#skylights over island

[smoke-under-skin]

Denver Transitional Dining Room An illustration of a sizable transitional kitchen/dining room combination with dark wood floors and brown floors, gray walls, a wood stove, and a stone fireplace

[peppermintquartz]

The first time Tommy opens his house to Evan, he doesn't know what he is getting.

At first Evan just follows him, making polite sounds of generic appreciation, until they get to the kitchen in the back of the bungalow. Tommy has leaned into the craftsman style, and there are industrial elements also - efficient is effective, in Tommy's opinion - and Evan just stands in the middle and stares, an awed smile on his face. The sun peeks out from behind the clouds and its rays fall right through the skylight and onto the island, a piece that Tommy built with a friend's help.

"Are those... Did you get the wood from a bowling alley?" Evan is delighted, rubbing his fingertips over the little triangular marks on the surface of the island. "This is so cool."

He explores the kitchen and notices the pantry. On the pantry door, he sees Tommy's meal plan and freezes.

"Tommy, you have a meal planning chart," Evan states unnecessarily.

Tommy sticks his hands into his pocket. "Yeah, a gym buddy taught me. I got used to it and it's really useful when I plan out my grocery shopping."

"It's color-coded."

"Yeah. The system is simple, too. Helps me see if I'm getting enough proteins, carbs --mmph!!"

Tommy's back hits the nearest wall as he is kissed to an inch of his life. Evan doesn't let up, licking into Tommy's mouth with delectable little moans and his hands are wandering under Tommy's shirt, his fingers skating over his waist and ribs. When a thick thigh insinuates itself between Tommy's legs, Tommy pushes lightly on Evan's shoulders. "Okay, that was. Wow. You like the meal plan?"

"It's color-coded," Evan murmurs, his pupils blown dark with longing. "And you listed the exact cuts of meat, and how to cook them."

Tommy is not expecting his boyfriend to be turned on by efficiency and organization, but he sure as hell isn't about to stop Evan from rewarding Tommy for it. Putting his arms over Evan's shoulders, Tommy smiles and says, "Wait till you see my pantry." He lowers his voice. "It's sorted by category and then alphabetical order."

Evan inhales sharply. "Do you mind if I take off your pants right now?"

[wroteclassicaly]

18+

A/N: Just a little blurb to kickstart my writing for this character off ;)

Pairings: Eric x Female Reader

Warnings: Smut, vaginal fingering, NSFW.

He’s always like this with you. Gentle, clarifying your wants and desires without words — your consent. That’s never changed, even when the silence has to begin again, when no one knows how safe this island can be. There’s a stillness to your candlelit nights - this one being no different. It’s been a few weeks since you’ve settled into your small tent, most residences being established for those that have come a new.

But having a skylight zip in the roof of your tent and a relatively soft mattress, knowing you’ll have fresh water and food, light conversation in the mornings, a sunrise above water, and a makeshift family — you consider yourself amongst heavenly luck.

With Frodo out frolicking tonight with your neighbor’s cat Prudence, it leaves you and Eric alone in the tent for an hour. He’s been reading his book by the candle light, alternating between drawing his fingers down the wooden sconce, to staring at you through hooded, enriching pools of chocolate. All of this is still new, your two year long online relationship, various letters and video chats, with the arrangement to meet in New York in person, only to receive a text that sounded like a goodbye, hours after landing, but then the invasion happened and you had zero time to look for him, assuming the worst, to ultimately meeting again on the boat. He still looks at you as if he’s known you his whole life, in person. With newly shared trauma, to old shared conditions - you’re honestly not sure you’d be sane right now.

Tap. Tap.

A warm hand pinches the skin of your calve. It causes you to look up from your mindless doodling. He’s got that little soft smile, the flame of the candle dancing in the blown expanse of his pupils. His brows pinch together, his curls drooping over his forehead as he nods for a confirmation in his request. He comes closer and your agreement, knees rustling the sheets and the comforter.

He props himself beside you, one hand cupping your jaw, bringing you in to nuzzle your nose. With the exception of fires crackling, crickets chirping, some residents still up, and the distant sound of the water lapping at the shoreline — all remains a comfortable kind of tranquil. You feel his mouth on your jawline first, fingers tilting you to maintain direction. You push your book aside, listening to the light smacks of his lips as he sucks in the flesh of your neck, lightly biting down, only to release and soothe. His spare hand, it finds its way up your nightdress, resting on your knees, kneading, rolling his palm, until it splays, his dipping fingers tapping your skin.

He pulls away from the divide between your neck and shoulder, mouth red and panting, licking his teeth as his hand leaves your land and his pointer and middle finger make a spreading motion. Your heart drops into your guts, entangled and stifling the air in your lungs. You can’t tug your panties down fast enough, sliding against his chest, taking his own stubble bitten chin into your grip for a kiss as he lets his hand cup your heat, a groan slipping into your mouth. It gets harder to cover when you feel him press at your entrance, teasing the muscle, getting you so worked up that you have to stare him down with your pleading eyes that he’s so fond of. You take two digits with ease, rocking your hips, taking what you need from him, letting him spoil you.

It’s a lewd sound, one that someone couldn’t miss if they were to pass your tent. Eric’s breaths are coming out choppy across your lips, his lap swollen with need. But sometimes, it’s about giving you pleasure that gets him off the most. And you, you’re sure every creature across the world can hear how fast your heart is beating. Your body zoned out, only honing in on Eric, facing him as you near your climax.

It’s going to be strong, you both know it. He sees through his haze enough to cup your mouth with his spare hand as you tighten around his fingers, crying into his rapid pulse, that is buried beneath his wrist. You’re trembling, whimpering, and it attacks that aching fire in his belly, licking, and causes him lower his face into your jugular, warmth spurting from between his thighs and into his boxers. You hold one another through it, smiling against a sweaty daze, and he kisses you again, one finger dropping to write I Love You inside of your wrist.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

This 1975 fixer upper in Shelton, WA used to be an art/pottery studio & home on Harstine Island in the middle of Puget Sound, so it's a great location. Has 2bds, 2ba, and lots of potential. Asking $595K. I like it, see what you think.

So, it's a little weather beaten on the exterior. I wonder if that's some of the pottery they made.

If you're a wood lover, you'll be into this house. The carpet isn't bad, but that wallpaper would have to go. It's too dull for my taste.

Very unusual architecture. The interior really isn't that bad. This wood looks to be in good shape.

Large living room with a modern fireplace. The walls and ceiling look new with lovely skylights. Big windows provide a beautiful view of the sound.

Look at this fabulous feature. Love this.

I like the kitchen, it's different and has a great work triangle setup. I would just give the cabinets a light sanding and a couple of coats of polyurethane. The floor needs some TLC, too.

How cool is this? Look at that stove. The floor is worn so it looks like they spent a lot of time here. I don't blame them, it's cozy AF. All it needs is some new cushions and covers.

The back door- the hall has a lof of space for coats and stuff.

How gorgeous is this 2 story library? All it needs is a new set of cushion covers.

Cute little wood stove by the stairs.

Primary bedroom has built-ins and a big window w/a great view.

Nice closet/dressing area.

Large en-suite has vintage double sinks. This house is not bad inside, you could give it a good cleaning and live here while you do the work.

Sunken tub and shower. Look at the little door above the tub.

Check this out, a water closet with a marble top sink and interesting toilet.

There are decks all around the house, and here's a large one over the carport. Now let's have a look at the studio.

Oh, wow, this is huge.

This is fabulous.

Look, they left the pottery wheel and the area where they do the clay. So cool.

Upstairs in the loft. This has potential. It could be made into an apt. for an artist.

The banks of the Puget Sound.

This is how close it is to the water.

2.13 acre lot. Does this mean that you own part of the water in the sound?

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/970-E-Maples-Rd-Shelton-WA-98584/60923977_zpid/?

[somanyratsinthewalls]

Burning Hearts Chapter 9

Pairing: Law x Straw Hat Zoan Type (named) OC 

Summary: *SLOW BURN BUT IT GETS HOT HERE* You were teleported across the globe in an instant, away from your crew. Your body was badly broken and beaten, thrust into the harsh landscape of a Northern island. You are discovered by the Heart Pirates and brought back to health. Startled upon waking up in a foreign place with an unfamiliar crew, you are shocked with the news that you’ll be spending two years there. Trafalgar Law, the captain of the Heart Pirates has made a promise to train you, but will it become something more than a mentor relationship?

WC: 2800

Taglist: @cottoncandyloverrrr @nothing-but-brass @zoros-fourth-sword

Burning Hearts Chapter 9: Carpe Momentum (Seize the Moment)

— — 

The summer heat had crept in. The trees on the island were full and green, the wildlife was emerging from their slumber, and the ocean waters surrounding the area began to warm. But your favorite part of course, was how lush and bountiful the garden was looking. Each night you were bringing in baskets full of fresh produce and cooking a huge meal to feed the Heart Pirates. Your efforts were met with great praise from the crew, but you didn’t care, you just loved having a garden again. 

You also turned one of the storage sheds with a skylight into a makeshift grow house for your *special* plants… Law had either not noticed it yet or was making a choice to ignore it. 

It was a hot, muggy morning and you were knelt down in the garden harvesting fresh garlic and asparagus for the soup you had planned to prepare tonight. You hummed one of Brook’s signature tunes to yourself as you dug your shears into the soil. Suddenly,  you hear the heavy door to the base swing open. You turn your head and place your hand over your brow to block the sunlight from obscuring your vision. 

It was Penguin. He waves as he walks towards you. You return the wave. 

“Hey!” 

“Howdy. What brings you into my dojo?” You smile.

“Captain’s called a meeting. Said to meet in 15 minutes.”

“Thanks, I’ll head in. You want a strawberry? Just picked em.” You hold out a large, bright red berry. 

“Oh man, do I!!” Penguin greedily snatches the berry and gobbles it up. He smiles at its sweet taste. “Are you sure you can’t stay here forever? I don’t think I can go back to rice balls and chicken breast after this.” 

You chuckle. 

“Spend some time out here and learn to do it yourself! Once you can grow your own food, you won’t miss me at all, I promise.” 

“Hey, I think we’d still miss you. Anyway, see you in 15.” Penguin jogged back into the base and shut the door. 

You finished packing your basket full of produce and stand up. You dust the dirt off your gardening apron and pull your gloves off, stowing them in the basket. You head into the base, wondering what Law had schemed up now. 

— — 

You sat in a wheelie chair in the meeting room with your feet up on the conference table. 

“He’s gonna tell us he’s an Emperor now or something.” Ikkaku sits next to you and lazily runs her fingers through her curls. 

“Pfffttt.” You stretch your arms over your head. “Unless one of the four has a heart attack, I don’t think that’s going to happen.”

Law enters the crowded room and his crew straightens in their seats. You however, just turn your head in his direction. 

“As I’m sure most of you know, we’re low on supplies. So, I will be taking some of you in the Tang tomorrow to the nearest inhabited island to stock up. It may be a day trip, it may be overnight, depending on the sea condition and weather. Penguin, Shachi, and Bepo, you’ll be coming with me. The rest of you will stay here.”

“Wait, I want to go!” You drop your legs to the floor and sit up.

“No, you’ll stay here. I want to make sure your ankle is healed.” 

“Come on! I haven’t left this place since I got here. It’s been months. My ankle is fine. I’ve been wearing these jumpsuits and Ikkaku’s hand me downs this whole time,” You nod towards Ikkaku. “No offense.” 

She puts up her hands. 

“None taken.”

“Please, let me go with you.” You stand up and meet Law’s eyes. He sighs. A long pause follows your plea. 

“Fine. You’ll keep a low profile. We leave at 8 AM. Carry on.”

“Yes!” You clasp your hands together. 

Law exits the meeting room.

“Wait, does this mean we’re getting more booze tomorrow…?” Penguin speaks up.

“Meaning that we can drink everything we have tonight…?” Shachi rubs his hands together. 

You turn back to the crew and grin. 

“YES!” You all shout together, a few crew members sharing high fives. 

— — 

You sigh in relief as you rinse the grit and grime from both training and your work in the garden off of your body. The hot water was cascading through your hair therapeutically. 

You finish washing your tresses and turn off the water. Upon exiting the shower stall in your towel, you find Ikkaku at the counter, contents of your small cosmetic bag spilled out on the sink. 

“You said I could borrow some makeup any time, sorry I didn’t ask!”

“You’re fine! I meant it, really any time.” You start to dry your hair with another towel and you notice Ikkaku applying some eyeliner… badly. 

“Do you… want help?” You cock your head and smirk. 

Ikkaku sighs. 

“Very much. Yes. I look like Pagliacci.”

You look at each other and smile. 

“But doctor!” You yell. 

“I AM PAGLIACCI!” Ikkaku responds.��

You both burst into laughter. 

Once composing yourself, you sit on the counter next to Ikkaku and begin to apply the makeup to her lids. “So… what inspired this little makeover?” You ask.

“Nothing…” Ikkaku says quietly. 

“This wouldn’t have to do with the bouquet of flowers I saw Penguin taking from my garden last week, would it?” You cock your head. 

“Definitely not.” Ikkaku tries to hide a smirk as you brush mascara onto her lashes. 

“Right, of course.” You smile. “Ok done. Open.” 

Ikkaku opens her eyes and turns her head to look in the mirror. She gasps softly. 

“Perfect!” 

“Perfect indeed. Now hurry up and let me get ready, there’s booze to drink!”

“You’re right, we have to get a head start so the boys don’t guzzle it all.” 

— — 

After spending the next hour getting ready, You and Ikkaku join the rest of the crew in the galley… minus Law, that is. The double metal doors swing open and the two of you walk in. You are both met with open mouths and wide eyed stares. 

“Wow, Ikkaku you look…” Penguin begins. 

“Like a girl! Wow!” Shachi interjects. 

“Ok, asshole. Not my fault you’ve never seen one before. Where’s the booze?” She asks after rolling her eyes at her crew mate. 

“I’m glad you asked! I poured all the rest of the liquor we had in a trash bin, then filled it with soda and Daisy’s strawberries. It sounds terrible, but I promise it’s good!”

“You used my fruit to make jungle juice? You heathen!” You slap Shachi hard from across the counter. He shudders. You look down at the pink concoction below you. “I will have some, though…” 

You grab a plastic cup and scoop some of the punch up and take a sip. 

“Gross… but drinkable.” You nod your head back and forth, contemplating the flavors. You scoop another cup full of punch and hand it to Ikkaku. “Bottoms up, girlie.” You cheers your glasses as she takes hers from your hand. 

— — 

An hour of drinking games goes by and you find yourself seated at the dining room table in a game of Never Have I Ever. 

“Never have I ever peed in the bathroom sink!” Ikkaku glares at many of the male members of the crew as she spits out her question. 

“Oh my god…” 

Several crew members groan and put a finger down and take a drink. You definitely don’t. You make a mental note to be careful of where you leave your toothbrush. 

The door to the galley swings open and Law enters quietly wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt. 

“Captain! Come drink and play with us! There’s plenty more!” Penguin drunkenly waves towards his captain. 

“No, that’s quite alright. I have work to do.” Law stoically replies. 

You roll your eyes. You stand up and approach the booze bucket ro refill your cup. You grab another cup it and fill it as well. You extend the cup towards Law’s chest. 

“Come on. One drink won’t kill you.” You wink. 

Law gulps. 

“I… I guess it wouldn’t…” He hesitantly accepts the cup and joins you at the table. As he sat down he was met with riotous cheers from his crew that he tried to wave away. 

“Ok so, we’re playing Never Have I Ever. Put up 5 fingers and every time someone says something you’ve done you put one down and drink. If you get to 0, you have to finish your drink.” Shachi nervously explains the rules to his straight edge captain. 

“Seems easy enough.” 

“Great. Well, Peng, it’s your turn.” 

“Ah yes! Never have I ever… been a Straw Hat Pirate!” Penguin laughs as he finishes his sentence. 

“Oh that’s such bullshit…” You put your pointer finger down and take a big swig of your drink. 

You could have sword you saw Law smile. 

“Ok ok my turn!” Bepo claps his paws. “Never have I ever, not been a polar bear mink!”

The room groans and everyone reaches for their beverage. 

“Never have I ever… kissed a man!” Shachi shouts. 

You look at Ikkaku and you both roll your eyes.

“We have to start adding more rules to this game before I get alcohol poisoning.” Ikkaku complains as she takes a drink.

“Big agree.” You sigh as you take another sip.

“We have to sabotage someone else, or else we’re on the floor.” She whispers to you. 

*easy* you think. 

“Never have I ever performed heart surgery.”  You say confidently. 

Law turns his head to look at you, he smirks. He drinks. 

“Never have I ever cut someones arms off…” Ikkaku follows up. 

You and Law both reach for your glasses… hey, you were a pirate? Who’s to judge?

“… and put them back on someone else!” Ikkaku continues. 

You draw back your hand and laugh. 

Law rolls his eyes and drinks. 

“Never have I ever grown illicit drugs in the storage shed in the yard.” Law blinks slowly with a sneaky smile. 

You chuckle, put a finger down and drink. 

You throw your hands up and whisper, “oops!” With a snigger. 

The game rounds the circle once again and many of you were close to losing. Your cheeks were hot and pink from the risqué questions and the alcohol coursing through your system. Both you and Law were on your third cup of alcohol, he was clearly handling his better than you were. 

You had the giggles, bad. 

“Never have I ever….. gone skinny dipping!” You laugh. 

“Obviously, you can’t fucking swim!” Penguin responds and everyone laughs. 

Next to you, you notice Ikkaku put her last finger down and finish her drink. 

“I’m out. I should quit while I’m ahead.” She stands from the table, wobbles for a bit, before excusing herself to her room. 

“I-, um” Penguin stands up awkwardly. “I should um, walk you back to your room! Make sure you get there safe, you know?” 

“Oh.. okay?” Ikkaku moves to leave the galley with Penguin behind her. 

After a few moments of silence, Shachi breaks the barrier. 

“I hope they finally do it, I’m so tired of hearing about it.” 

“What?”

“Dude where have you been? They’ve been flirting for MONTHS… you seriously haven’t noticed?” You question. 

“Hmm… guess I haven’t noticed.” Law huffs. 

“Whatever. Moving on. Never have I ever… been in a relationship.” Shachi states. 

You drink. 

Law drinks. 

All of your heads spin to Bepo, who was taking a sip…

“Bepo?!?” You question. 

“We were just kids! She kissed me on the playground! I think it counts!” 

The room erupts into laughter, including Law. 

“You never told me that one, Bepo! I’d love to hear more!” Law lets out a surprisingly loud laugh.

“Come on, Captain, it’s not like you ever talk about that sort of thing!” Bepo shoots back, his fluffy white cheeks tinged red. 

After the laughter subsides, Bepo continues with his turn. 

“Never have I ever kissed someone… with dark hair!” He crosses his big, furry arms, trying to get back at his crew mates. 

Shachi and you both take a drink. You look to your right and notice that Law does the same. Your mind wanders… what does someone have to do to be romantically attractive to Trafalgar Law? He was such a strange man… what turned him on?

“It’s your turn, D.” Shachi prompts you. 

“Oh yeah…” You ponder for a moment. “Never have I ever… HAD A PENIS!” You roll over laughing. 

The three remaining people at the table take drinks and gripe at your cheap shot. “Alright, we’re done. You two win. I’ve gotta head to bed if you want anyone to drive the Tang tomorrow. Goodnight!” Bepo grabs Shachi by the shoulder and carries him off to the staterooms. 

They left you and Law alone in the galley.

“Are we cleaning up tonight or-?” You ask as you rise from the table. 

“Nah, Uni has kitchen duty. Let him deal with it.” Law rises and stumbles a bit, not realizing how the alcohol would affect him. 

You laugh. 

“You okay, doc? Come on.” You grab Law’s hand to steady him. He winces a bit, but then he eases into your touch. 

“I’ll… I’ll walk you.. back to your room.. your ankle…” Law suddenly scoops an arm under your left armpit and supports your pained foot. 

“Oh, thanks!” You smile and he helps you hobble out of the galley and towards your room. 

It was clear that the two of you were just a little drunk, Law having nearly dropped you twice on the way to your stateroom and the both of you laughing it off. 

“I believe this is your stop, ma’am.” A slightly drunk Law gently lets go of your torso as the two of you reach your bedroom door. 

You chuckle. 

“Ah yes, door to door service! How professional! I give the ride service 5 stars!” You laugh and do your best to put your weight onto both feet as he lets go of you. 

“Oof!” You misstep and your ankle throbs, but you catch yourself. 

Law’s playful demeanor becomes serious. 

“You’re okay?” He asks. 

“Yeah… just a twinge. I’m fine, though…” You grin through the pain. 

“I don’t want you to be in pain…” Law barely whispers as he looks into your eyes. 

“I know…” You quietly respond… drawing your face closer to his.

Law licks his lips and looks at your mouth… 

Suddenly, you feel hands on either side of your face as Law smashes his lips onto yours. 

Your eyes snap open wide and your hands are frozen at your sides. Was Law really kissing you right now? Here? In the hallway? His eyes were slammed shut and fingers gripped your cheeks tightly. 

Law pulls back and catches his breath. He sees your bewildered expression. 

“Daisy I…” Law stutters as he backs up from you. 

“Law…” You step towards him. 

“No, I… I’m so sorry. I really am so sorry…-“

“Wait!” You reach out a hand to touch Law’s cheek but in a flash of blue light, Law had completely disappeared. A pebble clattered to the ground in his place. 

You stand in the hallway alone, trying to process what just happened. Law had kissed you. You were tipsy, but there was no denying or imagining that Law had just kissed you. It was purposeful. He grabbed your face and kissed you with fervor. Was it a good kiss? No. Did he have any idea how to kiss someone? Clearly no. Was there feeling?

yes. 

There was something behind that kiss… something you could feel… It wasn’t just a drunk attempt to get lucky… there was too much emotion, and you felt it through his grip. 

But he was gone now. You knew Law wouldn’t answer your call if you knocked on his door now… so you had best just call it a night. You enter your room and strip yourself of your pants and shirt before crawling into bed. After nestling your head between your pillows, you lift your right hand to your lips… Law had kissed you…

Now what?

xx 

*Authors Note*

OH MY GOD IT'S HAPPENING! WHAT'S THE PROCEDURE? WHAT'S THE PROCEDURE? IT'S HAPPENING! Happy Valentine's Day my loves! It took 9 chapters but we FINALLY got a little smooooooch! Comment and let me know if you want to be on the taglist for this series or you have any ideas for future chapters! Thanks and I love you :)

[densewentz]

I am. Quaking over Crowley and Hanna cause AUGH they're so adorable. Getting up into antics! What do you think some of their adventures would be? Chaos at the nursery garden stores? Lurking in woods to find creatures? Sorry I just really wanna know.

"Can we get a 'wahoo'?"

First off thank you for the perfect reason to post this sketch!

I cannot even begin to imagine the terrors they rain on the general public tbh. Between Crowley still feeling jilted and Hanna feeling free for the first time, the limit is really their imaginations (of which they both posses quite a fair bit).

In fairness since this little au I'm simmering takes place pretty soon after the end of s2, they probably don't do a lot of REALLY outlandish stuff for a while. They'll stay local, probably spend time with Nina and Maggie and probably end up meeting the Them at some point. Crowley would also probably want to try and keep inconspicuous (hah) with heaven and hell looming over their heads and now with a squishy thing to protect. I LOVE the garden center chaos idea btw, shoutout anon, and Crowley's little pseudo Eden is definitely going to rapidly expand into a vibrant and terrified indoor oasis (skylights included). Shops in general are going to have to watch their backs (Crowley has a reason to go into many of them quite frequently now, and without his celestial counterpart to keep him from goofing off too much). Hanna is a big fan of the classic "run down the aisles of a toy store and rapidly push every single button you find" method of spreading foment.

Since Hanna hasn't had an opportunity to see/experience most of the world, I imagine they spend a LOT of time popping through museums/zoos/aquariums/etc. Crowley pointing out things he caused, things an... old friend caused, things that actually happened way differently but got recorded wrong. Hanna dragging her dad around and both of them getting WAY too into reading the information plaques for all the animals. Then seeing which animals freak tf out if her dad flashes his eyes. (The giftshops get terrorized if there arent enough fungus-themed objects, although there is always miraculously at least one). They probably break into a lot/if not most of the exhibits after hours to take selfies for Crowley's rapidly growing photo album. Hanna sits at the shark touch tank and loudly proclaims how smooth they are. And since im a sucker for I-Want-To-Share-The-Stars Crowley, they probably pop over to an observatory or break into idk, where they keep the telescope on the Canary Islands or something. And he'll tell her what he remembers about the Creation and what it feels like to hold a new star in your hand. Hanna will curl up against Crowley's chest and get lost in his voice and the distant glitter of a world her dad designed. They probably also commit crimes. Not major crimes, mind you, although that's due more to Crowley's occasional sense of "as a parent i probably shouldn't let you" than any unwillingness on Hanna's part. But she'll definitely help him move signs or infiltrate office buildings and other assorted sabotages. She 100% gets her own little version of the Fuck Shit Up Jacket, and whether he likes it or not the Bentley has decided Hanna gets to pick the getaway music.

It doesn't really count as demonic but Crowley DOES keep a bag of spare change and googly eyes for Hanna to glue to things at will while they're out.

But tbh i imagine the most trouble she gets into is if she's left alone with Muriel. Evidently Hanna has her father's talent for tempting angels into misbehaving or at least into not noticing that they are, in fact, misbehaving in the human sense. Crowley usually feels almost bad for the baby angel but, needs must. and sometimes he needs a babysitter. The rule is SUPPOSED to be that if Hanna is with Muriel, they DO. NOT. LEAVE. the bookshop (they always leave the bookshop).

At one point she meets a boy named Kian at a pub called the New Inn. Crowley very desperately wants her to not want to spend time with Kian for reasons he refuses to explain 💕

At any rate if anyone ever wants to write or draw anything with Hanna they're more than welcome to and also I'll probably cry a lot so Cheers! Thank you for the ask (apologies for my signature long-winded answer)!

[cascadeclangen]

Oh no, Para is procrastinating on cascadeclan with… cascadeclan.

The four clans of this land are Blazeclan, Iceclan, Cascadeclan, and Whisperclan.

Cascadeclan territory:

The Camp - Cascadeclan’s camp is located in a cave system behind a waterfall, accessible through a path that leads up the steppes to it. Clan meetings are hosted in a side cave with a skylight, mini waterfall, and a small pool of water. All the nests are together in one cave, aside from those in the medicine den for the sick and injured. The medicine cats only sleep there when they have ill clanmates to look after.

6. The Upper Steppes - much of Cascadeclan’s land is significantly lower than the other clans. Instead of dropping down in a single cliff or being a steady slope, there are tiered sections marking past flood levels and eroding of the ground.

7. The Islands - at the base of the steppes, the various waterfalls all flow into a basin with many small islands. The land is somewhat swampy from the seasonal flooding, but also rich and fertile for plant life. They also provide good locations for fishing.

8. The Lower Grove - Marking a portion of the boundary between Blazeclan and Cascadeclan is a grove of aspen trees. While not Cascadeclan’s main source of food, the forest is vital when the island basin freezes over, and again later when the snowmelt floods much of their territory. A thunderpath runs between the edge of the trees and Blazeclan, before looping further into the trees and back out of clan territory.

Blazeclan territory:

The Camp - Blazeclan nests in a clearing in a field of heather and brambles. The prickly plants act as a natural defense, with the entrance hidden behind a winding maze. Blazeclan’s dens have loosely woven walls to let in breezes for the intense heats of greenleaf, but thick roofs to keep out snow and rain during the colder moons.

1. The Heather Field - Hiding the camp away, the heather field is a dense weave of its namesake flower, and other prickly foliage. The naturally formed animal trails make for a difficult to traverse terrain, but once one learns the layout, they are perfect for hunting rabbits and smaller rodents.

2. The rest of Blazeclan’s land is pretty homogenous, rolling grassy hills that turn scorching and dry during greenleaf. Wildfires aren’t uncommon to see, during which Blazeclan often takes shelter in the gathering hollow, or with Cascadeclan in extreme situations.

Iceclan territory:

The Camp - Iceclan’s camp is carved directly into the ice and rock that makes up the face of the glacier their name comes from. All of the floor of the camp has been packed with leaf litter, dried prey pelts, and moss to insulate against the ice’s inherent chill. The prey pit is left untouched however, as the Iceclan cats learned it lasted longer in direct contact with the ice. Like Cascadeclan, all of Iceclan sleep communally to stave off the freeze of their camp.

3. The Snow Fields - the surface of the glacier. Snow, ice, and rock stretch out into the mountains, with deadly crevasses gouged into it’s surface. Unsuspecting cats could fall down into these, in which it is almost always a death sentence.

4. The Glacial Face & The Runoff Plains - The face of the glacier is riddled with caves and tunnels that snowmelt pours out from every season but leafbare. The brittle ice that much of it is made of can crumble off, a danger to anyone walking below. The runoff plains are a field of nutrient rich soil and grasses, fed by the minerals that the glacier has picked up over time. Herbs grow thickly here, vital to Iceclan when so much of their territory is inhospitable to plant life.

Whisperclan territory

Whisperclan Camp - Whisperclan set up on a plateau in their woodland, with the only entrance being a hollowed tree with a soil ramp inside. Thorn bushes grow up the edges of the plateau and form a natural barrier, with less thorny bushes forming the dens. Careful weaving of the branches has made the dens completely waterproofed over many seasons, and cats tend to decorate their living spaces with pretty rocks, plants, and feathers.

10. The High Aspens - The entirety of Whisperclan’s claimed land is an aspen forest, a much larger, older forest than the lower grove. Fog pools between the trees every night, and even lingering through the colder days of leafbare. Whisperclan’s foliage is filled with a diverse array of prey, though they have the second lowest access to medicinal herbs in comparison to Iceclan’s runoff flats and Cascadeclan’s mini marshlands.

11. The Foothills - The aspens stretch right up to the mountains, where the trees grow sparser and the ground rockier. Whisperclan tends not to head this way as often, not suited to the mountain environment in the ways Iceclan is.

Neutral Territories

5. The Gathering Hollow & Star Spire - The clans hold gatherings in a hollow just above the steppes, and set into the runoff flats of Iceclan. A tunnel leads down from the hollow, connecting to a cave system that leads to the Star Spire. With such close proximity to Cascadeclan’s cave systems, it is theorized they connect, however the unstable nature of these peripheral tunnels discourages exploration.

9. The Mountains - Past Iceclan and Cascadeclan, the mountains rise up into a jagged skyline. A group of cats is claimed to live in the mountains, but they haven’t been sought out. According to stories passed down by elders, the founder of the clans came from the mountains. An apprentice who fell during a journey, washed out of the mountains and into what became Cascadeclan.

[ask-good-cop-bad-cop]

🔸️ Got inspired by @bennythespaceman1984 to figure out GCBC's apartment. Took a few scrapped sketches for me to realize I am no designer so I ended up just yoinking this off a site full of floor plans. Only difference is that they have a sliding glass door to their balcony.

Their apartment is on the top floor so they have a skylight. It's positioned kind of in the middle between the kitchen and living room, and is surprisingly large so there's plenty of natural light between it and the balcony doors. The walls throughout the apartment are painted an ivory color, so it's nice and bright and tinted just warm enough it doesn't feel sterile. The floors in the kitchen, bathroom, and utility room are stone tiles. The living room and bedroom have beige carpeting.

They don't really have much for decorations or furniture, as it's just them living there and they rarely have guests. There are several photos of their parents, or them with their parents, mounted on the walls in the living room though, and a few of Good Cop's favorite knick knacks that have survived Bad Cop's cleaning frenzies. Their kitchen island doubles as a bar, so instead of a dining table they just use it to eat on and have a pair of stools on one side. There is an entertainment center against the wall shared with the bedroom, with an LED tv mounted on the wall. A couch sits against the opposite wall facing it, and they have a papasan chair with a tea table next to it positioned to look out over their balcony and into the nearby park. Their computer desk is tucked in the corner near the dishwasher.

A handful of houseplants are scattered around the space as well. There is one singular painting mounted on the wall above their couch. (It's an oil painting of a woodsy scene in autumn. The previous owner was a clever and talented individual who had painted a scene from The Princess Bride into it. Bad Cop laughed himself silly when they saw it so Good Cop brought it home.)

[serickswrites]

Island in the Sun

Warnings: captivity, restraints, torture

The room was hot and Whumpee sweated profusely. They were shackled to the floor in the center of the room directly beneath the sky light over head. The sun beat down on the window, heating the room to an unbearable temperature.

Whumpee's eyes burned with the sweat that poured down their face and with the unshed tears in their eyes. Whumper had locked them in here days ago and hadn't returned. It was unbearable.

Whumpee had thought that when Whumper kidnapped them they would be beaten and tortured. They didn't think Whumper would abandon them in this locked room.

They knew time had passed because of the passage of the sun across the skylight. They slept, though they weren't sure when. They just knew they had because a tray of food appeared periodically as well as a bucket to relieve themself in. They never saw Whumper bring those in and take those out, so they must have been asleep.

Whumpee was hopeless. Being alone was so much worse than being beaten. Being alone with their thoughts and imaginings was so much worse than having their bones broken. Being abandoned was so much worse than being tortured.

Perhaps this was the special kind of torture Whumper had in mind when they kidnapped Whumpee. Whumpee could only suppose as their loneliness became insurmountable.

[briefcasejuice]

a bad soap opera masterlist / AO3

author's note: matt, canonically, doesn't have a crooked nose — he's scarily perfect, actually — but there's no way he's been daredevil for this long and doesn't logically have one. anyway, one thought led to another and now there's this. enjoy! word count: 1093 pairing: matt murdock x gender neutral!reader summary: post-patrol interactions with matt differed from night to night, largely depending both your moods and how patrol went; tonight was no different, giving you both a quieter ending to your days. content: nostalgia, food eating, (domestic?) fluff.

You didn’t stir as Matt dropped through the skylight in the living room; your heartbeat gave a bare indication that you detected his presence, it’s sure beating slow and steady — with comfort and the safety of home — only interrupted by a slight jump.

You were eating cereal by the kitchen island, its lukewarm milk indicating that you’d been sitting there for a while as you chewed slowly, distracted by a show on your phone where it was propped on the bowl of fruit in the centre of the slab of marble. Tearing your eyes away from the screen, you took another spoon full of cheerios, the honey and dairy milk mixing to fill the air with a scent that reminded Matt of Saturday mornings when he was younger — waking up to his father watching reruns of football games or boxing matches he’d missed while out that week, migrating to the kitchen when Matt would ask him to pour his cereal for him.

Your feet swayed back and forth under the stool, an absent habit stirring up air currents and hints of your ‘scentless’ body wash, a strange manufactured smell, wafted towards him. You’d showered not too long before you’d grabbed your bowl of cereal and he smiled thinking of what songs you would’ve sang in there, another habit he’d grown to love. He almost chuckled thinking about how annoying he thought it was at first before you’d gotten a song stuck in his head and he’d found himself (read: foggy pointed it out) humming it at work. It was like having a little piece of you there with him and suddenly it wasn’t so annoying anymore.

Coming up behind you, his left hand kneading a sore muscle in his abdomen, you made a noise of acknowledgement, raising the spoonful of cheerios to his face. He went to eat it, his mask rubbing against his cheek strangely as he stuck his head out to take the milk and soggy hoops of cereal into his mouth. He bumped his face against the side of your forehead as you went to take another spoonful, a clumsy attempt at a kiss with a mouthful of food that had you murmuring, “Yuck, you’re sweaty. Go take a shower.”

He swallowed and chuckled, giving you a proper kiss on your forehead and trailing down your face, branding your skin with his lips. Your left eye closed when he made his way past it and you licked at bits of milk in the corner of your mouth before he could kiss there.

“Can’t hang out with you first?” he asked, his voice intentionally dropping an octave, intentionally low and enticing where his lips remained by your ear. Seasoned Matt-sitter, you shook your head, chewing on your cheerios as you erected a hand over your full mouth and spoke anyway.

“Nuh-uh- I showered and I don’t wanna shower again,” your voice was muffled by cereal but a small smile played on your lips. He groaned, the sound full of sarcastic pain and layered over a whispered, “Damn,” before he walked backwards towards the counter where you’d left the box of cereal out. Going back to your show, you tapped the left side of the screen a few times for the bits you missed while dealing with Matt’s tomfoolery. He opened the fridge for some milk, bathing the otherwise dark room in a harsh white light that had you squinting.

“What’re you watching?” he enquired, his back still turned as he poured milk into his cereal.

“I dunno, some random show Jessica ‘n Luke recommended,” you mumbled, not looking up, “Never trusting their taste again. I think being parents has ruined it.”

Matt let out a sudden little ha, “I’ll be sure to let them know.”

“Don’t! Jessica’ll kill me,” you put all the sarcastic fear you could into your voice, earning yourself one of his larger laughs, his head thrown backwards.

Putting the milk back in the fridge he joined you at the only other stool at the kitchen island. You watched as he sat beside you; with the apartment dark — save for the lights that came with living in New York, flooding through the glass walls of this borderline penthouse along with the light from your phone, dimmed by a white light filter — you could understand how people could be afraid of daredevil, his silhouette large and looming. Despite your realisation, your body didn’t skip a beat, affection running so deeply you smiled when you caught a strand of fiery hair peeking out the top of the mask.

Going to poke him in the abdomen as he passed you, he swatted at your finger before you could even unhinge your elbow to reach out to him.

“Not when I’m holding my dinner, thank you very much,” he said a-matter-of-a-factly.

“You need a better diet,” you shot back.

“And risk comfortable nights like this? No chance.” he said, sitting down and scooching over closer to you before wiggling atop the stool, getting comfortable. Once situated, you pinched the edge of his mask and pulled it off, setting it on the counter in front of you — not missing the way his shoulder muscles tensed up slightly at the contact. His hair was a mess, it’d grown long enough to push behind his ears but he didn’t make any attempt to in the moment, the larger amount of it hanging down in his face. He went to take a spoonful of cereal into his mouth, using the back of his palm to toss it over his head and when it laid there so perfectly, almost styling itself, you rolled your eyes.

He was still listening to the show you had on, his eyebrows raising as it got to its climax and it was only when he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing with it, that you noticed you were staring and looked away.

“Had your fill, hm?” he teased.

“Shut up,” you grumbled, setting your chin in your palm, your elbow planted on the counter top, “Your nose is crooked, y’know.”

“And yet you still call me pretty everyday,” he hummed, taking another spoonful into his mouth. You leaned forward and took his chin between your fingers, kissing the side of his nose, right beneath his eye. It was clumsy but he smiled, his cheeks full of cheerios. He’s adorable.

“Those facts can coexist,” you spoke against his skin, “I love your crooked nose.”

He swallowed, humming. “And I love you.”

You raised your eyebrows and nodded before sarcastically adding, “You tell me everyday.”

all feedback/criticism is appreciated! i do not give permission for this or any of my fanfiction to be reposted or translated without my consent.

[x-ceirios-x]

City of Bones, Chapter 19: Abbadon

please see the masterlist for notes about this series/collection of works

-

Really, Rowan only agreed to go on this mission to make sure the stupid mundie and the more stupid not-mundie didn’t get themselves killed. Unfortunately, about fifteen minutes later, they found themselves facing a warlock woman who was, now, apparently taken over by a Greater Demon. Who they had to fight in Clary’s lobby. Just great how life works, isn’t it?

“By the Angel. I knew Greater Demons were meant to be ugly, but no one ever warned me about the smell,” Jace quipped, sword brandished in one hand and a seraph blade in the other. Alec stood there, staring at the monstrosity in front of them, just as Isabelle did. They had to admit—even with all the reading they’d done on Greater Demons, this was worse than they imagined. 

Abbadon opened its mouth and hissed. They couldn’t see what its face looked like, all contorted and disgusting, but they could see over its shoulder that its jaw fell further down than it should have.

“I’m not so sure about this wind and howling darkness business,” Jace said. They sighed, knowing he was trying to antagonize the thing. That’s just what he did. “Smells more like landfill to me. You sure you’re not from Staten Island?”

The fight continued. It roared towards Jace, who did his best to parry but they could tell he was struggling with the size of the monster. The moment Isabelle was able to work herself out of the shock, she joined in with her whip. Rowan shook their head, clearing themselves of the daze they’d been in a moment earlier, and threw a dagger at its head. It moved suddenly and hit the wall behind it. 

They didn’t have time to curse, or even react, because Alec managed to pierce its shoulder. With a snarl it struck again, bone-talons catching Alec in a vicious blow that lifted him off his feet and hurled him against the far wall. He struck with a sickening crunch and slid to the floor. 

Isabelle screamed her brother’s name. Rowan’s eyes darted between the demon, Isabelle, Alec, and back to the demon. They wanted to rush to him, make sure he wasn’t dead, but their feet locked in shock. They watched as Isabelle went flying across the room as the demon struck her as well. 

It turned again, its eyes zoning in on Clary. The shock wore off enough to free their feet from the locked position on the floor and they jumped. “Clary, move!” they yelled, lunging for her as the demon’s arm came around to hit her as well. They landed on top of her and felt a searing pain near their hip where the demon had sliced at them. The curse words that left their mouth would have put a sailor to shame. 

They barely had time to roll off of her when the front door swung open, revealing Simon. Tears of pain welled in their eyes and they barely had time to process the arrow flying through the air, launched by Simon who stood at the door. It flew past the demon’s head and they were about to pull a knife out of their boot to try to hit it again when the skylight fell out on top of it and the demon singed in the daylight. It screamed as it turned to ash and disappeared. 

It was silent for a long moment, everyone catching their breath as they processed what the hell just happened. They gasped as the full pain hit them and fumbled for their stele. People moved around them as they tried to sit up. Clary bolted for Jace (no thank you—figures) to make sure he was alright, but he rushed for Alec. They were hardly paying attention, mind racing with all the what ifs that could happen in the next thirty minutes alone if they weren’t incredibly careful. 

Simon mentioned something about a hospital and it made them perk up. They were about to argue against it when Jace beat them to it. 

“He’s been cut by a Greater Demon. No mundane doctor would know how to heal those wounds,” Jace argued, a sense of urgency in his voice that Rowan rarely heard. Nice to know he still cared about something. 

They tried to stand and stumbled, feeling lightheaded all of a sudden as the blood poured from the gash. Pressing their hand over their hip didn’t help—the pain almost made them pass out there—they saw black spots in their vision and nearly crashed to the floor again. 

Someone rushed forward and caught them, slinging their arm over their shoulder. They heard Simon’s voice next to them saying “Let’s get him to the car.” Then, in their ear, he said, “I’ve got you.” It was with a warm, firm tone that almost made them feel better if not for the fact that they could barely walk. 

They hobbled out to the car, falling not entirely gracefully into the back of the van as Simon ran to the front to drive. Jace crawled in after them and slammed the van doors, ordering Simon to drive like hell. The van sped off and they felt themselves going in and out of consciousness, though they were fighting to stay awake. They had to make sure Alec was okay. 

Jace looked up for a short moment, then back to Alec, then stared them down. They were waiting for a sarcastic remark. Instead, he turned slightly, gently taking their wrist in his hand. He pulled out his stele. They’d always been shit at runes, to the point that they had Jensen or Alec draw most of them before missions most of the time. They winced slightly at the burning feeling, though didn’t put up a fight as they watched the iratze appear on their arm. 

“You stay awake too,” he muttered before turning back to Alec. 

It was around that time that they decided they couldn’t hold most of their weight anymore—the rune was helping, but it couldn’t do everything.

They slowly slumped over and they felt a gentle arm catch them, guiding them to lay down. Their head fell onto Jace’s leg. He didn’t comment, but instead caught their wrist and kept his fingers on the bone, just over their pulse point. They chose not to comment on that, either. It was reassurance for both of them—they were still alive. 

-

[apod]

2022 December 13

An Artful Sky over Lofoten Islands Image Credit & Copyright: Giulio Cobianchi

Explanation: Can the night sky be both art and science? If so, perhaps the featured image is an example. The digital panorama was composed of 10 landscape and 10 sky images all taken on the same night, from the same location, and with the same camera. Iconic features in the image have been artfully brightened, and the ground nearby was artfully illuminated. Visible in the foreground is the creative photographer anchoring an amazing view from the rugged Lofoten Islands of Norway, two months ago, by holding a lamp. Far in the distance are three prominent arches: our Milky Way Galaxy on the left, while a scientifically-unusual double-arced aurora is documented on the right. A meteor is highlighted between them. Other notable skylights include, left to right, the Andromeda Galaxy, the planet Jupiter, the star Vega, and the stars that compose the Big Dipper asterism.

∞ Source: apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap221213.html

[foxgirlplushie]

For the Arknights drabbles: foxpile Foxpile Foxpile just a pile of foxes

Thank you!

The Convalescent Garden was one of the best places on Rhodes Island for seeing the sun. The massive skylights and windows, with shutters designed for all-day sunlight for the plants growing there, also meant that there were many hidden books and crannies bathed with golden light, practically begging for an operator to curl up and enjoy a quick nap.

Which is exactly why Perfumer put a wicker chaise lounge there.

Today, as she made her rounds, it was occupied by Dr. Sussurro, gently snoring, with a book open in her lap. On one side of her, Shamare was curled up, still clutching Morte tightly, and Vermeil was draped over the arm of the lounge awkwardly. On the other, Suzuran's ears were barely visible over her mass of tails.

Perfumer smiled at the sight, and picked up the tea tray sitting in front of them, carrying it back to her office to be washed.

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Thanks to azriellaverson for sending us her grandmother's listing that she's excited to share. It's a 1956 mid-century modern located in Lexington, MA, has 4bds, 4ba, $1.95M.

That looks like a slate fireplace wall- very nice feature. The large living room is to the right of the entrance hall.

The kitchen is huge. So much room for dining tables. Look at the beautiful counters and backsplashes. Love the big skylight over the work area, too.

Very large island has 2 heights to accommodate a counter with stools.

Lovely dining room with lots of windows and doors to the deck.

Open concept family room is off the kitchen.

Love the slant of the ceiling and windows above that bring in natural light.

There's also a formal dining room with lots of storage.

Very large primary bedroom.

Has a huge double sink, with a make-up vanity, in the en-suite.

The tile backsplash and counters are so pretty.

This bedroom is very big for a secondary, it has room for a seating area.

All of the bedrooms are good sizes.

Here's another large bath.

An empty bedroom- there's a lot of space in this house.

On the lower level, there's this huge room that is used as an office and den.

Here's another large office with a beautiful built-in unit, if you want to use it as a family room.

2nd kitchen in the basement.

Another flex space. So much room for a large family to spread out in.

Half bath down here.

Oversized double garage.

The home is on a 0.70 acre lot.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/30-Tyler-Rd-Lexington-MA-02420/56492295_zpid/

[ask-marios-apprentice]

The terrains the game

Agridulce. My home.

From Migo Island to Apost. 90 miles of adventure.

And we were going to race it.

Me and Mario had to race today to see how it would go down.

We started at the water tower (or as close as we can get to the water tower, with it still being repaired) in Apost, pass through the convention center in CaleMic, set up a marker at the Welcome sign in Afarr near the GolfMast Place, and finally reach the finish line at Jumpy's Sweetes, in San Bonita.

It started off pretty well.

I managed to out run Mario at the beginning it was pretty simple.

We set up checkpoints and traditional platforming structures as well some safety.

I passed my dad's work and said hi. Kind of wish I didn't because that made Mario zoom right past me.

The next checkpoint we had to reach was the convention center.

There were a couple power up stations for both of us to use. The person in first could use a Kuribos Shoe, and the second person could use a blue shell (arguably not a power up.)

I was still in second place at that time.

So I ended up getting the blue shell.

I decided to wait until towards the end so I could try and maximize how I was going to do this.

There was this annoying section where we have to run through the mall in order to get to The welcome sigh.

I feel like I would waste too much time going over it so the best way to do it was going through.

Maybe I should have gone, through the top of the mall. Considering Mario fell through the skylight, it could have been a bit easier to lose him with a dive followed by tuck and roll technique.

After reaching the welcome sign, we had to travel through the sewers in order to get to San Bonito.

That's pretty annoying considering the ones in Agridulce aren't spacious.

After scrambling to San Bonito, we were in the final leg.

We dashed past the church, the laundromats and the former Garth memorial (there was this whole thing where people set up in an Ofrenda for me when I went missing).

Just before we made it to Jumpy's,I had pulled out my blue shell and decided to use it.

(the blue I'm talking about is a spiky one with wings, not the blue shell apparel).

I threw it.

Mario actually stops to tie his boot.

And before I could notice.

The shell hit me instead.

Mario Won.

Sigh.

I ordered some funnel cake while I was getting patched up. Since I didn't have my clutch, i sustained damage like a normal person.

Mario wanted to talk to me.

Mario: Hey. You did great out there. You really gave me for my money.

Garth: well you ended up keeping it. I know I should have done a spin jump at the highway overpass. The truck carrying Cacti was obvious.

Mario: Yeah maybe, I should have noticed and done that as well.

Garth: yeah maybe.

Mario: the race wasn't the point. The point of doing this was to get me used to Agridulce. And for you to show how far you've come.

Garth: Technically, I'm back where i started.

Mario: What I'm trying to say is that you've grown a lot. you're obviously getting better. I know one day you won't just meet my level (your platforming like I was when Bowser took over peach's castle and had me jump in those paintings for pizzas sake) but even surpass it.

Garth:... I think I feel a bit better. At least emotionally speaking, that shell hit hurt like Dickens.

I ate my funnel cake and decided to call it a day.

Now I'm going to go lay down with an ice pack on my back.

Garth signing off.

[perceivedregret]

pt 6 finally!! can also be found on ao3, user is the same over there. part 1 of Extended Hours can be found here.

because i want but don't receive, quarantine me and teach me what you mean

Robin is sitting in the center of the kitchen island with her legs crossed, muttering annoyingly to no one in particular as she inspects the tape in her hand. She cranks her finger in one of the slots before an exasperated sigh escapes her.

“Ya know, there’s literally a sticker right there. It's kinda hard to miss since it’s in big, bold, bright red letters smack dab in the center of the box. Why is it so hard to be kind and rewind?” She sets the tape down beside her with a clatter before laying back and throwing her legs out, socked heels thudding against the island's wall where her feet bounce before settling, hands low on her stomach.

Nancy lets the ladle sink down into the spiked bowl of lemonade she had been stirring, wandering over until she's right beside Robin. She rests her elbows on the counter, leaning into Robin's leg as she scoops the tape into her own hands.

"It looks like it’s only about half way through, it won’t take too long for the player to rewind it. But hey, can you check to see if I put in enough of, well, everything?" She glances back at the mix of different bottles that Steve had pulled from the liquor cabinet that surrounded the punch bowl.

Robin doesn't move, instead turning her head to look at Nancy, arm reaching out. "How does Steve not  own one of those automatic rewinder thingies? How do I  own one but Mr. Moneybags here has to subject us to possibly spoiling the movie like heathens. What if the frame it’s stuck on is a major plot point and bam, it’s all just ruined?"

"Bite me, Buckely," Steve mutters, arms crossing over his chest as he leans against the archway leading into the kitchen. He'd disappeared for a moment to show Eddie where the bathroom was.

It's the door right on the left, just down that hallway. Left! Yea, that one, right there.

Stevie, there are like, a bajillion doors down this one hallway and you just said left and right. Can you just–

"Remind me, Robs, who broke the last one? Also, you could've checked it and had Keith rewind it back at the store. How is this my fault?"

Nancy shakes her head between them as her lips quirk to stifle a smile, already used to their bickering. She sets the tape down and reaches out to take Robin's outstretched hand into her own. She pulls at her fingers then gently massages at the palm. Robin continues, surprisingly unfazed by the contact, her unoccupied hand pointing accusingly in Steve's direction.

"It’s always somehow your fault. And honestly how was I supposed to know that the kids put an Eggo in the damn thing? They're not five! By the way, if we were working at Family Video, this tape would have been set and ready for our viewing pleasure. Just sayin'."

Before Steve can make a retort the front door opens with a bang and all three heads swivel at the sound. Argyle’s voice carries throughout the entire house, the smell of sweet fresh pizza wafting in with him.

"How's it hanging brochachos y  brochachas. I come bearing the fruit of gods." Argyle rounds the corner with two boxes of pizza held high above his head, the smile on his lips full of pride.

"Pizza isn't a fruit," Robin deadpans as she pulls herself up to rest back on her elbows, hand slipping out of Nancy's grasp. She eyes the unmarked pizza boxes warily as he sets them down on the only remaining free space on the counter.

There's the sound of the front door shutting and soon after Jonathan is shuffling in with a pack of Coronas in one hand, the other hand passing a joint over to Argyle. He throws his head back and blows smoke up into the space of the kitchen's skylight before heading over to the fridge.

“Tomatoes are a fruit, Robby. There's probably more fruit in this pizza than veggies, now that I’m thinking about it." Argyle takes a long pull, the cloud of smoke thickening in the skylight before he reaches over to let Jonathan finish it off, Jonathan's arm bends awkwardly behind him to get a hold of it as he continues to search the fridge.

"Roach is yours, bro. Anyways, I made these babies from scratch right at home. D'you know they sell empty pizza boxes? Kinda wild. Still tryin' to convince the old boss man to expand. Hawkins is in need of their own Surfer Boy, pronto."

Jonathan closes the fridge empty handed, searching the kitchen with a pout. Steve chuckles as he points towards the living room.

"I got you Twizzlers, Byers, they're in ther–"

Jonathan doesn't wait for Steve to finish, just grabs Steve's face between his hands before pulling Steve's head down to plant a kiss on the top of his head, red eyes as wide as he can make them. "You're great, ya know that?" He disappears into the living room, the sound of him settling into the couch with a loud satisfied sigh following shortly after.

"Aye man, did ya want a slice?" Argyle calls out after him. He opens a box with raised eyebrows, presenting it to the other three.

Nancy shrugs a shoulder before taking a slice. "It smells good. Need to eat something since we're going to be drinking. Especially if we have to follow that list you two came up with. It screams alcohol poisoning."

"Nance, you made the punch," Steve scoffs as he grabs a slice, folding it down the middle to take a bite. "If you end up with a splitting headache in the morning, point that finger directly to a mirror."

"Ew, Steve! You're allowed to chew and swallow your food before speaking. You know that, right?" Robin takes a slice, eyes still skeptical and her nose scrunched in distaste. She shakes her head to herself, muttering fruit should not be hot before pulling all the pieces of pineapple off and eating the slice with just the ham and cheese.

Argyle picks up every piece Robin abandons, popping them into his own mouth. "Keep 'em comin' Robby."

"Wait, does that mean you don't like pies?" Nancy's voice is incredulous as she takes another bite of her slice, fingers picking at Robin's abandoned pineapple pieces along with Argyle.

Robin takes a bite, taking a moment to mull over Nancy's question before answering. "Depends. Do unbaked pies count?"

"Robin."

"Nancy?"

Eddie sneaks up behind Steve, on his tiptoes to peak over his shoulder at the slice Steve is about to take another bite from. "My brain is telling me that this isn't right but my stomach is telling me to devour it."

Steve stiffens, surprised by the sudden closeness. Eddie's chin lowers until it sits on Steve's shoulder, their bodies with just a shadow of space between them. His hair tickles Steve's neck and before he can stop himself Steve sways back until half of Eddie's body is pressed against his back.

He makes the mistake of turning his head slightly towards him because suddenly Steve's senses are overloaded by everything Eddie. He feels the warmth of Eddie's body on the half of his that he's pressed up against, can feel him from his neck all the way down to the back of his knee. The only thing that Steve is able to process in this moment is how he wants to be buried, to be covered up beneath him completely.

And then there's that overwhelming smell of mahogany and apples, with that subtle hint of cigarette smoke in his hair. He has to fight the urge to move, to slide somehow even closer. He wants to turn his head and bury himself nose first into those curls, or to that pulse point where it will definitely be that much stronger. He’s getting dizzy. 

Mistake. Definitely a mistake.

Eddie's arm reaches over until it comes around Steve's other shoulder. He takes the slice from him and takes a bite, his jaw brushing against Steve's. He hums contently before unraveling himself from around him, the half eaten slice officially stolen. He settles against the opposite side of the archway, mirroring Steve who leans back against his own side. 

Steve stands there frozen, staring at his suddenly empty hands. He looks up and makes eye contact with Robin. That look is back again except this time as they lock eyes with each other it finally clicks and he suddenly understands it.

He feels like he just got out of a fight and just barely came out swinging. The air is no longer in his lungs, the ants are revved up and he can't bring himself to shake them off. He's having to rewire his brain, reconnecting all those moments before, those moments where he thought he was going to be eaten alive by those ants, the ants that only started up when–

Oh.

Oh shit.

"Are you responsible for this absolute monstrous creation? I thought the kids were imaginative, that I  was, but this?" Eddie pushes away from the archway, walking towards Argyle to introduce himself just as Robin hops off the counter, making a beeline straight for Steve. “Is this a Cali thing?”

"Yeah man, sup sup, I'm Argyle." He tips his head in Eddie's direction, loose hair that isn't held back from his backwards upside down neon orange visor slipping forward over his shoulders before straightening back up.  "Eddie, right? I like your style bro, it screams hot goth. Think you and Eden would get along great."

Steve doesn't get to hear Eddie's reaction to that because he's being pulled away by Robin, her arm locked to his by the elbow. The yelp that escapes him as he almost trips over her feet that ram right into his as she forces him to move backwards makes everyone look back at them, eyes confused and concerned.

“Nance, can you get the movie set up? Steve and I just need to get some pillows and blankets from the guest room. Oh, and can you get my chips for me? Think I left ‘em in the car. Be right back!” Robin tugs again and Steve can’t do anything other than follow.

Once they get to the guest room Robin all but shoves Steve through the door before backing up to shut it behind her, voice a panicked whisper. “You looked like you were gonna be sick–” rough shake of her head. “We don’t have a lot of time here for you to panic over this so I need you to relax and–”

“Relax? Buckley, you knew. This whole time you knew and you didn’t tell me.” Steve pinches his nose and huffs a ragged breath. “I’ve been drowning and I had no idea why and you knew! Robs, I’ve been in your corner and pushed for you to take a chance on Nance all week and you–” He points accusingly in Robin’s direction before raking a hand through his hair as he spins in place, throwing himself face first into the bed. 

“That’s not fair! No, that’s not even remotely the same thing and you know it, so don’t you even try it, bucko.”  Steve can’t see her but he can hear her patter over to the drawer and pull it open harshly. “I had an inkling, I will admit to that, but honestly? The way you were acting around him I thought you knew and were just being– oh I don’t know, I thought you were just being Steve! Hot and cold, ya know, confident flirt to sudden flustered, dumb idiot.”

Robin continues to shuffle around the room, opening cabinets and the closet door. A pillow thuds onto his head and soon he’s buried beneath comforters and throws.

A beat of silence.

“Rob, what’s wrong with me?”

He mutters it into the bed, so when Robin doesn’t respond right away he thinks she didn’t hear him. But when he pulls his face away from the mattress she’s right there in front of him. She’s looking down at him, hands at her hips with eyebrows drawn together. He sighs, folding his arms underneath himself before resting his chin on his arms.

She lowers herself to a squat, mirroring his position so that they’re almost nose to nose. “What do you mean, what’s wrong with me? I can list a number of things that are wrong with you, Steve Harrington.”

Steve chuckles at that, turning his head to rest his cheek on his arms. “I just… didn’t realize it, ya know? Why didn’t I realize it? I’ve never felt this way over…"

“A guy?”

“Yes. Wait, no. I mean– yes and no? I’ve definitely felt things before. Tommy wasn’t even the first dude to make me realize I liked guys, if I’m being completely honest. But before, it was more of… a physical type attraction–”

“Okay okay, no need to elaborate. I get it,” Robin throws a hand out, eyes squeezing shut as a chuckle bubbles out of her. Her eyes flutter open and she looks as confused as Steve feels. “But then… what do you mean? What's so different about Eddie?”

Steve honest to god whines like a petulant child before shoving his face into the mattress again. “I would like to fucking know Robs, because all I feel when I'm around him is physical. Except with him it’s so goddamn different, it’s not the usual bullshit. It doesn’t compare to anything else, not even Nancy.”

Robin jumps because suddenly Steve is moving to rest on his elbows and he’s reaching out to grab her hands in his. All she does is nod for him to continue.

“There’s been this feeling– it’s like I’m drowning except multiplied by a hundred. And then there were these… ants? I don’t even know how to describe it but I felt this, like, incessant tingly and floaty feeling at the tips of my fingers. It would crawl all the way up to my chest until I felt like I would suffocate from it. It feels like that all the time when I’m around him.”

Robin doesn’t know how to respond but from the look on her face she’s coming to some conclusion, a conclusion Steve is struggling so hard to find. She doesn’t know how to tell him so she just squeezes his hands in hers and let’s him barrel on.

“It’s so god damn different with him, so fucking different. Like, just last night after I got off the phone with you I called him while he was still at the Vibe. I was supposed to wait for him to get home but I couldn’t. I needed to call him because I swear to god I was on the verge of losing my fucking mind. And when he finally picked up the phone….” Steve is shaking his head, eyes unfocused as he remembers that moment of utter relief. 

“When I heard his voice it just… went away. I felt like I could breathe again.”

Robin tugs at his hands. “Steve–”

“Guys, the movie’s ready!” Her eyes cut away from his when Nancy's voice comes muffled through the shut door.

“Oh, we gotta get back out there,” Robin mumbles, moving to grab some of the stuff off of Steve.

“Fuck. Fuck!” Steve mutters, dropping his head to the bed one final time before struggling to dig himself out of the pile Robin buried him under. “Robin, what do I do? What the hell am I supposed to do? Shit, does Eddie even like guys?” 

“Shit shit shit, Steve wait, just–” Robin scrambles to gather the pillows and comforters as Steve crawls backwards and grabs the ones she didn't pull off. He leaves a yellow throw over his head and bundles himself in it. "I’m pretty sure that Eddie’s–”

"Did you guys need help?" 

They both freeze, eyes wide. Eddie's voice is loud behind the door and Steve can feel that bubbling in his chest again. Robin's face scrunches and Steve huffs a laugh and his anxiety makes his chest pang as he's able to read her. He shakes his head at her in response.

No, we won't ever have a moment's peace. 

Steve grabs at a pillow from the head of the bed to hug it tightly to his chest, pulling the throw back around himself. He turns to face the door, fingertips shocked by the coldness of the doorknob. After a deep breath that does nothing to calm his nerves Steve nods to himself determinedly and opens the door.

He regrets exhaling his breath before opening it because as he breathes in again the door wafts in that scent of mahogany and apples.

Steve thinks he might die.

“Stevie. Bobby. I don’t know how to tell you guys this but you two are terrible hosts.” Eddie tsks, leaning against the door with an elbow braced by his head against the frame.

A scoff comes from behind Steve. He’s being pushed to the side as Robin moves to stand in front of him, shoving some of the blankets and pillows in her arms into Eddie’s chest.

“Robs, Robby, Bobby– can you all agree on one nickname, for christ sake.” She pokes Eddie’s arm that now holds some of the pillows and throws, mutters “be nice,” before skirting around him and towards the living room. But not before giving Steve a wide eyed glance once she’s out of Eddie’s line of sight, exaggeratingly tipping her head towards Eddie.

Steve only telepathically begs for her to stop it and doesn’t move to follow her. He can’t move because Eddie is right in front of him.

Can’t move, doesn’t want to move because he now knows that the reason he feels like his heart is going to fall out of his ass is because he likes Eddie Munson.

And he doesn’t know if he could like him back.

Eddie’s eyes were following Robin as she made her way towards the living room, a half smirk exposing one of his dimples. Eddie turns back, giving Steve a full smile that makes Steve swallow hard to avoid saying something stupid, like, I adore your smile, can I please kiss it.

“Ya know, yellow really is your color, by the way.” Eddie tips his head, considering Steve for a moment. “Yup. Your color,” he mutters before turning and heading straight to the living room, hitching the throws and pillows up in his grasp.

Steve pulls his lips into a thin line and follows him. He’s feeling deja vu as he holds his breath. He thought apricots were going to make him melt but no, the apples were going to straight up kill him.

When he finally rounds the corner of the hallway into the living room, Steve stops short.

Jonathan and Argyle are taking up one of the couches, legs tangled into each other as their heads rest on opposite ends of the arm rests. They’re tossing Skittles at each other’s faces, trying to catch the rainbow sweets into their mouths and giggling whenever one misses and they have to go searching into their hair or behind their necks to find it.

Robin and Nancy are on the recliner, which is luckily wide enough for the two of them to sit side-by-side comfortably. They’re under a large purple and pink throw, bowl of pretzels on a pillow that they have on top of their legs, their spiked lemonades in either hand.

Robin smiles nervously at Steve when their eyes meet. She glances down at the floor apologetically but honestly it looked comfortable enough. There were multiple layers of throws and comforters for padding with various pillows thrown about.

Steve doesn't care that he has to be on the floor. Hell, some nights he'll throw a pillow down in his own room because the floor just makes sense for the night.

No, the thing that makes him stop is realizing that the only space left is the floor for Steve and Eddie to share. Steve seems to be the only one fazed because Eddie collapses almost immediately into a pile of pillows, using the blanket to burrito himself by rolling around on the floor.

"Stevie, can you grab my drink before you start the movie? I left it in the kitchen." Eddie is now inching himself like a worm to a stack of pillows to lay back and watch the movie, still cocooned in his throw wrap. 

Steve turns towards the kitchen and makes his way over to the bowl. He ladles two spoonfuls into a solo cup and takes a sip, nose wrinkling. Nancy has always been heavy handed with the alcohol, even for Steve's taste, but surprisingly tonight she kept it reasonable.

Which is not what Steve wants, no needs, right now. He shakes his head and grabs the half empty bottle of vodka and pours himself a generous shot and immediately knocks it back. He exhales a burning breath, completely unfazed and considers taking a second when Eddie's voice directly behind him makes him jump. Steve turns his head to look at Eddie as he leans his hip against the counter beside him.

"Shots already Harrington? What, is your tolerance so high you need to get ahead?" Eddie is bundled in a gray throw, hair a frizzled mess where it can’t be kept in that loose low hanging knot. 

Steve glances towards the living room, eyes narrowing and his heart hammering. “Didn’t you just ask me to grab you your drink, you worm.”

Eddie scratches at his cheek, a smile fighting its way onto his lips before pointing into the living room. “Bobby said Drew forgot her bag of chips on the counter.” Eddie reaches across Steve and past the bowl, bag crinkling loudly in the quiet kitchen as he picks it up with the tips of his fingers.

He slides closer towards Steve. The smell of the spiked lemonade, apples, and alcohol is overwhelming. Eddie takes the shot glass from Steve, fingers brushing along his. He tips his head towards the bottle of tequila.

"I'll try to keep up." The murmur sends a chill down Steve's spine. He's sure the blush on his cheeks isn't from the alcohol but hopes it's what Eddie will believe. Steve doesn't break their gaze as he grabs the bottle and pours a shot. If a few droplets fall onto Eddie's fingers, neither one mentions it.

He doesn't look away when Eddie grabs the shaker of salt. Doesn't look away when his hand is taken and brought closer to the other man's face.

And now he most definitely can't look away because Eddie is tipping his head, the back of Steve's hand brought close to his lips. He licks the back of Steve's hand before shaking the salt over the wet strip, making Steve's breath catch in his throat.

Eddie licks his lips before raising the shot glass with a small intake of breath. “Cheers.” He licks at Steve’s hand again, tongue wide, taking up every grain of salt with him before knocking back the shot. His eyebrows come together as he brings the glass down. “That was actually really smooth, Harrington. Didn't even need the lime. Is this daddy’s good stuff?”

He takes his own cup of spiked lemonade by the lip between his pinky and ring finger that still holds the bag of chips before using his other hand to pick up the bottle to inspect it, corners of his mouth turning down in approval as he makes his way towards the living room.

Steve doesn’t respond, only nods his head even though Eddie can’t see him. He’s stuck looking at the wet strip. but he wipes it away before he can do something abhorrent about it. He takes his own cup and follows Eddie, stops to double back and grab a few different bottles of liquor into his arm and fingering a few shot glasses.

Eddie is already back on the floor but is seated up against the couch Argyle and Jonathan are on, the bottle of tequila between his outstretched legs. He's turned at the waist and he's got two joints in his hands, seems to be asking Argyle about his strain of Purple Palm Tree Delight and comparing it to what Steve assumes to be from Eddie's own stache.

"Uhhh, Steve?" Robin watches him warily as he places the bottles and glasses on the coffee table they moved over by the fireplace.  He pulls the throw that slipped down back over his head and turns to her.

Steve takes a sip from his cup, flinches and decidedly pours more vodka in. He takes another sip and smacks his lips approvingly. He clears his throat, mutters "What's up?" and moves over to the VCR to hit play, then shuffles to the wall and turns off all the lights.

"Dudes and dudettes, it's time to get spooky-ooky" Argyle whispers, moaning like a ghost before almost falling off the couch in a fit of giggles because Jonathan dug his heel into his thigh.

The VHS is rolling and the trailers start playing. Steve considers skipping through them but decides to let them roll, giving everyone a last minute chance to get or do anything before the movie actually starts. He's about to go and settle (a safe distance) on Eddie’s right when Nancy snaps her fingers at him.

"Hold up, bring me that bottle of Morgan." Nancy reaches her hand out and when Steve doesn't immediately move back to the coffee table she rolls her eyes and motions again. "If you and Eddie are going to go overboard then I want to be a part of it."

"Wait, what are those two gonna drink," Robin asks, pointing back to Argyle and Jonathan, voice lofty. "And do I have to-"

"No no, you don't have to do anything you don't want to. If you wanted to drink water that'd be alright, too," Nancy places a hand to Robin's shoulder, rubbing circles with her thumb, other arm still outstretched expectantly towards Steve.

Argyle reaches behind the armrest to grab the bucket filled with ice and the beers from the floor. "We got the 'Ronas here, Robby. Don't wanna get too wishy-washy, yanno." He digs a bottle opener out from somewhere between the couch cushions and pops two bottles open, handing one to Jonathan and wedging his own between his thighs.

"Where'd you even get that," Steve mutters, slipping Nancy her requested bottle. When he finally settles down with the throw over his legs he realizes he's a lot closer to Eddie than he initially wanted to set himself up to be. He'll just blame it on the room being too dark, sinking deep against the couch.

"I think the last time we tried hard liquor after a sesh we kinda slept for, like, thirteen hours straight," Jonathan mumbles before laughing and flicking a Skittle at Argyle's chest. "Bro, remember that night."

"I can't forget that night, man." Argyle's laugh and the way he pats Jonathan's ankle before letting his hand rest there indicates there's a memory there that everyone else isn't privy to. He pulls at one of Jonathan's legs to settle further into the couch, further tangling themselves.

Eddie is watching the interaction, humming softly and slowly nodding to himself before looking over to watch Nancy and Robin. Steve follows Eddie's gaze.

"I'm not saying I don't want to also drink, I'm just– I think someone should be sober enough to make sure the rest of the group doesn't do or, ya know, say something stupid or embarrassing." Robin chews on her thumb nail before shaking her hand out and grabbing her drink. Her eyes flitter towards Steve and it’s only a millisecond, but both Nancy and Eddie start to swivel their heads back and forth between the two.

Eddie smirks, points a finger gun to Robin, rings bright in the dark room. “Wait, are you worried you’re gonna have to go another round with the Russian spies?”

Robin chokes and starts coughing around her drink. Nancy lowers her hand that had remained on Robin’s shoulder and starts patting her on the back. She leans forward, muttering around an amused smile, “the Russian what now?”

“You told him?!” Robin sputters between coughs, opting to take a long pull from her cup to soothe her throat. She groans in annoyance after a sizable swallow. She turns to Nancy and throws her hands up, her cup of lemonade swishing dangerously. She shakes her head at Nancy, mumbles out a quick “it happened once and it was an accident,” before staring daggers at the boys on the floor. “Steve-”

“No, don’t you worry yourself Bobby, he didn’t get into specifics. Stevie here isn’t one to kiss and tell. Nah, he just told me about, oh who was it,” Eddie’s eyes shine as he turns back to Steve, the current trailer playing on the screen painting his face purple. Steve can’t help but smile with him. Eddie snaps his finger guns and redirects them to him. “Bonnie Wriggly’s gummies. I sold her those gummies, by the way. You’re welcome.”

At that Steve chuckles, taking the bottle of tequila from between Eddie’s knees. “Damn Munson, what kinda drugs are you dealing to the kids of Hawkin’s High?” He takes a swing directly from the bottle and Eddie pulls it away from him, an endearing snort escaping him.

"First of all, you weren't supposed to eat them all in one sitting, alright. And I only get the good stuff worth buyin’, sellin', and usin'.” Eddie uses two fingers to pull his hair back to show off the joint he has tucked behind his ear before shaking his hair out to cover it up again. “I trust Ricky to keep the kids happy and safe.” Eddie winks at Steve, tipping the bottle to take a sip.

“Whatever, pour some more here Munson,” Robin grumbles, red solo outstretched. Eddie pulls himself forward, hips first and shuffles on his knees before bending across Steve to pour some into her cup.

Steve’s eyes almost flutter completely shut, that scent of apples clouding him. In this position Eddie’s cut off shirt rides up higher, exposing more of his torso, the battle vest long since abandoned when they’d all first arrived. He can see a tattoo of vines and leaves peaking out from his hips before it disappears back into his black jeans. Oh what he would do to be able to catalog each and every single one of Eddie’s piercings and tattoos.

He exhales slowly, eyes shutting completely as the scenario of being able to get himself into a position to be allowed to catalog Eddie takes over. He shifts uncomfortably, shaking his head to will the images away.

Eddie rocks back, sitting on his heels, free hand thrumming to some unheard beat against his thigh. He tips the bottle towards Steve. “They were smokin’ in here earlier. Do your parents not notice the smell?”

Steve clears his throat with a shrug. “They’re never around anyways. Right now they’re in a conference down south, gonna be gone a few days. I’ll just crack the windows open to air the place out ‘til then, it’s whatever."

It’s not really whatever but Steve doesn’t really give a shit. If his father comments on it he’ll just shrug and play dumb. It works every other time.

Eddie moves back and settles beside Steve against the couch, making Steve's heart threaten to beat out of his chest because now he's closer, much closer than what he had designated to be 'safe.'

The room goes pitch dark, and then suddenly everything is bathed in a bright red as the movie begins. The music is shrill and is accompanied by heavy breathing with the sound of metal sliding against metal, and it rings loudly throughout the room. Eddie leans over, the tip of his nose skimming against Steve's ear, making him shiver. He pulls the comforter up so that it bundles up at his hips, tightly crossing his arms over his chest.

"S'wondering, is it cool if we smoke in here after the movie?" Eddie's voice is low, and Steve knows it’s because he's trying to keep quiet but it makes Steve want to evaporate. "I mean, only if you're up for it."

Steve turns his head as Eddie leans back but it’s not as far as Steve anticipated him to. They're only a few inches away, and Steve holds his breath because if he gets another wave of that scent–

So instead he just nods his head, eyes glancing down to watch Eddie lick his lips. His throat clicks around a hard swallow, barely breathes out a yeah, that's fine, I'd be down before forcing his attention back in time to watch the blonde in a white nightgown trot down the dingy school hallway on the screen. From his peripheral he can see Eddie smile. He almost regrets looking away too soon because he wants to see that dimple.

No, better to have looked away. Smart, definitely smartest decision of the night because if he didn't he's sure he would have tried to close that gap.

The room is bathed in the blue hue as Tina explores the school’s boiler room and everyone gets quiet and they just watch the movie. They take their first drink at about the four minute mark. Steve raises his cup to the screen once the kids start singing Freddy’s nursery rhyme. “Creepy kids, everybody drink,” and they all do.

It doesn't take long before everyone is in a fit of giggles, but only because they can’t take the movie all too seriously. Once Freddy comes on screen they can’t help it, the guy is utterly goofy and comically gross. But everyone gets quiet once they realize Tina is dead.

But it’s only for a beat of silence.

"Oh shit, Tina’s fuckin’ dead, man." Jonathan mumbles.

"Murder!" Eddie cheers, raising his solo up and everyone else follows.

Salud! Here, here! Cheers!

And the night continues on like that. Debauchery? Drink. Someone starts screaming bloody murder? Drink. The dumb teens investigate a suspicious sound or wander off on their own? Drink.

When they had first realized the main girl's name was Nancy they collectively decided to add to their list to drink to every time she did something their Nancy would probably do, which luckily wasn’t too often.

When Glenn and Nancy are introduced, Steve can feel the girl’s eyes on him. He ignores it at first and lets their mumbling go unnoticed, but when Nancy and Robin start to kick their feet and Robin outright cackles, he can’t take it anymore.

“What?!”

Robin waves her hand out in front of her, head falling back against the recliner. “I’m sorry, but does Glenn remind you guys of someone in this room, or is it just us?” Robin giggles, finger pointing at the screen as Glenn is trying to sneak his way into Nancy’s bedroom on screen.

Nancy and Robin are leaning into each other, howling when the guy complains about climbing barefoot on a rose covered trellis to climb into on-screen Nancy's window. Steve narrows his eyes at Robin, miming himself reeling up a fish on a line, except the fish is his middle finger.

When the movie ends everyone is feeling their drinks in some capacity. Or, at least the ones who remained awake were feeling it because Argyle and Jonathan are properly passed out. 

Steve blinks at them because he hadn’t realized when they had moved. Argyle has his face buried in the crook of Jonathan's neck, half of his hair covering most of his face and the rest cascading towards the floor. Jonathan’s arm that pillows Argyle’s head hangs slack at the edge of the couch and his other arm is over his eyes. From the way he’s breathing he’s definitely asleep.

Steve locks eyes with Eddie first, gauging his reaction. But Eddie just smiles fondly at them before putting a finger to his lips with a slight shake of his head. He reaches into his pocket to pull out a lighter before pulling the neatly rolled up paper from behind his ear. He raises his eyebrows in question, to which Steve sighs a breath of relief before nodding.

Steve chances a glance back at Nancy and Robin while Eddie lights up the joint. He waggles his pointer finger between the two girls, tipping his head to the other two on the couch. “Did either of you know about this,” he whispers. They both shrug, unraveling themselves from the blanket they were underneath, the bowl of pretzels long since empty and abandoned on the floor.

When Eddie takes a pull he offers it to them but they both shake their heads as they get settled onto the bed of throws and comforters, pulling pillows underneath their chest and resting on their elbows. A cloud of smoke billows up as he blows out and hands it over to Steve.

Robin's cheeks are flushed, her eyelids low. She rests her chin into her palm and watches as Steve fills his mouth with the smoke and then inhales deeply. He swivels at the hips and leans over towards the stand that's beside the couch to grab an ashtray. He puts it out and lets it sit on the edge and thickens the cloud in the air with an exhale.

"D'ya know that those gummies were the first time I got high," Robin mumbles. The other three all turn to look at her, surprised but also not entirely because it's, well, Robin. "What? I'm in marching band, okay. They don't–."

Eddie shakes and bows his head, trying to stifle his laugh. A hand reaches out to pat the space in front of him. "Oh Bobby. The band kids are one of, if not the biggest host of Hawkins High's delinquent degenerates. My customers range from all social clicks but the band kids, drama kids, and the preps are my top three."

He lifts his hand to wiggle three fingers before dramatically putting up one finger. "And I would bet my life– no, my dear, bright red Sweetheart, that those band kids are my number one."

Robin looks dazed. "Who–" she blinks slowly and tries to picture her bandmates, because seriously? Then suddenly she looks over at Nancy. "Wait, have you ever?"

Somehow Nancy's already blushed cheeks get a few shades deeper. The tips of her ears are bright red as she opens her mouth but no sound comes out. She rolls her eyes and points an accusing finger.

"Only because it was one of Steve's stupid moves, okay. I did it once and all it did was make my mouth go dry and I ended up getting an A minus on one of Kaminsky’s exams because I was too tired to study after." Nancy narrows her eyes at him and tries to taper her annoyed smile.

Steve chuckles at that and shrugs a shoulder. "I mean, it worked, didn't it?"

Nancy mutters idiot, swaying into Robin’s shoulder. She plays with the charms on her bracelet, tangling one of her ankles with Robin's behind them.

"Move, what move?" Robin's mutters, obviously lost. Subconsciously she traps Nancy's ankle with her own before she directs her question to Eddie. "What move could this doorknob have pulled by smoking some pot? Ya know, other than lowering Nance's inhibitions?"

“Okay, now hold on,” Steve huffs incredulously. He moves closer to the girls, keeping his voice low to avoid disturbing the two on the couch and Eddie follows suit.

He leans back, his palms to the floor beside his hips with elbows locked and his ankles crossing in front of him. “I don’t need to lower anyone’s inhibitions to make a move work, alright. It just so happens that one of them involves a toke.”

“Really, Stevie? Shotgunning is one of your moves?” Eddie says it with a monotone voice but the hint of a smile gives him away. He rolls his eyes before mirroring Steve and answers Robin with the same bored tone, but not before that smirk takes over. “It’s a way to help someone take a hit. If someone doesn’t know what they’re doin’ they can start coughing. It hurts and it’s just a waste of the hit.

“So,” Eddie takes the joint from the ashtray and holds it up in front of him. “To help avoid all of that, you can try shotgunning. One person inhales the smoke and blows it into the other person’s mouth and they inhale that. It’s weaker that way and less intense, so it’s softer on the throat and lungs.”

“Ew?” Robin's face crumples in disgust, shaking her head at the idea. “How is blowing out someone's hot weed breath into someone else's mouth a move?"

"Well when you put it like that," Nancy mutters, taking a sip directly from her bottle of Morgan. She quirks her lips, turning onto her side to rest her head in her hand. She cards her fingers into her own hair, ankle still trapped between Robin's. "It's not so much… it's the intimacy of it."

"I still don't…" Robin looks between Steve and Eddie, still not able to picture it. But then she gets that glint in her eyes and Steve's stomach whirls and not in a good way all of a sudden because he can see it, even in this very tipsy (is he drunk?) stupor, that she's plotting.

"Can you show me?"

A beat.

"Robs, I'm not doing that with you."

"I don't think that's a smart idea, Bobby."

Steve and Eddie respond at the same time. They lock eyes but then immediately avert them. Eddie starts to pick at his already chipped nail polish and Steve is suddenly very interested in the texture of the comforters.

Robin scoffs. "I didn't mean with me." She flops onto her back and sighs. "Nance, they don't want to show me the move." She pouts, and Nancy chuckles as she reaches a hand out to cup Robin's face, thumb hovering over her lips.

"Robs, it's just how Munson described it, there’s nothing more to it." Steve hopes his voice is coming off as nonchalant. Robin taps a finger to her chin and Steve knows she isn’t done. His stomach is in knots because he knows what she's doing and it's making him dizzy, the kind of dizzy he can't blame on the booze. 

"Okay, but, like, what if I'm… I don’t know, what if I’m with someone and they try to do the move on me? What if I don't see it coming? I feel like I should know. Don't you think I should know? Seems like everyone at school already knows. You three know, those two probably also know. Like–"

"Think you’d be fine, Bobby." Eddie lolls his head to the side and rests it on his own shoulder. "'Sides, it would be hard to miss. Pretty sure you'd see it coming if someone tried to pull that on you. Also, you could just say no, considering your initial reaction to it was ‘ew’."

"Why don't you two just show her."

Silence.

"She learns from seeing and doing. Help her get through the– oh what does Dustin call it?" Nancy rocks forward once and removes her hand from Robin's face to snap her fingers. "The curiosity door. You two swung it wide open and now she’s locked out. Just– walk her through it so her curiosity doesn't kill her."

"Why are you two so hung up on this?"

"It's really not that big of a deal."

“Did you just insinuate I’m like a cat?”

They all speak over each other but Robin continues to question Nancy in a hushed tone and ignores the other two because “I feel like I give off more puppy vibes.”

The two lock eyes again but don't look away this time. Steve feels as if he’s in a bubble, Robin and Nancy are suddenly so far away. Eddie thrums his fingers and considers Steve for a moment. Steve doesn’t move, doesn’t want to burst this thin veil of absurdity because are they about to…?

He feels as if he’s going crazy, like he’s on fire.

Eddie is the first to speak.

"Who'd receive?"

Steve is officially ablaze. His breath stutters, he tries to respond but chokes on the words. He clears his throat. “I’ve never been on the receiving end of a shotgun, so I don’t…” He hopes Eddie heard him because he can’t get himself to speak any louder.

Eddie hums that low note that makes Steve’s heart skip a beat and then suddenly starts to move. Steve doesn’t understand how there isn’t smoke coming out of his own ears because he’s burning up.

Eddie picks up the ashtray with the tips of his fingers to clear the space between them. He shuffles closer to Steve until he’s close, too close but still not close enough. He mirrors Steve again except now they’re shoulder to shoulder, hips barely touching. He settles his hand beside Steve’s, just the tips of his fingers blanketing his.

Steve’s body is on high alert because Eddie is way beyond the designated safety line. Except that line doesn’t even exist anymore, it had been absolutely decimated the moment they didn't look away the second time they locked eyes.

Eddie lights the rolled up paper, takes a pull and then inhales. He doesn’t move towards Steve, instead blows it down between them so the smoke shrouds them. He flips the joint.

“Here, you can–”

“Can you–” Steve’s voice is barely above a whisper as he interrupts him, yet he doesn’t finish saying it. He just stares at the damp end that faces him and waits. But when Eddie doesn’t move, he lets his eyes travel up. His gaze trails up his arm, to his neck and then his jaw. When he gets to Eddie’s lips he forces himself to look at his eyes and hopes, begs without saying anything more that Eddie understands that he wants him to be the one to do it.

Eddie’s face is unreadable as he searches his face. Steve starts to doubt himself and the entire situation, thinks he might have messed this up. He parts his lips to just say never mind, forget it, to fix this before the bubble outright bursts but then Eddie nods.

If they weren’t so close Steve is sure he would have missed it. It’s so subtle but he nods and Steve might actually combust with relief.

Suddenly the fire is in his gut and his fingers that touch Eddie’s twitch. He’s lightheaded and it has nothing to do with the booze. A breathy chuckle escapes him and he finds his words again, feeling a bit confident. “You wait any longer to do this and that thing’s gonna go out, Munson.” 

He nods again but it’s impossible to miss this time. “I gotcha Harrington.” Eddie says it low, low enough for only Steve to hear. He pulls away with a smirk and brings the joint towards his lips and takes another pull. He inhales slowly as he leans away to put it out on the ashtray again. He holds his breath and moves back.

Steve shifts, sliding his right foot up and extending his arm to rest it on his knee, his other hand moving just a bit until his hand is almost completely blanketed by Eddie’s. Eddie raises his other hand to the side of Steve’s face. His fingertips ghost over Steve’s skin and Steve can’t help the shiver that sends a chill down his spine.

His body is screaming for him to move, to get back to safety, no to move closer but, fuck, he can’t fucking think. He can’t think because the apples, oh god those apples. His mouth is watering and all he’s able to process in this moment is Eddie Eddie Eddie.

Eddie’s thumb is at Steve’s chin. He pulls at him, his hand no longer a ghosting touch but a searing brand. He gently applies pressure with his thumb to get Steve’s lips to part, bringing Steve’s face closer to his.

Steve’s gaze is fixed for as long as he can onto those chocolate brown eyes until he can’t fight it and they slip down to Eddie’s lips. They get closer and there’s nothing left for him to do but huff out the final short breath he had in his lungs.

There are no ants, there is no anxiety, there is no doubt.

Steve’s eyes have already slipped closed but he can feel it when Eddie is right where he needs to be. He sways forward, lips so close that if he opened his mouth anymore–

When Eddie finally exhales Steve has to fight every single impulse to reach forward and get directly to the source. When the smoke passes his lips and into his lungs he stifles the moan that wants to escape him, but barely. Instead he bends his arm, tries hugging it to his knee in a last ditch attempt to keep himself from reaching out to touch, to grab, to feel him, but he fails.

His hand wraps around Eddie’s bicep and squeezes so tight that Eddie’s arm shifts and his hand slips farther into Steve’s hair, thumb now resting high on his cheek. There’s a flitter of hesitation, his fingers twitching but then Eddie reaches farther, seizes a fistful of his hair and pulls.

Steve’s breath hitches and he can’t take anymore in. His lungs are on fire, not because of the smoke but because the air in his lungs was just in Eddie’s and Steve can’t get enough. Steve’s hand that’s encapsulated under Eddie’s hand balls into a fist and Eddie can only just capture his wrist to steady himself, but not before he slips forward, his bottom lip bumping against Steve’s top lip.

His grip on Steve’s wrist tightens and a gasp escapes him. Steve tries to swallow the sound but there’s no more room in his lungs. He doesn’t exhale just yet, because if he does then this moment ends. No he can’t just yet, he needs a minute, needs an eternity to collect himself before he does something stupid like let himself melt forward.

When Eddie’s grip in his hair loosens Steve exhales slowly, smoke diluted and adding to the current billow. Steve pulls back slightly, eyes slipping open and–

He realizes he's fucked up. Royally, completely, and utterly fucked up because Eddie is so fucking beautiful. Cheeks red, lips parted, pupils completely blown, and damn it. His face is framed by those strands that he can’t pull back into that low hanging knot, eyes dazed, bottom lip being pulled in to bite on and–

Steve is so fucked.

“I missed it.”

“What happened?”

The bubble pops.

Steve’s head snaps back at Robin and Nancy’s voices, eyes blinking away the fog. Eddie blinks with him, eyebrows coming together as he just continues to stare back at Steve. He’s searching his face again and it makes Steve's stomach flutter, makes the ants tick up again because he can’t read him, doesn’t know if what he’s finding is good or bad.

The room is completely silent. Robin inhales, about to continue when suddenly there’s a knock on the front door and everyone’s head snaps towards it because who the hell is knocking at this hour?

The voice that comes through the front door is muffled but unmistakably panicked and familiar. “Eddie?”

“Chrissy?” Eddie mutters, sobering up almost immediately as he pulls away entirely and makes his way over to the door.

Steve looks over to Robin and Nancy and their faces reflect his same confusion. He shakes himself, completely over the moment and follows suit, a few steps behind Eddie who’s already opening the door.

“Babe, what are– did you walk all the way over here?” Eddie steps out, hands on Chrissy’s shoulders. He whips his head left and right, doesn’t seem to find anything in the night before ushering her in and shutting the door behind him. “The hell, Chris are you okay? What happened, I thought you were having dinner with your family?”

Steve hears the sob that escapes her and he’s suddenly wide awake, brain fog completely cleared. Her face crumples when she sees him. “I’m so-sorry I didn’t mean to crash you’re– but I just– I-I remembered where your place was because of the p-parties you threw and I, just, I didn’t know where else to go. I can’t go home. I can’t.”

“Stop, stop, don’t apologize.” Steve’s tries to hide his concern and just tries his best to keep his voice soft as he crosses his arms over his chest. He looks up at Eddie and Steve is taken aback for a moment because he’s never seen him upset before, let alone angry. When Chrissy hiccups on a sob, his face softens and he turns her, holding her tiny body close to his.

Steve can hear Nancy and Robin shuffling up behind him. He turns and blocks Eddie and Chrissy from their line of sight as much as he can. Robin’s eyes are saucers and she stumbles as she gets close, the throw around her shoulders. “Did he just call her babe?”

Steve shakes his head at her because now really isn’t the time. “You and Nance take my room tonight, okay? Parties over.” When Robin opens her mouth to say something, Steve raises a hand to gently lift her chin. “Not now, Robs. I’ll make pancakes in the morning.” He flicks her shoulder and points towards the stairs.

Nancy tips her head to peak past Steve’s shoulder before putting her arm around Robin and leading her upstairs. Before they disappear completely Robin spins and leans over the banister. “Steve, come up when you’re done with, well, when you’re ready for bed. Okay?”

She doesn’t move until Steve nods. She smiles tightly down at him before turning back, arm around Nancy’s shoulder. “I shouldn’t have spun so fast, I think I’m gonna be sick.” He shakes his head at her, rolling his eyes endearingly before turning back to Eddie and Chrissy.

He doesn’t know what to do or say, so he just watches them for a moment. Eddie is having a silent conversation with her, muttering into her hair as she sniffles into his shoulder. Steve waves a hand to catch Eddie’s attention.

When he does he points back to the kitchen, motioning for them to follow. Eddie nods, giving Steve an apologetic smile but he waves him off. Eddie takes a step forward, making Chrissy have to stumble along backwards with him. His lips quirk as he takes another step and she yelps, and soon they’re both giggling as he drags her towards the kitchen, her feet dragging between his legs.

Steve pulls out three water bottles from the fridge, clearing out some of the mess on the kitchen’s island for Chrissy and Eddie in case they want to take a moment to calm themselves before he offers them his guest bedroom.

He sets two bottles down in front of them, and Chrissy mumbles a shy thank you before taking a few sips. “I’m really sorry–”

“Please, don’t. It’s… I’m just glad you felt safe enough to come here. That Munson was here for you, ya know?” 

“It’s just,” Chrissy huffs and rolls her eyes, annoyed but seemingly with herself.

Steve rests his elbows on the counter, leaning forward. “It’s not Jason, is it? He didn’t–”

An annoyed scoff escapes Eddie. “No, it’s not that meathead asswipe. This one came to her senses after her date with him last week and broke things off, finally.”

Chrissy shoves at him playfully, her laugh still heavy with the residual pain. “Shut up. No, no, it’s just my mom. I had a fitting for this year’s new cheerleading uniforms, then we went out to dinner and she just…” Chrissy’s eyes roll up and she stares up at the ceiling. Her eyes well up with tears, and she pulls her lips into a tight line. She inhales slowly before blowing out a shaky breath, fat tears rolling down her cheeks. “My mom fucking sucks, sometimes, ya know.”

“Yea, moms can suck sometimes,” Steve mumbles. He knows well enough how much mom’s can suck. He takes a few sips from his own bottle of water.

Eddie slings an arm over her shoulder, pulling her in. She hugs his side, wiping away her tears with her shoulder. “I’m-”

“You apologize one more time and I’m going to make you sit through an entire DnD session and you will have to participate. You’ll have to make a character sheet, pick out which dice set of mine you’ll want to use, dress up, talk in-character the whole time– I mean, everything.” Eddie deadpans. When she laughs, Steve and Eddie chuckles along with her.

She sniffles a few times, before using her sleeve to wipe at her nose. She leans back  and bumps her shoulder against his. “I love you.”

Eddie rolls his eyes leaning close to kiss the top of her head. “Yeah, you too.”

And that’s Steve’s cue–

He claps his hands once before remembering the other two are still on the couch. He winces and looks over, but thankfully they're still dead asleep. “You two can take the guest bedroom.”

“Oh, that’s not–” Chrissy starts but Steve waves her off again.

“Chrissy, I don’t know you all that well and I know women are very capable of making their own decisions, but I can be pretty persuasive. Well… unless you’re Robin. Or Nance. Or even Max, actually, now that I think about it.” Steve laughs dryly, running a hand through his hair and taking another sip of his water. “No, no– jokes aside, I insist. Please, it’s this way” He motions for the both of them to follow.

“Come on, Chris. I can’t drive right now, anyway, none of us can. I’ll take you back to mine after we pick up Max from Byer’s place. I won’t take you home until you’re ready to go. Yeah?” He reaches out a hand and she takes it with a small nod.

Steve leads them down to the same room where he and Robin got the blankets and pillows, standing clear to let them through.

Chrissy stops short. “Where’s your bathroom?”

Steve’s lips quirk. “Eddie can show you, he knows where it is.” Eddie chuckles at that before leading her towards it. When he returns he stops at the door and leans against, facing Steve. He crosses his arms and stares down at the floor before looking up and Steve has to avert his eyes.

“I’ll let you two, uh.” Steve clears his throat, pinching his nose as that prickling sensation starts behind his eyes. He blinks once and clears his throat again. “I’m makin’ pancakes in the morning, if you two are still here when we all get up.” He raps his knuckles on the doorframe and turns.

“Wait, Steve?” Eddie reaches out, fingers wrapping gingerly around Steve’s wrist. Steve bites his lip and wills himself to stay calm because Eddie’s touch burns.

He doesn’t fully turn to face him, just barely turns his head towards his shoulder to respond. “Yeah, Munson?” When Eddie gently tugs on his arm Steve can’t help but move with it. He holds his breath as Eddies pulls away from the door frame and lets his grasp loosen so that he can drop his hand lower and tangle his fingers with Steve’s.

“I just wanted to say thanks for tonight.” Eddie gets close and Steve shutters a breath. “And that I had fun.” Steve wants to avert his eyes but in his attempts to avoid looking into those eyes, he’s now watching their hands, fingers entwined together and it makes his heart ache.

So, so fucked.

He looks up and wills himself to play it cool. “I’ll be sure to invite you to the next one, then.” Steve’s smile is small but it’s all he can muster. Eddie's grip on his fingers tighten and he shifts, like he’s about to step closer but a door shuts behind them and Steve jumps and pulls away.

“Good night, you two.” Steve doesn’t look back, swings by the kitchen to grab two more bottles from the fridge before taking the steps two at a time to get to his room.

When he shuts it he closes his eyes and rests his head against the door. He doesn’t move or acknowledge the squeaking of the floorboard as someone gets off his bed. And when arms wrap around his middle and he’s hugged from behind he just lets his head fall back to rest on top of Robin’s.

“I’m fucked.”

It’s all he says but he feels Robin nod her head against his back in agreement. “I know.”

Steve sighs, pulling her arms away from him to turn and look at her and Nancy who sits on the edge of his bed, her eyes sad. “You really like him.” It’s not a question, because of course Nancy knows. Steve swallows hard, eyes slipping shut and can only nod once. He covers his face with one hand.

“I don’t wanna talk about it. Can I just…” He points back to the door and peaks at them through one eye but both Robin and Nancy shake their heads at him. Nancy pats the space on the bed and Robin pulls on his arm, dragging him towards the bed. “Guys, I’m so exhausted I just want to go to sleep already.”

“Come on dingdong, be our little spoon for tonight.” Robin pulls harder when Steve starts to resist, but he doesn’t for long. Nancy crawls back to the right side of the bed, pulling back the covers and shutting off the lamp. Robin pushes Steve towards the left side and directs him to sit.

She crawls up onto the bed until she’s behind him, settling in comfortably with Nancy before she pulls on the back of his shirt to guide him down, and he lets her. They don’t throw the cover over him, knowing he doesn’t like to share one. Nancy settles underneath it while Robin adjusts the throw to cover her and Steve below the waist.

A sigh escapes him as he shuts his eyes. “Rob. Nance. This is so weird.”

“It’s only weird if you make it weird,” Robin mutters, looping her arm under his, settling against his back. Shortly after another arm is reaching around and it’s only far enough to reach Steve’s waist, but it’s enough.

Some time passes by and Nancy’s grasp on him goes slack. The room is silent long enough for Steve to think they’re both asleep, but when he shifts Robin’s arm tightens around him. He pats her arm, exhaustion just about to take him under. “M’not going anywhere,” he mutters, but she doesn’t loosen her grasp.

“Steve.” Sleepy grunt. “If I would have known about Chrissy, I would have said something sooner.” No response. “I just, I honestly thought that he…” Her voice trails off, unable to put it into words. Whatever it was, Steve doesn’t know, can’t care right now. He’s exhausted, too exhausted to want to analyze the hurt right now and all he wants is to sleep it off.

“I don’t know what I thought, but Steve, that feeling? In your gut, or, maybe in your chest?”

His eyes slip open and he stares into the dark room. Small sigh. “What about it?”

“Just… don’t let that kill the before feelings. Before you realized that he’s not…” Another squeeze before she lets her arm go loose around him. “Don’t let that slip away, okay?”

“Yeah… yeah, okay.”

part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8