#trying out these different styles was fun :]

[waitimcomingtoo]

The Way That You Were

Pairing: fratboy!Peter Parker x reader

Synopsis: you and Peter reunite at a college party and discover he is no longer the sweet nerd you knew in high school

Masterlist

“I’m gonna pee.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” Your friend asked you over the sound of the music of the party.

“I’ll be fine. But hold my drink, please.” You kindly requested and handed her your red solo cup.

“Have fun.” She called after you as you left for the bathroom. You adjusted your dress and leaned against the wall as you waited on the bathroom line. You looked around the frat house you were in and decided the walls were not actually something you wanted to lean against.

“God damn. If your ass blew me away I cannot wait to see your face.” A voice suddenly came from behind you. You scrunched your face in disgust and turned around to see who the voice belonged to. Your eyes met a boy in a backwards hat with curls spilling out of it on either side. But what made you lose your breath was the fact that you recognized the eyes staring back at you. The smug grin on the boys face instantly dropped when he recognized you as well.

“Peter? Peter Parker?” You asked and felt your heart ache just a little. You both slowly processed what he had just said and he turned a bright red.

“Y/n?” He asked in disbelief. “What are you doing here?”

“My friend invited me. What were you saying about my face?” You asked and folded your arms.

“Nothing. Something stupid.” He said quickly before breaking into a smile. He suddenly stepped forward and wrapped his arms around you in a tight hug. You blinked in surprise and hesitantly patted his back.

“I can’t believe you’re here.” He said into your ear.

“Neither can I.” You laughed dryly as you pulled out of the hug. You stepped back and took a moment to take him in. His arms were much bigger than you remembered from back in high school and you had a full view of them in his white cut off tank top. Everything about his outfit was different from his typical style, down to the shoes he was wearing. You would’ve thought he was wearing a costume if he didn’t look so natural.

“God, look at you.” He sighed as he looked you up and down. A dopey smile remained on his face and he shook his head as if he trying to shake a thought out of his mind.

“Me? Look at you. You look so different. What are you doing at a party like this?” You wondered.

“Oh, this is my frat house. We throw parties like this every weekend.” He replied and you laughed. He didn’t laugh with you and you realized he wasn’t joking.

“You live here?“ You asked as your eyes darted to the poster of a girl in a bikini riding a beer can barely covering a hole in the wall.

“That’s not mine.” Peter said quickly.

“The hole or the poster?”

“Can I get you a drink?” He asked to change the subject.

“I’m kinda waiting for something.” You laughed awkwardly and nodded towards the bathroom door.

“After? I’ll wait.” He offered. He seemed very eager to talk to you and you couldn’t deny that you had been desperate to talk to him ever since you graduated high school.

“Okay.” You agreed. “Sure.”

“Wait, don’t use that bathroom. It’s probably disgusting. It’s actually most definitely disgusting. I have a bathroom in my room. It’s much cleaner. Come on.” He said and nodded towards the stairs.

“Oh. Okay.” You looked around at who was watching before following him up the stairs. You stayed close behind him until the two of you reached his bedroom. You would never normally follow a guy up to his bedroom at a party without telling anyone where you were going but you grew up with Peter so you trusted him. You entered his bedroom and you discreetly took a look around. You’d been to his apartment in high school and were saddened to see his posters of the periodic table and Star Wars were replaced with patched up holes in the wall and a poster of Goodfellas next to a tapestry that said “Saturdays are for boys” over an American flag.

“I’ll guard the door.” Peter told you as he showed you where the bathroom was.

“Thank you.” You shot him a smile before going inside. Peter’s bathroom was much more akin to the Peter you once knew. You smiled at the miscellaneous artifacts on his bathroom counter and did what you came to do before leaving.

“Hey.” You smiled awkwardly at him when you left the bathroom.

“Hey.” He smiled back. “I kinda can’t believe you just used my bathroom.”

“I kinda can’t believe you have pink hand towels and Darth Vader shampoo.”

“Hey, hey, hey. That’s not Darth Vader. It’s the Mandelorian.” He corrected. “And they’re only pink because I washed them with my Chiefs jersey.”

“You own a jersey?” You raised at eyebrow at him.

“I do now that Taylor Swift said it’s okay to watch football.”

“You still listen to Taylor?” You smiled in surprise.

“Obviously. I was listening to Chloe or Sam or Sophia or Marcus while I pregamed for this party.”

“Jesus.” You chuckled. “Who hurt you?”

“I just like the line about wondering.” He laughed as well but didn’t meet your eyes.

“So do I.” You admitted and he finally looked at you. You shared a moment of lingering eye contact accompanied by a comfortable silence. He looked different, and not just because of his outfit. He looked older. His baby face had hardened and he looked more like a man now and not the boy you once knew. But as different as he was, his eyes were the same. So was his laugh. And despite the years that had gone by without you seeing each other, you slipped right back into your friendship.

“Can I make you that drink now?” Peter asked after a beat.

“Okay.” You smiled and he slung his arm around your shoulders.

“Stay close to me. The people that come to these parties haven’t had all their vaccines.” He whispered in your ear as he led you back downstairs.

“I will.” You laughed and felt relieved his sense of humor was still in tact. A few people from Peter’s school turned to look at the two of you as you made your way to the kitchen but Peter didn’t seem to notice.

“This is the kitchen. All the healthy cereals are mine.” Peter said proudly and pointed to a box of Mini Wheats on top of the refrigerator.

“By healthy do you mean the frosted strawberry Mini Wheats?”

“Those really hit after a nightmare.” He insisted. “Plus, strawberry is a fruit and wheat is good for you. God, what do they teach girls in school?”

“Not the important stuff, apparently.” You laughed and he smiled as he caught your eyes. He pulled out a fresh red solo cup and got some ice.

“Do you still like Shirley temples?” He asked you.

“Yeah. You remember that?”

“Of course I do. I remember making makeshift ones out of sprite and strawberry syrup at Ned’s Halloween party Junior year because you told me they were your favorite.”

“Those were not bad.” You recalled. “Or maybe they just tasted better because I was 17 and drunk for the first time.”

“That was my first time drinking too. White Claw does not taste as good on the way out as it does the way in.” Peter grimaced and grabbed a beer from the ice bucket on the counter. You watched him crack it open with ease and felt an ache of nostalgia for those few nights of getting drunk as teenagers off alcohol from 7/11 that someone’s older brother bought.

“But I see you’ve outgrown White Claw.”

“Yeah. My friends and I pretty much only drink beer.” Peter nodded and took a swig of it.

“Don’t you worry about getting a…” You trailed off when Peter lifted his shirt to wipe his mouth with, giving you a full view of his abdomen. Peter’s sweaters and nerdy t shirts never let on that he was carved by the gods underneath his clothing.

“Beer gut.” You barely got the words out and blinked a few times to get back into reality.

“I seriously can’t believe you’re here. I always wondered what happened to you after high school.” Peter admitted as he made your drink for you.

“I know. I dropped my phone on the subway tracks a few years back and got a new number. But I always wondered about you too.” You told him.

“You did?” He smiled in relief.

“Of course I did. I tried to find you on social media but I couldn’t find anything.

“Yeah. I never really got the hang of it. I did try to find you in a phone book once. But the librarian called me a nerd and told me to go back to the 90s.” Peter replied, making you laugh.

“Well that wasn’t very nice of them.” You said.

“No it was not. So I am very pleased that I find you in my house tonight. That’s why I made you the most delicious Shirley Temple in the world.” Peter said and proudly held out the red solo cup.

“Oh, my. Thank you.” You giggled and accepted the cup from him. You took a sip and felt your eyes water.

“Jesus Christ. Is there any Sprite in here or just vodka?” You said through a cough.

“Sorry. That was out of habit. My boys and I are heavy pourers.” Peter sound genuinely apologized and added more Sprite to your cup to make it less strong.

“It’s all right.” You shrugged. “So I have to ask you, how come you’re no longer at MIT?”

Peter looked a little frightened when you mentioned MIT and quickly looked over his shoulder. He stepped closer to you and looked around again.

“I wasn’t happy there so I transferred last semester.” He said in a quiet voice.

“Why are we whispering?” You whispered back through a light laugh.

“People here don’t really know that I was like that.” He admitted and looked a little disappointed to even be saying it.

“Like what? Smart?” You asked at full volume. He looked around again and waved his hand in dismissal.

“I’m still smart. I just don’t let my boys know that.” He told you, making you raise your eyebrows in surprise.

“Your boys?” You laughed dryly.

“You know. My frat brothers.” He explained and gestured to the party.

“Right, right. I think I met a few tonight when I walked in on their farting contest and they asked me to join. Do you still talk to Ned?”

“Oh, no.” Peter shook his head. “We kept in touch for a while after high school but we kinda fell off somewhere after I transferred here.”

“Wow, really? You guys were so close. I thought you’d be friends forever.”

“Yeah. I guess I did too.” Peter realized and stared down the barrel of his beer bottle.

“Are you still studying biochemistry?” You asked him. “It was biochemistry, right?”

“It was. But now I’m undeclared. I’m not really sure what I want to do anymore.”

“Really? But you’re so smart. You were the smartest guy I ever met. You still are.”

“I’m not that smart.” He laughed and shyly rubbed the back of his neck.

“Yes you are.” You insisted. “You always knew the answer to every question before I even processed what was being asked.”

“You’re smart too. In an original way that I still think about.” He replied, catching you by surprise. You took a sip to your cup for a little bravery and looked into his eyes.

“You still think about me?” You asked him with a coy smile.

“I do. All the time.” He answered without breaking eye contact. You sucked in a sharp breath and he smirked before moving same hair off your forehead. His hand stayed on your face and you felt your heart rate start to pick up. It wasn’t that you didn’t want to kiss him, it was that you had always wanted to kiss him. Now that he was standing in front of you and it might actually happen, you felt too nervous.

“Where are your glasses?” You blurted and ruined the moment. Before Peter could respond, me of his frat brothers walked in and clapped Peter’s on the back.

“Glasses? What’s this bird talking about, Parker?” He asked as he slung an arm around Peter and roughed him up a little.

“Shut up, Flash. She’s not a bird. She’s my friend from high school.” Peter defended you angrily and pushed the boy off.

“Oh shit. This isn’t the chick you were in love with, is it?” Flash gasped and looked at you.

“Who were you in love with?” You immediately asked Peter and felt a little jealous bubble up inside you.

“No, dumb ass. That was a different girl. This is Y/n. Don’t call her a chick either. Thats just another kind of bird.” Peter grumbled. Flash gave you an unapologetic once over before smirking.

“Nice to meet you, sweetie. I’m Flash. I hope you’re enjoying the party. But I do have to ask that you keep it down later because my room is right next to his and I have an 8 am class tomorrow.”

“Don’t, man.” Peter warned.

“Keep what down?” You wondered.

“Well, you know. Parker has girls in there so often I had to start charging them rent. Especially because they drink all the orange juice in the morning. And they tend to keep me up all night due to all the bed squeaking, so I ask that you’re considerate of the class I have tomorrow.” Flash said to you. You gulped and looked to Peter for an explanation, but Peter was busy glaring at Flash.

“Shut the fuck up, okay? Like you even go to class.” Peter scoffed. “Get out of here. Go drink some water. And take a bath. You stink.”

“All right. Just go easy on her, okay Parker? She seems like a nice girl. She deserves to be able to walk out of here in the morning.” Flash clapped him on the back again and you let out a shocked laugh.

“Fuck off. Now.” Peter demanded. Flash held up his hands and shot you a wink before walking away. You looked to Peter for an explanation for what just occurred. You have never heard him swear before and definitely never heard him get angry with someone like that. You also couldn’t help but wonder if there was any truth to what Flash had said about all the girls Peter slept with. You knew it shouldn’t bother you, but the Peter you knew had never even had his first kiss. Something about the guy you’d always pined after going from never being kissed to a guy with a long line of girls leaving his bedroom made your tummy hurt.

“I’m sorry about him. He’s such a dick sometimes.” Peter apologized to you.

“Yeah. I picked up on that.” You laughed nervously.

“Why’d don’t we get out of here? It’s too loud.” Peter’s said and gestured to the rest of the part. You sucked in a sharp breath and thought back to what Flash had just said. As much as you’d wondered about Peter, you were not ready to “get out of here” with him.

“I should probably get back to my friend.” You answered. Peter smiled politely and nodded in understanding but felt disappointed that your time together was ending.

“I’ll help you find her.” He offered and you agreed. You brought him to where you last saw her and found her making out with someone on the couch.

“Oh!” You said in surprise but your friend didn’t come up for sit.

“I think she’s okay for now.” Peter joked.

“I guess she is.” You agreed.

“Do you want to take a walk?” He asked and you felt relieved that he wasn’t asking to go back upstairs.

“Sure. I could use some air.” You agreed and followed him outside. The two of you walked down the sidewalk together and Peter stayed on the side facing the street to keep you from stumbling into it on accident. It felt easy to talk to him despite the years of being apart from each other and the longer you talked, the more you realized he hadn’t changed all that much. Sure, he swore a lot more now and made some dumb jokes, but his character was the same.

“Are you cold?” He asked you at one point.

“No. I’m okay. The fresh air feels good.”

“Good. Because I don’t have a jacket to offer you. But I would give you my jacket if I had one.”

“I appreciate that.” You laughed and looked over at him.

“So how long are you visiting your friend for?” He asked you.

“I go back to school on Tuesday.”

“So soon?” He stopped walking and frowned.

“Yeah. I’m just here for the long weekend.”

“Oh, shit, really? I was hoping we’d have more time together. I’d really love to see you again. Maybe we can get dinner tomorrow or something.”

“I don’t know.” You laughed nervously and folded your arms out of self consciousness.

“Why not?” He asked, sounding a little hurt.

“It was really good to see you again tonight. But I don’t think we have anything in common anymore, Pete.” You admitted without looking at him.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. Look at us. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other. I don’t know if we’d get along anymore. Not like we did in high school, anyway.”

“Just because it’s been a long time doesn’t mean we won’t get along. We have history together. I’m still the guy you competed with in the decathlon.” He insisted. You looked up at him and stared at him under the light of the streetlight. He sounded like the guy you once knew, but he looked and acted so different now.

“Are you?” You asked quietly. Peter blinked a few times and smiled sadly.

“You don’t think so?”

“Don’t get me wrong, you look great and you seem happy with where you are now.”

“But?” He asked, sensing there was more. You smiled sympathetically because there was in fact more and it wasn’t exactly nice.

“I don’t know. I guess I’m just a little surprised to see you tonight. I always wondered about you and assumed you were halfway to becoming a scientist or Nobel prize winner by now. I never expected all this.”

“All what?” He asked, sounding a little annoyed now.

“You know. Frat boy. Undeclared. Chugging beer. Long line of girls coming out of your room…” You trailed off and looked down at the ground again.

“Flash was joking about that. The only time I’ve had a girl in my room was when we had to get a maid after the New Year’s party because there was an unidentified goo on the floors. I’m still me.” He insisted and stepped closer to you. You still didn’t look up at him because you didn’t want to say what you were about to say.

“You commented on my ass.” You said quietly. You didn’t see it, but Peter’s face dropped. He had felt annoyed that you were judging him until he remembered his opening line to you tonight was about your body. He felt guilty for reducing a girl he knew so well to an object for him to comment on.

“I’m sorry about that. I really am.” He apologized. “I’m way drunk right now and not using my head.

“The guy I knew in high school was not the kind of guy who says things like that to girls.” You said and finally looked into his eyes. To your surprise, he looked genuinely apologetic.

“I know. I’m not like those guys. I swear, I never normally say things like that. I’m drunk and a fucking idiot. I’ve made a total ass of myself all night. What can I do?”

“Peter, it’s fine. I’m not here to judge you. And you don’t owe me anything. I’m being stupid anyway. I’m not the same person I was in high school so I don’t know why I expected you to be. Thats not fair to you. I guess I’m just little drunk and upset I never got to see my Peter again.”

“Your Peter?” Peter asked with a sad smile.

“Come on, Peter. I was crazy about you back then. The whole school knew. By senior year, everyone had figured it out but you. And I always regretted not telling you. So I’d fantasize about all the cool things you were doing in college. This just isn’t what thought it would be like when we found each other again.”

“For me either.” He admitted as he stared at you starry eyed.

“No?”

“I liked you too. You were the girl Flash was talking about. I was in love with you in high school.” He confessed. You knew you should be happy to hear that but all you could think of was the wasted potential of a relationship that never got to happen.

“You never told me.” You said softly.

“How could I?“ He laughed. “You were so beautiful I could barely get an intelligent word out when you were around. You still are. And I still can’t.”

“I wish I knew. Now I’m always gonna wonder what would have happened if I had just told you how I felt.” You smiled sadly.

“So will I.” He said as his eyes filled with sadness. You stared at each other for a moment with the quiet understanding that at one point you wanted the same thing at the same time.

“Maybe we don’t have to wonder.” Peter said after a beat.

“What do you mean?” You asked him. Peter stepped closer suddenly and tilted your chin up with his pinky.

“Please.” He pleaded. “Just give me one night. I’ll take you to dinner and prove I’m still me.”

“And suppose you do.” You shrugged. “I’m only here for the weekend. What does it matter anyway?”

“It matters to me. Because I’ve always wanted you. Even if I just get one night.”

“Peter, I’m not trying to be one of your girls.” You shook your head and stepped away from him.

“I told you. There are no girls. You are the only girl who has ever taken my breath away. I never stopped thinking about you after high school. Just give me one chance.” He asked and pulled you back into his arms. You stared into his eyes for a moment and found yourself unable to say no.

“Please.” He whispered and sounded irresistibly desperate. You could see his gaze dropping to your lips and felt your heartbeat pick up again. But this time, you didn’t feel nervous.

“I shouldn’t.” You said quietly.

“But don’t you want to stop wondering and know for certain?” He asked, and you nodded. Your eyes fluttered shut and just as you were expecting his lips to meet yours, he cupped your face and kissed your cheek.

“I’m not going to kiss you tonight. Because I’m drunk. And you’re not.” He said when you looked at him in confusion. You were disappointed to not be kissed but smiled knowing he made the responsible decision.

“Oh. Yeah. Good call.” You cleared your throat and stepped out of his embrace.

“But I will be on my best behavior tomorrow for our date.” He assured you.

“I never actually agreed to a date.” You smiled coyly. Peter grinned and pulled you back into his arms and let his hands rest on your hips.

“You agreed when you closed your eyes to kiss me.” He said with his face close to yours. You gulped again but never broke eye contact with him.

“You’re kinda an asshole now.” You teased him.

“Yeah, but in a good way.” He shrugged, making you laugh.

“We’ll see.” You said pointedly. Peter pulled put his phone and handed it to you.

“We will see.” He insisted. “Here. Put your new number in. And don’t drop it on the subway this time.”

“I won’t.” You playfully rolled your eyes and typed your number into his phone. When you handed it to him, your hands touched as he took it back.

“You better not.” He said and slipped his fingers into yours as he pocketed his phone. You stared into his big brown eyes and felt like you were right back in high school.

“You could kiss me, if you wanted to. I had a drink too.” You said in a soft voice.

“I do want to. But I’ll save it for when my lips don’t taste like cheap beer.” He said with a smirk. He leaned in and kissed your cheek one more time before walking you back to the house. You stepped inside the frat house and just as your friend was heading to the door.

“Hey. The guy I was making out with tried to explain the stock market to me and laughed when I said I’m an economics major. I’m over this party. Are you ready to head out?” She asked you as she slung her purse over her shoulder.

“Oh, yeah. We can go.” You replied and felt disappointed to leave Peter so soon.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” He leaned down and whispered in your ear, sending shivers down your spine.

“Goodnight.” You said as you turned around to see him.

“Goodnight.” He replied and cupped your chin one more time.

Ten minutes after Peter said he would pick you up, he still wasn’t there. You checked your phone for the hundredth time as saw the minutes adding up. You should have known it was all too good to be true and he wasn’t the exception he claimed to be. He joined a frat and they poisoned the once sweet boy you knew. Just as you were about to go inside, Peter sped down your block and rolled down the window.

“I’m late. I’m sorry.” Peter called out the open window. Since he didn’t even bother to get out of the car, you got off the front steps you were sitting on and bent down to look at him through the window.

“I was starting to think you weren’t coming.” You said and didn’t try to hide your annoyance.

“I’m sorry.” He said and pouted. “God damn. You look hot.”

You opened your mouth to scold him for objectifying you once again but he wasn’t done yet.

“I’m so sorry I was late. I bet you spent a long time getting ready dry. And I’m sure you’ve been waiting for a long time. I remember you saying you get ready with time to spare and sit by the door until the person picking you up gets there so they don’t have to wait outside for long. And I’m an asshole and came late.”

You had planned to walk away and go back inside to punish him for being late, but you just couldn’t. Him remembering that little detail about you combined with the way he looked in his jersey made you want to stay.

“Well maybe I’ve changed.” You said pointedly as you climbed into his car.

“You have. High school you didn’t wear rings or have sexy red nails. But I figured some things would stay the same. Hello.” He greeted and leaned in to kiss your cheek. You felt your face burning and turned away so he wouldn’t see your smile.

“I thought some things would stay the same too. Yet I met you last night with a backwards cap on. The Peter I knew wouldn’t never be caught dead in a hat. Let alone one representing a sports team.” You teased him.

“It’s not actually a sports team. Look.” Peter took his eyes off the road to reach into his backseat and get his hat. He handed it to you and your eyes widened.

“Oh my God.” You said as you turned over your old black hat you got at the Gap freshman year.

“You let me borrow that at the senior skip day at the beach because I forgot sunblock.” Peter recalled. “And when I tried to give it back to you, you said I could keep it since it looked better on me.”

“It did.” You smiled fondly at the memory.

“I wear it all the time now because I don’t know how to do my curly hair now that it’s longer.”

“I like it longer.” You told him. “But I also liked your short gelled look. With your cute little button downs and sweaters.”

“Yeah. I outgrew those.” He chuckled. “I started working out more and they looked silly on me once I got bigger. Then Flash showed me how to cut my shirts to show off my arms.”

“Yeah. I can’t imagine those arms in a little sweater.” You agreed.

“What about my arms?” He looked over at you with a smirk.

“Nothing.” You said coyly. “Where are we going, anyway?”

“It’s a surprise. But I’ll give you a hint. You wrote about it in your letter to your college self.”

“What?” You laughed in surprise. “Do you have a photographic memory of something? I don’t remember anything I wrote in that.”

“I told you. I was in love with you.” He said and looked over at you. You locked eyes and smiled until a car hocked at him for drifting into their lane.

“How come you’re so comfortable saying it now yet I had no idea back in high school?” You wondered. Then Peter got a text and pulled out his phone to read it. You eyed him but didn’t say anything as he replied to the text while driving. You’d never been in a car with him behind the wheel before and it was starting to make you a little nervous.

“I don’t know. You’re different too.” He answered finally. “I can tell from looking at you. So I guess I don’t feel like I’m telling the girl I was in love with how I feel because I don’t really know you anymore. It makes it less scary.”

“I didn’t think about it like that. You’re right. I guess we don’t know each other anymore.” You said with a sad smile.

“I want to, though. Because you seem like a cooler version of the girl I liked in high school. Who was already cool.” He said and looked over at you again. You smiled at his compliment and stopped worrying about hai driving for a moment.

“I have so many questions for you.” You to him.

“Shoot.”

“Why’d you leave MIT?”

“I don’t know. It wasn’t what I thought it would be. I realized I was a big fish in a small pond back in high school. Everyone seemed so much smarter and more experienced than I was. I felt so alone all the time. So I drove home one night and never looked back.”

“Yeah. I get that. I was always told I was a smart kid growing up and then I just felt so burnt out in college. At least you know you got into MIT and gave it your all.

“Thank you for saying that. I like the way you see things. I’ve been missing your perspective in my life.” He told you and you felt your face heat up again.

“How’d you end up at your new school?” You said to distract him from how flustered he made you.

“They had offered me a full ride if I joined the academic decathlon team. Which I do in secret. Don’t tell my frat please.” He chuckled and looked at you to see if you’d keep his secret. You feigned a smile and internally missed the boy who was a proud captain of the decathlon team.

“How’d you end up in a frat anyway? That seems so opposite of your personality.”

“It kinda happened by accident. I was in a group project with Flash and he invited me to a party after I did his half of the work. And it wasn’t the worst once I had something to drink so I started going to more parties. And then I started drinking a lot. I made friends with a lot of frat guys that Flash knew I so ended up pledging.” He shrugged. You nodded your head but were less than impressed with his story. You and Peter had shared many conversations about not wanting to be at the parties you were never invited to anyway back in high school and now he was the one throwing them.

“I still can’t wrap my head around you being in a frat. I really never imagined you’d be into something like that.”

“How did you imagine me?” He asked with a coy smile.

“I imagined you’d be student teaching a biochemistry class and have a devoted fan base of nerdy students who hung on your every word like in Dead Poets Society. And you’d have circular glasses and wear ties and cardigans like Spencer Reid.

“Wow, Dead Poets Society. I totally forgot about that movie. I haven’t seen it in forever.”

“Really? I thought it was your favorite movie?”

“It used to be. I just watched this movie last week where Seth Rogan and one of the Franco brothers were smoking weed and then they witnessed this murder so they were worried the murder was gonna find them-“ Peter started laughing as he remembered the plot but stopped when he noticed you weren’t laughing along with him. The plot was far from the science fiction films he used to talk extensively about during lunch in an effort to convince you to watch them. It wasn’t much, just another reminder of how different he was from when you knew him.

“It was stupid. Anyways.” He changed the subject. “What have you been up to lately? How’s school?”

“School is good.” You shrugged. “I don’t know how I’ll ever work a job once I graduate because now having one class at 12 pm drains me for the remainder of the day, but I enjoy it. I like the freedom.”

“Good, good. I’m glad you’re enjoying it. I like the freedom too. I can eat macaroni at any hour and no one can tell me otherwise. And your friends are nice?”

“Yeah. I’ve found a good group of girls. It was really lonely at first like you said but I eventually found my people. It’s been a lot better now.” You answered as your eyes watching his thumbs type something on his phone. You looked at him in confusion but he was too busy switching back and forth between watching the road and texting to notice.

“I totally get that. I ate alone so many times that I started it get used to it. But it gets better when you find a few good people to spend time with.” He said after a minute. You nodded your head and tried not to be bothered by how distracted he was.

“Are your frat brothers good people?”

“I know you probably have a million and one presuppositions about frat guys but I promise we’re not as bad as you’ve been told. Lots of frats are crazy and have those worst kind of guys in it but were not like that. We have a no bullshit policy.” He informed you.

“Oh yeah? What kind of bullshit do you not tolerate?”

“All sorts of bullshit. We just kicked a guy out last week because he cheated on his girlfriend. And we banned the girl from our parties because she knew he had a girlfriend and slept with him anyway. We do not tolerate that kind of bullshit. Plus, Flash told me they once found out a guy was a bully in high school so they took turns farting on his pillow and then he got severe pink eye and had to drop out of school for the semester. Isn’t that hilarious?”

“That’s nice to hear. Except for the fart stuff. That’s really gross. But not tolerating bullshit is cool. I guess I assumed all frat guys were Brads and Chads who chugged beers and creeped on girls. And I assumed that because a frat guy at my school had sex with a pumpkin and put it on his Snapchat story.”

“Ew, what?” Peter laughed. “Who uses Snapchat still?”

“That’s the part you found gross? Damn, how many pumpkins are you having sex with?” You teased him.

“A gentleman never tells.” Peter said poshly, making you laugh. He got another text and pulled out his phone to read it.

“Peter-“ You began.

“I can’t believe you’re in my car. Do you know how many times I tried to awkwardly ask you out in high school? But I was so vague you never realized? And now you’re just in my car and you smell amazing and I barely had to do anything.” He cut you off and grinned at you as he put his phone down. Every time you got annoyed with his behavior, he pulled you back in some compliment.

“Thank you. It’s my perfume.” You smiled and held your wrist out. Peter caught it with ease and held your wrist to his nose.

“Oh, wow. I like that.” He complimented. “Usually I wake up and walk into a cloud of axe body spray in every area of the house. You’re a nice relief from that.”

“Thank you. You smell good too.” You chuckled.

“Thanks. I stole Flash’s expensive cologne.”

“For me?” You gasped and touched your heart.

“Hell yeah.” He scoffed. “I’ve been waiting on this date since I was 14.”

“I never said this was a date.” You said out of the corner of your mouth.

“I’m pretty sure you did.” He said and dragged the word “pretty” out.

“You would have been on time if it was.” You teased him, making him look at you with narrowed eyes.

“Okay, yes, I was late.” He admitted. “But I had good reason.”

“And what was that reason?”

“I was setting something up.” He said simply.

“Really?” You smiled. “What is it?”

“You’ll see.” He said coyly.

“Okay. Weirdo.” You chuckled. “So, where are we eating?”

“I know this great burger place a few blocks from here. You’re gonna love it.” He replied. You nodded and head and smiled until he pulled out his phone again to answer another text. His car swerved into the other lane and he barely noticed, making you shoot him a look.

“Who are you texting?” You finally asked him.

“Nobody. One second.” He answered as his eyes flipped back and forth between his phone and the road. He started to drift again and a car honked at him as it passed by to get away.

“Peter, you really need to keep your eyes on the road.” You said as another car shouted something at him out their window.

“What was that?” Peter asked and looked up from his phone. You looked at him incredulously and let out a short laugh.

“If you have someone else you’d like to be talking to right now, maybe you should go be with them.”

“Woah, woah, woah. Babe, chill. I don’t have anyone else. I want to be here with you.” He insisted.

“Don’t call me “babe”. Its condescending. And you’re putting both our lives in danger because you’re so busy texting. And if you want to be with me, why are you so distracted by your phone?”

“I just needed to respond to something. Sorry. I won’t do it anymore.” He grumbled and put his phone away. His lack of an apology and heavy attitude in his voice was the final straw for you.

“Just pull over.” You told him.

“What? No. We’re almost there. I won’t text anymore.” He promised.

“Peter, pull over.” You said sternly. “I do not want to be in this car anymore.”

“I’m trying to take you on a nice date and you’re gonna bail because I answered a few texts?”

“Pull the damn car over.” You raised your voice. Peter rolled his eyes and pulled over to the side of the street.

“Before you get out-“ He began. Just then, his phone rang with a girls name on his screen and his face dropped. You raised your eyebrows at him and he smiled sheepishly.

“Answer it.” You dared him. Peter gulped and looked between you and the phone before picking it up.

“I’m sorry. One second.” He said and answered the phone. You scoffed in disbelief and glared at him as he took the call.

“Hello? No, I’m not doing anything. I can talk. What’s going on?” He asked into the phone. You had seen enough and got out of the car and started walking down the street. Peter watched you get out and opened his car door to talk to you.

“Where are you going?” He called after you.

“Peter, I’m not gonna sit here while you text other girls. I’m leaving.” You answered and continued down the street. He quickly explained his situation over the phone and hung up before running after you.

“Wait, please don’t leave. I’ll put my phone away.” He promised but you didn’t stop walking.

“You can text whoever you want. I don’t care. You’re just not gonna do it and think you can still take me on a date.” You told him before storming off. You turned the corner and started heading towards a nearby park.

“Wait.” Peter called after you so you walked even faster. He eventually caught up and caught you gently by the arm.

“Damn, you’re fast for a girl in heels.” He said as he caught his breath. You pulled your arm away from him and went into the park to get away from him. He caught onto you again and this time, you had tears in your eyes.

“Where are you going?” He asked. “What about our date?

“This was a mistake.” You shook your head and looked down.

“What? No it wasn’t.” He said, sounding genuinely hurt.

“Yes it was. Look at us, Peter. We don’t have anything in common anymore. I really liked you back then but you’re not that guy anymore. That guy wouldn’t show up late, call me “hot” and “babe”, text and drive, forget his favorite movie, stop talking to his best friend-“

“Oh. I get it.” He cut you off. “You’re disappointed because I’m not the same person I was when I was 17.”

“Yeah. Maybe I am.” You snapped and folded your arms when you heard his attitude return.

“Yeah, well. You’re different too.” He insisted. “The girl I knew in high school was not this judgmental.”

“I am not judgmental.” You scoffed.

“Yes you are. You’ve been judging me since the moment you turned around at the party. Just admit it.”

“Maybe because you commented on my ass like you were one of the dickhead boys you used to make fun of I’m high school. God, what happened to you?”

“I said I was sorry about that.”

“But you still did it.” You laughed sadly. “And then showed up late. And then remembered things about me from high school. And then texted other girls. And then kept the hat I gave you. I don’t understand you, Peter. I can’t read you anymore. This is too confusing. And it’s all for nothing because I still go back home on Tuesday and we’re never going to see each other again.“

“It doesn’t have to be like that.” He said and put his hands on your shoulders. You were surprised by how desperate for you to stay he sounded since it contradicted his behavior thus far.

“I think it does, Peter. Goodbye.” You shook your head and walked away again.

“Wait. There’s snakes out there.” He called after you.

“No there’s not.” You called back. You kept walking through the park until you came across a picnic blanket surrounded by fake candles. Surrounding the blanket were printed out caricatures of celebrities strung up and tapped to trees.

“What is this?” You asked when you heard Peter come up behind you.

“Oh thank God. No one stole it.” He sighed in relief and walked over to the picnic blanket.

“Wait, you set this up?” You asked in disbelief.

“Yeah. Ellen’s Stardust Dinner turns out to be insanely difficult to get into so I made us one.”

“Ellen’s Stardust Dinner?”

“In your letter. I remembered you said it was your dream to eat there one day.” He said with a sheepish smile. You couldn’t help but smile as well and started to walk around to look at all the photos he had printed. Peter lingered behind you and kept a comfortable distance since you were upset with him.

“Is this Joey Graceffa?” You laughed and pointed to one of the pictures.

“I took some creative liberties with the celebrities I chose to showcase once I ran out of ones I knew you liked. Do you still like Dylan O’Brien?”

“Do bears still shit in the woods? The answer is yes. Sorry. That wasn’t funny.” You quickly corrected yourself and Peter snorted.

“It was a little funny.” He admitted. “Not really, though.”

“I see the entire cast of Modern Family made it.” You chuckled and touched one of the photos he had tapped up to a tree.

“Of course they did. It’s the best show ever.”

“You’re not wrong.” You looked over at him with a smile. Peter took that smile as a sign you were forgiving him and stepped closer to you. You could feel his presence behind you and turned around to face him.

“You set all this up for me?”

“I did. That’s why I was late.” He explained. “I started early but then I ran out of magenta ink so obviously I couldn’t print the rest of my photos despite them having no magenta parts.”

“What about all the texting?” You asked him.

“My aunt is getting a mammogram today. Her mom had breast cancer so she was really nervous. I was checking in with her. But don’t worry, she’s okay. She just called to tell me. And that doesn’t excuse me texting while driving which I normally never do but she was anxious in the waiting room and I didn’t want her to be alone with her thoughts.”

“You didn’t tell me that.” You said softly and immediately felt guilty for snapping at him.

“You would’ve told me to go be with her.” He shrugged. “And I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see you before you left.”

“Well that’s very noble of you but it sounds like she needed you more than I did today.”

“Don’t worry. She insisted I come here instead. I would have just made her more nervous with my anxious pacing.”

You looked around at everything Peter had set up for you and all the details he had put in. You’d misread everything and judged him off of things you knew little about. You looked at him with guilt in your eyes and smiled sadly.

“I don’t know what to say.” You admitted. “You went through a lot today for me and I just threw a fit and stormed off.”

“I can’t say I didn’t give you good reason. I should have told you these things sooner. I’m just not good at this sort of thing. I wanted so badly to impress you that I ended up making you think I didn’t care.”

“Can we just start over then? And enjoy this set up you made?” You asked him.

“I would like that.” Peter smiled and sat down on the blanket. You sat down beside him and leaned into his side. Peter wasted no time in wrapping both arms around you, making you both fall backwards onto the blanket. You both laughed and stayed in each others arms as you rolled over to look into his eyes.

“I’m sorry I judged you.” You said and fixed his hair.

“It’s okay. I know I’m not what you thought I’d be.”

“You’re not. But you’re still you. You still have your heart and your humor. And those were always my favorite parts of you anyway. I don’t know why I got so hung up on the other things. Who cares what movies you watch or what you do with your free time now? None of that stuff matters.”

“Do you still like me? Even though I’m different?” He asked as he stared into your eyes.

“Look at what you did for me today. You’re not different. You just wear different clothes. I shouldn’t have been so quick to judge you. It wasn’t fair. And I’m really sorry.”

“It’s okay. Honestly, I miss who I was too. I miss Ned. And being around people who know what amino acids are. And I missed you. God, I missed you so much. In the years since high school, there have been so many times when I’ve come across something I wanted to show you or thought something I wanted to tell you. I missed hearing your laugh when I made a stupid joke or hearing your thoughts on the bad movies I’d beg you to watch. I never made a friend like you again. And after a while, I realized I never would.”

“I never found someone like you either. No one ever had me like you did. I’ve been dreaming about the day we met again since the day I last saw you.”

“Sorry to disappoint.” He joked.

“Please. How could I be disappointed in this?” You playfully rolled your eyes and traced your fingertips up and down his arm. Peter reached forward and placed his hand on your face to stroke your cheek with his thumb.

“When do you leave on Tuesday?” He asked in a quiet voice.

“Late. My train is at 5.”

“Maybe we can get breakfast then.” He suggested without looking at you as he laced his fingers through yours.

“I’d like that.” You smiled and started to lean in.

“I can cook it.” He added. “After we wake up in my room.”

“Don’t push it.” You chuckled and rubbed your nose against his as you got closer.

“I won’t.” He replied before closing the gap between you and kissing you. The kiss that was years in the making was worth every minute of the wait. His right hand found his way to your hip and he squeezed it.

“Maybe you can push it just a little bit.” You said against his lips. Peter took that as his chance to pull you by the waist on top of him and deepen the kiss.

“That’s how I know you’ve changed. Nice boys don’t kiss like that.” You said when you pulled away to catch your breath.

“Yes they fucking do.” Peter said against your lisp before pulling you back into a heated kiss. You weren’t sure how much time passed as you kissed him but you only stopped when you Peters stomach let out a loud growl. You pulled away and rolled onto your back as you both laughed.

“Sorry about that. We never actually got any food.” He realized.

“Oh yeah. Maybe we should go do that.” You said and rolled over to face him.

“Yeah. We probably should.”

Despite the agreement to get up and go get some food, neither of you moved. You just laid on the blanket and stared into each others eyes with a comfortable silence in the air.

“In a minute?” You suggested after a minute and Peter smiled before leaning in to kiss you again.

“In a minute.”

PSA: DON’T TEXT AND DRIVE. it’s never worth it. It takes one second to get in an accident. Any text can wait. Your life is more important

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[justlemmeadoreyou]

tasting your lip balm-blurb

summary : you got a new lip balm set, with a bunch of different flavours, and harry wants to try them all by kissing you

warning : kissing, fluff!!!

*

You hummed contentedly as you examined the package that had just arrived on your doorstep. It was a lip balm set you had ordered online, containing a variety of different fun flavors like cotton candy, mint chocolate chip, and root beer float.

Lip balm was one of your simple pleasures in life. You loved trying new flavors and the soothing feeling of applying a fresh coat to your lips. This variety pack seemed perfect for mixing things up.

Smiling, you tucked the box under your arm and headed inside, kicking off your shoes by the door. You could hear Harry's familiar voice drifting from the living room as he chatted animatedly on the phone.

"No, no, I definitely think we should explore that idea for the bridge," he said as you rounded the corner. "The melody could use a little--" He stopped abruptly when he spotted you, his eyes lighting up.

"Hey, I'll call you back," Harry said quickly before ending the call and tossing his phone aside. In two strides he was across the room, enveloping you in a warm embrace and nuzzling his face into the crook of your neck.

"Mmm, you smell amazing," he murmured, breathing you in. "Did you get a new perfume?"

You laughed lightly, returning his hug. "No perfume, just my regular soap. But speaking of scents…" You pulled back with a grin, holding up the package. "I got that lip balm set I was telling you about!"

Harry's brows raised with interest as you pulled out the box and began showing him all the different flavors. "Wow, those all look so good! Which one are you going to try first, love?"

"Well…" You hummed thoughtfully, examining each adorable little tub. "Maybe the strawberry one to start?"

You popped off the lid and took a sniff, sighing in delight at the sweet, fruity scent. Carefully swiping some on your lips, you puckered them together to distribute the balm before glancing up at Harry with a smile.

He was watching you intently, eyes focused on your mouth and the new shine gracing your lips. Suddenly, his hands came up to cradle your face, thumbs brushing over the soft skin as he leaned in.

"Let me have a taste," he murmured lowly before capturing your lips in a passionate kiss.

You sighed into the embrace, noses brushing as Harry's mouth moved over yours with purpose. His tongue swept out to trace along your lower lip, and you could feel him shudder at the flavor.

"Strawberry…" he mumbled as he pulled away just enough to speak, plump lips brushing against yours. "One of my favorites."

He dove back in again, hands sliding into your hair to angle your head as he deepened the kiss. You were a bit dazed by his fervor, clinging to the front of his shirt as his tongue delved between your lips in search of more of that sweet fruity taste.

Finally, Harry released you with one last smacking peck, lips a touch redder from your balm. His eyes twinkled with mirth as a lazy grin spread over his features.

"Definitely a new favorite for me," he said teasingly, giving your hips a squeeze.

You rolled your eyes fondly, tucking a lock of tousled hair behind your ear. "If I had known buying new lip balm would get such a…vigorous reaction, I would have done it sooner."

"Oh, is that so?" Harry quirked a brow playfully. He snatched up the package and started examining the flavors, biting his lip enticingly. "Well in that case…"

Your eyes widened as he suddenly scooped you up, carrying you bridal style down the hallway despite your squeals of protest. He kicked open the bedroom door and deposited you on the bed in a tangle of giggles.

"I think we should sample some more, don't you?" he asked with faux innocence. Before you could reply, Harry had pried open the cotton candy balm and was carefully applying it to your already plump lips.

"Harry, what are you--mmph!"

He cut you off with another ardent kiss, melting against you as his tongue mapped every sweet-tasting inch of your mouth. His hands stroked along your sides almost reverently.

"Can definitely taste the sugary notes," he mumbled against your lips before trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses along your jawline. "But I think…I need a little more…"

You shivered as he tugged the collar of your shirt aside, nosing at the hollow of your throat before dragging his tongue in one tantalizing lick up the column of your neck. Groaning in satisfaction, he sucked a mark just below your jaw, clearly savoring the remnants of the cotton candy flavor.

"Oh, I quite like this one," Harry purred, voice gravelly with unrestrained desire. "You'll have to wear it more often."

Before you could recover, he was swiping the root beer float balm over your tingling lips, lapping at them hungrily as soon as the sweet and creamy taste hit his tongue. One large hand palmed your breast possessively while the other disappeared beneath your shirt, blazing a trail over your skin.

As if sensing your befuddlement, Harry pulled back to meet your hazy gaze with sparkling green eyes. He nuzzled your flushed cheek tenderly.

"You taste so lovely, darling…don't think I could ever pick just one favorite. Want to try them all on you." His lips quirked in that dimpled smile of his. "If that's alright?"

"I--yes, of course," you stammered, arching into his touch. He groaned gratefully and returned his focus to your lips, alternating between delicate sucking and sensual caresses of his tongue with every new flavor applied.

The sun had long since set by the time Harry finally sat back, sweaty curls awry and shirt rucked up to expose the tattoos you loved tracing. You stretched out languidly beside him, thoroughly kissed and deliciously tingly all over from his indulgent ministrations.

The variety pack of balms lay scattered haphazardly about the sheets between you. When Harry reached for the last unopened one, a contented hum slipped past your lips.

"So…your favorite?" you asked, tilting your head inquisitively as he popped the lid. He met your gaze and smiled, reverent.

"All of them, angel. Each one tasted divine on these sweet lips," he crooned, ducking to reacquaint his mouth with yours. You responded lazily, utterly sated and intoxicated by his love.

When he finally pulled away to suck in a breath, you eyed the discarded tub with amusement.

"And that flavor? What did you think?"

Harry considered his answer for a long moment before his face melted into an adoring grin.

"The best for last…" He snaked an arm around your waist, drawing your body flush against his. "My favorite is you, without question or embellishment."

You would have to order more lip balm sets soon.

*

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[ladykailitha]

Sweet Home Indiana Part 7

That last chapter things were starting to look up, and here things keep getting better until they don't.

Then it's going to be rough until the happy ending. Just a heads up if you need to be prepared for the sads.

Pt 1 Pt 2 Pt 3 Pt 4 Pt 5 Pt 6

****

Eddie ran into Steve at the Hideout on Thursday night. And this time he was without his friend or his guard dog.

He had settled at the bar with a single malt whiskey and a heavy heart. He hated that he would have to leave this all behind come Sunday, but Seattle was home. Not Hawkins. Not anymore.

Steve walked in looking like a teenage wet dream. He had his floppy hair styled so that there was little curl in the middle of his forehead. He was wearing a white and navy blue striped polo shirt with the buttons undone and the collar flipped up. His jeans were darker then when they graduated school, almost as dark as the blue stripes on his shirt. The fit was tight and showed off Steve’s other best asset.

It made Eddie’s mouth water and he drained his glass.

He was about to pay his tab and go back to his hotel when Steve spotted him and gave him that little dorky finger wave of his.

Shit.

Eddie waved back and Steve came trotting over.

“No Buck today?” he asked, trying not to trip over his words.

Steve shook his head. “She’s fussing about what to wear tomorrow and after three hours of her trying to decide between two identical shirts of exactly the same color, I booked it and came here.”

“Wise choice, man,” Eddie agreed. “Chrissy gets like that some times too. She’ll claim one is rose and the baby pink and I can’t tell the difference.”

Steve laughed and nodded. “Sounds about right only Robs is trying to decide between navy and midnight blue.”

“Didn’t figure the Buckster would be one for pink,” Eddie said sagely.

“Oh she likes it just fine,” Steve said with a grin, “on other girls.”

Eddie laughed and shook his head. That sounded about right.

Steve looked over at the full pool tables and then around the rest of the bar. He turned back to Eddie. “You want to play a round of darts?”

Eddie half shrugged. “Why not? I’d have to borrow someone’s set. You can’t exactly take them on a plane these days.”

Steve’s grin was back and he trotted over to the end of the bar. He spoke briefly to someone and then came back with two sets. He handed one to Eddie and opened up the other. It was the set Eddie had got him for his school graduation. They weren’t expensive but they were well made and if the worn velvet around the darts were any indication, well used.

He looked down at the black box in his hand and then back up at Steve. “There’s no way.”

“You’ll just have to open it and find out, huh?”

Eddie opened the box and let out a choked off laugh. There nestled in the red velvet were his old black and red darts.

“How do you still have these?” he whispered. “I thought I lost them.”

Steve shrugged and cocked his head. “You’d leave them here at the bar so they wouldn’t get banged up in your glove box. So after you left, I had Terry hold on to them in case you ever came back looking for them.”

Eddie nodded and then hopped off the stool, leading the way to where the boards were hanging. He let Steve go first and they ordered a round of beers, though they really didn’t drink much. They’d learned that lesson at their ‘reception’ when they accidentally landed a dart on then Officer Callahan and he screamed like they were trying to murder him. If Hopper hadn’t stepped in he would have hauled both of them to jail.

It hadn’t even broken the skin.

It was fun and Eddie felt better about their ‘date’ tomorrow. Because that’s what it was, that’s what everyone was calling it. Even Robin had warned him that if he fucked this date up, they would be finding pieces of him up and down the interstate for years.

He believed her.

****

Steve was waiting by the entrance to the fair grounds chewing nervously on his thumb. Robin whacked his hand out of his mouth.

“You’re making me nervous,” she hissed. “You’re supposed to be the calm one.”

He sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets with a heavy sigh. “I know we’re not getting back together. I can’t expect that, but...”

“He’s not the giant ass he was when he rolled into town?”

He nodded and she rubbed his back gently. “Look, there’s Vickie. Will you be all right?”

“I don’t really have a choice, but yes I’ll be fine.” He took a deep breath and let it out slow.

She nodded and linked arms with Vickie. They went to go pay for their tickets and left Steve to his whirling consuming thoughts.

He didn’t have to wait long before a sleek, black rental rolled into the dusty parking lot. It really stood out amongst the pickup trucks and hatchbacks.

But then so did Steve’s old Bimmer. Yeah it was older, but it was still a high class car.

Eddie popped out of the car and Steve was impressed to see that he wasn’t in all black. He had dark blue jeans on, but wore a red t-shirt that had some logo on it. Over it was a denim vest with all his pins and patches on it.

It wasn’t the first one he’d made, Steve still had that one, but it was so Eddie that Steve’s heart began to pound heavily against his rib cage, like a beast trying to get free.

Stop it! He thought to himself. Move on. This is the farewell tour. The final encore. The last bow.

Eddie ran over to him and smiled. “Sorry I’m late, Stevie. Someone gave me the wrong directions and I had to look it up on my phone.”

“That’s fine,” Steve said. “Let’s get going.”

Eddie paid for their tickets. It was the least he could do for having caused Steve to shut down Sweetie’s Treats because of a dumbass mistake.

They rode the rides and Steve won him this giant orange bat with googly eyes at the basketball hoops, that Eddie immediately named Dio.

Steve laughed and shook his head.

They went on more rides and ate funnel cakes and deep fried Twinkies.

Then Eddie spotted it. It was big brown eye puppy with droopy ears at the High Striker game.

“I’m going to win that puppy!” he said excitedly, tugging on Steve’s sleeve.

Steve rolled his eyes. “You do know those things tend to be rigged, right?”

Eddie turned around, his expression mischievous. His eyes were hooded and he ran his tongue slowly over the top of his teeth. Slowly.

Steve gulped. He didn’t know what Eddie had planned, but it sent that thrill down his spine that used to be because Eddie was about to ravish him. And he didn’t think that was the context here.

He watched as Eddie went up to the man in charge of the booth and paid him the five dollars.

Eddie hefted the hammer like it was a child’s toy and the heat slid down Steve’s spine to pool in his gut. Fuck was that hot.

Eddie made a couple of practice swings testing the weight of the hammer.

“You going to swing that thing any time in the next century, play boy?” the carnival worker snarked.

Eddie smirked back and swung the hammer down on the pad. The metal ball hit the bell with such force that the bell didn’t so much ring as it did gong. Everyone around them stopped to see what the hell that noise was.

To see Eddie leaning on the hammer like some, smug Norse god. The booth operator let him pick two of the big prizes so Steve got the brown-eyed puppy and the grey, stripped tabby cat.

“Bobbie and Sweetie?” Eddie suggested, naming the two animals after Steve’s shop and his best friend.

Steve nodded, burying his face into the warm, soft plushies. “Thank you, Eds.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

They had put the animals in the trunk of Steve’s car for safe keeping and were sitting on a pair of hay bales watching as the sun set and the lights of the carnival came on.

“Thanks for today,” Steve murmured. “I’d say it more than made up for that shitty special delivery.”

Eddie cackled. “Yeah, that was my big dumb mistake. I told her about you, because of course I did. But I–I couldn’t talk about what you really meant to me, because then I would have tell what an absolute coward I was.”

“And then I forced the issue.”

“Thanks for that, by the way,” he murmured. At Steve’s bitchy expression he laughed. “I wasn’t being sarcastic, honest. I needed that kick in the ass.”

Steve smiled and bumped their shoulders together. “You’re welcome I guess.”

Eddie looked up at the stars that were starting to appear in the sky. “You don’t see this many stars back in Seattle.”

“No,” Steve said softly. “I don’t suppose you do.”

Eddie ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “I was happy in Seattle, Stevie. I was. But I came back here and this fits too.”

Steve gently took Eddie’s hand and squeezed it tight.

“I think I’m more in love with you then when we were stupid kids doing messed up things,” he continued unhappily.

Steve laid his head on Eddie’s shoulder and sighed. “You don’t have to marry her. Stay here with me.”

Tears slipped down Eddie’s face as he shook his head. “I have to. I can’t tell you why. I’m not being blackmailed or coerced, I do love her. But god, I love you, too.”

Steve wrapped his arms around him and held him as he cried.

****

Steve chuckled as he helped a very weepy, and very clingy drunk Eddie up to his hotel room. He had even gotten the help of a nice porter to help get him into bed.

He took off all the jewelry. The pick necklace, the leather and chain bracelets, the earring, his belt, and his rings.

Steve stopped when he was half way through removing the rings. Yes, they weren’t married yet, but if there was a ring that Eddie would have given a fianceé it would have been his mother’s ring. The ring he always wore on his right hand. But there it was, still on his hand. Moved to the pinkie now. But still.

He took it off last. He held it up to the light. The band was a little worse for wear, but the gemstone still shone brightly in the dim light of the hotel lamp.

Steve set it down with the rest of the jewelry, making sure it was right on top. He took out Eddie’s wallet and keys and set them next to the hotel key. He picked up the hotel key, feeling the weight of it in his palm.

He smoothed Eddie’s hair and then he made his decision. He quietly exited the room and told the porter and front desk that Eddie left his wallet in his car and that he was just going to get it for him.

Robin was waiting for him.

“Are you really going to do this?” she asked, voice cracking as if she was holding back tears.

Steve let out a shuddering breath and then nodded.

He was back down in mere minutes. She held out her arms to him and he crumpled in her embrace. She held him as he sobbed and sobbed.

Robin looked up at the hotel where Eddie lay sleeping and wished she could hate him in that moment, but found she couldn’t.

She pitied him. Something she never thought was possible. She bundled her best friend into the passenger side of his car and drove for home.

The further away she got, the more her heart broke.

For both of them.

****

Tag List: Nine Slots Remaining

1- @rozzieroos @itsall-taken @redfreckledwolf @ravenfrog @zerokrox-blog

2- @gregre369 ​@a-little-unsteddie @chaosgremlinmunson @messrs-weasley @goodolefashionedloverboi

3- @val-from-lawrence @carlyv @wonderland-girl143-blog @irregular-child @mac-attack19

4- @bookbinderbitch @bookworm0690 @anne-bennett-cosplayer @yikes-a-bee @awkwardgravity1

5- @littlewildflowerkitten @genderless-spoon @dragonmama76 @ellietheasexylibrarian @thedragonsaunt

6- @useless-nb-bisexual @disrespectedgoatman @counting-dollars-counting-stars @tinyplanet95

7- @blackpanzy @amazing-spiderkeys @oldpinghai @raisedbylibrarians @kultiras

8- @swimmingbirdrunningrock @steddie-as-they-go @captain--low @micheledawn1975 @thespaceantwhowrites

9- @blondie1006

[maleyanderecafe]

Apple for a Teacher: A Yandere Love Story (Visual Novel)

Created by: ataraxic

Genre: Horror/Romance

The screenshots on this one are a bit different because I played this game on my mac instead of my pc, so it looks a little weird on the preview. I played a previous game by this creator called Yandere Love: Chains of Fate, which features another character. This one features another character in this world, Ciel. If you've read my previous review on this series, you'll know my overall feelings about this game as well, because despite the couple of years that I haven't thought about this game, I still have the same opinions on it.

The story starts with the MC going to university. They're happy that they're finally free from their professor Ciel as they've finally passed their class. We learn that the MC really hates Ciel as he's very blunt and seems to have a vendetta against the MC. The MC was failing Ciel's class, so Ciel helped to tutor them, as the MC doesn't really know anyone else on campus. They're very happy when they find out that they're able to pass the class and don't have to deal with Ciel anymore and even more excited that they got into an elusive internship on campus. Ciel ends up asking the MC to a fancy dinner at an Italian place as a celebration of them passing their classes. The MC accepts as they want to eat at a fancy place and gets (begrudgingly) driven back to her place by his chauffeur. Ciel waits for the MC to change into more proper clothing as well as criticizes a lot of their outfits in the meantime. At some point, Ciel ends up seducing (?) the MC unintentionally and they can either go further or try to deny it.

If the MC goes further, Ciel and them will end up having sex, with Ciel even confessing that he's always loved the MC. Afterwards, however, the MC seems to be in shock about what they've done and attempts to push Ciel away.

If the MC decides to deny it and push Ciel down, Ciel will get angry and end up raping the MC, traumatizing them. The MC tries to get Ciel to leave afterwards.

Ciel, however, isn't having that as he's been looking for a partner to have children and live together with. He ends up forcing the MC to pack up and essentially kidnaps them. As the MC is forced into the car, they think about how no one will know that they're gone, as they have no family nor friends, with the only people who really would notice would be the fact that their internship might be looking for them. They end up falling asleep in the car before waking up chained to the bed. Ciel waits for them to wake up, introducing them to their new life together.

If you've read my previous review on Yandere Love: Chains of Fate, you'll probably know a lot about my criticisms with this game. The artwork and design of everything looks wonderful as always. The backgrounds, sprites and UI are all really professionally made and the music itself is pretty nice too. Unfortunately, I just don't really like the style of how this person writes too much because the relationship between the MC and the ML is usually just not fun to read (for me).

The MC of this game is different than the one in Dameon's game but instead of being pretty frankly stupid and making dumb decisions, they instead are very cynical and bitter of their position. It makes sense to a specific extent considering that Ciel loves to berate them but it does encapsulate a lot of the things I don't like about MCs in a lot of the more recent yandere vns I've played. A lot of yandere MCs tend to have this kind of cynical attitude- they dislike the job or position they're in, tend to be very grumbly about everything and don't really have any friends, and if they do have family they tend to not be on good terms with them. That in itself isn't necessarily always bad, however, it does get tiring to read. As my friend Cherry says, it's hard to really root for these types of MCs if we the audience can't even see why the yandere might be into them. I usually don't really mention this in my recommendations because the MC isn't really the main appeal of the game (and most people end up self inserting regardless), but it does get annoying when I have to go through the same type of personality over and over again. In some cases, it makes more sense as there is a bit of backstory into why this MC might act like this which is more understandable. This MC falls into a lot of the tropes of the recent MCs including the part where they find the yandere hot and bang him despite only really knowing him for a bit (and in this case also hating him, which is a whole other thing). I know there is such thing as hatesex, however, there wasn't really any indication of the MC finding Ciel attractive until right before the two of them have sex. It's also strange to me that they don't even try to fight (?) Ciel at all when he gets them to pack up their things and get in the car. It makes more sense in the route where Ciel rapes the MC, but otherwise it still feels sudden like it came out of nowhere. I would have thought there would have been at least some resistance or a proper threat that Ciel would have made. To be honest, I think this is likely also a problem with the pacing of certain choices as the MC's actions make a lot more sense if Ciel does end up raping them instead of simply just having sex with him.

Ciel is... mean, to say the least. In Dameon's case while he was usually just mean if the player chose decisions that he didn't like, Ciel is just straight up cruel. Not only does he outright insult the MC for not being able to pass his class and berates them while tutoring the MC, he also criticizes the MC's wardrobe choice when they're trying to find the right outfit for the dinner, even calling the MC a whore at one point, which I feel is super uncalled for (although kind of funny out of context), which the MC simply just... brushes off. There isn't really any indication that Ciel even likes the MC, which you could say is part of his more tsundere (well, I'd assume it would be tsundere, though we don't really see the deredere part) attitude, which makes the sudden kidnapping pretty jarring. It's hard to say why Ciel might even like the MC other than they're attractive and possibly easy to control, but the demo doesn't go far enough to tell what is going on. We do know that Ciel has a more traditional view of life, wanting to (essentially) have a "wife" and children, living together- similar to Vincent in Dead Wishes though we have yet to see the full progression of it. This type of yandere is pretty interesting as I don't really see it that often nowadays (and it is pretty cool seeing what they do to try to maintain that ideal) so hopefully in future iterations, this is shown more for the story. Still though, Ciel is very unlikable, even in terms of characters you hate to love kind of way, at least in my opinion. Besides that, he is rich and kidnaps the MC in a fairly nice place all things considered, though he's just as rude to them when they wake up. I can see people liking Ciel in a horror type of way because the game itself does do pretty well in setting up a more horror like story of being kidnapped, raped and forced to marry, but I would not at all call this a romantic type game even in the slightest even though the relationship seems to be more of a love hate one. Perhaps it might change in the future, but as of current, I'm not really buying that Ciel is in love with the MC.

So as I said, this game is not for me, however, if you did like the previous Yandere Love: Chains of Fate, then you will probably like this one as well. If any of this did interest you, then please give it a try.

[listofwhyyouloveher]

could you do the greasers with a busty s/o?

Summary: The Outsiders x Busty!Reader

Warnings:none

Author's Note: none

PONYBOY CURTIS

Pony definitely does not care if his partner has been well endowed, he's more of a personality guy, as pretentious as that sounds

He's not going to treat you differently based on your cup size, he's still a good boyfriend all around

He's very caring and gentle, massaging your back whenever it pains you and stuff like that

He's also making sure that none of the gang catcall you/try and make a move on you.

JOHNNY CADE

Johnny is also like Pony in the sense that he doesn't care about body shape, as long as you're acceptable by Dallas, you're good.

Of course Johnny turns to Dallas about Every. Single. Thing, for advice, so he's always telling you some weird joke about your body and then immediately apologizes after

He's really trying to be nice and to be someone that you'd want but he just doesn't know how

SODAPOP CURTIS

Soda likes that you look like a model, he's always complimenting you constantly, telling your that you're gorgeous etc.

He's really laying it on thick because he realllly likes you, mostly your face and personality but he thinks the body is a plus

He really likes cuddling with you too, he finds it fun to lay on your chest and he says it's "like a pillow"

Like Pony, he'll also massage your back when it hurts, generally just wants you to be as comfortable as possible

STEVE RANDLE

Steve is almost as dirty minded as Dallas, especially when it comes to the girl he's currently dating (you)

He's obviously very obsessed with your body, complimenting you whenever he can and getting you form fitting clothes

Other than that he's really treating you no differently than he would any other girlfriends, with the utmost respect etc.

Steve really likes to show you off, make sure everyone knows you're gorgeous and your his

TWO-BIT MATHEWS

Two likes girls who are the epitome of feminine beauty, and you fit into that wonderfully, not just because of your body too

He likes when you wear babydoll dresses because it makes you look like an elegant princess

He's obviously getting you clothes that he thinks would look cute on you and even his mom got some for you

He also likes to sleep on your chest and he tells you that cuddling with you is one of the best things ever.

DARRY CURTIS

Darry also likes to give you back massages when your back hurts, it's a Curtis brother thing.

Generally, he doesn't care what you look like, as long as you're sweet and caring and you work well with Pony and Soda

He finds you very gorgeous but the only way you'd be able to tell is because there's always a little blush on his cheeks when he sees you

He works very hard to find clothes that both fit you and your style and to make you feel beautiful

DALLAS WINSTON

You and Dallas are such a crazy couple because the gang obviously thought Dally would try and go out with you but no one thought you'd say yes

It's a very rough beginning of the relationship, he's hyperfixated on your body and how having you compliments his reputation

People may call you crazy for sticking with him but if they saw how your relationship was now they might still call you crazy, but less so

He's less of a jerk about complimenting and flaunting you, instead he's whistling at you from across the street, yelling "hey babydoll, wanna come back to mine" and stuff like that, of course it's something you agreed upon.

ALSO!! he fight anyone who tries to make a move on you and catcalls you!!

[nigelgraz]

hello! i have been following you for a while now and i want to tell you that im in love your illustrations and your drawing style! (literally, im in love with your men, specially alucard) 💞💞💞 and I wanted to ask since I’ve been wanting to draw lately, do you have any advice for those of us who are just starting to learn?

have a nice day :) ♡

Hii!! Thank you so much for the kind words snd support, it makes me so happy to know you like my work this much🥹❤️❤️

My advice would be to try to find a balance between drawing fun self indulgent things AND all the boring difficult subjects and studies that might be less enjoyable and engaging to do but will help your foundation and painting skills a ton in the long run! For examples i used to pretty much only draw heads in 3/4 angle with a white background when i was starting out bc it was my comfort zone and i was pretty good at it, but i realized i was rlly lacking in all the other aspects like anatomy and backgrounds and lighting and wasn't learning anything new! Always make time to do anatomy, lighting, shading and color thoery studies and if they were too boring for you, try to combine the studies with subjects and characters you like :) personally i'm still lacking in Anatomy but i've been doing some anatomy studies with my favorite characters as the models lately and it's way more fun and motivating.

Another thing is to always look at a ton of art by different skilled artists and analyze and study their work and try to find the purpose behind their color choices and brush strokes, how they stylize features, how they draw some parts of a painting very detailed and leave the rest with minimum rendering to draw the attention to the focal point, etc. Doing this makes you see things with a fresh pair of eyes and you can even spot your own mistakes and correct them instead of repeating them over and over because you don't have any other point of reference other than your own work. I've definitely been there :'D

These are the tips that would've helped me a lot when i started properly painting, i hope they can help you too! Good luck and i hope you have fun drawing❤️

[max-cauliflower]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard Gameplay Reveal Thoughts

Okay for one thing, I am so happy to be making this post. Going from people voicing doubts about the game coming out at all to a Fall 2024 release window is so exciting. 10 years and it’s finally almost here.

-The game is absolutely gorgeous. I love the design of Minrathous, I love how gobsmackingly different it is from Ferelden. Dorian’s complaints from Inquisition all make sense now, and it’s fascinating to see a place that is not repressive of magic- the fact that it resembles sci-fi levels of tech but is all powered by magic is sooo fun and interesting to me. I also think it’ll be an interesting contrast to the more classic fantasy style locations we see at the ritual site and throughout the screenshots the developers have posted. It makes the world feel so much bigger, diverse, and more fleshed out.

-Unpopular opinion and I totally respect why others dislike it as it does look quite different, I’m actually looking forward to the combat. It honestly just looks more fun to me, as I tend to favor a more action/real time style anyway. That being said, I do dislike the 3 person party change for banter reasons and do think that’ll make it feel significantly less like classic Dragon Age. I feel like I’ll get used to it pretty fast, but it is a disappointment. Controlling companions isn’t mandatory for me but it was always nice to be able to try out all the classes, so that’s a loss as well, although one I’m less bothered by.

-I like the way the characters look, but do understand it could take a little bit of adjustment. Harding got a massive glow up, she looks gorgeous. So excited she’s a companion, and that we’ll have our first romanceable dwarf! Not a huge fan of the way Solas looks in this style, but I don’t feel particularly upset about it anyway. Not sure what it is. Varric looks great, but like many others, missing his ginger hair. All in all, less drastic changes to returning characters than we’ve seen in previous titles, I will never be over how much they butchered Alistair in Inquisition. I love the designs and vibes of the new companions, Neve is a fashion icon and sooo fits in with what Dorian has set up for us to expect from Tevinter. I can’t wait to meet Davrin in particular, because god I miss Grey Wardens.

-On that point: Factions have me maybe the most excited. I cannot wait to be a Grey Warden again, I’d been holding out hope! I liked that the faction was referenced in the gameplay reveal as well, and hope it’ll change small things throughout the game, at least through dialogue. Also will have to play as an Antivan Crow at some point. A bit sad this won’t include a playable prologue like Origins, but since DA2 and DAI I wasn’t expecting it. Just always something I’ll miss.

-A red flag for me is how little Rook was prompted to make dialogue choices. I hope that because this is simply the prologue and therefore focused on binary plot progression, that this will be different in more dialogue-driven sections, but it’s something to look out for and be wary of. I’m okay with Rook speaking on their own occasionally, but if that continues, I hope it’s at least like Hawke where there’s some variation based on personality.

-Also yes, excited about the return of the purple Hawke icon! The dialogue wheel in Inquisition felt more bland to me than in DA2, so if the wheel is what we’re stuck with, I’d rather it lean more to its DA2 execution.

-On narrative: I cannot BELIEVE the game just jumps into “let’s confront Solas RIGHT NOW!” I was not expecting so much plot from the gameplay reveal. I am very intrigued by what’s coming next with the evanuris, and what it will mean for Solas’ role in the story. I’m kind of obsessed with the fact that it begins with Rook fucking things up worse, I think that will be magnificent to explore for roleplay and the repercussions for Thedas will be massive. I know there were concerns about tone, but this gives me hope that we’ll have the fucked up shit Dragon Age is known for. “Just some guy who makes things worse” is a great start for a protagonist, and reminds me of DA2 in some respects.

-My brainrot is horrendous. I have so many more thoughts all of the time, but tried to just center on the gameplay reveal so I don’t yap forever. But always feel free to send asks, and expect more posts as we get closer and closer!

[pencilscratchins]

reasons aunt wu should be in the white lotus include but are not limited to: a) they need more women and b) she can continue to ruin the life of her greatest nemesis, sokka

[under-the-spectral-gaze]

I found a photo of a froggy sweater on a random site and I had to draw Seb wearing it. That’s all.

[bowsnbugsnax]

I've not drawn the gorls in a while

[robiinjason]

“See? We’re getting along already. I sense we’re going to be good friends, you and me.” 

Did a sorta redraw of a panel from Bernard’s introduction :]

Robin (1993) #121

[antariies]

How to Come Back From the Dead

(Or, the Commander's introspection of The Departing, but make it a wikiHow article; angst, hurt/comfort; 1.9k words, CW: blood)

Authored by The Pact Commander Last Updated: 1333 AE ⬜️ References ☑️ Tested

There are many ways to partially come back from the dead, either by becoming a ghost, Risen, or Awakened, but true resurrection is a lot harder to achieve. For those of us unable to become liches (or eat and absorb the magic of one) there is an easier, faster way.

Part 1: Don’t Just Die, Be Killed

Become a thorn in a god's side. Any god will do, but for best results, pick a particularly violent and vengeful god, like Balthazar. Interfere with his plans to raise an army and devour the world because that’s what you've done to every power-hungry magic being who tried before him. Zhaitan. Mordremoth. He is no different from an Elder Dragon.

Once you have successfully gotten in his way at every turn, Balthazar will ambush you when you are alone and trap you so you can't escape.

You will be outmatched, but you will reassure yourself that you only need to hold out until reinforcements arrive.

As the fight drags on and there is still no sign of help, you will begin to lose hope, just a little.

As you stumble from exhaustion just long enough for Balthazar to land a deep gash in your side, you will begin to lose blood, a lot.

Aurene will show up just as you are about to pass out, surprising you.

"Ah, the scion," Balthazar will grin, "come here to defend her champion."

The surprise will give way to horror when you realize that he was using you as bait this whole time.

Watch helplessly as he restrains her. That's your daughter. Her eyes will be blown wide in terror and she will thrash against the chains so hard that the crystals on her back chip when they scrape against the metal. That's your daughter.

"Aurene!" you will scream, throat burning from all the smoke.

That will be the last thing you say.

The sun is setting on you. You'll be able to see it in the reflection of Balthazar's sword when he lifts it high above your body.

"How sad for you to die so far from home," he will say, voice dripping with mock sympathy and so, so much hate.

Be impaled.

Bleed out faster than you can choke on your own blood.

Die alone.

Part 2: Getting Your Second Chance

Wake up in the Domain of the Lost. Ideally, your death was traumatic enough that you forgot everything and ended up here. Time works differently in this realm, so you can take as long as you need to get your bearings. When you're ready, go talk to the hooded figure with the bone mask. He is the Judge, and he will help you regain your lost memories.

Along the way, you will meet someone in a cage.

He will introduce himself as King Palawa Joko, the last Primeval King, the Undying, the Scourge of Vabbi, etc., etc. and he will curse Balthazar for imprisoning him here. This will mean nothing to you right now.

When you meet the Judge, he will tell you to fight for your name first, to find out who you were and how you lived. Then you must learn your purpose, to find out how and why you died. You didn't know you could fight, but as you rummage around in the heaps of other dead people's belongings, you will find weapons that slide into your hands as easy as breathing.

And it's important that you find them fast, because your face will be worn like a glamour by more than one spirit. When words fail to persuade them, you will raise your weapons (easy as breathing) and try a different method of persuasion.

You'll remember your name—your real name—first, but what everyone calls you is—

Commander. [1]

You are the Pact Commander.

A white raven will appear to you then, bright against the bleakness to lead you through the barren trees, and you will watch moments of your own life play out in front of you. You will likely need to take a few minutes at each of them to process it all, because for every big memory you're shown, a hundred smaller ones flood your mind to bridge the gaps in-between.

When the last memory fades away, you will be wearing your armor again. You will remember everything now.

Everything.

You will sink to your knees without a sound, hugging yourself so tightly because you're afraid any second now your body will remember that it's not supposed to be so whole.

Take your time. Breathe. It won't go away, but it'll fade. It'll get easier.

Eventually, when you feel like you won't immediately fall apart if you move, you will get up slowly and make your way back to the Judge. You can't stay here. You have unfinished business.

"Balthazar killed you," the Judge will say, not unkindly. He will tilt his head in a birdlike motion, "but you would face him again?"

Seeing the look on your face, the Judge will tell you of a fearsome beast, the Eater of Souls. He will warn you that if you fail to defeat it, it will consume your soul and you will cease to exist entirely. So you will have to kill a power-hungry magic being or die trying. Pretty standard, all things considered. When you tell the Judge that it’s a risk you’ll have to take, he will fall silent for a long moment.

“The afterlife is many things,” he will say patiently, face unreadable behind the mask. “A chance to finally rest is one of them.”

Hesitate, and just for a second, let yourself consider it. Laying down your weapons. No more fighting, no more pain, no more losing people. Finally resting.

That familiar fire in your gut will flare up again. The brave one, that reminds you that you chose to fight because you are stronger and more capable than most, and you don’t want anyone else to suffer as you have. The hungry one, that will eat you alive with guilt if you pass on this second chance at life, a chance that others can only dream of. [2]

Think of your Order mentor, think of Eir, think of Trahearne, and remember that you can't save everyone.

Think of Aurene, think of all your friends still alive, and remember that you have to try.

“I... no,” you will shake your head. “No, not… not yet.”

The Judge will nod once in understanding. He is no stranger to people like you. “Go then. Conquer the Eater of Souls and live again." His eyes will blaze green through the mask and his shadowy cloak will billow around him like wings unfurling. "Remind Balthazar that none escape judgement."

After you find, fight, and kill the Eater of Souls to claim its magic, you will have to pass through the clearing you woke up in. You will run into Joko again (the last Primeval King, the Undying, the Scourge of Vabbi, etc.) and he will try a different angle this time, now that you're no longer an amnesiac ghost.

"Such pluck and self-delusion," he will purr when you reject his help for the second time, clearly amused. "Of course, you are forgetting one crucial detail: Balthazar has an army. Do you have an army, little one?" He will bare his teeth at you in a tar-filled grin. "We both know you don't stand a chance without my Awakened soldiers."

"...You're right," you will say slowly, the pieces of a wild plan starting to fall into place in your head. You will match his grin with a smug smile of your own. "I do need your army. But I don't need you."

You will ignore his attempts to interrogate you after that, and Joko will squawk indignantly as you walk away right in the middle of his tirade, not even bothering to stifle your laughter. His threats will get fainter as you go, until they're nothing more than echoes. [3]

Find the tree you woke up under. Sit down under its branches, lean back against the trunk, and close your eyes.

Part 3: Coming Back to Life

Open your eyes to a beautiful evening sky. Then realize very quickly that you can't breathe because there's still leftover blood caught in your throat. Turn your head to the side, retching and coughing and wheezing until you can suck in a few ragged breaths without dark spots dancing in your peripheral vision. The rest of your body will have already started to knit itself back together before you regained consciousness, but it's a slow and painful process, so try not to move too much.

While you do that, your allies will have jumped back with shouts of alarm and levelled their weapons at you. It might feel insulting, but remember that just moments ago you were little more than a mangled corpse at their feet.

Convince them that this is not a trick. It'll be easier than you expect. You have this uncanny way of surviving against all odds, the kind that makes it easier for people to believe in miracles. They were hoping for something like this.

"If anyone could come back from the dead," Taimi will laugh wetly, voice crackling through your communicator, "of course it would be the Commander!"

Let Kasmeer fuss over you. She will want to wipe your face, and as much as you protest because, "Kas, those are your nice handkerchiefs," she will shush you. With red-rimmed eyes and shaky hands, she will soak her handkerchiefs (the nice ones) in water from her canteen and gently scrub the dried blood away.

Watch as Canach and Rytlock shuffle around awkwardly. Emotions have never really been their strong suit, so instead they will pick up your weapons from where you dropped them and hand them back to you. They will cough into their fists and say, "I'm doubling my wager on you." and "Good to have you back." respectively, and then look away when you smile at them in turn.

You will be covered in burns of all three degrees, and although the dry desert air will only just begin to cool down now, you will shiver uncontrollably as something icy carves a hollow in your chest. [4]

Part 4 (Optional): Repaying the Favor

Confront Balthazar. When he sees you again at Kodash Bazaar, bruised and burned but still standing, his face will twist in shock and disbelief and hate and sheer, utter frustration, in that order. It will infuriate him to no end, the way not even death could stop you. You’re not infallible, but you are inevitable, and for the first time in millennia, he will feel scared. Not of you, but of dying. He differs from Elder Dragons in this way.

Fight Balthazar.

Win.

Community Q&A

Question: Commander?? What the fuck???

The Pact Commander (Author, Expert Answer)

yeah

Helpful 0️⃣ Not Helpful 🔟

References

Sometimes you forget that "Commander" isn't actually your name. No one's used your real name in so long.

Is it possible to feel fulfilled and trapped at the same time? You can still resent bearing the weight of the world on your shoulders even if you would never give it up, right?

This will probably not come back to bite you in the ass later.

You think you left a part of your soul back there.

[shadow1z]

A cheeky pink Link.

[geetimesthree]

Time.

[ahhrenata]

✨⭐️💫

[sualne]

trying out a different style with dabi