#not entirely sure Joe was feeling the chat 😂

[joe-zone]

Tsimi gossiping with Joey and Mo on the bench 😄

[laminy]

Rami reaches out and takes Joe’s hand in his, giving him a gentle squeeze. “You’ve been so kind to me,” he says softly. “I hope you know that I wouldn’t be able to do any of this without you. But you know that you can talk to me too, right?”

Joe looks up at Rami, meeting his eyes again, and then his eyes quickly flick down, maybe to Rami’s mouth, and then Joe clears his throat and nods. “Thank you,” he says, withdrawing his hand from Rami’s.

“You’re welcome,” Rami says, settling back in his seat. He looks up at the ceiling as the lights start to dim, and the advertisements start, excitement bubbling up as he looks over at Joe. He can't help but feel that this night is pretty special.

Look I know I’m supposed to be offline but I cannot PASS UP THE OPPORTUNITY to tell you I’m reading itbasm again and omfg I need you to stop being so amazing at writing 😭 that moment made me so soft :,) just their tenderness for each other. CRY. and their whole mini adventure to get popcorn and snacks and chatting made me grin the whole time. literally. 

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Rami pulls his jacket closer around his body as he and Joe make their way towards Joe’s flat, the night air cool around them. He thinks he hears a noise behind them, and then he quickly looks back, jumping. He isn’t really sure if the film was that good or not, but there were a lot of scares in it. He’s glad to not be going home alone tonight. For more than one reason.

STOP THAT RIGHT NOW. STOP IT. HE’S GLAD TO NOT BE GOING HOME ALONE TONIGHT FOR MORE THAN ONE REASON, STOP IT. YOU ARE OVER HERE TRYNA KILL ME

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“I wasn’t going to say that,” Rami says quickly, trying to speed up.

“Oh ho, this is great,” Joe says, matching Rami’s speed. In turn, Rami just speeds up again until the two of them are running through the streets of Perth, landing at the front door of Joe’s building, laughing loudly as Joe searches for his keys.

“See?” Rami says. “You are a runner.”

Joe’s taking deep breaths, looking at Rami who barely seems bothered by it, and unlocks the front door. “Shut up,” he pants, “I can’t believe you tricked me.”

STOP STOP STOP STOP THIS SHIT IS SO FUCKING CUTE 😭 I WANT TO SCREAM. it’s too wholesome omfg. 😭 just. rami over here tricking joe into running, i’m fucking dead 💀😂

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He’s not focusing on the TV at all, because he can’t stop thinking about what Joe said outside. About them going to a film, then going home together. And Joe’s right, Rami was about to call him fit. He really was. He’d like to tell himself that he was just joking, but he’s not. He does find Joe attractive. He loves the colour of his hair. The ways his eyes crinkle when he smiles. Oddly enough, he likes his nose? Something that Rami can say he’s never really noticed on anyone else before. Most of all he likes his laugh. And how nice Joe is. Rami can almost feel the prickle of tears in his eyes as he starts to get overwhelmed. Being around Joe now makes him so nervous, when really, he just wants to tell him the truth. Whatever the truth is, Rami’s not entirely sure. Does he want Joe to be his boyfriend? Does he just want to kiss him? Or just hold his hand? Rami bites down on his lip as he thinks.

🔫 i cannot believe you. it’s so fucking, aughhh ❤️❤️❤️ ramiiiiiiiiiiiiiii RAMIIIIIIIIIII. STOP THAT HE’S SO IN LOVE HOLYSHIT. THE WAY HE FEELS ABOUT JOE AND EVERYTHING HE LOVES ABOUT JOE IS JUST SO FREAKING CUTE. DAMN YOUR AMAZING WRITER ASS, LAMINY.

—————————

Rami takes a few deep breaths. He can do it, he thinks. He can do it. He can say something. They spent all day together, and it was lovely. Rami thinks back on Joe’s words at the museum, calling it a date. Telling him he was happy Rami was there. It would be a perfect way to end it, if Rami said something. It would make Joe so happy. But it might also be the perfect way to ruin it, if Joe rejects him, if those words had just been…Joe being nice. But, Rami thinks, Ben and Gwil won’t be back for another couple of days. If Joe turns him down, Rami can go hide in his flat until Gwil comes back. And things will be better by then. They’ll be over it. Maybe this is the best chance he’s ever going to get. Ben and Gwil won’t just be running off to London all the time, and Rami really doesn’t think he could ever do this with Ben and Gwil around.

LMFAOOO NOT HIM READY TO HIDE 💀 KISS HIM. FUCKING DO IT RAMI YOU PUSSY

—————————

“Rami, do you wanna go on a date with me?” Joe asks.

Rami looks back up at him, smiling. “Really?” he asks. “I’d love to. That’s still a thing people do?” Rami asks, and Joe laughs loudly.

“Yeah, dating’s still a thing,” Joe replies, still chuckling.

“Good,” Rami says, leaning his weight against Joe. “I was worried.” He sighs. “I was worried about a lot of things,” he admits softly.

Joe reaches up, brushing a curl off Rami’s forehead, then leans down to press a kiss to the top of his head. “You don’t have to worry anymore, okay? I’ve got you.”

“I’ve got you.” LAMINY 😭 I CANNOT WITH THESE TWO. Not Rami questioning if dating was still a thing 😂 but I get it, my guy literally didn’t see YEARS AND YEARS go by-

me:🤡🔫

—————————

Joe lifts his hands to his face, still grinning. He honestly can’t believe it. Not even a little bit. Rami, who’s so smart, and kind, and sweet, and loveable…likes him? Him, Joe. Joe Mazzello. Joe’s sure there must have been a misunderstanding somewhere. Surely, Rami meant to have a crush on Gwil? Tall, great accent, even better hair. Or Ben. Equally great accent, killer body. What’s Rami want with him?

Aww Joe’s thoughts just make me want to die 😭 Joe finding it so hard to understand why Rami loves him makes me feel things and when he thinks Gwil or Ben are better and tries to think of an excuse as to why Rami would possibly love him, sigh 😔 

—————————

Joe clears his throat and gently places one hand on Rami’s waist, reaching up with the other to cup his cheek, and then leans in. Joe’s careful to not crowd too close against him, worried that he’ll make Rami feel uncomfortable, and their lips just barely brush before he tilts his head and kisses him harder.

Rami lets out a surprised sound, and jerks back slightly, bumping against the counter, but after a moment, Joe can feel a hand tentatively reach out and grab onto his hip.

Joe pulls back for a moment, smiling, then kisses him again, taking his face with both hands this time. He’s not sure how long they stand there kissing for. Long enough for Rami to reach out with his other hand, tugging him in, making Joe groan softly. Long enough for the kettle to start whistling, and Joe jerks back, glancing over at the stove. “Sorry,” he says, stepping away from Rami to turn off the burner.

LAMINYYYYY YOU CAN’T BE DOING THIS TO ME OKAY? NOT RIGHT NOW. I should not be reading this cute romantic fic while moving on from a breakup 💀 but I like to make myself suffer so yayyy!!! You’re killing me over here with this romantic make out scene 😂 but I love it.

—————————

“Uh, how handsome I am, obviously,” Joe says, and Rami laughs and shakes his head. “So that’s a no, huh? Dammit. I knew Ben had the sexier accent. That’s why I don’t let him anywhere near the rovers. Aliens would be flocking in here left and right for that guy.”

i cackled. yes i did. “That’s why I don’t let him anywhere near the rovers. Aliens would be flocking in here left and right for that guy.” 😂😂😂 yeah definitely killing me out here, laminy. the amount of love I have for this fic and your spectacular writing is beyond comprehension. I just had to come to your inbox and send this since I’m going back and reading this amazing work, love you to bits, laminy ❤️ (also i hope your novel story is going good!! ☺️)

oh my goshhhhh I did not expect to get a message from you about this story right now and your comments are always so in depth and kind and lovely.

god Rami and Joe were so soft haha I remember writing this and just, I want to wrap myself up in a blanket of it, really. like when I started writing this fic, in my head it was a Ben/Gwil fic but then Rami and Joe were so delightful and lovely and soft together. I loved writing Rami. they're so in love. I wrote it and I'm still like awwww haha.

thank god dating is still a thing people do or poor Rami lol. Joe would've brought it back for him though, I'm 100 percent sure.

thank you so much for coming back to my inbox for this, it means the world <3 please take care of yourself!

(I am still writing my novel, I'm about 1/3 of the way through the second draft and right now I love the characters and their vibes but I kind of hate the plot so I'm not sure yet how to fix that lol)

[a-strange-inkling]

im sure its been theorized before but hear me out. Im high and this idea is ENTIRELY MY OWN. copyright 2023.

ok so what if this whole thing is a dream or manifested massive delusion driven dnd game for will. its been more or less confirmed that the next season is centered on will’s character and it makes sense that the show will start and end with him. Firstly it seems unsatisfying narratively if Will would have anything less than a villain/hero arc. Secondly he is shown driving the story at the start of every season by entering a fantasy scape. And, given that his primary insecurity is being left, it makes sense that every season resulted in reunions and drawing all the story lines together?

like a master dnd dm would? Will/Mind Flayer has been building quests and storylines this entire time?

do you see what im getting at? master of puppets is will!! (or will by proxy, not sure yet but still)

anyway, do you know any more about the will theory? would love to hear your predictions about s4!

Okay…

Mom?

Is that you? What are you doing on Tumblr?? Please don’t read my ao3 😭

No, I kid!

My mom and I spend many of our morning coffee chats theorizing Season Five and she’s convinced it’s all a dnd campaign on Will’s end too!!! And she’s brought up all of these points and more, which is pretty cool, as she doesn’t even have any online presence (or does she?? 👀). But when I explained the lyrics to Master of Puppets and the Mind Flayer, she said what if the master isn’t Vecna?

What if it’s Will, what if it’s all Will?

She’s also pointed out that Will hasn’t had that much agency in the series. Always a victim, or an observer, a watcher. In Season Five will he finally become a player/hero? Or a villain? Is this what it’s all been leading up to?

She even thinks that they’ve pulled a HIMYM and have already filmed the ending back when they actors were kids. It will end on all them playing in Mike’s basement.

This is such a wild theory and I’m always trying to disprove it lol because I don’t think the Duffers have the foresight or the planning skills for that (bless their hearts) and I’m just like what is Will on if he conjured all this up on his own? Won’t this take away from the story as a whole to make it all just a campaign? What about El? What about all the character growth of characters like Hopper and Steve?

But she’s so convinced that she’s slowly convincing me too 😂

This ask made my whole day!! She’s going to be so validated when I tell her this lmao

Oh, Season Five… Season Five

I don’t have a lot of theories or even desires myself… Not to be a stick in the mud, but I have to be honest, I haven’t really been invested in the plot of Stranger Things like I used to after watching Season Three. In comparison to where we started, I think the writing and the characters in general has progressively weakened over the seasons (there’s been exceptions, of course!)

If not for Joe, Gwen, Mason and Jamie (all the new comers) putting THEIR FUCKING ALL into their SIDE ROLES/VILLAIN ROLE I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed Season Four much at all. I’ve made the joke about myself that Stranger Things has become Eddie and Chrissy with some other people around for me lmao and sadly it’s not too far from the truth. And then they killed them off! 😭 The fresh faces and incredible chemistry they desperately needed! They really shot themselves in the foot. We were so robbed!

As for the main cast (still incredibly talented and wonderful, don’t get me wrong) they just sort of feel tired in their roles despite their best efforts, a lot of that chemistry in the beginning sort of fizzing out with all the same issues reoccurring when they should have been resolved by now. I do have to give props to Sadie and Caleb this season, out of the main cast they really shined. But, lot’s of the things I cared about I just don’t anymore. Like the Steve/Nancy/Jonathan storyline. Used to be invested. Don’t care at all. Even Jopper finally getting together really didn’t impact me. And they were my first otp in this show!! I’ve been waiting!

So, while I still love discussing it and hearing theories, I don’t expect much other than a pretty straight forward happy ending maybe with a few character deaths (Steve… Jonathan… be safe out there boys). Ooo wait a Jonathan death would really trigger a Will villain arc and maybe be the gravity this show needs.

I do see Will on the precipice of a hero/villain journey, dark side light side stuff, ultimately choosing hero and maybe saving El for a change.

I’m going to tell my mom about the Jonathan death theory this morning when we get coffee though!

I’m also in the minority here, but I don’t want Eddie back (unless Chrissy gets to too 😤. Let him rest. I think anything outside of a flashback or a Vecna vision would be bad for the narrative as a whole. Could also ruin his character if they aren’t careful. But I would fucking love a flashback of Eddie and Chrissy at Hawkins High or something like that. Oh yes please!!

Overall, I think the main cast really need to have the focus put on them to wrap this up neatly. (However, Kas!Eddie rising from out of the Upside Down as an undead vampire/zombie to a raging metal soundtrack would be so sick… bad writing… but very, very sick lol)

Okay, wait though… speaking of screw it all, let’s go insane writing, may I tell you the stupid thing what I want so badly?? I want a Ted Wheeler redemption arc. I’m dead serious! I want him to save the day like a badass for NO REASON or build up. I want everyone to be in the heat of battle and the world going to hell in a hand basket and I want Dustin (it has to be Dustin) to be surrounded by Demogorgons or whatever, about to die and then, out of nowhere, Ted revs in with his fucking station wagon and runs them all over, skidding to a stop (Holly is in the back seat in her booster). Dustin dazed and confused stares up at him with his mouth agape as Mr. Wheeler opens the passenger door and just says ‘Get in.’

Sorry, this came out long winded and all over the place lmao! I’m so sleep deprived presently!

I’m still going to watch Season Five, because I have to see where they end it after all these years!! Just not on the edge of my seat about it.

But, who knows maybe Season Five will grab us all by throat and surprise us (in a good way)!