#thankfully el’s smart

[thefirstlioveyou]

this mike gave up and decided to lie in the hole he dug himself into

[estrellami-1]

If I Should Stay

More housekeeping! I was wrong about the date last time. My hiatus isn’t starting on the 15th; it’s starting on the 13th, possibly a bit earlier. But I’ll see y’all a little less than a month after that!

Part 1 | . . . | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40

“Vecna’s got my sister,” Steve whispers into the line, and Robin knows immediately that this time, this next fight with Vecna, is going to be very different.

She’s not going to let two of his atoms touch after what he’s done.

“Okay,” she answers, mind going a million miles an hour. “We know how to fix this, Steve, but you need to focus. Can you focus?”

He takes a deep breath. “Yeah,” he murmurs. “Yeah, I can focus.”

“Okay. We need her favorite song.”

“I don’t know her favorite song.”

“Then you need to find someone who does.”

The line is silent for a minute, then Steve gasps. “Cassidy! She’d know.”

“Okay, that’s perfect. Call Cassidy, ask her what Allison’s favorite song is. I’m going to pick up El and we’ll be there as soon as we can, okay?”

“Okay,” Steve says. “Hurry?”

“As fast as I can,” she promises. “Call Cassidy.”

They hang up, and Robin eyes Wayne, who’s already waiting by the door with his truck keys. “I’m gathering this is an emergency.”

“If it wouldn’t be entirely weird, I would kiss you,” Robin informs him, because she barely has a filter at the best of times, and this is definitely not the best of times.

Thankfully, Wayne just laughs. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” he says. “Toss your bike in the back and get in. I’ll need directions.”

Robin worries her lip. “Y’know the Wheelers’ place?”

“Karen?”

“Yeah. There first, please.”

Wayne offers her a teasing salute as he puts the car into drive, and Robin suddenly thinks this all might just work out.

The drive to the Wheelers’ is uneventful, and she hops out of the truck and pounds on the door. Karen opens it, and Robin grits her teeth. “Hi, Mrs. Wheeler,” she says politely. “Is Nancy home?”

“Oh, yes, of course, come in,” she says, ushering her inside before calling for Nancy.

Robin watches as Nancy makes it halfway downstairs before she sees who’s here. She watches as she goes through all the possibilities. “Hey, Robin, you’re here for the project, right?”

“Yup,” Robin nods. “For, uh. School.”

Nancy blinks. “Right,” she says, casting a glance at her mom, who doesn’t notice. “C’mon up.”

Robin hesitates. “Think we could use the basement?”

Nancy’s eyes flash. “Sure,” she says, and they’re halfway down before she speaks again. “What’s going on?”

“Vecna has Allison. We need El.”

Nancy bites back a curse.

They finally make it down, and El is standing in the middle of the room, waiting for them. “It is time.”

“It is,” Robin nods. “Are you ready?”

Eleven shrugs. “Is anyone?”

Robin gives half a laugh. “I guess not.” She turns to Nancy. “Is there an exit that doesn’t go through the house?”

Nancy nods and leads them out. “I’ll get everyone else,” she says. “Meet you back there as soon as we can. Be safe.”

“You too,” Robin says, grabbing El’s hand and running for Wayne’s truck.

“Where to?” Wayne asks.

“The Harrington place. Will you come inside?”

“All due respect, Robin, but my boy’s in there. There ain’t no way in hell I’m leavin’ him alone.” There’s a slight pause before he says, rather uncomfortably, “Not because I don’t trust you, of course-”

“No, of course not,” Robin waves him off.

“And, uh.” He winks at El. “You’ll have to pardon my French, little lady.”

She giggles at him. “But you weren’t speaking any French!”

Wayne chuckles. “No I wasn’t, and a smart one you are for knowin’ that. No, pardon my French just means excuse my potty mouth.”

El turns to Robin, who says, deadpan, “He means ‘cause he said hell.”

“Oh,” El says, as Wayne splutters but ultimately stays quiet.

Soon enough they’re at the Harrington place, and Wayne barely parks the truck before they’re all running in.

Robin stops him just before they get inside. “Did Eddie explain any of this to you?”

Wayne blinks at her. “No.”

“Shit,” she whispers. “Okay, look, long story short, which I’m kinda really terrible at, like worst person ever, like I can’t tell a short story to save my life-”

“Robin.”

“Right, short story, right. Um, we’ll explain more later, but basically me and Steve are time traveling here from four years in the future because there’s a wizard guy- well he’s not a wizard, actually, it’s Henry Creel, but anyways things happen and he’s got powers and he’s like a wizard and he’s trying to get control of peoples’ heads and kill them. And he’s trying it with Steve’s sister, Allison, right now. So… that’s what we’re about to walk into.”

Wayne sighs. “Is there anythin’ for me to shoot at?”

Robin blinks. “Well, no. Not right now, at least. But later there could be. If you want to be involved.”

“I ain’t lettin’ y’all do this while I sit by and do nothin’. That ain’t how I was raised.”

Robin stares at him for a beat, nods, and together they run inside.

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[dykevanny]

Hehe I got more screenshots. Still finding it difficult to get Vanny and Vanessa in the same room unfortunately, for now that blurry screenshot is the best I can get. So! Interesting thing, the glitch filter multiplies so heavily on each Vanny that this is her jumpscare when you have multiple spawned. (I'm pretty sure her normal jumpscare is more red)

Here's a couple other screenshots while I spam a wall of text about this glitch

So basically the way I got this glitch in the first place was doing the atrium section, hopping over the security barriers to get out of bounds and grab the security badge from the prize counter, getting me security level 4 if I remember right.

Unfortunately there's not much else I can do from here besides go down the elevator and just use my security badge to skip the endo section.

(If you do this without getting the map bot jumpscare he won't spawn in and you get softlocked from entering the endo section ever again. Just a little side note.)

If I try to get the party pass early, timelord Moon insta-kills me. No escape. After doing the Freddy repair I can head up the elevator to Rockstar Row. (thankfully it's pretty simple, which is good because I need to repeat this glitch back from the beginning to make this work.)

From here I can do the glitch with or without getting the party pass. Vanessa acts very.. odd during this mess. I think some part of her AI realizes she's not supposed to be here. Last time she followed the Vannies to El chips before realizing and running off, never to be seen again. This time I led the Vannies to Rockstar Row so I figured Vanessa would stick around. Nope. She wandered around with her idle animation for a while before running off towards backstage, never to be seen again. They were in the same room for a while but I couldn't get a screenshot with both of them in the frame because of the view from cams.

Ironically I'm more afraid of Vanessa than I am of the Vanny swarm. Vanessa is half-giga honestly, like the monty in the daycare. She keeps going after you for a while and her pathing is really smart. For all I know she could pop up at any second. At least the vannies walk slow and are predictable lol.

Speaking of.. because it spawns in Vanny from the atrium (literally all I did to spawn them was walk in vaguely the direction of the escalator near fazerblast. For some reason this time it spawned in 3 at a time, last few times I did this glitch it was 4 at a time. Idk what I did differently.) Anyway back to the topic. Atrium Vanny has a constant tracker on you, but she can only walk. She can't do the horrifying t pose and run that lost and found Vanny does. (Highly recommend getting a save for that point in the game. Her AI is fun to mess around with.) She'll constantly chase you unless you do one of two things (with pretty intelligent pathing most of the time too.) If you use Freddy as a door, like I did. Or if you walk on an elevated surface she can't jump to, for example the boxes near the vent in Freddy's room. Doing this is really interesting actually. If you get her stuck behind a door she can't access (Freddoor or the door to El chips, since you need to crouch to get in.) She just keeps skipping to your location. But if you jump on a platform they all freeze in place, doing their idle animation but it's basically walking in place. It's very hivemind behavior lol, that's how I get the majority of these screenshots.

It's really interesting to me and I'm definitely gonna keep messing with it lol. Hope this ramble was more entertaining than a boring wall of text, this glitch is really fun to experiment with, if you'd want to hear/see more about it I'd totally be up to share more screenshots the more I experiment with this glitch :)

Oh my god i am obsessed. Overpowered vanessa (who can Find you) just going oh shit . Wait I’m not supposed to be here. What the fuck why are there 500 of me. And just sprinting from the room is so fucking funny…… and then she is never seen again omg.

Also TIMELORD MOON LMAO…

Ur not boring at all this is quite fascinating. The vannies skipping around in a single file line is fantastic. Also yeah vanny jumpscare is usually a lot more red oh no…her LED eyes ran out of battery:(

[ladykailitha]

In the Midnight Hour Part 9

Still hard at work wrapping things up. I’m almost there, though. I’m thinking about 13 parts all total.

Also, I have times where I’ll come up with a line that I like and then I try to work into a story at some point. There is a line this part that I have been sitting on for nearly 5 years. And finally ST gave me a fandom to use it in. See if you can spot it. ;)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8

*

Eddie was right, Vecna had been furious about trying to help Steve, but he was more angry that he had attacked that mob.

Steve had spent the day with Wayne before he was able to go home. Wayne had taken the time off from the factory to make sure Robin got to school and to make sure Steve was okay.

Wayne had also spoken to Hopper about the little mob. Thankfully the tape didn’t show who had come to Wayne’s rescue. So as far as anyone else knew, it was Steve and he had past out after the fight.

Hopper had tried to get Wayne to press charges, but Wayne hadn’t been hurt and Steve wasn’t talking so the police were forced to drop the issue.

Two nights later, Wayne called Steve. “I think I have the final piece to your puzzle Steve. It’s time.”

*

Steve got everyone together. Dustin, Will, El, Mike, Lucas, Erika, Max (they were gathered in her hospital room), Jonathan, Nancy, Argyle, Robin, Joyce, Hopper, even Murray and Owens were there.

“We’re ready when you are, sweetie,” Joyce told Steve gently.

“Who let Steve plan?” Mike asked.

“How about you listen,” Wayne growled, “before you go about passing judgment. It’s attitudes like yours that started a witch hunt for my nephew.”

Mike’s jaw audibly snapped shut.

“Right,” Steve said looking between Joyce and Wayne who both nodded encouragingly.

He pulled out the sword that Hopper had found in the Upside Down and laid it on the table in front of him. “This is how we kill Vecna.”

Dustin leaned forward and gasped in horror. “But that’s Kas’s sword!”

The younger boys looked at each other in shock and horror.

“No, it can’t be,” Will whispered. “That would mean that Vecna has found his Kas.”

Steve nodded sadly. “Henry Creel deliberately set up the murders to be around Eddie so that Eddie would sacrifice himself, to be reborn as the half vampire, Kas.”

“The jocks!” Robin cried. “There was a vampire!”

All but the adults cried out in recognition.

“What’s been going on with the jocks?” Hopper asked, folding his arms in front of his chest.

Jonathan spoke up from the corner. “All of the jocks were lethargic and pale. The school thought that had an epidemic of mono on their hands.”  

Joyce and Hopper shared concerned glances.

“It was Eddie,” Steve said softly. “I think only Robin and I cottoned on that it was a vampire after the first week.”

Robin frowned at him. “Did you know it was Eddie then?”

Steve shrugged. “I suspected. I thought Eddie was an hallucination at first.”

“Steve...” Nancy said softly. “Why didn’t you tell someone?”

Steve hung his head. “Because if I was then it meant I was important enough to be a threat.”

Everyone exchanged glances.

“Of course you’re a threat, Steve,” Max said from her bed. “Why wouldn’t you be?”

“Because I’m not smart like the rest of you,” Steve mumbled into his chest.

Wayne walked over to him and pulled him into a hug. “You’re no genius, Steve, but you’re plenty smart. And don’t let anyone tell you differently.” Wayne looked over Steve’s head to glare at Mike.

After Steve had calmed down, Wayne let him go. “Explain the rest of it, you’re doing fine.”

“Vecna is almost at full strength,” Steve continued. “He would let Eddie come visit me to haunt me, wear me down, feed on me.” He pulled his collar down to show the fading bite marks on his neck.

Dustin let out a pained cry. “That’s why Steve was sick! It wasn’t because of the mob. It was because Eddie fed from him. I thought he was our friend!”

Steve walked over to Dustin and hugged him tight. “It’s not Eddie’s fault. Vecna was starving him. Not letting him feed on anyone else. He lost control for a little bit, but he stopped. He could have killed me, but he stopped.”

“Vecna was starving Eddie?” Lucas hissed. “What the fuck?”

“Language!” Joyce said.

Lucas ducked his head as Erica snickered.

“They are connected somehow,” Steve explained, letting go of Dustin to stand back in the middle of the room. “And not just in the usual ‘step on a vine and wake him’ sort of way.”

Wayne nodded. “I figured it was something like that. I was getting emotions from Eddie that weren’t his.”

“Emotions?” Robin asked, tilting her head. “What do you mean?”

El started bouncing in her seat. “It’s really cool. Mr Munson is an empath!”

Wayne chuckled.

“Like someone who reads emotions like psychics read minds?” Will asked.

Steve snapped his fingers. “Just like that.”

“So what’s the plan?” Hopper asked.

Steve pulled out his bag and started handing out Walkmans. “Everyone gets one. And I mean everyone. You fill up a tape with your favorite songs. Even if it’s just one song on repeat, I want the whole tape filled. We don’t know who Vecna might target, so everyone gets one. Including the adults. I am not taking any chances.”

Everyone quietly took a Walkman and a cassette. El picked up one for Max.

“We’re going to close all three gates at the same time,” Steve said. “That’s going to cause the distraction we need to take Vecna down.”

“So we’re going to split up into groups again?” Dustin asked.

Steve nodded. “Only this time, an adult will be attached to each group. There’ll be five groups. El’s group which will consist of her Max and Erica, here at the hospital.”

“Do we need to get a tub of water?” Jonathan asked.

Wayne shook his head. “I’ve been working with her. She shouldn’t need it anymore, but I would suggest a parent and tub anyway to be on the safe side.”

Steve turned to Dustin. “Do you think your mom would be willing to help out?”

Dustin nodded.

“Each group will also have a walkie-talkie,” Steve continued. “I don’t want anyone out of communication. Ever.”

Everyone nodded.

“I also want everyone to give Wayne a small trinket to carry,” he said. “It has to be something you hold a strong attachment to.”

“I’m not giving anyone anything,” Murray said.

Steve looked over at him. “You wouldn’t have to, I won’t make it mandatory, but it will help in the fight with Vecna.”

Wayne smiled. “It’s so that I have a greater connection to you and your emotions.”

El cocked her head to the side. “It’s going to save Eddie.”

Suddenly there was shouting and talking over each other.

Steve let out a loud whistle. “It might. That’s the hope.”

Everyone quieted down.

He continued to explain the plan to them when he got to the end Robin frowned.

“Hold on,” she said. “Who’s going with you and Wayne to confront Vecna and Eddie?”

“No one.”

She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. “Like hell you are.”

Steve sighed and ran his hands over his face. “Please...”

“Yeah,” Dustin said and Steve sighed in relief, “because I’m going with him.”

“No!” Steve protested. “If this doesn’t work, I can’t protect you.”

“Which is why I’m going, too,” Robin said.

“I don’t want anyone else hurt,” Steve protested. “Wayne and I will handle it. I promise.”

“Steve,” Jonathan said quietly.

Steve’s head snapped his direction.

“You’re going to need them for Eddie.”

“I‒” he began but the words wouldn’t come. His shoulders slumped. “Yeah, okay.”

Hopper came up and put his hand on Steve’s shoulder. “I know it’s hard to lean on other people when you’re so used to going it alone. But you’re going to have to start putting your faith in us. In all of us. We’ve been down this road before. Let us help.”

Mike looked over at Wayne before he turned to Steve. “Look, this sounds like a great plan and all. We defeat Vecna and save Eddie. Yay!” he said the last word sarcastically with a little wave of both of his hands. “But why are you doing this, Steve? We all remember you didn’t like the guy. Called him all sorts of names. Freak was a popular choice as was gremlin. So why?”

The room became so silent you could hear a pin drop, everyone waiting on baited breath for Steve’s response. The air thick with the awkwardness of the outburst.

“You’re right, Mike. But that was before I spent days trying to keep him safe from angry mobs and the Upside Down. And yeah, he’s still foul-mouth little gremlin, but he’s our foul-mouth little gremlin and we’re going to get him back.”

Mike nodded.

Steve turned to Owens for the first time. “How long will it take to get everything ready?”

Owens looked at his watch. “About twelve hours.”

Steve looked at his own watch and nodded. “I hope we make it in time.”

*

“Team Hospital, checking in, over,” Erica said over the walkies. She had been granted the use of the walkie-talkie because she was the only one that wasn’t going to be directly involved in any of the fighting.

“Check, over,” Steve replied.

“Team Byers, checking in, over,” Jonathan said for his team. Joyce was tasked with watching Will, so he was put in charge of communication.

“Check, over,” Steve repeated.

“Team Insanity, checking in, over,” Lucas said, but before Steve could reply. “Why the hell am I on team Insanity anyway?”

Steve laughed. “Because I need someone to keep them from doing something really crazy. And you are far more level headed than any of your friends.” And then as an afterthought. “Over.”

There was silence on the line for a moment before Lucas came back. “That’s fair, over.”

“Team Strike, checking in, over,” Nancy said. Mike couldn’t be trusted not to forget and Hopper was going to be busy.

“Check, over,” Steve said, he handed the walkie-talkie over to Dustin.

“Team Eddie, checking in, over.”

The other four teams all called back ‘check!’

Steve and his team had entered the Upside Down via the Creel House which was the gate that Hopper and the Wheelers were going to take down.

Steve looked back at Nancy and sighed. They had talked about their relationship and how it ended. Where it should go from there. They were different people with different outlooks in life and they were better off as friends.

But he still mourned the life they could have had. The life they would have had if Hell hadn’t decided to make itself a home in Hawkins.

He nodded to her and she smiled back.

“Go get your boy back,” she called.

Steve smiled.

Because that what he fully intended to do. Get his boy back. Whatever it took.

Part 10 Part 11 Part 12  Part 13

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[spanishskulduggery]

Heyo:

I am stuck with "conectores consecutivos" vs. "conectores causales." When are connectors like "así que, por tanto, en cambio, como, etc."used? When do those words begin to replace "porque" ?

For me it usually depends on what the actual word means, and it lines up pretty much with English

porque is "because" and it usually connects to a conjugated verb as a cause and effect thing

así que is a bit nuanced because it can be "so" or "so that"... like if I'm starting a sentence with así que it comes out like "well..." or "so then..."

If you use it in the middle of a sentence (to connect clauses) it comes out "so that" or "therefore" - works similar to pues or entonces in this case

No tengo la información así que no sé. = I don't have the information, so I don't know. No le gustó el trabajo, así que decidió renunciar. = He/She didn't like the job/work, so they decided to quit.

por tanto and por lo tanto work very much the same way, they could introduce the sentence as "therefore" or "thus", or go between clauses to be like "this happened - THEREFORE - this other thing happened"

en cambio is "by contrast" or "conversely", so sort of the same in terms of where you put it, just a different word. This is like mientras que "while" or "in contrast to" ...It can be in front (assuming you're contrasting a statement from before, or your next clause will contrast), or it can be in the middle of two contrasting statements

-

como is going to be the weird one here because it has so many different applications; como is "like" or "as"

It can be used in comparisons of adjectives/adverbs using tan or tanto - this is usually comparisons of equivalence [tan inteligente como "as smart as", tan importante como "as important as" etc]

But outside of that, como is used the same way you do with similies to mean "like/as"... as an example como la marea "like the tide", como una perla "like a pearl", como un fantasma "like a ghost"

You can introduce sentences with como if you're making comparisons [assuming this isn't cómo "how" the question word], or you can put it in the middle of the sentence:

Como siempre... = Like always... Como una polilla a una llama, vienen uno tras otro. = Like a moth to a flame, they come one after the other. Vienen uno tras otro, como una polilla a una llama. = They come one after the other, like a moth to a flame. Como he mencionado antes, es un problema informático. = Like I mentioned before, it's a computer/IT problem. Es un problema informático como he mencionado antes. = It's a computer/IT problem like I mentioned before.

And then you see como que to be "like"... not the regular "like" but it's often associated with the filler word "like" or "um" or "well"; that sort of "um"

-

But in general the parts of speech like this can be placed at the beginning of any clause - which could be the beginning of a sentence, or the start of a new clause

The same is true of sin embargo "however" and no obstante "nevertheless". It just depends on the order of your thoughts

I have found that - in general - the "connectors" have specific terminology, but they usually all work like this, and can often work with commas or different clauses

This is all in Spanish but it might help: 100 Ejemplos de Conectores as far as saying what all the terminology is. I find that linguistically that's important, but in everyday speech people just know that they're connecting statements. They thankfully work a lot like English for the most part.

I also like to use Linguee to help me look up how certain phrases are used. It helps a lot with particular phrases like mientras tanto "meanwhile", por consiguiente "therefore", or además "in addition to" so I can see how different translations come out

[tinyinvadr]

New chapter!! We’re getting close to the end of this fic omg!

Psychoborrower

Chapter 11

We found another lingering patient, Edgar Teglee, in the room directly above where we found Fred and Crispin. He was in the middle of painting a portrait of Dr. Loboto as a form of art therapy. Though, I couldn’t imagine it was working that well considering he was chained to the floor. That seemed unnecessarily stress inducing, especially considering the fact that he seemed content and willing to paint.

His artwork really was incredible. While I hadn’t yet seen Dr. Loboto in person, the painting was incredibly realistic. I knew right away what Crispin meant when he described his face as “unforgettable.” He was possibly the scariest human I’d ever seen, and that’s saying something.

However, Edgar’s underlying issue soon became clear as he suddenly painted a bullfight over Dr. Loboto’s face, then went into a fit of rage once he realized what he painted.

He lamented that this bull and matador haunted his mind, and no matter how hard he tried to ignore them, they kept seeping into his artwork. To make matters worse, he wasn’t allowed to leave until he finished the portrait.

Edgar opted to distract himself from the stress by shifting his focus to a tower of playing cards he had been building on the side.

It was clear he also needed psychic assistance, and we needed him to finish that portrait so we could use it for our disguise.

We projected into his mind, arriving in a mental world that looked like a black velvet painting. The entire town was decorated with vibrant, glowing colors and designs. Even the outfits Raz and I were wearing had changed color to fit the world’s aesthetic.

In the middle of the plaza, Edgar was working on a card tower just like he was in the physical world. Of course, these weren’t ordinary cards. They were large and sturdy enough for a human to climb up on.

He explained that he was building this tower because he was trying to reach the sun, where a beautiful, distressed woman was trapped. Every day, her tears of rose petals rained down from above, and all Edgar wanted to do was help her, but he could never build the tower high enough.

The town was plagued by a rampaging bull by the name of El Odio. Whenever Edgar made any progress on his tower, El Odio would charge in and knock it down, scattering the cards and forcing him to start from scratch.

He had gotten farther than usual, and was only missing the four queen cards, but it was only a matter of time before the bull came back and ruined everything once again.

The simplest solution was for Raz and I to go find the cards for him, but we were all on a time crunch, so I suggested we split up to cover more ground. I shifted to human form… and immediately got rammed by the bull and dragged across town.

After I regained my bearings, I realized I ended up on a side street where a talking dog was selling paintings. The only way to get back to the main street was to buy one of his paintings and use it as a doorway. I didn’t have any money, but thankfully he was willing to trade for arrowheads.

It was a bit of a Whispering Rock tradition for the campers to dig up the psitanium arrowheads buried on the campgrounds and use them as currency. I just collected them ‘cause I thought they were neat, but up until this point, they didn’t serve a real purpose to me. Guess it was smart of me to stock up, anyway.

I hung the painting up on the wall and stepped through it, and just like that I was back on track.

It took a couple tries of figuring out the timing so I could navigate my way down the road without running into El Odio. I imagine Raz had an easier time than I did with his years of acrobatic training up his sleeve, but my psychic abilities were strong and reliable enough to get me through it.

Soon enough, I found the first card: the Queen of Clubs. I went to grab it, but ended up falling through it like a doorway, and I landed in some sort of wrestling ring.

Over a loudspeaker, a sports announcer went into an introduction as a towering Luchadore stepped out into the ring. This wrestler was known as Tiger, and it looked like I had to fight him for the card.

“I will crush you, little man.”

“Can we maybe skip this? I’m kind of in a hurry. Gotta go rescue my teachers and my friend’s girlfriend, ya know?”

“Ooh, the teeny tiny baby is scared!”

Even in my human form, he was insistent on commenting on my size. Either he knew something, or it was just the fact that he was relatively large. Either way, it struck a nerve in me.

“Call me that one more time, buddy.”

“Teeny. Tiny. Baby-”

I lunged at him, jumping over his head and punching down from above. While he was caught off guard for a second, it didn’t take long for him to spring into action and start charging at me. I simply avoided his attacks the best I could, causing him to accidentally crash into the walls and slip into a momentary daze. Repeating this tactic a few times, I was able to knock him out.

Having retrieved the card, I was teleported back to the plaza, where Raz was already waiting for me with the Queen of Hearts card.

“Please tell me you also had to fight a Luchadore.”

“Yep. He smelled really bad. What about you?”

“Irritating… but he got what was coming to him.”

Raz took a big step back. Apparently I can be intimidating. Cool.

With only two cards left to find, we split up again. I ran into another artist dog, and after buying one of his paintings, he told me more about Edgar.

He was the most famous artist in town, and was once married to the beautiful Lampita Pasionado before she was stolen away from him by the matador, Dingo Inflagrante. Edgar still loved her more than anything, and just wanted to reach her in the sun and be with her again.

I traveled on, found the Queen of Diamonds, and fought another Luchadore for it. This guy was named Eagle, and he was very committed to the character. Didn’t speak a word, only made eagle calls.

His main attack was dropping down from above, just like an eagle hunting its prey. Once again, just had to dodge him so he’d hurt himself in the process.

I defeated him, got the card, and returned to the plaza. I got back before Raz, and I wasn’t sure what was holding him up. Edgar and I added the card I found to the tower, and he looked up at the sky wistfully. I gave him a reassuring smile.

“Hey… you’re almost there. You’ll be together again.”

“Yes… but then, why does something about this feel wrong?”

Before we could discuss it any further, Raz returned to add the final card.

“Hey, Edgar? I found some things while I was looking for the card, and I think maybe we should-”

Strangely, Edgar climbed up into the sun without either of us noticing.

“We’d better follow him, Flint. I have a bad feeling about this.”

We climbed up the tower, and up in the sun was a bullfighting arena. There stood Lampita, who asked us how we killed El Odio.

Raz was about to tell her that we didn’t kill him, but he was interrupted by the entrance of the bull himself. It was then that we realized El Odio WAS Edgar.

The bull was a manifestation of his anger towards Dingo for stealing his love, leading to him becoming self destructive in his own mind.

Blinded by rage, El Odio attacked. We had no choice but to fight back, piercing his back with banderillas until he was weakened to the point of transforming back into Edgar.

Raz took that opportunity to explain to both of us what was really going on. This ongoing bullfight was just a metaphor for a traumatic experience Edgar had in high school when his girlfriend left him for her cheer teammate. He was so depressed that he lost the big wrestling tournament, becoming a target for bullying for the rest of his time at school. Lampita and Dingo were simply manifestations of his ex and her boyfriend, changed to fit the bullfight aesthetic.

“None of this is real, Edgar. I know they hurt you in the past, but there’s no need to stay this angry about it. They aren’t worth it.”

“Excuse me? I am SO worth it!” Lampita said, dropping the beautiful damsel act and showing off her true bratty and immature self.

She and Dingo then went into a cheer routine to mock and rile up Edgar, causing him to turn into El Odio once again. The moment he transformed, Dingo got right back into character. There was a look of malice in his eyes as he stepped out into the middle of the arena to finish him off.

Raz pulled me aside.

“I know how to beat him, but we need to get those spikes out of Edgar’s back. I’ll distract Dingo, and when the time is right, throw the spikes at him.”

“Okay. What’s my signal?”

“You’ll know, trust me.”

I really hate when he’s vague.

I focused my Telekinesis on Edgar, pulling each banderilla out one by one. Soon, I knew what Raz meant by “the signal.” While we were separated, he learned how to use Confusion Grenades. He tossed one at Dingo, clouding him with green smoke that left him dazed and unable to dodge attacks.

We continued on with this tactic until he was unable to fight anymore. He collapsed in the middle of the arena, and Lampita ran to his side.

“Dean! Oh, what did those boys do to your beautiful face?”

Dingo, or Dean, rather, groaned in pain.

“It’s okay, Lana. At least I’ve still got pep.”

The two of them went into what is quite possibly the saddest attempt at a cheer I’ve ever seen. Edgar, seeing how pathetic they truly were, changed back to himself permanently.

All the intense emotions he held towards them were gone, and he was ready to dispel them from his mind for good. So, he opened a bottomless pit underneath them where they would fall forever, never to haunt his mind again.

Raz and I returned to the physical world, where we could see that Edgar was calmer and more focused than before. He finished the painting with no problem, and was finally free to leave.

“I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve… Wait, where did your friend go?”

Up until this point, I hadn’t considered the possibility of the patients noticing me. Even after we resolved their issues, their minds were still focused elsewhere, so they just didn’t notice me. Edgar definitely seemed to be the most attentive out of all of them, though, so it made sense that he would remember me.

Raz shielded me with his hand, but I pushed it away. There was no reason to be afraid anymore. Besides, I needed all the mental preparation I could get before I inevitably interacted with Sasha and Milla in the physical world for the first time. I could already tell that was going take a huge emotional toll on me.

“I’m here, Edgar.”

I still felt admittedly intimidated when his gaze landed on me, but I stood strong, knowing I would be okay. I just helped the guy overcome a major mental roadblock, he had no reason to want to hurt me.

“Incredible… would you be interested in posing for a painting? Ah- don’t feel pressured if you don’t want to. I’m just experiencing a new wave of creative inspiration, and I’ve never seen anyone like you before.”

I chuckled. “Maybe another time. We have to go save our friends.”

“Of course. And feel free to take that portrait with you. I assume you’re trying to get past the orderly, yes?”

We took the painting and said our goodbyes, then returned to the elevator. Raz put on the straitjacket, held the trophy with his right hand, and held up the portrait in front of his face with his other hand.

Just as we hoped, Crispin fell for the disguise and let us take the elevator. As we slowly ascended, a swarm of thoughts rushed into my head. Strangely enough, I was less worried about the rescue mission itself, and more worried about what would happen next.

My secret was out, and it had been for a long time. This would be the first time I confronted that fact with my mentors and guardians. I wanted to talk about it, but I dreaded it at the same time. I was afraid that even after everything I’d gone through, they would still turn me down.

I knew they cared about me, but that didn’t necessarily mean they saw me as a Psychonaut. And even if they did, I wasn’t sure if joining them was the right thing to do. But the idea that I wasted all those years of training just to go running back home also felt wrong. And would my parents even welcome me back after what I did? There was no outcome I could think of that would end with everyone happy.

And then there was Raz…

What was going to happen to him after this? Would his dad take him away forever to force him to be someone he’s not? I didn’t want that to happen, but there wasn’t anything I could do to stop it.

To be honest, the best option I could think of would be to go back with Raz to the circus. It wasn’t what either of us wanted, but at least we’d have each other. I couldn’t stand the thought of losing the only friend I’d ever had.

I never thought I would come to care about human beings, but if there’s one thing I learned at camp, it’s that we aren’t as different as I thought we were.

I saw so much of myself in Raz, and that sparked this feeling in me that I needed to protect him. I know it sounds strange. How could someone as small as me protect anyone? But I knew that I had to try, even if it didn’t make sense. I wasn’t about to let his true self be suppressed.

The elevator screeched to a halt and Raz ditched the disguise.

“Okay, we’re almost there. Just gotta reach that room all the way at the top.”

I simply nodded, still lost in thought. I didn’t want him to worry about me, but he probably would anyway. As we left the elevator, I took a moment to shift my focus back to the task at hand.

Worrying about the future could wait. There wouldn’t be a future if we didn’t hurry.

[the-lark-ascending69]

I need to think of a proper name for the comphet robin au because it has too much lore now. Anyway have some more monster hunting lore:

Monster hunting is a tradition transmited from generation to generation. It has nothing to do with inherited powers and habilities, and everything to do with knowledge.

There are two monster hunter families in Hawkins, though some think soon it will be only one.

Joyce comes from a long line of monster hunters. She left it behind when she met Lonnie, never really caring much for that lifestyle, but she did tell her boys some things about it, just in case. When her son Will went missing, she went back into action like in her youth, now accompanied by her eldest son and his friend, Nancy.

Nancy became a monster hunter through the Byers when Barb went missing. It's rare but not unheard of for monster hunters to "adopt" someone else into their tradition, and that is what Joyce did, acting as a kind of godmother. Despite not being related to the Byers in any conventional way, Nancy is considered a Byers monster hunter. The name she usually gives to other monster hunters outside of Hawkins is Ruth Byers, to indicate her afiliation while protecting her true identity.

The other family consists on Jim Hopper and his adopted daughter, El Jane Hopper, another case of a non-hunter becoming a hunter. Both El and Will were being terrorized by the same monster - El for much, much longer - so when they found Will, they rescued El as well, and Jim officially adopted her. She's a Hopper monster hunter.

Monster hunters keep their mission secret. Monsters are everywhere and you can never know how smart they are or whether or not they can hear you. Airing out the truth will just draw danger to themselves and the people around them.

Monster hunting knowledge includes knowledge of the Upside Down - a secret world in the woods, sometimes with portals and sometimes without them - knowledge of weapons and their use, and of monsters around their area. The Upside Down, Vecna and the Mind Flayer are the biggest threats, but they also handle vampires, werewolves, haunted houses, ghosts, not-deer creatures, etc.

Ever since the 50s, the Hoppers have been keeping an eye on a curse that seems to affect Hawkins specifically. They call it Vecna's curse. Every now and then, this spirit from the Upside Down will choose a person and cause them one of three afflictions:

First, they may have spontaneous visions of the Upside Down. This curse is a Type 1 curse. It's physically harmless, meant to cause panic, but it can become quite a problem if knowledge of this spreads. The only known treatment is music and leaving Hawkins. Sometimes, this curse goes away on its own. The other two outcomes are a) a stable persistence of the curse through the victim's life, or b) progress into Type 2. This curse is common for those who have survived the Upside Down. Often read as PTSD or schizophrenia by psychiatrists. Known victims: Will Byers, El Jane Hopper. Suspected victims: Nancy Wheeler.

Sometimes, a Type 1 curse will morph into a Type 2 curse, what we know as being flayed. This includes a slow infection of the victims mind as Vecna slowly overpowers them, to the point the person is lost entirely. The process can last up to 18 months, allowing Vecna's presence to go unnoticed for moths, even by the victim and their loved ones, but it can also be as quick as two weeks. Vecna does this in order to confuse people, create and control monsters, and have spies. Thankfully, there is a relatively easy treatment for this if detected early enough. It includes raising the temperature around the victim until Vecna releases their mind. A lot of the times the victim dies during this process. Known victims: Will Byers (cured), Billy Hargrove (†), Heather Holloway (†), Doris Driscoll (†).

The Type 3 curse is the worst and most dangerous one. It is preceded by nightmares and headaches, and it consists on hallucinations involving the victim's deepest fears, which makes it hard for hunters to detect on time since the visions are often so shameful that the victim will refuse to talk about it. Victims often report thinking they're going crazy. This type of curse is the most dangerous for both the victim and those around them, since it always results in the victim's death and the opening of a gate through it. It usually takes between one and two years for the curse to complete its cycle. The first victim Nancy saw with her own eyes was Max, who was the first person to ever survive one of Vecna's attack, though now she's in a coma with little hope of waking up. The hunters thought music would help - and it did, for a time, but it wasn't enough and now they're back to square 1. Currently, investigating, finding a cure and taking care of new victims has been assigned as Nancy and Jonathan's task. Known victims: Victor Creel, Chrissy Cunningham, Fred Benson, Patrick McKinney, Max Mayfield, Barbara Holland. Suspected victims: Robin Buckley.

The Hopper family has been keeping a written record of every supernatural thing that has happened in Hawkins for the past 40 years, though many statements and files are incomplete, or they're minor vampire or werewolf sightings, or they lead to dead ends. Plus Jim hasn't been taking care of it at all and now it's a disaster. Jonathan and Nancy spend a lot of time trying to fix that.

Will is currently being instructed by his mother in the tradition of monster hunting.

Will's friends have been trying to convince Joyce to let them become monster hunters too, but Joyce doesn't think it's a good idea. Nancy hates the idea of Mike becoming one, specifically.

Monster hunters don't go anywhere without at least a gun and a knife. Robin hates it when Nancy shows up to her house with weapons, because her parents hate guns and she's kinda uncomfortable with them.

Traditionally, monster hunters used to work with dogs and horses a lot. Dogs were useful to track down monsters, and they could fight or distract them, while horses allowed hunters to move quickly through the forest. Nowadays, Nancy, Jonathan and Jim Hopper, the most active hunters in Hawkins, prefer cars.

El and Will, being the youngest hunters, are often relegated to administrative work in Hopper's archive. Joyce can fight, but she's generally better with research and logistics. She's pretty much the leader of both the Byers AND the Hoppers, with Nancy being her right hand man.

Nancy often goes on small hunts alone. It's her way of channeling her anger.

Monster hunters get a (pretty miserable) earning from the oldest and wealthiest hunter families in the country, so they can dedicate themselves to hunting full-time. It's not much, and often more than one member will need to have a job on the side to maintain a full family, but it's something.

[vroomvroommuppett]

wheeler!reader hcs

so @jonathansonlysweetheart and i were talking about this au and i’ve decided to hc all we talked about

you were nancy’s twin

however, out of the four kids, you were the least important one

everyone forgot about you, even the party, or so you thought

ok will and el didn’t (and jonathan)

on yours and nancy’s 18th birthday, everyone celebrated nancy while you were left out

so you were home alone until you heard the door

you went to answer it and there stood jonathan

“jon, what are you doing here? shouldn’t you be celebrating the golden child?”

“yn, it’s your birthday too. and i prefer you over her”

you and jon had been friends growing up

you related to one another since you were the outcasts

which in turn made you develop feelings for him

so he took you to your spot and there was a picnic set up

“happy 18th birthday, ynn”

“thank you jonny”

you ate and then jonathan gave you your present

it was a necklace with a “j”

you were confused and he could tell

“ever since we met, i have felt something towards you and i realized it was my feelings. i’m in love with you yn wheeler.”

you smiled

“i’m in love with you too, jonathan byers”

“will you be my girlfriend”

you just nodded and kissed

he put the necklace on you and he took you to his home

when you got there and walked inside, joyce, el and will were there and saw you two were holding hands

will ran to you and hugged you

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY YN!”

“thanks willy”

el came up

“happy birthday, ynn”

“thanks sweetie”

“happy birthday, sweetie”

“thanks mama b. um is is ok if i stay the night? everyone’s going to be at the house celebrating the golden child”

you saw her face drop

“of course sweetheart. now that you’re together, you two can sleep together”

“MOM” “MAMA B”

“what? i’m just saying”

about an hour later hopper came home (he and joyce are married) and saw you and jonathan cuddling and will and el on the floor watching a movie

“happy birthday, yn”

“thanks hopper”

“please tell me he finally got the guts to tell you his feelings”

“yes he did”

“that’s my boy”

he left the room and went to joyce

“um why aren’t they celebrating with everyone else? did i miss the party?”

“no. as per usual everyone, except will and jonathan, went to the wheeler’s to celebrate the golden child, even though it’s both hers and nancy’s birthdays”

hopper saw you as a daughter and was furious with what he heard

“how long has this been going on”

“her whole life. she’s tried to prove time and time again that she’s smart, but they don’t pay attention. she’s valedictorian. she won over nancy, and her parents are upset that she’s valedictorian and not nancy”

“ill be back”

“nope not going to happen”

“fine”

the monday after your birthday, you and jonathan stayed attached at the hip

thankfully you had all your classes together

steve tried coming up to you two but you both ignored him

robin did too and you ignored her

even the younger kids got the silent treatment (except will and el)

time skip to your shared graduation party and hopper wanted revenge for them leaving you out so he had an idea

“hi everyone. now i know most of you are here for nancy, but i’m not. i’m here for yn. and if yn wasn’t graduating then i wouldn’t be here. i have seen her grow into this amazing person, worthy of love and praise. she was valedictorian for crying out loud. but what did you do? you belittled her because it was suppose to be nancy’s. her whole life she’s proven herself to you. to all of you. and you just forget about her. out of all the wheeler’s she’s my favorite. that’s right everyone i have a favorite wheeler. as you also know, joyce and i got married so my cabin has been deserted. so for my graduation gift, i am gifting the cabin to yn and her boyfriend, jonathan. congratulations sweetheart”

you got up from jonathan’s lap and went up front and hugged hopper

“thank you.”

you turned and faced everyone

“hi you might know me as the forgotten child, but i’m a wheeler. i have learned my whole life what it’s like to be the forgotten one. the belittled one. the dumb one. the other wheeler. and i’m done. this past year, the byers-hopper have been more of a family to me than my own blood. so this is my formal announcement that after today, while i’ll still be a wheeler until i get married, i’m cutting ties with my family. all i wanted was for you to be proud of me. and while i might not be with a rich boy, i’m happy, and i don’t care about what you think about jonathan and me. he makes me happy. oh and i got into all the ivy league schools, but you wouldn’t know that because you never paid attention to me. but i’m not going. part of the reason is jonathan, but the other part is i don’t need to prove to you anything. thank you”

you got off stage and the byers-hopper family was proud of you

when you were about to leave, your parents came up

“we’re sorry.”

“it’s to late for that. eighteen years too late”

6 months later your family and the party found out you and jonathan got married

they were all upset with themselves for how they treated you

you even started calling joyce and hopper mom and dad

el and will came over to the cabin for movie nights weekly while jopper went on dates

a few months after getting married you found out you were pregnant

you named your daughter khloe joyce byers

you had more kids as well, and eventually moved into a house

you would see your family in town but neither of you would approach the other

as for you and nancy?

well let’s just say you two haven’t made up

i got carried away

[pickledpascal]

You're Not Alone in This World

Chapter Twelve

Warnings: a little bit of uncomfy flirting

Word Count: 5k

You're Not Alone in This World Masterlist

Previous Chapter |

Elijah Kamski.

The father of modern robotics. He created life from wires, plastic, and few different chemicals mixed together. A new form of blood. Blue, so humans would know the difference. In some ways, he was God. A few steps down from him, nearly the same level as Andrea.

Elijah was a smart man. But he was also lonely. Perhaps that's why he created androids, to make something that would never leave him. A partner that would always stay no matter how much they probably should have. Elijah wasn't the most… easy to get along with. After creating androids, his ego inflated to an exponential degree. 

He was a genius. It was time everyone else knew. However, this isolated him more. Paranoia grew from seemingly nowhere.

People would use him, wouldn't they? To get funds, to get attention, to get anything they could from him. He wanted… no, needed, to isolate himself from all the attention he was getting. Spending a decade at the forefront of the public mind could do a lot to a person. 

—---

2034, August 11th 

Andrea Cartier was a fresh Lieutenant after being a plain old detective for several years prior. It wasn't hard to feel pride in herself, she knew she deserved it. Her record was clean and nearly any case that made its way to her desk was solved within the following days. Sometimes weeks, depending on how demanding the case was. 

She attended the police banquet held in downtown Detroit. Unfortunately, Hank couldn't make it, considering the fact that he wanted to drink himself to near death in the privacy of his own home and not be surrounded by people who would likely detain him for it.

Hank was Andrea's best, and only, friend. So she was alone. Sure, she could talk to Tina and her wife but it wasn't the same. They didn't know her. Not really. Whatever. Andrea would do anything for free food. 

She decided it might be best to wear some sort of dress to the event so she wore a black floor–length evening gown that hugged her body in all the right places. It was sleeveless so it showed off her tattooed arms. Perhaps a police event wasn't the best place to wear such a thing but Andrea didn't have many other formal clothes. She'd need to get more later on, especially if she decided to go to more events like these. 

There were a few food tables, some with different sorts of drinks and small hor dourve trays around. Compared to everything else, the tea sandwiches seemed to be the most appetizing. So Andrea decided to simply eat those. She barely paid attention to the actual ceremony. Occasionally, she'd listen to some speeches being made by people who were giving thanks or something of the sort to others in the audience or people who couldn't be there to celebrate with them. 

Like Hank. 

Distracted by the sandwiches, Andrea thought about Hank. He was like a father to her. Which was saying something because she was far older than him. Hank just… had that fatherly feeling. He'd worry about her but was strict on how she shouldn't worry about him. It was a strange dichotomy—their relationship. For someone like Andrea to take a liking to Hank, it took a lot. Thankfully, they had a lot of time together—considering the fact that they worked together nearly every day.

"Hello…" Said a masculine voice from behind Andrea. She turned, assuming the person was addressing her. "And who might you be?" 

Elijah Kamski, in the flesh. Likely there just to be thanked for a few new police androids given to the precinct by Cyberlife. And he was talking to her? Why?

Andrea suddenly became extra aware of her attire. She didn't know much about Elijah but she knew a lot about men. "Lieutenant Cartier." She responded as politely as possible. She didn't like new people. Especially when she wasn't around others she knew. 

"Oh? A lieutenant. I thought Anderson was the only lieutenant in the DPD." Elijah moved closer to Andrea. She could see his intentions from a mile away.

The lieutenant cocked an eyebrow at Kamski. How did he know who Hank was? Then the pieces started to be put in place. Gavin mentioned having a brother. A twin. Kamski did look eerily similar to the slimy detective. Maybe a bit worse with his… sterile-ness. It looked too unnatural. 

Andrea nibbled on a sandwich and took a small swig from a champagne glass. "I was just promoted a few days ago. Might be why you haven't heard of me." She offered with a light smile. 

Kamski looked deep in thought for a moment and Andrea had half a mind to just get herself out of there. "No, I believe I know you. What's your first name again?" 

She never gave it but strangely felt inclined to. "Andrea."

"Ah, yes, my brother's coworker Andrea." Kamski smiled, an amused look in his eyes. Likely from a memory he shared with Gavin. He glanced up and down at Andrea. "He never quite explained just how beautiful you were. I imagine it was because he was too busy arguing with you about… whatever." He observed Andrea for a few seconds. "Not a fan of parties?"

The woman shrugged. "Not exactly. I'll go anywhere for free food. I'm just not the biggest fan of… police parties." She admitted with a small laugh. The money spent on these parties could go towards something a bit more productive for the city. Only the Gods know how much they really need it. 

"Says the police officer." Kamski joked softly. 

"Yes, well… I'm not your typical police officer." That was putting it plainly but Andrea had gotten used to the irony and hilarity of her job as well as her being. 

Kamski nodded, waving his hands around slightly. "Certainly don't see ones as beautiful as you every day." 

Andrea cocked an eyebrow at his attempt at flirting and silently took a sip of her champagne just to let the man think about what he just did for a few minutes. Really let him sit in embarrassment. If he even felt embarrassment. Andrea wasn't sure if that was an emotion most adult human men felt. At the very least, Kamski didn't feel it. He remained composed with a light mischievous smile on the edges of his lips. 

"Would you mind if I gave you my number? You're a good listener." Kamski offered. Thank the Gods he didn't ask for her number or Andrea might have had to have a word with him. 

Pursing her lips, Andrea thought for a moment. She didn't particularly like Elijah. Maybe that'd change in a setting not like the one they were currently in. Aw, what the hell? What did she have to lose? 

Her dignity, most likely. 

But she already lost that a long time ago. Couldn't get worse than that, could it?

—---

2034, August 13th

Summer was slowly starting to wear off, stagnating at a cool 70 degrees. Compared to the recent 100–degree weather, it was heaven–sent. But, Detroit being Detroit, most people still wore shorts and a tank top just as a precaution. Andrea could care less if she sweated through her long–sleeved shirts and jeans. It was a style choice. 

At least Kamski lived on the Lake so he had a bit of a breeze. Andrea took a deep breath of fresh air and smiled slightly. The lake looked especially clear and sparkly that day. Enticing to swim in. Perhaps it was her brother. Toying with her. So she refrained. 

Andrea pushed herself off the side of her car and made her way to the front door of Kamski's house. The house itself looked completely out of place. Like someone decided to spray–paint a misshapen brick gray and left it out. More like a prison than a home. 

Before Andrea even got the chance to press the doorbell, the door was opened. In the doorway stood an average–sized blonde woman. Her hair was in a bun and she wore a blue knee-length dress. "Oh, I'm sorry—" When finally in full view of the woman, Andrea noticed her LED. She wasn't sure why she wasn't expecting an android to be in Elijah's house. 

"It's alright, Lieutenant Cartier." The android smiled gratefully. "My name is Chloe. Elijah has been expecting you." She stood off to the side in order to let Andrea inside. "He has informed me this is more of an informal gathering so I've prepared a snack board. As well as a few drinks, I hope you like wine." She led Andrea through the slightly haunting foyer into the kitchen.

The kitchen wasn't much better. Like the foyer, the walls were a light gray with different wall art and sculptures around. Andrea noticed one of them was made by Carl Manfred. An artist she liked. Not so much as to buy some of his art. It was incredibly expensive. She knew of a few that went for hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

Elijah was in similar attire to what he wore at the banquet, sans the blazer. A simple maroon sweater and some black slacks. His hair was in a bun as well. 

Andrea glanced down at her own clothes. A T-shirt, a brown leather jacket, and some ripped jeans. They looked like polar opposites. She laughed internally. Couldn't be more accurate. 

"It's nice to meet you, Chloe." The lieutenant smiled in thanks, nodding her head. "Perhaps I'll see you again?" She offered as she turned her gaze to face Kamski's.

Chloe nodded as she left the room, a light blue blush on her face. One that Andrea didn't notice. 

"I was afraid you wouldn't show up." Kamski admitted, taking a sip of one of the wine glasses on the counter.

Andrea cocked an eyebrow. "Why? Because you're… you?" The woman shrugged and grabbed a few things from the snack board. "Weirdly, I find you… fascinating. The man who gave life to so many people. It has to be… interesting." She pursed her lips in thought.

While Andrea was a God, she did not bring life into the world. Her existence helped lives to be made and even saved a few thousand but it was never as direct as what Kamski was able to do. Her followers simply prayed at a full moon for children and, perhaps, by the next one, they would conceive. Andrea was not the goddess of fertility nor of anything motherhood related but she could pull a few strings. 

Kamski cocked an eyebrow at Andrea. They would get along just fine… or so it seemed.

—---

2039, August 30th

The familiar gray slate door sat in front of Andrea. Almost foreboding. She was nervous. Connor could tell by her twitching fingers and the way she felt the need to shift her weight between her legs. After a while of simply staring at the door, Andrea pressed the doorbell. She was glad she didn't come alone. Connor was one of the most stable things in her life. Besides her siblings. Although, most of them were far from stable. 

Connor took her hand and offered a smile. "You're gonna be okay." It was a little… funny to see someone as powerful as Andrea be so nervous about seeing someone they haven't seen in a while. 

"True. But I still feel weird as hell." Andrea whispered with a huff. 

"And that's totally normal." Connor reasoned.

The door opened. It was Chloe. Except she didn't have an LED in anymore, her hair was down, and instead of her usual elegant blue dress, she wore jeans and a T-shirt. A smile made its way onto her face instantly when she saw Andrea. She opened the door wider. 

"Hey." Chloe hummed, hugging Andrea tightly. "It's nice to see you again." Her eyes darted to Connor who just gave her an awkward smile. 

The more she thought about it, this was likely a lot more anxiety-inducing for Connor since he had almost killed Chloe for the sake of Kamski proving his deviancy. Andrea couldn't imagine Connor ever going through with it though. She imagined he would have always been deviant. However, there could always be another universe where he wasn't. Where their relationship didn't exist… where he was just a machine. 

Andrea thanked the universe she wasn't in that world. 

She liked Nines but he was still very reserved when it came to showing his emotions. Andrea loved Connor because he was a deviant. Because he knew how to handle his emotions, mostly. And if he didn't, he'd ask. The victim of his questions would either be Hank or Andrea herself. However, Andrea found his questions cute. She was glad he could be so open with her. 

As they entered Kamski’s house, Andrea could feel the nostalgia rushing into her chest. The foyer didn’t change much from the last time she was there. A few small plants were added to liven the place up a little bit. It was needed. 

Andrea wondered if Kamski would ever move because this house was so… Not warm. She couldn’t imagine waking up every day in this house and feeling good about her life. Though, she and Kamski were very different people. 

“Elijah just finished cooking, you came just in time.” Chloe smiled as she led them through the house. 

Kamski cooked? Andrea had to be honest, she didn’t know he could cook. She assumed he was helpless in the kitchen since he had Chloe cook most of their meals when she came over in the past. Chloe noticed Andrea’s questioning look and let out a small laugh. 

“To be honest, I thought you might be late.” Kamski said as they entered the kitchen. His eyes ran over Connor as he smiled slightly. “Hello, Connor. It’s nice to see you again… under a less stressful situation.” This was awkward for Kamski too. Just a little bit. “Well… who’s ready to eat?”

The dinner at Kamski’s was actually very nice. They talked briefly about everything that happened between the last time Andrea saw him and now. It was… a lot. Especially since they couldn’t talk about what really happened. While Andrea did trust Kamski with her life, she didn’t trust him with a secret. That may change. He seemed a lot less… deceptive than he used to be. Andrea would give it a few weeks to see if those feelings would go away. 

Besides that, Andrea was glad Kamski made some thirium-based foods so Connor could widen his palette. Lately, he’s been on a souvlaki kick. Partly because Andrea would occasionally make them for her lunches and, as soon as Connor got his hands on one, he became addicted. Now, instead of packing one lunch, Andrea would pack for two. Connor didn’t want to admit it but he was almost human appetite-wise. 

Walking into the precinct the next day felt a little weird. Everything was just off. Everyone was staring at Andrea and not for the usual reasons. She could tell. Even Gavin, the renowned asshole he was, was quiet. So quiet that Andrea was concerned for his health. She did arrive earlier than her usual time but it wasn’t like she was always late so this was some sort of accomplishment for her. If that was the case, Andrea would be more like Hank. 

Andrea leaned over to Connor’s desk, eyes narrowed as she watched Tina who was trying to act like she wasn’t staring at her. For a cop, she was horrible at acting not suspicious. “Why’s everyone staring at me?” She whispered. “It’s unnerving as hell.” Connor simply shrugged, typing at an inhuman rate on his terminal. Andrea huffed. Connor was in on it which meant was of no help.

Did they know what she was? No. Andrea shook her head. If they did, she would’ve been fired as soon as they found out and Connor would have told her if they knew. He wasn’t cruel. In fact, quite the opposite. It’s not that he wouldn’t hurt a fly… it was more that he wouldn’t prolong its suffering. A quick headshot would get the job done without the need for a messy fight. Connor gave Andrea a reassuring look, nudging her slightly. He could sense her stress levels were getting higher. 

“Cartier!” Andrea jumped at the sudden calling of her name. Her coworkers were making her uneasy with all the staring. “ In my office!” Whatever it was, she’d have to worry about it later. Fowler needed her. 

Connor smiled softly at Andrea as she stood with a huff. Was it so hard just to come out of his office and tell her they needed to talk in private? It seemed like it was for Fowler. Connor watched as his partner left when, suddenly, Nines and Hank appeared next to him. 

“Does she have any idea what’s happening?” Hank asked in a muffled voice, part of a pink glazed donut halfway in his mouth. Connor allowed this because, at the very least, it was healthier than alcohol. Nines glanced at Connor. He had the same thing on his mind.

“I don’t think so.” Connor admitted with a light shrug. Since getting to know Andrea, it was far easier to read her unlike when they first met. The air of mystery around her was gone. But he would occasionally have trouble. Andrea, like some humans he knew, was paradoxical. Contradictory. Complex. Confusing… “I believe she is more concerned that the precinct knows the truth about her.”

Nines scoffed as a light laugh escaped his lips. Humans were stupid. They’d never find out because of their own ignorance towards the truth. Connor and Hank stared blankly at Nines. The blue-eyed android stared back with narrowed eyes. 

“Did you just–”

“No.”

Fowler glanced up at Andrea once she entered his glass case of an office. “You may want to sit down.” He offered. The comment just made Andrea feel more uneasy. She sat down across from Fowler. Was she getting fired? For what? To Fowler’s knowledge, she did nothing against the law. Nothing that could be a fireable offense. Unless someone was trying to blackmail her somehow. “You’re overthinking too much.” His words cut through Andrea.

Andrea pursed her lips before she let out a breath. “What did you want to talk about?”

“You’re a good kid, Andrea.” Andrea was far from a kid but took the compliment anyway. “You’re a great leader in times of chaos, you’re a helluva detective, I’ve known you for years and you don’t take bullshit. I like that about you. I trust you.” That certainly sounded like he was about to say, ‘I’m sorry, we have to let you go’ to Andrea. She remained quiet to let the man continue. “I’m getting old, if I wasn’t bald, my hair would probably be gray. I want to spend time with the wife and my kids. I don’t want to be living in stress for the rest of my life. I think you might be able to handle it…” Andrea stared, confused. Was he..? “I’m retiring. And I want the next Captain to be someone I trust to run this precinct better than I ever have. I think that person can be you.”

Andrea felt her heart drop to her feet. Be Captain? She had never thought about it before. She assumed the position would go to someone like Hank. While Andrea was experienced, she thought Fowler would go for someone with more experience than she had. Someone who joined fresh out of the academy and worked until they were fifty or sixty. 

Fowler continued after a few moments. “Would you want to have that kind of responsibility?” Being Captain of the DPD would be the least of Andrea’s worries. 

“It would be…” Andrea took a deep breath. “An honor.” 

Fowler smiled. A genuine smile. “Good. Cause I had no other options.” He admitted. “I’ll get things in order on my end to hand the precinct over to you. We’ll probably have a little party or something. I don’t know, Tina said she’d handle it. You’re dismissed.”

Andrea chuckled. Of course, Tina would handle it. “That’s the last time you’re gonna be able to do that.” She said as she walked towards the office exit.

“Yeah…”

“So, Captain Cartier…” Hank smirked as Andrea got back to her desk. “That does sound nice, doesn’t it, Connor?” The android in question nodded, a wide smile on his lips.

Andrea shook her head as a crowd formed around her. “You were all in on it, weren’t you?” She laughed, rolling her eyes with affection. 

“I mean, it’s partly Hank’s fault.” Tina admitted. Andrea cocked an eyebrow at the lieutenant.

Hank shrugged, “Me and Fowler hang out occasionally at this jazz bar. He was talking about retirement and shit like that. We all know it wasn’t gonna be me. I’m still a mess, just… in a contained area right now.”

Andrea’s eyes softened with sympathy for Hank. She knew Hank didn’t take it personally but she couldn’t help feeling slightly guilty. Even if Fowler and Hank were similar in age… Hank was of retirement age too. 

“You deserve it, Andrea.” Connor set a hand on her shoulder. Overthinking was one of Andrea’s greatest vices. He knew he couldn’t change that about her but perhaps he could ease some of the pain it caused her. “You will be a great Captain. I know it.”

Chris nodded in agreement, “Yeah. Plus, you’ll get your own office now! Away from Gavin.” He teased, knowing the detective in question was listening intently from his desk. 

That was a plus. Another plus was the ability to fire him if she needed to. Though, Andrea had a feeling Gavin would be a lot less of an asshole with her in charge. Daniel… she wasn’t so sure of. She’d have to gauge it when she becomes Captain. 

“Not to mention…” Tina smirked, “You get a rocking first-day party next week planned by yours truly.” She winked. “Now…. what’s your favorite foods? Because I already have some baklava and spanakopita on my list but I don’t know if that's like a Greek stereotype or if you actually like that. So let me know.” Andrea was about to respond. “Actually, text me 'cause I probably won’t remember off the top of my head.” Andrea had to suppress a laugh as she nodded. She did like Greek food but it wasn’t the only kind of food she ate. 

Connor and Nines shared an amused look. Connor was proud of his lover. She absolutely deserved this. She was so kind and loving and yet was full of so much self-doubt that it pained Connor to see her feel like she was undeserving of every good thing that came her way. He blamed it on the weight of the world (or moon) on her shoulders. Nines was proud of his friend. She was nothing but kind to him, even at the beginning of his deviancy. He appreciated her honesty. Why wouldn’t the Goddess of Justice be honest? Well, with those she trusted.

—----

2039, September 7th

At approximately 10:00 am

The police station was decorated with banners and fliers donned with “CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR PROMOTION!!!” strewn all around the office. Andrea was almost done moving her things into the Captain’s office. She seemed happy enough and that’s all Connor could ask for. The entire precinct staff was there including a retired Fowler, Kamski, Chloe, Markus, North, Simon, and Josh. The Jericho leaders were happy to see someone who cared about their people put in a higher position of power in the precinct. Andrea may not be able to do much when it came to government but she’d judge the victims and suspects of the precinct fairly. 

With a breath, Andrea left her new office and grabbed a spanakopita from the break room. She appreciated the party as a gesture but it wasn’t something she needed. Connor spotted Andrea and made his way over to her. He could tell something was eating away at her. “Pos eisai agapi mou??” He whispered in Greek, eyebrows furrowed. 

TRANSLATION:

My love, how are you doing?

Surprised, Andrea looked up at Connor. She knew Connor was an android, therefore he had a million different dialects programmed into him but she never heard him speak her language before. “Eímai entáxei.” She eventually responded in Greek as she took another bite of her snack. “Aplá synklonisménos.” She was glad she had a family, earthly and divine. 

TRANSLATION: 

I’m alright. Just overwhelmed.

However, they were very different from each other. Andrea would be glad to see any of her siblings or nieces and nephews besides Poseidon. Olympus was rarely empty but the realm of the Gods didn’t feel like home anymore. Before Connor, Andrea wondered if she could reside on the Moon in the same way Poseidon resided in his realm of the Sea. Now, she didn’t see the need for that. 

“Vlépo...” Connor pursed his lips. “Would you like to go outside? I believe the moon is visible in the sky since it’s a clear day.” He offered softly. He could tell that simply seeing the moon helped re-energize Andrea. He wasn’t exactly sure why but he equated it to her being a Goddess. 

TRANSLATION:

I see…

With a nod, Andrea followed Connor outside. The moon was full. It looked like a perfectly round cloud in the middle of the blue sky. Andrea visibly calmed, leaning against a wall as she looked up at it. Connor intertwined their hands, pressing a kiss to her cheek. He could feel the tension leaving her body. He was glad he could have that effect on her. 

The pair stayed there for a while until Andrea turned towards Connor. “I think I’m good now.” Connor knew she needed to decompress, becoming Captain would be stressful for anyone. 

Connor hummed in response, admiring the way Andrea’s chest rose and fell with her breathing. Simply knowing the beat of her heart calmed him. He wasn’t sure why. “Would you like to go back inside? Tina might mind but if you want to go home…” Connor’s eyes flicked up to her deep blue ones. 

Andrea’s eyes flickered with something dark. “Giatí? Tha boroúsate loipón na échete mazí mou?” She knew Connor loved it when she spoke her native language. And he knew she’d use it to her advantage. 

TRANSLATION:

Why? So you could have your way with me?

Another side effect of the full moon. Andrea’s libido would rise exponentially. The daylight suppressed it but at night… Connor couldn’t wait for night. 

“Don’t think you want your first time to be in an alleyway, Connor.” Kamski teased. He was leaning just outside the doorway back into the precinct. 

Right. Connor only knew of Andrea’s change of… desire at a full moon because she told him. Not because he had any experience with Andrea like that. She was partial to simply locking herself in her room if it became too bad. 

Kamski watched the pair for a moment. “You two need to come back inside. Chloe wants to talk to you.” He glanced at Andrea. “Nothing serious, in case you’re wondering. And I think Hank might explode if Nines keeps barring him from the cake.” 

“Wait, you didn’t tell me there was cake.” Andrea’s eyes widened. While she was partial to Greek sweets, cake was one of her favorite desserts ever. Chocolate with strawberries was her favorite. 

“Yeah. Chocolate…oop. And she’s gone.” Kamski and Connor watched as Andrea ran inside to get a piece. He leaned over to Connor, eyes still trained on Andrea. “Does she still eat a coffee cake almost every morning for breakfast?”

Connor’s eyebrows furrowed. “Yes.” How did Kamski know that?

“Good to know some things never change.” Kamski laughed. Much like his relationship with his brother. That didn’t change. And it probably never would. He then motioned for Connor to come inside so he could close the door.

Connor did. On his way to the main bullpen, he admired his surroundings. The Jericho leaders were talking with Nines, Chloe, and Hank, Chris, Tina, and Sarah were bickering over something, Daniel and Gavin seemed to have a nice rapport (while both awful people, Connor felt glad they could have each other) while Andrea was in the middle of cutting a slice of cake for herself. The cake, as Kamski explained, was chocolate with cream cheese icing and was decorated in a deep blue color and white lettering that read:

HAPPY PROMOTION DAY!!!

It also had a moon in the top right corner as well as a few stars. When Connor asked Tina about it when she brought it in she said “I dunno, Andrea just seems like star and moon girly to me.” Oh, how true that was. 

Andrea took a bite of the cake and hummed. “It’s a little sad there’s no thirium in this or I would offer you some. It’s so good.” She bounced a little out of happiness. 

[Note to self: next time Andrea gets sad, bake her a cake]

“I’m glad you like it.” Connor smiled after a moment of his LED whirring yellow. 

Andrea coughed, setting down her plate as she looked up at Connor. “I know you helped put all this together.” Her eyes softened. Connor knew she’d find out eventually. Although, he wasn’t too concerned about it being a secret. “S'agapó.” She took his hand as she set one of hers on his jaw. “Eísai o ílios apó ton opoío to fengári mou paírnei to fos tou.” Her eyes were so soft. So deep that Connor could see himself getting washed away in them, like the ocean. He didn’t mind. 

TRANSLATION:

You are the sun from which my moon gets its light.

Connor’s LED turned pink. Hot pink. Previously, Andrea wasn’t one to express her love in so many words. He liked it. Perhaps she was more comfortable doing it in her native language. 

From across the room, Kamski and Chloe watched the exchange. Everyone else was too busy talking or trying to get a little work done. “You think I should fix that?” Kamski spoke. The pink LED phenomenon wasn’t something he’d seen in an android before. Whether that was because most deviants took off their LED after deviancy or some other thing, he wasn’t sure. Was it a bug? If so, it seemed only Connor had it. 

“No.” Chloe tilted her head slightly as she watched the pair share a kiss. “She likes it.” 

[brckenbadass]

@freezegirl asked: headcanon question: is there a particular reason why maya fights crime as the blonde beauty instead of coining super[girl/woman/etc] as a name, beyond her being blonde?

( random headcanon questions (always accepting) )

maya went into this knowing she needed to do something to keep herself separated from her and 'aunt' kara. she went into this knowing there'd already be suspicions with a random kryptonian kid showing up, fighting crime. she knew she had to be smart and careful, in some ways at least. so chose to use a name that wouldn't be tied to her family. chose to forgo the 'super' moniker and use a name that would be unique to her and wouldn't have it as easy for her to be recognized as a 'super'. she chose the blonde beauty because, well, as said - she's blonde. and because it felt like a fitting enough name. and it was all done more so to keep suspicions from being raised amongst her dad and the rest of her family, less so than for the general public. that's also why she wears a mask. of course, it's also to keep her secret identity secret. but she has to keep it from her family too, so.

however, maya couldn't deny herself from having at least one little tie to her family, to her father, so that's why the 'b' on her costume in the same font as the house of el crest. thankfully, no one ever seems to catch on.

[itwas50yearsagotoday]

My Top 125 songs of 1973

12/31/23: Greetings! This is my last annual top songs list, the Top 125 songs of 1973, as I will be retiring the blog when I turn 50 in seventeen days. It's been an awesome journey all-around, but lets stick with '73 on this post. Only one song asterisked this year as a new-to-me song. All of these songs rate 82 out of 100 or higher (see previous post somewhere that describes my rating system). One of the themes I've been discussing over the year is decline, that is the decline in quality of mainstream artists' material--sometimes this is just slightly less, and other times it is a major decline. Probably the worst offender is Deep Purple, who released a huge stinker of a record following arguably their best effort; Yes also is in this category with their four-side ugly behemoth. Then there are just slightly inferior records like Houses of the Holy, Quadrophenia, and Goats Head Soup. That said, there are several artists that released excellent records like Pink Floyd, EL&P, Elton John, Neil Young, Blue Oyster Cult, Paul McCartney (Wings), Genesis, Steely Dan, Roxy Music (x2!), Caravan, Stevie Wonder, Black Sabbath, Mott the Hoople, the Stooges, and, of course, Gentle Giant. Finally, 1973 would feature many newbies including Aerosmith, Bruce Springsteen, and Billy Joel. One may ask 'where are all the women?'… yes, it's a travesty, I know. Thankfully this would get much better over time. But for now, here's my top 125 of the year that was 1973:

10CC 'Rubber Bullets'…like Steely Dan and Sparks, some good old SmArt Rock here… great story song too about a jail riot

Abba 'Ring Ring'…too bad we can't get more into Abba on this blog, but at least you get a taste here

Aerosmith 'Dream On'… song wasn't a hit until a couple years later… probably the one Aerosmith song EVERYONE knows (even my teenage sons)

Aerosmith 'Movin' Out'… as sinister as B.O.C. but they mean it!

Aerosmith 'Somebody'… now there's a dirty-ass opening riff

Alice Cooper 'Unfinished Sweet'… I dig the James Bond shit in the middle; they shoulda used his song for The Man With the Golden Gun

Brian Auger 'Happiness Is Just Around the Bend'… in all the darkness of this year, a more friendly tune

Roy Ayers 'Coffy Is the Color'… blaxploitation fare at its best

Bachman-Turner Overdrive 'Let It Ride'… I like the frequent mood changes in this essential Classic Rock tune

The Beach Boys 'Sail on Sailor'… the last Beach Boys song that we can take as serious art? maybe… but what about 'Kokomo'?

Black Sabbath 'A National Acrobat'… Iommi just tears it UP on this song, probably my favorite Sabbath song ever

Black Sabbath 'Killing Yourself to Live'… an anti-drug song, how ironic

Black Sabbath 'Sabbra Cadabra'… quintessential Sabbath riff and fast-paced melody

Blue Ash 'Abracadabra (Have You Seen Her?)'… Power Pop strikes again--if any interest in this genre, the album is a must-listen

Blue Ash 'Wasting My Time'… doing their Beatles impression, much respect

Blue Oyster Cult '7 Screaming Diz-Busters'… don't know what it means, don't care… the slow-down in the middle is too cool

Blue Oyster Cult 'Baby Ice Dog'… owoooooooo!!!

Blue Oyster Cult 'Hot Rails to Hell'… feels like it says it is

Blue Oyster Cult 'The Red & the Black', 'O.D.'d on Life Itself'… I usually combine these two songs as they flow into each other nicely… great way to open BOC's arguably best record

David Bowie 'The Jean Genie'… classic Bowie blues rock stomp

Tim Buckley 'Stone In Love'… a pretty good place to start with Tim Buckley, but don't expect the rest of his material to be this accessible

Budgie 'Breadfan'… Metallica's cover is great, almost as great as the original by this underrated power trio

Buffalo 'Sunrise (Come My Way)'… the only new song on this list that I didn't know before… it's pretty epic*

Captain Beyond 'Evil Men'… a little bit Sabbath, little bit BOC

Caravan 'C'Thlu C'Thlu'… one of my favorite songs ever, they get the marching of the beast during the bridge just right

Caravan 'Hoedown'… funny, EL&P had their own 'Hoedown' in '72, but a completely different song… not sure which is better, as both are fun little prog workouts

Caravan 'Memory Lain, Hugh Headloss'… this tune sounds like it could be the soundtrack of an epic journey, or maybe a lavish game show

Chicago 'Feelin' Stronger Every Day'… talk about a mood-booster, seriously… the song is an anti-depressant… the band's A.M. apex

Chicago 'Just You 'n' Me'… a Chicago love song before they sucked

Deep Purple 'Woman From Tokyo'… the Purple's last stand… forget anything else that follows it (even on the same album… especially on the same album!)

The Doobie Brothers 'China Grove'… Classic Rock perfectly distilled, I can recall a KSHE rival advertising their station using this song sometime around 1990

The Doobie Brothers 'Long Train Running'… almost didn't make the list, but it just such a seminal Rock tune… plus it feels like a fucking train

The Doobie Brothers 'Without You'… not as well known by the Doobs, but it's a total rocker, and Johnston's singing sounds great

Electric Light Orchestra 'Showdown'… knowing more about the Move now, I can tell this was an evolution from that sound

Emerson, Lake & Palmer 'Jerusalem'… English poetry turned into a song, turned into another song… if I were unabashedly British this would be my song of national pride

Emerson, Lake & Palmer 'Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression (part one)'… the part you probably don't know but should

Emerson, Lake & Palmer 'Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression (part two)'… the part you might know, if you're so inclined

Emerson, Lake & Palmer 'Toccata'… a modern classical music song (1960) turned into prog… it works

Faces 'Silicone Grown'… ode to fake boobs… how did THIS song not get airplay on Classic Rock radio? Seriously, they play the shit out of Rod's solo stuff (from Every Picture), but this is a sloppy, drunken masterpiece

Fleetwood Mac 'Hypnotized'… height of Bob Welch's involvement (he should be in the R&R HOF with the rest of the Mac incarnations, fucking morons)

Funkadelic 'Nappy Dugout'… not enough Black music on this list, but this is a great funk song--quite a title, ahem

J. Geils Band 'Did You No Wrong'… dig the tappy-tap shoes at the beginning

Genesis 'Dancing With the Moonlit Knight'… takes a minute to get going but worth the journey, excellent album opener

Genesis 'Firth of Fifth'… Genesis' best song, bar none… Hackett's guitar solo is something to behold--goosebumps, man

Gentle Giant 'Runaway'… clever intro with the glass breaking to the beat

Gentle Giant 'Way of Life'… progressive rock that defies description… the song's got this frantic, almost-Disco like, drumbeat at the beginning, but turns into a beautiful wall of sound by the end, one of this weirdo band's greatest

Gong 'The Pothead Pixies'… yep, they are

Grand Funk Railroad 'We're an American Band'… yep, they are!

Hall and Oates 'Abandoned Luncheonette'… besides kinda corny lyrics in the verses, it is the chorus that just rules with those faux-Buckmaster strings, holy shit the shiver

Hall and Oates 'She's Gone'… the duo's first hit, and wouldn't be their last (duh!)

Herbie Hancock 'Watermelon Man'… this whole jazz-funk album is uniformly excellent, but this workout is probably the most accessible

Hawkwind 'Brainbox Pollution'… perhaps one of the greatest B-side singles ever

Lee Hazlewood 'Poet, Fool or Bum'… "Bum!" (stole that from a critic describing a contemporary album review)

Billy Joel 'The Piano Man'… where it all started for Mr. William Joel

Elton John 'All the Young Girls Love Alice'… this album rocks, and this is a quintessential number from it

Elton John 'Bennie and the Jets'… a song I've both loved and loathed and loved again, one of EJ and Bernie's best

Elton John 'Funeral For a Friend / Love Lies Bleeding'… an eleven minute epic worth every second… one of the best album-openers of all time

Elton John 'Grey Seal'… don't skip this very 1973-ish gem--crazy coda!

Kool and the Gang 'Hollywood Swinging'… happy slow funk, if that's possible

Led Zeppelin 'Dancing Days'… I think this side opener comes off as generic initially, but it rewards the listener over time

Led Zeppelin 'D'yer Mak'er'… that's "Jamaica" in Cockney… for 'reggae' it's not bad, and it actually reached #20 on the Billboard charts (!!)

Led Zeppelin 'No Quarter'… LZ not necessarily at their hardest, but perhaps their gloomiest

Led Zeppelin 'Over the Hills and Far Away'… I think this has something to do with Tolkien

Led Zeppelin 'Song Remains the Same'… great album opener for a great album, it rocks (surprised it doesn't get more airplay)

Led Zeppelin 'The Ocean'… perfect album closer (okay after their previous album closer)

Led Zeppelin 'The Rain Song'… can Zeppelin actually write a love song?? Yes they can!!

Lynyrd Skynyrd 'Free Bird'… you know it--the ending jam makes this song a bonafide CR standard

Lynyrd Skynyrd 'I Ain't the One'… kind of an unexpected first album opener for what is essentially THE Southern Rock band par-excellence, as it has all that weird Hendrix-like backwards shit, but then it turns swampy and it's awesome

Paul McCartney & Wings 'Band on the Run'… finally, McCartney making some consistent tunes again!

Paul McCartney & Wings 'Jet'… feels like a dinosaur wandering into your living room

Paul McCartney & Wings 'Live and Let Die'… one of the greatest James Bond themes ever

Paul McCartney & Wings 'Nineteen Hundred and Eighty-Five'… dig the Moog all over this one, and I like how it ties up the album as a loose concept

Mott the Hoople 'All the Way to Memphis'… some little known R&R that should be more well-known IMO (at least it was in that Scorsese movie)

Mott the Hoople 'Whizz Kid'… simple little song about poor twenty-somethings living in NYC… gotta great melody, and it rocks

The O'Jays 'For the Love of Money'… you probably know it as 'money money money mon-ay… MON-ay!', but don't dismiss because the song gets down and dirty quick… I can't believe this groovy funk-pop song wasn't in a Blaxploitation flick

Danny O'Keefe 'Madgalena'… this is just a purty song here… underrated singer-songwriter

Ozark Mountain Daredevils 'If You Wanna Get to Heaven'… yay, Missouri rock

The Pink Fairies 'City Kids'… some proto-punk fer ya, check out Lemmy's version on Motorhead's first album

The Pink Fairies 'Street Urchin'… the last stand for one of the most unknown-but-awesome bands… it even has kind of a finality to it

Pink Floyd 'Any Colour You Like'… a dream on headphones, Wright vs. Gilmour, then combined!

Pink Floyd 'Brain Damage / Eclipse'… perfect ending for a perfect album--turn the volume way up at the very end!

Pink Floyd 'Money'… always one of my top three favorite songs of all-time… I think it is the 7/4 time that just grabs me, and then the change to 4/4 at the bridge, and back

Pink Floyd 'Speak to Me / Breathe / On the Run'… must be heard together for full effect

Pink Floyd 'Time'… fun to scare the kids with the clocks at the beginning

Pink Floyd 'Us and Them'… Floyd would never again sound quite so lush and lovely

Alan Price 'Sell, Sell'… this ex-Animal has a talent for making somewhat unique and timeless music, and this is no exception… more sinister, kinda filthy and in the gutter

Queen 'Keep Yourself Alive'… where it all started for this World-famous band

REO Speedwagon 'Find My Fortune'… the only time the guitarist would sing on an REO tune, and it's totally sweet sounding

REO Speedwagon 'Ridin' the Storm Out'… original lead singer (sorta) is better on this one

REO Speedwagon 'Whiskey Night'…swampy, dig it, like the Doobies but better (usually it's the other way around)

The Rolling Stones '100 Years Ago'… IMO the most underrated Stones song ever--killer jam at the end

The Rolling Stones 'Coming Down Again'… love Taylor's wah-wahs on this one… the ultimate hangover song

The Rolling Stones 'Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)'… zeitgeist, baby!

The Rolling Stones 'Silver Train'… I think they're talking about heroin here… or maybe just trains, I dunno

Roxy Music 'Do the Strand'… look for the awesome video of this track on YT

Roxy Music 'Mother of Pearl'… over time this has been my go-to Roxy song--love Ferry's singing here

Roxy Music 'Street Life'… quintessential Roxy thumper

Roxy Music 'The Bogus Man'… Eno could create some crazy sounds back in the day

Seals and Crofts 'Diamond Girl'… blurs the boundaries of A.M. Gold and Classic Rock

Bruce Springsteen 'Kitty's Back'… kind of an unknown tune (overshadowed on the record by 'Rosalita') but I love the swift changes in tone throughout (whispers, then loud horns, etc.)

Bruce Springsteen 'The E Street Shuffle'… if all of Springsteen sounded like this I might be more interested--one of my favorite codas ever

Steely Dan 'Bodhittsava'… hard not to get swept up in the high-speed excitement on this album opener… LOOK OUT!

Steely Dan 'King of the World'… maybe my favorite Dan tune… has this 'cosmic game show score' feel to it

Steely Dan 'My Old School'… one of the first Steely Dan songs I ever heard (some retro-Bandstand video shown on VH1)--for whatever reason this song did not crack the Top 40, but I think it is probably the most representative song of the band's first three albums… great lyrics, great hook, dig the horns

Steely Dan 'Razor Boy'… some excellent lyrics about a woman who is trying to look classier than she is

Steely Dan 'The Boston Rag'… a slow burn of a song, but the guitar solo by Denny Dias (or it could be Skunk Baxter, not sure) just rips a hole in the pleasantness

Steely Dan 'Your Gold Teeth'… they did 'Do It Again' again, but better… much better!

Iggy & the Stooges 'Gimme Danger'… again, sinister is a theme in 1973 music… but somehow this song seems just a bit out of time, like it could have been made much later

Iggy & the Stooges 'Penetration'… when I first heard this song I didn't like Iggy's breathy growls but they've grown on me

Iggy & the Stooges 'Raw Power'… more proto-punk

Iggy & the Stooges 'Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell (Hard to Beat)'… even more proto-punk

Styx 'Lady'… the guiltiest of guilty pleasures, I absolutely know all the words

T. Rex 'Tenement Lady'… barely made this list, but I really like the groove of this tune

Three Dog Night 'Shambala'… perhaps the best A.M. Gold song of all time… it's that high note: "TELL ME HOW!!!"

The Who '5:15'… one of Keith Moon's greatest drumming performances

The Who 'Bell Boy'… Keith sings too!!

Wizzard 'Bend Over Beethoven'… this tune did not make the album (I think it was a UK single) but it's possibly the most accessible Roy Wood song out there

Stevie Wonder 'Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing'… another out-of-time song, from Stevie's masterpiece record… love the excited Spanish spoken intro

Stevie Wonder 'Higher Ground'… an unending argument in my head is which song is better, this one or the RHCP cover?

Neil Young 'L.A.'… Neil's snarky ode to Los Angeles

Neil Young 'Time Fades Away'… another theme of this year as there are a lot of 'best song by' fill-in-the-blank… here's another one, and I don't care if Neil hates it, it's one of his most depressing yet somehow upbeat songs… works perfectly in the live setting

[purpleplaid17]

Jess Watches // Mon 13 Nov // Day 55 Synopses & Favourite Scenes & Poll

Ugly Betty (rewatching with mum) 3x03 Crimes of Fashion

Detective Averaimo arrives to question the staff of Mode about who pushed Christina down the stairs. Later Daniel is charged with attempted murder and since Betty figures it is her fault, tries to solve the case by herself.

Was the Wilhelmannequin that Mark shouts at just Vanesssa in makeup? Her and Jean Smart should do a live Madame Tussauds show. Also, I could not remember who pushed Christina so I was actually quite surprised at the reveal.

Workin' Moms (with mum) 1x01 Bare

Kate enthusiastically returns to work following her maternity leave and is faced with the ultimate challenge: Can she "have it all?" Anne gets shocking news, and Frankie experiences postpartum depression in her own unique way.

The first scene was shot from shoulder height clearly implying they were topless, but to then have a wider angle actually showing their breasts and that they were in the middle of a parenting class was hilarious.

The Power 1x08 Just a Girl

Secrets are exposed - new bonds are formed - others are shattered - as our characters journeys grow increasingly intertwined across an ever-changing world.

I'm finding that I'm not really invested in how any of the storylines will end next ep. Maybe part of that is because I have a bad cold atm and am struggling to concentrate. But I think the writing has wasted the potential of the cast and made their characters kinda boring and one dimensional. 😬

BBC Ghosts 5x02 Home

After Alison's revelation, Mike is having nightmares and to raise cash they look at selling some of the estate land whilst Thomas tries to write a poem within a day. Julian and Pat argue about North and South.

I didn't really give two shits when the Captain said we're all British tbh. But when Pat fought with Julian about Yorkshire pride I was ready to throw down. The North, in particular Yorkshire, will always be superior. It's just a fact. Also, it was nice of Thomas to give Fanny credit for her poem.

Sin huellas (No Traces) 1x08 El salvaje Alicante (Season Finale)

Under the burning sun of the desert, Desi and Cata face off Néstor and Eduardo once and for all in the middle of a Western town.

What a ridiculous and overly-dramatic finale showdown. Very fitting for the tone of the show lol. I was very concerned about one of the female characters dying as a shock ending. But thankfully no gays were buried. And to end with them safe and happy and dancing the night away together was a lovely way to end a very entertaining season.

[juarezesdeporte]

2023 UTEP Football Camp Report: Quarterbacks

El Paso, Texas.-If UTEP starting QB Gavin Hardison never took another snap for the Miners, he would go down as one of the best signal callers in program history. Thankfully for the Orange and Blue faithful, he’s got one more go around as he enters the 2023 season the unquestioned leader and tone setter for the squad

The native of Hobbs, N.M., has completed 497 passes (third at UTEP) on 932 attempts (fourth at UTEP) for 7,016 yards (third at UTEP) and 35 touchdowns (tied fourth at UTEP) during his career. With another 3,000+ yard passing campaign (he compiled 3,218 in 2021), he’d join former Miners Trevor Vittatoe (12,493 yards, 2007-10) and Jordan Palmer (11,084, 2003-06) as the only quarterbacks in school history with at least 10,000 career passing yards. He’d also stand alongside Vittatoe as the lone quarterbacks at the school to pace the team in passing yards in four consecutive campaigns.

Yet will all those statistical accomplishments, Hardison is laser focused on something else for his final year donning the UTEP uniform.

“I’m focused on team goals,” Hardison said. “The goal that is super important to me is just being a good teammate. I think that the individual stats and stuff are what they are. What’s important to me is leaving here with people knowing that I was a good teammate.”

Being a good teammate starts off the field, which is something Hardison emphasized in the offseason.

“We went and ate and hung out off the field,” Hardison said. “We spent that time away from football together, not necessarily always thinking about football but talking about each other’s lives and just building a stronger bond and that connection. When we get here on the field, if you have a better connection with your guys and your teammates, that togetherness is what’s important.”

UTEP offensive coordinator/quarterbacks/wide receivers coach Scotty Ohara noticed the intentional effort from Hardison and others to really build relationships.

“More than any other offseason we’ve had here, they’ve spent a lot of time together,” Ohara said. “That’s been the big thing for building the chemistry with multiple positions and multiple players. Time together throwing with each other, time together going out to get something to eat and just hanging out, that’s been a big difference for how he looks at guys that maybe he didn’t know as well before and how the guys look at and trust him.”

There’s a lot of qualities that have allowed Hardison to thrive in his time with UTEP. One that can be overlooked is his football IQ.

“He’s a super smart guy,” Ohara said. “Coach Dimel has said it before too, but when you get in there and really are spending a lot of time with him like I’ve gotten to do this spring and through this camp and going into the season, you really realize how you tell him something once and he never forgets. He’s just really smart and has got really good football understanding.”

Hardison also has other terrific attributes, with his arm strength among the best in the league. It is noticeable the second you see the ball leave his hand.

“Then of course we all see him arm strength,” Ohara said. “That’s another strong, physical attribute to him. There’s a lot of other things that he has going too that make him a good player.”

With someone as experienced as Hardison under center, Ohara is excited about having the entire playbook at his disposal.

“That’s the big thing him being here as long as he has and him being in this offense for a while,” Ohara said. “For a quarterback it’s really all about understanding the intricacies of all the stuff we’ve got, when it’s good, when it’s not. Having a guy who has been here doing it and can take the next step to the next level makes a huge difference.”

There’s a lot that Hardison enjoys about the offense, but one thing stands out as his favorite component. That, along with the talent around him, gives him assurance heading into the 2023 season.

“I think it’s the versatility of the offense,” Hardison said. “We can do a whole lot of things, and we can do it at a high level. I have a lot of confidence in our guys. They have a lot of talent and a lot of athleticism. With our offensive line that we have, it makes it nice, and it makes my job easier.”

Hardison has a special bond that just comes from multiple years of playing together with Tyrin Smith, but he’s not the only wide receiver he will zip the ball to with ease.

“I feel really comfortable with Tyrin, but with everyone else in the room too like Kelly (Akharaiyi), JB (Jeremiah Ballard), Marcus (Bellon), Jostein (Clarke), Emari (White) and Kyle (McNamara). We’ve got guys, and we have a lot of weapons, so I’m excited for the start of the year.”

There are high goals for the team internally, with the proven cliché of one week at a time being UTEP’s best bet.

“We start off with a conference game, so we have to start off strong and go 1-0 in that one,” Hardison said. “Another goal of ours is to win in nonconference. Obviously, we want to get to a conference championship and then win a bowl game.”

For any of those goals to be accomplished, Hardison will play a big role. Ohara thinks he’s in a good spot.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in him,” Ohara said. “I really like where he’s at mentally and how he’s leading himself. I’m looking for him to really take control, lead this offense and make good decisions that put us in position to win games. I think that’s where his preparation leading up to the season has really set him up for.”

Hardison is cemented as the starter, and he’s providing a lot of leadership to the untested quarterbacks behind him.

“There’s that leadership factor where they’re looking up to him,” Ohara said. “A big part of any quarterback room and any younger guys trying to find their way in it is seeing things done the right way, how you do that off the field and how you do it on the field. So that’s a big deal to have Gavin around to provide that.”

It’s a role that he is embracing.

“I just try to give them as much knowledge as I can since I’ve been here,” Hardison said. “I’m just trying to help those guys as much as I can through whatever it is on and off the field. I’m trying to be a leader and a role model.”

Ohara knows his other QBs will be ready if they are called upon for any reason.

“We have Kevin (Hurley), Jake (McNamara) and Cade (McConnell) who have all been preparing and taking pretty even reps through camp with everything,” Ohara said. “All of those guys, we expect to be ready in case anything was to happen.” (PHOTO CREDIT: UTEP Athletics // REPORT BY: Mark Brunner)

[shinyhoundhandseagle]

Fandom: Supergirl (2015)

Title: The Child of Steel, the Poet and Judas.

Words: 1,509

Characters: 7,844

Ships: Lena Luthor/Kara Danvers (Supercorp), Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Alex Danvers/Kelly Olsen, Brainy/Nia Nal

Chapter 1. White Lies

*Hey Lia are you still coming tomorrow night?*

My best friend, Gabriela Rojas, texted me out of nowhere on a Thursday afternoon. It took me a couple of seconds to remember what was tomorrow but when I finally did I had to cuss myself out loud, I really had forgotten about it? Damn it.

There was a party tomorrow night, the biggest high school party of the whole year actually and I was supposed to ask my parents for permission but then I had forgotten about it for about a week and a half and even better, my parents weren't normal human beings. No, my mothers were Kara and Lena Luthor-Danvers which meant a lot of things but specially that I wasn't gonna get that permission.

My mother, Kara Zor-El Danvers, would probably say yes to it as she was the fun, chilled, understanding parent that knew that her sixteen year old daughter needed some freedom and fun once in a while, specially on Fridays. Plus she definitely had an extra soft spot for me, her baby and only child. Convincing her of letting me go out would definitely be easy.

On the other hand my mom, Lena Kieran Luthor, wasn't as pleasant, easy going and happy with letting me go out as my mother. She was the strict one, the one that would ground me for skipping class, feed me vegetables against my will and would make sure I went to bed before 1am. I love her but she treated me like a baby when I'm already sixteen. Booo

*Probably not. I still haven't asked for permission and you know my mom.*

Yes, she definitely did. Gaby's mother, Andrea Rojas, was an old friend of my mother so we also became really close which meant that Gaby knew how neurotic my mom could be. She was there when we went on a school trip to the zoo and I forgot to text my mom I was fine. She was there when after only an hour of silence on my part my mom mobilize Supergirl and the DEO to find me... Sixth grade was a tough year for me after that. A lot of mean comments from my classmates who's zoo experience was ruined by her.

*Don't tell her you're going, tell her you're spending the night at my house.*

*What do you think its gonna happen if she finds out I'm not at your house? You know her!*

*We rest in peace baby cakes lol.*

*… Fine I'll do it.*

I could do it, right? Lie to my incredible smart, controlling mom and my superhero mother about where I was, right? It would be a walk in the park... Who am I kidding? My mom would find out and bury me alive.

I slowly grabbed my phone, trying to decide how and who to call first. Finally I decided to call my mother first. It wouldn't hurt right? Try the safest, nicest option first instead of diving into the shark tank.

"Hey sweetie!"- My mother Kara always sounded so happy and excited, so warm and approachable with everyone no matter who or what they did. That was her-. "What are you doing baby?"

"Calculus homework, easy stuff"-. I looked down to my notebook full of numbers and equations, it was easy stuff and I was almost done with it. Thankfully I was almost as smart as my mom-. "Hey ma, so I was wondering, would I be able to spend the night at Gaby's house tomorrow?"

"Did you ask your mom?"

"No? I figured it didn't matter who I asked right? You're both my parents so..."- I used my sweetest baby voice, hoping she would say yes and not question anything else but knowing better.

"Haha you're really funny. Anyways ask your mom, you know the drill Amelia. Love you and see you at home"-. Was the last thing she said before hanging up on me, leaving me with a bunch of complains. I feel like killing myself.

The phone rang twice before my mom picked up.

"Hey my love!"- She sounded so happy. Thank God she was on a happy mood, better than her "work-is-stressing-and-I-like-controlling-my-kid" mood-. "How are you? Did you do your homework? Are you ok love?"

"Yes mom, my school work is done and I already had some food"-. I knew all her questions by heart already, she would ask the same questions every time-. "And yes, all my chores are also done, including my laundry".

"That's perfect baby! Proud of you. Now do you need anything else my love? I've to go into a work meeting soon and you don't call me at work unless you want something".

"So I was wondering, now that everything is done and I'm such a good kid with straight A's could I spend the night at Gaby's tomorrow?"- My princess voice was always a good thing to use.

"Tomorrow? You know I don't like when you wait until the last minute to ask for things like this"-. I knew it, I knew that was the first thing she was gonna say-. "Why did you wait until now?"

"I forgot, I was supposed to ask you early this week but I was so busy with homework. Also it's not tonight, it's tomorrow night"-. Yes, use school as an excuse. She would be so proud that I put my school work before my social life that she would say yes.

"This is a one time thing, ok? Next time you've to ask me in advance or I'll say no. Twenty-four hours isn't in advance and you know that baby"-. YES! It worked, I can go!

"Thank you mom! I love you!"

"Love you too Amy. See you at home".

● ● ●

"So do you have all your stuff?"- Gaby leaned on the locker door next to mine while watching how I took my Calculus book out of my locker, put it on my bag and put my science book back in the locker.

"Yeah, hot party outfit that my mom will burn if she sees it, toothbrush and pajamas"-. I had everything on a bag at the bottom of my locker, waiting to be used. We were going to finish our school day and then we were going straight up to Gaby's house, we would get ready there and then the party-. "I'm ready. How about you?"

"I have a slutty outfit waiting for me at home with some vodka shots"-. We laughed loudly, getting a few looks from people passing by but we easily ignored them.

"Is your mom going to be home tonight?"

"No, she's out of state till next Wednesday"-. We slowly started walking to our Math class, pushing our way through the full school hallway-. "So we're good, no more lies tonight if that's what's worrying you".

"I hate lying to them"-. I finally let out with a tired sigh. She laughed quietly, probably amused at how well she knew me and my rants-. "I know that's what people our age do but still, it makes me feel so bad. Like I'm a horrible daughter and I don't deserve them".

"Stop, we're both great daughters. We have great grades, we don't skip class and we don't do hard drugs. We can go out once in a while and have fun. White lies don't hurt anyone my love".

"Are we sure about that? I bet at some point someone almost died from a white lie"- The classroom was still half way empty as we sat on our regular seats.

"No we're not but it will be fine, we will be fine"-. She was definitely trying to make me stop overthinking, which wasn't working at all by the way. I should have bought my anxiety meds instead of just hoping.

"What are we talking about?"- A male voice behind us made me look back to where our friend, Steve Wade, was sitting. Skinny white boy with longish black hair, taller than us by a whole head, brown eyes, sweet voice and basic clothing style.

"The party tonight".

"Oh yes, are we going to that or...?"- He was madly in love with Gaby' who knew but ignored it, so anywhere we went he would follow us with a smile on his face.

"Yes we are"-. Gaby sounded so excited so I decided to ignore my doubts and anxiety. I'll do it for her. I'll lie to my mothers and stop overthinking for once.

"Do you wanna get ready with us? We're getting ready at Gaby's".

"Sure, am I driving us there?"- Steve was a year older than us so he had gotten his license and own car about a year ago. He usually drove us everywhere, which made me feel bad most of the time so I tried to give him gas money but he constantly refused-. "I'm not planning on drinking so..."

"That would be awesome"-. Gaby send him a kiss, making him blush and look down-. "Let's have some fun tonight babies!"

Original Characters:

Florence Pugh as Amelia Luthor-Danvers/ Astra-El (Kryptonian Name)

Jenna Ortega as Gabriela Alexandra Rojas

Finn Wolfhard as Steve Michael Wade

[sublimecatgalaxy]

Precious Cargo

Pairing: Billy Hargrove x Female!Hopper!Reader

Summary: This is an account following the reader who was a subject from Hawkins Lab that escaped with the help of Peter Ballard, before knowing his true self. Hopper found her before the government did (thankfully) and took her under his wings just like he did with El.

Following the move of the Byers, with El, to California and everything that happens with Vecna, the reader and Hopper move back into his Cabin in the woods, taking the time to fix it up. She has trouble adjusting, even after the years of being free from the lab, she still struggles to fit into the puzzle that is Hawkins. But with the new friends she's made while attempting to save the world and the object of her attraction, Billy, she begins to understand what it's like to be an actual 18 year old, not a lab rat.

Reader: Very little descriptive traits other than female pronouns and anatomy; Racially/ethnically neutral.

Time Era: Post-Season 4 vol. 1 and 2; very non-canon (Billy and Hopper live)

Fic Songs: "The Drug In Me Is You" by Falling in Reverse; "18" by Anarbor; "R U Mine" by Arctic Monkeys

Word Count: 4.4k

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of death, angst, recollection of pretty much all things that have happened in Seasons 1-4 of ST, smut and smutty actions (minors DNI).

Read this A/n: Inclusivity is important and sometimes by putting "hopper!reader" it implies that the reader is white since it would be his biological daughter but in this case, being a Hawkins patient, the readers descriptions are extremely vague. On that note: Look guys, an actual original work based on a few requests I've gotten.

When I escaped from Hawkins Lab, I had roughly one thousands words in my vocabulary.

I was mentally and academically averaging with that of a four year old, my mind not capable of such complicated sentences that I should've been able to fathom at almost fifteen years old. I was behind in a sense, way behind, compared to the peers. Peter always told me that I was different and that, though I was quiet by lack of teaching, I was smart and observant. It was what helped me get out of there along with his loyal help.

But not only was I behind my peers at the lab but I was also behind in regards to the friends that I met when I started my life in Hawkins, tucked away in the woods with my sister Eleven and Hopper, the kind Sheriff who took us in.

He had an unbelievable amount of patience for the two of us, especially when it came to me. El had excelled more in her studies at the lab and she was one of the more favored children that Papa- Doctor Brenner- spent his time with. I, on the other hand, was a second thought most of the time, my abilities and powers not excelling until after I left the lab and did my own research along side my younger equal.

Hopper was always unbelievably shocked at the power that Eleven and I both possessed at a young age, his eyes watching us closely whenever we'd get in a heated argument, worried that the house could quickly go up in flames. El was far more destructive than I was, quick to use her emotions against another person, her emotions clouding her judgement almost always.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I had control of my powers from a young age. I worked with Doctor Brenner for nearly ten years, working on fine tuning all of the electricity, all of the emotion and fury built in my system, learning how to focus it. It led me to not using it that often unless I could be helpful, for instance, at the Star Court mall.

El was struggling with her own powers, seemingly sucked dry by the Mind Flayer and the being it created using the towns people of Hawkins. It was twisted to watch, to realize that the same science behind my powers- El's powers- was the being, this other dimension.

Frightening doesn't begin to describe how I felt when the group actually sat me down and explained DnD and how it plays into the curse that Hawkins seems to be blessed with. I don't know what was more overwhelming; to learn that I actually have a role in all of the chaos or just listening to Dustin explain Dungeons and Dragons.

But I had to learn one way or another. Dustin and the rest of the boys taught me their different interests between the supernatural world and the more wholesome things they enjoyed like their favorite movies and comic books. It was fun to get to just watch them smile and laugh, talking over each other for hours on end and drag me around the arcade. The arcade was definitely one of my favorite spots when I first started easing into the new world that I was thrown into.

Nancy and Robin helped me develop a sense of style and how to fit in as a young girl in the 80s. I learned quickly that I wasn't the biggest fan of makeup and I definitely wanted nothing to do with Steve's famous hairspray that he held so dearly to his heart. Speaking of Steve, he and Eddie played their role in helping me navigate the world of music, eventually coming to the conclusion that I'm not a metalhead like Eddie.

Hopper and Joyce helped me learn, how to read, how to compute simple math; they were pretty much my teachers for primary and secondary education. They never wanted me to experience the troubles that high school brings along for normal teenagers, it already being difficult for people who weren't secluded three stories underground for most of their lives.

Everything was falling into place until the Byers family and El moved to California following the Mall incident and I was left alone, fending for myself after Hopper disappeared. The whole experience crushed me, to finally have a family, just for them to be ripped away; it was terrible.

I bounced around from house to house, mostly staying with Steve in his guest bedroom but occasionally spending the night on Max's floor, knowing that she has terrible nightmares after watching her step-brother, Billy, almost die at the hands of the other flayed.

Billy was most definitely an accidental friend that I picked up on throughout the months following saving his life at the Mall. Max liked to joke that we were trauma bonded together since he understood what it was like to be stuck in your body but to not have control over it, just like how I felt back at the lab under the care of Doctor Brenner.

I had only heard brief stories of him through Max and El, especially once they found out that he was being flayed and used as a pawn. I had to dig a lot into his future, into his mind, without his permission to help Max get him back without losing him in the process. I think it was ultimately easier for him and I to become friends because I already knew about his deepest secrets without him having to tell me.

It took me months to actually tell him my story, that I was a lab rat all those years, that I depended on my friends to help me develop my own personality, my own individuality. I was a shell of a person when Hopper found me stumbling outside in the woods in the freezing cold and everyone I met following that helped shape me into the person that I am today.

Max told me one time that Billy spent a whole afternoon asking her about me, that he was so unbelievably interested in me after I saved his life and that he wanted to figure out a way to make it up to me. That was the first instance where she really noticed that he was changing into the type of person that she was proud to be step siblings with.

And he just continued to change following that.

After defeating Vecna by some odd chance of fate, Hopper returning soon after, he was skeptical to see that I had made friends with the Hargrove boy only because he knew of his dad. Hopper told me a story one night about how he had gone to Billy's house frequently, arresting his father after Billy got the shit beat out of him following a simple argument. It made me afraid for him, that I was crashing on his younger sisters floor all that time and I didn't realize that he was in more danger than I was.

I never told him that I knew about his dad until his father was permanently imprisoned and him, Max and her mother moved into the trailer park, right across the street from Eddie. He was embarrassed that I knew for that long but, again, was overall relieved that he didn't have to tell me himself.

And after a few dinners, Billy grew on Hopper just like he grew on me.

He was no longer feared by anyone in the group, he was no longer labeled the bad guy and it seemed like he had finally dropped all of the toxic behavior he clung so desperately onto. It was better for his and Max's relationship and it was better for our eventual relationship.

But the hardest part of dating Billy in the beginning had to be the lack of quality dating advice that I was getting from Robin and Steve. Robin gave semi-decent advice but considering she was and still is a closeted lesbian who pines after the same girl without attempting to get to know her better, it was a long shot to trust her. Steve on the other hand was the opposite, he knew too much about women but not a lot of it was accurate. And with the tiny detail regarding him and Billy fighting that one time, he wasn't exactly thrilled at me cuddling up with him.

Eddie on the other hand was much more helpful. The man has quite the knowledge of both men and women, if you know what I'm saying, and was always extremely helpful on both ends when it came to helping me through situations but also giving me pointers on how I should/could act around Billy.

Eventually him and I were actually going steady in a real relationship.

It was odd for me at first, a real eighteen year old in a real relationship to a real man. But to deal with the personality differences and the sarcasm, it was something that I was terrible at reading but after spending so much time with Max and Billy, I learned quickly.

And now, hell, I'm a seasoned pro.

Minus the vocabulary, we're still working on that.

"I'm telling you- no, promising you- you'll be great at it. Just give it a try." Max grins beside me, grasping my hand in hers and we slide out onto the ice, my skates wobbling beneath me. I turn back to Billy who skates behind us, his legs as steady as can be and his smile genuine as he nods me on.

"Go on, you know I'll catch you if you fall on your ass. Wouldn't want anything happening to it." He winks, Max groaning immediately in disgust and I feel my cheeks warm in the freezing room, my gasp forcing cool air into my lungs. Sometimes it's difficult to pick up on his innuendos, but given the sly smile and the wink he throws my way, I can only assume he means it in a sexual manner. I bite at my lip as I think of a reply, a light bulb going off in my head as I recall Billy's favorite nickname for me.

"Precious cargo." I repeat with a nod, my lips fanning out in a pretty smile and he clicks his tongue proudly, reaching forward to pat my cheek sweetly.

"Damn right, sunshine." Proudly, I let Max lead me further onto the ice. My breath reflects as a cloud in the air, my brows pulling together in concentration as I do my best to follow Max's instructions on how to skate. This is the last time I'm trusting them when they tell me they have a surprise for me. But who am I kidding, I said that last time.

Max lets go of my hand after a few moments of me balancing, skating around in a circle and her auburn hair swooshes gracefully as she skates away from us and towards Lucas.

"Is this, uh," I pause, catching Billy's curious eyes as I try to think of the right phrase, "a double date?" His laugh makes me smile, the sound being more than a comfort to me and he glides forward in a simple move, setting his hands on my waist with a nod.

"Yeah, you could say that." Things have changed his opinion of Lucas recently with his father going to jail, previously hating the boy deeply due to his fathers deep rooted racism. But now that he was free of his fathers beliefs and Max could do what she wants without Billy having to fear he'll pay for it, it's nice and amicable between everyone.

"I'm not good at this." I mutter, looking down at my buckling ankles as Billy holds tightly onto me, securing me flush against him. "Hopper would laugh at me." I chuckle, feeling Billy's warm lips against my chilly cheek, the chaste smooch making my whole body warm by at least ten degrees.

"Yeah, he probably would. But you're not doing bad, you just have to practice." My eyes roll at the word practice, given my love/hate relationship with the word throughout the last few years of learning new things, is not something I like to hear. "You're a pro at practice, huh?" He nudges my nose with his, my lip parting dumbly at his proximity. "Hell, when I first met you, you could barely say a word to me. Now I've got you moaning more than my name." My hands reach up to cover my face in embarrassment, hating when he talks to me like that, so mischievous and lustful. Hate is not exactly the word I'd use to describe it. I love it but the lack of response that I always give him makes my stomach churn with anxiety.

"Billy." I huff, hitting my fists against his chest.

"See?" He teases, leaning down to catch me off guard with a kiss. I immediately respond with a quiet hum, my lips melding against his just like I know how to. "Good girl." His whisper sends a shiver down my spine, the ice rink suddenly seeming like a sauna to me as I take a much needy step back, putting some distance between his loving gaze and my heated thoughts.

The day was supposed to be quiet following that, going back to his trailer and then going home for my nightly check in at Hoppers. He was keen on making sure that I know that I'm free to go wherever I want, whenever. But I always have to be with someone else and I have to come home or at least call at six o'clock every night. Considering my situation and how El reacted to her house arrest, I think that my 'follower' attitude paid off.

But my quiet day turned into Billy and I having the trailer alone, Max is out with Lucas and his step-mom took an overnight shift. It's rare that we get any time alone at all here, typically only being able to sneak time when Hopper would go out on errands or go to work.

"We're alone." I whisper, soothing my hands over Billys shoulders and he smiles boyishly, hands splaying across my thighs. "It's quiet." My eyes flutter shut and my ears tune into the sounds around me, the quietness and stillness calming my racing heart. Still, after all this time with Billy, he still makes me so nervous.

"Let me close the door and then we can-" The door shuts with a simple flick of my wrist, my brows raising in an attempt to be playful and he grins, tugging me down onto his lap and I squeal. "Never thought I'd date a superhero." He whispers, eyes dark as he watches my lips move, my tongue sweeping out to wet my lips but to also tease him like he loves. "Kinda badass." I almost can't contain myself, the pleading words on the tip of my tongue not articulating in the ways that I want them to. "Tell me what you want." I know that what he's asking for is not a lot but it's so overwhelming to already struggle with words but also feel so overwhelmingly giddy and anxious in someones presence. "Do your best, c'mon." I smile, relaxing onto his lap and I take a deep breath in, reminding myself that this is Billy, he knows me possibly better than anyone.

"You. I want you." My fingers grip at his shirt, already used to doing this with him before but still not completely used to being intimate with someone in this way. Any thoughts of pleasure, any feeling or inclination of sexuality, all were quickly shut down at the lab; in fact, we were punished for it. Billy's yet to learn the true extent of how traumatizing it all was but even without the full story, he's more than understanding. "I just-"

"I know." He smiles, fingers soothing over my hips, his fingers brushing under my shirt to tease my bare skin. "You go slow and I'll go slow." He promises, his eyes sincere and soft even though there's still his normal touch of mischief behind his hues. "Tell me," kissing me gently, he smiles, "what you want." He waits patiently for me to reply as the room darkens, the sky outside slowly fading into nighttime and I kick myself for not being better- faster- at this already.

"To feel good- to feel you." My eyes dip bashfully away from his, fingers toying with the necklace that rests against his collarbones.

"Alright. Do you want my fingers?" The question makes me laugh nervously, hands reaching up to cover my face and I tuck myself into his shoulder. "C'mon, sweetheart. Talk to me. Do you want my fingers?" His thumbs brush against my inner thighs, my thighs clenching beside his. "Or my lips." He trails kisses down the expanse of my neck, my skin erupting in goosebumps at the feeling of his lips trailing down to my shoulder. "Or do you want all of me, hmm?" He cups my cheeks, forcing my gaze to meet his and he smiles softly. "That seems to be your favorite." I chuckle, nodding my head and I pull on his shirt, needing less clothing and more of him.

He slips his shirt over his head, tossing it to the ground and my lip tucks between my teeth in giddy excitement. Taking a chance, I rest my hands on his chest, silently urging him backwards to lay back against the bed. His brows lift in proud shock but he lays down anyways, arms resting under his head. He lets me trail my fingers over the plates of his abdomen, tracing his skin and loving the shiver that it invokes from him. I trace over the deep, long scar that spans down his sternum, my lips tugging down into a brief frown as I recall the events at the mall where he almost died- where I almost lost him.

"Hey..." He trails off, catching my attention and I look up at him, realizing he caught me sulking. "I'm here. With you." He reaches down to take my hands in his, pressing sweet kisses to both of them before allowing me to continue.

"Can I...?" I toy with the edge of my sweater, watching his head nod and he helps me lift my shirt over my head, tossing it towards his. He smiles warmly at the sight of my exposed skin, hands immediately resting on my waist and he moves quick, leaning up to press silly kisses to my stomach. I giggle, flopping down on the bed beside him and I try to escape his grip but he's too strong. He pulls away from me with a chuckle, capturing my lips in a sweet kiss before leaning away from me, giving me space to catch my breath.

"Do you want to be on top? Or me?" He asks, his questions helping me feel more comfortable and this whole experience feel more paced out instead of rushed and overwhelming.

"You. I like it more." He doesn't hesitate to slip on top of me, hips resting against mine and his arms cage me in. My hands slide up and down his back like muscle memory, tracing over the moles that I know are there.

"Yeah, sweetheart? You like it more when I take care of you? Do all the work?" His teasing voice makes me giggle, my back arching towards him as I fight the urge to hide from embarrassment.

"I'm lazy." I shrug, pulling a snort out of him and he pecks my lips once more before leaning up onto his knees, hands soothing over my thighs.

"You're cute." He winks, fingers hooking in the waistband of my pants. I nod slowly, giving him silent permission and he slides my legs individually out of my confines, a sigh leaving my lips in relief. "Feelin' okay?" He asks, leaning down to press a kiss to my bent knee.

"Great, keep going." I bite at my lip with a smirk, knowing by the surprised look on his face that he's amused. He just pulls me down further onto the bed by my ankles, a giggle leaving me and his body slides down on top of mine.

"Bossy." He mutters against my lips, gently parting my thighs with his hand to make room for himself. He nudges against me, the feeling making my body jump against him and a quiet moan leave me. "You wanna go fast or slow?" His hips drag against mine, his lip tightly tucked between his teeth and he leans down to cover my neck in heated, open mouthed kisses and my brain stops for a second.

"Both." I snicker, knowing he's rolling his eyes without even seeing him. A playful slap lands on the underside of my thigh, my ankles linking behind his back and he laughs.

"Both- what a smartass. You're good at pickin' up on shit, huh?" He grins at my proud nod, knowing that I've made great strides over the time we've been together. I used to barely be able to kiss him and now, with his help and questions, I'm able to verbalize what I want from him in every aspect of our relationship.

"Just don't tease me too much. I'm, uh, inpatient." My hips jump against his, my nails digging into his back and he moans, lips parting against mine. He can barely kiss me, the feeling of the scratches I'm leaving on his back has him completely done for.

"Wouldn't want to make you wait, now would we?" He's quick to slip out of his jeans, his lips finding mine in a comforting, distracting kiss. He's always said that kissing is really important when it comes to doing anything sexual, that it makes him feel closer to me and that it helps distract and relax me. And he's right in every way, shape and form. "You ready?" He asks but my hands are already pushing his boxers down needily, loving the laugh I draw from him as he helps me. My eyes avert away from him nervously as his fingers brush over my panties, skimming over my most sensitive places. "You like that? Right," he pauses, thumb circling against my bundle of nerves, "here?" I nod, my knees bending instinctively as he pushes my panties aside, not bothering them to take them off this time. He positions himself at my entrance, eyes finding mine once more and he silently asks me to go on.

"I'm okay." I brace myself, wrapping my arms around his shoulders and he pushes into me slowly, his hands moving to rest beside my head, caging me in. His thrusts are slow and hesitant at first, giving me a second to adjust but I can't seem to wipe the smile off of my face. When communication goes out the window and it's just not as easy for me to tell him how I feel, doing this, being this close to him, helps me say whatever I need to without actually having to say anything. He knows what I want and what his every move should before before I've even asked for it.

"Fuck-" He mutters against my shoulder and I chuckle breathlessly, pinching his side, subtly chastising him. I mutter 'language' under my breath, and he quickly nods, knowing that his crude words make my stomach twist. "Sorry, sweetheart." He moans, pressing a kiss to my cheek before angling his hips, the new change of pace and angle making my head tip back against the bed, a whimper falling from my lips. "You sound so pretty." He coos, gripping my hips with his free hand, biting at my lower lip as I struggle to keep up with him, losing myself in the pleasure and closeness that he offers.

"Billy, please." I plead quietly, needing more from him, anything that he can give me to speed this along, wanting nothing more than to feel the high of pleasure and feel him. His arm wraps under my waist, pulling me flush against him and I cry out, tucking my face into the crook of his neck as he pistons quickly in and out of me. His pelvis brushes up against my bundle of nerves perfectly with every thrust, drawing me closer to the edge. I can feel myself fluttering around him, the feeling of him twitching inside of me, warning me what's to come, makes a smile spread across my lips and my fingers bury in his curls.

"So close- you're so close." He whispers, his skin sticking to mine and the room only grows hotter as we both chase our highs, my hips jumping against his to meet his thrusts. I fall over the edge with a silent moan, my lips parting and my head spins. Billy follows closely behind me, biting and sucking a mark into my shoulder to keep himself from groaning too loud.

He clings to me as I do to him, tightly holding him to me as my breathing eventually mellows out into quiet gasps. My mind feels foggy and my eyes feel overwhelmingly tired, knees quivering as I unlock my ankles from behind him. He laughs as I relax against the bed, and he goes to move but I don't let him, arms tightening around his neck.

"What? You just want me to stay here forever?" He asks and I laugh tiredly, sending him a playful nod. He just pinches my thigh, slipping out of me slowly and carefully but I hiss.

"Be gentle." I huff with a pout, loving the grin that spreads across his lips and he presses a kiss to my thigh before he sliding down on top of me once more.

"I know, I know." My nose scrunches as he presses a delicate kiss to it, sending me a wink. "Precious cargo."

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o- Taglist: @bubblebuttwade @rafelover2405 @leslienjazzy @sorceresss @grxnde-dwt @alex–awesome–22 @bunnietoof @niyamar1e @serialghost @plantlungs @geniusohn @akaliltimmytim @lilaalouuxx @xshariex @elliotsbeigeguitar @elle4404 @lelieja @srhxpci @joselyn001 @taysirene @spinkspanther @thedivineuphoria @peter-maximoffs @tsukishimawhore @poohkie90 @szlaco @distantsighs @nstyles4299 @wolflover384 @givemefoodandlovesstuff @vane28282 @yeswhatever33 @amirrahfranson @vvaalleennttiinna @f-mu @yaspillz @jeyramarie @skylievin@abbybarnes17 @jointherebellion215 @visiondaddy @steezysimfinds @its-ya-gay-boi-luigi @crunchytoenailsyum@glizzymcguirex @beth123lg @melovesmut @rafecameronswhore @ariianelle @write-from-the-heart @vampviolets@haylee-e@popehaywardssecretgf @honee-chai-tea @lokiandbuckywife @smoke-and-fire @officiallyunofficialperson@heyaitsklaudia@rosepetalsparks @bluetreecloud20 @scenesofobx @double-shot-of-tequila @1dluver13xx @colbysbrocks @iamasimpingh0e @smoke-and-fire386 @loveshineslikethesky @id-3-kbro @diorsitgirl @errorfound101-allideasburnedout @neverwillknowme18 @ellyskey @taylors-folk @loversjoy @myaloveee @thyris-is @lagataprrr @aaaaslaaaan @minjix @luvrosee

[beansnsoup]

High and in love

Argyle x byers!reader

Summary: When you moved to California you expected to be alone until something crazy happend again that'd you'd have to take care of but after Jonathan introduces his new friend to everyone you can't help but change your mind.

You were sitting on the couch watching TV while hearing a pencil scribble away because of Eleven and Mike's long distance relationship. Wills locked up in his room and won't let anyone in because of the painting he's working on, and with your mom's new job she's on the phone all day so that meant zero girl talk.

Jonathan has barely been home at all because he made a new friend at school, which you seem to have zero luck with at the moment. He said his name is Argyle, and you have yet to meet him.

That night at dinner your mom is explaining that she can't drive you all to school tomorrow, "I hate to make you guys walk or look for a new ride but a thing came up with work." You play with your food a bit before you can respond to her saying it's okay but then Jonathan butts in.

"Argyle can drive us." He says, "It wouldn't be that big a deal since we all go to the same school, and if it helps we can just get rides from him for the rest of the year if that makes things easier for you." He was ranting at this point.

El looks excited about this idea since she's been wanting more friends and Will doesn't mind. I pretend it's fine with me even though I'm skeptical about getting a ride from someone I haven't even met.

————————————

I get up that morning, attempting to put effort into my appearance, not that I'm trying to impress anyone or have anyone to impress for that matter, its just you've been insecure about your style and wanted to change it up a bit.

Since you're up so early you see your mom in the kitchen before she has to leave. "Oh,Y/N, you're up early." She says to you as she grabs some milk out of the fridge. "Yeah I just didn't feel like going back to sleep, and I'm hungry." You say grabbing yourself some cereal. "Someone looks nice today." She gawks at you, dramatically rolling her shoulders around.

"Huh? Oh. Yeah I've been trying a different style lately." You admit. Before she says anything else to make you embarrassed Will is walking down the hallway, dressed, but still half asleep. She kisses him on the cheek while grabbing her purse and keys, "well I should get going, it's a long drive, have a good day!" She says walking out the door.

You and Will haven't spoken in a while so you both just sit there in silence while waiting for El and Jonathan to get up. He's been distant from everyone lately, you don't question it though. Jonathan walks down to the kitchen thankfully, "I called Argyle, he should be here in about 15 minutes." He says to both you and Will.

You get up and put your dishes in the sink then walk to Els room to wake her up. When you shake her awake you can't help but glance at the shrine of letters she has from Mike, it's like how obsessed you were with Harrison Ford after watching Star Wars when you were little.

You walk out and sit on the couch bored out of your mind, you nearly jump when you hear a car skid to a loud stop infront of your house. "That's him! C'mon you guys!" Jonathan yells from the kitchen. You grab your backpack and walk out to the pizza van.

Classy.

Jonathan gets into the front seat while you, El, and Will all crawl into the back. "You didn't tell me you had a whole party dude." He says to Jonathan. You stare at him for a long while, taking in his features.

He has really long hair, dark skin, cute style, addicting voice. You try not to gaze at him for long. He glances to the back again before starting off to school, when he sees you he tries not to stare to make Jonathan question.

'I would do anything for her' he immediately states in his mind before speeding off to school.

————————————

After lunch is your free period, you were smart enough to make it that way when you got to your new school. But poor Jonathan forgot to do so and has extra class that he despises.

When walking out the doors to sit outside for some light reading, someone grabs your shoulder. You jump, of course, because your first thought was a teacher thinking you cutting school. You turn around to seen Argyle instead. "Um, hey, I never, uh, got your name earlier." He says, he can barely get his words out.

"Y/N." You tell him, "What are you doing? Don't you have class right now?" You ask, completely confused, normally there's only five students with the same free period. "I'm cutting..." He let's out a chuckle after admitting this.

"I hate that class so much, and my other ones after it aren't really terribly important so I go back to my van and smoke a bit." Your first thought was cigarettes, then looking at him more you came to the conclusion that he was implying weed.

"Can I come with you?" You ask him, if you're being honest, you don't smoke weed, but it'd be better than the book you're reading which it really boring at the moment. "I- uh- sure." He blurts out then leads you out into the parking lot to his van.

You both sit in the back, you get comfortable while he rolls up a joint. He takes a hit before huffing out, you're hoping the smell doesn't stick to your clothes, and if it does, you pray your perfume will cover it.

"Wanna hit dude?" He asks you. You nod and take it out of his hands, for it being your first time smoking weed you did surprisingly good, and that made Argyle like you even more.

After a bit, he puts it out and lays down. "Jonathan never mentioned you, as far as I'm aware. Maybe he did, I don't know dude. Maybe I'm thinking of him not telling me how pretty you are." He says, making an accidental pick up line.

Your face is flushed, you don't know how to respond to the compliment. "Thanks" you finally blurt out. "I was going to ask if you wanted to hang out but seeming we already are there's no point." He laughs. His laugh is literally amazing. You want to hear it again so bad.

"I wish I would've met you sooner, you're amazing." You tell him. This is when you start to regret the things you thought the day before about this ride. You're so happy your mom couldn't take you to school today.

He begins to lean in but stops and pulls back, "Sorry, I should've asked or something man." He says to you before tearing his gaze away from you. "No, it's okay." You tell him.

You raise your hand to grab his face and turn him back to you, then you connect both of your lips. You were never the person to kiss someone on a first date, or someone you just met for that matter, but Argyle was different.

Both of your lips move perfectly I'm sync, he pulls away after, the both of you gasping for air. "That was...cool." He says to you. Moving his hand to yours. "It was, just don't tell Jonathan." You giggle.

Omg! I did it! And it's long! Omfg!!!

Lmk if yall want a part 2 I love writing for Argyle!!!