#the real reason nancy rejected is that it's not for her and she recognized that steve was totally flirting

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

What if Steve got cursed instead of Nancy?

Nancy and Eddie were screaming at him to wake up, but his eyes were still glazed over. Robin was screaming in Eddie's bedroom, trying to find music.

"Quick, Wheeler, kiss him!" Eddie squeaked.

"W-hy?" Nancy asked.

"You know, true love's kiss!" Eddie exclaimed.

"What?! One, Steve and I are not in love, and two, I don't believe in true love, not for me anyway." Nancy said.

"Makes sense. Okay, I completely misread that situation," Eddie said.

"Why don't you kiss him?" Nancy asked.

"What? Why?!" Eddie asked.

"Because I'm not completely stupid," Nancy said, and her face softened. "I've seen what Steve’s like when he's falling in love."

"Fine!"

Eddie grabbed him and kissed him. He felt him relax all of a sudden, causing him to break the kiss. Eddie's knees collapsed, and Steve was lying sideways in his arms. His face was ashen as he looked at Eddie, breathing heavily. Steve grabbed his face, trembling, and kissed him. Eddie felt the tears on Steve’s face as he sobbed against his lips.

"Eddie," Steve cried, breaking the kiss and burrowing his face into his neck.

Eddie gripped him tightly, rubbing his back and kissing the top of his head.

"I've got you, big boy. I'm here," Eddie whispered.

[thestupidhelmet]

I always got the impression that during Zen breakups, Donna more sided with Hyde than Jackie. What do you think?

Donna is often seen through an undeserved negative lens by a portion of T7S fans. Contradictions in her characterization do exist, thanks to inconsistent writing. But when her behavior, dialogue, and choices are examined closely, her true character is revealed. I do this in the metas linked below.

In Defense of Donna (an essay in eight parts).

In Defense of Donna: Supplemental

In Defense of Donna (Yet Again) in Her Relationship with Eric

Was Donna Mean to Jackie from Throughout Their Relationship?

Analyzing the facts burns away the foundation on which the biases about and misinterpretations of Donna’s character are built. After the cut, I discuss in detail her reactions to Jackie and Hyde’s breakups. She’s a far better person, and friend to Jackie, than is often recognized.

Jackie and Hyde’s first breakup occurs in “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You” (5x14), after Jackie shouts, “Get off my boyfriend!” to Annette about Kelso in the previous episode. Below is Donna and Jackie’s first discussion about it.

Donna: So, have you talked to Hyde about the whole, “Get off my boyfriend,” disaster? Jackie: No! And why is everyone making such a big deal about it? It's like every time I walk into a room, people look at me funny. Donna, how do you deal with it? Donna: Jackie, the reason people are making a big deal about it is because it sounds like you still have feelings for Kelso. Jackie: Well, I don't. I think the only reason I said it was because I was having an allergic reaction to the Formans' cheap, generic soda.

Here, Donna is being supportive of both Hyde and Jackie. She cares about them and their relationship. Jackie, however, has a tendency toward denial and self-delusion, which Donna has experienced extensively. She wants Jackie to be honest with herself, face reality, and not put herself or Hyde through the pain she went through with Kelso during seasons 1-4.

The next time in the episode Donna talks about this situation is with Annette at The Hub.

Annette: Guys, I really think there's some unfinished business between Michael and Jackie. When they were together, did she make him happy? Donna: Well, she totally dominated him and made him feel bad about himself. Annette: I guess what I'm really asking is, was she ever fat or anything?

Donna’s assessment isn’t accurate and nowhere near complete. This is not the fault of Donna but the writers, whose take on Jackie and Kelso is made clear in “Everybody Loves Casey” (4x26). Despite the few concessions the writers make during Jackie and Kelso’s exchange that give Jackie some sympathy, the onus for the toxicity of their relationship is put on Jackie. New “facts” that are never mentioned or shown in the series before this episode are introduced so that Kelso can give Jackie the responsibility for his cheating and the audience will agree with him, at least in part.

Donna’s assessment of Jackie and Kelso’s relationship in “Babe, I’m Gonna Leave You” reflects the point of view given in “Everybody Loves Casey”. What actually occurs during seasons 1-4 contradicts this assessment. Jackie encourages Kelso and bolsters his self-esteem (see “The Forgotten Son” [4x09] for one of many examples). She buys him so many presents that he owes her $8,265 in 1977 (see “Baby Fever” [3x07)], which is the equivalent to $35,525 today (due to inflation).

Yes, Jackie also berates him, but she most often does so when he mistreats her by lying, cheating, and generally disrespecting her. She also tries to control him in certain situations, like how many of her stuffed animals she’ll keep in his van or refusing to break up with him when he asks to in “Red’s Last Day” (2x02).

But the so-called total domination Donna claims Jackie had over Kelso is false. If it were true, Kelso never would’ve cheated on her with Pam Macy, Laurie, a girl from Sacred Heart. He wouldn’t have avoided her for a week after the first time they have sex or treat her like a servant once he gets in contact with her again. He wouldn’t have ignored her many nos about having sex until she’s exhausted by his relentlessness and given into what he wants. The list goes on.

The point, though, is that real!Donna would not have said Jackie “totally dominated [Kelso] and made him feel bad about himself.” Real!Donna -- who’d tried to get Jackie to break up with cheating Kelso then stay broken up with him -- would have said that Jackie and Kelso made each other miserable and that it wasn’t a healthy relationship for either of them. This assessment would have given Annette, a virtual stranger, enough information without betraying Jackie’s privacy.

Jackie enters The Hub soon after this conversation.

Jackie: Donna, Steven broke up with me. Donna: Oh, Jackie, I'm sorry.

Donna is sincere in her compassion. She doesn’t say, “You deserved it,” or, “What did you expect?” Her friend is hurting, and Donna feels for her.

This is the last interaction between Donna and Jackie before Jackie and Hyde reconcile in this episode. Donna’s empathy is obviously for Jackie. We get no scenes between Donna and Hyde or dialogue from Donna that shows she believes Hyde is in the right for breaking up with her. She just wants Jackie to recognize why Hyde might feel hurt by Jackie calling Kelso her boyfriend.

Jackie and Hyde’s next breakup happens in “Nobody’s Fault but Mine” (5x23). Kelso tells Donna about Hyde sleeping with the nurse.

Kelso: [Hyde] doesn’t know it but I saw him kissing this lady at the hotel. Donna: Oh, my God, that’s horrible. Kelso: I wanna do the right thing, right? So I’m thinking that I’ll just tell Jackie, and then she’ll feel really bad. Then I’ll console her, and -- presto! -- we’re making out topless! Donna: No, Kelso! The thing to do is to tell Hyde that you know and then give him a chance to tell Jackie.

Again, Donna is concerned for the well-being of both Jackie and Hyde and their relationship. She cares about both of them, but Hyde’s behavior / choice is likely incomprehensible to her at this point.

Once Jackie breaks up with Hyde and the full truth is out, Hyde calls Jackie at Donna’s. Donna wants Jackie to talk to him, but Jackie hangs up the phone, and Donna pleads Hyde’s case

Donna:  I think this whole thing was a misunderstanding. Hyde didn’t know what was going on. Jackie: I know, okay? But after Michael, I promised myself that I would never be with another boy who cheated on me. Donna: But Hyde’s so good for you. Since you started dating him you’ve completely stopped quoting Nancy Drew.

Donna’s point of view, again, reflects the writers’ -- that Hyde’s transgression is a “stupid, one-time thing.” If Hyde had actually been written as real!Hyde during this episode and arc (after sleeping with the nurse), he would’ve put Jackie’s pain and feelings ahead of his own, shown true and lasting contrition along with self-awareness, and not expect forgiveness.

Donna’s argument would be much stronger if Hyde hadn’t displayed similar behavior to Kelso’s in season 2 (e.g., acting entitled to Jackie’s forgiveness and growing hostile toward her when he doesn’t get it in his desired time frame). Hyde’s relationship with Jackie does inspire her to grow and change, but that doesn’t negate his betrayal of her -- or vice versa.

Donna needed to give Jackie empathy in this moment rather than try to fix what Hyde had broken, but she does so right after Jackie rejects Donna’s argument to give Hyde a chance. Jackie cries on her shoulder, and Donna holds her during it.

Before Jackie and Hyde reconcile in “Join Together” (6x02), Donna continues to point out the positive effect Jackie’s relationship with Hyde had on Jackie. She’s neither Team Jackie nor Team Hyde. She’s Team Jackie-and-Hyde. She’s supportive of and compassionate toward Jackie while also maintaining faith in Hyde’s innate goodness.

Donna believes that Hyde, at his core, isn’t a cheater. That he isn’t Kelso, but this doesn’t excuse Hyde’s transgression. What’s missing during this breakup arc is a scene where Donna confronts Hyde about what he did, why he chose to act out instead of talk to Jackie, and where she tells him he has to own his crap. This would have connected nicely story-wise (or grown out of) the lessons she should have learned with Eric in season 5 had the show not rushed into their engagement arc.

Donna could have brought up Hyde’s childhood, the source of his deep fear of abandonment, and how he allowed this fear to seep into his relationship with Jackie. Hyde, then, might have admitted he’d fallen for Jackie when she’d chased him back in season 3 and felt betrayed by her ultimately rejecting him for Kelso.

Hyde: I guess that crap came up again when she became my girlfriend. Part of me always believed she’d always go back to him.

Unfortunately, the writers didn’t make these story and character connections, and the characterization and story suffered because of it.

During Jackie and Hyde’s season 7 breakups, Donna behaves similarly as described above. She’s Team Jackie-and-Hyde. She supports both her friends and believes they’re happiest (and best) when together. She brings Jackie to her martial arts class to get out her rage at Hyde in a healthy way. She consistently teases Hyde about his love for Jackie so he won’t deny it to himself or quit fighting for it. She’s always got a hug for Jackie when she needs it, and she calls Hyde on his B.S. (finally) in season 7.

So, no, Donna doesn’t side more with Hyde over Jackie after their breakups. She an equal friend to both of them, despite the flaws in the writing.

[startwithbrooklyn]

THE GREAT ND REWATCH OF 2021 / SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 // larkspur lane/the whisper box

this post is a double whammy cause they have 2 eps happen in the same day if u can believe it (thats how awful judging timelines in this show is!!)

-"hi josh..." LMAOOOOOOO

-BESS just breaking in lmaooo how many god damn times does bess just shit the bed in this show

-LOVE her frowny face at nancys closet ("my expectations are low" lmfaoooo but this would totally be me)

-"bet she meant it metaphorically" okayyy but then why did lucy say that at all? i feel like theres defo more to this story, combined with josh's cagey behavior (part of which is to get nancy to stop looking into shit d/t him and karen but still)

-"they dont accept visitors unless they're family" .....🙂

-ace "youre really good at that" to bess i fuckin love this friendship with all my heart (also love their talk at the claw mirroring nick & nancys talk in the last ep)

-also PINK AND ORANGE BESS ARE U BLIND (also 1) why tf would nancy own this and 2) where would she wear it??)

-okay wtf is vampire dip

-"boss??" see this is what i meant yesterday about nancy ruining everything for nick/george

-god DAMN she sucks at dealing with this news lmaooo that emotional competency babey + love george literally agrees to help bc she feels bad (AND nicks immediate look of "you just reprimanded me for helping her last ep and i know why youre doing this rn" lmaoooo)

-LOVE george noticing nick "shout out to jean valjean" lmaooo once again nancy would never have noticed/commented on something like that

-"get the hell out of here" was this foreshadowing for an epic dad joke for these two eps? "how do you make holy water? you boil the hell out of it" 😂😂😂😂

-so what i dont get about the whole haunting is the ball + kids' laughter but its all the emphasis on "mr roper" the adult? wtf like what kind of entity is this

-"how did you ever have a solo career??" 😂

-okay amaya's hair is gorgeous here (also "you feel like a snack" ....👀) *ahhh so the reason bess feels so off balance is bc its like a top vs a top scenario

-has anyone who's ever been to prison confirmed this is what it looks like?

-love how ace is the only employee there when they all leave so he had to fucking close the place when he goes

-why does she take the whole file? time constraints? it'd be smarter to take pics + replace it (better sleuthing) but this place is clearly not well run anyway 😂

-so this is a pretty decent cover she invents but theres no way she would get away with it so easily for a real guard

-love how ace recognizes ryan's car (+ is able to find it by driving around)

-"my father wouldnt do anything like that" LMFAOOOOOO SIS WHY ARE U DEFENDING HIM ironically, ace is actually the best person suited to engage w ryan here d/t the car accident + connection with laura being ryans SIL. its a unique set up

-i am fascinated by the concept of priests + holy water being so effective here combined with mcginnis' beliefs and basically nondenominational ghosts/seances etc after that. the show is very clearly big on diversity but definitely steers clear from too much WASP stuff yk? wonder if other stuff from christianity works against the ghosts/demons like taking refuge in a church "holy ground" or using silver etc

-"did this start after the night of sept 10?" *this is where you get the time line for the seance if you didnt know

-this is so fucking funny when u realize that patient sal talks to is actually a ghost so sal really is psycho i guess 😂

-bitchsplain/tall jar of mayonnaise 🙏🏻😌 2gether 4ever

-how did ace get this van? also heart attack when he yells at carson (but then grins at him like a goofball lmaooo)

-"for nancys sake and yours" damn she owes ace big time for all this shit

-"what do we do for 7 minutes?" ...ummm play 7 minutes in heaven lmaooo 👀🥵

-was not expecting ace to look this sexy holding an axe but okay (*ah, its his short sleeve shirt showing his arms. usually hes a sleeves guy)

-"desperate for attention" nancy (from gomber) vs "bc she's starved for attention" patrice --> lucy (and candace also...) we know nancys detective work makes her seem like an attention seeker, but what was lucy doing to make them all think that? she was trying to hide her relationship with ryan, not expose it. unless they just mean the rumors about her?

-so is patrice hiding lucy's "truth" talking about lucy being a whore or lucy being a ghost? what is lucy's secret? did patrice guess she was pregnant or did patrice's somehow garbled mind remember tiffany trying to show patrice the video with lucy on it?

-wonder what captain thom thinks of this stand off w ace lmaooo

-"like you do?" top v top shenanigans

-how awko for carson to talk to karen again like this

-"oh no" ACE 😂

-love how amaya says "be a human" like shes kind of admitting people in rich circles typically arent (^this is an interesting focus in s2 when bess's rich family rejects her, thus making her human again, but nancy embraces her rich fam and experiences subsequent moral struggle which is predicted with the wraith)

-wonder what ryan thinks he could get from the marvins (which he cant get now lmaooo)

-this damn whisper box. so many questions. who named it the whisper box? why are the ropers' old possessions still there? who decided to build a mental hospital on top of it? and patrice! she "hid lucy's secrets" hannah gruen thinks tiffany tried to show patrice video w lucy on it, which patrice then specifically says she hid in the thin mans book. so patrice knows of the thin man? can she see him? does she know he was a ghost/supernatural? she must have a supernatural sense to know about him (unless sal told or some shit) so then when tiffany shows up w/ lucy being supernatural in it patrice hides it to protect her? is this why she is "crazy" kinda like victoria? supernatural elements or ability to sense ghosts makes her unstable? this is why lucy being a ghost/nursery rhyme that she repeats makes patrice worse/"stroke"? how did patrice even get into the whisper box to put the key in the bible and get out without getting trapped? also, her dementia --> lucidity is really fucking off, some people mildly switch like that but usually with dementia they cant even register new shit anymore

-...so did bess take the ride? 👀

-interesting how celia says "your father will be disappointed" but nothing of her own opinion. wonder how much celia truly puts up with to keep everett calm and nonhomicidal

-like george asking nick follow up questions that nancy never really would have asked

🥞🥞🥞(ep13)🥞🥞🥞

-is this bitch just eating a plain pancake with her bare hand?

-"extra case load and excessive volunteering" ugh. nancy's family here are like, gross in how "good" of people they are // unrealistic, trying to paint carson in the best light/ no way ryan could ever compare (but the reality is theyre not that good of people for lying about nancy) **and shes arrogant to think shes better than everyone else ie the only one who truly lives virtuously, thinks she can do no wrong sometimes even tho using sex to cope, breaking and entering, etc is not morally "good" stuff she still thinks she is the only one who doesnt lie and plays fair (like in the pilot she lists everyone else as a suspect but herself- obviously we know she isnt guilty but no one else does. (i mean in theory we really dont, what if nancy was an unreliable narrator and was actually guilty, that would be a hella cool show)its reactions like that where she cant understand why others like the chief suspect her

-ooooh ironic that in the Good Place carson readily agrees to pay her for helping with cases as opposed to s2 in reality

-nick's house has "problems" so why does he need a lawyer? as opposed to an interior designer, plumber, or realtor?

-in the Good Place nick and george realize they are not going to work out after one date. does this failure in the Good Place predict failure in reality, or merely an easier way of figuring out the truth? does this mean that the "opposite" of the Good Place is reality, or only an opinion of what is better? (nancy says "you all like me" as her opinion of them liking her is skewed; does this then only reflect nancys version for what is the "perfect life"?)

-why is bess a hippie??? and love how george curls her hair and wears pink lipstick here

-if this dream is so realistic then why is the one thing it cant conjure smoke? like how random

-love the locket being a key realization bc with things like jewelry you dont notice the weight of them until theyre gone

-"you all like me" in her perfect life nancy means they "like" her objectively/regardless of circumstance even though liking her is still an objective choice (like they "like" her because of other reasons instead of her working at the claw? (like how you make friends with coworkers/people at school every day but after you leave the job/graduate you never speak to them again) and her "thanks for showing up!" as if theyre not doing exactly that in reality 😐like where is she getting this shit? she sort of acknowledges in earlier eps she is hard to like/that she puts mysteries before friends, but also pushing them away to avoid danger like the previous ep "why do u show up" etc

-is it just me or does the inside of nicks "house" look like the drews'?

-nick has a dick scar lmaooooo (or more likely was hit in the balls or smth)

-love how nick + george match their anger in confronting sal 100% on the same level

-so when did ace go back to work after having such a busy day earlier?? lmaooo

-damn father shane is a creep (casting defo hired him for his voice) and how tf did he just poof + escape? and what did he request???

-love bess's white hair bow here 😌+ her jacket, whole outfit on point as usual

-like how bess is right that nancy has to find her way out but thats kind of a nonstarter for a room full of panicked people wanting to help

-in the Good Place theres no bad blood between drews + hudsons bc nancy is really theirs

-"the only one who has the key is you" in the Good Place nancy has the key (smaller picture, to finding out what happened to lucy but bigger picture, post-reveal) but ryan has the clues nancy needs- following the Good Place's mirroring, this just means that in reality ryan will either be completely useless or an active hindrance (but you KNOW this is a dream bc in what universe would ryan remember clues like that 😂)

-so in a perfect universe ryan acknowledges his family's "criminal empire" as opposed to reality where he only makes under cover jabs about disengaging with being an "entitled corrupt legacy criminal" ie finding the bonny scot relics but does nothing about them, etc

-"strippers" 😂

-okay what is nancys obsession w her beanie?? bc her mom made it? "wear beanies do crimes?" idk

-making the call: nancy -unable to make up for lost time/both her mothers had to find out/suffer alone / in the Good Place nancy was able to be with kate while she called, and in reality she had carson; somethig about seeing the mother looking to the daughter for strength in the Good Place instead of the reverse (which is what reality sounded like, kate being strong for nancy through the illness despite the struggle)

-concept: nancy & nick "let's wait out the storm"

-"i believe that you believe it" nick in the Good Place + owen in reality both trust nancy when she says she's seen things (owen's is the teeth) but nick in reality (and not really knowing details) doesnt think much of their "moment" bc it wasnt real (so she had to leave the Good Place to save carson- but if she had known then he wasnt her real dad, would she have stayed to be w nick?)

-stranger - suede james 💙👌🏻

-"really anxious as a kid" v telling bc of her desire to know everything to remain in control of situations like she always does now

-"the medicine or the metaphysics?"/"you cannot beat supernatural with science"

-i love nancy playing with her pinky while saying goodbye 🥺

-"always seek out the truth even if it hurts" this is straight irony bc kate never told nancy anything. like does that include the truth about nancys parentage? they taught her to seek out the truth, but who taught her that the truth is the only thing to live by? ie things dont count anymore like carson and kate straight up raising her is tossed out bc she finds out its not "the truth" like all that work/stress to protect carson + she just drops him? with kate maybe shes just upset thst she spent all that time mourning for someone who lied. and would she do the same to ryan if needed? probably

-bess and ace head tilt 💙

-like how for all the time she spent there nancy only has a subconscious memory of blue curtains

-YESSSSS i LOVEthese beautiful overhead shots of hannah's hands. so out of character for the show lmao but so gorgeous

-i feel like future eps/grand future will be nancy going through the lock boxes to help people who asked hannah for help

-the video is officially dated Aug 22, 2019

-soooooo in the first ep nancy breaks into the hudsons house and finds tiffanys secret drawer w the nail polish and finds the amulet with a note that says "for your protection HG" yet on this video tiffany says she talked to a medium who gave her the amulet sooooo am i just confused? HG is hannah gruen obvi so is the address for the medium what hannah gave her? or was the address on the amulet which nancy dissolved in salt water to see? so how would tiffany know where to go? its chicken and the egg which came first hannah or the medium?

and lastly:

i close these two eps with a thought that everything in this show is sealed in death. all the lies, the imagery, the fake constructs people put up to get by all crumple the second someone dies- all the secrets come clean just like these doors have been unsealed.

[ziracona]

Might be to early to ask but do you think the Twins, or at least Charlotte, are redeemable? And how does Elodie interact with the group

Yeah, definitely. According to the new canon, Charlotte thinks/sees the survivors as the cultists who tortured her and her brother and got Victor killed. She got some people killed and killed some when stealing food, in self-dense (ish, since well, she was robbing. But imo if you’re starving and break in & someone attacks you you’re still acting in self defense basically) or in a panic. Which isn’t great, but she’s not evil and she lived a scared and fucked up life and has no reason to expect anybody won’t be like the people who burned her mom alive as a witch or tortured her and her brother. She’s one of the feral killers, all of whom I think are quite redeemable. Like most of them, it’d probably take a /lot/ of work to get her to give anyone enough of a chance to recognize anything good in them at all or be reached, or would take some extreme circumstances, but it definitely could happen. And the poor girl deserves some rehabilitation and love and help. : (

Victor, on the other hand, is harder to parse. As far as I can tell, from how the lore reads, he’s not actually Victor. If he was, I’d put him in the same camp as Charlotte. But since he’s almost definitely not, I see it playing out one of two ways. Since Victor is like I am 80% sure something the Entity made, like the crows but way more evil and destructive, and intelligent enough to be able to follow orders well and convince Charlotte he’s who he’s pretending to be, either any attempt to rehabilitate or befriend Charlotte ends with her having to eventually confront both her brother’s real death, which she never did even when he was a corpse hanging off her, finally come to terms and be at peace with it and love him but let him go and find a way to keep living, plus an epic showdown with Fake Victor and rejection of the lies the Entity fed her and it’s using her and fake paradise and fulfilled dream, in a kinda big “You call boats she, Georgie” moment for her, or.

Option #2, which I like just as much. In which, while an evil intentioned extension of the Entity like the crows, Victor is a living being, created construct or no, and makes better choices. We know from the crows that the Entity living creations are still alive in and of themselves and have some amount of free will, proven in that crows like Jake to the point crows will listen to Calm Spirit over Spies From the Shadows and ignore their singular created purpose in order to protect him. And I see no reason Victor couldn’t eventually, created to be feral and vicious and cruel or no, grow attached to the sister he pretends to know and love who loves him so utterly and truly, and he does get to know. I’m sure she, like Jake is to the crows, is infinitely kinder and better to him than the Entity is. And see no reason, especially as something made with human levels of cognition and processing, he couldn’t decide to try to help her/choose her and anyone she allied with or anyone else who happened to be genuinely kind enough to him to matter, over the Entity. And Charlotte would still have to confront her real brother’s death and I’m sure the deception would be awful, but as something treated like she was created to be a monster her whole life, I think she’d have empathy for something created for that exact purpose that just wanted to love her and have a family and a normal life and be better than what people said, and I think they could be the start of a real sweet found family together.

Can’t decide which I like better though. Maaaybe two, because I’m such a sucker for any construct/robot/golem/clone/monster gains sentience/humanity/free will and self narratives. They’re just *chef kiss* SO good. :’-] But god, the epic showdown drama of #1. Especially with a This is the Bad Place evil grin of “Oh hell yes I am not Victor and I love this game I’ve been playing” mmm the mental cinematography. I keep trying to think of a way to just give him a really long redemption arc and do at least part of both, but they may work better as separate interpretations. Mmmm. 🤔 I’ll keep in it.

Anyway! That’s my thoughts on the twins. As for Élodie, since she super lets David just die and doesn’t kick the little one off him, I’m gonna assume that while she has a lot of knowledge and experience with risky cult stuff, she’s not been in many actual high-pressure-high-danger situations, and has a really hard time adjusting initially. Probably watching her family get taken and having just been stabbed for the first time and almost died right before being taken, the initial PTSD trauma threshold is even higher than for most of them, and she’s super miserable. But I expect after a while, especially with all the survivors there with experience and empathy, she is able to hit a stride and get a little more practice and courage and comfort, and it gets easier. And when she breaks out of the freeze response to fight/flight/freeze, she gets very invested in the heavy research team stuff with Tapp/Claudette/Dwight/Zarina/Adam/Jane/Quentin/Cheryl/Felix, and is an invaluable contribution. I expect reuniting with Felix is awkward af, especially since while I have no idea if he blames her for the loss of his parents, I am sure she would assume he does, and probably she feels immense guilt for all of it. I don t he does though, or that if he does, he wouldn’t get over it pretty fast after watching how much she’s suffering. And I think after he reached out, they’d bond really well over their shared history and trauma, and it’d be really good emotionally for both of them. I have always HC’d since she’s from Montreal, Claudette speaks French too, so I think Élodie and she would get along well too, and enjoy being able to chat in a second language. And probably all the researchers would vibe pretty well with her. I think also if she had a really hard time initially adjusting, the specifically protective survivors (David, Tapp, Bill, Kate, Yui, Quentin, Zarina) would absolutely be all over trying to help her in trials and help her make it over the learning curves. Also, all the survivors attracted to ladies would think she’s hot (Sans Felix, who is a good man who’d never cheat on his wife, and Nancy, who I think is the only other one w a s/o back home?Kinda Quentin I guess but I mean like, a steady. And not the people more than twenty years her senior [Ace Ash Tapp Bill] bc they got boundaries. But still.) And I am sure Meg, Nea, and Feng in particular are living their best lives because have you seen her? Overall, I think she loosens up and has a good sense of humor and makes friends pretty well, although she can also snap to laser-focus on a subject with 0 warning and does, but it’s kinda awesome to watch.

[multiverseforger]

Edit

The Mole Man was originally Harvey Rupert Elder, an American nuclear engineer and explorer. Elder was socially shunned due to a combination of his abrasive personality and his homely, dwarfish appearance. Furthermore, his fellow explorers ridiculed him for his eccentric, crackpot theories regarding a Hollow Earth. In 1956, while following the group of explorers called the Monster Hunters, he stumbled upon Monster Isle, which was at the time a base of the Deviant Warlord Kro.[volume & issue needed]

When Elder fell into a massive cave leading deep into the underground realm of Subterranea, he decided his theories had finally been vindicated. However, he suffered permanent damage to his eyes when he gazed directly upon a highly reflective deposit of diamonds. Partially blind and apparently secluded from the surface world forever, Elder dubbed himself the Mole Man and began exploring his new home. He eventually became the ruler of the branch of Subterraneans now known as the Moloids, and the ruler of much of Subterranea and the caverns of Monster Isle. He used the Deviant-derived creatures and technology that he found in Subterranea to strike back at the outer world in numerous attempts to rule or humble the world that had rejected him.[volume & issue needed]

The Mole Man conducted attacks on the surface world by destroying nuclear power plants in the Eastern Bloc, Australia, South America, and French Equatorial Africa, attracting the attention of the newly-formed Fantastic Four in their first adventure. After the group arrived on Monster Isle, he captured Mister Fantastic and the Human Torch and told them his plans to invade every major urban area on the planet via a network of tunnels. When he released a horde of monsters the Human Torch sealed his realm's entrance. The Mole Man appeared to have destroyed Monster Isle in an atomic blast.[4] The Mole Man's Deviant-bred monstrous mutates, collectively known as the "Mole Man's Monsters", include the three-headed Tricephalous,[volume & issue needed] the horned Megataur,[volume & issue needed] and the flying bird-insect creature known only as "Skreeal".[volume & issue needed] The Mole Man also has a group of superhuman allies called the Outcasts.[volume & issue needed]

The Mole Man later stole buildings from New York City, but was thwarted by the Fantastic Four and appeared to be killed in an explosion.[5] With the Red Ghost, he next battled the Avengers and tried to use a machine that caused earthquakes to take over the world by threatening to destroy all life on Earth, capturing Giant-Man who had been warned by ants of the earthquakes as they sensed them first. Later the Wasp released Giant-Man and he shrunk down to ant-size and sabotaged the machine. Iron Man then sealed the tunnel entrances. The Red Ghost then broke up the partnership.[6] Mole Man was among the criminals later assembled by Doctor Doom's mind-control device to attack Reed and Sue's wedding.[7] Mole Man then fought a war against rival Subterranean ruler Tyrannus, capturing the Fountain of Youth which allowed Tyrannus to stay young. Tyrannus teleported the Hulk underground to help him regain the Fountain. Finally, he was able to restore himself.[8] Mole Man used the original X-Men as pawns in his war against Tyrannus.[9] The Mole Man later trapped the Fantastic Four in a house of his own creation that temporalily blinded them.[10] Mole Man continued to fight his war with Tyrannus.[11]

He later teamed with Kala, the queen of the Subterranean Netherworlders, and fell in love with her. He plotted to destroy the surface world, but was betrayed by Kala and Tyrannus.[12] Some time later, Mole Man and Kala were betrothed to be married. Namor, the Atlantean prince, helped out the Moloids when a conquering force was slaughtering many, while using the rest of them for slave labor.[volume & issue needed]

Much later, Mole Man befriended the Thing and then plotted to raise a new continent at the cost of sinking California, but was again thwarted by the Fantastic Four.[13] He was captured by Lava Men later.[14] Mole Man then attempted to bring peace to Subterranea, but was attacked by Fantastic Four clones.[15] He contended with Skrulls, and tried unsuccessfully to capture a Skrull technotroid egg.[16]

Mole Man later allied with Grotesk and Tyrannus against Deviants led by Brutus. He aided the Hulk in fighting Brutus's Deviants. Together with his allies, he triumphed over Brutus, and welcomed back Kala as his consort.[17]

Mole Man became involved with the West Coast Avengers when one of his monsters attacked Los Angeles. His Moloids were caught in the middle of a Skrull revenge scheme on the Fantastic Four. A replacement Fantastic Four, consisting of Spider-Man, Ghost Rider, the Hulk and Wolverine were tricked into entering the Mole Man's territory and battling his forces.[volume & issue needed]

He later battled the West Coast Avengers along with the U-Foes during the Acts of Vengeance, but their attempts met with failure.[volume & issue needed]

ReformationEdit

Later, he surrendered his desire for conquest and revenge and began assembling a sanctuary for others who had been rejected by the surface world. His two attempts to do so led to the deaths of most of the visitors to his sanctuaries. Briefly, the Mole Man allowed Adam Warlock's superhero team, the Infinity Watch, to use Monster Isle (more specifically, a castle located on its grounds) as a base, on the reasoning that they could help protect him from any meddlers, which they did on several occasions. They proved helpful when the United Nations invaded the island. The Watch, primarily Gamora, drove away the invading force with an absolute minimum of harm. The Avengers assisted with the United Nations, then recognized the Mole Man's rulership over the island.[volume & issue needed]

Mole Man tended to keep out of the way when the cosmic plans went on. The Watch occupied the Monster Isle castle until their dissolution as a team. Following their departure, the Mole Man apparently returned to his solitary, vengeful existence. Aside from occasional fits of hostility, he seems for the most part content to rule his subterranean kingdom, and for the past few years his surface activities have mostly been limited to reacting to threats (real or imagined) to his people.[volume & issue needed]

Attacking againEdit

In one incident, he was causing property damage purely to help the Moloids, whose water and food had become polluted.[18] He appeared in The Mighty Avengers having led an attack on New York, claiming retaliation for his underground home, which he says is destroyed. He was humiliated by a female-formed Ultron, who destroyed his remaining monsters, and he was arrested.[19]

Mole Man was also behind a series of Chupacabra attacks in Puerto Rico. His motive was to protect the blood-drinking race from extinction. He was defeated by the Fantastic Four.[20]

In the "Live Fast" story arc of Runaways, the Runaways are fighting a huge tall sky-scraper sized monster. When Victor suggests Nico shrink it, Nico mentions she already used that spell on Mole Man.[volume & issue needed]

Mole Man witnessed the return of the Hulk, which pleased him. However, when the Hulk was defeated and his stone ship destroyed, various creatures from planet Sakaar were released into the underground. Mole Man trained the alien beasts and led them to attack New York once more. However, the creatures were really waiting for the arrival of Skaar, the Hulk's son. However, Tyrannus rose to challenge Mole Man's claim and used magic to pervert the aliens so that they could destroy the surface. Skaar went into a berserker rage and thus both Tyrannus and Mole Man fled.[21]

Mandarin's White Light Ring approached Mole Man in order to help it and the other rings have revenge on Tony Stark where he became Mandarin-Six. Mole Man and the other Mandarins later travelled to Svartalfheim in order to confront Malekith the Accursed, who had hunted down other three Mandarins and had taken their rings from them.[22] The Mandarins thwarted any attempt of Malekith to hide or flee, as the rings could locate each other. Malekith made a pact with Iron Man (who was also at the time in Svartalfheim to retrieve the rings) disposed of his ring and escaped to safely, as he could no longer be tracked. Following their failure to kill Malekith, the Mandarins resumed their own paths.[23] The Mandarins joined forces once more to help Mole Man's plan to create ring-powered weapons with which destroy cities from their base in Sinister London. A test was thwarted by the Fantastic Four. Before they could release one of the actual machines, Iron Man pinned them down along with the Trojan Guard and Abigail Burns. The Mandarins failed to escape as Iron Man's ally Dark Angel used magic to prevent them from teleporting.[24] After the other Mandarin's are defeated, Mole Man's ring declared him the Prime-Mandarin. Instead, Mole Man abandoned his ring and retreated.[25]

Mole Man was later contacted by unknown individuals to bring them Athol Kussar, the half-brother of mine owner Faust Swart who laundered money to fund HYDRA's African base after he knew about his half-brother's actions and had been previously imprisoned in a mine by Swart while evading the S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. When Mole Man broke into Kussar's cell, Kussar did not want to leave due to a bomb inside his body that would detonate if he left his cell. Mole Man was attacked and knocked down by Invisible Woman who disposed of the bomb and placed Kussar in S.H.I.E.L.D. custody.[26]

As part of the All-New, All-Different Marvel event, Mole Man and his fellow Subterraneans ended up in a civil war with the Subterraneans that are on the side of his son Mole Monster.[27]

When Squirrel Girl's friends, Nancy, Tippy Toe and Koi Boi, help set her up an online dating profile, it leads to many unsuccessful dates, one of which ends with an encounter with Mole Man, who is angered by how Doreen's earlier suggestions to Kraven has affected his home. Doreen apologizes to him and the two have a conversation about his situation, leading Mole Man to proposing to Doreen on the spot and a number of follow-up schemes to get Doreen to go on a date with him. He threatens to bury a number of worldwide landmarks if she does not date him, and after Nancy is nearly kidnapped by him and being swarmed by the media, she goes to confront Mole Man only to find that Tricephalous is in love with him. She lets Tricephalous defeat her to woo Mole Man and they leave for good.[28]

Mole Man later appears attacking New York with a group of monsters, but he is defeated by Hulk, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.[29]

During the Secret Empire storyline, it is revealed that Mole Man has struck a deal with Captain America to use the tunnels of his subterranean kingdom for his smuggling operation in exchange for specific items from the surface world, such as DVDs. When Captain America arrives with the Underground Resistance, Mole Man's kingdom is attacked by Dreadnoughts sent by Hydra. Though the heroes manage to defeat the Dreadnoughts, Mole Man puts an end to his truce with Captain America and lets the heroes leave.[30

[silentglassbreak]

I saw your prompts are open and I had to jump in! I love your writings for our boys, esp the fluff it makes me so soft when they’re soft💚 maybe something where they have kids and go SUPER HARD for Halloween and have really intricate family costumes that they work on, like all year and it’s just fluffy and everyone loves each other and is happy 🥺 you’re such a wonderful writer!! Thank you!!

Before we begin, I’d like to say a few things:

Firstly, thank you for requesting this. I had no idea how badly I needed to write this. It made my heart so happy to create this, and I sincerely hope it doesn’t disappoint. 🖤

Secondly, I know this one kind of goes off on some tangents, but I did my best to keep it on prompt as well as I could, but there was so much I needed to include, and so much I didn’t.

Third, let me know what we think of Riley? I kind of really loved writing her into a story with Billy and Steve, and am thinking of exploring her character more in the future. Feedback, please?

Fourth(isn’t this getting ridiculous?), I was chopping down a tree in my front yard when I got this, and literally s t o p p e d to start it. I did have to go back and finish the job, and it’s really okay, the tree was dead, but I’ve been working on this most of the night, and that’s how excited I was for this prompt.

Fifth(seriously, get on with it), I chose Hocus Pocus 150% for a real fucking reason. That movie is everything to me, and -fun fact- I’m actually named after a character in that movie! 😉 (No, my name is not Winifred)

Last(omg, rly?), if you would like a song rec for the story, I highly recommend Crystal by Stevie Nicks. It’s where I got the title, and honestly, it’s kind of the unofficial theme I’ve assigned to the Harringrove ship as a whole. If you’ve seen the movie Practical Magic, you’ll recognize it.

Now, shall we begin?

Like The Love That Had Finally Found Me

October 29, 1993 - Hawkins, IN

“Steve, you’re going to rip the fabric!” Nancy was nearly screaming at him from across the kitchen, coffee in one hand, spoon stirring in the other. “Do you want milk or half and half?” He was only somewhat listening to her by now, but he answered around the pins in his mouth, fingers working to sew the orange and yellow fringe onto the black velvet scarf.

“Uhm…” He finally tore his eyes away and looked up at the brunette girl standing in his kitchen. “Milk, please.” She nodded and poured the hot coffee into the rainbow mug that read ‘#1 Dad’. She wasn’t sure if Riley had picked it out for Steve or Billy, but either way, it made her smile to herself.

“You’re almost done. It’s going to look great,” she set the steaming cup down in front of him at the kitchen table. “unless you oversew and tear a hole in it.” Her hand came to gently rest on his. Her clear blue eyes shining up at him, he finally faltered, snipping the thread with his scissors and setting down the scarf.

He breathed a sigh that wore as tired as he felt. The last three and a half months had been absolute mayhem for him and Billy, causing the entire end of summer and beginning of fall to feel like a never ending shift. He regretted nothing.

Back in July, when Billy took their daughter to see Hocus Pocus for their regular Sunday Dad-Riley Movie Night, she came home starry eyed and as enthusiastic as a firework.

‘Daddy, that was the best movie ever! You have to come with Dad and I, to see it again next weekend! I want to be Dani Dennison for Halloween! And you can be Max, and Dad can be Billy the Zombie! That’s already his name. Did you know I’m the same age as Dani? She’s eight too! Can we get a black cat to be Binx? Please, Daddy, pleeeeease?!’

From that moment forward, Hocus Pocus had become Steve’s life. Billy was working full-time at the auto shop, so Steve had more free time to concentrate on the task at hand. And concentrate, oh he fucking did.

Steve Harrington’s life had become so much more than he had ever imagined. Eight years may be a long time to some, but for him, it was the fastest moving period of time he had ever lived for. One year after the Starcourt ‘burning’, Billy had officially recovered from his near-fatal injuries, and spontaneously confessed his feelings to Steve. It was an angry, awkward, embarrassing time for them, that led to almost a month of denial and avoidance from both Steve and Billy. In that three-week-five-day period, Billy had grown to understand that Steve needed time, and had not actually rejected him. It was a process, that Billy later decided was worth the wait.

The following six months led to the ultimate change, which was Billy finally leaving Neil Hargrove’s house and moving in with Chief Hopper as his ‘adopted’ son. Billy was almost nineteen, so they didn’t bother with the paperwork, but Hopper did bother to get to know Billy, work to understand him, and finally comfort him enough to make him feel at home.

Billy then found himself with two younger sisters, and when Hopper and Joyce married three months later, a younger brother, and a brother his own age. Steve was grateful he got to witness the change in Billy; the growth. He found himself falling for Billy harder every day, resistance dissolving a little each time he saw his toothy, devious grin.

Two years after the disaster, Steve confessed his feelings to Billy, all fast-talking and nerves frayed. Told him that he had never felt this way for anyone, let alone a boy. Told him he had been scared and weak and apologized about three hundred times for making him wait. Billy forgave him with a kiss, an embrace, and a promise that things would be different.

Billy kept his promise.

Six months later, Steve experienced tragedy in the form of his younger brother, Troy Harrington, and his wife, Angela, being fatally injured in a car accident. The loss was trying on Steve, Billy having to hold him too many nights while he sobbed and shook, asking him questions he just could answer like why? And how? And who the fuck let this happen? It took time, it took work, and it took strength to pull out of the dark place Steve had crawled into, but he managed.

Two months later, Steve was approached by Marlena Andowski, Social Services Case Worker handling case number 22496A, Riley Harrington. Riley was two years and seven months old when her parents passed, leaving her an orphan and sleeping at her Uncle’s Steve’s every night. Marlena had asked Steve if he would consider adopting Riley, and Steve said yes with no hesitation, signing paperwork, showing paystubs and rent receipts, taking drug tests, and toddler-proofing his small apartment for the long haul ahead.

It took about one day for Billy to fall head over heels in love with Riley, and only seven months for her to call him Daddy for the first time. Billy didn’t know how to feel at first, until her little hands tugged on his shirt and pointed to the pink stuffed frog at the grocery store, repeating herself, ‘Please, Daddy! Can I get the Frog?’ Steve knew when they walked in the door, stuffed toy clutched in tiny arms, glittery red nail polish on Billy’s fingers, that they were a family.

And then, almost five years later, Steve found himself sitting in the kitchen of the home Billy and him purchased, less than forty-eight hours before Halloween, sewing the last of his daughter’s costume together so that everything was just right.

Steve drank from his coffee mug hungrily, with still so much to do and a very long night ahead, when Riley came barreling into the living room, Nancy and Jonathan’s daughter Madison, in tow.

“Daddy?” Steve looked at her, eyes tired.

“What’s up, sweetheart?” Her smile was sweet, beaming bright as the sun.

“Can Maddie sleep over? We want to watch Jurassic Park, she hasn’t seen it yet.” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Did Maddie ask her mother if that’s okay?” He eyed the small, light-brown haired girl standing behind Riley, who was turned toward Nancy.

“Mama, can I-“ Nancy put up a hand to stop her.

“Do you have homework this weekend?” Both girls shook their heads in unison. She smirked and looked to Steve. “It’s fine with me if it is with you.” He turned his gaze back to his own little girl, smiling now.

“Okay, Jurassic Park is in mine and your Dad’s room, be careful taking it out of the VCR.” The girls squealed and made a dash for the hallway when Steve called out. “Riles!” She turned her head to him, stopped in her tracks. “Lights out at eleven!” She grinned wide.

“Midnight?” He narrowed his stare and pursed his lips.

“Eleven-thirty, final offer.” She nodded her head and she was gone.

*

Billy opened the door with a loud thump. He really needed to fix the latch. Steve watched from the couch where he had The X-Files reruns playing, taking a break from his Halloween-related chores. Steve still had to finish cleaning the house, put up the decorations, and make the food for the party they were throwing in two days’ time, all while working mornings at Family Video; the back office work that came with owning a business. He did most of it from home, but he had to go in sometimes, if only to remind the teenagers he hired that they can’t make out in the workplace.

“Hey babe.” Billy’s voice was gruff, filled with exhaustion. Steve smiled at him, eyes watching Billy toe off his boots and pull his jacket off, hanging it on the rack near the door. “How’d the day go?” Keys and wallet dropped on the hall table, Billy made his way over to the kitchen.

“As to be expected.” Binx was purring softly in his lap, Steve’s hand idly stroking sleek, black fur. “Riley got her math test back, aced it, of course.” Billy snorted while he washed the grease from his hands.

“She better have. We studied for weeks for that damn test.” Steve turned the volume down on the television and picked up the cat laying in his lap, gently placing him aside on the cushions. He padded through the dining room and into the kitchen, moving for the fridge to grab a beer. He took a long pull and sighed on the exhale while setting another down on the counter next to Billy.

“We had spaghetti for dinner because it’s Friday.” Riley always wanted pasta on Fridays. Billy dried his hands on a dish towel before grabbing his beer. Steve noted his hair was pulled back in a ponytail. “And I got her costume finished.” The last words came out triumphantly.

Billy nodded his head. “Right on. I’m excited to see it.” His gray t-shirt was oil-stained and dirty. The rugged look made Steve want to bounce up and down a little. He took another drink from his bottle.

“Mm, and Maddie’s sleeping over.” Billy looked at Steve, a smirk on his face. His feet moved him toward Steve until his face was close enough to touch.

“Ah, I see.” He set his beer down on the island, hands coming to run up and down Steve’s arms. “So, we won’t be seeing much of her tonight, then?” His eyes were dark.

It had been weeks since they had enough time alone to get their hands on each other, and Steve was so hungry. The smallest things were turning him on about Billy, to a point where he couldn’t watch him lick an ice cream cone without excusing himself. It was complete mania, and the thought of having him alone made Steve’s breathing cut short.

“I guess so.” His voice was low, eyes glancing over to the clock on the stove. Nine-thirty. He had two and a half hours before the girls had to be asleep. If they quietly excused themselves, maybe, just maybe, they could…

“Dad!” Their bodies pulled apart instantly, Riley’s voice filling their heads and clearing the thoughts they were both falling into.

“Hey, baby!” Billy stepped around Steve, arms opening for Riley to plunge into. He wrapped them around her in a bear-hug, bending down to meet her small frame. “How’s my girl?”

“Good! I got an A on my test!” He beamed at her, all teeth and pride.

“I heard! Great job, man!” He high-fived her. The moment made Steve’s heart tear in just a few places. Billy’s eyes were fixed on their daughter, chocolate brown hair falling down her back, pale skin, enormous brown eyes that always seemed to sparkle, purple striped pajamas and pink slippers.

“Hi Uncle Billy!” Maddie stood next to Riley, arms opened for a hug.

“Hey, kid, how you doin’?” He wrapped her in a hug as well, although, not as tight and protective. Those hugs were only for Riley.

“Great! I lost my last baby tooth yesterday!” She smiled as big as she could, showing a gap on the bottom row of her teeth. Billy leaned back, his face feigning something like disbelief.

“Nice! Did you put it under your pillow?” Her jaw dropped, eyes going wide.

“I FORGOT!” Riley was appalled as well, grabbing Madison’s hand.

“C’mon, you can put it under mine! The tooth fairy comes to my house too. Let’s go!” And they were running toward her room, Riley turning back to them for only a second. “Goodnight Dad! Goodnight Daddy! Love you!” Billy smiled after her.

“Love you too!” He echoed. Steve walked toward the hallway.

“Remember, you have to be asleep for the tooth fairy to come!” Steve called toward her door. When he saw it shut, he shrugged. “Well, Nancy’s going to owe me five bucks tomorrow.”

*

Midnight finally came, and Steve untangled himself from where he laid next to Billy on the couch. Steve pressed a kiss to the back of his hand and looked up into his eyes.

“I’m going to go check on the girls.” He stood and watched as Billy stretched out, shirt coming up to expose his stomach, a thin trail of hair leading down to his waistband. Steve could feel his mouth water before he tore himself away, making for the white door with the big green R painted on it. He pushed into the room and chuckled silently to himself when he saw the girls, arms everywhere and hair splayed over the pillows, Binx snoozing softly next to Riley’s head. He reached under Madison’s pillow, slipping the tooth out and sliding a five-dollar bill in its place. He snuck out of the room, leaving the door cracked just enough to allow Binx out if needed, and headed to the kitchen to put the tooth in a plastic bag.

While he was sneaking the baggie into his backpack sitting on the dining room table, he felt arms wrap around his middle. Billy’s voice was air rushing past his ear, making goosebumps rise on the back of his neck and a fire light in his belly.

“The girls asleep?” Steve smirked and turned his body toward Billy, lips coming to rest against his jawline.

“Like the dead.” Billy hummed in appreciation of the soft kisses Steve was leaving near his windpipe, hands reaching down to grab his ass, lifting him up, onto the wooden table. His face bent down, mouth finding Steve’s, hot and desperate. Steve’s arms were reaching the blonde hair, now falling loose over his shoulders. Billy’s hands were making work at the hem of Steve’s shirt, lifting it up over his head.

A hand came down to Billy’s chest, firmly stopping him from pulling at the waistband of Steve’s sweats.

“Let’s not do this here.” Billy nodded, panting. His fingers trailed down Steve’s chest, nails dragging against hot, needy skin.

“I need a shower.” Steve’s eyes were falling closed, the feeling of Billy’s hands making him crumble slowly. “Want to wash my hair?”

“Fuck yeah, I do.”

*

October 30, 1993 - Hawkins, IN

“Daddy, do you know where my Pacers sweater is?” Steve was standing at the stove, eggs sizzling in the pan, coffee brewing in the pot next to him. He was still only kind of awake, but Riley was frantically digging through the laundry basket on the table, bright-eyed and bushy tailed.

“I’m not sure, Riles. Did you check your closet?” He said around a yawn.

“And my drawers. It’s not here!”

“Maybe you left it in your Dad’s car?” She snapped and pointed at Steve.

“I did!” And she was running for the door. Always on the go, that one.

Steve heard the heavy footfall in the hallway that signaled Billy was awake. He mixed the cup of coffee quickly and held it out to his side, not even glancing when Billy slipped it out of his hand.

“Morning, sunshine.” Billy grunted to Steve in response, drinking the coffee before it was cool enough, not caring all the same. “How many eggs you want?”

“Three.” Steve looked at him then, waking a little more, only to admire him. Billy had no shirt on, sweats hanging low around his waist. His curls were everywhere, eyes barely open.

Riley strode toward them then, navy blue hoodie in hand, reaching for Billy.

“Here’s your keys dad.” She dropped them in his hand. Billy raised an eyebrow at Steve, who shrugged in response. “I’ll see you guys later!” Billy put a hand out in front of her.

“Where’s the fire, girl?” She wore a frustrated grimace.

“Nancy is here to pick up me and Maddie, I got to go!” She stood on her tiptoes and Billy bent his head down for her to place a small kiss on his cheek, then jogging over to Steve to do the same. “Bye, Daddy.”

When the front door shut, Billy looked to Steve.

“Where is our daughter going at nine in the morning on a Saturday?” Steve chuckled, plating the eggs.

“They’re going to El and Mike’s to help set up for the shower.” Billy scoffed as he moved over to the table.

“Who has a baby shower the day before Halloween?” He began devouring his eggs once Steve placed them in front of him. Steve paced himself slower, savoring the hot coffee in his hands.

“If they wait any longer they may not be able to have one before she pops.” Billy rolled his eyes and downed the rest of his coffee.

“Are we expected to attend?” His voice sounded of disdain. As domesticated as Billy was, baby showers weren’t really his forte.

“Nah, I don’t think so.” The blonde leaned against the kitchen counter, eyebrows wiggling at Steve.

“I’ve got you alone all day?” Steve laughed, walking over to the coffee pot to get another mug full.

“Jesus, didn’t you get enough of me last night?” Billy pressed his bare chest to Steve’s back, moving hair from his face, startling him.

“Never enough of you, pretty boy.”

*

Steve was feeling groggy, his day finally over, legs heavy as lead when he walked through the front door. He dropped his keys next to Billy’s, eyes scanning the living room for anyone. All he found was Binx, sitting on the back of the couch, pink tongue licking his paw.

“Hey buddy.” Steve reached over and picked up the cat, looking down into his yellow eyes. “Where is everyone?”

The house was dark, still as stone. The Halloween decorations him and Billy set up earlier in the day loomed, giving it an eerie atmosphere. Steve brushed it off and headed for the hallway, Binx in his arms. As he approached his bedroom, he heard the faint sounds of the television playing.

When he walked in, he could have dropped to his knees, smile spreading across his face. Riley and Billy laid on the bed, curled up together, sleeping soundly with small snores escaping. Billy’s arms were locked firmly around the small girl who had her hands tangled in his shirt, gripping it tightly. The blankets were haphazardly thrown around them, making a warm nest of quilt and pillows. The end of The Addams Family was playing on the television, credits starting to roll.

Steve heard a small meow from his hands, and he deposited Binx on the foot of the bed. He curled up, kneading the sheet gently with his claws by Billy’s feet.

After a few minutes to change, brush his teeth, and rinse the very long day off of his face, Steve crawled into bed next to them. He threw an arm over Riley, eliciting a louder snore out of Billy, feeling his breath on his own face. He tucked his daughter’s head under his chin, and shut his eyes.

Finding sleep wasn’t always easy for Steve, so he spent a lot of nights laying in bed searching for it, tossing and turning in the process.

But not tonight. Tonight, Steve faded into his dreams quickly to the smell of bubblegum shampoo and cherry Coke.

*

October 31, 1993 - Hawkins, IN

The house was buzzing with excitement, kids running around, people mingling in various rooms. Steve was looking for the extra plastic cups he bought from Melvald’s yesterday and where the fuck did he put them? The irritation was swelling, the people around him making his anxiety kick up. He huffed out a breath.

“You okay?” He turned to see Robin, prom dress on, red paint covering most of her body. He nodded his head and went back to his task, opening cabinets and drawers.

“Yeah, I just,” He slammed another cupboard, scratching his head under his sunglasses in frustration. “I can’t find the goddamn cups!” Robin took a step toward him, hand falling on his shoulder.

“Hey, take a breath.” He obeyed, finally taking a moment to appreciate her costume. He raised a brow.

“Carrie?” She smiled, putting her arms out and spinning slowly for full-effect.

“You like?” He nodded his head, snorting a laugh. “And who are you?” He looked down at his costume, which was easy to put together, given he dressed nearly the same way in high school.

“Max Dennison from Hocus Pocus.” She nodded in realization.

“And Riley is Dani?” He pointed at her.

“Bingo. Made the costume myself”

“Don’t they sell that costume at the store?”

He shrugged. “Yeah, but Riley said it was all wrong.”

She smiled and looked to the living room where Billy was standing, drink in hand while talking to Joyce, pieces of fake, rotting flesh on his gray painted face, dark, mussed up wig on his head. She raised an eyebrow.

“And Billy is…” She trailed off.

“Billy the Zombie.” Steve said matter-of-factly. She chuckled and looked back at him.

“Love it.” Her eyes glanced to Gina, her girlfriend of three years now, fondness in her eyes. “You know, we did pretty good, Harrington. After everything that happened at Starcourt, I really wasn’t sure, but,” She looked back at him. “I’m proud of us.” He beamed, reaching an arm around her shoulders.

“Me too, Robs.”

*

“Riley! Riley! Riley!” Everyone in the house was chanting, Nancy avidly staring at her wristwatch.

“Ten more seconds!”

“C’mon Riles! You got this!” Billy was cheering from the side of the bucket where Riley’s head was submerged, pulling apples out with her teeth and hoisting them into the bowl next to it. Steve counted eight so far, and for only having one minute, he was thoroughly impressed.

“Time!” Nancy called out and Riley’s head popped up, one last apple in her mouth, and the house roared in excitement. Steve grabbed her by the shoulders.

“You did it! You beat Hopper!” Jim was standing behind him, towel around his neck and fake disappointment on his face.

“She must have cheated.” Billy clapped him on the shoulder and laughed.

“Don’t be a sore loser, Dad. It’s not easy, beating an eight year old at bobbing for apples.”

Steve laughed and helped Riley dry her face. Her grin was 1000 watts of sugar, and her hair was dripping onto her dress.

“Daddy, did I do a good job?” He rubbed her hair between the soft towel.

“You were great, baby. I’m so proud!” She lunged at him, arms wrapping his neck in a grip that would strangle him if she wasn’t so small. Her voice was quiet in his ear.

“Thank you so much, Daddy. This is the best Halloween ever.” He squeezed her, shutting his eyes and feeling the lump forming in his throat. He pulled her back and looked at her, face bright and eyes lit with everything he never knew he needed in his life.

“Thank you, Riles. For everything.”

[dustinhendrsn]

swingsets and bitter daylight

max mayfield/lucas sinclair 3.4k - read on ao3 requested by anonymous from this list: 19. ‘please don’t let me be alone.’

Everything is over before Max even realizes it. The headlights of Billy’s car surge bright in her eyes, in her friends’ eyes, and the screeching of the monsters in the tunnels beneath them disappears. They stand there in the cold, breathless and apprehensive of the sudden silence, holding fistfuls of each other’s jackets and shirts and backpack straps to make sure they don’t lose someone else. Max’s mind is stumbling over itself as she tries to comprehend the new situation. The car lights fade back to normal and the bracing nighttime air wraps around them with a peaceful quiet that’s almost startling.

It’s really over. They just don’t know if their efforts were in vain or not yet.

“What do we do now?” someone asks after a long minute. She isn’t sure who spoke. Maybe it was her.

They go home. Steve drives.

Max is tired.

Numb and detached, she drags herself up into the Byers house with her friends and they find it empty. Shards of glass and papers upon papers of chaotic blue drawings are scattered everywhere. Billy is gone – all that remains of his attack is the empty syringe, a gash in the floor, and the bruises on Lucas’ neck and the blood on Steve’s face. She can barely look at them; how she wishes she had done more, sooner.

The fates of El and Will are still in the wind and Max knows that neither she nor anyone else will be able to rest until everyone has come home, so she starts moving. If she doesn’t, the waiting will kill her. The jagged memory of black and blue monsters clawing at the doors of the bus will kill her. The dread of how she might have just made things so much worse with Billy will kill her. The fear of how close she and her friends came to death tonight in those corrupt, claustrophobic tunnels will kill her. Her adrenaline is all gone; there’s nothing to hold any of it back now except her own force of will, and she doesn’t have much of that left at the moment.

There’s not much talking as the five of them shuffle around the house, finishing the cleaning they didn’t get around to earlier to keep themselves busy. Max tries to keep everything at bay by focusing on something good. The easiest thing to latch on to is Lucas, his kind eyes and even kinder words. Not once since their first meeting has he given up on her. While the rest of the party still feel somewhat like strangers to her, Lucas has already carved out a place for her and made sure that she knows he wants her there. After how I’ve treated him, I don’t even deserve it, she thinks sadly, looking over at him. He’s on the floor by the couch, scooping Will’s drawings into a trash bag. He’s clearly just as exhausted as she is, but when he looks up and catches her eye he offers her a smile. She tries to return it but finds that she can’t, so she hopes her eyes get the message across. From his expression, she thinks it does, and her heart eases.

Joyce, Jonathan, Nancy, and Will return first. Sighs of relief and tight hugs go around and questions of their wellbeing are met with quick reassurances. Will looks worse than all of them put together, his skin ashen, his eyes bloodshot and distant, sweat dripping down his temples. But he’s alive, he’s breathing, so all the risks they took weren’t for nothing. Joyce takes him to a room down the hall (Max still isn’t familiar with the layout of the house) and neither of them reappear for a long while. Nancy and Jonathan emerge from another room after a few minutes, their faces cleaned up and a stack of blankets and pillows in hand.

“If anyone wants to stay the night here, you’re welcome to,” Jonathan says, setting the pile of bedding on the couch. Max doesn’t need to ask why he’s offering – none of them want to go home and fight off the promised nightmares alone. She hopes tomorrow night will be easier, after they’ve had a chance to rationalize everything in the comforting daylight, but tonight…she doesn’t even want to think about what could be waiting for her at home.

“Have Hopper and El not come back yet?” Nancy asks, hovering by the kitchen table. Max isn’t sure who her question was directed at but since she’s the closest, she shakes her head. It occurs to her that Nancy and Jonathan probably don’t even know her name, let alone how she came to join this motley group. It isn’t important right now, she decides.

Mike is inconsolable – he paces in front of the broken window and chews his nails down to the quick and he’s so ramped up that it’s putting Max on edge even more than she already is. She gets it, but she can see it’s for two reasons: the need to keep his mind off everything, just like she and all the rest of them are trying to do – and El. Max wonders just how deep Mike is in it with her. When she saw their reunion earlier, the way they clung to each other made her feel like she had walked in on a private moment. Maybe it’s love. Max isn’t sure if she’d recognize it.

Finally, finally, the police chief’s truck rumbles into the driveway. Mike is first out the door and the rest of them follow after him, beyond relieved to see their telekinetic savior living and breathing. Max trails behind the group – she and El don’t even know each other, and besides, El already has enough people smothering her.

That’s what Max tells herself as she swallows back the hot lump in her throat. Before, El made it clear how she felt about Max, and as much as Max would love to try, she can’t pretend the rejection doesn’t sting.

Shortly after El and Hopper come inside and a headcount is made, the time comes to face sleep. Max knows she’s going to stay over even before they start discussing who will sleep where, and all of a sudden she’s struck with the heart-stopping fear that Lucas, her only ally here, will go home.

She quickly moves from her seat at the kitchen table over to where Lucas stands next to the wall, watching them divvy up blankets and pillows. He gives her a tired smile when he sees her.

“Are you going to go home?” she asks him quietly, without preamble.

“Oh, I – I don’t really know yet. If there’s not enough sleeping bags, I might.” He frowns. “Why? Is everything okay?”

Max hesitates, not quite sure how to put her need for him to stay into words. “I just – I can’t go home tonight. Billy might be there and I don’t know what to tell my mom and I don’t want to walk all the way there in the dark, and I just…please don’t let me be alone here, Lucas. Please.”

She can hear the desperation in her voice and feel the burning behind her eyes and she hates it, especially when they both know he doesn’t owe her anything, but his gaze softens immediately and he nods.

“Yeah, of course I’ll stay. Don’t even worry about it, okay? I’ll stay with you.”

She’s afraid that if she tries to speak she’ll burst into tears now that the terror and the adrenaline and the exhaustion of the night has finally caught up with her, so she just nods gratefully and he wraps an arm around her shoulders. Somehow she manages to choke out a thank you, and he squeezes her closer.

“I’m not going anywhere, Max. I promise.”

The next day is worse. It shouldn’t be, but somehow it is. After a night of tossing and turning without ever truly achieving sleep, Max opens her eyes to cold daylight streaming in through the broken windows. Her bones are heavy, her mind numbed to a standstill. All her emotions have all melted into one dark, unfeeling pit in her stomach, like when a kid tries to combine all their crayons to make a rainbow but just ends up with black. Lucas is still asleep next to her and it seems impossible that he could look so peaceful. At least one of us is, she thinks.

“Do you want to come to my house for a little bit?” he asks her once they’ve all gotten up and helped put away the sleeping bags. The rest of them are going home to make their excuses and change clothes and eat breakfast. Max hates to admit it, but even though she doesn’t want to force herself on the unknown family of her new friend, she’s still too terrified of the bigger unknowns lying in wait for her at home. Her mind is too muddied and wrung out from last night – the last week, really – for her to predict and prepare for Neil’s or Billy’s or her mom’s reactions to her being gone for so long. Some small, logical part of her mind tells her that waiting is just going to make things worse, but she ignores it. It’s easier that way.

She can feel her shoulders slump as she nods. “If that’s okay.”

Lucas smiles sideways at her, like the idea that it wouldn’t be okay is ridiculous. “Of course it’s okay. And besides, I don’t really want to walk home alone either.”

“Don’t you live next door to Mike?”

“Yeah, but he’s going to Hopper’s cabin to be with El, so it’s just us.”

The daylight is blinding. Reassuring, but blinding after everything. Autumn rips through the town with cold winds and dead leaves and spindly bare branches that reach towards the sky in vain. As they walk, Max can’t find the energy to make conversation but it’s alright, because Lucas can’t seem to either. With every other step she takes, movement flashes in her periphery. She knows it’s just the ghosts of everything she’s seen, the dark afterimages of nightmares made real, but the skip of her heart and the lurch in her stomach doesn’t. Lucas’ hand is swinging right there, just inches away from hers, and she doesn’t think he’d pull away if she took it. It’d be nice, having that warmth in her hand again. She barely had time to register it on the bus – grabbing his hand was a knee-jerk reaction. She needed something solid to hold on to, a reminder that there were other humans there with her. But thinking about it now, it was nice.

Lucas’ yellow-walled house is a blur. She tries her best to be polite when Lucas introduces her to his parents, and then they’re in his room, and then he’s showing her the bathroom. Distantly, she sees a soft pink towel folded neatly on the counter. Set out for her, most likely. She drops her mud-spotted, probably radioactive clothes on the tile and stands under the showerhead until the water runs cold. After, she changes back into her jeans and one of Lucas’ shirts that he offered her.

“I’d give you one of Erica’s but you’re twice her size,” he says. She shakes her head, tells him it’s fine. And it is. The cotton is clean and soft against her skin. It’s comforting, steadying.

Mrs. Sinclair, with the same gentle brown eyes as her son, gives Max a plate of scrambled eggs and toast and a fork. She isn’t hungry, not in the least, but she smiles and says thank you and forces it down anyways. Sometime in the afternoon (or at least she thinks it’s the afternoon), Lucas suggests they go for a walk.

“Is there a park here?” she asks as they walk down his porch steps, zipping up their jackets. Surprise crosses his face for just a moment – it must be because all morning, she’s said a grand total of about twenty words – but then the look is gone, and he nods.

“Yeah, of course. There’s a few, actually, but there’s one near here that’s usually empty.”

“Okay. Cool.”

Again, they walk in silence. Her hair is wet and cold against the back of her neck, but it has the same grounding effect on her as Lucas’ shirt does. It reminds her that she can still feel things; she is still real.

They reach the park before long and like Lucas promised, it’s empty. Max makes a beeline for the swings; she hears Lucas chuckle at her quiet eagerness, and then he takes the swing next to her. She slowly pushes herself back and forth and tips her head up to the brilliant blue sky. She inhales, sharp, clean oxygen flooding her lungs. She doesn’t close her eyes. She can’t.

She realizes that Lucas is waiting on her to speak. Not in an impatient or expectant way; he’s just not forcing conversation on her. It’s a bit of a surprise when she finds that she wants to talk. Maybe it’s because it’s him.

“Thanks for, y’know, letting me shower and eat and stuff,” she says, glancing over to him. He smiles, already looking back at her.

“No problem. You can stay with me – I mean, us, for as long as you want. It’s no big deal.”

She shakes her head, her gaze falling back to her lap. “It’s okay. I’ll go home today.”

Lucas hesitates, and she already knows what he’s thinking. “Are you sure? I can go with you, if you want.”

The thought of voluntarily bringing sweet, courageous Lucas anywhere near the violent maelstrom of Billy again makes her sick to her stomach. She keeps her tone neutral, almost normal. “Really, Lucas, it’s fine.”

It isn’t fine.

He shrugs. “Alright. But if you need me, or you want me there, just let me know, okay?”

“I will.”

Will she?

After a few more minutes of tranquil quiet accompanied by the creaking of the swings, the gnawing in the back of Max’s mind urges her to talk more. She knows now that it’s definitely because of Lucas. She trusts him. He understands her, or at least he tries to. He’s kind to her, and her heart is yearning for all the kindness she can get nowadays. And she likes him – oh, how she likes him already. Too much. It’s dangerous – not for her, but for him.

“Can I tell you something?” she says to the woodchips being pushed around by the toe of her shoe.

“Yeah, sure.”

She takes another moment, trying to figure out the words she needs. “I’m not…brave,” she finally says, softly.

Lucas stares at her. “What are you talking about? Of course you’re brave. You’re, like, the bravest person I’ve ever met. What you did last night, with the car, and with Billy and the needle and what you said to him –“

“It wasn’t like that. I was just trying to keep you guys safe and I had all this adrenaline and all this anger and it’s like I wasn’t even thinking about what I was doing. It was easy right then and there.” She lets out a heavy sigh, running a hand up and down the cold links of the swing chain. “But it isn’t like that one moment changes everything. I’m still really, really scared of him, Lucas. He still hurt you and Steve, and what if I made things worse? What if I go home and he – he –“ She can’t fathom it right now. She swallows back the rest of her sentence and moves on to a new one. “I don’t want you thinking I’m some kind of superhero or something. I’m not fearless, and I’m not really that brave.”

With a shallow breath, she finally looks up at him. His eyebrows furrow ever so slightly; she can’t tell what he’s trying to puzzle out. Finally, he shakes his head.

“Maybe it was just the heat of the moment, so what? You still did it, Max. You were brave whether you admit it or not, and I know that you can be brave again if you want to be. That’s who you are.” Lucas smiles at her again, his belief in her infallible, and she feels tears pricking behind her eyes. He reaches over and squeezes her hand. “You saved our asses, Max, even though it meant facing something that terrifies you. That’s brave.”

She can’t hold his gaze anymore. Her eyes fall to the faint purple bruises on the base of his neck, made visible in the sunlight. “I didn’t save your ass,” she mumbles.

“That wasn’t your fault, you know it wasn’t.”

“I put you in danger. He came after you because he knew you were my friend, he knew I liked you –“

“Max, he came after me because he’s a racist, abusive asshole. It didn’t have anything to do with you.”

Deep down she knows he’s right, but it’s hard to ignore the sirens in her head screaming at her to push him away, to shut him out for his own good. She blows out a breath, letting some of the guilt and the tension leave her shoulders. All she’s left with is the numbness, but Lucas’ warm hand in hers is thawing it ever so slowly. She was right – it is nice. And it isn’t even entirely romantic, she thinks. It’s an anchor to reality, something to hold on to so that she doesn’t float away in this new world he’s brought right to her doorstep.

After a long minute, she looks up at him, a new question in mind. Something that’s been bothering her ever since she first thought about it. “How do you…adjust?” she asks. “Like, do things ever go back to normal?”

What she really means is will the nightmares stop? but she knows he’ll understand. His reassuring expression from earlier fades away and he shifts in his swing, his hand still laced with hers in between them. “I don’t know,” he finally says. “After El sacrificed herself last year, and after everything we went through – it was hard. I guess it did get better for a little while. Sometimes I went a few days without thinking about it at all, and without waking up from nightmares. But this kind of stuff can really mess a person up, you know? It sucks.” He lets out a breathy laugh. “Sorry. That’s probably not making you feel any better.”

She shrugs. “At least it’s the truth.”

“It shouldn’t be, though,” he sighs. He squeezes her hand again reassuringly and a rush of warmth soothes Max’s frazzled nerves. “It’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. Really. I had my friends to lean on back then, and now you have us to lean on.”

Max grimaces. “I don’t think I have Mike.”

Lucas rolls his eyes, some lightheartedness returning to the atmosphere with the gesture. “You will eventually. I promise. And El, too – they’ll both love you. They just have to get to know you.”

Her heart lifts hopefully at his words. “You think so?”

“I know so.”

To her immense surprise she finds herself smiling at the prospect, and Lucas grins. It’s almost startling to see. “That’s better,” he says with an air of satisfaction, like he’s just fulfilled a task he was set.

“It feels better,” she admits. She glances down at their joined hands and decides on one more moment of truth, just for him, the first person to start breaking down her walls. After a beat of mustering up her courage, she says, “I like holding your hand.”

Lucas beams even wider, if it’s actually possible. “That’s awesome,” he says, his enthusiasm so, so endearing. “And great, and fantastic, and spectacular. You know what?”

“What?”

“I like holding your hand too. Like, a lot.”

She laughs, nodding even as her cheeks flush warm. “Awesome. I’m glad we’re in agreement.”

Lucas glances around the park for a moment, still smiling, and when he looks back at her, there’s new spirit in his eyes. “We’re going to be okay, Max. You know that, right?”

It feels like the truth. She takes a deep breath full of crisp autumn air and as she exhales it to the sky, a little bit more of her icy dread and worry and fear melts away. “Yeah.” Inhale, exhale. “I know.”

@calpurnias @summer-in-hawkins @you-wont-lose-me @formerlyjannafaye @mikewheeler @caseyk112 @maxmaysfield @thezoomermax @michael-hearteyes-wheeler

let me know if you’d like to be added or removed from my taglist!

[extrahawkins]

My top 10 stranger things characters ranked!

(El isn’t included. Not because I don’t like her but tbh we ALL love her for the same reasons. I wanted to keep this list interesting)

It’s about to get controversial up in here!

10. Mike Wheeler

I know, I know, but listen: Mike was great in season 1, but he really devolved in my opinion for season 2. He was a complete ass to Max and I know what you’re going to say: “he just didn’t want her to be replacing El!” Well he didn’t seem to mind when El “replaced” Will in season 1! He gave off some serious sexist vibes and I didn’t appreciate it. He IS extremely smart, so I’ll give him that🤷‍♀️

9. Jonathan Byers

I actually love Jonathan. He’s a good older brother, he really treats Will well. He’s made mistakes (taking hella gross pictures of Nancy) but he did apologize and he’s grown since then. The only reason he’s ranked so low is because others just bring a little more to the table in my opinion.

8. Dustin Henderson

Absolutely 0 character flaws in season 1 tbh (or at least none I can remember). He was the realest friend and he really held the group together. A+ comedy as well. In season 2, he had a few cringey moments and a rude one (telling Max to go home the way that he did) but overall, I still like him.

7. Steve Harrington

Complete douchebag in season 1 but King of Character Developement. I wish he hadn’t been so hard on Nancy though. She WAS drunk and she was clearly struggling a little extra regarding Barb. But he did make one hell of a babysitter so...

6. Jim Hopper

I’m gonna be real, he’s not a great guy. Yes, he took care of El, but he wasn’t good at it. She was still isolated for an entire year and her only way to connect to other people was that TV. However I completely relate to his situation and that’s why I love him. He had a child that died, so of course he’s going to be bitter towards children that lived longer. I had a cousin that was supposed to be born in the same month as me, but she came super early and passed away. My uncle could hardly look at me growing up until a few years ago he got another chance and now has a healthy baby.

5. Joyce Byers

A mother. She was in an abusive relationship where she was manipulated into believing she couldn’t survive on her own, but she pulled herself together and raised two boys. She figured out where her son was even though it was 100% crazy. She looked pure evil (Brenner) in the eye and told him to go to hell, knowing he could fake her death and she’d never get Will. She respects her kids and they love her for it. She is an icon

4. Will Byers

Everyone knows Will is pure. When he lost D&D, he could’ve gotten away with it, but he decided to lose honorably. He’s a good artist and a lot of bad things happened that he didn’t deserve. Even the “small” stuff, like bullying. But he’s also strong. That demogorgon took down people that were suited up to kill it, but Will outsmarted in for a week. He hid, without food or water, managed to contact his mother, and kept up his strength in a different dimension from a monster. In season 2, he outsmarted a mind controlling monster because it didn’t know Morse code. He’s flipping awesome!

3. Nancy Wheeler

She went from a stereotypical “goodie” to a badass. When her friend went missing, she got down to business and did what had to be done. She, on literally no sleep, lured a monster into a trap and used a gun on it! In season 2, she took down a formerly-cia-funded government branch. And have you seen her catch that big ass gun hopper tossed her? She also figured out how to stop the mind flayer from killing Joyce under extreme pressure.

2. Lucas Sinclair

His maturity is really impressive. A lot of people don’t like him for being untrustworthy of El is season 1, but he was completely right to be. The knee that she 1. Had super powers and 2. Had something to do with Will’s disappearance. That’s sketchy. But he was wrong, so he owned up to it and apologized. He also tried to take down an inter dimensional monster with a wrist-rocket, so A+ for effort.

1. Max Mayfield

I’m gonna be real, I was originally drawn to her character because of all the misguided hate she was receiving (as well as Sadie) before season 2 even dropped. I thought she deserved some love, so I gave it to her. When season 2 did air, I still liked her. She was in an abusive home and came off (at most) angsty. She worked hard to end that cycle of abuse and it shows. She apologized to Lucas for being a jerk even though he totally liked her and the apology wasn’t really necessary. She was rejected by Mike but she helped him (in a life-risking way) anyways. She showed empathy when she found out who El was. She was nice to her bully because she recognized what he needed and she delivered. She’s relatable because her situation is real and, unfortunately, common, but she’s a 13 year old girl and she’s stronger than it. I have mad respect and admiration for her. In conclusion, Max is my favorite.

[virgogh-away]

It’s Bullshit - Steve Harrington x Reader

Summary: You say Steve’s least favorite word and try to make him feel better after.

A/N: I’m obsessed with the bullshit scene from season 2 and had to write something about it so here this is!!

You’ve never been the biggest fan of parties. But, living in a small town like Hawkins, it’s nearly the only fun thing to do on a Friday night. And, since you’re the lucky girl who gets to call Steve Harrington her boyfriend, you almost feel an obligation to show up at these social gatherings. You have a reputation to keep up and if getting tipsy and talking to people you don’t like is what that requires then you’ll do it.

So, when you find yourself at Carol’s house for one of her infamous parties, you roll your eyes and prepare to socialize. You’ve hated Carol (and Tommy by association) for a long time, but Steve was able to get in your good graces and charm you into going on a date with him. Which led to you currently tucked under his arm and pulling him through the house to the kitchen.

Whenever you came across a scene like this, alcohol strewn everywhere and a bowl of some mysterious liquid on the counter, you heard your mom telling you to, “Never take a drink from a stranger and always keep your cup with you.” Despite knowing that she worried too much, you still took her words to heart and poured your own rum and coke.

“You want anything?” you asked Steve as you took a sip from your solo cup. You felt like a stereotypical teen from one of those ridiculous movies you loved and wondered which character you’d be. Sure, you were dating the jock, but you were no Ally Sheedy.

“Nah, I’m driving tonight,” he said as he pulled you closer by your hips, placing a kiss on your forehead. You smiled up at him and kissed his nose, realizing how lovey-dovey and gross you would look to your classmates but not caring in the slightest. They could choke on it.

You pulled on his hand and brought him into the heart of the party: the living room. Too many people were packed in the room, and conversations blurred together, but you made a beeline toward Jonathan and Nancy, who were at the party for some reason. You looked back at Steve to make sure he was okay with it and he smiled back at you, so you trudged on toward the couple.

“Nance! What’s up? How’s the twerp?” you asked as you gave the Wheeler girl a hug and Jonathan and Steve did that weird bro handshake that every guy knew.

“Oh, nothing much. Jon and I were just bored and decided to come here. Oh geez, and Mike, he’s a handful,” you laughed in response, thinking about the party and the new addition to the group, Jane. Her and Mike clearly had something going on but never wanted to talk about it, especially to you older kids, “He keeps denying his relationship with Jane. They’re adorable together, I won’t lie, but they’re definitely dating.”

“I can’t believe he still acts like nothing's happening there. It’s such bullshit!” you nearly yelled in response and watched as Nancy’s eyes widened and Steve went still. You immediately recognized that something went wrong, and it was obviously something you said. But what?

You took another sip as you analyzed what you last said and nearly punched yourself when you realized: bullshit. You weren’t there for the blowout that Nancy had last Halloween, but you had heard about it from Steve. He vented about it to you for weeks after it happened, he had even drunkenly cried about it once, so you should’ve known why he was so stiff beside you.

And, now that you thought about it, Steve’s odd behavior at every party you ever went to made perfect sense. He was worried that the same thing that happened with Nancy would happen with you. So, he kept you close by at all times, never had a sip of anything other than water, and got kind of weird when you said certain phrases, like bullshit. God, you were such an idiot.

“Uh, we gotta split. See you guys on Monday!” you said, excusing both of you and pulling Steve to the spare bedroom. Fortunately, since you were friends with Carol in elementary school, you knew this place pretty well and could navigate it with your eyes closed.

When you arrived at your destination, knocked on the door and didn’t get a moan in response, you shoved in and plopped both you and Steve on the bed. You pulled your legs up on the bed, crossing them and facing your boyfriend.

“Look, I’m sorry about that,” Steve said as he grabbed your hand and prepared to go into one of his long-winded speeches. You wouldn’t let him do that though, since what just happened was really all your fault.

“Hey, no, you aren’t allowed to apologize for that. What just happened is on me, I was careless and didn’t realize what I was saying,” you said as you brought his hand up to your lips and placed a gentle kiss on it. You hated that you were the source of his nervous emotions; unsure of your relationship and bringing back awful memories of the past. You just wanted to kiss him forever and cheer him up in every way that you could.

“No, no, it’s on me for still letting that shit get to me. Me and Nancy didn’t work out and it ended really badly but we’re not like that. We’re stronger,” Steve said as he kissed your hand in response. God, you loved this kid.

Holy shit, you loved him. You had loved people before, your family and siblings, but when it came to romantic flings you had never been a part of anything as serious as your relationship with Steve. You were so excited about your epiphany that you wanted to yell it from the rooftops. Or just tell everyone at the party (in your buzzed state that sounded like the perfect idea).

You tackled Steve to the pillows and straddled him, attacking his face with kisses and preparing yourself for the big reveal, something you assumed he would be surprised by. You weren’t sure why you hadn’t realized sooner. You could be such an idiot sometimes.

“I know you’re worried about this ending like your thing with Nancy did, but it won’t. I promise. I love you, okay? I would never let you down like that,” you said as you continued to litter kisses all over his face, focusing on his cheeks and venturing down to his jaw (because you knew he had a thing for that). You wished he would say something already so you would stop feeling like this. You knew he wouldn’t outright reject you, but what if he didn’t feel the same way you did?

“Y-you love me?” Steve asked as he sat up, keeping you comfortably sat in his lap.

“Yeah, I think I really do,” you said, looking past him at the abstract painting on the wall. The intensity in his gaze right now was unreal and extremely hard for you to match. You couldn’t bring yourself to hold eye contact with him.

“Geez, that’s a relief,” Steve told you as he held your face, forcing you to look into his eyes. The only thing you saw in them was adoration which made you smile back at him. If that meant what you thought it did then this might end up being the best moment of your life to date.

“Does that mean…”

“I love you too, Y/N. I have for a while. I just…I never had the guts to say it.”

“Good thing you got me then, yeah? I can be the strong one for both of us,” you said as you kissed him, refusing to pull apart until you could feel the ache in your lungs. This feeling was the best part of kissing anyone. Sure, the initial connection of lips was nice, but it was the very end. The racing of heartbeats, deep intake of breath, somewhat incessant panting; you lived for it. And Steve’s unreal kissing made you feel it even deeper than usual.

“I think I’m gonna go tell everyone,” you said after you both caught your breath. You were a bit more sobered up now, but you still felt an urge to make sure everyone knew what had just gone down.

Before allowing Steve to respond to you, or stop you in your tracks, you dashed out the door and toward the living room. Where something awful had happened just a few minutes ago, but now something super amazing would be announced and you were sure everyone would love to know.

“Attention,” you shouted into your cupped hands. The speakers stopped pumping music and you almost went back on your plans. Almost, “I just thought everyone should know that I love Steve Harrington and he loves me!”

After a few seconds of silence, the room burst into wild applause and whooping. Even though you both lacked excitement for these things and your school in general, people loved you. They rooted for the two of you and hearing that you loved each other proved to some that love was real.

You felt a tug on your hand and turned to your boyfriend, knowing that he would be the only one to grab you here. Anybody else would know that they’d have to face a pissed Steve and didn’t want to deal with the trouble.

“Hey babe! Everybody knows now!” you said cheerfully, latching your arms around his neck and wanting to finally start partying. You both deserved to let loose after all the weird stuff that never seemed to stop coming here.

He wrapped his arms around your waist in return, pulling you close, “I wouldn’t have it any other way, babe.”

You didn’t know much about love, or relationships at all, really. But you knew that you were in love with Steve and would continue to be for as long as he would let you. And that was definitely not bullshit.

[phaniecastello-blog]

Practice Challenge 1

((Well, here it is, finally!! I know it is long, but maybe you will like it, I hope so.))

The promise

“…plie, releve, plie, releve…” I was listening to Miss Dorothy words as she was instructed the ballerinas to do the correct positions. I raised my glance from my sketchbook to verify the details on the blonde lady’s tutu; the texture of the tulle had to be properly capture in here, as well as the subtle folds that make the outfit look so feminine. The gratifying whisper of the graphite as it strokes here and there has always been one of my favorite things about drawing; it’s just as if the pencil has his own dance on the paper that once was blank.

I was there again, sitting on the flat wooden floor in the corner of the big white room. Even though I always have been way better with portraits, I had decided to practice making some complete body drawings. I just needed a good sketch to keep the image on my mind and then make it come to life in my free times at home; those times when my mother lets me breathe from all the runway rehearsals and photo shooting sets.

“That would be all for now ladies, I will see you all at our next class” Miss Dorothy paused the classical music in the middle of a violin solo, while the young ballerinas started walking towards the dressing rooms, braking the peace of the room with their voices.

Wait, what?! I was going to be here just a few minutes. Loretta is going to kill me.

I stood up as if something in the floor suddenly had pinched me and put my sketchbook and pencils back in my purse as quick as I could.

“You lost track of time again, don’t you, pretty girl?” I turned to see the thin, tanned skinned woman with the simple black dress and leggings. She has a sarcastic little smile on her face.

“Yes…! Thank you for letting me in, again, Miss” I answered. She nodded. She was a kind but strict person. I have always wanted to be part of her ballet class, but my mother never let me try; the day she found out I signed up without her permission and that I used to spend my Saturday afternoons there, she showed up making a scene in front of everyone! Since then, Miss Dorothy had never let me sign up again. It wasn’t like she was afraid of my mother, she was just a refined and pacific woman, that had no need to be involved in those kinds of problems with anyone; I didn’t want to cause her any problems either, so, I was absent for a long time, until I consider the danger had passed, and beg her to let me stay at least in one corner, quietly, just to do some sketches. A week ago, she finally accepted.

Although, I was never safe, never free. Having a high caste in this country had a price to pay, and a big one. Several eyes following you at least 3 days per week. I’m talking about the media; paparazzi, reporters… A picture of her daughter with the Dance Academy as a background wouldn’t be my mom’s favorite.

Before getting out of there I put on my sunglasses, the heels I took off when I arrived in order not to scratch the wooden floor and pulled the edges of my gray hood further over my face. I knew it wasn’t the best disguise, but it had surprisingly worked for a complete week, I also knew that ritual was pathetic, but every time I remembered all the reasons the media had given me to avoid them, I forced myself to ignore the embarrassment.

The media “love” my mother because she gave them drama and juicy news back when she was a selected; and now she is a famous and successful fashion designer, so, they can’t ignore her, even if they wanted to. But me… the fact that my personality isn’t like Loretta’s seemed to disappoint them. The good thing is some of them were creative enough to made up things about me, others just liked to have fun calling me “hypocrite” every now and then… No matter what I did, they were never content with me.

“Hey, Loretta, I’m here!” I greeted my mom as I entered to her office. I had to run into thousands of photographers, magazine staff and a big bunch of skinny, narcissist, superficial… people to reach her. I have to mention that I had been part of that bunch since I pronounced my first words, but for a change, I had never fit in it.

Everything was being settled for the new autumn/winter collection to come out to the world, so, the place was a chaos. It was always a chaos. Before this one we had the “creative chaos”, my personal favorite, when you can see all kinds of fabrics of many different colors on every table, people around my mother trying to make the best suggestion to impress her, people sawing some details on the unfinished dresses, assistants running from here to there, and, the best part, beautiful sketches of all the designs, posted on every wall… I liked that environment, where you could almost touch the ideas floating in the air and then you see them turning into beautiful clothes.

I can’t lie, Loretta was one of the best fashion designers in the whole country, maybe even in the world. I mean, not for nothing she was a very famous woman, although, being part of the -now- King Spencer selection could have helped a lot!

“You are late, hun” she said scowling, while she was fixing the sleeves of a tall brunette girl; she must had been new, because I didn’t recognize her.

“I know, sorry. I had to stay late at the school to do some… project, but Peter drove as fast as he could” Pete was my driver and bodyguard. He and I had an agreement, he wouldn’t tell mom about my visits to the Dance Academy and I would let him use my car for his personal use, twice a month on his free days.  

I kissed her cheek and she gave me a  fake grin, a sign that she wasn’t convinced. “Well, then, what are you waiting for!? Nancy is waiting for you”

I sighed, relieved that she didn’t react like I expected. Actually, she had been acting surprisingly indulgent, lately; and I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing.

I entered to the makeup room and noticed that Nancy suddenly hide something behind her back as soon as she spotted me. She waved at me with her free hand.

“What are you hiding from me, now, Nancy?” I asked to my young, personal makeup artist.

“Nothing, Miss. Just wanted to keep this magazine I liked, to cut some hot guys from it” She answered with a nervous tone, fanning the magazine in front of me as it had no importance, but when I noticed the name of it I understood what she was trying to hide.

I scoffed a smile, moved by her failing efforts to protect me. “…Girl! I receive almost all the magazines of the country and even international ones at home every week. I’ve read the article this morning. There’s no need to hide it” I acknowledged, sitting in the chair in front of the big mirror, as straight as I could to show my strength.

The magazine contained the announcement of my ex-boyfriend engagement with a French actress, Arlette … something. The news shocked me, but only because it had been just a year since I rejected his offer to run away with him and travel the world together.

“Are you alright, then?” She asked in a shy tone while she was preparing the face lotions, brushes and makeup to start working on my face.

“Yes, I am. You know more than anyone that we ended in good terms, and surprisingly, it wasn’t that hard to let him go. The problem still is…”

“I know.” She interrupted. Nancy was the closest I had to a friend, sometimes I feel like the makeup sessions are more like therapy for me or maybe a confessionary. We had discussed the Dylan situation before. After he left I was upset, but he wasn’t the reason. I was upset because I hadn’t had the courage to run away, to go to an adventure and leave this… good, but not satisfactory life.

We remain in silence for some minutes while she cleaned my skin with an oiled product that had a peculiar citrus smell “Besides, there are tons of better guys out there. This could be a perfect timing to be single” Nancy continued, handling me a magazine which read: “Nathaniel Schreave, Illéas most eligible bachelor. Ready for the selection?”  on the cover it showed a very good picture of our Prince, he looked very handsome.

I raised an eyebrow glaring at Nancy. “What? I know you like him. Once you said you admire people that has real power and stays humble, like him. I remember it, because I was thinking: What I admire are his nice abs. But your reasons were good, too”. I tried not to laugh at her words, failing.

“I had read this magazine, too, and, you know what? … I have been considering this since then” I said smirking. She grins. I looked down to the magazine on my lap, again “I wonder what she would say” My mother hated the royals for a simple reason. She couldn’t be part of them.

“Oh no! Not again!” Nancy said raising the volume of her voice and leaving my eyeline unfinished. “You can’t lose this opportunity too, because of your fears!” A frustrated look appeared on her face.

I suddenly feel annoyed. How dare she talking to me like that.  “Hey! Watch that tone, Nancy!” The true was that the only reason I felt offended, was because I knew she was right. She looked down at her shoes ashamed and disappointed at the same time and then continued working on my face.

I spent the next 30 minutes of silence meditating about what she told me, about the selection, about how I was going to fix this…

“You are ready” She said with a barely audible tone. I stood up and brush my shirt with my hands, even when I knew it was as clean as it could be. I opened my mouth to speak but she did it first. “Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have to talked to you like that. It’s just… I think you’re kind of nice and I don’t want you to have anything else to regret…”

I half smiled “Thank you… I’m sorry I shouted at you. I didn’t have to take out my frustration on you” She nodded and gave a grin. “Also, I already took my decision about this selection thing.”

“…and I also think it will be great to experience what you once lived… Ugh no! This doesn’t sound convincing, does it?” I asked Moe. He was looking at me with his little bright black eyes. I was sure mini pigs are easier to convince than Loretta Castello. I had been rehearsing my words for almost half an hour inside my room. It had been a long day at the fashion studio, but I didn’t want to prolong this anymore. I sit on my bed, holding the application letter in my hands. I realized it doesn’t matter which words I use, she will never say yes to this, but I don’t care, this time I will do what I want to do. I filled the letter with all my personal info and when I finished I felt determined to talk to her.   I was walking towards my door when I listened to a knock on my door “Are you still awake, bambolina? She asked with a sweet voice. The one she used when she’s going to ask me to do something. Like that time when she asked me to be part of an underwear photoshoot at 5 am at the theme park. The good thing was that time I had the opportunity to negotiate my art classes. “I need to talk to you” she added. I kept the application letter in the first drawer of my desk and opened the door. “Yes, I’m still awake, come in” I invited her, although she was already inside my room, sitting on the edge of my bed. She patted the bed at her side for me to sit with her. “Okay, what is it now?” I said with a smirk as I took my place beside her. “Don’t say it as I always ask you crazy things, Estefanía!” I scoffed and make a sign with my hand for her to continue. She took a deep breath as if it was hard for her to pronounce the following words. “I think you should apply for the selection” Loretta most have noticed the shocked look on my face because she tried to justify her words “… before you say no, just listen to me for a second. I think you have not entirely recovered for that break up you suffered with Dolan, and...” “His name was Dylan, mom” I corrected her, still surprised by her words. She never showed much interest about that matter. The day I told her about it she just hugged me tight and said “I told you so” and she never mentioned it again. I guess she just wanted to give me space. “…whatever! That jerk doesn’t deserve to be remembered. So, I think you should take this opportunity to heal and to try to get a new love” She conclude. I couldn’t believe my ears. I thought she hated the royals, since Prince Spencer eliminated her from his selection. “That arrogante, privo di tattoo…” She always shrieks, even when I have read a whole different story in the magazines. With all she did and said about the other selected on the interviews, I was surprised she didn’t get kicked out sooner in the competition. She had been trying hard to change since then, but something in her words just didn’t fit fine, this time, but I wasn’t going to miss this opportunity. “Hmm… I think you might be right, mom, luckily I last as much as you, there” I said in a reflexive tone. “Sure, why not? I will apply!” I agreed before she changed her mind. “Estefanía, take it for me when I say, those girls will do whatever it takes to win… and you have to promise me you will do the same! No matter what, you have to fight hard!” Her tone was scaring me, it’s like something had possessed her. But 5 seconds ago, she was all sweetness! When she saw my terror face, she changed her tone “…I’m just telling you this, because I don’t want them to hurt you, bambolina” She said pulling my head closer to her shoulder and stroking my curly hair. “Just promise me you will do it” I didn’t like that tone or what she was suggesting, that wasn’t my idea to apply to this competition, I just wanted to meet Nathaniel and get the opportunity to know him more; also, the experience sounded appealing, I could finally meet real friends, real people, and in the process, I could show the Illéans I wasn’t the superficial, hypocrite girl that the media had made them believe. But this wasn’t the time to argue with Loretta, if making a simple promise was what it takes for her to let me do this, I will do it. “I promise”

[englishchinesetranslations]

If you thought you can’t top the stupidity we experienced in 2019, brace yourself for 2020 because it’s going to be a pronoun-fueled weather cult pinko freakshow. But it won’t be all amusing antics – the left hates us and its ugly mask is coming off, revealing the even uglier fascist visage lurking beneath. If you listen to them, and if you aren’t an insufferable goo goo wimp who refuses to hear them, you will know that they intend to silence you, even imprison you, and deprive you of the ability to participate in your own governance. So, if you want to live as a free man or woman – if they have their way, they’ll destroy you for recognizing that unalterable binary – best be ready.

Be motivated to engage in the cultural melee.

Vote.

And buy guns and ammo. As my favorite literary creation famously says, no one has ever regretted being too well armed.

With that in mind, here are my predictions for 2020:

10. Trump Will Be Impeached…Yawn: Poor, flailing Nancy Pelosi will eventually transmit the articles of impeachment to the Senate, thereby actually impeaching the President. Now, whether Pelosi’s current antics constitute “impeachment” or not is irrelevant, except denying it due to her gamesmanship is fun because it owns the libs. No one cares, and to the limited extent we normal people do, this alleged impeachment is a badge of honor for the President. Her fringe-driven delay tactics make the Dems look dumber, and eventually she will send it to the Senate where Cocaine Mitch will kill it. Sure, some of the useless GOP caucus will make noises about how this clusterfark must be taken seriously because principles and honor and stuff. Saps. They just better take seriously that we in the base will electorally eviscerate them if they vote to convict. Maybe Mitt the Gimp will vote for it because he’s weak and stupid. Maybe Senator Iglookowski (RINO-AK) will too. But in the end, Trump will triumph and yet again humiliate his opponents.

9. The Economy Will Stay Strong, Disappointing Democrats: The party of the workin’ man is already in mourning because the Trump economy has finally brought some prosperity back to the workin’ man instead of concentrating wealth among the globalist liberal gentry that Obama served. The media will cheerlead for a recession; the Democrats will try to ignore the new Roaring 20s, but America’s success will remain a nightmare for liberals during 2020.

8. Virginia Will Declare War on Its Citizens: The liberals recently elected as moderates in the Old Dominion will reveal their true colors as they attempt to crush dissent wherever voters were stupid enough to elect them. The Virginia left will not back down – it will attempt to criminalize vast numbers of citizens and bend them to its will using violence and legal terrorism if need be. This will provoke a counterreaction that will make it clear to moderates that electing liberals means voting for conflict, not just center-left business as usual like with old school Democrats. Look for it to get ugly. They think they can break our will, and they will learn they can’t. This will energize conservatives across the country.

7. Replacing Justice Ginsburg: She’s had a good run but the opponent conservatives tend to most respect for being tough is playing a losing game against statistics. It is not to wish ill upon her to say that time is not on her side; in 2020, it is very, very likely Donald Trump will be replacing her. Count on the Murder Turtle not to buy into an interpretation of the Garland Rule that ties his hands – it’s confirmation time. The Democrats will go even nuttier than usual, but too bad. Just get ready for future Justice Amy Coney Barrett to have to explain that, yes, she likes beer, and no, she didn’t run a rape gang in elementary school.

6. Trans Fascism Backlash: Normal people are getting tired of being told they have to lie and say there are 631 sexes, and they are tired of militant jerks wanting boys hanging out in their girls’ locker room, and they are getting sick of boys winning girls’ sports championships. J.K. Rowling, who is otherwise a leftist doofus, recently survived social media cancelation for telling the truth that sex is real. The rest of us will be roused to action – people were trying to be polite, but now it’s all too stupid and obnoxious to tolerate. There is a big difference between being kind and not adding to the pain of people with real issues, and with being forced by drag bullies and their allies to publicly affirm what everyone knows is false. Look for more and more people, prominent and not prominent, to be told that they must agree that men can get pregnant and that women can have penises, and to answer, “No.”

5. Pardon This: We will see the President pardon the victims of Deep State vendettas designed to overturn the election of 2016. General Mike Flynn, Roger Stone, and Paul Manafort will all be cleared, probably right after the election. Which is good, because we will need the cells for…

4. Durham’s Indictments: The investigation into the soft coup is going to turn up wrongdoing that the entrenched leftist bureaucracy can’t shove under the rug anymore. John Durham telegraphed his righteous retribution when he publicly rejected IG Horowitz’s pathetic shrug over the Deep State’s shenanigans. We’re going to see some folks finally held to account. Not all of them – not Felonia Milhous von Pantsuit, not that Looming Doofus Comey, but others. It’s an important first step in defeating the cancer on our government that is having these Democrat partisans in positions of power in the bureaucracy.

3. Foreign Policy Success: With the National Security Council under the properly low-key and sober guidance of Robert O’Brien (I know him – great guy and perfect for this job), America will continue to rebuild its strength, wind down open-ended military commitments, force allies to do their part, and avoid unnecessary conflicts. Iran will continue to destabilize, but we will not go to war – we will neuter the mullahs economically and let the Persian people deal with their oppressors. China has some strengths but many weaknesses – we will exploit those and build a trade relationship based on reciprocity instead of American submission. NATO countries will reluctantly fork over their dues, and our relationship with the UK will become even more special now that it is free of the EU’s yoke. Foreigners finally understand – America will use every element of its power to defend American interests, so behave. Also, we will get the Space Force going (long overdue) and move toward a 355-ship Navy (very long overdue). Finally, look for a promotion for America’s most effective diplomat (and future GOP presidential contender) Richard Grenell.

2. Democrats Will Lose the House: They took the House back promising to be pragmatic do-gooders who would work across party lines to do the people’s business blah blah blah blah blah. It was all garbage. The ones that weren’t actively defiling hotel room furniture via naked hair brushing grossness with underlings were obediently obeying Pelosi’s commands. “Impeach? Yes, ma’am, right away, ma’am.” And what were they doing that was useful to their voters? Nothing – America’s biggest problem is not that Democrats have too little control.

1. Trump Will Get Reelected: There are a number of reasons, many recited above. But the most important is that God looks out for the United States. Oh, and the Dems will nominate Biden, who will choose Sitting Bolshevik as his VP (He’s gotta choose a girl and Willie Brown’s Ex is out for dissing him and he can’t choose Amy Tantrum Gal Klobuchar because he needs to nail down the Dem’s commie wing). A fake Indian and a fake competent leader – great combo. Once nominated, Gropey J will continue to commit gaffes, only his slobbering media buddies won’t be able to keep hiding them. Plus, there’s the Lil’ Crackpipe factor. Hoover Biden, the nominee’s Snortunate Son, will have another crack issue, or another paternity suit, or maybe both – which the garbage media will tell us is none of our business and is not important. But it is. In the end, Trump will improve on his 2016 Electoral College numbers and win the popular vote too, at which point the liberals will turn against the entire concept of voting.

I also predict that my newest novel Collapse will continue to be an Amazon bestseller, and that there will be another action-packed, hilarious novel coming next year once I finish my traditional non-fiction book for Regnery that is also due out in 2020. Go ahead and use that gift card you got at Christmas or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa to get the other entries in the series, People's Republic, Indian Country and Wildfire. Remember, every time you read one of my books, the Never Trump weenies who called them “appalling” sob and rend their sissy bow ties.

[funnythingshere0-blog]

Steve Carell 'SNL' Sketches Ranked Worst to First: 'The Office' Cast Reunites, Carell's Real Family Rejects Him

New Post has been published on https://funnythingshere.xyz/steve-carell-snl-sketches-ranked-worst-to-first-the-office-cast-reunites-carells-real-family-rejects-him/

Steve Carell 'SNL' Sketches Ranked Worst to First: 'The Office' Cast Reunites, Carell's Real Family Rejects Him

Back for his third time, and after a ten-year hiatus, Steve Carell returned to “Saturday Night Live” and it was as if no time had passed at all.

This might have a lot to do with the fact that several of his fellow “Office” alums followed him here for a pretty funny ongoing monologue gag. His real family, including wife Nancy and kids Elisabeth and John, even got in on the fun for that one.

The Thanksgiving episode was solid overall, with only a few misfires throughout the night. The love was also spread pretty evenly throughout the cast, while Carell slipped seamlessly back into his comedic foundation. He even brought some of that cringe humor that made “The Office” so squeamishly delightful.

The only suggestion we have for the show is that they need to step away from this weird perception they have that they must open the show with a political sketch. Clearly, they didn’t have much to say about this week’s happenings in DC, so there’s no shame in just leaving it be. Michael Che and Colin Jost are going to touch on it in Weekend Update anyway, so why not just be funny, even if funny has nothing to do with politics?

As usual, we’re ranking all the sketches from worst to first, including the Cold Open and the regular “Weekend Update” segments. We’ll skip the musical guests, because they’re not usually funny – unless Ashlee Simpson shows up. We wrap up with a look at the cast-member who had the strongest week.

Space-giving

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Pete Davidson played the kornels on an ear of kern in this bizarre alien Thanksgiving sketch. There were some technical difficulties, the internal logic basically fell apart and it missed every opportunity to go in a funny direction. This was rightfully toward the back of the show as the comedy was half-baked at best. They spent so much money and time on those sets and costumes and props only to fall this flat.

Cold Open – “The Ingraham Angle”

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The most reasoned voice in news, Laura Ingraham (Kate McKinnon) took a look at voter fraud to kick off the show. You know, that thing there is virtually no evidence for happening at the levels Trump is trying to argue. But first, she kicked off with a scathing joke about celebs whining about a little fire while Trump battles torrential rain. It’s gonna be that kind of night. She was joined by Cecily Strong’s Jeanine Piro, Leslie Jones’ Rep. Marcia Fudge, Pete Davidson and Alex Moffat as Mark Zuckerberg, who stole the sketch with his robotic impression. “Feel Lies” was a home run, but the sketch dragged a bit overall. Jones was dying at first, but when she grabbed a mic and went for a more traditional roast of Nancy Pelosi, the bit came alive. Overall, this dragged on wa-a-a-ay too long.

Friends-giving

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This was one of those sketches that usually winds up later in the show as it started off bizarre and ended totally bonkers. The Thanksgiving song was beyond ridiculous and while we’re proud the writers came up with an ending for the sketch, it’s not an ending that made any sense. The whole thing was dream logic from start to finish. To be honest, we’re not sure if we’re laughing or just confused. Or maybe we dreamed the whole thing.

MONOLOGUE – Steve Carell

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Steve’s monologue turned into an audience question-and-answer session but all of the questions were about rebooting “The Office.” Steve wasn’t really feeling it, but everyone from Kenan Thompson to “Office” cast-members Ellie Kemper, Ed Helms and Jenna Elfman. They even cut to his wife and kids who loved the idea of him being away from home all that time while filming a television show.

RBG Rap

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Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has become a clarion call for the left as a key voice they’re rallying behind, so this rap tribute is perfectly in line. And it would have been a fine and charming continuation of the adulation heaped upon her, but the closing dialogue between Pete Davidson and Chris Redd really summed up the problem with this kind of idol worship. It has to be built on something. Clever and smart, that’s the way we like our comedy!

GPYass!

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What if your GPS could have the voice and visual style of the most over-the-top drag queens out there? That’s the premise of this fake commercial featuring Steve Carell and Heidi Gardner as a couple who get all fired up when their GPS gets drag-tastic! The whole thing was short and sweet and very silly, but that’s about as much as it could handle before it would start to lose its charm, so it ended just in time.

Jeff Bezos

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Wow, this was a brutal takedown of the conspiracy theory that Jeff Bezos opened his two new headquarters in NYC and Virginia just to mess with and overshadow Trump. Steve Carell’s Bezos went all in with new announcements, each of them tearing further and further into Trump. And it was all presented so gently and with such innocence that it totally worked.

RV Love

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Aidy Bryant and Mikey Day visit their parents (Steve Carell and Heidi Gardner) in a tiny RV they live in and love now. Heidi was great as the mom who supported Steve’s terrible idea to quit his job and downsize their lives to this mess, all squeaks and clear disdain on her face. The whole sketch hinged on her performance, and she did a great job of selling her character clearly lying and trying to put on a good face until finally she just couldn’t anymore.

Weekend Update

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Michael Che and Colin Jost wasted no time laying into New Yorkers for complaining about Amazon setting up their new HQ in Queens, but don’t they know? Complain is all we do anymore. If Amazon had selected another city, New Yorkers would complain about that, just like all the cities they didn’t choose are whining now. In America, everything is lose-lose now. They also chimed in on the latest election updates and Trump with some sharp barbs. We’re still laughing over Che’s worries when he sees Trump flanked by black people. His first thought, “How much did they sell us for?”

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They then invited out Mikey Day as Congressman-elect Denver Riggleman to address his connection to Bigfoot erotica — and yes, that is real. He doubled down on his argument that his infamous Twitter post was a joke, as were the three books he’d already written and the way he wrote them, to make the sex hotter. Yeah, we were all uncomfortable when he started reading from one of his books.

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“It’s a great way to start the day off on the right foot, because the left foot was taken away by diabetes,” Colin Jost said of Sour Patch Kids cereal … how is this a thing? Che also revealed his drag name, and we need to see that character in a sketch right now!

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Kenan Thompson’s LaVar Ball never gets old, with his ridiculous optimism and enthusiasm even as the Lakers aren’t off to that great of a start. This time, he talked about how he and LeBron James are best friends, despite the restraining order. They hang out together, just 500 feet apart. Clearly, Kenan has a blast playing this character and that infectious fun just pours through the screen.

Teen Angel

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A classic 1950 sleepover, complete with a Teen Angel (Steve Carell) singing to high school dropout Heidi Gardner goes all wrong when Aidy Bryant wakes up and recognizes it as her dad, missing for the past six weeks. The deconstruction of the Teen Angel character, considerably older than the teenage girls he sings for, made it creepier than ever, but Aidy and Steve were brilliant as the bickering daughter and father.

Disney World

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A surprise early-morning announcement goes wrong for Steve Carell when his kids (Melissa Villasenor, Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson and Mikey Day) tell him they already know mom is leaving him; he doesn’t need to cheer them up. The only problem? He didn’t know this. There’s a lot he didn’t know, which was kind of the premise of the sketch. He’s a clueless idiot, and it really worked. No one plays dim-witted as well as Steve. Everyone was so committed to the bit, and especially Steve. Short, sweet, stupid and totally funny.

NASA Television

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During a broadcast from the International Space Station to children in school, something goes horribly wrong. So while Mikey Day and Leslie Jones keep interrupting with disturbing details of the problems, Steve Carell tries to keep things light. Let’s just say there were monkeys on board, something went wrong and zero gravity can make things very awkward. The cat bit didn’t work at all, but the cosmonaut segment was hilariously awful. This was awkwardly hilarious in the cringe-humor way that Carell is so good at.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

This week is about as close to a tie as we can fathom between two women who really shined throughout the night, but we’re going to give the slightest edge to Heidi Gardner, simply because her performance in the RV sketch carried the whole thing.

Aidy Bryant came a close second for her Teen Angel performance, and her bit-but-key role in the NASA sketch. But Heidi really had a strong night and is making a strong name for herself in her second season on the show.

With Aidy, Cecily and Kate all in their seventh and eighth seasons, the show needs its younger female cast-members to step up because those three are going to leave huge comedic shoes to fill when they decide to move on, so it’s great to see Heidi finding her voice, and getting the chance to showcase how funny she can be.

“Saturday Night Live” returns December 1 with host Claire Foy and musical guest Anderson.Paak at 11:35 p.m. et on NBC.

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Source: http://toofab.com/2018/11/18/snl-saturday-night-live-steve-carell-jenna-fischer-ed-helms-ellie-kemper-the-office-reunion-thanksgiving/