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jo-harrington · 2 years

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Freaky Friday - A Stranger Things Story (Part 1)

Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 - Part 5

Word Count: 3.5k

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Fem!Reader, Steve Harrington x Fem!Reader, Eddie and Steve (Enemies to Friends)

Summary: Eddie thinks that Steve has everything in life handed to him on a silver platter (including his new girlfriend who Eddie has a crush on). And Steve just can't believe that the kids look up to Eddie the Freak, or that he lives his life without giving a single fuck.

Must be nice. But you know what they say, the grass is always greener.

Warnings/Themes: AU with no Upside Down. Body swapping, dark magic/alchemy, unrequited love--some crushes at least, Babysitter Steve, No Upside Down means slightly still King Steve, unresolved feelings, manipulation/deception, Reader gets a nickname (Honey), no Y/N if I can help it, no smut in Part 1 but liable to be in other chapters

Note: After a very hot and fast suggestion by @shiftingtherain, this mini-series was born. And instead of working on Store Manager Verse like I wanted to, here we are. This part is a little shorter...it's the intro, sue me. Next few parts will be a tad longer.

Credit for the header partially goes to me for the design and the logistics but I was tired, so I may have borrowed gifs from @emziess and Netflix itself as a jumping off point (with permission from Emzies and Netflix is a corporation so they can rot). I can only do so much guys, I also had to write this thing too.

You can find my masterlist here.

Please do not interact if you are not 18+.

Enjoy!

If Eddie never saw Steve Harrington again in his life, it would still be too soon.

He didn't always indulge in rentals from Family Video—if it was too cold and wet to have band practice in Gareth's garage, or if he was having an especially bad week at school, or if he needed something a little more realistic than the illustrations of Heavy Metal magazine to help him satisfy his needs—but today just had that special feel to it.

He'd gotten a B on his math test, Rick had been feeling a little under the weather and let Eddie make the rounds to his usuals for a sweet little cut, and he had found a dusty old book about alchemy and occultism at the library that was going to help him put the finishing touches on tomorrow night's Hellfire session.

For all of that, Eddie thought a little reward was in order.

A little Dark Crystal, a little pizza from Lou's, a little weed...he'd be having the best Thursday night.

Except...

For the past twenty minutes, he'd pretended to hem and haw over the selection of movies just so he could glare across the store at the counter, where Steve stood, flirting and making grandiose promises, with you.

He burned with jealousy, and God, it took almost everything in him not to gag as Steve reached across the counter to slyly hold your hand. And everything else for his heart not to break as you just let it happen.

Eddie didn't know how or when or why this started—when Harrington had gotten his claws into you and how he had managed to charm his way into your heart—when it should have been Eddie instead.

Eddie'd had a crush on you for years but had always been too nervous to do anything about it.

You were a year younger than him, and friends with his pal Mickey's younger sister, so he'd seen you around quite a bit. Smart and funny and pretty; maybe not as unpopular as Eddie was, but certainly not in the running for homecoming court or whatever other social hierarchies were in place at Hawkins High either. He figured...you know, maybe once he got to senior year he'd get the courage. Maybe take you to prom or something; who wouldn't want to go out with a senior?

But he'd gotten the notice from Higgins that he wouldn't be graduating with the rest of the Class of '84 and it really put a damper on his plans.

He had been hopeful again the following year, actually had a few classes with you and sat with you for partner work when no one else wanted to work with him, when they laughed at him. You weren't even afraid to go up to him in the cafeteria to ask a question, or walk with him in the hall if you had to go in the same direction for your next class. You'd talk about assignments mostly, but he savored every little fact he could learn about you. What books you'd been reading, the fact that you watched Svengoolie on Saturday nights—just like he did—or that you'd had some squabble with Mickey's sister over a scrunchie of all things and were no longer speaking.

But Eddie knew how bad his grades were—somehow even worse than the year before—and aside from the work you did with him, he knew it wasn't gonna be enough for him to graduate. So he wasn't gonna put himself in the position for you to laugh in his face—not that you would but...just in case you did—by asking you out.

He thought you would disappear from his life after you graduated. Get the hell out of Hawkins the way everyone else wanted to. But no. You took a few classes at the community college and worked the dinner shift at Benny's a few nights a week. You'd been there every Tuesday night, when he and the guys grabbed food after their gig at the Hideout. The usual booth reserved, drinks already poured by the time they sat down, and their usual orders already written in your little order pad.

You usually gave him extra whipped cream on his slice of cherry pie too.

The guys always urged him to ask for your number...but he never did. How could he? Even if you were stuck in this town the same way he was...he just couldn't bring himself to do it.

And now...here you were, listening to Harrington talk about some great surprise he had planned for your third date the next day.

Eddie wondered why you hadn't screamed in outrage when Steve mentioned how much Nancy Wheeler had liked it when he took her to this mystery place. He would have definitely expected you to at least flinch at the mention of his ex-girlfriend's name.

"It sounds really great," you said instead, smiling and nodding. "I get out of class at 3 on Fridays...should I be here around 4?"

"4 is perfect, honey," Steve grinned.

Eddie couldn't stand to hear whatever sickeningly sweet goodbye you both would come up with so he just grabbed whatever tape was in front of him and approached the counter. You and Steve both flinched when Eddie slammed his selections down on the counter to be checked out.

“Uh…I’ll see you tomorrow then. Bye Steve,” you muttered, eyeing Eddie with a half-smile that felt a bit sad. “Bye Eddie.”

"Bye honey."

“Bye honey,” Eddie mocked once you were out the door, then turned back to Steve. “You gonna try and make goo goo eyes at me next Harrington? I don’t have all day.”

“Jesus Munson. What’s up your ass?” Steve scoffed, grabbing the tapes.

“I’m just trying to get my videos and go.” Eddie rapped his knuckles on the counter. “Not really interested in the kind of customer service you're trying to provide."

Steve wondered what the likelihood of getting fired would be, if he just punched that smug look right off of Munson's face.

Keith hated the guy too, he always left the Adult section looking like a mess. Maybe Steve would get a promotion instead.

For years Eddie roamed around Hawkins being a general menace with his gaggle of friends. Causing trouble, shouting at people, making faces at old ladies. He’d gotten “taken in” to the police station one too many times but always seemed to make it out without actually being arrested. Which baffled Steve; Eddie was a drug dealer for crying out loud.

And yeah, Steve had even asked him to come and deal at a party or two but…people like that were bad. Simple as that.

Even after all of that, after you got past the “bad boy” persona….he was a fucking nerd. He wasn’t even cool like the bad boys in movies were. Steve felt like someone was tricking him the first time he had walked past the Hellfire Club’s table in the cafeteria. For all the leather and chains and band tees—all the talk of satanic rituals and blood sacrifices—there was sure a lot of talk about elves and…and bards and Star Wars.

So it shouldn’t have been a surprise to Steve that the kids would flock to Eddie by the time they made it to Hawkins High.

But it had been. A huge shock.

His unexpected little gaggle of morons…weren’t really his anymore.

Steve had dropped Dustin off on the first day of school and said “don’t get into any trouble.” Even made Robin promise to keep an eye out for him. He expected the kid to…join the mathletes or something. Get roped in with the science nerds.

But by the end of the week, the kids were all clamoring about how they would need to reschedule movie nights with Steve so they could go to Hellfire club with Eddie.

Steve couldn’t understand it. Eddie was a freak, a punk, some good for nothing…and now the kids were suddenly following him like he was some sort of prophet. Spreading the word of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

See? Steve could do the nerd talk too when he wanted...thanks to Dustin.

Who, much to Steve's annoyance, was apparently Eddie's biggest fan. The guy could do no wrong in Dustin's eyes, and it really irked Steve.

Will and Lucas were spending Saturdays at the library—not for homework, but for research because apparently Eddie really liked incorporating mythology into his campaigns. (Whatever that meant.) Mike was growing his hair out because "Eddie's hair was cool.” What about Steve, whose literal nickname was The Hair? Shit, he'd even seen Eddie give Max a ride to school on a few occasions when he was late dropping Robin off. And he knew Max and her mom had been having a hard time since her step-dad skipped town and Billy...

Steve knew some of the town gossip about Eddie was just a bunch of bullshit...but if Max Mayfield was cool with him?

Yeah, he just couldn't help but be suspicious of the guy.

Regardless, the sooner Steve could get him out of the store, the better his night was gonna get.

...actually...

"That's gonna be $10." Steve announced dryly.

"Woah, $10?!" Eddie scoffed. "I have a membership."

"Since when?" Steve asked, hands immediately landing on his hips.

"I use one every time I'm in here."

"Yeah you use Reefer Rick's."

"So?"

"New policy," Steve lied, hoping it would get Eddie out of his hair for a good while. "No sharing memberships outside of your family. Last I checked, your last name isn't Lipton. So you either cough up the $25 for a new membership Munson, or the $10 for your rental. What's it gonna be?"

Eddie grumbled and dug his wallet out of his pocket, slamming the money on the counter.

"Any candy?" Steve asked mockingly before grabbing the cash.

Eddie grabbed the tape and grumbled under his breath as he exited the store.

Yeah, Steve wasn't gonna be dealing with him any time soon.

For a second though, as he went to start processing returns, he wondered...

If Eddie was in some ritualistic cult...what kind of curse could he possibly put on me?

But that was a dumb thought to have.

Eddie's night just went down hill from the minute he left Family Video.

He didn't notice that they'd given him the wrong pizza at Lou's so now he was stuck with some specialty veggie pie with broccoli on it, the tape he had grabbed indiscriminately had been some artsy foreign romance crap, and just now he'd just spilled Dr. Pepper all over his Hellfire notebook.

"Fuck," he shouted as it spilled over the side of the coffee table and onto his sock-clad feet. He couldn't give a shit about the carpet, he could even ignore his wet socks, but his notebook. Weeks of work, planning and toiling over the most sadistic campaign.

He liked to keep all of the notes of Hellfire's completed campaigns, a sort of...record for future kids to look back on and reference. And now this specific masterpiece would be lost to memory.

He cleaned everything up as best he could before making a quick trip back to his room for an extra notebook or something he could use to salvage his plans for tomorrow's session. He had always been really bad at...keeping spare notebooks on hand. Even the ones he'd used for class always ended up covered in his drawings or notes, little bits and ideas of dialogue he could use for speeches or NPCs.

The best he could find was his math notebook from last year which, surprisingly, sat relatively untouched.

Eddie knew why: that was a class he shared with you. And as he opened to some random mostly-empty page, he saw his little scribbles in the margins surrounding half-faded, penciled-in algebraic equations. Daggers and hearts and his and your initials intertwined together.

It was the one class where he would never encounter partner work with you, so he felt compelled to fill the pages with his daydreams instead of fantasies and lore. You would never see it.

"Well," he huffed as he dropped back down onto the floor and slapped the notebook onto the coffee table. He grabbed his pen and scribbled over the drawings on the page. "Now that she's with Harrington, no use living in this fantasy. Fuck, I was stupid, so stupid to ever think she would want anything to do with me."

He grabbed the dusty old alchemical book from the library and found his place, staring at old sigils and runes and text indiscriminately until he came upon one that looked too perfect for the campaign. Concentric circles, arcane lettering, angular lines...

While Eddie would usually use a clean page for something like this—something he would hand off to his players—he drew a copy of the sigil onto the page and planned to rip the edges off, maybe singe them with his lighter to make it look more authentic.

He kept staring at the still-noticeable doodles beneath the pen scribbles and his heart ached a little in his chest.

Yeah, he would definitely want to burn those too.

By the time he was done copying the sigil, a wave of exhaustion overtook him and he glanced down at his watch.

It wasn't much later than he usually went to bed on a weeknight...

He stared at the half-ruined notes for tomorrow's session that he still needed to rewrite and sighed.

"Fuck it, I'll just redo them in the morning." He got up and stretched his arms over his head. "I can just sleep in tomorrow. Skip class. Show up for Hellfire. Who cares anymore.”

He put the rest of the pizza in the fridge for Wayne and then headed to bed, only to be plagued with dreams of scribbled out love hearts, movie theater candy, guitar solos, and big red gum.

When Eddie woke up the next morning, he felt...honestly felt like he was floating on a cloud. Every muscle in his body felt looser, yet somehow tighter at the same time. His skin felt tighter, like it wasn't right, like it didn't fit somehow, it was suffocating him.

He must have died but he wasn't quite sure if this was heaven or hell.

His eyes burned and blurred slightly as he opened them and what he saw was...unexpected.

Gone were the off-white walls, his posters, the piles of his crap, and that concerning patch of probably-mold in the corner of the ceiling. Instead there was a sturdy ceiling, plaid-papered walls, and matching curtains?

Eddie groaned and rolled over.

What the fuck was this place?

There was a slam of a door somewhere that practically shook the walls surrounding Eddie and as he sat up, he found himself only wearing...briefs? He didn't wear briefs.

This wasn’t his bed, wasn’t his room…wasn’t his… body?

He looked down at his chest, his arms, his hands…his fingers weren’t right, he didn’t have this many freckles and moles, he didn’t have…abs, if that’s what you could call the slight definition on his torso. Still it was more than his body had ever had. His skin…was itchy and mostly hairless.

Eddie reached up and touches his hair—shorter than he was used to, not curly…at all—then his face, as if that was any indicator to what he—

“A mirror!” He exclaimed. His voice…sounded familiar, but different. Fuck what kind of dream was this?

Because it had to be a dream right? It had to be. How else did he wake up in someone else’s body?

He pushed himself out of the bed, walking slightly off-cadence, which…yeah probably came with the territory of your brain needing to get used to a new body. Fuck…was his brain even his brain or did his mind just get transported what was happening?

Ugh it was too early to think about that.

Eddie slowly cracked the bedroom door open and peaked into the rest of the house. He spotted a bathroom just across the way, otherwise…shit, this place actually looked a little familiar. Where the fuck was he? Who the fuck was he?

He quickly crossed the landing into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him. He heaved a breath and leaned back against the door for a moment to calm himself; his hands were shaking and felt cold. Could he even feel his fingers? Nice to know the occasional nervousness that snuck up on him at his lowest moments hadn’t been left behind in his old body, that they’d followed him to this one.

His body…would it still be in his bed? What if he really had died and…had jumped into his new body? Was this reincarnation?

Fuck, if he was dead…Wayne would find him. Could he even…see his uncle again? How could he ever explain who he was?

Eddie felt the tears prick his eyes and his throat tighten and he slapped his face a few times.

“Come on man, come on,” he muttered. “It’s not that bad. It’s only…mildly awful. Fuck, ok. Just go, just look, just…rip it off like a bandaid.”

Eddie took a deep breath and nodded, then crossed the short distance to stand in front of the sink. He stared at his new feet, wiggled his new toes. You never…appreciated the toes you had until you have new ones.

That was awful and you’re an idiot. Just look.

Eddie closed his eyes again and turned his face up towards the mirror. He could do it. He would do it.

He opened his eyes.

“Jesus H. Christ!”

Steve woke up feeling like absolute shit. Everything ached—like he had pulled a muscle or something by sleeping crookedly—he had awful cottonmouth, and he had inhaled…some yarn or something because he woke up coughing and gagging until he got the intrusive strands out of his mouth.

“Gahh, shit, shit,” he said and scratched at his throat. He sounded hoarse. Ugh was he getting sick? He’d have to ask his mom to bring home some soup or something.

Could he call out of work? Shit he had to take Robin to school. She could walk today, he felt awful.

Steve blinked his eyes open and took in the unfamiliar popcorn ceiling with growing concern.

He looked around at the…piles of garbage and the cracks in the plaster walls partially covered by band posters...and felt the rise of panic grow within him. He tried to recall the night before.

He’d wrapped up his shift at Family Video, gone home and had a rare dinner with both of his parents, then…felt extremely tired and went to bed.

So how did he end up here…wherever here was?

This was a kidnapping; it had to be. He was…drugged—explained the cottonmouth—and kidnapped. And now someone was holding him for ransom or something to…blackmail his father? Thomas Harrington was kind of a dick sometimes, sure, but still…he was a pretty decent guy. Who would want to blackmail him?

“H-hello?” Steve called out. “Anyone there? C-can anyone hear me?”

There was some shuffling outside of the door of the room.

Thankfully Steve wasn’t tied up or anything. God, what kind of kidnappers were these? He quickly glanced around the room for a weapon of some sort and he immediately spotted...

A guitar? A few guitars actually. Man these kidnappers really liked music huh?

One was a weird shape--he'd seen some hair metal bands use guitars like that in magazines, but he'd never seen one in person--and was a mottled red color. One was just what you'd expect when someone said "electric guitar." And one was acoustic and looked like it could pack a real wallop.

Bingo.

Steve pushed himself out of the bed and immediately jumped because whatever had been in his mouth was on his shoulders now. He reached up to grab it: hair. Long, wavy, messy...knotty and frizzy. Like it hadn't been brushed for days, maybe weeks?

And his arm, sticking out from whatever t-shirt he'd been put in...was lithe and weak and there were tattoos. On both arms. A creepy claw hand and a bunch of bats.

What was this? How long had they held him hostage for? No wonder they didn't feel the need to tie him up! He'd been knocked out cold.

He needed to get out of here. Now. He needed to get home.

Steve crossed the room to grab the guitar when he noticed it. At first he thought it was another person. But no, it was just a mirror...and in the mirror...his reflection.

Only it wasn't...his reflection.

It had startled him and he had jumped. Then he moved his arms a little and watched the figure in the mirror mimic him. Over and over.

A wave, a turn, a funny face.

He couldn’t believe it. This had to be a joke. A dream. A nightmare.

Because it was him, his reflection. But it was not his—Steve Harrington’s—reflection.

It was Eddie Munson's.

#Eddie munson x reader #Eddie munson fluff #Eddie munson stranger things #Steve Harrington x reader #Steve Harrington stranger things #Eddie and steve #stranger things fic #Eddie munson fic #eddie munson imagine #Steve Harrington imagine

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yugiohz · 2 months

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i love this blog because most of you don't care about or follow bnha so i can vent here without getting dogpiled by other readers. also, everyone is welcome to comment, disagree etc. as long as you're respectful, what i don't like though is when people who haven't read bnha in years add comments/speculations ike bro you weren't there!!! anyway i put this rant under a read more ^-^

to preface this, I don't want to bitch and moan too much about this epilogue, Horikoshi seems to have given up and tbh we don't know what drove him to this point of resignation (probably overexertion).

I've made around 50 posts about the todoroki closure and what kind of ending they received, but i think there's one thing that bothered me that i never menitoned; I have a bone to pick with class 1A being granted immunity to everything while the villains have to bear the brunt of horikoshi's questionable decisions.

while i never really cared about class 1a, i've always respected that class 1A's community is a focal aspect of horikoshi's storytelling. In that regard, I wasn't surprised that Shoto would be okay with the dysfunctional state of his family because they've never been a support system for him , class 1A is his support system and where he first builds his genuine relationships and that's cute. I also think Shoto's shouout to class 1A in the epilogue tied rlly well into his fight with Dabi (the anime made it even nice imo), like i can't deny that shoto's 1st year of high school helped him so much on so many levels!

that being said, that transition from family to class 1A still left a bitter taste in my mouth because, to me (!!!!!!!!), it just felt emblematic of the ignorance and shortsightedness that permeates horikoshi's writing, especially coupled with these recent chapters; this epilogue enforces bnha's ignorant belief that as long as deku's immediate cirlce (class 1A) is fine and trying their best, we don't have to worry about anything else; Class 1A get to have their corny moments, survive heart attacks & open heart surgeries, their arms grow back, but NONE of that suspension of disbelief that it takes to accept this make-belief story is granted to the villains. The juxtaposition between how class 1A was handled vs. how the villains were handled is too jarring. This epilogue cemented to me (!!!) that heroes and villains seem to abide by 2 separate sets of diegetic rules/logic, which is just bad writing to me because there is no coherence behind it beyond the "good people deserve good endings and abjects of society deserve bad endings". you really can't be mad at "villain stans" for being incredibly frustrated when we SEE that horikoshi can very well bend some rules and make characters survive (which in itself isn't even my main gripe) and grant them kinder endings.

I love tragedies and I would be fine with some not so great outcomes (dabi) if the asymmetry between heroes and villains weren't to jarring. This epilogue made it very clear whom horikoshi deems worthy of kindness & dignity and whom he doesn't.

Class 1A getting to live in their little microcosm where they get rewareded for mere effort & can sing and dance all kumbaya while every single villain (VICTIM) dies is just insane. It feels perverse to me. and while i do think that shoto's love for class 1A is convincing and fits his arc, I also think that it's a bit ridiculous that horikoshi always emphasizes that love when shoto doesn't form significant relationships outside of the main boy circle, how come ochako is also part of that circle but he doesn't talk to her once (misogyny), horikoshi talks an awful lot about this particular bond when shoto has like 3 friends in that class, which is fine but you can't be mad at me for wanting him to put some effort into how shoto deals with his BROTHER like they should've gotten a bigger moment..........

I can come to terms with dabi's ending tbh. while i wouldn't have written it like that, he's always been a dead man walking so whatever, i can see the tragic value of it in some grotesque way even though i'd love for a victim to survive this violence. But shigaraki's ending is extremely insulting and leaves a very questionable message like what's the point of this.

whatever this epilogue is beyong ridiculous to me & horikoshi is tired so i will let this rest and not waste my time being any more upset about it hopefully. most of bnha has been very fun and the bakudeku plotline was handled beautifully imo, you can tell horikoshi put effort and love into that and for that i'm grateful <3 don't ask me anything about the villians tho

i wrote this at 7am on an empty stomach so feel free to comment/correct/remind of sth i love talking about this :)

and as much as i appreciate the much more positive reception of these recent chapters I read those posts too, I don't think it's wrong to say that, on a very basic level, bnha is extremely disappointing for failing its biggest victims

the only thing that could make me take back all of my criticism would be bnha 2.0 in which horikoshi would actually make his characters reflect onn whatever happened lmaoooo

#nothing more tragic than the world failing a child #bnha manga spoilers #bnha spoilers #bnha critical #?

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trainsinanime · 2 months

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It's been a while, let's discuss Deadpool and Wolverine in detail, with some spoilers.

D&W is a very fun movie. I had a blast, I enjoyed myself the entire time I was there, and I wouldn't mind watching it again.

Now, the main criticism that I think can be levied at this movie is some form of: It was just a fun movie, not more. Deadpool explicitly makes fun of "hey it's that guy, in the right outfit!", but that is a key part of what this movie itself is.

Where Deadpool 1 and 2 had way more depth than you'd think, with loss, grief, found family, foster home abuse and so on, this one was fairly surface-level. There's a very generic "hero getting back up again" story for "the worst Wolverine", but that feels almost perfunctory. Deadpool's arc is likewise way less interesting. And all the side characters we grew to love from the previous movies, Vanessa, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Yukio and so on, are basically shuffled off two to scenes and a polaroid, with nobody from Deadpool 2 even appearing at all.

However, that is not actually my main criticism of the movie. My main criticism is one that it shares with every other Marvel film, whether made by Marvel or Fox or Sony, and that is that it doesn't have enough Dafne Keen as Laura Kinney in it. It still has the second-most Laura of all of them, of course, but there has been no movie that had enough Laura in it yet for me, and yes, that includes Logan.

Interestingly, she is presented as a big important deal here, far more so than any of the other characters. I loved the movie Logan, but nobody loves it as much as Ryan Reynolds. However, in the end, her presence doesn't actually affect the movie much, if at all. This feels more like Ryan Reynolds personally going, "hey, remember her? She was cool! Disney, please bring her back for something bigger!". I fully agree with that statement, by the way.

She is ultimately just one part of the main phenomenon here, though: This movie is just a cameo mill. I'd argue it's a cameo mill done right, but still, a cameo mill. It's characters we actually know, they're presented as cool and fun, and they leave the movie in ways that I would consider satisfying. Marvel has been criticised for its over-reliance on "hey it's that guy!", and this movie does it more than any other. But it does it really well, so I am giving it a pass for that. If someone hates the movie, I imagine the main thing they'll disagree with me on is this point: Whether all the pointless cameos that disrupt the main plot are fun or not.

As for the main part of the movie, the buddy comedy with Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine perfectly once more and the way he plays off of Deadpool, I mean, that part is perfect, so there's really not much to say here. It's exactly what you want it to be. The movie is excellent at that.

I like how they manage to keep Deadpool's annoying-ness under control by making most characters perfectly aware of what he's doing; they're getting the jokes, they just don't think they're funny. That works well.

I want to say something about them bringing up the TVA from Loki, but I can't think of anything, so I'll just say that I still always think of the Tennessee Valley Authority first no matter what, even though I've never been to Tennessee. It felt a bit clunky to have them here, but they made it work.

Overall, a good movie, easily the best Marvel movie since, I dunno, Black Panther? (Definitely the best since Endgame and Infinity War, but I actually didn't like either of them, so the best since whatever really good one came before them) But also in my opinion in some ways the least interesting Deadpool movie, although that is still complaining on a very high level. Logan was still better, though, and I have no doubt Ryan Reynolds agrees.

#deadpool wolverine #deadpool and wolverine #deadpool & wolverine

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the-cult-of-riley · 6 months

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Sleeping With Ghosts (Act Two: Chapter Three)

Simon 'Ghost' Riley x Female OC

[[Masterlist]]

A/N:

Man, I’ve been feeling like shit lmao

My b12 anaemia has been kicking my ass and I’m not even joking. I went to see Greg Puciato on the 10th and I legit spent the whole first two starting bands throwing up and almost passing out, with zero alcohol consumed. I thought I was gonna die but refused to go home ‘cause no way was I missing Greg loooool I pushed through and it was the best show I’ve ever been to, even if I felt on the verge of death. I also picked up some germs ‘cause now I feel like I’ve got the flu and I haven't even got over whatever I was dealing with before.

I don’t know why my brain has been really struggling with this chapter. I have so much of Act Two mapped out but it's mostly the action and the fun and the angsty bits and the making up and all that. The little in-between parts to get there haven't been written and my brain really wasn't playing ball. Sorry for any typos, It's currently 2 am here and I've literally just finished writing and quickly editing it lol

In the name of our Lord and Saviour, Simon Riley, I beseech you to strike the writer curse from my weary body and allow me to continue feeding my hungry children with Ghostly content.

The last wisps of sleep were still clinging onto Charlotte’s consciousness when she felt her bed dip and the covers rustle and move. Her eyes blinked open slowly, her brain trying to comprehend the shit show that had become her life. For a brief moment, she thought she was back home, dying under the weight of grief and raising a child alone. But then she realised this wasn't her bed, these weren’t her bedroom walls and her husband wasn't dead. She still felt that grief though, it wouldn't shake even if he was breathing and now she had a heaping scoop of betrayal to go along with it. She rolled over to the source of what woke her up to see Beth beside her, giving her a cheeky smile.

“Good morning, mummy,” she murmured tiredly, scooting closer and wrapping herself around Charlotte like a snake. It made all of her tension seep from her body, even if only for a moment. She loved these moments in the morning with her daughter. They made her feel like she was glued back together briefly.

“Good morning, pickle,” she smiled softly and Beth made a disgruntled noise like she always did at the nickname. They didn't need words as they cuddled together as they both woke up and Charlotte tried to will some backbone to leave the room at some point.

They’d need breakfast and she hoped Simon wouldn't be in the mess hall. She wasn't sure how Beth was supposed to bond with him when she wanted him nowhere near her. She knew she needed to suck it up for Beth’s sake and Simon was lucky she’d do anything for their daughter.

“Did you have a good sleep?” Charlotte asked, her fingers stroking through Beth’s unruly curls. The girl shot her a bright smile with a nod.

“I did. I’m excited to go and see daddy at breakfast! Can we go yet?” she asked eagerly and Charlotte tried to stop her stomach from tying itself in knots.

“Let's get dressed then,” she flashed her best fake smile and Beth giggled, rushing to get out of bed as Lottie sat up and rubbed her eyes.

“Can we match, mummy?” Beth asked hopefully and Charlotte nodded.

“You pick what you want us to wear,” she instructed, watching with a fond smile as Beth rummaged around in the bag, pulling some things out and leaving them strewn about the place.

She picked out two matching hoodies that had Placebo across the chest. Hers was real merch but they didn't make kids stuff so she’d wound up using fabric paint to replicate it on a kids hoodie. She picked out black leggings to match too. They both got dressed in their matching attire, boots to finish off the look and Charlotte really didn't feel like making much of an effort with her hair with how she was feeling so she threw it up into a high pony. Naturally, Beth gave her a look and was only placated once she also had a high ponytail that looked nothing like Charlotte with her blonde curls.

If she thought she felt nauseous on the way to the mess hall, it was nothing compared to how she felt when they strolled in, hand in hand. It felt like everyone’s eyes turned to the two civilians on base and she knew she wasn't imagining how they all murmured to each other. Maybe word travelled fast.

One pair of eyes in particular felt like they burned her right down to her bones and she glanced over to the table housing the 141, seeing those deep brown hues staring right at her. She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her and she looked away quickly, ushering Beth to the food. She grabbed two trays, feeling guilty that Beth was babbling about something but she was struggling to pay attention. She scooped some scrambled eggs onto the plates and some bacon. She was just scooping some beans too when someone approached.

“Well then, who’s this wee pretty lass?”

Charlotte turned to see Johnny standing there, a smile that she could only compare to sunshine on a rainy day as he peered down at Beth. she clung to Mr Snuffles tightly, blinking up at the man.

“I’m Beth,” she answered sweetly and Charlotte watched as Johnny crouched to be closer to her height.

“What a beautiful name,” he grinned and Beth beamed at him.

“What's your name?” she asked curiously.

“I’m Johnny but people call me Soap,” he answered and Beth giggled.

“That's a silly name!”

Johnny snorted with a nod.

“Aye, it is, but it's mine and I love it. We need to get you a call sign, aye?” he asked and Beth toddled closer to him, eyes wide as she nodded.

“Yes please, Mr Soap,” she clapped her hands excitedly and Charlotte didn't miss how she was drawing attention.

“Alright., let’s think…” Johnny rubbed his chin, making a show of thinking and it made Beth giggle again.

“Do ye have a nickname already? We could use that,” he suggested and Beth pulled a face.

“Mummy calls me pickle sometimes,” she muttered gloomily and Johnny chuckled.

“Nah, we don't want a name like pickle, do we?” he asked her, pulling the same face she had and it made her laugh.

“What kinda things do ye like?” he asked her thoughtfully and Beth’s face lit up.

“I like Halloween and spooky things. Ghosts, skellingtons and pumpkins. I like monsters,” she made fake claws with her hands and growled at him.

Being the good sport he was, Johnny yelped dramatically, falling on his ass and Charlotte couldn't help the grin on her face as she watched the pair, Beth laughing brightly at him. She was quickly warming up to the man.

“I have the perfect name for ye, and it kinda goes with yer daddy’s” he announced, looking pleased with himself and Beth was practically bouncing on the spot.

“What is it?” she asked eagerly.

“Spook,” he declared with a flourish and Beth’s eyes were almost sparkling.

“I love it!” she beamed, dancing about a little, the bunny in her hands getting thrown about in the process.

“Awesome!” Johnny grinned, holding his hand up to her and she slapped him a high-five harder than he expected if his wince was anything to go by.

He stood back up, a slight groan leaving his lips as he back popped.

“Now that's settled, let's eat, aye?” he smiled, turning to look at Charlotte as he gave her a warm grin that had her smiling back at him.

“Alright?” he asked her and she nodded, feeling somewhat better by his soothing presence. He seemed happy with her answer, clapping her gently on the back before he swiped Beth’s tray so Charlotte didn't have to carry two.

Beth was happily chatting to him as the three of them made their way over to the table. Price was at the head of the table to the right, the bench along the back housing a man she didn't know with a cap on his head and a calming smile aimed at her. She smiled back nervously and looked away, her hands tightening over the tray. There was an empty spot beside the man and Johnny plonked into it, not before putting Beth's tray on the other side of the bench which was empty. On the head of the table to the left was Simon, whose eyes were glued to her. Beth’s tray was placed beside him and that left the spot between Beth and Price open for her.

She noticed two of the men who were there at her outburst the day before weren't here but she was glad. It was bad enough being around just this small group, especially because she’d spilled her heart out in front of them. Worst of all was Simon though and the only respite she got from his burning gaze was when Beth climbed up on the bench, having to sit on her knees to reach her tray as she beamed a blinding grin at him and his eyes now went to his daughter.

“Good morning, daddy,” she smiled up at him. Charlotte wished to tear her eyes away and yet she couldn't, seeing his dark eyes peering out of his mask at Beth, all soft and gooey. It was the same look she had herself when her daughter was being sweet.

“Mornin’, lovie,” he murmured quietly and Charlotte swallowed thickly.

“So! Introductions since this spooky bastard won’t be makin’ ‘em,” Johnny started with a smirk and Beth gasped, slapping one hand over her mouth, the other pointing accusingly at the Scot, making him go silent.

“You swore!” she exclaimed and the whole table went quiet as they watched her. Charlotte bit her lip to stifle a laugh as Johnny blinked at her for a moment before he let out a laugh.

“Aye, I did, I’m sorry, lass,” he murmured with a grin and Beth raised a sassy brow at him.

“You owe me a pound now,” she held her hand out expectantly and Charlotte watched the Scot look to the girl's hand before back at her face.

“I owe ye?” he asked slowly and Beth nodded.

“We have a swear jar and every time mummy swears she puts a pound in and then I get to spend it,” she flashed her teeth in a toothy grin and Johnny’s lips quirked upwards as he glanced to Charlotte and then back to Beth.

“Well, I don’t have a quid on me right now, but I’ll owe ye one, aye?” he asked and Beth sighed with a nod.

“So, ye already know the Captain and this creepy fu- fool…” he trailed off after curtly cutting his words so he didn't owe even more money to the mini Riley. He slapped Simon on the shoulder and Lottie watched carefully as his dark eyes slid to Johnny, mild amusement and annoyance shining behind them. But when those eyes slid back to her, she felt like a lightning bolt struck her right in the chest and she looked away quickly, picking at her eggs.

“This one is Kyle Garrick, also known as Gaz,” Johnny finished as he gestured to the only man on the table she hadn’t met yet.

“Nice to meet you Mr Gaz,” Beth smiled sweetly at him. The man smiled, a soft look on his face.

“Nice to meet you too,” he replied politely, his eyes turning to Charlotte then.

“You too, Mrs Riley,” he smiled and her hand tightened around her fork.

“Charlotte’s fine,” she muttered tensely and she could practically feel Simon’s eyes burning into her.

“And all you fuc- idiots know Charlotte and Beth, now also known as Spook,” Johnny gestured to the little girl with a flourish and she grinned, making a spooky noise while she wiggled her fingers.

“You gave her a callsign?” Simon asked and Charlotte couldn't decipher his tone. It was so detached, different to what she was used to with him.

“Course I did. She loves spooky shi- stuff, so it felt right. You like it, aye, Spook?” he asked her and she giggled, nodding her head.

“I love it,” she answered happily before she turned her deep brown eyes to her father.

“Do you like it, daddy?” she asked, her eyes hopeful and wide as she stared at him. He just watched her for a moment and Lottie was starting to think he wouldn't answer her.

“I do. Suits you,” he answered, reaching out slowly and stroking her head softly. Her smile widened as she leaned into his touch and Charlotte felt a burning in her chest.

“We need a call sign for Charlotte then,” Gaz commented, a thoughtful look on his face.

“Grim,” Simon answered before anyone could suggest a thing. Had he shot her in the chest? It felt like it. So many memories flooded her system, memories of a happier time, of a time where he hadn’t betrayed her trust, hadn’t lied to her, hadn’t hurt her.

“Aye, that's good. Ghost, Spook and Grim, a proper family,” Johnny snorted gleefully

“What can I say? I like a good theme,” Simon answered dryly but she heard the amusement and it sparked an annoyance in her.

Five years he’d been gone, five years he’d fucked off, only to live in their old base. Was he here every day eating with his friends and cracking jokes like she wasn't at home raising a child alone and drowning in grief? Did he really care that little that he hadn't even checked in with her once? Didn't have anyone look into where she might be, what she was doing? Would he have even bothered to come back if he knew Beth existed? Would he have come back for her? Did he like it here without her?

She pushed her tray away from her, a vile feeling creeping into her chest like an infection that was spewing puss. She didn't want to be here.

“Mummy, your breakfast,” Beth murmured, looking up at her carefully.

“I’m not hungry anymore, sweetie,” she replied but her voice felt far away, floating out of reach.

It felt like her eyes weren't seeing, she couldn't get out of her own head. She suddenly felt warm leather on her cheek and with a start, she realised Simon had reached over Beth to cup her cheek, turning her to look at him with pure worry in his gaze. She jerked her head from his grasp like he’d burned her and his arm dropped back down. She didn't miss the pure anguish in his eyes. She needed to get out of here, she couldn't break down in front of everyone, not in front of Beth.

“How about I give ye that tour we were talkin’ about?” Johnny asked her with a grin but there was something on his face that touched her, soothed her spiralling. He’d never offered her a tour, he was giving her an out and in that moment, she knew Johnny meant his promise from the night before.

“Sounds good,” she forced a smile and Beth grasped her arm.

“Mummy… could I stay here with daddy?” she asked with a smile and Lottie hated the pain that lanced through her chest.

It shouldn't hurt her that she wanted to spend time with her dad, she’d only just met him and they had a lot of lost time to make up for. Yet she couldn't help the burning jealousy that hit her out of nowhere. He hadn't been here, it wasn't fair that he got to covet her and she got left in the dust.

“That's fine,” she answered, trying her best to keep herself in check until she left. She stood up quickly, not looking at anyone and not really bothering to think about manners to the other men at the table as she rushed out of the mess hall and outside.

Johnny was right behind her, hand on her back as he led her to a bench. She crumbled onto it, resting her face in her hands. She didn't want to cry, not again. She was sick of it. She wished she could just pretend it didn't bother her what he did. That she could just be happy he was here, happy he was alive. She couldn't shake the feeling of abandonment though. That the one person who swore he’d never do that to her had done it without care. It hurt so much that she felt she might die.

“It's alright, love,” Johnny murmured sympathetically as he rubbed her back.

“I just… he’s been here this whole time while I’ve been suffering ,” she lamented, feeling like her sanity was slipping through her fingers.

“I know… I know, lass. I wish I had the words to make this all better. Ye didn’t deserve to go through all this,” he sighed sadly, his hand still rubbing her back. Silence settled over them for a moment as she fought the deep urge to cry, sitting there staring out at nothing as she wondered how it all came to this.

“Ye wanna blow some shit up?” Johnny asked out of the blue. Her eyes darted to him, wondering if he actually meant what he said and he gave her a roguish grin that told her he did indeed mean it.

“Okay,” she nodded with a sniffle. Johnny’s grin widened, a gleeful laugh leaving his lips as he jumped from the bench, grabbing her hand and yanking her with him. He all but dragged her through the base to get to the demolitions section where training was held.

Ghost sat stiffly, watching as Charlotte rushed from the mess hall, his best mate in tow like a little puppy at her feet. He couldn’t get that haunted look she had out of his fucking head. She looked so lost, adrift at sea with no anchor to tether her to the world. He’d been that anchor once and now he was the cause of her spiralling. He’d wanted to be her anchor again and his touch had brought her back, but it wasn't the reaction he was hoping for.

Having her pull away from him like that was more painful than the gunshot wound to his collarbone last year. The fleeting contact he’d had with her filled his dead heart up with so much warmth before it was snuffed out like it was never there to begin with and he cursed himself for wearing his fucking gloves. He just wanted to be okay with her again, wanted her to accept his touch, wanted to fall into her arms and have her make everything okay again.

It wasn't okay though, it hadn't been for a while and this was his doing. He wasn't sure he’d ever be able to fix it and having Johnny be the one glued to her side was like salt in his wounds. He knew it was a good thing, Johnny would try and get her back on his side like the good best mate he was, yet it still stung. Hurt like a bitch when he saw her embracing Johnny while she refused his touch so viciously. How easy she’d fallen into Johnny’s arms, how desperate for comfort she was. It hurt. It really fucking hurt .

He was brought out of his depressing musings by a tug on his hoodie and he glanced down, remembering the little girl sat next to him. Her brown eyes were blinking up at him carefully, tilting her head like she was sizing him up. She was so beautiful.

“Daddy?” she asked him, her voice soft and sweet, wrapping him up like a warm blanket.

“Yeah, lovie?” he asked quietly. It was like no one else existed in that moment but her. She nibbled her lower lip as she shifted where she sat for a moment, looking deep in thought.

“Can we do something?” She gave him a hopeful smile and despite looking so much like him, he saw Lottie in that smile and he wasn't sure if that eased the ache in his heart or made it worse.

“What do you wanna do?” he asked, unsure what four year olds liked to do and even if that was possible on a military base. Her eyes seemed to light up as she flashed him a bright grin.

“I know!” she shuffled off her seat, moving to stand as she grabbed his hand and tugged on it impatiently. He stood, seeming to tower over her and she refused to let go of his hand as she started pulling him along. He couldn't hear Gaz’s witty remark but he heard Price chuckle at them both as he left.

He allowed her to lead him until they got outside and she kept pulling him until they moved over to the patch of grass that ran along the gates near the car park. She let go of his hand and he watched curiously as she plonked herself down without a care. She looked up at him expectantly and his lips tugged up slightly as he moved to sit on the grass with her.

“Daisies are really pretty,” she murmured happily as she started picking them. He’d never really noticed them before but now she’d drawn attention to them, he noticed they were scattered all over the grass.

He had no idea what to say, couldn't remember how to act around kids, it had been far too long. Part of his brain tried to remember how he’d interacted with Joseph but that was far too painful and he shoved it away quickly. He wanted to bond with her but he really had no clue how, so he just watched her.

She picked a bunch of daisies, her tongue poking out of her mouth a little in pure concentration as she started fiddling with them. He couldn't really tell what she was doing with them but after a few moments, she grinned triumphantly and put a flower crown on her head.

“What do you think, daddy?” she asked him sweetly and he melted into a puddle looking at her. The sun shone down on her and he wondered for a moment if he was dead and she was in fact an angel.

“Perfect, love,” he murmured, his throat feeling tight and uncomfortable and he had to clear his throat to ease the sensation.

Her smile widened even more and his chest felt like it was expanding. She picked a bunch more and he was helpless, could do little else but watch this little part of himself as she busied herself with the flowers. He still hadn’t fully wrapped his head around the fact he was a father now.

He’d been so ready for it back then, when he’d left for the last time. He’d been so excited to get back to Lottie and start a family. He’d been excited to watch the bump grow, to watch Charlotte glow as she carried their baby, looked forward to the scans and all the milestones. Looked forward to holding a tiny bundle of his own, much like he had when Joseph was born.

He didn't have any of that though and it was all his own fault. He’d missed out on the most precious moments of Beth’s life because he was a coward. He’d never be able to get those moments back, he couldn't undo what he’d done. Knowing all the things he’d missed made him wish he had died back in Mexico. It would be a relief from feeling what he was currently feeling.

He flinched with a blink when something touched him, rousing him from his thoughts. Beth was standing in front of him now, a cheeky grin on her face as she put a crown of his own on his head over his balaclava. He felt a rush of warmth flowing through him and he really didn't give a toss who saw him wearing it. She’d made him something and he wished he could keep it forever, wished it wouldn’t wilt away.

“Thank you, sweetheart,” he smiled softly even though she couldn't see it. It was like she could sense it or maybe she was perceptive for her age and picked up on the scrunching of his eyes because she beamed at him, such a radiant smile he wanted to burn to a crisp from it.

“You're welcome,” she smiled, kissing his cheek over his mask before she moved away.

He was overwhelmed, too many thoughts and feelings running rampant in him and he wasn’t sure how to deal with it. An explosion across base felt like it shook the floor and Beth jumped up, a worried look on her face that had a protective streak surge through him. He steadied her with his hands and she settled closer to him, plopping into his lap as if she’d done it a million times before.

“What was that?” she asked with big eyes, looking towards where the noise came from.

“It's just the demo practice. Its where they learn about bombs and things,” he explained, hoping to ease her worries. It seemed to work as she relaxed into him more.

“So, it's not bad?” she asked him, blinking her pretty eyes at him.

“It's not bad. You don't have to worry, lovie, I won’t let anythin’ bad happen to you,” he meant those words wholeheartedly. He’d burn the entire world down with everyone on it to keep her safe.

Another explosion happened and this time Beth seemed fine, pressed into his chest as she sat on his knee. While he wasn't worried as the noises were coming from the demo area, he was sure there weren't any classes or training today. It wasn't uncommon for Johnny to go and play around a bit, the only one to get away with it as the demolitions expert and being one of the 141. Was Lottie with him? Was it them making all this racket?

His eyes drifted back to Beth then, happily sitting on him with their matching flower crowns. He wanted to know more about her, all the things he’d already know if he’d have been around.

“You wanna play a game?” he asked her and she grinned up at him.

“What kinda game?” she asked him excitedly.

“We ask each other questions to find out more about each other,” he suggested and there was a mischievous twinkle in her brown eyes.

“I already know everything about you. Mummy told me,” she beamed, sounding more than proud of herself. He felt like someone just gutted him, sliced him right open and let his insides splat onto the floor. He pushed it away though and tried to ignore it. Of course Lottie told her everything.

“How about you tell me stuff about you, then?” he asked her hopefully and she clapped her hands excitedly.

“My full name is Elizabeth Anne Riley,” she started. No, he hadn't been gutted before, he was now though. The pain that ricocheted through him tore through skin, muscle and bone. He bit down on his lower lip hard behind his mask, drawing blood. The sensation grounded him though as he nodded, trying not to look too upset.

“That's a lovely name,” he muttered, voice strained and choked. Her smile turned softer then, blinking up at him and she leaned into him more.

“It's a special name. Mummy told me I was named after special people,” she murmured. His chest felt so tight that he felt like he couldn't breathe. Without thinking about it, a hand came to stroke her hair and he found the feeling soothing to him, easing that ravaging ache in his chest.

“I’m four but I’m five in two weeks,” she held her hand out, wiggling her fingers at him to demonstrate her point and he felt his lips tug up a little at her excitement.

“My favourite colour is…” she trailed off, tilting her head with that thoughtful look on her face again. “Black. I like black ‘cause it's all spooky,” she flashed him a toothy grin and he melted once again.

“Mummy’s sketty is my favourite meal but I also love when she does eggy bread on my birthday,” she beamed up at him and he swallowed thickly, still stroking her hair as he nodded.

“They’re my favourites too,” he replied hoarsely and she gave him a cheeky look.

“I know,” she giggled and he made him smile.

Without warning, she hopped off his lap, his hand suddenly cold now it was no longer stroking her hair but she flopped down next to him, laying down and making her crown fall a little onto the grass.

“Lay down,” little one was bossy and he knew he had no choice so he obeyed. He held onto his flower crown as he shuffled around before laying on his back beside her. He moved his hand back to his side even though he was sure the crown had slipped off into the grass anyway,

“Do you like clouds, daddy?” she asked him softly. He turned his head to look at her and she was laying there, staring at the sky.

“Never really thought about it,” he replied honestly. She turned to look at him then, scrunching her face up with the most judgmental look he’d ever been given.

“Look at the clouds. Sometimes they look like things,” she murmured.

“I’ve seen that sometimes. Once I saw a cloud that looked like a co-... clock,” he muttered, shaking his head as he changed his words. Wouldn’t bode well for him as his first day being a dad coming out with that.

He still remembered that day though, in the sweltering heat of Al Mazra in the middle of a mission. Wasn’t every day you see a cloud shaped like a fucking dick in the sky and he’d have thought he was hallucinating due to the heat if it wasn’t for Johnny seeing it too. The Scot had said it was the best thing he’d ever witnessed in his entire life. When Soap had got Price to look, the shape had changed and the old man was sure they were off their rockers.

“Look at that one, it kinda looks like a bird doing this,” she pointed at a big cloud before she started flapping her arms around weirdly and he shook his head fondly before he looked back up at the clouds. He just watched them go by for a moment, enjoying the peace he felt. Something he wasn't sure he’d felt in a long while.

“That one kinda looks like a bum,” he murmured, pointing to a cloud.

“Daddy!” Beth burst out laughing, smacking his arm and he found himself laughing. Actually genuinely laughing and not the half arsed chuckled Johnny would draw out of him with a bad joke. It was an odd feeling to laugh like that, he was sure he hadn't done it since before he’d left for that mission, the one that ruined his life. It made him feel lighter.

“You can’t tell me it doesn't,” he huffed playfully and she laughed again.

“... It does, but you're still silly,” she snorted, making his whole body light up.

She was so precious and he wasn't sure just how to handle it. He was sad things with Charlotte were so bad and he didn't want to think about how the hell he was supposed to fix that mess, but being able to spend time with Beth and bond with her meant the world to him. He could focus on Beth for now, one thing at a time. He’d build his family back up from the ground, brick by brick. He’d done it before, back with his brother and his mum and he could do it again. It’d be painful and probably take a while but he wouldn't waver, wouldn't give up. Not when he had the whole world in the palm of his hand. He couldn't give that up for anything.

#simon ghost riley x reader #simon riley x reader #ghost x oc #simon ghost riley x oc #simon riley x oc #ghost x reader #simon ghost riley

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fantasy-mixtapes · 7 months

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Fabian Aramais Seacaster S3 Playlist: side a

Here he is! God's favorite popular kid!! Song descriptions down below, spoilers for fantasy high junior year ep. 1-10

Genres include: dance/electronic, alternative, rnb, pop-punk

1. Stop, Justice

So many times we rise and fall After a while it's coming all together Together So many times we rise and fall Wondering if we'll find it all together Together Remember all the nights and days we spent together Together It's so easy to forget how to surrender But nothing's ever stopped Music and lights, rhythm and melodies Take us to the top

Is this about how Fabians friendships and newfound love of dance helped him become a happier better person? yes.

Is it also about how often Fabian fell during the Night Yorb battle? also yes.

2. Social Climb, I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME

Oh, come break some hearts now Tear them out File in for amusements with the crowd Oh, but be advised Participation is required Doin' things not typically allowed Feels like we're having a good time It's true, a wonderfully good time when I'm with you

Fabian Seacaster, The Most Popular Guy in School, Maximum Legend, making my skin crawl blowing off Mazey's twister game to hang out with Ivy THATS NOT YOUR HEARTTTTTT, THATS NOT WHO YOU AREEEEEE. AND I KNOW he was doing it for the mystery but oh my GOD he was too good at playing that part

3. Call It What You Want, Foster the People

You've taken your words And you take your judgments And stick 'em onto everything If it don't conform to what you were born into Then you run the other way You say, "Now what's your style? And who do you listen to?" Who cares? Well, the rat race ladder climbin' fake fake smiles Got nothing on me, yeah, yeah

Ok, so this is a little unorthodox for me because I usually only put songs from the characters' perspectives on their respective playlists, but I can't get this scene out of my head. In my mind, this is Mazey's perspective from the chunk of that first downtime when Fabian invites her and everyone else in dance class to Seacaster Manor, and Fabian starts to really come out of his shell.

Think of it like a slow-burn montage of the two dancing (literally dancing) around their potential feelings for one another. The song has a really nice groove to it, and it matches up with Mazey's cool and earnest personality.

4. Stronger Than Ever, Raleigh Ritchie

Hate me when I'm gone I'll make it worth your while when I'm successful But, when I'm here I need your kindness 'Cause the climb is always stressful I'll leave my peace in pieces all around The decent people back at home 'Cause I'm a big boy, an adult now or nearly If I pull the wool back from my eyes I can see clearly The world is at my feet and I am standing on the ceiling,

Alone in that big house, trying to be the best at everything, pushing himself harder and harder. The song is so perfect it speaks for itself

5. Thing Called Love, Kevin Ross

Don't know why you love me so much, oh When I can't say I deserve us Like a rocket's failure to launch I just let it self-destruct And it's not right (No) And it hurts twice when it's good-intentioned But that's life (Right?) Or is it my pride that wouldn't listen

Ok these last two are just directly in reaction to episode ten scenes so be warned.THE SCENE WITH FABIAN AND MAZEY IN THE KITCHEN??? Talk about the right person and wrong time and god; it rips my heart out. Like how he earnestly talked about how worried he was for her safety. THE WAY SHE JUST SAYS SHE HAS A CRUSH ON HIM. THE WAY LOU REACTED????? shoot me dead

6. Pieces, Sum 41

I tried to be perfect But nothing was worth it I don't believe it makes me real I thought it'd be easy But no one believes me I meant all the things I said ... This place is so empty My thoughts are so tempting I don't know how it got so bad Sometimes it's so crazy That nothing can save me But it's the only thing I have

"breaker breaker, Fabian Seacaster looking for his papa Bill Seacaster."

#dimension 20 #fantasy high #fantasy high junior year #d20 #d20 fhsy #spotify #fantasy mixtapes #fabian aramais seacaster #fabian seacaster #lou wilson #fhjy spoilers #d20 spoilers #Spotify

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teaberrii · 1 year

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Chapter 6: Festival Fever

You've been Cupid for as long as you can remember. You've brought countless soulmates together, yet you've never found love.

When you're assigned to bring two childhood friends back together, it should be simple until you unexpectedly catch feelings for the mysterious and cold Ph.D. student, Dan Heng, the man with a soulmate… the man with answers to your past.

Dan Heng/You

Please be aware of the following warnings in this chapter that some people may find disturbing:

1. Small smut scene 2. Non-graphic depictions of violence 3. Depictions of gore... (I wouldn't say it's too graphic) 4. Small scene of non-consensual sexual contact

Notes:

Cross-posted on Ao3

Female reader

Chapter index at the end of chapter one

You close the closet door and look at your reflection in the mirror. The sun is shining brightly, and large, marshmallow clouds float slowly in the vast expanse of blue. It's a hot day, so you picked out your best summer wear. A pastel green, airy blouse tucked into your high-waisted black shorts. You're adjusting your blouse when you hear Pom knock on your door. Then, he opens it.

“Are you going to come and have breakfast or what?” You turn and see Pom leaning against the doorframe with a playful smile. “If I could offer my two cents… Dan Heng would think you look great in anything.”

You give him a deadpan look. “This isn’t about him.” Then, you walk past Pom and see the breakfast he’s prepared on the table. “Wow, Pom. You learn pretty fast.”

Pom sits across from you and smiles proudly. “Of course! Who do you think I am?”

After a short while, you say, “...I’ve been thinking about your theory.”

“You mean the one where you and Dan Heng are soulmates?” Pom asks, looking up.

“If we are, hypothetically speaking, why are we here to bring him and Stelle together?”

Pom puts down his fork, swallows his food, and says, “Maybe that’s part of the process. As you try to bring him and Stelle together, you and Dan Heng end up falling in looove.”

“Seriously, Pom.”

“I am being serious!” But, then, he sighs. “I admit it’s a little strange, though. If that’s really the case, wouldn’t that… feel more like torture?”

“...Do you think this is payback?”

“Payback? For what?”

"That man in my vision said they'd kill him because he wasn't one of our kind. Assuming he's talking about Young, perhaps… I got him killed."

"Hey, hold on," Pom says with a worried look. "It's way too early to jump to those ominous conclusions. There's no proof."

“I had another dream last night. Based on that… we continued to be friends. We knew the consequences.” You stab your food with your fork. “You said it yourself. If Dan Heng and I are supposedly going to fall in love, then this job will feel like torture.”

"Maybe this is just history repeating itself," Pom muses. "Maybe Young was in a love triangle between you and… Stelle." Pom leans forward. "I know you want answers, Cupid. But we don't have anything concrete yet. What we know is that you and a creature named Young knew each other in the past. That's it. That man you saw in your vision… there's also a possibility he's talking about someone else. I was only joking about the soulmate theory between you and Dan Heng."

“I know…”

“...But?”

You remember the conversations between you and Dan Heng. While you say you're friends, you're aware of the borderline flirtatious innuendos happening. What worries you, however, is that you're… enjoying it.

“I just don’t want to fall into a trap,” you finally say.

Then, you stand with your empty plate and head for the kitchen as Pom gives you a worried look.

When you and Pom head downstairs to meet your friends, you didn't think it's possible for Dan Heng to look even better than usual. His hair is stylishly messy. At least, that's the best way you can put it. His black t-shirt has a V-neck window to his chest, and it fits snugly into his fitted jeans that are slightly ripped at the knees and tucks into his black boots.

You see a watch on his left hand and a black belt. When he looks at you, your words are almost lost in your throat. When you get close enough, you get a whiff of his cologne, and your mind wanders to how good he’d smell if you got even closer…

You remember what you said about not wanting to fall into a trap, but when Dan Heng walks up to you, it’s hard not to look away.

“If you’re going to make fun of my clothes this time, I—”

"You look nice," Dan Heng interrupts without looking away from your face.

Pom looks from you to Dan Heng. “And no compliments for Pom? How rude.”

Dan Heng glances at him, and you almost chuckle when he doesn’t say anything, much to Pom’s shock.

After a short chuckle, Gepard asks, “Shall we go?” He looks at his watch. “March and Stelle should be there soon.”

You knew that March and Stelle would be coming as Dan Heng had asked if you’d be okay with them tagging along before you went to sleep. Of course, you said it was fine.

You and Dan Heng are following Pom and Gepard, who are walking in front of you, chatting about something when you notice a few girls glancing at Dan Heng as they walk by. Some even whisper amongst themselves with a curious look in their eyes.

“...You asked me if I knew someone named Young yesterday,” Dan Heng suddenly says. “Are you looking for him?”

“I thought I said not to worry about it.”

“You said you’re here because of me, yet it sounds like you’re looking for someone else.”

If you didn’t know better, it sounded like he was jealous.

“Has this been on your mind ever since yesterday?”

Dan Heng slides a hand into his pocket. “...I’m just curious.”

"You've been curious about many things lately," you joke. You can't blame him, though.

He turns to you. “...I guess I have you to blame for that.”

"I hope you accept my deepest apologies," you say, glancing at Dan Heng, who looks away with a light scoff and a small smile. “Anyway, I’m… not looking for Young. I asked about him because he’s, well, he has a connection to me.” You know Dan Heng is probably going to ask, so you quickly add, “Don’t ask what it is. I haven’t the slightest idea. The only thing I know is”—you stop, which also makes Dan Heng stop—“he looks exactly like you.”

You’ve held Dan Heng’s stare too many times to count. This time, however, it’s as if the world around you slowly starts melting away. You see no one but him and his blue eyes that almost compel you to step closer. Instead, it’s he who makes the move.

“...Then, perhaps he's the one who brought us together.”

His poker face never changes, which makes you wonder if he has any idea what he’d just said. From what you know so far, it's obvious Dan Heng has something to do with you. But as he has no idea about who you are or your visions and dreams of Young, it sounds like he’s—

You put your hand on his forehead, to his surprise. Then, you pull your hand back. “I had to check if you had a fever.”

“...My mind is clear. I know what I just said.” Then, he walks a few steps and looks over his shoulder with a ghost of a smirk. “Take it as you will.”

Does that mean he'll let you guess whether or not he was hitting on you?

It's the weekend, so the trains are packed. With different events and festivals around the city, it's no surprise that it's filled with young people and families. You want to get a spot near Pom and Gepard, but you and Dan Heng eventually end up near the corner of a compartment.

When a bigger man unintentionally tries to get into your personal space, you're close to elbowing him out of the way. Dan Heng moves in front of you, his hands on a metal rail above to steady him as he effortlessly blocks the man from squishing against you. He looks down just as you look up. Then, you turn around and look out the train window just as it leaves the platform.

When the train enters a tunnel, that's when you see him. Young. Standing where Dan Heng should be standing. His reflection freezes you in place as if scared that once you turn around, he'll be gone. Young's eyes are closed at first, but once he opens them, you're staring into the most beautiful green eyes you've ever seen. They seem to sparkle under the train lights. Then, you see his lips move, except you can't make out his words until…

“...We’ve finally found each other.”

Your eyes widen upon hearing Dan Heng’s voice. It’s so clear without the background noise of the conversations on the train. But that’s also when you see it. A thin gold chain you’ve never seen before around his neck.

When the train exits the tunnel, you see a full parking lot and a venue for a lively, bustling festival. You slowly turn around and see Dan Heng looking at you.

“...Did you say something earlier?” you ask.

“Would you have liked me to say something?”

You look at his neck, but there's no gold chain you'd seen on Young.

“...Where are you looking?”

You quickly look up, realizing that it might look like you’re staring at his chest window from where you’re standing. “Nothing. Sorry.”

Just as you turn around, you see Dan Heng's faint reflection in the mirror and question if you're starting to lose it or if Himeko lied to you.

Is Young really gone?

The train slowly rolls to a stop, and along with most of the people, you get off the train and start heading toward the festival entrance.

“Guys! Over here!”

March calls you over, and you see a young woman standing beside her. She's wearing a hat with a ponytail going through the closure and a black face mask that fits snugly around her small face. When you get closer, you recognize her. It's Stelle.

She immediately gives Gepard and Dan Heng a hug. You had to awkwardly stand back for her to do so. Then, she says hello to Pom, and finally, she looks at you.

“Hi,” she says. Then, quietly as if people around her will hear, “I’m Stelle.”

After giving her your name, you say, "Nice to meet you."

“I already heard a little about you from Dan Heng. You four are neighbours?”

“That’s right!” Pom says. “We live above them.”

Stelle looks at you curiously. “And you and Pom are… just friends?”

You raise a brow. “That’s right.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean it that way. It’s just… I’ve never heard of two friends, a man and a woman, living together before. It’s uncommon.”

Is she suggesting that she suspects you and Pom are something more? You think about explaining, but why should you? Your business is none of her business if you put it bluntly.

“Well, that’s what we are,” you say. “Just friends.”

As if sensing an awkward atmosphere, March loops her arm around Pom’s and swings her arm around you. “Are y’all hungry? Let’s get some food!”

Soon, you, Pom, and March are in line for corn dogs, while Dan Heng, Gepard, and Stelle are in line for some grilled squid.

“How long have you known Stelle?” Pom asks March.

“Oh, the four of us have been friends for a long, long time.”

You glance at Dan Heng, and you see a little smile on his face as he looks at Stelle. You look back at March, ignoring the feeling of a twist in your chest.

“I heard Dan Heng was the one who got Stelle into acting,” you say.

"Yeah! That's true. Stelle used to be really quiet. She wasn't very sociable, but she clicked well with Dan Heng. Maybe it was 'cause they had similar personalities."

"Huh… she wasn't sociable, but she went into acting?" Pom asks.

"She wanted to overcome it," March answers. "Dan Heng suggested she tried acting to become more extroverted. By taking on a new persona and all." She chuckles. "Honestly, we were all shocked when she agreed to it. But she did really well and got a career out of it. So, she's really thankful to Dan Heng."

You and Pom glance at each other. “How… close would you say they are now?” Pom asks curiously.

"Mm… You know those bonds where you haven't seen the person for a very long time, but after you get back in touch, it's like nothing has changed? It's something like that, I would say."

As Pom and March continue the conversation, you notice some girls looking curiously at Dan Heng and Stelle. Then, one snaps a photo, and the other leans over and giggles. You're not surprised that some people might've figured out it's Stelle. When you look at her and Dan Heng from afar, you admit they look good together. You quickly shake away the thought before it starts spiralling even further.

After getting your corn dog, you return to the group where Gepard suggests visiting the haunted house.

“Since we have six people, why don’t we go in pairs?”

“Ooh, good idea!” March says. Then, she loops an arm around Pom. “Dibs on Pom!”

“M-me?”

“Unless you don’t want to go with me.”

“No! That’s not it. I’m just… surprised.”

You and Dan Heng look at each other. Suddenly, your words ring through your mind: I don't want to fall into a trap. He starts walking towards you, but you quickly say Gepard's name, making him stop.

“...Let’s go together,” you say.

Gepard looks clearly surprised. “Me?”

You nod.

“Oh, um… sure.”

As you and Gepard walk away, you hear Stelle saying, “Guess it’s you and me, Dan Heng.” Then, a soft laugh. “Just like old times.”

“Ooh, what a cool theme!” March exclaims as all of you approach a large, medieval castle. Then, Pom grabs her arm, and she turns to him with a smile. “Don’t tell me you’re scared already.”

Suddenly, a loud, blood-curdling scream pierces the air.

"Oh, of course not!" Pom says, but his legs are already shaking.

“Don’t worry,” the person at the entrance says. “Our staff won’t touch you.”

“That's great,” Pom squeaks as he and March head inside.

Soon, a small group, including you and your friends, are inside. To set the atmosphere, one of the staff members plays a short video of the backstory of what happened at this haunted medieval castle.

A newly-crowned, pregnant queen took her own life after discovering her husband's affair. Since her death, the castle was cursed with a series of unfortunate events. Some went crazy and took their lives. Others became murderers.

When you close your eyes, you suddenly smell rotting and burned flesh. Your head starts to spin, and when you open your eyes, the world around you seems to be tilting in all different directions.

You hear Gepard say your name, and you turn to him.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah… Do you smell something?” you ask. “Like… rotting flesh?”

Gepard looks at you, confused. “I don’t smell anything. Gosh, now you’re scaring me.”

That's when you don’t smell it anymore. Is it all in your head?

“Forget what I said,” you say, forcing a small smile. “Let’s go.”

So, you follow Gepard inside.

Props of dead soldiers lie to the side. Some have swords sticking out from their backs. You even see a shadow of one that's hanging by a noose. There's even blood dripping off the walls and bloody handprints and footprints scattered about. Some of the floorboards squeak beneath you as you and Gepard cautiously walk throughout the castle. Suddenly, you hear a scream, and you instinctively flinch.

“What was that?” Gepard asks.

You feel someone grab your sleeve. “Are you scared, Gepard?”

He quickly lets go and awkwardly clears his throat. "Sorry. That just startled—"

Something comes crashing through one of the walls, and Gepard immediately lets out a short scream and runs further in. You don’t have time to call his name when the zombie dressed in a bloodied hanfu turns its head towards you.

You swallow and nervously clap. “Very realistic.”

But then, the zombie suddenly says your name and your blood runs cold. This… is a staff member, isn’t it? How in the world do they know your name?

“...You… You killed everyone.”

The zombie stumbles but eventually gets to its feet. Its neck cracks as it rolls its head to the side. You step back as it limps toward you. Then, you turn around, but the way you came from has disappeared, making your hair stand on end.

"...Pay..."

The floorboards creak and creak until...

You feel someone's breath on your neck.

“You will pay.”

A hallway with many illuminated rooms appears to your right, and without a second thought, you run as fast as you can.

“Please… Please! Have mercy!”

You ignore the blood splatter that suddenly appears on the wall.

“Don’t do this!”

Another scream.

“My child… Please… At least spare my—”

The lights flash, and you see the silhouette of a head coming off.

“I can’t take this… No more… Stop the pain. I must… I—”

You hear the sound of metal entering through someone’s flesh. A gurgle and then…

Silence.

You stop running, slightly panting as you find yourself standing in darkness. There are no rooms. No hallways. Nothing that you can see.

Tears are starting to form in your eyes as you spin around. Where is everyone?

“...Dan Heng,” you say quietly without realizing it. “...Pom…”

And then you hear a faint giggle.

You turn toward where you think the sound is coming from and hear a loud, satisfied moan. What… in the world is that? You slowly make your way toward the sounds. Soon, you see a faint light like a crack in the door. You aren't sure why, but your heart suddenly drops into the pit of your stomach. Still, you dare to look into the light, and the erotic scene stuns you into complete silence and horror.

A man with a white ponytail has his hands on a woman's hips below him as he aggressively ruts into her. Yet, the woman's breathy moans and lewd screams clearly say it's more than satisfactory. Her breasts bounce with every thrust. Then, the man leans down and teases her hardened nipple with his tongue.

“...So fucking beautiful." The animalistic growl that came from the man's throat makes your body tremble.

You haven't the slightest idea who these people are, yet… your blood is boiling. Your heart is pounding a million times per minute. You clench your fists, knuckles turning white. The man grabs the woman's wrists and pulls her up and pins her against the headboard of the bed; he continues rutting into her with her legs raised all the way to his large, broad shoulders.

You want to look away, but your body refuses to comply. It’s as if it’s forcing you to watch this… disgusting scene unfold.

Suddenly, you hear the sound of nails scraping across a wooden floor behind you. That’s when you can finally move. You spin around and see the same woman you saw earlier on the bed on the floor. But this time, she’s no longer the curvy and sultry woman with a face full of pleasure. She's bone thin; her red and black hanfu is sliding off her body as she crawls. Half of her face is gone. The rest had a growing darkened pigment that was close to reaching her bloodshot eyes. As she crawls toward you, her skin starts peeling.

Once again, your body refuses to move. So, you close your eyes, hoping this crazy nightmare will end. But instead, you feel someone's breath fan across your face. And, when you open your eyes, you see her standing right in front of you.

“...How… does it feel?” Her voice is nothing but a hoarse whisper. “...I was a better fuck than you ever were.”

You’re sweating now. What in the world was she talking about?

“...He… never loved you.”

You finally step back, but when you hit something… hard, you almost don't want to turn around.

“You went too far.”

You recognize the voice. So, you turn and see the man from the bed looking down at you. He's naked from the waist up. His bottom half is covered with the bedsheet he'd been tumbling in. He grabs you by the neck and pulls you toward him until you're flush against his body. One of his hands finds your waist and slides underneath your shirt as you desperately struggle to free yourself.

“If I’d continued fucking you then”—his hand grabs your breast—”would you have started it?”

Nothing comes out but a silent scream.

Then, you see his piercing, golden eyes. “...Would you have started this war?”

He lets you go… but you never hit the ground. Instead, it feels like you're falling into a bottomless pit. His eyes never leave you as he watches you fall…

“...Cupid…”

Fall…

“...Hey… talk to me.”

Fall…

“...Open your eyes…”

Fall…

“...Look at me!”

Your eyes snap open, and the fog in your eyes slowly starts to fade. When Dan Heng's face comes into focus, your heart almost sings. He's standing close to you, leaning down so he's on eye level with you. For the first time, his expression isn't his usual poker face. It's one full of worry.

“...D-Dan Heng.”

"Everything's okay," he says softly, his thumb wiping a tear from your pale face. Then, without hesitation, you wrap your arms around him as the tears fall. He hugs you back, and your body slowly stops trembling. "...Everything's okay."

You bury your face into the crook of his neck, inhaling the familiar scent of his cologne that settles your pounding heart. You feel his comforting touch on your back, reassuring you that you're not alone.

Once you slowly let him go, he says, “Let’s get out of here.”

You have no objections.

Your hands naturally find each other, and Dan Heng leads the way.

Soon, you come across a worried-looking staff member who also went looking for you. As they escort you and Dan Heng out, you find out Gepard had gone back looking for you when he ran off. However, he couldn't find you and headed for the exit instead. When you failed to show up, Dan Heng went looking for you while the others notified the staff members. It turned out you'd gone into a restricted area, but… nothing can explain what you saw.

“...Someone getting decapitated?” the staff member asks. “We don’t have something like that.”

There's no reason for them to lie, and looking at the concerned look on their face, you drop the subject.

When you and Dan Heng exit the medieval castle, Pom immediately runs to you. "What happened in there? Are you okay?"

“You look pale,” March says worriedly. Then, she takes out an unopened water bottle from her bag. “Here. Have some water.”

You take the bottle from her. “I’m going to sit down for a bit.”

“I’ll come with you,” Pom says.

Dan Heng never expected to find you standing alone in a blocked-off area. The staff members said it would've been impossible for you to enter as it was locked. But… it was the only place he hadn't checked. So, Dan Heng took it upon himself to pick the lock. And lo and behold, he'd found you.

What concerned him was that you were completely unresponsive. Your eyes had clouded over. It was like you were in a trance, a dream, an… alternate reality. It wasn't until he'd put his hands on your shoulders that your body flinched at his touch. Then, he gently cupped your face and said, "...Cupid…"

Something isn't right. He's already curious about you enough, but this… seemingly paranormal incident is alarming. Who are you? What did you see?

Chapter 7

Tag list: @suoshiii @lordbugs @lxry-chxn @seirenspinel @tanspostsblog @theprinceofkhaos @nqctre @lunavixia @akwardbiscuit

#dan heng x y/n #dan heng x reader #dan heng x you #dan heng #honkai star rail dan heng #honkai dan heng #danheng x y/n #danheng x reader #danheng x you

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thegeminisage · 6 months

Text

it's star trek update time!! last night* we watched tng's "gambit part i" and ds9's "invasive procedures." *earlier tonight but i am typing this at stupid o clock and letting it post itself tmrw.

gambit part i (tng):

had high hopes for this one initially. i love it when they put on civilian clothes, for starters, and also we got a little riker e worf e deanna before we ALSO got e beverly and the joke about her 1. being riker's sister (shoutout to that trill episode where she wouldn't fuck him at first because she said he was like a brother to her) and 2. picard getting her knocked up BECAUSE LIKE HE ABSOLUTELY DID KNOCK HER UP WITH WESLEY CRUSHER THEIR AFFAIR BABY really sent me to the fucking stratosphere. tng's been pretty watchable lately so i was giving it quite a lot of benefit of the doubt

unfortunately, we went directly from that to riker yelling at deanna for no reason...i always really disliked riker's relationship with picard. he's so weirdly hyperprotective of him in a way beyond his job duties. it doesn't feel like coworkers or friends or equals or even like it's supposed to be secretly shippy the way spock and jim were - riker is too overprotective for it to even be likened to a lover's realtionship. it also doesn't even really feel fatherly, like picard is stepping in for riker's shitheel of a dad. actually, riker almost acts like picard is HIS child. it is SOOO fucking unsexy and uncomfortable

physically grinding my teeth once picard DID show back up because with ANY other two characters this would have been fantastic. riker and worf. riker and deanna. riker and literally anyone because he has that kind of chemistry and down to clown attitude. even picard could have been ok paired with beverly or data or someone he actually works well with. it could have been ANYONE. even two people who don't talk to each other much like geordi and deanna or whatever. instead we got these like truly fantastic moments of noverbal communication and mutual scheming and pretending not to know each other while actually knowing each other sooo well and it was with the LEAST fun combination of characters out of the ENTIRE cast!!!!!!! augh

AND!!!! IT'S ALL FOR STUPID ARCHAEOLOGYYYY

PICARD GET A LIFE CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!!!

it's not even that the writing was bad. i'm annoyed because the writing in this section was GOOD. but picard and riker's relationship is bad, so it soured the whole experience

anyway, i think riker should have battled his eyelashes at that wrinkled little alien when he wanted info from him. instead of whatever that was. also he was making REALLY good faces when they were torturing him with that neck thing and he was on the floor. that's a rage glare. a kill you look. mwah

oh side bar i physically could not look at geordi this episode. so that's been fun.

invasive procedures (ds9):

oh girl we are In It

firstly, odo's little bucket prison. that was SO sad because he doesn't goop in front of people. i felt horrible for him. my poor best friend odo

i really like how ambiguous it is like how much of jadzia dax is jadzia and how much is dax. does dax have his? her? their? own personality and all, or are they just the sum of their past hosts? when dax was inside that other guy, did part of them want to get out and go back to jadzia where they chose to be to begin with? to save jadzia's life? or do they not care? is dax themself not super sentient unless they're inside a host and then that host's personality is sort of dominant? so many questions.........trills are fascinating conceptually bc there's no clear definitive answers, so i was really dismayed that dax was easily the most boring character in season 1. but now!!!!!

ok, before we get into it, i have to say also, the cast rallying around dax/jadzia...really really good. actually, all their interactions with one another were spot on. bashir being SO NICEYS with odo's little bucket prison and then quark also springing odo from the bucket prison, bashir absolutely chomping at the BIT to treat o'brien's phaser wound, kira threatening quark on jadzia's behalf, quark tackling that klingon to save her/redeem himself. oh yeah and kira saying with her Whole chest that if odo's free there's no way any of the bad guys are escaping the station. my future otp......................

speaking of quark i did say the worst thing in the world to catherine while we were watching which is "this is what he sounds like when odo's plowing him" and the longer the noises went on the worse it became for her and the funnier it became for me. cathy when you read this you have my apologies

i did feel a little weird about julian stroking jadzia's face when she was naked and vulnerable recovering from worm surgery (the worm surgery was GREAT by the way) when she has explicitly and repeatedly turned him down in the past, but i'm giving it a reluctant benefit-of-the-doubt pass on account of he felt terrible about what he'd had to do and probably just wanted to comfort her, and considering the state she was in there weren't very many other ways/places to touch her except her head and maybe her hands. also i forgive him because him talking back to that klingon was sooo fun

i would have also liked for this episode to push on the insanity of being bonded to a symbiont and then being forcibly unbonded. like its just now striking me that curzon died alone. beverly's little trill boyfriend died alone. jadzia would have died alone, too. and the dax part just has to move on. like that's crazy. does dax grieve for past hosts? or would it be like grieving for yourself? what is it like seeing dax inside another body when they've been inside yours for almost your entire adult life?

but actually what i really wanted was to see this bad guy's insanity reflected in jadzia. instead of saying oh man i feel so alone she could have been like. more of a wreck. and conversely, he would have been that same kind of wreck after dax got taken back out of him. that would have been cool.

i would also like to know how the dax part felt about forcibly being put in another body they never wanted to be. are they fighting with themselves? himself? the host wants things to stay as they are but dax doesn't, so what happens? does it not feel like an awful violation? i could have used 5 more minutes of that episode

also. sorry. dax and sisko................"i wish we could have made it three" it's, sorry, toph and aang and korra core. do you think friendships can last more than one lifetime...........

icing on the cake was that he was so mad at the bad guy whose name i keep forgetting that he was like DONT CALL ME BENJAMIN and shot his ass stone cold. bc that was better than letting his friend be taken by this asshole lol

anyway, my final dax question is when does her hair get smaller. her head is such a weird shape. is she wearing a wig, is that's what's happening? and the rest of her head just looks weirdly big because of it? it's making me crazy.

NEXT TIME: tng's "gambit part ii" and ds9's "cardassians" AND I LOOKED IT UP AND GARAK IS FINALLY BACK!!!!!!! i can't wait....................

#personal #star trek blogging #tng lb #ds9 lb

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veliseraptor · 2 years

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Top 5 fucked up siblings

worried that i always answer this one with the same five, because i'm p sure i've answered this before. but oh well here goes

1. Richard & Lymond (Lymond Chronicles). Somebody just posted an excerpt about them on my dash recently and got me thinking about them again. I love how pretty much every book has Lymond dragging Richard on a rollercoaster of emotion but The Game of Kings remains prime territory in that regard. Just Lymond inflicting emotional terrorism on his older brother. They're not quite as codependent as pretty much everyone else on this list (but that's a high bar); still fucked up. Lymond running away from Richard for a solid few years because a prophecy convinced him that their reuniting would kill Richard is another highlight.

2. Felix & Mildmay (Doctrine of Labyrinths). Speaking of codependent! I feel like the fact that I also put these two on the "fucked up but soft" list speaks for itself here, and also I feel like one could somewhat reasonably pitch Doctrine of Labyrinths as "fucked up siblings in secondary world fantasy: the series." it wouldn't be very informative but it would be accurate.

3. Jiang Cheng & Jiang Yanli & Wei Wuxian (MDZS/The Untamed). And I say again: speaking of codependent! I know Wei Wuxian is not actually "sibling" yes but the weird in-between role he takes is also part of what makes this dynamic so good. And what I love about these three is that you look at them together and you're like "awww they're so cute it's so tragic how they fall apart" and then you scratch a little and you're like "oh no. oh dear. you guys are a mess and your relationship dynamics are a disaster that ain't good" and then you scratch a little more and go "awww. they're so cute in their incredibly messed up codependence triangle" again. they're so tangled up in each other in this messy cobbled together structure, and none of them can walk away from each other, not really. not outside of death, certainly, and not really even then.

love that for them.

4. Ianthe & Coronabeth. Hope we get more of these two in Alecto. I support women's wrongs. Can't wait to see what happens here because I suspect it will be (a) not good and (b) fun to watch.

5. Shi Qingxuan & Shi Wudu. I wavered for a while on this one, thought about going for my old Thor and Loki standby, but decided since I feel like I've talked less about these two...I just find their relationship fascinating. Shi Wudu's overbearing paternalistic attitude toward Shi Qingxuan, particularly toward her favor of her female form but also just in general his...base assumption that he knows what's best for her and is just making sure she's taken care of. All the way down to stealing and swapping fates, which he specifically, deliberately, keeps Shi Qingxuan from knowing about. Which makes sense! because when Shi Qingxuan - fair-minded Shi Qingxuan who was so adamant about Pei Su getting a trial and not getting off lightly just because he's Pei Ming's protege - finds out what happened, she immediately rejects it. She's desperate to throw away her godhood, actively fighting her brother's attempts to "help." She's disgusted by the knowledge of how she ascended.

I figure Shi Wudu would've had some sense of how Shi Qingxuan would feel about it, but he needed to save his baby brother's life and he overturned the world to do so. Which would be sweet and touching in a world where it didn't come so horribly at the expense of someone else's life - but of course it had to.

And at the same time, for all Shi Qingxuan rolls her eyes and expresses exasperation and frustration with her brother and his behavior, she also doesn't hesitate to go to him when he's in need. Or, well, she does hesitate, but ultimately she can't stand back. For all her anger with him for what he's done, and in her name, she still loves him so much, and tries so, so hard to save him, to save them both.

And the fact, too, that Shi Wudu actively provokes He Xuan into ripping his head off rather than choose an option that will cause Shi Qingxuan inevitable suffering (though what he thought would happen afterward, I don't know)...yikes, dude, but also I'm kinda impressed.

I would not necessarily say that I like Shi Wudu most of the time. But I do find him, and the way he interacts with Shi Qingxuan in particular, very interesting. And I love thinking about how Shi Qingxuan wrestles with his death post-canon. (I wonder if Shi Qingxuan feels like she's responsible for both Scholar He's death and her brother's.)

#conversating #anonymous #top five meme #doctrine of labyrinths #the sad queer cultivators show #lymond chronicles #dysfunctional gods and ghost kinks

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life-in-the-monster-haus · 2 years

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I have a question if that's alright. In you honest opinion, considering certain spoilers of the Monster High Movie; do you think they'll bring Jackson Jekyll and Holt Hyde back? Or do you think they have no chance of ever returning? I think it would suck a lot if they never came back. Jackson and Holt were, and always will be, my favourite mansters from Monster High, and never seeing them again makes me a little sad.

All questions are welcome! tis why my ask box is open! don't be shy! I will try to answer to the best of my abilities. Hmm, I need to be careful how I answer this because I just got done writing a College level dissertation defending Gil Webber and my brain hurts.

Okay! here's the scoop, I love Monster High in all of it's forms- this even includes G2, because of this I have been desperately trying to find ways that the G1 & G3 continuities can play nice together so that BOTH canon can peacefully coexist. I don't think the old Bloodgood is gone- I just think she retired and the new one is her wife. I don't think OG Lagoona is gone- she just got bounced out of the school database when G3 Lagoona got accepted & decided to go join the Olympics.

As for Jackson and Holt it is slightly more complex, but go with me on this journey. G1 in the same breath introduced us to Jackson and Holt and then yanked them away from us! Plus they were not in G2 at all, which means their doll sales were poor. This does not bode well for them returning for G3. HOWEVER! all hope is not lost! We have an ace up our sleeve! The Monster High Live action movie brought the whole Jekyll and Hyde thing back to the front of our consciousness. Mr. Komos is related to Mr. Hyde! which means TECHNICALLY He'd be related to Holt too. Someone mentioned him being Holt's uncle and I am 100% for that! Jackson and Holt would fit perfectly in G3's Monsters Vs Humans conflict! we haven't seen a character this complex since Warren Peace! Holt and Jackson could be a liaison for Monster Human relations! Maybe Holt wants to help repair the damage his uncle did! Maybe Jackson can help Clawdeen learn to love her human half! there are SO MANY OPTIONS! it writes itself!

Also: it's been 12 years, Frankie and Jackson/Holt never became official! I'm tired of waiting Mattel!

Do the fans right! No lone Manster was ever good enough for our Frankie! it took 2 in one body to make them happy! and they deserve to be happy! Also: can you imagine the sensationalism that would follow!? Jackson/Holt dating nonbinary Frankie!? Frankie is not a girl! which means Holt/Jackson are not straight! all of your Bi & Pan Jackson/Holt head canons just became real! you're welcome! AND Jackson/Holt could ALSO use they pronouns because they are 2 he's in one body! they are they in the plural sense! he/they! This would generate so much news and buzz! Mattel wouldn't know what to DO with all the press! you can't buy this kind of advertising!

Now, the unfortunate part of this is Mattel does not have an excellent history of listening to fan requests or fans in general BUT we still have a voice! We bullied Mattel enough that they brought Ghoulia and Spectra back for G3 after they were missed in G2. Let me be absolutely crystal clear: Do not bother the actors or voice actors of the G3 Monster High series... they have zero say in company business. If you want Mattel to listen to must contact them directly, e-mail them or call them to get in touch! Blow up MH's social medias! Youtube, Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook! tell them what you want! Holt and Jackson back! (if you could also mention that they need to get a handle on their quality control that would be very helpful) If you're an artist please keep drawing fan art of our boy(s)! Mattel keeps tabs on that kind of thing! it lets them know who the fans (us) like!

I firmly believe there will be nothing but good to come if Jackson and Holt come back for G3. Please blow up Mattel, be aggressive and assertive! we can bring Jackson and Holt back if we are loud enough I am confident in this! Mattel wants us to be happy! happy people buy their products! Be loud! draw fan art! tell them directly! it takes all of us!

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lil-ms-dipst · 1 year

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Minecraft music is the best fucking thing my god

Like.. This post is specifically about me. If you prefer another OST that's fine I'm not saying yours is invalid but holy FUCK bro. Minecraft soundtrack just.. hits a part of my brain that nothing else can. Is it because I've been playing it for about 10-11 years now?? Maybe. Is it because I've spent countless dollars on it including dropping 50$ on fucking CROCS???? Maybe. But something about the soundtrack is just.. it's pure bliss to me. Like, my ADHD?? Fucking gone. My brain unscrambles itself, even if it's just for a little bit, whenever a Minecraft song comes on. Now there's C418, which of course I grew up with as he was the only artist really for the early soundtracks. But the new artists (I say new as if the Caves & Cliffs update isn't from like 2-3 years ago) are amazing too. An Ordinary Day literally carried my ass through my first year of college. Any time I'd have a mental breakdown or knew I was about to I just put it on and.. waited. Everything would be okay. During my senior year of high school or before my therapy Minecraft song was either of the 1.13 tracks that play specifically when you're underwater. And Infinite Amethyst too, god such a good song. That one helped a lot too, especially when needing to nap. I had a mental breakdown at work yesterday due to getting a horrific dinner rush I am not used to getting and everybody around me getting a bit pissy and our order screen just wouldn't clear up and we were running low on everything. I knew I was about to explode, so I tell the manager I need to use the bathroom and in there I just begin texting my parents. Besides their comfort, I put on the Minecraft soundtrack (starting with some Caves and Cliff shit of course) and like magic everything felt better. Everything felt nice and calm and happy. I don't know what causes it but fuck I am so happy I found music that works like this. I use Minecraft music to help me focus on homework too, especially shit I don't want to do at all. Helps me focus when my meds can't, because ADHD be damned. Nothing really shows how much a soundtrack can make you feel better than when you're naked in the shower crying your eyes out and you put on that song and just.. you feel better. Or you are about to have a breakdown and you need to just clear your head before your next class so you spend like twenty minutes just.. eyes closed drifting in your thoughts.. with that one song. Or struggling to focus on something you don't wanna do so you put on that one song. I am so happy for the existence of the Minecraft soundtrack and the way it's impacted me is beyond anything I can put into words. Sure, it gave me literal like years of bullying since I was 8 that never stopped until I was like 17, but it also gave me this music, and tons of friends I would've never met otherwise. It gave me creativity and a way to express it before I could figure out other ways. It just. It is so lovely.

#rambling #venting #i think it might be venting idk??#minecraft #soundtrack #music #adhd #depression #anxiety #I fucking love this soundtrack so much #No matter what stress I get put under the songs just make it all melt away.#When certain songs come on.. it's just #I cry. Not out of sadness #but like.. joy? Nostalgia? Memories??#Minecraft Music is just therapeutic in a way I cannot properly express I think.#FUCKKKK #I owe Minecraft so much...

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icharchivist · 2 years

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Hello! I am trying to find new stuff and i see you're a big fan of GBF. By any chance, is there any Plural rep in this game? (i.e. characters who are more than one character. D.I.D./multipersnality/possessed people/one dude split into multiple dudes, that sort of thing)

hey!

Yeah, there are!! quite a few actually on the possessed front and also in term of alter.

That being said i wouldn't really know if those representation are really positive or not? GBF is a fantasy RPG that includes a lot of violence, and while some of those violence are genre-typical, i feel there might be concerns about seeing those on characters with alters.

That being said, all the characters i'll mention in this post are for the most part, friends of MC/The crew, and out of the ones who are not, 2 of them have been stuck in villain jail but has been treated as mostly sympathetic, and two others have been on the path of redemption/considering eventually revalue MC and become their friend. GBF really redeem their villains so much that anyone can become a friend down the line, so take that as you will.

Out of the actual characters i can think of:

One of the most notable one to me would be Ayer

He's a normal kid who's always been driven by battle and fighting, and we learn eventually that he has an alter called Bowman that is basically encouraging him to fight for himself and all that jazz. Bowman is also a playable character.

Though i'm not very familiar with Ayer, so i don't know how well it's handled, i just know that Ayer and Bowman are both really popular so people seem to like how it's dealt with?

Else we have more the general fantasy possessed people with different voices/alter/influence on each other.

Another one that applies to multiple people inside one body, who's unambiguously a good character, is Tikoh:

Her/Their? story is really fucked up though, and it's probably one of the story that justify the most GBF's high age rating, so if you have some triggers you need to check out before going in, do ask me about it.

But for her, tldr, Tikoh is a healer with a weapon gifted by the stars itself, that only a few selected people can control, who gives her healing abilities outside of the norm. She had for best friend a kid named Shannon. But following a horrifying tragedy, Shannon was "killed" in front of Tikoh by a guy who wanted to test out Tikoh's abilities. Unable to heal Shannon, Tikoh did the next best thing and tied Shannon's soul to her own.

The two of them now lives in harmony in her body, described often as not knowing "when one ends and the other start". While Tikoh is in control most of the time, she often ends up using Shannon's unique language gimmick which could imply that it's Shannon talking, but since both girls are on the same wavelength, it's not something either of them really bring up. They care for each other a whole lot and are now on a path of revenge against the man who started it all. Tikoh does hope eventually down the line to restore Shannon into her own body, while they also mentioned how it would feel lonely if they ever split at this point.

Not playable but another one of the most notable one on that would be Geo:

Geo is a primal beast. if you're new to gbf don't let the "beast" part make you feel like it's bad or anything, they're basically godlike creatures who were created as weapons originally but were abandoned centuries ago and developed free will and a will to live for themselves. There's a lot of Primal Beasts characters in game and we love them all so much, and reclaiming their place as people is one of the huge theme of the story.

Geo is particular in the sense of, he saw the suffering Primals are going through as immortal beings forced to see people they love die, that he took it upon himself to give those primals a place to be at home and at peace, never alone... inside of him. It reflects also on him as Geo would have the various primals inside of him talk through him at random.

Originally an antagonist, and while currently still one, his "twin sister" for lack of a better word, Zooey, has been doing everything to have Geo consider joining us instead. (the thing about antagonists in gbf is that most of them gets redeemed in some way, especially when they have sympathetic motives. I believe Geo will eventually join us, down the line).

(when i say her twin, it applies to split people. There was a primal beast named Cosmos who couldn't move from the place she was tied to, so, she sent some parts of herself to see the world for her. Eventually, those parts all became individual people: Zooey, Geo and Yuni. Cosmos died, but the three other parts, who are driven by the same starting soul and Cosmos's desire to protect the people living in the Skies, still live on.)

(There are quite a few characters who are split or copies of one another. Most noticeably are the ones we call the Lucifaces, with Lucio being the original, who had a clone named Lucilius, who then made his own clone with Lucifer. I don't know if it applies to how you see it per se but i bring them up still. Lucilius is described by being plagued by visions of Lucio's life, which had made him unable to really determine his own reality. Lucifer also had Sandalphon who inherited his powers when shit hit the fan, and Sandalphon also inherited Lucifer's memories, often having him zone out and live out one of Lucifer's memory.

There's also Shalem and her clone, Beelzebub, but while we know that, neither of them really explored what it'd mean for them to be clones.

Another notable one on that is the Orchis/Orchid/Zwei situation. Orchis was the original, until an accident basically blasted her soul outside of her body. Her body was left an empty shell with magical powers due to the incident... But as she was exploited by people, this "empty shell" developed her own personality and her own sense to live. She decided to show herself as different to Orchis by becoming Orchid. When later on they manage to bring Orchis back into her body, Orchid's homemade soul was transferred into another body and now Orchis treats Orchid like her little sister.

Zwei meanwhile was a clone of Orchid, made to try to replace her. Zwei developed herself as her own person still, and while i haven't advanced into this storyline much i know Orchid and Orchis both are working together for Zwei to accept herself as herself rather than a copy of them. Idk if it counts with what you want but yeah)

In term of "characters who merged and sometimes take turn with one another", there's Azrael and Israfel. Again, though, two chara who gives you food for the gbf's age rating:

Az&Iz are twin primals, who were always together, until they huhhh got locked into a horrifying torture prison by an antagonists and experimented on until the two of them fused completely. They now have only one body, that is horrifically disformed, and as such they use cute mascot outfit to walk into the world.

Azrael is the one who's the most in control, as Israfel is often tired and asleep, so Az goes through life like this and Iz often ends up advising her later on.

Az recently joined a theater troupe and made friends there and Iz is cheering for her!

Other than that: there are a couple characters who are possessed by primal beasts. Noteworthy are Vira and Yurius for example. It means they always have the primal talk to them inside their head. They both started out as antagonists because this influence was driving them over the edge though, but as it is, nowadays, they both made peace with the primal inside of them and consider them a friend.

Vira especially often gets her primal talk to her to give her love advice lmao

I haven't read any of her story so i don't know where she falls on that, but there's also the case of Jeanne D'arc. While on one hand she has a lot of units showing her as chosen by God to fight the darkness crawling into the world, there's units of her where she has been consumed by the darkness and had her personality changed due to that.

Those are the most noteworthy people with very clear alter/people influencing them/possessing them i can think of.

There characters who could be taken into this category if you stretch a bit, because of things like. amnesia and such.

One that comes to mind is Aoidos, a musician who has amnesia, and we learnt later that he used to go by Benjamin and was part of a Snuff band (... again, high rating game for a reason). Benjamin also has his own unit ever since, and Aoidos learnt to embrace this part of himself.

Other than that we have characters like Lunalu who is a writer and who often makes up story about self insert characters in stories. One of her unit is said self insert character, when, during an event, she was talking about a story she loved and couldn't help slipping into characters for this OC she loved so much.

There's probably a lot of people i'm missing, especially in NPC and also unfortunately into one-event villains.

I would love to say those stories are well handled but between my own lack of experience on that regard and the heavy themes of gbf to start with, i cannot garentee those are stories you would look for.

out of all of them, the one i think is the best handled and is unambiguously positive is definitely Tikoh, but like i said, Tikoh is part of one of the most mature and gore-y storyline the game has yet, so it might be a lot to have to stomach for an otherwise really good "two people in one body" storyline.

If you need clarification about anything, don't hesitate to ask. I just hope it works out for you!

Take care!

#ichareply #ichafantalks gbf #anonymous

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