#ugh listen do I think Lucas is a good person? no

[quiescentdestiny]

Hi I'm thinking about how Lucas unwittingly dragged Jean into danger because he wanted to reconcile with his family, very similarly to the way that Nicky did to Andrew for the exact same reasons.

[hairmetal666]

3 Times Eddie has a Secret + 1 Time Steve Does

I.

Erica Sinclair wants to throw a Valentine's Day party, and woe betide anyone coming between Erica and an idea. Eddie's happy to show up, spend some time with the kids, Robin, and Steve (though he's with the latter pair all the time), and mostly doesn't think much about it. That is until, two weeks out, Max shows up at his trailer with that look on her face, and he knows he's in for it, though he's not sure why.

He gives her a little bow. "To what do I owe the pleasure, Max?"

"You're going to Erica's party, Munson." Her hands go to her hips and her brow pinches. It's such a Steve Harrington pose it knocks something loose in Eddie's chest. "And you aren't going to say one word about conformists and sheep."

He rolls his eyes, sighs hard. "I'm surprised at you, Mayfield. Didn't have you pegged as a candy hearts type of gal."

"It's for Erica." The tip of her sneaker scuffs at the earth. "And Lucas likes it."

Eddie bites his lip to stifle his smile. They're so fucking cute.

"I suppose I can put in an appearance."

"And be on your best behavior?"

"Scout's Honor."

"You weren't a scout," she grumbles.

"Nope. But still. I'll do it for Little Sinclair."

It shouldn't bother him, the assumption that he'd be a shit about Valentine's Day. He's worked really hard to cultivate an image and it doesn't exactly scream "Be Mine." And yes, yeah, sure, the Munson Doctrine doesn't go in for the holiday, and his cynical heart blah-blah-blah. It's just that. Well, he sort of enjoys the love part.

And later that night, in the safety of his dark bedroom, he acknowledges that he wouldn't mind having a date on Valentine's Day. It would be--well, it would be nice to have someone buy him flowers or chocolates, or even--ugh--a gross, sappy, sentimental card. He wants to have reservations at Enzo's, wants to go see a terrible romcom after, wants to go home and fall into bed with the person he loves. And it isn't metal, or even very cool, but he wants to be showered with affection, celebrated, fucking loved.

He wants so much his entire body aches with it.

II.

Eddie's at Family Video, rifling through the candy that he knows Steve just reorganized.

"What are you looking for, Munson?" Robin asks. She's half-engrossed in the paperwork in front of her.

Eddie's half listening, watching Steve re-shelve New Releases. He's focused on the VHSs in his arms, so Eddie has ample opportunity to admire the bunch and stretch of his shoulder muscles as he reaches to the top of the wall.

"I don't know," he nibbles on his lip. "Something that's not so," he wiggles his hand through the air.

"Romantic?" She guesses.

"No," he shakes his head. "I mean--"

"You mean?" She's focused on him now, must have caught him watching Steve, and he hopes she doesn't make it a big deal.

"Something," he says. "Um. Just something different."

And what he means is a movie for a guy like him where love doesn't have to be a distant dream. Where he can have feelings for someone and it isn't potentially dangerous.

So, he smiles and shrugs. Grabs the tape closest to his hand. "Guess I'll just take this."

"Well, this is definitely different, Eddie," she says. She narrows her eyes at him, like he's a new language she's learning, but he scampers out before she can say anything.

The movie he grabbed without looking is Cocoon and he can't even pretend interest, so he's not exactly disappointed when someone knocks at his door a few hours later. He's expecting Max, maybe Steve, but startles a little at Robin. She pushes past him and into the trailer.

"Good to see you too, Buckley."

She ignores him. "I have something to tell you. You and Steve are the only people who know."

"Okay?" His eyes are so wide it kind of hurts.

She takes a deep breath. "I'm gay."

"What?" He shrieks, doesn't know why. He's always kind of known.

Robin responds by swatting at him, and they bat at one another with the tips of their fingers.

"Nancy?" He asks once they calm down.

"Shut-up," Robin flushes a dark red.

"It's the guns right?"

It's her turn to shriek, and she gets a solid punch in on his shoulder. They wrestle around, until Eddie pulls away, pushing his hair off his sweaty forehead.

"I'm--" he's never said the words to another person. Uncle Wayne just sort of knew and you don't really have to talk at any of the bars he goes to in Indy. "I'm gay too," he tells Robin.

She beams at him. "Cool."

"Cool." He fiddles with his rings. "Harrington knows about you?"

"He was the first person I told."

"You aren't going to tell him about me?"

She leans her head on his shoulder. "Of course not. But he'd be okay, if you wanted to tell him."

He can't help but scoff. "It's different for lesbians, Buckley. Straight guys can be into that."

She scoffs right back. "Steve isn't like that and you know it."

She's right. He does. But the fear runs deep. Especially especially because it's Steve. And Eddie couldn't handle any of things that might happen if Robin is wrong.

"Thanks, Bucks," he says. He leans his head against hers, hugs her close.

III.

Erica's party is happening at Steve's and Eddie shows up at the appointed time, with the appointed cupcakes (baked from a box, frosted from a can).

The kids are shouting in the living room, but his eyes automatically find Steve in the kitchen. He has a a towel draped over his shoulder, hair disheveled, and is mixing Tropical Punch and Sprite into a serving bowl.

"How'd you end up hosting?" Eddie asks.

Steve smiles, a bashful little thing. "Erica called me this morning and yelled until I agreed."

"Pushover," Eddie teases.

"Oh, and you just made those cupcakes for fun, Munson?"

"Shut-up, Harrington." Eddie knocks their shoulders together. "They're ugly as shit. Didn't know there was an art to frosting cupcakes."

"I think I can help. You mind?"

Steve grabs some plastic spatula looking thing, gets to work with a focused determination that has him biting at his lip. Heat kicks in Eddie's blood, makes it so he can't watch. Instead, he slides a finger into the icing.

"Hey! What--? Munson!" Steve yells, as Eddie brushes the pink frosting onto Steve's cheekbone.

"Got ya!" He dances out of reach.

They bob and weave and dodge through the kitchen, laughing and yelling, until Steve has Eddie pressed against the cabinets, no escape. They're close, breathing hard and pink-faced. He can't help glancing down at the plush softness of Steve's mouth, can't help noticing Steve's eyes track the movement. Time pauses, stutters, and the distance between them closes.

"Steve!" Dustin shouts. "What's taking so long?"

The tension breaks and Eddie escapes into the living room, desperate to convince himself it wasn't a moment, that Steve isn't interested. Wishes his heart was a little more cynical, after all.

The party is fun. There are games and snacks and crafts. He gets roped into playing Mystery Date and tries and fails to not notice Steve bent over, playing Twister, left hand on red, right hand on green.

When they start doing crafts, Steve is hard at work on a Valentine.

"What you making, Stevie?" Eddie asks. He cranes his neck to see.

"Back off, Munson."

"Got someone you've been admiring, big boy?"

Steve goes pink and Eddie can't tell if it's the nickname or his question.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

And since Eddie really, really would, he jumps towards Steve, trying to sneak a peek. Steve laughs, hard and kind of surprised, before hunching over the card.

"None of your business, Eddie." But Steve is flushed and smiling.

Eddie pouts. "You know how much I love knowing things."

Steve looks at him. Like, looks at him, and Eddie goes warm all over.

"Maybe if you're a good boy today, you'll get to know later, yeah?"

Good boy does things. It makes Eddie's heart stop, his breathing slow, re-routes all the blood in his body south. He can only gasp and nod, sure his eyes are weirdly glazed.

Good boy. He's not sure if he hears another word spoken to him for the rest of the day.

IV.

The party draws to a close. For once in their lives, the actual parents are driving their kids around and Robin hitches a ride with the Hopper-Byers, leaving Eddie and Steve on clean-up.

"Wanna stick around, Munson? Watch a movie? Think I have a joint leftover from last week."

"Course, Stevie, how could I say no to such a generous offer."

"I think you're making fun of me, but I don't understand why."

Eddie laughs. "Totally genuine, sweetheart. Cross my heart." Steve smiles at that, his eyes turning the color of honey.

Eddie is so, so fucked.

They get situated on the couch and Steve says, "Have you been good today?"

"Huh?" Eddie can't breathe.

"I said you could see what I was making if you were good today. Were you?"

Eddie can't speak, can't think, can't move. His brain is throbbing. This has to be a dream. No way Steve is actually asking that.

But Steve is looking at him and somehow he has the presence of mind to fucking nod, and then Steve is handing him a red construction paper heart and a rose with petals so purple they're almost black.

He's hallucinating. That's what this is. He got some laced weed and now his wildest fantasy is playing out in his head.

The Valentine has a white lace doily thing glued to it and it says, in glitter:

"Roses are red,

Violets are Blue;

Eddie Munson,

I really like you"

His eyes fall on Steve. He perceives him, the way a pink flush sits high on his cheekbones, the shine in his eyes, the tremble in his hands.

Oh shit. Oh shit. Eddie isn't hallucinating. He's not dreaming. He's--

"Steve," he sounds a wreck.

"It's--Eddie, it's okay if you don't like me back. I just--I've liked you for a while and Robin thought I should tell you, and--"

"Steve," he says again, stands this time. "Can I kiss you?" It's a miracle he gets the words out.

"God, yes, please," Steve nearly whines.

Eddie pulls him in close, slotting their mouths together. Steve tastes like Tropical Punch and frosting and he makes a little noise as Eddie nips at his lip.

And that's it, that's all it takes. Eddie is gone, ruined, Valentine's celebrator until the end of time, lost forever to Steve-goddamn-Harrington.

[jaegerisim]

You Promised Me Heaven (and put me through hell)

DESCENDANTS AU Y'ALL YESS! Who cheered? (Absolutely nobody lmao). If y'all are wondering I wrote this while listening to the Descendants OST (particularly Rotten To The Core) like God intended. As always, name taken from "You Give Love A Bad Name" by Bon Jovi. If this is a bit all over the place, I'm sorry. It's 1 AM and my beta reader is me, myself and I (not even Grammarly, bro 😭😭😭😭) Anyways enjoy! 💕🌈

TW: implied alcohol and drug use (they're 16 m'kay?), the language is pretty strong (nothing too bad tho) and there are mentions go throwing up.

Will's day began shitty, like always. His head throbbed and, distantly, he could hear his father, Lonnie Byers, scream about whatever it was that had angered him today. Will groaned, another day in The Isle of the Lost aka where every villain and their children - the Villain Kids or VKs for short - lived. The Isle of the Lost was an island (if it could even be called such) in the middle of the fucking ocean with no WIFI, no electricity and no way out. It also had an extremely clear view of Auradon, the place where all the perfect little princes and princesses lived their happily ever after; while all the VKs where left to rot in the lame ass excuse of a home.

Will's head felt like it was about to explode, he definitely drank too much last night. He considered going back to sleep but he knew that if he woke up now, his father would most likely scream at Will to make himself useful but he also knew that if he didn't wake up the his father would scream at him for being a lazy ass. So if his father was good to scream at him regardless of what he did, he'd rather wake up now and annoy his friends sleeping next to him. He kicked the sleeping person next to him, his best friend Max Mayfield. She gasped and her eyes flew open. Will cackled maliciously and received a playful punch to the arm.

"You asshole!" she shrieked "Your feet are so fucking cold!"

The person next to Will stirred and cursed.

"Can both of you just shit the fuck up? Some of us are trying to sleep, right El?" the person, Lucas Sinclair, cursed.

"Yeah! Don't you think it's a bit early to be screaming?" El Hopper chided, rubbing her bleary eyes.

"Tell my Dad that. He was the one who woke me up." quipped Will.

As if on queue, Lonnie began to call their names with fury.

"What did we do now?" moaned El.

"Well, we stole Argyle's stash, we wrecked Robin's restaurant, we also stole a bunch of shit from a bunch of places, we also-" listed Lucas off with irony.

"Yeah, ok, fine, we get it Lucas. Thank you." snapped Max.

"Wow, someone is in a mood today." laughed El pressing a kiss to Max's cheek.

"Ugh, get off me." Max grumbled just for Lucas to grab her hand.

Will looked away, they were a group of 4 and 3 of them were dating each other. So Will, as the poor single schmuck that he was, was stuck having to bare their terribly sappy flirting. Deep down, he was happy for them but he'd rather kiss Ursula's tentacle than admit it. Will cleared his throat and signaled for them to follow him to the living room/kitchen/second bedroom/bathroom.

Lonnie was a thin man, with a stubble and salt-and-pepper hair. The man was grinning like a madman next to Jonathan, Will's older brother, who was shaking his head, amused.

"Hey, Dad." said Will, strutting through the long singular table occupying most of the space. His black boots breaking several stolen trinkets under his weight.

His dad didn't even bother to even wave at him. Will kept a neutral expression, but it stung a little, being ignored by even his own father. Weren't parents supposed to love their kids unconditionally? This rule, apparently did not apply to his father.

"Everyone, SHUT THE FUCK UP!" yelled Lonnie and everyone turned to look at him "I have news. As everyone already knows, the crown prince of Auradon Michael Wheeler will be crowned king in 1 month."

Will grit his teeth, he detested that prince. He had detested him ever since their first and only meeting.

It all began when a group of VKs tried to break the barrier surrounding the Isle, unsuccessfully. This event ended in thousands of innocent VKs and villains being slaughtered by King Theodore's knights. One of these villains had been Will's own mother.

"Oohhhh, how delightful, truly." Cooed Max with mockery. Lucas snorted and Will snickered. Why should they care? As if that affected them in anyway.

"And so, he has done his first proclamation: to allow 4 villain kids to go to Auradon. These 4 villain kids are the son of Charles Sinclair, the daughter of Susan Mayfield, the daughter of Captain Jim Hopper and finally, my youngest son."

The following silence was deafening. Nobody dared to say anything. Finally Will spoke up.

"They want us to go to Auradon?" he asked.

"Son, listen to me, this my- our chance to fight back against our oppressors and the people who killed your mother. You and Jonathan can have your revenge, and show the world you are your father's sons. All you guys need to do is steal Fairy Godmother's wand and with it, break the barrier." Lonnie told Will.

Max and El were having a silent conversation while Lucas was having his card reads by his younger sister, Erica.

"But Dad-" Will tried to say.

"No buts, William. Show me you truly deserve the title of being the son of the cruelest villain in the whole Isle."

Will sighed "Fine, we'll go. We'll do it. Whatever."

"When the fuck are we leaving, anyways?" scoffed Max.

"Maxine, language!" chided Susan, while doing her nails.

"Mom, I told you to call me Max!" Snapped her daughter

Lonnie ignored their bickering.

"Well, Maxine" - Max huffed, annoyed - "to answer your question, you are leaving today. Now, even." Stated Lonnie with a grin.

Everyone gaped at the man.

"Now, regarding your bags. I've already taken care of that and the limo is already waiting for you outside." Lonnie stayed as he ushered Max and Lucas outside

Will seemed to snap out of his daze.

Limo? Now? Did his dad really pack their bags? Why the fuck would the damn prince choose them?

Will vaguely registered El giving her dad a hug and following Max out of the door..

Lonnie grabbed him by his leather jacket.

"What are you waiting for, son?" demanded his father. "This is our chance, don't you see? We could have the world at our very feet. I'd you don't blow it, of course."

"I won't, I swear." Will reassured him.

His father grunted and shoved him out the door.

Will was faced with absolute chaos.

Jonathan was in a heated discussion with a smartly dressed man, who Will guessed was the driver.

"I don't care if your Dad is a fucking king! In the Isle you have no domains or right to tell me to fuck off! This is my damn home!" screamed Jonathan, jabbing a finger in the man's torso.

The man growled at Jonathan and huffed indignantly.

"Fucking villain kids." He scoffed.

Will entered the limousine where Max boasted of how he stole the driver's wallet.

"It's says here, that this is Prince Steve Harrington! Son of, ooooohhhh, the Beast!" Max quirked an eyebrow "That's why he is so hairy!"

"Punch him in the face! Come on, Jonathan, I'm rooting for you!'' yelled El

Apparently, Jonathan had gotten into a fist-fight with Steve.

Half an hour later, Steve entered the limo looking pissed.

"Give me that!" Harrington said as he snatched his wallet from Lucas' hand. Sadly, his money was long gone.

-----

The moment they stepped out of the limo, several things happened:

1. Max puked on the floor.

2. Will trying not to step on the vomit, tried to jump over the disgusting puddle but tripped over and fell on top of someone

3. That someone turned out to be the Michael Wheeler.

Will blushed, he literally had the man pinned on the ground. Now that Will had the chance to stare without being weird or creepy, he noticed the man's attractiveness. Michael had a splatter of freckles across the bridge of his strong nose and high cheeks. His face was framed by elegantly styled, black curls. Michael's face was surprisingly red, was his face always that red?

Will decided to get up and got to stand next to his friends. Max was already standing up looking defensive.

"Wow, your friend sure gets carsick easily, huh? I take it you don't ride car ride very often" chuckled Michael

Lucas snorted and El fell into a fit of laughter.

"You hear that Max? We mustn't rides cars that often?" laughed El, wiping the tears of her eyes.

Will couldn't tell if Michael was joking or not.

"What did I say?'' Mike asked to the guy next to him.

"I dunno." shrugged the other.

"Well, you said that we don't ride cars often. Of course we don't. In fact we've never done that, before. It's a small Isle, in which we don't even have electricity. You think we'd have cars?" sneered Will.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I-". Mike tried to apologize. Will felt that the man was genuinely sorry about that. But in the Isle, you don't trust anybody, even if at first glance they look harmless.

Will sighed, it was going to be a long month.

[captainlunaxmen]

The Lady and the Lord

Chapter 6

Eddie munson x fem!reader

This is a repost since the old blog doesn't work anymore. 🥰

Chapter summary: the gang, finally, has to go to Eddie and with him they go find the gate.

Chapter warnings: spoiler season 4, mention of harassment, some flirting... if you want.

We're finally heading to Eddie, to bring some food to him and... yeah, the news.

"Not to be a wimp, but can I sit in the car for this? 'Couse this is gonna total and royally suck" Robin complains from the back seat.

I'm sitting in the front with Nancy as she drives.

"It'll be fine" Nancy assures her.

"I just can't stand to see those dull eyes of Eddie's break again. I really, really can't " Robin admits.

"Yeah.. I know" I sigh.

"At least he can drink himself into feeling better" Steve states, making me roll my eyes.

"That's what my mom does" Max mutters.

"Why don't we just give it a trial?" Robin rambles. I still don't understand if Robin's rambling is cute or... concerning. I share a look with Nancy, that makes me guess we're thinking the same thing.

" 'Eddie. Uh, good news first this time. We got you some Dustin-approved junk food and that six-pack you requested. Oh yeah and we found Vecna. Only the bad news is that he's in that other darker, much scariest dimension that we told you about, and the gate's closed, so we have no way of getting to him. Like he's entirely shut off to us, so basically you're screwed. And no, no, I know you were already screwed, but now you're doubly, triply screwed"

"Wait, wait. Maybe we put it like that" Lucas stops her.

"Maybe if Y/n said it, it wouldn't hurt so much" Dustin suggests.

" 'we're one step closer to finding Vecna' that's what we say. That's what's important" Nancy proposes.

"Exactly" I agree. "There's no need for him to worry about this now."

"See, Robin? Positive spin can make all the difference." Steve teases earning an annoyed "uh-huh" from Robin.

"Oh shit"

Arriving at Reefer Rick's house we see people gathering around some reporters...and the police.

"Oh my god, they didn't find Eddie, did they?" I mutter.

We get out of the car quickly, thankfully all the people is more interested in finding out what happened than in our arrival, so we manage to sneak around the house and listen to the police chief talking to the reporters.

"... a little after midnight reporting a homicide here on the lake. Officer Callahan here and myself arrived first on the scene. We made our way to the shore of Lover's Lake about ten yards from that house you see behind me. It was there that we found the victim, an 18-year-old senior from Hawkins High, Patrick McKinney. His limbs, his body, it was disfigured. There was an eyewitness on the scene, we've also identified a person of interest. Eddie Munson. We encourage anyone with information to please..."

I turn everything off, I stop pay attention... how could they think that... on what proves?

I feel myself getting rigid and, instantly, Robin notices and grabs my hand to support.

"Dustin, can you hear me? Wheeler? Y/n..?"

Eddie.

Oh thank god.

"Eddie. Holy shit" Dustin grabs the radio and we all turn around to listen closely "are you okay?"

"Nah, man. Pretty.. pretty goddamn far from okay" Eddie says.

"Where is he?" I ask, biting my nails out of nervousness.

"Where are you?" Dustin asks him.

"Skull Rock, uh.. do you know it?"

"Yeah, that's near Cornwallis and..."

"Garrett, yeah. I know where it is" Steve cuts him off, instantly rushing to the car. I quickly follow him.

"Hold tight. We're coming. We're coming." I hear Dustin assuring Eddie.

We've been walking for hours now, following Dustin's compass through the woods. All, while constantly hearing Steve and Dustin bickering. Is it the right way? It's not. I'm telling you it is.

Ugh.. I only care about finding Eddie, I don't care who's right.

"Dude, I'm telling you, you're taking us the wrong way." Steve complains for the millionth time.

"It's north. I'm positive I checked the map." Dustin, again, defends.

"You do realise Skull Rock, it's a super popular make-out spot?" Steve asks.

"Yeah, so?"

"Yeah, well, it wasn't popular until I made it popular. All right? I practically invented it." Steve explains proudly. "We're heading in the wrong direction"

With that Steve starts to walk in a different direction, followed by a complaining Dustin and me rolling my eyes.

"Yeah.. well, that's not exactly the most romantic spot to choose and make 'popular' " I joke as we walk, so I can think of anything else for a moment.

"Correction: it's not the most romantic spot to have your first time at" he says holding up his fingers.

"Yeah, tell me about it. It was your idea, if I recall correctly" I tease back.

"What... wait... what?" Dustin asks, clearly taken aback.

"You didn't know? I thought Stevie here told you anything about him" I say with a chuckle.

"No way" he laughs.

"What's so funny, Henderson?" Steve seems offended by his laughing.

"Nothing... just... can't imagine you two.. oh god this is crazy" he says between laugher, I wrap an arm around his shoulder as we keep on walking.

"We kind of had a deal" I whisper to him and he lets out a giggle that makes Steve turn his head and glare at us, and we just laugh.

"I want to know everything" Dustin laughs.

"Oh no no no, you're not gonna know shit, Henderson" Steve warns him.

"Aaww poor Stevie." I mock him "I'll tell you about it some other time" I tell to Dustin.

"Ah ah ah, no you won't, honey" Steve says.

"You can't always be present, you're gonna turn your back one day" I jokingly tease him.

"Can't wait" Dustin says between laugher.

"I hate you both" Steve mutters.

"You love us" we say at the same time.

Finally, we arrive at Skull Rock and Steve can be all cocky and proud about being right.

"Bada bing, bada boom. There she is, Henderson. Skull Rock. In your face, man. In your stupid, cocky little face."

"Doesn't make sense" Dustin says looking down at his compass.

"What's wrong?" I ask him.

"Yeah yeah. Even with it staring you right in the face, you can't admit it. You just can't admit that you're wrong, you little butthead" Steve replies, still proud he found the place himself, I roll my eyes, ready to tell him to shut up when a big thud behind us stops me.

"I concur." Eddie stands up, in front of us. "You, Dustin Henderson, are a total butthead"

Thank god he's okay.

"Jesus, we thought you were a goner" Dustin immediately walks to hug him.

"Yeah, me too man" Eddie replies.

When his eyes meet mine, I instinctively go to hug him too.

As I wrap my arms around his neck, his are around my waist in no time.

"I'm sorry" I whisper to him.

"Don't worry about it, m'lady" he whispers back.

He just holds me to him, afraid I might disappear any moment.

" 'm just glad you're here" he adds.

We let go of each other when we hear Steve clearing his throat, loudly.

"Should we leave you two alone?" Robin winks at me and I feel my cheeks burning instantly.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Dustin asks.

As he eats the food we brought to him, he told us about Jason and the others finding him, his attempt escape on the boat and about Patrick too.

"When I got to the shore, I tried calling you guys, but, uh.. my walkie was busted, man. Drenched. So, uh, I did the thing that I do now, apparently. I ran" he lets out a chuckle, to hide something deeper, I'm afraid.

"Do you know what time this was? The attack?" Nancy asks.

"Yeah, no, I... I know exactly what time it was." He answers as he quickly takes off his watch "my walkie wasn't the only thing that got soaked."

He throw the watch at Nancy who reads "9:27"

"Same time our flashlights went kablooey" Robin adds.

"Which means what, exactly?" Steve asks.

"That surge of energy was, apparently, Vecna attacking Patrick" I tell him.

"Well, we're one step closer. We know how Vecna attacks." Robin states.

"And where he attacks from" Lucas adds.

"So we just need to sneak into his lair in the Upside Down and drive a stake through his heart" Max suggests.

"If he even has a heart" Robin comments and I nod.

"A stake? Is he like a vamp- is he a vampire?" Steve asks confused, once again.

"It was a metaphor" Max replies with a sigh.

"Bullets should work on him, right?" Eddie chimes in.

"I say we chop his head off" Lucas suggests

"I just might second you on that one" I say.

"Yeah, I'd say all of the above, but we can't do any of that-" Nancy starts.

"Unless we find a way to get in the Upside Down... yeah" I finish for her.

"We need El to get her powers back." Max says hopeful.

"Everything was, like, way easier. We had this girl. She had superpowers-" Steve starts to explain to Eddie, but he stops him.

"Superpowers. Yeah, you mentioned her." He then his eyes starts to follow Dustin, who's been walking up and down for the past minutes, mumbling to himself. "Hey, uh, Henderson's not, uh, cursed, is he?"

"Cursed? No, no, no. He's fine" Steve answers" mental? Absolutely"

"Boom!" Dustin exclaims all of a sudden, startling us all.

"Bada.. Bada.. boom" he says more quiet, pointing his finger at Steve" I was right. Skull Rock was North."

"Seriously? You're serious?" Steve asks, quiete annoyed.

"Mh-hmm" Dustin humms, sure.

"This is Skull Rock. Okay?"

Dustin just humms in response again.

"You're totally, absolutely, 100% wrong. Right now."

"Yes" Dustin says" and no"

"For fuck's sake, Dustin. What is it?" I snap.

"This worked correctly when we left the Wheeler's. It was correct when we got in the car on Curly, but it started to slip the further east we went" he explains "Now it's way off. When I was leading us here, I wasn't wrong. The compass was"

"So you're using faulty equipment. You're still wrong" Steve says exasperated.

"Except it isn't faulty. Lucas, you remember what can affect a compass?" He turns to look at Lucas.

"An electromagnetic field" Lucas answers promptly.

"Yep"

"I'm sorry, I must've skipped that class" Robin says, visibly confused.

"In the presence of a stronger electromagnetic field, the compass' needle will deflect towards that stronger power." I recite, and an idea pops in mind "so.. there's either a huge magnet somewhere in the woods or.."

"There's a gate" Lucas finishes for me.

"Exactly" I say.

"Wait.. why?" Robin asks, once again.

"These gates to the Upside Down, they like.. creates this electromagnetic power around them, so if the needle points in another direction, that isn't North, there's a big chance that it's a gate" I explain.

"But we're nowhere near the lab" Nancy points out.

"Maybe there's gate somewhere else... there must be" I suggest.

"Yeah, a gate that we don't know about" Dustin has clearly the same idea. "It'd have to be smaller. Way less powerful"

"Snack-size gate" Robin says and I nod with a smile.

"How? Why?" Steve, for a change, is confused.

"No idea. All I know is that something is causing this disturbance, and the last time we've seen anything like it, it was a gate. And I hope it is because then we'd have a way to Vecna. And a shot at feeing Max from this curse" Dustin explains, before starting to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Steve calls for him "Hey hey hey hey. Eddie's still a wanted man. We can't just go hike in the woods"

"This little steel capsule might be the key to saving both Max and Eddie" Dustin replies, then he refers to Eddie "what say you, Eddie the Banished?"

We all turn around to look at Eddie waiting for his answer.

"I say you're asking me to follow you into Mordor, which, if I'm totally straight with you, I think it's a really bad idea. But, uh, the Shire... the Shire is burning."

Dustin excitedly jumps on spot and Eddie stands up.

"So Mordor it is"

With that we start to follow Dustin through the woods.

"What is Mordor?" Steve asks me.

"Oh my god.. Stevie you need to read more" I laugh at his lack of fantasy knowledge. "I'll let you borrow my Lord of The Rings copy."

I pat him on the shoulder as we follow the others, Eddie turns around and slow down to catch with us.

"You read it?" He asks me, pleasantly surprised.

"Of course I did" I smile at him. "Who do you think educated those kids, uh?"

"Oh yeah? And here I thought you couldn't be more perfect" he says with a teasing tone.

"I'm... full of surprises" I say, surprised of myself.

"Oh.. oh I'm sure" he says back.

"I'll.. uh.. I'll see if Dustin needs anything" Steve jogs towards Dustin, leaving me and Eddie behind.

"So... can I ask you something?" He leans a bit closer.

"Uh.. sure."

"Do you remember the other day, when I bumped into you, at school? After you walked out of the gym" he asks.

"Uh... yeah" unfortunately I do.

"What.. happened?"

"N-nothing" I reply with a shrug, avoiding to look at his face.

"It didn't look like nothing to me" he tells me with a reassuring chuckle.

"No, uh... really nothing to worry about" I try to smile at him to convince him, but he doesn't give up on the subject.

"Those assholes bothered you, didn't they?" He guess.

"Uh... no..it's just-"

"Didn't they?" He repeats, cutting my excuse off.

"Yeah... but nothing.. too bad"

"Mmhm. You don't fool me, m'lady." He gently nudges me. "Was it Jason?"

"No.. "I sigh "Andy, I think his name is. He, uh... flirted with me... quite insistently."

"What..?" He asks, his tone irritated.

"He, uh.. he whispered some shit into my ear.. held me to him by my waist.. yeah. That's it" I tell him.

"What a prick... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up. Never thought that would be it" he apologises.

"Oh no. It's okay, really." I genuinely smile at him and he smiles back.

"That's not how one should treat someone like you" he says casually.

"Someone like me?" I ask confused.

"Someone who's... how can I say it?... someone as cool as you" I saw him winking at me when I look at him. I turn my face facing forward again, cheeks warming up quickly.

"Someone" he continues "smart... sweet... badass... beautiful"

"I... I'm not.. really" I nervously laugh at that.

I'm just a distraction, I remind myself... or convince myself.

"Oh, but you are, M'lady." he stops and I do too.

He turns to me.

He gently put a hand under my chin, making me look up to him again. His gaze falls to my lips and I feel my cheeks getting warm, instantly.

Then, he starts to lean down.

"Guys!" Steve screams snapping us out of the moment. "C'mon!"

"What a timing, Harrington" Eddie complains.

"C'mon, my lord, let's go, before mommy gets mad" I tell him as I start to walk again.

"Yeah.. let's go, m'lady" he walks beside me, cursing Steve under his breath.

We walk and walk and walk following Dustin and his compass until it gets dark.

At some point he starts to run in the direction the compass points towards and we obviously follow right behind him.

"Something's happening" he mutters.

"Yeah, could you maybe share it with us?" I say, trying to keep up with him.

"Dustin? Can you slow down? Dustin?" Eddie tries too.

"I think we're getting close" he say turning his head to us

"Careful!" I almost yell as Eddie promptly grab him by the backpack.

"Yeah, watch your step, big guy."

"Oh man" says a breathless Steve "you gotta be shitting me."

"Yeah. I thought these woods were familiar"

"Lover's Lake" me and Robin look at each other.

"This is confounding" Dustin comments.

"There's a gate in Lover's Lake?" Max asks.

"Whenever the Demogorgon attacked, it always left an opening. Maybe Vecna's the same way" Nancy suggests.

"Yeah, only one way to find out" Steve declares.

"Going in" I mutter.

Eddie goes to uncover the boat he, apparently, used to escape.

"Guess it'll do" Steve sighs.

They grab it and carefully drag it to the water.

Robin's the first one to walk in, followed by Eddie.

Nancy climbs in too.

"Wheeler" Eddie offers his help.

Then I follow.

"M'lady" Eddie gently grabs my hand to help me climb in.

"Thanks" I softly say as I sit with Robin, who gently nudges me and offers me a warm smile, to which I playfully roll my eyes.

Just as Dustin gets closer to come in too Eddie stops him.

"Hey, hey, hey, you trying to sink us? This thing holds four people tops, okay?" He tells him, Dustin just stands there with a stunned expression glaring at him.

"It's better this way, okay? You guys stay here with Max. Keep an eye out for trouble" Nancy tries to ease the situation.

"You keep an eye out" He says back, earning a glare from Nancy, I'm sure. "It's my goddamn theory"

"You heard Nance" Robin chimes in.

"Who put her in charge?" Dustin asks irritated.

"I did" she answers, calmly.

"Me too" I add. "C'mon, Dusty, give Nancy the compass. C'mon"

With a pout he reluctantly gives Nancy the compass and stands back so we can finally go.

Steve throws the backpack to Dustin and starts to push the boat in the water, taking advantage of thale moment and jumps in with us.

"You said four!" Dustin exclaims.

"Sorry" Steve fake-apologies.

"Bed time at nine, kiddos" Robin yells. "Miss you already"

"You're so mean" I tell her, giggling.

I'm about to take one oar, but Eddie beats me.

"I got this, beautiful" he winks and takes the oar.

"Think I can't do that?" I challenge.

"No" He quickly replies "no.. I.. I didn't mean it like that"

"Relax man, she's messing with you." Steve pats him on the shoulder "You'll realise she can be a real tease when she opens up" Steve tells him and I glare at him.

"That's not true" I defend.

"It's true. And don't make me start with the sexual jokes" Robin blurts out.

"Robin!" I exclaim.

"Sorry" she whispers.

I hide my face into my hands.

"No need to be embarrassed, m'lady, I don't mind" Eddie sweetly whispers.

"Yeah yeah let's focus on the task at hand, uh?" I say, seeking support from Nancy and Robin.

"She's right." Nancy says eyes fixed on the compass.

After a few minutes of rowing on the lake, Nancy stops them.

"Slow down, slow down, guys"

The compass is flickering, all crazy.

"Guys, what's going on?" Dustin asks from the radio. "C'mon guys, talk to me, what's going on?"

"Uh, Dustin" Robin grabs the radio "your compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital 'Aah!' "

In the meantime Steve's taking off his socks... what..

"Steve, what are you doing?" Nancy asks him.

"Somebody's gotta go down and check this out. Unless one of you four can top being a Hawkins High swim co-captain and a certified lifeguard for three years, then.. it's gotta be me. No complaints, all right?" Steve simply states, standing up straight.

"Hey, I'm not complaining." Eddie shrugs. "I do not wanna go down there"

He take out of his pocket a plastic bag, empty the content on the boat and wrap the plastic around the torch.

As Steve takes off his shirt I notice Nancy, not so subtlety, staring at him. I look at Robin who already has a grin on her face and looks at me raising both eyebrows as to say "see that too?" And I nod.

Eddie hands the torch to Steve wishing him good luck.

"You better come back up in one piece, or I'm gonna kill you" I tell him.

"Thanks, honey, always so sweet" he says sarcastically and I glare at him.

"Steve?" Nancy says "be careful"

And finally Steve jumps into the lake.

Nancy immediately looks at her watch to time him.

I take a deep breath leaning a bit backwards, my leg starts to bounce and I fidget with my rings a lot.

He better come back up soon.

I remember visiting him while he still worked at Scoops Ahoy. He convinced me to come over as much as possible so he wouldn't feel so, as he said, miserable.

"Hi, honey" he greeted me as I come into the shop.

"Hey, Stevie" I smiled. "All good?"

"Yeah, yeah, slow day." He shrugged.

"I see" I commented looking around at the empty table "Well, how about I buy something then? So you'll earn your money honestly."

"What would I do without you?" He theatrically told me.

"Become a dickhead all over again?" I replied.

"Wait wait wait... I was never a dickhead to you" he defended.

"Oh never? Yeah.. sure, Harrington" I winked.

"Fine" he sighed " what flavours?"

"Just chocolate please, Stevie"

He prepared my cone as Robin came out from the back.

"Hey there" She smiled.

"Hi" I quietly said with a small smile.

She went to clean something on the counter as Steve handed me my cone.

"You need to stop being this nervous around people" he sweetly whispered.

"It's not that easy" I told him.

"I think you two could get along well" he told me "you both enjoy tormenting me."

"It's not that easy" I repeated.

"Okay" he came around the counter to get closer to me, wrapping an arm around me "Listen, I won't force you to talk to anyone, you know that. But I'm sorry, I just don't understand why you feel so nervous to talk to... well.. anyone. You're amazing. You're smart, you're funny, you're kind. No reason to feel insecure. Believe me"

"I do believe you, but everytime I'm in front of someone I...freeze" I explained.

"No need with Robin, at least try with her. She's actually very chill, no judgment from her" he suggested.

"Fine.. fine you win. I'll... put some effort.. tomorrow" I agreed starting to walk away.

"Oh no no, today, honey" he said moving me, with his arm still around me, towards Robin.

"Where we at, Wheeler?" Robin's voice snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Closing in on a minute" she answers, I can tell she's tense, we all are.

"C'mon, Steve" I whisper.

We all wait and wait and wait, tension getting harder to stand, the more we wait the more I want to jump in myself.

Suddenly, though, Steve emerges from the water startling us.

"Oh christ" Eddie yells.

"I found it" Steve declares.

"You found it?"

"I found it. Yeah. I found it." Steve confirmes, panting and grabbing the boat.

"Dustin, you are a goddamn Einstein. Steve found the gate"

"It's pretty wild. It's more a snack-size gate than the mama gate, but still, it's pretty damn big" he explains, but as soon as he finishes the sentence he's briefly dragged back into the water.

He emerges again, confused only to be dragged all the way back in again.

"Steve!"

We all yell.

"What the hell was that, man?" Eddie yells.

"Really, what happened?" Robin asks.

"Fuck fuck fuck" I mutter looking at Nancy staring at the water, I know exactly what she's thinking, the same thing I've been thinking all this time.

She stands up ready to jump in, but Eddie stops her.

"You're not going in there, are you?"

"Just wait here." She says "you too" she looks at me and then dives in.

"Nancy!"

"No Nancy!"

I stand up too.

"Hey hey hey, no what are you doing?"

"Don't even think about it"

Both Robin and Eddie tell me as I'm taking off my jacket and shirt, remaining in my top.

"Oh c'mon, you don't actually expect me to stay here while they're down there." I reply.

"She told you to stay here too" Eddie tries.

"Yeah? Well... I don't care" I take a deep breath and jump.

I swim following Nancy down to this red-ish light, and through the gate.

[porchlightfairy]

could i request something like a sinclair!reader that’s dating eddie and they’re trying to get max and lucas back together or help plan something important for them? i really like the idea of max and eddie being like a sibling duo

Lucas wanted to do something special for Max on their second anniversary. But he didn't know what to do and his friends were not of any help either. The only other person he knew who could help was you, his older sister.

You were in a relationship with his dungeon master, Eddie Munson. And had been since high school. Nobody expected the relationship to last so there must have been a secret that Lucas need to tap into.

While Eddie is over at your house, Lucas comes into your room. "I need your guys' help." Eddie sits on your floor and you sit behind him on the bed with a comb in hand.

"What's up, Little Man?" Eddie asks. Lucas grimaces at the nickname. He's called him that since Lucas was in middle school. He then goes into detail about the event and how he wanted to do something nice for Max.

"Aw, Lucas, that's so sweet. All Eddie got me for our second anniversary was a candy ring." You pout.

Eddie gasps in offense, "That's not true, I took you to a concert."

"That you wanted to go to." You say, then pat Lucas' shoulder, "How about we go to the county outlet mall and find a pretty necklace Max would like." Lucas nods and the two of you leave Eddie alone in your room.

His brows furrow. He was a good boyfriend. He did good boyfriend things, but he couldn’t help but feel bad. He goes to the one person who could tell it to him straight and how it was. Max.

“You’re right. You are a bad boyfriend.” She says with her arms folded over her chest.

Eddie wilts, “Well how do I fix it? Should I get her something nice?”

“No way, the opportunity for that is gone. You have to do something better.”

“Better? What better?” He combs his hand through his hair.

“A dinner maybe? A nice night out.” Max suggests

Eddie frowns, “I took her out last week! Ugh, this is hopeless.”

“Eddie, if you love her you would do this.” Max states, “Do you love her?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s go figure out what to do for her.”

“How?”

“By spying on her.” Max grabs some binoculars.

── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆──

Just forty-five minutes out from Hawkins was an outlet mall. It was nothing too special but it had a Macy’s in it. Eddie was nervous cause if they were caught by you, you would think he was up to something and ruin the surprise.

He and Max stand inside the comic shop pretending to read as just across the way you sat with Lucas eating ice cream. Max peers over her book and studies you two. Eddie looks over at her nervously, “what are we supposed to be looking for exactly?”

“What they’re up to, duh. What stores they’ve been to, stuff of that nature,” Max rolls her eyes, “Maybe even listen to what they’re saying too. Maybe they’ll talk.”

Eddie looks over at you nervously. He was going to blow the whole operation if he did anything she said. “What if I just went to talk to her about it?”

“And say what Eddie? ‘I think I’m a bad boyfriend could you help me?’“ she mocks. Eddie purses his lips, a little specific but it was what he was going to say.

“I just think we’re going about this the wrong way,” Eddie says.

Before Max could speak, she sees you and Lucas get up and continue shopping. “Look, they’re leaving c’mon!” She grabs Eddie by the jacket and pulls him out of the comic shop after you.

You wander around the stores with Lucas, from clothes to jewelry to perfume. Eddie and Max duck and cover in the clothes rack and watch you closely. Eddie notices everything you touch lingers on. Making a mental note before moving on. And how costly they were. He sighs in defeat as he watches you leave with Lucas.

“Welp, that was a bust.” Max kicks up her heel.

“Not all of it.” He says, “Come on, let’s go home. Supper on me.” He pats her shoulder and they leave as well. 

Back at the trailer park, a few minutes after they arrive, you pull in front of Eddie’s trailer with Lucas. He heads off to Max’s as you knock on the door. Eddie swung open the door for you. “Hey Sunshine, figured it out for Lucas.”

You shrug, “He didn’t like anything I picked so we went into the comic shop and he went home to paint her a mini figure that looks like her.” You smile as you sit on the couch, “I think it’s cute. It shows how much time he’s willing to spend for her.”

Eddie smiles and nods, “Yeah it does. I uh got you something for our second anniversary.”

You laugh, “Eddi that was months ago.” You say.

He pouts a little, “Humor me. I didn’t get you anything for you and I want to make up for it.”

“Okay, okay, what is it?”

“Close your eyes.” He says. You obey and close your eyes. You hear him come up behind and you sense his hands near your head. You feel a chain around your neck before he says, “Okay, you can open them.”  

You look down to see a guitar pick on the end of the chain necklace. “Oh Eddie, it’s one of your picks. That’s so cute.”

“It’s not just any other pick. It’s the pick from when we first met. You lost yours and couldn’t play without one, so I gave you mine. And then you gave it back to me.” He smiles, “You could have kept it or tossed it or whatever but you brought it back.”

“So I could see you again.” You say as you flip the pick in your hands. “Thank you, baby.” You kiss him gently. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

[petrichorpetals]

I'm being very sane and normal about the Ten album I swear. I might have listened to the album 176 times already but that's besides the point.

Ten's about to be my most streamed artist by the end of the year tbh. I'm SOBBING I didn't have money for preorder but I'm getting my little goblin hands on both versions of his album as soon as I can. I need king of the ult table's photocard if it kills me. I've gotten my hands on two WayV albums and Xiaojun I love you, you're secondary bias, but I need my boy.

(Okay to be fair I did pull a Ten in On My Youth but it was the Polaroid and I can't put that in my phone case.)

Not excited over the styling tho. The light on version is giving far too much Kai for me to be convinced it's Ten's flavor and I'm not a fan of the stylings they had him in for Nightwalker. Like the thumbnail image of him with no eyebrows???? I know SM hates him but genuinely why.

It's not like they don't know how to style him??? Was his normal stylist out of town for this promotion or something? Like we're just back to 'Baby Don't Stop' Ten again and while I'm not opposed, it was far from his best look. 😕 'Birthday' Ten slapped so hard and tbh that song should have been promoted on this mini album as the title track but that's besides the point.

Honestly while I didn't hate Nightwalker at first it ranked really low for me overall but it's deffo grown on me. I should know by now not to doubt WayV. 😅 I was making fun of the slight falsetto from On My Youth and was SO convinced it ruined the song on my first listen. I have far too many streams of that song now in both versions. Same thing with Low Low and Kick Back tbh.

I think it's just the Ten effect. Boy opens his mouth and I listen. 😂 He's up to 103 songs that he's participated in and it doesn't matter what I'm doing, my brain is hyper-focused every time he opens mouth.

It's still funny to be that getting into WayV at first, Ten wasn't even the one I was focused on. It was Lucas at first bc my friend biased him, then Xiaojun took my attention, and finally Ten decided to get the wrecking ball to my brain.

I'm not even normally one for dance line either because I'm a whore for vocalists, but Ten is the only person I'll actively go out of my way to watch dance practice videos for. (Besides ateez but that was plot related) Like I already mentioned Birthday but the amount of views I have on both the MV and dance practice alone is too many to count. Ten just moves like water and has masterful control over his body and UGH IT'S SO GOOD. Have I gone out of my way to watch each and every video I can find of Ten dancing? Maybe.

Tbh I think the only person that can compete with Ten for my attention dance wise is The8 from Seventeen. I just really desperately want those two to collab. Like I know you two know each other, you were on the same show at one point and you share the dreamies on the weekend. Minghao is literally besties with Winwin please I need this for my mental health. I'll even take Jun too at this point, please Ten I'm begging! 😭 Am I still on my WayV and Seventeen agenda maybe.

[hannahlovesluca]

Hi I was wondering if you could make a matchup with nijisanji if possible?

Both sfw and nsfw

Gender: gender-fluid (biologically female)

Pronom: she/him

Sexuality: pansexuel

Appearance: 5’7 (170cm), dirty blonde hair (sometimes dyed) medium length, tan skin with a bunch of beauty spot and two birth mark (one on my left leg close to my inner thigh and the other one pretty big on my arm), I am pretty slim, I have glasses, brown/black eyes and dimple

Personality: im very shy and quiet but when I’m with people I’m comfortable with I am a bit crazy, sarcastic and a bit of a prankster but overall I’m caring, kind, smart, a hopeless romantic and patient

Zodiac sign: cancer

MBTI type: INFP

Likes: I love video games, drawing, music, reading, watching anime, plushie, horror stories, writing poem, sleep and cooking

Dislike: Loud noise/heated arguments (they scare me), not be able to fight back, pushy people, entitled people/brat, banana, frog, worms

Hobbies: play video game (of any type), drawing, listening to music, reading, singing and watch anime

Secret: I have ADHD and dyslexia (possibly autistic but I don’t have a diagnostic for that one) and I’m very good with kid/baby and they all love me (to the point they follow me like little ducklings) and I do want kid in the far futur

Misc: my native language is French but I’m more comfortable with English

Sorry if it was long or if there’s any grammatical errors I hope you have a good day and I hope it would be my Oshi that I get.

Thank you very much!

i pair you with…

Elira Pendora!

hear me out…

• UGH I LOVE HER.

• niji girls will playfully argue w you about who loves her more

• pogmu and you have a full rivalry

• luca probably ends up having a dating show w/ elira as the bachelorette and its just u and pogmu fighting for ewiwa’s heart

• oh my god i love ewiwa

• non parasocial

• she’ll probably be in call w/ you while you stream Melatonin and will end up falling asleep<3

• will hit you w random ass deez nuts joke

• or will sheesh at you if you tell her a pickup line

• shes such a zoomer ong

• pls tease her ab being a zoomer 🙏🙏

• if you think shes a zoomer she will force you to meet her brother and endure that pain

• she loves words of affirmation!!! giving and receiving!!!

• pls pls pls reaffirm her shes so insecure omg

• when holding ur hand she’ll do the thumb stroke thingy <33

RUNNERS UP: Luca Kaneshiro, Pomu Rainpuff

[gray-skiess]

Hii can I have a Mha and stranger things matchup please 🖤.

She/her pan

I'm 5'6 and look like this

Personality: I tend to keep to myself unless someone comes up to me and starts a conversation (a lot of people say I'm very intimidating when they first meet me for some reason 😂). I tend to be slightly reserved with someone until I'm comfortable with them, then I'm a massive dork (I love to joke around and make people laugh). I am very empathetic, always trying to keep the people around me happy (even if I'm not in the end) I hate disappointing people so I can over work myself sometimes. If someone is rude or annoying me I tend to get very sassy and sarcastic. I am very protective of my friends and love ones and get very angry if someone hurts them. I'm also a very calm person and it takes a lot for me to get angry/snap. I also sleep a lot....like a lot, unless it's during the school year then I tend to get like three hours lol (it's a running joke in my friend group that I never sleep). sometimes I stop in the middle of talking because I think I talk to much (I've been told many times that I do so I just try not to really talk in a way)i play with my hands a lot, I have a really high pitched (idk sorta cute?) sneeze, I can be very clumsy (I literally tripped on air once😂) when I do something scary my hands shaky after I've done the scary thing (if that makes any sense)

I like reading books, writing, listening to music (mostly kpop). I love love to dance (again mostly kpop). And even though I hate being in front of crowds I do like doing shows where I dance (I've done it multiple times with my friends at school events😊). I love doing my makeup especially crazy colored eye shadow. I love to be outside also. I also like to go on car rides in the middle of the night (I love going to get food then sit in a random parking lot).

I hope you have a good rest of your day/night 🖤

hey darling, thanks so much for the request, i hope you enjoy <3 !

from my hero academia i match you with;

ochako uraraka !

this is so cute to me i love her a lot ;-; but i feel like i see similarities between you two and you two would be really nice together in my opinion <3

- she would be the one to ask you out but she is so nervous when she does, her cheeks are so red omg. she was a little intimidated by you at first but thought your makeup was cool and that’s how the two of you started talking

- she likes to go on walks with you, sometimes with a destination in mind and sometimes without. overall she just loves being able to spend time with you and always makes the most of your time together

- she loves watching you dance, it’s so inspirational ! seeing you passionate about something makes her so happy and she even does a little research so she can properly enjoy and understand your hobbies

from stranger things i match you with;

lucas sinclair !

our little adventurer <3 i feel like y’all have similar values and ugh he’s so loving it’s perfect i swear

- he approaches you with a similar way as he did max, more so admiring from afar until the moment is just right. then offers to take you to a movie or to get pizza.

- my love, he is so doting. he worships the ground you walk on i swear. loves taking you bike riding and adventuring with the gang, would love to see your support at his basketball games, and adores it if you join him to a dnd campaign

- like ochako, he loves to love the things you love. if that makes sense. while at times he apprehensive to actually try different things, he’s more than willing to support you <3

[yurtletheturtlehenderson]

COSMIC - S1:E2; Chapter Two, The Weirdo On Maple Street - [Pt. 2]

A Will Byers x Male!Reader Series

𝘠/𝘯, 𝘓𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘴, 𝘋𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘔𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦'𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘯.

|| 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐏𝐎𝐕 ||

Lucas, Dustin and I take our seats once we get to class.

"Oh, that can't be good." I sigh, gesturing to Mike's empty seat.

"Yeah, he's never this late," Dustin added.

"I'm telling you, his stupid plan failed," Lucas stated.

"I thought you liked his plan?"

"Yeah, but obviously it's stupid, or he'd be here."

"If his mom found out a girl spent the night—" Dustin began.

"He's in deep shit right about now."

Dustin shifted in his seat, and leaned forward, whispering loud enough for us to hear. "Hey, what if she slept naked?"

"Ugh!" My face screws into a sour, disgusted look aimed at my brother, unintentionally speaking at the same time as Lucas. "Why would she do that, Dustin?"

"Oh, my God, she didn't."

"Oh, if Mrs. Wheeler tells our parents..."

The thought of Mom finding out was enough to elicit an anxious groan from me, and I let my forehead fall against desk where I buried my face.

"No way. Mike would never rat us out."

I hesitantly looked up, making eye contact with Lucas. He gave me a reassuring smile, knowing I worry easily.

"I don't know." Dustin said warily.

"All that matters is, after school, the freak will be back in the loony bin, and we can focus on what really matters, finding Will." I frown at his specific choice of words for El, thinking back on how scared she seemed last night. I desperately want to say something, but decided against it, not wanting to get in a fight. Fighting won't get us any closer to finding Will.

|| 𝟑𝐫𝐝 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐎𝐕 ||

Mike Wheeler rides his bike down the small slope of grass towards his front yard. When El refused to let Mike's mom know she was there, Mike had no choice but to resort to plan b. He had led his mom to believe that he had ridden to school when in reality he had stopped around the corner until both his parents were gone.

When he got to the driveway, he dismounted his bike and led it into the garage, however something caught his eye. He stared in awe as the once withered and frankly the most miserable looking plant he had ever seen in his life, was now a beautiful lush green and stood as tall his knees. 'How had Y/n done it?'

It took a solid moment for Mike to gather his thoughts and focus on the task at hand. He parked his bike and made his way inside.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

"You want anything to drink?" Mike decided to take advantage of the empty house so that he could show El around. "We have OJ, skim milk... What else? Um, we have..."

Mike trailed off when he saw that El was more fascinated with the things in his living room, mostly his TV set.

"Oh, this is my living room. It's mostly just for watching TV."

El lightly traced her fingers around the frame of the TV as she examined it.

"Nice, right? It's a 22-inch.

That's, like, ten times bigger than Dustin's."

El turned her head and said quietly.

"Y/n."

"Well, yeah of course. Y/n too."

"Y/n. Brother?" She asked, making sure she remembered correctly.

"Yeah!" Mike smiled, then lightly shrugged. "Well, technically adopted. But yeah, they're still brothers."

El's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Ad-adopted?"

"Yeah, um, it means that he came from different parents. Mrs. Henderson adopted him because his parents were unable to take care of him. It's funny actually, Y/n is from Hawkins. Or at least that's where they found him. They didn't used to live in Hawkins; I don't know much about it cause Dustin was so young he doesn't remember any of it, but I think him and his mom were visiting family here and they just... found him, I think? I'm pretty sure that's why they moved here, or something."

El seemed to understand as she thought about it. She then turned to look at the all the pictures on top of the fireplace. She slowly walks to the fireplace and steps up onto the brick platform. She gazes at all the family photos. Particularly, the photo beside the one of Mike; of a smiling girl, a little older than herself, with long brown hair and a pink sweater.

She smiles longingly and speaks in a soft voice. "Pretty."

"I guess." Mike's face is contorted in confusion and a little in disgust.

"That's my sister Nancy. And that's baby Holly." He said as she moved to the slightly larger photo of a young baby. She then moved along to a photo with Mike, Nancy, and Holly, along with two other people she didn't recognize.

"And those are my parents. What are your parents like?" As usual, El says nothing and she steps down from the fireplace and walks up to a large green chair.

"Do they live close?" Mike continued. He notices El run her hand along the top of the plush green chair. "That's our La-Z-Boy. It's where my dad sleeps. You can try it if you want." He offers. El looked up at him, intrigued. "Yeah." He assured her, with a warm smile on his face. She cautiously sits down as Mike kneels down beside the chair. "It's fun!"

She looked to Mike, wondering what he is up to.

"Just trust me, okay?" She gives a quick nod, and braces herself, not knowing what to expect. She is taken aback by the sudden collapse of the chair, she is now laying down and the chair is rocking back and forth. She lets out a gasp, and then a nervous chuckle.

"See? Fun, right?"

With one hand on the back of the chair, and the other on the front, he brings the chair back into its default position. "Now you try."

With a small smile on her face, and feeling more confident she leans over the side and pulls the handle, letting her entire body go flying backward into a slow rock. Mike and El both look at each other and laugh gleefully.

⊹ ⊹ ⊹

Some random rock song on the radio that Jonathan barely recognized came to an end as Jonathan Byers drove to his dad's house. His eyes darted to the radio unit in his car for a moment as his heart fell when the familiar sound of "Should I Stay or Should I Go" rang throughout the car.

- 𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 -

"Darlin', you got to let me know"

Jonathan is sat on the edge of the bed next to his younger brother Will. The two of them are in Will's room, bobbing their heads along to 'Should I Stay or Should I Go' by The Clash.

"Should I stay or should I go?"

"You like it?" Jonathan had to raise his voice so he could be heard over the loud song. Will looks to his older brother and grins.

"Yeah, it's cool!"

"All right, you can keep the mix if you want."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. All the best stuff's on there. Joy Division, Bowie, Television, The Smith's... It'll totally change your life."

"Yeah, totally," Will says with a smile. However, the smile is quick to leave when the two boys hear their mother yelling on the phone.

"Where the hell are you, Lonnie?"

Will slowly turns his head to the door, listening to his mother yell at his absent father.

"I don't want to hear it. I don't want to hear it." Jonathan mimics his brother's actions and looks to the door. Finally, he gets up and walks towards the door.

"This is ridiculous! I'm so sick of your excuses.

"One day is fine and next is black"

Before Jonathan sits down, he lowers the volume on the stereo.

"He's not coming, is he?"

"Do you even like baseball?" Jonathan asks softly.

"No, but... I don't know." He shrugs sadly. "It's fun to go with him sometimes."

"Come on. Has he ever done anything with you that you actually like? You know, like the arcade or something?"

Will shrugs his shoulders weakly. "I don't know."

"No, all right? He hasn't. He's trying to force you to like normal things. And you shouldn't like things because people tell you you're supposed to. Okay?"

Will only looks down at his feet sadly.

"Especially not him."

Will silently nods his head in understanding.

Jonathan decided to change the subject.

"But you like The Clash? For real?"

Will nods his head eagerly with a smile. "For real. Definitely."

"So... is Y/n a fan of The Clash?" Jonathan asks, genuinely curious.

A faint blush dusts Will's cheeks as he looks down at his hands. "Um, yeah, I think so."

"Maybe you should show this to him. I bet he'll like it."

"Maybe. You think?"

"Yeah, from what I know, he has great taste. He's pretty cool."

A loving smile spreads across Will's face. "Yeah, he is pretty cool."

There's a small pause filled only with the now dulled melody of drums and guitar drifting through the air. They had talked about it before, but only vaguely, never fully addressing it and it dawned on Jonathan that there was probably still loads of fear for Will because of it. He looks down at his brother who he loved more than anything and sent him an encouraging, honest smile.

"Will, you guys are best friends. You two are just too close to ruin the friendship. Why don't you think about asking him to the arcade or something? Just the two of you, maybe come back here for some mac and cheese or something if that'd make you feel safer, and you could " he shrugs. "let him know how you feel?"

Will looked up at his brother, shocked. But his body was flushed with relief, he could feel the air in the room hitting his sweaty and clammey skin giving him chills. Not quite knowing how to handle his brothers reaction, his eyes simply fall to his hands where they fidgeting in his lap.

"But what if that does ruin the friendship? What if he doesn't feel the same way, and decides to stop hanging out with me. Or if someone finds out- I just- I just can't. I'm not ready."

"That's okay. All I'm saying is, he is way too nice to be the kind of person who would do that. And you are way too important to him. And hey, if you ever do feel ready, or you guys do go out in the future..." Jonathan trails off, sensing the awkwardness creep up. He chuckles and looks back to his brother.

"All I'm trying to say is, I'm here for you. Always."

Will smiles gratefully and Jonathan leans forward to the volume back up.

"Should I stay or should I go? So you gotta let me know, should I stay or should I go?"

- 𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 -

[tsrookie]

Always In My Heart

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Alyssa Brooks)

A/N: On today’s episode of ‘I have no idea wtf I’m doing’, we have something that I cooked up because I had terrible WiFi and no other app but Google docs would open up.

Trope: Fluff, but a tiny bit of angst?

Rating: General

Word Count: 2.3K

Warning(s): Mentions of character death

Summary: Their son has a very important question to ask.

——————————

The delicious aroma of chicken and rice wafted through the Brooks-Ramsey household. The couple worked side by side in the kitchen as they had all those years ago, the only difference being that it was now a dinner for five and not just two.

Allison Dolores Brooks-Ramsey came into their lives nine years ago, and while it was earlier than they would have wanted, they didn’t regret a second of their lives ever since they first heard her voice.

The twins on the other hand, were planned, but nothing had prepared them for the chaos that Nathan and Natalie would bring. A new broken object every week, a dozen fights for the TV every day, and yet were nothing short of tiny tornadoes when they joined forces.

It couldn’t be more perfect.

“What time did Jackie and Emilia say that they would bring the girls back?”

“6:30, I think.”

“Ah. So we have time till 7:00.” They shared a knowing smile. Two aunts taking their nine and six year old nieces to the mall meant a complete raid of the toy store, and a new guitar.

“You need to stop letting everyone spoil the girls just because you have a soft spot for them, Ethan. Ally’s grown old enough to understand that she has her daddy wrapped around her finger, and we don’t need Nat coming to that realisation as well.”

“I don’t- I can’t believe you would accuse me of not loving all my children equally!”, he exclaimed in mock offense.

“Mhmm. So why did I have to come up with an explanation to tell Nathan why his dad wasn’t on board with ordering dessert when he asked for it, but relented once his sisters kept bugging him for another five minutes?”

He opened his mouth in protest, but decided against saying anything for his own good. “Well what can I say? They’ve inherited their mother’s persuasiveness. And I can’t really say no to you, can I?”

Alyssa’s lips curved upwards at that. The playful look in her husband’s eyes caused her to finally break into a grin. “At least you’re self-aware.” Stuffing the rice into the bird she added, “But I can’t exactly tell our son that his dad is too in-love with his mom that he sees her in his daughters and hence can’t say no to them. He’d gag in disgust.”

He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her, resting his head in the crook of her neck. “That he would. Alright I’ll try a little harder to resist their charms. Wouldn’t want my only son to end up hating me.” He said it without a hint of worry over it becoming true someday. Over the years, he’d learned to put aside his fears of not being a good father, and with the help of some therapy, and Alyssa’s unwavering love and support, he’d locked up his insecurities in a box and let it sink to the bottom of the ocean.

They took the stuffed chicken and put it in the oven, washed their hands and plopped down on the couch for some rare downtime.

“Crap.”

“Everything okay?”

“Fred’s mom got called in, so she’s dropping Nate off on her way to work.”

Ethan sighed. “There goes the hour I planned to spend with my wife, who I barely get to spend enough time with these days.”

“I swear, you were never this busy when you were chief. I have no idea why my workload’s ten times bigger.”

“I do.” Ethan smiled with pride. “One usually does have a lot of work when they’re at the front lines of the battle for making free healthcare accessible for every single person in the country. My brilliant wife, though she could choose to leave most of the work to her very competent team, opts to take it all upon herself. So that’s probably the cause behind all the extra workload she complains about.”

She smirked and perched herself onto his lap. “Well your very brilliant wife also knows that you called my team very competent just to avoid hurting my feelings, and that you and I both know that they’ll be running around like headless chickens without me taking care of things.”

“I know, love. But you can still make them do a little more instead of working yourself to the bone while still making sure that you have at least one meal with the kids every day.”

She sighed. “Yeah, to make sure that they don’t forget what I look like.” She leaned in closer. “Besides, are we really going to spend our last few minutes of peace talking about work?”

Just as she uttered the words, the door burst open, and Nathan kicked off his shoes and jumped onto the couch as Alyssa slid down from Ethan’s lap. She shot him a look that very clearly meant What did I just say?

Ethan gave her an apologetic look and ruffled his son’s hair. “Hey buddy. How was your day at Fred’s? I know you wanted to spend more time with him.”

“I did, and we were just about to open his new LEGO set when Mrs. Watson told us that she had to run up to her office for some emergency meeting.”, he pouted. “But it was a nice day. We watched Thor: Ragnarok and Luca, and we would’ve watched another movie if his dad didn’t tell us that two movies were enough for a day.”

Alyssa shot him a mildly stern look. “Well he was right. You’re too young to have movie marathons just yet. Two are more than enough, unless you want to have a headache.”

“But mom, I’m not too young! I’m a big boy! I can swing along the monkey bars at the park faster than Natalie, and soon I’ll swing across buildings just like Spider-Man!”

“Well Spider-Man got bitten by a yucky spider before he swung across buildings. Do you want to be bitten by a gross and poisonous spider?”

“Mommy, not all spiders are gross and poisonous. Dad told me that when I was four and got scared of them at the zoo.”

She rolled her eyes. Leave it to her husband to convince her kids that insects were anything short of creepy and disgusting. In reality, they were, but as someone who ran a mile away at the sight of a butterfly, she wasn’t going to accept that.

“That’s right, Nate. Some of them are certainly very poisonous and dangerous, but that doesn’t mean that you should be scared of them. If you maintain your distance and admire them from afar, there should be no problem at all.”, he said with a pointed look at Alyssa, who just huffed in annoyance.

Nathan giggled, his brown eyes lighting up with amusement. He loved watching his parents playfully bicker. It was way better than seeing them- ugh, kiss.

“We were pretending to be superheroes and Fred used his full name for his pretend name cause it sounded cool, and it is. Fredrick Anthony Watson sounds like something from that show you and mom watch with the guys in the stuffy suits.”

“When did you see us watching the show with the guys in the stuffy suits?”, asked Ethan with a slight hint of concern. Whatever he and Alyssa watched on their free nights was definitely not kid-friendly.

“I don’t remember. Maybe a few months ago.”

Their year old puppy, Ivy, woke up from her nap and bounced into the living room to jump onto her favourite person. Nathan squealed with joy as the fluffy hair of the dog tickled his nose.

Ethan and Alyssa smiled at each other. Getting another dog after Jenner was a decision that took a lot of convincing, but their kids were responsible enough and it was impossible to say no after two years of constant pestering.

“Fred told me that he was named after his great-grandfather William, and that he was this really cool guy who saved a bunch of guys from getting mugged in a dark, dark alley.” He turned to look at his parents as Ivy snuggled into his lap. “Who was I named after mom?”

The question caught her off guard, and she glanced at Ethan for backup.

When they knew that they were having a boy, they immediately knew what to name him. They hadn't, however, anticipated Nathan Daniel Brooks-Ramsey to ask such a question this soon.

Seeing his wife at a loss for words, Ethan spoke up. “C’mere Nate.” He pulled him closer and pressed a kiss atop his head. “We once had a friend named Daniel. He worked at the hospital as a nurse, and he was close to your mom and Aunt Sienna when they were interns.”

Having found her voice, Alyssa joined in. “He was an amazing friend. He was the only nurse in the hospital who helped me out when things got messy, and cheered up Aunt Sienna when no one else could. He’d join us for picnics and movie nights, and you could always count on him if you needed something at the hospital.” She took a deep breath, and Ethan nodded. “Things were going well, but then in my second year, something really bad happened.”

“Oh no.”

“There was this bad guy, who wanted his revenge on another bad guy, and he was ready to risk his own life, and the lives of everyone around him to do so.”

“That’s horrible! Who would want to do something like that?”

Ethan smiled wistfully. “A lot of people in this world actually do. You’re a good person, so you know that it’s wrong. But some people aren’t, and they don’t care about other people getting hurt because of their actions. That night at the hospital, Danny tried to tell the bad guy that it was wrong, and to think things through. But he didn’t listen, and did something that hurt both himself, Danny, Uncle Raf, another friend of ours, and your mom.”

His little eyebrows creased with worry, Nathan asked, “What happened then?”

“He… he died. Along with our other friend, Bobby. Do you remember what we once told you about an autopsy?” Nathan nodded his head. “Well Danny asked for his body to be autopsied, and thanks to him, we were able to find out what was wrong with mom and Uncle Raf.”

He fell silent for a moment, remembering the horrors of the day, and how eternally grateful he was to Danny for being the reason he didn’t lose everything. He couldn’t imagine a life without the love of his life and his children, and he wouldn’t have either if not for the sacrifices that were made.

He looked up at Alyssa, and she squeezed his hand in support. “We’ll tell you more when you’re older, but to make it short, you’re named after a hero too. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have you, your sisters, or mom here with me.”

Nathan wriggled out of his dad’s arms, and set Ivy down so he could hug his mom as tightly as he could.

“Well… if you can hear me Mr. Daniel, I just wanna thank you. Thanks for saving my mom. I love her so much and I’m so thankful that I got to meet her because of what you did. I wish I could’ve met you, you sound like a really cool person, and I’m sure you were. So yeah, thanks. A lot.”

Alyssa’s eyes glimmered with unshed tears, and she held her son as she expressed her silent thanks along with Ethan.

What they had was precious.

Fifteen years had passed since they first met, and yet each day they fell in love a little more like they did when they held hands for the first time in the dim light of the NICU watching over little Ethan, or when she finally got to see the real him the first time she visited his place; the first time in years he let someone know a little of the worries residing deep in his heart.

With all the odds against them, it was a miracle that they survived, even more so that they managed to raise three perfect children who had more love to share than they could ever comprehend.

And they’d never forget all the reasons that made it possible for them to survive.

Ding!

The timer on the oven went off, and they got to their feet to get the chicken.

“Was he a good cook dad?”

“I… don’t really know, Nate. Your mom knew him better than I did.”

“Well there was this one time where he helped Aunt Sienna bake an amazing cake, so I guess he knew his way around the kitchen.”, Alyssa recollected fondly. It was for Jackie’s birthday, one of the few nights where the competition was completely forgotten about.

Nathan’s face melted into a glowing smile. “I love cake. So I guess I really would’ve loved him.”

She mirrored his radiant expression. “You definitely would’ve.”

“Why don’t you go play with Ivy while mom and I get the food ready? You can help us with the dessert later.”

“We’re having dessert?!”

Ethan grinned at his son’s excitement. “You bet we are.”

“Yay!” They watched as Nathan ran off to go play fetch with Ivy in their enormous backyard.

Ethan pulled Alyssa in for a sweet, lingering kiss as soon as he was out of sight.

“You’ve been wanting to do that for a while now hmm?”

“Something like that.”, he murmured as they broke apart.

She could see the ever-increasing strands of silver in his brown hair, and the faint wrinkles along the sides of his forehead, but his clear blue eyes were just as loving and devoted as she remembered from over a decade ago.

“We have a pretty good life, don’t we?”

Ethan kissed her again. “No, we have the perfect life.”

——————————

A/N 2: Aaaand I’m going MIA again. Honestly though, to everyone who’s read so far, thank you so much for sticking around. Means the world💙

P.S: I finally chose Chyler Leigh as my face claim!

Taglist: @whimsicallywayward15 @aleynareads @starrystarrytrouble @dxnicaramsey @decadentwinnerjudgedream @ilikemenbutonlyethanramsey @rookiefromedenbrook @eramsey28 @the-pale-goddess @ohchoices @wellhelloramsey @mvalentine @swiftlydarcy @utterlyinevitable @akshara16 @sushiharrington @drethanramslay @lion-ess24 @whippedforethanfreakingramsey @drariellevalentine @perriewinklenerdie @blossomanarchy @stateofgracious @takemyopenheart @open-heart-ramseyyy @maurine07 @udishaman @queencarb @ethanramseylover @rookiemarsswiftie @aworldoffandoms @lsvdw-blog @n03lia @openheartfanfics @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfan @jamespotterthefirst @senseofduties

Please let me know if you want to be added to or removed from the taglist!

[ariendiel]

Hey, I hope this isn’t a super annoying question but you’ve altars got such beautiful and positive content - what helped make a Noah route more enjoyable in the actual playthrough? Any advice you can impart?

Not annoying at all! I love these kinds of asks, so thank you! 💗 I'll make this my detailed guide to how I make the Noah route enjoyable (to me at least), but without playing it as a burn-the-villa route because I actually don't enjoy my MC being mean... Hope it might help some of you at least!

Please note this all requires projecting a lot of feelings etc. onto MC, which I think is a requirement for most routes to be fair. I'll add this post to my masterlist and will replay the game soon-ish (and for the last time) to make sure it all makes sense with any possible changes etc.

My guide to a nice* Noah route

Day 1: Choose Noah, I never minded that Hope "stole" him (it happens) but it does help if you – like me – want to create a "what if?" storyline in your head while playing. I've also never been a Bobby stan**, so I don't mind being in a friendship couple with him and just reject him. ** If you're a Bobby stan, probably choose someone else.

Don't flirt with anyone else at first, that way he will approach you during the evening and you can chat for a while before Hope comes to, uhm, collect him.

Day 3: Since MC is in a friendship couple with Bobby, and not really interested in anyone else here, flirt with and couple up with Rocco. The sympathy you get throughout Roccogate, while also forgiving Marisol, is quite nice – especially because you get protective Lucas.

Speaking of Lucas, I tend to flirt with him during etc. but then purposefully don't save him so that MC is again left feeling like there's no real option for her (Bobby is her friend, Rocco grafted on someone else, and now Lucas has left). This helps in the build-up to Operation Nope. Choose Henrik here if he's your preferred part of Lurik.

Day 7: Help Noah win the Mr. Love Island competition (I'm still salty they changed it so that Bobby is the one to approach MC initially. But just imagine Noah is the one doing it).

Day 9: Choose Noah for your Villa date. At this point, I headcanon MC and Noah as very good mates who increasingly look longingly at each other. Nope is rapidly falling apart, and book boy is feeling lost. The date is also just lovely in general. Hope picks first at that recoupling though, so pick Bobby.

I would recommend coupling up with Bobby here, but this time because he actively will encourage you to participate in ON. Like, you can project onto him whatever motivations you like, but it definitely makes MC kissing Noah feel a bit more... valid?

Day 10: Kiss Noah during Operation Nope (I don't like to be too enthusiastic when they plan it though, feeling pity for Rahim especially).

Day 11: If you don't like Jakub: Go on the date with him, and hate every moment of it. Break up with Bobby, saying your head's turned.

Day 12: Listen in on the conversation between Noah and Priya, it's quite cute I think – and makes it clear that Priya is quite bitter Noah is into MC and not her. This, I think, is why she later is the one to purposefully tell Hope in front of pretty much everyone that Noah is into MC and wants to couple with her.

That night, when the big argument happens, there are a few dialogue options I'd recommend over others: 1. Suggest coming up with a compromise. 2. Suggest giving Noah space to think. 3. Admit you like him, but say you won't act on those feelings. This way, Noah won't snap, Hope will forgive Priya, but not you, and at least to me it feels like MC is genuinely just tired of the whole thing and Hope yelling at her. Note: I haven't played the game in a while, but will do so soon to make sure these are all the same as they were over a year ago.

Day 13: Disaster recoupling! Noah will pick you, and just enjoy this for as long as it lasts. Literally it is so lovely to be coupled up with him and you get to learn quite a lot about him. Kiss him before going to CA.

CA: Ugh, just get through it. I prefer to stay loyal to Noah throughout, mostly because suddenly MC's girl"friends" don't think she wants to be serious with him and at least this way it proves them wrong.

Day 17: Noah switches to Blake. This man's a notorious over-thinker, and a combination of insecurity and Blake playing the game made him switch. Don't think too much about it, other than take note of how he switched to the girl that managed to "mimic" MC in how she behaves, rather than the one that looked like Hope. It's the little things, really. Say you're happy for him, and just enjoy how genuinely sad and apologetic he is, but also how he almost certainly thinks he's completely blown his chances with MC for good.

Day 18: THE PAIN. Everyone ignores MC and her feelings completely, instead working together to get Hope back with Noah for some bloody reason. The worst day on a Noah route, but you can tell Noah isn't really into it, and by this point it's hard to tell if Hope is just playing the game or not (I choose to imagine her knowing she has to be with Noah to have a chance at winning. I love her, but she's competitive and wants to win).

During the recoupling, I usually choose to save Jakub and stay with him in a miserable couple until the end. But choose whoever you're not really interested in from here on out.

Day 19: Fail the ‘Mister and Missus’ challenge. Your partner, or Jakub at least, will be genuinely mad at you for it. If you have low enough relationship points, Noah will make you breakfast the next day. ❤️

Get through these days and the gossip-sneezer drama as best as you can, ignore Hope and flirt with Noah when you can. Honestly, the chemistry and building (s*xual) tension between him and MC is so good if you're into him.

Admit to Chelsea you're into him***, that way you get to chat with him on the roof terrace, say you like him. *** I can't remember the day this happens on, but will check later.

Day 22: Flirt with Noah that morning, and notice how Hope is acutely taking note of it, because not much later she'll corner MC and ask her who she fancies. Here, you can't say Noah, the game forcing you to say someone else (I say Jakub because my poor MC is coupled with him and it feels like the "right" choice, but choose whoever you want to couple with). After you say a name, Hope will literally sprint out and tell this person, before quickly going to Noah – most likely to tell him about how much MC fancies [insert name here]. This, combined with literally everyone expecting it of him, is why Noah blows his last chance at being with MC and chooses Hope at the recoupling.

I think we mentioned it quite a bit in our Noah character analysis (here), but note how his speeches when choosing Hope get less and less emotional and more robotic as time passes.

Don't do any gem options with your partner by the way, and don't kiss them etc. Treat it like a simple friendship, and nothing more. It makes it a lot easier to imagine that they're only really with MC and laying it on thick at times because they're in it for the money.

Day 24: Whoever you sent home out of Lurik comes back, you can swap to them without hurting your chances with Noah if that makes it easier to steal the money. I still don't like to outright cheat or flirt with them though.

Again, just enjoy and take every single moment you get with Noah to flirt with him. He flirts back and is so very clearly into MC it hurts.

Day 28: Say no to being your partner's girlfriend (if you haven't flirted with them much up until here it's super awkward and feels forced). Noah won't have asked Hope to be his girlfriend either, so neither of you will technically cheat later, as they're pretty much just formally coupled up. Agree to chat with Noah on the roof terrace that night, and straight out admit you like him – don't go for the kiss... yet.

Day 29: Just get through the prom knowing that all Noah and MC, depending on how you project, can think about is the other. Hook up on the roof terrace that night, and accept that Noah won't just run back in and break up with Hope right away (it doesn't make much sense to do so, and Noah is not one to act rashly).

Day 30: Steal the money. Go talk with Noah and Hope first. Noah breaks up with Hope and you get that wonderful pool scene with him where he says "I love you".

Good luck, and let me know how it goes or if you have any questions! Now go get that sweet pixel librarian 📚

[fatechica]

So we all know Twitter is a hell scape; however the hate they have for both Finn’s performance and Mike in general is unreal. I absolutely live for angst so I loved the fight. It was so much better than the bubble gum/middle school issues in ST3 imo. Would I have loved to see a little more mileven before the duffers threw heartache at us, sure, but angst makes for an awesome reunion. Ugh ST2 anyone? Mike seeing El after a year! Amazing! I also think people forget that mike literally grew up in a household with two parents that don’t love each other and who are oblivious to their kids emotional needs. As for Finn and mike hate, I do not accept the haters. They can choke. Sorry for the rambling

Ok, I'm going to go ahead and admit it: I think there were parts of Finn's acting in S4 (especially in the beginning) that felt very... wooden, phoned-in. Not sure why - maybe he was tired, maybe it was a choice, maybe he's just moving on or something - but that was definitely an impression I got from some of his scenes. Not all of them! But some of them.

Overall though, I thought he was fine in S4 (not that he had the most tremendous amount of screentime fml, but what are you gonna do?). But I still love Mike Wheeler and I still think Finn does a good job playing him. Do I think Mike Wheeler is a perfect person? Oh hell no - his lack of support for Lucas in Ep 1 was the epitome of Not Cool (looking at you too, Dustin) and he definitely needs to learn to a) think before he speaks and b) LISTEN BETTER.

But he's also 15 years old, so I'm gonna cut him some slack here because who was perfect at 15 years old? And if you answer "well, I never/wouldn't have done that" you haven't answered the question. Because NONE OF US ARE PERFECT, especially when we're teenagers! We've all done stuff that is stupid or mean or just not cool in general. Most of us learn from it.

You can hate the character and be dissatisfied with an actor's portrayal of a character - no one's forcing people to love fictional characters or the actors who play them - but hate towards the actor has to stop, especially if it crosses the line into harassment. At the end of the day, it's a job Finn gets paid to do and he doesn't owe anyone but the people who hired him. If the directors and show runners are satisfied with his performance, then that's all that matters. Hate him all you want in private, but don't harass him.

[reddeadreference]

Blog Progress Update (Travel Blog Style? #16)

I forgot to shave before passing out in the street… damn it.. 

Also I love (and hate) the idea that this guy just found me in the street and decided to DRAG me to the doctors (or maybe he just dragged me out of the middle of the road… cause he does try to get Arthur to wake up and the doc isn't far from where we fell over)

"Not good news" Yep here come the water works.

I made a gif, i’m sure there’s a bunch of these out there of this but I made one anyway..

I'm sure the game didn't think I would actually choose to leave the horses after taking the canoe up river and actually WALK all the way to the cave judging by how Arthur and Charles were yelling despite walking a foot apart. 

But guess what game, I just needed to take a long walk through spooky woods with my boy, the only guy (okay one of two cause John counts but he's not here right now) that has my damn back in this damn camp. 

It was actually rather relaxing… if I didn't think about where we're going or where we were or the fact that Arthur is DYING (I'm not okay)

Damn it the last mission in chapter 5 is just full of so many "oh shit" moments where I remember or hear a line that reminds me what's about to happen. Bringing Meredith home I almost started crying, hearing Molly I had to pause and take breath first… this game is so well done to provoke emotions like this even after years and knowing what’s coming

Oof and the music "I did… I told them!" And the music just gets so much darker and dramatic and UGH I don't like this pain. Yelling at my screen "no she didn't! She's drunk! Susan no!!!" DX but fuck man… she's so heartbroken she's lying so he'll shoot her and/or she's lying cause she knows it'll hurt him cause he’s hurt her… I hate it. 

The fact that Molly didn't get a fucking grave and that they didn't bury her but burned her… I know they didn't know… but she deserved better… and the fact that the chapter screen pops up on that image…

Chapter 6: loads in

Me: I hate it here...

Dutch is giving a speech… does he even realize NO ONE is looking at him. Like for his other speeches he had people stop and turn to look or walk over to listen… I think everyone has realized his speeches are just the same. He'd throw himself in the ground in their stead. Yeah, we got it Dutch…

Basically saying pick his side… dude there shouldn't be sides in the first place. You're a self fulfilling prophecy my man… 

Also seeing how the list in my “people” folder for camp stuff keeps getting shorter just HURTS

I am excited about doing Bronte's house's post. Dude has his fucking initials on his damn wallpaper xD

I think you can go inside it in Red Dead Online so I might go back for some more photos (it was very annoying to angle the shots I did take so bodies weren't in frame) if not I can just replay the mission.

Might have to see if I can go into the Mayor's house too cause the party doesn't really let you wander in there unless Luca is with you or you're sneaking

Apparently you have to use a wagon to get to the second floor then go through a window… well this’ll be interesting… just hope I don’t get a session with a lot of players in Saint Denis… ugh I wish it was like GTA V online where you have private lobbies. I hate going onto RDO alone cause I always run into assholes who just wanna kill npcs and players for fun. Well, I will ‘document’ my online adventure as Evangeline (my online OC) who looks like Ciri from Witcher 3 and her Missouri fox trotter Trevor.

Well I found a wagon immediately but it had an open back so i couldn’t climb onto it… now i’m waiting on the either side of a bridge for a good wagon… If i had a trader wagon that might work but I don't… wait... O_O Target acquired.

*Hacker voice* I’m in.

Obviously these photos won’t be as clear cause I can’t turn off blur on the 1st person view thing… Gonna do the same kinda thing I did with the Braithwaite manor post where there is a lil mini map to show which room it is. Gonna make a separate post for the garden in back… and honestly… probably have to make a separate post for each floor… I took a lot of photos...

So yeah that might be the next thing to come out cause I really wanna get that up.

[razorblade180]

Interdimensional Moms: Bonus

Part 4 here<-

After many tears and tissue boxes, all members of team RWBY had finally stopped crying. Blake was the best off with her eyes a little red while Ruby was the complete opposite. The girl’s face was still rather red and her eyes were puffy. She hadn’t even completely stopped sniffling yet; much like tear marked partner. Yang on the other hand rested her head on the table. She had cried hard enough to giver herself a minor headache. She was completely drained.

Yang:Ugh, this blows! I thought this was gonna be a fun learning experience.

Blake:We definitely learned. It just so happens we had to poke at some.... extremely sensitive topics.

Weiss:I’m all for looking inward and self reflection but I’ve had my fill.

Ruby:Same. Should’ve kept the summary light.

Yang:No, I’m glad you got that off your chest. We just need a way to lighten the mood.

Blake:.....I kicked Weiss’s butt in a tournament.

RWY:......What?

Blake:During the time spent training for Salem, another tournament was held between the schools. It had team matches and singles. I kicked Weiss’s butt in my fourth round. It was a good day.

Weiss:How is that lightening mood!?

Blake:Listen, it was a big deal! I never thought I was gonna win the whole tournament but I really wanted to beat you. I love you but your head gets a little big when you’re on a roll for too long; plus I just really didn’t want to lose. I always felt a bit of rivalry between us.

Yang:Hehe, is that you’re way of saying “It would look bad to lose to a Schnee?”

Blake:Well it would!

Ruby:Hehehe.

Yang:Wait, does that mean we went back to school?

Blake:Yeah. It was pretty comforting. There was definitely a lot left to learn.

Yang:Weird. School kinda faded into the background.

Ruby:I went back to school. We all did actually. It was fast tracked by roughly a year but it was fun. We all got to pose in caps and gowns.

Weiss:Damn! I should’ve went back just for that. Unfortunately I was busy making rent and learning how to properly preheat a oven.

Yang:It’s like two buttons.

Weiss:Gas stove, and six years out of date.

Yang:Awww, you had to learn the hard way. I’m surprised and thankful you never left the gas on.

Weiss:There’s an alarm for that. Also I’m not irresponsible! Anyways, I mentioned similar tournaments earlier. I didn’t participate much but enough old videos of me in them were enough for to really light a fire under my kids. For awhile I was a bit concerned that they were just following a trend but they really love it. They used to always go around playing like knights when they were tiny.

Ruby:Carmine was a little different. She definitely always tried doing things I could but nothing got the girl jumping like seeing Yang’s horses or new ballet shoes. There wasn’t a morning when I didn’t hear a vase fall over or seeing her spin like a top. Carmine still hums some old routines when she isn’t paying attention.

Yang:Not too many memories of Yujin when she was pint size. But I do remember that wild child always loved using my bandannas for everything! Napkins, capes, ropes; anything but an actual bandanna. I used to get a bit upset with the napkin one but she’d always look at me with her big eyes and crazy hair. I never stayed mad.

Weiss:Softie.

Yang:She was like a pudgy puff ball! Fat cheeks and wholesome smiles. Ah! So adorable!

Weiss:I used to always have at least one of my kids on my hip when I was out and about. I think the media has a magazine amount of pictures of me at the park kissing my babies. Summer liked tummy rubs. She’d never go to sleep without one. Some nights I’d sing too but start to doze off so Jaune would have to take over.

Yang:*smiles* Speaking of Jaune.....

Ruby:No.

Yang:You don’t even know what I was-

Ruby:Were you about to suggest we compare our Jaune’s in the bedroom?

Yang:*red*......Well not just the bedroom! What’s the harm!? I just wanna know if he’s consistent across the board. No need to get detailed.

Weiss:You really never change no matter the world.

Yang:Can’t change greatness. It shows in any form!

Blake:He’s pretty compliant and accommodating. The benefits of being his first when I had prior knowledge I suppose.

Ruby:Don’t answer!

Blake:Why not? I’m comfortable with it.

Yang:Don’t listen to those two Blake. They’re just a bit more embarrassed since Jaune has literally been their one and only.

Blake:Huh, I never thought about it like that. Jaune would’ve been the first person you two opened up to on such a level; especially Weiss.

Yang:That’s still hilarious. All the protesting and somehow you found yourself stripping for the guy.

Weiss:Shut up! I already know! It was....I.... *blushing* emotions ran really high.

Ruby:An entire mental rollercoaster of thoughts and firsts happening all at once. Anxiety was high.

Yang:Heh, so you could say that Jaune Arc-

RW:Got through our walls. Hardy har har.

Yang:Shit, I am the same in every universe. Well I don’t have any reservations about it! *grinning* He makes me feel special every time!

Blake:Bottom.

Yang:I’m ignoring you.🎶

Ruby:Hehe, sounds about right. He...might make me feel a bit special as well.

Blake:Switch.

Ruby:How can you just guess off of that!?

Blake:It’s a gift.

Weiss:......

Blake:*smiling*

Weiss:Leave me alone.

Blake:I don’t know what has you embarrassed. You told us you’ve slept with everyone here except Ruby! I knew you were repressed but geez.

Weiss:For your information it wasn’t my idea! It was yours!

Blake:Not surprising. Let’s switch the topic. How is this other child of mine? Can’t picture me having a daughter.

Weiss:Veronica is very sensitive. Even if she tries to act like she isn’t. One time when she was tiny, a soccer ball hit her straight in the face and she sprung up saying “I’m fine!” Then you took her behind the bleachers to patch her up; tears all on her face. It both breaks my heart and very adorable to see her act fine while her ears are folded back.

Ruby:Your other son Kovu was a bit of cry baby. Partly my fault. Carmine kept beating him up and making fun of him.

Blake:What!?

Yang:Ha! Wait, that’s my kid too. How the heck!? Are you telling me you raised the rowdy child and I got the baby?

Ruby:Yang you’re a baby. I’m like twice as rowdy compared to you. A nevermore got worked day one at school.

Weiss:She has a point. You cry the most out of any of us.

Yang:Wha- that not- how....shut up! *pouts* I’m not that touchy.

Ruby:Kovu is a sweetie and not a cry baby. Carmine is just a little mean when she tries to care about others. She beat him up in an attempt to make Kovu give up dreaming about being a huntsman. That way he wouldn’t be in such a dangerous job. Reasonable logic but you know, a little over the top. Almost broke his arm. Boy did I chew her out. All it did was make him want to try harder.

Yang:Fantastic. I shouldn’t expect less from my own blood. I bet Yujin would like him. Which reminds me, anybody have kids in relationships?

RWB:We’re working on it.

The three women paused briefly before laughing at their meddling. Yang could only admire and fear her friends.

Yang:Should I be scared for your children?

Blake:Lucas needs someone to break up the routine in his life. I’m not saying he has to date her, but it would put a smile on my face.

Ruby:Carmine takes after me, not really thinking about stuff like relationships much. However, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t at all. Carmine tries her best to not act like she’s a teenaged girl with teenage wishes. But everyone sees right through it. I’m fine with her not being in one but I would like if she acknowledged that it’s okay to just....ugh, be normal! Why can nobody have normal knees in my life!?

Weiss:Nick likes Valerie who tries to deny she likes him by liking Summer, who doesn’t like her; while Veronica crushes on Nick who obviously has conflicting feelings.

RBY.....

Yang:Why is it always complicated with you?

Weiss:How is this my fau- okay it is a little bit.

Blake:Where do you stand?

Weiss:I think Valerie would be lovely for him.

Yang:What’s wrong with my baby girl!?

Blake:Yeah!?

Weiss:One, not yours. Two, have you met who I’m married to? Can’t really say he’s wasting his efforts. Though I wouldn’t be upset with Veronica. I think those two might be good for each other.

Blake:Any other bombshells people got?

Ruby:......

Ruby:Ilia is happily married.*sips coffee*

Blake:Oh that’s wonderful! I’m glad she found a loving wi-

Ruby:*smirks* To Sun.

Blake:....*stands up* I need, champagne!

A bottle of champagne poofs into existence with several glasses. Blake immediately pours everyone a glass before raising hers into the sky.

Blake:Ruby Rose, today you’ve erased guilt upon my conscious. I’m happy there’s one world where it seems all of my good exes get over me.

Ruby:Are the Ilia and Sun where you’re from miserable like Yang!?

Blake:No, but they kinda fumble in actually going for relationships. It just always makes me feel a little bad.

Yang:You can technically count two worlds. I’m fine, Ilia is dating a pretty secretary, and your one evil ex is now raising a morally good family.

Blake:You’re right! This calls for a double toast! To alternate universes! *puts glass down*

Weiss:Haha, aren’t you gonna drink it!?

Blake:No I’m still recovering; but how could I pass up the opportunity!? Man I wish I could attend that wedding! I don’t know if I’d be a bridesmaid or the best man!

Yang:You’re just gonna steal Neptune’s thunder like that?

Blake:Hey, Sun and I have taken bullets for each other and stab wounds. I think I deserve to be a little greedy and say I ride or die for that man just a little harder than Neptune.

Ruby:Geeeeeez Blake! Haha, I didn’t even tell you about the baby.

Blake:*visble excitement* Excuse me!?

RWY:*raises glass* Cheers.

Blake:CHEERS! What’s he like!?

xxxxx

Aero:AAAACHOOOO!

Carmine:Eugh! Cover your mouth! I don’t need to get sick.

Aero:Damn! What happened to uh I don’t know, “bless you!?”

Carmine:*pulls out tissues* Happy?

Aero:Where...why are those in you book bag?

Carmine:It’s flu season.

Aero:....I can’t tell if you’re the coolest person around or just a second mother.

Carmine:I can be both. My mom is arguably both but don’t tell her that. It’ll make her month and she’ll hug me too tight.

Aero:Bitch, you love hugs. Stop being difficult.

Carmine:Mmmm nah.

Aero:I feel bad for your mom.

Carmine:I feel bad for yours.

Aero:Hop off. You’re so childish.

Carmine:And yet you love me.

Aero:*red* In your dreams!

Carmine:It would make your day if I dreamed about you,wouldn’t it?

Aero:I hope you dream of spiders.

Carmine:We do not joke about that! *grabs him* Aero I will beat you up if I dream of them tonight! That’s just mean!

Aero:Stop crying ya baby. I could’ve said they were- ow!

Sun:*hitting him* Shut up and just kiss something! We’re trying to watch a game.

Aero and Carmine:We don’t like each other!

Jaune:With all do respect, that’s a lie. But please by all means Aero, continue not touching my daughter if you know what’s best for you. I don’t wanna have to fight you and your parents right afterwards.

Sun:Ilia would kill you.

Jaune:Yeah! That’s why I don’t want the fight! Much like Ruby, she’s short and terrifying. Her size holds the rage.

Ilia:*peeks in* Who’s talking shit?

JASC:Nobody, we love you!

Ilia:.....Got my eyes on you four. *holds Garnet up* and this one; the most well behaved in this bunch even with no nap.

Garnet:*fussy grumbling* I’m a ball of rage!

Ilia:You wanna nap?

Garnet:Yes!!!

Ilia:See, behaved. *walks away* don’t make me come back out here.

Carmine:....So do you like me because your mother is also imposing?

Aero:This is it, my evil origin story. It begins today.

xxxxx

Ruby:I admire his patience.

[maghrib-genova]

I just finished watching murder on the orient express and a snippet of martin eden and I just realised that marwan smiles so big like a thousand watt smile, while luca's smile is more subdued like he's shy almost (or maybe that's just martin's character???) And I'm just falling in love with them all over again ❤❤ do you have a favorite of both their movies? I'd love to watch those smiles more often 😍 (also never realised how broad luca's shoulder is wow tog really downplayed his features a lot)

Ah yes. It's all because of their characters they portrayed, that's why you see such a contrast in their smiles. Both of these movies, the characters have entirely different motives to show through their expressions, so it's understandable why there is a stark different in the way they smile.

Since we all know that both of them are such brilliant actors, everything they did in their movies I believe is the deliberate choice in their part to highlight the character personality.

Pierre smiles so widely in the movie because first I think he overall does it because of his job requires him to be all smiling and friendly and he also has something to hide, this is a mask too, this smile.

there is a moment where there is trouble behind his character when he sit on the chair in front of the rooms, waiting, subtle fidgeting on Marwan's part. I mean Pierre didn't have much screentime but all the small moment given to him, Marwan have used it to the best of his ability to showcase all of Pierre's motive as a character.

But yes his megawatt smile was truly enticing in this movie.

Now we move on to Martin. Martin smiles too a couple of time in this movie but there is some irony behind each smiles, some hidden sadness and even in his happiest time, we can still see that lingering gloom in his eyes, like he is not sure if he should smile or not, like this moment will vanish before his eyes and everything is just some sort of illusion.

Compare with this Smile when he played other characters. One is mischievous smile, sexy even though it was simple smile but we can feel his confident and his playfullness when played as Primo and another one was a genuine happy smile for his brother, with twinkle in his eyes when he played as Loris, a loving and caring brother.

Everything is deliberate choice for Luca. Even when he played Nicky.

Ugh..especially when he played nicky. Him not doing much is actually Luca doing most to show that Nicky is reserved and calculating and listening and just observing his surrounding and understanding. Then he laugh freely once when he was only with Joe to show us how much he loves his husband, how happy Joe made him even in the most hopeless place, strapped in torture table. 😘👌

(Also I think this is the most beautiful smile/laugh from Luca in any of his movies I have ever watched he's in. Or I could be bias. Because I love Nicky lol but seriously, this smile is so precious. We have to treasure it.)

Also Yes. Luca has such a broad freaking shoulder. Like it's there so jarringly when you watched his other movies. I think even when he's playing Nicky, his shoulder clearly shows that it's broad as hell.😂 they didn't down play it, it's just limited screentime for Nicky if we didn't pay too much attention we might miss it. That's why have to watch it at least 5 times guy to appreciate tog to the fullest. And to appreciate Luca as Nicky. It's chef's kiss 😘👌

What interesting though. Even though his shoulder was so broad, in that recent video Gina gave to us, when Marwan engulfed him in his embrace, that broad shoulder kind of disappeared. So I don't know who has broader shoulder at this point haha.

I mean, in Marwan's Workout Video or when he played as Majid. It was clear that he also has broad shoulder.

Anyway, it's become quite long and I haven't even answer everything. I got lost in making all the gifset to answer this haha. I have more smiling Luca gifset now. It's a bonus so thank you for this ask.

My personal favorite from all of their movies I have watched :

For Luca Marinelli I think his best role was playing as Primo in Trust FX (2018). He owned that role to the point I don't think anyone can do the character Justice the way he did in that series. He is like a wild untamed animal, like we couldn't predict what he would do next and he is playing the criminal in such a charming way. Everything about Primo screams sexy. It's hard to hate him as a villain of the story because he was so compelling and so interesting you just want to see more of him.

Martin Eden (2019) also such a good role, but it's bleak and it's poetic. Beautiful but decaying and it's hollowing. Something about Martin that makes you feel helpless and hopeless about the world and I love that movie because of it.

Luca as Fabio in They Call Me Jeeg (2015) also such a good role that Luca portrayed, playing a villain too but I still think Primo is the OG. But watching Luca as Fabio was really fun too. He wasn't a conventional villain, he sing, he is clean freak. He is beautiful and deadly too.

Ohhhh It's a long List of all The luca roles I like. I love him playing Roberta (The last man on earth/L'ultimo terrestre 2011) too! He completely become another person like it's hard to find Luca in Roberta, like Roberta is Roberta and Luca is Luca and that's how you know he clearly nail the role when he emerged as another person entirely.

Paolo (Il padre d'Italia 2017) is worth mentioning too because there is something about Paolo that makes you feel too much for him too. The last one is Loris (Up to the world 2013) because after being tortured by Luca's filmography because most of it are sad and bleak and to see something sweet with Luca character didn't have too much baggage to carry, I feel liberated and want to cling on Loris to make me happy 😂

.

For Marwan Kenzari I personally really love him in Wolf (2013) as Majid. It was such an interesting role to play, so many side of majid, so Marwan has a role to showcase all his acting abilities with this role, so much room to show all his emotions and his physicality and the story also I think hits home for Marwan so it feels personal to watch and such a beautiful movie too. Majid will always be my favorite.

Another one from Marwan that I think everyone should watch was when he played real life figure Ashraf Marwan in The Angel (2018) , there is a strong charisma and charm he carry as this character and tenderness and also fierceness, secret in plain sight that makes us keep questioning the motives of the characters even though we already know the story. It's such a fun movie to watch and also one of Marwan best performance.

Marwan as Idris (Instinct 2019) also need to be mentioned because how good he played this unsettling character, it's an interesting watch for sure. Another one is Adrian (what Happened to Monday 2017) though he wasn't the prominent role but he made an impression that stays with you after watching the movie. And the movie also was truly truly good too, He was so handsome here too.

It's been fun answering this question for 2 hours, I hope it's informative enough😂

[teshamerkel]

Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Seekers of Soul

Chapter 11 (25 Pages)

<< First | < Previous | Next >

Nia begins her aura training with Val and considers her rocky relationship with Tobias.

-

“You are too tense.”

Nia sighs and relaxes from her position on the floor of the training area, carefully untangling her legs. Who knew having dog limbs would make sitting cross-legged so difficult?

Val looks down at her with her usual unreadably blank expression, arms crossed. Nia’s just glad for her seemingly endless patience. “You are worked up. Emotionally upset. You cannot channel into your aura abilities in such a state.”

Nia nods, avoiding the medicham’s gaze and glancing over to the cause of her emotional duress. Tobias is sparring with Azami, the flowery Pokémon helping him to work on battle tactics other than “run yelling into danger.” The charmander seems frustrated, but Azami just takes a defensive stance and goads him into trying again.

“Partner problems?” Val asks, not bothering to lower her voice.

Nia winces. “Y-Yeah.”

Val nods, watching Tobias attack. “He can be difficult to work with.”

That’s an understatement. Nia thought that she’d be able to handle the charmander’s forced distance and temper, his sharp personality and cruel remarks. But they’ve only been partners for a couple of days and have only taken on a handful of low-level missions, and Nia can already feel herself wearing thin.

Clearing out an old den for a bear Pokemon and her cubs to use for the approaching winter? Nia gets snapped at for “not digging right” and taking too long to clear out the old leaves and moss. She’s still getting used to having paws for hands!

Escorting an elderly, drooling flower Pokemon across the forest? Nia gets blamed for their small reward because she “kept wrinkling her nose” at the smell. Her new nose is sensitive! She tried her best to be polite!

Bringing medicine from Fen’s office to a sickly family of plant-like turtles living in the woods? Nia gets rushed along, falls into a hole, and then has to listen to Tobias complain the whole way that she’s “slowing them down.” Slowing them down from what? They’re meeting turtles, for God’s sake! They aren’t going to outrun them!

She’s doing her best, but Tobias is just so...ugh! Impatient and angry, all the time! He doesn’t listen, and he doesn’t seem to care about her or anyone else. They’re partners! They don’t have to be best friends, but they should at least be friendly with each other, right? Every time she tries to start up a civil conversation with the charmander, tries to learn more about him as a person, he immediately shuts her down.

Even worse, Nia desperately wants to follow the lead that Hadley gave her and go to Afon’s Cap to find Hazel, the former human. But every time she’s brought it up in the past few days, he’s dismissed it without even giving her a chance. She even tries to pick missions that (according to a map in one of her geography books, at least) would lead them close to the port town, only for him to override her opinion completely and pick something else.

Nia’s a patient Pokemon (a bit too patient, according to Andyn) but she’s already getting sick of it. Is it too much to ask for her partner to treat her with a little decency and respect? She’s seen Tobias with the little kids of the guild, with Luca and Leor and Laine and the others. He’s like a completely different person with them! Patient and kind and fun, joking and gentle.

But with everyone else, he’s so...sharp. So far they’ve only been completing basic missions in the area around the Haven, but she thinks he would have her back if it came to a physical fight with another Pokemon. But that doesn’t do much to ease her hurt feelings and increasing frustration with the charmander’s temper tantrums. Now it’s even interfering with her training!

“Focus on meditation,” Val suggests. “Relax.”

Nia slumps. “Okay.”

The medicham walks over to Tobias and Azami to watch and add her own expertise. Nia focuses on crossing her legs, resting her hands on her knees, and relaxing her body. She’d already run through a few basic fighting drills with Val today, and since the medicham taught her the basics of meditation during their last session, Nia’s mission for the rest of the afternoon is to start her aura training. She tries to go back and run through her meditation notes one by one. Relax. Part by part, muscle by muscle. Deep breaths. Clear her mind. No stress. No negative emotions. No thoughts at all. Calm.

It takes a while, Nia concentrating on her breathing to block out the commotion of the room around her, but eventually, she thinks she’s getting it. Distantly, she notes the relaxed, loose state of her muscles. Her mind feels comfortably blank.

A few minutes later, Val’s quiet voice pipes up from beside her. “Good.”

Nia peeks her eye open to see the medicham sitting in a similar meditative pose. When did she get there?

“You are relaxed?”

Nia hums an affirmative.

“Close your eyes. Continue breathing. Listen to my voice.”

Nia does as told, trying to let her mind stay blank as she listens.

“Your body is a vessel for your energy. Breathe in. Feel the air flow into you. Feel it energize you. Breathe out, and let your body relax. Good. This flow of energy is constant. It allows you to move and live. Imagine that energy gathered at the center of your body. The core of your being. It may appear as…a light. It is what fuels you, pushes you, makes you who you are.”

Nia’s mind starts trying to butt in, tripped up by Val’s words. A light? Does she mean literally, or—

“Do not think,” Val reminds. “Let yourself be. Relax.”

Nia sucks another deep breath in through her nose, and then releases it, imagining her racing thoughts going along with it. Blank her mind. Calm.

“Good. Look to your light. Feel it in your heartbeat. It is your fire, your soul. Picture it.”

This all seems so…strange. The riolu is supposed to be learning aura training, but so far she’s only been learning breathing exercises and weird visual techniques. Still, Nia trusts Val’s knowledge, even if that means doing weird yoga. So she tries to listen to the medicham and let the words paint the picture of a small flame in her chest. A light.

“What color is it?”

Nia’s brow furrows. She can’t really see the light, of course, so maybe she gets to decide? Her favorite color is yellow, but for some reason that doesn’t...feel right. When she pictures this light, pictures who she is as a flame in her chest, small but steady, it’s...blue. A bright, turquoise sort of blue.

“Blue?” Nia says, hesitant.

“Good,” Val says. Nia knows she must be imagining the note of surprise in the Pokémon’s voice. She’s tempted to open her eyes and peek for an expression, but doesn’t want to lose her focus. “Can you feel it?”

Nia frowns, unsure. She thinks she can imagine what Val is talking about in a theoretical sense, but it’s nothing tangible that she actually thinks is there. She can’t literally see the flame in her chest.

“Do not overthink. Feel. Focus on it like a physical part of your body. An organ. It is your soul. Your aura. What pushes you in life. What is important to you. Who you are, what you feel.”

Nia almost opens her mouth to protest—she thought the point of meditation was to empty and calm her mind, not work it up—but thinks better of it and simply tries to follow Val’s advice.

Her fire. Her motivation. Who she is.

She is...a human. Right? But she’s in the Pokémon world. No, no, she’s definitely human, and she desperately wants to return to her old life, to her family and friends and all those she loves so much that her chest aches at the thought of losing them for good.

But for right now, she is...a Seeker? An adventurer. Sort of, at least. She has to admit that some small part of her already loves seeing this world, helping others, experiencing so many amazing things. She’s a curious sort, and there’s new things to learn every second in the Pokemon world.

Her motivation, though? Well, she supposes it’s to become a Seeker, technically, but only so she can reach her ultimate goal. She just wants to find answers, and to go home. To become human again.

What else is there? Oh! How she feels. Well at the moment she’s…frustrated. Frustrated and upset with Tobias, for not giving her a real chance and for being such a bitter person. Disappointed, after she’d been so sure he would be nicer as a teammate. But she’s also…hopeful. Hopeful and curious about the human-turned-Pokémon in Afon’s Cap, excited to meet her and maybe find someone who truly understands her predicament. Who can remind her of home.

Home. The people Nia knows she left behind coming here…they give her so many emotions. She still can’t quite place any real details about them, but she knows the heartbreak she feels is real, the longing and the warm affection in her chest ballooning so large it feels as if it’ll break her ribs.

She needs to get home. So right now, she’s determined to figure out this aura thing. She’s Nia, and she will figure this out. She feels the determination swell in her chest, imagines the blue light in her growing stronger and brighter. Can almost feel it.

“Open your eyes.”

Nia frowns but follows the direction, eyes blinking open. A faint glow catches her eye immediately, and she looks down to see her chest glowing with the faintest blue light, lining the edges of her fur in an almost ethereal way. Nia yelps, flailing out of her pose. When she looks back at her chest, heart pounding, the light surrounding her is gone. That was—her light isn’t real, she just imagined it, so how—?

Val hums a quiet sound, and Nia looks to her with wide eyes.

“That was your aura.”

“I-It’s real!” Nia says, flabbergasted. “I mean, I read about it so I knew that aura had to be real somehow, b-but it looked like how I imagined my light to be, a-and…did I make it real? How did I do that?”

Val shrugs. “It is innate to Pokémon with psychic or aura abilities. I simply guided you to it.”

Nia blinks and looks down at herself, raising a tentative paw to touch her chest. “H-How...how do I do that again?”

Val falls back into teacher mode. “You have been convinced of your power’s existence. You should be able to access it more easily now. Focus on the aura within you, on the core of your being. Imagine it moving out to other parts of your body. Try to concentrate it into your paw.”

Nia nods, sitting again. She closes her eyes, holding out a paw and trying to imagine that light back in her chest. Burning. Not painfully, but just...warm. Powerful. Bright and blue. When the light she imagines at her core seems strong and steady, she squints open her eyes, disheartened to see her hand looking as it usually does. No light. A glance down at her heart confirms the same.

“Aura stems from emotion,” Val offers. “Focus on what makes you feel strongly.”

Nia closes her eyes and nods, brow furrowing. Right. She’d been thinking of her home in the human world before. She focuses on that light, her light, thinks of her family that she can’t remember and the aching in her chest. Finally, the fire grows, flaring as if she’d thrown lighter fluid onto it. She feels herself smile. The riolu thinks of Tobias next, of how frustrated he makes her feel, how he hurts her feelings when he snaps, and she feels the light grow larger. She thinks of Maggie and Xander and Andyn, of how she wants to get to know them more, of how much she appreciates their kindness, and—

“Look down.”

The riolu does, and bites back a gasp. Her chest is glowing with a faint blue light.

“Gather it in your paw, like drops of water into a pool. Manifest it.”

Nia tries, tensing the muscles of her arm and focusing her energy, the light, into the palm of her hand as if she were pouring it down her wrist and into her palm. Slowly, the light seems to grow brighter, stronger. Then, the tiniest flicker of light, beautiful and fragile like a candle flame, shivers into existence in her hand.

She just stares at it, mesmerized, until Val says, “Return it.”

Nia swallows and focuses, trying to absorb the light back into herself. It’s a little difficult, as if the energy had become more solid outside of her body, but eventually it does dissipate. As the light fades, Nia’s surprised to note her breathing is heavy.

“Training with energy is as exhausting as training your body,” Val explains.

Nia nods, looking up at her. “S-So that was okay?”

Val nods, although she isn’t smiling. Nia is starting to learn that doesn’t mean the medicham is unhappy. “You are doing fine. You are a stranger to this body. Do not fret.”

Nia straightens up at the encouragement, beaming. Val moves to sit down right in front of the riolu, legs crossed. Nia copies her relaxed posture and waits, ready to learn more.

“Emotion is connected to aura in another way. Not just as a power source, but through detection.”

Nia blinks, surprised. She remembers reading something about this, but didn’t think it meant it literally! “L-Like...an empath? Reading other people’s emotions?”

Val nods. She must see Nia’s discomfort, because she tilts her head. “You are troubled.”

“I-It just...sort of seems like an invasion of privacy? Being able to read people like that without their consent? I mean, that’s how it works, right?”

Val’s gaze darkens. “You must control your power and use it as you see fit. With practice, you will be able to turn your emotion sensing on and off. It will be up to you to avoid reading others without their permission.”

Nia swallows. “That’s a lot of responsibility.”

“A responsibility that I trust you not to misuse,” Val responds, not quite a threat. “Seeing through words to feel honest emotion is an invaluable skill that could save your life. Not all Pokémon have good intentions.”

Nia frowns, recognizing the truth of that statement. It could certainly help, and she knows she wouldn’t use it for any immoral purposes. So…

“O-Okay. Please teach me.”

Val nods, seeming satisfied. “Aura sensing is different than manifesting your aura into energy for attacking. As a psychic type, I do not have the same capabilities in that sense. I can only give you the basics of aura reading.”

Nia looks back down at her hands, closing them into fists and feeling amazement rise up in her. She knew all Pokémon were different, but... “S-So...only riolu can do aura stuff? Like reading emotions?”

Val nods. “The riolu line, yes. Lucario as well.”

Nia frowns. When she’d read up on riolu, it had mentioned the lucario species a few times. Apparently riolu...became lucario somehow? They called the process “evolution”, but it clearly wasn’t the sciencey evolution Nia knew from biology class, done over generations. Maybe it’s a maturation process? But she’s already an adult, so when would this happen? The riolu considers asking Val, but decides to hold back and question Maggie about it later. Val’s already teaching her so much today.

Val shuts her eyes, so Nia follows her lead.

“Find your aura once more. Breathe, relax, and focus.”

Nia takes a deep inhale before releasing it again, relaxing her body. She imagines that little blue flame in her chest, and concentrates on it.

“Channel into that energy. Expand it outward until you come across my own aura.”

“Expand it?” Nia echoes, uncertain. She tries to flare the energy, make it burn larger, but it doesn’t even get close to the edges of her body. The flame is too weak, barely even leaving her chest in short spurts.

Val hums. “Try to relax your aura. Do not flex it. Let it flow from you like a breath. Like a limb. A veil.”

Nia furrows her brow. How in the world is she supposed to do that? It took her a full afternoon of flexing her butt muscles just to figure out how her tail worked, and that’s an actual limb! She mentally prods at her light, her aura, tries to stretch it out. It simply flickers brighter before shrinking back to normal.

“Do not use it as a blast of energy. Try to thin it out.”

Nia bites back a frustrated whine. She wants to question Val more, but knows that the medicham is doing her best to teach something she herself has never exactly experienced. So she tries, over and over, to stretch that light and make it grow.

“Stop.”

Nia does, peeking up at the medicham. She realizes she’s panting hard, heart racing and muscles tense.

“Take a rest,” Val commands, before her dark eyes slip past Nia. The riolu follows her gaze to see a steaming, out-of-breath Tobias and a cheery Azami walking over. The two sit down near them.

“How’s it going over here, ladies?”

Val nods. “Well. Nia learns quickly.”

Nia straightens up at the unexpected praise.

“Wish I could say the same for this one,” Azami teases, giving Tobias a playful nudge with her elbow. The charmander growls, looking like he wants to set the flowery Pokemon ablaze. ��You’re pretty set in your ways, Spitfire!”

Tobias doesn’t answer, pointedly looking away.

Azami smiles at Nia. “So you’re getting the hang of aura, huh?”

Nia laughs. “U-Uh, sort of. Trying to figure out how to stretch out my aura right now. For aura reading? I think?”

“You’ll get it figured out in no time, I’m sure.” Azami turns her grin on Val. “You’ve got yourself a great teacher, after all!”

Val gives Azami a nod of thanks. “Having a riolu or lucario available for teaching would be ideal. Unfortunately, we must try to translate these abilities without one.”

“There aren’t any other riolu near here?” Nia asks, curious.

“Nope! You’re actually a pretty rare Pokemon to see around the Haven,” Azami says. “Riolu and lucario tend to stay in isolated packs, so we don’t usually run into any around here!”

Nia isn’t sure how to feel about that.

Val and Azami call an official stop for a snack break, so the four of them munch on the berries that Nia and Toby had picked up in the morning before arriving. As usual, the charmander doesn’t answer Nia’s attempts at conversation, so she takes to chatting with Azami about the other guild members practicing nearby.

There’s a tiny brown fox pokemon dodging bursts of water from her partner, a wooper, and a lone purple monkey-like Pokemon…juggling? With its feet and tail, nimbly cartwheeling around while managing to keep the berries it’s using in the air. Maybe some sort of agility or dexterity training? Or maybe he just really likes juggling.

The loud crack of splintering wood garners their attention, and they all turn to watch as a lime green gecko with a leaf for a tail strikes at one of the training dummies that Tobias apparently has a reputation for destroying. The gecko pauses, stance wide, and holds his hands close together, almost like he’s holding an invisible ball. A moment later a bright green energy starts to build in the gap.

“Soren’s finally starting to get the hang of energy ball,” Azami explains, fondly. “Knew he had it in him! He’s going to kick tail once he gets it under control.”

Right on cue, the energy swirling in the lizard’s hands seems to come unraveled, dissipating in a flash of green. The Pokemon—Soren—slumps in clear frustration. Azami sighs. “Poor kid’s been working on that for weeks now. He can call up the energy, but can’t seem to get it to keep its form afterwards.”

Val calm, half-lidded eyes lift with interest. “He learned to form the energy in his hand first, yes?”

Azami sits up at Val’s attention. “Uh, yeah. He can use a grassy force palm, more or less. But that’s it for now.”

Val sets her meal aside and turns her whole body to Nia. The riolu would say she almost looks eager, at least in her own stoic way. Nia puts her own berry aside, curious.

“Perhaps we are starting too ambitious. With your aura,” Val says. “Pool your aura into your paw.”

Nia swallows, nervous as she closes her eyes and finds her aura. It’s still strange and takes a few moments, but she thinks it’s getting easier the more she does it. After finding that blue flame, she once again sends it towards her hand, feeling it move slow as honey into her fingertips. She peeks open her eyes, pleased to see the now-familiar blue glow. But what now?

Val reaches out her own hand, slow enough for Nia to track what she’s doing, and then touches the riolu’s palm. Nia bites back a gasp and squeezes her eyes shut, suddenly understanding what Val’s plan is. Nia’s aura is right there, under the skin of her hand, and when she touches Val—

She can see her.

Not in the normal way, not by sight, but she can see the medicham’s…energy? Val’s is bright orange, flickering faintly throughout the shape of her entire body, not nearly as concentrated as Nia’s aura is. It’s just a stable sort of life, a pulse thrumming under the other Pokemon’s skin. Nia turns her attention to the orange color, and somehow feels like she can read what this aura represents, like she can read the very DNA of what makes Val who she is, how her soul is shaped.

She’s orange, but not orange like a mournful, bleeding sunset or the soft, hopeful orange of a flower’s petals. Instead, she is the orange of a bright, ripe, tropical fruit. Nia thinks of the sharp, sweet tang of biting into an orange, the powerful warmth of a summer sun, its confidence and sharp, stern solidity, with a soft, sweet undertone. She understands, but she doesn’t know how she does.

Val’s hand yanks away, and Nia collapses forward, suddenly all too aware of how she’s wheezing for breath and her heart is pounding in her chest, her fingers shaking as they clutch at the ground. Her aura rebounds sharply back into her chest. She takes a few moments to gasp for breath before looking up at Val. The medicham stares back, and for a moment Nia’s terrified that she did something wrong, that she went too far somehow and betrayed the trust that Val had so kindly entrusted her with. She doesn’t know what she’s doing, how could she have stopped it—

But then the medicham just leans closer, reaching out a tentative hand as if she wants to place it on her back, and asks, “Are you all right?”

Oh. Nia hasn’t seen the medicham concerned before. At least, she thinks that’s what it is. She nods, trying to reign in her trembling and her roaring pulse. She glances past Val, seeing Azami watching with her own worried expression. Tobias stares at her with something uncertain and closed off, like he doesn’t know how to react to all of this. Nia almost laughs, because that’s been her reaction to her entire life the past week.

“I-I’m…I’m fine?” Nia rasps, more question than assurance. She looks back to Val. “I saw you. I saw your aura.”

Val leans back, intrigue starting to edge out the quiet concern. “Explain.”

Nia slowly manages to sit back up, feeling herself stabilize a bit. She feels sore, and exhausted, but it doesn’t feel like she’s on the verge of shaking apart anymore. “You’re, um. Orange?”

“What does that mean?” Tobias asks, almost aggressively.

Val doesn’t answer, giving Nia an encouraging nod, so the riolu does her best to recall the sensation of Val’s soul. How does she even describe something like that in words? She’s still not even sure how to logically understand it herself.

“I…don’t know. I don’t know how to describe it. It was just like…I could see what kind of person she is?”

“Not too terrible, I hope,” Val says.

It takes a beat for Nia to realize the stoic Pokemon is joking, and she laughs, maybe a bit hysterical. “N-No, not at all! You felt, um…like, stern and strong, but warm.” And a little sweet, she adds silently, already embarrassed. It sounds so dumb when she says it aloud. She should have suspected the medicham has a sweet side—she offered to take on their team, after all, and that’s a heck of a tall order.

“Sounds dumb,” Tobias snorts. “What’s the point of being able to read aura? You could just talk to someone and know the same things about ‘em.”

Val hums. “Sensing a Pokemon’s true character could be invaluable among strangers and potential enemies. It appears you will have to use physical contact for now. But it could be a very useful ability as your aura powers grow stronger.”

“Oh! Yeah!” Azami cuts in. “And aura can be used for battles too.”

Val nods. “And for sensing emotions.”

Nia perks up at that. “Y-You seemed to think I would be able to sense emotions right away. But I don’t think I did?”

Val shakes her head. “I believe you must look at the aura differently, for that. I am not quite sure how, unfortunately.”

There’s a beat of quiet, save for Tobias going back to munching on his food and the ambient sounds of Pokemon practicing their moves around them.

“Could I try again?” Nia asks. A subtle frown pulls at Val’s face, so she hurries to add, “I’m okay! Really!” Was the medicham actually worried or just annoyed? It’s so hard to read her.

A beat more of hesitation, then Val gestures at Nia’s abandoned berry. “Eat first. We will try again. I have an exercise in mind.”

Nia nods and eagerly returns to her meal. She’s nothing if not curious, and this aura reading ability is unlike anything she’s ever experienced. She thinks so, at least. It certainly doesn’t compare to anything she remembers about her human life. Maybe some crazy technology stuff, but nothing she could do.

When they all finish their food, Azami drags a reluctant Tobias back to where they were training before. Val and Nia face each other again, and the medicham holds out her hand. “I have an idea. I will think of different memories, and you can watch my aura. See if it changes with my emotions.”

Nia nods, takes the other Pokemon’s hand, and closes her eyes to let her aura pool down into her paw. As soon as it gathers into her fingers and reaches Val’s skin, the medicham’s body lights up into a silhouette of bright orange behind her eyelids.

“Ready,” Nia says.

“Go. We must be quick so your power doesn’t drain.”

Nia frowns and focuses on the faint orange aura swirling through the medicham, and the longer she looks, the more her eye is drawn to the medicham’s chest, where the energy is brightest. Oh. Oh, of course. Just like Nia’s aura sits in her chest like a heartbeat, so does Val’s. It’s a tiny flame, like hers, but also strangely liquid. As she watches it, the aura shivers and slows, dimming, and a piece of emotion that Nia has no reason to feel sinks into her own chest.

Sadness. Melancholy, maybe. Something heavy and suffocating. Nia’s breath catches. That isn’t her. That’s not her sadness. She’s feeling it, but it doesn’t feel quite right, isn’t coming from her. It’s alien, foreign, like a mildly ill-fitting sweater borrowed from a friend, or an unfamiliar car she doesn’t know how to use by muscle memory. Something muted that she’s experiencing only through a window, not directly.

Before she can say anything, Val’s energy shifts again, spiking out fast and sharp. Nia almost winces at the feeling prickling at her own energy. Anger. Annoyance? Something along those lines, for sure.

Again, the energy morphs, calming itself into something steady, but flaring brighter, something almost playful in the way it flickers and shakes. A warm happiness washes over Nia, and a breathless giggle slips past her lips. The next moment, the aura sours and pulls itself tight, shuddering and recoiling (fear?), and Val’s hand is ripped away again.

Nia falls forward, barely catching herself on her hands before faceplanting into the ground. Oh, ow, her aura rebounds back into her chest with a snap, and those borrowed emotions evaporate like mist, leaving her with harsh, heaving breaths and a bit of nausea. Why do her muscles hurt?

This time, Val’s hand does find her back, resting there as a comforting, anchoring warmth. Nia remembers the short blip of fear she’d felt (was that for her well-being?) and lifts a shaky hand to give the medicham a thumbs-up while she catches her breath. She worries that she’s going to throw up (she hates throwing up), but after breathing for a minute or so, she feels better. Still exhausted, but at least able to sit up.

“You are okay?” Val asks, meeting her eyes.

Nia laughs. “Yeah! Yeah, I am. I...I think it worked?”

Val finally sits back, relaxing. “Tell me.”

The riolu nods, eager to explain but opening her mouth only to lose her words. How…how does she explain what she just felt? What she experienced? She can’t explain how she understood the aura, felt those emotions herself even. Somehow, she just knew. It’s like knowing how to breathe, like babies knowing laughter without understanding the idea of joy. The waves of aura spoke to her in a way she intuitively knew how to understand.

It’s incredible.

Val must pick up on her issue, because she nods. “I understand. I cannot explain my powers well, either. What emotions did you feel?”

Nia feels her ears flick back as a shyness overcomes her. It still feels so personal to talk about someone else’s aura, all of their deeply held feelings. Even more so with Val, who is always so controlled on the outside. “Uh. I think first you were…sad? And then angry. Or annoyed, maybe? Then you were happy!” Nia hesitates, and then adds, “Right before you pulled away you felt kind of…afraid? I think.”

Val nods her confirmation, and Nia feels a burst of pride. “Correct, mostly. Frustration, not anger. But practicing will better your accuracy and precision.”

Nia can’t help a happy little wiggle at her success. This is so cool!

“Reading different auras will improve your ability. Remember to ask before practicing on someone else,” Val says. “Unless they are an enemy.”

Nia nods, happiness dying away into something more serious. “Of course!”

“Did I hear a success over there?” Azami calls. Tobias is flat on his back and surrounded by scorch marks. He’s glaring up at the ceiling. Yikes, that must not be going well.

“Y-Yeah!” Nia calls back.

The tsareena walks over to them, Tobias rolling his head to watch with narrowed eyes but not rising to follow. “Would you like to try it on me?” Azami asks. “If you aren’t too worn out.”

Nia perks up, but catches Val shaking her head out of the corner of her eye. “No. No more for today. Riolu almost passed out earlier.”

Azami meets Nia’s crestfallen look with a smile. “Cheer up! We can always try it next time.” She turns to head back over to Tobias, calling a cheery “Good job, by the way!” over her shoulder.

“So you are aware,” Val says, catching Nia’s attention again. “It is obvious when you use your aura powers. Others will be able to tell, physical contact aside.”

Nia blinks. “Oh. Could you, uh, feel it?”

Val shakes her head and points to the tear-drop shaped things on either side of Nia’s head. “Your body glows with your aura, and those lift. I believe they aid in channeling and controlling aura.”

“They do?” Nia feels them, curious. Huh. She’d been wondering for days what they were for.

“With practice you should be able to hide such obvious visual tells,” Val adds, thoughtfully. “Eventually.”

Val climbs to her feet and Nia tries to do the same, only to fall back to her knees as her head suddenly spins.

“Rest for the remainder of the day,” Val says, voice distant to Nia’s ringing ears. “You are not used to the strain of aura.”

“But...” Nia glances over at Tobias, now back to slashing wildly at Azami, who neatly dodges each strike. It feels unfair for her to go back to their room and rest while he still has to train, even if she is upset with him.

“Go rest. If you must do something, practice meditating. Or read about moves. Magnolia has told me of your love of books.”

Nia sighs and nods. She has a few questions for the meganium, anyways. “Got it.”

As she carefully rises to her feet, making sure she’s steady enough to walk, the medicham nods approvingly. “Good job today.”

Nia beams as if the medicham had written her a glowing review. “Thank you! I’ll see you later!”

The medicham goes to help Azami with Tobias, and Nia slowly makes her way out of the training area. The stairs are going to be killer. Sure enough, it has to be nearly twenty minutes later that Nia finally makes it to the medical floor. She passes by Fen’s office, glancing in.

The leafy Pokemon is hard at work at her desk—wait, no. Their desk, Nia corrects. Tobias had snapped at her once already for messing that up. Fen has always been such a warm, inviting face when Nia says hi to them in passing, and for a heartbeat, Nia itches to interrupt and ask if she can use her newfound powers to see the leafeon’s aura, to see what color it is. But that would probably be rude on a number of levels, and Fen definitely wouldn’t like Nia potentially throwing up or passing out from the strain. Still, she’s curious. She bets their aura is a comforting pink, or maybe a chocolate brown, like their eyes. Can auras be brown?

Nia shakes off the urge and moves on quietly, making her way back to Maggie’s room. The meganium looks like she only recently returned from gathering herbs, intently sorting through fresh plants on her desk.

Nia hesitates at the doorway. “Hi, Maggie.”

“Hm?” The meganium seems distracted, but then lights up at the sight of Nia. “Hello, dear! Back from training?”

The riolu smiles. “Y-Yeah. Sorry for bothering you.”

“Oh, hush, you’re doing nothing of the sort. Come over here, tell me how training went. You look exhausted. Is Tobias not with you?”

“N-No. Val sent me back early. We did a lot of aura training today and it wiped me out. I-I can see people’s auras now, though! And read their emotions. Kinda.”

Maggie smiles and pulls her vines away from her work to tug Nia against her side in a hug. “That’s fantastic, dear! Would you like to show me? Or are you too tired?”

Nia’s exhausted, and she knows that Val would shoot her a disapproving look for even thinking about trying out her aura powers again so soon, but there’s no way she can turn Maggie’s enthusiasm down! Or her own curiosity, for that matter. “S-Sure! Uh. Give me a sec.”

Nia closes her eyes and puts her hand on Maggie’s leg before reaching for her aura, for that ball of energy in her chest. Despite it getting easier to find, to call to her, she immediately feels the strain put onto her body. She hurries to send her energy down to her palm, letting it reach out to brush against Maggie.

The meganium’s silhouette bursts to life behind her eyelids. Her color is a lively purple, like fresh lavender. It’s beautiful, soft and vibrant and organic. It brings to mind the comfort, the peace and protection, of lying down in a field of flowers on a warm summer day, where nothing bad can happen.

When Nia brushes her aura closer to find Maggie’s emotions, ignoring the distant screaming of her muscles, her connection almost snaps back in surprise. There’s a bit of that same fear that she’d seen in Val, right before she pulled her hand away (worry?), but more than that...Maggie’s aura is almost overwhelming in its warmth, in the genuine affection that settles over Nia like a soft blanket straight out of the dryer. It’s like a wave of fondness, a protective and nurturing feeling.

And in this context, with Maggie focused entirely on her, there’s no one else the meganium could be directing it at. This love is for her. To say that Nia is unprepared for it is an understatement, considering Maggie has only known her for a week.

Nia’s aura finally rebounds, and she falls back to reality as her legs buckle underneath her. Blinking away bright blue and purple after-images, Nia notes that she’s breathing hard again, and that the nausea is back to churning in her stomach (Oh God, not listening to Val was a bad idea). Maggie is fretting over her, near-frantic, vines hovering at the edge of Nia’s vision like the meganium is afraid that somehow she did this, that she’ll hurt the riolu with her touch.

Shoving down her nausea, Nia looks up at the meganium, meeting wide, worried eyes with something like awe. Her throat chokes up. Tears blur her vision not due to the pain, but at the familiarity of the older Pokemon’s warm aura. It reminds her of her mother.

“Nia? Please dear, tell me what’s wrong. Did you hurt yourself? Should I get Fen? Val?”

The riolu laughs, still catching her breath, her voice watery with tears. “N-No, I’m fine. It’s just...”

Some of Maggie’s panic dies out when Nia speaks, and she hesitantly pets Nia’s head with a vine, patiently waiting for her to catch her breath.

“Y-You’re so full of love,” Nia chokes out, recognizing how corny the words sound.” You just...you already care about me. Like, actually care. It caught me off guard.”

Maggie looks surprised, but then her honey-gold eyes soften. “Of course, dear. Don’t ever doubt that.”

Nia has no words, so she just laughs through her tears and hugs the meganium, burying her face in Maggie’s leg. Maggie soothingly strokes her fur with a vine.

“Your aura’s p-purple, by the way,” Nia says, words muffled. “It’s really pretty.”

Maggie laughs. “Well, that’s good to know! Too bad I can’t show it off. It sounds like a lovely color.”

Nia giggles too, feeling an overwhelming burst of happiness and fondness for the meganium.  The two stay like that for a while, Nia’s harsh breathing calming down only to be replaced by sore muscles and a pounding headache. She’s never ignoring Val’s advice again.

Nia eventually manages to pull herself away, wiping at her eyes. “S-Sorry for crying all over you. Did you get a good haul today?”

“Don’t apologize for feeling, dear.” Maggie, seeing that Nia has recovered, goes back to sorting her plants. “I found most of what I need, yes, but I do miss Tobias’ help. My eyes are not what they used to be. I would hire a new hand to assist me, but I don’t want Tobias to get upset and feel like I’m replacing him.”

Nia, sitting on the ground and leaning back against the desk, sighs at the mention of the charmander. God, what is she going to do with him? They’ve only been partners for a few days, so maybe he just needs more time to open up, but…Nia’s not sure if she can manage to wait that long. She doesn’t have as thick of skin as she thought she did.

“How is everything going with him?” Maggie asks, voice carefully neutral.

For a heartbeat, Nia considers lying. Then, she rasps, “Honestly? Not great.”

“Mm. I was afraid so. Would you like to talk about it?”

“...Aren’t you busy?”

“I can talk and sort at the same time,” Maggie says.

Nia huffs a quiet laugh. There’s a few moments of silence, and then Nia groans, pressing her palms into her eyes. Her head is pounding. “He’s just...I think he hates me.”

“He doesn’t,” Maggie says, sounding sympathetic. “That’s just...how he is.”

“But that’s not fair! He shouldn’t treat people like that!” Nia says, a little sharper than she means to. Maggie is clearly taken aback by the outburst.

“Sorry,” Nia says, quieter, pulling her knees up to herself.   

“It’s fine, dear,” Maggie says after a moment. “You just surprised me, is all.” There’s a moment of quiet, and then Maggie sighs. “Tobias has been...withdrawn since the day I met him. I can’t say how he was before he was found in the mountains. He wouldn’t talk much, initially, and I didn’t push him. He’s always been distant. Distrustful.”

“That’s understandable, if he went through something traumatic,” Nia murmurs. “But...”

Maggie looks sad, eyes distant and dark. “I know. I thought he would open up as time went on. Learn to trust again. Become less bitter. When I brought him back to the guild, he made...far from the best impression. Understandably, the other children did not much like the new Pokémon who was either curled up in bed crying or snapping at them for no reason. He picked fights constantly, and it didn’t help that many of them were weak to his fire. So the others ignored him and sniped at him in return. It turned into a vicious cycle, and now the poor boy’s made enemies of most of the guild. At least those his own age.”

Nia frowns, looking at her feet. Tobias’ horrible attitude is starting to make a lot more sense, but that still doesn’t make it right. But how is Nia supposed to say that to the Pokémon who has pretty much raised Tobias for years? She’d feel horrible. Plus it’s not like she would’ve known what to do instead.

“I’ve just tried to treat him with as much love as I can. I see him as my own son, and I just hope that one day he will soften up, grow from his past and make amends. I just want him to be happy.” Maggie turns to Nia with a soft smile, and Nia’s gut turns over. “That’s why I was so glad to hear that you were willing to give him a chance. He needs someone understanding like you to help him. Someone kind and patient.”

Nia nods, avoiding the meganium’s eyes and hugging herself uncomfortably. Maybe he does, but...she’s starting to wonder how kind and patient she actually is.

“However, that does not mean I wish for you to sacrifice your own feelings. If you need to disband your team with Tobias, I understand. Put your own well-being first.”

Nia sighs, feeling more mucked up than she had when this conversation started. She thought talking with the older Pokémon would make her feel more at ease, not less. The headache isn’t helping, she’s sure. “Right. Thanks, Maggie.”

“Of course, dear. Why don’t you get some sleep? You have a lot to think on and you must be exhausted.”

Nia mumbles an agreement and gets up to go into her and Tobias’ shared alcove. She plops her aching body down into her nest and looks over at her stack of books, thinking about reading to escape her thoughts. Instead, her newly-dyed attack scarf catches her eye. It’s bright red, like Tobias’ own. She still hasn’t worn it, not quite sure how to make it work with the thick collar of fluff around her neck. She scoops it up with a paw, feeling the soft material between her fingers and looking at it thoughtfully in the dying evening light.

She wants to make this work. She really does. She just doesn’t know if she can.