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mouseymilkovich · 2 months

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Speechless | Carmy x Reader | Chapter Four

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Chapter Summary: You find yourself once again volunteering at The Beef while Carmy and Richie cater a party for Cicero, you make more connections with The Beef staff, but you miss him. Sydney is suspicious that something is up with you, big time, it's becoming increasingly difficult to hide things from her. What the hell have you gotten yourself into? | Carmy Berzatto x fem/afab reader (using they/them pronouns)

Content Tags: the "incident" from s01e04 (xanax mentioned multiple times), secret relationship/fwb, smut btc, unprotected sex, pregnancy worry + mentions of plan B pill

Important Info: the usual, when texting pink = reader, green = Sydney, blue = Carmy!

Chapter Four: I Just Wanna Know You Better

Word Count: 2.1k

A/N: did i basically just post chapter 3? yes. do i care? no! enjoy chapter 4 <3 on a serious note, thank you for showing this fic so much love, i'm genuinely enjoying writing it and so ready to surprise you guys with what's to come!

You'd been invited back to help out at The Beef once more - but not because they were swamped, because Carmy and Richie were catering a kid's birthday party. So, you wouldn't get to see Carmy this time... though, maybe that would help you keep your cool around Sydney.

"I'm assuming I'll just be on register again?" You asked curiously as you put your things in the locker beside Sydney's.

"Yeah, you already have the experience there so that might be the best way to go." Syd agreed, patting you on the back. "Just hang around while we do prep."

"Oh! Speaking of prep, I brought the recipe booklet I made for Marcus. Should I just put it in his locker?" You asked.

"Yeah, he's been too busy trying to perfect donuts lately." Syd muttered with a soft laugh. She pointed out Marcus's locker to you, and you slipped the booklet in for him to find later.

Carmy and Richie had already gone by this point, so you just tried to stay out of the way of the kitchen staff while you had nothing else to do. Ebra was making family today, so you thought about maybe giving him a hand if he needed it. Of course, when you offered your help, he eagerly responded.

"I accept!" He said, then directed you on what he needed.

You really thought Ebra was sweet, he sort of reminded you of a grandfather in a way.

Everyone got seated for family, excited to indulge in the meal Ebra had prepared. He was an excellent chef too, he didn't have any formal culinary school training, but that didn't seem to matter, he was talented regardless. You were still somewhat hanging around, out of the way for a moment while everyone sat.

You looked down when you felt your phone buzz - and surprised to see it was Carmy.

you are never gonna believe what just happened

what??

You cracked a smile, wondering what could've possibly happened to make him text you amidst his catering job.

dropped richie's xanax in the fucking ecto-cooler and all the kids are passed out on the lawn

WHAT?????

You had to stifle a laugh, going into the bathroom to hide for a moment to keep talking to Carmy.

okay how the fuck did that even happen??

i have no idea. at least all the kids are fuckin quiet i guess?

yeah i guess lol

i should've brought you with me instead of richie. he's trying to fight uncle at every turn

is that your way of saying you miss me?

maybe

You smiled a little, letting out a soft sigh. Sure, your little... whatever this was, with Carmy, was a secret... but, you enjoyed it. Him. His company. Though, not telling Sydney was killing you.

okay i gotta go, family's up. you're missing out tho, ebra made a killer stew

damn. save some for me?

if there's any left haha

So, you left the bathroom, and immediately jumped to find Sydney waiting by the door.

"You've been awfully smiley today, what's going on with you?" She asked with a soft laugh. "I haven't seen you like this since you were with... what the fuck was his name again?"

"Oh my god, shut up. I just read something funny while I was going pee." You lied. Sydney knew you better than that, but obviously whatever it was, you didn't wanna talk about it, so she wasn't gonna push.

"Alright, well, family's up, let's go!" She told you, bringing you to the dining room where Ebra's stew was dished out for everybody.

"Out of curiosity, um, are we saving any for Carmy?" You asked. "And Richie- I'm sure they'd both love to try this."

Smooth, real smooth.

"I think I will." Ebra nodded, bringing what was left in the pot back to the kitchen to set aside for Carmy and Richie later.

The meal was delicious, and Marcus surprised everyone with a batch of donuts he'd finished.

"Dude, these are fuckin' killer. Seriously, you've got talent." You praised, smiling at Marcus brightly.

"Thank you, I've been working really hard, I kinda wanna make a special donut for The Beef - like a signature donut, if that makes sense?" Marcus told you with a light laugh.

"Totally. Thank sounds awesome. I'd love to taste test sometime." You said happily, patting Marcus' shoulder.

You helped clean up afterwards - normally, this would be the time you'd leave The Beef, but you were on register duty today. For some reason, you were both more nervous and less nervous without Carmy around. On one hand, if you messed up, he wouldn't be around to see it, but on the other hand, there were less staff on duty today, including no Richie to help you.

But, you had to toughen up, it was time to open.

During the entire first part of service, your mind kept drifting back to Carmy. Was he having a good time catering? How did Cicero react to the accidental drugging of all the children? Was Richie still on him about the desk?

"Hello? Dingus, I said go for your break." Sydney snapped you right out of your thoughts. Fuck.

"Sorry, spaced out. Thanks." You smiled, then slipped out to the alley.

You heard Syd audibly sigh as you walked away, and she mumbled something that you didn't quite catch... there was no way she wasn't somewhat onto you.

It was lonesome. The setting sun, the chill of the autumn air, and the absence of Carmy's secondhand smoke, it all made your body feel cold. You wondered if you could worm your way into spending the night with Carmy... you shouldn't, you knew that. There was no way you could get away with that and Syd not finding out. If you were too excited for Carmy's return after catering the party, Sydney would 100% know something was up between you two.

You sighed, and headed back inside.

Thankfully, it wasn't too ridiculously busy the rest of the night. Just after closing, Carmy and Richie came back and unpacked the car. You took it upon yourself to reheat the stew that Ebra had left for both of them.

"Here y'go, boys." You smiled, setting the dishes in front of them. "Ebra made some incredible shit. You're lucky you're getting any, Manny and Angel almost downed yours."

Carmy and Richie both laughed before they dug in, and you sat down at the table. You tried not to let your gaze linger on Carmy, especially as Sydney and Marcus joined you at the table.

"So how'd it go?" Syd asked curiously.

"Accidentally drugged a buncha kids. Xanax in the ecto-cooler." Richie said casually between mouthfuls of stew.

You stifled a giggle while Syd and Marcus looked absolutely horrified. Syd looked at you, almost as if to say, you find this fucking funny?

"They're all fine, don' worry." Carmy reassured, noticing the mortified looks on their faces across the table. He couldn't hide a smile though, from seeing you laughing.

Syd glanced at Carmy, then back at you. She nudged you, making you jump a little.

"What's up?" You asked.

"You and Carmy speaking telepathically or something?" Syd asked with a bit of a laugh, genuinely wondering what in the hell was going on.

You laughed a little - you tried not to sound nervous, but fuck, of course Sydney knew something was up. She knew you better than that.

"Of course not! I just thought it was funny, cus like... how does that even happen, yknow?" You responded. Suddenly you could hear your heartbeat in your ears, you felt your palms getting a little sweaty - something, something, mom's spaghetti.

Syd was just barely buying it, that much was apparent.

"Well! I should probably... go home." You nodded, getting up quickly and going to get your things from your locker. Before anybody had a chance to say anything else, you left, calling out, "G'night everyone!"

Jesus fucking Christ, that was too close. You were truly caught between a rock and a hard place at this point, because what the hell were you supposed to do? Stop seeing Carmy? No. Tell Sydney? Also no.

As you got back to your apartment and crashed onto your couch, you noticed a text from a few minutes ago that you'd missed. Well, two. One from Sydney...

are you okay?? i'm kinda worried about you, you've been acting weird lately

And one from Carmy.

i missed you today. bummed you turned tail and left so early.

Fucking... shit! Okay. You inhaled a deep breath, messaging back Sydney first. You could do this - you could do this.

i'm okay, i promise!! you have nothing to worry about

You weren't okay. You were lying to her about so many things. Crushing on Carmy, sleeping with him, (barely) getting to know him... that was her fucking boss, and you being her best friend, you were worried this could potentially jeopardize her career.

But, for a moment you shoved that down to answer Carmy.

i missed you too haha...

wanna come over?

yes.

Before you knew it, you were sending Carmy your address. What were you doing?

There was no going back now though, the knock on your door told you as much. And there he was. The moment you opened up the door, your lips locked, and your fate was sealed.

You two definitely weren't going to make it to your bedroom, you hardly even made it to your couch. Carmy sat and greedily pulled you into his lap. It amazed you how needy he was when you were alone in comparison to how aloof and independent he was at The Beef. Though, it was a side of him you enjoyed, there was no doubt about that.

A sigh fell from your lips as Carmy kissed at your neck, your hands slid up his white t-shirt and caressed his abs. Fuck.

"You're s'fuckin' pretty." He muttered against your skin. "Want you t'ride me, pretty girl."

You whined softly at his words. How could you possibly say no? You reluctantly got off his lap moment so you could both strip, but the second you were both free of your bottoms, you were back straddling his lap and lining yourself up over his hard cock.

"Fuck..." Carmy breathed out as you sank down onto him, the familiar warmth of your walls around him.

Your head tilted back as you rocked your hips, the angle had your head spinning. His tatted up hands held your hips to help you, but his mouth latched onto one of your tits. He marked up your skin, and had you sobbing out his name between his dick being deep inside you and him sucking on your nipples.

"Carm- fuck- 'm close!" You whined, then bit your lip harshly.

"Fuck, me too, feels s'good-" He moaned into your flesh.

Seconds after you squeezed around him and came, he followed, filling you up. The realization hit you that this time there was no condom... but frankly, you were too blissed out to worry about that right now. You'd worry about a plan B pill in the morning.

You went with Carmy to your bedroom, so you didn't just fall asleep on the couch. Carmy laid back and, to his surprise, you cuddled up to him.

"G'night, Carm." You muttered softly.

"Night."

In the early morning, you felt Carmy sneak out of bed so he could go for early prep at The Beef. You weren't too offended, you knew he was an early riser. Plus... he left you a little note.

"Thanks for a nice night, definitely needed it. Text me when you get up?

-Carm"

It was such a simple note - why did it make you fucking swoon?

But, before you sent a text to Carmy, you remembered you needed to run to the nearest pharmacy ASAP for a plan B. You started to get ready, and went to text Carmy, but a text from Sydney appeared first.

hey!! i don't have to go in til later, do you wanna grab some breakfast?

sounds nice! text me where you wanna meet

You smiled a little, it'd been a bit since you'd gone out for breakfast with Sydney. All you had to do was act like you didn't just have Carmy fucking your brains out a few hours prior.

On your way to the pharmacy, you finally texted Carmy.

hey, i'm up and headed to meet syd for breakfast :) i'll text you later tho, maybe come with her before she starts for the day

You sighed a little to yourself, hoping you weren't sounding too desperate. You also hoped Syd wouldn't think you wanting to join her on her way to work was suspicious.

This was going to be a long fucking day.

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tags ; @maggiesarchives @carmenberzattosgf

wanna be tagged in any future speechless trilogy updates? leave 🫢 + an @ to tag in my askbox !

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princessmaybank · 7 months

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Wet Dream

Pairings: Bsf!JJ x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Talking in sleep, Perv!JJ, somno (?), non-con oral (f & m receiving), talk about p in v, kissing, hickies daddy kink, etc

Summary: You were having a wet dream in front of JJ.

Authors Note: I hope you like this one!

Y/N was laying on the couch, peacefully sleeping while I played on my phone, sitting in the chair across from her. Everyone else had gone to bed already or went home. Y/N and I were spending the night but she was supposed to sleep in the bed.

"Jayj..." She must be awake now. "What's up?" I never looked up from my phone, I waited for a response but it never happened. I glanced at her and saw that her eyes were still shut. She must have just gone back to sleep.

"Mmm Jayj..." I looked back over to her, but nothing. I'm assuming I'm just hearing things, especially because the room was silent for another 10 minutes.

"Mm yeah right there..." My cheeks flushed. I didn't know what to do, I don't think she remembers that I'm here. When I moved my eyes back to her body, she was still sleeping. "Yesss, jus-just like that." Was she having a wet dream..?

Fuck this is the hottest thing I've seen in a long time. But she is my best friend I can't act upon this. "Mmm" She was moaning and making some beautiful sounds. "Jayj, stop teasing.." My heart burst and my dick sprung up. She was having a wet dream, and I was in it.

My hand slowly met my dick through my shorts. I couldn't help but palm at myself while I watched her face and listened to every word she said. "your tongue is cold..." She moaned. It's crazy how well she's forming these little thoughts, but I'm so glad she's able to. I stroked myself slowly through my pants and bit my lip.

At that moment I had a beautiful idea. Was it wrong? Yes. Did I care? Not really. I walked over to her spot on the couch and put my hand on her thigh, underneath the blanket. I rubbed up and down gently. Luckily I've been around Y/N before when she sleeps. She can be a very heavy sleeper. I'm praying that's how she is today.

I flipped the blanket off her legs so it would sit on her torso. My hand went to her pajama shorts and moved them to the side, that's when I realized, she wasn't wearing panties. That's even better.

I needed to see if she was going to wake up or not so I dipped my head between her legs and gave her a small kitten lick. "Mmmm" Her moan scared me but she's still asleep, so I think I'll be okay to continue. Who am I kidding? I would've continued regardless.

My head found its way between her legs again. I started slowly licking stripes up her cunt. After a few good licks, I stopped on her clit. My lips wrapped around the sensitive bud and I sucked on it.

A gasp escaped from her lips but her eyes were still closed. It wasn't until she put her hand in my hair and started pulling, that I realized she was awake. "Fuck yes-don't stop- please..." She dragged out. It was my mission to make her cum now. My middle and ring fingers found their way into her hole. "oh fuck" She almost yelled before I put some fingers from my other hand in her mouth to shush her. "Gotta be quiet *lick* don't wanna get caught Y/N/N" I realized just exactly what I was doing when I said her nickname, but I couldn't stop now.

I tried my best to keep her quiet while pushing my fingers in and out of her noisy ass pussy. "Fuck Jayj- I think I'm gonna cum-" She said and I couldn't be happier. I stuck my tongue in her hole and used the fingers that were in there, to rub her clit in fast circles.

She was wiggling and made little shrieking sounds, so I knew she was close. I fucked her with my tongue a little faster until I felt her warm liquid spill onto it. "oh jay...." she moaned as her hand tugged at my golden locks.

I kissed up and down the inside of her thighs. Once she came down from her high, she came back to reality and gasped. She shot up, fixed her shorts and hid her body under her blanket. Y/N was all balled up in the corner of the couch just staring at me. "What? Do I have something on my face?" I wiped the side of my mouth with my thumb, clearly being a smartass.

I dodged the pillow that was thrown at my head and let out a giggle. "That's not very nice to do, especially after I just made you cum." Her cheeks turned red. "What were you doing?!" She nearly screamed. "Shhh, don't yell, we don't wanna wake up JB and Sarah." I shushed her. "Why did you do that JJ?" She questioned quietly this time. "You were begging for it!" I said and quickly realized when I saw her face that what I said came out bad. "No no no! Not like that! You were legitimately begging me. I heard you moaning my name, and you looked so pretty...I-Im sorry.." My hands flew to my face, I felt like such an asshole.

The next thing I knew I felt someone tugging at my shorts. A pair of hands moved mine away from my eyes and made me pull down my cargo shorts. "What are you doing?" I asked almost like she did earlier. "I can't be the only one to cum Jayj. Since you already made this a thing, I'm gonna at least finish you off so we are even instead of us never talking to each other again."

"You think we'd never talk to each oth-" She cut me off by wrapping her lips around my tip and slowly swirling her tongue around it. "ohhh fuck.." I rested my hand on her head and I tilted mine back and bit my lip. I lightly pushed my hand down to make her start bobbing up and down. "Mmm faster baby.." I didn't care about the nickname right now, I'm sure I'll call her some other things soon. When I asked her to speed up she did, and fuck it felt amazing. "Just like that- fuck just like that..." Y/N was going even faster, and apparently she didn't care about making too much noise...or a mess. There was so much spit on my dick I couldn't fucking think straight. This was the best head I've ever received and I haven't even cum yet. Well, I was about to. She reached down with one hand and played with my balls while the other was stroking some of my length. Most of it was in her mouth but when she needed a moment to breathe her hand had no problem taking over. "I'm almost there, fuck don't stop." My head fell back again.

"Cum for me daddy.." She said which caused me to whip my head up as I came in her mouth. It caught me so off guard, but it did help me cum. I watched as she swallowed my load. My best friend just sucked my dick and swallowed my cum...what the fuck is happening. "Feel better Jay?" She asked innocently while retrieving some toilet paper from the bathroom to clean me up. "So much better."

About 30 minutes later we were cuddling on the couch, setting up a movie. I sat up and she straddled my lap. "I think we need to talk." She said putting her arms around my neck. "I couldn't agree more." I smiled back, placing my hands on her ass. "But that's for tomorrow, let's have fun tonight." Her lips met mine. We moaned into each other's mouths as she grinded her hips downwards onto my dick. "Someone's not satisfied with my impressive pussy eating skills?" I giggled. "It was very impressive from what I was awake for, and you'll have another chance to impress me with that tongue, but I wanna see what that dick is capable of..." My eyes widened, not only did she say I would have another chance, but she also wanted me to dick her down. FUCK YEAH!

"Just gonna sit there with those googly eyes, or are you gonna take me to the bedroom and show me what you're made of bestie?" She taunted.

I picked her up and entangled our tongues once again before walking us to the bedroom.

After I closed the door we heard a loud "THANK YOU" come from John B and Sarah.

"I guess we were a little loud baby." I giggled when I set her down on the bed and crawled between her legs. "Sorryyyy" "Never said it was a bad thing baby..next time we are home alone, I promise to make you scream for me." I smirked and started attacking her neck, leaving only hickies behind.

"You're my bestest best friend ever." She moaned out as I stuck my dick in her. "Stop friend-zoning me, especially while I'm fucking you." I pushed in harder waiting for her to respond. "Fine. Fuck me harder! Fuck me until my legs shake Jayj! I'm all yours daddy!" I stopped what I was doing because she called me that name again. "And that's why I don't call you that! Fuck me Jayj!" She teased. "Call me daddy again..it's fuckin hot." I said as I slapped her ass. "Stick your huge fucking cock in me and fuck the shit out of me...daddy.."

I did as she asked. By the end of the night we were tired, sweaty, and definitely more than just besties.

#outer banks #jj maybank #rudy pankow smut #obx fic #rudy pankow x reader #obx x reader #outer banks smut #jj maybank smut #jj maybank imagine #smut prompts

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adventuringblind · 11 months

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hi, could you perhaps do an Oscar x Autistic reader where the reader is sensitive to loud noises and uses earplugs in public or where they has them but don't use them because they think they can get by without them but actually needs them. you can choose. Love the series!

Discreet

Oscar Piastri x Autistic Reader

Summary: Reader has been told all her life that she will scare people off with her headphones. Turns out they actually help a lot!

Warnings: mentions of toxic past and ableism

Notes: meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee..... I feel called out by this ask tbh.

Masterlist

Should she be wearing her headphones? Yes. Is she? No. Absolutely not. Why, you may ask? Because she was raised that wearing headphones is going to scare away people. Make her more of an alien in the world than she already feels.

It was supposed to be a calm after party. She'd wanted to celebrate with Oscar for an amazing weekend. Oscar underestimated how rowdy the group could get. Lando had invited half the grid to his hotel room.

It's far too loud for her. A small enclosed space, a variety of different smells mix together, the lights are flashing from the TV. It's all too much for her. It's so loud she can't think properly.

She's currently hiding in the corner of the room with the least number of people. She's doing her best to calm herself down, but the longer she stays here, the harder it gets.

A presence is made known to her by the wall vibrating from weight being slumped against it. "Did you bring your headphones?" Oscar asks from beside her.

She wants to say yes. Tell him she brought them like she was supposed to. But she hadn't because this is a social event, and she doesn't want to scare anybody away.

Oscar takes her lack of words and gestures as a no. "Well, I brought ear plugs just in case. We can sit here until you feel able to walk again, and then I'll come up with a lame ass excuse to get out of here. Sound like a plan?"

This time, she does nod her head. She takes the ear plugs from Oscar and fits them into her ears. It's not the greatest at stopping the noise, but it's something for now.

She takes a few deep breaths and hides her face in her boyfriends shoulder. Effectivley keeping the lights away for a minute.

She taps his hand to signal she's ready (a secret code they'd created for non-verbal moments like this). Oscar helps her up, and then they clamber over to Lando. Her feet are tripping over everything as they do so.

"Thanks for inviting us, Lan. We're gonna go get some sleep now."

It's not even an excuse. It's probably just the honest truth. Regardless, Lando smiles at them and thanks them for coming.

Outside the room, she feels like her lungs are less restricted. Her senses claw at the relief as they walk back to Oscar's room. Her body feels relieved as she puts on her comfy clothes and throws herself under the covers.

"You know you can wear your headphones, right love? It's nothing to ever be ashamed of." Oscar crawls into the bed next to her. She sidles up to him, laying her head on his chest.

"I know. I just - don't want people to be scared of me." She mumbles the last part, but Oscar still hears it.

"Your real friends will be the ones who don't care if you wear headphones or not. They help you and you like them. That's all that matters."

She is able to relax on the thought that Oscar will always want the best for her. He doesn't care that she stims or follows the same patterns. And he'll never mind if she wears headphones. He thinks they make her look more badass anyway.

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ghostofthemost141 · 10 months

Text

Cherry Soda

Pairing: Ghost x GN!Reader, First POV, no use of (Y/N)

Word Count: 2,062

Themes: Fluff, Angst, Comfort, Self Loathing

!Warnings!: Mention of Self Harm and Scars but nothing explicit

About: After coming home from a mission, Simon sees the effects of how you are coping and knows how to help you out.

Notes: I felt like I didn't great on this one but I hope y'all enjoy it regardless! Nickname for you is Ace. Enjoy!

“Ace?”

“Yes?”

I was almost startled to hear Simon's voice enter the house, but then I remembered the letter he sent me a week ago, that he would be home soon. He didn't say exactly when but soon to him is usually within a week or so.

“Where you at, love?” Simon called for me.

I felt so terrible. Usually I would have his favorite dinner ready for him when he would come home, but here I am, rotting on our bed in solitude.

“Bedroom.” I softly answered.

Seconds later, I could hear heavy, but gentle footsteps come down the hallway and stop at our doorway.

“Are you in here?” Simon asked.

“Yes.” I croaked.

Even though I was happy he was home, knowing he was home means he would have to leave again. And who knows how long he will be home for until he has to leave once again. The bedroom door swung open, with Simon standing there in the doorway in all his glory. His handsome glory.

“There you are.” I felt Simon sit on the bed and place his hand on my shoulder.

“Hey. I'm sorry.” I apologize.

“For what?”

“I didn't have dinner ready.” I said, feeling immense guilt invade my stomach.

Simon didn't say anything back, instead he just rubbed my side, up and down, making sure his skin was touching mine. Despite being in combat all the time, his skin was always soft to touch and so smooth. I guess that's why he always wears his gloves to not damage them. It was silent between us though, and that worried me. Was he mad at me? He has to be. But if he was mad he would communicate with me about it. I wish I could read his mind and figure out how he was feeling.

“Love?”

“Yes?”

“I'm fine with takeout.” He said.

I could feel the guilt increasing in my gut.

“No, I'll get up and cook.” I said as I started to get up but Simon stopped me.

He still wore some of his tactical gear, his boots and his balaclava mask but his blue eyes told me everything he was saying without saying it.

“Let's go eat somewhere. Just me and you.” Simon suggested.

He just got done from a month-long mission and nearly died doing so, as he does with every mission, and he wants to cater to me? What is he on? I should be the one catering to him.

“No you pick, Si.” I said.

“Ace.”

I felt a chill down my spine as Simon spoke my name. It wasn't out of anger nor annoyance but it was definitely in severity. He definitely wants to make it known to me that he is being serious right now.

“Where do you wanna eat at? You pick.” Simon urged me.

I thought about it for a moment.

“Um..I've been kinda wanting Italian. I just don't like going out by myself.” I suggested.

Simon held my hand and rubbed it with his thumb. I loved the feeling of his skin on mine. Just so soft. So comforting. It sent good chills down my spine.

“You been saying you wanted to try that local place, right?”

“Yeah.” I said.

“Well then let’s go. I’ll pamper myself up real quick.” Simon told me as he got up from bed.

“You going to powda yo nose, love?” I asked, in my overexaggerated accent.

SImon laughed in amusement.

“You’re funny, darling.”

Simon stripped off all of his clothing and my eyes were all over his body. I have never been with a guy who was as ‘ripped’ as Simon, but my god was it like looking at a perfectly sculpted statue all the time.

“A picture lasts longer, you know.” Simon knocked me out of my trance.

I rolled my eyes at him as I slowly got my ass out of bed to do the same. I don’t exactly ‘look bad’ but I definitely need to change clothes and whatnot. Before I stripped off my clothes though, I remembered. I didn’t know how Simon would react to seeing ‘that’ on my body. I slowly approached the dresser as he went into our shared bathroom to clean his face up. I quickly opened the drawer and just grabbed the first T-Shirt and pair of jeans that I saw. I don’t want to be suspicious but also didn’t want Simon to see what I did to myself. He doesn’t need to worry about me. He already has a lot on his plate. Right as I buttoned up my jeans, Simon entered back into the room. His mask was off and his face was cleaned off of his black face paint that he always puts around his eyes. God, he was so handsome. How did I get so lucky? He should be with someone else, not me. Someone who is stable mentally and is perfect and has a better figure and body and-

“What’s on your mind, love?”

Simon’s gravelly voice was close and I felt his touch on my cheek. He leaned in close to me, looking down at me. He knows.

“It's nothing. I promise, Si.” I lied to reassure him.

Simon peered his eyes at me. I know he doesn't believe me, I can just tell.

“Alright.”

This conversation wasn't over but he just didn't want to fight with me right now, even though I should be the one to cater to him. I wanted to protest once again but I knew he wouldn't be happy if I did, only cause that's just how Simon is. He would rather me be catered than him even though he deserves to be catered to as well.

“You ready, my love?” Simon asked.

“Yes.”

“So many choices.” I comment, eyeing the menu.

Not only were there a lot of choices, but the prices were a bit steep too. Granted it is a local place, but if I would have known about the prices I wouldn't have made the suggestion. I feel awful now. I don't like Simon spending money on me.

“What are you feeling like tonight?” Simon asked me.

I shrugged my shoulders. As Simon scanned the menu, I took notice of him and his features. It's not often that Simon will go out in just plain clothes and something concealing his face. I know he does it to protect us, even though I don't think it's necessary. He shouldn't hide his beautiful face. In fact it's me that should be the one-

“Hello, welcome to Mama Rita's! My name is Gary and I'll be the one taking care of y'all tonight. Can I start y'all off with some drinks?” A male waiter approached us with a chipper attitude.

“Do y'all have gin and tonic ‘ere?” Simon asked Gary.

“We do. Would you like one of those?”

“Yes, with water too, please sir.” Simon added.

“And for you?” Gary asked me.

They have cherry soda here. It's one of the very few sodas that doesn't make me bloated nor feel like shit when I drink it compared to the usual cola sodas. But it is quite pricey, since according to the menu they make the sodas the old fashioned way.

“Just water.”

“Actually she will have a cherry soda. I almost didn't see that on the menu, but it's her favorite.” Simon butted in.

What? What is he doing? I don't get it.

“Alright a cherry soda. Do y'all know what you want to eat or do y'all need a minute?” Gary asked us.

“A minute please.” I said.

“You got it!” Gary said and he walked off to give us a moment.

Of course that was just a diversion so Simon could talk with me.

“Love.”

“Yes?”

“What's wrong? You're not your usual self.” Simon said, holding my hand and running his thumb on my hand.

I held back tightly.

“Why did you get me the cherry soda? You know we are trying to save money.” I said, trying to hold back tears.

“What in bloody hell do you mean, Ace? I don't understand.” Simon questioned me, but also tried to comfort me.

“It's nothing, Si.”

I hung my head down to avoid looking at him. I felt so much shame and guilt with myself. I don't deserve him, I don't deserve him.

“Darling, you're about to cry. I need to know what is going on.”

“I'm such a bad partner to you.” I spat out, with it coming out harsher than I meant to.

Simon was silent for a moment and he was about to speak when Gary came back with our drinks. He sat down Simon's drink and water in front of him and my cherry soda in front of me. The piercing red syrupy drink stared at me as if it was mocking me.

“Are we ready?”

“Uh yes, sir.” I spoke.

“What can I get started for y'all?”

Simon stayed silent waiting for me to go first but I motioned for him to go first.

“We will get an order of mozzarella sticks, some spinach and artichoke dip.”

Those are my two favorite appetizers in the world. Simon, stop.

“What else?” Gary asked him.

“For my meal, I'll take the Creamy Tuscan Salmon.” Simon added.

Gary quickly wrote down what Simon said and he took the menu from Simon.

“And for you?”

“Get whatever you want, love.” Simon commented before I could even speak.

He meant it too.

“Just the chicken Alfredo will be alright.” I say, handing him my menu.

“Alright I'll go put those in for y'all.” Gary said.

“Thank you.” Simon and I both thanked him in unison as he walked off.

I already knew what was coming so I hung my head down.

“Ace.”

“I'm sorry, Simon.”

“You don't need to be fucking sorry for nothing.”

His tone was harsh, but only because he wanted me to know he was being serious. I wanted to say something back, but I couldn't find the words to say. Instead, the tears rush down my face. He knew I wasn't crying despite not making any noises.

“I saw the marks on your body.”

I felt my heart stop and start racing all at once, if that was even possible.

“W-What are you talking about?” I ask, trying to play dumb.

“Ace, you're a bad fucking liar.”

He got me there. I indeed am.

“I just..”

“How long have you been doing that for?” Simon asked me out of genuineness.

“I just fucking hate when you leave. I get so depressed when I am left alone and just pray everyday you get to come home, even though there's a high chance that you won't and my brain just gets to me and I hate myself for it.” I spewed out.

I sobbed silently as Simon squeezed my hand in reassurance. I know he was only silent because he was trying to find the right words to say.

“Love, please. You don't need to do any of that to yourself.”

“I didn't mean for you to see it.”

“But I'm glad I did.” Simon said.

“What?”

“It's so I can help you. Ace, you're my special person. If I didn't love you then I wouldn't be with you but here we are. We've been together for a while now. You don't need to think that way about yourself nor do any of that to yourself. I want to help you. You said you hate being alone so maybe we can get you a companion.” Simon suggested.

“Like a cat?”

“Maybe.”

“A dog?”

“Eh, maybe.”

“What about a pony?”

“Okay you're pushing it now, love.” Simon chuckled.

I chuckled as Simon lifted my hand up and placed a gentle kiss on my hand. His soft lips sent little tingles throughout my hand and into my body.

“We will talk more when we get home but for now let's enjoy a meal, ‘kay?” Simon said.

“Okay, Simon Riley.” I said as he peered his eyes at me, “does Johnny or any of them call you Simon?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Cause they would already be dead if they did.” Simon half joked.

I laughed, knowing he meant it as a joke. Simon laughed as well, laughing at me. Even though I still felt the guilt in my chest, I had a feeling that maybe everything would be okay.

END

#simon ghost riley #cod #simon ghost riley x reader #callofduty #ghost x reader #simon riley x reader #call of duty #cod x reader #cod modern warfare #modern warfare x reader #ghostofthemost141

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violetmuses · 3 months

Text

Loose Ends - M. Lowrey 🚔🖤

Title: Loose Ends - M. Lowrey 🚔🖤

Fandom: “Bad Boys” Universe

Character: Mike Lowrey

Pairing: Mike Lowrey + Female Reader

Main Storyline: When Detective Mike Lowrey needs a favor, who knows what could happen next?

@nelo0wesker @sofia-da-1st

====

1995

“I'll pay right under the table. No backup involved.” Detective Mike Lowrey wanted to enter this prison with you, one of the covert specialists.

“Who are we visiting?” You whispered behind closed doors as officers and other staff members filed out. Marcus Burnett already drove home.

“Isabel Aretas.” Mike revealed, almost nervous regardless.

“Benito’s wife?” Files detailed the Aretas Cartel for quite some time.

“Yes.” Mike nodded, crawling through the proverbial abyss.

“Don't you dare.” You pulled defense, angered and scared all at once. “She could kill us.”

You've heard too many stories, especially when Isabel turned lethal with dark magic.

“Not now. She's incarcerated with a child.” Mike explained more and still leveled his voice.

“What the hell?” You then stepped back, flabbergasted.

Benito Aretas stood infertile and this side of the family hadn't even adopted children, not based on your notes anyhow.

“Everything will make sense when we get there, all right?” Mike grabbed his coat and you sprint toward Miami's heated night, just bewildered.

______

The darkened hall grounded identical cells up and down every single wall. Metal clanked alongside vocal noise as you walked right near Lowrey.

“Hola, mami!

“Hey, girl.”

Bring her over here, man!”

People kept shouting, but you ignored everyone and headed in the opposite direction. At least this facility volunteered guards around you and Mike.

Another wing organized placements for children and mothers. Sleazy remarks would no longer echo from all corners of this large-scale building.

Instead, your heart would break every time babies started crying.

“Isabel?” Mike stepped toward the final placement and stood with you.

Isabel, this drained yet beautiful and dangerous woman, glanced up while holding an infant.

“Hola. ¿Quién es?” Isabel stands to greet Lowrey from this space and continues holding her child, but faces you as well.

“One of my partners.” Mike cleared his throat and acknowledged you.

“Hola, Señora. Este niño es muy lindo.” You offered Spanish with Isabel due to your profession.

“Muchas gracias, su nombre es Armando." Isabel kissed the baby's cheek and told you his name.

Moments later, the baby cooed regarding Mike and smiled without teeth.

“Hey, man.” Mike waved toward the child and genuinely beamed, almost laughing

Within seconds, dots finally connected in your head.

Badass Mike Lowrey had a son.

“He's so adorable.” Despite the realization, you pulled together and still compliment this moment.

“Not even a year old.” Isabel traded accented English, but visitation concluded before you really talked.

“Gotta go, bye little man.” Mike's voice would echo in the distance as you left with security

And before time dwindled further, baby Armando wailed through tears.

=====

2024

“Gotta visit somebody. Wanna ride?” Detective Lowrey spoke up again. Almost two decades later, you remained loyal with the Miami precinct.

“No other choice.” You jokingly rolled both eyes and reached the passenger seat of Mike's famous Porsche. Family time still kept Marcus Burnett home.

_____

“Armando?” Mike questioned his son while standing in front of this prison cell with you.

“Didn't think I'd see you again.” Armando faced Mike, but realized your presence just like his now late mother. “Who's that?”

“My old partner, she was there when you were really little.” Mike nodded toward you.

“I hoped that you wouldn't move like the family, but it's wishful thinking at this point.” You shake your head, disappointed that such an adorable child walked this horrible path in adulthood.

“My mother's choice.” Armando said.

“I know, but we actually have an opportunity for you. Interested?” You continued.

“Yeah.” Armando took this moment and you veiled the genuine smile that almost reached your face.

Second chances made a difference.

#angst #bad boys 1995 #bad boys #1995 bad boys #will smith #mike lowrey #movies #fanfiction #mike lowrey x reader #slight angst #dark themes

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dutifullylazybread · 3 months

Note

Hi! Could I ask for hcs of Zevlor being a father figure for fem!Tav?

Absolutely! I do primarily write these lists in the second person, but if any pronouns are mentioned, I'll go ahead and use ‘she/her.’

The timing for this request is a bit funny to me, because the headcanon request following this is for Zevlor in a much different context. 🤣

I have a really bad habit of using the plot of BG3 as a framework for my headcanon lists, so kind of like what I did before, I have general headcanons, and then I have a scenario driven list.

NOTE: she/her pronouns are used for Tav in this list.

Zevlor as a Father Figure for Fem!Tav

General headcanons

Zevlor was a commander who watched over plenty of young recruits. He mourned those who died and celebrated those who climbed the ranks. He acted as a mentor for many of them, but he never would have thought of himself as a father figure.

You are a bit different.

He easily falls into the habit of asking if you have eaten or if you need something to drink.

He ultimately wants to make sure that you can survive on your own, because then he feels like he has helped you in a meaningful way.

He has a hundred hidden skills, like sewing, and plenty of patience to impart that knowledge to you.

But he also thinks he is doing you a disservice if he doesn't teach you those skills.

So, yes, he's going to mend the tear in your cloak, but he's also going to make you follow along and mend a smaller tear.

Will grin ear to ear when you perfect a whip stitch.

Zevlor feels the most accomplished when he can teach you something, but he also has to fight the impulse to offer up useful information at every given opportunity.

Watch him struggle to not point out forageable mushrooms.

He will try in a very roundabout way to teach you what is forageable because he will be damned if his chil—no, this young adventurer—can't feed herself.

So the day you visit him with a perfectly dressed rabbit has him tearing up.

He doesn't expect you to be a warrior like him. He would never impose the difficulties of that life on anyone. But he does want to make sure that you can defend yourself.

If you choose to pursue the life of a warrior, he'll listen to you talk about your victories and your hardships. Should you ask for advice, he will offer it.

He isn't going to be the sort of person to give you unsolicited advice (though he will feel like he is dying if he thinks he can help you work towards a solution and you don't ask).

And, perhaps because you have sought his counsel when it comes to training as a warrior, and because he has taken an interest in not only your growth as a warrior but also the social aspects, you do find it easy to confide in him.

You might initially feel bad for venting about something, but Zevlor assures you he doesn't mind.

He soon becomes your closest confidant.

He will ask if you want advice or if you just want to talk things out. But regardless, he safeguards your secrets with the devotion one can expect of a paladin.

Zevlor isn't the sort of person to outright say “I dislike this idea” or “I dislike so-and-so,” but he does that patented mouth twist/pucker when you mention said idea/person.

“I get the sense that you don't like ___”

“Hmm. I suppose I'm not too fond of how reckless they can be. You'll have to forgive an old man for worrying.”

Also, he is absolutely, 100% the father who will say “I'm not angry, I'm just disappointed.” And if he doesn't say it, he still conveys it with the parent-patented ‘face.’

He won't lie and pretend he isn't protective of you.

If he feels that you have been wronged deeply and irreparably, it's going to take everything in him to not strike out on your behalf.

Everything.

But he also knows that he has taught you to act with a level head, and if he were to respond in a way that runs counter to what he has tried to instill in you, then what was the point?

Maybe it's because he is a Paladin of Helm, or maybe it's because he found his daughter in the last place he'd thought to look, but he wants to shield you from all harm.

He has to come to terms with the fact that he can't always protect you. And the realization nearly destroys him.

But it's in that realization that you mean so much to him that gives him pause.

And he realizes how proud he is of you, and how he wants to remain a part of your life.

Assuming that you want Zevlor to remain in your life, then he will be there for you at every single important juncture (and all of the points in between).

He's there for every heartbreak.

And he's there for every victory.

In everything but blood, he is a father to you.

He is there when you need to make home repairs, ready to offer a helping hand.

He is there at the first sign of trouble

He's there when you need to cry or be angry

And he wouldn't choose to be anywhere else

And when all is said and done, when the storms have passed and the world is quiet, he looks at you and says, “For what it's worth I'm proud of you.”

Scenario-driven Headcanons: Following Game Events - Zevlor as a Mentor and then a Father-figure

Zevlor never expected to serve as a parental figure in any capacity—least of all for an adventurer who stumbled into his path during one of the most stressful times of his life.

But something about you makes him feel paternal.

Maybe there were aspects of yourself that reminded him of when he was a newly recruited Hellrider—unsure of the world but desperate to prove himself all the same—that made him feel that he could, perhaps, act as a mentor to you.

At first, he acts as more of an advisor and a teacher. If you mention in passing that your traveling party is heading to one location or another, he’ll offer to review maps of the area with you. He has done some scouting around the Grove, so he’ll make suggestions about what to avoid and what routes were safest.

If you run any training drills, Zevlor will watch from a distance. He won’t offer feedback immediately—not unless he notices that you’re getting frustrated or that something in your technique creates a lethal opening for your foes. Otherwise, he will wait for you to ask him his thoughts.

He’s also more than content to train with you. He’s strict, but he is a patient teacher. Though he is usually reserved and level-handed with his counsel, the one thing he will never hold back on is your form while training. If he lies to you about that, then he fears that he is sentencing you to death or a serious injury.

But as time goes on, he becomes more aware of your tells—he knows when you aren’t eating or sleeping well. And though he usually wouldn’t pester someone whose health didn’t directly impact the overall safety and well being of the other tieflings, he can’t help but worry about you. He knows that you’re stressed about something (you did come to the Grove in search of a healer, after all), but he doesn’t know what that might be.

So, initially, he might broach the topic by asking if there is enough to eat on the road. He might offer to patch up your blankets or your tent if there are any notable tears.

But if those gentle questions/offers don’t get much in the way of results, he will ask you if you are taking care of yourself.

After training with you, he’ll make a point of fetching you a bowl of stew and seeing to it that you eat a few bites.

Though making sure you get rest is trickier, he will start to ask if you are sleeping enough. He feels like he is dangerously close to crossing a line, but he is worried.

He might not fall apart if you return to the Grove injured, but he won’t tolerate you not getting immediate medical attention.

After you defeat the goblins, Zevlor is practically beaming. He realizes that this is more than just relief over you being alive and the path being cleared for the refugees—he is proud of you.

He won’t claim to have played a role in your growth as a person. More than likely he’ll joke and say that he just made sure that you were holding the right end of a sword.

If you thank him for his guidance, he’ll refocus the discussion to your achievements.

He asks that you be careful on the road to Baldur’s Gate, and he’ll wish you safe travels.

So imagine how he feels when you find him trapped in the Mind Flayer colony.

Not only is he now dealing with the guilt over the Absolute invading his mind and having him urge the other tieflings to surrender, but now he sees you, the young adventurer who put their trust in him.

And that is enough to wreck him.

He wants to beg your forgiveness for not upholding this image of justice and valor, for perhaps going back on the morals that he conveyed to you whilst he mentored you.

If you respond with kindness, he will think he is undeserving. He will try to reject your forgiveness. But he won't deny the sense of pride that burns in his chest. He may have not played a role in your upbringing, but to know that he helped guide a warrior who possessed a moral compass that allowed for forgiveness? Especially for him? It makes him want to try again.

If you respond from a place of hurt/betrayal, he will accept how you feel. He won't flinch away if you berate him or yell at him. After what happened in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, how can he? He is now an Oath Breaker. He has lost everything. Perhaps he should have seen that he would fail as a mentor too.

But he wants to try again. He wants to redeem himself. It might not be possible, but he wants to strive to fill the image that you created of him in your mind. He might never attain it, but he's going to do his damnedest.

Regardless of how you respond, Zevlor implores you to take care. He doesn't care what happens to him, but the thought of you dying rattles him.

After Ketheric is defeated and everyone gathers in the throne room, Zevlor will observe from the shadows.

He doesn't make himself known to anyone. He just wanted to make sure that you were alive before he moved on.

And with the knowledge that you and your companions survived, he departs for Baldur's Gate.

He is proud of you. And he is so, so scared.

So, within Act 3, as far as I have observed/read, Zevlor doesn't reappear until the final battle (assuming you saved him in the Mind Flayer colony).

But I'm taking some liberties here.

After what happened in the Shadow-Cursed Lands, Zevlor is too ashamed to be around you.

But he is also so, so worried.

He knows you're a capable warrior. He spent weeks training you.

But suddenly that training doesn't seem like enough. Why couldn't he have urged you to stay for a few more hours that one day? He might have noticed that your swing was a bit too wide or that you left your right side vulnerable when you feinted that one time. Why the hells didn't he take the time to help you perfect your technique?

Perfection might not save you from all threats, but it gave you a better chance of survival.

Needless to say, he lays awake most nights gripped with anxiety.

Are you actually alright? Have you been injured?

He doesn't have a lot of money to his name, but he spends what he does have reading the newspaper, coveting whatever tidbits of information about you is printed that day.

He quietly celebrates your victories, and he mourns your losses from afar.

He decides one evening to toast one of your wins at the Elfsong.

And he sees you. You're laughing and joking with your friends. Despite everything that has happened. You're bruised and exhausted, but you're smiling in that moment.

He didn't intend on running into you, and he immediately makes himself scarce.

He ducks into an alleyway and lets himself cry.

That adventurer, so bright and full of potential, is now a hero.

He's scared, he's proud, and seeing you stealing a moment of joy for yourself before diving back into the fray has him simultaneously laughing and sobbing.

While he had been hesitant to make himself known to you before, he commits to standing with you at the end.

So he focuses on healing his body and honing his strength. He might renew his vows as a paladin.

But regardless, he is there when you enter the High Hall, and regardless of how you two parted in the Mind Flayer colony, he pledges his strength to you.

He might not be at your side in the final battle, but he keeps the enemy off of your back.

He fights like the Hellrider Commander he has always been.

And he watches you defeat the Netherbrain.

He isn't the first to congratulate you. No, he doesn't want to interfere in the moment that you share with your companions.

But he is there at the end, brimming with pride.

Before you leave to join your companions at the Elfsong, the two of you sit down on the edge of the jetty, looking out on the Chionthar.

The battle is over. You've won.

Zevlor might not hug you. He might not tell you that you are the child he never thought he'd have.

But he tells you how proud he is of you. And, should you be open to it, he'd like to stay in your life. Be that in the smallest of capacities, where you and he occasionally get a drink and you catch him up on your life, or in a larger capacity, where you seek him out for counsel and training, he wants to see where life will take you.

Should you be in agreement, Zevlor is a very consistent presence in your life.

At first, he is there when you call on him.

But at a certain point, he just gets a sense for when you need him there.

He never wants to barge in, but he'll make excuses to swing by and check on you.

Initially, he thought he would always be a mentor to you. And to a certain degree, he still is.

He never expected to be the shoulder you leaned on while you cried.

He never expected that you would make a point to celebrate his birthday with him.

He most certainly didn't expect you to consider his input on life-changing decisions.

But there he is, rubbing circles into your back as you weep over the loss of a companion.

There he is, confused and dewy-eyed as you push a gift into his hands and wish him a happy birthday.

There he is, watching you accomplish the impossible.

He might not have thought he'd ever be a father, let alone a father figure.

But he is more than content to fill that role for you.

#bg3 #headcanon #head canons #bg3 headcanons #bg3 head canons #baldur's gate 3 #zevlor #tav #she/her pronouns #fem!tav #bg3 fanfic #bg3 fanfiction #baldur's gate 3 fanfic #baldur's gate 3 fanfiction #zevlor headcanons #father zevlor #headcanon request

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tangsakura · 26 days

Note

Yess sukuna is lying about not knowing flowers.. Body swapped Yuta can't go through gojo's memories, only when the brain swapped he could. That means sukuna, too, can't go through megumi's memories???? Sukuna knows flowers 🌼

In this post, I'll cover:

Conditions to read someone else's memories

Proof that Sukuna knows about flowers and lied to Yuji

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS UP TO CH. 265. PLEASE DO NOT INTERACT IF YOU AREN'T CAUGHT UP.

⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘

First of all, let me clear up this misunderstanding about soul swapping.

Body swapping doesn't allow the intruder to read the memories of the person they're intruding in. To my understanding, it's because soul swapping doesn't break the soul's connection from the original body despite the switch - that's why Yuta can't read Gojo's memories and vice versa. The only ways one can read another person's memories are through their soul co-habiting with another in one body regardless if they have full control of the body or not; or if you have a CT that allows you to body hop, disconnecting your soul from one body and connecting to another.

The reincarnated sorcerers, including Sukuna and Angel, can read the memories of the people they're co-existing with in one body - they are the best examples of the former. Kenjaku has a CT that allows their brain to invade a corpse and control it, provided that it is not greatly damaged and has no conditions like a heavenly restriction in it - this is the best example of the latter. So, to read someone else's memories, you gotta co-exist with someone in one body or have some CT that allows body hopping.

Sukuna is still co-existing with Megumi in Megumi's body, so he can read Megumi's memories, though not always instantaneous.

｡ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ₊ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ｡˚｡ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ₊ ˚ ︶︶✩︶︶‌ ｡˚｡ ˚ ︶︶

Megumi's Memories???

Sukuna was definitely lying. He certainly knows about flowers. Let me explain.

So here's what we know of Megumi from what Gege revealed from the fanbook.

He's an animal-type of guy. He loves animals more than humans, plus he's more into reading, especially non-fiction books (he reads the newspapers, too).

"Oh, but Tsumiki -"

Yes, Tsumiki was into constellations, and most likely, flowers, too. Megumi knows that. But how much do you think Megumi remembers all the things she taught him about them?

Megumi barely remembered about the Southern Cross constellation.

JJK CHAPTER 156

"Yeah, but Sukuna could've seen these stuff in passing."

Okay. Let's look at chapter 265 - RAW. Translated by me, lmao.

"Asagao (Morning Glories)" "It's Ajisai (Hydrangeas), fool."

(After Yuji yapped about Sendai and the flowers in this place) "Come to think of it, you can identify things like the names of the flowers, huh."

(Note: I know Yuji used 分かる here, which also means 'to know'. But, in this context, it means 'know by looking at the flowers').

"..................I guess it's Fushiguro Megumi's memories."

Bro, what's with the long pause? What's with the conjecture? It's a simple question.

We know it's not from Yuji since he's more into movies, and perhaps TV shows since he likes watching TV. So it's either he knows it already or he learned it from Megumi - why hesitate?

"Oh, you're overreacting-"

Here's another panel. Look at how he recognized Yuta's CT from Megumi's memories in chapter 249.

(Literal Translation) "From Fushiguro Megumi's memories, it is revealed [to me] that the cursed technique of the kid, possessed by the cursed spirit, is Copy." (Kanji of Copy: 模倣, imitation)

You're telling me that this hedonistic beefy guy, who can tell someone else's CT from Megumi's memories from the get-go, cannot tell if the names of the flowers are from Megumi's memories?

Nah, there's only one conclusion. Sukuna knows about flowers and he lied to Yuji. Obviously, his claim was such an epic fail, lmao.

Love ya, Sukuna, but screw you for being a big failure in lying.

TLDR - Sukuna knows about Flowers:

Megumi is an animal-lover, and an avid reader of non-fiction books and newspapers

Sukuna can tell Yuta's CT from Megumi's memories, but isn't sure if the knowledge of flowers came from Megumi's memories. So contradictory. It can only mean one thing - he knows about flowers and just lied to Yuji xD

Thank you for coming to my long-ass TedTalk. Until then.

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thesherrinfordfacility · 1 year

Text

i did not break my own heart last night thinking about the missing 1941 scene and have it sat in my brain all of today spinning around like a fucking microwave in order to not make you lot suffer with me. and i somehow feel i may be right about this so buckle up and lets break it down.

so yes, following on from this post, i think that there is going to be a third 1941 scene. twice is a coincidence, three times is a pattern. it's been literally set up like that by even bringing back 1941 into s2 in the first place. but we're missing a crucial detail because it does not - at all, really - explain how they went from evading danger from hell and having a cosy candlelit bottle of red to celebrate, to the bastard 1967 scene. we all know this, this is nothing new.

the symbolism of nightingales is probably going to cast a shadow on this. these two excellent analyses look at the meaning of nightingales in the context of R&J, and the relation that the song has to this point in time, respectively. in summary; it's a song that should be around in 1941 courtesy of vera lynn and others, and the nightingale itself carries the meaning of love being hidden and forbidden by way of it singing under the cover of darkness, before being replaced with reality and soberness - represented by the lark. the Dinner of '41 scene is set in the bookshop at night; this would parallel - that they are safe and concealed, and truths can be shared, but the writing is on the wall that stepping outside would be to shatter the illusion, so to speak. it might be that the song itself gets miracled up onto the record player, or a wireless lying about - whatever. note: i don't think they'll dance though, not given crowley in ep5, "you don't dance"... but then again, if there ISNT a kiss in s3-1941, an aborted dance seems like the next best option... the cowardly one, but i'll take it

this would also track with aziraphale having his epiphany after the church in s1-1941; specifically, in my eyes, that he doesn't necessarily just realise he loves crowley, but that crowley by way of saving his books loves him too. this is only supported by the whole of the s2-1941 scene of trusting in each other as the only way to pull off the trick, the subterfuge. this is then, again, also important in the context of what i think happens in s3-1941.

i do think aziraphale is going to bring the books up again, and what crowley did, because it needs to be addressed. the Nazis/furfur confrontation has scared him, regardless of whether he saved them both, more than he realised. its put things into startling perspective. i think he's going to bring up the books, and actually question crowley a little more as to why he did it. the repeated use of, and subsequent weird reaction crowley has to, the use of the term "friend" in s2-1941 would indicate that this is going to be a focal point in s3-1941. are they just friends? is crowley disappointed that aziraphale is still referring to him as that, after what he did? 'saving' aziraphale in the church, and then saving his books? or is aziraphale just saying 'friends' so hesitantly in both instances because he's not completely sure where crowley stands?

we as the audience know the answer to this, but they obviously do not. if one of the crucial themes of s3 is going to be resolving miscommunication, it makes sense for this scene to be the first, and last, time they communicate properly... at least, until they sort out the issues that culminated in the Final Fifteen.

so let's say they start getting into a very roundabout way of discussing what they mean to each other. there will need to be the sobering, ice-water-over-the-head realisation however, as s2-1941 demonstrated, that they cannot belong to each other, because they manifestly belong to heaven and hell respectively. crowley is still being spied on, and it firmly places aziraphale in their line of sight too. it's going to bring up the holy water discussion; why crowley asked for it - to protect himself, whether by taking out demons or taking out himself, as long as it means he - and most importantly, aziraphale - does not get hurt.

they actively confess that they want to be together, in a way that is more than they are now. aziraphale wants to, but says that they can't, because it's too dangerous. crowley suggests that no one ever has to know, they can hide it (there, in the bookshop, whilst the nightingale is singing), and even if they are found out, they can run. "hell won't just be angry; they'll destroy you..." // "no one ever has to know".

aziraphale doesn't want to have to hide it, doesn't want a halfway measure- is still thinking in black and white. crowley however thinks that something is better than nothing - thinking in the grey. but ultimately, as long as they are still shackled, they cannot do what they want, and it puts the other in danger. "surely the great thing about being a demon is that you can do whatever you want" // "you sound jealous, angel...". instead, aziraphale promises that the day that they are no longer tied to heaven or hell, they can be together; crowley scoffs, thinking that that will never happen, so they will never happen, "you're so clever! how can someone as clever as you be so stupid?!"

the reason they can't right now is because they could be caught. they would have to skulk around, be ashamed, feel guilty - and aziraphale is tired of feeling like that. because only having crowley in secret would hurt more. not being able hold his hand, or dance with him, or kiss him, unless it was in the bookshop. if hell were to find out, crowley would be killed, true, but if heaven were to find out, aziraphale could be cast out. and if crowley survived hell long enough to see aziraphale fall - he'd never forgive himself, and in a way, i don't think he'd ever forgive aziraphale either.

it's tearing them to pieces, but they have to stop whatever is happening between them in its tracks. it's acknowledged, but it's not named. this gives them plausible deniability; if they called it 'love', it would be undeniable. so, aziraphale asks for crowley to go; asks him to leave before they do something they can't come back from. crowley doesn't listen - crowds him, gets in close, and aziraphale is powerless to stop it. doesn't want to stop it. he's selfish by nature, a selfless kind of selfishness, but he wants this with all his being. and then - "this is too fast, crowley, please don't..." // "im sorry, angel. please... please, forgive me". aziraphale never gets to answer, to grant him that, because boom - the actual first kiss.

so. now that i've had to make you read that, i'm going in for the kill. let's look at everything that follows - and look at how the above might recontextualise it.

1967: the offer of the picnic, the Ritz? ie. the literal lyrics of berkeley square? aziraphale has caved in the interest of giving crowley a weapon to use if all else fails, to protect him, but that's as far as he's willing to progress. everything else is still too painful; he's on the brink of tears, promising that one day they'll be able to do what they want, to be open about how they feel, but not yet. they can't. crowley tries to push, "ill give you a lift, anywhere you want to go..." (him offering again to run away? a second chance to leg it?), and aziraphale reminding him that they can't, he can't... don't make him go too fast again, it's not fair. it also sets up perfectly that aziraphale and crowley don't speak for the next 40 or so years (as far as we're aware) until armageddon is threatened.

bandstand: mostly this is still centred around the apocalypse contextually, but i think with the above hypothetical scene in mind (the offer to hide, to run away, to be together), aziraphale is sent back to remembering their mutual confession that they've nonverbally agreed not to bring up, because it's not safe, and it's too painful. they've skirted around it, and returned instead to a tentative kind of friendship at the beginning of s1, but they're still not safe to address why seeing each other again, being so close to each other and not being able to touch is so painful. anyway - aziraphale refuses their side, but the above scene would re-view this as 'our side can't exist yet, you know this! you know why it can't!', and crowley leaves, again after pushing a bit more than aziraphale can stand.

alpha centauri: basically a facsimile of the above; same steps, same dance. but this time, crowley harks back to aziraphale's foolish (?) hope that they will be together, without having to run away, when the day comes that they don't have to answer to heaven or hell. and aziraphale smacks him right back, echoing crowley asking for aziraphale's forgiveness in kissing him, "i forgive you." crowley knows exactly what aziraphale is getting at, there - he's answering crowley's whispered plea to forgive him for pushing, for trying to force him, for acting in desperation. but he's also not answering that - he's skirting around that very thing, forgiving him like a knife would, slicing back at crowley for not only insulting aziraphale on something that is likely a genuine insecurity of his, but also putting him back in his place, for their safeties, because them being together just cannot happen. not yet.

and "please forgive me" in 1941 might seem out of character, but idk if it is; crowley knows that doing what he's about to do will hurt aziraphale, aziraphale has (hypothetically) told him as much, but he needs to do it - and seeks not benevolence or forgiveness as crowley-the-demon, but actually seems aziraphale's forgiveness, as crowley-the-person. the echo would certainly match the tone given here, in multiple ways:

the ritz: i mean, what is there to say? yes, their song is literally playing on the piano, and heralds the shift in their being out from heaven and hell, the day has finally come where they can - again, going by this entirely hypothetical scene that ive concocted - actually be together as they want to. and the nightingale literally singing outside, but as @shoemakerobstetrician beautifully pointed out, god remarks that it's covered up by traffic. so actually, if we again refer back to R&J interpretation of the nightingale, the love is still hidden, still somewhat under wraps, but can only just about be heard over the noise of the streets outside. the prohibition of them being together, of loving each other, is dwindling. and one day, it'll stop singing altogether. that day is coming, it will come, and then they can do what they please. so whilst the ritz scene may well be a mark of them starting the next chapter, it's slow to take hold, there's still hesitancy - which absolutely makes sense when we see that they are still very tentative with each other come the beginning of s2.

s2 general: aziraphale realises their freedom first; he gets excited by the dance, and being able to show his love to crowley, completely and without barriers, in the form of the ball - what he has read to be the best way to do so. he touches crowley more. he shares his bookshop with him, gifts it to crowley as being his as well as aziraphale's, this safe space that is so wholly theirs that crowley has the power to grant entry. the same with the bentley - aziraphale sees it as theirs, and crowley silently agrees, granting aziraphale the same power. crowley is comfortable in the bookshop to remove his glasses, has a place for them. the bookshop becomes tidier, more minimalist, to make crowley more comfortable in it (it is more cluttered in s1, im certain of it). it might just be the grading between s1 and s2, and lack of clutter, but the yellow is more prominent - his literal favourite colour. everything just screams that aziraphale is ready to make good on his promise from s3-1941.

crowley... for once, is the one not quite catching up. not realising the little dates here and there are literally poses them as a couple (although yes, the coffee shop one is to prep crowley for the goob jumpscare), that aziraphale has granted him the power to grant entry. aziraphale literally asking, practically begging, crowley to help him hide goob. the mf colour of the walls. the colour of the bentley. it's not until nina outright asks him if they are together that he realises how careless they've been - but wait, is it careless if they have nothing to be careful of? well, arguably crowley does, hell are still hanging around him like a bad smell... but this is what he wanted! this is what he was pushing aziraphale for! so, does he risk it? he's not sure, but he's certainly realising that aziraphale is ready, if nothing else. and by the time the ladies stage their little intervention, crowley finally realises that the confession he started in 1941 now can be fully aired, can come out into the open.

the Feral Domestic: *fingers at temples* i know i have been fairly vocal about my interpretation of this scene, and frankly - until we get this hypothetical s3-1941 scene, i stand by it - but let's say this speculation about the scene is true, and re-examine the key points in the Final Fifteen that would completely turn on their heads in terms of meaning:

literally, harking back full circle to what aziraphale promised in 1967 as what they would do when they could fully acknowledge their love, and what they did as soon as - on paper - they were free at the end of s1. this is however before he's spoken to by nina and maggie, so maybe this is what crowley was planning in terms of confessing fully to aziraphale, but after their meddling he realised that yes, they need to actually talk about it again. he doesn't understand why they're telling him what they are - because he's existed so long in gestures and gifts and not talking, literally dismissed it now as a viable option, that it doesn't even occur to him to try talking again.

which is why he does something brave, and tries to tell aziraphale instead (say it out loud, make it undeniable, put a name to it, "i love you", something that i think was crowley's actual intention before aziraphale interrupts him) when he comes back to the shop... he's so nervous, because it's vulnerable, and because the last time he did, they ended up hiding for 50-ish years.

next up:

now, im reluctant to think that aziraphale lied in the Feral Domestic, because i do think the key thing at work is his paramount need to do the Right Thing (ie. make a difference in heaven). whilst metatron obviously manipulates him, im not entirely convinced that aziraphale wholly sees through it. i don't think he knew that metatron was up to something, i think the shaking off of this naivety is going to be part of his s3 character development. but this sentence - again, especially in context of the hypothetical s3-1941 scene - must on some level frighten him. especially if you take this meta into account, aziraphale must realise at least that they were never safe, even when they were denying what they were and how they felt, it didn't make a bit of difference. now, metatron could have just been talking about the arrangement, not referring to any romantic elements of any kind, but the threat of it? no wonder he pushes for crowley to join him in heaven; he could keep crowley safe there. they could be together, and heaven - in his eyes - would be able to say a word against it.

then:

the fear sets in; crowley was too late in telling him, acknowledging that they could be together, realising what aziraphale was saying to him without words, and now heaven has come for him. plonked them right back where they were in s2-1941, but perversely mirrored; instead of hell coming for crowley with violence, heaven came for aziraphale with kindness. crowley doesn't have a magic trick he can just do on the fly, perform it perfectly when the need for it is greatest, and has to cling to the hope that aziraphale still sees them as the barrier to them, the reason they can't be together. and in true miscommunication fashion, i think aziraphale does see it, but what metatron said lingers, and in addition to being inside the institution, changing it from the inside out, in order to make a difference... he knows that whilst it's exactly the opposite of what they wanted, he needs to make them safe. better to be inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in.

but aziraphale doesn't tell crowley what metatron said, because instead he either deliberately tries to deny the implications of it (cognitive dissonance king behaviour), or he doesn't want to panic crowley and is trying to convey to crowley that he can't speak his concerns, not when the metatron could still be watching, and instead just needs crowley to trust him, take his hand, and join him in heaven where they can be safe. doesn't tell crowley that heaven hasn't captured him in shackles again, but he's willingly held out his wrists because it's the safest thing for him, and them, to do.

so it's one thing to look at what crowley's saying, but aziraphale's reaction? before, i just found it to be out of confusion, him not really understanding what crowley was saying, but tbh i never paid much attention to it (david stole this bit of the scene - not to put down my beloved michael here, but he did). and i know others have remarked here that aziraphale is flitting his eyes to the window and looks scared and stressed, but i don't completely think that its because he's scared that metatron is watching (although, now, i will accept with the rug thing and hypothetical s3-1941 in context it is definitely playing a part), but also because he's just starting to recognise that this is a repeat of the s3-1941 scene, "this sounds familiar, we've been here before... oh, we've definitely been here before... oh shit. i still can't do this, not unless he comes with me. we still can't be together, not in the way crowley wants. the way he's trying again, now, to ask for."

but the issue is: crowley wants to run away together. again. and i totally get why, but once again, going back to 1941: it's exactly the solution that will not work. they cannot run from this. heaven, and hell, will find them. they will come for them. it wasn't an option in 1941, it wasn't an option in 2019, and it isn't an option in 2023. aziraphale begins shaking his head - crowley is confessing, but a) aziraphale doesn't run from things, it isnt in his character, and b) it's just putting them back where they started - something that they have to hide. it defeats the purpose.

and this? yeah, im sure on neither side it was meant the way im about to interpret it, more of an unspoken thing, idk... but if the bookshop is indeed their place of safety, and is where they (as far as crowley sees it) can speak and keep their love, it makes sense that crowley is telling aziraphale he needs to stay. the bookshop can be interpreted so many ways - it represents their relationship, or that crowley means him, himself - but what if we looked at it like crowley is trying now to covet it, because it's protecting them? what if he's saying, "well, if you won't run away with me, we can't be free to have our relationship as we wanted it, not unless we stay here... heaven has come for you, has come for us, and whilst they're here we can't move. so what other option is left remain in this bookshop? to never leave it, and what we have inside it, because there's no other option in which we can be together if you won't run with me."

and what if aziraphale is saying, "no, i have an option, and that's to be together in heaven! they won't be able to do anything, not when im in the position the metatron has offered me, that can be our new bookshop... nothing lasts forever - this bookshop won't last forever, it's compromised, and we can't continue to secret away what we feel inside it, it's time to move forward."

welcome to the line that breaks my heart the most in this whole goddamn scene - and tbh i think is fairly self-explanatory in the hypothetical s3-1941 context. that aziraphale is trying, once again, to tell crowley that he is offering himself, letting them be an 'us', as crowley says shortly after - that before he couldnt do it, and these arent the best of circumstances, but they can finally do it and not have to hide in the bookshop. but crowley reminds him, "hey, i was in your shoes, remember. i wanted us to be together then, and you told me you couldn't, didn't want a halfway measure - well, now i don't either. and this will be a halfway measure, because i don't think us being together in heaven is going to go the way you hope it will. i understand a whole lot better than you do." in any case, it would explain why aziraphale choses this moment to look so devastated. this is what he promised crowley, but now crowley - to his mind, in the things left Unsaid - doesn't want it... him.

and then... back to the nightingales. they're not singing at all, not even under the rumble of traffic, like they were at the Ritz. they're completely absent - day has broken, the things unspoken have now been said, and there's no denying them anymore. from crowley's point of view, there was nothing to stop them this time, but if aziraphale won't run with him, then they have to go separate ways, because there is no other way. aziraphale knows there's the possibility that the only place they could actually be safe is heaven itself, that the bookshop was never as safe as they hoped it had been, but that crowley might actually come to see that. but the fact that crowley is resigned to just... returning to 'reality', to a world that's still turning where they aren't together? despite everything they've just said? "we could've been... us." well, that hurts.

and then... the kiss. now. im still of the mind that the kiss was an Issue. i definitely think it was meant out of love and desperation, and out of possibly being a goodbye. this would echo the hypothetical s3-1941 kiss... but it was hurtful. it was abrupt, and harsh, and not at all romantic (imo). it was possessive, and almost cruel. i do think still it was a last ditch attempt, a temptation, to get aziraphale to change his mind, before crowley leaves the shop and returns to the 'real world'. but it hurts aziraphale in many different ways - but with 1941 put in there, too? crowley is just testing his resolve, trying to push him, come around to giving in. crowley asked him to forgive him the last time he kissed aziraphale, and this time - this time, aziraphale is giving him what he asked for.

#did i just do a whole ass meta based off of a completely hypothetical non-existent hc of the third part of 1941?#yes - yes i did #but the Implications would not leave my brain #make of this what you will if you even got to the end and if you did frankly congratulations #good omens

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jo-harrington · 2 years

Text

Standard Operating Procedures 1.03 (Eddie Munson x Store Manager!Reader)

Pairing: Eddie Munson x Reader

Summary: Eddie is no stranger to disappointment, but it still stings, regardless.

Previous Part: Standard Operating Procedures 1.02 (Like...it immediately precedes 1.03)

Warnings/Themes: AU where the Upside Down doesn't terrorize Hawkins. Reader works at the Claire's at StarCourt. Eddie works at TapeWorld. Mutual pining and slow burn (yes still, always). Chekhov's...Guitar(?), Sad Boy Eddie, Disappointment, Kind of an argument, Disillusioned Eddie, Hurt/Comfort, fluff at the end as per usual.

Note: I am admittedly just making some shit up in this chapter strictly because I don't know how certain things were in the 80s and have already done my fair share of research and math for this fic. I'm a tired girl. Suspend your sense of disbelief. I hope it's seamless regardless.

Also, I just want to say, thank you for all the love this little series has gotten so far. Everyone has been so kind. If you haven't gotten some already, here's some soft internet magic to help you find your own Eddie Munson or mall romance or whatever it is you're looking for. *perpetual magical forehead smooch*

You can find my masterlist here for more featuring our resident Store Manager and all of my other random Eddie Headcanons.

Please do not interact if you are not 18+.

Enjoy!

---

"M'home!" Eddie announced as he bounded into the trailer. "Isn't it time to make the donuts, old man? Didn't expect you to still be here."

"Eh, Marty's got some appointment tomorrow, so I traded him for 2nd shift," Wayne sighed, sinking further into his arm chair. "Didn't get home too long before you and I don't plan to leave this chair for a good few hours."

"Well, I'll make myself scarce so you can enjoy Johnny Carson in peace," Eddie chuckled, knowing his uncle didn't get much of a chance to indulge in his favorite programs with his work schedule.

"Did ya' have a good session tonight?"

"No session. We went out to celebrate Gareth getting his drivers license."

"S'that why you're so giddy?" Wayne teased good-naturedly.

Eddie thought about it for a second as he kicked off his sneakers, realizing that he had been in a pretty good mood tonight. It had been a fun night out with the guys. And of course, you were there.

It made him happy that you got along with his friends.

And he got to sit next to you and sneak little glances when you didn't know he was watching. And he got to hear the little hitch of your breath at the jump scares and imagine that it would do the same if he kissed your neck the way he wanted to, someday.

You had leaned in close at one point and put your head on his shoulder...only to whisper some joke about a continuity error you spotted. And then grinned when he burst out laughing, only to get confused looks from the guys and curses from the other moviegoers.

It only got better when you agreed to go out on Halloween, as much as he felt like an absolute idiot for asking you.

Who asks a girl to go Trick or Treating? What was he, in 3rd grade? On the upside, it meant you still planned to be his friend come October.

Maybe you would be more than a friend by then.

If he could just get the courage to...actually ask you out.

It wouldn't be that hard, right? He would just have to...maybe hold your hand and ask if you'd ever want...well no that wasn't right...

Fuck. He'd done it before; he'd mostly gotten no's but...

"Y-yeah," Eddie finally responded, realizing his uncle was waiting for an answer. "Zombie movie. You know I like those. Gareth was practically pissing his pants."

"Well good. And you tell that boy not to let the driving thing get to his head," Wayne coughed. "He still owes me a new mailbox after your driving lessons.

"Speaking of which, there's mail for you on the counter," Wayne waved his hand in the direction of the kitchen.

Eddie shuffled over and thumbed through the envelopes, debating whether or not to pull a Carnac the Magnificent just to get a laugh out of his uncle, only to freeze when he reached the bright blue envelope at the bottom of the stack.

ROANE COUNTY PARKS, RECREATION, & COMMUNITY SERVICES

He didn't even need a second to think before he sprinted across the trailer to shove his feet back into his sneakers, grabbed his keys, and shouted a quick "imgoingtojeffsdontwaitup" as he raced out the door.

If it was any other time, he would have called first. Or waited until the morning. But if he knew his friends--and he knew them well--they went and got Dairy Queen after the movies, and Gareth would be pulling into Jeff's sleepy little cul de sac off Maple any minute now. There was no time to waste.

This was big, for all of them. He couldn’t do this alone.

He drove with the radio off, he kept his hands at ten and two, made a full stop at every stop sign, and didn't even speed like he usually would. Not one mile over the limit. He couldn't risk Callahan catching his scent tonight. And he prayed to every god, goddess, demon, devil, deity—every pantheon—he knew that everything could just be in his favor tonight.

It's just the fair, but what if this is the next step on the road to something bigger.

Eddie started honking as soon as he could see the tail lights of the station wagon. He didn't care who he woke up or what neighbor would call the cops. He didn't even remember putting the van in park before he jumped out; it could have rolled off a cliff, he wouldn't have cared.

The other guys started screaming as he waved the envelope at them.

"This is it, this is it. Did you open it yet?

"A real show, guys."

"Do we need new equipment? Shit, do we need eyeliner?"

"Alright guys calm down," Eddie grinned. "We have to open the envelope first."

They huddled together in the middle of the cul de sac, hovering over the envelope and Eddie held his breath for a moment. This would be the moment...

The moment that they could tell everyone they really started on the road to making it big.

The moment they got their first real set, their first big crowd.

Maybe there would be some talent scout at the fair. They showed up at these sorts of things right?

He might not even need to go back to Hawkins High come September.

Or even if he did…to know that he might be a real rockstar some day...He could ignore all of the shit from the kids and the teachers. It wouldn't need to be another year of ridicule and humiliation.

He ripped through the thin blue paper and pulled out the folded letter within, dropping the envelope immediately in favor of clutching it with both hands as he read.

His hands started to shake as he read, and it was only getting worse by the second.

He was going to vomit. Or...or pass out. Or...

Unfortunately due to the family-oriented nature of this event, the genre of music included in your proposed set list has been deemed inappropriate and we regret to inform you that your application for this year's Roane County 4th of July Festival has been denied.

Eddie was going to die. He would lay down, right here in the middle of the street, and die. They could just re-pave the street right over his corpse.

Here lies Eddie Munson.

Wannabe Rockstar.

He didn't even make it to his 20th birthday.

He finally looked up and passed the letter around, watching--painfully--as their dreams were shattered too. He gauged Jeff's reaction most of all, since he had been the one to propose the idea in the first place. But Jeff was fine; he was just looking right back at Eddie.

"You ok, man?" he asked.

"It's just a stupid fair," Eddie sniffed, ignoring the stinging of his eyes as he fought back the tears.

"Yeah," Dave nodded. "There's always next summer."

Next summer. Next year.

Another year he probably wasn't gonna graduate again. Another year stuck in this not-even-one-horse-town.

Sure, he was probably getting ahead of himself with the ideas of fame. But outright rejection? It stung. To be denied the chance to perform, to show off all of their talent, because of the set list he chose.

The guys all trusted him, he always chose songs that highlighted their strengths. Always wanted them to look and play their best. He was so proud of them, he never wanted them to fail.

But they trusted him and it let them down.

And because of that, Eddie couldn't let everything fall apart because he failed.

"They couldn't even let us pick some new songs," Eddie swallowed his pain and laughed dryly. "They don't know what they're missing out on."

It wasn't much, but it was enough to get them going.

"Hey maybe we could write some more original songs for next year?"

"I think if we practiced, I could really nail that one drum solo, hey Ed?"

"We would have totally melted some faces!"

They always held it together for him; he definitely could do it for them too.

---

“Are you sure he’s gonna like this one?”

“This is the newest model,” Eddie explained with a sigh, turning the box over to show off the list of New and Improved features on the back.

The customer was a sleepy-looking older guy in glasses and a wrinkled polo, who walked in 10 minutes before closing, whose wife apparently sent him out for their son’s birthday present: a new Walkman.

And the asshole was really dragging his feet on a decision. Eddie had all of the options they offered laid out on the display case, they'd gone over the different features several times. He almost had the sale, and then the guy realized it was the red model instead of blue. Like it even fucking mattered.

It was Sunday night too. Not like Eddie had anywhere else he needed or wanted to be.

“And if I go to Sam Goody, they’re gonna say the same thing?” He asked.

“You could go down there and ask, but I’ll bet you that it’s gonna be marked up at least 15% more.”

If he left now, the gate would get closed right behind him. The sale wasn’t worth it.

“Hmmmm, fine,” the man harrumphed and began pulling out his wallet. “And throw in a couple tapes too, I guess. I don’t know what Michael likes; whatever you think is popular. You're the expert here, not me.”

As soon as the guy had paid and was walking out of the store, Eddie pulled down the gate and grumbled under his breath "what a fuckin' dickhead, can't make a decision to save his life or even be bothered to know what his son actually wants for his birthday."

Kyle's barking laughter echoed across the store from where he was doing markdowns.

"I can definitely hear you from over here kid," he chuckled. "You've gotta chill.”

"Sorry man," Eddie sighed as he approached the registers to start the closing tasks. "I'm just...I dunno, in a bad mood I guess."

"Well, you're doing a good job, people just suck sometimes."

The first time Kyle told him what a good job he was doing, Eddie nearly confessed that he was channeling Kurt Russel in Used Cars and rolled a D20 for persuasion before each shift.

Whether or not the D20 roll actually worked, Eddie still had some of the best sales numbers on the team. They’d nearly doubled their sales goal today alone. Because despite the entire town seemingly having it in for him, no one seemed to mind that he was the one helping them find whatever it was that they needed.

"Stop thinking about it so much," Kyle laughed. "You just keep making those sales, we keep beating our numbers, and your bonus check's gonna be enough for the last payment on that Warlock you've been drooling over since you started. Doesn't that cheer you up a little?"

Eddie hummed dismissively as approached the cash wrap to start closing procedures, and glared at the stack of handmade fliers for Corroded Coffin’s Tuesday night shows at the Hideout, sitting neatly on the electronics display case next to all of the special order catalogs.

Yeah that was the dream.

A stage-worthy guitar and an actual stage and crowd to go along with it.

But it was gonna be forever to get there at the pace he was going.

When he’d gotten home on Friday night and told Wayne about the rejection letter, his uncle clapped him on the shoulder and said “good things come to those who wait.” Of course, Eddie was grateful for whatever advice his uncle gave him. He was just…tired of waiting.

And he'd have to wait even longer, because tonight it didn't even feel like they were going to be able to leave the store at all, let alone on time.

Nothing was going right--or so it seemed thanks to Eddie's mood. And it just seemed to get worse as time wore on. He couldn't get the registers to balance, he kept fucking up the combination to the safe when he went to put the deposit away, the mixtape he put into the shop radio earlier in the evening had jammed, and it took both him and Kyle combined to jimmy it out of the player.

They ran into a problem with every single closing task.

And before long, you were outside of the store waiting, when he had typically made it his habit to wait for you.

It was just...one of those things that Eddie liked to do.

He could imagine he was picking you up for a real date. Watch you as you finished up your own closing tasks, enjoy the little things you probably didn't even realize you did--bob your head along to whatever residual music was playing in the mall, fiddle with your earrings with one hand as you signed deposit slips with the other.

The way you lit up when you saw him outside of the gate--gave him a bright smile and held your fingers up to say how much longer it would be--was one of the highlights of his week, after gigs at the Hideout and crushing the guys dreams during Hellfire.

He could have really used that tonight.

Instead, you were out there waiting as Eddie continued to fuck things up. You smiled and waved as you usually did when you first arrived, leaning on the little coin-operated horse right outside the store. Thanks to his frustration, he couldn't bring himself to smile back. He glanced outside every now and again, and felt his stomach lurch whenever he saw you kicking your feet or picking your nails. Bored. Annoyed. Sick of waiting for him, probably, if the lack of an expression was anything to go by.

He debated simply telling you to leave. That your night out was canceled and you could reschedule another time.

But if you agreed...you might get pissed off for wasting your time and avoid him whenever you saw him from that point forward.

How did this happen? How was it just 48 hours ago that he was coming up with a plan to ask you out? And now he might never talk to you again?

Because he was a loser, he wasn't worth the trouble, that's wh--

"Alright Ed, let's go," Kyle clapped a hand on his shoulder and Eddie jumped.

"What?" he stared at Kyle for a second.

"What do you mean what? It's time to go," Kyle explained.

"But the checklist," Eddie frowned, mentally tallying all the tasks they hadn't gotten to. "It's not done."

"You wanna stay and clean the bathroom? Mop the floors? I can just have Paulie do it in the morning," Kyle grabbed him by the shoulder and led him to the door. "Let's fucking go. There's a whole pan of lasagna waiting for me at home, and your girlfriend is out there waiting for you. Unless you want me to take her out instead?"

Eddie fumbled over his words as Kyle pushed him outside and locked the gate.

"Try to have a good night tonight; someone's got a crab up his ass," Kyle warned you with a wink before heading towards the exit.

You pushed yourself off the play horse and approached Eddie with a frown.

"Hey if you're not up to going out tonight, we don't have to," you offered.

Here it was, the first steps of rejection.

"Yeah, no," Eddie coughed weakly. "If you don't want to go out, that's cool."

He'd heard it all before.

"God you're such a loser."

"Who would ever want to hang out with a freak like you."

"You think I'd actually be into you?"

"It's not about me, I'm asking about you," you smiled gently. "I don't know if you had a bad customer or something. That always gets me in a mood."

Eddie scratched the back of his neck for a second and fumbled over his words. You weren’t turning him away. No you had to be letting him down easily...right? That had to be it.

Eddie…he’d just been burned too many times by so-called friends at even smaller inconveniences. It was hard not to expect the same from everyone else he let into his life.

Except that really wasn’t the way you did things was it? How many times has he expected one thing from you and you'd surprised him with another?

You weren't tricking him or out to get him or waiting for him to mess up. You were accepting him as he was and offering him whatever care or friendship he needed.

"Yeah," he finally scoffed, playing along. "This...this guy who came in right before we closed. Couldn't decide what he wanted. Wasted time walking around. Real piece of shit."

"Well fuck that guy then," you frowned, then paused. "You sure you're up for going out? Even if you don't want to be out and about, we can go back to my place and...I could cook something? Wouldn't be pizza like I promised, but I pretty much subsist solely on pasta if I'm not grabbing takeout or going out with you. You can just hang out, listen to music or something, it’s not a big deal.”

It sounded like the best night ever. Getting to see your space, adding another layer of trust to your friendship, giving you shit about your cooking just like you did with his dinner choices…but…

Eddie knew you had scheduled yourself to open on the 4th so you could see Corroded Coffin’s set. Of course this had all been planned before he knew they weren’t going to play. And he knew he would have to break the news sooner rather than later.

But...just like with the guys...he didn't want to let you down. You, who had your entire life together, who he was lucky gave him the time of day. If you got too comfortable listening to music, you might be reminded and you would ask him about it, and when you found out...

So he would keep you in the dark. For now at least. And then come that night when you met him at the Fair Grounds he could just tell you there was a mix up and you could just enjoy the fair and eat carnival food until you puked instead.

"As tempting an offer as that is, you'd be missing out on your first Benny's experience," Eddie forced an enthusiastic laugh. "Uncomfortable booths, shitty atmosphere. But you haven't really lived in Hawkins unless you've had a patty melt handmade by Benny himself."

"Surely not the famous Benny."

"The one and only. I can only semi-promise he won't scratch his back with his spatula, but he will blend a piece of apple pie into your milkshake if you ask nicely. It's the Munson Special."

Your eyes sparkled before you looked down at your feet for a moment, and Eddie vibrated restlessly, nerves getting the best of him once he wasn't being observed by you. You then looked up at him with your lips twisted to control a smile and you nodded.

What a relief...

---

It was an undeniable fact that Benny's was the heart of Hawkins, and Benny himself the soul.

He was a severe-looking man at first glance--wide-shouldered with a wild beard and furrowed brows--but he always had a laugh and a story to tell. He went out of his way to learn everyone's name and make them feel welcome and would already be prepping the grill for one of his regular's orders as soon as he saw their car pull into the parking lot.

And Eddie, by the grace of his mother's previous employment at the diner, was one of Benny's favorites. He told you as much and warned you of his "celebrity status" on the drive there.

"He's gonna be very loud, but he's really funny. And he might grill you about what sports teams you like, so he might give you some shit if you don't have one. Actually, are you a big sports fan? Oh, and he might grab me by the collar and shake me around a little, but it's ok...that's just his thing. He's been doing it since I was a kid after the one time I ate all the mints in the jar by the register."

"Eddie, don't worry it'll be ok," you laughed and shifted in the passenger's seat to get a better glimpse of him. "Oh my god, are you blushing?"

"What, no," he scoffed.

Yes, he most definitely was. And he could feel himself get hotter as you continued to watch him.

"It's ok, family can be embarrassing sometimes," you shrugged. "At least it's just funny embarrassing and not painful embarrassing."

Eddie swallowed nervously and gripped the steering wheel a little tighter.

Yeah this would be like meeting someone from his family, wouldn't it.

He was so caught up in his nerves and self-pity, he really hadn't thought of it that way.

"Unless Benny has some baby pictures of you on the wall something," you continued with a conspiratorial grin.

Fortunately, no baby pictures; unfortunately there was a picture on the wall near the old jukebox of a 9-year old Eddie with Benny and Rick, standing next to some massive fish they caught out on Lover's Lake. Whether to emphasize how big the fish was or how short Eddie was, he couldn't recall. All he knew was that he was missing a few baby teeth and his knees were all scabby from one fantastical adventure in the woods or another.

But you didn't need to know about that.

The diner was, thankfully, busy by the time you guys arrived, so you were spared Benny's theatrics short of a "how's it going kid" shouted from the kitchen and a bunch of muffled greetings from some of the regulars who were around when Eddie's mom was still alive. You did, however, get to meet Lynn, the blue-haired waitress that probably worked at Benny's longer than Benny had even owned the place. She was a crank and incredibly opinionated and always let Eddie's mom, then eventually Wayne and Rick, know all of the ways they were failing at raising him.

Now that Eddie was grown, she simply let him know every time she had a problem with him.

But Eddie was shocked at how swiftly you navigated the interaction with her, dodging all of the tricks and traps that typically set Eddie up for some kind of insult or life lesson.

Lynn simply took your orders--patty melts and fries with the promised apple pie shakes, "oh and extra whipped cream please"--hummed judgmentally and stalked off to top off various coffee cups. She didn't even say anything about the lack of vegetables on Eddie's plate when the food was finally ready, like she usually did when he came in for late night bites with the guys.

"How the fuck did you do that?" Eddie leaned across the table conspiratorially. "She's had it out for me for years."

"Old people love me," you explained. "I've driven my papa to enough doctor's appointments and sat through enough of his stories that I have...what did you call it? In your game? A bluff?"

"Buff," he corrected with a nod.

"Grandchild buff," you agreed and he laughed.

"Repel the Elderly," Eddie puffed out his chest and adopted his DMing voice. "A level 4 spell. No damage taken from anyone over the age of 65. But it only lasts 2 rounds. Let's hope the Harpy doesn't come back otherwise I'll need you to make a constitution saving throw. If you roll below a 10, she deals double poison damage; you might not survive."

You threw a fry at him and stuck out your tongue, then asked him to tell you more about Dungeons and Dragons. Everything was normal for a little while as you ate and talked.

Until Benny came to check on his patrons. He typically made the rounds every hour or two, stopping at tables and saying hello. The two of you were laughing at some joke Eddie made by the time Benny got to your booth.

"Hey, kid," Benny leaned his hip against the booth with his arms folded across his chest. "Long time no see; heard you got a real life, grown up job."

"Hey Ben, yeah. At the mall. Been more than a month now. I'm guessing Rick's been by?"

"You know how it goes: holiday weekend coming up, he pulls an all nighter getting supplies from his guy up in Milwaukee. Then he gets the waffle platter with extra bacon and we talk about all the town gossip."

"Nice to know I'm still gossip-worthy."

"You know how proud he is of you. This, uh...a coworker or something? You gonna introduce me or no?" Benny changed the subject and gave Eddie a knowing look. You, however, swooped in to introduce yourself as Eddie shifted in his seat uncomfortably.

He hadn't exactly told Wayne or Rick about you yet. Just that he had some new friends who worked at the mall too. It wasn't the same as talking to the guys. How many times had he had a crush over the years and came home excited about someone only to get his hopes obliterated. How many pep talks had he endured? Now, thanks to Benny's big mouth and Rick's unending need for gossip, they'd know he had taken a pretty girl to the diner.

He could truly only hope that there wouldn't be another pep talk associated with you.

"...ok Chicago," Benny sniffed as your short conversation came to an end. "You're alright. Backing the wrong football team...but still alright. Nice to meet you.”

He then turned back to Eddie.

"I need to get back to the kitchen but Rick told me about the 4th of July thing.” Eddie froze and his mouth went dry. "I'm sorry to hear about it. If you and the guys want, you can do a show here that night instead. Lot of families stop by for ice cream and pie and such.

"Maybe not that real heavy stuff you're into, but I know you boys know how to play some of the classics off the old jukebox. We could set you up in the parking lot. Phil's got some folding tables from the tree lot."

"Yeah thanks," Eddie nodded. "That sounds great. I'll bring it up to the guys when we have practice tomorrow."

"Just let me know so we can make sure you have everything you need." He turned his attention back to you. "Again, it's nice to meet ya'. Don't let Eddie scare you off, he's a big old teddy bear."

"Ben!" Eddie groaned and put his face in his hands.

"Oh he won't; I'm definitely scarier than he is," you cackled. "Nice to meet you too Benny."

Once he was gone, Lynn swooped in with the check. You immediately made to grab for it before Eddie could dare, but Lynn stopped you.

"No need honey; Edward already paid," she hummed. "As a gentleman should; seems Wayne taught you something right."

"It's always nice to see you too Lynn."

The older woman rolled her eyes and shuffled away.

You waited until she was gone before you turned your attention back to Eddie, gritted your teeth, balled the check up and threw it at him.

"Stop doing that! When did you even--"

"When you went to the bathroom," Eddie grinned triumphantly.

"You are a menace and you must be stopped!" You threw your hands in the air as you pushed yourself out of the booth to leave. "I'll get you back one day, I swear to God."

Eddie clasped both hands to his chest and gasped dramatically.

"No, please," he exclaimed. "No holy oaths in front of a lowly devil worshiper like me. I can feel the bullshit burning through me."

"Shut up, I hate you." You laughed. "Just let me pay for dinner next time."

“No, I let you pay for pizza," Eddie argued.

"You let me pay for a pizza. One. And you didn't let me do anything, I had to jump out of the van before you could. I don’t even think you had parked it yet."

“This is slander! I object.” Eddie put his hands on your shoulders, leveling you with the most stern expression he could muster. “I also let you buy cannolis.”

“Alright Perry Mason,” you rolled your eyes at him and swatted his hands off your shoulders. “You win this time.”

“Excuse me but Perry Mason always wins!"

---

You finally brought it up on the way to Lover's Lake.

It hadn't been Eddie's intention to always end your Sunday nights out at the lake, it just...happened. Pizza that first night, then Chinese food the following week when you lost track of time sitting in the employee parking lot debating which Indiana Jones film was better, Raiders or Temple of Doom. (It was Raiders. Obviously.)

Tonight, the plan had been to make s'mores on the fire pit in Rick's backyard. He had suggested it after he'd spotted a sandwich board outside of Scoops Ahoy advertising their knew Gimme S'mores flavor. He'd subtly asked you later if you had ever made s'mores before, and then gave you shit for your absolute throwaway answer.

"Like...yeah, in the microwave."

"The micr--are you shitting me right now?!"

"I'm sorry, there wasn't really an opportunity to start a bonfire in my fully paved backyard."

"Did you even have a childhood? No s'mores, no pudding, no sugar cereal? NO QUISP!"

So Eddie had gone to Bradleys and gotten marshmallows and chocolate and a variety of cookies. The plan, if you were ok with it, was going to be to smoke for a little bit--he'd dreamed of a s'more made with chocolate chip cookies when he had gotten high the other night and was very much looking forward to it--and enjoy the sweetness of both the s'mores and your company.

Instead, it had all shattered around him as he turned onto Cornwallis.

"So..." you began hesitantly, tapping your hands on your lap.

"So...?" Eddie asked, glancing over at you. You leaned forward a little, eyebrows raised expectantly. "What?"

"Benny's offer...for the 4th..."

"What about it?"

"You guys should do it!" you exclaimed. "That sounds like a really fun time."

You went on about the intimate venue and the regulars who already seemed to know Eddie and the guys, if what you had just seen at the diner was any indicator. The more you spoke, the more irritated Eddie seemed to get.

Not irritated...with you. No, just uncomfortable in his own skin. Uncomfortable with the fact that his failure was being perceived.

He ran his tongue along his bottom lip, his hands fidgeted on the steering wheel, his chest hurt. The van seemed to be getting smaller and hotter, the seat more uncomfortable, the longer you spoke.

By the time you finished, he barely felt like himself.

"No," he coughed. "No, I don't think the guys would be up for something like that."

"Why not?" you questioned. "You were getting ready to play at the fair right? What makes this different?"

"It just is," Eddie shrugged.

"I mean I get it's not a stage but--"

"You're not even gonna ask why we aren't playing at the fair?" Eddie cut in, attention fully taken off the road as he stared at you expectantly.

Because...because yeah you were nice, but it didn't make any sense that you were just...going along with whatever you heard. Why were you so quick to try and get him to accept this pity offer from Benny. Why weren't you throwing it in his face that plans had changed and his dreams were shattered.

"Ok. Why aren't you playing at the fair?" you asked and Eddie scoffed. "I'm not trying to be passive aggressive or anything, you just seem irritated that I didn't ask first. So now I am asking."

"Does it matter?" Eddie shrugged.

"Yes, because you're upset."

"I'm not upset."

"Eddie, please," you sighed. "Even Kyle said something was bothering you. I'm not trying to stir the pot and if you want me to drop it, I will. You just...when you talk about your music and the band you're always so excited. I want to understand why you don't want to take this opportunity."

"Because it's a reminder that I'm a failure!" Eddie shouted, hands coming off the steering wheel as he held them up beside his head. "Sur-fucking-prise! I can't seem to do anything right and that's usually fine, but yeah, you're right, this was one of the only things that really mattered to me and the guys. And I couldn't even get that right.

"Benny isn't asking if we wanted to play because he likes our music, because he thinks we're any good. No, it's because he feels bad that we can't play at the Fair. Because I chose what I thought was a really fucking cool set list and they turned us down. Because I fucked up and he wants to cheer me up."

"What's so bad about that? What's so bad about people who care about you wanting to take care of you?" you asked.

"Because it isn't care; it's pity!" He argued. "It's always pity of one kind of another, right? Pity that my mom died, pity that I live in a trailer park, pity that I have this dream that's gonna get me nowhere, pity that I can't even pass senior year after two freaking tries. What's the point anymore? I'm tired."

The van rumbled along, but it was silent otherwise. Eddie couldn't look at you after his outburst so he wrung his hands around the steering wheel.

Fuck. He really did it this time.

Eddie knew, he knew you were gonna ask and he was gonna try to avoid it and he was going to disappoint you. But he didn't know...

Eddie didn't like getting angry or really showing those kinds of emotions. It was different if he snapped at the guys to reel them in, or snark at stupid kids at school. It was harmless, no actual malice behind it. There were just some times...where he felt it all get too overwhelming inside of him and he didn't want to...

He didn't want to be like his dad.

It's why he liked smoking. And why he liked smoking. He wouldn't say he was someone with a lot of sharp edges to begin with, but they helped smooth out whatever rough burrs that came from the every day were left over on his soul after a tough week.

If only he had made it to Lover's Lake before you asked.

He had made the next turn back onto the highway when you spoke.

"Do you think I'm hanging out with you because I pity you?" you broke the silence with a small voice, and when he looked over, you were playing with your fingers and gnawing at your bottom lip. You didn't look scared or upset, really. That was a bit of a relief. But...

"No, I didn't mean..." Eddie paused for a second, because actually...he didn't think you were hanging out with him out of pity. But he was just waiting for the moment you realized it wasn't worth hanging out with him anymore because he was pitiful.

So maybe it was just worth it to end this whole thing now and save himself some unexpected disappointment. Just like it had been with everyone else who suddenly dropped him like a hot potato.

"I mean yeah," he shrugged. "Look at you. And then look at me. We don't exactly make sense."

"Make what sense?"

"You're like...you have everything figured out, you have your whole life together, you're like...on top of the world. Got your promotion to Store Manager, your apartment, everything. Meanwhile--"

"Eddie."

"--I can't even finish high school, my band can't play a bigger crowd than the Hideout, I'm pretty sure I...accidentally sold my soul or something because Kyle hired me and I'm actually doing a good job? But where am I gonna be in 5 years, in 10? Probably still right where I am. I've literally screwed up everything I've ever put my mind to. It doesn't make sense."

"When things don't work out for us, when we're disappointed, yeah it does feel like nothing makes sense," you sighed. "But that's why you need to let the people around you who want to help you, actually help you.

"It's not a bad thing to accept he--Why are we back at the mall?" You suddenly asked as he pulled onto the Mall drive and headed towards the employee lot.

"Well I figure the night is over, I would take you back to your car," he shrugged weakly.

You opened your mouth to say something, but quickly closed it and nodded.

Yeah, that's what he thought.

He still got out of the van and opened the door for you when he parked next to your car, he offered you some chocolate to take home if you wanted, and he even kissed your hand before you got in the car to leave.

"See you around sweetheart," he said softly through your open window.

"See you Eddie, have a good night please," you offered a small smile. "Please...be good to yourself ok?"

He tucked his hands into his pockets and watched you drive away before he got back into the van.

Be good to himself.

Weird, but that definitely sounded better the "fuck you" he usually got when people disappeared from his life.

---

Except you didn't disappear from his life. You lived in the same town, worked at the same mall, for crying out loud; you still parked your car kind of close to his when he came in for the rest of his shifts that week. You didn't eat lunch together like you'd gotten used to doing...but he would still catch glimpses of you as you passed each other on break.

It was almost...back to how it was before he had gotten the nerve to go and talk to you that first time. You would smile and wave and he would look away. Neither of you said anything to one another, but you weren't hostile and neither was Eddie.

The 4th of July arrived and Eddie had to work. He had originally traded shifts with someone so he could do a short mid instead of a close and he'd forgotten to switch it back. But that meant he caught you leaving Tape World at the end of, what should have been, your 15 minute break.

"What was she doing here?" Eddie asked Kyle, who was surprisingly decked out in as much flag gear as he could get his hands on.

"Who? Oh your girlfriend?" Kyle pushed his star-shaped sunglasses up the bridge of his nose as he filed some receipts away. The grin on his face was obnoxious.

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Uh huh. Sure. Well, her shop radio broke again and she forgot her tapes again," Kyle shrugged. "What else is new? Hey maybe if I send you up there on official Tape World Business, you two can make up and you can stop being such a fuckin' grump."

Eddie ignored him.

That night, there was no concert at Benny's but he and the guys did end up going to the fair and eating funnel cake until they puked.

They actually had a good time; they had even watched the musical lineup for a little while. Whatever the clerk at the Park Department had chosen wasn't nearly as good as Corroded Coffin would have been. And that knowledge, paired with Gareth's heckling and Jeff's booing, kind of made him feel a little better.

The following Sunday passed by without your usual date night. Eddie still passed by your store on the way out to the employee lot. You didn't look at him or wave this time, you were at the register going over something with, what looked to be, a new hire. You laughed and his chest hurt a little.

Eddie knew how much those little dates, how much those lunches and breaks spent together, really brightened up his week. But it wasn't until he didn't have them anymore that he realized just how strong of a foothold you had in his life in such a short amount of time.

He really should never have pushed you away like he had.

He had fucked up.

He missed you.

---

"Hey Ed, once you clock in can you check the shipment in?" Kyle asked as soon as Eddie crossed through the doors to start his shift the following Wednesday.

"Yeah, great," Eddie sighed. “No problem.”

It wasn’t that he hated checking the shipment in….it’s just that there were about a million other parts of working at Tape World that he liked better. Talking to customers, choosing what would play on the store radio for the duration of his shift…shit, even counting down the registers at night. But this was tedious. Busy work.

It was an endless stack of boxes and he needed to make sure what was inside matched the packing slip. Thousands of little tapes. Great.

"There's some special orders back there too, if you can give the customers a call!" Kyle hollered after Eddie as he slipped into the stock room. Sure enough, there were a few larger boxes propped up by the little break area.

Now that was something Eddie enjoyed a little more. He'd call the customers--usually some desk jockey who got themselves something to get through their mid-life crisis, or a parent getting some dream gift that their kid would forget about come next month--and tell them their special order had just arrived. Then typically, they would drop into the store that day or the next day and he would get to help them unpack and test out their brand new guitar.

Aside from selling the sparkling new guitars from one of the many catalogs at the counter, this was the best part of his job. And knowing he would get to do it immediately brought his mood up.

Eddie himself had been waiting for the day where a package would be there for him. On his first day, as they were setting up the store before the mall had even opened, he had unpacked the box of catalogs and found a doozy of guitar that he had his eye on: A BC Rich Warlock. And he had been putting money towards it with every paycheck. Tape World had a plan, just like the holiday layaway at K-Mart, and combined with his employee discount...he was almost there.

He dreamt about it as he grabbed a box and pulled the packing slip from where it was attached on the side of the box.

Maybe in the next few weeks? Next month? He'd come back here and the label would say...

Edward Munson/Tape World/1 StarCourt Drive/Unit F3

Eddie blinked.

Yeah. That's what it would say.

Wait. Was he still high from after last night's show? When they'd made a very late McDonalds run and smoked in Gareth's garage?

Edward Munson/Tape World/1 StarCourt Drive

He blinked again. Nope, still the same.

Edward Munson

"Well?" Eddie jumped at the sound of Kyle's voice by the stockroom door. He had his arms crossed and he had the biggest grin on his face. "You gonna open it or what?"

"What the fuck man? Where did this come from?" Eddie questioned.

"I would assume wherever BC Rich makes their guitars? California, I don't know. I work here, remember dingus?"

"No I mean," Eddie fumbled over his words. "I hadn't made the last payment, where did it...did you..."

"Look at the packing slip man," Kyle gestured. "The order form."

Eddie quickly flipped to the Tape World order form stapled to the packing slip. There were lines of his signatures, and the amount of money he had put down with each payment...and then at the very bottom...

A very intricate signature. Yours. And the last hundred dollar payment, marked in red pen.

No. You didn't. You couldn't have. When did you even?

"I told you she was your girlfriend," Kyle cackled. "I fuckin' told you."

Kyle had been gracious enough to let Eddie take an early lunch so he could find you...confront you...kiss you...Eddie wasn't sure yet.

You opened on Wednesdays so right about now you would be taking the cardboard out to the loading dock and then taking your last break. He knew because, if not for the fact that he hadn't talked to you in over a week, he would be right there with you.

Still you jumped in surprise when he burst onto the loading dock, the heavy dock door slamming into the brick wall, just as you were hitting the button on the baler.

"Jesus Christ, Eddie," you put your neon pink, fishnet glove-clad hand on your chest. "Gave me a heart attack."

"Why did you do it?" Eddie asked.

"Do what?"

"This," he pulled the order form from his back pocket and crossed the short distance to show you. He tapped on your signature several times. "Why would you do this for me?"

Your mouth formed a soft "oh" and you sighed.

"Because you're my friend," you explained as if it was obvious. "Because you've been really down and you needed cheering up."

"This isn't just...cheering a friend up. It's too much."

"It really isn't," you shook your head.

"It's a hundred dollars!"

"I have savings," you continued.

"And you have, like...rent and bills and stuff."

"So do you...you said you've been helping your uncle with rent and bills and stuff," you said in a way that mocked him. He gritted his teeth.

"I was gonna use my sales bonus for the final payment."

"Well I'm due for mine coming up too."

"I'm paying you back!" Eddie insisted.

"No you aren't. I wanted to do this for you so I did it."

"If you felt sorry for me or--"

"I just wanted to cheer you up Eddie!" You exclaimed, slamming your hands on the baler button again in finality, as if crushing the already-crushed cardboard was somehow going to drive your point home. "I don't feel sorry for you. I don't pity you. You're my friend and you were really down, disappointed.

"Tell me yes or no? Were you on the verge of giving up? Yes or no, right now."

Eddie froze.

No he wouldn't. Except...hadn't he? There was no 4th of July Fair, which meant there also wasn't a show at Benny's. Their last set at the Hideout wasn't...well he wasn't as good as he could have been. As good as he usually was.

Maybe he had...given up on himself a little. Let the self pity get the best of him.

"No," was the answer he gave you though.

Your eyes hardened and narrowed in challenge. You placed your hands on your hips and stood toe to toe with him and although he was the taller one between the two of you, it certainly felt like you were a giantess towering over him, complete with layers of fishnet and rayon and tulle fluttering in the slight breeze off the loading dock.

"Maybe you didn't hear yourself in the van after Benny's but I did," you began. "You felt like everyone pitied you, that no one was your friend or on your side. You were alone, and in place of real pain and disappointment, and you said you were tired. What is the point of trying anymore, you're tired. You said that, Eddie. You did.

"And I've been there, ok? I'm not that much older than you but I kind of am in a different stage of my life. So I'm sorry if I've ever made it seem like things are easy for me...I'm sure in some aspects they are, but in others...yeah I've been there. It's hard not to compare yourself to others when you're down, but also, you can't just...push people away or think that they're taking pity on you when they're just trying to help.

"And I know it's hard to get over that little hurdle of feeling like everything is a trick or a trap and accept nice things from other people, so excuse me if I took the initiative to do it without your permission. Because when I was at a place of giving up and not wanting help or advice, someone did that for me. So I'm doing it for you now. And I would do it again in a heartbeat."

Eddie stared directly into your eyes as he processed everything. Back and forth, left and right, as your heavy breathing went back to normal.

"Because, if you fail to remember, you have been doing nice things for me these past few weeks, and you really haven't let me return the favor quite yet, so if you don't want to accept that I'm just doing something nice for a friend, then accept that I'm paying you back for all the nice things you've done for me."

He swallowed and looked down at his feet for a moment.

"It was just...some pizzas and snacks--"

"And chili cheese fries, and surprise sodas on the days we don't have our breaks at the same time, and that movie ticket, and dinner at Benny's, and all the gas you've used to drive us around when at this point I can probably navigate town by myself," you finished for him.

Eddie did a mental tally and yeah, you were right. He did do all of those things, and no, he hadn't and probably still wouldn't let you return the favor if you gave him the chance to be your friend again.

"I know friendship isn't supposed to be transactional, but the scale has been tipped immensely towards you, so instead of just sitting back and watching you feel like a failure and give up on your dream because some stupid...I don't know, festival...person has no taste in music, I wanted to do something to surprise you. To cheer you up."

"Why haven't you talked to me then?" he asked.

"What do you mean? You haven't been talking to me," you laughed. "I've been waving and saying hello...you dropped me off at my car that night and then...you haven't even looked at me since. So I figured you just needed the space. I get that too; needing some time, some space."

"I guess I thought you didn't want anything to do with me anymore," Eddie replied lamely. Because yeah, you had been doing those things. Maybe...maybe you were right, maybe he did need the space too. God, you were such a know it all. "I'm here now."

"Yeah I see that," you deadpanned. "Hi."

"Hi," Eddie parroted. "Thank you. For the surprise. I really...really was...surprised."

"Of course, any time," you nodded. "How are you feeling? Any better?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Just like you said, I needed some time to work it out. Spent some time with the guys, it cheered me up."

"Good."

"You missed out on all the carnival food. Made the guys ride the tilt a whirl...Gareth's puke was purple."

"Yeah," you scrunched your nose. "I really missed out."

"There's always next year."

"Great." You offered him a small smile. "We good?"

"Yeah. You still want to hang out with me on Sunday? I, uh, really missed you."

"I missed you too. Maybe...you can give me a private show this Sunday? With your shiny new guitar? Only if you're up for it, of course."

"Absolutely. Sundays with you are my..." Eddie hesitated.

Should he say it? Would it scare you away?

Before he could finish, you put your hand on his arm and squeezed.

"They're mine too."

---

Next Part: Interview Prep

Sales Associates (AKA the tag list): @gaysludge @storiesbyrhi @tayhar811 @spookybabey @word-wytch @maidenofartemis @dreamlandcreations @wickedbelle @blue-eyed-lion @aysheashea @blue-mossbird @abibliophobiaa @jabbatheslutt420 @ghost-proofbaby @bakugouswh0r3 @ghostinthebackofyourhead

If you weren't given any hours this week (aka if you aren't already tagged or if I forgot to tag you) let me know via ask or comment. I'm sure I can find some extra payroll.

#Eddie munson #Eddie Munson x reader #Eddie Munson fluff #Eddie Munson imagine #Eddie Munson stranger things #stranger things fic #Eddie Munson fic #stranger things fluff #store manager verse

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pettypuppy-jonghyun · 2 months

Text

Sad Movies | Bang Chan

Summary: you get emotional over fictional characters, bf!Channie does not

Notes: fluffy, mention of sad movies but not in description

Warnings: idk what this is I just hurriedly finished an old draft😓

Chan straightens up when he hears a soft whimper throughout the house. He turns his head slightly to listen again, pausing any other movements. When he confirms his thoughts, he starts to walk to where he thinks the crying is coming from.

He knocks quietly on your shared bedroom door. "Sweetheart?"

You tell him to come in through your sobs. You knew why he was there, checking up on you. You were crying so hard it would be weird if he didn't come at the sound. But you couldn't help it. Not when the show you were watching killed off such a good character.

"What's wrong, baby?" His eyes were full of worry as he entered the room, immediately crawling on the bed to get to you.

You lean into his arms as they wrap around you for protection. "The show! They killed him, Channie. Just killed him off!"

Chan pauses for a second, changing his focus to the tv. Then he lets out a breath of relief and squeezes you tighter. "You're crying over the show?"

Smacking his shoulder, you pushed back from him. "Yes I'm crying over a show! It's sad, dude. Very sad."

Your boyfriend nods in agreement, recognizing the show as something you both watched when it first aired. It had been quite some time since he'd seen it, although he knew this was a rewatch for you. Still, he was quite aware of your emotional connection to fictional characters, regardless of how many times you've seen it play out. You know the character dies and it still hurts you.

"Honey, can you warn me when you watch something like this again? I need to know when to be concerned."

Chan hadn't meant for it to sound as harsh as it did, truthfully. He wanted you to feel a little guilty for making his heart race with worry, hearing you cry so hard. Instead, he made you push him away in annoyance.

"I'll have you know, Sir Bang Chan, that this is concerning that you have never once cried to this show, let alone any show!" You scooted to the far edge of your bed, moving to place pillows in between him and you as a barrier.

His eyebrows raised at your action. Instead of fighting, he nods momentarily while raising his hands in surrender. Chan watches as you turn back to the television, reaching blindly for a tissue and bringing it straight up to your nose for a harsh blow. He cringes softly and begins to back away and off the bed.

"I'm just glad you're okay," he laughs lightly, heading towards the bedroom door to escape.

You began to sigh heavily as the show continued, the scene of your favorite character's death playing over again as a next episode recap. Instead of skipping it, like you should have, you watched it over as you felt your frustration pent up. Chan would never understand how devastating it was to watch the people on the show cry so desperately in hopes to have their loved one back in their arms.

"You just don't have a heart!" You suddenly say to your boyfriend, catching his attention again. "Anyone with emotions would cry at this tragedy. They didn't even need to kill him!"

Chan felt the challenge that came with those words. His head tilted to the side as he narrowed his eyes, slowly turning to meet your gaze. "I think I have more emotions than you."

You shook your head defiantly, wiping the tears away with more tissues. "Not a chance. Only psychopaths don't cry at sad movies." You paused for a moment, thinking about your words. "I'm sure you didn't cry for the 'Bridge to Terabithia' movie, or maybe even 'Big Daddy's couldn't make you cry."

He eased himself back onto the bed on the opposite side of your pillow barrier. "Well maybe I would if I had ever seen those."

You gasped at the new information. "What?! Never seen them? Were you born under a rock?!"

Chan picked up a pillow, tossing it at your face in an attempt to quiet you. "That's what I said, isn't it?"

You say up on your knees, completely ignoring your show as you turned to face your lover completely. "Okay so what about A walk to remember'?" At the shake of his head you continued to list," 'The Notebook', 'A Werewolf Boy', 'Always'?"

You stared at him in shock, listing both American and Korean movies with no luck. If only you knew popular Australian movies, maybe that would make a difference.

You hesitated to offer one last sad movie, " 'Marley and me'?"

Chan jumped, pointing a finger towards you. "Oooh, yes! That one. I've seen that one, it's actually a really sad movie."

Finally finding a common movie, you looked at him expectantly. "So? Did you cry?"

He shook his head. "No."

You sighed, throwing yourself back onto the bed in defeat. You were right after all: only psychopaths don't cry at sad movies. You could never watch 'Marley and me' without bawling your eyes out. In fact, you had only seen it one other time because of it. Sure, some people had a range of emotional strength when it came to sad movies, but there's a limit.

"You're just plain heartless," you muttered beneath your hands that covered your face.

Chan giggled beside you, maneuvering so he hovered directly above you. He gently pried away your hands, smiling brightly at your distressed expressions. "I cry when it comes to you," he reasoned thoughtfully. "Everything about you is so beautiful and perfect I can't help but tear up sometimes."

You rolled your eyes at his flirting. "Not the same, Christopher."

He laughed loudly, leaning down to peck your lips. "Alright you got me, I'm a cold hearted animal. Just please, for the love of everything living in this world, tell me when you're wanting to upset yourself by rewatching sad things."

You watched as he began to leave the bedroom again. "I know you can't be human if you didn't cry at Highschool Musical whenever Gabriella left Troy-"

"Now that!" Chan pauses in his steps, turning to point a finger at you again. "That I cried to. Every time."

#bang chan #bang chan imagines #skz imagines #skz fluff #stray kids chan #stray kids scenarios #bang christopher #bang chan fluff

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inconspicious-random-thoughts · 4 months

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Do you think we'll get an arc of Husk getting free of his deal with Alastor alongside an arc of Angel freeing himself from Valentino? From what little we've seen of their dynamic, Alastor is just as cruel towards him as Valentino is towards Angel, even if the Radio Demon isn't as much of a control freak as the moth overlord. Husk doesn't like to talk about his vulnerabilities any more than Angel does, but I think as Angel starts to let himself be more open about how Val treats, Husk might follow suit. Charlie has proven that she is willing to fight Valentino in Angel's defense when she sees the former merely shove Angel, and I doubt she'd let Husk be treated the same way if she was given more insight into how the grouchy cat is oppressed by Alastor and would try to help give him a way out of his deal.

Hello there, my friend.

I been wanting to ramble about Husk, particularly his relationship with Alastor. I think, I'll restrain myself from doing so for the ask and make a post tomorrow when I *should* have an hour of peace of quiet tomorrow for me to sit in front of the computer and ramble.

I don't think we will get the satisfaction of an "arc"with Husk freedom. I think it would be addressed but not a whole story telling. We may, however, get a glimpse or at least another mention how the deal of Husk soul deal happened.

But most storytelling of a soul getting out of their contract they are bound to will be with Angel. I don't think the show would want to recycle the story arc of soul bound breaking a second time with Husk with a short amount of seasons and would rather focus on a different arc.

If we were pre approve 7 season, I say yes, Husk will be givens a small arc middle to end of series. Like mid season 5 out of 7 we will see him become free and the next seasons we get to see him enjoy his freedom.

If, and unlikely we get the arc of Charlie trying to do away soul contracts for the betterment of Hell, Alastor would be forced to do so. But if that story arc happen, Alastor would be the first to break his contracts, and willingly, of all the overlords. Mainly, as a grand show and gesture of his loyalty and faith in Charlie. Either being sincere or manipulations. I vote mostly sincerity with a hint of manipulation.

Side note: I don't think losing soul contracts would "weaken" the overlords as most of the fandom thinks. From what I gathered, it seems fans think the soul contracts is what gave overlords powers. I do not think that. I think the overlords already own that power. Soul contracts just makes them even more powerful because it A)makes them influential and B) it gives them more resources. For a lame example: Overlord doesn't know have a green thumb and suck at gardening. But they own a soul who does. They can use that resource to solve their problem with no cost to them by having that soul do the work for them. But the overlords power, for example Alastor shadow magic, is directly his own. It power level isn't influenced by how many or little souls he has, it will remain the same regardless. The only real "weakness" of losing their contracts, beside the loss of resource is, they overlords will lose their sense of security. Basically, imagine having an army that cant turn against you because you own their free will. Suddenly, losing that control of free will. Not only did you lose your army to defend with...depending what type of leader you are, they may want to retaliate. You may still be powerful and influential but now a lot more vulnerable and may not be able to defend oneself from so many attacks if they wise enough to fight in a large number. So, the overlords are still formidable and still have their powers that made them powerful and intimidating. Alastor sheer raw magical power and evadablity, Zeezi intimidating stature and raw physical strength (assumed), Carmilla's monopoly of large storage of angelitic steel that kills permanently. Etc. They just don't have soldiers that force to come to their contractor aid and defense.

If we do get a decent amount of season, and the most likely not get the soul contracts being in process of being abolished arc. I think it would be at least strongly suggested/ implored to Alastor by Charlie (and along with Veggie and Lucifer in tow) that Alastor to break his contracts with Husk and Nifty. I think, if this were to happen. Alastor is near cornered how the suggestion been presented. Worded in a way (either unintentionally from Charlie, or purposely by Lucifer or Vaggie) that if he didnt do this, that his hidden agenda would be uncovered by them if he did not following through the act. He nearly obligated to fulfill the request to either continue his manipulation he needs to do to reach his goal or otherwise all the work he put in to this point is lost. (Mostly the near unshakable trust he gained). He fulfills the request in a grand show of how willing he is to do so and how unbothered he is by it. In reality, Alastor is probably seething privately and Husk knows this, to the point he addressed Alastor privately to rub it in smugly.

If it went with this angle, I don't think Charlie pushing the subject with Alastor is not by Husk prompting. I think Charlie will still be kept in the dark how quick can turn against his soulbound servants. One reason why Alastor favors Husk so much as a servant is because of Husk silence. Charlie approach Alastor is by her own convictions and beliefs. Which is why Alastor has to give up his contracts. If he didn't follow through with her believes, it goes along with dream of the hotel. He needs that fuel to keep the fire going as he stings her along to fulfill his goal. His goal, I assume his freedom is a lot more valuable to Alastor then keeping Husk tied down to him. So, even if Husk is one of Alastors greatest resource, Alastor will sacrifice Husk contract for Alastor to get his own. It's a gamble Alastor has to take and hoped he get the greater payout. One of those, lose the battle but win the war scenario.

The other likely option and the most action pack and drama filled, is Husk saved Alastor or something very close to it (save someone he cared about, Nifty, Charlie?) When Alastor was unable to do so himself and Husk did it on his own accord/not forced to) If they did this option I would think it show more of Husk character.

But overall I think if they did a Husk freedom arc, I think it be a slight arc to test Husk character. It be a dark temptation for Husk part. I personally don't think Husk wants Alastor dead for Husk to get his soul back. But I think, that Husk sometimes feels that would be the only option to get it to happen. So, I think it be delicious arc if we have a character, either the Vees, or a new threat, seeked Husk to collaborate for Alastor demised. Husk would get his soul back if that were to happen was their sale pitch. Husk was seeked out purposely after the antagonist receive information that Alastor had a particular bad day and Husk had poor timing again (like in Dad beat Dad) that Alastor took his irritation on Husk or Husk fucked up that badly that Alastor punished Husk. Either way, Husk was sought out by his knowledge of Alastor, Alastor seemily part trust of Husk and the very recent bad blood between Husk and Alastor. The recent incident have Husk consider the collab. I think the show wouldn't show his answer. Have the viewer guessing he helping to plot Alastor murder which seem like he was.

The end result is most likely, as tempted as Husk is, he either told Alastor right away. Which Alastor struck a new deal. He return Husk soul as a reward for his loyalty if Husk play his role well of pretending to agree with the enemy and help bring down the enemy. (This deal is shown to the viewer when the enemy been double crossed and Alastor explains he knew of their plan all along like a typical villain monologues)

Or a more delightful way. It appears that Husk would go either way. Alastor makes his move against the enemy which is meant to Husk join, only Husk didn't fulfill his part. Allowing Alastor to get caught (Probably after Alastor mock the enemy how Alastor was knew all along of Husk involvement and Alastor was one step ahead of them the whole time...how embarrassing) and got in deep trouble to the point Alastor can no longer defend himself. Alastor completely felt betrayed by Husk sudden and inevitable betrayal Alastor understood it but he still pissed and hurt by it. Husk takes this moment to do his own monologue about his mistreatment by Alastor. How Alastor deserved this. This can end a few different ways:

Either Husk demands right then and there that Alastor gives his soul back if he saves him. (If Alastor didn't promise to return his soul as a rewards for informing him of "Husk betrayal" and his help)

Or after Husk rant and monologue about his mistreatment and seemily heading towards of witnessing the last few moments of Alastors after life, Husk would end the monologue with "despite it all, I don't want you dead even if it cost me my freedom" (Again if there was not a premade deal of releasing his soul). Shocking everyone in the room. If this option happen, I think Husk used his monologue not only to get things off his chest, but used it as a distraction that turn the tide in Alastor favor, such as Husk being close to the weapon to save Alastor from and turn it against the the enemy. Husk is a master magician so he knows about the importance of distraction. Alastor breaks Husk contract after saving Alastor life. Alastor saying Husk saved his soul, its only fair exchange to return Husks soul back to him. A soul for a soul. Alastor does not like to feel indebted, which included to those he has under his control.

or the other option, the one I prefer a little more then the last,...After Husk own rant about Alastor to Alastor, Husk willing to go thought the deed...only to find Alastor agree with Husk that he deserve this. Perhaps, glad and encouraging (I can see Alastor taunting "Do it!" ) its by Husk hand (possibly returning him back to his former glory as overlord?) I don't think we get an apology, but after Alastor agreed with Husks words, Alastor would say some genuine positive words about Husk and his service and loyalty (despite that loyalty seemily ended at the moment) as his last words, that be the closest thing to apology that the radio demon would make. Along with sincere words of wishing Husk happiness with his freedom and pass Alastor regret to Charlie that he is unable to continue his aid with her dream. Infuriating to Husk, the genuinity of the words got to him and similar to the last option, saved Alastor and turned against the enemy and Alastor returned Husk soul back to avoid being indebted and part gratitude. Alastor did ask Husk why he saved Alastor despite everything when Husk would been free if his death. All spoken in card talk. "It a sure bet if Alastor died. Why chance the pot (freedom) with the riskier hand." Etc. They seperate with a newfound relationship that's positive on both sides. Daresay, friends once more without complications and restrictions.

I like the idea of Husk being extremely tempted and even lured in for Alastor demised to gain freedom. But at the end, Husk couldn't follow through or unwilling to take part of it. Reluctant but willing to sacrifice the very thing he wants, his freedom, because it didn't felt right to betray and end Alastor. As much as Husk loathes it, Alastor part of Husk found family. -even if he isn't, Alastor is part of the found family to those Husk care about in his own found family. It's like an unintentional test of Husk character, and he passed. Its fitting about a show and hotel about rehabilitation and redemption. It be nice to see that good deeds can happen without promise of a reward, it just happened because it was right thing to do. Then get rewarded anyways. It would also, test Alastor character slightly, and show more insight about him. Or even reveal his true thoughts and feelings about the grumpy cat.

What realistically happen I think we get like sad low amount of seasons, like 3 seasons. (Nothing I really enjoy, last) We only see Husk be free in the epilogue. The epilogue being the final song of the series. Sung mainly by Charlie with others chiming in their parts like the end of season one. I think it 10-15 second cut scene of Alastor dissolve his contract and the visual representation of chain breaking and fading out of existent. Probably with Husk widened shocked eyes. The scene be wordless beside the possibility of a sung out sentence to be part of the final song. I think it be funny if you see Alastor stick out his hand as a gesture as no ill-will / no bad blood between them and Husk would look hesitant on taking it as it reminded him of his deal when he lost his soul in the first place. Alastor looking amused by this and they either work out another method for the gesture (I don't think they would hug even if Husk is overjoyed) or they get interrupted by cheering Angel or Charlie being overjoyed by the event and pull both into a hug and a start of a group hug with the other residents. It be unsatisfied as we don't really get the arc or story but satisfying enough that we at least know it canon happy ending as loose ends were tied off.

Feel free to comment thoughts and opinions.

#hazbin hotel #hazbin alastor #hazbin hotel alastor #hazbin hotel theory #hazbin hotel headcanon #alastor the radio demon #hazbin thoughts #hazbin theory #hazbin hotel thoughts #alastor hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel the radio demon #the radio demon #radio demon #husk hazbin hotel #hazbin husk #husk #hazbin hotel husk

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