah, sure,” he grits. “Future husband. Just call me, seriously.”

You roll your eyes. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll call you.” 

And with that, you’re off, disappearing into the gaping mouth of the mall’s entrance, and he watches with an alkaline feeling growing in his stomach. Your hair is caught up in the wind like clothing on a washline and he thinks his hope is all drained out. 

✩‧₊˚

Mike spends a good two hours back at his house. His movements feel vacuous, staring ahead at the screen, barely processing the raging garbage that masquerades as reality TV. The rain has picked up outside, licking at the window panes with a growing intensity. 

He’s not happy about the jean skirt and tiny little tank top you’d clad yourself in prior to leaving, you’re probably frigid by now in the cold. You did however reassure him that Mack was gonna drive you home, or even worse, take you back to his place, so his stupid fucking elk head trophie could watch with it’s empty eyes while the pair of you fuck on the bed that his mom still has to make for him because he never can quite manage those fitted sheets, can he? Fucking manchild. 

Shit. Mike’s feeling so so bitter. Maybe it’s because he’s finally realized that this is the dreaded pattern he’s going to have to endure with you until death. Or until he braves up and actually tells you that he’s been in love with you since the fifth day of second grade, when you mouthily confronted Jerry Murdoch and told him to give Mike his crayons back.  

With a weak sigh, he turns the TV off with a click of the remote still encaptured in the loose hold of his fist, and decides to see if he can melt into any form of sleep – but the knock on his door prevents him from doing so. 

He arises lethargically, not having much on his mind but the denial of his slumber as he shuffles over and turns the handle, but then, it’s you. 

Fluttery lashes melted to black smudges beneath your eyes, a mixture of rainwater and tears, completely drenched and dripping all over his doormat, your body is trembling and you’re wracked with tiny little cries and he’s feeling so many emotions he believes he might implode. 

He pulls you inside and into his arms, stroking your back in gentle, soothing motions, and it kills him that this has become routine. He’s angry. He’s sick of this. 

“What happened this time?” He grunts softly. 

“He didn’t even show up. He couldn’t even send a message as to why, Mike,” you sniffle into his warm chest, drunk off the even echo of his heartbeat. 

A moment’s silence rots like aged fruit. He draws a breath in, then out, then in again. 

“Why didn’t you call me?”

You crane your face upwards to meet him, instantly bathed in a nervous shiver when you see how serious he looks. 

“My phone was dead.” Is all you can manage to mumble. 

“What?” He’s pissed. “Why didn’t you charge it? You could have charged it there, they have outlets at the mall. Or you could’ve used someone else’s, so you didn’t have to walk home in the rain, because you’re drenched.” 

“I don’t–”

“Y’know how dangerous it is to walk around alone in this shitty neighborhood? Half the street lights don’t even work, and I don’t even know any of my neighbors, or what kinda people walk around here at night.” He grumbles. “I shouldn’t have to tell you all this, I’m sick of explaining all this to you.”

You roll your eyes irritably, releasing yourself from his arms and crossing your own across your dripping wet torso. “How was I supposed to know he was gonna stand me up? You’re telling me I should just expect it?”

He blinks like a deer in headlights, silence settles into his flesh.

“That’s not what I’m saying.”

You scoff. “It’s what you implied.” 

“It’s not what I—” He grumbles weakly under his breath, cutting himself off, deciding reasoning with you is somewhat of a useless attempt. “Why can’t you just listen to me?”

“What, charge my phone next time? Bring a raincoat? Yeah, great help, seriously, don’t know where I’d be without you,” your sarcasm hits like gunshot wounds to the teeth. 

“Or maybe you should try to meet actual people, instead of fake ones from some stupid website.” 

After a cold shiver bites up your spine, your expression deepens with defense. What is his fucking problem? “At least I try to get out of the house! At least I don’t spend every hour of every day moping around and feeling sorry for myself!” 

The pair of you fight, sure, every good relationship, friend or romance or family or whatever should, but nothing like this. This is stone-set, it’s been coming for a while, the wild gesticulations and the pacing and the raised voices. It shakes the bones of the weakened house. 

“Don’t,” Mike says with a furious edge, fists tightening and untightening like he’s about to take a swing at the wall, like this is going to end with bleeding knuckles nipped with shards of worn plaster. “Don’t throw that in my face, I do everything I can, for you and Abby. It’s not like I have a choice.”

“So what, you’re so fucking miserable in your own life that you have to try and control mine?”

“Control? You’re like my child! You don’t even know how to take care of yourself half the time, so yes, I try to help you not to make such shitty decisions!” 

You scowl. “You’re not obligated to do anything for me, y’know Mike. Why do you keep me around if I’m that much of a chore for you!”

He snaps, the tension in his fists bleeding up into his throat, his mouth, the words clot behind his gums and suddenly they tumble out in a fury-fueled shout. “Because you’ve got no one else!” 

You deflate, wilting like a flame without oxygen, and Mike deems the silence to be more cruel than anything else you’ve said to him tonight. He’s feeling everything and nothing all at once, the quiet crumbles around him like a burning building and he fears he’ll become rubble beneath the debris. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I just… god, just–” His eyes flick to you, and then retreat back down to the faded living room carpet. He can’t swallow his guilt this time. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have snapped like that.”

“It’s fine,” you say coldly, knuckling away an angry tear. The salt water is the trick of nostalgia, you’ve cried like this so many times. Your breakage of those promises to yourself. It’ll be different. And it never is. 

“No. It’s not – I’m a dick, I just… I hate watching other people ruin your life. You deserve better.”

Better. What is better? Some twisted fantasy that some people are indulged with and others are left longing for. That you’re left longing for. You know he’s tired of the same bullshit that you force yourself through, convincing yourself of change, painting yourself up to be fit for presentation, and hoping that whoever you’ve leeched onto likes what they see, so you don’t have to feel so alone anymore. You’re oblivious, painfully so. Because Mike could plaster together the cracks in your splintering psyche, if you’d just let him in. 

“Whatever, Mike. It’s true anyway.”

There’s a hole in his heart in the shape of your name. He begs you. Fill it. A part of him shatters at the defeat in your words — he’s crumbled you to the bone, to the marrow. He’ll build you back up. You deserve it. 

“No it isn't. No it isn’t. You have me. You’ll always have me.” 

A silence pervades; the look in his eyes is one of pleading, that you’ll stop and see what he’s offering you, that you’ll stop chasing your own tail, that you’ll stop the cycle. 

“Mike…”

“And Abby.”

You indulge him. 

“You have me. And you have Abby. And I know that’s… not much, but she loves you. So much. And I’m sorry, ‘cause I know I don’t say it enough, I don’t…. I don’t say how much you mean to me, but I just—”

“Mike.” 

He wallows in the waters of your rain kissed eyes, the way your pupils pulse and the words are falling before he can swallow them back down. 

“I love you.”

He gives you that stare. That stare that’s the color of black coffee, the look that you can feel, unearthing the graveyard of wilting feelings you’ve tried to bury, the heart that beats for him him him, lodged between the ivory bars of your ribcage. He maps you out with his eyes, he looks at you the way the sun hungers for daybreak. 

He’s waiting. He’d wait forever. 

“And… and seeing you with these… shitty people who don’t even care about you, it just…” He sighs exasperatedly, dragging a sweaty palm down his face. 

His sentences can’t seem to finish themselves. This is harder than it looks in the movies. Harder than when he’s practiced in the mirror, when Abby’s walked in and giggled at him and told him to just fess up. 

“You love me? Like…”

He looks up at you like a kicked puppy. “Yeah. I do.”

You’re beyond bewildered. He loves you. He loves you. 

“What– but… you—”

“You don’t have to… say anything. I just, I can’t… I can’t pretend anymore. I can’t do it.”

You reach for his hand. It’s a little clammy, a little trembly, but it’s a perfect fit. Just like you. 

“I love you too, Mike.”

What?

“You… do?”

He’s skeptical, but he’s also swooning. A stone man is slowly cracking. 

“I just didn’t… didn’t think I could have you. I mean, you’re so… you’re everything, y’know? You’re a good brother, and you work so hard, and you’re… I’m just… I don’t think I deserve you,” you whisper, confessing. With a newfound stroke of confidence, he approaches, one hand snaking around to the small of your back, another on your cheek. He’s gentle. In his eyes, you’re porcelain. Precious. Fragile. At least, at this moment. But you love him too and that’s all he needs. It’s all he’s ever needed. 

“You deserve everything.” He says it so quietly it’s barely audible. And then, nothing is audible because he’s carefully pulling your lips to his, linking you in every way, his hands tangle into your damp hair and he’s kissing you. 

His lips chase yours in messy, uncalculated movements. He’s starting small. It’s been a while. And he’s gonna take his time with you. He’s gonna show you what you deserve. Soft sounds squeak past his lips as they flutter against yours, and you’re closer and closer and closer still, impossibly so. 

Within moments he’s whisking you off to his bedroom, his hand tangled with yours, an interlace tight enough to cause ropeburn. His skin chafes with yours, and then he’s kissing you again atop his navy comforter. 

He’s gentle, respectful, but you understand what he’s trying to tell you, what he’s been trying to tell you. He speaks through silken drags of his tongue, through the hand that holds your cheek steady— he feels as though he’s gripping the very cusp of a constellation. You taste like stardust. You glow like the waning moon. 

He breathes heavily in the expanse of his throat, his pants have become tight and wet and filthy; he’s been subconsciously grinding down into your lap. You’re a little shaky and your pupils have darkened with lust and he is going to show you what you mean to him. What you’ve been missing. 

His hand falls lower, into the slope of torso that dips into your hips. His eyes travel back and forth, searching, hunting for the desire that he feels mirrored back at him. Do you want this, the way he does? Do you? His hardened stare doesn’t speak loud enough. He elaborates.

“Can I… uh… do you wanna…?”

Do you want to? You need to. 

“Shit, okay,” he croaks out, jaw tense and tight as he traces you beneath calloused fingers. You didn’t realize you said that out loud. 

He’s endearingly awkward – you know from languid late-night conversations that he hasn’t done this a lot. Maybe even at all. But he’s sweet, so sweet, like lapping up sugar and feeling it dissolve on your tongue, feeling him dissolve on your tongue, giving you comfort and cavities. 

“Can I take this off?” He asks nervously, fiddling with the hem of your camisole. A short nod, and he’s sliding it over your sweat-pricked figure, admiring your contours in the whisper of evening moonlight that bleeds through holes in his moth-eaten curtains. You’re perfect, and he knew you would be. 

He caresses your skin gently, drunk on the mellow feeling of your bare stomach beneath his fingertips. Your bra is black, a little lace peering along the straps, your breasts spilling into the fabric. He reaches around your back, fumbling at the clasp. When the garment drops, his hands are replacing it before you can even blink. 

“Beautiful,” he manages to get out, thumbing over your nipples. 

“Mngh, Mike—”

“Sh. Just let me… just let me. Let me make you feel good. Please?” He grunts out under his breathless voice, and how could you deny such a request?

The moment you agree, he’s grabbing you by the thighs and tugging you towards him slightly, so your back is nearly flat against his mattress and he’s settling himself in the gap that you create for him. 

Your skirt comes off first. Your panties are undeniably soused, his fingers trace the big wet spot that’s dripping all for him, teasing you through torturously thin cotton. 

“Mike,” you mewl gently, fingers settling in his nest of chocolate curls that are damp with sweat. A firm tweak and he’s groaning, his voice melting away into nothing like hot tar. 

“You’re so wet,” he mumbles to himself, like he’s never seen anything like it. Probably not in a while. His finger hooks beneath the waistband, pulls it out gently, and lets it go. It slaps against your hip bone and another fresh sound seeps from your lips.  

“Mike, shit, please just do something—”

“Okay,” he whispers, more to himself than you, carefully sliding your panties from your waist, down past your ankles, and he’s tossing them to join the pile of clothes that has begun to collect on his bedroom floor. 

You’re here, before him. The girl he waited for. Your soft flesh is glistening, clenching painfully around nothing, and he’s salivating at the sight of you. He pries your legs out further with his warm hands, leaving them to linger on your bare flesh for a few drawn out moments, before he claims what’s rightfully his. 

He presses a trialing kiss to your clit, and your back curves delicately, fingers tightening their grasp in his hair. He moans into you at this action, and you, in turn, moan as well. Confidence creates itself in him with each little whimper that he gets you to release, and he’s answering back, hearing your cries, your calls of his name with his own unabashed exclamations of pleasure. This is just as good for him, as it is for you. 

“Mike,” you whine gently, and he’s mumbling weak praise right into your cunt. 

“Fuck, you’re so pretty. Wanted this for so long.”

It’s barely audible between his languid sucks; he’s lapping at your drooling entrance, fingers subtly creeping closer, up and along your thighs and settling right above your throbbing clit. He presses his thumb against it, tracing sinful circles against your bud— once, twice, and then you’re far too close to the edge. 

“Oh, Mike I’m gonna come,” you choke out between gasps. 

“Do it. Please.”

He’s begging you. 

And you oblige. With a trembling sob, your thighs tense around his head, keeping him locked in place, capturing him and making sure he finishes the job, and oh does he plan to. When you soar, he’s still holding you in place, soothing the electric sparks pulsating throughout your body. 

He savors your sounds, and when they stop coming, he presses a lingering peck on your inner thigh, stubble scraping at the sensitive dermis. He then raises his face to your level, the light coruscating off the filthy souvenir etched all over his face, your glittering arousal that he wears so proudly. 

He steals a proper kiss from you, rubbing your side as a gentle comfort. He’s completely hard now, tenting his sweats, leaking against the fabric. You gingerly reach out, tracing what you assume to be the head of his cock, and he sags, boneless, against your touch. 

“Fuck, baby I—”

“Baby?” You chuckle softly, still hazed from the candy-coated afterglow of your orgasm. The first of many, he hopes. 

“Mngh— g… got a problem?” He grumbles softly, almost quivering as you begin to palm him with purpose.

“It’s out of character,” you tell him gently. 

“Shit, can I be inside you?” He asks you, voice ripped raw. 

And once again, Mike Schmidt leaves you breathless. 

“Yeah. I need it. I need you.”

He groans, slipping off his pants and boxers without so much as another word from your swollen lips. He’s hard, angrily so, his cock pulses violently and a little whimper escapes through the crack in his bitten lips when it slaps against his stomach. 

He’s stroking himself slowly, base to tip and then back again, collecting the pearls of precum that dribble from his slit. He’s never been so ready for something. For you. It’s all for you. 

He’s holding you, thumbing your hip bones and gently nudging himself into your hole, cooing at every cry that crawls from the crevices of your throat. When he bottoms out, finally, it’s safe to say that he gets a little dumb. “Oh, shit, I’m not— not gonna last long, you’re so tight, shit…” He’s rambling a little. It’s cute. 

A few wandering kisses land on you the way dandelion spores decorate a skyline – your cheek and your chin and your jaw, as he waits for you to let him move. You’re squeezing him for all he’s got and he’s three seconds away from spilling before he’s even so much as thrusted. You do this to him. 

All those days, staring into your eyes and wondering if you’d ever see him the way you do, all those nights, stroking your hair and softening your saddened sobs after failed date after failed date. They’re all worth it. 

You’re clamping down on him, warm and wet and wavering, and you’re exhaling softly through your nose and telling him to move, begging him to move, to make you feel good, and it’s what he does. 

He pumps into you with passion, magnetized to your every movement. He’s satisfying a decade worth of insatiable craving, he’s chasing your hips with his. You end where he begins. 

The headboard creaks and slams against thin plastered walls, one hand grips onto it with alabaster knuckles and the other one holds your hips for better leverage. He doesn’t need to say it, but each knocked kiss of his pelvis to yours is a silent I love you I love you I love you. 

“Oh my god Mike,” you sob, and he slides himself deeper, hitting everywhere he wants to reach. Everywhere to make you quiver beneath him.

“You d—don’t know how long I’ve wanted this,” he moans lowly. “How many times I’ve imagined you like— like this.”

He’s blabbering, every stray thought that passes through his head is already blossoming on his tongue and out into the air before he can even think twice. Admittedly, you’re too blissed out in your own mind to really respond, but it’s arousing all the same. 

“You’re so… so beautiful,” he’s flushed and he’s faltering, and you know he’s close before he even announces it. 

“Shit, baby, I can’t— can’t last much longer,” he stammers, his bruising pace beginning to shake. 

“Do it in me, Mike, please, please,” shit, are you trying to kill him? Your word is the only law he knows, and he’s wrapping his arms around your torso and diving his head in the elegant slope of your collarbone, biting down into the skin and spasming somewhere deep in your welcoming walls. 

He tries to keep himself quiet, but it’s really a futile effort. His hips jut sporadically as he empties himself inside you, and the sudden flood of subtle heat is all it takes for you to topple over as well. 

Bliss teeters back into reality after a seemingly ceaseless moment. He peels his head from its previous position to admire you, to stroke a stray lock of hair from your forehead and nervously greet it with a kiss.

He doesn’t let go of you. Not now, not ever, he thinks to himself. His arms snake around you tighter, and somehow it’s even more intimate after the fact. His bare chest collides with your back, his nose rests comfortably against the crown of your head. The pair of you follow each other into a dreamless sleep, safe in the sanctuary of a warm bed and an even warmer embrace. 

He’s found his new familiar. 

masterlist

✩‧₊

[artaxlivs]

Eddie’s sitting in a lounge chair in Steve’s backyard. Well, it’s not a backyard perse, it’s a huge patio with a pool and then a whole fucking forest. Who’s house backs up to the forest? Do the Harrington’s own the forest, too?

Whatever, doesn’t matter. 

He’s sitting in the lounge chair in nothing but cut off shorts and his jewelry, slowly bakng in the sun. What’s left of his beer in it’s sun warmed can is held loosely in one hand when Max plops down in the chair next to him. El gently sits in the same chair as Max and the both stare at Eddie. He doesn’t look at them though.

After thirty seconds, Max asks, “What are you doing?”

“Just wait for it.” Eddie tells her, sipping on his warm beer but not moving his eyes from the poolhouse across the patio.

Both girls look over, shading their eyes with their hands. All three of them wait silently. After another minute or so, the poolhouse door swings open and Steve comes out, pushing something that looks like a vacuum cleaner. He’s wearing his headphones and sort of bouncing to the beat as he drags a big hose part of it over to the pool filter opening thingy. Popping the plastic lid off, Steve kneels down, reaches through the opening for the vacuumy attachment hose he’s holding through the pool side. It looks very complicated and Eddie doesn’t give any fucks about pool cleaning or safety or whatever the fuck is happening there.

What he cares about is all that lovely golden skin on display. Steve’s shirtless, modesty about that hairy chest or those bat bite scars nowhere in sight, wearing swim trunks so short that Eddie can see the little love bite he himself left on the inside of one of those thick thighs this morning. Left it so high that no one else would see it but he’d forgotten that this man is allergic to inseams longer than his pointer finger. 

Steve must get the hose attached because he stands back up, shakes the water off of his hands and gently lowers the pool vacuum into the water, holding the hose thingy as it sinks to the bottom. That done, he dances back into the poolhouse on barefeet, probably listening to fucking Bruce Springsteen or Queen because the guy actually has way more music cred than the kids give him credit for. There’s a click and low drone as he turns the filter on and the vacuum starts to roll around on the bottom of the pool.

Max turns to Eddie and grins. El doesn’t looks away from where Steve has disappeared into the poolhouse. “So we’re ogling Steve.” She says with a wolfish grin. No question. It’s a statement.

“Red!” Eddie sputters, looking away from the poolhouse to give her his best stink eye. “You are children!”

El makes a raspberry noise with her lips and rolls her eyes in a way that looks far too much like Max - or Mike.

Max scoffs, “We’re fifteen, you asshole. Tell us what you were looking at when you were fifteen and we’ll stop.”

Nope. He will not be doing that. No one ever needs to know what young Eddie was using for ....ew he’s not going to think of them doing anything he was doing at fifteen. Gross.

“Mayfield. You’re ruining it. Watch quietly and I won’t tell Steve.”

El grins too this time and settles into a more comfortable position. She and Max share a triumphant look and lean closer together. Probably to whisper to each other where he can’t hear them. Good. Eddie doesn’t want to know.

Steve comes back out, waves at them like the innocent babe that he is and then starts wielding a giant fly swatter - or wait, it’s a pool net. It’s like twelve feet long and Eddie can clearly see the muscles on Steve’s stomach and arms flex as he scoops out leaves and summer bugs from the middle of pool with it. By the time he’s satisfied with the now pristine surface of the pool, there’s a fine sheen of sweat on Steve. If Eddie wasn’t sitting next to two teenage girls, he’d probably be over there by now, climbing Steve like a fucking tree.

Who invited them? Oh wait, they did. Happy fucking summer he guesses.

The captain of the swim team disappears into the poolhouse again and when he comes out this time, he’s got a screwdriver and a lightbulb in his hands for some reason. Setting them on the edge of the pool, he dives in and Eddie was not prepared for that. Steve’s all sleek and long limbed, sunkissed as he barely makes a splash into the pool. When he comes up, he flicks his hair back and swims over to where he left the screwdriver, putting it between his teeth and pushing himself below the surface.

Steve really shouldn’t have let the girls come over to swim today. He should have known what watching this was gonna do to Eddie. Damn him. He hears the girls giggling and sighing as he watches his boyfriend replace the light in the pool underwater. Like, he’s under water the whole time. Jesus, how long can Steve hold his breath for and what else...nope, don’t think about it.

Eddie has zero idea of how much time has passed but eventually Steve gets out of the pool, drags the vacuum thing out - holy wet back muscles Batman - and puts it back in the poolhouse. Dripping and carrying a towel in one hand and his walkman in the other, Steve wanders over to the three of them and then shakes himself like a fucking dog, The girls squeal and Eddie doesn’t because he honestly needed the cool down.

“You guys enjoy the show?” Steve smirks.

Fucking ‘A they did. Thank you very much. Eddie can’t wait to drag Steve inside and ravish him now.

That doesn’t happen. Because the girls, while old enough to thirst after an adult man, are apparently not old enough for Steve to leave alone in the pool for the thirty minutes it would take for him to bend Eddie over his bed and fuck him - honestly they could probably make it happen in fifteen if they tried. So instead, they play babysitters all afternoon and when Hop finally picks the two troublemakers up, Eddie’s too goddamn sunburnt to get laid.

Very gently, Steve rubs aloe into Eddie’s lobster red shoulders and vulnerable spiderweb of scars across his stomach, the tops of his knees and across his nose. “And what did we learn?” Steve snarks at him.

“To put sunscreen on before you take your shirt off.” Eddie replies morosely from where he’s laying on his back on Steve’s cool sheets, staring up at the ceiling and deeply regretting his lack of foresight.

He almost jackknives up when Steve tugs the waistband of his shorts down to expose his still white underbelly and kisses him just above his hairline. “Mmmhhmm, there is one part of you that escaped the mean summer sunshine,” he sucks a bruise into Eddie’s skin where he’d left the kiss, tugging gently to help Eddie out of his scratchy jean cut offs. “And lucky for you, I’m a giver.”

Happy fucking summer indeed.

***That’s all there is of this one but feel free to check out my masterlist of full fics here.  If you’re thirsty for Bottom Eddie being feral over Steve, Drummer Steve is the one I suggest. If you’re looking for kinky & clueless Top Eddie then An Accidental Flogging is probably more your thing. Happy reading!

[pxrxcxa]

You're being mean 

✶ One shot

Pairing | Eddie x Female reader 18+.

Post summary | After a disappointing hookup, Y/n develops a crush on Eddie when she can't stop thinking about what he'd be like in bed instead, wondering if he's as rough around the edges as everyone says he is.

What to expect | Eddie being a dominant, selfish ass. 18 + so minors DNI.

Post Warnings | Pure Smut 18 +, rough M oral sex, orgasm denial, F masturbation, choking, consensual forcing & degradation.

Word count | 3.1 K Word Count.

As always, any & all comments/reblogs are most appreciated - Take care, P. x 🌻

Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Authors Note | A bit out of my comfort zone, I don't think that Eddie is actually anything like this but I wanted to write something angry lmao. I hope you enjoyed it, P.x 🌻

I swung my feet in the air as I lounged across Nancy’s frilly pink bed spread, listening to her drone on about Steve Harrington, nodding and umming in the right places as her voiced faded into background noise, flipping mindlessly through a trashy magazine filled with perfect models that crushed my self-esteem. 

“So who’s yours y/n?” My eyes flashed to hers as a blush crept up my face, embarrassed as I realised I lost track of where she was up to.

“Huh?” I smiled sheepishly as she let out an exasperated sigh. 

“Your crush? Who is it, I told you mine? Pay up, it’s only fair.” I chewed on my lip as I stared into the shining brown eyes of my best friend as she sat on her bedroom floor, regret flooding through me as I hesitated to tell her. We were in our junior year at high school, and while Nancy had drooled over the King of Hawkins High along with the rest of the lower class, I had set my sights on someone even less attainable than Steve. 

I’d already gone down the route of boring basketball players. Personally, I felt that I could have lived without the four inches and twenty seconds, my last hook up leaving me woefully unsatisfied. As I paid more attention to Eddie’s random and chaotic outbursts out school, the more I wondered if he was that animated in all aspects of his life. 

There was just the small issue of Eddie seeming to not even notice my existence though, and my petrifying fear of approaching him, my tongue turning into butter anytime I got close to him.  

My heart thudded against my ribs painfully as she waited for my answer, I twisted her sheets around my fingers as Mrs Wheeler popped her head in through the door, offering us snacks. I rolled over to stare up at the ceiling as the door shut softly, closing my eyes as I whispered. 

“Eddie Munson.” I murmured; a breath flew out of Nancys’ mouth as she sprung up onto the mattress next to me.

“Who?” She screeched, eyes widening in shock as I peered at her face. 

“Eddie.” I said louder, watching her carefully for her reaction, she bit her lip as she stared at me like I was crazy. 

“Really?” A small smile spread across her face as she realised I was serious.

“I don’t know, there’s just something about him.” Eddies dark eyes popped into my mind, each time they met mine sending a shiver of fear and longing through me. 

“Huh.” She sucked her cheeks in and leaned back against her bed frame, watching me carefully.

“What?” I asked defensively, wrapping my arms across my chest. 

“Nothing.” She shrugged, a mischievous look dancing behind her eyes.

“No, what?” I demanded, snatching the schoolbook from her grasp as she picked it up to avoid my gaze.

“He’s just so… rough.” My face betrayed me as Nancy squealed, slapping my knee. 

“Oh…my…god. IS THAT WHAT YOU’RE INTO?” I buried myself into the mound of pillows, peaking through the cracks as I watched her blink in shock, her mouth hanging open wide.

“Well… Mike is in his club, maybe you could get him to introduce you!” She shouted excitedly, leaning forward to shake my shoulders. 

I laughed as her contagious energy made me grin. “Nance… no. He wouldn’t be interested in me.” My smile slipped from my face as I fiddled with my hands in my lap. 

“Why not?” She snapped, I faltered on the brink of admitting my insecurities to her, shame running through me over my jealousy towards her natural beauty, she wouldn’t understand even if I did try to explain.  

“He glares at me every time he catches me staring.” I muttered, telling her half of the truth. “I don’t think he likes me very much; he always looks angry whenever I see him.” My mind snapped to the thought of him stalking past me in the hallways at school, staring straight through me as I shrunk under his glare. 

“I think that’s just him, y/n.” She soothed, looking at me with pity. 

“Hmm.” I half-heartedly agreed, wanting to move past the topic. 

“You can take Mike and the others to their thing tonight!” I sighed as she clapped her hands together excitedly, knowing it was useless to try to argue with Nancy once she set her mind to something.

I fiddled with the hem line of my jumper as I followed Mike and Dustin down the dark, empty school hallway, my nerves hitching up with each heavy footstep that echoed off the grey lockers on either side of me. I followed in tightly behind Nancy’s brother as they casually strolled through the drama room door, shouting over each other as they gushed about fake monsters. 

Eddie sat at the head of the table, low burning candles throwing sharp shadows across his attractive features as he twisted his ring across his bony fingers.

He didn’t look up as Mike cleared his throat beside me. “Uh Eddie, this is-“ 

“I know who she is.” He snapped, leaning back in his chair as his eyes flashed up to stare at him, Mike shrunk under his gaze, his voice trailing off into a whisper.

“Uh, yeah. She’s interested in DnD…” I dug my nails into my palm as his words sounded fake even to my ears.

“That’s not what she’s interested in.” His deep voice cut across the thick air, I blushed as his eyes shot daggers up at me through his long eyelashes. I shook as he scowled at me, his dark, deep-set eyes staring unblinkingly. Mike and Dustin shot me a confused look as I stuttered over my words. 

“Well spit it out.” Eddie glowered at me, raising his eyebrows mockingly at me. My lip trembled as he glared, laughing as I stood frozen at the end of the table, tugging at my shirt nervously. 

I spun on my heels as tears brimmed in my eyes, the detestation in his voice piercing through me as mortification washed over me. I knew coming with the kids tonight had been a bad idea, but I’d let Nancy talk me into it, letting her dress me up and paint my face with her makeup. I shouldered my way through the wooden door and stalked down the hallway back to my car, letting the cold night air of the autumn evening dry my fallen tears as I leant against the hood of my car. 

An hour passed. And then another as darkness well and truly settled around me, before I heard the thundering footsteps running down the hall. Mike and Dustin flew through the doors, quickly followed by the rest of their club. They stopped on the sidewalk as their mouths popped open in surprise at the sight of me. 

“Oh, we thought you’d left. Uh…” Mike clapped his hand around the back of his neck as his eyes turned towards the entrance of the car park, a pair of headlights cutting through the darkness. “I called my dad to come get us.” 

He stumbled as Eddie pushed past him, a cigarette hanging from his mouth as he pulled his jacket on over his defined shoulders, he rolled his eyes as he noticed me huddled in my sweater, pulling his lighter from his pocket and jogging lightly over to his van as his knotted curls flowed out behind him. I groaned as I pulled my hands from across my chest, annoyed at myself for wasting my time, and looking like a fool for it. 

Mike and Dustin waved goodbye and shot me apologetic smiles as they slid into Mr Wheelers car, as anguish and embarrassment turned in my stomach. Eddie had humiliated me tonight, with a sudden surge of anger that launched myself off the cold metal of my car, and across the empty car park, I decided that I couldn’t sink any lower so I might as well get a few shots in since he clearly couldn’t care less about me or my juvenile crush.  

I shouted out after him as he reached up to pull himself into van, Eddie narrowed his eyes dangerously as he turned to watch me storming over to him. 

“Hey.” I shouted, my loose hair whipping wildly around my face as I spurred across the asphalt.  

“What.” He snapped, pulling his smoke from his mouth and breathing a heavy cloud into my face, I coughed and waved the haze away as it stung my eyes. 

“What’s your problem?” I demanded, planting my feet squarely in front of him so he couldn’t escape. Eddie’s eyes ran up and down my shivering form, my anger dimming as cold air brushed my skin. 

“You think I don’t know what you want? You really think I don’t notice you staring after me like a lost puppy? Your silly little crush is so obvious, I’m embarrassed for you.” He twisted his thick brows as he grinned, staring into my eyes as I grasped for a reply. 

“I uh-“ my body tingled as he watched me flounder. 

“Uh Uh Uh” He mocked me, rolling his eyes when I flinched. “You’re such a child y/n, go home.” His jacket ruffled as he spun back to tear open his driver’s side door. 

“Hey! I am not a child.” I stepped forward with my fists balled at my side, not sure what I was planning, just my irritation at his words urging me on. 

He twisted back so suddenly that his closeness caught me completely off guard, his body inches from mine as the smell of cigarettes and cologne made me recoil. I stopped breathing as I watched his tongue slide over his pink lips, the corners of them turning up into a smirk. 

“Oh please y/n. You can’t even look me in the eyes.” My cheeks flamed as I avoided his gaze, the truth in his words calling me out painfully. His frizzy curls bounced as he shook his head, the suffocating smell of tobacco spilling over me as he pulled his van door open. 

My hand flashed out to curl around the leather across his elbow, his arm tensing as he felt my touch. His flaring eyes met mine for a split second before he reached out to grab my waist, spinning me around to slam into the side of his van. He knocked my foot to the side with his, so my legs spread wider, pushing himself into the gap between them. 

“You think you’re grown enough to handle me y/n?” I wasn’t sure if it was the doubtful, teasing look in his eyes, or my anger at his rudeness, but a foreign confidence took over my body as I dug my nails into his arms hard enough to draw blood. 

He smiled as I stared up at him angrily, his five o’clock shadow bristling across his jaw. He strained as a half-smile pulled up the corner of his mouth, slowly bringing his lips closer to mine as my knees shook, he stopped as he got close enough for me to practically taste him, the lean contours of his towering body pushing in deeper against me.

“This does not mean I like you. I just like to have fun.” 

He cocked his head to the side as I considered his words, I had a moment to gulp before he shoved me harshly along the panels of his van, stumbling slightly as his rough hand guided me to the back doors, my breathing sped up as he pulled me against his chest, the coarse fabric of his leather jacket pressing in against me as he tore the door open behind me, knocking me to the floor as he climbed in after me. 

My heavy breath echoed around us as he slammed the door shut, dousing us in darkness, I fumbled back on my elbows as his shining eyes moved closer to me, crawling backwards up to the front seats, the exposed metal beneath me digging into my palms. 

“If you tell anyone about this, I will kill you.” His grin deceived his serious tone as his eyes devoured me sprawled below him, shaking with excitement as I waited for his next move. 

Fear shot through me as he lowered himself to his knees, his hungry eyes never leaving mine as he forcibly wrenched my legs apart, my heart hammered loudly in my chest, doubt flickering through my mind as my body betrayed me. I squirmed under Eddie’s touch, he calloused hands leaving behind a trail of fire along my bare skin. 

“We’re really going to fuck here. What if someone sees us?” I caught my lip between my teeth as Eddie reached up to tear his shirt hastily over his head, fondling his boner through his dark jeans. 

“What makes you think I’m going to fuck you?” I froze as his words stabbed through me, shame pulsing through my mind as I searched his face to see he was serious. Eddie grinned as he lowered himself to hover over me, his hair tickling my chin as it fell in waves around us. 

“Don’t pretend like you wouldn’t enjoy it y/n. I can tell how much of a whore you are.” Heat buzzed through my body as I ran my eyes over his bare chest, soaking up parts of him that I had only imagined. 

“Take your clothes off right now.” He growled as I lifted my hands up to trace the muscles in his arms. He leant back to give me some space as I quickly wriggled out of my sweater and short skirt, my shivering skin glowing in the moonlight seeping through the windshield. His expression darkened as I laid back, he reached his hand out to explore my body, tearing my bra down my chest roughly to expose my breasts. His eyes shot up to my face as I gasped.

“I’m going to ruin you.” 

“Then why are you still talking?” 

He buried his head into my chest as his sharp teeth bit into my soft skin, his large hands wrapping around my sides, constricting around me until I struggled to breathe. I gasped as he pulled on my nipples, nibbling until they became hard, his hand snaked between my legs to rub roughly at my clit, my back arched up into his hand.  

“Suck on my fingers.” His arm moved up across my jaw as he forced me to open my mouth, shoving his hand down my throat as far as they would go until I was gagging, Eddie looked at me from where he hovered just above my panties, to smirk at me. 

“Look at you, all hot and bothered, you’re so fucking wet over me.” I moaned against his palm as his other hand pressed a long finger into me, curling up inside me mercilessly as I writhed madly from the pleasure. He pulled his drenched fingers from my mouth to wrap around my neck, squeezing until blind spots burst across my vision, his dark silhouette leaning up over me as he pumped his arm between my legs, snarling into my ear as I choked out gasps. My legs shook as the hot burning feeling twisted in my lower abdomen, he laughed as he felt me clench beneath him. 

“Not yet.”   

He sat up, pulling me with him as he forced me on my knees, his dexterous hands undoing his belt swiftly, my breath tumbled from my lips as his cock fell from his pants, barely having time to breath as he twisted his hand in my hair, guiding my mouth towards him. His fingers moved to my chin to force my lips apart, his free hand moving to brush my wayward hair away from my face as I wrapped my hand around him, I ran his tip long my parted lips, his precum making it slip back and forth easier. As soon as the first inch slipped past my mouth, he gripped the back of my head with both hands and shot forward, spit dribbling from my mouth as he forced himself deeper into my throat, I gagged as a tear escaped the corner of my eyes, Eddie’s moans filling the van as he pulled back and thrusted into my mouth, faster and faster until he shuddered and his hot cum poured over my tongue, dripping down my throat as he stroked my neck. 

His face was flushed as he pulled back to look down at me, wiping the corner of my mouth roughly, leaning me back down against the floor. 

“Swallow. All of it.” I closed my eyes as his words sent a shiver through me, silently obeying him. His cock was still hard as he stroked it, his eyes glued to my face as I licked my lips. 

 “Touch yourself.” I settled in against the rough metal beneath me, tracing the outlines of my chest, down along my soft stomach until I felt the lacy fabric of my panties. I held eye contact with him as I slipped my hand beneath them, rolling my hips as I rubbed my sensitive spot with slow circles. My eyes fluttered closed as my hand faltered, pleasure shooting through me.

“Open your eyes.” He snapped gruffly, his chest heaving as he stroked his cock faster, his eyes gleaming as he watched my body shake. My hand stopped as I gasped, my legs twitching. Eddie sighed heavily as he reached forward to knock my hand away angrily.

“Fucks sake, do it right y/n.” I moaned and reached down to grasp his arm to steady myself as he rubbed faster than me, trapping my clit between his finger tips as he rolled it back and forth, setting a pace that made me scream out in pleasure, quickly hurtling me towards an orgasm. Without missing a beat, he switched his index finger for his thumb on my clit so he could slide it inside of me, curling it back and forth as I shook.

“There we go.” He jerked his dick fast as my back arched further off the floor, shaking violently as heavenly light burst through me. My hair stuck to my mouth as I moaned, Eddie’s hand fucking me through my waves of pleasure.

He scoffed at me as I slumped against the floor, holding his hand out almost lazily towards me as I looked up at him through heavy lashes.

“Here, lick it off like the dirty slut you are.”

“I’ll admit, you’re a lot more fun than I’d thought you be. Try not to let that go to your head.” He grinned at me over his shoulder, as he sat off the edge of his van with doors propped open, letting cold air swirl around us as he pulled his shirt over his head and shook his hair out of his collar.

“Why didn’t you want to fuck me?” I whispered as frustration flamed in my eyes again, crossing my legs and bringing them to my chin as I watched his back tense. The feeling of being used settled in my stomach uncomfortably as the lust left my body, leaving a dirty feeling behind.

“I didn’t have a condom. And if you wanted that lovey dovey shit y/n, you shouldn’t have come to me.” He jumped down from the back of the van, nodding his head towards me.

“You gotta go. I got shit to do” 

“We should probably leave anyway, before we start a scandal.” I gathered the fabric of my clothes against my chest, crawling across the floor so I could stand up to get dressed.

“Don’t act so innocent when we both know where your mouth was two minutes ago.” He lit up a cigarette as he turned away from me, my hand hovering in the air as I silently asked for help to get down.

“You’re mean Eddie Munson.” I stumbled as I jumped down lightly onto the road. He turned to smirk at me, blowing a cloud of smoke in my face.

“Never said I wasn’t sweetheart.” 

Part 2

Also Readers - if anyone is looking for a slow burn Eddie x y/n, check out my Opposite Ends series.

Copyright © 2022 by P.McCann.

All Rights Reserved.

[amevello-blue]

Things in Rise that Echo 2003 TMNT

Hi Ame here back on my bullshit-- getting right into it. I can't remember where or who said it, but one of the creators of Rise mentioned that 03 was their favorite iteration, and it really shows sometimes. Spoilers for 03 and Rise below ;)

The first thing that comes to mind is Shredder. "But Ame, 03 Shredder was a little alien guy-" NO I'M TALKIN ABOUT THE ORIGINAL SHREDDER. In 03, Ch'rell took on the mask of a well-known boogeyman at the time; the Shredder, who was a demon that had lived 1,000 years ago. Oroku Saki was a man who defeated the demon alongside the rest of the Ninja Tribunal, and after he defeated it, became possessed by it after falling prey to its promise of power.

The most obvious I think are their markings. In 2003 they use 'chi' to give them mystic abilities. It's the act of becoming one with the world around you, but it also seems to work when you are connected to the people around you. Even the medallions over their chest mimic the Hamato symbol that glows on Rise's chest when activating their ninpo.

Their markings even mimic each other (except for Raph, whose Rise version doesn't have any markings, which is a travesty). Leo has slash-like marks, Donnie has geometric marks, and Mikey's got a lot of circles!

NOW OKAY THIS ONE'S A BIT OF A STRETCH, BUT-- Leo has made portals with his sword before! Specifically, he held one open with it.

It's the little things <3

Like the ghost of dead Hamatos coming back to assist their rat sons in the final moments :)

Some more small things! Raph and Donny's brains being rifled through! (Which also happens to 2012 Mikey)

Raph's and Leo's shoulder! (Hard to get a good shot of Leo's, thanks 4kids) Ironically both happening at a moment where Leo has "failed" to protect his family.

Rise Mikey being the "greatest mystic warrior" reminds me a lot of what is alluded to many times with 2003 Mikey; he's very good at what he does! He's a Battle Nexus Champion! He's the one who can channel chi the best! He could surpass Leo even in skill if he actually applied himself, but he doesn't. Because he just doesn't find it fun. But it's shown a little in the episode Same as it Never Was, where he's able to dispatch a whole group of guys with guns all on his own, including three armored cars and a HELICOPTER.

Also making comparisons between 03 SAINW!Mike and Rise F!Leo losing their arms is kinda a stretch but I'll point it out anyway.

And speaking of the movie. My absolute FAVORITE thing to compare is the Krang of Rise to Sh'Okanabo of 2003's Fast Forward season. It's like they took all the concepts of Sh'Okanabo and made it BETTER. Everything was executed SO MUCH BETTER.

Gooey tentacle villain? Check

Weirdly organic flesh ship? Check

Alien invaders turning people into drone versions of their species? Check

(Also side note about that one, I think it's hilarious that in 03 Raph's the only one who DOESN'T get Kanaboe'd but in Rise Raph is the only one who DOES get Krang'ed.)

Taking over structures with their goop? Check

And finally. Small boy son that is a descendant of Casey Jones. Check :)

[carolperkinsexgirlfriend]

Steddie Upside-Down AU Part 68

Part 1 Part 67

Will feels a shiver run up his spine as they all bend over Dustin’s containment unit. He’d known something had gone wrong right when Dustin had lugged the thing into first period. After the teasing they’d received over their costumes from what felt like the entirety of the student body on Halloween, Will had known none of them would ever be Ghostbusters again. Then, the thing had shaken, disrupting Mr. Clark’s class entirely, and Will had known it would all go downhill from there.

“His name is d’Artagnan,” Dustin says, smiling as he finally opens the ghost receptacle. Will almost wishes it was a ghost in there, instead of the small, legless crawly thing that darts from its prison. “Cute, right?”

Everyone jumps back at the sudden movement – only Mike and Dustin stand firm. “d’Artangan?” Mike asks, looking curiously down at it.

Will shouldn’t be surprised. Mike was always the kid collecting bugs at recess in elementary school, picking up slugs and snails, and any number of squirmy things to study, often dragging Will along with him. He used to put them in Will’s hands without asking, excited to share his newest discovery. But, after the third or fourth time Will threw it on instinct, whatever poor creature he’d been holding going splat on the cement, Mike learned to hold them an arms-length away.

The feel of the slime and dirt always stuck with him for the rest of the day, no matter how often he’d washed his hands or how chafed his palms would get from wiping them on the rough denim of his pants.

“Dart, for short,” Dustin says. He’s grinning down at the squirming thing like a proud Mother showing off their new baby.

Max leans forward after a few seconds, made brave by Dart’s seeming docility. Lucas inches forward along with her, grimacing down at the table with disgust. “And he was in your trash?” Max asks, that same skeptical tone in her voice that she’d used when Lucas had fed her the bogus lost in the woods story.

Dustin nods, smiling happily over at her. He’d never been the best at picking up tones of voice. “Foraging for food,” he proudly replies. “You want to hold him?”

“No!”

“He doesn’t bite.”

Max takes a step back. “I don’t want to—”

But it’s too late. Dustin’s already plopped the thing into Max’s hands. She groans, “ugh it’s all slimy,” she says, quickly passing it off to Lucas.

Lucas’s mouth is all puckered up in disgust, “ugh, he feels like a booger!”

He tries to pass it off to Will but Mike smoothly steps in front of him, letting Dart settle into his hands with a wet-sounding plop. He raises his hands, looking the thing in the face. Will peers at it behind Mike’s protective back, intestines squirming when he realizes that it has no eyes.

“What is he?” Mike asks, fascinated.

Dustin bounces on his toes, frenetic with excitement. “My question exactly!”

Even after Mike places the thing back on the table, Will has trouble taking his eyes off it. He feels caught in its stare, barely able to focus as Dustin drones on about unidentified species and new scientific finds. The juxtaposition between Dustin’s glee and the rock sinking to the bottom of Will’s stomach makes him queasy.

“Don’t you think it’s weird to find a new species right when it starts happening again?” Will asks, cutting Dustin off mid-word.

The room goes quiet, until Max scoffs loudly enough that Will jumps. “What’s happening again?”

“Nothing!” Lucas shouts. There’s a sweat breaking out on his brow.

Dustin, paying them no mind, crosses his arms and glares at Will from across the table. “Dart isn’t from there.”

“From where?” Max demands.

This time, even Lucas doesn’t pay her any mind. They’re all too busy splitting into sides. Mike moves to his side, glaring at Dustin. Lucas, after looking between the opposing sides, slinks to the Will’s side of the table, a guilty look on his face.

“Are you guys serious?” Dustin demands, hands on his hips as he glares, eyes moving from face to face to face.

Will looks down at his shoes, can’t look Dustin in the eyes when he looks like that – anger all mixed up with hurt in his expression. “It doesn’t have eyes.”

Lucas steps forward. For a second, Will thinks he’s being abandoned for Dustin’s side. He almost hopes for it, an even divide of the party instead of this three against one that makes his guts churn. But Lucas just steps up to the table, looking down at it with squinted eyes.

He grabs the lamp, turning it so the bulb is pointing down at the thing. Any docility leaves Dart right when the light hits. For a fraction of a second, he sits in the spotlight before hissing, squirming wildly, whole body writhing.

“Do you guys see that?” Lucas exclaims, stumbling back from the thing. “”It looks like something is moving inside it!”

Dustin darts forward, plucking Dart from the table with a grotesque squelch. “He doesn’t like the light!” He cradles it to his chest, swaddling it into his baggy shirt like it’s a fussy baby.

Of course, it doesn’t. The Upside-Down was always cold, so cold it’d seep into your bones. It took days of being back for the feeling to fade. Will takes another step back. No one seems to notice.

“Will one of you stalkers tell me what the hell is going on?”

Dustin purses his lips, looking over at her. “We should tell her,” he declares, nodding like his decree should be enough. “We don’t keep secrets in the party.”

Mike groans, sharp and angry. “She’s not part of the party!” he yells, pointing rudely at Max.

“Mike!” Lucas says it like he does when he’s scolding Erica for taking his toys.

“What? She’s not!”

Lucas grimaces, even as he smiles that same smile he always uses when he finds himself in the middle of a confrontation. “You don’t have to be an asshole about it,” he mutters out of the corner of his mouth, as if that’ll stop Max from overhearing it.

She scoffs, an exaggerated look of offense on her face. Or maybe she’s just that peeved. Will doesn’t know her much at all.

“I don’t want to be in your stupid party anyway!” she says, stalking over the door and wrenching it open.

The fluorescent lights from the hallway paint across the floor, bathing the dark room an artificial white. It reaches Dustin on the other side of the table, just barely; a square of light stretching across his chest before descending back into shadow. A square of light exactly where Dart is still nestled to his chest.

Dart screeches so loud that it clicks strangely in his throat. Will takes another step back, stumbling into Max where she’s still hovering in the doorway. Because for a second, it sounded just like a Demogorgon was in the room with them.

Dart wriggles out of Dustin’s arms, legs bursting out of its squishy body just in time to catch itself on the floor. It bolts for the doorway Max and Will are still blocking. Will reels back, sending both sprawling onto the hard linoleum with a bang. His head is cushioned by Max’s stomach, but his elbow connects hard enough to make him squeeze his eyes shut.

“Grab him!” Dustin shouts.

Something wet scuttles over Will’s bare hand. He gasps, pulling it back and crawling over Max’s prone form.

“Get off me!” she yells, shoving him back.

“Did you get him?” Dustin stands in the doorway, Mike and Lucas shoving him from behind until they can squeeze past.

Will looks around wildly but Dart’s already gone. He wipes his palm on his hand, grimacing at the slimy feeling still coating his palm.

Max stands up with a huff, holding her hand out to Will. She doesn’t seem to care that his palm is sticky, or that his fingers are shaking, just yanks him up from his sprawl on the floor, glaring past him at the three still silhouetted in the doorway.

“I’m out of here,” she says, turning around with a ferocious scowl and stalking away.

Will watches her go, her hair trailing behind her like a beacon. Lucas sighs wistfully from behind him.

“Dude,” Mike says, voice all nasally. Will turns, already knowing he’ll see Mike’s eyes all squinted judgmentally just by his tone. “Her? Really?”

Lucas scoffs. “Uh, we’ve got bigger problems right now, don’t you think?” but the way he’s covering his face with both hands cuts his high horse down where it stands.

Dustin’s still standing, staring down the hallway like that’ll bring Dart back. As if anyone else wants that thing to come back at all.

He can still feel it slithering on his hand. He wipes it on his pants again, suddenly desperately wanting Steve and Eddie to be here. He turns on his heel, following in Max’s wake.

“Where are you going?” Mike demands, footsteps following him.

“I’m going to go get Steve and Eddie.”

“No!” Dustin calls, jogging to catch up with them. “They’ll kill him!”

Will stops, narrowing his eyes at Dustin. “They should already be here. We don’t keep secrets in the party. That’s what you said.” He jabs Dustin in the chest with his still-slimy finger, just once, to emphasize his point before turning and running away.

“Don’t let them hurt him!” Dustin calls frantically, voice fading out as Will sprints down the hall, footsteps echoing in the empty space.

Will doesn’t respond, just runs as quick as he can, hoping desperately the high school is already out. Everything’s gone upside down, and he’s not dealing with this thing alone. He’ll drag them both down with him, knows without asking that they’ll both descend gladly.

Part 69

Taglist: @deany-baby @estrellami-1 @altocumulustranslucidus @evillittleguy @carlprocastinator1000 @1-8oo-wtfbro @hallucinatedjosten @goodolefashionedloverboi @newtstabber @lunabyrd @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @manda-panda-monium @disrespectedgoatman @finntheehumaneater @ive-been-bamboozled @harringrieve @grimmfitzz @is-emily-real @dontstealmycake @angeldreamsoffanfic @a-couchpotato @5ammi90 @mac-attack19 @genderless-spoon @kas-eddie-munson @louismeds @imhereforthelolzdontyellatme @pansexuality-activated @ellietheasexylibrarian @nebulainajar @mightbeasleep @neonfruitbowl @beth--b @silenzioperso @best-selling-show @v3lv3tf0x @bookworm0690 @paintsplatteredandimperfect

[lefteagleblizzard]

𝕷𝖔𝖛𝖊 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖈𝖚𝖘𝖙𝖔𝖉𝖞

Mike Schmidt x gn reader

Summary: You and Mike are fighting for full custody of Mike's little sister, Abby, against their aunt Jane, who seeks custody solely for financial gain. Due to your demanding jobs, the custody battle drags on, and the court mandates that you and Mike attend a childcare course twice a week. But no one warned you of how boring it would turn out to be.

Warnings: no pronouns used for reader. Fluff and smut.

Words count: 2500

Can also be found on ao3 and wattpad

You sit beside Mike in a cramped, overly air-conditioned conference room, its walls adorned with peeling paint and motivational posters that haven't been updated in ages. The fluorescent lights cast a sterile glow over everything, making it feel more like a hospital waiting room than a place for learning.

The professional at the front drones on, her voice a monotone murmur as she reads verbatim from a bland PowerPoint presentation. Her monotonous drone fills the air, a relentless onslaught of lifeless bullet points on child care, each one more tedious than the last.

You glance at the clock, its ticking a constant reminder of the hours dragging on.

You shift in your chair, trying to get comfortable while feeling the hard plastic dig into your back.

Mike shifts uncomfortably in his seat next to you, his eyes struggling to stay open. His fatigue is palpable, dark circles mar his eyes, and his hair is tousled in a way that suggests he barely had time to run a comb through it before rushing here. You know he's had a rough night, another sleepless vigil followed by a demanding night shift.

He glances at you with a weary but determined smile, trying to muster some enthusiasm. He leans in closer, the warmth of his body a comforting contrast to the chill in the room. "Is it just me, or is this the most boring thing ever?" he whispers, his voice low and gruff with fatigue.

You chuckle softly, not wanting to attract the instructor's attention. "Definitely not just you," you reply, sharing a conspiratorial smile. The instructor, a gray-haired woman in an ill-fitting suit, continues to read directly from her PowerPoint slides, oblivious to the whispers and stifled yawns in the room.

Mike shifts his chair even closer to you, his knee brushing against yours under the table. "I can't believe we have to sit here twice a week," he murmurs. "I'd rather be doing... well, pretty much anything else."

He's trying so hard to stay awake, but the material is unrelentingly dull.

He had already taken care of Abby since her birth, those were all things that he knew already.

You shuffle closer to him, your chairs scraping softly against the linoleum floor. He leans closer, his arm bushing yours. "How are we supposed to learn anything when she's just reading to us?" His voice a low, gravelly murmur.

You smile at him, appreciating his effort. "Just try to hang in there, Mike. The more you think about it, the slower time seems to go away."

He leans closer to you again, his breath warm against your ear. "I don't know how much longer I can stay awake," he confesses, his voice laced with a tired charm that makes your heart flutter.

You nudge him playfully "Just try to hang in there."

Mike sighs heavily, his eyes blinking slowly. He leans even closer, his lips almost brushing your ear. "You know, if this were a different kind of class, I'd be finding other ways to stay awake," he murmurs, his voice taking on a playful, flirtatious tone despite his exhaustion.

You can't help but giggle softly. "Oh really? And what would those ways be?"

He smirks, his tired eyes twinkling mischievously. "Maybe we could... practice some hands-on techniques" he suggests, his hand finding yours and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"You're way more interesting than this presentation," he murmurs, his voice a soothing balm to your boredom.

You chuckled softly again, glancing around to make sure no one notices, "Focus, Mike. Stop distracting me."

He chuckles, but it's a weary sound. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But it's hard when you're sitting right next to me."

You roll your eyes affectionately, but you can't deny the warmth spreading through your chest.

Before you can respond, the lecturer clears her throat, and you both straighten up, trying to look attentive. Mike stifles a yawn, his hand covering his mouth.

You turn your attention back to the presentation, scribbling notes as the professional continues to drone on.

This course is just another hoop to jump through in the fight for custody of Abby. Jane, their aunt, is contesting custody, not out of love, but for the financial benefits. The thought makes your blood boil, but you push it aside, focusing on the task at hand.

Mike's voice breaks through your thoughts, softer this time. "I really appreciate you being here with me," he says, his hand finding yours under the table. "I couldn't do this without you."

Your heart swells with affection. "We're in this together," you reply, squeezing his hand. "We'll get through it, boring lectures and all."

An hour passes with agonizing slowness.

The instructor's droning voice seems to meld with the hum of the air conditioning, creating a soporific background noise. Mike continues to fidget, his head bobbing slightly as he fights to stay awake. You can see the struggle in his eyes, and it breaks your heart.

This woman was a living sleeping pill and was starting to have an effect on you as well.

Suddenly you feel a weight on your shoulder. You glance over to find Mike fast asleep, his head resting against you, his arm wrapped tightly around your waist, holding you close even in sleep. His soft snores are a gentle, rhythmic sound in your ear. They tickle, and you stifle a laugh.

You glance around the room, hoping no one has noticed. The couple in front of you provides some cover, their heads bent together as they whisper and giggle, clearly paying no more attention to the lecture than you are.

You adjust your position slightly, trying to make yourself more comfortable while supporting his weight. The last thing you want is to wake him up; he desperately needs the rest.

With one arm pinned by Mike's embrace, you do your best to jot down the key points from the slides, your handwriting growing messier as your hand tires.

The instructor continues her monotonous lecture, oblivious to the sleeping figure beside you.

Mike stirs, his body slipping precariously towards the edge of his chair. You gasp softly and adjust him, his head lolling against your shoulder. He mumbles something, his arm tightening around your waist. You bite your lip to keep from laughing, your heart swelling with affection for him.

Every so often, Mike shifts or murmurs in his sleep, and you can't help but smile at his vulnerability. Despite the circumstances, there's something endearing about his trust in you, his ability to find solace in your presence even in such an unlikely place.

He looks so peaceful, so vulnerable. Your heart warms at the thought of his trust in you, even in sleep.

You glance around the room from time to time, paranoid that the professional will notice Mike's slumber.

Your eyes meet those of a woman sitting a few rows away. She's watching you with a smile, amusement dancing in her eyes.

Panic flares momentarily.

What if she tells you?

The woman shifts slightly, revealing her own husband, who is slumped in his chair, fast asleep with his mouth open. She rolls her eyes and looks back at you, her expression a mix of resignation and amusement. You relax a bit, realizing she's not going to make a scene.

Time drags on. The instructor moves from one tedious topic to the next, covering everything a child needs with the same lackluster enthusiasm. You find yourself stifling yawns leaning toward Mike’s head without applying too much pressure.

You know how much this means to Mike, and by extension, to you. Abby deserves to be with someone who genuinely cares for her, not someone who sees her as a paycheck.

A sudden loud snort startles you, and you realize it came from Mike. You glance around quickly, but it seems no one noticed. You stifle a laugh, shaking your head fondly at him. Seeing him like this, vulnerable and unguarded, only makes you love him more.

Two hours later, the session finally comes to an end. The instructor wraps up with a few half-hearted words of encouragement before dismissing everyone.

You nudge Mike gently, whispering his name. He stirs, blinking groggily as he lifts his head from your shoulder and starts looking around in confusion. "Did I fall asleep?”

You nod, a smile playing on your lips. "Yeah, but don't worry. I took notes for both of us."

He sighs, a mix of relief and embarrassment on his face. "You're amazing, you know that?"

Mike stretches, trying to shake off the lingering grogginess.

"Ready to go home?" you ask, linking your arm with his.

He nods, a tired but content smile on his face. "Yeah. Let's get out of here."

The drive home is quiet, both of you lost in your thoughts. The fight for Abby's custody is far from over, but moments like these remind you why it's all worth it. You glance over at Mike, his profile illuminated by the passing streetlights. He's tired, but there's a determination in his eyes that makes you proud to stand by his side.

As you crawl into bed, the exhaustion finally hits you. Mike slides in next to you, his arm immediately wrapping around your waist. You turn to face him, your eyes meeting in the dim light.

"Thank you for today" he says, his voice soft and sincere. "I couldn't do this without you."

You smile, Jeaning in to kiss him. "We're in this together, Mike. For Abby"

“Speaking of which, should we text Vanessa?” You asked him. You had asked her if she could watch over Abby while you were both busy without really giving her a perfect hour of when you will both be free again.

She agreed whole heartily, saying she had no problems at keeping her until night.

“Let’s wait a little longer. I’m sure Abby is having fun with her”

“You’re already tired?” a small smile tugging at the corners of your lips. The memory of him dozing off, his head resting heavily on your shoulder, played through your mind like a gentle tease.

"Honestly, I can't believe you slept through the whole thing," you chuckled.

"Thanks, you know," he said, his eyes meeting yours with a spark of mischief. "Letting me use your shoulder as a pillow saved me from complete boredom."

You laughed, the sound light and easy. "Anytime. Though, I think I deserve a reward for being such a good pillow."

Mike grinned lazily as he moved closer, his hands resting on either side of your hips. "A reward, huh? I think I can manage that."

He leaned in, his lips capturing yours in a kiss that started slow and tender but quickly grew in intensity. His hands slid up your back, pulling you closer as the kiss deepened, your breaths mingling in the heated space between you two.

He broke the kiss. His forehead resting against yours as he whispered, his eyes gleaming with a playful glint. "You know," he began, his voice low and intimate, "I really need to tire myself out if I want to sleep tonight."

A knowing smile spread across your face. "Is that so?" you replied, your tone equally suggestive.

Without further preamble, Mike leaned in, capturing your lips in a fervent kiss once again. His hands cradled your face, his touch both tender and insistent. The world outside faded away, leaving just the two of you ensconced in this moment of intimacy. His kisses deepened, each one more urgent than the last, as if he was trying to erase the dullness of the evening with the intensity of his passion

You responded eagerly, your hands threading through his hair, pulling him closer. The warmth of his body against yours, the rhythm of his breath mingling with your own, created a cocoon of shared desire. Mike's hands began to explore, tracing the contours of your body with a familiarity that still managed to ignite sparks of excitement.

As the kiss broke, Mike's eyes bore into yours, filled with an intensity that made your heart race. "I think I'm starting to get tired," he murmured, his voice husky with emotion.

You laughed softly, a sound of pure contentment. "Then I suppose we should keep going until you're ready to sleep," you teased, pulling him back in for another searing kiss.

He grabbed your thigh and pulled half of you body on the top of his. Your head was laying on his chest alongside your hands.

It would have felt cute and really cuddly if it wasn’t for his leg right between your thighs.

He knew what he was doing.

He pressed harder, making your breath heavier. “hm...Mike..” you breathed heavily.

Air leached outta his nose as he liked what he heard.

His hand slipped down your neck to your lower back. As his hand were giving you chills and making your back arch; his hand slipped inside and grabbed your butt. He squeezed, his grip making his nails dig into your skin, making you flinch.

“Mike please”

“You’re so adorable” Mike whispers as he presses inside.

You let out a mixture between a moan and a laugh, and Mike thinks it’s the most beautiful sound he’s ever heard.

He sets a slow and steady pace, the two of you staring into each other’s eyes as he slowly rocks them back and forth. You wrapped your arms around his neck while you shared kiss after kiss.

Mike can’t help but to speed up his movements a bit, the feeling too good to resist as he brings you that much closer to the edge.

You wrap your legs tight around Mike as he continues to whisper sweet nothings into your ear, and you moans, peppering Mike’s face with kisses as you tell him how good he is and how much you love him.

When Mike finally falls over the edge, his face is the picture of pure perfection, and you swear you’re staring at an angel as you fall right behind him, holding Mike close as the two of you try and come down from their intense high. You’re breathing hard, both of you covered in sweat, but your smiles are bright, and you share another kiss and whisper “I love you’s”.

In each other's arms, the promise of a restful night seemed almost secondary to the joy of the present moment.

Together, you'll fight for what's right, and no amount of boring lectures or bureaucratic obstacles can stand in your way.

This is an idea that popped inside of my head when I was about to fall asleep during a boring ‘lesson’ (reading slides) and it gave me the boost to continue till the end. Hope you liked it :)

[cranberrymoons]

speak a little louder

prompt: mutual pining (@steddieholidaydrabbles) rated: t word count: 673 words tags: fluff, flirting, nerds in a basement

welcome to Day 3 of the fic advent calendar – bite-sized fics posting every day during the month of december. enjoy!

The campaign lasts all day.

That’s what they call it – a campaign – as if it’s an actual military coup and not what it really is, which is a bunch of teenage nerds sitting around a table in Mike Wheeler’s basement with sodas and a bag full of dice. 

Steve is used to it by now, but he doesn’t expect to have to wait for a whole extra hour when he shows up to collect them, but here he is, sitting on the couch in the corner and staring at the ceiling while he listens to Eddie drone on and on about elves or some shit.

Well – drone is maybe sort of an inaccurate word, considering how into it Eddie’s getting, crouched on his seat like a gargoyle, talking with his hands, doing the voices. It’s actually kind of fun to watch, and Steve is maybe sort of pretending not to find it as interesting as he does, because he has a reputation to maintain, dammit, and he refuses to be drawn in by the spark in Eddie’s eye or the flush on his cheeks or the way his fingers weave strands of the story across the table.

Whatever. Steve doesn’t even care.

“Sorry about that,” Eddie says when it finally wraps up, when he’s climbed off his chair and is standing in front of Steve while the kids bicker over something and take their sweet time packing their things. “Couldn’t stop in the middle, they would’ve killed me.”

He reaches behind his ear for a cigarette stuck there, and Steve stares at the way his rings catch the light as his hand moves. 

“No problem,” he says. He clears his throat. “Hey, can I –” 

He nods his head toward the cigarette, and Eddie raises his eyebrows, holding it out.

“Bum a smoke?” he asks. “Sure, Harrington. Anything for the valiant babysitter.”

Steve smiles as he accepts it from him, and he tries to ignore the way his stomach flips when their fingers brush. 

“Thanks.”

---

They take them upstairs, outside to wait for the kids, and it’s starting to get cold enough now that Steve has to flip up the collar of his jacket against the chill as soon as they step onto the porch. 

“That was cool back there,” he says around the filter clenched in his teeth as he ducks his head to light the cigarette. “The thing, or whatever.”

Eddie eyes him for a moment, then flicks ash onto the ground. “It was like… the metric opposite of cool, but thanks anyway.”

Steve laughs. “Still. It looked fun.”

“You should join us sometime,” Eddie says. He clears his throat. “I mean… if you want.”

And Steve can’t help it; even on top of everything big and scary going on in his chest right now, the idea of actually playing the fantasy math nerd game sounds like –

“I don’t know,” he says, shaking his head. “I think I’ll leave that one to the pros.”

Eddie laughs a little. “Oh, we’re pros now?”

“You managed to save the elf. I think. Sounds pretty professional to me. I couldn’t save an elf.”

Eddie gives him a look. “There wasn’t even an elf in that part of the campaign. I think you’re just making shit up.”

Steve laughs too at that. “Yeah, I had… no idea what you were doing. But the kids seemed into it.”

“So what are you into, then?” Eddie asks. “If not nerd shit, then what?”

You , Steve wants to say. Mostly these days, I’m just into you .

He takes a breath. “I don’t know,” he says instead. “I don’t mind the fantasy stuff. It’s the math part I have issues with.”

Eddie smiles a little. “Then take the numbers out of it. Come watch a movie with me sometime. I bet we can find some kind of nerd thing for you to be into.”

Steve feels his stomach give another little jolt as he stubs out his cigarette. “Yeah, I bet we can.”

[also on ao3]

[bussyslayer333]

Push the button

summary: jake has a thing for his new assistant.

pairing: ceo!jake seresin x assistant!reader

word count: 3.2k

warnings: smutt,, maybe power play?? he’s ur boss,, daddy kink lol, swearing and some creepy work guys. MDNI 18+

⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡.｡༅:*ﾟ:*:✼✿

Jake should have never hired you. He was pretty sure you were the least efficient assistant he’d ever had. But every time he brought you into his office to fire you, you looked up at him with your big eyes and simpered,

“Yes, Mr Seresin?”

He crumbled. You made Jake Seresin a weak, weak man. You were fresh out of college and definitely too young for him, but your tight pencil skirts and blouses that always had at least one button more that needed to be done up always had him slightly dizzy.

He was currently watching you through the glass door to the copy room, bent over the photocopier on the 10th floor trying to unjam whatever document you had probably stuck in the wrong port. Mike, the creepy tech support was stood behind you offering increasingly unhelpful advice. You stood back up with a huff and turned to Mike,

“Are you sure there’s a reset button all the way down there?”

“Oh yeah, definitely,”

Jake watches as you shrug and bend back over trying to look for the “reset button”. He also watches as Mike’s hand slides low on your back, that’s when he decides to make himself known.

“Everything alright?”

Mike immediately backs off from you and prays that you don’t open your mouth. To his dismay, you snap back up immediately, a ditsy smile on your face.

“Totally Mr Seresin! Mike was helping me with the copier, I didn’t realise there was a reset button all the way at the bottom!”

Jake isn’t sure what’s worse, your complete trust in anyone that talks to you or the fact that he’s probably going to have to file to HR about Mike once again. Mike looks up at him somewhat apologetically and Jake sighs,

“Get out.”

Mike scurries off and Jake can’t help but laugh at his uncanny resemblance to a rodent. You’re looking up at him with that pout that makes his dress pants feel too tight,

“That was kind of mean.”

Jake scoffs, “Darlin’ there’s no reset button down there.”

You look up at him, confused for a second, “Oh. Someone should probably tell Mike then, don’t want him doing his job wrong.”

Jake reaches a hand up to rub at his forehead, he worries one day that your unwavering kindness is going to get you killed.

“Walk with me.” Jake orders, remembering he came to fetch you for a reason.

He’s striding out the door much faster than you with his long legs, you walk as fast as you can in your shiny heels to catch up with him. Jake can hear your hurried clip clopping behind him and smiles to himself. Once you catch up, Jake offers his arm to you, figuring it’s the best way for you to stay in pace with him (also because you have a tendency to wander off).

“I have a meeting with a bunch of guys from the board in 20ish minutes, I need you in there with me.”

You’re nodding along to everything he says,

“Certainly sir.” You giggle, saluting him.

Jake wills a groan not to slip out of his mouth at the formality. He also hopes you don’t figure out that you don’t need to be in the meeting at all, he just knows it’s going to be a drag and wants your pretty face to stare at when Rich the head of the board starts droning on.

“Great, 12th floor, meeting room 3 in..” Jake checks his watch, “15 minutes.”

You nod your head along diligently before spinning on your heel,

“Where are you going?” Jake calls after you.

“I left those papers in the copy room!” You exclaim, stumbling slightly now you weren’t looking where you were going.

Jake just sighs and hopes you’re in the meeting room on time.

What Jake doesn’t expect is for you to already be in the meeting room when he gets there, in fact you’re already talking to Rich, and he’s… laughing? In the 5 years that Jake has been head of his company he’s pretty sure he’s never seen Rich even smile. Jake clears his throat to make his presence known and you jump out of the seat next to Rich to stand by Jake’s side.

The smile that was on Rich’s face immediately drops and Jake has to hold back the urge to roll his eyes.

Jake was right, the meeting was long and boring and Rich droned on about efficiency and stats and things that Jake didn’t care about, so he was shocked you weren’t dozing off. When Jake finally managed to escape he turned to you,

“Thank you for that.”

Your bright smile makes up for every boring moment of the past two hours,

“It’s no problem Mr Seresin.”

In the elevator up to the top floor where Jake’s office is he comes to realise how late it is, it’s pushing 9 o clock and most of his employees have left. Jake still has mountains of things to sign and documents to work through, he lets a groan slip out of his mouth.

“All okay Mr Seresin?”

Jake jumps slightly, he had forgotten about your presence next to him and he grimaces down at you,

“You should go home sweetheart, get some rest.”

You beam up at him in your usual demeanour, “And leave your all on your own?”

Jake laughs, “I’ll be fine sweetheart.”

You cross your arms and muster up what you think is a pointed look, Jake tries not to laugh again at your pout.

“I’m not leaving you here, you’ll end up staying all night then I’ll be the one dealing with you tomorrow when you’re cranky and tired.”

The elevator dings and you step out in front of Jake. He sighs realising he won’t be getting rid of you any time soon. He follows the sway of your hips all the way to his office. It’s all sleek large glass doors and the top to bottom window gives him an incredible view of the city below. You flick the lights on and sit in the comfy seat opposite Jake’s leather chair. Jake watches as you kick your heels off and wiggle your toes in your black sheer stockings.

“They hurt like a bitch after a long day.”

Jake chuckles, he’s never heard you swear before. Your eyes widen like a shocked baby deer,

“Shit, am I allowed to swear in front of you?”

You cover your mouth and mumble, “Sorry!”

As Jake sits, he wonders if you truly understand the effect you have on him. Trying to do work whilst you’re perched opposite him is proving a near impossible task. Not to mention the fact that his neck has been killing him all day.

Whilst tapping something into your phone, you look up to see Jake rubbing his neck with a pained look on his face for the fifth time in the past ten minutes.

“Do you want me to rub your neck?” You question politely.

Jake would love nothing more than having your soft manicured hands rubbing his neck, but he worries what having your hands on him will do to his slowly weakening facade. He decides to throw caution to the winds and speaks up,

“Please.”

He realised that sounded kind of pathetic, but you seem ecstatic, jumping up from your position and making you way to the spot directly in front of him. Jake strains to keep his eyes on your face as you lean down to push his chair back, making more room for yourself.

Your hands on his neck feels like heaven, but he can’t help but feel bad about the way you are now hunkered down trying to help him. So Jake figured the best way to alleviate this is to pull you down into his lap. He does it with both hands on your hips, you land a little ungracefully with a surprised squeal leaving your mouth. You shuffle around until you’re sat comfortably, then look up at Jake,

“Is this okay, Mr Seresin?”

Jake is trying so hard not to spontaneously combust.

“Perfect.”

Your magic hands return back to his neck with vigour, working at the tense knots there. Jake can’t help but groan in pleasure every time you work over a particularly sensitive spot. Something Jake also notices is the way you’re now subtly grinding yourself down on his semi. Your pathetic whimpers going straight down to his cock as you dare to grind down harder onto him. Jake can’t help but tease you,

“What are you doing sweetheart?”

Both your ministrations holt, and your doe eyes meet his again.

“Nothing!” You all but squeak out.

“You and I both know that’s not true.”

Jake’s heart pangs as you push your face into his neck and sniffle,

“You just sound so good sir. Feels so good.”

Jake guides your face away from the crook of his neck and coos at your tearful eyes, “It’s okay baby, I liked it.”

You seem elated by his praise and quickly forget your previous embarrassment. Jake slowly guides your lips to his, he’s worried about frightening you away. Your lips are tentative against Jake’s at first, unsure whether you should be doing this. But Jakes strong hands drift down to squeeze against the curve of your ass, eliciting a moan from you. Enough so that Jake can slip his tongue into your mouth, just as Jake goes to deepen the kiss again you pull back shyly and pull on his loosened tie. Jake gets the hint and takes the tie off, placing the expensive silk on his desk behind you.

You get the honour of undoing his buttons, Jake watches with a lazy smirk as you stick your tongue out in concentration. Your manicured nails making it hard to undo the buttons too quickly, but Jake enjoys the build up. When you’re finally finished with your job, you move your hands up to push at the shirt and Jake gets the hint to pull it the rest of the way off of his arms.

Jake smirks as you sigh softly in appreciation, and rake you nails lightly over his abs up to the sprinkling of hair on his chest.

“I’m feeling a little singled out sweets.” Jake teases.

You tilt your head to the side confusedly, until you realise what he’s talking about. Jake loves watching the cogs turn in your mind. You let out a little “oh!” with a giggle and begin to unbutton your blouse. This time Jake doesn’t care for the build up, instead ripping your blouse the rest of the way off, buttons flying.

You pout, “Hey! I liked that top!”

Jake’s eyes run over your chest, as he mumbles something along the lines of, “I’ll buy you a new one.” His heated gaze makes you somewhat self conscious and you bring your hands up to cover your chest.

“Please don’t hide from me baby.”

You slowly bring your hands down and watch as Jake reaches for the clasp at the back of your bra. You gasp as you feel it come undone and reach to hold the cups in place. You make sure to hold eye contact with him as you let your lacy bra drop. Jake’s pulling at his lower lip with his teeth,

“Fuck.”

He pulls you close for a kiss again, revelling in the feeling of your breasts pushed up against his chest. This time you’re confident in the kiss, allowing his tongue to slip past your lips with ease as it continues. Your hips grind down into his crotch subconsciously, swirling in delicious circles that have Jake dizzy. When you pull back for a breath Jake is signalling for you to stand up.

Stood up, there’s not much height difference between you whilst he still sits and your stomach clenches in excitement. Jake watches, pupils dilated and you slide your tight pencil skirt down your legs and kick it to the side. Your sheer stockings do little to hide the tiny lace underwear you’ve got on and you startle slightly as Jake groans loudly at the sight.

“Jesus, sweets, is this all for me?”

A smile spreads across Jake’s face as you nod coyly.

Jake spins you around so that you’re bent somewhat over his desk, you wiggle your ass at him as he pulls your stockings down for you. Once you’re fully stepped out of them Jake stands to his full height, you can feel his tall presence behind you and it sends a shiver of excitement up your spine. Jake experimentally taps your ass, it’s not too hard but your flesh jiggles, pleasing Jake to no end. He does it again, this time harder. You arch back into his touch with a moan.

“Would you look at that?” You can hear the smirk on Jake’s face.

He smacks your ass again, a pink mark forms from the pressure of it.

“Beautiful.” He murmurs, hand stroking gently against the mark.

“Please touch me.” You whimper, leaning back into his touch.

Jake’s hand ghosts against your pussy, a finger sliding up the lace that covers your folds, he can feel how wet you are through the fabric. His middle finger finds your clit and experimentally circles it. You mewl, head thrown back.

“Daddy, please.”

Jake chuckles at the name that slips out of your mouth. You were driving him insane and you didn’t even know it.

Jake drops to his knees behind you, licking a fat stripe up your clothed pussy. You squirm back against his face and gasp. Jake likes your reaction so much that he takes mercy on you, pulling your underwear to the side and licking another stripe up your pussy, dipping his tongue experimentally into your hole. You’re so wet that Jake can already feel your juices coating his chin, you can’t seem to care as you moan incoherently, wiggling back into Jake’s face. Jake stills you by holding your hips, dipping his tongue back down to circle your clit. Just as your moans begin to pick up he pulls away,

“Sugar, I need to feel you on me is that okay?”

You whine at the loss of contact, but his question sounds promising, “Yes.”

Jake quirks an eyebrow as he stands back up, whispering into your ear with a smirk, “Yes what?”

Your cheeks flush, “Yes, Daddy.”

You can hear Jake unbuckling his belt behind you, prompting you to arch your back, shaking your ass invitingly. Jake is pretty sure you’re going to kill him, but he’s going to die a happy man. Jake’s hand feels strong gripping onto the side of your hip, you look back at him and still have the audacity to smile shyly even as he guides the tip of his cock through your dripping folds. He’s groaning freely at the feel of it all, especially as you wiggle back onto him. He finally takes mercy on you and pushes into you slowly, the whimper you let out is music to his ears.

Once he’s fully settled into you, he allows you a minute to get used to the feeling of his considerable size. He takes a tentative thrust into you and you moan once again and turn back to look at him,

“Please, Daddy.”

Jake had never been one to deny you before. He begins his thrusts with reckless abandon, one hand still had a bruising grip on your hip, the other pushing slightly into the arch of your lower back. The high pitched whine that comes out of you scratches against your throat sending vibrations down your chest, the feeling of your breasts pushed against the cold glass top of Jake’s desk making for a delicious contrast in temperature.

Jake’s thrusts are calculated and hit deep within you, he’s groaning behind you, the feeling of your warm walls pulling him is in intoxicating. A smirk makes his way onto his face as he realises how you’re pushing back to meet his thrusts, ass hitting his pelvis rhythmically.

“Desperate, baby?”

Jake pulls you by your hair to look back at him, he’s greeted with your glassy eyes and open mouth moaning freely. You’ve lost any shame you may have felt to the feeling of Jake so deep inside of you. The last straw is when he reaches a strong hand down to circle your clit, just enough pressure to make your knees weak, relying more than ever on his grip on your waist.

“Fuckkkkkk.” You whine and Jake tuts, kissing against the hot skin of your back.

You’re pretty sure you’re drooling as Jake quickens his ministrations against your clit, pace of his thrusts still quick and deep. You clench around him, nearing your peak and he groans.

“Sweetheart, please cum for me.”

His words add fuel to the growing fire in your core, grinding back into his fast thrusts. One final toy to your clit sends you head first over the edge. You can’t even imagine how loud your moans are as you become consumed by pleasure. Jake is enjoying every last second, wishing he could commit the sweet sounds you make to his memory forever. Your throbbing walls bring Jake dangerously close to his own peak, and his thrusts become erratic as your heartbeat finally returns back to normal. Jake pulls out of you swiftly and watches in awe as you sink to your knees in front of him, tongue lolling out of your mouth and wide eyes staring up at him.

Jake strokes his cock quickly, keeping eye contact with you as he finishes. His cum spatters over your tongue and chin though mostly landing over your chest. His eyes roll to the back of his head at the sight of you on your knees covered in his seed, fighting off another erection. You swipe your tongue around your lips, collecting as much of his seed as you can. It’s salty but not unpleasant.

Jake helps you up to your wobbly feet. You’re suddenly slightly self conscious as you take in your position; stood fully naked in front of your boss who just fucked you within an inch of your life. Your anxieties are squashed as he kisses your forehead sweetly and flattens some of your mussed hair. He reaches for the draw behind him and pulls out a few tissues from a box, wiping the drying cum from your chest. When he meets your look you quirk up an eyebrow, smirking.

He chuckles, “Shut up.”

Jake reaches for his discarded shirt and drapes it over your frame,

“Let me take you home?”

“That would be nice, sir.”

Jake huffs, “Just Jake is okay sweetheart.”

“Okay Just Jake.” You tease, as he rolls his eyes.

The next morning you step into the elevator to find Jake. There’s no one else in there and he presses the button to the top floor; his office.

He looks down at your tight blouse, straightening the sleeves of his suit jacket and smirks,

“So, daddy huh?”

⭑･ﾟﾟ･*:༅｡.｡༅:*ﾟ:*:✼✿

a/n: HERE SHE ISSS i am obsessed sorry everyone

feel free to send me any thoughts!! i’m thinking maybe i do some drabbles about them?? send me some prompts :)

hope u all enjoy my filth once again

pls reblog, comment or send me and ask and tell me what you think !!

thank u for readinggg

- honey <333

[bisexual-thoughtss]

If you feel comfortable/motivated to write this-!

Can we get a Tim LaFlour x gn!reader who just really wants go down on Tim and body worship him. Like maybe Tim is a little self conscious about his soft stomach despite how much muscle he builds while playing hockey. And R just wants to show him how hot he is anyway.<3

I loved this request!! I hope you like it :-)

Tim Laflour x Reader

You’re perched in Tim’s lap as a long forgotten movie drones in the background, all your focus on kissing Tim senseless. You can tell you’re doing a good job of it when you pull back a little and he smiles goofily up at you, chasing your lips to try and close the distance. You don’t let him, instead reaching to pull off his shirt, but he distracts you by pressing light kisses down your neck that turn into playful nips around your collarbones. He pulls off your shirt, his big hands smoothing up your back to press you against him when you reach for his hem again. You pull away when he tries to kiss you, looking down at him quizzically.

“What going on?” You ask softly, carding your fingers through his hair, still fluffy from air drying after his post hockey practice shower.

“What do you mean?” He evades, pressing kisses against your chest and making you hum.

“Don’t try to distract me,” you pull his head away from you, “why won’t you let me take off your shirt?”

He sits silently, clearly trying to come up with a reason.

“Did you get hurt at practice? Are you okay? Should I get off?” You fret, starting to move off of him.

“No! No, I’m not hurt, you’re not hurting me,” he rushes out, holding your hips in place.

“Then what’s going on, baby?” You gently prod.

“I- it’s stupid,” he huffs.

“It’s not stupid if it’s upsetting you,” you run your thumb across his cheekbone.

“I just- the guys in the locker room were all joking around comparing abs,” he mumbles, “and I’m so… soft.”

He spits the word soft like it’s a curse. Like it’s not your favorite part of him.

“Tim,” you breathe, “am I dating Mike? Or Joe? Or Tommy?”

“No?” He looks confused at your list of his teammates.

“No! I’m dating you,” you squeeze his cheeks lightly, making him fight a smile that threatens to show.

“And I love you, every part of you. Especially your tummy. It’s one of my favorite parts actually,” you tell him, his cheeks flaming red under your hands.

“Can I show you?” You ask, reaching for the hem of his shirt yet again. He lets you take it off this time, avoiding your eyes as if you’ve never seen him shirtless before. This lets you surprise him when you tug on his shorts too, and he lifts his hips without thinking to let you take them off as well. Crawling back into his lap, you pull him in for another heated kiss. You kiss him long enough for his hands to start to wonder again, then you start leaving kisses against the hinge of his jaw and down his neck. His hands tighten around your hips again and you sigh happily into his skin.

“Just because you don’t have defined abs doesn’t mean you’re not strong,” you tell him between kisses.

“Your shoulders are fucking built baby, perfect place for my legs,” you joke, your hands running down his arms and intwining your fingers with his.

“And your hands? Don’t even get me started on your fingers. So much bigger than mine, reach places inside me I never could,” you continue, his blush running down his chest now. He squeezes your hands playfully and you pretend to swoon so he’ll catch you.

“Ugh how could I forget your arms,” you squeeze his bicep where it’s still flexed to hold you up, “love when you wear sleeveless shirts. You don’t realize it but I’m literally always drooling over you.”

You press him to sit back into the pillows, shuffling down so you can kiss down his chest, playfully flicking your tongue over his nipple just to watch him squirm.

“I really do love your tummy,” you tell him, pressing kisses all around his bellybutton.

“So cute, perfect place to lay. And when you stretch and your shirt rides up just enough to get a glimpse, ugh,” you groan, biting gently at the little pooch under his bellybutton. He tries to squirm away, but you don’t let him, sucking little bruises into the soft flesh and teasing the skin at his waistband until he’s begging and straining against his boxers. You have a little mercy on him, pulling his boxers off and letting his hard length bob against his stomach. Kissing up his thighs to his hip bone you suck a pretty bruise there, kissing closer to his cock before pulling away suddenly.

“Have I mentioned I love your thighs too?” You ask and his head flops against the pillow as he groans, thinking you were finally going to touch him.

“Well I do, they’re my favorite place to sit,” you tell him, biting at his inner thigh lightly. “Except maybe your face,” you smirk and he whines, his cock twitching wetly against his belly. You lick up the fluid that’s pooled on his tummy, your tongue brushing against his jewelry. The minimal stimulation makes his hips twitch in search of more and you don’t deny him, running your tongue along the cold metal before dipping to trace along his slit and down his length. His breathing is already heavy when you take him into your mouth, and his groan is filthy when he nudges against the back of your throat. You take in the sensations, the weight of him on your tongue, his jewelry against the roof of your mouth, the smell of his skin surrounding you and making you dizzy with want for him. Ignoring your own arousal, you work to bring him as much pleasure as you can, suckling his tip for a moment before pulling off and jerking him lazily to give your jaw a little break.

“Good, baby?” You check in between kisses along his length and your tongue swirling around his head.

“So good, please,” he whimpers, and who are you to deny such a pretty boy begging for you.

The look on Tim’s face has a pulse of arousal shooting to your core as you take him back into your mouth. He raises his head to watch you just as you glance up through your lashes at him, making him groan as his head falls against the pillow again.

“I’m gonna come, baby,“ he gasps and you moan around him in encouragement. The vibrations send him over the edge, his thigh muscles twitching under your hands. When he comes down from his high, you’re crawling up to wrap yourself around him from the side, resting your head on his shoulder.

“You okay?” You chuckle as he tries to regulate his breathing.

“Give me a minute and I’m gonna thank you so well for that,” he huffs.

“You don’t have to,” you smile as you press little kisses to his shoulder.

“Oh yes I do,” he rolls on top of you unexpectedly, your giggles dissolving into moans as he makes good on his promise.

[will80sbyers]

STRANGER THINGS 5 PRODUCTION MASTERPOST

part 001 (a new masterpost with the dates in order and more organized)

Before filming started:

We know that "The crawl" is the title of episode 1 of season 5 !

( posted on Nov. 7 /2023 ) The first scene is this one with a child's voice singing a familiar song (probably Will singing Should I stay or Should I go)

April 29 / 2023

Casting was looking for two kids 8-10yo (April and Derek - probably fake names)

August 17 / 2023

David (Hopper's actor) says the season is going to start a bit after the final scene on the hill and the finale is ''moving'' and the characters will have a pay-off.

September 19 / 2023

First pictures of the Hawkins set, they were building it still.

pictures and drone footage

September 29 / 2023

The STRANGER WRITERS account on twitter posts a pre-vis of a scene in episode 1 where Jonathan and Steve are doing something together.

October 20 / 2023

Pre-vis animation of the scene of Dustin, Jonathan and Nancy falling down a tunnel in a car while screaming. Happens in episode 4 at the McCorkle farm.

October 30 / 2023

Ross and Matt Duffer post a video of them preparing one of the scenes- Robin, Nancy, Joyce, El and Will are in it.

TRANSCRIPTION:

You probably have some sort of straight on with Joyce…we're seeing them kinda parading and then we'll probably have some rakes, you know? Yeah. But then we need to get to Will, though. Well, what, isn't it Joyce ???? Well, we'll start from Eleven and then, cause Eleven says ''There's not enough.''. Oh she says ''There's not enough.'' either ''too many'' what if we just pull back like, Eleven says '' There's too many'' and then we land on Will and he's looking nervous… and then we could zero-in on him like that… is that weird to pull and then move in. I don't think so.

November 26 / 2023

BTS of some posters inside the Hawkins school make us think the season will start or take place around november 21, 1987. There is a project for the fair for ''Energy conservation'' from the Department of Energy. There is also a poster aboout Christmas.

November 29 / 2023

Ross Duffer was on the Wheelers home location

November 30 / 2023

Scouting the locations. New bts of the posters at Hawkins high, the crew is preparing the locations- pictures from Ross.

December 7 / 2023

Cara Buono posts a ''back to work'' selfie and we have some more pictures from the Hawkins high set.

December 8 / 2023

Ross posts some bts pictures, they are doing camera tests for the show before they start filming.

December 17 / 2023

Confirmed that STRANGER THINGS 5 will be 8 episodes long, video interview to the Duffer brothers. They already did the table read of the first 6 episodes (which makes me think it was the day Cara posted the selfie on dec. 7)

January 5 2024

atlanta_filming on instagram says that Nancy, Steve, Jonathan and Robin were filming.

January 8 / 2024

New bts pictures of the Hawkins set with the militay in town.

The Stranger Things production begins officially with a picture of the cast. Linda Hamilton is interpreting a new character in s5 as previously announced.

January 9 / 2024

Ross Duffer posts a series of bts pictures from Day 1: FIRST LOOK AT ROBIN AND STEVE IN COSTUME. BTS pictures of the background, Nancy and Jonathan were filming too, Pink Floyd the movie poster etc

January 11 / 2024

Eduardo Franco says Argyle will not be back in s5 (HE COULD BE LYING)

FIRST LOOK AT DUSTIN IN COSTUME from Ross Duffer's ig.

More bts pictures of Dustin in costume, the scene seems to be him at the cemetery visiting Eddie's grave that has been defaced with hate writings on it. LINKS: 1 / 2 / 3

January 17 / 2024

Paparazzi pictures of the filming at Hawkins high, the Bully with the hat from s4 (or Dustin???) in costume?

Bts pictures with the military near the school

FIRST LOOK AT MIKE IN COSTUME paparazzi picture at Hawkins High / 2

New pictures of Dustin on set, his shirt is damaged, there's probably been a fight at school with the bullies (initially I thought it was with Mike but it makes no sense lmao), he's being harassed because of what the town believes about Eddie. LINKS: 1 / 2

The Stranger Things channel on instagram posts a bts video of the set with books about electricity.

Some details from the video

January 18 /2024

Prod. Spoilers on twitter posts a picture of the Bradley's big buy supermarket saying it will make an appearance.

New pictures that show the Radio station WSQK where they are filming, the truck from Bradley's is there so maybe they took it in a scene.

January 19 / 2024

Ross Duffer posts bts pictures from week 2 of filming: FIRST LOOK AT MIKE in his room (finally a good picture ❤️ ) / A bike in the Hawkins school field, Will's bike with the shoes that Noah was wearing there so it's a scene with Will probably having a vision/dream because it's at night with the fog. / A sticker that says the Halley's comet is coming nov. 1985 - apr. 1986 / Mike's basement ? / A hellfire drawing inside one of the lockers. / El and Mike in a field going to the radio station.

Bts pictures of a scene with El and Mike at the radio station talking to each other, Hopper and Joyce were there too. / 2 / 3

Picture of Hopper

Picture of Joyce

VIDEO OF THE SCENE BETWEEN MIKE AND EL ON THE ROOF OF THE RADIO STATION

My lip reading of the video (it could be wrong!!!!)

January 24 / 2024

The Hawkins mall will be back?

Pictures at the Hawkins new hospital with a blue and a yellow bike there

Video of Karen on set filming ep. 2

A new video of the scene between El and Mike on the radio station roof seems to indicate it's an emotional scene.

January 25 / 2024

They are filming at the Stone Mountain park location, new bts pictured of the weeks before at the radio station etc

Little curiosity about the radio station and the inspo for it.

January 26 / 2024

The Stranger Things channel on ig posts new background pictures at the school with the decorations inside the school: 1 / 2 / 3 /

The lockers at school: 1 / 2

January 27 / 2024

New bts paparazzi pictures from the day they filmed at the hospital in Hawkins / 2 / 3

January 28 / 2024

Filming at Browns Lake in Georgia?

January 29 / 2024

Bts pictures of the Upside down vines in the woods and at Hawkins Lab

February 1 / 2024

Probably old - pictures of the night shoots at the radio station

Maybe a song is involved?

Bts pictures of the Wheelers car and Steve's car at the radio station with the WSQK blue van / 2

A good picture of the WSQK blue van

February 2 / 2024

Prod. Spoilers says that Nancy, Mike, Will, Jonathan, Murray and Joyce and Steve were on set.

New pictures from the radio station

ROSS DUFFER BTS PICTURES OF WEEK 3-4 / El at the radio station, background decoration with '' A wrinkle in Time'' and '' Why start a life under a cloud?" - the old bus from s1 at the place where they went to hide, a bloody shoe (probably Joyce's) and a scene in a room with blue walls (?)

BTS paparazzi pictures near the Bradley's truck, Jonathan, Nancy, Steve, Robin and Murray were involved. / 2

Filming in Stone Mountain Park probably on the train tracks like in s1

February 3 / 2024

Prod Spoilers posts a drone video of the radio station with some info

FIRST LOOK AT NANCY AND JONATHAN (from behind…) paparazzi pics / 2 / 3 / 4

February 5 / 2024

BTS pics from the Mc Corkle farm / 2

Continues in -> 002 and 003

[fractualized]

2023 Batjokes Secret Santa Round-Up

Happy holidays! Big thanks to everyone who participated in the exchange this year. Gifts are listed below, split between art and fic, and SFW and NSFW. (Most art titles are unofficial, just text for me to link.)

90% of the gifts are batjokes; nonbatjokes are at the end of each section. I’ve included some other notes and warnings with the links, but as usual it’s on you to check fic tags.

🎄 SFW Art

Summer Selfie [Lego Batman] by arcthie

Lego Meme/Holiday Wrapping/Shark Repellent [Lego Batman, DOTF] by batjokestm

Joker by botoartist

Destined Dance [Telltale] by chokit-pyrus

Team-Up Selfie by clownedcrime

Under the Mistletoe by flurpyz

Gentleman's Arrest by the-hopeless-fanboy

Caught in the Spotlight by kitty-cat-boi

Partners [Telltale] by Koda

Christmas Sweaters [Batman '66] by garrett-strangelove

Cozy Christmas Evening [Telltale] by maple-chuu

Christmas Headgear [Telltale] by m-e-f-y

Rooftop Dance by metionohre

Caught by pipermint8magic

The Joke's On You [Batman '66] by Nex

His Bat and His Clown by occultkings

Playing Cards by pinkopalina

Keeping A Promise by powrbottomjoker

Visiting Room by riddlekid

I Won't Tell [genderbend] by Star

Loving Embrace [TDKR] by stewbud

Snow Globe [Telltale] by stryx123

Knife Dance [BTAS] by vongeist

Eye to Eye [riddlebird] by foolcunting

The Heart Outweighs All [twiddler, mild gore] by Ingo

Well-Trained [Punchline/James Jr] by venombiote

Wallypillar [Welcome Home] by marxtheimpish

Octogoblin Christmas [Spider-Man] by moxis

🎁 SFW Fic

Normal People Things (Rated Mature) by bang-the-smoke

once isn't enough (Rated Mature) by batsyjokes

This Strange Effect (Rated Explicit, but not in chapter 1) by battybrownboo

A Fine Addition To My Collection (Rated Teen and Up) by darkpurpledawn

What to Get for the Man Who Has Everything (Rated Teen and Up) by faygomonkey

kiss me (you animal) (Rated Teen and Up) by luxamea

That Deathless Death (Rated Mature; vampire Bruce) by superherogrl

I’ll Be Your Mirror [Breaking Bad; Mike/Jesse] (Rated Mature) by TheDykeKnight

🎅 NSFW Art

Hello Nurse [bondage] by drones-art

Lazy Morning Breakfast [pregnant Joker] by Emilia

Santa Lingerie by K

Tunnel of Love [TDKR] by Mara's shelter

Threshold by razzbatty

Men of Science [extremely dubious consent, Arkham staff] by Ring

⛄ NSFW Fic

let our bodies be awoken (Rated Explicit; zombies) by distortopia

I want to make you proud and play with your head (Rated Explicit; AU) by fractualized

If I missed your gift, let me know and I’ll add it.

Happy Holidays!

[stop-talking]

No Abby, we're not getting ice cream.

Silly little fic about Mike and Abby going shopping. (Mike's POV)

Word count: 1.2k

Tags: Mike & Abby, bonding, sibling love, fluff, Mike's POV, pre-movie.

This is just a cute little one-off about Mike being the single mother he is. I love him.

‐---------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike watched as Abby swung a leg over the side of the shopping cart and climbed in. She was getting a little too big for this, taking up nearly the entire cart. Oh well. Not like he could afford to buy much anyways.

"Okay Abbs, remind me what we're here for?" He asked, giving the cart a solid push to get it rolling.

"Dinner."

"And that means?"

"No asking for junk." Abby droned the words off in a monotone voice, and gave him a flat look. She didn't like to go shopping unless there was something in it for her, Mike knew, but he didn't exactly have anyone home to watch her.

"Here, you wanna hold the list for me?" He offered her a little yellow notepad and a pen from his pocket in an attempt to cheer her up. She eyed him for a moment, then snatched it up and started to doodle on the shopping list.

Mike sighed as he looked down at his little sister. Yeah, she was definitely a little too old to be in the buggy. She stopped fitting in the little seat up front years ago, so now she sat in the main area, legs scrunched to make room for groceries.

He probably should let her walk, but she had a tendency to... wander. And give Mike heart attacks. He always spent too long deciding what to get, or so Abby had told him. Sometimes he'd get lost in thought while calculating the best deal on a can of soup or the like, and realize too late that Abby was no longer by his side.

This usually resulted in him running through the isles and yelling her name, much to Abby's embarrassment. Hell, it embarrassed him too, but he'd rather be embarrassed than end up losing her.

"Hellooo, Mike? Earth to Mike?"

He snapped back into focus as Abby impatiently tapped the metal shopping cart with her pen.

"You passed, like, three things we need. Turn around."

Mike huffed and turned the cart around as dramatically as possible, slinging his sister back with the sudden change in direction. He got weird looks from a couple other shoppers, but it earned him a laugh from Abby, so he didn't care.

"What did I miss? Onions?" He tried to lean over and peek at the grocery list as he wheeled the cart back towards the produce section.

"Hey! You said I could hold the list." Abby held the yellow notepad to her chest protectively, determined not to let him see it.

"Fine. But no funny business. We're only getting what I wrote on there, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just take us that way." Abby waved a dismissive hand in the general direction she wanted him to go, and Mike listened.

"Potatoes, onions, and... co... ca... con...?" She squinted at the list, struggling to read one of the words.

"Carrots." Mike corrected her, already putting a bag of potatoes into the cart.

"Your handwriting is terrible. Aren't grown-ups supposed to write better than toddlers?"

"Maybe you could read it better if you hadn't drawn all over the list already."

Abby stuck her tongue out at him, and the corners of Mike's mouth twinged up into a slight smile.

"Where to next, little lady?"

"The... can isle?"

"You don't sound very sure."

"Just push the cart, mule."

Mike stopped smiling at that. Brat.

・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・

"You want corn or peas tonight?" Mike held out two cans to Abby, who pointed to the corn. He dropped it into the cart.

"Can we get soup too?" She reached out to grab a can, but Mike was already wheeling her into the next isle.

"We have some at home."

"Yeah, cream of mushroom. Who even eats that?"

"You do. Every time I make casserole."

"...gross."

Mike chucked to himself as they rounded the corner into the freezer section.

"What did we need from here again?"

Abby quickly scanned the list, they were most of the way through it now.

"Fish sticks... and ice cream."

Mike paused. One of those things was definetly not on the list.

"Abby. We're not getting ice cream."

"But it's on the list!" She held up the grocery list, which she'd apparently made many edits to. It has little doodles all over it, some items have been crossed off, and she'd added a couple things of her own.

Before he could argue back, a young girl, probably around five years or so, pointed and shouted something at Abby.

"Look, Mommy! Isn't she too old for the buggy?"

The girl's mother, who looked truly mortified, tugged the girl along by her arm and hissed something about it being rude to point.

Abby stuck her tongue out at the little girl, but Mike turned to her mother. She looked tired. He could understand that. He could also understand raising a little hellspawn.

He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but he must not have done a very good job. The woman just turned and sped off, dragging her child around the corner and out of sight. Damnit.

"Chocolate or strawberry?" While he wasn't looking, Abby had leaned over the side of the cart and poked through the freezer.

"Chocolate." He finally relented, sighing as his little sister happily placed a carton of ice cream in the cart. Oh well. They hadn't bought any in a month or so.

"Thanks Mike! You're the best!" Abby blinked up at him with a false innocence. He saw through her little act.

"Yeah, yeah. We're not getting any other unnecessary crap." He grumbled, but still found it hard to fight back a smile. Why did she have to be so cute, even when she got on his nerves?

・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・

They bought other unnecessary crap.

Two boxes of cereal, a bag of chips, and a half-gallon of chocolate milk later, Mike blinked down at the total. Nearly fifteen dollars over budget. Damnit.

He handed the lady at the register a few bills with a tired smile. Oh well. He'd just skip lunch at work for the next couple days to make up for it. Mall food was over-priced anyways.

・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・

"Do the thing!" Abby pleaded with him, making a truly pitiful pout as he pushed the cart out of store, with her still in it.

"What thing?"

"You know. The thing."

Mike rolled his eyes, but complied. He put one foot on the underside of the cart, and used the other to push off, sending it flying through the parking lot. Abby squealed in delight, which made him smile.

The damn thing would probably tip over if she wasn't sitting on the opposite end to balance things out. As it rattled through the uneven pavement, It teetered, as if threatening to do just that.

"Don't get used to this." Mike started, scraping his shoe along the pavement to slow them as they approached his beat-up Honda Accord.

"We're not getting all this junk next time."

Abby pretended his scolding got through to her, hanging her head as she helped him load groceries into the car.

Mike pretended to believe his words too, but he knew as well as she did that their next shopping trip would go much the same way.

Brat.

‐---------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note: Thanks for all the love on my last fanfic?? Part one got 100 notes?? I'll post the first chapter of a Derek Danforth fic soon, so stick around. I just had this in my drafts for the past few days. I love Mike & Abby's relationship so much <3

[withacapitalp]

How to Rehabilitate a Jock Part 7

Part One Part Six Part Eight Link to Ao3

Thank you to @stevethehairington for Betaing for me!!! A reminder I'm not adding anyone else to the tag list, be sure to follow or subscribe on ao3 if you want to know when this updates!

-----------Step Seven: Assist Him With His Kids----------

Well, Steve really had to hand it to the kids. 

They sure knew how to scream. 

Right after Eddie’s oh so perfectly timed reveal, the boys had devolved into a full blown raging interrogation. Steve, seeing the writing on the wall, had started walking to the door the second Eddie gave him that little shit eating grin that always spelled trouble. He was already in the hallway by the time the kids turned around to face him. 

Because, as fun as it sounded to get dressed down by four twelve year olds in front of the rest of the group, he thought it might be prudent to skip that bit of public humiliation. 

Sure enough, his kids had scampered into the hall right after him, yelling the entire way. There were accusations left and right, clearly hurt feelings, and Wheeler was once again on a tirade about kicking Steve out of the party. 

It would have been hilarious if Steve wasn’t completely exhausted. If there wasn’t a weird kind of ache starting to build in his chest from Eddie so readily giving him up when he knew what this meant to Steve. 

“I cannot BELIEVE you!” Dustin shouted for about the ten millionth time, throwing his hands up yet again as he glared at Steve, “What is the first rule of the Party? What is it, Steve?!”

“Friends don’t lie,” Steve droned, rubbing at his temple. He had started to get a headache about halfway through the game, and it was turning into a full blown migraine the longer the kids kept screeching at him. 

“Friends don’t lie!” Dustin repeated as Will solemnly shook his head behind him, clearly biting on his lip to hold back a laugh. He and Max both found the whole thing extremely funny going by the glances they kept swapping. 

“Friends don’t lie,” Lucas echoed, tutting and putting his hands on his hips in a perfect imitation of the stance Steve always took with them when they were misbehaving, “So why did you feel it was necessary to lie to us, Steven James Harrington?”

Did this kid seriously just full name him? 

Jesus, he was giving them some bad fucking habits to pick up.  

“It wasn’t a lie-” Steve said, trying once more to explain, but he barely got the start of the sentence out before all of them exploded again, talking all at the same time. 

“Yes it was-”

 “You told us you were ‘shooting hoops’-”

“You kinda did lie, Steve-” 

“This is your own fault-”

“Can we please just kick him out of the Party now?!” 

Mild irritation began to bloom into full on anger as his headache crested over the point of no return. There was a pounding behind Steve’s left eye, an ice pick slowly sliding in and out of the socket. The pain was awful, and Steve wanted to curl up in a ball and just start whining, but he pushed past it, gritting his teeth and setting his jaw. 

Enough was enough. 

Steve gave a short irritated sigh before shaping his thumb and index finger into a U and sticking his fingers in his mouth, pressing down on his tongue and whistling down one excruciatingly loud note. It made his headache so bad that his vision began to blur, but at least all of the kids were quiet, rattled by the sudden shrieking noise. 

Sacrifices, sacrifices. 

“Jesus,” Lucas said, both annoyed and mildly awed. He pinched his own lip and started trying to imitate the motion, seeing if he could recreate Steve’s whistle. 

“Not cool,” Mike pouted, his hands still over his ears. 

“Yeah, you could make a demogorgon go deaf like that,” Dustin added on, Steve reflexively shushing him the second the kid said the word ‘demogorgon’. 

He put his hand over Dustin’s mouth, and all of the kids tensed up, like scared rabbits that had just heard a twig break under the predator’s boot. Steve looked at each of them, hating the way their eyes had widened, hating how scared they were because of the world’s tiniest joke. 

It wasn’t like anyone would know Dustin was talking about an actual demogorgon, but the need for absolute secrecy was pressing. Steve could still feel how his hand cramped while signing the hundreds of NDA’s that had been pushed in his direction, he could still feel the presence of the armed soldiers standing nearby as all of them had been yet again instructed about the importance of maintaining discretion. 

The whole aftermath was almost as terrifying as the actual experience, made worse by the fact that they all now knew what might happen if another person found out about the existence of the Upside Down. 

After all, they had all been forced to lie about how Max found out just to keep Lucas out of federal prison. 

The kid was twelve, and they had threatened to lock him up for thirty years when Max had naively revealed that he told her about what happened last year. They had actually brought the cuffs out and everything until Steve spun some story about Max somehow magically showing up at the junkyard while they were running from the demodogs. 

Lucas hadn’t told her on purpose, he had just explained what they were afterward when Max was freaking out. They had never signed any papers saying they couldn’t talk about the monsters with someone who already knew they existed, so Lucas hadn’t done anything wrong. 

Steve had repeated that story stubbornly over and over, and the kids had followed his direction. He had done what he did best- played dumb. The agents hadn’t really believed Steve, but they had no evidence he was lying, so they had been forced to drop the charges against Lucas before they had ever really been brought up 

It had worked, but Steve didn’t think he was ever going to be able to forget the way the kid had been shaking in his arms the entire time he crafted his tale. Lucas wasn’t the type to get scared like that, but he had been completely terrified that night. They all were, and the ever looming anxiety of someone finding out continued to hang over them. 

Sometimes it felt like it was never going to go away. 

Especially when you considered the fact that they were still being watched. 

All of their phones were still being monitored, and Jonathan had told Steve through passed notes in class that there were still people trailing his car everywhere he went. They were under careful observation every single minute of every single day, and even one little slip would cost everything.

He had no doubt in his mind that the government would make any of his kids disappear if they thought there was even a chance of the truth getting out. 

Steve couldn’t let that happen. He wouldn’t let that happen. 

So he taught them how to hide their secrets, gave the kids specific places they could talk about things when they needed to, and made sure they knew how to shut up everywhere else. 

Nancy and Jonathan could go off all they wanted about justice and making things right. Let them be the ones to risk everything to find the truth. Steve just wanted to keep everyone alive and out of prison. 

Maybe that wasn’t exactly a healthy mindset, but this was survival, and Steve was great at surviving. Besides, it was better overall to make sure that no one else ever got dragged into this hell. 

“Hey, so-” 

A voice spoke up behind Steve, pausing when everyone in the hallway jumped. 

Steve let go of Dustin and flew around, his hand clenching up on nothing as he looked for the bat that he still kept in his trunk. Not here. He didn’t have anything but his fists, and Steve was a shitty fighter when it was just him. 

Whatever, it had to be good enough. Steve stepped forward, making sure all of the kids were behind him before looking up at whoever was threatening them. 

But there was no threat. Just Eddie standing in the doorway, looking at Steve with big worried eyes. 

Steve let out a soft shaking sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to relieve just a touch of the ache still throbbing against his eyes. One of the kids pressed up against his side silently. Steve could tell which one it was by the height, and the curls brushing against his arm, and he wrapped an arm around Dustin’s shoulders, ruffling the kids hair as he pulled himself back together in a millisecond. 

They needed him to be steady. They needed him to be strong. They needed someone safe, and they didn’t really have anyone but Steve who could be that for them. Nancy and Jonathan were great, but they didn’t really worry so much over the kids who weren’t their actual siblings, and Joyce and Hopper were still trying to sort out everything going on with El. 

That left just Steve, and just Steve needed to do better. The kids deserved better. 

“While it is highly entertaining to listen to you being scolded by kids half your age,” Eddie said, pulling Steve’s focus once more. The boys all groaned at this, clustering around their babysitter as they threw low level glares at Eddie. 

“We’re almost thirteen, dude,” Mike said with a scowl, bumping his shoulder against Steve before leaning into Will’s space like he always did, “And he earned that scolding. As a party member Steve knows we don’t lie to each other.” 

A weird rush of affection washed over Steve and he rolled his eyes, ignoring the way it spiked in his chest. Mike was a lot like a cat. He was prickly, hissed a lot, and had a few special people he favored over everyone else. But, if you took the time, and you gave him the space, and, by some miracle, you gained the patience of an absolute saint, Michael Wheeler could end up being pretty surprising sometimes.  

“We do have to finish the campaign at some point tonight,” Eddie continued as if no one had ever spoken. He gave Steve a gentle look, as if he realized he had stepped into something he probably should have left alone.

“So could you wrap it up soon, Sweetheart?”

Steve’s heart fluttered, but he forced that down. That stupid nickname and the weird feelings that came with it could take a hike. He was still upset with Eddie. 

“Sweetheart?” Max snorted, finally pushing off of the wall she had been leaning against and walking over. She put her chin on Lucas’s shoulder, looking at Steve with a shit eating grin. 

All of the kids were exchanging smirks now, and Steve’s cheeks began to heat up as his stomach dropped. 

Yet another thing that had felt sacred that was no longer hidden, another thing that had felt like it was supposed to belong to just them that Eddie had carelessly given to the rest of the world. It was stupid to get all worked up over a silly nickname that meant nothing, but it was just another reminder that Steve was never going to keep anything in his life intimate ever again. 

Suddenly playing along with the rest of the group felt like a chore, and the joy he had been having from getting to just be a silly kid again was gone. Steve wasn’t the type of person who got to have hidden things anymore, he wasn’t the type of person who got to just be a kid. 

He had kids now, six of them, and they needed someone steady. They needed an adult, not some bullshit artist that wanted to pretend like he could still have a normal life.  

Hell, what if something had happened while he was goofing off with Eddie and the rest? They could have gotten hurt, and if they needed Steve to save them, they wouldn’t have known where to find him. 

His heart was racing again, but not for a good reason. All at once the hallway felt overexposed, the endless rows of empty doors were each a threat, a place where a monster might emerge to swallow them whole. 

This wasn’t a safe place for them, and Steve needed to keep his kids safe.

“Look, Eddie, they’re not gonna shut up about this anytime soon, so I think I just need to take them home,” Steve said, crafting up the perfect reason to want to suddenly bail and take the kids back to his house.

His house was barely any safer than the school. Barb had died there, after all. 

(Steve had killed her there, after all.) 

But at least in his house Steve could carry around his bat and keep all of six of the kids in his eyesight. His brain was already humming as it endlessly counted only five around him, knowing the sixth was waiting patiently on his couch, alone in his unsafe house watching soap operas and whatever movies he had on VHS for her. 

“Are you sure?” Eddie asked, a tiny frown ruining his face, “We could maybe wait until we get back from break?”

“No it’s- it’s fine,” Steve said, thoroughly disappointed and unable to keep it out of his tone. 

He didn’t want to make them wait, because Steve wasn’t even sure he ever wanted to go back to Hellfire after this. He didn’t feel like he belonged there anymore, and he had barely felt like he belonged there in the first place. 

The only reason he had kept trying was Eddie and their budding friendship. The inadvertent betrayal of spilling the one thing that belonged to only Steve had marred that. 

“You guys can keep going without-”

“No!”

The shout from his side dragged Steve out of his morose moment, stopping his words in their tracks.

Will was staring up at him with determination set in every one of his features. Actually all the kids were looking at him with the same thing. Lucas’s hands were back on his hips and even Max seemed like she was prepping for a fight. 

“Steve,” Mike groaned, shaking his head, “You don’t abandon your party halfway through a quest,” 

Steve blinked, trying to wrap his mind around the complete one eighty that had just been pulled. They had just spent the last twenty minutes yelling at him for playing DnD without him…and now they wanted him to play DnD without them? 

He couldn’t make sense of it no matter how hard he tried. 

“Well I wouldn’t be abandoning them if you guys would just stop yelling at me,” Steve finally sputtered out, unable to explain all of the other reasons he didn’t really feel like participating anymore. 

The kids narrowed their eyes before quickly pulling away, walking a short distance down the hallway and putting their heads together in a huddle as they quietly debated with harsh whispers. 

Steve let loose another long breath as they argued with each other, scrubbing his hands over his face and mentally begging God to take away the pain still stabbing behind his eyes. He would give almost anything just for it to stop. 

“Hi,” Eddie whispered, forcing Steve to look up. He had sidled up closer, standing next to Steve now and a little ways away from the door. He was giving him one of those easy smiles, the kind that Steve had started to think were just for him. 

It hurt to see it. It hurt almost as much as his migraine. 

“Hey,” Steve replied shortly, unable to pretend that he was okay just yet. He would get there, but he needed more time to stuff down whatever hurt feelings wanted to rise up every time he saw Eddie. 

Eddie’s face dropped as his shoulders drooped. Steve had never really been all that good at hiding when he was upset, and he knew that Eddie knew he really wasn’t happy with how this had all turned out. 

“Listen, Steve, I-”

Eddie was interrupted as the kids returned, standing in front of Steve with their arms crossed over their chests. He walked away from Eddie and towards the group, glad to not have to cross that particular bridge just yet. 

“Fine. No more yelling, but we’re still really mad at you,” Mike stated, clearly being chosen as the one to lead the discussion. 

They had it wrong though. It wasn’t just mad. If the kids were just mad, then Steve would roll his eyes and move on. They were angry brats who got mad at just about everything. 

No, the real problem was that they were hurt. He could see it in their eyes, and the little frowns on their faces. They didn’t understand why he would play with ‘strangers’ and not with them, and that kind of rejection would hurt coming from anyone. Even Max seemed kind of put out, and that simply wouldn’t do. 

“Okay. Come here, and shut up as I say this once and only once.” Steve said, not exactly crouching down because that would just annoy them, but leaning so he was closer to their height. 

“I’m sorry that I lied to you. I shouldn’t have done that. I just wanted to have one thing that was mine. I love you brats, but you’re nosey as shit-”

“Weird way to apologize,” Will commented lightly, already seeming happier, and Steve chuckled. Will was quite the smart aleck when he finally got comfortable. 

“-and,” Steve emphasized, needing to explain a bit more, “I wanted to figure out if I actually liked this before I got all your expectations up that I was going to start playing with you or something,” 

It was clear he wasn’t a hundred percent forgiven, but they were starting to defrost, warmed up by the thought of getting to play their favorite game with their babysitter instead of just having him watch from the sidelines. 

“So, if you all ever decide to forgive me, I think we should definitely all play together sometime.” Steve concluded, some of his nerves settling as the boys began to exchange eager grins. 

“We accept on a few conditions,” Max said, taking point. She would not be swayed by an offer of game play, and she clearly wanted to get something for herself out of this. 

Damn his kids, they were too smart for their own good. 

“Lay them on me,” Steve said. 

“We get to get McDonalds whenever we want for the next month,” Max shot back. 

“Deal,” Steve agreed easily, mentally calculating how much he was going to have to scrap and save. He had already gotten all of his Christmas shopping done, and his parents had just sent him a check for the holidays since he was fourteen, so money wasn’t going to be a problem. 

“And, we want you to rent whatever movie we want at the video store next time. No questions asked,” Dustin tacked on. 

If it was any other group, Steve might’ve worried that they wanted something really bad, but he knew these guys. They just wanted him to get them some cheap horror flick that they were going to turn off the second it got too scary. There would be some long nights in his future as he stayed up with them through any potential nightmares, but it would be doable. 

“Fine,” Steve sighed, really making a show of acting like this was a big thing to give. If he made it seem like he was already pushing the limit of what he would give them, he might curb any truly outlandish asks that might be coming, “Anything else?”

“We want you to ask if we can watch the campaign?” Lucas asked sheepishly, uncharacteristically shy. The rest of the boys seemed to be pretty embarrassed too, and a smile curled on Steve’s lip. 

No matter how mature they acted, they really were just kids. 

“Well, Game master?” Steve said, turning to face Eddie, unexpected olive branch in hand. 

“Dungeon master,” Dustin groaned behind him, muttering under his breath. Steve shook his head and raised a brow towards Eddie. 

“What do you say, Babydoll?” He asked softly, drinking in the way Eddie sucked in a breath and let out an undignified squeak as his ears turned deep red. 

Babydoll. 

What was Steve thinking? 

It was the most ridiculous pet name Steve could make up on the fly. He had only ever heard someone be called ‘Babydoll’ in chick flicks or movies from the 50s, never something serious. He had figured that two could play at this game, and if Eddie wanted to make Steve squirm, then Steve felt no qualms in making Eddie squirm right back. 

But something about it just felt inexplicably right in his mouth. It came out closer to a pet name then something teasing. The kind of thing Steve would say on a date, or in bed after- 

Nope. Not that thought. Never that thought. A fire burned in Steve’s belly and he resisted the urge to hide his face away.  

“You’ll be the death of me, Steve Harrington,” Eddie said, laughing incredulously as one of his signature feral grins lit up his face, “You really will,” 

“Is that a yes?” Mike asked eagerly, all of the boys practically vibrating where they stood.

“C’mon, newly minted junior members of Hellfire. We have a killer Claus to defeat,” Eddie declared, clapping his hands. 

The boys cheered, rushing into the room. Lucas grabbed Max’s hand to drag her in with them, leaving Steve and Eddie alone outside. When he went to follow, Eddie touched his upper arm, stopping Steve in his tracks. 

“Hey. I’m…sorry,” Eddie forced out, dropping his hand away from Steve and nervously wrapping his fingers in his curls as he continued to murmur, barely audible, “I didn’t want everyone to think that you were trying to hide that you knew us, but I shouldn’t’ve done it that way. I know you wanted this to be just yours.”

The acknowledgement of what had been lost melted whatever icy wall might have been left between them, and Steve nudged their shoulders together, silently accepting the apology. Eddie peeked up at him from behind his hair, and Steve felt his stomach flip. 

Nope. Steve had to take it back, put this whole thing back in his control. 

“I think I miiiiiight just find it in me to forgive you. Depending on if you let Santa brutally murder Ex-Prince Stefan,” Steve said in a teasing tone, relishing the way Eddie’s mood immediately bounced up again. 

“Well let’s go find out, Sweetheart,” Eddie practically crooned. Steve snorted and held his arm out. 

“Lead the way, Babydoll,” He challenged, just to see what Eddie might do. 

Sure enough, the older boy violently blushed again, pushing past Steve as he blustered and stammered and pretended he wasn’t at all affected by the fake flirting. Steve smirked, quickly following after. 

Oh yeah, this was going to be fun. 

Tag List: @paopaupaus @zerokrox-blog @surferboyzaza @whatever-is-a-good-name @minjintea @addelyin @5ammi90 @hagbaby420 @shinekocreator @bornonthesavage @starxlark @electrick-marionnett @resident-gay-bitch @ash-a-confused-enby @classicdinosaurdeathpose @valon-whomsttf @rotten-lil-goblin @thereindeerlady @love-ya-kash @kerlypride @sparkle-fiend @thefreakandthehair @flowercrowngods @milf-harrington @sadcanadianwinter @gothbat99 @hotcocoaharrington @henderdads @lightwoodbanethings @colorful565 @h0n3y-dw @craterbbox @sourw0lfs @lesliiieeeee @bidisastersworld @tinynebula @ravnlinn @bonescaro @mexmatch @cottagecoredreams @joruni @hellykelly @maegan1116 @farewell-wanderlvst @desertfern @due-to-the-fact-that-im-a-slut @anythingforourmoonyedits @eerielake @fandemonium-takes-its-toll @sidekick-hero

[bippot]

Summary: Mike Wheeler had no idea why Y/N was allowed to be in Hellfire. She just took up all the time he could've been using to talk about, you know, what he wanted to. Maybe she was let in because of Eddie's very obvious soft spot for her? Or maybe it's because the other members genuinely like her? Who knows? But one thing is for sure, her not talking to him, drives Eddie insane.

Additional Tags: Friends to Lovers, Misunderstandings, Mike wheeler is a little bitch sometimes

Song Recommendation: Let's Hear It For The Boy by Deniece Williams

Thank you @fanikares for the suggestion. :))))

Stranger Things, Eddie Munson Masterlist - here

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Mike had heard it before. So many times in fact. Literally so many. Y/N had been yapping away about how excited she was for the next Hellfire session for ages, well, since the last one.

Mike had lost count of how many times he'd had to block her out. It was just over and over again. Word after word. Nothing but endless monologues of how cool she thought the direction Eddie was taking the campaign in was.

Or she'd talk about whatever movie she'd just seen. Or something interesting she'd read in an article. It seemed as if she'd just talk about whatever was on her mind, and if the other person showed enthusiasm or interest, they'd make it a full blown conversation. (You know, how two way interactions tend to go.)

And he had been left wondering why the hell Eddie even bothered to let her into the party. She was insufferable.

Nobody else seemed to mind it. It's just that Mike seemed to be under the impression that Y/N was talking up valuable speaking time. Speaking time that he could've been using to talk about El. Or Will. Or how weird it was that Lucas couldn't hang out after school today because he had basketball practice. Or...you get the gist.

Anyone else could and should be speaking about what he wanted to hear, not whatever fucking dribble Y/N was spouting.

The current 'dribble' was Y/N excitedly gushing to Dustin about the upcoming Billy Joel album that was supposed to come out sometime in July. Mike sat quietly, resting his elbows on the lunch table, flicking between half listening to Y/N and dramatically eye rolling at Gareth, who was paying the younger boy very little attention.

Billy Joel wasn't something that the members of Corroded Coffin were interested in, but Y/N and Dustin liked him so they'd be courteous. Plus, seeing the two geek out about music was nice.

Yet, as most know, Mike isn't overly courteous. For some reason, he felt the need to keep interrupting it. That need only grew with every interruption.

"Jesus, Y/N, do you ever pause for breath?" Mike asked, half laughing and half irritated. "I don't think you've taken a break in the past twenty minutes."

Y/N let out a nervous laugh and immediately apologised in a quiet voice, "Sorry, guys. How was your weekends?" as she deflected the conversation onto them now and swallowed the new sense of shame that Mike had stirred up.

Immediately, Mike jumped at the chance to talk about what El had told him in one of her letters. Now this was a topic he liked. This was a worthwhile topic.

That little snide comment never would've made it out of Wheeler's mouth if Eddie had been there. He was currently preoccupied with a drug deal so anything was free game. Munson had a tendency to let Y/N drone on and on because of that tiny (actually huge and obvious) crush he had on her.

All members of Hellfire knew of their leader's infatuation with little miss chatterbox, well, except Y/N. It was so plain for everyone else to see. He'd listen so intently, always resting his head on his hand as he gazed at her with longing. He'd ask her endless questions about whatever, even if he had no idea what she was on about.

Any chance to get her to speak more, he took.

So when he arrived mid-way through lunch and greeted, "Hey, Lady Folksworth," and she didn't immediately respond with 'Just Alais is fine,' he knew something was up.

It was something she always said. In and out of game. Lady Folksworth, her highborn ranger, hated being called Lady Folksworth.

Y/N just gave him a small wave and continued with her food, listening and encouragingly nodding every now and again, but not another sound from her was heard.

Weird.

That was weird.

From that moment on, Eddie noticed how little Y/N had said for the rest of the day. Maybe she was on an off day. Tomorrow would be fine. She'd be back to normal tomorrow.

Tomorrow was a smidge louder. Y/N seemed to engage in the conversation at lunch. Then Mike rolled his eyes at something she said.

Apologetically, she asked, "Sorry, did I speak over you, Wheeler?"

"Not the first time. Don't worry, Y/N. We're used to it."

Somehow he managed to play it off as if it was a friendly jab, but they both knew he meant it. Y/N laughed it off originally. She soon decided to shut up once more.

Mike managed to do that every day that week. He'd make some offhanded comment about how talkative she was, essentially shaming her into silence and switching so he could be the one who was talking. And she let him.

Why not? He was just a kid. A kid who clearly needs attention. Just give it to him, and he'll start being nice to her. Right?

Wrong.

The next session was when Y/N gave up trying to reel back her natural mouthy-ness by becoming a borderline mute at lunch.

Eddie had let the party into the Hellfire room early so they could come up with a battle strategy. Y/N had been a little late and heard from the other side of the door as Mike exclaimed to the other members, "...and honestly, sometimes I wish I could cast an eternal silence on Y/N so she'd just let someone else get a word in for once and..."

She stood in the doorway, just listening in for a moment. It was technically eavesdropping, but still, she was supposed to already be in the room and she wasn't. If anything it was Mike's fault for talking about someone he knew was going to arrive soon.

From the little window, she saw as the other boys unpacked their bags and sat down, mostly paying Mike's little ramble no attention, which was comforting.

Yet, he continued, "She's probably talking the ears off some unlucky guy that has to hear her drone on and on about... about whatever it is she talks about. I don't even listen anymore. Cause, it's like, is it interesting? No. Do we care? No. Not at all. Would this party be better without her?" He paused. "Who's to say?"

Better off without her? The boys wanted the session to just be that, the boys. That's fine. She'd let them do that. It's not as if Hellfire was the best part of her week or anything.

Unsurprisingly, Y/N turned and walked away, making a beeline towards the car park. She didn't want to listen to any more, which also meant that she didn't hear as the other boys disagreed with what Mike said.

Dustin actually smacked Mike around the back of his head and reminded his buddy, "You're doing the exact same thing with Y/N as you did to Max. Just because El isn't here, doesn't mean another girl can't be cool and interesting."

"Yeah, Y/N's cool. She bought my lunch today since Daniel Oliver stole my money," Gareth admitted, giving Mike a disapproving look.

"Oh, she did that for me last week," Jeff added. "Then she almost got her ass kicked when she tried to steal it back off Danny-boy."

Since her feet were carrying her faster than her brain could comprehend, Y/N managed to bump into someone as she hurried to her car.

"Hellfire is the other way, Lady Folksworth."

Eddie held his arms out to steady her, but she was in no mood to be soothed. She huffed out, "I know where Hellfire is, thank you very much. I'll-"

"Hey, hey, what's up?" She didn't want to talk. She wanted to go home. She wanted to be quiet, so she didn't answer him for a moment. The silence was broken as she heard him say, "Y/N, what's wrong?" with genuine concern laced in his voice.

"My grandpa just died," she blurted out, not even knowing why she said it. The words were simply leaving her mouth as she felt her lie fall flat.

He knew her better than that. "Which one? The one that's already dead or the other one that's already dead?" He countered, crossing his arms, not believing her lie in the slightest.

Shit. He'd caught her. There were two options in her mind. Go further or change course.

"Well, he was like an old guy who was a family friend... you know, he was a non-grandpa," she furthered, walking away from him towards her car. "And I have a headache."

"I'm pretty sure I have an aspirin. Not my usual supply, but I'm bound to have one."

"No...no. I'm fine. Not fine enough to stay. Not that fine, but... I should go."

But there was no way in hell that was going to happen: she wasn't going to get away with these awful fibs. Without having to try too hard, he took a few long strides, making it in front of her in no time and placing his hands on her shoulders to gently push her in the opposite direction.

"Y/N."

"Eddie?"

"Tell me the truth."

Okay. It was time to change course. She used an ancient female tactic that has a tendency to get you out of doing things. Gym. Sex. Chores. All types of shit.

"I'm on my period."

It wasn't exactly a lie either. Maybe that's why Mike's words got to her so much this week? Huh, crazy.

"Ohh," he replied sympathetically, "The offer of painkillers still stands," and just like that, he was being so nice about it. "Name anything and I'll get it for you. I'll go to the store down the street and be back in no time."

Her heart fluttered. It wasn't every day a boy was so understanding. He didn't even act grossed out by it like they usually did. He actually didn't make a big deal out of it. So, she couldn't help herself, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders to give him the biggest, warmest hug she could manage. He hugged her back, closing his eyes to savour the moment.

"You're a good egg," she whispered, squeezing him a smidge. His face was bright red, but that's fine. She wouldn't be able to see it if he buried his face in her hair. "Ed, you can let go now if you want to."

"I don't want to," he chuckled, pulling her tighter to him and refusing to budge. He even started to shift his weight from left to right so they'd begin swaying slowly side to side, making her giggle, which entirely was his intention.

There was something about her giggle that just filled him with an immense sense of joy. It always turned his day around: he felt lighter, happier, more energetic. It didn't even matter what he was doing. He couldn't understand it. One moment he was feeling listless and miserable. The next, she would start laughing, then he'd be good and giddy. It was like magic.

Unknowingly, she had been playing with the strand of hair at the nape of his neck and the moment she realised, she stopped and reminded him, "Hellfire is waiting for their handsome and charismatic Dungeon Master to arrive."

Oh shit. He'd forgotten about that. He'd been so focused on her, he'd forgotten to do his job. It was a serious breach of protocol. But, in this moment, he didn't care. Leaning back so he could see in her face if she lied, he shyly inquired, "You think I'm handsome?"

"Yeah, Ed, I do," she answered seriously, without even the smallest hint of a smirk. It was like she really meant it and, boy, was he relieved. She really did think he was handsome.

Well shit, his fucking face was heating up again. How the hell did she have this kind of effect on him? And, he'd never have guessed that it would've got worse as he complimented her back, "Oh, cool. Yeah, that's nice. You're, uh, you're handsome too - I mean pretty. Girls are pretty. I know you're not supposed to call a girl handsome. You're really pretty, Y/N."

Really. Not only was she both handsome and pretty, but she was also 'really pretty'. That last part made him wince a little as he admitted it, but it was worth it for the look on her face. It was the happiest he'd seen her in a while, which made his own face even brighter. It almost made her forget about what Mike had said.

Almost.

She looked away, her lips upturned in a coy grin, but didn't internalise what he'd said. That could wait till later. That could wait until she was in the privacy of her car so she could let out a really unflattering squeal. The urge to do so was increasing every second that she was still in his grasp, so she slowly backed up, innocently letting her hands trail down his shoulders and chest as she moved away.

Bashfully, she tucked some hair behind her ear as she let out, "You can call me handsome if you want to. I don't mind it. Honestly, I was going to say that your hair looked pretty when I saw you this morning but I didn't want to, I don't know, freak you out or anything."

"You were worried about freaking out the freak?"

"Something like that." She looked down at her shoes for a moment. "Anyway, I better go. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, uh... yeah, see you, Y/N."

He watched as she started to walk away, only to turn around and hurry back, claiming, "Oh, I forgot to do this," and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for being so sweet."

Blushing, he nervously beamed, "Yeah, oh, yeah, you're welcome. Totally welcome," and couldn't help but distracted himself from the fact that his cheek felt like it was burning and his head was spinning over the mere contact of her lips on his skin by focusing on her figure as she made it out of his field of vision and towards the parking lot.

Okay. Okay, he needed to calm down before he arrived in Hellfire. The boys would surely tease him if he turned up looking like a freshly picked tomato. It's always a good idea to make an entrance and that definitely would throw them off long enough that he could return his focus to his second true love, D&D.

Opening the door wide and announcing, "My dear boys, we may be one maiden down, and while Alais's absence will render the dynamic a little askew, she will be sorely missed until the next session, but we must press on. So, boys, it's time," Eddie immediately sauntered to his chair and waited for his disciples to ready themselves. He always tried to make his entrances as elaborate as possible. The more attention to where he wanted it to be directed, the better.

Dustin piped up to ask, "Wait, Y/N's not here? I swear she said she was coming earlier."

"She felt ill."

Maybe it was just his imagination, but Eddie swore he heard Mike whisper to himself, "Thank God."

"Anyway, we must press on, gentlemen, without interruption," Eddie said, putting a finger to his lips to still Mike's rising protests.

Despite being one member down, the boys got on with it. Although, they could all tell that the party was a little disjointed without their beloved Lady Folksworth. It wasn't that she was the most experienced member, though she might have been the most enthusiastic, but she was the one who kept them on their toes. It wasn't everyday that the Archduke Zariel of Avernus visited the mortal realm. There wasn't a whole lot to prepare for, but somehow, when Y/N was around, it felt like there were a million things to do.

Ultimately, it was a difficult battle (that may have been a slight bit easier if had seven pc's like Eddie had planned), but the boys (Dustin) managed to come up with an ingenious plan to kill the fallen angel and prevent her from returning for now.

The next day, when Gareth and Jeff had walked up to Eddie while he was at his locker, the older boy remarked, "Hellfire last night was quieter, don't you think? It wasn't as high energy as usual."

"That's because Alais was missing," Gareth pointed out, knowing full well that Eddie had been missing Y/N's presence. Even in the session, he seemed a bit preoccupied, a bit concerned if she was okay.

He'd even planned to buy a bunch of stuff he knew she liked and show up unannounced at her house to be like, "Hey! I know I'm a gross, stinky boy and I don't get this period thing, but I hope this helps," but what if her dad were there and just assumed Eddie was making moves on his daughter. Which wouldn't have been completely incorrect. Yet, this was a move out of worry, not lust.

Plus, as soon as the other boys heard, he'd never get away from the teasing. Showing up to Y/N's house with a period care package? That would prove he was totally whipped. Totally. They weren't even dating and he was completely and utterly wrapped around her finger.

Jeff decided to tease, "I'm sure Eddie was fully aware that Y/N wasn't there to play footsie under the table with him."

"I don't know what you're implying, Jeffrey," Eddie responded dryly. He one hundred percent knew what was being implied. That girl was his favourite thing in the world, and he would have done anything to be with her.

"Well, I'm sure we won't catch you gazing so lovingly at her at lunch again," Gareth said, resting his head on his fist and staring wistfully into the distance as he did his best impression of Eddie.

"Why, fair Y/N, why won't you accept my love? Is it the hair? Should I change it?" Jeff said in an exaggerated disappointed voice.

Eddie was used to this at this point. He just usually just went along with it, but today he had an update. "I highly doubt it's the hair: she told me she thinks it looks pretty."

"Oooh, did you hear that, Jeff? She said his hair looks pretty."

"I wonder how long we'll be hearing about that one for."

"Remember when she said she liked the shirt he was wearing and he didn't take it off for almost a week."

Gareth and Jeff burst out laughing. Eddie shrugged it off and turned the conversation back onto Hellfire. What he didn't realise was that Y/N was just about to walk up to him as he declared, "Even though she has a charisma mod of minus two, Alais is a complete chatterbox. That's probably why we could hear ourselves think last night," but she walked away, not wanting to hear if he pulled a Mike.

Mike getting annoyed at her voice was fine. It hurt a little, but she'd get over it. Eddie, on the other hand, that stung. He usually was nice and kind and pretty and sweet and chivalrous and totally cool and out of her league and was great at guitar and had the cutest eyes she'd ever seen, so the thought that she could be annoying him caused her to double down on the quietness thing.

Frankly, if Eddie had said anything actually mean, she would probably start crying and never stop. He was the sweetest guy she knew, and sometimes she felt that there was something going on between them when he would look at her for a second too long, or the amount of times he would force her into hugging him and they would stay like that for what felt like an eternity, just as he'd done the night before.

Or, if she'd ask for advantage when they were playing, she'd say "Eddie, if you wanted to be a good, no, a great Dungeon Master, you'd give me advantage right now," in the softest voice she could and he'd give her that look of 'you know this isn't one of your characters abilities' but would say yes anyway.

As a result, Y/N kept mostly to herself that day. In any of the classes she had with her friends, she said hello then made it seem like she was intensely interested in whatever the teacher was saying, which wasn't true. Eddie couldn't help but notice how she didn't even say anything other than "Hey" to him the entire day.

Tomorrow came and it was the same. And the day after that. And after that. And then the whole week. He had no idea how long periods lasted, but this was hell. Two weeks went by and she barely said a word to him.

Actually, he was kind of offended.

It's not like he was planning on asking her to the movies, which they'd done so many times before but he was going to make it obvious that there was going to be nothing platonic about this invitation. Well, that's what he thought last time they went, yet didn't manage to follow through.

The moment they had before Hellfire had given him enough of an idea that she could like him. It was a possibility. She'd fucking kissed him, after all. Although it was on the cheek and she could've just been overly friendly and emotional because of, you know, the monthly blood monster. But, maybe she liked him? That was a definite possibility.

Yet, now she was ignoring him. You don't ignore somebody you're into. Or do you? Was she playing the hard to get move? No. Y/N wouldn't pull that. Would she?

Maybe she knew he liked her and didn't want to upset him when he found out she was going after someone else. That was his exact thought when he 'bumped' into her on the weekend at Family Video and saw her joyfully talking to Steve like she used to with him. She'd looked so happy then, so carefree as she gestured wildly as she spoke about the movie Clue.

Apparently, Harrington hadn't seen it so Y/N was giving him a run down about the Tim Curry flick, telling him all about how Eddie had taken her to go and see it in the cinema the year before. Her laugh was music to his ears, even if it wasn't caused by him.

Very animatedly, she waved the VHS around as she explained, "Yeah, we went back three times because they're was different endings depending on what screening you went to. It was really cool. Each ending had a different killer or killers, I guess because there tended to be multiple, which is kind of genius." Then she put the video down as she almost threw it, which would've been funny but she'd have to pay for it if it broke.

"Wait, so it's based on the board game?" Steve inquired, resting his hand under his chin as he gazed up at her. "The whole Miss Scarlet in the dining room with the rusty spoon or whatever game?"

Rusty spoon. That definitely should be one of the weapons.

Y/N guffawed, confirming, "Yeah, that's the one. In the movie, Miss Scarlet is, well, she's basically a pimp."

"Now I have to see this movie." He leant forward and tried to flirt, "Do you want to -"

No way. Was Harrington flirting with Y/N? That was not happening. Not on Eddie's watch. Sliding in next to her, Eddie wrapped his arm around Y/N's shoulders and squeezed lightly, cheerfully interrupting Steve and greeting, "Funny seeing you here, Lady Folksworth."

Steve immediately stood up straighter, thinking he'd accidentally tried it on with a 'taken' girl. That wasn't his intention. Still....?

"Munson, how are you? How's high school treating you still?"

"It's going swell, Harrington," Eddie retorted, biting back the tone that he wanted to use.

"Think you're going to graduate this year?"

"They do say the third time's a charm."

Staring between the two, Y/N didn't really know what to do or say. She was lost, unsure of how to react to this situation. It was so awkward. She waited for a break in their exchange before lying, "My dad is probably waiting for me in the car. I'll see you two later," and unhooking herself from Eddie's arm. As soon as she was free, she gave them both a wave and began to leave.

Eddie called after her, "You forgot something."

Oh. Was he referring to what she'd forgotten before? He must've, so she made her way back to him and kissed his cheek, expecting that that was the thing he was talking about. Nope. In his hand was the VHS of Clue that she'd left on the counter. He handed it to her with a smug grin.

"Hey, do I get one of those?" Steve joked, earning a swift punch in the arm from Eddie.

"Bye, Steve. Bye, Eddie."

And she was off.

"Why did you get a kiss and I didn't?"

"Why did she say goodbye to you first?"

Actually, what the fuck had he done? He could've sworn he saw her car and not her dad's in the parking lot as he entered. Then again, he hadn't looked hard enough to be sure. Eddie was pretty sure he hadn't done anything to upset her.

What if he had? Oh shit, that would suck. That would actually be the worst.

The worst would be if he'd actually upset her and she didn't want to talk to him anymore. If that happened, he would be so royally screwed. But, no. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened between them. If anything they'd got closer. Yet, Steve still asked, "Have you guys fallen out?"

"Me and Y/N? No. I don't think so."

"Are you sure? She left in a hurry as soon as you showed up."

Oh, he thought that too. Fuck, Eddie wished that Steve hadn't pointed it out because now it was out in the open. The words had been said out loud. What the hell was he supposed to do now?

Steve raised his eyebrows, "Are you two... together?"

They weren't but, "Why do you want to know that?" It was obvious why Steve wanted to know. Eddie's reaction made it clear enough what his true feelings were since he stared at Steve blankly for a few moments before awkwardly shrugging and nervously scratching the back of his neck. The moment he put it together, he whined, "Dude, no."

"What? I haven't even done anything."

"Yet. You haven't done anything yet. Literally any other girl, ask any other girl. Please. I'm begging you. Don't."

God, he felt like such a fucking pussy. He was literally begging Steve Harrington to not ask out the girl he likes. That was how low he was willing to stoop for Y/N.

"But..."

"Just don't."

Harrington hesitated and then, "Fine." After a moment of silence passed between them, Steve asked, "What are you doing here anyway?"

Robin butted in with "Y/N always comes in at lunch time on a Saturday and he knows that," and bumped Steve out of the way so she could serve a customer that had been waiting, having been completely ignored by the two boys. "Harrington, are you even going to attempt to do some work?"

With that, Eddie tapped the counter in thought for a moment, his mind swimming with all the possibilities of why Y/N was acting in such a way. She'd claimed it was because of period pain, and not that he knew much about that, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it was something else. She'd been almost mute for two weeks now. Did periods last that long?

Then he said something that he'd never ever expected to come out of his mouth.

"Right. I'm off to the library." That wasn't it. He went to the library often because books are fucking expensive. The surprise came when he followed that up with "I've got some biology homework to do."

So that's what he did. He went past the fantasy section, his heart panging as he did so, and straight to the non-fiction area, finding one that was named 'The Female Species' in no time. When he opened it, his eyes immediately went to the illustrations.

Yep. That was a pussy.

Fucking hell, the things he'd do for Y/N. She better appreciate his research.

At the end of their shift, Eddie re-entered Family Video and went straight up to Robin. "I read in a book that periods usually last five days, is it normal for the girl to be really reserved at that time? The book was very factual about organs and tubes and shit, but didn't have anything about behaviour."

Robin blinked at him, her eyes wide. Steve heard and beelined for the back office.

Obviously, she was just confused why she was being bombarded with girl talk, so Eddie continued, "Y/N hasn't been herself lately, you know. I think something's up."

"Just ask her."

"She's avoiding me like that time that I didn't shower for a week and she didn't want to be rude." Robin looked absolutely disgusted, as she should. "Don't look at me like that. Our plumbing broke."

"Alright, alright." She placed all of the cashing up shit down and called for Steve to do it. He wasn't as quick as her (she's got some mad quick addition skills, I know it), but it would have to do for today. "I will ask on Monday."

"What about tomorrow?"

Standing her ground, Robin repeated, "No. I will ask on Monday."

Eddie continued to whine for five minutes straight, hoping that if he threw a tantrum Robin would give in and, maybe, even immediately go to Y/N's house and find out as soon as she possibly could. But no, Robin was tired and had barely sat down her entire shift. Plus, she had to work tomorrow too, so Monday was the best and only option that she was willing to do.

Monday couldn't come soon enough.

At lunch that day, Robin decided to ask Y/N to sit with her instead of with the Hellfire lot, which was a little weird at first, but she quickly grew comfortable with it. Y/N seemed as talkative as ever as she interacted with Robin and the other members of the marching band. What the hell was Eddie talking about?

From his position at his lunch table, Eddie watched with eagle eyes at the band table to see if there was any possibility of Y/N changing her mind and going back to the Hellfire camp. He caught Robin's gaze and she just shrugged as if to say 'you're over-reacting'. Was he? Was he just reading into it too deeply?

Nope. No way. He knew her better than that. He knew her better than Robin did. He was sure of it.

They shared the same fifth period lesson and the moment she went to hurry to the next class, he easily lifted her off the ground and made his way to the janitor's closet with her squirming in his arms. They got a few weird looks from the other students but mostly they were too busy with their own schedules to give too much of a shit.

"Put me down! Edward Anthony Munson, fucking put me down!" She exclaimed, slapping his arm in the hopes he'd stop manhandling her. He did once they were inside. He also made sure that he stood directly in front of the door so she wouldn't be able to leave.

Well, he intended to stay posted up by the door like a German Shepherd but he quickly noticed that the janitor had a Santana poster and moved to take a closer look with a "Sick. He's got a Shango album poster. You know, it's not my usual type of music but my uncle loves it," so she took the opportunity to try to weave past him.

Still, she had no chance. He quickly whipped his arm out and managed to wrap his arm around her waist, pulling her up against him.

"Hey!" She protested. Looking up at him, her anger faded as she saw his face, but she still tried to be stern as she asked, "What are you doing?"

It was moments like this that Y/N became fully aware of how much taller than her he was. She was used to it, but it still kind of threw her. If he'd been any other man, she would've been intimidated, but with him she just found herself drawn to his beauty.

"Eddie, what the hell?" she asked, her cheeks flushing a pretty shade of pink. Damn, he loved the way she looked when she was blushing. It made her eyes go all soft and dreamy. He didn't answer. He just looked at her beautiful face, and his heart melted into a puddle of mush behind his sternum. He was staring at her lips so hard that he was barely able to muster up a response.

But he did. Eventually. Eventually, he blurted out, "Do you not like hanging out with me anymore?" His voice came out quiet and unsure, almost as if it took all of his courage to get the words out - that's because it had. It somehow got even quieter as he said, "Do you not like me anymore, Y/N?"

The soft, pretty pink on her cheeks deepened and her eyes shone like diamonds. All traces of uncertainty were gone, and in its place was shock. She studied his face for a moment, looking for any kind of signs of joking or teasing in his eyes. When she couldn't find anything, she sighed and said, "Of course I like you. What made you think that...that I didn't?"

"Wha- what? Uh, the fact that you haven't said more than two sentences to me all week." He couldn't believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. He didn't know what had come over him. One minute he was fine, and then the next - boom! Out came the sass. He'd never been good at holding in his feelings, especially when he was really into someone.

Not even giving her time to explain, he proclaimed, "And don't give me that crap about being on your period because I read up about that shit and it sounds fucking awful, I will admit, but it doesn't last two fucking weeks, Y/N. You're killing me here, sweetheart."

She couldn't help it. At his words, she let out a boisterous laugh that made his heart skip a beat. He hadn't heard her laugh like that in forever and it just felt so goddamn good. Cackling, she said, "You read up on periods?"

"I was worried about you and I don't exactly have a mother to ask about it. Uncle Wayne would've never let me live it down if I asked him."

Lightly, she dropped her forehead to rest on his chest as she tittered. His heart was about to burst out of his chest and into the open air. She lifted her head up off of his chest and looked him dead in the eyes, smiling as she claimed, "You're very sweet, Eds."

Sweet? She called him sweet? Everything in his body felt like it had turned to jelly. It took all of his willpower to keep himself from kissing the hell out of her. She still hadn't told him the actual reason, so he continued on his path of questioning. Putting on his best 'I'm a tough negotiator' face, he declared, "I'm serious, though. What the fuck is going on with you?"

"Is that face supposed to intimidate me into telling you what's wrong?"

Whoops. She gave it away.

"So there is something wrong!" He dramatically took his hands off her and flailed them in the air. "I knew it! I fucking knew it! Robin can fucking suck it."

Like usual, she found his little tantrums humorous and she just gazed at him with a grin on her face as he continued to wave his arms in the air, swearing his fuzzy head off. It was like he was an overgrown toddler, trying his best to get a reaction out of her, and his efforts were successful as she laughed at him. How are you supposed to not laugh at a fully grown man hysterically jumping around in a confined space, accidently knocking over a mop on his war path? He stopped for a moment, put it back in its place then started whining again.

"Why won't you talk to me? This is bullshit. I've only had Dustin to annoy this entire week, which is fun, but I'd prefer to annoy you. I even stooped low enough to try and fuck with Wheeler."

"No, not Mike. How did you survive?"

Slowly, he got closer to her with a smug smile on his face, his eyes narrowing as he raised his hand to accusingly point at her as he began to facetiously complain, "You're laughing at my concern! Honestly, Y/N, I don't know why I do it. I had to look the librarian in the eyes and say, 'hi, where's the section about pussies? Yeah, my friend has one and I want to know why its making her act all stupid and shit. Oh, and where's the erotica while we're at it. Might as well add that to my collection too. That will give me something to do while I wait for her to even breathe in my direction!' Well, actually, no I didn't say that, but I could've. I could've done that. I would've done that."

Swallowing down all her anticipation and nerves, she teased, "Aw, you would've checked out erotica for me?"

"Shut up," he joked, then immediately backtracked, "No, don't shut up. That's the whole thing. Don't shut - you know what? Fuck it, I'm just going to -"

Instead of continuing to ramble, he didn't know what came over him, but he knew it wasn't rational. Maybe it had something to do with the way her lips looked so full and soft. His hand grabbed her by the waist and yanked her forwards, pressing their lips together with a hunger he couldn't explain. He didn't remember moving, or if he had, he forgot. One moment he was speaking and the next, well, the next all of his senses were focused on her.

A soft sigh escaped her lips, which caused him to smile against her mouth. He couldn't help himself; he couldn't stop smiling at the perfection of it all. Her body was pressed up against his; she was pressed into his chest. All he wanted to do was kiss her for hours. Her lips felt so soft, so sweet, and he couldn't stop touching them, tasting them. Every single part of his body was in tune with hers, and it was an amazing feeling.

There was a break in the kiss as he pulled back slightly to look at her, his hands resting on her hips as he tried to apologise, "Tell me whatever I did wrong and I'll make it up to you. I'll do what-"

"I'm not paid enough to care about this shit."

The pair broke apart, and their heads whipped to look at the newcomer. It was silent for a while as they just stared at the janitor in the hopes that he might magically vanish. "Get out," the janitor said. "Get out before I make sure you two end up in detention."

Detention was not on the cards as Y/N grabbed Eddie's hand and dragged him into the corridor as he still seemed a little dazed. Addressing the janitor, he complimented, "Cool Carlos Santana poster by the way. That's actually what we went in there to see. Crazy. We heard about it through the grapevine, you know," so she pulled him away before he could say anything else.

"I swear to God, that was so fucking awkward," Y/N laughed, trying to suppress her giggles.

The moment they made it around the first corner they saw, he scanned if any teachers were around and then began to kiss her cheek, gradually making his way down from her cheekbone to her neck, manoeuvring her so her back was against the cold wall and his front was against hers. He nuzzled his face into her neck, inhaling her scent, absorbing it through his skin. Teasingly, he reared back and came to a compromise, "If you tell me what's going on in that pretty head of yours, I won't leave the biggest hickey I possibly can on your neck. Just imagine how long you'll be grounded for when your parents see that."

"You're not serious."

"Watch me." He lowered his head once again, his lips finding her skin just above her collarbone before she tugged on his hair to pull him back up. "Start talking."

Taking a breath, she finally explained, "So, I'm trying this thing where I let other people get a word in. We all know that I have a habit of talking a bit too much, and you're probably sick of my voice at thi-"

"What the fuck are you on about?"

His blunt statement made her jump.

She was just about to speak again when a junior, who obviously had a hall pass to use the bathroom, gave them a funny look and walked by without saying a word. Jokingly, she pointed out, "Why did we choose to do this in a public corridor?"

"And she begins avoiding my question once again," he taunted, moving his mouth under her jaw to plant a kiss there. He grinned, smug and self-assured, and Y/N felt a swell of pride at his confidence. She considered her answer for a few moments, and in that time, his hand slipped from her hip to her lower back, sliding beneath her t-shirt to graze over her bare skin. She loved the way he was so comfortable in their little game.

"Stop," she laughed, but he kept his lips there, pressing against her neck and making her shiver. "Somebody mentioned that I'm a bit of a motor mouth so I decided to reel it back, okay?"

He craned his head back in surprise. "Who?"

"I'm no snitch, Munson."

"Uh, I'd like to know who fucked with my girl. I'm planning on kicking their ass."

Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she coquetted, "Your girl? Is that what I am now?" and to be super effective, she softly brushed some of his hair behind his ear.

There was no mistaking the pleased grin that curved his lips. He gave her the goofiest, most lovestruck grin possible, declaring that, "Oh yeah, didn't you hear? You have been for a while. Did I forget to mention it?"

"You may have forgotten, yeah. Maybe you did and I was too busy chatting to notice," she joked, and he chuckled. Her hand moved to his chest, and she felt his heart pound against her palm, his breath quicken, and his body tense. Her smile faltered for a moment as she apologised, "I'm sorry for practically ignoring you for a while."

At her words, his answer was low and sincere, "Yeah, it sucked." He tilted her chin up as she'd moved her focus away from his face, suggesting, "You could always make it up to me by hanging out with me after school and rambling to me about every single thought that pops into your head."

"Eddie, I'm sure you don't really want -"

"You don't get to tell me what I want," he said, and the serious expression returned to his face. He shook his head and kissed her again, this time briefly but with a lot of affection. It was an answer in itself. Against her lips, he mumbled, "Your voice is my favourite sound in the world, don't deprive me of it again or I'll probably go insane."

That made her laugh. When they finally broke apart, Y/N was left breathless.

"Just so you know," he said, "You could read anything to me and I'd be enthralled. You could read the fucking Bible to me and I'd convert in no time."

Despite the casualness of his statement, it made her realise how truly into her he was; how much he thought she was worth listening to. She loved the way he looked at her, like she was the only girl in the world, the way he thought she was so special. He didn't see her as just another member of Hellfire; he saw her as his girl.

Putting his favourite things together, she offered, "Why don't you come over, we'll smoke and I'll read The Hobbit to you? My parents are out, so it's up to you."

Fuck. He'd never heard something so perfect for him in his life. The smile that stretched across his face was absolutely, unarguably perfect. She waited until he'd composed himself before she copied his actions from before and kissed from his cheekbone down, which caused him to shiver slightly and unconsciously put his hand on the back of her head. Trying to play it cool despite how his body was reacting, he retorted, "What about your cat? Is she in?"

"You'll have to come over to find out."

So he did. He was practically vibrating with anticipation as he pulled his van onto her drive. He didn't even wait for her to get her keys in the front door before he hurried up behind her and grabbed onto her waist, tugging her against him so he could kiss the back of her neck. "Couldn't wait until we got inside, huh?" she murmured.

"I've waited long enough. You're going to have to get used to my affection," he said reverently, pressing his lips just below her ear, his stubble tickling her sensitive skin.

She shivered as a million tingles spread over her body. "I can get used to that," she said, smiling.

The moment she opened the door and pulled him inside, he noticed her cat and beelined towards her. "Hey, stinky," he said, holding the cat in his hands. He looked at Y/N, and back to the cat. The theory that all pets look like their owners seemed to be correct as Y/N's kitten was as cute as she was.

"Don't call my baby stinky," Y/N playfully warned, stroking the cat and leaning down to bump their noses together, causing the cat to lovingly nip at the tip of her nose.

"I can't help it," Eddie replied, holding the cat by the armpits and holding her above his head, wiggling her from side to side, falsely insulting, "Licorice is just such a gross, ugly cat."

Faking offence, Y/N grabbed the kitten from his hands and cradled it as she began walking to her bedroom, cooing, "Don't listen to the rip-off Van Halen looking boy, baby. He failed ninth grade English too many times for his opinion to be valid."

Eddie, of course, was hot on her heels as he followed her. "I'm not a boy, I'm a man."

"Whatever you say."

When they made it up to her room, Eddie immediately made himself at home, kicking his shoes off and jumping face first onto her bed. Y/N rolled her eyes and dropped the cat onto her pillow before sitting on the bed to beam as Eddie turned on to his side and pouted, urging her to "Kiss me?"

How could she not? She obliged, leaning in and pressing her lips to his. His reaction was immediate. He eagerly responded to her kiss, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close, tongue eagerly exploring hers. Y/N was the first to pull back as she felt Licorice pawing at her arm. "Oh sorry, you jealous thing," she joked, giving the cat an equal amount of attention by scratching her belly. She instructed Eddie, "Take over while I find the book."

Licorice had always liked Eddie, which was weird as she rarely liked anyone. Especially men. But it was as if she saw how kind he was and just went with it when he started to gently run his hands through her fur, purring as he did so.

Reading aloud, "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat..." Y/N had found the book and made her way back to her bed, leaning against the headboard as Eddie manoeuvred to sit between her legs, bringing Licorice to sit in his lap.

Together they both said, "It was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort." Of course he knew that bit off by heart.

Slithering her arms around him, she placed her chin on his shoulder, occasionally giving him a peck on the cheek between paragraphs as she continued reading. He leant back, listening intently as he lit his spliff, taking a few drags before placing it between her lips and dreamily gazing at her as she let the smoke out of her nose like a sexy dragon. A sexy Smaug.

Never had he felt so comfortable. In a relationship or just in general. No matter how many people he'd been with before, there'd never been a moment when he'd ever truly felt like this.

Almost the second before she finished the final paragraph of the first chapter, Licorice was spooked by a sound from outside and decided that she didn't want any more attention. Y/N called after her, "Do not start a fight with the dog next door," and all the cat seemed to do was narrow her eyes and saunter out of the room.

Finishing the last bit, Y/N declared, "Bilbo went to sleep with that in his ears, and it gave him very uncomfortable dreams. It was long after the break of day, when he woke up."

Now that he no longer had a cat on his lap to worry about, Eddie took the book from her hands and set it on her bedside table, turning around to face her as he flirted, "Honestly, whoever told you to shut up must not have taste because I've read that so many times and it never sounded that good before."

The compliment was not lost on her as Y/N giggled, "I swore you fell asleep halfway."

"I was resting my eyes." He leaned in, pressing his lips to hers, only to pull back, looking into her eyes. "You're seriously not going to tell me who?"

"Nope." Fine. That'll do. He let out a huff but it was quickly forgotten as she placed her hand on the side of his face, gently ghosting her thumb over his skin as she pressed her lips against his. And that's how they spent most of the evening. Just smooching with the occasional playful bout of taunting.

Over time, it wasn't rare for Eddie to spend all of his free time in the warm comfort of Y/N's bedroom. Him laying on his side, leaning over her slightly as she used their intertwined hands to gesture, soaking in all of his focus.

It wasn't long before Eddie pieced together who had made her feel that way. Mike had made some off handed insult about how long she had been talking and Y/N looked at Eddie like 'this fucking guy, amiright?', accidently giving it away. Due to Eddie's words, she no longer let Wheeler's words affect her so much as why would she care that one weird sophomore didn't like her voice when her super hot rocker boyfriend literally begged her to spill her guts to him at every chance they got?

Hellfire came. Mike was very surprised when his PC died only thirty minutes into the session. Strangely, it seemed as if the DM was personally targeting him. Who knows why?