#officially the name of this universe (because there will definitely be more) lol

[eleanorfenyxwrites]

Outta Time

So @littlesmartart and I discovered that we both love Orville Peck, and I decided it might be nice to write Western Cowboy shit that isn't the Brokeback Mountain AU so here's this 😂 Inspired by Orville Peck's song 'Outta Time' from the album Bronco (Jess came up with the plot, I wrote it, and she's drawn art to go along with it for the visual that's directly inspired by the song [and that was all I had in mind for this before she came up with the plot lol]!)

--//--

It was, perhaps, foolishness on Meng Yao’s part to think that Huaisang was telling him nothing but the unvarnished truth when he’d invited him to head out West with him for a luxury vacation, set to last the entirety of their summer break.

“It’ll be like one of those fancy retreats silly rich people go on!” he’d insisted (as if he isn’t mind-bogglingly ridiculous and wealthier than Meng Yao could ever hope of being [considering he’s only just recently been forced to accept he’ll never see a single iota of his father’s support, emotionally or financially]). “Trust me!”

Mistake number 1 had been saying, “Alright A-Sang, I trust you.”

Mistake number 2 : being a man of his word.

Within a month of receiving Huaisang’s invitation, summer arrives with rolling peals of thunder heralding oppressive humidity and swarms of mosquitos. Meng Yao, a man of his word as stated, dutifully packs most of his belongings into a suitcase that weighs far less than the upper limit of the airline’s luggage weight restriction and navigates the pair of them through the airport with minimal stress, mainly thanks to not allowing Huaisang to be in charge of anything at all.

He chats with Huaisang on and off throughout their flight to keep himself distracted from the fact that he’s leaving behind everything he’s ever known to spend three months in the middle of bumfuck nowhere at his only friend’s brother's ranch, which Huaisang had only told him the full truth about yesterday, after it was already far too late to gracefully back out. Meng Yao’s promised luxury vacation destination is apparently in actuality a cattle ranch that Huaisang’s brother apparently runs mostly to keep himself in shape and avoid the stress of city life that had given him a heart attack at the ripe old age of 27 a few years back. (It is, by far, the weirdest ‘so I have this older brother’ story that Meng Yao has ever heard.)

“So this brother of yours –” Meng Yao finally caves and asks about an hour before final descent.

“Uh-huh?”

“He just…up and left New York. For Montana?”

“Yep,” Huaisang pops the ‘p’ and flicks to the next page in his magazine, unbothered, “After his heart attack he said he wanted to see some mountains and get some actual fresh air if he was just going to die soon anyway, it really dramatic and maudlin, which he never is, I was so proud. Only it turns out it was exactly what he needed to not die, so after a while he decided he would just stay out there for good. He bought the house and the land and some horses to give himself something to do besides stare at the sky all day, and then he was still kind of bored so he bought some cattle.”

Naturally. As one does.

“And now he’s…a cattle rancher. From New York City.”

Huaisang laughs and finally looks up from his magazine to smile at Meng Yao like ‘oh you sweet little thing’ in the way Meng Yao kind of hates, but Huaisang does it to everyone so he can’t really take too much offense.

“Yes, Yaoyao, you’ll understand when you meet him! Da-ge’s never really been a city guy, not like us. It suits him much better to be out here, especially since his best friend moved out here to help him out. Xichen-ge treats it like a meditation retreat but with a lot more mucking out stalls. He says even that part’s therapeutic, but I’m just going to take his word on that one, ‘cause ew.”

“Uh-huh.”

Huaisang leaves him to consider just what the hell he’s gotten himself into for the rest of the flight, and then they’re navigating their way (ridiculously easily) through the rinky-dink airport hardly bigger than a parking garage, the sky beyond the terminal windows blue blue blue where it stretches on forever in every direction.

“Da-ge!”

Meng Yao barely manages to snag Huaisang’s duffel when his friend flings it off his shoulder to go sprinting across the 3-carousel baggage claim, the fastest Meng Yao has ever seen him move. It’s a distinct relief that Meng Yao can use juggling their bags as an excuse to approach at a much more respectable pace; he needs the extra time to truly digest what he’s seeing.

Huaisang, as a former-model-turned-fasion-designer who happily calls himself a fruit at every opportunity, is one of the daintiest men Meng Yao has ever met. He’d even go so far as to call him a dandy, if pressed, and fully supports his friend’s decision to call himself every ‘emasculating’ label under the sun with obvious relish. He can’t deny that at least some of his confusion as to his best friend’s mysterious older brother’s chosen lifestyle stemmed from picturing someone like Huaisang, if perhaps a little taller.

He’s not confused anymore.

The man who catches Huaisang midair and swings him in a circle before setting him back on his feet would never be asked to grace the runways of New York — not because he isn’t beautiful enough to make Meng Yao’s fingers twitch for his camera to capture the way the sun cuts across his weather-tanned face, but because no one has ever heard of a fashion model who was roughly 6’7” and perhaps 300 pounds of solid, clearly functional muscle.

Huaisang’s brother towers over everyone else in the building that Meng Yao can see (and he can see most of them, re: rinky-dink airport in the middle of bumfuck Montana), and when he looks over the heads of the few people between Meng Yao and the exit their eyes lock instantly.

“A-Sang, be nicer to your friend,” Meng Yao can hear from here, a bass rumble that Does Things to his chest. “Go get your bag, don’t make your guest carry your shit or he’ll think I never taught you decent manners. Go on.”

Huaisang flutters back over and takes his bag with an unapologetic grin. Meng Yao finishes taking the ten-odd steps necessary for the brother to stick his hand out with a wry little smirk and say, “Hey, I’m Mingjue.”

“Meng Yao,” he replies and slides his hand into Mingjue’s dry, work-calloused palm.

“Welcome to big sky country, A-Yao,” Mingjue replies with a widening smile, a flash of straight white teeth and a dimple hiding under his mustache, and Meng Yao regrets to say that he’s thoroughly fucked.

–//–

The land unfolds around them as they drive down straight roads at an almost leisurely pace through miles and miles of…nothing.

Not nothing, Meng Yao supposes, but long gone are the corridors of towering skyscrapers, the lingering miasma of so many people living together in tight quarters, everyone building up up up to stack ever-more people into the same few square miles. Meng Yao understands, suddenly, why Mingjue had come here and stayed. He doesn’t think he has it in him to eschew all the conveniences of New York City for the open country, but someone like Mingjue seems like the type to appreciate having the space to…expand. To be bigger than life and have the room to do it in. He certainly feels larger than life at the moment as he details for Huaisang all the comings and goings on the ranch since he’d last visited, as he talks about the horses and his cattle and the monsoon rains they’d apparently only just missed that had finally turned everything summer-green.

Meng Yao sits on the bench seat of Mingjue’s beat up old pickup truck and watches the sparse scattering of fluffy white clouds drift over more sky than he’s ever seen in his life and he gets it.

He hasn’t gotten nearly enough of his fill of marveling (subtly) over the view by the time they pull off the road onto a dirt road that Huaisang tells him is actually Mingjue’s driveway, but he contents himself with the knowledge that they’re here for three months, he’ll have plenty of time to appreciate the view later. They rattle over a few metal grates Mingjue explains are cattle guards to keep the animals from escaping the ranch should they manage to break out of their pastures, and Meng Yao isn’t a child so he doesn’t exclaim about how fucking huge the cattle are some distance away from the road where they’re grazing (but he certainly rethinks his half-baked desire to see them up close anytime soon).

“Home sweet home,” Mingjue announces when they reach the end of the lane after another mile or two and opens his door with a creak. Meng Yao leans forward to look up at the house through his lashes and must not be able to control his expression as much as he’d prefer as Huaisang chuckles at him a little, nudging him in the side with his pointy little elbow.

“Told you it was nice,” he chirps and slides across the seat to get out on the driver’s side. “Da-ge be careful!” he trills, his nervous fretting muffled as he scurries around to the bed of the truck. Meng Yao doesn’t pay attention to their bickering or the scuffle of hard-soled boots on dirt, though his attention is snagged at least a bit by the sound of Mingjue laughing at whatever he’s just done to make Huaisang whine at him.

The house is beautiful, is the thing. Somehow he hadn’t thought that it would be, perhaps owing to how many times he’s listened to Huaisang complain about his brother’s lack of taste for anything even remotely fashionable. He should really stop assuming things about Mingjue, he supposes, considering he’s currently scored 0 for 2, and he hates to lose.

He gets out of the car, finally, to better appreciate white-washed wood paneling just beginning to show hints of weathering, blue shutters clearly freshly painted the same shade of the sky overhead with the front door painted to match. There are rocking chairs on the wraparound porch, clearly well-loved if the flattened, sun-faded cushions on them are anything to judge by, positioned to face west. He has a sudden mental image of Mingjue sitting out here in the evenings to watch the sunset over the mountains looming in the distance and has to shake himself all over once (discreetly) to keep from sticking himself in the chair next to him in this little pastoral fantasy. That’s just making it weird.

“You want the grand tour or you wanna settle in?” Mingjue asks; Meng Yao doesn’t jump to find himself standing next to his host he hadn’t heard approaching, but he does feel suddenly…shy in a way he’s definitely not used to. He tilts his head enough to squint up at Mingjue, the sun too bright in his eyes, and finds to his dismay that he’s still just as handsome as he’d been an hour ago.

“I want you to give him the tour!” Huaisang calls from where he’s petting a horse (an actual horse, but are they supposed to be that tall??) that’s come up to the fence at the other end of the front yard, such as it is, to duck down and nose at Huaisang like an old friend.

“I don’t care what you want, you little brat,” Mingjue calls back. “And don’t you dare give that beast whatever candy you’ve got in your pockets, do you know how long it took to train him out of biting people who didn’t give him any after you left?!”

Meng Yao hides a smile behind his hand and finds himself mostly glad that there’s someone else around now to be the recipient of Huaisang’s incessant whining when he’s really putting on a performance. He clears his throat a little and schools his expression back towards pleasant neutrality when Mingjue looks down at him again, clearly unwilling to entertain his brother’s antics a moment longer than necessary.

“I think I’d like to settle in first,” he allows himself to say, and is perhaps mildly startled when Mingjue doesn’t question it, when he simply nods and lets Meng Yao be that tiny bit selfish.

“Come on in then, your room’s upstairs.”

Meng Yao follows Mingjue inside out of the sun and finds himself surrounded by an eclectic mix of antiques and modern minimalism; framed photos and bric-a-brac piled up in out-of-the-way corners of sleek monochrome shelves hemmed in on every side by enormous, dense furniture of the sort that reminds him of a time at least half a century ago, if not longer. The result is antiquated in a charming way with enough touches of modernity that he doesn’t think Mingjue is necessarily out of touch, just pragmatic about his home. If something old will still do, why replace it? It’s a mentality Meng Yao can appreciate, and he finds himself smiling a little again as he trails behind Mingjue up the stairs and down the short hallway to the room in the back corner.

“Here you go,” Mingjue says and slings both Meng Yao’s and Huaisang’s bags off his shoulder, which is precisely when Meng Yao realizes he’d been carrying their luggage in one hand like it weighs nothing. He notices it, allows himself two seconds to admire it, and promptly tucks that little tidbit away for future consideration. Later.

“I’ll be around, just holler if you need anything. I’m sure A-Sang will be in to bother you once he’s finished saying hi to the herd, I’ll let you enjoy the quiet while you’ve got it.”

“Thanks, Mingjue,” Meng Yao says with a smile, and it might be a moment of wishful thinking, or just his imagination, but he swears he sees Mingjue’s gaze drop to his mouth for a beat too long before the man nods and retreats. Meng Yao has no way to know if the flush on the back of Mingjue’s neck is from the sun or, maybe, something else.

–//–

Huaisang does come inside eventually, and though he has his own unpacking to do Meng Yao isn’t surprised at all when his friend comes to his room first to flop onto his bed and promptly make himself at home to start bugging him.

(He wouldn’t want or expect anything different.)

As Meng Yao hangs up shirts and trousers with far more care than they probably need, Huaisang regales him with stories from other trips to the ranch and a quick run-down of the personalities of the horses Mingjue keeps, both his own and some he boards for others who can’t keep their own animals for whatever reason. Meng Yao makes enough leading, noncommittal noises to keep his friend chattering as he settles in, though the chatter becomes decidedly less pleasant as far as background noise goes when Huaisang starts talking about getting Meng Yao to socialize.

Within moments it’s clear he already has a plan on how to do so, because of course he does, and of course it’s some stranger’s houseparty where Meng Yao will know absolutely no one at all.

“Absolutely not, Huaisang,” he says tartly, but of course Huaisang only takes that as an invitation to persuade him.

“This isn’t like parties back home, A-Yao, I promise!” he wheedles. Meng Yao just goes on unpacking his meager belongings into the antique dresser in the corner of his room that holds a window overlooking the equipment-littered space between the back porch and the horse barn, and he very pointedly does not rise to Huaisang’s bait. He’s still not immune to his best friend’s cajoling and they both know it, but he feels the need to deny him a little longer for the sake of his pride, if nothing else.

“Nothing here is like home, Huaisang, your argument is invalid,” he replies blithely and debates the merit of hanging his undershirts in the too-big closet with the rest of his clothes, rather than folding them up into a too-big drawer where they’ll just look sad on their own.

“Okay point taken, but seriously! You’ll have a nice time, it’ll be chill, I swear. Xichen-ge is coming, and he never goes anywhere things will get out of hand!”

A party tempting enough to interest Huaisang is typically guaranteed to be anything but ‘chill’, he doesn’t point out, but…well. Meng Yao had just said it himself — nothing here so far is like what they’ve come from, maybe Huaisang’s different here too. Maybe a party’s really not such a bad idea. And if it is, Mingjue, having already overheard Huaisang mentioning the party on his way past Meng Yao’s room with a load of clean laundry in his arms, has already made it very clear that he’s happy to either loan them his truck for the night or else drive them himself. Considering Meng Yao has no interest in drinking so much he wouldn’t be able to drive (because he, unlike his best friend, is a very functional city gay who can drive, thank you very much) it’s a guaranteed exit strategy, should he feel the need to escape.

Meng Yao ignores Huaisang’s pleading eyes for a few moments longer simply for the fun of it as he slides his undershirts onto clattering plastic hangers, and only smiles once his back is turned as Huaisang shouts his delight when Meng Yao sighs, “Well…I guess I’ve got nowhere better to go.”

–//–

This time, Huaisang did tell him the unvarnished truth.

It’s clear from the moment they pull up in the warm violet twilight that this party is nothing like the ones they frequent back home. It’s in someone’s actual house, for one, which he supposes isn’t too strange when not being hosted in a city made entirely of apartments and highrises, but the house itself is in the middle of a giant patch of…nothing. It’s just a house on a dirt lot full of pickup trucks in various stages of rusting, with lights strung everywhere possible on the wraparound porch (except that it’s not really a porch so much as it is a prefabricated metal roof over part of the patch of dirt and sparse grass ‘yard’). He’s pretty sure he even sees a barn lit up the same way some few hundred feet behind the house, but he can’t get a good look at it from here and decides to put it out of his mind.

“Let me know if you end up needing the truck,” Mingjue says over the sound of twanging guitar coming from someone’s massive speakers as they hop down (well he steps down out of the truck like he’s just crossing a threshold; Meng Yao and Huaisang are too vertically challenged to get down out of the thing without at least a little hop). “I’m gonna head in to grab a beer, you two want anything?”

“We’re good, da-ge!” Huaisang chirps, already eyeing up a cluster of guys all dressed nearly identically in tight jeans and threadbare flannels with the sleeves cut off and the resulting gaping holes fraying artlessly, with the main differentiating factor between them being if they’re wearing cowboy hats or baseball caps. Meng Yao glances between his options — Huaisang’s all-too-familiar thirsting over extremely lackluster men who don’t deserve him and Mingjue’s retreating figure carving a path through the crowd — and decides to take his chances with the latter, though he hangs back a little to give Mingjue space.

The house, when he steps inside, at least smells pretty much like what he’s used to at parties. Too many competing colognes and perfumes, the sticky sweetness of alcohol, and the haze of cigarette smoke are almost comforting like this, even as he promptly gets lost amongst the sprawling, dimly-lit rooms crowded with strangers nursing beers or chatting (read: feeling) each other up in dim corners. He finds a staircase in the middle of the house and uses it to orient himself as he wanders in several clockwise circles until he’s mapped out the living room, the den, the kitchen where he snags a beer from the 6’5” cowboy (he’s assuming he’s a cowboy based on the hat and the whole ‘house party on a farm in Montana’ thing) standing at the keg, the door to the back ‘porch’ that’s about as porch-like as the one out front, and an overcrowded room that seems to serve no purpose but to be a place to play beer pong.

He’s just circled his way back to the front door near the stairs once again when he finds his path blocked by someone turned away from him; someone broad and tall and wearing pale blue, which just seems like a mistake when any moment could end in spilled beer and flustered mopping up with a crumpled handful of napkins, perhaps even the removal of said shirt to get it in the upstairs bathroom sink to soak out the stain before it sets —

Alright so it’s been a while and a man has needs, especially when surrounded by ridiculously tall beefcakes on every side. Sue him.

Rather than spilling his shitty beer on this guy to see if he can get him to take his shirt off, Meng Yao clears his throat and taps the guy on his waist once, just the lightest touch of two fingers to body-warmed cotton, and the guy turns smoothly, an apology already on his lips.

“Oh, excuse me,” he says, hardly audible over the music jangling from the beer pong room. Meng Yao tilts his head back a bit — and then a bit more — to meet the guy’s gaze and he’s startled to find he’s also Asian. It takes him roughly three seconds to put two-and-two together when the guy smiles at him like he knows him and ducks down to talk a little closer. Meng Yao makes a conscious decision to stay very still to let him do it.

“Might you be Meng Yao?” he asks and Meng Yao can only nod dumbly. “Mingjue sent me to find you, would you like to come sit with us? Da-ge’s great for commandeering the couch at these things.”

Sitting down sounds great, Meng Yao thinks, especially when the crowd shifts enough for him to catch sight of the ratty old sofa in the living room to find Mingjue currently occupying it alone, manspread more than far enough to make it clear that no one else is sitting on that couch unless he invites them (and he doesn’t look like he’s in a particularly inviting mood).

“Are you sure?” Meng Yao asks, wary, but the man (who must be Mingjue’s best friend, Xichen) just smiles at him again and tips his head in that direction, gesturing vaguely with one of his bottles of beer as if for emphasis.

“Of course! Come on, you’ve had a long day of traveling and I wanted to apologize for not being able to meet you at the house this afternoon. Just sit with us for a while, we’ll introduce you around later if you want us to.”

Meng Yao finds it a pretty tough proposition to say no to so he just nods again and gestures with his own beer (in a stereotypical red Solo cup he’d been amused to receive) for Xichen to lead the way. It isn’t so far that Meng Yao worries about losing him in the crowd, really, but he doesn’t let that stop him from hooking an index finger through the center back belt loop on Xichen’s skin-tight jeans, ‘just in case’.  Xichen simply smiles at him over his shoulder as they pass through the nearly-black front hallway and into the scarcely-brighter living room, red Christmas lights around the ceiling and the overhead bulb in the kitchen through the other doorway the only lighting for the entire room.

“Hey, there you are,” Mingjue says as they approach, and though he swings one knee closer to straight in front of himself to manspread a little less he leaves his arm slung casually along the top of the back cushions, reaching up with his free hand to snag the beer Xichen had brought for him and taking a swig of it as Xichen joins him.

On the opposite end of the couch.

Meng Yao hides behind a sip of his own flat beer quickly warming to room temperature as he contemplates the small (small) space between them and, between one disappointing sip and the next, decides he’s feeling reckless enough after a long day of new things and the freedom of traveling so many miles from home that he’s just going to go for it, and fuck the consequences.

Xichen slings his arm over the rest of the back of the couch, fingertips brushing lightly against Mingjue’s elbow where they overlap. Meng Yao sits down right in between them, settles in, and pointedly ignores the way the tired old couch springs squeak in protest of their combined weight and how he seems to pull the other two in like a magnet. It’s like gravity, centers of balance shifting and leaning inwards into his orbit, the pair of them bracketing him on either side, parentheses made of denim and muscle and smiling mouths that he pretends not to notice creeping closer as they keep finding excuses to lean in closer over the course of the next few minutes, not at all subtle. They drift in, in, in to talk to him over the music until they’re both practically kissing him on the cheeks just to be heard as they chat about nothing much at all.

Meng Yao finishes his beer and lets Xichen take the empty cup from him to set aside, and when he leans back in even closer than a moment before, Meng Yao offers him a coy little smile of the sort that’s weakened tougher men than Xichen seems to be and drops his newly-freed hand on his knee, mirroring the caress on Mingjue’s knee with his free hand on the other side.

It would be more than accurate to say that Xichen melts like butter — melts so obviously, in fact, that Mingjue laughs at him, hides it in Meng Yao’s shoulder, and seems to need no further excuse to just set up camp there so he can start nuzzling the tip of his nose into the crook of Meng Yao’s neck until he’s shivering pleasantly and feeling very much like the cat that got the cream.

Huaisang was right — this has never happened to him in New York, but he’s perfectly happy that it’s happening to him now.

–//–

Nie Huaisang isn’t the type to say ‘I told you so’ in so many words, mostly because he doesn’t actually say what he’s really thinking in the first place.

But if he were the type, he’d be saying it right now to anyone who would listen as he sips at a beer some jumped-up bull rider pressed into his hand with enough flustered used-to-be-definitely-absolutely-straight-but-now-he’s-confused flirting that Huaisang had given him an extra kiss or three to apologize for giving him a little sexuality crisis.

Maybe it’s weird for him to be so pleased to see his brother and his brother’s live-in-something tag teaming Huaisang’s own best friend, but, well. Meng Yao works way too hard for very little in return, and Huaisang thinks he deserves nice things. He’s certainly not immune to the ample charms of his brother’s farmer/rancher neighbors at least for a hazy summer, and he’d known that Meng Yao wouldn’t be able to resist either no matter how many fuck-off-I’m-totally-independent vibes he gives off when they’re back home.

Naturally if Meng Yao weren’t interested in sex Huaisang would leave him alone about it, but since he’s not he’d known perfectly well that there would be no resisting not one but two handsome men who could throw him over their shoulders as easily as they do bales of hay or sheep that need shearing. So, to that effect — the scene in front of him. Huaisang watches just long enough to see Xichen turn Meng Yao’s face to his with a gentle finger under his chin to coax him in for a kiss where they’re snuggled up all three together on the couch and then makes his escape to find his own fun for the night.

It’s already looking like it’s going to be quite the summer, and Huaisang basks in the pleasure of a plan well-executed with no one the wiser.

#the untamed fanfic #3zun #Modern AU #Orville Peck Cinematic Universe #officially the name of this universe (because there will definitely be more) lol #3zun but make them cattle ranchers because why not #Nie Mingjue #Meng Yao #Lan Xichen #Nie Huaisang

[fairuzfan]

im trying to ask all different kids of accounts bc i can't get one solid answer - how would u specifically define zionist? do you think the people who are currently israelis (and are not west bank settlers, may they all be tried for their crimes) should be able to live in a decolonized palestine?

I had to take a couple of days mostly because I was trying to find a single concise answer for you in a citation. Before I give you a definition of a Zionist, I must first describe what Zionism and it's implications are. Here is Ismail Zayid's "Zionism, the myth and the reality" (click).

The very first couple of paragraphs of the book, he says:

Zionism, as a modern political creed, grew in close association with three interacting major forces which exercised a profound influence on the character and nature of the Zionist movement, resulting in three basic qualities characterizing this movement, namely: settler colonialism, expansionism and racism.

The first of the three major forces was the growth, in the nineteenth century, of European colonialism and imperialism and the expansion of the colonial settler regimes. The alliance made between Zionism and European colonialism is clearly attested to by both sides, identifying reciprocal benefits in the alliance. Herzl, in his "Der Judenstat," expressed clearly both the racist nature of Zionism as well as its role as a settler colonial outpost: "We should, there, form a portion of the rampart of Europe against Asia, an outpost of civilization as opposed to barbarism. We should, as a neutral state, remain in contact with all Europe, which would have to guarantee our existence."

There's more in the book that I can't type up lol, but in essence a Zionist subscribes to the idea of Zionism itself, and insists on the establishment of a settler colonial entity whether passively or actively.

Zionism is a settler colonialist movement, as stated by the founder of the movement for Zionism, Theodore Herzel (quoted above in the smalltext). It modeled itself after much of the European colonialist strategies, enforcing borders and nationalities on a previously border-lose world. I mention the making of borders as a fundamental part of colonialism because by rejection of those borders as a concept, we start to imagine the world in a post-colonial universe. Sherene Seikaly makes this point in her book "Men of Capital" in the introductory chapter:

But in such a search, it is almost inevitable that nationalism—its “lack,” its “strength,” or its “weakness”—will stand as a metonym for politics. In some renditions, the weakness of normative nationalism—a “political deficiency” and a lack of a national “spirit”—resulted in, as the leading historian of collaboration continues to argue, the catastrophe of 1948. In response, scholars have documented a national project among the Palestinians. This work is invaluable and has shifted the terms of debate as well as our understanding of the social and cultural geography of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in Palestine. However, to continue reveling in the marriage between national consciousness and politics reifies colonial epistemologies. Moving beyond nationalism as both the means and ends of politics is long overdue. Certainly, nationalism was one aspect of subjectivity formation, but it was not the only way to make politics. What I seek to destabilize here is not whether Palestinians were sufficiently national, but to ask why that sufficiency and/or its lack continues to be the measuring stick for whether people can remain on the land they resided on for centuries. Must people’s investment in the random and shifting borders that imperial and colonial officials drew determine their status? Are there other ways to think about politics outside, beside, underneath, and alongside this national prism?

I've said this multiple times before on this blog in different ways, but I'll state outright: I reject the notion of nationalism as a way for us to authenticate Palestinians' claim to the land they've lived on for centuries, as Seikaly mentions. Zionism's core goal is the establishment of such borders is aligned with European colonialism's core goals: division of the world so that they may categorize itself within the world's hierarchy.

Now, the core saying in the Free Palestine movement you often hear is "From the River to the Sea." This, basically, is a rejection of the establishment of those borders as a necessity for the Palestinians to be recognized. Zionism relies on border-making for it to be an actual thing. Without borders, Zionism would not exist. Which is why the "Balfour Declaration," that had essentially districted and redistributed Palestine is often referenced by both Zionists and antiZionists. Balfour, a well known racist and antisemite, had advocated for the establishment of a "Jewish State" not because he really cared what happened to either party — but specifically so that he could get the Jewish people of Europe.... out of Europe.

Seikaly mentions this in "Men of Capital":

However, we should qualify its meaning to get at the specific condition of Palestinian invisibility in colonial epistemologies. Zionists of the late nineteenth century did not imagine that there were no people on the land of Palestine, but rather that they were not a people. Theodor Herzl described a set of caricatures that inhabited what he called the land of Israel: the wealthy effendis who could be had for a price and the remaining impoverished peasants who could be smoothly removed without incident. These people were a motley crew without anything defining or unifying them. Zionists from various political leanings did not share Herzl’s confidence that the people who lived in Palestine would not be attached enough to its land to resist their displacement.  However, the Zionist emphasis on the lack of a politically coherent and distinct people in Palestine who deserved to make claims to the land on which they had resided for hundreds of years would continue apace. The caricatures of the effendi and the peasant, as well as the depiction of the Palestinians as insufficiently rooted, continue to have currency. In the meantime, Zionists were hard at work shaping a cohesive settlement community around a new ethno-national understanding of what it meant to be Jewish. They called themselves the Yishuv. Zionism promised Jews who had suffered religious, political, and racial persecution for centuries in Europe that they could finally become European but only by leaving Europe. Anti-Semitism and Zionism had one thing in common: the belief that Jews could never assimilate in Europe. The process of becoming European by realizing a settler colony would be an abundant source of persecution: For the Palestinians it entails ongoing erasure; for the eastern (Mizrahi) Jews who did not fit the Ashkenazi (European) mold, it has meant decades of marginalization; and for the Ashkenazi, it required killing centuries of tradition, language, and culture to fit the template of the new Jew.

So now you know that Zionism is, at it's core the establishment of borders to reinforce itself as a colonialist entity — thereby enforcing a separation between the colonized and the colonizer that can seem material, but is, in fact, immaterial. Zionists are people who ascribe to the ideology that a Settler Colonial "Jewish State" must exist, and that its establishment is necessary for whatever reason, thereby enacting those borders and displacing the indigenous populations. But what does a post-colonialist society look like if we no longer have these regional borders and nationalism as we've come to understand it?

Palestinians argue for the Right to Return to their homes. I have family members that cannot see the places they were born in because they were kicked out and not allowed to return. I think, for these people especially, it's only natural that they be allowed to return.

You ask if people who are currently live in Israel should be able to live in a decolonized Palestine. Short answer: yes. Of course. There is no reason to reject these people who are willing to live in a decolonized Palestine.

Long answer: still yes but I'm going to re contextualize it a little.

We've established that a decolonized Palestine is one in which borders are irrelevant, as is the current version of nationalism, and no need for categorization. In a decolonized Palestine, as long as you are not a perpetrator of a "crime" (I put that in quotations because of the current colonial implications, but I lack a better word for it) that makes you — and not your grandparent/parent — directly responsible for colonization — like as you mention, settlers who violently expelled Palestinians — and willing to participate in a Palestinian society in which there is equality of all peoples regardless of race, ethnicity, economic status, or religion, then it is possible to become Palestinian.

Israelis are all, to a certain extent, culpable in colonization. There are antiZionist Israelis, but nevertheless, it doesn't change the fact that they are settled on land that was acquired violently. Of course, the same can be said for many USAmericans. To a certain extent, I am a settler in Turtle Island despite being a refugee. I willingly participate in a colony, whether I actually agree with it or not.

I think from hereon, to live in Decolonized Palestine as well as a Decolonized Turtle Island, we must make the reparations necessary to the communities who have suffered systematic violence at the hands of the colonial entity to truly live in a post-colonial world. You might be asking how I think that's going to be conducted — I am not sure. But what I do know is that living without borders — or in other words living without colonialist labels and all sorts hierarchies that arise — will require a reframing of the understanding of our world as well as how we interact with each other in it.

#palestine #gaza

[spider-jaysart]

Quick doodle of little Damian and his other bro Respawn + Momma Talia too

(Click for better quality)

May or may not clean and fully finish these up lol, but I really wanted to do some fluff with these three hehehehe, so I really like it anyways💖

Also, for anyone wondering why Respawn is here with Damian and Talia, and while so young too instead of as a teen, this is not my Young age au here lol, I just changed up Respawn's backstory for my version of the main DC universe, making it that instead of Ra's, it was actually Slade, for very selfish reasons, who had created Respawn himself, using his and Talia's DNA mix just like in canon to make it happen, and was the one who had him in his care ever since he was born. But then one day, Talia found out about Respawn's existence and also the fact that he's her Son, while unexpectedly stumbling upon both him and Slade during a mission of hers, so then she decided to take him away with her to raise instead, since despite Slade being the Father, she sees him as a danger that should never be near kids, especially after hearing everything he's done to his other older ones before, so she's definitely not gonna let her child keep being stuck with that. Once Talia successfully brings Respawn back to the League without Slade being able to follow her, he officially becomes apart of the Al Ghul family after that and stays living with them for a long good while before certain events in the future happen. There's way more details to this version of the backstory though and to the future parts of it too, but this is just to only quickly summarize things here, but anyways that is why he is here as a young kid with them both (and another thing that I wanna mention too, unlike canon, Ra's and Talia do not abuse him in this version of things! They care about him like how they care about Damian and treat him the same as him too)

Also, I am thinking that Talia would feel like it's also so wrong that Slade didn't give Respawn a real name, so she decides to name him "Abbas", which is an Arabic name that means "Lion", because it describes his strength as the fighter he was already trained to be and the internal one he also had while dealing with Slade for so long before she had finally met and rescued him. After that, Respawn begins to grow attached to it and understands the actual love and thoughtfulness behind it, unlike his original one, and it lets him see and feel like he's really cared for, so in result, this causes the name "Respawn" to later become one that belongs more to his sepereate identity instead in the future whenever the mask is on

And he leaves the Wilson name behind too, since he doesn't want to be associated with Slade anymore after going through a lot of abuse from him, so he just completely goes by "Abbas Al Ghul"

#Damian wayne #Damian al ghul #Damian al ghul wayne #Respawn #Respawn dc #dc respawn #Damian wayne robin #dc robin #Robin #Robin dc #Abbas al ghul #Talia al ghul #dc comics #dc comics fanart #batfamily #batfam #batkids #good mom talia #good mom talia al ghul #good mother talia al ghul #league of assassins #art #artists on tumblr #digital artist #digital drawing #digital art #comic #comics #spider-jaysart drawings

[mggssocks]

pov: ur a a-list singer/songwriter and actress. You were in glass onion w/ Madelyn who you ended up becoming good friends with and drew has a giant crush on you and you just pretty much tease him lol <3 (whitneypeak on Instagram as fc but most pics are from Pinterest)

madelyncline

liked by madisonbaileybabe, drewstarkey and 1,728,269 others

madelyncline happiest of birthdays to the ramen noodle lover that always happens to be asleep yourinstagram <3

view all 6,918 comments

yourinstagram why would u post slide 4

↳ madelyncline ur best picture tbh

↳ yourinstagram ykw ur so right

madisonbaileybabe gonna need financial compensation for the amount of times it took to get that first picture

↳ yourinstagram lunch on me tm

*drewstarkey followed you*

*****

yourinstagram

liked by zendaya, drewstarkey and 2,365,709 others

view all 15,863 comments

ynfan01 an EMMY AND GRAMMY WINNER SO ICONIC OF YOU

zendaya beyond proud of you

↳ yourinstagram ty, Z. love u.

madelyncline you’ve officially reached 2/4 of the egot status I love that for you

↳ yourinstagram stawpppp 🥹

arianagrande 🫶🏼🫧

↳ yourinstagram ty, love you and miss u soooo much

***

Madelyn’s Story:

Drew responded to Madelyn’s phone but you had it because you were taking pictures of her.

drewstarkey: tell her I’m single

You showed Madelyn and the two of you laughed about it.

*yourinstagram followed drewstarkey*

*****

Madisonbaileybabe

liked by jonathandavissofficial, yourinstagram and 1,285,092 others

madisonbaileybabe long car rides and lullaby’s

view all 3,938 comments

baileyfan91 PLS MORE S3 BTS CONTENT

yourinstagram why’s the sleepy guy kinda.. 🫦

↳ madisonbaileybabe please don’t get him started

↳ obxfan62 Y/N AND DREW?!?!&&:@&,$

ynfan13 STAY AWAY FROM HER RAFE

hichasestokes Drew’s head just got abnormally big

****

yourinstagram

liked by drewstarkey, carlaciagrant and 3,726,517 others

yourinstagram MET ‘23

view all 12,297 comments

ynfan19 you looked INCREDIBLE

drewstarkey 😍

↳ madelyncline stay away from my friend

↳ yourinstagram i’m a rebel so we now have to hang out, Drew.

↳ drewstarkey of course

drewfan87 not them lowkey flirting 😭

ynfan36 no cause why do I ship..

****

obxfanupdates

341 likes

obxfanupdates drew hanging out with y/n via Madelyn’s story

view all 79 comments

drewfan09 stopp Ik they’re hanging out just to mess with Madelyn but they’d actually be so cute

obxfan1222 they’re messing around but I think drew actually has a crush on her tho lol

↳ rudyfan87 who doesn’t though LMAO

ynfan028 no they were joking in the comments but I didn’t think they’d ACTUALLY hang out LMAOA

↳ obxfan76 ME NEITHER

*****

*3 weeks later*

drewstarkey

liked by nick_v_cirillo, madelyncline and 1,697,354 others

drewstarkey just in case you didn’t know, y/n l/n is the coolest person ever (this totally isn’t her making this post btw)

view all 9,726 comments

yourinstagram oh, me? Gee golly how sweet of you, Joseph!

↳ madisonbaileybabe now you know…

madelyncline ykw, i change my mind. I completely see why the two of you would be perfect.

ynfan198 it’s happening! It’s happening! Everybody stay calm! STAY F$@KING CALM!!

drewfan54 the legal name.. oh they’re fucking for sure 💀

↳ drewfan827 pls don’t put that image in my head 😭😭😭

***

yourinstagram

liked by madisonbaileybabe, carlaciagrant and 2,087,562 others

yourinstagram i really love drewstarkey he really is the best and I’m so in love with him (this definitely is not drew typing this caption just so you know)

view all 14,247 comments

arianagrande ???

↳ ynfan018 the confusion she must be experiencing rn 😭😭

↳ rudyfan91 she’s not in the OBCU (the outer banks cinematic universe) so she wouldn’t understand

dojacat fart

↳ yourinstagram yup

obxfan71 not him tagging himself as a personal shoutout 💀

ynfan61 I need to see where this goes

↳ drewfan09 the slow burn we didn’t know we needed

#rafe cameron #drew starkey #obx #obx3 #netflix #obx cast #jj maybank #kiara carrera #pope heyward #sarah cameron #drew #John b #Cleo #cleo obx #outer banks #tadum #obx netflix #rafe outer banks #outer banks 3 #outerbanks rafe #outer banks rafe #rafe outerbanks #drew obx #obx Drew #pogue #kook #reader #insta au #au #cute

[the-one-who-isnt-an-anon]

tw mentioning the suicide-baiting, not in depth or anything, just a little rambly about our relationship as anons to the text

I feel like it should be obvious but at the same time, we're the crickets on Hetch's shoulder so much, I weirdly feel the need to like, officially disavow that :P Like we're holding him accountable for everything else. Obviously it's good that we comforted him but at the same time, I feel bad we didn't stick a "hey don't do that, that was wrong" in there somehow. But maybe that's just me trying to defend against a bad-faith read of our intentions lol.

Even if, if this weren't a comic and was just a TV show or something, I guess I wouldn't be noticing it or questioning it as much. Since the "vote die on yourselves" is about as real of a threat as telling someone to spontaneously combust, and he's also responding to someone who had just expressed murderous intent in a way that WAS a more real threat, sort of.

Also as a side note, I hope 🎱 doesn't feel like any of us blame them. Because as an in-universe thing, that's a terrible thing to say to someone etc. But if we're going by those rules, it's also pretty bad of us to keep calling Hetch "babygirl" against his wishes, since that's yknow, a misgendering and fairly intimate pet name, so that would be straight up sexual harassment irl. And I'm definitely not suggesting we take everything as if it's happening to a real person, because everyone including the blog runner is having fun about it. :P

Since so many of us are babygirlifying Hetch, we really do need some conflict and dissenting opinions to spice things up and also hold Hetch accountable for.

It's not teshuvah/repentance until you're in the exact same situation and make a different and better choice. So I guess we'll be able to tell if this growing-as-a-person thing sticks if in a few weeks (in irl time and probably much longer for Hetch) (ASSUMING HETCH AND THE GANG ARE STILL ALIVE ), Hetch gets a similarly goading ask and is able to respond in a better way.

Anyway, thanks 🎱 for going against the crowd here. If it weren't for a couple mean messages here and there, we might wind up just thinking Hetch's problems all magically vanished and he's a great person now, which would have made him feel flatter... and would have felt really disappointing when he inevitably gives into old habits in a less private situation in the future. :P

#🎱 #it's a positive thing don't worry

[otaku553]

I recall you mentioning once that you worked in a lab, do u have any advice for getting to that point? I want (read: NEED) to work or intern at a lab but I don’t rlly know what to ask the ppl running them lol

If I can help I'd be glad to!! Full disclaimer though, I am an undergrad junior and I go to school at a pretty reputable research institution so I may not be that much help because I've been pretty lucky and privileged to have direct access to many opportunities. If you're not a high schooler or undergrad student, my advice might not even apply to you at all. This got quite long, so I'll put this under a read more. If you have any more questions, feel free to dm me!

I don't know what your research interests are or what level of schooling you're at so I'll try my best to be broad. You're right that it's best to directly ask the person running the lab, the principal investigator (PI). Even if there's an official application process for fellowships or summer research grants or programs, usually already having reached out to a mentor is either a requirement or strongly encouraged. This applies for both university labs and I think rseearch agency labs like NIH, though I will say, a lot more of my advice will apply to labs at universities.

Understandably, though, it's really difficult to write that email, and quite disheartening that usually you'll need to write multiple emails to different PIs before even getting a reply back. One way to deal with this is to find a template online to copy, because word for word these emails usually go

"Hello [so and so], My name is [so and so] and I'm [brief introduction]. I'm interested in [what research this lab does] and was wondering if you have any positions available in your lab for [period you want to do internship during]. If you need them, my resume and transcript are attached. Thank you for your time."

You can delve into more specifcs in the body but it doesn't need to be long-- I think PIs tend to be quite busy, so being concise and direct is good, as long as you're genuine about what you're interested in. It doesn't need to be an essay or multiple paragraphs or anything! I find that usually 3-4 sentences suffices. If they want to know more, they'll usually ask to meet to talk about what you're interested in.

(On a side note, my roommate has an excellent strategy for dealing with anxiety when sending an email where you recite "fuck it we ball fuck it we ball fuck it we ball" while clicking send lmao)

Now, more specifically, if you're already attending a college that has labs, and professors who are PIs of those labs, it can be useful to take a class that the PI teaches and email either while taking the class or after the class and say "this class was very interesting and i was hoping to explore [so and so] further. Do you have any openings in your lab etc." If you don't have the time to do this, just cold-emailing the lab is usually fine too, but it's good to cite a connection I think? Also keep an eye out for any presentations or seminars that might be given by grad students or professors, since going to those can be a good way to express interest.

If you're a high schooler, you won't have the immediate connection, but I think most researchers would be impressed with the initiative to reach out and have no reason to refuse help. You might have a harder time finding a paid internship as a high schooler, but even with volunteering you can definitely get a foot into the door with research experience. I think a good way to start for high schoolers is looking into local university labs and expressing an interest in their work? Or reaching out to alumni of your school to ask for general advice and or opportunities.

If you don't receive an email back, you can send a follow up in two or three days. Sometimes emails can get pushed to the bottom of the inbox before they're seen, and it's no harm to just bump it again, with a little "hello! I wasn't sure if you'd seen this email. I'd like to follow up on this." (historically, I have been very bad at this, ahha). If you receive a negative response (which is pretty unlikely I think?) you can still thank them for their time and ask for advice regarding getting into research for their field of specialty.

I hope this helps! If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask or dm me. I will try my best to be helpful :)

#again huge disclaimer take my advice with a grain of salt i am just an undergrad #unrelated to the ask but i kind of wonder if anyone can guess what college i go to. i think ive dropped a few hints before lmao #but yeah.... research can be difficult to get into #i now have about three (?) years of research experience i think and i still get really anxious when trying to send out emails #the sooner the better with these kinds of things though

[cthulhusstepmom]

As promised here's a quick guide to the Fae lore I'm using in my Fae!Soap au, most of it is based on some folklore somewhere but there are parts that are exclusively my invention which I'll specify.

The fae are essentially immortal creatures that can split their time between our world and the Other World.

Things that repel fairies: wearing an article of clothing inside out, salt circles, some talismans, horseshoes(if the fae is of the Unseelie Court or has ill intent to your person), tying knots in your hair, etc

Some things depend on the type of Fae(regional differences, what court of Fae they are, where they stand in the hierarchy): most fae are repelled by bread but Scottish fairies love the stuff and accept it as preferred offerings, bells will chase off members of the Unseelie court as well as any Fae that harbors ill intentions towards you (Seelie fae will sometimes wear bells), compliments and gifts have a 50/50 chance of being an effective repellent.

They are beholden to the laws of hospitality, names, invitations etc

Never ever accept a gift from a fae as it is an invitation into your space and they will take full advantage of it.

Iron, specifically in a shape of significance, will protect you from the powers of the Fae and will repel their touch.

Unless I specifically strike it down it's pretty much all folklore accurate

From here down is all my own lore that I've made.

Now gifts in this universe, this little bit is entirely my own thing. (I didn't find much folklore about people wanting to bone the Good Neighbors beyond the occasional pretty boy stolen by a fairie queen). Gifts can be taken by the fae in question one of these ways: they'll find offense in it and leave you alone, they'll accept it as an offering and stick around(mostly in actual folklore this applies to Brownies in Scottish and Irish tradition), or (in specifically Soap's case because I don't think any other member of the Fae would ever allow a human to court them and homeboy is down bad) they'll take it as a courting gesture.

Fae courting is a rather understated affair, a gift is given and amiably received and then they're officially an item. It is highly unusual for most of the Fae to be monogamous and they'll usually drift from partner to partner during their long lives. It is somewhat more common for stricter monogamy to be observed among royalty and they'll more often choose one partner for life.

When Fae mate they essentially have a ton of sex and release magical energy into the world at large, this magic will latch onto a plant and develop the plant spirit into an autonomous fae spirit over time in a pseudo-gestational period. When the spirit of the new fae has fully matured, the magical energy that has been stored within the plant converts into their body and they are born as a functioning, if like basically a baby in most ways, adult. These new fae are sheltered in the Otherworld for the first several hundred years of their existence.

While they don't really die of old age or sickness there are a few things that can kill and injure them. Direct contact with Iron, severe physical wounds(getting shot in vital areas or having limbs removed), Bleach and some other chemicals, etc.

They are omnivores however they cannot process grains, preservatives, or cooked meat very well. They are immune to natural toxins though there are a few herbs that they find distasteful and avoid.

These are some of the major tenets and mainly just my specific lore, there's definitely more and if anyone has specific questions just shoot me an ask or a comment and I'll get you.

@cr4shposts

The reason the subtext is weird is because I completely made that part up lol

#chlorine is a big no no for the Fae and thus Soap always drinks spring water and avoids communal showers #because there are small amounts of chlorine and chloramine in our water to make it safe for us to drink #the things you learn as a fish keeper #he also has a small bottle of water dechlorinator that he uses for emergencies but he doesnt like the aftertase so he prefers spring water #and bathing in a pool in the forest near base soooo maybe some Ghost following him into the forest at night shenanigans to come #cod mw2 #ghostsoap #ghost x soap #fae!soap #superstitious bastard!ghost

[panthera-tigris-venenata]

@hannahhook7744 and I had a GREAT story Idea and I wish for you to see our brainstorming (TM) for it. Hannah’s in purple and me in orange, because colaboration and I thought it was funny .

(...I’ll edit whatever’s needed, yeah?)

Audrey suggests the idea.

They both end up happier because of it.

They all realize after yearS (They ALL live in denial. Except for Gil who thinks everyone else knows they’re dating.) that their relationship turned into a real one and they're all fine with it. They get out of denial eventually. (Yeah but it takes them ages). Definitely. 

Uma confronts Ben about how he dropped the ball on his relationship with Audrey and his friendship with both her and Chad. 

They get Jordan involved to have some media influence on their side.

Jordan is secretly cooperating with Ursula who is there for the drama (Oh course she is. Is she a good mom in yours?). (She’s a greek god – octopus. She has no idea how semi-human babies work. It’s a miracle that Uma is still alive.)

Cinderella and Charming are fine about it (but also it gets them to pay more attention to Chad, which is a win). 

Harriet should be allowed to be a hypocritical bitch about her brother’s mess of a relationship

Yes.

Harry is like 'shut up, you and Anthony are DEFINITELY not in a closed relationship!' (So they actually admitted to being in a relationship?)

Harriet 'I Have no idea what you're talking about–'

Harry 'I've seen Ginny leave your room half naked!' (We will have to clarify they aren't sisters in this universe). (Yes!! Disaster Threesome. Loving it)(

Do you want to hear disaster hc for Audrey & CJ that fits into this? 

Sure. 

Audrey was like: So you think I should have a heir? Sure here let me just– *Audrey Rose named CJ Hook as her official heir*. (Yes. Then Cj is just like 'let's piss off Leah more assigning Freddie and Zevon jobs of power. )Audrey enables this chaos. Harry, of course, goes to councils with Uma and Harriet is asked to join after one (1) session with CJ. FG and beast are not having a fun time.

Belle joined one council meeting and They gave her hell because Chad overheard what she said to Ben about Audrey in d1. 

 Audrey's cousin tries to be a bitch. The sea three shut that down immediately . (As they should)

Can we give Arabella a minor corruption arc while we are at it? Just siding with them or something. (Yes. Absolutely.)

It's a fake relationship yet the moment  Chad comes to the lost revenge near tears the sea three are ready to murder someone. (They got attached). (The crew was betting over this.they knew they’d get attached.The swapped gold is ignored by Sea Three. This is normal.) (Yes.) (Any bets on who upset Chad?). (...Mal?) (Most likely). 

Any scenes you can picture? We need a catalyst to kick Audrey into proposing this idea to Chad so that? Audrey explaining the idea to Chad and then to the pirates. (Audrey’s grandmother probably turned back to how she was and Chad probably tells her that he thinks his parents haven't care about him since Chloe was born. He was adopted when he was 6. Chole was born 2 years later sickly and his parents were working on bringing the Tremaine sisters, Hans—Drizella's husband, and their kids back). Audrey probably proposes the idea to piss her parents off and test if Chad's parents still care). (Leah should be ranting about multiple things including thinly veiled amatonormativity because she’s a bitch like that and definitely thinks that girl is a spinster by twenty.) (YES). 

There was the prompt that went „Permission to off them?“ „Permission enthusiastically granted.“ That’s Huma when someone hurts Chad. Audrey is already dialing Jordan. (YES. and Gil is just comforting Chad.) (Obviously. He’s like, Should I go help you guys cause some brutal violence? „No don’t worry we’ve got it!“ „For the last time,you CAN’T kill the queen–“) (lol. I love that Gil goes either way when it comes to murder. Audrey is usually like 'no murder'.. but with some exceptions). 

Also Chad just feeling like no one even cares about him trying to put effort into changing and thinking that maybe it's too late for him only for Urusla or Hook to be like 'You're a TEENAGER. It is so not too late.' Or Harriet. I'm not picky.. (Harriet. She’s done with teenage bullshit since she was thirteen. Also, Ursula doesn’t understand the concept of time. …Neither does Hook really.) (Harriet, comforting crying Chad, internally: “All I wanted was to borrow some office supplies and weapons. Why does it always end like this?”) (Harriet has become the one who is always telling teenagers and kids it's not too late for them to change). 

Also Harriet *yells at a ton of reporters* STOP BULLYING THESE TEENAGERS OR SO HELP ME— (Anthony: No murder in front of the cameras–) (yesss). 

#disney descendants #uma descendants #harriet hook #harry hook #cj hook #anthony tremaine #chad charming #audrey rose #gil descendants

[apples-of-apples]

No, go ahead. talk about digimon games. I need more research 👁👄👁

*Heavy breathing* Someone asked about digimon...

*AHEM*

anyway, I'll tell you about the ds games! yes the world games and ds games are separate even through two of the games are known as digimon world ds (dawn/dusk) I'll explain.

The digimon ds games are a bit confusing for new players as the English translation made them be named after the digimon world franchise instead of existing as their own thing, but the original name they carry are the Digimon Story games! Story because they are the jrpg part of digimon lol

There are also a few universal mechanics like farm islands, devolution + evolution, SPECIES EXP, etc. the game will teach you about these, but feel free to ask about them!

-----

DIGIMON STORY (digimon world ds)

Pros:

Game is pretty short for a Jrpg!

Digimon selection isn't too shabby with there being many classic ones in the bunch, So there's a lot of variety!

Post games quests are really fun!

Digimon can enter the farm and give quests (I like how it gives the digimon some personality without needing to be full characters all right)

Cons:

This game is extremely easy. Until that boss.

Like this game is so easy that it almost leaps into mind-numbing

The mind-numbing comes from the grind being really bad...

Some of the best designed and most iconic digimon are locked behind online battles, you might see why this is a problem.

maps are mazes. this is not good. (They aren't hard, but they can be a bit confusing)

----

A quick summary for this game is that it's definitely made with the idea that kids are going to want to try and get every digimon and that they'll spend A LOT of time grinding for that. Otherwise this game is actually pretty fun!

-----

DIGIMON STORY SUNBURST AND MOONLIGHT (digimon world dawn and dusk)

Pros:

Game is a bit harder than the original digimon story!

Almost the same amount of digimon as the original digimon story!

Cool fusion digimon are no longer locked behind online battles!!!

extremely quick if you use the resources at your disposal! I've beaten it in like 18~ hours.

Cons:

Grind is much, much worse (It can become much easier, but it requires planning)

Cool fusion digimon are locked behind post game quest that is the second to last fight in the game :/

Side quests are mandatory throughout the story(Not a personal problem, but a warning)

You cannot get 100% in one game, because these games have ✨Version exclusives✨ plus optional side-quests are locked behind certain digimon, with certain personalities, with certain farm islands, and ✨✨multiple✨✨ ✨version exclusives also have quests✨

Maps are ripped from the original digimon story! with some changes!

Final post game quest needs to be unlocked through cheats because it was locked behind online battles as well...

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Quick summary! I literally love these games, it's Stockholm syndrome 💖💖💖. also despite the negatives these games aren't that bad! just a bit boring sometimes! Planning is a bit more important in this game as a lot of things depend on how much mechanics you can figure out... honestly I'd say to give it a try! Btw here's a digivolution guide for the game! you can thank me later lol

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DIGIMON STORY LOST EVOLUTION (No official translation)

Pros:

best ds game by far!

More digimon than ever with a built in evolution tree checker to plan out parties much easier!

less grind due to the game giving out more experience per battle, and a longer overall playtime so levels will not suddenly jump for any bosses!

a decent story with fun locations!

optional bosses throughout the game that reference other digimon media!

a reason to grind past levels! (tree of evolution plates, with expand if you want!)

side quests now have a list to see what digimon you need! and actually good rewards for completing them!

NO MORE LOCKED FUSION DIGIMON!!!!

Farms are finally helpful! They give plenty of exp once you unlock the upgrdaes for them!

Cons:

mandatory quests are still here!

you might need to look for a guide to see what digimon have what evolution plates for your personal team!

Ancient beasts and sovereigns are basically post-game digimon...

Post game quest is locked behind 100,000 tamer points... (for reference main game is completed with only 50,000 points necessary)

there is another That boss you will need to grind for.

Only official translation is an English translation made by fans :/ (game isn't hard to follow without a translation, plus there are Eng guides with digimon evolution info sooooo it's more a personal preference :p)

Has pokemon HM system but the digimon have traits that allow them to do specific things on the map... (you get three digimon with traits to help progress, but you do not need to stick with them, just keep this system in mind.)

30 digimon limit :(

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Quick summary! This is unironically one of my favorite games ever! It's game play improves greatly from dawn and dusk, and are very easy to get into without much knowledge of anything! There are a few problems outside of nitpicks, but if you choose one game to play out of all of these, I would 100% recommend this one!

#whoopsie that was long #anyways #feel free to ask about anything here! #I would be happy to help #and all of these can be emulated perfectly so you do not have to worry about needing to find these in the wild lol #thank you for the ask!

[apompkwrites]

you may delete this—- may i ramble on about my ideas for the some of vice-dormleader’s siblings?

i plan on rambling about the other twst characters too but that aside:

Clover!reader

They weren’t the best at baking like the rest of the family, which is why they are often outcasted from the family since it was their family business afterall, so it was odd seeing a Clover not good at baking.

This led to harsh comments and insults from their parents, which shattered reader’s confidence in their skills in anything. Suddenly, one particular comment changed everything, “Look at Trey, delivering orders as fast as lightning. You should be more liking him!”

This led reader to start being around Trey often and always asking him to teach them this and that, help them with that and this.. sometimes reader even mimicks Trey, maybe something he does to concentrate, something he always says out of the blue and even when he stretches.

Trey notices this and finds it amusing, not aware of the consequences and what this may lead to, and it isn’t anything good; reader became more dependent on Trey and always thought, “What would Trey do?”

losing their sense of identity and independence, unable to even recognize themselves in the mirror, because all they saw was someone who tried their hardest to be someone their parents wanted them ti be: like their older sibling.

Bucchi!reader (he’s a vice at this point, official or not)

Reader gets accepted into NRC, happy that they’ll finally see their older brother more… why in Great Sevens is he being bossed around by a lion prince?

You know when someone spites or hates someone else because they have something they don’t or living a better life than they are? reader’s mentality.

How come such greedy, selfish bastards get success while their kind are left fighting for scraps?

So they aren’t amused when they see their brother playing errand boy for one and will do their best to be an absolute menace to Leona, unaware that stereotyping all rich people to be greedy and selfish tyrants… (lol just wait until reader meets Kalim)

Leech!reader

Reader just wants to live a normal life, making friends and falling in love.. but they can’t have that when people always try to swim away from them since they’re the younger sibling if the infamous Leech Twins

Reader dislikes their family and their last name because of this, causing a rift

Still, their brothers aren’t having it and always smothers them with ‘love and affection’ even though it’s just them trying to embarrass them now that they’re in the same school now!

…say… i wonder when they’ll finally snap back at their brothers?

It would get ugly if so.

Viper!reader

You have been born into this world.. and is subjected to a life of servitude! Hoorah!

Because if this, reader was molded into a blank slate, a robotic like person who’s only mentality/purpose is to serve

So when people try to interact or talk to it like a normal person, they just space out, this wasn’t part of their training

of course they have feelings as well but they don’t want to be ‘weak’

Jamil and Najma definitely try to bring out their more expressive side, and this just adds to more reasons why Jamil resents this role they were given and his master

So when they end up in the same school as Jamil and Kalim, how are they gonna survive human interaction? Because this poor soul isn’t ready for it—-

this wasn’t in the manual?!?

black sheep extended universe :OO

i wouldn’t delete this anon <333 i thought about making ones for other characters too but held off so this was fun to read!!!

little clover!(name) looking up to trey in an unhealthy way but he doesn’t know that DD: i like the idea of the clover parents being a bit more oblivious as opposed to being straightforward? like they dont realize how their words affect theit child and simply think of it as praise for their beloved trey?

lil bucchi!(name) having an actual healthy sibling relationship but they are angered on behalf of him :(( like he’s taken such good care of him and all (name) can think about is paying him back by trying to ease his workload through being a menace. or or or they do the tasks for him instead and end up working too hard :0

leech!(name) having to live in their brothers’ shadows except it’s just they’re feared for being related ;-; and imagine they hate their eel form the same way ashengrotto!(name) does except leech hates it because they’re seen as dangerous and a threat to anyone who crosses them. they just want to make friends 😭

viper!(name) and rosehearts!(name) would prob get along really well. anyway, my first thought was jamil and najma holding (name) close and jamil just saying “what have they done to you?” def the one i wanna write most if i do,, but thriugh jamil’s pov prob because he feels so helpless and like he can’t do anything to make a better life for (name) :((

imagine vanrouge!(name) who just feels isolated from their big brother because he was always so busy, kinda like draconia!(name). like they want to have a relationship but never had the time. and and and everyone looks down on vanrouge!(name) because look at how cool their big brother is! (name) can’t fight. (name) can’t take care of the heir to the draconia name.

#a pompk answers #black sheep

[fixfoxnox]

It’s been a while since we’ve had sito headcanons!!! Have there been any additions to the world building of sito since the last time???

There have been a couple of things! Or at least more things that I can kinda comfortably mention lol:

So we officially have Price being in love with Nikolai now, however they aren't together (yet) they just pine and literally everyone around them knows

Price no longer got his hat from Alex in universe, instead he got it from Nikolai which we will learn more about in the NikPrice one-shot (still working on it, its gonna be so long 😭)

You guys get some stuff on Price's sister now that I've officially started building her (thank you therapist is laswell's wife anon)

Her name is Josephine Laswell (Price), she took Laswell's last name while they were married.

She's an on base therapist who typically does short term sessions with people, and usually they are sessions that the soldiers specifically sign up for, not ones they are forced into

However, Price knows that a lot of times therapists will just sign through the papers for the military members far too quickly, and he wanted to make sure Roach was okay so he asked his sister to take him on as a patient since he knew she would actually fully make sure he was okay before sending him back into the field.

She only goes by her first name on base, it was a request from both Price and Laswell who didn't want her getting caught up in their work if something happened. Because of that her name tags only ever say "Dr. Jo" or "Dr. Josephine"

Price calls her Josie as a nickname and Laswell calls her Pheenie as a nickname

Soap definitely doesn't tell his family when he brings Ghost and Roach home with him for the first time

Like he talks to his family at least once a week on a big family video call, and straight up sometimes Ghost and Roach will just be chilling in the background so they assume that Soap has told his family

Then they go home with him and meet them for the first time and Soap's mom is like "John why didn't you tell us you had boyfriends!!!"

Then its just a big jumble of Scottish words as the entire family start like jumping on Soap who is returning with just as much energy

Then suddenly it just stops and Mama MacTavish is like "anyways, you two both come inside its so nice to meet you, here let me give you a hug"

Also Roach definitely thinks he is the youngest out of their trio until Soap finally admits (gets caught) about lying about his age and Roach finds out that he and Soap are actually the same age and he legit gets so excited about it just because now when Soap tries to pull the "older and wiser" card he gets to throw it back in his face

Was thinking about Roach's first life again and particularly his childhood and thought I'd give some more on that plus a fun behind the scenes

When Roach thinks about that memory from when he was a child of his dad throwing him into the river, he remembers the location. A long dirt Roach through the woods leading to a little river with a bridge and highway above it

Fun facts, I actually used a place that my family used to go when I was younger as inspiration for the place. So the place where Roach got thrown into the river is technically real and exists in Arkansas lmao

I think Roach, in his first life, because he spend so much time trying to get out of his house to get away from his parents spent a lot of time in the woods around his house

Spending time in the woods meant getting use to all sorts of critters/creatures as well as getting good at spotting things like snakes so that he could avoid him

That being said he was definitely the type of southern kid/teen who would go outside for like five minutes then come back up to the house with a snake in one hand and a possum in the other lmao

He's never mentioned that he really isn't afraid of any animals to the 141 before

Jackson knows because he definitely watched Roach pick up enough random ass snakes/rats/whatever else during their time on Griggs squad. Point is, Roach has no fear

The 141 discover this bit by bit

They're tracking through the woods toward one of their objectives and suddenly Roach rushes forward and grabs Price, pulling him to a stop

The whole team are confused/lowkey annoyed until Roach steps forward and picks up the snake that Price was about to step on

A rat ends up running into the break room on base. Gaz freaks tf out and refuses to get off of the couch. Roach walks in and within like two minutes is carrying the rat outside in his hands

Just little things like this that the 141 eventually have to get used to because it's just part of Roach's charm lmao

Roach's first kiss in his first life was with the son of his church's homophobic ass preacher. They would sneak away from after church activities and into the woods to "hang out" which for two repressed teenage gays really just meant making out

Roach genuinely thought he was going to marry that guy and their relationship lasted until Roach decided he was going to leave. He asked him to leave with him

He said no because he was too afraid to tell his parents yet. Roach never held it against him, but their relationship ended and Roach never saw him again after he left

The same boy did exist in his new life, but Roach stayed clear of him because of Simon/the mental age difference

Currently, both Ghost and Price have both had glimpses of their first life through dreams

I've mentioned Jackson having struggles with sudden loud noises and flashes of light due to his first life, but I think he also has issues with planes/aircrafts because of the memory of the crash

Jackson is also a southern boy, thinking from like Louisiana. He can kinda turn his accent on and off, but most of the time it onlycomes out when he's passionate/in the middle of sex. He can also speak Louisiana French

Honestly my idea of what Jackson looks like changes every two seconds he's like a chameleon so he has like no in universe appearance yet dkfnfn

His sense of style however? Stylish man to say the least

Like somehow always looks put together, even in sweatpants and a tee shirt. It kinda pisses Gaz off sometimes, but most of the time he's just like "God damn my boyfriend is hot."

Headcanon that Gaz loves spicy foods and assumes that Jackson can't take any spice so he puts some in his food at one point to prank him

He's terrible surprised when Jackson just eats the food with no issue. Jackson has to be like "babe I've literally grown up eating Cajun food have you never had Cajun food" and then he makes Gaz something with a lot of spice and Gaz is the one who ends up not able to handle it sjfbjfndjdj

Cajun! Jackson my beloved

#thoughts with luke #you asked luke #something in the orange #gary roach sanderson #john soap mactavish #paul jackson #captain john price

[haljathefangirlcat]

And now, for something completely different... a few Inkheart headcanons, specifically about Smol Feral Trash Cat-Dog With A Knife. Così, de botto, senza senso, as we say here. Some I've picked up through the years by reading other people's headcanons or fic and then developed (if you can call any of this stuff "developed", lol) by building up on ideas I liked, others date back all the way to when I read the books in middle school.

I think it's safe to say that most of the fandom knows "basta!" means "enough!" or "stop!" in Italian. Which... yeah, pretty great name for the kind of violent criminal whose victims would be screaming that kind of thing, at least in a book series for kids. But, like other people who've spent probably too much time thinking about it at some point or another, I do like to imagine a more Watsonian explanation for it being a real, if surprisingly well-fitting, name rather than a nickname he earned during his time as a fire raiser. Mine actually hinges on the fact that, back in the day, before reliable contraceptives or safe abortifacients or even just the idea that there was nothing weird or bad about being married while not having children or sex or not being married at all, couples who ended up with more kids than they could feed would sometimes name the hopefully last one of them Ultimo or Ultima, meaning "last", as a sort of... auspicious name, if for a given definition of "auspicious." I've even heard a story (which, admittedly, might be a urban legend, as I've seen it mentioned in a few places but with no source) about a couple who called their last children Ultimo, Definitivo ("definitive, conclusive, final"), and Finiamola ("let's get it over with!", or "let's stop this!"), each time hoping the new kid would also be the very last... so, yeah. Long story short, I imagine Basta as the youngest child of poor parents living in a small, crowded house, who by the time of his birth were just about ready to say, "Enough with this! If we get another after this one, we'll just carry it into the woods and leave it there, and then it'll be up to whatever animal/fairy/kindly passerby to kill it or raise it!" I also like to think he actually has an older sister named Ultima, running around somewhere in the Inkworld... even if, for both obvious reasons and more headcanon-y ones, he hasn't kept in contact with anyone from his family ever since he officially joined Capricorn.

About the "more headcanon-y" reasons: I once read a fic (I thiiink it was on Fanfiction.net? Probably not AO3) where, as a boy, Basta killed his own father, an abusive drunkard, to prove his loyalty and ruthlessness to Capricorn. Needless to say, I loved it! And went on to incorporate part of it in my vision of Basta as a character. In my own headcanons, I'm not sure if I really see Basta's father or even both of his parents as that actively hateful or violent towards him (if only because I'm not quite sure if singling out just one boy among so many children in that way would quite work, realistically speaking about an in-universe Medieval-ish fantasy world... unless some of those many children died young due to hunger, illness, or simple lack of supervision. Again, in-universe Medieval-ish fantasy world) but as I love that bit in Inkheart where Fenoglio talks about Basta's unhappy childhood, how worthless he thought he was, and how easily he clung to Capricorn, I do picture him being severely neglected and receiving very little in the way of kindness or affection both inside and outside of his family. Perhaps being either dismissed or unfairly blamed for being the runt of the litter and not big and strong enough to help more around the house, or in the fields, or in whatever failing business his father might have owned, given how he's not exactly tall and physically imposing even as an adult? Anyway, I do find the idea of him being miserable in his early life and initially clinging to Capricorn as both a magnetic, irresistible symbol of what neither him nor anyone in his family ever had and his one real hope for money, power, and generally something better, then coming to see him as this godlike figure, as well as a new, better father he'd be willing to exchange his perhaps equally distant but much less impressive (and much less interested in finding some actual use for him) old one for (even at the cost of a very cold take on "out with the old, in with the new"), incredibly fascinating.

For something less dark, more crack unless you consider the implications: building up on the fact that yes I realize we're never given anyone's exact height in the books, no I won't get over the idea of him being essentially a pint-sized menace and Capricorn's very angry, very menacing chihuahua, it amuses me (way more than it should) to think that at some point, probably when he was still one of the youngest among Capricorn's men in the Inkworld or when he and Capricorn were on their own in our world, someone definitely tried dismissing him as a threat (maybe even by making fun of him) due to his height and build... only to immediately, sorely regret it.

Still on the possibly disturbing crack side of things: he makes a big show of hitting on women, particularly the maids in Capricorn's village, and there might actually be some desire under him just liking to pose as this Big Intimidating Man showing off his power by making women in an already inferior or subservient position to him squirm in discomfort... but if any of them should ever respond positively, even just in an attempt to get protection or some sort of special treatment out of him, he wouldn't know how to handle it. Like, it would temporarily short-circuit his brain. The closest he ever got to getting a woman to acknowledge his flirting in any significant way besides pulling back from him and reaching the nearest exit as fast as possible is probably that time a girl rejected him by telling him he had bad breath and then he killed her with snakes and resolved to chew mint leaves for the rest of his life because he's such a confident person. Even Roxane probably never exchanged more than five words (mostly to the effect of "get lost!" and "fuck you!" on her side) with him.

For the last one, a bittersweet one: Basta actually liked Fulvio, the black jacket who got read into One Thousand and One Nights in exchange for Farid. A lot of Capricorn's men did, really, but I like to picture Fulvio as a boy from our world, probably coming from a poor, dysfunctional home, that Basta in particular kind of took under his wing (as much as Basta could do that for anyone...) because he saw something of himself in him. This is, ofc, based on nothing but my hazy memories of reading the Italian translation of Inkheart, where I'm 90% sure a bunch of black jackets are ready to beat Mo to a pulp as soon as they notice Fulvio has disappeared and Basta himself gets all in Mo's face and tells him he will personally make him "pay dearly for Fulvio."

#inkheart #inkheart trilogy #inkheart basta #basta (inkheart)

[ablatheringblatherskite]

So I thought what if I tried assigning dæmons to some Wednesday characters

(Dæmons are from His Dark Materials and are basically manifestations of a person's soul in animal form that are basically lifelong companions. They're usually the opposite gender of their humans (idk why but same sex dæmon/human pairs do exist, they're just rare), and you can't go too far from them (unless you're a witch) without either dying or severing from your dæmon (this CAN happen under very specific circumstances, like with the right technology for example), but it's DEFINITELY TRAUMATIC. And I need to highlight that THAT IT IS NOT OKAY TO TOUCH ANOTHER PERSON'S DÆMON WITHOUT CONSENT. Touching another person's dæmon is literally taboo. It's revolting, evil, and it's assault of the highest degree basically. The most common times this happens is during moments of heightened emotions, either in like battle, or behind bedroom doors (like the exception to this rule is between you and your lover. THAT'S beautiful, cause that's like, the deepest intimacy you could ever achieve, touching your lover's SOUL)

The bond between you and your dæmon is absolutely sacred, and you can talk with them, they support you and guide you how they can, you keep each other company, you grow together, and as a child you play together too.

And as a kid, until a certain age (it's different for everyone but it's typically between 10 to 18, but much more common in between that), your dæmon can change animals (symbolism of how your personality is still developing and stuff from what I understand), and when you reach a certain age and "officially grow up", in a sense, your dæmon settles into one animal forever (that is, yes, a reflection of who you are))

This is gonna be fun :DDD

Wednesday's dæmon is a magpie, named Alistair

I can easily imagine that Alistair would be the only one who can actually reason with her LOL

Also I'm imagining this really tense scene where Tyler and Alistair are staring at each other, and Alistair steps closer to his hand that's resting on the table, as if he's trying to touch him, and Wednesday notices, freaks out, and immediately scolds him about it. Like this moment would practically prove to him that Wednesday has feelings for him..!!!!

She also probably settled pretty early, like, at ten years old. Idk it makes sense to me that she'd already know who she is and settle earlier than most kids.

Tyler's dæmon is a golden retriever named Nyla

I know I'm a horrible person for this but if they had dæmons, Laurel Gates would almost for sure touch his... like, maybe especially when he's shackled in the cave, where he can't reach them. I'm revolted thinking about it...

Oh my gosh what if that's how Gates unlocks him? By touching Nyla... and THEN pulling them apart while he's shackled? Because Hydes can be unlocked through traumatic events, right? OH MY GOSHJWJDJWJDHWD. Like, maybe the Hyde still isn't coming out, so Gates, in a moment of madness and frustration, starts dragging Nyla away from him, and he's literally screaming from the sheer pain of it, pulling against the shackles to try to get to her, then he FINALLY transforms into the Hyde, saving both their lives but also severing them. Which would mean they can separate now, but at WHAT COST?

But this would explain why Wednesday wouldn't be able to identify he's the monster, because if there was a golden retriever running alongside the Hyde, Wednesday would've easily been able to identify that the Hyde was Tyler LOL. Maybe that's how it'd work in this universe generally tho, Hydes' dæmons get severed from them the moment the Hyde is unlocked.

But imagine Tyler and Nyla having to pretend nothing's wrong and taking extra care neither of them stray too far from each other, or else someone might suspect something. AAAAAAAA-

But uh other than that depressing stuff, I think Tyler and Nyla would find a lot of comfort and solace in each other. Like, they're literally all they have. Like, nights just cuddling with each other for comfort. Even when they're trapped in the cave and Laurel leaves them there, Nyla breaks out of the cage Laurel put her in and goes up to Tyler to try to give him some warmth.

Yes don't worry, even when you're severed, if you survive, you still have a connection with your dæmon, it's just never the same.

Enid's dæmon is an Arctic Hare named Amiel

I'm thinking since Enid wolfed out late, Amiel settled late, too. Maybe werewolves only settle when they wolf out 🤔 and maybe their dæmons merge with them when they wolf out, just because I think it'd be wildly inconvenient to have ur dæmons running after you in werewolf form LOL

AWWW I can imagine that, after wolfing out, Amiel immediately runs to her and presses his forehead against hers. And when Enid and Amiel are going back to the school, she's like, carrying him. And when Ajax runs to her and comforts her, he leaps from her arms and towards HIS dæmon and presses THEIR foreheads together AWWWW WHRUWHHRE

Ajax's dæmon is a curly tailed lizard named Ariadne

I just feel like they'd both be very chill LOL. I can imagine her chilling on Ajax's head while waiting for him to de-stone.

Also imagine Ariadne and Amiel cuddling when Ajax and Enid are having a moment together. Like THAT'S CUTE. Imagine... imagine... them being alone together in Enid's and Wednesday's room and them touching each others' dæmons for the first time aaaa wjdjwjdjje

Bianca's dæmon is a capuchin monkey named Aimone

They look like they're judging someone very intensely LMAOO

Idk I feel like Aimone will be this cool, intimidating dæmon sitting on Bianca's shoulder and looking down on everyone else.

And last but not least, Xavier's dæmon is a cobra, named Ophelia

In the description I found of cobra dæmons, the description that stood out to me the most was "just a touch dramatic", which Xavier definitely is HAHAHAHA. But I love the image of Ophelia chilling in his sleeve, watching him draw.

Also Xavier's parents' dæmons would totally name his dæmon after Ophelia Hall LOL

Final thoughts

Idk if Enid would be the only one out of the six of them that hadn't settled yet, but I honestly don't know who wouldn't be, cause they all seem to already have a decent idea of who they are. I'd assume Eugene isn't settled yet either, tho, and maybe not Pugsley yet either.

Dæmons also constantly mirror what their humans are doing and reveals more about the interaction of the humans. Like, if there are people having a romantic interaction, the dæmons might start nuzzling each other. If they're arguing, the dæmons might be growling or cawing or hissing and just getting angry at each other. Like, that scene where Lucas, Carter and Jonah harass Wednesday. All their dæmons would be staring each other DOWN. And when Wednesday and Tyler first kiss, their dæmons were probably gently going to each other and started nuzzling each other lovingly. AAAAAAUGHHH

Also Laurel Gates would definitely be the kind of person to make her dæmon attack other people's dæmons (this usually causes pain to the dæmon's human, but not the same as if she actually hurt Nyla herself). Like she probably did that to Tyler when she was first dragging him to that cave to unlock him. She probably also punishes him by hurting Nyla (or... NO, making Tyler hurt her... NOOOO). She probably also does this to Wednesday in Crackstone's crypt or something. But Wednesday would definitely do this back to her (and maybe to other people too?? Like, people who mess with the people she cares about?? idk tho)

(what if... and I'm completely making this up now this is NOT canon to the dæmon lore of his dark materials AT ALL... but what if just before Tyler is severed from Nyla, because of the Hyde changing his personality, he unsettles?? Or does the Hyde have his own dæmon that makes Nyla shift into its own animal when he takes over in Tyler's body??? idk I'm just rambling at this point I don't even know what I'm saying)

Should I... should I write a fanfic of this universe. I actually might. The potential this has!!!

Anyway lastly here is a nice compilation of dæmon moments from the His Dark Materials show!!!

(Will reblog and add thoughts if I have any more :DD)

#wednesday #netflix's wednesday #wednesday netflix #his dark materials #hdm #dæmon au #wednesday addams #tyler galpin #enid sinclair #ajax petropolus #bianca barclay #xavier thorpe #wyler #weyler #enjax #petroclair #petriclair #Youtube #asterrisks

[myownau]

We’re a Family

Summary: part 2 of Alone Tonight. Robin returns from Europe

The Party has one last get together before the baby arrives

And the happy couple have a baby break.

Authors Note: When I wrote ‘Alone Tonight’ I intended for it to be a one shot. But to be embarrassingly honest, I realized after I posted it that I had totally forgotten about Robin! How could I forget about Steve’s platonic soulmate???

So this story was written to rectify that, and then for some reason I just didn’t stooop typing. So please enjoy this part 2! There will almost definitely not be any more parts. The end is wrapped up pretty completely so if there’s ever another part (don’t get your hopes up) it’ll just be a bonus story like the one at the very end. Haha.

The Ao3 link is pinned on page if you’d rather read it there or want to follow the series IF I ever do write more for this universe lol!

I also just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the positive feedback, the likes, and the reblogs. It means so much to me. I am so grateful to you all. I love this fandom. ❤️

“Are you sure I look okay?” You’re stood by the front door, wearing your favorite casual maternity dress. Bright yellow sunflowers adorning every inch of the soft fabric.

Steve comes out from the kitchen and looks you up and down with the biggest smile on his face. “Baby, stop it, you look gorgeous. It’s taking everything in me not to ravish you right here and now.”

You grab his arms and pull him as close as you can get with your giant baby bump pressed between you. “I’m serious Stevie. I’m so nervous.”

He pulls back and looks into your eyes, cupping your face with both hands, “What is there to be nervous about, Sweetheart? She’s going to love you.”

“But what if she doesn’t? What if she hates me. I know how close you two are, I know you’ll leave me if she doesn’t give me the seal of approval.”

Steve huffs a laugh. He leans in and kisses your nose. Your face scrunches up in a deep frown. “Luckily, you won’t have to worry about that, because she’s. going. to. love. you.” He kisses you softly on the lips, just a sweet bit of reassurance. “Plus, she practically loves you already. She would’ve protested the wedding if she didn’t.”

“Prot- what do you mean?”

“Well, I mean it’s not like I haven’t talked to her the whole time she’s been away. I wrote to her about you like 10 times just in the first week we met. And like you said about approval and all that… I mean we wouldn’t have been engaged, let alone married without her giving the okay.”

You playfully slap him in the arm, “what the heck Steven.”

“Oh come on, not my government name.”

You sigh deeply, “Alright well, I guess I feel a little bit better then.” You think for a moment in silence, “wait, you didn’t tell her about the whole reason we spent the night together did you?”

He grimaces, eyes scrunched up tight, “I mean I didn’t not tell her.”

“Oh my gosh-“ you grab the doorknob and charge out of the front door, “you swore you wouldn’t tell anyone.” You’re whining all the way down to the car, Steve following close behind you.

“I know baby, but Robins not just anybody.” Before you can get in the car he grabs you from behind and pulls you close to his chest. “She’s my platonic soulmate. I pretty much have to tell her everything ever or else one of us will die.”

“Mmm” you purse your lips “that’s a little over dramatic. But. It’s already out there so. As long as she doesn’t like blab to anyone else about it, or brings it up at all really, I think we’ll be okay.”

He kisses the top of your head and let’s go of you so he can open the door for you. The laugh that leaves his mouth is a little uneasy. “Yeah yeah, should be fine.”

—

The diner is fairly empty for a Friday night. You can’t help but smile as you remember the first time Steve brought you here. It was your first official date, just a couple days after what was meant to be a one night stand. He’d called the Byers-Hopper residence asking for you, when Will answered the phone. He’d wiggled his eyebrows at you as he handed you the phone, a little smirk on his face. That very night he’d brought you here and the rest was history.

“What’re you thinking of getting this time?” Steve asked, flipping through the greasy menu.

“Well,” you sighed, rubbing your stomach in wide circles, “Eddie really wants a strawberry milkshake. And a greasy bacon cheese burger. And fries. And mozzarella sticks. And a pickle. And-“

“Geez, sweetheart. Eddie wants a lot tonight huh?” He laughed, patting your leg under the table.

“I’ll be happy when these pregnancy cravings are gone. And when I’m, yanno, not pregnant anymore.”

He looks up at you, concern in his eyes. “I thought you liked being pregnant?”

“I do baby, I do. But once you hit 8 months it’s like. A lot. He’s so heavy, and my crotch hurts like all the time. And I can’t breath. And I feel like my stomachs going to explode sometimes. And Eddie keeps like kicking me… like for real, I thought he broke a rib last week.” You take a deep breath, “it’s just like a lot now, we’re so close to the finish line I’m just ready to evict the tenant yanno?”

“I’m sorry my love,” he kisses your cheek tenderly, “if I could do the last month for you I would.”

“I know you would, handsome. You’re so good to me.” You close the gap between your faces and kiss him deeply. He puts his arm around you to bring you closer to him in the tight booth.

“Gross.” You hear from behind you.

“Robin!” Steve exclaims. You scoot out of the booth as quickly as you can, Steve helping you with a hand on your lower back.

“Um, hi, Robin” you put your hand out to shake hers, “it’s so nice to meet you, I’ve heard so much about you!” Robin slaps your hand out of the way and brings you in for, what would be a crushing hug, if not for your belly.

“Not as much as I’ve heard about you, probably heard way too much about you honestly. But that’s okay because you make Dingus happy and that makes me happy. Seriously, very cool to meet you. Geez you’re huge.” Robin, you learn, is a rambler. Which you instantly love because you can be too. “How far along are you now?”

“8 months. Ready to pop this baby out already.”

“Bet Steve hasn’t been able to keep his hands off of you.” Robin smirks.

“You have no idea” you bit your lip, rubbing your tummy, “thought our sex life was wild before-”

“Gross,” she laughs lightly and clears her throat. “And you’re uh, you’re really naming him Eddie?” She asks, eyes a bit glossy.

“Yeah,” you smile down at your tummy, “Edward William”

“William? After Will?”

“Not- not exactly. Well, I mean yes and no.”

“Oh no, please tell me that’s not because of Billy?” She looks up at Steve who in turn puts his hands up in a defensive position and shrugs.

“Yeah. Well. I mean, I heard what a douche he was but- I’ve also heard about yanno- all the stuff that happened to you guys and- well he saved my sisters life.” You pause and look over at Steve and then back to Robins curious eyes. “I never even would’ve met Jane if not for Billy. And from what it sounds like, this whole town and even the world wouldn’t have made it without Jane so. Domino effect and all that. Felt like- well it felt like he deserved a bit of a tribute too, yanno?”

“Yeah, yeah you’re right.” She pats your arm. When she turns to look at Steve it seems like he can’t take it anymore, he’s bursting at the seems to be close to his platonic soulmate. He moves in on Robin in an instant and swoops her up in his arms, spinning her around in a bear hug. “Missed you, can’t believe you left me all alone for 5 years. Come on and sit. Tell us about Europe.”

“Well it’s not like I left to just travel the world without reason. I was studying abroad!” She scoots into the booth across from you, ”Education and all that.”

“Whatever man, there’s colleges here, you abandoned me but that’s fine. Yanno, whatever, missed my wedding but that’s fine I guess.”

“Shut up” she laughed “at least I’ll be here for the birth of your child. I know that’s most important to you. Six little nuggets.”

“Yeah, that’s true.” He smiles over at you. “Okay, enough about us, let’s hear about all the trouble you got up to.”

“Alright alright fine… so, it’s one of my first nights in Paris and as I’m walking by this cafe I notice this girl staring at me from the balcony-“

—

Jonathan and Nancy’s house was the new hub for the Party. With everyone having moved out of their respective childhood homes, and some having moved out of Hawkins completely. It made sense that their house was the best meeting place, when everyone was back in town.

Plus, it was bigger than yours and Steve’s small 2 bedroom starter home. Not that you didn’t have the money for something bigger. You were a renowned artist in Indiana at this point, selling several Photobooks and even having gallery events every couple of years where large canvases of your photos were sold to the elite of the state and elsewhere. You two were just, saving up. Steve really did want 6 little nuggets. And you were happy to have them, but you both wanted to make sure your future home was large enough to house such a large brood.

The Byers home was fairly large, not too big but the living room was definitely sizable. Looking around the Party, you think they might have purchased this particular house with them in mind. It was unbelievably sweet how close everyone was, it made you feel so warm. Especially to see how welcoming they had been of you too.

In fact, this whole gathering was technically, for you. Well, for you and Steve and the birth of your son. One last movie night before babysitters and extra planning would have to be involved. As well as the fact that Dustin and Suzie had flown in from Utah, specifically to be here for when Eddie arrived. Everyone was here, and that meant party time.

Nancy was pattering about the kitchen, emptying bags of popcorn into several large bowls. You waddled in behind her, gripping the counter for some extra support. “Hey Nance, can I help you with anything?”

She looked up at you and smiled, “No no, y/n, I’ve got it!”

You pull out a stool from the island in the center of the large kitchen and climb onto it. Struggling a little bit, your balance off and swollen ankles doing you no favors. “Alright I guess I’ll just sit here then, and watch you, while my hands do nothing.”

She laughs, rolling her eyes “Alright fine, here, you can put all the candy into these individual bowls.” Bringing over two brown paper bags full of candy and a stack of small bowls.

“Good grief, it’s like we’re feeding an army of small children.”

“We pretty much are,” she sighs as the timer goes off on the oven. She puts her oven mitts on and grabs the tray of chicken nuggets. Plopping them on the stove top.

“So,” you grab the first bag of candy and start pouring it into the porcelain bowl “Did you think Steve would be the first in the Party to have kids?”

“Yes. We all knew he would actually.”

“Oh? Even when he was single though? I mean, Dustin and Suzie were married first, then you and Jonathan and then Max and Lucas, and then me and Steve… were last, so far anyway.”

“Well that’s true” Nancy starts, grabbing her spatula and transferring the nuggets onto a serving platter. “But Steve’s the only one in the Party who just wholeheartedly couldn’t wait to be a parent.”

You’re smiling down at the bowls of candy in front of you. “He’s going to be an amazing father.”

“He is,” she agrees. “He was a great older brother to these kids growing up. You should’ve seen him. Especially with Dustin.”

“I wish I would’ve been around then. Hearing your stories, seeing the closeness between everyone. It’s so beautiful.” Your eyes well up with tears “You’re like a family, but like more than that even. I feel so blessed to even be allowed in.”

“Oh y/n are you okay?” Nancy rushes around the island over to your stool. She rubs your back as you start to cry.

“I’m fine I promise,” your chest heaving “it’s the hormones I swear.”

“You are our family y/n. And we are so happy to have you. You make Steve so happy, and you’re giving him a gift that he’s always wished for. If anyone’s blessed, it’s us.” She grabs your hands and helps you down off the stool, “why don’t you go to the bathroom and get cleaned up and I’ll meet you out in the living room with all the food okay?” You nod, realizing your mascara must’ve been running down your face.

—

The half bath is right across the hall from the living room. You could hear everyone chatting, laughing and catching up as you wipe your cheeks free of the dark streaks of watered down mascara. You’re not trying to eavesdrop, but with nothing else to focus on you end up listening in on Steve, Robin, and Jonathan’s conversation. Especially when it becomes clear they’re talking about you.

“Wait so how did you two meet again?” Robin asks.

“In the second semester of my first year, she was in my Lighting and Exposure class. We had to do a project with a partner and she just walked up to me and asked if I wanted to work with her.” Jonathan said with a nervous tremor. “I was a little hesitant at first but she wouldn’t really take no for an answer and I didn’t know anyone in the class so.”

“She is a stubborn one isn’t she?” Steve laughed.

“Yeah” Jon mused.

“And just like that you were friends?” Robin seemed a little skeptical that that was the end of the story.

“I mean yeah, we worked on the project together and learned we had a lot in common so we started hanging out more. Introduced her to Argyle after a while and yeah… we were inseparable after that I guess.”

Steve stayed quiet, you knew he was the jealous type. Like an excitable guard dog. Thankfully he wasn’t one to growl until it seemed like there truly was an intruder but the silence meant he was watching. Waiting. Protective of his little family.

He’d never been jealous of your friendship with Jonathan, even knowing how you used to feel about him. He knew you and Jonathan were still close. He seemed very secure in your relationship. But hearing about the time before him seemed to make him uncomfortable.

“So what about that semester when you and Nancy were broken up? You never thought about, like asking y/n out? Or were you never attracted to her that way?”

You almost burst out of the bathroom with that line of questioning. What the hell was Robin trying to do? But you were curious too, so you stayed as quiet as you could in the bathroom, ear practically pressed flush with the door.

“Uh” Jonathan coughed, “I guess I just always saw her as more of a sister.” Oh that stung.

“Damn. Poor girl never even had a chance with you.”

You froze. All the blood leaving your face.

“What do you mean? Never had a chan- she never, wait, did she say something-“

“Damnit Robin.” Steve sighed heavily.

Their voices seemed to fade, like Steve was dragging her away. “I said too much again, didn't I? I’m so sorry Steve, please don’t tell her. Oh my-“

—

You flushed the toilet and washed your hands, having spent too much time in the bathroom now to have just been wiping your face, or even just peeing. You were mortified. But you had to go out there like nothing was wrong, like you didn’t hear your husband's best friend expose you to your best friend.

You exited the bathroom to find everyone sitting down on the couches and piles of pillows on the floor. Steve was sitting near the center of the main sofa, Robin on one side and an empty spot for you on the other. You waddled over to the couch and slowly lowered yourself into the open seat. Exhaling in relief when he pulled your aching feet into his lap to rub them.

“Whiiiipped” Dustin whispered from the floor. Suzie slapped him hard in the chest “ow. Sorry geez.”

“I think it’s sweet Dusty, you’re not going to rub my feet when they start to swell?”

“Of course I will honey. I’ll do whatever you need to be comfortable.” He kisses her on the cheek.

“Now who’s whipped,” Steve mumbles.

You look down at the couple, confusion written on your face. You’re not sure if they realize what they have just confessed. “Suzie, are you..?”

She smiles wide and just nods. The whole room goes nuts with excitement and congratulations.

“That’s amazing Suz I’m so happy for you! Looks like we won't be the only parents in the Party for long.” You nudge Steve with your shoulder. He looks like he’s about to burst into tears. His first child, his little brother, about to be a parent himself. He couldn’t be more proud.

“Who's next?” You ask, looking around the room.

“Probably you again.” Mike laughs.

“Let me have this one first before even thinking about the next one Mike. Geez. Give my uterus a break.” You huff, “but damned if I don’t agree, it’s going to be me or Suzie again. Or there will be a long break and it’ll be Nancy.”

“That would be a very long break” she chuckles, “Jonathan and I agreed, no kids until I’m further in my career. Probably will be a long long time.”

“Whenever you’re ready! Don’t let anyone push you to have them sooner.”

“Did Steve push you to have one so soon?” Max asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

A devious smile creeped up your lips, “oh I didn’t have a choice, but it wasn’t because he pushed me into it, it’s because of his massive d-“

“PLEASE,” Will called out from beside Mike, “not again. I beg you. We’ve heard enough about Steve’s” he gestured wildly with his hands “stuff.”

You can’t help but laugh, Steve joining in, squeezing your ankle in the process. “I’m just joking. We made the choice together as a couple. We were just ready,” you look up into Steve’s warm loving eyes, “Steve’s always been ready, you all know that. So he waited patiently for me. But it didn’t take too long, obviously. I just couldn’t wait to have a little Steve running around.” He kisses you softly when you finish.

—

When the second movie ends, everyone gets up and stretches their legs. Some rushing to the bathroom, some grabbing the bowls of popcorn and candy, others cleaning up the trash. You’re still sitting on the couch, perks of being weighed down by a tiny human, when Jonathan approaches.

He rubs the back of his neck, tremor in his voice as he says, “Hey y/n so I’ve got a project I’ve been working on, I’d like to show you now if that’s okay?”

“Sure,” you smile and offer both your hands to him “but you’ll have to get me up first.”

He grabs your hands and yanks you up out of the soft sofa. “When are you due again? Feel like you’ve been pregnant forever.”

“Me too. Due date is a week from now but the doctor said it could be any day now.” He leads you up the stairs to the second floor where he’s converted one of the spare bedrooms into his own little darkroom.

The window in the room is completely blacked out. Covered by a piece of plywood painted black. No light getting through, it’s perfectly snug. He flips on a light and the red bulb flickers to life in the middle of the room. You waddle in, taking in the scenery as your eyes adjust to the darkness. He shuts the door behind you. In the dark it’s almost impossible to see where he is. The red light not much help.

“This is amazing Jonathan. Now we won’t have to drag everything to and from the Arts center anymore.”

“Yeah,” he huffs a laugh “I figured that would be a lot more difficult now, with the baby and everything.”

“You.. didn’t do this for me… did you?”

“No, well” he takes a deep breath, “not just for you. I did it for us.”

“Oh”

“Not like that,” he rubs his hand across his face, “I mean like, shit. I just meant that I knew you’d have a hard time dragging a baby to the Arts center and well, I wouldn’t want to go without you and knowing that you weren’t there because you couldn’t go. Not because you didn’t want to be there. And you’re my best friend and I want you to be happy. I want to be able to still see you and do the thing we love, together.”

“Jonathan,” you find him in the darkness, giving his arm a squeeze “that’s so sweet. Thank you. This means a lot.”

“Of course.” He clears his throat, “I did uh, I did want to ask you about something though.”

Your heart drops to your stomach. You knew what he was going to ask about. You’d hoped maybe he’d just forget about it though. “Sure” you whisper.

“I was talking to Robin earlier and she said something that confused me.”

“Sounds like Robin” a nervous giggle choking out of you. You cough awkwardly into your fist and wait. Leaning on the table next to you.

Jonathan mimics you in the dark, leaning his hip against the table and placing his hand flat against it. “You never like, had a thing for me…did you?”

You breathed out a heavy sigh. Weighing the pros and cons in your head. If you lied to him you would always have this pressure on your chest. You never lied to him, he was the closest person to you, after Steve of course. But would it ruin your friendship if you told him the truth?

You knew there wasn’t really a point in weighing your options. There was only one really choice here. You were always going to be honest with him. “Yeah. Yeah I did have a thing for you. Of course I did.” Your laugh was breathy, full of nerves. You weren’t ready to lose your best friend. Your family.

“Why didn’t you ever say anything?” He inched his fingers towards yours on the table. Barely brushing against your fingertips.

“Well, I thought I was dropping hints there for a while but you never really picked up on them I guess? And then you and Nancy got back together so I just decided that you know. It doesn’t matter now.”

“Dropping hints? Y/n I’ve never known you to drop hints. You usually just say whatever you’re thinking. Bold and stubborn and loud.”

“Those don’t sound like compliments.”

“Trust me,” he slipped his hand over yours and squeezed. “They are.” He laughed a little under his breath, “I can’t believe you used to like me.”

“Jonathan” your chest was tight, “I didn’t just used to like you. I was in love with you.”

“You, you loved me?” He sounded so taken off guard. Like he didn't even think for a second that was a possibility.

“I did. Well, I still love you of course. Im just not IN love with you anymore. But it doesn’t matter now. And honestly, I’m so glad things turned out the way they did. You and Nancy are perfect for each other. And if it wasn’t for your wedding I never would have met the love of my life. And I wouldn’t be having this baby. And I wouldn’t take any of it back.” You took in a deep shuddering breath, “everything worked out exactly the way it was supposed to.”

He squeezed your hand again and let go, “You’re right. I wouldn’t change anything either. But I do wish I would’ve known. Maybe I could’ve made things easier on you. Pulled back on the PDA or something. Or maybe even introduced you to Steve sooner.”

“There’s no telling if I’d be with Steve now if I’d met him sooner. We only went home together because we were both sad about the people we loved getting married…”

“Oh come on y/n” you heard a voice muffled from outside the door.

“Shit. Pretend I didn’t say that. Please please forget I said that.” You yelled back at Jonathan as you ran to leave through the dark room door.

“You heard everything huh” you said as you met Steve in the hallway.

“Yeah.” He looked down at his shoes. “Didn’t mean to eavesdrop or anything. Just came up to see if you were ready to go.”

“I’m sorry I spilled your secret. I was only trying to explain my side. Didn’t mean to throw you under the bus with me.”

He looked down at you, hand coming to your cheek, forehead pressing to yours. “It’s okay sweetheart. You said some really pretty things in there. And I want you to know that, I wouldn’t change a thing either.” He kisses you gently.

“I love you so much baby.” You whisper against his mouth.

“I love you too. More than anything.”

—

Edward William Harrington was born 2 days later. Ten fingers and ten toes. A full head of hair, thanks Steve. So so tiny. The most beautiful little thing you had ever laid eyes on.

Steve sat close next to you on the hospital bed, holding little Eddie in his arms. He hadn’t stopped silently crying since you’d handed the bundle over to him. You’d never seen the man happier than in this moment. “He’s perfect.” Steve whispered.

“He really is.”

“I should call my parents.”

Your face scrunched up, “I guess you should. You called Joyce and Hopper already right?”

“Yeah, yeah they’re in the waiting room. I’ll go get them, just- just want a few more minutes to admire our little guy before the chaos.”

“Okay, big boy. Take all the time you need.”

He leans down and kisses your forehead. “I’m just overwhelmed,” he takes a shuddering breath, laughing on the exhale “Didn’t think it was possible to be this happy.”

“Me either.” Your cheeks hurt from how hard you’re smiling, “Feels like a dream. Well, all this with you and the baby I mean. My vagina does not feel like a dream. It feels very much real.”

—

When Mr. and Mrs. Harrington arrive, you have your best fake smile plastered across your face. You hadn’t seen them since the baby shower and you didn’t want to see them now. But keeping up appearances was the Harrington way.

“Would you look at that.” Mrs. Harrington said, voice low as she walked over to the bed. “He is gorgeous.”

“He is isnt he?” Your rocking him lightly in the crook of your elbow. Watching as he sucks on his own lip.

“How was the labor?” She asked. And you looked straight up to Steve. His face instantly fell into a grimace. Knowing she’d walked right into this one.

You look up at her and smile, “well, it wasn’t too bad actually. Steve’s cock is roughly the size of a newborn baby so Eddie just kinda slipped right out.”

She snapped her head to look at Steve, anger written all over her face, “why do you let her talk to me this way?”

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose, hand on his hip. “I don’t control my wife, mom, she’s her own person. I don’t ‘let’ her do anything. She has free will.” He pauses and sighs, “and you did call her a whore at our baby shower.. so.”

“Well I don’t like her foul mouth.”

“Okay mom, well, it’s either put up with it or never see your grandson. What’ll it be?”

You smiled at her, all teeth when she looked back at you. “Fine.” she said through gritted teeth.

“I’ll try to clean up my mouth Mama Harrington. As long as you promise to be a good and kind grandparent, and remember your place. I am Eddie’s mother. I make the choices in how to raise him, as well as Steve. Not you.”

—

After your in-laws left, Steve put your sleeping baby boy in his little bassinet and sat back on the bed with you again. Kissing your hair and rubbing your shoulders. “I couldn’t have asked for a better husband.” You look up at him as he leans in to kiss you gently. “You’re always standing up for me. Even when I say the most disgusting things to your parents.”

“Well. I mean they deserve it.”

“I know, and that’s why I do it. A little payback for being such shitty parents to you.”

“I’m honestly so grateful for it. I’ve never had someone care for me the way you do. Can’t believe how lucky I got with you.”

“You’re gunna get lucky with me. Soon as that 6 week mark hits. Gunna get lucky with me a lot.”

Steve laughs, squeezing your shoulder “Oh I know it baby, Im looking forward to it.”

“This is going to be the longest time we’ve gone without having sex.”

“Mmhm, it’s gunna be hard to keep my hands off of my sexy wife.”

“Don’t worry big boy, I’ll still blow you.” You bite your lip as you slide your hand up his thigh. “We can’t have penetrative sex but no one said anything about me giving you oral.”

Steve swallows hard, “Shit sweetheart, that mouth is always trying to get me in trouble.”

“So you’re saying yes to the blow job?”

“Oh no no, baby I honestly think we’re going to be too tired to even think about all that once we get home,” He places his hand on your cheek and pulls your face to look up at him, “and I'm honestly not interested in any of that unless you’re also receiving.”

“Mm my sweet selfless man.”

“Well it’s not completely selfless, I get off to you getting off.”

“Ugh fuck, I’m going to drop this conversation right here. My crotch hurts too much to think of mutual gratification.”

Steve kisses you softly on the tip of your nose, “I know my love, get some rest okay?” He gets off the bed gently and sits in the recliner next to the bassinet, “might as well get some sleep while he’s sleeping.”

—

2 months later

Raising a newborn as sweet and quiet as Eddie was a joy. A blessing. A surprise to say the least. Motherhood came easy to you and fatherhood even easier to Steve. He was your whole world. But because of this, you and Steve had not had a second to yourselves.

“I swear Nancy, every single time I try and touch Steve in any way, Eddie starts crying. And I’m not complaining about taking care of my sweet little bundle of joy. He’s so easy to care for, but his timing is crazy.” You let out a deep sigh, hugging the phone closer to your ear “last night, I cuddled up against Steve not 5 minutes after laying Eddie down in his bassinet, and I’m thinking okay, okay here we go. I’m not kidding okay, the moment- the very second I kiss his neck, Eddie starts wailing. It’s like he has a little alarm in his brain for when mommy and daddy want to love on each other.”

Nancy laughs, “That does sound like a rather unfortunate dilemma.”

“It is, it really is. I was given the okay to resume marital activities two weeks ago and the farthest we’ve gone is kissing, no tongue, and a thigh grip.”

“A thigh grip? Who gripped who?”

“It was me, gripping myself because I’m deprived, but Eddie wouldn’t let me have that either.” You whine.

“How about you and Steve drop Eddie off here this weekend. Jon and I would love to watch that beautiful little angel baby.”

“Wait, are you sure? Oh Nancy, thank you. Please, yes.”

“Absolutely. We could use some practice anyway right?”

“Well you are welcome to practice with all of the kids we have until you have your own. Seriously, thank you.”

—

You’re staring down at your sweet little boy as you walk up the Byers residence. Admiring his thick brown hair, large dark eyes, and sweet little button nose. He’s looking up at you from the crook of your elbow and cooing.

The closer you get to the door, the more anxious you start to feel. You’ve never been away from Eddie for longer than 30 minutes, and that was just to shower. He was always in the same room as you, or one room over.

“Are you okay, baby?” Steve asks as you reach the door. He puts his hand on the small of your back.

You feel a tear slip down your cheek, “Yeah, yeah I’m just- I’ve never been away from him. I’m scared to leave him. What if something happens while we’re away and he gets hurt or sick and I won’t be there to take care of him.”

“Oh honey,” he wipes the tear from your cheek and pulls your head to lean on his shoulder, little Eddie cooing between you. “He will be perfectly fine. Nancy and Jon are going to take such good care of him. I trust them with my life, I know they will do everything in their power to keep our boy safe. I know they will.”

You nod, sniffling lightly. “Okay. You’re right. I know you’re right.”

You reach out and ring the doorbell. In less than 30 seconds Jonathan is there swinging the door open with the dopiest smile you’ve ever seen on him. “Hey!! Let me have him!!” Jon extends his arms out, making grabby hands.

He looks so happy you can’t help but hand the baby right over to him. Just like that the anxious feeling disappears, you know he’s in safe and loving arms.

“Hey Eddie,” Jonathan rocks him gently, “it’s me, Uncle Jonathan. Do you remember me? From the hospital?” Eddie’s little hand grips onto Jonathan’s finger, he squeals and flails his little arms.

“Thank you for doing this Jon,” you pat his arm, moving around him in the doorway to step into the foyer. “It means a lot to us.”

Steve puts the diaper bag down on the entryway table. “This is everything you’ll need. Y/n pumped enough milk for 2 days so you should have plenty. He’s not used to the bottle nipple so it might take a few tries to get him to drink from it. But otherwise, he’s super easy. He just eats and sleeps and does his cute little baby noises right now.”

“If he gives you any trouble, Mom said to just call her and she’ll come right over. I know you won’t though. But maybe just let Mom come over anyway, she’s been coming over like twice a week but I wouldn’t let her this week so she’s probably itching for a visit.”

Jonathan breathes a laugh, “Alright sounds good. Thanks for trusting us guys. We’ve really been looking forward to having this little one in the house.”

Steve squeezes your hip, wrapping his arm around you and pulling you close “alright I think that’s our cue to leave.”

You look down at Eddie in Jonathan’s arms. He’s started to blink slowly, falling asleep as you watch him. “Bye bye my love,” you whisper, leaning down to kiss his forehead, “be good for your uncle.”

When you move out of the way, Steve leans in to kiss him too, smoothing his hair from his forehead with his thumb. When he looks back at you, his eyes are glassy. You grab his hand and squeeze it.

“Have fun you two!” Jonathan calls as you walk out the front door.

Once you're both buckled into the car Steve looks over at you and clears his throat, “So- uh, when did you start calling Joyce mom?”

“Oh well, I guess it started just recently.” You smooth your hands over your soft blue dress. “She’s been a mother figure to me for years now, as you know. But with her coming over all the time now and calling Eddie her first grandchild, well, she is my mom. Yanno? And she is Eddie’s grandma and I don’t know. It just feels right to call her mom.”

Steve reaches out to you, grabbing your hand and squeezing your fingers gently, “That makes me really happy sweetheart.”

—

The hotel room is almost as nice as the room you stayed in for your honeymoon. You’d decided to stay in a hotel rather than going back to the house, because the house would just remind you of Eddie. And that would just lead to missing your baby. This was a little escape. A chance to spend uninterrupted time with your husband.

You're stalking around, checking out the room when Steve sneaks up behind you and wraps you in a bear hug. “It’s so quiet in here” he murmurs into your neck.

“Mmm, it really is. No music, no sweet baby sounds, no creaking rocking chair.”

“It’s just you and me sweetheart.” Steve starts kissing a line down your neck and over your shoulder, pulling the soft neckline of your dress out of the way.

“Yeah? And what do you wanna do with me now that you’ve got me all to yourself?”

He turns you around in his arms so you’re face to face with him, immediately kissing you hard and licking into your mouth without resistance. “Fuck” you moan into his mouth.

“I’m going to make love to you slowly,” he whispers into your mouth, “but not until after I fuck you.”

You let out a pathetic sounding whimper, clenching your thighs at the thought, “Please baby yes, it’s been too long. Want you to ruin me.”

He picks you up by your waist and throws you onto the bed in the middle of the room, crawling over you. His fingertips trail slowly up the length of your thighs, pushing your dress up as he goes. Steve’s eyes are black with desire. He leans up over you and whispers in your ear as he grips your mound in one hand, “I'm gonna make you cum twice on my tongue and then I want you to cum on my cock, understood?”

You feel the slick of your arousal spilling from you. The combination of not having sex in months and Steve’s words have you writhing against his palm. “Yes, Daddy, I understand” you whimper.

“Fuck, good girl.” he moans, “so fucking wet for me already. Can feel you soaking through your little panties.”

“Missed you touching me, Stevie” you mewl, you can’t stop thrusting your hips into his hand “Missed your fingers, and your tongue.” He takes his hand off your clothed cunt and starts to pull your underwear down with two fingers. “Mmm, I miss your gorgeous cock. Seeing you in the shower just isn’t the same. Need you warm inside me.”

He huffs a breathless laugh, biting his lower lip, “You didn’t find me sexy while I helped you and our son bathing in the shower?”

“It was sexy in a different way baby, like in a wow I’m so lucky to have such a loving attentive husband- ah” your sentence is cut off by Steve’s hot mouth on your neck, sucking a biting a bruise on your pulse point, “fuck, mmm this is a very different kind of sexy.”

He licks up the column of your throat to your mouth and hovers just above your kiss swollen lips, “I know baby I’m just teasing you” he smiles, pressing a quick kiss to your waiting lips and sucking your bottom lip into his mouth.

“I don’t know how much teasing I can take, I’m close to bursting. And I know that’s not the teasing you were talking about but fuck you’re doing both right now.”

Steve snorts, “awww my poor little girl needs me huh?” He mocks.

“Yes Daddy I really do” his eyes roll to the back of his head and bucks gently into you involuntarily. “If you’re gunna make me cum twice on your tongue big boy, then you better get started cause I need your cock. I. Need. It. I can’t take anymore build up, I’ll run out of fluid.”

Steve laughs and moves his hand back down to your aching cunt. He runs two fingers through your folds, “You’re so fucking wet” he says, bringing his fingers to his mouth and sucking them clean. You arch your back, writhing beneath him.

“Please please I really can’t do teasing right now, I need you.”

“Okay okay” he bites his lip, “so do you want my tongue at all then or do you just want me to fuck you?”

“I want your tongue later, we have all night. I need your cock now. I’m literally creating a puddle, I don’t need any foreplay. Foreplay was the drive over here, the anticipation was foreplay. Let’s go cowboy, put your monster in my cave.”

“Yes ma’am” he leans in to kiss you deeply before getting up off the bed and chucking his pants and boxers off at lightning speed. You rip your comfortable cotton dress off and throw it to the floor.

“Oh fuck there he is,” you moan reaching for Steve with grabby hands.

He crawls over you again, placing himself gently between your open legs, “you miss me? I was only gone for a second.” He says starting a trail of kiss from your clavicle up to your neck.

“You I see you all the time, I missed him” you say reaching down and grabbing his cock, giving it a little stroke. He starts a laugh but it’s strangled, a breathy exhale replacing it. “I haven’t seen him in months.”

Steve sits up suddenly, grabbing your legs by the thighs and pulling you closer to him. Lining himself up with your entrance he smirks up at you, slapping your wet cunt with his member, still teasing. Your hands fly up to his toned biceps, nails digging into his skin, babbling incoherently. You’re lost in desperation, painfully aroused and waiting, begging him to just fuck you already.

He pushes the head of his cock in, ripping an obnoxious moan from you both. And that does it, that pushes the playfulness out of Steve, at last taking his task seriously. He throws your legs over the crook of his arms and leans back over you. Kissing you forcefully before thrusting in all at once. Your scream is muffled by his mouth, tears already welling in your eyes. The onslaught of pleasure is overwhelming. “You okay baby?” He checks in, seeing your tears, “I didn’t hurt you did I?”

“No, no, no it feels so good. You’re so fucking big. Please, please move.”

He starts in a slow rhythm, it definitely feels more like making love than fucking and it’s overwhelming. Steve is looking right into your eyes and you're looking back and it’s like you're staring into each other's souls. Tangled like pretzels in this beautiful hotel room, you’ve never felt so at peace. You place a hand gently on the side of his face, tracing his bottom lip with your thumb. “I love you so much.” You whisper.

He closes his eyes, pressing his forehead to yours “I love you too.” He whispers back between shallow breaths, “luckiest man in the world.”

You giggle at that, “Mm I don’t know about that, but I’ll take it.” You kiss him gently before wiggling your hips a little, meeting his slow thrusts. “I need more big boy, wanna feel more of you.”

He nods, concentration clear on his face as he picks up the pace. Thrusting harder and deeper and quicker. “Like that? Mm?”

“Yesyesyesyes” you whine, throwing your head back against the comforter, eyes squeezed shut. When you look up at him again, he drops one of your legs and places a big hand on your face. Playing with your lips with his thumb until you open wide enough to let him stuff it in your hot wet mouth. You suck on it immediately, knowing what he wants. He curses under his breath and thrusts once harder, your responding moan vibrating through his thumb.

He takes it out of your mouth and reaches down between you to rub quick circles on your clit. “F-Fuck, I’m gunna cum baby, I’m gunna cum.” You cry out.

“Already?” He chuckles.

“It’s been- ahh - it’s been months since anything has” you struggle to form words as your vision starts to blur around the edges. “Since I’ve-“

Steve shushes you gently keeping up the rhythm with his hips and thumb until you're quivering and squeezing him from the inside. A string of expletives escaping between pornagraphic moans, cumming hard on his cock.

“Need a break?” He asks as you come back down to earth, feeling exhausted already from cumming so hard.

“No, I don’t need a break. Keep going, don’t stop.”

“You sure you’re not overstimulated? Give me a color baby.” He punctuates by rocking his hips gently.

“Definitely overstimulated but I like it, green green green.”

“Okay,” smiles, grabbing a milk swollen breast in one hand and kneading it. He lowers his head and sucks your nipple into his mouth. You laugh, watching milk slip past his lips but he just moans as he releases you. “Think your legs will hold you up if you flip over?”

“Only one way to find out.” You say, letting him slip out of you before you roll over and lift your ass in the air.

“Gorgeous,” Steve mumbles to himself before slapping your ass with a flat palm, gripping the fatty flesh with his fingers and shaking it. You let out a little yelp. Your ass fat giggles with the movement. He takes a moment to ogle your weeping core, running a finger through your folds. Your breathing is getting heavier again, needing more, your hole feels so empty without him. You push back on your knees, letting him know you're desperate with using words.

He slides his right hand up your spine, and pushes your front down lower to the mattress. He pushes into you again, slowly this time. And before he’s even all the way in he’s wrapping your hair around his fist and pulling. “This what you wanted? Hm? Wanted me to fuck you like a dirty little slut?” Once he’s buried deep he starts thrusting at a brutal pace.

You’re looking at him upside down from where he’s pulling your hair, tears streaming down your face. “Yes,” you whimper, breathing hard.

He slaps your ass again, harder this time. “Yes what?”

“Yes Daddy.” You cry out. He leans over your back and kisses you bruisingly hard. And you're glad that your child is still an infant because you know you’re going to be covered in bruises when you go home and that would not be fun to explain.

He drags his teeth down your shoulder and bites hard. You can’t help but clench around him at the sensation. He moans openly, diving back into your skin to suck a bruise just under his bite mark. “Gunna mark you up so everyone knows who you belong to.”

His possessiveness brings heat to your face, blushing hard at your husbands words. You’ve been married for years and everyone knows how in love you two are but it still feels so good to hear it. “Yours Stevie. Always. All yours.”

He slows down his brutal pace just a bit, you think he must be getting close. “Gunna fill you up. Fuck my cum into you until your round again. Put another baby in you.”

“Yes. No wait no. Yes.” You’re babbling back. Hoping this is just dirty talk because you’re not ready for another one yet.

He lets go of your hair, reaching under you to rub your still healing belly, “My sexy ass wife.” His hand slowly slips from your stomach to your clit where he starts rubbing in fast tight circles. “Never once stopped being sexy. Want you all the time.”

Oh yeah he’s definitely close. And thankfully so are you. “Are you close, baby? Gunna fill me up?”

“Yeah, yeah, want you to cum first though.” He says, leaning back and aiming his cock straight into your g-spot. It startles a scream out of you. “Is that the spot? Mm?”

You nod quickly. “Ahh- yes yes that’s it I’m so close baby right there fuck fuck fuck.” Your lower belly feels so warm as you feel your orgasm building. You feel so close but also like you’re about to piss yourself, but you don’t care because heck, Steve’s seen worse. You completely let go, losing yourself in the sensation. Your sweaty bodies are working together, wet slapping and sloshing sounds filling the room. You can’t stop the constant onslaught of moaning as he digs his fingernails into your hips, pulling you as hard as he can against him. And suddenly, you feel yourself gushing around him harder than you ever thought possible. A spray of your cum shooting so hard from your core it forces his cock out, soaking the bed and his lower torso.

“Holy shit, holy shit, did you just squirt?” Steve asks, shocked. He pushes back into you, pulling your torso up against his, trying to not slip out with all the your arousal slicking him up. “Fuck baby, that was so hot. That was so fucking hot” he moans in your ear as he comes deep inside your pussy. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I know I said I wouldn’t but fuck that was so hot I had to.”

“It’s okay,” you laugh. He pulls out of you and you turn to kiss him. Your kisses are long and languid. Full of love and awe. “Didn’t know I could do that.”

“Obviously. But now that I know I’m going to keep aiming for it.”

“You better. Felt so good. I’m so tired now though.”

He lays you gently on your back against the pillows. “Sure you’re not ready for another baby? I won’t force it if you’re not ready yet.”

“Doc said I shouldn’t for at least a few more months.. but I think.. if it happens then, it was meant to be. I’m not saying we should start trying again, but if it takes then it takes. I’ve heard it’s harder to get pregnant while breastfeeding so just, don’t get your hopes up okay?”

“Okay, that’s fair. All of it. I love you. I love you and I love our family so much.”

“I love you too baby.” He kisses your nose. “Six little nuggets right?”

“6 little nuggets.” He agrees.

—

They did in fact, get pregnant on this mini vacation. With twins. And in the end, they had 8 little nuggets.

Eddie, Stephanie, Samantha, Robbie, Dustin James, Fernando (yes, after the ABBA song, thanks Steve), Harper Joyce, and Henry… hahaha just kidding.

The last of the bunch was Christina. But they called her Chrissy. She was born on a Friday, with all the love of her family around her. Steve and y/n looked down at her full of the same amount of love and awe they shared at each and every birth. And as they looked into each others eyes, sitting close as they were at the birth of their first born, they agreed that they were done and their family was complete.

“You’re getting a vasectomy, right?”

Steve laughed, kissing your cheek gently, “Yeah, it’s scheduled for Tuesday.”

“That’s great news.” You whimpered, a tear dropping down your face.

“Yeah, it’s going to knock my breeding kink down a notch though.”

“Well, we’ll have a lot of fun pretending at least. You can just cum inside me as much as you want without consequence.”

Steve took a sharp inhale, “you’re right.” He slid off of the bed, tenderly taking Chrissy from your arms and laying her in the bassinet. “I’m just going to pop to the bathroom for a second.”

“Noo not fair. I know what you’re going to do in there. You do this every tiiime. You can’t turn us both on and expect me to not be jealous.”

“Sorry baby,” he smirked, kissing your cheek before heading towards the ensuite toilet. “Your parents said they’ll be here soon with Eddie and the twins so, just think about that.”

“What about Will and Mike? I thought they were going to introduce us to Amara today?”

“Well, Will said he didn’t want to take away from Chrissy. He said he’ll bring her over next week.”

“And what did Mike say?”

He runs a hand through his hair, other hand on his hip, “Mike said and I quote ‘We finally adopt a little girl after trying for 5 years and you’re saying you don’t want to make the birth of their eighth child less special?”

“Classic.” You laugh, “he is kind of right though, Chris won’t remember this, she doesn’t care. But I’m dying to meet their daughter.”

“I said the same thing but, it’s fine we’ll meet her next week. In the meantime I’m going to go take care of business.”

“Yeah yeah. Asshole. I love you.”

“I love you too, y/n.” He said as he closed the door.

—

Bonus side story

Taking place a few weeks after the mini vacay

Jonathan opens the door quickly, wide grin on his face as he takes your extra bags and sets them down on the entryway table. Eddie is sleeping in the car seat and you set him down gently on the floor next to the table.

“Good to see you as always Johnny boy.” You bring him in for a tight hug.

“You as well y/n.” He pats your back gently before pulling away. “Ready to develop some film?”

“You know it! I’ve got some hot pictures and I’ve been itching to see how they turned out. And some cute ones of course of my precious little angel baby.”

Jon rubs the back of his neck nervously, “Hopefully not too hot, don’t know if you’d want me in the room for those.”

“If they’re too hot I’ll send you out of the room, how about that?”

“I guess so” he chuckles.

“Not like you’ve never seen me naked before, remember that time when you, me, and Argyle went on the field trip to Malibu? We all got really high and Argyle dared us to skinny dip in the ocean and-“

“Yes yes shhh” he put his hand over your mouth “Nancy doesn’t know about that.” He whispers.

“Nothing even happened though,” you smirk, slapping his arm “well, not between you and me anyway.” You wink at him, turning on your heels to pick up the car seat and head up the stairs. “Have you heard from Argyle lately? I miss him.”

“Uh yeah, I heard from him a couple weeks ago. Said he finally finished the paper work for the franchise in West Covina… what do you mean nothing happened with us but… did something happen with you and Argyle?”

You stop just before the dark room door, placing Eddie just behind you. “Well, I mean yeah… you had just gotten back together with Nancy and I mean now you know I was kinda in love with you then so I don’t feel bad saying that well… I don’t know, Argyle was a little sad too about that. I mean not that.” You look down at your feet, sweat beading at your neck, “ANYWAY, yeah. After you went back to the hotel room we slept together, on the beach. Not slept but you know. We had sex.”

“Wow. I had no idea you had a one night stand with our college best friend.”

You cough into your hand, “Yeah. Yeah. It wasn’t quite a one night stand. That was the first time though.”

“Y/N…”

“What?? I was lonely and so was he and just kinda found some peace in each others bodies a few times. A lot of times. These words sound like deja vu but the experiences were totally different.”

“Wha.. how many…f-for how long?”

“Jon come on, it’s not a big deal. It was only like maybe 50 or so times in like the span of a month.”

He pinch’s the bridge of his nose, hand on his hip looking like a perfect mimicry of your husbands mom pose. “And you never thought to tell me?”

“Why would I? It wasn’t serious, we never got past regular friendship feelings and it didn’t last that long so, thought it was best to not bring it up.”

“Well, I mean okay. It’s just weird to me because of how much you talk about your sex life with Steve.”

“That’s different, Steve is the romantic love of my life. And I love Argyle but not like that. I’m not going to talk openly about a friends with benefits situation no matter how much it rocked my world.” You wink.

He lets out a deep sigh, “Alright, well. I now know too much about too many of my friends.”

“Oh come on I barely even said anything about Argyle. He was good though, really really good. You should’ve given him a chance.”

“What??”

Your eyes widen, “Nothing, let’s develop these nudes shall we?”

“Yeah.. yeah okay. Let me see if Nancy can watch Eddie for a bit.”

“She can and she will” Nancy says, coming out of their bedroom. She bends over Eddie’s care seat and unbuckles him, pulling him out and pressing him into her chest. “I always had a feeling Argyle had a crush on you.” She said as she turned back towards her bedroom.

“What??” Jon exclaimed looking at her back as she walked away.

“Man you really are oblivious.” You laugh, opening the darkroom door. “Or just really blinded by your love for Nance.”

“Yeah let’s go with that.”

“I think that’s beautiful, Jon. So blinded by love you don’t even notice anyone else’s interest.”

You can’t see it in the dark of the room but you know he’s blushing.

“Also, please don’t tell Argyle I accidentally hinted at his crush. Man, we are really bad at keeping secrets in this group.”

“Yes it would seem we are.” He agrees, beginning his developing process.

“I think I’m pregnant.”

You hear a clatter, like metal and paper and plastic falling to the ground along with a human like thud.

“Are you okay?? What happened?” You call out, arms reaching out in the dark.

“I’m okay,” he chokes. “Again?”

#aloneagainparttwo #steve harrington #steve stranger things #steve x y/n #steve harrington x y/n smut #steve harrington x you #steve Harrington x y/n

[whatudowhennooneseesyou]

i saw your discussion post about hypersexualization and i wanted to give my two cents on it since it sounded interesting and ive had this internal conversation with myself on the ethics of it.

going on anon but the only necessary things to know about myself are that:

1) i write and draw fanart of these people that are both sfw and nsfw

2) im somewhere in the aromantic-asexual spectrum

in an objective sense, these idols and artists are definitely being hypersexualized by many fans. there are many who thirst, who definitely try and chase to see the idols in more skin and tight fitting clothes not just for the aesthetic appeal but also because it satiates an inner sexual desire. imho this isnt limited to kpop since celebrities of different backgrounds and industries get similar treatment (exhibit a: pedro pascal) but to be very real, its super prominent in kpop.

i find that bit unfortunate. whenever i consume official content from the kpop artists that i love and admire, i always try to consume them in ethical ways and i always want to humanize them. thats why i always think twice when i buy merchandise directly from stores because im very critical about capitalism and consumerism (im not getting into that now though lol). i genuinely only think that its a real danger or that lines are being crossed when these fantasies are trying to be realized or brought to light in front of the artist. thats why i cringe at fanservice and adjacent things: youre pushing your y/n fantasies on the artist when i feel like you should know if theyre even comfortable about it first. :/

where the lines start to blur is when we talk about rpf (real person fiction) ethics. i personally engage in rpf and even rpf nsfw, which probably should contradict what i just said earlier: i think its a little more different than that. whenever im in these spaces, its like a switch turns because at this point, i dont see any of the “idols” as the artists, but instead i see these as characters based on their onstage personas. does that make sense? for example, if im reading mingi smut, i see the “mingi” in this story as a completely separate entity from kpop boy group rapper song mingi from real life, and this “mingi” is instead a character who shares his name and onstage traits but is altered in many ways. in the same vein, i feel less comfortable reading idol!aus because it seems too grounded in reality when i generally mentally and emotionally separate the two things. these characters in my head and personal interpretation of the fics and art that i create and consume are just versions of the personas and characters that these idols play up onstage. honestly, lets face it—mingi in ateez’s lore universe is a character and not a true reflection of mingi, so in the same vein, the versions of mingi that i write and draw about are characters who are explicitly not reflections of how i see mingi in real life.

thats why in concerts and fanmeetings, no matter how close i am to interacting with these people, i never behave out of my limits as a fan. i always separate fandom or at least this subset of fandom from its source aka real life. i read a quote somewhere where an artist commented on fanfiction (i cant for the life of me remember who said this, i think hes from a rock band, oh my god im so sorry) where he said something along the lines of “its not something i should see since its not made for me, its made by fans for my fans.” that quote stuck with me becauss, even if other artists such as kpop idols may perceive this differently and may not be as comfortable with fanfiction and such, the objective point stands that this should be “from fans for fans,” and not “from fans for the artists and their fans to actually get together and smooch.”

sorry this is long! just wanted to chime in. have a nice day :)

Hey, im just about to go to bed so I can't give a detailed response to this but the points you make are very valid and I'm grateful that you sent posted this in.

I'm going to pop a pin in this and then can you just sent through again on the 1st of May so I can add it to the discussion?

Thank you, and if you want to DM about this. That's okay too.

#whatudowhennooneseesyou anon asks #whatudowhennooneseesyou answered asks

[persephoneflowerpetals]

In some sources, Meg is the daughter of Creon who was the uncle of infamous Oedipus in other word mythology wise Meg had to see her family drama on display. But in real mythology, Meg was a princess ad if they kept her a princess she could have been a Disney Princess or at least B-List Disney princess. Just to keep it in the source I like to think her father is still Creon but no he's not a king.

Right! I was just talking about that in the one ask about Cassandra’s royal origins lol!

I didn’t know about that first one thought lol, but yeah, Megara would’ve made an awesome Disney princess, but I guess with her being an anti-heroine she’s doesn’t qualify (plus Hercules just doesn’t get a lot of rep by Disney, thankfully because of the 25th anniversary last year they’ve been bringing it back a little and putting Hades on more villains merch since he’s a fan favorite. I’ve also noticed the movie getting more popular these days so we’re getting there in terms of getting more Hercules related stuff from Disney lol). House of Mouse really missed the opportunity to use Meg as a Disney princess joke, like her hanging with the princesses and they’re all like:

Snow White: I met my true love when he sang me a beautiful ballad from my balcony!

Ariel: I met my true love when I saved his life!

Cinderella: What about you, Meg?

Meg: Oh, I met him when he saved me from a river guardian because I was working for his evil uncle who wanted to kill him.

The princesses: …..

Cinderella: Well, that’s…nice.

But I think just a “normal/not royalty” Creon could definitely still work as her dad! I believe in Go The Distance (the Disney Twisted Tale book aka the official Hercules AU fanfiction lmao) her father was named Leonnatos and her mother was named Thea. (Spoiler alert if you haven’t read the book) Leonnatos ended up leaving Thea and Meg because he didn’t want to deal with the stress of being husband and father and being the main provider for the family and if I remember correctly, Thea died from getting hit by a horse drawn chariot or something like that when Meg was a kid. So, yeah quite a tragic backstory for our beloved Meg. Though, that story is an AU, so like most AU stuff in the Disney Hercules universe it may or may not be canon to the original movie lmao

#ask #anon ask #hercules #disney #hercules 1997 #disney’s hercules #megara #go the distance #the house of mouse #house of mouse #disney twisted tales #rambles